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Religion in the Twelve Colonies (RDM)

2011-05-10T23:12:05Z

Iblis Will Return: /* Notes */

:''This article discusses the religion of the Colonies as seen in the [[Re-imagined Series]]. For summary information on the Kobollian religion from the [[Original Series]], see [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''
:''For information on the various mythologies used in ''Battlestar Galactica'', see [[Mythological references]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

The dominant '''religion of the Twelve Colonies''', which the various characters of ''Battlestar Galactica'' practice to greater or lesser extent, is a [[Wikipedia:polytheism|polytheistic]] faith<ref>The Colonial deities are very similar to the [[Wikipedia:Greek mythology|Olympic gods]] of Greek mythology on the real-world Earth.</ref> with a strong emphasis on the philosophy of [[Wikipedia:Eternal return|eternal return]]. There is a several variations of this faith practiced by different groups.

==Origin==
[[Image:Pythia.jpg|right|thumb|A portion of the Sacred Scrolls, specifically, a portion of the Book of [[Pythia]].]]
The eternal-return aspect between the peoples of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] and [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] suggest a parallel or reverse-origin with humanity as a whole, or the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]] that presumably populated it. See [[History of the Twelve Colonies]] for more analysis.

In the burial scene of the [[Miniseries]], [[William Adama]] states, "Life here began out there,<ref>This phrase is a homage to the [[Original Series]], where each episode began with this phrase in a voice-over introduction.</ref>" reminding the assembly that this was the first line of the [[Sacred Scrolls]], the principle religious tome of the Colonial faith, told to them by the Lords Of Kobol many centuries ago.
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==Belief==
===The Lords of Kobol===
Colonial religion is centered on the Lords of Kobol. In the Re-imagined Series and ''Caprica'', eleven Lords of Kobol have been positively identified:
* [[Zeus]] - The leader of the Lords. [[Tom Zarek]] has twice referred to [[William Adama|Bill Adama]] as "Zeus" ("[[Bastille Day]]", "[[The Farm]]", as a play on [[Lee Adama]]'s callsign).
* [[Aphrodite]] - The lady of love and sexuality. Kara Thrace prays often to this Lord ([[Flesh and Bone]]).
* [[Apollo, Lord of Kobol|Apollo]] - Zeus' son, said to be the lord of the hunt and of healing ([[Bastille Day]]).
* [[Ares]] - The lord of war. The [[Nicholas Tyrol|infant son]] of [[Cally]] and [[Galen Tyrol]] is [[dedication ceremony|dedicated]] to this Lord of Kobol ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance, Episode 10]]).
* [[Artemis]] - Twin sister of Apollo, lady of the hunt. [[Kara Thrace]] prays often to this Lord ([[Flesh and Bone]]).
* [[Asclepius]] - The lord of healing ([[Escape Velocity]]).
* [[Athena, Lord of Kobol|Athena]] - This lord committed suicide "out of despair over the exodus of the thirteen tribes" ([[Home, Part II]]). Her [[Tomb of Athena|tomb]] holds a map to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).
* [[Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn]] ([[Maelstrom]])<ref>Aurora is the Roman counterpart of the Greek [[w:Eos|Eos]]. Eos is one of the [[w:Titans (mythology)|Titans]]. Since the Lords of Kobol are modeled after the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]] however, this could indicate that she is not one of the Lords, but belongs to another group of deities.</ref>.
*[[Hecate]] - Shapechanging goddess of the underworld ([[Caprica pilot]]).
* [[Hera, Lord of Kobol|Hera]] - Wife of Zeus. A [[Gates of Hera|mountain ridge]] on Kobol is named after her ([[Home, Part II]]), and the [[Hera Agathon|first Cylon/human hybrid child]] is named for this lord ([[Downloaded]]).
* [[Poseidon]] - [[Gaius Baltar]] mentions this deity in a conversation with [[Tracey Anne]] ([[He That Believeth In Me]]). Deckhand [[Brooks (RDM)|Brooks]] also prays to this lord. ([[The Face of the Enemy]])

The Colonials appear to use multiple names for their lords, interchanging "Mars" for "Ares", "Jupiter" for "Zeus", and so on.<ref>Curiously, [[Laura Roslin]] mentions that the 134th day of the Cylon occupation of [[New Caprica]] is Mars Day ([[Occupation]]), suggesting that Ares may also be called by his alternate Roman pantheon's name. The same happens again in "[[The Passage]]" when Zeus is referred to by the name of his Roman counterpart Jupiter.</ref>

====Afterlife====
Believers think that they will go to [[Fields of Elysium]] after death if they led a good life ([[Faith]]). <ref>This is clearly a direct parallel to the ancient Greek [[w:Elysium|Elysian Fields]], the part of the [[w:Hades|underworld]] corresponding to "heaven". The visual image of a ferry crossing a river also parallels the river [[w:Styx|Styx]].</ref>

==== Paradise Lost ====
According to the [[Sacred Scrolls]], the gods once shared a paradise-like existence with the people of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. Later circumstances forced the exodus of the human population of Kobol to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]] and [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], and lead to Athena's suicide.

The existence of the Lords of Kobol is attested to by the survival of numerous artifacts, including the [[Arrow of Apollo]], the [[Tomb of Athena]] and the [[Gates of Hera]]. However, although she accepts their historic authenticity, [[Sharon Agathon|Caprica-Valerii]], a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]], questions their actual divinity.<ref>There is a notion in fan circles that there are twelve lords of Kobol, by analogy to the twelve Cylon models, twelve Colonies, and perhaps the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]] of Greek mythology. A post from [[Ron D. Moore]]'s blog [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/03/index.html#a000023 on March 12, 2005] loosely alludes on this coincidence, but further official sourcing has not been revealed.</ref>

====The Jealous God====
[[Elosha]] states that the exodus from Kobol was precipitated when "one jealous god began to desire that he be elevated above all the other gods, and the war on Kobol began."<ref>From a [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I|deleted scene]] cut from the episode "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]".</ref> This figure may be related to or identical with "[[The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken|the one whose name cannot be spoken]]", whose [[Temple of Five|temple]] is discovered in "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]".

====The Path of Olympus====
[[Tom Zarek]] conveys to [[Laura Roslin]] and her [[Laura Roslin faction|followers]] the news that Commander [[William Adama]] had resumed command of ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' after the attempt on his life by saying: "Zeus has returned to '''Olympus'''" ([[The Farm]]).<ref>In Greek mythology, the home of the gods on Earth resided high atop Greece's highest mountain, Mount Olympus, at a time where access to the mountain summit would be almost impossible with the inhabitants' technology of that age.</ref> By Zarek's comment we can infer that Colonial religion appears to acknowledge the existence of a place called Olympus. It cannot yet be determined, however, if Olympus was thought of as the residence of the gods at a specific physical or ''metaphysical'' location of Kobol, as there has been no mention of Olympus elsewhere in the series. If Olympus is a metaphysical locale, this may contradict [[Elosha]]'s comment that the gods and man lived on Kobol together in harmony. On the other hand, according to the ancient Greek poem ''[[w:Theogony|Theogony]]'' by Hesiod, the gods lived together with humankind until Prometheus' deception at Mecone, after which they dwelt exclusively on mount Olympus and humans exclusively on Earth. Perhaps, then, some transgression caused the Lords of Kobol and humankind to part paths.

===Other Mythological Names in Colonial Culture===
Various items have been identified which are apparently named after other gods and legendary figures of their faith, although these have not been explicitly identified as Lords of Kobol.

:''See main article: [[Mythological references]]''

===The Cycle of Time===

''"All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."''<ref>In a short talk he gave before a screening of "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Ron Moore revealed that he "stole" the line from the introduction of the Disney animated version of ''[[w:Peter Pan|Peter Pan]]'' (lecture [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9op6PC03LRA part 1] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w-9NglSNG0 part 2]).</ref>

According to [[Gaius Baltar]], this line from the [[Pythia]]n prophecy is very well known ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]). [[Laura Roslin]] later expands on it, reminding [[Kara Thrace]],

<blockquote>"If you believe in the gods, then you believe in the cycle of time that we are all playing our parts in a story that is told again, and again, and again throughout eternity" ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).</blockquote>

Various events throughout the series have led some characters to believe that they are playing out another turn of this cycle<ref>The notion of a circular progression of time (also known as [[w:eternal return|eternal return]] or eternal recurrence) is a common theme in other faiths, particularly [[w:Maya#Religion|Mayan]] mythology and is a cornerstone of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Moreover, [[w:Stoic|Stoic]] philosophy did believe in the concept of ''ekpyrosis'', the fire which consumes the old world and signals the birth of a new world, identical to the old, for a recurring cycle of birth, death and rebirth.</ref>. (see [[Sacred Scrolls]] for more detailed analysis).

===Sanctity of Life===
According to the Sacred Scrolls, abortion is "an abomination in the eyes of the Gods". The more fundamentalist [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenese]] strictly adhere to this commandment, however the more secular Colonies such as Caprica apparently do not follow this as strictly: officially, Colonies-wide Federal law guaranteed a woman the right to an abortion, at least at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] ([[The Captain's Hand]]).

==Individual Practice==
The Colonials display a wide spectrum of religious practice, ranging from [[Billy Keikeya]]'s atheism ([[Home, Part II]], [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Home, Part II|cut scene]]) to Corporal [[Venner]]'s literalistic readings of the Sacred Scrolls.

While not fully explained in the Re-imagined Series, it appears, based on the information from a [[dedication ceremony]] for [[Nicholas Tyrol]] and the prayers of [[Kara Thrace]], that each Colonial is paired, or "placed in the service" with one or more of the Lords. Based on the dedication ceremony blessing, Zeus is a considered "almighty" or foremost of the gods, while other Lords are prayed to by Colonials as a proxy to Zeus.<ref>This practice is similar to a Catholic practice of prayer to Mary, mother of Jesus. While Mary is a human, followers believe that, by praying to Mary, she can intercede to aid the acceptance of the prayer by the [[w:Trinity|Trinity]], the godhead of the Catholic faith.</ref>

===Artifacts===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Bsg-arrow-apollo.jpg|75px]]</div>
Despite Gemenon's fundamentalist climate, the city of [[Delphi]] on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] was apparently of a mind to store an important religious artifact, the [[Arrow of Apollo]], in a [[Delphi Museum of the Colonies|museum]], rather than a devotional institution ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).

Ancient temples may be also be the repository of special artifacts such as the [[Eye of Jupiter]], believed to be stored inside the legendary [[Temple of Five]] ("[[Rapture]]", "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").
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===Confession===
At least some sects of the Colonial religion practice the concept of absolution of sins through confession. Brothers, and presumably priests as well, may hear confessions as demonstrated by [[Brother Cavil]] agreeing to hear Anders' confession ([[The Plan]]). It is not known if this practice is uniform throughout the Colonial religion or limited to certain sects.

A confession begins with the confessor saying, "Bless me, Brother, for I have acted against the example of the Gods." The Brother or Priest will then say, "Proceed in the name of the Gods," and after hearing the confession, they will end by saying, "You are absolved in the example of the Gods."

===Dress===
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Oracle Selloi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The robes of [[Dodona Selloi]] ([[Exodus, Part I]])]]
As seen by the various [[Laura Roslin faction|separatists]] orbiting Kobol in "[[Home, Part I]]", it appears that many Colonials have clothing that suggests a religious deference. In the scene, one older, white-bearded gentleman is dressed in simple colored robes and a round, flat head covering<ref>These robes may remind viewers of the tradition dress of Hasidic Jews, Islamic clerics, or Eastern Orthodox clerics of the real-world Earth.</ref> Other distinctive dress styles of other characters in the scene increase the sense of the dedication of religion in the Gemenese people (which appear to comprise the majority of Roslin's separatists).

The [[oracle]] [[Dodona Selloi]] dresses in a turban and robes, suggesting a special role in Colonial society or its religious hierarchy ([[Exodus, Part I]]).
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===Idols===
<div style="float:right; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Idols.jpg|100px]]</div>
At the end of the episode "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Kara Thrace, a devotee of Artemis and Aphrodite (as stated by [[Leoben Conoy]] in the same episode), prays to them on Conoy's behalf using figurines that bear a similarity to classic representations of Artemis and Athena. Artemis is depicted with her bow and arrow, and Athena with her helmet of war.

When visting the oracle [[Yolanda Brenn]], Thrace receives a figurine of the goddess [[Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn|Aurora]] as a gift ([[Maelstrom]]).
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===Prayer===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:The_Farm-Group_Worship.jpg|100px]]</div>
Some prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' seeking rehabilitation have turned to group prayer.
They greet Laura Roslin as a prophet and she provides them with a blessing ([[The Farm]]).

Priest [[Elosha]] sings a group prayer in a [[Service for the dead]] after the Fleet escapes from the initial Cylon attack ([[Miniseries]]).<ref>The language she sings is [[w:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]], a classical language of real-world Earth's Hindu/Indian peoples. More about the verses that she sings and their meaning can be found in the [[Language in the Twelve Colonies#Liturgy|Language in the Twelve Colonies]] article.</ref> The priest also gives a prayer after ''[[Colonial One]]'' is boarded by Commander Adama's troops to remove Roslin from power ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).

A chaplain delivered a simple prayer at the funeral of [[Zak Adama]], two years prior to the fall of the Colonies ([[Act of Contrition]])<ref>The prayer's mention of committing a "body to the ground from which we were all made" echoes the Biblical passage of [http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/genesis/genesis3.htm Genesis 3:19]:'''
:"By the sweat of your brow
:you will eat your food
:until you return to the ground,
:since from it you were taken;
:for dust you are
:and to dust you will return."</ref>:

<blockquote>"The burdens of this life are with us but a short time. For Lieutenant Zak Adama, son of [[William Adama|William]] and [[Carolanne Adama]], brother of [[Lee Adama|Lee]], the time was too short, but we take comfort in knowing his life was willingly given in service to all of us. We honor them for that. And thus, it falls upon us to repent our sins and with the help of the Lords of Kobol, make our own lives worthy of that gift. And now, we commit his body to the ground from which we were all made."</blockquote>

Corporal [[Venner]] asks [[Laura Roslin]] to join him in a simple prayer while ''Galactica'' is attacked as it desperately tries to find its Fleet ([[Scattered]]).
<blockquote>''(To Roslin:)'' Will you pray with me? ''(He begins:)'' Help us, Lords of Kobol. Help your prophet Laura guide us to the path of righteousness. That we might-- that we might destroy our enemies. Let us walk the path of righteousness and lift our faces unto your goodness. Help us turn away from the calls of the wicked and show us the knowledge of your certain salvation. We offer this prayer.</blockquote>

Prayer is also seen in the [[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|Season 3 webisode series]] in a temple (where prayers are written and then burned before an idol), and by [[Kara Thrace]] ([[Miniseries]], "[[Flesh and Bone]]").<br clear="all">
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===Rosaries===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Rosary.jpg|100px]]</div>
As [[Laura Roslin]] begins to suffer from [[chamalla]] withdrawal in ''Galactica'''s brig, Corporal Venner, a [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenese]], anxiously clutches a set of white prayer beads ([[Fragged]]).
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===[[Temple]]===
[[Image:Resistance - Webisode 4.jpg|thumb|[[Nora Farmer|Nora]] and [[Cally Tyrol]] pray in a temple on [[New Caprica]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance#Episode 4|Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance - Episode 4]]).]]

Temples may have been more elaborate places on the Twelve Colonies, but the spaceborne remnants of humanity presumably use any space they can find on their ships to form a basic temple. As seen on [[New Caprica]], a basic temple may consist of a simple altar with candles, idols of the Lords of Kobol, and what meager offerings the Colonials can give as a [[w:tithe|tithe]]. Some prayers are written on paper and burned ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]).

The temple on New Caprica was known as the Temple of Artemis ([[Collaborators]]), suggesting that temples are dedicated to a Lord or Lords, and may be related to the pairing of Colonials to a specific set of Lords at their dedication ceremony.

A similar arrangement to temple is found in an [[Yolanda Brenn|oracle camp]] ([[Maelstrom]]).

A room used for religious services on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' is referred to as a temple ([[Escape Velocity]]).
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===Sagittaron beliefs===
Orthodox [[Sagittaron#Culture|Sagittaron beliefs]] are more anachronistic than the Gemenese's, believing that the mind and body are myths, and that medicine is "an abomination, a sin against the Gods". Sagittarons also blame physicians for the spread of disease due to their ignorance of the aforementioned "myth" of the body and mind. They traditionally do not believe in violence, even to the point of not aiding the [[New Caprica Resistance]] in their fight against the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] occupation of [[New Caprica]] ([[The Woman King]]).

===Other minority beliefs===

A small minority of the Colonials were secretly [[God (RDM)|monothiests]]. While it is not clear if such worship was still in practice in modern Colonial times up to the Cylon holocaust, an [[Temple of Five|unusual temple]] found on a [[Algae planet|remote planet]] suggests that monotheism was prevalent in the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]].

After the [[Second Exodus]], [[Gaius Baltar]] later founds a monotheistic cult which finds itself in conflict with the established faiths. Baltar's faith comes into direct, violent conflict with the [[Sons of Ares]] as well as the general Colonial polythiests. [[Mithraism]] is also noted in practice ([[Escape Velocity]])

==The Clergy==
The religious and government bodies of the Twelve Colonies work together. This association is likely based on the religious homogeneity of the Colonies.<ref>This differs from the United States, whose government is based on religious tolerance through the separation of religious practice and legislature. While the real-world Earth has many, many religions, the Twelve Colonies, as yet, appear to have only one religion and as such does not suffer greatly from schisms or other religious factions, although colonists such as the Gemenese show a different emphasis on how they interpret the religious writings.</ref>

===Priests/Priestesses===
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Collaborators - Priest.jpg|right|thumb|A male [[Unnamed characters (RDM)#Priest|priest]]. ([[Collaborators]]).]]
[[Image:Elosha1.jpg|thumb|left|Elosha, priestess and friend of President Roslin. ([[Home, Part I]])]]
[[Laura Roslin]] [[Case Orange|is sworn into the presidency]] by a priestess<ref>In "[[Blood on the Scales]]", Baltar refers to Elosha as "the ''Priestess'' Elosha", indicating that women priests have a femanine title</ref>, [[Elosha]], who continues on in an advisory capacity within Roslin's administration. Priests also preside over military funerals, without regard for the beliefs of the deceased.

Priests in the Twelve Colonies are apparently not required to practice celibacy, and can be male or female. Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] states that his father was a priest and his mother an oracle ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]).<ref>Galen Tyrol's information may be skewed by the revelation that he himself is a Cylon ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).</ref>

According to [[Billy Keikeya]], some priests use [[chamalla]] for its hallucinogenic properties. The prescient dreams it imparted to Laura Roslin may imply the use of something similar by [[Pythia]], an ancient prophet. [[Oracle]]s also use the drug.
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===Brothers===
[[Image:Cyca2.jpg|left|thumb|The false Brother [[Cavil]] ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).]]
The term ''Brother'' is used as a title for male members of the clergy, although it is not fully apparent whether this role is similar to that of a [[w:Monk|monk]] or [[w:Deacon|deacon]].

As with priests, a brother offers consultation and leads prayer.

The only instance of this clergy is Brother [[Cavil]], who offers guidance to Chief Tyrol.

Cavil, however, is revealed as a [[humanoid Cylon]] some time later. Because of Cavil's nature, there may be doubt as to whether Cavil is a useful example of the work of a Brother in Colonial religion.

It is probable that Brothers are lay clergy (unlike priests and oracles, who appear to have political status as well as their religious status).

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===Sisters===
[[Image:Tivenan.jpg|right|thumb|Sister Tivenan (right) at a [[dedication ceremony]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance: Episode 10]])]]
As with Brothers in the clergy, there are ''Sisters'' as well.

Sister [[Tivenan]] is briefly seen tending to business in the temple on [[New Caprica]], guiding prayer and officiating a [[dedication ceremony]] for the [[Nicholas Tyrol|newborn son]] of [[Galen Tyrol|Galen]] and [[Cally Tyrol]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]).

It is probable that Sisters, like Brothers, are lay clergy.
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===Oracles===
{{mainarticle|Oracle}}
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Oracle Selloi.jpg|left|thumb|The oracle [[Dodona Selloi]] ([[Exodus, Part I]]).]]
[[Image:S3 oraclebrenn low.jpg|right|thumb|The oracle [[Yolanda Brenn]] ([[Maelstrom]]).]]
There is little information as to the religious functions of ''oracles''. [[Dodona Selloi]] is one of two oracles seen in the Re-imagined Series. She confirms the dreams of a copy of [[Number Three]] and the existence of [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. It is not clear if Selloi is sitting in a tent designated as a temple, but there are numerous ornate or curious inscriptions surrounding and inside her tent that suggest the significance of the oracle's tent or her presence. A second oracle, [[Yolanda Brenn]], gives counsel to [[Kara Thrace]] on her strange dreams aboard ''Galactica'' ([[Maelstrom]]).

Priests and oracles may assume their roles due to an personal, possibly inherited affinity to sense spiritual changes or conditions. [[Galen Tyrol]], [[Final Five|believed to be the son of a priest and oracle]], detects the presence of and finds the [[Temple of Five]] alone, based only on his senses, apparently detecting the hidden temple on the otherwise-unremarkable (and undocumented) [[algae planet]] ([[The Eye of Jupiter]]). However, it is revealed later that he is in fact a humanoid Cylon, one of the ([[Final Five]]), and had visited the site before.
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== A Cylon Connection ==
:''Main article: [[Cylon Religion]]''
:''See Also: [[The Destiny]], [[Final Five]], [[Temple of Five]]''

While humanoid Cylons show a strict, firm belief in a monotheistic [[God (RDM)|God]], referring to the Lords of Kobol as "false idols," a connection between the Cylon God and the Lords of Kobol may exist. In "[[Exodus, Part I]]", an [[Selloi|oracle]] tells [[Number Three]] (who has a ''dream'' of the oracle's tent and of holding the believed-dead hybrid child [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]) that she has a message from the one that Number Three worships. This poses the question how an oracle of the Lords of Kobol be able to hear the messages of the Cylon God.

A Kobollian god(s) was separated from the others, per a deleted scene about a [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies#The Jealous God|jealous god]].

The [[Temple of Five]], which a [[Number Three]] uses to visualize the identities of the [[Final Five]]) was not built for the Cylons (who were not created until 4,000 years later) but for humans. The Temple, according to the Sacred Scrolls, was built for five priests who worshiped "[[The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken]]". It is not clear if this was the spurned "jealous god" or another fallen member of the Lords of Kobol. No further information on the connection between the Cylon and Colonial religions in regards to the Temple of Five is revealed as of the end of Season 3.<ref>While the notion of a fallen Lord is speculative in the Re-imagined Series, there is already a parallel series of characters from the [[Original Series]]: The [[Beings of Light]] and their fallen member, [[Iblis]]. [[Ron D. Moore]], however, has stated in several interviews that he was not planning to use this Original Series concept in the Re-imagined Series.</ref>

[[Kara Thrace]] realizes her [[The Destiny|destiny]], first from the words of a [[Leoben Conoy]] model, and later, in a type of dream, through an [[Virtual Leoben|entity that took the likeness of Leoben]], but was not a Cylon. From death, Thrace [[Crossroads, Part II|returns]] to the Fleet, not as an illusion, but resurrected -- something that, prior to Thrace, only a humanoid Cylon could do.

== Notes ==
In a podcast, RDM mentioned that it was intended that there would be many sectarian divisions and religious denominations within colonial society, ranging from a Hellenic-style Cult of Athena to more Buddhist and Hindu forms of worship, and including monotheistic minorities. Mithraism is presumably one such minority belief, similar to the real-life minority Mithraic religion of Roman times. This diversity was not fully shown due to time constraints, but would later be made more apparent in Caprica.

It seems that colonial society protects freedom of worship and encourages religious diversity to some degree. However, certain monotheistic organisations such as The Soldiers of the One and The Cult of Baltar are strongly anti-polytheistic, and some devout polytheists such as [[Jordan Duram]] take strong exception to the doctrine monotheism.

The Tauron Funeral Rite as seen in Caprica mirrors the Ancient Greek rite of placing a coin on the head of the dead for the Charon, the ferryman who took the souls of the dead across the Rivers Styx and Acheron to The Underworld. The idea of eternal return "all of this has happened before, and will happen again" is strongly present in many forms of Hinduism, which see the universe as cyclical. The use of oracles and icons of deities reflects many historical Indo-European religions from ancient Greek to Hindu, as well as different shamanistic practices. Additionally the priests of the Lords of Kobol wear different vestments perhaps indicating divisions similar to Protestantism/Catholic/Orthadox in Christianity.

The use of the names of certain real-life pagan Gods as personal names (like the Germanic Odin) as well as the presence of interchangable Greco-Roman names for the same gods (i.e. Jupiter/Zeus or Mars/Ares) may suggest that the worship of the Lords of Kobol uses different names for the same Gods depending on language. Different colonies may call the same Lords of Kobol names like the Germanic Tyr, Roman Jupiter, Greek Zeus Pater, Indian Deus Pita interchangably. Alternatively, it is possible that some polytheists in the colonies worship a different pantheon altogether, or include the worship of other gods along with the 12 Lords of Kobol, just as how there are Titans and Olympians in Greek religion, Asir and Vanir in Germanic religion, or Devas and Asuras in Hindu religion.

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

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Religion in the Twelve Colonies (RDM)

2011-05-10T23:01:15Z

Iblis Will Return: /* A Cylon Connection */

:''This article discusses the religion of the Colonies as seen in the [[Re-imagined Series]]. For summary information on the Kobollian religion from the [[Original Series]], see [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''
:''For information on the various mythologies used in ''Battlestar Galactica'', see [[Mythological references]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

The dominant '''religion of the Twelve Colonies''', which the various characters of ''Battlestar Galactica'' practice to greater or lesser extent, is a [[Wikipedia:polytheism|polytheistic]] faith<ref>The Colonial deities are very similar to the [[Wikipedia:Greek mythology|Olympic gods]] of Greek mythology on the real-world Earth.</ref> with a strong emphasis on the philosophy of [[Wikipedia:Eternal return|eternal return]]. There is a several variations of this faith practiced by different groups.

==Origin==
[[Image:Pythia.jpg|right|thumb|A portion of the Sacred Scrolls, specifically, a portion of the Book of [[Pythia]].]]
The eternal-return aspect between the peoples of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] and [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] suggest a parallel or reverse-origin with humanity as a whole, or the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]] that presumably populated it. See [[History of the Twelve Colonies]] for more analysis.

In the burial scene of the [[Miniseries]], [[William Adama]] states, "Life here began out there,<ref>This phrase is a homage to the [[Original Series]], where each episode began with this phrase in a voice-over introduction.</ref>" reminding the assembly that this was the first line of the [[Sacred Scrolls]], the principle religious tome of the Colonial faith, told to them by the Lords Of Kobol many centuries ago.
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==Belief==
===The Lords of Kobol===
Colonial religion is centered on the Lords of Kobol. In the Re-imagined Series and ''Caprica'', eleven Lords of Kobol have been positively identified:
* [[Zeus]] - The leader of the Lords. [[Tom Zarek]] has twice referred to [[William Adama|Bill Adama]] as "Zeus" ("[[Bastille Day]]", "[[The Farm]]", as a play on [[Lee Adama]]'s callsign).
* [[Aphrodite]] - The lady of love and sexuality. Kara Thrace prays often to this Lord ([[Flesh and Bone]]).
* [[Apollo, Lord of Kobol|Apollo]] - Zeus' son, said to be the lord of the hunt and of healing ([[Bastille Day]]).
* [[Ares]] - The lord of war. The [[Nicholas Tyrol|infant son]] of [[Cally]] and [[Galen Tyrol]] is [[dedication ceremony|dedicated]] to this Lord of Kobol ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance, Episode 10]]).
* [[Artemis]] - Twin sister of Apollo, lady of the hunt. [[Kara Thrace]] prays often to this Lord ([[Flesh and Bone]]).
* [[Asclepius]] - The lord of healing ([[Escape Velocity]]).
* [[Athena, Lord of Kobol|Athena]] - This lord committed suicide "out of despair over the exodus of the thirteen tribes" ([[Home, Part II]]). Her [[Tomb of Athena|tomb]] holds a map to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).
* [[Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn]] ([[Maelstrom]])<ref>Aurora is the Roman counterpart of the Greek [[w:Eos|Eos]]. Eos is one of the [[w:Titans (mythology)|Titans]]. Since the Lords of Kobol are modeled after the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]] however, this could indicate that she is not one of the Lords, but belongs to another group of deities.</ref>.
*[[Hecate]] - Shapechanging goddess of the underworld ([[Caprica pilot]]).
* [[Hera, Lord of Kobol|Hera]] - Wife of Zeus. A [[Gates of Hera|mountain ridge]] on Kobol is named after her ([[Home, Part II]]), and the [[Hera Agathon|first Cylon/human hybrid child]] is named for this lord ([[Downloaded]]).
* [[Poseidon]] - [[Gaius Baltar]] mentions this deity in a conversation with [[Tracey Anne]] ([[He That Believeth In Me]]). Deckhand [[Brooks (RDM)|Brooks]] also prays to this lord. ([[The Face of the Enemy]])

The Colonials appear to use multiple names for their lords, interchanging "Mars" for "Ares", "Jupiter" for "Zeus", and so on.<ref>Curiously, [[Laura Roslin]] mentions that the 134th day of the Cylon occupation of [[New Caprica]] is Mars Day ([[Occupation]]), suggesting that Ares may also be called by his alternate Roman pantheon's name. The same happens again in "[[The Passage]]" when Zeus is referred to by the name of his Roman counterpart Jupiter.</ref>

====Afterlife====
Believers think that they will go to [[Fields of Elysium]] after death if they led a good life ([[Faith]]). <ref>This is clearly a direct parallel to the ancient Greek [[w:Elysium|Elysian Fields]], the part of the [[w:Hades|underworld]] corresponding to "heaven". The visual image of a ferry crossing a river also parallels the river [[w:Styx|Styx]].</ref>

==== Paradise Lost ====
According to the [[Sacred Scrolls]], the gods once shared a paradise-like existence with the people of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. Later circumstances forced the exodus of the human population of Kobol to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]] and [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], and lead to Athena's suicide.

The existence of the Lords of Kobol is attested to by the survival of numerous artifacts, including the [[Arrow of Apollo]], the [[Tomb of Athena]] and the [[Gates of Hera]]. However, although she accepts their historic authenticity, [[Sharon Agathon|Caprica-Valerii]], a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]], questions their actual divinity.<ref>There is a notion in fan circles that there are twelve lords of Kobol, by analogy to the twelve Cylon models, twelve Colonies, and perhaps the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]] of Greek mythology. A post from [[Ron D. Moore]]'s blog [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/03/index.html#a000023 on March 12, 2005] loosely alludes on this coincidence, but further official sourcing has not been revealed.</ref>

====The Jealous God====
[[Elosha]] states that the exodus from Kobol was precipitated when "one jealous god began to desire that he be elevated above all the other gods, and the war on Kobol began."<ref>From a [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I|deleted scene]] cut from the episode "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]".</ref> This figure may be related to or identical with "[[The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken|the one whose name cannot be spoken]]", whose [[Temple of Five|temple]] is discovered in "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]".

====The Path of Olympus====
[[Tom Zarek]] conveys to [[Laura Roslin]] and her [[Laura Roslin faction|followers]] the news that Commander [[William Adama]] had resumed command of ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' after the attempt on his life by saying: "Zeus has returned to '''Olympus'''" ([[The Farm]]).<ref>In Greek mythology, the home of the gods on Earth resided high atop Greece's highest mountain, Mount Olympus, at a time where access to the mountain summit would be almost impossible with the inhabitants' technology of that age.</ref> By Zarek's comment we can infer that Colonial religion appears to acknowledge the existence of a place called Olympus. It cannot yet be determined, however, if Olympus was thought of as the residence of the gods at a specific physical or ''metaphysical'' location of Kobol, as there has been no mention of Olympus elsewhere in the series. If Olympus is a metaphysical locale, this may contradict [[Elosha]]'s comment that the gods and man lived on Kobol together in harmony. On the other hand, according to the ancient Greek poem ''[[w:Theogony|Theogony]]'' by Hesiod, the gods lived together with humankind until Prometheus' deception at Mecone, after which they dwelt exclusively on mount Olympus and humans exclusively on Earth. Perhaps, then, some transgression caused the Lords of Kobol and humankind to part paths.

===Other Mythological Names in Colonial Culture===
Various items have been identified which are apparently named after other gods and legendary figures of their faith, although these have not been explicitly identified as Lords of Kobol.

:''See main article: [[Mythological references]]''

===The Cycle of Time===

''"All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."''<ref>In a short talk he gave before a screening of "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Ron Moore revealed that he "stole" the line from the introduction of the Disney animated version of ''[[w:Peter Pan|Peter Pan]]'' (lecture [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9op6PC03LRA part 1] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w-9NglSNG0 part 2]).</ref>

According to [[Gaius Baltar]], this line from the [[Pythia]]n prophecy is very well known ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]). [[Laura Roslin]] later expands on it, reminding [[Kara Thrace]],

<blockquote>"If you believe in the gods, then you believe in the cycle of time that we are all playing our parts in a story that is told again, and again, and again throughout eternity" ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).</blockquote>

Various events throughout the series have led some characters to believe that they are playing out another turn of this cycle<ref>The notion of a circular progression of time (also known as [[w:eternal return|eternal return]] or eternal recurrence) is a common theme in other faiths, particularly [[w:Maya#Religion|Mayan]] mythology and is a cornerstone of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Moreover, [[w:Stoic|Stoic]] philosophy did believe in the concept of ''ekpyrosis'', the fire which consumes the old world and signals the birth of a new world, identical to the old, for a recurring cycle of birth, death and rebirth.</ref>. (see [[Sacred Scrolls]] for more detailed analysis).

===Sanctity of Life===
According to the Sacred Scrolls, abortion is "an abomination in the eyes of the Gods". The more fundamentalist [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenese]] strictly adhere to this commandment, however the more secular Colonies such as Caprica apparently do not follow this as strictly: officially, Colonies-wide Federal law guaranteed a woman the right to an abortion, at least at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] ([[The Captain's Hand]]).

==Individual Practice==
The Colonials display a wide spectrum of religious practice, ranging from [[Billy Keikeya]]'s atheism ([[Home, Part II]], [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Home, Part II|cut scene]]) to Corporal [[Venner]]'s literalistic readings of the Sacred Scrolls.

While not fully explained in the Re-imagined Series, it appears, based on the information from a [[dedication ceremony]] for [[Nicholas Tyrol]] and the prayers of [[Kara Thrace]], that each Colonial is paired, or "placed in the service" with one or more of the Lords. Based on the dedication ceremony blessing, Zeus is a considered "almighty" or foremost of the gods, while other Lords are prayed to by Colonials as a proxy to Zeus.<ref>This practice is similar to a Catholic practice of prayer to Mary, mother of Jesus. While Mary is a human, followers believe that, by praying to Mary, she can intercede to aid the acceptance of the prayer by the [[w:Trinity|Trinity]], the godhead of the Catholic faith.</ref>

===Artifacts===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Bsg-arrow-apollo.jpg|75px]]</div>
Despite Gemenon's fundamentalist climate, the city of [[Delphi]] on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] was apparently of a mind to store an important religious artifact, the [[Arrow of Apollo]], in a [[Delphi Museum of the Colonies|museum]], rather than a devotional institution ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).

Ancient temples may be also be the repository of special artifacts such as the [[Eye of Jupiter]], believed to be stored inside the legendary [[Temple of Five]] ("[[Rapture]]", "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").
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===Confession===
At least some sects of the Colonial religion practice the concept of absolution of sins through confession. Brothers, and presumably priests as well, may hear confessions as demonstrated by [[Brother Cavil]] agreeing to hear Anders' confession ([[The Plan]]). It is not known if this practice is uniform throughout the Colonial religion or limited to certain sects.

A confession begins with the confessor saying, "Bless me, Brother, for I have acted against the example of the Gods." The Brother or Priest will then say, "Proceed in the name of the Gods," and after hearing the confession, they will end by saying, "You are absolved in the example of the Gods."

===Dress===
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Oracle Selloi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The robes of [[Dodona Selloi]] ([[Exodus, Part I]])]]
As seen by the various [[Laura Roslin faction|separatists]] orbiting Kobol in "[[Home, Part I]]", it appears that many Colonials have clothing that suggests a religious deference. In the scene, one older, white-bearded gentleman is dressed in simple colored robes and a round, flat head covering<ref>These robes may remind viewers of the tradition dress of Hasidic Jews, Islamic clerics, or Eastern Orthodox clerics of the real-world Earth.</ref> Other distinctive dress styles of other characters in the scene increase the sense of the dedication of religion in the Gemenese people (which appear to comprise the majority of Roslin's separatists).

The [[oracle]] [[Dodona Selloi]] dresses in a turban and robes, suggesting a special role in Colonial society or its religious hierarchy ([[Exodus, Part I]]).
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===Idols===
<div style="float:right; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Idols.jpg|100px]]</div>
At the end of the episode "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Kara Thrace, a devotee of Artemis and Aphrodite (as stated by [[Leoben Conoy]] in the same episode), prays to them on Conoy's behalf using figurines that bear a similarity to classic representations of Artemis and Athena. Artemis is depicted with her bow and arrow, and Athena with her helmet of war.

When visting the oracle [[Yolanda Brenn]], Thrace receives a figurine of the goddess [[Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn|Aurora]] as a gift ([[Maelstrom]]).
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===Prayer===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:The_Farm-Group_Worship.jpg|100px]]</div>
Some prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' seeking rehabilitation have turned to group prayer.
They greet Laura Roslin as a prophet and she provides them with a blessing ([[The Farm]]).

Priest [[Elosha]] sings a group prayer in a [[Service for the dead]] after the Fleet escapes from the initial Cylon attack ([[Miniseries]]).<ref>The language she sings is [[w:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]], a classical language of real-world Earth's Hindu/Indian peoples. More about the verses that she sings and their meaning can be found in the [[Language in the Twelve Colonies#Liturgy|Language in the Twelve Colonies]] article.</ref> The priest also gives a prayer after ''[[Colonial One]]'' is boarded by Commander Adama's troops to remove Roslin from power ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).

A chaplain delivered a simple prayer at the funeral of [[Zak Adama]], two years prior to the fall of the Colonies ([[Act of Contrition]])<ref>The prayer's mention of committing a "body to the ground from which we were all made" echoes the Biblical passage of [http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/genesis/genesis3.htm Genesis 3:19]:'''
:"By the sweat of your brow
:you will eat your food
:until you return to the ground,
:since from it you were taken;
:for dust you are
:and to dust you will return."</ref>:

<blockquote>"The burdens of this life are with us but a short time. For Lieutenant Zak Adama, son of [[William Adama|William]] and [[Carolanne Adama]], brother of [[Lee Adama|Lee]], the time was too short, but we take comfort in knowing his life was willingly given in service to all of us. We honor them for that. And thus, it falls upon us to repent our sins and with the help of the Lords of Kobol, make our own lives worthy of that gift. And now, we commit his body to the ground from which we were all made."</blockquote>

Corporal [[Venner]] asks [[Laura Roslin]] to join him in a simple prayer while ''Galactica'' is attacked as it desperately tries to find its Fleet ([[Scattered]]).
<blockquote>''(To Roslin:)'' Will you pray with me? ''(He begins:)'' Help us, Lords of Kobol. Help your prophet Laura guide us to the path of righteousness. That we might-- that we might destroy our enemies. Let us walk the path of righteousness and lift our faces unto your goodness. Help us turn away from the calls of the wicked and show us the knowledge of your certain salvation. We offer this prayer.</blockquote>

Prayer is also seen in the [[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|Season 3 webisode series]] in a temple (where prayers are written and then burned before an idol), and by [[Kara Thrace]] ([[Miniseries]], "[[Flesh and Bone]]").<br clear="all">
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===Rosaries===
<div style="float:left; margin-right:1em;">[[Image:Rosary.jpg|100px]]</div>
As [[Laura Roslin]] begins to suffer from [[chamalla]] withdrawal in ''Galactica'''s brig, Corporal Venner, a [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenese]], anxiously clutches a set of white prayer beads ([[Fragged]]).
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===[[Temple]]===
[[Image:Resistance - Webisode 4.jpg|thumb|[[Nora Farmer|Nora]] and [[Cally Tyrol]] pray in a temple on [[New Caprica]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance#Episode 4|Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance - Episode 4]]).]]

Temples may have been more elaborate places on the Twelve Colonies, but the spaceborne remnants of humanity presumably use any space they can find on their ships to form a basic temple. As seen on [[New Caprica]], a basic temple may consist of a simple altar with candles, idols of the Lords of Kobol, and what meager offerings the Colonials can give as a [[w:tithe|tithe]]. Some prayers are written on paper and burned ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]).

The temple on New Caprica was known as the Temple of Artemis ([[Collaborators]]), suggesting that temples are dedicated to a Lord or Lords, and may be related to the pairing of Colonials to a specific set of Lords at their dedication ceremony.

A similar arrangement to temple is found in an [[Yolanda Brenn|oracle camp]] ([[Maelstrom]]).

A room used for religious services on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' is referred to as a temple ([[Escape Velocity]]).
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===Sagittaron beliefs===
Orthodox [[Sagittaron#Culture|Sagittaron beliefs]] are more anachronistic than the Gemenese's, believing that the mind and body are myths, and that medicine is "an abomination, a sin against the Gods". Sagittarons also blame physicians for the spread of disease due to their ignorance of the aforementioned "myth" of the body and mind. They traditionally do not believe in violence, even to the point of not aiding the [[New Caprica Resistance]] in their fight against the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] occupation of [[New Caprica]] ([[The Woman King]]).

===Other minority beliefs===

A small minority of the Colonials were secretly [[God (RDM)|monothiests]]. While it is not clear if such worship was still in practice in modern Colonial times up to the Cylon holocaust, an [[Temple of Five|unusual temple]] found on a [[Algae planet|remote planet]] suggests that monotheism was prevalent in the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]].

After the [[Second Exodus]], [[Gaius Baltar]] later founds a monotheistic cult which finds itself in conflict with the established faiths. Baltar's faith comes into direct, violent conflict with the [[Sons of Ares]] as well as the general Colonial polythiests. [[Mithraism]] is also noted in practice ([[Escape Velocity]])

==The Clergy==
The religious and government bodies of the Twelve Colonies work together. This association is likely based on the religious homogeneity of the Colonies.<ref>This differs from the United States, whose government is based on religious tolerance through the separation of religious practice and legislature. While the real-world Earth has many, many religions, the Twelve Colonies, as yet, appear to have only one religion and as such does not suffer greatly from schisms or other religious factions, although colonists such as the Gemenese show a different emphasis on how they interpret the religious writings.</ref>

===Priests/Priestesses===
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Collaborators - Priest.jpg|right|thumb|A male [[Unnamed characters (RDM)#Priest|priest]]. ([[Collaborators]]).]]
[[Image:Elosha1.jpg|thumb|left|Elosha, priestess and friend of President Roslin. ([[Home, Part I]])]]
[[Laura Roslin]] [[Case Orange|is sworn into the presidency]] by a priestess<ref>In "[[Blood on the Scales]]", Baltar refers to Elosha as "the ''Priestess'' Elosha", indicating that women priests have a femanine title</ref>, [[Elosha]], who continues on in an advisory capacity within Roslin's administration. Priests also preside over military funerals, without regard for the beliefs of the deceased.

Priests in the Twelve Colonies are apparently not required to practice celibacy, and can be male or female. Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] states that his father was a priest and his mother an oracle ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]).<ref>Galen Tyrol's information may be skewed by the revelation that he himself is a Cylon ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).</ref>

According to [[Billy Keikeya]], some priests use [[chamalla]] for its hallucinogenic properties. The prescient dreams it imparted to Laura Roslin may imply the use of something similar by [[Pythia]], an ancient prophet. [[Oracle]]s also use the drug.
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===Brothers===
[[Image:Cyca2.jpg|left|thumb|The false Brother [[Cavil]] ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).]]
The term ''Brother'' is used as a title for male members of the clergy, although it is not fully apparent whether this role is similar to that of a [[w:Monk|monk]] or [[w:Deacon|deacon]].

As with priests, a brother offers consultation and leads prayer.

The only instance of this clergy is Brother [[Cavil]], who offers guidance to Chief Tyrol.

Cavil, however, is revealed as a [[humanoid Cylon]] some time later. Because of Cavil's nature, there may be doubt as to whether Cavil is a useful example of the work of a Brother in Colonial religion.

It is probable that Brothers are lay clergy (unlike priests and oracles, who appear to have political status as well as their religious status).

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===Sisters===
[[Image:Tivenan.jpg|right|thumb|Sister Tivenan (right) at a [[dedication ceremony]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance: Episode 10]])]]
As with Brothers in the clergy, there are ''Sisters'' as well.

Sister [[Tivenan]] is briefly seen tending to business in the temple on [[New Caprica]], guiding prayer and officiating a [[dedication ceremony]] for the [[Nicholas Tyrol|newborn son]] of [[Galen Tyrol|Galen]] and [[Cally Tyrol]] ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]).

It is probable that Sisters, like Brothers, are lay clergy.
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===Oracles===
{{mainarticle|Oracle}}
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Oracle Selloi.jpg|left|thumb|The oracle [[Dodona Selloi]] ([[Exodus, Part I]]).]]
[[Image:S3 oraclebrenn low.jpg|right|thumb|The oracle [[Yolanda Brenn]] ([[Maelstrom]]).]]
There is little information as to the religious functions of ''oracles''. [[Dodona Selloi]] is one of two oracles seen in the Re-imagined Series. She confirms the dreams of a copy of [[Number Three]] and the existence of [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. It is not clear if Selloi is sitting in a tent designated as a temple, but there are numerous ornate or curious inscriptions surrounding and inside her tent that suggest the significance of the oracle's tent or her presence. A second oracle, [[Yolanda Brenn]], gives counsel to [[Kara Thrace]] on her strange dreams aboard ''Galactica'' ([[Maelstrom]]).

Priests and oracles may assume their roles due to an personal, possibly inherited affinity to sense spiritual changes or conditions. [[Galen Tyrol]], [[Final Five|believed to be the son of a priest and oracle]], detects the presence of and finds the [[Temple of Five]] alone, based only on his senses, apparently detecting the hidden temple on the otherwise-unremarkable (and undocumented) [[algae planet]] ([[The Eye of Jupiter]]). However, it is revealed later that he is in fact a humanoid Cylon, one of the ([[Final Five]]), and had visited the site before.
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== A Cylon Connection ==
:''Main article: [[Cylon Religion]]''
:''See Also: [[The Destiny]], [[Final Five]], [[Temple of Five]]''

While humanoid Cylons show a strict, firm belief in a monotheistic [[God (RDM)|God]], referring to the Lords of Kobol as "false idols," a connection between the Cylon God and the Lords of Kobol may exist. In "[[Exodus, Part I]]", an [[Selloi|oracle]] tells [[Number Three]] (who has a ''dream'' of the oracle's tent and of holding the believed-dead hybrid child [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]) that she has a message from the one that Number Three worships. This poses the question how an oracle of the Lords of Kobol be able to hear the messages of the Cylon God.

A Kobollian god(s) was separated from the others, per a deleted scene about a [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies#The Jealous God|jealous god]].

The [[Temple of Five]], which a [[Number Three]] uses to visualize the identities of the [[Final Five]]) was not built for the Cylons (who were not created until 4,000 years later) but for humans. The Temple, according to the Sacred Scrolls, was built for five priests who worshiped "[[The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken]]". It is not clear if this was the spurned "jealous god" or another fallen member of the Lords of Kobol. No further information on the connection between the Cylon and Colonial religions in regards to the Temple of Five is revealed as of the end of Season 3.<ref>While the notion of a fallen Lord is speculative in the Re-imagined Series, there is already a parallel series of characters from the [[Original Series]]: The [[Beings of Light]] and their fallen member, [[Iblis]]. [[Ron D. Moore]], however, has stated in several interviews that he was not planning to use this Original Series concept in the Re-imagined Series.</ref>

[[Kara Thrace]] realizes her [[The Destiny|destiny]], first from the words of a [[Leoben Conoy]] model, and later, in a type of dream, through an [[Virtual Leoben|entity that took the likeness of Leoben]], but was not a Cylon. From death, Thrace [[Crossroads, Part II|returns]] to the Fleet, not as an illusion, but resurrected -- something that, prior to Thrace, only a humanoid Cylon could do.

== Notes ==
In a podcast, RDM mentioned that it was intended that there would be many sectarian divisions and religious denominations within colonial society, ranging from a Hellenic-style Cult of Athena to more Buddhist and Hindu forms of worship, and including monotheistic minorities. Mithraism is presumably one such minority belief, similar to the real-life minority Mithraic religion of Roman times. This diversity was not fully shown due to time constraints, but would later be made more apparent in Caprica.

It seems that colonial society protects freedom of worship and encourages religious diversity to some degree. However, certain monotheistic organisations such as The Soldiers of the One and The Cult of Baltar are strongly anti-polytheistic, and some devout polytheists such as [[Jordan Duram]] take strong exception to the doctrine monotheism.

The Tauron Funeral Rite as seen in Caprica mirrors the Ancient Greek rite of placing a coin on the head of the dead for the Charon, the ferryman who took the souls of the dead across the Rivers Styx and Acheron to The Underworld. The idea of eternal return "all of this has happened before, and will happen again" is strongly present in many forms of Hinduism, which see the universe as cyclical. The use of oracles and icons of deities reflects many historical Indo-European religions from ancient Greek to Hindu, as well as different shamanistic practices. The use of certain real-life Gods as personal names like the Germanic Odin as well as the presence of interchangable Greco-Roman names for the same gods (i.e. Jupiter/Zeus or Mars/Ares) may suggest that the worship of the Lords of Kobol roughly follows the real-life historical differences between different branches of Indo-European language (in other words, the different colonies may call the same Lords of Kobol by different names like Germanic Tyr, Roman Jupiter, Greek Zeus Pater, Indian Deus Pita). Additionally the priests of the Lords of Kobol wear different vestments perhaps indicating divisions similar to Protestantism/Catholic/Orthadox in Christianity.

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

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Language in the Twelve Colonies

2011-05-01T10:24:20Z

Iblis Will Return: /* English Accent */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

English or a language portrayed in English is the universally understood standard language; in the Twelve Colonies, it is known as [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprican]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Blowback]]"). Loanwords from other languages ("élan," "fascist," "karma," "esprit de corps" etc.) occur with normal frequency, as do chronologically enigmatic borrowings such as the battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]''. Most religious terms are explicitly shared with ancient Greek beliefs; the Colonial terms are antecedent to them. They spread down through the eons and resurfaced through the collective unconsciousness.

==Vocabulary==

===Anachronisms===
''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' uses many terms from modern day naval aviation, which appear somewhat anachronistic but also lend the show a flavor of realistic jargon. These include:
*[[Combat Air Patrol]]
*[[Commander Air Group]]
*Planes
:'''Adama:''' "You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly." ([[Litmus]])

===Ersatz===
In contrast to its [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|predecessor]], the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' employs relatively little in the way of ersatz vocabulary. It does employ a few terms outside of a normal American English vocabulary, mostly military jargon. These are mixed in haphazardly with the real-life naval aviation terms above.

*[[Dradis]] - [[Wikipedia:RADAR|Radar]]
*[[Fumarella leaf]] - [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|Tobacco]]
*[[Frak]] - A bowdlerized version of "Fuck" (c.f. "[[Wikipedia:Frell|Frell]]" (Farscape), "[[Wikipedia:Frag|Frag]]" (Babylon 5), "[[Wikipedia:Smeg|Smeg]]" (Red Dwarf))
*[[G-4]] - [[Wikipedia: C-4 (explosive)|C-4]]
*[[Krypter]] - [[Wikipedia:Mayday|Mayday]]
*[[Morpha]] - [[Wikipedia:Morphine|Morphine]]
*[[Serisone]] - [[Wikipedia:prednisone|Prednisone]]
*[[Wireless]] - [[Wikipedia:Radio|Radio]]<ref name="wireless">This usage is not entirely unknown in Earth-bound English. As a synonym for radio or radiotelegraphy, it's more common in British usage, according to [http://www.m-w.com/ Merriam-Webster]. Prior to the popularisation of television in the 1950s, it was the preferred term for radio equipment and radio broadcasts amongst the bulk of the British population. It's also the source of the prefix 'Wi' in 'WiFi' and other similar wireless data standards now common.</ref>

===Invented Terminology===
As all science fiction shows must, Battlestar Galactica has a set of vocabulary referring to technologies and other items not shared with the real world.

*[[Ambrosia]] - a bright green alcoholic beverage
*[[Carom]] - the angle above or below the XY plane of a vessel, perpendicular to [[Wikipedia:Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] (c.f. "Mark" (Star Trek))
*[[Chamalla]] - an [[Wikipedia:Entheogen|entheogen]] used by priests
*[[Red Line]]

*'''For a more complete list of acronyms and expressions see:''' [[List of terms (RDM)]]

===Turn of phrase===
The dialect used by the Colonials employs some distinct turn of phrase at times:

*"As of this moment" is used particularly often for seemingly "official" announcements. After the original Cylon attack, then-Commander William Adama announces to his crew, "As of this moment, we are at war." The phrase is used later by Colonel Tigh in his announcement of martial law <ref>"As of this moment, I have declared martial law." — "[[Fragged]]"</ref>, and Gaius Baltar in announcing his candidacy for the presidency<ref>"…I am, as of this moment, a candidate for the Presidency." — "[[The Captain's Hand]]"</ref>.
*"With every fiber of my being" is often used to conclude oaths, particularly the oath of presidency, as taken by Roslin and Baltar at various points.
*"[[So say we all]]" is used to conclude prayers and similar remarks. It is analogous to, and roughly synonymous with, "amen."
*When used as an intensifier or in other instances of profanity, "God" is usually replaced with "Gods," befitting the Colonials' polytheistic faith—"Gods damn it," "Oh my Gods!," etc.
*"In the worlds" is in use prior to the [[Cylon War]], following the same pattern as "in the world" (such as [[Amanda Graystone]]'s exclamation that "You are so lucky and you have everything in the worlds you could possibly want . . .") ([[Caprica pilot]]). The expression is not heard immediately prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] or at any time afterward.

===Enigmas===

Language in ''Battlestar Galactica'' have terms whose origins are a curiosity due to chronology or uniqueness to the real-world Earth that likely wouldn't have a parallel of the same name in the Twelve Colonies. See [[Sacred Scrolls#Earth as the true origin of the human species|an interpretation of the origin of humanity on Kobol]] that could support the derivation of these terms.

* ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'': This battlestar name comes from Christopher Columbus, thus making it an unusual name for the Twelve Colonies. However, it also stems from the Latin word "columba" meaning "dove" together with the suffix "ia" which means "land" (geographical expression) in all languages derived from Indo-European roots (ergo, "Land of the Dove")

* ''[[Cloud Nine]]'': This American expression of bliss comes from a 1890's Earth weather reference on the highest-altitude cloud formation. The expression became popularized in 1950s radio broadcasts.

* ''[[Adriatic]]'': The name of this vessel under the influence of [[Tom Zarek]], much like ''Columbia'' appears to have originated on Earth. On Earth the Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, located between Italy and the Balkans.

* ''[[w:Lagoon Nebula|M8]]'': Commander Adama refers to the Lagoon Nebula, which he sees in the display of the [[Tomb of Athena]] as M8. This is curious as it is not a name, but a catalog number from the [[w:Messier Catalog|Messier Catalog]], created by the 18th century astronomer.

===Honorifics===
Although civilians use the honorific "Madam" or its shortened form "ma'am," in the Colonial military all superior officers are referred to as "Sir," regardless of gender.<ref>According to RDM's [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/blogs blog] on January 20th, 2006, the series follows the system established in ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', where the term "sir" has become gender-neutral in military usage. Thus, [[Laura Roslin]] is referred to as "Madam President" or "ma'am" in a civilian context, but in her capacity as Commander-in-Chief, she is always addressed as "sir."</ref>

===Names===
Many characters have names that include one or more components that appear to be a Biblical or Classical reference. It remains an enigma whether, and to what degree, these should be thought of as translations for the audience's benefit.

Some of these apparent allusions may have no intended meaning beyond sounding good. Others are known to have been chosen for a reason, and that's noted where verifiable.

* [[William Adama|William]] and [[Lee Adama]]: "Adama" is Hebrew for "earth" in its literal meaning—ground, dirt—from which "Adam," the Biblical First Man, derives his name. It is also the name of a large city in Ethiopia. Lee's call-sign "Apollo" is of course a reference to the Greek (and apparently, Kobolan) god. Both "Adama" and "Apollo" are carry-overs from the original series, where they were chosen for their mythological significance.
* [[Richard Adar]]: "[[w:Adar|Adar]]" is a month in the Jewish lunar calendar still in use today. It coincides roughly with the Gregorian month of March. It is a carry over from the original series.
* [[Karl Agathon]]: "[[w:Agathon|Agathon]]" was an Athenian poet, a friend of Euripides and Plato.
* [[Gaius Baltar]]: "Gaius" was the ''[[w:Praenomen|praenomen]]'' of the man we commonly call [[w:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] and the noted Roman historian Tactius, among others. "Baltar" was made up by [[Glen A. Larson]] for the original series.
* [[Helena Cain]]: "[[w:Helena|Helena]]" is a common enough name, but is also a possible reference to Helen of Troy. "[[w:Cain|Cain]]" in the Old Testament is the first murderer, and is a carry-over from the original series.
* [[Aaron Doral]]: "[[w:Aaron|Aaron]]" is a Biblical Hebrew name, the older brother of [[w:Moses|Moses]].
* [[Anastasia Dualla]]: The Greek word ''[[w:anastasia|anastasia]]'' translates to "resurrection," and was a deliberate choice by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]. It's also a common Greek and Russian name. Dualla is the name of a region and people in sub-saharan Africa.
* [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]/Isis: "[[w:Hera|Hera]]" was a Greek goddess, the wife of Zeus. "[[w:Isis|Isis]]" an Egyptian goddess, the wife of Horus in early mythology; the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus later. This is one of the few Egyptian references in the new series.
* [[Gina Inviere]]: "Inviere" is Romanian for "resurrection." The word is described in the series as from "Old [[Gemenon (RDM)|Gemenese]]" and is one in a handful of instances where the Re-imagined Series suggests that the standard language viewers hear spoken is not the sole language of all colonies.
* [[Billy Keikeya]]: "Keikeya" is one of the three queens of [[w:Ayodhya|Ayodhya]] in the Hindu epic, ''[[w:Ramayana|Ramayana]]''.
* [[Kara Thrace]]: "[[w:Thrace|Thrace]]" is a region in southeast Europe spanning Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, and Serbia. It was also the ancient name for the same area. The famous gladiator Spartacus was a Thracian.
* [[Saul Tigh]]: "[[w:Saul|Saul]]" is a Hebrew name (pronounced "Shaul" in Hebrew), which means "borrowed." Biblical references include both the first king of Judah and Israel, and the birth-name of Paul of Tarsus. Originally the character was named "Paul Tigh," but when it was discovered that this could not be used for legal reasons, it was shifted to "''S''aul Tigh," a reverse of the name switch that Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul made. "Tigh" appears to be a reference to the historical figure [[w:Colonel Tye|Colonel Tye]], an African-American military leader who fought for the British in the [[w:American Revolutionary War|American Revolutionary War]] (the original series version of Colonel [[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]] was of African ethnicity).
* [[Galen Tyrol]]: "[[w:Galen|Galen]]" was a famous Greek-born healer, the source of much Roman and Medieval medical knowledge, and was the first to argue that the mind was in the brain and not the heart; this could be construed as ironic, given that Tyrol followed his heart and maintained a relationship with Boomer even when he shouldn't have. "[[w:Tyrol|Tyrol]]" is a region that spans the border of Austria and Italy.
* [[Sharon Valerii]]: "Sharon" is a name of a geographic area in the center of Israel, although it's also a common English woman's name. The [[w:Valerius|gens Valeria]] is one of the longest-running families in the history of the [[w:Roman Empire|Roman Empire]]. "Valerii" is the masculine genitive plural form, which is used to refer to members of a family collectively.
* [[Tom Zarek]]: "[[w:Thomas|Thomas]]" is a deliberate biblical reference. Originally he was supposed to be called "Peter," but that didn't clear with the legal departement. It's also a common English name. Zarek is a Polish name derived from the Babylonian name Balshazzar meaning "Baal protects the king." According to the writers, they just made up the name "Zarek" because they thought it sounded "strong and futuristic." ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]], p.52)

Uncertain references:
* [[Leoben Conoy]]: "[[w:Leoben|Leoben]]" is an Austrian town where a preliminary peace in the Napoleonic wars was signed. "[[w:Conoy|Conoy]]" is a Native American tribe, also known as the Piscataway. Both are pretty obscure.
* [[Laura Roslin]]: "[[w:Roslin Institute|Roslin Institute]]" is where Dolly the Sheep was cloned. A more likely source of the name would be the Scottish village of [[wikipedia:Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin, Midlothian]], where (unsurprisingly perhaps) the Roslin Institute is located.

===Other Languages===
Real-world languages other than English have made brief appearances in the Re-Imagined Series.
[[Image:Chinese characters.png|thumb|right|180px|The Chinese Characters behind Tyrol in Webisode 7]]
*The bookshelf concealing a fallout shelter in "[[Act of Contrition]]" contains a book titled ''Oberst'', the German word for colonel.
*[[Virtual beings#Baltar's Virtual Six|Number Six]] tells [[Gaius Baltar]] that he speaks with ''élan'' in "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]." ''Élan'' is the French word for ''flair''.
*The opera heard in [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar's]] lab in [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]] is in Italian. It is titled ''Battlestar Operatica'' and was composed by Battlestar Galactica composer [[Bear McCreary]].
*In ''[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]'' there are three Chinese characters on a crate behind Tyrol. They are "盐," "油" and "姜," meaning "salt," "oil" and "ginger"
*In "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]" is French visible on the blackboard of Roslin's school are the French verbs aller, avoir, and être.
[[Image:LDYBSchool.jpg|thumb|right|150px|French visible in blue left of [[Maya]]'s head.]]
*The Latin "sine qua non" ("without which not," "without which it could not be") is spoken and translated by [[Romo Lampkin]] ("[[Sine Qua Non]]").
*In [[Caprica (series)|''Caprica'']], Ancient Greek is used to represent the native language of the [[Tauron]]s. In the episode "[[Blowback]]", Romanian is used to represent the language of [[Gemenon]].

==Accents==

Most characters (or the actors that portray them) speak with a [[Wikipedia:General American|Standard American]] accent, with some exceptions.

===English (Queen's English) Accent===
Three characters speak with the [[Wikipedia:Received Pronunciation|Received Pronunciation]], Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] from [[Aerilon]] (although he consciously suppresses his native [[#Aerilon Accent|Aerilon accent]]), ''Galactica'' medic [[Layne Ishay]] and ''[[Pyxis]]<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' Captain [[Jules Tarney]].

===Canadian Accent===
The actor playing Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]], especially when shouting or barking orders, exhibits a definite Canadian accent. [[Michael Hogan]] is a noted Canadian actor, and on the show his speech is generally indistinguishable from General American English, but observant listeners can detect the accent in certain situations.

More subtly, [[Leoben Conoy]], portrayed by veteran Canadian actor [[Callum Keith Rennie]], exhibits Canadian patterns discernible to native speakers.

[[Sergeant Hadrian]], played by Canadian actress [[Jill Teed]] also shows Canadian cadences.

Since the series is shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, many of the actors are Canadian character players, for the most part speaking with West/Central Canadian accents.

===Puerto Rican Accent===
[[Giana]], a woman rescued from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], speaks with a Puerto Rican accent, and inquires after the whereabouts of her husband, who she states is "stationed on Gemenon." Her place of origin is unclear, but no other characters from either Caprica, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], or anywhere else have shared this accent. The actress, Lymari Nadal, is from Puerto Rico ([[Miniseries]]).

===Kiwi Accent===
The reporter [[D'Anna Biers]] speaks with a Kiwi/New Zealand accent (this is actually the accent that actress [[Lucy Lawless]] speaks with when off screen, because she is from New Zealand). However, the same episode revealed that D'Anna is actually a [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] (Number Three), and another copy of her model on Cylon-occupied Caprica does ''not'' speak with this accent, but a Standard American one, perhaps to differentiate the two characters. Subsequent appearances by Number Threes in "[[Downloaded]]" and [[Season 3 (2006-07)|Season 3]] have featured the Kiwi accent exclusively.

===Australian Accent===
[[Kendra Shaw]] speaks with an Australian accent. She is portrayed by [[Stephanie Jacobsen]], who was born in Hong Kong but spent most of her life and education in Sydney, Australia. Given that her [[Marta Shaw|mother]] was Caprica's delegate to the Quorum of Twelve, she is likely from Caprica as well. From an in-universe point of view, this probably means that there is not just one accent from one colony, but also regional variations ([[Razor]]).

===English (Yorkshire) Accent===
In "[[Flesh and Bone]]," Baltar notes that Sharon Valerii speaks with a trace of an [[Aerilon]] accent. In the episode "[[Dirty Hands]]," Baltar displays his native Aerilon accent. It sounds somewhat raspy, and resembles the English regional accents from Yorkshire and Lancashire. Baltar being from Aerilon explains how he could pick up a faint trace of it in Valerii. However, in her case, the accent appears to be entirely fictional - Canadian actress Grace Park speaks Standard American English without a 'foreign' accent.

===Irish Accent===

In "[[The Son Also Rises]]," [[Romo Lampkin]] speaks with an accent somewhat similar to Baltar's native Aerilon accent. The actor, [[Mark Sheppard]], is Irish.

(Note: The accent of the corresponding '[[Aeries]]' people in the Original Series sounds Irish, as heard in "[[The Long Patrol]]")

==Liturgy==
During the funeral service at the end of the [[Miniseries, Night 2|Miniseries]], Priest [[Elosha]] chants a prayer in a foreign language. It is recognizable as a common Sanskrit prayer, found in Part I, Chapter III, Verse 28 of the [http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/brihadaranyaka.htm Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad].

:{|
| '''Devanāgarī''' || '''Transliteration''' || '''Translation'''
|-
| अस्तो मा सद् गमय || asato mā sad gamaya || Lead us from Falsehood to Truth
|-
| तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय || tamaso mā jyotir gamaya || Lead us from Darkness to Light
|-
| मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय || mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya || Lead us from Death to Immortality
|}

Although the lyrics are identifiable, it should be noted that the actress's performance is closer to the chanting of biblical Hebrew, and does not resemble the traditional melody.<ref>Viewers can compare Elosha's chant to the same chant found in the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix Revolutions|The Matrix Revolutions]]'', by composers Don Davis and the group Juno Reactor. The final track, "Navras," (which plays during the closing credits of the motion picture) begins with this same verse; the track "Neodämmerung" also consists entirely of Sanskrit lyrics taken from the Upaniṣads, including this verse.</ref>

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

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2011-05-01T10:22:26Z

Iblis Will Return: /* Aerilon Accent */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

English or a language portrayed in English is the universally understood standard language; in the Twelve Colonies, it is known as [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprican]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Blowback]]"). Loanwords from other languages ("élan," "fascist," "karma," "esprit de corps" etc.) occur with normal frequency, as do chronologically enigmatic borrowings such as the battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]''. Most religious terms are explicitly shared with ancient Greek beliefs; the Colonial terms are antecedent to them. They spread down through the eons and resurfaced through the collective unconsciousness.

==Vocabulary==

===Anachronisms===
''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' uses many terms from modern day naval aviation, which appear somewhat anachronistic but also lend the show a flavor of realistic jargon. These include:
*[[Combat Air Patrol]]
*[[Commander Air Group]]
*Planes
:'''Adama:''' "You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly." ([[Litmus]])

===Ersatz===
In contrast to its [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|predecessor]], the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' employs relatively little in the way of ersatz vocabulary. It does employ a few terms outside of a normal American English vocabulary, mostly military jargon. These are mixed in haphazardly with the real-life naval aviation terms above.

*[[Dradis]] - [[Wikipedia:RADAR|Radar]]
*[[Fumarella leaf]] - [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|Tobacco]]
*[[Frak]] - A bowdlerized version of "Fuck" (c.f. "[[Wikipedia:Frell|Frell]]" (Farscape), "[[Wikipedia:Frag|Frag]]" (Babylon 5), "[[Wikipedia:Smeg|Smeg]]" (Red Dwarf))
*[[G-4]] - [[Wikipedia: C-4 (explosive)|C-4]]
*[[Krypter]] - [[Wikipedia:Mayday|Mayday]]
*[[Morpha]] - [[Wikipedia:Morphine|Morphine]]
*[[Serisone]] - [[Wikipedia:prednisone|Prednisone]]
*[[Wireless]] - [[Wikipedia:Radio|Radio]]<ref name="wireless">This usage is not entirely unknown in Earth-bound English. As a synonym for radio or radiotelegraphy, it's more common in British usage, according to [http://www.m-w.com/ Merriam-Webster]. Prior to the popularisation of television in the 1950s, it was the preferred term for radio equipment and radio broadcasts amongst the bulk of the British population. It's also the source of the prefix 'Wi' in 'WiFi' and other similar wireless data standards now common.</ref>

===Invented Terminology===
As all science fiction shows must, Battlestar Galactica has a set of vocabulary referring to technologies and other items not shared with the real world.

*[[Ambrosia]] - a bright green alcoholic beverage
*[[Carom]] - the angle above or below the XY plane of a vessel, perpendicular to [[Wikipedia:Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] (c.f. "Mark" (Star Trek))
*[[Chamalla]] - an [[Wikipedia:Entheogen|entheogen]] used by priests
*[[Red Line]]

*'''For a more complete list of acronyms and expressions see:''' [[List of terms (RDM)]]

===Turn of phrase===
The dialect used by the Colonials employs some distinct turn of phrase at times:

*"As of this moment" is used particularly often for seemingly "official" announcements. After the original Cylon attack, then-Commander William Adama announces to his crew, "As of this moment, we are at war." The phrase is used later by Colonel Tigh in his announcement of martial law <ref>"As of this moment, I have declared martial law." — "[[Fragged]]"</ref>, and Gaius Baltar in announcing his candidacy for the presidency<ref>"…I am, as of this moment, a candidate for the Presidency." — "[[The Captain's Hand]]"</ref>.
*"With every fiber of my being" is often used to conclude oaths, particularly the oath of presidency, as taken by Roslin and Baltar at various points.
*"[[So say we all]]" is used to conclude prayers and similar remarks. It is analogous to, and roughly synonymous with, "amen."
*When used as an intensifier or in other instances of profanity, "God" is usually replaced with "Gods," befitting the Colonials' polytheistic faith—"Gods damn it," "Oh my Gods!," etc.
*"In the worlds" is in use prior to the [[Cylon War]], following the same pattern as "in the world" (such as [[Amanda Graystone]]'s exclamation that "You are so lucky and you have everything in the worlds you could possibly want . . .") ([[Caprica pilot]]). The expression is not heard immediately prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] or at any time afterward.

===Enigmas===

Language in ''Battlestar Galactica'' have terms whose origins are a curiosity due to chronology or uniqueness to the real-world Earth that likely wouldn't have a parallel of the same name in the Twelve Colonies. See [[Sacred Scrolls#Earth as the true origin of the human species|an interpretation of the origin of humanity on Kobol]] that could support the derivation of these terms.

* ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'': This battlestar name comes from Christopher Columbus, thus making it an unusual name for the Twelve Colonies. However, it also stems from the Latin word "columba" meaning "dove" together with the suffix "ia" which means "land" (geographical expression) in all languages derived from Indo-European roots (ergo, "Land of the Dove")

* ''[[Cloud Nine]]'': This American expression of bliss comes from a 1890's Earth weather reference on the highest-altitude cloud formation. The expression became popularized in 1950s radio broadcasts.

* ''[[Adriatic]]'': The name of this vessel under the influence of [[Tom Zarek]], much like ''Columbia'' appears to have originated on Earth. On Earth the Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, located between Italy and the Balkans.

* ''[[w:Lagoon Nebula|M8]]'': Commander Adama refers to the Lagoon Nebula, which he sees in the display of the [[Tomb of Athena]] as M8. This is curious as it is not a name, but a catalog number from the [[w:Messier Catalog|Messier Catalog]], created by the 18th century astronomer.

===Honorifics===
Although civilians use the honorific "Madam" or its shortened form "ma'am," in the Colonial military all superior officers are referred to as "Sir," regardless of gender.<ref>According to RDM's [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/blogs blog] on January 20th, 2006, the series follows the system established in ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', where the term "sir" has become gender-neutral in military usage. Thus, [[Laura Roslin]] is referred to as "Madam President" or "ma'am" in a civilian context, but in her capacity as Commander-in-Chief, she is always addressed as "sir."</ref>

===Names===
Many characters have names that include one or more components that appear to be a Biblical or Classical reference. It remains an enigma whether, and to what degree, these should be thought of as translations for the audience's benefit.

Some of these apparent allusions may have no intended meaning beyond sounding good. Others are known to have been chosen for a reason, and that's noted where verifiable.

* [[William Adama|William]] and [[Lee Adama]]: "Adama" is Hebrew for "earth" in its literal meaning—ground, dirt—from which "Adam," the Biblical First Man, derives his name. It is also the name of a large city in Ethiopia. Lee's call-sign "Apollo" is of course a reference to the Greek (and apparently, Kobolan) god. Both "Adama" and "Apollo" are carry-overs from the original series, where they were chosen for their mythological significance.
* [[Richard Adar]]: "[[w:Adar|Adar]]" is a month in the Jewish lunar calendar still in use today. It coincides roughly with the Gregorian month of March. It is a carry over from the original series.
* [[Karl Agathon]]: "[[w:Agathon|Agathon]]" was an Athenian poet, a friend of Euripides and Plato.
* [[Gaius Baltar]]: "Gaius" was the ''[[w:Praenomen|praenomen]]'' of the man we commonly call [[w:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] and the noted Roman historian Tactius, among others. "Baltar" was made up by [[Glen A. Larson]] for the original series.
* [[Helena Cain]]: "[[w:Helena|Helena]]" is a common enough name, but is also a possible reference to Helen of Troy. "[[w:Cain|Cain]]" in the Old Testament is the first murderer, and is a carry-over from the original series.
* [[Aaron Doral]]: "[[w:Aaron|Aaron]]" is a Biblical Hebrew name, the older brother of [[w:Moses|Moses]].
* [[Anastasia Dualla]]: The Greek word ''[[w:anastasia|anastasia]]'' translates to "resurrection," and was a deliberate choice by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]. It's also a common Greek and Russian name. Dualla is the name of a region and people in sub-saharan Africa.
* [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]/Isis: "[[w:Hera|Hera]]" was a Greek goddess, the wife of Zeus. "[[w:Isis|Isis]]" an Egyptian goddess, the wife of Horus in early mythology; the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus later. This is one of the few Egyptian references in the new series.
* [[Gina Inviere]]: "Inviere" is Romanian for "resurrection." The word is described in the series as from "Old [[Gemenon (RDM)|Gemenese]]" and is one in a handful of instances where the Re-imagined Series suggests that the standard language viewers hear spoken is not the sole language of all colonies.
* [[Billy Keikeya]]: "Keikeya" is one of the three queens of [[w:Ayodhya|Ayodhya]] in the Hindu epic, ''[[w:Ramayana|Ramayana]]''.
* [[Kara Thrace]]: "[[w:Thrace|Thrace]]" is a region in southeast Europe spanning Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, and Serbia. It was also the ancient name for the same area. The famous gladiator Spartacus was a Thracian.
* [[Saul Tigh]]: "[[w:Saul|Saul]]" is a Hebrew name (pronounced "Shaul" in Hebrew), which means "borrowed." Biblical references include both the first king of Judah and Israel, and the birth-name of Paul of Tarsus. Originally the character was named "Paul Tigh," but when it was discovered that this could not be used for legal reasons, it was shifted to "''S''aul Tigh," a reverse of the name switch that Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul made. "Tigh" appears to be a reference to the historical figure [[w:Colonel Tye|Colonel Tye]], an African-American military leader who fought for the British in the [[w:American Revolutionary War|American Revolutionary War]] (the original series version of Colonel [[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]] was of African ethnicity).
* [[Galen Tyrol]]: "[[w:Galen|Galen]]" was a famous Greek-born healer, the source of much Roman and Medieval medical knowledge, and was the first to argue that the mind was in the brain and not the heart; this could be construed as ironic, given that Tyrol followed his heart and maintained a relationship with Boomer even when he shouldn't have. "[[w:Tyrol|Tyrol]]" is a region that spans the border of Austria and Italy.
* [[Sharon Valerii]]: "Sharon" is a name of a geographic area in the center of Israel, although it's also a common English woman's name. The [[w:Valerius|gens Valeria]] is one of the longest-running families in the history of the [[w:Roman Empire|Roman Empire]]. "Valerii" is the masculine genitive plural form, which is used to refer to members of a family collectively.
* [[Tom Zarek]]: "[[w:Thomas|Thomas]]" is a deliberate biblical reference. Originally he was supposed to be called "Peter," but that didn't clear with the legal departement. It's also a common English name. Zarek is a Polish name derived from the Babylonian name Balshazzar meaning "Baal protects the king." According to the writers, they just made up the name "Zarek" because they thought it sounded "strong and futuristic." ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]], p.52)

Uncertain references:
* [[Leoben Conoy]]: "[[w:Leoben|Leoben]]" is an Austrian town where a preliminary peace in the Napoleonic wars was signed. "[[w:Conoy|Conoy]]" is a Native American tribe, also known as the Piscataway. Both are pretty obscure.
* [[Laura Roslin]]: "[[w:Roslin Institute|Roslin Institute]]" is where Dolly the Sheep was cloned. A more likely source of the name would be the Scottish village of [[wikipedia:Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin, Midlothian]], where (unsurprisingly perhaps) the Roslin Institute is located.

===Other Languages===
Real-world languages other than English have made brief appearances in the Re-Imagined Series.
[[Image:Chinese characters.png|thumb|right|180px|The Chinese Characters behind Tyrol in Webisode 7]]
*The bookshelf concealing a fallout shelter in "[[Act of Contrition]]" contains a book titled ''Oberst'', the German word for colonel.
*[[Virtual beings#Baltar's Virtual Six|Number Six]] tells [[Gaius Baltar]] that he speaks with ''élan'' in "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]." ''Élan'' is the French word for ''flair''.
*The opera heard in [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar's]] lab in [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]] is in Italian. It is titled ''Battlestar Operatica'' and was composed by Battlestar Galactica composer [[Bear McCreary]].
*In ''[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance]]'' there are three Chinese characters on a crate behind Tyrol. They are "盐," "油" and "姜," meaning "salt," "oil" and "ginger"
*In "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]" is French visible on the blackboard of Roslin's school are the French verbs aller, avoir, and être.
[[Image:LDYBSchool.jpg|thumb|right|150px|French visible in blue left of [[Maya]]'s head.]]
*The Latin "sine qua non" ("without which not," "without which it could not be") is spoken and translated by [[Romo Lampkin]] ("[[Sine Qua Non]]").
*In [[Caprica (series)|''Caprica'']], Ancient Greek is used to represent the native language of the [[Tauron]]s. In the episode "[[Blowback]]", Romanian is used to represent the language of [[Gemenon]].

==Accents==

Most characters (or the actors that portray them) speak with a [[Wikipedia:General American|Standard American]] accent, with some exceptions.

===English Accent===
Three characters speak with the [[Wikipedia:Received Pronunciation|Received Pronunciation]], Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] from [[Aerilon]] (although he consciously suppresses his native [[#Aerilon Accent|Aerilon accent]]), ''Galactica'' medic [[Layne Ishay]] and ''[[Pyxis]]<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' Captain [[Jules Tarney]].

===Canadian Accent===
The actor playing Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]], especially when shouting or barking orders, exhibits a definite Canadian accent. [[Michael Hogan]] is a noted Canadian actor, and on the show his speech is generally indistinguishable from General American English, but observant listeners can detect the accent in certain situations.

More subtly, [[Leoben Conoy]], portrayed by veteran Canadian actor [[Callum Keith Rennie]], exhibits Canadian patterns discernible to native speakers.

[[Sergeant Hadrian]], played by Canadian actress [[Jill Teed]] also shows Canadian cadences.

Since the series is shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, many of the actors are Canadian character players, for the most part speaking with West/Central Canadian accents.

===Puerto Rican Accent===
[[Giana]], a woman rescued from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], speaks with a Puerto Rican accent, and inquires after the whereabouts of her husband, who she states is "stationed on Gemenon." Her place of origin is unclear, but no other characters from either Caprica, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], or anywhere else have shared this accent. The actress, Lymari Nadal, is from Puerto Rico ([[Miniseries]]).

===Kiwi Accent===
The reporter [[D'Anna Biers]] speaks with a Kiwi/New Zealand accent (this is actually the accent that actress [[Lucy Lawless]] speaks with when off screen, because she is from New Zealand). However, the same episode revealed that D'Anna is actually a [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] (Number Three), and another copy of her model on Cylon-occupied Caprica does ''not'' speak with this accent, but a Standard American one, perhaps to differentiate the two characters. Subsequent appearances by Number Threes in "[[Downloaded]]" and [[Season 3 (2006-07)|Season 3]] have featured the Kiwi accent exclusively.

===Australian Accent===
[[Kendra Shaw]] speaks with an Australian accent. She is portrayed by [[Stephanie Jacobsen]], who was born in Hong Kong but spent most of her life and education in Sydney, Australia. Given that her [[Marta Shaw|mother]] was Caprica's delegate to the Quorum of Twelve, she is likely from Caprica as well. From an in-universe point of view, this probably means that there is not just one accent from one colony, but also regional variations ([[Razor]]).

===English (Yorkshire) Accent===
In "[[Flesh and Bone]]," Baltar notes that Sharon Valerii speaks with a trace of an [[Aerilon]] accent. In the episode "[[Dirty Hands]]," Baltar displays his native Aerilon accent. It sounds somewhat raspy, and resembles the English regional accents from Yorkshire and Lancashire. Baltar being from Aerilon explains how he could pick up a faint trace of it in Valerii. However, in her case, the accent appears to be entirely fictional - Canadian actress Grace Park speaks Standard American English without a 'foreign' accent.

===Irish Accent===

In "[[The Son Also Rises]]," [[Romo Lampkin]] speaks with an accent somewhat similar to Baltar's native Aerilon accent. The actor, [[Mark Sheppard]], is Irish.

(Note: The accent of the corresponding '[[Aeries]]' people in the Original Series sounds Irish, as heard in "[[The Long Patrol]]")

==Liturgy==
During the funeral service at the end of the [[Miniseries, Night 2|Miniseries]], Priest [[Elosha]] chants a prayer in a foreign language. It is recognizable as a common Sanskrit prayer, found in Part I, Chapter III, Verse 28 of the [http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/brihadaranyaka.htm Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad].

:{|
| '''Devanāgarī''' || '''Transliteration''' || '''Translation'''
|-
| अस्तो मा सद् गमय || asato mā sad gamaya || Lead us from Falsehood to Truth
|-
| तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय || tamaso mā jyotir gamaya || Lead us from Darkness to Light
|-
| मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय || mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya || Lead us from Death to Immortality
|}

Although the lyrics are identifiable, it should be noted that the actress's performance is closer to the chanting of biblical Hebrew, and does not resemble the traditional melody.<ref>Viewers can compare Elosha's chant to the same chant found in the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix Revolutions|The Matrix Revolutions]]'', by composers Don Davis and the group Juno Reactor. The final track, "Navras," (which plays during the closing credits of the motion picture) begins with this same verse; the track "Neodämmerung" also consists entirely of Sanskrit lyrics taken from the Upaniṣads, including this verse.</ref>

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

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}

Race and Ethnicity in the Twelve Colonies

2011-05-01T10:11:02Z

Iblis Will Return: /* "Ethnic" Names */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

''At Battlestar Wiki, we recognize that race is a problematic concept without any concrete biological definition. Nevertheless, the topic of racial identity in the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]] has proven of interest to many fans of the show. Therefore, this page serves to review the information available as best as possible.''

''In this article, we have chosen to indicate race by apparent region of origin, within the following broadly defined categories: European, (Sub-Saharan) African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian, and Native American / Amerindian. Where bi- or multi-racial individuals are noted, component ethnicities are listed in alphabetical order. Individuals of apparently [[Wikipedia:Mulatto|Mulatto]] and [[Wikipedia:Hispanic|Hispanic]] appearance are noted as biracial African/Europeans and biracial Amerindian/Europeans. Issues relating to the Adama family are briefly discussed in their own section near the end of the article.''

Colonials whose appearances correspond to various real-world ethnicities appear in the [[Re-imagined Series]] and ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]''. As yet, no reference has been made to race, nor any allusions to racial identities or racial discrimination, as it would be defined in the real world. Tensions between different Colonies are portrayed, and are called racial, but there appears to be as much variation in appearance within colonies as there is between them. Thus, the writers use differences between the colonies, as exemplified by [[Gemenon]] and [[Sagittaron]], to mirror real-world race issues. In "[[The Woman King]]" [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] uses the term "racist" to describe the Sagittaron-hating [[Dr. Robert]]. In the ''[[Caprica pilot|Caprica]]'' pilot, [[Joseph Adama]] asks if [[Val Chambers]] is making a "racial comment" about Joseph's Tauron ancestry.

The two finalists for the part of [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] were [[Grace Park]] and [[Katee Sackhoff]], implying that, for some parts at least, the producers employed [[w:Color-blind casting|color-blind casting]]. Nevertheless, analysis of the ethnic mix of the Twelve Colonies has intrigued fans of the series.

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}__TOC__
==Race and Nationality==
In general, no clear associations have been made between particular ethnic groups and individual colonies. Furthermore, there is some evidence within the series that race and colony of origin are not strongly correlated - when Baltar attempts to guess at Boomer's place of origin in "[[Flesh and Bone]]", he comments on her accent, not her physical appearance. For more on this, see the article [[Language in the Twelve Colonies]].

It is generally accepted that the Colonials originally emigrated from a single planet (i.e. Kobol and/or Earth). This being the case, it is entirely possible that the various apparent races are reasonably homogeneously distributed across all of the Twelve Colonies (i.e. there are both European and African Sagittarons, Gemenese, etc. rather than all of the Europeans coming from one tribe/colony, all the Asians from another, etc).

What follows is a list of individuals whose colony of origin has been unambiguously identified, along with their apparent ethnicity.

===Aerilon===
*[[Sharon Valerii]] - east Asian (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]] infiltrator)
*[[Sekou Hamilton]] - African
*[[Gaius Baltar]] - European
*[[Socinus]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
*[[Saul Tigh]] - European (purported, actually a humanoid Cylon)

===Canceron===
*[[Robin Wenutu]] - European

===Caprica===
*[[William Adama]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
:''The actor, Edward James Olmos, would probably be identified as "Latino", "mestizo", or "Hispanic". Olmos is a social activist working to help the Hispanic-American community, Olmos has made favorable remarks about having the opportunity to play one of the first significant Latino characters in space.''
*[[Carolanne Adama]] - European
**[[Lee Adama|Lee]] and [[Zak Adama]] - their children, see [[#The Adama Brothers|note]] below.
*[[Laura Roslin]] - European
*[[Kara Thrace]] - European (Born on Picon according to Sky One; nomadic childhood; this info is not confirmed.)
*[[Aaron Doral]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*[[James McManus]] - European
*[[Tory Foster]] - south Asian (purported, actually a humanoid Cylon)
*[[Michael Robert]] - European
*[[Daniel Graystone]] - European
*[[Amanda Graystone]] -European
*[[Zoe Graystone]] - European
*[[Lacy Rand]] - European
*[[Baxter Sarno]] - European

===Gemenon===
*[[Sarah Porter]] - African
*[[Venner]] - Mixed race, European/African
*[[Galen Tyrol]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*[[Rya Kibby]] - European
*[[Jurgen Belzen]] - European

===Picon===
*[[Safiya Sanne]] - east Asian (but see his article for some debate on origins)
*[[Playa Palacios]] - European
*[[Asha Janik]] - European
*[[Samuel Anders]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])

===Sagittaron===
*[[Anastasia Dualla]] - Mixed race, African/European
*[[Leon Grimes]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
*[[Tom Zarek]] - European
*[[Portia King]] - European
**[[Willie King]] - Her son, also European
*[[Jacob Cantrell]] - European
*The Sagittaron quarter of [[Camp Oil Slick]] is shown in "[[The Woman King]]" to constitute various ethnicities.
*[[Clarice Willow]] - European

===Tauron===
*[[Helena Cain]] - European
*[[Sam Adama]] - Eastern European
*[[Joseph Adama]] - Amerindian
*[[Shannon Adama]] - European
*[[Tamara Adama]] - Amerindian/European
*[[Guatrau]] - Amerindian
*[[Tomas Vergis]] - European
*A young woman at ''Backtalk With Baxter Sarno'' - Asian
*Various members of the *[[Ha'la'tha]] - Various, mostly European and Amerindian

===Virgon===
*[[Marshall Bagot]] - European

==Race and Sexuality==
:''An article dedicated to sexuality in the re-imagined series can be found at [[Sexuality in Battlestar Galactica (RDM)]].''

Interracial couplings seem common to the point of ubiquity, and have never been commented upon. It is interesting that appearances corresponding to what in the real world are widely considered clearly definable ethnic groups continue to exist in light of this. Notable interracial couples:
*William and Caroline Adama
*[[Sharon Valerii]] and [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Sharon Agathon|Sharon]] and [[Karl Agathon]] ([[Tahmoh Penikett]], who plays Agathon, is Amerindian/European)
*Anastasia Dualla and [[Billy Keikeya]] (Keikeya is European)
*Anastasia Dualla and Lee Adama
*Tory Foster and Gaius Baltar

That being said, at least one individual, Kara Thrace, has only been shown in sexual relationships with individuals of her own race: [[Gaius Baltar]], [[Samuel Anders]], and the Adama brothers (although see the [[#The Adama Brothers|note]] below regarding their ethnicity).

==The Adama Brothers==
The Miniseries received some criticism for casting [[Edward James Olmos]], a dark-skinned Latino, as [[William Adama|the father]] of [[Jamie Bamber]], a pale-skinned Englishman. These points were addressed somewhat in the first season, during which viewers are briefly introduced to both [[Carolanne Adama|Carolanne]] and [[Zak Adama]]. During a dinner party in "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]", [[Ellen Tigh]] offers her opinion that [[Lee Adama]] takes after his mother in appearance, while Zak took after his father. Since human skin pigmentation is determined by several genes which can be inherited independently, this scenario is quite plausible.

As such, it is difficult to pigeonhole the Adama brothers as being of either European descent (as Lee appears, and his actor is) or mixed Amerindian/European (as Zak appears, and his actors have been). Where relevant, it is probably best to consider them both of approximately 1/4 Amerindian and 3/4 European descent, regardless of the genetic background of the actors who played them.

In an effort to increase the resemblance between the two characters, Olmos wore blue contact eye lenses to show some genetic commonality with Bamber. Jamie Bamber also dyed his blond hair brown to more closely resemble his on-screen father.

=="Ethnic" Names==

Some characters have distinctly Indo-European personal names or surnames which span multiple "Earth" languages and their generally associated ethnic origins: these include first names such as [[James McManus|James]], [[William Adama|William]], [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and [[Helena Cain|Helena]], and surnames like [[Emmitt Jones|Jones]], [[Daniel Novacek|Novacek]], [[Bryan Smith|Smith]], [[Brendan Costanza|Costanza]] and [[James McManus|McManus]].

Other characters have surnames that are of non-western origins, such as [[Tom Zarek|Zarek]], [[Billy Keikeya|Keikeya]], [[Royan Jahee|Jahee]] and [[Robin Wenutu|Wenutu]].

There are also ancient Greek, Roman and Hebrew names. Personal and surnames, names of locations in use, as well as names like "Adama" which are carry-overs from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]]: [[Prosna]], [[Socinus]], [[Cally Henderson|Cally]], [[Playa Palacios]], [[Sharon Valerii|Valerii]], [[Karl Agathon|Agathon]], [[Kara Thrace|Thrace]], etc.

Often these are combined: [[Sekou Hamilton]], Cally Henderson, Billy Keikeya, [[Gaius Baltar]], William Adama, and [[Louis Hoshi]].

To make matters even more complicated, these names do not correspond to either ethnic or "racial" populations among the surviving Colonial citizens, nor do they align with Colonial nationalism. Not all Sagittarons have an European personal name like "Tom" and a Hebrew surname like "Zarek" and not all dark-skinned characters have non-western first names like "Sekou". Daniel Novacek (played by [[Carl Lumbly]], an actor of Jamaican origin), for instance, has an Eastern European surname.

It is interesting to note the commonality of Indian/Sanskritic names such as Singh (Lion) in [[Gara Singh]], Patel (Village Chief) in [[Sasha Patel]], or Priyah (Beloved) in [[Priyah Magnus]], as well as other typically Indo-European pagan names like the Germanic Olaf (Ancestor's Heirloom) in [[Olaf Willow]]. This is interesting to note because the 12 Colonies seem to be based on ancient polytheistic Indo-European cultures (Germanic, Roman, Greek and Indian). Scholarship over the last century has determined that many of the languages and polytheistic religions of Europe and India are related (both English and Hindi are members of the Indo-European language family for example, and Greek Zeus/Latin Jūpiter/Sanskrit Dyáus Pitā are all thought to be references to a common Proto-Indo-European deity), indicating a precursor culture known as Proto-Indo-European existed. Sanskrit, the oldest surviving Indo-European language (today used as a literlurgical language in Buddhism and Hinduism), is frequently used in religious hymns by the Colonials, and Roman/Greek alternative names like Jupiter/Zeus are used interchangably. The implication could be that the survivors of the Colonial exodus are the ancestors of the real Proto-Indo-European cultures who gave their language and religion to Europe, Iran and India.

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

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Race and Ethnicity in the Twelve Colonies

2011-05-01T10:06:47Z

Iblis Will Return: /* "Ethnic" Names */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

''At Battlestar Wiki, we recognize that race is a problematic concept without any concrete biological definition. Nevertheless, the topic of racial identity in the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]] has proven of interest to many fans of the show. Therefore, this page serves to review the information available as best as possible.''

''In this article, we have chosen to indicate race by apparent region of origin, within the following broadly defined categories: European, (Sub-Saharan) African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian, and Native American / Amerindian. Where bi- or multi-racial individuals are noted, component ethnicities are listed in alphabetical order. Individuals of apparently [[Wikipedia:Mulatto|Mulatto]] and [[Wikipedia:Hispanic|Hispanic]] appearance are noted as biracial African/Europeans and biracial Amerindian/Europeans. Issues relating to the Adama family are briefly discussed in their own section near the end of the article.''

Colonials whose appearances correspond to various real-world ethnicities appear in the [[Re-imagined Series]] and ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]''. As yet, no reference has been made to race, nor any allusions to racial identities or racial discrimination, as it would be defined in the real world. Tensions between different Colonies are portrayed, and are called racial, but there appears to be as much variation in appearance within colonies as there is between them. Thus, the writers use differences between the colonies, as exemplified by [[Gemenon]] and [[Sagittaron]], to mirror real-world race issues. In "[[The Woman King]]" [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] uses the term "racist" to describe the Sagittaron-hating [[Dr. Robert]]. In the ''[[Caprica pilot|Caprica]]'' pilot, [[Joseph Adama]] asks if [[Val Chambers]] is making a "racial comment" about Joseph's Tauron ancestry.

The two finalists for the part of [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] were [[Grace Park]] and [[Katee Sackhoff]], implying that, for some parts at least, the producers employed [[w:Color-blind casting|color-blind casting]]. Nevertheless, analysis of the ethnic mix of the Twelve Colonies has intrigued fans of the series.

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}__TOC__
==Race and Nationality==
In general, no clear associations have been made between particular ethnic groups and individual colonies. Furthermore, there is some evidence within the series that race and colony of origin are not strongly correlated - when Baltar attempts to guess at Boomer's place of origin in "[[Flesh and Bone]]", he comments on her accent, not her physical appearance. For more on this, see the article [[Language in the Twelve Colonies]].

It is generally accepted that the Colonials originally emigrated from a single planet (i.e. Kobol and/or Earth). This being the case, it is entirely possible that the various apparent races are reasonably homogeneously distributed across all of the Twelve Colonies (i.e. there are both European and African Sagittarons, Gemenese, etc. rather than all of the Europeans coming from one tribe/colony, all the Asians from another, etc).

What follows is a list of individuals whose colony of origin has been unambiguously identified, along with their apparent ethnicity.

===Aerilon===
*[[Sharon Valerii]] - east Asian (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]] infiltrator)
*[[Sekou Hamilton]] - African
*[[Gaius Baltar]] - European
*[[Socinus]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
*[[Saul Tigh]] - European (purported, actually a humanoid Cylon)

===Canceron===
*[[Robin Wenutu]] - European

===Caprica===
*[[William Adama]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
:''The actor, Edward James Olmos, would probably be identified as "Latino", "mestizo", or "Hispanic". Olmos is a social activist working to help the Hispanic-American community, Olmos has made favorable remarks about having the opportunity to play one of the first significant Latino characters in space.''
*[[Carolanne Adama]] - European
**[[Lee Adama|Lee]] and [[Zak Adama]] - their children, see [[#The Adama Brothers|note]] below.
*[[Laura Roslin]] - European
*[[Kara Thrace]] - European (Born on Picon according to Sky One; nomadic childhood; this info is not confirmed.)
*[[Aaron Doral]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*[[James McManus]] - European
*[[Tory Foster]] - south Asian (purported, actually a humanoid Cylon)
*[[Michael Robert]] - European
*[[Daniel Graystone]] - European
*[[Amanda Graystone]] -European
*[[Zoe Graystone]] - European
*[[Lacy Rand]] - European
*[[Baxter Sarno]] - European

===Gemenon===
*[[Sarah Porter]] - African
*[[Venner]] - Mixed race, European/African
*[[Galen Tyrol]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*[[Rya Kibby]] - European
*[[Jurgen Belzen]] - European

===Picon===
*[[Safiya Sanne]] - east Asian (but see his article for some debate on origins)
*[[Playa Palacios]] - European
*[[Asha Janik]] - European
*[[Samuel Anders]] - European (purported, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])

===Sagittaron===
*[[Anastasia Dualla]] - Mixed race, African/European
*[[Leon Grimes]] - mixed race, Amerindian/European
*[[Tom Zarek]] - European
*[[Portia King]] - European
**[[Willie King]] - Her son, also European
*[[Jacob Cantrell]] - European
*The Sagittaron quarter of [[Camp Oil Slick]] is shown in "[[The Woman King]]" to constitute various ethnicities.
*[[Clarice Willow]] - European

===Tauron===
*[[Helena Cain]] - European
*[[Sam Adama]] - Eastern European
*[[Joseph Adama]] - Amerindian
*[[Shannon Adama]] - European
*[[Tamara Adama]] - Amerindian/European
*[[Guatrau]] - Amerindian
*[[Tomas Vergis]] - European
*A young woman at ''Backtalk With Baxter Sarno'' - Asian
*Various members of the *[[Ha'la'tha]] - Various, mostly European and Amerindian

===Virgon===
*[[Marshall Bagot]] - European

==Race and Sexuality==
:''An article dedicated to sexuality in the re-imagined series can be found at [[Sexuality in Battlestar Galactica (RDM)]].''

Interracial couplings seem common to the point of ubiquity, and have never been commented upon. It is interesting that appearances corresponding to what in the real world are widely considered clearly definable ethnic groups continue to exist in light of this. Notable interracial couples:
*William and Caroline Adama
*[[Sharon Valerii]] and [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Sharon Agathon|Sharon]] and [[Karl Agathon]] ([[Tahmoh Penikett]], who plays Agathon, is Amerindian/European)
*Anastasia Dualla and [[Billy Keikeya]] (Keikeya is European)
*Anastasia Dualla and Lee Adama
*Tory Foster and Gaius Baltar

That being said, at least one individual, Kara Thrace, has only been shown in sexual relationships with individuals of her own race: [[Gaius Baltar]], [[Samuel Anders]], and the Adama brothers (although see the [[#The Adama Brothers|note]] below regarding their ethnicity).

==The Adama Brothers==
The Miniseries received some criticism for casting [[Edward James Olmos]], a dark-skinned Latino, as [[William Adama|the father]] of [[Jamie Bamber]], a pale-skinned Englishman. These points were addressed somewhat in the first season, during which viewers are briefly introduced to both [[Carolanne Adama|Carolanne]] and [[Zak Adama]]. During a dinner party in "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]", [[Ellen Tigh]] offers her opinion that [[Lee Adama]] takes after his mother in appearance, while Zak took after his father. Since human skin pigmentation is determined by several genes which can be inherited independently, this scenario is quite plausible.

As such, it is difficult to pigeonhole the Adama brothers as being of either European descent (as Lee appears, and his actor is) or mixed Amerindian/European (as Zak appears, and his actors have been). Where relevant, it is probably best to consider them both of approximately 1/4 Amerindian and 3/4 European descent, regardless of the genetic background of the actors who played them.

In an effort to increase the resemblance between the two characters, Olmos wore blue contact eye lenses to show some genetic commonality with Bamber. Jamie Bamber also dyed his blond hair brown to more closely resemble his on-screen father.

=="Ethnic" Names==

Some characters have distinctly Indo-European personal names or surnames which span multiple "Earth" languages and their generally associated ethnic origins: these include first names such as [[James McManus|James]], [[William Adama|William]], [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and [[Helena Cain|Helena]], and surnames like [[Emmitt Jones|Jones]], [[Daniel Novacek|Novacek]], [[Bryan Smith|Smith]], [[Brendan Costanza|Costanza]] and [[James McManus|McManus]].

Other characters have surnames that are of non-western origins, such as [[Tom Zarek|Zarek]], [[Billy Keikeya|Keikeya]], [[Royan Jahee|Jahee]] and [[Robin Wenutu|Wenutu]].

There are also ancient Greek, Roman and Hebrew names. Personal and surnames, names of locations in use, as well as names like "Adama" which are carry-overs from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]]: [[Prosna]], [[Socinus]], [[Cally Henderson|Cally]], [[Playa Palacios]], [[Sharon Valerii|Valerii]], [[Karl Agathon|Agathon]], [[Kara Thrace|Thrace]], etc.

Often these are combined: [[Sekou Hamilton]], Cally Henderson, Billy Keikeya, [[Gaius Baltar]], William Adama, and [[Louis Hoshi]].

To make matters even more complicated, these names do not correspond to either ethnic or "racial" populations among the surviving Colonial citizens, nor do they align with Colonial nationalism. Not all Sagittarons have an European personal name like "Tom" and a Hebrew surname like "Zarek" and not all dark-skinned characters have non-western first names like "Sekou". Daniel Novacek (played by [[Carl Lumbly]], an actor of Jamaican origin), for instance, has an Eastern European surname.

It is interesting to note the commonality of Indian/Sanskritic names such as Singh (Lion) in [[Gara Singh]], Patel (Village Chief) in [[Sasha Patel]], or Priyah (Beloved) in [[Priyah Magnus]], as well as other typically Indo-European pagan names like the Germanic Olaf (Ancestor's Heirloom) in [[Olaf Willow]]. This is interesting to note because the 12 Colonies seem to be based on ancient polytheistic Indo-European cultures (Germanic, Roman, Greek and Indian). Scholarship over the last century has determined that many of the languages and polytheistic religions of Europe and India are related (both English and Hindi are members of the Indo-European language family for example, and Greek Zeus/Latin Jūpiter/Sanskrit Dyáus Pitā are all thought to be references to a common Proto-Indo-European God), indicating a precursor culture known as Proto-Indo-European existed. Sanskrit, an Indo-European language, is frequently used in religious hymns by the Colonials, Roman/Greek alternative names like Jupiter/Zeus are used interchangably. The implication could be that the survivors of the Colonial exodus are the ancestors of the real Proto-Indo-European cultures who gave their language and religion to Europe, Iran and India.

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

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Someone to Watch Over Me

2009-03-01T02:16:26Z

Iblis Will Return:

{{Episode Data
| image=SomeoneWatchingOverMe.jpg
| title= Someone To Watch Over Me
| season= 4
| episode=17
| guests=
| writer=
| story=
| director=
| production=419
| rating=
| US airdate=February 27, 2009 <ref>http://tv.ign.com/articles/920/920164p1.html</ref>
| CAN airdate=February 27, 2009
| UK airdate=March 3, 2009
| dvd=
| population=39556
| oldpopulation=39556
| prev=[[Deadlock]]
| next=[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]
}}

== Overview ==
''[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] discovers a hidden musical ability that bears a mysterious significance to the final five Cylons, and her tune is found to have a connection with three-year-old human-Cylon hybrid [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. The president authorizes [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]'s release from the Brig so she can stand trial for treason on the Cylon Base Ship.''<ref>http://www.locatetv.com/tv/battlestar-galactica/season-4/6118356</ref>

== Summary ==

=== Teaser ===

=== Act 1 ===

=== Act 2 ===

=== Act 3 ===

=== Act 4 ===

== Notes ==
* [[Lee Adama]] only appears in a scene or two.
* [[Gaius Baltar]] does not appear in this episode.
* Someone To Watch Over Me is the name of a song composed by George and Ira Gershwin, and featured in the musical Oh, Kay! A major theme of the song is the need to find love and acceptance.
** There was also an episode of [[w:Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek: Voyager]] named for the song, in which it is performed at the end by The Doctor.
* Weeks have passed since the end of [[Gaeta's Mutiny|the mutiny]], as evidenced by [[Cottle]]'s comment about how long Anders' EKG readings have remained steady.
* After her apparent death in "[[Maelstrom]]", Kara's personal belongings were auctioned off. Helo has managed to get them all back for her. However, the only thing Kara is interested in is her father's music tape.
* Some of the music played by the mysterious piano player, is from the original series. [[Numian's 3rd Sonata]], Second Movement, is infact from the opening dialogue of the classic series ("There are those who believe that life here, began out there..."). This is not the first time music from the original series has shown up (i.e. the [[Colonial Anthem]]), and lends to the idea that 'everything has happened before, and will happen again'.

== Analysis ==
* The Cylons seem to have officially joined the Fleet as they now have the representation they wanted on the new Quorum in the form of a Six named Sonja. It is also confirmed that Cylon and Colonial pilots are performing joint [[CAP]]s.
** This is most clearly seen when Athena staggers into the briefing room and Starbuck orders one of the Six's to go get the medics, the Six unhesitantly resonds "Yes, Sir".
* It has been unclear whether Karl Agathon is still the [[Commander Air Group]] (CAG) of Galactica or Kara Thrace officially takes over the CAG as Agathon used to join important staff meetings with Adama & Tigh in previous episodes. However, this episode clearly shows that Thrace is now serving as the CAG of Galactica.
* Ellen's escape from Cavil seems to have been orchestrated between him and Boomer in order to get Boomer on ''Galactica'' so she could kidnap Hera.
* It would appear that while Cavil was willing to let Ellen go in order to obtain Hera, members of the [[Final Five]] are still of some value to him, as evidenced by Boomer's offer for Tyrol to go with her.
* The Final Five have the same [[Projection|projection]] ability as the Cylons they created. Cylons can share projections with each other.
* Projections can include not just imaginary environments but also imaginary people, such as Boomer and Tyrol's "daughter" Dionne.
* ''Galactica'' is in very bad shape from the metal fatigue in the hull. It's so bad that Tyrol says that all the [[Cylon organic resin]] could do is buy a little more time, but not too much from the looks of it. The ship is dying of old age and there's nothing anyone can do save it completely. The damage Boomer created during her escape has no doubt worsened the ship's condition.
* Adama has still not forgiven Boomer for shooting him.
* Boomer has gone from being a conflicted sleeper agent to being a willing infiltrator and saboteur on ''Galactica''.
* Boomer seduces [[Helo]] by pretending to be [[Sharon Agathon|Athena]]. This is ironic seeing how on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Athena seduced Helo by pretending to be Boomer.
* Boomer's seduction of Helo - in the presence of Athena - may have been motivated by a desire to exact revenge on Athena for having effectively taken over her old life on ''Galactica.''
* The Final Five, [[Hera Agathon]], and [[Kara Thrace]] are all somehow connected to each other by [[The Music]]. Also possibly connected via the song is Kara's [[Dreilide Thrace|mysterious father]].
* The mysterious piano player is Kara's father, which can be concluded by his sudden disappearance and by the flashbacks with both Kara and her father playing the piano when she was little. These flashbacks mirror the exact same movements done by Captain Thrace and the piano player.<ref>http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1598</ref>

== Questions ==
* Is Boomer taking Hera to Cavil, and if so, is she of value to him in and of herself or will he ransom her for the Final Five to rebuild [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection]]? Or is Boomer working alone or for a third party? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* Is the Eight switched with Boomer by Tyrol dead, or merely injured?
** Probably merely injured. It is doubtful Tyrol would have gone so far as to actually kill another Eight to save Boomer. Furthermore, if the Eight had been dead, Tyrol's trickery would have been discovered more quickly.
* What is Roslin's physical status?
* What connection is there between Roslin's collapse and Hera's kidnapping?
* If Tyrol had gone with Boomer, would Cavil have opened his brain as he threatened to do with Ellen?
* Did Boomer sleep with Helo merely to maintain her pretense, because she was attracted to him, or to intentionally hurt Athena? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* What is the source of the "Slick" image Starbuck has been seeing? Is he a variation of Kara's Inner Leoben from "[[Maelstrom]]"?
* How did Starbuck and Hera arrive at a piano version of the same [[The Music|melody]] originally played by Anders on a guitar on [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]?
* Could Starbuck's father have been Daniel, the "artistic" [[Number Seven]] model?
* Could Starbuck be a reincarnation of the woman that Anders played the song for on Earth?
* Will Eight's idea of plugging Anders into the [[datastream]] lead anywhere?
* Will Tyrol's involvement in Boomer's escape be figured out? Will he confess?
* If Tyrol's treachery does come to light, how will others react?
* Do all the ships in the Fleet - regardless of their relative crew and passenger size - get to send representatives to the new Quorum? (This is similar to the situation the Framers of the United States Constitution faced when trying to decide if state representation in Congress should be based on individual state population or restricted to the same number of representatives per state).
* Did Boomer intentionally jump so close to ''Galactica'' in order to further damage the already weakened ship? Is this a prelude to an attack on the Fleet by Cavil's forces?
* Is the ''Galactica'' herself in fact the "dying leader" mentioned in the prophecy from the [[Sacred Scrolls]]?

== Official Statements ==
*Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune interviews David Weddle and Bradley Thompson<ref>http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/02/battlestar-galactica-starbuck-boomer-someone-to-watch-over-me-.html</ref>:
**Boomer had a sick desire to strike out at Athena.
**Boomer's escape with Ellen was staged so that she could kidnap Hera. She intended to just use the Chief, but their interactions did awaken feelings she thought were dead.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[S. Cottle]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Roark Critchlow]] as Piano Player

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

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

Someone to Watch Over Me

2009-03-01T02:14:09Z

Iblis Will Return:

{{Episode Data
| image=SomeoneWatchingOverMe.jpg
| title= Someone To Watch Over Me
| season= 4
| episode=17
| guests=
| writer=
| story=
| director=
| production=419
| rating=
| US airdate=February 27, 2009 <ref>http://tv.ign.com/articles/920/920164p1.html</ref>
| CAN airdate=February 27, 2009
| UK airdate=March 3, 2009
| dvd=
| population=39556
| oldpopulation=39556
| prev=[[Deadlock]]
| next=[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]
}}

== Overview ==
''[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] discovers a hidden musical ability that bears a mysterious significance to the final five Cylons, and her tune is found to have a connection with three-year-old human-Cylon hybrid [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. The president authorizes [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]'s release from the Brig so she can stand trial for treason on the Cylon Base Ship.''<ref>http://www.locatetv.com/tv/battlestar-galactica/season-4/6118356</ref>

== Summary ==

=== Teaser ===

=== Act 1 ===

=== Act 2 ===

=== Act 3 ===

=== Act 4 ===

== Notes ==
* [[Lee Adama]] only appears in a scene or two.
* [[Gaius Baltar]] does not appear in this episode.
* Someone To Watch Over Me is the name of a song composed by George and Ira Gershwin, and featured in the musical Oh, Kay! A major theme of the song is the need to find love and acceptance.
** There was also an episode of [[w:Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek: Voyager]] named for the song, in which it is performed at the end by The Doctor.
* Weeks have passed since the end of [[Gaeta's Mutiny|the mutiny]], as evidenced by [[Cottle]]'s comment about how long Anders' EKG readings have remained steady.
* After her apparent death in "[[Maelstrom]]", Kara's personal belongings were auctioned off. Helo has managed to get them all back for her. However, the only thing Kara is interested in is her father's music tape.

== Analysis ==
* The Cylons seem to have officially joined the Fleet as they now have the representation they wanted on the new Quorum in the form of a Six named Sonja. It is also confirmed that Cylon and Colonial pilots are performing joint [[CAP]]s.
** This is most clearly seen when Athena staggers into the briefing room and Starbuck orders one of the Six's to go get the medics, the Six unhesitantly resonds "Yes, Sir".
* It has been unclear whether Karl Agathon is still the [[Commander Air Group]] (CAG) of Galactica or Kara Thrace officially takes over the CAG as Agathon used to join important staff meetings with Adama & Tigh in previous episodes. However, this episode clearly shows that Thrace is now serving as the CAG of Galactica.
* Ellen's escape from Cavil seems to have been orchestrated between him and Boomer in order to get Boomer on ''Galactica'' so she could kidnap Hera.
* It would appear that while Cavil was willing to let Ellen go in order to obtain Hera, members of the [[Final Five]] are still of some value to him, as evidenced by Boomer's offer for Tyrol to go with her.
* The Final Five have the same [[Projection|projection]] ability as the Cylons they created. Cylons can share projections with each other.
* Projections can include not just imaginary environments but also imaginary people, such as Boomer and Tyrol's "daughter" Dionne.
* ''Galactica'' is in very bad shape from the metal fatigue in the hull. It's so bad that Tyrol says that all the [[Cylon organic resin]] could do is buy a little more time, but not too much from the looks of it. The ship is dying of old age and there's nothing anyone can do save it completely. The damage Boomer created during her escape has no doubt worsened the ship's condition.
* Adama has still not forgiven Boomer for shooting him.
* Boomer has gone from being a conflicted sleeper agent to being a willing infiltrator and saboteur on ''Galactica''.
* Boomer seduces [[Helo]] by pretending to be [[Sharon Agathon|Athena]]. This is ironic seeing how on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Athena seduced Helo by pretending to be Boomer.
* Boomer's seduction of Helo - in the presence of Athena - may have been motivated by a desire to exact revenge on Athena for having effectively taken over her old life on ''Galactica.''
* The Final Five, [[Hera Agathon]], and [[Kara Thrace]] are all somehow connected to each other by [[The Music]]. Also possibly connected via the song is Kara's [[Dreilide Thrace|mysterious father]].
* The mysterious piano player is Kara's father, which can be concluded by his sudden disappearance and by the flashbacks with both Kara and her father playing the piano when she was little. These flashbacks mirror the exact same movements done by Captain Thrace and the piano player.<ref>http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1598</ref>
* Some of the music played by the mysterious piano player, is from the original series. [[Numian's 3rd Sonata]], Second Movement, is infact from the opening dialogue of the classic series ("There are those who believe that life here, began out there..."). This is not the first time music from the original series has shown up (i.e. the [[Colonial Anthem]]), and lends to the idea that 'everything has happened before, and will happen again'.

== Questions ==
* Is Boomer taking Hera to Cavil, and if so, is she of value to him in and of herself or will he ransom her for the Final Five to rebuild [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection]]? Or is Boomer working alone or for a third party? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* Is the Eight switched with Boomer by Tyrol dead, or merely injured?
** Probably merely injured. It is doubtful Tyrol would have gone so far as to actually kill another Eight to save Boomer. Furthermore, if the Eight had been dead, Tyrol's trickery would have been discovered more quickly.
* What is Roslin's physical status?
* What connection is there between Roslin's collapse and Hera's kidnapping?
* If Tyrol had gone with Boomer, would Cavil have opened his brain as he threatened to do with Ellen?
* Did Boomer sleep with Helo merely to maintain her pretense, because she was attracted to him, or to intentionally hurt Athena? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* What is the source of the "Slick" image Starbuck has been seeing? Is he a variation of Kara's Inner Leoben from "[[Maelstrom]]"?
* How did Starbuck and Hera arrive at a piano version of the same [[The Music|melody]] originally played by Anders on a guitar on [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]?
* Could Starbuck's father have been Daniel, the "artistic" [[Number Seven]] model?
* Could Starbuck be a reincarnation of the woman that Anders played the song for on Earth?
* Will Eight's idea of plugging Anders into the [[datastream]] lead anywhere?
* Will Tyrol's involvement in Boomer's escape be figured out? Will he confess?
* If Tyrol's treachery does come to light, how will others react?
* Do all the ships in the Fleet - regardless of their relative crew and passenger size - get to send representatives to the new Quorum? (This is similar to the situation the Framers of the United States Constitution faced when trying to decide if state representation in Congress should be based on individual state population or restricted to the same number of representatives per state).
* Did Boomer intentionally jump so close to ''Galactica'' in order to further damage the already weakened ship? Is this a prelude to an attack on the Fleet by Cavil's forces?
* Is the ''Galactica'' herself in fact the "dying leader" mentioned in the prophecy from the [[Sacred Scrolls]]?

== Official Statements ==
*Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune interviews David Weddle and Bradley Thompson<ref>http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/02/battlestar-galactica-starbuck-boomer-someone-to-watch-over-me-.html</ref>:
**Boomer had a sick desire to strike out at Athena.
**Boomer's escape with Ellen was staged so that she could kidnap Hera. She intended to just use the Chief, but their interactions did awaken feelings she thought were dead.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[S. Cottle]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Roark Critchlow]] as Piano Player

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

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

Nomion's 3rd Sonata

2009-03-01T02:12:51Z

Iblis Will Return: New page: Numian's 3rd Sonata, is a work of classical colonial music. It was played by the mysterious piano player, in the episode Someone to Watch Over Me. ==Notes== * The music is infact...

Numian's 3rd Sonata, is a work of classical colonial music.

It was played by the mysterious [[piano player]], in the episode [[Someone to Watch Over Me]].

==Notes==
* The music is infact from the opening dialogue of the original series ("There are some who believe life here, began out there...").
* Original series music has appeared before, in the form of the [[Colonial Anthem]].

Someone to Watch Over Me

2009-03-01T02:06:56Z

Iblis Will Return:

{{Episode Data
| image=SomeoneWatchingOverMe.jpg
| title= Someone To Watch Over Me
| season= 4
| episode=17
| guests=
| writer=
| story=
| director=
| production=419
| rating=
| US airdate=February 27, 2009 <ref>http://tv.ign.com/articles/920/920164p1.html</ref>
| CAN airdate=February 27, 2009
| UK airdate=March 3, 2009
| dvd=
| population=39556
| oldpopulation=39556
| prev=[[Deadlock]]
| next=[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]
}}

== Overview ==
''[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] discovers a hidden musical ability that bears a mysterious significance to the final five Cylons, and her tune is found to have a connection with three-year-old human-Cylon hybrid [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. The president authorizes [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]'s release from the Brig so she can stand trial for treason on the Cylon Base Ship.''<ref>http://www.locatetv.com/tv/battlestar-galactica/season-4/6118356</ref>

== Summary ==

=== Teaser ===

=== Act 1 ===

=== Act 2 ===

=== Act 3 ===

=== Act 4 ===

== Notes ==
* [[Lee Adama]] only appears in a scene or two.
* [[Gaius Baltar]] does not appear in this episode.
* Someone To Watch Over Me is the name of a song composed by George and Ira Gershwin, and featured in the musical Oh, Kay! A major theme of the song is the need to find love and acceptance.
** There was also an episode of [[w:Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek: Voyager]] named for the song, in which it is performed at the end by The Doctor.
* Weeks have passed since the end of [[Gaeta's Mutiny|the mutiny]], as evidenced by [[Cottle]]'s comment about how long Anders' EKG readings have remained steady.
* After her apparent death in "[[Maelstrom]]", Kara's personal belongings were auctioned off. Helo has managed to get them all back for her. However, the only thing Kara is interested in is her father's music tape.

== Analysis ==
* The Cylons seem to have officially joined the Fleet as they now have the representation they wanted on the new Quorum in the form of a Six named Sonja. It is also confirmed that Cylon and Colonial pilots are performing joint [[CAP]]s.
** This is most clearly seen when Athena staggers into the briefing room and Starbuck orders one of the Six's to go get the medics, the Six unhesitantly resonds "Yes, Sir".
* It has been unclear whether Karl Agathon is still the [[Commander Air Group]] (CAG) of Galactica or Kara Thrace officially takes over the CAG as Agathon used to join important staff meetings with Adama & Tigh in previous episodes. However, this episode clearly shows that Thrace is now serving as the CAG of Galactica.
* Ellen's escape from Cavil seems to have been orchestrated between him and Boomer in order to get Boomer on ''Galactica'' so she could kidnap Hera.
* It would appear that while Cavil was willing to let Ellen go in order to obtain Hera, members of the [[Final Five]] are still of some value to him, as evidenced by Boomer's offer for Tyrol to go with her.
* The Final Five have the same [[Projection|projection]] ability as the Cylons they created. Cylons can share projections with each other.
* Projections can include not just imaginary environments but also imaginary people, such as Boomer and Tyrol's "daughter" Dionne.
* ''Galactica'' is in very bad shape from the metal fatigue in the hull. It's so bad that Tyrol says that all the [[Cylon organic resin]] could do is buy a little more time, but not too much from the looks of it. The ship is dying of old age and there's nothing anyone can do save it completely. The damage Boomer created during her escape has no doubt worsened the ship's condition.
* Adama has still not forgiven Boomer for shooting him.
* Boomer has gone from being a conflicted sleeper agent to being a willing infiltrator and saboteur on ''Galactica''.
* Boomer seduces [[Helo]] by pretending to be [[Sharon Agathon|Athena]]. This is ironic seeing how on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Athena seduced Helo by pretending to be Boomer.
* Boomer's seduction of Helo - in the presence of Athena - may have been motivated by a desire to exact revenge on Athena for having effectively taken over her old life on ''Galactica.''
* The Final Five, [[Hera Agathon]], and [[Kara Thrace]] are all somehow connected to each other by [[The Music]]. Also possibly connected via the song is Kara's [[Dreilide Thrace|mysterious father]].
* The mysterious piano player is Kara's father, which can be concluded by his sudden disappearance and by the flashbacks with both Kara and her father playing the piano when she was little. These flashbacks mirror the exact same movements done by Captain Thrace and the piano player.<ref>http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1598</ref>
* Some of the music played by the mysterious piano player, is from the original series. [[Numian's 3rd Sonata]], Second Movement, is infact from the opening dialogue of the classic series ("There are those who believe that life here, began out there..."). This is not the first time music from the original series has shown up (i.e. the colonial anthem), and lends to the idea that 'everything has happened before, and will happen again'.

== Questions ==
* Is Boomer taking Hera to Cavil, and if so, is she of value to him in and of herself or will he ransom her for the Final Five to rebuild [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection]]? Or is Boomer working alone or for a third party? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* Is the Eight switched with Boomer by Tyrol dead, or merely injured?
** Probably merely injured. It is doubtful Tyrol would have gone so far as to actually kill another Eight to save Boomer. Furthermore, if the Eight had been dead, Tyrol's trickery would have been discovered more quickly.
* What is Roslin's physical status?
* What connection is there between Roslin's collapse and Hera's kidnapping?
* If Tyrol had gone with Boomer, would Cavil have opened his brain as he threatened to do with Ellen?
* Did Boomer sleep with Helo merely to maintain her pretense, because she was attracted to him, or to intentionally hurt Athena? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* What is the source of the "Slick" image Starbuck has been seeing? Is he a variation of Kara's Inner Leoben from "[[Maelstrom]]"?
* How did Starbuck and Hera arrive at a piano version of the same [[The Music|melody]] originally played by Anders on a guitar on [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]?
* Could Starbuck's father have been Daniel, the "artistic" [[Number Seven]] model?
* Could Starbuck be a reincarnation of the woman that Anders played the song for on Earth?
* Will Eight's idea of plugging Anders into the [[datastream]] lead anywhere?
* Will Tyrol's involvement in Boomer's escape be figured out? Will he confess?
* If Tyrol's treachery does come to light, how will others react?
* Do all the ships in the Fleet - regardless of their relative crew and passenger size - get to send representatives to the new Quorum? (This is similar to the situation the Framers of the United States Constitution faced when trying to decide if state representation in Congress should be based on individual state population or restricted to the same number of representatives per state).
* Did Boomer intentionally jump so close to ''Galactica'' in order to further damage the already weakened ship? Is this a prelude to an attack on the Fleet by Cavil's forces?
* Is the ''Galactica'' herself in fact the "dying leader" mentioned in the prophecy from the [[Sacred Scrolls]]?

== Official Statements ==
*Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune interviews David Weddle and Bradley Thompson<ref>http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/02/battlestar-galactica-starbuck-boomer-someone-to-watch-over-me-.html</ref>:
**Boomer had a sick desire to strike out at Athena.
**Boomer's escape with Ellen was staged so that she could kidnap Hera. She intended to just use the Chief, but their interactions did awaken feelings she thought were dead.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[S. Cottle]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Roark Critchlow]] as Piano Player

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

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

Someone to Watch Over Me

2009-03-01T01:59:20Z

Iblis Will Return: Info on the music of the piano player

{{Episode Data
| image=SomeoneWatchingOverMe.jpg
| title= Someone To Watch Over Me
| season= 4
| episode=17
| guests=
| writer=
| story=
| director=
| production=419
| rating=
| US airdate=February 27, 2009 <ref>http://tv.ign.com/articles/920/920164p1.html</ref>
| CAN airdate=February 27, 2009
| UK airdate=March 3, 2009
| dvd=
| population=39556
| oldpopulation=39556
| prev=[[Deadlock]]
| next=[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]
}}

== Overview ==
''[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] discovers a hidden musical ability that bears a mysterious significance to the final five Cylons, and her tune is found to have a connection with three-year-old human-Cylon hybrid [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]. The president authorizes [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]'s release from the Brig so she can stand trial for treason on the Cylon Base Ship.''<ref>http://www.locatetv.com/tv/battlestar-galactica/season-4/6118356</ref>

== Summary ==

=== Teaser ===

=== Act 1 ===

=== Act 2 ===

=== Act 3 ===

=== Act 4 ===

== Notes ==
* [[Lee Adama]] only appears in a scene or two.
* [[Gaius Baltar]] does not appear in this episode.
* Someone To Watch Over Me is the name of a song composed by George and Ira Gershwin, and featured in the musical Oh, Kay! A major theme of the song is the need to find love and acceptance.
** There was also an episode of [[w:Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek: Voyager]] named for the song, in which it is performed at the end by The Doctor.
* Weeks have passed since the end of [[Gaeta's Mutiny|the mutiny]], as evidenced by [[Cottle]]'s comment about how long Anders' EKG readings have remained steady.
* After her apparent death in "[[Maelstrom]]", Kara's personal belongings were auctioned off. Helo has managed to get them all back for her. However, the only thing Kara is interested in is her father's music tape.

== Analysis ==
* The Cylons seem to have officially joined the Fleet as they now have the representation they wanted on the new Quorum in the form of a Six named Sonja. It is also confirmed that Cylon and Colonial pilots are performing joint [[CAP]]s.
** This is most clearly seen when Athena staggers into the briefing room and Starbuck orders one of the Six's to go get the medics, the Six unhesitantly resonds "Yes, Sir".
* It has been unclear whether Karl Agathon is still the [[Commander Air Group]] (CAG) of Galactica or Kara Thrace officially takes over the CAG as Agathon used to join important staff meetings with Adama & Tigh in previous episodes. However, this episode clearly shows that Thrace is now serving as the CAG of Galactica.
* Ellen's escape from Cavil seems to have been orchestrated between him and Boomer in order to get Boomer on ''Galactica'' so she could kidnap Hera.
* It would appear that while Cavil was willing to let Ellen go in order to obtain Hera, members of the [[Final Five]] are still of some value to him, as evidenced by Boomer's offer for Tyrol to go with her.
* The Final Five have the same [[Projection|projection]] ability as the Cylons they created. Cylons can share projections with each other.
* Projections can include not just imaginary environments but also imaginary people, such as Boomer and Tyrol's "daughter" Dionne.
* ''Galactica'' is in very bad shape from the metal fatigue in the hull. It's so bad that Tyrol says that all the [[Cylon organic resin]] could do is buy a little more time, but not too much from the looks of it. The ship is dying of old age and there's nothing anyone can do save it completely. The damage Boomer created during her escape has no doubt worsened the ship's condition.
* Adama has still not forgiven Boomer for shooting him.
* Boomer has gone from being a conflicted sleeper agent to being a willing infiltrator and saboteur on ''Galactica''.
* Boomer seduces [[Helo]] by pretending to be [[Sharon Agathon|Athena]]. This is ironic seeing how on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Athena seduced Helo by pretending to be Boomer.
* Boomer's seduction of Helo - in the presence of Athena - may have been motivated by a desire to exact revenge on Athena for having effectively taken over her old life on ''Galactica.''
* The Final Five, [[Hera Agathon]], and [[Kara Thrace]] are all somehow connected to each other by [[The Music]]. Also possibly connected via the song is Kara's [[Dreilide Thrace|mysterious father]].
* The mysterious piano player is Kara's father, which can be concluded by his sudden disappearance and by the flashbacks with both Kara and her father playing the piano when she was little. These flashbacks mirror the exact same movements done by Captain Thrace and the piano player.<ref>http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1598</ref>
* Some of the music played by the mysterious piano player, is from the original series. Nomian's 3rd Sonata, Second Movement, is infact from the opening dialogue of the classic series. This is not the first time music from the original series has shown up (i.e. the colonial anthem), and lends to the idea that 'everything has happened before, and will happen again'.

== Questions ==
* Is Boomer taking Hera to Cavil, and if so, is she of value to him in and of herself or will he ransom her for the Final Five to rebuild [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection]]? Or is Boomer working alone or for a third party? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* Is the Eight switched with Boomer by Tyrol dead, or merely injured?
** Probably merely injured. It is doubtful Tyrol would have gone so far as to actually kill another Eight to save Boomer. Furthermore, if the Eight had been dead, Tyrol's trickery would have been discovered more quickly.
* What is Roslin's physical status?
* What connection is there between Roslin's collapse and Hera's kidnapping?
* If Tyrol had gone with Boomer, would Cavil have opened his brain as he threatened to do with Ellen?
* Did Boomer sleep with Helo merely to maintain her pretense, because she was attracted to him, or to intentionally hurt Athena? ([[Someone to Watch Over Me#Official Statements|Answer]])
* What is the source of the "Slick" image Starbuck has been seeing? Is he a variation of Kara's Inner Leoben from "[[Maelstrom]]"?
* How did Starbuck and Hera arrive at a piano version of the same [[The Music|melody]] originally played by Anders on a guitar on [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]?
* Could Starbuck's father have been Daniel, the "artistic" [[Number Seven]] model?
* Could Starbuck be a reincarnation of the woman that Anders played the song for on Earth?
* Will Eight's idea of plugging Anders into the [[datastream]] lead anywhere?
* Will Tyrol's involvement in Boomer's escape be figured out? Will he confess?
* If Tyrol's treachery does come to light, how will others react?
* Do all the ships in the Fleet - regardless of their relative crew and passenger size - get to send representatives to the new Quorum? (This is similar to the situation the Framers of the United States Constitution faced when trying to decide if state representation in Congress should be based on individual state population or restricted to the same number of representatives per state).
* Did Boomer intentionally jump so close to ''Galactica'' in order to further damage the already weakened ship? Is this a prelude to an attack on the Fleet by Cavil's forces?
* Is the ''Galactica'' herself in fact the "dying leader" mentioned in the prophecy from the [[Sacred Scrolls]]?

== Official Statements ==
*Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune interviews David Weddle and Bradley Thompson<ref>http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/02/battlestar-galactica-starbuck-boomer-someone-to-watch-over-me-.html</ref>:
**Boomer had a sick desire to strike out at Athena.
**Boomer's escape with Ellen was staged so that she could kidnap Hera. She intended to just use the Chief, but their interactions did awaken feelings she thought were dead.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[S. Cottle]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Roark Critchlow]] as Piano Player

== References ==
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{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}