John

For other persons with John as a first name, see: John (disambiguation).

John
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Introduced	Experiment in Terra
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Portrayed by	Edward Mulhare
John is a Cylon
John is a Final Five Cylon
John is a Human/Cylon Hybrid
John is an Original Series Cylon
Related Media
		@ BW Media
Additional Information
[[Image:|200px|John]]

John is a so-called "Being of Light".

He informs Apollo of the situation on Terra, hoping that Apollo will be able to resolve it peacefully. John's chief concern was that any outcome concerning the planet will have drastic intergalactic consequences. Although the consequences aren't stated, it is presumed that the Terrans are instrumental in some sort of long-term plan.

John tells Apollo that his "physical appearance" was a reflection of intelligence (i.e., spirit), and that he could do nothing outside the colossus (presumably, the Ship of Lights itself. As such, Apollo's assistance is needed. John, like any other Being, apparently could cause memory blocks and unblock them, as well as work through them by giving them a protective aura. He also comments on the fact that he needed humor in order to communicate with other "primitive" races.

In the apartment of Brenda Maxwell, Apollo speaks to John, who can't be heard or seen by anyone else. Under the guise of Charlie Watts, Apollo appears to be somewhat mentally unstable.

John is instrumental in also recruiting Starbuck, who could hear him, but only see him after John gives him the protective aura. John then presumably talks to the Beings of Light by looking up in the sky, saying, "It's the best I can do with the material I've got. They're primitives!"

Ironically, John's objectives for Apollo to solve the Terran situation peaceably fail. Galactica's intervention forces the Eastern Alliance to accept the peace accord from the Nationalists. John does admit, however, after some pestering from Apollo, that Terra isn't Earth and that they still had a long, interesting journey ahead of them (Experiment in Terra).

Notes

• Evidently, the John character goes against the pre-established information given in "War of the Gods", for Iblis had a physical body outside of any Ship of Lights or anything remotely similar. This being the case, either John was lying or the Beings that are inclined to pure good do not have the capacity of a "physical" body outside of the Ship of Lights.

• Additionally, it is interesting that Starbuck managed to hear John, albeit unable to see him until John touched him. (Indeed, John touched Starbuck within the physical laws of the Universe, as Starbuck reacted to it.) Disproving yet again that he (and presumably other Beings of Light) can attempt some form of physical contact, at least on some level. Although Starbuck's past experience (War of the Gods) with the Beings may have something to do with it.

• Actor Edward Mulhare went on to co-star in a more successful Glen A. Larson TV series, Knight Rider.

• It is noteworthy that one of the writers of Battlestar Galactica, Donald P. Bellisario, would notably use the basic theme of this episode of putting the hero in the guise of a local accompanied by a "holographic" companion that no one could see again in the 1989 television show Quantum Leap. The similarities are quite obvious, especially given the Bellisario connection.