Lieutenant '''Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek''' is a pilot who served under [[Admiral Adama]] aboard the battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]'' before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
Lieutenant '''Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek''' is a pilot who served under then-Commander [[William Adama]] aboard the [[Valkyrie type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Valkyrie]]'', approximately {{BCH|6}}<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>.
He was part of a disclosed mission led by Adama aboard the ''[[Valkyrie]]'', where he was to pilot a special craft, known as [[Stealthstar]], over the [[Armistice Line]]. Upon crossing, he was soon interdicted by an unknown contact and left in the crippled vessel, spinning out of control. With two more craft bearing down on him, Adama ordered Novacek destroyed so as to eliminate any evidence of their incursion into Cylon space. Instead of dying inside the doomed stealth ship, Novacek managed to eject a split second before the incoming missile detonated.
Novacek was part of a covert mission from the admiralty of the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|Colonial Fleet]] as pilot of a special fighter known as a [[Stealthstar]]. The mission was to fly over the [[Armistice Line]] for reconnaissance of [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] activity.
He was then taken prisoner by the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] and spent three years in their captivity. Some time after the occupation of [[New Caprica]], battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'' detects three Raiders. Two Raiders are pursuing a third Raider, damaged by Cylon gunfire. Starbuck and Kat are dispatched. After destroying the pursuing Raiders, they go after the third. In CIC, Admiral Adama orders Kat and Starbuck to escort the Raider to Galactica, after hearing, from the Raider, a familiar human voice and callsign — Bulldog.
Upon crossing the Line, Novacek was quickly interdicted by an [[Raider (RDM)|unknown contact]]. Under fire, his fighter is severely damaged and was spinning out of control.
In the hangar bay, Adama and the party are surprised that a human has exited the Raider. A visibly weak Daniel Novacek salutes Adama; Adama returns the salute.
Over a meal (noodles eaten with chopsticks) Adama asks Novacek how he escaped. He relates a story of plague on the basestar and escaping after killing a Number Three with a blow to the nose delivered through the cell bars.
With two more unknown craft bearing down on him, Commander Adama ordered Novacek's fighter destroyed so as to eliminate any evidence of their incursion into Cylon space. Novacek ejected a split second before the incoming missile struck, and is subsequently captured and imprisoned by the Cylons {{TRS|Hero}}.
Bulldog is debriefed by the President with Adama present, where they tell a (decidedly shaky) story of a mining facility too close to the Armistice Line to cover the true events.
==The Escape==
[[Image:Season 3 - Promo - Hero - Novacek.jpg|180px|thumb|left|Novacek as a prisoner of war.]]
Around {{ACH|3}}, Novacek is permitted to escape his imprisonment as part of an elaborate ruse by the Cylons. Two Raiders in pursuit of Novacek's escape Raider were apparently unable to shoot Novacek down. As [[Kara Thrace]] later discovered, the Cylons deliberately missed an obvious kill shot, allowing him to escape and bring a measure of terror to the admiral.
Novacek later visits Saul Tigh in his quarters shortly after Adama talks with him. Tigh informs Novacek about Adama's past actions and in the process greatly angers him. Novacek later proceeds to "question" Adama.
Shortly after telling Novacek of Adama's actions, [[Saul Tigh]] finds Novacek in the process of killing Adama. After stopping him, Tigh berates Novacek for almost giving the Cylons the assassination they wanted.
Meanwhile, [[Kara Thrace]] reviews the gun camera film from their fight with the Cylon Raiders and realizes that the Cylons were deliberately missing their quarry, letting Bulldog get away. She goes to Saul Tigh with this information, who deduces that Bulldog was allowed there by the Cylons to bring harm to the admiral.
Later, Novacek boards a [[Raptor]] to start a new life on a civilian ship. Admiral Adama presents Novacek with a [[Uniforms (RDM)|Colonial uniform]] and assures him he will always have a place as an officer on ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Hero}}.
Tigh finds Novacek in the process of killing Adama and stops him, harshly berating him about how he had nearly given the Cylons what they wanted. A deeply ashamed Novacek then slumps against a wall in grief.
His fate thereafter remains unclear.
{{clear}}
Later, Novacek is boarding a Raptor presumably to start a new life on a civilian ship. Before he departs, Admiral Adama (having forgiven him) presents a [[Uniforms (RDM)|Colonial uniform]] and in the process assures him he will always have a place as an officer on ''Galactica'' ([[Hero]]).
== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* [[File:TRS - Hero - Eugene Novacek.jpg|thumb|A remnant for the Novacek's earlier first name before its change to Daniel by production {{TRS|Hero}}]][[David Eick]]'s Video Blog entitled "Introducing Bulldog"<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=videoBlog&vid=34824|title=Introducing Bulldog|date=2006-10-11|accessdate=|last=|first=|format=VID|language=}}</ref> revealed that after agreeing to the role, Carl Lumbly stated that he wanted to keep his dreadlocks, much to the bemusement of director [[Michael Rymer]].
* [[David Eick]]'s Video Blog entitled "Introducing Bulldog"<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=videoBlog&vid=34824|title=Introducing Bulldog|date=2006-10-11|accessdate=|last=|first=|format=VID|language=}}</ref> revealed that after agreeing to the role, Carl Lumbly stated that he wanted to keep his dreadlocks, much to the bemusement of director [[Michael Rymer]].
* In early drafts Novacek's first name was Seamus<ref name="podcast">{{cite rdm podcast| episode = Hero | act = 3 | id =seamus| timestamp = 00:32:06 | totalrunning = 00:47:05 }}</ref> and then Eugene.<ref name="p58">{{cite companion|season=3|page=58}}</ref> When Cottle checks if Novacek is a Cylon, the computer screen shows Novacek's first name to be Eugene, an on-screen remnant of the prior name before its change to Daniel.
* In early drafts Novacek's first name was Seamus. <ref name="podcast">{{cite rdm podcast| episode = Hero | act = 3 | id =seamus| timestamp = 00:32:06 | totalrunning = 00:47:05 }}.</ref>
* [[Michael Rymer]] considered [[Dennis Haysbert]] for the role of Novacek.<ref name="p58"/>
Novacek was part of a covert mission from the admiralty of the Colonial Fleet as pilot of a special fighter known as a Stealthstar. The mission was to fly over the Armistice Line for reconnaissance of Cylon activity.
Upon crossing the Line, Novacek was quickly interdicted by an unknown contact. Under fire, his fighter is severely damaged and was spinning out of control.
With two more unknown craft bearing down on him, Commander Adama ordered Novacek's fighter destroyed so as to eliminate any evidence of their incursion into Cylon space. Novacek ejected a split second before the incoming missile struck, and is subsequently captured and imprisoned by the Cylons (TRS: "Hero").
Around 3 ACH (2002BYR), Novacek is permitted to escape his imprisonment as part of an elaborate ruse by the Cylons. Two Raiders in pursuit of Novacek's escape Raider were apparently unable to shoot Novacek down. As Kara Thrace later discovered, the Cylons deliberately missed an obvious kill shot, allowing him to escape and bring a measure of terror to the admiral.
Shortly after telling Novacek of Adama's actions, Saul Tigh finds Novacek in the process of killing Adama. After stopping him, Tigh berates Novacek for almost giving the Cylons the assassination they wanted.
Later, Novacek boards a Raptor to start a new life on a civilian ship. Admiral Adama presents Novacek with a Colonial uniform and assures him he will always have a place as an officer on Galactica(TRS: "Hero").
A remnant for the Novacek's earlier first name before its change to Daniel by production (TRS: "Hero")David Eick's Video Blog entitled "Introducing Bulldog"[2] revealed that after agreeing to the role, Carl Lumbly stated that he wanted to keep his dreadlocks, much to the bemusement of director Michael Rymer.
In early drafts Novacek's first name was Seamus[3] and then Eugene.[4] When Cottle checks if Novacek is a Cylon, the computer screen shows Novacek's first name to be Eugene, an on-screen remnant of the prior name before its change to Daniel.
↑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.
VID) (2006-10-11).
