Baltar
Encyclopedia
Baltar is a fictional character
in the Battlestar Galactica
universe who betrays the human
race, through willing treachery in the original 1978 series
, and as the inadvertent result of arrogance and self-interest in the 2003 miniseries
and following TV series
.
and television series, Count Baltar was a leading antagonist character who betrayed the human race to its enemy, the robot race of Cylons
. Faced with execution by the Cylons following the successful attack on the humans, Baltar convinces them to let him live so he may be permitted to pursue the surviving humans.
Count Baltar was played by John Colicos
.
In the 2003 Battlestar Galactica miniseries
and 2004 TV series, Gaius Baltar is a brilliant scientist and key player in the Twelve Colonies' defense research. His unscrupulous character allows a beautiful Cylon to manipulate him into granting her access to the colonies' defense systems, the resultant failure of which ends in the destruction of most of the human race during a Cylon attack.
Gaius is accompanied by the Cylon model Number Six, whom only he can see. The reason why she appears to him is not clear, although in the final episodes it is implied that she may be an angel or a messenger from God.
Gaius also exists inside the mind of the same Six model he fell in love with, but as a completely separate entity.
Dr. Baltar eventually becomes Vice President of the Colonies, then later assumes the Presidency after the first Post-War election, his first executive order being a move to settle on New Caprica. He surrenders the colony over to the Cylons one year later during the Cylon occupation under threat of death.
In sharp contrast to the Count Baltar of the original series, he is not a malicious individual, but rather a highly flawed one. A significant theme in the series is his path to redemption, as in the original series, despite his initial actions.
The role of Dr. Gaius Baltar is played by James Callis
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
universe who betrays the human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
race, through willing treachery in the original 1978 series
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
, and as the inadvertent result of arrogance and self-interest in the 2003 miniseries
Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)
Battlestar Galactica is a three-hour miniseries written and produced by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Michael Rymer. It was the first part of the Battlestar Galactica reimagining based on the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series, and served as a backdoor pilot for the 2004 television series...
and following TV series
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
.
Original continuity
In the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica movieFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television series, Count Baltar was a leading antagonist character who betrayed the human race to its enemy, the robot race of Cylons
Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)
The Cylons are a cybernetic civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original 1978 and 1980 series, the 2004 reimagining, as well as the spin-off prequel series, Caprica...
. Faced with execution by the Cylons following the successful attack on the humans, Baltar convinces them to let him live so he may be permitted to pursue the surviving humans.
Count Baltar was played by John Colicos
John Colicos
John Colicos was a Greek-Canadian actor. He was a distinguished stage actor in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.-Career:...
.
New continuity
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and 2004 TV series, Gaius Baltar is a brilliant scientist and key player in the Twelve Colonies' defense research. His unscrupulous character allows a beautiful Cylon to manipulate him into granting her access to the colonies' defense systems, the resultant failure of which ends in the destruction of most of the human race during a Cylon attack.
Gaius is accompanied by the Cylon model Number Six, whom only he can see. The reason why she appears to him is not clear, although in the final episodes it is implied that she may be an angel or a messenger from God.
Gaius also exists inside the mind of the same Six model he fell in love with, but as a completely separate entity.
Dr. Baltar eventually becomes Vice President of the Colonies, then later assumes the Presidency after the first Post-War election, his first executive order being a move to settle on New Caprica. He surrenders the colony over to the Cylons one year later during the Cylon occupation under threat of death.
In sharp contrast to the Count Baltar of the original series, he is not a malicious individual, but rather a highly flawed one. A significant theme in the series is his path to redemption, as in the original series, despite his initial actions.
The role of Dr. Gaius Baltar is played by James Callis
James Callis
James Callis is a British actor. He is best known for playing Dr. Gaius Baltar in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, and Bridget Jones' best friend in Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason...
.