Editing Baltar (TOS)

{{disline|This page discusses the {{TOS|Battlestar Galactica|Original Series}} character who intentionally betrays the {{TOS|The Twelve Colonies|Twelve Colonies of Man}}. For information on the unwitting betrayer of humanity in the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]], see [[Gaius Baltar]]. See also [[Baltar (TOS alternate)]]}}

{{Character Data
    |title= Baltar
    |photo= Baltar.jpg
    |age=
    |colony=
    |birthname=
    |callsign=
    |death=
    |parents=
    |siblings=
    |children= 
    |marital status=
    |role= {{TOS|Quorum of Twelve|Quorum of Twelve}} Representative, Commander of the Cylon Pursuit Force
    |rank=
    |actor= [[John Colicos]]
    |cylon= 
    |name= 
    |sepcon=Y
    |series=TOS
    }}

== Biography ==

=== Baltar's Deeds ===

Lord '''Baltar''' (sometimes referred to as Count Baltar) has a relatively prolific life as a member of the {{TOS|Quorum of Twelve|Quorum of the Twelve}}, the ruling body of the {{TOS|Twelve Colonies|Colonies}}. He apparently financed and plotted many expeditions of the {{TOS|Cyrannus|Cyrannus galaxy}} during the [[Thousand Yahren War]]. These surveys and expeditions also included the [[tylium (TOS)|tylium]]-rich planet of [[Carillon]], though the fact was never revealed as in reports to the Quorum. 

[[File:SOSW - Adar Thanks Baltar.png|thumb|left|President Adar thanks Baltar for his work on the Cimtar Peace Accord {{OS|Saga of a Star World}}.]]

For many [[yahren]], Baltar apparently plotted to use the Cylons as his iron fist to bring down the Colonies under his dictatorship. Using the [[Cimtar Peace Accord]] as a ruse (taking advantage of both Colonials and Cylons), he manages to work up the humans' excitement for the Treaty as well as give the Cylons what they want: the eradication of the threat of the lifeform known as Man.

The Cylons take the opportunity. However, the Cylons simply consider Baltar a pawn to be used up once moved. His plans for domination destroyed, Baltar is thanked by the [[Imperious Leader]] by scheduling him for public execution. Baltar is likely sent to the planet [[Cylon]], or one of their many outposts {{OS|Saga of a Star World}}.
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=== The First Salvation of Baltar ===

The new Imperious Leader spares Baltar's disheveled life to seek the Human remnant that escapes the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Man. Baltar is spared essentially because the Imperious Leader believed that, to find the humans, another human was needed that would think as their prey did {{OS|Saga of a Star World|Lost Planet of the Gods}}.

Now in command of a fully equipped {{TOS|Basestar|basestar}}, and assigned [[Lucifer]], a [[IL-series]] cogitator, Baltar tracks down ''{{TOS|Galactica}}'' and decides to abduct a Colonial Warrior&mdash;{{TOS|Starbuck|Lieutenant Starbuck}}&mdash;to convince the warrior that he wants peace, as well as to discover why the Vipers flew so erratically. Baltar succeeds in getting Colonial survivors to believe him, Baltar continues his charade of good will by landing on {{TOS|Kobol}} to prove his intentions of peace. Using the Quorum medallion, he manages to gain entry into the [[Tomb of the Ninth Lord of Kobol|Ninth Lord of Kobol's tomb]]. After trying to paint {{TOS|Adama}} as a liar who spread lies of his involvement with the {{TOS|Cylons}}, Baltar proves an annoyance as he tried to rob the tomb of the Ninth Lord.

Starbuck returns to the surface to tell the newly trained Viper pilots what Baltar promises while Lucifer decides to ignore Baltar's orders and begins attacking the Fleet and Kobol. Debris falls on and traps the traitorous Lord Baltar on Kobol while the Colonials flee the Cylons once more {{OS|Lost Planet of the Gods}}.

=== The Second Salvation of Baltar ===

The entrapped Baltar on Kobol is once again saved by the Cylons so that they could, yet again, attempt to stop Adama's rag-tag fugitive fleet and the last {{TOS|Battlestar|battlestar}}.

Baltar manages to track the Fleet from the {{TOS|Cyrannus|Cyrannus galaxy}}&mdash;home of the Cylons and Colonials&mdash;and to the sector containing the prison colony [[Proteus]]. Baltar apparently loses sight of the Fleet for a time after it changed course due to [[Robber]]'s transmissions back to Cylon hands (mistakenly thinking he was contacting the [[Aeries]] colony) {{OS|The Long Patrol}}.

Baltar plans to herd ''Galactica'' and her Fleet to [[Arcta]] and its [[Ravashol Pulsar]] to finish off Adama's fleet once and for all. Baltar's subordinate, [[Command Centurion]] [[Vulpa]], commands the Arcta base. However Baltar's plan is thwarted and the Fleet manages to pass the planet relatively unscathed, leaving Baltar to find some way to explain this military blunder to the Imperious Leader {{OS|The Gun on Ice Planet Zero}}.

Baltar manages to get in another attack by destroying the Fleet's two [[agro ships]], and the destruction of the crops on the third. However, the [[agron colony]] of [[Sectar (planet)|Sectar]] is near the Fleet. Adama manages to solicit a trade from the ruling populous of the main Sectar city, [[Serenity]] {{OS|The Magnificent Warriors}}.

Baltar attempts to capture a warrior for interrogation. After this and another tactic fails near [[Attila]], Baltar discovers an amusing rivalry between the two Cylon IL-series cogitators, Lucifer and [[Specter]]. But Specter gets the final laugh when the Cylon cons Baltar into believing an altered-version of the situation of Attila. This deception helps Specter keep some dignity and ability to obtain another position without being a "has-been" {{OS|The Young Lords}}.

Sometime thereafter, Baltar yet again finds an opportunity to destroy Adama and his Fleet. Once finally destroying the Fleet, Baltar hopes to make the Cylon's "outer capitol" of [[Gamoray]] his seat of power {{OS|The Living Legend, Part I}}. The timely appearance of the legendary {{TOS|Cain|Commander Cain}} spoils this opportunity and others as Cain and Adama combine forces. Baltar is almost killed in his personal Cylon Raider as the ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}'' nearly collides with the ship {{OS|The Living Legend, Part II}}.

Baltar survives the engagement to aid the Imperious Leader when the main city of [[Gamoray]] is assaulted by Colonial forces {{OS|The Living Legend, Part II}}.

=== Baltar's Selfless Surrender ===

[[File:Baltarpic.jpg|thumb|right|Count Baltar is forced to his knees by Count [[Iblis]] {{OS|War of the Gods, Part II}}.]]

When [[Iblis|Count Iblis]] manifests in the Fleet, Baltar requests to board ''Galactica'' under a flag of truce, but the Quorum of the Twelve sees this as a sign when he is apparently directed to surrender per the two conditions set out by the Quorum to test the seemingly omnipotent Iblis. Baltar is chastised and dropped into his personally reserved cell on the [[Prison Barge]]. Baltar attempts to help the Colonials unravel the mystery of the manifestations later known as [[Beings of Light]], mythical figures that maintained the universe, working to aid others indirectly {{OS|War of the Gods}}.

=== Baltar as an Aide ===

Baltar is essential in exposing an electronics expert and [[Ortega]]'s murderer, [[Karibdis]]. After {{TOS|Apollo}} extradites Baltar from the Prison Barge, Baltar and Apollo thwart Karibdis from killing them both {{OS|Murder on the Rising Star}}.

Apollo's deal, which guarantees Baltar's freedom from incarceration in return for his assistance in catching Karibdis, is reneged, and Baltar is returned to his imprisonment. 

During the temporary "visitation" of the [[Eastern Alliance]] personnel, commanded by [[Leiter|Commandant Leiter]], Baltar plots his escape with the assistance of the [[Borellian Nomen]] ([[Taba]], [[Maga]] and [[Bora]]) and Leiter's enforcers from [[Terra]]'s Eastern Alliance. "Lead" by Baltar, the prisoners capture eleven Quorum members, Lieutenants {{TOS|Boomer}} and {{TOS|Sheba|Sheba}}, and the [[Council Security]] in the bay at the time. 
[[File:BaltarsBargain.jpg|thumb|right|Baltar makes a deal with Adama {{OS|The Hand of God}}.]]
Baltar gives Adama an ultimatum: return the Cylon Raider and its pilots, as well as the fueled Eastern Alliance vessel, or be responsible for the deaths of his prisoners.  The prisoners are in a shuttle rigged with detonators attached to the shuttle's hull. However, Baltar is subsequently tricked into a false sense of security upon boarding his personal raider, outwitted by two dysfunctional Cylons and two warriors. 

His partners in crime were more fortunate. They escape&mdash;much to Baltar's chagrin. Baltar is left with undignified mess hall work, sputtering escape plans that do not inspire confidence from inmates {{OS|Baltar's Escape}}.

The Colonials use one significant ability from Baltar: His knowledge of the Cylon's {{TOS|basestar|basestars}}. Tired of running from the Cylons, Commander Adama decides to mount an attack on a basestar discovered by a patrol.  Adama believes the basestar is the only Cylon presence in the area the Fleet is traveling. In return for Baltar's aid, Adama promise adequate shelter and provisions on a habitable planet, as well as a short-range transmission device. With Baltar's instructions, Starbuck and Apollo disable the basestar's sensors, thus allowing ''Galactica'' to destroy the basestar {{OS|The Hand of God (TOS)}}.

== Notes ==

=== Character Changes ===
In the original theatrical version of "Saga of a Star World," Baltar is executed by the Cylons. However, when the pilot was adapted for television, producers decided they needed a recurring human villain with more dramatic potential than the Cylons.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|165}}</ref> Creator Glen A. Larson, who appreciated the character and the performance of actor John Colicos, spared Baltar, believing that strong villains were necessary to validate the show's heroes.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|125}}</ref>

John Colicos portrayed Baltar as a "dastardly, mustache-twirling villain that you love to hate," known for "chewing the scenery" in a performance that became iconic for the character.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|126}}</ref> Colicos himself viewed Baltar as a "galactic [[w:Judas_Iscariot|Judas]]" and a "fallen angel," a man fighting for his own "warped, integrity."<ref>{{cite book/sswa|125}}</ref> This decision provided the series with its primary antagonist, a human who would hunt his own kind across the galaxy.

=== Additional Notes ===

* In the theatrical version of ''Battlestar Galactica'''s pilot movie, Baltar was ''beheaded'' in front of the Imperious Leader. However, with the production of the television series, and [[Glen A. Larson|Glen Larson]]'s appreciation for the character, the scene was re-shot. Baltar was spared at the last moment in the televised pilot because the producers felt they needed a recurring villain with more dramatic potential than the Cylons.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|125, 165, 213}}</ref>

* ''Battlestar'' fans noticed the different sides of Baltar. In "[[Saga of a Star World]]" and "[[The Young Lords]]," Baltar was shrewd and deviously evil. In "[[The Living Legend, Part I|The Living Legend]]," Baltar appears as an insane and delusional power-hungry man who would dare cross the Imperious Leader. In "[[War of the Gods]]," Baltar evidently demonstrates intelligence and dignity by playing with fate and facing the Fleet's Quorum. Finally, he shows another version of himself by being a bumbling imbecile, thanks to ''Battlestar'''s writers that decided to alter what Baltar was and should have been during the series' run.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|213}}</ref>

* Lord Baltar is also known as Count Baltar. Although both "Lord" and "Count" were used in addressing Baltar at some point, the former is more applicable to the series, since the latter title is used only in the pilot.

* Watchers of the series can also note the intended-to-be-subtle changes in the scenes concerning Baltar's talk with the new Imperious Leader. In "[[Saga of a Star World]]," the Imperious Leader states that Baltar will vie for peace on the behest of the Cylons, as they are powerful enough to be "tolerant" of the humans. However, in the beginning scenes of "[[Lost Planet of the Gods]]," this part is conspicuously absent. This led fans to believe that: (1) The "olive branch" mandate was not part of the series [[canon]] to make the series more interesting; or (2) Baltar attacked the Fleet on his (and Lucifer's) own prerogative, in which Baltar (could have) made it appear that the surviving humans were intolerant to the peace offering, which would likely be to convince the Leader that his position was the wrong one to take.

* Re-imagined series creator [[Ronald D. Moore]] found the original Baltar's motivation for betraying his entire race to be nonsensical. Moore stated, "I never understood why the hell he did what he did... All they really say is they promised him some kind of dictatorship over a planet or something. But they were going to wipe out all the humans, so who is he going to be dictator over? And why does he think that’s attractive? 'What’s in this for Baltar?' was always such a tough nut to crack." This critique led Moore to develop the [[Gaius Baltar|re-imagined version]] of the character as someone who betrays humanity unintentionally, driven by his own ego and weaknesses.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|503-504}}</ref>

* ''According to ''[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]'', a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979:''
: Baltar's colony is given as {{TOS|Picon|Picon}}, growing up on the asteroid [[Cygnus]] where his family owned a {{TOS|tylium|tylium}} mine. At 17, Cygnus was taken by the {{TOS|Cylons}} and he lived as a prisoner for 5 yahren, all the while blaming the {{TOS|Caprica|Caprica}}ns and [[Aeries|Aerians]] for this as they had failed to adhere to their mutual protection treaty with Picon. After being liberated, he studied "political economy" at the [[University of Picon]], later returning to turn the small mine his family had owned into "the largest intercolonial Tylium trading firm in the Galaxy (sic)" in a span of a decade.

: He became bored with business and entered politics, honing his public speaking skills and offering people "what they most wanted to hear: that the Cylons could be reasonable, and that peace was at hand". His persuasive words lead to his selection to be a member of the {{TOS|Quorum of Twelve|Quorum of Twelve}} ten yahren prior to the end of the [[Thousand-Yahren War]], where he began working on the armistice proposal that brought the destruction of man. At the time of the [[Battle of Cimtar|fall of the Colonies]], he was 117 [[yahren]].<ref>{{cite_book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=16-17}}</ref>

== Related Media ==
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Baltar's Bargain={{#widget:Video|id=mOTRpA5GM}}
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== Gallery ==

<gallery caption="Baltar Gallery"> 
File:Baltar Autograph 1.jpg 
File:Baltar Autograph 2.jpg
File:Baltar-Maximum-Press.jpg|The re-imagined Baltar from the Maximum Press comic book series.
File:Galactica 1980 2 - Baltar.jpg|The re-imagined Baltar from the ''Galactica 1980'' comic series.
</gallery>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{Characters (TOS)}}

{{#related:Baltar (TOS alternate)}}
{{#related:Baltar (TOS-DE alternate)}}
{{#related:Battle of Cimtar}}
{{#related:Gaius Baltar}}

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