The History of the Shadows (Babylon 5)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- The Shadows is the name given to an ancient race who were among the oldest of the First Ones. The name "Shadows" was given to them by the younger races as their actual name is unknown, though it is said to be over ten thousand letters long and unpronounceable by any of the younger races.
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The shadows are probably my favourite SCI-FI villains- I still find the way the shadow ships scream when they appear absolutely terrifying
The scream was a really nice touch! It gave an almost horror movie vibe.😎👍
I totally agree. Having watched this show as a kid that scream and style of the shadow left a mark on my memory
I think they were too. I always wished that there was a greater budget so that the effects (that were great) could do justice for the series.
The build up was awesome I thought that was well executed and that scream was awesome
It's an iconic sound that sadly not enough people can appreciate.
I always enjoyed the shadow/ vorlon difference of opinion on how to guide the younger races . And how they both thought they were doing good when all the while they were both manipulative controlling assholes . B5 was a very underrated show with some great writing . Modern scifi could learn a lot of lessons from it
Both Vorlons and Shadows had philosophy that made sense. The way they both failed was that after a while they didn't really care about younger races and just used them as pawns.
Shadows appear more villainous just because they did their manipulations during time of the show, while the Vorlons did the same for millennia.
Just had to give you that "600" and say thanks for the stills of the Shadows with Morden. This show was so underrated and why nobody has decided to reboot it with current technology is beyond my understanding!
because theyd probably fuck it up even if they could deepfake all the countless dead actors
Guess what - management at WB has changed and JMS is not rebooting B5
I gave you that “5” my guy
Kinda disappointed you stopped before the Shadows left the solar system. But a very comprehensive history. Thanks
I love the shadows and vorlon conflict. the idea of a conflict were inter stellar empires
Are just expendable puns and on a scale of time so great that even the recent event's are on mythic. Such a great plot line i love it.
Well said! I agree 100%!😎👍
You forgot that they also had Sheridan's wife she also refused and they put her in a ship
I love the fact that the shadows are not evil, they just have a different philosophy for what's best for the galaxy.
They're killers, liars, and manipulators. If that's not evil then there's no such thing.
Species 8472 and the Shadows are the coolest and meanest badasses in SCI-FI world.
Agreed 😎👍
Absolutly love the content. Thanks for the videos
Hey thank you so much! Welcome aboard 😎👍
For me, the “I’m with them” speech explaining who the Shadows are has never been topped in sci-fi, even by anything I heard Morpheus say the first time I saw The Matrix.
Every time I see Morden’s face… I feel like giving a wave 👋 lol
The Shadows were the real heroes of B5. They didn't play games with the younger races like showing up looking like angels, turning them into telepaths or twisting them with decadent introspective philosophy like the filthy Vorlons with their disgusting fetish for religious fanatics.
The Shadows asked what do you want but, they didn't protect them from the consequences of their lusts for power.
Evolution is driven by conflict. Growth through pain. The Shadows were intellectually honest enough to realize it and courageous enough to embrace it.
James Savik I always thought the Shadows were a little misunderstood. They have a good philosophy, survival of the fittest. That makes for a stronger species overall.😎👍
James Savik I agree 100%.
Well, in fairness, there are 3 important questions for evolution, especially personal evolution. What do you want, who are you, and where are you going. All 3 matter. You have to know who you are within yourself, you have to know what you want (and that it's something worthwhile), and you have to know where you're going (what your goals are, and how you're going to obtain them) to get anywhere.
i completely agree with you contrary to the vorlon way of thinking the shadows are a more natural / normal way of thinking But it was also time for them and the vorlons to leave let the younger races deside which they want to follow Nature always wins there will always be conflict if you notice after the vorlon/shadow war what happens the younger races get in to a fight Natural selection stronger will always over come weaker no matter if how you paint it but out of conflict comes Great things
You first have to possess the discipline to be honest with yourself before you can know what you truly desire, and then determine how to go about obtaining it (Who are you? What do you want? Where are you going?).
I know why the shadows have those long tenticles!!! They are a range finding device for their supurb gunnery!!! You remember battleships use a simulat ranging tech for their big guns with "Theodites" in the 20 century !!! These theodites measured the angle between optical mirrors at both ends of a long pole, getting the range to the enemy battleship!! The shadows do something simular!
The other fact is that Earth Force could have used the same ancient tech to accurately target Mimbari warships during that previous war because Earth ships radar was jammed by the Mimbari...
You forgot to mention that the Shadows were involved in the assignation of the Earth Alliance President San Diogo and the instillation of President Clark.
Is there a reason you didn't continue to the time when the Shadows and Vorlons agreed it was time for them, and all of the remaining First Ones, to follow the First Ones who had already left the Galaxy?
This is an excellent series, the VFX have aged somewhat, but the acting is always great from all of the main characters, dipicted on screen in the opening titles.
I wish Babylon 5 could get the Star Wars special edition treatment . It would be fantastic to watch with updated graphics
@@OmegaOrdained so do I, it's an incredibly well written and well acted show, and maybe that's a reason why we won't get it. Star wars is great but Babylon 5 despite being a TV show is a lot deeper and more thoughtful, maybe we will get a remake, but that'll be big shoes to fill.
Totally , maybe the TV station Comet could pay for it? A newly remastered Babylon 5 would be their number one show
I remember hearing that sound the shadow ship made on mars and it fucking terrified me as a kid, still get chills at 26 😂
Hahaha I hear that 😎👍
" And,..... So It Begins . "
Z’ha’dum looks a lot like Korriban when you think about it, and they remind me a lot of the Sith philosophy of the strong prevailing over the week. I wonder if the Shadows where inspired by them. Or maybe it’s to show the desolation such an ideology can bring to a people.
A bit like the Sith crossed with the Thargoids from the Elite computer game series ...with perhaps a little bit of the Xenomorph (Alien) thrown in🤔🤩😎👍
I think you'll find that most epic tales overlap at some point.
Great as always. Are you gonna do a video about the soul hunters?
I got a combo video already out, the soul hunters and the keeper.😎👍
@@OmegaOrdained must have missed that one. I'll have to go back and watch it
No worries, I had to go back and make sure it was one that was posted already LOL I make a lot of videos up in advance and I can't remember when they post hahaha😎👍
Soul Hunters wasnt exactly major race partaking in the B5 series. But if our going to have the Soul Hunters, then why not do a video on the Technomages as well. Fact is there is not enough of a back story to do a video on most of the races shown in B5
every buddy that is very true, I got an idea to make a video but then there's not enough information to do it. Techno Mages have been on the list for a while. That one is coming, but I don't know when.😎👍
It's strange to hear this in chronological order, having found out these bits and pieces in a more scattered way
Also I think the Shadow destroyer is the best designed ship ever!
That's what I love about JMS his writings, he only gives you bits and pieces here and there and you get to piece it together sometimes. The shadow Destroyer I think is one of the best bad guys ships ever. Especially the first time you see it, it was wicked😎👍
I wonder if Morden actually willingly served or did he refuse like the rest and was just put into a shadow vessel and changed like Sheridans wife and Justin
I think it's the ladder, brain washed and made to serve the shadows.😎👍
It says he was the only one to choose to serve
According to the Technomage book trilogy, in May 2256 Morden's wife and daughter were killed when the ship they were traveling on was caught in the terrorist bombing of the Io Jumpgate that claimed over five hundred other passengers.
The Shadows told Morden that his family was still alive but trapped in some sort of hyperspace phenomena caused by the blast and if he served them, they would (eventually) save them. Chances are they were really dead though and thus was just Shadow manipulation. These novels are considered to be canon.
@@ivaneames4354 more importantly , the novel "THE SHADOW WITHIN" specifically and exhaustively covers what happened to the Icarus.. Morden was coerced thru emotional extortion into serving.
Ah yes, Synera Platumb. That well known, Martian geological feature. Just at the base of Olympiust Monsanto.
Hahaha😆😆😆
I like your videos. I just wish you'd watch the show to learn some of the pronunciations.
Thank you. I'm working on that.😎👍
Were the Shadows a (much) older race than the Vorlons?
No I believe they're about the same age. The Yen to the yen
@@OmegaOrdainedDelenn said, the shadows were already old as the other were still young. And lorien also said, that they (his race) found the shadows first.
Shadows are the oldest, followed by the vorlons.
Except lorien and his race.
Good video and content, but it sounds like you need a pop filter because the Ps and Ss are pronounced, probably raise up the mids because your output seems high on the treble, having lower frequency makes you sound more professional, maybe a time line for these kind of explanations?
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate it! I believe after this video was made I got a new Yeti microphone oh, and one of those pop filter things I also have been experimenting with the equalizer in newer videos. If you would like, you can check out my Transformer Channel it has the newest videos on it.😎👍
@@OmegaOrdained Gotcha, ok one more advice. please return the Yeti if you still have the warranty and get you a Samson G-track pro. It blow yeti straight out of the water for $120, and closer to studio quality with other features you might use for video production like dual line audio to easily split them. I went from sounding like an adolescents young boy to a deep throated sounding man. But will do on checking out the channel.
Thank you! I'll check it out! Appreciate the advice! 😎👍
Seven pairs of eyes? I thought they had 4 pairs of eyes. Anyway, a really great video.
Thank you. 😎👍
The Shadow attack craft were known as "battlecrabs."
Nice, I didn't know that, makes since 😎👍
Shadows will live FROVER!
Where is all the stuff about the Battle of Corrina VI and the end of the Shadow War in season 4?
Spoilers!
I bought my car because the grill looks like the shadows , its a black Nissan Juke, lol
Very nice! 😆😆😆
Do one on Techno Mages please.
I've had the Techno Mages on my list for quite some time now. I will get around to it eventually LOL great suggestion!😎👍
@@OmegaOrdained cool beans!
I enjoy the fact these videos exist, being a huge fan of BABYLON 5 and its universe . However, presuming you have written these scripts yourself, the writing could use some improvement. You use the same three or four transitional phrases over and over and over again. You use approximately the same sentence length and structure over and over and over again. This feels repetitive, frankly.
You also tend to make assumptions I don't think are proven. Is Zh'ha'dum the Shadow homeworld? Some people assume it is, but the time scale involved does not make that certain at all. One wonders if they simply settled there because Lorien was there. But that is a minor point.
Thank you for the input! Currently I generally just use what's on the fandom Pages as a script. My goal is to do TH-cam as a full-time job, currently my full-time job takes up a lot of time. If this ever happens oh, I'll be able to spend more time perfecting the scripts and their narration excetera. And I guarantee they'll get a lot better then. I'm hoping the algorithm will continue to pick up, as it has in the last few weeks. And that time might be coming soon!😎👍
The shadows first ones were enemies of the vorlons
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We Stand Behind, With And Beside Mr. David Icke . . . . . . . ;-)
Unpopular confession lol I’ve never watched Babylon 5
I read tho DS9 was a rip off ?
Man, you are in for a treat if you ever get the chance to watch it. It is totally setup for binge-watching. If you're into that LOL. There's several really good videos that show how Deep Space Nine ripped off Babylon 5. JMS the creator of Babylon 5, originally wanted it to be a prequel to Star Trek. So he sent them a five-year Bible of the entire show the Paramount no, they kept it for a year, and then decided they weren't going to use it. The next year or so Paramount decides to make Deep Space Nine. There are many similarities between the two. JMS Seafood Paramount, they settled out of court, which gave him enough money to make Babylon 5. And he didn't have to connect at the Star Trek. I bought the seasons of Babylon 5 on eBay for an extremely great deal oh, I believe I got all five seasons for fifty bucks! Never opened dot-dot-dot whoever sold it missed out. There are also five movies I believe, one of them would be really good to watch before the series, but I don't remember which one. Have a great day!😎👍
Omega Ordained maybe I should watch it
Marcus W you absolutely should! I do believe it's on TV if you have the comet Channel. But you don't want to start in the middle I don't know where they're at broadcasting it.😎👍
Omega Ordained the only reason I’ve never seen it is because I know silly but I’ve got andromeda stuck in my head, and I can think cheesy as hell low budget terrible cgi ?
Marcus W the CGI on Babylon 5 wasn't too good. However every season they upgraded the processors, and had new software, every season. If you watch it from start to finish it does get better over time, and ends up being really good. The acting was fantastic, and the stories are as well.😎👍
1259. AD that? Is. In? Our. Past? How can that be a date in a cyfy that set in the future
The Shadows have had space travel technology for thousands of years. They visited Earth in 1259 ad, in our past. Generally the shadows and the Vorlons have a great war every thousand years or so. Gathering the Lesser Advanced races to either side. To fight with them or for them.
@@OmegaOrdained They had space travel technology for millions of years, probably billions. The first Thirdspace war happened 1.5 million years ago and the Vorlons were already advanced enough to create a portal to another dimension. The Shadows are much older than the Vorlons.
You said Cray Os, it’s Chaos
TRIangular heads..
👍👍👍
Wait, if those "shadows" figures believes might makes right, and they themselves get beaten to pulp time and again.............doesnt that makes shadows loosers?, theyre sharpening others while blunting themselves?????
Hey, good point!😎👍
Might makes Right... is a moral argument.
The Shadow's beliefs were not of a moral basis. Their philosophy was... Survival of the Fittest.
They believed that conflict is the driving force in evolution... that without conflict, evolution becomes stagnant.
In many ways their philosophy is correct, because living organisms do not evolve in the absence of environmental pressures.
If there is no change in the environment, there is no conflict in the organism's survival, thus there is no need for an organism to adapt, because there is nothing to adapt to.
Only when changes in the environment occur, is when changes in the organism occur, to adapt to the new environment.
Ironically... the Vorlons were practicing the Shadow's philosophy without realizing it.
Their view was that strength is gained through bringing order through unity & other races working together, helping each other.
But again this corporation does not occur without conflict to make it nessecary.
Notice how the Alliance did not form under Sheridan, until it became nessecary? It was only under the threat of destruction & extinction, that the younger races united to fight the Shadows. The conflit is what drove Sheridan to unite the races... & when that universal conflict was gone, the alliance slowly disolved & the evolution of the younger races became stagnant.
When the Vorlons came in direct conflict with the Shadows... they defeated the Shadows by unifying the younger races against them... but this was something that only occured, because the conflit brought by the Shadows created the necessity.
The advancement of technology happens most rapidly during conflict.
Defenses are created in the pressence of weapons...
Better weapons are created to defeat the defenses...
Better defenses are created to defend against greater weapons... & the cycle goes on.
So in the end... the Shadows were right.
The Shadows didn't fight to win wars. Throwing the galaxy into chaos was. First they encourage the Younger Races to fight themselves, then offer their services to multiple races at the same time. This motivates each race to aggressively attack the others. Then when there is all out war, the Shadows appear and attack all sides at once. If there is an alliance of worlds trying bring peace, they attack them first. If they can successfully drive the Shadows back to the Rim, the Shadows consider their purpose fulfilled and they go back to sleep for another 10k years. The reason the Shadows restarted the war in the 2250s was because 1000 years before they KNEW the Vorlons interfered by creating telepaths AND bringing B4 into the past. Because the Vorlons had violated the agreement, they chose to reawake 1000 years later instead of 10,000 years in hope of destroying the Vorlons' plans to "win once and for all"
just like the satan and jesus. same thing.
Possibly the worst pronunciation of G’quan I’ve ever heard.
Can you be any less charismatic?
Yes I can, have you seen my history of the Enterprise video?😎👍