Gideon
the civilian hauler
The Gideon was a civilian cargo ship that escaped the Fall of the Twelve Colonies by joining the refugee fleet under Galactica's protection. It became the site of the Gideon Massacre, when a confrontation with troops sent to confiscate its cargo turned deadly.
The Gideon was a civilian cargo ship that escaped the Fall of the Twelve Colonies by joining Laura Roslin's refugee fleet under the protection of Galactica. A heavy hauler transport later captained by Elias Meeker, it became the site of the Gideon Massacre, a deadly confrontation between its crew and military personnel sent to seize its cargo. (Battlestar Galactica, "Resistance"; Battlestar Galactica, "The Son Also Rises")
Flight from the Colonies#
The Gideon was a heavy hauler transport that escaped the Fall of the Twelve Colonies by joining President Laura Roslin's refugee fleet under the protection of Galactica. Its captain, Elias Meeker, was later chosen as one of the judges at Gaius Baltar's trial, and the ship was still with the fleet when it came under attack at the Ionian Nebula. Whether Meeker was already in command at the time of the massacre is never said. (Battlestar Galactica, "The Son Also Rises"; Battlestar Galactica, "He That Believeth in Me")
The Gideon Massacre#
When President Roslin was arrested for interfering with a military operation, distrust of the military spread through the fleet. After Colonel Saul Tigh declared martial law, the crew of the Gideon refused to resupply Galactica in protest. Tigh sent a marine detachment aboard to take the supplies, but the confrontation with the crowd got out of hand, and the marines opened fire, killing four civilians, in what became known as the Gideon Massacre. The killings fed the unrest that followed as civilians demanded Roslin's return, and the reporter D'Anna Biers later dug into the incident. (Battlestar Galactica, "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II"; Battlestar Galactica, "Resistance"; Battlestar Galactica, "Final Cut")
Frequently asked questions
- What was the Gideon in Battlestar Galactica?
- The Gideon was a civilian cargo ship, a heavy hauler transport, that escaped the Fall of the Twelve Colonies by joining President Laura Roslin's refugee fleet under the protection of Galactica.
- What was the Gideon Massacre?
- After Commander Adama removed President Roslin and Colonel Saul Tigh declared martial law, the crew of the Gideon refused to resupply Galactica in protest. When Tigh sent marines aboard to take the supplies, the confrontation got out of hand and the marines opened fire, killing four civilians, an incident that became known as the Gideon Massacre.
- What were the consequences of the Gideon Massacre?
- The killings deepened civilian distrust of the military in the days that followed, as the fleet pushed for Roslin's return. The reporter D'Anna Biers later investigated the incident, and it was she who named it the Gideon Massacre.
Sources
- EpisodeKobol's Last Gleaming, Part II, Season 1, Episode 13 (2005)
- EpisodeResistance, Season 2, Episode 4 (2005)
- EpisodeFinal Cut, Season 2, Episode 8 (2005)
- EpisodeThe Son Also Rises, Season 3, Episode 18 (2007)
- EpisodeHe That Believeth in Me, Season 4, Episode 1 (2008)
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry

Galactica
Galactica was a Jupiter-class battlestar that served the Colonial Fleet from the Cylon War until the discovery of Earth. Never networked, it survived the Fall of the Twelve Colonies and shepherded the last fifty thousand humans across uncharted space before being scuttled into the sun.

Fall of the Twelve Colonies
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Laura Roslin: the dying leader
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Number Three
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