Babylon 5featured an early LGBTQ+ romance in television sci-fi, even though it never really got the chance to make the relationship fully overt.Babylon 5was a quietly vital show in the history of TV sci-fi, with the five-season long show with a single overarching throughline serving as a departure from the more episodic shows of the era likeStar Trek.WithoutBabylon 5, modern sci-fi classics likeBattlestar Galacticamay not have gotten the chance to grow into their final forms. Among the many big swingsBabylon 5took was a casual acceptance of LGBTQ+ characters in sci-fi.
The villains of many different races were depicted as prejudicial and cruel, while LGBTQ+ romances and gay marriage was treated with a casual acceptance that was far outside the typical purview of mainstream television in the 1990s. In an era where characters coming out as gay were treated as major unexpected swings,Babylon 5’s LGBTQ+ romance subplot from season 2 flew under the radar in effective ways. While it may not have been as overt as it could have been in the modern day,Babylon 5feature an early example of aLGBTQ+ characters in the sci-fi genre on TV.
Babylon 5’s Susan Ivanova, Explained
One Of The Best Characters OnBabylon 5Was The Hard-Nosed Russian Hero, Ivanova
Susan Ivanova was one of the most important characters inBabylon 5, which makes her an early example of LGBTQ+ characters featured in major roles in genre television. Played by Claudia Christian, Ivanova was First Officer on the Babylon 5 station, serving under the command of first Jeffrey Sinclair and then John Sheridan. A stern and dependable leader, Ivanova plays a key role in the first four seasons of the show. Ivanova plays a crucial role in commanding the human staff of the space station and carrying out diplomatic assignments, becoming a leading figure in theoverarchingBabylon 5storylines.
Why Babylon 5 Ended After Season 5
The beloved sci-fi giant Babylon 5 graced the small screen from 1993 to 1998, and the space opera gained a cult following - but it ended at season 5.
Ivanova became a leading figure with the Rangers, an intergalactic alliance that put her on the front-lines of the conflict with the ancient alien force known as the Shadows. After her near-death at the end of season 4, she moves away from Babylon 5 to become the leader of the Rangers (coinciding with Claudia Christian leaving the show). Ivanova was a compelling character beyond these elements as well, with her struggles over her Jewish faith, her dependency on alcohol, latent telepathic potential, and her complicated issues with her religious family all played important roles in her growth over the show.
Susan Ivanova’s Love Interests Included Two Men And A Woman
Susan Ivanova Can Be Considered As An Early Example Of Bisexuality On TV
Ivanova had two confirmed male interests inBabylon 5, but also a subtle romance story with Talia Winters,suggesting Ivanona was bisexual. An old boyfriend named Malcolm Biggs was introduced in season 1, only for Ivanova to end their connection due to his role in the xenophobic Homeguard. Seasons 3 and 4 gave Ivanova Marcue Cole as a pronounced love interest. A light-hearted and heroic member of the Rangers, he carried an unrequited love for Ivanova for two seasons before sacrificing his own life force to save her life after the massive battle to liberate the Earth from President Clark.
Talia Winters was played by Andrea Thomson, who was married toBabylon 5co-star Jerry Doyle. Their divorce has been cited as one of the reasons Thomson left the show during season 2, leading Talia’s storyline to be resolved quicker than initially planned while most of her eventual role in the show given to Lyta Alexander.
Between these two storylines though was Ivanova’s relationship with Talia. A low-ranking member of the Psi Corps, Talia steadily developed a kinship with Ivanova over the first two seasons of the show. As Talia steadily began to distrust the organization she was a part of, she was increasingly portrayed as forming a romantic bond with Ivanova. Although the pair never formally kissed on screen before Talia’s off-screen death after season 2 after being revealed to be an unwitting spy for the Psi Corps within the space-station,Babylon 5included many clues about the true nature of Ivanova and Talia’s romance.
Susan And Talia Never Kissed On-Screen, But Were Clearly In A Relationship
Talia’s Relationship With Ivanova Was A Subtle Storyline In Season 2 OfBabylon 5
The season 2 episode “Divided Loyalties” emphasized the heavily suggested romance between the two women byshowing Talia spending the night in Ivanova’s quarters and sleeping in her bed. While series creator J. Michael Straczynski denied a kiss between the pair had been edited out of the episode, he also acknowledged inThe Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5that “I didn’t show a kiss because, in my experience, it’s easier on all around if one steps into the shallow end of the pool first, and walks into the deep end rather than diving in and splashing everybody in the process.”
After Talia’s death, Ivanova admitted to Delenn in season 3 that “I think I loved Talia,” quietly confirming the romance even if the show never got to fully showcase it.
Given the limitations that TV censorship placed on same-sex relationships in the era, this mentality is understandable. If the intent was to have the pair simply be in a romance without making it the central arc of either character, playing it straight-forward and as part of the overarching show makes sense. Straczynski also confirmed that they did sleep together, and that the script confirmed their relationship had seemingly become sexual. After Talia’s death,Ivanova admitted to Delenn in season 3 that “I think I loved Talia,“quietly confirming the romance even if the show never got to fully showcase it.
Ivanova’s Gay Relationship Predated Major TV Milestones
Susan Ivanova Was An Early Example Of LGTBQ+ Characters In Sci-Fi TV
While LGBTQ+ characters had appeared in shows likeAll in the FamilyandDynasty, it wouldn’t be until “The Puppy Episode” ofEllenbefore a gay lead was openly headlining a prime-time series. By contrast,Ivanova was a key figure in the epic sci-fi ensemble from the get-go. She was far from a stereotype like some gay characters of the era, instead portrayed as a fleshed out character with good and bad qualities who struggled just as much as her heterosexual allies. Ivanova’s relationship with Talia predated important gay icons in television, like Willow Rosenberg inBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
There’s also a bluntness to the relationship, which is never commented on andis accepted as perfectly normal in the world ofBabylon 5. It ignored potential attempts to draw attention to Ivanova’s romance with Talia for the sake of shock value. Ivanova also being in romances with men makes her an early example of bisexuality on television. While it may not have ever been fully seen on-screen, Ivanova’s romance with Talia inBabylon 5was an important step in genre fare like sci-fi being able to quietly get away with varied depictions of romance on the spectrum of sexuality.
