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Foreshadowing of the Shadows as early as "Infection"?

SilellakSilellak Trainee
in Babylon 5
Hey all,

This is my first post here, so hello to all of you :)

I just finished watching "Infection" again with some friends of mine. While certainly one of Babylon 5's weaker episodes, I noticed something that raised it up a notch in my opinion. I checked for any comments about this from JMS, but since I wasn't able to find any, I figured I'd bring it here. For those of you who may've forgotten the episode, it can be read about here:

[url]http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/004.html[/url]

Several times in the episode, it is said that the Ikarran developed organic warriors to protect them from invaders "a thousand years ago." Now, at this point in the series, we do not know anything about the past Shadow War, but looking back from Season 2 and beyond, we know that a thousand years ago was the time of the last Shadow war.

I fear I may be stating the obvious, but it seems to me that these "invaders" mentioned in the episode are most likely the Shadows. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Comments

  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    Re: Foreshadowing of the Shadows as early as "Infection"?

    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Silellak [/i]
    [B]I fear I may be stating the obvious, but it seems to me that these "invaders" mentioned in the episode are most likely the Shadows.[/B][/QUOTE]

    Definately.

    Personally, I can't remember the episode and don't have it on video but from what you describe, it's quite apparent that the Shadows were the invaders. (Or maybe their agents or allies.)

    Regards,
    Morden
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    I agree, most of the races around that time were fighting the Shadows.
  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Biggles [/i]
    [B]I agree, most of the races around that time were fighting the Shadows. [/B][/QUOTE]

    Or cosey-ing up to them, depends who you were. ;)

    Regards,
    Morden
  • RubberEagleRubberEagle What's a rubber eagle used for, anyway?
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Morden279 [/i]
    [B]Or cosey-ing up to them, depends who you were. ;)[/B][/QUOTE]

    hm.. the possibility that they were allies of the shadows is there.. they could have given them the knowledge to build organic weapons...
  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by RubberEagle [/i]
    [B]hm.. the possibility that they were allies of the shadows is there.. they could have given them the knowledge to build organic weapons... [/B][/QUOTE]

    ...and the "invaders"may have been part of the "army of light" sided with the Vorlons. Good point. :)

    Regards,
    Morden
  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Imhotep [/i]
    [B]It would be an excellent question to pose to JMS someday... [/B][/QUOTE]

    Does the guy attend many conventions nowadays?

    Regards,
    Morden
  • RubberEagleRubberEagle What's a rubber eagle used for, anyway?
    2-3 a year, AFAIK
    last one was was comicon in San diego
  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    In Babylon 5 terms, I caught on rather late, around late 1997, has jms ever been over here?

    Regards,
    Morden
  • RubberEagleRubberEagle What's a rubber eagle used for, anyway?
    I'm not sure, he might have been in the uk, but i think that he has too many projects to be able and fly for a few days to europe..
  • VladVlad Earthforce Officer
    Thing is, the Ikkarran technology (at least the one piece that we saw used), was based around using a living being as a central core, which definitely puts it in Shadow tech territory. It's not unknown for the Shadows to provide their technology to other races in order to further their goals or protect their interests (the telepath virus, for one). They could have been doing the same thing with the Ikkarrans in the past.
  • RubberEagleRubberEagle What's a rubber eagle used for, anyway?
    btw, something a bit different, that i've been suspecting ever since i finished the Technomage trilogy.
    could it be that the great machine on Epsilon 3 is shadowy in origin too? (read "invoking darkness")
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by RubberEagle [/i]
    [B]btw, something a bit different, that i've been suspecting ever since i finished the Technomage trilogy.
    could it be that the great machine on Epsilon 3 is shadowy in origin too? (read "invoking darkness") [/B][/QUOTE]

    The Great Machine is only 600 years old.

    Worf
  • Morden279Morden279 Genius
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by RubberEagle [/i]
    [B]btw, something a bit different, that i've been suspecting ever since i finished the Technomage trilogy.
    could it be that the great machine on Epsilon 3 is shadowy in origin too? (read "invoking darkness") [/B][/QUOTE]

    Conceptually, it seems a lot different, more Vorlon-like.

    Shadow technology is almost purely organic, whereas Vorlon technology is almost equally bio-mechanical. If it was built in preparation for the next Shadow war, it's most likely a Vorlon contraption.

    Regards,
    Morden
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    Considering the tech in that ep, its very probable that they were allies of the shadows. Looks pretty much the same imo :)
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    POSSIBLE SPOILERS! From the Technomage Trilogy







    I think the shadows encountered the Ikarans and gave them the technology, the same way they gave technology to the race (I can't remember their name) that eventually lead to the creation of the Technomages.

    Worf
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