Random questions about B5

[flobo]

Thanks, it can make sense that way indeed, even if it's a bit forced.

Still amazing how so many things in season 1 could be reinterpreted slightly in a different way after the Sinclair removal changed the arc so that it still makes sense.

[Jan]

Hey everyone, rewatching B5 with the scripts books for the first time and i'm wondering, about Delenn having to kill Sinclair if he remembers in season one. (The script even goes further, it says "and the war will start over").

It made perfect sense considering the original arc with Sinclair being either the saver or destroyer of Minbari civilisation.

But with the prophecy retcon in season 2, i'm not sure it makes that much sense anymore. I mean, Sinclair has a minbari soul, the soul of Valen, so why would they want to kill him ?

Has there been any rationalization of the whole thing somewhere ?

Just what JMS said here when asked after In The Beginning aired:

Here's the reasoning on this.

First, understand that Minbari believe in reincarnation.

Second, as noted in ItB, if the Sinclair/Valen/soul issue got
out, it would likely tear Minbari society apart. The repercussions
would be devastating on every possible level, if it came before they
could be prepared properly.

In light of that, with or without a Minbari (or Valen's) soul,
better to sacrifice Sinclair (who will be reborn anyway, and maybe next
time in a proper Minbari body) than see Minbar damaged. Remember, they
don't know about the time loop, they see it as a straight-line
progression.

jms

Of course, by then there may have been some reconning.

Jan

[flobo]

Hey everyone, rewatching B5 with the scripts books for the first time and i'm wondering, about Delenn having to kill Sinclair if he remembers in season one. (The script even goes further, it says "and the war will start over").

It made perfect sense considering the original arc with Sinclair being either the saver or destroyer of Minbari civilisation.

But with the prophecy retcon in season 2, i'm not sure it makes that much sense anymore. I mean, Sinclair has a minbari soul, the soul of Valen, so why would they want to kill him ?

Has there been any rationalization of the whole thing somewhere ?

[Jan]

"Stephen! This is Harlan Ellison!"

I remember that voice! Back when I was doing some fund-raising for Spider Robinson's wife's medical expenses, Harlan generously allowed me to auction off dinner with himself and Susan. After the auction was over, I called him to give him the information about the winner and though he answered the phone in a gruff manner, as soon as he knew who I was and why I was calling, his voice went very gentle. You could tell that he cared about Spider and Jeanne a lot.

Wonderful man.

Jan

[Ubik]

Off Topic about Harlan Ellison (and his voice as a computer): https://www.fastcompany.com/3053050/...-from-the-dead

"How One Company Is Bringing Old Video Games Back From The Dead

Night Dive Studios got started on a whim. But in less than three years, it’s given dozens of games a second life.
By Jared Newman

"Stephen! This is Harlan Ellison!"

With a gruff tone, Stephen Kick is describing an unexpected phone call from one of his sci-fi heroes. Kick had been trying to license the rights for I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream—not Ellison’s famous short story from 1967, but the largely overlooked PC game from 1995. After speaking with Ellison’s agents, and hearing stories about how he’d been burned financially by the game’s original publishers, Kick was certain he’d invoked the author’s wrath.

But in conversation, Ellison was the opposite of his brash public persona. Not only did he allow Kick to revamp and resell I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream in downloadable form, but he also sent a box of signed mouse pads and strategy guides from the original launch to help with promotion. Two years later, Kick and Ellison still stay in touch. "He’s got this reputation of being angsty, bitter, unapproachable," Kick says. "But he’s just the sweetest guy.""

Huh, board ate half my post. I'll try again. This was one of the first games I've ever bought, and it's one of the best written. It has everything you'd expect from his wicked mind and his voice acting as AM (Allied Master Computer) was great, and funny.

http://www.nightdivestudios.com/games/i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fneqw1llI8

Funny you should mention this, I noted it on GOG.com when browsing for classic games. Not played it. but am partial to point and click adventure games, so will give it a look. I just played through Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis and boy was that one great nostalgia trip. The game really held up after all this time! I miss Lucas Arts adventure games!

Total

[Babel-17]

Off Topic about Harlan Ellison (and his voice as a computer): https://www.fastcompany.com/3053050/...-from-the-dead

"How One Company Is Bringing Old Video Games Back From The Dead

Night Dive Studios got started on a whim. But in less than three years, it’s given dozens of games a second life.
By Jared Newman

"Stephen! This is Harlan Ellison!"

With a gruff tone, Stephen Kick is describing an unexpected phone call from one of his sci-fi heroes. Kick had been trying to license the rights for I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream—not Ellison’s famous short story from 1967, but the largely overlooked PC game from 1995. After speaking with Ellison’s agents, and hearing stories about how he’d been burned financially by the game’s original publishers, Kick was certain he’d invoked the author’s wrath.

But in conversation, Ellison was the opposite of his brash public persona. Not only did he allow Kick to revamp and resell I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream in downloadable form, but he also sent a box of signed mouse pads and strategy guides from the original launch to help with promotion. Two years later, Kick and Ellison still stay in touch. "He’s got this reputation of being angsty, bitter, unapproachable," Kick says. "But he’s just the sweetest guy.""

Huh, board ate half my post. I'll try again. This was one of the first games I've ever bought, and it's one of the best written. It has everything you'd expect from his wicked mind and his voice acting as AM (Allied Master Computer) was great, and funny.

http://www.nightdivestudios.com/games/i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fneqw1llI8

[Jan]

Okay, this isn't a question, just a cool piece of B5 trivia:

I heard from Jason (You know, the editor at B5 Books and master of informative footnotes ) that it was 20 years ago today that Mr. Garibaldi's scenes with Sparky the Computer (AKA Harlan Ellison) were filmed for "Ceremonies of Light and Dark".



Jan

[Ubik]

I'm past due for a re-watch but my impression was that the green glow was when she was 'channeling' the Vorlons, as in the time she said that nobody could go to their homeworld for a million years. The black, however, seemed to me to be when she was stretching her powers to the limit. Remember, the first time we saw them was when she was fighting the Shadows telepathically and had just found out they'd killed Kosh.

Aren't those figures adorable??

Jan

I agree with Jan's assessment (and she’s pretty much always right when it comes to B5 lore!). Funny how this has become a bit of a trope, if I recall the same effect was used for Willow on BTVS when she went postal / uber powerful.

[Jan]

I'm past due for a re-watch but my impression was that the green glow was when she was 'channeling' the Vorlons, as in the time she said that nobody could go to their homeworld for a million years. The black, however, seemed to me to be when she was stretching her powers to the limit. Remember, the first time we saw them was when she was fighting the Shadows telepathically and had just found out they'd killed Kosh.

Aren't those figures adorable??

Jan

[Babel-17]

Lol, you inspired me to google and I found this.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/89438742572757544/

I think you might be right about her eyes being white for interacting with Vorlons. I think the black was for dramatic effect, Pat Tallman suggests that in a snip I saw on youtube. Maybe someone who remembers all the times can comment on them going black for Shadows, and/or if they went black on other occasions.

[freaky]

Lyta*, and IIRC, yeah, the Vorlons had a hand in the genetics that produce Psi abilities, in order that the younger species could help in a future battle against the Shadows forces.

*My avatar picture answers your other question.

i know that i have seen the show.... i was talking about how her eyes glow white when she deals with vorlons and black when she deals with shadows but that doesnt make sense to me. if shes a vorlon weapon shouldnt her eyes always be white/blueish?
unless it gets kinda cheesy and say her eyes reflect her enemy? but it doesnt relect other species... red eyes for example when dealing with narns...

im sure the answer is its just a show. type thing

[Babel-17]

If we start talking about alternate universes, there is a ton out there .

Off the top of my head I think of the older "Sliders" and the excellent, newer "Fringe" .

Good point, but the nerd in me points out that both of those shows still stayed within the/a Milky Way Galaxy. With Lexx, they had galaxies (I think) but they weren't alternate versions of our own. (I think) I assumed the Universe was different on a more basic level.

[phazedout]

Every trek series explored the mirror universe (with the excetion of Voyager, whihc only did so in video game format). Best explored in DS9.

[babylonlurker]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexx
If I understand it correctly, the show starts in another Universe.

If we start talking about alternate universes, there is a ton out there .

Off the top of my head I think of the older "Sliders" and the excellent, newer "Fringe" .

[Babel-17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexx

If I understand it correctly, the show starts in another Universe.