Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
Encyclopedia
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fiction
al 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 the series. It is considered one of the five major galactic diplomatic/military powers (Earth Alliance, Narn Regime, Minbari Federation, Centauri Republic and the Vorlon
Empire) in the Babylon 5
pilot episode movie "The Gathering
". They have separate seats at the head of the council chambers on the Babylon 5 station. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds
sit in the general assembly section. The Vorlons departed from the galaxy along with the Shadows
and the last few remaining First Ones
leaving the galaxy to the younger races.
, Orion 7, and Proxima 3. One reason for humanity's rapid settlement of the galaxy is the use of long-range Explorer class starship
s that can build jumpgates; the jumpgates allow colony ships and supply vessels to easily move from one Earth colony to the next.
Aside from Babylon 5 itself, the most common human space stations mentioned in the B5 universe are wheel-shaped, Stanford torus
design space stations. These stations rotate to produce pseudogravity
. They appear to have a standardized design with few internal variations. The oft-mentioned "Io Station" that maintained the principal jumpgate into and out of Earth's Solar System
is an example of one of these. Garibaldi
also mentions one of these stations is "near Mars" in the episode TKO
. One is also seen orbiting Earth on one occasion.
, the United Kingdom
, Canada
, Ireland
, the Netherlands
, Japan
, New Zealand
, South Africa
, and the United States
in the aftermath of World War III
to replace the ineffectual United Nations
. The founding nations also made a strong attempt to explore space by setting up bases on the moon and a colony on Mars by 2090.
The government of the Earth Alliance is called Earthgov and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Earth Alliance is a representative
liberal democracy
for most of the series. Earthgov is regulated by the Earth Alliance Constitution, which bears a strong resemblance to the United States Constitution
and the British Parliamentary form of government (the Westminster system
). The Chief Executive of Earthgov is the President, who in turn has a Vice-President and other assistants called ministers. The legislature is called the Earth Senate, which consists of representatives from the Earth's nation-states. By 2122, the Earth Alliance had become the official governing body of humanity
and Earth. However, some nations resisted joining the Earth Alliance, and they eventually resorted to violence to try to disrupt it. After San Diego
was destroyed by a nuclear terrorist attack in 2150, the Earth Alliance defeated all opposing nations in a brief war, and the Earth Alliance became a true global government. Although the Earth is united under this government, individual nation-states still exist in the Babylon 5 universe, and some nations still complain about Alliance policies, such as when the Interstellar Network News reported that Indonesia
's government had complained it was not receiving its fair share of financial aid from Earthgov. ("A Voice in the Wilderness Part I")
Though scientists had discovered hyperspace
, they still were unable to send large objects such as ships through. Thus the Earth Alliance began sending ships into space in which people had been put into stasis in the hopes of finding alien life. In 2156, a Centauri
patrol fleet made contact with Earth after detecting the use of hyperspace to relay radio communications.
After making first contact
with the Centauri, the Earth Alliance saw massive growth. With technology purchased from the Centauri (chiefly with artistic and cultural items), the Alliance was able to technologically advance hundreds of years in just a few decades. Humans
began establishing footholds in other star systems. After the expansion brought Earth into conflict with a number of alien races, a military organization called EarthForce was created by the Alliance to protect Earth and her colonies from alien attack. In 2231, in response to pleas for help from the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
, the Earth Alliance became a galactic superpower
when it declared war on the Dilgar
. The Dilgar were a warlike alien species, motivated by the impending destruction of their homeworld as it faced its star going nova. They brutally invaded and conquered numerous worlds, using aliens in sadistic medical and scientific experiments. Within a year of the Earth Alliance's entrance into the war the Dilgar were defeated, and Earth gained great influence among numerous alien governments (see Dilgar War).
After the Dilgar War, the Earth Alliance entered another round of expansion. However, in 2245 the Earth Alliance had a disastrous first contact with a reclusive alien race called the Minbari
, resulting in the Earth-Minbari War
. The Minbari had been a space-faring race for at least a thousand years and wielded technology far superior to humans. EarthForce ships and soldiers fought bravely, but after two years of bloody fighting the Minbari had conquered or destroyed all of the strategically important human colonies, bypassing the remainder and headed straight for Earth. The last battle of the war was the Battle of the Line
, where the Minbari - on the verge of total victory over the Earth Alliance - abruptly surrendered after they found Minbari and Human souls are linked.
However, despite the successful opening of Babylon 5, trouble was brewing within the Earth Alliance. A growing number of people within Earthgov - including high-level politicians, generals, and members of PsiCorps - became determined to sabotage the Babylon Project. These people were deeply suspicious of alien races (especially the Minbari) and wanted Earth to become more isolationist and xenophobic. Eventually this group was aided by a mysterious man named Morden
, who spoke for an ancient and extremely powerful alien race known only as the Shadows
. With Morden's help and encouragement, a group of Earthgov officials, led by Vice-President Morgan Clark
, conspired to assassinate Luis Santiago, the President of the Earth Alliance. In 2258 Santiago was brutally assassinated with his staff and crew in an "accidental" explosion of his starship, EarthForce One
, and Vice-President Clark assumed the Presidency. Clark had abandoned a goodwill tour and left EarthForce One with an alleged viral infection. Once secure in office, Clark secretly but steadily put his loyal followers in positions to control EarthForce and EarthGov. He also began turning the Earth Alliance into a fascist, Orwellian
military state, organizing groups such as "Nightwatch", a para-military police force, to spy on "disloyal" humans. He also renamed several Earthgov agencies, so that the Ministry of Defense became the "Ministry of Peace", and the Ministry of Information became the "Ministry of Truth". However, the Chairman of the EarthForce Joint Chiefs of Staff, General William Hague, suspected foul play in Santiago's death. He covertly formed his own network to uncover the truth. ("All Alone in the Night
") If Clark was implicated, Hague planned to present his evidence to the Earth Senate to have Clark impeached and removed from office. One of the members of Hague's network was Captain John Sheridan
, a hero of the Earth-Minbari war and the commander of Babylon 5. Sheridan eventually brought the rest of Babylon 5's command staff into the network, and together they slowly but steadily accumulated evidence implicating Clark in Santiago's death. ("Hunter, Prey
", "Voices of Authority
")
In 2260 Commander Susan Ivanova
, B5's executive officer, uncovered solid proof that Clark had planned and participated in President Santiago's death. When this evidence was presented to the Earth Senate, Clark suddenly declared martial law
and suspended the Earth Alliance Constitution, using an attack on an EarthForce research facility as cause to enact such orders. Now a dictator
in all but name, Clark disbanded the Earth Senate, placed military troops in charge of all the Earth's major cities, crushed any open opposition, and seized control of the news media
, such as the Interstellar Network News
. He used the news media to spread propaganda supporting his views and to broadcast the lie that he declared martial law to prevent aliens from taking control of the Earth. Such traditional rights as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and free elections were all abolished by Clark.
However, a resistance movement quickly developed. Led by General Hague, a number of EarthForce warships refused to obey Clark's orders and started a rebellion. Several Earth colonies, such as Mars, refused to carry out Clark's martial law orders; EarthForce ships loyal to Clark then bombed Mars and attacked any colony which resisted Clark's rule. Two major Earth colonies, Proxima 3 and Orion 7, seceded from the Earth Alliance; they were joined by Babylon 5. This led Clark to send a sizable fleet of warships loyal to him to seize control of Babylon 5 and arrest its command staff. However, Captain Sheridan joined with the rebel Earth warships EAS Churchill and EAS Alexander
, and Minbari warships, to defeat the attacking Earth fleet and force them to retreat. ("Severed Dreams
") Babylon 5 then became an independent state, and was cut off from the Earth Alliance for the next two years. However, the Civil War quickly took a backseat to the second Shadow War
, and Babylon 5's command staff paid little attention to events in the Earth Alliance until that epic conflict was over.
ended, Captain Sheridan
turned his attention to overthrowing President Clark and liberating Earth and its colonies. A key turning point came when warships were ordered by Clark to lay siege to the rebellious Proxima 3 colony to keep it within the Earth Alliance. When warships loyal to Clark attacked and killed 10,000 innocent civilians trying to escape, Sheridan took his highly advanced White Star fleet to save the colony. In a brief but fierce battle, Sheridan's White Stars disabled or destroyed several Omega class destroyer
s; he also convinced several EarthForce destroyers to switch sides and support him during the battle. After liberating Proxima 3, Sheridan's fleet began to move towards Earth. As they traveled they steadily picked up an increasing number of EarthForce destroyers and cruisers whose crews could no longer support Clark and his fascist regime. However, many EarthForce vessels remained loyal to Clark, and as a result numerous battles took place, but in each battle Sheridan's more advanced White Star ships were able to disable the Earth warships, as Sheridan refrained from destroying those ships.
In an effort to undermine Sheridan's supporters on Earth, Clark began to spread propaganda
that Sheridan was under sinister alien (especially Minbari) influence. To discourage EarthForce crews from defecting to Sheridan, the crews were told that Sheridan killed all humans found aboard captured Earth ships and replaced them with Minbari crews. In such an event, one captain quickly dispelled those propaganda, calling it a "load of crap". As Sheridan's forces neared Earth's solar system, Clark unleashed his secret weapon - a squadron of Omega-Class Destroyers which had been upgraded with Shadow technology. All of Omega destroyers were annihilated in a fierce battle by a squadron of White Stars under Commander Susan Ivanova
, but most of the White Stars were either destroyed or suffered severe damage as well. Ivanova's ship was badly damaged and she was severely injured. Sheridan was captured by EarthForce in a trap and tortured in an Earthgov facility on Mars, but was eventually rescued by the "Free Mars" rebel movement; he subsequently recovered and returned to his fleet. He then approached Mars with a massive armada of White Stars, EarthForce vessels that had defected to him, and a large number of warships from various alien governments who had joined him in a show of support. Together they disabled a fleet of 33 Omega-Class destroyers loyal to Clark using the telepaths saved from delivery to the Shadows who were programed by shadow technology to embed and control any machine; the Omega-Class destroyers were led by General Lefcourt, a close friend of Sheridan who had served as his mentor at the EarthForce Academy. Sheridan then led his fleet to Earth itself, where Clark committed suicide
rather than being taken prisoner by Earthgov personnel. Before killing himself, Clark turned the planetary defense grid towards the Earth's surface, enacting a "Scorched Earth" policy. To prevent the planet from being devastated, Sheridan's fleet - including EarthForce ships which had been fighting for Clark at Mars - destroyed the defense grid before any damage was done to the planet. Sheridan's ship was saved from destruction in the battle by General Lefcourt's destroyer which had just arrived from Mars. With Clark's death, Senator Susanna Luchenko of the Russian Consortium was named the new Earth Alliance President. In a prior agreement with the Free Mars movement, Sheridan convinced President Luchenko to grant Mars its independence. With Clark's downfall, martial law was ended and democracy and the Earth Alliance Constitution were restored.
in 2262 not long after its initial formation by John Sheridan and Delenn. The deal was that Earth would join if she allowed Mars' independence and withdrew all troops from the rebellious colonies that wished to remain independent after the civil war and Earth would receive artificial gravity technology from the Minbari upon entrance to the Alliance. By 2267 Earth had gained enough access to advanced technology to take part in a joint research and development program with the Minbari
for a large scale tactical warship. The results were the Warlock class destroyer and the Victory class destroyer. The Victory class was fitted with highly advanced weapon and armor technologies and even a Vorlon primary weapon and Minbari stealth technology. The ship was over 2 miles long and highly maneuverable.
The actual status of Mars's independence isn't entirely clear: during the series Crusade it is described as "an independent member of the Earth Alliance".
In that year the Drakh attacked Earth, a battle that would have been lost by humans if the combined forces of the members of the Interstellar Alliance had not come to protect their fellow member world. However the Drakh were successful in starting a serious plague that would kill all humans on Earth within 5 years if not stopped. The Alliance then loaned out the use of the surviving Victory class prototype the IAS Excalibur to the Earth Alliance to help find a cure to the plague.
At the end of season four of Babylon 5
it was shown that Earth remained a member of the Interstellar Alliance for 500 years after its initial membership. However at that time it was discovered by the ISA that Earth was planning an assault and in a pre-emptive strike threw the entire planet back to the Middle Ages
level of technology. The war was caused by the separation of Earth into two separate governments one bent on galactic expansion and withdrawal from the Interstellar Alliance, the other maintaining the necessity of continued membership. The ISA (initials of the Alliance) quietly sent Rangers (human ones) to slowly rebuild Earth and still make it look as if the old technologies were being rediscovered thus rebuilding confidence as well as the civilization. One million years after the foundation of the ISA, an Anla'shok (Ranger) is seen collecting the last of the records of Earth's history, proving that Earth did rejoin the Alliance. It was also shown that humanity had evolved into energy-based beings possessing technology similar in nature to the long vanished Vorlons, but their appearance is akin to the effect for Lorien.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series 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...
. 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 the series. It is considered one of the five major galactic diplomatic/military powers (Earth Alliance, Narn Regime, Minbari Federation, Centauri Republic and 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...
Empire) in the 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...
pilot episode movie "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...
". They have separate seats at the head of the council chambers on the Babylon 5 station. 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...
sit in the general assembly section. The Vorlons departed from the galaxy along 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...
and the last few 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,...
leaving the galaxy to the younger races.
Stations and colonies
The Earth Alliance is one of the galaxy's major powers (although not the most powerful) in the Babylon 5 universe. Besides Earth, the Alliance includes 23 colonies; some of the more prominent colonies are on MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, Orion 7, and Proxima 3. One reason for humanity's rapid settlement of the galaxy is the use of long-range Explorer class starship
Explorer class starship
The Explorer-class starship is an exploratory starship of the Earth Alliance in the fictional universe of Babylon 5. The Explorer is built to explore, conduct research, and build Jumpgates.- Appearances :...
s that can build jumpgates; the jumpgates allow colony ships and supply vessels to easily move from one Earth colony to the next.
Aside from Babylon 5 itself, the most common human space stations mentioned in the B5 universe are wheel-shaped, Stanford torus
Stanford torus
The Stanford torus is a proposed design for a space habitat capable of housing 10,000 to 140,000 permanent residents.The Stanford Torus was proposed during the 1975 NASA Summer Study, conducted at Stanford University, with the purpose of speculating on designs for future space colonies...
design space stations. These stations rotate to produce pseudogravity
Artificial gravity
Artificial gravity is the varying of apparent gravity via artificial means, particularly in space, but also on the Earth...
. They appear to have a standardized design with few internal variations. The oft-mentioned "Io Station" that maintained the principal jumpgate into and out of Earth's Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
is an example of one of these. Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi is a lead fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jerry Doyle.-Overview:...
also mentions one of these stations is "near Mars" in the episode TKO
TKO (Babylon 5)
"TKO" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.- Synopsis :As Susan Ivanova comes to terms with her father's death , an old friend of Garibaldi's comes to the station to participate in a dangerous alien martial arts contest.Garibaldi arrests two aliens...
. One is also seen orbiting Earth on one occasion.
Early development
The Earth Alliance was founded in 2085 by the countries of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the aftermath of World War III
World War III
World War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
to replace the ineffectual United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. The founding nations also made a strong attempt to explore space by setting up bases on the moon and a colony on Mars by 2090.
The government of the Earth Alliance is called Earthgov and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Earth Alliance is a representative
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
liberal democracy
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
for most of the series. Earthgov is regulated by the Earth Alliance Constitution, which bears a strong resemblance to the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
and the British Parliamentary form of government (the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
). The Chief Executive of Earthgov is the President, who in turn has a Vice-President and other assistants called ministers. The legislature is called the Earth Senate, which consists of representatives from the Earth's nation-states. By 2122, the Earth Alliance had become the official governing body of humanity
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...
and Earth. However, some nations resisted joining the Earth Alliance, and they eventually resorted to violence to try to disrupt it. After San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
was destroyed by a nuclear terrorist attack in 2150, the Earth Alliance defeated all opposing nations in a brief war, and the Earth Alliance became a true global government. Although the Earth is united under this government, individual nation-states still exist in the Babylon 5 universe, and some nations still complain about Alliance policies, such as when the Interstellar Network News reported that Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
's government had complained it was not receiving its fair share of financial aid from Earthgov. ("A Voice in the Wilderness Part I")
Though scientists had discovered hyperspace
Hyperspace (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...
, they still were unable to send large objects such as ships through. Thus the Earth Alliance began sending ships into space in which people had been put into stasis in the hopes of finding alien life. In 2156, a Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
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...
patrol fleet made contact with Earth after detecting the use of hyperspace to relay radio communications.
After making 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....
with the Centauri, the Earth Alliance saw massive growth. With technology purchased from the Centauri (chiefly with artistic and cultural items), the Alliance was able to technologically advance hundreds of years in just a few decades. 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...
began establishing footholds in other star systems. After the expansion brought Earth into conflict with a number of alien races, a military organization called EarthForce was created by the Alliance to protect Earth and her colonies from alien attack. In 2231, in response to pleas for help from 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 Earth Alliance became a galactic superpower
Superpower
A superpower is a state with a dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests...
when it declared war on the Dilgar
Dilgar
The Dilgar War is a fictional war that forms part of the back story of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Background:Until the early 23rd Century the mighty Centauri Republic controlled a vast empire. When the Centauri became decadent and corrupt their empire began to decline and the...
. The Dilgar were a warlike alien species, motivated by the impending destruction of their homeworld as it faced its star going nova. They brutally invaded and conquered numerous worlds, using aliens in sadistic medical and scientific experiments. Within a year of the Earth Alliance's entrance into the war the Dilgar were defeated, and Earth gained great influence among numerous alien governments (see Dilgar War).
After the Dilgar War, the Earth Alliance entered another round of expansion. However, in 2245 the Earth Alliance had a disastrous first contact with a reclusive alien race called 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....
, resulting in 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 Minbari had been a space-faring race for at least a thousand years and wielded technology far superior to humans. EarthForce ships and soldiers fought bravely, but after two years of bloody fighting the Minbari had conquered or destroyed all of the strategically important human colonies, bypassing the remainder and headed straight for Earth. The last battle of the war was the Battle of the Line
Battle of the Line
In the Babylon 5 fictional universe, the Battle of the Line was the final battle of the Earth-Minbari war. The Battle of the Line was a desperate attempt by the Earth Alliance to stop a Minbari combat fleet from attacking Earth. Over 20,000 Human defenders fought in the battle; including most of...
, where the Minbari - on the verge of total victory over the Earth Alliance - abruptly surrendered after they found Minbari and Human souls are linked.
Rise of a Dictatorship
In the years after the Earth-Minbari War, the Earth Alliance began a massive effort to rebuild its military strength. Great emphasis was placed upon the development of new and improved weapons and warships. By 2257 a planetary defense grid protected the Earth; the defense grid consisted of orbital platforms armed with antiship missiles, particle-beam cannons, and plasma energy cannons. Additionally, larger and more powerful warships, such as the new Omega-class Destroyers, were built, and a new class of fighter was developed that was faster and better-armed than the older versions, and which could fly into a planetary atmosphere as well as space. The Earth Alliance also hoped to prevent another war by starting the Babylon Project. With help from the Minbari, the Earth Alliance planned to construct an enormous space station which would serve to create better understanding between humans and aliens, and would allow ambassadors from various galactic governments to peacefully debate their differences without resorting to war. The first three Babylon stations were sabotaged or destroyed by anti-alien terrorists from Earth. The Babylon 4 station was successfully built, but it mysteriously vanished just a few hours before coming on-line. Finally, the Babylon 5 station was built and opened in 2257 to interstellar commerce and diplomacy.However, despite the successful opening of Babylon 5, trouble was brewing within the Earth Alliance. A growing number of people within Earthgov - including high-level politicians, generals, and members of PsiCorps - became determined to sabotage the Babylon Project. These people were deeply suspicious of alien races (especially the Minbari) and wanted Earth to become more isolationist and xenophobic. Eventually this group was aided by a mysterious man named Morden
Morden (Babylon 5)
Morden is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Ed Wasser. He is a recurring antagonist in the show.-Overview:...
, who spoke for an ancient and extremely powerful alien race known only as 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...
. With Morden's help and encouragement, a group of Earthgov officials, led by Vice-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....
, conspired to assassinate Luis Santiago, the President of the Earth Alliance. In 2258 Santiago was brutally assassinated with his staff and crew in an "accidental" explosion of his starship, EarthForce One
EarthForce One
EarthForce One is a fictional spacecraft used in the Babylon 5 science fiction television series to transport the Earth Alliance President to other planets.-2258 Presidential visit to Babylon 5:...
, and Vice-President Clark assumed the Presidency. Clark had abandoned a goodwill tour and left EarthForce One with an alleged viral infection. Once secure in office, Clark secretly but steadily put his loyal followers in positions to control EarthForce and EarthGov. He also began turning the Earth Alliance into a fascist, Orwellian
Orwellian
"Orwellian" describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free society...
military state, organizing groups such as "Nightwatch", a para-military police force, to spy on "disloyal" humans. He also renamed several Earthgov agencies, so that the Ministry of Defense became the "Ministry of Peace", and the Ministry of Information became the "Ministry of Truth". However, the Chairman of the EarthForce Joint Chiefs of Staff, General William Hague, suspected foul play in Santiago's death. He covertly formed his own network to uncover the truth. ("All Alone in the Night
All Alone in the Night
"All Alone in the Night" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.- Plot :As the episode begins, Babylon 5's command staff receives reports of mysterious attacks on merchant ships near Babylon 5. Captain Sheridan decides to take a wing of Starfury...
") If Clark was implicated, Hague planned to present his evidence to the Earth Senate to have Clark impeached and removed from office. One of the members of Hague's network was 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...
, a hero of the Earth-Minbari war and the commander of Babylon 5. Sheridan eventually brought the rest of Babylon 5's command staff into the network, and together they slowly but steadily accumulated evidence implicating Clark in Santiago's death. ("Hunter, Prey
Hunter, Prey
"Hunter, Prey" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Out of curiosity, John Sheridan visits Docking Bay 13 to get a look at Kosh's ship, accompanied by a hesitant Susan Ivanova. As he reaches forward to touch the ship, a device forms on...
", "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...
")
In 2260 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:...
, B5's executive officer, uncovered solid proof that Clark had planned and participated in President Santiago's death. When this evidence was presented to the Earth Senate, Clark suddenly declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
and suspended the Earth Alliance Constitution, using an attack on an EarthForce research facility as cause to enact such orders. Now a dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
in all but name, Clark disbanded the Earth Senate, placed military troops in charge of all the Earth's major cities, crushed any open opposition, and seized control of the news media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
, such as the Interstellar Network News
Interstellar Network News
Interstellar Network News is a fictional TV news network in the Babylon 5 universe. ISN's motto is The Galaxy's Most Important Network. ISN was modelled on real-world news outlets, such as CNN....
. He used the news media to spread propaganda supporting his views and to broadcast the lie that he declared martial law to prevent aliens from taking control of the Earth. Such traditional rights as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and free elections were all abolished by Clark.
However, a resistance movement quickly developed. Led by General Hague, a number of EarthForce warships refused to obey Clark's orders and started a rebellion. Several Earth colonies, such as Mars, refused to carry out Clark's martial law orders; EarthForce ships loyal to Clark then bombed Mars and attacked any colony which resisted Clark's rule. Two major Earth colonies, Proxima 3 and Orion 7, seceded from the Earth Alliance; they were joined by Babylon 5. This led Clark to send a sizable fleet of warships loyal to him to seize control of Babylon 5 and arrest its command staff. However, Captain Sheridan joined with the rebel Earth warships EAS Churchill and EAS Alexander
EAS Alexander
In the Babylon 5 science fiction universe, the EAS Alexander was an Earth Alliance Omega class destroyer. It may have been named after Alexander the Great. It played a key role in the Earth Alliance Civil War of 2260 - 2261....
, and Minbari warships, to defeat the attacking Earth fleet and force them to retreat. ("Severed Dreams
Severed Dreams
"Severed Dreams" is an episode from the third season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. It won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.-Synopsis:...
") Babylon 5 then became an independent state, and was cut off from the Earth Alliance for the next two years. However, the Civil War quickly took a backseat to 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 Babylon 5's command staff paid little attention to events in the Earth Alliance until that epic conflict was over.
Earth Civil War
After the second Shadow WarShadow 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...
ended, Captain 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...
turned his attention to overthrowing President Clark and liberating Earth and its colonies. A key turning point came when warships were ordered by Clark to lay siege to the rebellious Proxima 3 colony to keep it within the Earth Alliance. When warships loyal to Clark attacked and killed 10,000 innocent civilians trying to escape, Sheridan took his highly advanced White Star fleet to save the colony. In a brief but fierce battle, Sheridan's White Stars disabled or destroyed several Omega class destroyer
Omega class destroyer
The Omega-class destroyer is a fictional vessel used by Earthforce, the military branch of the Earth Alliance, in the science fiction television series Babylon 5...
s; he also convinced several EarthForce destroyers to switch sides and support him during the battle. After liberating Proxima 3, Sheridan's fleet began to move towards Earth. As they traveled they steadily picked up an increasing number of EarthForce destroyers and cruisers whose crews could no longer support Clark and his fascist regime. However, many EarthForce vessels remained loyal to Clark, and as a result numerous battles took place, but in each battle Sheridan's more advanced White Star ships were able to disable the Earth warships, as Sheridan refrained from destroying those ships.
In an effort to undermine Sheridan's supporters on Earth, Clark began to spread propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
that Sheridan was under sinister alien (especially Minbari) influence. To discourage EarthForce crews from defecting to Sheridan, the crews were told that Sheridan killed all humans found aboard captured Earth ships and replaced them with Minbari crews. In such an event, one captain quickly dispelled those propaganda, calling it a "load of crap". As Sheridan's forces neared Earth's solar system, Clark unleashed his secret weapon - a squadron of Omega-Class Destroyers which had been upgraded with Shadow technology. All of Omega destroyers were annihilated in a fierce battle by a squadron of White Stars under 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:...
, but most of the White Stars were either destroyed or suffered severe damage as well. Ivanova's ship was badly damaged and she was severely injured. Sheridan was captured by EarthForce in a trap and tortured in an Earthgov facility on Mars, but was eventually rescued by the "Free Mars" rebel movement; he subsequently recovered and returned to his fleet. He then approached Mars with a massive armada of White Stars, EarthForce vessels that had defected to him, and a large number of warships from various alien governments who had joined him in a show of support. Together they disabled a fleet of 33 Omega-Class destroyers loyal to Clark using the telepaths saved from delivery to the Shadows who were programed by shadow technology to embed and control any machine; the Omega-Class destroyers were led by General Lefcourt, a close friend of Sheridan who had served as his mentor at the EarthForce Academy. Sheridan then led his fleet to Earth itself, where Clark committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
rather than being taken prisoner by Earthgov personnel. Before killing himself, Clark turned the planetary defense grid towards the Earth's surface, enacting a "Scorched Earth" policy. To prevent the planet from being devastated, Sheridan's fleet - including EarthForce ships which had been fighting for Clark at Mars - destroyed the defense grid before any damage was done to the planet. Sheridan's ship was saved from destruction in the battle by General Lefcourt's destroyer which had just arrived from Mars. With Clark's death, Senator Susanna Luchenko of the Russian Consortium was named the new Earth Alliance President. In a prior agreement with the Free Mars movement, Sheridan convinced President Luchenko to grant Mars its independence. With Clark's downfall, martial law was ended and democracy and the Earth Alliance Constitution were restored.
Interstellar Alliance Membership
President Luchenko and the newly reformed democratic government of the Earth Alliance joined the Interstellar AllianceInterstellar 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...
in 2262 not long after its initial formation by John Sheridan and Delenn. The deal was that Earth would join if she allowed Mars' independence and withdrew all troops from the rebellious colonies that wished to remain independent after the civil war and Earth would receive artificial gravity technology from the Minbari upon entrance to the Alliance. By 2267 Earth had gained enough access to advanced technology to take part in a joint research and development program with 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....
for a large scale tactical warship. The results were the Warlock class destroyer and the Victory class destroyer. The Victory class was fitted with highly advanced weapon and armor technologies and even a Vorlon primary weapon and Minbari stealth technology. The ship was over 2 miles long and highly maneuverable.
The actual status of Mars's independence isn't entirely clear: during the series Crusade it is described as "an independent member of the Earth Alliance".
In that year the Drakh attacked Earth, a battle that would have been lost by humans if the combined forces of the members of the Interstellar Alliance had not come to protect their fellow member world. However the Drakh were successful in starting a serious plague that would kill all humans on Earth within 5 years if not stopped. The Alliance then loaned out the use of the surviving Victory class prototype the IAS Excalibur to the Earth Alliance to help find a cure to the plague.
At the end of season four of 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...
it was shown that Earth remained a member of the Interstellar Alliance for 500 years after its initial membership. However at that time it was discovered by the ISA that Earth was planning an assault and in a pre-emptive strike threw the entire planet back to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
level of technology. The war was caused by the separation of Earth into two separate governments one bent on galactic expansion and withdrawal from the Interstellar Alliance, the other maintaining the necessity of continued membership. The ISA (initials of the Alliance) quietly sent Rangers (human ones) to slowly rebuild Earth and still make it look as if the old technologies were being rediscovered thus rebuilding confidence as well as the civilization. One million years after the foundation of the ISA, an Anla'shok (Ranger) is seen collecting the last of the records of Earth's history, proving that Earth did rejoin the Alliance. It was also shown that humanity had evolved into energy-based beings possessing technology similar in nature to the long vanished Vorlons, but their appearance is akin to the effect for Lorien.