The Twelve Colonies

The Twelve Colonies are the sovereign human-inhabited worlds whose surprise genocidal destruction by the Cylons forms the central plot of the Battlestar Galactica sagas.

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CanonSeparate Continuity

The Twelve Colonies of ManThe Twelve Colonies of Kobol

Part of the series on The Twelve Colonies of Man (Original Series)

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The Twelve Colonies of Man included the colonies of:

• Aeries
• Caprica
• Gemoni
• Picon
• Sagitara
• Scorpion
• Taura
• Virgon

Four colonies, ostensibly similar to the astrological names of "Cancer," "Leo," "Libra" and "Aquarius," are never formally named in Original Series episodes. However, Aquarus is mentioned in the novelization of "The Young Lords."

Star System

The Twelve Colonies of Man are located in an unnamed multi-star system within the Cyrannus Galaxy. The tactical navigation display in Core Command of Galactica (below) indicates there are four local star systems surrounded by 21 planets, including a number of worlds (e.g. Carillon) that are outside the Colonial sphere on influence. Caprica orbits a close double star.

Battle of Cimtar main events and locations. Cylon basestars within striking distance of Virgon, Sagitara and Caprica annihilate the Colonial homeworlds. Compared to Sol most of the planetary orbits shown are highly eccentric, producing extreme seasonal temperature variations.

History

The government of the Twelve Colonies first encountered the Cylons after the Colonials intervened to protect an alien race known as the Hasari from them. As a result, the Colonies have been at war with the alien Cylons for 1,000 yahren.

Colonial battlestars.

First Exodus

According to the Book of the Word, a religious text of the Kobollian faith, humanity began on a planet called Kobol.

After an ecological disaster purported to be created by technology, the tribes of humanity fled outward to the stars. Twelve tribes of Man eventually passed through a magnetic void and settled on a star system of 12 worlds, which would be later known as the Twelve Colonies of Man ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods")}.

A thirteenth tribe made another exodus to a planet known as Earth ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

War

The destruction of the last Colonial fleet at the Battle of Cimtar. Galactica was already in alert posture, but her sister ships were not.

Cylon Raiders begin their attack on Caprica. A reporter, Serina, is seen in the foreground.

Recent battles in the Thousand Yahren War included the Battle of Cosmora Archipelago (with Commander Kronus, battlestar Rycon and the Fourth Fleet), the Battle of Caprica, and the Battle of Molecay (with the Fifth Fleet and battlestar Pegasus).

The Thousand Yahren War brutally ended with an elaborate Cylon sneak attack at the Battle of Cimtar, which destroys the last battlestar fleet, led by President Adar ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

One surviving battlestar, Galactica, escapes destruction and is unable to ward off a simultaneous bombardment of the Twelve Colonies and its populace. Millions, perhaps billions of humans are killed. The survivors escape their worlds to follow Galactica in search of a safer haven.

Colonization

The planet of Paradeen, one of many worlds that may have had contact with the Thirteenth Tribe.

Several planets, moons and asteroid colonies throughout the portion of the galaxy familiar to the Colonials boasted small croppings of Colonials. Some who were well aware of the Colonies and the war with the Cylons ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol", "The Young Lords")}, others knew nothing of them, such as Sectar ^{(TOS: "The Magnificent Warriors")}, Equellus ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}, Eastern Alliance, Terra, Paradeen and Lunar Colonies ^{(TOS: "Greetings From Earth", "Experiment in Terra")}.

Culture

Each of the Twelve Colonies boasted its own race and dialect as to distinguish itself from the others.

Holidays

• Armament Day: a day for celebrating the Colonial Military ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}.

• High Worship of the Sunstorm: a period where the Gemini are permitted to have contact with members of the opposite sex, which occurs every seven years as decreed by the Gemini's High Priests ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

The Colonies

Aeries

Robber and his family are from Aeries, and there is some suggestion other prisoners on Proteus may be Aerian as well, given their raspy Irish sounding accents which mirror that of Robbers'. Cassiopeia is familiar with the Aerian merchant code as her father was a trader fluent in such things, and may perhaps have been an Aeries himself ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol")}.

The non-canonical Encyclopedia Galactica describes Aeries as a small, crowded world. Due to the population surpassing the ability of the planet herself, the Aerians created orbital space stations that were capable of handling the food needs for the colony. From this, they were able to develop special crops adapted to growth in weightless space. A subsquent technology was in the form of the Agro Ships, which were used to provide food for deep-space missions, prior to the invention of the lightspeed drives.

Caprica

Caprica was said to be the world that led the technological renaissance among the Twelve Colonies of Man, rediscovering space flight along the way.

Gemoni

Many of the passengers about the freighter Gemini are from Gemoni. The language of Gemoni is Gemonese (which Boomer can translate and Cassiopeia is able to speak fluently). Gemoni is home to the Otori Sect ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

Sagitara

Sagitara was located at coordinates 1-2-6 and was, along with Virgon and Caprica, one of the Inner Colonies, first to be attacked. In the novelization, Adama stated that Sagitara had the most advanced defense system in the Colonies. President Adar hailed from Sagitara.

Taura

Starbuck and Boomer run across a blonde Taurus woman. ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

Virgon

Virgon was located at coordinates 0-3-5 and was, along with Sagitara and Caprica, one of the three Inner Colonies. These were the first to be attacked and destroyed by the Cylon forces.

Notes

• According to Encyclopedia Galactica (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):

After the exodus, the settlers settled on twelve worlds, using their technology to prepare the land and provide "the basic necessities of life". However, once this was done, the settlers shunned their technology as it was blamed for the destruction of Kobol. This leads to the Era of Darkness, where technology was forgotten and the Colonials regressed to a non-high technological period, where religion lead and influenced the lives of the Colonials.

Being separated for two millennia, the Colonies developed their own cultural identities.

• The Aerians are said to have "quickly separated into a number of hostile groups," tearing the colony apart by "petty wars among them for hundreds of yahren.
• The Capricans were "practical" people, retaining much of the science predating the exodus than the other colonies, thus leading the rest of the Colonials to a scientific renaissance in the Fifth Millennium.
• The Gemonese, who settled the "cold" planet, they condemned pleasure as a "temptation to evil," with the Otori Sect carrying this "ethic to extremes, permitting contact between the sexes" only once during the High Worship of the Sunstorm.
• The Sagittarians "became a contemplative people," producing philosophers throughout the modern era.
• The Scorpios were "blessed with a fertile planet and a gentile climate" devoting "their lives to pursuit of art, music and pleasure".

After the rediscovery of interstellar travel, each of the colonies joined together and conjoined their efforts to the development of interstellar spacecrafts, bringing 500 yahren of "unparalleled prosperity," establishing settlements on other planets and asteroids, as well as making peaceful contact with intelligent species of other worlds.

It is said that by the time of first contact with the Cylons, the Colonials technology "had advanced beyond that of their ancestors of Kobol".

• In Galactica 1980, it is indicated that Colonials do not have fingerprints (and presumably, no hand prints either) and that gravity on the Colonies is higher than on Earth's ("Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I"; "The Super Scouts, Part I"). While the lack of fingerprints is also noted in the Galactica Discovers Earth novelization, there is no mention of the gravity differential—as this is introduced in the following episodes—but the Warriors have speed, agility and mental abilities (such as the ability to learn, retain and use languages with the aid of technology) greater than their Earth brothers.

• In the Galactica Discovers Earth novelization, specially trained Galacticans (e.g. Warriors) can use their body's fat deposits as a source of energy for their bodies, in much the same way a bear is able to use its fatty deposits during hibernation. This allows Galacticans the ability to go without eating for weeks at a time during missions or Viper patrols and the system is fully efficient, thus leaving no waste products.

See also

• Ascalon Control

References

Seal of the Twelve Colonies.

The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are twelve distinct worlds, located in a remote part of our Galaxy. For 2,000 years they were home to the descendants of humans participating in the exodus of Kobol. For most of the two millennia that these worlds were inhabited, the Twelve Colonies consisted of multiple sovereign states, but during the final fifty-two years leading up to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, all twelve comprised a single state known as the United Colonies of Kobol ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}.

After the settlement, the colonies slowly began to prosper and eventually gave birth to a race of cybernetic lifeforms, known as Cylons. Only a few years after their creation, the Cylons raged a devastating war on their creators' home planets, which ultimately led to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. Wasted and in ruins, the once prosperous homeworlds of humanity were finally abandoned by both humans and Cylons.

Part of the series on The Twelve Colonies of Kobol (Re-imagined Series)

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Star System

Note: A portion of the information listed below is taken from the official, "quasi-canon" Battlestar Galactica Map of the 12 Colonies .

The Twelve Colonies are situated within the star system Cyrannus, located some 2,000 light years from Kobol, where humanity presumedly first evolved. All in all, Cyrannus is a vast and complex system, comprised of four stars: Helios Alpha, Helios Beta, Helios Gamma, and Helios Delta. Each star is orbited by its own family of planets and other astronomical bodies. The stars come together to form two binary systems (Alpha/Beta and Gamma/Delta). Both pairs of stars then orbit each other around a third, central barycenter every 546,892 years. Both binary systems are separated by 0.16 light years or 10,091 Stellar Units, shortened to SU (In this case, 1 SU being equal to the average distance between Helios Alpha and the barycenter of the Caprica-Gemenon binary, roughly 150 million km).

Helios Alpha

Helios Alpha is a main sequence star of spectral class G2V and has a mass of 1.0, and was the first system settled by the Colonials after the exodus from Kobol, having first set foot on Gemenon. It and Helios Beta orbit a common barycenter maintaining a separation of 63 SU. Helios Alpha is more massive and is closer to the system's barycenter. The pair complete an orbit once every 373 years.

• Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies
  • Icarus - A small planet located close to the star. It has a molten surface which makes mining and exploration impossible.
  • Picon - This colony has an inclined orbit.
  • Caprica and Gemenon - These two colonies form a binary planet.
  • Tauron - One of only three colonies to feature a moon, named Minos. It is the only moon with a ring, and home to several mining and scientific outposts.
  • Erebos asteroid belt - This asteroid belt is rich in minerals, which were mined by Tauran prospectors for hundreds of years.
  • Zeus - A gas giant located at the outer edge of the system. This gas giant is the largest planet in the four systems, with a diameter of 153,000 km at the equator. The planet has 74 moons, the largest of which are Nike and Hebe. Constant upper atmosphere lightning creates an aurora effect that can be seen with the naked eye.
  • Persephone - Classified as a dwarf planet, Persephone is the outermost planet in the system and features an inclined and eccentric orbit. Colonial scientists believe this planet could be an escaped moon of Zeus.

This system is unique in the fact that Caprica and Gemenon share an orbit around a common barycenter. According to the Colonial map, the planets orbit each other once every 28.2 days, and are separated by a distance of 493,000 km. Based on these numbers, Kepler's Third Law tells us that the combined mass of these colonies is about twice that of Earth.

Helios Beta

Helios Beta is a main sequence star of spectral class K1V and has a mass of 0.79. It was the second system settled by the Colonials after the exodus from Kobol. It and Helios Alpha orbit a common barycenter maintaining a separation of 63 SU. Helios Beta is less massive and is farther from the system's barycenter. The pair complete an orbit once every 373 years.

• Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies
  • Troy - A small, metal-rich planet, mined extensively by Virgon and Leonis since the founding of those two colonies.
  • Leonis - The largest inhabited planet of the Twelve Colonies.
  • Pallas - A small world with an inclined orbit once believed to hold a life sustaining atmosphere. It is no longer tectonically active. However, the Colonials have set up several small colonies and a military research station on the planet. Efforts to kobolform the planet have failed.
  • Ouranos asteroid belt - This dense asteroid belt separates long-time rivals Leonis and Virgon, and has been a source of minerals for both colonies.
  • Virgon - One of only three colonies to feature a moon, named Hibernia, and the only naturally habitable moon in the 12 Colonies. It was settled several centuries ago by the Celtans, an ethnic group opposed to Virgon rule.
  • Hera - A gas giant, approximately 75,000 km in diameter, and the third largest planet in the Cyrannus system. It has 29 moons, the largest of which are Iris and Eubora.

Helios Gamma

Helios Gamma is a main sequence star of spectral class G9V and has a mass of 0.89. It was presumably the third system settled by the Colonials. It and Helios Delta orbit a common barycenter maintaining a separation of 70 SU. Helios Gamma is more massive and is closer to the system's barycenter. It completes an orbit once every 456 years.

• Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies
  • Thanatos - This planet, named after the god of death, has a corrosive 'sulphur' dioxide atmosphere and is tidally locked to its star.
  • Acheron asteroid belt - A broad asteroid belt, named after Sagittaron's largest river.
  • Libran - Features two small moons, Herse and Pandrossos, which are thought to be captured asteroids. The moons orbit so close to each other, they periodically swap positions.
  • Scorpia - Home to the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards. The planet features a half ring, thought to be a moon that broke apart nearly 100,000 years ago.
  • Sagittaron - A barren, mountainous world.
  • Ophion - A frigid gas giant with a diameter of 51,000 km, and an inclined orbit. The planet has 14 moons, all smaller than 10 km in diameter. Studies on the planet have Colonial scientists thinking that Ragnar was originally a member of the Helios Gamma system, while Ophion was not. Scientists think that Ophion was a rogue planet that passed close to Ragnar and was caught by the star, pushing Ragnar into its current orbit around the entire Gamma/Delta system.

Helios Delta

Helios Delta is a reddish main sequence star of spectral class K2V and has a mass of 0.74. It was the last of the four systems to be settled by the Colonials. It and Helios Gamma orbit a common barycenter maintaining a separation of 70 SU. Helios Delta is less massive and is farther from the system's barycenter. It completes an orbit once every 456 years.

• Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies
  • Phoebe - A small world with a high surface temperature and thin atmosphere.
  • Styx - A planet with a dense, reducing atmosphere of carbon dioxide and sulfides.
  • Aeolus asteroid belt - This asteroid belt features gaps, likely caused by tidal influences with Hestia and its two orbital companions.
  • Aerilon, Hestia, and Canceron - These planets share the same orbit.
    • Hestia - The smallest gas giant in the Cyrannus star system, Hestia only has a diameter of 47,000 km. It has 17 moons, the largest of which, Kronos and Rhea, share the same orbit.
  • Aquaria - An arctic world, with the most inclined orbit of all the Twelve Colonies.

This system is unique in the fact that Aerilon, Hestia, and Canceron share the same orbit. The two colonies are positioned at Hestia's Lagrangian points, meaning that the gravitational pull of Helios Delta and Hestia are balanced, allowing two smaller bodies (Aerilon and Canceron) to share the same orbit in a "fixed" position, maintaining the same distance apart at all times. Aerilon sits at the (leading) L4 point, and Canceron at the (trailing) L5 point.

• Ragnar - A gas giant with a diameter of 138,000 km, orbits the entire Helios Gamma and Delta system in a 899.75 year period. It is about 110 SU away from the central barycenter. The Colonials use the planet as host to Ragnar Anchorage, an orbital refueling station and naval armory that distills hydrocarbons from the planet's upper atmosphere. It has one moon, Sigurd. During the Fall of the Colonies, Ragnar was used as cover by the battlestar Galactica, and later her fleet, after escaping the destruction of Caprica. It would be the last world of the Cyrannian system that most of the surviving Colonials would lay eyes on. Hours after arriving, Galactica took the gathered fleet, and fled the system, never to return.

Notes

• The fact that the Colonies are located within one system originates from a blog entry by Ronald D. Moore.
• Jane Espenson revealed on Twitter that the Colonies are within a star cluster and share some orbits. The latter fact was finally shown to be true in the TV version of the series premiere of Caprica.
• The configuration of the Twelve Colonies was inspired by the real world star system Epsilon Lyrae, a famous "double-double" star system located ~162 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Lyra.
• Before the semi-canonical figure mentioned on the map, the original Miniseries script stated a pre-Fall population of about 12 billion. The webisodes "The Resistance" stated the death of 20 billion people caused by the Cylons.
• Serge's twitter mentions that the exodus from Kobol is believed to be true by the inhabitants of the Twelve Colonies and it was from them that animals such as cats as well as dogs came to the Colonies. Furthermore, the twelve planets are populated with a few other worlds in the star cluster, with the settled colonies already possessing some animal as well as plant life. Furthermore, Serge states that not all the colonies are democracies, but rather each has their own style of government. (Serge's Twitter)

History

Main article: History of the Twelve Colonies

Kobol, the ancient homeworld of humanity.

About 2,000 years prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the last twelve tribes of Kobol left their planet over conflicts with their gods, as well as some sort of calamity (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I").

The tribes settled on twelve worlds some distance away (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I"). The tribes' namesakes and icons originally corresponded to the twelve signs of the ancient tribes, although these names drifted over time ^{(TRS: "Home, Part II")}.

The early Colonies lived (and fought) more as sovereign nations. Some (particularly Caprica) prospered, while others (such as Sagittaron and Aerilon) were often considered lessers. For labor forces as well as wars fought among each other, humanity created the Cylons. When these early models rebelled, the Colonies unified their governments under the Articles of Colonization at some point during the Cylon War into a federal republic known as the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.

The official symbol of the Twelve Colonies was the Colonial seal. The nation also had a distinctive anthem.

Downfall

Main article: Fall of the Twelve Colonies

Caprica, shortly before its downfall.

40 years after the end of the devastating war, the Cylons return and sow destruction among the worlds of their creators ^{(TRS: "Miniseries" and "The Plan")}. For some time the Twelve Colonies remain occupied by Cylon forces and a small group of human survivors. After nine months, humanity and the Cylons leave the Cyrannus system forever ^{(TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II")}.

Out of all Colonial inhabitants, only about 55,000 survive the first days of the holocaust. Most of them leave the Colonies behind in two small fugitive fleets. The fleet of the battlestar Galactica eventually encounters both Kobol, as well as the original Thirteenth Colony Earth. Some time after that, and after the destruction of the the Cylon home world, they settle on a beautiful, rich world, leaving behind the baggage of their Colonial heritage. ^{(TRS: "Miniseries", "Razor" and "Daybreak, Part II")}

Fate

The ultimate fate of the Twelve Colonies 150,000 years after The Fall is unknown. Presumably, after several hundred years, their climates and surfaces would degrade until they resemble the original Earth.

It can be presumed that by present-day radiation levels would have lowered to a point where life would be allowed to flourish once again. But few, if any, traces would remain of the human civilizations that once thrived upon them, excluding remains in space, such as the remnants of Scorpion Fleet Shipyards or Ragnar Anchorage.

Aerilon

Main article: Aerilon

Ancient Name: Aries

Alternative Name: Aerelon

Population: 1.2 billion

Patron God: Demeter

Capital: Gaoth

Major Cities: Gaoth, Promethea

Attractions: University of Aerilon, Promethea A & M

Pyramid Teams: Aerilon Threshers, Promethea Golden Horns

Aerilon was primarily an agricultural world. It was considered to be the "food basket" of the Twelve Colonies and ranked among its poorest members ^{(TRS: "Dirty Hands")}. The planet shares an orbit with the gas giant Hestia and Canceron, sitting in Hestia's leading (L4) libratian point in the Helios Delta system.

About all of the planet's landmasses are situated in the temperate zones, featuring open and rolling landscapes offering little variation in altitude. There are few inland waterways, and the shorelines consist mostly of rocky bluffs with only mangrove swamps breaking the monotony near the equator. To top it the planet offers hostile seas with no useful harbors at its coasts.

Aerilon has a mild climate and reliable seasons, with plentiful rain, so catch basins and wells are sufficiently filled and fresh water is readily available despite the lack of rivers and lakes.

Aquaria

Main article: Aquaria

Ancient Name: Aquarius

Alternative Name: Aquarion

Population: 25,000

Patron God: Hermes

Capital: None

Major Cities: Heim

Attractions: Kyros Summerfest

Pyramid Teams: None

Aquaria, the outermost planet in the Helios Delta system, follows a highly inclined orbit around its sun, establishing an arctic climate on this world. The planet's summer lasts only a few pleasant weeks around the time of closest approach to Helios Delta.

The planet surface is about entirely covered by vast, frigid oceans, punctuated with violently erupting volcanoes breaking through the sea surface. Only one land mass, named Kyros, is large enough to sustain human habitation. Volcanoes occupy each end of this crescent-shaped continent, which consist mostly of volcanic tephra covered in moss and dotted by exotic native plantlife.

Most people live in Heim, a town at the centre of the island facing what would be the harbor if the seas weren't so frigid. Only a few people live outside the town, tending the infrastructure needed for survival, like windmills, hydroponics, and solar panels. Due to the lack of wood, most structures are made of tin or stone.

Canceron

Canceron from orbit.

Ancient Name: Cancer

Population: 6.7 billion

Patron God: Hephaestus

Capital: Hades

Major Cities: Hades, Prommos, Mangala

Attractions: Prommos, Ruby Range, Kor Yaz Glacier

Pyramid Teams: Canceron Hydras, Hades Vice, Mangala Krill

Canceron is the most populous planet in the twelve worlds. It is located in the Helios Delta system, sharing its orbit with two other planets, one of them being Aerilon. The planet was well known for its beaches, such as those in Brachyura City (B.C.), and had at least one large coastal metropolis ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. The capital was Hades.

Prior to the First Cylon War, Canceron was a very overpopulated and poor colony. Canceron's major cities such as Hades and Mangala were known to have large slums. Its large population earned Canceron the nickname "The Largest Democracy" within the colonies, though some believed the government was nothing more than a corrupt oligarchy (The Caprican: "Canceron Wants a Fourth Pyramid Team" and "Just Wondering About That Military Roadblock Thing"). Those who hail from coastal cities, such as Brachyura City, were stereotyped as promiscuous, hedonistic "tanned airhead surfers" (The Caprican: "Playing the Field: Lonely Girl from B.C. needs our help & more!").

During the Cylon attack, Canceron is hit with at least three nuclear devices. One of the passenger liners within the fleet, Pyxis, is one of the last ships that escapes this world when the attack began. Aboard is the Number Six copy Shelly Godfrey ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

Robin Wenutu is the Canceron delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve after the Fall ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}.

Natives

• Lexon

Caprica

Main article: Caprica (RDM)

Caprica from orbit.

Caprica City.

The view of Gemenon from Caprica City.

Ancient Name: Capricorn

Population: 4.9 billion

Patron God: Apollo

Official Language: Caprican

Capital: Caprica City

Major Cities: Caprica City, Delphi, Phoebus

Attractions: Delphi Museum of the Colonies, Atlas Arena, Caprica Interplanetary Spaceport, Graystone Industries, Apollo University, Pantheon Bridge, Ionian Islands, Orpheus Park

Pyramid Teams: Caprica City Buccaneers, Delphi Legion, Phoebus Suns

Caprica was a lush blue-green planet, covered by large oceans and continents. It shares its orbit with Gemenon around a common barycenter, and can often be seen in the skies above the Caprican landscape. Depending on its orbit, the Caprican night can almost be negated by intense planetshine from Gemenon, although not as bright as the Caprican sun, there is enough light reflected back to effectively turn night into day (TRS: You Can't Go Home Again, Litmus). Of curious note, Caprica features landmasses similar to a world the Colonials would eventually settle and come to call Earth.

Caprica was regarded as the center of Colonial civilization, even long before the First Cylon War. Graystone Industries was one of the Colonies' most influential technology developers and had a hand in creating the very first Cylons. Some 60 years before the Fall, Caprica was also plagued by religiously motivated terrorism ^{(CAP: "Pilot")}. After the war, the planet was once again the seat of politics, culture, art, science, learning and even the Colonial government. It was also one of the wealthiest colonies ^{(TRS: "Epiphanies" and "Dirty Hands")}.

During the Cylon attack, Caprica and it's surrounding airspace, played host to numerous skirmishes, one of which would eventually determine the outcome of the war. Caprica herself, comes under heavy attack from Cylon forces right from the start. With numerous basestars jumping directly into orbit, they are quickly able to gain the upper hand. At least four battlestars, including the Yashuman and Valkyrie, are quickly dispatched, and numerous targets, including the once proud Caprica City, are annihilated from orbit by nuclear weapons ^{(TRS: "Miniseries" and "The Plan")}. The attacks leave the civilian shipping lanes in the vicinity of Caprica/Gemenon shut down, but the civilian ships are relatively ignored in the opening moments of the attack, in favor of military targets. This gives them time to gather and flee the area, picking up other survivors along the way. Eventually the fleet amasses over 100 ships of all kinds, both civilian and homeless military support craft. However, only 75 FTL capable ships are able to flee Caprican airspace, leaving the sub-lights, and their passengers, at the hands of the Cylons.

At the time of the attack, Galactica was positioned 3 hours away, and was not able to partake in the defense of its home planet. It wasn't long, however, before the Cylons located its position, and attempted to take it out. After being struck by a nuclear warhead, suffering major damage, and not having anything to shoot with, but still in one piece, Galactica had no choice but to retreat to the relative safety of the gas giant, Ragnar ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}, leaving Caprica, and the remaining survivors, completely defenseless and on their own.

After the space-faring Colonials flee, Caprica is occupied by Cylon forces, attempting to undo the damage they've done, and colonize the planet themselves. They often clash with human survivors within the Colonies, and fight on this world for several weeks. The occupation and resistance both end roughly nine months after the attack and the planet is left for good ^{(TRS: "33", "Resistance", "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II" and "The Plan")}.

6,250 people from Caprica join the Laura Roslin faction over Kobol ^{(TRS: "Home, Part I")}. The overall Caprican survivor population, possibly significantly greater, is unknown (see analysis here). An attempted settlement by the survivors of the holocaust is named New Caprica in honor of the original colony ^{(TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II")}.

The first Quorum of Twelve delegate after the Fall is Gaius Baltar. Years later this spot is taken by Lee Adama, the last Quroum delegate from that colony before Delegate Adama establishes the Quorum of Ships' Captains in the wake of the mass-execution of the Quorum during Gaeta's Mutiny ^{(TRS: "Islanded in a Stream of Stars")}.

Natives

• William, Tamara, Zak and Lee Adama
• Richard Adar, presumed as he was also the mayor of Caprica City at one point
• Daniel, Amanda and Zoe Graystone
• Lacy Rand and her family
• Laura, Cheryl and Sandra Roslin, as well as their parents
• Ben Stark and his mother, Natalie
• Kara, Socrata and (presumably) Dreilide Thrace

Notes

• Caprica was and continues to be the world most prominently depicted in the re-imagined series continuity. Until "Razor," none of the other eleven Colonies was verifiably depicted on screen.
• Serge's Twitter account states that Caprica had a number of unique lifeforms on its surface, though transplantation by early Colonists spread them to the other planets.
• Serge's Twitter account also notes that Caprica spends the most on Colonial defense in the years prior to the First Cylon War.

Gemenon

Ancient Name: Gemini

Population: 2.8 billion

Patron God: Hera

Official Language: Old Gemenese

Capital: Oranu

Major Cities: Oranu, Illumini

Attractions: Kobol Colleges, Illumini Pantheon, Gramada Mountains, Spatiu Gol Plateau, Pustiu Desert

Pyramid Teams: Gemenon Twins, Illumini Vipers

Gemenon and the distant Helios Delta seen from orbit.

Gemenon was the first world colonized by the humans of Kobol. It shares its orbit around Helios Alpha with Caprica, completing an rotation once every 28.2 days. Its status as a twin planet gives it its name. Its climate can vary wildly, featuring frozen plateaus, and searing deserts, which can make life difficult for its inhabitants.

It was one of the poorer colonies and its people, the Gemenese, were known for their religious fundamentalism ^{(TRS: "Scattered" and "Dirty Hands")}.

Before the First Cylon War, Gemenon was home to the Kobol Colleges ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 2")} and a monotheistic cult called "The Soldiers of the One" (STO). Beginning in 58 BCH (42YR), the first U-87 Cyber Combat Units were sold on the black market to the STO, and would eventually lead into escalations that laid the groundwork for the genesis of the Cylons turning on their creators ^{(CAP: "Pilot", "Blowback" and "Apotheosis")}. Gemenon's second-largest city, Illumini, was built around a large Pantheon complex, composed of buildings intended to worship and celebrate every deity in the Sacred Scrolls.

The Gemenese were known for their literal interpretations of the Scrolls ^{(TRS: "Fragged")}. Most of the population of Gemenon was apparently very strongly opposed to the federal laws legalizing abortion ^{(TRS: "The Captain's Hand")}.

The planet also had either an old or disused language, known as Old Gemenese ^{(TRS: "Razor")}.

A city on Gemenon.

During the Cylon attack, Gemenon comes under heavy assault by Cylon air and ground forces, completely obliterating one city with a high-yield nuclear device, and causing extensive damage to another with conventional means. At least one ship, the Cybele, is able to escape the destruction of its port and occupying Cylon forces, and find Roslin's fleet ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

Three months after the attacks, approximately 9,500 Gemenese break away from the main fleet, and join the Laura Roslin faction over Kobol ^{(TRS: "Home, Part I")}. The large and devoted Gemenese population continues to be an important political factor within the fugitive fleet ^{(TRS: "The Captain's Hand")}.

Natives

• Adrien Bauer
• Jurgen Belzen and his family
• Rya Kibby
• Romo Lampkin
• Sarah Porter, former delegate to the Quorum of Twelve
• Corporal Venner

Notes

• If the word "Inviere" (meaning "Resurrection") is any indication, Old Gemenese was probably similar to the Romanian language of our Earth.
• According to Serge's Twitter account, Gemenon is the planet that shares its orbit with Caprica. This planet is seen at the beginning of the aired Caprica pilot, but is not clearly identified as such until Caprica's "The Heavens Will Rise" in a visual transition from Caprica to Gemenon.
• As an Easter Egg in The Plan, the building on the lower left of the screen is the same one where the Romulan Senate assembles in Star Trek Nemesis. A detailed picture of this building is available here.

Related Imagery

• 
  The Monotheist Church's enclave circa 58 BCH (42YR) ^{(CAP: "Unvanquished")}.
• 
  Gemenon circa 0 ACH (2000BYR) ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

Leonis

A Leonan thoroughfare under Cylon assault ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

Ancient Name: Leo

Population: 2.6 billion

Patron God: Artemis

Official Language: Leonese

Capital: Luminere

Major Cities: Luminere, Hedon

Attractions: Royal Palace of Leonis, Hedon Grand Casino

Pyramid Teams: Leonis Wildcats, Hedon Suns

Leonis is the second planet in the Helios Beta system, and was geographically known for its open plains ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. The planet itself has no axial tilt, which supports a mild and predictable climate. It was a major hub for both education and industry, and despite Colonial unification, it was able to maintain its own language and culture.

In the era prior to the First Cylon War circa YR42, it was known for its opulence in the form of the Hedon Grand Casino, which hosted a well-known event, Hedon Film Festival.

Leonis produced and exported a popular energy drink named Leonis Red pre-First Cylon War, as well as Leonis Estates Sparkling Wine that survives briefly after the Fall ^{(TRS: "Flight of the Phoenix")}. Hawryliw beer originates from the city of Vislovka ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}.

During the aforesaid attack, Leonis is struck with at least one low-yield nuclear device, that was able to stun its residents and disable any means of escape. Those who survived the blast, are then seen being systematically eliminated by both ground and air forces ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. It is unknown if any are collected and used in the Four's various farms.

Safiya Sanne is the Leonan representative on the first Quorum of Twelve after the Fall ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}.

Libran

The courthouses of Libran.

Ancient Name: Libra

Alternative Name: Libris

Population: 2.1 million

Patron God: Athena

Capital: None

Major Cities: Themis

Attractions: Supreme Hall of Justice, Themis Arena

Pyramid Teams: None

Libran was known for its courthouses and lawyers ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}, and was the home of the Inter-Colonial Court ^{(CAP: "Gravedancing")}. The planet had no official capital.

A major city on Libran was called Themis which had a large, modern pyramid arena built sometime before the First Cylon War. Yet at this time Libran had no official pyramid team.

After the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Oswin Eriku is chosen to be this colony's representative to the Quorum of Twelve.

Zephyr, a passenger liner in the Fleet, is of Libran registry.

Notes

• The Colony's actual name, Libran, was not heard on screen until "The Plan" but could already be seen on a name plate in "The Ties That Bind" and "A Disquiet Follows My Soul". Before that it was often called Libris in secondary publications.
• The city that is seen when Libran is mentioned in the "Caprica is burning" monologue in "The Plan," bears a striking resemblance to Tauron City, as seen in "Know Thy Enemy".
• Serge's twitter account says that the Libran court system served as a body through which trade disputes and legal matters were capable of being sorted amongst the colonies. He also states that it is a high earning colony but is not regarded as a desirable place to live, and he states that the planet is "largely a wildlife reserve".

Picon

Picon from orbit.

Ancient Name: Pisces

Population: 1.4 billion

Patron God: Poseidon

Capital: Queenstown

Major Cities: Perkinston, Queenstown, Pailyn

Attractions: Colonial Fleet Headquarters, Penrose Harbor

Pyramid Teams: Picon Panthers

Picon was a turquoise planet, containing 75% water, and famous for its harbors ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. The capital city was Queenstown, which started as a relatively small fishing village.

During the planet's off-season, most of the landscape became cold and rugged. The planet was often used as a substitute for Caprica City in Caprican films and TV series.

Pre-First Cylon War

In a monologue prior to an interview with Daniel Graystone circa YR42, Baxter Sarno notes that Picon demands Caprica apologize for "raising the ambient level of terror in the Colonies" in the aftermath of the Maglev 23 bombing. As part of the monologue's punchline, Sarno joked that that Caprica would agree only if Picon "apologies for being a prick." Sarno later notes that he makes fun of Picon because they are "barely a planet" ^{(CAP: "Gravedancing" deleted scene)}.

Lethe beer is brewed at the unionized Ivana Vasak Brewery's branch in Picon Valley ^{(CAP: "Gravedancing")}.

CSN offers a gold-color "traditional Picon engagement necklace" with dolphin symbology ^{(CAP: "Retribution")}.

Post-Armistice

After the unification of the Twelve Colonies Picon of the Colonial Fleet Headquarters ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}. Picon was also the home of Picon Laboratories, located in Pailyn, Muritolan ^{(TRS: "Faith")}.

The colony came under heavy attack during the early stages of the Cylon attack. One of the last ships to leave the planet was Rising Star, carrying many wounded people including an unconscious Ellen Tigh ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}.

The destruction of Picon's Fleet Headquarters caused President Richard Adar to offer a complete and unconditional surrender to the Cylons. This offer was ignored by the invading forces ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}.

Natives

• Asha Janik
• Billy Keikeya's family
• Playa Palacios

Publications

• Picon Star Tribune

Notes

• Picon's destination as a substitute for Caprica in films and series is likely a reference to Canada, and particularly Vancouver, where both the Re-Imagined Series and Caprica were filmed.
• According to Serge's twitter account, Picon has the most efficient, cooperative and responsive democracy in the colonies.
• In one post, it's said that Picon offers tax incentives for production of TV programs on the planet though Caprica remains the leading producer of such shows.

Sagittaron

Main article: Sagittaron

Ancient Name: Sagittarius

Alternative Name: Sagittarion

Population: 1.7 billion

Patron God: Zeus

Capital: Tawa

Attractions: Acheron River

Pyramid Teams: Sagittaron Archers

Sagittaron was one of the poorest worlds of the Twelve Colonies ^{(TRS: "Bastille Day")}. The capital of this planet was Tawa.

The Sagittarons were traditionalists who practiced a different form of religion from the other Colonials. They distrusted modern medicine and were generally unsupportive of the military ^{(TRS: "The Woman King")}.

The Planet endured centuries of exploitation at the hands of the other Colonies. Eventually, Tom Zarek led an organized series of terrorist acts against the established government there, many years before the Fall of the Colonies ^{(TRS: "Bastille Day")}.

A few days after the Cylon attack, 5,251 people from this world reside within the Fleet ^(TRS: "33").

Natives

• Jacob Cantrell
• Anastasia Dualla
• Portia and Willie King
• Clarice Willow
• Tom Zarek

Notes

• The colony's name was originally spelled as "Sagittarion" in the Miniseries, but this changed to Sagittaron when the regular series began.

Scorpia

Scorpia and its shipyards from orbit.

Ancient Name: Scorpio

Population: 450 million

Patron God: Dionysus

Capital: Celeste

Major Cities: Celeste, Argentum

Attractions: Argentum Bay, Guardian Mountains, Scorpia Shipyards

Pyramid Teams: Scorpia Stingers, Celeste Storms, Celeste Lightning, Argentum Bay Silverstars

Scorpia was known for its lush jungles and hot temperatures ^{(TRS: "The Plan")}. Scorpia's capital was Celeste.

Before the First Cylon War one of the major leisure spots of the world was Argentum Bay, despite the colony's trashy reputation (The Caprican: "Argentum Bay: The Ultimate Vernal Break"). The Planet was also apparently well-known for its paragliding ^{(TRS: "Razor")} and its particular variant of ambrosia infamous for its potency and sulfur taste ^{(CAP: "Know Thy Enemy")}.

After the Unification, Scorpia was home to the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards.

During the initial Cylon attack, Scorpia falls victim to numerous massive nuclear attacks, destroying much of the population. Cylon forces also focus on the orbiting ship yards, obliterating the structure, destroying numerous Battlestars and support ships, and causing another one to risk a blind jump in order to escape ^{(TRS: "Razor" and "The Plan")}.

Eladio Puasha serves as the planet's delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve assembled after the Fall ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}.

Notes

• In an LA Times article, Scorpia is described as having a "scorpion tail-like half-ring".

Tauron

Main article: Tauron

Tauron from orbit, and under Cylon assault.

Pre-Cylon War Minos (Tauron City).

Tauron's moon, Minos, in the evening sky.

Ancient Name: Taurus

Population: 2.5 billion

Patron God: Ares

Official Language: Tauron

Capital: Hypatia

Major Cities: Hypatia, Tauron City (Minos)

Attractions: Minos, Olympia Hippadrome, Great Tauron Plains

Pyramid Teams: Olympia Stallions, Tauron Bulls

Tauron was a barren, arid planet that lacked any kind of flowers. However, it was well-known for its agriculture ^{(CAP: "Pilot")}. Its capital was Hypatia, another large city was Tauron City. The planet shared its orbit with another ringed world (CAP: "Know Thy Enemy" - see notes).

Taurons were known to be very traditional people, even speaking a very old and distinctive language ^{(CAP: "Pilot")}.

Some 800 years before the Fall Tauron was colonized by Virgon and Leonis. The people of Tauron liberated themselves and ever since this world has been known for its troubled and violent history.

Nearly a century before its Fall, Tauron was one of the poorer colonial worlds and the center of a civil war. A few years before the First Cylon War, the crime syndicate Ha'la'tha had enormous influence over the planet, which even extended to other colonies, such as Caprica ^{(CAP: "Pilot")}.

During the War, Hypatia was was the location of a fierce and lossy battle against Cylon forces (TRS: "Razor," extended Edition).

After the War, Tauron was known to be a somewhat troublesome colony within the federal system of the Colonies, often disobeying directives decided by the colonies and pushing their luck with the admiralty ^{(TRS: "Hero")}. Yet this world was counted among the wealthier of the twelve worlds ^{(TRS: "Dirty Hands")}.

Natives

• Joseph and Sam Adama
• Shannon Adama and her mother, Ruth
• Helena Cain and her murdered family
• Tomas Vergis

Notes

• The language of Tauron is remarkably similar to Ancient Greek that, thousands of years later, was spoken on a planet on the other side of the galaxy.
• According to Serge's Twitter Account Tauron only has a moon.
• Serge's Twitter account also stated Tauron's capital to be Hypatia.

Virgon

Ancient Name: Virgo

Population: 4.3 billion

Patron God: Hestia

Capital: Boskirk

Major Cities: Boskirk, Blaustad, Hadrian

Attractions: House of Parliament, Tower of Virgon, Petrus Palace, Virgon Universities

Pyramid Teams: Virgon United, Boskirk All Reds

Virgon was well-known for its forests ^{(TRS: "The Plan")} and considered to be one of the wealthier colonies ^{(TRS: "Dirty Hands")}. The capital of Virgon was Boskirk.

Virgon had a declining monarchy and a strong national parliament, at least 58 years before the Fall of the Colonies.

Virgon Brew was a beer produced on the planet and exported to other Colonies ^{(TRS: "Maelstrom")}.

Soon after the beginning of the Cylon attack, the Colonials launch a counter-attack over Virgon. The battle ends with the destruction of the flagship battlestar Atlantia and the resulting death of Fleet Admiral Nagala ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}.

Marshall Bagot is the Virgon delegate to the first Quorum of Twelve. He nominates Tom Zarek for the vice-presidency ^{(TRS: "Colonial Day")}. In public ceremonies, the Virgon delegate wears a light blue sash.

Notes

• Serge's Twitter Account states that Virgon has a declining monarchy with a strong parliament.
• Virgon draws many parallels with present-day Earth's Britain; a declining monarchy, birthplace of Colonial language, coloniser of other planets (comparable to countries) and 'Virgon United' and 'Boskirk All Reds' are similar to Manchester United, a prominent English football team, also known as the Red Devils.

See Also

• Ithaca

References

Twelve Colonies of Man (TOS-RH)Twelve Colonies of Kobol (alternate)Twelve Colonial Empires

This article is actively undergoing a major edit for a short while. As a courtesy, please do not edit this article while this message is displayed. The person who added this notice is anonymous.

The Twelve Colonies of Man included the colonies of:

• Aries
• Cancer
• Caprica
• Gemini
• Leonis
• Libra
• Picon
• Sagittarius
• Scorpius
• Tauron

Star System

The Twelve Colonies of Man are located in an unnamed multi-star system within the Cyrannus Galaxy.

History

First Exodus

According to the Book of the Word, a religious text of the Kobollian faith, humanity began on a planet called Kobol. However, this is untrue, as the font of humanity is referred to solely as Parnassus, and responsible for colonization of man well before Kobol was even settled by the Lords of Kobol.

A thirteenth tribe is said to made another exodus to a planet known as Earth ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}, however it is later revealed to Apollo through Zac that the thirteenth tribe were those of pure Kobollian blood, namely the family of Adama, along with Troy and a scant few others in the Fleet (RH: Armageddon).

War

The destruction of the last Colonial fleet at the Battle of Cimtar. Galactica was already in alert posture, but her sister ships were not.

Cylon Raiders begin their attack on Caprica. A reporter, Serina, is seen in the foreground.

Recent battles in the Thousand Yahren War included the Battle of Cosmora Archipelago (with Commander Kronus, battlestar Rycon and the Fourth Fleet), the Battle of Caprica, and the Battle of Molecay (with the Fifth Fleet and battlestar Pegasus).

The Thousand Yahren War brutally ended with an elaborate Cylon sneak attack at the Battle of Cimtar, which destroys the last battlestar fleet, led by President Adar ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}.

One surviving battlestar, Galactica, escapes destruction and is unable to ward off a simultaneous bombardment of the Twelve Colonies and its populace. An innumerable amount of humans are killed. The survivors escape their worlds to follow Galactica in search of a safer haven.

Colonization

The planet of Paradeen, one of many worlds that may have had contact with the Thirteenth Tribe.

Several planets, moons and asteroid colonies throughout the portion of the galaxy familiar to the Colonials boasted small croppings of Colonials. Some who were well aware of the Colonies and the war with the Cylons ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol", "The Young Lords")}, others knew nothing of them, such as Sectar ^{(TOS: "The Magnificent Warriors")}, Equellus ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}, Eastern Alliance, Terra, Paradeen and Lunar Colonies ^{(TOS: "Greetings From Earth", "Experiment in Terra")}.

The Colonies

Aries

The colony of Aries is little mentioned, aside from Dalton seeing pictures of a crumbled urban area that was similar to The Pit on Ursus (RH: Armageddon).

Cancer

Cancer is known for its sands, as well as its soothing, lulling percussion and windsong. Its people are called Cancerians, and their women are known for their broad, squat bodies.

Notable Cancerians

• Guinevere

Caprica

Caprica is a colony of great influence within the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, primarily stemming from the Kobollian leadership that has been in place since the colony's founding. However, Caprica had an aboriginal people known as the Borellian Nomen, and while the Kobollians successfully settled Caprica, the Nomen tribes remained displaced causing further issues between the two peoples (RH: Armageddon).

Capricans often honor the deceased by paying their respects privately before the formal funeral (RH: Armageddon).

Caprica is a planet possessing tarpits, a form of quicksand that the Nomen avoided with great care (RH: Armageddon).

In addition to native wildlife, heffala berries are known to have originated from Caprica (RH: Armageddon).

Notable Capricans

• Adama
• Apollo
• Athena
• Starbuck
• Troy

Gemini

Gemini is the colony of the Gemons, who are known for their ethereal quality, and thus their "divergent evolution" from their thinner air and brighter sun summoned qualities of increased height, litheness and pale complexion (RH: Armageddon).

Up until the destruction of the colony in 7342, Gemini was a well-established patriarchal society. In the yahrens following, a special interest group known as the Gemon Matriarchs arose, believing women to be far more capable than men when it came to leadership (RH: Armageddon).

Notable Gemons

• Sire Belloch
• Cain
• Cassiopeia
• Heimdall
• Marialis
• Teal

Leonis

Leonis is a colony in close proximity to its sun. Following the settlement of the planet, the humans who made Leonis their home began to undergo "divergent evolution," meaning that the skin pigmentation altered toward the darker end of the spectrum (RH: Armageddon).

Denizens of Leonis are known as Leonids. Up until Tigh's appointment in 7360, no Leonid had been president of the Council of the Twelve (RH: Armageddon).

Cultural artifacts surviving the destruction of the colony in 7342 include an unnamed ballad, which Boomer listens to following the funeral of Commander Adama (RH: Armageddon).

Notable Leonids

• Boomer
• Persephone
• Tigh

Libra

One of the twelve colonies, of which little is known. Its denizens are referred to as Librans (RH: Armageddon).

Sagittarius

Sagittarius is a colony whose denizens are known as Sagittarians (RH: Armageddon).

In 7360, a Sagittarian cult known as the Cult of the Serpent consolidated its power on Ursus (RH: Armageddon)

Notable Sagittarians

• Portia
• Tybalt

Scorpius

Scorpius is a colony whose denizens are known as Scorpions, whose pallor and light fur were results of "divergent evolution" to adapt to the planet's distance from the sun and the resultant colder climate (RH: Armageddon).

Prior to the arrival of settlers from Kobol, the Borellian Nomen were discovered and described as an aboriginal race, whose bulk and physicality, including the increase in body hair that made them "almost lupine," were attributed to a similar divergent evolution (RH: Armageddon).

A ship in the Fleet, Scorpius Ascendant, is named after the colony (RH: Armageddon).

Notable Scorpions

• Puck
• Sheba

Tauron

Tauron is a colony whose denizens are known as Taurans, whose red-tinged skin and dark hair were identifiable physical characteristics (RH: Armageddon).

Notable Taurans

• Paris

Notes

• Armageddon does not make mention of two colonies, those relating to the signs of Aquarius and Virgos.

References

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Dynamite Comics separate continuity, which is related to the Re-imagined Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

The comics based on the Re-imagined Series have taken the opportunity and the initiative to flesh out the Twelve Colonies of Kobol in much more detail than the actual television series. As is the case, the television series is often at odds with the comic book depictions because both are being produced at the same time—with little communication between the comic creative personnel and the television creative personnel—it is necessary to have a separate article on said depictions.

Aerilon

Main article: Aerilon (alternate)

Aerilon is an agricultural colony that was home to Gaius Baltar (Battlestar Galactica: Origins #1).

Aquaria

Aquaria and two of its moons (Battlestar Galactica: Ghosts 1).

Aquaria is a colony with a large oceanic mass with at least two moons.

Its capital, Aquaria City, contains the Aquaria City Public Spaceport and Aquaria City Extended Care Medical Center, the latter located in Aquaria City's city square.

Prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, the Colonial Fleet has a testing facility—controlled by Colonial Fleet's Aquarion Ground Control—for a nuclear weapon design codenamed "Medusa," a target for the Tauron terrorists calling themselves the Children of Erebus (Battlestar Galactica: Ghosts 1).

Natives of Aquaria include:

• Arco Tyler
• Arvin Tyler

The adjective form of Aquaria is "Aquarion," as exemplified by the term Aquarion Ground Control.

Caprica

For the canonical version of this colony, see: Caprica (RDM).

Caprica, along with its planetary capital of Caprica City, is the center for the Twelve Colonies in terms of government. It is the base of the Ministry of Defense and the seat of the president. This being the case, it is the most prosperous of the Colonies and the hub of high education and high society.

Two years prior to the Fall of the Colonies, the Cylons began abducting people in order to install Gaius Baltar as the director of the vital Command Navigation Program project (Battlestar Galactica: Origins 1).

Cities and Towns

• Cameronis, the location of the Tanner Robogenics Production Facility circa 40 BCH (Battlestar Galactica: Cylon War 1).
• Oasis, the location of the Tanner Estate 40 BCH (Battlestar Galactica: Cylon War 1).

Natives

• Ben Tanner
• John Tanner
• Greg Tanner

Wildlife

Caprica was also home to a species of predators called sand cats that lived in the Great Caprican Desert. Despite a nearly successful attempt by wildlife conversationists to repopulate the species, the species died out due to a fatal genetic predisposition to lung parasites (Battlestar Galactica 2).

See also

• Caprica City Medical Center
• Caprica City Spaceport
• Caprica University
• Delphi University
• Red Light District

Gemenon

For the canonical version of this colony, see: Gemenon.

A Colonial Fleet Hub is in orbit of this colony. After the incident at the Armistice Line with Valkyrie, Pegasus puts in here for upgrades to her Viper Mark VIIs before proceeding on a mission to find Chronos (Battlestar Galactica: Pegasus).

Natives

• Sara Freeman

Sagittaron

Main article: Sagittaron (alternate)

Sagittaron is known for its nitrassium deposits, which are used throughout the Colonies, as well as being a good provider for its fellow Colonies—at the expense of its people, who, by the standards of some, are considered slaves.

As a result of poor worker conditions, Karen Zarek begins the Citizens for Sagittaron Labor Reform. After she is assassinated, Tom Zarek continues this fight, eventually turning the CSLR into an insurgent, armed freedom force known as the Sagittaron Freedom Movement. During the years of struggle, the SFM's efforts culminated in a terrorist bombing of the Labor Ministry's building, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people in addition to the arrest, trial and imprisonment of Tom Zarek and his right hand man, Benedict Mason only two decades before the Fall (Battlestar Galactica: Zarek).

Even after Zarek's imprisonment, there are people who fight and commit terrorist acts in his name, which leads President Richard Adar to offer Zarek a full pardon in exchange of his condemnation of such actions (Battlestar Galactica: Zarek 3).

Tauron

For the canonical version of this colony, see: Tauron.

After destroying the Labor Ministry building on Sagittaron, Tom Zarek and Benedict Mason are imprisoned on an unnamed penal installation on Tauron, overseen by Doctor Sara Freeman. Zarek, Mason and Duby are incarcerated here; Mason and Zarek were incarcerated for the first 7 years of their 20 year sentence before being transferred, with Duby, to Luna Three (Battlestar Galactica: Zarek 3).

Natives

• Darja Purat

See also

• Tauron University

References

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Dynamite Comics separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

For the canonical depiction of the Twelve Colonies of the Original Series, see: The Twelve Colonies of Man.

The Twelve Colonial Empires (or the Colonial Empire) consists of the aether-faring human race, and includes the following worlds:

• Aeries
• Caprica
• Gemini
• Sagitaria

The governing body for the Empire is the Quorum, featuring Archdukes and other aristocrats numbering twelve in total. Following Professor Baltar's attempt at acquiring power following Carillion's destruction, the Quorum quickly excised Baltar, as well as both anything and anyone (including survivors of the Battle of Carillion) touched by Baltar's technologies into the aether (Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 1).

Caprica

Caprica is known as the Twelfth Colonial Empire.

The first target of Baltar's vengeance was Caprica, home to Archduke Adama who was instrumental in thwarting Baltar's power grab following the conclusion of the Ovion Wars.

Using the Cylonics, Baltar is able to lay waste to Caprica by turning the aethership Atlantia into a solium bomb (Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 1).

Gemini

Gemini falls under attack as well, and following Cain's defeat there, Baltar lures Adama (with false transmissions purporting to be from Cain) and a small group of ships in order to wipe out the remaining defense of the Colonial Empire (Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 2).

Sagitaria

Sagitaria is the next of the Colonies to be targeted by Baltar. However, the battle against Galactica and its small fleet at Gemini results in Baltar abandoning this action, and a retreat to Gamoray to regroup the Cylonic attack force (Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 3).

Others

• Helia, a former prison planetoid of the Empire.

Notes

• The planet Rising Star is outside of the Colonial Empire, but populated by humans.

References

For direct navigation sans the tabbed navigational aid above, please select one of the following article links:

• The Twelve Colonies of Man
• The Twelve Colonies of Kobol
• Twelve Colonies of Man (TOS-RH)
• Twelve Colonies of Kobol (alternate)
• Twelve Colonial Empires