Ulkesh - Nothing else matters

Babylon 5 (c) J. Michael Straczynski
Music (c) Gregorian
Lyrics:
So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who you are
And nothing else matters.
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters.
Trust I seek, and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters.
Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know...
So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who you are
No, nothing else matters

[@spartybrearly7221]

A rough translation of the characters on the Vorlon ship. Sheridan’s probably thinking it’s a cryptic message about the meaning of existence or stuff like that. It actually reads: ‘Minbari are smug bone-headed twonks’

[@eyeofbrown1387]

Never thought I’d see the day where Metallica, Gregorian Chant, and Vorlons easily went hand in hand. Heck, having seen the show and knowing the lore, this video SURPRISED me in how much it actually made me feel some sympathy for Ulkesh, a cold hearted character who was a villain by default. But buried beneath the cruelty was someone who thought they were doing the right thing in a war that’d gone out of control a long time ago, as well as someone who mourned the loss of his friend, Kosh. It’s amazing what powerful music and clever editing can convey to us. 👍 👍

[@SashaXXY]

When I become a giant hyper-advanced immortal space-faring telepathic squid, maybe I just won't give a damn either...

[@coringowland3253]

not immortal. Sheridan and lorian proved that one

[@magicmulder]

@@coringowland3253 There are different kinds of immortality. Not dying of natural causes is different from being unkillable.

[@magicmulder]

Also not really a squid. The squid was just the Vorlon attack form against physical beings. The fight between Kosh and Ulkesh showed they were actually pure energy.

[@Janoha17]

@@magicmulder The telepathic squid you're thinking of was a being known as a Feeder, which had been smuggled onto B5 by a career criminal who hid it in a replica encounter suit.

[@magicmulder]

@@Janoha17 When Ulkesh was attacked, he actually looked like a transparent squid, I'm not confusing that with the red herring from early in the show. ;)

[@dirdib69]

Kosh was an individual of great standing amongst his people, I think, like Delenn or even Dukat was for the Minbari. Add to that the fact that the Vorlons are effectively immortal, the loss must have been shocking to them. I think he was also personally important to Ulkesh, like an older brother or mentor. Ulkesh becomes as Delenn was when Dukat was killed - full of grief and outrage. I imagine that he blamed the younger races, humans in particular, for Kosh's death. Kosh was a progressive, and it was Sheridan's appeal to him that made Kosh use his influence to stage a Vorlon attack on the Shadows to give the younger races some hope. But presumably direct action against the other side was a violation of the rules of their war, and so Kosh knew that he was provoking an attack on himself. I remember Sheridan releasing with shock that Kosh had been afraid - he knew he was risking his own life.

[@HorusHeresy1982]

I did smile when I realized the music to this made sense lol

[@stt5v2002]

Loved the video. I think that Ulkesh was a brilliant character. He reflects the change in the Vorlons that happened when the Shadows killed Kosh. The raw vicious power was unleashed and they no longer cared if the younger races were trampled. I think that the Shadows and Vorlons are analogous to the cold war Soviet Union and USA. It was too dangerous to engage in a direct confrontation, so they used a proxy war of ideology instead. But then Sheridan convinced Kosh to attack the shadows directly. This was a violation of the “rules” and started an escalation to all out war. the Shadows killed Kosh, the Vorlons escalated to destroying entire worlds, and the Shadows did the same. Soon the young races were at risk of extinction in a war that wasn’t really theirs - analogous a nuclear war between super powers.

[@boooster101]

According to Straczynski, it was rather Kosh and Ulkesh representing two opposing views as members of the older races. Kosh was curious, Ulkesh isolationist. Kosh was 'soft', Ulkesh was hard. Kosh saw more in the younger races, Ulkesh dismissed them as primitive and naive. And also according to Straczynski, Kosh saw himself as a mediating influence when it came to Ulkesh and Vorlons like him. That's why you had the Vorlons trying to lead the younger races along a certain path unlike straight up domination.

[@2QRh6g1I]

Think about why an alien ambassador would be posted on B5 to begin with. We know Londo was sent to B5 not as a reward, but as a way to keep him out of the way. Now imagine you are this powerful, old race being sent to babysit primitive, younger races. This wouldn't really sound like a dream job, so perhaps it could be implied that original Kosh was sent to B5 to keep him out of the way as well.

[@boooster101]

A theory I can not accept for one reason; When Sheridan pushed Kosh for help fighting the Shadows, it actually worked. If Koshs opinion would have been as worthless to the Vorlons as Londos opinion was to the Centaurum ... that wouldn't have worked. That being said, I would agree that Koshs mentality was in the minority and the Vorlon actions prove that to be the case. But that's not really an issue for my first comment, right?

[@girlgarde]

I think also that Ulkesh and the other Vorlons were pissed at the Shadows for killing Kosh and became more extreme in fighting them as a result. I seem to imagine Ulkesh wanting to just have the Shadows wiped out of existence as despite how he felt about the younger races, he seemed to care about Kosh and came across as being saddened by his death so he likely took his death pretty hard. Kosh was likely Ulkesh's mentor and without Kosh's moderating influence, Ulkesh became bitter and angry and that ultimately destroyed him.

[@michaelweigel8253]

@@girlgarde I am of the same option about the Vorlons exacting revenge for the murder of Kosh.

[@niklasstahl5358]

Its a symbol for peace and harmony

[@slitor]

This is perfect...so proper..

[@lindarozalinda7177]

Still Ulkesh was sad that Kosh died and wanted to care his piece of soul to their homeworld. They managed to trap him because of this and it is kinda sad that in the end it was Kosh who killed him

[@alanguages]

Ulkesh viewed humans as intolerable cannon fodder.

[@sugarsaint]

I don't recall him being sad - he was well known to Kosh as if they had similar status on vorlon but viewed things differently. Ulkesh was militant and had little if any care for the fledgling races he was also raging with anger and contempt. It seemed in life Kosh was counter ulkesh in views and mannerisms and had no choice other than to help fight him in order to save his friends from ulkesh wrath.

[@hankscorpiouk]

61 people disapproved of Ulkesh's fine singing voice.

[@coringowland3253]

You're surprised ? Ulkesh is a ark angel of course oh oops sorry I should say vorlan XP state secret and all

[@girlgarde]

I imagine the Vorlons have an angelic appearance and voice in their true forms /so long as you don't anger them/, even Ulkesh. I wish things could've been different and Ulkesh had properly honoured Kosh's memory by carrying out his plans and aiding the younger races. I think though that he was clouded by anger and hatred for the Shadows for killing him and couldn't think straight...... In the end, perhaps Ulkesh wasn't as alien in mindset as it would first seem.....

[@magicmulder]

@@girlgarde No, it was important Ulkesh was the way he was. That's what Kosh was trying to teach Sheridan - "fight legends", *including* the Vorlons. He knew that if they "only" defeated the Shadows, the cycle would repeat in a thousand years. It was important Sheridan realized the nature of the conflict and that the younger races reject both the Shadows *and* the Vorlons.

[@seand.g423]

*voices. You honestly think _any_ Vorlon, _least of all Ulkesh_ would be caught singing themselves _even if_ its kind still had their own tongues?

[@kevinnazario1015]

this second kosh looked really intimidating. kind like a dark side sith vorlon. to bad they never made a good action figure of this version.

[@coringowland3253]

that's kind of the point to us humans the vorlans gave us a image of them as angels kosh believed in the cause,a heart of justice (ark angel Michael) but Ulkesh? he was kosh's brother and his equal aswel as a commander either Lucifer or Raphael Lucifer being the accurate one

[@billmcclure2171]

I'm converting a Kosh figure into Ulkesh right now.

[@kevinnazario1015]

@@billmcclure2171 i remember an add for some kind of B5 board game that included the evil kosh figure. Buy i guess it was never produced. I do know a shadow figure was made. It came in special boxes of the B5 card game. Is super rare and expensive today.

[@billmcclure2171]

@@kevinnazario1015 Yeah, I've never really been too big into collecting. I was really disappointed with most of the B5 figures because they were painted such wrong colors (like G'Kar's bright YELLOW head!) so I started opening mine and repainting them. Took me two years, but I made a diorama of the scene in the Zen Garden where Kosh emerged to save Sheridan, complete with an illuminated angel and Sheridan hanging by nylon threads from the ceiling. Now I'm making an Ulkesh figure so I can make another diorama of Valen and Zathras on B4 with the two Vorlons behind them.

[@billmcclure2171]

@@kevinnazario1015 Forgot to mention that when I saw Pat Tallman and Jeffrey Willerth at a convention in 2005, they agreed with you about Ulkesh acting like an evil Sith Lord. She said on the set they called him "Kosh Vader!"

[@Cenindo]

Very nice, very epic feeling throughout!

[@sultanprime9849]

ОЧАРОВАТЕЛЬНО!

[@factchecker]

We are all Kosh

[@lewis7315]

the episode where the babylon 5 command staff were tested by the vorlons man was irrevelant... the shadows were coming, the vorlons had run out of time.. even they could not buy or create more time in which to prepare...

[@SteffenSchuchardt1978]

Damn, I always understood "Forever trust in New York" and later "Forever thrust in your arms".

[@dorialaura802]

What? This is awesome!

[@Flanker0804]

2:06 - magnificent beauty

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

This is an excellent space music video. It makes me want to become the Emperor of the galaxy like in Star Wars or Dune. I would the 1st and last Emperor of my name and a new dynasty will have to succeed me after my reign is over. The Imperial State can not be without a monarch.🤴

[@er1chawk]

Warhammer 40k: The Emperor of Mankind....

[@mattwho81]

Ulkesh was far more in line with mainstream Vorlon thinking. It was Kosh who was the odd one with his concern for the younger races development.

[@Barry4B]

There is something about the Votlons that is very compelling !

[@seand.g423]

Yeah... "compelling..." like stock footage of Pripyat...

[@joserubenrodriguezfuentes]

Epically Epic Vídeo....,

[@roaklin]

I always got the impression that Ulkesh was much younger than Kosh.

[@martinfiedler4317]

Interesting thought.

[@valansultanna419]

If a race of beings are telepathy link at all times through space and time then they are separated appendage of a greater being.

[@BenjaminWirtz]

I think that is what is meant by "We are all Kosh".

[@newvbie]

Vorlons the first to come up with a smiley 0:43

[@magicmulder]

I always believed the Vorlons' relation to their ships was akin to a mixture of how we see dogs and horses - both "best friend" and means of transportation. So that scene was a bit like the ship wagging its tail excitedly.

[@Xardion55]

0:59 - "...Lord Vader..."

[@MrAlumni72]

2:22 - tell me if it's my imagination or not, but in those white stripes on the encounter suit, I could swear I saw either the name Straczynski, or at least part of it.

[@mrlodwick]

Brilliant!

[@0LGANK]

Мистико-феерично!.. Особый эффект от музыки - похоже на хор ангелов... словно тонкая ирония, учитывая, кем представлялись ворлонцы для землян... ;-)

[@mercenarypolt4047]

для всех рас, кроме центаврианцев

[@eycariot987]

@@mercenarypolt4047 как-то уже позабыл, а что видели они?

[@mercenarypolt4047]

@@eycariot987 якраз НІЧОГО. Посол Лондо Маларі був єдиний, хто нічого не побачив.

[@stationplaza4631]

@0effugere0 Thanks for posting this. We are all Ulkesh !

[@craigmartinj]

Kosh we loved. He loved us. The rest? No.... screw them.

[@AlfaOmega_I]

Only Kosh was good Vorlon. Ulkesh too cold figure!

[@coringowland3253]

when you are one of the oldest of the old and was there when we first appeared and first ones saw that we were corruptable I probably wouldn't acknowledge or have good manners to a lesser being either

[@SardonicALLY]

I feel like Kosh was a unique specimen of Vorlon... he was wise and kind most of the time, probably few Vorlons were like that after so long a life. It seems the vast majority of them were superior acting weapons grade A-holes. Ulkesh being a prime example and their actions with the planet killer showing their group character.

[@SardonicALLY]

@RubiiX Makes perfect sense to me.

[@alienlife7754]

I think people misunderstand who Kosh really was. He wasn’t sent to be a savior or to lead the younger races. He was sent because he felt empathy and the other Vorlons used that to gain the trust of the “inferior” races. I don’t think even Kosh was all that noble in his real intentions. He was still serving the will of his own people, not ours. He convinced the younger races to fight the Vorlon’s war for them despite knowing they would suffer massive casualties. How is that noble? And in the end the Vorlon were just as bad as the Shadows. Ulkesh was just being a real Vorlon. Kosh was the fake Vorlon. Just sayin’ . . .

[@0megacron]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the one on Minbar isn't Ulkesh. Same type of encounter suit, but it's brown like Kosh's. Ulkesh's suit is purple.

[@WavemasterAshi]

We are all Ulkesh.

[@Omega3131]

It's the same one, but they had to change the voice actor and parts of his suit. Retcon'd if you will.

[@StormsongK]

The Vorlons have all been voiced by Ardwight Chamberlain. No changes.

[@Omega3131]

Then maybe they changed the voice filter. Listen to him when he talks to the Minbari about Sinclair and listen to him when he becomes the ambassador on his next appearance on the show.

[@StormsongK]

Yeah, he's definitely doing a different voice. More the kind of easy going delivery on Minbar, and harsher in subsequent appearances. Interestingly enough even the "pre-translation" Vorlon language is different.

[@LinnierMinbarec]

молодец

[@loulouwillis5648]

Ulkesh and the rest of the Vorlon didn't care much for the younger races they used them to support their Dogma of order. Kosh was with humans and the other younger races longer so he cared for them because he got to know them. The other Vorlons were already vicious.

[@owlsayssouth]

They watched over the young races, come and go, for millions of years. It's hard to treat them as equals, and not be broken millions of years in the past. Imagine your job was taking care of cats. Cats live 10ish years on average. Call it 20 because you are taking care of them really well. You take care of 20 cats at a time. Now do that for 1000 years. That is 1000 cats that you have raised from a kitten, only to watch die. You have to become distant, detached, or go mad with grief and sorrow. And so the vorlons did. They did their best to be caretakers, to help their charges. For the greater good.

[@speedracer1945]

Isn't this the Vorlon that replaced Kosh . and they set an ambush for him and fried that sucka !

[@hackman669]

Notice that the replacement Vorlon has horns and a red eye signifying his intent to do evil. The original Kosh had more rounded features and a green eye representing age and wisdom.

[@girlgarde]

@@hackman669 I imagine that each Vorlon's suit is custom made to reflect their personality and beliefs. Ulkesh's suit was likely shaped to show that he's hardline and has a darker more aggressive personality then Kosh. While these traits don't automatically make Ulkesh evil, it's how he wielded his powers towards the end that made him a threat.

[@hughsmith7504]

Seeing as how Vorlon tech is organic and connected to the Vorlon using it, I always assumed the suit naturally changed to reflect the wearer over time.

[@movielover6423]

اهنگ خوبیه

[@HarPlayer]

should have said who was old Kosh or Ulkesh. what was his story should have told us more about him Didn't kosh and Ulkesh. fight? what did Ulkesh. give Lyta at 1:24 what was going on there 4 got

[@DavidKnowles0]

He was searching for a bit of Kosh that wasn't destroyed. He didn't find it her. it was in sheridan.

[@matthewcaughey8898]

@@DavidKnowles0 it’s cause Kosh felt that Sheridan was more deserving if it

[@mackgiver875]

Who did the music? Sounds like the Pak'Ma'ra cover of Metallica :D.

[@monalovejoy6341]

Good song even know even though the bud cast is not nice I still like the song

[@KARHUGAMECHANNEL]

1:43 what's this?...

[@donq2957]

Brillian. Loosing your religion while watching Babylon 5. I just want to let you know beyond 4d is 5d and everyone is one.

[@stevetheduck1425]

Hmmm... the way each of the alien ambassadors were chosen because no-one else wanted the job? Kosh Naranek studied and came to understand us, but Kosh 2 wasn't taking any guff.

[@user-pu3qr1pe9l]

Organik progress civilizacion tehnoljic ......hello main frend , iz mi tehno...

[@keithrees4755]

is this kosh's brother or something?

[@tommy1620]

I remember kosh! Who is Ulkesh?

[@mackgiver875]

Ulkesh was the Vorlons replacement to B5 after Kosh was assassinated.

[@user-fb2gk3yk4q]

Жуу Жуу

[@lennykoss8777]

💗🌈💗🌈💗🌈💗

[@gilliansmith6595]

Apt tune, shame it wasn't Metallica!

[@delenn3392]

Ulkesh is a bad Vorlon.

[@Asher_Tye]

Delenn I think they were all bad, we just got a nice one in Kosh.

[@delenn3392]

+Asher... but Kosh is the only one he is a good Vorlon.....Ulkesh is very cold....

[@Asher_Tye]

Delenn Ulkesh is cold, yes, but he's also the only other Vorlon we get a personal look at besides Kosh. The other Vorlon thought nothing about turning their planet killers on the younger races though. In all honesty, they were probably more similar to Ulkesh than Kosh. They needed someone personable to be their ambassador though.

[@Asher_Tye]

***** I imagine as strange as he seemed to humanoid types, humanoid types seemed a bit confounding to him. For all his secretiveness, he never seemed to actively dislike everyone else like Ulkesh did.

[@Asher_Tye]

Both stood for obedience, whether or not they were cruel or kind about it was immaterial. The Vorlon had a blue and orange morality going for them over a black and white one. It was Kosh's sympathetic nature that made him susceptible to seeing the younger races' point of view and value. For all that he was likeable, he was probably considered a failure by his own people. Hence why they sent someone less likely to sympathize with the good guys in Ulkesh.

[@valansultanna419]

Kosh wasn't killed.

[@KaylieRayne]

I reeeeally did not like him. Kosh was so much better. Glad Kosh kicked his ass lol

[@kevinnazario1015]

this second kosh looked really intimidating. kind like a dark side sith vorlon. to bad they never made a good action figure of this version.