"Babylon 5" Sleeping in Light (1998)

Director:

J. Michael Straczynski

Writers:

J. Michael Straczynski (creator)
J. Michael Straczynski (writer)

TV Series:

"Babylon 5" (1994)

Original Air Date:

25 November 1998 (Season 5, Episode 22)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

20 years after he visited Z'Ha'Dum, Sheridan knows his time is short and gathers his old comrades together...

Plot Keywords:

Space | Space Station | Saga | Empath | Head On Stake

Cast

Bruce Boxleitner	...	John Sheridan
Claudia Christian	...	Gen. Susan Ivanova
Jerry Doyle	...	Michael Garibaldi
Mira Furlan	...	Delenn
Richard Biggs	...	Dr. Stephen Franklin
Bill Mumy	...	Lennier (credit only)
Jason Carter	...	Marcus Cole (credit only)
Stephen Furst	...	Vir Cotto
Jeff Conaway	...	Zack Allan
Patricia Tallman	...	Lyta Alexander (credit only)
Andreas Katsulas	...	G'Kar (credit only)
Peter Jurasik	...	Londo Mollari (credit only)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wayne Alexander	...	Lorien
Sharon Annett	...	Mary
Kent Minault	...	Captain of the Guard
Romy Rosemont	...	Publicist
Dan Sachoff	...	Krantz's Aide
Lair Torrent	...	Ranger
David Wells	...	Commander William Nils

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Trivia:

All of the characters who attend the decommisioning ceremony are leaders: Susan Ivanova is a general; Vir Cotto is a head of state (Emperor); Zack Allan is a security chief; Delenn is the Alliance President; Franklin is a Surgeon General; and Garibaldi is a CEO.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Michael Garibaldi: [voiceover] The Interstellar Alliance, based on the Homeworld of the Minbari Federation, was founded in the Earth year 2261 shortly after the end of the Shadow War, 20 years ago. Twenty years of history. Those of us who survived have seen it all and those of us who understand have been waiting and dreading the arrival of this day.

One of the most emotional episodes in Sci-Fi

As a lifelong Science Fiction fan, I have seen nearly every episode of nearly every show. By far, the single episode of any series with the greatest emotional impact is "Sleeping in Light". I have seen it countless times, and every single time it brings me to tears. Even in a series known as a masterpiece of storytelling, it goes beyond the other episodes to be an incredibly heart-wrenching finale. I believe it is unmatched in television science fiction, and possibly in TV in general.

As has been said before, it is imperative that you watch the rest of the series, in its entirety and in order, before you watch the finale. Otherwise it will lose most of its effect, and possibly spoil some of the rest of the show.