Editing Cylons (section)

== Original series ==
[[File:BSG - Cylon (1978 TV series).jpg|thumb|right|A Cylon Centurion from the original 1978 series]]
In the original 1978 series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', created by [[Glen A. Larson]],<ref name="starlog">{{cite magazine |title=''Battlestar Galactica'': Episode Guide |magazine=[[Starlog]] |issue=27 |date=October 1979 |url=https://archive.org/details/CompleteStarlog/Starlog%20%23%20027/page/n35/mode/2up |pages=36–42 |access-date=February 24, 2024}}</ref> the Cylons are a race of sentient robots at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity.<ref name="gr il-series">{{Cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/battlestar-galactica-il-series-explained/|title=''Battlestar Galactica'': The IL-Series, Explained|first=Arianne|last=Gift|date=October 27, 2023|website=[[Game Rant]]|access-date=April 29, 2024|archive-date=November 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103062723/https://gamerant.com/battlestar-galactica-il-series-explained/|url-status=live}}</ref> They are led by a Cylon known as the '''Imperious Leader''' who, though seemingly unique, can be replaced if needed. The '''IL-Series''' are a class of Cylons below the Imperious Leader who serve the Cylon Empire in non-military roles as administrators and diplomats. They have human-shaped, metallic heads and faces with glowing red eyes, and translucent conical craniums with visible crystalline brains. The IL-Series possess humanoid bodies covered in long, sparkling robes, and speak in refined, masculine voices.<ref name="gr il-series"/> The Cylon foot soldiers are the '''Centurions''', imposing humanoid robots characterized by their chrome armor and distinctive red eye visors.<ref name="gr centurion">{{Cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/battlestar-galactica-who-are-centurions-explained/|title=''Battlestar Galactica'': Who Are the Centurions?|first=Arianne|last=Gift|date=October 11, 2023|website=[[Game Rant]]|access-date=April 29, 2024|archive-date=October 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016191124/https://gamerant.com/battlestar-galactica-who-are-centurions-explained/|url-status=live}}</ref> They speak in electronic, monotonous tones, and do not possess the intellect and autonomy of the IL-Series Cylons.<ref name="gr il-series"/> Raiders are fighter craft crewed with three Centurions each, and Basestars are the Cylon capital warships, equivalent to the [[Battlestar (Battlestar Galactica)|Battlestar]]s of the human fleet.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Hand of God |episode-link=The Hand of God (1978 Battlestar Galactica) |first=Donald |last=Bellisario |author-link=Donald Bellisario |series=[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]] |date=April 29, 1979}}</ref>

The sequel series ''[[Galactica 1980]]'' introduces two new-model Cylons who are indistinguishable from humans, Andromus ([[Roger Davis (television actor)|Roger Davis]]) and Andromidus (Neil Zevnik), in the episode "[[The Night the Cylons Landed]]".<ref>{{Cite podcast|url=https://fusionpatrol.com/2023/09/02/646-galactica-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed/|title=646 – ''Galactica 1980'' – 'The Night the Cylons Landed'|first=Eugene|last=Glover|date=September 2, 2023|website=Fusion Patrol|access-date=May 14, 2024|archive-date=September 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902070227/https://fusionpatrol.com/2023/09/02/646-galactica-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/galactica-1980/season-1/episode-7-the-night-the-cylons-landed/|title=''Galactica 1980'' season 1: 'The Night the Cylons Landed'|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref> The concept of humanoid Cylons would become a primary element of the [[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|2000s reboot series]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://manapop.com/tv/galactica-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed-review/|title=''Galactica 1980'': 'The Night the Cylons Landed' - Review|first=Mike|last=Brooks|website=Manapop|date=November 12, 2015|access-date=May 14, 2024|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109034838/http://manapop.com/tv/galactica-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed-review/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://themindreels.com/2023/11/21/galactica-1980-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed-part-i-and-part-ii/|title=''Galactica 1980'' (1980) – 'The Night the Cylons Landed – Part I and Part II'|first=T. D.|last=Rideout|website=The Mind Reels|date=November 21, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2024|archive-date=December 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201001339/https://themindreels.com/2023/11/21/galactica-1980-1980-the-night-the-cylons-landed-part-i-and-part-ii/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Centurions were initially depicted in preproduction art by artist [[Ralph McQuarrie]], but the final design was largely the work of [[Andrew Probert]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.trekplace.com/ap1999int01.html | title=Exclusive 1999 interview with Andrew Probert | first=Greg |last=Tyler |date=August 1999 |website=TrekPlace | accessdate=October 22, 2006 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20061122113828/http://www.trekplace.com/ap1999int01.html| archivedate=November 22, 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Darth Mojo |date=September 17, 2008 |title=The True History of the Cylons |url=https://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/true-cylon-history/ |access-date=September 16, 2020 |website=Darth Mojo }}</ref> Similarities with the McQuarrie-derived look of the [[Stormtrooper (Star Wars)|Stormtroopers]] from ''[[Star Wars]]'' are sometimes suggested as a factor that prompted [[20th Century Fox]]'s lawsuit for copyright infringement against [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]], owners of the ''Battlestar Galactica'' copyright. However the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|9th Circuit Court of Appeals]] did not include the Cylons in the list of similarities they issued on an appeal in Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. v. MCA Inc. The case was remanded and reportedly settled out of court, by which time, ''Battlestar Galactica'' had already been canceled.<ref>{{Citation|title=Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. v. MCA, Inc.|date=February 4, 1982|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17217847881299692282&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr|volume=715|pages=1327|access-date=September 16, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916201916/https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17217847881299692282&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2016 |first=David |last=Kluft |title=A History of ''Star Wars'' Legal Wars: ''Battlestar Galactica'', ''Star Trek'' and Ronald Reagan |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/a-history-star-wars-legal-855337 |access-date=September 16, 2020 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917011850/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/a-history-star-wars-legal-855337 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the series, the Imperious Leader is voiced by [[Patrick Macnee]].<ref name="starlog"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/patrick-macnee-star-1960s-tv-805137/|title=Patrick Macnee, Star of 1960s TV Series ''The Avengers'', Dies at 93|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|author1=''THR'' Staff|author2=[[Associated Press]]|date=June 25, 2015|access-date=April 30, 2024|archive-date=October 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025231929/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/patrick-macnee-star-1960s-tv-805137/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Lucifer (Battlestar Galactica)|Lucifer]], an IL-Series Cylon installed as the second-in-command of a Cylon Basestar battleship under the command of human traitor [[Lord Baltar]] ([[John Colicos]]),<ref name="gr il-series"/> is voiced by [[Jonathan Harris]] in nine episodes.<ref name="starlog"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Battlestar-Galactica/Lucifer/|title=''Battlestar Galactica'' (1978 TV Show): Voice of Lucifer - Jonathan Harris|website=Behind The Voice Actor|access-date=January 31, 2024|archive-date=January 31, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131204036/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Battlestar-Galactica/Lucifer/|url-status=live}}</ref> An EMS [[Vocoder]] 2000 was used to produce the voices of the Centurions.<ref name="thompkins_201207">{{cite book | title=How to Wreck a Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop, The Machine Speaks | publisher=Stop Smiling Books | first=Dave | last=Tompkins | year=2010 | isbn=978-1-933633-88-6}}</ref>