Tag: Shadows

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 1

Signs And Portents

Babylon 5Aside from the appearance of a mysterious young man who insists on nebulously asking the station’s alien ambassadors what they want, all seems quiet aboard the station until a nearby fighter is attacked by raiders, whose attacks have been getting bolder every time. Sinclair orders the station to be placed on alert in the event of any closer raider activity. In the meantime, powerful Centauri Lord Kiros arrives to take possession of the Eye, a legendary Centauri artifact which has been lost for a long time and recently “rediscovered” by Londo, unaware that the raiders would be drawn to just such an object. Kiros’ aunt, the mystic Lady Ladira, predicts the destruction of Babylon 5 and the death of Kiros himself. When the raiders turn out to be operating inside the station and take Kiros and the Eye, Sinclair orders the station’s fighter squadrons to prevent their escape. A huge mothership appears with its contingent of fighters, and Ladira’s predictions seem like a grimly imminent certainty.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Janet Greek
music by Christopher Franke

Guest Cast: Gerritt Graham (Lord Kiros), Fredi Olster (Lady Ladira), Whip Hubley (Raider #1), Anita Brabec (Dome Tech #3), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Joshua Cox (Dome Tech #2), Garry Kluger (Man), Lee Mathis (Fighter #1), Douglas E. McCoy (Fighter #2), Hector Mercado (Pilot), Marianne Robertson (Dome Tech #1), Robert Silver (Reno), Ed Wasser (Morden), Lynn Red Williams (Customs Guard)

Babylon 5Original title: Raiding Party

Notes: In this story, Morden appears for the first time in the series to ask Londo and G’Kar what they want; also putting in a debut appearance is a dark spiny ship which will become more familiar toward the end of the season. It is also established that Delenn and Kosh know what Morden is. Though this episode arrives first in the chronology of the series, Ed Wasser played the role of Morden first in Chrysalis, which was filmed before Signs And Portents.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 1

Chrysalis

Babylon 5Negotiations between the Narn and Centauri over territorial claims to quadrant 37 are getting nowhere, and it looks like G’Kar has the upper hand on Londo. In the meantime, a strange discussion between Kosh and Delenn leads to a momentous decision, one which numbers Delenn’s days as she knows them. An informant for Garibaldi is found murdered, and Garibaldi sets out to discover who did it. Morden, an elusive being in human form who once asked Londo and G’Kar what they wanted, appears out of nowhere and offers Londo the opportunity to take credit for a solution to the quadrant 37 problem that will tip the scales in the Centauris’ favor, a solution which Morden and his unspecified associates will provide at no cost. Garibaldi follows a tenuous trail of clues to a man named Devereaux, who warns that the security chief is getting into something too big for him. As it turns out, this is true – Garibaldi discovers evidence that Devereaux may be an Earthforce special agent, and finally stumbles across a plot to assassinate the president of the Earth Alliance. He pays for this discovery dearly when one of the conspirators shoots him, almost fatally. The Shadows are cast upon quadrant 37, utterly annihilating every trace of the Narn presence there in mere seconds. Delenn goes to Sinclair to discuss at last the Battle of the Line and his capture, but his priority must be to find Garibaldi. Delenn is risking her life and Sinclair’s to reveal the mystery to him, and warns that she has little time left. Garibaldi, dying, warns of the plot to kill the president, but his warning is too late, and Earthforce One is destroyed and Vice President Clark is sworn in as president hours later. Londo is horrified at Morden’s solution to the quadrant 37 dispute. Delenn sets into motion a process which begins transforming her, and Sinclair misses his chance to learn the greatest mystery of his life. Garibaldi is given 50/50 odds on surviving his injuries. And all at once, nothing will ever be the same…

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Janet Greek
music by Christopher Franke

Babylon 5Guest Cast: Julia Nickson (Catherine Sakai), Macaulay Bruton (Garibaldi’s Aide), Liz Burnette (Lurker #1), Edward Conery (Devereaux), Maggie Egan (News Anchor), Cheryl Francis Harrington (Senator), Mark Hendrickson (Narn Pilot), James Kiriyama-Lem (Med Tech), Wesley Leong (Paramedic), Gianin Loffler (Lurker #2), David Anthony Marshall (Stephen Petrov), Gary McGurk (Morgan Clark), John Riojas (Guard), Marianne Robertson (Tech), Fumi Shishino (Screaming Woman), Ed Wasser (Morden), Bergen Williams (Security Guard)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 2

Revelations

Babylon 5G’Kar narrowly escapes the Shadows he has found on a distant planet, and returns to B5 to warn the Council of his discovery. At the same time, Sheridan’s sister visits him for the first time in two years and is upset that he has buried the pain of his wife’s death with his devotion to duty. Dr. Franklin makes an unprecedented gamble in an effort to bring Garibaldi out of his coma, but shortly after reviving him the doctor is called away to attend to Delenn, who has emerged from the chrysalis in a form completely bearing little resemblance to any Minbari. Morden asks Londo to return a favor by warning him if any unusual activity is expected to occur on the outer rim, and when G’Kar announces that a Narn ship is returning to the Shadows’ planet, Londo passes this information along; the Narn expedition is wiped out within seconds of arrival, and G’Kar predicts a grim fate for all at the hands of the Shadows.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Jim Johnston
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer), Mary Kay Adams (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Beverly Leech (Elizabeth Sheridan), Macaulay Bruton (Garibaldi’s Aide), Beth Toussaint (Anna Sheridan), David L. Crowley (Lou Welch), Mark Hendrickson (Narn Captain), James Kiriyama-Lem (Med Tech), Mark McGurk (President Clark), Michael McKenzie (Narn Navigator), Warren Tabata (Guard), Ed Wasser (Morden), Edward Conery (Devereaux)

Babylon 5Notes: The organization to which Garibaldi’s treacherous right-hand man belongs also appears to claim Psi Cop Bester as a member; they share the “Be seeing you” salute (derived from the cult British series The Prisoner, not from Rush Limbaugh). The fate of the Icarus and Sheridan’s wife are explored further in In The Shadow Of Z’ha’Dum and Z’ha’Dum.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 2

The Coming of Shadows

Babylon 5When the Emperor of the Centauri decides to pay a surprise visit to B5, G’Kar decides to assassinate him. And he’s not the only one with designs on the throne. Refa, a power-hungry associate of Londo’s, wants Londo to deliver an address that will decry the Emperor’s politics, a speech which will be remembered after the Emperor’s death, already planned by Refa and his backers. But before the Emperor can even be touched by either party, he falls ill for the final time. In medlab, he entrusts Franklin to deliver a pledge of peace to G’Kar. Meanwhile, Refa panics, fearing that a competing assassin has struck first. Londo offers to summon the Shadows to conquer a Narn colony in quadrant 14, and Refa sends a flotilla of Centauri warships to claim the territory. Arriving Narn ships are shot down by the Centauri, and the Narn respond by declaring war on the Centauri. And it is revealed – though only to Garibaldi – that Sinclair is on Minbar, preparing for the coming of the Shadows. His warning, though it cannot be revealed to anyone else is to beware…and stay close to the Vorlon.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Janet Greek
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer), Mary Kay Adams (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Michael O’ Hare (Ambassador Jeffrey Sinclair), Fredric Lehne (Ranger), Malachi Throne (Centauri Prime Minister), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allen), William Forward (Refa), Turhan Bey (Centauri Emperor), Neil Bradley (Kha’Mak), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Jonathan Chapman (Narn Pilot #2), Bryan Michael McGuire (Customs Guard #1), Kim Strauss (Narn Pilot #1)

John Copeland, Douglas Netter and J. Michael StraczynskiNote: This episode won the Science Fiction Society’s Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1996, beating out the films Toy Story, Apollo 13 and 12 Monkeys and the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode The Visitor. This was the first Hugo awarded to a television series other than Star Trek (or one of its spinoffs) or Twilight Zone, and only the seventh Hugo to be given to a television series in 43 years of the Best Dramatic Presentation category.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 2

In The Shadow of Z’Ha’Dum

Babylon 5Sheridan is going over the records of his late wife’s doomed expedition to the rim when Garibaldi recognizes a face from the ship’s crew manifest – Morden, the mysterious human with whom Londo consults in matters concerning the Narn-Centauri War. Sheridan has Morden stopped before he can leave the station again and confined, and begins questioning him intensely regarding the fate of the mission. Morden has no memories of the expedition or of Anna Sheridan, and is impatient to be on his way, but Sheridan will not let him go. Instead, the captain keeps Morden detained over Garibaldi’s protests and finally his resignation, tricks Talia into scanning Morden, and denies an urgent request from Londo to release the prisoner. It is only when Delenn and Kosh reveal a tale of the long-forgotten horror of the Shadows that Sheridan realizes that his imprisonment of Morden could invite the wrath of a power no one can repel.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by David J. Eagle
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer), Mary Kay Adams (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Alex Hyde-White (Pierce Macabee), Ed Wasser (Morden), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 2

The Fall Of Night

Babylon 5The Centauri conquest explodes into open aggression against races other than the Narn. A Narn ship arrives and and requests safe haven at B5, to which Sheridan agrees. Representatives from the Earth government and the suspicious Ministry of Peace arrive, declaring that Earth has reached a peace accord with the Centauri. As part of the Ministry of Peace’s Night Watch program, various paid informers among the station crew are obliged to report unusual events to the Ministry, including the hush-hush communication with the surviving Narn vessel. Londo summons a Centauri warship to force Sheridan to release the Narns into Centauri custody. When Sheridan refuses, a battle is fought and B5 survives, but Sheridan is ordered to apologize to Londo for the destruction of the Centauri ship. En route to his reluctant and very public apology, Sheridan finds a bomb in the station’s central core transport. Leaping out into mid-air, Sheridan escapes the exploding transport car, but he cannot escape the station’s increasing gravity as he falls toward the outer wall. Only a miracle can save him, and at Delenn’s insistence, just such a miracle emerges as Kosh finally reveals himself to all. So long as the Shadows are not aware that knowledge of their activity has spread beyond the Vorlons, Delenn says, there is still time to prepare for the coming war. But Warren Keffer’s final mission – to track down a Shadow ship in hyperspace – may have just blown the galaxy’s cover.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Janet Greek
music by Christopher Franke

Babylon 5Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer), Mary Kay Adams (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Roy Dotrice (Frederick Lantz), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Juli Donald (Pilot #1), Rick Hamilton (Mitch), Robin Sachs (Na’Kal), John Vickery (Mr. Welles), Donovan Brown (Pak’Ma’Ra Ambassador), Joshua Cox (Tech #1), Elisa Beth Garver (Tech #2), Mark Hendrickson (Narn #1), Joshua Patton (Human/Minbari Kosh), Kim Strauss (Drazi Ambassador)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Matters of Honor

  • By Dave
  • November 6, 1995

Babylon 5As repairs to the station commence following the Centauri attack, an envoy from Earthgov’s special intelligence divison comes to Babylon 5 to ask the alien ambassadors if they’ve ever seen anything like the spidery black ship seen on Keffer’s flight recorder. Delenn has never seen a Shadow vessel before, G’Kar recites a description of the Shadows from the Book of G’Quan, and Londo remembers seeing similar ships flying over the palace on Centauri Prime . . . in a dream. A Ranger named Marcus comes to ask Sheridan’s help in evacuating a Ranger training camp, also presenting the captain with a powerful new ship called the White Star. Londo tries to sever ties with Morden, but the cost may haunt him in his nightmares.

Order now!Stream this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Kevin G. Cremin
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Tucker Smallwood (David Endawi), Ed Wasser (Morden), Nils Allen Stewart (Large Man), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Jonathan Chapman (Drazi Pilot), Kitty Swink (Senator), Andrew Walker (Psi Cop)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Messages from Earth

  • By Dave
  • February 19, 1996

Babylon 5Garibaldi and Marcus have arranged for Dr. Mary Kirkish, a former Interplanetary Expeditions archaeologist, to visit the station. Kirkish has literally unearthed evidence that not only is Earthgov aware of the Shadows, but they’re studying a Shadow vessel found buried on Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter. This knowledge is secret enough that assassins have been trailing Kirkish from Mars all the way to the station. Sheridan realizes the implications of a conspiracy between President Clark, the Psi Corps and the Shadows, and sets out to destroy the wayward Shadow vessel before Earth can learn any more about it. But even with an improperly prepared pilot, the Shadow proves to be difficult to kill – and worse yet, Earthforce’s scanners are unfamiliar with the design of the White Star, and heavy artillery is deployed to deal with the intruder.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Michael Vejar
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Nancy Stafford (Dr. Mary Kirkish), Vaughn Armstrong (Security Guard #1), Merrin Dungey (Security Guard #2), Vimi Mani (ISN Anchor), Lorraine Shields (Cook)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Ship Of Tears

  • By Dave
  • April 29, 1996

Babylon 5Bester comes to the station again, this time offering to help in the fight against the Shadows. He has information about a shipment of weapons components being sent to the Shadows, and Sheridan agrees to take the Psi Cop along on the White Star to intercept. But even Bester is surprised when the components in question turn out to be rogue telepaths who have been subjected to surgical implants that will force them to become the pilots of Shadow vessels. A number of important discoveries are made – the telepaths can merge with any computer system thanks to their implants, and the Shadows leave the White Star alone simply due to the presence of Bester. The pilot of the Shadow transport is a being called a Drakh, though no one realizes its significance. But all of these findings are overshadowed when the Shadows themselves break cover and begin attacking openly, starting with Brakiri space.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Michael Vejar
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Walter Koenig (Bester), Joan McMurtrey (Carolyn), Diana Morgan (Alison), Debra Sharkey (Med Tech)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Interludes and Examinations

  • By Dave
  • May 6, 1996

Babylon 5Those aboard Babylon 5 react in different ways to the horrifying news that the Shadow War is about to engulf everyone. Londo joyfully awaits the return of his old flame Adira, while Sheridan worries that the League of Non-Aligned Worlds won’t commit their forces against the Shadows unless one of the major powers scores a decisive victory against the darkness. Franklin is forced to face the realization that his stim addiction could do more than destroy his medical career – one mistake could cost him a patient’s life. Morden arrives, trying to regain Londo’s trust, and is prepared to exact a hideous price if he can’t. Kosh is reluctant to agree to Sheridan’s request for a Vorlon strike against the Shadows, and when he does send a Vorlon fleet to intercept them, dark consequences ensue for everyone.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Jesus Trevino
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Jennifer Balgobin (Dr. Lillian Hobbs), Rance Howard (David Sheridan), Jan Rabson (Vendor), Ed Wasser (Morden), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Jonathan Chapman (Brakiri), Maggie Ciglar (Tech), Glenn Martin (Ranger), Doug Tompos (Med Tech)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Walkabout

  • By Dave
  • September 30, 1996

Babylon 5Quiet preparations are underway for the arrival of the new Vorlon ambassador, who will assume the late Kosh’s duties and identity with no public acknowledgement of Kosh’s death at the hands of the Shadows. Sheridan can only assume that it’s Vorlon business as usual when Kosh’s replacement insists that he is Kosh. Telepath Lyta Alexander, however, fares less well with the new ambassador when he accusingly questions her regarding her whereabouts during Morden’s fatal attack on Kosh. Sheridan enlists Lyta’s help to test Garibaldi’s information that telepaths can cripple a Shadow vessel, and Delenn and G’Kar pledge to send their own ships in support. G’Kar’s support vanishes, however, when the captain of the Narn vessel fails to see how the Narn race can benefit from Sheridan’s anti-Shadow mission, despite the fact that Sheridan sheltered that ship from the Centauri a year ago. Stephen Franklin, on his personal journey to recover from the stim addiction that convinced him to leave his post as the station’s chief surgeon, befriends a nightclub singer on the station who is suffering from a terminal illness, though she does not reveal this herself. When the White Star finally meets a Shadow vessel for the inevitable frontal assault, Lyta’s telepathic prowess may not be enough to help Sheridan return to the station with what he learns from the encounter.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Kevin G. Cremin
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Erica Gimpel (Cailyn), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Jennifer Balgobin (Dr. Lilian Hobbs), Robin Sachs (Na’Kal), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh)

Original UK airdate: August 18, 1966

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Shadow Dancing

Babylon 5Delenn is having difficulty convincing the League of Non-Aligned Worlds of the merits of committing large numbers of their forces to a full frontal assault on the Shadows – after all, the Shadows’ track record of leaving no survivors is almost spotless – but wins the support of the League. Sheridan dispatches Marcus and Ivanova on a mission in the White Star to act as the early warning for the fleet, but it is made clear to them from the outset that they only have a 50/50 chance of surviving a meeting with the Shadows. Delenn proposes that, after the battle is over, she and Sheridan engage in a three-day Minbari ritual during which the female watches the male in his sleep to find his true face, and, if she approves, to stay with him. Franklin, still on his walkabout, tries to intervene to prevent a man from being thrashed by two dwellers of Downbelow, only to find himself on the receiving end of a large knife, and even the man he saves won’t help him for fear of being exposed as a drug dealer.

A lone Shadow scout vessel appears, and the White Star sounds the alarm – but their quarry turns on them and, before they can destroy it, causes critical damage to the White Star, which now sits helpless before an approaching Shadow attack fleet. Franklin lies alone and dying on the station when he finally meets himself – with mixed results. Franklin reflects with himself upon his inability to take responsibility for his actions or his life, and still no help is on the way. Sheridan, Delenn and the others launch their fleet to counter the Shadow attack, and the battle is on. Franklin manages to struggle his way into a public place where there is a chance that someone will call for help. After a long a bloody fight, the Shadows are routed by Sheridan’s fleet, but at great cost – for every Shadow ship destroyed, at least two of the ships provided by the League of Non-Aligned Worlds faced a similar fate. Franklin is taken to medlab, where he watches as the wounded from the battle with the Shadows are wheeled in en masse and decides he wants to return to his job.

In hyperspace, a Shadow vessel launches a small craft toward the station. Its occupant arrives almost unnoticed, but Zack Allan alerts Ivanova of the mysterious new arrival. Unfortunately, no one can stop this visitor from going to Sheridan’s quarters. Delenn’s ritual of watching Sheridan sleep is interrupted when a woman enters the room and identifies herself as Anna Sheridan.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Kim Friedman
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Melissa Gilbert (Anna Sheridan), Shirley Prestia (Barbara), John Grantham (Thug #2), J. Gordon Noice (Man), Jonathan Chapman (Brakiri), Joshua Cox (Lt. Corwin), Mark Hendrickson (Drazi Ambassador), Nicholas Ross Oleson (Thug #1), Doug Cox (Husband)

Original UK airdate: September 15, 1996

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Z’Ha’Dum

  • By Dave
  • October 28, 1996

Babylon 5Sheridan is stunned by his wife’s unexpected arrival, and even Delenn is at a loss to explain her presence. Franklin’s tests confirm that Anna is who she claims to be, even down to the DNA level, though a curious feature is later detected at the base of her skull. Anna insists that Sheridan come to Z’Ha’Dum with her to hear the Shadows’ side of the story, claiming that their intentions are benign. Skeptical, Sheridan agrees to go with her in the White Star. He also makes other arrangements in private with Garibaldi, including the transfer of two thermonuclear devices – smuggled in by G’Kar for use in the war – to the White Star. Londo receives a summons to report to the Royal Court on Centauri Prime – a promotion he’s hoping to avoid – and then receives a warning from an unidentified man to leave the station at once.

Anna reveals that the mission of the Icarus to Z’Ha’Dum – the doomed flight on which her husband assumed she had died – was no coincidence; the dormant Shadow vessel excavated on Mars was Earth’s first clue to the existence of the ancient race, and the shady Interplanetary Expeditions corporation tracked the ship and the Shadow that rescued it back to Z’Ha’Dum. On the planet, Sheridan is confronted by an old man named Justin, and a face he has seen before – Morden. Together, they try to convince Sheridan that the Shadows try to keep younger races in conflict for their own good, to force stronger results via evolution in adverse conditions, whereas the Vorlons attempt to keep the peace and allow evolution to take its course, resulting in weaker races. As a fleet of Shadow vessels appears and surrounds Babylon 5, Morden offers a choice – Sheridan can take the enemy’s side or all that he values will be wiped out. Sheridan, however, refuses to play with the deck dealt to him, and fights his way to the heart of the Shadows’ domain on Z’Ha’Dum. Cornered by the Shadow-influenced Anna and the Shadows themselves, Sheridan summons the White Star to take a death dive right into his location. Urged by the voice of Kosh, Sheridan leaps off a high balcony into a huge pit, as the White Star slams into Z’Ha’Dum with its nuclear payload, destroying the Shadows’ base of operations.

The Shadow ships threatening the station leave when they realize they are urgently needed elsewhere, but they snag a hostage before they go – a Starfury piloted by Garibaldi.

Order now!Stream this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Adam Nimoy
music by Christopher Franke

Babylon 5Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Melissa Gilbert (Anna Sheridan), Jeff Corey (Justin), Ron Campbell (Messenger), Ed Wasser (Morden), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Joshua Cox (Lt. Corwin)

Original UK airdate: September 22, 1996

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Hour of the Wolf

Babylon 5A week after Sheridan’s fateful voyage to Z’ha’Dum, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds is fragmenting as its member races plan to strengthen their homeworlds’ defenses in fear of Shadow retaliation. Delenn and Ivanova are taking the loss of Sheridan hard in their own ways, but no one seems to remember Garibaldi’s disappearance aside from G’Kar and Zack Allan; G’Kar vows to find Garibaldi. Delenn demands to know why Kosh has not backed her pleas to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, but Kosh brushes her off, as well as her request for a Vorlon expedition to retreive Sheridan from Z’ha’Dum. Londo, recalled to Centauri Prime to serve as an advisor on planetary security, discovers that the insane young Emperor Cartagia has made a deal with the Shadows, offering their forces shelter on an uninhabited island on the Centauri homeworld. Londo is present as Shadow vessels streak overhead in the Centauri sky, fulfilling a terrifying dream-prophecy that has plagued him for years. The atrophied Morden is also on Centauri Prime, manipulating events. Lyta, Ivanova and Delenn undertake a last-ditch recovery mission to Z’ha’Dum, only to be thwarted and almost destroyed by a remnant of the Shadows, and only Lennier’s quick thinking saves them. Londo calls Vir to Centauri Prime to conspire to remove Cartagia from the throne by any means necessary. Sheridan – whom everyone assumes, from rumors and reports, is dead – finds that he may, in fact, be dead.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by David J. Eagle
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Ed Wasser (Morden), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Wayne Alexander (Lorien), Damian London (Minister), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Mark Hendrickson (Drazi Ambassador), Rick Ryan (Brakiri Ambassador)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

The Long Night

Babylon 5As Shadow and Vorlon forces rampage through the galaxy, destroying virtually all that they encounter, Sheridan assembles the largest fleet in the history of the younger races to take them on. Many of the members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds are skeptical of their chances of success, but Sheridan insists that the offensive must proceed despite the fact that it is barely understood how the Shadows’ and Vorlons’ planet-killers work. In the meantime, Centauri Emperor Cartagia has traveled to the Narn homeworld with Londo in tow to attend G’Kar’s execution. Londo, however, has other plans, namely the assassination of the insane Cartagia. Londo’s pawns include Vir, other Centauri conspirators, and G’Kar himself, and Londo’s strategy depends on everything falling into place at precisely the right moment. Sheridan’s war strategy also depends on a number of favorable conditions, and an extraordinary sacrifice. His plan is to lure the Vorlons and Shadows to the same place with the hope that the two superpowers will annihilate one another.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by John Lafia
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Bryan Cranston (Ericsson), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Mark Bramhall (Centauri #2), Ron Campbell (Drazi Ambassador), Carl Reggiardo (Centauri #1), Kim Strauss (G’Lorn), Tim Barron (Humanoid), William Scudder (Jester)

LogBook entry by Earl Green