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Babylon 5 – (1994 show) >

(on Wikipedia)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106336/

The feature-length movie and test pilot for Babylon 5 – (1994 show).

This is the first item to view in the Babylon 5 viewing order. See Babylon 5 binge 01 notes.

• Properly titled Babylon 5: The Gathering
• This is technically “film 0”, as it is the feature-length pilot episode.

• Movie Box, cd 1 – Babylon 5 – The Gathering – (1993 movie)

  • The first disk, which is labeled “1”. It is extremely important to get this right! Look at the number and title on the disk.

• SPOILER ALERT – Although there is important information in the introduction to the station, I think it’s important to skip to 1:15.

---

• Various notes are somewhat jumbled up below.
• likely 2015-11-09
• 2011-04-16

• Watched beforehand, possibly more than once; no notes were taken.

notes ∞

Place

Babylon 5

• SPOILER ALERT – Although there is important information in the introduction to the station, I think it’s important to skip to 1:15.
• 0:15 — Introduction
• 0:15 — (spoiler) We’d later learn this is the voice of Londo Molari, and his narration gives him plot-armour.
• 0:30 — (spoiler) He keeps saying “was” and talked in the past-tense.
• A space station.
• Located deep in neutral space.
• Refugees, smugglers, businessmen, diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds.
• 1:15 — (spoiler) It is the last of its line.
• 7:45 — Gravity can be adjusted in parts of Red-5 by changing the rotation of some areas.

• 8:30 —

  Babylons 1,2,3 were sabotaged and destroyed. Number 4 vanished without a trace 24 hours after becoming operational. To this day no one knows what happened to it.

• 43:40 — They can detect a 0.001% drop in oxygen pressure.

• 1:21:00 — The station losing a bit of air is a major event. This seems like a good way to sabotage the ship, but later in the series this seems inadequate.

Character

Mike Garibaldi (Human)

• 1:45 — Introduction as Garibaldi
• TIME — Security chief
• 18:00 — Has been lending Londo Molari money for gambling.
• 27:30 — Has a fishy past, making it controversial for him to be assigned as security chief on Babylon 5.
• 52:20 — Doesn’t, and has never, trusted telepaths.

• 1:15:40 — (FIXME – probably earlier) Garibaldi’s first name is Mike.

Character

Commander John Sinclair (Human)

• 3:15 — Introduction as Commander Sinclair.
• 5:35 — Believes in keeping his word.

• 12:35 — Has (limited) classified data on the Vorlons, given by Delenn.

  • The character as it is now would very likely have relayed this information to Earth Central.

• 1:05:10 — was on “the line”.

  • 1:04:10 — Has a war medal

• 1:07:00 — Blacked out (missing time) for 24 hours while trying to ram a Minbari heavy cruiser.

  • ~1:20:00 — FIXME – says “There is a hole in your mind”. (she knows about it)
  • FIXME – also mention under that character that they said that and know that.
  • 1:30:40 — Delenn’s deception about Sinclair’s 24 hours of missing time. Sinclair now knows she’s holding something back.

• 1:33:00 — Likes Alfred, Lord Tennyson — “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”

  • Very mentally-strong from a fundamental philosophical perspective. A leader, a fighter.

People

The Earth Alliance (Humans, Earth / Earth Central)

• 3:20 — Introduction
• 31:00 — Proper introduction of The Earth Alliance.
• 12:35 — Presumably has (limited) classified data on the Vorlons, given by Delenn to Sinclair.

• 30:50 — The Centari Republic are trying to join forces.

Character

Lyta Alexander (Human)

• 3:15 — Introduction as Lyta Alexander

• 3:15 — Lyta’s identicard:

3:30 – Lyta's identicard

3:30 – Lyta's identicard

3:30 – Lyta's identicard

NAME:
ALEXANDER, LYTA

ORIGIN:
EARTH

DES/ATMOS:
HUMAN/02

SEX:
FEMALE

DOB:
12/10/25

PHYS CHA

MEDICAL:
NO DISTG

LICENSED PSI

VISAS

TRANS REC

CRIM HIST:
NONE

ALEXANDER, LYTA
PSIONIC INFO

PSI LEVEL P5
GENERATION 6
REGISTERED PSI
CORPS 10/18/52

LICENSE
N617CC860

CURRENT ASSIGN
TIGRIS SEC
BABYLON 5

• I think Tigris is a reference to River Tigris (constellation).

  • It’s certainly not a reference to the outer main belt 13096 Tigris.
• I think it’s safe to assume this information isn’t properly introduced. For example, the idea of a “psi level”.
• 4:00 — Must keep a log of all business dealings she’s hired to monitor.
• 4:00 — Gambling is strictly off limits.
• 7:25 — Quartered in Red-5.
• TIME — Commercial telepath.

• 21:30 — Refuses to work with the Naarn to progress their telepath program.

Place

Red-5

• 7:25 — Introduction

  • Lyta is quartered there.
    – From the docking/passenger offloading area, there is a shortcut to her quarters through the alien sector.

Place

Casino

• 4:00 — Introduction

• 4:00 — Gambling is strictly off limits to Lyta Alexander

Place

Alien sector

• 7:15 — Introduction
• 7:15 — Red-5 is near
• 7:30 — Hostile atmosphere to humans, who need to wear breathing masks.
• 7:45 — The atmosphere can be adjusted to suit every known form of life.

• 7:45 — Gravity can be adjusted by changing the rotation of some areas.

Dust

• 5:55 — Introduction

  • No explanation as to what it is or why it’s banned.

Telepathy

• 3:20 — Introduction as “It’s about time Earth Central sent us a telepath.”
• 4:00 — Mind scans exist
• 4:00 — Mind scans must be authorized
• TIME — There are commercial telepaths and presumably non-commercial telepaths (not described)
• TIME — Lyta is a commercial telepath
• 21:30 — The Naarn have no telepaths. G’Kar wants to work toward Naarn telepaths, offering a deal to Lyta, who refuses.
• ~24:30 — The Vorlons are probably telepaths.

• 39:40 — Unwilling mind-scanning is described.

Earth Central

• 3:20 — They control the sending of telepaths, at least to Babylon 5.

Character

Ambassador G’Kar (Naarn)

• 6:35 — Introduction

  • He’s loud

• 1:00:50 — Has gill implants.

  • FIXME – I don’t know if these are ever mentioned again in the series.

Race

The Naarn Regime (from Naarn)

• TODO — Introduction
• 9:40 — one of the four major alien governments.

• 21:30 — Have no telepaths.

  • G’Kar wants to work toward Naarn telepaths, offering a deal to Lyta, who declines.

• TIME — Have “unlimited manpower and the will to use it”.

  • This is presumed to be a high population. I suppose this has something to do with the “pleasure threshold mentioned earlier”.

• 31:45 — Former slaves to the Centauri.

Alien governments:

• 8:15 — There are three, and a fourth is coming.
• 8:20 — They work as an advisory council, like the UN.
• 8:20 — The UN was dissolved.

• 9:40 — Introduced by name:

The four major alien governments:

1. The Vorlon Empire
2. The Minbari (FIXME – name?)
3. The Centari Republic

4. The Naarn Regime

The five federations are:

1. The Vorlon Empire
2. The Minbari (FIXME – name?)
3. The Centari Republic
4. The Naarn Regime

5. The Earth Alliance

Character

Ambassador Kosh (Vorlon)

• 8:50 — Introduction

• TODO — Ambassador to the Vorlon Empire.

People

The Vorlons (from “Vorlon space”, home world unknown)

• 9:00 — Introduction
• 9:10 — They have never been seen, stay in suits
• 9:30? — Vorlon psychology, customs, and social order are not known.
• 9:30 — Request an atmosphere with high levels of methane, sulfur, CO₂
• 9:30 — Psychology, customs, social order are unknown.
• 12:35 — (limited) classified data on the Vorlons, was given by Delenn to Sinclair, and was very likely given to Earth Central.

• 14:00 — First appearance of a Vorlon ship.

  • Its early arrival reveals their ships are fast.
• TIME — Probably telepaths.
• TIME — Incredibly powerful and ancient.
• 1:14:30 — Have quite a lot of ships which are either very fast or kept hidden fairly close Babylon 5.

• 1:19:20 — Vorlon ship weapons are introduced.

Place

Garden

• 10:30 — Introduction

• 11:30 — Japanese stone garden

  • Was difficult to justify.

Place

Green level

• 10:30 — Introduction

• 10:30 — This is where the garden is.

Character

Ambassador Delenn (Minbari)

• 10:20 — Introduction
• 11:00 — Visits the garden almost every other day.
• 12:35 — Has (limited) classified data on the Vorlons, given to Sinclair (and presumably the Earth Alliance)
• 1:00:20 — Delenn is on Babylon 5 strictly to observe. (Not necessarily to save him in this)
• 1:30:40 — Knows about Sinclair’s 24 hours of missing time. Sinclair knows she’s holding something back.

• TIME — Member of the Gray Council.

People – Minbari (from Minbar)

• 11:05 — Introduction of the Minbari.
• 31:10 — .. have technology centuries above everyone else.
• 31:25 — the oldest of the five federations, and the Naarn are the youngest.

• 1:17:00 — Minbari can breathe alien sector air, or hold their breath while being quite physical. Minbari have good strength.

  • Can definitely not breath alien sector air, in later episodes. TODO – better-describe/timestamp.

• Introduction to the Battle of the Line.

  • The biggest battle of the Earth-Minbari war.

Event

The Human-Minbari War

• 12:50 — Introduction

• 12:50 — Ended 10 years ago.

Object

Jump gates

• 13:45 — Introduction

• 13:45 — Can be used (from hyperspace, not introduced yet) to enter regular space without permission.

Character

Carolin (Human, Sinclair’s wife)

• 15:00 — Introduction

• 1:22:50 — Wants to take Sinclair away, but she won’t wait forever.

Character

Ambassador Londo Molari (Centari)

• 16:35 — Introduction
• 18:25 — obsessed with their old conquering times.
• 16:35 — gambler
• 18:00 — Garibaldi has been lending Molari money for gambling.
• 30:50 — Londo Molari’s full name.
• 1:02:30 — There is evidence that Molari’s grandfather committed atrocities when on Naarn.

• 1:30:00 — somewhat confused about Human culture.

The Centari Republic (Centari Prime)

• TIME – Introduction
• 30:50 — Used to be a conquering empire, now fading
• 36:50 — has 12 worlds.

• 30:50 — trying to join forces with the Earth Alliance.

  • 36:10 — want to attach themselves to the Earth Alliance’s “destiny”. The Humans make “very good sharks”.

Minbari

The Grey Council

• 32:40 — Semi-introduced.
• A political power, and secret.

• 32:50 — Delenn has issues with G’Kar mentioning the Grey Council.

~~~
STILL RE-WATCHING from 13:30

• 32:30 — The Minbari had the Earth Alliance on its knees and surrendered.
• 32:50 — Minbari gravity rings are introduced, then never mentioned again in the series.

• FIXME – Ben the doctor was introduced earlier.

  • 51:00 — Ben’s last name is Kyle. Doctor Ben Kyle.
  • 1:25:50 — Has “looked upon the face of a Vorlon”

• 38:00 — Introduction of stims

  • Taken to stay alert.
• 40:10 — Mars colony is introduced. Mars food riots described.
• FIXME – Takashima (second in command) was introduced earlier.
• 41:30 — The Psi Core is introduced.
• 44:40 — A material can be shielded from psi scans. This is never brought up again in the series.
• 46:05 — When greeted by Sinclair, Kosh replies “Entil Zal Valen” (because Sinclair is Valen).
• 47:00 — Introduction of skin tab poison. This is used much later on. TODO
• 54:10 — Camera-drones are introduced.

• 1:02:50 — Molari apologizes.

  • This is important later, since he says he’s never apologized for anything ever. Maybe he meant that he was never sincere..

• 1:13:00 — Introduction of the changeling net.

  • Outlawed.
• 1:16:00 — Introduction of laser rifles.
• 1:17:40 — Introduction to the Babylon 5 defence grid.

• TIME – Some sort of suicide bomb technology is introduced

  • It never appears again.

• 1:28:40 — Introduction of Nanotechnology

likely 2015-11-09 ∞

• 2:45 — Introduction to the Arnassian race

  • They eat their mate (see Mantis)
    – This could be “mate” or “meat”, and perhaps it is slurred so it’s not R-rated.
  • This species is never heard from again.
• 3:05 — That guys turban still weirds me out.

• 4:20 — If only they had a telepath to help them out.

  • But I guess she’s a commercial telepath, so right now nobody really ought to know what she can do.
• 4:20 — How exactly does the guy have a gun?
• There is no mention of dust being banned anywhere but on Babylon 5.
• 6:25 — Jakar IS DAMNED LOUD
• 7:15 — Solar year = Tropical year
• 9:00 — Audio-only.
• 9:40 — So the Naarn are considered major? Strange. Perhaps this is a regional thing?
• 11:05 — Oh god, Delenn looks ugly as all hell.
• 11:25 — Japanese stone garden in the hydroponics bay.
• 13:30 — That plant in the background weirds me out. I’ve always thought it’s supposed to represent some futuristic plant being all planty and oxygenating and stuff.
• 13:30 — TODO – The dude who is later re-used as a bad guy. FIXME – what episode/time?
• 14:10 — Woman frantically flicking switches.

• 15:30 — Completely frictionless bedsheets. Uh, what?

  • This is never heard from again.
• 17:15 — “Come on, come on, come on, go.” Uh.
• 20:30 — G’Kar is watching what briefly looks like Jar Jar Binks.
• 22:30 — Hehe, surrender control, as if.
• 23:10 — Introduction of their elevators.
• Earlier was the semi-introduction of their tube-trains. One flew overhead.
• 24:20 — What’s the mist in the air? If that’s the atmosphere described earlier, then they’re all dead.
• The Vorlons are probably telepaths, since they could make them, so this event was intentional.
• 26:15 — The legend that one human did see a Vorlon, and turned to stone.
• 28:30 — Are those her frictionless sheets? Otherwise Sinclair (FIXME)
• 29:10 — So the computer is scanning and reporting, but isn’t recording? So you see the thing about computers is.. oh well nevermind.
• 33:45 — G’Kar has a very flat chin.
• 35:30 — Why would Varner stick around after being a dick to Londo?
• 37:10 — Badly-pronounced “Centoori” republic.
• 38:20 — Coffee being grown on the ship.
• Psi core training/etc difficulty is described. Applicants who fail sometimes become vegetables, although I don’t think this is ever brought up again.
• 43:00 — Riding the “tube”.
• 51:30 — Molari’s left eye looks a little weird.
• 53:00 — How could Varner step on the station without this basic background check?
• 56:50 — Could Delenn have changed her vote?
• 1:03:40 — He seems pretty sincere.
• 1:08:30 — “Just do what you think is right.” (kisses) .. I think the right thing to do would be to have boned her. That’s always the right thing to do.

• 1:10:30 — Handy laser beam is handy.

  • s1 disk1/2 – 102 – 14:25 — For cauterization.
• TIME~ — Lyta and Sinclair were in the neighbourhood, but security wasn’t. You’d think that an assassination attempt with the perpetrator at large would warrant some security.
• 1:13:30 — The station’s internal sensors can be tweaked to detect energy signatures.
• 1:14:20 — I thought Sinclair was supposed to stay the fuck away from all of this? Wait, if he’s accused shouldn’t he be in a cell?
• 1:18:00 — Can’t they use the camera drones to look for the guy? Do they have enough of them in case they’re shot down?
• 1:18:30 — Maybe they should have shown the guy running out of ammo, to explain why he enters melee combat.
• 1:19:10 — Handy electric fence.
• 1:20:00 — Not enough was shown for the Vorlons to leave Babylon 5 alone..
• 1:22:20 — And Aspirin. Did the show have to pay to mention it?
• 1:25:50 — The “I have looked upon the face of a Vorlon” is a rework of “I Have Looked Upon the Face of Agamemnon…” by Heinrich Schliemann, in a telegraph to the King of Greece. Interestingly, the mask being referred to is a likely fraud. I find that an apt parallel to the appearance of the Vorlons.
• 1:27:00 — G’Kar takes another swig of the cup which should now be largely empty.
• 1:27:50 — Sinclair is making a lot of assumptions about the Naarn involvement in the assassination attempt. It’s more likely that G’Kar and the Naarn Regime knew nothing of this.
• 1:28:55 — No, it’s unlikely anything would be attached to his intestinal tract by then, if his is anything like the human gastrointestinal tract.
• 1:30:00 — If it’s destroyed we rebuild it.

• 1:33:00 — “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield” — Alfred, Lord Tennyson

2011-04-16 ∞

• Captain’s love life.

• Intro to the Vorlons

The voice of the doctor and the captain are so planned and timed and fake. Sigh.

• 3:15 — Introduction as Lyta Alexander

• 3:15 — Lyta’s identicard:

  • Note that the top-left has shifting words. They don’t form obvious phrases, but may have meaning.

Spoiler

NAME:
ALEXANDER, LYTA

ORIGIN:
EARTH

DES/ATMOS:
HUMAN/02

SEX:
FEMALE

DOB:
12/10/25

PHYS CHA

MEDICAL:
NO DISTG

LICENSED PSI

VISAS

TRANS REC

CRIM HIST:
NONE

ALEXANDER, LYTA
PSIONIC INFO

PSI LEVEL P5
GENERATION 6
REGISTERED PSI
CORPS 10/18/52

LICENSE
N617CC860

CURRENT ASSIGN
TIGRIS SEC
BABYLON 5

• 0:13:53 — That man who talks about the energy surge will become a major “bad guy” in the series.
• 0:24:27 — Ok, riddle me this. If there’s only one (simple) way in or out of that bay, how ever could the captain have gone in there?
• 0:29:25 — How can an unknown compound on an unknown entity be known to be terminal?
• 0:33:00 — I hate when there’s an introduction of unfathomably powerful technology, which is never seen or heard from again.
• 0:38:30 — “Fresh” and its one hour old. Hrmph.
• 0:41:00 — The guys in the medical room shouldn’t be there. I thought that ONLY the doctor was authorized to work on the ambassador. This happened the first time too.
• 0:44:14 — There’s our “bad guy” again.
• 0:45:20 — Why is the girl looking at the monitor. Those are all supposed to be off.
• 0:46:55 — Panty-shot? =)
• 0:49:45 — Where’s the air-leak now?
• 0:59:00 — More guys in the background. Hrm.
• 1:03:55 — In hindsight, Londo apologizing is actually a very significant event.

• 1:15:50 — Re-use of footage, with that bad animation.

The Chinese girl.. she did do some rule breaking with the coffee thing!

Why doesn’t the commander get himself scanned by Leta?