Shadows
The most ancient of the surviving First Ones, named by the younger races because their true name cannot be spoken.
The Shadows are the most ancient of the surviving First Ones, the second race in the galaxy to gain sentience; their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. The younger races gave them the name "Shadows" because their true name, ten thousand letters long, is unpronounceable; creator J. Michael Straczynski chose it for its meaning in analytical psychology.
Lore & Background
Believed to be the first to discover and manipulate hyperspace, the Shadows warred with the other First Ones for more than a million years and suffered their greatest defeat ten thousand years ago. A thousand years ago they returned and were barely beaten by the Vorlons and First Ones, led by the Minbari with Valen's help, then dispersed across the galaxy to wait for another chance at power.
More in Empires & Political Groups
Elsewhere in Babylon 5
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