Jeffrey Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Sinclair is a character in the fictional universe of the science fiction
television series Babylon 5
, played by actor Michael O'Hare
. He was a regular in the first season of the show, as Commander of the Babylon 5 station
, and made a number of guest appearances afterward.
" and Sinclair's father was a fighter pilot for EarthForce who participated in the Battle of Balos, the last engagement of the Dilgar
Invasion. Sinclair continued the tradition and became a fighter pilot.
Sinclair enlisted in EarthForce in 2237. During his time at EarthForce Academy, he met Catherine Sakai, with whom he had a relationship. After a year of living together, the two of them broke up, but continued to see each other off and on through 2258, when they became engaged. Sakai went missing in late 2259, while on a mission for the Rangers.
The Season One episode "By Any Means Necessary
" establishes that Sinclair received Jesuit education as a young man.
. Less than a year later, Sinclair was promoted to squadron leader; due to his rapid rise through the ranks, the rumor of the day was that Sinclair was on the fast track to making Admiral
. As squadron leader, Sinclair fought at the Battle of the Line
, the last major battle in the Earth-Minbari War
. During the course of the battle, his squadron was destroyed by the Minbari
, and his fighter was badly damaged. In a last act of defiance, Sinclair attempted to ram one of the Minbari cruisers. He failed in this when he was captured by another Minbari cruiser for interrogation by the Grey Council
. The Council's Triluminary
detected Valen's DNA in Sinclair, so they assumed, to their profound shock, that he possessed the soul of Valen
, a hero of the Minbari who led them to victory 1,000 years ago against the Shadows
. It was concluded by the Grey Council that Minbari souls were being born into human
bodies. The discovery of what Sinclair possessed led the Minbari to surrender and return Sinclair to his fighter, the memory of his time aboard the Minbari cruiser blocked (though this block would not be permanent and would break down years later). Sinclair — and the Earth Alliance — believed that he had blacked out from the acceleration.
When Babylon 5 was brought into operation in 2257, Sinclair was selected by the Minbari to command the newly constructed station. He was selected over many more senior officers, including Colonel Ari Ben Zayn, all of whom had been vetoed by the Minbari (they had stipulated that they should approve the choice of Station Commander, as they had shared the cost of construction).
. He was succeeded at Babylon 5 by Captain John Sheridan
.
In 2260, Sinclair received a 900-year old letter from himself on Minbar, revealing that he was not the reincarnation of Valen, as believed, but in fact Valen himself. Armed with this knowledge, Sinclair took Babylon 4
back with him 1,000 years to aid the Minbari in their first war against the Shadows, and in so doing, fulfilled Minbari prophecy by becoming the One Who Was. It was here that Sinclair used the triluminary to transform himself into a Minbari, thus fulfilling the legend about Valen being "a Minbari not born of Minbari".
made the mutual and amicable decision for the character and actor to depart as a regular. O'Hare subsequently reprised the character for a cameo in season two and a two-episode guest appearance in season three, enabling the show to wrap up loose ends.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
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...
, played by actor Michael O'Hare
Michael O'Hare
Michael O'Hare is an American actor, best known for playing Jeffrey Sinclair in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Biography:Michael O'Hare was born in Chicago, Illinois...
. He was a regular in the first season of the show, as Commander of the Babylon 5 station
Babylon 5 (space station)
Babylon 5 is a fictional space station and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder....
, and made a number of guest appearances afterward.
Early life and career
Jeffrey David Sinclair was born on May 3, 2218 on Mars Colony. In an early episode of Season One, Sinclair states that his family had been pilots "ever since the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
" and Sinclair's father was a fighter pilot for EarthForce who participated in the Battle of Balos, the last engagement of 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...
Invasion. Sinclair continued the tradition and became a fighter pilot.
Sinclair enlisted in EarthForce in 2237. During his time at EarthForce Academy, he met Catherine Sakai, with whom he had a relationship. After a year of living together, the two of them broke up, but continued to see each other off and on through 2258, when they became engaged. Sakai went missing in late 2259, while on a mission for the Rangers.
The Season One episode "By Any Means Necessary
By Any Means Necessary (Babylon 5)
"By Any Means Necessary" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:A computer glitch results in an accident aboard the station that kills one of the dock workers. In light of the accident and in protest for being overworked, the dock workers...
" establishes that Sinclair received Jesuit education as a young man.
Season 1
In 2240, Sinclair was promoted to fighter pilot, continuing a Sinclair family tradition that had extended as far back as the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. Less than a year later, Sinclair was promoted to squadron leader; due to his rapid rise through the ranks, the rumor of the day was that Sinclair was on the fast track to making Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
. As squadron leader, Sinclair fought at 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...
, the last major battle 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...
. During the course of the battle, his squadron was destroyed 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....
, and his fighter was badly damaged. In a last act of defiance, Sinclair attempted to ram one of the Minbari cruisers. He failed in this when he was captured by another Minbari cruiser for interrogation 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...
. The Council's Triluminary
Triluminary
Triluminaries are devices in the science fiction drama Babylon 5. The triluminary is a triangular shaped Minbari crystal with a small chip in the centre. The full extent of its abilities are unknown, although it is said to be the holiest of all relics in Minbari society and thus any readings it...
detected Valen's DNA in Sinclair, so they assumed, to their profound shock, that he possessed the soul 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...
, a hero of the Minbari who led them to victory 1,000 years ago against 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...
. It was concluded by the Grey Council that Minbari souls were being born into 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...
bodies. The discovery of what Sinclair possessed led the Minbari to surrender and return Sinclair to his fighter, the memory of his time aboard the Minbari cruiser blocked (though this block would not be permanent and would break down years later). Sinclair — and the Earth Alliance — believed that he had blacked out from the acceleration.
When Babylon 5 was brought into operation in 2257, Sinclair was selected by the Minbari to command the newly constructed station. He was selected over many more senior officers, including Colonel Ari Ben Zayn, all of whom had been vetoed by the Minbari (they had stipulated that they should approve the choice of Station Commander, as they had shared the cost of construction).
Later years
In January 2259, Sinclair was reassigned as ambassador to Minbar, where he took command of the RangersRanger (Babylon 5)
Rangers are a fictional class of warriors that play a prominent role in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-History:...
. He was succeeded at Babylon 5 by 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...
.
In 2260, Sinclair received a 900-year old letter from himself on Minbar, revealing that he was not the reincarnation of Valen, as believed, but in fact Valen himself. Armed with this knowledge, Sinclair took Babylon 4
Babylon 4
Babylon 4 is a fictional space station from the television series Babylon 5.In the series, Babylon 4 was the immediate predecessor of Babylon 5 and the largest of the Babylon stations...
back with him 1,000 years to aid the Minbari in their first war against the Shadows, and in so doing, fulfilled Minbari prophecy by becoming the One Who Was. It was here that Sinclair used the triluminary to transform himself into a Minbari, thus fulfilling the legend about Valen being "a Minbari not born of Minbari".
O'Hare's departure
After one full season, both O'Hare and series executive producer/creator J. Michael StraczynskiJ. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
made the mutual and amicable decision for the character and actor to depart as a regular. O'Hare subsequently reprised the character for a cameo in season two and a two-episode guest appearance in season three, enabling the show to wrap up loose ends.
External links
- Jeffrey Sinclair at The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5The 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...