Felix Gaeta

Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.

Felix Gaeta
Battlestar Galactica character
Alessandro Juliani as Lieutenant Felix Gaeta
First appearanceMiniseries
Last appearanceBlood on the Scales
Portrayed byAlessandro Juliani
In-universe information
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
TitleLieutenant Junior Grade
AffiliationColonial Fleet

Arc

Character overview in his early career

Felix Gaeta is known for his friendly, encouraging, trusting, and idealistic nature, although this idealism is somewhat dented by the events of the early part of the show's third season (2006-2007). "You're an idealist. There's no sin in that," says Gaius Baltar.

In college, Gaeta studied genetics but joined the military to pay for his education. Once in the military, he applied himself to his duties with great dedication, putting his social life and other concerns "on hold."[1] In the mini-series, Gaeta tells Commander Adama "it has been an honor serving with you for the last three years."[2]

Gaeta serves as tactical officer on the Battlestar Galactica during the Cylon attack and subsequent escape.[2] Following the fleet's flight from the Colonies, he is given tasks suited to his level of intelligence and education including helping his idol, Doctor Gaius Baltar, design a Cylon detector.[3]

He is generally very decisive and competent. However, in the chaos following the shooting of Commander William Adama, Gaeta forgets to check if the fleet had been updated with the latest jump coordinates. As a result, Galactica becomes separated from the fleet. However, Gaeta is also instrumental in solving this crisis: suggesting the ship's computers be networked to allow a quick re-calculation of the fleet's position.[4]

It is indicated Gaeta is friends with Anastasia Dualla. He has a great deal of respect for William Adama.

Chief of Staff to President Baltar

After the discovery of New Caprica, Gaeta uncovers a plot (involving Colonel Tigh and then-Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla, among others) to rig the presidential election in favor of President Laura Roslin over Gaius Baltar. Felix later serves as the latter's Chief of Staff during his presidency, and informs the President of the arrival of the Cylon fleet above New Caprica.[5]

Gaeta continues to serve as President Baltar's Chief of Staff throughout the Cylon occupation. However, he also acts as a spy for the resistance, providing them with information on security, personnel in the New Caprica Police, and radio frequencies. With his identity secret even from the resistance leadership, he is seen as a traitor by those he assists, and then-Chief Galen Tyrol remarks the day would come when he and other collaborators would receive their deserved justice. Tyrol says this to Jammer, who is a collaborator.[6][7] Gaeta, for his part, feels profoundly let down by Baltar's lack of moral fortitude, and very nearly kills him during Galactica's rescue operation before giving Baltar one last chance to set things right.[8]

Outcast

After the rescue of New Caprica's civilian population, Gaeta attempts to return to duty aboard Galactica, but is treated as persona non grata on account of his apparent collaboration. He is tried by a secret court known as The Circle whose jury members include Saul Tigh, Galen Tyrol and Kara Thrace. Gaeta is convicted in absentia of collaborating with the Cylon occupation and being complicit in the deaths of hundreds. He is sentenced to death and brought to a Viper launch tube to be spaced. Circle member Kara Thrace's angry taunting of Gaeta ultimately provides the means by which his innocence is proved; Tyrol realizes that Gaeta was the anonymous resistance informant without whom the rescue by Galactica would have been impossible. Gaeta returns to duty, although he is still not exactly treated warmly by his shipmates.[9]

Baltar's trial

In the episode "Taking a Break from All Your Worries", Gaeta offers to interrogate Baltar for Adama after Baltar's return to Galactica. Baltar discovers a camera in his cell and starts to provoke Gaeta, revealing he knows a secret about Gaeta. After Baltar whispers the "secret" inaudibly in Gaeta's ear, Gaeta stabs Baltar in the neck with a pen and attempts to strangle him before being restrained by Adama. (It is later revealed in the 2009 "The Face of the Enemy" webisodes that Baltar was aware of Gaeta's secret relationship with a duplicitous copy of Eight on New Caprica, which led to the death of numerous civilians. Baltar's whisper was revealed to be, "I know what your Eight did!")

During Baltar's trial (in the episode "Crossroads"), Gaeta is put on the witness stand. He lies outright, claiming he was there when Baltar signed the death lists and Baltar offered no resistance in approving them. Since Baltar and the humanoid Cylons were in fact the only ones present, there was no way to prove Gaeta was perjuring himself. This leads to Baltar's defense team calling for a mistrial based on comments made by William Adama in a private conversation with Lee Adama.

Losing his leg

Gaeta continued to serve in a limited capacity in Galactica's CIC as a specialized tactical officer, as well as Astrometrics, but in the episode "The Ties That Bind" he is revealed to be one of the crew aboard the Demetrius, a ship commanded by Kara Thrace and tasked with finding the way to Earth. In "Faith", the crew attempts to imprison Thrace, but Samuel Anders, in an attempt to prevent this, shoots Gaeta in the leg. Thrace leaves in a Raptor, and Karl Agathon agrees to wait until the last possible moment for her to return. Gaeta pleads with Agathon to leave early, as delay in reaching medical care will likely result in the amputation of his leg. Agathon refuses, and in the next episode, Dr. Cottle removes Gaeta's leg below the knee. Gaeta refuses general anesthesia during the procedure, saying "I don't want to wake up with my leg gone", and after the leg's removal, he sings to take his mind off the resulting phantom limb symptoms.

Growing hatred of the Cylons

In "Revelations," it becomes public knowledge that Saul Tigh, Galen Tyrol (both Circle members) and Samuel Anders (responsible for Gaeta losing his leg) are all Cylons.

In "The Face of the Enemy" (set between episodes 11 and 12 of Season 4), Tigh orders Gaeta to take a medical leave of absence. Lt. Hoshi (with whom Gaeta appears to be having a relationship) places a five-pack of Morpha (presumably a narcotic similar to Morphine) into his hands just prior to his boarding the raptor scheduled to shuttle him to the Zephyr in order to relax. When the Cylons attack mid-flight, the fleet is ordered to make an emergency jump. The raptor emerges in uncharted space, most likely due to an error by the computer. Since they have no coordinates, everyone aboard is stranded—there's no way to calculate a route back to the fleet.[10] It is revealed that, back on New Caprica, Gaeta was involved in a relationship with an Eight, and he made lists of important resistance members in Cylon detention, whom she promised to try to save. With oxygen dwindling, Eight secretly begins killing the other crew members while Gaeta is asleep and convincing him that she is not responsible when he awakes. Gaeta ultimately realizes he has been played both here and on New Caprica. It is revealed on New Caprica she had been executing most of the key resistance members he had identified, occasionally releasing a few to allow Gaeta to continue his self-deception that he was actually making a difference. The Eight berates him for his willful blindness and his unwillingness to see the bigger picture.[11]

Gaeta snaps and kills her. He considers suicide, but Hoshi and Racetrack finally find him. Back aboard Galactica, Gaeta expresses distrust of the alliance with the Cylons and implies a major plan is in the works and ends his romantic relationship with Hoshi.

In "Sometimes a Great Notion," he notes to his friend Anastasia Dualla that she seems to have her smile back, but shortly after he leaves the room, she puts a gun to her head and shoots herself. He rushes back and desperately tries to save her, to no avail.

Alliance with Tom Zarek and mutiny

In "A Disquiet Follows My Soul," Gaeta argues against giving the rebel Cylons access to the fleet's jump drives, but despite his opposition, Adama decides to continue with the plan. Gaeta provokes Kara Thrace about her Cylon husband, Samuel Anders, and points out that the jury which tried to convict him of treason included two Cylons and a woman married to a Cylon. When she leaves, he orders the door closed, saying he and the crew members "need to talk". Later, Gaeta visits Tom Zarek in his cell to inform him that he has rallied enough support (including the marine guarding Zarek), and expresses his belief that more people will join. He declares the world is upside down and someone has to turn it right side up, and asks Zarek if he is that person. Zarek accepts and tells Gaeta he will need him as his partner.

In "The Oath", Gaeta, Tom Zarek, and numerous compatriots rebel against the authority of William Adama, Saul Tigh and Laura Roslin. Gaeta uses his position in charge of communications, as well as his knowledge of the ship to single-handedly orchestrate a mutiny aboard Galactica. In the ensuing chaos, Gaeta has Adama and Tigh arrested and takes command of the ship. Gaeta tells Adama he is removing him from command on the charge of treason. He tells Adama that he will not take orders from a Cylon and Adama is not the man he was when they started their journey. He believes the Admiral has let his friendship with Saul Tigh cloud his judgment. Adama warns him that there will be no forgiveness if they continue and that Gaeta will die with nothing.

Gaius Baltar phones Gaeta to try to dissuade him from continuing with the mutiny. Baltar states his belief that Gaeta is an honorable man who is trying to do the right thing and forgives him for the attack in Taking a Break from All Your Worries. Gaeta rejects Baltar's attempt to change his mind.

In the following episode, "Blood on the Scales", Gaeta demands that Adama call Roslin and request her surrender. Giving Gaeta his Admiral pins, Adama tells him he is the Admiral now and should call Roslin himself. After Zarek has the Quorum gunned down, Gaeta is shocked and insists he never agreed to this, he wanted the "truth" on their side. Zarek replies that this is what happens during a coup and there is no turning back.

"[Gaeta] believes what he wants to be true, not what's in front of his eyes... Gaeta thinks he knows what kind of violence is coming, and he thinks it can be contained, controlled. He thinks he can stomach an acceptable level of violence. Revolutions don't work like that. And the dawning realization that, once again, he failed to see the bigger picture is what gives this episode its weight, its pathos. He's a good man who has gotten it wrong. Again."

Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune on Felix Gaeta.[11]

Despite Tom Zarek's reluctance, Gaeta insists on a trial for Adama. He accuses Adama of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. He expresses disgust with Adama's alliance with the Cylons, and allowing Saul Tigh to remain in his position as XO even after he discovered his friend was a Cylon. Later, in his quarters, Gaeta holds Adama's Admiral's pins, but throws them down on the desk, still not having worn them. With tears in his eyes, he calls Narcho to carry out the execution of William Adama, not knowing Lee Adama has already rescued his father. The pain in Gaeta's amputated leg increases with the stress of the decision.

Roslin, having acquired the Cylons' support, vows to do everything in her power to destroy the mutineers. With the Cylon Basestar bearing down, Gaeta orders Galactica to jump away but Tyrol shuts down the ship's jump drives. Zarek desperately implores Gaeta to launch the Vipers in order to defend Galactica; however, Gaeta, realizing they would lose and the likelihood of massive bloodshed, decides to stand down.[11]

Shortly after, Adama retakes the CIC and arrests them. Meeting Baltar before his execution, Gaeta tells him that he accepts his defeat but hopes someday everyone will understand who he was—something Baltar understands. Zarek and Gaeta are both executed by firing squad. Gaeta's last words are, "It stopped," a reference to the constant pain in his amputated leg.

Sexuality

Gaeta is bisexual.[12] In an interview with AfterElton.com, Jane Espenson states that Gaeta is completely "out" to his crew but that they would not have that concept as it is not an issue in their world. She defines him as "someone entirely free of labels, who has probably had a number of relationships, mostly with males."[13]

Gaeta is seen dancing with Sharon Valerii on Colonial Day in the episode "Colonial Day". In the webisodes The Face of the Enemy (which aired December 12, filling the gap between the break in season 4), Gaeta is shown to be in a romantic relationship with a man, Lieutenant Hoshi, one of the officers from the Battlestar Pegasus, and is also seen sharing a kiss with a female Number Eight Cylon during a flashback of the Cylons' occupation of New Caprica.[14]

gollark: Then I'll screenshot them, reduce the quality, and post them on my blog!
gollark: There can never be enough memes.
gollark: Oh well.
gollark: I don't like it.
gollark: https://i.osmarks.tk/memes-or-something/

References
  1. "Final Cut". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  2. "Miniseries, Parts 1 and 2". Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries).
  3. "Water". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  4. "Scattered". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  5. "Lay Down Your Burdens". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  6. "Occupation". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  7. "Precipice". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  8. "Exodus". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  9. "Collaborators". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
  10. http://www.hulu.com/watch/48347
  11. Maureen Ryan (2009-02-06). "Talking about 'Battlestar Galactica's' 'Blood on the Scales' with writer Michael Angeli". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  12. "Will Battlestar Galactica's Lt. Felix Gaeta come out?". The Advocate.com. April 6, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
  13. Jensen, Michael (2009-03-19). "Live Chat with Jane Espenson". AfterElton.com. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
  14. "Battlestar Galactica: Face of the Enemy". Sci Fi Channel. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
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