Random questions about B5

[Jan]

G'Kar's eyes also turned black when he was under the influence of Dust.

Was that before he was being influenced by Kosh? I don't remember.

Jan

[JoeD80]

part of her enhancement rather than the 'regular' P5 capability that she already had. IIRC, she was usually in a stressful situation when her eyes went black.

G'Kar's eyes also turned black when he was under the influence of Dust.

[Marsden]

I forgot about when she suprised Garibaldi, there wouldn't have been Shadows around then.

Here's a little question, more of an observation really, but the man that Kodath smacks in the begining of Born to the Purple seems to be the same one Trakis smacks later in the Zocalo. He's having a bad day, huh?


In Eyes, Mr Grey is accidentally scanning Susan and she yells at him. He looks surprised but then guesses that her mother had contact with her before and that's how she knew. Then later, in s2 we find out that she has some very limited psi capability that she keeps secret because she doesn't want to loose her career, somewhat how Mr. Grey did (or his dream of one). The way Mr. Grey gives her that second look right after he says that is almost like he realizes there's more to it that what he said, do you think Mr Grey noticed that Ivanova had some type of psy sensitivity? I wonder what happened to Mr. Grey at all, even though the colonel was a bit of a nut he still had powerful conections.


Here's one more comment, when Mr Morden sits down in the casino in Signs and Portents he sees Londo and the scene lingers just a bit on him sitting there not speaking, but he seems to be nodding very slightly and seems to be attentive like he was listening. After knowing later there are 2 or 3 Shadows with him that seems more significant. I thought it was a really subtle touch and another example of how the show is more enjoyable with repeat viewing.

[Jan]

Why did her eyes turn black? I thought I might be because her pupils expanded to the full front surface of her eye, but I would think if it was a Vorlon thing they would shine, or is it a Shadow detection think that makes them appear black?

While I can't say that I recall anything JMS said to back this up, my impression has always been that the black eyes happened when she was exerting powers that were part of her enhancement rather than the 'regular' P5 capability that she already had. IIRC, she was usually in a stressful situation when her eyes went black.

The glowing eyes seemed to happen when she was channeling her 'inner Vorlon' or when she was exploring her power on her own, such as when she appeared in Garibaldi's quarters.

Jan

[Babel-17]

Kosh has been inside her and she's "... someone who has been touched by Vorlons" so maybe when her eyes turn black it's a sign that she's been changed and has reservoirs of power that can be triggered.

I like the idea that detection of Shadows could be why her eyes change. Though didn't her eyes change when they were setting up the new vorlon ambassador? I can't remember.

[Marsden]

Why did her eyes turn black? I thought I might be because her pupils expanded to the full front surface of her eye, but I would think if it was a Vorlon thing they would shine, or is it a Shadow detection think that makes them appear black?

[Babel-17]

Thanks for the heads-up. Well, I can still imagine the fun of Sheldon, at a convention, meeting up with Pat Tallman and making her eyes turn black.

[JoeD80]

JMS did once say his chance of appearing on the show was between slim and none. I think it was on his old facebook before the "fans of straczynski" page was created.

[Jan]

I've seen the question on JMS' Facebook page but he hasn't answered.

One thing I notice is that some fans seem to get upset that Sheldon doesn't like B5. Thing is, Sheldon's usually wrong about TV. After all, he put in the Roommate Agreement that they'd watch Firefly because it was going to be on for years. Not that it didn't deserve to be, it's just to illustrate Shedon's character.

I'd enjoy seeing JMS trade barbs with Sheldon, though.

Jan

[Babel-17]

Has anyone ever asked JMS about the TV show, The Big Bang Theory, and its character Sheldon who is the sole member of the gang to make snide remarks about B5? Apparently Leonard and the rest are fans and they have the DVD's.

Given how TBBT has lots of guest appearances by SF notables, Will Wheaton, Summer Glau, etc., I always see Sheldon's digs as an opportunity to have a B5 cast member or someone like JMS do a guest appearance to give Sheldon his comeuppance.

Any thoughts?

[Marsden]

And based on Peter David's Centauri trilogy, that would be a very interesting story. David Sheridan is decended from the three of them, Valen being Delenn's ancestor.


Zathras seems like one of those people that isn't an eloquent speaker so therefore people don't regard as intelligent but he really knows quite a bit. There are so many other stories that can spring off of this area, about Valen in the past and David in the future, I hope we get some someday in some form. More novels if not more shows or movies. I'm re-re-reading the Centauri trilogy again now, I recomend it if you haven't read it. It doesn't say anything about what David will be but it introduces him and gives that other story we might someday have a starting place. The rangers and presumably the alliance are still around in a million years, there's lots of territory to cover there.


Btw, thanks Jonas and Workercaste for your insights. I never thought of Mr. Wells in terms of Morden, but it sounds very logical, I guess I was taken in by him as well, I just didn't think he was that bad. But I think you're right. He is a person that will say what ever he needs to to come through ok for himself, the ultimate .politician.

[JasonDavis]

By the time "War Without End" was in production, JMS would have been working under the assumption that Babylon 5 would end with season four. Given that David Sheridan (the younger) featured prominently in his original plans for season five--which was extremely unlikely to be produced at the time--the line in question would have been a logical trim to get a desperately overlong set of episodes down to time.

Just my two cents from rummaging through the archives.

[Jan]

This caught my attention in War Without End Part Two.

During the final scene in the B4 observation dome, Zathras is explaining to Sinclair, Delenn, and Sharidan the significance of 'The One'.
As he turns to each he says;
'"As you are three...as you are one...as you are the one.
(to Sinclair)
Your are the One who was.
(to Delenn)
You are the One who is.
(to Sharidan)
You are the One who will be.

And then the three will be two, and the two will create the one.
You are the beginning of the story (to Sinclair), the middle of the story (to Delenn), and the end of
the story (to Sharidan)...which creates the next great story."

If taken literally, Sinclair is about to go back in time, leaving John and Delenn.
They have a son - David. Is David the next great story Zathras is speaking of?

Yeah, I've always wondered why that one line (bolded) was cut from the episode. Taken at face value, it does seem to indicate that David is going to be the "one yet to come" space on the Grey Council that Delenn leaves empty when she re-forms it.

Or was he just saying as each does their part the sum of the whole dwindles?

I'm confused by Zathras.

I think we're supposed to be confused by Zathras. Great character!

Jan

[Chipmunk]

I'm confused by Zathras.

"Yes, [he] [is] a mystery. And I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the universe, that we have not yet explained everything."

Couldn't resist.

Personally, I'm waiting both eagerly and patiently for JMS to tell us the rest of the stories.

I waited three decades for OSC to tell us what happened to the rest of the Battle School kids from Ender's Game. I can (almost) wait that long for B5. I know JMS loves his 'verse, and will continue it, in some form, some day.

[DaveNarn]

This caught my attention in War Without End Part Two.

During the final scene in the B4 observation dome, Zathras is explaining to Sinclair, Delenn, and Sharidan the significance of 'The One'.
As he turns to each he says;
'"As you are three...as you are one...as you are the one.
(to Sinclair)
Your are the One who was.
(to Delenn)
You are the One who is.
(to Sharidan)
You are the One who will be.

And then the three will be two, and the two will create the one.
You are the beginning of the story (to Sinclair), the middle of the story (to Delenn), and the end of
the story (to Sharidan)...which creates the next great story."

If taken literally, Sinclair is about to go back in time, leaving John and Delenn.
They have a son - David. Is David the next great story Zathras is speaking of?

Or was he just saying as each does their part the sum of the whole dwindles?

I'm confused by Zathras.