Gaius Baltar

Grew Up... on Aerilon, one of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. A brilliant scientist, Baltar worked as a defense systems developer before a massive Cylon attack destroyed the colonies and forced the survivors to flee across space on a fleet of ships.

Living... on the battlestar Galactica. Thanks to his status as a famed scientist, Baltar earned a coveted spot on one of the last rescue ships to take Caprican refugees off the devastated planet.

Profession... Science Advisor to newly-instated President Laura Roslin. Baltar is an opportunist who’s unafraid to use even the grimmest situation to his advantage. He fakes an expertise in Cylon biology to solidify his position and sets his sights on amassing even more political power.

Interests... the finer things in life: beautiful women, cigars, booze, and the card game Triad.

Relationship Status... it’s complicated. Before the attack on the Twelve Colonies, Baltar was seeing a beautiful blonde woman. But she turned out to be an evil robotic Cylon who sacrificed herself to save him from the explosion. Now, however, Baltar still regularly talks to visions of her that only he can see. He’s unsure whether the explanation for these visions is scientific or spiritual. He explains, “I'm a scientist. And as a scientist, I believe if God exists, our knowledge of him is imperfect.”

Challenge... hiding his treason. Though he won’t admit it to anyone, Baltar played a direct role in the destruction of the Twelve Colonies. He gave his lover access to classified information about the Colonial mainframe, which she used to carry out the devastating Cylon attack. Now Baltar must deal with the guilt of his actions while living in constant fear that someone will discover his secret and execute him for treason. As he puts it, “I love living.”

Personality... charismatic, arrogant, but, ultimately, cowardly. Baltar projects a sense of confidence that’s almost a complete act. Deep down he’s a selfish coward who cares only for himself. But his charisma and ability to improvise have carried him far in life – he regularly earns positions he’s not qualified for and can get even the most skeptical people to trust him. Though publically confident, Baltar often has panicked breakdowns in private.