Escape Velocity

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Escape Velocity
"Escape Velocity"
An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No. Season 4, Episode 4
Writer(s) Jane Espenson
Story by
Director Edward James Olmos
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No. 406
Nielsen Rating
US airdate USA 25 April 2008
CAN airdate CAN {{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate UK
DVD release
Population 39,675 survivors (Population decline. 1)
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous Next
The Ties That Bind Escape Velocity The Road Less Travelled
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D SkitView
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
Online Purchasing
Amazon: Standard Definition | High Definition
iTunes: [{{{itunes}}} USA]


Overview

Religious freedom is debated and defended as the messianic Gaius Baltar promotes his belief in one true God. Meanwhile, Galen Tyrol tries to cope with the death of his wife and fails.

Summary

Teaser

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Notes

Analysis

  • Hamish "Skulls" McCall and Margaret "Racetrack" Edmonson have notoriously bad luck with the reaction control systems on the Raptors that they are assigned to. An error with the RCS thrusters also occurs in "Dirty Hands", then attributed to impurities in the tylium fuel.
  • Galen Tyrol continues to have feelings for Sharon Valerii, as he admits to William Adama and everyone else present in Joe's Bar. Tyrol notes many of Cally's weaknesses, including her nagging, nosy nature (which lead to her demise in "The Ties That Bind"), and grows annoyed at Adama's willingness to turn Cally into an angel, when he believes that she is unworthy of even that. His feelings for Valerii were likely intensified upon knowing that he was a Cylon, which made a possible association with Valerii much more acceptable to him.
  • Foster continues to embrace her Cylon nature and Baltar's teachings. She tells Tigh and Tyrol to turn off the guilt, that they are perfect and different from humans. Tigh, however, can't turn off his feelings and spends much of the episode wondering if Caprica-Six can.
  • Caprica-Six informs Tigh that the Cylons ability to turn off emotion is based on abilities that the Cylons learned when modeling their own brains against those of the humans. This further establishes the fact that the Cylons are more human biologically, which is proven given that Cylons can bear human children, and thus must be of the same genome.
  • A part of the book that Adama reads to Roslin, Searider Falcon, has some deeper significance to both of them, just like Love and Bullets in the previous episode: "I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of the emptiness that I felt inside. I couldn't feel anything. And that's what scared me. You came into my thoughts. I felt them. It felt good." This is emphasized by the fact that he closes the book and recites the passage, almost as if the words are his. It's also possible that the passage has additional significance for Adama, since by his admission he normally stops reading after it.
  • The scene were Baltar violently confronts the Colonials during their prayer service seems based on the biblical narrative of Jesus and the money changers.
  • Roslin's wig is strikingly reminiscent of Helena Cain's hairstyle in "Pegasus" and "Resurrection Ship, Parts I and II". This is a visual counterpoint to her increasing ruthlessness as she confronts her impending death.

Questions

  • Will Lee Adama grow more sympathetic towards Baltar's group?
  • Will Roslin learn that Foster is associating with Baltar?
  • Will Tyrol seriously consider Foster's words?
  • Will Foster clash with Tigh and Tyrol, as their different attitudes towards their Cylon nature develop?
  • Are Tyrol and Tigh's hallucinations merely the result of grief and guilt, or are they using projection?
  • Do Tigh and Six copulate?
  • What of Nicholas Tyrol? Will Tyrol take care of the child?
  • Are Tyrol's statements about Cally's negative attributes heartfelt, or merely a result of rage and anger?
  • Now that it is clear that Foster lied to Tyrol about the death of Cally, how will Tyrol react when (and if) he discovers the truth?

Official Statements

Noteworthy Dialogue

Guest Stars

External Links

References