Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.info,rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated,rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5,alt.tv.babylon-5,aus.sf.babylon5,rec.arts.sf.tv,alt.answers,rec.answers,news.answers From: Babylon 5 FAQ Subject: Babylon 5 FAQ (C): Setting for season 1 Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu Organization: Earth Alliance Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated Reply-To: (see signature) Summary: This document is a supplement to the Babylon 5 FAQ list. It contains information to help viewers of the show who are catching up with the show in season 1 ("Signs and Portents", Earth year 2258). Archive-name: tv/babylon-5/setting/season1 Frequency: bi-weekly Last-modified: 17 December 1997 +-----------------------------------+ | BABYLON 5 FAQ, part (C): | | Setting for season #1 | | | | A guide for viewers who wish to | | catch up to the events leading | | up to season 1, "Signs and Por- | | tents." This is the year 2258 | | in the opening credits. | | | | This holds minor spoilers for | | the pilot only, and descriptions | | of characters and settings for | | season 1. | +-----------------------------------+ There are SEVEN parts to the FAQ: (A) Information about B5; (B) News and Schedule; (C), (D), (E), (F) are the settings for seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 respectively. The latest version of all parts of the FAQ can be retrieved via anonymous ftp at ftp://ftp.midwinter.com/pub/Babylon-5/ or via e-mail by sending a note to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with any or all of these lines in the message body: send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/faq send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/news-schedule send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/setting/season1 send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/setting/season2 send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/setting/season3 send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/setting/season4 send usenet/news.answers/tv/babylon-5/setting/season5 WORLD WIDE WEB users should see http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html for the much more detailed "Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5"; the information in this document is similar to the "Universe" section. ------------------------- Contents of this document ------------------------- 1. Introduction 2. The Setting of Babylon 5 3. The Major Players 4. The Characters 5. The Story So Far 6. Past and Current reference 7. Credits and Legalese ------------------------------ Subject: 1. Introduction It was the dawn of the third age of mankind, ten years after the Earth/ Minbari war. The Babylon Project was a dream given form. Its goal: to prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully. It's a port of call - home away from home for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers. Humans and aliens wrapped in two million, five hundred thousand tons of spinning metal, all alone in the night. It can be a dangerous place, but it's our last best hope for peace. This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon 5. -- Commander Sinclair #### Narration from the Pilot movie, "The Gathering": I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257 with the founding of the last of the Babylon stations, located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, smugglers, businessmen, diplomats and travellers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risks because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace. Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream given form. A dream of a galaxy without war, and species of different worlds could live, side by side in mutual respect. A dream that was in danger as never before, by the arrival of one man on a mission of destruction. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations. This is its story. -- Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari ------------------------------ Subject: 2. The Setting of Babylon 5 A hundred years ago, humanity made contact with its first alien civilization -- or more to the point, they made contact with us. Before the arrival of the Centauri, we were confined to our own solar system, forced to use slow sleeper ships to explore the universe. The Centauri gave us the stars, offered us the use of their "jumpgates" -- portals into hyperspace -- and later, taught us to make our own. In exchange for this and other technologies, they asked only for trinkets, novelties to sell back home. In the eighty years that followed, humanity flexed its muscles, expanding outward at a rapid pace. When a group of less powerful races was attacked by an invading army, Earth came to their aid, cementing its role as a major galactic power, if a young, brash one. The wave of euphoria came crashing down when humanity made contact with a mysterious race called the Minbari. The Earth-Minbari War began with a misunderstanding, a human captain and a Minbari commander too quick on the trigger. Thanks to bad luck or something darker, our first meeting with the Minbari resulted in the death of their supreme religious and political leader. To the Minbari, what followed was a holy war, vengeance for the murder of their spiritual leader. Earth was no match for the technologically superior Minbari, and they easily beat us back to our home planet. Then, without explanation, as their ships closed in on Earth and wiped out our last desperate defenses, the Minbari halted their advance and surrendered. Only an elite few knew why. The Babylon Project was conceived in the aftermath of the war. Modeled after the United Nations, it would be a meeting place, neutral ground where the powers could meet and work out their differences peacefully. The first three Babylon stations were sabotaged in mid-construction. The fourth was completed, but just as it was about to go online, it vanished without a trace. The Earth government would have stopped there, but some of the alien governments, seeing the value of a meeting ground, offered financial assistance for the construction of a fifth station. Naturally, there were strings attached. Babylon 5 is the story of the last of the Babylon stations, the last hope for a galaxy without war. It begins in the year 2257 with the opening of the Babylon 5 station. + + + + + Season 1 opens almost a year after the station went on-line. Things have functioned surprisingly smoothly, considering the fate of the station's predecessors. ------------------------------ Subject: 3. The Major Players ======== a. The Earth Alliance The Earth Alliance, headquartered in Geneva, is in charge of the station and the surrounding space. It is led by President Luis Santiago, a forward-looking politician who values Earth's participation in Babylon 5 tremendously. Of special note is a branch of the Earth government called Psi-Corps, responsible for the tracking and training of human telepaths. The EA appointed Commander Jeffrey Sinclair to command Babylon 5, although the installation of such a low-ranked officer made more than a few people upset. ======== b. The Minbari Federation Earth's former adversary, the Minbari Federation, was the major alien contributor to the construction of Babylon 5. An old, highly spiritual race, Minbari are humanoid with exterior bone crests on their heads. The Minbari are ruled by a body known as the Grey Council, three members from each of the three castes of Minbari society. The reason behind the sudden Minbari surrender at the climax of the Earth-Minbari War is a closely guarded secret, but what isn't a secret is that the warrior caste was none too pleased about the order; even today, it is a source of tension within Minbari society. ======== c. The Centauri Republic The Centauri were the first aliens encountered by humanity. Physically, they look nearly identical to humans, and in fact the Centauri initially claimed that Earth was a lost colony (a claim they later retracted after humans discovered that the similarities weren't so great after all.) Centauri women are bald; men wear their hair in peacock-style fans whose length indicates the wearer's social standing. The Centauri Republic is a fading empire, slowly losing control of its member worlds, a decline much like that of the British Empire. ======== d. The Narn Regime Among those formerly under Centauri domination are the Narn, a reptilian-looking race who fought off their oppressors in a century-long war of attrition. Now the Narn Regime is building its military up, trying to settle the score through an aggressive expansionist policy. Most Narn would like nothing better than to see the Centauri wiped from the face of the universe, and from all appearances, they'll shortly be in a position to get their wish. ======== e. The Vorlon Empire The final major government represented on Babylon 5 is the Vorlon Empire. The Vorlons are shrouded in mystery. Even though their ambassador is on the station, nobody knows what they look like; they dress in bulky encounter suits. Whether the suits are there to keep a noxious atmosphere in or prying eyes out is a matter of some debate. The Vorlons are an extremely powerful race; no expedition into their space has been heard from again. They seem to have had dealings with the Minbari in the past, though neither the Minbari nor the Vorlons care to discuss the matter. ======== f. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds Each of the five races has an ambassador on the Babylon 5 Advisory Council, something like the UN Security Council. In addition, a number of smaller governments are members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, which is also represented on the Council. This group is generally sympathetic to Earth, largely because Earth stepped in to save many of them from invasion by a hostile race (now extinct) twenty years ago. ------------------------------ Subject: 4. The Characters ======== a. Main Cast (appearing in most episodes throughout the season) i. Humans COMMANDER JEFFREY DAVID SINCLAIR Michael O'Hare The commander of Babylon 5 and representative of the Earth Alliance. A survivor of the climactic Battle of the Line at the end of the Earth-Minbari War, Sinclair sometimes yearns for his days as a hotshot fighter pilot, and partially for that reason, he's given to taking unnecessary personal risks. He's uncomfortable in his position and in fact isn't entirely sure why he was given command of such a major post and made a high-level diplomat; his stiff demeanor is perhaps due to a fear that he isn't up to the job he's been given. He is also haunted by suspicions that something happened to him during a 24-hour blackout during the final moments of the Earth-Minbari war. Sinclair was born on Mars Colony and is 39 years old. LT. COMMANDER SUSAN IVANOVA Claudia Christian Second in command and in charge of the day-to-day operations of Babylon 5, Ivanova is an ambitious career officer. She can be quirky or pessimistic at times, but she has a dry sense of humor that shows itself in the rare moments she is able to relax among others. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and raised abroad on Earth, she has a strong dislike for the Psi-Corps, whose legally-mandated drug treatments drove her mother to suicide after it was discovered her mother was a latent telepath. She is new on the station and often buries herself in her work; her friends are few and her family is all but gone. SECURITY CHIEF MICHAEL ALFREDO GARIBALDI Jerry Doyle In charge of security on Babylon 5. He has a troubled past, bouncing from position to position and trying to overcome alcoholism. He was picked by Sinclair for the job; the two worked together in the past. Sinclair knew that Garibaldi would be persistent, not willing to give in to political pressures -- in Sinclair's words, "a pain in the ass." Garibaldi is something of a smart-aleck, always ready to crack a joke, but given to bouts of self-doubt and introspection when nobody's looking. His rank is "Chief Warrant Officer." DR. STEPHEN FRANKLIN Richard Biggs Dedicated and assured, a specialist in xenobiology (alien biology,) and in charge of Medlab on Babylon 5. His background is mainly in experimental medicine, so his bedside manner is occasionally not what it should be. His strong sense of personal morality is at times in conflict with his duties as the chief medical provider for aliens from hundreds of worlds and cultures, some of whom view his obligations rather differently. In his middle thirties now, he spent years hitchhiking through space, offering his doctoral services in exchange for the opportunity to examine new life forms. TALIA WINTERS Andrea Thompson Babylon 5's resident telepath, on her first solo assignment, with level 5 psi rating, bound by the rules and regulations of the Psi Corps. She sells her telepathic services to businessmen, and occasionally assists Sinclair in negotiations. Talia was raised and trained by the Psi Corps, meaning that that organization is her family. ii. Ambassadors AMBASSADOR LONDO MOLLARI Peter Jurasik The representative of the Centauri Republic. Londo views Babylon 5's mission as something of a sham, with limited chance of helping his people regain their lost glory and sense of purpose. His assignment on Babylon 5 is not considered an important position, in spite of the high status that his regalia and high-standing hair would indicate. A war hero in his younger days, he has since grown decadent and indulgent. Londo can often be found in one of the station's bars or casinos, drinking himself to oblivion. He has a biting, cynical sense of humor. Perhaps his only real friend is Garibaldi, who understands something of what Londo has been through. AMBASSADOR DELENN Mira Furlan Represents the Minbari Federation. Delenn is a member of the highest Minbari governmental body, the Grey Council, and why she's masquerading as a lowly ambassador is one of the ongoing mysteries of Babylon 5. A member of the religious caste, Delenn's belief in fate and destiny is often evident. She is fascinated by humans and tries to learn all about them; some say she is suspiciously watchful of Commander Sinclair. AMBASSADOR G'KAR Andreas Katsulas The representative of the Narn Regime rose to his position in part thanks to his wife's renown as a hero of the revolutionary war against the Centauri, but his own ambition and ability are more than equal to the job. G'Kar will waste no opportunity to turn a situation to the Narns' advantage, even if it means antagonizing everyone else on the station. He takes pride in his position and himself, a pride perhaps bordering on arrogance at times. G'Kar would like nothing better than to see the Centauri, and Londo in particular, pay dearly for their brutal occupation of Narn. AMBASSADOR KOSH NARANEK Ardwight Chamberlain (translation) Chris Franke (voice effects) Jeffrey Willerth (in the suit) and animatronics Even less is known about Ambassador Kosh than about his race. He arrived on the station in 2257 and was promptly the victim of a complex assassination plot involving the Minbari and others. He is rarely seen in council meetings, claiming that "we take no interest in the affairs of others," and Vorlons' reasons for coming to Babylon 5 at all are unknown. Kosh communicates through a complex sequence of musical tones, translated into English by a device on his encounter suit. When he speaks, his words are few and sound cryptic, but often have a strange truth to them. Kosh's quarters are filled with a dense atmosphere of methane and other gases; whether he needs it or is using it to make himself less accessible is an open question. Even when he's receiving visitors there, Kosh wears his suit. ======== b. Supporting Characters (also in the opening credits) iii. Ambassador assistants LENNIER Bill Mumy Delenn's aide, fresh out of a monastery on the Minbari homeworld. He's something of an innocent abroad, perhaps the one person on Babylon 5 without a hidden agenda or a knife waiting to stab someone in the back. He reveres Delenn, whom only he knows of her high stature back home; to him she's a holy figure. First appears in "The Parliament of Dreams." VIR COTTO Stephen Furst Diplomatic Attache to Ambassador Londo. Timid, unsure of himself, at times he seems little more than someone for Londo to throw things at. However, he is the only one to know what Londo is going through as difficult times approach. NA'TOTH Caitlin Brown A female Narn, assistant to G'Kar. Though she appeared on the scene in somewhat dubious circumstances, she is fiercely loyal to G'Kar. She prefers the direct approach rather than G'Kar's subterfuge and deception. First appears in "The Parliament of Dreams." ======== c. Recurring and Past Characters +-----------------------------------+ | This section lists characters | | that are seen from time to time | | on Babylon 5. Characters that | | have appeared in the past, and | | may have some relevance to the | | current season, are listed here | | as well, to provide context. | | This includes characters from | | the pilot that are no longer on | | the series. | +-----------------------------------+ ALFRED BESTER Walter Koenig A Psi-Cop, one of an elite unit of the Psi Corps whose function is to track down rogue telepaths, among other things. Perhaps in part because of his P12 psi rating -- more than twice as high as Talia's -- he seems to have risen to a position of some importance in the Corps. Bester ruthlessly pursues his agenda, which most of the time is the same as the Corps'. First appears in "Mind War." MORDEN Ed Wasser A human who spent a while on the rim, and seems to have made contact with the mysterious race, known only as the shadows. His aid to Londo has put the ambassador in a difficult situation. First appears in "Signs and Portents." CATHERINE SAKAI Julia Nickson She works for an Earth company that surveys asteroids and planets for mineral exploitation. Runs the survey ship Skydancer. She and Sinclair have had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship over the past decade. First appears in "The Parliament of Dreams." JACK Macaulay Bruton Garibaldi's assistant, whom Garibaldi has taken under his wing. Friendly, and seems a bit naive. First appears in "Mind War." LOU WELCH David Crowley One of Garibaldi's lieutenants. First appears in "Survivors." N'GRATH (animatronics) An insect-like non-humanoid alien, a sort of underworld boss, who can arrange or fix things for a price. First appears in "Soul Hunter." SENATOR HIDOSHI Aki Aleong A member of the Senate committee overseeing Babylon 5. Senator Hidoshi is often the one to deliver unpleasant government orders to Sinclair, though he seems personally to agree with Sinclair much of the time. First appears in "Deathwalker." LYTA ALEXANDER Patricia Tallman Babylon 5's first commercial telepath, rating P5, in her early thirties or late twenties. She was transferred off the station shortly after examining Kosh, presumably due to her newfound knowledge of the Vorlons. First appears in "The Gathering." LAUREL TAKASHIMA Tamilyn Tomita Originally the second in command of Babylon 5 (cf "The Gathering"), Takashima was reassigned, and has not been heard from since. She was raised on Earth, and had worked with Sinclair on Mars. CAROLYN SYKES Blaire Baron Sinclair's former romantic interest; she owned a trader ship that passed through Babylon 5 from time to time. She left Sinclair because he wasn't willing to give up his command to travel with her. DR. BENJAMIN KYLE Johnny Sekka Formerly Babylon 5's chief physician and xenobiologist. African, in his fifties, with a subtle sense of humor. After treating -- and seeing -- Ambassador Kosh, he was recalled to Earthdome. ------------------------------ Subject: 5. The Story So Far +-----------------------------------+ | This section contains spoilers | | for the pilot movie of Babylon | | 5. It contains no spoilers for | | this or subsequent seasons. | +-----------------------------------+ Season one opens after the station has been operational after nearly a year, much longer than the odds would have predicted. In "The Gathering" (the pilot movie), Ambassador Kosh, the last ambassador to arrive, was poisoned immediately upon arrival. Sinclair was framed by a radical member of the Minbari warrior caste. In saving Kosh, B5's doctor and resident telepath saw Kosh under his encounter suit; they were transferred back to Earth shortly afterward. Babylon 5's second in command, Takashima, was replaced by Lt. Commander Ivanova. ------------------------------ Subject: 6. Past and Current Episode Reference +-----------------------------------+ | This section contains brief de- | | scriptions of episodes up to, | | and including, the current sea- | | son. These entries do contain | | minor spoilers, enough to iden- | | tify the episode title based on | | its storyline. | +-----------------------------------+ Pilot Movie * The Gathering Sinclair is framed for the poisoning of Ambassador Kosh. Season One: "Signs and Portents" * Midnight on the Firing Line Narn agents attack a Centauri Agricultural colony. * Soul Hunter An alien arrives on the station to collect and save people's souls. * Born to the Purple Londo's secrets are in danger of being stolen by a beautiful Centauri slave. * Infection A biotechnological fighting creature is unleashed on the station. * The Parliament of Dreams G'Kar is in danger of assassination during a week of religious festivals. * Mind War A renegade telepath is pursued by Psi Cops; Sakai explores a distant planet. * The War Prayer Homeguard anarchists attack aliens; young lovers are counseled by Londo. * And the Sky Full of Stars Sinclair is forced to relive his experience on the Battle of the Line. * Deathwalker A war criminal has discovered the secret to immortality. * Believers Franklin struggles with saving a child against against religious beliefs. * Survivors After a disaster, Garibaldi is on the run and slips back into alcoholism. * By Any Means Necessary Babylon 5 dock workers are on strike; Londo interferes with Narn religion. * Signs and Portents As raiders attack B5, a man is asking strange questions of the ambassadors. * TKO Ivanova sits shiva for her father; Garibaldi's friend takes on the champ. * Grail A man in search of the Holy Grail visits B5; Lurker attacks link to Kosh. * Eyes Sinclair is accused of wrongdoing by an Internal Investigations officer. * Legacies A Minbari war hero's body is gone; a young telepath must choose her future. * A Voice in the Wilderness I * A Voice in the Wilderness II The planet below shows signs of activity; an Earth Ship is sent to assist. * Babylon Squared The long-missing Babylon 4 mysteriously re-appears; Delenn gets a big offer. * The Quality of Mercy Franklin investigates a medical clinic; Talia enters the mind of a killer. * Chrysalis Garibaldi uncovers a plot to kill the president; Delenn begins a change. ------------------------------ Subject: 7. Credits and Legalese This text file may be distributed online, in complete or excerpted form, as long as acknowledgement is made to the authors, and the URL of the current version of this file is indicated. (see top of document.) The Babylon 5 Frequently Asked Questions List part (C) is Copyright 1996-98 by Dan Wood and Steven Grimm. Acknowledgement is made to J. Michael Straczynski, previous FAQ maintainer Lee Whiteside and to excerpted contributions from the Babylon 5 online libraries. Currently maintained by Dan Wood. Comments, suggestions, etc. are always appreciated. This text file was edited on QUED/M text editor running on a Macintosh. If you maintain an online B5 service, I can send you each FAQ update. I don't have the resources to send updates to individuals, so please don't ask. ------------------------- NAME: Dan Wood <*> "Change the world before WEB: www.karelia.com someone else does it for you." EMAIL:danwood@ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ -- J. Michael Straczynski -------------------------