Babylon 5: A Call to Arms
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| Babylon 5: A Call To Arms | |
|---|---|
 TNT Promotional Poster for Babylon 5:A Call To Arms |
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| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Creator | J. Michael Straczynski |
| Written by | J. Michael Straczynski |
| Directed by | Michael Vejar |
| Produced by | John Copeland |
| Starring | Bruce Boxleitner Jerry Doyle Jeff Conaway Carrie Dobro Peter Woodward Tony Todd Tracy Scoggins Ron Campbell |
| Music by | Evan H. Chen |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language | English |
| Original channel | TNT |
| Release date(s) | January 3, 1999 |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
A Call To Arms (1999) was the fourth feature-length film set in the Babylon 5 universe (not including the pilot, The Gathering). It was written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by Mike Vejar, and originally aired January 3, 1999.
[edit] Summary
The movie starts with Mr. Garibaldi meeting President John Sheridan, where they proceed to a space dock where two prototype Victory class destroyers are being built using a combination of Human, Minbari, and Vorlon technology. They tour one of the two vessels, the IAS Excalibur. President Sheridan receives a message purportedly from his wife, Delenn, however the message is actually gibberish and Sheridan stares at the monitor in a catatonic state for 20 minutes.
Galen later appears to President Sheridan as he is sleeping. Both appear standing on a dead world, where Galen claims that the planet was destroyed as part of a weapons test. Galen reveals that the message Sheridan received earlier was actually from him. The alien race responsible for the destruction of the planet return and so Galen leaves, as he does the phrase "Daltron 7" can be seen in the dirt.
Meanwhile on Babylon 5, Dureena Nafeel is stopped at security for a weapons violation and must surrender all of her weapons after which she proceeds to Downbelow. While in Downbelow, Dureena attempts to locate fellow members of a group called the Thieves Guild. However, while searching she is knocked unconscious. Dureena then wakes up on the same dead planet that Galen and Sheridan were on. An image of Sheridan appears and Dureena lunges at him. However, the image disappears and is replaced by a Drakh. Galen then appears and proclaims "This is not your world Dureena Nafeel, but it shares the same fate. When the time comes, be sure to pick the right target for you will only get one shot". Dureena awakens in Downbelow chained and surrounded by members of the Thieves Guild. Dureena then breaks the chains and attacks the man who knocked her out, she is then welcomed by the leader of the Guild.
Sheridan now appears on a planet where the Technomages have taken refuge. Galen is criticised by his colleagues for bringing Sheridan there and is warned that if his actions compromise their hiding place he will die. Galen reveals that his order fled to this planet to avoid the carnage of the Shadow War. Galen then conjures up an image of Z'Ha'Dum and asks Sheridan if he remembers it. Galen informs Sheridan that the Drakh are preparing for a war and are testing their resources, power, weapons and destructive ability. Galen tells Sheridan that he must find out how much firepower the Drakh have as he believes that they will start their war by attacking Earth. Galen also reveals that he has done all that he can and Sheridan must find the answers on his own. Galen warns him to keep this mission a secret and that any inaction may cause Earth to suffer the fate of Daltron 7. Sheridan then re-appears on the Excalibur and tells Garibaldi that they must leave on the White Star immediately for Babylon 5.
On Babylon 5, Sheridan meets with Dureena and EarthForce Captain Anderson, during the meeting Dureena attacks Sheridan. It is revealed that Dureena's planet was destroyed by the Shadows during the war and that she blames him because he didn't come to the aid of her people. Sheridan manages to convince Dureena that the Drakh are responsible and both Dureena and Captain Anderson agree to help.
They then take Anderson's ship, the Charon, to the dock where Excalibur is being prepped. Sheridan contacts the leader of the construction operation, Mr. Drake, and tells him not accept any orders from anyone other than him. Sheridan, Dureena, and half of Captain Anderson's crew board the IAS Excalibur, while Captain Anderson and the remainder of his crew board and take over the other ship, the IAS Victory. Both ships then get under way to Daltron 7. When they arrive, they find that the planet has been decimated by a Shadow Planet Killer. However, they pick up a Drazi distress signal and Sheridan, Dureena and Anderson proceed down to the planet's surface. They find the Drazi dead and a detailed surface analysis shows that the attack occurred only a few weeks ago. This means that the Drakh have managed to locate one of the Planet Killers that were left behind by the Shadows. Dureena locates a data crystal in a flap under the Drazi's arm.
On the data crystal, the Drazi reveals that dreams told him to come to the planet and when he arrived the Drakh were with the Planet Killer. He followed them as far as he could but returned to Daltron 7 to find any survivors after the Drakh ship met up with reinforcements. The Victory then contacts the Excalibur and warns them that a number of Drakh ships are approaching. The Drakh scan the 2 ships and asks the Excalibur to identify themselves. A signal is sent to the Drakh ships and they attack the Victory and Excalibur. Suffering losses the Drakh flee and are pursued by the Excalibur, where they are ambushed by hundreds of Drakh vessels. The Drakh launch a counterattack, forcing the Excalibur and Victory to escape into hyperspace. They then head for Earth at maximum speed. Sheridan alerts Captain Lochley to the threat and to mobilize a fleet to defend Earth. Sheridan then contacts Garibaldi and they deduce that Mr. Drake is an agent of the Drakh and that he sent the communication to them just before the battle began. Garibaldi discovers that the Drakh only have a single Planet Killer.
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The Victory and the Excalibur rendezvous with a large fleet assembled around Earth, at which point a number of Drakh vessels drop out of hyperspace. A large battle ensues during which the captain of the Victory sacrifices the ship to destroy the Planet Killer and save Earth. However, the remaining Drakh vessels release a Shadow-engineered bio-genetic plague, into the Earth's atmosphere that will destroy all life on Earth inside of five years. President Sheridan declares that a cure must be out there, so he assigns the Excalibur to locate a cure.
[edit] Other information
A Call to Arms was intended to act as a segue between Babylon 5 and its spin-off TV series Crusade. It introduced two prominent characters from the cast of Crusade, Galen and Dureena Nafeel, as well as their ship, the IAS Excalibur. The final scenes set up the basic premise that Crusade would follow.
[edit] External links
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Babylon 5 TV seasons and movies |
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In order of series chronology: † The framing story is set in 2278. |
