Earth (TOS-RH)

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch Novelizations separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

For the canonical counterpart of the shining planet, see: Earth (TOS).

Earth is a legendary planet and the ultimate destination sought by the Fleet during its exodus following the Cylon holocaust. Located in a distant solar system orbiting the star Sol, Earth represents humanity's last hope for refuge and the ancestral homeworld of the Thirteenth Tribe.

Location and Description

Earth is the third planet from the star Sol. According to Commander Adama's teachings, Earth was one of several planets orbiting suns hundreds of light years distant from Parnassus that were discovered during humanity's early period of interstellar exploration. These worlds contained sentient life whose evolution could be influenced by the colonizing Lords of Kobol.

The specific coordinates for Earth's location are never detailed in Kobollian records, presenting a fundamental challenge for the Fleet's quest. Despite this lack of precise navigational data, the Kobollian leadership maintains absolute confidence in Earth's existence based on ancient knowledge passed down through generations of pure-blooded Kobollians.

Historical Significance

Ancient Colonization

Earth was settled by early human colonists from Parnassus during the period of interstellar expansion that preceded the establishment of Kobol. The planet was among numerous colonies founded by rival Houses as they sought to escape the overpopulation and internal conflicts destroying their homeworld.

According to records recovered by Starbuck from Cylon archives, early emigrants from Kobol settled various colonies including Earth long before the Twelve Colonies were established. This ancient colonization effort represents a crucial link in understanding humanity's diaspora across the galaxy.

Connection to the Thirteenth Tribe

Legends suggest that the Lords of Kobol, after leaving their followers on Kobol, may have traveled to Earth as part of their continuing evolution and quest to improve themselves and humanity as a whole. The Thirteenth Tribe—identified as the Lords of Kobol themselves—became separated from the main body of humanity when they departed Kobol, leaving their acolytes and followers behind to wonder about their fate.

However, the relationship between Earth and the Thirteenth Tribe remains complex and not fully understood. When Apollo directly asks his deceased brother Zac, who has joined the Lords of Kobol in their evolved state, about Earth's location, Zac admits he does not know. This suggests that even among the ascended Kobollians who constitute the actual Thirteenth Tribe, Earth's precise location and current status remain unknown.

The Kobollian Diaspora and Earth

Information obtained from survivors of the Thirteenth Tribe discovered in an ancient space ark reveals that after plague forced the Kobollians to leave their planet, they searched for habitable worlds. One group found a planet in a distant solar system that they named Earth.

This testimony indicates that Earth served as a refuge for at least some plague survivors. However, other survivors who were not yet infected searched for different habitable planets. The Diaspora meant that people who had been held together by tradition or geography became "drunk on the heady brew of possibility"—many went their own way and never looked back.

This fragmentation explains why Earth represents only one of multiple destinations chosen by ancient Kobollians, complicating the Fleet's quest to locate a single unified destination.

The Fleet's Quest

Apollo's Mission

For Commander Apollo, the search for Earth transcends a simple quest for a new homeworld. Apollo has been aboard the craft of the Lords of Kobol and knows he is destined to join them after death. However, this knowledge creates an urgent personal mission: he believes that if he can follow the path of the Thirteenth Tribe, he might somehow extend the gift of Kobollian ascension to all of humanity, not just pure-blooded Kobollians.

Apollo recognizes that the Fleet needs more than just a refuge—they need a home where native humans are already powerful, providing allies far enough from Cylon territory that the enemy might never find them, yet strong enough that if the Cylons do locate them, humanity would stand a fighting chance. This strategic consideration shapes his insistence on continuing the search for Earth rather than settling on marginally suitable worlds encountered along the way.

Adama's Legacy

Commander Adama spent years being deliberately cryptic about Earth, carefully controlling information to keep the Fleet pursuing that dream rather than settling prematurely on inadequate worlds. He understood that maintaining hope of finding Earth was essential to keeping the Fleet moving forward and preventing fracturing into scattered settlements that the Cylons could easily destroy.

Adama's confidence in Earth's existence derived from secret knowledge passed down through the pure-blooded Kobollian lineage. In his final holographic message to Apollo, Adama explained that while Earth's specific coordinates were never recorded, the planet's historical reality was beyond doubt. He revealed that descendants of the House of Kobol, through their developed mental abilities including clairvoyance and telepathy, possessed insights into humanity's history that confirmed Earth's significance.

Strategic Considerations

The quest for Earth involves complex strategic calculations beyond simple survival. Apollo reflects that any potential homeworld must meet multiple criteria:

• Sufficient population and infrastructure to resist Cylon attack
• Distance from known Cylon territory
• Existing human civilization advanced enough to provide defensive capabilities
• Resources to support the Fleet's survivors

Worlds like Poseidon discovered during the journey fail these criteria—while habitable, they represent small human colonies that the Cylons could easily annihilate, just as they destroyed the larger and more established Twelve Colonies.

Obstacles and Complications

Lack of Coordinates

The absence of specific navigational coordinates for Earth presents the fundamental obstacle to the quest. Ancient Kobollian records provide extensive historical and philosophical information about humanity's origins and diaspora but deliberately omit precise stellar cartography that would enable direct navigation to Earth.

This omission may reflect the Lords of Kobol's philosophy that the journey itself serves as important as the destination, or may simply result from the passage of millennia during which detailed navigational data was lost or deliberately obscured.

Unknown Current Status

Even if the Fleet locates Earth, the planet's current state remains completely unknown. The ancient colonization occurred thousands of years before the Fleet's journey. Several disturbing possibilities exist:

• The Thirteenth Tribe may have moved on from Earth, just as they apparently abandoned other colonies like Xerik-5
• Earth's civilization may have failed or regressed
• The planet may have fallen to conquest by hostile forces
• Environmental catastrophes could have rendered Earth uninhabitable

Apollo struggles with these uncertainties, asking critical questions about why ancient civilizations failed and whether the Thirteenth Tribe's presence on various worlds was temporary or permanent.

Fleet Division

The quest for Earth creates ongoing tensions within the Fleet between those who wish to continue the search and those who prefer to settle on habitable worlds encountered along the journey. Each time the Fleet discovers a marginally suitable planet, debates erupt over whether to end the exodus or continue pursuing the legendary Earth.

Following the discovery of Paradis, conflicts intensify between factions favoring settlement versus continued travel. The planet's rich resources lead some to question whether building a world in space using asteroid materials might be more practical than continuing an uncertain quest for Earth.

Civilian Skepticism

The majority of Fleet citizens lack access to the full origins of the Kobollian race and cannot understand Apollo's faith in the existence of the Thirteenth Tribe and Earth. To most civilians, Earth represents either mythology or at best an uncertain legend, making the hardships of continued travel seem unnecessary when habitable worlds are discovered.

This skepticism reflects rational concerns—after decades of searching without success, many question whether Earth exists at all or whether it represents mere religious mythology rather than achievable destination.

Alternative Interpretations

The Thirteenth Tribe as Lords of Kobol

Apollo learns from his brother Zac that the Thirteenth Tribe should not be understood as a separate group of colonists but rather as the evolved form of the pure-blooded Kobollians themselves. The Lords of Kobol, after death, transcend into an advanced state of existence aboard "lightships," representing the next phase of Kobollian evolution.

This revelation suggests that "finding Earth" may involve more than locating a physical planet—it may require understanding the metaphysical journey of Kobollian evolution and determining how to extend that transformation to all of humanity regardless of bloodline.

Earth as Metaphor

For some within the Fleet, Earth functions less as a specific geographic destination than as a symbol of hope and continuing purpose. The quest itself provides meaning and direction, preventing the Fleet from fracturing into vulnerable scattered settlements or surrendering to despair after the Cylon holocaust.

Cassiopeia articulates this perspective when departing Paradis, noting that their stop there represented "an important step along the path we are traveling" and confirmation that they remain "under the guidance of the Lords of Kobol." From this view, each stage of the journey serves its purpose regardless of whether a literal Earth is ever found.

References to the Ancient Space Ark

The discovery of an ancient space ark containing information from the Thirteenth Tribe provides crucial insights into Earth and the Kobollian diaspora. Gar'Tokk's translations of inscriptions and data recovered from the ark suggest that portions of the message contain information about where the Fleet should head next.

These discoveries, made on Paradis, represent the Fleet's most significant find since leaving the Twelve Colonies—tangible evidence that the Thirteenth Tribe actually existed and left records of their journey. The ark's data provides hope that navigational information leading toward Earth or other suitable destinations may still be recovered from ancient sources.

Philosophical and Religious Significance

The House of Kobol's Purpose

The Lords of Kobol's stated goal was to improve themselves and humanity as a whole through their journey and evolution. Earth represents a destination associated with this philosophical mission—not merely a refuge from enemies but a place where humanity's highest potential might be realized.

This understanding elevates the quest for Earth beyond practical survival concerns into questions of human destiny and purpose. Finding Earth becomes synonymous with fulfilling humanity's potential as envisioned by the ancient Lords of Kobol.

Conflict with the House of Iblis

Earth's significance is complicated by the ancient schism between the House of Kobol and the House of Iblis. Count Iblis, who broke ranks from the Lords of Kobol thousands of years ago, founded his own dynasty and pursued power rather than wisdom.

Unlike the pure Lords of Kobol who transcend into evolved lightship existence after death, Iblis became "totally unique"—a twisted entity that feeds on fear and death rather than joining the collective evolution of his Kobollian brothers. This cosmic conflict between Kobol and Iblis suggests that reaching Earth involves not just physical travel but spiritual struggle between competing visions of humanity's future.

Current Status of the Quest

By the time of the events in Redemption, the Fleet has been searching for Earth for over three decades since the beginning of their exodus. Despite discovering ancient space arks, encountering various human colonies descended from Kobollian settlers, and receiving guidance from transcended Kobollians, the Fleet has not yet located Earth or obtained its precise coordinates.

Notes

• Due to the death of Richard Hatch, this particular story tangent is incomplete.