Narn

The Narn are an alien species that feature in Babylon 5.

History

The Narns were a humanoid race that inhabited a lush green homeworld. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line) At some point in the past, Narn itself used to be an agrarian world where their kind were once peaceful. (Episode: Chrysalis) Around a thousand years ago, Narns had telepaths among their number who were referred to as Mindwalkers. At that time, the Shadows arrived on Narn and encountered these telepaths where they recognized the danger these individuals posed to their organic technology. As such, the Mindwalkers were targeted for destruction with the Shadows being driven from the Narn Homeworld by G'Quan alongside the last of the telepaths. (Episode: Ship of Tears) Despite being defeated, Narns telepaths and their families were exterminated. The decimation of the bloodline meant that no Narn telepaths would develop in future generations as none had a strong telepath gene to manifest the ability. As such, whilst the gene was present among their populace, the Narns effectively lost the ability to have telepaths. (Episode: Dust to Dust)

The occupation of the Narn homeworld was stated to had lasted for 100 years. (Movie: In the Beginning) When the Centauri came to Narn, the native population rose up against them and learnt to fight. (Episode: Chrysalis) At some point, the planet Ragesh III was said to had been a Narn colony prior to the Centauri's arrival. The Centauri thus engaged in a century long period of terror against the Narn people. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line) During the Narn rebellion, the Centauri decided their his resistance needed to be discouraged and thus bombed seven of the major seven cities on the Narn homeworld for six straight days for around 31 hours a day. In this time, they built shelters in order to protect themselves from bombardment. (Episode: A View from the Gallery) In this time, the Centauri stripped the entire world bare thus devastating its once lush environment. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line)

During the Dilgar War, the Narn colony on Hulak VII was invaded by the Dilgar who performed experiments on the colonists. This saw Jha'dur conduct illegal medical experiments with some surviving the occupation but even these individuals died from cybernetic implants in their brains that slowly killed them. (Episode: Deathwalker)

In recent years, the Narn people had some success in restoring the green vegetation to their planet. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line) On Babylon 5, Na'Toth attempted to secure a deal with Alisa Beldon where the Narn would provide for her needs in exchange for her genetic material to help create telepaths for their people. She was dissuaded after peaking into Na'Toth's mind and noticed how alien it was when compared to a human mind. Ultimately, Beldon was informed of the Narn Regime's warmongering ways and decided to accompany the Minbari instead. (Episode: Legacies)

The Narn Regime continued to engage in skirmishes and hostilities with the Centauri over Quadrant 37. This they claimed was a matter of security for their people and that they did not recognize an early treaty recognizing it as neutral space as the Narn claimed that they signed the agreement under duress. During this time, an unknown attack came and destroyed the heavily guarded Narn base in the quadrant that led to the death of 10,000 of the Regime's best warriors. This left to a period of confusion for the Narn as they were not sure who was responsible for the attack with ambassador G'Kar embarking on a quest to discover the true perpetrator of the assault. (Episode: Chrysalis)

During the Narn-Centauri War, it was reported that the Narn Regime had lost six of the seven major engagement with the conflict devolving into holding actions and forced retreats. At Babylon 5, the Narn transport Na'Tan destroyed the Centauri vessel Molios thus escalating tensions around the station. Ambassador G'Kar intended to give a response for this incident after a consultation with his government. A statement was given by him stating that the Centauri transport secretly carrying weapons of mass destruction for use against the Narn Regime. Thus, the Narns intended to stop this supply line by potentially shutting down Babylon 5 if it was deemed necessary. Further hostilities erupted between the Narn and Centauri that threatened the neutrality as well as safety of Babylon 5. A Centauri cruiser later emerged above the station in order to force the return of their transport crew and cargo which saw a Narn warship emerge to combat it with the battle leading to the destruction of both vessels. (Episode: And Now for a Word)

In the span of six months, the Narns had suffered losses that they had not experienced in thirty years with colonies and outposts in the sector containing Shi, Dross as well as Zok being lost. Such defeats were hidden by the ruling Kha'Ri in order to perpetuate the belief that they were able to continue the war when in fact they were facing a losing conflict. As a result, Warleader G'Sten proposed a daring counter attack strategy that involved taking a fleet of ships to strike at the main supply point at Gorash 7. Unknown to anyone, this position was defended by the secret Centauri allies known as the Shadows who wiped out the fleet leaving no survivors. Their destruction left only a skeleton defense force at the Narn Homeworld which was swiftly conquered by the Centauri Republic who used mass drivers to bombard the surface whilst dissolving the Narn Regime. The Narn Homeworld became a protectorate and colony of the Centauri Republic who created their own provisional ruling council to administer to it along with strict conditions on the Narn people. (Episode: The Long, Twilight Struggle)

Afterwards, Citizen G'Kar worked with the other Narns on Babylon 5 to help smuggle weapons to their occupied homeworld in order to establish an underground movement against the Centauri. The populace of the station came to be dissatisfied with G'Kar's leadership but agreed to follow him if he could demonstrate he could get a message from a Narn family on the homeworld to one of their members on Babylon 5. G'Kar managed to get the message with the secret support of Sheridan and the Rangers thus securing his position as leader of the Narn movement. (Episode: Comes the Inquisitor) During this time, the Centauri controlled provisional government dispatched councilor Na'Far as their representative of the Narn Homeworld to replace Citizen G'Kar. (Episode: A Day in the Strife)

During the attempted coup in Earth Alliance space, Citizen G'Kar was released from confinement where he offered his help to Captain Sheridan and his allies. This was namely to enlist other Narns to serve as security after Nightwatch had been removed from the station. The presence of a Narn security force allowed Babylon 5 to declare themselves independent from President Clarke's government. A notable impact came within the Narn as security where there was a drop in the crime rate and even managed to handle Centauri without any incident. (Episode: Point of No Return)

Through his office on Minbar, Vir Cotto secretly began moving thousands of Narns including women and children where he hid their existence in order to protect them. This was discovered by Londo Mollari through the Babylon 5 command staff thus leading to the ambassadorial appointment to Minbar being withdrawn. However, Susan Invanova managed to continue to use Vir's forged links to ship more Narns to safety. (Episode: Sic Transit Vir)

Centauri Emperor Cartagia later took the captured Citizen G'Kar to his homeworld of Narn in order to conduct a public execution of him. G'Kar would manage to break his chains during this public act which led to Cartagia being forced to flee deeper into his palace where he was quietly assassinated by Vir Cotto. His death was covered up as being a sign of his heart giving way due to the shock and the newly appointed Prime Minister Londo Mollari decreed that the Republic pull away from the Narn territories thus freeing them from Centauri rule. (Episode: The Long Night)

A great change occurred in their society when Citizen G'Kar's tome the Book of G'Kar was published without his knowledge that turned him into a religious icon among the Narn. (Episode: The Ragged Edge)

Overview

In appearance, the Narn were tall humanoids with a stocky build who were bald, with a red-orange complexion, mottled with brown and/or green spots. (Episode: The Gathering) Siblings were referred to each other as pouch-brothers. (Episode: A Day in the Strife) Their people were noted for being the only race without telepaths which was considered a tactical disadvantage. (Movie: The Gathering) In the past, Narns had telepaths until the bloodline was exterminated leaving it as a weak genetic trait that never manifested a natural telepath. (Episode: Dust to Dust)

Traditionally, newborn Narn's were given temporary names for the first ten years of their lives with this practice coming from the fact that life on their homeworld was harsh and that many of their kind died young. At age ten, they chose which of their many beliefs that they desired to follow G'Quan, G'Lan, Na'Kili or others. (Episode: No Compromise)

They claimed that they understood change and that they fought against the face of adversity in order to triumph. (Episode: Revelations)

Acts of vengeance were called Shon-kar where a wronged Narn swore such a blood oath against the one who has wronged them. (Episode: Deathwalker) If any family member failed in the blood oath, then it fell upon the next family member to fulfill the Shon-kar. (Episode: Sic Transit Vir) Narns were known to believe in honor and paying back debts that were made to them. (Episode: A Day in the Strife) Among the Narn, there was an assassin's guild who were the best hired killers and were known as the Thenta Makur. When a target was marked, the Thenta Makur assassin traditionally left a black death blossom to their victim so that they could get their affairs resolved before their eventual demise. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)

The term chad'rasha was used by their people for a person's soul or center. (Episode: The Hour of the Wolf) The term Na'Ta Burella was a colloquialism that translated into English as 'prideful wind catcher'. (Episode: The Ragged Edge)

Their religious beliefs included multiple revered figures such as G'Quan and G'Lan. Once a year, a ceremony was conducted where the celebrants avoided drink and broke their fast when the first rays of sunlight came past the G'Quan Mountain on their homeworld. At the peak of this spiritual ceremony, they burnt the G'Quan Eth plant that was a symbol of their faith and used as an incense. (Episode: By Any Means Necessary)

One cultural weapon was the K'tok that was a single bladed weapon used by Narn warriors that once drawn could not be sheathed until it drew blood. (Episode: A Day in the Strife)

Narn's were known to make use of cloning techniques to create replicants as part of breeding exercises. Among their modifications included the creation of gill implants that were painful to use but efficient as they allowed users to move in areas of a more toxic environment without the use of oxygen masks. (Movie: The Gathering)

Their technological progress and weapons came from the Centauri leaving behind many of their armaments back on the Narn Homeworld. The Narn studied the weapons and took them apart with them learning to turn them against the Centauri. (Movie: In the Beginning)

The Narn fleet were known to make use of Frazi-class heavy fighters. (Episode: Mind War)

Members

• G'Kar :
• Na'Toth : a female Narn who was the daughter of Councilor Shu'Toth where in 2258 she was assigned as diplomatic attaché and aide to Ambassador G'Kar. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)
• G'Sten : uncle of G'Kar who served as a Warleader in the Narn Regime and led the forces to strike at Gorash 7 where he died at the Shadows. (Episode: The Long, Twilight Struggle)
• Na'La : a young girl who was the daughter of one of the Narns of Babylon 5 though she herself was trapped on their homeworld when the Centauri occupied it though a message was delivered by the Rangers to her father informing him that she was unharmed. (Episode: Comes the Inquisitor)
• Na'Kal : a male Warleader who commanded the heavy cruiser G'Tok which survived the Narn-Centauri War when they were on deep patrol when the Homeworld was struck. They had been on the run and sought to be free to eventually free their homeworld and sought temporary sanctuary at Babylon 5 where they were aided in escaping Centauri capture with the help of Captain John Sheridan. (Episode: The Fall of Night)
• Na'Far : a male Narn collaborator assigned as a councilor by the Centauri after they conquered their Homeworld and sent him to Babylon 5 to replace Citizen G'Kar as representative of their people. (Episode: A Day in the Strife)
• G'Dok : a male Narn that tried to convince G'Kar from returning to the Centauri-occupied Narn Homeworld. (Episode: A Day in the Strife)
• Ta'Lon : a male Narn that was saved by Captain Sheridan from the Streib who owed a debt to the human and later assisted G'Kar on Babylon 5. (Episode: Point of No Return)
• Na'Tok : male Narn General who joined the war council during the Centauri War who participated in the meeting with the Interstellar Alliance in the conflict with the Centauri. (Episode: Movements of Fire and Shadow)
• Ko D'Ath : a female Narn assigned to be the head of Ambassador G'Kar's diplomatic staff in 2258. (Episode: Born to the Purple) She had an unfortunate accident with an airlock and was killed leading to her being replaced by Na'Toth. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)
• Du'Rog : a male Narn who was an enemy of G'Kar and died in 2258 but not before hiring the Thenta Makur Tu'Pari to assassinate Ambassador G'Kar. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)
• Li'Dag : a councilor of the Fifth Circle who sponsored by Na'Toth as a diplomatic attaché. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)
• Ru'Dak : a courier who in 2258 was meant to give dispatches to Ambassador G'Kar on Babylon 5 but was killed by Thenta Makur assassin Tu'Pari who took over his identity. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams)
• Sh'Drog : male fighter captain who in 2258 was dispatched by Ambassador G'Kar to rescue surveyor Catherine Sakai after her ship was depleted of energy around Sigma 957. (Episode: Mind War)
• Kha'Mak :

Notes

• The Narns were created by J. Michael Straczynski and featured in the setting of the Babylon 5 universe.
• Mongoose Publishing produced a non-canon RPG sourcebook called the Narn Regime.

Appearances

• Babylon 5: "Deathwalker"
• Babylon 5: "By Any Means Necessary"
• Babylon 5: "Legacies"

External Links

• Babylon 5 Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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