522a: Sleeping in Light

In the year 2281, Sheridan begins to have recurring dreams of Lorien's prediction that he will only live for another twenty years after his revival on Z'ha'dum; he knows now that the time is close.  While they watch the sunrise, Delenn arranges to send out messages to all the old Babylon 5 crew: Garibaldi, Franklin, Ivanova, Vir.  They immediately arrive on Minbar, and during a celebratory dinner they remember their fallen comrades: G'Kar, Londo, Lennier, Marcus...

The following morning, Sheridan decides to revisit an old family tradition of the "Sunday drive".  He wishes a tearful final goodbye to Delenn, without looking back.  He makes a return visit to Babylon 5 - which is in preparation for the final shutdown after the prospering Alliance and economic cutbacks have made the station redundant and too costly to maintain.  As he wanders the empty halls, Sheridan is greeted by a limping Zack Allen, also returned for the decommissioning ceremony.  Sheridan decides not to stay long - his time is near.

He heads out in the White Star again to Coriana 6, the area of space where the Shadow War was won.   Just as he can feel his life slipping away, he is greeted again by Lorien, who has been waiting for him.  It is now Sheridan's time to begin a new journey beyond the Galactic Rim...

The remaining Babylon 5 crew gather one final time aboard the station, and watch from their departing ships as a series of explosions consume the station in fire.  Delenn decides to give Ivanova's tired life some meaning by appointing her as new leader of the Rangers in Sheridan's absence.  Delenn sits to watch the sun rise on Minbar every day for the rest of her life.

Notes:  Sheridan has flashbacks to Lorien's warning that he only has twenty years to live beyond his fall on Z'ha'dum (Z'ha'dum (when he jumped into the abyss), The Hour of the Wolf (where he meets Lorien), Whatever Happened to Mr Garibaldi? (when Lorien brings him back to life), Falling Toward Apotheosis (when Lorien tells him he only has twenty years remaining after his experiences)).  He also recalls his momentous return to Babylon 5 from Z'ha'dum (The Summoning); Lorien passed beyond the Rim in Into the Fire, where he told Sheridan that he would be waiting for him.  Sheridan resigned his Presidency of the Alliance two years ago, and Delenn has taken his place.  Their son, David (mentioned in passing in War Without End, Part II, and the pregnancy announced in Wheel of Fire) is in training to be a Ranger.  The purpose of Sheridan's message from Kosh in Day of the Dead is revealed here.

Garibaldi and Lise Hampton are still managing Edgars/Garibaldi Industries - they have a daughter, Mary, who is sixteen years old.  Franklin is still head of Xenobiological Research on Earth (see The Ragged Edge, Objects at Rest).  Vir has succeeded Londo as Emperor of the Centauri (Point of No Return (where Lady Morella predicts this will happen), War Without End, Part II (Londo and G'Kar's death and Vir's appearance)).  Marcus' sacrifice is recalled (see Endgame / Rising Star), and Lennier is also mentioned as an "absent friend" - is he dead? (see Objects at Rest).

The destruction of Babylon 5 was mentioned as being at the same time of Sheridan's death in The Deconstruction of Falling Stars.   Just as he predicted, Zack Allen was indeed around when they switched off the lights for the last time (Objects at Rest).

This episode was filmed as the last episode of Season Four, but held over when Babylon 5 was renewed for a fifth season.  The soundtrack of this episode is available on CD.

Guest Cast: Claudia Christian appears as General Susan Ivanova (who was still a regular cast member when this episode was filmed).  J. Michael Straczynski makes a cameo as the technician who switches off the station.  Wayne Alexander makes a reappearance as Lorien.

Ivanova:

"Babylon 5 was last of the Babylon stations.  There would never be another.

It changed the future and it changed us.  It taught us that we have to create the future or others will do it for us.  It taught us that we have to care for one other, because if we don't, who will?  And that true strength sometimes comes from the most unlikely of places.

Mostly though, I think it gave us hope that there can always be new beginnings, even for people like us."