The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

More specifically, the similarities between the Orz, Arilou, Shadows, and Vorlons.

The Orz seem, at first, seem to be a lot like the Shadows.  They can't be seen unless they want to, or if someone is viewing them through a certain spectral viewer.  And you have to be careful to act normally if you do see them unless you want to end up like Kosh.  The Androsynth saw the Orz and their reactions alerted them.  The Orz weren't fully ready to reveal their sinister plan, so they 'dissolved' them...maybe. ;)  Makes me think of the episode of B5 where Sheridan has Mordon in the brig and sees him talking to himself, so he changes through the different spectrums until he catches a short glimpse of several Shadows.  He was convinced to keep quiet about it and release him because the Shadows were too strong to take on at the time.

Now, the Arilou seem a bit like the Vorlons.  Both have been 'tinkering' with humans and other aliens for quite some time.  The Arilou claim to alter humans to keep some sort of evil beings from noticing them.  The Vorlons alter humans to create 'super telepaths' that can stop a Shadow vessel.

There are also some differences, but I think you'll get the point.  What's everybody think?

The general consensus seems to be represented in this thread (http://uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=offtopic;action=display;num=1106937694).

tfb said in an interview that b5 stole from them and sc2 stole from true space. I found the hyperspace's a LOT alike.

Funny you should mix in Known Space's HS, since is really different... and that one got partially ripped off for the Hawking Drive in Hyperion.

Personally, I am not a big fan of the Known Space hyperspace, from the point of view that its optical properties don't make much sense. Just looking funky and red makes a lot more sense.

I was refering to b5-sc2 hyperspace(red with things that pulse out the go back in).