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    {{Character Data|
{{Character Data
    |photo= [[Image:Laura Roslin promo.jpg|200px]]
|photo= Laura Roslin.jpg
    |age=
|age=
    |colony= [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] (presumed)
|colony= [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol#Caprica|Caprica]]  
    |birthname= Laura Roslin
|birthname= Laura Roslin
    |callsign=  
|seen= Miniseries
    |death=  
|death= Cancer, while flying over Tanzania in 4 ACH (c. 148,000 BCE) {{TRS|Daybreak, Part II}}
    |parents=
|parents= [[Roslin's mother|mother]] †, father †
    |siblings=
|siblings= [[Cheryl Roslin]] †<br/>[[Sandra Roslin]] †
    |children=
|children=
    |marital status=Unmarried
|marital status=Unmarried;<br>Briefly cohabits with [[William Adama]]
    |role= Interim President, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|The Twelve Colonies of Kobol]] (serving remainder of [[Richard Adar|Richard Adar's]] term)
|role=President of the [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]];<br>formerly Secretary of Education<br>formerly schoolteacher
    |rank=
|actor= [[Mary McDonnell]]
    |actor= [[Mary McDonnell]]
|archives=y
    |cylon=  
}}
    }}
'''[[Laura]] [[Roslin]]''' serves as the [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|Secretary of Education]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon attack]] and later serves twice as President of the Twelve Colonies despite never being elected to office. She is also believed by some in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] to be a religious figure essential to the fulfillment of the [[Pythia|Pythian prophecy]].


== Biographical Notes ==
== Biography  ==
===Background===
Some time before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], Roslin is forced to take care of her dying [[Roslin's mother|mother]], who is going through [[doloxan]] treatments for cancer {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}. At some point, Roslin's father and sisters are killed in a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver {{TRS|Daybreak, Part I}}. Like her mother, Roslin is a schoolteacher, though she enters politics under the mayoral administration of [[Richard Adar]] {{TRS|Miniseries}}. When Adar decides to run for [[Government of the Twelve Colonies|president]], Roslin reluctantly agrees to join his campaign, and is later appointed as Secretary of Education {{TRS|Daybreak, Part II}}.


=== Background ===
Though Roslin never marries<ref name="marital">According to the February issue of ''Sci Fi Magazine'', actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the [[series bible]], Roslin has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on [http://www.livejournal.com/users/reedfem/158883.html Ramblings of a dorkish nature])</ref>, she engages in a sexual affair with the married Adar {{TRS|Epiphanies}}.<ref>According to a December 2005 [http://www.galacticastation.com/Archives/2005/dec05.html interview] with Mary McDonnell in TV Guide, President Adar, a married man, was having an affair with Roslin in the twilight of his term.</ref> The day of the [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylon]] attack, Roslin learns that she has terminal breast cancer. Returning to work, Roslin informs Adar that she has successfully resolved an ongoing teacher's strike, but Adar vehemently disagrees with her method, and asks for her resignation. She asks him to defer the matter until she returns from ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'s'' decommissioning ceremony {{TRS|Epiphanies}}.  
'''Laura Roslin''' is an unmarried{{ref|marital}} woman with some 20 years of political experience. She was serving as Secretary of Education for the Colonial [[Government]] at the time of the [[Cylon attack]], during which most of humanity was killed. At that time, Roslin was 43rd in line of succession for the Presidency of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]]. She learns that all those in line before her are dead, and is shortly sworn in as President.


=== Rise to President ===
===Fall of the Colonies===
Roslin travels to ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' aboard the government-chartered civilian transport, [[Colonial Heavy 798|''Colonial Heavy 798'']], accompanied by a government aide, [[Billy Keikeya]]. On board ''Galactica'', Secretary Roslin meets with [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar. Roslin lets the matter go and departs the ship following the decommissioning ceremonies.


At the time of the Cylon attack, Roslin was aboard the Colonial government cruiser ''[[Colonial Heavy 798]]'', having just attended the decommissioning ceremonies for the [[Original battlestar (RDM)|battlestar]] named ''[[Galactica]]''. In the latter part of the attack, she receives a message from the [[Case Orange]] automated beacon, a special mechanism seeking communication with any surviving Colonial government officials. Moments after responding to the beacon, she discovers that, other than herself, all members of President [[Richard Adar]]'s government have apparently been killed or are missing. The Case Orange response assigns Roslin new instructions, and she is duly sworn-in as President.
[[Image:Roslin_swearing_in.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Roslin being sworn in]]
On route back to {{RDM|Caprica}}, Roslin learns from the [[Colonial One captain|captain]] that the Cylons are attacking the Twelve Colonies. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, rallying the passengers to make space for potential refugees. She finally establishes contact with a [[Jack|government official]] on Caprica, who does not know the whereabouts or condition of President Adar. As the transport begins to rescue survivors from a stranded passenger vessel, 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. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin, the forty-third official in line of succession, is the highest-ranking government official left alive and thus has succeeded Adar as president. Physically shaking, Roslin holds back tears and her voice cracks as the priestess [[Elosha]] administers the oath of office.


In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Roslin undertook a rescue mission, using the now-renamed ''[[Colonial One]]'' to round-up all vessels that had escape destruction and gather as many survivors as possible together, hoping to save the remnants of humanity from total annihiliation. Taking her small fleet to the [[Ragnar Anchorage]], she successfully pursuaded ''Galactica'' commander [[William Adama]] away from his original intention of mounting a counter-attack against the Cylons, and towards helping the fleet make its escape.  
In her first act as president, Roslin orders ''Galactica'' to assist her in rescue operations. In turn, Adama refuses to recognize her authority and orders the vessel to rendezvous with ''Galactica'' at the [[Ragnar Anchorage]]. The two are interrupted by a pair of [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]]s, which launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet Roslin has assembled. She refuses to leave the vessels behind and is only saved by quick thinking on the part of [[Lee Adama]]. Soon after, a ''Galactica'' [[Raptor]] carrying [[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Gaius Baltar]] locates Roslin's ship, the newly rechristened ''[[Colonial One]]''. Roslin appoints Baltar as her chief science advisor and uses the Raptor to locate any surviving ships around Caprica. Over the next few hours, Roslin's small group of ships transforms into a massive [[The Fleet (RDM)|fleet]] harboring over 50,000 survivors.


Since the initial flight from the Twelve Colonies, Roslin has established a fledgling civilian government within the fleet, and has agreed to abide by civil law regarding her term of office ([[Bastille Day]]), thus making her government an interim cabinet that is completing President Adar's original term, prior to new elections being held. The size of her cabinet is unclear, but it is based aboard ''Colonial Heavy 798'', now officially recognised as ''[[Colonial One]]''. She has re-instituted the [[Quorum of Twelve]] as the legislative branch of the government, again on an interim basis pending the upcoming elections, as well as overseeing the election of a Vice President in the person of Doctor [[Gaius Baltar]] ([[Colonial Day]]).  
While attempting to transfer passengers off of all non-[[FTL]] capable ships, the Fleet is discovered by another pair of Raiders. Forced to make a difficult decision, Roslin orders all FTL-capable ships to jump to [[Ragnar]], abandoning the thousands of people still aboard the sub-light ships. At Ragnar, Roslin meets again with Adama and urges him to abandon the Twelve Colonies in favor of guiding the surviving civilians to a new home. Though Adama initially rejects this idea, he later acquiesces and the Fleet, protected by ''Galactica'', leaves Colonial space.


In leading the fleet, Roslin has had an uneasy understanding with [[William Adama|Adama]] that she is responsible for all civil leadership issues among the surviving Colonials, he is responsible for all military decisions ([[Mini-Series]]) - but the dividing line is not always clear between the two leaders.
In an attempt to give the survivors a reason to survive, Adama claims that he knows the location of [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], the home of the [[Thirteenth Tribe]]. Roslin privately calls Adama out on his lie. Adama admits the deception, and in return for Roslin keeping his secret and allowing him to retain control of the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|military]], he acknowledges Roslin's authority over the civilian fleet as president {{TRS|Miniseries}}.


Despite being thrust into the role of President in highly unusual and stressful circumstances, Laura Roslin initially proved herself both tough and capable within the role. Initially in awe of Adama, and worried he did not hold her in high regard ([[Water]]), she has quickly overcome 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 also prepared to put the safety of the fleet first, no matter what the cost of her actions ([[Flesh and Bone]]), but she is also able to recognise her limitations. One of these is understanding military terminology and protocol. As a result of this, she initially asked [[Lee Adama]] to become her Special Advisor so she might better understand military requirements ([[Water]]).  
===The First Month===
Roslin begins building the foundations of a civilian government by collecting a census on the remaining population while Cylon attacks force the Fleet to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughout these attacks without any sleep, Roslin is forced to make another tough call and authorizes ''Galactica'' to destroy the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', a ship suspected of being tracked by the Cylons. Ultimately, the destruction of the ship ends the attacks, yet Roslin continues to question whether she had made the right choice considering the 1300 lives lost on the ship {{TRS|33}}.


Such is her trust in Lee, that he became only the second person in the fleet to know of her medical condition ([[Bastille Day]]), after [[Billy Keikeya]].
Though Roslin and Adama continue to have a wary relationship, Adama integrates her into the decision process. Roslin and Adama agree to keep the knowledge that [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylons now appear human]] a secret {{TRS|Water}}. She later authorizes the conditional pardoning of prisoners aboard the ''[[Astral Queen]]''. However, [[Tom Zarek]], a former terrorist with a political agenda, successfully frees the prisoners, takes control of the ship and broadcasts calls for Roslin to step down from office and hold immediate elections. Roslin refuses to negotiate and presses Adama for an armed response, though she is less than pleased when Lee ends the situation by giving the prisoners control of their ship and promising that the scheduled presidential elections would take place in nine months {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.


== The Secrecy and Gift of Roslin's Illness ==
Having appointed Lee as her military liaison, she admits the truth of her cancer to him. She later seeks treatment from ''Galactica'''s doctor, [[Sherman Cottle]], though she opts to use an alternative, psychoactive drug, [[chamalla]], rather than endure the same doloxan treatments that she had watched her mother suffer through {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}.


Immediately prior to the attack, Roslin had been diagnosed with breast cancer ([[Mini-Series]]), which had advanced far enough that it is inoperable. She apparently contracted it some time following her last test, some five years before ([[Act of Contrition]]). Since the attack, she has started undergoing both recognised treatments for the sickness and more "radical" treatments - such as [[Chamalla]] Extract ([[Act of Contrition]]). However, despite this, and more "regular" medical treatment, the cancer has continued to advance, aggressively attacking her lymphatic system ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]), leading the ''[[Galactica|Galactica's]]'' medical staff to measure her life-expentancy in terms of months.
Following a suicide bombing aboard Galactica by copy of [[Aaron Doral]], 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. A resulting independent investigation aboard ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' is launched by Adama, though Roslin cautions against this course of action. {{TRS|Litmus}}.


While she kept her cancer a closely guarded secret at first, Roslin slowly began revealing it to more and more people.  Lee Adama, [[Cottle|Doctor Cottle]] and her press secretary Billy Keikeya were among the first to know.  Kara Thrace found out when Roslin gave her her mission to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo. Finally, she announced her illness to the entire [[Quorum of Twelve]], including political rival [[Tom Zarek]], by claiming she was the dying leader in the [[Pythia | Pythian Prophecy]] destined to lead humanity to [[Earth]] ([[Fragged]]). This highly-influential move refuted Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]'s attempts to discredit the effectiveness of the civilian government of the fleet and led him to declare martial law. ([[Fragged]]) It is likely now that telling the Quorum has effectively made Roslin's illness public knowledge.
As a result of her press conference regarding the Cylons, a copy of [[Leoben Conoy]] is captured aboard the ''[[Gemenon Traveler]]''. Despite Adama's desire to kill him immediately, Roslin insists he be interrogated. When Conoy claims that he has planted a nuclear bomb within the Fleet, Roslin travels to the ''Gemenon Traveler'' and stops the torture being inflicted on him. Agreeing to release him if he tells her where the bomb is, Conoy informs her that there is no bomb and that Adama is a Cylon. She subsequently orders him to be thrown out of an airlock, a method of execution repeated multiple times over the course of Roslin's administration {{TRS|Flesh and Bone}}. While Roslin becomes suspicious of Adama as a result of Conoy's claim, her fears are allayed by Baltar's invention of a [[Cylon detector]] {{TRS|Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down}}.


=== Visions and Insurrection ===
Soon after, Roslin reconstitutes the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''. However, the election of Zarek as the [[Sagittaron]] delegate disrupts her agenda when Zarek insists on the election of a vice president. The [[Marshall Bagott|delegate]] from [[Virgon (RDM)|Virgon]] nominates Zarek, while Roslin chooses [[Wallace Gray]] as her preferred candidate. However, Gray fails to win enough support in the Quorum to defeat Zarek and is replaced at the last minute by Baltar, the Caprican delegate. The resulting vote is a tie, which allows Roslin to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Baltar {{TRS|Colonial Day}}.


Shortly after she started taking Chamalla extract, Roslin began to experience dreams and hallucinations. These were initially attributed to the Chamalla treatment itself, although the dreams and visions have been remarkably prescient and vivid.  
===Kobol===
Shortly before the capture of Leoben Conoy, Roslin has a set of visions that are uncannily prescient to future events. During a press conference soon after, she hallucinates a dozen snakes crawling over her podium. Disturbed by these events, she consults Elosha and admits that she has been using chamalla. 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 guide the remnants of humanity to the promised land {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.  


In the first, a dream, she foresaw the arrival of [[Leoben Conoy]] in the fleet and his eventual death ([[Flesh and Bone]]). Shortly after this, she had an hallucination of some twelve snakes on her podium while she addressed concerns relating to the fleet's lack of fuel ([[The Hand of God]]).
Cottle informs Roslin that her cancer has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps six months to live ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]"). Soon after, a recon mission from ''Galactica'' discovers a habitable world with ruins across the surface. Reviewing the photos of the ruins, Roslin has another vision that Elosha confirms to be the [[City of the Gods]] on {{RDM|Kobol}}. Roslin has two further visions of the [[Arrow of Apollo]] and the [[Tomb of Athena]] and accepts the scriptures as fact. Though Adama considers permanent settlement on the planet, Roslin tries to convince him they should use a captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo, which would open the Tomb of Athena and point the way to Earth. Uncomfortable with Roslin's newfound religiousness, Adama asserts his authority over the military to deny her the use of the Raider ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]").
Resolved, Roslin convinces [[Kara Thrace]] to steal the Raider and return to Caprica by admitting that Adama does not know where Earth is. Upon learning of her deception, Adama asks Roslin for her resignation; her refusal results in him sending a Marine boarding party to ''Colonial One'' to arrest her. Though Lee Adama ultimately sides with the President during the armed standoff, Roslin agrees to surrender to prevent bloodshed. Adama is shot soon after by a Cylon agent, and [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'' and refuses Roslin's request to be released ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]"; "[[Scattered]]").


As a result of these events, Roslin sought the assistance of Priestess [[Elosha]]. While she was unable to shed light on Roslin's dream about Conoy - that event having passed by the time Roslin told her of it - Elosha did reveal the writings of [[Pythia]] to Roslin, which foretell the exile of humanity from their homelands, and their journey to a new home under the guidance of a leader who has a vision of "two and ten" snakes, and who has a "wasting disease".  
From her cell, Roslin rallies support from the Quorum of Twelve by convincing them of her role in the [[Sacred Scrolls]]; in response, Tigh dissolves the Quorum and declares martial law {{TRS|Fragged}}. With the help of several sympathetic crew members of ''Galactica'', Roslin escapes with Lee and hides within the Fleet with the help of Zarek {{TRS|Resistance}}. Declaring herself publicly to be the "dying leader" foretold by Pythia, Roslin asks the Fleet to follow her back to Kobol {{TRS|The Farm}}. Nearly a third of the Fleet heeds her request and jumps back to Kobol, where they rendezvous with Starbuck and the recovered Arrow. A search party led by Roslin heads to the surface and Elosha is soon killed by a landmine, which deeply shakes Roslin {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.


This event served to arouse Roslin's curiosity concerning Colonial scriptures and legends, a curiosity that turned to belief when the fleet stumbled upon the planet [[Kobol]], as predicted by Leoben Conoy ([[Flesh and Bone]]). Armed with her new-found belief, Roslin operated behind William Adama's back to subvert a mission aimed at destroying a Cylon basestar guarding Kobol, and instead sending [[Kara Thrace|Lt. Thrace]] back to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] in search of the [[Arrow of Apollo]], thus denying Adama the weapons platform he needed to attack the basestar ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]). This action brought her directly into conflict with [[William Adama]], who demanded her immediate resignation as President. When she refused, he terminated her Presidency and sent a squad under the command of [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] to ''Colonial One'' to arrest Roslin in what amounts to a military coup. Despite the intervention of [[Lee Adama]], Roslin was arrested and incarcerated aboard the ''[[Galactica]]'' ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]). With Vice President Baltar missing on the surface of Kobol, this effectively leaves the fleet without any form of civil leadership, a situation worsened by an assassination attempt on William Adama himself immediately following Roslin's arrest ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).
A recon team led by Adama intercepts Roslin's group, and Adama and Roslin resolve their differences, with Adama agreeing to help her find the Tomb. After locating it, the group places the Arrow in the bow of a statue of Sagittarius, which activates a projection showing the way to Earth. Upon returning to the Fleet, Adama reinstates Roslin as president {{TRS|Home, Part II}}.


==Arrest, Exile and Return==
===Failing Health===
Adama and Roslin begin to respect each more 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 {{TRS|Final Cut}}. However, Roslin's health continues to deteriorate, and Cottle advises her that she has weeks left to live. Roslin begins to put her affairs in order, signaled by her returning a book given to her by Adama {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.


Roslin's time incarcerated in ''Galactica's'' brig was anything but uneventful. She was visited often by Billy Keikeya, and gained useful information on the happenings throughout the fleet from the furloughed Lee Adama as well as her benevolent guard, Corporal [[Venner]], a [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]] native. Venner's respect of the president grew as he learned of her knowledge of the [[Sacred Scrolls]] and the Pythian prophesies. He asked her to pray with him during a Cylon attack ([[Scattered]]).
[[Image:Roslinadama.jpg|thumb|Roslin and Adama share a kiss.]]
The discovery of the Battlestar ''{{RDM|Pegasus}}'' gives Roslin a brief moment of relief. However, [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain's]] disregard for the political status quo within the Fleet becomes apparent when Cain refuses to take Roslin's calls {{TRS|Pegasus (episode)}}. After a near-disastrous [[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus|armed standoff]] between Adama and Cain, Roslin conspires with Adama to assassinate Cain for the safety of the Fleet {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part I}}. While Adama ultimately refuses to go through with the plan, Cain is murdered by a Cylon agent and Roslin promotes Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the President a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}.


Colonel Tigh, in command while Bill Adama recovered, ignored Roslin's pleas for discussion and became agitated at other government officials and civilians who disagreed with Roslin's arrest. When ''Galactica'' was boarded by Cylon Centurions, Roslin insisted that Venner release her from the brig. Along with Billy, Venner attempted to escort Roslin to [[Sickbay]], which is also designed as a disaster shelter for the ship. However, Venner's team was forced to divert and encountered the last two Centurions. A misfire on Billy's part sent Roslin and other members of her group to the floor to escape the hail of bullets. When Roslin arose, Venner noticed that the edge of her jacket had been shot through, although Roslin came away with little more than some bruises and scratches ([[Valley of Darkness]]). Venner's belief that Roslin was blessed by the gods gained more strength that day.
By this time, Roslin requires help to move around, and she is soon rushed to ''Galactica'''s sickbay as her health fails. Preparing for Baltar's accession to the presidency, she instructs Billy to give Baltar a letter she has written him. In what she believes to be her final act as president, Roslin orders that the half-Cylon, half-human baby of {{callsign|Athena}} be terminated. However, Baltar panics at the thought of becoming president and devises a last minute solution to cure Roslin using an injection of stem cells<ref>In the commentary track for "Epiphanies," Ron Moore states that a longer explanation of Roslin's cure was filmed that explained that the blood's stem cells cure Roslin. However, the scene was cut because he was afraid it would be too complicated and thought of as [[technobabble]]. The character's updated biography on the official Scifi.com site does confirm that stem cells from the hybrid were the actual cure. As such, Battlestar Wiki treats this data canonically as with information found in most deleted scenes.</ref> from the [[Hera Agathon|hybrid fetus]], which completely eradicates her cancer {{TRS|Epiphanies}}.  


When the [[Quorum of Twelve]] demanded to see Roslin, Tigh attempted to dash their hopes by showing them a broken, hallucinating Roslin that [[Ellen Tigh|his wife]] witnessed earlier. However, Corporal Venner smuggled in [[Chamalla]] extract on Billy's request to help, giving Roslin grasp of her senses again. She not only spoke to the Quorum after their arrival, but stated firmly that she has not relinquished her role as president, and described her role in the search for Earth as told in the Pythian prophesy. This act only increased Roslin's popularity and caused a stronger uprising throughout the fleet ([[Fragged]]).
Before her treatment, Roslin remembers that hours prior to the attack on Caprica, she had witnessed Baltar interacting with a [[Number Six]] Cylon and deduces that he played a role in the destruction of the Colonies. However, Roslin's letter to Baltar had hurt his pride by calling out his self-centered nature. When Roslin attempts to offer Baltar an out by asking him to resign, Baltar refuses to do so {{TRS|Black Market}}. This encounter would mark the beginning for Roslin of a deep personal loathing of Baltar.


Venner's loyalty to the president fully emerged when he conspired with Lee Adama and other members of ''Galactica'' to smuggle Roslin off the ship ([[Resistance]]). Roslin was wary of placing her security in the hands of her rival, [[Tom Zarek]], but she was philosophical: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." After some secretive political and religious work on various ships and by wireless to gather more support, Roslin convinces over a third of the fleet to leave with her ship, the ''[[Astral Queen]]'', to [[Kobol]] in search of the [[Tomb of Athena]] and the path to Earth. Roslin's ability to lead and command became stronger throughout this time, becoming able to keep Zarek's ambitions at bay and deliver decisions faster than before.
===Election===
Roslin returns to work and begins aiming towards her reelection. Though the sudden death of Billy comes as a shock to her {{TRS|Sacrifice}}, she soon appoints his replacement, [[Tory Foster]], who assures her that her victory in the election is certain. However, the certainty of her reelection is thrown into doubt when the issue of abortion is raised in the Fleet. Though Roslin is pro-choice, she realizes that the survival of the human race depends on repopulation and bans abortion throughout the Fleet. Coming out against the ban, Baltar launches a presidential challenge against Roslin with the backing of Tom Zarek {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}.


Roslin's faith in Kara Thrace was vindicated when she returned from Caprica with the Arrow of Apollo ([[Home, Part I]]). While she was initially inclined to have the [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii]] tossed from an airlock, she reconsidered and gained valuable data from the [[Humano-Cylon]] needed to find the Tomb of Athena before Cylons discovered Roslin's practically defenseless [[Laura Roslin faction|fleet of ships]].
While dealing with Baltar's challenge, the issue of the Agathons' child, which will soon be born, resurfaces. Roslin decides that Sharon cannot be allowed to raise the child, yet she also feels that the child is important and should be kept safe. Thus, she conspires with Dr. Cottle and Foster to fake the child's death. She later gives the child up for adoption to [[Maya]], claiming that the baby belonged to a ''Pegasus'' officer {{TRS|Downloaded}}.


The recovered Commander Adama was initially enraged by Roslin's actions, but gained refreshed insight on the need for family to stay united. Perhaps, he thought, that Roslin had generated hope for Earth as he had in his fabrication of the knowledge of Earth--only Roslin was intent on getting results. With these and other thoughts in mind, Adama researched his ship's survey data on Kobol and left the ship in a [[Raptor]] with a small team to find Roslin's expedition on the surface of Kobol ([[Home, Part II]]).
As the first presidential debate between Roslin and Baltar approaches, polls show Roslin firmly in the lead; Baltar's poor showing in the debate does little to change this. Indeed, Roslin appears confident that Baltar will not be able to win the election. However, the discovery of a [[New Caprica|habitable planet]] changes the entire nature of the race. Roslin refuses to even consider settling on the planet, saying that the Fleet must find Earth and, regardless, the planet will most likely not be able to sustain a long-term settlement. However, Baltar seizes on the public's support for colonization and pulls ahead in the polls {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I}}.


On Kobol, Roslin and her group, lead by Valerii, find the path to the Tomb. Unfortunately, the party is ambushed by Cylon Centurions. Priestess [[Elosha]], one of Roslin's most valuable advisors and friend, was killed. Roslin took Elosha's blood-spattered book of scripture to guide her and remind Roslin of her lost friend.
Roslin refuses to risk the future of the human race to win an election by supporting settlement. However, she feels that a Baltar presidency will also jeopardize the survival of humanity and thus authorizes Foster to rig the election. When early results from the election show Baltar in the lead, Foster has key election officials on ''Galactica'', including Colonel Tigh and [[Anastasia Dualla]], replace a ballot box with one stuffed with ballots for Roslin. Though the election is called for Roslin and Baltar concedes the race, [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers the plot and informs Adama. Roslin pleads with Adama to cover up the rigged election. While Adama admits he agrees with Roslin, he refuses to overturn the results of a democratic election. However, he does not publicly reveal the conspiracy, calling it an error in the ballot tabulation. Baltar succeeds Roslin as president, and Roslin settles on New Caprica with the rest of the civilian population {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.


Roslin was pleasantly surprised to have Adama greet her warmly on his arrival at her camp on Kobol. The two leaders had a heart-to-heart talk about her rebellion, which Adama forgave. Roslin thanked Adama, calling him "Bill" casually, though she noted that she didn't require permission for what she had to do. Roslin worried that, with talk of the Caprica [[resistance (movement)|resistance]], that her insistance to Adama to leave the Colonial worlds behind was a mistake. Adama, also calling Roslin by her first name, firmly chastized her, reminding Roslin that her decision was correct. If he chose to stay, Adama, his son, and all of humanity would be dead.
=== New Caprica ===
[[Image:2BATgyC05.jpg|250px|Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.|thumb]]
On New Caprica, Roslin returns to her old profession of schoolteacher, working with Maya and watching over the hybrid baby, [[Isis]]. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a project promoted by Baltar's government, she meets with Admiral Adama. The two friends comfortably chat while [[New Caprican leaf|smoking]] and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together. During the intimate outing, Roslin tells Adama of a cabin she is planning to build next to a lake, insisting that though the Cylons could return, they should use what time they have to enjoy life {{TRS|Unfinished Business}}. Her fears are proven justified; on the 380th day after settlement, the Cylons [[Fall of New Caprica|discover and occupy]] the colony {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.


Adama and Roslin's party later find the Tomb. With some teamwork, they discover and activate the Tomb's virtual hologram mechanism. Roslin's gamble on faith pays off big for humanity, and the group gains a map and guide to the true location of Earth.
Roslin becomes heavily involved with the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance movement]] led by Colonel Tigh, who subordinates himself and his militia to the ''de facto'' civilian government-in-waiting she forms with Vice President Zarek; while Zarek has the constitutionally superior claim to the presidency, Roslin has the loyalty of Tigh's military; moreover, Zarek is jailed in the Cylon detention facility for four months, while Roslin retains the public guise of a politically-uninvolved school-teacher. Disgusted with the willingness of some humans to join the Cylon-controlled [[New Caprica Police]], she and Foster work on discovering the identities of those people and handing their names over to the Resistance {{TRS|Occupation}}. Following a suicide bombing at the graduation for the police force, Roslin is detained by the Cylons as are all high-profile civilians. Baltar visits her in her cell and offers to help her should she publicly denounce the bombings. Roslin argues that the Resistance is justified in their acts, yet she concedes that she does not support the suicide bombings. Despite refusing to cooperate with Baltar, she is released from prison {{TRS|Precipice}}.  


Back on ''Galactica'', Commander Adama introduces Roslin as President during a speech on the ship, and leads the audience in a rousing ovation, showing his firm support for her insight, leadership and her role in the destiny and safety of humanity.
Roslin later attempts to force Tigh to stop the suicide bombings, and a heated argument ensues in which Roslin uncharacteristically slaps Tigh. When another suicide bomber cripples the power infrastructure and kills numerous Cylons and humans, police forces storm through the city and arrest numerous people, including Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin finds former vice president Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention {{TRS|Precipice}}.  


==Admiral Cain, and Worsening Health==
The Cylons take Roslin and the prisoners to be executed at the [[Pergamus Flats]]. Before they can do so, a raid by the Resistance kill the Cylons and free the prisoners. Roslin learns from [[Galen Tyrol]] that ''Galactica'' is planning a daring raid to evacuate the colonists. With the Resistance, Roslin goes over the evacuation strategy that they had put in place, and ensures that Maya and Isis will be safely escorted to an evacuating ship {{TRS|Exodus, Part I}}.


Adama and Roslin's respect for each other grew stronger and their leadership in managing fleet business became more cooperative. They worked together in getting reporter [[D'anna Biers]] corraled from her potentially disruptive tabloid expose' of the ''[[Gideon]]'' shootings by giving her almost-unlimited access to interview ''Galactica's'' crew. Her resulting documentary on the weary-but-determined battlestar crew was welcomed warmly by Roslin and Adama, "warts and all" ([[Final Cut]]).
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, tacitly acknowledging her inevitable return to office. He gives a sidearm to [[James Lyman|Jammer]], directing him to protect Roslin. Once the Fleet is safely reassembled, 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. Foster confirms that Maya and Isis did not evacuate, and offers her apologies to Roslin. Though shaken, Roslin forgives Tory and takes a somewhat fatalistic view of the loss of Isis {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}.


Roslin found herself being solicited of advice more often from Commander Adama, who begins to fully trust and even confide in her.
With Baltar missing following the evacuation, Zarek, as the legal vice president, assumes the presidency. However, Adama makes it clear that he will not accept this, and Zarek agrees to transfer the presidency to Roslin in exchange for a place in the new government. Touched by his courage on New Caprica and recalling their ability to work together in the resistance, Roslin agrees to make him her new vice president. The discovery of a [[The Circle|secret tribunal]] set up by Zarek to try and execute Cylon collaborators leads Roslin to issue a blanket pardon for all crimes committed on New Caprica - excluding those committed by the fugitive Gaius Baltar - and to organize a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to document the experiences of the survivors {{TRS|Collaborators}}.


Doctor [[Cottle]]'s recent prognosis on her cancer fight was not good, telling Roslin she had, optimistically, a month to live. Roslin shows the panicked and frightened part of her that occupied that lavatory on the old ''Colonial Heavy 798'', but only for a few moments. She begins settling her affairs, starting with returning a book that Commander Adama gave to her, explaining that books are not meant to be lent. He asks her advice on trusting the Caprica Sharon Valerii copy in defending the Fleet against an incoming Cylon force ([[Flight of the Phoenix]]). Roslin suggests, based on her dealings with the same copy in orbit around Kobol, that perhaps he could find some common ground where the two can ally, despite his prejudices against this copy.
===Second Roslin Administration===
Roslin's second term in office is no less hectic than her first. Despite the misgivings of Adama, Roslin authorizes him to exterminate the Cylon race through the use of [[Lymphocytic encephalitis|biological warfare]] and is visibly irritated when he refuses to investigate the sabotage of the plan {{TRS|A Measure of Salvation}}. She later talks him out of resigning his commission when the knowledge of previous secret mission he had conducted surfaces {{TRS|Hero}}. Following a food crisis, Roslin works with Adama to guide the Fleet to a [[Algae planet|planet covered in algae]] {{TRS|The Passage}}.


After the Cylons are routed and ''Galactica'' returns to normal operation, Roslin is honored to christen the new experimental stealth fighter dubbed the [[Blackbird]] in a small ceremony with its builders. Chief Tyrol gives Roslin the biggest surprise of all: The nickname of the new fighter is ''Laura'', a gesture that brings tears to the President. Roslin manages to get a few laughs by making a mock strike at the Blackbird with the christening bottle, knowing its skin was too fragile.
Though she believes that the newly-discovered [[Temple of Five]] on the algae planet is another road sign on the path to Earth, the arrival of the Cylons prevents any significant examination of the Temple. At this time, knowledge of Roslin's deception regarding the hybrid child surfaces when Adama learns that the child being held by the Cylons. Adama is noticeably disturbed by Roslin's actions, but this does not affect their relationship in the long term {{TRS|The Eye of Jupiter}}.  


Roslin is just as gleeful as the rest of the Fleet when the advanced battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' arrives. Admiral [[Helena Cain]] recognizes her and reacts with surprise at Roslin's new office. Roslin becomes concerned about Cain's abrupt command style, and asks Adama how he is managing relinquishing fleet command to Cain. Adama replies, with a smile, that he had been taking orders for a long time, and this was no different. Roslin is not convinced and senses Adama's apprehension, but was polite enough not to inquire further. Roslin is more concerned that Cain is more interested with supplying ''Galactica'' with military parts and staff, rather than aiding the needs of the civiilan Fleet, as well as ignoring Roslin's wireless calls to Cain.
Baltar's capture on the algae planet places new stresses on Roslin. She attempts to interrogate him and again accuses him of involvement in the Cylon attack on the Colonies, a charge he denies. Though Adama suggests that they make Baltar disappear, Roslin decides to give Baltar a trial {{TRS|Taking a Break from All Your Worries}}. The decision draws a strong rebuke from Zarek, who believes that this will give Baltar a chance to cause unrest in the Fleet {{TRS|The Woman King}}. When publications of a [[My Triumphs, My Mistakes|manifesto]] secretly written by Baltar from his cell begin to circulate in the Fleet, Roslin confronts Baltar and orders him strip-searched for his writings. However, he turns over the pages before being completely stripped of his clothing {{TRS|Dirty Hands}}.


With Adama's rebellious attempt to return the hastily-convicted [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] from Cain's ship, Roslin finds herself watching the two battlestar commanders launch Vipers at each other. Fortunately Cain and Adama reach a level of detente and come to her to mediate a truce. Roslin is incensed and berates both of them for being poor leaders. She tells both commanders to cease their antagonism to concentrate on the destruction of the Cylon fleet following them, returning to her after the battle to settle the matter with Helo and Tyrol. After Cain leaves, Roslin tells Adama privately and, surprising to Adama, that Cain must be killed if he and the Fleet are to survive.
While preparing for Baltar's trial, Roslin deals with a labor strike emerging in the Fleet. Though she initially takes a hard stance against the unrest, she eventually agrees to work with Chief Tyrol and the laborers to increase time off and ensure that children are not forced to enter any particular occupation in the Fleet {{TRS|Dirty Hands}}.


Commander Adama later visits Roslin, in bedclothes and not looking well at all, her "game face" off for the moment. The two joke for a moment. Adama asks if she needed anything, and Roslin asks for nice, blonde Cylon body replacement. Adama smiles and says he couldn't see her as a blonde, and Roslin tells him that he'd be surprised. Roslin takes Adama's hand to receive a squeeze of encouragement as he leaves. She reminds him, as he turns back to her while wiping a tear from his eye, not to let Cain get her chance at Adama.
For Baltar's trial, Roslin personally appoints [[Didi Cassidy]] and [[Alan Hughes]] as prosecutor and defender, respectively, and appoints [[Romo Lampkin]] as Hughes' replacement following his assassination. Roslin puts pressure on Cassidy to indict Baltar for his collusion in the attack on the Colonies; this interference draws a strong rebuke from Cassidy, who notes that outside of Roslin's vision, there is no evidence of Baltar's involvement in the attack. Nevertheless, Roslin remains committed to the trial, attending the proceedings and eventually testifying for the prosecution. Though she seems to incriminate Baltar in colluding with the Cylons during the New Caprican occupation, her testimony is called into question by Lampkin's co-counsel, Lee Adama {{TRS|Crossroads, Part I}}.


With the Fleet's successful destruction of the [[Resurrection Ship]] and the Cylon fleet, as well as Admiral Cain's death, Roslin awards Commander Adama a pleasant surprise--the rank of Admiral, as he now is commander of ''two'' battlestars and is senior officer. Roslin notes that one should never give up hope, alluding to recent events and the stress that Cain caused throughout their fleet. Roslin decides to retire for the evening, and has trouble standing as Adama stands to aid in steadying her. After he does so, the new admiral takes Roslin's face gently in hand and kisses her, a pleasant gesture that she returns. Roslin does not see Adama's smile fade to sadness over her illness as she leaves her office area ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
Lee had previously noted that Roslin had begun drinking tea at times she previously had not, and he had discreetly smelled the tea. He confronts Roslin on the fact that she has begun using chamalla again, masking the bitter taste by mixing it with her tea. Despite pleading for him not to reveal this, she relents, admitting that she has been using chamalla again because her cancer has returned. Ultimately, Baltar is acquitted to her strong displeasure. While the fact that Adama, a judge at the trial, had voted for acquittal does not severely affect their relationship despite her displeasure, Lee's role in Baltar's acquittal leads to a noticeable rift in his friendship with Roslin {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.


==Cinematic Trivia==
===Treatments and Visions===
If one watches carefully at the several ships that fly by the hospital just before viewers first see Laura Roslin in the mini-series, viewers may see a familiar spacecraft: A ''Firefly''-class spacecraft from the [[Wikipedia:Firefly (television series)|science-fiction series]] of the same name.
Roslin decides to undergo [[doloxan|doloxan treatments]] as a way of at least slowing the progress of her cancer. During her first treatment, Roslin has a [[Opera House Prophecy|vision]] of herself in the [[Opera House|Kobol Opera House]], where she is looking for Hera. Seeing Sharon Agathon on the opposite side of the entrance, the two women race to catch Hera when two figures, Baltar and [[Caprica-Six]], pick up Hera and walk into the auditorium, with the doors closing behind them. Screaming as she awakens, Roslin finds that Six, Sharon and Hera all shared the same dream simultaneously {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.  


==Sources==
The Fleet's arrival at the [[Ionian Nebula]] also has a noticeable and unexplained effect on Roslin. Immediately after jumping to the Nebula, Roslin becomes dazed and stunned, which coincides with the entire Fleet inexplicably losing power. These events also coincide with the activation of the [[Final Five]] and the mysterious return of Kara Thrace, who had seemingly died two months previous {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.
*{{note|marital}} According to the February issue of ''Sci Fi Magazine'', actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the [[series bible]], Laura has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on [http://www.livejournal.com/users/reedfem/158883.html Ramblings of a dorkish nature])


==Notes==
Roslin is immediately skeptical of Thrace's claims of finding Earth and not remembering how she had arrived at the Fleet, expressing her concerns that Thrace is a Cylon agent to Adama. When Roslin orders the Fleet to continue heading away from the Nebula, rather than follow Thrace's guidance to Earth, Thrace confronts Roslin at gunpoint {{TRS|He That Believeth in Me}}. Attempting to convince Roslin that she is not a Cylon, Thrace hands her the gun and tells her to shoot if she truly believes Thrace is a Cylon; Roslin does so but misses, later attributing it to the doloxan treatments affecting her aim {{TRS|Six of One}}.
 
The doloxan treatments begin to take a greater toll on Roslin's health, forcing her to wear a wig as her hair falls out. Despite this, she continues to work as president, signing an executive order that curtails public gatherings, ostensibly as a way of protecting [[Cult of Baltar|Baltar's cult]] from being attacked but in actuality an attempt to limit Baltar's growing influence. However, the Quorum, led by the newly-appointed Caprican delegate, Lee Adama, overturns this measure as an undue attack on civil liberties. While Roslin is upset by this, she acknowledges that Lee is simply trying to do what he believes is right {{TRS|Escape Velocity}}.
 
Roslin's doloxan treatments continue, with her only solace being that Adama reads to her during her treatments. While in sickbay, she meets [[Emily Kowalski]], a end-stage cancer patient, and the two bond. While discussing their mortality and faith, Roslin concedes that her experiences during her mother's illness and death gave her a profound fear of dying. Soon after, Roslin has a dream of her and Emily standing on a boat crossing over to the [[Fields of Elysium|afterlife]]. When Emily leaves to embrace her family, Roslin sees her mother and family waiting for her. However, she acknowledges that she is not ready to cross over; she wakes up to find that Emily has died {{TRS|Faith}}.
 
The discovery of the [[Rebel basestar|Rebel Cylon basestar]] presents Roslin with yet another difficult decision; the Cylons are willing to help the Colonials destroy the [[Resurrection Hub]], thus rendering all Cylons mortal, in exchange for the identities of the [[Final Five]], which will give them the location of Earth. Roslin agrees to the deal, lobbying the Quorum for its approval, yet secretly conspires with Adama and Tigh to ensure that the Final Five will not be handed over to the basestar without first informing the Colonials of Earth's location {{TRS|Guess What's Coming To Dinner}}.
 
Thrace informs Roslin that the Cylon [[Hybrid]] had told her that "The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House," and Roslin insists that both her and Baltar travel to the basestar to question the Hybrid. When the Hybrid is brought back online, it immediately jumps the basestar away from the Fleet with the intention of traveling to the Resurrection Hub per the original plan of attack. Whenever the basestar jumps, however, Roslin enters a vision of an empty ''Galactica'' with [[Elosha]] showing Roslin her own death in ''Galactica'''s sickbay, surrounded by Adama, Lee and Starbuck {{TRS|The Hub}}.
 
On the basestar, Roslin unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with the Hybrid, only gleaming the message to "protect the [[Hera Agathon|child]]." During the [[Battle of the Resurrection Hub]], Roslin attempts to administer first aid to a severely injured Baltar, injecting him with [[morpha]]. As a result of the drugs, Baltar admits to Roslin that he unintentionally gave the Cylons the access codes to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]], resulting in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin immediately stops administering aid and sits idly by while Baltar bleeds. However, another vision of Elosha convinces her that she cannot lose her humanity. Realizing this, Roslin helps stabilize Baltar and never pursues his role in the attack further. When Adama finds the missing basestar and reunites with Roslin, she tells him that she loves him {{TRS|The Hub}}.
 
Returning to the Fleet, Roslin is held captive as a hostage by the Cylons, led by a resurrected [[Number Three]] copy, in exchange for the Final Five. Before telling Adama goodbye, she whispers to him that he should destroy the basestar before agreeing to hand over the Final Five to the Cylons. During this crisis, Roslin is confronted by her aide, Tory Foster, who reveals that she is one of the Final Five and will not use her influence to avert bloodshed. However, actions taken by the remaining Final Five Cylons, Kara Thrace and acting President Lee Adama prevent the crisis from turning violent and reveal the location of Earth. Agreeing that Cylons and humans will go to Earth together, the Fleet finally arrives at the fabled destination, with Roslin and Adama embracing in celebration. Their jubilation is short-lived, as it is soon discovered that Earth is a uninhabitable nuclear wasteland {{TRS|Revelations}}.
 
===Earth===
The discoveries on Earth shake Roslin to her very core. Unable to break the news to the citizens waiting to hear from their president, Roslin retreats to her quarters aboard ''Galactica'', burning her copy of the Pythian Prophecy in a sharp rebuke of her previous beliefs. She largely abdicates her role as president, with Lee Adama once again assuming most of her responsibilities {{TRS|Revelations}}.
 
As she is still the legal president, Roslin is pressured by Adama to decide whether the Fleet should enter into a permanent alliance with the Rebel Cylons, gaining Cylon technology in exchange for giving the Cylons a seat on the Quorum. However, Roslin becomes increasingly erratic in her behavior, discontinuing her doloxan treatments, throwing away her medications and jogging through the corridors of ''Galactica''. When confronted by Adama over her behavior, she informs him that she no longer has much interest in serving others, wishing only to "live a little" before she dies. As a result, she enters into a romantic, sexual and co-habitable relationship with Adama while effectively ceding her presidential authority to Lee {{TRS|A Disquiet Follows My Soul}}.
 
However, Roslin is soon temporarily forced back into her role as president during a full-scale [[Gaeta's Mutiny|mutiny]] aboard ''Galactica'' led by Felix Gaeta and Tom Zarek. Using Baltar's shortwave [[wireless]] to address the Fleet, she calls for the citizens to remain loyal to Adama and herself and reject the actions of Zarek and Gaeta. With the help of Galen Tyrol and Adama, Roslin flees ''Galactica'' with Baltar, after sharing a farewell kiss with Adama, and rendezvous with the Cylon Basestar {{TRS|The Oath}}.
 
When the Cylons decide to leave the Fleet due to the mutiny, Roslin passionately persuades them to remain with the Fleet and support Adama. Later, she calls for the Fleet to shut down their FTL drives as Gaeta and Zarek prepare to leave the basestar behind; ten ships comply with the order. Growing bolder, she gives ''Galactica'' five minutes to surrender and return command to Adama, only to be falsely told by Zarek that Adama had been executed. Brimming with rage, Roslin declares that she will destroy ''Galactica'' unless they surrender immediately, but Adama is able to stop the potential battle by regaining control of the ship.  Roslin is so relieved she breaks down in tears along with an Eight. Once the ship has been secured, an exhausted Roslin shares an emotional reunion with Adama, rejoining him in their quarters aboard ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Blood on the Scales}}.
 
Following the execution of Zarek for his crimes, Roslin officially designates Lee as her successor and gives him authorization to replace the Quorum, massacred during the mutiny, with a [[Quorum of Ships' Captains|new legislative body]] more closely tailored to the political realities of the Fleet {{TRS|No Exit}}. With her health declining, she steps back from her duties, though she does personally sign an order transferring the newly captured [[Sharon Valerii]] over to the Rebel Cylons {{TRS|Someone to Watch Over Me}}.
 
When Hera is kidnapped by Valerii, Roslin seems to have another prescient moment, whispering the child's name before collapsing {{TRS|Someone to Watch Over Me}}. In sickbay, the dying Roslin continues to repeat Hera's name while she dreams. As ''Galactica'' continues to structurally fail around them, Roslin recounts to Adama her previous plans to build a cabin, lamenting the fact that she will not be able to fulfill her wish. Saying that ''Galactica'' has been the only true home she has ever had, she is able to convince a reluctant Adama to abandon the failing ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Islanded in a Stream of Stars}}.
 
===The Truth of the Opera House===
While continuing to deteriorate in sickbay, Roslin overhears Cottle and [[Layne Ishay]] discussing Adama's newfound plan to attack the [[The Colony|Cylon Colony]] in an attempt to recapture Hera. Drawing on her remaining strength and visibly weakened, Roslin walks through the [[hangar deck]] to declare her intention to join Adama's raid saying that he isn't going without her. Despite her weakened state, Adama accepts her joining and indicates that he might've suspected she was going to the whole time.  {{TRS|Daybreak, Part I}}.


According to SkyOne, Roslin was born in Caprica City. Here father and two sisters were killed by a drunk driver and she came to the attention of Richard Adar after she earned a Teacher of the Year award.
Cottle gives Roslin a drug cocktail that allows her to function normally for a period of 48 hours; she acknowledges that she knows the drugs will considerably shorten what little time she has left. During the [[Battle of the Colony]], Roslin assists Ishay in sickbay, attempting to sort out patients by those who can be saved and those who will certainly die. Overwhelmed, Roslin enters the corridor only to begin having another prescient moment. Walking through ''Galactica'' as the Cylons board the ship, while at the same time seeing flashes of her previous Opera House vision, Roslin locates Hera and hides both of them from the approaching Cylon forces.


Here is SkyOne's summary of Roslin:
When Roslin sees that the coast is clear, she finds that Hera has disappeared again. Looking for her, she sees Sharon Agathon in much the same manner that she does in the vision. With both of them running towards Hera, Baltar and Six find her, enter a nearby hatch and close the door. Thus, Roslin realizes the truth of the Opera House: the Opera House is ''Galactica'', with the Final Five raised on the catwalk, and the events in the vision foreshadow her actions during the final moments of the war.


:''Laura Roslin was born in the bustling urban enviroment of Caprica City. Both her parents, Judith and Edward, were teachers in the public school system and her two older sisters also went into teaching.''
Following the subsequent discovery of [[New Earth]], Roslin does not take part in the decisions to settle the planet and abandon all Colonial technology. She spends her remaining time with Adama, observing the African wildlife as her health rapidly deteriorates, to the point where she has severe difficulty breathing. Adama decides to take Roslin in a [[Raptor]] to get a closer view of the animals, and she waves her final goodbyes to Kara and Lee. In flight, Roslin utters her final words, "So much... life," and quietly passes away. Adama tearfully places his wedding band on her finger. He buries her next to the cabin he had planned to build for both of them.  Adama is shown to visit her grave often, perhaps every day, and speaks to her about what is going on in his life {{TRS|Daybreak, Part II}}.


:''Tragically at the age of fifteen, both her sisters and her father were killed by a drunk driver. Her mother never recovered from the shock and Laura would spend the next twenty years caring for her mother. Laura then went into teaching and soon established herself in one of the large public schools in the city.''
==Notes==
*The character of Laura Roslin is unique to the [[Re-imagined Series]]. She has no counterpart to the [[Original Series]], where its version of President [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]] is killed and a presidential replacement is never made. Roslin assumes more of the political-spiritual leadership of the [[Adama (TOS)|Original Series' Commander Adama]], whereas [[William Adama]] is representative of the Original Series' character's military commander aspect.


:''Her success was acknowledged and she earnt a Teacher of the Year award. In doing so, she came to the attention of Richard Adar, Mayor of Caprica City, who wanted her to help him run for Governor. Despite having no political experience, Adar persuaded her to join.''
*Roslin appears in almost all episodes of the series, with the only exceptions being "[[The Road Less Traveled]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]," both in [[Season 4]]. She also does not appear in the TV movie "[[The Plan]]," nor does she appear in the webisode series "[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]]" or "[[The Face of the Enemy]]". This ranks her as the second-most frequent character in the series behind [[William Adama]].


:''Laura antered the harsh world of politics. Caprica City was crime-ridden and its public schools were a disatser. Adar and Laura brought the city back to its full potential.''
*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 U.S. First Lady in ''[[w:Independence Day (film)|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 that film she dies of her injuries from a helicopter crash before an end to the conflict is reached.


:''Uncomfortable with the spotlight, Laura let others take the credit for her work. But the Mayor knew what she had accomplished, and he never forgot.''
*While it may be a coincidence, the name Laura Roslin is an amalgam of the forenames of the incumbent U.S. First Ladies at the time the Re-imagined Series and the Original Series each premiered: [[w:Laura Bush|Laura Bush]] and [[w:Rosalynn Carter|Rosalynn Carter]], respectively.


:''Her personal life was solitary; she remained a quiet, efficient public servant who ran her department fairly. This won her admiration across the political spectrum.''
*In [[SDS|the Singer/DeSanto continuation]] of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|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.


:''Laura wanted to return to teaching but her loyalties to Adar would find herself fufilling her political role. Her desire for a quiet life chnaged when she came under scrutiny and was accused of corruption in the Seacade District Scandal. Adar stood by her and eventually the scandal subsided.''
*The glasses that the character wears are also McDonnell's real glasses.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?cat=features&vid=37452|title=Mary McDonnell Q & A, Part 1|date=2006-10-13|accessdate=2006-10-14|last=|first=|format=VID|language=English}}</ref>


As this information has not appeared on the Scifi.com series website or on screen, it has yet to be confirmed.
==References==
{{reflist}}


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{{succession box|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|before=[[Richard Adar]]|after=[[Incumbent]]|years=}}
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{{succession box|before=[[Tom Zarek]]|title=[[Government|Vice President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Tom Zarek]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Tom Zarek]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=[[Romo Lampkin]]<br><small>and [[Lee Adama]] (Acting President)</small>}}
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[[Category:A to Z|Roslin, Laura]]
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Latest revision as of 04:20, 22 February 2024

Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin

Name

{{{name}}}
Age
Colony Caprica
Birth place {{{birthplace}}}
Birth Name Laura Roslin
Birth Date {{{birthdate}}}
Callsign {{{callsign}}}
Nickname {{{nickname}}}
Introduced Miniseries
Death Cancer, while flying over Tanzania in 4 ACH (c. 148,000 BCE) (TRS: "Daybreak, Part II")
Parents mother †, father †
Siblings Cheryl Roslin †
Sandra Roslin †
Children
Marital Status Unmarried;
Briefly cohabits with William Adama
Family Tree View
Role President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol;
formerly Secretary of Education
formerly schoolteacher
Rank {{{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
Photo Gallery @ BW Media
Additional Information
[[Image:|200px|Laura Roslin]]

Laura Roslin serves as the Secretary of Education at the time of the Cylon attack and later serves twice as President of the Twelve Colonies despite never being elected to office. She is also believed by some in the Fleet to be a religious figure essential to the fulfillment of the Pythian prophecy.

Biography

Background

Some time before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Roslin is forced to take care of her dying mother, who is going through doloxan treatments for cancer (TRS: "Act of Contrition"). At some point, Roslin's father and sisters are killed in a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver (TRS: "Daybreak, Part I"). Like her mother, Roslin is a schoolteacher, though she enters politics under the mayoral administration of Richard Adar (TRS: "Miniseries"). When Adar decides to run for president, Roslin reluctantly agrees to join his campaign, and is later appointed as Secretary of Education (TRS: "Daybreak, Part II").

Though Roslin never marries[1], she engages in a sexual affair with the married Adar (TRS: "Epiphanies").[2] The day of the Cylon attack, Roslin learns that she has terminal breast cancer. Returning to work, Roslin informs Adar that she has successfully resolved an ongoing teacher's strike, but Adar vehemently disagrees with her method, and asks for her resignation. She asks him to defer the matter until she returns from Galactica's decommissioning ceremony (TRS: "Epiphanies").

Fall of the Colonies

Roslin travels to Galactica aboard the government-chartered civilian transport, Colonial Heavy 798, accompanied by a government aide, Billy Keikeya. On board Galactica, Secretary Roslin meets with Commander Adama, who denies her request to add a student computer network in the battlestar. Roslin lets the matter go and departs the ship following the decommissioning ceremonies.

Roslin being sworn in

On route back to Caprica, Roslin learns from the captain that the Cylons are attacking the Twelve Colonies. Roslin quickly takes on the mantle of leadership, rallying the passengers to make space for potential refugees. She finally establishes contact with a government official on Caprica, who does not know the whereabouts or condition of President Adar. As the transport begins to rescue survivors from a stranded passenger vessel, 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. Soon, a response returns from the automated message: Roslin, the forty-third official in line of succession, is the highest-ranking government official left alive and thus has succeeded Adar as president. Physically shaking, Roslin holds back tears and her voice cracks as the priestess Elosha administers the oath of office.

In her first act as president, Roslin orders Galactica to assist her in rescue operations. In turn, Adama refuses to recognize her authority and orders the vessel to rendezvous with Galactica at the Ragnar Anchorage. The two are interrupted by a pair of Cylon Raiders, which launch nuclear missiles at the small fleet Roslin has assembled. She refuses to leave the vessels behind and is only saved by quick thinking on the part of Lee Adama. Soon after, a Galactica Raptor carrying Dr. Gaius Baltar locates Roslin's ship, the newly rechristened Colonial One. Roslin appoints Baltar as her chief science advisor and uses the Raptor to locate any surviving ships around Caprica. Over the next few hours, Roslin's small group of ships transforms into a massive fleet harboring over 50,000 survivors.

While attempting to transfer passengers off of all non-FTL capable ships, the Fleet is discovered by another pair of Raiders. Forced to make a difficult decision, Roslin orders all FTL-capable ships to jump to Ragnar, abandoning the thousands of people still aboard the sub-light ships. At Ragnar, Roslin meets again with Adama and urges him to abandon the Twelve Colonies in favor of guiding the surviving civilians to a new home. Though Adama initially rejects this idea, he later acquiesces and the Fleet, protected by Galactica, leaves Colonial space.

In an attempt to give the survivors a reason to survive, Adama claims that he knows the location of Earth, the home of the Thirteenth Tribe. Roslin privately calls Adama out on his lie. Adama admits the deception, and in return for Roslin keeping his secret and allowing him to retain control of the military, he acknowledges Roslin's authority over the civilian fleet as president (TRS: "Miniseries").

The First Month

Roslin begins building the foundations of a civilian government by collecting a census on the remaining population while Cylon attacks force the Fleet to jump every 33 minutes. Working tirelessly throughout these attacks without any sleep, Roslin is forced to make another tough call and authorizes Galactica to destroy the Olympic Carrier, a ship suspected of being tracked by the Cylons. Ultimately, the destruction of the ship ends the attacks, yet Roslin continues to question whether she had made the right choice considering the 1300 lives lost on the ship (TRS: "33").

Though Roslin and Adama continue to have a wary relationship, Adama integrates her into the decision process. Roslin and Adama agree to keep the knowledge that Cylons now appear human a secret (TRS: "Water"). She later authorizes the conditional pardoning of prisoners aboard the Astral Queen. However, Tom Zarek, a former terrorist with a political agenda, successfully frees the prisoners, takes control of the ship and broadcasts calls for Roslin to step down from office and hold immediate elections. Roslin refuses to negotiate and presses Adama for an armed response, though she is less than pleased when Lee ends the situation by giving the prisoners control of their ship and promising that the scheduled presidential elections would take place in nine months (TRS: "Bastille Day").

Having appointed Lee as her military liaison, she admits the truth of her cancer to him. She later seeks treatment from Galactica's doctor, Sherman Cottle, though she opts to use an alternative, psychoactive drug, chamalla, rather than endure the same doloxan treatments that she had watched her mother suffer through (TRS: "Act of Contrition").

Following a suicide bombing aboard Galactica by copy of Aaron Doral, 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. A resulting independent investigation aboard Galactica is launched by Adama, though Roslin cautions against this course of action. (TRS: "Litmus").

As a result of her press conference regarding the Cylons, a copy of Leoben Conoy is captured aboard the Gemenon Traveler. Despite Adama's desire to kill him immediately, Roslin insists he be interrogated. When Conoy claims that he has planted a nuclear bomb within the Fleet, Roslin travels to the Gemenon Traveler and stops the torture being inflicted on him. Agreeing to release him if he tells her where the bomb is, Conoy informs her that there is no bomb and that Adama is a Cylon. She subsequently orders him to be thrown out of an airlock, a method of execution repeated multiple times over the course of Roslin's administration (TRS: "Flesh and Bone"). While Roslin becomes suspicious of Adama as a result of Conoy's claim, her fears are allayed by Baltar's invention of a Cylon detector (TRS: "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down").

Soon after, Roslin reconstitutes the Quorum of Twelve aboard Cloud Nine. However, the election of Zarek as the Sagittaron delegate disrupts her agenda when Zarek insists on the election of a vice president. The delegate from Virgon nominates Zarek, while Roslin chooses Wallace Gray as her preferred candidate. However, Gray fails to win enough support in the Quorum to defeat Zarek and is replaced at the last minute by Baltar, the Caprican delegate. The resulting vote is a tie, which allows Roslin to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Baltar (TRS: "Colonial Day").

Kobol

Shortly before the capture of Leoben Conoy, Roslin has a set of visions that are uncannily prescient to future events. During a press conference soon after, she hallucinates a dozen snakes crawling over her podium. Disturbed by these events, she consults Elosha and admits that she has been using chamalla. 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 guide the remnants of humanity to the promised land (TRS: "The Hand of God").

Cottle informs Roslin that her cancer has spread to her lymphatic system, giving her perhaps six months to live (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I"). Soon after, a recon mission from Galactica discovers a habitable world with ruins across the surface. Reviewing the photos of the ruins, Roslin has another vision that Elosha confirms to be the City of the Gods on Kobol. Roslin has two further visions of the Arrow of Apollo and the Tomb of Athena and accepts the scriptures as fact. Though Adama considers permanent settlement on the planet, Roslin tries to convince him they should use a captured Cylon Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo, which would open the Tomb of Athena and point the way to Earth. Uncomfortable with Roslin's newfound religiousness, Adama asserts his authority over the military to deny her the use of the Raider (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I").

Resolved, Roslin convinces Kara Thrace to steal the Raider and return to Caprica by admitting that Adama does not know where Earth is. Upon learning of her deception, Adama asks Roslin for her resignation; her refusal results in him sending a Marine boarding party to Colonial One to arrest her. Though Lee Adama ultimately sides with the President during the armed standoff, Roslin agrees to surrender to prevent bloodshed. Adama is shot soon after by a Cylon agent, and Saul Tigh assumes command of Galactica and refuses Roslin's request to be released (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II"; "Scattered").

From her cell, Roslin rallies support from the Quorum of Twelve by convincing them of her role in the Sacred Scrolls; in response, Tigh dissolves the Quorum and declares martial law (TRS: "Fragged"). With the help of several sympathetic crew members of Galactica, Roslin escapes with Lee and hides within the Fleet with the help of Zarek (TRS: "Resistance"). Declaring herself publicly to be the "dying leader" foretold by Pythia, Roslin asks the Fleet to follow her back to Kobol (TRS: "The Farm"). Nearly a third of the Fleet heeds her request and jumps back to Kobol, where they rendezvous with Starbuck and the recovered Arrow. A search party led by Roslin heads to the surface and Elosha is soon killed by a landmine, which deeply shakes Roslin (TRS: "Home, Part I").

A recon team led by Adama intercepts Roslin's group, and Adama and Roslin resolve their differences, with Adama agreeing to help her find the Tomb. After locating it, the group places the Arrow in the bow of a statue of Sagittarius, which activates a projection showing the way to Earth. Upon returning to the Fleet, Adama reinstates Roslin as president (TRS: "Home, Part II").

Failing Health

Adama and Roslin begin to respect each more 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 (TRS: "Final Cut"). However, Roslin's health continues to deteriorate, and Cottle advises her that she has weeks left to live. Roslin begins to put her affairs in order, signaled by her returning a book given to her by Adama (TRS: "Flight of the Phoenix").

Roslin and Adama share a kiss.

The discovery of the Battlestar Pegasus gives Roslin a brief moment of relief. However, Admiral Cain's disregard for the political status quo within the Fleet becomes apparent when Cain refuses to take Roslin's calls (TRS: "Pegasus"). After a near-disastrous armed standoff between Adama and Cain, Roslin conspires with Adama to assassinate Cain for the safety of the Fleet (TRS: "Resurrection Ship, Part I"). While Adama ultimately refuses to go through with the plan, Cain is murdered by a Cylon agent and Roslin promotes Adama to admiral. The new admiral gives the President a kiss, establishing a more personal aspect to their friendship (TRS: "Resurrection Ship, Part II").

By this time, Roslin requires help to move around, and she is soon rushed to Galactica's sickbay as her health fails. Preparing for Baltar's accession to the presidency, she instructs Billy to give Baltar a letter she has written him. In what she believes to be her final act as president, Roslin orders that the half-Cylon, half-human baby of Sharon "Athena" Agathon be terminated. However, Baltar panics at the thought of becoming president and devises a last minute solution to cure Roslin using an injection of stem cells[3] from the hybrid fetus, which completely eradicates her cancer (TRS: "Epiphanies").

Before her treatment, Roslin remembers that hours prior to the attack on Caprica, she had witnessed Baltar interacting with a Number Six Cylon and deduces that he played a role in the destruction of the Colonies. However, Roslin's letter to Baltar had hurt his pride by calling out his self-centered nature. When Roslin attempts to offer Baltar an out by asking him to resign, Baltar refuses to do so (TRS: "Black Market"). This encounter would mark the beginning for Roslin of a deep personal loathing of Baltar.

Election

Roslin returns to work and begins aiming towards her reelection. Though the sudden death of Billy comes as a shock to her (TRS: "Sacrifice"), she soon appoints his replacement, Tory Foster, who assures her that her victory in the election is certain. However, the certainty of her reelection is thrown into doubt when the issue of abortion is raised in the Fleet. Though Roslin is pro-choice, she realizes that the survival of the human race depends on repopulation and bans abortion throughout the Fleet. Coming out against the ban, Baltar launches a presidential challenge against Roslin with the backing of Tom Zarek (TRS: "The Captain's Hand").

While dealing with Baltar's challenge, the issue of the Agathons' child, which will soon be born, resurfaces. Roslin decides that Sharon cannot be allowed to raise the child, yet she also feels that the child is important and should be kept safe. Thus, she conspires with Dr. Cottle and Foster to fake the child's death. She later gives the child up for adoption to Maya, claiming that the baby belonged to a Pegasus officer (TRS: "Downloaded").

As the first presidential debate between Roslin and Baltar approaches, polls show Roslin firmly in the lead; Baltar's poor showing in the debate does little to change this. Indeed, Roslin appears confident that Baltar will not be able to win the election. However, the discovery of a habitable planet changes the entire nature of the race. Roslin refuses to even consider settling on the planet, saying that the Fleet must find Earth and, regardless, the planet will most likely not be able to sustain a long-term settlement. However, Baltar seizes on the public's support for colonization and pulls ahead in the polls (TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I").

Roslin refuses to risk the future of the human race to win an election by supporting settlement. However, she feels that a Baltar presidency will also jeopardize the survival of humanity and thus authorizes Foster to rig the election. When early results from the election show Baltar in the lead, Foster has key election officials on Galactica, including Colonel Tigh and Anastasia Dualla, replace a ballot box with one stuffed with ballots for Roslin. Though the election is called for Roslin and Baltar concedes the race, Felix Gaeta discovers the plot and informs Adama. Roslin pleads with Adama to cover up the rigged election. While Adama admits he agrees with Roslin, he refuses to overturn the results of a democratic election. However, he does not publicly reveal the conspiracy, calling it an error in the ballot tabulation. Baltar succeeds Roslin as president, and Roslin settles on New Caprica with the rest of the civilian population (TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II").

New Caprica

Roslin as a teacher on New Caprica.

On New Caprica, Roslin returns to her old profession of schoolteacher, working with Maya and watching over the hybrid baby, Isis. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a project promoted by Baltar's government, she meets with Admiral Adama. The two friends comfortably chat while smoking and drinking, and later gaze at the stars together. During the intimate outing, Roslin tells Adama of a cabin she is planning to build next to a lake, insisting that though the Cylons could return, they should use what time they have to enjoy life (TRS: "Unfinished Business"). Her fears are proven justified; on the 380th day after settlement, the Cylons discover and occupy the colony (TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II").

Roslin becomes heavily involved with the resistance movement led by Colonel Tigh, who subordinates himself and his militia to the de facto civilian government-in-waiting she forms with Vice President Zarek; while Zarek has the constitutionally superior claim to the presidency, Roslin has the loyalty of Tigh's military; moreover, Zarek is jailed in the Cylon detention facility for four months, while Roslin retains the public guise of a politically-uninvolved school-teacher. Disgusted with the willingness of some humans to join the Cylon-controlled New Caprica Police, she and Foster work on discovering the identities of those people and handing their names over to the Resistance (TRS: "Occupation"). Following a suicide bombing at the graduation for the police force, Roslin is detained by the Cylons as are all high-profile civilians. Baltar visits her in her cell and offers to help her should she publicly denounce the bombings. Roslin argues that the Resistance is justified in their acts, yet she concedes that she does not support the suicide bombings. Despite refusing to cooperate with Baltar, she is released from prison (TRS: "Precipice").

Roslin later attempts to force Tigh to stop the suicide bombings, and a heated argument ensues in which Roslin uncharacteristically slaps Tigh. When another suicide bomber cripples the power infrastructure and kills numerous Cylons and humans, police forces storm through the city and arrest numerous people, including Roslin. The prisoners are put on trucks, where Roslin finds former vice president Zarek, who has spent the last four months in detention (TRS: "Precipice").

The Cylons take Roslin and the prisoners to be executed at the Pergamus Flats. Before they can do so, a raid by the Resistance kill the Cylons and free the prisoners. Roslin learns from Galen Tyrol that Galactica is planning a daring raid to evacuate the colonists. With the Resistance, Roslin goes over the evacuation strategy that they had put in place, and ensures that Maya and Isis will be safely escorted to an evacuating ship (TRS: "Exodus, Part I").

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, tacitly acknowledging her inevitable return to office. He gives a sidearm to Jammer, directing him to protect Roslin. Once the Fleet is safely reassembled, 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. Foster confirms that Maya and Isis did not evacuate, and offers her apologies to Roslin. Though shaken, Roslin forgives Tory and takes a somewhat fatalistic view of the loss of Isis (TRS: "Exodus, Part II").

With Baltar missing following the evacuation, Zarek, as the legal vice president, assumes the presidency. However, Adama makes it clear that he will not accept this, and Zarek agrees to transfer the presidency to Roslin in exchange for a place in the new government. Touched by his courage on New Caprica and recalling their ability to work together in the resistance, Roslin agrees to make him her new vice president. The discovery of a secret tribunal set up by Zarek to try and execute Cylon collaborators leads Roslin to issue a blanket pardon for all crimes committed on New Caprica - excluding those committed by the fugitive Gaius Baltar - and to organize a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to document the experiences of the survivors (TRS: "Collaborators").

Second Roslin Administration

Roslin's second term in office is no less hectic than her first. Despite the misgivings of Adama, Roslin authorizes him to exterminate the Cylon race through the use of biological warfare and is visibly irritated when he refuses to investigate the sabotage of the plan (TRS: "A Measure of Salvation"). She later talks him out of resigning his commission when the knowledge of previous secret mission he had conducted surfaces (TRS: "Hero"). Following a food crisis, Roslin works with Adama to guide the Fleet to a planet covered in algae (TRS: "The Passage").

Though she believes that the newly-discovered Temple of Five on the algae planet is another road sign on the path to Earth, the arrival of the Cylons prevents any significant examination of the Temple. At this time, knowledge of Roslin's deception regarding the hybrid child surfaces when Adama learns that the child being held by the Cylons. Adama is noticeably disturbed by Roslin's actions, but this does not affect their relationship in the long term (TRS: "The Eye of Jupiter").

Baltar's capture on the algae planet places new stresses on Roslin. She attempts to interrogate him and again accuses him of involvement in the Cylon attack on the Colonies, a charge he denies. Though Adama suggests that they make Baltar disappear, Roslin decides to give Baltar a trial (TRS: "Taking a Break from All Your Worries"). The decision draws a strong rebuke from Zarek, who believes that this will give Baltar a chance to cause unrest in the Fleet (TRS: "The Woman King"). When publications of a manifesto secretly written by Baltar from his cell begin to circulate in the Fleet, Roslin confronts Baltar and orders him strip-searched for his writings. However, he turns over the pages before being completely stripped of his clothing (TRS: "Dirty Hands").

While preparing for Baltar's trial, Roslin deals with a labor strike emerging in the Fleet. Though she initially takes a hard stance against the unrest, she eventually agrees to work with Chief Tyrol and the laborers to increase time off and ensure that children are not forced to enter any particular occupation in the Fleet (TRS: "Dirty Hands").

For Baltar's trial, Roslin personally appoints Didi Cassidy and Alan Hughes as prosecutor and defender, respectively, and appoints Romo Lampkin as Hughes' replacement following his assassination. Roslin puts pressure on Cassidy to indict Baltar for his collusion in the attack on the Colonies; this interference draws a strong rebuke from Cassidy, who notes that outside of Roslin's vision, there is no evidence of Baltar's involvement in the attack. Nevertheless, Roslin remains committed to the trial, attending the proceedings and eventually testifying for the prosecution. Though she seems to incriminate Baltar in colluding with the Cylons during the New Caprican occupation, her testimony is called into question by Lampkin's co-counsel, Lee Adama (TRS: "Crossroads, Part I").

Lee had previously noted that Roslin had begun drinking tea at times she previously had not, and he had discreetly smelled the tea. He confronts Roslin on the fact that she has begun using chamalla again, masking the bitter taste by mixing it with her tea. Despite pleading for him not to reveal this, she relents, admitting that she has been using chamalla again because her cancer has returned. Ultimately, Baltar is acquitted to her strong displeasure. While the fact that Adama, a judge at the trial, had voted for acquittal does not severely affect their relationship despite her displeasure, Lee's role in Baltar's acquittal leads to a noticeable rift in his friendship with Roslin (TRS: "Crossroads, Part II").

Treatments and Visions

Roslin decides to undergo doloxan treatments as a way of at least slowing the progress of her cancer. During her first treatment, Roslin has a vision of herself in the Kobol Opera House, where she is looking for Hera. Seeing Sharon Agathon on the opposite side of the entrance, the two women race to catch Hera when two figures, Baltar and Caprica-Six, pick up Hera and walk into the auditorium, with the doors closing behind them. Screaming as she awakens, Roslin finds that Six, Sharon and Hera all shared the same dream simultaneously (TRS: "Crossroads, Part II").

The Fleet's arrival at the Ionian Nebula also has a noticeable and unexplained effect on Roslin. Immediately after jumping to the Nebula, Roslin becomes dazed and stunned, which coincides with the entire Fleet inexplicably losing power. These events also coincide with the activation of the Final Five and the mysterious return of Kara Thrace, who had seemingly died two months previous (TRS: "Crossroads, Part II").

Roslin is immediately skeptical of Thrace's claims of finding Earth and not remembering how she had arrived at the Fleet, expressing her concerns that Thrace is a Cylon agent to Adama. When Roslin orders the Fleet to continue heading away from the Nebula, rather than follow Thrace's guidance to Earth, Thrace confronts Roslin at gunpoint (TRS: "He That Believeth in Me"). Attempting to convince Roslin that she is not a Cylon, Thrace hands her the gun and tells her to shoot if she truly believes Thrace is a Cylon; Roslin does so but misses, later attributing it to the doloxan treatments affecting her aim (TRS: "Six of One").

The doloxan treatments begin to take a greater toll on Roslin's health, forcing her to wear a wig as her hair falls out. Despite this, she continues to work as president, signing an executive order that curtails public gatherings, ostensibly as a way of protecting Baltar's cult from being attacked but in actuality an attempt to limit Baltar's growing influence. However, the Quorum, led by the newly-appointed Caprican delegate, Lee Adama, overturns this measure as an undue attack on civil liberties. While Roslin is upset by this, she acknowledges that Lee is simply trying to do what he believes is right (TRS: "Escape Velocity").

Roslin's doloxan treatments continue, with her only solace being that Adama reads to her during her treatments. While in sickbay, she meets Emily Kowalski, a end-stage cancer patient, and the two bond. While discussing their mortality and faith, Roslin concedes that her experiences during her mother's illness and death gave her a profound fear of dying. Soon after, Roslin has a dream of her and Emily standing on a boat crossing over to the afterlife. When Emily leaves to embrace her family, Roslin sees her mother and family waiting for her. However, she acknowledges that she is not ready to cross over; she wakes up to find that Emily has died (TRS: "Faith").

The discovery of the Rebel Cylon basestar presents Roslin with yet another difficult decision; the Cylons are willing to help the Colonials destroy the Resurrection Hub, thus rendering all Cylons mortal, in exchange for the identities of the Final Five, which will give them the location of Earth. Roslin agrees to the deal, lobbying the Quorum for its approval, yet secretly conspires with Adama and Tigh to ensure that the Final Five will not be handed over to the basestar without first informing the Colonials of Earth's location (TRS: "Guess What's Coming To Dinner").

Thrace informs Roslin that the Cylon Hybrid had told her that "The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House," and Roslin insists that both her and Baltar travel to the basestar to question the Hybrid. When the Hybrid is brought back online, it immediately jumps the basestar away from the Fleet with the intention of traveling to the Resurrection Hub per the original plan of attack. Whenever the basestar jumps, however, Roslin enters a vision of an empty Galactica with Elosha showing Roslin her own death in Galactica's sickbay, surrounded by Adama, Lee and Starbuck (TRS: "The Hub").

On the basestar, Roslin unsuccessfully attempts to communicate with the Hybrid, only gleaming the message to "protect the child." During the Battle of the Resurrection Hub, Roslin attempts to administer first aid to a severely injured Baltar, injecting him with morpha. As a result of the drugs, Baltar admits to Roslin that he unintentionally gave the Cylons the access codes to the Colonial Defense Mainframe, resulting in the attack on the Colonies. Roslin immediately stops administering aid and sits idly by while Baltar bleeds. However, another vision of Elosha convinces her that she cannot lose her humanity. Realizing this, Roslin helps stabilize Baltar and never pursues his role in the attack further. When Adama finds the missing basestar and reunites with Roslin, she tells him that she loves him (TRS: "The Hub").

Returning to the Fleet, Roslin is held captive as a hostage by the Cylons, led by a resurrected Number Three copy, in exchange for the Final Five. Before telling Adama goodbye, she whispers to him that he should destroy the basestar before agreeing to hand over the Final Five to the Cylons. During this crisis, Roslin is confronted by her aide, Tory Foster, who reveals that she is one of the Final Five and will not use her influence to avert bloodshed. However, actions taken by the remaining Final Five Cylons, Kara Thrace and acting President Lee Adama prevent the crisis from turning violent and reveal the location of Earth. Agreeing that Cylons and humans will go to Earth together, the Fleet finally arrives at the fabled destination, with Roslin and Adama embracing in celebration. Their jubilation is short-lived, as it is soon discovered that Earth is a uninhabitable nuclear wasteland (TRS: "Revelations").

Earth

The discoveries on Earth shake Roslin to her very core. Unable to break the news to the citizens waiting to hear from their president, Roslin retreats to her quarters aboard Galactica, burning her copy of the Pythian Prophecy in a sharp rebuke of her previous beliefs. She largely abdicates her role as president, with Lee Adama once again assuming most of her responsibilities (TRS: "Revelations").

As she is still the legal president, Roslin is pressured by Adama to decide whether the Fleet should enter into a permanent alliance with the Rebel Cylons, gaining Cylon technology in exchange for giving the Cylons a seat on the Quorum. However, Roslin becomes increasingly erratic in her behavior, discontinuing her doloxan treatments, throwing away her medications and jogging through the corridors of Galactica. When confronted by Adama over her behavior, she informs him that she no longer has much interest in serving others, wishing only to "live a little" before she dies. As a result, she enters into a romantic, sexual and co-habitable relationship with Adama while effectively ceding her presidential authority to Lee (TRS: "A Disquiet Follows My Soul").

However, Roslin is soon temporarily forced back into her role as president during a full-scale mutiny aboard Galactica led by Felix Gaeta and Tom Zarek. Using Baltar's shortwave wireless to address the Fleet, she calls for the citizens to remain loyal to Adama and herself and reject the actions of Zarek and Gaeta. With the help of Galen Tyrol and Adama, Roslin flees Galactica with Baltar, after sharing a farewell kiss with Adama, and rendezvous with the Cylon Basestar (TRS: "The Oath").

When the Cylons decide to leave the Fleet due to the mutiny, Roslin passionately persuades them to remain with the Fleet and support Adama. Later, she calls for the Fleet to shut down their FTL drives as Gaeta and Zarek prepare to leave the basestar behind; ten ships comply with the order. Growing bolder, she gives Galactica five minutes to surrender and return command to Adama, only to be falsely told by Zarek that Adama had been executed. Brimming with rage, Roslin declares that she will destroy Galactica unless they surrender immediately, but Adama is able to stop the potential battle by regaining control of the ship. Roslin is so relieved she breaks down in tears along with an Eight. Once the ship has been secured, an exhausted Roslin shares an emotional reunion with Adama, rejoining him in their quarters aboard Galactica (TRS: "Blood on the Scales").

Following the execution of Zarek for his crimes, Roslin officially designates Lee as her successor and gives him authorization to replace the Quorum, massacred during the mutiny, with a new legislative body more closely tailored to the political realities of the Fleet (TRS: "No Exit"). With her health declining, she steps back from her duties, though she does personally sign an order transferring the newly captured Sharon Valerii over to the Rebel Cylons (TRS: "Someone to Watch Over Me").

When Hera is kidnapped by Valerii, Roslin seems to have another prescient moment, whispering the child's name before collapsing (TRS: "Someone to Watch Over Me"). In sickbay, the dying Roslin continues to repeat Hera's name while she dreams. As Galactica continues to structurally fail around them, Roslin recounts to Adama her previous plans to build a cabin, lamenting the fact that she will not be able to fulfill her wish. Saying that Galactica has been the only true home she has ever had, she is able to convince a reluctant Adama to abandon the failing Galactica (TRS: "Islanded in a Stream of Stars").

The Truth of the Opera House

While continuing to deteriorate in sickbay, Roslin overhears Cottle and Layne Ishay discussing Adama's newfound plan to attack the Cylon Colony in an attempt to recapture Hera. Drawing on her remaining strength and visibly weakened, Roslin walks through the hangar deck to declare her intention to join Adama's raid saying that he isn't going without her. Despite her weakened state, Adama accepts her joining and indicates that he might've suspected she was going to the whole time. (TRS: "Daybreak, Part I").

Cottle gives Roslin a drug cocktail that allows her to function normally for a period of 48 hours; she acknowledges that she knows the drugs will considerably shorten what little time she has left. During the Battle of the Colony, Roslin assists Ishay in sickbay, attempting to sort out patients by those who can be saved and those who will certainly die. Overwhelmed, Roslin enters the corridor only to begin having another prescient moment. Walking through Galactica as the Cylons board the ship, while at the same time seeing flashes of her previous Opera House vision, Roslin locates Hera and hides both of them from the approaching Cylon forces.

When Roslin sees that the coast is clear, she finds that Hera has disappeared again. Looking for her, she sees Sharon Agathon in much the same manner that she does in the vision. With both of them running towards Hera, Baltar and Six find her, enter a nearby hatch and close the door. Thus, Roslin realizes the truth of the Opera House: the Opera House is Galactica, with the Final Five raised on the catwalk, and the events in the vision foreshadow her actions during the final moments of the war.

Following the subsequent discovery of New Earth, Roslin does not take part in the decisions to settle the planet and abandon all Colonial technology. She spends her remaining time with Adama, observing the African wildlife as her health rapidly deteriorates, to the point where she has severe difficulty breathing. Adama decides to take Roslin in a Raptor to get a closer view of the animals, and she waves her final goodbyes to Kara and Lee. In flight, Roslin utters her final words, "So much... life," and quietly passes away. Adama tearfully places his wedding band on her finger. He buries her next to the cabin he had planned to build for both of them. Adama is shown to visit her grave often, perhaps every day, and speaks to her about what is going on in his life (TRS: "Daybreak, Part II").

Notes

  • 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 U.S. 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 that film she dies of her injuries from a helicopter crash before an end to the conflict is reached.
  • While it may be a coincidence, the name Laura Roslin is an amalgam of the forenames of the incumbent U.S. First Ladies at the time the Re-imagined Series and the Original Series each premiered: Laura Bush and Rosalynn Carter, respectively.
  • The glasses that the character wears are also McDonnell's real glasses.[4]

References

  1. ↑ According to the February issue of Sci Fi Magazine, actress Mary McDonnell indicates that, according to the series bible, Roslin has dated, but has never married. (Scans available on Ramblings of a dorkish nature)
  2. ↑ According to a December 2005 interview with Mary McDonnell in TV Guide, President Adar, a married man, was having an affair with Roslin in the twilight of his term.
  3. ↑ In the commentary track for "Epiphanies," Ron Moore states that a longer explanation of Roslin's cure was filmed that explained that the blood's stem cells cure Roslin. However, the scene was cut because he was afraid it would be too complicated and thought of as technobabble. The character's updated biography on the official Scifi.com site does confirm that stem cells from the hybrid were the actual cure. As such, Battlestar Wiki treats this data canonically as with information found in most deleted scenes.
  4. ↑ Mary McDonnell Q & A, Part 1 (backup available on Archive.org) . (VID) (2006-10-13). Retrieved on 2006-10-14.


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:
Romo Lampkin
and Lee Adama (Acting President)
Characters in the Re-imagined Series


Main: William Adama | Laura Roslin | Kara "Starbuck" Thrace | Lee "Apollo" Adama
Gaius Baltar | Number Six | Number Eight

Supporting: Saul Tigh | Galen Tyrol | Karl "Helo" Agathon | Felix Gaeta | Anastasia Dualla | Cally Tyrol
Samuel Anders | Tory Foster | Ellen Tigh | Billy Keikeya

Recurring: Hera Agathon | Jean Barolay | Helena Cain | Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza | Sherman Cottle
Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson | Elosha | Anthony Figurski | Jack Fisk | Louis Hoshi | Louanne "Kat" Katraine
Aaron Kelly | Romo Lampkin | James "Jammer" Lyman | Hamish "Skulls" McCall | Number One | Number Two
Number Three | Number Four | Number Five | Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo | Paulla Schaffer | Diana Seelix | Tom Zarek

List of Deceased Characters


Characters that died during the Re-imagined Series


Civilians: Richard Adar | Jean Barolay | Jacob Cantrell | Elosha | Billy Keikeya | Laura Roslin | Tom Zarek

Military: Jurgen Belzen | Helena Cain | Tucker "Duck" Clellan | Anastasia Dualla | Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
Jack Fisk | Felix Gaeta | Barry Garner | Louanne "Kat" Katraine | Peter Laird | James "Jammer" Lyman | Erin Mathias
Hamish "Skulls" McCall | Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo | Kendra Shaw | Socinus | Kara "Starbuck" Thrace | Cally Tyrol

Cylons: Samuel Anders | D'Anna Biers | John Cavil | Daniel | Aaron Doral | Natalie Faust
First Hybrid | Tory Foster | Gina Inviere | Simon O'Neill | Sharon "Boomer" Valerii

See Also: Survivor Count | List of Deceased Pilots

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