Timeline (1980)

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The timeline below chronicles the events depicted in the classic Battlestar Galactica television program and its sequel series, Galactica 1980.

Many fans, and Glen A. Larson himself, no longer recognize Galactica 1980 as part of "official" continuity. However, as an aired production, "Galactica 1980" represents at the very least an alternate continuity of the Original Series.

Since there are date references available, this timeline includes some events in Earth history that could not be included in the base continuity or Galactica's "canon" timeline.

The timeline is given in "Earth" years, not by Colonial yahren.

In the beginning.. on Kobol

The beings who later appear to the Colonials aboard the "Ships of Light", intervene at the beginning of human development. Adama refers to these beings as the "Mother Race" (War of the Gods).

c. 9500 BCE

The period of time when ancient Athens went to war with Atlantis, according to Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias. These dialogues were written around 360 BCE.

c. 4,000 BCE

The beginning of recorded human history, on the mother world - the planet Kobol ("Saga of a Star World", less 6,000 years).

The Exodus

(year uncertain)

The original 13 tribes leave Kobol and head out into space. Twelve of the tribes settle near each other in the area known as the Twelve Colonies. The remaining Thirteenth Tribe heads to Earth.

c. 2620 - 2480 BCE

The Great Pyramids are constructed during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt on Earth. They are apparently based on the ancient pyramids of Kobol ("Lost Planet of the Gods").

50 BCE to AD 1899

c. 50 BCE

The Colonies begin to re-establish their space travel capabilities. At this time, the Colonists were using sublight craft reminiscent of the early space vehicles launched from Earth in the 1960s and 1970s (The Hand of God).

prior to AD 950

Just prior to AD 950, the Cylons, a humanoid race, are taken over by their robot slaves. A machine ruler, known as The Imperious Leader, comes to rule the Cylon Empire. Count Iblis may have provided the voice for the Imperious Leader at the time of his assembly (War of the Gods).

c. AD 950

The Cylons attack the Hasari, whose territory neighbors the Colonies.

The Colonies intervene in the Cylons attack on the Hasari.

The Thousand Yahren War begins between the Colonies and the Cylon Empire. (Saga of a Star World)

c. 1450

Approximate time that battlestar Galactica is launched. Back then, the Celestial chambers on Galactica were used to confirm navigational headings. (The Hand of God)

1776

Xavier arrives in Revolutionary America and tries to change history. Troy, Dillon and Jamie follow him, and thwart his plans, but he apparently escapes to another time frame (extrapolation from events outlined in "Galactica Discovers Earth").

prior to 1850

Adama is born.

1900-1949

1917

Starbuck is born on Caprica. His father is Chameleon.

1924

After one of the first Cylon attacks on Caprica, the people of the farm village of Umbra are scattered. One of the members of the community, Chameleon, is separated from his son, Starbuck, who is later found alone at the edge of the Thorn Forest and is presumed to have been orphaned. (26 years before "The Man With Nine Lives" - Starbuck is seven)

1943

Troy is born to Serina on Caprica. He would come to be known as "Boxey" as a child (Based on Noah Hathaway's age during the filming of the original series)

1945

late May, 1945

Xavier arrives in Nazi Germany and poses as a British scientist and Nazi sympathizer. He volunteers to work with the V-2 rocket program and introduces Colonial technology, in hopes of changing history by ensuring a Nazi victory in World War Two.

June 5-6, 1945

Jamie, Troy and Dillon arrive in Nazi Germany a day before the D-Day invasion. With the help of a U.S. agent, they locate Xavier and force him to return to 1980.

1947

The United States Air Force begins Project Blue Book, an investigation into unidentified flying objects.

1948

The Fifth Fleet engages the Cylons at the Battle of Molecay. Battlestar Pegasus is the only Colonial vessel to survive. Commander Cain, realizing there will be Cylons lying in wait along the entire route back to the colonies, orders Pegasus out into deep space (The Living Legend)

c. 1949

Pegasus continues heading into deep space, eventually winding up in the Delphian Empire, which is in the process of falling to the Cylons (The Living Legend).

1950

The Destruction of the Colonies. (30 years before "Galactica Discovers Earth")

The events of the Original Series appear during this period.

1951

Dillon is born in space aboard a vessel in the Colonial Fleet. (Based on the age of Barry Van Dyke at the time of filming.)

1951 - 1979

The period between "Battlestar Galactica" and "Galactica: 1980."

Captain Apollo dies. (This apparently happens before the events depicted in "The Return of Starbuck")

Starbuck is stranded on "Planet Starbuck" , where he rebuilds the centurion that he names "Cy." ("The Return of Starbuck")

Dr. Zee is born on the Planet Starbuck. ("The Return of Starbuck") (c. 1970?)

Dr. Zee's ship catches up to the Fleet. ("The Return of Starbuck")

Lt. Boomer is promoted to Colonel.

Commander Adama grows a beard.

Boxey begins to go by the name "Troy" as he grows older.

The Cylons, over this 30 year period, develop completely new technologies and evolve considerably - "beyond the wildest fears" of the Colonists, according to Dr. Zee. These new technologies include improved Cylon Raiders and the creation of humanoid Cylons. ("Space Scouts", "The Night the Cylons Landed").

Also, during this period, the Imperious Leader is apparently replaced, as his voice is considerably different by 1980 ("Space Croppers").

1953

Jamie Hamilton is born in the United States on Earth.

1960

The last attack by the Cylons on the Colonial fleet until 1980. ("Space Scouts" less a generation)

1969

Neil Armstrong lands on the moon. ("Hand of God")

The United States Air Force officially concludes Project Blue Book, its 22 year long investigation into unidentified flying objects. Eleven years later, when the Galactica arrives at Earth, a similar investigative bureau is activated.

1977

Dr. Mortensen starts to work on his formula for nuclear degeneration.

1980

The Galactica's long range probes arrive in the Solar System. They positively identify the third planet as Earth.

The Battlestar Galactica and the Colonial Fleet reach Earth's Solar System. Adama is now over 130 yahrens old. Troy is 37.

Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I

Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II

Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III

Troy, Dillon and Jamie head back in time to the American Revolution to find Xavier. The team is apparently successful in stopping Xavier, as there are no apparent changes to Earth's history. Xavier escapes being brought into custody, however, and remains in Earth's past. While there, he perfects a process of cellular transformation which can allow him to assume the appearance of others.

The Colonials cease to travel into Earth's past.

Jamie returns to Earth, and back to the job she was offered with the United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).

In light of the unknown aircraft violating U.S. airspace, which are in reality Colonial Vipers, the United States Air Force dedicates new funds to the tracking of U.F.O.s.

Dr. Zee locates a Cylon task force trailing the Fleet. Commander Adama orders the Galactica and the Fleet to head away from Earth, to avoid leading the Cylons there.

Dr. Zee leads a project to build a new saucer-shaped fighter craft, designed to thwart the Cylons.

The Cylons determine to test some of their new technologies on the Colonial refugees. They plan to first attack the freighter Delphi, a straggling vessel in the Colonial fleet, which happens to function as the Fleet school.

Galactica 1980 episode: "Spaceball."

Xavier remains at large on Earth, without a Viper, stranded in the present and on the ground.

The prototype of the new, saucer-shaped Colonial fighter nears completion.

In another test of their new technologies, the Cylons send out new, advanced fighters, manned by Centurions and humanoid Cylons, to search for the elusive Colonial fleet.

October 31 - November 1, 1980

Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I

Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II

Late 1980

The Imperious Leader, and his three base ships, catch up to the Galactica and the Fleet, but the location of Earth remains elusive.

Galactica 1980 episode: Space Croppers.

The Galactica maintains its first colony on Earth, and the Super Scouts remain there, relocating from the baseball camp where they had been staying.

Galactica 1980 episode: The Return of Starbuck.

1981

Events that take place after Galactica: 1980

In the G80 continuity, the series ends in the middle of the story with Adama in command of the Galactica, and Dr. Zee finally aware of his origin.

Xavier remains at large on the Earth, apparently having given up his attempts to alter Earth's past.

The Cylon Empire has still not discovered Earth, but they have been able to locate the fleet twice, and two Cylons who accidentally crashed on Earth were narrowly stopped from revealing its location. In other words, the Cylons are about to discover Earth.

The Galacticans are continuing their policy of gradually introducing technological change to the Earth.

1990

In Dr. Zee's projection of what could have happened in the future, environmental damage and population expansion has rendered Paradise Valley polluted and crowded. If Dr. Zee's warning was in fact heeded by the people of Paradise Valley, however, these events may not have come to pass.

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