Appearances
Shortly after his arrival to command the Babylon 5 station, at the start of season 2, Captain John Sheridan (played by Bruce Boxleitner) describes the role of the Agamemnon (the Omega destroyer he had previously commanded) during an interview by an ISN reporter, in the episode "And Now For a Word". He mentions it was one of the first Omegas to be built after the Minbari war and that their job was part military patrol, part diplomatic mission, visiting many in the non aligned worlds (smaller alien races), putting in an appearance and helping keep the peace.
The patrol aspect of its mission appears to be why, in the earlier season 2 episode, "All Alone In The Night", General Hague (played by Robert Foxworth) was able to call the Agamemnon (which was in the area) to help in the search of the captain who had been abducted by a group of aliens named the Streib. This episode states it is the fastest vessel in the area and its forward weapons are used effectively against what appears to be an advanced race. Its ability to create a jump point to enter hyperspace (the method used in Babylon 5 to cover great distances) is also demonstrated.
By the season 3 episode "Severed Dreams" it becomes apparent, from the number appearing onscreen, that the Omega design is the primary capital ship used by Earthforce at that time (the others being the Nova and the Hyperion). Its ability to carry Starfury fighters is also shown.
The dominance of the Omega design within Earthforce is confirmed throughout the later episodes of season 4 beginning with "No Surrender, No Retreat", which depicts what is essentially an Earth Alliance civil war. Further episodes of the fourth season state it carries life pods, is not capable of flying in atmospheres and that its rotational section reduces its manoeuvrability and energy efficiency compared to ships without one.
The television movie, "A Call to Arms", set four years after the final year of the Babylon 5 series, shows the Omega is still the most ubiquitous capital ship being used by Earthforce – during the large battle sequence against the alien race known as the Drakh.
The second of the Lost Tales stories shows, in a dream sequence, that the Omega design is still being used approximately 30 years after the final year of the Babylon 5 series.
Read more about this topic: Omega Class Destroyer
Famous quotes containing the word appearances:
“Truth has scarce done so much good in the world as the false appearances of it have done hurt.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
“The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
“What I often forget about students, especially undergraduates, is that surface appearances are misleading. Most of them are at base as conventional as Presbyterian deacons.”
—Muriel Beadle (b. 1915)