Regarding Baltar, I’m pretty sure they basically told him that he could either sign it, or they could blow his brains out and do it anyways.
Logically, him signing the Death Order actually had a net saving of one life versus the other option. The fact that it was his own life was just a bonus!
-Joe
People have died on general principle rather than sign an order like that. Signing it may be pragmatic, but heroic it ain’t.
Will redemption = everyone eventually thinks Baltar is an OK guy? Truly, I don’t know what would constitute redemption for Baltar, but maybe engineering some sort of lasting reconciliation between Cylons and humans would do it? I doubt Roslin would think he was an OK guy, but she might not want to murder him anymore. He is certainly moving away from his adject solipsism of earlier seasons, but I have no idea where they’re going with it.
I suppose another way of looking at it is Baltar did take the bullet, metaphorically. Someone had to sign that order and earn everyone’s hate. As you say, it’s not like he did it willingly. That document was going to get signed and if not by him, then by the next in line, or the next in line, or the next in line of succession. The Cylons could have spent all day electing, then shooting new presidents until someone finally signed the execution order.
No, I think Bill Adama would have taken the bullet. Same with Roslin, Lee, Starbuck, and Tigh. But these are incredibly strong people, who can push themselves damn far, who could probably make themselves say “no, I won’t” long enough that they’d be shot before they broke. Baltar’s breaking point came before he got shot - but he did break. Re-watch the scene where he signs the order - he’s terrified out of his mind, beyond rational thought. I don’t think you can hold what a fellow does against him, when he’s been pushed that far. The important thing about Baltar is that he did have to get pushed that far, he did have to be genuinely broken - for as long as he was able to keep his reason, even with a gun pressed to his head, Baltar said “no”. He didn’t just capitulate out of self-interest.
As for Bill Adama taking the bullet - he’d take the bullet because he’s probably had training to resist interrogation, and he’s an incredibly tough guy, and he’d be able to keep saying “no” until the Cylons said “frak it” and shot him. But eventually, they could break him, too - and once they broke him, he’d sign.
I’m rambling on at some length here, so let me just leave it at this: Bravery, and heroism, aren’t about not being afraid. They’re about being afraid, and making the right choice anyway, for so long as you have the faculties to make it. For as long as he could think straight, Baltar was willing to die to keep that order from being signed - that makes him a hero, for at least that day.
Has anyone ever addressed the question of how Baltar survived the nuclear blast on Caprica? We’ve been shown that scene several times of him being in the room with 6 when the blast occurred. She could get recycled, but what about him?
Regarding signing the death order, I still remember Gaeta swearing in Baltar’s trial that he was there when Baltar signed it and he did so willingly with no argument. This of course was totally false and Gaeta wasn’t even there when it happened.
I thought Baltar signed because Six told him he could still countermand it. Not so?
Don’t forget, we’ve been told a few times of the Cylon ability to “project” into their environment. In a scene on a basestar, there was the bit where a Doral and a Six passed each other in a corridor, and we briefly saw it happening in a forest, which is where one of them preferred to visualize him- or herself. Also (and this might be in a deleted scene; don’t remember) Athena explained the same ability to Roslin after their shared dream in the opera house. Tigh may very well be discovering the same facility in himself, without realizing what it is.
I just looked at the scene again. (The benefits of a work-from home gig. :))
The Doral has the gun to Baltar’s temple and is shouting, “Sign it, sign your name, sign it.” This is after the Six in the room has objected, saying “just because you want to do this doesn’t mean you can also drag him into sin with you,” and Doral shot her in the forehead.
While Doral is yelling, Baltar looks up as the Head Six appears. In his mind, they are alone in the room.
Head Six: “There’s nothing you can do, Gaius. It’ll be okay.”
Baltar: “It’s you. … Help me.”
Head Six: “You have to sign it. They’ll kill you if you don’t.”
There’s a cutaway to Doral barking “sign it, sign your name,” holding a fistful of Baltar’s hair. Baltar is paralyzed with terror. Then back to the Six fantasy.
Baltar: “I can’t. I won’t. You can’t force m–”
Head Six takes his face in her hands and turns him to look at her.
Head Six: “Sometimes you have to do things you hate so you can survive to fight another day.”
Baltar slowly looks away from her, back down to the document. And sees that his signature is now on the paper.
So, no, not a delaying tactic. A simple action.