Colonel Tigh

Colonel Tigh (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)

Full Name: Saul Tigh

Rank: Colonel

Call sign:

Age: 50

Marital Status: Separated; Spouse: Ellen Tigh

Children: None

Current position: Executive Officer (XO), Colonial Fleet Battlestar Galactica, formally part of the 75th Battlestar Group (Water)

Played by: Michael Hogan

A native of Gemenon in his mid-40s to early 50s, Paul Tigh is estranged from his wife and has been somewhat disillusioned with his career, seeking refuge in alcoholism - a move which has lead many in the crew to view him with contempt (Mini-Series; 33).

Following the Cylon attack, Tigh recovered some of his old verve and attempted to give up alcohol. However, this, combined with the initial stress of flight from the Cylons caused him to over-compensate as a martinet, frequently driving the personnel overly-hard, and berating where encouragement might have proved the better option (33). He excuses this by using the truism that the XO is supposed to be the "hard face" of command.

With his drink problem now relatively under control, Tigh is settling back into his role as the Galactica's Executive Officer, and has proven himself both honest and level-headed - if still hard on himself and others - in a number of circumstances, and provided the kind of support Adama has needed.

During Cylon attacks, he has proven himself an excellent battle manager and tactician, his quick actions sometimes saving the ship from damage (Secrets and Lies).

He is uneasy around President Laura Roslin (Water), and resents what he sees as her interfering with Adama's command (Secrets and Lies) - something born out of his deep respect for Adama which even the most blatant of arguments between them (You Can't Go Home Again) can disrupt.

He has a personal dislike of Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, one of the Galactica's pilots, and - while grudgingly conceding she is a fine pilot, he does understand what Adama see in her (Mini-Series), seeing her purely as an egotistical, insubordinate youngster. While they have tried to bury the hatchet between them (Mini-Series, Water), there is potentially too much water under the bridge now for them to get completely past their differences.

Outside of Adama, Tigh has few he can regard as confidants aboard ship; and since the initial Cylon attack, he has very much withdrawn from interacting with the crew during off-duty hours, making him perhaps more isolated than even Adama - who is at least held in awe and respect by the crew.

Some three weeks after the Cylon attack on the 12 colonies, Tigh was stunned to discover his wife, Ellen, had not been killed as he had thought, but had been rescued from Picon, and carried aboard the Rising Star as an unconscious "Jane Doe". Whether this reunion will be for his betterment or not remains to be seen.