This pivotal episode – wrapping up the show’s plot threads early at the end of season four in case the series wasn’t renewed for a fifth year – demanded some outstanding music, and got it in spades, though the soundtrack for Endgame isn’t without flaws. Once again, I have to criticize Christopher Franke for reusing material. I cited this gripe with In The Beginning, and here it happens again. The somber theme, first introduced as “Londo And G’Kar In Trouble” on the No Surrender, No Retreat soundtrack, returns no less than three times in the space of this 36-minute CD – it’s the official musical accompaniment of every quietly serious moment in Babylon 5’s fourth season. Building upon themes is one thing – themes that accompany specific situations and characters have made many movie and TV scores immortal to their listeners. But this particular piece of music was haphazardly jammed in wherever it would fit during the latter half of that season (and a large chunk of “Taking Back Earth”, the part which accompanied Sheridan’s ultimatum, was jammed into Delenn’s speech to Earth’s heads of state in the following episode, even though it was barely appropriate to the situation. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the famous “jump now!” cue didn’t originate with Z’Ha’Dum – it was first heard in part one of War Without End. That cue was used in consistent situations whenever it resurfaced. This cue…isn’t. And I’m not going to mention “Mars Attack”‘s inclusion of a cue from a Franke movie score that predates Babylon 5 altogether!
However, “Taking Back Earth”, heard on Endgame in its first appearance, may well be the best reason to get this CD. That epic 11-minute cue – comprising almost an entire third of the album! – covers Sheridan’s forces’ battle to free Earth from the tyrannical reign of President Clark, and is an extremely intense 
listening experience, even without the visuals with which it is associated. The 6-minute long “Mars Attack” cue is also excellent, and it was reused heavily on In The Beginning. And last but not least, there’s also the “ISN News Jingle”, a nice little bonus bit of “source” music – meaning that, unlike the underscore, the characters in the show can hear it – that I really didn’t expect to hear on CD anytime soon.
- Marcus on Death Watch / The Final Strike / Scouting Mars Targets / Main
Title (6:03)- Taking Mars Bunker / Captain’s Final Briefing / Sheridan’s Old Teacher
(3:02)- Battle On Mars (6:20)
- Awakening Telepath / Babylon 5 Files (3:49)
- Taking Back Earth (10:59)
- ISN Jingle / Alien Healing Device / End Title (3:39)
Released by: Sonic Images
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 35:25
