The sci-fi franchises of Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek have mirrored one another practically since day one. In fact, the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica came under fire on many occasions for supposedly copying Star Trek, and the reimagined 2004 BSG did, too. In spite of this heavy criticism, at its core, Battlestar Galactica has carved out its own niche, with its gritty but grounded approach honoring but still changing the Star Trek sci-fi formula.
While these two universes have each made their own unique mark on the sci-fi genre, it is undeniable that they do share many parallels. From a heavy focus on ethical concepts to overarching themes of the survival of the human race, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek have more in common than not. Not the least of their similarities lies in the character archetypes that exist in each universe. These Battlestar Galactica characters all have their counterparts in the Star Trek franchise - in fact, some are so similar as to be nearly interchangeable.
10 William Adama & Jean-Luc Picard
The Fearless Leader
As the commanding officer of the Battlestar Galactica, Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos) fills a role similar to that of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart). Adama consistently tries his best to make the right decisions for his crew – and the good of what is left of humanity – and this frequently requires him to bend his ethics. Though he can sometimes be rather hardline due to his military background and a long history of betrayals by those close to him, Adama is self-aware and capable of growth.
The fact Adama cares is obvious in the way he treats his crew, even going so far as to memorize every crewman’s name. His character undergoes considerable emotional growth throughout the series, evident in his burying of the hatchet with Roslin and gradual (if reluctant) acceptance of humanoid Cylons. His grudge against the Cylons mirrors that of Picard’s against the Borg, and much like Jean-Luc’s tension with his brother, Adama has a family rift with his son, Lee. In addition, both Picard and Adama are diplomatically and tactically cunning, and have a strong ethical code.
9 Kara "Starbuck" Thrace & Kira Nerys
The First Officer
Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) is a skilled Viper pilot and Battlestar Galactica’s fearless second in command, acting as the re-imagined BSG counterpart to Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) of Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Starbuck is certainly the headstrong fighter of her motley crew, but her brash attitude is balanced by fierce loyalty and a strong moral compass that gradually wins Commander Adama’s trust.
Similar to Major Kira Nerys’ childhood on the Cardassian-enslaved planet Bajor, Starbuck came from an impoverished upbringing and very traumatic circumstances. Major Kira and Kara Thrace each have abrasive attitudes known to get them in trouble, and additionally, each share deeply held religious beliefs. Ultimately, the biggest Starbuck and DS9 connection lies in the fact both of these characters are strong heroines hell-bent on carrying their people to safety and freedom, whatever the cost.
8 Caprica Six & Seven of Nine
The Fanboy's Dream Girl
Cylon android Caprica-Six (Tricia Helfer), much like Star Trek: Voyager cyborg Seven-of-Nine (Jeri Ryan), has a complex relationship with humanity. She feels deep guilt over her involvement in the Cylon attacks on the Twelve Colonies. Later in the series, she grapples with her feelings for and eventual betrayal of Gaius Baltar. The tension over this relationship causes Caprica’s fellow Cylon, Number Three, to manipulate Caprica-Six into emotional instability in an attempt to get her “boxed” (that is, have her consciousness placed in storage). This subplot mirrors the way the Borg abandoned Seven-of-Nine after disconnecting her from the Collective.
At first glance, Caprica-Six is seemingly just another overly-sexualized sci-fi fanboy’s dream girl, and she does fill that same role in re-imagined BSG, much like Seven-of-Nine did in Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, also like Seven-of-Nine, Caprica-Six’s complex dynamic with humans, remorse for her actions, and vaguely terrifying violent capabilities lend her character more depth than the inhuman pin-up girl trope would usually imply or allow.
7 Gaius Baltar & Dr. Julian Bashir
The Brilliant Scientist
The likeness between Gaius Baltar (James Callis) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) is easy to see. But even setting their striking physical resemblance aside, these Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters share a few more important parallels. Gaius Baltar and Dr. Julian Bashir are both brilliant scientists and womanizers, although Bashir is significantly less questionable in his approach to this.
In general, each of these characters serves as the insufferably flirtatious but intelligent comedic relief. Luckily for Bashir, that is the extent of their similarities, as Gaius Baltar is a generally amoral and corrupt character whose only concern lies in protecting his own interests. The blame for the Cylon attacks on the Colonies was ultimately on Gaius Baltar via his connection to Number Six, along with countless other betrayals whereas Bashir was rarely a Star Trek villain and remained a loyal Starfleet officer throughout his career (unless you count his traitorous Changeling double in DS9 season 5, episode 14).
6 Sherman Cottle & Dr. Leonard McCoy
The Grumpy Old Doctor
Major Sherman Cottle (Donnelly Rhodes) is a near-perfect mirror image of Star Trek: The Original Series Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelly). Gruff, kind-hearted, and highly competent, Sherman Cottle serves as the revered Chief Medical Officer aboard the Battlestar Galactica, and regularly plays Commander Adama’s voice of reason, just as McCoy did for Captain Kirk.
Cottle acts as the non-line officer authority on board the beloved old Battlestar, and as such his expertise is respected even to the point of commanding officers occasionally overlooking some vaguely insubordinate spiels. Major Cottle’s existence in the narrative primarily fulfills the occasional need to knock Adama off his pedestal, but he is also a well-loved character in his own right. As the only competent medical officer on board, Adama’s abrasive character traits he shares with Dr. McCoy and chain smoking are gracefully ignored by the crew, who recognize that, much like Dr. McCoy, he truly cares.
5 Captain Lee Adama & Captain James T. Kirk
The Fearless Leader, Jr.
Young Captain Lee Adama (Jamie Barber) runs parallel to the Star Trek: 2009 rebooted Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) in several ways. Brash, cocky, sometimes immature, but ultimately a good leader, Lee does the right thing – but not always the smart thing. Captain Kirk and Captain Adama each have issues with authority and have suffered the traumatic loss of a close family member: Kirk his father, and Lee his brother, Zak Adama – both were piloting a spacecraft when they died, though under very different circumstances.
Though both Lee Adama and James T. Kirk have heroic tendencies, Lee is far less prone to self-sacrifice than Kirk, and frequently tempers this impulse in his father and others aboard the Battlestar Galactica, instead advising caution. This tension is further aggravated by Lee’s deep sense of justice, another trait shared with Kirk, and it comes to a head when he defends the traitor Gaius Baltar.
4 Galen Tyrol & Montgomery Scott
The Everyman Mechanic
Galen Tyrol (Aaron Douglas) is the backbone of the Battlestar Galactica, and his character is reminiscent of Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) from Star Trek: The Original Series. Filling the "everyman" trope, Tyrol gets the job done and works well under extreme pressure in order to keep the Galactica flying, much like Star Trek's "miracle worker" Scotty. This apparent loyalty and high level of competency at his job does not prevent him from loudly advocating for the rights of his crewmen, however.
In the miniseries pilot episode, Tyrol is emotionally devastated by the loss of a group of crewmembers and openly criticizes the loss of life caused by his commanding officers’ choices. As evident by this scene in which he tells Commander Adama that only 40 seconds were required to save those 80-odd lives, Tyrol does not hold back when speaking to commanding officers, and as with Scotty, it is often with good reason.
3 President Laura Roslin & Captain Kathryn Janeway
The Diplomatic Matriarch
The parallels between Star Trek: Voyager Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) are not difficult to recognize. Each serves as the strong female lead and cunning diplomat and is frequently required to make impossible choices to guide what remains of their skeleton crew to safety while protecting the greater good. These decisions haunt President Roslin, but much like Janeway, she puts her people ahead of herself while doing her best to make ethical choices, all while battling terminal cancer, whereas Captain Janeway battled depression.
Similarly to Janeway, President Roslin takes criticism and sexism in stride, maintaining a collected exterior and even managing to positively redirect such energy towards more practical measures that serve the needs of those around her. These leadership skills are evident in her calm handling of her authority being questioned directly after the Cylon attack on Caprica is announced in the miniseries pilot.
2 Tom Zarek & Garak
The Pot-Stirrer
Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) is a charismatic but destructive political activist who frequently utilizes violent means to achieve his goals. Beyond their rhyming names, agitator Tom Zarek and Cardassian tailor Elim Garak (Andrew J. Robinson) of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine share a few notable qualities, such as cunning and a particular penchant for deception and subterfuge. They both share a relationship with a brilliant scientist, with Zarek's political connection to Baltar and Garak's friendship with Dr. Bashir.
While Tom Zarek is certainly far more likely to stir up unrest, Garak is no peacekeeper himself. The humble tailor certainly shares in Zarek’s treasonous tendencies on some level, having been exiled from the Obsidian Order following an affair with the wife of a military officer (although the truth of that story is questionable at best given multiple variations were told). As capable of deception as Garak, who once told Dr. Bashir, "The truth is usually just an excuse for lack of imagination,” Zarek resorts to manipulation and violence in furthering his supposedly humanitarian cause. Shortly before their capture, Gaeta tells Zarek that all they have now is “lies and murder.”
1 Boxey & Wesley Crusher
Shut Up, Boxey
Boxey (Noah Hathaway) is undoubtedly the Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) of Battlestar Galactica. This original series character acts as the precocious little kid on deck, whose primary job is to get underfoot and ensure the show’s network was able to point to some wholesome, kid-friendly content to supposedly up their ratings. While the character may be endearing on some level – especially his dog-like robotic creature, the “daggit” – Boxey served no true narrative purpose and, much like Star Trek's Wesley Crusher, was not a fan-favorite.
Luckily, like Star Trek rehabilitated Wesley, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica avoided this pitfall and quickly disposed of Boxey’s character after the miniseries pilot made a brief attempt to bring him back. Boxey and the copious other child characters featured in Galactica 1980 existed largely against the will of the creators. Their presence was due to network censor demands to make the show less violent and more child-friendly, with an emphasis on clean-cut characters and lots of children featured on the show. In response to this demand, the original creator Glen Larson (via John Larocque) is quoted as saying, “Okay, I’ll give you kids crawling out of your ears!”
