Timeline (1980)
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The timeline below chronicles the events depicted in the classic Battlestar Galactica television program and its sequel series, Galactica 1980.
Many fans, and Glen A. Larson himself, no longer recognize Galactica 1980 as part of "official" continuity. However, as an aired production, "Galactica 1980" represents at the very least an alternate continuity of the Original Series.
Since there are date references available, this timeline includes some events in Earth history that could not be included in the base continuity or Galactica's "canon" timeline.
The timeline is given in "Earth" years, not by Colonial yahren.
In the beginning.. on Kobol
The beings who later appear to the Colonials aboard the "Ships of Light", intervene at the beginning of human development. Adama refers to these beings as the "Mother Race" (War of the Gods).
c. 9500 BCE[1]
The period of time when ancient Athens went to war with Atlantis, according to Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias. These dialogues were written around 360 BCE.
c. 4,000 BCE
The beginning of recorded human history, on the mother world - the planet Kobol ("Saga of a Star World", less 6,000 years).
The Exodus
(year uncertain)
The original 13 tribes leave Kobol and head out into space. Twelve of the tribes settle near each other in the area known as the Twelve Colonies. The remaining Thirteenth Tribe heads to Earth.
c. 2620 - 2480 BCE
The Great Pyramids are constructed during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt on Earth. They are apparently based on the ancient pyramids of Kobol ("Lost Planet of the Gods").
50 BCE to AD 1899
c. 50 BCE
The Colonies begin to re-establish their space travel capabilities. At this time, the Colonists were using sublight craft reminiscent of the early space vehicles launched from Earth in the 1960s and 1970s (The Hand of God).
prior to AD 950
Just prior to AD 950, the Cylons, a humanoid race, are taken over by their robot slaves. A machine ruler, known as The Imperious Leader, comes to rule the Cylon Empire. Count Iblis may have provided the voice for the Imperious Leader at the time of his assembly (War of the Gods).
c. AD 950
The Cylons attack the Hasari, whose territory neighbors the Colonies.
The Colonies intervene in the Cylons attack on the Hasari.
The Thousand Yahren War begins between the Colonies and the Cylon Empire. (Saga of a Star World)
c. 1450
Approximate time that battlestar Galactica is launched. Back then, the Celestial chambers on Galactica were used to confirm navigational headings. (The Hand of God)
1776
Xavier arrives in Revolutionary America and tries to change history. Troy, Dillon and Jamie follow him, and thwart his plans, but he apparently escapes to another time frame (extrapolation from events outlined in "Galactica Discovers Earth").
prior to 1850
1900-1949
1917
Starbuck is born on Caprica. His father is Chameleon. [3]
1924
After one of the first Cylon attacks on Caprica, the people of the farm village of Umbra are scattered. One of the members of the community, Chameleon, is separated from his son, Starbuck, who is later found alone at the edge of the Thorn Forest and is presumed to have been orphaned. (26 years before "The Man With Nine Lives" - Starbuck is seven)
1943
Troy is born to Serina on Caprica. He would come to be known as "Boxey" as a child (Based on Noah Hathaway's age during the filming of the original series)
1945
late May, 1945
Xavier arrives in Nazi Germany and poses as a British scientist and Nazi sympathizer. He volunteers to work with the V-2 rocket program and introduces Colonial technology, in hopes of changing history by ensuring a Nazi victory in World War Two.
June 5-6, 1945
Jamie, Troy and Dillon arrive in Nazi Germany a day before the D-Day invasion. With the help of a U.S. agent, they locate Xavier and force him to return to 1980.
1947
The United States Air Force begins Project Blue Book, an investigation into unidentified flying objects.
1948
The Fifth Fleet engages the Cylons at the Battle of Molecay. Battlestar Pegasus is the only Colonial vessel to survive. Commander Cain, realizing there will be Cylons lying in wait along the entire route back to the colonies, orders Pegasus out into deep space (The Living Legend)
c. 1949
Pegasus continues heading into deep space, eventually winding up in the Delphian Empire, which is in the process of falling to the Cylons (The Living Legend).
1950
The Destruction of the Colonies. (30 years before "Galactica Discovers Earth")
The events of the Original Series appear during this period.
1951
Dillon is born in space aboard a vessel in the Colonial Fleet. (Based on the age of Barry Van Dyke at the time of filming.)
1951 - 1979
The period between "Battlestar Galactica" and "Galactica: 1980."
Captain Apollo dies. (This apparently happens before the events depicted in "The Return of Starbuck")
Starbuck is stranded on "Planet Starbuck" , where he rebuilds the centurion that he names "Cy." ("The Return of Starbuck")
Dr. Zee is born on the Planet Starbuck. ("The Return of Starbuck") (c. 1970?)
Dr. Zee's ship catches up to the Fleet. ("The Return of Starbuck")
Lt. Boomer is promoted to Colonel.
Commander Adama grows a beard.
Boxey begins to go by the name "Troy" as he grows older.
The Cylons, over this 30 year period, develop completely new technologies and evolve considerably - "beyond the wildest fears" of the Colonists, according to Dr. Zee. These new technologies include improved Cylon Raiders and the creation of humanoid Cylons. ("Space Scouts", "The Night the Cylons Landed").
Also, during this period, the Imperious Leader is apparently replaced, as his voice is considerably different by 1980 ("Space Croppers").
1953
Jamie Hamilton is born in the United States on Earth. [4]
1960
The last attack by the Cylons on the Colonial fleet until 1980. ("Space Scouts" less a generation)
1969
Neil Armstrong lands on the moon. ("Hand of God")
The United States Air Force officially concludes Project Blue Book, its 22 year long investigation into unidentified flying objects. Eleven years later, when the Galactica arrives at Earth, a similar investigative bureau is activated.
1977
Dr. Mortensen starts to work on his formula for nuclear degeneration. [5]
1980
The Galactica's long range probes arrive in the Solar System. They positively identify the third planet as Earth.
The Battlestar Galactica and the Colonial Fleet reach Earth's Solar System. Adama is now over 130 yahrens old. Troy is 37.
Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I
Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II
Galactica 1980 episode: Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III
Troy, Dillon and Jamie head back in time to the American Revolution to find Xavier. [6] The team is apparently successful in stopping Xavier, as there are no apparent changes to Earth's history.[7] Xavier escapes being brought into custody, however, and remains in Earth's past. While there, he perfects a process of cellular transformation which can allow him to assume the appearance of others. [8]
The Colonials cease to travel into Earth's past. [9]
Jamie returns to Earth, and back to the job she was offered with the United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). [10]
In light of the unknown aircraft violating U.S. airspace, which are in reality Colonial Vipers, the United States Air Force dedicates new funds to the tracking of U.F.O.s.
Dr. Zee locates a Cylon task force trailing the Fleet. Commander Adama orders the Galactica and the Fleet to head away from Earth, to avoid leading the Cylons there.
Dr. Zee leads a project to build a new saucer-shaped fighter craft, designed to thwart the Cylons.
The Cylons determine to test some of their new technologies on the Colonial refugees. They plan to first attack the freighter Delphi, a straggling vessel in the Colonial fleet, which happens to function as the Fleet school.
Galactica 1980 episode: The Super Scouts, Part I
Galactica 1980 episode: The Super Scouts, Part II
Troy and Dillon spend a few days away from the children on an unknown mission. ("Spaceball")
The Galactica and the Fleet continues to lead the Cylons away from Earth.
Having spent an inordinate amount of money investigating the Super Scouts, Colonel Sydell's budget is questioned by his superiors in the United States Air Force.
Xavier returns to the present time from Earth's past, and assumes the form of Lt. Nash of the Galactica. [11]
Galactica 1980 episode: "Spaceball."
Xavier remains at large on Earth, without a Viper, stranded in the present and on the ground.
The prototype of the new, saucer-shaped Colonial fighter nears completion.
In another test of their new technologies, the Cylons send out new, advanced fighters, manned by Centurions and humanoid Cylons, to search for the elusive Colonial fleet.
October 31 - November 1, 1980
Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I [12]
Galactica 1980 episode: The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II[13]
Late 1980
The Imperious Leader, and his three base ships, catch up to the Galactica and the Fleet, but the location of Earth remains elusive. [14]
Galactica 1980 episode: Space Croppers.
The Galactica maintains its first colony on Earth, and the Super Scouts remain there, relocating from the baseball camp where they had been staying.
Galactica 1980 episode: The Return of Starbuck.
1981
Events that take place after Galactica: 1980
In the G80 continuity, the series ends in the middle of the story with Adama in command of the Galactica, and Dr. Zee finally aware of his origin.
Xavier remains at large on the Earth, apparently having given up his attempts to alter Earth's past.
The Cylon Empire has still not discovered Earth, but they have been able to locate the fleet twice, and two Cylons who accidentally crashed on Earth were narrowly stopped from revealing its location. In other words, the Cylons are about to discover Earth.
The Galacticans are continuing their policy of gradually introducing technological change to the Earth.
1982?
Confrontation between humans and Cylons at Earth. (speculation)
1990
In Dr. Zee's projection of what could have happened in the future, environmental damage and population expansion has rendered Paradise Valley polluted and crowded. If Dr. Zee's warning was in fact heeded by the people of Paradise Valley, however, these events may not have come to pass.
References
- ↑ BCE stands for "Before the Christian Era," an updated variation of the older term "B.C." (Before Christ)
- ↑ Adama reveals he is over a hundred yahrens old in Lost Planet of the Gods
- ↑ Based on the age of Dirk Benedict during the filming of the original series.
- ↑ Approximate. Based on the age of actress Robyn Douglass at the time of filming, who portrayed Jamie Hamilton. She identifies herself as an American in Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III.
- ↑ Dr. Mortensen had been working on nuclear degeneration for three years as of Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I.
- ↑ Troy, Dillon and Jamie are about to head off on this mission at the end of Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III
- ↑ No reference to Xavier having achieved his goals is made in the subsequent episodes of G80.
- ↑ Xavier's activities are related in Spaceball.
- ↑ Time travel was abandoned as a plot device at this point, but had the series not been cancelled, the Colonials would have resumed the activity.
- ↑ As of Superscouts, Part I, Jamie is back at work at UBC.
- ↑ Just prior to Spaceball
- ↑ The Night the Cylons Landed is specifically noted to occur on Hallowe'en.
- ↑ Episode ends in the early hours of November 1.
- ↑ Just prior to Space Croppers