Not since the last episode of MASH have I been so affected by the last episode of a TV series. There are moments here that almost break your heart. One of my favorites is when Sheridan calls for a toast to old friends long gone and each character recites the name of someone who has passed on. Garibaldi toasts G'Kar, Delenn toasts Lennier, Vir toasts Londo and just as Steven is about to toast Marcus, Susan finally says Marcus's name showing that she has finally come to terms with his sacrifice. One moment that rarely gets commented on is the fulfilment of one of B5's longest running prophecies. Way back in season one, episode 13 "Signs and Portents" Sinclair is given a vision of the future by the Centauri Seer Lady Ladira. The vision depicts a single shuttle being jettisoned from B5 while the station explodes. The same vision is shown in "Babylon Squared" along with a monumental battle against the Shadows. Sinclair asks Ladira if this is a vision of the future and she replies that the future is fluid due to what the choices that we make along the way and she's not sure whether it will actually happen. So at the end of "Sleeping" we finally get to see the partial fulfilment of that vision with the peaceful and bittersweet destruction of B5 which is JMS's way of telling us that the bleak future predicted by Ladira has been irrevocably changed for the better.
18 Reviews
Incredible Finale to an Incredible Series
Darguz27 January 2006
Babylon 5 was groundbreaking in many ways, not the least of which was its incredibly consistent high quality of writing and acting. Most of the episodes were written by series creator, J. Michael Straczynski, and there are moments throughout the entire series which are simply breathtaking.
But this, the final episode, rightly trumps them all. I truly believe that a finer 45 minutes of of TV (or cinema, for that matter) has never been produced. It's as if Joe took all the joy, all the sorrow, all the victory, all the tragedy, all the passion of the entire series, distilled it down to its purest essence, and put it into this episode. I've lost count how many times I've seen this episode, and it takes my breath away every time.
But be warned: you have to watch the entire show to get to this episode. As Joe always says, "It's about the process." You can't "read ahead" on this one -- you won't get it.
If you have never seen B5, do yourself a favor. Start from the beginning, and watch it. It doesn't matter if you're a sci-fi fan. If you're a human, with feelings, it will touch you.
But this, the final episode, rightly trumps them all. I truly believe that a finer 45 minutes of of TV (or cinema, for that matter) has never been produced. It's as if Joe took all the joy, all the sorrow, all the victory, all the tragedy, all the passion of the entire series, distilled it down to its purest essence, and put it into this episode. I've lost count how many times I've seen this episode, and it takes my breath away every time.
But be warned: you have to watch the entire show to get to this episode. As Joe always says, "It's about the process." You can't "read ahead" on this one -- you won't get it.
If you have never seen B5, do yourself a favor. Start from the beginning, and watch it. It doesn't matter if you're a sci-fi fan. If you're a human, with feelings, it will touch you.
One of the most emotional episodes in Sci-Fi
samose2 June 2006
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.
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.
The most touching TV piece, ever
teppo-25 May 2009
A lot can be said about this episode.
The acting is great throughout, with Bruce Boxleitner and Mira Furlan topping the list. We also get to see Claudia Christian as Ivanova once more, after her having been absent for the rest of season 5 (as fans probably know, this episode was originally shot - while Christian was still in the cast - as the last episode of season 4 in case the series wasn't getting its fifth season, but was then shown at the end of season 5).
The music is, as usual, top notch, and supports the mood of the episode's story very well. The mood is possibly best described as melancholic. The story doesn't offer much in the way of unexpected twists here, but that is in no way a bad thing in this case. It is just a peaceful, emotional ending to an intelligent series.
Overall, perhaps the biggest praise I can give this episode us that while no other episode of any series, or any movie for that matter, has ever managed to do it, this episode made me cry - it is the best, most memorable and most touching conclusion of any series to date.
The acting is great throughout, with Bruce Boxleitner and Mira Furlan topping the list. We also get to see Claudia Christian as Ivanova once more, after her having been absent for the rest of season 5 (as fans probably know, this episode was originally shot - while Christian was still in the cast - as the last episode of season 4 in case the series wasn't getting its fifth season, but was then shown at the end of season 5).
The music is, as usual, top notch, and supports the mood of the episode's story very well. The mood is possibly best described as melancholic. The story doesn't offer much in the way of unexpected twists here, but that is in no way a bad thing in this case. It is just a peaceful, emotional ending to an intelligent series.
Overall, perhaps the biggest praise I can give this episode us that while no other episode of any series, or any movie for that matter, has ever managed to do it, this episode made me cry - it is the best, most memorable and most touching conclusion of any series to date.
Fitting end for a great sci-fi series
cliometrician5 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I have just finished watching, for the first time, the entire B5 series; in fact, I just finished watching the last episode about twenty minutes ago. I came here and was pleased that most everyone felt the same way about it as I did. It was the most moving TV episode I have ever seen, and it was one of the very best episodes to ever end a series.
The last episode was in stark contrast to the last episode of the series "Enterprise," which was an insult to every member of the cast. I am sad now that I have visited B5 as an old friend for the last time. Don't know if I will ever watch the series again, but I hope so. The actors and writers and entire production team produced something extraordinary, and I was not expecting that. I was so pleased with the series and the intricate arcs within it, and capped off by an immensely satisfying conclusion.
Requiescet In Pace, Babylon 5
The last episode was in stark contrast to the last episode of the series "Enterprise," which was an insult to every member of the cast. I am sad now that I have visited B5 as an old friend for the last time. Don't know if I will ever watch the series again, but I hope so. The actors and writers and entire production team produced something extraordinary, and I was not expecting that. I was so pleased with the series and the intricate arcs within it, and capped off by an immensely satisfying conclusion.
Requiescet In Pace, Babylon 5
This made me cry!
icj-18 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Having followed Babylon 5 from the beginning I came to this, the final episode with much trepidation. How could anyone look forward to the end of something that had become a part of my life for the past five years. That said I did watch it and at the end I was in tears when they blew up the station. Christopher Francke's music certainly helped but the performances by the actors and actresses was exemplary.
It was good to see Ivanova back - this time as a General. She has obviously done well in the twenty years since she left Babylon 5. Delenn was wonderful in her grief at the death of John Sheridan even though it was foretold. Joe Straczinsky (The guy responsible for all this emotion) had a cameo part as the technician switching off the lights in the station before the evacuation.
This is a fitting goodbye to a truly great TV series.
It was good to see Ivanova back - this time as a General. She has obviously done well in the twenty years since she left Babylon 5. Delenn was wonderful in her grief at the death of John Sheridan even though it was foretold. Joe Straczinsky (The guy responsible for all this emotion) had a cameo part as the technician switching off the lights in the station before the evacuation.
This is a fitting goodbye to a truly great TV series.
Something truly wonderful has happened
ThePsychicPotato19 July 2009
After five years of blood, sweat, tears and laughter, we get to the bittersweet moment of knowing that this is it. The final episode. The swansong of a science-fiction show that really looked to tell a story over time, rather than a collection of shorter stories designed for individual consumption.
Not only does it tell a wonderful story, it does so with a beautiful sense of understatement.
The music, which as been stunning all the way through the series is perfectly balanced for the mood, especially 'Sleeping in Light', which plays when we see Sheridan's final scene.
And then top top it all off, we have JMS himself flicking the switch to turn off the lights, setting the final sequence in motion.
If TV was poetry, then this was pure Shakespeare.
Not only does it tell a wonderful story, it does so with a beautiful sense of understatement.
The music, which as been stunning all the way through the series is perfectly balanced for the mood, especially 'Sleeping in Light', which plays when we see Sheridan's final scene.
And then top top it all off, we have JMS himself flicking the switch to turn off the lights, setting the final sequence in motion.
If TV was poetry, then this was pure Shakespeare.
Fitting end
jpjohnson_20009 August 2018
This episode is a fitting end to the series, there were no loose ties to wrap up only the last event that connects to the earlier seasons of the series. Not going to give any spoilers away naturally but suffice it to say one does not get left wanting after this episode. On a side note come November 2018 it will be exactly 20 years since the episode aired. Since then we have lost Andreas Katsulas (G'kar), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Jerry Doyle (Garabaldi), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack) and Michael O'Hare (Commander Jeffrey Sinclair). I wonder how the episode would have looked if they had actually done it now with so many since gone?
Dignified and incredibly moving
bas12-990-48877417 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The last episode of Babylon 5 and in my opinion the very best of a series that still sets the bar for writing, characterisation and quality Science Fiction.
Some reviewers have called this episode 'dull' and, indeed, if you are looking for 'Bangs and Blood' then this will probably be true for you. If, however, you are looking for a supremely well acted conclusion to one of the greatest love stories of the genre look no further. The Sheridan/Delenn scenes are absolutely, heartbreakingly, emotional without ever being tacky or overly saccharine (a common fault to many American shows). It is one of the few things that makes even a emotionally repressed Englishman like myself shed a tear! This episode is the culmination of a sweeping story arc so if you haven't seen the previous seasons so much of the nuance will be lost on you. It is a mark of the talent and vision of JMS in his Sci-Fi writing that he would deliberately choose this cerebral ending over the flashy mindless option.
Some reviewers have called this episode 'dull' and, indeed, if you are looking for 'Bangs and Blood' then this will probably be true for you. If, however, you are looking for a supremely well acted conclusion to one of the greatest love stories of the genre look no further. The Sheridan/Delenn scenes are absolutely, heartbreakingly, emotional without ever being tacky or overly saccharine (a common fault to many American shows). It is one of the few things that makes even a emotionally repressed Englishman like myself shed a tear! This episode is the culmination of a sweeping story arc so if you haven't seen the previous seasons so much of the nuance will be lost on you. It is a mark of the talent and vision of JMS in his Sci-Fi writing that he would deliberately choose this cerebral ending over the flashy mindless option.
Powerful Dirge - And Storytelling Formats Then vs Now
themightyservo2 March 2019
Many people consider the saddest thing in sci-fi to have been Futurama's tragic episode "Jurassic Bark". Sleeping In Light gives a sweet Minbari ambassador's smile and replies "as you humans say... hold my beer and watch this."
The last three episodes of Babylon 5 are a solemn wrap for the show, with Sleeping In Light being the most powerful of them. Objects In Motion and Objects At Rest are a quiet wrap party as the saga winds to a close. Sleeping In Light is terribly, personally mournful for characters and especially the audience.
If you've followed the series to this point, it will feel like losing a loved one.
The note on storytelling is this - audiences when this episode originally aired were watching it on TV, and audiences now will watch it on DVD, BluRay, streaming, etc.
In the tabletop RPG Twilight 2000, a discussion between characters is had about how TV prevents dictatorships and societal madness because the impact is lost: "Then they interrupt him for a commercial for a blender that makes salads or some damn thing, and then some cereal that's gonna make you regular, I mean who can take him seriously?"
Sleeping In Light watched when it first aired would have been interrupted by commercials with Carrot Top telling people to use 1-800-COLLECT for phone calls. You'd go from characters you've known for half a decade dealing with their lives and changes and losses as they age and then be interrupted by a 30 second spot blasting you with some Smash Mouth garbage earworm. The episode would've been impactful, but not the same as today.
Sleeping In Light as viewed today without interruption is a powerful funereal dirge that is stressful bordering on heartache painful, because as it would've been viewed, there would've been moments where it let up and had to rebuild the feeling it was trying to evoke. Today's viewers don't get the show's emotions diluted at all.
As I thought after viewing, and as another reviewer also noted, it's been about 20 years since the last episode and much of the cast has passed on. For those getting back to the series and looking up what's happened since, it's almost as impactful as the episode, as much of the male cast is gone by 2019 - some of them fairly early. For those old enough to have watched the series on TV, even if infrequently, it's also sobering to see that 20 years has passed in life.
The last three episodes of Babylon 5 are a solemn wrap for the show, with Sleeping In Light being the most powerful of them. Objects In Motion and Objects At Rest are a quiet wrap party as the saga winds to a close. Sleeping In Light is terribly, personally mournful for characters and especially the audience.
If you've followed the series to this point, it will feel like losing a loved one.
The note on storytelling is this - audiences when this episode originally aired were watching it on TV, and audiences now will watch it on DVD, BluRay, streaming, etc.
In the tabletop RPG Twilight 2000, a discussion between characters is had about how TV prevents dictatorships and societal madness because the impact is lost: "Then they interrupt him for a commercial for a blender that makes salads or some damn thing, and then some cereal that's gonna make you regular, I mean who can take him seriously?"
Sleeping In Light watched when it first aired would have been interrupted by commercials with Carrot Top telling people to use 1-800-COLLECT for phone calls. You'd go from characters you've known for half a decade dealing with their lives and changes and losses as they age and then be interrupted by a 30 second spot blasting you with some Smash Mouth garbage earworm. The episode would've been impactful, but not the same as today.
Sleeping In Light as viewed today without interruption is a powerful funereal dirge that is stressful bordering on heartache painful, because as it would've been viewed, there would've been moments where it let up and had to rebuild the feeling it was trying to evoke. Today's viewers don't get the show's emotions diluted at all.
As I thought after viewing, and as another reviewer also noted, it's been about 20 years since the last episode and much of the cast has passed on. For those getting back to the series and looking up what's happened since, it's almost as impactful as the episode, as much of the male cast is gone by 2019 - some of them fairly early. For those old enough to have watched the series on TV, even if infrequently, it's also sobering to see that 20 years has passed in life.
10+10+10
johnlove-5131515 July 2018
If you have been immersed in the series, then this episode will leave you in tears. We have watched some of the best writing for a sci-if series ever: awards justly deserved, and this final episode offers closure. Having watched the series 6 or 7 times over now - I just know I will be in bits again when I come to the last episode. Babylon 5 remains the pinnacle of story telling, will it ever be bettered, I doubt it, pure escapism with real 3 dimensional characters. I am already looking forward to the next time I give it another spin.
If you watch this and feel nothing, you are made of wood...store yourself out back!
sppowell25 October 2011
This series is a writers dream. This episode is the ultimate denouement. It ties all the loose ends together perfectly and leaves you without those nagging "I wonder what the characters would be doing years later?" questions. Immensely satisfying and sublimely sad. If you watch this episode without watching the rest of the series, you do not understand and will not. Go make a smoothie, sit on your deck and mock the series as "overly sentimental". If you DID watch the rest of the series, you will feel close to these characters in ways you could not dream being close to ANY fictional character and the death of one of the most important will affect you personally. Like a death in the family, personally. J. Michael Straczynski (sic?) is one of THE MOST undervalued writers of our time. Marvel's CIVIL WAR story arc ALONE would put him up there with nearly any writer you care to name. This series (of which he personally wrote 22 episodes) is his David, his Last Supper, his Ninth Symphony. Devalue him, this series and this episode and appear a fool or, as Londo says "...heir to the throne of the kingdom of idiots..."!
Apparently, I am in the minority on this one...
planktonrules23 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Apparently, I am in the minority on this one because I did NOT particularly enjoy this final wrap-up episode of BABYLON 5--mostly because it was so darn depressing and deliberately tear-inducing. I'm not against shedding the occasional tear from time to time, but here the writer milks it throughout the entire episode.
We learned several seasons back that Sheridan died on Za'Ha'Dum and that the god-like being (Lorien) that lived within the planet revived him and gave him approximately 20 more years of life. So that fact that he would die later would come as no surprise to those who have been faithfully watching the show. However, as the episode begins, Sheridan is feeling run-down and messages are sent out to his old friends from B-5 to come to Minbar to say their goodbyes. And for a long time, we sit and watch and see everyone trying to keep a happy face as the wait for the final moment. However, in the end, Sheridan inexplicably runs off on a final fast revisit to some old hangouts (including B-5). And in the end, as he's all alone and dying, his friend Lorien reappears to him. When the ship is later found drifting, Sheridan is gone and so ends the series (except for some B-5 movies and the ill-fated CRUSADE series.
Too dreary and nothing that wasn't already expected. This makes this a skip-able final episode except for purists. Of course, what do I know? At this point, this is one of the highest rated episodes of the series!!
We learned several seasons back that Sheridan died on Za'Ha'Dum and that the god-like being (Lorien) that lived within the planet revived him and gave him approximately 20 more years of life. So that fact that he would die later would come as no surprise to those who have been faithfully watching the show. However, as the episode begins, Sheridan is feeling run-down and messages are sent out to his old friends from B-5 to come to Minbar to say their goodbyes. And for a long time, we sit and watch and see everyone trying to keep a happy face as the wait for the final moment. However, in the end, Sheridan inexplicably runs off on a final fast revisit to some old hangouts (including B-5). And in the end, as he's all alone and dying, his friend Lorien reappears to him. When the ship is later found drifting, Sheridan is gone and so ends the series (except for some B-5 movies and the ill-fated CRUSADE series.
Too dreary and nothing that wasn't already expected. This makes this a skip-able final episode except for purists. Of course, what do I know? At this point, this is one of the highest rated episodes of the series!!
A Powerful, Emotional Capstone to an Unforgetable Story
Loren-317 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
For anyone who has any real understanding of Babylon 5, this is the one episode which leaves an indelible impression. I know for myself that I cannot watch it without leaking tears in multiple places, though I've seen it now too many times to count. I suppose that tells me that I'm not just interested in these people; I'm invested in them. I buy into the B-5 universe, and Sheridan and Ivanova and Franklin and Delenn and G'Kar and Londo and all of them aren't just characters to me; they're people, utterly three-dimensional, real, believable people ... who have come to matter to me. Accuse me of drinking the Kool-Aid and I'll just wipe a red stain off my lips and reply, "Say what?"
It is an episode filled with moments, from Sheridan and Delenn watching the sunrise to the Ranger arriving in General Ivanova's office to that one shot of Sheridan looking in the mirror his last day on Mimbar and his last conversation with Lorien as the sun at once rises and sets for this former Earthforce captain. There is no part of "Sleeping" which is insignificant or unnecessary. There is one moment, though, which I particularly cherish, and it belongs to Stephen Furst - Vir Cotto. You know the scene: the party is in full swing and Garibaldi and Sheridan are laughing themselves sick about a long-past incident between them and a Pak'ma'ra:
Emperor Vir Cotto: You know, Londo never liked the Pak'ma'ra. I mean, they're stubborn, lazy, obnoxious, greedy...
Michael Garibaldi: Kinda look like an octopus that got run over by a truck.
Emperor Vir Cotto: That, too ... but one day Londo and I were walking past their quarters ... and we heard them ... singing.
John Sheridan: Singing? They can sing?
Dr. Stephen Franklin: There's nothing about that in the literature.
Emperor Vir Cotto: Apparently it's something they only do certain times of the year as part of their religious ceremonies. You may not believe this but it was the most beautiful sound I ever heard. I couldn't make out the words but I knew that it was full of sadness and hope and wonder and a terrible sense of loss. I looked at Londo and, this is the amazing part, there was a tear running down his face. I said, "Londo, we should leave. I mean, this is upsetting you." But he just stood there and listened. And when it was over he turned to me and he said, "There are 49 gods in our pantheon, Vir. To tell you the truth, I never believed in any of them. But if only one of them exists, then god sings with that voice." It's funny ... after everything we have been through, all he did ... I miss him.
What is significant to me about that moment is that we're looking at a Vir Cotto we haven't known up until now. If you listen to the commentary by JMS or the cast in the previous years, they can't mention Furst without bringing up "Flounder" of Animal House infamy, but this isn't that guy. It's not the Vir Cotto who came to B-5 a naïve, wet-behind-the-ears provincial, not even the more self-assured and newly appointed ambassador to the Centauri who decimated a Drazi's fruit stand in the Zocalo ("NOW! Wanna finish our little conversation, spoo-for-brains?"). This is someone else, someone with the weight of the title "Emperor" on his shoulders, someone far more seasoned and mature and actually having perhaps more than a little gravitas ... but it sure as hell isn't "Flounder."
The last comment I wanted to make is in Susan Ivanova's closing comments, which I think are especially significant, because they are true whether you live in the 23rd century or the 21st, very true for us as rational thinkers or anyone who seeks to live their life responsibly. It is a capstone to five years of mostly brilliant writing and believable acting and a story I am certain I will never tire of.
Thank you, Joe ... and thanks to all those who made Babylon 5 the brilliant work that it is.
General Susan Ivanova: Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations. There would never be another. It changed the future and it changed us. It taught us that we have to create the future, or others will do it for us. It showed us that we have to care for one another because if we don't, who will. And that true strength sometimes comes from the most unlikely places. Mostly, though, I think it gave us hope that there could always be new beginnings, even for people like us.
It is an episode filled with moments, from Sheridan and Delenn watching the sunrise to the Ranger arriving in General Ivanova's office to that one shot of Sheridan looking in the mirror his last day on Mimbar and his last conversation with Lorien as the sun at once rises and sets for this former Earthforce captain. There is no part of "Sleeping" which is insignificant or unnecessary. There is one moment, though, which I particularly cherish, and it belongs to Stephen Furst - Vir Cotto. You know the scene: the party is in full swing and Garibaldi and Sheridan are laughing themselves sick about a long-past incident between them and a Pak'ma'ra:
Emperor Vir Cotto: You know, Londo never liked the Pak'ma'ra. I mean, they're stubborn, lazy, obnoxious, greedy...
Michael Garibaldi: Kinda look like an octopus that got run over by a truck.
Emperor Vir Cotto: That, too ... but one day Londo and I were walking past their quarters ... and we heard them ... singing.
John Sheridan: Singing? They can sing?
Dr. Stephen Franklin: There's nothing about that in the literature.
Emperor Vir Cotto: Apparently it's something they only do certain times of the year as part of their religious ceremonies. You may not believe this but it was the most beautiful sound I ever heard. I couldn't make out the words but I knew that it was full of sadness and hope and wonder and a terrible sense of loss. I looked at Londo and, this is the amazing part, there was a tear running down his face. I said, "Londo, we should leave. I mean, this is upsetting you." But he just stood there and listened. And when it was over he turned to me and he said, "There are 49 gods in our pantheon, Vir. To tell you the truth, I never believed in any of them. But if only one of them exists, then god sings with that voice." It's funny ... after everything we have been through, all he did ... I miss him.
What is significant to me about that moment is that we're looking at a Vir Cotto we haven't known up until now. If you listen to the commentary by JMS or the cast in the previous years, they can't mention Furst without bringing up "Flounder" of Animal House infamy, but this isn't that guy. It's not the Vir Cotto who came to B-5 a naïve, wet-behind-the-ears provincial, not even the more self-assured and newly appointed ambassador to the Centauri who decimated a Drazi's fruit stand in the Zocalo ("NOW! Wanna finish our little conversation, spoo-for-brains?"). This is someone else, someone with the weight of the title "Emperor" on his shoulders, someone far more seasoned and mature and actually having perhaps more than a little gravitas ... but it sure as hell isn't "Flounder."
The last comment I wanted to make is in Susan Ivanova's closing comments, which I think are especially significant, because they are true whether you live in the 23rd century or the 21st, very true for us as rational thinkers or anyone who seeks to live their life responsibly. It is a capstone to five years of mostly brilliant writing and believable acting and a story I am certain I will never tire of.
Thank you, Joe ... and thanks to all those who made Babylon 5 the brilliant work that it is.
General Susan Ivanova: Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations. There would never be another. It changed the future and it changed us. It taught us that we have to create the future, or others will do it for us. It showed us that we have to care for one another because if we don't, who will. And that true strength sometimes comes from the most unlikely places. Mostly, though, I think it gave us hope that there could always be new beginnings, even for people like us.
A Fitting Conclusion
dagnalljulia25 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
If you're going to wrap up five years of story, this is the way to do it. The few negative reviews that I've seen complain that this episode is too sad, but endings are sad. A lot of series try to gloss over this, or leave a loophole that means that the show can carry on or be revived in one form or another. But one of the things I admire most about Babylon 5 is this: they blow up the station. It's like saying this thing is special, it had its time, and that time is past. There are more stories to be told in this universe, but the characters that we know best have all moved on, they've had lives, they've made choices and had to live with the consequences of them, just like they did throughout the series.
Watch it with a box of tissues, but watch it more than once.
Watch it with a box of tissues, but watch it more than once.
A deeply emotional outing to the greatest show in history
InfiniteJesterII29 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Warning: Do not read unless you have seen this episode
Sleeping in Light is, by light years, the greatest TV finale I've ever seen. It's even better than TNG's "All Good Things," which, too, was phenomenal.
Sleeping in Light is a genius end episode, and I cried at multiple points throughout. Seeing Delenn watching the sunset, Sheridan's spirit beside her -- heartbreaking stuff.
This was a deeply satisfying end to this excellent show; Sheridan passing beyond the rim, Babylon 5 ending in fire, as it was foretold, peace across the galaxy, it really felt like a well-made ending. I believe that this and the previous two episodes served collectively as a wonderful ending to this legendary five year arc, to which there is absolutely no comparison.
You could tell that every single member of the cast of this episode was acting their heart out; Christopher Franke's score was deeply sad and atmospheric, especially his scoring of the last five minutes of the episode.
10/10; simply genius.
Sleeping in Light is, by light years, the greatest TV finale I've ever seen. It's even better than TNG's "All Good Things," which, too, was phenomenal.
Sleeping in Light is a genius end episode, and I cried at multiple points throughout. Seeing Delenn watching the sunset, Sheridan's spirit beside her -- heartbreaking stuff.
This was a deeply satisfying end to this excellent show; Sheridan passing beyond the rim, Babylon 5 ending in fire, as it was foretold, peace across the galaxy, it really felt like a well-made ending. I believe that this and the previous two episodes served collectively as a wonderful ending to this legendary five year arc, to which there is absolutely no comparison.
You could tell that every single member of the cast of this episode was acting their heart out; Christopher Franke's score was deeply sad and atmospheric, especially his scoring of the last five minutes of the episode.
10/10; simply genius.
Fare thee well, B5
GraXXoR17 July 2023
What an absolute send off!
The previous two episodes started to pull the remaining threads together but this episode closed the chapter with a resounding emotional clout.
I first watched B5 back in the 1990s' but graduated before season 5 aired. As such, I kinda finished the show back in the day with a decent closure and said my goodbyes....
Come the age of bittorrent, I was able rewatch the whole show and call me stupefied to realise that there was a 5th season.
I did a bit of research, and tbh expected season 5 to be a whole lot of pants.... But after ploughing with vigour through the first four seasons I came to the conclusion that JMS managed to imbue this extraneous year with a whole load of humanity.
Instead of galactic war between the species, we got more character driven, personal, emotional plots, with Londo at his most vulnerable.
All in all a wonderful season crowned by what must be one of the finest installments of episodic television ever released.
While the acting may have been a wee bit ropey and the production somewhat suspect by modern A tier TV standards, this 1990s low budget sci fi and social commentary masterpiece is right up there with The Expanse ... mixed with the clout of the final episode of Six Feet Under...
The previous two episodes started to pull the remaining threads together but this episode closed the chapter with a resounding emotional clout.
I first watched B5 back in the 1990s' but graduated before season 5 aired. As such, I kinda finished the show back in the day with a decent closure and said my goodbyes....
Come the age of bittorrent, I was able rewatch the whole show and call me stupefied to realise that there was a 5th season.
I did a bit of research, and tbh expected season 5 to be a whole lot of pants.... But after ploughing with vigour through the first four seasons I came to the conclusion that JMS managed to imbue this extraneous year with a whole load of humanity.
Instead of galactic war between the species, we got more character driven, personal, emotional plots, with Londo at his most vulnerable.
All in all a wonderful season crowned by what must be one of the finest installments of episodic television ever released.
While the acting may have been a wee bit ropey and the production somewhat suspect by modern A tier TV standards, this 1990s low budget sci fi and social commentary masterpiece is right up there with The Expanse ... mixed with the clout of the final episode of Six Feet Under...
Logical, but boring as hell.
snowball-154 January 2010
I see here only one not glowing review and this is why I would like to chime in. While the episode does provide a logical conclusion to the series, it is barely watchable. It is trying to milk you for tears and nothing of interest happens. Granted, in real life a similar story would have likely had an ending like that, this is not a real life. This is science fiction, which should shed an original light on a human nature while inspiring us and making us say "wow". And for 5 years it did. However, only now, after watching the Babylon-5 finale, I do fully appreciate what SG-1 writers did with their finale "Unending". While individual stories and arcs were not always as great as some in Babylon's, SG-1 finale was far superior and incomparably more watchable. Adventures still happened, and they ended going towards another day of work - possibly another adventure, with hope and with a message that life goes on and there are still things to do and future to make. Babylon people just got sad and got on with their lives. Their lives after the series were not by all means boring, but the ending dwelled on the sad and made me only yawn. Don't get me wrong, I am not against sadness, I am for better writing about the sad things. This was a huge disappointment, after 5 brilliant seasons - just a boring blip trying to manipulate you into squeezing a tear.
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