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Number One (Babylon 5)
Encyclopedia
Number One is a recurring fictional character in the television series Babylon 5
, and was portrayed by American
actress Marjorie Monaghan
. On the show, Number One was initially the leader of the resistance movement
on Mars
and later became head of covert intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance
. During the time frame Babylon 5 takes place, Mars was a human colony
seeking (at times violently) independence from the Earth Alliance
, and the issues on the red planet
were story elements throughout the Babylon 5 series.
", when Dr. Stephen Franklin
and Marcus Cole
travel to Mars to meet with the resistance leaders there. The names Number One, Number Two, etc. were used on Mars by the resistance to protect the identity of its leaders. Once there, Franklin manages to convince her to stop her fellow members from attacking civilian targets, citing that such acts only weaken their position, and to support Capt. Sheridan
's efforts
against President Clark
.
Later in the show, she provides assistance to Dr. Franklin, Michael Garibaldi
and Lyta Alexander
as they form a plan to break Sheridan free from prison, events depicted in the episode "Between the Darkness and the Light
". During the time that Franklin is on Mars, he and Number One develop a friendship that turns into something more, and the two would rekindle that relationship later in the series.
Number One reappears at the end of Season 5 in the episode "Objects in Motion
", when she comes to the station to deliver a warning of an assassination
attempt on both Mr. Garibaldi and his soon-to-be wife, Lise Hampton-Edgars. Garibaldi departs the station to run Edgars Industries at the prompting of Lise, leaving his job as Head of Covert Intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance and Sheridan chooses Number One to replace him, as seen in the episode "Objects at Rest
".
The character's attitudes towards Telepaths is vividly shown during the show's run. In the episode "The Face of the Enemy", Franklin and Lyta bring special cargo to Mars for smuggling onto enemy ships. Number One recognizes Lyta from past encounters and is quite angered when she learns Lyta is a Telepath, and later during dinner in the episode she continues to act hostile towards her. In addition, as Garibaldi tries to convince Mars Resistance of his innocence and the forced telepathic adjustments made to him, he requests to be scanned. Though Lyta states her opinions won't carry much with the resistance, Lyta scans him for the truth of his story. However Number One flatly doesn't believe the results and chooses to try to execute him then and there, confirming her low faith in the word of telepaths, as seen in the episode "Between the Darkness and the Light".
Throughout the series, she is only referred to as Number One, until the last few episodes of season 5. As she comes aboard the station in the episode "Objects in Motion
", she experiences problems with her identicard and identifies herself as Tessa Holloran. After that Garibaldi, Franklin, and later Sheridan refer to her as Tessa and no longer as Number One. She remains on board the station in her new role, upon Sheridan's recommendation that she would have access to more resources at Babylon 5 rather than being on Minbar
.
As to portraying the character, Swallow wrote in Starlog
in September 1998:
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...
, and was portrayed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress Marjorie Monaghan
Marjorie Monaghan
Marjorie Monaghan is an American actress born in California but raised in Ohio. She is best known for her portrayal in 1997 and 1998 of 'Number One', leader of the Mars Resistance, in the television series Babylon 5....
. On the show, Number One was initially the leader of the resistance movement
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
on Mars
Mars in fiction
Fictional representations of Mars have been popular for over a century. Interest in Mars has been stimulated by the planet's dramatic red color, by early scientific speculations that its surface conditions might be capable of supporting life, and by the possibility that Mars could be colonized by...
and later became head of covert intelligence for 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...
. During the time frame Babylon 5 takes place, Mars was a human colony
Space colonization
Space colonization is the concept of permanent human habitation outside of Earth. Although hypothetical at the present time, there are many proposals and speculations about the first space colony...
seeking (at times violently) independence from the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
, and the issues on the red planet
Mars
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...
were story elements throughout the Babylon 5 series.
About the character
Number One first appeared in the series during the season 4 episode "Racing MarsRacing Mars
"Racing Mars" is an episode from the fourth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Dr Franklin and Marcus arrive on Mars to begin coordinating with the resistance.-Arc significance:...
", when Dr. Stephen Franklin
Stephen Franklin
Stephen Franklin is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by the late Richard Biggs. He serves as the chief medical officer on the Babylon 5 space station.-Personality:...
and Marcus Cole
Marcus Cole
Marcus Cole, played by Jason Carter, is a fictional character in the universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. He was a regular in the third and fourth seasons of the show...
travel to Mars to meet with the resistance leaders there. The names Number One, Number Two, etc. were used on Mars by the resistance to protect the identity of its leaders. Once there, Franklin manages to convince her to stop her fellow members from attacking civilian targets, citing that such acts only weaken their position, and to support Capt. 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 efforts
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...
against President 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....
.
Later in the show, she provides assistance to Dr. Franklin, Michael 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:...
and Lyta Alexander
Lyta Alexander
Lyta Alexander is a character from the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Patricia Tallman.Lyta was introduced in the pilot episode "The Gathering" as a telepath assigned to the Babylon 5 space station by the Psi Corps, a fictional organization...
as they form a plan to break Sheridan free from prison, events depicted in the episode "Between the Darkness and the Light
Between the Darkness and the Light
"Between the Darkness and the Light" is an episode from the fourth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:The episode begins with Sheridan believing that he is sitting in his quarters on Babylon 5, having a meal with Dr. Stephen Franklin. Franklin is asking how he...
". During the time that Franklin is on Mars, he and Number One develop a friendship that turns into something more, and the two would rekindle that relationship later in the series.
Number One reappears at the end of Season 5 in the episode "Objects in Motion
Objects in Motion
"Objects in Motion" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:As G'Kar plans to leave Babylon 5 with Lyta, the crew avert an assassination attempt on Garibaldi and Lise....
", when she comes to the station to deliver a warning of an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempt on both Mr. Garibaldi and his soon-to-be wife, Lise Hampton-Edgars. Garibaldi departs the station to run Edgars Industries at the prompting of Lise, leaving his job as Head of Covert Intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance and Sheridan chooses Number One to replace him, as seen in the episode "Objects at Rest
Objects at Rest
"Objects at Rest" is the penultimate episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Delenn and Sheridan relocate to Minbar; Lennier betrays Sheridan when an accident takes place on board the Minbari cruiser transporting him and Delenn to Minbar.Michael...
".
The character's attitudes towards Telepaths is vividly shown during the show's run. In the episode "The Face of the Enemy", Franklin and Lyta bring special cargo to Mars for smuggling onto enemy ships. Number One recognizes Lyta from past encounters and is quite angered when she learns Lyta is a Telepath, and later during dinner in the episode she continues to act hostile towards her. In addition, as Garibaldi tries to convince Mars Resistance of his innocence and the forced telepathic adjustments made to him, he requests to be scanned. Though Lyta states her opinions won't carry much with the resistance, Lyta scans him for the truth of his story. However Number One flatly doesn't believe the results and chooses to try to execute him then and there, confirming her low faith in the word of telepaths, as seen in the episode "Between the Darkness and the Light".
Throughout the series, she is only referred to as Number One, until the last few episodes of season 5. As she comes aboard the station in the episode "Objects in Motion
Objects in Motion
"Objects in Motion" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:As G'Kar plans to leave Babylon 5 with Lyta, the crew avert an assassination attempt on Garibaldi and Lise....
", she experiences problems with her identicard and identifies herself as Tessa Holloran. After that Garibaldi, Franklin, and later Sheridan refer to her as Tessa and no longer as Number One. She remains on board the station in her new role, upon Sheridan's recommendation that she would have access to more resources at Babylon 5 rather than being on Minbar
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....
.
Getting the role
In an Autumn 1997 interview for The 5 Times Magazine, Monaghan discussed auditioning and getting the role of Number One. The following is her response when asked how she initially got into Babylon 5:As to portraying the character, Swallow wrote in Starlog
Starlog
Starlog was a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. The magazine was created by publishers Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs. O'Quinn was the magazine's editor while Jacobs ran the business side of things, dealing with typesetters, engravers and printers. They got...
in September 1998:
External links
- Marjorie Monaghan - official actor website
- The Great Machine - Babylon 5 wiki
- The Babylon Project - Babylon 5 wikia