Editing Baltar (TOS-DE alternate)

{{separate continuity|universe=TOS|cont=Dynamite Comics}}

{{Character Data
| title= Baltar
| photo= BSG-FOTG - Baltar.png
| caption=Baltar post-[[Battle at Galaxy's Edge]] as depicted in {{comics|vol3|2}}.
| seenref={{comics|annual2014}}
| death=
| parents=[[Sela]]† (father)<br>[[Baltar's mother|Unnamed woman]]† (mother)
| marital status=
| birthplace=[[Cygnus]]
| role=Traitor to the Human Race, Cylon Advisor
}}

{{disambiguation|Baltar (TOS)|the canonical depiction of this character}}

'''Baltar''' is the sole child of [[Sela]] and an [[Baltar's mother|unnamed woman]] residing on the planetoid [[Cygnus]], the base of Sela's {{TOS|tylium}} mining operation. In his quest for power over tens of [[yahren]]s, he becomes a pawn of the {{alt|Cylon Empire}}, leading to the [[Final Destruction|destruction of the life-form known as Man]]. 

== Early Life and Cygnus ==

[[File:BSG 2014 Annual - Baltar as a Child.png|thumb|left|Baltar gets his first taste of wealth... and learns lessons that shape his approach to dealing with the human race ({{comics|annual2014}}).]]

Following the death of his mother, Baltar loses the shield that prevented his corruption by both vice and avarice as he follows the path of his father Sela. Taunted by riches in the form of a {{TOS|tylium}} nugget during his first visit to the mine, he soon learns of his value in his father's eyes, for Baltar is whipped for attempting to steal it. Those scars are not only psychological but also physical, lasting throughout his life.

In the yahrens to follow, Cygnus' importance as a brimming tylium mine becomes known to the Cylon Empire, and [[Invasion of Cygnus|they invade Cygnus with little resistance]]. Sela, Baltar, and others are kept alive as laborers to mine tylium; Sela and various cohorts elect to undermine the Cylons by planting [[radiation charge]]s secreted throughout the mine. [[Secton]]s away from detonating the charges, Baltar betrays his father to the Cylon [[Commandant]] in exchange for escape from Cygnus.

The Cylons keep their word. Baltar's revenge against his father meted by robotic hands, while he is given a shuttle and manages to pilot it to {{alt|Picon|TOS}}. After voicing his views that the Cylons were better than the {{alt|Caprica|TOS}}ns, Baltar becomes an outcast child who survives on his wits. As he grew older, he acquired a scholarship  to [[University of Picon]]. By graduation, the Colonials reclaim Cygnus from the Cylons, and Baltar returns to rebuild his father's business. In this task, he befriends [[Abel]], who becomes the closest person Baltar has ever had to a sibling.

From Cygnus, Baltar and Abel build Baltar's fortune over ten yahrens, finding other sought after tylium sources. His influence propels him into politics, advocating for Cygnus to be formally recognized by the Colonies as an official territory of Picon ({{comics|annual2014}}).

== Playing Both Sides Against the Middle ==

Baltar enters into politics by advocating for [[Cygnus]]' official recognition as a protectorate of Picon, which is quickly ratified by the {{alt|Quorum of Twelve|TOS}}. A member of the Quorum, [[Sire]] [[Damaris]], recognizes the skill of Baltar's firm at acquiring fuel sources, and thus contracts it to locate new sources in return for lucrative terms. 

This culminates to [[Abel]]'s secret discovery a half-yahren later: the planet {{alt|Carillon}}, on the other side of the [[Nova of Madagon]]. Baltar reveals to Abel that he intends to keep the planet for themselves, and sell off the excess tylium to the "other party": the Cylons. Abel's ethics do not permit this and Baltar kills Abel, making it look like an accident. In doing so, he enters a period of mourning, which he uses to nullify Damaris' contract and recruits the {{alt|Ovions}} to mine the tylium.

To feed the Ovions, Baltar oversees the Ovions' creation of a resort and chancery, luring the outcast degenerates, such as [[socilator]]s and gamblers, there. He also prevents the Cylons from invading the operation by planting [[radiation charge]]s throughout Carillon, much like his father had tried to do on [[Cygnus]] before Baltar's betrayal. 

Over the course of fifteen yahren, Baltar regales himself with the greatest riches and bevy of women in his own resort on Carillon. It is there that he is reunited with [[Commandant]], from whom the Cylons extend this offer: deliver the Cylons' false peace offering to the Colonials, so as to lower their guard and be destroyed, and in return the Cylons would grant Baltar dominion over Cygnus and Picon ({{comics|annual2014}}).

== The Traitor Becomes Betrayed ==

Baltar successfully orchestrates the false peace accord, resulting in the unilateral destruction of the Colonies and seizure of various assets across the galaxy, including Cygnus and Carillon. 

Baltar is brought before the {{alt|Imperious Leader}}, and he is summarily beheaded. His head is preserved for grafting upon a cybernetic endoskeleton, and his memories of the execution are altered; lead by {{alt|Lucifer}}, Baltar's new form is grafted with synthetic skin and he is programmed to believe that he remains human, having successfully petitioned the Imperious Leader that he would be the best person to hunt down ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}'' and its {{alt|The Fleet|TOS|rag-tag, fugitive fleet}} ({{comics|annual2014}}).

== Exile ==

Baltar is humanely exiled on a [[Baltar's planet|habitable world]] ({{comics|annual2014}} & {{comics|vol3|2}}) per the arrangement {{alt|Adama|TOS}} made with Baltar for his assistance in the [[Battle at Galaxy's Edge]] ([[TOS]]: "{{TOS|The Hand of God}}").

After a half-yahren in exile, he destroys the short-range transmitter Adama provisioned him and has a period of deep introspection, revealing a hidden memory regarding his execution that leads to the question of his nature. Through means unknown, a {{alt|Raider|TOS}} commanded by the [[Commandant]] lands near his shipping container encampment, and from there Baltar is shocked and dragged into the ship ({{comics|annual2014}}).  

Later<ref>It is logical to presume that Baltar is "reprogrammed" and then re-deposited upon the world in question, to later be "saved" by {{alt|Iblis}} in {{comics|vol3}}.</ref>, Baltar finds himself transported from that isolated world and set upon [[Iblis' planet|another world]] in a separate realm outside of the known universe, the de facto leader of a congregation of other survivors who arrived there via a [[black hole]]. Unbeknownst to him, this was {{alt|Iblis}} doing, merely as more bait for the trap he laid for the [[Seraph]]s ({{comics|vol3|2}}, {{comics|vol3|4|short=y}}).

Following a battle that destroyed a {{alt|Ship of Lights}}&mdash;tearing a hole back into the regular universe&mdash;Baltar and {{alt|Lucifer}} find themselves side-by-side again, representatives of the {{alt|Cylon Empire}} in a new peace brokered by the Seraphs between the remaining humans and the Cylons ({{comics|vol3|5}}).

== References ==

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{{Characters (Comics)|series=TOS}}

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