<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Battlestar Galactica Character
Tom Zarek
Status	Alive
Gender	Male
Species	Human
Origin	Sagittaron
Portrayed by	Richard Hatch
First Appearance	"Bastille Day"
Profession	Vice President Sagittaron rep on the Quorum of Twelve
Relatives	none
Special Features	Considered to be a terrorist Imprisoned on the Astral Queen at the time of the Cylon Attack.

Thomas J. Zarek (played by Richard Hatch), on The SCI FI Channel TV series Battlestar Galactica, is a political prisoner who has spent the last 20 years in jail for the terrorist bombing of a government building and inciting civil unrest against the government of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. He was an outspoken critic of President Roslin.

Comics History

Zarek was born on Sagittaron to struggling working class couple, Karen and Jerome Zarek. The couple took advantage of a government procreation incentive during the first Cylon-Human wars and gave birth to Tom. Tom's father worked at a Nitrassium processing plant struggling to make ends meet as his wife grew increasingly ill while her supply of medicine shrank. Desperate to help his wife, Jerome resorted to robbing a pharmacy to get the medicine and was shot and killed by military police who believed he was reaching for a weapon during their confrontation.

Tom and his mother moved to Perseus Village. They manage to make ends meet with a lifetime supply of drugs for his mother and money from Jerome's life insurance. Zarek attended high school but was expelled for his outspoken politics, in part inspired by his mother's job as a labor leader opposing the Sagittaron government. Tom later returned to school and eventually joined his mother speaking out against government policies. His revolution against the govt began following his mother's assassination during a public rally. (Battlestar Galactica: Zarek - Number 1)

Government opposition to the labor union started by Karen Zarek increased and turned more and more violent. After a government raid on the union, Zarek started over with a new name, the Sagittaron Freedom Movement (SFM)which became known as a terrorist organization. Several of the movement's members were apprehended and Zarek was betrayed by a close friend. Zarek's opposition to the government climaxed with the bombing of the Labor Ministry Building which leads to his arrest and that of his accomplices. (Battlestar Galactica: Zarek Comic - Number 2)

Series History

Following the fall of the colonies to the Cylons, Zarek narrowly avoids death on board the prison ship Astral Queen when President Laura Roslin countermands the ships' captains desire to euthanize the prisoners allowing them to live. Zarek later leads his fellow prisoners in a revolt and siezure of the Astral Queen after the Colonial government attempts to get their help in replenishing the fleet's water resources. ("Water")

Zarek demanded Roslin's immediate resignation and the opening of new elections for president. Zarek hoped to push the military into violence to prove his point. Lee Adama managed to convince him that following Roslin's completion of former President Adar's term, elections will be held according to the Articles of Colonization. Also, as a show of good faith, the Astral Queen was turned over to the control of its inhabitants.

Zarek set about making friends and gaining power within the fleet. His efforts to win the people over earned him the nomination for Sagittaron representative on the Quorum of Twelve. He also bids for the office of Vice President but loses out on the opportunity when Roslin chooses Doctor Gaius Baltar instead. Gaius informed Roslin he would run against her in the next elections.("Colonial Day")

Zarek became an unlikely ally to Roslin following her arrest on the command of Commander Adama and the declaration of Martial Law. Zarek aided in Roslin's escape from imprisonment and joined her, leading their portion of the divided fleet back to Kobol. Zarek joined the expedition to open the Tomb of Athena along with his associate Meier.

Zarek and Meir conspired to eliminate Lee Adama with the aim of creating a power vacuum within the already divided fleet that would see Zarek rising to power as the Fleet's leader under Roslin's presidency. ("Home, Part 1"). Zarek decided not to go through with the plan but when Commander Adama joined the expedition Meier was determined to take out both Adamas and enlisted the aid of their Cylon guide Sharon in his plot. Sharon ultimately double-crossed him, killing him before he could harm either Lee or Commander Adama. Zarek was suspected in the plot but was not charged with any wrongdoing ("Home, Part 2").

When the presidential elections came around, rather than run for the presidency himself, Zarek became Baltar's campaign manager in his bid for the position. The task proved difficult and the campaign faltered until Zarek encouraged Baltar to make the settlement of New Caprica an issue. The issue proved polarizing and resulted in Baltar's win. Zarek later became his vice president.

When the Cylons discovered the settlement of New Caprica, Zarek was imprisoned for four months for his opposition to Baltar's decision to surrender. He was among two hundred individuals selected for execution by the Cylons. Zarek makes a last ditch attempt to pull Roslin away from immediate death by Centurion execution but fortunately they are saved by the resistance ("Precipice"). During the evacuation from the planet, Zarek is charged with the president's protection and he leads her to Colonial One before leaving for his own vessel ("Exodus, Part 2").

Following the exodus from Caprica, Zarek assumes his role as president. He signs an executive order, commissioning a tribunal to try and execute those presumed to be guilty of collaborating with the Cylons. He also makes a deal with Roslin to step down allowing her to resume her role as president. Roslin appoints Zarek as president and later reveals to her his decision regarding the collaborators. Roslin choses a different path, choosing to pardon all possible offenders within the fleet ("Collaborators").