Donald Mortinson

Donald Mortinson
Name	{{{name}}}
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Colony	Earth
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Introduced	Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I
Death	{{{death}}}
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Family Tree	View
Role	Nuclear Physicist at the Pacific Institute of Technology
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Portrayed by	Robert Reed
Donald Mortinson is a Cylon
Donald Mortinson is a Final Five Cylon
Donald Mortinson is a Human/Cylon Hybrid
Donald Mortinson is an Original Series Cylon
Additional Information
Felix Mortinson in the separate continuity
Donald Mortinson in the primary continuity
[[Image:|200px|Donald Mortinson]]

Doctor Donald Mortinson, Ph.D. is one of the Earth's foremost nuclear physicists who works at the Pacific Institute of Technology, in addition to being a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

He is the first scientist selected to be contacted by Captain Troy and Lieutenant Dillon in their mission of making contact with the scientists of Earth, given his work on nuclear power. In particular, Mortinson was working on an abstract theory of nuclear degeneration since roughly 1977, according to Dorothy Carlyle. He also worked on various papers, including one on brother worlds and atomic travel, which Troy and Dillon references in their conversation with Carlyle.

Mortinson is convinced of their being from a different planet after they leave a completed mathematical formula on his computer. He arranges a meeting with the two Colonials, but recognizes that Jamie Hamilton is trying to capture him on film and they escape.

Despite his aversion for the media, he later does an interview with Mr. Brooks at the United Broadcasting Company, attempting to convince people that the "two young men" were not terrorists, which fails. After the interview, he is approached by Xaviar, who he later brings back to his large beach house. It is here where Xaviar attempts to convince him that Troy and Dillon are outcasts, in addition to a vain attempt to convince him of the benefits of altering Earth's history in order to speed up the development of technology. This fails when Hamilton calls him and attempts to warn him of Xaviar, who disconnects the phone and stuns him.

Later, he is apparently contacted by the Air Force Colonel, who brings him to Van Nuys A.N.G. Base to help explain the technology of the Vipers they had temporarily captured. Mortinson assures them that the craft were not of Russian origin, but of an extraterrestrial one (Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III).

He is later mentioned as monitoring Colonial frequencies for Dillon and Troy, although as he does so he is unable to detect the Cylon frequencies emitted by the A-B Raider (1980: "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I").

Novelization depiction

In the novelization by Michael Resnick, this character is named Alfred Mortinson. Further, he is noted as being married and has at least one child.

Notes

• The license plate on Mortinson's car is "284 NOY" (Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II).