Gaheris Rhade

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Gaheris Rhade

Statistics
Race	Nietzschean
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Systems Commonwealth/Nietzchean Alliance

Gaheris Rhade is a Nietzschean fictional character in the television series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. He is played by Steve Bacic.

Rhade was Dylan Hunt's original executive officer on the Andromeda Ascendant, his best friend and was to be the best man at Dylan's wedding to Sara Riley. They had first met when both were working for Argosy Special Operations, an elite division of the Commonwealth High Guard. Admiral Constanza Stark assigned them together on a mission to kidnap the dictator Ferrin of Mobius. During the mission Rhade saved Dylans life and was commended for his bravery. After the mission when Dylan was promoted to captain, Rhade was also assigned to the Andromeda Ascendant as his first officer.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

At the outset of the Nietzschean Rebellion, Rhade sabotaged the Andromeda and tried to kill his captain Dylan Hunt. History records that Hunt managed to kill Rhade before becoming trapped on the event horizon of a black hole. Rhade was labeled a traitor who served a key role in the Nietzchean uprising.

Rhades true motives were only revealed to the audience in the episode The Unconquerable Man, Episode 310, where he is the victor of the conflict. Rhade is frozen in time in Dylans place. When he's restored he discovers that his supposedly superior race had betrayed each other and become divided, falling into skirmishes and pride wars. Rhade had betrayed his oath and killed his best friend in an attempt to protect his people from the Magog. Instead, he had left the galaxies defenseless against the Abyss.

Rhade attempts to rebuild the Commonwealth, but is frustrated by failure. Trance Gemini advises him that traveling back in time to make sure Dylan lives is the only hope for a restored Commonwealth. Commenting that "History will remember me as a traitor for what I'm about to do", Rhade travels back, and kills his former self ensuring that his friend will win the fight and live to restore the Commonwealth. Seeking redemption, his selfless act cost him his reputation, his friendships and his life.

[edit] Family

Gaheris was married and had probably several children. Rhade's surviving family did not know of his cooperation with the Nietzschean rebels, since they immediately joined Sara Riley in founding a colony on the planet of Terazed after the rebellion. His distant descendant Telemachus Rhade who is his exact genetic reincarnation still lives there as an Admiral of the Home Guard when the Andromeda arrives in the episode Home Fires, Episode 208. Telemachus later becomes an officer onboard the Andromeda.

[edit] Name

Most Nietzschean names have their origins in Old Earth mythology, or from famous warlords and warrior cultures.

Gaheris is a figure of Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table. He was a son of King Lot of Orkney and Lothian and his wife Morgause (a daughter of Gorlois and Igraine, sister of Elaine and Morgan le Fay and also an older maternal half-sister of King Arthur). Gaheris' brothers were Gawaine, Agravaine, Gareth and Mordred. Before being knighted, he was squire to his elder brother Gawaine. He was accidentally killed by Lancelot during the rescue of Guinevere.