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==History==
 
==History==
 
===Creating the Future===
 
===Creating the Future===
In [[2245]], Ulkesh and [[Kosh]] became the first two Vorlons to make official, if covert contact with the [[Minbari]] since the end of the [[First Shadow War]]. Meeting [[Dukhat]] in secret, they were provided with specially adapted quarters aboard the [[Valen'Tha]] and their presence known only to Dukhat himself and [[Anla'Shok Na]] [[Lenonn]], telling them both of the coming return of the [[Shadows]] and the importance of the [[humans]] in the coming war. After Dukhat's death following the disastrous first contact with the [[Earth Alliance]], the two Vorlons remained in secret though they revealed themselves to [[Delenn]], passing on to her a recording left in trust with them from Dukhat. By the end of the [[Earth-Minbari War]] in [[2248]] they were still aboard and present during the [[Battle of the Line]]. When Delenn asked them both for advice, Ulkesh appeared reticent though Kosh told her ''"The truth points to itself"''. When Delenn said she didn't understand Ulkesh told her that she will and to go now.<ref>[[In the Beginning]]</ref>
+
In [[2245]], Ulkesh and [[Kosh]] became the first two Vorlons to make official, if covert, contact with the [[Minbari]] since the end of the [[First Shadow War]]. Meeting [[Dukhat]] in secret, they were provided with specially adapted quarters aboard the [[Valen'Tha]] and their presence known only to Dukhat himself and [[Anla'Shok Na]] [[Lenonn]], telling them both of the coming return of the [[Shadows]] and the importance of the [[humans]] in the coming war. After Dukhat's death following the disastrous first contact with the [[Earth Alliance]], the two Vorlons remained in secret though they revealed themselves to [[Delenn]], passing on to her a recording left in trust with them from Dukhat. By the end of the [[Earth-Minbari War]] in [[2248]] they were still aboard and present during the [[Battle of the Line]]. When Delenn asked them both for advice, Ulkesh appeared reticent though Kosh told her ''"The truth points to itself"''. When Delenn said she didn't understand Ulkesh told her that she will and to go now.<ref>[[In the Beginning]]</ref>
 
[[image:Ulkesh's Ship.jpg|thumb|[[Ulkesh's Ship]] arrives at Babylon 5.]]
 
[[image:Ulkesh's Ship.jpg|thumb|[[Ulkesh's Ship]] arrives at Babylon 5.]]
By [[2259]] Ulkesh was on [[Minbar]] acting as the [[Vorlon]] ambassador while Kosh was filling a similar role on [[Babylon 5]]. When [[Jeffrey Sinclair]] was assigned as the [[Earth Alliance]] ambassador, he was instantly struck with how different Ulkesh was to Kosh and came to distrust Ulkesh, wondering to himself which of them represented a "typical" Vorlon. While on Minbar Ulkesh worked with [[Rathenn]] and [[Chosen One]] [[Jenimer]] to develop the [[White Star class]] warships for the [[Anla'Shok]], starting first with a set of three [[Prototype Hybrid Fighter]]s. Later that year, after [[Ranger]] [[Catherine Sakai|Sakai]] was lost in the temporal rift in [[Sector 14]] an enraged Sinclair asked the Vorlon how much he really knew about what had happened to her and when in time she had ended up. Ulkesh's responded simply ''"It is irrelevant."''<ref name=tDitCoS /> In [[2260]], when [[Entil'Zha]] Sinclair departed for [[Babylon 5]] Ulkesh told Rathenn: ''"He is the closed circle. He is returning to the beginning."''<ref>[[War Without End, Part I]]</ref>
+
By [[2259]] Ulkesh was on [[Minbar]] acting as the [[Vorlon]] ambassador, while Kosh was filling a similar role on [[Babylon 5]]. When [[Jeffrey Sinclair]] was assigned as the [[Earth Alliance]] ambassador, he was instantly struck with how different Ulkesh was to Kosh and came to distrust Ulkesh, wondering to himself, which of them represented a "typical" Vorlon. While on Minbar Ulkesh worked with [[Rathenn]] and [[Chosen One]] [[Jenimer]] to develop the [[White Star class]] warships for the [[Anla'Shok]], starting first with a set of three [[Prototype Hybrid Fighter]]s. Later that year, after [[Ranger]] [[Catherine Sakai|Sakai]] was lost in the temporal rift in [[Sector 14]] an enraged Sinclair asked the Vorlon how much he really knew about what had happened to her and when in time she had ended up. Ulkesh's responded simply ''"It is irrelevant."''<ref name=tDitCoS /> In [[2260]], when [[Entil'Zha]] Sinclair departed for [[Babylon 5]] Ulkesh told Rathenn: ''"He is the closed circle. He is returning to the beginning."''<ref>[[War Without End, Part I]]</ref>
   
 
===We Are All Kosh...===
 
===We Are All Kosh...===

Revision as of 21:15, 16 August 2014

"Respect is irrelevant."

Ulkesh


Ulkesh Naranek was the Vorlon ambassador to Minbar and later replaced Kosh as ambassador to Babylon 5 after his death.[2][3][4]

History

Creating the Future

In 2245, Ulkesh and Kosh became the first two Vorlons to make official, if covert, contact with the Minbari since the end of the First Shadow War. Meeting Dukhat in secret, they were provided with specially adapted quarters aboard the Valen'Tha and their presence known only to Dukhat himself and Anla'Shok Na Lenonn, telling them both of the coming return of the Shadows and the importance of the humans in the coming war. After Dukhat's death following the disastrous first contact with the Earth Alliance, the two Vorlons remained in secret though they revealed themselves to Delenn, passing on to her a recording left in trust with them from Dukhat. By the end of the Earth-Minbari War in 2248 they were still aboard and present during the Battle of the Line. When Delenn asked them both for advice, Ulkesh appeared reticent though Kosh told her "The truth points to itself". When Delenn said she didn't understand Ulkesh told her that she will and to go now.[5]

Ulkesh's Ship

Ulkesh's Ship arrives at Babylon 5.

By 2259 Ulkesh was on Minbar acting as the Vorlon ambassador, while Kosh was filling a similar role on Babylon 5. When Jeffrey Sinclair was assigned as the Earth Alliance ambassador, he was instantly struck with how different Ulkesh was to Kosh and came to distrust Ulkesh, wondering to himself, which of them represented a "typical" Vorlon. While on Minbar Ulkesh worked with Rathenn and Chosen One Jenimer to develop the White Star class warships for the Anla'Shok, starting first with a set of three Prototype Hybrid Fighters. Later that year, after Ranger Sakai was lost in the temporal rift in Sector 14 an enraged Sinclair asked the Vorlon how much he really knew about what had happened to her and when in time she had ended up. Ulkesh's responded simply "It is irrelevant."[2] In 2260, when Entil'Zha Sinclair departed for Babylon 5 Ulkesh told Rathenn: "He is the closed circle. He is returning to the beginning."[6]

We Are All Kosh...

Walkabout01

Ulkesh is greeted by Sheridan and Ivanova.

After the death of Vorlon Ambassador Kosh in 2260, the Vorlon Empire sent Ulkesh to replace him as ambassador to Babylon 5. Despite their different encounter suits The Vorlons intended Ulkesh, for all intents and purposes, to impersonate Kosh, going so far as to insist that the new ambassador be addressed as Kosh in public. Ulkesh even refused to tell Captain Sheridan his name, cryptically remarking that "We are all Kosh." Ulkesh saw the silhouetted image of two Shadows and Morden on the wall of Kosh’s cabin, presumably “burned” there by Kosh’s death. Ulkesh questioned Lyta Alexander as to whether a piece of Kosh might still be alive, but she informed him that she was not present at his death and did not carry such a piece. Ulkesh later attended Sheridan’s strategy session in the War Room on using telepaths as weapons against the Shadows.[7]

An Unexpected Door

Apotheosis01

Ulkesh is confronted by B5 Security

Lyta subsequently carried pieces of Ulkesh within her, although the experience was more painful than when she carried Kosh. After Sheridan’s attack on Z'ha'dum, Lyta began to suspect that Ulkesh was hiding things from her. In early 2261, Ulkesh stopped attending meetings and failed to return Delenn’s repeated calls. When Delenn approached the Vorlon for his help in mounting a rescue mission to search for Sheridan at Z’ha’dum, Ulkesh refused. He cared nothing about Delenn’s resulting lack of respect for him.[8]

UlkeshLyta02

Lyta lures Ulkesh into an ambush.

Ulkesh responded condescendingly to Lyta’s demands for answers about the Vorlons’ plans when she grew weary of Ulkesh’s abusive use of her. When Lyta attempted to telepathically scan Ulkesh, he telekinetically slammed her against a wall and apparently caused her great pain telepathically.[9]

Trueulkesh

An enraged Ulkesh reveals his true form.

The Vorlon ambassador refused Security Chief Michael Garibaldi’s demand that he leave the station because of the Vorlon Empire’s destruction of planets influenced by the Shadows. He used a forcefield to deflect the security team’s PPG fire and a hypersonic pulse to shatter their oxygen masks, forcing them to exit his quarters. When Lyta later informed Ulkesh that a piece of Kosh was indeed still alive--inside a human--the Vorlon demanded that she show him who imprisoned Kosh. Garibaldi’s and Lyta’s actions were actually part of Sheridan’s plan to kill the ambassador so that he could no longer relay information about the plans of the younger races to the Vorlon Homeworld. However, while Lyta led him through a central corridor in Blue 24 Ulkesh became suspicious, almost evading the trap--an electrical field that caused the head of the Vorlon’s encounter suit to explode. The enraged Ulkesh exited the suit and attacked Sheridan. However, the piece of Kosh inside Sheridan revealed itself and engaged Ulkesh in a fierce battle. The two combatants exited the station and entered Ulkesh’s Vorlon transport, causing it to explode and apparently killing both Vorlons.[10]

Physical Appearance

Ulkesh’s encounter suit featured high, pointed shoulders; a swept-back, dual-pointed head; and a darker, red-purple color. His eyepiece exhibited a single red point that flared when the Vorlon was angered or he exerted his telepathic or telekinetic abilities.

When Ulkesh emerged from his encounter suit, he appeared as a non-humanoid diaphanous creature with tapering tendrils running the length of his elongated body, which had a slightly purplish/white coloration.

Notes

  • In his newsgroup postings, J. Michael Straczynski provided some insight into Ulkesh's character and his relationship with Kosh: -
  1. "I wouldn't call them friends. They had a certain respect for one another, but Ulkesh always thought Kosh was soft, and Kosh always worried that Ulkesh was dangerous. In their own ways, both were right." [11]
  2. "...It wasn't so much a case of Ulkesh turning against the effort, but finally hitting the end of his patience with the humans, and his predecessor's decision to let the 'natives' get out of control." [12]
  3. "...Ulkesh was the more military of the two, very isolationist, while Kosh was the curious one, interested in the younger races, and more willing to extend himself (with sometimes unfortunate results). Kosh always worried what Ulkesh would do without his moderating presence...and ultimately had to be the one to take him down to allow the younger races to step forward." [13]
  4. "The design [of Ulkesh’s encounter suit] is a matter of form following function." [14]
  5. "[Kosh and Ulkesh] are not that far apart in age, but yes, Kosh would be a bit older..." [15]

Appearances

References