Thirdspace

Thirdspace has other uses. Please see Thirdspace (disambiguation) for other meanings.

THIRDSPACE
Production Number	TNTCF1
Release Date	19th July 1998
Production Credit
Written By	J. Michael Straczynski
Directed By	Jesus Trevino
Executive Producer	Douglas Netter & J. Michael Straczynski
Producer	John Copeland
Production Designer	John Iacovelli
Director of Photography	John C. Flinn, III A.S.C.
Editor	David W. Foster
Music By	Christopher Franke
Chronology
Story Date	April, 2261
Chronological Order
Preceded By	The Illusion of Truth
Followed By	Atonement
Publishing Order
Preceded By	Movements of Fire and Shadow
Followed	The Fall of Centauri Prime

Thirdspace is the third of six Babylon 5 TV Movies. It is set in the middle of the year 2261, the year between wars. It falls halfway through the Fourth Season of Babylon 5.

Cast

Starring

• Bruce Boxleitner as Captain John Sheridan
• Claudia Christian as Commander Susan Ivanova
• Mira Furlan as Ambassador Delenn
• Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin
• Jeff Conaway as Security Chief Zack Allan
• Stephen Furst as Vir Cotto
• Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander
• Clyde Kusatsu as Bill Morishi
• Shari Belafonte as Elizabeth Trent

Co-Starring

• William Sanderson as Deuce
• Kip King as Leo
• Floyd Levine as Alex
• Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter as Merchant
• Joshua Cox as Lt. Corwin
• Judson Mills as Delta 7

Featuring

• G. Adam Gifford as Guard
• Jerry Kernion as Builder
• Valerie Red-Horse as Technician

Summary

The movie deals with an enormous artifact that is discovered in Hyperspace and towed to the Babylon 5 station for investigation, at which point the xenoarchaeological organization Interplanetary Expeditions sends a representative, Dr. Elizabeth Trent, to take control of the examination.

After being placed near the station, the artifact begins to influence the dreams of many inhabitants of Babylon 5, and eventually controls many of them during their waking hours as well. These thralls, led by Deuce, first demand that the excavation be accelerated and then become increasingly violent towards the rest of the Babylon 5 population.

Eventually it is revealed by Lyta Alexander that the artifact is a Jumpgate built by the Vorlons a million years ago with a purpose that cannot be expressed in human language except as an attempt to make contact with the gods. In reality, Thirdspace is inhabited by a violent race that posed a threat even to the Vorlons, and the ensuing battle ended with a group of Vorlons controlled by the Thirdspace entities capturing the artifact and jettisoning it into hyperspace.

When the device is finally activated, the Thirdspace aliens stream out and begin an assault on Babylon 5; the violent behavior of the individuals under the artifact's control is intended to disrupt the station's attempt to defend itself. The struggle is ended when John Sheridan enters the artifact and detonates a nuclear bomb.

Continuity

The movie is somewhat difficult to place, as it does not actually slot neatly into any timeframe between episodes, especially given the significant expenditure of resources the incident depicted represents. The best fit for it is generally agreed to be before or during the Season 4 episode "Atonement". Placing it here makes the only truly glaring continuity error the premature appearance of Zack's new uniform, though other questions are raised about later episodes, such as damage to the station and the lack of references to what would have been a major incident at B5 and how it would have affected larger events.

Memorable Quotes

“

"It was the middle of the Earth year 2261. The year between wars and the beginning of a new age. The Shadow War was over, but there was still a darkness waiting for us at home. President Santiago had been assassinated, and his successor, President Clark, was turning Earth into a prison camp. We'd broken away from Earth, and in retaliation, they quarantined us, trying to strangle our supply lines. We were desperate and we couldn't afford to lose even a single supply ship. In the midst of all of this, we made contact with Thirdspace, and we almost didn't survive it. I only hope we never come across it again . . . because next time, no one's going to survive it."

– Captain John Sheridan

DVD Release

This TV Movie was released with four others and some limited special features on Region 1 DVD. For more information see:

• Babylon 5 The Movies Collection DVD

This TV Movie was released with five others and some limited special features on Region 2 DVD. For more information see:

• Babylon 5 - The Movies DVD

This TV Movie was released with two others and some limited special features on Region 2 DVD. For more information see:

• Babylon 5 The Movies Box Set DVD
• Babylon 5: The Complete Universe DVD

Novelization

The Novelization of Babylon 5: Thirdspace was published in 1998 and written by Peter David.

External links

• Thirdspace at the Internet Movie Database
• Episode guide page for Thirdspace at the Lurker's Guide