In the second season of Battlestar Galactica they did some exploration on the possibility of Dr. Gaius Baltar being a Cylon. We were left with no concrete “yes” or “no” answer to the question, however, so I’m proceeding as if he is contender to be the final Cylon, if for no other reason, than the Final Five may be so radically different that the Significant Seven don’t recognize them at all. And that’s not a baseless theory.

That said, I’m unsure of how to discuss Baltar without descending into a very deeply psychological and philosophical discussion. He is absolutely the most morally and ethically challenged (dare I say, tortured) character on the show. Ultimately, though, that is what makes him the most human of all the characters. He is locked daily in a struggle with his own nature.

It’s ironic then that Baltar is the only refugee from the Colonies who would be ecstatic to be a Cylon. By his own admission, he believes it would absolve him for allowing his fleshly weaknesses to open the door for the Cylon invasion of the 12 Colonies and the subsequent wholesale slaughter of mankind. Not to mention for indulging his thirst for power and petty revenge, which led to the New Caprica colonization disaster. More than anything, though, I think Baltar desires to belong, which I suspect is related to the fact his actions have left him villified by so many of those in his own species.

Self-serving to the extreme, Baltar has proven he will lie, disassemble, do anything really, to save his own behind. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he’s completely uncaring for his fellow man but he doesn’t seem able to get past his entrenched sense of self-preservation long enough to consider anyone before himself.

The only exceptions to Baltar’s self-serving pattern that I recall is when he helped the Six (Gina) held aboard Pegasus, and his prayer for the dying boy Derrick (in “He That Believeth in Me”). Those are the ONLY true selfless acts I’ve seen him make. It is genuine compassion and love that motivates him to help Gina, and I think he really wanted Derrick to get well and might just have given his life in exchange. He certainly seemed ready to do so. In contrast, his desire earlier in the series to care for the Cylon/human hybrid child Hera appeared rooted more in his desire to be The Chosen One and thereby gain absolution and lay blame for his actions on fate and/or a higher power rather than man-up and take responsibility for himself.

This is not a new notion where Baltar is concerned. From the beginning, after being stripped of the self-assuredness and stature he possessed on Caprica, he has sought to carve out an important role for himself, to be some sort of hero, which I suspect he thinks will, quite erroneously, miraculously alleviate his guilt. To that end, he has followed every single self-elevating path laid out to him by the Six that inhabits his mind (aka Head Six). Now, maybe it’s just me, but that sounds an awful lot like the wily moves of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, who whispered half-truths and ego-stroking declarations to Adam and Eve, tempting them into sin. If that is an accurate analysis, Baltar is likely headed for serious trouble.

But regardless of who or what Head Six is, Baltar is clearly embarking on some religious power path, making me wonder if he’s being set up as a false prophet of sorts. One thing’s for sure, he appears to be enjoying the perks of having his own cultish harem, which isn’t surprising considering his legendary fleshly indulgences — remember, he went from a threesome in season three to a harem in season four. And I suspect he enjoys being a devisive influence in the fleet. It makes him feel important, which in turn only fuels his worst characteristics.

All that said, the doctor isn’t without his charms. In fact, he is intelligent and can be quite funny. I particularly found him a source of amusement in the first few seasons, but it’s hard to summon up sympathy for him when confronted with his extreme selfish streak, insufferable arrogance and bouts of pettiness. Oh, and let’s not forget his apparent inability to learn from his mistakes.

The man is his own worst enemy. He whines about how he’s treated and that people don’t like him, but he does nothing that engenders good will from others. He makes no attempt to change his ways, either, which might just change people’s opinion of him if he but really tried, and for longer than 30 seconds. Instead, he indulges himself to gluttonous proportions in carnal pleasures and constantly looks for ways to position himself as someone of importance, all of which overshadows the fact he is a truly gifted genius. And that’s just sad really because I can see so much potential for him to be better than he is.

Things that make you go “Hmmm, Baltar might be a Cylon”

1. Two words: Head Six. Though I’m not sure what she is at this point — Cylon projection, or perhaps a demon, angel or evidence of psychosis — she officially gave me the willies during last week’s episode (“Escape Velocity”). Just the prospect of Baltar being “connected” in some way, even mentally, to the Cylons is enough to generate suspicion.
2. In the series, Cylons appear to be drawn to one another — consider Tory Foster and Sam Anders, Boomer and Chief Tyrol. Baltar is drawn to the Sixes, bedded D’Anna and now Tori Foster. That doesn’t mean he is a Cylon, but it may be something to consider.

Things that make you go “Hmmm, maybe not”

1. It would be a somewhat anticlimactic revelation at this point, particularly since we watched him pursue the question himself and come away believing he wasn’t. Not hard proof, but it shouldn’t be discounted.
2. It would be a “get-out-of-jail-free” card for Baltar, a guy who seriously needs to be held accountable for something, if only for his inability to keep his fly zipped, lack of spine and both unwittingly and knowingly consorting with the enemy.
3. Not sure how to classify this, but has anyone else noticed that the Cylons who have sex with Baltar seem to sort of wig out in some way — Caprica Six, D’Anna, and now Tory? What’s up with that? Is the man a Cylon insanity inducer as well as a walking hormone?
4. If the Web-wide belief that the Final Cylon isn’t shown in the Entertainment Weekly “BSG Last Supper” photo is true, then that would rule out Baltar.
5. It would negate Baltar’s primary signficance to the series and turn his very human struggles into a cheap parlor trick. Bad dramatic form all around.

My gut feeling is…

My instincts tell me that it would be too simple and woefully misguided to label Baltar a Cylon and toss him out the airlock ala Roslin. It would be the easy way out for a character who’s made it his life’s work to look for the easy way out only to make things harder for himself in the process. I don’t think this paradoxical behavior will stop any time soon, if ever, because ultimately I believe Baltar needs redemption from himself. Making him a Cylon will not provide that but instead give him an excuse to not change. I don’t know that he will either way, though, because it appears right now that he is headed down a path fraught with pitfalls that could cost him his life — either at the hands of the humans at large, the Cylons, or his devoted followers.

***Promotional images used in this post are copyrighted works and used here for informational and entertainment purposes ONLY.***

What can I say about Admiral William Adama — well, other than the obvious fact that Edward James Olmos is a COLOSSAL improvement over Lorne Greene?

Actually, I can say quite alot because in addition to being a longtime fan of Mr. Olmos, I am a huge fan of the Adama character in this superiorly written and acted incarnation of Battlestar Galactica.

A thoughtful, intelligent and pragmatic man of principle, Bill Adama commands humanity’s first and only line of defense against the Cylon agressors — the Battlestar Galactica and the men and women who crew her.

Like a great lion, Adama is a readily identifiable and undeniably powerful presence. He diligently watches over his pride, which has grown from just the men and women under his command to encompass what remains of the human race, with both affection and protectiveness. He is their steadfast defender, fierce in his anger when they are threatened, and, when needed, their disciplinarian and teacher. His paternal affection for his warriors and deckhands is evidenced in the fact he takes the time to know each of them by name. He is driven by a strong sense of duty and honor, tempered by compassion, all of which inspires loyalty and awe in his crew, who lovingly and respectfully refer to him as “the old man.”

Adama is a man of deep feeling but keeps his affection carefully hidden behind a stoic (sometimes gruff) mask of leadership, only letting it out in the occasional unguarded moment. The emotional distance is not one he particularly desires, but rather a necessary evil of command. He cannot afford to let his tender feelings for those he cares to cause hesitation in cruical situations. He allowed that gap to close in the past, during the year of settlement on New Caprica, and subsequently suffered guilt over the devastation that followed and how his relaxed vigilance may have helped pave the way for it.

Now, all that said, Adama is by no means a perfect man. Like Laura Roslin, he can venture into “gray” areas of choice — take his and Roslin’s draconian interrogation of Dr. Gaius Baltar in the third season — but I sense he is never happy when he has to venture there. He’d much rather walk the straight and narrow but age and experience have taught him that the people in charge do not always have the luxury of acting based solely on idealistic concepts and precepts, no matter how badly they want to. Leading can sometimes be an ugly business, but he does it with forthrightness and a desire to do what is right, even when “right” isn’t so clear cut. He is not afraid to admit when he’s wrong and does his level best to learn from mistakes. And he (also like Roslin) never forgets that the human race is locked in a high-stakes battle for survival — something too many people in the fleet seem to forget.

If Adama has a consistent flaw/weakness (though I hate to characterize it as such because it is also a virtue), it’s his loyal streak, which is easily a light-year wide. He stands by those he loves — including the grizzled Colonel Saul Tigh, who has apparently caused him as much grief as happiness over the years of their friendship — even when they’ve proven themselves unworthy of his blind trust. This extends to the frequently disobedient Starbuck and his idealistic and occasionally “turncoat” son Lee.

Adama stands firmly united with Roslin in the goal of helping humanity survive. He is the fleet’s father figure and protector, as Roslin is mother and nurturer. Together, they are a formidable force of will, and make no mistake, it is the combined force of their wills that has kept the fleet intact so far. They have formed a remarkable partnership of equals out of initial distrust and skepticism, one that has survived a military coup and other personal betrayals of trust, some big, some small. Always they reforge the bond, two isolated leaders finding surer strength together. It sustains them, even now, as they face the decline of her health and the uncertainty of the future, and it appears to be ever closing the gap between their hearts.

The impact of Adama being a Cylon would be of similar scale to that of Roslin — a k a, frakking scary! It would be an ENORMOUS revelation and truly surprising because NO ONE wants Bill Adama, the man brave men and women are willing to follow unto death, to be the enemy! Talk about intrinsically altering the landscape of the series. It would call into question everything that has happened up to that moment of revelation. Adama, after all, is the man who controls the guns. He is the fleet’s fierce and unflinching defender, putting himself, his ship and his crew between the civilians and the Cylons since the beginning. If he were to be revealed as the final Cylon model, there could be some serious fall out. I don’t think there is a soul in the fleet who wouldn’t be devastated by that bit of news, and it would terrify Roslin more than cancer, death or staring down the gun barrels of all the Cylons in the universe. If you don’t believe me, see her reaction to Leoben’s whispering “Adama is a Cylon” to her in the first season episode “Flesh and Bone.”

There are things, of course, that complicate Adama’s candidacy for the part. For one thing, he has one of the most established familial connections in the series, and he was shown in the miniseries “Battlestar Galactica: Razor” in combat during the first Cylon war, presumably before the biological Cylons were created. Those two things, however, don’t necessarily eliminate the possibility that he is indeed a “toaster,” especially when you take in Tigh’s purported service in the first Cylon war. And, there’s simply too much information we don’t know about the Final Five and their differences from other Cylons to say for sure one way or another.

Things that make you go “Hmmm, Adama might be a Cylon”

1. The sheer “Holy frak!” value.
2. While this isn’t really a substantial clue, we never did hear the results of Adama’s blood test using Baltar’s Cylon detection method. It can’t be discounted, however, because it has never been definitively established that the “detector” failed to work and there is evidence that it possibly did because Boomer tested positive — but only Baltar knew that and he didn’t tell anyone else. Shortly thereafter Boomer attempted to assassinate Adama, which prompted the testing to be scrapped and declared a “fraud” since it “failed” to positively ID Boomer as a Cylon. Frakking Baltar!

Things that make you go “Hmmm, maybe not”

1. Adama’s father, Joseph, was a prominent civil liberties lawyer on Caprica.
2. Adama has two sons, Lee and Zak (deceased), and Hera Agethon is believed by the Cylons to be the first Cylon-human hybrid child, followed by Nicholas Tyrol (though Nick’s existence is known only to the Final Four).
3. The Cylon sleeper agent Boomer attempted to assassinate Adama early in the first season. This isn’t a big clue as to Adama’s non-Cylon status because it’s established the Final Five are unknown to the other Cylons, but it is worth mentioning.
4. If the Web-wide belief that the Final Cylon isn’t shown in the Entertainment Weekly “BSG Last Supper” photo is true, then that would rule out Admiral Adama.
5. The “Holy frak!” value aside, I’m not sure the writers really want to take a bulldozer to the foundation of the series. But you never know.

Unlike with Roslin, there is nothing that intrigues me about the prospect of Adama being the final Cylon. The notion truly horrifies me, a reaction that may stem from the fact I have a thing about strong pragmatic men of principle with a softer side … oh and there’s something incredibly sexy about Edward James Olmos. I like Adama. I admire him. I would follow him into battle knowing he would do his level best to make sure I got home safe. It’s a selfish desire, but I don’t EVER want that perception to change.

My gut feeling is…

Instinct tells me Admiral Adama is not the final Cylon. I don’t believe the fleet can survive without him being the man he’s been all along. I suspect he may be the glue that holds the fleet together when Roslin succumbs to cancer. With their “mother” gone, the “children” will need their “father.”

***Promotional images used in this post are copyrighted works and used here for informational and entertainment purposes ONLY.***

Throughout the series, all signs have pointed to Laura Roslin being the prophesied dying leader guiding humanity to safety. It is a mantle she took on knowing full well what she was doing even though she had reservations about being seen as a prophet of any sort. I don’t think she wants the role, any more than she wanted the presidency, but it fell to her and she’s picked up the burden and trudged forward in the face of overwhelming odds and her own battle with breast cancer. You have to admire that sort of fortitude, that willingness to step up and do what needs to be done, overlooking personal pains and putting others before yourself.

Roslin is tough, a shrewd judge of character, and, yes, can be ruthless at times. I dare say, though, that her ruthlessness is a product of her passion to protect the human race, since she has otherwise proven herself to be reasonable and compassionate, as well as wise. Though she is not always on the side of “right,” she makes the difficult choices that come out of living in difficult times. More importantly, she learns from her mistakes. Her choices are almost always about what’s best for the greater whole. Sometimes those choices don’t sit well with idealists but that doesn’t make her choices wrong, just not ideal. But the human race is not living in ideal times. They are running for their lives.

Roslin has an uncanny ability to see truth, not just in the immediate moment, but the truth of days to come. Why? Because she has never flinched from the reality of the situation the human survivors are facing — possible extinction. Even as the specter of New Caprica appeared on the horizon, she saw the reality of where they were headed, knew disaster was around the corner. She tried to warn the people but they didn’t listen and elected the idiot (Dr. Gaius Baltar) who led them down a path to disaster.

Roslin didn’t rest on her laurels, however. She didn’t sit back and point a finger and say “I told you so.” Instead, she prepared herself (and the people) for the day when humanity was put back on its destined course; she had utter faith Adama would return for them. That, folks, is the sign of a leader, but more than that, it’s the sign of who Roslin is … a person with a true sense of purpose. She has never exhibited a desire to have power for power’s sake, only as a means to accomplish the purpose to which she feels called. In that sense, she is the polar opposite of her frequent nemesis Baltar whose main interest is self-preservation, indulging his gluttonous nature, and stroking his own ego, when he’s not trying to find some way to absolve his conscience. It’s no wonder they don’t get along.

Roslin doesn’t look through rose-colored glasses at the present or the future because she’s facing her own death, for the second time. She’s looking it square in the eye and it has peeled away the trappings of conventional thinking and given her a clarity that only those who have gone down that path can understand. As time passes and death draws ever closer, she will only grow more focused on the task she has set for herself. Her choices will be governed not by the complaints borne out of civilian complacency and discontent, political wrangling or the posturing of idealists (yes, that means you Apollo), but the driving need to complete her (divinely bestowed) mission — to guide her children, humanity itself, to safety.

As a woman, Roslin has a remarkable core of strength. She seems impossibly strong and yet there is a fragility about her that is clearly visible at times, particularly in the quiet moments she has with Adama — their bond as leaders and friends (and something more) has only grown stronger through adversity, built on respect, understanding and, yes, love.

Of course, all these observations of Roslin would be called into question should she be revealed as the Final Cylon, and it would herald a MASSIVE dramatic shift in the series.

Imagine if the leader most instrumental in saving what’s left of the human race from Cylons, the mother figure of the fleet who has sought to guide and nurture her “children,” turned out to be a Cylon!

It’s a horrifying thought, bone-chilling in fact, but it’s also one of the most bang-for-your-buck possiblities.

It would change everything, at least for a time, until the true nature of the Final Five is revealed and depending on what’s brought to light in coming episodes, Roslin as Cylon would be either utterly devasting to humanity or the best news they’ve heard in years.

I’ll admit her affliction with breast cancer would seem to discount her as a Cylon, which are known to be resistant to human diseases, but I am hesitant to label it an ironclad guarantee of non-Cylon status since we don’t know much about the Final Five and their differences from the other Cylon models.

No matter what, though, Roslin as Cylon would be painful for many to swallow, particularly Adama with whom she has connected both professionally and personally and who is the symbolic father of the fleet, counterpart to her role as mother.

Considering the themes of family and unity that proliferate the series, it would seem incongruent to make her a Cylon, but I do believe she is a reasonable candidate for it, simply because it would be such a HUGE revelation.

Things that make you go “Hmmm, Roslin might be a Cylon”

1. Roslin has visions, which she has linked to her role as the dying leader fortold by the ancient oracle Pythia. Though Roslin attributes her visions to the drug chamalla, which she is taking as an alternative medicinal treatment for her cancer, some Cylon models (Leoben, Caprica, Sharon and D’Anna) appear prone to having prescient visions.
2. Roslin not only has prophetic visions, but she actually shared one with two Cylons (Sharon and the captive Caprica on Galactica) and apparently baby Hera, the Cylon/human hybrid daughter of Sharon Valerii and Karl Agethon.
3. During the finale of Season Three when four of the Final Five are revealed, Roslin experiences a moment of faintness around the same time as the Four hear the strange music in the ship and are compelled to gather in the same room. Her moment of faintness (I hesitate to say disorientation) could be attributed to the treatments she is undergoing for cancer (chamalla and diloxin — think chemotherapy), general fatigue, or whatever caused the fleet-wide power outage (an EMP?), but the timing is certainly interesting and enough to make you wonder. Time will tell if it was coincidence, a red herring or a clue.
4. Also, it’s been noted that the revealed Four of the Final Five were instrumental in the management of the resistance movement on New Caprica, and Roslin was apparently a part of that hierarchy. It’s entirely possible she was calling many of the shots, though we did see her speak out against Tigh’s decision to engage in suicide bombings.
5. The sheer “Holy frak!” value.

Things that make you go “Hmmm, maybe not”

1. Roslin’s breast cancer is definitely a biggie. Though cured in the second season by an injection from newborn Hera, her cancer returned by the end of the third season, leaving her once again as the prophesied dying leader. Cylons are known to be resistant to human diseases and Roslin is now facing cancer for the second time, and it appears to be a battle she is losing, again. She’s lost her hair now and has accepted death will be her fate.
2. Roslin’s visions aren’t out of the ordinary for people who use chamalla. Priests use it often just for that purpose. Her visions also correlate to ancient prophecies, giving credence to her role as the dying leader.
3. If the Web-wide belief that the Final Cylon isn’t shown in the Entertainment Weekly “BSG Last Supper” photo is true, then that would rule out Roslin.
4. “Holy Frak!” value aside, I’m not sure the writers want to shake the foundation of the series so deeply. It’s not impossible, but it’s going to take a whole lot of explaining, very deft explaining to be pulled off.

Personally, I am both intrigued and terrified by the prospect of Roslin being the final Cylon. I love the character as she is and unless they’re going to make her something very special, with a positive role to play, I don’t want her to be anything other than the Laura Roslin I’ve come to admire, even if that means her death. I DO NOT want her turned into a villain. I think I would feel extremely cheated if that happened. It would be heart-breaking to have all her sacrifices rendered for naught.

My gut feeling is…

My instincts tell me Roslin is not the final Cylon and that she will most likely succumb to her cancer before reaching Earth. If she is truly the prophesied dying leader then that is (most likely) her decreed fate and I can honestly see her at peace with that. Her sole goal to date has been to get THEM there and I don’t see that changing. Her personal wishes and wants, her own needs (even those of the heart) have been secondary from the beginning and I believe they will continue to be so.

***Promotional images used in this post are copyrighted works and used here for informational and entertainment purposes ONLY.***