Editing Ezra Barzel

{{Character Data
|photo=
|seen=Blood and Chrome
|pseen=''Blood and Chrome''
|marital status= Former husband of [[Becca Kelly]]
|role=[[Cylon War]] hero
|death = Killed by friendly fire
|colony= 
|actor=
}}
'''Ezra Barzel''' was the husband of [[Graystone Industries]] software engineer Dr. [[Becca Kelly]] and a hero among [[Colonial]]s during the [[Cylon War]]. Formerly a historian, Barzel chose to enlist and join the fight against the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], but was killed by friendly fire from members of his own unit. Despite the truth surrounding Barzel's death, Colonial propaganda spun his story to inspire others to join the fight. Popularly, Barzel is remembered for single-handedly killing an entire platoon of [[Cylon War-era Centurion|Centurions]] and was all but resurrected in the [[virtual world]] {{TRS|Blood and Chrome}}.

== Script Version Details ==

The pre-production script for ''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' provides significantly more background about Ezra Barzel and his impact on both the war effort and [[Becca Kelly|his wife]]'s subsequent actions. According to the script, Barzel was a history professor who "woke up one day and decided he couldn't sit back and just watch history happen anymore," leading him to enlist as a [[Colonial Marine]] despite having no previous military aspirations.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=75}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pgs. 74-75</ref> [[Becca Kelly]] describes him as "idealistic" and "ambitious," but notes that "he never wanted to be a hero" - the heroic narrative was imposed upon him posthumously by military propagandists.

The script reveals that Barzel's death was not simply a case of friendly fire, but rather his scouting party being "shot up by men from his own unit" in what appears to have been a more complex incident than officially reported.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=75}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 75</ref> The truth about his death was eventually discovered by a reporter, but this information was suppressed by the [[Colonial Fleet]] to preserve the propaganda value of his heroic legend.

According to [[Becca Kelly]], Barzel's fabricated heroics were not merely exaggerated: they were completely invented. The story that he "took out any Cylon platoon" was "all a fabrication" and "a lie," created to boost military recruitment after his actual death.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=75}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 75</ref> The military "slapped his face on recruiting posters" and "all but resurrected him in [[Virtual world|V-World]]," turning his tragic death into a propaganda tool that successfully inspired others to enlist.

The revelation of these lies becomes central to [[Becca Kelly]]'s motivation for betraying the [[Colonial Fleet]]. In the script, she tells [[William Adama]] that "it's the lies, more than anything, even the killing and destruction" that drive her actions, emphasizing how the systematic deception around her husband's death contributed to her disillusionment with the Colonial war effort.<ref>''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' [{{fullurl:File:B&C Pre-Production Draft - 11-30-10 - Version 01.FDX.pdf|page=75}} pre-production script dated 30 November 2010], pg. 75</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Characters (BAC)]]
[[Category: Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category: BAC]]
[[Category: RDM]]
[[Category:Mentioned-Only Characters (BAC)]]
[[Category:Mentioned-Only Characters]]