Imperious Leader
Encyclopedia
The Imperious Leader is the ruler of the Cylons
as depicted in the 1978 Battlestar Galactica
television series.
The Imperious Leader's body is built to resemble the reptilian race that originally built the Cylons, but is not organic in any way. From the novelization of the pilot episode, Imperious Leaders are stated to have three distinct brains, each one capable of individual or unified thought, thereby making them adept strategists and leaders.
When an Imperious Leader is destroyed, a new one is chosen from suitable IL-series Cylons.
The Imperious Leader was never seen close up in the series, except for a deleted scene in the pilot movie, "Saga of a Star World
". Glen A. Larson
was reportedly unhappy with the costume and requested that there be no closeup shots of it, although there are publicity photos that show closeups of the face. An action figure of the character was released with Mattel
's Galactica toy line. Although frequently assumed to be a dummy, due to its lack of movement, there was an actor (Dick Durock
) in the costume. The Imperious Leader's voice was provided by Patrick Macnee
.
When Macnee appeared on camera, as the character of Count Iblis
, in the two-part episode "War of the Gods
," Baltar
recognized Iblis's voice as that of both of the two successive Cylon Imperious Leaders with whom he had dealt. Iblis coyly countered that for his voice to be the same as either Imperious Leader's, it would have to have been transcribed into the machine leader more than 1,000 yahrens ago, and in that case, he says, "I'd have to be a thousand yahrens old!" The question is left unresolved.
A reused film clip of the Imperious Leader appeared in the Galactica 1980
episode "Space Croppers
," but this time, the voice was provided by Dennis Haysbert
.
The Imperious Leader does not have a counterpart in the 2003 reimagined series
produced by Ronald D. Moore
, though the Cylons do have a god (which is never seen) and the Number One model appears to assume unchallenged leadership in the show's fourth season
.
Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)
The Cylons are a cybernetic civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original 1978 and 1980 series, the 2004 reimagining, as well as the spin-off prequel series, Caprica...
as depicted in the 1978 Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
television series.
The Imperious Leader's body is built to resemble the reptilian race that originally built the Cylons, but is not organic in any way. From the novelization of the pilot episode, Imperious Leaders are stated to have three distinct brains, each one capable of individual or unified thought, thereby making them adept strategists and leaders.
When an Imperious Leader is destroyed, a new one is chosen from suitable IL-series Cylons.
The Imperious Leader was never seen close up in the series, except for a deleted scene in the pilot movie, "Saga of a Star World
Saga of a Star World
"Saga of a Star World" is the pilot for the American science fiction television series of Battlestar Galactica which was produced in 1978 by Glen A. Larson...
". Glen A. Larson
Glen A. Larson
Glen Albert Larson is an American television producer and writer best known as the creator of Battlestar Galactica, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.-Career:...
was reportedly unhappy with the costume and requested that there be no closeup shots of it, although there are publicity photos that show closeups of the face. An action figure of the character was released with Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's Galactica toy line. Although frequently assumed to be a dummy, due to its lack of movement, there was an actor (Dick Durock
Dick Durock
Richard "Dick" Durock was an American stuntman and actor who has appeared in over eighty films and over seven hundred television episodes.- Biography :...
) in the costume. The Imperious Leader's voice was provided by Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee is an English actor, best known for his role as the secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers.-Early life:...
.
When Macnee appeared on camera, as the character of Count Iblis
Count Iblis
Count Iblis is an alien on the TV series Battlestar Galactica. He was part of the original 1978 series, and was central to the plot of the two-part episode War of the Gods. In that episode, he was played by Patrick Macnee. He did not appear in the re-imagined series.- 1978 continuity :When a...
, in the two-part episode "War of the Gods
War of the Gods
War of the Gods may refer to:* "War of the Gods" , a two-part episode of the 1978 television series Battlestar Galactica...
," Baltar
Baltar
Baltar is a fictional character in the Battlestar Galactica universe who betrays the human race, through willing treachery in the original 1978 series, and as the inadvertent result of arrogance and self-interest in the 2003 miniseries and following TV series.-Original continuity:In the original...
recognized Iblis's voice as that of both of the two successive Cylon Imperious Leaders with whom he had dealt. Iblis coyly countered that for his voice to be the same as either Imperious Leader's, it would have to have been transcribed into the machine leader more than 1,000 yahrens ago, and in that case, he says, "I'd have to be a thousand yahrens old!" The question is left unresolved.
A reused film clip of the Imperious Leader appeared in the Galactica 1980
Galactica 1980
Galactica 1980 is a science fiction television series, and a spin-off from the 1978–1979 series Battlestar Galactica. It was first broadcast on the ABC network in the United States from January 27 to May 4, 1980.-Development:...
episode "Space Croppers
Space Croppers
Space Croppers is the ninth episode of the television series Galactica 1980, a spin-off of the earlier ABC science fiction series Battlestar Galactica. The episode first aired on April 27, 1980 on ABC.-Plot:...
," but this time, the voice was provided by Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
.
The Imperious Leader does not have a counterpart in the 2003 reimagined series
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
produced by Ronald D. Moore
Ronald D. Moore
Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on Star Trek and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, for which he won a Peabody Award for creative excellence in 2005 and an Emmy Award in 2008.-Early life and...
, though the Cylons do have a god (which is never seen) and the Number One model appears to assume unchallenged leadership in the show's fourth season
Battlestar Galactica (season 4)
The fourth and final season of the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States on April 4, 2008, and concluded on March 20, 2009. Similar to the second season, it was split into two parts, each containing 10 episodes...
.
Further reading
- Imperious Leader on the Battlestar Wiki