Aaron Kelly
Galactica Landing Signals Officer
Captain Aaron Kelly was the Landing Signals Officer aboard the battlestar Galactica and third in its chain of command. He served through the fall of the Twelve Colonies, the occupation of New Caprica, and the trial of Gaius Baltar, during which he turned to terrorism before recoiling from a later mutiny.
Captain Aaron Kelly was the Landing Signals Officer aboard the battlestar Galactica and third in its chain of command, ranking just behind Commander William Adama and Colonel Saul Tigh. As Landing Signals Officer he was responsible for flight operations, including guiding incoming craft to landing. (Battlestar Galactica miniseries; Battlestar Galactica, "Scattered"; "Final Cut")
The fall and its aftermath#
Immediately after the nuclear strike on Galactica, Aaron Kelly attempted to take command of the damage control teams when Colonel Tigh froze mid-decision. His orders were soon countermanded by Tigh, who vented the burning flight pod. In the aftermath he was seen walking among the bodies of fallen crewmembers, collecting their dog tags, and he helped take Aaron Doral into custody. (Battlestar Galactica miniseries)
After Lieutenant Sharon Valerii shot Commander Adama, following a successful nuclear strike against a basestar orbiting Kobol, Tigh took command and Kelly stood as his second. In that capacity he objected to networking Galactica's computers, but Tigh went ahead with Gaeta's plan. Kelly then helped coordinate the defence when Centurions boarded the ship. After Commander Adama recovered, Kelly returned to his post as Landing Signals Officer. (Battlestar Galactica, "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II"; "Scattered"; "Valley of Darkness"; "Final Cut")
New Caprica and the trial of Baltar#
At some point after President Gaius Baltar announced the colonization of New Caprica, Kelly replaced Lieutenant Felix Gaeta as Galactica's tactical officer, holding the role through the rescue from New Caprica. (Battlestar Galactica, "Exodus, Part I"; "Exodus, Part II")
Many in the Fleet blamed Baltar for the loss of life on New Caprica during the Cylon occupation. As Baltar's trial approached, Kelly carried out a series of bombings to derail it: one killed Baltar's first lawyer, and later attacks targeted his replacement, Romo Lampkin. When caught, Kelly confessed that he could no longer bear the strain of sending pilots to their deaths, and said he would keep trying unless he was locked up. (Battlestar Galactica, "The Son Also Rises")
The mutiny and defection#
After the discovery of a devastated Earth, Kelly was freed and joined Lieutenant Gaeta's mutiny, leading a marine team in pursuit of Admiral Adama and Colonel Tigh. (Battlestar Galactica, "The Oath")
He was present aboard Colonial One when marines, acting on Tom Zarek's order, gunned down the Quorum of Twelve, which caused him to doubt the mutiny. He spared Galen Tyrol when they met at an arms locker, then suffered a breakdown in the memorial hallway, where he was found by Lee Adama and his resistance group. His disillusionment led him to defect, and he told Lee Adama where his father was to be executed. Kelly then helped rescue Admiral Adama and retake Galactica. (Battlestar Galactica, "Blood on the Scales")
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Aaron Kelly?
- Captain Aaron Kelly was the Landing Signals Officer aboard the battlestar Galactica and third in its chain of command, ranking behind Commander William Adama and Colonel Saul Tigh. As Landing Signals Officer he was responsible for flight operations, including guiding incoming craft to landing.
- What did Aaron Kelly do after the nuclear strike on Galactica?
- Kelly attempted to take command of the damage control teams when Colonel Tigh froze mid-decision, though his orders were soon countermanded by Tigh. He was later seen walking among the bodies of fallen crewmembers, collecting their dog tags.
- Did Aaron Kelly ever serve as Executive Officer?
- Not formally, but after Sharon Valerii shot Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh took command, Kelly stood second in the chain of command. In that capacity he objected to networking Galactica's computers, but Tigh went ahead with it, and Kelly returned to his post as Landing Signals Officer once Adama recovered.
- Why did Aaron Kelly carry out terrorist attacks during Baltar's trial?
- Kelly set out to derail the trial of Gaius Baltar with a series of bombings, one of which killed Baltar's first lawyer, while others targeted Romo Lampkin. When caught he confessed he could no longer bear the strain of sending pilots to their deaths.
- What happened to Aaron Kelly during Gaeta's mutiny?
- Kelly joined the mutiny and was present when marines gunned down the Quorum of Twelve aboard Colonial One, which caused him to doubt the action and suffer a breakdown. He then defected, told Lee Adama where Admiral Adama was to be executed, and helped retake Galactica.
Sources
- EpisodeBattlestar Galactica miniseries, Two-part miniseries, Sci Fi Channel (2003)
- EpisodeScattered, Season 2, Episode 1 (2005)
- EpisodeFinal Cut, Season 2, Episode 8 (2005)
- EpisodeKobol's Last Gleaming, Part II, Season 1, Episode 13 (2005)
- EpisodeValley of Darkness, Season 2, Episode 2 (2005)
- EpisodeExodus, Part I, Season 3, Episode 3 (2006)
- EpisodeExodus, Part II, Season 3, Episode 4 (2006)
- EpisodeThe Son Also Rises, Season 3, Episode 18 (2007)
- EpisodeThe Oath, Season 4, Episode 13 (2009)
- EpisodeBlood on the Scales, Season 4, Episode 14 (2009)
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Followed from this entry
Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta was a skilled tactical officer aboard the Battlestar Galactica who served as William Adama's Officer of the Watch for years before the Fall. His objection to the fleet's alliance with the Cylons led him to lead a mutiny that ended in his execution.
Gaius Baltar
Dr. Gaius Baltar was a celebrated computer scientist whose vanity and manipulation by a Cylon agent handed the enemy the keys to the Colonial defenses, enabling the near-extermination of humanity. He survived to become Vice President, President, prophet, and finally a reluctant penitent.
Galen Tyrol
Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol kept Galactica's flight deck running through the long flight from the Colonies, a respected and fiercely protective deck chief who learned that he was in fact one of the Final Five Cylons, descended from the Thirteenth Tribe.
Lee Adama: Leland Adama, callsign Apollo
Commander Leland "Apollo" Adama was a Colonial Fleet officer, the sole surviving son of William Adama, who served as Galactica's CAG before turning to politics as the Caprican delegate to the Quorum and, in time, interim President of the Twelve Colonies.
Saul Tigh
Colonel Saul Tigh was the executive officer of the battlestar Galactica and William Adama's oldest friend, a hard-drinking and embittered soldier who later discovered he was one of the Final Five Cylons yet never stopped thinking of himself as a Colonial officer.
William Adama
William "Husker" Adama was a Colonial Fleet officer who commanded the battlestar Galactica through the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. His refusal to network the ship spared it from the Cylon attack, and alongside President Laura Roslin he led the survivors of humanity in search of a new home.
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