In 1978, Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm sued MCA, alleging that Battlestar Galactica wasn’t just inspired by Star Wars—it was outright stealing from it. Many fans know the 13 examples of alleged copying commonly cited online, but the real court documents revealed a total of 34 separate claims. Below is a comprehensive look at those 34 allegations, side by side with the corresponding scenes or elements from both productions. From the weakest to the strongest, each point reveals how Twentieth Century Fox tried to show that Galactica infringed on Star Wars—and why the court ultimately disagreed.
Introduction
In the late 1970s, the success of Star Wars took Hollywood by storm. Soon after, Battlestar Galactica hit TV screens. Despite obvious similarities—space dogfights, epic battles, a ragtag fleet on the run—the question was whether Galactica went beyond inspiration and into the realm of copyright infringement. Using official court documents and direct scene comparisons, this article uncovers all 34 allegations, including 21 that rarely see the light of day in online discussions.
You can decide for yourself: Did Galactica cross the line, or is it just another ambitious space opera?
The Weakest Allegations
1. Both Are Set in a Distant Galaxy
- Star Wars references many “local systems” under the Empire’s control.
- Battlestar Galactica places humanity in the Twelve Colonies, far from Earth.
Verdict: Generic sci-fi trope; not unique or protectable.
3. A War Between Democratic and Totalitarian Forces
- Star Wars: The Rebellion vs. the Empire.
- Battlestar Galactica: The Colonials vs. the Cylons.
Verdict: Good-versus-evil wars are a staple in pulp adventures.
2. A “Time Twist” Setting (Seems Futuristic but Is Actually Ancient)
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan mentions “a thousand generations” of Jedi.
- Galactica: Earth is the “lost” 13th Colony, implying the show’s events predate Earth history.
Verdict: Sci-fi often plays with ancient-advanced civilizations.
26. The Totalitarian Forces Use Masked, Uniformed “Storm Troopers”
- Star Wars: White-armored Stormtroopers.
- Galactica: Metallic Cylon Centurions.
Verdict: Anonymous armies have been around in sci-fi for decades.
32. Both Refer to the Evil Regime as an “Empire”
- Star Wars: The Galactic Empire.
- Galactica: Tie-in materials refer to the “Cylon Empire.”
Verdict: The term “Empire” is historically and fictionally common.
23. A Cantina (Star Wars) or Casino (Galactica) Scene Teeming with Aliens
- Star Wars: Mos Eisley Cantina.
- Galactica: A gambling hall full of unusual life forms.
Verdict: Crowded alien hangouts are classic sci-fi fare.
25. Aerial “Dogfights” in Space Combat
- Star Wars: X-Wings vs. TIE Fighters, inspired by WWII footage.
- Galactica: Vipers vs. Cylon Raiders, similarly staged dogfights.
Verdict: Borrowing from WWII combat style is common in sci-fi.
27. Threat of “Spice Mines” or Harsh Labor Camps
- Star Wars: The spice mines of Kessel.
- Galactica: Rumors of Cylon labor camps.
Verdict: Forced-labor mines are a pulp sci-fi staple.
29. Crossing a Precarious Bridge/Precipice While Pursued
- Star Wars: Luke and Leia swing across a chasm in the Death Star.
- Galactica: Apollo and Starbuck navigate a dangerous ice ledge under fire.
Verdict: Narrow-bridge escapes appear in countless adventure tales.
30. Major Characters Falling Down a Long Shaft
- Star Wars: Luke falls through Cloud City’s ventilation shaft.
- Galactica: A Cylon tumbles into a deep fortress pit.
Verdict: Perilous drops are common cinematic tension devices.
31. A Device to Sense or Scan for Life Forms
- Star Wars: R2-D2 scans for inhabitants at Jabba’s palace.
- Galactica: Handheld scanners check for survivors or Cylons.
Verdict: Standard futuristic technology across many franchises.
33. “Battlestar” vs. “Star Wars” (Claim of Word Reversal)
- Argument: “BATTLE + STAR” is just rearranging “STAR” and “WARS.”
Verdict: Thin and dismissed; words like “star” and “battle” are too generic.
34. “In a Galaxy Far, Far Away” vs. “Galactica”
- Claim: The name “Galactica” riffed on Star Wars’ famous tagline.
Verdict: Courts found “galaxy” references too broad to be infringing.
Mid-Range Allegations
28. “Red Leader to Blue Leader”–Style Radio Chatter
- Star Wars: Color-coded squads (Red Five, Red Leader).
- Galactica: Similar callsigns (Silver Spar, Blue Squadron).
Verdict: Military color callsigns come from real aviation and war films.
5. The Hero’s Close Friend Is a Cynical, Hot-Shot Pilot with a “Heart of Gold”
- Star Wars: Han Solo.
- Galactica: Starbuck.
Verdict: The “lovable rogue” is a tried-and-true archetype in Westerns and beyond.
9. A Close Family Member’s Death Motivates the Hero
- Star Wars: Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed.
- Galactica: Apollo (or others) lose family in the Cylon attack.
Verdict: Classic personal-tragedy motivator.
12. The Hero Returns Home to Find It Destroyed
- Star Wars: Luke discovers the burned homestead on Tatooine.
- Galactica: Colonials find their Twelve Colonies annihilated.
Verdict: Emotional catalyst, but hardly unique.
10. A Central Planet Is Destroyed
- Star Wars: Alderaan.
- Galactica: The Twelve Colonies (similar scope).
Verdict: Planetary annihilation had precedents in earlier sci-fi.
16. Romance Develops Between the Cynical Pilot and a Leader’s Daughter
- Star Wars: Han Solo and Princess Leia (daughter of Senator/royalty).
- Galactica: Starbuck and Commander Adama’s daughter, Athena.
Verdict: Another frequent storyline in adventure tales.
20. Both End with an Awards Ceremony for Heroic Pilots
- Star Wars: Throne room medals for Luke and Han.
- Galactica: Commendations for Apollo and Starbuck.
Verdict: A formal celebration scene is a familiar finale trope.
21. A Friendly Robot Is Severely Damaged
- Star Wars: R2-D2 is blasted in the trench run.
- Galactica: A Colonial drone is shot down by Cylons.
Verdict: Robots getting injured is a recurring sci-fi motif.
4. The Young Hero Is an Idealistic Rookie Pilot
- Star Wars: Luke’s first combat in an X-wing.
- Galactica: Apollo (or Boomer) is a relatively youthful Viper pilot.
Verdict: The wide-eyed rookie hero is widespread in adventure fiction.
6. The Hero’s Father Is (or Was) a Leader of the Democratic Forces
- Star Wars: Anakin was once part of the Jedi, aligned with the Republic.
- Galactica: Apollo is the son of Commander Adama.
Verdict: The “legacy hero” setup is common in many stories.
7. The Democratic Forces’ Leader Is an Older, Wise Figure
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi or Mon Mothma.
- Galactica: Commander Adama.
Verdict: Mentor or father-figure types are everywhere in heroic sagas.
8. The Primary Villain Was Once on the “Good Side”
- Star Wars: Darth Vader, a fallen Jedi.
- Galactica: Baltar, a Colonial politician turned traitor.
Verdict: The “fallen hero” or traitor is a timeless archetype.
11. The Heroine Is Imprisoned by the Totalitarian Forces
- Star Wars: Leia in the Death Star detention block.
- Galactica: A Colonial officer captured by Cylons.
Verdict: Damsel (or heroine) in distress is standard adventure fare.
14. Democratic Forces Mount a Prison Rescue
- Star Wars: Luke and Han disguise themselves as stormtroopers.
- Galactica: Apollo and Starbuck sneak into a Cylon outpost.
Verdict: The infiltration-and-rescue mission is classic.
18. The Rescue Succeeds
- Star Wars: Leia joins Luke and Han in their escape.
- Galactica: The captured officer is retrieved safely.
Verdict: A typical heroic resolution.
13. Systematic Villain Searches for the Heroes’ Leaders
- Star Wars: Vader dispatches probe droids.
- Galactica: Cylons constantly scan for the Colonial fleet.
Verdict: The cat-and-mouse dynamic is a frequent plot engine.
15. Rescue Scenes Are Depicted with Alternating Hero/Villain Cuts
- Star Wars: Cross-cuts between detention block and Vader’s control room.
- Galactica: Similar editing during infiltration episodes.
Verdict: Standard cinematic suspense technique.
19. The Villains’ Headquarters Is Destroyed in a Final Explosion
- Star Wars: The Death Star’s grand explosion.
- Galactica: Cylon bases or key strongholds are blown up.
Verdict: Big final “kaboom” is a hallmark of action stories.
17. A Fighter Pilot Attack on the Enemy HQ as the Climax
- Star Wars: X-wings’ trench run on the Death Star.
- Galactica: Vipers attacking the Cylon fortress.
Verdict: Similar to WWII-style aerial raids in countless war/adventure films.
24. Futuristic Craft Appear Old and Weathered
- Star Wars: “Used future” aesthetic (battered X-wings, dingy transports).
- Galactica: The Galactica itself is an aging warship, with Vipers showing wear and tear.
Verdict: Adding a “lived-in” feel was groundbreaking but not unique enough for legal protection.
The Strongest Allegation
22. Each Opens with a Grand, Narrated or Written Prologue
- Star Wars: The iconic opening crawl, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”
- Galactica: Lorne Greene’s voiceover: “There are those who believe life here began out there…”
Verdict: Both set a mythic, sweeping tone from the very first moments. Still, courts typically view this as a thematic flourish rather than a specific, protectable expression.
Final Thoughts
After reviewing all 34 allegations—from generic space-war tropes to more specific parallels—none were deemed sufficient evidence of copyright infringement by the court. The judge ruled that these elements, whether taken individually or collectively, represented standard sci-fi tropes and storytelling devices.
So, was Battlestar Galactica a Star Wars ripoff?
That depends on your perspective. Both used heroic pilots, epic battles, wise leaders, masked villains, and big showdowns—but so did countless space operas before and since. From a legal standpoint, it wasn’t enough to prove infringement. From a fan’s point of view, the parallels can be intriguing or off-putting, depending on how you see the creative process at work.
What Do You Think?
Is it a case of “They just took the same universal tropes” or “They copied Star Wars too closely”? Let us know your take on this fascinating slice of sci-fi history in the comments!
*5 claims were omitted.
