Richard Adar
last president of the United Colonies
Richard Adar was President of the United Colonies of Kobol and Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Fleet at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. His administration funded the work that the Cylons exploited to cripple the fleet, and he was killed along with nearly his entire government in the attack.
Richard Adar was the head of state of the United Colonies of Kobol and Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Fleet at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. Having risen from mayor to the presidency, he presided over a military buildup pushed by his admirals and funded the research that the Cylons ultimately turned against the colonies. He and almost the entirety of his administration were killed in the Cylon attack, leaving Secretary of Education Laura Roslin to succeed him.
Rise to the presidency#
In the decade before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Adar served as a mayor and held larger political ambitions, which he eventually realized when he was elected President of the United Colonies. During his earlier years in city government he worked alongside Laura Roslin, who would later serve in his cabinet as Secretary of Education and ultimately succeed him in the presidency.
Military buildup and the Command Navigation Program#
About two years before the Fall, the Colonial military pressed Adar for greater funding, having grown convinced that the Cylons were rearming for an offensive. Under this pressure he authorized a modernization of the fleet. Among the projects his administration backed was work by Gaius Baltar, a celebrated information-technology researcher and an outspoken proponent of computer networking. From Baltar's work came the Command Navigation Program intended to integrate the fleet's systems.
The program had been infiltrated by a Number Six, and the Cylons quietly built it into the plan for their coming attack. The push for modernization also extended to reconnaissance, including an experimental Stealthstar launched from the Battlestar Valkyrie across the Armistice Line to probe Cylon defenses.
The Fall and surrender#
When the Cylon assault began, Picon Fleet Headquarters was destroyed in a surprise strike that saw the loss of some thirty battlestars. Facing a collapse of Colonial defenses, Adar offered the Cylons an unconditional surrender. The surrender was ignored, and the nuclear bombardment of the Twelve Colonies continued. Adar and nearly the entirety of his administration were killed in the attack.
With his government destroyed, Laura Roslin, the Secretary of Education and the highest-ranking official to survive the Fall, was sworn into office and succeeded Adar as President of the surviving Colonials.
Frequently asked questions
- Who was Richard Adar?
- Richard Adar was the President of the United Colonies of Kobol and Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Fleet at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. He rose from mayor to the presidency before his administration was destroyed in the Cylon attack.
- How did Richard Adar become President?
- In the decade before the Fall, Adar served as a mayor and held larger political ambitions, which he realized when he was elected President of the United Colonies. During his earlier years in city government he worked alongside Laura Roslin.
- What role did Adar play in the Cylon attack on the Colonies?
- About two years before the Fall, the Colonial military pressed Adar for greater funding, and he authorized a modernization of the fleet. His administration backed Gaius Baltar's work, which produced the Command Navigation Program, and that program had been infiltrated by a Number Six and was built into the Cylon plan for their attack.
- How did Richard Adar respond when the Cylons attacked?
- After Picon Fleet Headquarters was destroyed in a surprise strike that saw the loss of some thirty battlestars, Adar offered the Cylons an unconditional surrender. The surrender was ignored, and the nuclear bombardment continued.
- What happened to Richard Adar?
- Adar and nearly the entirety of his administration were killed in the Cylon attack. Laura Roslin, the Secretary of Education and the highest-ranking official to survive, was sworn in and succeeded him as President of the surviving Colonials.
Sources
- WikiRichard Adar — Battlestar Wiki entry
- WikiLaura Roslin — Battlestar Wiki entry
- WikiFall of the Twelve Colonies — Battlestar Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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