Resurrection Ship

This article discusses the Cylon spacecraft called the Resurrection Ship. For the episodes of the same name, see "Resurrection Ship, Part I" and "Resurrection Ship, Part II".

Resurrection Ship
Race:	Cylon
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:	Unknown
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Cylon ressurection
Weapons:
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
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

A Resurrection Ship is a large vessel specifically dedicated to the "resurrection" of humanoid Cylons who are killed. Normally, upon death, their consciousnesses are downloaded into new identical bodies on the Cylon homeworld, but for humanoid Cylons located farther and farther away from home - such as those hidden within the human refugee fleet - this is not possible, as the download range of a humanoid Cylon is limited.

For this reason, when the Cylons began pursuing the Fleet, they incorporated a Resurrection Ship at the center of their pursuit force, to provide their agents with a fallback position; if they were killed, their consciousnesses could be downloaded to new bodies without concern. Without that ship, a killed Cylon would truly die, as their consciousnesses also would be cut off.

Based on testimony provided by Gina Inviere and on reconnaissance photos taken by Starbuck (using the Blackbird), such a ship contains multiple copies of Cylon models, along with all the apparatus necessary for resurrection (Resurrection Ship, Part I).

The overall function of all Resurrection Ships is mediated by the Resurrection Hub. If this this disabled all Resurrection Ships fail (Guess What's Coming to Dinner?).

Pegasus reconnaissance photos

Pursuing the Fleet

When Pegasus happened upon a Resurrection Ship, later found to be pursuing the Fleet, they discover the ship was escorted by two basestars and approximately a dozen support vessels. It is assumed that the ships were following the Fleet since the exodus from the Colonies. Pegasus located this ship and its escorts sometime after the Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards and in turn used the Cylon fleet's movements to locate Galactica.

An interior view of the Cylon Resurrection Ship

A copy of D'Anna Biers on Caprica tells of two Raiders from this Cylon fleet that are destroyed while relaying a documentary on Galactica's crew back to what she calls "the fleet," presumably the same Cylon fleet guarding this ship (Final Cut).

Prior to Thrace's recon flight, the function and configuration of the Resurrection Ships were a complete mystery. Admiral Cain speculates that it is a command and control ship, while Adama suggests that it might be a Raider factory. Adama's suggestion would actually turn out to be quite close to the truth. The two ships begin planning an offensive strike on it, but tension between Cain and Adama quickly escalates and threatens to derail the operation (Pegasus). The standoff only ends after Thrace's arrival with data regarding the unknown ship.

Destruction

In a joint operation by both Galactica and Pegasus, the Resurrection Ship following the Fleet is disabled and soon destroyed (Resurrection Ship, Part II) using a number of Colonial civilian transports left to bait the basestar's Raiders away from the Cylon Fleet. The fighters are engaged and kept occupied by the Vipers protecting the "helpless" Colonial ships.

With the Cylon fleet divided, the two battlestars attack the two basestars, their offensive power greatly diminished by the lack of their Raider forces. As the Resurrection Ship attempts to flee, the Blackbird, piloted by Lieutenant Lee Adama, slips within the ship's superstructure and disables the ship's FTL drive. As the two escort basestars are hacked to pieces by the battlestars' gun batteries, the Resurrection Ship, without any defensive support or offensive guns of its own, is quickly destroyed by another Viper squadron who fire their guns through the windows apparently hitting vital systems as it causes a chain reaction which destroys the Resurrection Ship.

After its destruction, the imprisoned Cylon Sharon Valerii reveals to Thrace that the Resurrection Ship had also served to resurrect the consciousnesses of destroyed Cylon Raiders. The loss of the ship forces the Cylons to change their attack tactics from direct frontal assaults on the Fleet en masse to more cautious hit-and-run Raider strikes and coy traps. Moreover, with only one such vessel in operation at that time, the Cavil copy on Caprica and Inviere cannot be resurrected again (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II).

Second Exodus

Another Resurrection Ship amidst the Cylon Fleet.

In the Cylon fleet leaving New Caprica during the Second Exodus, a second Resurrection Ship's existence is confirmed. The Cylons have assigned at least five basestars to guard it as opposed to only two for the previous ship (Collaborators).

When a basestar falls prey to a deadly disease, the Resurrection Ship is ordered to jump to a distance outside the downloading area of the ship in order to halt the spread of the disease, thereby resulting in the permanent deaths of the basestar's entire contingent of biological Cylons (Torn).

File:ResuChamb.jpg

A resurrection chamber and its rebirthing tank within the ship.

Later on, this Resurrection Ship nearly falls victim to a plan formulated by Galactica to kill their Cylon prisoners infected with the virus so that the it would spread into the Resurrection Ship, presumably resulting in the infection and death of a great majority, if not the entire, Cylon race (A Measure of Salvation).

After having strange dreams which she believes to be a message from God, a Three orders a Cylon Centurion to execute her, which results in her being reborn in the Resurrection Ship that is traveling with the Cylon fleet. This is the first instance in which the interior of a Resurrection Ship is seen clearly, and it proves to be nearly identical in design to the basestars, with the noticeable difference that it does not have the oscillating strip of light along the walls as seen on the basestars (Hero).

Later, as part of her plan to rescue her daughter, Sharon Agathon has her husband shoot and kill her. This causes her to download into a new body on the nearby Resurrection Ship. Caprica-Six oversees her resurrection and is sympathetic enough to take her to her daughter and ultimately helps to rescue her (Rapture).

Cylon Civil War

Following the detection of the Final Five during the Battle of the Ionian Nebula, a Number One, who was shot by a rival Cylon faction (Six of One), successfully downloads into a new body. Subsequently, as part of a trap for Natalie's faction, the Resurrection Ship is prevented from jumping with the Cylon fleet in order to permanently kill Natalie and her followers (The Ties That Bind). As a result, two of the surviving rebels who die later - a Six executed for killing Jean Barolay, and an Eight mortally wounded by a Centurion - won't be able to resurrect because the rebels don't have access to a Resurrection Ship (Faith). Also Natalie's death is final when she dies of gunshot wounds inflicted by Athena (Sine Qua Non).

In a massive battle the Cylon rebels and the Colonial Viper pilots launch an attack against the Cylon Resurrection Hub. This Hub controls all of the Resurrection Ships in existence, making it vital for their functioning. The combined force succeeds in destroying the Resurrection Hub and with it all the Resurrection Ships' downloading capabilities, thus making all Cylons deaths permanent from there on (The Hub).

Notes

• The Resurrection Ship bears a strong resemblance to the United States Air Force Academy chapel.
• Given that without a Resurrection Ship the Cylons face permanent death even before the Hub's destruction (The Hub), it seems that the Resurrection ships work as a kind of 'booster' for the range of the Resurrection Hub, suggesting that the Hub's effective download range is limited without its accompanying ships. Given that the Hub contains birthing tanks, it acts as a kind of Resurrection Ship itself also.
• Before Baltar briefs Adama and Cain on its true function, Cain speculates that it might be a command ship, while Adama states that it might be a Raider factory. While it is not stated how Raider personalities are resurrected, the caution that the Cylons exhibit after the destruction of the Resurrection Ship suggests that they support the Raiders in some fashion.