| Number One | ||
|---|---|---|
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Human Name |
Cavil ? | |
| Age | ||
| Colony | ||
| Birth place | {{{birthplace}}} | |
| Birth Name | ||
| Birth Date | {{{birthdate}}} | |
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| Nickname | {{{nickname}}} | |
| Introduced | Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I | |
| Death | ||
| Parents | ||
| Siblings | ||
| Children | ||
| Marital Status | ||
| Family Tree | View | |
| Role | Cylon Infiltrator, Priest | |
| Rank | ||
| Serial Number | {{{serial}}} | |
| Portrayed by | Dean Stockwell | |
| Number One is a Cylon | ||
| Number One is a Final Five Cylon | ||
| Number One is a Human/Cylon Hybrid | ||
| Number One is an Original Series Cylon | ||
| Related Media | ||
| @ BW Media | ||
| Additional Information | ||
| [[Image:|200px|Number One]] | ||
Cavil is a Cylon agent who, prior to being discovered, posed as a Colonial priest.
While other Cylon agents have a number associated with their model, such as Number Six and Number Three, the number designation for the Cavil model is currently unknown.
Galactica Copy[edit]
On Galactica, the first viewed copy of Brother Cavil provides counsel for Chief Tyrol after Tyrol's maddened attack against Cally. Cavil identifies the source of Tyrol's anxiety as arising from the fear that he could be a Cylon sleeper agent. This Cavil seems to be personally very familiar with Tyrol and is apparently aware that Cally harbors romantic feelings for him (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I). The significance of Cavil's interest in Tyrol's personal affairs, if any, is unknown.
A somewhat eccentric figure, Cavil is a surprisingly harsh critic of prayer for a priest, but claims to have been preaching "longer than you [Tyrol] have been sucking down oxygen" (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I). This interesting claim, if true, implies that the humanoid Cylon agents came into existence no later than approximately ten years after the end of the First Cylon War (assuming that Tyrol is approximately 30 years old). Whether Cavil is being truthful cannot be determined at this time.
Despite his cynicism, Cavil prays with Laura Roslin for her re-election to the presidency to be successful (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II).
Caprica Copy[edit]
A second copy of this model emerges from the crew of resistance members rescued by the Caprica SAR team, telling them that the Cylons had left the Colonies. What he does not tell them — until Tyrol blew his cover upon his arrival at Galactica — is that he is a Cylon.
Due to this copy's discovery, the Fleet copy is arrested as well and thrown in Galactica's brig. Laura Roslin orders them ejected into space after Caprica-Cavil informs her and Admiral Adama that the Cylons had made two mistakes: the attack on the Colonies and the pursuit of the Fleet (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II). Though their execution was not shown, a later conversation indicated that they were executed (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II, deleted scene).
Like his Fleet counterpart, the Caprica copy also expresses doubt in the active involvement of divine forces in the real world, although he focuses his contempt on the Cylon religion. Based on his conversation with the Fleet copy, this viewpoint appears to be shared between at least these two copies, and possibly across the entire model.
New Caprica Copies[edit]
At least two copies of Cavil are present in the invasion fleet on New Caprica, as seen in Occupation and Precipice, though there are probably a lot more. They have some authority over humans in detainment, as Ellen Tigh is able to use sexual favors to bribe another into releasing Saul Tigh. This may have been a self-serving ruse, because after a second sexual encounter, Cavil says to her of Saul, "When's this next meeting with the insurgents?" and "we know he's their leader - why do you think we let him out of detention?". Ellen replies, "I thought it was because of the 'twist'", referring to a sex act, and Cavil says, "oh, yes, that too."
Two copies, possibly those same two, are also involved in the Cylon leaders' discussions such as whether to kill Gauis Baltar.
Another copy (or perhaps one of the previous two) also acts as a type of liaison between the NCP and their Cylon masters. He gives Jammer the list of Colonials to detain, and later accompanies the NCP to the site of a mass execution of Colonial Detainees (Occupation).
In Exodus, Part I, the NCP liason version is critically wounded during an attack by the Resistance movement. Cavil is left with a bulletwound to the stomach to die after the detainees were liberated. Cavil would resort to suicide by severing his caroid artery with a spent casing. He would download and be reborn for the third time - an experience which he explained as being similar to having a white hot poker slammed through his skull.
Analysis[edit]
The Cavils appear to be very radical thinkers, and demonstrate a unity among the model not seen in any other. Copies appear to have a well-developed sense of sardonic humor and are given to making jokes in even the most awkward, dangerous, and heightened circumstances (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II, Occupation, Precipice). They seem to have discovered many revelations that Caprica-Six realized through her "virtual" Baltar (Downloaded). Judging by this, the Cavil copies are probably among the first to flock to Caprica's banner.
In Occupation and Precipice, the Cavils are the most outwardly ruthless and cruel to humans. Perhaps even more troubling, the Cavils appear to take pleasure (or at least a noticeable level of amusement) in their own acts of psychological and physical cruelty. (Occupation, Precipice). Viewers can infer (correctly or not) from the New Caprica detention scene between a Cavil and Saul Tigh that a Cavil is significantly involved in the brutal, months-long interrogation. In conversation with the other Cylons, Cavils are vocal and callous proponents of harsh measures against the New Caprica Resistance and are strong advocates of mass executions.
It is ironic that the first two known copies of this apparently atheistic model pose as clergymen. This may be an intentional mockery of religion on their part.
With the Cylons apparently occupying New Caprica at the end of the episode, it appears that the Cavils on Galactica are either lying about the Cylon change of heart or the Cylon plans changed after the second Cavil was captured on Galactica.
The word cavil is a noun and verb involving an irrelevant or trivial point made during an argument or discussion; synonyms include quibble and carp. (Dictionary Reference)