Long before the rise of the younger races, the galaxy was shaped by ancient civilizations, among them the Vorlons and the Shadows. These two powers held vastly different philosophies regarding the development of intelligent species. The Vorlons believed in guiding and controlling younger races toward order, while the Shadows embraced chaos and conflict as a means of fostering evolution.
Origins of the Conflict
Thousands of years ago, the Shadows entered a cycle of awakening, as they had done countless times before. Emerging from their long slumber on Z’ha’dum, they sought to spread conflict among the younger races, testing their strength and weeding out the weak. The Vorlons and their allies, believing this interference to be destructive, stood against them.
The War Begins
The First Shadow War erupted as the younger races, many of whom were still in early stages of interstellar development, found themselves caught between these ancient forces. While some civilizations sided with the Shadows, others allied with the Vorlons and fought back. The First Ones—ancient beings who had lived for millennia—also took part, some joining the battle while others remained neutral.
The Triumph of the Younger Races
The war raged across numerous star systems, with entire worlds devastated. Eventually, the forces allied against the Shadows managed to push them back. The Shadows, recognizing that they could not win at that time, retreated into hibernation, waiting for another cycle where they could rise again and continue their purpose.
Though victorious, the Vorlons and their allies did not fully destroy the Shadows. They knew that the cycle would continue, and that one day, the Shadows would return to test the galaxy once more. The First Ones who had fought in the war either departed or faded into obscurity, leaving only remnants of their civilizations behind.
The Aftermath
In the wake of the war, many of the younger races were left to rebuild. The Vorlons, seeing themselves as the rightful shepherds of the galaxy, began influencing the development of these civilizations, shaping them in ways that would prepare them for the next great war. The memory of the Shadows faded into legend, recorded only in the myths and histories of the oldest surviving races.
But the Shadows were patient. As they had done before, they waited, gathering their strength for the time when they would rise again.
