The fact that Wayne Alexander brought the same weight and gravitas to the character of the mentoring Lorien as he did to the anti-heroic Sebastian, speaks volumes about his talent.
No, the real proof is that this is also the man who was Vern in "Spaced Invaders." Any good dramatic actor could do Sebastian and Lorien -- it takes a STAR to be able to shift so seamlessly and believably between drama and humor.
Is that actually what happened? Because he was chosen by a higher power that saw use of his gifts. Lol and he obviously on some level believes he is still chosen by the conviction in his voice. Most you can say is that the Vorlons are keeping jack alive until he agrees with them. Any sufficiently advanced race could do they exact same thing to someone in Victorian england.
@@playingwithfire1934 That the point, he's been made to realize he is a horrible personal and has improved himself as a result, and serving a higher cause to repent for it(not necessarily a good one), but he has not changed at a fundamental level, he still a sadist who enjoys hurting people and that's torments him and hates himself as a result, thus why he wants to die. But it also what makes him good a his role.
Exactly - and he is in the role for which he is "ideally suited"/i.e. made to stay in the role he appointed himself to in his arrogance, but now must live it out with real knowledge. Even worse, with Delenn and Sheridan he sees how far he is from what he aspired to be... @@cane6074
This was the most priceless moment in all of B5. When I figured out he was Jack the Ripper I remember being with my friend jumping out of my seat and the Doritos flying across the room. That is how priceless this is. They don't make them like this anymore.
It's a clever performance that works because the actor used some of his own inflections, US actors fail with the English accent (and vice versa) because they can only do either the accent or their inflection making neither sound believable. When you can do both together your accent can be imperfect, or in this case very theatrical, and make the character believable because by bringing yourself you sound natural and unforced. Wayne Alexander is clearly an accomplished character actor, probably why he played so many roles on B5.
Yeah you can really see his loathing of it there. Just gets that cold look, when he recalls who and what he used to be. Even if the Vorlons did mindwork on him to make him stable, they didn't remove those memories. All they did was alter his perspective to make him recognize how broken he was. And he still remembers. Remembers how deluded he was and how much he now loathes that which he used to be.
The Vorlon's needed part of him to still exist in the Ripper persona, to do the job of 'Comes the Inquisitor' to test the strength and resolve of Delenn and Sheridan and steel themselves for their task ahead. That is why I think the Vorlon's 'left' those traits in him, instead of removing them completely, wich pretty sure they could have.
Sebastian/Jack's speech at the end here makes it clear why he was the perfect fit to be the Vorlon's inquisitor. The person testing people to find out if they were truly the one/worthy. He had done such evil under the false belief that he was chosen. Now his mission was to make sure that his mistake was not repeated.
I remember when I first saw this episode. When his monologue ended with him saying, "known only as Jack". I was thinking, 'The Ripper' as chills ran down my spine.
I've seen people say they knew it was Jack the Ripper, but was it only at this moment? I would think you would need to be immersed in the lore of that to understand the significance of the hints he gave Sheridan earlier. To me he was just another well-dressed, well-educated arrogant SOB.
It wasn't too long before the Vorlons proved they ain't exactly benevolent, but it was more so after Kosh's death and came its replacement that the Vorlons isn't the "good guys". Still, in comparison with the Shadows, the Vorlons is the closest to benevolent.
I fail to see how this proves they were not exactly "good". They took out a criminal and made him suffer 400 years of penance, while at the same time making him do useful work. Which was exactly what he deserved and much better than such a guy sitting around in a prison cell watching tv until his death wasting the taxpayers money. So where's the problem?
MwRYum...we get a hint earlier with the character Garabaldi called a "VCR"; when Kosh was asked why..."Reflection for the future." It was kinda creepy.
Imagine the pain, most serial killers we bring in still perceive themselves as fine but the Vorlons denied him that, he was forced to know what an absolute monster he was. The absolute horror of such a revelation.
I recently watched a documentary about serial killers. They interviewed one and said that he was simply unable to feel remorse. They asked him what he would do if he could and he said he'd hang himself most likely. So he's aware of what he did and how wrong it was, he just couldn't care. What I want to say is, some serial killers are aware of how horrible it is what they do but their brains don't let them react like a sane person would. Doesn't excuse what they did but it puts it into a creepy and sad perspective.
I cannot emphasize it enough, over and over again. Wayne Alexander, and especially this, his portrayal of Jack the Ripper, is probably the best actor to ever have played in Babylon 5. And THAT stands for something as B5 had an amazing cast. Raw, astonishing talent. Watching him, I remember myself thinking, this guy is too good for television. This is a top notch stage actor if I ever saw one. Watch his body language, the command of his voice, the subtle inflections. Just wow! And the very last scene of this short clip, effectively being the last scene of the entire episode. The flicker in his eye when he kinda remembers who he had been as a character... Amazing. Simply amazing! What an actor!
*ZeitdiebX agree..But hands down G'Kar...was the best...The character from start to finish..and the growth of it...WOW...* ^THIS! Londo's not too far behind him, because his story was more tragic as well to a certain degree. But yeah G'Kar played by the late Andreas Katsulas was one of sci-fi's best characters bar none. fully fleshed out and deep with character who had many layers and depths to him overall.
To me, the action of the character walking towards the camera, growing closer as he reveals himself, hightens the tension. The facial expressipns change from that of a broken man when Sheridan confronts him with facts to someone who accepts himself and in the final moment, permits himself to openly take sadistic pride in his work. It it is the look on his face, so close the viewer, as his eyes grow cold as he utters the name "Jack" that gave me chills when I first saw the episode.
I have to admit, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when they mentioned White Chapel and everything fell into place for me. His final line afterward was just incredible.
+Debonair Damsel Yes it would have been. But Vorlons are not a nice race, except for Kosh. Look what they did to those telepaths, and they destroyed whole worlds even if there was only one shadow or shadow influenced person on it..
+Debonair Damsel Though the Vorlons were not exactly the saints they portrayed themselves to be, either and it took Sheridan to make them realise that.
+amarieoflothlorien True, and I doubt that fact was lost on Sebastian. They say it takes a fallen angel to fully understand if not appreciate another fallen angel.
You can hear some of Lorien in his monologue; When he starts raising his voice to accentuate. Other than that he really sounds like a different character.
This is my personal favorite interpretation and use of Jack the Ripper in fiction. It's very different than most interpretations. It was also a cleaver way of signalling to the audience that the motivations and ethics of the Vorlon's weren't as noble as they were made out to be in the series up to this point. Fantastic performance done by Wayne Alexander.
I see similarities between the Vorlons and Sabastion: zelot control freaks who had lost sight of their true goals. I think that's what promped Kosh to recruit Sabastion.
I didn't watch this as it came out, I caught the re-runs of Sy Fy (when they were relevant). My Dad and i used to watch it every morning. This episode is one of my favorites, because as Sheridan was detailing his (Sebastian's) past as the facts provided, I got wide eyed, and said "Nooooooo!". my dad looked at me weird and asked what i was talking about, I said" He's Jack the Ripper, They F'ing worked in Jack the ripper into the story". Dad was like Naa, doubt it, untill the end of his monologue "Remembered only as Jack". I usually just watch a show and enjoy, but this is one of the few times, i ever caught the reference before they said it
I'm Brazilian when this was aired the Cabble channel who Broadcast here always forget to put subtitles or put them in Spanish, at this time I don't know English besides what they teached in schools (And imagine how much English they teached in Brazil in the 90s), so since I have nothing better to do since the Internet doesn't exists yet when this aired, I taped every episode in vhs, and after School I watched, just to see what happened, then with a english-portuguese dictionary in hand, my notebook and my mother's patience I watched again and again translating the entire episode. This episode aired on Sunday only Thursday I have finished translation, I still remember writing "nem mesmo Sebastian, Apenas Jack", in my notebook, and then after a few seconds realizing what that means. This and "De vocês dão valor as suas vidas, estejam em outros lugares" still give me chills. Thanks to that years later I could help in the subtitles of Stargate when MGM stopped Broadcast here in Brazil.
Agreed. Saw the episode again today (although in the morning). When i first saw it in 1995 and in 1998 on Sci-Fi Channel on cable. I had t take a long walk at night and think about the whole episode including the revelation at the end. Damn its always been a chilling scene not easily forgotten. And B5 has a whole ton of great scenes and sci-fi moments.
I am inclined to believe that after a Million years, when the Humans are finally advanced enough to come to the Vorlon Homeworld, they are greeted by a quaint human English gentlement with a top-hat, a cane, and a very distinct accent, going "Good day, gentlemen, it has been quite a long time, and I have been waiting for you...."
We're talking about the Vorlons here, their might means if they don't want you to die, no matter how you so want it to happen, they'd simply not let you...simplest way in this case is to have override on the airlocks power...
Given the way the series ends with the Shadows and the Vorlons, it really casts this character in a completely different light. The Vorlons aren't about good, they're about _order,_ for the Vorlons did things far, far worse than Jack could have ever hoped. Order - a very different thing indeed than good, as the Nazis well taught us.
I believe that Kosh enlisted Sabastian as an inquisitor because her saw a reflection of himself in Sabastian. I find it easy to see their similarities.
The Vorlons are not about "good". They're about you submitting under their strict rule. They destroyed whole world just for having Shadow influence. They manipulated and meddled with the younger races instead of being shepherds.
@@Aivottaja Both the Shadows and the Vorlons lost their way as being shepherds to the younger races, as Lorien told them that that was their role. I wonder if that has happened to many of the parents of today in how they should raise their children? Loosing their way in how to parent.
Sebastian said that the Vorlons thought _"[he] was ideally suited"_ to a job they envisaged for him, and that is why they abducted him. NOT because he had committed a series of horrendous murders, and they were stopping him.
Well, committing atrocities to send a message that chaos cannot stand, is pretty much on brand for the Vorlons. For them he had the right idea but the wrong concrete cause. They corrected that and made him an agent of order on a different battlefield.
JMS admitted in a interview during ComicCon one year that was a major writing mistake in that they HAD actually researched it, but written it down wrong in the script, and outright said 'could someone please get me a gun so I can shoot myself' he was that embarassed about it.
When Sheridan was captured by Clarke's regime in S4 and was being interrogated he came across another prisoner (an alien) who was played by WA. I think it was a Drazi as the other commenter said.
You think that's haunting... Picture this: After tens of thousands of years, when the Humans, Minbari, Narn and even Centauri ahve finally evolved far enough to overcome the Vorlon defences, as the ships land in one of the massive hangars and exist their vessels,t hey are greeted by a Clack -- Clack -- Clack --- Clack, as a man in a strangely archaic dress of the late 19th century Earth approaches them, looking no older than in his mid-30s "Well, it took you long enough..."
that was chilling when he started to speak.." remembered not as a messenger, remembered not as a reformer,not as a prophet, not as a hero, not even as Sebastian..remembered only as ..Jack" that was downright scary.
I could watch this a 1000 times and it would still be as GREAT as the first time i watched ... the writing is TOP NOTCH ... i miss this show ... at least i have it on DVD ...
Unfortunately, Sebastian -- who is actually an incorporeal creature of pure, predatory malevolence -- migrated to Rigel IV, eventually finding his way to Argelius II before being dispatched to the void in the body of a petty prosecutor named Hengist.
I loved both Star Trek and Babylon 5. But this is a small example of how they differed. Babylon 5 was often deeper and darker (but never too dark). Star Trek at it's best would really get me thinking. B5 at it's best would truly move me.
I watched it when it first came out. My wife did not. We watched it together years later and I kept silent during moments like this because I wanted to see the expression on her face with that revelation.
That final revelation is just flat -chilling- in how Wayne Alexander (the actor playing Sebastian) states it. Of all the episodes, this ending I remember with crystal clarity, and after all this time, still gives me shivers.
You can clearly see the error and how they made the voice-over where Sheridan says 'West End' instead of 'East End'. Glad they did not cut that shot out.
I remember reading an interview with J. Michael Straczynski at the time, where he said he knew it was east, "but my hands, for some stupid reason, typed 'west.'"
Most stations aren't like the DVD's, they have the original broadcasted tapes/digital files of the original episode from 1995 when the corrections weren't made. so you'll always hear of the West End line throughout most broadcasted airings of the show on Television today even. The DVD's at least give you the option to switch to the corrected "redubbing" of the line though.
They can do a reboot... Some braindead iq-beggars would even enjoy it, but the original one will stay up. Same as they can make hundreds of "modernization" of Shakespeare, the original will endure.
This is the scene I remember most of all from Babylon 5, beautifully played by these talented actors. I'll bet there was applause on set after the director yelled "CUT." Chills!
For me it was Delenn arriving with the cavalry at the end of Severed Dreams. "Why not?! You are in front of me ... if you value your lives be somewhere else."
I love the fact that they redubbed Sheridan saying "West" to "East" to get it right. Such a powerful scene! Wayne Alexander showed some real gravitas here.
Like the line goes, "A good man will kill you without even a word." FFS, even Londo would have probably wanted to kill him, if he knew the earth history.
One of the best parts of this show, was the little moments. Sometimes they come and go, and sometimes, they mean everything without meaning anything. I truely loved this show.
I was probably 15 at the time and was studying Jack the Ripper when I first saw this episode in the 90s. As soon as Sheridan started hurling his accusations, I knew instantly that he's referring to Jack the Ripper. I got chills. And I felt so smart because I knew that. I love this show
I would have, in my mind, have a scene where Garibaldi is looking this stuff up for Sheridan, and then near the end, have Garibaldi lean back from the screen and go..."holy...shit....".
+Wayne Dixon Did you notice how half of his face was covered by the shadows of the hallway when he was speaking to Sheridan? I love how this series handled the lightning on the characters. :D
It's always been rather fascinating (in a morbid kind of way), as serial killers go by every standard Jack the Ripper was a rank amateur, having reportedly killed six prostitutes in one of the most violent parts of London during the late 1880s. There have been far more prolific killers both before and after yet none have been more infamous than him.
FerretJohn Well, there are many reasons as to why the Jack the Ripper killings are better known than others. Jack repeatedly toyed with the police. Mailing in pieces of clothing, or body parts of the victims, to the police and the press. Also Jack did not just kill his victims. He mutilated them, and would remove organs with such precision that it is believe he had to of had a medical background. Nothing like that had been seen before. Also, he is considered to be the worlds first known Serial Killer. Nothing like it had happened before, so Jack earned his(or her) place in the history books.
porpus99 His fame also came about thanks in main part to the press who were all over the murders, only adding to the fear and hysteria. Jack the Ripper sold newspaper and made headlines...and still does today !
+porpus99 Now we have people coming missing on a highway in British Columbia and Highway 80 near Reno Nevada in such numbers the cops think it's TEAMS of serial killers at work. I've recently been listening to a LOT of missing persons videos on TV and online even more. In some cases in the National Parks, it is as though some super intelligent , fast, strong predator is taking people. In other cases, it is as though teams of very human serial killers are at work along highways. Very disturbing stuff. What is going on right now in the USA makes movies like Wolf Creek , Touristas , and such seem like poorly done play acts.
Certainly there have been some that killed more people. But Jack killed his public and brutally and in Victorian England where it was scandalous for a lady to show her ankle.
Great actors, great production values, great vision, great story, all for naught unless you have great writing. And when you have it all in one place at one time, you get not only scenes like this, but a great series.
Sebastian, forced by the Vorlon to see the error of his ways, and to live well beyond his years, repeatedly testing people who had made the same mistakes he had, and knowing they would fail, like he had ...
Sebastian aka Jack The Ripper, being only remembered by that name... A man trying to change things, even when he acts crazy. He knows he was doing the right thing, and the Vorlons strip him with immortality. It's depressing when you think about it. God this episode gave me the chills, I even when they where giving hints to his true identity.
Babylon 5Edit Alexander appeared in numerous roles on the Babylon 5 television series. His first appearance in the series was in the season two episode "Comes the Inquisitor" as "Sebastian"[3] - the only time he played a human. Alexander subsequently played "Lorien".[4] Other appearances were in season three as a Narn named "G'Dan" in the episode "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place",[5] as a Drazi in the season four episode "Intersections in Real Time",[citation needed] and as a Drakh in the season five episodes "Movements of Fire and Shadow" and "The Fall of Centauri Prime".[6] In the television films, he played a Drakh in Babylon 5: A Call to Arms, and in Babylon 5: The River of Souls, he appeared as a soul.[7
Wayne Alexander's performance of Sebastian here has always reminded me of Jeremy Brett's performance of Sherlock Holmes. Both characters come from late 19th century London, and this episode was originally aired within mere weeks of Brett's death. I'd venture this is where Wayne took his inspiration from.
it says something about the Vorlons that they saw a serial killer as their ideal servant, and didn't give him a say about it. The Vorlons wanted order, not justice. They killed entire planets for the sake of their beliefs. Having Jack the Ripper represent them was fitting.
400 years of penance ... perhaps they will finally let me die. -> this has always to me bben one of the most chilling moments because it so gently subtly underscored the sheer selfrighteousness and abject cruelty, the utter inhumanity of the Vorlons whom we as viewers learned of in this whole episode but this moment specifically where no better than the shadows - the pain in his voice the horror the defeat the hopelessness... that is what the Vorlons came to mean to me
One of the best of the series. Also when Lorien says "You should embrace that remarkable illusion...." and when G'Kar says "...we know only that it is always born...in pain."
0:45 Notice how Sheridan mouthed "west end" before it was corrected in ADR to say "east end". This goof is up there with Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest mouthing "fuck that" when the ADR made her say "screw that" instead!
Wayne Alexander embodies his performance as Jack , i've seen multiple actors portray Jack the Ripper but no one comes close to Wayne & his performance, it is perfection ! Why ? Because as a woman I wouldn't of wanted to run across him in the dark of night.....
What I think happened was that Kosh went to Earth in1888 because he had plans to end the proxy war between his people and the Shadows and knew that the humans were the key. There he happened to cross paths with Sebastian in whom he saw a reflection of himself. He also recognized the danger of The One becoming a zealot and decided that Sebastian was the perfect one to weed out the wrong people before they did any harm.
I remember this episode from when I was a kid and I remember thinking who is this guy and then when the reveal of jack the ripper came out I was legit blown away. Best sci-fi franchise 5hat doesn't have the word star in the title by far.
One of my favorite episodes, though not generally considered to be among the best by most viewers and critics. Mesmerizing performance. Riveting plot. Intense drama.
It's not like the Vorlons were less presumptuous...I mean, think of Third Space and later their forcing races to choose them or be annihilated...they're so sure they know what's best...
"I have never heard you answer that question. Who are YOU? What do YOU want?" - Sheridan at the end of the Shadow War It's why they left - they were, at least, wise enough to leave, once their hypocrisy was put on display.
This is one of my favorite scenes in B5 I’m a bit dissapointed that the German dubbing felt the need of adding two words to the end. It was always quite apparent which jack was meant, adding “the ripper” cheapened the moment a bit. Removing even the slightest ambiguity, felt to me as if the thought was we need to tell our audience, or they never figure it out.
all this time later and i still get a little chill at the end there, 2 excellent actors in an extremely well written scene, makes me weep for Sci Fi today ( Orville is the exception, thats solid )
Little known fact. They had to dub part of this because in the script they got the location wrong. Originally it said "west end" instead of "east end". If you pay attention and look at Sheridan's lips. He says west.
The fact that Wayne Alexander brought the same weight and gravitas to the character of the mentoring Lorien as he did to the anti-heroic Sebastian, speaks volumes about his talent.
No, the real proof is that this is also the man who was Vern in "Spaced Invaders." Any good dramatic actor could do Sebastian and Lorien -- it takes a STAR to be able to shift so seamlessly and believably between drama and humor.
anti-hero? wrong term. How about just directed psycho
The most terrible thing I can imagine is being stripped of all your delusions and being made to live with yourself.
Is that actually what happened? Because he was chosen by a higher power that saw use of his gifts. Lol and he obviously on some level believes he is still chosen by the conviction in his voice. Most you can say is that the Vorlons are keeping jack alive until he agrees with them. Any sufficiently advanced race could do they exact same thing to someone in Victorian england.
@@playingwithfire1934 I did feel that was Sebastian's punishment.
@@playingwithfire1934 That the point, he's been made to realize he is a horrible personal and has improved himself as a result, and serving a higher cause to repent for it(not necessarily a good one), but he has not changed at a fundamental level, he still a sadist who enjoys hurting people and that's torments him and hates himself as a result, thus why he wants to die. But it also what makes him good a his role.
Exactly - and he is in the role for which he is "ideally suited"/i.e. made to stay in the role he appointed himself to in his arrogance, but now must live it out with real knowledge. Even worse, with Delenn and Sheridan he sees how far he is from what he aspired to be... @@cane6074
"Remembered only, as Jack"
Still sends a shiver down my spine, in 2020
Oh yeah
@Simply Legendary curiously enough, within 2 years, a very similar series of murders occurred in North Carolina and Buffalo, New York.
Same here, as it did in the 90's when it aired on 10/25/95, and now again, in 2021 . . .
That line reading is so dead on.
Chilling.
Don't have the lights off if you're watching the end of that episode. You may not sleep.
This was the most priceless moment in all of B5. When I figured out he was Jack the Ripper I remember being with my friend jumping out of my seat and the Doritos flying across the room. That is how priceless this is. They don't make them like this anymore.
Oh...I'd say the Valen origin....Marcus wasn't the only person saying "Dear god"...although mine was added to a string of curses.
"They don't make them like this anymore."
You mean the Doritos?
This is the best depiction of Jack the Ripper in fiction. I get chills everytime.
His eyes, his icy eyes....
@@ir2841 It's the sound of the cane as he walks that gets me.
@@ir2841 funny you say that the colour of his eyes look bluey white.
The graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, 'From Hell', outdoes it by a country mile. But this is a very worthy second.
No it is not they could not even get the district right.
Wayne Alexander is a riveting actor. It's a shame his career never flourished. He is very talented and not even British! He has that accent mastered!
Oh? I will have to research further.
He's in his 70's now. Born in 1943 .Though he was in several movies including B5 ones.
Indeed. His performance here was splendid.
He would have made a great Sherlock Holmes
It's a clever performance that works because the actor used some of his own inflections, US actors fail with the English accent (and vice versa) because they can only do either the accent or their inflection making neither sound believable. When you can do both together your accent can be imperfect, or in this case very theatrical, and make the character believable because by bringing yourself you sound natural and unforced. Wayne Alexander is clearly an accomplished character actor, probably why he played so many roles on B5.
This is why “ Babylon 5” was such a great show!
The way his eyes widen when he says "Remembered only as Jack." gives me chills.
That vacant look-it’s like a hint that everything still isn’t quite right with him, even after the Vorlons’ intervention
Yeah you can really see his loathing of it there. Just gets that cold look, when he recalls who and what he used to be. Even if the Vorlons did mindwork on him to make him stable, they didn't remove those memories. All they did was alter his perspective to make him recognize how broken he was. And he still remembers. Remembers how deluded he was and how much he now loathes that which he used to be.
The Vorlon's needed part of him to still exist in the Ripper persona, to do the job of 'Comes the Inquisitor' to test the strength and resolve of Delenn and Sheridan and steel themselves for their task ahead. That is why I think the Vorlon's 'left' those traits in him, instead of removing them completely, wich pretty sure they could have.
@nnthayer uh, I'm pretty sure that _Psi corps_ shows that the Vorlons never much cared if _anything_ was right with him...
Sebastian/Jack's speech at the end here makes it clear why he was the perfect fit to be the Vorlon's inquisitor. The person testing people to find out if they were truly the one/worthy. He had done such evil under the false belief that he was chosen. Now his mission was to make sure that his mistake was not repeated.
and remember 3rd space that the vorlons mistake was also not repeated...
He should have tested Hitler. Unspeakable things done in the name of changing the country lost in decay, in the name of a cause.
@@shyone968 Or Stalin. Imo, Stalin was worse than Hitler. Not making excuses for Hitler, mind you.
I heard he also played Lorien
Indeed. Brilliant work by the writers of the show. It would have been nice to see more of the character
Hard to believe this is the same actor who would later play the first one, Lorien. His range of talent is impressive.
His expression, when Sheridan completes his sentence.
"Chosen?!"
I remember when I first saw this episode. When his monologue ended with him saying, "known only as Jack". I was thinking, 'The Ripper' as chills ran down my spine.
+Kelly Rayburn think at that moment Sheridan peed a little
+Kelly Rayburn If anything it was a warning to Sheridan that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The ends do not always justify the means.
+Kelly Rayburn Still happens to me.... That's one of the most impressive monologues of the entire show.
I've seen people say they knew it was Jack the Ripper, but was it only at this moment? I would think you would need to be immersed in the lore of that to understand the significance of the hints he gave Sheridan earlier. To me he was just another well-dressed, well-educated arrogant SOB.
As soon as he says "Remembered only..." his eyes kind of go slack and that added to the terror for me.
The actor totally nailed the role! This was also the first hint that the Vorlons might not actually be "good" as we would define it.
It wasn't too long before the Vorlons proved they ain't exactly benevolent, but it was more so after Kosh's death and came its replacement that the Vorlons isn't the "good guys". Still, in comparison with the Shadows, the Vorlons is the closest to benevolent.
I fail to see how this proves they were not exactly "good". They took out a criminal and made him suffer 400 years of penance, while at the same time making him do useful work. Which was exactly what he deserved and much better than such a guy sitting around in a prison cell watching tv until his death wasting the taxpayers money. So where's the problem?
But then used him as a torturer on people for 400 years to find the chosen.
Vorlons used agents as it suited their needs.
MwRYum...we get a hint earlier with the character Garabaldi called a "VCR"; when Kosh was asked why..."Reflection for the future." It was kinda creepy.
Imagine the pain, most serial killers we bring in still perceive themselves as fine but the Vorlons denied him that, he was forced to know what an absolute monster he was. The absolute horror of such a revelation.
I recently watched a documentary about serial killers. They interviewed one and said that he was simply unable to feel remorse. They asked him what he would do if he could and he said he'd hang himself most likely. So he's aware of what he did and how wrong it was, he just couldn't care. What I want to say is, some serial killers are aware of how horrible it is what they do but their brains don't let them react like a sane person would. Doesn't excuse what they did but it puts it into a creepy and sad perspective.
I cannot emphasize it enough, over and over again. Wayne Alexander, and especially this, his portrayal of Jack the Ripper, is probably the best actor to ever have played in Babylon 5. And THAT stands for something as B5 had an amazing cast. Raw, astonishing talent. Watching him, I remember myself thinking, this guy is too good for television. This is a top notch stage actor if I ever saw one.
Watch his body language, the command of his voice, the subtle inflections. Just wow! And the very last scene of this short clip, effectively being the last scene of the entire episode. The flicker in his eye when he kinda remembers who he had been as a character... Amazing. Simply amazing! What an actor!
Casper 62 Andy was a natural. But Wayne, Peter Jurasik... they made most of the other actors look like newbies.
*ZeitdiebX agree..But hands down G'Kar...was the best...The character from start to finish..and the growth of it...WOW...*
^THIS! Londo's not too far behind him, because his story was more tragic as well to a certain degree. But yeah G'Kar played by the late Andreas Katsulas was one of sci-fi's best characters bar none. fully fleshed out and deep with character who had many layers and depths to him overall.
ZeitdiebX You are SPOT on!!!!!!!
@James Kessler Yes, you can see the "Jack" still alive behind the eyes.
The fact that he's an American is the craziest part.
To me, the action of the character walking towards the camera, growing closer as he reveals himself, hightens the tension. The facial expressipns change from that of a broken man when Sheridan confronts him with facts to someone who accepts himself and in the final moment, permits himself to openly take sadistic pride in his work. It it is the look on his face, so close the viewer, as his eyes grow cold as he utters the name "Jack" that gave me chills when I first saw the episode.
Perfect acting!
I have to admit, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when they mentioned White Chapel and everything fell into place for me. His final line afterward was just incredible.
"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions". Ironically, the Vorlons gave Sebastian 400 years to reflect on that fact.
+Debonair Damsel I doubt they killed him.
It would have been merciful if they had.
+Debonair Damsel Yes it would have been. But Vorlons are not a nice race, except for Kosh. Look what they did to those telepaths, and they destroyed whole worlds even if there was only one shadow or shadow influenced person on it..
+Debonair Damsel Though the Vorlons were not exactly the saints they portrayed themselves to be, either and it took Sheridan to make them realise that.
+amarieoflothlorien True, and I doubt that fact was lost on Sebastian. They say it takes a fallen angel to fully understand if not appreciate another fallen angel.
Wayne Alexander is great as Sebastian and Lorien.
You can hear some of Lorien in his monologue; When he starts raising his voice to accentuate. Other than that he really sounds like a different character.
This is my personal favorite interpretation and use of Jack the Ripper in fiction. It's very different than most interpretations. It was also a cleaver way of signalling to the audience that the motivations and ethics of the Vorlon's weren't as noble as they were made out to be in the series up to this point. Fantastic performance done by Wayne Alexander.
Oh agreed I would have loved to have seen a full movie about jack the ripper with this interpretation of him.
I see similarities between the Vorlons and Sabastion: zelot control freaks who had lost sight of their true goals. I think that's what promped Kosh to recruit Sabastion.
Jack The Ripper..."cleaver" way...I see what you did there. 😁
One of the best scenes EVER and CHILLING.
Yes and the music in the end makes the chills on the spine all the better :D
I didn't watch this as it came out, I caught the re-runs of Sy Fy (when they were relevant). My Dad and i used to watch it every morning. This episode is one of my favorites, because as Sheridan was detailing his (Sebastian's) past as the facts provided, I got wide eyed, and said "Nooooooo!". my dad looked at me weird and asked what i was talking about, I said" He's Jack the Ripper, They F'ing worked in Jack the ripper into the story". Dad was like Naa, doubt it, untill the end of his monologue "Remembered only as Jack". I usually just watch a show and enjoy, but this is one of the few times, i ever caught the reference before they said it
Sci fi with dads in wonderful.
Happens to me frequently...I'll say a line before the character does.
I used to get up at 4am during school holidays to watch Dr Who and then Greatest American Hero reruns with my father as well.
I remember catching on early where that conversation was going and still getting chills at the end when my induction was confirmed.
I'm Brazilian when this was aired the Cabble channel who Broadcast here always forget to put subtitles or put them in Spanish, at this time I don't know English besides what they teached in schools (And imagine how much English they teached in Brazil in the 90s), so since I have nothing better to do since the Internet doesn't exists yet when this aired, I taped every episode in vhs, and after School I watched, just to see what happened, then with a english-portuguese dictionary in hand, my notebook and my mother's patience I watched again and again translating the entire episode.
This episode aired on Sunday only Thursday I have finished translation, I still remember writing "nem mesmo Sebastian, Apenas Jack", in my notebook, and then after a few seconds realizing what that means.
This and "De vocês dão valor as suas vidas, estejam em outros lugares" still give me chills.
Thanks to that years later I could help in the subtitles of Stargate when MGM stopped Broadcast here in Brazil.
I saw this episode when it aired originally. The chills still run up my spine; brilliant delivery.
Agreed. Saw the episode again today (although in the morning). When i first saw it in 1995 and in 1998 on Sci-Fi Channel on cable. I had t take a long walk at night and think about the whole episode including the revelation at the end. Damn its always been a chilling scene not easily forgotten. And B5 has a whole ton of great scenes and sci-fi moments.
Sebastian: "Now...perhaps...they will finally let me die."
Sheridan: "You know, the nearest airlock is that way."
I am inclined to believe that after a Million years, when the Humans are finally advanced enough to come to the Vorlon Homeworld, they are greeted by a quaint human English gentlement with a top-hat, a cane, and a very distinct accent, going "Good day, gentlemen, it has been quite a long time, and I have been waiting for you...."
That would be incredible or terrifying.
We're talking about the Vorlons here, their might means if they don't want you to die, no matter how you so want it to happen, they'd simply not let you...simplest way in this case is to have override on the airlocks power...
LOL:-):-):-):-):-)
Or pull a Moreden on him...and totally reconstruct him from fragments of DNA.
This actor would have made for a great Sherlock Holmes on the BBC.
+mjad191 or a TV serie on Jack the Ripper
He does have a Jeremy Brett quality to him.
He couldn't be worse than Benedict Cumberbund
Which is interesting as the actor is American.
I think he would've been better as Moriarty
Given the way the series ends with the Shadows and the Vorlons, it really casts this character in a completely different light. The Vorlons aren't about good, they're about _order,_ for the Vorlons did things far, far worse than Jack could have ever hoped. Order - a very different thing indeed than good, as the Nazis well taught us.
I believe that Kosh enlisted Sabastian as an inquisitor because her saw a reflection of himself in Sabastian. I find it easy to see their similarities.
The Vorlons are not about "good". They're about you submitting under their strict rule. They destroyed whole world just for having Shadow influence. They manipulated and meddled with the younger races instead of being shepherds.
@@Aivottaja Both the Shadows and the Vorlons lost their way as being shepherds to the younger races, as Lorien told them that that was their role. I wonder if that has happened to many of the parents of today in how they should raise their children? Loosing their way in how to parent.
Sebastian said that the Vorlons thought _"[he] was ideally suited"_ to a job they envisaged for him, and that is why they abducted him. NOT because he had committed a series of horrendous murders, and they were stopping him.
Well, committing atrocities to send a message that chaos cannot stand, is pretty much on brand for the Vorlons. For them he had the right idea but the wrong concrete cause. They corrected that and made him an agent of order on a different battlefield.
I just love how Sheridan actually says "West" and the ADR dubbed in "East"
Yes it always annoyed me when Watching the DVD that he said West End when in fact it should be East End. Poor research?
@@mikebennett1174 Mistake.
Never noticed that in my 20 years + of watching.
JMS admitted in a interview during ComicCon one year that was a major writing mistake in that they HAD actually researched it, but written it down wrong in the script, and outright said 'could someone please get me a gun so I can shoot myself' he was that embarassed about it.
@@barricade8957
They should have it fixed a in an HD remaster.
Wait, I forgot. A remaster is never going to happen.
I've always found this scene to be rather chilling. gives me goosebumps everytime.
God damn this is good.... "Remembered only as Jack"
Wayne Alexander, aka the versatile actor on Babylon 5 playing Sebastian or Jack. Also was Lorien & the Drakh leader on Centari Prime. Brilliant actor.
And a Narn, and a Drazi I think.
When Sheridan was captured by Clarke's regime in S4 and was being interrogated he came across another prisoner (an alien) who was played by WA. I think it was a Drazi as the other commenter said.
He played a small part as a Narn in "And the Rock Cried Out No Hiding Place" who tells G'Kar the conditions on Homeworld shortly after he arrives.
This scene still gives me chills years after I've seen it.
+Saiyan Princess Same here. Literally get goosebumps whenever I hear that last line
This was the most haunting ending to any episode of any show I've ever watched.
You think that's haunting...
Picture this: After tens of thousands of years, when the Humans, Minbari, Narn and even Centauri ahve finally evolved far enough to overcome the Vorlon defences, as the ships land in one of the massive hangars and exist their vessels,t hey are greeted by a Clack -- Clack -- Clack --- Clack, as a man in a strangely archaic dress of the late 19th century Earth approaches them, looking no older than in his mid-30s "Well, it took you long enough..."
Next to Londo sitting on the throne with that Keeper attached to his body.
You wanna see a haunting ending to an episode of TV, watch the Quantum Leap S4, Ep20
"The Curse of Ptah-Hotep - March 2, 1957"
that was chilling when he started to speak.." remembered not as a messenger, remembered not as a reformer,not as a prophet, not as a hero, not even as Sebastian..remembered only as ..Jack" that was downright scary.
This actor has a mastery of the pause with inflection changes.
I could watch this a 1000 times and it would still be as GREAT as the first time i watched ... the writing is TOP NOTCH ... i miss this show ... at least i have it on DVD ...
Unfortunately, Sebastian -- who is actually an incorporeal creature of pure, predatory malevolence -- migrated to Rigel IV, eventually finding his way to Argelius II before being dispatched to the void in the body of a petty prosecutor named Hengist.
And strangely sounds a lot like piglet
@@luminaire4946 And then became a Mason and the body for The Master.
Thank you. I was hoping someone would comment on that.
Wolf of the fold?
@@jdbarr769, actually it is "Wolf in the Fold". Star Trek original series.
I loved both Star Trek and Babylon 5. But this is a small example of how they differed. Babylon 5 was often deeper and darker (but never too dark). Star Trek at it's best would really get me thinking. B5 at it's best would truly move me.
Excellent point. Completely agree.
Sends chills down my spine even now.
Holy fuck. I just watched it again. Goosebumps!
I watched it when it first came out. My wife did not. We watched it together years later and I kept silent during moments like this because I wanted to see the expression on her face with that revelation.
This ist what i Love about B5 great Actors. His final words and His eyes can give you Nightmares and a fear for jack.
That final revelation is just flat -chilling- in how Wayne Alexander (the actor playing Sebastian) states it. Of all the episodes, this ending I remember with crystal clarity, and after all this time, still gives me shivers.
You can clearly see the error and how they made the voice-over where Sheridan says 'West End' instead of 'East End'. Glad they did not cut that shot out.
I remember reading an interview with J. Michael Straczynski at the time, where he said he knew it was east, "but my hands, for some stupid reason, typed 'west.'"
I was watching the episode on UK TV today and the version they used actually had him say "West End"
Most stations aren't like the DVD's, they have the original broadcasted tapes/digital files of the original episode from 1995 when the corrections weren't made. so you'll always hear of the West End line throughout most broadcasted airings of the show on Television today even. The DVD's at least give you the option to switch to the corrected "redubbing" of the line though.
I read lips. He said west side, not west end.
I miss this show and pray they do not do a reboot because follywood will only F it up.
Not if JMS has total control.
@@michaelweigel8253 agreed!!!!!
@@michaelweigel8253 agreed, JMS wrote this as a novel for TV this is HIS work so unless he hands it over it will never happen
They can do a reboot... Some braindead iq-beggars would even enjoy it, but the original one will stay up. Same as they can make hundreds of "modernization" of Shakespeare, the original will endure.
This is the scene I remember most of all from Babylon 5, beautifully played by these talented actors. I'll bet there was applause on set after the director yelled "CUT." Chills!
For me it was Delenn arriving with the cavalry at the end of Severed Dreams.
"Why not?! You are in front of me ... if you value your lives be somewhere else."
@@mikecimerian6913 God I wish I would have met Mira.
I love the fact that they redubbed Sheridan saying "West" to "East" to get it right. Such a powerful scene! Wayne Alexander showed some real gravitas here.
"I think that might be wise." The coldness in Sheridan at that moment sent shivers down my spine...
Like the line goes, "A good man will kill you without even a word." FFS, even Londo would have probably wanted to kill him, if he knew the earth history.
One of the best parts of this show, was the little moments. Sometimes they come and go, and sometimes, they mean everything without meaning anything. I truely loved this show.
I was probably 15 at the time and was studying Jack the Ripper when I first saw this episode in the 90s. As soon as Sheridan started hurling his accusations, I knew instantly that he's referring to Jack the Ripper. I got chills. And I felt so smart because I knew that. I love this show
I would have, in my mind, have a scene where Garibaldi is looking this stuff up for Sheridan, and then near the end, have Garibaldi lean back from the screen and go..."holy...shit....".
Actually he asked Susan not Michael...she outranks him and could go places Michael would have to hack into.
True, but wasn't Garibaldi more a history buff? Or am I mis-remembering it.
This episode ranks up there with one of babylon 5's very best, especially in the final scene. BRRRRRR!
Love this show. Had some of the heaviest lines.
You can really hear his self-loathing in that last line.
As he spits out Jack you hear all the bitterness and contempt.
"Remember only...as Jack."
And that's when the Addams Family danced the Mamushka...once more for him
One of the most sinister characters I've came across.....very chilling
+Wayne Dixon Did you notice how half of his face was covered by the shadows of the hallway when he was speaking to Sheridan? I love how this series handled the lightning on the characters. :D
I wonder if Valen mentioned Jack to the Vorlons, and they thought, "maybe we should look that guy up in 600 years"?
Why would he have? The only reason Sheridan figured it out was because he was a history buff.
I like how at the end, he wasn't Sebastian anymore. He was Jack again, if even for a couple words.
It's always been rather fascinating (in a morbid kind of way), as serial killers go by every standard Jack the Ripper was a rank amateur, having reportedly killed six prostitutes in one of the most violent parts of London during the late 1880s. There have been far more prolific killers both before and after yet none have been more infamous than him.
FerretJohn Well, there are many reasons as to why the Jack the Ripper killings are better known than others. Jack repeatedly toyed with the police. Mailing in pieces of clothing, or body parts of the victims, to the police and the press. Also Jack did not just kill his victims. He mutilated them, and would remove organs with such precision that it is believe he had to of had a medical background. Nothing like that had been seen before. Also, he is considered to be the worlds first known Serial Killer. Nothing like it had happened before, so Jack earned his(or her) place in the history books.
porpus99 His fame also came about thanks in main part to the press who were all over the murders, only adding to the fear and hysteria. Jack the Ripper sold newspaper and made headlines...and still does today !
+porpus99 Now we have people coming missing on a highway in British Columbia and Highway 80 near Reno Nevada in such numbers the cops think it's TEAMS of serial killers at work. I've recently been listening to a LOT of missing persons videos on TV and online even more. In some cases in the National Parks, it is as though some super intelligent , fast, strong predator is taking people. In other cases, it is as though teams of very human serial killers are at work along highways. Very disturbing stuff. What is going on right now in the USA makes movies like Wolf Creek , Touristas , and such seem like poorly done play acts.
+FerretJohn You need to realize that fame, as well as infamy, are never the result of ability, but of presentation and timing.
Certainly there have been some that killed more people. But Jack killed his public and brutally and in Victorian England where it was scandalous for a lady to show her ankle.
Great actors, great production values, great vision, great story, all for naught unless you have great writing. And when you have it all in one place at one time, you get not only scenes like this, but a great series.
Man I love this episode. Not to mention the actor
Wayne Alexander. Great actor for the roles he had and later to return to B5 in the role of Lorien.
Sebastian, forced by the Vorlon to see the error of his ways, and to live well beyond his years, repeatedly testing people who had made the same mistakes he had, and knowing they would fail, like he had ...
Sebastian aka Jack The Ripper, being only remembered by that name... A man trying to change things, even when he acts crazy. He knows he was doing the right thing, and the Vorlons strip him with immortality. It's depressing when you think about it.
God this episode gave me the chills, I even when they where giving hints to his true identity.
Babylon 5Edit
Alexander appeared in numerous roles on the Babylon 5 television series. His first appearance in the series was in the season two episode "Comes the Inquisitor" as "Sebastian"[3] - the only time he played a human. Alexander subsequently played "Lorien".[4] Other appearances were in season three as a Narn named "G'Dan" in the episode "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place",[5] as a Drazi in the season four episode "Intersections in Real Time",[citation needed] and as a Drakh in the season five episodes "Movements of Fire and Shadow" and "The Fall of Centauri Prime".[6] In the television films, he played a Drakh in Babylon 5: A Call to Arms, and in Babylon 5: The River of Souls, he appeared as a soul.[7
Love that everyone immediately thinks of Alexander as Lorien and Sabastian, but never realize he was Kosh as well.
Ahh I do so miss the writing on this show.
Wayne Alexander's performance of Sebastian here has always reminded me of Jeremy Brett's performance of Sherlock Holmes. Both characters come from late 19th century London, and this episode was originally aired within mere weeks of Brett's death. I'd venture this is where Wayne took his inspiration from.
_"The monster never sees a monster in the mirror."_
-- J. Michael Straczynski
It's moments like this that illustrates just what an amazing show Babylon 5 was and what incredible actors helped make it so.
Remembered not as a messenger.
Remembered not as a reformer.
Not as a profit.
Not as a hero.
Not even as Sebastian.
Remembered only... as Jack
Not as a PROPHET, not „PROFIT”.
it says something about the Vorlons that they saw a serial killer as their ideal servant, and didn't give him a say about it. The Vorlons wanted order, not justice. They killed entire planets for the sake of their beliefs. Having Jack the Ripper represent them was fitting.
400 years of penance ... perhaps they will finally let me die. -> this has always to me bben one of the most chilling moments because it so gently subtly underscored the sheer selfrighteousness and abject cruelty, the utter inhumanity of the Vorlons whom we as viewers learned of in this whole episode but this moment specifically where no better than the shadows - the pain in his voice the horror the defeat the hopelessness... that is what the Vorlons came to mean to me
Wayne Alexander was so so GOOD in this portrayal of Jack the Ripper. Equally as great when he portrayed Lorien later in the series. Best choice ever.
One of the best of the series. Also when Lorien says "You should embrace that remarkable illusion...." and when G'Kar says "...we know only that it is always born...in pain."
0:45 Notice how Sheridan mouthed "west end" before it was corrected in ADR to say "east end". This goof is up there with Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest mouthing "fuck that" when the ADR made her say "screw that" instead!
That's because originally Galaxy Quest was going to be PG-13, and you get can one F bomb, maybe 2, in a PG-13 movie.
This episode was just awesome. The darkest character that was given.
Still gives me the chilles.
Wayne Alexander embodies his performance as Jack , i've seen multiple actors portray Jack the Ripper but no one comes close to Wayne & his performance, it is perfection ! Why ? Because as a woman I wouldn't of wanted to run across him in the dark of night.....
I don't think anyone in my life understands just how much I love this scene! it gives me chills every time I see it!!
Because who Jack the Ripper was and where he went is still a mystery
What I think happened was that Kosh went to Earth in1888 because he had plans to end the proxy war between his people and the Shadows and knew that the humans were the key. There he happened to cross paths with Sebastian in whom he saw a reflection of himself. He also recognized the danger of The One becoming a zealot and decided that Sebastian was the perfect one to weed out the wrong people before they did any harm.
One of my favourite episodes.
That music at the end is absolutely perfect for that disturbing reveal.
Still sends a chill up my spine even now
2024 and this episode gets better and better with age
I remember this episode from when I was a kid and I remember thinking who is this guy and then when the reveal of jack the ripper came out I was legit blown away. Best sci-fi franchise 5hat doesn't have the word star in the title by far.
Best sci-fi show ever
One of my favorite episodes, though not generally considered to be among the best by most viewers and critics. Mesmerizing performance. Riveting plot. Intense drama.
So powerful as Sebastian walk into a screen filling close up to say, "but only known as Jack".
It's not like the Vorlons were less presumptuous...I mean, think of Third Space and later their forcing races to choose them or be annihilated...they're so sure they know what's best...
"I have never heard you answer that question. Who are YOU? What do YOU want?" - Sheridan at the end of the Shadow War
It's why they left - they were, at least, wise enough to leave, once their hypocrisy was put on display.
Sheridan: What do you want?
Kosh: NEVER ASK THAT QUESTION.
the hypocrite is so quick to point out their flaws in others.... the lesson that humanity cannot remember let alone spell....
This is one of my favorite scenes in B5 I’m a bit dissapointed that the German dubbing felt the need of adding two words to the end. It was always quite apparent which jack was meant, adding “the ripper” cheapened the moment a bit. Removing even the slightest ambiguity, felt to me as if the thought was we need to tell our audience, or they never figure it out.
Some actors and characters have that One Apperance. This was Wayne Alexander's One apperance.
B5 is a masterpiece for all time
Back when writing was good. Now? I can't even describe it.
And then he sprouts springs from his heels and bounces away.
all this time later and i still get a little chill at the end there, 2 excellent actors in an extremely well written scene, makes me weep for Sci Fi today ( Orville is the exception, thats solid )
Wayne Alexander is fantastic
Love him as Lorien
This is so... delightfully grim.
That last scene was absolutely mental. When they thought this concept up, it would have made their hair stand on end
He said “West end” and they had to overdub it with “east end”!
Little known fact. They had to dub part of this because in the script they got the location wrong. Originally it said "west end" instead of "east end".
If you pay attention and look at Sheridan's lips. He says west.
And even JMS commented at a con, "someone give me a gun please for my mistake".
It is sad and ironic that in later years many future "Earthers" felt Sheridan was a monster too after his battles with President Clark.
Not forever
Clark had a better press agent.