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.
The timeline is given in "Earth" years, BCE [1] and AD, not by Colonial yahren.
In the beginning.. on Kobol[edit]
The Beings of Light who later appear to the Colonials, intervene at the beginning of human development.[2]
c. 4,000 BCE[edit]
The beginning of recorded human history, on the mother world - the planet Kobol. [3]
The Exodus[edit]
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[edit]
The Great Pyramids are constructed during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt on Earth. [4]
50 BCE to AD 1899[edit]
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 [5]
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. [6]
c. AD 950
- The Cylons attack the Hasari, whose territory neighbors the Colonies. The Colonies intervene in the Cylons attack on the Hasari. As a result of this intervention, the Thousand Yahren War begins between the Colonies and the Cylon Empire. [7]
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. [8]
prior to 1850
1900-1949[edit]
1917
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. [11]
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.[12]
- 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.[13]
1947
- The United States Air Force begins Project Blue Book, an investigation into unidentified flying objects.[14]
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. [15]
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[edit]
The Destruction of the Colonies, thirty years before the Galactica discovers Earth.[16]
The events of the Original Series appear during this period.
- TOS episode: Saga of a Star World.
- TOS episode: Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I.
- TOS episode: Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II.
- TOS episode: The Lost Warrior.
- TOS episode: The Long Patrol.
- TOS episode: The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I.
- TOS episode: The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part II.
- TOS episode: The Magnificent Warriors.
- TOS episode: The Young Lords.
- TOS episode: The Living Legend, Part I.
- TOS episode: The Living Legend, Part II.
- TOS episode: Fire in Space.
- TOS episode: War of the Gods.
- TOS episode: The Man with Nine Lives.
- TOS episode: Murder on the Rising Star.
- TOS episode: Greetings from Earth.
- TOS episode: Baltar's Escape.
- TOS episode: Experiment in Terra.
- TOS episode: Take the Celestra.
- TOS episode: The Hand of God.
- Note: Somehow, a signal from Earth from the year 1969 reaches the Galactica during this episode, travelling back in time almost 19 years)
1951[edit]
Dillon is born in space aboard a vessel in the Colonial Fleet. [17]
1951 - 1979[edit]
The period between Battlestar Galactica (TOS) and Galactica 1980.
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").
Sometime prior to 1970, Captain Apollo dies.[18]
1953[edit]
Jamie Hamilton is born in the United States on Earth. [19]
1960[edit]
The last attack by the Cylons on the Colonial fleet until 1980. [20]
1969[edit]
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.
1970[edit]
Starbuck is stranded on a desolate planetoid, where he rebuilds the centurion that he names Cy. Some time later at this same location, Dr. Zee is born to the mysterious woman Angela. [21]
After 1970[edit]
Dr. Zee's ship catches up to the Fleet. [22].
Lt. Boomer is promoted to Colonel.[23]
Commander Adama grows a beard.[24]
Boxey begins to go by the name "Troy" as he grows older.[25]
1977[edit]
Dr. Mortensen starts to work on his formula for nuclear degeneration. [26]
1980[edit]
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. [27] The team is apparently successful in stopping Xavier, as there are no apparent changes to Earth's history.[28] 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. [29]
- The Colonials cease to travel into Earth's past. [30]
- Jamie returns to Earth, and back to the job she was offered with the United Broadcasting Corporation. [31]
- 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.[32]
- 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.[33]
Galactica 1980 episode: The Super Scouts, Part I
Galactica 1980 episode: The Super Scouts, Part II
- Troy and Dillon spend a few days away from the children on an unknown mission.[34]
- Having spent an inordinate amount of money investigating the Super Scouts, Colonel Sydell's budget is questioned by his superiors in the United States Air Force.[35]
- Xavier returns to the present time from Earth's past, and assumes the form of Lt. Nash of the Galactica. [36]
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.[37]
October 31 - November 1, 1980[edit]
Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I [38]
Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II[39]
Late 1980[edit]
The Imperious Leader, and his three base ships, catch up to the Galactica and the Fleet, but the location of Earth remains elusive. [40]
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.
The scripted but only partially shot episode "Day That Cleopatra Died" would have taken place here.
1981[edit]
Events that take place after Galactica 1980
- In the 1980 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.
- The planned but never filmed Starbuck episode "Wheel of Time" would have taken place at this time.
1990[edit]
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.[41]
References[edit]
- ↑ BCE stands for "Before the Christian Era," an updated variation of the older term "B.C." (Before Christ)
- ↑ Adama refers to the Beings of Light as the "Mother Race" in War of the Gods.
- ↑ At the beginning of Saga of a Star World, it is mentioned that the Peace Conference is being held at the beginning of the 7th millenium of human history, which would mean human history was just crossing into it's 6,000th year. 6,000 years prior to Saga of a Star World, which is noted later in this timeline as happening in 1950, would be circa 4,000 BCE.
- ↑ There are strong allusions in the series that the Great Pyraminds are based on the ancient pyramids of Kobol, particularly in Lost Planet of the Gods.
- ↑ Ancient space travel is characterized in the classic episode (The Hand of God).
- ↑ To have programmed Imperious Leader, Iblis would need to be "a thousand yahrens old." War of the Gods).
- ↑ The Thousand Yahren War begins 1,000 years before Saga of a Star World which, as noted later in this timeline, is set around 1950.
- ↑ The trip to 1776 is mentioned in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III but not show on screen. That Xavier's plans are thwarted are suggested by his status at the start of Spaceball.
- ↑ Adama reveals he is over a hundred yahrens old in Lost Planet of the Gods
- ↑ Based on the age of Dirk Benedict during the filming of the original series. Starbuck is revealed to be from Caprica, as well as Chameleon being his father in The Man With Nine Lives.
- ↑ Described in The Man With Nine Lives - Starbuck is seven at the time
- ↑ Described in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II.
- ↑ Depicted in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II and Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III.
- ↑ Project Blue Book is mentioned in a disclaimer at the end of every Galactica 1980 episode. Colonel Sydell's organization within the US Air Force in the series has a similar mandate, and the disclaimer was apparently put in place to assure viewers that Sydell's organization was fictitious.
- ↑ Two yahrens prior to the events of The Living Legend.
- ↑ Officially, Galactica 1980 was set 30 years after the events of the original Battlestar Galactica. This piece of information was never specifically mentioned onscreen, but was mentioned in promotional advertising and noted in background material for the program.
- ↑ Based on the age of Barry Van Dyke at the time of filming.
- ↑ Troy refers to Apollo's death in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I. This apparently happens before the events depicted in The Return of Starbuck as Starbuck does not mention Apollo when relating to Boomer people he wishes to say goodbye to.
- ↑ Approximate. Based on the age of actress Robyn Douglass at the time of filming, who portrayed Jamie Hamilton. She identifies herself as an American in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III.
- ↑ There has not been a Cylon attack in almost a generation prior to The Super Scouts, Part I. A generation is typical denoted as 20 years.
- ↑ Events of the flashback sequence of The Return of Starbuck. Dr. Zee is a pre-teen child, who appears to be roughly ten years of age. Reasoning backward, he was born c. 1970.
- ↑ The voyage of Dr. Zee's ship is shown in The Return of Starbuck
- ↑ By the time of Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I Boomer has assumed this rank.
- ↑ Adama has a large Moses like beard throughout the second series
- ↑ Troy mentions this in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I
- ↑ Dr. Mortensen had been working on nuclear degeneration for three years as of Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I.
- ↑ Troy, Dillon and Jamie are about to head off on this mission at the end of Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III
- ↑ No reference to Xavier having achieved his goals is made in the subsequent episodes of G80.
- ↑ Xavier's activities are related in Spaceball.
- ↑ Time travel was abandoned as a plot device at this point, but had the series not been cancelled, the Colonials would have resumed the activity.
- ↑ As of The Super Scouts, Part I, Jamie is back at work at UBC.
- ↑ The saucer project is revealed in Space Croppers.
- ↑ Just prior to The Super Scouts, Part I
- ↑ Briefly mentioned in Spaceball.
- ↑ Just prior to Spaceball
- ↑ Just prior to Spaceball
- ↑ Just prior to The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I
- ↑ The Night the Cylons Landed is specifically noted to occur on Hallowe'en.
- ↑ Episode ends in the early hours of November 1.
- ↑ Just prior to Space Croppers
- ↑ Possible future revealed in The Super Scouts, Part II.