Summary

• The CAG (Commander Air Group) plays a significant role in Battlestar Galactica, guiding the crew through dangerous missions to protect the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.
• Battlestar Galactica's CAG must be disciplined and strategic, always thinking ahead to lead the ship through unpredictable battles.
• The revolving door of CAG characters keeps the show fresh, showcasing different leadership styles and approaches to handling war.

The role of the CAG has a halo effect throughout all four seasons of Battlestar Galactica. The successful reboot of the 1978 sci-fi drama focuses on the crew aboard the titular spaceship and their quest to find Earth. It's a daunting mission that puts the Battlestar Galactica characters in many hazardous situations that could negatively impact the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. Thanks to Battlestar Galactica being a space opera, the storylines involving the CAG take full advantage of the conventions of the subgenre.

Battlestar Galactica features an impressive array of colorful characters who contribute their unique commentary and traits to keep the show exciting. Most of the prominent characters report to the CAG, a powerful figure. The CAG could be described as the glue that holds many of the storylines together due to their impact on major events. The team dynamic makes Battlestar Galactica one of the best sci-fi shows of all time.

Battlestar Galactica's "CAG" Term Means Commander Air Group

The Commander Air Group role is crucial to the Battlestar's success

CAG stands for Commander Air Group, a senior position on a Battlestar spaceship. While many of the Battlestar Galactica characters are in senior positions, having spent their lives on spaceships, the CAG must have a particular skill set to lead everyone to success if disaster strikes. Each Battlestar fleet carries over 2,000 staff members and over 40,000 civilians, so ranks are essential to keep the ships moving forward with order and minimal interruption. The spacecraft has many ranks, but few are more significant than the CAG.

The war in Battlestar Galactica is shown to be unpredictable, meaning each spaceship has to be prepared to fight at any time.

The war in Battlestar Galactica is shown to be unpredictable, meaning each spaceship has to be prepared to fight at any time. The CAG is the most influential part of the planning process due to their ability to think several steps ahead. The CAG strategizes how best to lead the ship into battle and how to emerge unscathed. It's a position that requires a disciplined individual who can focus on both the weak spots of enemies and the Battlestar.

What The CAG's Role Is In Battlestar Galactica

The role comes with many responsibilities

The role of the CAG in Battlestar Galactica is not for the faint of heart because of the long list of responsibilities that make up the position. It doesn't allow for much downtime because the day-to-day consists of strategizing and ensuring everyone else follows orders, all while hoping no one on deck is one of the many Cylons.

• Manage personnel: The CAG must ensure that everyone below them follows the correct protocols and is ready to go into battle at any minute.
• Prepare plans for missions: The CAG has to be strategic and think multiple steps ahead to consider the variables when leading the ship into battle.
• Brief pilots: The pilots expect the CAG to brief them on the plan and answer any questions about what perils could be beyond the ship.
• Assume duties of Squadron Leader if required: The CAG will also assume the responsibilities of Squadron Leader in specific fleets if necessary.

Many Battlestar Galactica characters become the ship's CAG. One of the most crucial traits is being approachable because it's essential to have people believe in those making decisions about war. If the CAG shies away from the concerns of people under them, such as the pilots, it could cause problems on board that could spread to civilians. War is a trying time for every character in Battlestar Galactica, but the CAG can help unify many different factions with the right skills.

All Battlestar Galactica Characters To Hold The CAG Role

The CAG role is a revolving door

Part of Battlestar Galactica's success can be attributed to constant role changes for its characters. Battlestar Galactica does a remarkable job of putting many different characters in positions of power to showcase how they handle it. The roles are short-lived for some but become steady gigs for those who flourish in them.

The constant changes keep things fresh, and it's always fun to point out the differences between Captain Kara Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) and Captain Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber). Although they share many of the same traits, their approach to handling personnel and war strategies is vastly different, adding an element of unpredictability to Battlestar Galactica that countless other space-set series lack.

All four seasons of Battlestar Galactica are available to stream on Prime Video.