Valkyrie

Valkyrie
[show/hide spoilers] Spoilers hidden in infobox by default only.
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:
Capacity:
CO:	Commander William Adama c. 6 BCH (94YR)
XO:	Colonel Saul Tigh c. 6 BCH (94YR)
Role:	Carrier / battleship
Weapons:	{{{weapons}}}
Armaments:	20x light batteries 33x heavy batteries Tube-launched ship-to-ship missiles
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	Small Viper compliment Small Raptor compliment
Aviation facilities:	2x flight pods 2x flight decks 6x Viper launch tubes
Fate:	Destroyed, Zero Hour, 0 BCH (2000BYR)
Emblem:
Other Images:	Gallery
Dimensions
Length:	{{{length}}}
Width:	{{{width}}}
Height:	{{{height}}}
Weight:	{{{weight}}}
Wingspan:	{{{wingspan}}}
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}
Game Information
Cost:	{{{construction}}}
Construction Time:	{{{construction}}}
Hull Size:	{{{hull size}}}
Hull:	{{{hull}}}
Mobility
FTL Cooldown:	{{{ftl cooldown}}} turns
Speed:	{{{speed}}} m/s
Turn Rate:	{{{turn rate}}}°/turn
Armor Sum
Armor Total:	{{{armor total}}}
Armor Left:	{{{armor left}}}
Armor Right:	{{{armor right}}}
Armor Front:	{{{armor front}}}
Armor Rear:	{{{armor rear}}}
Armor Top:	{{{armor top}}}
Armor Bottom:	{{{armor bottom}}}
Armament
DRADIS Range:	{{{dradis range}}} m
Processing Power:	{{{processing power}}}
Munition Slots:	{{{munitions}}}
Munition Cooldown Period:	{{{munition cooldown}}} turns
Squadron Slots:	{{{squadrons}}}
Squadron Size:	{{{squadron size}}}
Special Abilities:	{{{special abilities}}}
Additional Information
Valkyrie in the separate continuity

Valkyrie was a veteran Colonial battlestar of an unnamed class, built around the start of the First Cylon War. It played a crucial role in eliminating the Cylon's edge during the Ghost Fleet Offensive in 42 BCH (58YR). Following the Cimtar Peace Accord, it remains in service up until 0 BCH (2000BYR), serving on the Colonial front lines with its sister ships. It is stationed, and is subsequently destroyed, over Caprica during the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.

Circa 6 BCH (94YR), Valkyrie was attached to the 41st Battlestar Group under William Adama's command, until his reassignment following the unsuccessful, clandestine mission to probe the Armistice Line that results in the loss of one of his pilots ^{(TRS: "Hero")}.

History

First Cylon War

Around 42 BCH (58YR), approximately ten years into the first Cylon War, Valkyrie was involved in a battle with Cylons near Canceron Prime, in which the ship took major damage, and was presumed destroyed. In truth, Colonial Admiralty saw an opportunity to trick the Cylons, and the ship had become part of a secret Colonial "ghost fleet" hiding in Cylon-held space, where several pilots and their planes were on detachment to the battlestar Osiris. Valkyrie's crew at the time were made to witness their own death certificates.

After the Cylons were fed more false information, Valkyrie, along with the rest of the "Ghost Fleet," participated in the successful Ghost Fleet Offensive campaign against Cylon forces, striking every Cylon base in five sectors ^{(TRS: "Blood and Chrome")}.

Inter-War Period

Approximately 6 BCH (94YR) before the Cylon attack, Valkyrie had been ordered by Admiral Peter Corman to deploy a stealth recon ship over the Armistice Line to test Cylon resolve and gather intelligence on Cylon activities. During the mission, an unidentified DRADIS contact (presumed to have been a spacecraft) entered the area of the stealth ship piloted by Lieutenant Daniel Novacek and damaged the Stealthstar's engines before jumping away.

Two further (presumed Cylon) contacts were detected on an intercept course with the stealth ship. Rather than attempt a rescue of the disabled craft, Commander Adama ordered the stealth ship to be destroyed to prevent its discovery and capture.

In the days and years following the incident at the Armistice Line, and in particular after the Cylon attack on the Colonies, Adama came to believe that his actions had provoked the Cylon assault, having proven to them that humanity was aggressive and not to be trusted ^{(TRS: "Hero")}.

Return of the Cylons

During the initial Cylon assault on the Twelve Colonies, battlestars Valkyrie and Yashuman engage the Cylons over Caprica. Both battlestars move to weapons-free status, only to be disabled by the CNP's backdoors before any shots could be fired. Valkyrie, Yashuman, and a third battlestar of the same class, along with their deployed Viper squadrons and support crafts, are destroyed shortly after ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

Notes

Technical Specifications

The ship's hull number cannot be seen. It is thus not known if it is identical to its battlestar group.

Production History

The Valkyrie CIC insignia adorned David Eick's production office wall in the Vancouver Film Studios where Battlestar Galactica was produced.

Cultural References

In Norse mythology, a Valkyrie is a minor female deity who chooses the most heroic fallen warriors to ascend to Valhalla where they would await Ragnarok. Valkyrie is the third (second onscreen) instance of Norse mythology being used, the first being Ragnar Station, which is a reference to Ragnarok, the "twilight of the gods."

The story of Ragnarok parallels the career of William Adama, the one-time commander of Valkyrie. Adama, considered a fallen hero by the admiralty, is transferred from the advanced Valkyrie to command the aging Galactica about a year before the Cylon attack. Later, with the fall of the Colonies, he finds himself in the Battle of Ragnar Anchorage, the last battle within Colonial space.

From Script to Screen

Comparing the October 25, 2006 "Full Collated" version of David Eick's screenplay to the final aired episode reveals several key differences regarding Valkyrie's role and the covert mission:

• An extensive briefing scene between Admiral Corman and Adama in Corman's office does not appear in the aired episode. This sequence establishes the mission's political context, with Corman emphasizing "We may never have an opportunity like this again" and discussing the consequences of discovery. The aired version references this mission only through dialogue and flashbacks, streamlining the exposition.

• Eick's screenplay describes Valkyrie as "a battlestar larger and newer than Galactica, although unlike Pegasus in its leaner, sleeker design, built more for speed."

• More detailed flashback scenes in Valkyrie's CIC appear in the written version, including specific DRADIS contact reports and extended dialogue between Adama and his crew during the crisis. The broadcast episode condenses these sequences significantly for pacing, focusing on the emotional impact rather than technical details.

• While both versions include Tigh explicitly describing Galactica as Adama's "graceful retirement" following the failed mission, the screenplay provides additional context about how "that last mission wasn't exactly a boon to the old man's career." This dialogue establishes how the mission's failure led to Adama's reassignment from the modern Valkyrie to the aging battlestar.

• The production materials contain more extensive exposition about Admiral Corman's post-mission debriefing, showing his insistence that the DRADIS contacts "were Cylons" despite Adama's reluctance to confirm positive identification. The final episode handles this revelation through Adama's confession to Apollo, eliminating the direct confrontation with Corman.

Related Imagery

• 
  Closeup of a Valkyrie type battlestar.
• 
  Valkyrie among it sister ships above Caprica.
• 
  Valkyrie under attack.
• 
  Valkyrie after being disabled by the Cylons.
• 
  One of the ship's flight pods.
• 
  A closeup of a battery.
• 
  The CIC.
• 
  Full view of CIC.
• 
  Valkyrie insignia.
• 
  Valkyrie armpatch.

References