.gif)
Centauri (Babylon 5)
Encyclopedia
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5
television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands divided by large oceans of water. The government of the Centauri Republic is, despite it being called a republic, ruled by an Emperor and an assembly of Ministers and heads of various Houses that form the Centaurum. Despite the name, the Centauri are neither from nor associated with the Alpha Centauri
star
system (within the context of Babylon 5, this inaccurate naming is explained as having resulted from a mistranslation during first contact between humans and the Centauri; however, there are also a number of other stars named Centauri).
Centauri Prime is the homeworld of the Centauri and throne of the once-expansive Centauri Republic. Centauri Prime has fewer land masses than Earth; there are only two main continents with an abundance of small islands and extensive marine habitats. The planet has a population of about 3.4 billion – considerably fewer than the homeworlds of many other alien races. It is also the third planet in the Zeta Tucanae
system.
In January 2260–61, the island of Selini in the southern hemisphere of the planet was used as a staging ground for over a hundred Shadow
ships, until shortly afterwards then-Prime Minister Londo Mollari destroyed this island using fusion-based nuclear bombs.
universe and noted for being the first alien government with which Earth had open contact. The Republic is based on Centauri Prime but spans a number of other colonies and worlds. Despite its "Republic" moniker, the Centauri Republic is a nominal constitutional monarchy
ruled by an Emperor
, or, in the event of an interregnum
, a Regent
. The Emperor has enormous power in Centauri society, and all Centauri are taught to be deferential to the ruling monarch. The Centauri are not a democracy; the average citizen has little or no political power within the Republic. The Centauri Republic considers slavery
legal, but as a form of social stratification
, not racial discrimination
– many slaves are disenfranchised nobles.
The only real check on the monarch's power resides in the Centaurum, an assembly of the leaders of the major noble houses. Nobles able to manipulate the Centaurum successfully are able to wield great power. The Centaurum can vote to overturn a decree of the monarch, although this would appear to be a rare practice. An exception to the power of the Centaurum came about during the brief reign of the Emperor Cartagia, whose personal madness drove him to have his enemies in the Centaurum assassinated, allowing him to rule despotically. The Centauri appear culturally obsessed with rank, social position, wealth, and power. They are quite Machiavellian in their political games and treachery. Everything seems to involve strategic moves and countermoves, strategy games "for keeps" with covert or overt ruthlessness.
The Centauri Republic reflects many imperial cultures of Earth, though J. Michael Straczynski
specifically makes the comparison with "the British Empire
once upon a time... It was a great military power. But slowly, as can happen, they grew content, and lazy, and gradually their own empire began to slip between their fingers". In the film The Gathering
, Babylon 5 ambassador Londo Mollari laments that Centauri Prime has been reduced to "A tourist attraction... See the Centauri Republic, nine to five... Earth time"'.
(Centuari Calendars are re-written to present the times before the first Emperor. All BCE is Before Centauri Empire. Source: Babylon-5 Roleplaying Game) the first true Centauri civilization appeared. This rapid burst of technological development was the result of competition with another sapient species on their world called the Xon. At first isolated by oceans, when the two species finally did meet the result was a bloody war of genocide
and attrition. First contact
occurred when a Centauri expedition of three vessels happened upon a Xon coastal city. The vessels returned to the Centauri continent, carrying a Xon invasion force (its original Centauri crew having been slaughtered).
As the Centauri entered a historical period similar to the Renaissance
, around the earth year 738 BCE, the Xon began attacking and raiding Centauri villages in small-scale regional wars. The Xon, riding high on these easy victories, then began a massive campaign to dominate the Centauri on a global scale. The Centauri-Xon war would last for a thousand years, and would nearly lead to the extinction of the Centauri. Although technologically inferior to the Centauri, the Xon were physically larger and stronger than the Centauri and possessed superior endurance.
Though battles raged across the planet's surface, destroying whole cities and depopulating entire regions (both Centauri and Xon), the conflict drove the Centauri to greatly advance their level of technology, exceeding the limited capabilities of the Xon and eventually giving them the upper hand in the fighting. By the earth year 800 CE the Xon were eradicated from the face of the planet. By this time the Centauri Republic had obtained an Industrial Age
equivalent to Earth at the beginning of the 20th century.
Defeat of the Xon gave rise to the current class structure of modern Centauri society. Centauri families who had done the bulk of the fighting, and had the most survivors at the end of the war, became the great houses of the Centauri. This new government of nobles created the Centaurum. The nobles appointed Lord Tuscano, who led the war against the Xon, to the position of Emperor. These noble families would maintain their power and privileges for hundreds of years, even after the planet's population had grown into the billions. Furthermore, Centauri females were relegated into the roles of mothers and housewives, as the nobles believed that females needed to focus on bearing children and rebuilding the population instead of competing with males for power and social position. Even in the 23rd Century, Centauri females are discouraged from seeking power or careers for themselves – though many females are the "power behind the throne" in their houses, skilled in deception and manipulation. The widows of many powerful leaders are often considered conduits to their deceased spouses, and wield impressive power.
The Shoggren attacked Centauri Prime during Tuscano's rule. Technomage
s supported Tuscano, providing some advanced technology. The Centauri with this outside support defeated the Shoggren about the same time as they vanquished the Xon. The technology acquired from the invaders and the discovery of a Jumpgate in the Centauri system allowed the Centauri to leap ahead technologically and begin the modern Centauri Republic's interstellar conquests.
Although the Centauri population did eventually grow, by the time the Babylon 5 station opened in 2257 C.E. the population of Centauri Prime was only about 3.4 billion, considerably less than that of the galaxy's other major planets, such as Earth, Narn, or Minbar. However this is a little over a fifth of the fourteen billion Centauri that Adira says Londo will eventually rule in "Day Of The Dead". Having a minority of the population on the homeworld is a legacy of the Centauri's rapid interstellar expansion while their own population was still quite small, and the many centuries that have passed since that time – the populations of some older Centauri colonies are comparable to that of Centauri Prime.
The Centauri Republic quickly began a period of expansion spanning the centuries before the second Shadow War
and the birth of the Interstellar Alliance
. The Centauri first left their homeworld just as the first Shadow War was ending and consequently played no part in that struggle. Ships and some outposts fell to the Drakh
suggesting the Centauri did encounter Shadow forces to a limited degree. These defeats were stricken from public record by the Emperor's order, yet surviving crewmen and colonial defenders brought stories back to Centauri Prime.
At its greatest extent, hundreds of worlds were subject to the Centauri Republic, hence its epithet, 'Lion of the Galaxy'. The occupation of the Narn homeworld began in the early 22nd Century
. For the next hundred years the agrarian and technologically primitive Narns were exploited and their world stripped of resources. The Centauri withdrew a hundred years later in the face of growing Narn resistance (see Narn Regime). By 2258 the Centauri Empire had dwindled to a few colony worlds and Centauri Prime itself, seemingly more through the growing apathy and decadence of the Republic than military inferiority.
, and other members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
. A non-aggression treaty between the Earth Alliance
and the Centauri Republic ensured that, unlike the situation in the earlier Dilgar War, the Earth Alliance would not come to the League's aid, making resisting the expansion of the Centauri Republic much more difficult.
The revival of Centauri power and territory was made possible by their covert alliance with the Shadows
, an ancient and extremely powerful alien race which was using the Centauri for their own ends. The Shadows were allowed to base a fleet of their ships on an island on Centauri Prime by the Centauri Emperor Cartagia. This move nearly led to the total destruction of Centauri Prime by a massive Vorlon
warship which had traveled to Centauri space to eradicate any Shadow influence from the planet. The Shadow vessels were destroyed by Londo Mollari, the acting Prime Minister, and the planet was saved. However, by 2261 the Shadows had departed the galaxy along with the Vorlons and other First Ones
. The Shadow's former servants and soldiers, the Drakh
, were driven from their homeworld by the forces of Captain John Sheridan
and the Interstellar Alliance
. The Drakh decided to secretly settle on Centauri Prime, which they remembered from the Shadow occupation under Cartagia, and make it their new home. The Drakh secretly gained control of the Regent and used him to start a war with the other worlds of the Interstellar Alliance in 2262. The destruction of civilian shipping by the Drakh was blamed on the Centauri. Thanks to the Drakh's random attacks on alien shipping, almost every other race fought the Centauri during the war, leaving them almost completely isolated, which was the Drakh's intention. Near the end of the conflict a large force of Narn and Drazi warships made for Centauri Prime, while Drakh agents forced the Regent to deactivate the planetary defences and send any warships defending the planet away on a false mission.
The Narn-Drazi fleet bombarded Centauri Prime and the planet was laid waste, with most of its major cities reduced to rubble and many civilians killed. The Drakh then forced Londo Mollari to accept their secret control of Centauri Prime by threatening to detonate nuclear bombs hidden under the planet's major cities, which would have killed billions more people and totally destroyed Centauri civilization. The Regent was then killed, and Londo was crowned the Emperor of the Centauri, but he was merely a puppet for the Drakh. Under the Drakh's direction the Centauri severed all relations with the Interstellar Alliance. By 2278 little was left of the grandeur of the Centauri save their pride, their patriotism, and their determination to rebuild their devastated planet.
, the President of the Interstellar Alliance, and his wife Delenn
had saved their son David from the Drakh and fled from Centauri Prime, the Emperor Mollari died. Vir Cotto
, the Emperor's close aide, went to Minbar, and met with the surviving leaders of the Centauri noble houses. In keeping with Lady Morella's prophecy, Vir's claim to the throne was accepted, and he became Emperor Cotto.
The Interstellar Alliance, finally realizing that they were both the victims of a massive Drakh manipulation, joined forces with the Centauri military to liberate the homeworld and then hunt down the Drakh. With help from the Alliance, Emperor Vir spent the next several decades rebuilding his homeworld to its former glory - without the need for conquest and imperial expansion.
in appearance, similar enough to humans that the species can easily pass for one another under casual inspection. However, in terms of internal structure there are several important differences between the two species. For example, the Centauri have two heart
s; the extra heart serves the same function as kidney
s in Humans (the Centauri lack kidneys). Additionally, Centauri teeth are somewhat pointed, and unlike Humans, the Centauri have no major arteries in their wrists. In terms of physical strength and endurance, and intellectual ability, the Centauri are relatively equal to Humans.
Centauri males of high social status typically wear their hair in Peacock-tail shaped fans, the length and style of which are determined by relative social class. Low-class Centauri males have not been seen without helmets. Centauri females mostly or entirely shave their heads. The social significance (if any) of complete versus almost-complete baldness on a female is not specified outright; however, in the televised episodes, older females are shown completely bald, and younger (up to the apparent human age range of the 30s, and often but not always unmarried) with ponytail
s.
Their dress and customs reflect their imperialistic culture, with militaristic
clothing reminiscent of the Earth 18th century for the men, gowns for the women the design of which is comparable to those of the same Earth era, and a generally courtly manner one would expect to find in Victorian England (without the Puritanical streak) or Imperial France (with the associated decadence).
, just above the hips. During sexual intercourse the male inserts his tentacles in the female's orifices individually. Only a single insertion is necessary to inseminate
, but "each [successive] one is a different level of intimacy and pleasure" – Centauri males grade their sexual encounters by the number of insertions in a manner similar to American baseball metaphors for sex
.
, throughout their lives experience vivid prophetic dreams telling them of the time and the circumstances of their deaths. A rare few Centauri, exclusively female, have very strong prophetic abilities. These females are often given a special status in Centauri society that is much higher than would normally be given to a female. The widow of Emperor Turhan, Lady Morella, was one such.
A number of Centauri have telepathic ability. Like humans
, the degree of telepathic ability varies with the individual. Unlike humans, who have had proven telepaths for only a few generations, Centauri possess a far greater understanding of the skill, and permit those who possess it far more latitude. The Telepath's Guild is a respected institution, and the skill of their average members is great enough to overcome mindwipe
s. (A mindwipe is a sentence by the Earth Alliance destroying the personality of the convict, and implanting another. A very Powerful Telepath can break those and restore the old personality. This is also called a "mindwipe" as slang for the punishment. The Official Term is "Death of Personality", in favor of the Capital Punishment, making the convicted a new person to do beneficial things for society. Reference-> B5 Episode: "Passing through Gethsemanee")
The Centauri Emperor was rarely seen without the Imperial Tetrapathy – a quartet of female telepaths who have maintained a telepathic link since infancy. This link is thus so strong that it has effectively unlimited range. Whenever the Emperor leaves Centauri Prime, two of the Tetrapathy accompanied him and two remained at the royal palace, allowing rapid communication between the Emperor and the homeworld at all times. This, however, changed upon the accession of Emperor Cartagia, who had them executed as one of his first official acts.
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands divided by large oceans of water. The government of the Centauri Republic is, despite it being called a republic, ruled by an Emperor and an assembly of Ministers and heads of various Houses that form the Centaurum. Despite the name, the Centauri are neither from nor associated with the Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
system (within the context of Babylon 5, this inaccurate naming is explained as having resulted from a mistranslation during first contact between humans and the Centauri; however, there are also a number of other stars named Centauri).
Homeworld
Zeta Tucanae
Zeta Tucanae is a star in the constellation Tucana. It is a spectral class F9.5 main sequence star with an apparent magnitude of +4.23. Despite having a slightly lower mass, this star is more luminous than the Sun. Based upon parallax measurements by the Hipparcos spacecraft, it is approximately...
system.
In January 2260–61, the island of Selini in the southern hemisphere of the planet was used as a staging ground for over a hundred Shadow
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
ships, until shortly afterwards then-Prime Minister Londo Mollari destroyed this island using fusion-based nuclear bombs.
Government
The Centauri Republic is a major power in the Babylon 5Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
universe and noted for being the first alien government with which Earth had open contact. The Republic is based on Centauri Prime but spans a number of other colonies and worlds. Despite its "Republic" moniker, the Centauri Republic is a nominal constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
ruled by an Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
, or, in the event of an interregnum
Interregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
, a Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. The Emperor has enormous power in Centauri society, and all Centauri are taught to be deferential to the ruling monarch. The Centauri are not a democracy; the average citizen has little or no political power within the Republic. The Centauri Republic considers slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
legal, but as a form of social stratification
Social stratification
In sociology the social stratification is a concept of class, involving the "classification of persons into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions ... a relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions."...
, not racial discrimination
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
– many slaves are disenfranchised nobles.
The only real check on the monarch's power resides in the Centaurum, an assembly of the leaders of the major noble houses. Nobles able to manipulate the Centaurum successfully are able to wield great power. The Centaurum can vote to overturn a decree of the monarch, although this would appear to be a rare practice. An exception to the power of the Centaurum came about during the brief reign of the Emperor Cartagia, whose personal madness drove him to have his enemies in the Centaurum assassinated, allowing him to rule despotically. The Centauri appear culturally obsessed with rank, social position, wealth, and power. They are quite Machiavellian in their political games and treachery. Everything seems to involve strategic moves and countermoves, strategy games "for keeps" with covert or overt ruthlessness.
The Centauri Republic reflects many imperial cultures of Earth, though J. Michael Straczynski
J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
specifically makes the comparison with "the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
once upon a time... It was a great military power. But slowly, as can happen, they grew content, and lazy, and gradually their own empire began to slip between their fingers". In the film The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering is the pilot movie of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The telefilm aired on February 22, 1993...
, Babylon 5 ambassador Londo Mollari laments that Centauri Prime has been reduced to "A tourist attraction... See the Centauri Republic, nine to five... Earth time"'.
Early history
Around the Earth year 3000 BCECommon Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
(Centuari Calendars are re-written to present the times before the first Emperor. All BCE is Before Centauri Empire. Source: Babylon-5 Roleplaying Game) the first true Centauri civilization appeared. This rapid burst of technological development was the result of competition with another sapient species on their world called the Xon. At first isolated by oceans, when the two species finally did meet the result was a bloody war of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and attrition. First contact
First contact (science fiction)
First contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life, or of any sentient race's first encounter with another one....
occurred when a Centauri expedition of three vessels happened upon a Xon coastal city. The vessels returned to the Centauri continent, carrying a Xon invasion force (its original Centauri crew having been slaughtered).
As the Centauri entered a historical period similar to the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, around the earth year 738 BCE, the Xon began attacking and raiding Centauri villages in small-scale regional wars. The Xon, riding high on these easy victories, then began a massive campaign to dominate the Centauri on a global scale. The Centauri-Xon war would last for a thousand years, and would nearly lead to the extinction of the Centauri. Although technologically inferior to the Centauri, the Xon were physically larger and stronger than the Centauri and possessed superior endurance.
Though battles raged across the planet's surface, destroying whole cities and depopulating entire regions (both Centauri and Xon), the conflict drove the Centauri to greatly advance their level of technology, exceeding the limited capabilities of the Xon and eventually giving them the upper hand in the fighting. By the earth year 800 CE the Xon were eradicated from the face of the planet. By this time the Centauri Republic had obtained an Industrial Age
Industrial Age
Industrial Age may refer to:*Industrialisation*The Industrial Revolution...
equivalent to Earth at the beginning of the 20th century.
Defeat of the Xon gave rise to the current class structure of modern Centauri society. Centauri families who had done the bulk of the fighting, and had the most survivors at the end of the war, became the great houses of the Centauri. This new government of nobles created the Centaurum. The nobles appointed Lord Tuscano, who led the war against the Xon, to the position of Emperor. These noble families would maintain their power and privileges for hundreds of years, even after the planet's population had grown into the billions. Furthermore, Centauri females were relegated into the roles of mothers and housewives, as the nobles believed that females needed to focus on bearing children and rebuilding the population instead of competing with males for power and social position. Even in the 23rd Century, Centauri females are discouraged from seeking power or careers for themselves – though many females are the "power behind the throne" in their houses, skilled in deception and manipulation. The widows of many powerful leaders are often considered conduits to their deceased spouses, and wield impressive power.
The Shoggren attacked Centauri Prime during Tuscano's rule. Technomage
Technomage
The Technomages are a group of sentient beings from the fictional Babylon 5 universe. The technomages shown in the television series are primarily human, but in the "Technomage Trilogy" books, apprentices and mages of other races including Centauri are named. They are described as using "science to...
s supported Tuscano, providing some advanced technology. The Centauri with this outside support defeated the Shoggren about the same time as they vanquished the Xon. The technology acquired from the invaders and the discovery of a Jumpgate in the Centauri system allowed the Centauri to leap ahead technologically and begin the modern Centauri Republic's interstellar conquests.
Before 2258
The Centauri Republic quickly began a period of expansion spanning the centuries before the second Shadow War
Shadow War
The Shadow Wars are a fictional series of wars involving the Shadows in the television science fiction series Babylon 5. There have actually been many Shadow Wars since ancient times in the galaxy. Roughly every thousand years, the Shadows begin a new Shadow War to promote chaos in the universe in...
and the birth of the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
. The Centauri first left their homeworld just as the first Shadow War was ending and consequently played no part in that struggle. Ships and some outposts fell to the Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
suggesting the Centauri did encounter Shadow forces to a limited degree. These defeats were stricken from public record by the Emperor's order, yet surviving crewmen and colonial defenders brought stories back to Centauri Prime.
At its greatest extent, hundreds of worlds were subject to the Centauri Republic, hence its epithet, 'Lion of the Galaxy'. The occupation of the Narn homeworld began in the early 22nd Century
22nd century
The 22nd century is a century of the Christian Era or Common Era in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. It is the upcoming century, beginning on January 1, 2101 and ending on December 31, 2200.-Events:...
. For the next hundred years the agrarian and technologically primitive Narns were exploited and their world stripped of resources. The Centauri withdrew a hundred years later in the face of growing Narn resistance (see Narn Regime). By 2258 the Centauri Empire had dwindled to a few colony worlds and Centauri Prime itself, seemingly more through the growing apathy and decadence of the Republic than military inferiority.
2258–2278
Beginning in 2258, the Centauri once again mapped out a path of conquest, taking over not just Narn space but also worlds formerly belonging to the Drazi, pak'ma'raPak'ma'ra
The pak'ma'ra are a fictional race of aliens in the Babylon 5 universe. They do not feature heavily in any storylines, partly on the pretext that other species avoid them because they are, for religious reasons, dedicated carrion eaters.Humanoid in form, the pak'ma'ra have tentacles around a mouth...
, and other members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
. A non-aggression treaty between the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
and the Centauri Republic ensured that, unlike the situation in the earlier Dilgar War, the Earth Alliance would not come to the League's aid, making resisting the expansion of the Centauri Republic much more difficult.
The revival of Centauri power and territory was made possible by their covert alliance with the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
, an ancient and extremely powerful alien race which was using the Centauri for their own ends. The Shadows were allowed to base a fleet of their ships on an island on Centauri Prime by the Centauri Emperor Cartagia. This move nearly led to the total destruction of Centauri Prime by a massive Vorlon
Vorlon
A Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy...
warship which had traveled to Centauri space to eradicate any Shadow influence from the planet. The Shadow vessels were destroyed by Londo Mollari, the acting Prime Minister, and the planet was saved. However, by 2261 the Shadows had departed the galaxy along with the Vorlons and other First Ones
First Ones
The First Ones is the collective name of a group of aliens from the television science fiction drama Babylon 5.-Overview:The First Ones are the ancient alien races of the galaxy, the first organisms to achieve sentience and the first to become spacefaring. Of these races, Lorien's was the first,...
. The Shadow's former servants and soldiers, the Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
, were driven from their homeworld by the forces of Captain John Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
and the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
. The Drakh decided to secretly settle on Centauri Prime, which they remembered from the Shadow occupation under Cartagia, and make it their new home. The Drakh secretly gained control of the Regent and used him to start a war with the other worlds of the Interstellar Alliance in 2262. The destruction of civilian shipping by the Drakh was blamed on the Centauri. Thanks to the Drakh's random attacks on alien shipping, almost every other race fought the Centauri during the war, leaving them almost completely isolated, which was the Drakh's intention. Near the end of the conflict a large force of Narn and Drazi warships made for Centauri Prime, while Drakh agents forced the Regent to deactivate the planetary defences and send any warships defending the planet away on a false mission.
After 2278
After John SheridanJohn Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
, the President of the Interstellar Alliance, and his wife Delenn
Delenn
Delenn is a fictional lead character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Mira Furlan.-Overview:Delenn, an alien ambassador and leader from the planet Minbar, is one of the pivotal characters in Babylon 5....
had saved their son David from the Drakh and fled from Centauri Prime, the Emperor Mollari died. Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto is a character from the fictional Babylon 5 universe, played on screen by Stephen Furst. He is a Centauri male who was from a family of minor nobility, who would eventually become the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5, and then became the Emperor of the Centauri Republic in 2278.Vir Cotto...
, the Emperor's close aide, went to Minbar, and met with the surviving leaders of the Centauri noble houses. In keeping with Lady Morella's prophecy, Vir's claim to the throne was accepted, and he became Emperor Cotto.
The Interstellar Alliance, finally realizing that they were both the victims of a massive Drakh manipulation, joined forces with the Centauri military to liberate the homeworld and then hunt down the Drakh. With help from the Alliance, Emperor Vir spent the next several decades rebuilding his homeworld to its former glory - without the need for conquest and imperial expansion.
Appearance
The Centauri are humanoidHumanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
in appearance, similar enough to humans that the species can easily pass for one another under casual inspection. However, in terms of internal structure there are several important differences between the two species. For example, the Centauri have two heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
s; the extra heart serves the same function as kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
s in Humans (the Centauri lack kidneys). Additionally, Centauri teeth are somewhat pointed, and unlike Humans, the Centauri have no major arteries in their wrists. In terms of physical strength and endurance, and intellectual ability, the Centauri are relatively equal to Humans.
Ponytail
A ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the undocked tail of a...
s.
Their dress and customs reflect their imperialistic culture, with militaristic
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
clothing reminiscent of the Earth 18th century for the men, gowns for the women the design of which is comparable to those of the same Earth era, and a generally courtly manner one would expect to find in Victorian England (without the Puritanical streak) or Imperial France (with the associated decadence).
Reproductive biology
The sexual organs of the Centauri are quite different from those of humans, and they are in a different location than the human sex organs. Male Centauri have six tentacle-like genital organs that extend out from the sides of the body and "fold" in over the solar plexus when not in use. The males can stretch the tentacles out to four feet. These tentacles are somewhat prehensile, to the extent that they can be used to cheat in card games. Females have six narrow receptive orifices, three on either side of the base of the spineVertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
, just above the hips. During sexual intercourse the male inserts his tentacles in the female's orifices individually. Only a single insertion is necessary to inseminate
Insemination
Insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into the uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous animal for the objective of impregnating a female for reproduction...
, but "each [successive] one is a different level of intimacy and pleasure" – Centauri males grade their sexual encounters by the number of insertions in a manner similar to American baseball metaphors for sex
Baseball metaphors for sex
In the culture of American adolescents, the game of baseball is often used as a euphemistic metaphor for the degree of sexual intimacy achieved in intimate encounters or relationships...
.
Cardio-vascular system
The cardio-vascular system of Centauri includes two hearts instead of the single heart that humans have. The right heart is a solid mass of muscle which provides most of the force behind the body's blood circulation. The left heart is much more complex - this heart is made up of an intricate system of thousands of veins that help cleanse the blood in a manner similar to the human kidneys. As a result, a heart attack in the left heart is a very serious matter because the left heart is very difficult to repair. Their network of blood vessels is also somewhat different than in humans, as they do not have major blood vessels in their wrists.ESP and telepathy
The Centauri have extra-sensory perception to varying degrees, including precognitive abilities. Most Centauri have limited perceptions, enjoying only rare fleeting glimpses of the future. All Centauri, as stated by Londo Mollari in Midnight on the Firing LineMidnight on the Firing Line
"Midnight on the Firing Line" is the first regular episode of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Teaser:During a shift change at the Centauri agricultural colony of Ragesh 3, a fleet of ships emerges from hyperspace and begins attacking the colony.At Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5,...
, throughout their lives experience vivid prophetic dreams telling them of the time and the circumstances of their deaths. A rare few Centauri, exclusively female, have very strong prophetic abilities. These females are often given a special status in Centauri society that is much higher than would normally be given to a female. The widow of Emperor Turhan, Lady Morella, was one such.
A number of Centauri have telepathic ability. Like humans
Human (Babylon 5)
Humans are one of the many races in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. They appear in all seasons of Babylon 5, and all of its spinoffs. Their homeworld is Earth, from which the interstellar Earth Alliance is governed...
, the degree of telepathic ability varies with the individual. Unlike humans, who have had proven telepaths for only a few generations, Centauri possess a far greater understanding of the skill, and permit those who possess it far more latitude. The Telepath's Guild is a respected institution, and the skill of their average members is great enough to overcome mindwipe
Mindwipe
For the Transformers character, see Mindwipe .Mindwipe is a technique used in some science fiction scenarios, where the subject's memories and personality are erased and replaced by new memories and personality more useful to those who are carrying out the mindwiping, or to their area's...
s. (A mindwipe is a sentence by the Earth Alliance destroying the personality of the convict, and implanting another. A very Powerful Telepath can break those and restore the old personality. This is also called a "mindwipe" as slang for the punishment. The Official Term is "Death of Personality", in favor of the Capital Punishment, making the convicted a new person to do beneficial things for society. Reference-> B5 Episode: "Passing through Gethsemanee")
The Centauri Emperor was rarely seen without the Imperial Tetrapathy – a quartet of female telepaths who have maintained a telepathic link since infancy. This link is thus so strong that it has effectively unlimited range. Whenever the Emperor leaves Centauri Prime, two of the Tetrapathy accompanied him and two remained at the royal palace, allowing rapid communication between the Emperor and the homeworld at all times. This, however, changed upon the accession of Emperor Cartagia, who had them executed as one of his first official acts.