Original subtitles

[instrumental music]

(Delenn) The humans have a phrase.

What is past...is prologue.

I am really excited about signing on board

the Icarus next week.

(Anna) John and I were supposed to spend some time together

but Dr. Chang thinks he's found the ruins of

an ancient civilization that no one's ever even

heard of before.

(Kosh) Z'ha'dum.

[dramatic music]

(Sheridan) Anna, the Icarus.

They found something, didn't they?

(Delenn) Yes. Once awakened..

...the Shadows could not allow them to leave.

Those who would not serve..

...were killed.

One hundred and thirty nine people died on board

the Icarus, Mr. Morden.

Including my wife.

And here you sit..

'...not a scratch.'

(Delenn) When Minbari become close..

It is tradition that they spend three nights together.

The male sleeps and the female watches.

As you relax, your true face is revealed.

[music continues]

(Anna) 'Hello.'

You must be Delenn.

I'm Anna Sheridan, John's wife.

(Delenn) Minbari also have a phrase.

What is past..

...is also sometimes the future.

Anna?

My God!

What are you doing here?

"What are you doing here?"

After five years, that's the best that you can do?

Though under the circumstances, I can understand.

I...I should go.

- I should go. - No, Delenn, wait.

It's alright, John. Let her go.

You can talk to her later.

This should be a moment for us.

I thought you were dead.

You mean she didn't..

She didn't tell you?

[scoffs] Well, that is interesting.

Oh, John..

I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you myself.

I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long

not being able to get word to you.

But that's all behind us now.

We're together again.

I know what you're thinking.

How can you be sure if it's really me?

For all you know, for all she told you.

thing made up to look like me.

Fine.

I'll take whatever test you want.

Ask me any question, I don't mind.

I know there's a lot that you don't know.

I know there's a lot that you don't understand.

I'm here to fix that.

Don't you wanna know what it's all about?

What it's really all about?

I can do that.

All you have to do is come with me.

Where?

Where else?

To Z'ha'dum.

[intense music]

(Ivanova) The Babylon Project

was our last best hope for peace.

It failed.

[dramatic music]

But in the year of the Shadow War

it became something greater.

Our last best hope..

...for victory.

The year is 2260.

The place "Babylon 5."

[theme music]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

(G'Kar) There they are, commander, as promised.

The ambassador from Gaim was happy to deliver them.

Each of these devices carries terrible destructive force.

In human terms, they can deliver a thermonuclear blast

of five or six hundred megatons.

Will they show up on a scanner?

Only if you know what you're looking for.

Otherwise, they're completely undetectable.

So, the next time we find out where the Shadows plan to strike

We can mine the area, and as soon as they

come out of hyperspace..

Then as you so concisely say...boom.

Good. Thank you for delivering these, G'Kar.

The captain will be very happy about this.

Where is Sheridan? I thought he would be here.

Well, it's a little hard to explain.

Let's just say that something came up.

- Well? - She's human.

I checked her dental and medical records against

what you gave me, it's a 100% match

right down to her DNA sequence.

Every piece of equipment I've got says that's your wife.

Anna died at Z'ha'dum.

Well, she looks pretty lively to me.

I thought you'd be happy to have her back.

Oh, it's not that easy.

It was years before I could finally accept her death.

I had to force myself to start over, to create a new life.

- A-and Delenn.. - Have you talked to her yet?

She was in my quarters when Anna showed up.

Is-is there anything else?

There's some epidermal scarring just above the nape of her neck.

Now, it may have been caused when the Icarus

was destroyed, but, uh..

Anything beneath it?

[sighs] No, no, no.

Now, maybe it's nothing.

But, it never hurts to run a few more tests.

Alright, do so.

If this is a trick, I'm gonna take it out

of somebody's hide.

But if it's not and that really is Anna..

I have to know, Stephen.

(John) 'Is it her?'

Is it?

I don't know.

You don't know?

You and Kosh came to my quarters.

You showed me images from Z'ha'dum of Anna

Icarus waking up the Shadows.

You gave me every reason to believe she was dead.

Now, how could you do that when you didn't know for sure?

Those who would not serve the Shadows were killed.

That we knew without question.

We assumed she would not serve.

Perhaps we were wrong.

Anna would never work for those things.

Then I have no explanation.

You have no explanation.

That's it?

Ah, damn it, Delenn, I have always felt

that you...you were holding out on me

on a couple of things.

I figured you had your reasons, but this?

I mean, if you weren't sure

if there was even a chance of her being alive

why the hell didn't you tell me?

Because you would have gone to Z'ha'dum after her.

We couldn't allow that.

You and Kosh..

You couldn't allow it.

[sighs]

I trusted you, Delenn.

I cared for you.

I let myself start to love you.

Do you know what that means?

Do you know how hard that was for me?

All along, a little part of me was still

in love with Anna even though she was gone.

I had to fight that part off.

Every time I-I thought about you, about..

...about holding you, about...building a life

for the two of us.

John, you must believe me.

I didn't know she was alive.

We assumed that she had died

with the rest of the crew of the Icarus

that only Morden had survived.

And had you known..

...would you have told me?

It would depend.

It would depend on what she had become.

Z'ha'dum is the home world of the Shadows.

No one leaves there the same as they arrived.

You would have denied me the right to make that choice?

How can you say that..

...and expect me to ever trust you again?

John..

I do love you.

If you believe nothing else I ever say..

Please...please believe that.

[mellow music]

Another drink.

Londo, you've been like this

every since the diplomatic pouch arrived this morning.

At least you can do is tell me what's wrong.

Oh, Gods, Vir.

I have been promoted.

'I have been offered a position in the royal court'

'as an advisor to Emperor Cartagia'

on matters of planetary security.

A very important position.

This is great news. Why would you be upset?

Because it should have come to me 20 years ago

when I could have appreciated it.

Because it wasn't given to me because I earned it.

They are, I think, afraid of me.

Through our friend Mr. Morden

I have gained influence, money and power.

And they think I will move against Cartagia.

Then why would they reward you?

It's not a reward, it's a leash.

I will have to divide my time between here and the homeworld.

They are reeling me in.

They will watch me very carefully.

And if I do anything suspicious..

...they will find me in the morning

with my throat slit ear to ear.

- Keep the change. - No charge, Ambassador.

- And who are you, hm? - A friend.

I was sent by our mutual associates.

I have a message.

You must leave the station at once.

And why must I leave?

I am very comfortable where I am.

I have told you all I can.

If you won't go, I can't be responsible.

But if you value your life..

...you will leave...quickly.

A friend of Mr. Morden's?

Very likely.

I do not think I like the sound of this, Vir.

No, I do not like the sound of this at all.

[instrumental music]

[door opens and closes]

I don't think I have ever been examined in such detail before.

Well, except by you, of course.

At least his report confirms that I am who I say I am.

And you've been on Z'ha'dum all these years?

Mm-hm.

Doing what?

I mean, after all this time, why come back now?

I can't tell you that, not here.

You have to come with me.

I can guarantee your safety. They're eager to meet you.

Mm. And if I don't go?

Then I'll go back without you.

And you'll never know the truth.

No threats?

John, they aren't what you think they are.

No, no threats, no ultimatums.

Just an invitation to come and hear

their side of the story, nothing more.

Why would you go back there?

'Cause it's my home now.

I'm doing important work.

You'll understand when we get there.

No...I'm not going anywhere

until I get some answers.

I wanna know what happened to you and the crew of the Icarus

when you landed on Z'ha'dum.

- John, I-- - That's my condition.

Just tell me that much.

And you'll go with me to Z'ha'dum?

I'll go.

(Anna) 'Interplanetary expeditions said that one of their probes'

out on the rim...had found

the ruins of an ancient civilization.

Dr. Chang was putting together a follow-up expedition

and he wanted me on his team.

It was the find of a lifetime.

What he didn't tell me or most of the crew..

...was where he really got the information.

A few years earlier IPX had found an alien ship

buried beneath the surface of Mars.

It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before.

As soon as it was exposed to daylight..

...an automatic beacon on board sent out a coded message.

Well, they knew whoever the ship belonged to

would be coming in fast to pick it up

so they moved quickly.

They analyzed the ship, took pieces of it for study later

and planted a homing device inside.

Three days later, another ship turned up

'and finished digging it out of the ground.'

When it left

IPX was able to track it through hyperspace

to a world out on the rim.

Z'ha'dum.

We didn't have a name for it at the time.

And Chang was under strict orders from Earthforce

new technologies division to keep this top secret.

As soon as we landed, we picked up an energy source.

We were told to check it out.

And that's where we found them.

The Shadows?

It's a very dramatic name but not a very descriptive one.

Their actual name is 10,000 letters long.

I couldn't pronounce it if I tried, and I have.

They were quite approachable.

Tell that to the rest of the crew.

There was an accident.

The crew was killed.

Com system destroyed.

Those of us who survived had no way to tell Earth

what had happened.

And even if we could have..

...the aliens had just come out of hibernation.

They were vulnerable.

They couldn't risk exposure to outsiders.

So they made a deal.

In exchange for our silence..

...they'd let us study their technology.

John, we have learned things in the last five years

that will change Earth forever.

Imagine...no more poverty.

Limitless cheap energy, organic ships.

We could leap ahead a thousand years.

Ten thousand.

And all you had to do was let us think you were dead.

It wasn't what I wanted.

Besides, you were the one who always said our personal lives

had to take second place to serving Earth.

We didn't realize how much time had passed.

It doesn't work quite the same way there as it does here.

But now I'm back, John.

And I've come to take you back with me.

So you can see for yourself.

So they can tell you what this is about.

What it's really all about.

Delenn, Kosh, and the others

they have misled you again and again.

It's time to learn the truth.

You're right.

Maybe it is time.

[instrumental music]

Captain, I heard about..

Well, I heard about Anna. Anything I can do?

No, thank you. That situation is well in hand.

But there is something you can do on another matter.

According to the logs, the Minbari crew of the White Star

haven't been logged into the security net.

No, sir. I figured it wasn't necessary.

Delenn vouched for them.

I understand, but we should have that information

in case we ever need it.

I want them shuttled over, processed

given indenticards, the usual.

All of them.

Who's gonna run the ship while they're here?

The White Star can orbit the station on autopilot

for a few hours, no problem.

[sighs] Alright, I guess we can do that.

Anything else?

Yes. While you're at it..

...I need a few things taken care of.

It's all here.

You will, of course, keep this confidential.

These days, what around here isn't confidential?

I'll take care of..

Son of a bitch.

It's against regulations to address a senior officer

in those terms, Mr. Garibaldi.

Michael..

When I first came here, I wasn't sure about you

you weren't sure about me.

Since then, I've come to trust you, to rely on you.

Now, I need you to take care of this for me.

No questions, no speculations no hunches, or educated guesses.

Alright?

Yeah.

Good.

And when I see you next..

...if everything is set..

...we'll talk about the weather.

Yes, sir.

[instrumental music]

If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die.

[dramatic music]

Com-system, I want to record a time-delayed message

for ambassador Delenn.

[beeps]

(automated message) 'Stand by.'

Afternoon, captain.

Mr. Garibaldi. Is there a problem?

No, just taking a walk.

I, uh, heard a weather report from earth.

They've had a late winter, but it...finally started

snowing in New York.

Well, it must be very pretty there this time of year.

Yes, sir. Must be.

Take care, Michael.

You, too.

[intense music]

Here.

You sure you can run this thing by yourself?

I think so.

I've watched them whenever we've gone out.

The ship's control system is pretty intelligent

so as long as we don't run into any trouble..

...we should be fine.

You're guaranteed safe passage.

Well, then let's get this show on the road, huh?

Next stop..

...Z'ha'dum.

[intense music]

I wish we could've taken a different ship.

This one's based partially on Vorlon technology.

The aliens believe they'll die

if anything remotely Vorlon touches Z'ha'dum.

Then we won't risk it, when we get there

we'll take the shuttle down to the surface.

Susan. I just checked the logs. The captain's gone.

I know, I just found out about it myself.

I'm running it down now. There must be a reason.

No, you don't understand. I mean, why did he do it?

I-I gave him the report. I know he read it.

What report?

There's a problem with Anna.

[dramatic music]

The entrance is up ahead.

[air hissing]

For security reasons, they moved their main structures

underground centuries ago.

John, I'll need your gun.

[intense music]

They designed this part of the complex specifically for us.

Us?

You'll see.

No. Not that door. This one.

[knocks on door]

(male #1) 'Yes. Come in.'

Anna.

You got him to come back with you.

Excellent. Just...excellent.

Come in. Please.

Have a seat.

'I'm, uh, making some tea, it's chamomile'

'but I can make something else if you like.'

'It helps me sleep better.'

Captain, I think you already know..

- Yes. - Hello, captain.

Have a seat. Please.

Who are you?

Now...that's really not...important.

Who are you?

Who decides that the workday is from nine to five

instead of eleven to four?

Who decides that the hemlines

will be below the knee this year..

...and short again next year?

Who draws up the borders

controls the currency

handles all of the decisions

that happen transparently around us?

- I don't know. - Ah.

I'm...with them.

Same group

different department

Think of me...as a sort of middle man.

And the name..

...is Justin.

Come in, then. Sit. Sit.

The tea's getting cold.

[com beeps]

Yes?

(com monitor) 'Authorization needed to deliver'

'time-delay message recorded by Captain Sheridan.'

'Do you accept?'

Yes.

Delenn..

By the time you get this message..

...I will be at Z'ha'dum..

...with Anna.

'I can pretty much guess your reaction when you hear this'

'but I think it's the only way.'

When you and I were in the time rift

with Babylon 4, for a moment..

...I jumped forward in time.

We'd won the war, but Centauri Prime had been devastated.

You said that this future couldn't be changed.

You also told me..

Do not go to Z'ha'dum. Do you understand?

- Do not go to Z'ha'dum! - Aah!

I began to wonder..

...what if that future happened because I listened

to your warning and didn't go to Z'ha'dum?

'What if...what if I could prevent the fall'

'of Centauri Prime and end the Shadow War by going there?'

What I want...is to stay alive...to be with you.

'But you were right before.'

This is about more than what I want.

So I'm going, even though I know it's almost certainly a trap.

(Justin) You see, John..

...back a million years ago..

..there were..

...forces prowling around the galaxy..

...beyond anything that we could understand.

And..

...like anything else..

...most of them...outgrew..

'...this little corner of the universe..'

...and headed off toward greener pastures.

Now..

...two of them stayed...behind.

'Shepherds, you might call them.'

They wanted to look after the younger races

bring them around

help them evolve into something better.

One of these was the Vorlons.

The other...was what you call the Shadows.

The Vorlons are like your parents, I suppose.

They want you to play nice, clean your room

do it by the rules.

I guess you could call them "Lords of order."

The others, the ones who live here

believe that strength... only comes from conflict.

They want to release our potential, not bottle it up.

(Justin) It's really simple.

You...bring two sides together.

They fight.

A lot of them die.

But those who survive are stronger

smarter, and better.

It's like...knocking over an ant hill.

Every new generation gets stronger.

The ant hill gets redesigned.

Made better.

So that's what the Shadows do.

Come out every few thousand years

and kick over all the ant hills.

Start wars..

...destroy entire races.

A few get lost along the way...yes.

And that's unfortunate.

I don't think it was ever easy

but you can't let that get in the way of the dream.

Commander, I'm picking up a disturbance.

- Location? - 'All around us.'

[intense music]

Red alert! Red alert!

[dramatic music]

[alarm wails]

- Status. - They're not moving.

Holding position.

All fighter squadrons launch, but do not approach

until authorized to fire.

Think about it, captain.

Look at the long history of human struggle.

Six thousand years of recorded wars.

Bloodshed, atrocities beyond description.

But look at what came out of all of that.

We've gone to the stars.

Split the atom.

Written sonnets.

We never would've come this far

if we hadn't been at each other's throats

evolving...our way up..

...inch by inch.

(Anna) It was supposed to be an equal balance

between our side and the Vorlons.

But the Vorlons decided that their way was the right way.

They enlisted the support of other worlds..

like...the Minbari.

They even started interfering

with the development of younger races.

When you look at a Vorlon

you see what they want you to see.

They've manipulated us so we'd respond favorably to them.

They've even interfered... at a genetic level

taking humans them.

Why do you think certifiable telepaths came out of nowhere

a hundred years ago?

They created telepaths on a hundred worlds

to use as cannon fodder for the next war

but fortunately, our friends got there first

'and, with the help of the Psi Corps'

'made sure that they came out on our side.'

'John, they think that'

'the human race shows great potential.'

'When all this is over, we can be riding high.'

The first to rebuild, making things our own way.

But the only thing that's standing in our way now is you.

'So we can either work together now..'

'...or we can remove your support mechanism.'

[intense music]

Moving into position. Everybody, hang tight.

- Can you get through to Draal? - Negative. They're jamming us.

I don't understand. They're just sitting there.

This has got to have something to do

with the captain, but what?

What are they waiting for?

Everything depends on getting

the other races to fight each other

to create conflict in order to promote growth and evolution.

By getting them to cooperate

you are working against that goal.

Whenever this starts, there's always someone who tries

to organize the other races.

You've done it.

That's a commendable achievement.

But as far as our goals are concerned..

'...unproductive.'

So, why don't you just kill me?

(Justin) Doesn't work.

Somebody'd just come around and replace you.

'That's always been the trouble with creating martyrs.'

We've brought you here hoping you'd understand us.

Work with us.

Not against us.

You're important. You're what they call a nexus.

You turn one way, and the whole world

has a tendency to go the same way.

Let...go

of those other races.

You can't hold them together.

Evolution will be served one way or another.

So you can work with us, or--

Or you'll do to me what you did to Anna.

I don't know what you're..

All the memories are there.

The voice is there.

'The DNA is there.'

But the personality..

I look in her eyes, and the woman I love

the woman...I married..

...isn't there.

She would never go along with this.

You're right.

Just so.

'You see, when she came here five years ago'

'she was given the choice'

'the same choice that we're giving you.'

She made the mistake of choosing badly.

You stuck her in one of those ships, didn't you?

How did you know?

A few months ago, we intercepted a ship full of people

who were going to be merged with the Shadow vessels.

They had implants in the brain stem, right back here.

'Scars in the back of her head are in exactly the same place.'

Our associates needed fresh bodies

for the central processing units in their ships.

But we pulled her out as soon as we found out

who she was and who you are.

But once you've been inside of one of those ships

for a while..

...you're never..

...quite whole..

'...again.'

'But you do what you're told!'

And so will you!

[gun fires]

- Commander! - 'G'Kar, good.'

Can we get those nuclear weapons

outside where they can do some good?

I'm afraid not, even if we could get them out

at this range, they'd vaporize us right along with the enemy.

Maybe...how many of those bombs do we have?

That's what I came to tell you. Two of the devices are missing.

What?

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[device beeps]

(automated message) 'Thermal fusion system armed for detonation.'

John.

There's nowhere to run.

Come back inside. We can work this out.

I know that this isn't the Anna that you knew.

What I am is what her..

...a new personality.

'She can never come back.'

But I can love you as well as she did.

[intense music]

(John) 'Finally...I heard what you said when I left.

And I want you to know..

...that I love you, Delenn.

Goodbye.

[sobs]

[dramatic music]

(Kosh) Jump.

Jump. Now!

[dramatic music]

[screams]

[explosion]

What the hell?

They're leaving.

I don't get it. What happened?

They wouldn't just leave.

Unless we were no longer a threat.

Oh, he's gone.

[instrumental music]

(G'Kar) It was the end of the Earth year 2260.

And the war had paused..

...suddenly and unexpectedly.

All around us..

...it was as if the universe were holding its breath.

Waiting.

All of life can be broken down into moments of transition

or moments..

...of revelation.

This had the feeling of both.

Commander?

Any word on the captain?

Anything at all?

We've tried everything.

The White Star isn't receiving.

As far as we can tell..

...it's been destroyed.

'There's...something else.'

We checked the fighter bays.

One of the fighters we sent out didn't come back.

Who was the pilot?

Mr. Garibaldi.

(G'Kar) G'Quan wrote

"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight.

"It is the darkness of the soul

"that has lost its way.

"The war we fight is not against

"powers and principalities. It is against chaos..

"...and despair.

"Greater than the death of flesh

"is the death of hope.

"The death of dreams.

Against this peril we can never surrender."

"The future is all around us.

"Waiting in moments of transition.

"to be born

"in moments of revelation.

"No one knows the shape of that future

"or where it will take us.

"We know only

"that it is always born

in pain."

[theme music]