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| '''Kobol''' is the ancestral homeworld for humanity in both ''Battlestar Galactica'' sagas. In both series, an unexplained event or environmental catastrophe causes humanity to leave Kobol and settle on the planets that form their new homeworlds known as the Twelve Colonies. | | '''Kobol''' is the ancestral homeworld of humanity that populates the worlds known as the Twelve Colonies in both the [[Original Series]] and [[Re-imagined Series]]. |
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| ==Kobol in the Original Series==
| | * For information on Kobol, original home of mankind in the [[Original Series]], see [[Kobol (TOS)]]. |
| [[Image:BattleofKobol.jpg|thumb|left|The tombs of the Lords of Kobol as seen in the Original Series.]] | | * For information on Kobol, original home of mankind in the [[Re-imagined Series]], see [[Kobol (RDM)]]. |
| | | * For the ship or space station with this name in the Original Series, see ''[[Star Kobol]]''. |
| Kobol is located in a quadrant of space known to the Colonials as [[Epsilon Quadrant]] ([[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I]]), approximately one to three [[parsec]]s from its star.
| | * For the two-part episode of the Re-imagined Series, see "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]" and "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]". |
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| In the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]], Kobol was the mother world where mankind originated. An ecological / environmental disaster led to humanity's migration. During the migration, twelve tribes set out for the stars, but became lost in a starless void before stumbling into the worlds that would become the new [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)|Twelve Colonies of Man]], while the [[Thirteenth Tribe]] headed for a world called "[[Earth]]."
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| Kobol is rediscovered in the two-part episode, "[[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II|Lost Planet of the Gods]]." A team from ''[[Galactica (TOS)|Galactica]]'' arrives among the ruins<ref>Eden's appearance is obviously based on the [[Wikipedia:Egyptian pyramids|pyramids of Giza]] of the real-world Earth. The Original Series used Egyptian themes in several episodes.</ref> of [[Eden]], the planet's largest city, seeking to enter the tomb of the [[Ninth Lord of Kobol]] in order to find clues as to the route taken by the Thirteeth Tribe. A [[Cylon]] attack ultimately prevents them from doing so. | |
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| ==Kobol in the Re-imagined Series==
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| [[image:Home_pt1-Kobol.jpg|thumb|right|'''Kobol''' as seen from space in the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]].]] | |
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| Kobol is a planet said to be the home of the original thirteen tribes of mankind, once shared in harmony with the [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies#The Lords of Kobol|Lords of Kobol]].
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| Kobol is a verdant world of seas and continents, the latter having large areas of woodland, grassland and forests. It was located in [[Sector 218]] of the galaxy ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).
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| The seat of power of Kobol resided in the [[City of the Gods]] in the northern hemisphere, itself dominated by the [[Forum]], [[Temple]] and [[Opera House]] ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]), structures which were duplicated on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] in the city of [[Delphi]].
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| ===Great Exodus===
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| The Great Exodus of the Twelve Tribes from Kobol took place some 2,000 years prior to the events of the [[Miniseries]]. At that time, the Twelve Tribes [[Galleon Meadow|departed Kobol]] for another star system.
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| It is known that the [[Thirteenth Tribe]] departed Kobol some 1,600 years prior to the main exodus ([[Miniseries]]), to seek a planet known as "[[Earth]]."<ref>[[Galen Tyrol]]'s report on the age of the [[Temple of Five]] at aroud 4,000 years old ([[The Eye of Jupiter]]) is generally accurate. The Thirteenth Tribe left approximately 4,000 years prior to the events of the [[miniseries]]. The Twelve Tribes (which form the Colonies) left much later, at 2,000 years prior to the miniseries.</ref>
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| The gods appear to have abandoned Kobol as well, but aired information does not establish a time of departure.
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| It is unclear whether all the gods themselves departed Kobol at this time, although the [[Sacred Scrolls]] indicate that [[Athena, Lord of Kobol|Athena]] commits suicide in sorrow at the human exodus, suggesting that one or more gods or humans remained to record the death before [[Tomb of Athena|entombing Athena]] and leaving themselves.
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| ===Religious Texts===
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| During the time humans lived on Kobol, many texts were written, some of which have survived through time, and are regarded by some as religious artifacts, and by others the documenting of myths and legends. These texts have apparently been collected into a tome known as the [[Sacred Scrolls]].
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| Chief among these writings include the Book of [[Pythia]] who, some 1,600 years prior to the Great Exodus, fortold another exodus featuring a "caravan of the heavens" lead by someone dying of a "wasting disease" ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]). This exodus would lead humanity to a new home, although the leader would die before he/she could enter the new home.
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| Some of the writings of Pythia have apparently come true: President [[Laura Roslin]], the civil leader of the Colonial fleet is dying of cancer at the presumed fulfillment of the prophecy ([[Home, Part II]]). Further, Roslin has several [[Chamalla|visions]], including one of 12 snakes ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]), a vision specifically foretold by Pythia.
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| According to an [[Cylon-Related Hallucinations|virtual image of Number Six]] that appears to [[Gaius Baltar]], the Cylons have very different beliefs about Kobol, including that human sacrifice was practiced there, and that the souls of all who die on Kobol are forever lost ("[[Valley of Darkness]]," "[[Fragged]]"). Since this "virtual Six" appears to be some sort of hallucination, this belief may be a falsehood.
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| ===Rediscovering Kobol===
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| Kobol is re-discovered by chance when battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'' dispatches her [[Raptor]]s to locate planets which may provide materials needed to re-supply the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]).
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| Following the discovery (as predicted by the [[Cylon agent]] [[Leoben Conoy]]), Roslin becomes convinced that Kobol will lead the fleet to Earth, providing the [[Tomb of Athena]] can be accessed. To do this, the [[Arrow of Apollo]] must be retrieved from the [[Delphi Museum of the Colonies]] on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]].
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| However, before the surface of Kobol can be reached safely (and the crew of a crashed Raptor rescued), a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] force lead by a [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] must be eliminated. Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] plans to use the captured [[Cylon Raider]] to help with this, but before any plan can be put into action, Lt. [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]] uses the Raider to go to Caprica in an attempt to recover the Arrow ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]). Commander Adama eventually uses a Raptor armed with a nuclear warhead to destroy the orbiting basestar.
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| President Roslin plays her role as "the Leader" sent by the Gods, and convinces a third of [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] to return to Kobol with her ([[The Farm]]). With the Arrow of Apollo retrieved, Roslin descends to the surface with a small team, including [[Lee Adama|Lee "Apollo" Adama]], Starbuck, [[Helo]], and [[Tom Zarek]]. The [[Sharon Agathon|copy of Sharon Valerii]], who accompanied Helo on Caprica, claims to know how to help Roslin reach the [[Tomb of Athena]], and is brought along as guide. Along the way on the surface, Roslin's team fights with additional Centurions, resulting in the death of priestess [[Elosha]], Roslin's personal religious advisor ([[Home, Part I]]).
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| Commander Adama (who locates Roslin's group on the surface) joins her and the rest of the team shortly after Elosha's death. The team soon finds the Tomb of Athena. They are the first people to see the inside of the Tomb in centuries, and use the Arrow to activate a holographic map display which indicated the general direction of [[Earth]] ([[Home, Part II]]).
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| ==Similarities of Kobol between Original and Re-imagined Series== | | ==Similarities of Kobol between Original and Re-imagined Series== |
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| *It is the original home of humanity | | *It is believed to be the original home of humanity. |
| *It is found by chance by both Fleets | | *It is found by chance by both Fleets. |
| *A world catastrophe or internal strife forces humanity to leave the planet | | *A world catastrophe or internal strife forces humanity to leave the planet. |
| *A tomb holds the key to the location of Earth | | *A tomb holds the key to the location of Earth. |
| **[[Ninth Lord of Kobol]] - [[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I]] | | **[[Tomb of the Ninth Lord of Kobol]] in [[TOS]]: "Lost Planet of the Gods," [[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I|Part I]] & [[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II|Part II]]. |
| **[[Tomb of Athena]] - [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]] | | **[[Tomb of Athena]] in [[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]" and "[[Home, Part II]]." |
| *Special keys are needed to open or access the secrets of the tomb | | *Special keys are needed to open or access the secrets of the tomb. |
| **[[Adama's Medallion]] | | **[[Seal of the Lords]] in the Original Series. |
| **The [[Arrow of Apollo]] | | **The [[Arrow of Apollo]] in the Re-imagined Series. |
| *The Colonials encounter Cylons on and around the planet during their quests | | *The Colonials encounter Cylons on and around the planet during their quests. |
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| ==Etymology of "Kobol"==
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| "Kobol" originally appears to have derived from "Kolob" which, according to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_articles_about_Mormonism Mormon] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Abraham Book of Abraham] is the "star nearest unto God". [[Glen A. Larson]], creator of the Original Series, is a member of the of the [[Wikipedia:Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. As such, he used Mormon imagery within the show, together with elements of Egyptian imagery that tend to reflect the time of [[Wikipedia:Abraham|Abraham]] and the Israelites. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Abraham Book of Abraham] also claims that Abraham taught the Egyptians astronomy and that Kolob is the central star of the universe and thus controls the revolutions of all other stars and planets. The connection seems to come from Kolob/Kobol as the (so to speak) "original starting point".
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| Kobol could also have been derived from the Greek word ''Kobalos'', meaning "mine or source." The name may suggest that Kobol was originally a planet with a wealth of natural resources (or, in the case of the Tomb of Athena, information).
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| ==Cinematic Note==
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| In the Re-imagined Series, much of the scenic, expansive landscapes of Kobol were filmed at [http://www.spacesfornature.org/greatspaces/pinecone.html Widgeon Slough], the largest freshwater marsh in the the Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Britsh Columbia, Port Coquitlam (Source in part: [[The Official Companion]]).
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| In the original [[Miniseries]] script of the Re-imagined Series, the Twelve Colonies actually resided ''on'' Kobol. The final script returned Kobol to its status as birthplace of man, with humanity having left to other habitable worlds to match the premise of the Original Series.
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| ==References== | | ==Etymology== |
| <div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>
| | *"Kobol" originally appears derived from "Kolob" which, according to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_articles_about_Mormonism Mormon] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Abraham Book of Abraham] is the "star nearest unto God". [[Glen A. Larson]], creator of the Original Series, is a member of the of the [[Wikipedia:Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. As such, he used Mormon imagery within the show, together with elements of Egyptian imagery that tend to reflect the time of [[Wikipedia:Abraham|Abraham]] and the Israelites. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Abraham Book of Abraham] also claims that Abraham taught the Egyptians astronomy and that Kolob is the central star of the universe and thus controls the revolutions of all other stars and planets. The connection seems to come from Kolob/Kobol as the (so to speak) "original starting point". |
| | *Kobol could also have been derived from the Greek word ''Kobalos'', meaning "mine or source." The name may suggest that Kobol was originally a planet with a wealth of natural resources (or, in the case of the Tomb of Athena, information). |
| | *Kobol also shares its pronunciation with [[w:COBOL|COBOL]], an older programming language (whose programs are reputed to still be widely used.) |
| | {{disambig}} |
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| [[Category:Colonial]] | | [[de:Kobol]] |
| [[Category:Colonial History]] | | [[fr:Kobol]] |
| [[Category:Colonial History (TOS)]]
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| [[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
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| [[Category:Colonial Religion]]
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| [[Category:Colonial Religion (TOS)]]
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| [[Category:Colonial Religion (RDM)]]
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| [[Category:Places]]
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| [[Category:Planets]]
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| [[Category:Planets (TOS)]]
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| [[Category:Planets (RDM)]]
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| [[Category:TOS]]
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| [[Category:RDM]]
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