Entertainment
Sci-Fi’s Greatest Arc Belongs To A Character With Only 5 Episodes
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Part of what made Babylon 5 a unique sci-fi experience is that J. Michael Straczynski wrote the entire story in advance. There were pitfalls he didn’t expect, such as losing series lead Michael O’Hare after only one season, but there were also successes he couldn’t have foreseen, most notably, the Minbari Warrior Caste member Neroon turning into a fan favorite.
If JMS had seen this coming, maybe Neroon would have appeared in more than five episodes during the course of the series. As it is, every single one of his appearances was turned into a highlight of the episode, if not the entire season.
The Minbari’s Greatest Warrior
Neroon was brought to life by John Vickery, an accomplished stage actor who also appeared multiple times on Star Trek in the 90s as various aliens. His distinctive voice brought a level of authority and gravitas to Neroon, whether he was threatening humans, praising humans, or extolling the noble virtues of the Minbari Warrior Caste. The space station Babylon 5 was used by hundreds of different species on a daily basis, and to Neroon, all of them were inferior to the Minbari.
In his first appearance, Neroon investigates the disappearance of the Minbari leader Bramner’s corpse, with Babylon 5 Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) as his prime suspect. The two reach an accord, and for once, Neroon starts to appreciate humanity. Then came his duel with Ranger Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) in “Grey 17 is Missing.” Cole is completely outclassed by Neroon, one of the greatest warriors in the galaxy, and yet, Cole is willing to risk his life in the service of Delenn (Mira Furlan), a member of the Minbari Religious Caste. Both survived the duel to the death, but, as Neroon admits, a part of himself died in the battle.
One Of Sci-Fi’s Best Character Arcs
“Grey 17 is Missing” is Neroon’s third appearance on Babylon 5. In his ensuing appearances, it’s clear that the boisterous warrior is a little different. He’s more open to Delenn and the Religious Caste, and when the Minbari Civil War heats up, he’s working towards a peaceful accord. On the surface. As viewers find out, he has his own goals for the Minbari while remaining true to the traditions of the Warrior Caste. Neroon’s last appearance on the series is one of the show’s best moments and the perfect way to end his story. Except it comes in Season 4.
Babylon 5 was going to end with Season 4, so JMS moved events up to get to the show’s endgame before cancellation. The Season 5 renewal threw off his plans, and while some things were able to be delayed (notably Londo and the Centaurians), Neroon and the Minbari wrapped up too early. Fans were denied more time with the noble warrior, but then again, the calling of his heart was religious, the calling of his honor was war. Five episodes were all it took for sci-fi’s greatest character arc.
You can stream Babylon 5 on The Roku Channel or on YouTube, but we don’t suggest that. 30 years later, John Vickery’s work as Neroon is part of why it remains one of the best sci-fi shows of all time.