Centurion (TOS-RH)

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch Novelizations separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

A Cylon Centurion is a warrior-class Cylon soldier representing the lowest caste in the Cylon Empire's hierarchy. Centurions serve as the primary military force of the Empire, functioning as infantry soldiers and guards aboard base stars and at Cylon outposts throughout the galaxy.

Physical Characteristics

External Appearance

Centurions are humanoid in form, with bodies completely encased in metallic armor plating. The armor color varies by rank, with standard Centurions appearing in silver and captains distinguished by golden coloring. Their entire bodies are plated with this protective armor, making them formidable opponents in combat.

The most distinctive feature of Centurion armor is the helmet, which houses a thin horizontal visual scanner screen where humanoid eyes would be located. A small red light blinks back and forth across this screen, functioning as a visual scanner linked to the cyborg brain. In newer, evolved Centurions, this red pulsing light burns with greater intensity, signifying increased brain activity. When damaged or destroyed, the red light of the sensor winks feebly before going dark.

Improved Centurion models feature sleeker, more streamlined armor compared to earlier generations. The helmet's faceplate can be melted by laser fire, revealing the reptilian features beneath.

Internal Biology

Beneath the armor, Centurions possess humanoid bodies with arms, legs, and a torso, contrary to earlier Colonial assumptions that they might be sentient blobs of alien flesh controlling robotic soldiers. The flesh is cold and gray in color, though this appears to be the natural flesh tone rather than a result of death. The skin is not smooth but rather rough and ridged, featuring plates or scales similar to those found on cold-blooded lizards.

When a Centurion's faceplate is breached, it reveals a thick, scaled mouth with double rows of jagged teeth. Behind the scanning equipment in the helmet are wet reptilian eyes. When damaged, Centurions leak bodily fluids that combine black oil with purplish blood.

The Centurions' reptilian biology reflects their origins as descendants of the original reptilian race of the planet Cylon, artificially evolved through genetic manipulation by Count Iblis. The cyborg implants introduced by Iblis contribute to the Centurions' fastidious nature, unusual for beings of reptilian origin.

Neurological Structure

Centurions possess only a single brain, which functions as the body's guidance system ensuring efficiency of task. This limited cognitive capacity makes them not completely mindless, but almost helpless without constant guidance from the Imperious Leader. They function essentially as a hive mind, responsive to the Imperious Leader's commands.

The idea that a leader could come from the Centurion caste is considered ludicrous within Cylon society, as they lack the analytical and interpretive capabilities required for command positions. They are programmed for war and destruction, existing only to serve the collective through force and violence. Centurions can do nothing but follow orders, making them poor warriors in terms of initiative and adaptability.

Standard Centurions lack curiosity in their functioning brains and require standing orders to maintain purpose. Without orders, they drift aimlessly, waiting for commands that define their existence.

Advanced Centurion Variants

New Breed Centurions

The Cylon Empire developed a new breed of Centurion featuring significant improvements over standard models. These advanced Centurions are superior and more deadly in every way compared to their standard brethren. Most significantly, they are equipped with a Human Logic Function brain implant, effectively giving these mechanoid creatures minds modeled after human neural patterns.

The improved armor of new breed Centurions is sleeker and more streamlined. The brighter red light in their visors signifies greater brain activity compared to standard models. These Centurions demonstrate capabilities that shocked Colonial forces, including the ability to continue fighting even with catastrophic injuries.

Human Logic Function

The defining feature of new breed Centurions is the Human Logic Function, a brain implant that represents a significant departure from standard Centurion design The Cylon Empire spent nearly two decades developing this technology using Baltar's genetic codes. The implant effectively gives these Centurions minds modeled after human neural patterns, specifically patterned after Baltar's brain.

This development reveals the true reason the Imperious Leader allowed Baltar to live following the destruction of the Twelve Colonies. The Cylons required his genetic material and brain patterns to create warriors capable of human-like thinking and tactical reasoning, addressing the fundamental limitation of standard Centurions who could do nothing but follow orders.

The Human Logic Function represents the Cylons' attempt to combine their mechanical efficiency with human cognitive flexibility, creating a hybrid intelligence superior to both standard Centurions and potentially challenging for Colonial forces to predict and counter. Once the technology was sufficiently developed, the Cylons deemed Baltar expendable, leading to his escape from Cylon custody.

Evolved Centurions

During the Cylon civil war, a generation of new Centurions emerged as part of the reptilian faction's forces. Unlike their predecessors, these evolved Centurions possessed reptilian brains capable of feeling pain that earlier models never experienced, because previous generations did not dream.

Some evolved Centurions reached enormous sizes, with specimens measuring easily nine feet tall. These larger variants demonstrated enhanced durability, with damaged legs only causing them to limp rather than incapacitating them entirely.

The evolved Centurions displayed unprecedented emotional responses and initiative. One specimen was recorded shouting "You'll never get out of here alive!" in a tone too personal for standard Centurion behavior, as though the creature actually wanted to avenge its fallen comrade. After sustaining severe damage including visor destruction, this Centurion ripped the smoking wreckage from its face and continued attacking using its pulse rifle as a club. Its final words before termination were "Death to all humans."

Colonial Warriors noted that these evolved Centurions attacked like Warriors rather than standard mechanized troops, demonstrating tactical thinking and emotional engagement previously unseen in Cylon forces.

Combat Capabilities

Weapons and Armor

Centurions are equipped with pulse rifles as their primary armament. The armor plating provides substantial protection against energy weapons, though concentrated fire or precise shots to vulnerable points can breach it. The most vulnerable point is the wide, narrow lens serving as eyes; when the blood-red scanning receptor behind the lens is struck, the scanner explodes and the Centurion's head erupts in a shower of sparks.

Body armor can withstand glancing laser blasts, though direct hits cause the Centurion to stagger. When armor is breached at joints such as shoulders, limbs can be severed with a hideous pop, causing the appendage to skid away while leaving a smear of bodily fluids.

Combat Performance

Centurions typically operate in pairs for patrol and guard duties. They are considered bad marksmen, though in close quarters even poor laser accuracy can be deadly. Their combat effectiveness is limited by their inability to act independently and their reliance on following orders. Colonial Warriors are often amazed that Centurions fail to notice obvious threats, such as armed prisoners, due to their rigid adherence to programmed behaviors.

However, Centurions possess superhuman strength and durability. They can move with hellish speed when charging targets. Their armor and physical strength make them formidable in close combat, capable of using damaged weapons as improvised clubs. Even severely damaged Centurions can continue fighting, with injuries that would kill most beings only slowing them down.

Death and Destruction

When killed, Centurions crumple to the floor with armor clanking. Particularly violent destruction, such as exposure to Viper pulsar thrusts, can melt their armor into gobbets of flying silvery rain before the Centurion reaches its vapor point and transforms into a bipedal stack of ashes that scatter in the wind.

Manufacturing and Deployment

Centurions are manufactured on the Cylon homeworld, the planet Cylon. This is the same location where cogitators are produced and where Imperious Leaders are kept in preparation for succession.

The Empire deploys Centurions throughout its territory, stationing them aboard base stars and at outposts in remote systems. They serve in various capacities including guards, patrol units, and assault forces. Centurions are also assigned to work stations at facilities, operating equipment and maintaining installations.

Behavioral Characteristics

Centurions communicate in Kobollian when addressing humans or receiving orders, though the Cylon Empire possesses its own native language used in computer systems. When receiving commands, Centurions respond with the phrase "By your command," delivered in an electronic monotone. Lucifer notes that when spoken by standard Centurions, these words represent an absolute obedience.

The Centurions' synthesized voices are soulless and electronic. They make pronouncements such as "Termination is inevitable!" when engaging enemies. Standard Centurions lack the capacity for emotion or independent thought, making them predictable in their responses.

However, advanced and evolved models demonstrate increased autonomy and even emotional responses, suggesting that improvements in brain function and the addition of Human Logic Functions have begun to transcend the limitations of earlier Centurion programming.

Role in Cylon Society

Within the rigid hierarchy of the Cylon Empire, Centurions occupy the lowest caste. They are restricted in their movements within base stars, generally unable to enter certain sectors without specific summons from the Imperious Leader.

During the Cylon civil war, single-brained Centurions found themselves mechanically trapped by whichever programming they received regarding allegiance. Some served the original Imperious Leader while others followed Alpha Leader of the reptilian faction, demonstrating that Centurions remain tools of whichever power controls their programming.

Laboratory Use

Cylon research facilities maintain biological components for Centurion development, including tanks containing spinal cords of varying lengths intended for use in creating larger Centurion variants. These spinal cords feature small knobs studded along their length, suggesting the biological infrastructure underlying Centurion construction.

Some facilities employ tanks of floating brains functioning as biological computers, with wires connecting to control consoles. These brains operate at motor-function level, representing the neurological foundation of Centurion existence.