Was Garibaldi meant to be killed-off?

[Sinclair's Fan]

This occurred to me the other day, and I just wondered if anyone had any information on the subject;

If the Babylon Prime storyline had gone ahead, then the flashforward we saw in "Babylon Squared" showing Garibaldi telling Sinclair to "GO!!!", would've occurred just before The Station was meant to have blown up..., (if I recall correctly, that is!). Was Garibaldi meant to have died in that blast, having valiantly saved his Commander? Would he have been written out before the Babylon Prime series began?

I'm glad he survived. He and Sinclair made a good team.

[Ubik]

This occurred to me the other day, and I just wondered if anyone had any information on the subject;

If the Babylon Prime storyline had gone ahead, then the flashforward we saw in "Babylon Squared" showing Garibaldi telling Sinclair to "GO!!!", would've occurred just before The Station was meant to have blown up..., (if I recall correctly, that is!). Was Garibaldi meant to have died in that blast, having valiantly saved his Commander? Would he have been written out before the Babylon Prime series began?

I'm glad he survived. He and Sinclair made a good team.

I recently re-watched ‘Babylon Squared’ and was musing on the flash forward too. (Great minds clearly think alike!). Garibaldi with the big gun cracks me up every time.

I suppose only JMS knows for sure if (in that iteration of the arc) Garibaldi would have survived, but my inclination would be ‘yes’, he’d have gone down with the station. If you really want to go to town on the speculation, you could further read into that turn of events that things didn’t work out with Lise in the long r8run. Perhaps he has nothing to lose?

It would have added some real weight to the end of B5 and the beginning of Babylon Prime. What we got with the change of commanders really did lead to a significantly different arc. It ends up in roughly the same place, but the way we get there differs greatly.

[DGTWoodward]

I recently re-watched ‘Babylon Squared’ and was musing on the flash forward too. (Great minds clearly think alike!). Garibaldi with the big gun cracks me up every time.

I suppose only JMS knows for sure if (in that iteration of the arc) Garibaldi would have survived, but my inclination would be ‘yes’, he’d have gone down with the station. If you really want to go to town on the speculation, you could further read into that turn of events that things didn’t work out with Lise in the long r8run. Perhaps he has nothing to lose?

It would have added some real weight to the end of B5 and the beginning of Babylon Prime. What we got with the change of commanders really did lead to a significantly different arc. It ends up in roughly the same place, but the way we get there differs greatly.

As much as I like Michael O'Hare in season one, maybe, him leaving was something of a blessing in disguise. It is also an indication of just how good the writing, not to say the change in the writing, was between S1 and S2.

Don't forget, all of season one was designed to take the show ahead as it was originally intended, with Sinclair as the lead character, and with all the associated plot movements and subsequent plot threads intact. But when Michael left that changed totally. From what I have read, it was the Minbari attacking the station in that flash forward, so how the story as was and how it ended up were vastly different, how it then ended up at the more-or-less projected finale was nothing short of a miracle. It made for an incredibly tight and suspense filled, 5 year thrill ride.

I really liked what Michael brought to the table as Sinclair and I am so glad that I met and spoke to him and thank him for coming back to complete his arc. The thought that he is no longer around is terrible, but despite his illness...maybe somewhere in his subconscious he too knew that it would work better without him, what with actors being sensitive to the dramatic elements in a story.

As to Garibaldi, I think that he was going to die a hero's death. The 'sacrificial hero' element is a strong theme running throughout B5, Sinclair, Sheridan, Ivanova, Marcus, G'Kar, Londo. It would not surprise me at all that Garibaldi would fit that same mould. For him to say "This is the moment I was born for!" (paraphrase) more-or-less spells it out, he knew he was going to die but his being of such mind would save dozens if not hundreds of lives...it would be his (at least, to him) ultimate vindication for all of his past mistakes.

[Jan]

One should also remember that JMS had a 'trap door' for each character. That scene could have been dropped pretty much anywhere where the statin was in major danger.

Jan

[cornholio1980]

I remember reading an interview with Jerry Doyle where he said that the original plan for Garibaldi was for him to go out in a blaze of glory. I'm 100% positive that this would have been that flash forward, and that he would have died allowing Sinclair and Delenn to leave the station.

Then again, I don't recall reading anything definitive about that from the Great Maker himself.

[DGTWoodward]

One should also remember that JMS had a 'trap door' for each character. That scene could have been dropped pretty much anywhere where the statin was in major danger.

Jan

Yes but that applies to both pre and post Sinclair eras anyway, so that variable is not actually really relevant to how the show should/would have ended originally...had no sudden cast changes occurred.

Which is the 'status quo' that I assume most Producers and Exec-Producers hope for most of the time anyway.

[Sinclair's Fan]

From what I have read, it was the Minbari attacking the station in that flash forward.

That's right, the Warrior Caste loons!

I really liked what Michael brought to the table as Sinclair and I am so glad that I met and spoke to him and thank him for coming back to complete his arc. The thought that he is no longer around is terrible...

I never met him, yet even so, I find his loss terrible, too. You're lucky to have met Michael, I wish I had, but during those occasions when he came overseas, I was having a pretty rough time and was in no position to go to a convention. As ever, of course, "If I'd known then what I know now," I might have gone. I'm glad he had people like you who cared enough to give him the thanks that all Sinclair Fans wanted to give him for coming back to the show for those 3 very special episodes, (TCOS and WWE 1+2).

And thank you to everyone for your input, it's much appreciated.

[Sinclair's Fan]

I recently re-watched æBabylon SquaredÆ and was musing on the flash forward too. (Great minds clearly think alike!). Garibaldi with the big gun cracks me up every time.

I sense a kindred spirit! (And these guys are kindred, too!)

[JoeD80]

In the 10-page outline, Garibaldi definitely survives the destruction of the Babylon 5 station as he is mentioned as going to the meeting with the Grey Council afterwards.

[Sinclair's Fan]

In the 10-page outline, Garibaldi definitely survives the destruction of the Babylon 5 station as he is mentioned as going to the meeting with the Grey Council afterwards.

Ah, fantastic! So Garibaldi outlived poor old Sergeant Blain after all....

Thanks for the info'!

[Jan]

Ah, fantastic! So Garibaldi outlived poor old Sergeant Blain after all....

Something just whooshed over my head. Blain?? Is that the guy in the above picture?

Jan

[Sinclair's Fan]

Something just whooshed over my head. Blain?? Is that the guy in the above picture?

Jan

Sorry Jan, just my little joke! The scene in "Babylon Squared" where Garibaldi goes nuts with the big gun always reminds me of Blain from the original (and clearly the best!) Predator. It's a film I recommend, (don't worry, it's not as bloodthirsty as everyone says it is), and it's far better than those awful AvP films... that never actually happened in my world.

[Ubik]

Get to the chopper!

[Sinclair's Fan]

Get to the chopper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00Z4PHXa-W0

Turn the volume up!