Jumpgate Technology

[Jade Jaguar]

Although the observation that the Shadows can cloak themselves is interesting, and indeed, even the Soldier of Darkness was more or less invisible, I think that if JMS had meant that the Shadow ships were cloaked, more of a point would have been made of it. The Shadows' personal invisibility might be more a trick of the mind, akin to Kosh's appearance to other beings.

 

[vacantlook]

The Shadows' personal invisibility might be more a trick of the mind, akin to Kosh's appearance to other beings.

I hadn't actually thought about the Shadow's seeming invisibility as being a mental thing. That could also play into how in "In The Shadow Of Z'ha'dum" Talia, being a telepath, is able to catch a glimpse at the two shadows around Morden.

However, it wouldn't fit with Zack's later being able to scan on different light wavelengths with the cell's camera to momentarily reveal the Shadows in Morden's cell.

The past few days I've been thinking up an alternate theory about how the Shadows can seemingly turn invisible, as well.

I've been kind of perplexed as to how the Shadows can walk around all invisible (should it be they're just able to refract light to make them invisible) and not bump into people all over the place. In the above mentioned Talia in the hallway scene, how was it that they didn't physically run into the Shadows in that relatively small hallway? Another similar example, how did the Shadow get into the Centauri throne room in "Into The Fire" when Morden was brought in without banging into the doorway or the guards?

So, thinking about this for a while, I thought, perhaps they're not really invisible. Maybe the Shadows have some way of creating a very localized space-hyperspace portal and kind of sit the fence when they're "invisible." In other words, they are partially in hyperspace and partially in real space when they're seemingly invisible, and that allows them to occupy the same space as something else in regular space. That would keep them from bumping into people all over the place as they come and go.

Yeah, I know it's far-fetched, but I haven't yet thought of any other decent explanation for why they're not bumping into people all the time when they're around Morden.

 

[Mike G]

I've been kind of perplexed as to how the Shadows can walk around all invisible (should it be they're just able to refract light to make them invisible) and not bump into people all over the place.

JMS said in the commentary that they are really fast, its the same reason you don't bump into spiders in your house.

 

[vacantlook]

JMS said in the commentary that they are really fast, its the same reason you don't bump into spiders in your house.

Oh funny.

And how does jms know anything about my relationship with spiders? It seems like I'm always running into them somewhere in my house. I think they have a massive assault plan they employ trying to cause me to freak out. I'll be going along, doing my own thing, and bam! There one goes running around just long enough for me to see it. Once I see it, it turns and starts running at me.



I don't like spiders.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Well, actually, I think Shadow invisibility as a mental trick fits in quite well with Zack being able to scan them in a different wavelength. They were not expecting that, therefore didn't cloud Zack's mind to the electronic receptions that he got from them, until they became aware they were being seen by sensing it, and then couldn't be detected again. Your explanation that they are partly in hyperspace might be plausible, but I tend to think that continually opening into hyperspace takes more energy than even an individual Shadow commands. Also, one would think that when Londo had Morden's escorts killed, they could have easily escaped by phasing into hyperspace, if it were even necessary, since being out of normal space enough to be invisible would probably make them immune to weapons used from normal space. I've always wondered if they could walk on ceilings, like spiders, thus avoiding contact in close quarters.

 

[vacantlook]

Can you imagine how freaky of a shot it would be if there was an exterior shot of B5 and there were a bunch of Shadows walking all over the hull trying to invade the place?

 

[is/alliance]

Hi.Shadowships "Phase" in and out of normal space they don't open "Jump points".A dimention between "normal space & hyperspace" allows them to cloack their ships,till they appear in "normal" space .For a better explanation:The B5 Tech Manual
I wonder if theUnknown Race Who built the jumpgate network.Could be the same unknown race that appeard in The Legend Of The Rangers? Colin.<*>.

 

[KoshFan]

I think Jade Jaguar is exactly right about the Shadows not expecting to be picked up on other wavelengths (although Zach didn't see anything, it was Sheridan who spotted them). Notice that after Zach stopped changing wavelengths, the Shadows fade out again. They weren't quite fast enough to block keen-eyed Sheridan, but they almost kept up with Zach's sensor-changing tactic.

 

[is/alliance]

Hi.The Shadows,like The Vorlons are beings of energy.Their advanced understanding of the nature of matter allow them to "phase"Making them visible only to obscure bandwidths of the E-M spectrum.
Shadows Sentient Beings
Colin.<*>.

 

[TheInfection]

I watched Mind War and Signs And Portents again and noticed something. There isn't a single shot from the red hyperspace in Season 1. Ships jump in and out but that's it. I'll have to watch more episodes to be sure but this far I haven't seen nothing.

Regards,
Marko Marin