by Larry Mager and Susan J. Paxton
Until 1988, it seemed as if most of the
reputedly twelve battlestar names would remain forever a matter of conjecture. Indeed, it
was suspected that names for most of the ships had never even been thought up. However, in
his efforts to research the uniforms and insignia of the series, fan Larry Mager began to
hear names of battlestars never mentioned in the series or official BG
publications. Intrigued by this new information, Larry began to search for the remaining
names. Initial information came from contacts connected with the design and making of the
costumes including Jean-Pierre Dorleac; later he talked to a fan who had discussed
battlestar names with novelization author Robert Thurston, who apparently had been sent a
list of ‘official’ names at one time. Larry also carefully studied the
background dialogue on the Galactica bridge during the initial Cylon attack in
the premiere and found more tantalizing clues. Larry came up with a list of names that he
was able to have at least tentatively confirmed by a source within Glen Larson’s
production company at that time (New West Productions) who was evidently able to refer to
the ‘official’ list itself. What follows are what Larry believes to be—and
I agree with his conclusions—the names of the battlestars of the Colonial Fleet as
they existed in the yahrens just prior to the holocaust:
Acropolis. This name is from costume department information; a ship patch was actually chosen for this ship and is a US military patch of a Greek temple and a sword. I have one of these patches which Larry received from a contact in the costume department at Universal, and interestingly it was obviously sewn on to something at one time. This ship is also mentioned in background dialogue in the premiere. This ship was at the ambush.
Atlantia. The President’s flagship battlestar at Cimtar, destroyed in the ambush.
Bellerophon. Source was Robert Thurston, from a list given him by the producers.
Cerberus. Information from the costume department. Some design work for this ship’s insignia had actually been done; the helmet would have featured a three-headed dog design.
Columbia. Mentioned in Gun on Ice Planet Zero and in Robert Thurston’s novelization of the premiere. Destroyed at the ambush.
Galactica. Series. Survived the ambush.
Olympia. Robert Thurston was the source. This ship may also have been named Olympiad, but Olympia fits in better with the other battlestar names ending in ia.
Pacifica. Mentioned in background dialogue on the bridge during the premiere, and in the premiere novelization. This ship evidently had an escort, a frigate or destroyer type ship named Triton, also mentioned in background dialogue. Some fans have taken the mention of Triton to mean that that was the name of another battlestar at the ambush, but evidence from the series and from Larry’s source at New West Productions suggests otherwise.
Pegasus. Series, Living Legend. Missing at the time of the holocaust.
Prometheus. From costume department information. Some design work was done for this ship’s insignia, which would have been a hand holding a burning torch.
Rycon. Series, Take the Celestra.
Solaria. From costume department information, also mentioned in the novelization of the premiere and the BG Scrapbook. Some design work was done for this ship’s insignia, which would have featured, no surprise, a sun. Apparently this ship was at the ambush.
Astute readers will immediately notice that
there are a total of six ships credited with having been at the ambush in the premiere,
namely the Acropolis, Atlantia, Columbia, Pacifica,
and Solaria. Clearly this is impossible, as only five battlestars are ever shown.
I consider the best candidate for this missing ship to be the Solaria. The other
five ships were obviously there: Acropolis and Pacifica are mentioned in
background dialogue, the Atlantia is seen to be destroyed, the Cylons claim to
have destroyed the Columbia, and the Galactica survived. The other
possibility is that the sixth ship was out of sight of the others, perhaps patrolling out
to the side or rear of the main fleet, or acting as guardship for the mysterious Star
Kobol, the ship Serina mentions as being the site of the peace meetings. That ship
might well have been the Pacifica, along with her escort Triton.
What of the other ships named? The Pegasus had obviously
gone missing before the holocaust after the battle of Molecay and it’s likely one or
two of the other named ships were lost in that battle as well. Others may have been
destroyed at the battle of Cosmora Archipelago, which we know happened only a few yahrens
before the holocaust. Some rumors suggest that the Galactica was destined to meet
up with another battlestar during the never-filmed second season, and that that ship was
to be the battlestar Prometheus.
�1988, 2000 Susan J. Paxton
0riginally published in ANOMALY 15