Instead of rushing the WonderCon exhibit hall when it opened at noon on Friday, fans of both the original and rebooted Battlestar Galactica series gathered in Room 408AB to talk with Richard Hatch (the original Captain Apollo as well as the brilliant Tom Zarek in the BSG reboot) and other sci-fi visionaries about a future for the beloved universe. The topics ranged from the place for fan works to deep questions about the themes explored in the show.

Richard Hatch was quickly put on the spot by a fellow panelist with a question about whether or not the Cylons have souls, drawing on the conflict between religion and technology in the reimagined show. (For the record, Mr. Hatch feels that Cylons could have souls since they are reflections of their creators who desisgned them with pieces of themselves, which could include souls.) He skillfully turned the panel over to the fans by explaining that he would like to see more exploration of the BSG universe rather than just a retread of the story, then opening the floor to questions.  The general fan consensus agreed with Hatch, although people varied from wanting more development of Adama’s background from Blood and Chrome to a fuller telling of the Pegasus’ journey in the main storyline to a future tale following the Cylon ship that leaves at the end of the reimagined series. Both fans and the panelists explored the connection between some of the themes of the reimagined BSG and current events, which helps to explain why people continue to adore it. No definitive conclusion was reached about the next place to explore in the world, but it remains obvious that the Battlestar Galactica fans love the universe and want to see more stories.

Given that many of the panelists, including Hatch, participated in the Star Trek fan film, Axanar, it is no surprise that they feel fan works have a valuable place in the growth of any fandom.  All the panelists praised the new methods of creating both fan and original content, citing Felicia Day’s The Guild as a groundbreaker for the industry. Everyone in the room seemed to feel a connection with one another when the panel broke at 1 p.m., and Richard Hatch’s open, honest desire for discourse struck a note. Whatever the future holds for Battlestar Galactica, hoards will be ready to offer their support and take it to a bright future.