Overview
Kobol is said to be the original home of mankind, once shared with the Lords of Kobol.
Kobol is a verdant world of seas and continents, the latter having large swaythes of woodland, grassland and forests (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I).
Kobol was a place where humans and the god dwelt in harmony, the seat of power being the City of the Gods, itself dominated by the Forum and Opera House (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I).
Great Exodus
The Great Exodus from Kobol took place some 2,000 years prior to the events of the new Battestar Galactica. At that time, the 12 tribes departed Kobol for the Cyrannus system (Video Game).
It is unclear whether the gods themselves departed Kobol at this time. However, given their presence is not seen amoung the 12 colonies, it is possible they remained on Kobol. This may be the reason why not everyone departed Kobol at the time of the Great Exodus.
Certainly, it is known that the Thirteenth Tribe departed Kobol some time after the main exodus (Mini-Series), to seek a planet known as "(Earth)". The gods may also have abandoned Kobol at this time to travel with the Thirteenth Tribe.
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 artefacts, and by others the documenting of myths and legends. Chief among these writings are those of Pythia, who wrote some 1,600 years prior to the Great Exodus, fortelling of 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 - which can be considered a wasting disease. Fuether, she has several visions, including one of 12 snakes (The Hand of God) that is specifically foretold by Pythia.
Rediscovering Kobol
Kobol is re-discovered by chance when the Galactica dispatches her Raptors to locate planets which may provide materials needed to re-supply the fleet (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I.
Following the discovery - predicted by the humano-Cylon Leoben Conoy, Roslin becomes convinced that Kobol will lead the fleet to Earth, providing the Tomb of Athena can be accessed. To do this, the Arrow of Apollo must be retreived from Caprica.
However, before the surface of Kobol can be reached safely (and the crew of a crashed Raptor rescued), and Cylon force lead by a basestar must be eliminated. It is planned to use the captured Cylon Raider to help with this, but before any plan can be put into action, Lt. "Starbuck" Thrace uses the Raider to go to Caprica in an attempt to recover the Arrow. Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I.
Kobol In the Original Series
In the original series Kobol was also the mother world from which humanity originated. In that series, it was an ecological / environmental disaster that lead to the migration. During the migration, 12 tribes set out for the stars, but became lost in a starless void before stumbling into the worlds that would become the new twelve colonies of mankind, while the 13th again headed for a world called "Earth".
Kobol is rediscovered in the episode Lost Planet of the Gods Part I, which sees a team from the Galactica arrive among the ruins of Eden, the planet's largest city. Here they seek to enter the tomb of the Ninth Lord of Kobol in order to find clues as to the route taken by the Thirteeth Tribe (Lost Planet of the Gods Part II). A Cylon attack prevents them from doing so.
Similarities with the New Galactica
Both series of Galactica utilise Kobol in similar ways:
- It is the original home of mankind
- It is found by chance by both fleets
- A tomb may hold the key to the location of Earth
- Cylon attacks take place with reference to both
Origins of "Kobol"
"Kobol" originally appears to have derived from "Kolob" which, according to the Mormon Book of Abraham is the "star nearest unto God". Glen A. Larson, creator of the original series is a member of the of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as such used Mormon imagery within the show, together with elements of Eygptian imagery that tend to reflect the time of Abraham and the Israelites.
More to be added