Did the Narn subjugate other races?

[Delenn_of_Mir]

The plots of at least two of the non canon novels revolve around races that the Narn were subjugating, in the early days of the show when the Narn were supposedly the bad guys. Did the authors make those races/stories up, or was that part of JMS's plan?
Does anyone know?

I can't recall if this was ever mentioned in the show or not. But reading the books, especially the one with the T'lin, it recontexualized the Narn for me, and made them seem much less like victims of the Centauri and more exactly like them. Was this a major point of the show that I missed?

And if so, what happened to the races the Narn were subjugating, like the T'lin, after the Centauri occupation? Were they freed? Were they simply traded to a new, possibly crueler master? If these races/stories were from JMS I wish they would have been in the show because I'd love to know more about them.

[Looney]

So I tried reading some of the "non canon" novels back in the 90s and as I recall one of the main reasons I stopped was the author's handling of Narn. I don't mean the people, but the planet itself. This would have been during Season 3 or 4 and we had already been given visual references to what life on Narn might look like, as well as G'Kar and other Narn's descriptions. I don't recall what book it was but this author's imagining of Narn was nowhere near what I'd been given in those examples and it seemed to me the author had possibly not even seen the show.

With that out of the way, I have no answer for your question other than my own opinion that the "non canon" novels belong in an alternate Universe very far from the Universe of the show.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I haven't read most of the non-canon novels. I just read #6 by S.M. Stirling. I thought he did a good job with Londo, but yes, the Narn characterization was maybe a little over the top. I also felt he made the relationship between Garibaldi and Sheridan way more hostile than it felt on screen. But I found the T'lin really interesting, and I got sucked into their story. I guess I'll have to fanfic an ending for them. Or add a version of them to TUOK. Alternate universe B5 works as an answer, to me!

[gs4291]

I think the only mention of Narn enslavement in the show itself is in Legacies, when Ivanova is warning Alisa Beldon about the Narn:

“The Narns are interested only in conquering other races now. They make slaves of their victims and […] they’ll probably try and make one of you as well.”

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I think the only mention of Narn enslavement in the show itself is in Legacies, when Ivanova is warning Alisa Beldon about the Narn:

“The Narns are interested only in conquering other races now. They make slaves of their victims and […] they’ll probably try and make one of you as well.”

Ooh, thanks. I'll have to rewatch that episode!!!

[JoeD80]

Takashima mentions it in The Gathering! It is also in the season 1 writer's guide that the Narn started invading other worlds to take their technology as the Centauri had done to them. So I'd say yes it was part of the background JMS devised

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Takashima mentions it in The Gathering! It is also in the season 1 writer's guide that the Narn started invading other worlds to take their technology as the Centauri had done to them. So I'd say yes it was part of the background JMS devised

Thank you. It's funny, I've watched "The Gathering" and the series itself, so many times, and somehow this aspect of the Narn culture completely flew over my head. It does make sense when I stop and think about it. I don't think Joe was hiding this truth from me. I just missed it.

[Looney]

I don't think Joe was hiding this truth from me. I just missed it.

Wait what was I doing? ........ Oh you mean other Joe.

[b5historyman]

Takashima mentions it in The Gathering! It is also in the season 1 writer's guide that the Narn started invading other worlds to take their technology as the Centauri had done to them. So I'd say yes it was part of the background JMS devised

The Season 1 writers guide is v1.1 that was made available. As was later demonstrated the Narn weren’t quite the aggressors they were made out to be. The Official CDROM paints a slightly different picture of things too.