Battlestar Galactica Epsidoes 33 and Water - Character Analysis

The President: Character Analysis

In episodes 33 and Water, the President of the ship in Battlestar Galactica serves as a very interesting character.  As the president of the ship, she makes the executive decisions, which carries a great deal of burden and stress.  At the end of the first episode, she is forced with the decision of whether or not to bomb the Olympic Carrier. While I understood that the decision was difficult, I was under the impression that her decision was based off of her own safety, rather than the safety of others.  Before her decision, her assistant tells her that either they will die, or the people of the Olympic Carrier will die.  It was not until after this statement that the President decides to destroy the other ship.  This shows her personal fear of dying.

                However, my opinion of the President changes in the second episode when she realizes the mass destruction of her actions.  In essence, she realizes that she ordered the death of 1300 civilians in order to ensure the survival of herself and her carrier.  Although her decision was a difficult one, and I do not believe it was consciously a selfish decision; she realized afterwards that she hurt many innocent people.  When she talked to her assistant afterwards, she showed him a piece of paper with the ship’s name on it that she carries in her pocket to remind her of her mistake.  This second episode highlights her positive qualities, her empathy, and her remorse for the innocent lives that were taken. 

Number Six: Character Analysis

 

In the first two episodes of Battlestar Galactica, the character who stands out as the most “evil” of all of the characters is Number Six.  In the first episode, she convinces Dr. Baltar to lie to the President, telling her that the Olympic Carrier is a threat to them and must be taken out immediately.  Her plan is dishonest, and results in the death of over 1,000 innocent civilians.  She is the most direct of all of the Cylons, and it is easy for the audience to identify her and her purpose.  Her looks are very distinct, possibly to put her apart from all of the other humans and Cylons.  Her blonde hair and flashy clothes help her to stand out, and she often uses this image to her favor.  Just as with Dr. Baltar, she uses he sexuality to persuade characters into doing what she wants.  Also, in the case of Dr. Baltar, she has the power over men to haunt their thoughts and their imaginations, influencing their decisions and their actions.  Dr. Baltar constantly had images of his memories and conversations with Number Six, and they often distracted him from doing his tasks.  Her antagonistic qualities throughout the first two episodes set her apart from everyone else in the series, and she uses her strong individuality and power in negative ways to hurt the human race.