Civilizations in Babylon 5
Encyclopedia
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5
.
As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations. There are five dominant civilizations represented on Babylon 5
: humans, the Narn, the Centauri, the Minbari, and the Vorlons; and several dozen less powerful ones. A number of the less powerful races make up the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
, which assembled as a result of the Dilgar War, which occurs 30 years before the start of the series.
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universe. Their Homeworld is Abbai 4 called SsumsshaA, which orbits the Star Beta Pictoris in Sector 16. A peaceful, matriarchal society, the Abbai were the central force behind the formation of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
. The Abbai have had Interstellar Flight since the Earth year 1461.
", which deals with a mysterious Brakiri religious celebration. The Brakiri have had interstellar flight since the Earth year 2111. Brakiri are primarily night dwellers, and have a reputation amongst the other races as being pack rats and scavengers.
The Brakiri were among the first that Shadows attacked openly in Earth year 2260. They were also among those that were under attack by the Centauri in Earth year 2262.
race similar in appearance to humans, are a proud and aristocratic people governed by an emperor and a nobility-driven senate called the Centaurum. Centauri males wear their hair in fanlike crests, the height and style of which displays the male's rank in society; females are traditionally bald except for a long queue or ponytail.
The Centauri were the first alien race to openly contact humanity. The Centauri initially tried to convince the humans that they were a long lost colony of the Republic. This ruse failed once human scientists got access to Centauri DNA
, but Centauri-Human trade and contact led to tremendous technological advancement and humanity's eventual rise as a major power. For instance, it was the Centauri who sold jumpgate technology to the Earth Alliance
, allowing humanity to start colonizing interstellar space.
It is worth noting that the name "Centauri Republic" is a misnomer, since the Centauri government is not a republic
at all but rather a monarchy.
After the intervention of the Earth Alliance, the Dilgar were forced all the way back to their homeworld. This victory established Earth an interstellar power - having been previously regarded as a newcomer. After the war ended, the Dilgar sun went supernova
, wiping out almost the entire species. A civilian colony on the planet Planthos survived the war and cataclysm. The leader of the colony was E’Phraim of the House of Ados, the Baron of Planthos.
In the episode "Deathwalker", a Dilgar survivor of the war appears in the character of Warmaster Jha'Dur ( played by Sarah Douglas
who is known from the first two Superman films). Jha'Dur is apparently known to many races as "Deathwalker" because of the many extravagant war crimes she committed. Following the war, Jha'Dur secretly entered the service of the "Wind Swords", a particularly militant Clan of the Minbari Warrior Caste. She came to Babylon 5 to establish her people's legacy via an immortality serum, claiming that it was so that all races could be indebted to the Dilgar for immortality. However, it is revealed that the immortality serum required the death of a sentient being to work—Deathwalker intended to increase war, bloodshed and other atrocities among the other races. She nearly accomplished her plan: an alliance of races attempted to employ her to refine a version of the serum that did not require murder; however, her Minbari flyer was destroyed by a Vorlon warship as she was leaving Babylon 5.
The Dilgar are depicted as humanoid with pointed ears (similar to the ears of Star Trek
's Vulcans.) They are designed to have somewhat longer eyes than the eyes of species such as Humans, Centauri, Minbari, Narn etc. Their pupils are vertically elongated similar to those of cats. The bridge of their nose is widened, and goes up the forehead, making a v-shape rise in the forehead, the tips of their eyebrows tips are pointed, similar to the Centauri's eyebrows.
, the Drakh became major antagonists late in the Babylon 5 series and in its sequel, Crusade
. The Drakh were users of biotechnology and were responsible for releasing the nanovirus plague
on Earth in A Call to Arms
.
Drazi have a pouch in one of their armpits; it is actually used as a reproductive area. In Crusade, the Drazi are described as hermaphrodite
s.
The ancient Drazi used to live outdoors, only sleeping inside at night. As a result Drazi houses are constructed with large balconies and a much smaller interior. The streets on the Drazi homeworld are very narrow, reflecting their long history of warfare: armoured Drazi vehicles found it impossible to invade an enemy city without first demolishing its buildings.
Every five Earth years, the Drazi have a "civil war
" among two rival factions, green Drazi and purple Drazi. A Drazi's allegiance is decided arbitrarily by choosing a colored sash
(either green or purple) which is then worn around their torso. There is no inherent motive or reason for the civil war at all, other than tradition. This "civil war" takes the form of a series of (usually) non-lethal contests. A group of Green Drazi on their homeworld intended to escalate to lethal violence which was quickly followed by Green Drazi on Babylon 5. Commander Susan Ivanova
ended the contest through the use of a loophole in the rules: taking the sashes of the leaders and ordering both groups to stop fighting. In the fifth season episode The Ragged Edge
, a Drazi is shown wearing a sash made up of both colors on the Drazi homeworld.
The only known major warship seen on-screen operated by the Drazi is the "Sunhawk
" a small, highly maneuverable cruiser possibly designed primarily for patrols and quick hit-and-run attacks on larger targets. A Sunhawk has also been shown to have the ability to carry and launch a small one-man craft (it is unknown if it is armed though its possible that it is a fighter). Designation for this small vessel is the "Sky Serpent."
The Sky Serpent is heavily armored and can sustain multiple hits from enemy fire. Fighter is typically carried on the back of a Sun-Hawk warship and is launched only in times of battle. Several Sky Serpent fighters were participated in Battle of Sector 83 during Shadow War
. The Sky Serpent is first seen in "Matters of Honor" and last seen in "Sleeping in Light
".
In the "Call to Arms" table top wargame by Mongoose Publishing, the Drazi have numerous other craft, from small fighters up to large dreadnoughts. All Drazi craft share the same *hawk suffix and are armed with forward-firing heavy weapons.
As the series progresses (the year 2262 according to the storyline), it was revealed that the Drazi had begun several wars of aggression against weaker races. Later we see the Drazi also took part in the bombing of Centauri Prime in the series' fifth season.
"), the Alliance is said to consist of 24 outposts and colonies in over a dozen solar systems.
Since the end of the Earth-Minbari War
, the Alliance had prospered in interstellar trade, though some influential factions had become increasingly xenophobic and isolationist. Following the assassination of President Luis Santiago
and the rise to power of President Morgan Clark
, the new President formed Nightwatch
(a pervasive secret police
) and dissolved the Senate, turning Earth and her colonies into a totalitarian fascist state. Adding to the milieu is the Psi Corps
, an increasingly powerful quasi-military organization which regulates and controls human
telepaths. These actions led to the Earth Civil War
, itself an offshoot of the final Shadow War
, with the forces originating from Babylon 5 seeking to free Earth and liberate the colonies.
and Vorlon
s, were believed to have gone after the last great Shadow War that we are told occurred one thousand years ago. The story goes on to say that some races still are rumored to appear now and then and eventually it is revealed that a small number of these races (or individuals of these races) are still inhabiting areas of the known universe. A good example of this discovery was shown in the third season, episode 5 Voices of Authority
wherein the characters Marcus Cole and Susan Ivanova meet the "Walkers" of Sigma 957.
race and were a member-race of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are members of the Interstellar Alliance. Their name is a tribute to Neil Gaiman
, who later wrote the episode "Day of the Dead
". Gaim require an environmental suit in order to function in an oxygen / nitrogen atmosphere. The Gaim's helmet is reminiscent of The Sandman's helmet, the refurbished skull of a dead god.
The Gaim are ruled by six hive-queens who dictate the behavior of all Gaim. The Gaim never believed that anything existed outside of their home planet, N'chak'fah, for centuries due to their thick atmosphere that prevented Gaim astronomers from seeing the stars properly. The Gaim slaughtered Narn explorers immediately after they landed there in the early 2240s. When a Narn assault fleet showed up some time later, planning to conquer the planet, they met a similar fate as the explorers because for the first time in their history the Queens united to stave off the invasion.
Realizing that they faced alien enemies as well as each other, the Queens began making contact with aliens in an effort to ensure their species' continued survival. Upon appearing in the galactic scene the Gaim quickly joined the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to gain protection from the Narn. The Gaim queens generated a new caste of workers, a diplomatic caste, able to interact with other species, although they still had to use an electronic translator since the Gaim speak in a series of clicks and chirps like many Earth insects. The Gaim, for their part, set about procuring as many starship
hull
s and other parts as possible to begin constructing their fledgling navy. The queens of the Gaim were able to generate "boutique" chemicals and biological goods which were used to help purchase technology.
The Gaim had only been in space briefly when agents of the Shadows began making themselves apparent in the galaxy. They convinced the Gaim to go to war with a nearby xenophobic
race, the Descari. The Gaim initially refused to join Sheridan
's alliance against the Shadows on the basis that they had not been attacked yet and by joining with Sheridan would invite attacks. They reconsidered their position when the Vorlon
s destroyed a small group of Shadow vessels, thus demonstrating victory was possible.
[SOURCE: Babylon 5 comic (#6, #7)]
.
The Hand were imprisoned one million years ago by another as yet unidentified ancient race, said to be a force of light. The ships seen in use by the Hand in The Legend of the Rangers
are described by Minister Kafta as being 'toys given to those races which serve The Hand' and yet are very powerful - they are shown to be capable of taking out an entire colony including several ships of the Interstellar Alliance
with relative ease. At no point has an actual member of The Hand's race been seen, nor has their age or connections with the other First Ones been revealed. It is known that a pyramid in a city buried eight miles beneath a planet named Beta Durani 7 contains a doorway that leads to another dimension. The expedition studying the billions of years old city sent a probe through which returned "distorted and changed and almost unrecognizable."
Servitors of The Hand wear a black cloak and speak in a near mechanical monotone voice somewhat similar to the Vorlon
s.
The Hand is behind the events of The Legend of the Rangers, but are not mentioned in any other Babylon 5 media. However according to the Vorlon and Shadow Sourcebook and other Factbooks, the Hand might refer to Vorlon and other First Ones who were taken over by the thirdspace aliens when the Vorlons first opened the Gateway to the well of souls. These sources make clear that after the Vorlons opened the Gateway, thirdspace aliens (the Walkers routinely visit thirdspace as part of their long standing mission to catalog all things and quickly leave when noticed by the thirdspace aliens) poured out of the Gateway destroying and enslaving the nearby Vorlons. With each battle the thirdspace aliens would enslave the minds of the opponents and grow their zombie First One army ever larger. The thirdspace aliens continued to make inroads into the Galaxy, conquering more territory, enslaving and destroying attacking fleets. Eventually even the Shadows, the other First Ones, and Lorien's species, the Speakers had to join the fight to hold back the onslaught. The assorted First Ones shifted their strategy from directly manning their ships to building automated ships that operated remotely or autonomously. The First Ones and Speakers slowly pushed the thirdspace aliens and their enslaved army back to the their beach head at the Gateway. The thirdspace aliens were eventually defeated in a great battle at the Gateway, but those still in their thrall hid the Gateway. It is possible that the Hand represents those First Ones still in thrall to the thirdspace aliens or perhaps they represent the thirdspace aliens themselves.
and are members of the Interstellar Alliance
. The Hyach are humanoid, though they are slightly shorter on average than a human and have bald, lumpy heads. They are a gerontocracy
, with the eldest among them ruling since they have the wisdom to govern.
The Hyach birth rate is declining due to the death of the Hyach-doh centuries ago, who co-inhabited the same world as the Hyach. Modern Hyach are deeply ashamed of this genocide
and forbid mentioning it or the Hyach-doh to offworlders. The problem is they need to crossbreed with the Hyach-doh, since the Hyach-doh provide essential genetic information to propagate the Hyach race. Scientists of the Interstellar Alliance are at work attempting to fix the problem and save the race.
The first instance in which the Drafa Plague manifested itself on the Markab homeworld was somewhere between 1257 and 1259, 1000 years before the beginning of the series.
society, its people divided into worker, warrior, and religious castes. The Minbari are led by the Grey Council
, which contains nine representatives, originally three from each of the three castes. The council was disbanded by Ambassador Delenn as part of an effort to fight the Shadows. She later reorganized it, giving the Worker Caste (which had previously been caught in the middle of the power struggle between the Warrior and Religious castes) a substantial increase of power and influence. Minbari are humanoid, usually thin and pale, though considerably stronger than humans of the same size; they are bald, with gray bony crests across the back of their heads. The first encounter between Minbari and Humans was a disaster - a misunderstanding led to Earth ships firing on Minbari ships, killing their leader Dukhat and precipitating the Earth-Minbari War
. Shortly before reaching Earth, the Minbari surrendered and retreated. At the time the official reason for this reprieve was unknown.
The Minbari do not believe in any individual God or Gods. They instead believe that the universe itself is sentient and that it "broke itself into pieces to study every aspect of its being" as is stated in many episodes through the entire series. They also believe the number "3" to be sacred.
The Narn are led by the Kha'Ri council. Their religion venerates philosopher prophets, and most Narn draw strength from various different holy writings, the most noted being The Book of G'Quan
. Narns are tall and have a stocky build; they are bald, with a yellowish complexion, mottled with brown and/or green spots. Although they appear reptilian, they are in fact marsupial
and at least presumably mammalian, in nature.
eaters, partly because the Pak'ma'ra consider themselves superior to other races. The pak'ma'ra are generally considered stupid and lazy by members of other races, who are also generally disgusted by their eating habits. They have the reputation for scavenging not only their foods but also technologies.
Loosely humanoid in form, the pak'ma'ra have tentacles around a mouth cavity containing an inflexible beak, somewhat reminiscent of the mind flayers
or Cthulhu
. As this combination renders their mouths incapable of forming words in most other species' languages, they rely on machine translation
for interspecies communication. However, Durhan commented once that they refuse to learn any other language than their own.
The pak'ma'ra were one of the few other races to be susceptible to the Drafa Plague, though, unlike the Markab, their numbers were not threatened by Second Outbreak in 2259.
In the final episode "Sleeping in Light
", Vir Cotto remarks that he and Londo had once passed a group of pak'ma'ra who were singing in their quarters, and that,"It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard." When it was over, even the ever-stoic Londo Mollari was moved to tears.
. For more than a million years, the Shadows warred with the remaining First Ones
, and suffered their greatest defeat ten thousand years ago. One thousand years ago the Shadows returned, and were barely defeated by the Vorlon
s and First Ones
, led by the Minbari
with the help of Valen
. They dispersed throughout the galaxy, waiting for an opportunity to come back into power.
Carnivorous Reptiles that stand at a towering 5–6 meters. They are parasitic in nature, slowly feeding on the internal organs of living sentient beings. One man in the episode The Long Dark
was reduced to a mere 85 pounds in weight by the time one had stopped feeding on him. They also appear to be able to control their metabolism and go for decades with little food.
When one of these creatures consumes a part of a sentient, a psychic link is formed with that individual that can last years and the creature will actually use that person to scout for it without realizing what they're doing. They also have the same light distortion/phasing ability that the Shadows have, though whether this is due to technology or a natural ability was never stated.
They are clearly sentient, as the individual seen in the episode The Long Dark
was able to board a ship and reprogram its computer, and they are very patient. They are not invincible, however. If they can be tricked to become partially visible, they can be killed by multiple heavy PPG blasts at point-blank range.
According to JMS on The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
this species is one of their lower-level types. Shadow servant, Soldier of darkness. Not a shadow, but a good, close friend of same. This group of Shadows allies is known to have participated in the first Shadow War one thousand years ago and the occupation of Narn as both the Markab and the Narn have records of these creatures.
Few things are known about the Streibs except that they launch raids on other worlds and sectors, capture isolated life-forms from their ships, and quickly retreat before they can be pursued. They then proceed to perform very cruel experiments upon their "samples", and presumably eliminate them when finished, notably by just spacing
them.
It is unclear whether these captures are scientific experiments, intelligence gathering for an invasion, or just a cruel way for the Streibs to entertain themselves.
The Streibs once invaded Minbari territory, but it proved a terrible mistake, as the superior Minbari fleet pursued them all the way to their homeworld and "made sure they understood the depth of their mistake" (in the words of Delenn
).
The Streibs also captured Babylon 5 commander John Sheridan, but this too was a fatal mistake as the EAS Agamemnon
, with the help of Delenn and Ivanova, completely destroyed the sampler ship and rescued Sheridan.
The Streibs look (and behave) a bit like the Greys of UFO folklore, although in the Babylon 5 universe, what we call Greys are in fact the Vrees. The Streibs are named for Whitley Strieber
, author of Communion and other UFO-themed works.
Over a million years ago, the Vorlons built a jump gate to open a doorway to what they believed was the source of life. The gate actually opened up into the Thirdspace aliens' dimension. The aliens took control of many Vorlons with telepathy and in the ensuing battle, the Vorlons forced the aliens back into their own dimension and sealed the portal. A group of Vorlons, still under the control of the Thirdspace aliens, captured the artifact and jettisoned it into hyperspace, hoping to recover it later. The aliens were trapped in their own dimension but they waited until the time when the gate would be found and opened again.
Straczyski later confided during and interview that the Thirdspace aliens were inspired by Lovecraft's Great Old Ones, in that they are a malevolent force existing in a dimension or trans-spatial realm just adjacent to our own and that they use other species to increase their power and as servants.
The Vendrizi symbionts' history begins half a million years ago when their species was created by an unidentified race. They were created to be living records of history. The Vendrizi have existed since that time, traveling the galaxy from one host to the next. The Vendrizi decided to go into hiding because of the growing Shadow War.
in the previous great wars over the past million years. For thousands of years Vorlons have been observing and manipulating younger races. Little is known about their appearance - when interacting with other races they wear complicated encounter suits which seem to preserve their natural atmosphere.
or Roswell
incident) and it is actually hinted that the Vree and the Greys are the same race. There is a scene in the referred episode where a Vree is being sued by the descendant of one of the aforementioned test subjects.
The Vree spaceships have the characteristic shape of flying saucers, although they sport many colored lights and obvious gun turrets that distinguish them from traditional flying saucers. It does however support the notion that they are the same even more, meaning that the classical globally reported Flying Saucer is the Vree ship, or in other words, the Grey ship.
In the episode Ship of Tears
they were shown to be helping the Shadows prepare people for their battlecruisers with advanced cyber-technology. They were also shown to be extremely loyal to the Shadows, the crew committing mass suicide rather than be captured alive.
They were later shown to be on Centauri Prime in the episode Movements of Fire and Shadow
, helping the Drakh prepare Londo for his keeper as well as in flashbacks in the episode The Exercise of Vital Powers
.
Name of the race may be related to Zener Card
s which are used to conduct test for clairvoyance and telephatic abilities.
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...
.
As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations. There are five dominant civilizations represented on Babylon 5
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...
: humans, the Narn, the Centauri, the Minbari, and the Vorlons; and several dozen less powerful ones. A number of the less powerful races make up 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...
, which assembled as a result of the Dilgar War, which occurs 30 years before the start of the series.
Abbai
The Abbai are a race from the fictional 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. Their Homeworld is Abbai 4 called SsumsshaA, which orbits the Star Beta Pictoris in Sector 16. A peaceful, matriarchal society, the Abbai were the central force behind the formation 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...
. The Abbai have had Interstellar Flight since the Earth year 1461.
Brakiri
The Brakiri feature heavily in the episode "Day of the DeadDay of the Dead (Babylon 5)
"Day of the Dead" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. It was written by science fiction and fantasy author Neil Gaiman, and is the only episode after the second season not written by J. Michael Straczynski. The episode also features Penn & Teller,...
", which deals with a mysterious Brakiri religious celebration. The Brakiri have had interstellar flight since the Earth year 2111. Brakiri are primarily night dwellers, and have a reputation amongst the other races as being pack rats and scavengers.
The Brakiri were among the first that Shadows attacked openly in Earth year 2260. They were also among those that were under attack by the Centauri in Earth year 2262.
Centauri Republic
The Centauri Republic was once a mighty empire which has grown decadent and is in a slow decline. The Centauri, a 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...
race similar in appearance to humans, are a proud and aristocratic people governed by an emperor and a nobility-driven senate called the Centaurum. Centauri males wear their hair in fanlike crests, the height and style of which displays the male's rank in society; females are traditionally bald except for a long queue or ponytail.
The Centauri were the first alien race to openly contact humanity. The Centauri initially tried to convince the humans that they were a long lost colony of the Republic. This ruse failed once human scientists got access to Centauri DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
, but Centauri-Human trade and contact led to tremendous technological advancement and humanity's eventual rise as a major power. For instance, it was the Centauri who sold jumpgate technology to 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...
, allowing humanity to start colonizing interstellar space.
It is worth noting that the name "Centauri Republic" is a misnomer, since the Centauri government is not a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
at all but rather a monarchy.
Dilgar
The Dilgar were a race depicted in the show as an aggressive, warlike species who began a massive expansion of their empire when it was discovered their sun was about to go supernova. This led to a bloody campaign to capture territory and ensure the survival of their species between 2229 and 2232. Believing all species that were not Dilgar to be nothing more than potential slaves at best, the Dilgar quickly began attacking and destroying the outposts of many alien worlds.After the intervention of the Earth Alliance, the Dilgar were forced all the way back to their homeworld. This victory established Earth an interstellar power - having been previously regarded as a newcomer. After the war ended, the Dilgar sun went supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
, wiping out almost the entire species. A civilian colony on the planet Planthos survived the war and cataclysm. The leader of the colony was E’Phraim of the House of Ados, the Baron of Planthos.
In the episode "Deathwalker", a Dilgar survivor of the war appears in the character of Warmaster Jha'Dur ( played by Sarah Douglas
Sarah Douglas
Sarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies , and for her role as Pamela Lynch in the 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest .-Early life:Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the...
who is known from the first two Superman films). Jha'Dur is apparently known to many races as "Deathwalker" because of the many extravagant war crimes she committed. Following the war, Jha'Dur secretly entered the service of the "Wind Swords", a particularly militant Clan of the Minbari Warrior Caste. She came to Babylon 5 to establish her people's legacy via an immortality serum, claiming that it was so that all races could be indebted to the Dilgar for immortality. However, it is revealed that the immortality serum required the death of a sentient being to work—Deathwalker intended to increase war, bloodshed and other atrocities among the other races. She nearly accomplished her plan: an alliance of races attempted to employ her to refine a version of the serum that did not require murder; however, her Minbari flyer was destroyed by a Vorlon warship as she was leaving Babylon 5.
The Dilgar are depicted as humanoid with pointed ears (similar to the ears of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
's Vulcans.) They are designed to have somewhat longer eyes than the eyes of species such as Humans, Centauri, Minbari, Narn etc. Their pupils are vertically elongated similar to those of cats. The bridge of their nose is widened, and goes up the forehead, making a v-shape rise in the forehead, the tips of their eyebrows tips are pointed, similar to the Centauri's eyebrows.
Drakh
Servants of the Shadows until the older race left Z'ha'dumZ'ha'dum (planet)
In the fictional Babylon 5 universe, Z'ha'dum was the homeworld of the ancient, mysterious race known as the Shadows. The planet is near the galactic rim...
, the Drakh became major antagonists late in the Babylon 5 series and in its sequel, Crusade
Crusade (TV series)
Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
. The Drakh were users of biotechnology and were responsible for releasing the nanovirus plague
Grey goo
Grey goo is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all matter on Earth while building more of themselves, a scenario known as ecophagy .Self-replicating machines of the macroscopic variety were originally...
on Earth in A Call to Arms
Babylon 5: A Call to Arms
A Call To Arms is the fourth feature-length film set in the Babylon 5 universe . It was written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by Mike Vejar, and originally aired January 3, 1999.-Summary:...
.
Drazi
The Drazi race in the show was depicted as reptilian in appearance, with blue skin, thick skull bones, and no nostrils, although they are otherwise humanoid. They were a member of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are members of the Interstellar Alliance.Drazi have a pouch in one of their armpits; it is actually used as a reproductive area. In Crusade, the Drazi are described as hermaphrodite
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
s.
The ancient Drazi used to live outdoors, only sleeping inside at night. As a result Drazi houses are constructed with large balconies and a much smaller interior. The streets on the Drazi homeworld are very narrow, reflecting their long history of warfare: armoured Drazi vehicles found it impossible to invade an enemy city without first demolishing its buildings.
Every five Earth years, the Drazi have a "civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
" among two rival factions, green Drazi and purple Drazi. A Drazi's allegiance is decided arbitrarily by choosing a colored sash
Sash
A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist...
(either green or purple) which is then worn around their torso. There is no inherent motive or reason for the civil war at all, other than tradition. This "civil war" takes the form of a series of (usually) non-lethal contests. A group of Green Drazi on their homeworld intended to escalate to lethal violence which was quickly followed by Green Drazi on Babylon 5. Commander Susan Ivanova
Susan Ivanova
Susan Ivanova is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Claudia Christian.-Character overview:...
ended the contest through the use of a loophole in the rules: taking the sashes of the leaders and ordering both groups to stop fighting. In the fifth season episode The Ragged Edge
The Ragged Edge
"The Ragged Edge" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Garibaldi travels to the Drazi homeworld to investigate attacks on Alliance shipping lanes...
, a Drazi is shown wearing a sash made up of both colors on the Drazi homeworld.
Drazi Military
The Drazi participated heavily during the Shadow war in 2260, and its later escalation with the full of entrance of the Vorlons by early 2261.The only known major warship seen on-screen operated by the Drazi is the "Sunhawk
Drazi sunhawk
The Sun Hawk is a medium attack ship in the fictional universe of Babylon 5. This vessel is the primary warship used by the Drazi race, one of the main members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.-History:...
" a small, highly maneuverable cruiser possibly designed primarily for patrols and quick hit-and-run attacks on larger targets. A Sunhawk has also been shown to have the ability to carry and launch a small one-man craft (it is unknown if it is armed though its possible that it is a fighter). Designation for this small vessel is the "Sky Serpent."
The Sky Serpent is heavily armored and can sustain multiple hits from enemy fire. Fighter is typically carried on the back of a Sun-Hawk warship and is launched only in times of battle. Several Sky Serpent fighters were participated in Battle of Sector 83 during 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...
. The Sky Serpent is first seen in "Matters of Honor" and last seen in "Sleeping in Light
Sleeping in Light
"Sleeping in Light" is the final episode of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.-Plot:...
".
In the "Call to Arms" table top wargame by Mongoose Publishing, the Drazi have numerous other craft, from small fighters up to large dreadnoughts. All Drazi craft share the same *hawk suffix and are armed with forward-firing heavy weapons.
As the series progresses (the year 2262 according to the storyline), it was revealed that the Drazi had begun several wars of aggression against weaker races. Later we see the Drazi also took part in the bombing of Centauri Prime in the series' fifth season.
Earth Alliance
The Earth Alliance was founded at the end of the twenty-first century after the Third World War, first as a loose coalition of nations, then as a tight alliance of nearly every nation on Earth as well as Alliance controlled colonies throughout the Galaxy, though colonial populations have had a history of independence driven rebellion, especially Mars. The Alliance is a unicameral representative democracy under the leadership of an elected President with a strong military. In one second-season episode ("And Now For a WordAnd Now For a Word
"And Now For a Word" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The documentary format used in this episode was later revisited for the fourth season episode "The Illusion of Truth".-Synopsis:...
"), the Alliance is said to consist of 24 outposts and colonies in over a dozen solar systems.
Since the end of the Earth-Minbari War
Earth-Minbari War
The Earth–Minbari War is a fictional war that formed a major part of the back story of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. The war was fought between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari, an older alien race that overwhelmingly outmatched Earth in terms of technology and weapons...
, the Alliance had prospered in interstellar trade, though some influential factions had become increasingly xenophobic and isolationist. Following the assassination of President Luis Santiago
Luis Santiago
Luis Santiago is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television drama Babylon 5, portrayed by a still photo of Douglas Netter...
and the rise to power of President Morgan Clark
Morgan Clark
William Morgan Clark is a fictional character and a major antagonist from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, portrayed by Gary McGurk. His character rarely appeared on-screen, but is a major off-screen presence in the show....
, the new President formed Nightwatch
Nightwatch (Babylon 5)
In the Babylon 5 science fiction universe, Nightwatch was an Earth Alliance paramilitary organization set up during the Presidency of Morgan Clark...
(a pervasive secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
) and dissolved the Senate, turning Earth and her colonies into a totalitarian fascist state. Adding to the milieu is the Psi Corps
Psi Corps
In the fictional universe of Babylon 5, the Psi Corps is an agency of the Earth Alliance responsible for all humans with telepathic or other para-psychological abilities anywhere within Earth controlled space. All persons with Psi abilities are required to either join the Corps, face lifetime...
, an increasingly powerful quasi-military organization which regulates and controls human
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...
telepaths. These actions led to the Earth Civil War
Earth Alliance Civil War
The Earth Alliance Civil War is an armed conflict in the Babylon 5 series, in which Earth Alliance President Morgan Clark dissolves the Earth Senate and orders martial law throughout the Earth Alliance worlds...
, itself an offshoot of the final 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...
, with the forces originating from Babylon 5 seeking to free Earth and liberate the colonies.
First Ones
The First Ones are conceived as the oldest races in the galaxy, the first to gain sentience. According to the show over the last million years most of these races were said to have gone "beyond the rim", a reference made a number of times in the television series meant to refer to the darkness that can be seen between galaxies. The rest, with the exception of the ShadowsShadow (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...
and 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...
s, were believed to have gone after the last great Shadow War that we are told occurred one thousand years ago. The story goes on to say that some races still are rumored to appear now and then and eventually it is revealed that a small number of these races (or individuals of these races) are still inhabiting areas of the known universe. A good example of this discovery was shown in the third season, episode 5 Voices of Authority
Voices of Authority
"Voices of Authority" is an episode from the third season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Ivanova and Marcus go in search of the First Ones with Draal's guidance. A new political officer, Julie Musante, is assigned to Babylon 5. Sheridan has to deal with her inquiries...
wherein the characters Marcus Cole and Susan Ivanova meet the "Walkers" of Sigma 957.
Gaim
The Gaim are an insectoidInsectoid
Insectoid denotes any creature or object that shares a similar body or traits with common earth insects and arachnids. The term is a combination of "insect" and "-oid" . Compare "humanoid"....
race and were a member-race of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are members of the Interstellar Alliance. Their name is a tribute to Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
, who later wrote the episode "Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead (Babylon 5)
"Day of the Dead" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. It was written by science fiction and fantasy author Neil Gaiman, and is the only episode after the second season not written by J. Michael Straczynski. The episode also features Penn & Teller,...
". Gaim require an environmental suit in order to function in an oxygen / nitrogen atmosphere. The Gaim's helmet is reminiscent of The Sandman's helmet, the refurbished skull of a dead god.
The Gaim are ruled by six hive-queens who dictate the behavior of all Gaim. The Gaim never believed that anything existed outside of their home planet, N'chak'fah, for centuries due to their thick atmosphere that prevented Gaim astronomers from seeing the stars properly. The Gaim slaughtered Narn explorers immediately after they landed there in the early 2240s. When a Narn assault fleet showed up some time later, planning to conquer the planet, they met a similar fate as the explorers because for the first time in their history the Queens united to stave off the invasion.
Realizing that they faced alien enemies as well as each other, the Queens began making contact with aliens in an effort to ensure their species' continued survival. Upon appearing in the galactic scene the Gaim quickly joined the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to gain protection from the Narn. The Gaim queens generated a new caste of workers, a diplomatic caste, able to interact with other species, although they still had to use an electronic translator since the Gaim speak in a series of clicks and chirps like many Earth insects. The Gaim, for their part, set about procuring as many starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
s and other parts as possible to begin constructing their fledgling navy. The queens of the Gaim were able to generate "boutique" chemicals and biological goods which were used to help purchase technology.
The Gaim had only been in space briefly when agents of the Shadows began making themselves apparent in the galaxy. They convinced the Gaim to go to war with a nearby xenophobic
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
race, the Descari. The Gaim initially refused to join 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...
's alliance against the Shadows on the basis that they had not been attacked yet and by joining with Sheridan would invite attacks. They reconsidered their position when the 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...
s destroyed a small group of Shadow vessels, thus demonstrating victory was possible.
Goblyns
Goblyns are genderless mammals endowed with well-developed telepathy; their telepathic ability is apparently the only way they communicate. Their stamina and agility surpasses that of humans. Like chameleons they have the ability to camouflage themselves by taking on the texture of their surroundings while they try to mess with their victims' minds, planting suggestions in their brains with their telepathy. However well-aimed PPG blasts are just as deadly for them as other normal species. Like the Soldiers of Darkness, and the Shadows themselves, upon dying, Goblyns leave no body, only a smoking scorch mark on the ground where they perished. They apparently work for the Shadows.[SOURCE: Babylon 5 comic (#6, #7)]
The Hand
The Hand are an ancient race and said to be over a million years old and are claimed by those who serve them to be more powerful than The ShadowsShadow (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...
.
The Hand were imprisoned one million years ago by another as yet unidentified ancient race, said to be a force of light. The ships seen in use by the Hand in The Legend of the Rangers
Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers
-External links:* at...
are described by Minister Kafta as being 'toys given to those races which serve The Hand' and yet are very powerful - they are shown to be capable of taking out an entire colony including several ships 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...
with relative ease. At no point has an actual member of The Hand's race been seen, nor has their age or connections with the other First Ones been revealed. It is known that a pyramid in a city buried eight miles beneath a planet named Beta Durani 7 contains a doorway that leads to another dimension. The expedition studying the billions of years old city sent a probe through which returned "distorted and changed and almost unrecognizable."
Servitors of The Hand wear a black cloak and speak in a near mechanical monotone voice somewhat similar to the 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...
s.
The Hand is behind the events of The Legend of the Rangers, but are not mentioned in any other Babylon 5 media. However according to the Vorlon and Shadow Sourcebook and other Factbooks, the Hand might refer to Vorlon and other First Ones who were taken over by the thirdspace aliens when the Vorlons first opened the Gateway to the well of souls. These sources make clear that after the Vorlons opened the Gateway, thirdspace aliens (the Walkers routinely visit thirdspace as part of their long standing mission to catalog all things and quickly leave when noticed by the thirdspace aliens) poured out of the Gateway destroying and enslaving the nearby Vorlons. With each battle the thirdspace aliens would enslave the minds of the opponents and grow their zombie First One army ever larger. The thirdspace aliens continued to make inroads into the Galaxy, conquering more territory, enslaving and destroying attacking fleets. Eventually even the Shadows, the other First Ones, and Lorien's species, the Speakers had to join the fight to hold back the onslaught. The assorted First Ones shifted their strategy from directly manning their ships to building automated ships that operated remotely or autonomously. The First Ones and Speakers slowly pushed the thirdspace aliens and their enslaved army back to the their beach head at the Gateway. The thirdspace aliens were eventually defeated in a great battle at the Gateway, but those still in their thrall hid the Gateway. It is possible that the Hand represents those First Ones still in thrall to the thirdspace aliens or perhaps they represent the thirdspace aliens themselves.
Hyach
The Hyach were members of the League of Non-Aligned WorldsLeague 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...
and are members of 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 Hyach are humanoid, though they are slightly shorter on average than a human and have bald, lumpy heads. They are a gerontocracy
Gerontocracy
A gerontocracy is a form of oligarchical rule in which an entity is ruled by leaders who are significantly older than most of the adult population. Often the political structure is such that political power within the ruling class accumulates with age, so that the oldest hold the most power...
, with the eldest among them ruling since they have the wisdom to govern.
The Hyach birth rate is declining due to the death of the Hyach-doh centuries ago, who co-inhabited the same world as the Hyach. Modern Hyach are deeply ashamed of this 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 forbid mentioning it or the Hyach-doh to offworlders. The problem is they need to crossbreed with the Hyach-doh, since the Hyach-doh provide essential genetic information to propagate the Hyach race. Scientists of the Interstellar Alliance are at work attempting to fix the problem and save the race.
Markab
The Markab species largely became extinct in 2259 due to the Drafa Plague. They were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. There may still be some isolated colonies or outposts, but for all intents and purposes the Markab are a dead race.The first instance in which the Drafa Plague manifested itself on the Markab homeworld was somewhere between 1257 and 1259, 1000 years before the beginning of the series.
Minbari Federation
The Minbari were already advanced when humanity was young, and capable of space travel for well over a thousand years. They were the primary military force in the previous Shadow War which took place roughly in the Earth year 1260 A.D. The Minbari Federation is a casteCaste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
society, its people divided into worker, warrior, and religious castes. The Minbari are led by the Grey Council
Grey Council
In the Babylon 5 fictional universe, the Grey Council is the governing body of the Minbari Federation. Its members carry the title satai...
, which contains nine representatives, originally three from each of the three castes. The council was disbanded by Ambassador Delenn as part of an effort to fight the Shadows. She later reorganized it, giving the Worker Caste (which had previously been caught in the middle of the power struggle between the Warrior and Religious castes) a substantial increase of power and influence. Minbari are humanoid, usually thin and pale, though considerably stronger than humans of the same size; they are bald, with gray bony crests across the back of their heads. The first encounter between Minbari and Humans was a disaster - a misunderstanding led to Earth ships firing on Minbari ships, killing their leader Dukhat and precipitating the Earth-Minbari War
Earth-Minbari War
The Earth–Minbari War is a fictional war that formed a major part of the back story of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. The war was fought between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari, an older alien race that overwhelmingly outmatched Earth in terms of technology and weapons...
. Shortly before reaching Earth, the Minbari surrendered and retreated. At the time the official reason for this reprieve was unknown.
The Minbari do not believe in any individual God or Gods. They instead believe that the universe itself is sentient and that it "broke itself into pieces to study every aspect of its being" as is stated in many episodes through the entire series. They also believe the number "3" to be sacred.
Narn Regime
Another "young race" like humanity, the Narn Regime were previously occupied and enslaved by the Centauri, and bear them deep ill-will because of the brutal methods of control employed. Narns are widely perceived to be primitive and barbaric, a stereotype the Centauri engendered during their occupation.The Narn are led by the Kha'Ri council. Their religion venerates philosopher prophets, and most Narn draw strength from various different holy writings, the most noted being The Book of G'Quan
Book of G'Quan
In the Babylon 5 science fiction saga, the Book of G'Quan is a Narn holy book. Each book is copied painstakingly by hand, exactly reproduced from the original version...
. Narns are tall and have a stocky build; they are bald, with a yellowish complexion, mottled with brown and/or green spots. Although they appear reptilian, they are in fact marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
and at least presumably mammalian, in nature.
Pak'ma'ra
The pak'ma'ra were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are members of the Interstellar Alliance. For religious reasons, they are dedicated carrionCarrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
eaters, partly because the Pak'ma'ra consider themselves superior to other races. The pak'ma'ra are generally considered stupid and lazy by members of other races, who are also generally disgusted by their eating habits. They have the reputation for scavenging not only their foods but also technologies.
Loosely humanoid in form, the pak'ma'ra have tentacles around a mouth cavity containing an inflexible beak, somewhat reminiscent of the mind flayers
Illithid
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, illithids are monstrous humanoid aberrations with psionic powers. In a typical Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns and cities of the enormous Underdark...
or Cthulhu
Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
. As this combination renders their mouths incapable of forming words in most other species' languages, they rely on machine translation
Machine translation
Machine translation, sometimes referred to by the abbreviation MT is a sub-field of computational linguistics that investigates the use of computer software to translate text or speech from one natural language to another.On a basic...
for interspecies communication. However, Durhan commented once that they refuse to learn any other language than their own.
The pak'ma'ra were one of the few other races to be susceptible to the Drafa Plague, though, unlike the Markab, their numbers were not threatened by Second Outbreak in 2259.
In the final episode "Sleeping in Light
Sleeping in Light
"Sleeping in Light" is the final episode of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.-Plot:...
", Vir Cotto remarks that he and Londo had once passed a group of pak'ma'ra who were singing in their quarters, and that,"It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard." When it was over, even the ever-stoic Londo Mollari was moved to tears.
Shadows
The Shadows (a name given to them by the younger races, as their true name - at ten thousand letters - is unpronounceable) are the most ancient of the surviving First Ones, the second to gain sentience in the Galaxy. The Shadows are believed to be the first to discover and manipulate HyperspaceHyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
. For more than a million years, the Shadows warred with the remaining 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,...
, and suffered their greatest defeat ten thousand years ago. One thousand years ago the Shadows returned, and were barely defeated by the 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...
s and 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,...
, led by the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
with the help of Valen
Valen
Valen is a character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. Although he has only one scene in the show, he is an important character in the history of the Minbari, and is frequently mentioned...
. They dispersed throughout the galaxy, waiting for an opportunity to come back into power.
Soldiers of Darkness
The Long Dark
"The Long Dark" is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:A cryonic exploration vessel from a hundred years ago approaches Babylon 5, bringing with it a deadly creature and a human from the past...
was reduced to a mere 85 pounds in weight by the time one had stopped feeding on him. They also appear to be able to control their metabolism and go for decades with little food.
When one of these creatures consumes a part of a sentient, a psychic link is formed with that individual that can last years and the creature will actually use that person to scout for it without realizing what they're doing. They also have the same light distortion/phasing ability that the Shadows have, though whether this is due to technology or a natural ability was never stated.
They are clearly sentient, as the individual seen in the episode The Long Dark
The Long Dark
"The Long Dark" is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:A cryonic exploration vessel from a hundred years ago approaches Babylon 5, bringing with it a deadly creature and a human from the past...
was able to board a ship and reprogram its computer, and they are very patient. They are not invincible, however. If they can be tricked to become partially visible, they can be killed by multiple heavy PPG blasts at point-blank range.
According to JMS on The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 is a fan-run website that includes detailed episode guides and analyses, production history notes, background materials, references, and other information related to the science fiction epic, Babylon 5...
this species is one of their lower-level types. Shadow servant, Soldier of darkness. Not a shadow, but a good, close friend of same. This group of Shadows allies is known to have participated in the first Shadow War one thousand years ago and the occupation of Narn as both the Markab and the Narn have records of these creatures.
Soul Hunters
Soul Hunters are a humanoid race. They are not really interested of the matters of other races until someone is going to die that they think is important. They can sense when a life form is going to die and if they choose to, can capture its soul at the moment of death in a transparent sphere using their equipment. This is only done to the most valuable souls such as leaders, thinkers, poets, dreamers, and blessed lunatics. They have also been revealed to be able to take several souls simultaneously, or even whole worlds. The spheres are then put in places where they are respected and worshiped. All Soul Hunters also carry with them at least some part of their own collection of souls. They usually travel alone and only gather into large groups when they anticipate large numbers of deaths. They see themselves as preservers, and believe that when a person dies his soul is lost and all the person's knowledge and greatness is lost along with it. Soul Hunters can extract souls from living people, but this goes against their own rules that state they may only take souls from those who are about to die. It is not known how other species interact with them, but the Minbari have stopped several of them from taking Minbari souls as it goes against their own beliefs.Streibs
The Streibs are a mysterious race that doesn't engage in diplomatic contacts with other races, but rather treats them as laboratory animals and conducts cruel experiments upon them.Few things are known about the Streibs except that they launch raids on other worlds and sectors, capture isolated life-forms from their ships, and quickly retreat before they can be pursued. They then proceed to perform very cruel experiments upon their "samples", and presumably eliminate them when finished, notably by just spacing
Space exposure
Space exposure is the subjection of a human to the conditions of outer space, without protective clothing and beyond the Earth’s atmosphere in a vacuum.-Explanation and history:...
them.
It is unclear whether these captures are scientific experiments, intelligence gathering for an invasion, or just a cruel way for the Streibs to entertain themselves.
The Streibs once invaded Minbari territory, but it proved a terrible mistake, as the superior Minbari fleet pursued them all the way to their homeworld and "made sure they understood the depth of their mistake" (in the words of 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....
).
The Streibs also captured Babylon 5 commander John Sheridan, but this too was a fatal mistake as the EAS Agamemnon
EAS Agamemnon
EAS Agamemnon is fictional starship in the science fiction series Babylon 5. The Agamemnon is an Earth Alliance Omega class destroyer...
, with the help of Delenn and Ivanova, completely destroyed the sampler ship and rescued Sheridan.
The Streibs look (and behave) a bit like the Greys of UFO folklore, although in the Babylon 5 universe, what we call Greys are in fact the Vrees. The Streibs are named for Whitley Strieber
Whitley Strieber
Louis Whitley Strieber is an American writer best known for his horror novels The Wolfen and The Hunger and for Communion, a non-fiction account of his perceived experiences with non-human entities. Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the film about...
, author of Communion and other UFO-themed works.
Thirdspace aliens
The Thirdspace aliens are large, octopus-like creatures. Little is known about the species, but they appear to be powerful telepaths. The aliens also have a concept they call "The One." It is not clear if this is the leader of the aliens, their deity, or perhaps a unified race consciousness. Their philosophy is that they are the only ones worthy of existence. Thirdspace aliens are older than The Vorlons (perhaps even older than The Shadows) and possess fearsomely advanced technology. Their single-occupant fighters fire powerful fireball batteries that can cripple White Star ships with a single hit, and their warships are large cannons wrapping orb-like power sources. The are also the only species in any universe known to possess deflector shield technology.Over a million years ago, the Vorlons built a jump gate to open a doorway to what they believed was the source of life. The gate actually opened up into the Thirdspace aliens' dimension. The aliens took control of many Vorlons with telepathy and in the ensuing battle, the Vorlons forced the aliens back into their own dimension and sealed the portal. A group of Vorlons, still under the control of the Thirdspace aliens, captured the artifact and jettisoned it into hyperspace, hoping to recover it later. The aliens were trapped in their own dimension but they waited until the time when the gate would be found and opened again.
Straczyski later confided during and interview that the Thirdspace aliens were inspired by Lovecraft's Great Old Ones, in that they are a malevolent force existing in a dimension or trans-spatial realm just adjacent to our own and that they use other species to increase their power and as servants.
Vendrizi
The Vendrizi, like Drakh keepers, are symbiont life form that joins with a host. The Vendrizi symbiont is a creature less than one meter long. When a Vendrizi is joined to a humanoid host, it wraps itself around the spinal cord. Unlike the Drakh keepers, the Vendrizi symbionts do not forcefully take control of the host.The Vendrizi symbionts' history begins half a million years ago when their species was created by an unidentified race. They were created to be living records of history. The Vendrizi have existed since that time, traveling the galaxy from one host to the next. The Vendrizi decided to go into hiding because of the growing Shadow War.
Vorlon Empire
The Vorlons are an ancient and technologically advanced race, one of the last of the First Ones. Little is known of Vorlon history, except that they have played significant roles in defeating the ShadowsShadow (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...
in the previous great wars over the past million years. For thousands of years Vorlons have been observing and manipulating younger races. Little is known about their appearance - when interacting with other races they wear complicated encounter suits which seem to preserve their natural atmosphere.
Vree
The Vree were one of the first races to make contact with humanity. The Vree had visited Earth fairly regularly since the 1940s. They had decided not to make formal contact, but to simply observe the humans for a time. They used to kidnap humans from time to time to do further scientific studies on them. Vree look much like Greys, the alien archetype reported in many alien sightings (as for example the HillsBetty and Barney Hill abduction
Betty and Barney Hill were an American couple who claimed to have been abducted by extraterrestrials in a rural portion of New Hampshire on September 19–20, 1961....
or Roswell
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
incident) and it is actually hinted that the Vree and the Greys are the same race. There is a scene in the referred episode where a Vree is being sued by the descendant of one of the aforementioned test subjects.
The Vree spaceships have the characteristic shape of flying saucers, although they sport many colored lights and obvious gun turrets that distinguish them from traditional flying saucers. It does however support the notion that they are the same even more, meaning that the classical globally reported Flying Saucer is the Vree ship, or in other words, the Grey ship.
Zener
The Zener are a humanoid species similar to the Strieb and the Vree. They lack mouths, suggesting that telepathic abilities are the only way they can communicate. They are able to persuade their targets by using this ability to plant suggestions in their minds.In the episode Ship of Tears
Ship of Tears
Ship of Tears is an episode from the third season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Bester returns to Babylon 5 and proposes an unlikely alliance....
they were shown to be helping the Shadows prepare people for their battlecruisers with advanced cyber-technology. They were also shown to be extremely loyal to the Shadows, the crew committing mass suicide rather than be captured alive.
They were later shown to be on Centauri Prime in the episode Movements of Fire and Shadow
Movements of Fire and Shadow
"Movements of Fire and Shadow" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:As the episode opens, several Drazi warships are shown engaging Centauri warships in a fierce battle; the Drazi appear to be losing...
, helping the Drakh prepare Londo for his keeper as well as in flashbacks in the episode The Exercise of Vital Powers
The Exercise of Vital Powers
"The Exercise of Vital Powers" is an episode from the fourth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Ivanova broadcasts news that the resistance is continuing to liberate more colonies and make progress towards Earth. Garibaldi sees this as part of Sheridan's continuing...
.
Name of the race may be related to Zener Card
Zener card
Zener cards are cards used to conduct experiments for extra-sensory perception , most often clairvoyance. Perceptual psychologist Karl Zener designed the cards in the early 1930s for experiments conducted with his colleague, parapsychologist J. B. Rhine....
s which are used to conduct test for clairvoyance and telephatic abilities.