The Twelve Colonies of Kobol

This article discusses the Twelve Colonies of the Re-imagined Series. See The Twelve Colonies (TOS) for information on the Colonies of the Original Series.

Kobol, the ancient homeworld of humanity.

Caprica City.

Approximately 2,000 years prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the last twelve tribes of Kobol leave their planet over conflicts with their gods, as well as a "sort of calamity" .

The tribes settle on twelve worlds spread out over three neighbouring star systems some distance away (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I, The Plan). The tribes' namesakes and icons originally corresponded to the twelve signs of the ancient tribes, although these names drifted over time (Home, Part II).

The early Colonies lived (and fought) more as sovereign nations. Some (particularly Caprica) prospered, while others (such as Sagittaron and Aerelon) were often considered lessers. For peacetime labor forces as well as for wars between each other, humanity created the Cylons. When these early models rebelled, the Colonies unified their governments under the Articles of Colonization sometime before or during the Cylon War as a federal republic known as the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.

The official symbol of the Twelve Colonies is the Colonial seal.

Part of the series on The Twelve Colonies of Kobol (Re-imagined Series)

Arts & Literature Ecosystem Government History Language Law Race & Ethnicity Sexuality Religion

Star System

The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are located in three star systems, one of more of which is known as Cyrannus.

Caprica, Scorpia (Razor), Picon (The Plan), Canceron (The Plan) and Tauron (Razor) have been shown as actual planets. The surfaces of Caprica, Tauron (Razor), Gemenon, Picon, Libran, and Virgon (The Plan) have been seen. No other descriptions are available of the other colonies in terms of their celestial type: Minor planet, moon, or major planet. However, in the Miniseries, Elosha states that the tribes settled onto "12 worlds." While the use of "worlds" is ambiguous, the Colonies are noted as independent, habitable celestial bodies. In the Miniseries, Adama reports that nuclear detonations were reported on the planets Aerilon, Picon, Sagittarion and Gemenon, saying that at least those four Coloinies were planets.

In a blog entry Ronald D. Moore states that all planets are situated within one system, in keeping with the Original Series, yet "The Plan" contradicts this, stating the twelve words are spread out over three star systems.

The Twelve Colonies had approximately 50 billion inhabitants prior to the Cylon attack (A Disquiet Follows My Soul) and maintained some minor observatories and listening posts in outlying star systems. Economic activity, such as tylium mining also occurred outside of the immediate vicinity around the Colonies (Hero).

The fate of the star system of the Twelve Colonies is unknown even 150,000 years after the Cylon attack.

Aerilon

Main article: Aerilon

Colors and symbol of Aerilon

Ancient Name: Aries

Aerilon was primarily an agricultural world. It was considered to be the "food basket" of the Twelve Colonies. Despite this, Aerilon was ranked as one of the poorest members of the Colonies.

Gaius Baltar is a native of Aerilon, although he adopted the culture and mannerisms of Caprica, presumably to increase his standing in society (Dirty Hands).

Natives

• Julius Baltar
• Sherry Bennett
• Sekou Hamilton
• Sharon Valerii (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
• Saul Tigh (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
• Socinus

Notes

• The spelling of this colony is sometimes inconsistent in the Re-imagined Series' official cast and crew notes and episode content. The colony is spelled "Aerilon" in the episodes "Home, Part I" and "The Son Also Rises" in official Colonial documentation. Battlestar Wiki chooses to use the more consistently used spelling of "Aerilon" which mainly appears on both props (such as the nameplates for the Quorum of Twelve) and behind the scenes publications.

Aquaria

Colors and symbol of Aquaria

Ancient Name: Aquarius

Aquaria was widely known for its vast oceans. Its Quorum of Twelve delegate, Miksa Burian, votes for Tom Zarek in the vice-presidential elections (Colonial Day).

Canceron

Colors and symbol of Canceron

Canceron from orbit

Ancient Name: Cancer

Wenutu on Cloud 9.

Robin Wenutu is the Canceron delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve.

The colony was well known for its beaches and we briefly seen from orbit during "The Plan" as having a large coastal metropolis. The Number Six Cylon Shelly Godfrey was travelling on a passenger transport leaving Canceron just as the bombardment of the planet began (The Plan).

Caprica

Main article: Caprica (RDM)

Colors and symbol of Caprica

Ancient Name: Capricorn

Caprica is a large blue-green planet and was the the center of Colonial civilization. According to Gaius Baltar, Caprica was the seat of politics, culture, art, science, and learning. It was also one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands).

Big cities on the planet were Caprica City and Delphi.

6,250 people from Caprica join the Laura Roslin faction (Home, Part I). The overall Caprican survivor population, possibly significantly greater, is unknown (see analysis here).

Notes

• All events of Colonial life prior, during or after the Cylon attack (particularly in seasons 1 and 2) outside of the rag-tag Fleet was set on Caprica. No other colony's surface (save a photo from Aerelon) has been shown to viewers.
• Until the episode "Razor", where Scorpia and Tauron are shown from orbit, Caprica has been the only Colonial planet actually shown in the Re-imagined Series.

Gemenon

Colors and symbol of Gemenon

A suburb of Gememon during the Cylon attack

Ancient Name: Gemini

Marine Corporal Venner, a native of Gemenon.

Gemenon natives are called Gemenese (Taking a Break From All Your Worries). They are known for their literal interpretations of the Sacred Scrolls (Fragged). Most of the population of Gemenon was apparently very strongly opposed to the federal laws legalizing abortion. (The Captain's Hand).

Gemenon was home to the Kobol Colleges. Aaron Doral claims to have studied public relations there. One of the last ever professional Pyramid games was held on Gemenon just prior to the Cylon attack on the Colonies (Miniseries).

Gemenon was one of the poorer colonies (Dirty Hands).

Approximately 9,500 Gemenese join the Laura Roslin faction, perhaps persuaded by Roslin's play of the "religious card" (Home, Part I). Even if this is the great majority of the Fleet's Gemenese population, it still means that Gemenon represents significantly more than a twelfth of the remains of humanity. It is maybe for this reason, or Gemenese influence over religious elements of the Fleet that Roslin's election campaign gives concern to the "Gemenese religious vote".

Fifty-eight years before the fall of the Twelve Colonies three Caprican teenagers, Zoe Graystone, Ben Stark and Lacy Rand who were part of a monotheistic religious cult attempt to run away from home to Gemenon. (Caprica pilot)

Gemenon has either an old or disused language or dialect specific to their colony known as "Old Gemenese." Gina Inviere's last name means "resurrection" in that language.

Natives

• Adrien Bauer
• Romo Lampkin
• Jurgen Belzen and family
• Gina Inviere (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
• Rya Kibby
• Sarah Porter, former delegate to the Quorum of Twelve
• Galen Tyrol (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
• Corporal Venner

Leonis

Colors and symbol of Leonis

A Leonisian thoroughfare under Cylon assault

Ancient Name: Leo

Safiya Sanne is identified as both Leonis's and Picon's representative on the first Quorum of Twelve.

Leonis Estates Sparkling Wine was a type of alcohol produced on this colony.

Libran

Colors and symbol of Libran

One of Libran's famed courthouses

Ancient Name: Libra

Practically no information exists about this colony other than it appears to be the judicial centre of the Colonies. Its name comes from a partially visible name plate on Colonial One that also shows the colony's symbol ("The Ties That Bind", time index 18:40).

In the season 4 episode "A Disquiet Follows My Soul", a much clearer view of the name plate can be seen as the camera view pans around the Quorum table during Vice President Zarek's speech.

After the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Oswin Eriku is chosen to be this colony's representative to the Quorum of Twelve.

Zephyr, a passenger liner in the Fleet, is of Libran registry (SciFi.com).

Note: According to issue 3 of the now-defunct Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine, the colony's name is "Libris", which is incorrect.

Picon

Colors and symbol of Picon

Picon from orbit

Ancient Name: Pisces

Playa Palacios, a native of Picon.

Picon was the location for the Colonial Fleet Headquarters (Miniseries). A flashback view of Admiral Peter Corman's office, probably located at Fleet Headquarters, is among one of the rare visual glimpses of life on another colony outside of Caprica. The planet was covered mainly by water and known for its harbours.

The colony came under heavy attack during the early stages of the Cylon attack. President Richard Adar offered a complete and unconditional surrender to the Cylons after Fleet Headquarters is destroyed; this overture was ignored (Miniseries).

Ellen Tigh was visiting a strip club on Picon when the attack started, though she claims to have been at the airport. A man who she met at the bar, an "unknown savior" ensured she was put on the last ship to get off the planet (Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down, No Exit).

Picon is also the home of Picon Laboratories, themselves located in Pailyn, Muritolan.

Natives

• Samuel Anders (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
• Asha Janik, Cylon sympathizer, member of the Demand Peace movement (Epiphanies).
• The siblings, nephews and nieces of Billy Keikeya (Miniseries).
• Playa Palacios, veteran columnist from the Picon Star Tribune.
• Safiya Sanne, former Picon representative to the Quorum of Twelve.

Publications

• Picon Star Tribune

Pyramid Team

• Picon Panthers (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II)

Sagittaron

Main article: Sagittaron

Colors and symbol of Sagittaron

Ancient Name: Sagittarius

Sagittaron endured centuries of exploitation at the hands of the other Colonies, leading to the colony becoming one of the poorest planets. Eventually, Tom Zarek led an organized series of terrorist acts against the established government there, many years before the fall of the Colonies (Bastille Day).

The Sagittarons are traditionalists who practice an different form of religion from the other Colonies. They believe in herbal medicine and have a general distrust of the military (The Woman King).

Natives

• Anastasia Dualla, stated often that she was from Sagittaron (33), (Bastille Day), (The Woman King).
• Jacob Cantrell, was the season 4 delegate from Sagittaron
• Portia King, was from Sagittaron and requested help for her son (The Woman King)
• Willie King, was from Sagittaron and killed by Dr. Robert (The Woman King)
• Tom Zarek, was a freedom fighter from Sagittaron (Bastille Day) who became the Quorum delegate (Colonial Day)

Scorpia

Scorpia and and its shipyards from orbit (Razor).

Colors and symbol of Scorpia

Ancient Name: Scorpio

Scorpia was home to a Colonial Fleet shipyard, where the battlestar Pegasus was docked during the Cylon attack.

Scorpia is apparently well-known for its paragliding by enthusiasts, such as Jurgen Belzen (Razor).

Eladio Puasha served as the planet's delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve assembled after the Cylon attack.

Notes

• In the episode "Razor", Scorpia is shown from orbit of its shipyards. Scorpia, Caprica and Tauron are the only Colonial planets actually shown in the Re-imagined Series as of this special season 4 episode.

Tauron

Main article: Tauron (RDM)

Colors and symbol of Tauron

Tauron from orbit (Razor).

Ancient Name: Taurus

Tauron was an agricultural colony reputed to be a somewhat troublesome colony within the federal system of the Colonies, often disobeying directives decided by the colonies and "pushing their luck with the admiralty every chance they got." (Hero). Tauron was one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands) known for its agriculture, lack of flowers, the Ha'la'tha crime syndicate, and the center of a civil war some 80-100 years before the Fall (Caprica pilot). At the end of the first Cylon War, Tauron was under attack from Cylon basestars and ground forces, causing many civilian causalities ("Razor", extended DVD edition) in areas such as the city of Hypatia.

Notes

• Tauron is the third of the twelve Colonial worlds shown in the Re-imagined Series, but only through the extended DVD version of "Razor". The extended version scene shows a brief scene on the surface with the terrified Cain family, but there is little detail.
• In Caprica, the native language of the Taurons was shown to be Ancient Greek.

Virgon

Colors and symbol of Virgon

An urban centre on Virgon

Ancient Name: Virgo

Marshall Bagot, a native of Virgon.

Marshall Bagot is the Virgon delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve. He nominates Tom Zarek for the vice-presidency (Colonial Day). In public ceremony, the Virgon delegate wears a light blue sash.

Soon after the Cylon attack begins, the bulk of the space-wide offensive by the Colonials begins "shaping up" over the planet. The battle ostensibly ends with the destruction of the battlestar Atlantia and the death of Admiral Nagala. Other battlestars in the Virgon attack are also eliminated (Miniseries, Night 1).

Virgon was one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands).

Virgon Brew was a beer produced on the planet and exported to other Colonies (Maelstrom).

See Also

• Colonial anthem
• Ithaca