Random questions about B5

[wrrlykam]

Stargate Atlantas is the only TV sic-fi I can think of that made a point that they were in another Galaxy.
(The Pegasus)

Two come to mind, oddly both Stargate based. Stargate Universe went through two galaxies. The Ori in SG1 were from another galaxy, Vala travelled there in season 9.

[Babel-17]

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.

[freaky]

i always get the psychich ladys mixed up, so might use wrong name but why do you think lida(maybe in the books/maybe im forgetting some occasions)is a vorlon built shadow weapon. doesnt her eyes always turn black instead of glowing white/blueish when using her advanced abilities.(its late having trouble remembering much...)its like if america built high quality nazi weapons to fight the nazis.(maybe spying?) i know theres tons that just didnt have time for an explanation.
like what kind of drugs brian cranston whiped up off that vorlon engines chemicals before he went on his scuiside mission.

[freaky]

remember third space... if that wasnt just a random have fun thing then the firstones are just the milky ways firstones or they were the firstones to get here.
i think its just like another level of the game, they pass to the next level and they go back to being the humans of the next space, least advanced fighting a more powerful enemy, fighting for whatever they "wont"or whoever they think they "are"(third space creatures were basically 8472 "the weak shall perish")
the ultimate goal for all species is to not go extinct.
they had a good show on sci channel awhile back,what happens if we survive billions of years type stuff, leave our dieing star, go to others until the galaxy dies then gotta find a new galaxy till they all die then we go to another dimension or learn to create our own big bang without banging into ourselves or die. probley run into a bunch of others if that happens.alota alliances,confederacies,borg and 8472 types. shadow warx10000000
the real life scale (not sure what its called) for advanced alien speices goes
level 1=controls all power on a planet(static electricity,weather,techtonics,so on)
level 2 =controls a planet and a star(dyson sphere type thing,mirror sytem or something)
level 3= controls all the stars in a galaxy(not sure if that includes the planets too) once you control a few dozen stars they say time manipulation and bending space time type stuff is possible( fold/hiding place in subspace/hyperspace)
michio kaku said were about a level .8 think it was. if we can get the fusion power plants to work if not hed probley down grade us to a .7

[Marsden]

Thank you, sarthaz!

I thought it might be something like that but I sought confirmation.

[sarthaz]

Since Babylon 5 is basically Lord of the Rings in space, "The Rim" is equivalent to "The West". Tolkien spells everything out in more detail, with the Undying Lands and the land of Valinor and how mortal men are not allowed to travel there blah-blah-blah, but it's effectively where the immortal elves (First Ones of a sort, but not as "first" as the Valar like Lorien) go when leaving Middle Earth to the Age of Men (the Fourth Age in that story). JMS treats it more vaguely, but it's the same idea. It's where those-who-are-able go when they are done with this realm. The elves were summoned away from Middle Earth and once the One Ring was destroyed, they had to leave to avoid spiritually fading away. Why the First Ones pass beyond The Rim is less clear -- do they need to or do they choose to? Is it a new adventure or are they returning home like the Elves? -- but it's the same basic idea. They're leaving the known realm to mankind (not just the humans) and venturing into the unknown realm (at least to us). The implication in Babylon 5 is that they've achieved some level of enlightenment that allows them to make the journey and that we too will do the same in a million years.

I think it's meant to be an idea of something beyond what is known, but in specific terms, I think they intend it to be the space between galaxies. However, in specific terms, The Undying Lands are just an island across the Great Sea in the West, but that doesn't mean man can build a boat and head over there. The same applies here. Just because mankind can explore more of the galaxy, does not mean they can pass beyond the rim until their time.

Since beyond the rim (into the west) represents the unknown, a place of spiritual immortality, we speak of the dearly departed venturing there in hopes that their spirit endures in a way we cannot comprehend on this earthly plane.

[DaveNarn]

I had never considered the B5 saga occurs only in the Milky Way galaxy.

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Galactic_Rim

Stargate Atlantas is the only TV sic-fi I can think of that made a point that they were in another Galaxy.
(The Pegasus)

[Jan]

What does "beyond the Rim" mean?

I know what we've been using that phrase for lately , but what does it really mean, just leaving the galaxy to drive around in empty space or is there another element to it, as in going to another dimention or trancending to another kind of life?

The Rim itself seems to mean that edge of explored space. Remember how Capt. Maynard told Sheridan that B5 would probably bet getting the updated star charts showing the 'new' Rim since his ship had explored a new sector. It might also mean the edge of the galaxy since Lorien talked about the First Ones passing beyond the rim to whatever's between the galaxies.

So I'd say that the rim is the boundary between the known and the unknown. Which seems fitting for the use we've adapted it for when folks have passed away.

Jan

[Marsden]

A Question

What does "beyond the Rim" mean?



I know what we've been using that phrase for lately , but what does it really mean, just leaving the galaxy to drive around in empty space or is there another element to it, as in going to another dimention or trancending to another kind of life?

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Given that the Babylon Project was approved in 2248, three unfinished stations came and went before Babylon 4 went online and vanished in 2254. Babylon 5 celebrated its second anniversary of coming online in early 2258, so it was operational in early 2256.

I think it's a safe bet that construction took about a year. That would account for the Earth Alliance putting the money together with help from the Centauri and Minbari during the post-B4 part of 2254 and early 2255, then a year's construction to bring it online in early 2256.

As for the White Star, Sinclair, Sakai and Cole flew prototypes against the Shadows in Sector 14 late in 2259. Delenn then presented the first ship off the line to Sheridan in January 2260. By December of that year, over 100 had been manufactured.

The prototypes must have been developed and built between Sinclair's arrival on Minbar and the mission to Sector 14, so less than a year there. Mere months from prototype to the first full-size ship. Then roughly eight White Stars a month throughout 2260.

Thanks so much! This helps a lot.

[Marsden]

I snatched this from the TrekBBS, I think it's worth a smile here.

With all the information accumulated in this thread the following is understandable (hopefully):



Walter Koenig ("Konig" is "king" in German, BTW) was supposedly once asked at a convention about his personal, favorite episode.



His answer: "Mind War" (a "Babylon 5" episode featuring his B5 character Alfred Bester, the Psi Corps antagonist)



As you can imagine, that was most definitely not the answer the Star Trek convention visitors expected.



Bob

BTW, umlauts cause the posting bug, Konig is supposed to have one in the quote but it wouldn't go without taking it out.

[JasonDavis]

Given that the Babylon Project was approved in 2248, three unfinished stations came and went before Babylon 4 went online and vanished in 2254. Babylon 5 celebrated its second anniversary of coming online in early 2258, so it was operational in early 2256.

I think it's a safe bet that construction took about a year. That would account for the Earth Alliance putting the money together with help from the Centauri and Minbari during the post-B4 part of 2254 and early 2255, then a year's construction to bring it online in early 2256.

As for the White Star, Sinclair, Sakai and Cole flew prototypes against the Shadows in Sector 14 late in 2259. Delenn then presented the first ship off the line to Sheridan in January 2260. By December of that year, over 100 had been manufactured.

The prototypes must have been developed and built between Sinclair's arrival on Minbar and the mission to Sector 14, so less than a year there. Mere months from prototype to the first full-size ship. Then roughly eight White Stars a month throughout 2260.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Poor Talia, everyone had it in for her. if I was writing my version Susan would have saved her.


I have a new question: How long did it take to build Babylon 5?

Also how long did it take to for the Religious Caste to build the Whitestar?

[DaveNarn]

That was my thought too. the Vorlons had created powerful weapons (telepaths) that may one day turn against them. It was a personalized fail-safe for Talia.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

No, against Talia. If the recording were intended to restore her personality, I don't think terror and the rest would have been the emotions to do it. That's why I figured it would be a weapon.

Jan

Against her control personality? 'Cause Talia wouldn't hurt anybody, but I guess before the plans for her character may have been different if she hadn't left the show. Bad Talia could have been fun!