Cylons (TOS)

This article covers the reptilian and robotic race from the Original Battlestar Galactica. For the Cylons in the re-imagined series, click here.

The Cylons are a bi-pedaled robotic race created by a race of reptilian creatures, who themselves were called Cylons.

Both types of Cylons shared a home, also known as "Cylon", prior to the beginning of the Thousand Yahren War (Saga of a Star World) in the Cyranus Galaxy (The Long Patrol).

Reptillian Cylons

Originally, the Cylons created a race of robots to service their needs. According to Apollo, the Cylons discovered humanity and created robotic creations that mimicked their form (Saga of a Star World).

Through means unknown, the reptilian Cylons became extinct and the robotic Cylons became an organized war machine bent on exterminating life in the galaxy. Due to the appearance of Count Iblis and his subsequent encounter with Lord Baltar in the Prison Barge's brig, it is hinted at that the Cylons were organized by Iblis over a thousand yahren prior to the Cylon holocaust of the Twelve Colonies (War of the Gods, Part II).

Robotic Cylons

Under the robotic Cylons, they began expanding their sphere of influence, creating what Commander Adama calls "the Alliance" (Saga of a Star World).

Cylon Society

There are five types of Cylons:

• Imperious Leader: The Imperious Leader acts like a monarch; he controls the entire Cylon forces and rules the empire. Typically, Imperious Leaders have a male voice -- incidentially a voice similar to the aforementioned Count Iblis -- and do not appear like most Cylons. In fact, it is assumed that the Imperious Leader takes on a form reminiscent of the reptilian Cylons.
• IL-series (or the "IL group"): IL series typically take on the duties to maintain the non-military aspects of the Cylon Empire, typically commanding bases (The Young Lords) and basestars on important missions for the Empire (Lost Planet of the Gods, et al.) Unlike the Cylon Centurion, they have two eyes, similar in proportion to the eyes of Humans, as well as a less-robotic monotone voice.
• Command Centurion. Analogous with admirals or commanders in the Colonial Military, the Command Centurions typically command basestars (The Hand of God and military outposts (Gun on Ice Planet Zero). The voices of Command Centurions are known to have a lower pitch than the typical Cylon Centurion and have gold plating.
• Cylon Centurions. These are the foot soldiers and labor force for the Cylon Empire. They are covered in chrome plating and act as ground soldiers, Raider pilots and laborers. Typically, they are known for attacking in groups and are built for strength, not for speed.
• Cylon "civilians". According to Colonel Tigh, he picked up civilian transmissions of a Cylon nature on Gammoray (The Living Legend, Part I). It is unknown who or what exactly constitutes a "civilian" Cylon.

Another type of Cylon depicted in Galactica 1980 included an android creature in human form (The Night the Cylons Landed). Though this is not considered canon -- due to the fact that a majority of 1980 is non canon in the eyes of Glen Larson -- it has been mentioned that this is the first appearance of a "human form" Cylon, predating the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica by over 23 years.

Original Series definition: a title of nobility (e.g. Count Iblis)

Original Series definition: a title of nobility (e.g. Lord Baltar)

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