Commander Cain
Encyclopedia
Commander Cain is a fictional character
in the original Battlestar Galactica
science fiction
TV series, portrayed by the American
actor Lloyd Bridges
.
, the father of Lieutenant Sheba
, and former lover of Cassiopeia
. He is one of the greatest heroes in the Colonial Service; his battle strategies are legendary throughout the fleet. However, he is also known to be rather impulsive and a maverick. He inspires near-fanatical loyalty amongst his crew on the Pegasus. Under his command, the Pegasus sortied to defend a human ally world, out of contact with the Twelve Colonies, with an expeditionary force (referred to as The Fifth Fleet) that was destroyed by the Cylons; the Pegasus, however, escaped, and was spared destruction at Baltar's betrayal to the Cylons.
", where the Pegasus meets up with the Galactica, under the command of Commander Adama
, and its refugee fleet just as it is experiencing a fuel shortage. After a joyous reunion, Cain offers to solve the fleet's difficulty by raiding Cylon tankers. However, Cain desires much more and proposes the Battlestars attack the planet Gamoray, occupied by the Cylons, in an effort to take the offensive against the enemy.
However, Adama, more concerned with his quest for Earth and the protection of the refugees, refuses to agree to Cain's reckless plan. When Cain is discovered deliberately interfering with fuel raids to force the attack he wants, Adama relieves him of duty in favor of Colonel Tigh
assuming authority of Pegasus with orders to distribute its fuel reserves amongst the refugee fleet. The Pegasus crew nearly mutiny at this treatment of Cain and the fleet is perilously close to a small civil war.
However, Count Baltar
suddenly attacks with a large force of Cylons to destroy the Galactica and interrupts the colonial dispute in the face of the common enemy. Adama restores Cain to his command while Cain concedes that had his offensive been carried out, the refugee fleet would have been helpless at this moment.
Although outnumbered, the commanders decide on a pincer movement where the Galactica occupies Baltar's attention while Pegasus maneuvers around for a surprise attack. In the ensuing engagement, the Galactica suffers heavy damage, and its landing bays are crippled to prevent its Vipers from refueling. However, just as Baltar expects the battlestar to fall, the traitor is caught completely off guard as the Pegasus makes its attack run with its Viper complement deployed to relieve the sister ship. Stunned with the unexpected appearance of a second battlestar and alarmed by its fresh reinforcements about to attack his depleted forces, Baltar orders a retreat.
Cain eventually convinces Adama to let him return to command of his Battlestar, which he takes into a near-suicidal attack on a duo of Cylon Basestar
s. In the ensuing battle, the Cylons are destroyed and it appears Cain and his ship as well, although Apollo is unable to determine their fate as the explosions and clouds of debris from the battle are too intense. (Their ultimate fate remains unknown.)
Cain subsequently appears in series star Richard Hatch
's re-launch novel series, having led the Pegasus to a planet where he and his surviving crew founded a new colony and began construction of two new battlestars and were preparing to resume the war with the Cylons.
He also appears in the Maximum Press Battlestar Galactica comic book series. Due to image licensing restrictions, he sports a mustache and bears no resemblance to Lloyd Bridges.
, creator and producer of Battlestar Galactica, attempted a revival in the late 1990s with a feature film project that would feature Commander Cain and the Battlestar Pegasus. However, Larson's planned film never went into production.
Cain (as played by Lloyd Bridges) was featured in the second Battlestar Galactica movie Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, which was a feature-length release edited from the series episodes "The Living Legend
" and "Fire in Space
".
, who is Commander Adama's superior officer, and is portrayed by the actress Michelle Forbes
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the original Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
TV series, portrayed by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
.
Description
Commander Cain is the commander of the Battlestar PegasusBattlestar Pegasus
Battlestar Pegasus is a fictional spacecraft that appears in the both the original and the reimagined television series Battlestar Galactica.- Battlestar Galactica :...
, the father of Lieutenant Sheba
Lieutenant Sheba
Lieutenant Sheba, portrayed by Anne Lockhart, is a fictional character and regular cast member of the 1978-1979 ABC television series Battlestar Galactica....
, and former lover of Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (Battlestar Galactica)
Cassiopeia is a fictional character in the original Battlestar Galactica which ran on ABC from 1978 to 1979. The role was portrayed by Laurette Spang.-History:...
. He is one of the greatest heroes in the Colonial Service; his battle strategies are legendary throughout the fleet. However, he is also known to be rather impulsive and a maverick. He inspires near-fanatical loyalty amongst his crew on the Pegasus. Under his command, the Pegasus sortied to defend a human ally world, out of contact with the Twelve Colonies, with an expeditionary force (referred to as The Fifth Fleet) that was destroyed by the Cylons; the Pegasus, however, escaped, and was spared destruction at Baltar's betrayal to the Cylons.
"The Living Legend"
Cain appears in the original series two-part episode, "The Living LegendThe Living Legend
"The Living Legend" is a two-part episode of the original Battlestar Galactica television series. The episode is often rated as one of the most popular of the original series...
", where the Pegasus meets up with the Galactica, under the command of Commander Adama
Commander Adama
Commander Adama is a fictional character in the 1978 movie and subsequent ABC television series Battlestar Galactica and its continuation series, Galactica 1980. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the...
, and its refugee fleet just as it is experiencing a fuel shortage. After a joyous reunion, Cain offers to solve the fleet's difficulty by raiding Cylon tankers. However, Cain desires much more and proposes the Battlestars attack the planet Gamoray, occupied by the Cylons, in an effort to take the offensive against the enemy.
However, Adama, more concerned with his quest for Earth and the protection of the refugees, refuses to agree to Cain's reckless plan. When Cain is discovered deliberately interfering with fuel raids to force the attack he wants, Adama relieves him of duty in favor of Colonel Tigh
Colonel Tigh
Colonel Tigh is a fictional character in the original 1978 TV series Battlestar Galactica, played by Terry Carter. He is the Executive Officer of the titutlar ship. In his early years, he flew a Viper in the same squadron as Commander Adama. Tigh at first appears to be strictly by-the-book and a...
assuming authority of Pegasus with orders to distribute its fuel reserves amongst the refugee fleet. The Pegasus crew nearly mutiny at this treatment of Cain and the fleet is perilously close to a small civil war.
However, Count Baltar
Count Baltar
In the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series, Count Baltar was a leading antagonist character who betrayed the human race to its enemy, the robot race of Cylons...
suddenly attacks with a large force of Cylons to destroy the Galactica and interrupts the colonial dispute in the face of the common enemy. Adama restores Cain to his command while Cain concedes that had his offensive been carried out, the refugee fleet would have been helpless at this moment.
Although outnumbered, the commanders decide on a pincer movement where the Galactica occupies Baltar's attention while Pegasus maneuvers around for a surprise attack. In the ensuing engagement, the Galactica suffers heavy damage, and its landing bays are crippled to prevent its Vipers from refueling. However, just as Baltar expects the battlestar to fall, the traitor is caught completely off guard as the Pegasus makes its attack run with its Viper complement deployed to relieve the sister ship. Stunned with the unexpected appearance of a second battlestar and alarmed by its fresh reinforcements about to attack his depleted forces, Baltar orders a retreat.
Cain eventually convinces Adama to let him return to command of his Battlestar, which he takes into a near-suicidal attack on a duo of Cylon Basestar
Cylon Basestar
The Basestar is the capital ship of the Cylons in the 1978 science fiction television series and movie Battlestar Galactica along with its re-imagining in the 2003 miniseries and 2004 television series.- Battlestar Galactica :...
s. In the ensuing battle, the Cylons are destroyed and it appears Cain and his ship as well, although Apollo is unable to determine their fate as the explosions and clouds of debris from the battle are too intense. (Their ultimate fate remains unknown.)
Cain subsequently appears in series star Richard Hatch
Richard Hatch
Richard Hatch is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, and also as Tom Zarek in the remake of Battlestar Galactica....
's re-launch novel series, having led the Pegasus to a planet where he and his surviving crew founded a new colony and began construction of two new battlestars and were preparing to resume the war with the Cylons.
He also appears in the Maximum Press Battlestar Galactica comic book series. Due to image licensing restrictions, he sports a mustache and bears no resemblance to Lloyd Bridges.
Proposed movie
Glen A. LarsonGlen A. Larson
Glen Albert Larson is an American television producer and writer best known as the creator of Battlestar Galactica, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.-Career:...
, creator and producer of Battlestar Galactica, attempted a revival in the late 1990s with a feature film project that would feature Commander Cain and the Battlestar Pegasus. However, Larson's planned film never went into production.
Cain (as played by Lloyd Bridges) was featured in the second Battlestar Galactica movie Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, which was a feature-length release edited from the series episodes "The Living Legend
The Living Legend
"The Living Legend" is a two-part episode of the original Battlestar Galactica television series. The episode is often rated as one of the most popular of the original series...
" and "Fire in Space
Fire in Space
"Fire in Space" is an episode of the original Battlestar Galactica television series.-Synopsis:The Cylons damage Galactica with suicidal attacks. Fires erupt around the ship, trapping various crewmembers in certain situations and injuring Commander Adama. Boomer, Athena, Boxey and other crew...
".
Reimagined version
The character of Cain was included in several episodes of the remake of Battlestar Galactica, as was the storyline where the Galactica meets the Pegasus. In the remake, the character is Admiral Helena CainHelena Cain
Admiral Helena Cain is a fictional character in the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica, portrayed by Michelle Forbes.-Youth:...
, who is Commander Adama's superior officer, and is portrayed by the actress Michelle Forbes
Michelle Forbes
Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
.
External links
- Cain at the Battlestar Wiki