A simple line of number six brought religion to Battlestar Galactica

Religion has always been an integral part of Battlestar Galactica. Glenn Larson author of the 1978 original series was a Mormon practitioner and his faith influenced the series. For example, Kobol the original world of mankind in BSG is the alliteration caused by the Kolob which Mormons believe is a celestial body close to God's throne. The concept of the 12 tribes of man is also parallel to the 12 tribes of Israel. Like the Israelites who escaped slavery in Egypt Galactica and her fleet travel in search of a promised home. The reimagined Battlestar Galactica didn'tdidn't have the same effect He imported Mormon flavored concepts from the original series but didn't develop them further. However, faith was undoubtedly a huge part of the reboot. According to co-creators Ron Moore and David Eck, it was all thanks to an impromptu streak.

Do Androids worship an electric god?

Reimagined Battlestar Galactica is the sci-fi scene that distinguishes the two and it was a time when religion was on America's mind. After 9/11 al Qaeda became the number one national enemy. Meanwhile, the moral majority had a president elect once again in the White House. During an interview with Collider Moore and Eck explained that SYFY CEO Michael Jackson encouraged religious themes on the show because it gave him resonance. However, these topics arose by chance. Moore said that when he was writing the script for the miniseries he included a moment in which Number Six Trichia Helfer tells Gaius Baltar James Callis that God is love. Moore said When I wrote it I didn't really know what it meant. But I thought it was an interesting thing for a robot to say.

However, this religious resolve ended up being pivotal in the series' reinvention of the Cylons. Later in the miniseries, Lyuben Conway aka Number Two Callum Keith Rainey believes that his kind could be Gods punishment for humanity for their sins. While the Kylon religion is not an exact mirror of any of the three Abrahamic religions its ability to be resurrected or discharged into new bodies has a distinct Christian slant. The illusory number six that only Baltar and Baltar could see kept whispering. In his head God has a plan for him. It is initially a mystery if the Six Head is real or if Baltar is hallucinating. His philosophical mutterings and warnings could easily come from the mind of a man as plagued by delusions of grandeur as Baltar. However, as the series progresses it becomes clear that she is real and an agent of the one deity that Cylons worships.

Human polytheism vs. Ceylon monotheism

The human characters in the show also follow the faith but they are very different from the Cylons. In contrast to their monotheistic children,  the humans in BSG adhere to the polytheism of Greek deities with frequent references to Zeus Athena and their ilk. As Moore said in the Collider interview cited above this conflict between different religious doctrines was one of the coolest differences of ideas on the show for him.As far as science fiction is concerned the movie Battlestar Galactica fully respects religion. Cylons Six Two Three Danna Biers Lucy Lawless all really religious take turns en masse in Season 4 On the other hand Number One aka John Cavill Dean Stockwell doesn't share his sibling's faith and is the main villain in the series. The turning point for Baltar to become more understanding came when he began leading a group of mortal believers in Season 4. This was unimaginable for the selfish and cowardly Gaius in season one.

In the Season 3 finale, Starbuck aka Kara Thrace Katee Sackhoff who was last seen in Maelstrom returns from the dead. During the fourth season, it becomes clear that God has brought Kara back so that she can guide the colonists to their new home on Earth. In short, God brought the Savior of mankind to his death and then raised him so that they could complete their mission. Sound familiar? Moore told Collider that when he first received Jackson's notes he thought I'm not going to get the note to get much more religious content on the show. Given how integral religion has been in making BSG the show it has become fans of the series should be thankful for what it has to offer that certainly is.