Z'ha'dum (planet)
Encyclopedia
In the fictional Babylon 5
universe, Z'ha'dum was the homeworld of the ancient, mysterious race known as the Shadows
. The planet is near the galactic rim. The Shadows would return to the world every time they were defeated.
The surface is mostly desolate, with raging dust storms lashing the rocky surface. Stone obelisks covered in Shadow Runes pierce the land. Roughly translated, they say "Every light carries a shadow." The obelisks, made of native sedimentary rock, range from 100 to 150 yards high. They are spaced at a constant 2.43 miles apart and are spread over large parts of the planet, and appear to be concentrated in areas near cave entrances where Shadows dwell. Any other structures that were on the surface, however, did not survive.
The Icarus, a science vessel from Earth, found the Shadows and inadvertently woke them from their long hibernation. After this the Shadows gave the humans a chance to agree to work with them. Morden
agreed to do so, and became the liaison between the Shadows, the Centauri Republic, and President Morgan Clark
's government on Earth. Others who refused, like Anna Sheridan, were either killed outright, or were taken and plugged into Shadow ships to act as its central processor. The Shadows built a complex on the surface to accommodate the humans who agreed to assist the Shadows.
When the Shadows learned that Anna Sheridan was plugged into a Shadow vessel
, they removed her and sent her to Babylon 5 to bring John Sheridan
back to Z'ha'dum in the episode of the same name
. Sheridan discovered Anna had been plugged into a Shadow vessel, and that her personality had been destroyed in the process. When the Shadows tried to attack him, he shot at the approaching Shadow, and went to a balcony overlooking the Shadow capital city. He set the White Star to ram the city, and set the two nuclear devices on board to detonate. Upon hearing the voice of Kosh, Sheridan jumped into the great pit below the balcony. The White Star exploded, killing Anna Sheridan and destroying the Shadows' capital city.
. Sheridan soon learned that Lorien was not just one of the First Ones
(the oldest races in the Universe), he was the first being to gain intelligence in the galaxy. Also, Lorien was the reason for the Shadows' presence at Z'ha'dum over the past millennia. The original home planet of the Shadows is unknown, but they always came back to Z'ha'dum for the singular reason that it was where Lorien chose to dwell (it most likely wasn't his home planet either). This reverence for Lorien on the Shadows' part seems to date back to the time when even their ancient race was young and Lorien was their teacher and guide. However, in light of the Shadows' misguided ways, Lorien considered this an empty gesture, a fact unknown to the Shadows.
During his conversations with Lorien, Sheridan learns that he is stuck in between life and death. Eventually, Lorien convinces Sheridan to let go of his life and then manages to restore Sheridan's broken body, effectively bringing him from the dead (Lorien's power is vast, although not unlimited; he says he cannot create life anew, but he can revive the recently deceased, apparently with the flick of a thought). Lorien then surprisingly returns with Sheridan to Babylon 5, after not leaving Z'ha'dum for what was presumably a million years.
Once they arrive, Sheridan learns that Delenn
has been staging a massive attack against Z'ha'dum. He arrives on Babylon 5 to find support wavering, and a large demonstration against Delenn's plans underway. This dispute is resolved when Sheridan suddenly walks in on the gathering.
Sheridan is able to trick the Shadows and Vorlon
s into revealing their true intentions to the younger races — that being that the younger races under the two titans' respective influence fight each other in a war of ideology, the advancement through order of the Vorlons versus the strength through chaos of the Shadows, until one of them proves themselves right, presumably by defeating all of the other's acolytes. The Shadows and the Vorlons were long past having any real hostile intent against each other and have systematically, over tens of thousands of years, reduced themselves to bickering parents, as Sheridan put it, with countless infant races paying the price for their pettiness. Sheridan and Lorien are able to convince the two races to go beyond the galactic rim to join the other First Ones
who had left eons before. Ashamed, the Shadows and the Vorlons accept, and Lorien and the other First Ones also leave the galaxy, leaving it to the purview of the younger races. Apart from Lorien alone returning to bring Sheridan back to the other First Ones in 2281, no First One has ever been seen in our galaxy again.
arrived on the station. He wanted to be taken to Z'ha'dum to see if there was any technology there that could help free his lover Carolyn from the implants the Shadows put in her brain. Sheridan took Bester to Z'ha'dum on board a White Star. Delenn and Lyta Alexander
accompanied them. When they arrived, they found the planet deserted. They found a large evacuation in progress — the Drakh
and other Shadow minions were leaving the system for the last time.
Upon seeing the evacuation, Sheridan realized something was very wrong and ordered the crew turn the ship around. Within a few minutes, the planet exploded. After their return to Babylon 5, Sheridan confronted Lyta Alexander in her quarters, all but accusing her of telepathically triggering the planet's self-destruct mechanisms. While she did not admit to tripping the self-destruct either intentionally or unintentionally, she stated that, hypothetically speaking, she might have for any one of several reasons with revenge being the motivator: the Shadows' murder of Ambassador Kosh and the treatment of telepaths by Psi Corps in general, and Alfred Bester specifically, chief among them. Sheridan told her that if she ever decided to make such strategic decisions on behalf of Babylon 5 ever again, without consulting the command staff, there would be hell to pay.
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...
universe, Z'ha'dum was the homeworld of the ancient, mysterious race known 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...
. The planet is near the galactic rim. The Shadows would return to the world every time they were defeated.
Terrain
Z'ha'dum had extensive mountain ranges composed of igneous rock and lava fields from volcanoes of glittering obsidian that tower over sediment-covered plains. Weather patterns were violent, with dust storms covering 1/4 of the planet's surface at any given time. Shadow structures covered 30% of the planet's surface, though most habitations were below ground.The surface is mostly desolate, with raging dust storms lashing the rocky surface. Stone obelisks covered in Shadow Runes pierce the land. Roughly translated, they say "Every light carries a shadow." The obelisks, made of native sedimentary rock, range from 100 to 150 yards high. They are spaced at a constant 2.43 miles apart and are spread over large parts of the planet, and appear to be concentrated in areas near cave entrances where Shadows dwell. Any other structures that were on the surface, however, did not survive.
Prior to 2261
The planet had been devastated by previous wars. As a result, the Shadows began living underground. All that was left on the surface was a few ruins. The atmosphere is not breathable by humans, who require oxygen masks to move about on the planet.The Icarus, a science vessel from Earth, found the Shadows and inadvertently woke them from their long hibernation. After this the Shadows gave the humans a chance to agree to work with them. 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:...
agreed to do so, and became the liaison between the Shadows, the Centauri Republic, and 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....
's government on Earth. Others who refused, like Anna Sheridan, were either killed outright, or were taken and plugged into Shadow ships to act as its central processor. The Shadows built a complex on the surface to accommodate the humans who agreed to assist the Shadows.
When the Shadows learned that Anna Sheridan was plugged into a Shadow vessel
Shadow battlecrab
A Shadow battlecrab is a fictional spacecraft from the Babylon 5 universe.These ships make up the bulk of the Shadows' fleet. These ships are alive, but cannot operate independently, instead they require a humanoid to be merged with them and operate as its CPU. The unfortunate "pilots" are usually...
, they removed her and sent her to Babylon 5 to bring 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...
back to Z'ha'dum in the episode of the same name
Z'ha'dum
Z'ha'dum is the final episode of the third season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Teaser:Anna Sheridan, John Sheridan's lost wife, returns to the station, unexpectedly showing up at Sheridan's room, much to the shock and anxiety of Delenn. Anna attempts to get close to...
. Sheridan discovered Anna had been plugged into a Shadow vessel, and that her personality had been destroyed in the process. When the Shadows tried to attack him, he shot at the approaching Shadow, and went to a balcony overlooking the Shadow capital city. He set the White Star to ram the city, and set the two nuclear devices on board to detonate. Upon hearing the voice of Kosh, Sheridan jumped into the great pit below the balcony. The White Star exploded, killing Anna Sheridan and destroying the Shadows' capital city.
2261
After the capital city was destroyed, Sheridan awoke to find himself underground, with another being named LorienLorien (Babylon 5)
Lorien is a fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. He appears at the start of season four and again in the last episode of the show. Lórien is also a name given to one of the Valar, god-like beings in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, of whom series...
. Sheridan soon learned that Lorien was not just one of the 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,...
(the oldest races in the Universe), he was the first being to gain intelligence in the galaxy. Also, Lorien was the reason for the Shadows' presence at Z'ha'dum over the past millennia. The original home planet of the Shadows is unknown, but they always came back to Z'ha'dum for the singular reason that it was where Lorien chose to dwell (it most likely wasn't his home planet either). This reverence for Lorien on the Shadows' part seems to date back to the time when even their ancient race was young and Lorien was their teacher and guide. However, in light of the Shadows' misguided ways, Lorien considered this an empty gesture, a fact unknown to the Shadows.
During his conversations with Lorien, Sheridan learns that he is stuck in between life and death. Eventually, Lorien convinces Sheridan to let go of his life and then manages to restore Sheridan's broken body, effectively bringing him from the dead (Lorien's power is vast, although not unlimited; he says he cannot create life anew, but he can revive the recently deceased, apparently with the flick of a thought). Lorien then surprisingly returns with Sheridan to Babylon 5, after not leaving Z'ha'dum for what was presumably a million years.
Once they arrive, Sheridan learns that 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....
has been staging a massive attack against Z'ha'dum. He arrives on Babylon 5 to find support wavering, and a large demonstration against Delenn's plans underway. This dispute is resolved when Sheridan suddenly walks in on the gathering.
Sheridan is able to trick the Shadows and Vorlon
Vorlon
A Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy...
s into revealing their true intentions to the younger races — that being that the younger races under the two titans' respective influence fight each other in a war of ideology, the advancement through order of the Vorlons versus the strength through chaos of the Shadows, until one of them proves themselves right, presumably by defeating all of the other's acolytes. The Shadows and the Vorlons were long past having any real hostile intent against each other and have systematically, over tens of thousands of years, reduced themselves to bickering parents, as Sheridan put it, with countless infant races paying the price for their pettiness. Sheridan and Lorien are able to convince the two races to go beyond the galactic rim to join the other 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,...
who had left eons before. Ashamed, the Shadows and the Vorlons accept, and Lorien and the other First Ones also leave the galaxy, leaving it to the purview of the younger races. Apart from Lorien alone returning to bring Sheridan back to the other First Ones in 2281, no First One has ever been seen in our galaxy again.
Aftermath
Soon after the end of the war, Alfred BesterAlfred Bester (Babylon 5)
Alfred Bester is a Babylon 5 character played by Walter Koenig. He is a senior Psi Cop and a recurring antagonist in the series. J. Michael Straczynski named the character after the science fiction writer Alfred Bester, since telepathy is a recurring theme in his work .-Early Life and Career:The...
arrived on the station. He wanted to be taken to Z'ha'dum to see if there was any technology there that could help free his lover Carolyn from the implants the Shadows put in her brain. Sheridan took Bester to Z'ha'dum on board a White Star. Delenn 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...
accompanied them. When they arrived, they found the planet deserted. They found a large evacuation in progress — the Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
and other Shadow minions were leaving the system for the last time.
Upon seeing the evacuation, Sheridan realized something was very wrong and ordered the crew turn the ship around. Within a few minutes, the planet exploded. After their return to Babylon 5, Sheridan confronted Lyta Alexander in her quarters, all but accusing her of telepathically triggering the planet's self-destruct mechanisms. While she did not admit to tripping the self-destruct either intentionally or unintentionally, she stated that, hypothetically speaking, she might have for any one of several reasons with revenge being the motivator: the Shadows' murder of Ambassador Kosh and the treatment of telepaths by Psi Corps in general, and Alfred Bester specifically, chief among them. Sheridan told her that if she ever decided to make such strategic decisions on behalf of Babylon 5 ever again, without consulting the command staff, there would be hell to pay.
Quotes
- "Z'ha'dum is the homeworld of the Shadows. No one leaves the same as they arrived." - DelennDelennDelenn 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....
- "If you go to Z'ha'dum you will die." - Kosh to John SheridanJohn 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...
- "Is that it? It looks like hell." - Alfred BesterAlfred Bester (Babylon 5)Alfred Bester is a Babylon 5 character played by Walter Koenig. He is a senior Psi Cop and a recurring antagonist in the series. J. Michael Straczynski named the character after the science fiction writer Alfred Bester, since telepathy is a recurring theme in his work .-Early Life and Career:The...