John Sheridan (Babylon 5)

John David Sheridan1(?? - 2281), played by Bruce Boxleitner, is a fictional character in the universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.

Presidency

After returning to Babylon 5, President Sheridan began the process of leading the new Interstellar Alliance. The first years of the Alliance would bring about numerous problems that would shake the Alliance to its core. Sheridan had to work to keep the Alliance together, despite forces that were working to tear it apart.

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President Sheridan brought Captain Elizabeth Lochley to the station to take command of the station. Even though Sheridan described her as Ivanova's replacement, she was really a replacement for both him and in part Ivanova. Lt. Corwin took over some of Ivanova's other duties. Sheridan gave her a free hand to run the station's affairs, reserving only the political course of the Alliance to himself.

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Right after returning to the station, Sheridan began preparing for his formal inauguration. At about the same time he had to deal with the first assassination attempt to be made against him. Former EarthForce Major Clemens had run the Beta 9 prison system under President Clark. After Clark died, warrants were put out on Clemens on charges of torture and murder of dissidents on Beta 9 and elsewhere. Blaming Sheridan for what had happened to him and not having much to lose, Clemens came to Babylon 5 to kill Sheridan. Clemens also was a trained infiltrator. Sheridan was saved by a telepath from being shot by Clemens in the reception hall, who had disguised himself as the new Gaim ambassador. The inauguration ceremony was moved to the observation dome. Clemens tried to destroy the dome with a Starfury, but was intercepted by Garibaldi in his own fighter. Garibaldi managed to use the Starfury's robtic arm to grab Clemens' fighter, and threw it clear of the station. Clemens was killed when the station opened fire on him.

Related Topics:
Assassination - Gaim

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Telepath Crisis

After his inauguration, Sheridan gave shelter to a group of refugee telepaths led by a man named Byron, and allowed them to form a colony on Babylon 5. He felt that with Psi-Corps preparing to eventually overthrow the government that it would be beneficial to have telepaths friendly to the Alliance.

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In addition to helping save Sheridan's life, Byron himself learned that the Drazi - who were members of the Alliance - were using raiders to harass the Enphili. This helped end the harassment of the Enphili - who were being bombed to the point of extinction by the raiders. It also illustrated that the Alliance was quite willing to act against those who would commit violence against others. Afterwards, Sheridan took the opportunity to let Garibaldi form a covert intelligence unit from several of these telepaths.

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PsiCop Bester came to the station with the intention of taking the telepaths back to Earth. His group managed to arrest all the telepaths, and were about to depart. But Captain Lochley and Dr. Franklin came up with a way to delay the removal of the telepaths. Dr. Franklin found that he had the right to quarantine newly arrived people for two months, and Lochley backed him up. This gave the telepaths a respite in order to figure out a long term solution.

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Soon, Byron fell in love with Lyta Alexander. The telepaths then learned that the Vorlons had created them to fight the Shadows. Byron was quite angry over how the telepaths had been used. He decided to demand that the telepaths be given a homeworld. Byron had his telepaths spy on the various Ambassadors, and learn secrets from them. In an Alliance meeting, Byron made his demand, and revealed that they had spied on the Ambassadors.

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The PsiCops arrived soon afterwards to disband the telepath colony, and take the telepaths back to Earth. Despite attempts by Sheridan to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis, the PsiCops interfered. Byron and a small group of telepaths committed suicide rather than allow Bester to take them back to the Psi-Corps.

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Later Years

Sheridan led the Alliance from Babylon 5 for the first year. When the Alliance headquarters in the Minbari city of Tuzanor were complete, Sheridan moved to Minbar. He led the Alliance from there for over a decade. In 2279, Sheridan declined reelection to the Presidency. His wife Delenn became the second President of the Alliance. Afterwards, Sheridan focused his efforts on leading the Anla'Shok.

Related Topics:
Babylon 5 - Tuzanor - Minbar - Anla'Shok

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Just before moving to Minbar, Sheridan and Delenn learned that Delenn was pregnant. Despite the fact that the baby's human heritage could lead to danger, Delenn was able to carry the baby to term. The couple named their son David.

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In 2281, Sheridan knew that the 20 years he had been given by Lorien were almost over. He had his friends - Ivanova, Garibaldi, Franklin, and Centauri Emperor Cotto - come to his home for one last party. Just before the party, Franklin found that Sheridan only had a short time left. The next morning, Sheridan left his home and his wife for the last time. He traveled alone to Babylon 5 to see the station one last time. He learned that the station was about to be shut down and demolished. Zack Allan - who he had also invited to the party - came to visit with Sheridan. Sheridan learned that Allan had reenlisted a few months ago and returned to Babylon 5, which resulted in the Ranger carrying his invitation being unable to find him on Earth. Sheridan realized that he was coming to the end. He then traveled alone to the Coriana system, where he was taken beyond the galactic rim by Lorien. His empty ship was later recovered, but his body was never found. Some Minbari believed that he would eventually return, but neither his friends or family ever saw him again.

Related Topics:
Coriana - Lorien

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