Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo 5

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Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #5 An issue of the Dynamite series.
Issue No.	5
Writer(s)	Dan Abnett
Illustrator(s)	{{{illustrator}}}
Penciller(s)	Dietrich Smith
Inker(s)
Colorist(s)	Fran Gamboa
Letterer(s)	Simon Bowland
Editor(s)
Collection Design	{{{designer}}}
Cover Artist(s)	Mike Mayhew (Cover A) Dietrich Smith (Cover B) Livio Ramondelli (Cover C) Ardian Syaf (Cover D)
Adaptation of
Published	April 2015
Collects
Collected in	Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo
Reprints
Reprinted as
Pages	{{{pages}}}
ISBN	725130224408
Population	0 Survivors
Special	{{{special}}}
Chronology
Previous		Next
Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #4	Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #5	Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #6
Purchase
Available at BOOKSAMILLION.COM - Purchase
Available at Amazon.com – [[amazon:{{{amazon}}}|Purchase]]
Available at Amazon.co.uk – Purchase
Available at Things From Another World - Purchase

The crew of the Galactica, and the fleet as a whole, comes to terms with Apollo's shocking fate. But there is no time for reflection. Apollo's mission woke up the Cylon threat, and the old enemy has become aware of the fleet again. The War has turned hot again, the fleet is in grave danger, and without Apollo's pilot skills and leadership, the human race may not survive. Epic, continuity-shaking storytelling from cosmic fan-favorite writer Dan Abnett and out-of-this-world artist Dietrich Smith.

Plot

• Major Apollo, in command blue attire, looks up at a Viper in Galactica's launch bay.
• A secton after his recovery, Apollo has his psychiatric follow-up with Doctor Madusa in her office. He discusses his feelings of helplessness and that he is one of the few who have been lucky to have survived since the Cylon betrayal ten yahrens prior.
• Madusa reiterates that Apollo has no choice but to come to terms with his injury, reiterating the risks relating to any form of physical stress. He is unable to serve in any capacity that requires combat, either ground or flight.
• Madusa advocates for a change in how Apollo serves his people, noting that his knowledge is vast and valuable, and that he can serve his people as an advisor and overseeing the Fleet's operations.
• Despite Apollo's misgivings on missing his past life, Madusa reminds him that acclimation takes time and that he will soon become accustomed to his new responsibilities.
• In core command, Apollo directs Vantage Colonial's underway replenishment. Omega provides Apollo the situation sheets from blue shift, taking the opportunity to remind Apollo of procedure to code-read and sign the off as logged, as Omega had noticed that did not occur the day prior.
• Omega assures Apollo that he'll get accustomed to the procedures and routines quickly. Before he goes, he corrects Apollo's direction to move Kobol Goldstar from grid four to grid six, instead of the incorrect fifth grid. Apollo transmits the correction, while Omega departs with kind words of encouragement.
• Up on the upper tier of core command, Omega tells Athena his belief that Apollo hates his new role. Athena replies that she is heartbroken over her brother's situation, but adds that the pain would be worse had he not been here with them at all.
• Back in the launch bay (continuing from the first page of the issue), Apollo is approached by Boomer, Sheba and Greenbean, who are heading to their Vipers for their scheduled patrol. They reflect on their surprise at seeing Apollo there, while Greenbean makes an off-handed comment about Apollo seeming to torment himself.
• After Greenbean apologizes, Sheba confides in Apollo that they are somehow "rubbing [his] nose" in Apollo's inability to participate in his old life. Apollo replies that he will not come down to the launch bay again, should it discomfort her. Boomer attempts to clarify what they meant, but Apollo exits the conversation, wishing them the best and noting that his place is now as an observer.
• Over a meal, Boxey tells Apollo that he's filing his application for pilot school. After Boxey makes mention of the Fleet needing all the pilots they can get, Apollo reacts harshly to this, leveling an outburst that assumes guilt and shame on Apollo's condition.
• Apollo quickly apologizes, offering to speak to Colonel Tigh tomorrow regarding the pilot training list.
• In the officer's mess, Starbuck, Breena and Tigh play pyramid. After Starbuck finishes an anecdote that not only Breena finds sexist, but Tigh finds offensive enough for a reprimand, Apollo arrives to join the game.
• As Starbuck shuffles the cards, he quips that the game should be civilized and that the excitement be kept to a "dull roar." Apollo bristles at this, sarcastically asking Starbuck whether or not the excitement of the card game would kill him.
• After a brief silence, Starbuck attempts to clarify, to which Apollo brushes off by curtly instructing Starbuck to deal.
• Later, Apollo visits Adama's quarters, discussing his inability to stop himself from lashing out to people. Adama notes that he has been told that, reminding his son that he had been a Viper pilot who became too old for that duty due to its physical rigors. He consoles his son, noting that he found a new purpose as a commander, and shares his intention for Apollo to succeed him.
• After Adama lays down an approach of "tough love advice from Doctor Madusa" vis a vis responsibility and duty, Apollo shares his doubt that life science would approve such an appointment. Adama replies that risking his wrath would handle that concern, encouraging his son that he has a great deal of service still to provide the Fleet, and that Apollo will need to grow into the officer he was destined to be to realize that.
• Adama also convinces Apollo that the opportunity will also allow Starbuck grow into his own as a flight leader.
• A time later, Apollo shares the situation reports from red shift with Athena, making particular mention of following procedure. This gives Athena the opportunity to discuss Apollo's state, where Apollo reveals his shame at being churlish and pushing people away due to his condition, believing that the change is embittering. Athena notes that it has only been three sectons since he assumed his new role.
• Apollo reflects on his thoughts of a time after the war, sharing his wonder at a variety of non-Warrior roles, but feels trapped in the war on borrowed time. Athena attempts to convince him that the time was saved and won, not borrowed, and the conversation is cut short by a contact detected on the wall map.
• The super basestar has found them and launches Raiders. Athena orders the Fleet to battlestations and Apollo orders the main munitions teams to fire at will.
• In the opening attack, Centara is felled by Raiders before the Vipers are able to provide defensive screens.
• Adama and Tigh enter core command, and after discussing the situation Apollo realizes that Starbuck's unsanctioned recovery mission has allowed the Cylons to zero in on them.

Notes

Releases

• An additional exclusive subscription variant cover (Cover D) featuring the work of Ardian Syaf was made available to "comic shop subscribers and limited to initial orders."

Artworks

• The original art version of "Cover A" was done in watercolor on 11" x 17". It was listed for sale on 28 January 2015 and has since sold for an undisclosed amount.
• This issue's cover, A, portends Boxey and Adama's grief at the eponymous death of Apollo in the subsequent issue.

Nods

• Apollo mentions his willingness to change roles in a time after war has ended, reminiscent of a final conversation he had with his only brother, Zac, before the Cylon betrayal in the Original Series' "Saga of a Star World".
• Boxey's foray into becoming a pilot is a nod in the direction of Galactica 1980, where Boxey becomes a Warrior, eschewing his childhood nickname.

Errata

• The term yahren is misspelled as "yarhens" on page 2.
• Breena calls Starbuck a sexist pig in reaction to his anecdote over a pyramid game. However, in keeping with the series' extra-worldly nomenclature, the name used should be along the lines of "Boray." That noted, Athena refers to Starbuck as a "snake" in the Original Series' "Saga of a Star World" after discovering his romantic rendezvous with Cassiopeia in the launch bay, so such things are not uncommon even in the canon.
• The color of the Viper striping is red, instead of orange. A common juxtaposition between the colorization schemes of the Re-imagined Series (red striping) versus Original Series (orange striping).
• While the beginning of the issue shows a depiction of the launch bay hewing to the Original Series aesthetics, the later depiction within the issue flips towards the Re-imagined Series depiction of the hangar bay in lieu of Galactica's launch bay, notably with the slanted beams and ribbed-sectioning, as is common with Dynamite Entertainment offerings.

Miscellany

• Apollo's use of the term "rota" in the issue to describe the patrol rotation betrays the author's British origins, for the word is chiefly situated in the British English vernacular.
• The large plotting map behind the Commander's chair is used to note the arrival of the super basestar. While not the first time that the map has shown enemy movements in static form (due to technology of the 1970s era), enemy approaches were often noted on console computer playback screens with rudimentary line-drawing playback.

Analysis

• There is a subtle indication regarding Apollo and Sheba's previous romance from yahrens past (fostered as a sub-plot in the Original Series' finale), notably when he offers to stop visiting the launch bay should it discomfort Sheba.
• Adama's belief that Apollo would eventually lead the Fleet is a common thread in various Battlestar Galactica installments from both the Original and Re-imagined Series. Adama's discussion regarding his intent for Apollo to succeed him is at odds with earlier comments regarding Athena's ascension to commander.
• Some attempt at adherence to the Original Series' nomenclature for time keeping via the use of "yarhens" (sic), sectons and time cycles is displayed. This contrasts to earlier issues where real-world equivalents of years, hours, etc. are used.
• This portion of the story handles Apollo's reintegration in the life of a Colonial survivor, mainly from Apollo's perspective. Displayed throughout the issue are his attempts to reconcile with his disability and the stark life-changes that result from it, including his inability to connect with friends and family as he had prior to his brain injury. The issue lightly delves into his flights of irrational irritability, due to his being at odds with his self-identity before his injury, and the fact that a perpetual state of war exists with the Cylons that he feels sidelined from as an active, front-line participant.
• In comparison to the previous issues, much of the action in the story is character-driven as opposed to gun slinging and dog fighting, up until the final few pages of the issue that segue into the final issue of the series and Apollo's fateful decision.

Questions

Unanswered Questions

• What happened to Apollo and Sheba's romance in the intervening yahrens?
• When will Adama abdicate command?

Answered Questions

• How will Apollo adapt to his life-altering career change? (Answer)
• What will become of Boxey's foray into pilot training? (Answer)

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Omega and Athena discuss Apollo's transition into "riding a desk."

  Omega: Apollo hates this, Athena. Traffic control, supply monitoring....

  Athena: I know. It breaks my heart to see him stuck here. But it would break my heart more not to see him at all.

• Adama has a heart-to-heart with his son.

  Adama: Have you any idea how rewarding I've found life since? The duties of command?

  Apollo: It's not a bit of me, father. I was always operational, not--

  Adama: You're going to succeed me one day, Apollo. That's always been my intention. You'd better get used to command and control because that's your future. We don't choose it because we like it. It chooses us. Duty and responsibility. You love flying and you can't fly any more. You feel aggrieved. I understand that. Get over it. Duty and responsibility.

  Apollo: You've been taking tough love advice from Doctor Madusa, I see.

• Apollo reveals his feelings to Athena.

  Apollo: I feel ashamed of myself. I can see myself acting out, being churlish... like a kid who's toys have been taken away. I hate that, but I can't seem to stop it. I'm pushing people away when I know they mean well. I don't like the fact I've been invalidated out of active service, but more than that...

  Athena: What?

  Apollo: I don't like the person it's turned me into. It's made me bitter.

  Athena: It's only been three sectons. It's early time-cycles. Things will settle.

  Apollo: You know, I used to wonder what I'd do when the war was over. And I still believe the war will be over one cycle. I used to wonder what I'd do when there was no longer a need for Warriors... A farmer. A diplomat. A teacher. I could see myself being any of those things. But the war isn't over. And being a Warrior is all I know. So I feel like I'm already dead. I feel like I'm living on borrowed time.

  Athena: This isn't borrowed. This is saved. Won. Snatched from the jaws of death. This is a gift, not a consolation prize.

Official Statements

• In response to Richard Thomas' comment on the sadness evoked by Cover A's art:

  Mike Mayhew: Yeah, maybe it's cause I'm a dad, but somehow I related to this one. Thanks for your observations!

Related Imagery

Covers

• 
  Cover A by Mike Mayhew.
• 
  Cover B by Dietrich Smith.
• 
  Cover C by Livio Ramondelli.
• 
  Cover D by Ardian Syaf.
• 
  Cover E by Dietrich Smith. (B&W Incentive)
• 
  Cover F by Ardian Syaf. (B&W Incentive)
• 
  Cover G by Dietrich Smith. (Red Monochrome Incentive)
• 
  Original art for Cover A by Mike Mayhew.

Preview Pages

Please Note: These are used for promotional purposes by the publisher, and are provided here in the same vein.

• 
  Page 1.
• 
  Page 2.
• 
  Page 3.
• 
  Page 4.
• 
  Page 5.

External links

• Dynamite.com - BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE DEATH OF APOLLO #5 (OF 6) (web.archive.org backup link)
• Dynamite.com - BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE DEATH OF APOLLO #5 (OF 6) EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIPTION VARIANT COVER (web.archive.org backup link)