What Happened To Adama's Other Son In Battlestar Galactica

Zak Adama, brother of Apollo and a significant figure in the Battlestar Galactica mythos, meets a tragic end in both the 2004 reboot and the original series. However, the circumstances surrounding his death differ dramatically. In the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Zak is introduced as a photograph in the miniseries – throughout the main series, more details are revealed about Starbuck and Zak’s romance and Zak’s death.

This is a development of the original series. While the loss of Zak triggers the events of the original series, he is not developed as much as in the reboot, in which he is a key presence in the psyches and motives of Bill, Lee, and Kara. The trauma of this event is, at least initially, an unspoken backstory making the characters feel more lived-in, much like the Battlestar Galactica “nothin’ but the rain” phrase.

In Battlestar Galactica 2004, Zak Adama Died During A Routine Pilot Mission

Zak's Death Is A Huge Source Of Guilt For Starbuck

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A backstory that haunts Starbuck throughout the 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica is the nature of Zak’s death and her past connection with him. Zak Adama died two years before the fall of the Twelve Colonies on a routine pilot mission. Starbuck is riddled with guilt over giving Zak a bare pass, despite the fact he should have failed his basic pilot exam. Her romantic involvement with and engagement to Zak swayed her judgement, and they paid the ultimate price when Zak crashed. This was recorded as a “pilot error”.

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At the time, Starbuck was not blamed for Zak’s death. Lee instead blamed William Adama, claiming he was responsible for Zak’s death, thinking Bill used his connections to help his son through the course. This was the source of a huge falling out between Lee and Bill. Things were already difficult between them, with Lee harboring resentment about his parents’ divorce and his father’s absence growing up. After Zak’s death, Lee poured all of his grief and anger into his own pilot training, resisting the perceived nepotism he felt was the death of his brother.

Zac Adama Dies In A Very Different Way In The Original Battlestar Galactica

Zak Appears Briefly In The Original Battlestar Galactica

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In the reboot, Zak Adama dies before the events of the miniseries, which takes place before the main series in the Battlestar Galactica watching order. This allows the details of the nature of his death to unfold as the series progresses, inspiring Battlestar Galactica theories. This is very different to Zak in the original Battlestar Galactica series. In the original, Zak dies in the chronology of the show, being the first human to be killed by the Cylons in the pilot episode, “Saga of a Star World”. This happens within ten minutes.

Lieutenant Zac, eager to prove himself, accompanies his brother Apollo on a routine patrol...

The Battlestar Galactica episode begins with a celebration of peace between humans and Cylons. However, tensions remain. Lieutenant Zac, eager to prove himself, accompanies his brother Apollo on a routine patrol. During the patrol, they encounter a hidden Cylon armada. Zac's Viper is damaged, and he's left to fend off a massive Cylon attack while Apollo warns the fleet. Despite Commander Adama's concerns, President Adar hesitates to respond, fearing a violation of the peace treaty. Ultimately, Zac is killed in the ensuing battle. Adama, heartbroken and furious, must now decide how to protect his fleet while navigating the delicate political situation.