Many fans of the Babylon 5 TV Series will agree that the single most important element of the show that kept us coming back for more was the mystery of the Vorlons and the Shadows. Two races of beings that were so advanced they no longer had material bodies. They were beings of light that placed their life energy into encounter suits to enable them to interact with the lesser races, with beings like us.
This mystery was the thread that ran through the entire series and it was this that kept many of us die hard science fiction fans coming back again and again for more. We eventually learn that the Vorlons and the Shadows were billions of years ahead of us. That they were in fact among the "first ones" to come into existence in our galaxy.
As a species they barely even noticed us most of the times, no more than we would acknowledge an insect. And yet they were interested in the lesser races to a small degree but for what purpose? Trying to figure out this secret is what engaged many of the viewers. Like reading a great mystery novel we tried to solve the riddle before reaching the end. It soon became evident that the Vorlons and the Shadows were aware of each other but were not on speaking terms, as if there was a great rift between them.
The Vorlons made their presence known first to a small number of select individuals from the Minbari and Human races, but that seemed to be the extent of their involvement with the lesser races. They limited their contact to nothing more than an advisory role, to warn us of a time when chaos and war would threaten the very existence of our race, but they did not want to get involved directly. They only wanted us to prepare ourselves.
On the other hand, the Shadows would get involved directly. They also chose a select number of individuals from certain races with whom they made their pawns. The Shadows would eagerly participate in tipping the balance in any territorial dispute of the lesser races, especially if it resulted in an increase in hostilities. Their ships were billions of years ahead of anything else in the galaxy and they seemed to be indestructible.
But where was all this going? Why did races as advanced as the Vorlons and the Shadows care at all about the outcome of the petty wars between the inferior races? As it turns out it was a difference between ideologies. The Vorlons embraced order and discipline over conflict, it is what worked for them, while the Shadows embraced chaos and war because that is what had worked for them in their development. Like all beings with an over-inflated sense of self-importance, the Vorlons and the Shadows wanted the lesser races to chose their way. In the end, what did the lesser races chose? Or did we chose at all? To find out the answer to that you would have to watch the entire series.
This mystery was the thread that ran through the entire series and it was this that kept many of us die hard science fiction fans coming back again and again for more. We eventually learn that the Vorlons and the Shadows were billions of years ahead of us. That they were in fact among the "first ones" to come into existence in our galaxy.
As a species they barely even noticed us most of the times, no more than we would acknowledge an insect. And yet they were interested in the lesser races to a small degree but for what purpose? Trying to figure out this secret is what engaged many of the viewers. Like reading a great mystery novel we tried to solve the riddle before reaching the end. It soon became evident that the Vorlons and the Shadows were aware of each other but were not on speaking terms, as if there was a great rift between them.
The Vorlons made their presence known first to a small number of select individuals from the Minbari and Human races, but that seemed to be the extent of their involvement with the lesser races. They limited their contact to nothing more than an advisory role, to warn us of a time when chaos and war would threaten the very existence of our race, but they did not want to get involved directly. They only wanted us to prepare ourselves.
On the other hand, the Shadows would get involved directly. They also chose a select number of individuals from certain races with whom they made their pawns. The Shadows would eagerly participate in tipping the balance in any territorial dispute of the lesser races, especially if it resulted in an increase in hostilities. Their ships were billions of years ahead of anything else in the galaxy and they seemed to be indestructible.
But where was all this going? Why did races as advanced as the Vorlons and the Shadows care at all about the outcome of the petty wars between the inferior races? As it turns out it was a difference between ideologies. The Vorlons embraced order and discipline over conflict, it is what worked for them, while the Shadows embraced chaos and war because that is what had worked for them in their development. Like all beings with an over-inflated sense of self-importance, the Vorlons and the Shadows wanted the lesser races to chose their way. In the end, what did the lesser races chose? Or did we chose at all? To find out the answer to that you would have to watch the entire series.
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If you are a Babylon 5 fan, don't miss this multimedia showcase of some of your favorite science fiction TV shows.
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