Z'ha'dum (planet)
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In the fictional Babylon 5 universe, Z'ha'dum was the homeworld of the ancient, mysterious race known as the Shadows. The planet is near the galactic rim. The Shadows would keep returning to the world every time they were defeated.
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History
Prior to 2262
The planet had been devastated by previous wars. As a result, the Shadows began living underground. All that was left on the surface was a few ruins. The environment is not breathable by humans, who require oxygen masks to move about on the planet.
A ship from Earth found the Shadows, and woke the Shadows from their long hibernation. After this the Shadows gave the humans a chance to agree to work with them. Morden agreed to do so, and became the liaison between the Shadows, the Centauri Republic, and President Morgan Clark's government on Earth. Others who refused, like Anna Sheridan were either killed outright, or were taken and plugged into Shadow ships to act as a CPU. The Shadows built a complex on the surface to accommodate the humans who agreed to assist the Shadows.
When the Shadows learned that Anna Sheridan was plugged into a Shadow vessel, they removed her and sent her to Babylon 5 to bring John Sheridan back to Za'ha'dum in the episode of the same name. Sheridan discovered Anna had been plugged into a Shadow vessel, and that her personality had been destroyed in the process. When the Shadows tried to attack him, he killed the approaching Shadow, and went to a balcony overlooking the Shadow capital city. He set the White Star to ram the city, and set the two nuclear devices on board to detonate. Sheridan jumped into the great pit below the balcony. The White Star exploded, killing Anna Sheridan and destroying the Shadows' capital city.
2262
After the capital city was destroyed, Sheridan awoke to find himself underground. Sheridan found himself with another being named Lorien. Sheridan soon learned that Lorien was a member of the first race to gain intelligence in the galaxy. He also learned that he was stuck in between life and death. Eventually, Lorien convinces Sheridan to let go of his life. Lorien manages to restore Sheridan's broken body, and the two return to Babylon 5.
Once he arrives, he learns that Delenn had planned a massive attack against Z'ha'dum. He arrives on Babylon 5 to find support wavering, and a large demonstration against Delenn's plans underway. Sheridan climbs the stairs onto a large catwalk, and stuns the crowd with his presence. His new status as the only man to return from Z'ha'dum cements his support. A demonstration that had been against Delenn's plans turns into a large show of support for Sheridan.
Sheridan is able to force the Shadows and Vorlons to reveal their true purposes to the younger races - that purpose being that each side considers only themselves to be the correct side, and that they were only using the younger races as tools. Sheridan and Lorien are able to convince the two races to go beyond the galactic rim to join the other First Ones who had left. Lorien and the other First Ones also leave the galaxy. Apart from Lorien returning to bring Sheridan back to the other First Ones in 2281, there were no more First Ones left in the galaxy.
Aftermath
Soon after the end of the war, Alfred Bester arrived on the station. He wanted to be taken to Za'ha'dum to see if there was any technology there that could help free his lover Carolyn from the implants the Shadows put in her brain. Sheridan took Bester to Za'ha'dum on board a White Star. Delenn and Lyta Alexander accompanied them. When they arrived, the found the planet deserted. They found a large evacuation in progress - the Drakh and other Shadow minions were leaving the system for the last time.
Upon seeing the evacuation, Sheridan realized something was very wrong. He had the crew turn the ship around. Within a couple minutes, the planet exploded. Later it was revealed that when Lyta Alexander came into range that she had sent codes the Vorlons placed inside her mind out, which activated the planet's destruct systems.
Quotes
- "Z'ha'dum is the homeworld of the Shadows. No one leaves the same as they arrived." - Delenn
- "If you go to Z'ha'dum you will die." - Kosh to John Sheridan
- "Is that it? It looks like hell." - Al Bester