In two made for television movies, and almost 100 episodes to date of Babylon Five we have seen the character of Delenn of the Minbari develop from a naive starry-eyed acolyte to a powerful arrogant satai; then to a mostly human woman who is vulnerable and unsure of herself and finally to a woman who combines the best qualities of all her incarnations. The character was created, of course, by J. Michael Straczynski, but it is the art of Mira Furlan that brings Delenn to life. In one of those happy combinations that so rarely occur, the right actor and the right character have found each other. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fourth season episode entitled "Atonement." In rapid succession we see almost all the various faces of Delenn in an acting tour de force unequaled in series television.

The first view of Delenn in this episode is at the docking bay when she greets those who have come to take her back to Minbar. This is the Delenn we are accustomed to seeing, composed, dignified, respectful, the ambassador going about her business. Yet there is an undercurrent of fear, reminiscent of the woman who emerged from the Chrysalis no longer certain of her place in the universe.

The next time we see her, she is an entirely different woman, one only dimly glimpsed in the past. Standing in the doorway of her bedroom in the classic pose of a the seductress, she openly delights in her lover's astonished admiration. Delenn has worn human clothing before, when she had dinner with John soon after heer transformation. But then she was elegant and sophisticated. Now she iis earthly and projects a raw sexuality. We, and John, are delighted and stunned. Where did this Delenn come from? We have seen glimpses of her throughout the series: when she teaed and cajoled John into the dinner meeting with the clergymen from Earth; when she kissed him on the bridge of the White Star. Even the look on her face when Londo tells her she is cute - a small, satisfied smile quickly replaced by embarrassment and indignation - hints of a sensual female beneath the Minbari reserve.

When Delenn and Lennier enter the Dreaming, we meet yet another Delenn, the young acolyte. She is, in Delenn's own words, young, inexperienced, and terrified. But she is also very curious, ready to fully explore whatever mysteries the universe sets before her. And, she has no false modesty about her own worth. Respectfully, but pointedly, she chides her elders and betters on the Grey Council for their impoliteness toward the universe. You can see in the girl all the signs of the woman she will become, both Minbari and human. And the woman still retains parts of the girl's delighted wonder. The dignified ambassador and the powerful satai watches Duck Dodgers wide-eyed. The commander of the Rangers on Babylon Five tries out her new and more colorful vocabulary on the way to a meeting with a powerful ally. Delenn is eager to learn everything she can with an enthusiasm that sometimes dismays Sheridan. She also enjoys joking with her friends, especially John. After their engagement, Delenn continues to delight in teasing John. The scene below deck on the White Star in "Epiphanies" is probably typical. Even during the worst time, when she is sure the man she loves has died because of her, Delenn cannot totally contain her sense of fun. She can barely keep amusement out of her voice when Susan explains she doesn't need a Minbari translator. When admonishing Marcus to keep the crew from laughing at Susan, Delenn cannot help smiling. We watch Dukhat's young aide and say to ourselves, "of course! that's exactly what Delenn must have been like."

Next, we see the early days of the powerful and arrogant satai, whose words can start and stop a genocidal war. This Delenn too, is not unexpected. We have seen her exercise power many times, starting with her intimidation of G'Kar in "The Gathering." She dresses down Neroon and ensures his silence in the matter of the disposal of Branmer's body, even though he was Neroon's caste and clan leader. She turns down the leadership of the Grey Council, the only one to ever do so, to stay on Babylon Five, but also because she does not need outward signs of her power and influence. She is secure enough to follow the calling of her heart, and strong enough to endure whatever that calling brings her, he it torture by an Inquisitor, or a broken heart when her lover goes to a certain death. After her transformation, beneath the new uncertainties and vulnerabilities, the satai remains, to emerge when needed. It is the satai who warns the Streibs to release the captain and tells EarthForce to "be somewhere else." We are surprised only by the fury of her anger. Yet we shouldn't be. We have seen echoes of that fury when she breaks the Grey Council and when she lashes out at Sebastian.

The new satai's rage when Dukhat is killed begins the war against the humans. She regrets that rage very soon afterward, but it is too late. That moment's loss of control has repercussions that echo throughout the universe. As a result of the war, the Minbari discover that humans have Minbari souls, and that Sinclair carries the soul of Valen. And Delenn remains on Babylon Five to meet John Sheridan. There is one other consequence. Her clan will believe that she wishes to join with a human to atone for her guilt. The clan is wrong about her reasons for marrying John, but they are not wrong about her feelings of guilt. When she momentarily comes out of the dreaming, we find her curled in a fetal position, unable to quite believe Lennier's reassurance that he will never leave her "no matter what."

Delenn must finally come to terms with this guilt before she can go on with the rest of her life. Lennier's steadfast loyalty, more than his calm reasoning, helps her realize that others bear some responsibility for the war. This gives her the strength to dety the customs of her people and return to the dreaming. The woman who leads Callen into the dreaming is not the same one who left the whisper gallery a few hours ago. This Delenn is more assured, more in command. The consummate politician, well trained by Dukhat, allows Callen to preserve the secret of Valen's identity for the good of her people, at the same time the satai scorns his cowardice in refusing to face the truth.

All doubts resolved, she is truly a child of Valen. She returns to Babylon Five and to John Sheridan's arms. In this final scene we see again the sexy, teasing, joyful woman. As they walk off, arm in arm, we know that no matter what happens, Delenn will be able to handle it. The curious child, the sensual woman, the imperious satai have merged into the One Who Is.