Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

Kendra Shaw

2008-12-05T01:58:52Z

Chronos:

{{Character Data
| title= Kendra Shaw
| photo= KendraShaw.jpg
| age=
| colony=[[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]]
| birthname=
| callsign=
| nickname=
| seen= Razor
| pseen=
| death=Destroying the [[Guardian basestar]]
| parents=[[Marta Shaw]]† (prior to the [[Fall of the Colonies]])
| siblings=
| children=
| marital status=
| role= Executive Officer of ''[[Pegasus]]''
| rank= Major
| actor= [[Stephanie Jacobsen]]
| serial=706541<ref>This number comes from the serial number on [[:Image:Kendra Shaw's dogtags.jpg|her dog tag]].</ref>
}}

'''Kendra Shaw''' is an officer from the [[Ministry of Defense]] who is assigned to ''[[Pegasus]]'' as [[Helena Cain]]'s aide when the battlestar puts in for an overhaul at the [[Scorpion Fleet Shipyards]]. She sees the assignment as a stepping stone to her real goal, which is Fleet Command.

Shaw's mother, [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate [[Marta Shaw]], recently died of cancer prior to the lieutenant's posting to ''Pegasus''. It is insinuated by Cain upon her first meeting with Shaw that she receives this posting due to her mother's influence. Shaw also claims to be a "lapsed Classics major" upon recognizing that [[Gina Inviere]]'s last name is old [[Gemenon|Gemenese]] for "resurrection", suggesting that she may have never completed college or merely switched to another major.

Never having served on a battlestar before, she quickly draws Admiral Cain's attention, initially drawing her ire for reporting in late because she couldn't find her way to the CIC, as well as the deduction that Shaw was using the assignment as a step on the career ladder. During the crisis, she becomes one of Cain's most trusted officers — Cain sees in a potential to become molded into a "razor". Cain's confidence in her abilities gets her promoted to captain.

During [[Battle of the Communications Relay|the attack on what turns out to be a Cylon staging area]], she discovers that Gina Inviere is a humanoid Cylon agent when she spots and kills a Six copy that was part of a Cylon boarding party. She confronts Inviere in the CIC and uses a surveillance camera to prove her point, prompting Inviere to attack the guards. Shaw knocks Inviere unconscious when she hesitates to shoot Cain.

Together with Fisk, she leads a boarding party to the civilian ship ''[[Scylla]]'' in order to strip it of resources and suitable personnel. When the civilians are unwilling to cooperate, Shaw shoots one of them in order to coerce the others, which leads to the deaths of nine more.

After Cain's death, she is not particularly liked by her succeeding commanding officers, [[Jack Fisk]] and [[Barry Garner]], because she does not give them her respect. Garner dislikes her so much that she is demoted and assigned to kitchen duty following his ascension to commanding officer.

Later, Commander [[Lee Adama]] chooses her to become his [[executive officer]] after taking command of the ship and promotes her to the rank of major, noting that she received glowing reports from Cain, but bad ones from Fisk and Garner. Adama appreciates her scathing honesty about him and his predecessors and choses Shaw because he needs someone close to him who upholds Cain's legacy to the crew, despite his aversion for that legacy.

Shaw proves to be a very hard but competent XO. Not unlike [[Kara Thrace]], she is strong-willed and has some problems with authority, which leads the two to clash over various issues, particularly over her tactical decision that almost destroyed Thrace's and [[Marcia Case]]'s [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s during their first encounter with the [[Guardians]]. She is still haunted by her actions during Cain's command, especially the shooting on the ''Scylla'', and tries to cope by taking drugs.

In the [[Battle of the Guardian Basestar|attack on the Guardian basestar]] she leads Starbuck, Sergeant [[Erin Mathias]] and several Marines to the basestar in order to rescue a captured Raptor crew. In a firefight with Centurions she is seriously wounded. Instead of being evacuated with the others, she decides to stay back and forces Starbuck to hand over a nuclear device at gunpoint. Shortly before detonating the weapon to destroy the basestar, she finds an [[First Hybrid|ancient Hybrid]], who addresses her by name. He knows or deduces her desire to seek forgiveness for her deeds and delivers a [[The Destiny|cryptic warning]] about Kara Thrace ([[Razor]]).

==Notes==
*Shaw's [[Insignia (RDM)#Other patches|shoulder patch]] has been unseen in the series, but is apparently the same patch worn by the [[Armistice Officer]] in the [[Miniseries]]. It is yellow and reads "Ministry of Defense" at the top and "[[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] HQ" at the bottom. The "Kobol HQ" reference may be part of a last-minute change in the central storyline of an early Miniseries script, where the Twelve Colonies of Kobol were actually ''on'' Kobol until [[Ronald Moore]] rewrote the storyline to make the Colonies individual worlds for the final script.
*Despite being a major, she wears a colonel's [[Uniforms (RDM)|uniform]] with grey/red trim when she becomes the XO of ''Pegasus''. As shown on Doctor [[Cottle]] earlier, a major's uniform only has a grey trim.
*In early interviews, Shaw's surname was Taggart.

== References ==

<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{start box}}
{{succession box||before=Eventually, [[Jack Fisk]]|title=Executive Officer, ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]''|after=Eventually, [[Anastasia Dualla]]}}
{{end box}}
{{Dead Characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Kendra}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[ms:Kendra Shaw]]

Uniforms (RDM)

2008-12-05T01:58:15Z

Chronos:

:''This article covers the '''uniforms''' used within the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] and [[Colonial Marine Corps]]. For the uniforms used 40 years earlier during the [[Cylon War]] see [[Cylon War-era Uniforms]].''

{{uniforms series}}

__TOC__

==Colonial Fleet==

===Fleet Officers===

==== Regular uniform ====
[[Image:Blue mini.JPG|thumb|left|Blue duty uniform ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:nBSG-PilotWings.jpg|thumb|right|Pilot Qualification Wings (click to enlarge).]]
Officers are issued a double-breasted dark blue duty uniform, the left side of which folds over the right and is secured by column of buttons. (Dark lighting sometimes makes them appear almost black, but they have been referred to as "blues" in dialog, seen in better lighting, etc.)

It has large patches on the shoulders which are a darker shade of blue than the rest of the uniform. A round [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patch]] depicting the [[Colonial seal]] and including the wearer's ship's name together with its [[battlestar group]] is worn on the left shoulder.

Two [[Military Ranks (RDM)#Insignia|rank insignia]] are worn on the jacket collar.

Pilot qualification wings can be worn over the breast pocket on the left. These exist in two variations. "Junior Wings" with two chevrons on a golden diamond and small swept-back wings to the sides, and "Senior Wings" with larger outstretched wings and an additional silver lining behind the diamond. The latter might be awarded for significant flight-hours or senior command qualification (e.g. capital ship).

There are also other [[Insignia (RDM)#Dress uniform devices|medals and awards]] that can be worn on the left breast of the standard duty uniform, particularly by high-level command and flag officers such as Fleet Admirals. So far, the only verifiable occurrence of this thus far is Admiral [[Peter Corman]] ([[Hero]]).
<br clear="both" />
Fleet officer uniforms have a colored piping around the edges, which denote the rank of the wearer:

Junior Officers:

*Ensign to Major - a single grey line - [[:md:Image:JuniorOff_uni.jpg|Example]]

Senior Officers:

*Colonel - red line on outer edge, grey line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Colonel_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Commander - red line on outer edge, gold line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Commander_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Rear Admiral - gold line on outer edge, silver line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Admiralpiping1.jpg|Example]]
*Admiral - a single line of golden embroidery - [[:md:Image:Season_3_-_Promo_-_Hero_-_Admiral_Corman.jpg|Example]]

:'''Note:''' When he is promoted to admiral, Adama keeps his old commander's uniform. The gold/white piping can only be seen on Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]]'s uniform.

Senior Officer uniforms also include small buckles on the jacket cuffs.

==== Dress uniform ====

[[Image:Greys Mini.JPG|thumb|Dress Gray uniforms ([[Miniseries]]).]]
The officers' dress uniform, known as Dress Grays, is modeled after the duty uniform, except for a few key differences. It is gray, lacks a pocket or shoulder patches, features a leather sash to which flight wings and [[Insignia (RDM)|decorations]] are affixed, and is secured by a single clasp rather than a column of buttons.

Senior officers' uniforms also feature a dark gray or bronze bar around the neck. While the duty uniform is a tunic that tucks in at the belt, the dress uniform is actually an overcoat which extends below the hips and features an external belt made of the same material as the sash. White gloves are worn on the most formal occasions like the visit of a head of state ([[Water]]) or by honor guards at military funerals ([[Act of Contrition]]).

Shoulder cords can be worn at the left shoulder<ref>They can be seen in "[[Water]]" and on some officers in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]", but not in the [[Miniseries]] or "[[Act of Contrition]]". It is unknown if there are rules about their use.</ref>. William Adama's cord is white, while Colonel Tigh's is yellow. Both also have different shapes. It is unknown if that is a result of their rank or position. A third type of shoulder cord - a double white braid with one loop going through the sash - can be seen on some lower ranking ''Pegasus'' officers at [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain]]'s funeral ([[Resurrection Ship]]).

A special version is worn by the honor guard at the funeral in "Act of Contrition". Their sash isn't made from leather but blue fabric.

===Fleet Pilot Flight Suits===

{{mainarticle|flight suit}}

[[Image:Flightsuits.JPG|thumb|right|Apollo and Starbuck in flight suits.]]

Flight suits with left sleeve pockets are used by flight-qualified crew (pilots, [[ECO]]s, etc.). The flight suit is a life-support garment and can sustain the life of the pilot in hostile environments up to and including total vacuum and freezing temperature. Flight suits also have a metal collar that is attached to maintain an airtight seal between the flight suit and a helmet. Often, when not on a mission pilots wear the suit with the top half rolled down and hanging at their waist, revealing the t-shirt and tank top they wear underneath. It also has been used to make an air-tight seal in a vessel by filling in a hole in the hull ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]). Additionally, the flight suit has a chronometer mounted in a cuff.

Pilots and ECOs wear several [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patches]] on their flight suits: On the left shoulder a patch designating the ship they are assigned to, and on the right shoulder a patch for what craft they operate, usually a [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] or a [[Raptor]]. Moreover, a [[Squadrons of Galactica#Squadron Crests|squadron patch]] is sometimes worn on the left breast under the outer layer of the suit.

===Fleet Enlisted Crewmen===
[[Image:Jumpsuit mini.JPG|thumb|left|Orange utility jumpsuit ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:GreenUniform.jpg|thumb|right|Pilots wearing green fatigues ([[Scar]]).]]

Enlisted personnel are issued dark green fatigues, but flight deck safety requires uniforms color-coded according to occupation specialty, as on real-life aircraft carriers (only orange and yellow deck crew overalls have been used so far).

Like with the blue officer's uniforms, the green enlisted uniforms display the emblem of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, and denote what vessel the wearer is serving on. Rank insignia are affixed to both sides of the collar. This uniform can also be worn by officers off duty and in informal situations.

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

==Colonial Marine Corps==

:''For information on real-life items and uniforms used in costuming, see [[Colonial Marine Corps#Real life costuming notes|Colonial Marine Corps]]''

[[Image:Khaki litmus.JPG|thumb|Khaki fatigue uniform and black battle dress uniforms ([[Litmus]]).]]
[[Image:DigitalWoodland.jpg|thumb|right|Marines with digital woodland backpacks ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]])]]
Colonial [[Marines]] generally wear a solid black battle dress uniform. Additionally, black load-bearing vests, helmets, communications gear, knee and elbow pads, gloves and goggles are standard. Unlike Colonial Fleet uniforms, Marine BDUs are worn with a plain black t-shirt ([[A Measure of Salvation]]).

Marine NCO's (non-commissioned officers) wear a khaki uniform with a simple row of buttons down the middle, and a down turned collar (on which rank insignia are worn). It has two pockets on the front, one over each breast of the uniform, which are secured by clasps. Like the Fleet officer uniform, it has differently colored patches on the shoulders, but on this they are gray shoulder patches on a khaki uniform.

Marines with special duties in ship security, wear a black armband on the right upper arm with the word "Security" printed in black letters on a small square of white. Sergeant [[Hadrian]] - as the [[Master-at-Arms]] - wears one of these uniforms, and during many episodes extras walking in the background in hallways are seen wearing the Marine non-com uniform.

Apparently, there are no Marine officers left aboard ''Galactica'' (and possibly on ''Pegasus'' as well), as the only officer seen so far is Lieutenant [[Terry Burrell]] ([[Sacrifice]]). However, as Burrell is in plainclothes, no information about the Corps's possibly distinct officer's uniforms is available.

While the general uniform worn aboard ship is solid black, the Colonial Marine Corps does utilize digital camouflage uniforms, but at least on ''Galactica'' they are not standard issue. The Marines on the Caprica rescue mission in the episodes "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|Part II]]" wear "woodland" digital camouflage backpacks. Moreover, both Lee and William Adama wear gray, urban digital camouflage uniforms on Kobol ([[Home, Part II]]). In one of the [[Razor Flashback]] episodes, two Colonial Marine medics on ''Galactica'''s hangar deck wear "woodland" digital camouflage uniforms, thus providing more evidence of the Colonial Marines use of digital camouflage uniforms.

There are a number of possible reasons why the Colonial Marines serving aboard both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' are wearing solid black tactical uniforms instead of digital camouflage uniforms. One of the reasons why the Marines that serve with the Fleet are issued black combat uniforms could be due to the their role as security personnel aboard the battlestars as well as the fact the black combat uniforms are very effective in a darkened combat environment, especially in repelling any Cylon Centurions from raiding a battlestar (as in the Season 2 episode "[[Valley of Darkness]]"). Troops deployed to planets could use more specialized uniforms, but ''Galactica'' probably only has a very limited supply of these.

Ron Moore explained in a blog posting why the Marines do not have much uniform variation; it is primarily a budgetary issue:
:Q: "Why do the "marines" on the show always wear a CQB (close quarters battle) gear loadout in all the episodes? Even in the ones where they are outdoors? Is it possible we might see a different "marine" gear setup? "

:RDM: "It's primarily a budgetary issue. We've got the CQB gear, so it's cheaper and easier to keep using it week after week than it is to rent specific items for every mission or to buy a wide variety of gear for stock. There's also a costume issue in that we don't really have specific Marine uniforms, so we use variations of our existing "naval" uniforms for the Marines and distinguish them mostly through the use of the CQB gear."

==Additional uniforms and clothing ==

[[Image:SP Scattered.JPG|thumb|left|Colonial Shore Patrol ([[Scattered]])]]
[[Image:Urban FotP.JPG|thumb|Urban battle dress utility uniform ([[Home, Part II]]).]]
The battle dress utility uniform is an urban digital camouflage pattern of various shades of dark and light grays. It features angled breast and shoulder pockets and lacks abdominal pockets, and the buttons are covered. The elbows of the battle dress utility feature large patches. The boots are either typically bloused, with the pant legs tucked into the boots; or not bloused, with the pant legs left hanging over the boots. The uniform features a Mandarin collar which can be worn up for comfort in body armor or in a down position for appearance in other situations. This uniform has been in use in the Colonial Fleet for several decades ([[Scattered]]).<ref>The digital camouflage uniforms that are used on ''Battlestar Galactica'' appear to be made by the American camouflage clothing company Tru-Spec for the commercial market and come in "woodland", "desert", and "urban" patterns. The Tru-Spec digital camouflage uniforms differ from the official MARPAT uniforms the U.S. Marine Corps in several smaller aspects.</ref>

Black leather boots and hexagonal [[Identification tags|identification tags]] are used with all uniforms. All uniforms except for Colonial and Marine BDUs feature left-shoulder patches indicating their assigned vessel.
<div style="clear: both;"></div>

[[Image:Tee mini.JPG|thumb|left|T-shirt and tank top worn with green fatigue pants ([[Miniseries]])]]

A gray sleeveless tee shirt covered by a brown tank top is worn beneath all uniforms, including at least the flight suit, the duty uniforms, BDUs, the deck crew work uniforms, and Dr. [[Cottle]]'s coat ([[Miniseries]], "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]", "[[You Can't Go Home Again]]" deleted scene). Gray briefs of the same color and material as the t-shirts, either in varying lengths or in different cuts for male and female personnel, are worn under the pants ([[Scar]]).

[[Image:Spacesuit(rdm).jpg|thumb|right|A damage control party in space suits ([[Water]]).]]

[[Space suit (RDM)|Space suits]] exist for extra-vehicular activity or work in sections of the ship exposed to space. When ''[[Colonial Heavy 798]]'' docks with ''Galactica'' in in the [[Miniseries]], two workers are hovering in the flight pod. These space suits can be seen close up in the episodes "[[Water]]" and "[[The Road Less Traveled]]".

Female systems analysts can wear a gray sweater dress-like uniform with a [[Insignia (RDM)|patch of an "Integral Systems Engineer"]]. A gray jumpsuit also exists that is be worn be both genders ([[Razor]]). <ref>This is not a military uniform, however. [[Gina Inviere]] is a civilian working for a company contracted to carry out the overhaul of ''Pegasus''.</ref>

<div style="clear:both;"></div>

== Notes ==

According to an interview with regular series costume designer Glenne Campbell<ref>"Costume Drama." Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine. Oct./Nov. 2005: Page 64.</ref>, "The uniforms are made out of a very specific material, and we own all of that material that there is in existence -- they're not making this stuff anymore". Thus, for BSG fans that want to make their own costumes, it appears that it is technically impossible to make a complete recreation of the military uniforms on the series. As there are only a limited number of uniforms in existence, when someone gets shot, the production team usually tries to have it shot in such a way that the costume is undamaged. The crew uses a patch of cloth over the uniform that has the blood packs underneath, which is painted to blend in with the rest of the uniform; for example when [[Callandra Tyrol|Cally]] shoots [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] in "[[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]".

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Additional images ==

<gallery>
Image:AdamaDressUniformWater.JPG|Commander Adama in dress uniform ([[Water]]).
Image:TighDressUniformWater.JPG|Colonel Tigh in dress uniform (Water).
Image:Season 3 - Promo - Hero - Admiral Corman.jpg|Admiral Peter Corman ([[Hero]]).
Image:CainFuneralDressUniforms.jpg|A different type of shoulder cord at Cain's funeral ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
Image:Unknowndressunif ActoCon.JPG|An honor guard at a military funeral ([[Act of Contrition]]).
Image:JammerYellowJumpsuit.jpg|[[James Lyman]] is a deckhand who wears yellow jumpsuits ([[Litmus]]).
Image:Gina in uniform.jpg|[[Gina Inviere]] in a female systems analyst uniform ([[Razor]]).
Image:Thrace with attack gear.jpg|[[Kara Thrace]] with a stripped down version of attack gear. Note the shirt with the emblem over the left breast ([[Razor]]).
</gallery>

== See Also ==
*[[Insignia (RDM)]], for details on the various insignia and patches worn on the uniforms.
*[[Military Ranks (RDM)]], for Colonial rank insignia.
*[[Cylon War-era Uniforms]], for uniforms worn during the first [[Cylon War]].

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Uniformen (RDM)]]

Uniforms (RDM)

2008-11-24T20:52:07Z

Chronos:

:''This article covers the '''uniforms''' used within the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] and [[Colonial Marine Corps]]. For the uniforms used 40 years earlier during the [[Cylon War]] see [[Cylon War-era Uniforms]].''

{{uniforms series}}

__TOC__

==Colonial Fleet==

===Fleet Officers===

==== Regular uniform ====
[[Image:Blue mini.JPG|thumb|left|Blue duty uniform ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:nBSG-PilotWings.jpg|thumb|right|Pilot Qualification Wings (click to enlarge).]]
Officers are issued a double-breasted dark blue duty uniform, the left side of which folds over the right and is secured by column of buttons. (Dark lighting sometimes makes them appear almost black, but they have been referred to as "blues" in dialog, seen in better lighting, etc.)

It has large patches on the shoulders which are a darker shade of blue than the rest of the uniform. A round [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patch]] depicting the [[Colonial seal]] and including the wearer's ship's name together with its [[battlestar group]] is worn on the left shoulder.

Two [[Military Ranks (RDM)#Insignia|rank insignia]] are worn on the jacket collar.

Pilot qualification wings can be worn over the breast pocket on the left. These exist in two variations. "Junior Wings" with two chevrons on a golden diamond and small swept-back wings to the sides, and "Senior Wings" with larger outstretched wings and an additional silver lining behind the diamond. The latter might be awarded for significant flight-hours or senior command qualification (e.g. capital ship).

There are also other [[Insignia (RDM)#Dress uniform devices|medals and awards]] that can be worn on the left breast of the standard duty uniform, particularly by high-level command and flag officers such as Fleet Admirals. So far, the only verifiable occurrence of this thus far is Admiral [[Peter Corman]] ([[Hero]]).
<br clear="both" />
Fleet officer uniforms have a colored piping around the edges, which denote the rank of the wearer:

Junior Officers:

*Ensign to Major - a single grey line - [[:md:Image:JuniorOff_uni.jpg|Example]]

Senior Officers:

*Colonel - red line on outer edge, white line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Colonel_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Commander - red line on outer edge, gold line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Commander_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Rear Admiral - gold line on outer edge, silver line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Admiralpiping1.jpg|Example]]
*Admiral - a single line of golden embroidery - [[:md:Image:Season_3_-_Promo_-_Hero_-_Admiral_Corman.jpg|Example]]

:'''Note:''' When he is promoted to admiral, Adama keeps his old commander's uniform. The gold/white piping can only be seen on Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]]'s uniform.

Senior Officer uniforms also include small buckles on the jacket cuffs.

==== Dress uniform ====

[[Image:Greys Mini.JPG|thumb|Dress Gray uniforms ([[Miniseries]]).]]
The officers' dress uniform, known as Dress Grays, is modeled after the duty uniform, except for a few key differences. It is gray, lacks a pocket or shoulder patches, features a leather sash to which flight wings and [[Insignia (RDM)|decorations]] are affixed, and is secured by a single clasp rather than a column of buttons.

Senior officers' uniforms also feature a dark gray or bronze bar around the neck. While the duty uniform is a tunic that tucks in at the belt, the dress uniform is actually an overcoat which extends below the hips and features an external belt made of the same material as the sash. White gloves are worn on the most formal occasions like the visit of a head of state ([[Water]]) or by honor guards at military funerals ([[Act of Contrition]]).

Shoulder cords can be worn at the left shoulder<ref>They can be seen in "[[Water]]" and on some officers in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]", but not in the [[Miniseries]] or "[[Act of Contrition]]". It is unknown if there are rules about their use.</ref>. William Adama's cord is white, while Colonel Tigh's is yellow. Both also have different shapes. It is unknown if that is a result of their rank or position. A third type of shoulder cord - a double white braid with one loop going through the sash - can be seen on some lower ranking ''Pegasus'' officers at [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain]]'s funeral ([[Resurrection Ship]]).

A special version is worn by the honor guard at the funeral in "Act of Contrition". Their sash isn't made from leather but blue fabric.

===Fleet Pilot Flight Suits===

{{mainarticle|flight suit}}

[[Image:Flightsuits.JPG|thumb|right|Apollo and Starbuck in flight suits.]]

Flight suits with left sleeve pockets are used by flight-qualified crew (pilots, [[ECO]]s, etc.). The flight suit is a life-support garment and can sustain the life of the pilot in hostile environments up to and including total vacuum and freezing temperature. Flight suits also have a metal collar that is attached to maintain an airtight seal between the flight suit and a helmet. Often, when not on a mission pilots wear the suit with the top half rolled down and hanging at their waist, revealing the t-shirt and tank top they wear underneath. It also has been used to make an air-tight seal in a vessel by filling in a hole in the hull ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]). Additionally, the flight suit has a chronometer mounted in a cuff.

Pilots and ECOs wear several [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patches]] on their flight suits: On the left shoulder a patch designating the ship they are assigned to, and on the right shoulder a patch for what craft they operate, usually a [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] or a [[Raptor]]. Moreover, a [[Squadrons of Galactica#Squadron Crests|squadron patch]] is sometimes worn on the left breast under the outer layer of the suit.

===Fleet Enlisted Crewmen===
[[Image:Jumpsuit mini.JPG|thumb|left|Orange utility jumpsuit ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:GreenUniform.jpg|thumb|right|Pilots wearing green fatigues ([[Scar]]).]]

Enlisted personnel are issued dark green fatigues, but flight deck safety requires uniforms color-coded according to occupation specialty, as on real-life aircraft carriers (only orange and yellow deck crew overalls have been used so far).

Like with the blue officer's uniforms, the green enlisted uniforms display the emblem of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, and denote what vessel the wearer is serving on. Rank insignia are affixed to both sides of the collar. This uniform can also be worn by officers off duty and in informal situations.

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

==Colonial Marine Corps==

:''For information on real-life items and uniforms used in costuming, see [[Colonial Marine Corps#Real life costuming notes|Colonial Marine Corps]]''

[[Image:Khaki litmus.JPG|thumb|Khaki fatigue uniform and black battle dress uniforms ([[Litmus]]).]]
[[Image:DigitalWoodland.jpg|thumb|right|Marines with digital woodland backpacks ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]])]]
Colonial [[Marines]] generally wear a solid black battle dress uniform. Additionally, black load-bearing vests, helmets, communications gear, knee and elbow pads, gloves and goggles are standard. Unlike Colonial Fleet uniforms, Marine BDUs are worn with a plain black t-shirt ([[A Measure of Salvation]]).

Marine NCO's (non-commissioned officers) wear a khaki uniform with a simple row of buttons down the middle, and a down turned collar (on which rank insignia are worn). It has two pockets on the front, one over each breast of the uniform, which are secured by clasps. Like the Fleet officer uniform, it has differently colored patches on the shoulders, but on this they are gray shoulder patches on a khaki uniform.

Marines with special duties in ship security, wear a black armband on the right upper arm with the word "Security" printed in black letters on a small square of white. Sergeant [[Hadrian]] - as the [[Master-at-Arms]] - wears one of these uniforms, and during many episodes extras walking in the background in hallways are seen wearing the Marine non-com uniform.

Apparently, there are no Marine officers left aboard ''Galactica'' (and possibly on ''Pegasus'' as well), as the only officer seen so far is Lieutenant [[Terry Burrell]] ([[Sacrifice]]). However, as Burrell is in plainclothes, no information about the Corps's possibly distinct officer's uniforms is available.

While the general uniform worn aboard ship is solid black, the Colonial Marine Corps does utilize digital camouflage uniforms, but at least on ''Galactica'' they are not standard issue. The Marines on the Caprica rescue mission in the episodes "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|Part II]]" wear "woodland" digital camouflage backpacks. Moreover, both Lee and William Adama wear gray, urban digital camouflage uniforms on Kobol ([[Home, Part II]]). In one of the [[Razor Flashback]] episodes, two Colonial Marine medics on ''Galactica'''s hangar deck wear "woodland" digital camouflage uniforms, thus providing more evidence of the Colonial Marines use of digital camouflage uniforms.

There are a number of possible reasons why the Colonial Marines serving aboard both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' are wearing solid black tactical uniforms instead of digital camouflage uniforms. One of the reasons why the Marines that serve with the Fleet are issued black combat uniforms could be due to the their role as security personnel aboard the battlestars as well as the fact the black combat uniforms are very effective in a darkened combat environment, especially in repelling any Cylon Centurions from raiding a battlestar (as in the Season 2 episode "[[Valley of Darkness]]"). Troops deployed to planets could use more specialized uniforms, but ''Galactica'' probably only has a very limited supply of these.

Ron Moore explained in a blog posting why the Marines do not have much uniform variation; it is primarily a budgetary issue:
:Q: "Why do the "marines" on the show always wear a CQB (close quarters battle) gear loadout in all the episodes? Even in the ones where they are outdoors? Is it possible we might see a different "marine" gear setup? "

:RDM: "It's primarily a budgetary issue. We've got the CQB gear, so it's cheaper and easier to keep using it week after week than it is to rent specific items for every mission or to buy a wide variety of gear for stock. There's also a costume issue in that we don't really have specific Marine uniforms, so we use variations of our existing "naval" uniforms for the Marines and distinguish them mostly through the use of the CQB gear."

==Additional uniforms and clothing ==

[[Image:SP Scattered.JPG|thumb|left|Colonial Shore Patrol ([[Scattered]])]]
[[Image:Urban FotP.JPG|thumb|Urban battle dress utility uniform ([[Home, Part II]]).]]
The battle dress utility uniform is an urban digital camouflage pattern of various shades of dark and light grays. It features angled breast and shoulder pockets and lacks abdominal pockets, and the buttons are covered. The elbows of the battle dress utility feature large patches. The boots are either typically bloused, with the pant legs tucked into the boots; or not bloused, with the pant legs left hanging over the boots. The uniform features a Mandarin collar which can be worn up for comfort in body armor or in a down position for appearance in other situations. This uniform has been in use in the Colonial Fleet for several decades ([[Scattered]]).<ref>The digital camouflage uniforms that are used on ''Battlestar Galactica'' appear to be made by the American camouflage clothing company Tru-Spec for the commercial market and come in "woodland", "desert", and "urban" patterns. The Tru-Spec digital camouflage uniforms differ from the official MARPAT uniforms the U.S. Marine Corps in several smaller aspects.</ref>

Black leather boots and hexagonal [[Identification tags|identification tags]] are used with all uniforms. All uniforms except for Colonial and Marine BDUs feature left-shoulder patches indicating their assigned vessel.
<div style="clear: both;"></div>

[[Image:Tee mini.JPG|thumb|left|T-shirt and tank top worn with green fatigue pants ([[Miniseries]])]]

A gray sleeveless tee shirt covered by a brown tank top is worn beneath all uniforms, including at least the flight suit, the duty uniforms, BDUs, the deck crew work uniforms, and Dr. [[Cottle]]'s coat ([[Miniseries]], "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]", "[[You Can't Go Home Again]]" deleted scene). Gray briefs of the same color and material as the t-shirts, either in varying lengths or in different cuts for male and female personnel, are worn under the pants ([[Scar]]).

[[Image:Spacesuit(rdm).jpg|thumb|right|A damage control party in space suits ([[Water]]).]]

[[Space suit (RDM)|Space suits]] exist for extra-vehicular activity or work in sections of the ship exposed to space. When ''[[Colonial Heavy 798]]'' docks with ''Galactica'' in in the [[Miniseries]], two workers are hovering in the flight pod. These space suits can be seen close up in the episodes "[[Water]]" and "[[The Road Less Traveled]]".

Female systems analysts can wear a gray sweater dress-like uniform with a [[Insignia (RDM)|patch of an "Integral Systems Engineer"]]. A gray jumpsuit also exists that is be worn be both genders ([[Razor]]). <ref>This is not a military uniform, however. [[Gina Inviere]] is a civilian working for a company contracted to carry out the overhaul of ''Pegasus''.</ref>

<div style="clear:both;"></div>

== Notes ==

According to an interview with regular series costume designer Glenne Campbell<ref>"Costume Drama." Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine. Oct./Nov. 2005: Page 64.</ref>, "The uniforms are made out of a very specific material, and we own all of that material that there is in existence -- they're not making this stuff anymore". Thus, for BSG fans that want to make their own costumes, it appears that it is technically impossible to make a complete recreation of the military uniforms on the series. As there are only a limited number of uniforms in existence, when someone gets shot, the production team usually tries to have it shot in such a way that the costume is undamaged. The crew uses a patch of cloth over the uniform that has the blood packs underneath, which is painted to blend in with the rest of the uniform; for example when [[Callandra Tyrol|Cally]] shoots [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] in "[[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]".

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Additional images ==

<gallery>
Image:AdamaDressUniformWater.JPG|Commander Adama in dress uniform ([[Water]]).
Image:TighDressUniformWater.JPG|Colonel Tigh in dress uniform (Water).
Image:Season 3 - Promo - Hero - Admiral Corman.jpg|Admiral Peter Corman ([[Hero]]).
Image:CainFuneralDressUniforms.jpg|A different type of shoulder cord at Cain's funeral ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
Image:Unknowndressunif ActoCon.JPG|An honor guard at a military funeral ([[Act of Contrition]]).
Image:JammerYellowJumpsuit.jpg|[[James Lyman]] is a deckhand who wears yellow jumpsuits ([[Litmus]]).
Image:Gina in uniform.jpg|[[Gina Inviere]] in a female systems analyst uniform ([[Razor]]).
Image:Thrace with attack gear.jpg|[[Kara Thrace]] with a stripped down version of attack gear. Note the shirt with the emblem over the left breast ([[Razor]]).
</gallery>

== See Also ==
*[[Insignia (RDM)]], for details on the various insignia and patches worn on the uniforms.
*[[Military Ranks (RDM)]], for Colonial rank insignia.
*[[Cylon War-era Uniforms]], for uniforms worn during the first [[Cylon War]].

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Uniformen (RDM)]]

Razor

2008-11-16T21:21:35Z

Chronos:

: ''This article has been pruned to allow less advanced browsers to load it with little performance loss. For the full article, see: [[Razor/Full Article]].''

{{Episode Data
| title= Razor
| image= Razor Promo.jpg
| season=
| special= Y
| movie=
| episode=
| guests=
| writer= [[Michael Taylor]]
| story=
| director= [[Félix Enríquez Alcalá]]
| production= 401/402
| rating=[[List of Nielsen ratings (RDM)|1.21]] (total; all demographics)<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7509|title=The Futon Critic: CABLE RATINGS ROUND-UP (WEEK OF NOVEMBER 19-25): 'TEQUILA' SCORES, 'RAZOR' FALTERS|date=28 November 2007|accessdate=29 November 2007|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref><br/>0.8 (adults 18 to 49 demographic)<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/james-hibberd/2007/11/battlestar_galactica_ratings_a.php|title= 'Battlestar Galactica' Ratings Adrift|date=28 November 2007|accessdate=29 November 2007|last=Hibberd|first=James|format=|language=}}</ref>
| US airdate= 24 November 2007
| CAN airdate=24 November 2007
| UK airdate= 18 December 2007 <ref>{{cite_web|url=http://forums.digiguide.com/topic.asp?id=22807|title=DigiGuide|date=|accessdate=03 December 2007|last=|first=|format=|language=en}}</ref>
| dvd= {{flag|US}} 4 December 2007<br/>{{flag|UK}} 26 December 2007
| population= 49,579
| podcast=
| extra= {{flag|US}} 12 November 2007 (theater screening in select U.S. cities)
| prev= [[Razor Flashbacks|Battlestar Galactica: Razor Flashbacks]]
| next= [[He That Believeth In Me]]
| itunes=
| imdb=0991178
| unbox=http://astore.amazon.com/battlestarwik-20/detail/B000ZU01LI
}}

== Overview ==

: ''A tale centered around the new ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' officer [[Kendra Shaw]], following her entire tenure on the battlestar from the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] under Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]], to [[Lee Adama]]'s command and a frightful rescue mission to save crew members who have been captured by the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]].''

== Summary ==
Four separate, but related stories are documented:
*William Adama's mission at the end of the first [[Cylon War]].
*Helena Cain's loss of her family at the same time.
*The events on ''Pegasus'' during and shortly after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
*The events surrounding the [[Battle of the Guardian basestar]], set in the time period between "[[The Captain's Hand]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]".
In the episode these stories are largely told in parallel, flashing between the different time periods. Below the different story lines are listed chronologically.

=== First Cylon War ===
====William Adama ====
:''See also: [[Razor Flashbacks]]''

*{{RazorDVD|At the end of the first [[Cylon War]], a Colonial battle group conducts [[Operation Raptor Talon]] against a [[Ice planet|Cylon planet]] presumed to house a super weapon. During the battle, the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'' is pummeled from [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]] salvos and is subsequently destroyed. Adama then spots two Raiders entering the planet's atmosphere. Out for revenge, Adama engages the two. He shoots down one in the high altitudes, but collides with the other and is forced to eject.}}
*{{RazorDVD|However, a [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005|Centurion]] survived as well and shoots at Adama during the free-fall. Adama shoots back and the two eventually engage in hand-to-hand combat. When the Centurion tries to use a blade on Adama, Adama pulls his parachute's rip cord to slow his descent, watching as the Centurion falls to the ground. Adama lands safely on the ground, crashing through what appears to be a warehouse sky-window. There he encounters the Centurion and kills it by repeatedly smashing its head with a pipe.}}
*As Adama enters what appears to be a Cylon laboratory, he finds evidence of human experimentation and human mutilations. He eventually finds a vat filled with a gelatin-like substance which is reminiscent of the [[resurrection tank]]s or [[Hybrid]] tanks that the later [[humanoid Cylon|humanoid Cylons]] would use.
*He kneels down and touches the substance, and immediately begins to hear the screams of torture victims. As he looks back at the tank, a hand abruptly grabs his arm. The hand disappears just as quickly as it appeared, and Adama falls back to the ground. A voice is heard, quoting from the [[Pythia|Pythian]] prophecies: "All this has happened before and will happen again."
*A banging sound is heard from a locked chamber nearby. As Adama approaches the window of the chamber, an unidentified man presses his face against the window and begs Adama to release him and the other captives. Adama finds a piece of metal nearby, and attempts to break open the door to the chamber.
*As Adama attempts to free the door, the man tells him that they are civilians from the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenese]] ship ''[[Diana]]'', whose convoy was attacked by the Cylons, and that there were initially 50 of them who were taken away one by one.
*Suddenly the ground begins to tremble. Adama manages to open the door a little bit, but not enough to allow the captives to escape. The man urges Adama to leave them and save himself. He asks Adama to tell others of what has happened to them. Adama finally complies after he realizes that he cannot free the prisoners, and runs out of the laboratory.
*Emerging from the laboratory warehouse, Adama sees the [[Guardian basestar]] lifting off into the clouds. He radios his findings about the Cylon experimentation on humans to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'', but the young pilot is shocked to learn that an armistice has just been signed, and the war is over.

====Helena Cain====

: ''This entire story segment is contained exclusively on the unrated, extended DVD version of "Razor".''

*At the same time [[Tauron (RDM)|Tauron]] is under attack by Cylon basestars and Centurion ground forces. A young [[Helena Cain]], her sister [[Lucy Cain|Lucy]] and her [[Cain (father)|father]] are pinned down in a building under heavy fire. The three attempt to escape after the last remaining marines in the building are gunned down. When her father is injured by mortar fire, he tells Helena to get Lucy to a shelter before dying.
*The sisters make it out of the building, but Lucy trips over concrete rubble and injures herself, unable to go on. Helena panics, yelling at Lucy to get up and run. She eventually leaves Lucy in the field of rubble and runs away to hide in a container. A group of Centurions appears and surrounds Lucy, who continues to cry out Helena's name.
*A Centurion discovers Helena inside the container. She finds a knife on the floor and nervously approaches the Centurion, preparing to attack it.
*The Centurion stops approaching the girl and retreats from the container, apparently having received instructions and information that the Cylon War is over and an armistice was signed. When Helena comes out, she finds only her sister's doll on the ground, and watches the Raiders leave the planet.
*Helena Cain lost her entire family on that day <ref name="watcher-forbes">{{cite_web|url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/11/battlestar-ga-1.html|title='Battlestar Galactica: Razor' cuts to the heart of the matter|date=20 November 2007|accessdate=22 November 2007|last=Ryan|first=Maureen|format=|language=}}</ref>.

=== The Fall of the Twelve Colonies ===
====Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards====
{{mainarticle|Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards}}
*{{RazorDVD|[[Kendra Shaw]] waits at the [[Caprica Transfer Station]] for a ship to bring her to ''Pegasus''. She briefly chats with [[Frank Bruno]] about her mother, [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate [[Marta Shaw]], her assignment and her career goals.}}
*The battlestar ''Pegasus'' is docked at the [[Scorpion Fleet Shipyards]] over [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Scorpia|Scorpia]] for a three-month overhaul. As Kendra Shaw approaches the ship from [[Raptor 179]], she gazes in awe at the size of the [[Mercury class battlestar]].
*Admiral [[Helena Cain]] is in her quarters, reviewing a crew status report as her [[XO]], Colonel [[Jurgen Belzen]] enters. He lightly encourages her to take her shore leave, but she insists that she could never leave ''Pegasus'' in the hands of the civilian contractors assigned to oversee her overhaul.
*In the port hangar bay, Raptor 179 has recently arrived. With orders to report directly to [[CIC#Pegasus|CIC]], Shaw steps down and asks a pair of passing crewman to help her locate it. The crewman, however, are too busy to notice her.
*Shaw wanders through the port [[flight pod]], past groups of busy civilians, until she finds [[Gina Inviere]], a civilian network administrator assigned to ''Pegasus'''s overhaul. Inviere shows Shaw a map of ''Pegasus'', with a route to the CIC, and the two discuss the origins of Gina's last name.
*Shaw eventually reaches the CIC, where she finds Cain and Belzen at the Command and Control station. Shaw drops her gear and salutes the admiral. Cain is harsh on her new aide. She grills Shaw for being late to the CIC, concluding that she either stopped for a cup of coffee, or got lost. After Shaw leaves, Cain breaks out in laughter with Belzen, revealing that she only had a joke at the lieutenant's expense.
*[[Hoshi]] escorts her to her quarters. As they are walking down the hallway, a large blast shakes ''Pegasus'', and the noise ripples through the hallway. Shaw and Hoshi are immediately thrown to the floor. As Shaw awakens, she is in a daze. She looks around to find Hoshi unconscious on the floor. The hallway has suddenly become a disaster area.
*Admiral Cain, who was on her way to her quarters at the time, finds Shaw and Hoshi in the corridor. She asks Shaw if she is alright, but when she doesn’t respond, Cain slaps her in the face. Shaw immediately awakens. The hallway echoes with screams of horror, and the [[Action Stations|Condition One]] sirens blare. After an aborted attempt to wake Hoshi, the two head to the CIC.
*''Pegasus'' is on fire in space. [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raiders]] flood the shipyard; missiles strike two helpless ''[[Valkyrie]]''-type battlestars nearby.
*In the CIC, Colonel [[Jack Fisk|Fisk]] and many of the CIC personnel are unconscious. Belzen is coordinating the response effort, but there have been multiple nuclear detonations. Luckily however, the battlestar still has main power and propulsion, but that’s about it. [[DRADIS]] and weapons have both been knocked out.
*The Cylon attack is taking its toll on the shipyards. The two ''Valkyrie''-type battlestars lose their moorings and one crashes into the shipyards, instantly destroying it.
*Cain orders the ship to seal all hatches and release all moorings in preparation for an immediate departure. As the ship evacuates the shipyards, Cain orders the [[Propulsion in the Re-imagined Series#Faster-Than-Light travel|FTL]] drive spun up for an immediate jump.
*A Cylon Raider fires two nuclear missiles at ''Pegasus'' from across the shipyards. The missiles fly past a [[Galactica type battlestar]] as its moorings are destroyed, and past the wreckage of several other battlestars and support vessels.
*Cain orders an immediate jump, but Shaw says that with the navigational computer off-line, she would have to enter a random set of coordinates, [[Blind jump|which could take the battlestar anywhere]], possibly within a star or other larger astral body. Cain yells back at her to do it anyway, and the battlestar jumps away.

====So Say We All====
*Two days since the attack on the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, ''Pegasus'' is four to five jumps away from the Colonies. Belzen reports that many of ''Pegasus'''s [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] and [[Raptor]]s are either destroyed or beyond repair, over a quarter of the crew is dead, and rumors are circulating about the destruction of the Twelve Colonies and the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]].
*Shaw has been working without sleep to restore the navigational and defense computer systems, and she has finally done it. Additionally, she has discovered lines of hidden Cylon computer code inside the [[Command Navigation Program]], which was fortunately down during the attack. Shaw suggests that the entire program be purged from the system.
*After ordering two Raptors on a reconnaissance mission back to the Colonies, the time has finally come for Cain to reveal the extent of the devastation at home to her crew. She tells them that their colonies have been destroyed, their cities nuked, their fleet obliterated. While the victory of one ship may seem unattainable when even their very survival is at stake, she tells them that they have revenge to reach for instead.
*In an expression of determination and conviction, the crew resoundingly shouts, “So say we all!” over and over, after hearing Cain’s words.
*Cain, Shaw, Fisk and Belzen are in the admiral’s quarters, looking over recently gathered intelligence for a low-risk attack on a Cylon outpost. They are discussing a somewhat isolated communications relay when Gina Inviere enters. She greets the admiral with a kiss and a flirtatious shoulder pinch, and the five sit down to enjoy some wine and conversation.
*Cain assures her senior staff that while she does want to engage in guerrilla warfare tactics against the Cylons, she is not willing to put the ship and crew in any amount of excessive danger.
*Shaw and Inviere are working on firewalling all of ''Pegasus'''s computer networks to prevent them from being infiltrated by the Cylons, but constantly having to find a senior officer to input their command codes for system access is making the process take exceedingly long. Inviere discreetly complains about it, and Shaw says that under the circumstances, she would speak to Cain about raising her clearance. In the meantime, she gives Inviere her own command code to use. Inviere then discusses her relationship with Cain in greater detail.

====Battle of the Communications Relay ====
{{mainarticle|Battle of the Communications Relay}}
*''Pegasus'' prepares for a hit-and-run attack on what appears to be a somewhat neglected Cylon communications relay. However, when ''Pegasus'' arrives, there are twelve Cylon Raiders guarding the relay. Despite the increased enemy presence, Cain orders [[Blue Squadron (RDM)|Blue Squadron]] to advance.
*Almost the second after the Vipers are launched, fifteen enemy squadrons of fighters jump into DRADIS range. Cain orders ''Pegasus'''s defensive fire concentrated on the incoming attack squadrons, but Shaw reports that the weapons grid won't respond to commands.
*In spite of the odds, Cain orders Belzen to launch the reserve Vipers, but he insists that taking such an action would cost too many lives and resources. She persists in her orders, but Belzen refuses to carry them out. Cain orders Belzen to hand her his sidearm, which she uses to shoot him in the forehead, in front of the entire bridge crew. <ref>This event is recalled by [[Jack Fisk]] to [[Saul Tigh]] months later, over drinks, in the Season 2 episode "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]."</ref>
*Cain turns to a stunned Fisk, tells him that he is now the [[Executive Officer|XO]] and orders him to launch the reserve Vipers. Fisk, nearly petrified by what he just saw, is more than compelled to follow the order. As the last of ''Pegasus’s'' remaining squadrons launch, Cylon batteries pound the hull.
*With the weapons grid down, Cylon [[Heavy Raider]]s easily breach ''Pegasus’s'' defensive perimeter. [[Cylon Centurion|Centurions]] begin pouring into the ship through breached [[airlock]]s. Cain orders fast-response teams of [[Colonial Marine Corps|Marines]] to engage the Centurions, and orders Shaw to Secondary Damage Control, as she fears that the Cylons will use this junction to vent all of ''Pegasus’s'' air into space.<ref>This tactic is reminiscent of a similar tactic attempted by the Cylons in the episode "[[Valley of Darkness]]."</ref>
*As Shaw heads to Secondary Damage Control, she finds Gina Inviere trying to escape the Centurions, and orders her to the CIC. As she peers around the corner, she is almost seen by a Centurion. She waits for it to leave, and as she turns the corner to go down the hallway, she sees a [[Number Six]] Cylon, following the Centurion. At first, Shaw doesn’t understand what she sees, but then it comes together – [[Humanoid Cylon|the Cylons can mimic human form]], and Gina Inviere is one of them. Shaw shoots and kills the Six, leaving it dead right in front of a security camera.
*Shaw immediately heads to the CIC to take Inviere, now also in CIC, into custody before she can do any more harm. In the CIC, she directs her weapon at Inviere, and orders the Marines to take her into custody. When Cain belays the order, Shaw states that Gina is a Cylon infiltrator and that "they can look like us". When Cain scoffs, Shaw asks Hoshi to display the security feed from Airlock 4.
*Cain balks at the image of the dead humanoid Cylon in the form of her lover. Feeling betrayed and without any other options, she orders the guards to remove Inviere ("''this thing''") from the bridge. As a Cylon missile strikes ''Pegasus'', Gina uses the moment to flip her captor around by the jaw, and gains control of his [[Weapons in the Re-imagined Series#Handheld weapons|weapon]], which she uses to shoot his comrade. She then snaps the Marine's neck, and trains her weapon on Cain. In a moment of hesitation, Inviere cannot bring herself to shoot Cain, and Shaw sneaks up behind her, clubbing the Cylon over the head with the butt of her rifle.

====Massacre aboard the ''Scylla''====
* The victory at the communications relay is bittersweet. Over eight hundred of ''Pegasus''’s original crew are now dead <ref>Kendra Shaw reports "at least 816 dead, 121 injured" after the attack on the com relay. Earlier, Colonel Belzen reports the loss of over 700 people in the attack on the shipyards. Given ''Pegasus'''s crew complement of approximately 1,750 when she encounters ''Galactica'', adding both numbers would mean that almost half of the crew died. ''Battlestar Wiki'' assumes that Shaw is relating the casualties of both battles.</ref>, over 90 Vipers are either destroyed or out of commission, and the deck crew doesn't have the resources to repair all remaining ones.
*As Cain and Shaw discuss the battle, Gina Inviere looks on from her cell. Shaw blames herself for the high cost of the battle, for giving Inviere her access codes, which she used to take down the weapons grid.
*The hatch opens, and Lieutenant [[Alastair Thorne]] salutes Admiral Cain. Cain orders him to use whatever means he can conjure to retrieve information from Inviere, including torture and rape. As Thorne enters Inviere’s cell, Cain is called to the CIC.
*As Cain enters the CIC, Fisk is elated to inform the admiral that a convoy of 15 civilian ships has been detected. Fisk and Shaw are thrilled at the discovery, but the mood quickly turns sour when they realize Cain has other things on her mind. Cain orders Fisk to prepare teams of Marines and engineers to board each ship. They will take what they need, including spare parts and people, and leave the ships without FTL drives to fend for themselves.
*Fisk and Shaw come aboard the ''[[Scylla]]'', where they find a relieved welcoming party. [[Peter Laird]] is the first to welcome them aboard. Excitement quickly turns to confusion however, when they hand Laird a list of Admiral Cain’s orders. Laird is shocked to learn that Cain wants to take their FTL drives. Laird informs the welcoming party, and they suddenly become an angry mob. Shaw informs them that they will use force if necessary, but Laird persistently refuses.
*As the mob inches closer to the boarding party, Fisk reports to Cain of the escalating situation. In an act that surprises even him, she orders him to shoot the families of any selectee that doesn’t comply with the orders.
*Fisk and the Marines are wary of the order, but they line up a couple of the families despite their reservations, hoping that showing the mob their resolve will force them to comply. The angry mob suddenly becomes violent – they throw whatever they can at the boarding party.
*At that very moment, Shaw pulls out her sidearm, and shoots a woman in the front in the head. The Marines follow suit, and before very long, the deck of the ''Scylla'' is painted with the blood of the dead. Shaw’s gaze drifts to her sidearm, still smoking from the shot, and then up to Laird, who is too stunned to move.
*In the aftermath, Shaw cannot bring her eyes to look upon the dead. Fisk comforts her by telling her that the entire fleet heard about what happened and there should be no more resistance. As her party leaves the ''Scylla'', she can’t help but look back.
*For her actions aboard the ''Scylla'', Cain promotes Shaw to captain. It is small comfort to Shaw, who is still anguished by what she has done. Seeing her vulnerability, Cain tells Shaw that the war is forcing them all to do things that they may not like, even hate, because if they don’t, then they may not live to simply become human again. By putting aside her fear, her reservations, even her revulsion to complete the mission, Shaw has become Cain’s "razor".

=== Present events ===
* Newly-promoted Commander [[Lee Adama]] is formally appointed commander of ''Pegasus'' by [[Laura Roslin]] in front of the ship's crew. In his speech he promises to change things on the battlestar and announces [[Kara Thrace]]'s appointment as acting [[CAG]].
* Shaw follows the speech on the [[wireless]] set, but eventually switches it off. She walks to a jar, takes out a syringe and injects herself with a drug. She is still troubled about what happened on the ''Scylla''.
* Next, she is summoned to Adama's office, who reads her service file and points out that she received glowing reports from Cain, but increasingly negatives ones from Fisk and [[Barry Garner|Garner]], who eventually assigned her to kitchen duty because of "persistent insubordinate behavior". After listening to Shaw's candid opinions about him and his predecessors, Adama offers her the job of executive officer; he intends to give the crew back its pride, and as an outsider he needs someone to uphold Cain's legacy.
* During a firearms drill, she shows competence but also how hard she is on the crew. William Adama comments that his son found an XO meaner than [[Saul Tigh]].
* The Admiral gives Commander Adama his first mission: a [[SAR|search and rescue]] for two pilots and a civilian science team in an overdue Raptor.
* At their destination, Starbuck and [[Showboat]] conduct a Viper patrol and suddenly encounter enemy fighters of an unfamiliar configuration. Although able to identify them as Cylons, Starbuck doesn't realize that they are in fact [[Raiders (RDM)#Cylon War-era Raider|Raiders like the ones used in the first Cylon War]].
* ''Pegasus'' establishes a defensive perimeter and orders the Vipers to return prior to an FTL jump. When the [[Computers in the Re-imagined Series#Navigation computer|navigational computer]] malfunctions and the Raiders close, Shaw orders to the vessel's offensive flight pod [[Battery|batteries]] turned on the incoming targets, placing Starbuck and Showboat inside the battlestar's close-in firing solution. Struggling their way through the barrage, a Raider follows them into the [[flight pod]], which Starbuck shoots down once inside the landing bay. On the [[hangar deck]], she angrily confronts Shaw over her decision to open fire, but Adama defends his XO.
* ''Pegasus'' returns to the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]], and Admiral Adama, Roslin and Tigh inspect the downed Raider on the hangar deck. [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon Valerii]] recalls the "[[Guardians]]", a group of [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005|original Centurion models]] that escaped being scrapped by the [[humanoid Cylons]]. The Guardians guard the [[first Hybrid]], created by the Cylons as a first attempt at an organic model and eventually abandoned as an evolutionary dead end. This causes Adama to remember the events on the ice planet on the last day of the Cylon War, finally realizing the significance of what he saw over 40 years ago.
* After examining the Raider's navigational data, Admiral Adama believes that the Raptor crew was captured by the Guardians and orders his son to jump to a possible base of theirs. For the duration of the operation, he transfers his flag to ''Pegasus'', but assures Lee that it will be his mission.
* Shaw drafts an attack plan for ''Pegasus'' to draw Cylon forces away while a Raptor, piloted by Thrace and carrying a strike team, jumps to the Cylon base. Before signing off on the plan, Lee Adama confronts Shaw over the incident on the ''Scylla''. She just replies that she is Cain's legacy - a razor - and that Cain wouldn't have hesitated to execute the plan.
* Before the battle Shaw is about to take another shot of the drug and when she is caught by Thrace, who is looking for a bottle of [[ambrosia]]. The two stalemate and agree to keep each other's secrets, and realize that they are more alike than they thought.
* {{RazorDVD|Thrace is going over the Raptor prepared for the mission and told by Shaw that Chief Tyrol already checked everything. During their chat, the two notice that Thrace's [[Socrata Thrace|mother]] and Admiral Cain weren't too different, advising to repress one's fear and focus on the anger. Thrace remarks that her mother only had her anger left in the end and died alone.}}
* The mission doesn't go as planned when the strike team's Raptor is pursued by two Raiders. They simulate an engine malfunction, emergency blow the side hatch and sling themselves out of the flat-spinning Raptor before it is destroyed by the Cylons, escaping undetected. Using EVA thrusters, they make their way to the Guardian basestar.
* Thrace, Shaw, [[Erin Mathias|Mathias]], [[Dasilva]] and [[Hudson]] find the missing Raptor crew, whom the Cylons mutilate in a manner similar to what William Adama saw in the first Cylon War. As they free the survivors, two Centurions attack, wound Dasilva and begin to drag him away. Unwilling to let him suffer same treatment as the Raptor crew, Shaw shoots Dasilva, but in turn is shot in the abdomen.
* While under cover from the firefight, Mathias reports to ''Pegasus'' that the detonator for the nuclear warhead, which they plan to use to destroy the basestar, is damaged.
* ''Pegasus'' loses wireless contact with the boarding team and Lee Adama orders a [[Missile tubes|nuclear ship to ship missile]] to be armed and readied. Thrace herself considers the "mission outcome doubtful". Assuming that the team is dead, Commander Adama orders the launch of the missile, but is overridden by his father, who wants to give the team a chance.
* After reestablishing contact and learning that an evacuation Raptor is on the way, Shaw orders Mathias to rig a manual detonator for the nuke, determined to complete the mission. While Lee is reluctant to sacrifice someone to detonate the warhead, his father believes that the Cylons would easily shoot down a missile, but leaves the final decision to Lee. He orders Thrace to get the team to safety, but to stay behind and detonate the nuke manually.
* The team prepares to suit up and leave, when Shaw forces Thrace to hand over the warhead at gunpoint and remains on the baseship. Walking through the hallways, she finds the Cylon Hybrid, who knows her name, saying that he has been waiting for her for a long time. He tells her that the Centurions worship him as god, and observes Shaw's desire to be forgiven for what she has become. The Hybrid also delivers a warning about Thrace: she will lead the human race to its end, she is the herald of the apocalypse and the harbinger of death, and she must not be followed.
* Shaw tries to relay this to ''Pegasus'', but her transmission is blocked by Cylon jamming shortly after the start, and the warning is not heard. She then detonates the nuke, killing herself and destroying the basestar.
* Later, the Adamas discuss the battle and its outcome, the admiral noting Thrace's recommendation of Shaw for a posthumous commendation. Reviewing the logs, Admiral Adama doesn't find fault in either Cain's or Shaw's decisions, but Commander Adama vehemently disagrees, citing the ''Scylla''. The admiral replies that he never had to face similar circumstances, and that he had people like Lee, Roslin and Tigh to counsel and challenge him and keep him from making extreme and questionable decisions. He comforts Lee, telling him that his decision to launch the nuclear missile and sacrifice the strike team wasn't wrong, just necessary from Lee's perspective at the time.
* Outside [[Officer's quarters#Admiral Adama's quarters|Adama's quarters]], Lee meets Thrace, who now has Cain's knife given to her by Shaw. She is unsure if Shaw sacrificed herself as atonement or if she just "had it coming." Thrace tells him that she requested reassignment back to ''Galactica'' because she thinks Lee would keep trying to get her killed. When asked if she might deserve that, she jokingly replies that she has a [[The Destiny|destiny]] and plans to live to keep it.



== Notes ==

===General===
*The episode was nominated for a Hugo and a Saturn award.
*One of the ships in ''Pegasus'''s civilian fleet was clearly inspired by the [[Original Series]]'s ''[[Rising Star (TOS)|Rising Star]]''.
* Despite being credited, [[Aaron Douglas]] ([[Galen Tyrol]]), [[Tahmoh Penikett]] ([[Karl Agathon]]), [[Alessandro Juliani]] ([[Felix Gaeta]]), [[Michael Trucco]] ([[Samuel Anders]]), [[Kandyse McClure]] ([[Anastasia Dualla]]) and [[Matthew Bennett]] ([[Number Five]]/[[Aaron Doral]]) do not appear in either the aired version of "Razor" or the one on DVD.
**Bennett appears briefly in the [[Razor Flashback]] web-episodes as [[Aaron Doral]], in a flashback two days before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
**Tyrol is mentioned by Admiral Adama as having helped [[Gaius Baltar]] remove navigational information from the Cylon Raider, but is never seen otherwise.
*A four-part podcast of the original story meeting for "Razor" is available on the [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/downloads/podcast/season04/ SciFi website].

===Production===

* [[Michael Taylor]] noted that the original opening for "Razor" was inspired by ''[[w:Apocalypse Now|Apocalypse Now]]'', but this was later cut <ref name="thewatcher">{{cite_web|url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/11/answers-to-your.html|title=Answers to your 'Razor' questions and clues about 'Battlestar Galactica's' final season|date=16 November 2007|accessdate=16 November 2007|last=Ryan|first=Maureen|format=|language=}}</ref>.
* A scene with [[Alastair Thorne]] torturing [[Gina]] while Cain looks on was filmed but removed as "it played a little too much like an outtake from ''[[w:Spartacus|Spartacus]]''."<ref name="thewatcher"/> Part of it can still be seen in the recap at the beginning of the movie.
*According to composer [[Bear McCreary]], no specific soundtrack release for "Razor" is currently planned. However, the best tracks will be included on the Season 4 soundtrack <ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=205|title=Bear McCreary's blog|date=|accessdate=|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>.
*According to [[Gary Hutzel]], the [[Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards]] was written so that "we would see it in bits and pieces. For the most part, it centered on the fact that they had to jump out of there before two nuclear missiles hit them." As for the [[blind jump]], the impetus for it was to be filmed only from the point-of-view of the CIC personnel, who saw the two incoming warheads on [[DRADIS]], which prompted the jump. However, [[Felix Alcala]] wanted the scene to be something out of ''[[w:Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbor]]'', thus the shots showing the destruction of the shipyards were added in.<ref name="vfxworld-2">{{cite_web|url=http://vfxworld.com/?atype=articles&id=3460&page=2|title=
Raising the VFX Bar In-House on ''Battlestar Galactica: Razor''|date=26 November 2007|accessdate=30 November 2007|last=Bennett|first=Tara DiLullo|format=|language=|page=2}}</ref>
* Universal Home Entertainment financed part of "Razor" for DVD-only effects and other material for the show which is proprietary, which is why such effects sequences are on the DVD or used in promotional material.<ref name="vfxworld-2"/>
* Furthermore, the special effects shots were done in house without using a third-party source: over 184 shots were done, 120 of them being full CGI. Many new ships had to be developed specifically for "Razor", in addition to the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]]-inspired Centurions.<ref name="vfxworld">{{cite_web|url=http://vfxworld.com/?atype=articles&id=3460|title=
Raising the VFX Bar In-House on ''Battlestar Galactica: Razor''|date=26 November 2007|accessdate=30 November 2007|last=Bennett|first=Tara DiLullo|format=|language=|page=1}}</ref>

===Story===
* As [[Kendra Shaw]] scrubs through the [[wireless]] bands, she happens upon a [[Talk Wireless]] broadcast where the wireless personality notes [[Laura Roslin]]'s cancer remission, going on to infer that there was speculation on how the remission was brought about. Another snippet mentions Roslin's "recent" ban of abortion.
* The [[Guardian basestar]] appears to be an evolutionary gap in between the older Cylon War-era [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]] and the newer starfish type basestar.
* The flashback of a young William Adama finding a Cylon lab during the war is part of the fifth, sixth, and seventh episodes of the [[Razor Flashbacks|"Razor" web-episodes]].
* According to [[Sharon Agathon|Caprica-Valerii]], the [[Hybrid]]s were created as a means to grow out of their mechanical roots and into biological ones. The Cylons considered the hybrids a failure and, after creating enough of them to control their baseships, the project was abandoned.
*At the end Thrace asks to be re-assigned to ''Galactica'', currently holding the position of ''Pegasus'''s [[CAG]], which she assumes in "[[The Captain's Hand]]".
*Despite being a major, Kendra Shaw wears a colonel's [[Uniforms (RDM)|uniform]] with white/red trim when she becomes the XO of Pegasus. As shown on Doctor [[Cottle]] earlier, a major's uniform only has a grey trim.
* When ''Pegasus'' jumps away from the Scorpion Fleet Yards, the vacuum created from the jump appears to suck in the surrounding flames and smoke of battle. This effect has been seen before in "[[Exodus, Part II]]" following ''Galactica'''s intra-atmosphere jump.

===Unrated DVD===
* In the DVD version, [[Virtual Six]] appears and reveals why the Cylons achieved human form, claiming that since their God created humanity in his image, the Cylons wanted to do the same, regardless of how much they themselves loathed humanity.
* Young William Adama says the word "cocksucker" in reference to the Cylon he pursues as he breaks away from ''Columbia'' (e.g. "This cocksucker's mine."). The dialogue is re-dubbed in the [[Razor Flashbacks]] to "This frakker's mine."
* Shootings are more graphically violent than ''Battlestar Galactica'' normally shows on television. When Cain shoots Belzen in the head, a large amount of blood splatters on the glass wall behind him. Usually only the entry wound is shown and the camera avoids the area behind the head, such as when Number Six is shot in "[[Precipice]]" and Three in "[[Hero]]". A similarly graphic scene where a Marine is wounded by Centurions on the guardian basestar is missing from the television version but included in the unrated DVD.
* The DVD version includes an additional monologue by the [[first Hybrid]] when the strike team arrives at the basestar. It is intercut with footage of the team making its way through the ship. This is a reference to the revelation of four of the [[Final Five]] Cylons during "[[Crossroads, Part II]]". The Hybrid also talks about the [[Significant Seven|seven other Cylon models]] and demonstrates knowledge of [[Number Three]]'s [[boxing]], an event over a year in the future at the time of his speech. See ''[[Razor/Noteworthy Dialogue#hybridspeech|Noteworthy Dialogue]]''
* The main feature does not include all of the [[Razor Flashbacks]], namely Episodes 1, 2 and and the ''Galactica'' scenes of Episode 7. However, all seven flashbacks are included as separate special features on the DVD.
* Two [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 4 (RDM)#Razor|deleted scenes]] are contained on the DVD. One with Lee Adama at the Caprica Transfer Station waiting for a flight to ''Galactica'''s decommissioning, in which he talks about his dissatisfaction with his father's expectations of him. The other is a flashback to the aftermath of the episode "[[33]]". Starbuck and Apollo review their Vipers' gun camera footage. While Adama is convinced that he sees someone in the windows of the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', Starbuck tells him that sometimes people might need to be left behind to save others.

== Analysis ==

=== Story ===

*According to Admiral Cain, a razor is someone who can set aside all fear, hesitation, revulsion and natural inhibition in battle (see [[Razor/Noteworthy Dialogue|noteworthy dialogue]]).
**When Cain recruits [[Jack Fisk]] to assassinate Commander Adama, she tells him that he needs to pick Marines who are "completely reliable. Completely loyal. Razors." ([[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]).
**This bears a passing semblance to a poem by Japanese [[Wikipedia:Isoroku Yamamoto|Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto]]: "I am still the sword/Of my Emperor/I will not be sheathed/Until I die." Admiral Yamamoto knew about America, Americans and their potential from his time as a student at Harvard and as a naval attaché in Washington, DC. Despite misgivings about declaring war on America, he served his Emperor and planned the attack on Pearl Harbor.
**A razor is a physically present symbol throughout the episode in the form of a folding knife, which Cain found as child when her home colony was attacked by the Cylons. She used it to overcome her fear of a Centurion and kept it over the decades. After Cain's death, the blade passes to Kendra Shaw and eventually to Kara Thrace. It appears several times in the episode, and is used by Cain to explain the concept of becoming a razor to Shaw.
*The woman shot by Shaw could have been [[Peter Laird]]'s wife, given the pan shot from his expression as he looks at the bodies, to the dead woman's face. His evasiveness when asked about the rumors circulating about the ''Scylla'' in the episode "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]" would support this. His reaction to the woman's execution, however, can be taken one of two ways. He was either a man in complete shock of witnessing his wife's death or a man who was horrified from what he didn't believe was possible of Colonial military. Laird never mentions a wife explicitly.

=== Characters ===

*In stark contrast to her demeanor by the time of the rendezvous with ''Galactica'', Helena Cain is visibly more relaxed with her crew: She is stern when necessary, but also enjoys several moments of levity with subordinates and cultivates personable relations with her staff. She regards [[Jurgen Belzen]] as a personal friend (as described later by Fisk to Tigh); she initiates Shaw to ''Pegasus'' by chewing her out in the CIC and shares a humored look with her XO afterwards; the atmosphere at the dinner is very informal. She briefly talks to and comforts crewmen in the corridors, and expresses strong emotions and sheds tears as she surveys the ship's casualties. All these point to the war and especially Gina's betrayal as reasons for her push over the edge to become a "razor" and the narrowing of her perspective to pure vengeance.
*Although she may have sacrificed herself in atonement, Kendra Shaw ended her life as a razor, casting aside fear and self-preservation to stay behind and die to complete her mission, echoing Admiral Cain's observation that "sometimes we have to leave people behind so that we can go on, so that we can continue to fight. Sometimes you have do things that we never thought we were capable of ..." When she arrives on ''Pegasus'', she is regarded as an opportunist, but in the end she is quite the opposite.
*Kendra Shaw's death marks the final transition from Cain's legacy to Admiral Adama's. Shaw was the last of Cain's inner circle. She was one of the officers who had Cain's utmost respect and trust. Her death signifies the complete replacement of ''Pegasus'''s original leadership and opens up the merging of the two battlestar crews.
*Admiral Cain suggests that Kendra Shaw used her mother's connections to secure an upwardly-mobile assignment on ''Pegasus'' — an ironic criticism, since then-Commander William Adama mentions to President Roslin how well-connected Cain is, helping her jump over half the commanders list for promotion to admiral ([[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]).
*Both Shaw and Thrace have been noticed and mentored by Admiral Cain. In this respect, the friction between the two takes on aspects of sibling rivalry.
*Based on the restored scenes on the "Razor" DVD, Admiral Cain's past plays a huge role in how she approached the second Cylon War. As a child, Cain abandoned her little sister in order to hide from Centurions. Though this scene of a young Cain is mixed in Cain's speech of the need to leave some behind in order to go on fighting, it implies a sense of guilt on Cain's part for having abandoned her sister to the Cylons. Her entire rationale in actively fighting the Cylons and not running portrays a need for her to take a stand and fight. She had a need to stop running.
*Also in the DVD version, the knife that Cain carries is revealed to have a deeper meaning to Cain than simply a weapon. The knife was an impromptu weapon Cain discovered while she was attempting to hide from the Centurions. When she is finally discovered, she makes her last stand with this same knife. In the end, it becomes the only object that she still carried, and what she eventually became, a last resort weapon.
*The actions of the younger Cain and Adama during the final events of the first Cylon War both contrast and parallel. Adama continued to pursue and attack the Cylons; Cain was told to run and hide from the Cylons, but when she was cornered by a Centurion, she picked up the knife and made as best a last stand as she could. Adama witnessed the escape of the First Hybrid's ship, feeling the responsibility of the lost lives that he could not save; Cain witnessed the withdrawal of Centurion forces, anguished by her responsibility for leaving her little sister behind.

=== Miscellaneous ===

*Given the overall [[survivor count]] and the tally of 49,579 during the credits, "Razor" takes place between "[[The Captain's Hand]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]". Captions also place the flashback portions 10 months prior to the present events. However this timespan is closer to 9 months.
**This is also the only time during Lee Adama's command of ''Pegasus'' that the episode can fit, since Starbuck leaves for Caprica in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I". See also ''[[Timeline - Season 2 (RDM)]]''
**Adama's selection of Shaw as his [[XO]] likely takes place very shortly after him taking command of ''Pegasus'', but other parts of the episode might take place slightly later.
**[[Sharon Agathon]]'s appearance ''may indicate'' that this episode takes place before "[[Downloaded]]", however this cannot be confirmed by any visual evidence as her appearance is brief and all camera shots are seemingly aimed to avoid shooting her belly. However, it can be reasonably surmised that because she is still cooperating with the Colonials that [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]'s birth and her subsequent faked death haven't occurred yet.
*Regarding the casualties suffered by ''Pegasus'' during the [[Battle of the Communications Relay]], Shaw's report that ''Pegasus'' suffered over 800 dead likely refers to the total casualty rate since the Cylon attack. Since ''Pegasus'' already suffered over 700 losses fleeing the Scorpion shipyards, adding 800 to this figure would mean that almost half the crew were killed. Considering that ''Pegasus'''s crew is approximately 1,750 when she encounters ''Galactica'', such a high death rate seems unlikely.
*Given that an evac Raptor successfully retrieves the assault team by docking or at least flying close to the Guardian basestar without incident, it seems that the Guardian basestar itself appears to be unarmed and totally reliant on its Raiders for defense, unlike the standard [[Basestar (RDM)|Cylon basestar]].
*A curious technical gaffe appears to occur as the smoke from the various fires in the shipyard travel upward. Unless the flames (which would appear as a globular "blossom" shape without gravity) jet upward, the smoke, with the lack of convection (heat rising upward as lighter gases against gravity), would expand in all directions opposite the flames or venting, not "up" relative to the battlestar or flames.
*The ''Galactica''-type battlestar at the shipyard appears to be the same size, if not larger than ''Pegasus''. This is a contradiction of Admiral Cain's statement, that ''Pegasus'' is twice the size of ''Galactica''. While she does not refer to the ship's length, this seems to be a scaling error in the visual effects.

== Questions ==

* How does the Hybrid know [[Kendra Shaw]]?
* Is the Hybrid's warning that [[Kara Thrace]] is the harbinger of death true? ([[The Hub|Possible answer]]) Does it say this to ensure that the eternal cycle continues per Pythian prophecy? ([[Faith|Possible answer]])
* Who becomes [[Pegasus (RDM)|''Pegasus'']]'s [[CAG]] after Thrace steps down?
* Whose decision was it to scrap the [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005|old Centurions]]? Did they resist?
* When the [[first Hybrid]] says "My children believe I am a god", to whom is he referring? The old model Cylons? The organic models?
* What does the first Hybrid mean when he says his existence will "begin again in ways uncertain"?
** Does this statement imply that the first Hybrid is capable of [[Resurrection (RDM)|downloading]], or does it refer to an [[Sacred Scrolls|unending cycle]]?
* Are all of the Guardians on the basestar when it is destroyed, or did they build other bases in the decades before?
* Is the first Hybrid one of the humans captured on the ''[[Diana]]''?
* Is the first Hybrid as it originally appeared, or has it physically aged? Was it created in that stage of adult maturity?
* If the Hybrid experiment was abandoned after others were created to control the [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]], do the Cylons only have a limited number of them?
* Did the Cylons abduct humans, such as [[Lucy Cain]] on Tauron, for further experimentation after abandoning their facilities on the [[ice planet]]?
* If Saul Tigh fought in the first Cylon War, how was he created, since the Cylons had yet to create humanoid Cylons by the time of the armistice?
* Were the captives from the ice planet rescued? How much did the Colonials know about the experiments which took place there?

{{#switch:{{{1}}}
|yes={{:Razor/Official Statements|yes}}
|y={{:Razor/Official Statements|yes}}
|#default=

== Official Statements ==
:''See: [[Razor/Official Statements]]''
}}

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

{{#switch:{{{2}}}
|yes={{:Razor/Noteworthy Dialogue|yes}}
|y={{:Razor/Noteworthy Dialogue|yes}}
|#default=:''See: [[Razor/Noteworthy Dialogue]]''
}}

== Guest Stars ==
* [[Michael Hogan]] as [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Aaron Douglas]] as [[Galen Tyrol]] (credit only)
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] (credit only)
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]] (credit only)
* [[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]] (credit only)
* [[Kandyse McClure]] as [[Anastasia Dualla]] (credit only)
* [[Michelle Forbes]] as Admiral [[Helena Cain]]
* [[Graham Beckel]] as Colonel [[Jack Fisk]]
* [[Stephanie Jacobsen]] as Lieutenant/Captain/Major [[Kendra Shaw]]
* [[Nico Cortez]] as Young [[William Adama]]
* [[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Number Five]]
* [[Steve Bacic]] as Colonel [[Jurgen Belzen]]
* [[Brad Dryborough]] as Lieutenant [[L. Hoshi]]
* [[Eileen Pedde]] as Sergeant [[Erin Mathias]]
* [[Fulvio Cecere]] as Lieutenant [[Alastair Thorne]]
* [[Vincent Gale]] as [[Peter Laird]]
* [[Campbell Lane]] as [[First Hybrid|Hybrid]]
* [[Kyra Scott]] as Young [[Helena Cain]]
* [[Chandra Berg]] as Little [[Lucy Cain]]
* [[Peter Flemming]] as [[Cain (father)|Helena's Father]]
* [[Shaker Paleja]] as Medic [[Hudson]]
* [[Andrew Dunbar]] as Marine [[Dasilva]]
* [[Jacob Blair]] as Squad Leader [[Banzai]]
* [[Peter Bryant]] as [[Frank Bruno]]
* [[Chris Bradford]] as Ops Officer
* [[Tyson Stanley]] as Young [[Marine]]
* [[Trevor Roberts]] as ''[[Scylla]]'' Protestor #1
* [[Cameron Macleod]] as ''Scylla'' Protestor #2
* [[Ingrid Tesch]] as Mother
* [[Joey Pierce]] as Marine [[Riggs]]
* [[Matt Drake]] as Son #1
* [[Dustin Eriksen]] as Son #2
* [[John Hainsworth]] as Man in Cage #1
* [[Victor Ayala]] as Man in Cage #2
* [[Deni Dolory]] as Woman in Cage
* [[Emily Hirst]] as Child in Cage
* [[Ben Cotton]] as [[Terrified Man]]
* [[Stefanie von Pfetten]] as Captain [[Marcia Case|Marcia "Showboat" Case]]
* [[Alyssa Minniss]] as Flower Girl
* [[Allison Warnyca]] as Lt. [[Jaycie McGavin]] (credited only on the DVD's Flashback credits)
* Uncredited as [[Gus]]

== External Links ==

* Composer [[Bear McCreary]] on the [http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=205 score for "Razor"]
* "Razor" concept art: [http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-2003---news/razor-concept-art.html], [http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-2003---news/cylon-concept-art.html], [http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-2003---news/season-4-concept-art.html]

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

[[Category:episodes written by Michael Taylor]]
[[Category:episodes directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá]]

[[de:Razor]]

Military Ranks (RDM)

2008-11-08T20:36:02Z

Chronos:

:''For the rank structure of the [[Original Series]], see [[Military Ranks (TOS)]]''
__TOC__
== Rank table ==

This table is largely based on an older blog entry by [[Ronald D. Moore]], in which he replies to a question about the show's rank structure (see ''[[#Official Statements|Official Statements]]'' below). It has been expanded a little to include additional ranks that have been established since then (lieutenant colonel, rear admiral) and ones they may likely exist as well (e.g. senior chief petty officer).

The ranks are a mix of naval and army/air force ranks, which is derived from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]], but mirror naval practices in execution. It is possible to create a rough equivalence to real world armed forces. However, while the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] has many parallels with modern armed forces it is a fictional organization and diverges from reality in certain places, for example in the duties of commanders and admirals, or the place of the [[CAG]] within the ship's hierarchy.

The officer ranks of the [[Colonial Marine Corps]] of have yet to be established on screen (with the exception of lieutenant) or by official sources and thus are not listed here. The Marine Corps's enlisted ranks seen so far mirror real world ranks.

{| class="messagebox" style="width:100%" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" align="center"
|- class="infoboxheader"
! style="font-size:100%;" align="left" valign="middle" | '''COLONIAL FLEET RANK'''
! style="font-size:100%;" align="left" valign="middle" | '''COLONIAL MARINE RANK'''
! style="font-size:100%;" align="left" valign="middle" | '''EXAMPLE'''
|-
| class="infoboxheader" colspan="3" align=center style="font-size:95%;" | '''FLAG OFFICER'''
|-
| Admiral <ref name="adm">'''Admiral''': [[Peter Corman]] wears the same admiral insignia as Adama and Cain, but with thick gold piping on his duty uniform. This raises the question of how a rear admiral can be distinguished from a full admiral in dress uniform, given that dress uniforms have no colored piping. It can be speculated that, as has been the case with the ranks of ensign and lieutenant junior grade, the production crew uses the same insignia for both admiral ranks, as only one type of admiral pin has been made for the show. It would normally be expected that different admiral grades would be distinguished by the number of gold bars (for example one set for a rear admiral, etc).</ref>||
| [[Nagala]], [[Peter Corman]]
|-
| Rear Admiral <ref name="ra">'''Rear Admiral''':
*The [[Pegasus (Extended Version)|extended version]] of the episode "Pegasus", Adama states "Fleet promoted her to rear admiral over half of the commanders on the list.", thus establishing this rank.
*When Adama is promoted to admiral in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" his new rank insignia are identical to Cain's.
*Cain seems to command both her battlestar and its [[Battlestar Group]]. In modern practice, a captain commands only the ship, while a rear admiral is in charge of the Carrier Strike Group.
*While Cain wears a regular rear admiral's duty uniform with gold-over-silver piping, Adama continues to wear his commander's duty uniform with red-over-gold piping after his promotion to admiral. From a production point of view, this was most likely done so that the crew didn't have to create a new set of uniforms for the actor, but can be explained in-universe by the lack of male admiral uniforms in the Fleet's stores following the attack on the Twelve Colonies.
</ref>
|
| [[Helena Cain]], [[William Adama]] (Season 2.5+) ||
|-
| class="infoboxheader" colspan="3" align=center style="font-size:95%;" | '''SENIOR COMMISSIONED OFFICER'''
|-
| Commander ||
| [[William Adama]] (Miniseries-Season 2.5), [[Barry Garner]] (Season 2.5), [[Jack Fisk]] (Season 2.5), [[Lee Adama]] (Season 2.5-Season 3.0)
|-
| Colonel ||
| [[Saul Tigh]], [[Jurgen Belzen]]
|-
| Lieutenant Colonel <ref name="LtCol">'''Lieutenant Colonel''':
*This information [[Sources:Jack Fisk|comes from production materials]], which note [[Jack Fisk]]'s rank as lieutenant colonel in the portions of "[[Razor]]" before [[Jurgen Belzen]] is executed. For example in [[:Image:Lt col fisk ref photo from 401-402.jpg|this photo]]. Fisk wears different rank insignia from the normal colonel insignia, as seen [[:Image:Fisk LtCol insignia 1.jpg|here]] and [[:Image:Fisk LtCol pin 2.jpg|here]].
*These devices have been previously used for [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] in "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]", but she is identified as a lieutenant in dialog. Insiders have indicated that Dualla's use of the lieutenant colonel insignia was a costuming error/necessity, that was necessitated during her first appearances after becoming an officer because there weren't enough junior lieutenant devices to go around. It has also been noticed that other characters including Chief Tyrol have used them from time to time for the same reason.
*Fisk's uniform piping as a lieutenant colonel is the same red-over-white as on a full colonel's uniform. Given that he is the only person ever even referred to as holding that rank, it is likely safe to assume that lieutenant colonel and colonel share the same colors. This is unusual in that all other senior officers' uniforms have a distinctive piping, but can be explained by their potentially similar duties. However, this may - like the use of some rank insignia - be a production necessity: It was far easier to use the actor's existing uniform than create a new one.</ref> ||
| [[Jack Fisk]] ([[Razor]])
|-
| class="infoboxheader" colspan="3" align=center style="font-size:95%;" | '''JUNIOR COMMISSIONED OFFICER'''
|-
| Major ||
| [[Jackson Spencer]], [[Cottle|Doctor Cottle]], [[Kendra Shaw]] <ref>After her promotion to major in "[[Razor]]", Shaw wears a colonel's uniform. Aside from the possibility that this was an intentional decision to denote her position as ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s XO, this may be a costuming error.</ref>, [[Lee Adama]] (Season 3+)
|-
| Captain ||
| [[Lee Adama]] (Miniseries-Season 2.5), [[Kara Thrace]] (Season 2.5+), [[Aaron Kelly]], [[Karl Agathon]] (Season 3+)
|-
| Lieutenant ||
| [[Kara Thrace]] (Miniseries-Season 2.5), [[Karl Agathon]] (Miniseries-Season 2)<ref name="helo">Agathon states his rank as "lieutenant junior grade" in "[[33]]", but he consistently wears the rank insignia of a full lieutenant.</ref>, [[Louanne Katraine]] (Season 1-2)
|-
| Junior Lieutenant <ref>'''Junior Lieutenant''':
*The term "junior lieutenant" (or JRLT in short) is used in props and behind the scenes documentation. For example on Boomer's [[:Image:Boomer Raptor.JPG|Raptor nameplate]] in the [[Miniseries]] and Kara Thrace's disciplinary records in "[[The Son Also Rises]]". In dialog, "lieutenant, junior grade" has been used a few times, for example by Karl Agathon in "[[33]]," but since the vast majority of on-screen references and behind-the-scenes documentation use the term "junior lieutenant" that is the term that we have used.
*While Ron Moore's blog entry from a couple seasons ago (see "Official Statements" below) uses the term "lieutenant junior grade," it should also be pointed out that other differences between the blog entry and the actual terminology and structure have been definitively proven since the entry was written. </ref> ||
| [[Sharon Valerii]], [[Felix Gaeta]], [[Anastasia Dualla]] (Season 2+)
|-
| Ensign ||
| [[Davis]], [[Diana Seelix]] (Season 3+), [[Samuel Anders]] (Season 4)
|-
| class="infoboxheader" colspan="3" align=center style="font-size:95%;" | '''SENIOR ENLISTED (NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER)'''
|-
| Master Chief Petty Officer || Sergeant Major
| [[Socrata Thrace]] ([[Marines|CMC]], retired)
|-
| Senior Chief Petty Officer || Master Sergeant<ref>'''Senior Chief Petty Officer/Master Sergeant''': The ranks of senior chief petty officer and master sergeant are speculative and have not been established on screen or by other sources, and are therefore subject to debate.</ref>
|
|-
| Chief Petty Officer || Gunnery Sergeant
| [[Galen Tyrol]] (Miniseries-Season 4), [[Erin Mathias]] ([[Marines|CMC]]), [[Peter Laird]]
|-
| Petty Officer 1st Class || Sergeant First Class <ref name="hadrian">'''Sergeant First Class''': In "[[Litmus]]" Sergeant [[Hadrian]] wears insignia listed here as petty officer 1st class. While she is a [[Colonial Marine Corps|Marine]], it is possible that some or all rank insignia are used in both services to denote equivalent ranks. The term sergeant first class is never used on screen. However, behind the scenes documents list the Marine rank associated with the single chevron on green background worn by Hadrian (and shared with the rank of petty officer first class) as sergeant first class.</ref>
| [[Hadrian]] ([[Marines|CMC]])
|-
| Petty Officer 2nd Class || Sergeant
| [[Anastasia Dualla]] (Miniseries-Season 2), [[Cally Henderson]] (Season 3-4)
|-
| class="infoboxheader" colspan="3" align=center style="font-size:95%;" | '''JUNIOR ENLISTED'''
|-
| Specialist <ref>'''Specialist''': The end credits for "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]" and "[[Revelations]]" list [[Anthony Figurski]] as specialist, 3rd class. Furthermore the rank of specialist, 2nd class was mentioned by writer [[Bradley Thompson]] in the [[Battlestar_Wiki:Official_Communiques/Archive7#Chief_Tyrol_.26_his_.27Knuckledragger_Crew.27.2C_Will_we_see_more.3F|Official Communiques]]. This indicates that there are three subdivisions for this rank which are used in the scripts. However, these ranks have not been used in dialogue yet and only a single rank insignia for specialists has been established so far.</ref> || Corporal
| [[Cally Henderson]] (Miniseries-Season 3), [[Socinus]], [[Prosna]], [[Venner]] ([[Marines|CMC]])
|-
| Crewman <ref name = "crewman">'''Crewman''': Many sources, including Ron Moore's blog, refer to this rank as "deckhand". However, more recent internal documents reveal the rank to be "crewman."</ref> || Private First Class
| [[Scott Kelso]] ([[Marines|CMC]]), [[Stewart Jaffee]] ([[Marines|CMC]])
|-
| Recruit || Private <ref>'''Recruit/Private''': It is possible that the ranks of recruit and private have no insignia at all, possibly explaining why they haven't been seen on screen yet. In many real-world military forces including all U.S. services except for the coast guard, soldiers don't receive their first stripe until completing basic training when they are promoted to the next higher rank. However if one were to assume that their is an insignia for the ranks, the most likely candidate would be a solid silver diamond on a green background which could be derived by extending downward the trend established by the rank insignias for the ranks of crewman/private first class, specialist/corporal, and petty officer second class/sergeant.</ref>
| [[Sykes]] ([[Marines|CMC]])
|-
|}

==Insignia==

{| class="messagebox" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4"
|-
| colspan="5" class="infoboxheader" | '''Senior Commissioned Officers'''
|-
| [[Image:NBSG-AdmiralPin1.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-AdmiralPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-CommanderPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-ColonelPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-LtColonelPin.jpg]]
|-
| '''Admiral''' <ref name="adm"/>
| '''Rear Admiral''' <ref name="ra"/>
| '''Commander'''
| '''Colonel'''
| '''Lieutenant Colonel''' <ref name="LtCol"/>
|-
| colspan="5" class="infoboxheader" | '''Junior Commissioned Officers'''
|-
| [[Image:NBSG-MajorPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-CaptainPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-LTsgPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-LTjgPin.jpg|-]]
|
|-
| '''Major'''
| '''Captain'''
| '''Lieutenant'''
| '''Junior Lieutenant/<br/>Ensign'''<ref>'''Lieutenant Junior Grade/Ensign''': The use of junior lieutenant insignia for the rank of ensign in episodes like "[[Scar]]" and "[[Dirty Hands]]" is a costuming necessity, as the production never created a separate pin for the ensign rank.</ref>
|-
| colspan="5" class="infoboxheader" | '''Senior Enlisted/Non-Commissioned Officers'''
|-
| [[Image:NBSG-CPOPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-PO1Pin.jpg]]
| [[Image:NBSG-PO2Pin.jpg]]
|
|-
| '''Chief Petty Officer (CF)/<br/>Gunnery Sergeant (CMC)'''
| '''Petty Officer 1st Class (CF)/<br/>Sergeant First Class (CMC)''' <ref name="hadrian"/>
| '''Petty Officer 2nd Class (CF)/<br/> Sergeant (CMC)'''
|
|-
| colspan="5" class="infoboxheader" | '''Junior Enlisted Personnel'''
|-
| [[Image:NBSG-SpecialistPin.jpg]]
| [[Image:Private pins.jpg|100px]]
|
|
|-
| '''Specialist (CF)/<br/>Corporal (CMC)'''
| '''Crewman (CF)/<br/>Private First Class (CMC)'''
|
|
|}

These pictures were created by Jim Stevenson a.k.a. "137th Gebirg".
Insignia for the other ranks have yet to be shown on screen and thus aren't listed here.

Senior officers' ranks can also be identified by the color of the piping on their [[Uniforms (RDM)|uniforms]]. While the only person ever officially designated as lieutenant colonel (Jack Fisk in Razor) wore the same red over white piping as a full colonel, since the insignia has also been used by others wearing the simple junior officer grey piping, no piping is shown in the illustration.<ref name="LtCol"/>

==Additional Images==

<gallery>
Image:CommanderInsigniaPhoto.jpg|Commander rank pin in detail
Image:CPOInsigniaPhoto.jpg|Chief Petty Officer pin in detail
</gallery>

==Official Statements==
*In a [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/02/index.html#a000020 blog entry] on February 19, 2005 Ronald Moore gave a little insight into the rank structure of Battlestar Galactica:
<blockquote>"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant [sic] with the Navy." <br>
'''
The rank structure is derived from the original series. I didn't want to change Commander Adama to Captain Adama or Colonel Tigh to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows:<br>
'''
Officers:
*Admiral
*Commander
*Colonel
*Major
*Captain
*Lieutenant
*Lieutenant Junior Grade
*Ensign
'''
Enlisted:
*Master Chief Petty Officer
*Chief Petty Officer
*Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
*Specialist
*Deck Hand
*Recruit
'''
Just to complicate matters further, there are also Marines aboard ''Galactica'' which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors (sic), etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked?</blockquote>

==See Also==
* [[Uniforms (RDM)]] - Uniforms of the [[Re-imagined Series]].
* [[Insignia (RDM)]] - Additional insignia and patches for uniforms in the Re-Imagined Series.
* [[Military Ranks (TOS)]] - Ranks of the [[Original Series]].

==External Links==

[http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-2003---news/rank-insignia-and-symbolism-analysis-for-battlestar-galactica-2003-update.html A detailed analysis] of ''Battlestar Galactica'''s uniform devices by Jim Stevenson. Also the source for this article's images.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Militärische Ränge (RDM)]]

Uniforms (RDM)

2008-11-08T20:33:38Z

Chronos:

:''This article covers the '''uniforms''' used within the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] and [[Colonial Marine Corps]]. For the uniforms used 40 years earlier during the [[Cylon War]] see [[Cylon War-era Uniforms]].''

{{uniforms series}}

__TOC__

==Colonial Fleet==

===Fleet Officers===

==== Regular uniform ====
[[Image:Blue mini.JPG|thumb|left|Blue duty uniform ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:nBSG-PilotWings.jpg|thumb|right|Pilot Qualification Wings (click to enlarge).]]
Officers are issued a double-breasted dark blue duty uniform, the left side of which folds over the right and is secured by column of buttons. (Dark lighting sometimes makes them appear almost black, but they have been referred to as "blues" in dialog, seen in better lighting, etc.)

It has large patches on the shoulders which are a darker shade of blue than the rest of the uniform. A round [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patch]] depicting the [[Colonial seal]] and including the wearer's ship's name together with its [[battlestar group]] is worn on the left shoulder.

Two [[Military Ranks (RDM)#Insignia|rank insignia]] are worn on the jacket collar.

Pilot qualification wings can be worn over the breast pocket on the left. These exist in two variations. "Junior Wings" with two chevrons on a golden diamond and small swept-back wings to the sides, and "Senior Wings" with larger outstretched wings and an additional silver lining behind the diamond. The latter might be awarded for significant flight-hours or senior command qualification (e.g. capital ship).

There are also other [[Insignia (RDM)#Dress uniform devices|medals and awards]] that can be worn on the left breast of the standard duty uniform, particularly by high-level command and flag officers such as Fleet Admirals. So far, the only verifiable occurrence of this thus far is Admiral [[Peter Corman]] ([[Hero]]).
<br clear="both" />
Fleet officer uniforms have a colored piping around the edges, which denote the rank of the wearer:

Junior Officers:

*Ensign to Major - a single grey line - [[:md:Image:JuniorOff_uni.jpg|Example]]

Senior Officers:

*Colonel - red line on outer edge, white line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Colonel_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Commander - red line on outer edge, gold line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Commander_uni.jpg|Example]]
*Rear Admiral - gold line on outer edge, silver line on inner edge - [[:md:Image:Admiralpiping1.jpg|Example]]
*Admiral - a single line of golden embroidery - [[:md:Image:Season_3_-_Promo_-_Hero_-_Admiral_Corman.jpg|Example]]

:'''Note:''' When he is promoted to admiral, Adama keeps his old commander's uniform. The gold/white piping can only be seen on Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]]'s uniform.

==== Dress uniform ====

[[Image:Greys Mini.JPG|thumb|Dress Gray uniforms ([[Miniseries]]).]]
The officers' dress uniform, known as Dress Grays, is modeled after the duty uniform, except for a few key differences. It is gray, lacks a pocket or shoulder patches, features a leather sash to which flight wings and [[Insignia (RDM)|decorations]] are affixed, and is secured by a single clasp rather than a column of buttons.

Senior officers' uniforms also feature a dark gray or bronze bar around the neck. While the duty uniform is a tunic that tucks in at the belt, the dress uniform is actually an overcoat which extends below the hips and features an external belt made of the same material as the sash. White gloves are worn on the most formal occasions like the visit of a head of state ([[Water]]) or by honor guards at military funerals ([[Act of Contrition]]).

Shoulder cords can be worn at the left shoulder<ref>They can be seen in "[[Water]]" and on some officers in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]", but not in the [[Miniseries]] or "[[Act of Contrition]]". It is unknown if there are rules about their use.</ref>. William Adama's cord is white, while Colonel Tigh's is yellow. Both also have different shapes. It is unknown if that is a result of their rank or position. A third type of shoulder cord - a double white braid with one loop going through the sash - can be seen on some lower ranking ''Pegasus'' officers at [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain]]'s funeral ([[Resurrection Ship]]).

A special version is worn by the honor guard at the funeral in "Act of Contrition". Their sash isn't made from leather but blue fabric.

===Fleet Pilot Flight Suits===

{{mainarticle|flight suit}}

[[Image:Flightsuits.JPG|thumb|right|Apollo and Starbuck in flight suits.]]

Flight suits with left sleeve pockets are used by flight-qualified crew (pilots, [[ECO]]s, etc.). The flight suit is a life-support garment and can sustain the life of the pilot in hostile environments up to and including total vacuum and freezing temperature. Flight suits also have a metal collar that is attached to maintain an airtight seal between the flight suit and a helmet. Often, when not on a mission pilots wear the suit with the top half rolled down and hanging at their waist, revealing the t-shirt and tank top they wear underneath. It also has been used to make an air-tight seal in a vessel by filling in a hole in the hull ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]). Additionally, the flight suit has a chronometer mounted in a cuff.

Pilots and ECOs wear several [[Insignia (RDM)#Ship patches|patches]] on their flight suits: On the left shoulder a patch designating the ship they are assigned to, and on the right shoulder a patch for what craft they operate, usually a [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] or a [[Raptor]]. Moreover, a [[Squadrons of Galactica#Squadron Crests|squadron patch]] is sometimes worn on the left breast under the outer layer of the suit.

===Fleet Enlisted Crewmen===
[[Image:Jumpsuit mini.JPG|thumb|left|Orange utility jumpsuit ([[Miniseries]]).]]
[[Image:GreenUniform.jpg|thumb|right|Pilots wearing green fatigues ([[Scar]]).]]

Enlisted personnel are issued dark green fatigues, but flight deck safety requires uniforms color-coded according to occupation specialty, as on real-life aircraft carriers (only orange and yellow deck crew overalls have been used so far).

Like with the blue officer's uniforms, the green enlisted uniforms display the emblem of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, and denote what vessel the wearer is serving on. Rank insignia are affixed to both sides of the collar. This uniform can also be worn by officers off duty and in informal situations.

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

==Colonial Marine Corps==

:''For information on real-life items and uniforms used in costuming, see [[Colonial Marine Corps#Real life costuming notes|Colonial Marine Corps]]''

[[Image:Khaki litmus.JPG|thumb|Khaki fatigue uniform and black battle dress uniforms ([[Litmus]]).]]
[[Image:DigitalWoodland.jpg|thumb|right|Marines with digital woodland backpacks ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]])]]
Colonial [[Marines]] generally wear a solid black battle dress uniform. Additionally, black load-bearing vests, helmets, communications gear, knee and elbow pads, gloves and goggles are standard. Unlike Colonial Fleet uniforms, Marine BDUs are worn with a plain black t-shirt ([[A Measure of Salvation]]).

Marine NCO's (non-commissioned officers) wear a khaki uniform with a simple row of buttons down the middle, and a down turned collar (on which rank insignia are worn). It has two pockets on the front, one over each breast of the uniform, which are secured by clasps. Like the Fleet officer uniform, it has differently colored patches on the shoulders, but on this they are gray shoulder patches on a khaki uniform.

Marines with special duties in ship security, wear a black armband on the right upper arm with the word "Security" printed in black letters on a small square of white. Sergeant [[Hadrian]] - as the [[Master-at-Arms]] - wears one of these uniforms, and during many episodes extras walking in the background in hallways are seen wearing the Marine non-com uniform.

Apparently, there are no Marine officers left aboard ''Galactica'' (and possibly on ''Pegasus'' as well), as the only officer seen so far is Lieutenant [[Terry Burrell]] ([[Sacrifice]]). However, as Burrell is in plainclothes, no information about the Corps's possibly distinct officer's uniforms is available.

While the general uniform worn aboard ship is solid black, the Colonial Marine Corps does utilize digital camouflage uniforms, but at least on ''Galactica'' they are not standard issue. The Marines on the Caprica rescue mission in the episodes "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|Part II]]" wear "woodland" digital camouflage backpacks. Moreover, both Lee and William Adama wear gray, urban digital camouflage uniforms on Kobol ([[Home, Part II]]). In one of the [[Razor Flashback]] episodes, two Colonial Marine medics on ''Galactica'''s hangar deck wear "woodland" digital camouflage uniforms, thus providing more evidence of the Colonial Marines use of digital camouflage uniforms.

There are a number of possible reasons why the Colonial Marines serving aboard both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' are wearing solid black tactical uniforms instead of digital camouflage uniforms. One of the reasons why the Marines that serve with the Fleet are issued black combat uniforms could be due to the their role as security personnel aboard the battlestars as well as the fact the black combat uniforms are very effective in a darkened combat environment, especially in repelling any Cylon Centurions from raiding a battlestar (as in the Season 2 episode "[[Valley of Darkness]]"). Troops deployed to planets could use more specialized uniforms, but ''Galactica'' probably only has a very limited supply of these.

Ron Moore explained in a blog posting why the Marines do not have much uniform variation; it is primarily a budgetary issue:
:Q: "Why do the "marines" on the show always wear a CQB (close quarters battle) gear loadout in all the episodes? Even in the ones where they are outdoors? Is it possible we might see a different "marine" gear setup? "

:RDM: "It's primarily a budgetary issue. We've got the CQB gear, so it's cheaper and easier to keep using it week after week than it is to rent specific items for every mission or to buy a wide variety of gear for stock. There's also a costume issue in that we don't really have specific Marine uniforms, so we use variations of our existing "naval" uniforms for the Marines and distinguish them mostly through the use of the CQB gear."

==Additional uniforms and clothing ==

[[Image:SP Scattered.JPG|thumb|left|Colonial Shore Patrol ([[Scattered]])]]
[[Image:Urban FotP.JPG|thumb|Urban battle dress utility uniform ([[Home, Part II]]).]]
The battle dress utility uniform is an urban digital camouflage pattern of various shades of dark and light grays. It features angled breast and shoulder pockets and lacks abdominal pockets, and the buttons are covered. The elbows of the battle dress utility feature large patches. The boots are typically not bloused, with the pant legs left hanging over the boots. The uniform features a Mandarin collar which can be worn up for comfort in body armor or in a down position for appearance in other situations. This uniform has been in use in the Colonial Fleet for several decades ([[Scattered]]).<ref>The digital camouflage uniforms that are used on ''Battlestar Galactica'' appear to be made by the American camouflage clothing company Tru-Spec for the commercial market and come in "woodland", "desert", and "urban" patterns. The Tru-Spec digital camouflage uniforms differ from the official MARPAT uniforms the U.S. Marine Corps in several smaller aspects.</ref>

Black leather boots and hexagonal [[Identification tags|identification tags]] are used with all uniforms. All uniforms except for Colonial and Marine BDUs feature left-shoulder patches indicating their assigned vessel.
<div style="clear: both;"></div>

[[Image:Tee mini.JPG|thumb|left|T-shirt and tank top worn with green fatigue pants ([[Miniseries]])]]

A gray sleeveless tee shirt covered by a brown tank top is worn beneath all uniforms, including at least the flight suit, the duty uniforms, BDUs, the deck crew work uniforms, and Dr. [[Cottle]]'s coat ([[Miniseries]], "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]", "[[You Can't Go Home Again]]" deleted scene). Gray briefs of the same color and material as the t-shirts, either in varying lengths or in different cuts for male and female personnel, are worn under the pants ([[Scar]]).

[[Image:Spacesuit(rdm).jpg|thumb|right|A damage control party in space suits ([[Water]]).]]

[[Space suit (RDM)|Space suits]] exist for extra-vehicular activity or work in sections of the ship exposed to space. When ''[[Colonial Heavy 798]]'' docks with ''Galactica'' in in the [[Miniseries]], two workers are hovering in the flight pod. These space suits can be seen close up in the episodes "[[Water]]" and "[[The Road Less Traveled]]".

Female systems analysts can wear a gray sweater dress-like uniform with a [[Insignia (RDM)|patch of an "Integral Systems Engineer"]]. A gray jumpsuit also exists that is be worn be both genders ([[Razor]]). <ref>This is not a military uniform, however. [[Gina Inviere]] is a civilian working for a company contracted to carry out the overhaul of ''Pegasus''.</ref>

<div style="clear:both;"></div>

== Notes ==

According to an interview with regular series costume designer Glenne Campbell<ref>"Costume Drama." Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine. Oct./Nov. 2005: Page 64.</ref>, "The uniforms are made out of a very specific material, and we own all of that material that there is in existence -- they're not making this stuff anymore". Thus, for BSG fans that want to make their own costumes, it appears that it is technically impossible to make a complete recreation of the military uniforms on the series. As there are only a limited number of uniforms in existence, when someone gets shot, the production team usually tries to have it shot in such a way that the costume is undamaged. The crew uses a patch of cloth over the uniform that has the blood packs underneath, which is painted to blend in with the rest of the uniform; for example when [[Callandra Tyrol|Cally]] shoots [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] in "[[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]".

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Additional images ==

<gallery>
Image:AdamaDressUniformWater.JPG|Commander Adama in dress uniform ([[Water]]).
Image:TighDressUniformWater.JPG|Colonel Tigh in dress uniform (Water).
Image:Season 3 - Promo - Hero - Admiral Corman.jpg|Admiral Peter Corman ([[Hero]]).
Image:CainFuneralDressUniforms.jpg|A different type of shoulder cord at Cain's funeral ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
Image:Unknowndressunif ActoCon.JPG|An honor guard at a military funeral ([[Act of Contrition]]).
Image:JammerYellowJumpsuit.jpg|[[James Lyman]] is a deckhand who wears yellow jumpsuits ([[Litmus]]).
Image:Gina in uniform.jpg|[[Gina Inviere]] in a female systems analyst uniform ([[Razor]]).
Image:Thrace with attack gear.jpg|[[Kara Thrace]] with a stripped down version of attack gear. Note the shirt with the emblem over the left breast ([[Razor]]).
</gallery>

== See Also ==
*[[Insignia (RDM)]], for details on the various insignia and patches worn on the uniforms.
*[[Military Ranks (RDM)]], for Colonial rank insignia.
*[[Cylon War-era Uniforms]], for uniforms worn during the first [[Cylon War]].

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Uniformen (RDM)]]

Kendra Shaw

2008-11-08T20:31:46Z

Chronos:

{{Character Data
| title= Kendra Shaw
| photo= KendraShaw.jpg
| age=
| colony=[[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]]
| birthname=
| callsign=
| nickname=
| seen= Razor
| pseen=
| death=Destroying the [[Guardian basestar]]
| parents=[[Marta Shaw]]† (prior to the [[Fall of the Colonies]])
| siblings=
| children=
| marital status=
| role= Executive Officer of ''[[Pegasus]]''
| rank= Major
| actor= [[Stephanie Jacobsen]]
| serial=706541<ref>This number comes from the serial number on [[:Image:Kendra Shaw's dogtags.jpg|her dog tag]].</ref>
}}

'''Kendra Shaw''' is an officer from the [[Ministry of Defense]] who is assigned to ''[[Pegasus]]'' as [[Helena Cain]]'s aide when the battlestar puts in for an overhaul at the [[Scorpion Fleet Shipyards]]. She sees the assignment as a stepping stone to her real goal, which is Fleet Command.

Shaw's mother, [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate [[Marta Shaw]], recently died of cancer prior to the lieutenant's posting to ''Pegasus''. It is insinuated by Cain upon her first meeting with Shaw that she receives this posting due to her mother's influence. Shaw also claims to be a "lapsed Classics major" upon recognizing that [[Gina Inviere]]'s last name is old [[Gemenon|Gemenese]] for "resurrection", suggesting that she may have never completed college or merely switched to another major.

Never having served on a battlestar before, she quickly draws Admiral Cain's attention, initially drawing her ire for reporting in late because she couldn't find her way to the CIC, as well as the deduction that Shaw was using the assignment as a step on the career ladder. During the crisis, she becomes one of Cain's most trusted officers — Cain sees in a potential to become molded into a "razor". Cain's confidence in her abilities gets her promoted to captain.

During [[Battle of the Communications Relay|the attack on what turns out to be a Cylon staging area]], she discovers that Gina Inviere is a humanoid Cylon agent when she spots and kills a Six copy that was part of a Cylon boarding party. She confronts Inviere in the CIC and uses a surveillance camera to prove her point, prompting Inviere to attack the guards. Shaw knocks Inviere unconscious when she hesitates to shoot Cain.

Together with Fisk, she leads a boarding party to the civilian ship ''[[Scylla]]'' in order to strip it of resources and suitable personnel. When the civilians are unwilling to cooperate, Shaw shoots one of them in order to coerce the others, which leads to the deaths of nine more.

After Cain's death, she is not particularly liked by her succeeding commanding officers, [[Jack Fisk]] and [[Barry Garner]], because she does not give them her respect. Garner dislikes her so much that she is demoted and assigned to kitchen duty following his ascension to commanding officer.

Later, Commander [[Lee Adama]] chooses her to become his [[executive officer]] after taking command of the ship and promotes her to the rank of major, noting that she received glowing reports from Cain, but bad ones from Fisk and Garner. Adama appreciates her scathing honesty about him and his predecessors and choses Shaw because he needs someone close to him who upholds Cain's legacy to the crew, despite his aversion for that legacy.

Shaw proves to be a very hard but competent XO. Not unlike [[Kara Thrace]], she is strong-willed and has some problems with authority, which leads the two to clash over various issues, particularly over her tactical decision that almost destroyed Thrace's and [[Marcia Case]]'s [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s during their first encounter with the [[Guardians]]. She is still haunted by her actions during Cain's command, especially the shooting on the ''Scylla'', and tries to cope by taking drugs.

In the [[Battle of the Guardian Basestar|attack on the Guardian basestar]] she leads Starbuck, Sergeant [[Erin Mathias]] and several Marines to the basestar in order to rescue a captured Raptor crew. In a firefight with Centurions she is seriously wounded. Instead of being evacuated with the others, she decides to stay back and forces Starbuck to hand over a nuclear device at gunpoint. Shortly before detonating the weapon to destroy the basestar, she finds an [[First Hybrid|ancient Hybrid]], who addresses her by name. He knows or deduces her desire to seek forgiveness for her deeds and delivers a [[The Destiny|cryptic warning]] about Kara Thrace ([[Razor]]).

==Notes==
*Shaw's [[Insignia (RDM)#Other patches|shoulder patch]] has been unseen in the series, but is apparently the same patch worn by the [[Armistice Officer]] in the [[Miniseries]]. It reads "Ministry of Defense" at the top and "[[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] HQ" at the bottom. The "Kobol HQ" reference may be part of a last-minute change in the central storyline of an early Miniseries script, where the Twelve Colonies of Kobol were actually ''on'' Kobol until [[Ronald Moore]] rewrote the storyline to make the Colonies individual worlds for the final script.
*Despite being a major, she wears a colonel's [[Uniforms (RDM)|uniform]] with white/red trim when she becomes the XO of Pegasus. As shown on Doctor [[Cottle]] earlier, a major's uniform only has a grey trim.
*In early interviews, Shaw's surname was Taggart.

== References ==

<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{start box}}
{{succession box||before=Eventually, [[Jack Fisk]]|title=Executive Officer, ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]''|after=Eventually, [[Anastasia Dualla]]}}
{{end box}}
{{Dead Characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Kendra}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[ms:Kendra Shaw]]