Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I

Overview

The Galactica discovers Kobol, and a chain of events are set in motion that threaten to change everything.

Summary

Life on a battlestar, for better or worse: Adama and his son spar in a gym, frustrations emerging as they box; Starbuck in bed with a lover she wishes was Lee – but is in fact Baltar; Valerii, SharonBoomer facing the fact she cannot deal with what she might be and putting a gun to her mouth, only to find she cannot pull the trigger; Laura Roslin learning she has perhaps six months to live, her cancer is so aggressive
Stricken by Starbuck’s apparent rejection of him in their coupling, Baltar in turn comes close to rejecting Six and find it impossible to concentrate on anything – including his duties as Vice President
When Boomer and Crashdown return with evidence they’ve stumbled upon Kobol, Roslin has a vision of a city teeming with life Elosha confirms to be the City of the Gods on Kobol, and Roslin accepts the scriptures as fact
Boomer, still confused, attempts to take her own life – “encouraged” by Baltar in defiance of Six
When Adama reviews the evidence, he orders an extensive surface survey of the planet, seeing it as a opportunity for them to settle. Warned his should get off the Galactica by Six, Baltar assigns himself to the survey
Roslin tries to convince Adama that Kobol will point the way to Earth, but they must use the captured Raider to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo
Three Raptors depart the Galactica for Kobol, but on arrival they find themselves in the midst of a Cylon force of [Cylon Raider|Raiders]] – and a basestar
One Raptor is destroyed, and one - carrying Baltar – is forced down on Kobol
Before a rescue mission can be launched, the basestar must be taken out – and Starbuck hatches a plan to do just this using the captured Raider
Hearing this, Roslin meets with Starbuck and subverts her into going to Caprica, and not going to Kobol to destroy the basestar

On Caprica:

Helo is on the run – alone – when he encounters “his” |Valerii, and he shoots and wounds her. Unable to kill her outright, he takes her with him
When Valerii tries to explain things to him, Helo informs her that all she is to him is a way off the planet.

Review

Questions

Why did the people leave Kobol?
What happened to the gods who lived on Kobol “with man?”
Did the gods remain on Kobol after humanity left?
Given the similarities with the Greek Pantheon, did the gods decide to follow the 13th tribe to Earth, thus establishing the myths of the Olympian gods?
Do the Cylons consider Kobol as their spiritual home as well (“The birthplace of us all” – Leoben Conoy, Flesh and Bone)?

Analysis

Notes

It is 3 days since the events of Colonial Day
There are now 47,897 survivors in the fleet
The fleet is beginning to run short of supplies
Humans departed Kobol some 2,000 years prior to the setting of the series
Kobol is a place where the “gods and man lived together in paradise”
Some of the "gods" appear to be buried on Kobol (Athena's tomb)
Socinus has been released from the brig and returned to duty.

Noteworthy Dialogue

In the bunk room, as Baltar interrupts Boomer’s second attempt on her life.

Boomer (as she pretends to be cleaning her hand gun): What’s going on?
Baltar (cautiously): Well, I was going to ask you the same question….Actually, I was looking for Lieutenant Thrace but, ah…(sitting alongside her on the bunk)…sometimes it’s good to, ah, talk these things over.
Six (feigning pity): Deep down she knows she’s a Cylon, but her conscious mind just won’t accept it.
Boomer: Sometimes I have these dark thoughts…
Baltar: What kind of dark thoughts?
Six: Her model is weak (she allows herself a knowing smile), always has been. But in the end she’ll carry out her mission.
Boomer: I don’t know, but I’m afraid I’m going to hurt someone. I feel like I ought to be stopped.
Six (moving to the other side of Boomer): She can’t be stopped. She’s a Cylon. (Pity entering her voice again) You can’t help her, Gaius…(tone turning to a sneer) but you could probably sleep with her.

(Baltar reacts with a look of disgust at Six.)

Six: That’s what you want, right?
Baltar (to Boomer): I’m not sure why….sometimes…we must embrace that which opens up for us.
Boomer: Embrace?
Baltar: Life can be a curse as well as a blessing.

(Six reacts in confusion; this is not what she expected to hear from Baltar.)

Baltar (becoming more intense): You will believe me when I tell you: there are far worse things than death in this world…
Boomer: So you’re saying…?
Baltar: No. No, no, no. Ah…What I say…is meaningless. Listen to your heart. Embrace that which you know to be the right decision.

(They look at each other as Six regards Baltar with a look of complete incomprehension, then Baltar stands and kisses Boomer on the forehead before walking out of the bunkroom. Seconds later there is the sound of a single gunshot from inside.)

Official Statements

Statistics

Guest Stars

Stephen Spender as Pilot James Bell as ECO

Writing & Direction

Story by David Eick
Teleplay by Ronald D. Moore
Directed by Michael Rymer

Production Notes

Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
Production Number: 1.12
Airdate Order: 12 (of 13)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

UK Airdate: 17 January 2005 (Sky One)
US Airdate: (Sci-Fi Channel)
DVD Release: N/A