The Battlestar Galactica Character You Are Based On Your Zodiac Sign
Battlestar Galactica is the rare TV series that's actually based on classical Greek mythology and the zodiac. The show even incorporates characters named after many of the gods, like Lee Adama's call sign "Apollo," and Athena and her daughter Hera. The show's backstory too is based almost entirely around the signs of the zodiac, with the twelve colonies of Kobol being directly named after the signs: Aerelon, Aquaria, Canceron, Caprica, Gemenon, Leonis, Libris, Picon, Sagittaron, Scorpia, Tauron, and Virgon. The original "Battlestar Galactica" series from 1978 was based around the "ancient astronauts" theory that aliens from outer space helped create and guide our civilization some millennia ago, and the show's mythology implied that our Earthly Zodiac was inspired and named after the Twelve Colonies of Kobol rather than the other way around.
While the rebooted Battlestar Galactica from 2003 also lifts many of these elements from its parent series, it doesn't make quite as many direct references to the astrological chart as zodiac aficionados might hope. It does, however, have many overt religious and mythological themes that are reflected in the show's characters that run parallel to the star signs.
We've picked through our notes from this modern sci-fi classic and figured out which characters best represent each of the twelve star signs — one for each colony of Kobol too — so you can see which Battlestar Galactica character you are based on your zodiac sign.
Capricorn: Admiral Bill Adama
Admiral William Adama, the focal point of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series, is our choice for Capricorn. It's fitting, as he hails from the planet colony Caprica, which sits at the center of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.
Obsessed with his job as commander — to the point of being a workaholic — the elder Adama and commander of the Galactica believes that as leader of the ship and in some ways the entire fleet (and thus all of the remnants of his entire race), he should be totally devoted to his duties. It's because of this diligent, overly responsible nature that prevents him from getting close to anyone beyond his son and long-time friend Saul Tigh. Even as a romantic attraction begins to take shape between himself and President Roslin, he refuses to engage it, believing that forming such emotional attachments are not the right thing to do, to the extent that he feels it would weaken him.
Stubborn and prideful, it takes a lot for Adama to admit he might need help, and he is always the one to volunteer to make the sacrifice even when other alternatives are available. This classic Capricorn trait came into play when he ordered his son Apollo to leave a battle, knowing he wouldn't survive, even though the two ships could have successfully fought off the Cylons. Thankfully, Apollo's trademark Sagittarius traits kicked in, and he returned to save his father.
Virgo: Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
Just a handful of episodes into the first season, thirteen Viper pilots are killed in a hangar accident aboard the Battlestar Galactica. Adama, Apollo, and Starbuck are forced to recruit a new team of pilots from the civilians within the fleet, much to their chagrin. The first standout is Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza, a former academy washout who now gets a second chance at his dream of flying a Viper into battle.
The training of the first group of new pilots does not go well, but "Hot Dog" distinguishes himself in the episode "Act of Contrition" when he is forced into combat after a group of Cylon Raiders attack them while on a training exercise. Demonstrating initiative, "Hot Dog" defies Starbuck's order to return to Galactica, showing loyalty and courage in the face of the attack as he comes to her aid, saving her life. This selflessness, determination, and stubbornness are indicative of a Virgo. After "graduating" from Starbuck's training program, "Hot Dog" continues to work hard to prove himself to his team and his skeptical commanders, and he does so on many occasions flying combat air patrol missions and engaging in pitched dog fights with Cylon Raiders. "Hot Dog" showed off his Virgo traits too, displaying bravery and toughness as one of the most dependable pilots in the fleet.
Leo: Karl "Helo" Agathon
If you ever needed a friend who'd be there for you whenever you needed them, that's a Leo through and through, and that's Karl "Helo" Agathon. Dependable, big hearted, noble, and offering champion-level leadership: These are qualities of the fifth zodiac sign, and that's such a perfect description of Helo, it's a wonder his call sign wasn't "Lion," the animal that represents the star sign. In his first appearance, Agathon even gives up his seat on an escape craft to Gaius Baltar because he feels that the genius scientist has more to offer his surviving race than he, a humble pilot, does.
Leos often boast a serious case of self-confidence and find that a strong sense of command comes easy to them. They're never hesitant to show that side of themselves either, choosing to lead by example. When Leos combine their good heart, generous nature, and self-confidence, it can make them fantastic and supportive friends to those in their orbit. It also makes them obvious leaders: This array of qualities are naturally ones that people look for in their leaders, and Leos are usually charismatic too, which easily draws others in and gives them something to aspire to.
Resilient and determined, Leos are often unstoppable when they put their mind to something, and all of these traits build a good description of Karl "Helo" Agathon, the determined, fiercely loyal Raptor commander who would eventually become Admiral Adam's second in command.
Libra: Anastasia "Dee" Dualla
Anastasia "Dee" Dualla may be a native of Sagitarron, but if you ask us, she's a Libra. When we meet Dualla, she is the communications officer on the bridge of the Battlestar Galactica. She eventually makes her way up to being the first officer of the Battlestar Pegasus, serving beneath her husband, Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama.
Early on in the series, though, she is in a relationship with President Roslin's young aide Billy, until she realizes she doesn't really love him and has feelings for Apollo. This uncertainty is a trait of Libras, who are often troubled by the challenges of committing to big decisions. They are also prone to avoid conflict, possibly due to their empathy, which is what led her to stay with Billy in the first place and delayed her eventual pairing with Apollo. Ever the self-doubter, "Dee" continually struggles — like a Libra — with making sure she is doing the right thing, especially in an environment like the surviving Caprican fleet where right and wrong aren't so black and white.
If you know Libras, you also know they are often afraid to be alone, and it is this fear of loneliness that leads Dualla to her untimely end after her split from Apollo and the realization that the fleet may never find Earth.
Scorpio: Admiral Helen Cain
The discovery of the Battlestar Pegasus is one of the most thrilling and downright dramatic storylines of Battlestar Galactica. When Admiral Cain and the Pegasus first show up, there's a sense of profound joy and excitement amid the fleet, and there is a renewed sense of hope that they can avoid a Cylon armageddon.
But Cain proved to be more than meets the eye, and when tensions mount between herself and Adama over how to handle the Cylons, things turned ugly. It was discovered that she was holding a version of Cylon infiltrator Six as her prisoner aboard Pegasus and was torturing the female android not just for information on the enemy but seemingly for her own twisted satisfaction. Eventually, it was revealed that Cain and Six were once in a relationship prior to the Cyon's true nature being uncovered. It was Cain's feeling of personal betrayal that at least partly motivated her misguided attempt to take control of the fleet.
Cain is a woman who goes after what she wants, and there is no holding her back, just like a Scorpio. She possesses an unrivaled focus, a fierce cunning, and a single-minded determination toward her endgame. Her unwillingness to put up with mind games and manipulation strike at the heart of her character. Her intense jealousy of power and her sense of entitlement to that power are all marks of a Scorpio.
Cancer: Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
The story of Sharon Valerii is complicated. When the series opens, she is the girlfriend of deck chief Galen Tyrol, but soon we learn she's the first of the hidden "secret Cylons": a breed of evil androids (of which there are many identical copies) that impersonate humans and are programmed so deeply that they think they're human. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii is one the first of these to be revealed, but unbeknownst to the crew, another copy who becomes known as Athena has been programmed to befriend a Galactica crew-member, Karl "Helo" Agathon, who is stranded in war-torn Caprica. Unfortunately for the Cylons, she falls in love with Agathon and bears his child, with her motherly instincts kicking in as she fights against her programming.
Both Valeriis have similar traits, as both are Cylon agents in a battle to fight off their own true nature, with differing levels of success. Both are clear Cancers, however: loyal and protective, sensitive, possibly even a little moody. Both "Boomer" and Athena versions of Valerii are extremely emotional, each struggling emotionally with their inner turmoil over their Cylon nature. Both Athena and Boomer become fiercely protective of Helo and "their" daughter, Hera. Cancers are said to be the "heart on your sleeve" type, whose emotions are an open book to those around them. Caring, even nurturing, they can also become deeply insular when troubled or upset. This is why Sharon Valerii, whose emotions are easily read, is our pick for Cancer.
Pisces: Caprica Six
An article about Pisces from Costar Astrology describes those born between February 18 and March 20 as "somehow both five and 50 at the same time." Caprica Six is the resurrected humanoid working within the highest levels of the Cylon society to destroy the human race, and she is both decades-old artificial intelligence and a newly born clone of sorts. She flits back and forth between wise, ageless teacher and naive wunderkind, struggling to decide which side she is really on. Will she continue to help her people annihilate mankind? Or will she play robot revolutionary and start a new life for a new breed of Cylons?
Costar Astrology also notes that Pisces "thinks everything is a sign" and "can't remember if they dreamt it or it actually happened," being "prone to fantasy." Caprica Six is haunted, or perhaps guided, by a vision (or memory or program malfunction, we're never quite sure) of Gaius Baltar, the man she manipulated into helping her take down Caprican defenses in the series opener. Hailed as a hero by her brethren, she struggles with guilt and regret, as her "fantasy Baltar" taunts her about what she's done. She begins to have difficulty interpreting reality apart from her visions, but when a group of Cylon humanoids band together to defy Cavil — the Cylon leader — it's the spiritual Caprica Six that leads the android uprising.
Aquarius: Felix Gaeta
Those born under the sign of Aquarius are often seen as cold or insensitive, and while most wouldn't necessarily describe the Battlestar Galactica tactical officer as callous, he was quite unemotional and a hard character to peg early on because of his tendency to remain unmoved. His ability to stay detached served him well in his role as an analytically driven tactician — necessary to his position on the bridge of the Galactica — but it left many around him uncertain of where he stood. Nobody suspected that he was actually in league with Saul Tigh and Anastasia Dualla in their plot to rig the Presidential election in favor of Laura Roslin. And when he worked alongside infamous traitor Gaius Baltar as his chief of staff, there was no one ready to believe he was really working as a double agent feeding information to the resistance. Gaeta played his cards close to his vest with a detachment that made him an enigma.
Aquariuses are also sometimes known as excessively idealistic, too. Gaeta embodies this trait as well as the ship's resident Walter Mitty. In the season three episode "Exodus, Part 2," Gaeta has President Gaius Baltar — then the corrupt leader of the human colony during the New Caprica Cylon takeover — held at gunpoint for his betrayal. Baltar makes excuses but goes so far as to call out Gaeta's sense of optimism, stating, "You're an idealist. There's no shame in that."
Taurus: Galen Tyrol
One of the strengths of Battlestar Galactica was its ability to show characters from all walks of life, from the upper crust Gaius Baltar all the way down to the impoverished criminal turned revolutionary Tom Zarek. Galen Tyrol wasn't the well-to-do military academy graduate that Lee Adama was but was instead the humble everyman, the ship's resident mechanic and deck chief. Hardworking, diligent, and dependable, he represented the working class of the fleet. He had none of the desire to be out in combat flying Vipers and dog-fighting with Cylon Raiders as many others around him did — he simply wanted to do his part.
The bull sign Taurus (the colony of Tauron in the series) is appropriate for Tyrol, whose personality is very much like a bull itself: dedicated, stubborn, maybe even a little pig-headed. A Taurus values consistency over excitement just like Tyrol and values honesty and integrity over all else. When his girlfriend, Sharon, reveals her true nature as a Cylon, he immediately turns on her. Discovering later in the series that he too is a humanoid Cylon — one of the so-called "final five" — it eats away at him. Not only does he despise his hidden nature, but he also cannot accept that he has been living a lie, and the change in his nature, a shock to his steady and consistent life, is too much for his soul to bear.
Cancer: Laura Roslin
When Caprica is attacked by the Cylons and many within the government are killed, Secretary of Education Laura Roslin is elevated to President of the Twelve Colonies. Military leaders like Admiral Adama doubt her both because of her inexperience and her emotionality and supposed softness, which seemlingly don't make for a good leader in the face of a galactic apocalypse. But Roslin proves the skeptics wrong with her strength, grace, and resolve.
After being diagnosed with cancer, Roslin resorted to an herbal concoction called "chamalla" that gives her powerful religious visions that the otherwise more secular President embraces and uses to help guide her leadership of the fleet. Though often emotional, Roslin is anything but weak, something that even terrorist and freedom fighter Tom Zarek recognizes. Roslin is able to overlook Zarek's criminal history, and the two become unlikely allies, but she never forgets his past either — and she's well-served not to.
A lover of old-fashioned and long-held traditions, Roslin dreamt of building a cabin on New Caprica and spending her retirement there with Admiral Adama. After her death, when Adama finally concluded the fleet's long journey, making a home the new planet they named "Earth," he promised to fulfill her dream and build the cabin she had spoken of. Sensitive, spiritual, and a carrier of great burdens, Roslin is a true Cancer.
Sagittarius: Lee "Apollo" Adama
A Sagitarrius is strong and independent, seeking to chart their own course, much preferring to walk their own path rather than follow in the footsteps of another, just like Lee "Apollo" Adama did when he fought for command of the Pegasus so he could get out from underneath the shadow of his father, Admiral Adama. But even that wasn't enough for him, and he eventually left the service entirely to pursue a legal and political career, upsetting his father but setting him off on his own journey. Apollo, like a Sagittarius, was the person most trusted to get things done, accomplish the big mission, and achieve an impossible goal. In short, when something important needed doing, the crew of Galactica turned to Lee Adama because they knew no matter what was needed, he was the one they could trust to make it happen.
Emotional intelligence goes hand in hand with that strength for a Sagittarius, and that's what made Apollo such a great member of the Galactica team — and eventually Commander, lawyer, and aspiring political leader. Apollo was able to gauge and respond to the people around him, engaging them with encouragement and support, in turn gaining theirs. A Sagittarius is said to be able to see the larger picture, to assess situations, to see all angles, making them great problem solvers, too. From command of the Pegasus to his time as President of the Twelve Colonies, Lee's Sagitarrian traits served him well.
Gemini: Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar is the slippery snake and sinsister, cunning anti-hero of Battlestar Galactica, always talking out of both sides of his mouth, always ready with a story to tell anyone around who will listen, whether it's true or fabricated.
Spitting out an endless stream of wordy double-speak, Baltar is viciously intelligent, serving as an artificial intelligence expert and computer scientist who is so well respected that he is hired by the President as a special advisor. Despite his duplicitousness, he is able to verbally enchant his way into seemingly any social circle, and his opportunistic nature leads him to form alliances on both sides of every given conflict. He's able to convince just about anyone he's on their side and talk his way out of any sticky situation, with only a very select few being able to see through his devilish sweet talk. Though he might not be quite as funny as he seems to think he is, he always has a joke at the ready, a sly wink to help ease tensions. Despite all his intelligence and charm, however, he's never able to commit to much of anything, with his ideas and priorities shifting episode to episode.
There is nobody aboard Battlestar Galactica who screams the sign of Gemini as much as the self-serving narcissist and genius scientist Gaius Baltar.
Aries: Kara "Starbuck" Thrace
Kara Thrace turned heads when the reboot hit in 2003, but fans quickly came to love her for her no-nonsense attitude, brash style, and competitive nature. Actress Katee Sackhoff silenced (almost) all of her doubters, and her cigar-chomping, poker-playing pilot became an early fan favorite who remains just as iconic and beloved almost twenty years later.
When it comes to the first sign of the zodiac, those born under the sign of Aries — the god of war — are known for being brave, tenacious pioneers, go-getters who are eager for new experiences and are always breaking new ground with their fearlessness and courage while leading the charge.
Kara Thrace has a reputation for being a brave maverick, hungry for adventure, always taking the initiative. Often mistaken for a wild card, she isn't the hot-headed loose canon that many in the fleet think. Instead, she is a confident, brash firebrand with strong convictions. Her reputation comes from her tendency to flout the rules, often going on risky missions — sometimes even disobeying orders — but she does it because knows in her heart that it's the right thing to do. She took on dangerous assignments and was the first human pilot of a Cylon Raider. She's the one that all the pilots in her squadron came to look up to for her bravery and skill, sometimes even more than their actual leader. She is the embodiment of the Aries on Battlestar Galactica.