Babylon 5: The Gathering was the pilot movie of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode aired on February 22, 1993. The events in The Gathering took place approximately one year before the events of the first season.

The pilot had a different feel than the rest of the series. This was most evident in the prosthetics, sets, music, and cast members. Instead of Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova, the first officer was Laurel Takashima (played by Tamlyn Tomita). The medical officer was Dr. Benjamin Kyle (played by Johnny Sekka), rather than Richard Biggs as Stephen Franklin. Patricia Tallman played Lyta Alexander - she was replaced in the first season by Andrea Thompson as Talia Winters - but Tallman would return later in the series. The alien characters - such as Delenn and G'Kar - appeared slightly different due to the fact that the prosthetics were different for the pilot episode.

Plot

About one year before the events of the first season and one year after the Babylon 5 station became operational the new Vorlon Ambassador Kosh arrived on the station, and was promptly poisoned. The newly arrived telepath, Lyta Alexander, eventually agreed to scan Kosh, and seen an image of Commander Sinclair apparently poisoning Kosh.

In the council chamber, G'Kar proposed sending Sinclair to the Vorlon homeworld to stand trial. Delenn voted to abstain, G'Kar voted yes, as did G'Kar. G'kar acted as a proxy for the Vorlons, who wanted Sinclair sent to them.

Doctor Kyle was able to save the life of Kosh, and became one of the first humans to actually see a Vorlon. The crew eventually found that a renegade Minbari using a changling net had disguised himself as Sinclair. Sinclair was able to find and expose the Minbari. The Vorlons called off their attack on the station and left the area.

It was found that G'Kar had conspired with the renegade Minbari from their warrior caste to discredit Sinclair.