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Galactica (TRS)

2011-09-30T20:43:15Z

BSG-Phoenix: /* Endgame: Battle of The Colony */

:''This article discusses the [[Re-imagined Series]] battlestar. For other meanings of '''''Galactica''''', see [[Galactica (disambiguation)]].''
{{Ship Data
| image= Galactica Overview.jpg
| title= Galactica (BS 75)
| race= Colonial
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| crew= Approximately 3,500
| length= {{Meters2Feet|1438.64}}<ref>These dimensions (in meters) were derived from the CG model and posted by [[Lee Stringer]] on the StarshipBuilder.com forums, which are no longer available. They are the most precise so far. The width with pods extended and the height are quoted here verbatim; the length was calculated by adding the posted dimension for the front of the ship (766.04m) to the posted dimension for the back (672.6m). The full set as provided by Lee Stringer is as follows: "Width (Pods out) 536.84m (Pods In) 352.34m
Engines Max 359.38m Head Max 334.58m
Length: Front (Main body) 730.65m (Antenee) 766.04m Back 672.6m
(using the center of the two arms as the middle)
Height (Armor/Mainbody) 181.825m (Details) 183.315m".</ref>
| width= {{Meters2Feet|536.84}}<ref name="podtopod">This is from flight pod to flight pod while they are extended.</ref>
| height= {{Meters2Feet|183.315}}
| otherdi= The dimensions above are from [[Lee Stringer]], who built the ''Galactica'' CG model. VFX Sequence Designer [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]] gave the length as {{Feet2Meters|4740}}.<ref>[http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/how-big-was-the-colony/#comment-2193 Blog comment] by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]].</ref> The reason for this twenty-foot discrepancy is unknown.
| co= Admiral [[William Adama]]
| xo= Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
| role= Carrier / battleship hybrid
| weapons= As many as 514 dual point-defense [[KEW|Kinetic Energy Weapons]], 24 primary dual Kinetic Energy Weapons, at least 12 [[missile tubes]] capable of firing conventional and nuclear missiles, Vipers, Raptors
| status= Abandoned, flown into the Sun with the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]
| img= Y
}}
'''''Galactica'' (BS 75)''' is a [[Galactica type battlestar|veteran battlestar]] and the last of her kind still in service with the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|destruction of the Twelve Colonies]]. Built during the early days of the [[Cylon War]], she remains the only military vessel without integrated [[Computers|computer networks]]. Without networked computers, ''Galactica'' never upgrades to the new [[Command Navigation Program|integrated defense system software]] developed by Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] and his [[Number Six|team]]. Because of this and other factors, she becomes one of only two known battlestars (the other being ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'') to survive the renewed Cylon attack on the [[Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]]. At the time of this attack, she was part of the 75th [[Battlestar Group]] (BSG-75).

== History ==
=== The First Cylon War ===
[[Image:Mini gal top.jpg|right|200px|thumb|A dorsal view of ''Galactica''. The starboard [[flight pod]] is covered by a window to form the [[Galactica Museum|museum area]].]]
''Galactica'' was one of the first twelve battlestars to be constructed by the Colonials, each representing one of the twelve colonies; ''Galactica'' represented [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]]. As such, she is some 50 years old. While solidly built, various factors during ''Galactica's'' construction led to the shipyard "cutting corners" when she was originally built, with various components not completed to spec ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]"). Following the outbreak of Cylon hostilities several more battlestars were built. ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> first commander was named [[Nash]].

The original battlestars were all designed with non-integrated computer systems to avoid the Cylons' demonstrated ability to override or subvert networked command and control systems early in the war ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]"). Rather than technological sophistication, the battlestar depended on its sheer bulk and defensive / offensive capabilities to ward off any threats to itself or the Colonies.

''Galactica'' took part in [[Operation Raptor Talon]] which then Lieutenant [[William Adama]] served on. After crash-landing on the ice planet the operation took place over and witnessing the experiments on humans, Adama contacted ''Galactica'' to take out the [[Guardian basestar]] which had just launched, but was informed by ''Galactica'', which had dispatched a [[SAR]] [[Raptor]] for him, of the Armistice. Adama wouldn't learn the truth of what he'd seen until the [[Battle of the Guardian basestar]] over forty years later. After the [[Final Five|rather mysterious]] Cylon [[Armistice Station|armistice]], and their withdrawal from Colonial space, ''Galactica'' and her sister ships served the Twelve Colonies in a variety of roles. While her surviving sister ships were scrapped or upgraded to match the systems capabilities of newer Colonial vessels, ''Galactica'' continued in service without her systems being fully networked or integrated, making her unique among Colonial military vessels. '' Galactica'' was relegated to intra-system duties for at least 20 years prior to her decommissioning.<ref>This is inferred by [[Saul Tigh]] in his reaction to Commander Adama's decision for a [[FTL]] jump ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]").</ref>

=== Decommissioning ===
[[Image:Ragnarbattle3.jpg|200px|right|thumb|''Galactica'' provides cover for civilian ships during the [[Battle of Ragnar Anchorage]].]]
With her active career drawing to a close, a decision was taken to retire ''Galactica'' and decommission her from service. Colonial Fleet chose not to scrap her, but to turn her into a combination of living museum to the original Cylon War and an educational center, with her conversion being overseen by her final commander, [[William Adama]].

At the time of her formal decommissioning ceremony, ''Galactica'' is stripped of all but one of her operational [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] Mark VII squadrons, her munitions are destroyed, and her starboard landing pod is converted into a pressurized [[Galactica Museum|museum]] which houses (among other things) a full squadron of [[Viper Mark II|Mk. II Vipers]] as well as a Viper model that appears [[Viper (TOS)|older than the Mark II]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]").

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=== Return of the Cylons ===
[[Image:Mini side fleet.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'' and the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]].]]
With the renewed and unexpected Cylon hostilities, ''Galactica'' is quickly brought back to combat condition and sorties several Mark IIs retrieved from her museum, engaging in her first battle with the Cylons in over 40 years (all but one last Mark VII squadron were sent to Caprica for reassignment). She survives a direct hit by a tactical nuclear missile, and later [[FTL|jumps]] successfully to [[Ragnar Anchorage]] to replenish her empty ammunition stores at this strategic depot.

''Galactica'' emerges from the anchorage and engages one [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] with her gun batteries, providing cover for [[The Fleet (RDM)|a fleet of 75 civilian ships]] harboring survivors of the Twelve Colonies. Once the entire civilian fleet successfully jumps away, and as a second basestar approaches to join the battle, ''Galactica'' recovers her remaining Vipers and jumps to the rendezvous point beyond the [[Red Line]], never to return to Colonial space ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").

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=== Leading a Ragtag Fleet ===
[[Image:Ep212battle.jpg|200px|right|thumb|''Galactica'' and [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] work together during the [[Battle of the Resurrection Ship]].]]
Since the exodus of the Colonials from their overrun homeworlds, ''Galactica'' becomes both protector and provider for the Fleet. She provides covering fire for the Fleet during Cylon attacks no fewer than 240 times ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]": "[[Act of Contrition]]"). The battlestar provides much of the Fleet with recycled water ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]") and she is the primary source of medical care, where groups of civilians are periodically brought aboard for check-ups and treatment ([[TRS]]: "[[Litmus]]"). ''Galactica'' also undertakes internal policing duties within the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]"; "[[Bastille Day]]").

''Galactica'' successfully goes on the offensive against the Cylons, capturing a [[tylium]] fuel mining and processing plant in the process ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

The [[Mercury class battlestar|advanced battlestar]] ''Pegasus'', commanded by Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]], joins ''Galactica'' approximately 6 months into their exile (See the series [[Timeline (RDM)|timeline]] for special information about this milestone). The two battlestars destroy two [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]] as well as a critical Cylon support ship known as the [[Resurrection Ship]]. After Admiral Cain's death, President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] promotes William Adama to Admiral, restoring him to overall Fleet command, but now with two battlestars at his disposal ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").

===New Caprica===
[[Image:Leaving New Caprica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'', ''Pegasus'', and the orbiting fleet prior to leaving [[New Caprica]].]]
Following the founding of [[New Caprica]], ''Galactica'' is assigned to the orbital defense force that protects the planet. During this time the majority of her crew are allowed to the surface in an effort to populate the planet and restore the human race, a majority of whom are seemingly convinced that the Cylons will never find New Caprica. The diminished crew inevitably results in standard maintenance becoming overlooked or ignored; basic military responses, such as the launching of alert fighters and routine training exercises become difficult to execute. One year following the founding of New Caprica, a fleet of Cylon ships jump into orbit of the planet. Severely limited in their abilities, Admiral Adama orders the defense fleet to jump away from New Caprica along with a handful of civilian ships still in orbit of the colony. They vow to eventually return to New Caprica and liberate it from the Cylon invaders ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

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===[[Battle of New Caprica]]===
[[Image:BONC.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'' takes a pounding during the [[Battle of New Caprica]].]]
Four months after their escape, ''Galactica'''s staff is still in the process of developing a rescue strategy with 16 training exercises having been completed and a 17th underway when an accident causes its early cessation ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]"). This forces both a change in strategy and the reformulation of a rescue plan to deal with personnel who have not seen conflict in 16 months. While ''Galactica'' fights to liberate the Colonials on-planet, ''Pegasus'' is assigned to protect the remaining civilian Fleet and continue its search for [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]"; "[[Exodus, Part I]]").

After coordinating with the [[New Caprica Resistance]], ''Galactica'' leaves ''Pegasus'' to guard the space-bound members of humanity while it uses a series of drones to misdirect the bulk of the Cylon Raiders and avoid immediate detection by baseships, thus allowing the civilians on the planet to escape to their ships and flee New Caprica.

''Galactica'' then jumps into low orbit, plummeting from an altitude of 100,000 feet. As the ship falls, Admiral Adama orders the launch of all remaining Vipers. ''Galactica'' then jumps back into orbit. In the subsequent battle with the orbiting basestars, ''Galactica'' is overtaxed, out-gunned, and faces destruction when ''Pegasus'' unexpectedly arrives. ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> salvos draw the attention of the basestars away from ''Galactica'', buying ''Galactica'' time to bring her [[FTL|FTL drives]] back on-line and escape, but at the cost of ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> destruction ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

''Galactica'' bears the scars of the battle with significant scorching and dents to the hull. Nonetheless, the battlestar remains combat ready, holding off a superior Cylon force for a short duration in the [[Battle of NCD2539]] ([[TRS]]: "[[A Measure of Salvation]]"), and threatening to use its nuclear arsenal twice after New Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]"; "[[Crossroads, Part II]]"). Given the loss of ''Pegasus'', ''Galactica'' now boasts a larger crew, Viper and Raptor complement, to the point where there are more pilots than there are ships to fly ([[TRS]]: "[[Torn]]"), although the training of new recruits is still ongoing ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]"; "[[Crossroads, Part II]]"; "[[He That Believeth in Me]]"). Further, there are various redundancies between the two crews that are appropriately dealt with (e.g. [[Lee Adama]] in a [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 3 (RDM)|deleted scene]] from "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

Colonel Tigh comments that ''Galactica'' took so much damage in this battle that it would "take six weeks in dry dock just to bang out the dents" ([[TRS]]: "[[A Day in the Life]]"). This indicates that the damage is extensive enough to require a significant amount time (probably months) for full repair, and would be unlikely to survive a massive battle again.

=== Resuming the Search for Earth ===
''Galactica'' takes aboard a significant quantity of civilians following the exodus from New Caprica, as several civilian ships are lost during the escape from the failed colony. Cramped conditions increase as crew and civilians struggle to adapt to life back aboard a ship. The civilians reside on the refurbished starboard hangar deck as a refugee camp nicknamed "[[Camp Oil Slick]]" and later "Dogsville" ([[TRS]]: "[[Torn]]"; "[[The Woman King]]").

During a [[The Passage|food shortage crisis]] caused by contamination of the Fleet's food processing systems, ''Galactica'' (along with her Raptors acting as pilot ships) guides the civilian Fleet through an area of intense heat, light and radiation caused by a [[Passage (star cluster)|dense star cluster]] to reach edible resources on the [[algae planet]]. ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> heavy armor and radiation shielding protect her from the intense effects of the cluster, but the ship still suffers hull damage and decompressions.

The ship confronts a Cylon fleet and barely escapes a nova during [[Eye of Jupiter|the events over the algae planet]], jumping out at the last moment after recovering its ground teams and additional data on a way-point to Earth known to the Colonials as the [[Ionian nebula]] ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]"). Repairs continue on the journey to the Ionian nebula. Damage to one particular airlock nearly causes the deaths of Galen and Cally Tyrol during what they expected to be a quick repair of a hull micro-fracture ([[A Day in the Life]]).
[[Image:BOTIM.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Galactica'' is outnumbered during the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula]].]]
When the Fleet reaches the nebula, four Cylon baseships are detected following an unexplained power outage. With the entire Fleet crippled and unable to escape, ''Galactica'' scrambles her Vipers and prepares for a lopsided fight, outnumbered and outgunned ([[Crossroads, Part II]]). During the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula|following battle]], ''Galactica'' manages to hold off the main attack of the massive Cylon attack force. Despite the damage suffered in previous engagements, the old warship wields her main guns and point defense batteries effectively again in defense of the Fleet. During the battle ''Galactica'' takes many hits while covering the Fleet although without crippling damage. Despite having the advantage, and managing to destroy or damage several civilian ships, the Cylons retreat in the middle of the battle, after detecting one of the [[Final Five]] among the Colonials ([[He That Believeth in Me]]).

''Galactica'' is once forced to prepare for a battle against the rebel [[Basestar (RDM)|Cylon basestar]], but the ''[[Demetrius]]'' arrives to defuse the situation. In the wake of the basestar disappearing from the Fleet ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]), [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'', jumping along with the Fleet ([[Sine Qua Non]]).

After [[Kara Thrace]] picks up a strange signal in [[Starbuck's Viper|her Viper]], the Colonials have a direct bearing towards Earth. Shortly later, after several years of searching, ''Galactica'' and her Fleet finally make the last jump to Earth ([[Revelations]]).

=== Post-Earth ===

After discovering [[Earth]] is a nuclear wasteland, discipline and morale on ''Galactica'' fall dramatically and the overall cleanliness of the ship suffers, e.g. outside [[CIC]], the words "Frak Earth" are spray-painted on the walls ([[Sometimes a Great Notion]]). When former deck chief [[Galen Tyrol]] disables the FTL drive, foiling the mutineers' escape with the ship, he discovers multiple tears in the chamber's walls, a sign that the aging battlestar's structural integrity is faltering ([[Blood on the Scales]]).
[[Image:Damaged Galactica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A heavily damaged ''Galactica''.]]
A structural survey of the ship finds several torn supports and weakened areas in the hull, and a more in-depth examination finds endemic metal fatigue throughout the ship, with virtually every part of the hull riddled with small cracks and fissures.

''Galactica's'' advanced age, the corners cut during construction and the abuse it has been put through since the war started contributed to its condition. Tyrol suggests treating the damaged parts of the ship with an [[Cylon organic resin|organic Cylon resin]] from the [[Rebel Baseship]], which would fill the cracks and bear the stresses, which Adama at first refuses. However, Adama finally appreciates ''Galactica's'' dire condition when he finds a tear in a bulkhead in his quarters, and orders Tyrol to carry out his plan to repair the ship ([[No Exit]]). Tyrol later says that the resin will buy more time but the ship's integrity has been fundamentally weakened and it might not survive more FTL jumps- it is impossible to say how long she can hold. ''Galactica'' is dying of old age and accumulated battle damage.

Later ''Galactica'' is damaged even further when [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] jumps away very close to the hull. The resulting spatial distortion of her Raptor's FTL jump causes what appears to be buckling and explosive decompression in several sections of the alligator head of ''Galactica'' on her port side ([[Someone to Watch Over Me]]). This causes a chain reaction of explosions, structural failures and power outages throughout many parts of the ship including CIC.

At first refusing to accept the reality of the ship's fate, Admiral Adama gives the emotionally painful order to stop the repairs and begin the process of abandoning ship, moving to the Rebel Baseship as the Fleet's new flagship ([[Islanded In a Stream of Stars]]).

As the ship is slowly offloaded of parts and personnel, the Admiral relents one last time, stops the scrapping of the battlestar, and calls for volunteers for what will likely be a ''Galactica's'' final mission- to get the kidnapped Hera back from Cavil's Cylon colony ([[Daybreak, Part I]]).

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=== Endgame: [[Battle of The Colony|Battle of The Colony]] ===

[[Image:Battleofthecolony.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|''Galactica'' takes massive hits seconds after jumping to [[The Colony]].]]
With a skeleton crew and a frail battlestar, Admiral Adama executes a daring mission to rescue Hera Agathon.

''Galactica'' jumps to the Colony at point-blank range. Besieged by the Colony's gun batteries at first, the ship is pummeled relentlessly (destroying the dorsal Colonial gun turrets) until the Hybrid Anders manages to take them and the Colony's Hybrids offline. As ''Galactica's'' Vipers engage incoming Raiders, her Raptors jump directly from their berth in the starboard [[flight pod]] (causing extensive damage to it) and maneuver to board the Colony.

Adama does the unbelievable: he rams ''Galactica's'' bow into the Colony, forming not only a second breech for his search teams to enter, but also forming an alternate escape route.

The rescue is successful thanks to Boomer's help (before Athena kills her), but ''Galactica'' is far from safe. The Raiders are still attacking the ship, destroying at least one of its remaining heavy gun batteries. The rescue teams are pursued back to ''Galactica'' by Cavil and his troops, determined to recapture Hera. Platoons of enemy Centurions swarm into the ship. Cavil personally leads an attack on CIC but is foiled.

Things appear to settle down after Cavil and Adama call a ceasefire. Cavil agrees to let ''Galactica'' leave with Hera in exchange for the information needed to bring back [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection technology]]. Part of the deal is that Cavil will leave humanity alone forever as well. The Raiders return to the Colony, while the Vipers return to ''Galactica''. Unfortunately, as the Final Five begin to download their knowledge into the Colony, they are exposed to each other's secrets; Galen Tyrol learns that Tory Foster murdered his wife [[Cally Tyrol]] ([[The Ties That Bind]]). Tyrol flies into a rage and kills Foster, severing the download. Chaos ensues and the ceasefire ends. The Raiders renew their attack on the ship. In CIC the Simon, Doral and Cavil there open fire but Apollo and Starbuck kill Doral and Simon while Cavil, realizing the hopelessness of the situation, kills himself.

Meanwhile [[Racetrack]]'s Raptor, drifting in space after all aboard were killed, is hit by a stray asteroid, causing the Raptor to launch its nuclear missiles into the Colony. The Colony's orbit immediately decays, pulling it into the black hole--threatening to take ''Galactica'' with it. But Kara Thrace jumps the ship, using coordinates she had extrapolated from [[The Music]] at the last second.

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=== Journey's End ===
[[File:Battlestar Over Africa.jpg|thumb|left|200px|right|A crippled ''Galactica'' seen in orbit over the Sahara Desert.]]
Unfortunately, the ship does not retract its flight pods as Kara Thrace executes the emergency jump; this, as well as the cumulative stresses of the previous battle and the past four years turn out to be the death knell for the old battlestar. ''Galactica'' experiences a series of fatal structural failures that send shockwaves and explosions rippling through the ship. The ship suffers explosive decompression in various sections, causing support beams to crash through deck ceilings. While the Cylon organic resin applied earlier prevents ''Galactica'' from snapping in two, the ship permanently loses its FTL ability as its structural integrity is severely compromised (Colonel Tigh mentions red-lines through the ship's lateral structural members, and groaning and buckling can be heard throughout the ship, indicating ''Galactica'''s frame is essentially destroyed, and cannot take any further stress). However, despite the loss of FTL, ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s other systems are still online, including life support and propulsion. The fear of being stranded in space are short-lived as ''Galactica'' arrives in the vicinity of a lush, blue-green habitable world, already populated by tribes of primitive humans who naturally evolved there.
[[File:The fleet's end.jpg|thumb|200px|right|''Galactica'' and her Fleet heading straight into the Sun.]]
The population of the Fleet, arriving later, agree to leave their technology behind and start new lives on the planet they decide to call "[[Earth (RDM)#A New Earth|Earth]]". The Rebel Cylons also decide to stay on the planet. With this decision, the Rebel Baseship is left to the Centurions, who leave to seek out their own destiny. Anders, still acting as ''Galactica'''s Hybrid, brings the battlestar's adventures to a close as he pilots ''Galactica'' and the last ships in the Fleet into the Sun, destroying ''Galactica'' and her Fleet. Admiral Adama is the last person to leave the ship, departing in his Viper Mk II from his service in the Cylon War.

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== Equipment ==
Apart from any technological upgrades that may have been made to her sister ships, ''Galactica'' was built to the general technical specifications of her [[Galactica type battlestar|class]].

===Starboard Flight Pod===

The starboard landing bay is eventually restored to usable condition, evidenced when Major Lee Adama lands his Raptor in the starboard pod. However, it is possible that this is due to a previously issued quarantine order and not because the flight pod is in regular use ([[A Measure of Salvation]]). The starboard hangar deck is designated an [[Dogsville|area of refuge]] for civilians displaced from lost ships (The Woman King).

During the last mission of Galactica, this pod held a number of Raptors ready for launch, these deployed out of the pod by FTL jump with the result that the shock waves fatally weakened the pods structure and the pod blew open to space. ([[Daybreak part 2]])

Strangely at least part of the museum setup survives all the way to Daybreak part 2, despite a hull breach and part of it being flattened by a heavy raider [[Scattered]]. It's unclear why the museum was kept intact and/or repaired, though it's possible it was put right during the year on New Caprica before the Cylons found the planet, since this is probably the only period when the crew would have any spare time to fix it. This serves as a minor plot hole that may never be resolved.

The museum would certainly have been destroyed in the jump shock wave from the Raptors leaving the pod during the [[Battle of the Colony]] or the decompression immediately after that point, any remains were sent into the sun with the rest of the ship.

===Nuclear Warheads===
[[Image:Galactica nukes.jpg|200px|thumb|''Galactica'''s nuclear arsenal.]]
''Galactica'' has five nuclear warheads as of "[[Bastille Day]]". Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] uses one warhead to destroy the Cylon [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] orbiting Kobol ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]), and Dr. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] cannibalizes one to use in his [[Cylon detector]]. He later gives the warhead to [[Gina Inviere]], who detonates it aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''.

It is unknown how many nuclear warheads ''Pegasus'' has when it encounters ''Galactica'', but the two ships pool their nuclear ordnance stockpiles after that. As of "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", ''Galactica'' possesses at least seven warheads ([[missile tube]]s 4 through 10).

:''The yield of these weapons is unknown. It is likely they are of a "dial a yield" design which is common in real-life nuclear weapons. Because the physics of nuclear weapon design is a measurable science, and based on the size of the weapons seen on screen, the yield of ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> weapons may lie between 5 and 150 kilotons.''<ref>This is extrapolated from the size of the weapon, compared to a modern day ([[w:W80|W80]])-class nuclear warhead used by the United States.</ref> ''However, the energetic properties of [[tylium]] are so formidable that if a warhead design were to properly exploit even only 50% of the refined ore's enthalpy, a mere kilogram of it would allow for a yield of nearly 60 kilotons, and a one megaton yield warhead would require over 16.7 kg of refined tylium. The fact that the ore can also be used for explosives such as improvised mines ([[The Eye of Jupiter]]) opens a vast field of opportunities for heavy high yield weapons, not necessarily restricted to nukes in the traditional sense. If indeed a "dial a yield" capacity were part of the stock warhead's design, then it's possible that the addition of a weapon grade level of refined tylium would allow said yield to be considerably increased. Besides, the required high levels of pressure and heat could even be achieved with mere chemical implosion phases instead of atomic ones (ref. Fat Man bomb).''

===Vipers===
:''For information on the fighter squadrons stationed on ''Galactica'' see: [[Squadrons of Galactica]]''

[[image:1104Tube Mini.JPG|right|thumb|200px|A [[Viper Mark II]] in a launch tube.]]
[[image:Kg zoic-studio screen-caps-065.jpg|left|thumb|200px|A [[Viper Mark VII]] in the port [[Flight pod]].]]
Early in the flight of the Fleet, ''Galactica'' carried "40 Vipers and 21 pilots" ([[Act of Contrition]]) , of which at least six were Mark VIIs. Following the advent of ''Pegasus'', ''Galactica'' receives supplies that aid in the repair and refurbishment of her initial fighter complement ([[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]). Some time later, new Mark VII Vipers are constructed at ''Pegasus''s' Viper construction facilities utilizing the raw ore mined in an asteroid belt ([[Scar]]), and several of those are assigned to ''Galactica''.

With ''Pegasus'' destroyed at the [[Battle of New Caprica]], ''Galactica'' absorbs the former's fighter squadrons and personnel, and her Viper complement now counts approximately 80 planes. <ref>Dialogue from "[[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]" establishes that 40 Vipers have been transferred to a Cylon basestar, which comprises half the ship's air wing.</ref>

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===Raptors===
[[image:Raptor port.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A [[Raptor]].]]
The number of [[Raptor|Raptors]] available to ''Galactica'' is portrayed inconsistently. The assumption prior to joining up with ''Pegasus'' is that the battlestar has at least five Raptors, having left [[Ragnar Anchorage]] with at least eight. After the Battle of New Caprica, ''Galactica'' takes on ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> Raptors. The subsequent number of available craft is unknown, but is at least 30, considering how many Raptors are deployed to rescue to the resistance fighters on Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]") and still have enough to move people from ship to ship through out the Fleet.

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===Other Craft===
[[image:Blackbird FotP.JPG|right|thumb|200px|The [[Blackbird]], a special stealth ship, was construted on ''Galactica''.]]
[[image:AtmoShutt.jpg|right|thumb|200px|One of ''Galactica'''s [[Atmospheric shuttle| shuttle]] craft.]]
*''Galactica'' possesses two [[Heavy Raider]]s. One is hit by ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s defensive fire and crashes into the starboard flight pod with unknown, but probably extensive, damage ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]"). The other returns in operational status from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]"). One of these Heavy Raiders is relieved of its FTL navigation system for use on the rescue mission to Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").
* A Raider from the first Cylon War may be on board ''Galactica'' after one follows Starbuck into one of ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> landing bays and is shot down ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]"). A Cylon War era Raider, or at least a replica of one, was present in the [[Galactica Museum]], but has not been mentioned since.
*A second [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]] comes into ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> possession after [[Daniel Novacek]]'s "escape" from a basestar, replacing the one retrieved by [[Kara Thrace]] and lost during the quest for the [[Arrow of Apollo]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*An experimental stealth fighter, the [[Blackbird]], is constructed using spare parts ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]") and used in a critically successful reconnaissance mission to explore the nature of what comes to be known as the [[Resurrection Ship]]. The Blackbird is destroyed after completing its [[Battle of the Resurrection Ship|first combat mission]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").
*''Galactica'' possesses [[fuel tanker]]s used to supply fuel to Vipers and Raptors in flight without the need to dock with the ship. These may be dedicated craft or specially fitted shuttles or Raptors ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]").

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Crew ==
:''For information on Senior Staff, see : [[Senior Staff of Galactica]]''
:''For a list of pilots, see: [[List of Pilots]]''
:''For a list of deckhands, see: [[List of deckhands]]''
:''For a list of marines, see: [[Colonial Marine Corps]]''

Before the attack, ''Galactica'' has approximately 2,900 crewmen. By the time of the arrival of ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', attrition has reduced this number to about 2,660. (c.f. [[Crew tally]])
It is unknown whether the Colonial Marines account for members or not.
*Between "[[Act of Contrition]]" and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> offensive capability is also greatly hampered by the number of [[List of Pilots|qualified pilots]] available, and their lack of flight simulators with which to train more. Since ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> reunion with ''Pegasus'', this has ceased to be an issue ([[TRS]]: "[[Scar]]").
== Blue prints of Galactica ==

[http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/File:BSG_Blue_prints.png]

==Related Imagery==
<gallery perrow="5">
Image:BSG Ortho Top & Bottom.jpg|''Galactica'' - [[Zoic]] rendering    
Image:BSG Ortho Front, Back & Starboard.jpg|''Galactica'' - Zoic rendering    
Image:Galactica's top side.jpg|''Galactica'''s top side.
Image:Kg cg ns galactica-049.jpg|''Galactica'''s front - Zoic
Image:Battlestar stern.jpg|''Galactica'''s stern.
Image:Galactica retraction.jpg|Flight pod retraction area.
Image:Galactica's bottom-023b.jpg|''Galactica'''s bottom.
Image:Bsg damaged.jpg|''Galactica'' with battle damage. (High Res)
Image:Cylon War-era Galactica, "Razor" Flashback 1.jpg|''Galactica'' in the [[Razor]] Flashbacks.
Image:Galactica - flight pods retracted.jpg|''Galactica'' with flight pods retracted.
Image:BSG landing alcove.jpg|''Galactica'' landing alcove.
Image:Kg cg ns galactica-037.jpg|A cluster of rail guns.
Image:Battered Battlestar.jpg|Bow view of ''Galactica''.
Image:GalPeg.png|''Galactica'' overlooking the [[Pegasus]].
Image:Pointdefence2 101 1080i.jpg|''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> point defense batteries in action    
Image:Galactica fights off missile salvos.jpg|''Galactica'' establishes a defense perimeter.
Image:Raptor scramble.jpg|''Galactica'' scrambles [[Viper]]s and [[Raptor]]s.
Image:Colony Breech.jpg|''Galactica'' rams herself into [[The Colony]].
Image:Img0059.jpg|''Galactica'''s main batteries.
Image:Galactia's end.jpg|''Galactica'' and the Fleet depart for the sun, with the African continent in the background.
Image:CIC Overview 1.jpg|''Galactica'''s CIC.
Image:Cicweaponscontrol1.jpg|Weapons control.
Image:Cictacticalstation1.jpg|Tactical station.
Image:Cic commstation.jpg|Communications.
Image:The Mess.jpg|The Officers' mess hall.
Image:Cicdmgcontrol.jpg|Damage control.
Image:Ftl2.jpg|FTL Drive.
Image:Bsg-1-10.jpg|The "War Room".
Image:Porthangardeck.jpg|The port hangar bay on ''Galactica''.
Image:DutyLocker.jpg|Crew quarters.
Image:GalacticaInterior Sickbay1.jpg|Sickbay
Image:Galactica Museum, "Daybreak, Part II".jpg| The ''Galactica'' museum in the starboard flight pod.
Image:Galactica corridor.jpg|The "A-shaped" corridors.
Image:BSG Blue prints.png|Schematics from the [[Battlestar Galactica Role Playing Game|roleplaying game]].
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Galactica crew facilities (RDM)|Galactica crew facilities]]
*[[:Category:Galactica Areas (RDM)|Galactica Areas]]

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Ships}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Battlestars]]
[[Category:Battlestars (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Craft]]
[[Category:Colonial Craft (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Ships]]
[[Category:Ships (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article}}

[[de:Galactica (RDM)]]
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[[zh:卡拉狄加 (RDM)]]

Daybreak, Part II

2011-09-16T21:08:06Z

BSG-Phoenix: /* Noteworthy Dialogue */

{{Message_box
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| heading = CONTRIBUTORS: Remember that an episode summary is just that, a ''summary''. '''Don't use the article to ask questions that you haven't bothered to search for in related articles.''' Limit speculation; the Re-imagined Series is essentially over: ''no further significant revelations should be expected.'' Follow [[BW:SAC|standards]]: Don't ask questions in questions. If an answer is found, move that data to the relevant article, phrasing it as a statement in the article body. This article will be naturally long; be [[BW:CON|concise]] and avoid unnecessary detail. Thanks!
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{{Episode Data
| image=Battleofthecolony.jpg
| title= Daybreak, Part II & Part III
| season= 4
| episode= 20
| guests=
| writer= [[Ronald D. Moore]]
| story=
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production=422
| rating=1.7<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.nbcumv.com/scifi/release_detail.nbc/scifi-20090324000000-4242update58.html|title='Battlestar Galactica Finale Blasts Away the Competition|date=24 March 2009|accessdate=25 March 2009|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>/2,364,000 viewers (Live+SD)<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/03/24/wwe-raw-hannah-montana-and-northern-lights-lead-cable-show-rankings/15073|title=WWE RAW, Hannah Montana and Northern Lights lead cable show rankings|date=24 March 2009|accessdate=25 March 2009|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>
| US airdate=March 20, 2009
| CAN airdate=March 20, 2009
| UK airdate=March 24, 2009
| dvd={{flag|US|notext=Y}} {{Season 4.5 NTSC DVD release date}}
| population=
| syfyname= daybreak_part_2
| prev=[[Daybreak, Part I]]
| next=[[The Plan]]
| extra='''Series Finale - 2 Hour Episode'''<ref>http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2008/06/battlestars-fin.html</ref>
| forumthread=3050
| hulu=Y
| itunes=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D309299003%2526id%253D287463411%2526s%253D143441%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
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| itunes UK 2=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D309305896%2526id%253D287463411%2526s%253D143444%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
| amazon=y
}}

== Summary ==

* [[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]] ''and a crew of volunteers undertake one last mission against the Cylons led by [[John Cavil]], while destinies are fulfilled.''

== Overview ==

===Act 1===

*The episode begins with a series of events that occurred before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Fall]].
**In a strip bar in [[Caprica City]], [[William Adama]] and [[Saul Tigh|Saul]] and [[Ellen Tigh]] enjoy themselves. Adama questions whether to take a civilian job or take command of an aged battlestar,<ref>This is a side reference to the events of the episode, "[[Hero]]"</ref> finally deciding on the civilian job.
**[[Kara Thrace]] and her fiancé [[Zak Adama]] have his brother [[Lee Adama]] over for dinner in her apartment. Conversation turns to the contradiction in Lee's decision to join the [[Colonial Forces]], in light of his idealism and his disagreements with his father. He frames it as a pragmatic transaction: military service in exchange for a college education.
**Elsewhere, [[Laura Roslin]] greets her date, Sean Allison, at her home. She eventually recognizes him as a former student from years ago. Despite the age difference, Roslin decides to let him stay the night.
**At the strip bar, Bill Adama asks Saul whether he'd have taken the civilian desk job. Saul doesn't answer.
**Lee Adama and Thrace manage to drag Zak to a couch after a night of drinking. But Thrace isn't done and challenges Lee to shots.
**Bill Adama is drunkenly sick, vomiting outside on the street. With a weak smile, he looks up to the stars in the night sky.

*Aboard ''[[Galactica]]'', [[Gaius Baltar]] sits in the former home of his [[Cult of Baltar|followers]], now empty. [[Virtual beings|Virtual Six]] tells him to trust in [[God (RDM)|God's]] plan for him, a plan she says he is already following.

===Act 2===
Aboard ''[[Galactica]]'', final preparations are made for the mission...
* In [[sickbay]], Dr. [[Cottle]] leaves assistant [[Layne Ishay]] enough medication to allow Laura Roslin enough lucidity and mobility for 48 hours. She thanks him sincerely, leaving Cottle uncharacteristically speechless.
* In the [[pilot ready room]], [[Karl Agathon]] briefs the [[Raptor]] teams on the special nature of their rescue mission. Despite the odds, all volunteer.
* Lee Adama briefs the [[marines]] on Hera's likely location: deep inside the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[The Colony|colony]].
*In CIC, Admiral Adama work out the tactics of the battle against the colony; Close-range combat - no nuclear weapons and missiles.
* The [[Final Five]] plan to use [[Samuel Anders]], now effectively a [[Hybrid]] on ''[[Galactica]]'', to disrupt the Colony's Hybrids, a plan which requires Anders to be brought to [[CIC]] and connected to ''[[Galactica]]'''s computer systems.
* Saul Tigh is disturbed at the sight of gooey wires and conduit used to interface Anders with the battlestar.
* Admiral Adama hands over command of the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] to [[Hoshi]], noting that if they aren't back from the mission in 12 hours, they will never come back. Similarly, Lee Adama appoints [[Romo Lampkin]] as President of the Twelve Colonies. He joins Admiral Hoshi on the last Raptor to leave ''Galactica'' for the baseship, the Fleet's new flagship.
* Baltar's followers get in the ship. Baltar enters, but then tells [[Paulla Schaffer|Paulla]] that he must stay on the ship. Lee Adama throws Baltar a weapon. As Baltar is given a weapon, a Number Six leads a large number of [[Cylon Centurion]]s down the [[hangar deck]]; a red sash painted on them for identification.
[[File:Daybreak Teaser.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|Adama in CIC during the [[Battle of the Colony]]. Note the extra cables near the control console which connect the ship's systems to Anders.]]

===Act 3===

*A shot of the Fleet shows that the rebel [[Basestar (RDM)|baseship]] fully regenerated since the [[Cylon Civil War]], and ready to lead the civilians to safety. ''Galactica'' separates from the fleet, retracting its [[flight pod]]s to prep for [[FTL]].

*Adama asks to go "around the horn", with the [[Saul Tigh|XO]] calling out combat stations over the loudspeaker.
** In sickbay, Layne Ishay prepares sickbay for wounded, with Laura Roslin assisting as best she can.
** [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] are in [[launch tube]]s, and the entire Raptor squadron, armed with troops and missiles, have been placed inside the starboard flight pod deck, amidst the ruins of the old [[Galactica Museum]].
** Lee Adama and his force of marines (including Sergeant [[Allan Nowart]]) and red-striped centurions take their positions.
** Gaius Baltar is a soldier protecting the hallways against boarders. He is surprised to find [[Caprica-Six]] by his side.
** In CIC, Ellen Tigh signals that Anders is ready to work.
** Adama gives a final speech, a final understanding and call to arms.

*The battlestar jumps away from the fleet, and [[Battle of the Colony]] begins...
** ''Galactica'' arrives only meters from the edge of the Colony, and is immediately besieged by the Cylon batteries.
** Ellen starts up Sam Anders, who makes contact with the Colony Hybrids and takes them and the guns offline. Ellen warns that [[Cylon Raider]]s will appear any minute.
** ''Galactica'' responds by launching its fighter wings. The Vipers launch, and the Raptors jump directly from within the starboard pod to the opposite side of the Colony in a flanking position. The Raptor jumps, however, cause massive damage to the pod, with gas venting outside from a gaping hole.
** Adama orders the battlestar's engines ahead at flank speed, ramming the alligator head into the Colony. ''Galactica's'' inhabitants take a beating, but breach the Colony through the forced entry. Lee Adama leads his marines and several Cylon Centurions inside from a front airlock.
** [[Racetrack]] and [[Skulls]] arm their nuclear missiles, presumably to strike the Colony after the rescue. But suddenly a piece of debris strikes their Raptor, killing all aboard and leaving the Raptor adrift.
** Several Raptors, including the one with [[Sharon Agathon]], Helo, and Starbuck, dock and make their way into the Colony.
** Deep inside the Colony, a [[Simon]] works on young Hera as [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] looks on in disgust. When she questions why he continues to work on Hera when they are under attack, the Simon explains that they maintain and superior force and numbers. Boomer assaults the Simon, snapping his neck, and takes Hera out of the room.

===Act 4===

* The Colony's halls are filled with gunfire. Cylon Centurions, including older [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005|Model 0005]]s fight each other as the Colonial fire teams push through.
* [[Cavil]], a [[Number Five]] and another Simon decide to go on the offensive, to attack the battlestar with their troops.

* In a hallway in ''Galactica'', ready to repel boarders, Caprica-Six and Baltar come to terms with their old relationship. As they kiss, they hear a Six's voice. "All of the pieces are falling into place."
* The Messenger Six ''and'' the Messenger Baltar stand above them. Caprica-Six and Baltar are each surprised that the other can see and hear the avatars.
* With a shudder, the battlestar hull is breached as waves of enemy Centurions, both old-model and modern, pour into the ship.

* The Agathons' team find Boomer, holding Hera. She gives the child to them, telling them to tell Admiral Adama that she "owed him one." With the child safe, Athena shoots Boomer.
* A flashback scene shows what Boomer meant: a time back in her days on ''Galactica'', as Adama and Tigh redress her but give her another chance to be a better pilot.

* Ishay has her hands full in sickbay, trying to triage and treat as many people as she can. The event is taxing, physically and mentally, for Roslin, as she comforts more dying than not.

* Lee Adama's team connects with Starbuck's team, with Hera in tow. When Lee asks where Thrace was, she answers, "Stopped for coffee."<ref>This might be the one time in the history of the series where an obvious joke to [[w:Starbucks Coffee|Starbucks Coffee]] has been used.</ref> With their objective complete and no other Colonial troops found, they head back to the battlestar's alligator-head.
[[File:Battery desctuction.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|''Galactica'''s main batteries desperately try to defend the ship.]]
* ''Galactica'' batteries are being targeted by Raiders. She is losing what little defensive ability she has left. Enemy forces are coming at the reserve forces--where Baltar waits.

===Act 5===

* Caprica-Six and Baltar hold off the enemy Centurions. Baltar's passion at killing Centurions gets a bit out of control as Lee Adama's team reenter the battlestar with Hera. As more enemies appear, Lee and Baltar fire away.
* Laura Roslin sits and experiences yet another vision of the [[Opera House]] and little Hera. Struggling to walk, driven by something she can't fully realize, she gets up to find Hera.
* Starbuck leads the Agathons through the hallways, but a Number Five appears from behind, seriously wounding Helo in the leg and killing a marine before Starbuck eliminates him. A damaged, but still functioning enemy Centurion shows up and in the confusion, Hera runs away. Athena runs after her at the request of her wounded husband.
* Hera walks amidst the gunfighting, when soon she encounters Roslin, who pulls her out of the path of an enemy patrol and to safety. But when Roslin turns back to the child, she is gone again.
* Caprica-Six and Baltar are running, and are out of ammo. Suddenly they see Hera, as well as Roslin and Athena--all grouped together as in the Opera House vision. Caprica-Six scoops up the child and enters a hallway, closing the hatchway, preventing Athena and Roslin from following. The opera house vision had Caprica-Six and Baltar closing the door on both Athena and Roslin after picking up Hera.
* As the scene shifts between visions of the Opera House and the corridors, Baltar and Caprica-Six realize what they must do: follow their vision into the Opera House--which turns out to be CIC, where the Final Five reside, overlooking the lower deck of CIC as they appeared in the vision, standing above.
* Adama and his men have apparently just finished defending the CIC from a break-in by Cavil, a Doral and a Simon. The Doral and the Simon are dead, and Cavil is under guard. An explosion rocks the CIC, and Cavil picks up a gun and grabs Hera as a shield.
* Baltar pleads for the child's freedom, telling Cavil that Hera is key to humanity's survival as well. He reasons with Cavil that there are higher forces at work, that led them all, here, for a reason. Baltar also reveals that he has been visited by angels - the agents of God. When Cavil questions if God has his people's interests at heart, on how Baltar knows that God is on his side, Baltar replies (in an allusion of something [[The Hand of God (RDM)| Messenger Six once told him]]), "God is not on anyone's side." The Messengers look on with a pleased expression.
* Baltar asks Cavil to take a leap of faith. Saul Tigh sweetens the pot by offering to reteach Cavil the secret of [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection]], this time in exchange not only for Hera's life but for permanent peace, where the Cylons leave humanity alone.
* Cavil agrees. He uses the Battlestar comm to order his forces to stand down and releases Hera. Admiral Adama orders stand-down as well.

===Act 6===

* Vipers and Raptors return to ''Galactica'' as the Raiders return to the Colony. Laura Roslin joins the admiral in CIC.
* The Five each know part of the secret to resurrection. They will combine their knowledge by connecting themselves through the water in Ander's tank.
* Ellen Tigh tells the others that the process will also share memories as well as data. Saul jokes that he can't wait to see them.
* Before they begin, [[Tory Foster]], visibly anxious, warns the others that some of what they see in each other's minds might be shocking and asks that they agree to keep in mind that they're all fallible. An impatient Cavil screams. "Hey! I don't mean to rush you, but you are keeping two civilizations waiting!" Saul brushes the warning off.
* The Five dip their hands and make the connection. A Number Four verifies by wireless that the Colony is receiving the correct information.
* As the data flows to the Colony, the Final Five indeed see each's other's memories: first Anders, then Saul, then Ellen.
* Foster's memory of murdering [[Cally Tyrol]] in an effort to protect her secret of being a Cylon comes to the forefront, surprising the others of the Five, and sending [[Galen Tyrol]] into a homicidal rage.
* Tyrol pulls his hand from the pool and wraps both hands tightly around Foster's neck in a death-grip, eventually snapping her neck.
* As Anders and the Colony Hybrid scream due to the sudden disconnection, the enemy Cylons in CIC believe they are deceived and open fire. The Colonials kill all but Cavil, who shouts an exasperated "[[Frak]]!" before putting his pistol in his mouth and pulling the trigger.

* High above, as the Raiders begin attacking ''Galactica'' again, [[Racetrack]]'s damaged Raptor drifts, its crew lifeless. A rock strikes the ship, causing Racetrack's dead hand to strike the firing button to the Raptor's tactical nuclear missiles, launching them all straight at the Colony.
* The force of the explosions severely damage the Colony, pushing it towards the black hole, threatening to take ''Galactica'' with it.
[[File:Cripple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' suffers massive hull damage as she completes the jump from the Colony.]]
* Adama orders Kara Thrace to make a [[blind jump]], but Thrace thinks about [[The Music|the music her father played]], the music that Hera wrote to her. Recalling the mathematical associations she tried to discern from the music, Thrace realizes the music works as a series of FTL coordinates.
* She punches in the coordinates into the [[Computers|navigation computer]] and jumps the ship. As she enters the coordinates, brief flashbacks are shown, including her finding her own corpse on [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], and Leoben calling her an angel.

* A flashback scene appears where Lee Adama and Kara Thrace talk about how she [[The Destiny|thinks about death]] every time she gets into a cockpit. She claims she's not completely fearless, though. She admits her biggest fear isn't dying, but being forgotten once she is gone.

* ''Galactica'' completes the jump--but the strain of the last battle causes the battlestar's structure to ripple and twist. The ship suffers myriad hull breaches, but the engines restart.
* Adama orders a damage report from Saul, who walks by Galen Tyrol and the dead body of Tory Foster. Tyrol sits on the floor blankly.
* A flashback shows [[Callandra Tyrol|Cally Henderson]] catching Tyrol and [[Sharon Valerii]] parting after an escapade in his workshop. Cally warns Tyrol that he needs to learn to recognize who he can really count on.<ref name="extended">This scene is in the extended cut of "Daybreak", available on the Season 4.5 Blu-ray disc set.</ref>
* Saul notes that while vital systems are still online, ''Galactica'''s structural members--its back--are broken. The ship will never jump again. Wherever they are, they're stuck.
* "Where have you taken us, Kara?" Roslin asks, as the scene changes to an exterior shot to show the battlestar flying over a gray, rocky moon.
* But is not just a moon...''Galactica'' has arrived at the ''moon of Earth''...another Earth, this one with the continent of Africa in prominent view.

===Act 7===
[[File:Battlestar Over Africa.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|A crippled ''Galactica'' seen in orbit over the Sahara Desert.]]
* Twelve hours later, the Fleet jumps into the new Earth's orbit as ''Galactica'' passes by. A Raptor came to Hoshi to guide them to new Earth.
* Landing ship after landing ship leave for the new world, which unlike the old Earth, is clearly lush and full of life.
* On a green, rich savanna in Africa, Admiral Adama, Cottle, Saul Tigh, Hoshi, and Baltar look on, lying prone on their stomachs with binoculars at a tribe of early humans. Cottle confirms that the native humans are compatible with the Colonials genetically. Adama is astonished that humans just so happened to have evolved on this particular world.

* At a camp, as Lampkin starts making plans for the construction of a city, Lee Adama gets an idea: "No city. Not this time."
* He later explains his idea to his father: let humanity start all over again. Let the Colonials enter the new world with just their basic possessions, and teach the best parts of themselves to the primitive humans on this world. He explains that humans have always let their brains outrace their hearts. Giving their advanced technology up will hopefully "break the cycle."

* Admiral Adama maps out a plan to populate various continents and land masses, spreading out humanity and Cylon far and wide, distributing supplies to give all a good chance of survival. To Lampkin's surprise, the peoples of the Fleet take a liking to leaving advanced technology behind.
* A [[Number Two]] tells Adama that the remaining Twos, Sixes, and Eights will stay on Earth as well, handing over the baseship to the Centurions, to give them their own freedom. When Lampkin questions if setting the Centurions free won't cause another holocaust hundreds of years from now, Ellen Tigh agrees it's a risk, but believes the cycle of death has been ended. Adama agrees.
* Adama tells that, after everyone is offloaded from the ships, the Fleet will reunite with ''Galactica'' a final time. Piloted by Samuel Anders, still in his tank in CIC, connected into the battlestar, he will fly all the ships on a final voyage into the Sun.

* Kara Thrace, eyes filled with tears, meets with Anders at his tank, kissing him goodbye for the last time, and leaving her [[dog tags]]. As she leaves, he mutters, "I'll see you on the other side."

===Act 8===

* Admiral William Adama descends into the hangar deck, wearing a [[flight suit]]. The deck is otherwise completely empty of anything, and anyone. He takes a solemn last look at the hangar deck, and enters a launch tube.
* He takes a seat in a [[Viper Mark II]]. Not just any Mark II...but the one that Galen Tyrol's team rebuilt for him as a retirement gift [[Miniseries, Night 1|so long ago]].
* As Adama's Viper launches, the scene shifts to six years prior, where Adama is taking a lie detector test for the prospective desk job. When the test administrator asks him test questions such as, "Are you a Cylon?" and "Have you ever stolen money from a cash drawer?" Adama is angered and leaves, saying, "I'd rather spend the rest of my career--what's left of it--on a broken old down ship, than to have someone sit here and question my word."
* Husker's Viper makes a final fly-by of the old battlestar, looking at her one last time before pointing his Viper towards Earth.
[[File:The fleet's end.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The [[fleet]] heading straight into the Sun.]]
* Samuel Anders' voice from the past talks of his days in sport, dreaming of perfection, and being linked to it, to creation, as Anders guides the Fleet, now united to the mathematical perfection he once spoke of through his duties as a Hybrid.
* As the [[Colonial_Anthem|Colonial Anthem]]--a version of the [[Original Series]] main theme--plays, the scene shows ''Galactica'' and the Fleet gathered a final time, heading away from Earth and towards the sun to its demise.

* Walking in the savannah, the Tighs speak with Galen Tyrol a final time. He has decided to go to the northern highlands of Earth (likely Scotland <ref>http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/03/battlestar_galactica_ronald_d.html</ref>).
* Before they part, Saul says that if what happened to Cally would've happened to Ellen, he "would've done the same frakkin' thing." As Galen leaves, Saul and Ellen embrace.
* The scene shifts back to Caprica City and the strip club. Ellen arrives and greets Saul. She is ready to celebrate his retirement, and eager to spend all her time with him. She explains that all she's ever wanted was to be with him full-time.

===Act 9===

* On the plains, Bill Adama sits with Laura Roslin, watching herds of gazelle. Her vision weakening, she tries to use her glasses with the binoculars. "A very beautiful world," she says. When she asks what the name of the planet is, Adama tells her it's Earth. He adds, "Earth is a dream," believing that their new home, a long-sought destination, deserves the name.
* Roslin's breathing becomes labored and shallow. Adama offers to give her a better look at the wildlife. He picks her up and carries her to a nearby Raptor.
* Lee Adama and Kara Thrace notice and meet Bill Adama there. The Adamas hug, and Bill Adama exchanges his greeting with Thrace one last time, Thrace saying "[[nothing but the rain]]" before Bill hugs and kisses her. Thrace and Lee wave goodbye to a smiling Roslin as the Raptor ascends.

* Lee realizes that his father isn't coming back. Kara Thrace tells Lee that she isn't coming back, either. "I just know that I am done here. I've completed my journey...and it feels good."

* A flashback scene, back in Thrace's apartment, where Thrace dares Lee to make love to her on her dining room table. But before they could do anything, the crash of a glass partially awakens Zak, causing the two to realize what they were doing. They shake hands and say goodbye.

* "Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Lee," Kara Thrace says. As Lee tells her of desire to explore and climb mountains, he turns to find that Kara Thrace has vanished, as if she were a ghost. "Goodbye, Kara," he says. "You won't be forgotten."
* A flashback scene shows the pigeon that would be trapped in Lee's apartment after his visit to Kara and Zak. It looks at Lee and flies out of the window and away.

* In another flashback from six years prior, Laura Roslin returns to stand by the side of the bed, thanks Sean Allison, but tells him that they will not meet this way again, and asks him to leave. As the man leaves, Roslin returns to her bathroom, lights a cigarette, then makes a phone call. She accepts the opportunity to work on Mayor [[Richard Adar]]'s campaign. She committs herself "all the way to the end".

* Bill Adama's Raptor flies over flamingos. "So much..life," Laura Roslin says...her final words as she closes her eyes and quietly passes.
* Bill's thoughts turn to the cabin he intends to build for them. When he turns to Laura to ask about planting a garden, he sees that she is gone.
* In tears, Bill removes his wedding ring and places it on Laura's hand. Looking back up, he sees a good set of grassy hills ahead. "Right there...I'm gonna build it right there, Laura," he says before setting the Raptor down.

===Act 10===

* A line of people walk into the wilderness, calm and ready to take on the world. Romo Lampkin appears to be in charge. Saul and Ellen Tigh bring up the rear.
* The Agathons walk as well, Helo using a makeshift crutch. Helo and Athena squabble playfully over who will teach Hera how to hunt. Hera doesn't care; smiling, she lets go of her parents' hands and runs ahead of them in play. Helo and Athena hold each other's hands instead.

* Gaius Baltar and Caprica-Six look on at Hera playing as the Messengers reappear. When Caprica-Six questions if the protection of Hera was all that God wanted of them, the Messenger Six replies, "God's plan is never complete." "Great..." Baltar replies sullenly.
* Messenger Baltar counters, "I think it's safe to say that, from now on, your lives will be less...eventful." Their virtual selves disappear, and Baltar takes Six's hand.

* Another flashback to Caprica City. Baltar offers Caprica-Six an opportunity to "peek" into the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]]. He makes clear that he's not doing it for her "employers", but for her, and requests her discretion. He obviously has fallen in love with her.

* When Baltar points to some land, he recalls his heritage, and [[Julius Baltar|his father]], and that he knows a bit about farming, to a bit of tears.

* Bill Adama sits near a cairn he built for Laura Roslin's body and, looking out into the hills and valley, speaks to her about the cabin he is building.

* The scene turns to show Hera playing and looking upward. Scenes of wood and desert and sea pass by in a geologic montage to reveal an Earth city - New York City - 150,000 years later.

* As a fly-over of the city appears, a voice-over of Virtual-Six reads from a magazine article of the Tanzanian discovery of the bones of what scientists believe are the remains of the [[w:mitochondrial Eve|mitochondrial Eve]], the matrilineal common ancestor of mankind.

[[Image:Angels_rdm.jpg|thumb|Angels Baltar and Six...and a man reading National Geographic. The man is actually Ronald D. Moore, creator of the series.]]

* As [[Ron D. Moore|a man]] reads about the scientific discovery, the Messenger counterparts of Six and Baltar look over his shoulder at a magazine article of the news, and reveal what they know...the bones are those of Hera Agathon, born of a Cylon mother and a human father. No other people on the street appear to notice them.

* The two talk of the technology and decadence, of whether this Earth will repeat the mistakes of generations past and again become overwhelmed by their creations. The Six thinks not, to Baltar's surprise. She cites the Law of Averages, believing it to be part of God's plan.

* "You know it doesn't like that name," Baltar says. Six only looks back in mild defiance. "Silly. Silly me," he replies as the two walk away into the metropolis.

* The episode concludes with scenes of robots, from toys to advanced automatons growing and evolving, as Jimi Hendrix's--Earth's popular version--of "[[The Music|All Along The Watchtower]]" plays, ending with an image of [http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-10744-Robot+or+Human%3F+Here%27s+ACTROID.html an attractive-looking female automaton] gazing out over Times Square from a giant outdoor television screen as Six and Baltar walk off into the distance.

== Notes ==
:''See [[Daybreak, Part II/Notes]]''

== Analysis ==
===Who and what guided them===
*The coordinates that Thrace enters, 1123 / 6536 / 5321 correspond to the notation of the Final Four theme [http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/theme-watchtower.jpg]. The song is in a C# Phrygian scale (enharmonic with A major and F# minor). 1 represents C#, and each higher integer indicates the next note in the scale, such that

:1 = C#
:2 = D
:3 = E
:(4 = F#)
:5 = G#
:6 = A
:(7 = B)

:The linked graphic omits the first and last note of the theme, but both can be heard in the soundtrack during the jump montage. The second "five" (in the third chunk of four digits) corresponds to the tuplet G#/A/G#, effectively omitting the trill up to high A. Every note has the same duration except for the last two, which are twice the length of the others.
*The first four numbers of Kara Thrace's jump coordinates -- 1, 1, 2, 3 -- are the first four numbers of the most common Fibonacci Sequence (starting with 1, 1), where each number is the the sum of the previous two. The last four numbers in reverse -- 1, 2, 3, 5 -- are the start of another Fibonacci Sequence (starting with 1, 2).
*Science advisor Kevin Grazier and composer Bear McCreary actually worked out the science behind the jump coordinates/musical score with input from Bradley Thompson. Their conclusion was that the coordinates were based on ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s heading and distance, so the coordinates translate as 112 degrees by 365 degrees (although the maximum value should be 360) with a range of 365,321 [[SU]], or approximately 5.75 Colonial light-years. This indicates that ''Galactica'' only jumped 5.75 light-years from the Colony to Earth, and not some unimaginably vast distance as indicated by Adama's later one million light-year comment.<ref>[http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1760#more-1760 Bear McCreary's Battlestar Blog]</ref> In the episode, however, there are three groups of four digits each (1123, 6536, 5321), making it unlikely that the original intent was preserved.
*At least two of the [[Messengers]], Messenger Six and Messenger Baltar, are proven to be entities with their own independent existences, and are not projections from the minds of those who see them. The exact nature of their existence - whether they are literal angels or something else - has not been determined. They have, however, been sent by another being sometimes called "God" to guide Baltar and Caprica Six in their destiny of protecting Hera.
** They have known each other a long time and borne witness to Kobol and the original Earth, as well as the Twelve Colonies and the new Earth. They can walk around and observe events even when no one else present can see them, though they may have the ability to appear to anyone they wish.
*Kara Thrace was sent back from the dead by "God" to guide humanity to a new home the coordinates of which were hidden in the Music.
*The final scenes of this episode, in fast-forwarding through time and attempting to set the entire work as a backstory, make the ending similar to that of the film [[Wikipedia:How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]].
* The constellation [[w:Ursa Major|Ursa Major]] (commonly known as the "Big Dipper") appears briefly in this episode by mistake<ref>Revealed by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]] in his [http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/my-god-it-full-of-the-wrong-stars/ blog post].</ref>. It makes only the second appearance of a recognizable star pattern in the series, the first being Orion in "[[The Ties That Bind]]" (Orion is also visible in this episode).
* Adama's statement that New Earth is "one million light years" from Kobol must be taken as exaggeration or an error. The Milky Way is 100,000 light years across, and earlier statements in the show indicate that it takes considerable time to travel much shorter distances.
** [[Kevin Grazier]] confirmed that Adama's "million light years" comment is meant metaphorically instead of literally, in essence saying the Colonials have come an unthinkable distance to reach their new home.

===Reproduction of the Races===
*It is likely that some Ones, Fours, and Fives survived the destruction of the Colony, given that baseships were observed jumping in and out of the system by Racetrack and Skulls. They would not, however, have any long term survival prospects, having failed in both their plan to discover the secret that allowed Hera to be born and their attempt to gain the secrets of resurrection.
*Hera's mate or mates that produced children could be a Colonial human, a native Earth human, or even a another human-Cylon hybrid. All three races are strongly implied to be ancestors of what we consider to be modern day humans.
** The Final Five can be considered ancestors of present-day humanity through their quasi-parental link with Athena and the other Eights, Twos, and Sixes although it is unlikely they have a direct genetic link to us, due to their age, deceased status, or self-imposed isolation.
* Mitochondrial Eve, Hera, is the most recent matrilineal common ancestor for ''all'' people alive on Earth today. Like Hera, all people alive on Earth today carry some Cylon genes along with human genes--no one is one hundred percent "pure" Colonial human, as those who fled the Twelve Colonies were. Assuming that there are no "pure" humans living somewhere else in the universe today (descendants of the tiny number of survivors left behind in the Colonies), this means that humanity, as it was defined by people in the Twelve Colonies, has gone extinct, fulfilling the prophecies about the end of the human race.

===Miscellaneous===
*Attacking the colony to rescue Hera is presented as a risky scheme to save one person but there are legitimate tactical reasons for the attack. Should Cavil re-discover the secrets of resurrection through Hera, he would re-acquire a distinct advantage over the rebel Cylons and the Colonials. Thus, the attack could be seen as an attempt to deny Cavil his goal, and with resurrection he would undoubtedly proceed to wipe out humanity. Tigh's offer to restore resurrection in an exchange for peace gives Cavil what he wants but elevates the Colonial's bargaining position.
* In another piece of irony in a program that is full of such, the two beings most directly responsible for the attack and destruction of the Twelve Colonies, Gaius Baltar and Caprica Six, get to live on a lush green New Earth in love with each other.
* Even if humanity does repeat the Cycle, Lee Adama's plan would seem to have had some success, because it will have taken much, much longer to do so this time around.
* Ellen says that hopefully the [[Hybrid]]s will ''still'' respond to Anders' commands. In other words, they would recognize him from the time the Final Five ran the Colony.
* Cavil's suicide, in the way it is framed and executed, closely mirrors the televised 1987 suicide of American politician [[w:Budd Dwyer|Budd Dwyer]].
* Adama's drunken moment, where he sits against a wall, vomits, and then looks up at the night sky, echoes [[w:Oscar Wilde|Oscar Wilde]]'s famous aphorism: ''We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.''
* Though it was never explicitly stated in the Miniseries or after, it seems that Tigh was indeed planning to retire whenever Adama decided to leave the Colonial Military. The flashbacks in this episode to Saul and Ellen Tigh in the bar make it clear that Tigh is planning on following Adama out of the service. However Adama, as viewers come to see, decides ultimately to finish out his last years as the CO of ''Galactica'' despite reservations. Tigh obviously followed. This also sheds more light on Tigh's eventual estrangement from Ellen - which was where their relationship was at in the miniseries. The bitterness she doubtless felt at Tigh once again choosing Bill Adama over her was probably a factor in not only her noted loose behaviour, but their growing estrangement before the war.
*It is not entirely clear when in Adama's career he decided to pursue the idea of a civilian job as seen in both parts of "Daybreak". Dialogue during the lie detector test scene suggests Adama has been given his orders to command ''Galactica'', but is considering resigning before taking up the post. However, Adama notes in his initial interview with his prospective employer in the previous episode that he has already commanded two battlestars. One of these is obviously ''[[Valkyrie]]'', but it is not clear if Adama is already referring to ''Galactica'' as the second command (which could also suggest he is already commanding ''Galactica'' at the time this flashback is set and is considering his resignation when on leave from that ship), or to another battlestar that Adama once commanded but has never been mentioned before.
*When the Colony's Hybrids shut down, Cavil states that one of the Final Five did it, to which a Doral says it must be Anders, indicating he knows about the Final Five, which means Cavil must have lifted his ban on knowledge of the five among the other Cylon models, presumably after their identities became known during the Cylon Civil War. Doral's comment also indicates some knowledge of the technical specialties of the five or awareness that Anders' mental state could force the others to put him in a Hybrid bath. His knowledge could be based on intel from Boomer, though she escaped before Anders was connected to the stream, and the last she would have known he was in a coma.
* In [[Sharon Valerii]]'s flashback immediately after she was killed by [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]], then-Commander Adama was upbraiding her for her constant poor landings he, among other things, told her she was not to let her personal life get in the way. This is a direct reference to the fact that she is still struggling with survivor's guilt over her parents' deaths on [[Troy (RDM)|Troy]], which occurred when she was going for training in the Colonial Military. The "deaths" of her parents were staged, however, by the Cylons who destroyed the colony of Troy to coincide with Valerii's placement as a sleeper agent. (The scenes were filmed, but cut from the aired version of the episode.)
* Chief Engineer Galen Tyrol's decision to travel to a highland area, which is implied to be Scotland, is a possible nod to the ''Star Trek'' character [[MemoryAlpha:Montgomery Scott|"Scotty"]], another famous science fiction engineer.
*According to Ron Moore, the island Tyrol mentions was intended to be [[w:Vancouver Island|Vancouver Island]] as a nod to the show's production site of Vancouver, British Columbia. [[Aaron Douglas]] however interpreted the line as a reference to Scotland and the reference to the highlands was then added.
*Simon dismisses the Colonial attack by citing the Cylons' superior numbers, saying in the end it all comes down to mathematics. This sentiment about mathematics is echoed in the final scenes by the Messenger Six.
*As the fleet flies into the sun, the lens flare creates a color pattern that resembles the Eye of Jupiter mandala.

== Questions ==

* What happened to the newly liberated Centurions?
* What happened to the Raiders?
* Why does "God" want the Cycle to be broken?
** On that note, ''can'' the Cycle be broken?
*How long has the cycle been going? Did an advanced race of humans and/or cylons discover independently evolved humans on other worlds, such as Kobol, before? Could these have been the Lords of Kobol, whose conflict with humans was caused by seeing their own mistakes repeated? Did Lee's decision to stop the construction of what could have been the new City of the Gods stop the cycle?
* What was the "similar incident" Skulls was starting to tell Racetrack about just before they were killed?
* What is the 'it' that does not like to be called 'God', and why does it "not like that name"?
* What is the date in the final scene?
* Where if anywhere does Kara Thrace actually go?

== Official Statements ==
*[http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/03/battlestar-galactica-daybreak-finale-moore-mcdonnell-olmos.html Chicago Tribune article] with remarks from Ron Moore, David Eick, Mary McDonnell, and Edward James Olmos.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==
*''Messenger Baltar says the last line of the series as he walks down a street of modern day New York City with Virtual Six. Baltar questions what God wants to be really called:''
:'''Messenger Baltar''' (moving in closer to V-Six, whispers): "You know it doesn't like that name!"
:'''Messenger Six''' (Doesn't answer vocally but her expression says "C'mon! you know better than that!"): ...........
:'''Messenger Baltar''' (Seeing her reaction): "Silly Me.....silly, silly me."

*''The Galactica is about to jump to The Colony and into harms way:''
:'''William Adama''': "Just so there'll be no misunderstandings later... ''Galactica'' has seen a lot of history, gone through a lot of battles. This ''will'' be her last. She will not fail us if we do not fail her. If we succeed in our mission, ''Galactica'' will bring us home. If we don't... it doesn’t matter anyway." "Action Stations!"

*''The Final Five are about to to stick their hand into Anders's hybrid tank and through that the [[datastream]] They are about to download the technical data of Resurrection to the Cavil Faction's Colony as agreed. As they do so their minds will essentially become one and they will all know each other's secrets whether they want to share or not. Tory Foster is unusually agitated and nervous:''
:'''Tory Foster''' (hesitantly with slight fear): "There are things that....that we've all done. Certain things that...people would be shocked.... to learn about."
:'''Cavil''' (shouting): "HEY! I DON'T MEAN TO RUSH YOU BUT YOU ARE KEEPING TWO CIVILIZATIONS WAITING!"
:'''Tory Foster''' (voice trembling slightly): Let's....Let's just all agree that no matter what we learn about each other...we're all Cylons and we're all capable of making mistakes."
:''(Those were her last words. Less than two minutes later, Tyrol learns of Tory murdering Cally and kills Tory by snapping her neck. She was being strangled too tightly to say anything else.)''

*''Cavil's last word before he commits suicide.''
:'''Cavil''': "Frak!"

*''Nuclear missles hitting it, have disturbed the Colony's balanced orbit, immediately causing it to start falling into the Singularity and it is dragging Galactica with it. Starbuck is frantically attempting to figure out the jump coordinates. This is a lyric from the song "All Along the Watchtower.''''
:'''Starbuck''': "There must be some kind of way out of here!"

*''Messenger Six and Messenger Baltar speculating if the cycle will continue.''
:'''Messenger Six''': "All of this has happened before..."
:'''Messenger Baltar''': "But the question remains: does all of this have to happen again?"

*''Sam Anders, essentially Galactica's Hybrid, says his last words to Kara Thrace after she leaves his side.''
:'''Samuel Anders''': "[[Maelstrom|See you on the other side]]."

*''In a flashback after saying goodbye to Galen Tyrol, Ellen and Saul Tigh are celebrating Saul's upcoming retirement two years before the Fall.''
:'''Ellen Tigh''': Tonight, we are going to celebrate your retirement and all the time I'm gonna get to spend with my ''husband''! ''[She kisses him.]''
:'''Saul Tigh''': Are you good with that?
:'''Ellen Tigh''': Ohhhhh... Saul! All I've ever wanted was to be with you. Not just weekend liberties or...or two weeks' leave a year. I mean full-time, you and me. Together, in a...in a house, in a tent...homeless and on the street... just be together.

*''While sitting under some trees on the savanna in Africa, William Adama explains to Laura Roslin why they chose to name their new planet [[Earth (RDM)#A New Earth|Earth]].''
:'''William Adama''': Earth is a dream...one we've been chasing for a long time. We've earned it. This is Earth.

*''Baltar to Caprica Six on New Earth in unspoken reference about his father''
:'''Baltar''': "You know, I know about farming." (sobs)

*''Laura Roslin is speaking to Dr. Cottle about the state of her health which both know it is grave with only a few days to live. Also, she is about to essentially go into battle to retrieve Hera and the Doctor appears to be on the verge of choking up:''
:'''Laura Roslin''': "Don't spoil your image, just light a cigarette and go and grumble."

*''Former Admiral of the Fleet William Adama is showing Laura their new home on New Earth in a Raptor. She sees a herd of gazelles stampeding at the sight of the Raptor over the lush and rich landscape and says her last words:''
:'''Roslin''': "So much life..."

*''William Adama is sitting on a high ridge, looking out on a spectacular view of the savannah. Nearby is Laura Roslin's grave, and his last spoken words in the series are to her:''
:'''William Adama''': "I laid out the cabin today. It's gonna have an easterly view. You should see the light that we get here. When the sun comes from behind the mountains, it's almost heavenly. It reminds me of you."

*''Boomer has just given over Hera to Athena, saving her life from Cavil and Simon dissection-and both redeeming herself and condemning herself to death''
:'''Boomer''' (to Athena): "Tell the old man, I owed him one."
:'''Athena''' (angrily) "Doesn't change anything you did though!"
:'''Boomer''' (shakes her head slightly): "No. We all make our choices. Today I made a choice. I think it's my last one."
:'''Starbuck''': "All right this is really touching. Now can we get the frak out of here!?!"
:'''Boomer''' (to Starbuck): "You should know that your Raptor been destroyed. You can't go back that way."
:(Athena passes Hera to Helo)
:'''Athena''': "Yeah well, that is not the plan."
:'''Starbuck''' (sardonically): "Can we ''not'' tell her the plan?"
:'''Athena''': "Right."
:''(Athena and Boomer look each other in the eye for a moment. Athena raises her weapon. Boomer does not try to flee, accepting, if not welcoming her fate. Athena fires. Boomer is dead before she hits the deck.)''

*''Cavil takes Hera at gunpoint after overpowering a CIC guard''.
:'''Cavil''': "This makes it alot easier. I just take the girl and I'm out of here!"
:'''William Adama''': (with a gun trained on Cavil) "Not a chance!"
:'''Number Six''': "Cavil, we won't let you take Hera. You know that."
:'''Cavil''': "I know nothing of the kind. I know I'm going to watch you chase your tail across the universe for another four years."
:'''Tigh''': "That's not going to happen!"
:'''Cavil''': "This thing is the key to my people's survival, and I'm not leaving without it!"
:'''Baltar''': "Hera's not a thing! She's a child, and she holds the key to humanity's survival as well!"
:'''Cavil''': "And how do you know that?"
:'''Baltar''': [glances briefly at the illusory images of Messenger Six and Messenger Baltar] "I see angels, angels in this very room. Now, I may be mad, but that doesn't mean that I'm not right. Because there's another force at work here. There always has been. It's undeniable. We've all experienced it. Everyone in this room has witnessed events that they can't fathom, let alone explain by rational means. Puzzles deciphered in prophecy. Dreams given to a chosen few. Our loved ones, dead, risen. Weather we want to call that "God" or "gods" or some sublime inspiration or a devine force we can't know or understand, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It's here. It exists, and our two destinies are entwined in its force."
:'''Cavil''': "If that were true, and that's a big 'if', how do I know this force has our best interests in mind? How do you know that God is on your side, Doctor?"
:'''Baltar''': "I don't. God's not on anyone side. God is a force of nature, beyond good and evil. Good and evil, we created those. You wanna break the cycle? Break the cycle of birth? Death? Rebirth? destruction? Escape? Death? Well, that's in our hands, in our hands only. It requires that we live in hope, not fear."

*''Tigh reports on Galactica's status. The ship suffered severe structural damage after jumping away from the Cylon Colony.''
:'''Tigh''': "We're mostly here. The engines, life support. There's red lines through her lateral structural members. She's broke her back. She'll never jump again."
:'''William Adama''': (grimly) "Wherever we are is where we're gonna stay."

*''Explaining to Admiral Adama his rationale for humanity forsaking advanced technology and adopting luddite practices.''
:'''Lee Adama''': "If there's one thing that we should have learned, it's that . . . you know, our brains have always outraced our hearts. Our science charges ahead, but our souls lag behind. Let's start anew."

== Guest Stars ==
* [[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Number Two]]
* [[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
* [[Rick Worthy]] as [[Number Four]]
* [[Mark Sheppard]] as [[Romo Lampkin]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Sherman Cottle]]
* [[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Number Five]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Kerry Norton]] as [[Layne Ishay]]
* [[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Number One]]
* [[Bodie Olmos]] as Lieutenant [[Brendan Costanza|Brenden "Hotdog" Costanza]]
* [[Leah Cairns]] as Lieutenant [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]]
* [[Brad Dryborough]] as Lieutenant/Admiral [[Louis Hoshi]]
* [[Colin Lawrence]] as Ensign [[Hamish McCall|Hamish "Skulls" McCall]]
* [[Lara Gilchrist]] as [[Paulla Schaffer]]
* [[Colin Corrigan]] as Marine [[Allan Nowart]]
* [[Leela Savasta]] as [[Tracey Anne]]
* [[Darcy Laurie]] as [[Dealino]]
* [[Iliana Gomez-Martinez]] as [[Hera Agathon]]
* [[Tobias Mehler]] as [[Zak Adama]]
* [[Simone Bailly]] as [[Shona]]
* [[Kevin McNulty]] as [[Frank Porthos]]
* [[Richard Jollymore]] as Marine #1
* [[Anthony St. John]] as Marine #2
* [[Dan Payne]] as [[Sean Allison]]
* [[Holly Eglinton]] as Stripper
* [[Tiffany Lyndall-Knight]] as [[Hybrid]] (uncredited)
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] as Man at news stand (uncredited)

== External Links ==

*[http://abovethestore.blogspot.com/2009/03/full-of-sound-and-fury-signifying.html Review of the finale and the series overall]

== References ==

<div style="font-size: 85%;"><references /></div>

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

[[Category:Episodes written by Ronald D. Moore]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[de:Götterdämmerung, Teil II]]

Galactica (TRS)

2011-05-09T20:59:05Z

BSG-Phoenix: Changes William Adama's previous rank to the correct one. Being Admiral not Commander.

:''This article discusses the [[Re-imagined Series]] battlestar. For other meanings of '''''Galactica''''', see [[Galactica (disambiguation)]].''
{{Ship Data
| image= Galactica Overview.jpg
| title= Galactica (BS 75)
| race= Colonial
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| crew= Approximately 3,500
| length= {{Meters2Feet|1438.64}}<ref>These dimensions (in meters) were derived from the CG model and posted by [[Lee Stringer]] on the StarshipBuilder.com forums, which are no longer available. They are the most precise so far. The width with pods extended and the height are quoted here verbatim; the length was calculated by adding the posted dimension for the front of the ship (766.04m) to the posted dimension for the back (672.6m). The full set as provided by Lee Stringer is as follows: "Width (Pods out) 536.84m (Pods In) 352.34m
Engines Max 359.38m Head Max 334.58m
Length: Front (Main body) 730.65m (Antenee) 766.04m Back 672.6m
(using the center of the two arms as the middle)
Height (Armor/Mainbody) 181.825m (Details) 183.315m".</ref>
| width= {{Meters2Feet|536.84}}<ref name="podtopod">This is from flight pod to flight pod while they are extended.</ref>
| height= {{Meters2Feet|183.315}}
| otherdi= The dimensions above are from [[Lee Stringer]], who built the ''Galactica'' CG model. VFX Sequence Designer [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]] gave the length as {{Feet2Meters|4740}}.<ref>[http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/how-big-was-the-colony/#comment-2193 Blog comment] by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]].</ref> The reason for this twenty-foot discrepancy is unknown.
| co= Admiral [[William Adama]]
| xo= Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
| role= Carrier / battleship hybrid
| weapons= As many as 514 dual point-defense [[KEW|Kinetic Energy Weapons]], 24 primary dual Kinetic Energy Weapons, at least 12 [[missile tubes]] capable of firing conventional and nuclear missiles, Vipers, Raptors
| status= Abandoned, flown into the Sun with the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]
| img= Y
}}
'''''Galactica'' (BS 75)''' is a [[Galactica type battlestar|veteran battlestar]] and the last of her kind still in service with the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|destruction of the Twelve Colonies]]. Built during the early days of the [[Cylon War]], she remains the only military vessel without integrated [[Computers|computer networks]]. Without networked computers, ''Galactica'' never upgrades to the new [[Command Navigation Program|integrated defense system software]] developed by Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] and his [[Number Six|team]]. Because of this and other factors, she becomes one of only two known battlestars (the other being ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'') to survive the renewed Cylon attack on the [[Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]]. At the time of this attack, she was part of the 75th [[Battlestar Group]] (BSG-75).

== History ==
=== The First Cylon War ===
[[Image:Mini gal top.jpg|right|200px|thumb|A dorsal view of ''Galactica''. The starboard [[flight pod]] is covered by a window to form the [[Galactica Museum|museum area]].]]
''Galactica'' was one of the first twelve battlestars to be constructed by the Colonials, each representing one of the twelve colonies; ''Galactica'' represented [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]]. As such, she is some 50 years old. While solidly built, various factors during ''Galactica's'' construction led to the shipyard "cutting corners" when she was originally built, with various components not completed to spec ([[TRS]]: "[[No Exit]]"). Following the outbreak of Cylon hostilities several more battlestars were built. ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> first commander was named [[Nash]].

The original battlestars were all designed with non-integrated computer systems to avoid the Cylons' demonstrated ability to override or subvert networked command and control systems early in the war ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]"). Rather than technological sophistication, the battlestar depended on its sheer bulk and defensive / offensive capabilities to ward off any threats to itself or the Colonies.

''Galactica'' took part in [[Operation Raptor Talon]] which then Lieutenant [[William Adama]] served on. After crash-landing on the ice planet the operation took place over and witnessing the experiments on humans, Adama contacted ''Galactica'' to take out the [[Guardian basestar]] which had just launched, but was informed by ''Galactica'', which had dispatched a [[SAR]] [[Raptor]] for him, of the Armistice. Adama wouldn't learn the truth of what he'd seen until the [[Battle of the Guardian basestar]] over forty years later. After the [[Final Five|rather mysterious]] Cylon [[Armistice Station|armistice]], and their withdrawal from Colonial space, ''Galactica'' and her sister ships served the Twelve Colonies in a variety of roles. While her surviving sister ships were scrapped or upgraded to match the systems capabilities of newer Colonial vessels, ''Galactica'' continued in service without her systems being fully networked or integrated, making her unique among Colonial military vessels. '' Galactica'' was relegated to intra-system duties for at least 20 years prior to her decommissioning.<ref>This is inferred by [[Saul Tigh]] in his reaction to Commander Adama's decision for a [[FTL]] jump ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]").</ref>

=== Decommissioning ===
[[Image:Ragnarbattle3.jpg|200px|right|thumb|''Galactica'' provides cover for civilian ships during the [[Battle of Ragnar Anchorage]].]]
With her active career drawing to a close, a decision was taken to retire ''Galactica'' and decommission her from service. Colonial Fleet chose not to scrap her, but to turn her into a combination of living museum to the original Cylon War and an educational center, with her conversion being overseen by her final commander, [[William Adama]].

At the time of her formal decommissioning ceremony, ''Galactica'' is stripped of all but one of her operational [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] Mark VII squadrons, her munitions are destroyed, and her starboard landing pod is converted into a pressurized [[Galactica Museum|museum]] which houses (among other things) a full squadron of [[Viper Mark II|Mk. II Vipers]] as well as a Viper model that appears [[Viper (TOS)|older than the Mark II]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries, Night 1]]").

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=== Return of the Cylons ===
[[Image:Mini side fleet.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'' and the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]].]]
With the renewed and unexpected Cylon hostilities, ''Galactica'' is quickly brought back to combat condition and sorties several Mark IIs retrieved from her museum, engaging in her first battle with the Cylons in over 40 years (all but one last Mark VII squadron were sent to Caprica for reassignment). She survives a direct hit by a tactical nuclear missile, and later [[FTL|jumps]] successfully to [[Ragnar Anchorage]] to replenish her empty ammunition stores at this strategic depot.

''Galactica'' emerges from the anchorage and engages one [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] with her gun batteries, providing cover for [[The Fleet (RDM)|a fleet of 75 civilian ships]] harboring survivors of the Twelve Colonies. Once the entire civilian fleet successfully jumps away, and as a second basestar approaches to join the battle, ''Galactica'' recovers her remaining Vipers and jumps to the rendezvous point beyond the [[Red Line]], never to return to Colonial space ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").

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=== Leading a Ragtag Fleet ===
[[Image:Ep212battle.jpg|200px|right|thumb|''Galactica'' and [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] work together during the [[Battle of the Resurrection Ship]].]]
Since the exodus of the Colonials from their overrun homeworlds, ''Galactica'' becomes both protector and provider for the Fleet. She provides covering fire for the Fleet during Cylon attacks no fewer than 240 times ([[TRS]]: "[[33]]": "[[Act of Contrition]]"). The battlestar provides much of the Fleet with recycled water ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]") and she is the primary source of medical care, where groups of civilians are periodically brought aboard for check-ups and treatment ([[TRS]]: "[[Litmus]]"). ''Galactica'' also undertakes internal policing duties within the Fleet ([[TRS]]: "[[Water]]"; "[[Bastille Day]]").

''Galactica'' successfully goes on the offensive against the Cylons, capturing a [[tylium]] fuel mining and processing plant in the process ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

The [[Mercury class battlestar|advanced battlestar]] ''Pegasus'', commanded by Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]], joins ''Galactica'' approximately 6 months into their exile (See the series [[Timeline (RDM)|timeline]] for special information about this milestone). The two battlestars destroy two [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]] as well as a critical Cylon support ship known as the [[Resurrection Ship]]. After Admiral Cain's death, President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] promotes William Adama to Admiral, restoring him to overall Fleet command, but now with two battlestars at his disposal ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").

===New Caprica===
[[Image:Leaving New Caprica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'', ''Pegasus'', and the orbiting fleet prior to leaving [[New Caprica]].]]
Following the founding of [[New Caprica]], ''Galactica'' is assigned to the orbital defense force that protects the planet. During this time the majority of her crew are allowed to the surface in an effort to populate the planet and restore the human race, a majority of whom are seemingly convinced that the Cylons will never find New Caprica. The diminished crew inevitably results in standard maintenance becoming overlooked or ignored; basic military responses, such as the launching of alert fighters and routine training exercises become difficult to execute. One year following the founding of New Caprica, a fleet of Cylon ships jump into orbit of the planet. Severely limited in their abilities, Admiral Adama orders the defense fleet to jump away from New Caprica along with a handful of civilian ships still in orbit of the colony. They vow to eventually return to New Caprica and liberate it from the Cylon invaders ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]").

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===[[Battle of New Caprica]]===
[[Image:BONC.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Galactica'' takes a pounding during the [[Battle of New Caprica]].]]
Four months after their escape, ''Galactica'''s staff is still in the process of developing a rescue strategy with 16 training exercises having been completed and a 17th underway when an accident causes its early cessation ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]"). This forces both a change in strategy and the reformulation of a rescue plan to deal with personnel who have not seen conflict in 16 months. While ''Galactica'' fights to liberate the Colonials on-planet, ''Pegasus'' is assigned to protect the remaining civilian Fleet and continue its search for [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Precipice]]"; "[[Exodus, Part I]]").

After coordinating with the [[New Caprica Resistance]], ''Galactica'' leaves ''Pegasus'' to guard the space-bound members of humanity while it uses a series of drones to misdirect the bulk of the Cylon Raiders and avoid immediate detection by baseships, thus allowing the civilians on the planet to escape to their ships and flee New Caprica.

''Galactica'' then jumps into low orbit, plummeting from an altitude of 100,000 feet. As the ship falls, Admiral Adama orders the launch of all remaining Vipers. ''Galactica'' then jumps back into orbit. In the subsequent battle with the orbiting basestars, ''Galactica'' is overtaxed, out-gunned, and faces destruction when ''Pegasus'' unexpectedly arrives. ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> salvos draw the attention of the basestars away from ''Galactica'', buying ''Galactica'' time to bring her [[FTL|FTL drives]] back on-line and escape, but at the cost of ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> destruction ([[TRS]]: "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

''Galactica'' bears the scars of the battle with significant scorching and dents to the hull. Nonetheless, the battlestar remains combat ready, holding off a superior Cylon force for a short duration in the [[Battle of NCD2539]] ([[TRS]]: "[[A Measure of Salvation]]"), and threatening to use its nuclear arsenal twice after New Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]"; "[[Crossroads, Part II]]"). Given the loss of ''Pegasus'', ''Galactica'' now boasts a larger crew, Viper and Raptor complement, to the point where there are more pilots than there are ships to fly ([[TRS]]: "[[Torn]]"), although the training of new recruits is still ongoing ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]"; "[[Crossroads, Part II]]"; "[[He That Believeth in Me]]"). Further, there are various redundancies between the two crews that are appropriately dealt with (e.g. [[Lee Adama]] in a [[List of Deleted Scenes - Season 3 (RDM)|deleted scene]] from "[[Exodus, Part II]]").

Colonel Tigh comments that ''Galactica'' took so much damage in this battle that it would "take six weeks in dry dock just to bang out the dents" ([[TRS]]: "[[A Day in the Life]]"). This indicates that the damage is extensive enough to require a significant amount time (probably months) for full repair, and would be unlikely to survive a massive battle again.

=== Resuming the Search for Earth ===
''Galactica'' takes aboard a significant quantity of civilians following the exodus from New Caprica, as several civilian ships are lost during the escape from the failed colony. Cramped conditions increase as crew and civilians struggle to adapt to life back aboard a ship. The civilians reside on the refurbished starboard hangar deck as a refugee camp nicknamed "[[Camp Oil Slick]]" and later "Dogsville" ([[TRS]]: "[[Torn]]"; "[[The Woman King]]").

During a [[The Passage|food shortage crisis]] caused by contamination of the Fleet's food processing systems, ''Galactica'' (along with her Raptors acting as pilot ships) guides the civilian Fleet through an area of intense heat, light and radiation caused by a [[Passage (star cluster)|dense star cluster]] to reach edible resources on the [[algae planet]]. ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> heavy armor and radiation shielding protect her from the intense effects of the cluster, but the ship still suffers hull damage and decompressions.

The ship confronts a Cylon fleet and barely escapes a nova during [[Eye of Jupiter|the events over the algae planet]], jumping out at the last moment after recovering its ground teams and additional data on a way-point to Earth known to the Colonials as the [[Ionian nebula]] ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]"). Repairs continue on the journey to the Ionian nebula. Damage to one particular airlock nearly causes the deaths of Galen and Cally Tyrol during what they expected to be a quick repair of a hull micro-fracture ([[A Day in the Life]]).
[[Image:BOTIM.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Galactica'' is outnumbered during the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula]].]]
When the Fleet reaches the nebula, four Cylon baseships are detected following an unexplained power outage. With the entire Fleet crippled and unable to escape, ''Galactica'' scrambles her Vipers and prepares for a lopsided fight, outnumbered and outgunned ([[Crossroads, Part II]]). During the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula|following battle]], ''Galactica'' manages to hold off the main attack of the massive Cylon attack force. Despite the damage suffered in previous engagements, the old warship wields her main guns and point defense batteries effectively again in defense of the Fleet. During the battle ''Galactica'' takes many hits while covering the Fleet although without crippling damage. Despite having the advantage, and managing to destroy or damage several civilian ships, the Cylons retreat in the middle of the battle, after detecting one of the [[Final Five]] among the Colonials ([[He That Believeth in Me]]).

''Galactica'' is once forced to prepare for a battle against the rebel [[Basestar (RDM)|Cylon basestar]], but the ''[[Demetrius]]'' arrives to defuse the situation. In the wake of the basestar disappearing from the Fleet ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]), [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'', jumping along with the Fleet ([[Sine Qua Non]]).

After [[Kara Thrace]] picks up a strange signal in [[Starbuck's Viper|her Viper]], the Colonials have a direct bearing towards Earth. Shortly later, after several years of searching, ''Galactica'' and her Fleet finally make the last jump to Earth ([[Revelations]]).

=== Post-Earth ===

After discovering [[Earth]] is a nuclear wasteland, discipline and morale on ''Galactica'' fall dramatically and the overall cleanliness of the ship suffers, e.g. outside [[CIC]], the words "Frak Earth" are spray-painted on the walls ([[Sometimes a Great Notion]]). When former deck chief [[Galen Tyrol]] disables the FTL drive, foiling the mutineers' escape with the ship, he discovers multiple tears in the chamber's walls, a sign that the aging battlestar's structural integrity is faltering ([[Blood on the Scales]]).
[[Image:Damaged Galactica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A heavily damaged ''Galactica''.]]
A structural survey of the ship finds several torn supports and weakened areas in the hull, and a more in-depth examination finds endemic metal fatigue throughout the ship, with virtually every part of the hull riddled with small cracks and fissures.

''Galactica's'' advanced age, the corners cut during construction and the abuse it has been put through since the war started contributed to its condition. Tyrol suggests treating the damaged parts of the ship with an [[Cylon organic resin|organic Cylon resin]] from the [[Rebel Baseship]], which would fill the cracks and bear the stresses, which Adama at first refuses. However, Adama finally appreciates ''Galactica's'' dire condition when he finds a tear in a bulkhead in his quarters, and orders Tyrol to carry out his plan to repair the ship ([[No Exit]]). Tyrol later says that the resin will buy more time but the ship's integrity has been fundamentally weakened and it might not survive more FTL jumps- it is impossible to say how long she can hold. ''Galactica'' is dying of old age and accumulated battle damage.

Later ''Galactica'' is damaged even further when [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] jumps away very close to the hull. The resulting spatial distortion of her Raptor's FTL jump causes what appears to be buckling and explosive decompression in several sections of the alligator head of ''Galactica'' on her port side ([[Someone to Watch Over Me]]). This causes a chain reaction of explosions, structural failures and power outages throughout many parts of the ship including CIC.

At first refusing to accept the reality of the ship's fate, Admiral Adama gives the emotionally painful order to stop the repairs and begin the process of abandoning ship, moving to the Rebel Baseship as the Fleet's new flagship ([[Islanded In a Stream of Stars]]).

As the ship is slowly offloaded of parts and personnel, the Admiral relents one last time, stops the scrapping of the battlestar, and calls for volunteers for what will likely be a ''Galactica's'' final mission- to get the kidnapped Hera back from Cavil's Cylon colony ([[Daybreak, Part I]]).

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=== Endgame: [[Battle of The Colony|Battle of The Colony]] ===

[[Image:Battleofthecolony.jpg|thumb|right|200px|right|''Galactica'' takes massive hits seconds after jumping to [[The Colony]].]]
With a skeleton crew and a frail battlestar, Admiral Adama executes a daring mission to rescue Hera Agathon.

''Galactica'' jumps to the Colony at point-blank range. Besieged by the Colony's gun batteries at first, the ship is pummeled relentlessly (destroying the dorsal Colonial roundel) until the Hybrid Anders manages to take them and the Colony's Hybrids offline. As ''Galactica's'' Vipers engage incoming Raiders, her Raptors jump directly from their berth in the starboard [[flight pod]] (causing extensive damage to it) and maneuver to board the Colony.

Adama does the unbelievable: he rams ''Galactica's'' bow into the Colony, forming not only a second breech for his search teams to enter, but also forming an alternate escape route.

The rescue is successful thanks to Boomer's help (before Athena kills her), but ''Galactica'' is far from safe. The Raiders are still attacking the ship, destroying at least one of its remaining heavy gun batteries. The rescue teams are pursued back to ''Galactica'' by Cavil and his troops, determined to recapture Hera. Platoons of enemy Centurions swarm into the ship. Cavil personally leads an attack on CIC but is foiled.

Things appear to settle down after Cavil and Adama call a ceasefire. Cavil agrees to let ''Galactica'' leave with Hera in exchange for the information needed to bring back [[Resurrection (RDM)|resurrection technology]]. Part of the deal is that Cavil will leave humanity alone forever as well. The Raiders return to the Colony, while the Vipers return to ''Galactica''. Unfortunately, as the Final Five begin to download their knowledge into the Colony, they are exposed to each other's secrets; Galen Tyrol learns that Tory Foster murdered his wife [[Cally Tyrol]] ([[The Ties That Bind]]). Tyrol flies into a rage and kills Foster, severing the download. Chaos ensues and the ceasefire ends. The Raiders renew their attack on the ship. In CIC the Simon, Doral and Cavil there open fire but Apollo and Starbuck kill Doral and Simon while Cavil, realizing the hopelessness of the situation, kills himself.

Meanwhile [[Racetrack]]'s Raptor, drifting in space after all aboard were killed, is hit by a stray asteroid, causing the Raptor to launch its nuclear missiles into the Colony. The Colony's orbit immediately decays, pulling it into the black hole--threatening to take ''Galactica'' with it. But Kara Thrace jumps the ship, using coordinates she had extrapolated from [[The Music]] at the last second.

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=== Journey's End ===
[[File:Battlestar Over Africa.jpg|thumb|left|200px|right|A crippled ''Galactica'' seen in orbit over the Sahara Desert.]]
Unfortunately, the ship does not retract its flight pods as Kara Thrace executes the emergency jump; this, as well as the cumulative stresses of the previous battle and the past four years turn out to be the death knell for the old battlestar. ''Galactica'' experiences a series of fatal structural failures that send shockwaves and explosions rippling through the ship. The ship suffers explosive decompression in various sections, causing support beams to crash through deck ceilings. While the Cylon organic resin applied earlier prevents ''Galactica'' from snapping in two, the ship permanently loses its FTL ability as its structural integrity is severely compromised (Colonel Tigh mentions red-lines through the ship's lateral structural members, and groaning and buckling can be heard throughout the ship, indicating ''Galactica'''s frame is essentially destroyed, and cannot take any further stress). However, despite the loss of FTL, ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s other systems are still online, including life support and propulsion. The fear of being stranded in space are short-lived as ''Galactica'' arrives in the vicinity of a lush, blue-green habitable world, already populated by tribes of primitive humans who naturally evolved there.
[[File:The fleet's end.jpg|thumb|200px|right|''Galactica'' and her Fleet heading straight into the Sun.]]
The population of the Fleet, arriving later, agree to leave their technology behind and start new lives on the planet they decide to call "[[Earth (RDM)#A New Earth|Earth]]". The Rebel Cylons also decide to stay on the planet. With this decision, the Rebel Baseship is left to the Centurions, who leave to seek out their own destiny. Anders, still acting as ''Galactica'''s Hybrid, brings the battlestar's adventures to a close as he pilots ''Galactica'' and the last ships in the Fleet into the Sun, destroying ''Galactica'' and her Fleet. Admiral Adama is the last person to leave the ship, departing in his Viper Mk II from his service in the Cylon War.

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== Equipment ==
Apart from any technological upgrades that may have been made to her sister ships, ''Galactica'' was built to the general technical specifications of her [[Galactica type battlestar|class]].

===Starboard Flight Pod===

The starboard landing bay is eventually restored to usable condition, evidenced when Major Lee Adama lands his Raptor in the starboard pod. However, it is possible that this is due to a previously issued quarantine order and not because the flight pod is in regular use ([[A Measure of Salvation]]). The starboard hangar deck is designated an [[Dogsville|area of refuge]] for civilians displaced from lost ships (The Woman King).

During the last mission of Galactica, this pod held a number of Raptors ready for launch, these deployed out of the pod by FTL jump with the result that the shock waves fatally weakened the pods structure and the pod blew open to space. ([[Daybreak part 2]])

Strangely at least part of the museum setup survives all the way to Daybreak part 2, despite a hull breach and part of it being flattened by a heavy raider [[Scattered]]. It's unclear why the museum was kept intact and/or repaired, though it's possible it was put right during the year on New Caprica before the Cylons found the planet, since this is probably the only period when the crew would have any spare time to fix it. This serves as a minor plot hole that may never be resolved.

The museum would certainly have been destroyed in the jump shock wave from the Raptors leaving the pod during the [[Battle of the Colony]] or the decompression immediately after that point, any remains were sent into the sun with the rest of the ship.

===Nuclear Warheads===
[[Image:Galactica nukes.jpg|200px|thumb|''Galactica'''s nuclear arsenal.]]
''Galactica'' has five nuclear warheads as of "[[Bastille Day]]". Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] uses one warhead to destroy the Cylon [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] orbiting Kobol ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]), and Dr. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] cannibalizes one to use in his [[Cylon detector]]. He later gives the warhead to [[Gina Inviere]], who detonates it aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]''.

It is unknown how many nuclear warheads ''Pegasus'' has when it encounters ''Galactica'', but the two ships pool their nuclear ordnance stockpiles after that. As of "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", ''Galactica'' possesses at least seven warheads ([[missile tube]]s 4 through 10).

:''The yield of these weapons is unknown. It is likely they are of a "dial a yield" design which is common in real-life nuclear weapons. Because the physics of nuclear weapon design is a measurable science, and based on the size of the weapons seen on screen, the yield of ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> weapons may lie between 5 and 150 kilotons.''<ref>This is extrapolated from the size of the weapon, compared to a modern day ([[w:W80|W80]])-class nuclear warhead used by the United States.</ref> ''However, the energetic properties of [[tylium]] are so formidable that if a warhead design were to properly exploit even only 50% of the refined ore's enthalpy, a mere kilogram of it would allow for a yield of nearly 60 kilotons, and a one megaton yield warhead would require over 16.7 kg of refined tylium. The fact that the ore can also be used for explosives such as improvised mines ([[The Eye of Jupiter]]) opens a vast field of opportunities for heavy high yield weapons, not necessarily restricted to nukes in the traditional sense. If indeed a "dial a yield" capacity were part of the stock warhead's design, then it's possible that the addition of a weapon grade level of refined tylium would allow said yield to be considerably increased. Besides, the required high levels of pressure and heat could even be achieved with mere chemical implosion phases instead of atomic ones (ref. Fat Man bomb).''

===Vipers===
:''For information on the fighter squadrons stationed on ''Galactica'' see: [[Squadrons of Galactica]]''

[[image:1104Tube Mini.JPG|right|thumb|200px|A [[Viper Mark II]] in a launch tube.]]
[[image:Kg zoic-studio screen-caps-065.jpg|left|thumb|200px|A [[Viper Mark VII]] in the port [[Flight pod]].]]
Early in the flight of the Fleet, ''Galactica'' carried "40 Vipers and 21 pilots" ([[Act of Contrition]]) , of which at least six were Mark VIIs. Following the advent of ''Pegasus'', ''Galactica'' receives supplies that aid in the repair and refurbishment of her initial fighter complement ([[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]). Some time later, new Mark VII Vipers are constructed at ''Pegasus''s' Viper construction facilities utilizing the raw ore mined in an asteroid belt ([[Scar]]), and several of those are assigned to ''Galactica''.

With ''Pegasus'' destroyed at the [[Battle of New Caprica]], ''Galactica'' absorbs the former's fighter squadrons and personnel, and her Viper complement now counts approximately 80 planes. <ref>Dialogue from "[[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]" and "[[Sine Qua Non]]" establishes that 40 Vipers have been transferred to a Cylon basestar, which comprises half the ship's air wing.</ref>

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===Raptors===
[[image:Raptor port.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A [[Raptor]].]]
The number of [[Raptor|Raptors]] available to ''Galactica'' is portrayed inconsistently. The assumption prior to joining up with ''Pegasus'' is that the battlestar has at least five Raptors, having left [[Ragnar Anchorage]] with at least eight. After the Battle of New Caprica, ''Galactica'' takes on ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> Raptors. The subsequent number of available craft is unknown, but is at least 30, considering how many Raptors are deployed to rescue to the resistance fighters on Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]") and still have enough to move people from ship to ship through out the Fleet.

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===Other Craft===
[[image:Blackbird FotP.JPG|right|thumb|200px|The [[Blackbird]], a special stealth ship, was construted on ''Galactica''.]]
[[image:AtmoShutt.jpg|right|thumb|200px|One of ''Galactica'''s [[Atmospheric shuttle| shuttle]] craft.]]
*''Galactica'' possesses two [[Heavy Raider]]s. One is hit by ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s defensive fire and crashes into the starboard flight pod with unknown, but probably extensive, damage ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]"). The other returns in operational status from [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]"). One of these Heavy Raiders is relieved of its FTL navigation system for use on the rescue mission to Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").
* A Raider from the first Cylon War may be on board ''Galactica'' after one follows Starbuck into one of ''Pegasus''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> landing bays and is shot down ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]"). A Cylon War era Raider, or at least a replica of one, was present in the [[Galactica Museum]], but has not been mentioned since.
*A second [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]] comes into ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> possession after [[Daniel Novacek]]'s "escape" from a basestar, replacing the one retrieved by [[Kara Thrace]] and lost during the quest for the [[Arrow of Apollo]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Hero]]").
*An experimental stealth fighter, the [[Blackbird]], is constructed using spare parts ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]") and used in a critically successful reconnaissance mission to explore the nature of what comes to be known as the [[Resurrection Ship]]. The Blackbird is destroyed after completing its [[Battle of the Resurrection Ship|first combat mission]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]").
*''Galactica'' possesses [[fuel tanker]]s used to supply fuel to Vipers and Raptors in flight without the need to dock with the ship. These may be dedicated craft or specially fitted shuttles or Raptors ([[TRS]]: "[[Occupation]]").

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== Crew ==
:''For information on Senior Staff, see : [[Senior Staff of Galactica]]''
:''For a list of pilots, see: [[List of Pilots]]''
:''For a list of deckhands, see: [[List of deckhands]]''
:''For a list of marines, see: [[Colonial Marine Corps]]''

Before the attack, ''Galactica'' has approximately 2,900 crewmen. By the time of the arrival of ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', attrition has reduced this number to about 2,660. (c.f. [[Crew tally]])
It is unknown whether the Colonial Marines account for members or not.
*Between "[[Act of Contrition]]" and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> offensive capability is also greatly hampered by the number of [[List of Pilots|qualified pilots]] available, and their lack of flight simulators with which to train more. Since ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> reunion with ''Pegasus'', this has ceased to be an issue ([[TRS]]: "[[Scar]]").
== Blue prints of Galactica ==

[http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/File:BSG_Blue_prints.png]

==Related Imagery==
<gallery perrow="5">
Image:BSG Ortho Top & Bottom.jpg|''Galactica'' - [[Zoic]] rendering    
Image:BSG Ortho Front, Back & Starboard.jpg|''Galactica'' - Zoic rendering    
Image:Galactica's top side.jpg|''Galactica'''s top side.
Image:Kg cg ns galactica-049.jpg|''Galactica'''s front - Zoic
Image:Battlestar stern.jpg|''Galactica'''s stern.
Image:Galactica retraction.jpg|Flight pod retraction area.
Image:Galactica's bottom-023b.jpg|''Galactica'''s bottom.
Image:Bsg damaged.jpg|''Galactica'' with battle damage. (High Res)
Image:Cylon War-era Galactica, "Razor" Flashback 1.jpg|''Galactica'' in the [[Razor]] Flashbacks.
Image:Galactica - flight pods retracted.jpg|''Galactica'' with flight pods retracted.
Image:BSG landing alcove.jpg|''Galactica'' landing alcove.
Image:Kg cg ns galactica-037.jpg|A cluster of rail guns.
Image:Battered Battlestar.jpg|Bow view of ''Galactica''.
Image:GalPeg.png|''Galactica'' overlooking the [[Pegasus]].
Image:Pointdefence2 101 1080i.jpg|''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> point defense batteries in action    
Image:Galactica fights off missile salvos.jpg|''Galactica'' establishes a defense perimeter.
Image:Raptor scramble.jpg|''Galactica'' scrambles [[Viper]]s and [[Raptor]]s.
Image:Colony Breech.jpg|''Galactica'' rams herself into [[The Colony]].
Image:Img0059.jpg|''Galactica'''s main batteries.
Image:Galactia's end.jpg|''Galactica'' and the Fleet depart for the sun, with the African continent in the background.
Image:CIC Overview 1.jpg|''Galactica'''s CIC.
Image:Cicweaponscontrol1.jpg|Weapons control.
Image:Cictacticalstation1.jpg|Tactical station.
Image:Cic commstation.jpg|Communications.
Image:The Mess.jpg|The Officers' mess hall.
Image:Cicdmgcontrol.jpg|Damage control.
Image:Ftl2.jpg|FTL Drive.
Image:Bsg-1-10.jpg|The "War Room".
Image:Porthangardeck.jpg|The port hangar bay on ''Galactica''.
Image:DutyLocker.jpg|Crew quarters.
Image:GalacticaInterior Sickbay1.jpg|Sickbay
Image:Galactica Museum, "Daybreak, Part II".jpg| The ''Galactica'' museum in the starboard flight pod.
Image:Galactica corridor.jpg|The "A-shaped" corridors.
Image:BSG Blue prints.png|Schematics from the [[Battlestar Galactica Role Playing Game|roleplaying game]].
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Galactica crew facilities (RDM)|Galactica crew facilities]]
*[[:Category:Galactica Areas (RDM)|Galactica Areas]]

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

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