Babylon 5: Character Bios: John Sheridan

John Sheridan is the Head Geezer at Babylon 5 and played marvellously by Bruce Boxlietner .  Everyone looks up to him, when he asks someone to do something they do it – even if they know that they may die doing it. He isn’t a highbrow type or aloof, he is a well-respected leader.

Click to hear 'This is Captain John Sheridan - Greetings from Babylon 5'However, he never seems to put a foot wrong, which is a little off-putting since my impression of him is that he’s inhuman.  I can’t stand ‘perfect people’ they’re too ripe for a wind-up.

If you saw John Sheridan in a pub you might brave a smack in the face just to ask him how good Delenn was in bed.

The Sheridan and Delenn love affair isn’t.   It’s not love, it’s a religious experience.  When are we going to see Delenn in a fit of jealousy?  Or Sheridan clobber a Minbari for looking at Delenns robe in a suggestive manner?  Nope, their love affair is like all the other patronising TV love affairs – it’s PLASTIC.

He was a bad boy once, he clobbered a Minbari flagship, the Black Star, in the Earth-Minbari war. With trickery, cunning deceit and cowardice, he tricked the Minbari ship into a trap by sending out a distress signal.  Although the Minbari would have destroyed his ship, the victory was dishonourable, at least in their eyes, though I suppose that doesn’t count since they are even more sanctimonious than Sheridan.

ex-wife LockleyActually, his love affair with Delenn is a bit dodgy.   He has always been haunted by the death of his wife Ann who was supposed to have died on a scientific trip to Z’ha’dum.  But, we all know that she is actually alive which would make Delenn his mistress. Maybe Sheridan is not so boring after all. AND he was once married to Elizabeth Lockley! My god this geezer gets around!

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His greatest heroic act was the bombing of the Shadows largest city on Z’ha’dum. Almost everyone on Babylon 5 thought he had died in the attempt.

When he finally returned a Drazi asked, “Captain, we thought you were dead!“. Sheridan replied, “I was, but I’m better now“.

Snappy comeback don’t you think?

Towards the end of series four, Sheridan ‘had it tough’.   He was captured on Mars after being tricked into saving his father by the altered Garibaldi.  He suffered a nasty interrogation by Psi Cops, but you just knew that he would come out of it relatively unscathed.  He was eventually rescued by a mended Garibaldi, Franklin and the lovely Lyta.  From his awful incarceration, he snapped back to lead the Army of Light to it’s second (yes the Shadow/Vorlon War was the most important) greatest achievement – He stuffed President Clark and liberated Earth from tyranny.  Well done Mr Sheridan!

Sheridan is now the President of the Alliance.  he is still based on Babylon 5 but has relinquished control of the ship to the new Captain Lockley.  He does however have control of political decisions on the Station.

Sheridan and indeed the whole Babylon 5 saga is noted for one of the most famous sci fi lines ever uttered. This famous phrase was shouted at the Vorlons and Shadows in the Episode ‘Into the Fire’

Sheridan: “Get the hell out of our galaxy!”

“I apologise. I’m .. sorry. I’m sorry we had to defend ourselves against an unwarranted attack. I’m sorry that your crew was stupid enough to fire on a station filled with a quarter million civilians, including your own people. And I’m sorry I waited as long as I did before I blew them all straight to hell. .. As with everything else, it’s the thought that counts.”
Sheridan, The Fall of Night

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Sheridan talkes to Earth“….. We’re here to place President Clark under arrest, to disband Nightwatch, and return our government to the hands of her people. We know that many in the government have wanted to act, but have been intimidated by threats of retaliation against your families, your friends. You are not alone any more. We call upon you to rise up and do what’s right. We have drawn their forces away from Earth and disabled them. The time to act is now!  This is not the voice of treason. These are your sons, your daughters, whose loyalties have never wavered, whose beliefs in this alliance have forced us to take extraordinary means, for justice, for peace, for the future. We have come home!”
Sheridan, Endgame

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The ‘Fun-people biographies’ are © 1999 – 2019 Tony Fawl.
Not for reproduction without the authors express permission

The BABYLON 5 names, characters and everything else associated with the series are the property of J. Michael Straczynski, TNT and Warner Brothers, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company. All rights reserved.

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