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Why only live for 20 years?

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    Why only live for 20 years?

    OK, OK, I'm ashamed to say that only in the last few months that I got around to watching B5, through friend's recommendation - and I call myself a sci-fi fan...

    Anyway, I watched the final episode of season 5 last night. I'll be honest, it tore me apart. The 20 years thing has always been nagging on my mind and to actually jump 20 years for the last ep to show it happen - well, seeing what Sheridan and Delenn had and see it go is literally heart-breaking.

    But this brings me back to a very simple question: why did JMS decide that he had to only live 20 years? Why couldn't he have just been given his life back, end of story?

    This not only prevents any series taking place after the events of this episode if you want Sheridan in them, but it just feels wholly unnecessary - almost perverse in fact.

    Anyone got any insight?

    #2
    because Lorien doesn't have that kind of power. He said that
    Stolen Kosovo
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      #3
      With the added bonus of Sheridan appreciating his life (and even the concept of life itself) more.

      "To live on as we have is to leave behind joy, and love, and companionship, because we know it to be transitory, of the moment. We know it will turn to ash. Only those, whose lives are brief can imagine that love ... is eternal. ... You should embrace that remarkable illusion. It may be the greatest gift your race has ever received."

      The center of Khlysty surrounds me

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        #4
        Originally posted by g.o.d View Post
        because Lorien doesn't have that kind of power. He said that
        Why did JMS decide that though?

        Originally posted by Anubis69 View Post
        With the added bonus of Sheridan appreciating his life (and even the concept of life itself) more.
        I would agree if he had wasted his life before. But let's face it - he was always ready to sacrifice himself and always lived life to its fullest beforehand.

        That line of reasoning would mean that everyone else wasted their life in comparison.

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          #5
          Originally posted by Groove View Post
          Why did JMS decide that though?
          you should ask him but as we all know, Sheridan didn't die
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            #6
            Sheridan couldn't live more than about 20 years. A part of that is that it's very difficult to age a person with makeup more than that without making it difficult and rather too expensive for the show's budget, especially if most of the cast would have to be similarly aged.

            The plot reason was that JMS wanted Sheridan to do a Jesus and ascend into... another dimension, heaven, beyond the rim, who knows? But to do that, his lifetime had to be limited.

            Also, I rather like the idea that you can't have your cake and eat it too. Sheridan saved countless lives by "dying" and then coming back, since that convinced most of the other races to follow him. However, as Lorien said, he can't create life, only restore it, and that's why he couldn't grant Sheridan the 50 or so years he probably would have had if not for Z'ha'dum.
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              #7
              Originally posted by maneth View Post

              The plot reason was that JMS wanted Sheridan to do a Jesus and ascend into... another dimension, heaven, beyond the rim, who knows? But to do that, his lifetime had to be limited.
              B5 is not a Stargate. He took him beyond the rim
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                #8
                Originally posted by Groove View Post
                But this brings me back to a very simple question: why did JMS decide that he had to only live 20 years? Why couldn't he have just been given his life back, end of story?
                You know how B5's visual effects look kind of video gameish? Well, I think the Sheridan situation was similar. I think what happened is John's health meter (for lack of a better term) was depleted on Zahadum and Lorien was only able to restore the meter part way (kind of like giving him 20 1-UPS). I think most likely John could have restored it fully if he had found some kind of power-up (i.e. Magic Mushrooms, or additional 1-UPS by perhaps finding a goomba he could bounce on 40-50 times), but he instead decided to spend his remaining life (read health meter) accomplishing things for others instead of thinking of himself. I hope that helps.

                In all seriousness, I think JMS used this for dramatic effect. It kind of addresses the age old question of, "how would you live your life if you knew the day you were going to die?" To me it created a sense of poignancy that served the story well. As an aside, Bruce Boxleitner is an amazing actor, no?

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                  #9
                  I've always wondered why Lorien was sitting in a deep dark hole, you would think it might get a bit boring down there, especially if he had been there for many years.

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                    #10
                    I can only think of 3-4 things that one could do for thousands of years while stuck in a dark hole alone. I like to think that Lorien sitting in a comfy chair playing vid games on his 72" HD TV should be included on the list. It might not be at top of the list, but it should be on there.

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                      #11
                      Lol, i bet his internet connection leaves a lot to be desired.

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                        #12
                        So that his death had a consequence.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by Dumper View Post
                          Lol, i bet his internet connection leaves a lot to be desired.

                          True. No kidding. It is probably like 0.000000000000000001 kb/second.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by maneth View Post
                            Sheridan couldn't live more than about 20 years. A part of that is that it's very difficult to age a person with makeup more than that without making it difficult and rather too expensive for the show's budget, especially if most of the cast would have to be similarly aged.

                            The plot reason was that JMS wanted Sheridan to do a Jesus and ascend into... another dimension, heaven, beyond the rim, who knows? But to do that, his lifetime had to be limited.

                            Also, I rather like the idea that you can't have your cake and eat it too. Sheridan saved countless lives by "dying" and then coming back, since that convinced most of the other races to follow him. However, as Lorien said, he can't create life, only restore it, and that's why he couldn't grant Sheridan the 50 or so years he probably would have had if not for Z'ha'dum.
                            JMS didn't have to have him die. He could have given him 50 years, or indefinite life. There are a million other ways that Sheridan could've survived... just going to Z'ha'dum and coming back would have been enough.

                            His reasons for Sheridan aging are actually not clear. Going to the rim has no effect on the story. Why couldn’t he have continued to live and karked it 30 years later of natural causes?

                            PS: as for making someone look really old, they did an amazing job on Delenn at the end of season 4.

                            Yes, Bruce is an a amazing actor as is Mira Furlan which I didn't go a hole bundle on in Lost but as Delenn really won me over. Sci-fi is not known for its strong characters but B5 and BSG are the exceptions... Delenn and Sheridan's love felt very real, which is why the last ep was so painful. And unpleasant to watch.

                            Originally posted by BubblingOverWithIdeas View Post
                            So that his death had a consequence.
                            Which was?

                            I wish it did have consequence, like he died going out in battle or something. Just having a definite time limit on your life... I found it so depressing, and the last episode of season 5 tore me apart.

                            It felt utterly pointless.

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                              #15
                              That's the point. Everything doesn't have to snap into place just so. I expect that at least 99% of all human beings in history have died meaningless deaths, and odds are you and I will have the same fate. Just as well that TV shows it too, don't you say?

                              Sheridan's death wasn't pointless. He showed the way for humanity, even if it would take another million years for the next one to become discorporeal and go through space without the benefit of a ship, when humans moved to the former Vorlon homeworld.
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