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"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"
Theatrical Film (1979) and TV Series
(1979-81)
Timeline
Submitted and compiled by Mark Weller (Last Updated on September 7, 2002)
10,000 BCE
The Bird civilization, of which Hawk is a descendant, thrives on the Earth.
One tribe at is located on Easter Island. Sometime shortly after this, the Bird-people leave the Earth in search of a home on another planet. ("Time of the
Hawk"). This would be the first time Earth creatures left the
planet, a feat that would not be repeated until the 1960's.
7,500 BCE
The Goral, aliens from "The Planet of Death," leave their world and head into
space. Behind, they leave a caretaker: the simulacrum called the Hand of the
Goral. The only visitors to the planet to survive the tests of this gatekeeper
are Buck and Hawk in 2492. (10,000 years before "The Hand of Goral")
c. 1493
The Sedonian Generals and Private Zed are born. (1000 years before "Shgorapchx!")
The 20th Century
1902
Hughie Cannon publishes the song "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?"
Buck sings this song during his approach to the Earth in his shuttle in 2491
("Awakening")
January 9, 1957
William "Buck" Rogers in born in the United States. He grows up in Chicago,
Illinois. (534 years before "Happy Birthday, Buck")
1958
Jennifer (who would later become Buck's girlfriend in the 80's) is born in
the United States. (1987 less 28 years)
1968
Danny Hutton brings together a group of musicians to form the band Three Dog
Night, which is one of Buck's favorites. (In "Cosmic Whiz Kid" he plays one of
their albums while at his apartment.)
1976
Mayor Daly of Chicago passes away (novelization, contemporary accounts). In
the summer, the motion picture Jaws becomes the top movie at the box office.
Buck later watches a video of it in 2492. ("A Dream of Jennifer")
1977
Hieronymus Fox is born on "old" Earth. He would become known as a child
genius. Fox's memories of his youth include cheeseburgers, rock music, Saturday
morning cartoons and comic books. (This is an adjustment to the age given in
"Cosmic Whiz Kid," which suggests Fox was born in 1998)
November 1980
In the election of 1980, Ronald Reagan is elected President of the United
States. (contemporary accounts).
Point of divergence with "real" history - 1984
November 1984
In the U.S. general election of 1984, a man who is neither Ronald Reagan nor
Walter Mondale is elected President of the United States (he is seen in
"Testimony of a Traitor").
March 1985
It seems clear that Mikhail Gorbachev did not succeed Constantin Chernenko to
become General Secretary of the Soviet Union in the Buck Rogers universe. In
contemporary history, this event occurred in March 1985.
1986
Relations between the USSR and the United States degenerate to the point
where the two nations are on the brink of war. (novelization, "Awakening")
The President of the United States has a new bunker built for him to use in
the event of a nuclear attack, located directly underneath the sculptures of the
Presidents at Mount Rushmore. ("Testimony of a Traitor")
Many people, including Buck himself, are concerned about the possibility of a
sneak attack from hostile forces. ("Testimony of a Traitor")
Hieronymus Fox graduates from college at the age of 9. ("Cosmic Whiz Kid")
December 1986
Buck Rogers meets with the President of the United States at his secret base
inside Mount Rushmore. ("Testimony of a Traitor")
1987
Hieronymus Fox obtains his Ph.D. at the age of 10. ("Cosmic Whiz Kid")
January 9, 1987
Buck Rogers 30th birthday. This is the age he is preserved at when he is
frozen in May 1987. "Happy Birthday, Buck," "Awakening."
January 1987
Buck Rogers, under deep hypnosis, works with the conspiracy to steal the
nuclear launch codes from NATO. ("Testimony of a Traitor")
February 1987
With Buck's assistance, the conspiracy within America's defense establishment
is thwarted. After his debriefing, where his original personality is restored,
and his memories of the mission suppressed, Buck is rewarded with the
opportunity to pilot the Ranger Three mission for NASA. Ironically, this was a
posting that had also been promised to him by the conspirators. ("Testimony of a
Traitor")
March 1987
Buck has dinner with Jennifer, and promises her that after this next mission
(the Ranger Three deep space probe), he will never leave her again. ("A Dream of
Jennifer")
April 1987
On leave from NASA, Buck visits his Mother in Chicago. He stays until just
prior to his final preparations for piloting Ranger Three. Buck relives this
experience in 2493. ("The Guardians")
May 1987
Introduction to Awakening - "The year is 1987..." NASA launches Ranger
Three, piloted by Captain Rogers. It is the last of America's deep space probes.
The probe is launched atop a giant rocket similar to a Saturn V rocket, the
sort used in the earlier Apollo missions. This new rocket had some problems in
testing ("The Guardians"), which concerned Buck's mother.
Once out of Earth orbit, Ranger Three was capable of tremendous speeds, and
was to have toured the entire solar system within five months. Clearly, faster
than light travel, if not already a reality, was close at hand.
In a freak mishap, Rogers is frozen and remains in a state of suspended
animation for 504 years. (Six months prior to "Testimony of a Traitor") Buck
relives this experience in 2493. ("The Guardians")
1987
Global tensions begin to spiral out of control, ultimately leading to a great
war.
As the nuclear holocaust is approaching, Hieronymus Fox creates a device to
preserve people in a cold sleep.
As the war escalates, Hieronymus Fox, unwilling to risk anyone's life but his
own, subjects himself to the cold sleep device and ends up in cryogenic
suspension until c. 2490 when he is "unthawed" by the Genesians.
October 1987
When Buck's original five month tour of the solar system was to have
concluded. ("Awakening")
November 22, 1987
The United States undergoes a devastating nuclear attack, and all major U.S.
cities are destroyed. The U.S. counterattacks, and a second wave of missiles is
launched by enemy forces. This war is no doubt waged primarily between NATO
forces and those of the Warsaw Pact.
In the minutes before what he knows will be the final destruction not only of
America, but ultimately of the Earth, Major Jim Petersen, USAF, records a
videotape at NORAD headquarters in Colorado. As a result of coming into
possession of surveillance tapes from Air Force intelligence, Petersen is under
the mistaken impression that Buck Rogers was part of a conspiracy within the
American armed forces to obtain the secret nuclear launch codes, and initiate a
pre-emptive strike against the enemy without civilian authorization. Prior to
this discovery, Petersen had considered Buck to be his best friend. Completing
the recording, he places it in a fireproof box. The box is later recovered by
the Earth Federation in 2493. ("Testimony of a Traitor")
The second wave of missiles from enemy powers strikes, destroying what
remains of the United States.
A general nuclear war rages throughout the Earth killing millions.
Radiation and disease in the aftermath of the nuclear war kills many millions
more. Civilization begins to degenerate. The collapse happens very quickly, and
bodies are hurriedly buried often without grave markers.
According to Dr. Goodfellow, this destruction may have occurred because there
was no Guardian in place at this time, who could have protected the Earth. ("The
Guardians")
April 1988
As society breaks down, people lose track of the passage of time. By the time
that Buck Rogers' parents die and are buried, only the month of their death is
noted on the tombstone - April.
c. 1990
The tattered survivors of humanity have to deal with the various challenges
posed by starvation, contamination, radiation and plague. (novelization,
"Awakening")
This is the beginning of a long period of anarchy on the Earth. Humanity
struggles just to survive. Many humans and other life forms are horribly mutated
by the prolonged exposure to nuclear radiation. ("Awakening")
1996
The year that the Draconians inscribed on the fake Earth satellite which they
used to lure Buck Rogers into capture. It is clearly erroneous, as Dr. Theopolis
surmised. ("Ardala Returns")
2000 - 2050
During the period of time immediately after the Holocaust, groups people
begin to find ways to leave Earth and start life anew on other planets. Some
remain in contact with "Terra," others do not, and some develop divergent
cultures.
Ultimately all contact between Earth and these colonies is lost, although
Earth and the colonies remain in touch from the early twentieth century through
to the last 23rd century. ("Time of the Hawk," and "The Satyr")
At least one group of colonists sets up a viable community on Saturn.
("Journey to Oasis")
Also during this period of time, the Earth is looted by aliens. The frozen
body of Hieronymus Fox is stolen. ("Cosmic Whiz Kid") This is likely the time of
first contact between the humans of Earth and people from other worlds, and is
not auspicious. This alien contact may have helped in the acceleration of human
technology. (speculation)
c. 2090
The first shipments of genetic waste materials are shipped from Saturn. (400
years prior to "Journey to Oasis") Odee-x is one of the experimental beings that
survives this banishment. This clearly indicates that faster than light
capability had been refined and was more broadly in use by humans in the late
21st century. As well, genetic engineering was widely in use as suggested by
both "Journey to Oasis" and "The Crystals."
c. 2090
A strange colony is established on the volcanically active planet of
Fibracetes, a world rich in dirbidian crystals. Accompanying the human colonists
is a series of "pre-packaged" settlers. Mummified for transportation, they were
packaged in this form to await activation by light through the use of the
dirbidian crystals. After activation, they would pass through two stages. In the
early stage, they would appear as monstrous hulks with bluish-grey skin. As they
had superhuman strength and tended toward violence, they were intended to be
supervised at this point. Later, they would emerge from this cocoon-like stage
as normal humans. The settlers were essentially fabricated, full sized, from
DNA, with all cultural information encoded in their genes. This was to allow for
the colony to rapidly expand and so as not to rely on normal methods of
childbirth. This colony was destroyed by a volcanic eruption circa 2093, and
several of the mummies were trapped under the ash. ("The Crystals")
2100
Electricity is no longer used as a means of providing power. A new technology
takes its place at this time (400 years before "Buck's Duel to the Death")
c. 2193
The energy cells aboard the Sedonian ship transporting solar bombs implode,
leaving the ship and its crew to go adrift for 300 years. ("Shgorapchx!")
c. 2293
The Earth loses contact with the many colonies that had been established on
other world in the years immediately following the colonists. It is with the
hope of re-establishing contact with these colonies, that the Searcher is
dispatched in 2493. (200 years before "The Satyr")
c. 2387
The Earth finally begins to recover from the holocaust, and rebuilding begins
in earnest. Advances in computer technology are key to the new renaissance of
human culture. ("Awakening," 400 hundred years after the nuclear war according
to the novelization.)
The Inner City (New Chicago) is built, the Computer Council is put in place,
and commerce is established with off world sources of trade. New Chicago becomes
the new capital of Earth. (speculation based on novel)
Soon, many other Earth cities are reborn including New Phoenix, City by the
Sea (at the site of the former New Orleans), New Detroit, New Tulsa and New
London. The Earth Defense Directorate is created to defend the Earth from
emerging extraterrestrial threats.
At this time, contact is re-established with some of the colonies that
previously lost. Others remain out of contact.
To resolve disputes between the various human settlements in the galaxy, the
Galactic Court is formed. (speculation based on "Time of the Hawk") It is also
known as the Galactic Judiciary. ("The Golden Man")
2397
The Galactic Judiciary establishes a penal colony on Iris VII, within the
Alpha Centauri asteroids. (96 years prior to "The Golden Man")
The 25th Century
2406
Noah Cooper is born on Earth. (84 years before "Return of the Fighting 69th")
2414
Dr. Goodfellow is born on Earth, in England. (based on age of actor)
2419
Commodore Gordon is born on Earth. (based on age of actor, "Planet of the
Slave Girls")
c. 2420
Earth begins to slowly establish new colonies in neighboring star systems,
but relations are not easy with all of the new colonies, many of which desire to
establish some independence from Earth. This is the beginning of what will
become known as the Earth Federation. (speculation)
2439
Elias Huer is born on Earth. (based on age of actor) Also, this year, Efram
Asimov is born. (speculation)
c. 2452
Daylora Bayliss is born. (speculation based on "Happy Birthday, Buck")
2462
Wilma Deering is born on Earth. Her father is a Starfighter pilot. (Based on
age of actor)
2464
Elias Huer pilots the first ship through a Stargate. The short trip takes him
across Earth's solar system. His mission a success, a system of Stargate's is
developed to link trading planets throughout the Earth Federation and beyond.
c. 2465
Dr. Theopolis assists in the design of the Earth Starfighter. ("Planet of the
Slave Girls" - date is speculation.)
c. 2469
Asimov, at the time a Captain, is present when seven Federation starships are
lost in a great explosion. He survives, but is traumatized by the events. (date
is speculation based on "Journey to Oasis")
2470
Traeger first meets Delora Bayliss on Regulus 5, where as a teenager she is
selling quadrilium, a radioactive element. (date is speculation, based on "Happy
Birthday, Buck")
2471
The last "sled bomber" is produced for Earth's defense fleet. (20 years
before Return of the Fighting 69th)
2475
Traeger begins meeting with Delora Bayliss, who is now working as a Doctor of
psycho-medicine, as her patient. (speculation based on "Happy Birthday, Buck")
Later, Traeger joins the exploration division of the Earth Federation fleet.
Shortly thereafter Huer assigns him to an exploration mission. ("Happy Birthday,
Buck")
April 25, 2475
Jason Samos establishes the colony of New Corinth on Arcadis, consisting of
116 colonists. ("The Satyr")
2476
In flight school, Duke Danton receives instruction on the use of pulsar
cannons by Brigadier Gordon. (15 years before "Planet of the Slave Girls").
Also during 2476, Traeger, a Directorate pilot on a routine exploration
mission is lost and presumed dead. In fact, Traeger lands on the planet Ovion
where he is charged for espionage and held until 2491. Traeger blames Elias Huer
for his ordeal. (15 years before "Happy Birthday, Buck")
2479
After a few years on Ovion, Traeger learns the secrets of matter
transmutation. ("Happy Birthday, Buck")
2480
At eighteen, Wilma begins her training with the Earth defense force. She is
aided in her studies by Noah Cooper, who was a colleague of her father. (date is
speculation based on "Return of the Fighting 69th") While in flight school,
Wilma meets Duke Danton, and at some point the two become romantically involved.
("Planet of the Slave Girls")
2484
Del Samos, son of Major Jason Samos, is born at New Cornith on Arcadis. (9
years before "The Satyr")
2485
At age 23, Wilma Deering bids Ambassador Duvoe goodbye. The couple was very
much in love, but their careers and commitments pulled them apart. (7 years
prior to "Journey to Oasis")
July 17, 2485
The last communication was received at Earth from Major John Stamos at the
New Corinth colony on Arcadis. Shortly after this, Major Stamos transformed into
a half-man half-goat creature, and assumed the name of Pangor. ("The Satyr")
2486
Alicia, a deaf girl, is kidnapped from her parents on Earth by a group of
gunrunners. ("Return of the Fighting 69th")
early 2488
A plot to ship guns to hostile colonies is exposed. ("Return of the Fighting
69th")
October 2488
Wilma Deering leads a raid on the base of gunrunners, accompanied by the
Fighting 69th. ("Return of the Fighting 69th")
2490
Hieronymus Fox is awakened from cryogenic suspension by the people of Genesia.
He had been frozen at roughly ten years of age, and is still a child - although
a brilliant one. He works to improve their planet, and is shortly made their
President. (sometime prior to "Cosmic Whiz Kid", but not long before as
Hieronymus still appears to be 10 years old to Roderick Zale at that time.)
October 2490
Wilma Deering removes the entire Fighting 69th squadron from combat flight
ready status, after they fail to pass the routine physical. ("Return of the
Fighting 69th")
2491
Captain Rogers returns to the vicinity of the Earth and encounters the
Draconian flagship bringing Princess Ardala to Earth. ("Awakening")
Awakening
Buck declines to formally join the Defense Directorate, but retains the
honorary rank of Captain. And, he also agrees to help the Directorate out on
occasion. (Later, he accepts a position reporting to Dr. Huer)
Sometime in here, Buck meets the former Chief Engineer of the Draconia, who
is fleeing the Draconians, and agrees to find him a hiding place on Earth.
("Escape to Wedded Bliss")
Buck and Wilma travel together on a Recon mission to a destination near
Stargate 4. This is one of Buck's first trips through a space warp. ("Planet of
the Slave Girls")
While they are gone, over a course of three days, 25000 people in New Chicago
are afflicted with a strange nerve condition. The Computer Council keeps the
matter secret, as the condition has affected the readiness of Earth's Defense
Squadrons. ("Planet of the Slave Girls")
Planet of the Slave Girls
During the course of the above episode, Buck accepts a position with the
Defense Directorate, reporting to Dr. Huer.
Pirates using hatchet fighters begin attacking Earth shipping. (Just prior to
"Vegas in Space")
Vegas in Space
The Plot to Kill a City
October 2491
Return of the Fighting 69th
Unchained Woman
Planet of the Amazon Women
Buck plans a two week vacation with Tangie.
Cosmic Whiz Kid
Buck spends his two weeks of vacation on Genesia.
Escape From Wedded Bliss
Cruise Ship to the Stars
Space Vampire
December 31, 2491 - January 1, 2492
A Blast For Buck
New Year's Eve party at Buck's place.
The episode "A Blast for Buck" shows scenes from "Planet of the Slave Girls",
"Vegas in Space," "The Plot to Kill a City," "Return of the Fighting 69th,"
"Unchained Woman," "Planet of the Amazon Women," "Cosmic Whiz Kid," "Escape From
Wedded Bliss," "Cruise Ship to the Stars" and "Space Vampire."
Buck becomes depressed as his birthday approaches.
January 7, 2492 - January 9, 2492
Happy Birthday, Buck
Jen Burton, Joella, Marla, Allison, Tangie and Miss Cosmos were all invited
to the party.
(Note: "A Blast for Buck" was first shown after "Happy Birthday, Buck" which,
according to the dates mentioned in these episodes, was out of sequence.)
January 2492
Ardala Returns
Buck mentions during "Ardala Returns" that he and Ardala had "been through
this twice before" - a reference to the events of "Awakening" and "Escape From
Wedded Bliss."
Subsequent to the events of "Ardala Returns," the Earth Federation and the
Draconian Empire again establish a formal truce and back off from a war footing.
Relations quickly degenerate again, however, as attacks resume by Draconians on
Earth shipping. ("Flight of the War Witch")
February 2492
Twiki is Missing
February 2492
Olympiad
Buck attends the 2492 Olympiad.
early March 2492 (Mardi Gras)
A Dream of Jennifer
Just prior to the end of the above episode, Buck spends three weeks on
Antares.
April 2492
Space Rockers
Buck's Duel to the Death
Relations have once again degenerated to near a point of open hostility
between the Earth Federation and the Draconian Empire. ("Flight of the War
Witch")
Buck goes away on a "weekend in the country" with a girlfriend. (Just prior
to "Flight of the War Witch")
Flight of the War Witch
In light of their cooperation over the battle with the War Witch, the
Draconian Empire and the Earth reach some level of detente.
Ardala and Kane return to the Draconian Empire.
Peace finally having been established, the people of Earth begin to turn
their attentions to other matters. ("Time of the Hawk")
Fall 2492
Dr. Huer detaches Colonel Deering from his Office at the Defense Directorate
and Wilma accepts an assignment aboard the exploration vessel Searcher. Buck
Rogers also accepts an assignment aboard the Searcher. Twiki goes with Buck. Dr.
Theopolis is assigned a different ambuquad to assist him.
November 2492
Dr. Goodfellow is selected to be assigned to the Searcher as lead scientist.
Working together with Twiki, Dr. Goodfellow designs a new robot to assist him,
which he names Crichton.
December 2492
Crichton is activated, and as a first act, recites the Laws of Robotics as
all robots are programmed to do at activation. ("Shgorapchx!") Chricton,
however, refuses to believe that he has been created by humans, and views Twiki
as his father. ("Time of the Hawk"; "Shgorapchx!")
The Searcher, commanded by Admiral Asimov, heads out from Earth to prepare
for a shakedown flight. Once this is completed, the Searcher will begin its
journey to locate the lost tribes of humanity, who left after the great nuclear
holocaust.
Also during this month, Hawk and Koori leave their village for a time to
visit the Soaring Place. While they are away, drunken humans come and destroy
their village and kill all its inhabitants, leaving Koori and Hawk as the only
survivors of their race. ("Time of the Hawk")
December 31, 2492
As he promised, Hieronymus Fox surprises Buck on New Years' Eve.
January 9, 2493
Respecting Buck's wishes, Wilma does not plan another surprise birthday party
for him. Buck turns 535. ("Happy Birthday, Buck")
Wilma coordinates some final tests of the solar collectors on the Searcher,
just prior to starting the shakedown.
January 2493
Time of the Hawk
Some time elapses, and Hawk is able to reconcile his feelings of isolation,
anger and loneliness. He becomes a trusted member of the crew of the Searcher.
May 2493
Journey to Oasis
The Guardians
Note: Time is distorted during "The Guardians," but it appears that at the
end of the episode, very little time has actually elapsed.
The Searcher spends some time at Lambda Colony.
Mark of the Saurian
The Searcher picks up a distress call originating from the Alpha Centauri
asteroids.
The Golden Man
June 2493
In an alternate future, Lt. Devlin's finance joins the crew of a ship sent
from Lambda Colony. The ship is subsequently lost during the course of its
mission: to find the Searcher which had gone missing. ("The Guardians")
Sometime prior to the next episode, the Searcher runs out of its supply of
Dirbidian crystals.
The Crystals
The Satyr
Shgorapchx!
The Hand of Goral
Testimony of a Traitor
The Searcher begins a mission to transport refugees.
The Dorian Secret
January 2494
The Searcher continues its journey searching for the lost tribes of humanity.
2494
Hawk encounters the surviving Bird-people on a remote planet. (speculation)
2499
Dr. Goodfellow retires at age 85. (speculation)
2500
Turn of the 26th century.
2524
Elias Huer retires at age 85. (speculation)
2546
Buck retires. The mandatory age of 85 has been changed in his case - he
retires when he reaches the biological age of 85. His chronological age is 589.
(speculation)
January 9, 2557
Buck Rogers' 600th birthday. (Biological age: 96) (speculation)
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