Kobol (RDM)

For information on the Kobol of the Original Series, see Kobol (TOS). For general information on the planet, see Kobol.

Kobol is the planet described as the ancestral homeworld of humanity in the Sacred Scrolls.

Overview

Kobol is a verdant world of seas and continents, the latter having large areas of woodland, grassland and forests. An unexplained event or environmental catastrophe caused humanity to leave Kobol and settle on the planets that form the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. However, at the time of Galactica's discovery of Kobol, the planet appears to have recovered from such an event.

The seat of power of Kobol resided in the City of the Gods in the northern hemisphere, itself dominated by the Forum, Temple and Opera House (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I), structures which were duplicated on Caprica in the city of Delphi. It is said that humans lived there in harmony with the Lords of Kobol.

Great Exodus

The Great Exodus of the Twelve Tribes from Kobol took place some 2,000 years prior to the events of the Miniseries. At that time, the Twelve Tribes departed Kobol for another star system.

It is written in the Sacred Scrolls that the Thirteenth Tribe departed Kobol some 2,000 years prior to the main exodus (Miniseries), to seek a planet known as Earth ^[1].

The gods appear to have abandoned Kobol as well, but their time of departure is not known. It is unclear whether all the gods themselves departed Kobol with their worshippers, although the Sacred Scrolls indicate that Athena commits suicide in sorrow at the human exodus, suggesting that one or more gods or humans remained to record the death before entombing Athena and leaving themselves.

Religious Texts

During the time humans lived on Kobol, many texts were written, some of which have survived through time, and are regarded by some as religious artifacts, and by others the documenting of myths and legends. These texts have been collected into a tome known as the Sacred Scrolls.

Chief among these writings include the Book of Pythia who, some 1,600 years prior to the Great Exodus, foretold another exodus featuring a "caravan of the heavens" lead by someone dying of a "wasting disease" (The Hand of God). This exodus would lead humanity to a new home, although the leader would die before he/she could enter the new home.

Some of the writings of Pythia have apparently come true: President Laura Roslin, the civil leader of the Colonial fleet is dying of cancer at the presumed fulfillment of the prophecy (Home, Part II). Further, Roslin has several visions, including one of 12 snakes (The Hand of God), a vision specifically foretold by Pythia.

According to an virtual image of Number Six that appears to Gaius Baltar, the Cylons have very different beliefs about Kobol, including that human sacrifice was practiced there, and that the souls of all who die on Kobol are forever lost ("Valley of Darkness", "Fragged"). With the nature of "virtual Six" unclear, this information may be a falsehood.

Rediscovering Kobol

Its location is unknown until it is found by the Fleet, Colonial star charts place it in Sector 728 of the galaxy (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I), when Galactica dispatches Raptors to locate planets which may provide materials needed to re-supply the Fleet and one of them finds the planet by chance. Upon its discovery, Commander Adama suggests considering permanent settlement on the planet. However, Cylon forces are already present in the system.

Following the discovery (as predicted by the humanoid Cylon Leoben Conoy) as well as her own prescient visions, Roslin becomes convinced that Kobol will lead the fleet to Earth, providing the Tomb of Athena can be found. To do this, priest Elosha notes that the Arrow of Apollo must be retrieved from the Delphi Museum of the Colonies on Caprica.

Against Commander Adama's military orders, Roslin begins a quest to retrieve the Arrow, leading to her arrest (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II). She later escapes and leads a third of the Fleet to Kobol (with the retrieved Arrow) to begin the search for the Tomb (Home, Part I)

A scouting team sent to Kobol is ambushed by Cylon forces. The survivors manage to escape further Cylon assault after a SAR mission (Fragged).

Commander Adama later joins Roslin's expedition and soon find the Tomb of Athena. They are the first people to see the inside of the Tomb in centuries, and use the Arrow to activate a holographic map display which indicated the general direction of Earth (Home, Part II).

Notes

Much of the scenic, expansive landscapes of Kobol were filmed at Widgeon Slough, the largest freshwater marsh in the Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, British Columbia, Port Coquitlam (Source in part: The Official Companion).
In the original Miniseries script, the Twelve Colonies actually resided on Kobol. The final script returned Kobol to its status as birthplace of mankind, with humanity having left to other habitable worlds to match the premise of the Original Series.

References

↑ Galen Tyrol's report on the age of the Temple of Five at around 4,000 years old (The Eye of Jupiter) is generally accurate. The Thirteenth Tribe allegedly left approximately 4,000 years prior to the events of the Miniseries. The Twelve Tribes (which form the Colonies) left much later, at 2,000 years prior to the Miniseries.

[1] Galen Tyrol's report on the age of the Temple of Five at around 4,000 years old (The Eye of Jupiter) is generally accurate. The Thirteenth Tribe allegedly left approximately 4,000 years prior to the events of the Miniseries. The Twelve Tribes (which form the Colonies) left much later, at 2,000 years prior to the Miniseries.

[1]