Babylon Squared

"Babylon Squared"
Babylon 5 episode
Babylon 4 reappears.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 20
Written by	J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by	Jim Johnston
Production no.	118
Original airdate	10 August 1994
Guest stars
Kent Broadhurst (Major Krantz) Tim Choate (Zathras) Denise Gentile (Lise Hampton)
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "A Voice in the Wilderness" "The Quality of Mercy"
List of Babylon 5 episodes

"Babylon Squared" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.

Synopsis

The episode concerns the yet to be explained reappearance of Babylon 4 and Delenn's visit to the Grey Council.

Unusual tachyon emissions have been detected in Sector 14, which is under Babylon 5's jurisdiction. Starfury Alpha Seven is sent to check the emissions. On arrival the pilot sees an image start to appear in front of him but just as he recognizes it, there is a flash. Several hours later the Starfury returns to Babylon 5 but the pilot doesn't answer any hails. An investigation of the ship reveals that the pilot was killed due to rapid aging but before dying he managed to scrape B4 into his harness buckle. Reference to the historical records reveals that the tachyon emissions are in the same location that Babylon 4 disappeared from 4 years ago.

The crew receives a distress signal, which is confirmed to be from Babylon 4. The date stamp of the message is from 4 years ago. Major Krantz, the EarthForce commander of B4, requests evacuation. Sinclair and Garibaldi lead a convoy of transports, complete with fighter escort, to B4 in response.

Delenn leaves Babylon 5 on her own to rendezvous with a large Minbari ship in a remote sector to visit the Grey Council. Once on board she participates in a meeting of the Grey Council. They inform her that she will be the next leader to replace Dukhat. She insists that she cannot lead because she is still needed at Babylon 5 because of prophecy.

After Garibaldi interrogates Sinclair about his personal habits, the Babylon 5 ships reach Babylon 4. Sinclair meets Krantz, who was assigned to supervise the final stages of construction. Sinclair explains that he’s from Babylon 5 and that it’s the year 2258. Krantz tells him that the entire station has come unstuck in time, and that its crew have been experiencing "flashes" that send them forward or backward in time for a short while.

Delenn refuses to become leader even though no one has ever refused before. She feels she has a part to play in the change that is coming.

Evacuation of Babylon 4 continues. Sinclair and Garibaldi meet Zathras, an alien of a race Krantz doesn’t recognize. He appeared on Babylon 4 just as its problems began. Zathras initially recognizes Sinclair, but then declares that he’s not the One. Zathras is looking for the One to help him. Under interrogation, Zathras says that his group intends to take the biggest of all the Babylon stations through time to assist the One in a great war. In a corridor outside, a person in a blue space suit appears. Zathras declares this to be the One. Zathras explains that the One has briefly stopped the taking of Babylon 4 so that the crew may leave. When Sinclair tries to take the One’s hand he is hurled away by an unseen force. Zathras runs to the One and hands over a device saying that it is fixed. The One disappears.

Delenn explains to the Council that she is studying the humans because of Valen’s prophecy. The Council warns her that to continue her studies she can no longer be on the Council and may even become outcast. The Council votes by a narrow margin to let her remain on Babylon 5.

Zathras explains that he gave the One a time stabilizer to help him make the jump through time. Because Zathras gave his stabilizer to the One, he will die. Zathras cannot leave Babylon 4 because he will be in the wrong time and he will die. Krantz vows to take Zathras with him as he is evidence of what happened. As they head to the docking area, Zathras is pinned by a falling structure. Sinclair tries to stay and free him, but Zathras tells him that he has a destiny and begs him to go. Garibaldi and Sinclair leave Babylon 4, board the last transport, and flee the station, just as it begins to disappear. On B4, the One removes his helmet and it is Sinclair, but much older. He informs an unseen female off camera that he tried to warn them, but it all happened just as he remembered.

Delenn leaves, knowing she will never again see the inner chamber of the Grey Council. She receives a Triluminary from a member of the Council. He believes she will need it. He tells her that he will be there if she needs him.

Arc significance

Another perspective behind the events of "Babylon Squared" is seen in the third season episode "War Without End."

• Babylon 4 was stolen by people from another time, although it was not clear during this episode whether those people are from the past or the future. It seems Sinclair was somehow involved in this. It was stolen to act as a base of operations in a war being fought between forces of light and darkness, which would be revealed in War Without End.
• Introduces the character of Zathras.
• Introduces the concept of "the One".
• Introduces the Anla-shok concept of living and dying for the One.
• Delenn receives a triluminary, which will be used in the season finale episode Chrysalis
• Some of the faces of the Grey Council other than Delenn are shown for the first time.

External links

• Babylon Squared at The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5