Felix Gaeta
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| Felix Gaeta | |
|---|---|
 Alessandro Juliani as Lieutenant Felix Gaeta |
|
| Race | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Portrayed by | Alessandro Juliani |
| First appearance | Miniseries |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Affiliation | Colonial Fleet |
Lieutenant Felix Gaeta is a character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Felix Gaeta is known for his friendly, encouraging, trusting, and feeling nature, although his youthful idealism is somewhat dented by the events on New Caprica in the early part of the show's third season (2006-2007). "You're an idealist. There's no sin in that," says President Gaius Baltar as the Cylons prepare their withdrawal from New Caprica.[1]
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."[2] In the pilot mini-series, Gaeta tells Commander Adama that "it has been an honor serving with him for the last three years." [3] Colonel Saul Tigh's comments about having "stood beside Gaeta in the CIC for almost four years", is likely in reference to the approximate eight months from the time of the Destruction of the twelve Colonies that Gaeta served on the Galactica until he left to become President Baltar's Chief of Staff.[4]
Gaeta serves as tactical officer on the Battlestar Galactica during the Cylon attack and subsequent escape.[3]
Following the rag-tag 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.[5]
Gaeta is on duty when Commander William Adama is shot in the Galactica CIC by the Cylon infiltrator Sharon "Boomer" Valerii.[6] In the ensuing chaos, he forgets to check that the fleet has been issued with updated jump coordinates. As a result, the Galactica becomes separated from the fleet. However, Gaeta is also instrumental in solving this crisis: suggesting that the ship's computers be networked to allow a quick re-calculation of the fleet's position.[7]
After the discovery of New Caprica, Gaeta uncovers a plot (involving Colonel Tigh and Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla, among others) to rig the presidential elections in favour 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.[8]
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. However, with his identity secret even from the resistance leadership, he is seen as a traitor by those he assists, and Chief Galen Tyrol remarks that the day would come when he and other collaborators would receive their deserved justice.[9][10] 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.[1]
After the rescue of New Caprica's civilian population, Gaeta attempts to return to duty aboard the 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 and 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 confirms 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 crewmates.[4]
In the episode "Taking a Break from All Your Worries", it is revealed that Baltar knows a secret about Gaeta. 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. Gaeta stabs Baltar in the neck with a pen and attempts to strangle Baltar before being incapacitated by Adama.
In the podcast for "Taking a Break from All Your Worries", it was revealed that there were discussions about a subplot that involved Baltar being guilty of an incident before the Cylon occupation in which many Sagittarons, a people already discriminated against for their religious beliefs, were killed. Ron Moore relates that Baltar threatened to implicate Gaeta, who had nothing to do with the incident, when Baltar whispers something inaudible in Gaeta's ear, and that this is what made Gaeta snap and stab Baltar. Moore also mentioned that Gaeta still had "issues" that related to his time working with Baltar and how the fleet at first viewed him as a collaborator because of that relation. Now that Baltar has returned, Gaeta has had a difficult time accepting Baltar's role in the occupation, which also contributed to the attack during the interrogation.
During the trial of Baltar (in the episode "Crossroads"), Gaeta is put on the witness stand. He lies outright to the court, claiming that he was there when Baltar signed the deathlists and that 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 that Gaeta was perjuring himself. This leads to Baltar's defense team calling for a mistrial based on comments made by Admiral Adama in a private conversation with Lee.
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 Starbuck, but Anders, in an attempt to prevent this, shoots Gaeta in the leg. Starbuck leaves in a Raptor, and Captain 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. Gaeta refuses general anesthetia during the procedure, saying "I don't want to wake up with it missing", and after the leg's removal, he sings to take his mind off the resulting phantom limb symptoms.
[edit] Sexuality
During an interview in Portland, Ore., Katee Sackhoff, was asked about gay politics in the Galactica universe and who on the crew did she think was gay. Sackhoff responded, “We think it’s Gaeta.… The blooper reel from every single season has Gaeta always hitting on someone [who is] a man.”
Additionally, writer Paul Florez from The Advocate wrote an article in which he listed the reasons why he suspected that Gaeta might be gay. Florez's article can be viewed at http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid42542.asp
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Exodus". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Final Cut". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ a b "Miniseries, Parts 1 and 2". Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries).
- ^ a b "Collaborators". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Water". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Kobol's Last Gleaming". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Scattered". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Lay Down Your Burdens". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Occupation". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
- ^ "Precipice". Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series).
| Preceded by Tory Foster |
Chief of Staff to the President of the Twelve Colonies (seasons 2.5-3.0) |
Succeeded by Tory Foster |
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