Adaptation Review: Greek Mythology in Battlestar Galactica
- Submitted by: sekrim
- Views: 474
- Category: English: Creative Writing
- Date Submitted: 11/17/2013 12:01 PM
- Pages: 3
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The 2004 re-launched television program Battlestar Galactica developed from concepts derived from Greek mythology. The theme of human polytheism is carried over from Greek mythology, and it is juxtapositioned against Cylon monotheism, which adopted aspects of Christianity. The series acts as a socio-political allegory on the idea of religion, gods, and society and show how humans are regressing to its roots, both culturally and physically, by trying to find the fabled planet Earth.
In the series, humans are polytheistic people, and believe in multiple gods, not unlike those in Greek mythology. The series is predicated on the idea that human are creations of the gods, and collectively these gods are called the Lords of Kobol. The Lords of Kobol can be immediately juxtaposed with the Olympian gods that rule the heavens. Each of the twelve colonies featured in the lore of Battlestar Galactica are named after astrological signs from the Greek zodiac. These include Caprica, Aquaria, Scorpia, which are respectively derivations of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Scorpio.
There is also historical strife between the conversions of people from polytheistic background to a monotheistic rebellion. In the TV show, this can be associated with the Cylons, who would be characterised as monotheistic, attempts to eradicate the polytheistic humankind. This is an example of the new god replacing the old gods. In Greek mythology, there were transitional phases that led to the Olympian gods, like when Zeus and his brothers took the place of Chronos.
There are many parallels that can be drawn between Greek lore and the series. In seasons two and three of the revisited Battlestar Galactica series, the character Sharon is very clearly based off of the boatman of the River Styx in Greek mythology, Charon. Sharon guided the battleship known as “Galactica” through the void of space, similarly how Charon guides the dead across the River Styx to the underworld. Another characteristic drawn from...
In the series, humans are polytheistic people, and believe in multiple gods, not unlike those in Greek mythology. The series is predicated on the idea that human are creations of the gods, and collectively these gods are called the Lords of Kobol. The Lords of Kobol can be immediately juxtaposed with the Olympian gods that rule the heavens. Each of the twelve colonies featured in the lore of Battlestar Galactica are named after astrological signs from the Greek zodiac. These include Caprica, Aquaria, Scorpia, which are respectively derivations of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Scorpio.
There is also historical strife between the conversions of people from polytheistic background to a monotheistic rebellion. In the TV show, this can be associated with the Cylons, who would be characterised as monotheistic, attempts to eradicate the polytheistic humankind. This is an example of the new god replacing the old gods. In Greek mythology, there were transitional phases that led to the Olympian gods, like when Zeus and his brothers took the place of Chronos.
There are many parallels that can be drawn between Greek lore and the series. In seasons two and three of the revisited Battlestar Galactica series, the character Sharon is very clearly based off of the boatman of the River Styx in Greek mythology, Charon. Sharon guided the battleship known as “Galactica” through the void of space, similarly how Charon guides the dead across the River Styx to the underworld. Another characteristic drawn from...