The Coming of Shadows

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“The Coming of Shadows”

Babylon 5 episode

Shadow Encounter

Episode no.

Season 2
Episode 9

Written by

J. Michael Straczynski

Directed by

Janet Greek

Guest stars

Fredric Lehne (Ranger)
Malachi Throne (Centauri Prime Minister)
Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan)
William Forward (Refa)
Turhan Bey (Emperor Turhan)

Production no.

209

Original airdate

1 February 1995

Episode chronology
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List of Babylon 5 episodes

"The Coming of Shadows" is a key episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. It won the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

[edit] Synopsis

Despite having health problems which make travel dangerous, the elderly Centauri emperor Turhan decides to visit the Babylon 5 station. The emperor knows that he will die soon, and he wishes to meet with Narn Ambassador G'Kar in neutral territory and offer a public apology on behalf of the Centauri people for their occupation and enslavement of the Narn homeworld. However, G'Kar is unaware of the Centauri emperor's reason for visiting Babylon 5, and he plans to murder him as an act of vengeance for the Centauri's past treatment of his people.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Londo Mollari and his ally Lord Refa of the Centauri plan to publicly confront the ailing emperor about the seeming "decline" and weakness of the Centauri Republic. The Emperor arrives at Babylon 5 and is greeted by the station's human command staff in full dress uniforms. He tells Dr. Stephen Franklin, B5's medical chief, that he wishes to see the Vorlon Ambassador Kosh before he leaves the station; Franklin tells him that he doubts the reclusive Kosh will see him.

At a large reception for the emperor, G'Kar shocks many people by his attendance; they are unaware of his decision to kill the emperor when he appears. However, the Emperor collapses before he can arrive at the reception and give his planned speech. In medlab Dr. Franklin tells the emperor that he is dying. The emperor then asks Dr. Franklin to tell G'Kar that he apologizes for all the evil that the Centauri inflicted on the people of Narn. Franklin goes to G'Kar's quarters; G'Kar had been discussing with the Narn government his hope that the emperor would recover long enough for G'Kar to publicly kill him. However, when Dr. Franklin relays the emperor's message, G'Kar is astonished and stunned.

Unfortunately for G'Kar and the Narn, following the emperor's collapse Lord Refa and Londo meet in Londo's quarters to plot their next move. Knowing that the emperor is about to die, Lord Refa urges Londo to do something dramatic to give their supporters on Centauri Prime an edge over their rivals for control of the government when the emperor passes. Londo - acting against the wise advice of his aide Vir - tells Refa to have several Centauri warships sent to the Narn's largest colony on a planet in Quadrant 14. Refa is skeptical and notes that a small fleet of warships will not be nearly enough to take the planet. When Refa leaves, Londo tells Vir to contact Mr. Morden, the spokesman for the ancient and extremely powerful Shadows; Vir is to tell Morden to have several Shadow vessels attack and destroy the Narn colony before the Centauri ships arrive. Vir tries to convince Londo to not take such a drastic action, but when Londo insists, Vir tells him that he would regret his decision in the future. G'Kar, unaware of Londo's actions and feeling differently about the Centauri since the emperor's apology, offers to buy Londo a drink.

A fleet of huge, spider-like Shadow vessels emerge from hyperspace and attack the Narn colony in Quadrant 14; they quickly destroy the colony's defenses and render it helpless. They obliterate both the orbital and planet-bound facilities of the Narn before disappearing into hyperspace, leaving behind only debris from the attack. The Centauri warships arrive soon afterwards; they are spotted by a squadron of Narn fighters sent to investigate the attack. The fighters attack the Centauri warships and send a signal to the Narn homeworld that the Centauri have invaded and conquered the colony.

Meanwhile, the Centauri emperor receives a personal audience with the Vorlon Ambassador Kosh, who tells him that the situation will "end in fire". Lord Refa and Londo visit the emperor on his deathbed, the emperor whispers something in Londo's ear before he passes away. Londo announces that the emperor whispered to him that he approved of the attack on the Narn and that he wants Refa and Londo to carry his people "back to the stars". Outside medlab, Refa asks Londo to tell him what the emperor really said before he died. Londo tells Refa that the emperor told him that he and Refa were both damned. Refa laughs and tells Londo that it is a "small price to pay" for immortality, Londo is not so sure. After learning of the attack G'Kar attempts to enter Londo's quarters to kill him, but Captain Sheridan and B5 Security prevent him from doing so. In Babylon 5's council chambers, G'Kar announces that by attacking their largest colony, the Centauri have crossed the line, and that the Narn government has officially declared war on the Centauri. "Our hope for peace is over" he says.

A secondary plotline for this episode involves a mysterious man who has been following Security Chief Garibaldi around the station. When Garibaldi confronts and arrests him, the man gives him a recorded message from Jeffrey Sinclair, B5's former commanding officer and now the Earth Alliance Ambassador to Minbar. Sinclair tells Garibaldi that a "terrible darkness" is coming and that he has formed a military force called the "Rangers" to fight it. The man Garibaldi arrested is one of Sinclair's Rangers. Garibaldi agrees to allow the Rangers to operate on the station and to keep their presence a secret, even from Captain Sheridan. In return Garibaldi asks the Rangers to provide him with information they learn which could affect the station's security and operations; the Ranger agrees. Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari, another old friend of Sinclair's, is also given a recorded message by the Ranger.

[edit] Arc Significance

The title of this episode, "The Coming of Shadows", is so important that it is also used as the title for the entire second season of the series.

This episode marked the beginning of the Narn-Centauri War, as well as marking a significant step in Londo's rise to power. Besides marking the failure of Babylon 5 to keep the peace, the Narn-Centauri War also played into the Shadows' hands, creating fear and chaos through the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. The episode also marks a major change in the images of G'Kar and Londo. Previously, G'Kar was often seen as a bullying, even villanous figure; but from this episode forward G'Kar becomes a noble and even tragic figure. Londo, who had been previously depicted as a rather luckless and even comedic figure, becomes much darker and even sinister from this episode on.

The death of Centauri Emperor Turhan allows for his nephew, Emperor Cartagia, a supporter of Londo and Lord Refa, to assume the throne. Cartagia turns out to be a deluded megalomanic. In order to seize power, Refa has Prime Minister Malachi, a close friend of the late emperor, assassinated. Malachi is also a friend of Londo's, so Refa doesn't tell him in advance about the murder. A man of honor and decency, Prime Minister Malachi would never have allowed someone as evil as Cartagia to assume the throne.

This episode also introduces the Rangers, a covert organization sponsored by the Minbari to monitor the unfolding of a "coming darkness". One of their number is sent at the behest of former Babylon 5 commander Jeffrey Sinclair. This is also Sinclair's first appearance since his recall as Babylon 5's commander.

This episode provides the first look at Londo Mollari's prophetic dream of his fate, which includes several scenes that will appear in future episodes of the series. Londo's dream (nightmare) finishes with an image he has previously seen about him and G'Kar strangling each other to death in their mutual old age.