Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

Talk:Season 1/Archive 1

2009-05-05T02:09:35Z

MacFan1984: /* Redundant Disambiguation Page */

===Redundant Disambiguation Page===

Considering that the re-imagined series is the only series to have more than one season, isn't having a disambiguation page redundant? Season 1 of the original series and of Galactica 1980 were the ''only'' seasons of those shows. Typing "Season 1" should direct to the RDM Season 1 page. [[User:Axeman|Axeman]] 22:37, 14 December 2008 (UTC)
: AS we have multiple "Season 1" pages for each series, "[[Season 1 (1978-79)]]", "[[Season 1 (1980)]]", [[Season 1 (2004-05)]] (for the re-imagined series) and a future "Season 1" page for Caprica in the wings, your proposal would not work. -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]] - [[bsp:|Battlestar Pegasus]]</sup> 00:12, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
::Then those articles should be renamed as the RDM series is the only one with more than one season. The first two series had only one season each, making the name ''Season 1'' redundant, and Caprica has not aired one season yet, much less two. [[User:Axeman|Axeman]] 01:10, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
:::You're right. Even the DVDs of the Original Series don't call it Season 1 (it would be ridiculous to call the ''only'' season Season 1). They're called "The Complete Epic Series" http://www.amazon.com/Battlestar-Galactica-Complete-Lorne-Greene/dp/B00018LTDI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1241489382&sr=1-10 [[User:MacFan1984|MacFan1984]] 02:09, 5 May 2009 (UTC)

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2009-05-04T23:54:58Z

MacFan1984: /* Other Languages */

:''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 some language that is universally translated into it (à la [[Wikipedia:Westron|Tolkien]]) is standard. Loanwords from foreign 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.

===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.
<div style="clear:both;"></div>
*In the TV Movie [[Caprica (series)|Caprica]] the native language of the Taurons is shown to be Ancient Greek.

[[Image:LDYBSchool.jpg|thumb|left|150px|French visible in blue left of [[Maya]]'s head.]]

==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]]).

===Aerilon 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.

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}}

Talk:The Twelve Colonies of Kobol/Archive3

2009-04-24T21:30:52Z

MacFan1984: /* Libris = Libran? */

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== Merge proposal ==

This article, and the articles for each of the Twelve Colonies, are all very short, and I don't see any of them expanding substantially in the near future. I think it would make for a nice looking, meaty article if we merged in each of the individual colony articles with this one under first-level headings. How say you all? --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 04:50, 31 August 2005 (EDT)

I know this looks weird and kind of dumb. I'm still fiddling. It's easy to revert if the whole thing ends up being too hideous to bear. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 22:17, 13 September 2005 (EDT)

[[image:Banner_unknown1.gif|left|75px]][[image:Banner_unknown2.gif|right|75px]]
: I like the idea and whats up now. If we knew more about each colony, it would look nicer, but until then I think this is fine. Now... What to do with these other two banners? Now, the two colonies without banners are Leo and Aquarius, the lion and the water-bearer. Both of these symbols could be a water-bearer, I guess, but I think the black and white one looks like he has whisters, there and that shape at the top looks more ear-like. That would leave the blue and red one to be the water bearer, which I think makes sense enough. Think we could drop those in with a note as to their speculative nature, or best not to? --[[User:Day|Day]] 01:27, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

::I'm leaving this one up to [[User:QuintusCinna|QuintusCinna]], our resident flag-hunter. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 01:32, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:The two colonies without banners is Aquarius and whatever the colonial name is for Libra. I saw in the mini-series they mentioned a colony called "ICON" alongside of "PICON" so I'm a little weirded out. As for Leonis, that flag has been found. I did a picture search in google for the zodiac's constellation and found the flag's symbol looked exactly like what I have designated. I can't remember, but I believe the constellation for Libra looked quite similar to the black one. Since we don't yet know as of yet what is the name for the Libra colony, I have left it blank. [[User:QuintusCinna|QuintusCinna]] 01:46, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:At least we know it isn't Ophiuchi or something. Roslin identifies Libra in the Tomb of Athena map room, although she doesn't give its modern name. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 02:59, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

Realizing that it's still being worked on, it looks awful right now. You can't tell which banner goes to which colony, for one thing. --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 08:30, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

Personally, I don't really like the combination of all 12 colonies together either since there is no set border and down the road we will have pictures relating to each colony. This will make it slower to download. --[[User:QuintusCinna|QuintusCinna]] 12:11, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:The problem, in my opinion, is that there's little to do at the main article other than simply list the colonies, and the majority of the individual colonies are stub-like in length. As for images, Caprica is the only planet we've seen thus far and probably the only one we're likely to see (unless we get Scorpion in a flashback in Pegasus or something). One thing we can do, if it becomes necessary, is link to full-length articles from just underneath the first-level headings.

:As for the banners, I agree that they could be confusing but I rather like them right now. Do either of you think it coudl be re-arranged in a better manner (maybe if they didn't alternate sides? But then there'd be a lot more wasted space)? Or is it a lost cause in your opinions? --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 12:20, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

::Yeah, you could try putting all the banners on the right. See how it looks. --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 14:11, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:::There, that's what they look like right-aligned. Frankly, I think they look better alternating. I don't find it confusing, and the wasted space bugs me. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 14:36, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

::::Hate to say it, but I don't like it at all. The banners overlap with the previous colony's "box", there are no clear markers indicating where one section begins and another ends, it just looks bad. (Part of the problem is that we don't have much information about many of the colonies at this point.) --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 15:07, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

::::It'd be better if we could insert a line across the <i>entire</i> page, and have the colony name <i>under</i> that line, along with the banner on the right. Then each colony would have a neat, easily readable section. I don't know if Wiki markup is capable of that though. --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 15:10, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:::::I still think it's a better option than thirteen articles that are completely insubstantial on their own. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 15:11, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

I added captions to some of the banners, and in the process deleted some of the <nowiki><div></nowiki> markup. Wikipedia recommends against using HTML ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Image_markup_with_HTML]), and I've been trying to learn from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Extended_image_syntax Extended image syntax] page. I can't figure out why a new section like <nowiki>==Caprica==</nowiki> doesn't appear on the same level as its banner. --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 16:09, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

:Ah ha! The wonders of '''<nowiki><br style="clear:both;"></nowiki>'''! What do you guys think of the formatting now? --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 16:28, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

::My HTML/CSS was not used lightly. That's really the one way to get the banners at the section heading level as I did. Frankly this seems like a more cumbersome version of my right-aligned attempt. I really dislike the caption boxes, too.
::I have a new idea: Rather than use the (rather long) banners, we can grab the icons from each, along with the background colors, and use them. I've created nine high-resolution versions from QuintusCinna's originals, which you can link to below:
::[http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/aerelon.png Aerelon], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/canceron.png Canceron], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/caprica.png Caprica], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/gemenon.png Gemenon], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/picon.png Picon], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/sagittaron.png Sagittaron], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/scorpion.png Scorpion], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/tauron.png Tauron], [http://home.comcast.net/~suluger/virgon.png Virgon]
::These could be scaled down to almost any size and still look nice. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 16:35, 14 September 2005 (EDT)
:::Without caption boxes, it's not clear what the banners are. I know it seems self-explanatory to us, but for someone who's never seen them before, it's not. I'll take a look at the icons in a bit. --[[User:Fang Aili|Fang Aili]] 17:03, 14 September 2005 (EDT)
::::I find repeating "This is the Banner of X" to be tedious, and the red background to be jarring. Couldn't we simply note that the banner/icon/flag/colors of the colony is provided to the right? --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 17:06, 14 September 2005 (EDT)
:::Peter. You've saved us all. As I said earlier, I liked it when the banner appeared to be hanging from the red line under its colony's name. I share Peter's dislike for tons of white space and alternating the sides seemed to create the least of that. However, if we just had the emblem and colors from each flag, we could do it below the red line as Fang seems to like, and not have this huge, long graphic. Maybe we can then link the full banner pics and, if we get enough information that a given colony's article wouldn't be a stub, we can display it there. Does all that make sense? --[[User:Day|Day]] 17:11, 14 September 2005 (EDT)
:::::I like it with banners to right, with titling, albeit a little redundant. Not sure how to deal with the "white space" of many areas, but we're really not going to get them filled until we get more data, so that is that. I feel it's informative enough as it stands, but I'll leave the formatting arguments alone. [[User:Spencerian|Spencerian]] 19:52, 14 September 2005 (EDT)

== Which flag is which? ==

A close viewing of [[Colonial Day]] indicates that the flag currently labeled as [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Tauron|Tauron]] belongs to Safiya Sanne's seat - either Picon or Leonis; and that the black flag belongs to Robin Wenutu's seat (Canceron), and that VIrgon's flag is a white field with a green inner stripe and yellow outer stripe. I'm curious as to how QuintusCinna came to his conclusion that the delegates aren't seated at their apprporiate flags, since I don't know any other evidence linking particular flags to colonies. I guess Scorpion is pretty obvious, though. --[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 17:34, 14 September 2005 (EDT)
:Don't trust the banners lining up with those they represent in [[Colonial Day]]. The reason I say this is that [[Tom Zarek]] is in one area of the room and his very obvious banner for Sagitarron is completely in another area. This is the same for Virgon's banner and their representative. There are 3 different questions I carry thanks to the shows I have watched. In the mini-series we see the banners are in this order from left to right: [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Virgon|Virgon]], [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Picon|Picon]], [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]], [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Aerelon|Aerelon]], [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], Scorpion, Aquaria(?), [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Tauron|Tauron]], Libra (?), [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]], [[Canceron]] (?), [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Leonis|Leonis]]. Is this in the order that the colonies signed the unification treaty or is the order for the flags random or is it in the order they were nuked? Though I am sure the producers, directors, and such just put them up in random order, it is now a sense of fact for the show. If we were to believe they were placed up there, the banners must be up there in some order that is according to military protocol for flag bearing. In Colonial Day I add 2 more questions. We see that the banners are behind the delegates in a different order than in the mini-series. This means they were either a) put up randomly or b) have a separate purpose than those shown at the end of the mini-series (nuked, treaty order, or other). Then we see that the delegates are put in a different order than the banners behind them. The Gemenon delegate is clearly seen toward the middle and the Gemenon flag is clearly in a different area. The same questions come up for the delegates: are they randomly placed or is there reason. It's not alphabetical, and placements of delegates and banners in every society is always in some sort of traditional order. I hope that the Battlestar Galactica producers, writers, and such will be able to answer this though I suspect they won't because they have REAL lives. As for the Picon flag, the constellation looks quite similar to the picon banner and the same goes for Tauron's with Taurus. I have no doubt with those. The Libra's icon can be seen in this picture [http://www.gaitedhorses.net/Articles/HorseAstrology/AstrologySymbol.gif] 2 clockwise from Sagittarius. --[[User:QuintusCinna|QuintusCinna]] 1:12, 15 September 2005 (EDT)

== Libris = Libran? ==

Guys, gals, and bots, got this e-mail from one of our keen-eyed visitors:

: In episode 403 ?The Ties That Bind?, the Libran colony?s name is revealed in the scene with Lee Adama and Tom Zarek in the Quorum of the Twelve chambers at 18 minutes 40-43 seconds.

: Lee places the classified file that Zarek has given him on top of the Libran delegate?s nameplate immediately to his right. However, one can clearly see the symbol for Libran at the far right of the nameplate and the letters ?BRAN? with the ?B? partially obscured. There is no other colony that ends in this combination of letters. I?d argue that the symbol is definitive.

: Additionally, in David Bassom?s The Official Companion Season One, the colony is also called ?Libran? on page 86.

: It would be great if you could confirm this for yourselves and add, at the very least, a note drawing fans attention to this nameplate.

If anyone can just confirm this information, let's implement the change. Thanks! -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]] - [[bsp:|Battlestar Pegasus]]</sup> 18:59, 11 July 2008 (UTC)

The article says that Libran is the colony name because of a ship being registered to that colony. The article cites SciFi.com as the source. "The Space Park, a passenger liner in the Fleet, is of Libran registry (SciFi.com). "
--[[User:Jonathan|Jonathan]] 19:35, 11 July 2008 (UTC)
:The meaning there is that "Libran" is the adjectival form of "Libris". Like Caprica -> Caprican. But given the visual evidence now, we can change the colony name. Appears to be pretty definite. -- [[User:Serenity|Serenity]] 19:39, 11 July 2008 (UTC)

:It looks to me more like the props department made a mistake, putting the adjective rather than the nounal form on the nameplate. It would seem odd that the adjective and nounal forms could be the same word. Also, the Battlestar Galactica Official Magazine called the planet "Libris." I don't think that the "official" magazine would make such a blatant error.

== Current activity in the Colonies ==

I recall the Cylons mentioning that they abandoned the 12 colonies in guilt, but there is little chance I'll ever get the exact source episode where I heard this. Two things: first, does this ring a bell for anyone? and second, if my memory was correct, isn't this worth mentioning somewhere in this article? [[User:Blue Rook|Blue Rook]] 07:06, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

== Population ==

The article currently accepts 20 billion as the population of the Twelve Colonies at the time of the attacks based on Tigh's statement in the "Resistance" webisodes. However, in the recent episode "A Disquiet Folllows My Soul" Gaeta and Kara talk about there being 50 billion people. How do we reconcile these two numbers in the article and, most importantly, which one do we canonise for use in the article? --[[User:Mars|Mars]] 02:38, 4 February 2009 (UTC)

== Aquaria = Aquarion! ==

[[Image:Itscalledaquarion.PNG|right|thumb|200px|Aquarion.]]
Who changed Aquarion back to ''Aquaria''? The name ''Aquaria'' is a Mary McDonnell mispronunciation (much in the same vein as Leoben ''Conroy''). I have clear visual evidence from the props used on the series (sold on the Propworx Ebay auction), that the colony's name is written as '''Aquarion''' and not Aquaria.

To the right are at least three props (that I know of) from the series that were sold on Ebay, that demostrate the colony's name: The Quorum delegate name plate and an identity pass from [[Colonial Day]], and the Quorum name plate from the [[Season 4 (2008-09)|Season Four]] [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] [[User:Runic code|Runic code]] 15:51, 13 March 2009 (UTC)

The Twelve Colonies of Kobol

2009-04-24T21:26:50Z

MacFan1984: /* Tauron */

:''This article discusses the Twelve Colonies of the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]]. See [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]] for information on the Colonies of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]].''

[[Image:Home pt1-Kobol.jpg|left|thumb|[[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]], the ancient homeworld of humanity.]]
[[Image:Capricacitydaybreak1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Caprica City]].]]

Approximately 2,000 years prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], the last twelve tribes of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] leave their planet<ref>According to dialogue from "[[Torn]]", "[[A Measure of Salvation]]" and "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]] left Kobol some 2,000 years ''before'' the twelve tribes. The Scroll of [[Pythia]] is dated as written 3,600 years before the last exodus of Kobol, and chronicles the Thirteenth Tribe's exodus.</ref> over conflicts with their [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies#The Lords of Kobol|gods]], as well as a "sort of calamity" <ref>As noted by [[Billy Keikeya]] in "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]".</ref>.

The tribes settle on twelve worlds some distance away ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]). The tribes' namesakes and icons originally corresponded to the twelve signs of the ancient tribes, although these [[wikipedia:Zodiac|names]] drifted over time<ref>Flag matches with Colonies from "Encyclopedia Galactica." [[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine]]. Feb./Mar. 2006: 50-55.</ref> ([[Home, Part II]]).
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The early Colonies lived (and fought) more as sovereign nations. Some (particularly Caprica) prospered, while others (such as Sagittaron and Aerelon) were often considered lessers. For peacetime labor forces as well as for wars between each other, humanity created the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]. When these [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005|early models]] rebelled, the Colonies unified their governments under the [[Articles of Colonization]] sometime before or during the [[Cylon War]] as a federal republic known as the '''Twelve Colonies of Kobol'''<ref>Note the difference between the name of the Original Series' counterpart, known as the [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)|the Twelve Colonies of ''Man'']].</ref>.

The official symbol of the Twelve Colonies is the [[Colonial seal]].

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

==Star System==

The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are located in the star system Cyrannus.<ref>''Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine''; "Encyclopedia Galactica"; issue #3; page 51</ref>

Caprica, Scorpia ([[Razor]]), and Tauron (Razor) have been shown as actual planets. Caprica's surface (mostly its cities and wooded areas) have been seen, and only a glimpse of Tauron's surface has been shown ([[Razor]]). No other descriptions are available of the other colonies in terms of their celestial type: Minor planet, moon, or major planet. However, in the [[Miniseries]], [[Elosha]] states that the tribes settled onto "12 worlds." While the use of "worlds" is ambiguous, the Colonies are noted as independent, habitable celestial bodies. In the [[Miniseries]], [[William Adama|Adama]] reports that nuclear detonations were reported on the planets Aerilon, Picon, Sagittarion and Gemenon, saying that at least those four Coloinies were planets.

Although Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] and President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] mention leaving the [[Wikipedia:Planetary system|star system]], the series itself is ambiguous as to whether all colonies are located in one star system. However, Caprica, Virgon, and [[Ragnar]] (based on tactical data related by Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]])<ref>As the Cylon attack begins, Commander Adama orders Gaeta to plot all space traffic "in the system, friendly or otherwise", in the [[Miniseries, Night 1|Miniseries]].</ref> are ([[Miniseries]]). In a [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/#a000016 blog entry] Ronald D. Moore states that all planets are situated within one system, in keeping with the Original Series.

The Twelve Colonies had approximately 20 billion inhabitants prior to the Cylon attack ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]])<ref>An early draft Miniseries script notes a census count of 12 billion individuals. However, the aired information of Saul Tigh's approximation in ''The Resistance'' should be taken as the correct value.</ref> and maintained some minor observatories and listening posts in outlying star systems.<ref>[http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/index.html#a000016 Sourced from a January 30, 2005] blog entry by [[Ronald D. Moore]] on Sci-Fi.com.</ref> Economic activity, such as [[tylium]] mining also occurred outside of the immediate vicinity around the Colonies ([[Hero]]).

The fate of the star system of the Twelve Colonies is unknown even 150,000 years after the Cylon attack.

==Aerilon==

{{mainarticle|Aerilon}}

[[Image:ColonialColors7.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Aerilon]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Aries (constellation)|Aries]]

Aerilon was primarily an agricultural world. It was considered to be the "food basket" of the Twelve Colonies. Despite this, Aerilon was ranked as one of the poorest members of the Colonies.

[[Gaius Baltar]] is a native of Aerilon, although he adopted the culture and mannerisms of Caprica, presumably to increase his standing in society ([[Dirty Hands]]).

=== Natives ===

* [[Sherry Bennett]]
* [[Sekou Hamilton]]
* [[Saul Tigh]] (alleged, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
* [[Socinus]]

=== Notes ===

* The spelling of this colony is sometimes inconsistent in the Re-imagined Series' official cast and crew notes and episode content. The colony is spelled "Aerilon" in the episodes "[[Home, Part I]]" and "[[The Son Also Rises]]" in official Colonial documentation. Battlestar Wiki chooses to use the more consistently used spelling of "Aerilon" which mainly appears on both props (such as the nameplates for the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]]) and behind the scenes publications.
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==Aquarion==
[[Image:ColonialColors12.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Aquarion]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]]

Aquarion's [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] delegate, [[Miksa Burian]], votes for [[Tom Zarek]] in the vice-presidential elections ([[Colonial Day]]).
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==Canceron==
[[Image:ColonialColors9.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Canceron]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Cancer (constellation)|Cancer]]
[[Image:Robin Wenutu.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Wenutu on ''[[Cloud 9]]''.]]
[[Robin Wenutu]] is the Canceron delegate to the first [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]].

No other information has been given in the Re-imagined Series about this colony.

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==Caprica==
{{mainarticle|Caprica (RDM)}}
[[Image:ColonialColors3.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Caprica]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[w:Capricornus|Capricorn]]

Caprica is a large blue-green planet and was the the center of Colonial civilization. According to [[Gaius Baltar]], Caprica was the seat of politics, culture, art, science, and learning. It was also one of the wealthier colonies ([[Dirty Hands]]).

Big cities on the planet were [[Caprica City]] and [[Delphi]].

6,250 people from Caprica join the [[Laura Roslin faction]] ([[Home, Part I]]). The overall Caprican survivor population, possibly significantly greater, is unknown (see analysis [[The Fleet (RDM)#Demographics|here]]).

===Notes===
*All events of Colonial life prior, during or after the Cylon attack (particularly in seasons 1 and 2) outside of the rag-tag [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] was set on Caprica. No other colony's surface (save a [[Lest We Forget|photo from Aerelon]]) has been shown to viewers.
*Until the episode "[[Razor]]", where Scorpia and Tauron are shown from orbit, Caprica has been the only Colonial planet actually shown in the Re-imagined Series.

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==Gemenon==
[[Image:ColonialColors5.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Gemenon]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]]
[[Image:Venner.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Marines|Marine]] Corporal [[Venner]], a native of Gemenon.]]
Gemenon natives are called Gemenese ([[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]). They are known for their literal interpretations of the [[Sacred Scrolls]] ([[Fragged]]). Most of the population of Gemenon was apparently very strongly opposed to the federal laws legalizing abortion. ([[The Captain's Hand]]).

Gemenon was home to the Kobol Colleges. [[Aaron Doral]] claims to have studied public relations there. One of the last ever professional [[Pyramid (RDM)|Pyramid]] games was held on Gemenon just prior to the [[Cylon attack]] on the Colonies ([[Miniseries]]).

Gemenon was one of the poorer colonies ([[Dirty Hands]]).

Approximately 9,500 Gemenese join the [[Laura Roslin faction]], perhaps persuaded by [[Roslin]]'s play of the "religious card" ([[Home, Part I]]). Even if this is the great majority of the Fleet's Gemenese population, it still means that Gemenon represents significantly more than a twelfth of the remains of humanity. It is maybe for this reason, or Gemenese influence over religious elements of the Fleet that Roslin's election campaign gives concern to the "Gemenese religious vote".

Fifty-eight years before the fall of the Twelve Colonies three Caprican teenagers, [[Zoe Graystone]], [[Ben Stark]] and [[Lacy Rand]] who were part of a monotheistic religious cult attempt to run away from home to Gemenon. ([[Caprica pilot]])

Gemenon has either an old or disused language or dialect specific to their colony known as "Old Gemenese." [[Gina Inviere]]'s last name means "resurrection" in that language.<ref>See [[Language in the Twelve Colonies]] for more.</ref>

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===Natives===
*[[Adrien Bauer]]
*[[Jurgen Belzen]] and family
*[[Gina Inviere]] (alleged, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*[[Rya Kibby]]
*[[Sarah Porter]], former delegate to the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]]
*[[Galen Tyrol]] (alleged, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
*Corporal [[Venner]]

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==Leonis==
[[Image:ColonialColors8.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Leonis]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Leo (constellation)|Leo]]

[[Safiya Sanne]] is identified as both Leonis's and [[#Picon|Picon]]'s representative on the first [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]].

[[Leonis Estates Sparkling Wine]] was a type of alcohol produced on this colony.

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==Libran==
[[Image:ColonialColors11.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Libran]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Libra (constellation)|Libra]]

Practically no information exists about this colony. Its name comes from a partially visible name plate on ''Colonial One'' that also shows the colony's symbol ("[[The Ties That Bind]]", time index 18:40).

In the season 4 episode "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]", a much clearer view of the name plate can be seen as the camera view pans around the Quorum table during Vice President Zarek's speech.

After the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], [[Oswin Eriku]] is chosen to be this colony's representative to the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]].

''[[Zephyr]]'', a passenger liner in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]], is of Libran registry (SciFi.com).

: ''Note: According to issue 3 of the now-defunct ''[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine]]'', the colony's name is "Libris", which is incorrect.''

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==Picon==
[[Image:ColonialColors2.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Picon]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]]
[[Image:Playa Palacios.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Playa Palacios]], a native of Picon.]]
Picon was the location for the [[Picon Fleet Headquarters|Colonial Fleet Headquarters]] ([[Miniseries]]). A [[Hero|flashback view]] of Admiral [[Peter Corman]]'s office, probably located at Fleet Headquarters, is among one of the rare visual glimpses of life on another colony outside of Caprica.

The colony came under heavy attack during the early stages of the Cylon attack. President [[Richard Adar]] offered a complete and unconditional surrender to the Cylons after Fleet Headquarters is destroyed; this overture was ignored ([[Miniseries]]).

[[Ellen Tigh]] claims to have been at the airport on Picon, "on her way home" when the attack started, and that some [[Number One|"unknown savior"]] ensured she was put on the last ship to get off the planet ([[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]], [[No Exit]]).

Picon is also the home of [[Picon Laboratories]], themselves located in Pailyn, Muritolan.

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===Natives===

* [[Samuel Anders]] (alleged, actually a [[humanoid Cylon]])
* [[Asha Janik]], Cylon sympathizer, member of the [[Demand Peace]] movement ([[Epiphanies]]).
* The siblings, nephews and nieces of [[Billy Keikeya]] ([[Miniseries]]).
* [[Playa Palacios]], veteran columnist from the ''Picon Star Tribune''. <ref>She is presumed to be a resident.</ref>
* [[Safiya Sanne]], former Picon representative to the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]]. <ref>There is some confusion on the matter, see [[Safiya Sanne|his article]].</ref>

===Publications===
*''[[Picon Star Tribune]]''

===Pyramid Team===
* [[Picon Panthers]] ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]])

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==Sagittaron==

{{mainarticle|Sagittaron}}

[[Image:ColonialColors10.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Sagittaron]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Sagittarius (constellation)|Sagittarius]]

Sagittaron<ref>The colony's name, Sagittaron, was originally spelled as "Sagittar'''i'''on" in the [[Miniseries]], but this changed to "Sagittaron" when the regular series began.</ref> endured centuries of exploitation at the hands of the other Colonies, leading to the colony becoming one of the poorest planets. Eventually, [[Tom Zarek]] led an organized series of terrorist acts against the established government there, many years before the fall of the Colonies ([[Bastille Day]]).

The Sagittarons are traditionalists who practice an different form of religion from the other Colonies. They believe in herbal medicine and have a general distrust of the military ([[The Woman King]]).

===Natives===

* [[Anastasia Dualla]], stated often that she was from Sagittaron ([[33]]), ([[Bastille Day]]), ([[The Woman King]]).
* [[Jacob Cantrell]], was the season 4 delegate from Sagittaron
* [[Portia King]], was from Sagittaron and requested help for her son ([[The Woman King]])
* [[Willie King]], was from Sagittaron and killed by Dr. Robert ([[The Woman King]])
* [[Tom Zarek]], was a freedom fighter from Sagittaron ([[Bastille Day]]) who became the Quorum delegate ([[Colonial Day]])

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==Scorpia==
[[Image:ScorpionFleetShipyards1.jpg|thumb|left|Scorpia and and its shipyards from orbit ([[Razor]]).]]
[[Image:ColonialColors6.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Scorpia]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Scorpius|Scorpio]]

Scorpia was home to a [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] [[Scorpion Fleet Shipyards|shipyard]], where the battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' was docked during the Cylon attack.

Scorpia is apparently [[Scorpia Paragliding|well-known]] for its paragliding by enthusiasts, such as [[Jurgen Belzen]] ([[Razor]]).

[[Eladio Puasha]] served as the planet's delegate to the first [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] assembled after the Cylon attack.
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===Notes===
*In the episode "[[Razor]]", Scorpia is shown from orbit of its shipyards. Scorpia, Caprica and Tauron are the only Colonial planets actually shown in the Re-imagined Series as of this special season 4 episode.

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==Tauron==
[[Image:ColonialColors4.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Tauron]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]]
[[Image:Tauron.png|thumb|left|Tauron from orbit ([[Razor]]).]]

Tauron was reputed to be somewhat of a troublesome colony within the [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|federal system]] of the Colonies, often disobeying directives decided by the colonies and "pushing their luck with the admiralty every chance they got." As a ruse [[William Adama|Admiral Adama]] claimed the Taurons were drilling for [[tylium]] ore on a moon that was close to the [[Armistice Line]] ([[Hero]]).

Tauron was one of the wealthier colonies ([[Dirty Hands]]). At the end of the first [[Cylon War]], Tauron was [[Battle of Tauron|under attack]] from Cylon basestars and ground forces, causing many civilian causalities ("[[Razor]]", extended DVD edition) in areas such as the city of [[Hypatia]].

[[Helena Cain]] is a native of Tauron, as was [[Joseph Adama]], who later moved to Caprica <ref>[http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/04/03/exclusive-caprica-casting-info-revealed/ Caprica casting info.] '''Note:''' This information is based on early reports and casting sheets, and thus subject to change.</ref>. [[Perah Enyeto]] is the colony's representative on the first [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] after the Cylon attack ([[Colonial Day]]). Tauron has no flowers, for religious reasons ([[Caprica pilot]]).

<div style="clear:both;"></div>
===Notes===
*Tauron is the third of the twelve Colonial worlds shown in the Re-imagined Series, but only through the extended DVD version of "[[Razor]]". The extended version scene shows a brief scene on the surface with the terrified Cain family, but there is little detail.

* In [[Caprica (series)|Caprica]], the native language of the Taurons was shown to be Ancient Greek.

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==Virgon==
[[Image:ColonialColors1.png|thumb|100px|right|Colors and symbol of Virgon]]
'''Ancient Name''': [[wikipedia:Virgo (constellation)|Virgo]]
[[Image:Marshall Bagot.jpg|left|thumb|110px|[[Marshall Bagot]], a native of Virgon.]]
[[Marshall Bagot]] is the Virgon delegate to the first [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]]. He nominates [[Tom Zarek]] for the vice-presidency ([[Colonial Day]]). In public ceremony, the Virgon delegate wears a light blue sash.

Soon after the Cylon attack begins, the bulk of the space-wide offensive by the Colonials begins "shaping up" over the planet. The battle ostensibly ends with the destruction of the battlestar ''[[Atlantia (RDM)|Atlantia]]'' and the death of Admiral [[Nagala]]. Other battlestars in the Virgon attack are also eliminated ([[Miniseries, Night 1]]).

Virgon was one of the wealthier colonies ([[Dirty Hands]]).

[[Virgon Brew]] was a beer produced on the planet and exported to other Colonies ([[Maelstrom]]).
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== See Also==
*[[Colonial anthem]]
*[[Ithaca]]

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

{{RDM Planets}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Twelve Colonies (RDM), The}}
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Places]]
[[Category:Planets| ]]
[[Category:Planets (RDM)]]
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{{quality article}}
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[[de:Die Zwölf Kolonien (RDM)]]
[[es:Las Doce Colonias (RDM)]]
[[fr:Les Douze Colonies (RDM)]]
[[zh:拾贰殖民地 (RDM)]]

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2009-04-24T21:22:39Z

MacFan1984: /* Other Languages */

:''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 some language that is universally translated into it (à la [[Wikipedia:Westron|Tolkien]]) is standard. Loanwords from foreign 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.

===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.
<div style="clear:both;"></div>
*In the TV Movie [[Caprica (series)|Caprica]] the native language of the Taurons in Ancient Greek.

[[Image:LDYBSchool.jpg|thumb|left|150px|French visible in blue left of [[Maya]]'s head.]]

==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]]).

===Aerilon 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.

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]]

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