The Coming of Shadows
Encyclopedia
"The Coming of Shadows" is a key episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5
. It won the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
.
Emperor decides to visit Babylon 5. The Emperor knows that he will die soon, and he wishes to meet with Narn
Ambassador G'Kar in neutral territory and offer a public apology on behalf of the Centauri people for their occupation and enslavement of the Narn homeworld.
G'Kar is unaware of the Emperor's reason for visiting, and he plans to murder him as an act of vengeance for the Centauri's past treatment of his people.
Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari and his ally Lord Refa plan to publicly confront the ailing Emperor about the seeming "decline" and weakness of the Centauri Republic. The Emperor arrives at Babylon 5 and is greeted by the station's human
command staff. He tells Dr. Franklin
that he wishes to see the Vorlon
Ambassador Kosh before he leaves the station.
At a reception for the Emperor, G'Kar shocks many by his attendance; they are unaware of his decision to kill the Emperor. The Emperor collapses before he can arrive at the reception and give his planned speech. In medlab Franklin tells the Emperor that he is dying. The Emperor then asks Franklin to tell G'Kar that he apologizes for all the evil that the Centauri inflicted on the Narn
. Franklin goes to G'Kar's quarters and relays the Emperor's message; G'Kar is astonished.
Following the Emperor's collapse Refa and Mollari meet in Londo's quarters. Knowing that the Emperor is about to die, Refa urges Mollari to do something dramatic to give their supporters on Centauri Prime an edge over their rivals for control of the government when the Emperor dies. Londo — acting against the advice of his aide Vir
— tells Refa to have several Centauri warships sent to the Narn's largest colony on a planet in Quadrant 14. Refa is skeptical and notes that a small fleet of warships will not be nearly enough to take the planet. When Refa leaves, Londo tells Vir to contact Mr. Morden
, the spokesman for the Shadows
; Vir is to tell Morden to have several Shadow vessels attack and destroy the Narn colony before the Centauri ships arrive. Vir tells him that he will regret his decision in the future.
G'Kar, unaware of Londo's actions and feeling differently about the Centauri since the Emperor's apology, offers to buy Londo a drink.
A fleet of Shadow vessels attack the Narn colony in Quadrant 14; they quickly destroy the colony's defenses and render it helpless. The Centauri warships arrive soon afterward; they are spotted by a squadron of Narn fighters sent to investigate the attack. The fighters attack the Centauri warships and send a signal to the Narn homeworld
that the Centauri have invaded and conquered the colony.
The Centauri Emperor receives a personal audience with Ambassador Kosh, who tells him that the situation will end "in fire". Refa and Mollari visit the Emperor on his deathbed, the Emperor whispers something in Londo's ear before he passes away. Londo announces that the Emperor said to him that he approved of the attack on the Narn and that he wants Refa and Mollari to carry his people "back to the stars". Outside medlab, Refa asks Londo to tell him what the Emperor really said before he died. Londo tells Refa that the Emperor told him that he and Refa were both damned.
After learning of the attack G'Kar attempts to enter Londo's quarters to kill him, but Captain Sheridan
and a security team prevent him from doing so. In Babylon 5's council chambers, G'Kar announces that the Narn government has officially declared war on the Centauri. "Our hope for peace is over," he says.
A second plotline involves a mysterious man who has been following Chief Garibaldi
around. When Garibaldi confronts and arrests him, the man gives him a recorded message from Jeffrey Sinclair
, the Earth Alliance
Ambassador to Minbar. Sinclair tells Garibaldi that a "terrible darkness" is coming and that he has become involved with a military force called the "Rangers
" to fight it. Garibaldi agrees to allow the Rangers to operate on the station and to keep their presence a secret, even from Sheridan. In return Garibaldi asks the Rangers to provide him with information they learn which could affect the station's security, to which the Ranger agrees. Delenn
is also given a recorded message by the Ranger.
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 won the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
.
Synopsis
Despite having health problems which make travel dangerous, the elderly CentauriCentauri (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...
Emperor decides to visit Babylon 5. The Emperor knows that he will die soon, and he wishes to meet with Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
Ambassador G'Kar in neutral territory and offer a public apology on behalf of the Centauri people for their occupation and enslavement of the Narn homeworld.
G'Kar is unaware of the Emperor's reason for visiting, and he plans to murder him as an act of vengeance for the Centauri's past treatment of his people.
Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari and his ally Lord Refa plan to publicly confront the ailing Emperor about the seeming "decline" and weakness of the Centauri Republic. The Emperor arrives at Babylon 5 and is greeted by the station's 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...
command staff. He tells Dr. 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:...
that he wishes to see 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...
Ambassador Kosh before he leaves the station.
At a reception for the Emperor, G'Kar shocks many by his attendance; they are unaware of his decision to kill the Emperor. The Emperor collapses before he can arrive at the reception and give his planned speech. In medlab Franklin tells the Emperor that he is dying. The Emperor then asks Franklin to tell G'Kar that he apologizes for all the evil that the Centauri inflicted on the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
. Franklin goes to G'Kar's quarters and relays the Emperor's message; G'Kar is astonished.
Following the Emperor's collapse Refa and Mollari meet in Londo's quarters. Knowing that the Emperor is about to die, Refa urges Mollari to do something dramatic to give their supporters on Centauri Prime an edge over their rivals for control of the government when the Emperor dies. Londo — acting against the advice of his aide Vir
Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto is a character from the fictional Babylon 5 universe, played on screen by Stephen Furst. He is a Centauri male who was from a family of minor nobility, who would eventually become the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5, and then became the Emperor of the Centauri Republic in 2278.Vir Cotto...
— tells Refa to have several Centauri warships sent to the Narn's largest colony on a planet in Quadrant 14. Refa is skeptical and notes that a small fleet of warships will not be nearly enough to take the planet. When Refa leaves, Londo tells Vir to contact Mr. 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:...
, the spokesman for 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...
; Vir is to tell Morden to have several Shadow vessels attack and destroy the Narn colony before the Centauri ships arrive. Vir tells him that he will regret his decision in the future.
G'Kar, unaware of Londo's actions and feeling differently about the Centauri since the Emperor's apology, offers to buy Londo a drink.
A fleet of Shadow vessels attack the Narn colony in Quadrant 14; they quickly destroy the colony's defenses and render it helpless. The Centauri warships arrive soon afterward; they are spotted by a squadron of Narn fighters sent to investigate the attack. The fighters attack the Centauri warships and send a signal to the Narn homeworld
Core worlds
Core worlds or core planets often exist in works of science fiction, especially space operas. They are usually at the center of the galaxy or of colonized space, occasionally both. Core worlds are densely populated with long histories, advanced technology, and/or highly-developed culture. The...
that the Centauri have invaded and conquered the colony.
The Centauri Emperor receives a personal audience with Ambassador Kosh, who tells him that the situation will end "in fire". Refa and Mollari visit the Emperor on his deathbed, the Emperor whispers something in Londo's ear before he passes away. Londo announces that the Emperor said to him that he approved of the attack on the Narn and that he wants Refa and Mollari to carry his people "back to the stars". Outside medlab, Refa asks Londo to tell him what the Emperor really said before he died. Londo tells Refa that the Emperor told him that he and Refa were both damned.
After learning of the attack G'Kar attempts to enter Londo's quarters to kill him, but 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...
and a security team prevent him from doing so. In Babylon 5's council chambers, G'Kar announces that the Narn government has officially declared war on the Centauri. "Our hope for peace is over," he says.
A second plotline involves a mysterious man who has been following Chief 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:...
around. When Garibaldi confronts and arrests him, the man gives him a recorded message from Jeffrey Sinclair
Jeffrey Sinclair
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.-Early life and...
, 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...
Ambassador to Minbar. Sinclair tells Garibaldi that a "terrible darkness" is coming and that he has become involved with a military force called the "Rangers
Ranger (Babylon 5)
Rangers are a fictional class of warriors that play a prominent role in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-History:...
" to fight it. Garibaldi agrees to allow the Rangers to operate on the station and to keep their presence a secret, even from Sheridan. In return Garibaldi asks the Rangers to provide him with information they learn which could affect the station's security, to which the Ranger agrees. 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....
is also given a recorded message by the Ranger.
Arc significance
- The title of this episode, "The Coming of Shadows", is so important that it is also used as the title for the entire second season of the series.
- This episode marked the beginning of the Narn-Centauri War, as well as marking a significant step in Londo's rise to power. Besides marking the failure of Babylon 5 to keep the peace, the Narn-Centauri War also played into the Shadows' hands, creating fear and chaos through the League of Non-Aligned WorldsLeague of Non-Aligned WorldsThe 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 episode also marks a major change in the images of G'Kar and Londo. Previously, G'Kar was often seen as a bullying, even possibly villainous character, but from this episode forward G'Kar becomes more noble and tragic. Londo, who had been previously depicted as rather luckless and often the source of comic relief, becomes much darker and sinister from this episode on.
- The death of Centauri Emperor Turhan allows for his nephew, Emperor CartagiaEmperor CartagiaEmperor Cartagia is a fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Wortham Krimmer...
, a supporter of Londo and Lord Refa, to assume the throne. Cartagia turns out to be a deluded narcissisticNarcissistic personality disorderNarcissistic personality disorder is a personality disorder in which the individual is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity...
megalomaniac. In order to seize power, Refa has Prime Minister Malachi, a close friend of the late emperor, assassinated. Malachi is also a friend of Londo's, so Refa doesn't tell him in advance about the murder. A man of honor and decency, Prime Minister Malachi would never have allowed someone as evil as Cartagia to assume the throne.
- This episode also introduces 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:...
, a covert organization sponsored by the MinbariMinbariThe 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....
to monitor the unfolding of a "coming darkness". One of their number is sent at the behest of Ambassador Jeffrey SinclairJeffrey SinclairJeffrey 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.-Early life and...
(Michael O'HareMichael O'HareMichael 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...
). This is also Sinclair's first appearance since his recall as Babylon 5s commanderPoints of Departure (Babylon 5)"Points of Departure" is the first episode of the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Earth Alliance Destroyer EAS Agamemnon is seen orbiting an unspecified planet. Captain John Sheridan is heard informing an unspecified party that if they have any further...
.
- This episode provides the first look at Londo Mollari's prophetic dream of his fate, which includes several scenes that will appear in future episodes of the series. Londo's dream (nightmare) finishes with an image he has previously seen about him and G'Kar strangling each other to death in their mutual old age.
Production details
- The 1996 Hugo was won in part due to "campaigning" which was in part done online. Straczynski believes that the series failed to gain a 1995 Hugo nomination due to "too many solid episodes" causing a split.