Some of the most interesting theories aboutBattlestar Galacticanever came to fruition. The 2004 sci-fi series quickly became a massive hit when it debuted, drawing in audiences with its human drama, massive battles and mysterious secrets. Beyond elements like thecool spaceships inBattlestar Galactica, huge questions like the final Five Cylons and the true nature of Baltar’s visions came to light. However, eager fans were also quick to offer their own explanations.
Some of these theories would have broken the rules of the show, or changed the trajectory of certain characters. Other theories would have firmly connected the landmark sci-fi series to other franchises, focusing on elements likeBattlestar Galactica’s famous “Last Supper” picture. A few theories even became so prevalent that the showrunner Ronald D. Moore had to address them publicly. Here are the ten best theories aboutBattlestar Galacticathat ultimately didn’t turn out to be real.
10Billy As The Fifth Cylon
Billy Was Killed Off In Season 2, But Some Fans Thought His Death Was Just The Beginning
Many popular interesting theories aboutBattlestar Galacticawere ultimately proven untrue, including ones involving the true identity of the largely unseen Cylons. Introduced as Roslin’s loyal press secretary and serving alongside her dutifully, Billy’s death in season 2 was a staggering blow to the President. Although Billy’s death was set in motion byPaul Campbell’s decision to exitBattlestar Galactica,fans took his demise as a more serious clue towards the show’s future.
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Many members of the audience theorized that Billy would eventually resurface as one of the lost Cylon models, making his death a more important moment within the overarching narrative. Ultimately though, the “final five” were revealed to by Tigh, Ellen, Tyrol, Anders, and Tory. Billy was also speculated to be Daniel, the seventh (and long-missing) Cylon. This also never came to fruition, withBilly ultimately proving to be one of the many tragic casualties of the series.
9"Earth" Really Was Earth
The Fake-Out Earth Could Have Been The Real World
One of the big twists during season 4 ofBattlestar Galacticais the discovery of the fabled Earth, revealing it had been reduced to a nuclear wasteland during some ancient conflict. Some fans speculated this was in fact the real-world Earth countless millennia in the future. Some fans even seemed to spot landmarks and buildings in the ruins that could be potentially modern-day locations from around the planet. However, this bleak concept ultimately proved untrue.
The discovery of the “destroyed Earth” was almost the series finale forBattlestar Galactica, as reported byInverse.
Instead, “Earth” was merely another world caught in a seemingly endless cycle of war between humans and robots. The Earth that audiences call home in the real world would eventually be located in theBattlestar Galacticaseries finale, which revealed the entire show actually had happened in prehistoric times. Their arrival on a remote and primitive world led to the birth of the modern human race. As a result,the destroyed Earth was merely a fake-outthat didn’t have a concrete connection to the real planet.
8Tyrol’s Son Was A Human/Cylon Hybrid
Tylor’s Son Nicholas Could Have Been Far More Important
After the revelation of four of the Final Five Cylons in season 3’s “Crossroads,” fan speculation grew over the identity of the fifth one. However, another common theory involved Tyrol’s son with Cally, Nicholas.Tyrol’s true identity would have made Nicholas the second human/cylon hybrid, making the baby potentially one of the show’s most important characters. Speculation about how this would play out in season 4 ended up being for naught, however.
Cally was killed off in season 4 ofBattlestar Galacticaafter discovering the truth about Tyrol being a Cylon.
In a series of personal blows to Tyrol, he discovered that Cally had consummated an affair with the pilot Hot Dog,conceiving Nicholas and inadvertently ensuring he was a full-blooded human. This discovery came after Cally’s death, leaving Tyrol increasingly alone in the world and setting up his instability in the final stretch of the series. The theories surrounding Nicholas disappeared after that, with the potentially vital baby shunted off to the side of the story.
7Adama The Cylon
Adama Could Have Been A Major Threat To The Fleet He Was Trying To Save
One of the early mysteries ofBattlestar Galacticawas focused on the identities of the Cylons. The human appearance of certain models made the possibility of spies in their midst all the more pressing, especially with characters like Shannon. This resulted in plenty of speculation about which other characters could secretly be Cylons. One of the more interesting of these ideas focused on the idea that Commander Adama was actually a Cylon. In theory, this could have given the entire show a far more complex set-up.
Adama’s efforts to protect humanity may have just been programmed to ensure a true Cylon victory. This could have set up a complex drama for the character to overcome if he wanted to remain a heroic figure, and would have even elevated Apollo in importance as another human/Cylon hybrid. Ultimately, however, Adama wasn’t revealed to be a Cylon. However,theories that his service in the prior human/Cylon war could be part of his cover ended up applying to Tigh, who was revealed to be one of the Final Five.
6Cylons Are A Cybernetic Disease
Cylons Could Have Been Transmitted Through Sexual Intercourse
One theory set in motion during the early seasons ofBattlestar Galacticacentered around a somewhat bizarre concept that would have radically altered how the Cylons operated.The concept suggested that Cylons were less of a robotic race and more of a sentient virus. If they were spread between people, they could become infected and turn into the “human models” of the Cylons. One theory even used this to justify the show’s various relationships, as the Cylon disease could be transmitted through intercourse.
This theory was debunked in a few ways, especially once the Final Five were confirmed. Many of the Cylon/Human hookups (such as Baltar’s romance with Caprica Six or Helo’s relationship with Athena) didn’t turn the human into a new Cylon model. Beyond that, confirmed Cylons like Samuel Anders never had relations with one of the machines. It was a unique theory, but one that couldn’t stand up to scrutiny.
5Daniel Is Starbuck’s Father
Twenty years since the show debuted, the identity of Daniel remains a major mystery withinBattlestar Galacticalore. Otherwise referred to as “Number Seven,” Daniel is a variant of the humanoid Cylons that is only ever referenced in the series, having long ago been decommissioned by Cavil.This led to many theories about Daniel’s true identity, many of them tying the concept to other established characters in the show.
This was such a prevalent theory that it was referred to as the “Cult of Daniel” by series creator Ronald D. Moore, who shot down the idea.
One of the more compelling of these ideas suggested that Daniel was actually Starbuck’s father. This would have made her the first human/Cylon hybrid, and would have explained why characters like Leoban take such a vested interest in her. This was such a prevalent theory that it was referred to as the “Cult of Daniel” by series creator Ronald D. Moore,who shot down the ideaduring a podcast episode discussing season 4’s “Islanded in a Stream of Stars.”
4Battlestar Galactica Shares A Universe With Terminator Or Matrix
Battlestar GalacticaCould Have Been Part Of A Larger Crossover
The success ofBattlestar Galacticahighlighted theories that connected it to other entries in the franchise as part of a singular massive time-loop. However, some fan theories suggested that the show was actually a part of a different franchise altogether.Some fans theorized that the ending ofBattlestar Galacticateasing a new human/machine conflict could be the seeds for theTerminatorfranchise, with the Cylons being reinvented in the next cycle as the more human-looking robots of James Cameron’s universe.
Other fans suggested that the entire series was a simulation envisioned by the machines in the world ofThe Matrix. In that theory, the entire story ofBattlestar Galacticawas one of the realities envisioned long before the events of the Neo-centric film trilogy. This theory suggested that the Head Six and Head Baltar were more insidious versions of the Agents, whilethe duality of the Architect and the Oracle were the “God” they served. Both are interesting ways to connect franchises, but neither have been proven to be anything more than theories.
3The Lords Of Kobol Were Aliens, Not Gods
Battlestar Galacticatook audiences through a massive cosmos full of distant worlds and ancient relics. However,Battlestar Galacticaalso avoided ever introducing aliensin the series. This kept the focus solely on the humans and the Cylons. However,some fans theorized that aliens had secretly been part of the show’s lore all along, in the form of the Lords of Kobol. Considered a major religious doctrine in the Twelve Colonies, the Lords of Kobol are treated as godly figures within the sci-fi setting.
Some fans theorized that the Lords of Kobol were actually aliens, who had left clues across the universe towards their true identities and powers. This could justify their deep connections to the stars. These theories initially sought to explain how humans could have developed space-travel,suggesting the Lords of Kobol had actually given FTL-travel to people, who mistook these ideas for divine inspiration. Aliens never actually appeared in the series, however, and the Cylon deity was eventually implied to be a more tangible force within the universe.
2The Show Is All In Baltar’s Head
A Baltar Theory Might Have Made The Show Much Darker
Gaius Baltar was one ofBattlestar Galactica’smost compelling characters, a desperate genius haunted by his own inadvertent role in bringing down humanity. Some theories surroundingBaltar painted the entire show as an internal narrative within his head, with the scientist left in a hallucinatory world due to his extreme guilt and PTSD. This theory explains why Baltar remains at the center of the show’s narrative even while having conversations with imaginary figures like Head Six. This could even justify his eventual redemption arc as an internal hope for a happy ending.
This theory was never proven inBattlestar Galactica, and would have given the entire conflict a far more bleak outlook.
This theory was never proven inBattlestar Galactica, and would have given the entire show a far more bleak outlook. What makes this theory particularly unlikely are the final moments ofBattlestar Galactica, which jump to the present day long after Baltar’s death. The presence of the Head Six and Head Baltar suggests that the Cylon’s God was indeed a presence in the world, andtheir disconnect from the presumably long-dead Baltar proves they were independent of his mind all along.
1God Is Evil
The Cycle Of Violence InBattlestar GalacticaMight Be By Design
One of the key elements ofBattlestar Galactica’s debate of the Cylon God is what kind of role the deity plays in the show. At times, it seems to be working for the betterment of the humans and the Cylons alike, communicating through agents to select figures like Caprica Six or Baltar. Ultimately, the show suggests it’s part of an effort to break the cycle of violence between humans and machines, but one theory ascribed a far harsher motivation. In one fan theory,the God ofBattlestar Galacticawas an evil deity that enjoyed playing games with its creations.
In this interpretation, the Cylon God actually enjoys the cycle of endless death and violence and uses the Head Six and Baltar as means of ensuring the timeline reaches a point where it can cycle again.This gives the show’s cynical view of the universe a far darker perspective, as the concept now seems to be rooted in the cycle being an endless torture instead of a chance for hope. Although this theory was never proven and goes against the ending of the show, it does provide a unique and interesting way to reexamineBattlestar Galactica.
Battlestar Galactica
Cast
Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television series that premiered in 2004. The plot follows the crew of the aging Battlestar Galactica as they protect a small fleet of human survivors from the renewed threat of the Cylons, in a quest to find the mythical 13th colony, Earth.
