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This page will contain all my random thoughts about the character of Corwin and possibly even an analysis of what we have seen of him.

As I said in the home page for this section, Corwin is not a major character. He has a small role to play, but it is one which enriches our understanding of the Babylon 5 universe.

Corwin is a young, earnest tech. He seems to be not long out of the Earth Force Academy. He believes deeply in all that Earth Force has taught him to believe and accept. He once wryly remarked that his time on Babylon 5 had been a valuable experience. Nothing could have prepared this naive young man for what was to follow....

Some say that Corwin is dumb, that he should have been able to see the signs of what Sheridan and Ivanova were planning. How could he? Their plans were carefully plotted in meetings that Corwin had no access to. All the plans were carefully kept from public knowledge, and also from the lesser members of the crew. Corwin was assessed on his loyalty to EarthForce. His suspicions may have been aroused by the events in the third season episode "Exogenesis", but he did not question the actions of a senior officer until something extraordinary happened.

That extraordinary thing was the declaration by Captain John Sheridan that Babylon 5 would render full assistance to the "Alexander", a ship that had broken away from the Earth Alliance. Corwin interrupts his captain, interrupts his commanding officer. He is amazed to think that Sheridan is doing such a thing. Isn't such an action in violation of Earth Regs? His face shows what he is thinking and what his response will be to this upheaval. We see the clockwork in his head grinding out to one conclusion. He accepts Sheridan's command and does not question the actions of his superior officer any further. In reply to Ivanova's "You OK?" he replies "I think so - it's kind of a surprise, but yeah...". Everything that he has seen suddenly makes sense - any little hints he has gotten have fallen into place just as the proverbial hits the fan.

By the time the declaration of independence is made by Sheridan in "Severed Dreams", Corwin is getting a handle on things. Babylon 5 was seceding from the Earth Alliance in protest over the Mars bombing and the enforcement of martial law in Earth colonies, acts which are nonconstitutional and against all that the Earth Alliance stands for. Corwin understands the consequences and is committed to the new cause. One small phrase emphasises this, where Babylon 5 comes under attack from Earth-loyal EA ships.

"Enemy starfuries moving on attack vectors." Enemy starfuries. Any ship loyal to Clarke's government is part of the enemy. At this point onwards, Babylon 5 is severed from any help from Earth and Corwin is part of the Army of Light.

Corwin may be young and naive, but never say that he isn't sensitive! This is the lovely young chap who bought Ivanova what would be on his wage hellishly expensive artifical roses. This is the young chap who so tentatively comes up to Ivanova in 322 to tell her the bad news. He isn't worried that she will lash out at him. He is worried about her, about the defeat he sees in her face, about the despondency that she shows the world. He understands the implications of his information. He doesn't know how to break the bad news without hurting her further, but can't withold the information. One single word - "Commander" - is all he says to bring her back to the here and now, a title showing respect, a title requiring a debt of responsibility. He can't reach out any further - more would be a breach of protocol (and it seems that most of the young men I know of have the hots for Ivanova. Her workmates may also have this problem).

See how much one can read from a minor character? :-) Corwin is young, inexperienced and I can only wish he was a little older and a man of this century ;-)