Ellen Tigh is a fictional character portrayed by Kate Vernon in the TV series Battlestar Galactica.
In the first episode they appeared in, titled Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down (season 1), they were 43 years old.
They appear in 25 episodes out of a total of 74 aired and have accumulated 446 positive votes.
Episodes25
Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
episode S1.E9 march 2005After the interrogated Cylon gave Roslin the idea that Adama might be a Cylon, Roslin becomes suspicious of him. Unexpectedly, Colonel Tigh's estranged wife Ellen turns up alive in the fleet, apparently miraculously, raising the possibility that she might be a Cylon.Colonial Day
episode S1.E11 march 2005President Roslin has rebuilt a new Quorum of Twelve, the legislative branch of the government, but terrorist leader/political dissident Tom Zarek is elected as a member, and immediately motions that the Quorum vote to appoint a new Vice President, and runs for the office.Scattered
episode S2.E1 july 2005As the premiere for the second season unfolds, Adama lay dying leaving Tigh in command. Lee and Roslin have been sent to the brig. An emergency jump goes wrong leaving the Galactica alone in space without the fleet.Valley of Darkness
episode S2.E2 july 2005A Cylon virus is interfering with Galactica's power supply, while Cylon centurions are heading for crucial systems. Somehow they must be stopped.Fragged
episode S2.E3 july 2005Tigh has problems with the responsibility of being a leader, president Roslin loses control without chamalla. The Kobol team discovers a Cylon battery.Resistance
episode S2.E4 august 2005Tigh's decision to impose martial law is protested in the fleet as well as on Galactica. On Caprica, Helo and Starbuck meet other humans.Final Cut
episode S2.E8 september 2005Journalist D'Anna Biers is making an item on the Gideon incident, when she's asked by Adama and Roslin to film daily life on Galactica.Sacrifice
episode S2.E16 february 2006A terrorist attacks and holds several key people hostage and threatens to murder them unless she is given the Cylon prisoner.Lay Down Your Burdens: Part 2
episode S2.E20 march 2006The group on Caprica is under fire by the Cylons, but suddenly they stop. With only one ship's votes to be counted, Roslin is way behind in the elections.Occupation
episode S3.E1 october 2006The Cylons have now been in control of New Caprica for over four months. Gaius Baltar is under their collective thumbs and essentially follows their orders. There is a resistance who set off bombs and do their best to disrupt Cylon activity. Col. Tigh is in prison and despite extensive torture, including the loss of an eye, has told them nothing. His wife Ellen will do anything to secure his release and is soon in a sexual relationship with one of the Cylons, John Cavil. There are mixed feelings among the survivors. Some feel the random acts of violence against their captors serves no useful purpose while others feel it is their duty to resist. Kara Thrace, Starbuck, is being kept prisoner in an apartment of sorts by Leoben Conoy. She too resists but every time she kills him, he is simply re-generated and reappears insisting he will continue to do so until he tells her she loves him. Back on Galactica, Admiral Adama takes his son Lee, Commander of the Battlestar Pegasus, to task for going soft.Precipice
episode S3.E2 october 2006As a result of the most recent suicide bombings, some of the Cylons are now arguing that they need to retaliate. Laura Roslin, among others, is in custody and Gaius Baltar tries to get her to cooperate. Tigh however absolutely refuses to stop the suicide bombings. Nighttime raids also leads to Cally's arrest but they leave her baby alone. Sharon Valerii sees what she can do about it. John Cavil meanwhile tells Ellen Tigh she is to provide the date and location of the next meeting of the resistance commanders. Leoben Conoy is still holding Starbuck prisoner but introduces her to her daughter, Kacey, produced from eggs they harvested from her when she was on the Farm. On Galactica, Admiral Adama begins to plan for a massive rescue of everyone on New Caprica. He realizes they will have to obtain the launch keys for all of the ships on the planet's surface. The best way of infiltrating the Cylons is with another Cylon so Adama commissions Sharon Agathon as an officer.Exodus: Part 1
episode S3.E3 october 2006The secret source in the administration has provided Tyrol with a list of all humans scheduled for extermination. Tyrol's wife Cally is on the list and he sets off to rescue her. Sharon Agathon has made it safely to the planet but they are ambushed by Cylons lying in wait. They realize they were betrayed and Anders finds damning evidence that points to the identity of the traitor. D'Anna Biers has been having strange dreams of late and an oracle tells her that the child Hera is alive and she will hold her in her arms. Roslin meanwhile assigns a squad of men to protect the child at all costs. The Admiral sends the Pegasus away with the few remaining civilian ships to continue the search for Earth.Exodus: Part 2
episode S3.E4 october 2006The attack to rescue everyone on New Caprica begins. The Galactica encounters four rather than the expected two Cylon Basestars. The end appears in sight but they get help from a welcome but unexpected source. On the planet below, Tyrol and Anders lead the attack to free everyone from the prison. Anders finds Starbuck but she won't leave without Kacey. Her successful return to the Galactica results in mixed emotions. Colonel Tigh must decide what to do about his wife Ellen after she admits to giving the rendezvous coordinates to the Cylons. Hera doesn't make it off the planet.Hero
episode S3.E8 november 2006A figure from Adama's past returns to haunt him. His return raises questions about why the Cylons launched their initial attack against the Twelve Colonies.Unfinished Business
episode S3.E9 december 2006A look at the events that took place during the year-long gap from the storyline in the Season Two finale. The story reveals the reasons for the rift between Kara ("Starbuck") and Lee ("Apollo").Escape Velocity
episode S4.E4 april 2008Gaius Baltar causes intense unrest within the fleet when he begins to openly promote belief in the Cylon god. Colonel Tigh, Galen Tyrol, and Tory Foster argue over how far they should go to ensure their secret is not revealed.Sine Qua Non
episode S4.E8 may 2008President Roslin's abduction by the Cylon Hybrid triggers a bitter power struggle within the Colonial Fleet.Sometimes a Great Notion
episode S4.E11 january 2009Scouting the planet reveals that there is no life except plants. The destruction occurred about 2,000 years earlier. Among the ruins, skeletons and wrecks of a different kind of Centurions are found. But closer examination of the skeletons reveals they are Cylon! Could the 13th Tribe really have been all Cylons? Chief Tyrol, Colonel Tigh, Sam Anders and Tory remember living on the planet and dying there. How did they get to the colonies? Starbuck finds a piece of her Viper, and despite Leoben's warnings, starts to look for the cockpit... Roslin loses her faith in the Scrolls of Pythia. Apollo and Dualla seem to get back together, but he needs to figure out what to tell to the people of the Fleet... A tragedy prompts Adama to confront Saul.No Exit
episode S4.E15 february 2009Eighteen months ago: Saul poisons Ellen, who then finds herself downloaded into a new body aboard a Cylon Base Star, with a single Centaurion keeping watch over her. After the initial shock, she has a revelation as she remembers things she had forgotten. Present Day: Dr. Cottle is operating on Anders, who has a bullet lodged in his brain. Anders starts to remember things he had forgotten. Eighteen months ago: Cavil comes to see Ellen, who calls him John, because that's his "real" name. Cavil says he hates that name. John was the first Cylon model *Ellen* created. She also created seven others. So, there are actually only *eight* Cylon models and the "Final Five" are actually copies of humans who lived 2,000 years earlier and, together, created Resurrection, which allowed them and the Cylons to download. Number Seven, Daniel, was a favorite of Ellen. Jealous, John sabotaged the process of using Resurrection on Daniel, making him unique. John and Ellen start a months-long philosophical and ethical argument on Cylon - human interaction. John says he started the genocide of humankind because his "forebears on the Centaurion side of the family were the slaves of humanity." And he wants justice for that. Present Day: Anders tells Starbuck that he has seen "everything" and needs Kara to get "the others" - Galen, Tory, Saul and Ellen to his bedside. Anders says he remembers everything and knows why they have come all the way to Earth... Adama reinstates Tyrol as a Chief of Engineering. Tyrol starts inspecting the damage Galactica has taken during their journey. But he is not prepared for what he finds and Adama is not prepared for what Tyrol suggests as a repair method.Deadlock
episode S4.E16 february 2009Ellen and Boomer travel to the Galactica. Saul is entranced at the sight of his wife while Adama puts Boomer in the brig. Ellen is not so pleased when she learns that Caprica Six is pregnant by Saul. Her interference and jealousy leads Six to have a miscarriage. Sam Anders survived the operation but now seems to be brain dead. Ellen is disappointed that the Final Five cannot be completely reunited. By majority vote, the Five agree that they will go off on their own, leaving the Colonial Fleet behind. Adama has agreed to have the cracks in the Galactica's hull repaired using a Cylon living resin.Someone to Watch Over Me
episode S4.E17 february 2009Kara meets a pianist who reminds her of her father. She tries to play a melody she remembers from her childhood, and a drawing made by Hera helps her. Meanwhile, Boomer is to be tried for treason. Tyrol takes her side, and helps her escape.Islanded in a Stream of Stars
episode S4.E18 march 2009With Hera now likely in the hands of John Cavil, Admiral Adama sends out search teams to locate The Colony, the Cylon home world if you will, that Ellen Tigh says is the only place she imagines she could be. Adama reluctantly comes to the conclusion that the Galactica has reached the end of its days. He orders all repair activities halted and decides to strip the ship and share everything that is salvageable with the rest of the fleet. Starbuck meanwhile shares with Gaius Baltar what she found on the uninhabitable Earth. He subsequently - and quite publicly - proclaims her to be an angel.Daybreak: Part 1
episode S4.E19 march 2009The Colony is located sitting on the edge of a black hole with only one point of entry in what is a very large debris field. Knowing that the Galactica has reached the end of the line, Admiral Adama asks for volunteers to mount a raid on the Cylon base, realizing it may be the ship's last jump. In flashbacks prior to the Cylon invasion, key moments in the lives of several of the crew are presented. These include include the first time Kara Thrace and Lee Adama meet; Admiral Adama's struggle with his decision to retire from the colonial fleet; Gaius Baltar's relationship with his father and his developing relationship with Caprica Six; and Sam Anders discussing the motivation behind his professional sports career.Daybreak: Part 2
episode S4.E20 march 2009A stripped down Galactica attacks the Cylon's Colony ship in the hopes of rescuing Hera. The meaning of the shared dream in the Opera House on Kobol is revealed. Sam Anders is moved in his Hybrid tank to the CIC in the hopes that he will be able to assist the combatants. Their mission complete, Admiral Adama orders Starbuck to pick a destination - any destination - to which the ship can jump to get out of there. With that, the meaning of the tune and the musical notes are explained. Having successfully jumped, the old Galactica has truly reached the end of it's life. A planet capable of sustaining life is found and Lee Adama makes a radical proposal for the future of humankind. In a flash forward far into the future, Hera's importance to the human race is revealed.Daybreak: Part 3
episode S4.E21 march 2009As conflicts reach a climax, Cylons and humans face a stark choice.
- Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
- Colonial Day
- Scattered
- Valley of Darkness
- Fragged
- Resistance
- Final Cut
- Sacrifice
- Lay Down Your Burdens: Part 2
- Occupation
- Precipice
- Exodus: Part 1
- Exodus: Part 2
- Hero
- Unfinished Business
- Escape Velocity
- Sine Qua Non
- Sometimes a Great Notion
- No Exit
- Deadlock
- Someone to Watch Over Me
- Islanded in a Stream of Stars
- Daybreak: Part 1
- Daybreak: Part 2
- Daybreak: Part 3
Best moments7
- Eighteen months ago: Saul poisons Ellen, who then finds herself downloaded into a new body aboard a Cylon Base Star, with a single Centaurion keeping watch over her. After the initial shock, she has a revelation as she remembers things she had forgotten. Present Day: Dr. Cottle is operating on Anders, who has a bullet lodged in his brain. Anders starts to remember things he had forgotten. Eighteen months ago: Cavil comes to see Ellen, who calls him John, because that's his "real" name. Cavil says he hates that name. John was the first Cylon model *Ellen* created. She also created seven others. So, there are actually only *eight* Cylon models and the "Final Five" are actually copies of humans who lived 2,000 years earlier and, together, created Resurrection, which allowed them and the Cylons to download. Number Seven, Daniel, was a favorite of Ellen. Jealous, John sabotaged the process of using Resurrection on Daniel, making him unique. John and Ellen start a months-long philosophical and ethical argument on Cylon - human interaction. John says he started the genocide of humankind because his "forebears on the Centaurion side of the family were the slaves of humanity." And he wants justice for that. Present Day: Anders tells Starbuck that he has seen "everything" and needs Kara to get "the others" - Galen, Tory, Saul and Ellen to his bedside. Anders says he remembers everything and knows why they have come all the way to Earth... Adama reinstates Tyrol as a Chief of Engineering. Tyrol starts inspecting the damage Galactica has taken during their journey. But he is not prepared for what he finds and Adama is not prepared for what Tyrol suggests as a repair method.
- After the interrogated Cylon gave Roslin the idea that Adama might be a Cylon, Roslin becomes suspicious of him. Unexpectedly, Colonel Tigh's estranged wife Ellen turns up alive in the fleet, apparently miraculously, raising the possibility that she might be a Cylon.
- Ellen and Boomer travel to the Galactica. Saul is entranced at the sight of his wife while Adama puts Boomer in the brig. Ellen is not so pleased when she learns that Caprica Six is pregnant by Saul. Her interference and jealousy leads Six to have a miscarriage. Sam Anders survived the operation but now seems to be brain dead. Ellen is disappointed that the Final Five cannot be completely reunited. By majority vote, the Five agree that they will go off on their own, leaving the Colonial Fleet behind. Adama has agreed to have the cracks in the Galactica's hull repaired using a Cylon living resin.
- The secret source in the administration has provided Tyrol with a list of all humans scheduled for extermination. Tyrol's wife Cally is on the list and he sets off to rescue her. Sharon Agathon has made it safely to the planet but they are ambushed by Cylons lying in wait. They realize they were betrayed and Anders finds damning evidence that points to the identity of the traitor. D'Anna Biers has been having strange dreams of late and an oracle tells her that the child Hera is alive and she will hold her in her arms. Roslin meanwhile assigns a squad of men to protect the child at all costs. The Admiral sends the Pegasus away with the few remaining civilian ships to continue the search for Earth.
- The attack to rescue everyone on New Caprica begins. The Galactica encounters four rather than the expected two Cylon Basestars. The end appears in sight but they get help from a welcome but unexpected source. On the planet below, Tyrol and Anders lead the attack to free everyone from the prison. Anders finds Starbuck but she won't leave without Kacey. Her successful return to the Galactica results in mixed emotions. Colonel Tigh must decide what to do about his wife Ellen after she admits to giving the rendezvous coordinates to the Cylons. Hera doesn't make it off the planet.
- Tigh's decision to impose martial law is protested in the fleet as well as on Galactica. On Caprica, Helo and Starbuck meet other humans.
- With Hera now likely in the hands of John Cavil, Admiral Adama sends out search teams to locate The Colony, the Cylon home world if you will, that Ellen Tigh says is the only place she imagines she could be. Adama reluctantly comes to the conclusion that the Galactica has reached the end of its days. He orders all repair activities halted and decides to strip the ship and share everything that is salvageable with the rest of the fleet. Starbuck meanwhile shares with Gaius Baltar what she found on the uninhabitable Earth. He subsequently - and quite publicly - proclaims her to be an angel.
- No Exit
- Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
- Deadlock
- Exodus: Part 1
- Exodus: Part 2
- Resistance
- Islanded in a Stream of Stars