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>.
Lieutenant '''Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek''' is a pilot who served under [[Admiral Adama]] aboard the battlestar ''[[Valkyrie]]'' before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
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 part of a disclosed mission led by Adama aboard the [[Valkyrie]], where he was to pilot a [[Stealth Star]] over the [[Armistice Line]]. Upon crossing, he was soon assualted by several presumed raiders and was left in his badly damaged fighter. Adama ordered Novachek shot down to get rid of evidence of their incursion into Cylon space.
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.
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.
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}}.
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 Novachek 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.
==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.
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
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.
Novachek sees Saul Tigh in his quarters shortly after Adama talks to him. Tigh informs Novacek about Adama's past actions and in the process greatly angers him. Novacek later proceeds to "question" Adama
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}}.
Meanwhile [[Kara Thrace]] reviews their Viper's gun film from the fight with the Cylon Raiders and realizes that the Cylons were deliberately missing their target, letting Bulldog get away. She goes to Saul Tigh with this information, who deduces that Bulldog was sent there by the Cylons to kill the admiral.
His fate thereafter remains unclear.
{{clear}}
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.
== Notes ==
Later, Novacek is boarding a Raptor presumably to start a new life on a civilian ship. Before he goes, Admiral Adama (having forgiven him) hands him a Colonial uniform and in the process tells him he will always have a place as a pilot on Galactica.
([[Hero]]).
* [[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]].
== Notes ==
* 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.
* [[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]].
* [[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").
The Escape
Novacek as a prisoner of war.
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").
His fate thereafter remains unclear.
Notes
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).
