Editing Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command 5

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

{{Comic Data
| image= TNBSG20190505011ASchoonover.jpg
| title=Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command 5
| series=Dynamite
| issueno=5
| episode=
| writer= [[Michael Moreci]]
| penciller=[[Breno Tamura]]
| inker=
| colorist= [[Dijjo Lima]]
| letterer= [[Taylor Esposito]]
| editor=[[Kevin Ketner]]
| cover= [[Brent Schoonover]] (Cover A) <br/> [[Breno Tamura]] & [[Dijjo Lima]] (Cover B)
| published=June 26, 2019
| collects=
| collected=
| reprints=
| reprinted=
| isbn= 725130277657
| prev=[[Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command 4]]
| next=End of Series
}}

==Summary==

:''It all comes down to this: [[Twilight Command]] has its back against the wall, but they refuse to relent. They can't&mdash;not when [[John Cavil (alternate)|Cavil]]'s army of [[toaster|toasters]] is ready to swarm [[New Caprica]]. Prepare yourself for an explosive&mdash;and shocking&mdash;finale!''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513027765705011|title=
Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command #5|date=|accessdate=23 June 2019|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

==Plot==

=== Cylon-Occupied New Caprica ===

: ''The events depicted in this section take place following the 106th day into the [[Cylons (RDM alternate)|Cylon]] occupation of [[New Caprica]], even though it is not specified in the comic.''

* Back at [[Twilight Command]]'s base camp, [[Alexa Flores]] is discussing [[John Cavil (alternate)|John Cavil]]'s plans. They agree that while a prudent move would be to enlist the assistance of "moles" to root out any resistance force, Cavil would go for the most extreme option: wholesale, undiscriminating slaughter.
* Despite [[Devos]]' reticence of "going to war," Flores presses on with her plan to destroy Cavil's [[Centurion (RDM alternate)|Centurion]] factory. 
* Flores visits [[Spark]], and tells him that it isn't his fault that [[Deacon]] was captured, as Deacon went willingly and knew the risks. She tells him that there's still a chance to save their friend.
* In Cavil's quarters, Deacon pleads with Cavil to kill him; Deacon feels sorrow for having betrayed his friends to Cavil. Cavil is about to have his Centurions carry out Deacon's request, but explosions outside of the factory distract him.
* Cavil and a cadre of Centurions rush to an entrance, only to be faced with an onslaught of bombs being thrown their direction. Cavil demands the Centurions go after their assailants.
* Behind cover, [[Tomlin]] and Devos team up; Tomlin throws the bombs, while Devos blows them up by shooting them with a sniper rifle. Spark informs them that Centurions are converging at their position. 
* Flores goes into the factory solo, knifing a Centurion in the eye and throwing another knife into another Centurion's eye slit. She reports that she's heading into the factory, as she's already wired half of the factory's exterior with explosives, and just needs to plant some inside the factory to finish the job.
* Flores comes across Deacon, and begins cutting the wires suspending him. Deacon begins apologizing for betraying them, but will not hear of it.
* Cavil shoots her from behind, and taunts her about the pain of dying. He notes that being [[resurrection|resurrected]] is painful as well, but she will be spared the pain of rebirth as human death is permanent.

=== Following the Discovery of New Caprica ===

: ''The events depicted in this section take place at least 10 days after the discovery of [[New Caprica]], based from the events in the [[Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command 4|preceding issue]]. A specific time is not noted.''

* Flores is surprised to see her cell door open automatically, and inquires to [[William Adama (alternate)|William Adama]] on whether or not it was a malfunction. He replies in the negative, and notes that the members of her [[Twilight Command]] team have decided to settle [[New Caprica]]&mdash;and have requested that she join them.
* Adama informs Flores of her release in order to do so. Recognizing that she no longer wants to serve in the Colonial military as a leader, she pledges to Adama to be a leader to her people, as it is important that they know someone will be watching over them and doing what they can to keep them safe. 
* Adama salutes her as she leaves. As a response to why he would do that, he replies that "saluting is what you do in the presence of ''honorable'' people."

=== Cylon-Occupied New Caprica ===

* The fight continues, but soon Twilight Command finds themselves out of explosives and Spark's "pulses" that knock out Centurions. Devos decides to enter the fray with only his side arms, but is soon shot by a Centurion.
* Inside the factory, Cavil is about to execute Flores, noting that it doesn't sound like her team will make it. Deacon realizes that Spark's life is in danger, and it grabs Cavil, crushing his face.
* Flores gives Deacon her communicator, and instructs him to get the others to escape. Flores will complete her mission, even if it means killing herself in the process. 
* As the wounded Devos and his other team members are about to be overrun by Centurions, Deacon arrives to kill the remaining Cylons.
* The remaining members of Twilight Command retreat, despite Spark's initial insistence that they go back for her. Deacon dissuades them from this, noting that Flores isn't going to make it.
* In the factory, the Centurions converge on Flores, who has her hand on a bomb cylinder's plunger button. Before the Centurions can act, she pushes down on the plunger, destroying not only herself but the entire factory. 

: ''The events depicted in this section take place following circa day 113 into the [[Cylons (RDM alternate)|Cylon]] occupation of [[New Caprica]], even though it is not directly specified in the comic.''

* One week later, [[Galen Tyrol (alternate)|Galen Tyrol]] discusses the current situation with Devos, Tomlin and Spark. Tyrol comments that they're working day and night on a way to leave the Cylon-occupied planet. 
* The matter of [[New Caprica Police|all-human police force]] is being rumored, to which Tyrol replies that a human police force is better than one with toasters.
* As they discuss some of the scuttlebutt regarding Adama and how [[The Fleet (RDM)|The Fleet]] left them behind, Devos shares his belief that Adama is working on a way to get them back, as he knows "good leaders, and that's what good leaders do."

==Notes==

* The credits page notes that the events depicted in this issue take place concurrently with [[Season 3]] of the [[Re-imagined Series]], although this does not apply to the flashback sequence in this issue. 
* In terms of the [[Timeline - Season 2 (RDM)|timeline]] for the pre-[[New Caprica]] events, this installment takes place circa day 258 thus placing it during the events of "[[Downloaded]]" and "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]."
* In terms of the [[Timeline - Season 3 (RDM)|timeline]] for "current" events, this installment takes place 36 to 41 days after the events of "[[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]]" and 23 to 30 days before "[[Occupation]]."

=== Errata ===

* The cell doors on ''[[Galactica (RDM alternate)|Galactica]]'' are not electronic, and certainly do not retract into the upper door frame as depicted on page 11 of the issue. 
* The last panel of this issue depicts [[William Adama (alternate)|William Adama]] next to a window in [[CIC]], however the only window of note on ''[[Galactica (RDM alternate)|Galactica]]'' is on the [[observation deck]].

==Analysis==

* While not directly stated, [[Twilight Command]]'s continued existence is by [[William Adama (alternate)|William Adama]]'s design, including [[Alexa Flores]]'s leadership of it. It is further implied that Adama told [[Saul Tigh (alternate)|Saul Tigh]] about its existence, leading to the events depicted in ''[[Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command 1]]''.
* The ''Twilight Command'' comic book series fills in the efforts of the Colonials to resist their Cylon oppressors, leading into the creation of the human-filled [[New Caprica Police]] force. 
* The survival of [[Deacon]] and the majority of Twilight Command's members allow for the possibility of additional follow-ups, as it would have been easy to simply wipe out the entire team in the form of a "reset button."
* Deacon's motivations in betraying his "brothers" remain unclear, as is what may or may not remain of [[John Cavil (alternate)|John Cavil]]'s reprogramming.
* Out of the Twilight Command characters, the only character to be sufficiently developed is Alexa Flores. The other characters remain superficial, stereotypical constructs.
* The creation of a "toaster factory" on planet by Cavil is dubious at best, as other sources of Centurions can be found elsewhere in great numbers, including [[The Colony]] and from the Cylon fleet orbiting New Caprica itself.

==Questions==

* What remains of Deacon's selective re-programming by John Cavil?
* Why is a "[[toaster]] factory" on New Caprica necessary, given that [[The Colony|other sources]] are available? 
* What is [[Spark]]'s name?

==Noteworthy Dialogue==

* ''[[Alexa Flores]] tells [[Spark]] not to blame himself for [[Deacon]]'s capture:''
: '''Flores:''' You know what the hardest part of being a military leader is?
: '''Spark:''' No&mdash;I have ''no clue.''
: '''Flores:''' Coming to terms with responsibility. Yes, it is my duty to protect the men an women in my command; to train them, make them strong, and do ''whatever'' I can to keep them safe. But, they enlisted knowing the potential consequences, while protecting them from harm meant ''everything'' to me. I couldn't ''remove'' them from harm. I couldn't shelter them, especially because of my own feelings.
: '''Spark:''' I know, but... I'm just sad. I think about how scared Deacon must be. How... alone. 
: '''Flores:''' You're allowed to feel sad, Spark. Even ''angry''. But I will not allow you to blame yourself.

* ''Deacon on [[John Cavil (alternate)|John Cavil]]'s propensity for lectures:''
: '''Cavil:''' Go on, kill me if you want...
: '''Deacon:''' I ''warned'' you not to hurt [[Twilight Command|my friends]].
: '''Cavil:''' ... you're too ''late''. I've already set my new [[Centurion (RDM alternate)|Centurion]] to be deployed. Your friends are as good as dead. The ''entire'' colony is as good as&mdash;
: '''Deacon:''' (as it crushes Cavil's head) You talk too much.

==Related Imagery==

===Covers===

<gallery mode="slideshow">
TNBSG20190505011ASchoonover.jpg|'''Cover A:''' Colorized cover (with "15th Anniversary" logo).<br/>''Art:'' Brent Schoonover
BSG20190505021BTamura.jpg|'''Cover B:''' Colorized cover (with "15th Anniversary" logo).<br/>''Art:'' Breno Tamura<br/>''Colors:'' Dijjo Lima
BSG20190505031Incen10Schoon.jpg|'''Cover C:''' Black & white "incentive" variant (with "15th Anniversary" logo).<br/>''Art:'' Brent Schoonover
BSG20190505041Incen20Tamura.jpg|'''Cover D:''' Virgin cover "incentive."<br/>''Art:'' Breno Tamura<br/>''Colors:'' Dijjo Lima
BSG20190505051Incen25Schoon.jpg|'''Cover E:''' Virgin cover "incentive."<br/>''Art:'' Brent Schoonover
</gallery>

===Preview Pages===

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

<gallery mode="slideshow">
BSGTC05Int1.jpg|Page 1
BSGTC05Int2.jpg|Page 2
BSGTC05Int3.jpg|Page 3
BSGTC05Int4.jpg|Page 4
BSGTC05Int5.jpg|Page 5
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{comic list|series=TC}}

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