Babylon 5: The Gathering

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Babylon 5: The Gathering
"Babylon 5: The Gathering"
A Babylon 5 movie
Special Episode
Writer(s) J. Michael Straczynski
Story by
Director Richard Compton
Special guest(s) Paul Hampton
Production No.
Nielsen Rating
US airdate 1993-02-22
UK airdate
DVD release 2004-08-17
Date
Extended Info
Episode Chronology
Previous Next
None Babylon 5: The Gathering Babylon 5: In the Beginning (movie)


Contents

[edit] Overview

The pilot episode for B5. The opening sequence as told by Ambassador Londo Mollari:

I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257, with the last of the Babylon stations located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, smugglers, businessmen, diplomats, and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risk 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, where species could live side-by-side in mutual respect. A dream that was endangered 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.

[edit] Synopsis

In the year 2257, a giant space station, Babylon 5, has entered service and is preparing for its first major official duty -- that of hosting the ambassadors of the Minbari, Vorlon, Centauri and Narn governments, who will, along with station Commander Sinclair, the Earth representative, start down a long and uneasy path toward interstellar peace.

Station first officer, Laurel Takashima and security chief Michael Garibaldi are both officers with career records that are, in places, less than exemplary, giving the impression that the Earth Alliance isn't going to send the cream of its crop to Babylon 5 - especially not since Babylons 1, 2 and 3 were sabotaged and destroyed, and Babylon 4 vanished without a trace within a day of becoming operational.

There are also questions about the alien representatives: Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari spends a good deal of his time in the diplomatic pursuit of drinks and winnings in the station's casino; Minbari Ambassador Delenn, whose people once waged a vicious war with Earth and suddenly stopped all attacks just moments before wiping out the human race, is secretive and speaks in riddles. Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn Regime is ill-tempered and makes no secret of the fact that he seeks power and prestige for his own people and himself, no matter what the cost to other individuals or governments. And last, but not least, Vorlon Ambassador Kosh Naranek will be the first Vorlon ever encountered by any of the above species.

This proves to be a problem when Kosh, in a life-sustaining environment suit, is found unconscious moments after his ship docks at Babylon 5. The crew swings into action and discovers foul play, which infuriates the Vorlon Empire. Matters are made no less critical when it is discovered that the culprit is at large on Babylon 5, and Commander Sinclair is framed for the attack on Kosh. His crew must fight to uncover the truth to prevent the Vorlons from extraditing Sinclair - or to prevent them from simply declaring all-out war on the Earth Alliance. (Attrib: B5 LogBook [1])

[edit] Plot Points

  • The Earth-Minbari War has been over for almost 10 years but there is still animosity between the two races.
  • All the alien races but the Narn have telepaths.
  • The Narn were once enslaved by the Centauri and have only recently gained their independence.
  • The Centauri Empire is slowly dying, as embodied by Londo Mollari's comment to Michael Garibaldi: "You know why I am here? I'm here to grovel before your wonderful Earth Alliance, in the hopes of attaching ourselves to your destiny."
  • Centauri status is based on family history. Political and personal power must be built up over generations.
  • Jeffrey Sinclair fought at the Battle of the Line, which was the last battle of the Earth-Minbari War. During the battle he blacked out while attacking a Minbari warship and remained unconscious for 24 hours. He has no idea what happened to him during those 24 hours.
  • Garibaldi had been "bounced from station to station" for a long time before Sinclair requested him for Babylon 5.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Starring

[edit] Also Starring

[edit] See Also

Governments: Narn Regime, Centauri Republic, Vorlon Empire, Earth Alliance, Minbari Federation

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