For anyone who never saw am episode of Babylon5, shame on you cause you missed some really good one-liners, and for the rest of us, we are to be congratulated on our good taste and forward thinking viewing habits. The Vorlons played an integral part in the 5 year story arc of this television program. The caused confusion, raised questions, answered few and maintained their mystery throughout the story line. Too bad they had to leave befor the story was over - they might have been able to add a bit more zip to the final episode.

As the story goes, the Vorlons came to Babylon5 from their homeworld. The name and location of that homeworld is known only to the Vorlon's and 2 humans, Lyta Alexander, and Sbeastian AKA Jack the Ripper (see the episode "Comes the Inquisitor"). Expeditions have been sent to their territory, but no one else has returned.

We also do not know what the Vorlon's look like. They reside in a biomechanical suit when they are away from their space ships or hiomeworld. We do know that they are very adept at telekinesis and some foprms of psychometry, and they are highly telepathic. All races can "see" the Vorlons (when they allow it) but, except for the Centauri (more about them another time) they only "see" a being of light, an angel, diety, icon of worship, whatever the viewer deems appropriate.

They are members of "The First Ones", and belong to one of the oldest races in the galaxy. They are technologically advanced, giving them an advantage over the younger races. They have been traveling thru hyperspace for over a million years. Although they have been around for a long time, eons ago they were almost destroyed by somone more powerful when they created a gatway into another dimension. A war was fought and almost lost before they stopped the aliens, but the gateway was lost in space before it could be destroyed.

The Vorlons are inextricably entwined with the Shadows and that relationship almost destroyed us all during the 2nd Shadow War. The Vorlons, who base their philosphyies on order abd logic are at odd with the Shadows, who believe only in chaos. Between them, they have ruled the lesser, younger races for thousands of years. After most of the First Ones went "beyond the rim" after the First Shadow War, no one was left behind to control the Vorlons and the Shadows as they retreated to regroup before going at it again. For the whole story of the 2nd Shadow War, you are just going to have to watch the re-runs.

The only Vorlon we really have any understanding of is Kosh. That in itself is a contradiction because there were 2 of them, and although they shared the same name, and insist that "we are all Kosh" they had very different personalities and agendas. The first Kosh took it upon himslef to get involved and begin the training process that would trun Sheridan into the only weapon that could defeat the Shadows. We do know that Kosh had help from Sinclair and the Mimbari 10,000 years ago, but what would have happened if Kosh had not been around in our time?

The Vorlons travel in ships that are organic in nature, they seem to sing and to speak, and when their owner dies, the ship destroys itself in the nearest star, taking the remains of its owner with it into eternity. The Vorlon's are a spiritual enigma and we will probably never understand why they were here or what effect they really had on us, until the day that humans are allowed to travel beyond the rim and experience them once again.