Random question here.... but what was Vorlon society like? Was the Vorlon Empire a name set up just to strike fear in the younger ones?
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if "Vorlon Empire" was a name the younger races applied to the Vorlons that the Vorlons never corrected them on. It's not like we have any idea how the Vorlon state works, or even if there
is a Vorlon state per se. Concepts like statehood may not apply to telepathic god-like Lovecraftian space jellyfish.
It se ems like some of the names were "misleading",,,,so that the Centauri Republic was more of an empire
In fairness, states do sometimes brand themselves inaccurately. The polity we call the Roman Empire continued to call itself "the Senate and People of Rome," and the office we call
Roman Emperor was not referred to as such in the Western Roman Empire -- rather, the Roman Emperor is our modern name for the executive leader who accumulated a number of offices of the Roman Republic that had formerly been independent of one-another. A bit like if the President of the United States were to simultaneously become Speaker of the House of Representatives, Majority Leader of the Senate, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mayor of the District of Columbia, Mayor of the City of New York, Mayor of the City of Chicago, Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, etc etc etc.
Another example: the North Korean state's formal name is
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, yet it clearly is not democratic and the people clearly have no power over the DPRK. It's not even a genuine republic, because its leadership is clearly a hereditary monarchy. And its leaders, again, become such by accumulating a number of different offices ("First Secretary/Chairman/General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea," "First Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," "Chairman/President of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea").
Perhaps
Centauri Emperor is an informal title and he's legally entitled
President of the Centauri Republic, Speaker of the Centaurum, Supreme Justice of the High Court of the Centauri Republic, Supreme Governor of the Church of the Great Maker, etc.
(no senators named, Emperor had control)....
Well, no, the Centaurum clearly existed, and it clearly had times where it waxed and waned in terms of its level of power. Emperor Turhan described feeling powerless to act on his preferences earlier in his reign, and late in his reign and early in Cartagia's reign, it is clear that Lord Refa and Londo had a lot more control over the Republic than he did. For much of seasons two and three, Lord Refa seems to be the real leader of the Centauri Republic. It's only after Refa dies that Cartagia seems to take control.
Earth Alliance was more like Earth and its colonies, etc.
Oh, 100%. It's an "Alliance" (really more of a federal republic) of
Earth polities, not of Earth's colonies. Earth Alliance Senators represent what used to be sovereign states on Earth, not the colony words.
The Vorlons had no Emperor or even a hierarchy, so far as I'm aware - hence Ulkesh stating "We are all Kosh".
In fairness,
empire can also be used just to describe a system of domination and control over vassal states by a central power. But since no one knows how Vorlon society works, yeah, I suspect that either the Vorlons chose that name to intimidate others without regard for its accuracy, or that the younger races applied it to them without regard for its accuracy.
I imagine that they were a gestalt entity or group mind in some respects, similar to the Founders in the Great Link in DS9. We know Kosh could implant part of his consciousness in sentient beings other than Vorlons, such as John Sheridan. Just my speculation though...
Same.
The Roman Empire used to be the Roman Republic before Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus became Imperator Augustus (the venerable commander). Perhaps JMS didn't think too deeply about whether it made sense. He obviously borrowed themes from I, Claudius for the Centauri. The Vorlons had no Emperor or even a hierarchy, so far as I'm aware - hence Ulkesh stating "We are all Kosh". I imagine that they were a gestalt entity or group mind in some respects, similar to the Founders in the Great Link in DS9. We know Kosh could implant part of his consciousness in sentient beings other than Vorlons, such as John Sheridan. Just my speculation though...
