Ships of Light (TOS-RH)
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The Ships of Light (also called Lightships or Light Ships) are advanced spacecraft operated by the Lords of Kobol, representing technology far beyond that of the Colonial Fleet or even the Cylons. These vessels serve as both transportation and manifestation of the evolved state achieved by the legendary Thirteenth Tribe.[1]
Nature and Technology
editShips of Light possess technology that operates on principles far more advanced than conventional Colonial or Cylon systems.[2] The vessels appear to function through quantum manipulation similar to, but vastly superior to, Quantum Shift-Effect technology.[3] When Apollo discovers a Cylon QSE generator, he immediately recognizes it as a primitive version of technology related to the Lightships, though "light years" more primitive than what the Lords of Kobol possess.[2]
The ships can phase in and out of normal space-time, existing in alternate quantum dimensions that render them invisible to conventional scanners and the naked eye unless they choose to be seen.[3] When phased into quantum-shifted reality, solid objects like stars or space vessels take on brilliant, multi-colored auras to observers sharing that dimensional plane.[3]
The vessels themselves appear angular in shape and glint brightly, as if made from light itself.[4] Ancient Kobollian pictograms on Poseidon depict the ships with a familiar angular shape that reflects light like diamonds, leading Apollo to identify them as representations of Ships of Light.[4]
The Lords of Kobol
editThe crew of the Lightships are the Lords of Kobol themselves, pure-blooded descendants of the House of Kobol who have undergone what is referred to as "advancement to the light" or evolution to a higher plane of existence.[1] This transformation occurs upon death for those of pure Kobollian bloodline, with their molecular structure repaired and reconstituted aboard the Lightships.[1]
Zac, Apollo's younger brother, confirms this truth when he appears to Apollo aboard one of the vessels, explaining that all pure-blooded Kobollians eventually join the Lords of Kobol after death.[1] When Apollo's time comes, he too will rise to this next phase of life and join the Lords aboard the Lightships.[5]
The process of joining the Lords is described as taking considerable time, even by their standards, involving extensive learning and growth in a state that approaches eternity from mortal perspective.[1]
Historical Role
editThe Ships of Light have been present throughout human history, watching over and occasionally intervening in the development of humanity across the cosmos. The Lords of Kobol planted or nurtured many seeds of human civilization across the universe, with some flourishing and others withering.[5]
Ancient records and artifacts from various worlds depict the vessels. On Poseidon, engravings show what appear to be Ships of Light alongside star maps and images of humans building monuments.[4] The elderly slave Aske, whose grandmother came from Poseidon, refers to them as "shiny glass stars" and believes those who speak the ancient Kobollian tongue and arrive in such vessels come from the Lords of Kobol.[6]
The Lightships witnessed the destruction of civilizations and the rise of new ones. In Apollo's vision of ancient Poseidon, he sees himself aboard a Ship of Light observing the planet below during an earlier time, before Zac or Adama had "moved on from this life and progressed to the light."[5] The Lords watched as tragedies unfolded, including mountains of human corpses and burning alien vessels.[5]
Encounters with the Fleet
editThe Ships of Light have made several appearances to the Colonial Fleet during their journey, though these encounters are rarely witnessed by many.
Kobol
editDuring the Fleet's return to Kobol, multiple Light Ships appear during critical moments. As the ancient planet undergoes catastrophic destruction, three Lightships rise from the flaming corpse of the world.[7] One luminous vessel emerges from the fiery heart of the dying planet "like a phoenix, or a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis," its beauty contrasting with the complete destruction of Kobol.[7] The ship joins two others waiting in space, and together the three vessels accelerate away and vanish.[7]
This appearance is witnessed by crew aboard Galactica and Daedalus as the Fleet makes its leap into hyperspace.[7] Those who see the Lightships, even briefly, feel "an overwhelming sense of peace, and awe, and wonder."[8]
After the encounter at Kobol, the Colonial Fleet is judged worthy by the Lords of Light, having been "sorely tested, by the powers of darkness and the forces of light."[9] As reward, the ancient Kobollians provide the Fleet with modified QSE technology, essential for their journey to their distant destination.[9]
Observation During Battle
editDuring a major engagement between the Fleet and Cylon forces, Starbuck, piloting a quantum-shifted Cylon Raider, discovers ten Kobollian Lightships positioned beyond the battle area.[3] The vessels remain immobile, observing the conflict but not participating.[3]
Only those operating on the same quantum plane as the QSE-equipped vessels can detect the Lightships' presence. Starbuck, frustrated by their non-intervention, mutters "Lousy slaggers. We'll win without your help."[3] The Lords of Kobol apparently maintain a policy of observation rather than direct intervention in mortal conflicts, even when the final fate of the human race hangs in the balance.[3]
Starbuck's Funeral Ship
editFollowing Starbuck's apparent death on Kobol, his body is placed aboard a Scarlet Viper configured as a funeral ship, which continues on an endless journey away from the planet.[10] The vessel begins emitting odd pulses of light, as if signaling to something or someone in deep space.[10]
As the funeral ship travels beyond the farthest moons of the Kobollian system and into deeper space, it continues to signal with bursts of light.[10] The entire vessel begins to glow as if made of solid light, becoming almost translucent with every detail clearly delineated.[10]
A beacon of light appears in the distance, shining through space to play upon the Viper's hull. The funeral ship grows brighter still, becoming "little more than a carving of light," and accelerates toward the source of the radiant beam.[10] The brilliance reveals itself to be a Kobollian Light Ship, and the Viper rides the ribbon of light up into the source before both vessels vanish from normal space.[11]
Ancient Space Ark
editOn the planet Paradis, the Fleet discovers a massive ancient space ark, identified as one of the city-sized transport vessels rumored to have been used by the Thirteenth Tribe.[12] The vessel, found crashed in underground caverns, represents technology more advanced than the Fleet's battlestars.[12]
The discovery of this ark, with its thousands of preservation pods containing human remains, confirms long-held beliefs about the Thirteenth Tribe's exodus from Kobol.[12] Troy reflects that the cynical historians who assured them the Thirteenth Tribe was "a legend at best but almost certainly a myth" were proven wrong.[12] The ark provides tangible evidence that the Lords of Kobol seeded humanity throughout distant galaxies using advanced vessels like the Ships of Light and massive transport arks.[9]
Philosophical and Religious Significance
editThe Ships of Light represent both the evolutionary destiny of pure-blooded Kobollians and the continuing oversight of the Lords of Kobol over humanity's development. The vessels embody the "advancement to the light" promised to descendants of the House of Kobol upon death.[1]
Cassiopeia observes that the Fleet's stop at Paradis demonstrated they remain "under the guidance of the Lords of Kobol."[13] The continuing presence of the Lightships throughout the Fleet's journey reinforces this divine oversight, even when the Lords choose not to intervene directly.
For Apollo, the existence of the Lightships and their connection to the Thirteenth Tribe becomes central to his personal quest. He believes that by following the path of the Thirteenth Tribe, he might somehow extend the gift of advancement to all of humanity, not just pure-blooded Kobollians.[14]
See Also
editReferences
edit- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 151.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 176.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 248.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 119.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 181.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 185.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 238.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 239.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 240.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 145.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Timmons, Stan (1999). Resurrection. Byron Preiss, p. 146.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Hatch, Richard; Linaweaver, Brad (2004). Paradis. Tor Books, p. 163.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Linaweaver, Brad (2004). Paradis. Tor Books, p. 240.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 78.