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.
The mystery of these two races of beings was the story thread that connected most of the episodes, that provided the glue for the series. Fans were eager to return to the show hoping each new episode would give us one more clue into the motives of these two races. We learned that the Vorlons and the Shadows were billions of years in advance of us, that they were among the first races to come into existence in the milky way galaxy.
We were no more to them than insects were to us and though they barely noticed us most of the times, they were very much interested in the affairs of the lesser races of the galaxy. This was the puzzle that many viewers applied their wits to. To see if we could figure it out before it was revealed to us explicitly. It became apparent that the Vorlons and the Shadows were aware of each other but they kept their distance from each other, as if there were some deep irreconcilable innate difference between them.
The Vorlons made themselves known to a select number of Minbari and Humans, always present but never involved, as if just watching us. The most they would do is advise us or warn us of a time that was soon coming that would bring chaos and destruction and threaten our very existence. But they would not get involved directly or help us in any real sense. All they kept saying was that it was our time not theirs.
Meanwhile the Shadows took a completely different approach. They also selected a few individuals from some of the lesser races and offered them direct help with any territorial conflict. The Shadow vessels were billions of years more advanced than anything else in the galaxy and when they got involved in one of the conflicts between the lesser races there was only one certain outcome - the side getting help from the Shadows always won.
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.
The mystery of these two races of beings was the story thread that connected most of the episodes, that provided the glue for the series. Fans were eager to return to the show hoping each new episode would give us one more clue into the motives of these two races. We learned that the Vorlons and the Shadows were billions of years in advance of us, that they were among the first races to come into existence in the milky way galaxy.
We were no more to them than insects were to us and though they barely noticed us most of the times, they were very much interested in the affairs of the lesser races of the galaxy. This was the puzzle that many viewers applied their wits to. To see if we could figure it out before it was revealed to us explicitly. It became apparent that the Vorlons and the Shadows were aware of each other but they kept their distance from each other, as if there were some deep irreconcilable innate difference between them.
The Vorlons made themselves known to a select number of Minbari and Humans, always present but never involved, as if just watching us. The most they would do is advise us or warn us of a time that was soon coming that would bring chaos and destruction and threaten our very existence. But they would not get involved directly or help us in any real sense. All they kept saying was that it was our time not theirs.
Meanwhile the Shadows took a completely different approach. They also selected a few individuals from some of the lesser races and offered them direct help with any territorial conflict. The Shadow vessels were billions of years more advanced than anything else in the galaxy and when they got involved in one of the conflicts between the lesser races there was only one certain outcome - the side getting help from the Shadows always won.
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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