Cylon

Cylon may refer to:

People

Places

Science fiction

Companies

See also

Cylon (1978)

Cylons are a fictional race of robots in the original Battlestar Galactica TV series. They are the primary antagonists of the series and are at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity. The Cylons also appeared in the short-lived 1980 spin-off series Galactica 1980.

An updated version of the original Cylon also appears in the re-imagined series: briefly in a flashback battle sequence in Battlestar Galactica: Razor, in hand-to-hand combat with a young William Adama after they had shot each other's fighters down; and several in the show finale "Daybreak", on board an old Cylon refuge known as "The Colony".

The Cylons were created by a reptilian race, also called Cylons. However, the reptilian race died out centuries earlier, leaving behind only their race of robots.

Types

Imperious Leader

The Imperious Leader is the leader of the Cylon Alliance and most advanced Cylon model. According to the IL-Series Cylon Lucifer the Imperious Leader is an IL-Series Cylon, though it does not look like a IL-Series Cylon. The Imperious Leader has a third brain and a body shell resembling the reptilian Cylons. It is stated in the original novelization of the pilot episode that the Imperious Leader's third brain is specifically designed to emulate the human mind (solely for the purpose of anticipating human actions). One was killed at the Battle of Carillon (pilot episode) and his successor was possibly destroyed during the Battle of Gamoray (episode: "The Living Legend, Part 2"). In the original 1978-79 series, the voice of the Imperious Leader is identical to that of Count Iblis. (The voice of the former was provided by Patrick Macnee, who acted out the latter on-camera.) In the Galactica 1980 episode "Space Croppers," the voice of the Imperious Leader was provided by Dennis Haysbert. All of the Imperious Leaders look identical. The reptilian look of the Imperious Leader could have raised the question whether actually all living Cylons have died out.

Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)

The Cylons are a cybernetic civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original 1978 and 1980 series, the 2004 reimagining, as well as the spin-off prequel series, Caprica. In the 1978 series, Cylon is also the name of the reptilian race who created the robot Cylons.

The nature and origin of the Cylons differ greatly between the two Battlestar Galactica continuities. However, both series feature Cylon Raiders, Cylon Basestars and Cylon Centurions. The prequel series, Caprica, focuses on the creation of the Cylons, which differs from all the previous Battlestar Galactica series.

Original continuity

The Cylons of the 1978/1980 series are not the mechanical foils seen throughout the series, but an advanced reptilian race who created the robots (called Cylons within the show) to serve them, maintain their vast empire and to man their military forces in the face of a sudden population drop that eventually led to the Cylons' extinction — seemingly overnight. This fact is briefly mentioned in the 1978 movie-length premiere of the series (near the end of episode 2 in syndication) when Apollo relates the Cylons' origin to Boxey. In the episode "War of the Gods", during Count Iblis's private discourse with Count Baltar, Baltar mentions that he recognizes Iblis's voice, referring to Patrick Macnee's voicing of the Imperious Leader in the opening episode/theatrical movie (Macnee also played Iblis), with Iblis countering that if that was true it must have been "transcribed" over a thousand yahren (years) ago and programmed into the mechanical body of the Imperious Leader.

Battlestar

Battlestar and similar may refer to:

See also

Battlestar (fictional spaceship)

Battlestars are capital ships from the science fiction universe of Battlestar Galactica, depicted in the original Battlestar Galactica movie and series, the Galactica 1980 spinoff, and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series.

Battlestar Galactica (1978–1980)

General information

Battlestars are the premier capital ships, effectively the space equivalent of aircraft carriers, of the 12 Colonies of Man; Battlestars have fought for at least five hundred yahren in the Thousand Yahren War against the Cylon Alliance.

The hull is divided into the main hull with the bridge and propulsion systems, and winged hangar bays on the port and starboard sides. Each hangar bay typically carries many Viper Starfighters and several shuttles. Given the large dimensions of the ship design there is an internal rail car system to transport personnel, especially in the event of a battle alert.

The fuel for a Battlestar and its Vipers is called tylium, a mysterious material that can be found only on certain planets. The Marvel Comic version listed several capabilities not seen in the TV series such as the Wall - a huge corridor where technicians in huge floating chairs listened with headphones, by way of the Battlestars' sensors, to everything from distant quasars, pulsars, super nova remnants and so forth, as a means to keep surveillance on possible Cylon activity or the true location of Earth.

Battlestar (comics)

Battlestar (Lemar Hoskins), who was also the fifth Bucky, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America #323 (November 1986).

Publication history

Battlestar was originally introduced as a nameless member of the Bold Urban Commandos in Captain America #323. In Captain America #327 he is called "Lemar" for the first time, but generally is still treated as interchangeable with the other BUCs. He rises from anonymity in Captain America #334, in which his full name is revealed and he adopts the identity of Bucky. Gruenwald later explained,

Angered fans wrote to Marvel Comics, informing the company that "Buck" or "Bucky" is considered a derogatory term among African-Americans, and complaining that it was also racially offensive to have an adult black man taking on the identity of a teenage sidekick. Writer Mark Gruenwald had not known of the racial connotation of "Bucky", having grown up in a region with very few African-Americans, and agreed to give Hoskins a new name. In Captain America #341 he is renamed Battlestar, dons his own unique costume, and is more explicitly presented as a partner to the new Captain America, rather than a sidekick. Gruenwald recalled, "The search for a good name for a partner to Cap is a whole half-hour unto itself. [laughs] We came up with every single name which was vaguely patriotic, vaguely military, and yet stood on its own, because some day these guys may split up." The name "Battlestar" was ultimately suggested by Captain America penciler Kieron Dwyer.