Was "Deconstruction of Falling Stars an Alternative Ending?
- Thread starter Mistral
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I think Deconstruction of Falling Stars was never intended as a series finale because it wasn't even made until TNT green-lighted a S5 at which point JMS took Sleeping In Light(the Series finale which was going to air at the end of S4 when it looked like the show was ending) and moved Sleeping in Light to the end of S5.
They then made Deconstruction and used it as the S4 finale. I think because of the style of it (jumping ahead in time and narrating events) it seems like a series finale, but I think part of that was it made it easier to rush the episode out and film it quickly, but also partly because it was the PTEN finale. B5 was moving to TNT and I think maybe JMS wanted a kind of series closure a little bit in the S4 finale so that's why this episode took the shape it did instead of just setting the stage of S5.
They then made Deconstruction and used it as the S4 finale. I think because of the style of it (jumping ahead in time and narrating events) it seems like a series finale, but I think part of that was it made it easier to rush the episode out and film it quickly, but also partly because it was the PTEN finale. B5 was moving to TNT and I think maybe JMS wanted a kind of series closure a little bit in the S4 finale so that's why this episode took the shape it did instead of just setting the stage of S5.
No, because "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" was filmed after "Sleeping in Light". It was intended to fill the slot vacated by SiL after the airdate of the series finale had been pushed back for another year. There were 22 episodes ordered for Season 4 (and Season 5) and as a result another episode had to be filmed. Actually, the official production number for "Sleeping in Light" is 422, while "The Deconstruction of Fallign Stars" is 501. So TDoFS was produced as a Season 5 episode, but aired as part of Season 4. "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" could be seen as a coda to the fourth season.
JMS figured that it would be the ideal opportunity to write an experimental episode as a wrap to the fourth season since "Sleeping in Light" would now be the series finale.
I think there are some fans who like to watch it as a finale to the B5 universe when watched in strict chronological order but it was never intended by JMS as a finale.
Jan
I think there are some fans who like to watch it as a finale to the B5 universe when watched in strict chronological order but it was never intended by JMS as a finale.
Jan
One day he might even let on who was behind Sol going nova.
If we live as long a Vorlon, perhaps...
Wasn't that covered by one of the comic books?Defiantly not a series finale. More of a Coda or an Epilogue.
One day he might even let on who was behind Sol going nova.
It's hard exactly to divine the will of the "great maker" but I thought it was meant to serve as a last-minute replacement for "Sleeping in Light", which got moved to the end of S5 (once he knew there would be a S5). I actually think it might've been better being expanded to a standalone TV movie and shown post-S5. I thought that it was an o.k. episode but it seemed a little out of place following right after what I consider to be the *proper* conclusion to S4 ("Rising Star").
Wasn't that covered by one of the comic books?Defiantly not a series finale. More of a Coda or an Epilogue.
One day he might even let on who was behind Sol going nova.
Wasn't it something to do with some enemy of Earth's opening multiple jump points inside the Sun ?
^ Enemy? I always thought it was like this:
New Earth - i.e. the old Vorlon homeworld - was ready, so the old Earth was of no use anymore. So the humans of the far future destroyed it themselves.
Sounds like it. But I can't remember whether it came from JMS or if it's just fanfiction.Wasn't that covered by one of the comic books?Defiantly not a series finale. More of a Coda or an Epilogue.
One day he might even let on who was behind Sol going nova.
Wasn't it something to do with some enemy of Earth's opening multiple jump points inside the Sun ?
As far as I recall: jms has confirmed that Sol going nova wasn't natural, but if he's said anything more than that I've missed it.
trevanian
Rear Admiral
I really WISH DECONSTRUCTION was the series ender, because SLEEPING is one of the worst wrapups on any SF show. But maybe that fits, because slipping it into 5th season makes it integrate with the lesser quality on display there throughout.
As much as I was rooting for B5 to go five years, in retrospect I wish it had wrapped at four (but then I wouldn't have DECONSTRUCTION, which I love, and I'd still have the crappy ending. guess I know now why I don't rewatch the show.)
As much as I was rooting for B5 to go five years, in retrospect I wish it had wrapped at four (but then I wouldn't have DECONSTRUCTION, which I love, and I'd still have the crappy ending. guess I know now why I don't rewatch the show.)
Something I really want to know is why the humans at that point needed access to the Vorlon homeworld. It feels like cheating. Why can't they become that evolved on their own?
Here you go.
They do. They go to the Vorlon Homeworld after they'd evolved. Hence the swirly light and encounter suit.
What I've never been clear on is if humanity is still a separate species to the Minbari or if they've essentially become one and the same?
Well, yeah, but I guess what I don't understand is, at that point, why is the Vorlon homeworld still so important?
Hell, how has the Vorlon homeworld stayed intact that long?!
Wasn't the Vorlon homeworld protected even after the Vorlons left? I've had a brain fart.
Perhaps the evolution of humans allowed them to finally get into Vorlon space and claim it as their new home. Maybe they are going there to hide from the enemies sending Sol into a premature nova? Maybe they're defeated and are off to lie dormant for 1000 years, until the next war?
Perhaps the evolution of humans allowed them to finally get into Vorlon space and claim it as their new home. Maybe they are going there to hide from the enemies sending Sol into a premature nova? Maybe they're defeated and are off to lie dormant for 1000 years, until the next war?
Under normal circumstances, planets don't suddenly disintegrate just because a sentient race abandons it. Hell it's only a million years, not such a long time as far as planets are concerned.
As for why it's so important, well for one thing, while humans have certainly caught up in the tech department, there must be eons worth of information stored there and Lyta said it was all off limits until they had earned the right "in a million years".
See, this is the one thing that I don't like about B5! Important stuff continues to happen after the show ends, and nobody tells me why!
Although B5 is a contained 5 year period, the world it inhabits doesn't end with the last episode. JMS plotted out the broad strokes of what happens for a million years in either direction. I think he equated it with a western where the hero walking into the sunset. Eventually that horse will fall over and die and the world goes on.
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