The Shadows and Za'ha'dum

[Zalenka]

I was wondering if someone could clarify something for me.

When we are first told about the Shadows we are told that they returned Z'ha'dum, but when we are told about the Icarus expedition we are told that they woke up the shadows.

I'm a bit confused by this, especially when we consider that Earth was led to Z'ha'dum by the shadow vessel that they recovered on Mars. The shadows must already have been on Z'ha'dum for them to of been able to go to collect their ship.

[g.o.d]

they were already there "sleeping". Icarus expedition woke them up

[Zalenka]

they were already there "sleeping". Icarus expedition woke them up

So, how did they pick go to Mars? I get that they were asleep, but we see them in Messages from Earth picking up a shadow vessel on Mars.

[s09119]

So, how did they pick go to Mars? I get that they were asleep, but we see them in Messages from Earth picking up a shadow vessel on Mars.

Not every single Shadow went into hibernation on Za'ha'dum; some ended up hiding elsewhere after the last Great War. In this case, a Shadow vessel settled down to hide on Mars, and we dug it up a thousand years later.

[Zalenka]

Not every single Shadow went into hibernation on Za'ha'dum; some ended up hiding elsewhere after the last Great War. In this case, a Shadow vessel settled down to hide on Mars, and we dug it up a thousand years later.

So, where did the second ship come from? Also, the Shadow ship wasn't asleep it was abandoned.

[jds1982]

They never said ALL of the Shadows were sleeping. That doesn't make that much sense when you think about it. You'd wanna have someone out and about who could keep you apprised of the galactic situation.

[nx01a]

I agree that it would be dumb to have the entire species in hibernation at the same time. Look at the Wraith example: a Queen and her support staff watch over the sleeping mass of Wraith aboard a hive. Maybe the Shadows were like that: when the Icarus came to Z'ha'dum, the keeper Shadow [so to speak] realized it was time to begin their next Great War [with these brilliantly violent humans as their pawns] and woke the others to start up the war machine again.
The Shadows also had servants, the Drakh being the best example.
The Shadow vessels are also run by brainwashed sentient beings, not the Shadows themselves usually. The second vessel was probably just following a directive to retrieve any other vessels that send out signals.

[locutes]

if such a ship is found, should it not be dissected and it's technology annualized to create a counter weapon or enhance your tech, or has that been done?