New Caprica Detention Center

The New Caprica Detention Center is a Cylon facility on New Caprica, established circa 2 ACH (2001BYR) following the occupation ^{(TRS: "Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance")}.

Design and Construction

Physically, it is an imposing concrete structure with a motorized gate of steel bars. It contains facilities for questioning prisoners which are quite reminiscent of police interrogation rooms in the real world; they feature bare concrete walls, a small table, two metal chairs, a metal door with a small window, and harsh overhead lighting from a single source.

Production Design

The detention center structure was originally designed to serve as new housing for New Caprica settlers rather than as a prison facility.^{[production 1]} According to set decorator Jonathan Lancaster, when the structure was only about a quarter built at the end of Season 2, the production team needed to show that the Cylons had been present on New Caprica for four to eight months by the time Season 3 began filming.^{[production 1]}

The building was designed to represent an accomplishment that both humans and Cylons could view positively, reflecting the Cylons' initial good intentions of trying to coexist with humans and improve living conditions on the colony.^{[production 1]} This original benevolent purpose was meant to show the Cylons starting with sincere efforts to help, before the structure was repurposed into the detention center depicted during the occupation.^{[production 1]}

Use During Occupation

It is within this facility that a Number Five solicits James Lyman to inform the Cylons on the movements of the New Caprica Resistance ^{(TRS: "Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance")}.

During the Battle of New Caprica the prison is stormed by the New Caprica Resistance and Colonial Marines under the command of Samuel Anders and Gunnery Sergeant Erin Mathias, freeing all its surviving inmates ^{(TRS: "Exodus, Part II")}.

Notable Inmates

Saul Tigh is incarcerated in the center until his wife fornicates with a copy of Cavil as part of an exchange to free her husband. Suspected to be a high ranking member of the Resistance, Saul is tortured extensively, having an eye ripped out during interrogation ^{(TRS: "Occupation")}.

Laura Roslin is detained briefly while being interviewed by Gaius Baltar about a suicide bombing perpetrated by a Resistance member ^{(TRS: "Precipice")}.

Kara "Starbuck" Thrace is held captive in a spacious furnished cell where she is forced to live with Leoben Conoy for the duration of the Cylon occupation, undergoing various forms of psychological abuse for reasons not clarified ^{(TRS: "Occupation")}. Either by coincidence or otherwise, the cell somewhat resembles Kara's apartment in Delphi, and in fact it is not known for certain that the apartment is located within the detention center until the building is liberated by the resistance ^{(TRS: "Exodus, Part II")}.

References

Production History

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Bryan Cairns (October/November 2006). "For Decorative Purposes". Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine (7): 25.

[cairns_bsg_mag_7_lancaster_detention_facility_p25-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Bryan Cairns (October/November 2006). "For Decorative Purposes". Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine (7): 25.

[production 1]