Babylon 5

Babylon 5 is an epic science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The music for the TV series and related TV movies was composed by Christopher Franke. The pilot movie, The Gathering, aired on February 22, 1993, and the regular series initially aired from January 26, 1994 through November 25, 1998, first in syndication on the short-lived Prime Time Entertainment Network, then on cable network TNT. Because the show was aired every week in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 without a break, the last four or five episodes of the early seasons were shown in the UK before the US.

Themes

Through its ongoing story arc, Babylon 5 found ways to portray themes relevant to modern social issues.

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Authoritarianism vs. chaos; light vs. dark vs. gray

The central theme in Babylon 5 is the conflict between order and chaos, and the people caught in between.

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The Vorlons and the Earth Alliance Government both represent oppressive, authoritarian philosophies: you will do what we tell you to, because we tell you to do it. Who are you? Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for a greater cause, or are you merely serving your own petty interests?

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The Shadows represent chaos. Their belief is that by creating conflict, a stronger generation is born — pure "survival of the fittest". To accomplish this, the Shadows encourage conflict between other groups, who choose to serve their own glory or profit. What do you want? Money, territory, fame, power?

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The Rangers, composed mainly of Minbari and Humans with a scattering of other races, represent a third way; their unwavering commitment to compassion and self-sacrifice, epitomised by the character of Marcus Cole, opposes both the emotionless war of the Vorlons and the chaotic brutality of the Shadows.

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Ultimately, the main characters try to strike a balance: sometimes selfish, sometime self-sacrificing, and making many mistakes along the way. Sometimes they impress us, and sometimes they horrify us. Do you have anything worth living for? Do you love? Do you have a true calling?

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Straczynski occasionally hinted that there was a "fourth question." One suggestion that has been made for this question is, "Why are you here?" Another possibility is Lorien's final question to Sheridan: "Where are you going?"

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It is (intentionally) ironic that the Earth Alliance government, an incarnation of Vorlon-style order, informally allied itself with the Shadows during the course of the series.

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War and Peace

The Babylon 5 timeline includes numerous major armed conflicts:

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• The first war between the Narn and Centauri, which ends four decades before the series.
• The war between the Dilgar and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds (aided by the Earth Alliance), which takes place three decades before the series.
• The war between the Humans and the Minbari, which takes place ten years before the series starts.
• The second war between the Narn and Centauri, which takes place during the series.
• The eons-old conflict between the Vorlons and the Shadows.
• The civil war between the Minbari religious and warrior castes.
• The civil war between President Clark's corrupt Earthgov and the Babylon 5-led resistance.
• The war between the new Interstellar Alliance and the Centauri Republic.
• The war between the Earth Alliance and the Drakh.
• The telepath war, most of which takes place shortly after the series.
• The battle to free Centauri Prime from Drakh occupation, which takes place a decade and a half after the series.
• The Great Burn, a civil war between factions of the Earth Alliance that takes place five centuries after the series.

Most of the above conflicts end when the side with superior firepower gives in to the side with the superior understanding. Every conflict has a forgotten "third side", people crushed beneath the feet of the powerful. Usually a single individual willing to sacrifice himself is more powerful than the greatest army, while an individual willing to sacrifice everyone else to serve his own objectives can reduce entire worlds to ashes, and yet still be defeated.

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After all is done, we find members of the opposing sides working together to forge a new future. (Examples: the Rangers, Delenn and Neroon; Delenn and Sheridan; Londo and G'Kar; Garibaldi and Lochley.)

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Ultimately, every violent conflict is born out of self-interest, perpetuated by prejudice and ideology, and resolved by the realization that each side needs the other to survive. Hatred is associated with stupidity, forgiveness is associated with pragmatism, and wisdom follows conflict.

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Love and true seekers

Unrequited love may be the source of all pain in Babylon 5. Ivanova loses everyone she loves. Lennier is the ultimate victim of unrequited love, but also of his own foolishness. Sheridan and Delenn know true love; Sheridan comes back from the dead for love ("Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?"). Marcus says, "Sometimes love is funny, sometimes very sad." Garibaldi takes a long time to figure it out. Vir knows what true love is from the beginning; his problem is getting to "number six".

Related Topics:
Love - Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi? - Number six

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But there are a few who have forsaken physical desire for a greater calling: finding the holy grail, all the names of God, or the fulfilment of a thousand year old prophecy.

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The only alternative to having love or a true calling is to be insane, addicted to some petty need, a tool for some other power, or to be adrift among the stars. Although it must be said: almost everyone in love or walking a true path is considered to be insane.

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Straczynski's recurring message is to always accept passion when it calls. This message is first presented in the episode "The Coming of Shadows", in a conversation between Emperor Turhan and Captain Sheridan, shortly before the Emperor dies before he can say that he is sorry for the crimes his government committed against the Narn. Straczynski considers this episode to be the centerpiece of the series.

Related Topics:
Passion - The Coming of Shadows

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Addiction

Addiction plays a recurring role in the saga of Babylon 5. Power as an addiction, work as an addiction, violence as an addiction and hatred as an addiction all play out repeatedly. Several major characters have a history of substance abuse: Garibaldi is a recovering alcoholic; Londo Mollari is a heavy drinker; Dr. Franklin is addicted to synthetic stimulants ("stims"); and Lochley went though a period of hard drug abuse in her younger years. Abuse of "dust", a telepathic drug, also plays a recurring role in the story.

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Obsession as a related theme occurs numerous times too. Sheridan is willing to break all rules to learn the fate of his wife after discovering the connection between her and Morden. The Narn and Centauri hate each other to the point of obsession and addiction.

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