Taelons

The Taelons are one of the species in the E.F.C Unverse. This species was the main focus of the series, as was the effects their appearance on Earth has on humanity.

History

The earliest ancestors of the race were the Atavus, a barbaric, vicious creature that helped spawn both the Taelons and the Jaridians. The Taelons themselves worked hard to evolve from their more primitive roots and even expunged the name of their ancestral race from their language to the point that they had no word that could describe them. The closest analogy they had was the Earth Latin term, Atavus. Through the use of the Shaqarava, the evolved Atavus sculpted their flesh and formed the Taelon Commonality. (Episode: Atavus)

The original proto-species suffered a genetic split around eight million years ago which gave birth to both the Taelons and the Jaridians. At the time, there existed an Atavus known as Ramaz who was the head of an immortality cult that learnt how to manipulate as well as isolate core energy. Through this technique, he and his followers extended their lifespan by a factor of 200 whilst and became the proto-Taelon race. However, those Atavus that did not follow him suffered as their lifespan was reduced to two third at the expense of Ramaz's group. It would be these events that sparked a terrible ancient feud between the Taelons and the Jaridians. (Episode: The Summit) During their quest for perfection, it was believed that the Taelons had lost something within themselves that was vital to their survival. (Episode: The First of its Kind)

In their arrogance, the Taelons began vain attempts at bio-engineering other races to defeat the Jaridians. (Episode: The First of its Kind) Around 2 million years ago, the Taelons were known to had created the rings around the gas giant Saturn in the Sol system. This was accomplished by pulverising some of the moons with the intention of using it as a shield for their probes into the area. The resultant region served as an ideal hiding place for surveillance of the planet Earth. (Episode: Summit)

Their encounter with Earth led them to determine that Humanity had reached a crossroad in its evolutionary journey where they were prepared to take the next step. As the Taelons were on a different path, they claimed that they intended to learn from the experience in order to better prepare against the forces that were bearing down on them. (Episode: Decision) The Taelons were known to had blocked all transmissions from Earth into deep space. Among the Taelons, the view on their future was divided as some believed that they should use Humanity as a weapon against the Jaridians whilst others believed a Joining to evolve themselves was the more prudent course of action to take. (Episode: The First of its Kind)

Biology

A Taelon whilst it is resting.

The appearance of the species was largely adrogynous in the sense that they displayed no characteristics that defined them as male or female. In fact, such a distinction had no meaning to them though sometimes individuals referred to certain Taelons as being a "he" or a "she". (Episode: Decision) Newborn Taelons were stated to possess the full genetic knowledge of their parents. (Episode: The First of its Kind) Genetically, the Taelons still possessed Atavan DNA within themselves which were considered their dark side. (Episode: The Summit)

Taelons exist as primarily blue and purple energy (Episode: Truth). An exception is Zo'or, who appears more red (Episode: Resurrection). To make humans feel comfortable, when in public, they shape shift into a form vaguely human, bald, with a high forehead, pale skin, and a purple jumpsuit (Episode: Decision). This facade seemed to be used only while around Humans or after, since Zo'or did not use her facade until she appeared in Da'an's office, surrounded by Companion Protectors. Quo'on went at least a year before transforming before Doors on the Mothership (Episodes: Resurrection and Destruction). When a Taelon experiences great emotion, they show their energy through their human facade, called a blush (Episode: Horizon Zero). Being energy, no human made weapon could harm a Taelon, and in effect, no Taelon could be in fear of her life from a human (Episode: Law and Order). A skrill could kill a Taelon, as could Jaridian energy weapons, as when Kee'Sha was violently dispersed by a laser from a Jaridian Probe (Episodes: Scorpions Dream, Destruction).

Though they were energy beings, their ability to maintain their form largely stemmed from their link with the Commonality. If severed from it, their bodies regressed into the atavistic state from which their species had struggled so hard to evolve. (Episode: Atavus) The energy based metabolism of a Taelon was far less reactive to temperature changes when compared to Humans which allowed them to survive temperatures as cold as -210 degrees without the aid of a environmental suit. In contrast to their Jaridian cousins, the death of a Taelon was described as being inutterably cold. (Episode: The Summit)

Taelons used to possess a Shaqarava, but the organ became vestigial. The organ could be reactivated using human genes linked to aggression. (Episode: Pandora's Box) Instead of their blushes showing their natural states, they display the face of the human they receive the DNA from. For example, Rho'ha displayed Johnson's face attempting to activate her Shaqarava, and again when she lost her cool trapped on the stand by Joshua Doors. (Episodes: Pandora's Box, Law and Order) Zo'or watched in the mirror as she blushed into William Boone's face after receiving life saving vaccines from his antibodies. (Episode: Infection)

According to Da'an, the Taelons possessed a similar aspect of having genetic memory as the ancient Kimera and their offspring gained full knowledge of their parentage. This meant that a new born offspring contained the full memories of its parents allowing them access to knowledge that their parents were aware of at the time of birth. (Episode The First of its Kind)

The entire race was connected through the Commonality that served as a shared matrix linking the species together. (Episode: Atavus)

Society

Amongst the race, there was no fear of passing on to the next level. (Episode: Decision) Taelons never tempted fate and it was the reason why they had a ban on travelling through the fourth dimension namely time travel. (Episode: A Stitch in Time) Although Da'an had an understanding of humanity, others, most notably Zo'or, found humans to be vastly inferior to Taelons. (Episode: Resurrection)

Taelons were known not to discuss their evolutionary origins with other species. (Episode: Atavus)

Pilot Script

In the original pilot script pitched by Gene Roddenberry, Taelons were more traditional aliens. Taelons were for the most part the same as in the series, bald tall humanoids dressed in a utilarian outfit in metallic colors. One unnamed Taelon who appeared to speak in public made fun of it's height by the fact the microphone did not reach it's mouth to enchant the crowd. A Taelon voice was mentioned to be high pitched, between a child and a woman. The Taelon was also mentioned to have had an atmospheric processor strapped to it's back that allowed it to function in an oxygen enviroment, the biggest difference.

Unlike the series, the Taelon Synod's goal was reveal within the first episode. The ulterior motive behind the Taelon arrival on Earth was to use humans as "protein factories", as only 71 Taelons were in existance.

At the climax of the Pilot, one of the Taelon Companion's former protectors, having broken through the programming of a CVI, used his Zator (early name for the Skrill) to completely vaporize the Taelon. The resistance used this information to prove that Taelons were not invincible.