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* EvilVirtues: "The Hand reward loyalty. It is their only virtue."
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''Series/BabylonFive: The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight'' is a 2002 TVMovie.
In 2265, a ragtag crew of Anla'Shok assigned to a haunted old vessel must help escort Ambassador G'Kar and other ISA dignitaries to a conference on Babylon 5 to discuss the discovery of ancient ruins connected to a mysterious new antagonistic force that has been attacking Interstellar Alliance ships. When they are ambushed by "the Hand", their mission turns into one of survival.
Originally meant to be a BackDoorPilot for a new spin off, the show was never picked up.
----
!!This movie contains examples of:
* AbusivePrecursors: The Hand are a malevolent race of First Ones bent on conquest, and even worse than the Shadows if their minions are to be believed.
* AllThereInTheManual: The Council seen in this movie is the previously unmentioned Anla'Shok High Council, in charge of the Rangers. Given the similar robes and similar meeting space, one could be forgiven for mistaking them for the Grey Council, which governs the Minbari Federation as a whole.
* TheBigGuy: Tirk, a ''Liandra'' crewmember who is the first Drazi to join the Anla'Shok. He describes his role on the ship as "I carry large things".
* BunnyEarsLawyer: While holding him in respect, the other ISA dignitaries tend to see G'Kar as this due to his penchant for flamboyant humor in the face of crisis. The Drazi delegate tells Tirk that he should be careful, because he often thinks that too much exposure to humans has driven G'Kar mad.
* TheCaptain: After serving as executive officer on another ship, David is made captain of the ''Liandra''. At the same time, Tannier is given command of a much newer, bigger and more advanced ship called the ''Valen''. It's established by this movie that the captain of a Ranger ship is called the Shok-na.
* ContinuityNod: G'Kar again mentions that every sentient race has a dish identical to Swedish meatballs. And repeats his line that no one on Babylon 5 is exactly what they appear.
* EmbarrassingFirstName: Subverted. Tirk tells the Drazi delegate that his name was invented by his mother to mean "Don't touch me, I'm not having another child after this, ever!" While humans would consider that an embarrassing name, the Drazi dignitary says that Tirk's family must be very proud for him to have a name that puts so much meaning into such a short word.
* EnsembleCast: They don't all get equal time to shine in this first outing, but the pilot movie establishes the nine-person senior crew of the ''Liandra'' (four humans, three Minbari, a Narn and a Drazi), who would presumably all have gone on into the series if it had been picked up.
* EvilVirtues: "The Hand reward loyalty. It is their only virtue."
* FantasticRacism: What David feels is the reason Tirk and Na'Feel haven't been assigned to a ship before now. Dulann confirms that the Narn and Drazi are still seen as unrefined compared to the Anla'Shok's human and Minbari members.
* FieryRedhead: Red-haired human crewmember Sarah Cantrell is the ''Liandra'''s gunnery officer, a DeadpanSnarker and TheLadette.
* GenkiGuy: Human crewmember Kitaro Sasaki, the ''Liandra'''s communications and navigation specialist. His personal truth at the dedication ceremony is, "I'm just really glad to be here."
* HeroicSacrifice: Tannier and his ship the ''Valen'' sacrifice themselves against the Hand to buy time for the ''Liandra'' to escape with the lifepods of the ISA delegates.
* HonorBeforeReason: David is called before the Anla'Shok High Council for punishment because he gave the order to run from an unwinnable battle with [[SpacePirates Raiders]] after the death of his captain instead of getting his already-damaged ship destroyed and the rest of his crew all killed, in violation of the Minbari tradition to never retreat from battle. G'Kar talks the Council into giving him command of a ship instead, albeit an outdated one believed to be haunted.
* ISeeDeadPeople: After being badly wounded, Dulann is able to see the ghosts of the ''Liandra'''s former crew. Firell explains to a skeptical David that Dulann would be especially sensitive to such things as (a) a Minbari, (b) a minor telepath and (c) close to the veil between life and death himself.
* {{Interquel}}: This movie is set in March 2265, over a year and a half before the previous movie ''[[Film/BabylonFiveACallToArms A Call to Arms]]'' (set in December 2266) and the subsequent events of ''Series/{{Crusade}}''.
* ItOnlyWorksOnce: Masterfully subverted. [[spoiler:The crew manage to destroy the second Hand ship by using the same secret bomb trick they used on the first one, counting on the Hand to assume that they wouldn't try the same move twice because ''they'd'' assume the Hand wouldn't fall for it again]].
* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: David and Dulann are old friends, and they playfully bicker and engage in SnarkToSnarkCombat constantly.
* MasterOfDisguise: Human crewmember Malcolm Bridges is the infiltration specialist on the ''Liandra'' and uses a personal holonet to take on others' appearance and voices. At one point, he impersonates G'Kar to calm down the other delegates while the real one is giving David {{Exposition}} elsewhere on the ship (the real G'Kar is not amused when he sees his lookalike). Later, [[spoiler:he impersonates Minister Kafta in order to lure the Hand into a trap]].
* TheMedic: Minbari crewmember Firell is the ship's doctor on the ''Liandra''.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:One of the ISA delegates, Minister Kafta]] is working for the Hand. And the ghosts of the previous ''Liandra'' crew inform Dulann that they were also sold out by one of their own and whoever survived them is their betrayer, which would have been a plot thread for the aborted series.
* NumberTwo: Dulann to David on the ''Liandra''. David to the captain on their previous ship, the ''Enfali''. This movie establishes that the executive officer on a Ranger ship is called the Shok-nali.
* OhMyGods: Malcolm says, "In Valen's name!" at one point. Also an OhCrap moment.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted. David Martell has the same first name as John Sheridan and Delenn's son David. This confused some fans who thought he was meant to be the same person (especially since it was previously established in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS05E22SleepingInLight "Sleeping in Light"]] that Sheridan and Delenn's son grew up to be a Ranger), but that would be impossible - at the time the movie is set, David Sheridan is a toddler.
* PercussiveMaintenance: How Na'Feel works on the engine when it's feeling uncooperative.
* PilotMovie: Intended to be one, but airing on the night of the Super Bowl killed the possibility of a spinoff series and relegated ''The Legend of the Rangers'' to being remembered as just the sixth ''Babylon 5'' movie, and a somewhat anomalous one.
* ThePoliticalOfficer: Minbari crewmember Tafeek is called this, but doesn't appear to be a watchdog like the trope implies; he's just the ''Liandra'''s specialist on politics and public relations.
* PragmaticHero: While the crew is discussing what to do, Na'Feel says that the Hand probably won't let them go even if they give them what they want; after all, she wouldn't. When the others look at her disapprovingly, she protests that it would be tactically unwise.
* TheQuietOne: The soft-spoken ship's doctor Firell. Her personal truth at the dedication ceremony is, "My heart speaks quietly and infrequently."
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: In addition to bringing over Dulann, Sarah and Malcolm from his previous ship, David deliberately puts together a crew that includes some overlooked members of the Anla'Shok, including their first Narn and Drazi recruits.
* RiddleForTheAges: Whatever it was that G'Kar said to Sindell and the rest of the Anla'Shok High Council to change their minds about David. G'Kar will only tell David that he told them "four true things" and says not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and to prove him right.
* TheRival: David and Tannier appear to have this kind of relationship.
* SavedByCanon: G'Kar will obviously survive the events of the Pilot Movie, as he canonically won't die until [[Recap/BabylonFiveS03E17WarWithoutEndPart2 a decade later]].
* SceneryPorn: In 2002, the creators of ''Babylon 5'' had access to much smoother and flashier VFX, and the will to show them off. The first part of the movie includes some beautiful shots of [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas the ISA's capital city of Tuzanor on Minbar]] at night.
* SealedEvilInACan: Judging by what G'Kar tells David about the ruins, the Hand are a First One race that was sealed in AnotherDimension by the rest of the First Ones until recently.
* ShipTease: David and Sarah appear to have some chemistry going, especially in the balcony scene on Minbar where he tells her why he joined the Rangers.
* SirSwearsALot: ''Liandra'' engineer Na'Feel, the Rangers' first Narn recruit, perfectly maintains her composure when reporting on the engine's status to her captain, in between boughts of [[PercussiveMaintenance hitting it with an implement]] while cursing at it vividly.
* SpinoffSendoff: As this was a Pilot Movie, G'Kar's supporting role is him essentially representing ''Babylon 5'' and seeing them off (much in the same way Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Lochley did for ''Crusade'' in ''A Call to Arms'').
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Interestingly, the ''Liandra'' crew has two Tomboys, Sarah and Na'Feel, and only one Girly Girl, Firell.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Tannier, who with his condescension towards David for running from battle seems a lot less humble and friendly than he was in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS05E05LearningCurve "Learning Curve"]] (and JMS Speaks confirmed that despite the change in actor, it's meant to be the same Tannier). He does ease up (awkwardly) after the Council decide not to punish David, however, since he trusts their judgement. Dulann discerns that Tannier asking David and the ''Liandra'' to accompany his ship is his attempt at an apology, and he later entrusts him with the delegates' safety while performing a HeroicSacrifice.
* UndyingLoyalty: Dulann to David. It's even what he chooses to say as his personal truth at the ''Liandra'''s dedication ceremony.
* UnusualUserInterface: In order to operate the ''Liandra'''s weapons, Sarah has to enter a room where a holographic display of their surroundings is then laid over everything, with her in the place of the ship, and direct the weapons fire with kicks and punches. The weirdness of this was a knock against the movie for many critics.
* WrenchWench: Na'Feel is the ''Liandra'''s engineer.
* YouAreInCommandNow: David at the beginning of the movie after his Shok-na dies as their ship takes fire from [[SpacePirates the Raiders]]. Also in a sense after Tannier transfers responsibility for the protection of the ISA dignitaries to David and the ''Liandra'' and performs a HeroicSacrifice, as the ''Valen'' had taken point up 'til that point.
In 2265, a ragtag crew of Anla'Shok assigned to a haunted old vessel must help escort Ambassador G'Kar and other ISA dignitaries to a conference on Babylon 5 to discuss the discovery of ancient ruins connected to a mysterious new antagonistic force that has been attacking Interstellar Alliance ships. When they are ambushed by "the Hand", their mission turns into one of survival.
Originally meant to be a BackDoorPilot for a new spin off, the show was never picked up.
----
!!This movie contains examples of:
* AbusivePrecursors: The Hand are a malevolent race of First Ones bent on conquest, and even worse than the Shadows if their minions are to be believed.
* AllThereInTheManual: The Council seen in this movie is the previously unmentioned Anla'Shok High Council, in charge of the Rangers. Given the similar robes and similar meeting space, one could be forgiven for mistaking them for the Grey Council, which governs the Minbari Federation as a whole.
* TheBigGuy: Tirk, a ''Liandra'' crewmember who is the first Drazi to join the Anla'Shok. He describes his role on the ship as "I carry large things".
* BunnyEarsLawyer: While holding him in respect, the other ISA dignitaries tend to see G'Kar as this due to his penchant for flamboyant humor in the face of crisis. The Drazi delegate tells Tirk that he should be careful, because he often thinks that too much exposure to humans has driven G'Kar mad.
* TheCaptain: After serving as executive officer on another ship, David is made captain of the ''Liandra''. At the same time, Tannier is given command of a much newer, bigger and more advanced ship called the ''Valen''. It's established by this movie that the captain of a Ranger ship is called the Shok-na.
* ContinuityNod: G'Kar again mentions that every sentient race has a dish identical to Swedish meatballs. And repeats his line that no one on Babylon 5 is exactly what they appear.
* EmbarrassingFirstName: Subverted. Tirk tells the Drazi delegate that his name was invented by his mother to mean "Don't touch me, I'm not having another child after this, ever!" While humans would consider that an embarrassing name, the Drazi dignitary says that Tirk's family must be very proud for him to have a name that puts so much meaning into such a short word.
* EnsembleCast: They don't all get equal time to shine in this first outing, but the pilot movie establishes the nine-person senior crew of the ''Liandra'' (four humans, three Minbari, a Narn and a Drazi), who would presumably all have gone on into the series if it had been picked up.
* EvilVirtues: "The Hand reward loyalty. It is their only virtue."
* FantasticRacism: What David feels is the reason Tirk and Na'Feel haven't been assigned to a ship before now. Dulann confirms that the Narn and Drazi are still seen as unrefined compared to the Anla'Shok's human and Minbari members.
* FieryRedhead: Red-haired human crewmember Sarah Cantrell is the ''Liandra'''s gunnery officer, a DeadpanSnarker and TheLadette.
* GenkiGuy: Human crewmember Kitaro Sasaki, the ''Liandra'''s communications and navigation specialist. His personal truth at the dedication ceremony is, "I'm just really glad to be here."
* HeroicSacrifice: Tannier and his ship the ''Valen'' sacrifice themselves against the Hand to buy time for the ''Liandra'' to escape with the lifepods of the ISA delegates.
* HonorBeforeReason: David is called before the Anla'Shok High Council for punishment because he gave the order to run from an unwinnable battle with [[SpacePirates Raiders]] after the death of his captain instead of getting his already-damaged ship destroyed and the rest of his crew all killed, in violation of the Minbari tradition to never retreat from battle. G'Kar talks the Council into giving him command of a ship instead, albeit an outdated one believed to be haunted.
* ISeeDeadPeople: After being badly wounded, Dulann is able to see the ghosts of the ''Liandra'''s former crew. Firell explains to a skeptical David that Dulann would be especially sensitive to such things as (a) a Minbari, (b) a minor telepath and (c) close to the veil between life and death himself.
* {{Interquel}}: This movie is set in March 2265, over a year and a half before the previous movie ''[[Film/BabylonFiveACallToArms A Call to Arms]]'' (set in December 2266) and the subsequent events of ''Series/{{Crusade}}''.
* ItOnlyWorksOnce: Masterfully subverted. [[spoiler:The crew manage to destroy the second Hand ship by using the same secret bomb trick they used on the first one, counting on the Hand to assume that they wouldn't try the same move twice because ''they'd'' assume the Hand wouldn't fall for it again]].
* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: David and Dulann are old friends, and they playfully bicker and engage in SnarkToSnarkCombat constantly.
* MasterOfDisguise: Human crewmember Malcolm Bridges is the infiltration specialist on the ''Liandra'' and uses a personal holonet to take on others' appearance and voices. At one point, he impersonates G'Kar to calm down the other delegates while the real one is giving David {{Exposition}} elsewhere on the ship (the real G'Kar is not amused when he sees his lookalike). Later, [[spoiler:he impersonates Minister Kafta in order to lure the Hand into a trap]].
* TheMedic: Minbari crewmember Firell is the ship's doctor on the ''Liandra''.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:One of the ISA delegates, Minister Kafta]] is working for the Hand. And the ghosts of the previous ''Liandra'' crew inform Dulann that they were also sold out by one of their own and whoever survived them is their betrayer, which would have been a plot thread for the aborted series.
* NumberTwo: Dulann to David on the ''Liandra''. David to the captain on their previous ship, the ''Enfali''. This movie establishes that the executive officer on a Ranger ship is called the Shok-nali.
* OhMyGods: Malcolm says, "In Valen's name!" at one point. Also an OhCrap moment.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted. David Martell has the same first name as John Sheridan and Delenn's son David. This confused some fans who thought he was meant to be the same person (especially since it was previously established in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS05E22SleepingInLight "Sleeping in Light"]] that Sheridan and Delenn's son grew up to be a Ranger), but that would be impossible - at the time the movie is set, David Sheridan is a toddler.
* PercussiveMaintenance: How Na'Feel works on the engine when it's feeling uncooperative.
* PilotMovie: Intended to be one, but airing on the night of the Super Bowl killed the possibility of a spinoff series and relegated ''The Legend of the Rangers'' to being remembered as just the sixth ''Babylon 5'' movie, and a somewhat anomalous one.
* ThePoliticalOfficer: Minbari crewmember Tafeek is called this, but doesn't appear to be a watchdog like the trope implies; he's just the ''Liandra'''s specialist on politics and public relations.
* PragmaticHero: While the crew is discussing what to do, Na'Feel says that the Hand probably won't let them go even if they give them what they want; after all, she wouldn't. When the others look at her disapprovingly, she protests that it would be tactically unwise.
* TheQuietOne: The soft-spoken ship's doctor Firell. Her personal truth at the dedication ceremony is, "My heart speaks quietly and infrequently."
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: In addition to bringing over Dulann, Sarah and Malcolm from his previous ship, David deliberately puts together a crew that includes some overlooked members of the Anla'Shok, including their first Narn and Drazi recruits.
* RiddleForTheAges: Whatever it was that G'Kar said to Sindell and the rest of the Anla'Shok High Council to change their minds about David. G'Kar will only tell David that he told them "four true things" and says not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and to prove him right.
* TheRival: David and Tannier appear to have this kind of relationship.
* SavedByCanon: G'Kar will obviously survive the events of the Pilot Movie, as he canonically won't die until [[Recap/BabylonFiveS03E17WarWithoutEndPart2 a decade later]].
* SceneryPorn: In 2002, the creators of ''Babylon 5'' had access to much smoother and flashier VFX, and the will to show them off. The first part of the movie includes some beautiful shots of [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas the ISA's capital city of Tuzanor on Minbar]] at night.
* SealedEvilInACan: Judging by what G'Kar tells David about the ruins, the Hand are a First One race that was sealed in AnotherDimension by the rest of the First Ones until recently.
* ShipTease: David and Sarah appear to have some chemistry going, especially in the balcony scene on Minbar where he tells her why he joined the Rangers.
* SirSwearsALot: ''Liandra'' engineer Na'Feel, the Rangers' first Narn recruit, perfectly maintains her composure when reporting on the engine's status to her captain, in between boughts of [[PercussiveMaintenance hitting it with an implement]] while cursing at it vividly.
* SpinoffSendoff: As this was a Pilot Movie, G'Kar's supporting role is him essentially representing ''Babylon 5'' and seeing them off (much in the same way Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Lochley did for ''Crusade'' in ''A Call to Arms'').
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Interestingly, the ''Liandra'' crew has two Tomboys, Sarah and Na'Feel, and only one Girly Girl, Firell.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Tannier, who with his condescension towards David for running from battle seems a lot less humble and friendly than he was in [[Recap/BabylonFiveS05E05LearningCurve "Learning Curve"]] (and JMS Speaks confirmed that despite the change in actor, it's meant to be the same Tannier). He does ease up (awkwardly) after the Council decide not to punish David, however, since he trusts their judgement. Dulann discerns that Tannier asking David and the ''Liandra'' to accompany his ship is his attempt at an apology, and he later entrusts him with the delegates' safety while performing a HeroicSacrifice.
* UndyingLoyalty: Dulann to David. It's even what he chooses to say as his personal truth at the ''Liandra'''s dedication ceremony.
* UnusualUserInterface: In order to operate the ''Liandra'''s weapons, Sarah has to enter a room where a holographic display of their surroundings is then laid over everything, with her in the place of the ship, and direct the weapons fire with kicks and punches. The weirdness of this was a knock against the movie for many critics.
* WrenchWench: Na'Feel is the ''Liandra'''s engineer.
* YouAreInCommandNow: David at the beginning of the movie after his Shok-na dies as their ship takes fire from [[SpacePirates the Raiders]]. Also in a sense after Tannier transfers responsibility for the protection of the ISA dignitaries to David and the ''Liandra'' and performs a HeroicSacrifice, as the ''Valen'' had taken point up 'til that point.
