Z'ha Dum

[I, Brian]

Before Sheridan goes to Z'ha Dum, Kosh tells him not to go, and that he won't be there for him if he does.

During the Babylon 4 future scenes, Delenn tells Sheridan implicitly not to go to Z'ha Dum.

After Sheridan goes, the new Vorlon ambassasor states that Sheridan has "opened an unexpected door".

My question is:

Was Sheridan always going to go to Z'ha Dum?

I'm still trying to figure out whether he did something different - or simply played out history as would happen.

Kosh said he wouldn't be there for him - but because Sheridan carried a piece of Kosh, Kosh therefore actually was. Does this play for Sheridan having Freewill and the ability to confound the history of the future - or simply that Kosh was not telling a whole truth?

If Sheridan did have the choice, why should he never have gone? After the attack by Sheridan on the Shadows at Z'ha Dum, they move a base onto Centauri Prime. Is this the consequence that was to be avoided so long as Sheridan didn't go to Z'ha Dum?

But was it ever a consequence that could ever be avoided?

As for the unexpected door - first hearing is that Sheridan has done the unexpected by going to Z'ha Dum - but was it really nothing more than discovering Lorien?

I still can't figure out the whole "should he/shouldn't he" go to Z'ha Dum question - namely: what was originally going to happen; did Sheridan change anything; and why the dire warning about going?

[manephelien]

"If you go to Z'ha'dûm, you will die."

I think it was nothing more and nothing less than a personal warning to Sheridan not to go. He died, and although Lorien brought him back to life, it shortened his life by at least 30 years.

Also, it was only after he went there that the Shadows started to travel openly again. It may have precipitated their plans for another war, although I'm not entirely sure that's a bad thing, since they were relatively badly prepared for the reception they got from the younger races.

This whole Z'ha'dûm episode reminds me a lot of Tolkien. Z'ha'dûm itself sounds a lot like a corruption of Khazad-dûm, the Dwarvish name for Moria. Lorien is also a shorter name for Lothlórien, the land of the Elves, where the immortal folk dwelt. When Anna Sheridan went to Z'ha'dûm earlier, she woke the Shadows up, rather like the Fellowship did when they disturbed the balrog of Morgoth...

[greenman]

The shadows had been moving opening before Sheridan went to Z'ha'Dum, if anything his actions caused them to go into hiding.

The way I see it is that Kosh had a different outlook to the Vorlon's in general. He had IMHO become closer to the younger races and disillisioned with the cycle of wars with the Shadows and hoped that Sheridan meeting Lorien might stop them. For the rest of the Vorlon's Sheridan was probabley viewed as just another leader to unite the other races agenst the Shadows so his direct attack on Z'ha'Dum was a supprize to them.

[I, Brian]

I guess the other big question is why Sheridan was warned not to go to Z'ha Dum by Delenn. What outcome would have been averted, and better for everybody, if he hadn't have gone? With the Shadow vessels surrounding B5 after he left the station, would he even have had a choice?

[Frontierzone]

i believe Delenn was simply reacting emotionally. Remember. Delenn's warning was given while John was "unstuck" in time, and Delenn was telling him while they were in their cell together. She knew the outcome. She was in love. She knew that, if John went to Z'ha'dum, his life would be shortened. She didn't want to be a widow so soon. It was a purely emotional response. Deep down, I think, she knew that going to Z'ha'dum, even though it meant the ultimate sacrifice, was, in the end, necessary.

"No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend."