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Am I the only one who thinks cottle is a cylon?--Glaucon
Am I the only one who thinks cottle is a cylon?--Glaucon
:I've thought so for a long time, for one big reason:  I think it is just preposterous and unbelievable that a Cylon could be medically indistinguishable from a human.  They've got light-up spines, and they can transmit/receive data by sticking a cable into their hands!  I cannot accept that it would be so difficult to isolate some medical differences, based on that.  Cottle has medical technology that's roughly the same as our present-day technology, such as MRIs.  He has had access to plenty of Cylon patients, plus Hera.  He has had over a year of opportunity to study Athena (if he asked for her consent).  If Cottle weren't a Cylon himself, he'd have developed a Cylon-screening test in the first few weeks of this series.  There's also the fact that Cottle was conveniently absent when Boomer shot Adama.  He's a Cylon, count on it!  --[[User:Smw|Smw]] 13:09, 1 February 2007 (CST)
::Welcome to the wiki, Smw. (You're replying to an older conversation, but I'll jump in.) Cottle is unlikely to be a Cylon, if Three's revelation in her vision of the [[final five]] is to be believed. She spoke with the man after he treats injuries of a [[Number Five]] in "[[Exodus, Part I]]." Her comment when she sees what she believes is another Cylon in her vision doesn't fit; Three apologizes to the image, but she's never personally harmed Cottle, where the dialog suggests that a personal threat was exchanged by the Three to the unknown Cylon. And, most importantly, not even [[Cavil]] is as ornery as Cottle is. :) --[[User:Spencerian|Spencerian]] 13:20, 1 February 2007 (CST)
::A few points... Cylons are virtually indistinguishable to humans, even on a cellular level. Baltar even proved this. The only difference is how they react to certain classes of radiation–which is why Baltar needed the nuclear warhead. Therefore, Cottle would not have developed a Cylon-screening test a few weeks, or even a few months, into the first exodus. -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]]</sup> 16:48, 1 February 2007 (CST)
::Joe, then how do ''you'' explain the light-up spines, and how do ''you'' explain Sharon cutting open her hand, sticking a cable in, and transmitting data through it?  These things aren't anatomically possible for a human.  And that ought to be as obvious to the characters as it is to the viewers.  It's a glaring inconsistency that needs to be explained onscreen, someday.  The simplest explanation is this:  any physician with an MRI could examine a Cylon's spine and find the lightbulbs (or whatever), but Cottle never looked, because he was intentionally perpetuating the ''myth'' that Cylons are medically indistinguishable from humans.  --[[User:Smw|Smw]] 23:54, 1 February 2007 (CST)
:::Light bulbs? Not really. Bioluminescence. Also, the spine thing is a [[w:flashing arrow|flashing arrow]] of sorts, letting us know that something is simply abnormal with Baltar's [[Caprica-Six|mystery woman]]. It wouldn't surprise me if the cellular structure of Cylons is photo-sensitive either. Also, while I'm not a scientist by any means, what I do know is that cellular testing is very time-intensive and requires sensitive, complex scientific equipment that ''Galactica'' likely doesn't carry. Also, Doc Cottle isn't a biologist by any means, but more of a general medical practitioner. -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]]</sup> 00:50, 2 February 2007 (CST)


:No, he's apparently well known, has been there for years, and seems to (at least) have been old enough to have been in the Cylon War.  --[[User:The Merovingian|The Merovingian]] 03:25, 26 February 2006 (EST)
:No, he's apparently well known, has been there for years, and seems to (at least) have been old enough to have been in the Cylon War.  --[[User:The Merovingian|The Merovingian]] 03:25, 26 February 2006 (EST)
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: Good point, thank you.  I didn't think that simply becuase he does not seem inclined to be helpful and I think he would be terrified of being caught leaving it and questioned as to the origin of his knowledge, but it is certainly a possibility. --[[User:Glaucon|Glaucon]] 20:49, 2 March 2006 (CST)
: Good point, thank you.  I didn't think that simply becuase he does not seem inclined to be helpful and I think he would be terrified of being caught leaving it and questioned as to the origin of his knowledge, but it is certainly a possibility. --[[User:Glaucon|Glaucon]] 20:49, 2 March 2006 (CST)
==Uniform Picture==
==Uniform Picture==


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:: Cottle might not have a normal Major's uniform. I'm postulating that there might be a special "Medic/Doctor" uniform that he wears. Plus, based on the character himself, he really couldn't give two craps about rank and the trappings thereof. --[[User:BklynBruzer|BklynBruzer]] 01:18, 28 August 2006 (CDT)
:: Cottle might not have a normal Major's uniform. I'm postulating that there might be a special "Medic/Doctor" uniform that he wears. Plus, based on the character himself, he really couldn't give two craps about rank and the trappings thereof. --[[User:BklynBruzer|BklynBruzer]] 01:18, 28 August 2006 (CDT)
:::He's actually in a regular uniform a few times.  --[[User:The Merovingian|The Merovingian]] <sup>([[Special:Contributions/The Merovingian|C]] - [[Special:Editcount/The Merovingian|E]])</sup> 01:24, 28 August 2006 (CDT)
:::He's actually in a regular uniform a few times.  --[[User:The Merovingian|The Merovingian]] <sup>([[Special:Contributions/The Merovingian|C]] - [[Special:Editcount/The Merovingian|E]])</sup> 01:24, 28 August 2006 (CDT)
::::I'm still right about Cottle not giving two craps about rank and the trappings thereof! --[[User:BklynBruzer|BklynBruzer]] 02:13, 1 September 2006 (CDT)
:::::Yes, you are. :-) -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]]</sup> 09:08, 1 September 2006 (CDT)
== Cottle's First Name ==
According to two websites that are now shut off, Major/Doctor Cottle's name is "George" or "Daniel". Is their any source that can find him a first name?--[[User:CoreyDanian|CoreyDanian]] 3 October 2006
:Try asking Bradley Thompson at [[BW:OC]]. --[[User:April Arcus|April Arcus]] 22:33, 2 October 2006 (CDT)
:Hi, Corey. We're honored to have some crew of the show who answers some questions of the show. They may not answer your question because it might reveal something of future episodes. However, past episode data might be revealed. Visit the [[Battlestar Wiki:Official Communiques]] article to see other questions or post your own. Remember to keep your question brief and succient. --[[User:Spencerian|Spencerian]] 22:41, 2 October 2006 (CDT)
::See the [[BW:OC|article]], where Mr. Thompson says that, while Cottle does have a first and middle name, RDM does not want it revealed as yet. --[[User:Spencerian|Spencerian]] 13:22, 1 February 2007 (CST)
:Cottle's First Initial is "S." as it appears on Roslin's prescription bottles.  A Clear shot of those is here: http://images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com/fullView.asp?id=246610125&fc=0&img=http://www.battlestarprops.com/auctions/week1/229.jpg [[User:Wildwill|Wildwill]] 15:32, 28 January 2008 (PST)
::Maybe it's [[Salik]], like the doctor in TOS? [[User:Ausir|Ausir]] 00:11, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
== Favorite character ==
I have not seen any favorite character remarks on any topic. Not that I have sought for one exhaustively. Anyways I thought I'd start one.
The way he handles himself around man of higher rank and 'heroes' is just superb. He is hands down the coolest human in this universe.
--[[User:Alcibiades|Alcibiades]] 15:12, 21 December 2006 (CST)
== Cottle a Cylon: Revisited, Post-"Final Four" Reveal ==
We have one Cylon left to meet: one of the "Final Five." 
The first type are the numbered, revealed "skinjob" models who've already appeared in the series: Nos. [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Number_One 1] (Cavil), [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Leoben_Conoy 2] (Leoben), [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Number_Three 3] (D'Anna), [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Simon 4] (Simon), [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Number_Five 5] (Doral), [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Number_Six 6] (Number Six), and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Number_Eight 8] (Athena/Boomer).  The second type are what I'll call [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Final_Five TAFT-style Cylons]<sup>1</sup>, a kind of Cylon which doesn't have to match the [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Humanoid_Cylon_speculation&amp;oldid=113039 "can't be a Cylon" guidelines] that had existed in the prior three seasons: Cylon possibilities couldn't exist prior to the Cylon War, couldn't have adult children or a verifiable family history.  (For example, Col. Tigh has a long, established history amongst humans (<i>i.e.</i>, not a fake implanted history) -- we saw flashbacks with a young Tigh interacting with a young Adama long before humanoid Cylons were revealed in the Reimagined BSG Universe ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Scattered Scattered]).)  Since this has proven no longer true, you really can't use logic puzzles to narrow down the candidates any longer -- and so you have to instead think about what makes the most in a "meta" sense -- what serves storytelling purposes for the writers?
<small><sup>1</sup>To me, "final four" and "final five" get a little awkward, and, besides, I wanted to coin a phrase to describe the specialized <i>type</i> of humanoid Cylon these last four are -- a model that breaks all previously existing understanding as to what limitations defined Cylon versus human.  (TAFT is just [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Saul_Tigh Saul <b><u>T</u></b>igh], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Samuel_Anders Samuel <b><u>A</u></b>nders], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Tory_Foster Tory <b><u>F</u></b>oster], and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Galen_Tyrol Galen <b><u>T</u></b>yrol].)</small>
Based on [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Humanoid_Cylon_speculation others' nerdity] (and I don't use that as a derogatory term -- geek pride!), we do have a few guidelines we can use, however.  First, we can say this: one of the show's writers [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Battlestar_Wiki:Official_Communiques/Archive8#Identity_of_the_Final_Five said], "The fifth (which may change) we've been kicking around [as a Cylon possibility] since about the end of Season One."  So anyone introduced after the end of Season One is most likely not a possibility.  Second, the shows' creators have confirmed that both [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Hera_Agathon Hera] and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Nicholas_Tyrol Nicky] <i>are</i> half-<b><u>human</u></b>, half-Cylon kids; that means that [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Karl_Agathon Karl Agathon] isn't, and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Cally Callandra "Cally" Henderson] wasn't, a Cylon.  Third, there was an [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper <i>Entertainment Weekly</i> picture] in which the show's head, Ron D. Moore, [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper#The_.22Clues.22 admitted] that the Final Cylon wasn't any of the people pictured.  Pictured were [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/William_Adama both] [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Lee_Adama Adamas], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Laura_Roslin Roslin], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Gaius_Baltar Baltar], and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Kara_Thrace Starbuck], as well as three of the four [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Saul_Tigh T][http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Samuel_Anders A]F[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Galen_Tyrol T] Cylons revealed at the end of last season.
The main rationale I'd use is that a fifth Cylon has to have a very large punch to the series.  The "skinjob" models led up to the revelation of four of the final five, which at the end of last season had everyone going, "<b><u>What</u></b>! <b><u>The</u></b>!  <b><u>FUCK?!?!?!?</u></b>"  The revelation of the four will be a similar buildup to the Fifth.  (In other words, in terms of shock value, skinjob : final four :: final four : fifth.)
So, who is left?  Assume that the Fifth is a somewhat major character -- because if it's Third Specialist Fifth Class Joe Schmoe, the fans would riot.  When the above are removed, you're left with [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Felix_Gaeta Gaeta], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Anastasia_Dualla Dualla], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Tom_Zarek Zarek], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Cottle Cottle], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Seelix Seelix], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Margaret_Edmondson Racetrack], and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Brendan_Constanza Hot Dog].  If you bring in the dead as possibilities (never entirely out of the question), then you add to the equation [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Ellen_Tigh Ellen], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Billy_Keikeya Billy], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/James_Lyman Jammer], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Louanne_Katraine Kat], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Crashdown Crashdown], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Socinus Socinus], [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Elosha Elosha], Adm. [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Helena_Cain Cain], and [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Kendra_Shaw Kendra Shaw].
Of the dead, I think we can rule out Ellen, because of her [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Virtual_beings#Saul_Tigh.27s_Virtual_Ellen appearance] in the last episode in Tigh's hallucination ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Escape_Velocity Escape Velocity]).  Dramatically, they wouldn't ruin the revelation by making it a gradual reveal.  Kat's cute but she didn't appear in Season One and was more of a comic character (aside from her "noble death" episode) ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Passage The Passage]).  Adm. Cain's story was too nicely wrapped up by [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Razor/Full_Article <i>Razor</i>] -- to me, it just doesn't seem like a good dramatic choice.  Billy's story, too, was too poignantly told for his reappearance to be a good dramatic choice: could've been President ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Home%2C_Part_II Home, Part II]), mom-son relationship with Roslin ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Sacrifice Sacrifice]), love triangle with Dualla ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Tigh_Me_Up%2C_Tigh_Me_Down Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]) -- great potential cut short and loving relationships severed by senseless gunshot ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Sacrifice Sacrifice]).  And Kendra was only introduced just now in the fourth season, and the writers have been kicking around the fifth Cylon as a possibility since the first season.
Returning to the alive characters, I don't think it's Seelix, Racetrack or Hot Dog -- they're good characters, but they're very peripheral to the show, and it'd feel almost as bad a cheat as Third Specialist Schmoe.  (Although with Hot Dog being played by [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Bodie_Olmos Edward James Olmos's son], y'never know ... ) 
Of the remaining four -- Gaeta, Dualla, Zarek and Cottle -- my guess is this: I think the [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Humanoid_Cylon_speculation Final Cylon] is Doc Cottle.  And unlike the Final Four already revealed, I think he's always knows he's a Cylon and is going to be an explanatory vehicle for the writers as to the existence of the Final Five, why they break the aforementioned Cylon guidelines, the storyline, etc.  I think he's the oldest character on the show, too, which would make making him a Cylon and letting him be an explanatory vehicle be a natural choice.  (It even could be that Tigh was introduced as a Cylon to more gradually acclimate the fans to the idea of long-amongst-humanity Cylons, so that when Cottle is revealed, the concept doesn't feel as if it was a last-minute shoehorn into the plot.)
It also makes nice symmetry, as I think there are <i>six</i> kinds (not models, kinds) of Cylon.
{| width="75%" border="1" align="center"
| align="center" valign="middle" | Humanoid Cylon,<br />sleeper:<br />''[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Sharon_Valerii Valerii]''
| align="center" valign="middle" | Humanoid Cylon,<br />always knew it:<br />''Nos 1-6, other 8s''
| rowspan="2" align="center" valign="middle" |
Half-<br />Mech,<br />Half-<br />Skinjob:<br />"[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Hybrid Hybrids]"
| rowspan="2" align="center" valign="middle" |
Full Mech:<br />[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Cylon_Centurion_%28RDM%29 Centurion],<br />[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Raider_%28RDM%29 Raider]<br />brains
|-
| align="center" valign="middle" | TAFT<sup>1</sup>-style<br />"Mystical Cylon",<br />sleeper:<br />''Tigh, Anders,<br />Foster, Tyrol''
| align="center" valign="middle" | TAFT<sup>1</sup>-style<br />"Mystical Cylon",<br />always knew it:<br />''no characters <u>yet</u><br />revealed with this trait''
|}
Having a TAFT-style Cylon who always knew he was a TAFT-style Cylon would complete the symmetry perfectly.
Of all the possibilities, Cottle also is the one who has repeatedly interacted with and affected the fate of the very top-level characters (Roslin, Adamas, Baltar, Starbuck, Valerii/Agathon).  He treated Roslin (cancer) ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Act_of_Contrition Act of Contrition]), Adama (gunshot) ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Fragged Fragged]), and Starbuck (leg) ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Six_Degrees_of_Separation Six Degrees of Separation]), was an effective opposite to Baltar in a number of scenes ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Epiphanies Epiphanies]), and delivered Hera ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Downloaded Downloaded]).  He had no qualms about treating Cylons during the occupation ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Exodus,_Part_I Exodus Pt. 1]), yet wasn't treated as a traitor by the Circle ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Collaborators Collaborators]).  Arguably, also, he's one of the best choices to still get a reaction out of fans: everyone <i>likes</i> cranky ol' Cottle.  Throughout the series, he's been the truthteller, the character who consistently "told truth to power"; he's been a nice lovable grump for the entire series -- making him a Cylon would <i>definitely</i> get <b>significant</b> fan reaction.
And as a nice cap to the idea, in D'Anna's last appearance prior to being boxed, we saw her recognize one of the Final Five Cylons and be surprised and apologize ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Rapture Rapture]).  Earlier, during the occupation on New Caprica, D'Anna had interacted with Cottle and had a brief but amiable conversation in which D'Anna was a little smarmy, even, to boot ([http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Exodus,_Part_I Exodus Pt. 1]). [[User:WCityMike|WCityMike]] 03:21, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
: Interesting theory. But you're better off posting this on the [http://www.battlestarforum.com Battlestar Forum], since talk pages aren't meant to be used as [[BW:NOT|a forum]]. -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]] - [[bsp:|Battlestar Pegasus]]</sup> 14:00, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
==First name revealed==
Cottle's first name is uttered by Adama in Daybreak Part I, but it was so quiet I didn't quite catch it. Did anyone hear it? It did start with an S. [[User:23skidoo|23skidoo]] 04:01, 14 March 2009 (UTC)
:i'll have to look through closed captioning. [[User:Shane|Shane]] ([[User_Talk:Shane|talk]]) 04:28, 14 March 2009 (UTC)
::It's Sherman; just like [[w:Sherman T. Potter|another old grouchy good-hearted Doc]] -- [[User:Kahran|Kahran]] 05:24, 14 March 2009 (UTC)
:::Unless someone has a reference to show this is not a coincidence, I don't think this is something we should put in the main article. [[User:Tsahi|Tsahi]] 22:22, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
== Rank ==
In what eppisode is his rank stated or confirmed or is it from a commentary/interview --[[User:Broj tredici|Broj tredici]] 19:41, 1 May 2009 (UTC)
:He is first mentioned in "[[Bastille Day]]".
:Roslin: "Do you have a ship's doctor aboard ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''?
:Adama: "Yes, Major Cottle." -- [[User:Noneofyourbusiness|Noneofyourbusiness]] 22:37, 1 May 2009 (UTC)

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