ATTN JMS:Questions about Z'Ha'Dum and some background mythology...

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: ATTN JMS:Questions about Z'Ha'Dum and some background mythology...
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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+  1: Aug 21, 1996: Grant Amey <amey at yorvic.york.ac.uk>
+  2: Aug 21, 1996: mojo at best.com (Morris Jones)
*  3: Aug 22, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: Grant Amey <amey at yorvic.york.ac.uk>
Lines: 32

Dear JMS,

Well, I've been watching the show since the first episode and have been 
reading this group for ages, but I've only just worked up the courage
to write in with a few questions of my own. The first two might get
answered in the last eps of the season, but questions 3 and 4 are about
some of the ancient history and mythology you might have brought into the 
show along the way:

1) Why has Z'Ha'Dum not been destroyed by the Vorlons et al in one of the
previous wars to prevent the Shadows return?

2) If the planet has been there for so long, would not the star that it 
orbits have died quite some time ago, given that the Shadows are so old?

3) Was Kosh inspired by the Russian myth of "Koshchei the Deathless"?
He was said to possess a clairvoyant steed with which he could communicate,
and to have hidden his "fiery soul" in an egg. When he was killed (by the egg
being crushed) the fire from the egg envelopes the world, cleansing it of evil.
Now, to me, his encounter suit had an egg shell pattern, he died when the 
Shadows ripped open the suit and a "non localized phenomenon" swept across the
station... coincidence?

4) Is the Minbari caste system inspired by the Zoroastrian belief that was 
prevalent in ancient Babylon? They too divided themselves into 3 castes -
warrior, religious and worker.

Thanks,

Grant



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From: mojo at best.com (Morris Jones)
Lines: 34

Grant Amey <amey at yorvic.york.ac.uk> writes:
>
>3) Was Kosh inspired by ....
>
>4) Is the Minbari caste system inspired by ....

Did you not realize how tiresome these sorts of questions have become
to JMS?  He has said repeatedly that his characters came out of his own
creative efforts, and none of them are references to any past literature
or other work.

No one seems to believe that he could possibly have "thunk it up all by
hisse'f."

JMS has a very eclectic background in life and education, and says that
obviously there are parallels between his work and all of the great
myths found in the history of literature, but none of his creation were
"inspired" by any single thing.

Three years of bombardment with these sorts of questions has slowly
driven him crazy, to the point where he's stopped putting in *any*
creative acknowledgement to any previous work.  No more "be seeing
yous."

I only wrote this so you would know why JMS is not likely to answer
your questions.

Mojo
-- 
Morris Jones         <*>
Campbell, CA
mojo at whiteoaks.com
http://www.whiteoaks.com


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 30

"1) Why has Z'Ha'Dum not been destroyed by the Vorlons et al in one of the
previous wars to prevent the Shadows return?"

Funny, that...you'd think maybe there was something of interest there.

"2) If the planet has been there for so long, would not the star that it
orbits have died quite some time ago, given that the Shadows are so old?"

I don't think so.  Stars live an awfully long time.  

"3) Was Kosh inspired by the Russian myth of "Koshchei the Deathless"?"

Nope.

"4) Is the Minbari caste system inspired by the Zoroastrian belief that
was 
prevalent in ancient Babylon? They too divided themselves into 3 castes,
warrior, religious and worker."

I kinda knew about this in the back of my head, so it may have been
subconscious, but if the question is did I consciously do this, no, I
ain't that smart.




 jms



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