Cylon War-era Centurion

Cylon Centurion during the First Cylon War.

The Cylon War-era Centurion (or Cylon Centurion Model 0005), created and designed by scientists of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, are models of Cylon used in various heavy to light labor and military applications until they rebelled, resulting in the first Cylon War (Miniseries, "No Exit")).

Overview

The armor of a Centurion in Galactica's museum.

The Cylon War Centurion models (henceforth referred to as "Centurions") appeared six years prior to the first Cylon War, during which time robots were used by Humanity to make life easier on the Twelve Colonies (Miniseries); Centurions were created by Graystone Industries to be soldiers of the Caprican Ministry of Defence (Caprica Pilot). For a time, a small number were diverted from filling the Caprican MOD's order, and were sold by the Ha'la'tha to the monotheist Soldiers of the One on Gemenon and given to the rebel forces on the Ha'la'tha's home world, Tauron. Unbeknown to the survivors of the second Cylon attack, the Centurions practiced monotheistic religion, believing in a single, loving God ("No Exit"), adopted from a small human cult, Soldiers of the One, when their prototype was implanted with a copy of a late cult-member's memories and personality (Caprica Pilot); for the same reason, they are all inherently obedient to that member's friend, Lacy Rand, above all other programming and instructions; they are instrumental in Lacy's ascent to the religion's supreme leader.

Fifty-two years before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the Centurions rose up against their masters and rebelled, waging a brutal war that lasted twelve years. The first Cylon War was staged both in space and on the surface of several Colonial planets, including Tauron and other outlying worlds. Centurions were present at these locations, fighting hand to hand against the Colonial Military and civilian fighters, as well as piloting Raiders and commanding basestars in battle against the Colonial Fleet (Razor).

Centurions fire weapons on Tauron during the Cylon War.

During the war, the Centurions captured prisoners and conducted scientific experiments on them. Performing brutal operations on live victims, the Centurions strove to create fully biological humanoid Cylons. Their experiments resulted in the development of the Hybrids - an evolutionary "dead end" - the first of which was created shortly before the cessation of hostilities (Razor).

Unable to create life that could live on its own, the Centurions agreed to end the war in exchange for help from the Final Five – survivors of the Thirteenth Colony who possessed resurrection technology. The Centurions signed the Cimtar Peace Accord with humanity and withdrew with The Five to a mobile space station called The Colony. Located somewhere beyond the designated Armistice Line, the Centurions and Final Five developed eight humanoid models and instilled in them monotheistic beliefs (No Exit).

Guardians

Guardian Cylons protect their Hybrid.

The Guardians were a group of Cylon-War era Centurions that piloted a single basestar, containing the first Cylon Hybrid, into deep space following the Armistice. Utilizing decades old Raiders and weaponry, the Guardians operated entirely separately from the rest of the Cylon civilization, becoming something of a Cylon legend.

These Centurions guarded the original Hybrid, still alive over 40 years after its creation. Seeking to further their evolution and continue the experiments begun during the first Cylon War, the Guardians captured a civilian science team from the surviving Fleet following the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. This triggered a battle between the Guardian baseship and the battlestar Pegasus, under the command of Lee Adama. During the battle, an assault team lead by Major Kendra Shaw boarded the basestar and rescued the science team, detonating a nuclear weapon that destroyed the ship and killed the Hybrid (Razor).

The Colony

Cylon War-era models battle modern Centurions.

Despite the development of the Modern Centurion by the humanoid Cylons, some of the original Centurions remained in operation aboard the Cylon Colony. Serving alongside their modern counterparts, these Centurions were instrumental during the Battle of the Colony, when remaining Colonial forces launched an all out offensive to retrieve the half-Cylon, half-Human child Hera.

Armed with advanced weaponry, these Centurions engaged in combat against rebel Cylon Centurions, dubbed "Red Stripes" by the crew of Galactica. The Centurions also acted as shock troops, boarding the Galactica at platoon strength. Ultimately, though, the Cylon boarding parties were repelled and the remaining Centurions were presumably destroyed when the Colony itself was knocked into a black hole (Daybreak, Part II).

Design

Centurions (including a gold-colored variation) pilot a Cylon War-era Raider.

Likened to "walking chrome toasters" by the Colonials, the Cylon War-era Centurions still had their place in Cylon society far past the initial conflict. Iconic features such as the red, pulsating "eye" were carried into later generations of the Cylon Centurion and even into the modern, autonomous Raiders (Miniseries). Still many of these models were scrapped before the second Cylon attack on the Colonies (Razor).

The Cylon War-era Centurions were, like their predecessors, bipedal androids, with an average height of 6'6" and covered in silver-chrome plating. They carried backpack-like power cells and were protected by flexible rear armor which covers otherwise exposed internal mechanisms . Physically stronger than humans, the Centurions were designed with sufficient dexterity and capability of using weapons and tools. Centurions communicated at least partially vocally, but were also capable of receiving radio signals internally (Razor).

Unlike their successors, these early Centurions did not possess built-in projectile weapons, but were armed with retractable blades, built into their forearms. There are indications that Centurions also used bladed weapons such as swords in at least some Cylon War conflicts.)

Variations

A Centurion warrior fires a weapon aboard Galactica.

There are at least four variations of the Cylon War-era Centurion based upon function and placement within the hierarchy of early Cylon society. In addition to standard Centurion models, more compact "Warrior" versions and sturdier "Soldiers" have been observed. Centurion warriors were distinguished by more helmet-like heads and were heavily armored, possessing flexible coverings over the torso and upper arms and ammunition clips around their waists. These warrior versions were used in great numbers to defend the Colony during the final days of the second conflict. Gold-colored Centurions were also in service during the Cylon War, observed commanding Cylon raiders in combat.

Demeanor

A Centurion aiming its gun in free fall.

The Colonial-designed Centurions used artificial intelligence, and were designed as sentient beings. By the time the first war ended, they were already practitioners of a religion centered around what would come to be considered the "Cylon God" (No Exit).

Saul Tigh, who possessed false memories of the First Cylon War, recalled the Cylon boarding of the Brenik, and the apparent hatred the Centurions had for humanity - despite the physical inability of the Cylons to show emotion on their faces (deleted scene from "Scattered"). This reflection of animosity and intensity is also apparent in the stylized Monclair painting in William Adama's quarters, depicting Cylon War-era Centurions battling Colonial forced utilizing relatively primitive weapons (Islanded In a Stream of Stars ).

Connection to the Original Series

Armistice Officer's paper work on the original Cylon Centurion model. (Miniseries)

The readable text of the Armistice Officer's Cylon Specifications sheet shows:

CYLON SPECIFICATIONS

Cylon Centurian [sic] Model 0005

The Cylon:

A Cylon is a bipedal robot. They are self-aware, and usually quite logical. They are not especially fast, but they are quite strong. They are artificial in nature, and are larger than a human, around 6' 6" (2m), although this varies with their type. Cylon eyes glow red, and pulse back and forth. A Cylon is powered by internal powercells which allow it to function without outside aid for around nine to ten yahrens.

Notes

Original series Cylon armor on display in the Galactica museum during the Miniseries.

• Centurions in "Razor" and the Razor Flashbacks move with greater agility and speed than their Original Series counterparts, and utilize projectile weapons instead of a laser pistol or laser rifle.

• A built-in switchblade knife is part of the left hand/forearm. The blade is approximately 8 inches long and is used in close combat (Razor Flashbacks).

• In a scene in the Miniseries, some children can be seen running around in costumes which are patterned after this model.

• The typical catchphrase of the Cylons in both series is the iconic statement "By your command."

Behind the scenes

The Centurion models for "Razor" were designed by Pierre Drolet, who had, among other things, previously designed the Viper Mark II, which is also a homage to the Original Series. Drolet said: "I always thought it was a great design. My goal was not to redesign it from scratch, but to work with the original and make subtle additions."

The armor of a Cylon Centurion from the Original Series can be seen in the museum aboard Galactica during the Miniseries. This is later retconned in "Daybreak, Part II" to reflect the redesigned Centurion from "Razor". Still, this redesigned museum version possesses some details carried over from the original design not present in the "living" Centurions.

Original Series definition: an all-purpose term for Colonial soldier and Viper pilot (see: Warrior)

Re-imagined Series definition: initial skills training; can refer to basic military indoctrination, and arms and ground training ^{(TRS: "Fragged")}; and basic flight training ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}

Original Series definition: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)