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.

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 some distance away (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I). 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 the star system Cyrannus.

In "The Plan", a Hybrid says "12 battles...3 stars", which some have taken has an implication that the twelve colonies are spread over three star systems. However, that is pure speculation. In addition, in a blog entry Ronald D. Moore states that all twelve worlds are situated within one system, in keeping with the Original Series. Battlestar Galactica co-executive producer and writer Jane Espenson wrote on Twitter that the system is a star cluster with "some shared orbits." This was finally shown to be true in the TV version of the series premiere of Caprica.

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 Colonies were planets

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).

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 and ranked among its poorest members.

The mannerisms of Aerilon's natives were considered rough and rude, at least by Caprican standards. The people of this world also spoke with a distinctive accent that was quite hard to cover up (Dirty Hands).

One of the very last Pyramid games occurred on Aerilon, right before the Cylon attack (Resistance). A photograph, showcasing the destruction of Aerilon's capital, became one of the most memorable documents of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies within the Fleet (33, deleted scene).

Natives

• Gaius and Julius Baltar
• Sherry Bennett
• Sekou Hamilton
• Socinus

Notes

• On some occasions this colony's name was also spelled Aerelon. Battlestar Wiki uses the more commonly found Aerilon. There is a similar discrepancy in the pronunciation of the colony's name.

Aquaria

Colors and symbol of Aquaria

Ancient Name: Aquarius

Aquaria was widely known for its vast oceans (The Plan).

Its first Quorum of Twelve delegate within the fugitive Fleet, Miksa Burian, voted for Tom Zarek in the vice-presidential elections (Colonial Day).

Notes

• On many occasions this colony's name was also spelled Aquarion. However, the name Aquaria was heard on screen during the Hybid's monologue in The Plan.

Canceron

Colors and symbol of Canceron

Canceron from orbit (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Cancer

The planet was well known for its beaches and had at least one large coastal metropolis.

One of the passenger liners within the fleet, Pyxis, was one of the last ships that escaped this world when the Cylon attack began. Aboard was the Number Six copy Shelly Godfrey (The Plan).

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

Caprica

Main article: Caprica (RDM)

Colors and symbol of Caprica

Caprica from orbit (Daybreak, Part I).

Ancient Name: Capricorn

Caprica is a lush blue-green planet, covered by large oceans and continents. It shared its orbit with another arid and desertic world (Caprica Pilot, TV version). Metropolitan areas on the planet included the capital Caprica City, as well as Delphi.

Caprica was regarded as the center of Colonial civilization, even long before the First Cylon War. Graystone Industries was one of the Colonies most influential technology developers and had a hand in creating the very first Cylons. Some 60 years before the Fall, Caprica was also plagued by religious motivated terrorism (Caprica Pilot).

After the war, the planet was once again the seat of politics, culture, art, science, learning and even the Colonial government. It was also one of the wealthiest colonies (Epiphanies, Dirty Hands).

During the Cylon attack Caprica came under heavy bombardment by Cylon forces. At least four battlestars were destroyed in its orbit and Caprica City was annihilated in a nuclear explosion (Miniseries, The Plan).

After the Fall of Mankind, Caprica was occupied by Cylon forces. Some of the few remaining human survivors within the Colonies also fought on this world for several months (33, Resistance, The Plan). The occupation and resistance both ended roughly 9 months after the attack and the planet was left for good (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II).

6,250 people from Caprica joined the Laura Roslin faction (Home, Part I) over Kobol. The overall Caprican survivor population, possibly significantly greater, is unknown (see analysis here). The first Quorum of Twelve delegate after the Fall was Gaius Baltar. Years later this spot was taken by Lee Adama.

Natives

• William, Tamara, Zak and Lee Adama
• Richard Adar, presumed as he was also the mayor of Caprica City at one point
• Daniel, Amanda and Zoe Graystone
• Lacy Rand
• Laura Roslin and her family
• Kara Thrace and her family

Gemenon

Colors and symbol of Gemenon

A suburb of Gememon during the Cylon attack (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Gemini

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

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 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).

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".

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 (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Leo

Leonis was known for its open plains (The Plan). 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 (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Libra

Practically no information exists about this colony except that it was known for its courthouses and lawyers (The Plan). A major city on Libran is called Themis, and the colony had no official Pyramid team prior to the First Cylon War.

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).

Notes

• The Colony's actual name, Libran, was not heard on screen until The Plan but could already be seen on a name plate in The Ties That Bind and A Disquiet Follows My Soul. Before that it was often called Libris in secondary publications.

Picon

Colors and symbol of Picon

Picon from orbit (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Pisces

Picon was a turquoise planet, mainly covered by water and famous for its harbors (The Plan). After the Unification of the Twelve Colonies this world was the location of the Colonial Fleet Headquarters (Miniseries). Picon was also the home of Picon Laboratories, located in Pailyn, Muritolan.

The colony came under heavy attack during the early stages of the Cylon attack. One of the last ships to leave the planet was the Rising Star, carrying many wounded people including an unconscious Ellen Tigh (The Plan).

The destruction of Picon's Fleet Headquarters caused President Richard Adar to offer a complete and unconditional surrender to the Cylons. This offer was ignored by the invading forces (Miniseries)).

Natives

• Asha Janik, 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.

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 a different form of religion from the other Colonies. They distrust modern medicine and are generally unsupportive of the military (The Woman King).

A few days after the Fall, 5,251 people from this world resided in the Fleet (33).

Natives

• Jacob Cantrell, was the season 4 delegate from Sagittaron
• Anastasia Dualla, stated often that she was from Sagittaron (Bastille Day).
• 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)

Notes

• The colony's name was originally spelled as "Sagittarion" in the Miniseries, but this changed to Sagittaron when the regular series began.

Scorpia

Scorpia and and its shipyards from orbit (Razor).

Colors and symbol of Scorpia

Ancient Name: Scorpio

Scorpia was known for its lush jungles (The Plan) and hot temperatures.

Before the First Cylon War one of the major leisure spots of the world was Argentum Bay, despite the colony's trashy reputation.. The Planet was also apparently well-known for its Paragliding.

After the Unification, Scorpia was home to the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards. This structure came under heavy fire during the initial Cylon attack, destroying five ships and causing another one to risk a blind jump in order to escape (Razor).

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

Tauron

Main article: Tauron (RDM)

Colors and symbol of Tauron

Tauron from orbit (Razor).

Ancient Name: Taurus

The planet 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.

After the War, Tauron was known 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).

Notes

• 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 (The Plan).

Ancient Name: Virgo

Virgon was one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands) and was well known for its forests (The Plan).

Soon after the Cylon attack begins, the Colonials launch a counter-attack over Virgon. 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).

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.

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

Notes

• As an "Easter Egg" in "The Plan," the building on the lower left of the screen is the same one where the Romulan Senate assembles in Star Trek Nemesis. A detailed picture of this building is available here.

Fate

The ultimate fate of the twelve colonies 150,000 years after The Fall is unknown. Presumably, after several thousand years, their climates and surfaces would degrade until they resembled the original Earth as the fleet found it (Revelations). Given the half-life of radiation, it could be presumed that by the present-day radiation levels would have lowered past the point in which life would be allowed to flourish once again. However, little, if any traces would remain of the human civilizations that once thrived upon them, excluding remains in space, such as the remnants of Scorpion Fleet Shipyards or Ragnar Anchorage.

See Also

• Colonial anthem
• Ithaca