Timeline

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Timeline

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 Rogers and Hawk in 2492. (10,000 years before “The Hand of Goral”)

1493

• The Sedonian Generals and Private Zed are born. (1000 years before “Shgoratchx!”)

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”)

1957

9 January

• William Anthony "Buck" Rogers in born in the United States. He grows up in Chicago, Illinois. (534 years before “Happy Birthday, Buck”)

1958

• Jennifer is born in the United States. (1987 less 28 years)

29 July

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration is founded. 

1968

• Danny Hutton brings together a group of musicians to form the band Three Dog Night, which is one of Buck Rogers’s favorites. In “Cosmic Wiz Kid” he plays one of their albums while at his apartment.

1976

• Mayor Daly of Chicago passes away (novelization). In the summer, the motion picture Jaws becomes the top movie at the box office. Buck Rogers 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 Wiz Kid”, which suggests Fox was born in 1998.

1980

November

• In the election of 1980, Ronald Reagan is elected President of the United States.

1984

November

• In the election of 1984, a man who is neither Ronald Reagan nor Walter Mondale is elected President of the United States. (“Testimony of a Traitor”)

1985

March

• Mikhail Gorbachev does not succeed Constantin Chernenko to become General Secretary of the Soviet Union.

1986

Unknown

• Relations between the USSR and the United States degenerate to the point where the 2 nations are on the brink of World War III. (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 Rogers 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 Wiz Kid”)

December

• Buck Rogers meets with the President of the United States at his secret base inside Mount Rushmore. (“Testimony of a Traitor”)

1987

Unknown

• Hieronymus Fox obtains his Ph.D. at the age of 10. (“Cosmic Wiz Kid”)
• Global tensions begin to spiral out of control, ultimately leading to World War III.
• As World War III is approaching, Hieronymus Fox creates a device to preserve people in a cold sleep. Hieronymus Fox, unwilling to risk anyone’s life but his own, subjects himself to the cold sleep experiment and remains in cryogenic suspension until 2490 when he is revived by the Genesians.

January

• Buck Rogers, under deep hypnosis, works with the conspiracy to steal the nuclear launch codes from NATO. (“Testimony of a Traitor”)

9 January

• Buck Rogers’s 30th birthday. This is the age he is preserved at when he is frozen in May 1987. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”, “Awakening”)

February

• With Buck Rogers’s assistance, the conspiracy within America’s defense establishment is thwarted. After his debriefing, his original personality is restored, and his memories of the mission suppressed. Buck is rewarded for his help in thwarting a national conspiracy by being given the opportunity to pilot Ranger 3 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Ironically, this was a posting that had also been promised to him by the conspirators. (“Testimony of a Traitor”)

March

• Buck Rogers has dinner with Jennifer, and promises her that after the Ranger 3 deep space probe, he will never leave her again. (“A Dream of Jennifer”)

April

• On leave from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Buck Rogers visits his Mother in Chicago. He stays until just prior to his final preparations for piloting Ranger 3. Buck relives this experience in 2493. (“The Guardians”)

May

• Ranger 3 is launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Air Force. Buck repeatedly states the flight number “Flight 711” in his transmissions to Houston Control. (“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (film)”, “Awakening”)
• Introduction to “Awakening”. “The year is 1987...” National Aeronautics and Space Administration launches Ranger 3, piloted by Buck 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, which concerned Buck’s mother. Once out of Earth orbit, Ranger 3 was capable of tremendous speeds, and was to have toured the entire solar system within 5 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. (6 months prior to “Testimony of a Traitor”) Buck relives this experience in 2493. (“The Guardians”)

October

• When Buck Rogers’s original 5 month tour of the solar system was to have concluded. (“Awakening”)

22 November

• World War III begins. (“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (film)”, “Awakening”, “Testimony of a Traitor”)
• 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. World War III is waged primarily between NATO and 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, United States Air Force, 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 and the Earth Defense Directorate in 2493. (“Testimony of a Traitor”)
• The second wave of missiles from the enemy strikes, destroying what remains of the United States.
• World War III rages throughout the Earth killing millions.
• Radiation and disease in the aftermath of World War III kills millions more. Civilization begins to collapse. 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”)

1988

April

• 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.

1990

• The 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 World War III, groups of 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 20th century through to the late 23rd century. (“Time of the Hawk”, “The Satyr”)
• At least one group of colonists sets up a viable community on Saturn. (“Journey to Oasis”)
• Earth is looted by aliens. The frozen body of Hieronymus Fox is stolen. (“Cosmic Wiz 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.

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”.
• 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 2 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 in 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”)

2193

• The energy cells aboard the Sedonian ship transporting Solar bombs implode, leaving the ship and its crew to go adrift for 300 years. (“Shgoratchx!”)

2293

• The Earth loses contact with the many colonies that had been established on other worlds in the years immediately following World War III. It is with the hope of re-establishing contact with these colonies that the Searcher is dispatched in 2493. (200 years before “The Satyr”)

2387

• The Earth finally begins to recover from World War III, and rebuilding begins at full speed. Advances in computer technology are key to the new renaissance of human culture. (“Awakening”, 400 years after World War III 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.
• Soon, many other Earth cities are reborn including New Phoenix, City by the Sea (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. (“Time of the Hawk”) It is also known as the Galactic Judiciary. (“The Golden Man”)

2397

• The Galactic Judiciary establishes a penal colony on the asteroid, Iris VII, within the Alpha Centauri asteroids. (96 years prior to “The Golden Man”)

2406

Unknown

• Noah Cooper is born on Earth. (84 years before “Return of the Fighting 69th”)

October

• Noah Cooper born. He reached the age of 85 during the early part of “Return of the Fighting 69th”, which featured a surprise birthday party held for him.

2414

• Dr. Goodfellow is born on Earth, in England.

2419

• Brigadier Gordon is born on Earth. (“Planet of the Slave Girls”)

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 and the Earth Defense Directorate.

2439

• Elias Huer is born on Earth.
• Efram Asimov is born.

2452

• Daylora Bayliss is born. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”)

2462

• Wilma Deering is born on Earth. Her father is a fighter pilot.

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 Stargates is developed to link trading planets throughout the Earth Federation and beyond.

2465

• Dr. Theopolis assists in the design of the Earth Starfighter. (“Planet of the Slave Girls”)

2469

• Efram Asimov, at the time a Captain, is present when 7 Earth Federation starships are lost in a great explosion. He survives, but is traumatized by the events. (“Journey to Oasis”)

2470

• Traeger first meets Delora Bayliss on Regulus 5, where as a teenager she is selling quadrilium, a radioactive element. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”)

2471

• The last “sled bomber” is produced for Earth’s defense fleet. (20 years before “Return of the Fighting 69th”)

2475

Unknown

• Cornell Traeger begins meeting with Delora Bayliss, who is now working as a Doctor of psycho-medicine, as her patient. Later, Traeger joins the exploration division of the Earth Federation fleet. Shortly thereafter Huer assigns him to an exploration mission. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”)

25 April

• 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”).
• Cornell Traeger, an Earth Defense Directorate pilot on a routine exploration mission is lost and presumed dead. In fact, Traeger lands on the planet Ovion where he is charged with espionage and held until 2491. Traeger blames Dr. Elias Huer for his ordeal. (15 years before “Happy Birthday, Buck”)

2479

• After a few years on Ovion, Cornell Traeger learns the secrets of matter transmutation. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”)

2480

• At 18, Wilma Deering begins her training with the Earth defense force. She is aided in her studies by Noah Cooper, who was a colleague of her father. (“Return of the Fighting 69th”) While in flight school, Wilma meets Duke Danton, and at some point the 2 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

Unknown

• 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”)

17 July

• 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. Buck Rogers revealed that Alicia had been taken from her family 5 years before the events of “Return of the Fighting 69th”.

2488

Unknown

• A plot to ship guns and weaponary to hostile colonies is exposed. (“Return of the Fighting 69th”)

October

• Wilma Deering leads a raid on the base of gunrunners, accompanied by the Fighting 69th. (3 years before “Return of the Fighting 69th”)

2490

Unknown

• Hieronymus Fox is awakened from cryogenic suspension by the people of Genesia. He had been frozen at roughly 10 years of age, and is still a child, although a brilliant one. He works to improve their planet, and is shortly made their President. (prior to “Cosmic Wiz Kid”, but not long before as Hieronymus still appears to be 10 years old to Roderick Zale at that time.)

October

• Noah Cooper and the entire Fighting 69th squadron are removed from combat flight ready status and active duty by Wilma Deering after they fail to pass the routine physical. Elias Huer tells Buck that the members of the 69th were removed from duty “a year ago”. (“Return of the Fighting 69th”)

2491

Unknown

• Buck Rogers is found after 504 years. He returns to the vicinity of the Earth and encounters the Draconian flagship bringing Princess Ardala to Earth. (“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (film)”, “Awakening”)
• Buck declines to formally join the Earth Defense Directorate, but retains the honorary rank of Captain. He also agrees to help the Earth Defense Directorate out on occasion. Later, he accepts a position reporting to Elias Huer. (“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (film)”, “Awakening”)
• Wilma Deering meets Buck Rogers for the first time. Colonel Deering’s initial hostility diminishes following Buck’s success in exposing the Draconians attempted invasion of Earth. (“Awakening”)
• Buck meets the former Chief Engineer of the Draconia (starship), who is fleeing the Draconians, and agrees to find him a hiding place on Earth. (“Escape to Wedded Bliss”)

• Buck and Wilma Deering travel together on a recon mission to a destination near Stargate 4. This is one of Buck’s first trips through a space warp. While they are gone, over a course of 3 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. Buck accepts a position with the Earth Defense Directorate, reporting to Dr. Huer. (“Planet of the Slave Girls”)
• Pirates using Hatchet fighters begin attacking Earth shipping. (“Vegas in Space”)
• ”The Plot to Kill a City”

October

• ”Return of the Fighting 69th”
• ”Unchained Woman”
• ”Planet of the Amazon Women” - Buck plans a 2 week vacation with Tangie.
• ”Cosmic Wiz Kid” - Buck spends his 2 weeks of vacation on Genesia.
• ”Escape from Wedded Bliss”
• ”Cruise Ship to the Stars”
• ”Space Vampire”

31 December

• ”A Blast For Buck” - Wilma Deering attends a New Year’s Eve party at Buck’s apartment. The episode 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 Wiz Kid”, “Escape From Wedded Bliss”, “Cruise Ship to the Stars”, and “Space Vampire.”
• Buck Rogers becomes depressed as his birthday approaches.

2492

Fall

• Elias Huer detaches Wilma Deering from his Office at the Earth Defense Directorate and Wilma accepts an assignment aboard the exploration vessel Searcher. Buck Rogers also accepts an assignment aboard Searcher. Twiki goes with Buck. Dr. Theopolis is assigned a different ambuquad to assist him.

January

• Buck Rogers 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”)

1 January

• ”A Blast For Buck” - Wilma Deering attends a New Year’s Eve party at Buck’s apartment. The episode 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 Wiz Kid”, “Escape From Wedded Bliss”, “Cruise Ship to the Stars”, and “Space Vampire.”
• Buck Rogers becomes depressed as his birthday approaches.

7 - 9 January

• Wilma Deering organizes a surprise birthday party for 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. (”Happy Birthday, Buck”)

February

• ”Twiki is Missing”
• ”Olympiad” - Buck and Wilma Deering travel to the 2492 Olympiad.

March

• Prior to the end, Buck Rogers spends 3 weeks on Antares. (”A Dream of Jennifer”)

April

• ”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. 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.
• ”Time of the Hawk” - Peace finally having been established, the people of Earth begin to turn their attentions to other matters.

November

• 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

• Crichton is activated, and as a first act, recites the Laws of Robotics as all robots are programmed to do at activation. 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 Efram Asimov, heads out from Earth to prepare for a shakedown flight. Once this is completed, Searcher will begin its journey to locate the lost tribes of humanity, who left after World War III. (“Time of the Hawk”)
• 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”)

31 December

• Hieronymus Fox surprises Buck Rogers on New Years’ Eve.

2493

January

• 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. (”Time of the Hawk”)

9 January

• Respecting Buck Rogers’s wishes, Wilma does not plan another surprise birthday party for him. Buck turns 535. (“Happy Birthday, Buck”)
• Wilma Deering coordinates some final tests of the solar collectors on Searcher, just prior to starting the shakedown.

May

• ”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

• 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, 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”

2494

Unknown

• Hawk encounters the surviving Bird people on a remote planet.

January

• The Searcher continues its journey searching for the lost tribes of humanity.

2499

• Dr. Goodfellow retires at age 85.

2500

• Turn of the 26th century.

2524

• Elias Huer retires at age 85.
• Efram Asimov retires.

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.

2557

9 January

• Buck Rogers’ 600th birthday. (Biological age: 96)