Babylon 5 - Sleeping in Light - The End

Well, Sleeping In Light (the very last episode) was originally filmed as the last episode of season four. For the first four seasons, Babylon 5 was part of a Warner Brothers syndication package of shows called PTEN -- The Primetime Entertainment Network. As they were busy filming season four, it looked increasingly and increasingly like there would be no season five. Wanting to be able to have a finish to the show, some things were shifted around. The ending of the Earth civil war was going to have been in the beginning of season five -- the originally planned last episode of season four was to have been "Intersections In Real Time" with Sheridan being tortured; the rest of the war after that was to have taken place in season five. So, the resolution of that war was moved up into season four. The telepath colony would have been established in season four, but it was bumped out to make room for finishing the war.

So here they are finishing up the season and there was no hope for a season five. PTEN had been officially declared over by Warner Brothers. So, "Sleeping In Light," which would pretty much have been the finale of the show no matter what was filmed. But then in swooped TNT who offered to produce a fifth season. So, they pulled "Sleeping In Light" after it was filmed and held off on it until it could be shown as the series finale at the end of season five. A new finale ("The Deconstruction of Falling Stars") was the first episode filmed in the season five filming schedule to take the place of Sleeping In Light at the end of season four.

Season five was then done with Sleeping In Light having already been filmed before hand and just sitting there waiting to be shown as the final episode of the show.

The thing to remember is that Babylon 5 was a five-year slice of history. There's never been a period in history where all of the situations end nicely. Just as we came in and things we didn't see were happening, we're made aware of things needing to be addressed after the episodes we see. There are probably almost as many fans who wish they could see the Dilgar War as there are who want to see the Telepath War.

But Babylon 5 was a 'documentary' about the five most important years in a certain place so once the people passed out of that place, it was right that the story end.

Jan

I will have to watch season 4 again and then watch the original finale, hopefully I will get a better sense of closuer. It sucks that JMS kinda of set it up for another season with all those different plot twists. I feel like it could have done with another season, deal with the Psi Core issue, have Lienner sacrafice himself, have the flash forwards come full circle, and see how David Sheridan gets captured how they escaped. That would be great if that was the movie JMS was secretly working on. Would make some sense with everyone being older to play their character's part in the future. Maybe I am just upset that I final got through, for the most part, a great series were most of the characters grew on me, and this is how it ends? No, please, if there is god, have JMS write a theatrical version of B5!

He may do that some day. He's made it clear to Warner Bros. that any future B5 will be a big-budget feature or nothing. With some emphasis on 'big-budget' since WB insists on always 'testing the waters' with low budget offerings and JMS has told them he won't play that game any more.

I don't think that wating SIL after season 4 will really change much. Regardless of when the show ended, JMS had the 'history' of the B5 universe already mapped out.

Jan

Yeah. The whole point was, "We're bringing closure to this story, but there are always more stories." Hence "Deconstruction of Falling Stars." Although, interestingly, what you say about "SiL" is interestingly mirrored by Sheridan's own life: cut off in its prime, with all this new stuff brewing (leading the Rangers, being a father, etc.), but still cut off. Ended.

At some point all things must end. They do not always end as they ought -- but even when they don't come out as you might like, they can still end very well. That's "Sleeping in Light."

benisjamin33 said:

I will have to watch season 4 again and then watch the original finale, hopefully I will get a better sense of closuer.

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A lot of resolutions didn't occur until the fifth season though: knowing how Garibaldi will break Bester's block; or how Londo gets a keeper; or the gift that leads Sheridan and Delenn to Centauri Prime; or why Centauri Prime is in ruins; or why the Raiders started attacking again; what the Drazi are up to; the lead-up to the destruction of Psi Corps; that's all in the last season.

benisjamin33 said:

It sucks that JMS kinda of set it up for another season with all those different plot twists.

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The show was *always* going to be five years regardless, as early as the original notes in the 80s. He didn't write the episodes this way thinking a sixth season might come; he told TNT point blank that there would be no sixth season.

I think I was just upset that there seemed like there was so much still going on that I didn't want it to end, but as the saying goes all good things must come to an end. Maybe I was also upset that I felt like there was no resolution for one of my favorite characters in Lienner, besides a toast in his memory that didn't unveil when, where, and why he died. Most of the other story lines have some vague ending that you can use your immagination and kind of come up with what happened in the middle. I also feel like SiL opened another can of worms with Sheridan. We all knew he was dying, but the 1st one came back for him and took him to the outer rim. Do what, it is anyone's guess.

Just thought I would mention that I post on the Audio Video Science Forum. There is a thread there, over 5 MILLION hits so far, that posts TV program news on it. A mention was made of the best final eps of series. I think it came up because Law and Order is ending. A few different final eps were mentioned. I mentioned Sleeping in Light. Five or six people posted to agree with me. That was more than for any other show mentioned! Not bad for a 'little' show like B5!

benisjamin33 said:

I think I was just upset that there seemed like there was so much still going on that I didn't want it to end, but as the saying goes all good things must come to an end. Maybe I was also upset that I felt like there was no resolution for one of my favorite characters in Lienner, besides a toast in his memory that didn't unveil when, where, and why he died. Most of the other story lines have some vague ending that you can use your immagination and kind of come up with what happened in the middle. I also feel like SiL opened another can of worms with Sheridan. We all knew he was dying, but the 1st one came back for him and took him to the outer rim. Do what, it is anyone's guess.

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What's Londo say in "In the Beginning" ....the story is never over.

As for Lennier, he dies fighting in the Telepath War alongside Lyta (who also dies then). We would've seen that in Crusade's "The Path of Sorrows" flashback if Patricia Tallman would've accepted what the wanted to pay her, but she didn't.

As for tying up all loose ends, go watch the explanation in last Thursday's 5th season finale of "SUPERNATURAL."

:thumbsup: I love Supernatural. And hope like Hell that it's over. Probably not planned out from the beginning, but the ending arc was elegant, though a bit messy.:devil: And ****spoiler*****

























The "prophet" was "God", so the Bro's did have a chance to air their complaints to "the big guy".

benisjamin33 said:

I think I was just upset that there seemed like there was so much still going on that I didn't want it to end, but as the saying goes all good things must come to an end. Maybe I was also upset that I felt like there was no resolution for one of my favorite characters in Lienner, besides a toast in his memory that didn't unveil when, where, and why he died. Most of the other story lines have some vague ending that you can use your immagination and kind of come up with what happened in the middle. I also feel like SiL opened another can of worms with Sheridan. We all knew he was dying, but the 1st one came back for him and took him to the outer rim. Do what, it is anyone's guess.

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Happily ever after is a comforting myth. Unless everyone dies there is always more. But it may not be that interesting. Reading the Legion of Fire/ Centauri trilogy will answer many questions. The B5 universe is rich with possabilty,unfortunately the real world is poor in imagination. The good news, B5 will be resurected in 20-30 years. The bad news is that it will be reimaged, kinda like BSG.

One of the best story endings in any format, in my ever so humble opinion. Very well done.