Collaborators (V TV Series) - Governor Nathan Bates

Governor Nathan Bates

Nathan Bates, played by Lane Smith, is the power-hungry head of Science Frontiers. He is cautious by nature, but has a high intelligence and shrewd cunning that he has used to make him one of the most powerful industrialists in the country. He is the father of Kyle Bates. His power bloomed even further when Science Frontiers was contracted by Resistance leader Julie Parrish to mass produce the "Red Dust", the weapon used to drive the Visitors from the Earth. His power increases to the point his company is contracted to study the captured Visitor Mothership, with Julie Parrish, now head of Science Frontiers science division and Nathan's one-sided love interest, leading the team. Science Frontiers, at Nathan's urging, also conducted further experimentation on the Red Dust, and discovered the horrifying secret that it doesn't work in 50% of the world due to different climate zones. Nathan hired Ham Tyler for £500,000 to capture Diana, whom he hoped to interrogate for technical information on the Mothership, a cure for cancer and other advancements. However, Diana escaped and launched the Second Invasion after calling back the Visitor Fleet. When Diana and her troops stormed the main Science Frontiers facility, Bates is able to bluff them into not killing him by threatening to unleash a massive dose of Red Dust. This was achieved by the use of a deadman switch that would trigger the Red Dust if Bates was killed. After Nathan successfully brokered a peace treaty with the Visitor armies that Los Angeles and all property of Science Frontiers would be protected in exchange Science Frontiers security personnel would keep order. This made Nathan one of the most powerful men in the world, as the head of a provisional government of Los Angeles with the title of Governor, which was also arranged to be a neutral zone called "The Open City", where neither human nor Visitor could bear arms. Following the collapse of all military and police forces, his army grew and took larger control of civilian life. Nathan adapted his nature to become ruthless and cold-blooded when necessary, and became increasingly dangerous when the Resistance took shape again and launched terrorist activities against the Visitors from inside his protective borders, becoming mortal enemies with Mike Donovan and falling out with Kyle, who had joined the Resistance. Time and again, Nathan schemed with the Visitors, primarily Diana, to bring down the Resistance, and was constantly threatened by Diana to keep order or risk the end of the Open City Agreement and subsequent invasion. Nathan became more determined to destroy the Resistance, as he saw them as a threat to his power and the safety of Los Angeles' population, and agreed with Charles, a special envoy from the Leader, to make a daring trap to brainwash Ham Tyler into assassinating Mike Donovan during a live prisoner exchange, hoping to use this as a way to discredit the Resistance. However, Bates was accidentally shot instead and, despite being rushed to the medical facilities at Science Frontiers, goes into a coma. While in his weakened state, Mr. Chiang used a computer simulation of Bates to create the illusion that his master was still awake and in power, all the while Chiang was being tempted by Diana and Charles to take control of Science Frontiers himself. When Nathan finally came out of his coma and Kyle tried to rescue him, Charles finally convinced Chiang to grab power for himself by assassinating Nathan. Chiang successfully intercepts the two men just as they are about to escape, and shoots Nathan twice in the chest, killing him, and his last words were for Kyle, with whom he had a last-minute reconciliation, to escape alive. The death of Nathan Bates resulted in the end of the Open City Agreement and subsequent devastation of Los Angeles several days later by the Visitors.