Elizabeth Lochley
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Lochley is a lead fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5
and Crusade
, played by Tracy Scoggins
.
Elizabeth Lochley was a regular in the fifth and last season of Babylon 5, replacing the previous commander of the station, John Sheridan
, and filling the role of the character Susan Ivanova
.
Lochley featured prominently in the first volume of Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
entitled "Voices in the Dark", released on DVD in July 2007.
for a brief period early in their military careers, she also has a passionate and sexually-charged love affair with fellow EarthForce Captain Matthew Gideon
, the commander of the Victory-Class starship Excalibur. Despite her hard-earned personal and professional success, however, she is occasionally still haunted by memories of her troubled early years.
led Elizabeth's mother to abandon her husband and daughter, and her father's inability to manage his life left Elizabeth with that responsibility. Elizabeth eventually sought an escape from this burden and her fathers alcoholism by living with her carefree friend Zoe. They both quickly slipped into a life of drink and drugs, and their financial situation deteriorated to the point where they were living in a cheap, cockroach-infested apartment. Tragically, Zoe eventually overdosed on drugs and choked to death on her own vomit; her body was discovered by Elizabeth. Zoe's death/suicide profoundly shocked Elizabeth and she vowed to change her life. She eventually joined EarthForce and never used alcohol or drugs from the moment she began her military career. In 2262, when she discovered that due to recent personal traumas Michael Garibaldi
had suffered a relapse
back into alcoholism, she told him of her own previous battles, of how alcohol had given herself, her father and Garibaldi an illusionary escape from their personal troubles, and that he was not alone. She secretly contacted his former lover Lise Hampton-Edgars and convinced her to come to Babylon 5; Lochley hoped that Garibaldi would come to see that confiding in and receiving help from someone he loved was a far more preferable and practical solution to his woes than an alcohol
-induced escapism
.
, he requests Earth to assign Lochley as his replacement. Although she chose not to join Sheridan's rebellion against the corrupt government headed by Morgan Clark
, he still trusted her judgment and ability.
The show later reveals that Sheridan and Lochley had been married briefly after graduating from EarthForce Academy. While the marriage didn't work out, they still have a mutual respect and appreciation. She proved to be a strong and capable leader, finding solutions to many crises and coping with the ones that had no solutions.
During the Brakiri Day of the Dead
, in which the dead return for one night, the Brakiri on the station purchase a part of it for the night which includes Lochley's quarters. She is subsequently visited by Zoe, who confirms that she had in fact deliberately committed suicide
by overdosing on drugs. Prior to this, nobody knew for sure if Zoe's death was an accidental overdose or a deliberate suicide.
It is interesting to note that while the character was a last-minute substitution for Susan Ivanova, Lochley holds the position of Commander of Babylon 5 longer than her two predecessors, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (who served for approximately two years) and Captain John Sheridan (who served for three years). The series Crusade
is set approximately five years after the events of the fifth season of Babylon 5 and show that she is still the Captain, meaning that she serves for at least six years. In addition, she states in Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
(set ten years after being assigned to Babylon 5) that she has requested to remain in her position the whole time.
As noted above, Lochley is a semi-regular character in Crusade, where she has a romantic relationship with Matthew Gideon
, the Captain of the Excalibur.
During her communication with President Sheridan, Lochley says of Dr Stephen Franklin "Oh, I thought you'd heard. Doctor Franklin went with G'Kar, exploring beyond the Rim." This was filmed in the last quarter of 2006, with actor Richard Biggs
(Franklin) having died in 2004 and actor Andreas Katsulas
(G'Kar) having died in January 2006, several months previous to principal photography on The Lost Tales. Actor Tracy Scoggins, who portrays Lochley, admitted on the DVD commentary to having difficulty to delivering the line, at one point nearly breaking down in tears. The line was a subtle eulogy to both actors.
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
and Crusade
Crusade (TV series)
Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
, played by Tracy Scoggins
Tracy Scoggins
Tracy Dawn Scoggins is an American actress known for her roles as Cat Grant in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Monica Colby in the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty, and its spin-off series The Colbys...
.
Elizabeth Lochley was a regular in the fifth and last season of Babylon 5, replacing the previous commander of the station, John Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
, and filling the role of the character Susan Ivanova
Susan Ivanova
Susan Ivanova is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Claudia Christian.-Character overview:...
.
Lochley featured prominently in the first volume of Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is an anthology show set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006...
entitled "Voices in the Dark", released on DVD in July 2007.
Personality
Elizabeth Lochley is a forceful, no-nonsense military leader. She carries herself with a military bearing and in public appears to be the very model of a competent, decisive, and professional EarthForce officer. Although she is an attractive woman, she only shows the more feminine side of her personality in private, during her off-duty hours. Much of her personal drive and ambition comes from her troubled youth and young adulthood (see below), and in private she is always willing to lend a helping hand or offer advice to those who are experiencing personal difficulties and problems. In addition to being married to Interstellar Alliance President John SheridanJohn Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
for a brief period early in their military careers, she also has a passionate and sexually-charged love affair with fellow EarthForce Captain Matthew Gideon
Matthew Gideon
Captain Matthew Gideon is a character in the fictional universe of the television series Babylon 5, played by Gary Cole. Gideon was the lead character in the B5 spin-off show Crusade, which ran for 13 episodes in 1998-99.-Prior to Excalibur:...
, the commander of the Victory-Class starship Excalibur. Despite her hard-earned personal and professional success, however, she is occasionally still haunted by memories of her troubled early years.
Early life
Captain Lochley had a far from idyllic background. Her father had secretly been a talented painter, but he felt under strong family compulsion to join EarthForce. His dislike of military service, coupled with his deep disappointment at being unable to pursue a career as an artist, led him to become an embittered alcoholic. His severe alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
led Elizabeth's mother to abandon her husband and daughter, and her father's inability to manage his life left Elizabeth with that responsibility. Elizabeth eventually sought an escape from this burden and her fathers alcoholism by living with her carefree friend Zoe. They both quickly slipped into a life of drink and drugs, and their financial situation deteriorated to the point where they were living in a cheap, cockroach-infested apartment. Tragically, Zoe eventually overdosed on drugs and choked to death on her own vomit; her body was discovered by Elizabeth. Zoe's death/suicide profoundly shocked Elizabeth and she vowed to change her life. She eventually joined EarthForce and never used alcohol or drugs from the moment she began her military career. In 2262, when she discovered that due to recent personal traumas Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi is a lead fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jerry Doyle.-Overview:...
had suffered a relapse
Relapse
Relapse, in relation to drug misuse, is resuming the use of a drug or a dependent substance after one or more periods of abstinence. The term is a landmark feature of both substance dependence and substance abuse, which are learned behaviors, and is maintained by neuronal adaptations that mediate...
back into alcoholism, she told him of her own previous battles, of how alcohol had given herself, her father and Garibaldi an illusionary escape from their personal troubles, and that he was not alone. She secretly contacted his former lover Lise Hampton-Edgars and convinced her to come to Babylon 5; Lochley hoped that Garibaldi would come to see that confiding in and receiving help from someone he loved was a far more preferable and practical solution to his woes than an alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
-induced escapism
Escapism
Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life...
.
Assignment to Babylon 5
At the end of Babylon 5s fourth season, Captain Sheridan is relieved of his command. In early 2262, shortly after the Earth Alliance Civil WarEarth Alliance Civil War
The Earth Alliance Civil War is an armed conflict in the Babylon 5 series, in which Earth Alliance President Morgan Clark dissolves the Earth Senate and orders martial law throughout the Earth Alliance worlds...
, he requests Earth to assign Lochley as his replacement. Although she chose not to join Sheridan's rebellion against the corrupt government headed by Morgan Clark
Morgan Clark
William Morgan Clark is a fictional character and a major antagonist from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, portrayed by Gary McGurk. His character rarely appeared on-screen, but is a major off-screen presence in the show....
, he still trusted her judgment and ability.
The show later reveals that Sheridan and Lochley had been married briefly after graduating from EarthForce Academy. While the marriage didn't work out, they still have a mutual respect and appreciation. She proved to be a strong and capable leader, finding solutions to many crises and coping with the ones that had no solutions.
During the Brakiri Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead (Babylon 5)
"Day of the Dead" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. It was written by science fiction and fantasy author Neil Gaiman, and is the only episode after the second season not written by J. Michael Straczynski. The episode also features Penn & Teller,...
, in which the dead return for one night, the Brakiri on the station purchase a part of it for the night which includes Lochley's quarters. She is subsequently visited by Zoe, who confirms that she had in fact deliberately committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by overdosing on drugs. Prior to this, nobody knew for sure if Zoe's death was an accidental overdose or a deliberate suicide.
It is interesting to note that while the character was a last-minute substitution for Susan Ivanova, Lochley holds the position of Commander of Babylon 5 longer than her two predecessors, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (who served for approximately two years) and Captain John Sheridan (who served for three years). The series Crusade
Crusade (TV series)
Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
is set approximately five years after the events of the fifth season of Babylon 5 and show that she is still the Captain, meaning that she serves for at least six years. In addition, she states in Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is an anthology show set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006...
(set ten years after being assigned to Babylon 5) that she has requested to remain in her position the whole time.
As noted above, Lochley is a semi-regular character in Crusade, where she has a romantic relationship with Matthew Gideon
Matthew Gideon
Captain Matthew Gideon is a character in the fictional universe of the television series Babylon 5, played by Gary Cole. Gideon was the lead character in the B5 spin-off show Crusade, which ran for 13 episodes in 1998-99.-Prior to Excalibur:...
, the Captain of the Excalibur.
The Lost Tales
For the next chapter in the Babylon 5 story, Lochley is still in command of the station but now holds the rank of EarthForce Colonel. It is unknown whether she and Gideon are still intimate.During her communication with President Sheridan, Lochley says of Dr Stephen Franklin "Oh, I thought you'd heard. Doctor Franklin went with G'Kar, exploring beyond the Rim." This was filmed in the last quarter of 2006, with actor Richard Biggs
Richard Biggs
Richard T. "Dick" Biggs was an American television and stage actor, best known for his roles on the television series Days of our Lives and Babylon 5.-Life:...
(Franklin) having died in 2004 and actor Andreas Katsulas
Andreas Katsulas
Andrew "Andreas" Katsulas was a Greek-American actor known for his roles as Ambassador G'Kar in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, as the one-armed villain Sykes in the film The Fugitive , and as the Romulan Commander Tomalak on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
(G'Kar) having died in January 2006, several months previous to principal photography on The Lost Tales. Actor Tracy Scoggins, who portrays Lochley, admitted on the DVD commentary to having difficulty to delivering the line, at one point nearly breaking down in tears. The line was a subtle eulogy to both actors.