Baltar's Status

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Alirght.....I had a thought about my favorite villain on the show....

His crimes against humanity are numerous and largely unknown save for what was done on New Caprica and beyond.

Didnt Roslyn sign a blanket pardon for all actions that occured during the occupation, specifically citing collaborators as absolved? Wouldnt that by extension apply to Gaius?

And as far as anyone, even the Cyclons would know he could argue he was working to save humanity during his time with the Cylons....saving the baby, failing to tell the Cylons the cause of their biological ailment, and (if we believe him from EoJ) convincing the Cylons to come to the bargaining table in lieu of blasting away. All it would take for all this to be verified would be one dead Boomer while Galactica is in range of a resurrection ship.

I dont know what impact this would have on Roslyns desire to put Gauis in an airlock but I could envision it playing out where someone like Zarek stood up and reminded her about her pardon. Of course they would never trust him again but thats a far cry from the airlock.....

Thoughts?

[Brown Rat]

Well, my thought is that no one in the cliffhanger episode "The Eye of Jupiter" seems at all disposed to forgive Baltar. Instead, they want to get their hands on him in order to make him suffer--or make him dead.

But if the writers want to return him to fleet, perhaps your scenarios will occur. Or Baltar may do something that would actually help humanity (as a byproduct of helping himself).

[Aegon the Unworthy]

All Im saying is after the summary dispatching of all those collaborators, they cant not have a trial for Baltar if they capture him. And well, making anything stick is going to be arduous. If only Baltar knew that...

[ScottSF]

whatever punishment they give him, it should include keeping his shirt on at all times. Oh man, I'm behind by two episodes, better not read until I'm caught up.

[ScottSF]

Ok, I'm caught up.

I'm having a hard time deciding who I hate more. Baltar or Starbuck. Starbuck did some more of her elitist crap. She would have made a great Nazi. Ok, so she did say sorry. And Baltar, he's worse than Ross on Friends w/ his crybaby thing.

It does look like they're leading up to baltar going back on galactica. If they don't kill him first chance they get, the show will lose a lot of credibility.

Other than my hate themes. . . hmm what's up w/ chief? Is he gonna start thinking he's a cylon again? I'm so proud of my girl Duala for ignoring Starbuck's bs. She deserves better.

[Brown Rat]

Well, Baltar is back aboard now, and I've read elsewhere that he's going to trial. So we've just got to wait and see if Aegon's predictions about Baltar's defense come true.

I suppose that Six's presence aboard might affect his trial in some way: people might vent some of their frustrations on her rather than on Baltar, or Six's role in helping save Hera might mitigate anger toward Baltar's having collaborated with Cylons.

I forget: when Laura remembered seeing Baltar talking to Six before the destruction of Caprica, did she realize that he'd played a role in Caprica's destruction--and, thus, that he's responsible for the death of billions of humans? (And does she remember that she remembered seeing him do that?) Or is everyone mad at him only for the things he did as a collaborator on New Caprica, and for persuading people to settle on New Caprica in the first place?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

Well, Baltar is back aboard now, and I've read elsewhere that he's going to trial. So we've just got to wait and see if Aegon's predictions about Baltar's defense come true.

I wish I hadn't read that! I'm with ScottSF, the show will lose a lot of credibility if they don't execute him quickly. I saw Baltar as moving more closely to the John Colicos character in the original series. It was difficult to see a motive for the actions of the 'old' Baltar, but with what the 'new' Baltar has gone through, you could make a case for diminished responsibility. I certainly think he would fail any psychological tests for sanity, and he would have failed them from the first moment he began hearing voices.

[Brown Rat]

Originally Posted by Dave

I certainly think he would fail any psychological tests for sanity, and he would have failed them from the first moment he began hearing voices.

Good point, Dave.

***spoiler***
I noticed in the most recent episode ("Taking a Break from All Your Worries") that Laura definitely remembers that Baltar was talking to Six before the Cylons attacked the colonies, so that answers one of my questions. But during the drug-torture scene, Baltar himself seems somewhat unsure about how guilty he is and of what.

[Delvo]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

when Laura remembered seeing Baltar talking to Six before the destruction of Caprica, did she realize that he'd played a role in Caprica's destruction--and, thus, that he's responsible for the death of billions of humans? (And does she remember that she remembered seeing him do that?) Or is everyone mad at him only for the things he did as a collaborator on New Caprica, and for persuading people to settle on New Caprica in the first place?

Both. She put together enough to be suspicious herself, but hasn't told people about it, so they don't know about it.

[Fenris-Crow]

I want to address the original question at the beginning of this thread. When Laura Roslyn issued the pardon it was for acts done on New Caprica, I think that you'll find Gaius Baltar will be on trial for his crimes of aiding the cylons in the initial attack on the twelve colonies. I 'm not sure that the series would lose credibility if they do not execute Gaius, but I will admit they will have to write a very compelling reason why he is not executed. But I also think that it would lose something if they kill Gaius off, unless of course it turns out that he is one of the final 5 cylons after all.