Soldiers of the One

"Infinity" symbol representing the Soldiers of the One.

The Soldiers of the One (also known as the "STO") are a monotheistic religious group whose singular mission is to "drive out the many Gods" and combat the decadence and corruption of Colonial society. They also seek to unite the Twelve Colonies by imposing a single monotheistic faith on all of them. The Caprican government considers them a terrorist criminal organization. They are in fact the militant wing of the as-yet unnamed monotheistic church on Gemenon. Apparently this link between the church and the Soldiers of the One is still a secret in the Twelve Colonies. In some ways the structure and practices of the church seem similar to the medieval Catholic Church, such as in Barnabus Greeley's practice of self-flagellation, although in others it is very different (such as in it being led by a woman).

The leadership of the group is based on Gemenon. They are governed by the matriarch of the church, who is known only as The Mother. The church maintains good relations with other polytheistic faiths, which is resented by many in the STO, including Sister Clarice Willow.

Sister Clarice Willow, headmistress of the Athena Academy, is the clandestine leader of the group on Caprica. She initially reported to Barnabus Greeley (Gravedancing), but later was granted leadership over all STO cells on Caprica by The Mother after she carried out a coup on Gemenon. Other members include her students Lacy Rand, Ben Stark, Zoe Graystone, Keon Gatwick, Pam and Hippolyta. At least two -- Stark and Gatwick -- collected explosives.

Zoe Graystone had intended to seek refuge with the church on Gemenon prior to her death. She had plans to further the Soldiers of the One's mission that involved the process of apotheosis.

History

The origins of the STO are as yet unknown. It has been said that, after an earlier time of conflict, the STO went dormant ten years prior to the bombing of Maglev 23. In Unvanquished, Sister Clarice claims that the STO was the only thing that allowed the church to survive during an unspecified period of challenges.

A number of STO members intended to flee to Gemenon—Zoe Graystone, Ben Stark and Lacy Rand. However, Rand pulled out of the trip at the last minute and further, Stark was wearing a suicide vest, which he blew up on Maglev 23—much to the surprise of Graystone, who was herself killed in the bombing.

Sister Willow refers to this as "premature" and "unauthorized" (Caprica). However, a second attack in Caprica City on an empty building follows soon after.

Clarice Willow and Barnabas Greeley were originally the leaders of two STO factions in Caprica City. The two groups have come into conflict; Barnabas even tried to kill Clarice. (End of Line) This conflict eventually leads Clarice to travel to the church's headquarters on Gemenon, where she presents them with a plan for a devastating suicide attack on Atlas Arena in Caprica City. Further, she shows them how the holobands can be used to create avatars for the dead bombers through apotheosis. This, Clarice believes, can become the church's most powerful tool to recruit new members, since it allows people to see the afterlife in this life. One of the church's elders, Obal Ferras, is disturbed by Clarice's suggestions and asks The Mother for permission to kill her, which is granted. However, Clarice, suspecting his intentions, turns the other STO members against him, and kills him before he can enact his plan. The Mother, clearly horrified by this act, nevertheless feels powerless to stop Clarice, and grants Clarice her request to take command over all STO cells on Caprica.

Notes

More than sixty years later the same symbol utilized by this group is seen at the hands of the humanoid Cylons, being employed during a religious funereal service (Islanded in a Stream of Stars). The reappearance of the symbol may suggest a direct connection between the religion inherited by the modern Cylon nation from the Caprican Centurions and that espoused by the Soldiers of the One.