Editing Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 3

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

{{Comic Data
| image=BSG03CovsRoss.jpg
| title={{comics|vol2|3|nolink=y}}
| series=Dynamite
| issueno=3
| episode=
| writer= [[Dan Abnett]]<br/>[[Andy Lanning]]
| illustrator=[[Cezar Razek]]
| penciller=
| colorist= [[Vinicius Townsend]]
| letterer= [[Simon Bowland]]
| editor=
| cover= [[Alex Ross]] (Main Cover and Variants)<br/>[[Chris Eliopoulos]] (Subscription Cover)
| published=July 3, 2013
| collects=
| collected={{comics|memorial}}
| reprints=
| reprinted=
| pages=32
| isbn= 725130204622
| prev={{comics|vol2|2}}
| next={{comics|vol2|4}}
}}

:''{{alt|Apollo|TOS}} and {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}} face perils on their own! While Starbuck teams with {{alt|Starbuck|TOS|a strangely familiar acquaintance|reality}}, Apollo joins in [[Colonial Resistance|humanity's last effort]] to overthrow the decades-old tyranny. Behold, the consequences of [[alternate reality|a reality]] where the ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS|Battlestar Galactica}}'' never existed, as the all-conquering {{alt-r|Cylon Empire}} grinds humanity to dust!''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200311|title=Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 #3|date=|accessdate=7 April 2020|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

==Plot==

=== [[Baltifer's basestar]] ===

* {{alt|Starbuck|TOS}} is tossed into a cell by a {{alt-r|Centurion}}, who warns that any further acts of defiance will be met by lethal force.
* Starbuck finds that he shares a cell with a {{alt-r|Starbuck|corpulent, heavily-bearded}} [[fumarello]]-smoking man, who condescendingly states that he'd better make peace with the {{TOS|Lords of Kobol}}. The man refuses to give his name, and prevents Starbuck from introducing himself. 
* The topic quickly changes to {{alt-r|Zee}}, and the bearded compatriot summarizes why humans are kept prisoners aboard [[Baltifer's basestar|the basestar]] and how Zee came into the employ of the {{alt-r|Cylons}}. He also reveals to Starbuck that {{alt-r|Baltar}} has been merged with {{alt-r|Lucifer}}, and has become a cybernetic amalgam called [[Baltifer]].
* Starbuck attracts Zee's attention, finding himself looking into the face of a rapidly decrepit man whose life-support systems are tied into a modified Centurion, upon which Zee is perched. 
* Zee orders the Cylons to give Starbuck "special consideration" to further discover the secrets of the [[Temporal Viper|"curious ship."]]
* Later, Starbuck awakens in his cot, finding his cellmate hunkered behind a mattress, preparing for a blast. 
* The blast comes before Starbuck can further pursue a line of questioning, discovering that the [[Cylon Warden]] lies in flaming shambles.
* The cell doors are overridden by a group of raiders, who run to the cigar-smoking rotund man, referring to him as "Captain Starbuck" much to Lieutenant Starbuck's befuddlement. 
* Starbuck's "other self" offers to give him a lift, seeing as the Cylons believe him to be of value, but makes it clear he won't wait around.
* As Captain Starbuck's raiders exchange fire with incoming Centurions, Lieutenant Starbuck asks about the other prisoners. The Captain wryly notes that the Warrior is a "bleeding heart," and reiterates his abhorrence to slowing down: it's every person for themselves. 
* The escaping raiders and prisoners make their way to a launch bay, where the raiders are loading ammo and other equipment on stolen {{alt-r|Raider}}s. Starbuck regales himself with the praise from his people for risking his life, as he allowed himself to be captured in order to feed his raiding party the basestar's security codes.
* Starbuck has a face-off with his alternate self, fighting for the right of the other prisoners to board the stolen Raiders. After another wave of Centurions arrives, Captain Starbuck begrudgingly agrees, and the surviving prisoners also board the Raiders. 
* As the stolen Raiders launch, the Starbucks enter into Lieutenant Starbuck's Viper to escape, only to find it is unable to start. However, the Centurions avoid firing on the craft, ordering the humans to surrender. This gives Starbuck the time he needs to fire an engine, and he uses the Viper's lasers to clear out the Centurions in their path as they escape. 
* To prevent pursuit, Captain Starbuck deploys the [[signal disruptor]] that affects the Cylons and gives his counterpart the coordinates to his base. That base is ''{{alt-r|Galactica}}'' itself. 
* In the aftermath of their escape, Zee reports to a displeased Baltifer that they were able to reverse engineer temporal technology from the Viper, and that their dismantling efforts are why it had problems launching prior to its escape. Zee assures Baltifer that they will soon have [[temporal weapon]]s of their own. 

=== The Planetoid ===

* On the planetoid where [[Q-Cache]] [[Q-Cache 2702|#2702]] should be, {{alt|Apollo|TOS}} finds himself facing {{alt-r|Adama|a scarred man}} who looks and acts {{alt|Apollo|TOS|like his father}}. 
* Adama reiterates that {{alt-r|Apollo|his son}} is dead, as he saw him die, and is haunted by dreams of it. He believes the Apollo before him some kind of "meat-puppet" manufactured by Zee.
* Apollo begins to {{comics|vol2|1|tell Adama of earlier events}}, which {{alt-r|Boomer}} believes to be "far-fetched [[felgercarb]]," but is quickly interrupted by another rebel who informs Adama of their discovery.
* Apollo is brought down to an underground hangar bay, where his [[Temporal Viper]] is lowered via landing pad, having been dragged from the marsh it landed in. 
* A quartet of Warriors approach, with one of them discussing that the [[temporal warper|warper-tech]] modifications lends credibility to Apollo's story. Apollo recognizes that person, believing it to be {{alt|Serina}}&mdash;it is {{alt-r|Serina|a Serina}}, but she throws the "freak" away from her for she does not know him. When Apollo goes to explain that he was married to her, [[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II|that she died]], and he raises their son {{alt|Boxey|TOS}}, she goes into a rage. Adama explains to him that {{alt-r|Boxey|her son}} died in the {{alt-r|Battle of Cimtar}} when {{alt-r|Caprica}} was destroyed.
* Adama questions Apollo on his continual mentions of ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}''. When Apollo mentions that it is a battlestar, Adama replies that not only all {{alt-r|battlestar}}s were destroyed, but there has never been one named ''Galactica''. 
* Later, Apollo lays out his story to the resistance group, as well as posits that both himself and Starbuck&mdash;who they do not know&mdash;changed reality during the [[Nebula Ambush]]. At Apollo's request, Adama relays the [[alternate reality|history of the alternate reality]]. 
* At the end of the story, Adama tells Apollo of their dire situation, believing that humanity will soon be extinguished. It is a belief that neither Boomer nor Serina share, and Apollo reiterates that they "speak with the voices of ''my'' time" and that the Adama he knew would never give up. Adama concedes that he may not be anything like Apollo's actual father.

==Notes==

=== Publication Releases ===

* A version of this issue, the ''Battlestar Galactica #3 Exclusive Subscription Variant'', released in July 2013. Per the publisher:
*: ''A super-special, exclusive [[Chris Eliopoulos]] Cute cover, only available to comic shop subscribers and limited to initial orders!''<ref>{{cite_web|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200331|title=Battlestar Galactica #3 Exclusive Subscription Variant|date=|accessdate=7 April 2020|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

=== Nods ===

* The cover is inspired by the classic 1977 C.E. ''Star Wars'' poster by [[wookiepedia:Tom Jung|Tom Jung]], with Starbuck in Luke Skywalker's position, flanked by his own "Princess Leia's": {{alt|Athena|TOS}} and {{alt|Cassiopeia}}. Except that neither of those characters appears&mdash;from the primary universe at least&mdash;in this story arc. 
* The use of {{alt-r|Zee|a devious, self-serving Zee}} is not new to [[Dynamite Comics]], particularly as a [[Gaius Zee|reimagined Zee]] originated from Dynamite's {{comics|1980}} series.
* ''[[Rycon]]'' is the name of the battlestar that Adama served on when he was younger under Commander [[Kronus]], as mentioned in "[[Take the Celestra]]."

=== Miscellany ===

* {{alt-r|Sheba}} and {{alt-r|Greenbean}} are mentioned, but not seen. 
** The mention of Sheba brings into question Cain's place in the alternate reality, and whether or not Cain held the same stature that his {{alt|Cain|primary counterpart}} had.
* {{alt-r|Lucifer}} is mentioned, but not seen.
* The appearance of Doctor Zee brings into question the character's origins, as it is a complete divergence from [[The Return of Starbuck|his canonical counterpart's backstory]]. Furthermore, it is never made clear why Zee seems so decrepit in this reality, when {{alt|Zee||his primary counterpart}} has apparent youth and vitality.

==Analysis==

* The  [[tropes:PointOfDivergence|point of divergence]] for the [[tropes:AlternateHistory|alternate history]] that Apollo and Starbuck find themselves in is explained: the ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}'' never existed. There are mostly minor changes, as the characters, players, and settings are the same, falling in line with "[[tropes:InSpiteOfANail|in spite of a nail]]." 
** In the [[alternate reality]], the Cylons still win the [[Thousand-Yahren War]] and the human race is all but wholly exterminated.
** Baltar still betrays humanity for his own aims.
** {{alt-r|Adama}} is still a leader of people, but assumes the role that {{alt|Adar|TOS}} had in the primary reality as President of the {{alt-r|Quorum of Twelve}}, and thus it is he who is himself fooled by Baltar's lies. This is one step removed from the primary reality as Adama ''becomes'' the President of the Quorum ''following'' Adar's {{alt|Battle of Cimtar|death}} aboard ''{{alt|Atlantia|TOS}}'', as Adama served as Caprica's representative to the Quorum ''under'' President Adar.
** Adama still leads a rag-tag fugitive group on a lonely quest of guerrilla warfare agains the Cylons, playing hide-and-go-seek with the Cylon Empire's representative at their backs, [[Baltifer|in a modified form]].
** {{alt-r|Tigh}} is in the military, assuming command of a battlestar that Adama and his wife travel upon during the "peace conference." Tigh saves Adama's life during the battle, at the expense of his own.
** {{alt-r|Ila}} and {{alt-r|Zac}} still die; {{alt-r|Apollo}} and {{alt-r|Athena}} just join them, leaving Adama the sole survivor of his family. 
* They just don't have the [[tropes:GoodLuckCharm|good luck charm]] of ''Galactica'', {{alt-r|Galactica|or so they think}}.
* The Starbuck conundrum comes into play, as {{alt-r|Starbuck|Captain Starbuck}} has much the same inclinations as his {{alt|Starbuck|TOS|primary reality counterpart}}. In particular, the name Starbuck is bestowed upon him by Adama&mdash;if the events of {{comics|starbuck|1}} are to be factored in, although that series was written after this installment&mdash;after the attack on {{alt|Umbra}} that orphaned Starbuck to begin with. It is apparent that Captain Starbuck's visible gluttony and other self-serving attributes are from the lack of structure and sensibilities that would have been provided by Adama and his family.
* There is a question of where Captain Starbuck's ''Galactica'' came from, as it is an incongruous anomaly in light of Adama's adamancy that there had never been a ship named ''Galactica'' commissioned.

==Questions==

* What are Doctor {{alt-r|Zee}}'s origins? How did he succumb to his physical ailments, whereas his {{alt|Zee||opposite}} had not? 
* How many [[yahren]]s have the [[Colonial Resistance]] been fighting the {{alt-r|Cylons}}?
* How did {{alt-r|Starbuck}} come to be in possession of ''{{alt-r|Galactica}}'', particularly as the Colonies never commissioned a {{alt-r|battlestar}} with that name?
* How did Starbuck come into possession of a [[signal disruptor]] effective against Cylons?

==Noteworthy Dialogue==

* ''{{alt-r|Adama}} reveals a key divergence explaining the [[alternate reality]]'s origin:''
*: '''Adama:''' You keep mentioning something called the ''{{alt|Galactica|TOS}}''. What is it? Your ''ship''?
*: '''Apollo:''' The '''{{alt|battlestar|TOS}}''' ''Galactica''.
*: '''Adama:''' I was there when {{alt-r|Battle of Cimtar|the Cylons attacked}}. ''All'' the {{alt-r|battlestar}}s were destroyed. There has never ''been'' a battlestar called ''Galactica''.

* ''Adama tells {{alt|Apollo|TOS}} that the human race is certainly doomed:''
*: '''Adama:''' The {{alt-r|Cylon Empire}} is ''relentless''. The day is ''fast'' approaching when the human race will finally be ''extinguished''.
*: '''Apollo:''' ''No!'' No, you'd ''never'' think like that!
*: '''Adama:''' It is the ''truth''.
*: '''{{alt-r|Serina}}:''' It is ''not''! We'll ''keep'' fighting!
*: '''{{alt-r|Boomer}}:''' We'll stand ''strong'', sir, for as ''long'' as it takes!
*: '''Apollo:''' ''Listen'' to them! Listen to ''both'' of them! Serina and Boomer speak with the voices of ''my'' time. Where ''I'' come from, we ''never'' gave up. ''You'' never gave up, father. You ''always'' told me that when things were blackest ''any'' light was the promise of a ''new day''. The Adama I know would never acll the fight ''futile'', no matter ''what'' the odds.
*: '''Adama:''' Then maybe I am not your father ''after all''.    

<!--== Official Statements ==-->

==Related Imagery==

===Covers===

<gallery mode="slideshow">
BSG03CovsRoss.jpg|'''Main Cover'''<br/>''Art:'' [[Alex Ross]]
BSG03CovsIncenSketch.jpg|'''Incentive Cover.''' Alternate main pencil sketch cover.<br/>''Art:'' [[Alex Ross]]
BSG03Covs25Only.jpg|'''Virgin cover'''.<br/>''Art:'' [[Alex Ross]]
BSG03CovsCute.jpg|'''Subscription Cover''' "Cute Exclusive"<br/>''Art:'' [[Chris Eliopoulos]]
</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">
File:BSGv2031.jpg|Page 1
File:BSGv2032.jpg|Page 2
File:BSGv2033.jpg|Page 3
File:BSGv2034.jpg|Page 4
File:BSGv2035.jpg|Page 5
</gallery>

==External links==

* {{archivelink|url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513020462200311|title=Dynamite.com: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #3}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

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