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Markab theory
Anla'Shok Douglas Nicol
Ranger
in Babylon 5
This is something I heard in one book that was interesting, the episode of B5's 2nd season with Dwight Schultz, the Long Dark if I remember correctly has a Shadow 'foot soldier' in it.
Now, while all the races seem to have some sort of knowledge, usually fragmented legends about the Shadows, the Markab seem to know more than anybody else, bar the Narn who are getting dealt with slowly but surely, and the Minbari who aren't talking right now.
Fast forward a few episodes and the Markab are suddenly dying from the Drafa plague.
The question is, is this coincidence, or could the Shadows have had something to do with the Markabs extinction?
Now, while all the races seem to have some sort of knowledge, usually fragmented legends about the Shadows, the Markab seem to know more than anybody else, bar the Narn who are getting dealt with slowly but surely, and the Minbari who aren't talking right now.
Fast forward a few episodes and the Markab are suddenly dying from the Drafa plague.
The question is, is this coincidence, or could the Shadows have had something to do with the Markabs extinction?
Comments
The difference was, they had enough time to make it kill every Markab right away, they didnt have enough time to make it kill every human right away.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Anla'Shok Douglas Nicol [/i]
[B]The question is, is this coincidence, or could the Shadows have had something to do with the Markabs extinction? [/B][/QUOTE]
[Tinkle]Yes[/Tinkle] :vorlon:
[B]The difference was, they had enough time to make it kill every Markab right away, they didnt have enough time to make it kill every human right away. [/B][/QUOTE]
That is because the Shadows knew how to configure their own plague. The Drakh didn't know how to do it. Sheridan said the Drakh didn't have time to study the plague properly, which is why they had 5 years to find a cure.
Worf
I agree that it was probably the Shadows that released the virus, after all it was their virus and they'd be able to change it to kill the Markab instantly. The virus just seemed to strong to be natural...
[B] The virus just seemed to strong to be natural... [/B][/QUOTE]
While i do support the theory of the Shadows realesing the Virus, there are diseases in nature that act very quickly and lethaly. Menegitis, fo example, can kill within a couple of days of sympoms showing up.
Of course, that's assuming it was the same plague every time. Or that the Shadows didn't, say, activate it by remote control when the time was right, wiping out small groups of people until finally deciding to 86 the whole species.
Sure, the markab had some information on the shadows, but only legends 1000 years old. They probably didn't know anything the Minbari don't know, and they certainly didn't know anything the Vorlons don't know.
So, killing the markab would not destroy any information they may have had. It would gain the sahdows absolutely nothing.
The shadows main goal at this time is to keep a low profile. They don't want the Vorlons to know that they are returning, so the Vorlons can't prepare for the war.
Killing the markab would have gotten the Vorlons suspicious. They would have investigated and they would recognize the shadow-virus for what it is. The Shadows certainly don't want that.
Of course all the hiding is unnecessary, since the Vorlons do know that the shadows are returning, but are hiding this knowledge from the shadows to gain a tactical advantage themselves.
The point is: The shadows don't know that the Vorlons know about their return, and they try to hide it from them.
Killing the Markab would provided no real advantage to the shadows, but could have exposed their plans to the Vorlons.
That's why I don't think they did it.
[B]Killing the Markab would provided no real advantage to the shadows, but could have exposed their plans to the Vorlons.
That's why I don't think they did it. [/B][/QUOTE]
An excellent point, and one I don't have an argument against :eek:
As an aside, have you ever noticed that all the assholes on Babylon 5 tend to congregate at that one bar? There's "Vorlons killed the Markabs" guy, and "Nuke the Marsies!" guy in A Voice In The Wilderness and...
Well, that's all I can think of, but there were quite a few assholes, weren't there?
[B]Arn't all bars like that though? :) [/B][/QUOTE]
Propably at least after couple "refreshments".
:)
Specifically, I don't drink. *rimshot*
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For some reason, this post reminded me of Monty Python's Lumberjack song and the accompanying letter of protest. "I know several lumberjacks, and only a few are transvestites."