John Sheridan was Jeffrey Sinclair's replacement as Commander of Babylon 5. Under his leadership, Babylon 5 seceded from the Earth Alliance, the second Shadow war was resolved, and President Morgan Clark was overthrown. He and ambassador Delenn eventually had a son, David Sheridan II.
Early Life
John Sheridan is the son of a once prominent diplomat. He joined EarthForce at an early age feeling this was the patriotic thing to do, and wanting to be part of something bigger than himself. Sheridan met the Dalai Lama when he was 21 years old. Upon graduating from the EarthForce Academy he married his classmate Elizabeth Lochley. However they divorced soon after when they realised the relationship wasn't working.
Earth-Minbari War
Sheridan was offered a post as first officer of the EAS Prometheus. He turned down the offer out of loyalty to his then-current captain Roger Stearns.
During the war Sheridan was the first officer of the EAS Lexington. Sheridan took command of the EAS Lexington when Captain Roger Stearns was killed in a battle with the Minbari Flagship. With the Lexington crippled and unable to fight, Sheridan mined several nearby asteroids with nuclear weapons and lured the Black Star back towards his ship with a fake distress signal. He then detonated the nuclear mines, destroying the Black Star and giving Earth its only real victory in the war. This earned Sheridan the name Starkiller, and was an event the Minbari would not soon forget. Sheridan is the only human captain to have gone up against a Minbari Cruiser and won.
Promotion to Captain
Following the war John Sheridan was promoted to the rank of captain, and given command of the EAS Agamemnon, a new Omega class destroyer. He captained the EAS Agamemnon, leading it on exploration and diplomatic missions, until 2259. Sheridan was also shortlisted for commander of Babylon 5 when the station first came online however he did not get the position as the Minbari favoured Commander Jeffrey Sinclair. Earth Alliance President Luis Santiago had kept him as his first choice in the event something happened to Sinclair.
2259
Problems With The Minbari
Captain Sheridan took command of Babylon 5 on January 9, 2259 after Commander Jeffrey Sinclair was reassigned to ambassadorial duty on Minbar. During his first year as CO of Babylon 5 Sheridan had to handle with a number of crises. Starting with the emergence of the Minbari ship Tragati, which had disappeared during the Battle of the Line, which tried to provoke Sheridan into firing upon them. Sheridan called in the Minbari for backup, who had no choice but to destroy the Trigati. Sheridan was also attacked by a Minbari who was a member of the warrior caste, Sheridan was the accused of murdering this Minbari when in fact killed the Minbari in self defense. The Minbari attacked Sheridan in the hopes of removing him from his position.
Mr Morden & Anna
Sheridan was reviewing the file of the Icarus, when Michael Garibaldi said he had seen a member of the crew before, this crew member was Mr. Morden. Sheridan detains Morden and questions him about the Icarus. Morden says he was picked up by a cruiser passing through the area. Garibaldi asks Sheridan to let Morden go because he hadn't charged him yet. Sheridan declined forcing Garibaldi to quit. Sheridan tries to get Talia Winters to scan Morden but she refuses. Sheridan then makes Morden pass through the same hallway that she was walking down. Hoping an accidental scan would take place. Then Delenn and Kosh tell him to let Morden go. He asks why and they tell him what really happened to the Icarus. He then releases Morden and apologizes to Garibaldi.
Death of the Markab Race
Dr. Stephen Franklin began to investigate when three Markab died of natural causes in the same week. The resident Markab doctor insists that nothing sinister is going on. However, Franklin soon finds out that the three deceased were infected with some form of plague. Upon questioning the resident Markab doctor it is discovered that the plague is 100% contagious and 100% fatal. Sheridan Places the station under quarantine. Delenn comes to him to be allowed into the isolation zone where all the Marcab were gathered, he eventually agrees. Delenn and Lennier enter the isolation zone and are forced to watch all the Markab die. By this point the Markab race is extinct.
Psi-corps Traitor
When Mr. Garibaldi asks Sheridan if they can bring Talia in on their little conspiracy to bring President Clarke to justice, he says yes and to set up a meeting. Then Lyta Alexander tells Sheridan that one of them is not what they appear. Sheridan places her in a cell but on the way to the cell someone tries to kill her and she flees.. Later Ivanova talks to Sheridan and tells him that she is a telepath. Lyta is found and he has her send the password that will trigger the personality change in to each person of the command staff. No one on the command staff are the traitor. Talia Winters enters the room, Lyta send the password in to her mind and the conditioned personality takes over.
Narn Centauri Conflict
The Narn Centauri conflict comes to a boil and the Centauri directly attack Narn. With no chance of winning the Kha'ri order G'kar to ask for asylum from Sheridan and they then surrender to the Centauri. Londo then calls a meeting of the Babylon 5 Advisory Council in which he reveals the terms of the Narn surrender. Londo then Insists the "Citizen" G'Kar be removed from the council. G'Kar leaves and Sheridan later tells him that he has all the resources that Sheridan can provide to regain his homeworld. After this Sheridan started training the Starfury pilots about Centauri Tactics. Then when a Narn heavy cruiser arrives on the other side of the planet, Sheridan offers to repair their ship. A representative from the Ministry of Peace, Frederick Lantz, who was there to sign a non-aggression treaty with the Centauri, finds out and tells Londo. Londo notified his government and then tells Captain Sheridan to give up the Narn ship. He refuses and a Centauri heavy cruiser came out of hyperspace and locked on to Babylon 5 and the Narn ship. Sheridan powers up the defense grid and launches the Starfuries to escort the Narn ship in to hyperspace. The Centauri open fire and Sheridan is forced to take out the Centauri vessel. The ship is destroyed and the Narn vessel escapes into hyperspace. Babylon 5 sustained damage. Sheridan is asked to apologize for his actions by the head of Nightwatch. On his way to apologize he takes the Core Transport. While in there he sees a Centauri bomb in the transport. He opens the doors of the transport and jumps out. As he is falling toward the station, Kosh comes out of his encounter suit and rescues Sheridan. Sheridan later thanks Kosh for saving his life.
Appearances
- TV Movies (3)
- Babylon 5 (86 episodes)
- Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (1 episode)