The one who will be

[saori]

I want to know if JMS planned another war between good and evil in a thousand years from the current war against the shadows in the B5 mythology.
When Sheridan jumped into the future (in Londo's cell on Centauri Prime) DeLenn said that the war was never completely won between the forces of light and dark. And Zathras said Sheridan was "the one who will be", as compared to Sinclair who was "the one who was" and DeLenn who "the one who is".

So when was Sheridan "the one" and does this mean that Lorien would return Sheridan to the galaxy a thousand years in the future to orchestrate the next great war.

And if Sheridan was to return, what form would he take? Would he be a being of light like the vorlons or something different?

Ideas?

[Jan]

Hi, Saori!

As I see it, there's always going to be some tension between 'order' and 'chaos', but I don't really think that JMS was planning another Shadow war.

Sheridan actually did become the One, when he refused to accept reelection to the presidency and Delenn took his place. He took over the Rangers at that time which is why Delenn talked to Susan about accepting the position after Sheridan 'left them'.

What I wondered about, though, was when Delenn reformed the Grey Council and left the middle spot open for 'the one who will come'.

Jan

[The Puzzled Pak'Ma'Ra]

...Sheridan, the "One who will be", ... I took it as a reference to his place as the first president of the New Alliance.

... As for Delenn's saying the victory wasn't complete.... well, that particular future never really came about... did it? I mean, After the end of Season 5 - next to the last episode, on to "Sleeping in Light", nothing was mentioned of it (Delenn being held prisoner on Centauri Prime).... And the Shadows had a great many allies still hanging about . . . That was the 'incomplete victory'... maybe.

... But who knows? JMS probably doesn't even know. He told his story from beginning to end. Though he might have some ideas about it.

... That's just my take on it.

From Jan:

What I wondered about, though, was when Delenn reformed the Grey Council and left the middle spot open for 'the one who will come'.

... That would be me.



... Cheers.

[JDSValen]

From what I read, JMS pretty much maped out the B5 universe 1000 before and after the series, however I don't believed he planned another war specifically. When Delenn says that the war never ended, it is mostly due to the fact of all the other stuff that happened between the end of the shadow war and that episode (2260-2278 if I'm not mistaken). They were always dealing with left over Shadow tech, the telepaths, the Drakh and other helpers of the Shadows, so even though the elder races were gone their presence was still felt.

As far as Sheridan coming back, I'd have to say no to that one. First, Sheridan asks Lorien in SiL if he can come back, to which Lorien says, "no". Second, when Zathras said that he is the one that will be I think he was refering to the more immediate future (ie, Za'ha'dum and the events that follow). The triumverate of Sinclair, Delenn and Sheridan being "the one" I think refers to the fact that those 3 people radically bring about the 3rd age of mankind. Sinclair won the first shadow war, Sheridan won the second, and Delenn was the one who inspired both to go onto their paths.

I doubt that there would be any war 1000 years after the series anyway, at least not on the scale of the Shadow War. Based of "Deconstruction of the Falling Stars" humans don't fully evolve into Vorlon like creatures and move to the Vorlon Homeworld to assume there status as an elder race untill 1 million years after B5. So, there wouldn't be a need for a war on that level until some time after that, when the younger races we watch revolt.

[Jan]

... As for Delenn's saying the victory wasn't complete.... well, that particular future never really came about... did it? I mean, After the end of Season 5 - next to the last episode, on to "Sleeping in Light", nothing was mentioned of it (Delenn being held prisoner on Centauri Prime).... And the Shadows had a great many allies still hanging about . . . That was the 'incomplete victory'... maybe.

What happened to Sheridan when he jumped to the future on Centauri Prime did happen. It's confirmed in the Centauri Prime trilogy where we learn what it was that drew them there. As Delenn said then, Sheridan had told her about his experience but she'd never really believed it.

Time travel makes me dizzy...

Jan

[saori]

Hi, Saori!


Sheridan actually did become the One, when he refused to accept reelection to the presidency and Delenn took his place. He took over the Rangers at that time which is why Delenn talked to Susan about accepting the position after Sheridan 'left them'.

What I wondered about, though, was when Delenn reformed the Grey Council and left the middle spot open for 'the one who will come'.

Jan

Hi Jan,

I never equated "the one" as being the head of the rangers. Could be, never thought about it that way. But what you said about Delenn leaving a space for "the one who will come", that made me wonder even further if Sheridan would come back to fill this space.

And then it explains why Lorien came back for Sheridan when he died. What's the point of saving him unless he would be of some use in the future? I mean why take him with you, when you're already relatively immortal and extremely powerful and have similar friends out there with you. For sentiment's sake? I'd like to thing that Sheridan lived on in some form or another for a purpose.

Sao.

[saori]

Also, why didn't they know what was happening to Londo with the Drakh? When Sheridan jumped forward to the scene where Londo let him go Londo told him that the destruction on CP was caused by allies of the Shadows, but why then didn't he or Delenn realise that that's what changed Londo? I know Delenn says she didn't really believe about the time travel bit but I don't buy that. She was there when they transported B5 back 1000 years ago and knew that Sheridan travelled back and forth in time uncontrollably then. Also she saw the keeper on Londo their first night living on Minbar together. Surely Sheridan would have told Delenn about what Londo had told them about the Shadows and they put 2 + 2 together.

Sao.

[Jan]

Here's a post by JMS about the future flashes. Delenn seemed to sense something about the Keeper on Londo but I don't think she actually saw it. The point of view of the camera changes so that we see her as the keeper did, though.

Jan

[saori]

Thanks. I still think that he had enough to go on (the Centauri's continued isolation & dark dealings after the fall of CP) to warrant keeping an eye on the Centauri or investigating the issue further at some point, but JMS is right. Sheridan's take on it all would probably have been a lot more confused than ours. I think he still would have told Delenn though and taken some action before they were captured by Londo.

But that's just my opinion,,

[Sigma]

...Sheridan, the "One who will be", ... I took it as a reference to his place as the first president of the New Alliance.

The One is reference to Ranger One (in other words Entil'Zha).

[Jan]

Although, as we learned in 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows', Ranger One isn't always, or even usually, also Entil'Zha. I always wondered if Sheridan had to endure the same ordeal that Sinclair did.

Jan

[vacantlook]

I always wondered if Sheridan had to endure the same ordeal that Sinclair did.

Holy crap; I haven't ever thought of that (though having read To Dream In The City Of Sorrows and knowing what Sinclair had to go through).

[SLerman]

The Shadow War wasn't really a war between good and evil. Remember that the Shadows believed they were doing what was best for the younger races. Instead, it was a war between order and chaos. After all, would the "good" side go around blowing up entire planets of mostly innocent people?

Even though the Shadows and Vorlons are gone, there will always be more wars. The following war (around 3260) may be between the Minbari and the Drakh (I can't remember offhand for sure, but I think Earth was still recovering from the ~2760 civil war known as the Great Burn). That would certainly qualify as a pretty big war between order and chaos. Eventually, humans replace the Vorlons as "First Ones", but is there some other race, such as the Drakh, that replace the Shadows?