Laura Roslin

Lore & Background

Laura Roslin begins the series as the Colonial Secretary of Education. After a Cylon attack destroys the colonies, she becomes President. She is a schoolteacher turned politician turned prophet. Roslin uses chamalla to fight her cancer, and begins having visions, eventually coming to believe she is fulfilling a 1,600-year old prophecy and has been fated to lead the colonists to their salvation. She is firm in her distinction of Cylons and humans due to the threat Cylons impose, allowing for torture of a Cylon prisoner. She places prime importance on the reproduction of the human race, going so far as to issue a controversial limitation on abortion in 'The Captain’s Hand', despite her previously pro-choice position. Roslin is shown to enjoy reading, and watching boxing, going so far as to give advice in a boxing match. A fighter vessel is christened Laura in her honor, going on to play an important role in the narrative.

In Their Own Story

Laura Roslin tries to rig an election. She is the first to suggest that they will have to assassinate Admiral Cain. When the fleet is first finding and rescuing survivors, upon the urging of Apollo, Roslin adopts a utilitarian attitude. She tries to make a deal with prisoners for labor in the episode 'Bastille Day'. Tom Zarek declines, eventually seizing Roslin's delegation as hostages, demanding her resignation and free elections. Roslin makes the decision to assassinate Zarek as a refusal to negotiate with terrorists. Later, when President Roslin and Commander Adama cannot agree where to go, Roslin takes one third of the fleet, forcing Adama to decide whether to follow. Given the opportunity to commit genocide against the Cylons, Roslin authorizes the act because they are 'a mortal threat to the survival of the human race'. The plan is ultimately undermined by the actions of Helo. Roslin has a last finest hour addressing the fleet during a mutiny, in the episode 'Blood on the Scales'.

Reader's Guide

Laura Roslin is a key character throughout the series. She is played by Mary McDonnell. She is the President of the colonies. Multiple authors have analyzed the character. Geoff Ryman praises both the writing and performance. Karen Walsh calls the character realistic and nuanced, explaining that Roslin is defined by both strength and weakness, hubris and a belief in the greater good. Roz Kaveney says, 'Roslin is a schoolteacher turned politician turned prophet – she is almost by definition extraordinary.' Daniel Milsky describes Roslin's character evolution through the show: to start 'she appears to be a nonsectarian voice of reason... simply a victim of circumstance.' Later, due to the chamalla she uses to fight her cancer, she begins having visions, eventually coming to believe she 'is fulfilling a 1,600-year old prophecy and has been fated to lead the colonists to their salvation'. Jason P. Blahuta compares Roslin to Lucretia as portrayed in Niccolò Machiavelli's play La Mandragola, describing Roslin's evolution from noble and naïve to someone willing to get their hands dirty.

Did You Know?

• Laura Roslin is played by Mary McDonnell.
• Roslin's place in the succession – forty-three – is an oblique reference to George W. Bush’s presidential number.
• Roslin uses chamalla to fight her cancer, which leads to visions that convince her she is fulfilling a 1,600-year old prophecy.
• A fighter vessel is christened Laura in her honor, going on to play an important role in the narrative.
• Roslin has a last finest hour addressing the fleet during a mutiny, in the episode 'Blood on the Scales'.

Moral Complexity and Leadership Evolution

Multiple authors have analyzed the character of Laura Roslin. Geoff Ryman praises both the writing and performance. He highlights many aspects of the character including the moral complexity her decisions exemplify in the show, which 'is commenting on modern issues in a way that does not take sides'. Karen Walsh calls the character realistic and nuanced, explaining that Roslin is defined by both strength and weakness, hubris and a belief in the greater good. She notes that 'Laura Roslin's willingness to accept consequences and admit mistakes offers a model proving the importance of multifaceted characters.... Her flaws empower her.' Daniel Milsky describes Roslin's character evolution through the show. To start 'she appears to be a nonsectarian voice of reason... simply a victim of circumstance.' Later in the series, perhaps due to the 'chamalla' she uses to fight her cancer, she begins having visions, eventually coming to believe she 'is fulfilling a 1,600-year old prophecy and has been fated to lead the colonists to their salvation'. Jason P. Blahuta compares Roslin to Lucretia as portrayed in Niccolò Machiavelli's play La Mandragola, 'in a world of evildoers the only way to secure happiness for everyone is to become corrupt and play the game', describing Roslin's evolution from noble and naïve to someone willing to get their hands dirty. When the fleet is first finding and rescuing survivors, upon the urging of Apollo, Roslin adopts a utilitarian attitude according to Dr. Randy Jensen.

Femininity Versus Military Necessity

In the essay collection Battlestar Galactica: Investigating Flesh, Spirit and Steel., Matthew Jones notes that within the fleet, traditional femininity is rare, but that Roslin 'seemingly exudes it from every pore,' with several examples. Jones dives into the example of 'Roslin’s faith, an intangible, ethereal and thus – within the logic of normative gender identities – feminine force', explaining how this feminine is juxtaposed with the masculinity of William Adama's military command. Jones further explains that Roslin is characterized as more traditionally feminine in these spiritual moments, but 'when the fate of the fleet in involved, however, she must behave according to a more volatile, masculine code of conduct.' Author Sarah Conly similarly states, 'Roslin, while demonstrating more of the mannerisms found in traditional maternal care, can be ruthless in advocating violence against those she sees as a danger', further explaining that BSG's portrayal of gender roles exemplifies Simone de Beauvoir's belief in no inherent nature for men or women.

Political Allegory and American Parallels

Multiple authors analyze the character in the context of the Bush administration. Jennifer Stoy says 'Roslin’s place in the succession – forty-three – is an oblique reference to George W. Bush’s presidential number, and her fundamentalist ties are most certainly meant to evoke the former American president.' C.W. Marshall and Tiffany Potter note how through the character's set of values, 'BSG deconstructs the compulsory correlatives that divide contemporary thinking about American culture and identity.' In the episode 'Bastille Day', Laura Roslin tries to make a deal with prisoners for labor. Tom Zarek declines, eventually seizing Roslin's delegation as hostages, demanding her resignation and free elections to choose leadership that represents the people. As Roslin was not elected by the people, Brian L. Ott explains the parallels the show is drawing to Bush, who lost the popular vote to Al Gore in 2000. Ott also notes the timing of the episode, one day after Bush's second inauguration, as well as the decision Roslin makes to assassinate Zarek as a refusal to negotiate with terrorists.

Ethical Dilemmas Regarding Cylons

The distinction and treatment of Cylons is a central theme for the character. Shawn Malley says that Roslin is firm in her distinction of Cylons and humans due to the threat Cylons impose, allowing for torture of a Cylon prisoner. Karen Randell places this event in the context of the early 2000s Bush Administration, describing the torture Roslin witnesses and her ultimate execution of a potential terrorist. Randell says the character's actions are 'a sobering reminder that in times of war, laws can be reinterpreted', comparing this to president Bush's signing statement of the Detainee Treatment Act. Marco Fey, et al. explain Roslin's ridicule of Cylon Athena's feelings of love as part of a larger rejection of Cylon humanity by the humans of the show. When Hera, a half-human, half-cylon child is born, Gaius Baltar declares her as half-human. Magali Rennes notes that, focused on her concern for the security of the fleet, 'Roslin implies, like Moreau de St. Méry, that the tiniest drop of Cylon blood show Hera is not at all human.' However, when Roslin's cancer is soon cured by an injection of Hera's blood, Roslin does not view herself as Cylon. Roslin herself architects the abduction of the child, but much later in the series seems to have softened on allowing her Cylon mother to raise her. At one point, given the opportunity to commit genocide against the Cylons, Roslin authorizes the act because they are 'a mortal threat to the survival of the human race'. The plan is ultimately undermined by the actions of Helo.