Cylons (RDM)
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Origins
In the reimagined series, Cylons are a creation of man, used primarily for dangerous work. The Cylons revolted against their masters, resulting in a costly and protracted war between them and humans. Eventually, they declared a truce and the Cylons left the Colonies to establish their own planet. They returned fifty years later and killed all but approximately 50,000 humans.
Evolution
Cylons eventually evolved or created new models of Cylons known as Humano-Cylons. The evolution is most likely a result of self teaching capabilities incorporated into the early Cylons. With the exception of a glowing red spine, it is quite difficult to determine the difference between a Humano-Cylon and a "pure" human. (TPTB have expressed that the glowing red spine was, in retrospect, a continuity error that was visually appealing at the time.) Another significant difference is the presence of silica pathways which are vulnerable to radiation. Dr. Gaius Baltar was able to successfully build a Cylon Detector based on this principle with the help of Number Six; however, he has determined it is simpler for everyone "if all the results are green." An interesting new step in the evolution came about with the conception of a Cylon-human hybrid, the child of Sharon Valerii and Lt. Karl Agathon.
Religion
Cylons are monotheistic while their human creators are polytheistic. Cylons view the worship of multiple gods as blasphemies against their God. Like the Cylons themselves their religion seems to have evolved from its human origins. The Cylons seem to derive their faith from that of the humans, using human writings and prophesies as the biases of their own religion.
Sometimes it seems that the Cylons worship an actual entity, a physical being, possibly another Cylon (the leader of the rebellion against humanity?) but other times it seems that they are worshipping a supernatural being, something beyond creation, something that wishes for all to believe in it and love it, human and Cylon alike. It maybe both.
The Cylons seem to use their religion, their beliefs, their interpretation of the prophesies to rationalize their hatred for humanity. They seem to use it as a justification for their actions. An example of a Cylon argument may go something like this:
God is perfect and God can only make perfection.
He created humanity and humanity is imperfect. How can this be?
God created the imperfect humans to create the perfect Cylons.
Humans are only a step in God's plan. Humans are not the completed creation.
Once the Cylons were created there was no need for humanity.
The imperfection must be wiped out.
Known current Cylon models
- Centurion - Presumably an upgraded Model 0005, with greater physical capabilities and projectile weapons built into the forearms.
- Humano-Cylon - The series has established there are 12 models of Humano-Cylons. There are currently six known models. They appear to be almost entirely human in physiology, with a few exceptions: their vaguely-alluded-to Silica Pathways, which enable their consciousnesses to be downloaded into Cylon computer systems upon their death, and their difficulties with sexual reproduction.
Historic Cylon models
- Centurion Model 0005 - The "basic" model from the Cylon War. When Number Six tells Gaius Baltar that the "chrome toaster" models are still in use, she may be referring to this model in particular, or its descendant, the Cylon Centurion. This model also bridges the reimagined series to the Original Series. This is a 40-year old model and likely obsolete—no operational models have been shown, and the current Centurion seems to replace it entirely. In the miniseries, Baltar remarks "the last time anyone saw a Cylon they looked more like walking chrome toasters," to which Six responds, "Those models are still around. They serve their purpose." Some interpret this remark as referring to the Model 0005, while others believe it refers to the current Cylon Centurion.
Cylon spacecraft
There is no definitive statement either way whether or not the spacecraft themselves are considered to be Cylon models.
- The Raider is an autonomous attack fighter with a metallic carapace and a largely organic interior. The Galactica copy of Sharon Valerii offers the following "guess" at its nature in the episode "Six Degrees of Separation":
- "It's not really a thing, y'know? It's probably a Cylon itself. More of an animal, maybe, than the human models. Maybe they genetically design it to perform a task. To be a fighter. [You] can't treat it like a thing and expect it to respond. [You] have to treat it like... a pet. At least that's my guess."
- Heavy Raider is a manned spacecraft that is also likely autonomous, like the Raider.
- When the Resistance on Caprica plans to capture one in the Episode The Farm, Kara Thrace anticipates having to "blow its brain out" before it can be comandeered. It is not known whether the Caprica copy of Valerii, who comandeered the craft that Thrace and Karl Agathon escaped on, performed such a procedure.
- Reconnaissance Drone is a spacecraft. It is unknown whether this is manned, autonomous, or intelligent.
- Cylon Basestar is a very large manned spacecraft of partly biological design. There is no indication that this craft is autonomous other than the circumstantial evidence provided by the Raider.
Depending upon whether the spacecraft are counted as Cylon models, and whether the original Centurion is still in service, anywhere between seven and twelve known Cylon models are currently in service.
The twelve models
In the miniseries, in response to Baltar's question whether there are more like her, Number Six replies "There are twelve models. I am Number Six." Whether this refers to humanoids only or to all Cylon models is a matter of dispute.
- If it refers to all Cylon models, and if Cylon spacecraft constitute Cylon models, and if the original Centurion is still in service, there would be a total of twelve models. This would increase to fourteen if we consider the original Basestar and Raider, scale replicas of which are visible in the miniseries.
- If the statement refers to all Cylon models, and spacecraft are counted, but the original Centurion is not, there are a total of eleven models.
- If we choose not to count Cylon spacecraft, there are a total of seven models.
- If the statement refers to humanoid models only, only six models have been revealed.
Later on, Adama finds a note in his quarters that simply reads, "There are only 12 Cylon models." This note appears outside the direct context of Baltar's conversation with Six on Caprica, and if interpreted literally (and assumed to be accurate), this seems to settle the immediate question. Under this assumption, revealing additional Cylon models through the course of the series would logically require us to abandon any or all of the following assumptions:
- Cylon spacecraft are considered "Cylon models"
- The original Centurion is still in service
However, there is some reason for people to not interpret this statement literally. Baltar could have interpreted Six's statement as referring to all Cylons and anonymously left the note for Adama while in fact Six was referring to humanoids only. Some argue that Adama's overriding concern with the threat of Cylon infiltrators would lead him to interpret the note as referring to humanoids, and that whoever left the note intended it as such.
In the end, there is also the possibility that the statement is incorrect entirely. It could be a Cylon deception intended to lull humans into a false sense of security—once they find the twelfth model, they're vulnerable to infiltration from model number thirteen. It's been suggested that the twelve models, the twelve Lords of Kobol, and the twelve colonies of Man have some connection—if there is a thirteenth colony of man, could there also be a mythical thirteenth model of Cylon?