RETRO TV REVIEW: Babylon 5 S5, E22: "Sleeping in Light"

There are times when life imitates art, and sometimes in a bittersweet way. It has been over 22 years since the final episode of Babylon 5 aired, an episode set 20 years after the main story of Babylon 5 concluded. “Sleeping in Light” also an episode that celebrates absent friends of the show, and this also has been far too commonplace in the years since the show finally ended. In the years following, far too many people associated with the show have now passed Beyond the Rim and into light: Michael O’Hare, Richard Biggs, Jerry Doyle, Andreas Katsulas, Stephen Furst, Jeff Conaway and, most recently, Mira Furlan. These cast members made Babylon 5 the show it was, all bringing the unique vision of creator J. Michael Straczynski to life. In many ways, “Sleeping in Light” honors the memory of these people and the characters they played as they all say their final goodbyes to their five-year-run on the show.

“Sleeping in Light” is an episode that celebrates the transition of endings into beginnings, as much as it is a reflection on death as a natural part of life. This episode is in many ways an epilogue chapter, designed only to resolve a single point: the approaching death of John Sheridan. By this point, the main action of the series had already been resolved in the previous seasons—the universe is at peace, the result of Sheridan’s efforts as the President of the Galactic Alliance. However, twenty years gone, Sheridan knows that his time is running out, twenty years of extra time given to him by Lorien of the First Ones at Z’Ha’Dum. The episode is dedicated to the end of Sheridan’s life, how Sheridan faces his destiny, and how the people around him come to terms with that fact. Although the episode will spoil certain things for those who have never seen the show, none of those details truly matter, because those spoilers are not what this story is about. The episode is Straczynski’s statement on death and what lies beyond, about the turning of the page of life, and about the Babylon 5 crew’s farewell to the series.

The result is a masterfully well-written episode, and it is so because Straczynski brings such a deft touch to the material. It would be easy to make this an over-the-top and extravagant finish to the series, much like Russell T. Davies did at the end of his Doctor Who run. In contrast, JMS decides to make the story very subtle, very somber, and extremely quiet. Because of that, “Sleeping in Light” becomes all the more emotionally powerful. The characters all know what is happening to Sheridan, and the story does a good job of explaining this even for new viewers through old clips of past seasons. Moreover, the subtlety is completely in character, as Sheridan chooses to face his death with dignity, choosing to pass Beyond the Rim as the man he has always been. Sheridan does not want his friends to cry over him; he wants instead to celebrate his life and his accomplishments, with the people who matter the most to him. This is also an episode that could easily have fallen into boredom; there is no villain, no grand epic storyline, and not a single frame of action. This is a story about a great man meeting the end of his life, choosing to end it on his terms, as the hero he has always been. Yet even with the quieter, introspective tone of the story, each frame is riveting and compelling, with some sharp dialogue from Straczynski and some excellent character moments. It’s a bold decision, but one that works out for the best for the season and the series as a whole.

Because of this creative approach by JMS, the actors are given a great deal to work with, and they do so admirably. Although Bruce Boxleitner is more respected as an action hero, he holds the story firm with his performance as Sheridan. Boxleitner brings some real heart into his performance as Sheridan, putting on a brave front while he is inwardly fading away with each moment. His scenes with Mira Furlan, playing his Minbari wife Delenn, are powerful and heartbreaking as the love that became a key component of the show meets a tragic end. Even very simple shots, like Delenn clutching her husband’s pillow after he has gone, gets the heartbreak and loss across in a way that dialogue cannot accomplish. Their goodbye is beautifully directed by Straczynski and in a way that perfectly encapsulates what their relationship has become—she cannot bear to let Sheridan go, while Sheridan knows that he must let go so he can ensure the galaxy’s future. Claudia Christian is always excellent as Ivanova, ending her journey as a wounded warrior who is on the path to healing. Jerry Doyle and Richard Biggs only get small moments as Garibaldi and Dr. Franklin, but their friendship survives even great endings. Stephen Furst comes across as a deeply changed character, given his station in life, having become a more serious character after being a comic sidekick to Londo Mollari for much of the series. Jeff Conaway gets only a very small role in the episode, but it’s good to see him included, since he was a fixture on the station for much of the show’s run. Every cast member with a surviving character is represented well, and even the dead ones are given their due respect.

“Sleeping in Light” is the first and last episode of Babylon 5 to be directed by J. Michael Straczynski, and it’s a powerful concluding episode. It’s an episode built on a very strong theme, but it’s also a show about farewells and about beginnings that are born from endings. “To absent friends,” as Sheridan toasts, “in memory still bright”. Babylon 5 was a show that had meant much to me while it was on the air, and its ending still hits hard even today. However, this is an ending build on a note of hope, that a single life can make the universe a brighter place. In the end, Babylon 5 resonates as brightly as it ever has, all these long years later, and it’s a final episode that’s still worth watching even now.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Director: J. Michael Straczynski

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs, Steven Furst, Jeff Conaway, Wayne Alexander

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).