Editing Battlestar Galactica: Origins 4

{{separate continuity|universe=RDM|cont=Dynamite Comics}}

{{Comic Data
| image = BSGOrigins4lagunacov.jpg
| title=Origins #4
| series=Dynamite
| issueno=4
| episode=
| writer= [[Kevin Fahey]]
| penciller= [[Jonathan Lau]]
| inker=
| colorist=
| letterer=
| editor=
| cover= [[Fabio Laguna]]
| published= February 2008
| collects=
| collected=
| reprints=
| reprinted=
| isbn=
| prev=[[Battlestar Galactica: Origins 3]]
| next=[[Battlestar Galactica: Origins 5]]
}}
==Plot==
In this final issue of the four-part miniseries exploring the life of [[Gaius Baltar]] before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], Baltar sees his [[Command Navigation Program]] being implemented in the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]], as well as an unexpected desire to visit [[Aerilon (alternate)|Aerilon]] before the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] final attack.

== Summary ==

* On ''[[Colonial Heavy 691]]'', [[Gaius Baltar (alternate)|Gaius Baltar]] and Admiral [[Marcus]] are overseeing the last test of the [[Command Navigation Program]], which entails the jump of 40 ships well outside Colonial Space. Marcus notes that Baltar is nervous, but assures Baltar that they are impressed with Baltar's work on the project.
* Outside, Captain {{callsign|Lee Adama}} informs ''691'' that the area is clear. 30 seconds later, ships begin to jump in. Initially, Marcus is impressed, having never seen such precision in all his career. Baltar claims that future updates to the program can allow any ship of any size to jump to the location at the same time, from different navigational points. 
* An officer informs Marcus that only 95% of the ships arrived; Marcus becomes irate and blames Baltar for having lost two of his ships. He soon learns that all the ships that jumped in have lost power.
* Baltar begins to conjure up excuses, however the last two ships jump in and almost collide with ''691''. After this event, the ships that lost power happen to recover it simultaneously.
* Baltar returns to [[Caprica (RDM alternate)|Caprica]], where he talks with [[Caprica-Six]] about the test. Despite the fact that the test was not a complete success, Baltar reveals that the Fleet has begun to deploy the program. Baltar posits that the fiscal crisis will force the [[Colonial Ministry of Defense|Ministry of Defense]] (MOD) to reduce their spending and not continue further tests on the program.
* Six broaches the topic of their relationship, which leads Baltar to discuss the [[Red Line]] concept. At the end of the conversation, Baltar asks Six whether or not people have moral Red Lines and what happens after said Red Lines are crossed.  
* Alone after hours, Baltar sits at his office at the MOD, where he has a pang of conscience and orders a ticket to [[Aerilon (alternate)|Aerilon]].
* Six walks through Caprica City, where she mulls over the fact that humanity's time is running out. She walks to an abandoned facility, where she witnesses the escape of Dr. [[Amorak (alternate)|Amorak]]. He is left unchallenged by the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], as she enters a male [[farm]] where the people the Cylons have been kidnapping are being sent to a baseship that's going to jump in moments before the bombardment.
* During her talk with her fellow Cylons, [[Number Three]] congratulates Caprica-Six for infiltrating the MOD with great skill. Six further assures them that the Fleet's network will fail when the time comes. Three then takes the opportunity to personally apologize to Six for her lack of confidence in Six for pulling off her part of the mission.
* Six asks after the person she saw running away earlier; Three replies that it was Amorak and it will not matter what he has to say, since the attack will be over in a few hours. Of the attack, Three says: "It will be a new world soon. God's children shall inherit the [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]."
* Baltar returns to Aerilon, where he happens across an old severed Cylon head, as well as the foreclosed farm house. He happens upon the grave of his mother, [[Vanessa Baltar]]; he asks himself what he's done.
* On the return trip to Caprica on an [[Aerilon Lines]] flight, a stewardess asks Baltar if he happens to be Gaius Baltar. He replies in the affirmative, where he proceeds to flirt with her.
* After landing in [[Caprica City Spaceport]], Baltar and the stewardess enter a taxi. Off in the distance, Caprica-Six is watching him; he believes he sees her, but when he turns back Six is nowhere to be seen.
* Six follows Baltar and his new lady friend to his home.  As she watches them from a distance, she questions why she can't have a child, and wonders why Baltar doesn't love her. While she is confident that what the Cylons are doing is right, she feels the burden of responsibility for betraying Baltar. 
* Elsewhere, the Cylons lead by another Six are ready to board the [[Armistice Station]] from their [[Heavy Raider]].

== Notes ==

[[File:Origins 4 - Mac OS X cameo.jpg|thumb|The [[Colonial Ministry of Defense]]'s [[Gaius Baltar (alternate)|Gaius Baltar]] uses [[Mac OS X]].]]

* The computer screen on page 11 depicts applications on a [[Mac OS X]] operating system, namely [[w:iCal|iCal]] and [[w:Automator|Automator]].
* This comic takes place within the last weeks leading up to the attack, ending up until the point where the Cylons board the [[Armistice Station]] at the beginning of the [[Miniseries, Night 1]].
* [[Gaius Baltar]] has a pang of guilt over having turned his back on his family. He returns to [[Aerilon (alternate)|Aerilon]] only to find that his mother, [[Vanessa Baltar]], has passed. 
* It is implied that the woman Baltar picks up on the return flight from Aerilon is the [[Blonde Woman|same woman]] that Baltar last fornicates with before [[Caprica-Six]]'s revelation of her Cylon nature.
* Dr. [[Amorak (alternate)|Amorak]] manages to escape Cylon custody through means unknown, thus avoiding any contradiction to established series' canon. It also addresses how he knows about the Cylons' plans for the attack on the Twelve Colonies.
* The capture of the prominent officials is likely linked to the Cylons' plans for artificial procreation, similar to the Cylons' baby [[farms]]. However, these endeavors are known to both the audience and to the Cylons to be unsuccessful.
* A [[Heavy Raider]] is seen nearing the [[Armistice Station]]. Heavy Raiders are not shown on-screen on the [[Miniseries, Night 1|first night of the Miniseries]], only well into [[Season 1 (2004-05)|Season 1]].

== Analysis ==

* 

== Questions ==

* How was Amorak able to escape Cylon custody?
* What happened to [[Bernard Baltar]] between the events of ''[[Battlestar Galactica: Origins 3]]'' and the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]? 
* What was the cause of the economic issues affecting the Colonies? Was this due to Cylon manipulation?

== Alternate covers ==

<gallery mode="slideshow">
File:BSGOrigins4lagunacov.jpg|[[Fabio Laguna]] cover.
File:BSGOrigins4photocov.jpg|Photo cover featuring [[Number Six]] and [[Gaius Baltar]].
</gallery>

== External links ==

* [http://dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/p-C109249.html ''Battlestar Galactica: Origins 4'' - Regular Edition] at Dynamite Entertainment

{{comic list|series=Origins}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battlestar Galactica: Origins 04}}

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