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Archive-name: tv/Battlestar-Galactica-FAQ Rec-arts-sf-tv-archive-name: Battlestar-Galactica-FAQ Rec-arts-tv-archive-name: Battlestar-Galactica-FAQ Last-modified: 1995/01/01 Posting-Frequency: monthly Version: 2.2 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST Version 2.2 Last modified: January 1, 1995 Compiled and moderated by: John P. LaRocque (larocqu@gaul.csd.uwo.ca) This document is (c) 1994, John P. LaRocque. All rights reserved. Acronyms used in this document: BG, BSG - Battlestar Galactica EG - Encyclopedia Galactica LL - "The Living Legend" SFC - Sci-Fi Channel General questions relating to Battlestar Galactica. G1. What is Battlestar Galactica? G2. When did Battlestar Galactica air? G3. Which Battlestar Galactica episodes are availiable on home video? G4. What are the Battlestar Galactica telemovies? G5. How much did Battlestar Galactica cost? G6. Whatever happened to the lawsuits regarding BSG? G7. Why was Battlestar Galactica cancelled? G8. What is Galactica 1980? G9. Will there be a Battletar Galactica revival? G10. Can Battlestar Galactica still be seen on television? Questions relating to the episodes and the Battlestar Galactica universe. E1. What is the opening and closing narration for each episode E2. What are the major personalities of Battlestar Galactica? E3. What are the names of the twelve homeworlds? E4. What is the missing thirteenth tribe? E5. What are the locations and places of the Galactica universe? E6. What are the names of the Battlestars and other Colonial vessels? E7. What are the Cylons? E8. Who is Count Iblis? What are the beings inside the Ship of Lights? E9. What are the other alien races? E10. What are the standard Colonial units of measurement? E11. What are the lyrics to the song the trio sang on Carillon? E12. What happened to Baltar in the premiere? Didn't he die? E13. What happened to Baltar after he was trapped on Kobol? E14. Did Commander Cain survive in "The Living Legend"? E15. What were the three tasks Iblis had to perform to become leader? E16. What was inside the wrecked ship in "War of The Gods"? E17. What do the transmissions in "The Hand of God" mean? E18. Did the Galactica eventually find Earth? E19. What was the premise of Galactica 1980? E20. Wasn't Starbuck lost on some planet? What happened to him? E21. Are there parallels between Battlestar Galactica and Mormonism? E22. Is the expression "F*** Off" visible in the attack on Caprica? Questions relating to books and peridicals P1. What BSG-related books and periodicals are out there? P2. Who can I contact for Battlestar Galactica fan material? Quesitons relating to the shows creators and stars? C1. Who is Glen Larson? C2. Who is John Dykstra? C3. Who are the other producers and creators of Battlestar Galactica? C4. What other works have Battlestar Galactica stars done? C5. Which Galactica stars have been in Star Trek episodes? Questions relating to electronic archives and lists I1. Is there a Battlestar Galactica mailinglist? I2. Is Battlestar Galactica material available on the Internet? I3. Is there a Usenet forum for Battlestar Galactica? G1. What is Battlestar Galactica? Battlestar Galactica premiered on ABC in September 1978. It was one of the most spectacular shows ever produced for television, and despite its relatively short life, fifteen years later people it has an active fandom, and can still be seen on television stations around the world. Battlestar Galactica was the brainchild of Glen A. Larson, and evolved from an earlier project called "Adams Ark". Larson had pitched the show in the late 60's, the same time that the original Star Trek was in its death throes, but the project was put on the backburner. In the intervening years, Larson worked on many popular television programs, including "It Takes a Thief", and "McCloud". It wasn't until Star Wars hit movie theaters in 1977 that Larson's pet project became something viable. Larson once remarked in "Science Fantasy Film Classics" (October 1978): Adam's Ark was sort of about the origins of mankind in the universe, taking some of the biblical stories and moving them off into space as if by the time we get them to Earth, they're really not about things that happened here, but things that might have happened someplace else in space. It was influenced by Von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" and some of those things... Adam's Ark helped bring a focus into what my concept had been. Ultimately, Battlestar Galactica is my original idea refined down to where I now have fixed on what my point of view is on how all humans throughout the galaxy probably evolved from some mother colony. Galactica has often been described as the Star Wars of the small screen. Several Star Wars graduates worked on Galactica, including special effects producer John Dykstra, and Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston, who worked on the initial designs. Special costumes from Jean-Pierre Dorleac contributed to the unique look and feel of the Battlestar Galactica universe, as did the stirring musical score and theme from Stu Philips and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Galactica's costumes, names and themes were influenced by classical sources - Egypt, Phoenician, Hebrew - plus some more modern ones (Von Daniken, Larson's own background as a Mormon.) Canadian and European audiences had a sneak preview of the Galactica's premiere at their local theaters on July 7, 1978 (a typical venue lasted six weeks). Initially planned as a series of telemovies consisting of a three-hour premiere and two two-hour movies, ABC executives upgraded the project to a full television series, after viewing the first half hour. After 24 original television hours, Battlestar Galactica was cancelled in April 1979. In May that year, the premiere was released theatrically in the United States. G2. When did Battlestar Galactica air? The following is a list of all the episodes of Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980, along with their original airdates. This chart also indicates which episodes are on home video or have been novelized [see also G3 and P1]. EPISODE DATE VIDEO BOOKS BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 1. Saga of a Star World (3-hr pilot) 17 Sep 78 Yes (1) Yes 2. Lost Planet of the Gods - Pt. 1 24 Sep 78 No Yes Pt. 2 1 Oct 78 3. The Lost Warrior 8 Oct 78 Yes No 4. The Long Patrol 15 Oct 78 Yes Yes 5. Gun on Ice Planet Zero - Pt. 1 22 Oct 78 No Yes Pt. 2 29 Oct 78 6. The Magnificent Warriors 12 Nov 78 Yes No 7. The Young Lords 19 Nov 78 Yes Yes 8. The Living Legend - Pt. 1 26 Nov 78 Yes (2) Yes Pt. 2 3 Dec 78 9. Fire in Space 17 Dec 78 Yes No 10. War of the Gods - Pt. 1 14 Jan 79 No Yes Pt. 2 21 Jan 79 11. The Man with Nine Lives 28 Jan 79 Yes No 12. Murder on the Rising Star 18 Feb 79 Yes No 13. Greetings from Earth (2-hr sp.) 25 Feb 79 No Yes 14. Baltar's Escape 11 Mar 79 Yes Yes 15. Experiment in Terra 18 Mar 79 No Yes 16. Take the Celestra 1 Apr 79 No No 17. The Hand of God 29 Apr 79 No No GALACTICA 1980 1. Galactica Discovers Earth - Pt. 1 27 Jan 80 Yes (3) Yes Pt. 2 3 Feb 80 Pt. 3 10 Feb 80 2. The Super Scouts - Pt. 1 16 Mar 80 No No Pt. 2 23 Mar 80 3. Spaceball 30 Mar 80 No No 4. The Night the Cylons Landed - Pt. 1 3 Apr 80 Yes (3) No Pt. 2 10 Apr 80 Yes (3) No 6. Space Croppers 27 Apr 80 No No 7. The Return of Starbuck 4 May 80 Yes (4) No (1) "Battlestar Galactica" (2) "Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack" (3) "Conquest of the Earth" (4) "Battlestar Galactica (The Return of Starbuck)" G3. Which Battlestar Galactica episodes are available on home video? The premiere episode ("Saga of a Star World") is available as a full length movie, "Battlestar Galactica". Most known versions are 2h05, although a 2h15 version was apparently advertised at Suncoast Video (though it was apparently never stocked). The latter would be the most complete commercially available version yet of the premiere. Currently, only eight of the eleven one-hour episodes are available from Universal home video, and are all 47 minutes long. The episodes currently available include "The Lost Warrior", "The Long Patrol", "The Magnificent Warriors", "The Young Lords", "Fire in Space", "The Man with Nine Lives", "Murder on the Rising Star", and "Baltar's Escape". None of the two-hour episodes are available. Other episodes appear in some format as full length movies. "Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack" (1h36) is an edited version of "The Living Legend" and "Fire in Space". "Conquest of the Earth" (1h39) is an edited version of Galactica 1980's premiere and the two-hour "The Night the Cylons Landed", along with stock footage from the original Galactica series. "Battlestar Galactica" (47 min., StarMaker/Universal) is an economy priced edition of Galactica 1980's "The Return of Starbuck". Video chains like Suncoast Video regularly keep all the above in stock. There is talk that the entire first season may already be out on laser disc, although there is no confirmation of this. In addition, Columbia Home video also apparently carries Battlestar Galactica home videos (US only). Call 1-800-538-7766 for more details. In large part, copies of the original untampered pilot, most of the Galactica episodes and Galactica 1980 can only traced back to people who taped the show when it first aired. One such source for Galactica videos is Star Tech [see also P2]. Finally, the most direct source for videos is finding people on the Internet who have copies of the original episodes and would willingly copy them on request. Stan Stackett (adama@netcom.com), among others would be willing to perform this service. For more information, send a letter to his address. G4. What are the Battlestar Galactica telemovies? After Galactica's demise on television, Universal cut the entire first season into twelve two-hour "telemovies", to be sold to television stations for syndication. All the material first appeared on the original run of Battlestar Galactica, with one exception. The last telemovie, "Experiment in Terra", features a scene where US astronauts discover Adama's log book from the Battlestar Galactica. It is a retelling of the destruction of the colonies and Galactica's search for Earth, intertwined with the episode "Experiment in Terra". TELEMOVIE ORIGINAL EPISODES 1. Battlestar Galactica 2-hr version of 3-hr premiere 2. Lost Planet of Gods "Lost Planet of the Gods" 3. Gun on Ice Planet Zero "Gun on ice Planet Zero" 4. The Phantom in Space "The Lost Warriors" "The Hand of God" 5. Space Prison "The Man with Nine Lives", "Baltar's Escape" 6. Space Casanova "Take the Celestra", "The Long Patrol" 7. Curse of the Cylons "Fire in Space", "The Magnificent Warriors" 8. The Living Legend "The Living Legend" 9. War of the Gods "War of the Gods" 10. Greetings from Earth "Greetings from Earth" 11. Murder in Space "Murder on the Rising Star", "The Young Lords" 12. Experiment in Terra "Experiment in Terra" (*) (*) includes scenes from the premiere and the U.S. astronaut scene. G5. How much did Battlestar Galactica cost? There are conflicting numbers for the initial costs of the show. The Galactica office had announced that the first seven hours (the premiere, "Lost Planet of the Gods", and "Gun on Ice Planet Zero") had a $7 million budget, but some sources put the actual cost at $9 million. Canadian publicity even claimed that the project was $14 million in the making. Galactica worked out to $1 million per episode, one of the most expensive shows ever to appear on the small screen. The Galactica bridge was estimated at $850,000. The computer hardware giant Tektronix donated $3 million worth of high tech computer hardware to dress up the set. Television monitors totallng $35,000 were used. The six-foot long model of the Galactica, which weighed 60 pounds, cost $50,000. Some of the costs are very visible in the episodes themselves, including "Lost Planet of the Gods", which was shot on location in Egypt. In many ways, the special effects (especially in the premiere) surpass those of Star Wars. G6. Whatever happened to the lawsuits regarding BSG? In the summer of 1978, 20th Century Fox, later joined by Lucasfilm Ltd., sued Universal Studios for copyright infringement of its Star Wars movie, citing 34 similarities between the two films. According to "Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas", 20th Century Fox initiated the first lawsuit at the urging of Star Wars creator George Lucas. One possible reason for the lawsuit was Universal's decision to release the premiere theatrically in Canada, the same summer 20th Century Fox had planned to rerelease Star Wars. Universal countersued, claiming that R2D2 was based on the Huey, Duey and Louis robots in its 1973 release, "Silent Running" (Universal lost the countersuit in 1980). In response, Fox filed a suit attempting to prevent marketing of Galactica toys and merchandise. Universal countersued, asking Fox for damages because of a violation of the California business and professional code. The lawsuit that started it all was decided on August 22, 1980, when Los Angeles Federal court judge Irving Hill ruled in Universal's favor, stating that the two films were very different when viewed as a whole. Glen Larson commented on the differences between the two in Science Fantasy Classics (October 1978): Battlestar Galactica is *quite* different. When it comes to who are our characters and what our story is, I would have to say that if you were trying to compare "Shane" to "Gunfight at the OK Corral", you'd say, "Yes, they're both westerns," but I doubt if you'd find many parallels beyond that. The second unrelated lawsuit concerns the December 31, 1978 death of a four year old boy in Atlanta after the misuse of one of the Galactica toys. The child aimed a Colonial Viper toy into his mouth and launched one of the projectile missiles, inadvertently choking himself to death. On January 11, Mattel issued a recall order for the Colonial Viper toy, and there was an outcry to remove projectiles from all toys. Other companies followed suit. Kenner delayed and redesigned and delayed the shipment of its Star Wars Boba Fett dolls, whose original design and promotion included a rocket-firing backpack. The action figure was part of a mailaway offer on the backs of other Star Wars figurines. On March 23, the boys parents sued Mattel. The judge presiding over the case singled out Star Wars space toys as the culprit (which upset Lucas very much). G7. Why was Battlestar Galactica cancelled? While its ratings were decent, Galactica had failed to live up to the network's expectations, which felt it wasn't getting high enough ratings for the investment they put in the show. Galactica was no longer riding the initial momentum of the premiere and ABC had underestimated how competitive the Sunday 8PM time slot was. For a short period of time after the cancellation, ABC moved "Mork and Mindy", into the same time slot, but it got even lower ratings than Galactica did. Finally, from June till August, ABC aired Galactica reruns on Saturday evenings. It was the last time Galactica (in its current incarnation) was to be seen on ABC. In his book, "Confessions of the Kamikaze Cowboy" (pg. 139), Dirk ("Starbuck") Benedict relates the thinking behind Galactica's cancellation: For whatever reasons... Battlestar Galactica failed to live up to its blockbuster beginning. The ratings sagged and finally settled at a level that would have been sufficient for the continuation of any other show. But not for a project that had *numero uno* written all over it by everyone months before it went on the air. Anything but the top was too near the bottom and not good enough. Glen Larson described elaborated on Galactica's cancellation and its Sunday time slot in Starlog #36: When you put the most popular show on the network [Mork and Mindy] there and [ABC] has to move it out, it proves the problem... was in the time slot, not us... The original Galactica, I think, started off just right. It's like an airplane that takes off from an aircraft carrier - it sort of dips before it really gets going. Galactica by its sheer weight and expectations, took a natural dip as it left the carrier deck. Then I think it started to climb. We did better stories and concentrated more on the characters... [Galactica] had either the good fortune or the bad fortune to be on the most successful schedule in the history of television. In the ABC schedule last year, literally every show was in the 40's. That was just phenomenal. Galactica was cancelled with a position of 24th in the top 100 shows, according to Cashbox's annual sweepstakes lineup. We happened to be on a network that misinterpreted how competitive, how tough the eight o'clock time slot was on Sunday night. G8. What is Galactica 1980? The cancellation of Battlestar Galactica produced a flurry of letters, phone calls, and even a sit-in at a local ABC affiliate by young fans. Two weeks after ABC pulled the plug in April 1979, the network compromised, and ordered the production of a two-hour movie to be filmed in the fall. This project evolved into the "Galactica 1980" premiere episode, "Galactica Discovers Earth", which premiered on ABC in January 1980. One of the earliest names associated with the project was the renowned science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. Just prior to Galactica's cancellation, Asimov had agreed to work as an advisor on a story bible for Galactica's second season (which would never be). In an interview in Epilog Journal #14 (Spring 1994), Glen Larson explained Asimov's association with Galactica 1980: In our talks with Asimov, we discussed a lot of ideas, and none of them had anythinig to do with discovering Earth. That was just sort of a hype that made it possible for us to get in business with ABC again. It was all to attract that young seven o'clock audience. Galactica 1980 featured a whole new cast, with only Adama and Boomer returning to their original roles (most of the original crew were unavailable at the time). In fact, the roles for Troy and Dillon were originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. Why did the Galactica discover Earth? According to Larson, "we needed an event and certainly, Galactica discovering Earth was an event that would bring people back to the tube for a fresh sampling." (Starlog #36). Three factors, however, were stacked against Galactica 1980's favor. They were working with a whole new cast, at a vastly reduced budget, and FCC regulations stipulated that the timeslot (7 PM Sunday) was to be set aside for younger audiences. Kent McCord ("Troy") discussed some of these problems in Starlog #162: Universal and ABC felt it was too good an idea to let go. They really wanted to make it work, but they needed a way to economize, and so, when they came up with the idea for Galactica 1980, they decided to let us find Earth so they wouldn't have to spend much money on sets. Glen's idea was to do something along the lines of "The Day the Earth Stood Still", in which Barry Van Dyke and I were these peacemakers who come to Earth with the knowledge and powers to create either a peaceful or warlike situation. I felt a show with that premise was really worth doing. ABC jumped back into it and started demanding that we put kids in the show so that we could attract a young audience. I told anybody who would listen that we made Adam 12 in a way that kids picked up on it without having to do things to attract a kid audience. But the network wouldn't listen, and I felt, by the time it got to the point where we saw alien kids playing baseball ["Spaceball"], that much of the show's original premise had been stolen from us. In all, ten television hours of the show were produced. The show's ratings were abysmal, and even a guest appearance by Starbuck in the last episode couldn't save the series from extinction [see also E19]. G9. Will there be a Battlestar Galactica revival? Three Battlestar Galactica scripts have already been written by Richard Hatch (Apollo), who is very anxious to revive the series. One script, "The Journey Home", was submitted to the Sci-Fi Channel, which largely ignores Galactica 1980 and continues where the series left off. As Richard Hatch explains in Starlog #196: It really deals with the journey of how they get to Earth and how they have evolved during this great time span in space. The story also introduces a second or third generation Cylon. The Cylons have evolved as a race into a far more lethal, for more dangerous opponent. As we all know, Commander Adama has passed away and I take it from that point. I really deal with those questions which have never been answered: what happened to Apollo, and what happened to Starbuck when he gets lost on that planet (which was part of Galactica 1980. At Galactica's 15th Yahren Reunion on October 13-15, 1993, in Los Angeles, creator Glen Larson announced, "the FOX television network would like to bring Galactica back. There is a good chance we will be doing... something like a four hour movie that will reexamine the whole saga of Galactica and its past, present, future". The surviving cast members seemed more than willing to participate in a Battlestar Galactica revival. In June 1994, the news on the proposed revival had somewhat soured, as Mark Semich (mas@cs.bu.edu) reported (see Battlestar Galactica Digest #17): I just got off the phone with the woman who organized the Galactica 15 Yahren reunion... I asked if there was any further news about a new movie/series, and was told that Fox (who had been interested) recently told Glen Larson that they were now a little wary about doing it, as the convention had such a low turnout. The con had been extensively advertised in Starlog, on the Sci-Fi channel, and in many other places as well. Unfortunately, the Hilton (host of the con) had actually been telling people that there was *no* *convention*, that it had been canceled, and had been turning away fans AND GUESTS at the door and on the telephone... Apparently, there was some awards ceremony going on at the hotel, and middle management didn't want a bunch of skiffy fans around making things look bad. Since the Hilton may very well have killed the plans for a new Galactica series, in order to avoid a lawsuit from Glen Larson, they have agreed to host *another* convention for free (not free for *us* to get in, just free rent to the con people) - This one will be on October 27-29, 1995, and both Universal and the Sci-Fi channel will be involved. Many of the same guests (and more) will be in attendance, and it will "have more than just Galactica" (i.e., Galacticon plus a "mainstream sci-fi con" (is that an oxymoron?)) Letters in support of a Galactica revival can be sent to FOX television, by writing to its Internet address: foxnet@delphi.com. Make sure all letters contain "Battlestar Galactica" or "Galactica" somewhere in the subject header. Letters to Fox can also be sent to this address via "snailmail": John Matoian President, Fox Television 10201 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035 USA Any revival of Galactica will be incomplete, however. One of the principal stars, Lorne Greene (Adama), died in 1987. Other deceased stars include Fred Astaire (Chameleon, Starbuck's father in "The Man with Nine Lives"), who also died in 1987. G10. Can Battlestar Galactica still be seen on television? Battlestar Galactica, once shown on the Sci-Fi Channel in rotation with Buck Rogers, was dropped as of late September 1994, to be replaced with Quantum Leap. Its regular time slot was at 8 PM EST weekdays. The SFC has recently acquired Galactica 1980 and started airing them on Saturday evenings in October 1994. They will most probably bring back both Galactica and Buck again in the future. The SFC has had a big impact in reviving interest in Battlestar Galactica. If your local cable operator doesn't carry it, contact them and express your interest in it. While no longer seen on the SFC, local networks may still be airing Galactica episodes in one format or another, either as one hour episodes or telemovies. Check your local listings for availability. E1. What is the opening and closing narration for each episode There are two variants of the opening prologue, both narrated by Patrick Macnee (Count Iblis and voice of Imperious Leader). From the three-hour premiere: There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. They may have been the architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive far, far away, amongst the stars. From the regular episodes: There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man, who even now, fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens. The end narration was spoken by Lorne Greene (Adama): Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a rag-tag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest - for a shining planet known as Earth. E2. What are the major personalities of Battlestar Galactica? Adar (Lew Ayres) - President of the Council of the Twelve (dead) Adama (Lorne Greene) - Galactica Commander, Council President Apollo (Richard Hatch) - Captain, Blue Squadron Flight Leader, Adama's son Athena (Maren Jensen) - Bridge officer, shuttle pilot. Adama's daughter Bojay (Jack Stauffer) - Captain, Silver Spar Squadron leader Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) - Lt., Blue Squadron, electronics expert Boxey (Noah Hathaway) - Adopted son of Apollo and Serina Brie (Janet Louise Johnson) - Shuttle and Viper pilot Cain (Lloyd Bridges) - Commander of the Battlestar Pegasus Carmichael (Olan Soules) - Chief planter on fleet agroship Cassiopeia (Laurette Spang) - Med-tech and former socialator Chameleon (Fred Astaire) - Professional con man, Starbuck's father Deitra (Sheila DeWindt) - Lt., Shuttle and Viper pilot Giles (Larry Manetti) - Blue Squadron warrior Greenbean (Ed Begley Jr.) - Flight leader, Blue Squadron Jolly (Tony Schwarz) - Sergeant, Blue Squadron Komma (Jeff MacKay) - Galactica Computer technician, also firefighter Kronus (Paul Fix) - Commander of the Celestra (dead) Omega (David Greenan) - Flight officer aboard the Battlestar Galactica Reese (Ron Kelly) - Council security officer Rigel (Sarah Rush) - Flight corporal and Galactica bridge officer Salik (George Murdock) - Senior medic and chief Galactica life officer Serina (Jane Seymour) - Newswoman, Boxey's mother, Apollo's wife (dead) Sheba (Anne Lockhart) - Lt., Blue Squadron, Cain's daughter Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) - Lt., Blue Squadron Tigh (Terry Carter) - Colonel and Galactica Executive officer Tolen (Ron Haase) - Flight officer aboard the Battlestar Pegasus Wilker (John Dullaghan) - Galactica Engineer/technician Zac (Rick Springfield) - Younger son of Adama and Ila (dead) Zara (Patricia Stitch) - IFB newswoman/interviewer Zed (Frank Parker) - IFB. newscaster, sports commentator Baltar (John Colicos) - Count, human traitor, Cylon base star commander Imperious Leader (voice of Patrick Macnee) - Leader of the Cylons Lucifer (voice of Jonathan Harris) - IL Series computer aide to Baltar Spectre - IL series Cylon Iblis (Patrick Macnee) - Count, human incarnation of the Devil E3. What are the names of the twelve homeworlds? From the Battlestar Galactica Scrapbook: The twelve human Colonies in space bore names that are easily recognizable on Earth... Caprica, Gemoni, Canceria, Piscon, Sagitara, Leo, Libra, Aquaria, Virgon, Aeriana, Taura, Scorpio - all are similar to the names that Earth humans have given to the constellations visible in their night sky, the only twelve that the star appears to pass through during the span of a year. E4. What is the lost thirteenth tribe? What is Kobol? The legend of the "lost thirteenth tribe" (Earth), mirrors Earth's own legend about the lost continent of Atlantis. Its history goes back to the time when the original humans left Kobol to search out an inhabitable system. As Adama once told the survivors before entering on his quest: Our recorded history tells us we descended from a mother colony [Kobol], a race that went out into space to establish colonies. Those of us assembled here now represent the only known surviving Colonists, save one. A sister world, far out in the universe, remembered to us only through ancient writings... I wish I could tell you precisely where it is, but I can't. However, I also know that it is beyond our system, in a galaxy very much like our own, on a planet called... Earth. The Book of the Word described the journey of the tribes of Man away from Kobol. After their home planet Kobol was known to be doomed, the people set forth across a Great Void, which seemed to be endless until a bright shining star appeared as if from nowhere and guided them to safety. Kobol itself was considered lost or a legend until its rediscovery in "Lost Planet of the Gods", its demise attributed to both the variable radiation of its sun or some ecological disaster. As one cut scene from the original script elaborates: Serina: Was it their fault their world died? Adama: According to the log incredible waste was supposed to have occurred. The rivers and oceans were contaminated. The skies couldn't support even the heartiest of creatures. Serina: And when they settled the colonies, they turned on the technology that could have saved them. They destroyed their ships. It took them hundreds of yahrens to revive even the most primitive crafts. After passing through the Void - a seemingly endless magnetic sea - the Galactica, guided by a bright star, rediscovered the lost planet of Kobol. Adama believed that the secret passage to Earth was to be found on that planet, buried in the tomb of the Ninth and last Lord of Kobol. Adama explored his tomb among the remains of the lost city of Eden. Inside these ruins, he explains: Adama: (pointing to symbol) That refers to the Ninth Lord of Kobol. That is his seal. He was the last to rule here before the thireen tribes migrated into the stars. Serina: Twelve to settle our colonies. Apollo: So that's why you entered the Void! You think you can find some clue to where they went? Adama: Yes. Later on, inside the tomb of the Ninth Lord, Adama confronts Baltar and explained his mission: Adama: Our safety lies somewhere out there, along the path taken by the thirteenth tribe, the tribe that colonized the planet Earth. Baltar: Earth? You can't be serious. That's nothing but a fable. Adama: I believe it is as real as the existence of the thirteen tribe, and the key to that tribe lies here in this place locked away somewhere. I am certain of it. Baltar: Listen to reason, Adama. You could adrift forever in search of what - a place that may be the myth of half-drunken star voyagers who came back to die here? We may all die here. In several Galactica episodes, most notably "War of the Gods" and "The Hand of God", signs were given that the Thirteenth tribe was more than just a myth, but a real destination [see also E17, E18 ]. E5. What are the locations and places of the Galactica universe? Most of this information was derived from a similar list in Galactica Stuff (pg. 101) [see also P1]. Aquaria - One of the Twelve Colonies. Arcta - Ice planet, home of Dr. Ravishol's pulsar cannon. Aeriana - One of the Twelve Colonies. Antilla - World where Starbuck and band of children free their father. Borallus - Named as having food, fuel and water in the pilot. Canceria - One of the Twelve Colonies. Caprica - One of the Twelve Colonies. Adama's home world. Carillon - Dim world with large tylium supplies and a gaming chancery. Cimtar - Uninhabited moon where Cylons sprang their sneak attack (pilot). Cosmara Archipelago - Location of famous battle involving the Fourth Fleet. Croaden - Place where Robber said he took agro parts in "The Long Patrol". Cylon - Homeworld of the Cylon Empire. Cyrannus System - Home system of the Twelve Colonies. Earth (Terra) - The mythical planet of the lost Thirteenth Colony. Equellus - Agricultural world in the Hitari system, and home to "Red Eye". Gomoray - Former capital of the Delphian Empire, now in Cylon control. Gemoni - One of the Twelve Colonies. Hitari System - Quadrant of space containing Equellus. Kelpa - Location of Colonial snow garrison where Croft was once stationed. Kobol - Mother world of the Twelve Colonies. Kryllian Sytem - Quadrant containing Gamoray. Leo - One of the Twelve Colonies. Libra - One of the Twelve Colonies. Lillia Moons - Celestial bodies, location unknown. Lunar One, Lunar Seven - Former Colonies of Nationalist Terra. Molokai - One-satellite world, location of the Pegasus' presumed demise. Nova of Madagon - Bright dense starfield between the Colonies and Carillon. Nubian Sun - Possibly a very bright star, location unknown. Orion - Home world of the Orions, containing Orion moons. Otarsis Quadrant - Quadrant of space between the Colonies and the Void. Paradeen - World settled by Free Nationalists of Terra. Piscon - One of the Twelve Colonies. Pineus - Location of gambling chanceries. Proteus - Prison asteroid. Sagittara - One of the Twelve Colonies. Scorpio - One of the Twelve Colonies. Sectar - Agricultural world and home of the Borays. Starbuck - The world upon which Starbuck was stranded in Galactica 1980. Starlos - World near Arcta, with food water and fuel. Taura - One of the Twelve Colonies. Terra - World divided between Free Nationalists and the Eastern Alliance. Thule - Colonial ice planet outpost, mentioned as Boomer's first assignment. Tucan - Home of the four-eyed two-mouthed Tucanas. Virgon - One of the Twelve Colonies. Void - Magnetic sea separating the Colonies from Kobol. E6. What are the names of the Battlestars and other Colonial vessels? Most of this information, including the format, is based on material in Galactica Stuff (pg. 109) [see also P1]. 1. The Battlestars According to the Encyclopedia Galactica, there were twelve battlestars in all, representing each of the colonies. In the premiere episode, there were five visible battlestars. All were considered destroyed except for the Galactica. This list is derived from the television episodes, the novelizations and Encyclopedia Galactica. Atlantia - President Adar's ship, destroyed at the armistice. Bellerephon - Colonel Tigh once served on this ship (EG). Columbia - Destroyed at the armistice ("Gun on Ice Planet Zero"). Galactica - Adama's ship, considered the last surviving battlestar. Pacifica- Galactica's sister ship, destroyed prior to the armistice. Pegasus - Cain's ship, thought destroyed in the Battle of Molecay. Ricon - Kronus' ship. Destroyed at the Cosmara Archipelago. Solaria - Destroyed at the armistice (from novelization). One fandom source, "The Colonial Warriors Technical Manual", renamed the remaining four battlestars: Prometheus, Poseidon, Argo, Olympia. 2. Other known vessels Aedina - The vessel which nearly became lost in the Void. Agroship Nine - The last surviving agroship. Alpha Shuttle - Military shuttle from the Galactica. Astradon - Freighter. Borella - Freighter. Canaris - Civilian shuttle on inter fleet orbit beta, medical shuttle. Celestra - The Fleet's electronics ship. C.O.R.A. - Specially equipped Viper. Gemini - Freighter, likely of Gemon origin. Pisces - Freighter, likely of Piscon origin. Rising Star - Starliner, entertainment center of the Fleet. Star Kobol - Diplomatic ship used at the Armistice talks (destroyed). Tauranian - Possibly a ship from Taura. 3. Kinds of ships Agro ship - Vessel devoted to producing food. Battlestar - Largest Colonial fighting spacecraft. Colonial Movers - Moving van converted for habitation ("We move anywhere"). Comptel ship - Base ship for Inter Fleet Broadcasting (IFB). Electronics ship - Alternate name for the Celestra. Freighter - Cargo vessel. Many converted to passenger and storage space. Industry ship - Three known to the fleet: electronics, textile and parts. Livestock ship - Carrying animals, for food and maintenance of the species. Medical shuttle - Outfitted for medical uses. Mining ship - Used for mining and ore processing. Orphan ship - For orphaned children and their caregivers. Parts ship - Used for necessary manufacture. Prison Barge (Grid Barge) - For lawbreakers. Sanitation ship - For sorting, salvaging, and recycling. Shuttle - Includes medical shuttles, and both civilian and military. Skybus - Larger than a shuttle, can carry passengers between star systems. Starliner - Luxury passenger vessel. Tanker - Fuel carrier. Textile ship - Fabrics and clothing. Top barge - unknown. Viper - Small one-pilot fighter craft. E7. What are the Cylons? On Carillon in the premiere, Apollo explained the Cylons to Boxey: They're not like us. They're machines created by living creatures a long, long time ago... a race of reptiles called Cylons. After a while the Cylons discovered humans were the most practical form of creature in this system. So they copied our bodies, but they built them bigger and stronger than we are. And they can exchange parts so they can live forever... There are no more real Cylons. They died off thousands of yahrens ago, leaving behind a race of super-machines, but we still call them Cylons. A dialog between Count Iblis and the imprisoned Baltar in "War of the Gods" suggests a more sinister theory behind the original Cylons demise, that the biological Cylons made a pact with Count Iblis (the Devil). Baltar: I know you. I remember that voice... the voice of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Iblis: The Cylon is a machine. Baltar: Now. But once they were a race of beings who allowed themselves to be overcome by their own technology Iblis: When did this happen? Baltar: A thousand yahrens ago, at the onset of the thousand yahren war with the humans. Iblis: And for my voice to be the voice of Imperious Leader, it would have to be transcribed to machine leader a thousand yahrens ago. I'd have to be a thousand yahrens old. There are several kinds of Cylons seen in Battlestar Galactica: 1. Imperious Leader - The leader of all the Cylons, Imperious Leader is the only Cylon who physically resembles the original biological Cylons. 2. Cylon Centurions - A humanform Cylon warrior. Most Centurions have silver armor, though senior officers have golden armor. 3. IL-series Cylons - Lucifer and Spectre are IL-Series Cylons, and resemble walking light bulbs. These Cylons are more intelligent then Centurions, and have personalities. The current Imperious Leader is also an IL-series Cylon. The phrase is a play on words for Industrial Light and Magic, which provided special effects for Galactica's initial episodes. E8. Who is Count Iblis? What are the beings inside the Ship of Lights? In a conversation with Apollo, Commander Adama suggested that Count Iblis and the light entities are members of an advanced civilization. He speculated that they could in some way have been responsible for the original founding of Kobol. Adama: The ancient ones, the Lords who first settled our Kobol, spoke of visitations from what they in their primitive way referred to as angels. Apollo: Angels... Adama: Think of them as custodians of the universe, advanced beings, very highly advanced, whose mandate it is to make certain that their powers are never abused by any one of their own. Apollo: And they're watching him [Iblis], meaning he's one of them. Adama: Or was. Answering questions from Starbuck and Sheba aboard the Ship of Lights, they revealed their nature and mission to him: Starbuck: Is that right? We're dead and you're angels? Entity: Oddly enough, there is some truth to your speculation. And later on: Starbuck: Why are you doing all this? Entity: Because we fight a common foe, the forces of darkness and evil throughout the stars. Starbuck: But why are you bothering with us? We are from a simple handful of human survivors. Entity: Because, as you are now, we once were. As we are now, you may become. Starbuck: Count Iblis, is he one of you? Entity: He now uses his powers to corrupt and lead others away from the truh. Sheba: Why can't you stop him? Entity: Because we cannot interfere with freedom of choice. His, yours, anyone's. Even Count Iblis is bound by these laws. In a dialogue with Apollo, Iblis revealed his true identity: Apollo: You do not control no one who has not freely given you dominion. You have no power over me. Iblis: You know who I am. Apollo: Yes, I finally know. Sheba, think back to the original records. The names Mephistopheles, Diabolis, the Prince of Darkness. Members of this mysterious race include John ("Experiment in Terra") and Angela (from Galactica 1980's "The Return of Starbuck"). E9. What are the other alien races? Borays - Pig-like race who ride in herds. Borellians - Warrior-like race, not unlike Star Trek's Klingons. Delphians - Centered on Gamoray, once a "society of 50 million beings." Hasaris - The Cylon-human war began when the humans took the Hasaris' side. Orions - Trading partners of the Colonials. Ovions - Insectivoid six-armed inhabitants of Carillon. Tucanas - Four-eyed, two-lipped hermaphrodite race, the "Space Supremes". E10. What are the standard Colonial units of measurement? The relationships between Colonial units of measurements were never defined in the series. Rather than providing a set of relationships, an appropriate table of closest Earth measurements is provided, based on the usage of these terms in the actual episodes. 1. Time units and their Earth equivalents micron(s) - second centon(s) - minute centar, centares - hour secton(s) - day sectar, sectares - month yahren - year millenium - 1000 years Centon, micron and sectar also doubled as units of length, in much the same way as the light year. The light yahren is the Colonial equivalent of the light year. Other non-standard or lesser used units include millicenton (minute) and microcenton (second). 2. Other units metron - unit of distance maxim - 10 meters hectar - 100 meters metric - 1 kilometer kilon - unit of power (1 kilowatt) megon - unit of mass (1 megaton) laxon - unit of dry measurement (1 bushel) voltons - voltage unit (1 volt) wavelon - unit of wavelength radion - unit of radiation ergon - unit of energy 3. Currency There are several recognized units of currency, including Colonial cubits, Orion Cheques, quantums and markers. E11. What are the lyrics to the song the trio sang on Carillon? "It's Love, Love Love" (sung by the Tucana singers on Carillon) IT'S LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Written by: John Targalia, Sue Collins, and Glen Larson Performed by: the Space Angels CHORUS It won't matter where you go It won't matter what you do 'Cause something's always after you It's love, love, love, love It's love, love, love, love It's love, love, love, love, love You run, you can't get away If you go or if you're staying 'Cause love is here, love is there Love is almost everywhere CHORUS There will be another beat One you may not tire of singing Love surrounds you, love's around you Love is almost everywhere CHORUS E12. What happened to Baltar in the premiere? Didn't he die? Prior to its premiere on ABC, the Battlestar Galactica pilot first appeared in theatrical release in Canada and Europe. In the theatrical version of the premiere, after Baltar betrayed humanity, he was beheaded in front of Imperious Leader. The execution never took place in the television premiere, as Baltar was spared for a later public execution (never to take place). In an interview in Starlog #138, John Colicos (Baltar), discussed the evolution of the Baltar character between the two versions of the premiere: Initially, I was *only* going to be in the pilot. Then, Glen [Larson] decided he liked the character and the work that I was doing, so he decided to keep Baltar as a running character. He re-directed the pilot's final scene himself, so that when the sword came down to cut me head off, he stopped it at the last second and I was spared if I would betray the human race. E13. What happened to Baltar after he was trapped on Kobol? In the episode "Lost Planet of the Gods", Baltar was last seen trapped underneath fallen rubble on Kobol. In both the novelization and issue #6 of the Marvel comic, Lucifer rescued Baltar. He fully recovered and there was no permanent damage, though he was sometimes seen with a slight limp in later episodes. E14. Did Commander Cain survive in "The Living Legend"? Commander Cain was last seen taking on two Cylon basestars in "The Living Legend". The ending of this episode was deliberately left open-ended by its writers, in the hope that Cain would later return some time in the second season. Here is one view of how Cain survived the assault, from Justin Collins (jcollin6@mason1.gmu.edu) (see Battlestar Galactica Digest #7): I always thought the Pegasus survived at the end of The Living Legend. The Pegasus sustained considerable damage at the hands of the Cylon fighters before Baltar ordered them to break off the attack. However, when Starbuck and Apollo asked about the damage, Cain said she (the Pegasus) would be ready to do the job. By the time the Pegasus reached the basestars the fire was put out. Cain had also ordered the ship to proceed at "full speed" to intercept the basestars and for its electronic defense shields to be brought to "maximum power". Judging from the dialogue leading up to the final battle, I think the Pegasus was battle worthy by the time it reached the baseships. Starbuck and Apollo inflicted considerable damage on the weapons systems of the two basestars before they could cause the Pegasus serious harm. Remember when they knocked out the flank missile launchers on both basestars? I don't recall a chain reaction blowing up the second basestar. My copy of LL shows a closeup of the weapons panel on Pegasus bridge after the first basestar was destroyed, followed by a second volley of missiles being launched at the remaining basestar. I agree with Starbuck, Cain probably jumped to light speed and headed into deep space just like he did before. E15. What were the three tasks Iblis had to perform to become leader? Count Iblis informed the Council of the Twelve in "War of the Gods": You have agreed on three tests of my strength. The first is to deliver your enemy [Baltar]. The second is to accurately plot your course to Earth. The third you cannot agree on. Some of you want to know who I am, where I come from. The others are satisfied to accept me because of my works and are willing to follow me blindly providing I guarantee your safety. E16. What was inside the wrecked ship in "War of the Gods According to the original script and the novelization, the wreckage belonged to Count Iblis' comrades. Here is the scene in the script, as Apollo and Starbuck enter the wreckage. Apollo: Everything is pretty well vaporized. Whatever hit this thing must have had the power of a sun. Apollo stops dead in his tracks, looks down. He seems to shutter. Apollo: Starbuck! Starbuck looks over and sees the sober look on Apollo's face. He moves over and looks down as Apollo begins to put on some tight fitting gloves. A piece of metallic surface, highly scorched but out of which protrudes a foot-like extremity, except that it's tip is clearly in the shape of a cloven hoof. Apollo and Starbuck exchange heavy looks. Apollo bends down and tries to life the metal. As they lift it off, tossing it aside, they grimace in horror. Under the wreckage is the figure of a devil, a demon. The networks decided to drop the scene with the cloven hoof for two reasons. The scene might be scary to younger audiences, and there were religious implications behind the scene (i.e. "satanic"). For audience members, the absence of the scene suggested (wrongly) that the warriors had peered inside the wreckage of Commander Cain's Battlestar Pegasus. As Count Iblis told Sheba, "Your father, you will see him again." E17. What do the transmissions in "The Hand of God" mean? In "The Hand of God", the Galactica picks up transmissions from the Apollo moon landing in 1969. They came up with two possible theories on the transmissions. The transmissions could have been a harmonic signal from something close by, such as the local star system (possibly sent by the Cylons). If not, the transmissions would have spent a longer time in space, from a farther system. The Galactica sent out a Viper patrol to investigate the local system, which passed by the first three planets. Starbuck investigated the third planet, where he passed what looked like Earth's moon to find a dead planet. Hiding behind that planet was a Cylon basestar. The Viper patrol found five planets in fairly widespread orbits. The first planet was a giant, composed of 80% compressed hydrogen and 12% helium. The second planet was almost entirely composed of compressed carbon dioxide gas. The third planet had no atmosphere, just barren rock. Contrasted to our own solar system, our first four planets are in relatively close orbit, and Mercury, our first planet, is small, with almost no atmosphere. The transmissions did not come from the local system, but from another, whose time and distance from the Galactica is unknown. In short, It is unknown therefore how near or far the Galactica was from Earth. [ Incidentally, there is an 11 year gap between the Apollo moon landing and the timeframe of "Galactica 1980", yet the show itself is based on the assumption that there is a 30 year gap between the discovery of Earth and the destruction of the Colonies. ] E18. Did the Galactica eventually find Earth? In his interview in Epilog Journal, Glen Larson argued that the events of "Galactica 1980", including the discovery of Earth, could be explained away and subsequently forgotten: If I have my way, "Galactica 1980" would certainly be Starbuck's nightmare, and we'd go back to the original concept. I guess if Dallas could turn a whole season into a dream we could make Starbuck wake up in the middle of the night after having had a nightmare about discovering Earth. More likely, he argued, the series could be explained away as a computer projection of what the discovery of Earth could be like if they're not careful, not unlike the simulated Cylon attack sequence in the Galactica 1980 pilot. It should nevertheless be taken as given that the Galactica would eventually find its destination. Earth's location was revealed to the Galacticans in "War of the Gods": Earth - quadrant alpha, 19 million sectars by Epsilon vector 22 on a circular reckoning course of 000 point 9 in a star system of nine plants and one sun. If the transmissions of the Apollo moon landing in the "Hand of God" are to have any meaning, it is that the Galactica was certainly on the right track. E19. What was the premise of Galactica 1980? Officially, Galactica 1980 was set 30 years after the events of "Battlestar Galactica". All the original cast members were either dead, missing or never seen in Galactica 1980, with the exception of Commander Adama and Boomer (now Colonel, replacing Tigh). Captain Troy (a grown up Boxey) and Lt. Dillon were second-rate copies of Apollo and Starbuck. Other new characters include the teenage genius Dr. Zee, a renegade Council member (Xavier), and a television reporter (Jamie Hamilton). In the three-hour premiere, "Galactica Discovers Earth", the Galactica had at last found Earth (c. 1980). Unfortunate for Adama and company was the discovery that the Cylons had been following them all across the galaxy. The Galactica found Earth's technology was so backward that that colonization of Earth would be impossible, until Earth could raise it to a level where it could defend itself against the Cylons. One plot element involved Galacticans contacting Earth's top scientists to help Earth bring its technology up to the Galactica's standards. An additional time travel element involved Xavier, who travelled back in time to help out Nazi Germany's rocket plan in his attempt to improve Earth technology. These elements were generally ignored in the short-lived series that followed. The remainder of the episodes were disappointing at best, hindered by both its timeslot and lower budget. Themes ranged from pollution ("The Super Scouts") to racism ("Space Croppers"). Another storyline had Cylons crashing in New York on Hallowe'en ("The Night the Cylons Landed"), and even co-starred Wolfman Jack. One of the ongoing storylines had a group of super-powered children from the Galactica stranded on Earth. Their "powers" were a result of Earth's lower gravity, and the super-kids used them to their full extent to win a baseball game in "Spaceball". The only memorable episode in the series was its final one ("The Return of Starbuck"), which revealed the origin of Dr. Zee and his connection with Starbuck. E20. Wasn't Starbuck lost on some planet? What happened to him? In Galactica 1980's "The Return of Starbuck", the Dr. Zee character has a dream sequence of Starbuck. Starbuck's ship is damaged in battle and crashes on a desolate planet, along with the wreckage of a Cylon raider. A need for company and his own survival instinct prompts Starbuck to revive one of the Cylon centurions ("Cy", or Cyrus). The show closely follows the plot of Barry Longyear's novella "Enemy Mine", as Starbuck and Cy are forced to help each other for mutual survival. After Starbuck cheats at pyramids, Cy runs off, and later returns with the body of a pregnant woman, Angela. In the course of the show, Angela delivers her child (the future Dr. Zee), and Starbuck and Cy put together parts from both the Raider and Viper to send the mother and child (the future Dr. Zee) off to safety. At the end of the episode, another Cylon Raider lands on the planet, and its three occupants start attacking Starbuck. Out of loyalty to his new friend, Cyrus confronts and kills two Cylons, and in the process, he himself is destroyed. Starbuck finishes off the third Cylon, and is once again alone. Does Starbuck escape? On his own, probably not. In "The Hand of God", it is revealed that Cylon raiders require a minimum of two pilots to ride it. Unless Starbuck revives one of the Cylons (perhaps Cyrus), or jury-rigs the Raider to run with one pilot, Starbuck will remain stranded. [ One of the unfilmed scripts of Galactica 1980, "Wheels of Fire", revolves around the idea that Starbuck, found "worthy" in this episode, is rescued by Angela and the Ship of Lights (from "War of the Gods"), and that he becomes an angel himself. ] E21. Are there parallels between Battlestar Galactica and Mormonism? Yes there are. Glen Larson (producer and creator) is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (LDS), hereafter referred to as the "Mormon" church. Some of the ideas in Galactica are unmistakably Mormon in origin. 1. In Battlestar Galactica, twelve tribes of man founded the Twelve Colonies after departing from Kobol. A lost thirteenth colony colonized Earth. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi took a remnant of the tribe of Joseph to ancient America during the time of the Babylonian captivity and the scattering of the twelve tribes of Israel. 2. In "Lost Planet of the Gods", it is revealed that the mankind originated on Kobol, the mother world of all humans. Kobol is a rearranging of the word Kolob, which is the star "nearest unto the throne of God" in the Mormon Book of Abraham. The "Star Kobol" was also the ship on which armistice talks between the Colonials and the Cylons were held. 3. The episode "War of the Gods", with starred Count Iblis and the Ship of Lights, introduces viewers to some distinct Mormon ideas. The universe is under the law of free agency: "We cannot interfere with freedom of choice. His, yours, anyone's". Even Count Iblis (Satan) is bound by these laws, for he has only control over those who had "freely given him dominion". Those who accepted Iblis' words were willing to follow him blindly provided he guaranteed their safety. According to the Mormon account of Creation (Book of Moses, Ch. #4), one of the reasons God cast Satan out of heaven was because he "sought to destroy the agency of man." 4. The beings on the Ship of Lights are highly evolved brothers of man, and may also have founded Kobol. The phrase "As you are now, we once were; as we are now, you may become" is a rewording of a quote from Lorenzo Snow: "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become". According to Mormon belief, all humans are children of God, who is Himself an exalted man. By following God's laws, a believer can enter the path to godhood. 5. In their sealing ceremony, Adama sealed Apollo and Serina with these words: "A union between this man and this woman not only for now but for all the eternities". In a Mormon temple marriage, a couple is sealed for "time and all eternity." 6. There is a similarity in the political structures of the Colonies and the Mormon church. Both bodies have a Council (or Quorum) of the Twelve, and a President. 7. In the Galactica 1980 episode, one of the character uses the phrase "The glory of the universe is intelligence", a rewording of a passage in the Mormon Doctrines and Covenants (#93): "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." In Experiment in Terra, aboard the Ship of Lights, the "angel" John tells Apollo "I have no physical body, as you know it." Apollo, pointing to John's "body", asks him "What do you call that?" "A reflection of intelligence. My spirit, if you will." Those who have more questions about LDS theology or Mormons in general can consult the newsgroup alt.religion.mormon. A guide to Internet sources, "Mormonism on Net" is frequently posted there, and interested parties can also visit Brandon Plewe's LDS World Wide Web page at: http://wings.buffalo.edu/~plewe/ E22. Is the expression "F*** Off" visible in the attack on Caprica? From Epilog Journal #14 (Spring 1994): The words "Fuck Off" can be clearly seen spelled out in the lights of Caprica about thirty minutes into the [pilot] movie. Watch closely just after Serina's news broadcast is cut off by the sound of laser fire. The next scene shows four Cylon fighters swarming over the city and when the third fighter reaches the center of the TV screen, the offending words can be seen to its immediate right. They are even clearer in the Battlestar Galactica photonovel published by Berkeley. The same scene was also shown as a flashback sequence in "Murder on the Rising Star". P1. What BSG-related books and periodicals are out there? Here is a list of official publications and indispensable fan-produced books for the Galactica collector. A more complete list of all books and periodicals can be found in the related document, the Battlestar Galactica Registry. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS 1) Berkely adaptations In total, Berkeley/Ace released fourteen Battlestar Galactica pocket books. The first ten were adaptations of the episodes, and the last four were all new stories. They are all out of print. If you are lucky, your local used book store may have a some on their shelves. Glen Larson is credited as co-author on all fourteen books. The list of authors includes: Robert Thurston (1), Michael Resnick (2), Nicolas Yermakov (3) and Ron Goulart (4). Here is the Berkely book list and the episodes they adapt: BOOK ADAPTS YEAR Battlestar Galactica (1) Battlestar Galactica pilot 1978 BG 2: The Cylon Death Machine (1) "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" 1979 BG 3: The Tombs of Kobol (1) "Lost Planet of the Gods" 1979 BG 4: The Young Warriors (1) "The Young Lords" 1980 BG 5: Galactica Discovers Earth (2) Galactica 1980 pilot 1980 BG 6: The Living Legend (3) "The Living Legend" 1982 BG 7: War of the Gods (3) "War of the Gods" 1982 BG 8: Greetings From Earth (4) "Greetings from Earth" 1983 BG 9: Experiment in Terra (4) "Experiment in Terra", 1984 "Baltar's Escape" BG 10: The Long Patrol (4) "The Long Patrol" 1984 BG 11: The Nightmare Machine (1) (new) 1985 BG 12: "Die, Chameleon!" (1) (new) 1986 BG 13: Apollo's War (1) (new) 1987 BG 14: Surrender the Galactica! (1) (new) 1988 2. Battlestar Galactica: The Photostory (Berkely, 1978) 3. Stan Lee Presents: Battlestar Galactica (Ace, 1978) Pocket book version of Marvel Super Special #8 comic adaptation. 4. Stan Lee Presents: Battlestar Galactica Vol. II (Ace, 1979) Pocket book version of issues #4-#6 of Marvel's BSG comic. 5) The Official Battlestar Galactica Scrapbook (Grosset & Dunlap, 1978), by James Neyland Released the same time as the series, this book is an invaluable resource on the show and its creators and stars. 6) Encyclopedia Galactica: From the Fleet Library Aboard the Battlestar Galactica (E.P. Dutton, 1979), by Bruce Kraus A short illustrated encyclopedia of persons, places and things from the Galactica universe. Some conflicts with the series (especially the timeline), but otherwise a good reference. 7) The Battlestar Galactica Storybook (G.P. Putnam, 1979) An illustrated storybook of the premiere. 8) The Official Battlestar Galactica Blueprints (Today Press) Ten blueprints of the Battlestar Galactica, Colonial Vipers, Basestars and Cylon Raiders. 9) Battlestar Galactica Soundtrack Album (MCA-3051, 1978) The official soundtrack of the motion picture/premiere. 10) The Saga of Battlestar Galactica (MCA-3078,1979 12" LP narrated by Lorne Greene, featuring the original cast, accompanied by music from the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 2. FANDOM 1) Galactica Stuff: A Colonial's Guide To The Galaxy, by Sharon Monroe Revised second edition from Clean Slate Press is one of the best books yet on Galactica, and includes a detailed episode guide, a glossary detailing every obscure term used in the series, ship and uniform illustrations, book and comic reviews and a general discussion of the Galactica universe. A must-have for Galactica collectors! 3) Galactic Sci-Fi Series Revisited (Cinemaker Press, 1994), by Steven Simak This is a long-delayed book whose primary focus is Battlestar Galactica, and includes interviews with the stars and production team, an episode guide, unfilmed episodes, coverage of the novels and comic books, and more. Most of the Galactica material in this book has already appeared in the magazine, Not of This Earth, Special Edition #1. Available from Star Tech in January 1994. P2. Who can I contact for Battlestar Galactica fandom? The fan material above can be purchased from the following addresses: 1) Clean Slate Press c/o Sharon Monroe) 3369 Rolling Hills Drive Eagen MN, 55121 USA 2) Star Tech P.O.Box 456 Dunlap TN, 37327 USA [send $1 US for a catalog, $2 for video catalog] A more complete list of addresses can be found in the related document, the Battlestar Galactica Fandom Registry. C1. Who is Glen Larson? Glen A. Larson is a television writer and producer, and the creator of Battlestar Galactica. Prior to entering the television business, Larson was a member of the musical group "The Four Preps". Larson started out in the television business as a writer for It Takes a Thief, before graduating to the role of story editor and producer for several other television shows. Larson's impressive television credits, as creator, producer or writer, include It Takes a Thief, Alias Smith and Jones, Get Christie Love!, McCleod, Switch, The Six Million Dollar Man, Quincy, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Battlestar Galactica, Galactica 1980, Sword of Justice, B.J. and the Bear, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Magnum P.I., Fitz and Bones, The Fall Guy, Knight Rider, Trauma Center, Manimal, Automan, Masquerade, Cover Up, Half Nelson, The Highwayman and P.S. I Luve U. C2. Who is John Dykstra? John Dykstra is best known as special effects producer for Star Wars, and was also special effects producer for Battlestar Galactica. His work can be seen in the premiere, "Lost Planet of the Gods", and "Gun on Ice Planet Zero". He has worked on several big-budget Hollywood films, including The Andromeda Strain, Silent Running, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Lifeforce, and Invaders from Mars. Dykstra is no longer associated with ILM, but he is still active in the business. Working with a computer graphics group, He recently put together a spot for the Sci-Fi Channel, combining computer animation with miniatures and models. C3. Who are the other producers and creators of Battlestar Galactica? Leslie Stevens - Senior producer. Leslie Stevens is a science fiction veteran, having worked on The Outer Limits. Stevens also worked with Larson on McCleod and Buck Rogers of the 25th Century and produced other television shows, including Stoney Burke, and Search. Don Bellisario - Producer. Best known as the creator and producer of Quantum Leap, Bellisario has written or directed almost half of Galactica's episodes. Bellisario's credits also include Magnum P.I., Airwolf, and Tales of the Golden Monkey. Jean-Pierre Dorleac - As costume director, Dorleac worked with Larson on several television shows, including Sword of Justice, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers and the Fall Guy, as well as Don Bellisario's Quantum Leap. Screen credits include Somewhere in Time (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), The Blue Lagoon, and Hearts and Souls. C4. What other works have Battlestar Galactica stars done? Richard Hatch (Apollo) - Prior to Battlestar Galactica, Richard was best known as a regular on All My Children in 1969. Richard joined Karl Malden and the cast of The Streets of San Francisco in its last season, and was a cast regular on Santa Barbara. Hatch starred in several television movies, including the Hatfields and the McCoys, Addie and the King of Hearts, The Last of the Belles, The Class of '65, The Hustler of Muscle Beach and Deadman's Curve. Hatch's screen credits include Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen, The Jungle, Prisoners of the Lost Universe, Heated Vengeance, Ghetto Blaster, African Fever, Party Line, Delta Force Commando 2 and Best Friends. Recent feature films include Mortal Obsession and Renaissance. Dirk Benedict (Starbuck) - Dirk Benedict is best known for his role as Starbuck on Galactica, and Templeton "Faceman" Peck on the A-Team. Benedict's television credits include playing an ace-pilot on Aaron Spelling's "Chopper One" in 1974, once described by Benedict as Spelling's only television failure. Benedict's movie credits include Georgia, Georgia, Bejeweled, W, Scavenger Hunt, Sssss, Follow That Car, Underground Aces, Ruckus, Body Slam, Blue Tornado, Cruise into Terror, and Shadow Force. Lorne Greene (Adama) - Lorne Greene is best known as the patriarch Ben Cartwright on the long-running series Bonanza. Greene's television credits also include Bonanza, Griff, Sailor of Fortune, Code Red. He starred in several miniseries and movies, including Roots, The Bastard: The Kent Familiy Chronicles, and The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory. Greene was also the narrator on Lorne Greene's Last of the Wild and Lorne Greene's New Wilderness. Greene's screen credits include The Silver Chalice, The Gift of Love, The Tight Spot, The Buccaneer, Autumn Leaves, The Trap, Peyton Place, Earthquake, The Hard Man, and Heidi's Song. Lloyd Bridges (Cain) - Lloyd Bridges starred in several television series, including Sea Hunt, The Lloyd Bridges Show and Joe Forrester, and also narrated Water World, and World War II: G.I. Diary. Bridges starred in several historical-based television miniseries, including The Blue and the Grey, Lonesome Dove, Roots, and the North and South series. Screen credits include Air Plane, Air Plane 2: The Sequel (which featured Galactica theme music!), Hot Shots!, and Hot Shots! Part Deux. Lloyd has co-starred with son Jeff Bridges in Tucker: A Man and His Dreams, and Blown Away. John Colicos (Baltar) - In addition to his role as Baltar, Colicos is universally recognized by Star Trek fans as the quintessential Klingon, Commander Kor, in the classic Star Trek episode "Errand Of Mercy". Colicos recently reprised the same role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Blood Oath". Colicos also starred in the CBC/CBS miniseries Love And Hate, and was a cast regular on The Adventures of Hiram Holiday. Screen credits include Murder on Approval, Anne of the Thousand Days, Doctor's Wives, Raid on Rommel, Wrath of Gold, Scorpio, Red Sky at Morning, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Shadow Dancing. He is currently the voice of Apocalypse on FOX's X-Men: The Animated series. Patrick Macnee (Imperious Leader, Iblis) - Patrick Macnee's most famous role was in the British spy series, The Avengers and its revival, The New Avengers. The British actor also starred in the sit-com The Empire, Gavilan, and the James Bond film, A View to a Kill. He is currently a cast member of Thunder in Paradise and was recently seen on an episode of Kung Fu: The Adventure Continues. Jane Seymour (Serina) - Jane Seymour is a star of several miniseries (East of Eden, War and Remembrance) and is currently enjoying wide success as the lead star of Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman (recently nominated for an Emmy). Seymour's screen credits include James Bond's Live and Let Die, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, and Somewhere in Time. Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Boomer) - Herbert Jefferson starred in the feature films The Yellow Rose, Detroit 9000, The Slams, Private Duty Nurses, Black Gun, and Starflight One (as the commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia). Terry Carter (Tigh) - Terry Carter was a regular cast member in Larson's McCleod. His screen credits include Foxy Brown, Possess My Soul, Benji, Man on the Run, and Black Force 2. Noah Hathaway (Boxey) - A child actor, Hathaway starred in the movies The Neverending Story, and Troll. C5. Which Galactica stars have been in Star Trek episodes? Many Battlestar Galactica stars have appeared on Star Trek episodes. John Colicos (Baltar) played the Klingon Kor in Star Trek's "Errand of Mercy" and reprised the role recently on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. George Murdock (Dr. Salik) appeared as a Starfleet admiral in Star Trek: TNG's "The Best of Both Worlds", and Brock Peters (Chief Opposer Solon, "Murder on the Rising Star"), appeared as Admiral Cartwright in Star Trek IV and Star Trek VI. Paul Fix (Commander Kronus, "Take the Celestra") appeared as Dr. Mark Piper in TNG's "Where No Man Has Gone Before". And even Star Trek: TNG's Q, John DeLancie, played an Eastern alliance guard in "Experiment in Terra". A more detailed list of Galactica actors who have starred in Star Trek, can be found in the related document, The Battlestar Galactica/Star Trek Crossover List. I1. Is there a Battlestar Galactica mailinglist? Yes there is! You can now subscribe yourself to the fully automated Battlestar Galactica mailinglist. To remove or add yourself to the list, mail to: majordomo@cairo.anu.edu.au SUBJECT is ignored. In the body of the mail: unsubscribe|subscribe star To send an article to all listmembers, mail to: star@cairo.anu.edu.au Other commands about using the majordomo can be found by sending mail to: majordomo@cairo.anu.edu.au Body of the message containing: HELP Ideas/concerns are always welcome, and should be forwarded to Jamie Norton, the List Administrator, at jamie@cairo.anu.edu.au. The list is also archived on Tardis and propagated in the rec.arts.sf.tv newsgroup by Jeff Zahnen (number6@ufcc.ufl.edu), the digest archiver. Back issues can be found in the Tardis archive (see I2). I2. Is Battlestar Galactica material available on the Internet? Information and other materials pertaining to Battlestar Galactica are available through FTP, World Wide Web, gopher and e-mail. 1. The Tardis archives The chief Battlestar Galactica FTP site is the Tardis archive at src.doc.ic.ac.uk, located in the public/media/tv/collections/tardis directory. This archive can also be reached via World Wide Web at http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/public/media/tv/collections/tardis. The Tardis archive is maintained by Dave Chapman (dave@cheers.demon.co.uk). Copies of Battlestar Galactica episode guides, a copy of this FAQ, the Battlestar Galactica Registry, BG Fandom, and many other documents can be found in the us/sci-fi/BattlestarGalactica subdirectory. Back issues of the Battlestar Galactica maillinglist digests can be found in the digests subdirectory, and fan fiction can be found in the stories directory. To get instructions on how to retreive files through FTP, World Wide Web, gopher and e-mail, send an empty message to: tardis-faq@cheers.demon.co.uk. 2. The Battlestar Galactica WWW home page Most of the information available at Tardis is also available as WWW hypertext at the Battlestar Galactica home page, maintained by Mark F. Heiman (mheiman@carleton.edu). In addition, the home page contains sounds and images from BSG as well as pointers to Tardis and other sources of material. To view the Battlestar Galactica home page, point your WWW client at http://www.carleton.edu/BG (the BG must be uppercase). I3. Is there a Usenet forum for Battlestar Galactica? Yes. In addition to the mailinglist, there are several Usenet newsgroups in which BSG discussion is welcome. Outside of the mailinglist, most BSG discussion takes place in the rec.arts.sf.tv newsgroup, which is where the mailinglist digests are posted. -- |----\___ John P. LaRocque (larocqu@gaul.csd.uwo.ca) ********]|-----|___\__________ ********]|_______>___________/ "There are those who believe |_____ / that life here began out there..."