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Season 1:
Signs and
Portents
Episode 1: "Midnight on the Firing Line"
In an attempt to take back conquered territory, the Narns attack the Centauri agricultural outpost Ragesh 3 which sparks old hostilities between the two civilizations and threatens war. In response Londo Mollari attempts to kill Narn ambassador G'Kar. Meanwhile space raiders attack supply ships along secret trade transport routes and the staff suspect a security leak. Commander Sinclair investigates himself and discovers that the Narns have been supplying the raiders with weapons. In the role of peace keeper, Commander Sinclair convinces the Narns to withdraw from Ragesh 3 or bring his findings to the League on Non-Aligned Worlds.
Episode 2: "Soul Hunter"
Dr. Stephen Franklin is assigned to Babylon 5. An out of control alien spacecraft on a collision course with the station is captured. The pilot is a species called Soul Hunters, a race known and detested by the Minbari. Soul Hunters are drawn by death and seek to capture, or steal, souls and keep them alive forever in sealed vessels. Believing they are protecting the best souls in the Galaxy, this Soul Hunter is after the soul of Delenn. He recognizes Delenn as one of the great leaders of the Minbari, a member of the Grey Council pretending to be ambassador. This becomes one of the themes of Babylon 5, everyone is not what they seem.
Episode 3: "Born to the Purple"
Ambassador Mollari is infatuated with a dancer, a slave of lowly stature. Under orders from her master she is instructed to drug Mollari and then use a mind probe to uncover his secret code to his purple files. Supposedly a file containing all the dirt collected by Mollari's family for generations and the source of Mollari's power, this file is coveted by those who wish to bring down the Centauri. Garibaldi investigates evidence of unauthorized transmissions using the stations gold channel only to find out the culprit has been Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova.
Episode 4: "Infection"
Commander Sinclair purposely avoids a news interview with Inter Stellar News (ISN) marking the second anniversary of the opening of Babylon 5. Dr. Franklin gets a visit from one of his medical teachers who now works for a private firm traveling the galaxy searching for alien artifacts that can be reverse engineered and profited from. He smuggles onto the station alien artifacts that were once used in an interplanetary war ages ago. The artifacts are biologically engineered and they merge with an assistant who is transformed into the ultimate killing machine in the service of a race long dead. This episode guest stars David McCallum as Franklin's former mentor.
Episode 5: "The Parliament of Dreams"
In the interest of maintaining interplanetary peace and understanding, each alien species is encouraged to demonstrate their dominant religious belief. Sinclair is given the task of presenting the dominant religious belief of Earth. G'Kar receives a message from a now dead nemesis who vows to have G'Kar assassinated. G'Kar lives in fear as he tries to uncover the plot. Lennier arrives from Minbar to begin his duties as ambassadorial aide to Delenn and is instructed to keep secret her true identity
Episode 6: "Mind War"
Resident commercial telepath Talia Winters gets a visit from an ex lover, a telepath who has been altered by the Psi Corp in an attempt to create a stable telepath with telekinetic powers. He is pursued by Psi Cops, an elite force within the Psi Corp who hunt down rogue telepaths. This is the first appearance by Walter Koenig, of Star Trek fame, in the recurring role as the hated Psi Cop Bester. Commander Sinclair's fiancee, a civilian who works for a private company scouting uninhabited worlds for their natural resources, visits a planet called Sigma 957, known to the Narns as a planet to avoid. It is here at Sigma 957 that we get our first glimpse of beings in the galaxy as far advanced from us as we are from ants.
Episode 7: "The War Prayer"
Prominent aliens are being violently attacked. The command staff suspect a group call Homeguard is behind the attacks. A pro-earth group originating on earth, Homeguard is a hate-mongering organization aimed at turning humans against aliens. Sinclair plans on infiltrating the group by openly voicing their ideals in the hopes of being recruited. Londo and Vir find themselves protecting a young Centauri couple on the run from their pre-arranged marriages which is the tradition of Centauri nobility, instead they want to defy tradition and marry for love. Their youthful joy reminds Londo of what he has given up for his position.
Episode 8: "And the Sky full of Stars"
Commander Sinclair awakes from a bad dream and finds the station all but deserted. The victim of a kidnapping, Sinclair has been wired to a virtual-reality-cyber-net in an attempt to probe his mind. During the Earth-Minbari war Sinclair was at the infamous battle-of-the-line when he was captured and interrogated by the Minbari. Following his interrogation the Minbari mysteriously surrendered even though they were on the brink of victory. Survivors of that terrible war, which almost wiped out the human race, probe Sinclair's mind to find out what the Minbari learned from Sinclair that resulted in their surrender. The attempt is unsuccessful, as the Minbari have left a hole in his mind, a mental block to keep the truth from being discovered. The experience does leave Sinclair with one piece of the puzzle - Delenn knows the truth.
Episode 9: "Deathwalker"
An alien woman's arrival at the station prompts a vicious attack by Na'Toth, G'Kar's ambassadorial aide. The visitor is Jha'dur, also known as Deathwalker of the Dilgar, thought to be a now extinct race. Deathwalker is a war criminal known for her brutal and heartless medical experiments performed on war prisoners. The medical knowledge gained by Deathwalker results in the development of a universal anti-agapic, a serum that retards the aging process and prevents disease giving the recipient virtual immortality. Despite her war crimes and the means by which she gained this cure, all the governments represented at Babylon 5 want the secret. This cure for dying has one drawback, the essential ingredient has to come from and at the cost of a living being. In order for one to live forever another has to die. Meanwhile, Talia Winters is hired by the ever enigmatic Kosh to participate in a series of negotiations that leave her terrified and feeling victimized.
Episode 10: "Believers"
Dr Franklin receives a patient, an alien child with a fatal illness easily cured by surgery, the only problem is the people of the planet the child comes from object to cutting on the body of any of the chosen children of God, children of the egg as they put it. Dr. Franklin has to choose between his Hippocratic oath or violating the religious beliefs of the child's parents. Eager to get out of the station and log some combat hours, Lt. Commander Ivanova escorts a Starliner disabled by raiders back to the station.
Episode 11: "Survivors"
Garibaldi is implicated in sabotage just days before the President is scheduled to arrive at Babylon 5 and is suspended from his duties. The Presidents own head of security takes over the investigation leaving Garibaldi out of the picture. Without the station's resources at his command, Garibaldi mounts his own investigation as a civilian.
Episode 12: "By Any Means Necessary"
Following an accident in the docking bay the dock workers threaten to go on strike unless working conditions are improved. Fearing Sinclair cannot resolve the situation Earth sends a labor negotiator. Negotiations fail and Earth Force threatens to arrest the striking workers. G'Kar needs a rare plant called G'Quan-Eth to perform an important religious ceremony. The only person on the station possessing this plant is Londo Mollari who asks an outrageous price just to enjoyG'Kar's desperation.
Episode 13: "Signs and Portents"
A Mr. Mordan arrives at Babylon 5 and pays a visit to each of the ambassadors and asks them one question, "what do you want?" Delenn is the only ambassador who sees him as an emissary of darkness. Londo Mollari pays an enormous amount of money for a long lost Centauri relic which is soon taken from him by thieves. The thieves ship is promptly destroyed by powerful forces and it is Mr. Mordan who returns the relic back to Londo, a gesture of goodwill in an effort make friends in high places. Like most of the characters on Babylon 5, Mr. Mordan is also more than what he appears.
Episode 14: "TKO"
An old friend of Garibaldi's arrives at Babylon 5, an ex-champion boxer who desires to regain his lost stature by being the first human to fight in the "Mutai", a brutal fighting competition where it is not uncommon for participants to be killed. Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova gets a visit from her Rabbi who has come to help her resolve issues with the death of her father.
Episode 15: "Grail"
A true seeker comes to Babylon 5 in search of the Holy Grail. The Humans regard him as a crackpot but the Minbari regard him as a Holy Man. He takes under his wings a troubled construction worker, nicknamed Jinxo, who believes he is jinxed, that Babylon 5 will be destroyed if he ever leaves. Jinxo is being extorted for money by gangsters from down below who have a secret ally that instills fear in all of the lurker population, a dangerous creature called a Nakaline-Feeder dressed up in a Vorlon encounter suit. This episode guest stars David Warner as the true seeker.
Episode 16: "Eyes"
Commander Sinclair and his command staff are made the target of a witch hunt. A disgruntled military colonel, now assigned to internal affairs, questions their loyalty to Earth. His ulterior motive is to replace Sinclair as Commander of Babylon 5, believing Sinclair's appointment to Babylon 5 was undeserved and made under suspicious and secret circumstances. Lennier becomes interested in a hobby of Garibaldi's, assembling an Earth antique Kawasaki motorcycle.
Episode 17: "Legacies"
When the greatest warrior leader of the Minbari dies, his body is put on display for all Minbari to see. Stopping at Babylon 5 for a ceremonial viewing, his body is kidnapped. The Minbari war leaders blame Sinclair and threaten to rekindle old hostilities between the two races. A young woman on the station discovers she is a latent telepath, Talia Winters insists she must join the Psi Corp while Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova insists she should be given the freedom to choose for herself.
Episode 18: "A Voice in the Wilderness, Part 1"
Seismic disturbances are detected on Epsilon 3, the planet Babylon 5 is orbiting. Believed to be a lifeless rock, a geological survey ship is sent to investigate, in response the planet blasts a powerful signal deep into space. Further attempts at investigating draws defensive fire from deep within the planet and a holographic image of an alien life form appears to a few key individuals on Babylon 5. Commander Sinclair and Lt. Commander Ivanova manage to penetrate Epsilon 3's defense system and land within a 5 mile deep crevice to discover a "great machine", technology left over by a now extinct and advanced race. While there they find the source of the holographic image that has been appearing on Babylon 5, an alien plugged into the great machine who is dying and needs someone to replace him.
Episode 19: "A Voice in the Wilderness, Part 2"
In response to the discovery on Epsilon 3 Earth Force sends a heavy battle cruiser to protect Earth's interest which draws the attention of the other races represented on Babylon 5. Now everyone wants to make a claim to the advanced technologies discovered there. Delenn's old friend and mentor, Draal, hears the voice of the steward of the machine calling to him in his mind. An unknown race arrives at Babylon 5 in response to the signal which came deep from within Epsilon 3. They claim Epsilon 3 belongs to them and will take what is theirs. The guardian of the machine is dying and needs a replacement otherwise Epsilon 3 will self destruct taking Babylon 5 with it.
Episode 20: "Babylon Squared"
Four years earlier Babylon 4, the predecessor station to Babylon 5, mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Now it has reappeared, caught in a time flux. Sinclair and Garibaldi mount an operation to rescue the crew of Babylon 4 before it disappears again. While on Babylon 4 Sinclair has flashes of a possible alternative future. A mysterious stranger called Zathras seems to know what is going on but refuses to tell the whole story. Delenn is called back to Minbar and finds out she has been chosen to lead the Minbari race and will not be returning to Babylon 5. Delenn refuses the appointment choosing instead to return to Babylon 5 believing she is fulfilling prophecy.
Episode 21: "The Quality of Mercy"
A convicted murderer is sentenced to death of personality, a mind wipe followed by a life of servitude to the community, a form of punishment for murderers considered more humane than execution. Dr. Franklin investigates a healer in down below using an alien machine to cure patients. These two events intersect when the convicted murderer escapes and forces the healer to cure his injuries. It turns out the alien machine was designed as a form of corporeal punishment for criminals sentenced to death. Their life energy was taken by the machine and used to cure others dying of terminal illnesses. In a twist, the healer is left with no choice but to use the machine for its intended purpose. June Lockhart guest stars as the healer.
Episode 22: "Chrysalis"
Narn aggression along neutral borders threatens to erupt into open conflict with the Centauri. Once again the mysterious Mr. Mordan offers Londo Mollari an offer he cannot refuse, he will take care of the Narn problem in Quadrant 37 and Londo can take all the credit. Soon after the Narn outpost in Quadrant 37 is completely destroyed in a matter of seconds without a trace of who is responsible. Garibaldi investigates a plot to assassinate the president and in the process is mortally wounded, soon after the President's spaceship is destroyed. Delenn undergoes a transformation within some sort of cocoon. Near the end of this episode we get a glimpse of who Mr. Mordan's allies are, mere "shadows" of beings far beyond our experience.
Episode 1: "Midnight on the Firing Line"
In an attempt to take back conquered territory, the Narns attack the Centauri agricultural outpost Ragesh 3 which sparks old hostilities between the two civilizations and threatens war. In response Londo Mollari attempts to kill Narn ambassador G'Kar. Meanwhile space raiders attack supply ships along secret trade transport routes and the staff suspect a security leak. Commander Sinclair investigates himself and discovers that the Narns have been supplying the raiders with weapons. In the role of peace keeper, Commander Sinclair convinces the Narns to withdraw from Ragesh 3 or bring his findings to the League on Non-Aligned Worlds.
Episode 2: "Soul Hunter"
Dr. Stephen Franklin is assigned to Babylon 5. An out of control alien spacecraft on a collision course with the station is captured. The pilot is a species called Soul Hunters, a race known and detested by the Minbari. Soul Hunters are drawn by death and seek to capture, or steal, souls and keep them alive forever in sealed vessels. Believing they are protecting the best souls in the Galaxy, this Soul Hunter is after the soul of Delenn. He recognizes Delenn as one of the great leaders of the Minbari, a member of the Grey Council pretending to be ambassador. This becomes one of the themes of Babylon 5, everyone is not what they seem.
Episode 3: "Born to the Purple"
Ambassador Mollari is infatuated with a dancer, a slave of lowly stature. Under orders from her master she is instructed to drug Mollari and then use a mind probe to uncover his secret code to his purple files. Supposedly a file containing all the dirt collected by Mollari's family for generations and the source of Mollari's power, this file is coveted by those who wish to bring down the Centauri. Garibaldi investigates evidence of unauthorized transmissions using the stations gold channel only to find out the culprit has been Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova.
Episode 4: "Infection"
Commander Sinclair purposely avoids a news interview with Inter Stellar News (ISN) marking the second anniversary of the opening of Babylon 5. Dr. Franklin gets a visit from one of his medical teachers who now works for a private firm traveling the galaxy searching for alien artifacts that can be reverse engineered and profited from. He smuggles onto the station alien artifacts that were once used in an interplanetary war ages ago. The artifacts are biologically engineered and they merge with an assistant who is transformed into the ultimate killing machine in the service of a race long dead. This episode guest stars David McCallum as Franklin's former mentor.
Episode 5: "The Parliament of Dreams"
In the interest of maintaining interplanetary peace and understanding, each alien species is encouraged to demonstrate their dominant religious belief. Sinclair is given the task of presenting the dominant religious belief of Earth. G'Kar receives a message from a now dead nemesis who vows to have G'Kar assassinated. G'Kar lives in fear as he tries to uncover the plot. Lennier arrives from Minbar to begin his duties as ambassadorial aide to Delenn and is instructed to keep secret her true identity
Episode 6: "Mind War"
Resident commercial telepath Talia Winters gets a visit from an ex lover, a telepath who has been altered by the Psi Corp in an attempt to create a stable telepath with telekinetic powers. He is pursued by Psi Cops, an elite force within the Psi Corp who hunt down rogue telepaths. This is the first appearance by Walter Koenig, of Star Trek fame, in the recurring role as the hated Psi Cop Bester. Commander Sinclair's fiancee, a civilian who works for a private company scouting uninhabited worlds for their natural resources, visits a planet called Sigma 957, known to the Narns as a planet to avoid. It is here at Sigma 957 that we get our first glimpse of beings in the galaxy as far advanced from us as we are from ants.
Episode 7: "The War Prayer"
Prominent aliens are being violently attacked. The command staff suspect a group call Homeguard is behind the attacks. A pro-earth group originating on earth, Homeguard is a hate-mongering organization aimed at turning humans against aliens. Sinclair plans on infiltrating the group by openly voicing their ideals in the hopes of being recruited. Londo and Vir find themselves protecting a young Centauri couple on the run from their pre-arranged marriages which is the tradition of Centauri nobility, instead they want to defy tradition and marry for love. Their youthful joy reminds Londo of what he has given up for his position.
Episode 8: "And the Sky full of Stars"
Commander Sinclair awakes from a bad dream and finds the station all but deserted. The victim of a kidnapping, Sinclair has been wired to a virtual-reality-cyber-net in an attempt to probe his mind. During the Earth-Minbari war Sinclair was at the infamous battle-of-the-line when he was captured and interrogated by the Minbari. Following his interrogation the Minbari mysteriously surrendered even though they were on the brink of victory. Survivors of that terrible war, which almost wiped out the human race, probe Sinclair's mind to find out what the Minbari learned from Sinclair that resulted in their surrender. The attempt is unsuccessful, as the Minbari have left a hole in his mind, a mental block to keep the truth from being discovered. The experience does leave Sinclair with one piece of the puzzle - Delenn knows the truth.
Episode 9: "Deathwalker"
An alien woman's arrival at the station prompts a vicious attack by Na'Toth, G'Kar's ambassadorial aide. The visitor is Jha'dur, also known as Deathwalker of the Dilgar, thought to be a now extinct race. Deathwalker is a war criminal known for her brutal and heartless medical experiments performed on war prisoners. The medical knowledge gained by Deathwalker results in the development of a universal anti-agapic, a serum that retards the aging process and prevents disease giving the recipient virtual immortality. Despite her war crimes and the means by which she gained this cure, all the governments represented at Babylon 5 want the secret. This cure for dying has one drawback, the essential ingredient has to come from and at the cost of a living being. In order for one to live forever another has to die. Meanwhile, Talia Winters is hired by the ever enigmatic Kosh to participate in a series of negotiations that leave her terrified and feeling victimized.
Episode 10: "Believers"
Dr Franklin receives a patient, an alien child with a fatal illness easily cured by surgery, the only problem is the people of the planet the child comes from object to cutting on the body of any of the chosen children of God, children of the egg as they put it. Dr. Franklin has to choose between his Hippocratic oath or violating the religious beliefs of the child's parents. Eager to get out of the station and log some combat hours, Lt. Commander Ivanova escorts a Starliner disabled by raiders back to the station.
Episode 11: "Survivors"
Garibaldi is implicated in sabotage just days before the President is scheduled to arrive at Babylon 5 and is suspended from his duties. The Presidents own head of security takes over the investigation leaving Garibaldi out of the picture. Without the station's resources at his command, Garibaldi mounts his own investigation as a civilian.
Episode 12: "By Any Means Necessary"
Following an accident in the docking bay the dock workers threaten to go on strike unless working conditions are improved. Fearing Sinclair cannot resolve the situation Earth sends a labor negotiator. Negotiations fail and Earth Force threatens to arrest the striking workers. G'Kar needs a rare plant called G'Quan-Eth to perform an important religious ceremony. The only person on the station possessing this plant is Londo Mollari who asks an outrageous price just to enjoyG'Kar's desperation.
Episode 13: "Signs and Portents"
A Mr. Mordan arrives at Babylon 5 and pays a visit to each of the ambassadors and asks them one question, "what do you want?" Delenn is the only ambassador who sees him as an emissary of darkness. Londo Mollari pays an enormous amount of money for a long lost Centauri relic which is soon taken from him by thieves. The thieves ship is promptly destroyed by powerful forces and it is Mr. Mordan who returns the relic back to Londo, a gesture of goodwill in an effort make friends in high places. Like most of the characters on Babylon 5, Mr. Mordan is also more than what he appears.
Episode 14: "TKO"
An old friend of Garibaldi's arrives at Babylon 5, an ex-champion boxer who desires to regain his lost stature by being the first human to fight in the "Mutai", a brutal fighting competition where it is not uncommon for participants to be killed. Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova gets a visit from her Rabbi who has come to help her resolve issues with the death of her father.
Episode 15: "Grail"
A true seeker comes to Babylon 5 in search of the Holy Grail. The Humans regard him as a crackpot but the Minbari regard him as a Holy Man. He takes under his wings a troubled construction worker, nicknamed Jinxo, who believes he is jinxed, that Babylon 5 will be destroyed if he ever leaves. Jinxo is being extorted for money by gangsters from down below who have a secret ally that instills fear in all of the lurker population, a dangerous creature called a Nakaline-Feeder dressed up in a Vorlon encounter suit. This episode guest stars David Warner as the true seeker.
Episode 16: "Eyes"
Commander Sinclair and his command staff are made the target of a witch hunt. A disgruntled military colonel, now assigned to internal affairs, questions their loyalty to Earth. His ulterior motive is to replace Sinclair as Commander of Babylon 5, believing Sinclair's appointment to Babylon 5 was undeserved and made under suspicious and secret circumstances. Lennier becomes interested in a hobby of Garibaldi's, assembling an Earth antique Kawasaki motorcycle.
Episode 17: "Legacies"
When the greatest warrior leader of the Minbari dies, his body is put on display for all Minbari to see. Stopping at Babylon 5 for a ceremonial viewing, his body is kidnapped. The Minbari war leaders blame Sinclair and threaten to rekindle old hostilities between the two races. A young woman on the station discovers she is a latent telepath, Talia Winters insists she must join the Psi Corp while Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova insists she should be given the freedom to choose for herself.
Episode 18: "A Voice in the Wilderness, Part 1"
Seismic disturbances are detected on Epsilon 3, the planet Babylon 5 is orbiting. Believed to be a lifeless rock, a geological survey ship is sent to investigate, in response the planet blasts a powerful signal deep into space. Further attempts at investigating draws defensive fire from deep within the planet and a holographic image of an alien life form appears to a few key individuals on Babylon 5. Commander Sinclair and Lt. Commander Ivanova manage to penetrate Epsilon 3's defense system and land within a 5 mile deep crevice to discover a "great machine", technology left over by a now extinct and advanced race. While there they find the source of the holographic image that has been appearing on Babylon 5, an alien plugged into the great machine who is dying and needs someone to replace him.
Episode 19: "A Voice in the Wilderness, Part 2"
In response to the discovery on Epsilon 3 Earth Force sends a heavy battle cruiser to protect Earth's interest which draws the attention of the other races represented on Babylon 5. Now everyone wants to make a claim to the advanced technologies discovered there. Delenn's old friend and mentor, Draal, hears the voice of the steward of the machine calling to him in his mind. An unknown race arrives at Babylon 5 in response to the signal which came deep from within Epsilon 3. They claim Epsilon 3 belongs to them and will take what is theirs. The guardian of the machine is dying and needs a replacement otherwise Epsilon 3 will self destruct taking Babylon 5 with it.
Episode 20: "Babylon Squared"
Four years earlier Babylon 4, the predecessor station to Babylon 5, mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Now it has reappeared, caught in a time flux. Sinclair and Garibaldi mount an operation to rescue the crew of Babylon 4 before it disappears again. While on Babylon 4 Sinclair has flashes of a possible alternative future. A mysterious stranger called Zathras seems to know what is going on but refuses to tell the whole story. Delenn is called back to Minbar and finds out she has been chosen to lead the Minbari race and will not be returning to Babylon 5. Delenn refuses the appointment choosing instead to return to Babylon 5 believing she is fulfilling prophecy.
Episode 21: "The Quality of Mercy"
A convicted murderer is sentenced to death of personality, a mind wipe followed by a life of servitude to the community, a form of punishment for murderers considered more humane than execution. Dr. Franklin investigates a healer in down below using an alien machine to cure patients. These two events intersect when the convicted murderer escapes and forces the healer to cure his injuries. It turns out the alien machine was designed as a form of corporeal punishment for criminals sentenced to death. Their life energy was taken by the machine and used to cure others dying of terminal illnesses. In a twist, the healer is left with no choice but to use the machine for its intended purpose. June Lockhart guest stars as the healer.
Episode 22: "Chrysalis"
Narn aggression along neutral borders threatens to erupt into open conflict with the Centauri. Once again the mysterious Mr. Mordan offers Londo Mollari an offer he cannot refuse, he will take care of the Narn problem in Quadrant 37 and Londo can take all the credit. Soon after the Narn outpost in Quadrant 37 is completely destroyed in a matter of seconds without a trace of who is responsible. Garibaldi investigates a plot to assassinate the president and in the process is mortally wounded, soon after the President's spaceship is destroyed. Delenn undergoes a transformation within some sort of cocoon. Near the end of this episode we get a glimpse of who Mr. Mordan's allies are, mere "shadows" of beings far beyond our experience.