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"...To live on as we have is to leave behind joy and love and companionship because we know it to be transitory, of the moment. We know it will turn to ash.
Only those whose lives are brief can imagine that love is eternal.
"

Lorien


Lorien was the very first of the First Ones, and the very first of them to gain sentience. His race was born naturally immortal, until later generations began to age and die.[1]

At some unspecified time Lorien settled deep in the ground on Z'ha'dum. This was the reason the Shadows kept returning to the planet after being defeated in the past "Shadow Wars". It was their way to pay respect to Lorien.[2]

In 2261, John Sheridan rediscovered Lorien on Z'ha'dum, after following Kosh's instructions to jump into a deep pit before the Shadow capital was destroyed. Sheridan had actually died from the fall, but Lorien was able to resuscitate him for a time. Lorien then gave him some of his own life force to sustain Sheridan, but only for 20 years.[3]

Lorien left Z'ha'dum with Sheridan and traveled to Babylon 5 to help advise on matters relating the First Ones. At Coriana VI he helped bring an end to the Shadow and Vorlon conflict and led the remaining First Ones out beyond the Rim.[2]

In 2281, he returned to the galaxy to take John Sheridan, in his last minutes of life, beyond the Rim.[4]

Lorien returns

In 2281, near Coriana VI, Lorien returns from the Rim to take John Sheridan with him beyond the Rim.

Trivia[]

  • The name Lorien bears a striking similarity to "Lothlórien" and "Lórien", two places within the universe of Tolkien's Legendarium, appearing respectively in the books "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion". Lórien is also another name of Irmo, one of the godlike Valar, who resides in and is named for the second place.
  • The Shadows and Vorlons both hide their physical appearances; the Shadows by remaining invisible and the Vorlons by wearing encounter suits. There are strong hints that Lorien's appearance is a disguise as well. While talking to Sheridan in the pit at Z'ha'dum, Sheridan has a brief flash that, rather than wandering around an underground cave and talking to a humanoid alien, he is actually being held by a massive being of light and telepathically interrogated. A similar creature is visible outside Sheridan's ship at the end of Sleeping in Light; it approaches the bridge window and then vanishes, leaving Lorien suddenly standing with the dying Sheridan.

Apocrypha[]

Canonbox default The following is based on The Mongoose Publishing RPG books and contradicts canon sources.

The Mongoose Publishing book Darkness and Light refers to Lorien's people as the "Speakers" as they were the first species to develop speech and sentience. However, this should not be considered as part of canon due to the nature of the books.

References[]

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