Laura Roslin

Laura Roslin
Name	{{{name}}}
Age
Colony	Caprica
Birth place	{{{birthplace}}}
Birth Name	Laura Roslin
Birth Date	{{{birthdate}}}
Callsign
Nickname	{{{nickname}}}
Introduced	Miniseries
Death
Parents
Siblings
Children
Marital Status	Unmarried
Family Tree	View
Role	President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, formerly Secretary of Education
Rank
Serial Number	{{{serial}}}
Portrayed by	Mary McDonnell
Laura Roslin is a Cylon
Laura Roslin is a Final Five Cylon
Laura Roslin is a Human/Cylon Hybrid
Laura Roslin is an Original Series Cylon
Related Media
		@ BW Media
Additional Information
[[Image:|200px|Laura Roslin]]

Laura Roslin serves as Secretary of Education at the time of the Cylon attack, later becoming president of the Twelve Colonies.

Background

• Roslin, an unmarried former teacher, worked with Richard Adar when he was a mayor. Over the twenty years in politics, she herself has risen in political rank to the office of Secretary of Education.
• Adar, a married man, and Roslin are in a sexual affair during the events of a teachers strike that she is trying to mediate, to Adar's objection.
• Roslin learns that she, as did her mother, has breast cancer. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is grim, as the cancer has already spread.
• Roslin sat in the Government Plaza after her doctor's appointment, where she saw Gaius Baltar, the famous scientist, walking and kissing an attractive blonde, but pays it little attention.
• Roslin successfully resolves the teachers strike crisis, 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 on battlestar Galactica.
• Despite being thrust into the role of President in highly unusual and stressful circumstances, Laura Roslin initially proves herself both tough and capable within the role. Initially in awe of Commander Adama, and worrying that he didn't hold her in high regard (Water), she quickly overcomes her doubts and fears to be able to make the required decisions at the right time, and also stand up to Adama himself (You Can't Go Home Again). She is always prepared to put the safety and destiny of the Fleet first, no matter what the cost of her actions ("Flesh and Bone", "Home, Part I", "Home, Part II", "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II") while remembering her limitations and fears.
• Roslin is rarely hesitant to make controversial decisions unilaterally, but often must deal with the significant ramifications of her choices.

Character History at a Glance

The Miniseries

• On Caprica, Secretary of Education Laura Roslin sits in a spacious doctor's office. The doctor arrives with grim news. She has breast cancer and it has spread aggressively. Roslin later boards the government-chartered civilian transport, Colonial Heavy 798 as the government representative that will attend Galactica's decommissioning ceremonies. She is joined by a government aide, Billy Keikeya, who briefs her on the events. Roslin, however, is too distracted by the news of her illness to fully absorb Billy's notes and must excuse herself to run to the restroom.
• When Colonial Heavy 798 arrives and docks onboard Galactica, Secretary Roslin meets with Commander Adama who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar is refused. Roslin kindly lets the matter go to rest and continues on to her guest quarters.
• During the decommissioning ceremonies Adama's speech and his derision of humanity and their creation of the Cylons leaves many in the audience puzzled as well an uncomfortable Roslin. After attending the decommissioning ceremonies for the Galactica, the Cylon attack leaks through wireless aboard Conlonial Heavy 798. The chaos make confirmation of the news difficult. Roslin goes to the cockpit to confirm the news, where a shaken captain hands over the printed report. Roslin holds his shaking hand and tells him she will break the news to the passengers and crew. She instructs him to reach the government to see what they can do to help. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, explaining to a defiant Aaron Doral that she is the ranking government official on board the government chartered vessel.
• She reassures a nervous and scared Billy before leaving to the cockpit where she finally gets a hold of Jack, a fellow official who cannot confirm the whereabouts of President Adar. Before she can finish speaking with him, an inbound missle is detected. Apollo is able to destroy the missile, but his Viper is disabled and must be retrieved to 798's cargo bay.
• Roslin gets busy trying to find accomidations for the survivors as she begins to rescue the stranded civilian ships in Caprican space and find a safe heaven to put down. She asks Lee to find a place to hide for the stranded civilians.
• 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 (D-456-345-A). She and Lee sit in an empty compartment of the transport where she tells him that she is 43rd in succession. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin is the only government official alive, and is now assigned the duties of President of the Twelve Colonies by emergency succession. A shocked Roslin accepts her new duties and responsibilities and asks for a priest.
• Still unable to fully deal with her own illness and the gravity of the situation, Roslin is sworn in on the renamed Colonial One by Elosha. Physically Shaking, Roslin holds back from crying as her voice cracks taking the oath and becoming the President of the Twelve Colonies.

Roslin being sworn in

• As Colonial One begins the rescue of several civilian ships, Commander Adama orders that all vessels rendezvous at Ragner Anchorage. Roslin tells Apollo to let Adama know that they are engaged in rescue operations and that she wants to know how many hospital beds they can spare. Apollo tells her that Adama will not take that well, to which she responds that it is not a request it is an order from the President of the Twelve Colonies. Before she can leave Lee informs her that Apollo is his call sign, and that Lee Adama is his real name. She tells him that she knows who he is but that Captain Apollo has a "certain ring to it".
• As Adama and Lee argue on the wireless about him taking orders from a school teacher, which Roslin overhears, two Cylon Raiders launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet that has assembled. Roslin refuses to leave the vessels that don't have FTL capabilities behind so Apollo is forced to excuse himself and try a risky plan. He activates Galactica's old electric pulse generators stored in Colonial One's cargo hold which gives off the impressions that the fleet was destroyed tricking the Cylons. Roslin rushes with Colonial One's captain to the cargo hold to thank Lee personally for "saving their collective asses". She orders all the ships without FTL to be evacuated onto the other ships before the Cylons return.
• When Boomer finds Colonial One and the Civilian fleet Roslin meets Doctor Gaius Baltar, who she asks to serve as her Cylon advisor and instructs Boomer to help them find more vessels with her Raptor. They will then form a convoy and leave the combat zone.
• As she tours a large Botanical Cruiser with Billy, she assures the captain that his needs will be met in due time and asks for his patience. She meets a young girl, whom she sits with and starts up a conversation. It only reminds her how horrible things really are for the remnents of humanity. Resting back aboard Colonial One, Lee comes into to let Roslin know they have found a fuel tanker. The fleet is discovered by Cylons and Roslin must make a decision: to either leave the remaining ships without FTL who have not been fully evacuated or stay and meet certain doom. She makes the decision to leave.
• Struggling to deal with the possibility of extinction for the human race, Billy comes over to speak to her but Roslin interrupts declaring to him that she has cancer. Billy lets her know that he had already dedouced that from things she had said and done. Roslin expresses how selfish she feels she is being, as the world seems to be coming to an end all she can think about is that she has cancer. Billy tells her that its not selfish but only human. He adds before leaving that the young girl on the botanical cruiser will most likely be left behind. The fleet spools up their FTL to make the jump to Ragner, as Roslin sits alone thinking of all those she must leave behind.
• On board Galactica once again, Roslin gets into an argument with Colonel Tigh as she is trying to get man power and disaster pods from him for the 50,000 survivors. Colonel Tigh is finally convinced to release some supplies by Lee who interjects on her behalf.
• Roslin and Adama discuss wether he recognizes her authority as president. Adama doesn't care about such things and wants to take the battle to the Cylons in a suicidal counter-attack. She argues that the war is over and they have lost, that they need to help the survivors of humanity escape from occupied Colonial space and concentrate on "having babies". Adama's states the war is not over and that it hasn't even begun yet and leaves.
• A persuaded Adama later guides the fleet to saftey and during the funeral service for their lost crew memebers, he announces that he knows where the fabled 13th Colony Earth is and he will lead them there. Adama and Roslin find themselves discussing the things Adama said during the funeral in his quarters. He states that the prospect of Earth and a new home with their brothers and sisters of the 13th Colony will give the people hope. Roslin knows this to be a lie and makes a deal with Adama; he respect her authority as President over civil matters and she will keep his secret about Earth and leave military decisions to him.

A Shaky Administration

• Roslin and Commander Adama begin their leadership together under an uneasy understanding. Where she is responsible for all civil leadership issues among the surviving Colonials, Adama is responsible for all military decisions (Miniseries). However, the dividing line is not always clear between the two leaders. Roslin establishes a fledgling civilian government and reestabishes a new Quorum.
• She begins building the foundations of a civilian government, first collecting a census on the remaining population, while they are on the run from the Cylons forced to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughtout this time without any sleep, Roslin is forced to eventaully make a decision on wether or not to destroy the Olympic Carrier being tracked by the Cylons. In the end she chooses to destroy the Olympic Carrier to ensure the survival of humanity.
• After 24 hours pass and there are no Cylons, Roslin is still wondering if it was the right choice. When she requests some time alone, Billy goes to walk out but turns to tell her there is an update on the head count. Discouraged from all the previous updates on the head count which resulted in lowering the survival count on the white board Billy is pleased to give her good news. There was a baby boy born on the Rising Star, to add one more to the count. Roslin cannot hide her jubilation and teary eyed happiness as she revises the count (33).
• Roslin jokes with Billy that she is going to get very tired of wearing the same 3 outfits that she brought with her to the decommissioning ceremonies on Galactica for the rest of her life. They leave to visit the Galactica to thank the crew for their hard work in defending the Fleet following the recent events (33). Commander Adama follows Protocol during her visit, with officers in dress uniform, etc. Roslin believes this is because Adama enjoys it; Lee Adama informs her that his father ordered the reception out of respect for her position as President (Water).
• After loosing 60% of water reserves through sabatoge, an investigation of the explosion begins. Once some questions have been answered, Adama excuses everyone but senior command staff from the inquiry Adama reveals the truth about the humanoid Cylon threat, stating his belief that there is a Cylon infiltrator aboard Galactica (Water).
• On Colonial One, Roslin asks Captain Adama to become a special advisor to her, to help her understand military jargon and protocol. He expresses his feelings about having to destroy the Olympic Carrier which she relates to by explaining an incident that happened to Adar which helps him deal better with his plagued conscience (Water).
• To collect the water the fleet will need a large group of workers, and the prison ship seems to be the answer. Roslin won’t have the prisoners forced into the work, so Lee Adama suggests the prisoners who volunteer could be awarded points to go towards their freedom.
• Roslin decides to send a delegation led by Lee Adama to the Astral Queen to put the idea to the prisoners, only to have them mutiny behind their leader Tom Zarek and take Lee and the others prisoner. Zarek demands the immediate resignation of President Roslin and her government on the grounds that, having never been elected, they do not represent the people. Eventaully when a Marine boarding party fails, Lee convinces Zarek that he and the prisoners can work with his men to supply the Fleet with water, and in return he’ll get to keep the Astral Queen and get his elections. Later Roslin is unhappy with the arrangement he has made with Zarek but Lee informs Roslin that he didn’t mean to offend her with his views, and that when the elections come, he’ll vote for her. His honesty causes her to reveal the truth about her cancer and the fact that she might not be alive to run for re-election (Bastille Day).
• Roslin is examined by the ship’s medical officer, Doctor Cottle. His diagnosis is not good: her cancer is inoperable. Roslin decides that she wants to try alternative therapy using Chamalla extract as an alternative to diloxin, remembering her mother's malaise with that treatment (Act of Contrition).
• Roslin offers to have the ships of the Fleet help search for Starbuck who has gone missing but is later determined to put a stop to the search once it gets out of hand. She challenges both Adama and Lee concerning their single-mindedness and the way it is putting the survival of the fleet and mankind at risk (You Can't Go Home Again).
• After the suicide bombing aboard Galactica by a Cylon, Laura 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 (Litmus).
• Roslin has a chamalla-induced dream in which she sees Leoben Conoy. Billy comes to the door of the restroom to see if she is alright. He then informs her that a Cylon agent has been captured aboard the Gemenon Traveler matching the description of Leoben and insists he be interrogated. Later in her private quarters on Colonial One, Roslin has another vision of Conoy, prompting her to order a shuttle to take her to the Gemenon Traveler. Roslin puts a stop to the torture for nothing is coming from it, and attempts to reason with him. He confesses there is no bomb; grabbing her, he whispers in her ear that Adama is a Cylon. Shocked by this and her mind made up Roslin has him ejected into space – fulfilling the sequence of events in her dream (Flesh and Bone).
• Laura Roslin comes aboard Galactica as Adama receives a report that Baltar’s Cylon detector is operational,and with Leoben's words still fresh in her memory she and Adama have trouble figuring out who should be tested first. She later calls Baltar to check on the progress of Adama’s Cylon test, only to find Adama has cancelled it so that a woman called “Ellen” can be tested. Roslin orders Baltar to restart Adama’s test immediately. She then summons Tigh to Colonial One, reveals her suspicions regarding Adama, and challenges a defensive Tigh over Adama’s behavior in leaving Galactica unannounced. Tigh tells her Adama was off-ship so he could collect Tigh’s missing wife. After Tigh has left her office, Roslin calls Baltar and orders him to stop Adama’s test and resume Ellen’s. It is all revealed later that Adama is not a Cylon (Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down).
• Roslin reveals she is being affected by taking Chamalla extract to Elosha, having prescient visions – her dreams about Leoben Conoy which occurred immediately before he was found on the Gemenon Traveler, and her hallucination about snakes. 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 lead the remnants of humanity to the promised land of Earth (The Hand of God).
• Using the occasion of Colonial Day to institute a interim Quorum, the legislative branch of the Colonial Government Roslin is surprised when Tom Zarek wins nomination as Sagittaron representitive. Roslin feels she cannot remove him, as he won the election fairly. Zarek proposes the choosing of a Vice President which is seconded by Baltar and Zarek nominated for the position. This forces Roslin to push Wallace Gray, a presidential aide, into standing as an alternative candidate.
• Roslin realizes that Baltar is quite popular in the Fleet and has Gray relinquish his position as her nominee in favor of Baltar. Baltar wins the nomination through a close vote (Colonial Day). During the Colonial Day celebration Adama and Roslin share a somewhat awkward dance.
• Discovering that her cancer treatment is not going well, that is has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps 6 months to live (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I).
• On recon mission, Boomer and Crashdown stumble upon a habitable planet. Reviewing the recon photos of ruins, Roslin has a vision which Elosha confirms to be the City of the Gods on Kobol. Roslin has two further visions – the Arrow of Apollo and the Tomb of Athena, and accepts the scriptures as fact. Roslin tries to convince Adama that Kobol will point the way to Earth, that they must use the captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo. Adama doesn't agree with her and reminds her that the Raider is a military resource. She reminds him that just because they don't know where Earth is doesn't mean is doesn't exsist.
• Roslin convinces Kara Thrace to use the captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica in search of the Arrow of Apollo, a possible key to the true location of Earth (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I).
• Commander Adama stages a military coup in response to what he feels is mutiny aboard his ship. He asks for her resignation and she refuses, and reveals the press is recording the conversation. Adama isolates Colonial one, and eventually gets a boarding party on Colonial One. A confrontation ensues between the Marines and Roslin's security. It is broken only when Lee Adama sides with his conscience, and turns on Tigh. Afraid of a bloodbath, Roslin surrenders and is incarcerated aboard Galactica.
• From her cell, Roslin eventually tells the Quorum of Twelve of her role in the Sacred Scrolls, and begins to gain significant underground civilian support for her cause. After escaping Galactica, Roslin takes a third of the Fleet back to Kobol, with the help of rival Tom Zarek, to search for the Tomb. Starbuck meets Roslin's fleet with the recovered Arrow, and a hazardous expedition on Kobol begins, aided by a second copy of the Sharon Cylon and Elosha, who is soon killed, leaving Roslin with a gap in her spirituality for a time (Home, Part I).
• The recovered Commander Adama gains refreshed insight on the need for the Fleet to stay united, and finds Roslin's expedition. The leaders reconcile. Roslin's gamble on faith pays off big for humanity, and the group gains a map and their first waypoint to the true location of Earth (Home, Part II).
• After this, Adama's and Roslin's respect for each other grows stronger 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.
• After a near-disastrous military confrontation between Adama and Admiral Cain, Roslin forces them to concentrate on more important matters. Privately, Roslin tells Adama that Cain, whose power can radically affect the remnant of humanity both Roslin and Adama have strived so hard to protect, must be killed if Adama and the Fleet are to survive.

Roslin and Adama.

• After the battle, and Admiral Cain's death, Roslin, now more frail with her illness, promotes William Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the president a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship (Resurrection Ship, Part II).
• Roslin is miraculously saved by the injection of stem cells from the Cylon hybrid fetus, which apparently eradicates her cancer (Epiphanies). In the hours prior to the cure, however, Roslin remembers her last days on Caprica, including the attractive blonde with Dr. Baltar, her vice president. She now recognizes the woman as a humanoid Cylon.
• Roslin returns to work with a dispassionate, zealous manner, including an attempt to stop the black market, handling the terrible loss of Billy Keikeya, and the upcoming presidential election. After Keikeya's death, Roslin appoints Tory Foster as her aide.
• Roslin's decision to enforce a no-abortion law to aid in repopulation complicates what might have been an easy reelection. Her own vice president, Dr. Baltar, challenges Roslin for the presidency. After the Agathon's child is born, Roslin, fearing both for the child's safety and its significance to the Cylon, has the child's death faked (Downloaded).
• When New Caprica is found, Baltar uses the discovery to wedge the election to his favor. Roslin gives Foster tacit approval to rig the election; Foster, with the aide of Tigh and Dualla replace one ship's ballot box en route to the counting room, but the fraud is subsequently discovered by Lieutenant Gaeta. In a reversal of their earlier roles, Admiral Adama confronts Roslin about her actions, admitting the he doesn't like Baltar either, but adamant that they would be criminals if they stole the election, justified or not. Roslin listens to her friend, but remains convinced that it is the wrong choice and that they just give up. After the correct results are revealed, President Baltar first order is to begin the colonization of New Caprica.

New Caprica

• Early in the colonization, Roslin finds time to relax on New Caprica. She meets with Admiral Adama, who also takes in some time to unwind. The two friends comfortably chat about matters small and not-so-small over smoking and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together, allowing themselves to relax, lying outside, close to each other. Roslin worries that, amidst their temporary comfort, the Cylons could return, but it is nice to have what they have for the time being (Unfinished Business).

Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.

• A year passes on New Caprica, and Baltar's administration becomes the disaster that Roslin feared. Roslin returned to teaching, running the new settlement's school. Assisted by Maya, who brings her infant adopted daughter Isis (the secreted Cylon hybrid), Roslin is more comfortable watching over the pair personally.
• On the 380th day after settling on the planet, the Cylons discover the colony, as Roslin had warned, and occupy the settlement.
• On the 134th day of the Cylon occupation of New Caprica Roslin sits writing in her journal. Coincidentally, that day falls on Mars Day, named after the Colonial God of War. She notes that the New Capricans have not had contact with Galactica for four months but she refuses to believe that Admiral William Adama would abandon them. She writes that the insurgency is striking whenever and wherever possible, believing them critical to morale despite the futility of the gestures at times. She notes that for the insurgency to have a "more meaningful impact", they need to strike a high profile target, since killing the Cylons is nearly impossible. Roslin then speaks of the Cylon Occupation Authority's continued exertion of complete control over New Caprica City and are at their complete mercy. She notes that the government under President Gaius Baltar functions in name only. Roslin writes of the New Caprica Police and finds the prospect of humans misguided into believing that they're taking the role of policing New Caprica out Cylon hands nauseating. She notes that the names of the police officers are deeply hidden, but are likely people that "we least expect". Roslin notes that hundreds of people have been rounded up by the Cylons, held in detention, tortured, and even killed or disappeared. Roslin mentions the help of a source within Baltar's administration that has been helping them in recent weeks. They do not know who this person is, but the person is responsible for dropping important documents. The source communicates through the use of a secret signal (Occupation).
• Later Roslin is detained by the Cylons and is visited in detention by Baltar. In order to appear friendly, he hands her back her glasses but then expresses his outrage and disbelief at the suicide bombings carried out by the resistance. He demands that he and Roslin publicly condemn these actions. Although Roslin initially expresses understanding for the resistance, when Baltar presses her to condone their attacks, she remains silent. Baltar tries to make her understand that order and policing is necessary and denies Roslin's allegations of random searches, arrests and torture. When he leaves, he again emphasizes that the situation has deteriorated to a dangerous level and orders the guard to release Roslin (Precipice).
• After her release she goes to talk to Colonel Tigh, demanding that he stop with the suicide bombings. When Tigh asks if she works for the Cylons, she slaps him but apologizes quickly. Tigh says that none if it matters anymore, and argues that the attacks aren't any different from sending soldiers on suicide missions. He tells Roslin to stop being naive and moralizing until she is back on Colonial One again, and leaves.
• The New Caprica Police storm through the city and arrest more people, including Laura Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin meets Tom Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention. He quips that he wishes she had gotten away with stealing the election (Precipice).
• On the Pergamus Flats Roslin and the other detainees are lined up and are prepared for execution, but before they can be killed a team of resistance fighters takes out the Centurions meant to execute the detainees and frees them. Tyrol reveals to Roslin and the others that Galactica is on its way. Roslin smiles and looks up to the sky with happiness (Exodus, Part I).
• In the resistance headquarters Laura Roslin orders Anders to guard Maya and Hera at all costs that Hera, "may well be the shape of things to come". He tasks two of his best men to protect her and see to her safe escape (Exodus, Part I).
• Gunnery Sergeant Erin Mathias, the leader of Sharon Agathon's Marines meets with Roslin, Tom Zarek and the resistance to discuss the rescue plan. She brings weapons for the upcoming fight and learns that the colonists conducted evacuation exercises under the guise of fire drills.
• Col. Tigh's resistance militia appears to consider themselves to be under the authority of Roslin, who acts as a government in exile/waiting with Foster as her deputy. Tom Zarek, legally the Vice President and Baltar's successor, is consulted on some military plans.
• Later, 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 and gives a sidearm to Jammer, directing him to protect Roslin (Exodus, Part II). Once the fleet is safely reassembled, a de facto President 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. It is at this time that Foster confirms that she failed to ensure the evacuation of Maya and Hera, and offers her apologies and resignation to Roslin who reassures Foster and takes something of a fatalistic view of their loss of Hera (Exodus, Part II).

Roslin's Second Administration

• Roslin allows President Tom Zarek to assumes his office temporarily. In order to protect Roslin from having to deal with months of public trials which could destroy the unity of the Fleet through public "witch hunts", Zarek quickly establishes the Circle, a secret tribunal to investigate, charge, adjudicate, and execute collaborators and traitors. Zarek and Roslin agree to a "musical chairs" process to constitutionally restore her to the presidency. 1: with Baltar having either died or abandoned his office, Zarek has ascended from vice president to president; 2: Zarek appoints Roslin to fill the vacant office of vice president; 3: Zarek promptly resigns the presidency and Roslin assumes the office; 5: Roslin then re-appoints Zarek to his former vice presidency and privately thanks him for his service and loyalty. With a token number of suspected collaborators having conspicuously disappeared, the newly inaugurated Roslin is able to secretly dissolve the Circle and publicly issue a general pardon for all but Baltar (Collaborators).
• Roslin's relationship with Adama and the Agathons is strained when Adama discovers that Roslin hid the Cylon baby, Hera Agathon, without his knowledge (The Eye of Jupiter).
• Baltar's capture from his time with the Cylons leads Roslin to first interrogate him, then put him to trial, which places new stresses on the President.
• During Baltar's trial, Lee Adama confronts Roslin on his suspicion that she is taking chamalla again. Although Roslin silently pleads with him to not go that route, Adama persists and forces her to publicly reveal that her cancer has returned. Disappointed in him, she recalls a time when they were friends and she called him "Captain Apollo."
• She has a vision in the Opera House on Kobol where she and an image of Sharon Agathon pursue Hera Agathon, but Hera is picked up by a Number Six. A later vision reveals that Sharon Agathon shares her vision. After conferring with each other, they both visit Caprica-Six, who disbelievingly confirms that she, too, experienced the vision. When the Fleet arrives at the Ionian nebula, Roslin nearly faints, possibly having another vision (Crossroads, Part II).
• After Kara Thrace's mysterious return, Roslin deeply distrusts Thrace, although she claims to know the way the Earth and feels an instinctive need to go there. When Roslin and Adama don't comply with Thrace pleadings, Thrace confronts the president at gunpoint (He That Believeth In Me). Thrace hands Roslin her pistol and tells her to shoot if she believes that Thrace is a Cylon. Roslin pulls the trigger, but misses, and Thrace is subdued by Marines (Six of One).
• Roslin still holds a grudge against Baltar and tries to curtail Baltar's freedoms when his new-founded cult has violent confrontations with followers of other beliefs. Ostensibly trying to protect his followers and keep peace in the Fleet, she passes an emergency measure to severely restrict their right of assembly. Although she pleads to the Quorum to think of what Baltar did on New Caprica and what he might do with followers blindly devoted to him, the Quorum vetoes her (Escape Velocity).
• Roslin is currently on diloxin therapy, which has caused her to lose her hair and forces her to wear a wig. Throughout her treatment, William Adama comforts her at her bedside and offers her the use of his quarters when she wants (Faith).
• When a rebel Cylon faction proposes an alliance with the Colonials, Roslin goes along with it to get a chance to destroy the Cylon Resurrection Hub, but doesn't want to uphold her side of bargain until they find Earth. Shortly after, she visits the Hybrid on the rebel basestar, but when it is awakened it unexpectedly jumps the ship away (Guess What's Coming to Dinner?).
• Every time the basestar jumps, she has a vision of herself in an empty corridor on Galactica where she is joined by the spirit of her old friend Elosha, who takes her to sickbay to show her her own death. Elosha explains that Roslin has cut herself off from the ability to love people and shows her how Admiral Adama loves her. On the basestar, a badly injured Baltar confesses to her his part in the attack on the Colonies and she decides to leave him to bleed to death, but Elosha convinces her to help him.
• She orders Karl Agathon to take Number Three to her once she is retrieved. After the battle, the Three jokingly tells her that she is one of the Final Five, but refuses to tell anyone the truth until she is sure that she is safe. Roslin also attempts to get answers from the Hybrid but the Hybrid appears to never say anything helpful, except to inform them of the fact that that Three has already been unboxed, and the reason she jumped away from the Fleet. After the ship returns to the rendezvous coordinates, she greets Admiral Adama who waited for her in a Raptor and finally admits that she loves him (The Hub).

Revelations of the Final Five

• In the basestar control room, Roslin, William Adama, D'Anna Biers and Leoben discuss the plans to return the Final Five. Biers reveals that there are only four in the Fleet and refuses to provide answers when Roslin questions her about the fifth's location. Roslin knows that the Colonials need them, for they know the way to Earth. Frustrated, Biers citing the failure of co-operation on New Caprica, announces that she will hold the Colonials on the ship hostage until the Final Four are returned to them. When a standoff between the Colonials and the Centurions breaks out, Roslin tells Adama and the pilots to stand down. Biers tells Adama to accompany her to Galactica on a Raptor but Adama refuses until Roslin insists on him going. Before he leaves, Roslin embraces Adama and whispers in his ear that if the Cylons get the four, they get Earth, and he can't allow that to happen, even if he has to destroy the basestar with them aboard. Adama leaves and Roslin returns to Baltar (Revelations).
• Roslin rebandages Gaius Baltar's wounds, who is alive thanks to Roslin's change of heart. Roslin reveals that she told Adama to destroy the basestar if the Cylons get the final four. Foster walks in with a Six and hands Roslin her medication. Roslin thanks Foster and asks how she was able to do so. Foster's response is that she came with Biers to be with her people. It is then that Roslin realizes she was one of the Final Five. When asked if she had any idea, Roslin says no, and Foster tells her it might be worth pondering about other things she has been wrong about, then turns and leaves. Roslin interrupts her departure to ask her to convince Biers to release the hostages. Foster coldly replies that she's done taking orders from her.
• As things heat up, Roslin and Baltar hear the hostages and Centurions outside the room, as a Number Two walks in and tells them that Biers is about to start executing more hostages. When Roslin requests that she be taken to Biers, Baltar insists that he be taken instead for he was with her in the Temple of Five. In her visions Roslin remebers seeing him in the Opera House and she agrees with him.
• After the location of Earth is discovered and the Final Five are granted amnesty with Biers agreeing to release the hostages, Lee is discussing the location of Earth with his discouraged father. Roslin walks in and sitting next to him says she wants to see him pick up the first fistful of earth. He walks away saying that he'll be back. Lee Adama talks to Roslin about stepping down, and she praises him on resolving the crisis. Roslin says that the Fleet will need that kind of leadership in the years to come (Revelations).
• In the CIC Adama, asks Roslin to give the final order to take them to Earth. An excited, happy and teary eyed Roslin smiles and gives Adama the order to jump to Earth. With that the fleet spools up and jumps.
• On surface of Earth in the debris of a once great city, Roslin stands with Adama as he lifts up a handful of soil. A crew member next to them scans the soil with a Geiger counter. The soil is irradiated. Laura Roslin stands next to Adama, visably devastated. (Revelations).

Earth and a search for a new home

• Both the humans and Cylons wander the surface of Earth, all indications point to a major nuclear disaster across the planet. Laura Roslin crouches down in the sand and picks up a short plant, what seems to be the only visible life found in the destruction. Teams around the planet have reported no responses to hails and that the entire planet looks much like the beach they are on now. Roslin quips, "It's perfect. We traded one nuked civilization for another." (Sometimes a Great Notion).
• As the door to Adama and Roslin's Raptor opens, assembled around them is a huge crowd on the hangar deck anxious for answers. But Roslin can only shake her head in disbelief and her profound disappointment. Her dreams for humanity dashed, she turns and manages to weakly mutter to Adama, "Get me out of here." The crowd rushes Roslin and Adama, while Lee and the Marines try to hold back the surging crowds, Lee screaming over the crowds protests, shouts out that answers will be revealed in due time (Sometimes a Great Notion).
• With their tests complete, both the teams of humans and Cylons meet aboard Galactica in Baltar's lab to discuss the findings of the Centurion helmet and humans remains buried on the surface. Caprica-Six confirms that other Centurion helmets were found as well as 250 skeletons from four sites around the planet. A Number Eight confirms that, while the Centurion design is similar, they have never seen this design before, and that it is not one of theirs. A shocked Roslin realizes that the Thirteenth Tribe created their own Cylons much like they had on the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. Lee Adama completes her thoughts; that like the Colonies these Cylons also rebelled against their masters. Baltar adds that they tested the skeletons as well, and the astonishing conclusion is that the every one of the skeletons themselves are also a form of humanoid Cylons. Caprica-Six confirms that their tests show the same conclusion. The Thirteenth Tribe were Cylons. Roslin leaves the meeting visibly shaken, but Lee Adama stops her to ask what she will tell the Quorum. Weak and dishearten, Roslin has nothing to say at all (Sometimes a Great Notion).
• In Adama's quarters, Laura Roslin sits on the floor emotionally upset. She is setting fire to one of the pages of the Pythian Prophecy in the scared scrolls. Turning each successive page to light and burn the next, one by one. Adama arrives to ask Roslin to help figure out a way to shore up the Fleet's quickly sagging morale. She is passive and unresponsive, and Adama wishing to get closer to a obviously shaken Roslin kneels down beside her and continues. He tells her that she has missed her doloxan treatment, but Roslin's response is that she didn't feel like it and will not reschedule. Asking if she is willing to just lay down and quit, She laments to Adama that he took her advice and now there are so many men and women who have died for what appears to be a fruitless series of visions (Sometimes a Great Notion).
• Roslin pretty much abandons her Presidency and decides to live as a normal person, also giving up her diloxin treatments. She also starts a relationship with Willam Adama, kissing him in a corridor, sleeping with him and later kissing him again and reacting badly to his supposed demise.
• When Tom Zarek and Felix Gaeta start their coup, she is in the Admiral's quaters and decides to hed to Baltar's commune to make a wireless transmission about the mutiny to rally support to her and Adama. She makes a short broadcast before being jammed, then heads with Baltar to the Secondary Storage Airlock in order to get off the ship to saftey. There she kisses Adama goodbye, knowing he's going to stay behind to cover their escape and attempt to retake the ship, then leaves in a Cylon Raptor for the baseship. Narcho and Hotdog are ordered to shoot her down, but when she identifies herself before being jammed again, Hotdog hesitates and it allows her to escape to the baseship safely. There she keeps attempting to send another wireless message to the fleet over the Raptor's radio, but is blocked by Galactica's jamming. While the other Cylons discuss options, Roslin, with the help of a Number Two, succesfully penetrates Galactica's jamming and tells about the mutiny and orders the fleet to shut off their FTL drives before Galactica finally manages to jam her again. Ten ships obey, but the Cylons decide to jump away. Roslin gives a speech to them and convinces them to stay and help put down the mutiny. Roslin, taking command, contacts Galactica and orders the mutiny to end and Gaeta and Zarek to surrender. Zarek tells her that Tigh died trying to escape and Adama was tried, convicted and executed and calls for her surrender, but he strengthens her resolve and she promises to come after him with everything she has at her disposal and has the baseship's weapons turned on Galactica. After Galactica fails to jump away (Galen Tyrol disabled the FTL drive) it initaly looks like it will turn into a shooting war between the two ships, but Gaeta orders a weapons hold. Before anything further can happen, Adama regains control of Galactica and calls a relieved Roslin to tell her and the Cylons to stand down. Roslin returns to Galactica and tearfully embraces Adama.

Notes

• The character of Laura Roslin is unique to the Battlestar Galactica saga. She has no counterpart to the Original Series, where its version of President Adar is killed and a presidential replacement is never made. Roslin assumes more of the political-spiritual leadership of the Original Series' Commander Adama, whereas William Adama is representative of the Original Series' character's military commander aspect.

• Roslin's apparent cure in "Epiphanies" contradicts the "dying leader" clause of the Pythian Prophecy, despite the fulfillment of her role in the Tomb of Athena story arc. However, in "Crossroads, Part I", she reveals that her cancer has returned.

• 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 First Lady in 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 the Singer/DeSanto continuation of the 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.

• President Roslin's appointment as Colonial president parallels US President Gerald R. Ford, who became US Vice President and later President through appointment and succession respectively, not by election.

• The name Laura Roslin may be a combination of the first names of the incumbent US First Ladies at the time of both the Re-imagined and the Original Series: Laura Bush (nèe Laura Lane Welch) and Rosalynn Carter (nèe Eleanor Rosalynn Smith).

References

Preceded by: Richard Adar	President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol	Succeeded by: Gaius Baltar
Preceded by: Tom Zarek	Vice President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol	Succeeded by: Tom Zarek
Preceded by: Tom Zarek	President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol	Succeeded by: Incumbent