Hmmm. Interesting question. I have to admit, I would have been sorry if Kara had killed Zarek off here, because I found him the most interesting villian of the series (not that that's saying a whole lot), more multi-layered than the Cylons and harder to predict. I always wished they would have done more with him, I think he had interesting potential. I like the way he always teams up with people rather than working alone -- he has his criminal partners in Bastille Day and Home, he has his oddly entertaining little partnership with Roslin in the New Caprica arc, and of course his complicated final partnership with Gaeta. He's very good at pushing people's buttons, and he reads people quite well I think.
Kara never says so much as a word to him, that I can recall. She leaves him to Lee from start to finish.
I'm not sure how much of the plot would have changed if he hadn't been around. The most important things he seems to have done were: 1) push Roslin into making Baltar VP in order to beat him out, 2) find Baltar his winning campaign issue, namely settlement on New Caprica, 3) work with Gaeta to conduct the mutiny, and 4) help hide Roslin and Lee during their jailbreak.
I think Roslin and Lee could have found other places to hide during the jailbreak, and I think the mutiny would have happened with or without him. But I think it's quite possible Baltar would never have had a political career without Zarek. Interesting.
Of course, he also appoints Lee to the Quorum, thus sponsoring his political career as well. I think Lee probably could have figured out a way into government on his own somehow, but Zarek certainly facilitated his rise at a time when Roslin wouldn't have given him the time of day, let alone a political appointment.
Ah, Zarek. The kingmaker for everyone but yourself.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-11-19 12:21 am (UTC)Kara never says so much as a word to him, that I can recall. She leaves him to Lee from start to finish.
I'm not sure how much of the plot would have changed if he hadn't been around. The most important things he seems to have done were: 1) push Roslin into making Baltar VP in order to beat him out, 2) find Baltar his winning campaign issue, namely settlement on New Caprica, 3) work with Gaeta to conduct the mutiny, and 4) help hide Roslin and Lee during their jailbreak.
I think Roslin and Lee could have found other places to hide during the jailbreak, and I think the mutiny would have happened with or without him. But I think it's quite possible Baltar would never have had a political career without Zarek. Interesting.
Of course, he also appoints Lee to the Quorum, thus sponsoring his political career as well. I think Lee probably could have figured out a way into government on his own somehow, but Zarek certainly facilitated his rise at a time when Roslin wouldn't have given him the time of day, let alone a political appointment.
Ah, Zarek. The kingmaker for everyone but yourself.