Major Characters
The Babylon 5 universe has some very complex and well defined characters. These are the major characters across the universe displayed in alphabetical order.
- Portrayed by: Mira Furlan
- Titles: Ambassador (2258), Anla'Shok Na (2260), Vice President (2262), President (2279)
- Race: Mimbari
- Other: Grey Council, Interstellar Alliance
Delenn, an alien ambassador and leader from the planet Minbar, is one of the pivotal characters in Babylon 5.
A wise woman who still manages to find humour and whimsy in life, Delenn changes over time from a shy, respectful priestess to a decisive military and political leader. Her character is complex: she is passionate, articulate and strong-willed, but displays insecurity and ambivalence about her place in prophecy. She is morally upright, always attempting to act for the better good — yet forced to keep deadly secrets and tell lies of omission. Delenn normally does not like violence, and prefers to be a consensus builder. However, her decisions have repeatedly been the catalyst for violent change and war. Delenn is also quite willing to fight — as shown in the episode "Severed Dreams", and during her encounter with the Drakh. She is both one of Babylon 5's key religious figures and its key romantic heroine.
- Portrayed by: Michael O'Hare
- Titles: Commander, Ambassador (2259), Anla'Shok Na (Ranger One) (2259)
- Race: Human
- Other: Earth Alliance
Jeffrey David Sinclair was born on May 3, 2218 on Mars Colony. In an early episode of season one, Sinclair states that his family had been pilots "ever since the Battle of Britain" and Sinclair's father was a fighter pilot for EarthForce who participated in the Battle of Balos, the last engagement of the Dilgar Invasion. Sinclair continued the tradition and became a fighter pilot. Sinclair enlisted in EarthForce in 2237. During his time at EarthForce Academy, he met Catherine Sakai, with whom he had a relationship. After a year of living together, the two of them broke up, but continued to see each other off and on through 2258, when they became engaged. Sakai went missing in late 2259, while on a mission for the Rangers. The season one episode "By Any Means Necessary" establishes that Sinclair received Jesuit education as a young man.
- Portrayed by: Bruce Boxleitner
- Titles: Lieutenant Commander (2245), Captain, President (2262), Anla'Shok Na (2279)
- Race: Human
- Other: Earth Alliance, Interstellar Alliance
John Sheridan is incorruptible. He is also a dynamic, idealistic, and charismatic leader who can inspire fierce loyalty in his subordinates. However, Sheridan is shown at times to be reckless and stubborn, and like his second-in-command Susan Ivanova he possesses a fierce temper that can lead to occasional explosive outbursts of anger. Fortunately, he tends to calm quickly and he usually demonstrates a cheerful and upbeat personality. His second wife, Anna Sheridan, was (apparently) killed while exploring a distant planet, and when he takes command of Babylon 5 at the start of Season 2 her death still troubles him. After Sheridan's "return from the dead" in the third season, he displays an increasing impatience with accomplishing his goals. This is caused, however, by the fact that during season four, he learns that he has only twenty more years to live. By the end of the series Sheridan has become a galactic president and legend, and overall there is little doubt that he has been a force for good throughout his time in the series.
- Portrayed by: Jerry Doyle
- Titles: Chief Warrant Officer, Head of Covert Intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance (2262), CEO of Edgars Industries (2262)
- Race: Human
- Other: Earth Alliance, Interstellar Alliance
Michael Garibaldi, was Chief of Security for Babylon 5 from 2257 to 2261, Head of Covert Intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance for most of 2262 and from September 2262 onwards, was CEO of Edgars Industries.
During most of Babylon 5's five seasons, Garibaldi is the Chief of Security on board the space station Babylon 5. He holds the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. During the fourth season he suddenly resigned as Security Chief; he then begins working for Edgars Industries on Mars, one of the largest corporations on the planet. During the fifth and final season of Babylon 5 he was the Director of Covert Intelligence, a post similar to the present-day CIA Director, for the new Interstellar Alliance. Although friendly with the other crew members, he is very much his own man.
- Portrayed by: Richard Biggs
- Titles: Doctor, Chief Medical Officer, Head of Xenobiological Research on Earth
- Race: Human
- Other: Earth Alliance, Interstellar Alliance
Dr. Franklin is a strong-willed, kind person and idealistic leader on Babylon 5; he is also a workaholic. He is not afraid to take risks to save a patient's life; this habit can occasionally get him into trouble. He has strong moral and ethical values, but he can also be self-righteous and a perfectionist at times. He apparently has a good relationship with his mother and siblings, although his long absences from Earth often lead them to complain that they rarely see him. His father - a famous general in EarthForce- has a domineering personality, and that has led Stephen to have a strained relationship with him. When they are together they frequently argue and they have conflicting views on a number of subjects. For example, Stephen's father is suspicious of aliens and believes that humans should "take care of their own", while Stephen believes that humanity should be more open to relations with alien races and civilizations. However, in many ways Stephen and his father are more alike than they will admit, and in the series second season they meet and begin to ease their differences. In terms of love and romance throughout the course of the series he has a number of love affairs with various women.
- Portrayed by: Claudia Christian
- Titles: Lieutenant Commander, Commander (2259), Captain (2262), General (c. 2281), Anla'Shok Na (2281)
- Race: Human
- Other: Earth Alliance, Interstellar Alliance
Ivanova holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander during the first season and is promoted to the rank of Commander in the second season. From the first through the fourth seasons of the series Commander Ivanova was the first officer (XO) of the Babylon 5 space station.
