Babylon 5 - Action Figure - Vorlon Visitor with Vorton Cruiser

A Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy. When in the presence of other species, Vorlons wear encounter suits.

While almost all the other species of First Ones left the galaxy, the Vorlons stayed behind to act as guardians for younger species. Vorlons shepherded these worlds and the inhabitants were enthralled by their appearance; some worshipped them as gods.[6]

The Shadows took on the same mantle with an opposed philosophy. In this conflict, the Vorlons represent Order. They act as architects, building alliances, encouraging the rule of law and inspiring cooperation. In practice, Vorlons enforce adherence to their rules. Their philosophy is embodied by the question "Who are you?" Sometimes called "The Vorlon Question", it encourages introspection, patience and places identity over goals.

The Vorlons shown on the series tend to be enigmatic, usually speaking only brief, cryptic phrases to beings from the younger species. They also appear to take pride in their enigmatic nature.

See Also: Babylon 5 - Action Figure - Ambassador She'lah the Gaim Intelligence Action Figure with patch

Babylon 5 - Action Figure - Ambassador She'lah the Gaim Intelligence Action Figure with patch

The Gaim are an insectoid race and were a member-race of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and are members of the Interstellar Alliance. Their name is a tribute to Neil Gaiman, who later wrote the episode "Day of the Dead". Gaim require an environmental suit in order to function in an oxygen / nitrogen atmosphere. The Gaim's helmet is reminiscent of The Sandman's helmet, the refurbished skull of a dead god.

The Gaim are ruled by six hive-queens who dictate the behavior of all Gaim. The Gaim never believed that anything existed outside of their home planet, N'chak'fah, for centuries due to their thick atmosphere that prevented Gaim astronomers from seeing the stars properly. The Gaim slaughtered Narn explorers immediately after they landed there in the early 2240s. When a Narn assault fleet showed up some time later, planning to conquer the planet, they met a similar fate as the explorers because for the first time in their history the Queens united to stave off the invasion.

Realizing that they faced alien enemies as well as each other, the Queens began making contact with aliens in an effort to ensure their species' continued survival. Upon appearing in the galactic scene the Gaim quickly joined the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to gain protection from the Narn. The Gaim queens generated a new caste of workers, a diplomatic caste, able to interact with other species, although they still had to use an electronic translator since the Gaim speak in a series of clicks and chirps like many Earth insects. The Gaim, for their part, set about procuring as many starship hulls and other parts as possible to begin constructing their fledgling navy. The queens of the Gaim were able to generate "boutique" chemicals and biological goods which were used to help purchase technology.

The Gaim had only been in space briefly when agents of the Shadows began making themselves apparent in the galaxy. They convinced the Gaim to go to war with a nearby xenophobic race, the Descari. The Gaim initially refused to join Sheridan's alliance against the Shadows on the basis that they had not been attacked yet and by joining with Sheridan would invite attacks. They reconsidered their position when the Vorlons destroyed a small group of Shadow vessels, thus demonstrating victory was possible.