History YMMV / Babylonfive

** Londo's "Purple Folder" is an encrypted file containing all the secrets he's gathered about his rivals in the Centauri royalty (S3 E01 "Born To The Purple"). "Purple" was also the American name for the Japanese Foreign Office encryption cipher used from February 1939 through the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWar2.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: General Richard Franklin, Dr. Franklin's father, has a complicated relationship with his son and is an interesting combination of an OfficerAndAGentleman, a FourStarBadass, AFatherToHisMen, a HeroOfAnotherStory (he is conducting a vital campaign and has nicknames like "Old Firestorm," "The Liberator of the African Bloc," "Hero of the Canal Wars," and "Scourge of Janos VII") and a VillainOfAnotherStory (he has mild authoritarian tendencies, really hates aliens, and supports developing biological weapons). He appears in a grand total of one episode (plus a cameo in the novelization of ''Film/BabylonFiveInTheBeginning''), then is never seen or significantly mentioned again. It isn't even revealed which side of the Earth Alliance Civil War he fights on except through WordOfGod.

** The protagonists actions in "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E20Endgame Endgame]]". In the post 9/11 era no one would condone the use of telepaths as suicide bombers without risking comparisons to Al-qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS or any extremist group.

* BetterOnDVD: It's easier to follow the arc-based story structure. It also makes Season 5's [[ArcFatigue telepath arc]] better, since you can move along faster.

** With a number nations in the 21st Century experiencing democratic backsliding and hostility towards immigrants, the dangers of President Clark's brand of authoritarian ultranationalism and xenophobia seem more relevant than ever before.

** In the continuing wake of the 2016 American presidential election, the dangers of President Clark's brand of authoritarian ultranationalism and xenophobia seem more relevant than ever before.

** Seeing original ISN anchor Jane return to the screen alive and well, if a little shaken (along with the original ISN intro animation) in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E20Endgame "Endgame"]] after roughly a season and a half of being incarcerated by the Clark regime while ISN was being used to broadcast propaganda and slander. Also qualifies as a TearJerker and SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment.

** Seeing original ISN anchor Jane return to the screen alive and well, if a little shaken (along with the original ISN intro animation) in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E20Endgame "Endgame"]] after over a season and a half of being incarcerated by the Clark regime while ISN was being used to broadcast propaganda and slander. Also qualifies as a TearJerker and SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment.

** Seeing original ISN anchor Jane return to the screen alive and well, if a little shaken (along with the original ISN intro animation) in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E20Endgame "Endgame"]] after over a season and a half of being incarcerated by the Clark regime while ISN was being used to broadcast propaganda and slander.

** Seeing original ISN anchor Jane return to the screen alive and well, if a little shaken (along with the original ISN intro animation), in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E20Endgame "Endgame"]] after over a season and a half of being incarcerated by the Clark regime while ISN was being used to broadcast propaganda and slander.

* CatharsisFactor: Part of why the show has aged so well - after watching the bad guys' psychotic villainy built up over the course of so many episodes, watching them get their just deserts is ''immensely'' satisfying.
** [[spoiler:Lord Refa]] getting beaten to death by a vengeful mob of angry Narns. The black preacher leading a [[SoundtrackDissonance lively cover of a Christian hymnal]] about the wicked getting their punishment when Judgment Day arrives really drives it home.
** Londo finally getting one over Morden [[spoiler:by blowing up the island where the Shadows are stationed, then killing the two Shadows in the room, and finally ordering Morden's execution. After three seasons of them being [[EldritchAbomination unstoppable demons]], it's beyond satisfying to watch the Shadows and their servant truly, utterly ''lose'' completely.]]

** While Jha'dur is called the SoleSurvivor of her (admittedly sinister) race after the Dilgar homeworld went up in a supernova, many fans think their expansionist attitude could have made the Dilgar set up a hidden colony or two that missed their military defeat and exile back home. WordOfGod has confirmed that is the case and they are being very careful to avoid being found...

** While Jha'dur is called the SoleSurvivor of her (admittedly sinister) race after the Dilgar homeworld went up in a supernova, many fans think their expansionist attitude could have made the Dilgar set up a hidden colony or two that missed their military defeat and exile back home.

* GenreTurningPoint: Arguably for the entire genre of dramatic television in America, not just in sci-fi, but American television ''period.'' Story arcs were already common in US TV, but''B5'' pioneered the use of long-range {{Story Arc}}s that would take years to unfild, which executives previously did not expect American audiences to embrace. While ''B5'' was never a mainstream hit, it did prove that US audiences could be loyal viewers of a complex, multi-layered story that had a planned ending. Every subsequent prestige US dramatic TV show (''Series/{{Lost}}'', ''Series/BreakingBad'', ''Series/TheWalkingDead'', ''Series/GameOfThrones'', you name it, etc.) which has followed that path owes a debt to ''Babylon 5''. ''B5'' was not the first American TV show to have a MythArc (the term originated with ''Series/TheXFiles'', and the concept in US TV terms dates back to at least ''Series/TheFugitive''), but it was the first American series to work out a complex and complete MythArc in advance of shooting a single episode. Nowadays, a well-reasoned and planned MythArc for quality dramatic TV [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny is the norm]], not the exception.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** Particularly if you've already seen other, subsequent, MythArc SpaceOpera shows such as ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}''. Back in 1994 the idea of a syndicated TV show having a continuing, multi-seasonal arc was unheard of, now it's practically required. Although even these days, you don't really see any shows where the creator went so far as to plan out ''the entire story'' from day one. Also, Babylon 5 is still impressive by how well they pulled it off. It mostly rewards repeated viewings, while the "making it up as we go along" nature of shows like ''Series/{{Lost}}'' and ''Battlestar Galactica'' becomes more apparent on re-watch. The show has even been noted by [[Creator/BobChipman some]] as being ripe for a reboot, in these days when TV networks are far more open to serialized stories.
** The romance between Ivanova and Talia now comes off as quite tepid, but JMS did fully intend to take it further if Andrea Thompson hadn't left the show (he made sure early on that both actresses would be okay with physical romance scenes, to which they responded by passionately making out), to a level unheard of at a time that even predates [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Willow and Tara]]. His later work on ''Series/{{Sense8}}'' stands as proof that he's not shy ''at all'' about this kind of material.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Quite a few over the show's run. Special mention goes to "And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place."
** And the music playing at the end of the very last episode.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Ff2zZ27ow The bar music]] in “The Face of the Enemy” playing when Sheridan is [[spoiler:arrested thanks to a brainwashed Garibaldi]].
** The later opening arrangements are certain to inspire chills as the music perfectly captures the emotions of their individual seasons.
** "Requiem for the Line", the tense music generally associated with the Battle of the Line. First used in "And the Sky Full of Stars", and later used as the opening theme for season 3.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** When one sees [[Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle Malcolm's Dad]][=/=][[Series/BreakingBad Walter White]] as a Ranger and [[Series/{{Scrubs}} Dr. Kelso]] as an Earthforce Captain.
** In "The Long Night", Creator/BryanCranston played a Ranger. Two decades later, he would be involved with a [[Film/PowerRangers2017 different type of Rangers]].
** Also, with [[MemeticMutation "You Can't Break Those Cuffs"]], the scene in which G'kar is chained up, and told that he can't break those chains. [[spoiler: G'kar breaks the chains.]]
** Also the scene where Garibaldi vents his frustrations by slamming a bar loudmouth's head down on a desk [[Film/TheDarkKnight while claiming it is a magic trick]].
** In season 3, there is mention of a serial killer named Charles ''[[Series/{{Dexter}} Dexter.]]'' Doubles as a ShoutOut to "Literature/TheCaseOfCharlesDexterWard" by Creator/HPLovecraft.
** In season 4 "Rising Star" someone put a "dog shaming" sign [[spoiler:on the dead body of President Clark, who committed suicide in the previous episode. It read "Traitor to Earth"]].
** The "privacy field" seen only in the pilot episode looks a lot like the lighting effects from ''Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire''.
** A few years after the series, JMS began suffering from acid reflux, with part of his treatment being to sleep in an elevated position. That is, he now sleeps on a Minbari bed.
** In ''The War Prayer'' in Season One, the home guard members mention their conspiracy to stage a mass assassination of the major ambassadors of Babylon 5 - Delenn, Londo, G'Kar...[[PhysicalGod And Kosh]]. TooDumbToLive embodied right there, if the Home Guard thought they could kill a Vorlon.
** Many fans of the series have pointed out that ''Series/AncientAliens'' correspondent Giorgio Tsoukalos' [[MemeticHair infamous hairstyle]] rather resembles that of a Centauri (itself based on Marvel Comics's Shi'ar race).
** The Centauri race are very obviously based on the Shi'ar Star Empire from Creator/MarvelComics. Three years after the show ended, J. Michael Straczynski would go on to write for Marvel Comics, largely because of the clout he gained creating Babylon 5.
** The original "Gathering" pilot and 4th season episode "The Illusion of Truth" feature automated hovering drone cameras. This, no doubt, seemed incredibly futuristic to the viewing audiences of 1993. Not so much today.
** In ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}'' Bruce Boxleitner plays a Vice President who's suddenly thrust into the Presidency after his highly popular and alien-friendly boss resigns, naturally raising suspicions among fans that he was behind it. Even better, the role was originally going to be played by Creator/BrentSpiner from B5's arch nemesis franchise.
* HomegrownHero: Practically all the human representatives, if their origins are explored, are from the US, the Russian Susan Ivanova being a notable exception.
** Sinclair is from Mars, though it's not mentioned as frequently as Ivanova's origin. Similarly, Marcus is from a distant colony which was destroyed by the Shadows.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Sinclair/O'Hare's exit from the show. ''There was a hole in his mind.''
*** "And the Sky Full of Stars" features Sinclair being drugged and suffering from delusions. It was revealed after Michael O'Hare's death that he suffered from schizophrenia, which was the real reason he left the show after the first season.
*** There's also his angrily telling Bester "Get out of my head!"
*** And saying "Enough people have messed with my brain this year" in "Eyes." Even worse, that was the last episode to be filmed in the season, so when he said it he was actually very close to starting intensive therapy to manage his condition.
*** Crossing into real life, Jerry Doyle wasn't aware of O'Hare's condition and did a few interviews where he derisively called O'Hare "crazy."
** One of Zathras's most memorable lines is "[Zathras] probably have very sad death." The actor playing him, Tim Choate, died in a motorcycle accident.
** Franklin's musing on the briefness of human life in his debut episode. His actor Richard Biggs only lived half of one, dying at age 44 from a heart condition.
** The scene after Londo gets G'Kar removed from the council, where Sheridan tells him that he'll miss him and how the council just won't be the same without him. The actor playing G'Kar, Andreas Katsulas, died from lung cancer in 2006, and was mourned by all the rest of the crew.
** A more in-universe example: At the beginning of ''Walking Through Gethsemane'', Ivanova asks Brother Edward if he wants to place a wager on a chess match. Brother Edward replies that gambling is a lesser sin, and he always felt that if you're gonna sin, go for one of the really big ones. This joke takes on a new light when it turns out [[spoiler: that before he had his memory wiped, he was a SerialKiller]].
** A semi-fictional list of unexpected power grabs includes "Russia in 1917 and 2013." Cue Russia's invasion of Ukraine[[note]]Which was also around the time that Russia abandoned any pretense of being less than a dictatorship[[/note]] at that time.
** Another more in-universe one. Londo at one point jokingly wonders to Morden why he and his associates don't just wipe out the Narn homeworld. Near the end of the season, when his own people really do bombard it with asteroids, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Londo is silent and horrified.]]
*** Doubles as Foreshadowing, since Morden's only reply is a patient "One thing at a time, Ambassador."
** In [[Recap/BabylonFiveS05E08DayOfTheDead "Day of the Dead"]], we learn that Lochley's childhood friend Zoe dying by overdose at a fairly young age, ending what was clearly a rough life, is what inspired her to get her life back on track and enroll in Earthforce. While the choice of name was most likely just a coincidence on scriptwriter Creator/NeilGaiman's part, cult actress and writer Creator/ZoeLund would die in this exact manner the following year at the relatively young age of 37 after having lived a thoroughly miserable life. Adding to the eerie coincidence, Lund had previously made a brief appearance alongside the episode's main guest star [[Creator/PennAndTeller Penn Jillette]] in the ''Series/MiamiVice'' episode "The Prodigal Son".
** In the series finale, Zack Allen walks with a limp 20 years later due to a prosthetic leg. Creator/JeffConaway would wind up in a wheelchair due to his painkiller addiction, and didn't make it 20 years past the end of the show.
*** There's a scene involving Zack, Garibaldi, and Lochley in "The River of Souls" where they discuss the afterlife. As of 2017, two of the actors have found out about it personally.
** In "Walkabout," Franklin wakes up after a one-night stand to find the woman unconscious, much like the circumstances of Richard Biggs' wife finding him dead.
** Part of season 5 was devoted to Garibaldi's lapse into alcoholism. Alcoholism was a contributing factor in Jerry Doyle's death in 2017.
** In the series finale, just before the station's destruction, Ivanova, Delenn, Vir, Franklin, Zack, and Garibaldi all take a last look around. Less than 25 years later, five of the six actors in that scene had passed away.
** Sheridan and Delenn spend years knowing he's going to die in his 60s. In fact, it was Mira Furlan who died at 65 after years of failing health.
** Sheridan being doomed to die in his 60s also makes it horribly ironic that Bruce Boxleitner was one of shockingly few members of the show's main cast who made it to age 70.
** The sheer amount of untimely deaths suffered by the cast and crew, which even more than ''Film/{{Poltergeist|1982}}'' or ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' can make you wonder if there's a curse on them:
*** Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), congenital heart defect in 2004 at age 44.
*** Tim Choate (Zathras), motorcycle accident in 2004 at age 49.
*** Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar), lung cancer in 2006 at age 59.
*** Creator/JeffConaway (Zack Allan), pneumonia as a complication of opiate addiction in 2011 at age 60.
*** Michael O'Hare (Jeffrey Sinclair), heart attack after years of schizophrenia in 2012 at age 60.
*** Jerry Doyle (Michael Garibaldi), heart attack as a complication from years of alcoholism in 2016 at age 60.
*** Stephen Furst (Vir Cotto), complications from diabetes in 2017 at age 63.
*** Larry [=DiTillio=] (writer & executive story editor), Parkinson's Disease in 2019 at age 71.
*** Mira Furlan (Delenn), complications from West Nile virus in 2021 at age 65.
--->'''JMS''': It is another loss in a string of losses that I cannot understand. Of the main cast, we have lost Richard Biggs, Michael O'Hare, Andreas Katsulas, Jeff Conaway, and now Jerry Doyle, and I'm goddamned tired of it. So dear sweet universe, if you are paying attention in the vastness of interstellar space, take a moment from plotting the trajectory of comets and designing new DNA in farflung cosmos, and spare a thought for those who you have plucked so untimely from our ranks... and knock it off for a while. Because this isn't fair.