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William Adama

2012-03-03T04:56:18Z

Auroraa:

:''For information on William Adama's [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Original Series]] counterpart, see [[Adama (TOS)]].''
:''For characters with the same name, see: [[William Adama (disambiguation)]].''
:''For other people named the shortened version of William, see: [[Bill (disambiguation)]].''
{{Character Data
|photo=William Adama.jpg
|caption=William Adama as the commander of the last battlestar, ''Galactica''.
|photo 2=Young Adama.jpg
|caption 2=William Adama discovers the Cylons' experiments on humans during [[Operation Raptor Talon]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]").
|age=61 (at the time when he reached New Earth)<ref>This date is based on the [[Caprica_pilot|''Caprica'' pilot]] taking place 58 years before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Evelyn's earliest conception date being some months after the pilot and a full or near-full pregnancy of nine months (57 BCH), and the character's apparent age in "The Shape of Things to Come" epilogue of "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]." This would make him 57 years old at the time of the Fall, and 61 upon arrival at New Earth four years later in "[[Daybreak, Part II]]."</ref>
|colony= [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], of [[Tauron]] descent
|birthname= William Adama
|callsign= Husker
|nickname= Bill (as a child and later in life) Billy (during the First Cylon War) The Old Man (later in life)
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Presumably on Earth, c. 148,000 BCE
|parents= [[Joseph Adama]] † (father) [[Evelyn Adama]] † (mother)
|siblings= [[Tamara Adama]] † (half-sister) [[William "Willie" Adama]] † (half-brother)<ref>William "Bill" Adama is the only child from Joseph Adama's second marriage.</ref>
|children= [[Lee Adama|Leland J. Adama]] (son) [[Zak Adama]] † (son)
|marital status= Divorced ([[Carolanne Adama]] †); Temporarily co-habitated with [[Laura Roslin]] aboard ''Galactica''
|familytree=Y
|role=Commanding Officer, [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' Military leader of the [[The Fleet (RDM)|civilian Fleet]]
|rank=Admiral
|serial=204971<ref>This information is from his [[:Image:Bill Adama's dogtag serial.jpg|dogtags]].</ref>
|cylon=
|actor=[[Edward James Olmos]] [[Nico Cortez]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]") [[Markus Towfigh]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]") [[Luke Pasqualino]] ([[Blood and Chrome]])
|sepcon=Y
}}
Admiral '''William Adama''', a veteran of the [[First Cylon War]], is the commanding officer of the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'', and has the longest tenure as the highest ranking officer in the Colonial Fleet after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].

== Background ==
*William Adama was born in 57 BCH on Caprica, the son of [[Joseph Adama|Joseph]] and [[Evelyn Adama]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]") He was named after his [[Willie Adama|deceased half-brother]] and their paternal [[William Adama Sr.|grandfather]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]"). His father was a criminal defense lawyer who later specialized in civil liberties cases, while his mother was an accountant ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]") and Joseph's personal legal assistant ([[CAP]]: "[[Reins of a Waterfall]]"). He was raised in [[Qualai]], a small coastal community ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*The extent of William Adama's knowledge regarding his half-siblings and his father's previous marriage, or his father's involvement with [[Daniel Graystone]] and the creation of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylons]], is not known.
* He was still in school at the beginning of the [[Cylon War]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1). During his childhood, he was considered small for his age and would often be beaten by his peers ([[TRS]]: [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)/Season 3#99|deleted scene]], "[[Exodus, Part II]]").
*Adama served late in the [[Cylon War]] as both a [[Raptor]] and [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] pilot, his first assignment being on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''. His first mission behind enemy lines was in a Raptor undergoing an unknown mission ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1; "[[Sine Qua Non]]"). He allegedly gained the call sign of "Husker"<ref>Adama's callsign is misspelled as "Husher" in the [[Battlestar Galactica (2005 Novel)|Miniseries novelization]], which is considered a [[BW:SEPCON|separate continuity]] source.</ref> on account of his baritone "graveled" voice. During his time on ''Galactica'', he had a romantic relationship with [[Jaycie McGavin]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]", Episode 1). He proved a gifted pilot, shooting down his first [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] on his very first combat mission, for which he received a commendation ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]", Episode 3; "[[Hero]]").
*In the last week in the war, Adama served on ''[[Galactica]]'' when the battlestar was boarded by Cylon forces. He recalled to his friend [[Saul Tigh]] a dangerous Cylon tactic that tried to turn the battlestar's power against itself ([[TRS]]: "[[Valley of Darkness]]", [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Valley of Darkness|deleted scene]]).
*Furloughed by [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] after the war's end, Adama found work as a deck hand on a [[Sedulana|merchant fleet civilian freighter]], where he met [[Saul Tigh]], who became a long-time friend ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]", "[[Valley of Darkness]]").
*Adama married [[Carolanne Adama]], whose family had political influence with the defense subcommittee and pulled to get Adama reinstated to the Colonial Fleet. Adama (now a major) himself arranged for Tigh's reinstatement two years later.
*William and Carolanne Adama had two sons, [[Lee Adama|Lee]] and [[Zak Adama|Zak]], before the pressures of Adama's career and the time he spent away from home in active service began to place a strain on their marriage, and the two eventually divorced ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries]], "[[A Day in the Life]]").
*While elder son Lee showed promise as a Viper pilot, younger Zak Adama did not. [[Kara Thrace]], Zak's flight instructor and lover, certified him for basic flight despite his poor flight skills. Later, Zak Adama was killed in an operational flight. Zak's death would cause a rift between Commander Adama and his older son for nearly [[Act of Contrition|three years]] until Thrace admits her error to both of them.
*Adama rose through the ranks of the peacetime fleet, becoming the executive officer of the battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'', before becoming the commander of the battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]''. About six years <ref name="hero">While dialogue from "[[Hero]]" places these events at 1 BCH, this contradicts previously established dates about the time Adama and others served on ''Galactica''. See [[Hero#Analysis]] for a detailed explanation why ''Battlestar Wiki'' chooses to treat this as a continuity error.</ref> prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], he was ordered by Admiral [[Peter Corman]] to escort a [[Stealthstar|stealth scout ship]] over the [[Armistice Line]]. The mission was a failure, and in an attempt to cover up, he ordered the ship and its pilot shot down. Ever since, he had felt guilt, both over shooting down his own pilot and over the possibility that his actions resulted in the holocaust. According to Tigh, this mission brought his star into descent, and he was given command of ''Galactica'' as a graceful way of easing into retirement.
*Adama has the rare combination of qualities that make up a good leader: insight, the ability to naturally command respect, a common touch that enables him to relate to the enlisted personnel under his command as well as his officers, intuition, intelligence, a strong belief in his own abilities, and the ability to take the advice of others. These qualities are reflected in the fact that personnel of all ranks aboard ''Galactica'' hold him in high regard, and know that he is approachable ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries]]).
*Adama mistrusts politicians, and sometimes places too strongly a value of loyalty to those he regards as family and friends. From his uneasiness to [[Laura Roslin]]'s unexpected assumption of the Presidency, to the tolerance and patience of his friend, Saul Tigh, and [[You Can't Go Home Again|his stubbornness to save Kara Thrace]], Adama shows a dogged determination that few others care to confront.
*Adama does not share the majority of Colonial beliefs in the gods ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]"), although he has come to accept that his people's scripture may have relevance to the search for Earth ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]").
*Several notable assignments and reassignments during his 45-year career in the Colonial Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]"):
**D6/21311 - First commission: battlestar ''Galactica'' fighter squadron
**E4/21312 - Commendation for shooting down Cylon fighter in first combat mission
**D5/21314 - Mustered out of service post-armistice
**R6/21317 - Served as deckhand in merchant fleet and as common [...] aboard inter-colony tramp freighters
**D1/21331 - Recommissioned to Fleet
**D6/21337 - Major: battlestar ''[[Atlantia (RDM)|Atlantia]]''
**R8/21341 - Executive Officer: battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]''
**C2/21345 - Commander: battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]''
**C2/21348 - Commander: battlestar ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''

 

<gallery>
Image:BillAdama.png|William Adama around the age of 4 ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]")
Image:Young Adama.jpg|William Adama during the first Cylon War ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]").
Image:Youngadamafamily.jpg|A somewhat older William Adama and his two sons.
Image:Adama freighter.jpg|Adama aboard an inter-colony tramp freighter ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]").
</gallery>

== Character History==

=== Childhood ===

* He was still in school when the First [[Cylon War]] started ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1). During his childhood, he was considered small for his age and would often be beaten by his peers ([[TRS]]: [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)/Season 3#99|deleted scene]], "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

=== The Fall of the Twelve Colonies ===

[[image:Mini_Adama_Tigh_DRADIS.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Commander Adama and Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] plot a course to [[Ragnar Anchorage]] in the [[Miniseries]].]]

*At the time just prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Fall]], William Adama serves out his final weeks as commander of the battlestar ''[[Galactica]]''. After some 50 years of service, the historic warship is in the process of being decommissioned, and it is one of Adama's final duties to formally hand her over to the [[Colonial Ministry of Education]], which would operate the ship as a living museum and educational center commemorating the [[First Cylon War|original Cylon War]].
*As a retirement gift, several members of [[Galen Tyrol]]'s deck crew find and restore Adama's old [[Viper Mark II]].
*On news of a renewed Cylon attack, Adama's first thoughts are, "Dead. We're all dead" ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]"). Despite this, as well as the presumed loss of his [[Carolanne Adama|ex-wife]] in Caprica City, he unhesitatingly takes control of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] after [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Picon|Picon]] Fleet Headquarters is destroyed and Admiral [[Nagala]] is killed.
*At Ragnar Anchorage, Adama deduces that [[Number Two|Leoben Conoy]]'s "allergies" are really the effect of Ragnar's cloud's electro-magnetic radiation upon the [[silica pathways]] composing a Cylon brain, despite the fact that the existence of [[Humanoid Cylon|biological Cylons]] is presumably unknown to humans at that time.<ref>See [[Miniseries, Analysis#Commander William Adama|Miniseries, Analysis]] for hypotheses concerning Adama's curious ability to quickly deduce Conoy's real nature.</ref>
*Once President Roslin convinces Adama the futility of fighting against overwhelming odds, and with what may be the last 50,000 humans who remain anywhere, he makes the switch to the more tactical thinking that keeps the Colonial Fleet at least one step ahead of their Cylon pursuers.
*From the outset, he is savvy enough to give every single survivor of the devastating attack on the Colonies a reason for hope for the future: the legend of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]. This falsehood [[Tomb of Athena|comes back to haunt him]] as the weeks continue, as Roslin is aware of this lie to the crew and states this privately to Adama.

=== From the Colonies to Kobol ===

*Adama continues to face the problem of infiltration within the Fleet by [[humanoid Cylon]]s as well as [[Demand Peace|dissenting humans]] who protest or terrorize others in the Fleet. Adama continually redefines the boundaries of military and civil leadership. After some [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|serious missteps between he and President Roslin]], the two later become friends as well as influential leaders.
*[[Sharon Valerii]], a trusted [[Raptor]] pilot who served with Adama for two years, reveals herself unwittingly as a Cylon sleeper agent and shoots Adama at point blank range after a [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|critical mission near Kobol]]. Cottle [[Fragged|eventually repairs]] the damage to Adama's body, but Adama's psyche takes the larger hit while he repairs the [[Resistance|damage to the Fleet]] he and Col. Tigh have caused in arresting President Roslin, as well as the existence of a [[Sharon Agathon|second copy of Valerii]].
*While at first Adama takes a similar stance to Tigh in assuming a hard military posture, a conversation with [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] helps him realize that, despite the problems, the Fleet is his family, and the family must stay together. After finding the [[Tomb of Athena]] with Roslin and reuniting a [[Laura Roslin faction|factioning of the Fleet]], Adama firmly buries the hatchet between himself and Roslin publicly.
*In a desperate plan, Adama trusts the second Valerii to help [[Flight of the Phoenix|ward off]] a [[Great Cylon Turkey Shoot|massive Cylon fleet]]. Despite his "gut" feelings about the Cylon, he finds common ground often with her, even apologizing to her after a [[Resurrection Ship, Part I|distasteful incident]].

<gallery>
Image:Attack adama.jpg|Adama seconds after having been shot by [[Sharon Valerii]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").
image:Home_pt1-Adama.jpg|Adama paints a model naval ship while talking to [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").
</gallery>

=== ''Pegasus'' ===

*Adama stoically accepts Admiral [[Helena Cain]]'s overall command. Wary of her behavior and her crew, Adama follows his own truism: stick to what you know, until you find something better.
*Matters with Cain's unusually totalitarian command style come to a head when Cain makes [[Pegasus (episode)|several highly questionable orders]] that lead him to face off with her battlestar and her command in a [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|military challenge]]. While the issue is [[Resurrection Ship, Part I|temporarily defused]], Adama is told by, of all people, President Roslin that Cain is a threat to the safety of the Fleet's citizens and must be eliminated.
*Adama avoids killing Cain after realizing that he would become the monster that the Cylons believed they were, unaware that she has plotted his demise as well.
*With Cain's fate sealed not by Adama but [[Gina Inviere]], a frail President Roslin promotes Adama to Admiral. He gives her a simple, affectionate kiss, which she returns, signifying another change in their turbulent association ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).

=== New Caprica ===

[[Image:Adama being carried Exodus-Pt-II.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Adama being carried by crew and civilians after the [[Battle of New Caprica]] (mid left).]]

*Adama's sense of justice with Roslin holds when he confronts her about [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|a conspiracy]] involving her re-election. Roslin admits the conspiracy but she is certain disaster will strike if [[Gaius Baltar]] becomes president. He agrees, but convinces Roslin that the correct course of action is to acknowledge a miscount and cover the conspiracy.
*When ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' and two other ships blow up as a result of [[Gina Inviere]]'s last effort of sabotage, Adama is privately infuriated at new President Baltar's refusal to investigate, and begins to wonder if he hadn't made a mistake.
*A year later, Adama commands ''Galactica'' manned by a skeleton crew as the flagship of a defense fleet, consisting of all ships unable or unwilling to make planetfall on [[New Caprica]]. He now sports a thick mustache, and has apparently taken up smoking. Adama feel lonely in command after he allowed many people close to him to settle on the planet despite his initial refusal. Eventually he grants [[Saul Tigh]] leave to take his wife [[Ellen Tigh|Ellen]] and go as well. His friendship to [[Laura Roslin]] appears to have deepened and the two share a carefree day during Founders' Day celebrations on the planet, marking the formal ground-breaking of New Caprica City ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]", "[[Unfinished Business]]").
*Shortly after the election, Adama and/or President Baltar commissions Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla a lieutenant (junior grade), skipping the initial commissioned rank of ensign. Aside from pilots, she is the only NCO shown to receive a commission. On the morning after the Founders' Day celebration, Adama approves her transfer to Battlestar ''Pegasus'' to join his son and her lover, Commander Lee Adama.
*During the year in orbit, he mends fences with [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon]]. Although he valued her advise earlier, he called her a "thing" or "it" and treated her such. While becoming estranged from the people around him, Adama grows much closer to Agathon, having personal conversations with her and he allowing her to decorate her cell with chairs, tables and other amenities and she has apparently become an advisor of sorts to him ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]"). He permits [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] to marry her, and she adopts his surname, Agathon, thereby further separating herself from the identical Sharon Valerii who shot Adama.
*With Colonel Tigh released from active duty and beached on New Caprica, Adama promotes Lt. Karl Agathon (Helo) to captain and appoints him Executive Officer of ''Galactica,'' thereby demonstrating both the trust he has in Helo despite the latter's marriage to the Cylon prisoner, and his unwillingness to split families.
*Not long after Tigh leaves, a massive Cylon fleet bears down on New Caprica. After a brief discussion with [[Lee Adama|his son]] aboard ''Pegasus'' they order the understaffed Fleet to escape to pre-arranged Jump coordinates. The admiral issues the jump order with a reminder: "We're leaving... but we'll be back."
* Frustrations over the lack of a plan and problems during exercises lead to a conflict with his son whom he attacks over his weight gain and perceived softness. While Lee is pragmatic and doesn't believe that they can rescue the people on New Caprica in their state, his father drives everyone to their limit, thinking it is his misjudgments that brought them into the situation.
*He only forgives himself for leaving almost everyone behind after a conversation with Agathon, where she explains that, after being through so much herself, she discovered that she first had to forgive herself in order to get through it. In her opinion, the human race can't survive if Adama can't forgive himself.
*He commissions Agathon as a Colonial officer shortly after making contact with the [[New Caprica Resistance]], showing complete trust in her. She asks how he knows that she won't betray him and he replies he doesn't, stating "that's what trust is." Eventually a rescue plan takes shape, but Adama decides to go to New Caprica alone, ordering his son to take over as guardian of the Fleet should he not return. Despite their differences of opinion, the two have a heartfelt goodbye.
*Although sustaining losses, and with the last-minute assistance of Lee and ''Pegasus'', Adama is able to [[Battle of New Caprica|successfully pull off the rescue attempt]]. He is lauded by his crew and the civilians for this. He also shaves off his mustache, signifying a new beginning ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]" through "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

=== Flight from New Caprica to "Maelstrom" ===
*Adama is awarded the [[Medal of Distinction]] for his 45 years of distinctive service in the Colonial Fleet. To him this is a penance for the harm that he caused in the past, and his belief that he might have been the cause of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*In an effort to alleviate tensions on ''Galactica'', Adama [[Unfinished Business|holds a boxing tournament]], disregarding rank, allowing people to work out built up frustrations. He himself joins the festivities by challenging Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]. Beaten, he declares that he let everyone too close to him, which ultimately led to the fracturing of their family on New Caprica, and vows to not make that mistake again.
*After the discovery of the [[Temple of Five]] on the [[algae planet]], four Cylon [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]] jump into orbit. A meeting with the Cylons occurs on ''Galactica'', but Adama threatens to nuke the planet should the Cylons make a claim to it. A standoff occurs, and when the Cylons try to launch six Heavy Raiders, Adama orders the arming the ship's [[missile tubes]]. This frightens the Cylons, who recall five of the six and Adama orders a stand down ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]").
*With the capture of [[Gaius Baltar]], Adama and President Roslin are faced with a dilemma of what to do with Baltar. They try various methods of interrogation, including food and sleep deprivation, threats, and even an [[interrogation drug]], to find out what the Cylons know about the location of Earth. Adama apparently has previous experience with the drug and, after suggesting its use, acts as the interrogator, showing his darker side ([[TRS]]: "[[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]").
*On his wedding anniversary, Adama is plagued by memories of his [[Carolanne Adama|ex-wife]]. He wonders about the nature of his relationship to Roslin, not admitting that it could turn into a romantic one. He is also unsure how to treat his son, having a hard time telling him his personal feelings: "proud, stubborn and angry", but "coming into his own". While loving his son, he prefers to interact with him as an admiral to a subordinate officer, believing Lee knows how he feels. Upon Roslin's recommendations, he offers his son to organize Baltar's upcoming trial. Although not sure if Lee will have the time, he gives him [[Joseph Adama]]'s old [[Arts and Literature of the Twelve Colonies#Law books|law books]]. It is also revealed that Adama does memory exercises to enable him to know everyone on his crew by name ([[TRS]]: "[[A Day in the Life]]").

=== [[Kara Thrace]]'s death, resurrection and the final leg of the journey to Earth ===
* By chance, Adama is selected to be a judge at the trial. Two weeks after [[Kara Thrace]]'s [[Maelstrom|death]] he is still distraught, having considered her as a daughter—after her resurection/return/rebirth, he tells her, "You are my daughter" ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]"). In anger, he breaks his model ship. Adama places [[Lee Adama|Lee]] in charge of security for [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s new lawyer, [[Romo Lampkin]], but Lee develops a desire to actively help defend Baltar much to Adama's outrage. The two also come to blows over their dealing with Thrace's loss ([[TRS]]: "[[The Son Also Rises]]"). This results in a break between the father and son, with Lee resigning his commission and Adama questioning his son's integrity after Lee contributed to humiliating his friend [[Saul Tigh]] in court, not able to understand how he could do such things in order to defend a traitor, whom he believes is undeserving of a trial ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part I]]").
*Adama reconsiders his relationship with his son after Lee's [[Crossroads, Part II#Noteworthy Dialogue|impassioned speech]] about justice, itself swaying his vote in favor of an acquittal of Baltar. He is further pleased that his son participated in the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula]], offering him his wings back, which Lee refuses as he believes that he can do better in his new role as the new [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]", "[[He That Believeth In Me]]").
* Adama comforts Laura Roslin throughout her [[Doloxan]] treatments on ''Galactica''. The two bond further and share some of their most intimate thoughts. During this, Roslin manages to convince Adama that they will truly find Earth despite his earlier skepticism. Roslin's remarks that Adama is afraid to lose people close to him hit a mark, and he gives Thrace command of the ''[[Demetrius]]'' on a mission to search for Earth. He wants to believe in her despite serious questions regarding her sudden resurrection, even after her attack on Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[He That Believeth In Me]]", "[[Six of One]]").
*Adama and Roslin later discuss Lee's choices, including his decision to support the right of Baltar's [[Cult of Baltar|cult]] to assemble without stricture. Adama seems to appreciate his son's idealism to a certain extent, despite having been on its opposing side several times. He also attempts to comfort Galen Tyrol after Cally's [[The Ties That Bind|sudden death]], but Tyrol rejects the efforts and Adama demotes him to specialist before Tyrol can endanger any other pilots ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]").
* While Roslin continues her Doloxan treatments aboard ship, he continues to comfort her by reading various books, including ''[[Searider Falcon]]'', to her and generally being present to discuss matters of faith. He later admits to her that she is the reason why he has faith in their mission to find Earth ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]", "[[Faith]]").
[[Image:410 Adama sees the Fleet off.jpg|thumb|William Adama sees the Fleet off.]]
* After [[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?|Roslin's abrupt abduction]] by the rebel Cylon baseship, as well as [[Sharon Agathon]]'s murder of [[Natalie Faust]], he initiates a search for Roslin while ignoring the Fleet's safety and interests. His dismissal of both the Quorum and [[Tom Zarek]] raise tensions in the Fleet that force his son to search for—and become—the interim president in Roslin's place. Further, tensions between Adama and Tigh to boil, notably after Dr. [[Sherman Cottle]] reports that [[Caprica Six]] is impregnated by Tigh. The two come to blows over their decisions regarding the women currently in their lives. Adama admits that he can't live without Roslin and decides to stay behind in a Raptor to wait for Roslin's return. As a result, he hands command of the Fleet over to newly-promoted Admiral Tigh, acknowledging that Tigh has become more knowledgeable about himself and is not the same man who [[Scattered|commanded the Fleet disastrously]] over two years ago ([[TRS]]: "[[Sine Qua Non]]"). After reconnecting with the missing basestar and reuniting with President Roslin on the hangar deck of the basestar, she finally admits that she is in love with him, to which he replies, "About time" ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").
*When [[Saul Tigh]] confesses that he is a Cylon, [[Revelations|Adama doesn't take it well]]. He can't believe that his decades-long friend is a Cylon and thinks that he was brainwashed on New Caprica. After ordering Marines to arrest Tigh, Adama breaks down in his quarters, hitting a mirror with his fist and sobbing on the floor. His son finds him in this state and tries to get him to pull himself together.

=== Discovery of Earth ===
*After Lee Adama defuses the following crisis with the [[Cylon Civil War|Cylon rebels]], Adama has sufficiently recovered to lead the Fleet on its final jump to Earth, holding a rousing speech [[Revelations|after the arrival]].
* Unfortunately, when the Colonials land on Earth, they discover that the whole planet is a burnt out wasteland ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]"). Baltar confirms that the planet suffered a nuclear holocaust 2000 years ago. There is still enough radiation left to make the planet uninhabitable. Adama leaves the planet's surface in disgust.
* Back on ''Galactica'', Adama receives even more disturbing news. The Rebel Cylons have found evidence on Earth that the Thirteenth Tribe were not human. They were Cylons.
* Adama tries to get Roslin to address the Fleet, but Roslin has completely lost faith in the Scriptures and no longer has the will to lead the people. She initiates a romantic and cohabital relationship with him, stating that she no longer wishes to live for the fleet, but to live for what she wants to.
* After Dualla commits suicide, Adama breaks down in tears over her body and believes he's failed everyone. He starts drinking excessively and eventually makes his way to Saul Tigh's quarters.
* Tigh tries to apologize for not telling him the truth, but Adama ignores him and instead starts drinking more and insulting Tigh. He questions whether Tigh was "programmed" to be his friend all these years. Adama then comments that Ellen must have realized the truth about her husband long before he did, which is why she slept around with half the Colonial Fleet. Tigh tells him to shut up, but Adama keeps goading him. Tigh finally can't take it anymore and points his pistol at Adama. Adama draws his own weapon which he points to his own head. He tells Tigh to kill him or he'll do it himself.
* Tigh suddenly realizes that Adama wants to die, but he doesn't have the guts to pull the trigger himself. Tigh calms down and sternly tells Adama that he still has a duty to this ship and that his death won't make things any better. Adama slowly comes to terms with everything that has happened.
* Later, Adama walks onto CIC and addresses a thoroughly demoralized crew. He acknowledges that they can't stay on Earth, but he promises they will find a new home. Adama then orders the CIC personnel to begin jump preparation and to plot a course for an area of space likely to contain a habitable planet. He reinstates Tigh to his rank and posting, despite the latter's Cylon nature.

=== Mutiny ===
* Adama approves an alliance between rebel Cylon faction without the consent of the Quorum of Twelve. These Cylons are given them full colonial citizenship an Quorum seat in exchange for Cylon technology and accepting the colonial command structure.
* Adama integrates the Cylon heavy raiders (piloted by humanoid Cylons who thus can communicate directly with the humans) into ''Galactica''’s combat air patrols (CAPs), their Six and Eight pilots assigned to Colonial squadrons.
* Adama orders the fleet to allow Cylons to install their more efficient technology aboard the various ships of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]").
* This unpopular decision ferments a [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny attempt]] led militarily by [[Felix Gaeta]] and politically by [[Tom Zarek]].
* Adama is ''de facto'' removed from command, but before he is taken out of the CIC, Adama speaks of a reckoning of traitors.
* The admiral is able to escape the rebels temporary, and helps Laura Roslin and Baltar escape to the Cylon Basestar, but is recaptured in doing so ([[TRS]]: "[[The Oath]]", "[[Blood on the Scales]]").
* Against the advise of Tom Zarek, Gaeta attempts to have an informal trial of Adama charging him with treason.
* Adama is sentenced to death by Gaeta, but again evades death after a group of loyalists save him. His own executioners join him in his quest to retake the ship and he storms CIC with the group that rescued him, the marines who were supposed to execute him and many crew members who join up with him on the way.
* Gaeta attempts to jump away with the fleet, but is stopped by a large group of loyalists storming the CIC and reinstating Adama in command. Gaeta surrenders without a fight and Adama has him and Zarek executed by a firing squad that he personally commands ([[TRS]]: "[[Blood on the Scales]]").

=== Post-Mutiny and the second Earth ===
* With crew sizes stretched very thin, Adama relies even more on the rebel Cylons, further integrating them into the Fleet.
* ''Galactica'' begins to show small fractures through the ship. Tyrol recommends to Adama to use Cylon technology to fix these fractures. Adama initially disagrees, but eventually orders this to be done ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]", "[[Deadlock]]").
*The increased presence of Cylons aboard ''Galactica'' leads to Adama and Roslin viewing them even more as the same as humans, when they realise that Cylons have taken to placing photographs of their own lost companions in the remembrance hall.
* Further damage to the ship caused by Boomer's FTL jump leads Adama to order ''Galactica'''s abandonment ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]", "[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]").
* Adama changes his mind, after discovering [[The Colony|the location]] of [[Hera Agathon]]. He plans to send the ship off in a blaze of glory in a volunteers-only apparent [[Battle of the Colony|suicide mission]] to rescue the child ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").
* Adama rejects two volunteers: Doctor (Major) [[Sherman Cottle]] is needed by the civilian populace. Adama brevets Lt. [[Louis Hoshi]] to rear admiral and appoints him to command of the rest of the Fleet from the Cylon Basestar under appointed Acting President Romo Lampkin.
* Adama and the volunteers successfully save Hera and destroy the Colony. With the Colony detonating around them, Adama orders [[Kara Thrace]] to [[blind jump]] the ship away, without giving time to draw in the ship's Flight Pods. The ship ends up at a habitable planet, with it's structual integrity totally compromised and it's ability to Jump gone forever.
* Finding the planet habitable and sparcely populated by inexplicedly genetically compatable humans, Adama suggests it be named Earth to take the place of the planet they had long sought.
* The Fleet reunites with ''Galactica''. Adama reluctantly agrees to Lee's proto-ludite settlement plans for the new planet, and orders that the ships of the Fleet be flown into the sun by [[Samuel Anders]] (less the Cylon Basestar which the humanoid Cylons give to the Centurions with which to make their own destiny).
* He flies off in a Raptor with Roslin to find a good place to build a cabin, never planning to return. While remarking on the wildlife, Laura Roslin dies peacefully of her cancer. Realizing this, he tearfully places his wedding ring on her finger.
*He builds a cabin in a mountain range, as were Roslin's wishes, and buries her nearby. Afterwards, he lives in solitude in the cabin, often visiting Laura's grave and speaking to her ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

==Notes==
*[[Wikipedia:Adama|Adama]] (also known as Nazareth) is the name of a large city in Ethiopia. The name is also a variation on "[[Wikipedia:Adam and Eve|Adam]]," the first man to be created according to the Bible in the [[Wikipedia:Genesis|Book of Genesis]]. In Hebrew the word pronounced "Adama" means earth.
*The Tauron language is portrayed on the show using Ancient Greek. Thus, the most likely etymology for the family name "Adama" is from ''adamas'' (ἀδάμας), which means invincible and is the etymological root of the word ''diamond''. It seems a suitable choice as the surname of the various related characters in this series as it relates to their personality traits.
*Edward James Olmos has brown eyes, but he wears contacts when playing William Adama that make Adama's eyes blue. This is done so that Olmos and [[Jamie Bamber]], who is playing his son Apollo, will resemble each other more.
*Astute viewers may recall Edward James Olmos sharing the screen with realistic humanoid robots as [[w:List of minor characters in Blade Runner#Gaff|Gaff]] in the classic science fiction film ''[[w:Blade Runner|Blade Runner]]'', which also used the term "skin job" as a pejorative to denote the artificial humanoids.
*Olmos also shares with ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' star [[MemoryAlpha:William Shatner|William Shatner]] the distinction of being one of only two actors to both command a television starship and portray a police officer in a popular 1980's cop show (''[[w:Miami Vice|Miami Vice]]'' for Olmos, ''[[w:T.J. Hooker|T.J. Hooker]]'' for Shatner), as a regularly credited actor on each show.
*Edward James Olmos is the father of actor [[Bodie Olmos]], who plays [[Brendan Costanza]], and husband of actress [[Lymari Nadal]], who plays [[Giana O'Neill]].
*Roslin has [[Billy Keikeya]] seek out a jeweler to fashion new admiral pins for Adama after Cain's death at the end of "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]".

== Family tree ==
{{Adama Family Tree (RDM)}}

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{start box}}
{{succession box|before=''Unknown''|title=Executive Officer of the battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]''|after=''Unknown''}}
{{succession box|before=''Unknown''|title=Commanding Officer of the battlestar ''[[Battlestar Valkyrie|Valkyrie]]''|after=''Unknown''}}
{{succession box|before=''Unknown'' originally [[Nash]]|title=Commanding Officer of the battlestar ''[[Galactica|Galactica]]''|after=''None Ship destroyed''}}
{{end box}}

{{Characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adama, William}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
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[[Category:Caprica (series)]]
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{{featured article}}

[[de:William Adama]]
[[es:William Adama]]
[[fr:William Adama]]
[[ms:William Adama]]
[[simple:William Adama]]
[[zh:威廉·阿达玛]]

Fan fiction/Battlestar GalactiSimpsons

2012-01-29T23:42:20Z

Auroraa: /* William Adama and Laura */

{{fandom}}

[http://projectkooky.com/dylan/ Dylan Meconis] (quirkybird) images of BSG Characters in "Simpsons" format.
{{sourcebox|Dylan Contact}}
<math>Insert formula here</math>== William Adama and Laura Roslin ==

[[Image:william_and_larua_bsgsimp.gif]]

== Number Eight ==

[[Image:number_eight__bsgsimp.gif]]

== Starbuck ==

[[Image:starbuck_bsgsimp.gif]]

== Billy, Dee, Lee Adama ==

[[Image:billy_dee_lee_adama_bsgsimp.gif]]

== Chief and Cally ==

[[Image:chief_and_cally_bsgsimp.gif]]

== Tigh and Ellen ==

[[Image:tigh_and_ellen_bsgsimp.gif]]

== Six and Baltar ==

[[Image:siz_and_baltar_bsgsimp.gif]]

These images came from [http://projectkooky.com/dylan/art/illo/content/html/battlestar.html here].

[[Category:A to Z]]

William Adama

2012-01-29T23:11:03Z

Auroraa: /* Post-Mutiny and the second Earth */

:''For information on William Adama's [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Original Series]] counterpart, see [[Adama (TOS)]].''
:''For characters with the same name, see: [[William Adama (disambiguation)]].''
:''For other people named the shortened version of William, see: [[Bill (disambiguation)]].''
{{Character Data
|photo=William Adama.jpg
|caption=William Adama as the commander of the last battlestar, ''Galactica''.
|photo 2=Young Adama.jpg
|caption 2=William Adama discovers the Cylons' experiments on humans during [[Operation Raptor Talon]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]").
|age=61 (at the time when he reached New Earth)<ref>This date is based on the [[Caprica_pilot|''Caprica'' pilot]] taking place 58 years before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Evelyn's earliest conception date being some months after the pilot and a full or near-full pregnancy of nine months (57 BCH), and the character's apparent age in "The Shape of Things to Come" epilogue of "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]." This would make him 57 years old at the time of the Fall, and 61 upon arrival at New Earth four years later in "[[Daybreak, Part II]]."</ref>
|colony= [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], of [[Tauron]] descent
|birthname= William Adama
|callsign= Husker
|nickname= Bill (as a child and later in life) Billy (during the First Cylon War) The Old Man (later in life)
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Presumably on Earth, c. 148,000 BCE
|parents= [[Joseph Adama]] † (father) [[Evelyn Adama]] † (mother)
|siblings= [[Tamara Adama]] † (half-sister) [[William "Willie" Adama]] † (half-brother)<ref>William "Bill" Adama is the only child from Joseph Adama's second marriage.</ref>
|children= [[Lee Adama|Leland J. Adama]] (son) [[Zak Adama]] † (son)
|marital status= Divorced ([[Carolanne Adama]] †); Temporarily co-habitated with [[Laura Roslin]] aboard ''Galactica''
|familytree=Y
|role=Commanding Officer, [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' Military leader of the [[The Fleet (RDM)|civilian Fleet]]
|rank=Admiral
|serial=204971<ref>This information is from his [[:Image:Bill Adama's dogtag serial.jpg|dogtags]].</ref>
|cylon=
|actor=[[Edward James Olmos]] [[Nico Cortez]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]") [[Markus Towfigh]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]") [[Luke Pasqualino]] ([[Blood and Chrome]])
|sepcon=Y
}}
Admiral '''William Adama''', a veteran of the [[First Cylon War]], is the commanding officer of the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'', and has the longest tenure as the highest ranking officer in the Colonial Fleet after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].

== Background ==
*William Adama was born in 57 BCH on Caprica, the son of [[Joseph Adama|Joseph]] and [[Evelyn Adama]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]") He was named after his [[Willie Adama|deceased half-brother]] and their paternal [[William Adama Sr.|grandfather]] ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]"). His father was a criminal defense lawyer who later specialized in civil liberties cases, while his mother was an accountant ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]") and Joseph's personal legal assistant ([[CAP]]: "[[Reins of a Waterfall]]"). He was raised in [[Qualai]], a small coastal community ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*The extent of William Adama's knowledge regarding his half-siblings and his father's previous marriage, or his father's involvement with [[Daniel Graystone]] and the creation of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylons]], is not known.
* He was still in school at the beginning of the [[Cylon War]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1). During his childhood, he was considered small for his age and would often be beaten by his peers ([[TRS]]: [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)/Season 3#99|deleted scene]], "[[Exodus, Part II]]").
*Adama served late in the [[Cylon War]] as both a [[Raptor]] and [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] pilot, his first assignment being on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''. His first mission behind enemy lines was in a Raptor undergoing an unknown mission ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1; "[[Sine Qua Non]]"). He allegedly gained the call sign of "Husker"<ref>Adama's callsign is misspelled as "Husher" in the [[Battlestar Galactica (2005 Novel)|Miniseries novelization]], which is considered a [[BW:SEPCON|separate continuity]] source.</ref> on account of his baritone "graveled" voice. During his time on ''Galactica'', he had a romantic relationship with [[Jaycie McGavin]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]", Episode 1). He proved a gifted pilot, shooting down his first [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] on his very first combat mission, for which he received a commendation ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]", Episode 3; "[[Hero]]").
*In the last week in the war, Adama served on ''[[Galactica]]'' when the battlestar was boarded by Cylon forces. He recalled to his friend [[Saul Tigh]] a dangerous Cylon tactic that tried to turn the battlestar's power against itself ([[TRS]]: "[[Valley of Darkness]]", [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 2 (RDM)#Valley of Darkness|deleted scene]]).
*Furloughed by [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] after the war's end, Adama found work as a deck hand on a [[Sedulana|merchant fleet civilian freighter]], where he met [[Saul Tigh]], who became a long-time friend ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]", "[[Valley of Darkness]]").
*Adama married [[Carolanne Adama]], whose family had political influence with the defense subcommittee and pulled to get Adama reinstated to the Colonial Fleet. Adama (now a major) himself arranged for Tigh's reinstatement two years later.
*William and Carolanne Adama had two sons, [[Lee Adama|Lee]] and [[Zak Adama|Zak]], before the pressures of Adama's career and the time he spent away from home in active service began to place a strain on their marriage, and the two eventually divorced ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries]], "[[A Day in the Life]]").
*While elder son Lee showed promise as a Viper pilot, younger Zak Adama did not. [[Kara Thrace]], Zak's flight instructor and lover, certified him for basic flight despite his poor flight skills. Later, Zak Adama was killed in an operational flight. Zak's death would cause a rift between Commander Adama and his older son for nearly [[Act of Contrition|three years]] until Thrace admits her error to both of them.
*Adama rose through the ranks of the peacetime fleet, becoming the executive officer of the battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'', before becoming the commander of the battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]''. About six years <ref name="hero">While dialogue from "[[Hero]]" places these events at 1 BCH, this contradicts previously established dates about the time Adama and others served on ''Galactica''. See [[Hero#Analysis]] for a detailed explanation why ''Battlestar Wiki'' chooses to treat this as a continuity error.</ref> prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], he was ordered by Admiral [[Peter Corman]] to escort a [[Stealthstar|stealth scout ship]] over the [[Armistice Line]]. The mission was a failure, and in an attempt to cover up, he ordered the ship and its pilot shot down. Ever since, he had felt guilt, both over shooting down his own pilot and over the possibility that his actions resulted in the holocaust. According to Tigh, this mission brought his star into descent, and he was given command of ''Galactica'' as a graceful way of easing into retirement.
*Adama has the rare combination of qualities that make up a good leader: insight, the ability to naturally command respect, a common touch that enables him to relate to the enlisted personnel under his command as well as his officers, intuition, intelligence, a strong belief in his own abilities, and the ability to take the advice of others. These qualities are reflected in the fact that personnel of all ranks aboard ''Galactica'' hold him in high regard, and know that he is approachable ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries]]).
*Adama mistrusts politicians, and sometimes places too strongly a value of loyalty to those he regards as family and friends. From his uneasiness to [[Laura Roslin]]'s unexpected assumption of the Presidency, to the tolerance and patience of his friend, Saul Tigh, and [[You Can't Go Home Again|his stubbornness to save Kara Thrace]], Adama shows a dogged determination that few others care to confront.
*Adama does not share the majority of Colonial beliefs in the gods ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]"), although he has come to accept that his people's scripture may have relevance to the search for Earth ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]").
*Several notable assignments and reassignments during his 45-year career in the Colonial Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]"):
**D6/21311 - First commission: battlestar ''Galactica'' fighter squadron
**E4/21312 - Commendation for shooting down Cylon fighter in first combat mission
**D5/21314 - Mustered out of service post-armistice
**R6/21317 - Served as deckhand in merchant fleet and as common [...] aboard inter-colony tramp freighters
**D1/21331 - Recommissioned to Fleet
**D6/21337 - Major: battlestar ''[[Atlantia (RDM)|Atlantia]]''
**R8/21341 - Executive Officer: battlestar ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]''
**C2/21345 - Commander: battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]''
**C2/21348 - Commander: battlestar ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''

 

<gallery>
Image:BillAdama.png|William Adama around the age of 4 ([[CAP]]: "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]")
Image:Young Adama.jpg|William Adama during the first Cylon War ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]").
Image:Youngadamafamily.jpg|A somewhat older William Adama and his two sons.
Image:Adama freighter.jpg|Adama aboard an inter-colony tramp freighter ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]").
</gallery>

== Character History==

=== Childhood ===

* He was still in school when the First [[Cylon War]] started ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor Flashbacks]]," Episode 1). During his childhood, he was considered small for his age and would often be beaten by his peers ([[TRS]]: [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)/Season 3#99|deleted scene]], "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

=== The Fall of the Twelve Colonies ===

[[image:Mini_Adama_Tigh_DRADIS.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Commander Adama and Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] plot a course to [[Ragnar Anchorage]] in the [[Miniseries]].]]

*At the time just prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Fall]], William Adama serves out his final weeks as commander of the battlestar ''[[Galactica]]''. After some 50 years of service, the historic warship is in the process of being decommissioned, and it is one of Adama's final duties to formally hand her over to the [[Colonial Ministry of Education]], which would operate the ship as a living museum and educational center commemorating the [[First Cylon War|original Cylon War]].
*As a retirement gift, several members of [[Galen Tyrol]]'s deck crew find and restore Adama's old [[Viper Mark II]].
*On news of a renewed Cylon attack, Adama's first thoughts are, "Dead. We're all dead" ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]"). Despite this, as well as the presumed loss of his [[Carolanne Adama|ex-wife]] in Caprica City, he unhesitatingly takes control of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] after [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Picon|Picon]] Fleet Headquarters is destroyed and Admiral [[Nagala]] is killed.
*At Ragnar Anchorage, Adama deduces that [[Number Two|Leoben Conoy]]'s "allergies" are really the effect of Ragnar's cloud's electro-magnetic radiation upon the [[silica pathways]] composing a Cylon brain, despite the fact that the existence of [[Humanoid Cylon|biological Cylons]] is presumably unknown to humans at that time.<ref>See [[Miniseries, Analysis#Commander William Adama|Miniseries, Analysis]] for hypotheses concerning Adama's curious ability to quickly deduce Conoy's real nature.</ref>
*Once President Roslin convinces Adama the futility of fighting against overwhelming odds, and with what may be the last 50,000 humans who remain anywhere, he makes the switch to the more tactical thinking that keeps the Colonial Fleet at least one step ahead of their Cylon pursuers.
*From the outset, he is savvy enough to give every single survivor of the devastating attack on the Colonies a reason for hope for the future: the legend of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]. This falsehood [[Tomb of Athena|comes back to haunt him]] as the weeks continue, as Roslin is aware of this lie to the crew and states this privately to Adama.

=== From the Colonies to Kobol ===

*Adama continues to face the problem of infiltration within the Fleet by [[humanoid Cylon]]s as well as [[Demand Peace|dissenting humans]] who protest or terrorize others in the Fleet. Adama continually redefines the boundaries of military and civil leadership. After some [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|serious missteps between he and President Roslin]], the two later become friends as well as influential leaders.
*[[Sharon Valerii]], a trusted [[Raptor]] pilot who served with Adama for two years, reveals herself unwittingly as a Cylon sleeper agent and shoots Adama at point blank range after a [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|critical mission near Kobol]]. Cottle [[Fragged|eventually repairs]] the damage to Adama's body, but Adama's psyche takes the larger hit while he repairs the [[Resistance|damage to the Fleet]] he and Col. Tigh have caused in arresting President Roslin, as well as the existence of a [[Sharon Agathon|second copy of Valerii]].
*While at first Adama takes a similar stance to Tigh in assuming a hard military posture, a conversation with [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] helps him realize that, despite the problems, the Fleet is his family, and the family must stay together. After finding the [[Tomb of Athena]] with Roslin and reuniting a [[Laura Roslin faction|factioning of the Fleet]], Adama firmly buries the hatchet between himself and Roslin publicly.
*In a desperate plan, Adama trusts the second Valerii to help [[Flight of the Phoenix|ward off]] a [[Great Cylon Turkey Shoot|massive Cylon fleet]]. Despite his "gut" feelings about the Cylon, he finds common ground often with her, even apologizing to her after a [[Resurrection Ship, Part I|distasteful incident]].

<gallery>
Image:Attack adama.jpg|Adama seconds after having been shot by [[Sharon Valerii]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").
image:Home_pt1-Adama.jpg|Adama paints a model naval ship while talking to [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").
</gallery>

=== ''Pegasus'' ===

*Adama stoically accepts Admiral [[Helena Cain]]'s overall command. Wary of her behavior and her crew, Adama follows his own truism: stick to what you know, until you find something better.
*Matters with Cain's unusually totalitarian command style come to a head when Cain makes [[Pegasus (episode)|several highly questionable orders]] that lead him to face off with her battlestar and her command in a [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|military challenge]]. While the issue is [[Resurrection Ship, Part I|temporarily defused]], Adama is told by, of all people, President Roslin that Cain is a threat to the safety of the Fleet's citizens and must be eliminated.
*Adama avoids killing Cain after realizing that he would become the monster that the Cylons believed they were, unaware that she has plotted his demise as well.
*With Cain's fate sealed not by Adama but [[Gina Inviere]], a frail President Roslin promotes Adama to Admiral. He gives her a simple, affectionate kiss, which she returns, signifying another change in their turbulent association ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).

=== New Caprica ===

[[Image:Adama being carried Exodus-Pt-II.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Adama being carried by crew and civilians after the [[Battle of New Caprica]] (mid left).]]

*Adama's sense of justice with Roslin holds when he confronts her about [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II|a conspiracy]] involving her re-election. Roslin admits the conspiracy but she is certain disaster will strike if [[Gaius Baltar]] becomes president. He agrees, but convinces Roslin that the correct course of action is to acknowledge a miscount and cover the conspiracy.
*When ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' and two other ships blow up as a result of [[Gina Inviere]]'s last effort of sabotage, Adama is privately infuriated at new President Baltar's refusal to investigate, and begins to wonder if he hadn't made a mistake.
*A year later, Adama commands ''Galactica'' manned by a skeleton crew as the flagship of a defense fleet, consisting of all ships unable or unwilling to make planetfall on [[New Caprica]]. He now sports a thick mustache, and has apparently taken up smoking. Adama feel lonely in command after he allowed many people close to him to settle on the planet despite his initial refusal. Eventually he grants [[Saul Tigh]] leave to take his wife [[Ellen Tigh|Ellen]] and go as well. His friendship to [[Laura Roslin]] appears to have deepened and the two share a carefree day during Founders' Day celebrations on the planet, marking the formal ground-breaking of New Caprica City ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]", "[[Unfinished Business]]").
*Shortly after the election, Adama and/or President Baltar commissions Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla a lieutenant (junior grade), skipping the initial commissioned rank of ensign. Aside from pilots, she is the only NCO shown to receive a commission. On the morning after the Founders' Day celebration, Adama approves her transfer to Battlestar ''Pegasus'' to join his son and her lover, Commander Lee Adama.
*During the year in orbit, he mends fences with [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon]]. Although he valued her advise earlier, he called her a "thing" or "it" and treated her such. While becoming estranged from the people around him, Adama grows much closer to Agathon, having personal conversations with her and he allowing her to decorate her cell with chairs, tables and other amenities and she has apparently become an advisor of sorts to him ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]"). He permits [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] to marry her, and she adopts his surname, Agathon, thereby further separating herself from the identical Sharon Valerii who shot Adama.
*With Colonel Tigh released from active duty and beached on New Caprica, Adama promotes Lt. Karl Agathon (Helo) to captain and appoints him Executive Officer of ''Galactica,'' thereby demonstrating both the trust he has in Helo despite the latter's marriage to the Cylon prisoner, and his unwillingness to split families.
*Not long after Tigh leaves, a massive Cylon fleet bears down on New Caprica. After a brief discussion with [[Lee Adama|his son]] aboard ''Pegasus'' they order the understaffed Fleet to escape to pre-arranged Jump coordinates. The admiral issues the jump order with a reminder: "We're leaving... but we'll be back."
* Frustrations over the lack of a plan and problems during exercises lead to a conflict with his son whom he attacks over his weight gain and perceived softness. While Lee is pragmatic and doesn't believe that they can rescue the people on New Caprica in their state, his father drives everyone to their limit, thinking it is his misjudgments that brought them into the situation.
*He only forgives himself for leaving almost everyone behind after a conversation with Agathon, where she explains that, after being through so much herself, she discovered that she first had to forgive herself in order to get through it. In her opinion, the human race can't survive if Adama can't forgive himself.
*He commissions Agathon as a Colonial officer shortly after making contact with the [[New Caprica Resistance]], showing complete trust in her. She asks how he knows that she won't betray him and he replies he doesn't, stating "that's what trust is." Eventually a rescue plan takes shape, but Adama decides to go to New Caprica alone, ordering his son to take over as guardian of the Fleet should he not return. Despite their differences of opinion, the two have a heartfelt goodbye.
*Although sustaining losses, and with the last-minute assistance of Lee and ''Pegasus'', Adama is able to [[Battle of New Caprica|successfully pull off the rescue attempt]]. He is lauded by his crew and the civilians for this. He also shaves off his mustache, signifying a new beginning ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]" through "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

=== Flight from New Caprica to "Maelstrom" ===
*Adama is awarded the [[Medal of Distinction]] for his 45 years of distinctive service in the Colonial Fleet. To him this is a penance for the harm that he caused in the past, and his belief that he might have been the cause of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*In an effort to alleviate tensions on ''Galactica'', Adama [[Unfinished Business|holds a boxing tournament]], disregarding rank, allowing people to work out built up frustrations. He himself joins the festivities by challenging Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]. Beaten, he declares that he let everyone too close to him, which ultimately led to the fracturing of their family on New Caprica, and vows to not make that mistake again.
*After the discovery of the [[Temple of Five]] on the [[algae planet]], four Cylon [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]] jump into orbit. A meeting with the Cylons occurs on ''Galactica'', but Adama threatens to nuke the planet should the Cylons make a claim to it. A standoff occurs, and when the Cylons try to launch six Heavy Raiders, Adama orders the arming the ship's [[missile tubes]]. This frightens the Cylons, who recall five of the six and Adama orders a stand down ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]").
*With the capture of [[Gaius Baltar]], Adama and President Roslin are faced with a dilemma of what to do with Baltar. They try various methods of interrogation, including food and sleep deprivation, threats, and even an [[interrogation drug]], to find out what the Cylons know about the location of Earth. Adama apparently has previous experience with the drug and, after suggesting its use, acts as the interrogator, showing his darker side ([[TRS]]: "[[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]").
*On his wedding anniversary, Adama is plagued by memories of his [[Carolanne Adama|ex-wife]]. He wonders about the nature of his relationship to Roslin, not admitting that it could turn into a romantic one. He is also unsure how to treat his son, having a hard time telling him his personal feelings: "proud, stubborn and angry", but "coming into his own". While loving his son, he prefers to interact with him as an admiral to a subordinate officer, believing Lee knows how he feels. Upon Roslin's recommendations, he offers his son to organize Baltar's upcoming trial. Although not sure if Lee will have the time, he gives him [[Joseph Adama]]'s old [[Arts and Literature of the Twelve Colonies#Law books|law books]]. It is also revealed that Adama does memory exercises to enable him to know everyone on his crew by name ([[TRS]]: "[[A Day in the Life]]").

=== [[Kara Thrace]]'s death, resurrection and the final leg of the journey to Earth ===
* By chance, Adama is selected to be a judge at the trial. Two weeks after [[Kara Thrace]]'s [[Maelstrom|death]] he is still distraught, having considered her as a daughter—after her resurection/return/rebirth, he tells her, "You are my daughter" ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]"). In anger, he breaks his model ship. Adama places [[Lee Adama|Lee]] in charge of security for [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s new lawyer, [[Romo Lampkin]], but Lee develops a desire to actively help defend Baltar much to Adama's outrage. The two also come to blows over their dealing with Thrace's loss ([[TRS]]: "[[The Son Also Rises]]"). This results in a break between the father and son, with Lee resigning his commission and Adama questioning his son's integrity after Lee contributed to humiliating his friend [[Saul Tigh]] in court, not able to understand how he could do such things in order to defend a traitor, whom he believes is undeserving of a trial ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part I]]").
*Adama reconsiders his relationship with his son after Lee's [[Crossroads, Part II#Noteworthy Dialogue|impassioned speech]] about justice, itself swaying his vote in favor of an acquittal of Baltar. He is further pleased that his son participated in the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula]], offering him his wings back, which Lee refuses as he believes that he can do better in his new role as the new [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]", "[[He That Believeth In Me]]").
* Adama comforts Laura Roslin throughout her [[Doloxan]] treatments on ''Galactica''. The two bond further and share some of their most intimate thoughts. During this, Roslin manages to convince Adama that they will truly find Earth despite his earlier skepticism. Roslin's remarks that Adama is afraid to lose people close to him hit a mark, and he gives Thrace command of the ''[[Demetrius]]'' on a mission to search for Earth. He wants to believe in her despite serious questions regarding her sudden resurrection, even after her attack on Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[He That Believeth In Me]]", "[[Six of One]]").
*Adama and Roslin later discuss Lee's choices, including his decision to support the right of Baltar's [[Cult of Baltar|cult]] to assemble without stricture. Adama seems to appreciate his son's idealism to a certain extent, despite having been on its opposing side several times. He also attempts to comfort Galen Tyrol after Cally's [[The Ties That Bind|sudden death]], but Tyrol rejects the efforts and Adama demotes him to specialist before Tyrol can endanger any other pilots ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]").
* While Roslin continues her Doloxan treatments aboard ship, he continues to comfort her by reading various books, including ''[[Searider Falcon]]'', to her and generally being present to discuss matters of faith. He later admits to her that she is the reason why he has faith in their mission to find Earth ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]", "[[Faith]]").
[[Image:410 Adama sees the Fleet off.jpg|thumb|William Adama sees the Fleet off.]]
* After [[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?|Roslin's abrupt abduction]] by the rebel Cylon baseship, as well as [[Sharon Agathon]]'s murder of [[Natalie Faust]], he initiates a search for Roslin while ignoring the Fleet's safety and interests. His dismissal of both the Quorum and [[Tom Zarek]] raise tensions in the Fleet that force his son to search for—and become—the interim president in Roslin's place. Further, tensions between Adama and Tigh to boil, notably after Dr. [[Sherman Cottle]] reports that [[Caprica Six]] is impregnated by Tigh. The two come to blows over their decisions regarding the women currently in their lives. Adama admits that he can't live without Roslin and decides to stay behind in a Raptor to wait for Roslin's return. As a result, he hands command of the Fleet over to newly-promoted Admiral Tigh, acknowledging that Tigh has become more knowledgeable about himself and is not the same man who [[Scattered|commanded the Fleet disastrously]] over two years ago ([[TRS]]: "[[Sine Qua Non]]"). After reconnecting with the missing basestar and reuniting with President Roslin on the hangar deck of the basestar, she finally admits having feelings for him, to which he replies, "About time" ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").
*When [[Saul Tigh]] confesses that he is a Cylon, [[Revelations|Adama doesn't take it well]]. He can't believe that his decades-long friend is a Cylon and thinks that he was brainwashed on New Caprica. After ordering Marines to arrest Tigh, Adama breaks down in his quarters, hitting a mirror with his fist and sobbing on the floor. His son finds him in this state and tries to get him to pull himself together.

=== Discovery of Earth ===
*After Lee Adama defuses the following crisis with the [[Cylon Civil War|Cylon rebels]], Adama has sufficiently recovered to lead the Fleet on its final jump to Earth, holding a rousing speech [[Revelations|after the arrival]].
* Unfortunately, when the Colonials land on Earth, they discover that the whole planet is a burnt out wasteland ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]"). Baltar confirms that the planet suffered a nuclear holocaust 2000 years ago. There is still enough radiation left to make the planet uninhabitable. Adama leaves the planet's surface in disgust.
* Back on ''Galactica'', Adama receives even more disturbing news. The Rebel Cylons have found evidence on Earth that the Thirteenth Tribe were not human. They were Cylons.
* Adama tries to get Roslin to address the Fleet, but Roslin has completely lost faith in the Scriptures and no longer has the will to lead the people.
* After Dualla commits suicide, Adama breaks down in tears over her body and believes he's failed everyone. He starts drinking excessively and eventually makes his way to Saul Tigh's quarters.
* Tigh tries to apologize for not telling him the truth, but Adama ignores him and instead starts drinking more and insulting Tigh. He questions whether Tigh was "programmed" to be his friend all these years. Adama then comments that Ellen must have realized the truth about her husband long before he did, which is why she slept around with half the Colonial Fleet. Tigh tells him to shut up, but Adama keeps goading him. Tigh finally can't take it anymore and points his pistol at Adama. Adama draws his own weapon which he points to his own head. He tells Tigh to kill him or he'll do it himself.
* Tigh suddenly realizes that Adama wants to die, but he doesn't have the guts to pull the trigger himself. Tigh calms down and sternly tells Adama that he still has a duty to this ship and that his death won't make things any better. Adama slowly comes to terms with everything that has happened.
* Later, Adama walks onto CIC and addresses a thoroughly demoralized crew. He acknowledges that they can't stay on Earth, but he promises they will find a new home. Adama then orders the CIC personnel to begin jump preparation and to plot a course for an area of space likely to contain a habitable planet. He reinstates Tigh to his rank and posting, despite the latter's Cylon nature.

=== Mutiny ===
* Adama approves an alliance between rebel Cylon faction without the consent of the Quorum of Twelve. These Cylons are given them full colonial citizenship an Quorum seat in exchange for Cylon technology and accepting the colonial command structure.
* Adama integrates the Cylon heavy raiders (piloted by humanoid Cylons who thus can communicate directly with the humans) into ''Galactica''’s combat air patrols (CAPs), their Six and Eight pilots assigned to Colonial squadrons.
* Adama orders the fleet to allow Cylons to install their more efficient technology aboard the various ships of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]").
* This unpopular decision ferments a [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny attempt]] led militarily by [[Felix Gaeta]] and politically by [[Tom Zarek]].
* Adama is ''de facto'' removed from command, but before he is taken out of the CIC, Adama speaks of a reckoning of traitors.
* The admiral is able to escape the rebels temporary, and helps Laura Roslin and Baltar escape to the Cylon Basestar, but is recaptured in doing so ([[TRS]]: "[[The Oath]]", "[[Blood on the Scales]]").
* Against the advise of Tom Zarek, Gaeta attempts to have an informal trial of Adama charging him with treason.
* Adama is sentenced to death by Gaeta, but again evades death after a group of loyalists save him. His own executioners join him in his quest to retake the ship and he storms CIC with the group that rescued him, the marines who were supposed to execute him and many crew members who join up with him on the way.
* Gaeta attempts to jump away with the fleet, but is stopped by a large group of loyalists storming the CIC and reinstating Adama in command. Gaeta surrenders without a fight and Adama has him and Zarek executed by a firing squad that he personally commands ([[TRS]]: "[[Blood on the Scales]]").

=== Post-Mutiny and the second Earth ===
* With crew sizes stretched very thin, Adama relies even more on the rebel Cylons, further integrating them into the Fleet.
* ''Galactica'' begins to show small fractures through the ship. Tyrol recommends to Adama to use Cylon technology to fix these fractures. Adama initially disagrees, but eventually orders this to be done ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]", "[[Deadlock]]").
*The increased presence of Cylons aboard ''Galactica'' leads to Adama and Roslin viewing them even more as the same as humans, when they realise that Cylons have taken to placing photographs of their own lost companions in the remembrance hall.
* Further damage to the ship caused by Boomer's FTL jump leads Adama to order ''Galactica'''s abandonment ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]", "[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]").
* Adama changes his mind, after discovering [[The Colony|the location]] of [[Hera Agathon]]. He plans to send the ship off in a blaze of glory in a volunteers-only apparent [[Battle of the Colony|suicide mission]] to rescue the child ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").
* Adama rejects two volunteers: Doctor (Major) [[Sherman Cottle]] is needed by the civilian populace. Adama brevets Lt. [[Louis Hoshi]] to rear admiral and appoints him to command of the rest of the Fleet from the Cylon Basestar under appointed Acting President Romo Lampkin.
* Adama and the volunteers successfully save Hera and destroy the Colony. With the Colony detonating around them, Adama orders [[Kara Thrace]] to [[blind jump]] the ship away, without giving time to draw in the ship's Flight Pods. The ship ends up at a habitable planet, with it's structual integrity totally compromised and it's ability to Jump gone forever.
* Finding the planet habitable and sparcely populated by inexplicedly genetically compatable humans, Adama suggests it be named Earth to take the place of the planet they had long sought.
* The Fleet reunites with ''Galactica''. Adama reluctantly agrees to Lee's proto-ludite settlement plans for the new planet, and orders that the ships of the Fleet be flown into the sun by [[Samuel Anders]] (less the Cylon Basestar which the humanoid Cylons give to the Centurions with which to make their own destiny).
* He flies off in a Raptor with Roslin to find a good place to build a cabin, never planning to return. While remarking on the wildlife, Laura Roslin dies peacefully of her cancer. Realizing this, he tearfully places his wedding ring on her finger.
*He builds a cabin in a mountain range for himself, and buries Roslin nearby. Afterwards, he lives in solitude in the cabin, often visiting Laura's grave and speaking to her ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

==Notes==
*[[Wikipedia:Adama|Adama]] (also known as Nazareth) is the name of a large city in Ethiopia. The name is also a variation on "[[Wikipedia:Adam and Eve|Adam]]," the first man to be created according to the Bible in the [[Wikipedia:Genesis|Book of Genesis]]. In Hebrew the word pronounced "Adama" means earth.
*The Tauron language is portrayed on the show using Ancient Greek. Thus, the most likely etymology for the family name "Adama" is from ''adamas'' (ἀδάμας), which means invincible and is the etymological root of the word ''diamond''. It seems a suitable choice as the surname of the various related characters in this series as it relates to their personality traits.
*Edward James Olmos has brown eyes, but he wears contacts when playing William Adama that make Adama's eyes blue. This is done so that Olmos and [[Jamie Bamber]], who is playing his son Apollo, will resemble each other more.
*Astute viewers may recall Edward James Olmos sharing the screen with realistic humanoid robots as [[w:List of minor characters in Blade Runner#Gaff|Gaff]] in the classic science fiction film ''[[w:Blade Runner|Blade Runner]]'', which also used the term "skin job" as a pejorative to denote the artificial humanoids.
*Olmos also shares with ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' star [[MemoryAlpha:William Shatner|William Shatner]] the distinction of being one of only two actors to both command a television starship and portray a police officer in a popular 1980's cop show (''[[w:Miami Vice|Miami Vice]]'' for Olmos, ''[[w:T.J. Hooker|T.J. Hooker]]'' for Shatner), as a regularly credited actor on each show.
*Edward James Olmos is the father of actor [[Bodie Olmos]], who plays [[Brendan Costanza]], and husband of actress [[Lymari Nadal]], who plays [[Giana O'Neill]].
*Roslin has [[Billy Keikeya]] seek out a jeweler to fashion new admiral pins for Adama after Cain's death at the end of "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]".

== Family tree ==
{{Adama Family Tree (RDM)}}

==References==
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{{succession box|before=''Unknown'' originally [[Nash]]|title=Commanding Officer of the battlestar ''[[Galactica|Galactica]]''|after=''None Ship destroyed''}}
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{{Characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adama, William}}

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{{featured article}}

[[de:William Adama]]
[[es:William Adama]]
[[fr:William Adama]]
[[ms:William Adama]]
[[simple:William Adama]]
[[zh:威廉·阿达玛]]

Laura Roslin

2012-01-29T22:58:42Z

Auroraa: /* Earth */

{{Character Data
|photo= Laura Roslin.jpg
|age=
|colony= [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]]
|birthname= Laura Roslin
|callsign=
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Cancer, while flying over Tanzania in 4 ACH (c. 148,000 BCE) ([[Daybreak, Part II]])
|parents= [[Roslin's mother|mother]] †, father †
|siblings= [[Cheryl Roslin]] † [[Sandra Roslin]] †
|children=
|marital status=Unmarried; Briefly cohabits with [[William Adama]]
|role=President of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]; formerly Secretary of Education formerly schoolteacher
|rank=
|actor= [[Mary McDonnell]]
}}
'''Laura Roslin''' serves as the [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|Secretary of Education]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon attack]] and later serves twice as President of the Twelve Colonies despite never being elected to office. She is also believed by some in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] to be a religious figure essential to the fulfillment of the [[Pythia|Pythian prophecy]].
 

== Biography ==
===Background===
Some time before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], Roslin is forced to take care of her dying [[Roslin's mother|mother]], who is going through [[doloxan]] treatments for cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]"). At some point, Roslin's father and sisters are killed in a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]"). Like her mother, Roslin is a schoolteacher, though she enters politics under the mayoral administration of [[Richard Adar]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]"). When Adar decides to run for [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|president]], Roslin reluctantly agrees to join his campaign, and is later appointed as Secretary of Education ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

Though Roslin never marries<ref name="marital">According to the February issue of ''Sci Fi Magazine'', actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the [[series bible]], Roslin has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on [http://www.livejournal.com/users/reedfem/158883.html Ramblings of a dorkish nature])</ref>, she engages in a sexual affair with the married Adar ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").<ref>According to a December 2005 [http://www.galacticastation.com/Archives/2005/dec05.html interview] with Mary McDonnell in TV Guide, President Adar, a married man, was having an affair with Roslin in the twilight of his term.</ref> The day of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylon]] attack, Roslin learns that she has terminal breast cancer. Returning to work, Roslin informs Adar that she has successfully resolved an ongoing teacher's strike, but Adar vehemently disagrees with her method, and asks for her resignation. She asks him to defer the matter until she returns from the decommissioning ceremonies of the ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

===Fall of the Colonies===
Roslin travels to ''[[Galactica]]'' aboard the government-chartered civilian transport, [[Colonial Heavy 798]], accompanied by a government aide, [[Billy Keikeya]]. On board Galactica, Secretary Roslin meets with [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar. Roslin lets the matter go and departs the ship following the decommissioning ceremonies.

[[Image:Roslin_swearing_in.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Roslin being sworn in]]
On route back to [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Roslin learns from the [[Colonial One captain|captain]] that the Cylons are attacking the Twelve Colonies. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, rallying the passengers to make space for potential refugees. She finally establishes contact with a [[Jack|government official]] on Caprica, who does not know the the whereabouts or condition of President Adar. As the transport begins to rescue survivors from a stranded passenger vessel, the [[Case Orange]] automated beacon is picked up on the wireless, and Roslin instructs the pilot to respond to the message with her government identification. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin, the forty-third official in line of succession, is the highest-ranking government official left alive and thus has succeeded Adar as president. Physically shaking, Roslin holds back tears and her voice cracks as the priestess [[Elosha]] administers the oath of office.

In her first act as president, Roslin orders the ''Galactica'' to assist her in rescue operations. In turn, Adama refuses to recognize her authority and orders the vessel to rendezvous with ''Galactica'' at the [[Ragnar Anchorage]]. The two are interrupted by a pair of [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]]s, which launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet Roslin has assembled. She refuses to leave the vessels behind and is only saved by quick thinking on the part of [[Lee Adama]]. Soon after, a ''Galactica'' [[Raptor]] carrying [[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Gaius Baltar]] locates Roslin's ship, the newly rechristened ''[[Colonial One]]''. Roslin appoints Baltar as her chief science advisor and uses the Raptor to locate any surviving ships around Caprica. Over the next few hours, Roslin's small group of ships transforms into a massive [[The Fleet (RDM)|fleet]] harboring over 50,000 survivors.

While attempting to transfer passengers off of all non-[[FTL]] capable ships, the Fleet is discovered by another pair of Raiders. Forced to make a difficult decision, Roslin orders all FTL-capable ships to jump to [[Ragnar]], abandoning the thousands of people still aboard the sub-light ships. At Ragnar, Roslin meets again with Adama and urges him to abandon the Twelve Colonies in favor of guiding the surviving civilians to a new home. Though Adama initially rejects this idea, he later acquiesces and the Fleet, protected by ''Galactica'', leaves Colonial space.

In an attempt to give the survivors a reason to survive, Adama claims that he knows the location of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], the home of the [[Thirteenth Tribe]]. Roslin privately calls Adama out on his lie. Adama admits the deception, and in return for Roslin keeping his secret and allowing him to retain control of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|military]], he acknowledges Roslin's authority over the civilian fleet as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").

===The First Month===
Roslin begins building the foundations of a civilian government by collecting a census on the remaining population while Cylon attacks force the Fleet to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughout these attacks without any sleep, Roslin is forced to make another tough call and authorizes ''Galactica'' to destroy the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', a ship suspected of being tracked by the Cylons. Ultimately, the destruction of the ship ends the attacks, yet Roslin continues to question whether she had made the right choice considering the 1300 lives lost on the ship ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]").

Though Roslin and Adama continue to have a wary relationship, Adama integrates her into the decision process. Roslin and Adama agree to keep the knowledge that [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylons now appear human]] a secret ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]"). She later authorizes the conditional pardoning of prisoners aboard the ''[[Astral Queen]]''. However, [[Tom Zarek]], a former terrorist with a political agenda, successfully frees the prisoners, takes control of the ship and broadcasts calls for Roslin to step down from office and hold immediate elections. Roslin refuses to negotiate and presses Adama for an armed response, though she is less than pleased when Lee ends the situation by giving the prisoners control of their ship and promising that the scheduled presidential elections would take place in nine months ([[TRS]]: "[[Bastille Day]]").

Having appointed Lee as her military liaison, she admits the truth of her cancer to him. She later seeks treatment from ''Galactica'''s doctor, [[Sherman Cottle]], though she opts to use an alternative, psychoactive drug, [[chamalla]], rather than endure the same doloxan treatments that she had watched her mother suffer through ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]").

Following a suicide bombing aboard Galactica by copy of [[Aaron Doral]], Roslin holds a press conference revealing the truth about humanoid Cylons and releasing pictures of Aaron Doral and Leoben Conoy. The news is greeted with a stunned reaction throughout the Fleet. A resulting independent investigation aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' is launched by Adama, though Roslin cautions against this course of action. ([[TRS]]: "[[Litmus]]").

As a result of her press conference regarding the Cylons, a copy of [[Leoben Conoy]] is captured aboard the ''[[Gemenon Traveler]]''. Despite Adama's desire to kill him immediately, Roslin insists he be interrogated. When Conoy claims that he has planted a nuclear bomb within the Fleet, Roslin travels to the ''Gemenon Traveler'' and stops the torture being inflicted on him. Agreeing to release him if he tells her where the bomb is, Conoy informs her that there is no bomb and that Adama is a Cylon. She subsequently orders him to be thrown out of an airlock, a method of execution repeated multiple times over the course of Roslin's administration ([[TRS]]: "[[Flesh and Bone]]"). While Roslin becomes suspicious of Adama as a result of Conoy's claim, her fears are allayed by Baltar's invention of a [[Cylon detector]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]").

Soon after, Roslin reconstitutes the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''. However, the election of Zarek as the [[Sagittaron]] delegate disrupts her agenda when Zarek insists on the election of a vice president. The [[Marshall Bagott|delegate]] from [[Virgon (RDM)|Virgon]] nominates Zarek, while Roslin chooses [[Wallace Gray]] as her preferred candidate. However, Gray fails to win enough support in the Quorum to defeat Zarek and is replaced at the last minute by Baltar, the Caprican delegate. The resulting vote is a tie, which allows Roslin to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Baltar ([[TRS]]: "[[Colonial Day]]").

===Kobol===
Shortly before the capture of Leoben Conoy, Roslin has a set of visions that are uncannily prescient to future events. During a press conference soon after, she hallucinates a dozen snakes crawling over her podium. Disturbed by these events, she consults Elosha and admits that she has been using chamalla. On hearing about the snakes, Elosha reveals that it matches a prophecy in an ancient text written by [[Pythia]] 3,600 years ago concerning the exodus of humankind, which foretells that a dying leader will guide the remnants of humanity to the promised land ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

Cottle informs Roslin that her cancer has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps six months to live ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]"). Soon after, a recon mission from ''Galactica'' discovers a habitable world with ruins across the surface. Reviewing the photos of the ruins, Roslin has another vision that Elosha confirms to be the [[City of the Gods]] on [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. Roslin has two further visions of the [[Arrow of Apollo]] and the [[Tomb of Athena]] and accepts the scriptures as fact. Though Adama considers permanent settlement on the planet, Roslin tries to convince him they should use a captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo, which would open the Tomb of Athena and point the way to Earth. Uncomfortable with Roslin's newfound religiousness, Adama asserts his authority over the military to deny her the use of the Raider ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]").

Resolved, Roslin convinces [[Kara Thrace]] to steal the Raider and return to Caprica by admitting that Adama does not know where Earth is. Upon learning of her deception, Adama asks Roslin for her resignation; her refusal results in him sending a Marine boarding party to ''Colonial One'' to arrest her. Though Lee Adama ultimately sides with the President during the armed standoff, Roslin agrees to surrender to prevent bloodshed. Adama is shot soon after by a Cylon agent, and [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'' and refuses Roslin's request to be released ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]"; "[[Scattered]]").

From her cell, Roslin rallies support from the Quorum of Twelve by convincing them of her role in the [[Sacred Scrolls]]; in response, Tigh dissolves the Quorum and declares martial law ([[TRS]]: "[[Fragged]]"). With the help of several sympathetic crew members of ''Galactica'', Roslin escapes with Lee and hides within the Fleet with the help of Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[Resistance]]"). Declaring herself publicly to be the "dying leader" foretold by Pythia, Roslin asks the Fleet to follow her back to Kobol ([[TRS]]: "[[The Farm]]"). Nearly a third of the Fleet heeds her request and jumps back to Kobol, where they rendezvous with Starbuck and the recovered Arrow. A search party led by Roslin heads to the surface and Elosha is soon killed by a landmine, which deeply shakes Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").

A recon team led by Adama intercepts Roslin's group, and Adama and Roslin resolve their differences, with Adama agreeing to help her find the Tomb. After locating it, the group places the Arrow in the bow of a statue of Sagittarius, which activates a projection showing the way to Earth. Upon returning to the Fleet, Adama reinstates Roslin as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]").

===Failing Health===
Adama and Roslin begin to respect each more and their leadership in managing fleet business becomes more cooperative, asking each other for advice and correcting each other as needed, starting with a potentially disruptive tabloid expose of the ''[[Gideon]]'' shootings ([[TRS]]: "[[Final Cut]]"). However, Roslin's health continues to deteriorate, and Cottle advises her that she has weeks left to live. Roslin begins to put her affairs in order, signaled by her returning a book given to her by Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]").

[[Image:Roslinadama.jpg|thumb|Roslin and Adama share a kiss.]]
The discovery of the Battlestar ''[[Pegasus]]'' gives Roslin a brief moment of relief. However, [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain's]] disregard for the political status quo within the Fleet becomes apparent when Cain refuses to take Roslin's calls ([[TRS]]: "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]"). After a near-disastrous [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|armed standoff]] between Adama and Cain, Roslin conspires with Adama to assassinate Cain for the safety of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]"). While Adama ultimately refuses to go through with the plan, Cain is murdered by a Cylon agent and Roslin promotes Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the President a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").

By this time, Roslin requires help to move around, and she is soon rushed to ''Galactica'''s sickbay as her health fails. Preparing for Baltar's accession to the presidency, she instructs Billy to give Baltar a letter she has written him. In what she believes to be her final act as president, Roslin orders that the half-Cylon, half-human baby of [[Sharon Agathon]] be terminated. However, Baltar panics at the thought of becoming president and devises a last minute solution to cure Roslin using an injection of stem cells<ref>In the commentary track for "Epiphanies", Ron Moore states that a longer explanation of Roslin's cure was filmed that explained that the blood's stem cells cure Roslin. However, the scene was cut because he was afraid it would be too complicated and thought of as [[technobabble]]. The character's updated biography on the official Scifi.com site does confirm that stem cells from the hybrid were the actual cure. As such, Battlestar Wiki treats this data canonically as with information found in most deleted scenes.</ref> from the [[Hera Agathon|hybrid fetus]], which completely eradicates her cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

Before her treatment, Roslin remembers that hours prior to the attack on Caprica, she had witnessed Baltar interacting with a [[Number Six]] Cylon and deduces that he played a role in the destruction of the Colonies. However, Roslin's letter to Baltar had hurt his pride by calling out his self-centered nature. When Roslin attempts to offer Baltar an out by asking him to resign, Baltar refuses to do so ([[TRS]]: "[[Black Market]]"). This encounter would mark the beginning for Roslin of a deep personal loathing of Baltar.

===Election===
Roslin returns to work and begins aiming towards her reelection. Though the sudden death of Billy comes as a shock to her ([[TRS]]: "[[Sacrifice]]"), she soon appoints his replacement, [[Tory Foster]], who assures her that her victory in the election is certain. However, the certainty of her reelection is thrown into doubt when the issue of abortion is raised in the Fleet. Though Roslin is pro-choice, she realizes that the survival of the human race depends on repopulation and bans abortion throughout the Fleet. Coming out against the ban, Baltar launches a presidential challenge against Roslin with the backing of Tom Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[The Captain's Hand]]").

While dealing with Baltar's challenge, the issue of the Agathons' child, which will soon be born, resurfaces. Roslin decides that Sharon cannot be allowed to raise the child, yet she also feels that the child is important and should be kept safe. Thus, she conspires with Dr. Cottle and Foster to fake the child's death. She later gives the child up for adoption to [[Maya]], claiming that the baby belonged to a ''Pegasus'' officer ([[TRS]]: "[[Downloaded]]").

As the first presidential debate between Roslin and Baltar approaches, polls show Roslin firmly in the lead; Baltar's poor showing in the debate does little to change this. Indeed, Roslin appears confident that Baltar will not be able to win the election. However, the discovery of a [[New Caprica|habitable planet]] changes the entire nature of the race. Roslin refuses to even consider settling on the planet, saying that the Fleet must find Earth and, regardless, the planet will most likely not be able to sustain a long-term settlement. However, Baltar seizes on the public's support for colonization and pulls ahead in the polls ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").

Roslin refuses to risk the future of the human race to win an election by supporting settlement. However, she feels that a Baltar presidency will also jeopardize the survival of humanity and thus authorizes Foster to rig the election. When early results from the election show Baltar in the lead, Foster has key election officials on ''Galactica'', including Colonel Tigh and [[Anastasia Dualla]], replace a ballot box with one stuffed with ballots for Roslin. Though the election is called for Roslin and Baltar concedes the race, [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers the plot and informs Adama. Roslin pleads with Adama to cover up the rigged election. While Adama admits he agrees with Roslin, he refuses to overturn the results of a democratic election. However, he does not publicly reveal the conspiracy, calling it an error in the ballot tabulation. Baltar succeeds Roslin as president, and Roslin settles on New Caprica with the rest of the civilian population ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

=== New Caprica ===
[[Image:2BATgyC05.jpg|250px|Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.|thumb]]
On New Caprica, Roslin returns to her old profession of schoolteacher, working with Maya and watching over the hybrid baby, [[Isis]]. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a project promoted by Baltar's government, she meets with Admiral Adama. The two friends comfortably chat while [[New Caprican leaf|smoking]] and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together. During the intimate outing, Roslin tells Adama of a cabin she is planning to build next to a lake, insisting that though the Cylons could return, they should use what time they have to enjoy life ([[TRS]]: "[[Unfinished Business]]"). Her fears are proven justified; on the 380th day after settlement, the Cylons [[Fall of New Caprica|discover and occupy]] the colony ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

Roslin becomes heavily involved with the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance movement]] led by Colonel Tigh, who subordinates himself and his militia to the ''de facto'' civilian government-in-waiting she forms with Vice President Zarek; while Zarek has the constitutionally superior claim to the presidency, Roslin has the loyalty of Tigh's military; moreover, Zarek is jailed in the Cylon detention facility for four months, while Roslin retains the public guise of a politically-uninvolved school-teacher. Disgusted with the willingness of some humans to join the Cylon-controlled [[New Caprica Police]], she and Foster work on discovering the identities of those people and handing their names over to the Resistance ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]"). Following a suicide bombing at the graduation for the police force, Roslin is detained by the Cylons as are all high-profile civilians. Baltar visits her in her cell and offers to help her should she publicly denounce the bombings. Roslin argues that the Resistance is justified in their acts, yet she concedes that she does not support the suicide bombings. Despite refusing to cooperate with Baltar, she is released from prison ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

Roslin later attempts to force Tigh to stop the suicide bombings, and a heated argument ensues in which Roslin uncharacteristically slaps Tigh. When another suicide bomber cripples the power infrastructure and kills numerous Cylons and humans, police forces storm through the city and arrest numerous people, including Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin finds former vice president Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

The Cylons take Roslin and the prisoners to be executed at the [[Pergamus Flats]]. Before they can do so, a raid by the Resistance kill the Cylons and free the prisoners. Roslin learns from [[Galen Tyrol]] that ''Galactica'' is planning a daring raid to evacuate the colonists. With the Resistance, Roslin goes over the evacuation strategy that they had put in place, and ensures that Maya and Isis will be safely escorted to an evacuating ship ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part I]]").

During the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Zarek and Roslin escape together but she states that she will evacuate aboard her ship, ''Colonial One''. Zarek notes the important symbolism, tacitly acknowledging her inevitable return to office. He gives a sidearm to [[James Lyman|Jammer]], directing him to protect Roslin. Once the Fleet is safely reassembled, Roslin, Foster, and civil servants begin clearing the trappings of the Baltar/Cylon administration from ''Colonial One'' while assembling a census and calculating their losses. Foster confirms that Maya and Isis did not evacuate, and offers her apologies to Roslin. Though shaken, Roslin forgives Tory and takes a somewhat fatalistic view of the loss of Isis ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

With Baltar missing following the evacuation, Zarek, as the legal vice president, assumes the presidency. However, Adama makes it clear that he will not accept this, and Zarek agrees to transfer the presidency to Roslin in exchange for a place in the new government. Touched by his courage on New Caprica and recalling their ability to work together in the resistance, Roslin agrees to make him her new vice president. The discovery of a [[The Circle|secret tribunal]] set up by Zarek to try and execute Cylon collaborators leads Roslin to issue a blanket pardon for all crimes committed on New Caprica - excluding those committed by the fugitive Gaius Baltar - and to organize a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to document the experiences of the survivors ([[TRS]]: "[[Collaborators]]").

===Second Roslin Administration===
Roslin's second term in office is no less hectic than her first. Despite the misgivings of Adama, Roslin authorizes him to exterminate the Cylon race through the use of [[Lymphocytic encephalitis|biological warfare]] and is visibly irritated when he refuses to investigate the sabotage of the plan ([[TRS]]: "[[A Measure of Salvation]]"). She later talks him out of resigning his commission when the knowledge of previous secret mission he had conducted surfaces ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]"). Following a food crisis, Roslin works with Adama to guide the Fleet to a [[Algae planet|planet covered in algae]] ([[TRS]]: "[[The Passage]]").

Though she believes that the newly-discovered [[Temple of Five]] on the algae planet is another road sign on the path to Earth, the arrival of the Cylons prevents any significant examination of the Temple. At this time, knowledge of Roslin's deception regarding the hybrid child surfaces when Adama learns that the child being held by the Cylons. Adama is noticeably disturbed by Roslin's actions, but this does not affect their relationship in the long term ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").

Baltar's capture on the algae planet places new stresses on Roslin. She attempts to interrogate him and again accuses him of involvement in the Cylon attack on the Colonies, a charge he denies. Though Adama suggests that they make Baltar disappear, Roslin decides to give Baltar a trial ([[TRS]]: "[[Taking a Break from All Your Worries]]"). The decision draws a strong rebuke from Zarek, who believes that this will give Baltar a chance to cause unrest in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[The Woman King]]"). When publications of a [[My Triumphs, My Mistakes|manifesto]] secretly written by Baltar from his cell begin to circulate in the Fleet, Roslin confronts Baltar and orders him strip-searched for his writings. However, he turns over the pages before being completely stripped of his clothing ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

While preparing for Baltar's trial, Roslin deals with a labor strike emerging in the Fleet. Though she initially takes a hard stance against the unrest, she eventually agrees to work with Chief Tyrol and the laborers to increase time off and ensure that children are not forced to enter any particular occupation in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

For Baltar's trial, Roslin personally appoints [[Didi Cassidy]] and [[Alan Hughes]] as prosecutor and defender, respectively, and appoints [[Romo Lampkin]] as Hughes' replacement following his assassination. Roslin puts pressure on Cassidy to indict Baltar for his collusion in the attack on the Colonies; this interference draws a strong rebuke from Cassidy, who notes that outside of Roslin's vision, there is no evidence of Baltar's involvement in the attack. Nevertheless, Roslin remains committed to the trial, attending the proceedings and eventually testifying for the prosecution. Though she seems to incriminate Baltar in colluding with the Cylons during the New Caprican occupation, her testimony is called into question by Lampkin's co-counsel, Lee Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part I]]").

Lee had previously noted that Roslin had begun drinking tea at times she previously had not, and he had discreetly smelled the tea. He confronts Roslin on the fact that she has begun using chamalla again, masking the bitter taste by mixing it with her tea. Despite pleading for him not to reveal this, she relents, admitting that she has been using chamalla again because her cancer has returned. Ultimately, Baltar is acquitted to her strong displeasure. While the fact that Adama, a judge at the trial, had voted for acquittal does not severely affect their relationship despite her displeasure, Lee's role in Baltar's acquittal leads to a noticeable rift in his friendship with Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

===Treatments and Visions===
Roslin decides to undergo [[doloxan|doloxan treatments]] as a way of at least slowing the progress of her cancer. During her first treatment, Roslin has a [[Opera House Prophecy|vision]] of herself in the [[Opera House|Kobol Opera House]], where she is looking for Hera. Seeing Sharon Agathon on the opposite side of the entrance, the two women race to catch Hera when two figures, Baltar and [[Caprica Six]], pick up Hera and walk into the auditorium, with the doors closing behind them. Screaming as she awakens, Roslin finds that Six, Sharon and Hera all shared the same dream simultaneously ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

The Fleet's arrival at the [[Ionian Nebula]] also has a noticeable and unexplained effect on Roslin. Immediately after jumping to the Nebula, Roslin becomes dazed and stunned, which coincides with the entire Fleet inexplicably losing power. These events also coincide with the activation of the [[Final Five]] and the mysterious return of Kara Thrace, who had seemingly died two months previous ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

Roslin is immediately skeptical of Thrace's claims of finding Earth and not remembering how she had arrived at the Fleet, expressing her concerns that Thrace is a Cylon agent to Adama. When Roslin orders the Fleet to continue heading away from the Nebula, rather than follow Thrace's guidance to Earth, Thrace confronts Roslin at gunpoint ([[TRS]]: "[[He That Believeth In Me]]"). Attempting to convince Roslin that she is not a Cylon, Thrace hands her the gun and tells her to shoot if she truly believes Thrace is a Cylon; Roslin does so but misses, later attributing it to the doloxan treatments affecting her aim ([[TRS]]: "[[Six of One]]").

The doloxan treatments begin to take a greater toll on Roslin's health, forcing her to wear a wig as her hair falls out. Despite this, she continues to work as president, signing an executive order that curtails public gatherings, ostensibly as a way of protecting [[Cult of Baltar|Baltar's cult]] from being attacked but in actuality an attempt to limit Baltar's growing influence. However, the Quorum, led by the newly-appointed Caprican delegate, Lee Adama, overturns this measure as an undue attack on civil liberties. While Roslin is upset by this, she acknowledges that Lee is simply trying to do what he believes is right ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]").

Roslin's doloxan treatments continue, with her only solace being that Adama reads to her during her treatments. While in sickbay, she meets [[Emily Kowalski]], a end-stage cancer patient, and the two bond. While discussing their mortality and faith, Roslin concedes that her experiences during her mother's illness and death gave her a profound fear of dying. Soon after, Roslin has a dream of her and Emily standing on a boat crossing over to the [[Fields of Elysium|afterlife]]. When Emily leaves to embrace her family, Roslin sees her mother and family waiting for her. However, she acknowledges that she is not ready to cross over; she wakes up to find that Emily has died ([[TRS]]: "[[Faith]]").

The discovery of the [[Rebel basestar|Rebel Cylon basestar]] presents Roslin with yet another difficult decision; the Cylons are willing to help the Colonials destroy the [[Resurrection Hub]], thus rendering all Cylons mortal, in exchange for the identities of the [[Final Five]], which will give them the location of Earth. Roslin agrees to the deal, lobbying the Quorum for its approval, yet secretly conspires with Adama and Tigh to ensure that the Final Five will not be handed over to the basestar without first informing the Colonials of Earth's location ([[TRS]]: "[[Guess What's Coming To Dinner]]).

Thrace informs Roslin that the Cylon [[Hybrid]] had told her that "The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House," and Roslin insists that both her and Baltar travel to the basestar to question the Hybrid. When the Hybrid is brought back online, it immediately jumps the basestar away from the Fleet with the intention of traveling to the Resurrection Hub per the original plan of attack. Whenever the basestar jumps, however, Roslin enters a vision of an empty ''Galactica'' with [[Elosha]] showing Roslin her own death in ''Galactica'''s sickbay, surrounded by Adama, Lee and Starbuck ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

On the basestar, Roslin unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with the Hybrid, only gleaming the message to "protect the [[Hera Agathon|child]]." During the [[Battle of the Resurrection Hub]], Roslin attempts to administer first aid to a severely injured Baltar, injecting him with [[morpha]]. As a result of the drugs, Baltar admits to Roslin that he unintentionally gave the Cylons the access codes to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]], resulting in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin immediately stops administering aid and sits idly by while Baltar bleeds. However, another vision of Elosha convinces her that she cannot lose her humanity. Realizing this, Roslin helps stabilize Baltar and never pursues his role in the attack further. When Adama finds the missing basestar and reunites with Roslin, she tells him that she loves him ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

Returning to the Fleet, Roslin is held captive as a hostage by the Cylons, led by a resurrected [[Number Three]] copy, in exchange for the Final Five. Before telling Adama goodbye, she whispers to him that he should destroy the basestar before agreeing to hand over the Final Five to the Cylons. During this crisis, Roslin is confronted by her aide, Tory Foster, who reveals that she is one of the Final Five and will not use her influence to avert bloodshed. However, actions taken by the remaining Final Five Cylons, Kara Thrace and acting President Lee Adama prevent the crisis from turning violent and reveal the location of Earth. Agreeing that Cylons and humans will go to Earth together, the Fleet finally arrives at the fabled destination, with Roslin and Adama embracing in celebration. Their jubilation is short-lived, as it is soon discovered that Earth is a uninhabitable nuclear wasteland ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

===Earth===
The discoveries on Earth shake Roslin to her very core. Unable to break the news to the citizens waiting to hear from their president, Roslin retreats to her quarters aboard ''Galactica'', burning her copy of the Pythian Prophecy in a sharp rebuke of her previous beliefs. She largely abdicates her role as president, with Lee Adama once again assuming most of her responsibilities ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

As she is still the legal president, Roslin is pressured by Adama to decide whether the Fleet should enter into a permanent alliance with the Rebel Cylons, gaining Cylon technology in exchange for giving the Cylons a seat on the Quorum. However, Roslin becomes increasingly erratic in her behavior, discontinuing her doloxan treatments, throwing away her medications and jogging through the corridors of ''Galactica''. When confronted by Adama over her behavior, she informs him that she no longer has much interest in serving others, wishing only to "live a little" before she dies. As a result, she enters into a romantic, sexual and co-habitable relationship with Adama while effectively ceding her presidential authority to Lee ([[TRS]]: "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]").

However, Roslin is soon temporarily forced back into her role as president during a full-scale [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny]] aboard ''Galactica'' led by Felix Gaeta and Tom Zarek. Using Baltar's shortwave [[wireless]] to address the Fleet, she calls for the citizens to remain loyal to Adama and herself and reject the actions of Zarek and Gaeta. With the help of Galen Tyrol and Adama, Roslin flees ''Galactica'' with Baltar, after sharing a farewell kiss with Adama, and rendezvous with the Cylon Basestar ([[TRS]]: "[[The Oath]]").

When the Cylons decide to leave the Fleet due to the mutiny, Roslin passionately persuades them to remain with the Fleet and support Adama. Later, she calls for the Fleet to shut down their FTL drives as Gaeta and Zarek prepare to leave the basestar behind; ten ships comply with the order. Growing bolder, she gives ''Galactica'' five minutes to surrender and return command to Adama, only to be falsely told by Zarek that Adama had been executed. Brimming with rage, Roslin declares that she will destroy ''Galactica'' unless they surrender immediately, but Adama is able to stop the potential battle by regaining control of the ship. Once the ship has been secured, an exhausted Roslin shares an emotional reunion with Adama, rejoining him in their quarters aboard ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Blood on the Scales]]").

Following the execution of Zarek for his crimes, Roslin officially designates Lee as her successor and gives him authorization to replace the Quorum, massacred during the mutiny, with a [[Quorum of Ships' Captains|new legislative body]] more closely tailored to the political realities of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]"). With her health declining, she steps back from her duties, though she does personally sign an order transferring the newly captured [[Sharon Valerii]] over to the Rebel Cylons ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]").

When Hera is kidnapped by Valerii, Roslin seems to have another prescient moment, whispering the child's name before collapsing ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]"). In sickbay, the dying Roslin continues to repeat Hera's name while she dreams. As ''Galactica'' continues to structurally fail around them, Roslin recounts to Adama her previous plans to build a cabin, lamenting the fact that she will not be able to fulfill her wish. Saying that ''Galactica'' has been the only true home she has ever had, she is able to convince a reluctant Adama to abandon the failing ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]").

===The Truth of the Opera House===
While continuing to deteriorate in sickbay, Roslin overhears Cottle and [[Layne Ishay]] discussing Adama's newfound plan to attack the [[The Colony|Cylon Colony]] in an attempt to recapture Hera. Drawing on her remaining strength and visibly weakened, Roslin walks through the [[hangar deck]] to declare her intention to join Adama's raid ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]").

Cottle gives Roslin a cocktail of drugs that allows her to function normally for a period of 48 hours; she acknowledges that she knows the drugs will considerably shorten what little time she has left. During the [[Battle of the Colony]], Roslin assists Ishay in sickbay, attempting to sort out patients by those who can be saved and those who will certainly die. Overwhelmed, Roslin enters the corridor only to begin having another prescient moment. Walking through ''Galactica'' as the Cylons board the ship, while at the same time seeing flashes of her previous Opera House vision, Roslin locates Hera and hides both of them from the approaching Cylon forces.

When Roslin sees that the coast is clear, she finds that Hera has disappeared again. Looking for her, she sees Sharon Agathon in much the same manner that she does in the vision. With both of them running towards Hera, Baltar and Six find her, enter a nearby hatch and close the door. Thus, Roslin realizes the truth of the Opera House: the Opera House is ''Galactica'', with the Final Five raised on the catwalk, and the events in the vision foreshadow her actions during the final moments of the war.

Following the subsequent discovery of [[New Earth]], Roslin does not take part in the decisions to settle the planet and abandon all Colonial technology. She spends her remaining time with Adama, observing the African wildlife as her health rapidly deteriorates, to the point where she has severe difficulty breathing. Adama decides to take Roslin in a [[Raptor]] to get a closer view of the animals, and she waves her final goodbyes to Kara and Lee. In flight, Roslin utters her final words, "So much... life," and quietly passes away. Adama tearfully places his wedding band on her finger. He buries her next to the cabin he had planned to build for both of them. Adama is shown to visit her grave often, perhaps every day, and speaks to her about what is going on in his life ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

==Notes==
*The character of Laura Roslin is unique to the [[Re-imagined Series]]. She has no counterpart to the [[Original Series]], where its version of President [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]] is killed and a presidential replacement is never made. Roslin assumes more of the political-spiritual leadership of the [[Adama (TOS)|Original Series' Commander Adama]], whereas [[William Adama]] is representative of the Original Series' character's military commander aspect.

*Roslin appears in almost all episodes of the series, with the only exceptions being "[[The Road Less Traveled]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]", both in [[Season 4]]. She also does not appear in the TV movie "[[The Plan]]", nor does she appear in the webisode series "[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]]" or "[[The Face of the Enemy]]". This ranks her as the second-most frequent character in the series behind [[William Adama]].

*Actress Mary McDonnell is perhaps best known for her role in the epic film, ''Dances with Wolves'', with Kevin Costner. Another famous role of hers was the U.S. First Lady in ''[[w:Independence Day (film)|Independence Day]]'', a film which (in a less serious tone than ''Battlestar'') depicts cocky human fighter pilots battling an genocidal enemy from outer space. In that film she dies of her injuries from a helicopter crash before an end to the conflict is reached.

*While it may be a coincidence, the name Laura Roslin is an amalgam of the forenames of the incumbent U.S. First Ladies at the time the Re-imagined Series and the Original Series each premiered: [[w:Laura Bush|Laura Bush]] and [[w:Rosalynn Carter|Rosalynn Carter]], respectively.

*In [[SDS|the Singer/DeSanto continuation]] of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|the Original Series]], a female president named [[Mara]] would visit ''Galactica'' in much the same way that Laura Roslin did as part of that ''Galactica'''s decommissioning ceremony.

*The glasses that the character wears are also McDonnell's real glasses.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=features&vid=37452|title=Mary McDonnell Q & A, Part 1|date=2006-10-13|accessdate=2006-10-14|last=|first=|format=VID|language=English}}</ref>

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

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{{succession box|before=[[Richard Adar]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Gaius Baltar]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Tom Zarek]]|title=[[Government|Vice President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Tom Zarek]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Tom Zarek]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Romo Lampkin]] and [[Lee Adama]] (Acting President)}}
{{end box}}

{{Characters}}
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[[Category:A to Z|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Characters|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Main Characters (RDM)|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:People from Caprica|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:RDM|Roslin, Laura]]

[[es:Laura Roslin]]
[[de:Laura Roslin]]
[[fr:Laura Roslin]]
[[zh:劳拉·罗斯林]]

Hera Agathon

2012-01-02T21:43:24Z

Auroraa: /* Return to the Cylons, rescue and ultimate destiny */

:''For information on the Lord of Kobol of the same name, see [[Hera, Lord of Kobol]].''
{{Character Data
|photo=Hera.jpg
|caption=Alexandra Thomas as Hera.
|photo 2=Hera Agathon.jpg
|caption 2=Lily Duong-Walton as Hera.
|age= 3 Years Old Born [[Timeline (RDM) #Downloaded|9 months after]] the Cylon Attack ([[Downloaded]])
|colony=
|birthname= Hera Agathon
|servicen=
|callsign=
|seen= Downloaded
|death= Unknown cause as a relatively young mother in Tanzania, c. 148,000 BCE
|parents= [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]] (biological mother) [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] (biological father) [[Maya]] (adoptive mother)†
|siblings=
|children=At least two daughters; All modern humans are her matrilineal decendants
|marital status=
|role= "Lead the next generation of God's children"
|rank=
|actor= [[Lily Duong-Walton]], [[Alexandra Thomas]] (older Hera) [[Iliana Gomez-Martinez]] (older Hera)
|hcylon= y
|name= Hera Agathon; Isis to [[Maya|adoptive mother]]; [[w:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] to modern scientists
}}
'''Hera Agathon''' is the first successful Human/[[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] hybrid, the culmination of the Cylons' experiments to achieve viable procreation. Being the only known successful progeny of a humanoid Cylon; the Cylons literally consider her a "miracle from God".

==History==
===Conception===
Her parents are the human [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] and the Cylon [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]], both officers of ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''.

Sharon, who at the time was posing as [[Sharon Valerii|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]], was dispatched by her comrades to take part in a Cylon experiment involving setting up Karl to fall in love with and impregnate her.

Previous and other current attempts to create hybrids; most especially the forced cross-breeding experiments in the Cylon [[Farms]] met with complete failure, thus making the experiment necessary. The Cylons theorized that the key element to procreation they were missing was true love (itself an important element to Cylons, because they believe that "[[God (RDM)|God]] is love").

Some time after the experiment began; Karl and Sharon finally conceived their daughter in a night of passionate sex, following Karl's "rescue" of Sharon (really a deceitful test by the Cylons to test his love for Sharon; which he passed). Immediately following her success, Sharon is ordered to convince Karl to stay in "hiding" on Caprica. Unfortunately for the Cylons, however, Sharon, by this time, had really fallen in love with Karl. To this end, Sharon began helping him to escape the Cylons; her love for Karl and their unborn child eventually leading her to switch her allegiance over to the Colonials.

[[Kara Thrace]] (who arrived earlier on Caprica to retrieve the [[Arrow of Apollo]]) leaves with Caprica-Valerii and Agathon in a captured [[Heavy Raider]]. Caprica-Valerii is incarcerated in ''Galactica's'' [[brig]] for the next few months, as her pregnancy continues to advance.

===Birth===
Agathon is born by emergency surgery one month premature. President [[Laura Roslin]] arranges with Doctor [[Cottle]]—and without Admiral [[William Adama]]'s involvement—to fake Agathon's death and secretly gives the child to a woman named [[Maya]] under the guise that the child is the daughter of a ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' officer. The subterfuge, Roslin presumes, is necessary to keep Agathon safe from humanoid Cylons that may be hiding in the Fleet ([[Downloaded]]) <ref>In a deleted subplot from "[[Downloaded]]", [[Gina Inviere]] and [[D'Anna Biers]] scheme to kidnap Agathon at [[Gaius Baltar]]'s request. Gina expresses disgust at Agathon being named for a [[Hera, Lord of Kobol|human god]]. When D'Anna asks Gina what they should call the baby, Gina suggests "Thirteen".</ref>. Maya, unaware of her new child's past, names the girl Isis ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).

[[Image:Baby_Hera.jpg|right|thumb|Hera Agathon as an infant, in the care of [[Maya]].]]
[[Gaius Baltar]]'s [[Messengers#Messenger Six|Messenger Six]] tells him he will someday raise this child, told to him in a vision he had while trapped on the planet [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. However, unaware of what President Roslin has done, Baltar, like the rest of the people who knew about her, believes Agathon to be dead.

When the Fleet settles on [[New Caprica]] under the rule of newly-elected President Baltar, Roslin begins teaching at a settlement elementary school with Maya. Roslin keeps Agathon and Maya close for observation in a cradle identical to the one Baltar saw in his vision.

Before the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Roslin hides Maya and Agathon in the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance's]] underground bunker. She then tasks [[Samuel Anders]] to have two of his best men protect them at all costs, and later make sure they get off the planet. ([[Exodus, Part I]]).

===Time with the Cylons===
In actuality, however, during the civilian evacuation, Maya is killed and Hera left behind. Later, when it is confirmed neither escaped with the Fleet, Roslin assumes Hera died on New Caprica. In actuality, however, Hera was found and rescued by President Baltar, [[Caprica-Six]], and [[Number Three]], and brought aboard a [[Basestar (RDM)|baseship]] ([[Exodus, Part II]]). She remains in the care of the Cylons, who are happy to welcome her.

Later, Hera begins to fall ill, and none of the Cylon physicians (who have no pediatric experience) understand why.

===Return===
Karl and Sharon finally learn of Roslin's duplicity when Adama reveals the truth (after learning it from Boomer and confronting Roslin with the knowledge). Naturally, Karl and Sharon take it hard, and immediately Sharon desires to see her. Later, she compels her extremely-reluctant husband to shoot her dead, so she can [[Resurrection (RDM)|download]] to the Cylon ships. Later, Adama is convinced by Karl that Sharon will not be captured and forced to convey information on her mission, and when Roslin objects, Karl coldly reminds her if she hadn't lied and stolen Hera from them; the situation would never have developed, and so Roslin immediately capitulates.

Upon downloading, the sympathetic Caprica-Six brings Sharon to Hera, believing her story of how the humans wouldn't let her see her daughter and so felt it was the only way. Hera immediately recognised her mother (despite Boomer being in the same room) and Sharon tearfully reunited with her.

Sharon, through her Colonial training and maternal instinct, realizes that only Colonial medical care can save Hera Agathon, who appears to be suffering from an intestinal blockage. She persuades Caprica-Six to help her escape back to ''Galactica'' with Hera ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]").

Agathon appears in several visions seen by Caprica-Six, Laura Roslin, and Sharon as the Fleet approaches the [[Ionian Nebula]]. In each vision, the three adults are compelled to save the child for motives not explained ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).

Two months later, after returning from the ''[[Demetrius]]'' mission with a [[Cylon Civil War|rebel Cylon basestar]], Sharon discovers that Agathon has a fixation with [[Number Six]], seeing that Hera's various crayon drawings of both the number itself and various depictions of Six, including one that looks like the [[Virtual Six]] in the red dress. Agathon then leaves after this discovery, leaving her mother to frantically search around ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> corridors for her. After Sharon sees Natalie with Agathon, she has [[Galen Tyrol]] take Agathon away before mortally wounding Natalie ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]). As a result of this action, Agathon is briefly taken away from her mother, herself incarcerated in ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> brig by Admiral Adama, but he reverses that decision days later ([[Sine Qua Non]]).

===Return to the Cylons, rescue and ultimate destiny===
Hera remains in the care of her parents, and soon it becomes apparant that she is a critical part of solving the mysteries of the Final Five's history and mankind's destiny. The Agathon family's tranquility is shattered when Boomer, having pretended to defect to the Colonials with Ellen Tigh, executed her mission to capture Hera and bring her to John Cavil. To this end, Boomer knocks out Sharon, seduces and has sex with Karl (in full sight of a hidden and bound Sharon), who thinks she is his wife, and picks up Hera from the ship's daycare. She drugs the child and places her in a supply crate on her Raptor. Boomer is able to escape, as Adama cannot have her shot down without risk to Hera ([[Someone to Watch Over Me]]).

Hera immediately misses her parents, tearfully and continually calling out for her mother. Boomer nearly forcefully sedates her to keep her quiet, but soon reconsiders, instead choosing to calm her with her projection ability (which Hera is discovered to share). Hera is brought to [[The Colony]] and handed over to Cavil ([[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]). Cavil reveals to Boomer, who was reluctant to leave Hera (and vice-versa), that he plans to dissect and study her to discover the secret of her creation and use it to allow the Cylons to have hybrid children on their own and save their species.

Meanwhile, on Galactica, Karl and Sharon are devastated by their child's loss, with Sharon inconsolable and assuming Hera has already been dissected and killed by Cavil, but Karl, becoming increasingly unstable, still holds a shred of hope for seeing her again.

With Galactica dying, Adama assembles the crew for the ship's final mission; rescue Hera from Cavil ([[Daybreak, Part I]]).

Boomer ultimately decides to kill the Simon operating on Hera and return her to her parents, who have boarded the Colony. Boomer is then killed by Athena after handing Hera back to her parents. Starbuck, Apollo, Helo, and Athena return to ''Galactica'' with Hera, but, after her father is shot by a Doral model, they lose track of her. The wounded Agathon then pleads with his wife to leave him and go find their daughter. Hera is sheltered by Roslin, and then by Caprica-Six and Baltar, who take her into [[CIC#Galactica|CIC]] and protect her from Cavil, fulfilling the [[Opera House Prophecy]].

Hera is among the survivors that settle on the [[Earth (RDM)#A New Earth|new Earth]], where she lives an agrarian and hunter/gatherer lifestyle with her parents in an area of Africa known later as Tanzania. She dies while a young woman. Her fossilized remains are discovered in 150,000 years and she is speculated to be the "[[w:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]]", most recent common ancestress (when only purely female lines of descent are considered) of all living humans, by archaeologists from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. [[Messengers#Messenger Baltar|Messenger Baltar]] and [[Messengers#Messenger Six|Messenger Six]] read an article about the discovery and indicate that the archaeologists' speculation is correct ([[Daybreak, Part II]]).

==Notes==
*The series' producers have noted, in a ''TV Guide'' interview, that this character will not "hyperage", that is, suddenly become much older than series-elapsed time (see the talk page of this article for more information).
*If Hera really is Mitochondrial Eve, then that would imply that all present-day human mitochondria are descended from her, and thus, her mother, a Cylon. So that would mean we all have Cylon mitochondria, though in reality, human mitochondria closely match those of apes and all other Earth life. This is also presumably true in the Battlestar universe, otherwise a difference would have caused major scientific and religious upheaval.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Characters}}
{{Characters (RDM Cylons)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agathon, Hera}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:Cylon Religion (RDM)]]
[[Category:Cylons]]
[[Category:Cylons (RDM)]]
[[Category:Recurring Guest Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Hera Agathon]]

Hera Agathon

2012-01-02T21:34:08Z

Auroraa: /* Conception */

:''For information on the Lord of Kobol of the same name, see [[Hera, Lord of Kobol]].''
{{Character Data
|photo=Hera.jpg
|caption=Alexandra Thomas as Hera.
|photo 2=Hera Agathon.jpg
|caption 2=Lily Duong-Walton as Hera.
|age= 3 Years Old Born [[Timeline (RDM) #Downloaded|9 months after]] the Cylon Attack ([[Downloaded]])
|colony=
|birthname= Hera Agathon
|servicen=
|callsign=
|seen= Downloaded
|death= Unknown cause as a relatively young mother in Tanzania, c. 148,000 BCE
|parents= [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]] (biological mother) [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] (biological father) [[Maya]] (adoptive mother)†
|siblings=
|children=At least two daughters; All modern humans are her matrilineal decendants
|marital status=
|role= "Lead the next generation of God's children"
|rank=
|actor= [[Lily Duong-Walton]], [[Alexandra Thomas]] (older Hera) [[Iliana Gomez-Martinez]] (older Hera)
|hcylon= y
|name= Hera Agathon; Isis to [[Maya|adoptive mother]]; [[w:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]] to modern scientists
}}
'''Hera Agathon''' is the first successful Human/[[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] hybrid, the culmination of the Cylons' experiments to achieve viable procreation. Being the only known successful progeny of a humanoid Cylon; the Cylons literally consider her a "miracle from God".

==History==
===Conception===
Her parents are the human [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] and the Cylon [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]], both officers of ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''.

Sharon, who at the time was posing as [[Sharon Valerii|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]], was dispatched by her comrades to take part in a Cylon experiment involving setting up Karl to fall in love with and impregnate her.

Previous and other current attempts to create hybrids; most especially the forced cross-breeding experiments in the Cylon [[Farms]] met with complete failure, thus making the experiment necessary. The Cylons theorized that the key element to procreation they were missing was true love (itself an important element to Cylons, because they believe that "[[God (RDM)|God]] is love").

Some time after the experiment began; Karl and Sharon finally conceived their daughter in a night of passionate sex, following Karl's "rescue" of Sharon (really a deceitful test by the Cylons to test his love for Sharon; which he passed). Immediately following her success, Sharon is ordered to convince Karl to stay in "hiding" on Caprica. Unfortunately for the Cylons, however, Sharon, by this time, had really fallen in love with Karl. To this end, Sharon began helping him to escape the Cylons; her love for Karl and their unborn child eventually leading her to switch her allegiance over to the Colonials.

[[Kara Thrace]] (who arrived earlier on Caprica to retrieve the [[Arrow of Apollo]]) leaves with Caprica-Valerii and Agathon in a captured [[Heavy Raider]]. Caprica-Valerii is incarcerated in ''Galactica's'' [[brig]] for the next few months, as her pregnancy continues to advance.

===Birth===
Agathon is born by emergency surgery one month premature. President [[Laura Roslin]] arranges with Doctor [[Cottle]]—and without Admiral [[William Adama]]'s involvement—to fake Agathon's death and secretly gives the child to a woman named [[Maya]] under the guise that the child is the daughter of a ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' officer. The subterfuge, Roslin presumes, is necessary to keep Agathon safe from humanoid Cylons that may be hiding in the Fleet ([[Downloaded]]) <ref>In a deleted subplot from "[[Downloaded]]", [[Gina Inviere]] and [[D'Anna Biers]] scheme to kidnap Agathon at [[Gaius Baltar]]'s request. Gina expresses disgust at Agathon being named for a [[Hera, Lord of Kobol|human god]]. When D'Anna asks Gina what they should call the baby, Gina suggests "Thirteen".</ref>. Maya, unaware of her new child's past, names the girl Isis ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).

[[Image:Baby_Hera.jpg|right|thumb|Hera Agathon as an infant, in the care of [[Maya]].]]
[[Gaius Baltar]]'s [[Messengers#Messenger Six|Messenger Six]] tells him he will someday raise this child, told to him in a vision he had while trapped on the planet [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. However, unaware of what President Roslin has done, Baltar, like the rest of the people who knew about her, believes Agathon to be dead.

When the Fleet settles on [[New Caprica]] under the rule of newly-elected President Baltar, Roslin begins teaching at a settlement elementary school with Maya. Roslin keeps Agathon and Maya close for observation in a cradle identical to the one Baltar saw in his vision.

Before the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Roslin hides Maya and Agathon in the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance's]] underground bunker. She then tasks [[Samuel Anders]] to have two of his best men protect them at all costs, and later make sure they get off the planet. ([[Exodus, Part I]]).

===Time with the Cylons===
In actuality, however, during the civilian evacuation, Maya is killed and Hera left behind. Later, when it is confirmed neither escaped with the Fleet, Roslin assumes Hera died on New Caprica. In actuality, however, Hera was found and rescued by President Baltar, [[Caprica-Six]], and [[Number Three]], and brought aboard a [[Basestar (RDM)|baseship]] ([[Exodus, Part II]]). She remains in the care of the Cylons, who are happy to welcome her.

Later, Hera begins to fall ill, and none of the Cylon physicians (who have no pediatric experience) understand why.

===Return===
Karl and Sharon finally learn of Roslin's duplicity when Adama reveals the truth (after learning it from Boomer and confronting Roslin with the knowledge). Naturally, Karl and Sharon take it hard, and immediately Sharon desires to see her. Later, she compels her extremely-reluctant husband to shoot her dead, so she can [[Resurrection (RDM)|download]] to the Cylon ships. Later, Adama is convinced by Karl that Sharon will not be captured and forced to convey information on her mission, and when Roslin objects, Karl coldly reminds her if she hadn't lied and stolen Hera from them; the situation would never have developed, and so Roslin immediately capitulates.

Upon downloading, the sympathetic Caprica-Six brings Sharon to Hera, believing her story of how the humans wouldn't let her see her daughter and so felt it was the only way. Hera immediately recognised her mother (despite Boomer being in the same room) and Sharon tearfully reunited with her.

Sharon, through her Colonial training and maternal instinct, realizes that only Colonial medical care can save Hera Agathon, who appears to be suffering from an intestinal blockage. She persuades Caprica-Six to help her escape back to ''Galactica'' with Hera ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]").

Agathon appears in several visions seen by Caprica-Six, Laura Roslin, and Sharon as the Fleet approaches the [[Ionian Nebula]]. In each vision, the three adults are compelled to save the child for motives not explained ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).

Two months later, after returning from the ''[[Demetrius]]'' mission with a [[Cylon Civil War|rebel Cylon basestar]], Sharon discovers that Agathon has a fixation with [[Number Six]], seeing that Hera's various crayon drawings of both the number itself and various depictions of Six, including one that looks like the [[Virtual Six]] in the red dress. Agathon then leaves after this discovery, leaving her mother to frantically search around ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> corridors for her. After Sharon sees Natalie with Agathon, she has [[Galen Tyrol]] take Agathon away before mortally wounding Natalie ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]). As a result of this action, Agathon is briefly taken away from her mother, herself incarcerated in ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> brig by Admiral Adama, but he reverses that decision days later ([[Sine Qua Non]]).

===Return to the Cylons, rescue and ultimate destiny===
Hera remains in the care of her parents, and soon it becomes apparant that she is a critical part of solving the mysteries of the Final Five's history and mankind's destiny. The Agathon family's tranquility is shattered when Boomer, having pretended to defect to the Colonials with Ellen Tigh, executed her mission to capture Hera and bring her to John Cavil. To this end, Boomer knocks out Sharon, seduces and has sex with Karl (in front of a bound Sharon) and picks up Hera from the ship's daycare, and drugs the child and places her in a supply crate on her Raptor. Boomer is able to escape, as Adama cannot have her shot down without risk to Hera ([[Someone to Watch Over Me]]).

Hera immediately misses her parents, and Boomer was near forcefully sedating her to keep her quiet, but calms down, and instead calms her with her projection ability (which Hera is discovered to share). Hera is brought to [[The Colony]] and handed over to Cavil ([[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]). Cavil reveals to Boomer, who was reluctant to leave Hera (and vice-versa), that he plans to dissect and study her to discover the secret of her creation and use it to allow the Cylons to have hybrid children on their own and save their species.

Meanwhile, on Galactica, Karl and Sharon are devastated by their child's loss, with Sharon inconsolable and assuming Hera has already been dissected and killed by Cavil, but Karl, becoming increasingly unstable, still holds a shred of hope for seeing her again.

With Galactica dying, Adama assembles the crew for the ship's final mission; rescue Hera from Cavil ([[Daybreak, Part I]]).

Boomer ultimately decides to kill the Simon operating on Hera and return her to her parents, who have boarded the Colony. Boomer is then killed by Athena. Starbuck, Apollo, Helo, and Athena return to ''Galactica'' with Hera, but lose track of her during the firefight with an enemy Cylon boarding party. Hera is sheltered by Roslin, and then by Caprica-Six and Baltar, who take her into [[CIC#Galactica|CIC]] and protect her from Cavil, fulfilling the [[Opera House Prophecy]].

Hera is among the survivors that settle on the [[Earth (RDM)#A New Earth|new Earth]], where she will live an agrarian and hunter/gatherer lifestyle with her parents in an area known later as Tanzania. She dies while a young woman. Her fossilized remains are discovered in 150,000 years and she is speculated to be the "[[w:Mitochondrial Eve|Mitochondrial Eve]]", most recent common ancestress (when only purely female lines of descent are considered) of all living humans, by archaeologists from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. [[Messengers#Messenger Baltar|Messenger Baltar]] and [[Messengers#Messenger Six|Messenger Six]] read an article about the discovery and indicate that the archaeologists' speculation is correct ([[Daybreak, Part II]]).

==Notes==
*The series' producers have noted, in a ''TV Guide'' interview, that this character will not "hyperage", that is, suddenly become much older than series-elapsed time (see the talk page of this article for more information).
*If Hera really is Mitochondrial Eve, then that would imply that all present-day human mitochondria are descended from her, and thus, her mother, a Cylon. So that would mean we all have Cylon mitochondria, though in reality, human mitochondria closely match those of apes and all other Earth life. This is also presumably true in the Battlestar universe, otherwise a difference would have caused major scientific and religious upheaval.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Characters}}
{{Characters (RDM Cylons)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agathon, Hera}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:Cylon Religion (RDM)]]
[[Category:Cylons]]
[[Category:Cylons (RDM)]]
[[Category:Recurring Guest Characters (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Hera Agathon]]

Laura Roslin

2012-01-02T06:30:50Z

Auroraa: /* Earth */

{{Character Data
|photo= Laura Roslin.jpg
|age=
|colony= [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]]
|birthname= Laura Roslin
|callsign=
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Cancer, while flying over Tanzania in 4 ACH (c. 148,000 BCE) ([[Daybreak, Part II]])
|parents= [[Roslin's mother|mother]] †, father †
|siblings= [[Cheryl Roslin]] † [[Sandra Roslin]] †
|children=
|marital status=Unmarried; Briefly cohabits with [[William Adama]]
|role=President of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]; formerly Secretary of Education formerly schoolteacher
|rank=
|actor= [[Mary McDonnell]]
}}
'''Laura Roslin''' serves as the [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|Secretary of Education]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon attack]] and later serves twice as President of the Twelve Colonies despite never being elected to office. She is also believed by some in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] to be a religious figure essential to the fulfillment of the [[Pythia|Pythian prophecy]].
 

== Biography ==
===Background===
Some time before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], Roslin is forced to take care of her dying [[Roslin's mother|mother]], who is going through [[doloxan]] treatments for cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]"). At some point, Roslin's father and sisters are killed in a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]"). Like her mother, Roslin is a schoolteacher, though she enters politics under the mayoral administration of [[Richard Adar]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]"). When Adar decides to run for [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|president]], Roslin reluctantly agrees to join his campaign, and is later appointed as Secretary of Education ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

Though Roslin never marries<ref name="marital">According to the February issue of ''Sci Fi Magazine'', actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the [[series bible]], Roslin has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on [http://www.livejournal.com/users/reedfem/158883.html Ramblings of a dorkish nature])</ref>, she engages in a sexual affair with the married Adar ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").<ref>According to a December 2005 [http://www.galacticastation.com/Archives/2005/dec05.html interview] with Mary McDonnell in TV Guide, President Adar, a married man, was having an affair with Roslin in the twilight of his term.</ref> The day of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylon]] attack, Roslin learns that she has terminal breast cancer. Returning to work, Roslin informs Adar that she has successfully resolved an ongoing teacher's strike, but Adar vehemently disagrees with her method, and asks for her resignation. She asks him to defer the matter until she returns from the decommissioning ceremonies of the ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

===Fall of the Colonies===
Roslin travels to ''[[Galactica]]'' aboard the government-chartered civilian transport, [[Colonial Heavy 798]], accompanied by a government aide, [[Billy Keikeya]]. On board Galactica, Secretary Roslin meets with [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar. Roslin lets the matter go and departs the ship following the decommissioning ceremonies.

[[Image:Roslin_swearing_in.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Roslin being sworn in]]
On route back to [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Roslin learns from the [[Colonial One captain|captain]] that the Cylons are attacking the Twelve Colonies. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, rallying the passengers to make space for potential refugees. She finally establishes contact with a [[Jack|government official]] on Caprica, who does not know the the whereabouts or condition of President Adar. As the transport begins to rescue survivors from a stranded passenger vessel, the [[Case Orange]] automated beacon is picked up on the wireless, and Roslin instructs the pilot to respond to the message with her government identification. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin, the forty-third official in line of succession, is the highest-ranking government official left alive and thus has succeeded Adar as president. Physically shaking, Roslin holds back tears and her voice cracks as the priestess [[Elosha]] administers the oath of office.

In her first act as president, Roslin orders the ''Galactica'' to assist her in rescue operations. In turn, Adama refuses to recognize her authority and orders the vessel to rendezvous with ''Galactica'' at the [[Ragnar Anchorage]]. The two are interrupted by a pair of [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]]s, which launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet Roslin has assembled. She refuses to leave the vessels behind and is only saved by quick thinking on the part of [[Lee Adama]]. Soon after, a ''Galactica'' [[Raptor]] carrying [[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Gaius Baltar]] locates Roslin's ship, the newly rechristened ''[[Colonial One]]''. Roslin appoints Baltar as her chief science advisor and uses the Raptor to locate any surviving ships around Caprica. Over the next few hours, Roslin's small group of ships transforms into a massive [[The Fleet (RDM)|fleet]] harboring over 50,000 survivors.

While attempting to transfer passengers off of all non-[[FTL]] capable ships, the Fleet is discovered by another pair of Raiders. Forced to make a difficult decision, Roslin orders all FTL-capable ships to jump to [[Ragnar]], abandoning the thousands of people still aboard the sub-light ships. At Ragnar, Roslin meets again with Adama and urges him to abandon the Twelve Colonies in favor of guiding the surviving civilians to a new home. Though Adama initially rejects this idea, he later acquiesces and the Fleet, protected by ''Galactica'', leaves Colonial space.

In an attempt to give the survivors a reason to survive, Adama claims that he knows the location of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], the home of the [[Thirteenth Tribe]]. Roslin privately calls Adama out on his lie. Adama admits the deception, and in return for Roslin keeping his secret and allowing him to retain control of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|military]], he acknowledges Roslin's authority over the civilian fleet as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").

===The First Month===
Roslin begins building the foundations of a civilian government by collecting a census on the remaining population while Cylon attacks force the Fleet to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughout these attacks without any sleep, Roslin is forced to make another tough call and authorizes ''Galactica'' to destroy the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', a ship suspected of being tracked by the Cylons. Ultimately, the destruction of the ship ends the attacks, yet Roslin continues to question whether she had made the right choice considering the 1300 lives lost on the ship ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]").

Though Roslin and Adama continue to have a wary relationship, Adama integrates her into the decision process. Roslin and Adama agree to keep the knowledge that [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylons now appear human]] a secret ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]"). She later authorizes the conditional pardoning of prisoners aboard the ''[[Astral Queen]]''. However, [[Tom Zarek]], a former terrorist with a political agenda, successfully frees the prisoners, takes control of the ship and broadcasts calls for Roslin to step down from office and hold immediate elections. Roslin refuses to negotiate and presses Adama for an armed response, though she is less than pleased when Lee ends the situation by giving the prisoners control of their ship and promising that the scheduled presidential elections would take place in nine months ([[TRS]]: "[[Bastille Day]]").

Having appointed Lee as her military liaison, she admits the truth of her cancer to him. She later seeks treatment from ''Galactica'''s doctor, [[Sherman Cottle]], though she opts to use an alternative, psychoactive drug, [[chamalla]], rather than endure the same doloxan treatments that she had watched her mother suffer through ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]").

Following a suicide bombing aboard Galactica by copy of [[Aaron Doral]], Roslin holds a press conference revealing the truth about humanoid Cylons and releasing pictures of Aaron Doral and Leoben Conoy. The news is greeted with a stunned reaction throughout the Fleet. A resulting independent investigation aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' is launched by Adama, though Roslin cautions against this course of action. ([[TRS]]: "[[Litmus]]").

As a result of her press conference regarding the Cylons, a copy of [[Leoben Conoy]] is captured aboard the ''[[Gemenon Traveler]]''. Despite Adama's desire to kill him immediately, Roslin insists he be interrogated. When Conoy claims that he has planted a nuclear bomb within the Fleet, Roslin travels to the ''Gemenon Traveler'' and stops the torture being inflicted on him. Agreeing to release him if he tells her where the bomb is, Conoy informs her that there is no bomb and that Adama is a Cylon. She subsequently orders him to be thrown out of an airlock, a method of execution repeated multiple times over the course of Roslin's administration ([[TRS]]: "[[Flesh and Bone]]"). While Roslin becomes suspicious of Adama as a result of Conoy's claim, her fears are allayed by Baltar's invention of a [[Cylon detector]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]").

Soon after, Roslin reconstitutes the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''. However, the election of Zarek as the [[Sagittaron]] delegate disrupts her agenda when Zarek insists on the election of a vice president. The [[Marshall Bagott|delegate]] from [[Virgon (RDM)|Virgon]] nominates Zarek, while Roslin chooses [[Wallace Gray]] as her preferred candidate. However, Gray fails to win enough support in the Quorum to defeat Zarek and is replaced at the last minute by Baltar, the Caprican delegate. The resulting vote is a tie, which allows Roslin to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Baltar ([[TRS]]: "[[Colonial Day]]").

===Kobol===
Shortly before the capture of Leoben Conoy, Roslin has a set of visions that are uncannily prescient to future events. During a press conference soon after, she hallucinates a dozen snakes crawling over her podium. Disturbed by these events, she consults Elosha and admits that she has been using chamalla. On hearing about the snakes, Elosha reveals that it matches a prophecy in an ancient text written by [[Pythia]] 3,600 years ago concerning the exodus of humankind, which foretells that a dying leader will guide the remnants of humanity to the promised land ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

Cottle informs Roslin that her cancer has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps six months to live ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]"). Soon after, a recon mission from ''Galactica'' discovers a habitable world with ruins across the surface. Reviewing the photos of the ruins, Roslin has another vision that Elosha confirms to be the [[City of the Gods]] on [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. Roslin has two further visions of the [[Arrow of Apollo]] and the [[Tomb of Athena]] and accepts the scriptures as fact. Though Adama considers permanent settlement on the planet, Roslin tries to convince him they should use a captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo, which would open the Tomb of Athena and point the way to Earth. Uncomfortable with Roslin's newfound religiousness, Adama asserts his authority over the military to deny her the use of the Raider ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]").

Resolved, Roslin convinces [[Kara Thrace]] to steal the Raider and return to Caprica by admitting that Adama does not know where Earth is. Upon learning of her deception, Adama asks Roslin for her resignation; her refusal results in him sending a Marine boarding party to ''Colonial One'' to arrest her. Though Lee Adama ultimately sides with the President during the armed standoff, Roslin agrees to surrender to prevent bloodshed. Adama is shot soon after by a Cylon agent, and [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'' and refuses Roslin's request to be released ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]"; "[[Scattered]]").

From her cell, Roslin rallies support from the Quorum of Twelve by convincing them of her role in the [[Sacred Scrolls]]; in response, Tigh dissolves the Quorum and declares martial law ([[TRS]]: "[[Fragged]]"). With the help of several sympathetic crew members of ''Galactica'', Roslin escapes with Lee and hides within the Fleet with the help of Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[Resistance]]"). Declaring herself publicly to be the "dying leader" foretold by Pythia, Roslin asks the Fleet to follow her back to Kobol ([[TRS]]: "[[The Farm]]"). Nearly a third of the Fleet heeds her request and jumps back to Kobol, where they rendezvous with Starbuck and the recovered Arrow. A search party led by Roslin heads to the surface and Elosha is soon killed by a landmine, which deeply shakes Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").

A recon team led by Adama intercepts Roslin's group, and Adama and Roslin resolve their differences, with Adama agreeing to help her find the Tomb. After locating it, the group places the Arrow in the bow of a statue of Sagittarius, which activates a projection showing the way to Earth. Upon returning to the Fleet, Adama reinstates Roslin as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]").

===Failing Health===
Adama and Roslin begin to respect each more and their leadership in managing fleet business becomes more cooperative, asking each other for advice and correcting each other as needed, starting with a potentially disruptive tabloid expose of the ''[[Gideon]]'' shootings ([[TRS]]: "[[Final Cut]]"). However, Roslin's health continues to deteriorate, and Cottle advises her that she has weeks left to live. Roslin begins to put her affairs in order, signaled by her returning a book given to her by Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]").

[[Image:Roslinadama.jpg|thumb|Roslin and Adama share a kiss.]]
The discovery of the Battlestar ''[[Pegasus]]'' gives Roslin a brief moment of relief. However, [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain's]] disregard for the political status quo within the Fleet becomes apparent when Cain refuses to take Roslin's calls ([[TRS]]: "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]"). After a near-disastrous [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|armed standoff]] between Adama and Cain, Roslin conspires with Adama to assassinate Cain for the safety of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]"). While Adama ultimately refuses to go through with the plan, Cain is murdered by a Cylon agent and Roslin promotes Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the President a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").

By this time, Roslin requires help to move around, and she is soon rushed to ''Galactica'''s sickbay as her health fails. Preparing for Baltar's accession to the presidency, she instructs Billy to give Baltar a letter she has written him. In what she believes to be her final act as president, Roslin orders that the half-Cylon, half-human baby of [[Sharon Agathon]] be terminated. However, Baltar panics at the thought of becoming president and devises a last minute solution to cure Roslin using an injection of stem cells<ref>In the commentary track for "Epiphanies", Ron Moore states that a longer explanation of Roslin's cure was filmed that explained that the blood's stem cells cure Roslin. However, the scene was cut because he was afraid it would be too complicated and thought of as [[technobabble]]. The character's updated biography on the official Scifi.com site does confirm that stem cells from the hybrid were the actual cure. As such, Battlestar Wiki treats this data canonically as with information found in most deleted scenes.</ref> from the [[Hera Agathon|hybrid fetus]], which completely eradicates her cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

Before her treatment, Roslin remembers that hours prior to the attack on Caprica, she had witnessed Baltar interacting with a [[Number Six]] Cylon and deduces that he played a role in the destruction of the Colonies. Hpwever, Roslin's letter to Baltar had hurt his pride by calling out his self-centered nature. When Roslin attempts to offer Baltar an out by asking him to resign, Baltar refuses to do so ([[TRS]]: "[[Black Market]]"). This encounter would mark the beginning for Roslin of a deep personal loathing of Baltar.

===Election===
Roslin returns to work and begins aiming towards her reelection. Though the sudden death of Billy comes as a shock to her ([[TRS]]: "[[Sacrifice]]"), she soon appoints his replacement, [[Tory Foster]], who assures her that her victory in the election is certain. However, the certainty of her reelection is thrown into doubt when the issue of abortion is raised in the Fleet. Though Roslin is pro-choice, she realizes that the survival of the human race depends on repopulation and bans abortion throughout the Fleet. Coming out against the ban, Baltar launches a presidential challenge against Roslin with the backing of Tom Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[The Captain's Hand]]").

While dealing with Baltar's challenge, the issue of the Agathons' child, which will soon be born, resurfaces. Roslin decides that Sharon cannot be allowed to raise the child, yet she also feels that the child is important and should be kept safe. Thus, she conspires with Dr. Cottle and Foster to fake the child's death. She later gives the child up for adoption to [[Maya]], claiming that the baby belonged to a ''Pegasus'' officer ([[TRS]]: "[[Downloaded]]").

As the first presidential debate between Roslin and Baltar approaches, polls show Roslin firmly in the lead; Baltar's poor showing in the debate does little to change this. Indeed, Roslin appears confident that Baltar will not be able to win the election. However, the discovery of a [[New Caprica|habitable planet]] changes the entire nature of the race. Roslin refuses to even consider settling on the planet, saying that the Fleet must find Earth and, regardless, the planet will most likely not be able to sustain a long-term settlement. However, Baltar seizes on the public's support for colonization and pulls ahead in the polls ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").

Roslin refuses to risk the future of the human race to win an election by supporting settlement. However, she feels that a Baltar presidency will also jeopardize the survival of humanity and thus authorizes Foster to rig the election. When early results from the election show Baltar in the lead, Foster has key election officials on ''Galactica'', including Colonel Tigh and [[Anastasia Dualla]], replace a ballot box with one stuffed with ballots for Roslin. Though the election is called for Roslin and Baltar concedes the race, [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers the plot and informs Adama. Roslin pleads with Adama to cover up the rigged election. While Adama admits he agrees with Roslin, he refuses to overturn the results of a democratic election. However, he does not publicly reveal the conspiracy, calling it an error in the ballot tabulation. Baltar succeeds Roslin as president, and Roslin settles on New Caprica with the rest of the civilian population ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

=== New Caprica ===
[[Image:2BATgyC05.jpg|250px|Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.|thumb]]
On New Caprica, Roslin returns to her old profession of schoolteacher, working with Maya and watching over the hybrid baby, [[Isis]]. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a project promoted by Baltar's government, she meets with Admiral Adama. The two friends comfortably chat while [[New Caprican leaf|smoking]] and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together. During the intimate outing, Roslin tells Adama of a cabin she is planning to build next to a lake, insisting that though the Cylons could return, they should use what time they have to enjoy life ([[TRS]]: "[[Unfinished Business]]"). Her fears are proven justified; on the 380th day after settlement, the Cylons [[Fall of New Caprica|discover and occupy]] the colony ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

Roslin becomes heavily involved with the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance movement]] led by Colonel Tigh, who subordinates himself and his militia to the ''de facto'' civilian government-in-waiting she forms with Vice President Zarek; while Zarek has the constitutionally superior claim to the presidency, Roslin has the loyalty of Tigh's military; moreover, Zarek is jailed in the Cylon detention facility for four months, while Roslin retains the public guise of a politically-uninvolved school-teacher. Disgusted with the willingness of some humans to join the Cylon-controlled [[New Caprica Police]], she and Foster work on discovering the identities of those people and handing their names over to the Resistance ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]"). Following a suicide bombing at the graduation for the police force, Roslin is detained by the Cylons as are all high-profile civilians. Baltar visits her in her cell and offers to help her should she publicly denounce the bombings. Roslin argues that the Resistance is justified in their acts, yet she concedes that she does not support the suicide bombings. Despite refusing to cooperate with Baltar, she is released from prison ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

Roslin later attempts to force Tigh to stop the suicide bombings, and a heated argument ensues in which Roslin uncharacteristically slaps Tigh. When another suicide bomber cripples the power infrastructure and kills numerous Cylons and humans, police forces storm through the city and arrest numerous people, including Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin finds former vice president Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

The Cylons take Roslin and the prisoners to be executed at the [[Pergamus Flats]]. Before they can do so, a raid by the Resistance kill the Cylons and free the prisoners. Roslin learns from [[Galen Tyrol]] that ''Galactica'' is planning a daring raid to evacuate the colonists. With the Resistance, Roslin goes over the evacuation strategy that they had put in place, and ensures that Maya and Isis will be safely escorted to an evacuating ship ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part I]]").

During the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Zarek and Roslin escape together but she states that she will evacuate aboard her ship, ''Colonial One''. Zarek notes the important symbolism, tacitly acknowledging her inevitable return to office. He gives a sidearm to [[James Lyman|Jammer]], directing him to protect Roslin. Once the Fleet is safely reassembled, Roslin, Foster, and civil servants begin clearing the trappings of the Baltar/Cylon administration from ''Colonial One'' while assembling a census and calculating their losses. Foster confirms that Maya and Isis did not evacuate, and offers her apologies to Roslin. Though shaken, Roslin forgives Tory and takes a somewhat fatalistic view of the loss of Isis ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

With Baltar missing following the evacuation, Zarek, as the legal vice president, assumes the presidency. However, Adama makes it clear that he will not accept this, and Zarek agrees to transfer the presidency to Roslin in exchange for a place in the new government. Touched by his courage on New Caprica and recalling their ability to work together in the resistance, Roslin agrees to make him her new vice president. The discovery of a [[The Circle|secret tribunal]] set up by Zarek to try and execute Cylon collaborators leads Roslin to issue a blanket pardon for all crimes committed on New Caprica - excluding those committed by the fugitive Gaius Baltar - and to organize a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to document the experiences of the survivors ([[TRS]]: "[[Collaborators]]").

===Second Roslin Administration===
Roslin's second term in office is no less hectic than her first. Despite the misgivings of Adama, Roslin authorizes him to exterminate the Cylon race through the use of [[Lymphocytic encephalitis|biological warfare]] and is visibly irritated when he refuses to investigate the sabotage of the plan ([[TRS]]: "[[A Measure of Salvation]]"). She later talks him out of resigning his commission when the knowledge of previous secret mission he had conducted surfaces ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]"). Following a food crisis, Roslin works with Adama to guide the Fleet to a [[Algae planet|planet covered in algae]] ([[TRS]]: "[[The Passage]]").

Though she believes that the newly-discovered [[Temple of Five]] on the algae planet is another road sign on the path to Earth, the arrival of the Cylons prevents any significant examination of the Temple. At this time, knowledge of Roslin's deception regarding the hybrid child surfaces when Adama learns that the child being held by the Cylons. Adama is noticeably disturbed by Roslin's actions, but this does not affect their relationship in the long term ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").

Baltar's capture on the algae planet places new stresses on Roslin. She attempts to interrogate him and again accuses him of involvement in the Cylon attack on the Colonies, a charge he denies. Though Adama suggests that they make Baltar disappear, Roslin decides to give Baltar a trial ([[TRS]]: "[[Taking a Break from All Your Worries]]"). The decision draws a strong rebuke from Zarek, who believes that this will give Baltar a chance to cause unrest in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[The Woman King]]"). When publications of a [[My Triumphs, My Mistakes|manifesto]] secretly written by Baltar from his cell begin to circulate in the Fleet, Roslin confronts Baltar and orders him strip-searched for his writings. However, he turns over the pages before being completely stripped of his clothing ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

While preparing for Baltar's trial, Roslin deals with a labor strike emerging in the Fleet. Though she initially takes a hard stance against the unrest, she eventually agrees to work with Chief Tyrol and the laborers to increase time off and ensure that children are not forced to enter any particular occupation in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

For Baltar's trial, Roslin personally appoints [[Didi Cassidy]] and [[Alan Hughes]] as prosecutor and defender, respectively, and appoints [[Romo Lampkin]] as Hughes' replacement following his assassination. Roslin puts pressure on Cassidy to indict Baltar for his collusion in the attack on the Colonies; this interference draws a strong rebuke from Cassidy, who notes that outside of Roslin's vision, there is no evidence of Baltar's involvement in the attack. Nevertheless, Roslin remains committed to the trial, attending the proceedings and eventually testifying for the prosecution. Though she seems to incriminate Baltar in colluding with the Cylons during the New Caprican occupation, her testimony is called into question by Lampkin's co-counsel, Lee Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part I]]").

Lee had previously noted that Roslin had begun drinking tea at times she previously had not, and he had discreetly smelled the tea. He confronts Roslin on the fact that she has begun using chamalla again, masking the bitter taste by mixing it with her tea. Despite pleading for him not to reveal this, she relents, admitting that she has been using chamalla again because her cancer has returned. Ultimately, Baltar is acquitted to her strong displeasure. While the fact that Adama, a judge at the trial, had voted for acquittal does not severely affect their relationship despite her displeasure, Lee's role in Baltar's acquittal leads to a noticeable rift in his friendship with Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

===Treatments and Visions===
Roslin decides to undergo [[doloxan|doloxan treatments]] as a way of at least slowing the progress of her cancer. During her first treatment, Roslin has a [[Opera House Prophecy|vision]] of herself in the [[Opera House|Kobol Opera House]], where she is looking for Hera. Seeing Sharon Agathon on the opposite side of the entrance, the two women race to catch Hera when two figures, Baltar and [[Caprica Six]], pick up Hera and walk into the auditorium, with the doors closing behind them. Screaming as she awakens, Roslin finds that Six, Sharon and Hera all shared the same dream simultaneously ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

The Fleet's arrival at the [[Ionian Nebula]] also has a noticeable and unexplained effect on Roslin. Immediately after jumping to the Nebula, Roslin becomes dazed and stunned, which coincides with the entire Fleet inexplicably losing power. These events also coincide with the activation of the [[Final Five]] and the mysterious return of Kara Thrace, who had seemingly died two months previous ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

Roslin is immediately skeptical of Thrace's claims of finding Earth and not remembering how she had arrived at the Fleet, expressing her concerns that Thrace is a Cylon agent to Adama. When Roslin orders the Fleet to continue heading away from the Nebula, rather than follow Thrace's guidance to Earth, Thrace confronts Roslin at gunpoint ([[TRS]]: "[[He That Believeth In Me]]"). Attempting to convince Roslin that she is not a Cylon, Thrace hands her the gun and tells her to shoot if she truly believes Thrace is a Cylon; Roslin does so but misses, later attributing it to the doloxan treatments affecting her aim ([[TRS]]: "[[Six of One]]").

The doloxan treatments begin to take a greater toll on Roslin's health, forcing her to wear a wig as her hair falls out. Despite this, she continues to work as president, signing an executive order that curtails public gatherings, ostensibly as a way of protecting [[Cult of Baltar|Baltar's cult]] from being attacked but in actuality an attempt to limit Baltar's growing influence. However, the Quorum, led by the newly-appointed Caprican delegate, Lee Adama, overturns this measure as an undue attack on civil liberties. While Roslin is upset by this, she acknowledges that Lee is simply trying to do what he believes is right ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]").

Roslin's doloxan treatments continue, with her only solace being that Adama reads to her during her treatments. While in sickbay, she meets [[Emily Kowalski]], a end-stage cancer patient, and the two bond. While discussing their mortality and faith, Roslin concedes that her experiences during her mother's illness and death gave her a profound fear of dying. Soon after, Roslin has a dream of her and Emily standing on a boat crossing over to the [[Fields of Elysium|afterlife]]. When Emily leaves to embrace her family, Roslin sees her mother and family waiting for her. However, she acknowledges that she is not ready to cross over; she wakes up to find that Emily has died ([[TRS]]: "[[Faith]]").

The discovery of the [[Rebel basestar|Rebel Cylon basestar]] presents Roslin with yet another difficult decision; the Cylons are willing to help the Colonials destroy the [[Resurrection Hub]], thus rendering all Cylons mortal, in exchange for the identities of the [[Final Five]], which will give them the location of Earth. Roslin agrees to the deal, lobbying the Quorum for its approval, yet secretly conspires with Adama and Tigh to ensure that the Final Five will not be handed over to the basestar without first informing the Colonials of Earth's location ([[TRS]]: "[[Guess What's Coming To Dinner]]).

Thrace informs Roslin that the Cylon [[Hybrid]] had told her that "The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House," and Roslin insists that both her and Baltar travel to the basestar to question the Hybrid. When the Hybrid is brought back online, it immediately jumps the basestar away from the Fleet with the intention of traveling to the Resurrection Hub per the original plan of attack. Whenever the basestar jumps, however, Roslin enters a vision of an empty ''Galactica'' with [[Elosha]] showing Roslin her own death in ''Galactica'''s sickbay, surrounded by Adama, Lee and Starbuck ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

On the basestar, Roslin unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with the Hybrid, only gleaming the message to "protect the [[Hera Agathon|child]]." During the [[Battle of the Resurrection Hub]], Roslin attempts to administer first aid to a severely injured Baltar, injecting him with [[morpha]]. As a result of the drugs, Baltar admits to Roslin that he unintentionally gave the Cylons the access codes to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]], resulting in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin immediately stops administering aid and sits idly by while Baltar bleeds. However, another vision of Elosha convinces her that she cannot lose her humanity. Realizing this, Roslin helps stabilize Baltar and never pursues his role in the attack further. When Adama finds the missing basestar and reunites with Roslin, she tells him that she loves him ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

Returning to the Fleet, Roslin is held captive as a hostage by the Cylons, led by a resurrected [[Number Three]] copy, in exchange for the Final Five. Before telling Adama goodbye, she whispers to him that he should destroy the basestar before agreeing to hand over the Final Five to the Cylons. During this crisis, Roslin is confronted by her aide, Tory Foster, who reveals that she is one of the Final Five and will not use her influence to avert bloodshed. However, actions taken by the remaining Final Five Cylons, Kara Thrace and acting President Lee Adama prevent the crisis from turning violent and reveal the location of Earth. Agreeing that Cylons and humans will go to Earth together, the Fleet finally arrives at the fabled destination, with Roslin and Adama embracing in celebration. Their jubilation is short-lived, as it is soon discovered that Earth is a uninhabitable nuclear wasteland ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

===Earth===
The discoveries on Earth shake Roslin to her very core. Unable to break the news to the citizens waiting to hear from their president, Roslin retreats to her quarters aboard ''Galactica'', burning her copy of the Pythian Prophecy in a sharp rebuke of her previous beliefs. She largely abdicates her role as president, with Lee Adama once again assuming most of her responsibilities ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

As she is still the legal president, Roslin is pressured by Adama to decide whether the Fleet should enter into a permanent alliance with the Rebel Cylons, gaining Cylon technology in exchange for giving the Cylons a seat on the Quorum. However, Roslin becomes increasingly erratic in her behavior, discontinuing her doloxan treatments, throwing away her medications and jogging through the corridors of ''Galactica''. When confronted by Adama over her behavior, she informs him that she no longer has much interest in serving others, wishing only to "live a little" before she dies. As a result, she enters into a sexual and co-habitable relationship with Adama while effectively ceding her presidential authority to Lee ([[TRS]]: "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]").

However, Roslin is soon temporarily forced back into her role as president during a full-scale [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny]] aboard ''Galactica'' led by Felix Gaeta and Tom Zarek. Using Baltar's shortwave [[wireless]] to address the Fleet, she calls for the citizens to remain loyal to Adama and herself and reject the actions of Zarek and Gaeta. With the help of Galen Tyrol and Adama, Roslin flees ''Galactica'' with Baltar, after sharing a farewell kiss with Adama, and rendezvous with the Cylon Basestar ([[TRS]]: "[[The Oath]]").

When the Cylons decide to leave the Fleet due to the mutiny, Roslin passionately persuades them to remain with the Fleet and support Adama. Later, she calls for the Fleet to shut down their FTL drives as Gaeta and Zarek prepare to leave the basestar behind; ten ships comply with the order. Growing bolder, she gives ''Galactica'' five minutes to surrender and return command to Adama, only to be falsely told by Zarek that Adama had been executed. Brimming with rage, Roslin declares that she will destroy ''Galactica'' unless they surrender immediately, but Adama is able to stop the potential battle by regaining control of the ship. Once the ship has been secured, an exhausted Roslin shares an emotional reunion with Adama, rejoining him in their quarters aboard ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Blood on the Scales]]").

Following the execution of Zarek for his crimes, Roslin officially designates Lee as her successor and gives him authorization to replace the Quorum, massacred during the mutiny, with a [[Quorum of Ships' Captains|new legislative body]] more closely tailored to the political realities of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]"). With her health declining, she steps back from her duties, though she does personally sign an order transferring the newly captured [[Sharon Valerii]] over to the Rebel Cylons ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]").

When Hera is kidnapped by Valerii, Roslin seems to have another prescient moment, whispering the child's name before collapsing ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]"). In sickbay, the dying Roslin continues to repeat Hera's name while she dreams. As ''Galactica'' continues to structurally fail around them, Roslin recounts to Adama her previous plans to build a cabin, lamenting the fact that she will not be able to fulfill her wish. Saying that ''Galactica'' has been the only true home she has ever had, she is able to convince a reluctant Adama to abandon the failing ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]").

===The Truth of the Opera House===
While continuing to deteriorate in sickbay, Roslin overhears Cottle and [[Layne Ishay]] discussing Adama's newfound plan to attack the [[The Colony|Cylon Colony]] in an attempt to recapture Hera. Drawing on her remaining strength and visibly weakened, Roslin walks through the [[hangar deck]] to declare her intention to join Adama's raid ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]").

Cottle gives Roslin a cocktail of drugs that allows her to function normally for a period of 48 hours; she acknowledges that she knows the drugs will considerably shorten what little time she has left. During the [[Battle of the Colony]], Roslin assists Ishay in sickbay, attempting to sort out patients by those who can be saved and those who will certainly die. Overwhelmed, Roslin enters the corridor only to begin having another prescient moment. Walking through ''Galactica'' as the Cylons board the ship, while at the same time seeing flashes of her previous Opera House vision, Roslin locates Hera and hides both of them from the approaching Cylon forces.

When Roslin sees that the coast is clear, she finds that Hera has disappeared again. Looking for her, she sees Sharon Agathon in much the same manner that she does in the vision. With both of them running towards Hera, Baltar and Six find her, enter a nearby hatch and close the door. Thus, Roslin realizes the truth of the Opera House: the Opera House is ''Galactica'', with the Final Five raised on the catwalk, and the events in the vision foreshadow her actions during the final moments of the war.

Following the subsequent discovery of [[New Earth]], Roslin does not take part in the decisions to settle the planet and abandon all Colonial technology. She spends her remaining time with Adama, observing the African wildlife as her health rapidly deteriorates, to the point where she has severe difficulty breathing. Adama decides to take Roslin in a [[Raptor]] to get a closer view of the animals, and she waves her final goodbyes to Kara and Lee. In flight, Roslin utters her final words, "So much... life," and quietly passes away. Adama tearfully places his wedding band on her finger. He buries her next to the cabin he had planned to build for both of them. Adama is shown to visit her grave often, perhaps every day, and speaks to her about what is going on in his life ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

==Notes==
*The character of Laura Roslin is unique to the [[Re-imagined Series]]. She has no counterpart to the [[Original Series]], where its version of President [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]] is killed and a presidential replacement is never made. Roslin assumes more of the political-spiritual leadership of the [[Adama (TOS)|Original Series' Commander Adama]], whereas [[William Adama]] is representative of the Original Series' character's military commander aspect.

*Roslin appears in almost all episodes of the series, with the only exceptions being "[[The Road Less Traveled]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]", both in [[Season 4]]. She also does not appear in the TV movie "[[The Plan]]", nor does she appear in the webisode series "[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]]" or "[[The Face of the Enemy]]". This ranks her as the second-most frequent character in the series behind [[William Adama]].

*Actress Mary McDonnell is perhaps best known for her role in the epic film, ''Dances with Wolves'', with Kevin Costner. Another famous role of hers was the U.S. First Lady in ''[[w:Independence Day (film)|Independence Day]]'', a film which (in a less serious tone than ''Battlestar'') depicts cocky human fighter pilots battling an genocidal enemy from outer space. In that film she dies of her injuries from a helicopter crash before an end to the conflict is reached.

*While it may be a coincidence, the name Laura Roslin is an amalgam of the forenames of the incumbent U.S. First Ladies at the time the Re-imagined Series and the Original Series each premiered: [[w:Laura Bush|Laura Bush]] and [[w:Rosalynn Carter|Rosalynn Carter]], respectively.

*In [[SDS|the Singer/DeSanto continuation]] of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|the Original Series]], a female president named [[Mara]] would visit ''Galactica'' in much the same way that Laura Roslin did as part of that ''Galactica'''s decommissioning ceremony.

*The glasses that the character wears are also McDonnell's real glasses.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=features&vid=37452|title=Mary McDonnell Q & A, Part 1|date=2006-10-13|accessdate=2006-10-14|last=|first=|format=VID|language=English}}</ref>

==References==
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{{succession box|before=[[Richard Adar]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Gaius Baltar]]}}
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{{succession box|before=[[Tom Zarek]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Romo Lampkin]] and [[Lee Adama]] (Acting President)}}
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[[Category:A to Z|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Characters|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:Main Characters (RDM)|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:People from Caprica|Roslin, Laura]]
[[Category:RDM|Roslin, Laura]]

[[es:Laura Roslin]]
[[de:Laura Roslin]]
[[fr:Laura Roslin]]
[[zh:劳拉·罗斯林]]

Laura Roslin

2012-01-02T06:29:10Z

Auroraa:

{{Character Data
|photo= Laura Roslin.jpg
|age=
|colony= [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]]
|birthname= Laura Roslin
|callsign=
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Cancer, while flying over Tanzania in 4 ACH (c. 148,000 BCE) ([[Daybreak, Part II]])
|parents= [[Roslin's mother|mother]] †, father †
|siblings= [[Cheryl Roslin]] † [[Sandra Roslin]] †
|children=
|marital status=Unmarried; Briefly cohabits with [[William Adama]]
|role=President of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]; formerly Secretary of Education formerly schoolteacher
|rank=
|actor= [[Mary McDonnell]]
}}
'''Laura Roslin''' serves as the [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|Secretary of Education]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon attack]] and later serves twice as President of the Twelve Colonies despite never being elected to office. She is also believed by some in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] to be a religious figure essential to the fulfillment of the [[Pythia|Pythian prophecy]].
 

== Biography ==
===Background===
Some time before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], Roslin is forced to take care of her dying [[Roslin's mother|mother]], who is going through [[doloxan]] treatments for cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]"). At some point, Roslin's father and sisters are killed in a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]"). Like her mother, Roslin is a schoolteacher, though she enters politics under the mayoral administration of [[Richard Adar]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]"). When Adar decides to run for [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|president]], Roslin reluctantly agrees to join his campaign, and is later appointed as Secretary of Education ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

Though Roslin never marries<ref name="marital">According to the February issue of ''Sci Fi Magazine'', actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the [[series bible]], Roslin has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on [http://www.livejournal.com/users/reedfem/158883.html Ramblings of a dorkish nature])</ref>, she engages in a sexual affair with the married Adar ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").<ref>According to a December 2005 [http://www.galacticastation.com/Archives/2005/dec05.html interview] with Mary McDonnell in TV Guide, President Adar, a married man, was having an affair with Roslin in the twilight of his term.</ref> The day of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylon]] attack, Roslin learns that she has terminal breast cancer. Returning to work, Roslin informs Adar that she has successfully resolved an ongoing teacher's strike, but Adar vehemently disagrees with her method, and asks for her resignation. She asks him to defer the matter until she returns from the decommissioning ceremonies of the ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

===Fall of the Colonies===
Roslin travels to ''[[Galactica]]'' aboard the government-chartered civilian transport, [[Colonial Heavy 798]], accompanied by a government aide, [[Billy Keikeya]]. On board Galactica, Secretary Roslin meets with [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar. Roslin lets the matter go and departs the ship following the decommissioning ceremonies.

[[Image:Roslin_swearing_in.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Roslin being sworn in]]
On route back to [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]], Roslin learns from the [[Colonial One captain|captain]] that the Cylons are attacking the Twelve Colonies. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, rallying the passengers to make space for potential refugees. She finally establishes contact with a [[Jack|government official]] on Caprica, who does not know the the whereabouts or condition of President Adar. As the transport begins to rescue survivors from a stranded passenger vessel, the [[Case Orange]] automated beacon is picked up on the wireless, and Roslin instructs the pilot to respond to the message with her government identification. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin, the forty-third official in line of succession, is the highest-ranking government official left alive and thus has succeeded Adar as president. Physically shaking, Roslin holds back tears and her voice cracks as the priestess [[Elosha]] administers the oath of office.

In her first act as president, Roslin orders the ''Galactica'' to assist her in rescue operations. In turn, Adama refuses to recognize her authority and orders the vessel to rendezvous with ''Galactica'' at the [[Ragnar Anchorage]]. The two are interrupted by a pair of [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]]s, which launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet Roslin has assembled. She refuses to leave the vessels behind and is only saved by quick thinking on the part of [[Lee Adama]]. Soon after, a ''Galactica'' [[Raptor]] carrying [[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Gaius Baltar]] locates Roslin's ship, the newly rechristened ''[[Colonial One]]''. Roslin appoints Baltar as her chief science advisor and uses the Raptor to locate any surviving ships around Caprica. Over the next few hours, Roslin's small group of ships transforms into a massive [[The Fleet (RDM)|fleet]] harboring over 50,000 survivors.

While attempting to transfer passengers off of all non-[[FTL]] capable ships, the Fleet is discovered by another pair of Raiders. Forced to make a difficult decision, Roslin orders all FTL-capable ships to jump to [[Ragnar]], abandoning the thousands of people still aboard the sub-light ships. At Ragnar, Roslin meets again with Adama and urges him to abandon the Twelve Colonies in favor of guiding the surviving civilians to a new home. Though Adama initially rejects this idea, he later acquiesces and the Fleet, protected by ''Galactica'', leaves Colonial space.

In an attempt to give the survivors a reason to survive, Adama claims that he knows the location of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], the home of the [[Thirteenth Tribe]]. Roslin privately calls Adama out on his lie. Adama admits the deception, and in return for Roslin keeping his secret and allowing him to retain control of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|military]], he acknowledges Roslin's authority over the civilian fleet as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").

===The First Month===
Roslin begins building the foundations of a civilian government by collecting a census on the remaining population while Cylon attacks force the Fleet to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughout these attacks without any sleep, Roslin is forced to make another tough call and authorizes ''Galactica'' to destroy the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', a ship suspected of being tracked by the Cylons. Ultimately, the destruction of the ship ends the attacks, yet Roslin continues to question whether she had made the right choice considering the 1300 lives lost on the ship ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]").

Though Roslin and Adama continue to have a wary relationship, Adama integrates her into the decision process. Roslin and Adama agree to keep the knowledge that [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylons now appear human]] a secret ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]"). She later authorizes the conditional pardoning of prisoners aboard the ''[[Astral Queen]]''. However, [[Tom Zarek]], a former terrorist with a political agenda, successfully frees the prisoners, takes control of the ship and broadcasts calls for Roslin to step down from office and hold immediate elections. Roslin refuses to negotiate and presses Adama for an armed response, though she is less than pleased when Lee ends the situation by giving the prisoners control of their ship and promising that the scheduled presidential elections would take place in nine months ([[TRS]]: "[[Bastille Day]]").

Having appointed Lee as her military liaison, she admits the truth of her cancer to him. She later seeks treatment from ''Galactica'''s doctor, [[Sherman Cottle]], though she opts to use an alternative, psychoactive drug, [[chamalla]], rather than endure the same doloxan treatments that she had watched her mother suffer through ([[TRS]]: "[[Act of Contrition]]").

Following a suicide bombing aboard Galactica by copy of [[Aaron Doral]], Roslin holds a press conference revealing the truth about humanoid Cylons and releasing pictures of Aaron Doral and Leoben Conoy. The news is greeted with a stunned reaction throughout the Fleet. A resulting independent investigation aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' is launched by Adama, though Roslin cautions against this course of action. ([[TRS]]: "[[Litmus]]").

As a result of her press conference regarding the Cylons, a copy of [[Leoben Conoy]] is captured aboard the ''[[Gemenon Traveler]]''. Despite Adama's desire to kill him immediately, Roslin insists he be interrogated. When Conoy claims that he has planted a nuclear bomb within the Fleet, Roslin travels to the ''Gemenon Traveler'' and stops the torture being inflicted on him. Agreeing to release him if he tells her where the bomb is, Conoy informs her that there is no bomb and that Adama is a Cylon. She subsequently orders him to be thrown out of an airlock, a method of execution repeated multiple times over the course of Roslin's administration ([[TRS]]: "[[Flesh and Bone]]"). While Roslin becomes suspicious of Adama as a result of Conoy's claim, her fears are allayed by Baltar's invention of a [[Cylon detector]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]").

Soon after, Roslin reconstitutes the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''. However, the election of Zarek as the [[Sagittaron]] delegate disrupts her agenda when Zarek insists on the election of a vice president. The [[Marshall Bagott|delegate]] from [[Virgon (RDM)|Virgon]] nominates Zarek, while Roslin chooses [[Wallace Gray]] as her preferred candidate. However, Gray fails to win enough support in the Quorum to defeat Zarek and is replaced at the last minute by Baltar, the Caprican delegate. The resulting vote is a tie, which allows Roslin to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Baltar ([[TRS]]: "[[Colonial Day]]").

===Kobol===
Shortly before the capture of Leoben Conoy, Roslin has a set of visions that are uncannily prescient to future events. During a press conference soon after, she hallucinates a dozen snakes crawling over her podium. Disturbed by these events, she consults Elosha and admits that she has been using chamalla. On hearing about the snakes, Elosha reveals that it matches a prophecy in an ancient text written by [[Pythia]] 3,600 years ago concerning the exodus of humankind, which foretells that a dying leader will guide the remnants of humanity to the promised land ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

Cottle informs Roslin that her cancer has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps six months to live ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]"). Soon after, a recon mission from ''Galactica'' discovers a habitable world with ruins across the surface. Reviewing the photos of the ruins, Roslin has another vision that Elosha confirms to be the [[City of the Gods]] on [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. Roslin has two further visions of the [[Arrow of Apollo]] and the [[Tomb of Athena]] and accepts the scriptures as fact. Though Adama considers permanent settlement on the planet, Roslin tries to convince him they should use a captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo, which would open the Tomb of Athena and point the way to Earth. Uncomfortable with Roslin's newfound religiousness, Adama asserts his authority over the military to deny her the use of the Raider ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]").

Resolved, Roslin convinces [[Kara Thrace]] to steal the Raider and return to Caprica by admitting that Adama does not know where Earth is. Upon learning of her deception, Adama asks Roslin for her resignation; her refusal results in him sending a Marine boarding party to ''Colonial One'' to arrest her. Though Lee Adama ultimately sides with the President during the armed standoff, Roslin agrees to surrender to prevent bloodshed. Adama is shot soon after by a Cylon agent, and [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'' and refuses Roslin's request to be released ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]"; "[[Scattered]]").

From her cell, Roslin rallies support from the Quorum of Twelve by convincing them of her role in the [[Sacred Scrolls]]; in response, Tigh dissolves the Quorum and declares martial law ([[TRS]]: "[[Fragged]]"). With the help of several sympathetic crew members of ''Galactica'', Roslin escapes with Lee and hides within the Fleet with the help of Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[Resistance]]"). Declaring herself publicly to be the "dying leader" foretold by Pythia, Roslin asks the Fleet to follow her back to Kobol ([[TRS]]: "[[The Farm]]"). Nearly a third of the Fleet heeds her request and jumps back to Kobol, where they rendezvous with Starbuck and the recovered Arrow. A search party led by Roslin heads to the surface and Elosha is soon killed by a landmine, which deeply shakes Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").

A recon team led by Adama intercepts Roslin's group, and Adama and Roslin resolve their differences, with Adama agreeing to help her find the Tomb. After locating it, the group places the Arrow in the bow of a statue of Sagittarius, which activates a projection showing the way to Earth. Upon returning to the Fleet, Adama reinstates Roslin as president ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part II]]").

===Failing Health===
Adama and Roslin begin to respect each more and their leadership in managing fleet business becomes more cooperative, asking each other for advice and correcting each other as needed, starting with a potentially disruptive tabloid expose of the ''[[Gideon]]'' shootings ([[TRS]]: "[[Final Cut]]"). However, Roslin's health continues to deteriorate, and Cottle advises her that she has weeks left to live. Roslin begins to put her affairs in order, signaled by her returning a book given to her by Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]").

[[Image:Roslinadama.jpg|thumb|Roslin and Adama share a kiss.]]
The discovery of the Battlestar ''[[Pegasus]]'' gives Roslin a brief moment of relief. However, [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain's]] disregard for the political status quo within the Fleet becomes apparent when Cain refuses to take Roslin's calls ([[TRS]]: "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]"). After a near-disastrous [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|armed standoff]] between Adama and Cain, Roslin conspires with Adama to assassinate Cain for the safety of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]"). While Adama ultimately refuses to go through with the plan, Cain is murdered by a Cylon agent and Roslin promotes Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the President a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").

By this time, Roslin requires help to move around, and she is soon rushed to ''Galactica'''s sickbay as her health fails. Preparing for Baltar's accession to the presidency, she instructs Billy to give Baltar a letter she has written him. In what she believes to be her final act as president, Roslin orders that the half-Cylon, half-human baby of [[Sharon Agathon]] be terminated. However, Baltar panics at the thought of becoming president and devises a last minute solution to cure Roslin using an injection of stem cells<ref>In the commentary track for "Epiphanies", Ron Moore states that a longer explanation of Roslin's cure was filmed that explained that the blood's stem cells cure Roslin. However, the scene was cut because he was afraid it would be too complicated and thought of as [[technobabble]]. The character's updated biography on the official Scifi.com site does confirm that stem cells from the hybrid were the actual cure. As such, Battlestar Wiki treats this data canonically as with information found in most deleted scenes.</ref> from the [[Hera Agathon|hybrid fetus]], which completely eradicates her cancer ([[TRS]]: "[[Epiphanies]]").

Before her treatment, Roslin remembers that hours prior to the attack on Caprica, she had witnessed Baltar interacting with a [[Number Six]] Cylon and deduces that he played a role in the destruction of the Colonies. Hpwever, Roslin's letter to Baltar had hurt his pride by calling out his self-centered nature. When Roslin attempts to offer Baltar an out by asking him to resign, Baltar refuses to do so ([[TRS]]: "[[Black Market]]"). This encounter would mark the beginning for Roslin of a deep personal loathing of Baltar.

===Election===
Roslin returns to work and begins aiming towards her reelection. Though the sudden death of Billy comes as a shock to her ([[TRS]]: "[[Sacrifice]]"), she soon appoints his replacement, [[Tory Foster]], who assures her that her victory in the election is certain. However, the certainty of her reelection is thrown into doubt when the issue of abortion is raised in the Fleet. Though Roslin is pro-choice, she realizes that the survival of the human race depends on repopulation and bans abortion throughout the Fleet. Coming out against the ban, Baltar launches a presidential challenge against Roslin with the backing of Tom Zarek ([[TRS]]: "[[The Captain's Hand]]").

While dealing with Baltar's challenge, the issue of the Agathons' child, which will soon be born, resurfaces. Roslin decides that Sharon cannot be allowed to raise the child, yet she also feels that the child is important and should be kept safe. Thus, she conspires with Dr. Cottle and Foster to fake the child's death. She later gives the child up for adoption to [[Maya]], claiming that the baby belonged to a ''Pegasus'' officer ([[TRS]]: "[[Downloaded]]").

As the first presidential debate between Roslin and Baltar approaches, polls show Roslin firmly in the lead; Baltar's poor showing in the debate does little to change this. Indeed, Roslin appears confident that Baltar will not be able to win the election. However, the discovery of a [[New Caprica|habitable planet]] changes the entire nature of the race. Roslin refuses to even consider settling on the planet, saying that the Fleet must find Earth and, regardless, the planet will most likely not be able to sustain a long-term settlement. However, Baltar seizes on the public's support for colonization and pulls ahead in the polls ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").

Roslin refuses to risk the future of the human race to win an election by supporting settlement. However, she feels that a Baltar presidency will also jeopardize the survival of humanity and thus authorizes Foster to rig the election. When early results from the election show Baltar in the lead, Foster has key election officials on ''Galactica'', including Colonel Tigh and [[Anastasia Dualla]], replace a ballot box with one stuffed with ballots for Roslin. Though the election is called for Roslin and Baltar concedes the race, [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers the plot and informs Adama. Roslin pleads with Adama to cover up the rigged election. While Adama admits he agrees with Roslin, he refuses to overturn the results of a democratic election. However, he does not publicly reveal the conspiracy, calling it an error in the ballot tabulation. Baltar succeeds Roslin as president, and Roslin settles on New Caprica with the rest of the civilian population ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

=== New Caprica ===
[[Image:2BATgyC05.jpg|250px|Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.|thumb]]
On New Caprica, Roslin returns to her old profession of schoolteacher, working with Maya and watching over the hybrid baby, [[Isis]]. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a project promoted by Baltar's government, she meets with Admiral Adama. The two friends comfortably chat while [[New Caprican leaf|smoking]] and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together. During the intimate outing, Roslin tells Adama of a cabin she is planning to build next to a lake, insisting that though the Cylons could return, they should use what time they have to enjoy life ([[TRS]]: "[[Unfinished Business]]"). Her fears are proven justified; on the 380th day after settlement, the Cylons [[Fall of New Caprica|discover and occupy]] the colony ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

Roslin becomes heavily involved with the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance movement]] led by Colonel Tigh, who subordinates himself and his militia to the ''de facto'' civilian government-in-waiting she forms with Vice President Zarek; while Zarek has the constitutionally superior claim to the presidency, Roslin has the loyalty of Tigh's military; moreover, Zarek is jailed in the Cylon detention facility for four months, while Roslin retains the public guise of a politically-uninvolved school-teacher. Disgusted with the willingness of some humans to join the Cylon-controlled [[New Caprica Police]], she and Foster work on discovering the identities of those people and handing their names over to the Resistance ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]"). Following a suicide bombing at the graduation for the police force, Roslin is detained by the Cylons as are all high-profile civilians. Baltar visits her in her cell and offers to help her should she publicly denounce the bombings. Roslin argues that the Resistance is justified in their acts, yet she concedes that she does not support the suicide bombings. Despite refusing to cooperate with Baltar, she is released from prison ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

Roslin later attempts to force Tigh to stop the suicide bombings, and a heated argument ensues in which Roslin uncharacteristically slaps Tigh. When another suicide bomber cripples the power infrastructure and kills numerous Cylons and humans, police forces storm through the city and arrest numerous people, including Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin finds former vice president Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]").

The Cylons take Roslin and the prisoners to be executed at the [[Pergamus Flats]]. Before they can do so, a raid by the Resistance kill the Cylons and free the prisoners. Roslin learns from [[Galen Tyrol]] that ''Galactica'' is planning a daring raid to evacuate the colonists. With the Resistance, Roslin goes over the evacuation strategy that they had put in place, and ensures that Maya and Isis will be safely escorted to an evacuating ship ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part I]]").

During the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Zarek and Roslin escape together but she states that she will evacuate aboard her ship, ''Colonial One''. Zarek notes the important symbolism, tacitly acknowledging her inevitable return to office. He gives a sidearm to [[James Lyman|Jammer]], directing him to protect Roslin. Once the Fleet is safely reassembled, Roslin, Foster, and civil servants begin clearing the trappings of the Baltar/Cylon administration from ''Colonial One'' while assembling a census and calculating their losses. Foster confirms that Maya and Isis did not evacuate, and offers her apologies to Roslin. Though shaken, Roslin forgives Tory and takes a somewhat fatalistic view of the loss of Isis ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

With Baltar missing following the evacuation, Zarek, as the legal vice president, assumes the presidency. However, Adama makes it clear that he will not accept this, and Zarek agrees to transfer the presidency to Roslin in exchange for a place in the new government. Touched by his courage on New Caprica and recalling their ability to work together in the resistance, Roslin agrees to make him her new vice president. The discovery of a [[The Circle|secret tribunal]] set up by Zarek to try and execute Cylon collaborators leads Roslin to issue a blanket pardon for all crimes committed on New Caprica - excluding those committed by the fugitive Gaius Baltar - and to organize a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to document the experiences of the survivors ([[TRS]]: "[[Collaborators]]").

===Second Roslin Administration===
Roslin's second term in office is no less hectic than her first. Despite the misgivings of Adama, Roslin authorizes him to exterminate the Cylon race through the use of [[Lymphocytic encephalitis|biological warfare]] and is visibly irritated when he refuses to investigate the sabotage of the plan ([[TRS]]: "[[A Measure of Salvation]]"). She later talks him out of resigning his commission when the knowledge of previous secret mission he had conducted surfaces ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]"). Following a food crisis, Roslin works with Adama to guide the Fleet to a [[Algae planet|planet covered in algae]] ([[TRS]]: "[[The Passage]]").

Though she believes that the newly-discovered [[Temple of Five]] on the algae planet is another road sign on the path to Earth, the arrival of the Cylons prevents any significant examination of the Temple. At this time, knowledge of Roslin's deception regarding the hybrid child surfaces when Adama learns that the child being held by the Cylons. Adama is noticeably disturbed by Roslin's actions, but this does not affect their relationship in the long term ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").

Baltar's capture on the algae planet places new stresses on Roslin. She attempts to interrogate him and again accuses him of involvement in the Cylon attack on the Colonies, a charge he denies. Though Adama suggests that they make Baltar disappear, Roslin decides to give Baltar a trial ([[TRS]]: "[[Taking a Break from All Your Worries]]"). The decision draws a strong rebuke from Zarek, who believes that this will give Baltar a chance to cause unrest in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[The Woman King]]"). When publications of a [[My Triumphs, My Mistakes|manifesto]] secretly written by Baltar from his cell begin to circulate in the Fleet, Roslin confronts Baltar and orders him strip-searched for his writings. However, he turns over the pages before being completely stripped of his clothing ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

While preparing for Baltar's trial, Roslin deals with a labor strike emerging in the Fleet. Though she initially takes a hard stance against the unrest, she eventually agrees to work with Chief Tyrol and the laborers to increase time off and ensure that children are not forced to enter any particular occupation in the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").

For Baltar's trial, Roslin personally appoints [[Didi Cassidy]] and [[Alan Hughes]] as prosecutor and defender, respectively, and appoints [[Romo Lampkin]] as Hughes' replacement following his assassination. Roslin puts pressure on Cassidy to indict Baltar for his collusion in the attack on the Colonies; this interference draws a strong rebuke from Cassidy, who notes that outside of Roslin's vision, there is no evidence of Baltar's involvement in the attack. Nevertheless, Roslin remains committed to the trial, attending the proceedings and eventually testifying for the prosecution. Though she seems to incriminate Baltar in colluding with the Cylons during the New Caprican occupation, her testimony is called into question by Lampkin's co-counsel, Lee Adama ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part I]]").

Lee had previously noted that Roslin had begun drinking tea at times she previously had not, and he had discreetly smelled the tea. He confronts Roslin on the fact that she has begun using chamalla again, masking the bitter taste by mixing it with her tea. Despite pleading for him not to reveal this, she relents, admitting that she has been using chamalla again because her cancer has returned. Ultimately, Baltar is acquitted to her strong displeasure. While the fact that Adama, a judge at the trial, had voted for acquittal does not severely affect their relationship despite her displeasure, Lee's role in Baltar's acquittal leads to a noticeable rift in his friendship with Roslin ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

===Treatments and Visions===
Roslin decides to undergo [[doloxan|doloxan treatments]] as a way of at least slowing the progress of her cancer. During her first treatment, Roslin has a [[Opera House Prophecy|vision]] of herself in the [[Opera House|Kobol Opera House]], where she is looking for Hera. Seeing Sharon Agathon on the opposite side of the entrance, the two women race to catch Hera when two figures, Baltar and [[Caprica Six]], pick up Hera and walk into the auditorium, with the doors closing behind them. Screaming as she awakens, Roslin finds that Six, Sharon and Hera all shared the same dream simultaneously ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

The Fleet's arrival at the [[Ionian Nebula]] also has a noticeable and unexplained effect on Roslin. Immediately after jumping to the Nebula, Roslin becomes dazed and stunned, which coincides with the entire Fleet inexplicably losing power. These events also coincide with the activation of the [[Final Five]] and the mysterious return of Kara Thrace, who had seemingly died two months previous ([[TRS]]: "[[Crossroads, Part II]]").

Roslin is immediately skeptical of Thrace's claims of finding Earth and not remembering how she had arrived at the Fleet, expressing her concerns that Thrace is a Cylon agent to Adama. When Roslin orders the Fleet to continue heading away from the Nebula, rather than follow Thrace's guidance to Earth, Thrace confronts Roslin at gunpoint ([[TRS]]: "[[He That Believeth In Me]]"). Attempting to convince Roslin that she is not a Cylon, Thrace hands her the gun and tells her to shoot if she truly believes Thrace is a Cylon; Roslin does so but misses, later attributing it to the doloxan treatments affecting her aim ([[TRS]]: "[[Six of One]]").

The doloxan treatments begin to take a greater toll on Roslin's health, forcing her to wear a wig as her hair falls out. Despite this, she continues to work as president, signing an executive order that curtails public gatherings, ostensibly as a way of protecting [[Cult of Baltar|Baltar's cult]] from being attacked but in actuality an attempt to limit Baltar's growing influence. However, the Quorum, led by the newly-appointed Caprican delegate, Lee Adama, overturns this measure as an undue attack on civil liberties. While Roslin is upset by this, she acknowledges that Lee is simply trying to do what he believes is right ([[TRS]]: "[[Escape Velocity]]").

Roslin's doloxan treatments continue, with her only solace being that Adama reads to her during her treatments. While in sickbay, she meets [[Emily Kowalski]], a end-stage cancer patient, and the two bond. While discussing their mortality and faith, Roslin concedes that her experiences during her mother's illness and death gave her a profound fear of dying. Soon after, Roslin has a dream of her and Emily standing on a boat crossing over to the [[Fields of Elysium|afterlife]]. When Emily leaves to embrace her family, Roslin sees her mother and family waiting for her. However, she acknowledges that she is not ready to cross over; she wakes up to find that Emily has died ([[TRS]]: "[[Faith]]").

The discovery of the [[Rebel basestar|Rebel Cylon basestar]] presents Roslin with yet another difficult decision; the Cylons are willing to help the Colonials destroy the [[Resurrection Hub]], thus rendering all Cylons mortal, in exchange for the identities of the [[Final Five]], which will give them the location of Earth. Roslin agrees to the deal, lobbying the Quorum for its approval, yet secretly conspires with Adama and Tigh to ensure that the Final Five will not be handed over to the basestar without first informing the Colonials of Earth's location ([[TRS]]: "[[Guess What's Coming To Dinner]]).

Thrace informs Roslin that the Cylon [[Hybrid]] had told her that "The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House," and Roslin insists that both her and Baltar travel to the basestar to question the Hybrid. When the Hybrid is brought back online, it immediately jumps the basestar away from the Fleet with the intention of traveling to the Resurrection Hub per the original plan of attack. Whenever the basestar jumps, however, Roslin enters a vision of an empty ''Galactica'' with [[Elosha]] showing Roslin her own death in ''Galactica'''s sickbay, surrounded by Adama, Lee and Starbuck ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

On the basestar, Roslin unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with the Hybrid, only gleaming the message to "protect the [[Hera Agathon|child]]." During the [[Battle of the Resurrection Hub]], Roslin attempts to administer first aid to a severely injured Baltar, injecting him with [[morpha]]. As a result of the drugs, Baltar admits to Roslin that he unintentionally gave the Cylons the access codes to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]], resulting in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin immediately stops administering aid and sits idly by while Baltar bleeds. However, another vision of Elosha convinces her that she cannot lose her humanity. Realizing this, Roslin helps stabilize Baltar and never pursues his role in the attack further. When Adama finds the missing basestar and reunites with Roslin, she tells him that she loves him ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hub]]").

Returning to the Fleet, Roslin is held captive as a hostage by the Cylons, led by a resurrected [[Number Three]] copy, in exchange for the Final Five. Before telling Adama goodbye, she whispers to him that he should destroy the basestar before agreeing to hand over the Final Five to the Cylons. During this crisis, Roslin is confronted by her aide, Tory Foster, who reveals that she is one of the Final Five and will not use her influence to avert bloodshed. However, actions taken by the remaining Final Five Cylons, Kara Thrace and acting President Lee Adama prevent the crisis from turning violent and reveal the location of Earth. Agreeing that Cylons and humans will go to Earth together, the Fleet finally arrives at the fabled destination, with Roslin and Adama embracing in celebration. Their jubilation is short-lived, as it is soon discovered that Earth is a uninhabitable nuclear wasteland ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

===Earth===
The discoveries on Earth shake Roslin to her very core. Unable to break the news to the citizens waiting to hear from their president, Roslin retreats to her quarters aboard ''Galactica'', burning her copy of the Pythian Prophecy in a sharp rebuke of her previous beliefs. She largely abdicates her role as president, with Lee Adama once again assuming most of her responsibilities ([[TRS]]: "[[Revelations]]").

As she is still the legal president, Roslin is pressured by Adama to decide whether the Fleet should enter into a permanent alliance with the Rebel Cylons, gaining Cylon technology in exchange for giving the Cylons a seat on the Quorum. However, Roslin becomes increasingly erratic in her behavior, discontinuing her doloxan treatments, throwing away her medications and jogging through the corridors of ''Galactica''. When confronted by Adama over her behavior, she informs him that she no longer has much interest in serving others, wishing only to "live a little" before she dies. As a result, she enters into a sexual and co-habitable relationship with Adama while effectively ceding her presidential authority to Lee ([[TRS]]: "[[A Disquiet Follows My Soul]]").

However, Roslin is soon temporarily forced back into her role as president during a full-scale [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny]] aboard ''Galactica'' led by Felix Gaeta and Tom Zarek. Using Baltar's shortwave [[wireless]] to address the Fleet, she calls for the citizens to remain loyal to Adama and herself and reject the actions of Zarek and Gaeta. With the help of Galen Tyrol and Adama, Roslin flees ''Galactica'' with Baltar, after sharing a farewell kiss with Adama, and rendezvous with the Cylon Basestar ([[TRS]]: "[[The Oath]]").

When the Cylons decide to leave the Fleet due to the mutiny, Roslin passionately persuades them to remain with the Fleet and support Adama. Later, she calls for the Fleet to shut down their FTL drives as Gaeta and Zarek prepare to leave the basestar behind; ten ships comply with the order. Growing bolder, she gives ''Galactica'' five minutes to surrender and return command to Adama, only to be falsely told by Zarek that Adama had been executed. Brimming with rage, Roslin declares that she will destroy ''Galactica'' unless they surrender immediately, but Adama is able to stop the potential battle by regaining control of the ship. Once the ship has been secured, an exhausted Roslin shares an emotional reunion with Adama, rejoining him in their quarters aboard ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Blood on the Scales]]").

Following the execution of Zarek for his crimes, Roslin officially designates Lee as her successor and gives him authorization to replace the Quorum, massacred during the mutiny, with a [[Quorum of Ships' Captains|new legislative body]] more closely tailored to the political realities of the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]"). With her health declining, she steps back from her duties, though she does personally sign an order transferring the newly captured [[Sharon Valerii]] over to the Rebel Cylons ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]").

When Hera is kidnapped by Valerii, Roslin seems to have another prescient moment, whispering the child's name before collapsing ([[TRS]]: "[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]"). In sickbay, the dying Roslin continues to repeat Hera's name while she dreams. As ''Galactica'' continues to structurally fail around them, Roslin recounts to Adama her previous plans to build a cabin, lamenting the fact that she will not be able to fulfill her wish. Saying that "Galactica" has been the only true home she has ever had, she is able to convince a reluctant Adama to abandon the failing ''Galactica'' ([[TRS]]: "[[Islanded in a Stream of Stars]]").

===The Truth of the Opera House===
While continuing to deteriorate in sickbay, Roslin overhears Cottle and [[Layne Ishay]] discussing Adama's newfound plan to attack the [[The Colony|Cylon Colony]] in an attempt to recapture Hera. Drawing on her remaining strength and visibly weakened, Roslin walks through the [[hangar deck]] to declare her intention to join Adama's raid ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part I]]").

Cottle gives Roslin a cocktail of drugs that allows her to function normally for a period of 48 hours; she acknowledges that she knows the drugs will considerably shorten what little time she has left. During the [[Battle of the Colony]], Roslin assists Ishay in sickbay, attempting to sort out patients by those who can be saved and those who will certainly die. Overwhelmed, Roslin enters the corridor only to begin having another prescient moment. Walking through ''Galactica'' as the Cylons board the ship, while at the same time seeing flashes of her previous Opera House vision, Roslin locates Hera and hides both of them from the approaching Cylon forces.

When Roslin sees that the coast is clear, she finds that Hera has disappeared again. Looking for her, she sees Sharon Agathon in much the same manner that she does in the vision. With both of them running towards Hera, Baltar and Six find her, enter a nearby hatch and close the door. Thus, Roslin realizes the truth of the Opera House: the Opera House is ''Galactica'', with the Final Five raised on the catwalk, and the events in the vision foreshadow her actions during the final moments of the war.

Following the subsequent discovery of [[New Earth]], Roslin does not take part in the decisions to settle the planet and abandon all Colonial technology. She spends her remaining time with Adama, observing the African wildlife as her health rapidly deteriorates, to the point where she has severe difficulty breathing. Adama decides to take Roslin in a [[Raptor]] to get a closer view of the animals, and she waves her final goodbyes to Kara and Lee. In flight, Roslin utters her final words, "So much... life," and quietly passes away. Adama tearfully places his wedding band on her finger. He buries her next to the cabin he had planned to build for both of them. Adama is shown to visit her grave often, perhaps every day, and speaks to her about what is going on in his life ([[TRS]]: "[[Daybreak, Part II]]").

==Notes==
*The character of Laura Roslin is unique to the [[Re-imagined Series]]. She has no counterpart to the [[Original Series]], where its version of President [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]] is killed and a presidential replacement is never made. Roslin assumes more of the political-spiritual leadership of the [[Adama (TOS)|Original Series' Commander Adama]], whereas [[William Adama]] is representative of the Original Series' character's military commander aspect.

*Roslin appears in almost all episodes of the series, with the only exceptions being "[[The Road Less Traveled]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]", both in [[Season 4]]. She also does not appear in the TV movie "[[The Plan]]", nor does she appear in the webisode series "[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]]" or "[[The Face of the Enemy]]". This ranks her as the second-most frequent character in the series behind [[William Adama]].

*Actress Mary McDonnell is perhaps best known for her role in the epic film, ''Dances with Wolves'', with Kevin Costner. Another famous role of hers was the U.S. First Lady in ''[[w:Independence Day (film)|Independence Day]]'', a film which (in a less serious tone than ''Battlestar'') depicts cocky human fighter pilots battling an genocidal enemy from outer space. In that film she dies of her injuries from a helicopter crash before an end to the conflict is reached.

*While it may be a coincidence, the name Laura Roslin is an amalgam of the forenames of the incumbent U.S. First Ladies at the time the Re-imagined Series and the Original Series each premiered: [[w:Laura Bush|Laura Bush]] and [[w:Rosalynn Carter|Rosalynn Carter]], respectively.

*In [[SDS|the Singer/DeSanto continuation]] of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|the Original Series]], a female president named [[Mara]] would visit ''Galactica'' in much the same way that Laura Roslin did as part of that ''Galactica'''s decommissioning ceremony.

*The glasses that the character wears are also McDonnell's real glasses.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=features&vid=37452|title=Mary McDonnell Q & A, Part 1|date=2006-10-13|accessdate=2006-10-14|last=|first=|format=VID|language=English}}</ref>

==References==
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