To whittle down the ensemble of characters in Battlestar Galactica is to almost actively engage in masochism – this is a show that, considering the size of the cast and the scale of the story, has a shockingly large number of fully-fleshed out, beautifully written characters.

Picking favourites is merely an act of personal preference, as each character is believable and, in their own way, relatable. But chose we must, and here’s what we’ve come up with…

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5. Captain Lee ‘Apollo’ Adama

The moral heart of the entire piece, Apollo is a man guided almost exclusively by his heart and his instincts. These, along with a strong sense of what he believes is right and his unwillingness to compromise his beliefs create some of the most intriguing plot developments.

From taking matters into his own hands to solve a hostage crisis, to standing up for Gaius Baltar in court, his sense of right more often than not gets him into trouble with everyone around him.

There are a few moments where his moral quandaries can seem almost cynically tailored to driving the story forward, but they never feel illogical.

The writers do a good job of grounding his decisions within the mind of an actual human, and that serves to attach us to him all the more, despite the outlandish situations that his moral compose can lead him into.

Britain’s very own Jamie Bamber puts in a great performance throughout, keeping a fiery ocean of passion bubbling underneath an ostensibly calm exterior. Then of course, there’s his chemistry with Katee Sackhoff, keeping Apollo and Starbuck’s will-they-won’t-they forbidden relationship enjoyably tumultuous.

 

4. Gaius Baltar and Number Six

Can you really have one without the other? The dramatic centrepiece of the entire story, the human-cylon conflict practically plays out in Baltar’s head, between himself and an apparition that’s as real to him as anything else.

The exploration of the nature of religion is an intriguing one, as Baltar struggles to determine whether Head Six’s claims that she is a messenger from God are merely his damaged psyche attempting to justify his actions, or an actual sign from on high.

A fleshed out history of the characters, both from the progress of the series and from wonderfully crafted expositionary dialogue, coupled with intense, intimate performances from both Tricia Helfer and James Callis create a pair of characters that, whilst great in each of their own rights, would be nothing without the other.

They’re also the catalysts for some of the most dramatically engaging moments seen in sci-fi – and that can hardly count against them.

 

3. Dr Sherman Cottle

There’s not a single scene that he appears in that Donnelly Rhode’s Doc Cottle doesn’t steal the show from. The perpetually grouchy, ever-put-upon chief medical office is always a welcome sight, the smoke from his ever-present cigarette almost a symbol of his constant smouldering, and an ironic statement of his resolve.

He’s unerringly guided by his medical ethics – and if it’s identifiably human, he’ll help it, no matter where it came from. This comes to a head during Sharon’s pregnancy, and his actions mark a major turning point in one of the major story-lines.

He’s written rather well too, with his barbed wit seemingly belying the benevolent being that he is, and his interactions with Starbuck are particularly enjoyable in this regard. He may embody a certain now rather stereotypical archetype – the grouchy but funny old guy; but transposing that in the role of a doctor is an intriguing decision that deserves quite a bit of credit.

 

2. Commander William ‘Husker’ Adama

Ah, Bill. If Doc Cottle smoulders, Adama is a black hole – quietly boring a hole into the very fabric of the universe around him. A true force of nature, Bill Adama commands unquestioning loyalty from his crew, his military prowess is close to unquestionable – professionally, he is Galactica personified, concerned only with keeping humanity away from extinction however he can.

The only cracks he shows are in his personal life – his broken and pieced-back-together-as-best-he-can family being the source of major complications in humanity’s battle for survival. His relationship with Laura Roslin also makes for some of the more tender moments of the series, with their final appearance being a heart-wrenching demonstration of keeping ones word.

Credit once again must go to the writers for crafting such a well-round character, full of flaws, tics and… well, character. But that would be understating what Edward James Olmos brings to the role – his almost feral growl of a voice granting the character an edge that perhaps no other actor could’ve brought.

 

1. Lieutenant Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace

Who else could possibly cap this list? Not just one of the finest anti-heroes committed to celluloid, but also one of the finest characters full stop, Starbuck and her story are a true testament to the quality of the story-telling on show in this science fiction epic.

Battlestar Galactica is already a post-feminist show – see unisex bathrooms, women holding positions of power. Despite the initial, entirely unjustified reservation of the fans when the casting was announced, Katee Sackhoff not only holds her own, but utterly shines, imbuing Starbuck with an amicable cockiness that’s edged by a deep sense of sadness and regret.

Given what we learn of the character’s history, it’s incredible that Sackhoff nailed this aesthetic of the character from the go – though this also down to the writers evolving and adapting the character to her performance. Her final story arc is boldly emotional, tying her fate to that of humanity inexorably, and the payoff at the end magnificently tows the line between beautiful and tragic.

There’s perhaps the argument that her femininity is ostensibly the root cause of all her problems, which may or may not undermine her status as feminist icon, but in truth, it’s rare that you get a female heroin in sci-fi that has had as much care and attention put into her creation as Starbuck.

Memorably feisty, cocky yet incredibly human, and above all, uncompromisingly moral, she’s one for the ages.

 

What’s your favourite Battlestar Galactica character arc? Let us know below…