Zathras

Babylon5 character


name=Zathras
affiliation=Great Machine
race=Unknown
planet=Unknown
start=Babylon Squared
finish=War Without End (Zathras I)
Conflicts of Interest (Zathras II)
portrayer=Tim Choate

Zathras is a name given to a fictional race of characters in the universe of the science fiction television series "Babylon 5", all portrayed by Tim Choate. There were ten of these characters who appeared on several episodes throughout the series. The name of Zathras' species and homeworld were never revealed; in "War Without End", Zathras is seen living on Epsilon III and helping take care of the Great Machine with one other member of his race, although there is no evidence that this is their actual homeworld.

Character Description

Overview

The oldest Zathras was the oldest living (110 years old) caretaker of the Great Machine, in the service of the mysterious and messianic 'The One' when first appearing.

Looking like a slightly shaggy, slightly hunchbacked human, Zathras was prone to deadpan delivery of somewhat cryptic, somewhat humorous, generally self-pitying statements such as ("Zathras is used to being beast of burden to other people's needs. Very sad life. Probably have very sad death. But, at least there is symmetry."), or ("No one, ever listens to poor Zathras no, he's quite mad they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind, has even grown to like it") Their speech patterns were patterned after J. Michael Straczynski's grandmother's uneasy grasp of English.

He also referred to himself in the third person, although sometimes instead of himself he was referring to his brothers, as the story mentions that Zathras is one of 10 different brothers whose names all sound nigh-indistinguishably like 'Zathras'. This fact is revealed by a younger brother of the first Zathras - the second Zathras to be seen - who only appeared in one episode. It is explained that the way to differentiate one Zathras from another is to listen to the inflection of the name. (i.e. Zath-rus, or Z-athrus. Thus, the 2nd Zathras referring to the first who left to travel back in time: "Zathras never listened to Zathras!")

First Appearance

The first Zathras travelled 1000 years into the past on Babylon 4 with Jeffrey Sinclair, who (during the trip) transformed into the Minbari religious figure Valen in order to help the Minbari defeat the Shadows. The fate of the first Zathras is not known following the Minbaris' acceptance of Sinclair as Valen.