Star Trek: 11 Huge Comparisons Between Deep Space 9 And Babylon 5

Societies on both shows imposed rigid expectations on the individual. These included the Ferengi defining themselves by their business acumen and forbidding women from pursuing profit; the Centauri placing social status ahead of personal desires; the Minbari emphasizing self-sacrifice; and the Cardassian devotion to the state.

Section 31 claimed that protecting the Federation justified morally questionable covert operations that violated Federation principles. Their operatives led compartmentalized lives and would die by suicide before revealing the agency's secrets.

On Babylon 5, Earth's government claimed that requiring telepaths to join Psi Corps or take telepathy-blocking drugs protected privacy. The Corps dominated their members' lives, even dictating marriage and reproduction. They carried out questionable covert activity to increase their influence over the government.

The Dominion wanted perfect order. Their leaders, the Founders, genetically engineered their administrators, the Vorta, and their soldiers, the Jem'Hadar, to see the Founders as gods.

The Shadows believed that evolution was driven by conflict. Seeing identity as a product of ambition, they asked others, "What do you want?" and incited wars between those who sought glory or profit.

The Vorlons sought unquestioning obedience. Viewing identity as a tool for shaping personal goals, they asked, "Who are you?" as a way to force introspection.