BPP – Thirdspace

The Babylon Project Podcast

The first of five Babylon 5 movies we’ll watch and discuss. If you have the same box set as some of us do, Thirdspace is the third movie, but the one we start with. In terms of the show’s chronology, it takes place between Seasons 4 and 5.

The movie opens with a monologue by Sheridan. He tells us we’re between the wars in the year 2261. The raiders are a problem and we see a dear friend right in the middle of the fight addressing the problem: Susan Ivanova. In fine Ivanova fashion, when the raiders threaten her squadron with the power of a larger mother ship, Susan brings in a fleet of her own, and the raiders relent. Seeing Susan after so long is like coming home.

Lyta has a job as a sort of Telepath Private Eye and we watch her dealing with quarreling brothers to resolve a disagreement between them. During this scene though, she isn’t feeling well…caused by something in Hyperspace. When we see this object adrift, along with the nearby Starfuries, we see just how big it is: massive, at nearly 1/2 a mile across! Before long, the plan forms for the Starfuries to tow it into the vicinity of the station. As it draws closer, Lyta is having pretty horrible visions.

The object shows signs of having received weapons fire, and because it’s a unique and possibly ancient artifact, it draws the attention of the quickly arriving Intergalactic Planetary Expedition (IPX) vessel commanded by a Dr. Elizabeth Trent. In addition to drawing in IPX, we see it can also draw power from objects (like maintenance bots) that get too close, suggesting something a little sinister about this old artifact. As we learn more, it’s revealed that it’s over one million years old! Trent argues that it’s within IPX’s pursue and authority to examine the artifact and ultimately wins the day. She also comes across as fairly disingenuous.

Lyta’s state worsens as she begins to apparently lose her mind…scribbled notes, mumbling…with it all unfolding in what should have been an intimate moment of courage for Zach. Alone in the elevator, he finally has the courage to admit his feelings for her. Her response: a disheveled glare. He quickly backpedals and lets her know it’s okay that she (apparently) doesn’t feel the same in this sad but somewhat comical moment.

Odd events continue to happen. Somehow Trent knows about Lyta’s past, including the fact that the Vorlons altered her, and letting us know there really is probably something more to Trent than meets the eye. Things get a little stranger in the Zocalo and Susan is hearing things. The artifact is quite possibly a doorway, or a gate similar to a jump gate, but much more powerful: a super jump gate. We quickly learn the artifact is just that. Where jump gates allow passage from regular space into and through hyperspace, the artifact is a similar technology that allows access to a third form of space. Traditional jump gates allow very fast travel from point to point through hyperspace, the artifact and similar gates allow for instantaneous travel through “thirdspace”. In this case, with the proximity of the artifact, we learn that it’s the cause of the emerging chaos on Babylon 5 and that in this control of people, it’s working to power up and become operational. We can also say with confidence it seems to be controlling Trent.

The Vorlon in Lyta finally comes out and teaches everyone what the artifact is. It’s a gateway to another dimension, created by the Vorlons in their attempt to find their god, and perhaps become gods themselves. It backfired. The beings on the other side were powerful enough to scare the Vorlons, and in essence they were the opposite of life as we know it in this universe. They were anti-life. She reveals the only way they can shut the artifact down at this point, and ensure those on the other side don’t come through the gate and destroy our universe. It involves Sheridan, a space suit with a jet pack, and a nuclear weapon.

As things are getting dire outside the artifact, with the fight favoring the enemy, the Whitestar fleet finally arrives, and holds the enemy at bay to some extent. Sheridan, protected only by luck, flies through the swarm of ships, delivers the nuclear device within the artifact, and runs. The device goes off, the artifact is destroyed and the gate closes as a giant ship is coming through. Sheridan somehow avoids destruction in the nuclear blast, it’s confirmed Trent was under the control of the beings behind the artifact, and things begin to return to normal.

The movie ends as it began: with a monologue from Sheridan. It was all true, and all a lie.

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https://babylonprojectpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/bpp-thirdspace.mp3