Cylons (TOS)

This article covers the reptilian and robotic race from the Original Battlestar Galactica. For the Cylons in the re-imagined series, click here.

The Cylons are a bi-pedaled robotic race created by a race of reptilian creatures, who themselves were called Cylons.

Both types of Cylons shared a home, also known as "Cylon", prior to the beginning of the Thousand Yahren War (Saga of a Star World) in the Cyranus Galaxy (The Long Patrol).

Reptillian Cylons

Originally, the Cylons created a race of robots to service their needs (Saga of a Star World); much like the way the Colonials of the re-imagined series created Cylons to fight their wars and perform tedious tasks (Miniseries). According to Apollo, the Cylons discovered humanity and created robotic creations that mimicked their form (Saga of a Star World). The reptilian Cylons allowed themselves to be overcome by their own technology (War of the Gods, Part II). The robotic Cylons became an organized war machine bent on exterminating life in the galaxy. Due to the appearance of Count Iblis and his subsequent encounter with Lord Baltar in the Prison Barge's brig, it is hinted at that the Cylons were organized by Iblis over a thousand yahren prior to the Cylon holocaust of the Twelve Colonies (War of the Gods, Part II).

Robotic Cylons

Under the robotic Cylons, they began expanding their sphere of influence, creating what Commander Adama calls "the Alliance" (Saga of a Star World).

Cylon Society

There are five types of Cylons:

• Imperious Leader: controls all Cylon forces and rules the empire. The Imperious Leader takes on a form reminiscent of the reptilian Cylons.
• IL-series (or the "IL group"): typically take on the administrative duties of the Cylon Empire.
• Command Centurion: have gold plated armor and are analogous with commanders in the Colonial Military.
• Cylon Centurions: These are the foot soldiers and labor force for the Cylon Empire. They are covered in chrome plating and act as ground soldiers, Raider pilots and laborers. Typically, they are known for attacking in groups and are built for strength, not for speed.
• Cylon "civilians": According to Colonel Tigh, he picked up civilian transmissions of a Cylon nature on Gamoray (The Living Legend, Part I).

Another type of Cylon depicted in Galactica 1980 included an android creature in human form (The Night the Cylons Landed). Though this is not considered canon -- due to the fact that a majority of 1980 is non canon in the eyes of Glen Larson -- it has been mentioned that this is the first appearance of a "human form" Cylon, predating the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica by over 23 years.

Cylon craft

There are three known Cylon spacecraft:

• Basestar: Capitol ships of the Cylon military force, analogous to the Colonial Battlestar.
• Raider: The primary fighter of the Cylon forces, manned by two pilots and a ship commander.
• Freighter: Ships used throughout the Cylon sphere of influence to provide fuel. May be used to support an offensive operation, as demonstrated at the Battle of Cimtar (Saga of a Star World).

Cylon history

The Thousand Yahren War

Main Article: Thousand Yahren War

The Thousand Yahren War between the humans of the Twelve Colonies and the Cylons began when the Colonials interviened on Cylon attacks against the Hasari. The Cylons then viewed humanity as a threat to their Empire and proceeded to attack Colonial installations.

The Cylons and the humans fought for roughly one thousand yahren, with losses on both sides.

The final end to the war occured after Baltar, a member of the Quorum of Twelve, met with the Cylons to propose peace. Instead of proposing peace as he had intended, Baltar sought personal power and that the Colonies be subjugated under his rule.

Instead, they altered the so-called "bargain" that Baltar and the Imperious Leader had struck. The Cylons instead administered the coup de grace to their enemy (Saga of a Star World).

Cylon pursuit of the Colonial Fleet

The "rag-tag, fugitive fleet", being led by the last known surviving Battlestar Galactica, flees their homeworlds, avoiding the Cylon genoicidal attacks.

Sparing Baltar's life, the newly ascended Barkol gives Baltar the command of three basestars and a cogitator, Lucifer (Saga of a Star World, Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I). With Baltar pursuing the Fleet, Galactica and the 220 ships she leads from their agressors avoid Cylon death traps, such as those on Arcta (the "Ravishol pulsar"), and all out attacks (e.g. Battle of Gamoray and the events of "Fire in Space").

Eventually, a daring, successful attack on a lone basestar leads Adama to believe that they may have outwitted the Cylons -- who have, apparently, spread their resources thin in an attempt to locate the remaining humans (The Hand of God).

In Galactica 1980

While it remains unknown what happened to Baltar (having likely been left on a habitible planet, as promised by Adama in "The Hand of God"), the Cylons still pursue Galactica and her Fleet (Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I). While the Fleet discovers Earth, any landing or approach of the planet would alert the Cylons to Earth's existence, and thus scouts are sent to the planet in order to prepare Earth against the formidable Cylon enemy.

While the Colonials slowly progress Earth's advancements in technology, an attack on Agro Ships by a wave of Cylon raiders leaves the Fleet without a food source. This event forces the Colonials to use the resources of Earth to provide foodstuffs (Space Croppers).

Original Series definition: a title of nobility (e.g. Count Iblis)

Original Series definition: a title of nobility (e.g. Lord Baltar)

Original Series definition: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)