Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998)

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Babylon 5: In the Beginning
File:Babylon 5 In the Beginning.jpg
Directed By	Michael Vejar
Written By	J. Michael Straczynski
Cast	Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Peter Jurasik
Produced By	John Copeland
Executive Producer	Douglas Netter, J. Michael Straczynski
Cinematography By	John C. Flinn III
Film Editing By	David W. Foster
Music By	Christopher Franke
Studio	Babylonian Productions
Distributed By	TNT, Warner Bros.
Franchise	Babylon 5 Franchise
Country	United States
Language	English
Release Date	January 4, 1998
Runtime	94 Minutes

Overview

Babylon 5: In the Beginning is a 1998 American produced made-for-television sci-fi/action/political/war film starring Peter Jurasik, Mira Furlan, and Bruce Boxleitner. It was directed by Michael Vejar.

It was the first released film of the Babylon 5 Franchise although technically, the 1993 Babylon 5: The Gathering was the first "film" of the series albeit being the test pilot episode of the TV series. Although taking place approximately ten years before the start of the TV series; In the Beginning is framed as a story being told nearly two decades after the conclusion of the fifth season of the show. It would foreshadow and reveal hints of the future fifth season while revealing much of the untold backstory of the Earth-Minbari War and the roles that many of the future Ambassadors and Leaders of the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, and Vorlons played in it.

An elderly Emperor Londo Mollari recounts the hidden history and story of Babylon 5 as never told before. A tale of great deeds and terrible ones, of armies of light and soldiers of darkness, of great empires and their destruction, and heroic sacrifices and tragic loss. A true tale.

A tale of hidden things. Of secrets and lies and mistakes ... terrible and tragic mistakes. Ones of arrogance and stupidity. Of pride and vanity. Ones that nearly destroyed an entire race; that brought about a shattering loss of faith of another; and that created a massive space station that was the universe's last, best hope for peace... for this was how it all began.

Plot

Two young Centauri children, Luc and Lyssa are running from their nursemaid in the Imperial Palace on the Centaur Prime. The brother and sister are playing when they stumble into a strange chamber and are captivated by the fact that there is an uncovered window. They stop and stare at the burning ruins and collapsed buildings of the Centauri Homeworld when their nursemaid discovers them there and is horrified, pleading for them to come away and that they shouldn't be looking outside. Luc is confused, wondering why is there a window if they're not supposed to look.

The nursemaid informs him that that is the only uncovered window of the Palace because only the Emperor is allowed to look outside. And that this is the private chambers of the Centauri Emperor himself.

The trio is surprised when the Emperor, Londo Mollari is actually present and tells them to stay. Bemused at their presence, he is actually happy to see laughing children at play, remarking that he hasn't seen much laughter these days. Luc boldly demands if he truly is the Emperor. Mollari cackles at the question and holds up a large metal seal around his neck; proclaiming that since he is wearing the Emperor's Seal then he had better be or he is in a lot of trouble. Or perhaps both, he muses.

Beckoning Luc forward, he removes the Seal and gravely drapes it around Luc's neck and announces that he's the Centauri Emperor ... for the next five minutes at least. Londo proclaims that Luc may give an order; any order that he likes.

Luc announces that he wants to hear a story of great heroes and villains, of great deeds and battles. Lyssa timidly asks for a true story. Emperor Londo gravely proclaims that he will do both. He will tell them a story of great heroes and villains, of great deeds and battles and a true story.

Many years ago, humanity was just beginning to establish themselves as an interstellar power. They have just aided the League of Non-Aligned Worlds in driving off the genocidal Dilgar and are flush with their victory ... and dangerously overconfident and are in the midst of tremendously advancing and expanding in power, wealth, and technology.

The aging Centauri Republic on the other hand is a declining and decadent power. Once a juggernaut centuries previously, they have ... become smaller and timid. Once interested in conquest and power, they are now epicureans and love new eccentricities ... and right now, the humans are greatly eccentric and so are very interesting to the Centauri. A much younger Londo Mollari is the newly appointed Centauri Ambassador to Earth and he has become rather fond of the humans. He likes them and is alarmed when General Lefcourt boldly announce their intention to survey a region of space to ascertain a more detailed profile of a mysterious alien race known as the Minbari.

Ambassador Mollari warns them against such a thing, proclaiming that even at their height of their military expansion, the Centauri never dared to challenge the Minbari. They prefer to be left alone and as long as you do not bother them, they will not bother you. Lefcourt however is not impressed and slyly suggests that the Centauri want to keep their monopoly on Earth. Londo rudely scoffs but reluctantly agrees to hand over the Centauri data on the Minbari in the interest of diplomatic relations. Lefcourt smugly assure Londo that they could handle the Dilgar, they can certainly handle the Minbari.

The now-Emperor Londo remarks however that arrogance and stupidity is not exclusively a human trait. Such as on Minbar, the homeworld of the Minbari where the Leader of the Rangers, the unofficial "Fourth" Caste Lennon is in despair after his pleas for support have once again being rejected by the Grey Council.

Over a thousand years ago, the Minbari were saved from destruction from the Shadows by Valen who reformed them into three castes; the Religious, the Workers, and the Warriors and to rule over them, he created the Grey Council. The Rangers however are an anomaly as they are not Worker, Religious, or Warrior. They belong to no caste and hold no allegiance to any of them. They are dedicated solely to Minbar itself and as the sentinels and scouts dedicated to watch against the Shadows which Valen foretold would once more return.

But over the many centuries, the Rangers have become marginalized by the other Castes and resented by the Warriors who feel that their independence is an insult to them. The other Castes support them as it is seen as a traditional means to honor Valen himself ... and many do so grudgingly. Lennon however is worried. The time of the Shadows' prophesied return is drawing closer and the Rangers are at the weakest they have ever been. The few Rangers are old, their ships are obsolete castoffs of the Military Caste that otherwise would have been destroyed, the funds are a fraction of what they once enjoyed, and their influence is but a feeble whisper. No one wishes to join a dying Caste such as the Rangers. Further, Lennon believes that many Minbari no longer believe in Valen's Prophecy. They should be preparing for the Shadows and instead have grown arrogant and stagnant.

Desperate, Lennon demands for the right to address the Grey Council personally. He warns them of the coming darkness that Valen foretold is said to be nearly upon them. Coplann, the representative of the Warrior Caste however scoffs, proclaiming that their mighty fleets are sufficient to deter any threat and certainly not of a long dead race. He points out that should the Shadows be rising once more, surely their ancient allies and patrons, the Vorlons would contact them and they have not emerged from their self-imposed isolation for generations. The fact that they have not indicates that there is no threat to him.

Even the leader of the Grey Council, Dukhat is dubious; admitting that some of the portents that Valen foretold have yet to appear and that it makes little sense to asking the other castes to commit resources before then. A newly appointed member of the Grey Council, Delenn offers a suggestion that they should survey the Shadows' homeworld of Z'ha'dum to see if the Shadows have indeed returned and active once more.

Coplann is aghast, pointing out that the automated defenses of Z'ha'dum are legendary in their deadliness. To ask the Warrior Caste to go there is tantamount to suicide and they should not endanger their warriors on such a hopeless and foolish risk. Dukhat agrees, proclaiming that it would risk a panic if the Minbari were to openly engage in such a venture. Rather, the Council itself should travel there in secret and look for themselves. After all, they are the leaders of the Minbari Castes; how they ask their people to follow them if they do not lead particularly since their brave warriors are reluctant to do so. Coplann is left speechless and reluctantly acquiesces. Besides, Dukhat joyfully admits that he has always wanted to see the legendary Z'ha'dum himself. Delenn is dubious as even though it was her idea, she feels that this is a risk that Dukhat should not undertake.

Afterwards, Dukhat secretly meets with a pair of Vorlon Observers who ominously confirms that it is beginning.

Meanwhile, the Earth Alliance is preparing for their planned expedition to Minbari Territory. General Lefcourt is meeting with Commander John Sheridan. An old friend of John's father, he is pushing John to accept a transfer to become the first officer of the EAS Prometheus under Captain Jankowski. It will be the flagship of the Minbari Recon Force and such a prestigious mission would get Sheridan noticed and be very good for John's career.

Sheridan however is dubious. Jankowski is heavily politically connected but is not well regarded as a good commander and considered reckless. Sheridan decides to remain at his current post and turns down the transfer.

Cast

• Bruce Boxleitner as John J. Sheridan
• Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova
• Mira Furlan as Delenn
• Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin
• Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari
• Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar
• Reiner Schöne as Dukhat
• Theodore Bikel as Lenonn
• Robin Atkin Downes as Morann
• Robin Sachs as Coplann
• J. Patrick McCormack as General Robert Lefcourt
• Tim Colceri as Captain Michael Jankowski
• Tricia O'Neil as President Elizabeth Levy
• Michael O'Hare as Jeffrey Sinclair (archive footage)

Trivia

• It was later confirmed by writer J. Michael Straczynski that the Centauri characters who he was telling the story to are all wards of the Mollari Household although none are directly related to Londo. Luc and Lyssa were the nephew and niece of his old childhood friend, Urza Jaddo that he had killed in a duel. Londo subsequently took all of his family members in and under his protection. Their nursemaid was Senna Refa, the daughter of Lord Refa whom Londo had assassinated. She was orphaned a few short years later and forced to live on the streets when she happened to encounter Londo who admired her fiery spirit and out of guilt for having her father killed; subsequently made her his ward. Senna would later marry Vir Cotto who assumed the role of Centauri Emperor.
• Although credited as a special appearance, Michael O'Hare's scenes as Commander Jeffrey Sinclair were actually archival footage from his performance in the Babylon 5 episode, "And the Sky Full of Stars".

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