Our Great Maker has spoken (and written) volumes on his creations. A few of these remarks are gathered here for those visiting the Temple. By following the links, a True Seeker will most likely find answers to many questions.
This collection of comments by the Great Maker regarding Jeffrey David Sinclair gives great insight into the development and background of this extraodinary human. The collection is not exhaustive. Additional information may be found in the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 archives.
Dec 26, 1992 . . . There were very few who survived the Line, not as few as 12, but less than 100. So believe me, it IS a big deal. (Which is also why a lot of folks back home are looking askance at Sinclair...how could he survive, unconscious, for 24 hours in a ship floating through a war zone without being blown out of the sky?)
Dec 29, 1992 . . .No, physical contact is not required. Lyta hasn't tried to read Sinclair's mind-block because he doesn't know it's there...yet.
Jan 12, 1993 . . . So what *can* be said about the series, what would you have to look forward to?
You will find out what happened to Sinclair, for starters, during the Earth/Minbari war. In that respect, the pilot movie is like the first chapter of a novel. For nearly 10 years, Sinclair has worked to convince himself that nothing happened to him on the Line other than what seems to be the case: that he blacked out for 24 hours. He's just managed to convince himself of this. Now, suddenly, someone comes into his life and with seven words -- you'll know them when you hear them -- completely unravels the self-deception. He knows then that something DID happen to him, that someone DID mess with his mind...and he is going to find out who, and why.
This he will do. And the ramifications of that discovery will have a major influence on the series, on his relationships, and the future of not only his character but many others . . .
At the end of the first season, one character will undergo a major, MAJOR change, which will start the show spinning on a very different axis. The first season will have some fairly conventional stories, but others will start the show gradually moving toward where I want it to go. One has to set these things up gradually. Events in the story -- which is very much the story of Jeffrey Sinclair -- will speed up in each subsequent season.
Someone he considers a friend will betray him. Another will prove to be the exact opposite of what Sinclair believes to be true. Some will live. Some will die. He will be put through a crucible of terrible force, that will change him, and alter his destiny, in a profound and terrible way...if he goes one way, or the other, will determine not only his own fate, but that of millions of others. He will grow, and become stronger, better, wiser...or be destroyed by what fate is bringing his way. In sum, it is a story of hope against terrible adversity and overwhelming odds.
That, in broad brush strokes, is a *taste* of what I plan to do with the series . . .
Oct 14, 1993 . . . BTW, for those who might be interested in such things...continuing the Earth tradition, all of our various fighter wings have their own names...The name of Sinclair's Earth/Minbari War Fighter unit was Death's Hand.
Feb 28, 1994 . . . Re: the difference as to why Sinclair reacted the way he did...they SPOKE to him in his head, the same way they did to the guard in customs. This is different than just "listening" to someone's thoughts, so to speak.
May 23, 1996 . . . [regarding Sinclair's scar] The scar came during ranger training.
Mar 5, 1997 . . . Kathryn, for obvious reasons, is the only person on the planet whose knowledge of the B5 universe is second only to my own. Especially the backstory, the history of the characters and worlds, and so on. She's seen virtually every frame of film. so when I got the idea of having one of the books follow Sinclair's story after leaving B5, through a year of story time that weaves in and out of the books, the comic, and the show...she was the logical candidate. The only one that made sense. She was hesitant to do so at first, for various reasons, but she's always been very fond of the Sinclair storyline, and Michael O'Hare, and wanted to tell that story. So she agreed to write it.
And of all the novels, this one is 100% canon...it's also the most
exhaustive attempt to tie in all the story lines done to date. Anybody
wants to know what happened to Sinclair, it's in the book. That's a genuine
chapter of the story arc.