Sleeping in Light

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“Sleeping in Light”
Babylon 5 episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 22
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by J. Michael Straczynski
Guest stars Wayne Alexander (Lorien)
David Wells (Commander William Nils)
Romy Rosemont (publicist)
Production no. 422
Original airdate 25 November 1998
Episode chronology
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"Objects at Rest" –
List of Babylon 5 episodes

"Sleeping in Light" is the final episode of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Twenty years have passed since the end of the Shadow War and Sheridan's death at Z'ha'dum. After several nights of the same dream, wherein he sees Lorien explaining that he can only extend Sheridan's life for 20 years, but no longer, Sheridan realizes that his life is approaching its end.

Hoping to enjoy the company of his old friends one last time, Sheridan dispatches Rangers with messages. As each Ranger arrives with his message, we get a glimpse into the lives these people have led since they left B5. Michael Garibaldi is the head of the Edgars-Garibaldi corporation, Dr. Stephen Franklin is the head of xenobiological research on Earth, Ivanova is now a General with Earthforce, and Vir Cotto is Emperor of the Centauri. As each receives his or her invitation to dinner, none needs to ask why. They all knew this day would come.

The group arrives on Minbar, and they have one last meal together as they laugh and reminisce about their experiences. Sheridan gives a toast to all those who have died: "To absent friends — in memory still bright." Garibaldi remembers G'Kar, Vir remembers Londo, Delenn remembers Lennier, and Franklin and Ivanova remember Marcus. They later spend the evening together in the garden. Ivanova finds she is unable to stay, and leaves to go to bed by herself. Delenn follows her, and in her capacity as President of the Interstellar Alliance asks Ivanova to assume the leadership of the Rangers after Sheridan dies. Ivanova is dissatisfied with her role in Earthforce, feeling that she is little more than "an old war horse, trotted out after a parade so all the kids can point at it." She tells Delenn that she will consider her offer.

Sheridan and Delenn spend one final night together. Sheridan decides to leave Minbar, and as the next day is Sunday on the Earth calendar, to go for "a Sunday drive" in space. He doesn't want to die on Minbar, but in space and feels that doing so would be an important symbol to the Alliance. The next morning, Sheridan dresses in his old Army of Light uniform and prepares to depart Minbar before anyone else awakes, but runs into a formally dressed Delenn. She tells him that "it's a beautiful day, the perfect day for a Sunday drive" and, barely holding back emotion, tells him that if he is going to leave he must do so now. They tearfully embrace one final time and say their farewells (the Minbari having no word in their language for "goodbye"), and Sheridan departs Minbar for the last time.

Sheridan first goes to Babylon 5. There he learns from Zack Allen that the Earth Alliance is preparing to shut down and scuttle the station since the avenues of trade and diplomacy have largely bypassed the aging, off-the-beaten-path station. Zack has come out of retirement to serve on Babylon 5 leading up to the shut-down, which is why he missed his invitation to Minbar. Sheridan notes that he and Babylon 5 are inextricably linked even now, and begins to feel his body shutting down. He tells Zack that he won't be able to stay for the decommissioning ceremony, and announces that he will visit the Coriana system, thus fulfilling the request relayed to him from Vorlon Ambassador Kosh during the Day of the Dead: "When the long night comes, return to the end of the beginning."

When Sheridan arrives at the Coriana system, he is very tired, and he knows the end is near. The computer warns him that his life signs are fading, and Sheridan tells the computer to shut down. As the ship shuts down, Lorien appears to Sheridan and tells him that the First Ones have not forgotten him, and that they have been waiting for him beyond the rim of the galaxy. Sheridan asks if he can come back, but Lorien tells him that his old life is over and that it is time to start a new journey. The cabin of the ship fills with light. The ship is found a few days later, but the airlocks are sealed and there is no trace of Sheridan.

Ivanova, Garibaldi, Franklin, Delenn, Vir, and Zack attend the decommissioning ceremony, taking one last look around the station before departing on the final shuttle against an honor guard of ships from member worlds of the Alliance. The final shutdowns are completed and the fusion reactors are set to overload, ending Babylon 5's existence once and for all. Garibaldi returns to his life on Mars, Ivanova becomes head of the Rangers, and Zack Allen becomes a diplomat working with Vir on Centauri Prime, and every morning for the remainder of her life, Delenn watches the sunrise in her late husband's place.

[edit] Arc significance

This episode takes place in the year 2281, 19 years after the events depicted in the fifth season of the series. At the beginning of the fourth season, Sheridan was saved by Lorien when he went to Z'ha'dum. But as a consequence, Sheridan would only have an additional twenty years left to live. The Babylon 5 station ends "in fire" as has been predicted by visions several times in the series: decommissioned and destroyed by Earth Force as a hazard to navigation, but having succeeded in its mission.

[edit] Production details

  • The show was actually filmed at the end of the fourth season. Because of uncertainty at the time of whether or not there would be a fifth season, it was intended originally to show this as the final show of the fourth season and series finale. When it was confirmed that TNT had picked up the show, and there would be a fifth season, it was decided to push the show back to the end of the fifth season. "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" was filmed and it replaced "Sleeping in Light" as the fourth season finale.
  • This episode is the only episode of the series directed by the creator of Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski who also has a cameo appearance as the maintenance tech who shuts down the lights on the station.
  • The title sequence for this episode appears at the very end and shows the characters in their earliest and latest appearances (chronologically). It also includes others not normally included such as the crew and production staff (the end of the episode features a rapidly-flashed montage of pictures of the staff). Because the episode was filmed at the end of season 4, the sequence reflects the season 4 cast; Marcus and Ivanova are both included while Lochley is missing.

[edit] External links