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In a a later episode of Battlestar Galactica (the 21st century re-imagining) Baltar says that angels come to us as images of people we have known and along the way, we find out that the instance of Caprica Six that continues to talk to Baltar is an angel. We're also seeing, throughout the series, the change from polytheism to monotheism and other themes that tend to point toward concepts similar to Christianity or a Judeo-Christian world view.

But early in the series Angel Six (to avoid confusion with the Cylon Six) tries to distract Baltar, to confuse him, to manipulate him, and even, at one point, forces him to do her bidding at the risk of exposing him to the Galactica crew as a possible traitor.

She keeps baiting him, talking about how he's a traitor, and she doesn't do anything to stop him from turning over a nuclear device to another Cylon Six who eventually uses it to destroy an entire ship, killing many people.

In short, a lot of her behavior seems intent on pushing Baltar over the edge and into madness. But that doesn't seem to play into the theology that comes out later in the series.

I know the producers started out knowing where they wanted to end the story, but allowed room to make changes as they went along, but it seems that Angel Six changed her behavior drastically from this seductress style to acting more like a guide later on.

Is there any reason given on screen for her change in behavior, or have the writers and producers made any comments addressing this at all? Or has this big change in behavior basically been left unexplained?

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    Since when did they know how they wanted to end? The quality of the final season was drastically lower than the rest of the series - this doesn't give the impression of having a plan...
    – Izkata
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 3:55
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    That's what they said in interviews. They knew the general direction, but didn't want to plot out the entire series.
    – Tango
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 3:57
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    Ahhh, that makes more sense (and I didn't know about the interviews). Planning a general direction is probably different than knowing where they wanted it to end, though. Head Baltar and Head Six were pretty ambiguous until that final stretch, so they could have had technology in mind up until a short time before the Angel reveal
    – Izkata
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 4:19

1 Answer 1

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"Head Six" as she is referred to does push Baltar in different directions throughout the series. However, it seems to always be to the ultimate goal of causing Baltar to submit to the One True God (via her), or to move events forward in such a way that the One True God has set in motion. Much of the early events can be attributed to her breaking his will further and further, and you could account the nuclear device as setting pivotal events into motion, especially considering the events of "The Plan"

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  • So "God" (or the Cylon's god) wanted Balter to kill everyone on the Cloud 9 and other nearby ships?
    – Tango
    Commented Feb 19, 2012 at 6:31
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    The "God" of BSG doesn't seem to have much in the way of morality as long as the ultimate plan is seen through.
    – Ashterothi
    Commented Feb 9, 2016 at 2:37
  • @Ashterothi Just like the Judeo-Christian god had not much going in the way of morality either - if murdering all Egyptian first borns (including innocent newborns) is any indication (in what was essentally a pee-pee contest over whose deity is better).
    – BMWurm
    Commented Aug 13, 2018 at 12:34
  • If you can see the future, any concept of morality besides consequentialism goes completely out the window. See Leto II, Foundation, et al Commented Jun 27, 2020 at 11:03

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