The Twelve Colonies of Kobol
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- This article discusses the Twelve Colonies of the Re-imagined Series. See The Twelve Colonies (TOS) for information on the Colonies of the Original Series.
Approximately 2,000 years prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the last twelve tribes of Kobol leave their planet[1] over conflicts with their gods, as well as a "sort of calamity" [2].
The tribes settle on twelve worlds some distance away (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I). The tribes' namesakes and icons originally corresponded to the twelve signs of the ancient tribes, although these names drifted over time[3] (Home, Part II).
The early Colonies lived (and fought) more as sovereign nations. Some (particularly Caprica) prospered, while others (such as Sagittaron and Aerelon) were often considered lessers. For peacetime labor forces as well as for wars between each other, humanity created the Cylons. When these early models rebelled, the Colonies unified their governments under the Articles of Colonization sometime before or during the Cylon War as a federal republic known as the Twelve Colonies of Kobol[4].
The official symbol of the Twelve Colonies is the Colonial seal.
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Star System
The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are located in the star system Cyrannus.[5]
Caprica, Scorpia (Razor), and Tauron (Razor) have been shown as actual planets. Caprica's surface (mostly its cities and wooded areas) have been seen, and only a glimpse of Tauron's surface has been shown (Razor). No other descriptions are available of the other colonies in terms of their celestial type: Minor planet, moon, or major planet. However, in the Miniseries, Elosha states that the tribes settled onto "12 worlds." While the use of "worlds" is ambiguous, the Colonies are noted as independent, habitable celestial bodies. In the Miniseries, Adama reports that nuclear detonations were reported on the planets Aerilon, Picon, Sagittarion and Gemenon, saying that at least those four Coloinies were planets.
Although Commander Adama and President Roslin mention leaving the star system, the series itself is ambiguous as to whether all colonies are located in one star system. However, Caprica, Virgon, and Ragnar (based on tactical data related by Lieutenant Felix Gaeta)[6] are (Miniseries). In a blog entry Ronald D. Moore states that all planets are situated within one system, in keeping with the Original Series.
The Twelve Colonies had approximately 20 billion inhabitants prior to the Cylon attack (The Resistance)[7] and maintained some minor observatories and listening posts in outlying star systems.[8] Economic activity, such as tylium mining also occurred outside of the immediate vicinity around the Colonies (Hero).
The fate of the star system of the Twelve Colonies is unknown even 150,000 years after the Cylon attack.
Aerilon
- Main article: Aerilon
Ancient Name: Aries
Aerilon was primarily an agricultural world. It was considered to be the "food basket" of the Twelve Colonies. Despite this, Aerilon was ranked as one of the poorest members of the Colonies.
Gaius Baltar is a native of Aerilon, although he adopted the culture and mannerisms of Caprica, presumably to increase his standing in society (Dirty Hands).
Natives
- Sherry Bennett
- Sekou Hamilton
- Sharon Valerii (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
- Saul Tigh (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
- Socinus
Notes
- The spelling of this colony is sometimes inconsistent in the Re-imagined Series' official cast and crew notes and episode content. The colony is spelled "Aerilon" in the episodes "Home, Part I" and "The Son Also Rises" in official Colonial documentation. Battlestar Wiki chooses to use the more consistently used spelling of "Aerilon" which mainly appears on both props (such as the nameplates for the Quorum of Twelve) and behind the scenes publications.
Aquaria
Ancient Name: Aquarius
Aquaria's Quorum of Twelve delegate, Miksa Burian, votes for Tom Zarek in the vice-presidential elections (Colonial Day).
Canceron
Ancient Name: Cancer
Robin Wenutu is the Canceron delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve.
No other information has been given in the Re-imagined Series about this colony.
Caprica
- Main article: Caprica (RDM)
Ancient Name: Capricorn
Caprica is a large blue-green planet and was the the center of Colonial civilization. According to Gaius Baltar, Caprica was the seat of politics, culture, art, science, and learning. It was also one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands).
Big cities on the planet were Caprica City and Delphi.
6,250 people from Caprica join the Laura Roslin faction (Home, Part I). The overall Caprican survivor population, possibly significantly greater, is unknown (see analysis here).
Notes
- All events of Colonial life prior, during or after the Cylon attack (particularly in seasons 1 and 2) outside of the rag-tag Fleet was set on Caprica. No other colony's surface (save a photo from Aerelon) has been shown to viewers.
- Until the episode "Razor", where Scorpia and Tauron are shown from orbit, Caprica has been the only Colonial planet actually shown in the Re-imagined Series.
Gemenon
Ancient Name: Gemini
Gemenon natives are called Gemenese (Taking a Break From All Your Worries). They are known for their literal interpretations of the Sacred Scrolls (Fragged). Most of the population of Gemenon was apparently very strongly opposed to the federal laws legalizing abortion. (The Captain's Hand).
Gemenon was home to the Kobol Colleges. Aaron Doral claims to have studied public relations there. One of the last ever professional Pyramid games was held on Gemenon just prior to the Cylon attack on the Colonies (Miniseries).
Gemenon was one of the poorer colonies (Dirty Hands).
Approximately 9,500 Gemenese join the Laura Roslin faction, perhaps persuaded by Roslin's play of the "religious card" (Home, Part I). Even if this is the great majority of the Fleet's Gemenese population, it still means that Gemenon represents significantly more than a twelfth of the remains of humanity. It is maybe for this reason, or Gemenese influence over religious elements of the Fleet that Roslin's election campaign gives concern to the "Gemenese religious vote".
Fifty-eight years before the fall of the Twelve Colonies three Caprican teenagers, Zoe Graystone, Ben Stark and Lacy Rand who were part of a monotheistic religious cult attempt to run away from home to Gemenon. (Caprica pilot)
Gemenon has either an old or disused language or dialect specific to their colony known as "Old Gemenese." Gina Inviere's last name means "resurrection" in that language.[9]
Natives
- Adrien Bauer
- Romo Lampkin
- Jurgen Belzen and family
- Gina Inviere (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
- Rya Kibby
- Sarah Porter, former delegate to the Quorum of Twelve
- Galen Tyrol (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
- Corporal Venner
Leonis
Ancient Name: Leo
Safiya Sanne is identified as both Leonis's and Picon's representative on the first Quorum of Twelve.
Leonis Estates Sparkling Wine was a type of alcohol produced on this colony.
Libran
Ancient Name: Libra
Practically no information exists about this colony. Its name comes from a partially visible name plate on Colonial One that also shows the colony's symbol ("The Ties That Bind", time index 18:40).
In the season 4 episode "A Disquiet Follows My Soul", a much clearer view of the name plate can be seen as the camera view pans around the Quorum table during Vice President Zarek's speech.
After the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Oswin Eriku is chosen to be this colony's representative to the Quorum of Twelve.
Zephyr, a passenger liner in the Fleet, is of Libran registry (SciFi.com).
- Note: According to issue 3 of the now-defunct Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine, the colony's name is "Libris", which is incorrect.
Picon
Ancient Name: Pisces
Picon was the location for the Colonial Fleet Headquarters (Miniseries). A flashback view of Admiral Peter Corman's office, probably located at Fleet Headquarters, is among one of the rare visual glimpses of life on another colony outside of Caprica.
The colony came under heavy attack during the early stages of the Cylon attack. President Richard Adar offered a complete and unconditional surrender to the Cylons after Fleet Headquarters is destroyed; this overture was ignored (Miniseries).
Ellen Tigh claims to have been at the airport on Picon, "on her way home" when the attack started, and that some "unknown savior" ensured she was put on the last ship to get off the planet (Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down, No Exit).
Picon is also the home of Picon Laboratories, themselves located in Pailyn, Muritolan.
Natives
- Samuel Anders (alleged, actually a humanoid Cylon)
- Asha Janik, Cylon sympathizer, member of the Demand Peace movement (Epiphanies).
- The siblings, nephews and nieces of Billy Keikeya (Miniseries).
- Playa Palacios, veteran columnist from the Picon Star Tribune. [10]
- Safiya Sanne, former Picon representative to the Quorum of Twelve. [11]
Publications
Pyramid Team
Sagittaron
- Main article: Sagittaron
Ancient Name: Sagittarius
Sagittaron[12] endured centuries of exploitation at the hands of the other Colonies, leading to the colony becoming one of the poorest planets. Eventually, Tom Zarek led an organized series of terrorist acts against the established government there, many years before the fall of the Colonies (Bastille Day).
The Sagittarons are traditionalists who practice an different form of religion from the other Colonies. They believe in herbal medicine and have a general distrust of the military (The Woman King).
Natives
- Anastasia Dualla, stated often that she was from Sagittaron (33), (Bastille Day), (The Woman King).
- Jacob Cantrell, was the season 4 delegate from Sagittaron
- Portia King, was from Sagittaron and requested help for her son (The Woman King)
- Willie King, was from Sagittaron and killed by Dr. Robert (The Woman King)
- Tom Zarek, was a freedom fighter from Sagittaron (Bastille Day) who became the Quorum delegate (Colonial Day)
Scorpia
Ancient Name: Scorpio
Scorpia was home to a Colonial Fleet shipyard, where the battlestar Pegasus was docked during the Cylon attack.
Scorpia is apparently well-known for its paragliding by enthusiasts, such as Jurgen Belzen (Razor).
Eladio Puasha served as the planet's delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve assembled after the Cylon attack.
Notes
- In the episode "Razor", Scorpia is shown from orbit of its shipyards. Scorpia, Caprica and Tauron are the only Colonial planets actually shown in the Re-imagined Series as of this special season 4 episode.
Tauron
Ancient Name: Taurus
Tauron was reputed to be somewhat of a troublesome colony within the federal system of the Colonies, often disobeying directives decided by the colonies and "pushing their luck with the admiralty every chance they got." As a ruse Admiral Adama claimed the Taurons were drilling for tylium ore on a moon that was close to the Armistice Line (Hero).
Tauron was one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands). At the end of the first Cylon War, Tauron was under attack from Cylon basestars and ground forces, causing many civilian causalities ("Razor", extended DVD edition) in areas such as the city of Hypatia.
Helena Cain is a native of Tauron, as was Joseph Adama, who later moved to Caprica. Perah Enyeto is the colony's representative on the first Quorum of Twelve after the Cylon attack (Colonial Day). Tauron has no flowers. Decades before the creation of the first Colonial Cylons, Tauron suffered a civil war which resulted in children being displaced to orphanages on Caprica. Some Capricans stereotype Taurons as untrustworthy and refer to them by the perjorative "dirt-eaters". The Ha'la'tha was a Tauron crime syndicate operating on Caprica. Taurons are also stereotyped as stoic. It is traditional on Tauron to wear black gloves during mourning, and to avenge family members with "blood for blood". The Vergis Corporation, run by CEO Tomas Vergis, was a major technology corp on Tauron in competition with the Caprican Graystone Corporation (Caprica pilot).
Natives
- Joseph Adama
- Sam Adama
- Shannon Adama
- Ruth, mother of Shannon Adama
- Helena Cain
- Lucy Cain
- Saundra Cain and her husband
- Tomas Vergis
Notes
- Tauron is the third of the twelve Colonial worlds shown in the Re-imagined Series, but only through the extended DVD version of "Razor". The extended version scene shows a brief scene on the surface with the terrified Cain family, but there is little detail.
- In Caprica, the native language of the Taurons was shown to be Ancient Greek.
Virgon
Ancient Name: Virgo
Marshall Bagot is the Virgon delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve. He nominates Tom Zarek for the vice-presidency (Colonial Day). In public ceremony, the Virgon delegate wears a light blue sash.
Soon after the Cylon attack begins, the bulk of the space-wide offensive by the Colonials begins "shaping up" over the planet. The battle ostensibly ends with the destruction of the battlestar Atlantia and the death of Admiral Nagala. Other battlestars in the Virgon attack are also eliminated (Miniseries, Night 1).
Virgon was one of the wealthier colonies (Dirty Hands).
Virgon Brew was a beer produced on the planet and exported to other Colonies (Maelstrom).
See Also
References
- ↑ According to dialogue from "Torn", "A Measure of Salvation" and "The Eye of Jupiter", the Thirteenth Tribe left Kobol some 2,000 years before the twelve tribes. The Scroll of Pythia is dated as written 3,600 years before the last exodus of Kobol, and chronicles the Thirteenth Tribe's exodus.
- ↑ As noted by Billy Keikeya in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I".
- ↑ Flag matches with Colonies from "Encyclopedia Galactica." Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine. Feb./Mar. 2006: 50-55.
- ↑ Note the difference between the name of the Original Series' counterpart, known as the the Twelve Colonies of Man.
- ↑ Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine; "Encyclopedia Galactica"; issue #3; page 51
- ↑ As the Cylon attack begins, Commander Adama orders Gaeta to plot all space traffic "in the system, friendly or otherwise", in the Miniseries.
- ↑ An early draft Miniseries script notes a census count of 12 billion individuals. However, the aired information of Saul Tigh's approximation in The Resistance should be taken as the correct value.
- ↑ Sourced from a January 30, 2005 blog entry by Ronald D. Moore on Sci-Fi.com.
- ↑ See Language in the Twelve Colonies for more.
- ↑ She is presumed to be a resident.
- ↑ There is some confusion on the matter, see his article.
- ↑ The colony's name, Sagittaron, was originally spelled as "Sagittarion" in the Miniseries, but this changed to "Sagittaron" when the regular series began.
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