BSG Baltar questions *SPOILERS*

[Chris Springob]

This post contains spoilers for BSG episodes up through the season finale. Do not proceed if you haven't seen Season 1 in its entirety:






Having just finished BSG Season 1 a few days ago, two questions have popped into my mind about Baltar:

1) Can anyone shed some light on why he apparently was allowing everyone to "pass" the Cylon test? Yes, I understand why he didn't tell Boomer that she was a Cylon when they were the only two people in the room, but why not inform Adama when Boomer was safely in another part of the ship. Doesn't Baltar have a vested interest in preventing the Cylons from infiltrating Galactica? Won't he look like an idiot if he gives someone a clean bill of health and they later turn out to be a Cylon?

2) Given the events of the season finale, with #6 suggesting that Baltar oversee the human/cylon hybrid project (I assume that's what that was all about), does anyone think that Baltar will eventually move into a position similar to that of his namesake on the original series--no longer on Galactica, overtly working for the other side, and in a position of some authority with the Cylons?

 

[Demon]

My guesses, and they are very much guesses are as follows:

BIG SPOILERS!!


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1) He's terrified of #6 and what she might do to him and others if he reveals the presence of Cylons on BSG. I still haven't quite figured out whether #6 is a figment of his imagination or an implant of some kind, but whichever she is, she has an incredibly powerful hold on him.

After the last episode, I'm tending toward thinking #6 is a real implant in his head, as the way she attacked Starbuck was deeply personal, the attack of a jealous woman.

2) Definitely possible

 

[JJCoolbean]

1) Can anyone shed some light on why he apparently was allowing everyone to "pass" the Cylon test? Yes, I understand why he didn't tell Boomer that she was a Cylon when they were the only two people in the room, but why not inform Adama when Boomer was safely in another part of the ship. Doesn't Baltar have a vested interest in preventing the Cylons from infiltrating Galactica? Won't he look like an idiot if he gives someone a clean bill of health and they later turn out to be a Cylon?

As another has stated, Number Six is the probable motivation here. Baltar largely does what Number Six tells him. With the conclusion of Season 1, we see that Boomer has a significant role for the Cylons, so why would Number Six want Boomer's cover blown?

Also, Number Six repeatedly manipulates things often so that it at least appears at least that Baltar's safety is tied in with compliance, so his safety concerns would be more tied in with his relationship with Number Six than Adama.

2) Given the events of the season finale, with #6 suggesting that Baltar oversee the human/cylon hybrid project (I assume that's what that was all about), does anyone think that Baltar will eventually move into a position similar to that of his namesake on the original series--no longer on Galactica, overtly working for the other side, and in a position of some authority with the Cylons?

This is my first comment on this question as I have been reading the BSG boards but haven't had the time to add my own personal take on things. Anyway, everyone I seem to read seems to just assume that Baltar will return to Galactica, but I am like you and I would guess that he will now divorce himself from the human fleet and join the Cylons.

The thing that I think makes the original series a bit dodgy for me is the lack of motivation for Baltar to collaborate with the Cylons. He seemed to simply want to destroy the humans because...well that's what bad guys want. With the end of the revision's first season Baltar now has a more plausible reasoning.

 

[Chris Springob]

This is my first comment on this question as I have been reading the BSG boards but haven't had the time to add my own personal take on things. Anyway, everyone I seem to read seems to just assume that Baltar will return to Galactica, but I am like you and I would guess that he will now divorce himself from the human fleet and join the Cylons.

Well, I actually *don't* think this is going to happen right away. I don't think the writers would have made him VP if that wasn't going to lead somewhere. I think his loyalties will now shift to the Cylons, but he'll go back to the fleet and assume presidential powers now that Roslin is behind bars. But *eventually*, he'll get discovered, and escape from the fleet, and take on a role with the Cylons.