Editing Cain (TOS)

{{disline|For information on the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]] counterpart to this Original Series character, see [[Helena Cain]]. For the [[Video Game]] counterpart, see [[Garris Cain]].}}

{{Character Data
| series=TOS
|title=Cain
|photo=Cain.jpg
|age=
|colony=
|birthname=Cain
|callsign=
|death= MIA
|parents= 
|siblings=
|children= [[Sheba]]
|marital status= Widowed
|role=Commanding Officer, {{TOS|Battlestar|battlestar}} ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}'', formerly attached to the [[Fifth Fleet]]
|rank=Commander
|actor=[[Lloyd Bridges]]
|cylon=
|name= 
}}

'''Cain''' is a military leader who attained the status of a living war hero during the latter part of the [[Thousand Yahren War]]. Despite his popularity, Cain sometimes fails to live up to his reputation and seems quite unable to accept ideas other than his own. He is stubborn, but evidently knows how to run a military battlestar and execute a hindering plan against the {{TOS|Cylons}}.

== Biography ==

Assigned to the Fifth Fleet as overall commander, [[Pegasus (TOS)|''Pegasus'']] and that ill-fated fleet fought the {{TOS|Cylons}} at the [[Battle of Molecay]]. Presumed lost, the Commander managed to recover survivors from the disastrous battle and escaped to lightspeed. Since Cain knows that the Cylons would doubtless be between Molecay and the {{TOS|Twelve Colonies|Colonies}}, he heads outward toward [[Gamoray]].

Before the failure at Molecay and his presumed death, he apparently met [[Cassiopeia]] and knew {{TOS|Adama|Commander Adama}}. Both seemed to be friends of his, the former helping him recover from the death of his wife. As so far as is known, he has one daughter, [[Sheba]], who matures into a {{TOS|Viper}} pilot that gave {{TOS|Apollo}} and {{TOS|Starbuck}} a run for their [[cubits]] prior to their discovery of ''Pegasus''.

Cain oversees the continual "knocking down" of the Cylon forces on Gamoray, stealing fuel as the Cylons unwisely replenished and rebuilt. This is done with very little interference, since the Cylons are more intent on the {{TOS|The Fleet|Fleet}} assembled by Adama.

Sheba and [[Bojay]] encounter two ''Galactica'' pilots, who are subsequently brought before Cain for debriefing.  While Cain mourns the news of the Cylon victory over the Colonials, and the utter holocaust conducted at the Colonies, he now has two battlestars at his disposal and nearly 200-240 fighting craft. This gives Cain an idea for taking over Gamoray and using it to strike back at the Cylons, which he presents to Adama, {{TOS|Tigh|Colonel Tigh}}, Apollo, and Starbuck.

Commander Adama, senior officer to him, tells him that the plan is inadvisable and but will consider another alternative.

Sometime after presenting the plan to Adama, Cassiopeia visits Cain, who hears of his return through Starbuck. The two, while not being able to immediately warm up to him, went down to the [[Officer's Club]]. This caused Sheba, hating Cassiopeia for what she represented, to leave the Officer's Club.

Adama presents his plan on attacking the recently detected fuel tankers en route to Gamoray, using a squadron from both battlestars in the attack to raise morale. Cain, after some objection, goes along with the plan as well as conjoining the two major squadrons from the battlestars (''Pegasus''{{'}} [[Silver Spar Squadron|Silver Spar]] and ''Galactica'''s [[Blue Squadron|Blue]]). While Blue Squadron attacks the Cylon escort, Cain destroys the two tankers, hoping to force Adama into accepting his plan.

Adama isn't pleased, especially with Blue Squadron being deftly blamed for the destruction of the tankers. Cain presses on, but to no avail. Adama notes that ''Pegasus'' had a large enough fuel reserve to at least get the Fleet out of the system, but Cain disagrees. Adama has his fill of Cain's insubordinate actions and relieves him of duty.

Bojay and Sheba meet Cain in the Officer's Club of ''Galactica'', informing him that they would help him regain command of ''Pegasus''. He replies that he would do nothing that strikes as mutiny.

Cain later regains command of the battlestar ''Pegasus'', admitting that if the two battlestars attacked Gamoray, there would be no Fleet left {{OS|The Living Legend, Part I}}. As ''Pegasus'' is on the other side of the Fleet, he manages to sneak around and pin the attacking force of [[Cylon Raider|Cylon raiders]], causing {{TOS|Baltar}}'s forces to retreat.

Adama admits that the only way to now get fuel was from Gamoray, where the [[Imperious Leader]] would lead a dedication ceremony. Bojay, Sheba, Cassiopeia, {{TOS|Boomer}}, Apollo and Starbuck destroy the defense systems of the Cylon's outer capital, gaining access for fueling [[Colonial shuttle|shuttles]] to take all the fuel they needed. Bojay is shuttled back to the nearby ''Pegasus'', where Cain part ways with Sheba and Cassiopeia. Cain orders all unneeded personnel and Viper pilots off the ship via shuttle and Viper, while he, Apollo, and Starbuck attacked the two {{TOS|basestar}}s. The basestars are positioned where they cannot fire without risk of striking one another. Cain, in a prime position, attacks both basestars after Apollo and Starbuck destroys the missile launchers of both craft.

Presumably, Cain and ''Pegasus'' are destroyed along with the second basestar. Yet, Starbuck incited speculation with the claim that Cain may have had ''Pegasus'' enter lightspeed before the base star's destruction. 

Regardless, Cain's fate remains unknown to all those but himself and his crew {{OS|The Living Legend, Part II}}.

== Notes ==

=== Character Conception and Portrayal ===
Commander Cain, portrayed by veteran actor [[Lloyd Bridges]], was introduced in the two-part episode "[[The Living Legend, Part I|The Living Legend]]". According to ''[[So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica]]'', the character was conceived by creator [[Glen A. Larson]] as a "Patton in space."<ref>{{cite book/sswa|182}}</ref> Cain is depicted as a legendary military commander driven by his ego and a relentless desire to attack the Cylons, a stark contrast to Commander [[Adama (TOS alternate)|Adama]]'s more cautious approach of protecting the fleet.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|182}}</ref>

The role of the forceful, aggressive commander was considered "right up his alley" for Lloyd Bridges, whose powerful presence created a compelling conflict with [[Lorne Greene]]'s Adama.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|183}}</ref> Story editor [[Jim Carlson]] described Cain as a "bull in a china shop," a character whose aggressive tactics could get people killed.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|184}}</ref>

Glen Larson deliberately left Cain's fate ambiguous at the end of the episode, with the intention of bringing the popular character and the ''Pegasus'' back had the series continued.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|185}}</ref> Notes from an [[Battlestar Galactica: Year Two proposal|document on Season Two of the Original Series]] would share a story idea about [[The Return of the Pegasus|his return in an unconventional manner]].

=== Re-imagined Series Perspective ===
In the Original Series, Cain is subordinate to Adama. In the Re-imagined Series, Commander [[William Adama]] is subordinate to the arrogant Admiral [[Helena Cain]], commander of the advanced battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', as first seen in the episode, "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]."

=== Additional Details ===
*The name "Cain" is derived from a biblical story. [[Wikipedia:Cain|Cain]], in the instance of the Bible, is the oldest son of [[Wikipedia:Adam|Adam]] who slew his brother [[Wikipedia:Abel|Abel]].

=== Tie-in Material Information ===
* ''According to ''[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]'' (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):''
: '''6495:''' Cain graduates number one in the Academy class. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=25-26}}</ref>
: Cain is considered the "greatest military genius of the modern age," dominating the [[Intercolonial Strategic Council]] in the final years of the [[Great Cylon War]]. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=25}}</ref>
: Much of the credit for the striking human advances during the period belongs to him, with his tactical brilliance as a Battlestar Commander becoming legendary. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=25}}</ref>
: Several advanced courses at the Academy are solely devoted to study of his battle tactics. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=25}}</ref>
: Cain first gained intercolonial fame as leader of the legendary Eagle Squadron, flying from the Battlestar ''[[Prometheus]]''. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=26}}</ref>
: Despite being court-martialed twice for insubordination, Cain returned each time, cleared, to his cheering, fanatically loyal troops. <ref>{{cite book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=26}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{start box}}
{{succession box|before=''Unknown''|title=Commanding Officer of the ''[[Pegasus_(TOS)|Battlestar Pegasus]]''  |after=''{{TOS|Tigh|Colonel Tigh}}'' <br/> (Acting)}}
{{succession box|before=''{{TOS|Tigh|Colonel Tigh}}'' <br/> (Acting)|title=Commanding Officer of the ''[[Pegasus_(TOS)|Battlestar Pegasus]]''  |after=''Unknown''}}
{{succession box|before=''Unknown or none'' <br/> |title=Commanding Officer of the ''[[Fifth Fleet]]''  |after=''none (fleet destroyed)''}}
{{end box}}

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