The reason why two different planets share the name “Earth” in Battlestar Galactica It's not as simple as it might seem. Since the inception of Ronald D. Moore in 2004 Battlestar Galactica reboot, the titular ship's main mission is to lead the evacuated Colonial Fleet to Earth. Galactica succeeds in this mission – and then does it all again. The first Earth is sighted midway through Season 4, so Battlestar GalacticaThe ending of presents a completely different Earth.
The science fiction series provides a broad explanation for why this second planet is also called Earth, but like many aspects of Battlestar GalacticaIn the controversial ending, a cloud of ambiguity remains. Placing Battlestar GalacticaWith the twist of the two Earths under scrutiny, questions arise about exactly how these entirely separate planets came to have a single name. Intriguing inferences can be made by digging deeper, but as was often the case in Battlestar GalacticaIn the four seasons, the answers tend to generate more questions.
What happened to Battlestar Galactica's Original Earth?
Did you think our Earth was bad? Try living here
In Battlestar Galactica In lore, humanity dates back to a planet called Kobol, but a faction of inhabitants went off into space alone and settled on a planet they called Earth – the first Earth in Battlestar Galactica. These colonists were not humans in the traditional sense, but rather the first Cylons built on Kobol. Strangely, the fact that the colonists themselves were mechanics did not stop them from creating a new army of machines as their personal labor force. These machines inevitably achieved sentience, rose up against their masters, and began a conflict that resulted in the devastation of the original Earth.
By the time Adama and his Galactica crew finally track down Earth in Battlestar Galactica season 4, the planet exists in an uninhabitable conditionravaged by radiation that makes survival impossible. The only remnants of Earth's original population during Battlestar GalacticaThe timeline of is the Final Five – a quintet of humanoid Cylon models who escaped Judgment Day. In a fateful twist, three of these super-Cylons make it to the end of the show in one piece: Galen Tyrol, Saul Tigh, and Ellen Tigh. Each of this trio lives long enough to settle down Battlestar Galacticaof the second Earth, thus keeping the original planet's torch burning – albeit barely.
How Battlestar Galactica's Last Planet Is Called “Earth”
Earth 2 was doing much better than its predecessor
After the original Earth is deemed unsuitable as a home, Starbuck uses Battlestar Galacticato locate a better alternative – a fledgling planet with primitive life, green grass and fresh water. As a tribute to its original mission, Adama decrees that this new planet will be known as “Earth”. and it quickly becomes clear that this is actually the real-world Earth, thousands of years ago. Essentially, Battlestar Galactica makes Adama's whim the reason we call our planet “Earth”, and this is where the double Earth conundrum requires the biggest leap of logic.
Battlestar Galactica asks viewers to believe that Adama planted the seed of Earth's name at the very beginning of the story.
Somehow the name “Earth” comes from Adama's lips until the 2010s, where the modern English language still uses the exact same term 150,000 years later. In real history, “Earth” became part of the English dialect through similar words in the Saxon and Germanic languages. Of course, other languages – some much older than English – all have their own different terms for our planet. Battlestar Galactica asks viewers to believe that Adama planted the seed of Earth's name at a very early point in history, then humans created a bunch of similar translations, and only the English returned to Adama's idea of ”Earth” a few centuries later.
There is an alternative, more curious explanation. Most of the characters in Battlestar Galactica speaks Caprican, the language of the colony of Caprica destroyed when the 2004 reboot begins, and Caprican sounds very similar to English except for a frak or two. It's possible that Caprican is actually an entirely different language than the one viewers hear, and Battlestar Galactica it just automatically translates the dialogue. If it's true, whatever Caprican actually sounds like could become the basis of all human language on Earth 2and the name Adama baptizes the planet is actually a translation of “Earth“spoken in an older language.
The Real Reason Why Battlestar Galactica Has a Second Earth
All of this has happened before…
In fact, it probably doesn't matter what Adama calls the Colonial Fleet's new home, nor what language he speaks when he does so. All in Battlestar Galactica works based on the principle of repetition – the old saying that “This has happened before and will happen again.” From Kobol to the original Earth and the second Earth, the number of parallels within each cycle of Battlestar GalacticaThe history of humanity is impressive – even Bob Dylan wrote “All Along The Watchtower” thousands of years after the same song became part of the Final Five lineup.
Any entity that the imaginary versions of Gaius and Six respond to could be guiding humanity to repeat itself.
As such, it is perhaps inevitable that humanity's new planet will come to be called Earth, regardless of what Adama says or does. Buried within the subconscious of Battlestar GalacticaThe human race seems to be a project that repeats itself over and over again. The name “Earth” probably passes through the same generational subconsciousjust as both versions of Earth share similar architecture, cultures, beliefs, etc. While it's tempting to believe that the survivors of the Colonial Fleet teach the primitive natives of Earth 2 everything they know, including language, a much more likely explanation is that the story simply reappears.
Viewers are asked to attribute this phenomenon to social psychology and genetics, or to the mysterious divine being who Battlestar Galactica alludes throughout the series. Whatever entity the imaginary versions of Gaius and Six respond to could be guiding humanity to repeat itself every time the pattern resets – including the name of their home planet, “Earth.”
How Battlestar Galactica's Second Earth Sets Up a Series of Sequels
Get ready for Earth 3 in the next Battlestar Galactica show
Some unknowable force, whether scientific or divine, leading to a second planet being called Earth is a bad omen. The big question of Battlestar GalacticaThe ending asks whether this new iteration of humanity – us – can break the Cylon cycle. Repeating the name “Earth” after the original planet was destroyed during a self-made conflict suggests that we are likely to fail. Whether Adama is responsible for naming him or not, Battlestar GalacticaThe final scene of makes it clear that Earth 2 largely follows in the footsteps of its ill-fated predecessor, meaning more Cylons, another war, and devastation once again.
Bad news for humans, but good news for Battlestar Galactica fans. Efforts to make a Battlestar Galactica reboots have been in the works since Ronald D. Moore's show ended, but none have gained traction. The most inviting idea would be to pick up the great thread left by Moore's program and reveal what happened to the second Earth. ONE Battlestar Galactica The reboot could follow the human survivors of Earth 2 as they once again try to avoid another round of Cylon conflict and find a whole new planet to call home.