Gaius Baltar
Encyclopedia
Gaius Baltar is a fictional character
in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis
, a reimagining of Count Baltar
from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica
series. He is one of the show's primary characters.
. A narcissistic genius and womanizer, he is initially portrayed as a self-serving opportunist, but becomes a braver and more caring character over the course of the series, expressing regret for having been "a profoundly selfish man." Baltar is initially an atheist, but ultimately converts to the Cylons' monotheistic religion.
of Aerilon
, and that at the age of ten, finding the Aerilonian dialect
to be detrimental to his career dreams, he trained himself to speak the Caprican dialect in hopes one day being considered a citizen of one of the more respected and wealthy colonies such as Caprica.
Colonial defense mainframe (an act of treason
punishable by the death penalty
) so her employers can have an advantage in future contract bidding. In exchange for his access to government mainframes she helps him design a navigation program used by Colonial warships, covertly creating backdoors in the program. When the Cylons attack, they use those backdoors to penetrate software security firewalls, disabling entire fighter squadrons outright and sabotaging vital capital-ship systems. On the day the Cylons attack humanity, she reveals she is an advanced Cylon, model Number Six (later known as Caprica Six), and she used the information that Baltar gave her to shut down the Colonial defenses, thus making him responsible for the Cylons' successful genocidal campaign against the Twelve Colonies. Baltar manages to survive the nuclear explosion that destroys his home due to Caprica Six using her body to shield him.
Having unintentionally brought about the near-annihilation of the human species, Baltar flees Caprica when Karl Agathon
gives up his place on a Raptor
, feeling that his own life is less important to save than a famed scientist's. The Raptor returns to the Battlestar Galactica
, where Baltar endears himself to Laura Roslin
, the new President of the remnants of the Twelve Colonies
, and hopes to conceal his involvement in the genocide
that has taken place.
Shortly after Baltar comes on board Galactica, Virtual Six reveals a device has been put in the CIC he had previously seen in possession of Six on Caprica. Six tells him it wasn't her job to put it in the CIC. Baltar realizes there is a Cylon on board Galactica, but knows he cannot reveal that information, or indicate the device is not a part of the ship without implicating himself in the destruction of the Colonies. Baltar decides to implicate a person on board who goes by Aaron Doral
because he is a civilian who has had access to the CIC during the last several weeks and, as an outsider, would be more likely to not be trusted by the Galactica crew. Having already been put in charge of testing the fleet for Cylons, Baltar informs the Executive Officer
he discreetly collected hair samples of crew members and has found Doral is a Cylon. Baltar, however, had no method at the time for testing for Cylons in the fleet. Baltar also explains he saw Doral doing something with a strange looking device in the CIC he does not recognize. This forces him to develop an actual method for testing the fleet for Cylons, having already 'demonstrated' an ability to do so. The process he eventually creates is reliable and is done through the testing of blood samples, but is time consuming (it takes 11 hours to test one person).
In the episode "Six Degrees of Separation
", Baltar is accused of being a traitor to the human race when a flesh-and-blood Number Six (after Baltar and Virtual Six have a heated argument over whether or not God exists) shows photographic evidence Baltar carried an explosive device into the Colonial Defense Mainframe on Caprica, allowing the Cylons to carry out their nuclear attack. When it is found the evidence is fake, President Roslin holds a press conference publicly exonerating Baltar. Virtual Six tells him his public position is now stronger than ever since he has been accused of a serious crime and found innocent, and even possibly been the target of a Cylon plot. Meanwhile, the real-life Six disappears from Galactica and is nowhere to be found.
In the episode "The Hand of God", Baltar successfully helps the fleet destroy a Cylon mining base on an asteroid with badly needed tylium ores for fueling the fleet. The planners of the attack ask Baltar to point out where it is on a recon photo, even though he has no idea what it looks like. In his mind, Baltar asks Virtual Six for help, but she tells him it is in God's hands and He will 'tell' Baltar where to point. Baltar then points to one of the buildings of the base, simply as a wild guess. Much to Baltar's surprise, his guess was correct. Baltar comes to believe the only logical explanation is that God guided his hand.
", Baltar, now Caprica's representative to the Quorum of Twelve, is elected Vice-President with Roslin's support. In the episode "Home, Part II
", Baltar undergoes a brain scan which reveals no sign of a computer chip. He realizes his vision of Number Six could not be a hallucination, as she is aware of facts he could not possibly know. She tells him the first Human/Cylon Hybrid will be born in the ship's brig; soon, the Caprican version of the Cylon Sharon Valerii (pregnant with the human Karl Agathon's child) is imprisoned in it. When Baltar confronts Six with this, she simply replies she is "an angel of God sent here to protect you, to guide you, and to love you". Virtual Six later persuades Baltar to give a pacifist movement a nuclear bomb Admiral William Adama
had given him in an earlier episode for constructing a Cylon detector.
Baltar proceeds to run for President against Roslin. He is far behind Roslin in the polls when a habitable planet is accidentally discovered in a region of space where heavy electromagnetic interference makes long-range observation difficult. Baltar announces that he will begin immediate civilian settlement of New Caprica if elected. Due to his support for settlement of New Caprica, the election promptly swings in Baltar's favor and he is sworn in as president. During the inauguration itself, the nuclear warhead Baltar gave up destroys a luxury liner. Following this apparent act of Cylon terrorism, Admiral Adama urges Baltar to focus immediately on internal security and investigate how a Cylon agent could have carried out the bombing. Baltar refuses, however, and proceeds with plans for settlement.
", we find Baltar living on a Cylon Basestar in a barless cell. Caprica-Six informs Baltar she has had a change of heart about him and has let her feelings for him cloud her judgment, presumably ending their relationship. However, by the end of the episode, it is indicated she has cast the tie-breaking vote amongst the Cylons to allow Baltar to remain alive aboard the Cylon Basestar, though it is clear they remain estranged. Over time, Baltar becomes accustomed to his new environment. Once Baltar learns that no one knows what the "Final Five" Cylons look like, he begins to suspect that he himself may be a Cylon. He admits however that this is wishful thinking on his part, because of his desire to have all his 'sins' forgiven and become a hero to another people.
Towards the end of Baltar's stay with the Cylons, he grows much closer to D'Anna, who has become obsessed with finding the identities of the "Final Five" Cylons. Pondering if he himself is a Cylon, Baltar brushes Caprica-Six aside and aligns with D'Anna. Together, in the episodes "Eye of Jupiter
" and "Rapture
", Baltar and the Three models defy the other Cylon models and he and D'Anna travel to the surface of an algae planet in search for an ancient ruined temple. Three believed the temple would show her the identities of the Final Five. D'Anna appears to see the Final Five, but collapses and swiftly dies before she can tell Baltar if he is a Cylon or not. Hoping to retrigger the vision, Baltar steps onto the platform D'Anna used, when Chief Tyrol gets the drop on Baltar and knocks him out. The ex-president is then transported back to Galactica in a body bag and sent to the brig.
As his trial proceeds, Baltar's first lawyer is killed in an explosion aboard a sabotaged Raptor. His second attorney, Romo Lampkin
, survives a similar attempt on his life. Lee Adama
(now Lampkin's security adjutant) then joins Baltar's defense team. The trial is unfair, and includes witness Felix Gaeta
deliberately lying to ensure a guilty verdict. Baltar rejects his defense team's suggestion to demand a mistrial saying, "there will be a verdict". The defense team uses the very end of the trial to try to persuade the jury that Baltar is guilty only of being a scapegoat
for the Cylon occupation. Lee Adama also mentions the fleet has forgiven numerous other persons for their mistakes because they have had to in order to ensure their survival. Baltar is found not guilty for his crimes by a 3-2 vote, with Admiral Adama casting a vote in Baltar's favor. Roslin is disgusted Baltar is now free as she still truly believes he was involved in sabotaging the colonial defenses in the attack. After Baltar is freed from prison, his defense team abandons him.
group, Baltar (with the encouragement of his Virtual Six) disrupts a religious ceremony of one of the polytheist denominations in the fleet. Later, President Roslin meets with the imprisoned Baltar to pressure him to avoid stirring up more trouble in the future. After he is released, Baltar is prevented from returning to his home by government soldiers acting under new legislation approved by the President. The legislation restricts the right to assembly specifically for Baltar's movement. Under the direction of Virtual Six, Baltar keeps attempting to re-enter his home, and is subjected to repeated blows from a Galactica marine. Virtual Six is shown physically lifting Baltar from the floor to a standing position; whereby camera pans across a couple views to allude to Baltar's view of the action and then the view of this action in the context of everyone else present. While we see Baltar's perspective, everyone else only sees a limp Baltar rising to a vertical posture. Their facial expressions appear to allude some sort of supernatural experience is occurring. This continues until Lee Adama arrives to inform Baltar the Quorum of Twelve has overruled the President and revoked the new legislation. Baltar goes on to preach God loves all humans regardless of their sin because everyone is perfect just as they are. Baltar then begins illegal wireless broadcasts to the fleet of his religious speeches and his popularity grows.
Shortly thereafter, Kara Thrace informs the once again cancer-stricken President Roslin the Cylon Hybrid on the captured rebel Cylon Basestar referred to a "dying leader" learning the "truth of the opera house"—the setting of the dreams Roslin shares with Caprica-Six and Athena. As Baltar's popularity continues to increase, he chooses to inform the fleet of Roslin sharing her visions with both of the long-time Cylons in the fleet. Although this development distressed Roslin, she decides to bring Baltar with her (along with Karl Agathon—Athena's husband) to the Cylon Basestar to see the Hybrid. She informs Baltar that she chose to do this because she sees him in the dreams she shares with Caprica-Six and Athena. The Basestar jumps away from the fleet the moment the Hybrid is reactivated to begin a series of jumps to reach the Cylon Resurrection Hub, leaving Baltar once again away from the fleet aboard a Cylon ship. When the Basestar jumps away from the Colonial Fleet, Roslin begins to have a series of visions involving Elosha, a deceased priestess. Baltar and Roslin attempt to interrogate the Hybrid. Later, during an attack on the Cylon Resurrection Hub, Baltar is injured. After he is influenced by morpha administered by Roslin, Baltar reveals the details of his involvement in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin decides to kill Baltar by leaving no pressure on his wounds. At that moment, the Basestar jumps again and Roslin's continuing vision of Elosha on Galactica culminates in an extended discourse on the need to respect the rights of the living. Afterwards, Roslin tries desperately to save Baltar's life. Baltar recovers and is then reunited with D'Anna. Later, Baltar thanks Roslin for choosing not to murder him.
Baltar attempts to acquire weapons from Admiral Adama. He does this by arguing that Galactica is slowly slipping away from Adama and then eventually he will either maintain order by giving civilians weapons or bringing Cylon Centurions to the ship. Insisting that the fleet would not accept Centurions on Galactica, Baltar is able to barely persuade Adama to agree his religious group is the only viable option for maintaining order. The Monotheists are then armed by the Colonial government, cementing Baltar's leadership of the group.
Planetside, he's part of the survey crew that discovers a primitive version of humanity which evolved on the planet that the Colonials later name Earth and says they're compatible for the Colonials to breed with. Later, while observing Hera with Caprica Six, Baltar and Caprica Six receive a final visit from their ethereal counterparts. They reveal Baltar and Caprica have fulfilled their role in God's plan. Afterward, the Virtual Beings disappear for the last time.
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 TV series Battlestar Galactica 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...
, a reimagining of Count Baltar
Count Baltar
In the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series, Count Baltar was a leading antagonist character who betrayed the human race to its enemy, the robot race of Cylons...
from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica
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...
series. He is one of the show's primary characters.
Personality
Gaius Baltar regularly uses a well-developed acting talent to spin yarns on virtually any subject when he feels the need and is prone to bouts of neurosisNeurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
. A narcissistic genius and womanizer, he is initially portrayed as a self-serving opportunist, but becomes a braver and more caring character over the course of the series, expressing regret for having been "a profoundly selfish man." Baltar is initially an atheist, but ultimately converts to the Cylons' monotheistic religion.
Early life
Gaius Baltar claims to be from the colonyColony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of Aerilon
Twelve Colonies
The Twelve Colonies of Man are fictional locations that constitute the principal human civilization in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, the "reimagined" series of the same name in 2004, and in the prequel series, Caprica...
, and that at the age of ten, finding the Aerilonian dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
to be detrimental to his career dreams, he trained himself to speak the Caprican dialect in hopes one day being considered a citizen of one of the more respected and wealthy colonies such as Caprica.
The destruction of the Twelve Colonies
At the onset of the show, he is involved in a sexual relationship with a beautiful blonde woman. Believing her to be working for a corporation in the defense industry, and desiring a more permanent relationship with her, he gives her access to the highly classifiedClassified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
Colonial defense mainframe (an act of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
punishable by the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
) so her employers can have an advantage in future contract bidding. In exchange for his access to government mainframes she helps him design a navigation program used by Colonial warships, covertly creating backdoors in the program. When the Cylons attack, they use those backdoors to penetrate software security firewalls, disabling entire fighter squadrons outright and sabotaging vital capital-ship systems. On the day the Cylons attack humanity, she reveals she is an advanced Cylon, model Number Six (later known as Caprica Six), and she used the information that Baltar gave her to shut down the Colonial defenses, thus making him responsible for the Cylons' successful genocidal campaign against the Twelve Colonies. Baltar manages to survive the nuclear explosion that destroys his home due to Caprica Six using her body to shield him.
Having unintentionally brought about the near-annihilation of the human species, Baltar flees Caprica when Karl Agathon
Karl Agathon
Karl C. Agathon is a fictional character on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series, portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett.-Background:...
gives up his place on a Raptor
Colonial Raptor
The Raptor is a multipurpose military spacecraft featured in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. According to producer Ronald D. Moore, the Raptor is analogous to the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowler.-Description:...
, feeling that his own life is less important to save than a famed scientist's. The Raptor returns to the Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (ship)
The Battlestar Galactica is a space battleship in the original and re-imagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica.The Twelve Colonies of Man in the original television series built a number of Battlestars during their thousand-year war with the Cylons, whose battleships are...
, where Baltar endears himself to Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin
Her first actions include organizing all FTL-capable ships together and convincing Commander William Adama to abandon a retaliatory attack on the Cylons. President Roslin and Billy Keikeya, her aide/press secretary/chief of staff, establish a working office space aboard her transport, renamed...
, the new President of the remnants of the Twelve Colonies
Twelve Colonies
The Twelve Colonies of Man are fictional locations that constitute the principal human civilization in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, the "reimagined" series of the same name in 2004, and in the prequel series, Caprica...
, and hopes to conceal his involvement in the genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
that has taken place.
Scientist for the Fleet
Once a part of the fleet, Baltar is haunted by visions of Number Six, with whom he converses often (cf. Head Six). It is unclear to Baltar whether these projections are from a chip Number Six implanted in his brain while they were together on Caprica (the explanation originally given by the Number Six vision, which she later disclaimed) or if she is simply a manifestation of Baltar's own mind. Although the vision of Number Six manipulates Baltar through his fear of discovery, she lends him an edge by granting him knowledge of situations. The model of Number Six who had seduced him on Caprica later experiences similar visions after her consciousness was downloaded into a new body. Whereas Baltar experienced visions of her, she experienced visions of him. Both visions acted in similar ways: they were seemingly crueler than the person they were based on and often manipulated the affected party against his or her own species.Shortly after Baltar comes on board Galactica, Virtual Six reveals a device has been put in the CIC he had previously seen in possession of Six on Caprica. Six tells him it wasn't her job to put it in the CIC. Baltar realizes there is a Cylon on board Galactica, but knows he cannot reveal that information, or indicate the device is not a part of the ship without implicating himself in the destruction of the Colonies. Baltar decides to implicate a person on board who goes by Aaron Doral
Aaron Doral
Aaron Doral is a fictional character from the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series.Doral is a humanoid Cylon who first appeared as a civilian public relations specialist aboard Galactica just prior to the Cylon attack on the Colonies. Through conversation with the Cylon agent Number Six, Dr...
because he is a civilian who has had access to the CIC during the last several weeks and, as an outsider, would be more likely to not be trusted by the Galactica crew. Having already been put in charge of testing the fleet for Cylons, Baltar informs the Executive Officer
Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
he discreetly collected hair samples of crew members and has found Doral is a Cylon. Baltar, however, had no method at the time for testing for Cylons in the fleet. Baltar also explains he saw Doral doing something with a strange looking device in the CIC he does not recognize. This forces him to develop an actual method for testing the fleet for Cylons, having already 'demonstrated' an ability to do so. The process he eventually creates is reliable and is done through the testing of blood samples, but is time consuming (it takes 11 hours to test one person).
In the episode "Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation (Battlestar Galactica)
"Six Degrees of Separation" is the seventh episode of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica television series.-Plot:Dr. Baltar and his vision of Number Six have a heated argument about religion. After he mocks Number Six's concept of a single God, she promptly vanishes from his head...
", Baltar is accused of being a traitor to the human race when a flesh-and-blood Number Six (after Baltar and Virtual Six have a heated argument over whether or not God exists) shows photographic evidence Baltar carried an explosive device into the Colonial Defense Mainframe on Caprica, allowing the Cylons to carry out their nuclear attack. When it is found the evidence is fake, President Roslin holds a press conference publicly exonerating Baltar. Virtual Six tells him his public position is now stronger than ever since he has been accused of a serious crime and found innocent, and even possibly been the target of a Cylon plot. Meanwhile, the real-life Six disappears from Galactica and is nowhere to be found.
In the episode "The Hand of God", Baltar successfully helps the fleet destroy a Cylon mining base on an asteroid with badly needed tylium ores for fueling the fleet. The planners of the attack ask Baltar to point out where it is on a recon photo, even though he has no idea what it looks like. In his mind, Baltar asks Virtual Six for help, but she tells him it is in God's hands and He will 'tell' Baltar where to point. Baltar then points to one of the buildings of the base, simply as a wild guess. Much to Baltar's surprise, his guess was correct. Baltar comes to believe the only logical explanation is that God guided his hand.
Vice-Presidency
In the episode "Colonial DayColonial Day (Battlestar Galactica)
"Colonial Day" is the eleventh episode of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica television series.In the episode, Tom Zarek seeks to become Vice President, but President Laura Roslin thwarts him by nominating the popular scientist Gaius Baltar, who ultimately wins. A possible presidential assassin is...
", Baltar, now Caprica's representative to the Quorum of Twelve, is elected Vice-President with Roslin's support. In the episode "Home, Part II
Home (Battlestar Galactica)
"Home" is a two-part episode of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica television series. Part 1 aired originally on the Sci Fi Channel on August 19, 2005, and Part 2 aired on August 26, 2005....
", Baltar undergoes a brain scan which reveals no sign of a computer chip. He realizes his vision of Number Six could not be a hallucination, as she is aware of facts he could not possibly know. She tells him the first Human/Cylon Hybrid will be born in the ship's brig; soon, the Caprican version of the Cylon Sharon Valerii (pregnant with the human Karl Agathon's child) is imprisoned in it. When Baltar confronts Six with this, she simply replies she is "an angel of God sent here to protect you, to guide you, and to love you". Virtual Six later persuades Baltar to give a pacifist movement a nuclear bomb Admiral William Adama
William Adama
William "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series...
had given him in an earlier episode for constructing a Cylon detector.
Baltar proceeds to run for President against Roslin. He is far behind Roslin in the polls when a habitable planet is accidentally discovered in a region of space where heavy electromagnetic interference makes long-range observation difficult. Baltar announces that he will begin immediate civilian settlement of New Caprica if elected. Due to his support for settlement of New Caprica, the election promptly swings in Baltar's favor and he is sworn in as president. During the inauguration itself, the nuclear warhead Baltar gave up destroys a luxury liner. Following this apparent act of Cylon terrorism, Admiral Adama urges Baltar to focus immediately on internal security and investigate how a Cylon agent could have carried out the bombing. Baltar refuses, however, and proceeds with plans for settlement.
Presidency
After one year, life on New Caprica is extremely difficult, with the civilian population living in rough conditions and shortages of basic supplies like antibiotics persisting. A Cylon fleet arrives in orbit of New Caprica and the remaining military fleet jumps away. A Cylon delegation accepts Baltar's surrender. When Baltar asks how the Cylons managed to detect New Caprica, it is revealed they were a light-year away when they detected the light and radiation from the nuclear explosion Gina set off the year before. Baltar continues to hold the office of the Presidency, but only as a figurehead. Compounding his alienation to his people, he was forced at gunpoint to sign an execution order for hundreds of humans. However, throughout the occupation of New Caprica, Baltar tried to persuade the Cylons their mission to rule over the human race could not succeed and they should leave the planet. When the Colonials evacuate New Caprica, Baltar and Caprica-Six discover Hera, the child of Sharon "Athena" Agathon whom Virtual Six predicted would be born in Galactica's Brig. Baltar's rescue of the child helps him convince the Cylons to make him a member of their fleet.Life among the Cylons
In the episode "CollaboratorsCollaborators (Battlestar Galactica)
"Collaborators" is the fifth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica.- Plot :In the absence of Gaius Baltar, Tom Zarek has become President of the Colonies. Knowing that the military will never support him as President, he agrees to stand down in...
", we find Baltar living on a Cylon Basestar in a barless cell. Caprica-Six informs Baltar she has had a change of heart about him and has let her feelings for him cloud her judgment, presumably ending their relationship. However, by the end of the episode, it is indicated she has cast the tie-breaking vote amongst the Cylons to allow Baltar to remain alive aboard the Cylon Basestar, though it is clear they remain estranged. Over time, Baltar becomes accustomed to his new environment. Once Baltar learns that no one knows what the "Final Five" Cylons look like, he begins to suspect that he himself may be a Cylon. He admits however that this is wishful thinking on his part, because of his desire to have all his 'sins' forgiven and become a hero to another people.
Towards the end of Baltar's stay with the Cylons, he grows much closer to D'Anna, who has become obsessed with finding the identities of the "Final Five" Cylons. Pondering if he himself is a Cylon, Baltar brushes Caprica-Six aside and aligns with D'Anna. Together, in the episodes "Eye of Jupiter
The Eye of Jupiter (Battlestar Galactica)
"The Eye of Jupiter" is the eleventh episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. It aired on December 15, 2006 and was filmed in Kamloops, B.C.- Plot :Survivor Count: 41,402...
" and "Rapture
Rapture (Battlestar Galactica)
"Rapture" is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Aired on January 21, 2007, this episode marks the return of regular broadcasting after the Christmas mid-season hiatus.-Plot:...
", Baltar and the Three models defy the other Cylon models and he and D'Anna travel to the surface of an algae planet in search for an ancient ruined temple. Three believed the temple would show her the identities of the Final Five. D'Anna appears to see the Final Five, but collapses and swiftly dies before she can tell Baltar if he is a Cylon or not. Hoping to retrigger the vision, Baltar steps onto the platform D'Anna used, when Chief Tyrol gets the drop on Baltar and knocks him out. The ex-president is then transported back to Galactica in a body bag and sent to the brig.
Trial
Baltar is subjected to a hallucinogen-based interrogation by Admiral Adama about any involvement with the Cylons. Baltar admits his unwitting complicity in the original Cylon attack on the Colonies, though without any specifics. Meanwhile, Baltar smuggles writings out of his cell through his lawyer, which are published in a memoir, My Triumphs, My Mistakes. In the book, Baltar attempts to explain his actions as President to the public and foment class warfare by describing the fleet as a bifurcated society, accusing the elite upper class of militarism and professional civilians of exploiting the less well-educated working class. While the book is not completed at the end of Season 3 (President Roslin confiscates several sections through repeated searches of Baltar's cell), it becomes very popular among certain segments of the fleet populace (despite Roslin's repeated attempts to suppress its distribution), including workers on the tylium refinery ship and Chief Tyrol's flight-deck maintenance crew, as well as his wife Cally Tyrol. Despite the labor difficulties Baltar experienced with Tyrol on New Caprica, the book's popularity leads to Tyrol calling a general strike and exacerbates the fleet's already strained social order.As his trial proceeds, Baltar's first lawyer is killed in an explosion aboard a sabotaged Raptor. His second attorney, Romo Lampkin
Romo Lampkin
Romo Lampkin is a fictional character in the television remake of Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by Mark Sheppard. He first appeared in the third season episode, "The Son Also Rises"....
, survives a similar attempt on his life. Lee Adama
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
(now Lampkin's security adjutant) then joins Baltar's defense team. The trial is unfair, and includes witness Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta
Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.- Character overview in his early career :...
deliberately lying to ensure a guilty verdict. Baltar rejects his defense team's suggestion to demand a mistrial saying, "there will be a verdict". The defense team uses the very end of the trial to try to persuade the jury that Baltar is guilty only of being a scapegoat
Scapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
for the Cylon occupation. Lee Adama also mentions the fleet has forgiven numerous other persons for their mistakes because they have had to in order to ensure their survival. Baltar is found not guilty for his crimes by a 3-2 vote, with Admiral Adama casting a vote in Baltar's favor. Roslin is disgusted Baltar is now free as she still truly believes he was involved in sabotaging the colonial defenses in the attack. After Baltar is freed from prison, his defense team abandons him.
Return to civilian life
Shortly before the Cylon fleet attacks at the Ionian Nebula, Baltar is led away to safety by three female followers of his work, one of whom had asked him to bless her sick child before his trial. He is received warmly by a group (with mostly female members) that has erected a shrine to him in an unused compartment of Galactica. Baltar quickly learns he has no other place to go, and must stay on the ship. Under the direction of his Virtual Six, Baltar spreads Monotheistic beliefs among the group. After his following on Galactica is attacked by a polytheismPolytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
group, Baltar (with the encouragement of his Virtual Six) disrupts a religious ceremony of one of the polytheist denominations in the fleet. Later, President Roslin meets with the imprisoned Baltar to pressure him to avoid stirring up more trouble in the future. After he is released, Baltar is prevented from returning to his home by government soldiers acting under new legislation approved by the President. The legislation restricts the right to assembly specifically for Baltar's movement. Under the direction of Virtual Six, Baltar keeps attempting to re-enter his home, and is subjected to repeated blows from a Galactica marine. Virtual Six is shown physically lifting Baltar from the floor to a standing position; whereby camera pans across a couple views to allude to Baltar's view of the action and then the view of this action in the context of everyone else present. While we see Baltar's perspective, everyone else only sees a limp Baltar rising to a vertical posture. Their facial expressions appear to allude some sort of supernatural experience is occurring. This continues until Lee Adama arrives to inform Baltar the Quorum of Twelve has overruled the President and revoked the new legislation. Baltar goes on to preach God loves all humans regardless of their sin because everyone is perfect just as they are. Baltar then begins illegal wireless broadcasts to the fleet of his religious speeches and his popularity grows.
Shortly thereafter, Kara Thrace informs the once again cancer-stricken President Roslin the Cylon Hybrid on the captured rebel Cylon Basestar referred to a "dying leader" learning the "truth of the opera house"—the setting of the dreams Roslin shares with Caprica-Six and Athena. As Baltar's popularity continues to increase, he chooses to inform the fleet of Roslin sharing her visions with both of the long-time Cylons in the fleet. Although this development distressed Roslin, she decides to bring Baltar with her (along with Karl Agathon—Athena's husband) to the Cylon Basestar to see the Hybrid. She informs Baltar that she chose to do this because she sees him in the dreams she shares with Caprica-Six and Athena. The Basestar jumps away from the fleet the moment the Hybrid is reactivated to begin a series of jumps to reach the Cylon Resurrection Hub, leaving Baltar once again away from the fleet aboard a Cylon ship. When the Basestar jumps away from the Colonial Fleet, Roslin begins to have a series of visions involving Elosha, a deceased priestess. Baltar and Roslin attempt to interrogate the Hybrid. Later, during an attack on the Cylon Resurrection Hub, Baltar is injured. After he is influenced by morpha administered by Roslin, Baltar reveals the details of his involvement in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin decides to kill Baltar by leaving no pressure on his wounds. At that moment, the Basestar jumps again and Roslin's continuing vision of Elosha on Galactica culminates in an extended discourse on the need to respect the rights of the living. Afterwards, Roslin tries desperately to save Baltar's life. Baltar recovers and is then reunited with D'Anna. Later, Baltar thanks Roslin for choosing not to murder him.
Cooperation with Colonial government
Following the discovery of a devastated planet Earth and Admiral Adama's support for a permanent alliance with the rebel Cylons, Zarek and Felix Gaeta lead an unsuccessful mutiny on Galactica. During the mutiny, President Roslin goes to Baltar to ask if she can use his wireless transmitter to speak to the fleet and urge them to support the government. After Roslin speaks to the fleet, she and Baltar flee to the rebel Baseship while they wait out the conflict. After order is restored on Galactica, Baltar returns to his following to find its numbers dwindled and are now under the de facto leadership of Paula (although some appear to still be more loyal to Baltar). During the mutiny, the Monotheists were brutalized by mutineers. Afterward, the Monotheists comb the ship for weapons and food to hoard. Baltar attempts reclaiming leadership when the Monotheists take him to Dogsville. Baltar insists to his followers they give away all their food. However, the group which had attacked Baltar's followers arrives armed with weapons and steal the remaining food. Virtual Six insists Baltar attempt to persuade his followers there is a way to feed themselves and everyone else on the ship. After Baltar wins over everyone except Paula, Virtual Six tells him "We can get guns". Baltar then promises his following that he will acquire numerous advanced firearms.Baltar attempts to acquire weapons from Admiral Adama. He does this by arguing that Galactica is slowly slipping away from Adama and then eventually he will either maintain order by giving civilians weapons or bringing Cylon Centurions to the ship. Insisting that the fleet would not accept Centurions on Galactica, Baltar is able to barely persuade Adama to agree his religious group is the only viable option for maintaining order. The Monotheists are then armed by the Colonial government, cementing Baltar's leadership of the group.
Arrival at Earth
When the last Raptor leaves Galactica with Paula, Baltar decides not to go and stays on Galactica to finally do something truly selfless. Baltar is issued a rifle and is assigned as part of Galactica's reserve force alongside Caprica Six. The virtual Baltar only seen by Caprica Six and the virtual Six seen only by Baltar then appear to them and they both realize they can both see both of them. During the assault on the Cylon colony ship, Baltar and Caprica Six defend Galactica from Cylon Centurions and find Hera who is running away in a manner that fulfills the Opera House vision (with Galactica substituted for the Opera House). They carry her through the ship to the Opera House and enter it to find themselves in Galactica's CIC with the Final Five in similar positions as they were in the vision. Cavil takes Hera hostage, but Baltar tries to talk him down attempting to convince him to end the cycle of violence. Cavil starts to falter and finally gives in when Colonel Tigh offers him resurrection in return for Hera and leaving humanity alone for good.Planetside, he's part of the survey crew that discovers a primitive version of humanity which evolved on the planet that the Colonials later name Earth and says they're compatible for the Colonials to breed with. Later, while observing Hera with Caprica Six, Baltar and Caprica Six receive a final visit from their ethereal counterparts. They reveal Baltar and Caprica have fulfilled their role in God's plan. Afterward, the Virtual Beings disappear for the last time.
External links
- Gaius Baltar on Battlestar Wiki