The Gathering
Synopsis: A human space station called Babylon 5 was built in neutral terrritory between several star empires including the Minbari Federation, the Narn Empire, the Centauri Republic and the Earth Alliance. The construction finished ten years after the Earth-Minbar war where the Minbari nearly annihilated the humans but then surrenderd on the eve of victory. Now the station is complete to prevent such wars and every race sends an ambassador including the mysterious race called the Vorlons. But when the Vorlon ambassador Kosh arrives he is attacked and things get out of hands.
My opinion: Great start into the show even when not all things are already set as they will be in the following season(s). Babylon 5 is a show of great speaches and many wisdoms. It doesn’t matter that the effects are somewhat cheesy because the show is built upon the characters and that will never change. We also learn that there is something mysterious about the end of the E-M war and that Sinclair is involved even if he doesn’t remember.
Spoiler (mark to read):
It is never explained how anyone could poison Kosh because we know he is a being of light and he has no hand. The only explanation would be that the Vorlons (and the Minbari) wanted Sinclair safe until he is needed for his great journey because at least the Vorlons know who he will become. But that wouldn’t explain why Kosh was suprised and called out “Valen” in the DC.
Quote of the episode:
Sinclair: “When something we value is destroyed we rebuild it. If it’s destroyed again we rebuild it again. And again and again and again. Until it stays. That is our poet Tennison once said the goal: To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”