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Exodus, Part II

2006-11-09T16:02:14Z

Biggs33: /* Analysis */

{{cleanup}}

{{Episode Data
| title= Exodus, Part II
| image=TighAdamaReunion.jpg
| season= 3
| episode= 4
| guests= [[Lucy Lawless]] as [[Number Three]]
| writer= [[Bradley Thompson]] [[David Weddle]]
| story=
| director= [[Félix Enríquez Alcalá]]
| production= 304
| rating=
| US airdate= 2006-10-20
| UK airdate=
| dvd=
| population=
| prev= [[Exodus, Part I]]
| next= [[Collaborators]]
| podcast= Y
}}

== Overview ==

:''Commander [[Lee Adama]] of the battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)| Pegasus]]'' has serious doubts about the success of the [[New Caprica]] rescue mission by ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''. On New Caprica, [[Saul Tigh]] decides the consequences for his [[Ellen Tigh |wife's]] betrayal of [[The Resistance | the Resistance]]. Aboard ''Galactica'', Admiral [[William Adama]] executes a dramatic rescue plan.''

== Summary ==

*On ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', [[Lee Adama]] and [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] talk of ''[[Galactica]]'s'' mission. Adama worries that Admiral Adama's mission will fail, and about his impending responsibilities as leader of [[The Fleet]]. Dee notes that Lee has given up hope on his father, but expresses her faith in her husband.
*On New Caprica, [[Samuel Anders]] confronts [[Saul Tigh]] about [[Ellen Tigh|his wife Ellen's]] betrayal and tells him that either Tigh "takes care" of Ellen, or someone less sympathetic will do so.
*Ellen Tigh explains her recent actions, that she would do absolutely anything to save Saul, including betraying the resistance. Tigh consoles her and provides her a drink when she asks. She falls unconscious, her drink having been poisoned by her husband. He says that he loves her, rests his head on her corpse, and weeps.
*On ''[[Colonial One]]'', [[Gaius Baltar]] tells the Cylons that they have failed in their experiment and suggests the Cylons simply leave. A [[Number Three|Three]] voices the concern that one day the descendants of mankind might exact vengeance upon the Cylons, should they be left to their own devices.
[[Image:Saulellen.jpg|Saul handing Ellen her poisoned drink.|thumb]]

*[[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] suddenly looks up, noticing dozens of explosions can outside the window, signalling the beginning of the [[Battle of New Caprica]].
*Anders and the resistance team has set a series of explosions, mimicing a Fleet attack and causing confusion among the [[cylons]]. [[Tory Foster]] commands a team of section leaders in the evacuation and orders [[Maya]] to head for her ship with [[Hera|Isis]].
*Anders and a large group of resistance fighters retrieve weapons from beneath the [[Pyramid (RDM)|Pyramid]] court to rescue the detainees in the [[New Caprica Detention Center|detention center]].
*In space above New Caprica, ''Galactica'' deploys a squadron of Raptors and Vipers. The Raptors launch [[swallow]]s to mimic the EM signature of two Colonial battlestars. The Cylons pick them up and fall for the ruse, moving two basestars with their Raiders away from the planet.
*When [[Leoben Conoy]] leaves the residence inside the Detention Center to aid with the fighting, he keeps [[Kara Thrace]] inside. She assaults him and tries to escape, but he knocks her unconscious.
*[[Tom Zarek]] tasks [[James Lyman|Jammer]] to protect [[Laura Roslin]] as she makes her way to ''Colonial One''.
*At the entrance to the shipyard, where the Cylons keep the grounded Colonial vessels, a team under Tigh and [[Galen Tyrol]] are pinned down by [[Cylon Centurion]]s.
*The Cylons detect the decoy drones, but ''Galactica'' jumps into the planet's upper atmosphere and plunges rapidly towards the planet. Mid-descent, ''Galactica'' launches its Vipers. Before colliding with the ground, the ship jumps back into space. The Vipers begin to attack targets on the ground and clear the way.
*As others are freed from the Detention Center, Anders finds his unconscious wife and carries her away, but when Thrace awakens, she goes back to retrieve [[Kacey]].
*The battle is turning against ''Galactica''. Her FTL drives are down, weapons are offline and there is heavy structural damage from the atmospheric entry. Four Cylon basestars are closing in and the battlestar is soon bombarded from all sides with no hope of survival. At that moment ''Pegasus'' joins the battle, Lee Adama having disobeyed his father's orders. He opens fire with the forward batteries and destroys one basestar in the opening salvo.
*The Cylons realize that they have lost and decide to evacuate the planet. [[Number Three]] volunteers to stay behind and set off the nuclear weapon that was left in the city for such a contingency. She offers Baltar a place with the Cylons and leaves.
*The Colonial ships initiate intra-atmosphere [[FTL|jumps]] from New Caprica as soon as they become airborne.
*''Pegasus'' is heavily bombarded by missiles, having left all of her Vipers back with the rest of the civilian Fleet. Admiral Adama realizes that his son has planned a one-way mission for ''Pegasus'', and orders recall of ''Galactica's'' fighters.
*On ''Colonial One'', [[Felix Gaeta]] holds Baltar at gunpoint, and accuses of having betrayed humanity. Gaeta admits his guilt in idealistically believing in Baltar, but has realized, in the end, that Baltar was only thinking about himself. Baltar admits his own guilt and begs Gaeta to shoot him. Gaeta relents, however, giving Baltar a final chance to redeem himself: stop Three from setting off the nuclear bomb.
*With ''Pegasus'' dying, Lee Adama orders everyone to abandon ship. He sets the ship [[CBDR]] with a basestar as the last of the crew leaves in Raptors. ''Pegasus’'' collides with a basestar, destroying it; the remains of ''Pegasus’'' starboard [[flight pod]] collides with and destroys yet another basestar.
*Kara Thrace retrieves Kacey, but Conoy has returned and confronts her. She appears to give in to his demands, says "I love you," and kisses him. However, Thrace uses the diversion to stab him. She picks up Kacey and leaves with Anders.
*Three searches [[Dodona Selloi]]'s tent, but the [[oracle]] has left. Outside, [[Caprica-Six]] and Baltar find Hera next to [[Maya]]'s body, still alive. Three arrives, asks to hold the child, and leaves with her. [[Caprica-Six]] says Three no longer intends to detonate the nuke, then leaves the planet with Baltar.
*Laura Roslin and a group of resistance fighters enter the now abandoned ''Colonial One'' and are the last ship to leave the planet.
*On ''Galactica'', many people are reunited as Tyrol immediately takes charge of ushering the incoming refugees. When Thrace shows Kacey to Tyrol, another woman walks by and recognizes the girl as her daughter, whom the Cylons had taken away. The mother thanks Thrace for rescuing Kacey. Thrace is shocked by the revelation that Kacey is not her daughter after all, but gives her up.
*Admiral Adama welcomes Tigh back aboard, and tells him he brought everyone back. Tigh quietly replies, "[[Ellen Tigh|Not all of them]]." The colonists in ''Galactica's'' [[hangar deck]] begin chanting "A-dam-a, A-dam-a..." and carry the admiral on their shoulders. Adama turns to see Tigh wandering off, numbed with grief.
*Tory Foster tells Roslin that neither Maya nor Hera can be found, and it seems likely neither made it off the planet. Foster apologizes, but Roslin muses that this was part of something bigger than them.
*Admiral Adama shaves off his mustache and returns to a fully staffed [[CIC]], aboard the now very loud, bustling corridors of ''Galactica''.

== Questions ==

*With Baltar missing at the conclusion of this episode, who will become the President of the Twelve Colonies? ([[Collaborators|Answer]])
*What will be the final disposition of the ''Pegasus'' officers, and the former military personnel who have returned from New Caprica? ([[Collaborators|Answer]])
*Did Ellen Tigh know or suspect that the drink was poisoned?
*What consequences will Ellen Tigh's death have for her husband? Will Saul Tigh return to his old alcoholic habits? (Answer<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2006/10/battlestar_gala.html|title=Chicago Tribune|date=2006-10-02|accessdate=2006-10-29|last=|first=|format=|language=en}}</ref>)
*What equipment and people were left behind on [[New Caprica]]?
*Will Gaeta be the target of persecution or assassination as a collaborator? Or will people believe in him when he is found out to be the secret informant? ([[Collaborators|Answer]])
*Will [[Cally Tyrol]] identify Jammer as the NCP officer who released her, based on his voice? ([[Collaborators|Answer]])
*Why did Kara Thrace wait to stab Leoben until they kissed?
*What about the Cylons, such as Leoben, who were killed during the insurection? If they were dependant on a resurrection facility on New Caprica, is said facility still operational? If not, is there a resurrection ship in range? ([[Collaborators|Possible answer.]])
*What, besides ''Galactica'' and her crew, was gained by the sacrifice of ''Pegasus''?
* Now that ''Galactica'' is carrying the Viper squadrons from both battlestars, will the starboard flight pod be returned to service?
* What are the Cylons plans for Gaius Baltar? ([[Torn|Answer]])
* Now that Hera is in the custody of the Cylons, what are their plans for her?
* How does Internal Six know that the baby [[Maya]] had was Hera?
* Where is [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Boomer]]?
* How many ships are in the Fleet as of the [[Battle of New Caprica]]? Also, in light of the exodus, what of consumables and other resources needed to sustain the Fleet? Were these loaded into ships already as part of the escape plan?

== Analysis ==

*There is a major plot hole concerning the continuity of the story from Exodus, Part I. In Part I, D'Anna sees Caprica-Sharon in the detention center and is shot by her. Yet in Part II, D'Anna is in Colonial One, apparently unharmed, and has not alerted the Cylons to Sharon's presence.
**That is a different D'Anna. You'll note the D'Anna in Colonial One before the attack is wearing all black, whereas the D'Anna that encountered Sharon typically wears lighter colors. The two D'Annas are seen together in The Occupation.
***This is NOT a different D'Anna. This is the same D'Anna that dreamt about Hera and relayed this information to Sharon Agathon, and later carried Hera in her arms as her dreams foretold. The plot hole stands.
****Some time had passed once the fleet received news that Sharon retrieved the command codes. D'Anna might have been released/resurrected within that time span. We are not told whether she had informed the Cylon leadership of Sharon's presence.
*****It is questionable whether Biers could have bled to death from being shot in the kneecaps/legs since Sharon had stated she didn't intend to kill her; if Biers was released, not only would she have been unable to walk, but she would almost certainly have been questioned by those that found her.
******D'Anna would likely have committed "suicide" to free herself of the knee injuries. She probably did tell the others about Sharon, but it was too late to do anything about her at that point.
*******The Plot hole might resolve itself if we assume that D'Anna did commit suicide but did '''NOT''' tell the other Cylons about Sharon. We have already been told that the visions have made D'Anna question her Cylon faith, and that [[Hera]] is of great importance to her personally. We also know that D'Anna lied to the other Cylons about setting off the Nuke, she instead made a beeline for the Oracles tent, seemingly on the hunt for the baby. If D'Annas deception of other Cylons is developed further the plothole would instead become an early revelation about D'Anna's character development and how far she is prepared to go in personal pursuit of [[Hera]].
*******One might also note that Cylons sometimes exhibit inhuman characteristics, such a Leoben breaking free from his chains ([[Flesh and Bone]]). It may be that they can heal or regenerate in some instances.
****It's been established that different Cylon models usually vote the same way when reaching a consensus. It's entirely possible that one Number Three discussed her dreams with her "sisters", one of which discovered Sharon in the “safety deposit box room”.

*Either the scenes aren't in order or Baltar is not aware of what is going on. In the Gaeta-Baltar scene, Baltar says, "The Cylons have a nuke in this complex. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is getting off this planet alive unless I stop D'Anna." But this is after most of the civilian ships have already jumped.

*Further, until Hera is discovered by Baltar, Three is still looking to set off the nuke -- even though it is clear that the colonists are all long gone.
**It's possible Three wasn't seeking to set off the nuke, but said she was as a ruse to go seek answers about her premonitions concerning Hera.
*** Any nuke held by the Cylons would likely be stored somewhere inside the guarded Cylon perimeter. It appears that this Three made a beeline to the Oracle, and was upset that she was not there. While going through the tent, knocking things over, she is quoted as saying "frakking liar!".
*It is hard to believe that the Cylons were not keeping closer tabs on the whereabouts of the launch keys -- no alarms, etc. -- and didn't notice they were gone until the attack started.
*In general, the Cylons seem to have left the planet implausibly underguarded. Considering the strategic nature of the site, as well as the well-known fact that two battlestars remained at large, one would have expected the Cylons to have an overwhelming amount of protection for the planet -- perhaps dozens of basestars.
**It has been established beforehand that the Cylons are overstretched with the occupation. This could account for the lack of protection. At any rate, four basestars against two battlestars is hardly an even match, let alone two half-strength battlestars.
***A Basestar does not seem to be a 1 to 1 match for a Battlestar. They lack offensive and defensive gun batteries, the ability to maneuver quickly, and have a critical design flaw that is easily exploited (central hub holding the six arms together). Basestars depend on missiles and large numbers of Raiders. Adama felt that the Galactica, even barely manned, could hold up to two Cylon Basestars.
****Additionally, RDM has mentioned in his podcasts that the Cylons do have major operations elsewhere hinting at future storylines in the season. It is possible that the Cylon higher command made a strategic decision to guard the planet with what they deemed the minimal required number of Basestars to defend against 2 Battlestars.
*****One may also be prone to overestimating the number of Basestars the Cylons have. When preparing the attack on the twelve Colonies, the Cylons knew that they had surprise and the backdoor computer virus on their side. As such they may not have produced a very large number of Basestars (perhaps not even enough to match the number of Battlestars the Colonies had). Furthermore, the knowledge that the colonials were ignorant of the location of the Cylon homeworld may have also played a part in them having a smaller fleet. If, for some reason, the attack failed, the cylons could simply retreat and bide their time before trying again. After all, when one is sure he can render his enemy defenseless, there's no real need to produce a pointlessly large army.
*With the former crew of ''Pegasus'' onboard ''Galactica'' now, the ship has something close to its standard crew size. (''Galactica's'' crew was deduced to be 2,693 in the episode "[[Water]]", and ''Pegasus's'' was introduced with a crew count of 1,752 in "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]" (see [[Crew tally]]). William Adama notes that over half of the crew has settled on [[New Caprica]] in "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]", and Lee confirms that both ships are at half-strength in "[[Occupation]]".) Military operations should be much smoother now, and repairs to the ship in general are more feasible.
**However, many repairs, such as structural, will require shipyard or dockyard facilities equipped with replacement parts and heavy repair machinery required for such repairs, and these facilities are no longer available. The ''Galactica'' may never again be the fighting force that it once was.
*While the combination of the ''Pegasus'' and ''Galactica'' air groups give the latter Battlestar a full-strength fighter wing, the Fleet has suffered the loss of its most advanced and best-armed warship. With it also went the capability to build replacement Vipers, unless one of the civilian ships can be converted for such a purpose. Defensively, the Fleet is pretty much back to the position it was in when it left the Colonies.
**However, the Galactica did take significant structural damage during the conflict, therefore, it currently isn't in the same state of battle readiness as it was at the time it left the Colonies.
*It appears during the whole conflict in atmospheric combat that the Raiders were spending most of their time running from the Vipers. This may be due to the fact that Colonial Vipers have a far superior atmospheric design where Raiders are optimized for space operations. The Viper has a stabilizing vertical wing which aids the pilot in manuevering through the atmosphere just like all real-life combat aircraft. The Raider lacks this stabilizer wing much reducing their effectiveness in aeronautic combat, and manuevering thrusters are not as effective in air as in space due to resistance. This made the tactic of depositing the ''Galactica's'' Vipers into a solely air-support role for evacuating ships very effective once the space-borne Raiders were decoyed away from the planet so that the ''Galactica'' only had to face the Basestars, not the Raiders.
**The lack of a stabilizing fin might not impede the Raider's atmospheric performance, as there are certainly ways of compensating for it (see, e.g., the B-2 'Spirit'). And with several months of occupation (during which we see Raiders making fly-bys), the Raiders should have had more than enough time to become familiar with the quirks of atmospheric maneuvering.
***However, the B-2 'Spirit' is a bomber and not a combat fighter and there is no example of a successful combat fighter without a stabilizing wing (or wings) on the tail. Compensating for atmospheric forces would make flight exceptionally difficult for craft designed primarily for spaceflight.
***Additionally, the Raider is visibly not built to be an aerodynamic craft. One would imagine even having raiders flying over the colony is purely artistic license since an aircraft of that design would mostly like not fly very well or even at all in an atmosphere.
*''Pegasus'' seemed to fulfill its role just like the [[Pegasus (TOS)|original ''Pegasus'']], as it fought to the end to defeat two Basetars and allowed ''Galactica'' along with the last of the fleet to escape from the Cylons.

== Notes ==
* "[[Exodus, Part II]]" was awarded the [[Awards and Honors|IGN.com Editor's choice award]], following a review in which it recieved a rating of 9/10. This marks the second of such awards presented for the third season, the first of which was awarded for the season premiere [[Occupation]].
* There is also a TOS comic named ''[[Exodus!]]''
* The two parts of "Exodus" were originally planned as one episode. However, it was quickly realized that the story was far too large for one episode and it was split in two. This happened before with "[[Scattered]]", "[[Valley of Darkness]]" and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I|Resurrection Ship]]." It also helped save money because the construction of New Caprica, the extensive location shooting, the number of actors, as well as the special effects for "Exodus, Part II" were very expensive and the production was over budget.
* Apparently the viper Mk.VIIs deployed by Galactica in this episode have a yellow engine-glow instead of their usual blue. This may be a visual-effects gaffe or the engines might have been affected by the nebular gas or by using a different type of fuel or engine.
* The moment where Lee pauses to look back at the ''Pegasus'' CIC and says "thank you" references a parallel moment in the [[MemoryAlpha:Ds9|Deep Space Nine]] episode [[MemoryAlpha:The Changing Face of Evil|The Changing Face of Evil]], in which, after the doomed Defiant is ordered evacuated, Captain Sisko takes a long look back at his ruined bridge. As with the ''Pegasus'', in the next shot, the ship is destroyed. Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, who wrote "Exodus, Part II", were staff writers on DS9.
*This episode marks the destruction of the ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]''
*Kate Vernon on the SciFi Forums<ref>http://forums.scifi.com/index.php?showtopic=2250922&st=64</ref> stated that Ellen Tigh knew about the poison in her drink.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''Discussing the failure of the occupation:''
:'''Number Three''': What would you have us do, Gaius?
:'''Gaius Baltar''': Leave. Pack up your centurions, and go. Please. Go.
:'''Number Three''': And then what? What would you do if we really just left you here? You'd live out your lives in peace and never trouble yourselves with thoughts of us again? Or would you raise your children with stories of the Cylon, the mechanical slaves who once did your bidding, only to turn against you? Killers who committed genocide against your race, the occupiers of this city until we just ran away? Would you tell them to tell the story to their children, and to their childrens' children, and nurse a dream of vengeance down through the years so that one day they could just go out into the stars and hunt the Cylon once more?
:'''Gaius Baltar''': Blood for blood ...has to stop one day.

*''Roslin heads to Colonial One:''
:'''Roslin''': My ship's up there.
:'''Zarek''': You sure have a sense of the dramatic.

*''Adama comes to accept ''Galactica'''s end:''
:'''Admiral Adama:''' Then that's it. It's been an honor.

*''After Hearing Pegasus Has Joined Galactica
:'''Admiral William Adama''': Damn You, Lee ...Thank You, Lee.

*''The Pegasus is evacuated before its destruction:''
:'''Dualla:''' Alright, people, let's move. Out! Let's go. (To Lee): You too, Commander.
:'''Commander Lee Adama:''' Yes, sir. (Begins to leave, then stops and looks around at Pegasus): Thank you.

*''As the two Adamas reunite after the battle:''
:'''Admiral William Adama''': I guess you didn't understand my orders.
:'''Commander Lee Adama''': I never could read your handwriting.

*''Adama welcomes Col. Tigh back to ''Galactica:''
:'''Adama:''' You did it, Saul. You brought them back.
:'''Tigh:''' Not all of them.

== Official Statements ==

== Guest Stars ==
*[[Michael Hogan]] as [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lt. [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as [[Cally Henderson Tyrol|Cally Tyrol]]
*[[Alessandro Juliani]] as [[Felix Gaeta]]
*[[Kandyse McClure]] as [[Anastasia Dualla]]
*[[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]]
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Rick Worthy]] as [[Simon]]
*[[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Leoben Conoy]]
*[[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Number Five]]
*[[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
*[[Luciana Carro]] as Lt. [[Louanne Katraine|Louanne "Kat" Katraine]]

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

{{episode list (RDM season 3)}}

[[Category:Episodes written by Bradley Thompson]]
[[Category:Episodes written by David Weddle]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Exodus, Part II]]

Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II

2006-09-25T15:33:51Z

Biggs33: /* Notes */

{{Episode Data
| image = Baltarlaydownburdensii.jpg
| title= Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
| season= 2
| episode= 20
| guests= [[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]] [[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]] [[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
| writer= [[Anne Cofell Saunders]] [[Mark Verheiden]]
| story=
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production=
| rating= 1.9
| US airdate= 2006-04-10
| UK airdate= 2006-05-16
| dvd= {{Season 2.5 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population= 49,550
| prev= [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
| next= [[Occupation]]
| podcast= Y
}}

== Overview ==

:''Everything turns on its head as the survivors vote for a new president -- and vote for their fate.''

== Summary ==

===On Caprica===

*[[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], the [[marines]], and the [[Caprica Resistance]] continue to take fire from [[Cylon Centurion]]s and their artillery. They make their way up a hill, and hold their position.
*The Cylons hold fire, and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Sharon Valerii]] remarks that the Cylons will attempt to capture them with non-lethal weapons, such as gas.
*Eighteen hours later, they emerge to find that the Cylons have disappeared. [[Cavil]] -- who suddenly appears behind them -- announces that the Cylons have left the Twelve Colonies and that humanity is spared.

===In the Fleet===

*[[Cally]] is cleared for duty by [[Cottle|Dr. Cottle]], despite having her jaw wired shut. [[Tyrol|Chief Tyrol]] visits her, apologizing for the attack. Cally forgives him, saying that she's always cared for him.

*[[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Baltar]] continues to gain in the polls. On ''[[Colonial One]]'', [[Tory_Foster|Tory]] mentions an alternative victory plan. [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] later calls a private meeting with Dr. Baltar, asking to deliver a joint statement of [[Wikipedia:Table (verb)|tabling]] the issue of colonization until after the election. Baltar rejects the idea.

*Roslin, fearing that she has indeed lost the presidential race, confronts [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] on whether he was with a copy of [[Number Six]] on Caprica before the Cylon attack. Baltar avoids answering the question and states that he may have [[Epiphanies|saved her life]], but he will not save her political life.

*[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] returns to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' with the resistance fighters, much to the delight of Admiral [[William Adama]]. She mentions the Cylon retreat from Caprica as Brother Cavil, leaving the Raptor, confirms it. He also says he has a message, but is attacked by Chief [[Galen Tyrol]], who declares a "[[Code blue]]," claiming Cavil is a Cylon. Incensed that Caprica-Valerii did not reveal Cavil's true nature earlier, Admiral Adama orders both Caprica-Valerii and the second Cavil to the brig.

*The ''Galactica''-based Cavil (from last episode) is brought to the brig, claiming he's not a Cylon, but changes his tune upon seeing his "brother", as he calls him. Caprica-Cavil then talks about the fact that the “war heroes” ([[Caprica Six]] & [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]) have convinced their kind that the attack of the colonies and the pursuit of the fleet were mistakes. Caprica-Cavil's mission was to relay the message that man and Cylon will go their separate ways. Both Roslin and Admiral Adama are less than trusting regarding the message.

*In the brig, Caprica-Valerii is completely disillusioned and nihilistic, declaring that since her [[Hera|child's]] death, nothing -- not Adama's trust or [[Helo]]'s -- matters to her. A frustrated Helo insists that he's not giving up on her, but she seems disinclined to listen.

*Thrace and [[Anders]] are getting extremely drunk when Apollo comes in to welcome them back. Starbuck makes a snide remark about Apollo and Dualla and goes back to drunkenly making out with Anders. Apollo, clearly upset with Starbuck, leaves without saying much.

*Election Day has arrived and Baltar has an apparent five thousand-vote lead over Roslin with only a few ships left to tally. On ''Colonial One'', Foster activates her alternative victory plan with a call to ''Galactica.''

*Amazingly, Roslin initially appears to have retained the presidency. While most are celebrating, Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers fraudulent actions in the vote, and informs the Admiral that Col. Tigh (who acts suspiciously when questioned by Gaeta) may be involved in a conspiracy to throw the election.

*Admiral Adama confronts Roslin regarding the conspiracy, saying that Tigh has confessed to rigging the vote. Roslin admits her involvement and Adama is disappointed. The Admiral indicates that, for good or bad, the people's vote must take precedence. Adama secretly buries the conspiracy itself while announcing the startling change in events to Dr. Baltar.

*Initially Baltar vows to have a full investigation on the vote count, but after Adama suggests that Baltar take his victory and leave matters be, Baltar relents and informs Adama that he can be quite generous in victory. President-elect Baltar then orders a course for “[[New Caprica]].”

*Baltar and Gina consummate their relationship after Gina informs Baltar that she would not be part of the colonization.

*[[Gaius Baltar]] is sworn in as the new President of the Twelve Colonies, and orders the immediate colonization of New Caprica.

*Gina activates the nuclear warhead [[Sacrifice|given to her by Baltar]] aboard ''[[Cloud 9]]''. The nuclear blast destroys ''Cloud 9'' and at least three other ships. Admiral Adama warns that this may be a prelude to a Cylon attack, but President Baltar ignores him and presses forward with colonization.

===One Year Later===
[[image:burdens2.jpg|Thrace and Cottle on New Caprica.|thumb]]
*President Baltar's administration appears to be corrupt, lax, and unresponsive. [[Felix Gaeta|Mr. Gaeta]], now the President's aide, reports issues with a worker's union. Baltar is upset, saying there have been no Cylon attacks but the people still complain. He has regressed, turning to alcohol, medication, and womanizing.

*Admiral Adama, now sporting a mustache, walks the corridors of a near-empty ''Galactica'', which is quickly falling into disrepair. Over half of the crew have moved down onto the planet, leaving the ship so short on crew that they barely have enough pilots to fly training missions, much less form up [[Combat Air Patrol]]s. The long absence of the Cylons has left both the remaining crews aboard the [[Pegasus]] and the Galactica rusty, causing them to take a long time to go to [[Action Stations]]. Adama asks Tigh to retire from duty to join his [[Ellen Tigh|wife]] on the planet. Tigh reluctantly agrees.

*[[Samuel Anders|Anders]], now Thrace's husband, has pneumonia. Dr. Cottle is unable to treat Anders because there are no antibiotics available. He can only advise Thrace to make sure Anders gets enough rest in order to recover.

*Thrace runs into the Tighs as [[Tyrol]], now a union boss, is making a speech to begin a strike, with a very pregnant Cally by his side. Col. Tigh mentions to Thrace that ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' keeps a store of backup medical supplies and that Commander [[Lee Adama]] might spring some for her. Thrace disagrees, which prompts Tigh to state that Lee Adama should be over her harsh neglect of Adama's friendship after Anders' arrival a year before.

*Roslin returns to her teaching roots, teaching the settlement's children, and manages to find enjoyment in her new position. [[Maya]] is with her, as is the now one year-old "[[Hera|Isis]]".

*Thrace calls Commander Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' to request the antibiotics. [[Dualla]], ostensibly the ''Pegasus'' [[XO]], notices something on [[DRADIS]], to her horror.

*A massive fleet of [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s arrive in orbit around New Caprica. The Adamas discuss what to do in response, with Lee initially advocating that the remains of the orbiting Fleet [[FTL|jump]] away. Admiral Adama initially resists, but orders the Jump, vowing that they will return.

*A [[Leoben Conoy]]-model [[Cylon agent]] shows up at Thrace and Anders' tent, where he asks an ailing Anders about where to find Thrace.

*Mr. Gaeta informs the President of the Cylon approach. Later, before his assembled staff, copies of Numbers [[Number Five|5]], [[Number Eight|8]], and [[Number Six|6]] approach the President. The Cylons declare that as long as there’s no resistance, no harm will come. President Baltar, after learning that the Cylons discovered New Caprica because of the nuclear explosion set off by Gina, declares surrender on behalf of the colonists. As Cylon armies occupy the planet, Thrace vows to resist.

== Questions ==

*Who is Baltar's vice president?

*Is Gaeta Baltar's assistant or his Vice President?
:Based on Ron Moore's comment (see the spoiler text), it is probable that Gaeta is merely an assistant.

*What of [[Tom Zarek]]?

{{spoiltext|According to RDM's blog, Tom Zarek was initially the Vice President but he had a falling out with Baltar over the regime.}}

*Has Gaeta's view of Baltar changed since Baltar's ascension to the presidency? If so, is Gaeta planning to do anything about it?

*Was Roslin's threat to put the two Cavils into space actually carried out?

*Where did the remains of the Fleet escape to?

*Where is Caprica-Valerii?
:It is probable that Valerii remains in the brig, as she is well-known as a Cylon agent. Her anger at the "death" of her child and her true nature would make her a liability in public. Helo's continued presence on ''Galactica'' supports this, provided his feelings for Valerii have not changed in the lapsed year.
{{spoiltext|A [http://galacticastation.com/Gallery/hi%20res/Season3/3012/images/1BSGafC06.jpg still] from [[Occupation]] shows that at least one copy of Valerii is present with Adama at some point during the episode. Though it is possible this is from a flashback to the missing year.}}

*Why is Leoben looking for Starbuck, specifically?
{{spoiltext|According to some Q&A that RDM gave at a recent convention to people from the website 'The Pegasus Galaxy', Starbuck's missing ovary has been "under Leoben's pillow". Could the Cylons have made a hybrid child from her eggs and Leoben's sperm?
Also, there is the possibility that this particular Conoy is the resurrection of the model that Thrace tortured in "[[Flesh and Bone]]," and he is seeking payback.

Plus, in the Season Three preview aired during Sci Fi's premiere of Eureka, Leoben is shown holding a baby and saying "This is Kara, your mother."}}

*Why has the population (until Tyrol's recent union speech) accepted Baltar's imperious rule? People were hardly so passive under Roslin. Indeed, Adama executed a [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|military coup]] over a rather less important issue than giving a nuclear weapon to a Cylon agent.

*What were the workers being asked to do which was so "odious", "so sick[ening] at heart" that Tyrol was willing to call a general strike, and so important to Baltar that he was willing to use illegal imprisonment to break it?
**Since Tyrol's speech is an exact copy of a historical one, its words might not fully apply to the situation at hand.

*Baltar surrenders to copies of Cylon agents Six and Eight. Are these agents the reincarnated [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Where did the Cylon fleets go, after they left the Twelve Colonies? Cavil was deliberately vague when asked if they simply returned to the [[Cylon homeworld]].

*Why didn't the nuclear device trigger the radiological alarms on either battlestar?
**Radiological alarms are set to ignore nukes on certain ships (e.g. Galactica and Pegasus themselves). With his tech skills and close friendship with Lt. Gaeta, Baltar probably found a way to make the radiologicals ignore Cloud 9, or ignore that particular nuke (if the latter is possible).

*How many people died in ''Cloud 9'' destruction? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Were the Quorum of Twelve killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*Were [[Shevon]] and [[Paya]] killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*When Gina was instantly vaporized due to being only two feet from a nuclear detonation, did she still transmit her consciousness? Was she even capable of transmitting considering that any internal hardware responsible for this task would have been instantly destroyed? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Given Roslin's memories of Baltar with Six, why didn't Admiral Adama suspect Baltar of handing over the nuclear warhead to the cylons? If he did suspect him, why not act on it? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**Perhaps Adama disregarded it as another attempt of Roslin's to discredit Baltar and retain the Presidency.

*Did Baltar's internal Six disappear at any point during the New Caprica year? If so, when and why? If so, did the events of her disappearance contribute to Baltar's regression?

*Why was it so easy for Adama to hide the collusion of the rigged election from the press, and why were there no consequences?
**They could've disguised it as a counting mistake, since Lt. Gaeta, Col.Tigh and Adama are the only ones who actually know what happened.

*If the Cylons really left the Twelve Colonies, leaving behind a nuked-out wasteland, what happened to all of the human captives in the [[Farms]]?

*Why have the Cylons returned after suggesting that they were willing to go their "separate ways"?

*Did the Cavils lie about the pursuit of humanity being a mistake? Or were they telling the truth?

*Will the Cylons resume their pursuit of the Fleet?

*How many people are left in the Fleet? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Have the remaining ships in the defense fleet been armed during the past year?

*Will the Adamas resort to Cain's tactic of conscripting civilians to fill the gaps?

*What happened between Apollo and Starbuck? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*What led to Starbuck's reconciliation with Col. Tigh? The two had been in conflict since the [[Miniseries]], what led them to bury the hatchet and become the close friends they now appear to be?
**Perhaps they realized they have a positive influence on each other: Tigh managed to taunt Starbuck back on her feet, and Starbuck confronted Tigh with his drinking problem in early Season 1, which resulted in Tigh making a (failed) attempt to give up drinking.

*Has it become public knowledge that Baltar killed [[Crashdown]] on [[Kobol]]? Now that Chief and Cally are Baltar's open adversaries they could attempt to use this information against him.

*When Adama informs Baltar that the nuke used to blow up ''[[Cloud 9]]'' was probably stolen from Baltar's lab, why is he not suspicious about the fact that Baltar never reported that it was missing? Had it really been stolen from his lab, he would surely notice.
**One could argue that a man doesn't have much time to spot missing objects when he's running for President.
**Also, the Doral copy that blew himself up was probably heading for Baltar's lab. After that a break-in in the same lab should come as no surprise.
***The thing Adama should be suspicious about, is that the (alleged) thief didn't blow it right there on Galactica, but chose to blow up Cloud 9 instead.

*Are the Cylons that appear at the end representative of the whole Cylon race, or are they a faction that broke off after the two "Cylon Heroes" began to speak out against the war on the humans?

*If it is true that the Cylons now believe the attack on humanity was a mistake, is the occupation on New Caprica viewed by the Cylons as an act of mercy and kindness vs. oppression from the human perspective? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Could it be the intent of the Cylons to actually help the colonization of New Caprica, helping with the construction of infrastructure, new homes, etc., in order to make up for the holocaust? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**If the Cylons intend to help, that would be consistent with Cavil's comment that the Cylon path to enlightenment is to be "the best machines the universe has ever seen." The purpose of a machine is arguably to assist human beings. On the other hand, the Cylons, if they are here to help, are presumably intending to do so in a highly authoritarian fashion.
***Could the Cylons be wanting to maintain control over the Colonials so that in some future the Colonials would not be able to return and exact revenge on the Cylons?
**Could the Cylons be fortifying New Caprica to protect the humans from hostile Cylons? There should still be some, that Number Three in "Downloaded" was pretty fanatical, and if the political winds have changed as they so often do...
***Is there a Cylon civil "cold" war?
****Could the occupation of New Caprica be a compromise between pro-human and anti-human factions, with war breaking out between them after it fails?

== Analysis ==
*According to Ron Moore's podcast, the events of "One Year Later" are real and were meant to solidify to the audience that the show is taking a path that cannot be reversed. In order to make the colonization of New Caprica real, Moore felt that the show would need to jump ahead in a span of year to show that indeed Baltar has followed through with his political promise.

*The events of the Cylon invasion of New Caprica parallel the Nazi invasion of France, with the fleet's escape a parallel to the Allied evacuation of Dunkirk and Baltar's surrender a parallel to Petain's surrender. If the parallel continues, Baltar will establish a puppet regime under Cylon rule akin to [[Wikipedia:Vichy France|Vichy France]] while Colonials still loyal to humanity will establish a resistance movement. Ron Moore has actually said in the podcast for this episode that it is inspired by Vichy France.

*Baltar's arrogance seems to have led to corrupt rule during his year on New Caprica; he replaces Roslin's modest desk with a more elaborate one, replaces the population count whiteboard with a portrait of himself, and keeps a harem aboard the grounded ''Colonial One''.

*After a year, everyone still lives in tents. Shortages of medicine abound, the military is of no use, and labor conditions are apparently intolerable. Baltar's administration is apparently as incompetent as Roslin feared, when she said he was ridiculously unqualified and had no idea how to be president.
**It is not clear whether these conditions are the result of administrative incompetence or the inherent difficulties of colonizing a marginally habitable planet.
***Of course, it was Baltar's idea to settle on a marginally habitable planet in the first place.
****Tory Foster points out that Baltar was winning the election because he was "holding out hope for breathing real air, growing real food, sleeping in a bed instead of a bunk. Living in a house instead of a ship"; hopefully the irony of this wasn't lost on Baltar voters who even a full year later are sleeping in hammocks and living in tents.

*It's ironic that the obligations of duty keep Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' while everyone else goes planet-side. He is a reserve officer, and promised to build his pilots a bar as soon as they found a habitable planet.
**It's possible the bar ''was'' built.

*In the podcast for "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" Moore commented on how everyone assumed that ''Pegasus'' would be destroyed by the end of the episode, and thus he thought it would be a good twist to keep ''Pegasus'' alive as another ship in the Fleet. Speculators mistakenly assumed that the nuke that Baltar gave to Gina in "[[Epiphanies]]" would be used to destroy ''Pegasus'' (keeping in tune with the assumed destruction of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series']] ''[[Pegasus (TOS)|Pegasus'']]).

*Twenty-nine people died between this episode and the preceding one? One or two Raptors were lost, and some Marines died on Caprica, but that doesn't seem high enough.
**It's possible they took out all of the people who left in the raptors because they were not a part of the fleet at the end of the previous episode?
***Starbuck remained in the count during her time on Caprica at the beginning of Season 2. When she and Helo returned to the fleet in "[[Home, Part I]]," the count only rose by one.
**Perhaps more people died during the attack on Caprica than was shown.
***Yet another possibility is the inclusion of the Caprica survivors in the count to offset many of the losses that had incurred in the rescue mission.
***Although they didn't actually talk about the losses, there was a shot of a wounded person being taken away on a stretcher after the Raptors returned from the [[Caprica]] [[SAR]] mission.
***There may have been a series of election-related riots or murders.

*The year gap for the Cylons to find the fleet at first seems odd. However, it was stated in the previous episode that the interference from the gas cloud surrounding it would hide the planet fairly well. The Cylons were slightly over a light year away, according to the Number Five at the surrenderring. Searching something as large as the gas cloud likely is for a planet or fleet is, given the sensor range limitations, quite impressive to accomplish in months, even with general directional information from a light-year out. In addition, the radiation from the nuclear explosion aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' would, of course, only be traveling at the speed of light. Even a less catastrophic attempt to communicate the Colonial's new location would be limited to the speed of light. Of course, once the location was pinpointed, an FTL Jump by the Cylons to pounce would be instantaneous.
**Even though the Cylons were able to find New Caprica from the detected nuclear blast that occurred a year prior, the initial detection would have only pointed them in the right general direction. The planet would have moved from the location the initial blast occurred as it orbits around its sun. So the Cylons would only have been able to pinpoint the planet's last location a year prior. They could have used astronomical surveying to detect the planet or send their fleets to other positions using FTL ahead of the blast radiation to triangulate the nuclear blast. Then send recon elements to scout for the planet, which could have been the initial blips picked up by DRADIS by Lt. Dualla of recon Raiders. As soon as the planet was found the main Cylon Fleet would jump in from their staging areas.
***It is also clear that Gina truly did die in the nuclear explosion on ''Cloud 9'' as she would have been able to inform the Cylons of the whereabouts of the Fleet. This indicates that no new Resurrection Ship had been constructed and that Gina's suicidal thoughts finally prevailed. This may explain why she was willing to consummate her relationship with Baltar as it would be the last time she could be with him.
****If a transmission of Gina's consciousness is also bound by the speed of light, then the signal would radiate at the same speed as the radiation from the explosion. So the Cylons could have captured the signal at the same time they discover the radiation. A new resurrection ship could be in place by this time. So the [[#questions|above question]] of whether she was able to transmit when the hardware responsible for this was destroyed is still valid.
*****To contrast, as evidenced by "Downloaded", Cylon transmissions occur at a higher speed as Boomer's consciousness was able to be transmitted to the Resurrection Ship, and then transmitted to Caprica almost immediately after her death on ''Galactica.'' It also must be pointed out that ''Galactica'''s Fleet is well into deep space, light-years away from the Colonies. The time for Boomer's transmission to reach Caprica in "Downloaded" would have taken years if not hundreds of years if the speed was limited to the speed of light.
******Her consciousness might have been downloaded into a nearby Resurrection Ship, which then jumped into Caprica orbit to deliver it there. It could also have been carried in an FTL-capable 'carrier ship' (which would be quite useful for the Cylons in some cases).
*******For this to work, it would require that the Cylons had constructed a new Resurrection Ship, had it at a location that was close enough to receive the transmission, and that the transmission would have been able to cut through all of the interference that occurs from a nuke and the star system itself. Plus, if her consciousness was indeed saved, why did it take over a year to find the planet and why was the radiation signature mentioned as the method for which the Cylons tracked the Fleet? Plus, please take into account how the Cylons had changed their warfare tactics after the Resurrection Ship was destroyed. No longer does one Basestar engage the Fleet, instead a whole Fleet of Basestars will appear to minimize the risk of destruction and overwhelming the battlestars. In either case, it seems less likely that Gina survived, as it was also her expressed wish to commit suicide. Even if she was transmitted, would it not be more likely that she would have been "boxed" as her personality was highly unstable after the gang rapes on Pegasus?

*The population of New Caprica City is given as 39,192. There were just under 50,000 people in the Fleet before establishing the settlement, so that gives a figure of roughly 10,000 missing. It is uncertain how many were killed in the destruction of ''Cloud 9'' and surrounding Fleet ships, but this loss along with any births and deaths that have taken place during the year since the election, leaves very few military personnel in the Orbital Defense. This almost certainly means that both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' will be extremely short on crew, as many military personnel will have been left on the planet. There was clearly no time to retrieve even selected members of the crews before the Fleet jumped.
**The figure may not necessarily be 10,000 missing, but those who are not part of New Caprica City's population. The figure of 10,000 is spread amongst those remaining up in orbit with the fleet's remaining ships, out in independent, peripheral, or small settlements not part of New Caprica City proper, and casaulties.
**Watching the Fleet jump in slow-motion, you can count approximately 19 ships, which also gives a rough impression of the reduced size of the Fleet. Other ships, including ''Colonial One'' and some Raptors, are landed on New Caprica and have presumably fallen into the hands of the Cylons.
**It is not explicitly said that all members of the New Caprica colony reside in New Caprica City. There may be outlying settlements, though none are named. One reason for this would simply be as a safeguard to keep a single nuclear strike from wiping out all of the fleet survivors.
***Baltar's surrender may demonstrate prudence uncharacteristic of him, or simply be a matter of self-preservation.

**Any "industrial" vessels — such as the mining ships, tanker ships, repair ships, agricultural ships — would have landed on the planet and been debarked, dismantled, or converted to form the foundation for industrial / production efforts. Some of the vessels in the fleet that left [[Ragnar Anchorage]] weren't designed for prolonged interstellar journeys, and were basically running on a hope and a prayer, and would have been rendered promptly upon finding a more permanent home. The nineteen-or-so ships seen are, more than likely, the last space-worthy vessels in the fleet that are not needed (or capable of landing) planet-side.
***After a year, people are still living in tents and using landed ships as buildings, so it doesn't look like much has been dismantled or converted into raw production. Other than the miners, who are apparently extremely unhappy at how things have been run, we see little evidence of industry or production over the year.

*Apparently, Thrace's comments about Lee Adama and Dualla have taken their toll on their relationship. Whether the comments escalated is unknown, but, from Dualla's expression of annoyance when she hands the receiver to Adama when Thrace calls, it is clear that the three never reconciled with each other.

*The Six and Eight that are part of the Cylon delegation that greets Baltar's cabinet are almost certainly [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]. This is implied from Six's reaction upon seeing Baltar and her intimation that she knew who Baltar was. The two are also wearing the exact same clothes as in "[[Downloaded]]."

*In the Season 3 trailer that followed the end of the episode, Six narrates, saying that humanity has finally surrendered and the war is over. According to Six, the Cylons can finally fulfill their "''true destiny''" and take care of humanity. They desire to show humanity the "''glory of peace''," mercy; like God, their mercy can only be matched by their power and complete control. So apparently, the war heroes have indeed changed the Cylons' prejudices toward humans, but unfortunately this also means that the Cylons believe that the only way to care for humanity is to control it.
**This narrative sounds more like Baltar's internal Six (superior, controlling, zealous) than Caprica-Six (more of a people person).

== Notes ==
* According to Ron Moore's podcast, although the Sci-Fi Channel was willing to air this episode as a 90-minute special, it had to be heavily edited down for international distribution; outside of the United States, viewers will only see a 1 hour version of the episode, which Moore regards as "almost incomprehensible". Many plot threads, such as the entire Cally/Tyrol subplot, were completely removed from the one hour version. This may not be the case in the UK however as Skyone (the channel that broadcasts the show in that country) previously showed the full 90 minute version of Stargate SG1 episode 'Threads' and may well do the same for this episode.
**In the UK, Sky One did indeed show the episode as a 90 minute special.
**In Latin America, as aired by TNT LA, the 90 minute special was shown as well.

*Admiral Adama watches [[Pyramid]] games and was a fan of the [[Picon Panthers]].

*In RDM's podcast for the previous episode, he said that in early drafts of this special 90 minute long episode, the writers actually tried to make it a 2 hour special, but this was soon dropped (these times are including commercials).
*The election board appears to have a definitive list of the names of all of the ships in [[The Fleet (RDM)]]. Not all of them are clearly visible, but this would seem to indicate that the writers do have an actual list that they get new ship names from.

*The framed photo of President Roslin and [[Billy Keikeya]] was still on Roslin's desk during the election.

*When Roslin "won" the rigged election results, Roslin received 24,265 votes, while Baltar recieved 22,266. This means that the eligible voters in the Fleet number at least 46,531. In the podcast, RDM explains that he quickly came up with these numbers, to try to reflect roughly how many survivors are below the voting age.

*Toward the end of the episode, President Baltar refers to a government body called the "People's Council". This may be the proportionally elected lower house mentioned by RDM in his [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/index.html#a000016 blog post] on January 30, 2005.

*[[Hera]] is seen on New Caprica in the same white cradle that Baltar had a vision of her being in "[[Scattered]]", etc. According to RDM's podcast it's actually the exact same cradle.

*Tyrol's union speech is an almost word for word quote of Mario Savio's address during the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley in 1964. According to Ron Moore and David Eick in the podcast, they even got permission from Savio's widow to use it (even though, due to the way copyright laws work from back then, they could have just used it without permission, they felt they should get it). As a result, it's even listed in the credits: "Mario Savio speech excerpted courtesy of: Lynne Hollander Savio". Actor Aaron Douglas (Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]) actually studied film of Savio, so all of the hand gestures Tyrol makes when he gives the speech are gestures that Savio actually used.

*Baltar's portrait of himself does not have the 'cut corners' as seen in almost all other papers and photos in the show. Neither do the other framed pictures in the presidential office aboard Colonial One, nor the papers seen in the classroom on New Caprica.

*[[:Image:Wtfk1tn.jpg|Visible]] on the blackboard of Roslin's school are the French verbs ''aller'', ''avoir'', and ''etre''. The Colonials appear to just speak English, so this might be a goof by the set designers trying to make it look more like a generic school.
**Not necessarily, as French has appeared in the show before. In [[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]], Six uses the French word for impetuous ardor.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''After being uncovered as a Cylon upon on arrival from Caprica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Well, this is an awkward moment…. Yes, he's right, I'm a Cylon. And I have a message. So…take me to your leader.

*''After arrest on Galactica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Would you mind telling me what's going on? I'm not a frakking Cylon, I'm not…(sees the other Cavil from Caprica in the cell)…oh. Well, okay then.

*''On Caprica during the fight with the Cylons:''
:'''Anders:''' You got any great ideas in that military brain of yours?
:'''Starbuck:''' Do the same thing we always do; fight 'em 'till we can't.

*''After the Cylons occupy New Caprica:''
:'''Tyrol:''' What do you want to do now, Captain?
:'''Starbuck:''' The same thing we always do. Fight them until we can't.

== Official Statements ==

From the official site (http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/):
When Baltar wins the vote, Roslin considers stealing the election because she believes he is a Cylon collaborator.

RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 28, 2006]) gives details. (''Due to article size requirements, the blog entry is not reproduced here.'')

=== Interviews ===

* '''[[Paul Campbell]] discussess his thoughts on the story post-"[[Sacrifice]]":'''

:'''MB/TSFW:''' So what do you think about the story after you left, and the trouble [[Mary McDonnell|Mary]]’s [[Laura Roslin|character]] got herself into? After your [[Tory Foster|replacement]] came in she kind of had a fall there. Do you think that would have happened if you were still there to watch her back?

: '''Paul:''' You know, I don’t know if they could have. [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] had so much integrity, that under his watch, I don’t think that would have happened. And maybe he would have had to step down, and Mary would have gone about that route with someone else. But I don’t think if he would have been in the picture, that would have gone down. Because that’s some shady crap, and I don’t think it would have cut it. We obviously butted heads on a few things like that in the past. In particular when I ended up leaving her at the ship. As it turned out, I had another pilot to go shoot. As it turned out, it was more my schedule that didn’t work out, but it worked in the writing. But no, I don’t think that would have flown had I been in the picture. So I don’t know what they would have done. I’m sure that was the story line from the beginning, but how they would have worked me into it, I don’t really know. [http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84 MediaBlvd]

== Guest Stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]]
*[[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
*[[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Cottle]]
*[[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Leoben Conoy]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
*[[imdb:nm0443286|David Kaye]] as [[James McManus]]
*[[Alisen Down]] as [[Jean Barolay]]
*[[imdb:nm0718759|Winston Rekert]] as Priest

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/220/ "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: RDM]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Anne Cofell Saunders]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Mark Verheiden]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[de:Legt eure Bürden nieder, Teil II]]

Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II

2006-09-25T15:22:16Z

Biggs33: /* Analysis */

{{Episode Data
| image = Baltarlaydownburdensii.jpg
| title= Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
| season= 2
| episode= 20
| guests= [[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]] [[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]] [[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
| writer= [[Anne Cofell Saunders]] [[Mark Verheiden]]
| story=
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production=
| rating= 1.9
| US airdate= 2006-04-10
| UK airdate= 2006-05-16
| dvd= {{Season 2.5 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population= 49,550
| prev= [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
| next= [[Occupation]]
| podcast= Y
}}

== Overview ==

:''Everything turns on its head as the survivors vote for a new president -- and vote for their fate.''

== Summary ==

===On Caprica===

*[[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], the [[marines]], and the [[Caprica Resistance]] continue to take fire from [[Cylon Centurion]]s and their artillery. They make their way up a hill, and hold their position.
*The Cylons hold fire, and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Sharon Valerii]] remarks that the Cylons will attempt to capture them with non-lethal weapons, such as gas.
*Eighteen hours later, they emerge to find that the Cylons have disappeared. [[Cavil]] -- who suddenly appears behind them -- announces that the Cylons have left the Twelve Colonies and that humanity is spared.

===In the Fleet===

*[[Cally]] is cleared for duty by [[Cottle|Dr. Cottle]], despite having her jaw wired shut. [[Tyrol|Chief Tyrol]] visits her, apologizing for the attack. Cally forgives him, saying that she's always cared for him.

*[[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Baltar]] continues to gain in the polls. On ''[[Colonial One]]'', [[Tory_Foster|Tory]] mentions an alternative victory plan. [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] later calls a private meeting with Dr. Baltar, asking to deliver a joint statement of [[Wikipedia:Table (verb)|tabling]] the issue of colonization until after the election. Baltar rejects the idea.

*Roslin, fearing that she has indeed lost the presidential race, confronts [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] on whether he was with a copy of [[Number Six]] on Caprica before the Cylon attack. Baltar avoids answering the question and states that he may have [[Epiphanies|saved her life]], but he will not save her political life.

*[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] returns to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' with the resistance fighters, much to the delight of Admiral [[William Adama]]. She mentions the Cylon retreat from Caprica as Brother Cavil, leaving the Raptor, confirms it. He also says he has a message, but is attacked by Chief [[Galen Tyrol]], who declares a "[[Code blue]]," claiming Cavil is a Cylon. Incensed that Caprica-Valerii did not reveal Cavil's true nature earlier, Admiral Adama orders both Caprica-Valerii and the second Cavil to the brig.

*The ''Galactica''-based Cavil (from last episode) is brought to the brig, claiming he's not a Cylon, but changes his tune upon seeing his "brother", as he calls him. Caprica-Cavil then talks about the fact that the “war heroes” ([[Caprica Six]] & [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]) have convinced their kind that the attack of the colonies and the pursuit of the fleet were mistakes. Caprica-Cavil's mission was to relay the message that man and Cylon will go their separate ways. Both Roslin and Admiral Adama are less than trusting regarding the message.

*In the brig, Caprica-Valerii is completely disillusioned and nihilistic, declaring that since her [[Hera|child's]] death, nothing -- not Adama's trust or [[Helo]]'s -- matters to her. A frustrated Helo insists that he's not giving up on her, but she seems disinclined to listen.

*Thrace and [[Anders]] are getting extremely drunk when Apollo comes in to welcome them back. Starbuck makes a snide remark about Apollo and Dualla and goes back to drunkenly making out with Anders. Apollo, clearly upset with Starbuck, leaves without saying much.

*Election Day has arrived and Baltar has an apparent five thousand-vote lead over Roslin with only a few ships left to tally. On ''Colonial One'', Foster activates her alternative victory plan with a call to ''Galactica.''

*Amazingly, Roslin initially appears to have retained the presidency. While most are celebrating, Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers fraudulent actions in the vote, and informs the Admiral that Col. Tigh (who acts suspiciously when questioned by Gaeta) may be involved in a conspiracy to throw the election.

*Admiral Adama confronts Roslin regarding the conspiracy, saying that Tigh has confessed to rigging the vote. Roslin admits her involvement and Adama is disappointed. The Admiral indicates that, for good or bad, the people's vote must take precedence. Adama secretly buries the conspiracy itself while announcing the startling change in events to Dr. Baltar.

*Initially Baltar vows to have a full investigation on the vote count, but after Adama suggests that Baltar take his victory and leave matters be, Baltar relents and informs Adama that he can be quite generous in victory. President-elect Baltar then orders a course for “[[New Caprica]].”

*Baltar and Gina consummate their relationship after Gina informs Baltar that she would not be part of the colonization.

*[[Gaius Baltar]] is sworn in as the new President of the Twelve Colonies, and orders the immediate colonization of New Caprica.

*Gina activates the nuclear warhead [[Sacrifice|given to her by Baltar]] aboard ''[[Cloud 9]]''. The nuclear blast destroys ''Cloud 9'' and at least three other ships. Admiral Adama warns that this may be a prelude to a Cylon attack, but President Baltar ignores him and presses forward with colonization.

===One Year Later===
[[image:burdens2.jpg|Thrace and Cottle on New Caprica.|thumb]]
*President Baltar's administration appears to be corrupt, lax, and unresponsive. [[Felix Gaeta|Mr. Gaeta]], now the President's aide, reports issues with a worker's union. Baltar is upset, saying there have been no Cylon attacks but the people still complain. He has regressed, turning to alcohol, medication, and womanizing.

*Admiral Adama, now sporting a mustache, walks the corridors of a near-empty ''Galactica'', which is quickly falling into disrepair. Over half of the crew have moved down onto the planet, leaving the ship so short on crew that they barely have enough pilots to fly training missions, much less form up [[Combat Air Patrol]]s. The long absence of the Cylons has left both the remaining crews aboard the [[Pegasus]] and the Galactica rusty, causing them to take a long time to go to [[Action Stations]]. Adama asks Tigh to retire from duty to join his [[Ellen Tigh|wife]] on the planet. Tigh reluctantly agrees.

*[[Samuel Anders|Anders]], now Thrace's husband, has pneumonia. Dr. Cottle is unable to treat Anders because there are no antibiotics available. He can only advise Thrace to make sure Anders gets enough rest in order to recover.

*Thrace runs into the Tighs as [[Tyrol]], now a union boss, is making a speech to begin a strike, with a very pregnant Cally by his side. Col. Tigh mentions to Thrace that ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' keeps a store of backup medical supplies and that Commander [[Lee Adama]] might spring some for her. Thrace disagrees, which prompts Tigh to state that Lee Adama should be over her harsh neglect of Adama's friendship after Anders' arrival a year before.

*Roslin returns to her teaching roots, teaching the settlement's children, and manages to find enjoyment in her new position. [[Maya]] is with her, as is the now one year-old "[[Hera|Isis]]".

*Thrace calls Commander Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' to request the antibiotics. [[Dualla]], ostensibly the ''Pegasus'' [[XO]], notices something on [[DRADIS]], to her horror.

*A massive fleet of [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s arrive in orbit around New Caprica. The Adamas discuss what to do in response, with Lee initially advocating that the remains of the orbiting Fleet [[FTL|jump]] away. Admiral Adama initially resists, but orders the Jump, vowing that they will return.

*A [[Leoben Conoy]]-model [[Cylon agent]] shows up at Thrace and Anders' tent, where he asks an ailing Anders about where to find Thrace.

*Mr. Gaeta informs the President of the Cylon approach. Later, before his assembled staff, copies of Numbers [[Number Five|5]], [[Number Eight|8]], and [[Number Six|6]] approach the President. The Cylons declare that as long as there’s no resistance, no harm will come. President Baltar, after learning that the Cylons discovered New Caprica because of the nuclear explosion set off by Gina, declares surrender on behalf of the colonists. As Cylon armies occupy the planet, Thrace vows to resist.

== Questions ==

*Who is Baltar's vice president?

*Is Gaeta Baltar's assistant or his Vice President?
:Based on Ron Moore's comment (see the spoiler text), it is probable that Gaeta is merely an assistant.

*What of [[Tom Zarek]]?

{{spoiltext|According to RDM's blog, Tom Zarek was initially the Vice President but he had a falling out with Baltar over the regime.}}

*Has Gaeta's view of Baltar changed since Baltar's ascension to the presidency? If so, is Gaeta planning to do anything about it?

*Was Roslin's threat to put the two Cavils into space actually carried out?

*Where did the remains of the Fleet escape to?

*Where is Caprica-Valerii?
:It is probable that Valerii remains in the brig, as she is well-known as a Cylon agent. Her anger at the "death" of her child and her true nature would make her a liability in public. Helo's continued presence on ''Galactica'' supports this, provided his feelings for Valerii have not changed in the lapsed year.
{{spoiltext|A [http://galacticastation.com/Gallery/hi%20res/Season3/3012/images/1BSGafC06.jpg still] from [[Occupation]] shows that at least one copy of Valerii is present with Adama at some point during the episode. Though it is possible this is from a flashback to the missing year.}}

*Why is Leoben looking for Starbuck, specifically?
{{spoiltext|According to some Q&A that RDM gave at a recent convention to people from the website 'The Pegasus Galaxy', Starbuck's missing ovary has been "under Leoben's pillow". Could the Cylons have made a hybrid child from her eggs and Leoben's sperm?
Also, there is the possibility that this particular Conoy is the resurrection of the model that Thrace tortured in "[[Flesh and Bone]]," and he is seeking payback.

Plus, in the Season Three preview aired during Sci Fi's premiere of Eureka, Leoben is shown holding a baby and saying "This is Kara, your mother."}}

*Why has the population (until Tyrol's recent union speech) accepted Baltar's imperious rule? People were hardly so passive under Roslin. Indeed, Adama executed a [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|military coup]] over a rather less important issue than giving a nuclear weapon to a Cylon agent.

*What were the workers being asked to do which was so "odious", "so sick[ening] at heart" that Tyrol was willing to call a general strike, and so important to Baltar that he was willing to use illegal imprisonment to break it?
**Since Tyrol's speech is an exact copy of a historical one, its words might not fully apply to the situation at hand.

*Baltar surrenders to copies of Cylon agents Six and Eight. Are these agents the reincarnated [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Where did the Cylon fleets go, after they left the Twelve Colonies? Cavil was deliberately vague when asked if they simply returned to the [[Cylon homeworld]].

*Why didn't the nuclear device trigger the radiological alarms on either battlestar?
**Radiological alarms are set to ignore nukes on certain ships (e.g. Galactica and Pegasus themselves). With his tech skills and close friendship with Lt. Gaeta, Baltar probably found a way to make the radiologicals ignore Cloud 9, or ignore that particular nuke (if the latter is possible).

*How many people died in ''Cloud 9'' destruction? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Were the Quorum of Twelve killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*Were [[Shevon]] and [[Paya]] killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*When Gina was instantly vaporized due to being only two feet from a nuclear detonation, did she still transmit her consciousness? Was she even capable of transmitting considering that any internal hardware responsible for this task would have been instantly destroyed? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Given Roslin's memories of Baltar with Six, why didn't Admiral Adama suspect Baltar of handing over the nuclear warhead to the cylons? If he did suspect him, why not act on it? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**Perhaps Adama disregarded it as another attempt of Roslin's to discredit Baltar and retain the Presidency.

*Did Baltar's internal Six disappear at any point during the New Caprica year? If so, when and why? If so, did the events of her disappearance contribute to Baltar's regression?

*Why was it so easy for Adama to hide the collusion of the rigged election from the press, and why were there no consequences?
**They could've disguised it as a counting mistake, since Lt. Gaeta, Col.Tigh and Adama are the only ones who actually know what happened.

*If the Cylons really left the Twelve Colonies, leaving behind a nuked-out wasteland, what happened to all of the human captives in the [[Farms]]?

*Why have the Cylons returned after suggesting that they were willing to go their "separate ways"?

*Did the Cavils lie about the pursuit of humanity being a mistake? Or were they telling the truth?

*Will the Cylons resume their pursuit of the Fleet?

*How many people are left in the Fleet? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Have the remaining ships in the defense fleet been armed during the past year?

*Will the Adamas resort to Cain's tactic of conscripting civilians to fill the gaps?

*What happened between Apollo and Starbuck? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*What led to Starbuck's reconciliation with Col. Tigh? The two had been in conflict since the [[Miniseries]], what led them to bury the hatchet and become the close friends they now appear to be?
**Perhaps they realized they have a positive influence on each other: Tigh managed to taunt Starbuck back on her feet, and Starbuck confronted Tigh with his drinking problem in early Season 1, which resulted in Tigh making a (failed) attempt to give up drinking.

*Has it become public knowledge that Baltar killed [[Crashdown]] on [[Kobol]]? Now that Chief and Cally are Baltar's open adversaries they could attempt to use this information against him.

*When Adama informs Baltar that the nuke used to blow up ''[[Cloud 9]]'' was probably stolen from Baltar's lab, why is he not suspicious about the fact that Baltar never reported that it was missing? Had it really been stolen from his lab, he would surely notice.
**One could argue that a man doesn't have much time to spot missing objects when he's running for President.
**Also, the Doral copy that blew himself up was probably heading for Baltar's lab. After that a break-in in the same lab should come as no surprise.
***The thing Adama should be suspicious about, is that the (alleged) thief didn't blow it right there on Galactica, but chose to blow up Cloud 9 instead.

*Are the Cylons that appear at the end representative of the whole Cylon race, or are they a faction that broke off after the two "Cylon Heroes" began to speak out against the war on the humans?

*If it is true that the Cylons now believe the attack on humanity was a mistake, is the occupation on New Caprica viewed by the Cylons as an act of mercy and kindness vs. oppression from the human perspective? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Could it be the intent of the Cylons to actually help the colonization of New Caprica, helping with the construction of infrastructure, new homes, etc., in order to make up for the holocaust? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**If the Cylons intend to help, that would be consistent with Cavil's comment that the Cylon path to enlightenment is to be "the best machines the universe has ever seen." The purpose of a machine is arguably to assist human beings. On the other hand, the Cylons, if they are here to help, are presumably intending to do so in a highly authoritarian fashion.
***Could the Cylons be wanting to maintain control over the Colonials so that in some future the Colonials would not be able to return and exact revenge on the Cylons?
**Could the Cylons be fortifying New Caprica to protect the humans from hostile Cylons? There should still be some, that Number Three in "Downloaded" was pretty fanatical, and if the political winds have changed as they so often do...
***Is there a Cylon civil "cold" war?
****Could the occupation of New Caprica be a compromise between pro-human and anti-human factions, with war breaking out between them after it fails?

== Analysis ==
*According to Ron Moore's podcast, the events of "One Year Later" are real and were meant to solidify to the audience that the show is taking a path that cannot be reversed. In order to make the colonization of New Caprica real, Moore felt that the show would need to jump ahead in a span of year to show that indeed Baltar has followed through with his political promise.

*The events of the Cylon invasion of New Caprica parallel the Nazi invasion of France, with the fleet's escape a parallel to the Allied evacuation of Dunkirk and Baltar's surrender a parallel to Petain's surrender. If the parallel continues, Baltar will establish a puppet regime under Cylon rule akin to [[Wikipedia:Vichy France|Vichy France]] while Colonials still loyal to humanity will establish a resistance movement. Ron Moore has actually said in the podcast for this episode that it is inspired by Vichy France.

*Baltar's arrogance seems to have led to corrupt rule during his year on New Caprica; he replaces Roslin's modest desk with a more elaborate one, replaces the population count whiteboard with a portrait of himself, and keeps a harem aboard the grounded ''Colonial One''.

*After a year, everyone still lives in tents. Shortages of medicine abound, the military is of no use, and labor conditions are apparently intolerable. Baltar's administration is apparently as incompetent as Roslin feared, when she said he was ridiculously unqualified and had no idea how to be president.
**It is not clear whether these conditions are the result of administrative incompetence or the inherent difficulties of colonizing a marginally habitable planet.
***Of course, it was Baltar's idea to settle on a marginally habitable planet in the first place.
****Tory Foster points out that Baltar was winning the election because he was "holding out hope for breathing real air, growing real food, sleeping in a bed instead of a bunk. Living in a house instead of a ship"; hopefully the irony of this wasn't lost on Baltar voters who even a full year later are sleeping in hammocks and living in tents.

*It's ironic that the obligations of duty keep Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' while everyone else goes planet-side. He is a reserve officer, and promised to build his pilots a bar as soon as they found a habitable planet.
**It's possible the bar ''was'' built.

*In the podcast for "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" Moore commented on how everyone assumed that ''Pegasus'' would be destroyed by the end of the episode, and thus he thought it would be a good twist to keep ''Pegasus'' alive as another ship in the Fleet. Speculators mistakenly assumed that the nuke that Baltar gave to Gina in "[[Epiphanies]]" would be used to destroy ''Pegasus'' (keeping in tune with the assumed destruction of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series']] ''[[Pegasus (TOS)|Pegasus'']]).

*Twenty-nine people died between this episode and the preceding one? One or two Raptors were lost, and some Marines died on Caprica, but that doesn't seem high enough.
**It's possible they took out all of the people who left in the raptors because they were not a part of the fleet at the end of the previous episode?
***Starbuck remained in the count during her time on Caprica at the beginning of Season 2. When she and Helo returned to the fleet in "[[Home, Part I]]," the count only rose by one.
**Perhaps more people died during the attack on Caprica than was shown.
***Yet another possibility is the inclusion of the Caprica survivors in the count to offset many of the losses that had incurred in the rescue mission.
***Although they didn't actually talk about the losses, there was a shot of a wounded person being taken away on a stretcher after the Raptors returned from the [[Caprica]] [[SAR]] mission.
***There may have been a series of election-related riots or murders.

*The year gap for the Cylons to find the fleet at first seems odd. However, it was stated in the previous episode that the interference from the gas cloud surrounding it would hide the planet fairly well. The Cylons were slightly over a light year away, according to the Number Five at the surrenderring. Searching something as large as the gas cloud likely is for a planet or fleet is, given the sensor range limitations, quite impressive to accomplish in months, even with general directional information from a light-year out. In addition, the radiation from the nuclear explosion aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' would, of course, only be traveling at the speed of light. Even a less catastrophic attempt to communicate the Colonial's new location would be limited to the speed of light. Of course, once the location was pinpointed, an FTL Jump by the Cylons to pounce would be instantaneous.
**Even though the Cylons were able to find New Caprica from the detected nuclear blast that occurred a year prior, the initial detection would have only pointed them in the right general direction. The planet would have moved from the location the initial blast occurred as it orbits around its sun. So the Cylons would only have been able to pinpoint the planet's last location a year prior. They could have used astronomical surveying to detect the planet or send their fleets to other positions using FTL ahead of the blast radiation to triangulate the nuclear blast. Then send recon elements to scout for the planet, which could have been the initial blips picked up by DRADIS by Lt. Dualla of recon Raiders. As soon as the planet was found the main Cylon Fleet would jump in from their staging areas.
***It is also clear that Gina truly did die in the nuclear explosion on ''Cloud 9'' as she would have been able to inform the Cylons of the whereabouts of the Fleet. This indicates that no new Resurrection Ship had been constructed and that Gina's suicidal thoughts finally prevailed. This may explain why she was willing to consummate her relationship with Baltar as it would be the last time she could be with him.
****If a transmission of Gina's consciousness is also bound by the speed of light, then the signal would radiate at the same speed as the radiation from the explosion. So the Cylons could have captured the signal at the same time they discover the radiation. A new resurrection ship could be in place by this time. So the [[#questions|above question]] of whether she was able to transmit when the hardware responsible for this was destroyed is still valid.
*****To contrast, as evidenced by "Downloaded", Cylon transmissions occur at a higher speed as Boomer's consciousness was able to be transmitted to the Resurrection Ship, and then transmitted to Caprica almost immediately after her death on ''Galactica.'' It also must be pointed out that ''Galactica'''s Fleet is well into deep space, light-years away from the Colonies. The time for Boomer's transmission to reach Caprica in "Downloaded" would have taken years if not hundreds of years if the speed was limited to the speed of light.
******Her consciousness might have been downloaded into a nearby Resurrection Ship, which then jumped into Caprica orbit to deliver it there. It could also have been carried in an FTL-capable 'carrier ship' (which would be quite useful for the Cylons in some cases).
*******For this to work, it would require that the Cylons had constructed a new Resurrection Ship, had it at a location that was close enough to receive the transmission, and that the transmission would have been able to cut through all of the interference that occurs from a nuke and the star system itself. Plus, if her consciousness was indeed saved, why did it take over a year to find the planet and why was the radiation signature mentioned as the method for which the Cylons tracked the Fleet? Plus, please take into account how the Cylons had changed their warfare tactics after the Resurrection Ship was destroyed. No longer does one Basestar engage the Fleet, instead a whole Fleet of Basestars will appear to minimize the risk of destruction and overwhelming the battlestars. In either case, it seems less likely that Gina survived, as it was also her expressed wish to commit suicide. Even if she was transmitted, would it not be more likely that she would have been "boxed" as her personality was highly unstable after the gang rapes on Pegasus?

*The population of New Caprica City is given as 39,192. There were just under 50,000 people in the Fleet before establishing the settlement, so that gives a figure of roughly 10,000 missing. It is uncertain how many were killed in the destruction of ''Cloud 9'' and surrounding Fleet ships, but this loss along with any births and deaths that have taken place during the year since the election, leaves very few military personnel in the Orbital Defense. This almost certainly means that both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' will be extremely short on crew, as many military personnel will have been left on the planet. There was clearly no time to retrieve even selected members of the crews before the Fleet jumped.
**The figure may not necessarily be 10,000 missing, but those who are not part of New Caprica City's population. The figure of 10,000 is spread amongst those remaining up in orbit with the fleet's remaining ships, out in independent, peripheral, or small settlements not part of New Caprica City proper, and casaulties.
**Watching the Fleet jump in slow-motion, you can count approximately 19 ships, which also gives a rough impression of the reduced size of the Fleet. Other ships, including ''Colonial One'' and some Raptors, are landed on New Caprica and have presumably fallen into the hands of the Cylons.
**It is not explicitly said that all members of the New Caprica colony reside in New Caprica City. There may be outlying settlements, though none are named. One reason for this would simply be as a safeguard to keep a single nuclear strike from wiping out all of the fleet survivors.
***Baltar's surrender may demonstrate prudence uncharacteristic of him, or simply be a matter of self-preservation.

**Any "industrial" vessels — such as the mining ships, tanker ships, repair ships, agricultural ships — would have landed on the planet and been debarked, dismantled, or converted to form the foundation for industrial / production efforts. Some of the vessels in the fleet that left [[Ragnar Anchorage]] weren't designed for prolonged interstellar journeys, and were basically running on a hope and a prayer, and would have been rendered promptly upon finding a more permanent home. The nineteen-or-so ships seen are, more than likely, the last space-worthy vessels in the fleet that are not needed (or capable of landing) planet-side.
***After a year, people are still living in tents and using landed ships as buildings, so it doesn't look like much has been dismantled or converted into raw production. Other than the miners, who are apparently extremely unhappy at how things have been run, we see little evidence of industry or production over the year.

*Apparently, Thrace's comments about Lee Adama and Dualla have taken their toll on their relationship. Whether the comments escalated is unknown, but, from Dualla's expression of annoyance when she hands the receiver to Adama when Thrace calls, it is clear that the three never reconciled with each other.

*The Six and Eight that are part of the Cylon delegation that greets Baltar's cabinet are almost certainly [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]. This is implied from Six's reaction upon seeing Baltar and her intimation that she knew who Baltar was. The two are also wearing the exact same clothes as in "[[Downloaded]]."

*In the Season 3 trailer that followed the end of the episode, Six narrates, saying that humanity has finally surrendered and the war is over. According to Six, the Cylons can finally fulfill their "''true destiny''" and take care of humanity. They desire to show humanity the "''glory of peace''," mercy; like God, their mercy can only be matched by their power and complete control. So apparently, the war heroes have indeed changed the Cylons' prejudices toward humans, but unfortunately this also means that the Cylons believe that the only way to care for humanity is to control it.
**This narrative sounds more like Baltar's internal Six (superior, controlling, zealous) than Caprica-Six (more of a people person).

== Notes ==
* According to Ron Moore's podcast, although the Sci-Fi Channel was willing to air this episode as a 90-minute special, it had to be heavily edited down for international distribution; outside of the United States, viewers will only see a 1 hour version of the episode, which Moore regards as "almost incomprehensible". Many plot threads, such as the entire Cally/Tyrol subplot, were completely removed from the one hour version. This may not be the case in the UK however as Skyone (the channel that broadcasts the show in that country) previously showed the full 90 minute version of Stargate SG1 episode 'Threads' and may well do the same for this episode.
**In the UK, Sky One did indeed show the episode as a 90 minute special.
**In Latin America, as aired by TNT LA, the 90 minute special was shown as well.

*Admiral Adama watches [[Pyramid]] games and was a fan of the [[Picon Panthers]].

*In RDM's podcast for the previous episode, he said that in early drafts of this special 90 minute long episode, the writers actually tried to make it a 2 hour special, but this was soon dropped (these times are including commercials).
*The election board appears to have a definitive list of the names of all of the ships in [[The Fleet (RDM)]]. Not all of them are clearly visible, but this would seem to indicate that the writers do have an actual list that they get new ship names from.

*The framed photo of President Roslin and [[Billy Keikeya]] was still on Roslin's desk during the election.

*When Roslin "won" the rigged election results, Roslin received 24,265 votes, while Baltar recieved 22,266. This means that the elligible voters in the Fleet number at least 46,531. In the podcast, RDM explains that he quickly came up with these numbers, to try to reflect roughly how many survivors are below the voting age.

*Toward the end of the episode, President Baltar refers to a government body called the "People's Council". This may be the proportionally elected lower house mentioned by RDM in his [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/index.html#a000016 blog post] on January 30, 2005.

*[[Hera]] is seen on New Caprica in the same white cradle that Baltar had a vision of her being in "[[Scattered]]", etc. According to RDM's podcast it's actually the exact same cradle.

*Tyrol's union speech is an almost word for word quote of Mario Savio's address during the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley in 1964. According to Ron Moore and David Eick in the podcast, they even got permission from Savio's widow to use it (even though, due to the way copyright laws work from back then, they could have just used it without permission, they felt they should get it). As a result, it's even listed in the credits: "Mario Savio speech excerpted courtesy of: Lynne Hollander Savio". Actor Aaron Douglas (Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]) actually studied film of Savio, so all of the hand gestures Tyrol makes when he gives the speech are gestures that Savio actually used.

*Baltar's portrait of himself does not have the 'cut corners' as seen in almost all other papers and photos in the show. Neither do the other framed pictures in the presidential office aboard Colonial One, nor the papers seen in the classroom on New Caprica.

*[[:Image:Wtfk1tn.jpg|Visible]] on the blackboard of Roslin's school are the French verbs ''aller'', ''avoir'', and ''etre''. The Colonials appear to just speak English, so this might be a goof by the set designers trying to make it look more like a generic school.
**Not necessarily, as French has appeared in the show before. In [[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]], Six uses the French word for impetuous ardor.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''After being uncovered as a Cylon upon on arrival from Caprica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Well, this is an awkward moment…. Yes, he's right, I'm a Cylon. And I have a message. So…take me to your leader.

*''After arrest on Galactica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Would you mind telling me what's going on? I'm not a frakking Cylon, I'm not…(sees the other Cavil from Caprica in the cell)…oh. Well, okay then.

*''On Caprica during the fight with the Cylons:''
:'''Anders:''' You got any great ideas in that military brain of yours?
:'''Starbuck:''' Do the same thing we always do; fight 'em 'till we can't.

*''After the Cylons occupy New Caprica:''
:'''Tyrol:''' What do you want to do now, Captain?
:'''Starbuck:''' The same thing we always do. Fight them until we can't.

== Official Statements ==

From the official site (http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/):
When Baltar wins the vote, Roslin considers stealing the election because she believes he is a Cylon collaborator.

RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 28, 2006]) gives details. (''Due to article size requirements, the blog entry is not reproduced here.'')

=== Interviews ===

* '''[[Paul Campbell]] discussess his thoughts on the story post-"[[Sacrifice]]":'''

:'''MB/TSFW:''' So what do you think about the story after you left, and the trouble [[Mary McDonnell|Mary]]’s [[Laura Roslin|character]] got herself into? After your [[Tory Foster|replacement]] came in she kind of had a fall there. Do you think that would have happened if you were still there to watch her back?

: '''Paul:''' You know, I don’t know if they could have. [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] had so much integrity, that under his watch, I don’t think that would have happened. And maybe he would have had to step down, and Mary would have gone about that route with someone else. But I don’t think if he would have been in the picture, that would have gone down. Because that’s some shady crap, and I don’t think it would have cut it. We obviously butted heads on a few things like that in the past. In particular when I ended up leaving her at the ship. As it turned out, I had another pilot to go shoot. As it turned out, it was more my schedule that didn’t work out, but it worked in the writing. But no, I don’t think that would have flown had I been in the picture. So I don’t know what they would have done. I’m sure that was the story line from the beginning, but how they would have worked me into it, I don’t really know. [http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84 MediaBlvd]

== Guest Stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]]
*[[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
*[[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Cottle]]
*[[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Leoben Conoy]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
*[[imdb:nm0443286|David Kaye]] as [[James McManus]]
*[[Alisen Down]] as [[Jean Barolay]]
*[[imdb:nm0718759|Winston Rekert]] as Priest

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/220/ "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: RDM]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Anne Cofell Saunders]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Mark Verheiden]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[de:Legt eure Bürden nieder, Teil II]]

Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II

2006-09-25T14:52:53Z

Biggs33: /* Questions */

{{Episode Data
| image = Baltarlaydownburdensii.jpg
| title= Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
| season= 2
| episode= 20
| guests= [[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]] [[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]] [[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
| writer= [[Anne Cofell Saunders]] [[Mark Verheiden]]
| story=
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production=
| rating= 1.9
| US airdate= 2006-04-10
| UK airdate= 2006-05-16
| dvd= {{Season 2.5 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population= 49,550
| prev= [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
| next= [[Occupation]]
| podcast= Y
}}

== Overview ==

:''Everything turns on its head as the survivors vote for a new president -- and vote for their fate.''

== Summary ==

===On Caprica===

*[[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], the [[marines]], and the [[Caprica Resistance]] continue to take fire from [[Cylon Centurion]]s and their artillery. They make their way up a hill, and hold their position.
*The Cylons hold fire, and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Sharon Valerii]] remarks that the Cylons will attempt to capture them with non-lethal weapons, such as gas.
*Eighteen hours later, they emerge to find that the Cylons have disappeared. [[Cavil]] -- who suddenly appears behind them -- announces that the Cylons have left the Twelve Colonies and that humanity is spared.

===In the Fleet===

*[[Cally]] is cleared for duty by [[Cottle|Dr. Cottle]], despite having her jaw wired shut. [[Tyrol|Chief Tyrol]] visits her, apologizing for the attack. Cally forgives him, saying that she's always cared for him.

*[[Gaius Baltar|Dr. Baltar]] continues to gain in the polls. On ''[[Colonial One]]'', [[Tory_Foster|Tory]] mentions an alternative victory plan. [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] later calls a private meeting with Dr. Baltar, asking to deliver a joint statement of [[Wikipedia:Table (verb)|tabling]] the issue of colonization until after the election. Baltar rejects the idea.

*Roslin, fearing that she has indeed lost the presidential race, confronts [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] on whether he was with a copy of [[Number Six]] on Caprica before the Cylon attack. Baltar avoids answering the question and states that he may have [[Epiphanies|saved her life]], but he will not save her political life.

*[[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] returns to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' with the resistance fighters, much to the delight of Admiral [[William Adama]]. She mentions the Cylon retreat from Caprica as Brother Cavil, leaving the Raptor, confirms it. He also says he has a message, but is attacked by Chief [[Galen Tyrol]], who declares a "[[Code blue]]," claiming Cavil is a Cylon. Incensed that Caprica-Valerii did not reveal Cavil's true nature earlier, Admiral Adama orders both Caprica-Valerii and the second Cavil to the brig.

*The ''Galactica''-based Cavil (from last episode) is brought to the brig, claiming he's not a Cylon, but changes his tune upon seeing his "brother", as he calls him. Caprica-Cavil then talks about the fact that the “war heroes” ([[Caprica Six]] & [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]) have convinced their kind that the attack of the colonies and the pursuit of the fleet were mistakes. Caprica-Cavil's mission was to relay the message that man and Cylon will go their separate ways. Both Roslin and Admiral Adama are less than trusting regarding the message.

*In the brig, Caprica-Valerii is completely disillusioned and nihilistic, declaring that since her [[Hera|child's]] death, nothing -- not Adama's trust or [[Helo]]'s -- matters to her. A frustrated Helo insists that he's not giving up on her, but she seems disinclined to listen.

*Thrace and [[Anders]] are getting extremely drunk when Apollo comes in to welcome them back. Starbuck makes a snide remark about Apollo and Dualla and goes back to drunkenly making out with Anders. Apollo, clearly upset with Starbuck, leaves without saying much.

*Election Day has arrived and Baltar has an apparent five thousand-vote lead over Roslin with only a few ships left to tally. On ''Colonial One'', Foster activates her alternative victory plan with a call to ''Galactica.''

*Amazingly, Roslin initially appears to have retained the presidency. While most are celebrating, Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers fraudulent actions in the vote, and informs the Admiral that Col. Tigh (who acts suspiciously when questioned by Gaeta) may be involved in a conspiracy to throw the election.

*Admiral Adama confronts Roslin regarding the conspiracy, saying that Tigh has confessed to rigging the vote. Roslin admits her involvement and Adama is disappointed. The Admiral indicates that, for good or bad, the people's vote must take precedence. Adama secretly buries the conspiracy itself while announcing the startling change in events to Dr. Baltar.

*Initially Baltar vows to have a full investigation on the vote count, but after Adama suggests that Baltar take his victory and leave matters be, Baltar relents and informs Adama that he can be quite generous in victory. President-elect Baltar then orders a course for “[[New Caprica]].”

*Baltar and Gina consummate their relationship after Gina informs Baltar that she would not be part of the colonization.

*[[Gaius Baltar]] is sworn in as the new President of the Twelve Colonies, and orders the immediate colonization of New Caprica.

*Gina activates the nuclear warhead [[Sacrifice|given to her by Baltar]] aboard ''[[Cloud 9]]''. The nuclear blast destroys ''Cloud 9'' and at least three other ships. Admiral Adama warns that this may be a prelude to a Cylon attack, but President Baltar ignores him and presses forward with colonization.

===One Year Later===
[[image:burdens2.jpg|Thrace and Cottle on New Caprica.|thumb]]
*President Baltar's administration appears to be corrupt, lax, and unresponsive. [[Felix Gaeta|Mr. Gaeta]], now the President's aide, reports issues with a worker's union. Baltar is upset, saying there have been no Cylon attacks but the people still complain. He has regressed, turning to alcohol, medication, and womanizing.

*Admiral Adama, now sporting a mustache, walks the corridors of a near-empty ''Galactica'', which is quickly falling into disrepair. Over half of the crew have moved down onto the planet, leaving the ship so short on crew that they barely have enough pilots to fly training missions, much less form up [[Combat Air Patrol]]s. The long absence of the Cylons has left both the remaining crews aboard the [[Pegasus]] and the Galactica rusty, causing them to take a long time to go to [[Action Stations]]. Adama asks Tigh to retire from duty to join his [[Ellen Tigh|wife]] on the planet. Tigh reluctantly agrees.

*[[Samuel Anders|Anders]], now Thrace's husband, has pneumonia. Dr. Cottle is unable to treat Anders because there are no antibiotics available. He can only advise Thrace to make sure Anders gets enough rest in order to recover.

*Thrace runs into the Tighs as [[Tyrol]], now a union boss, is making a speech to begin a strike, with a very pregnant Cally by his side. Col. Tigh mentions to Thrace that ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' keeps a store of backup medical supplies and that Commander [[Lee Adama]] might spring some for her. Thrace disagrees, which prompts Tigh to state that Lee Adama should be over her harsh neglect of Adama's friendship after Anders' arrival a year before.

*Roslin returns to her teaching roots, teaching the settlement's children, and manages to find enjoyment in her new position. [[Maya]] is with her, as is the now one year-old "[[Hera|Isis]]".

*Thrace calls Commander Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' to request the antibiotics. [[Dualla]], ostensibly the ''Pegasus'' [[XO]], notices something on [[DRADIS]], to her horror.

*A massive fleet of [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s arrive in orbit around New Caprica. The Adamas discuss what to do in response, with Lee initially advocating that the remains of the orbiting Fleet [[FTL|jump]] away. Admiral Adama initially resists, but orders the Jump, vowing that they will return.

*A [[Leoben Conoy]]-model [[Cylon agent]] shows up at Thrace and Anders' tent, where he asks an ailing Anders about where to find Thrace.

*Mr. Gaeta informs the President of the Cylon approach. Later, before his assembled staff, copies of Numbers [[Number Five|5]], [[Number Eight|8]], and [[Number Six|6]] approach the President. The Cylons declare that as long as there’s no resistance, no harm will come. President Baltar, after learning that the Cylons discovered New Caprica because of the nuclear explosion set off by Gina, declares surrender on behalf of the colonists. As Cylon armies occupy the planet, Thrace vows to resist.

== Questions ==

*Who is Baltar's vice president?

*Is Gaeta Baltar's assistant or his Vice President?
:Based on Ron Moore's comment (see the spoiler text), it is probable that Gaeta is merely an assistant.

*What of [[Tom Zarek]]?

{{spoiltext|According to RDM's blog, Tom Zarek was initially the Vice President but he had a falling out with Baltar over the regime.}}

*Has Gaeta's view of Baltar changed since Baltar's ascension to the presidency? If so, is Gaeta planning to do anything about it?

*Was Roslin's threat to put the two Cavils into space actually carried out?

*Where did the remains of the Fleet escape to?

*Where is Caprica-Valerii?
:It is probable that Valerii remains in the brig, as she is well-known as a Cylon agent. Her anger at the "death" of her child and her true nature would make her a liability in public. Helo's continued presence on ''Galactica'' supports this, provided his feelings for Valerii have not changed in the lapsed year.
{{spoiltext|A [http://galacticastation.com/Gallery/hi%20res/Season3/3012/images/1BSGafC06.jpg still] from [[Occupation]] shows that at least one copy of Valerii is present with Adama at some point during the episode. Though it is possible this is from a flashback to the missing year.}}

*Why is Leoben looking for Starbuck, specifically?
{{spoiltext|According to some Q&A that RDM gave at a recent convention to people from the website 'The Pegasus Galaxy', Starbuck's missing ovary has been "under Leoben's pillow". Could the Cylons have made a hybrid child from her eggs and Leoben's sperm?
Also, there is the possibility that this particular Conoy is the resurrection of the model that Thrace tortured in "[[Flesh and Bone]]," and he is seeking payback.

Plus, in the Season Three preview aired during Sci Fi's premiere of Eureka, Leoben is shown holding a baby and saying "This is Kara, your mother."}}

*Why has the population (until Tyrol's recent union speech) accepted Baltar's imperious rule? People were hardly so passive under Roslin. Indeed, Adama executed a [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|military coup]] over a rather less important issue than giving a nuclear weapon to a Cylon agent.

*What were the workers being asked to do which was so "odious", "so sick[ening] at heart" that Tyrol was willing to call a general strike, and so important to Baltar that he was willing to use illegal imprisonment to break it?
**Since Tyrol's speech is an exact copy of a historical one, its words might not fully apply to the situation at hand.

*Baltar surrenders to copies of Cylon agents Six and Eight. Are these agents the reincarnated [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Where did the Cylon fleets go, after they left the Twelve Colonies? Cavil was deliberately vague when asked if they simply returned to the [[Cylon homeworld]].

*Why didn't the nuclear device trigger the radiological alarms on either battlestar?
**Radiological alarms are set to ignore nukes on certain ships (e.g. Galactica and Pegasus themselves). With his tech skills and close friendship with Lt. Gaeta, Baltar probably found a way to make the radiologicals ignore Cloud 9, or ignore that particular nuke (if the latter is possible).

*How many people died in ''Cloud 9'' destruction? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Were the Quorum of Twelve killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*Were [[Shevon]] and [[Paya]] killed on ''Cloud 9''?

*When Gina was instantly vaporized due to being only two feet from a nuclear detonation, did she still transmit her consciousness? Was she even capable of transmitting considering that any internal hardware responsible for this task would have been instantly destroyed? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Given Roslin's memories of Baltar with Six, why didn't Admiral Adama suspect Baltar of handing over the nuclear warhead to the cylons? If he did suspect him, why not act on it? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**Perhaps Adama disregarded it as another attempt of Roslin's to discredit Baltar and retain the Presidency.

*Did Baltar's internal Six disappear at any point during the New Caprica year? If so, when and why? If so, did the events of her disappearance contribute to Baltar's regression?

*Why was it so easy for Adama to hide the collusion of the rigged election from the press, and why were there no consequences?
**They could've disguised it as a counting mistake, since Lt. Gaeta, Col.Tigh and Adama are the only ones who actually know what happened.

*If the Cylons really left the Twelve Colonies, leaving behind a nuked-out wasteland, what happened to all of the human captives in the [[Farms]]?

*Why have the Cylons returned after suggesting that they were willing to go their "separate ways"?

*Did the Cavils lie about the pursuit of humanity being a mistake? Or were they telling the truth?

*Will the Cylons resume their pursuit of the Fleet?

*How many people are left in the Fleet? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Have the remaining ships in the defense fleet been armed during the past year?

*Will the Adamas resort to Cain's tactic of conscripting civilians to fill the gaps?

*What happened between Apollo and Starbuck? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*What led to Starbuck's reconciliation with Col. Tigh? The two had been in conflict since the [[Miniseries]], what led them to bury the hatchet and become the close friends they now appear to be?
**Perhaps they realized they have a positive influence on each other: Tigh managed to taunt Starbuck back on her feet, and Starbuck confronted Tigh with his drinking problem in early Season 1, which resulted in Tigh making a (failed) attempt to give up drinking.

*Has it become public knowledge that Baltar killed [[Crashdown]] on [[Kobol]]? Now that Chief and Cally are Baltar's open adversaries they could attempt to use this information against him.

*When Adama informs Baltar that the nuke used to blow up ''[[Cloud 9]]'' was probably stolen from Baltar's lab, why is he not suspicious about the fact that Baltar never reported that it was missing? Had it really been stolen from his lab, he would surely notice.
**One could argue that a man doesn't have much time to spot missing objects when he's running for President.
**Also, the Doral copy that blew himself up was probably heading for Baltar's lab. After that a break-in in the same lab should come as no surprise.
***The thing Adama should be suspicious about, is that the (alleged) thief didn't blow it right there on Galactica, but chose to blow up Cloud 9 instead.

*Are the Cylons that appear at the end representative of the whole Cylon race, or are they a faction that broke off after the two "Cylon Heroes" began to speak out against the war on the humans?

*If it is true that the Cylons now believe the attack on humanity was a mistake, is the occupation on New Caprica viewed by the Cylons as an act of mercy and kindness vs. oppression from the human perspective? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

*Could it be the intent of the Cylons to actually help the colonization of New Caprica, helping with the construction of infrastructure, new homes, etc., in order to make up for the holocaust? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
**If the Cylons intend to help, that would be consistent with Cavil's comment that the Cylon path to enlightenment is to be "the best machines the universe has ever seen." The purpose of a machine is arguably to assist human beings. On the other hand, the Cylons, if they are here to help, are presumably intending to do so in a highly authoritarian fashion.
***Could the Cylons be wanting to maintain control over the Colonials so that in some future the Colonials would not be able to return and exact revenge on the Cylons?
**Could the Cylons be fortifying New Caprica to protect the humans from hostile Cylons? There should still be some, that Number Three in "Downloaded" was pretty fanatical, and if the political winds have changed as they so often do...
***Is there a Cylon civil "cold" war?
****Could the occupation of New Caprica be a compromise between pro-human and anti-human factions, with war breaking out between them after it fails?

== Analysis ==
*According to Ron Moore's podcast, the events of "One Year Later" are real and were meant to solidify to the audience that the show is taking a path that cannot be reversed. In order to make the colonization of New Caprica real, Moore felt that the show would need to jump ahead in a span of year to show that indeed Baltar has followed through with his political promise.

*The events of the Cylon invasion of New Caprica parallel the Nazi invasion of France, with the fleet's escape a parallel to the Allied evacuation of Dunkirk and Baltar's surrender a parallel to Petain's surrender. If the parallel continues, Baltar will establish a puppet regime under Cylon rule akin to [[Wikipedia:Vichy France|Vichy France]] while Colonials still loyal to humanity will establish a resistance movement. Ron Moore has actually said in the podcast for this episode that it is inspired by Vichy France.

*Baltar's arrogance seems to have led to corrupt rule during his year on New Caprica; he replaces Roslin's modest desk with a more elaborate one, replaces the population count whiteboard with a portrait of himself, and keeps a harem aboard the grounded ''Colonial One''.

*After a year, everyone still lives in tents. Shortages of medicine abound, the military is of no use, and labor conditions are apparently intolerable. Baltar's administration is apparently as incompetent as Roslin feared, when she said he was ridiculously unqualified and had no idea how to be president.
**It is not clear whether these conditions are the result of administrative incompetence or the inherent difficulties of colonizing a marginally habitable planet.
***Of course, it was Baltar's idea to settle on a marginally habitable planet in the first place.
****Tory Foster points out that Baltar was winning the election because he was "holding out hope for breathing real air, growing real food, sleeping in a bed instead of a bunk. Living in a house instead of a ship"; hopefully the irony of this wasn't lost on Baltar voters who even a full year later are sleeping in hammocks and living in tents.

*It's ironic that the obligations of duty keep Lee Adama aboard ''Pegasus'' while everyone else goes planet-side. He is a reserve officer, and promised to build his pilots a bar as soon as they found a habitable planet.
**It's possible the bar ''was'' built.

*In the podcast for "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]" Moore commented on how everyone assumed that ''Pegasus'' would be destroyed by the end of the episode, and thus he thought it would be a good twist to keep ''Pegasus'' alive as another ship in the Fleet. Speculators mistakenly assumed that the nuke that Baltar gave to Gina in "[[Epiphanies]]" would be used to destroy ''Pegasus'' (keeping in tune with the assumed destruction of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series']] ''[[Pegasus (TOS)|Pegasus'']]).

*Twenty-nine people died between this episode and the preceding one? One or two Raptors were lost, and some Marines died on Caprica, but that doesn't seem high enough.
**It's possible they took out all of the people who left in the raptors because they were not apart of the fleet at the end of the previous episode?
***Starbuck remained in the count during her time on Caprica at the beginning of Season 2. When she and Helo returned to the fleet in "[[Home, Part I]]," the count only rose by one.
**Perhaps more people died during the attack on Caprica than was shown.
***Yet another possibility is the inclusion of the Caprica survivors in the count to offset many of the losses that had incurred in the rescue mission.
***Although they didn't actually talk about the losses, there was a shot of a wounded person being taken away on a stretcher after the Raptors returned from the [[Caprica]] [[SAR]] mission.
***There may have been a series of election-related riots or murders.

*The year gap for the Cylons to find the fleet at first seems odd. However, it was stated in the previous episode that the interference from the gas cloud surrounding it would hide the planet fairly well. The Cylons were slightly over a light year away, according to the Number Five at the surrenderring. Searching something as large as the gas cloud likely is for a planet or fleet is, given the sensor range limitations, quite impressive to accomplish in months, even with general directional information from a light-year out. In addition, the radiation from the nuclear explosion aboard ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' would, of course, only be traveling at the speed of light. Even a less catastrophic attempt to communicate the Colonial's new location would be limited to the speed of light. Of course, once the location was pinpointed, an FTL Jump by the Cylons to pounce would be instantaneous.
**Even though the Cylons were able to find New Caprica from the detected nuclear blast that occurred a year prior, the initial detection would have only pointed them in the right general direction. The planet would have moved from the location the initial blast occurred as it orbits around its sun. So the Cylons would only have been able to pinpoint the planet's last location a year prior. They could have used astronomical surveying to detect the planet or send their fleets to other positions using FTL ahead of the blast radiation to triangulate the nuclear blast. Then send recon elements to scout for the planet, which could have been the initial blips picked up by DRADIS by Lt. Dualla of recon Raiders. As soon as the planet was found the main Cylon Fleet would jump in from their staging areas.
***It is also clear that Gina truly did die in the nuclear explosion on ''Cloud 9'' as she would have been able to inform the Cylons of the whereabouts of the Fleet. This indicates that no new Resurrection Ship had been constructed and that Gina's suicidal thoughts finally prevailed. This may explain why she was willing to consummate her relationship with Baltar as it would be the last time she could be with him.
****If a transmission of Gina's consciousness is also bound by the speed of light, then the signal would radiate at the same speed as the radiation from the explosion. So the Cylons could have captured the signal at the same time they discover the radiation. A new resurrection ship could be in place by this time. So the [[#questions|above question]] of whether she was able to transmit when the hardware responsible for this was destroyed is still valid.
*****To contrast, as evidenced by "Downloaded", Cylon transmissions occur at a higher speed as Boomer's consciousness was able to be transmitted to the Resurrection Ship, and then transmitted to Caprica almost immediately after her death on ''Galactica.'' It also must be pointed out that ''Galactica'''s Fleet is well into deep space, light-years away from the Colonies. The time for Boomer's transmission to reach Caprica in "Downloaded" would have taken years if not hundreds of years if the speed was limited to the speed of light.
******Her consciousness might have been downloaded into a nearby Resurrection Ship, which then jumped into Caprica orbit to deliver it there. It could also have been carried in an FTL-capable 'carrier ship' (which would be quite useful for the Cylons in some cases).
*******For this to work, it would require that the Cylons had constructed a new Resurrection Ship, had it at a location that was close enough to receive the transmission, and that the transmission would have been able to cut through all of the interference that occurs from a nuke and the star system itself. Plus, if her consciousness was indeed saved, why did it take over a year to find the planet and why was the radiation signature mentioned as the method for which the Cylons tracked the Fleet? Plus, please take into account of how the Cylons had changed their warfare tactics after the Resurrection Ship was destroyed. No longer does one Basestar engage the Fleet, instead a whole Fleet of Basestars will appear to minimize the risk of destruction and overwhelming the battlestars. Either case, it seems less likely that Gina survived, as it was also her expressed wish to commit suicide. Even if she was transmited, would it not be more likely that she would have been "boxed" as her personality was highly unstable after the gang rapes on Pegasus?

*The population of New Caprica City is given as 39,192. There were just under 50,000 people in the Fleet before establishing the settlement, so that gives a figure of roughly 10,000 missing. It is uncertain how many were killed in the destruction of ''Cloud 9'' and surrounding Fleet ships, but this loss along with any births and deaths that have taken place during the year since the election, leaves very few military personnel in the Orbital Defense. This almost certainly means that both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' will be extremely short on crew, as many military personnel will have been left on the planet. There was clearly no time to retrieve even selected members of the crews before the Fleet jumped.
**The figure may not necessarily be 10,000 missing, but those who are not part of New Caprica City's population. The figure of 10,000 is spread amongst those remaining up in orbit with the fleet's remaining ships, out in independent, peripheral, or small settlements not part of New Caprica City proper, and casaulties.
**Watching the Fleet jump in slow-motion, you can count approximately 19 ships, which also gives a rough impression of the reduced size of the Fleet. Other ships, including ''Colonial One'' and some Raptors, are landed on New Caprica and have presumably fallen into the hands of the Cylons.
**It is not explicitly said that all members of the New Caprica colony reside in New Caprica City. There may be outlying settlements, though none are named. One reason for this would simply be as a safeguard to keep a single nuclear strike from wiping out all of the fleet survivors.
***Baltar's surrender may demonstrate prudence uncharacteristic of him, or simply be a matter of self-preservation.

**Any "industrial" vessels — such as the mining ships, tanker ships, repair ships, agricultural ships — would have landed on the planet and been debarked, dismantled, or converted to form the foundation for industrial / production efforts. Some of the vessels in the fleet that left [[Ragnar Anchorage]] weren't designed for prolonged interstellar journeys, and were basically running on a hope and a prayer, and would have been rendered promptly upon finding a more permanent home. The nineteen-or-so ships seen are, more than likely, the last space-worthy vessels in the fleet that are not needed (or capable of landing) planet-side.
***After a year, people are still living in tents and using landed ships as buildings, so it doesn't look like much has been dismantled or converted into raw production. Other than the miners, who are apparently extremely unhappy at how things have been run, we see little evidence of industry or production over the year.

*Apparently, Thrace's comments about Lee Adama and Dualla have taken their toll on their relationship. Whether the comments escalated is unknown, but, from Dualla's expression of annoyance when she hands the receiver to Adama when Thrace calls, it is clear that the three never reconciled with each other.

*The Six and Eight that are part of the Cylon delegation that greets Baltar's cabinet are almost certainly [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|"Boomer" Valerii]]. This is implied from Six's reaction upon seeing Baltar and her intimation that she knew who Baltar was. The two are also wearing the exact same clothes as in "[[Downloaded]]."

*In the Season 3 trailer that followed the end of the episode, Six narrates, saying that humanity has finally surrendered and the war is over. According to Six, the Cylons can finally fulfill their "''true destiny''" and take care of humanity. They desire to show humanity the "''glory of peace''," mercy; like God, their mercy can only be matched by their power and complete control. So apparently, the war heroes have indeed changed the Cylons' prejudices toward humans, but unfortunately this also means that the Cylons believe that the only way to care for humanity is to control it.
**This narrative sounds more like Baltar's internal Six (superior, controlling, zealous) than Caprica-Six (more of a people person).

== Notes ==
* According to Ron Moore's podcast, although the Sci-Fi Channel was willing to air this episode as a 90-minute special, it had to be heavily edited down for international distribution; outside of the United States, viewers will only see a 1 hour version of the episode, which Moore regards as "almost incomprehensible". Many plot threads, such as the entire Cally/Tyrol subplot, were completely removed from the one hour version. This may not be the case in the UK however as Skyone (the channel that broadcasts the show in that country) previously showed the full 90 minute version of Stargate SG1 episode 'Threads' and may well do the same for this episode.
**In the UK, Sky One did indeed show the episode as a 90 minute special.
**In Latin America, as aired by TNT LA, the 90 minute special was shown as well.

*Admiral Adama watches [[Pyramid]] games and was a fan of the [[Picon Panthers]].

*In RDM's podcast for the previous episode, he said that in early drafts of this special 90 minute long episode, the writers actually tried to make it a 2 hour special, but this was soon dropped (these times are including commercials).
*The election board appears to have a definitive list of the names of all of the ships in [[The Fleet (RDM)]]. Not all of them are clearly visible, but this would seem to indicate that the writers do have an actual list that they get new ship names from.

*The framed photo of President Roslin and [[Billy Keikeya]] was still on Roslin's desk during the election.

*When Roslin "won" the rigged election results, Roslin received 24,265 votes, while Baltar recieved 22,266. This means that the elligible voters in the Fleet number at least 46,531. In the podcast, RDM explains that he quickly came up with these numbers, to try to reflect roughly how many survivors are below the voting age.

*Toward the end of the episode, President Baltar refers to a government body called the "People's Council". This may be the proportionally elected lower house mentioned by RDM in his [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/index.html#a000016 blog post] on January 30, 2005.

*[[Hera]] is seen on New Caprica in the same white cradle that Baltar had a vision of her being in "[[Scattered]]", etc. According to RDM's podcast it's actually the exact same cradle.

*Tyrol's union speech is an almost word for word quote of Mario Savio's address during the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley in 1964. According to Ron Moore and David Eick in the podcast, they even got permission from Savio's widow to use it (even though, due to the way copyright laws work from back then, they could have just used it without permission, they felt they should get it). As a result, it's even listed in the credits: "Mario Savio speech excerpted courtesy of: Lynne Hollander Savio". Actor Aaron Douglas (Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]) actually studied film of Savio, so all of the hand gestures Tyrol makes when he gives the speech are gestures that Savio actually used.

*Baltar's portrait of himself does not have the 'cut corners' as seen in almost all other papers and photos in the show. Neither do the other framed pictures in the presidential office aboard Colonial One, nor the papers seen in the classroom on New Caprica.

*[[:Image:Wtfk1tn.jpg|Visible]] on the blackboard of Roslin's school are the French verbs ''aller'', ''avoir'', and ''etre''. The Colonials appear to just speak English, so this might be a goof by the set designers trying to make it look more like a generic school.
**Not necessarily, as French has appeared in the show before. In [[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]], Six uses the French word for impetuous ardor.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''After being uncovered as a Cylon upon on arrival from Caprica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Well, this is an awkward moment…. Yes, he's right, I'm a Cylon. And I have a message. So…take me to your leader.

*''After arrest on Galactica:''
:'''Brother Cavil''': Would you mind telling me what's going on? I'm not a frakking Cylon, I'm not…(sees the other Cavil from Caprica in the cell)…oh. Well, okay then.

*''On Caprica during the fight with the Cylons:''
:'''Anders:''' You got any great ideas in that military brain of yours?
:'''Starbuck:''' Do the same thing we always do; fight 'em 'till we can't.

*''After the Cylons occupy New Caprica:''
:'''Tyrol:''' What do you want to do now, Captain?
:'''Starbuck:''' The same thing we always do. Fight them until we can't.

== Official Statements ==

From the official site (http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/):
When Baltar wins the vote, Roslin considers stealing the election because she believes he is a Cylon collaborator.

RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 28, 2006]) gives details. (''Due to article size requirements, the blog entry is not reproduced here.'')

=== Interviews ===

* '''[[Paul Campbell]] discussess his thoughts on the story post-"[[Sacrifice]]":'''

:'''MB/TSFW:''' So what do you think about the story after you left, and the trouble [[Mary McDonnell|Mary]]’s [[Laura Roslin|character]] got herself into? After your [[Tory Foster|replacement]] came in she kind of had a fall there. Do you think that would have happened if you were still there to watch her back?

: '''Paul:''' You know, I don’t know if they could have. [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] had so much integrity, that under his watch, I don’t think that would have happened. And maybe he would have had to step down, and Mary would have gone about that route with someone else. But I don’t think if he would have been in the picture, that would have gone down. Because that’s some shady crap, and I don’t think it would have cut it. We obviously butted heads on a few things like that in the past. In particular when I ended up leaving her at the ship. As it turned out, I had another pilot to go shoot. As it turned out, it was more my schedule that didn’t work out, but it worked in the writing. But no, I don’t think that would have flown had I been in the picture. So I don’t know what they would have done. I’m sure that was the story line from the beginning, but how they would have worked me into it, I don’t really know. [http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84 MediaBlvd]

== Guest Stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]]
*[[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
*[[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Cottle]]
*[[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Leoben Conoy]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
*[[imdb:nm0443286|David Kaye]] as [[James McManus]]
*[[Alisen Down]] as [[Jean Barolay]]
*[[imdb:nm0718759|Winston Rekert]] as Priest

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/220/ "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: RDM]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Anne Cofell Saunders]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Mark Verheiden]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[de:Legt eure Bürden nieder, Teil II]]

Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I

2006-09-25T14:31:14Z

Biggs33: /* Notes */

{{Episode Data
| image = Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I.jpg
| title= Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I
| season= 2
| episode= 19
| guests= [[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]] [[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]] [[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
| writer= [[Ronald D. Moore]]
| story=
| goof= Y
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production=
| rating= 1.8
| US airdate= 2006-03-03
| UK airdate= 2006-05-09
| dvd= {{Season 2.5 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population= 49,579
| prev= [[Downloaded]]
| next= [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]
| podcast= Y
}}

== Overview ==
:''As the presidential election looms just weeks away, the accidental discovery of a habitable planet sparks debate in the Fleet: Colonize? Or keep seeking Earth? Meanwhile, [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] leads a rescue mission of Raptors back to [[The_Twelve_Colonies_%28RDM%29#Caprica|Caprica]] to save [[Samuel Anders|Anders]] and his resistance''.

== Summary ==
*[[William Adama|Adama]] has finally given [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] the go-ahead to plan a rescue mission to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Caprica]]. On [[Pegasus (RDM)|''Pegasus'']], she lays out their plan: they will use ''all'' of their remaining [[Raptor|Raptors]] — 20 in all — and use the navigation computer/organ from one of the captured [[Heavy Raider]]s to calculate the Jumps back to Caprica. Using this, they can make it back to Caprica in a series of 10 Jumps. They will go undetected when they reach Caprica by making a risky jump to just a few klicks above the surface, within the atmosphere itself, below [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[DRADIS]]. Their biggest obstacle to doing this was actually interfacing with the Heavy Raider's navigation "computer", but now they will take [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|''Caprica''-Sharon]] along in Starbuck's Raptor with it; Sharon will directly interface with the computer (by inserting a fiber-optic cable into her arm, like she did in "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]").
*The presidential election is two weeks away, and [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] is ahead in the polls. The only real arguments that [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] has against her that give him any ground are when he accuses her of pandering to the religious fundamentalists (i.e. her recent policy switch on abortion) and guiding the Fleet based on the scriptures alone. Conferring with his campaign manager [[Tom Zarek]] in his lab, Baltar realizes he'll need more than this to turn the fleet againt Roslin. Meanwhile, Roslin is doing a little rehearsal ritual for the presidential debate with Adama in his quarters.
*On the hangar deck, [[Galen Tyrol|Chief Tyrol]] is sleeping on the floor and twitching convulsively, having a nightmare. [[Cally]] searches around the deck to find him, and is confused by the sight when she finds him. Cally tried to wake Tyrol up, but snapping right out of his nightmare he attacks Cally, punching her in the face until she is a bloody pulp and unconscious. Realizing where he is and what's going on, Tyrol is horrified, and carries Cally in his arms to sickbay.
*[[Lee Adama|Apollo]] has conflicting feelings about Starbuck's mission to rescue Anders, but wishes her good luck in finding him.
*[[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and ''Caprica''-Sharon travel in Starbuck's Raptor. Sharon is still deeply depressed about her daughter [[Hera]]'s apparent death, and has been shutting herself out. Helo tells her that he won't let her do that and won't give up on her. Sharon tells him that she has the feeling that something bad will happen in the future; not on the mission to Caprica, but something else.
*On the very first jump out of the series of ten, [[Margaret Edmondson|Racetrack]]'s Raptor jumps to the wrong set of coordinates. Starbuck's orders were to keep going ahead until they lose 3 Raptors, so they continue on, while Racetrack prepares to follow her orders to return to [[Galactica (RDM)|''Galactica'']] if separated. Her Raptor jumped into the middle of a gas cloud with a lot of interference, and upon clearing it, a new planet is found. Scanners indicate that it is a human-habitable planet. She returns to ''Galactica'' with news of the discovery.
*The crew goes over the scans from the planet; it can sustain human life and subsequent scouting shows that in contains animal and vegetative life; they could indeed settle here. However, it is a cold world and somewhat harsh; only a temperate band around the equator covering about 20% of the surface would be habitable. After some prodding from [[Six]], Baltar and Zarek realize that they can use this as their wedge issue to turn the people against Roslin: offer them permament settlement on this planet.
*[[Tory Foster|Tory]] goes over new poll numbers with Roslin on [[Colonial One]]: Baltar has been gaining ground with his new offer to stop running from the Cylons and stay here. The planet is hidden by interference from the gas clouds, and many people want to stop their constant run in the refugee fleet. Roslin points out that if the Colonials could find the planet, the Cylons could just as easily. Tory points out that Baltar is pandering to the people's hopes, while Roslin is pointing out the bitter truth that they simply don't want to hear; people will vote their hopes.
*Shocked by his attack on Cally, Chief Tyrol asks for religious counselling, and meets with a priest named [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]. Tyrol explains that it is because he doesn't believe that psychoanalysis works, but is himself a very [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies|religious]] man. Cavil is somewhat loose and sarcastic in his counseling, leaving Tyrol a little pertubed and confused. Cavil tells Tryol that he must look for the problem in himself and questions Tyrol, and when Tyrol denies that he has been having disturbing dreams, Cavil can see through it, so Tyrol relents.
*For weeks, Tyrol has been having the recurring dream that he walks onto the upper level of the hangar deck, climbs over the railing and commits suicide himself by jumping to his death. Cavil says it is because Tyrol has a subconscious desire to kill himself. Tyrol explains that he has had the gnawing worry since [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|''Galactica''-Sharon]] died that he might himself be a [[Cylon agent|Cylon]]. ''Galactica''-Sharon never really knew she was a Cylon, even up to the point that she died, but reported strange fears that something bad was going to happen and she had to stop herself: how would Tyrol, or anyone else, really ''know'' if they were a Cylon sleeper agent or not? Tyrol is frightened by the prospect.
*Cavil assured Tyrol that he is not a Cylon, sarcastically quipping that he knows because he is a Cylon himself, and hasn't seen Tyrol at any of the meetings. Tyrol feels ashamed to go back to the hangar deck crew after the accident, but Cavil assures him that they're the only family he has left, and they love him, especially Cally.
*At the final presidential debate, Baltar's charisma and hopes of finally giving up their run from the Cylons starts to pull him ahead in the polls, and Roslin's warnings that this planet is not safe and determination to keep searching for Earth do not gain wide support. Baltar apparently wins the final debate. Roslin tells him to go frak himself.
*The rescue mission makes the final jump to Caprica. [[Raptor 612]] is lost because it jumps right into the middle of a mountain. The remaining Raptors continue on, then Starbuck, Helo, Sharon and the marines continue on foot.
*One klick away from the resistance's base camp, they see movement, and find [[Samuel Anders|Anders]] and his whole group. Starbuck is overjoyed to see him, but Anders warns that the Cylons are right behind them; the resistance's base was ambushed that morning, and half of Anders' men are dead.
*The [[Colonial Marine Corps|marines]] and [[Caprica Resistance]] members start coming under Cylon artillery fire. After running briefly, they reach a point where the arc of the artillery shells is right above them, and cannot hit them. However, the artillery's killzone is now between them and retreat back to the Raptors. To be continued...

== Questions ==
*If Raptor 612 was destroyed by jumping into a mountain, how was their transponder still operational? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])
*Does the fleet have the resources to sustain long term settlements on the newly found planet? Even if ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'' themselves were recycled, would there be enough materials, or would the Battlestars still be necessary for orbital defence?
*Zarek says the people have been cooped up in metal boxes since the attack. How literally does he mean this—for instance, are people living inside converted cargo holds as they were in the original series? Or did he just meant being stuck inside of cramped ships in general, i.e. even the ''Galactica'' crew (who have dedicated crew quarters)?
*Laura states that Baltar does not have a key issue besides the "religious angle." What about the abortion issue from "[[The Captain's Hand]]"? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]])

== Analysis ==
*Timeline:
**According to [[Six]], on the night of the first debate the election is still "two weeks away".
**At the beginning of the first debate, [[James McManus]] states Baltar declared his bid for presidency a month ago. This took place at the end of "[[The Captain's Hand]]".
**Zarek states that the people of the fleet have been "cooped up in metal boxes for nine months", putting this episode not long after "[[Downloaded]]" around Day 270.
**At the conclusion of the second debate, the polls will open in three days.
**It appears to take the Raptors 10 days to make the trip back to Caprica. Not enough is known yet about the vagaries of Colonial FTL drives and computers to explain why it should take so long.

*[[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]] is apparently assigned to ''Pegasus'' at present, since Dualla refers to her mission as the "Pegasus survey team".
**She could have been flying a ''Pegasus'' Raptor.

*[[Lee Adama]] is now wearing a wristwatch, perhaps [[Barry Garner]]'s from "[[The Captain's Hand]]".

*It is safe to emerge from a hyperspace jump inside a planetary atmosphere at 2km, but not within solid rock. For comparative purposes, the density of air at 2km in an earth-like atmosphere is about 1 kg/m3, while the density of silica rock is about 2,600 kg/m3.

*When Tyrol's counseling with Cavil is coming to an end, Cavil notes to Tyrol that Cally "especially" loves him. Tyrol is apparently oblivious to this obvious fact up to that point.

*In this episode they refer to "the captured Heavy Raider", singular. This would imply that only the one Starbuck brought back from Caprica in "[[Home, Part I]]" was still functional at all, and the one that crashed into ''Galactica'' in "[[Scattered]]" was damaged beyond salvage or repair.

*The pro-settlement faction seems to assume that Cylon agents still hiding within the Fleet will not be able to contact the Cylon fleet to track the Colonials, in particular in view of the shielding afforded by the gas cloud near New Caprica.

*When [[Raptor 612]] jumps into the mountain, it jumps '''into''' the mountain. RDM confirms in the podcast that by "jumped into the mountain" it doesn't mean "they jumped close to it and thus crashed", it means, exactly like a Star Trek transporter accident, that they materialized from the Jump into solid rock, "half-phased".

*The "''religious''" angle that Baltar was using was based on the abortion issue. The banning of abortion by Roslin was two-folded. First, it was to try to force humanity's population to grow, and to not allow anything that would hinder that growth, such as abortion. Secondly, the religious card was used to give further support to her ban on abortion if the population decline wasn't enough to persuade others from rejecting. Baltar, noticeably attacks Roslin in the press conference in which she was using the religious reason for the ban, not in the earlier press conference when it was first just based on wanting to prevent any decline of the population.

== Notes ==
*This episode is part of the [[Season two timeline discontinuity]].
*The re-cap for this episode includes scenes not actually shown in previous episodes—for instance, Starbuck demanding to the dying Roslin circa "[[Epiphanies]]" that they go back and rescue the Caprica resistance.
*Roslin's comment to Baltar after the last presidential debate, "Why don't you go frak yourself", is likely inspired by the [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3699-2004Jun24.html incident] on June 22, 2004 in the US Senate, when Vice President [[Wikipedia:Dick Cheney|Dick Cheney]] told Senator [[Wikipedia:Patrick Leahy|Patrick Leahy]] to "go fuck yourself".
*When Baltar sarcastically quips that Zarek (and Six) expect him to just sit around and wait for "The Hand of God" to deliver them something they can use to their advantage against Roslin, he is of course referencing the previous episode titled "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]". Ironically, Baltar considers himself the hand of God in that episode. Further, a "chance serendipitous event" (namely the discovery of an inhabitable planet) does deliver them something they can use against Roslin.
*Likewise, when Apollo wishes Starbuck "good hunting", there's a tone of concern, and he seems to pause before saying it, as if Apollo meant to say something else but changed his mind. This may be a reference to "[[33]]", when Starbuck tells Apollo to say "good hunting" instead of "be careful out there".
*This episode has many parallels to "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]" and "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]": the discovery of an inhabitable planet, Gaeta plotting a Raptor jump dangerously close to a planet surface, Starbuck's use of captured Cylon technology to return to Caprica, the intercutting of several plot threads in the teaser, a character contemplating suicide out of fear of being a Cylon, and difficulties between Helo and Sharon. In addition, Tyrol's assault of Cally is something of a parallel to Helo shooting Sharon in "Kobol's Last Gleaming"—in both cases, a man driven to rage physically and emotionally wounds a woman who loves him.
*When Lt. Gaeta takes his shirt off in the washroom, his tiger tatoo from "[[Final Cut]]" can be seen.
*The combined Colonial fleet had 20 Raptors in this episode, of which 1 was destroyed before the end. Previously, ''Galactica'' was confirmed to have at least 5 left ([[The Farm]]), with the suggestion that there may be as many as 8 ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]). Doubtlessly, ''Pegasus'' brought at least an equal number of Raptors with it when it joined the Fleet, but 20 is still a high number for this. Perhaps a disproportionately large number of Raptors escaped to [[Ragnar Anchorage]] during the [[Miniseries]]. Unlike Vipers, Raptors do have FTL drives. We actually saw Boomer and Helo escaping the destruction of their Viper squadron, because Raptors do not engage in frontline combat, and because they have an extenstive ECM suite which Helo was trying to jam the Cylon virus signal with. Indeed, [[Crashdown]] was a Raptor ECO, but Boomer stated that he was not from ''Galactica'', but a refugee "from Triton" (a battlestar). Or perhaps like in real life with American Nimitz class Aircraft Carriers that carry a larger number of fighter aircraft compared to older Forrestal class carriers, the Pegasus, being a larger and more modern Battlestar than Galactica, it has the capability to carry a larger complement of Raptors.
**Also, more Raptors could have been built with extra materials after the Viper squadrons were manufactured ([[Scar]]).

*The jump error that landed the Raptor in the nebula was attributed to a "firmware error" by the crew. This may be an indication that there was firmware upgrade to deal with the increased FTL jump distances provided by the Cylon computer.
*When Cavil is consoling Tyrol's fears that he might unknowingly be a Cylon sleeper agent, just like Boomer was, Tyrol asks him how he can know for sure. Cavil sarcastically answers that it's because maybe he's a Cylon, and he hasn't seen Tyrol at any of the meetings: Number Six also sarcastically remarked to Baltar in the Miniseries that [[Aaron Doral]] could not be a Cylon, because she hadn't "seen him at any of the good Cylon parties"...but of course, Doral actually ''was'' a Cylon, implying that Cavil is truly more than he seems.
*Tory actually paraphrases the title of this episode aloud, saying that the new planet offers people in the Fleet the hope that they can "lay down their burdens" and stop running.
*During the premiere airing of this episode on the Sci-Fi Channel, before the Teaser segment a "Parental Discretion Is Advised" black and white message was inserted. At the end of the Teaser, Tyrol beats Cally to a bloody pulp.
*Lee Adama is now wearing a new uniform as Commander of ''Pegasus'': it is a Commander's uniform, denoted by the new red trim (with gold inner trim), and it has a white "''Pegasus'' BSG-62" patch, replacing his old gold "''Galactica'' BSG-75" patch.
*Dualla's photo of Adama is the left half of a group shot with Kara Thrace and his brother Zak Adama. The original belongs to Thrace, and she has kept it in her locker on ''Galactica'' since the miniseries.
*Dualla refers to "rivers of milk and honey" on the newly discovered planet. The phrase "land of milk and honey" is a common epithet for the promised land in the Torah, appearing in Exodus 3:8, 3:17, 13:5, 33:3, Leviticus 20:24, Number 13:27, 14:8, 16:13-14, and Deuteronomy 6:3.
*Commander Lee Adama is seen eating noodles with chopsticks in his quarters, just like his father in "[[33]]", etc.
*In the podcast, RDM states that originally instead of Starbuck, Helo, and Sharon leading the other Raptors in another Raptor, they would have been flying in the captured Heavy Raider itself. However, the 2 part season finale went overbudget and cuts had to be made, and the cost of building the Heavy Raider interior was deemed prohibitively expensive. Thus, they bring the Heavy Raider computer/organ with them in a normal Raptor. Moore said he believed that fans "wouldn't miss" an actual appearance by the Heavy Raider.
*Col. [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] appears in this epsiode twice but doesn't speak a single line.
*This is the first time since the [[Miniseries]] that Helo is seen fulfilling his duties as an [[ECO]].
*Apollo quips that if they find a habitable planet, he'll build the pilots a bar on it. Actor Jamie Bamber has said in interviews that part of Apollo's backstory is that he didn't know what he was going to do with his life; he's in the Colonial Fleet reserves, not a full-career commitment, etc. He said that right before the attack, Apollo was supposed to be considering leaving the service and just openning up a bar somewhere.
*Actress [[Leah Cairns]] said in an [http://podcasts.lvrocks.com/details.aspx?castid=5 interview] on June 27th, 2006 that a fan, [[User:Sabaceanbabe|Sabaceanbabe]], wrote a short fanfiction romance story (located [http://sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com/38792.html here], scroll down to part 5) on the messageboards between [[Margaret Edmondson|Racetrack]] and Helo, and she decided to work it into her character's backstory: Cairns plays her scenes as if Racetrack is attracted to Helo and jealous of Caprica-Sharon. Tahmoh Penikett is aware of this and when playing Helo recognizes this, though he is not attracted to her and loves Caprica-Sharon. In the opening scene of this episode, when Caprica-Sharon is brought into the ''Pegasus'' pilot briefing room (essentially the only time in the series so far in which Racetrack, Helo, and Caprica-Sharon were in the same scene), Cairns asked director Michael Rymer if they could film a few extra shots working in these elements she had developed for her backstory, and he agreed, so several extra shots were filmed for this scene: after Helo walks over to Caprica-Sharon, Racetrack looks jealously at them and Helo notices while Caprica-Sharon doesn't. These shots were filmed, but were removed in the editing room. They might appear in the Season 2.5 DVD extras.
*Ron Moore co-hosted the podcast commentary for this episode with his wife [[Terry Dresbach]]

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==
*''Laura Roslin is preparing for the presidential debate''
:'''Laura Roslin:''' This is what I do, I memorize the talking point, then tear the card…let the pieces fall as they may. It helps.
:'''William Adama:''' Yeah, my father used to break pencils before going into court, and then borrow one from the clerk. "Break preconceptions, work with what you have."
:'''Laura Roslin:''' You know, I like that. Let me see…:''
:''Laura breaks a pencil''
:'''Laura Roslin:''' That's good…. But what happens if the moderator doesn't have a pencil?
:'''William Adama:''' Then you're pretty screwed.

*''Brother Cavil explains to Chief Tyrol the "value" of prayer:''
:'''Brother Cavil:''' Do you know how useless prayer is? Chanting, and singing, and mucking about with old half-remembered lines of bad poetry? And you know what it gets you? Exactly nothing.
:'''Chief Tyrol:''' Are you sure you're a priest?

*''Chief Tyrol is worried that like'' Galactica''-Sharon, he could just as well be another Cylon sleeper agent:''
:'''Chief Tyrol:''' How do you know I'm human?
:'''Brother Cavil:''' Oh, well, maybe because I'm a Cylon and I've never seen you at any of the meetings.

*''Baltar and Zarek discuss campaign strategy''
:'''Gaius Baltar:''' I'm not sure if you're aware, [[Tom Zarek|Tom]], but the mob isn't usually in the habit of electing ungodly apostates who denegrate people of faith.
:'''Tom Zarek:''' Things are gonna turn around. You'll see.
:'''Gaius Baltar:''' What is that, advice? Well, thank you for your ''keen'' insight, your ''astounding'' political acumen. You know, I'm so assured right now, Tom, I'm just going to sit right back and wait for the hand of God to reach down and change my political fortunes!

== Official Statements ==

*''In an interview in issue #197 of TV Zone, James Callis (Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]) said:'' "[T]he arrival of the ''Pegasus'' has helped galvanize our characters into who they are and who they’re trying to be. These later episodes [in Season 2] also further drive home the fact that the Galactica’s crew could be exterminated by its own kind, meaning that Humans are potentially far more terrifying an enemy than perhaps the Cylons."

=== From RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 28, 2006]) ===

* '''"Why is the fleet so concerned [about] [[Government|elections]]? They are running for their lives, so I would think holding elections would be the least of their problems."'''

: I felt right from the beginning that question of who was in charge and how a democratic society would deal with this situation was one of the fundamental questions of the show. If democracy means anything, it means that people get to decide who their leaders are and what kind of life they choose to lead. And the operative word is "choose." Democracies are about choices, some made intelligently and thoughtfully, and some not so much. [[William Adama|Adama]] and the ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' were faced with an immediate question as to the role of the military in this surviving population: were they still the servants of the people, or were they the overseers? Adama's choice was to preserve the idea of their society, indeed of their entire civilization while still striving to protect them from their enemies both within and without. It was, and continues to be a difficult balancing act, but as he said in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I|Resurrection Ship]]": [[Themes in Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|it's not enough to survive, you have to [be] worthy of suriving]].

: If the military simply took choice away from the people of the fleet, if it simply decided that the senior commanders knew best and that was that, then the people out there in those ships become irrelevant. They're cargo. It's a military world and a military society and everything else is secondary. Down that road lies the cautionary tale of Admiral [[Helena Cain|Cain]] and the battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]''. One Adama and ''Galactica'' decided not to go down that road, then the entire panoply of democracy was in play -- representation by consent and elections to determine those representatives.

=== Interviews ===

* '''[[Nicki Clyne]] ([[Cally]]) talks about [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]'s maddened assault on Cally:'''
:It was difficult for people to watch. Even when we were filming it and it was difficult to do. Not only physically, but I had to make it look real. Actually, [[Aaron Douglas|Aaron (Douglas]]–Chief Tyrol) actually punched me in the face! (''she chuckled as she continued on'') And, it’s really difficult, but the funny part about it is that he and I were trying to be brave, but whenever you get knocked in the face I think the instinct is to start crying. I was laughing at the same time, trying to persuade everyone that I was fine, but there were tears streaming down my face. And, Aaron was all, ‘But it wasn’t me.’ I was like, ‘Ok, ok, I am not blaming you, I know it was an accident, but I don’t think I punched myself in the face.’ He felt terrible about it happening. It was fine. Luckily, I didn’t get a bruise and slow everything up.
:But it was difficult and I am trying to block the punches and then my own hand was going into the whole scene and realizing what he had done. It was pretty emotional. [http://scifibrain.ign.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2384&Itemid=0]

== Guest Stars ==

*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Trucco]] as [[Samuel Anders]]
*[[Dean Stockwell]] as [[Cavil|Brother Cavil]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Leah Cairns]] as Lt. [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]]
*[[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
*[[Alisen Down]] as [[Jean Barolay]]
*[[imdb:nm0492687|Colin Lawrence]] as [[Hamish McCall|Hamish "Skulls" McCall]]
*[[imdb:nm0443286|David Kaye]] as [[James McManus]]

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/219/ "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category: RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Ronald D. Moore]]

Home, Part II

2006-09-20T15:10:52Z

Biggs33: /* Analysis */

{{Episode Data
| image = Tomb_of_athena_lobby.jpg
| title=Home, Part II
| series=
| season=2
| episode=7
| guests=
| writer=[[Ronald D. Moore]] [[David Eick]]
| story=
| director=[[Jeff Woolnough]]
| production=207
| rating= 2.1
| US airdate=2005-08-26
| UK airdate=2006-02-21
| dvd= {{Season 2.0 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=47,855
| prev=[[Home, Part I]]
| next=[[Final Cut]]
}}

== Overview ==

:''Adama leads a mission to Kobol to find President Roslin and her team of tomb-hunters, reconcile with his son, and reunite the divided fleet.''

== Summary ==
* [[Laura Roslin]]'s scouting team makes its way through rain and cold towards the [[Gates of Hera]] and the [[Tomb of Athena]]. With the death of [[Elosha]], Roslin now has to interpret what information they have of the [[Sacred Scrolls]] by herself or using the help of the second copy of [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Sharon Valerii]].
* Meanwhile, on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'', Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] and others on the command staff pore over their topography data of [[Kobol]] to determine Roslin's whereabouts. Adama plans a [[Raptor]] expedition to Kobol, travelling himself to "reach out" to Roslin there and work to mend fences.
* [[Meier]] and [[Tom Zarek]] continue to seek an opportunity to eliminate [[Lee Adama]] to gain a political advantage with Roslin and the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]. Zarek warns Meier that any action against Captain Adama must not occur before the team finds the Tomb.
* [[Gaius Baltar]] begins to strongly deny the existence of his virtual [[Number Six]]. Six turns the tables by reappearing in a more casually dressed manner and claiming that Baltar is, indeed, crazy. Six claims that Baltar doesn't really have a "chip" in his head implanted by the Cylons, and that she is actually part of his own subconscious "[[frak]]king with (his) mind." She challenges him to visit [[sickbay]] for a brain scan to convince him of her "revelation."
* Adama brings along [[Galen Tyrol]] and [[Billy Keikeya]] aboard [[Racetrack]]'s Raptor to accompany him on his expedition. Adama feels Billy's presence will help his mission with Roslin. He relates that Roslin feels that Keikeya will become president himself one day.
* [[Helo]]'s Valerii is happy to be "back in the Fleet", although she herself was never physically there; she is sharing her memories of her dead [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|''Galactica'' counterpart]].
* [[Kara Thrace]] relates information on the [[Caprica Resistance]] to Roslin, but Roslin states that her current thoughts are focused only on the location of the Tomb, cutting off Thrace's [[Scar|first attempt]] to fulfill her promise to [[Samuel Anders]].
* Meier begins to solicit Sharon Valerii's help as a pawn to kill Lee Adama so as not to leave suspicion on himself or Zarek. He twists the story of the fate of her ''Galactica'' counterpart to upset her.
* A brain scan performed by Dr. [[Cottle]] confirms for the agitated Baltar that there are no ''mechanical'' devices or abnormalities in his head. Cottle writes off Baltar as another hypochondriac.
* Commander Adama's team finds Roslin's camp. The commander, his son and Thrace exchange warm hugs, and Commander Adama gives a sincere welcome to Roslin. Roslin is particularly happy to see Keikeya.
* The mood of the reunion sours when Commander Adama sees the second Valerii. Upset, he attacks her and throws her to the ground, but stops his assault when the pressures of his recovery form anxiety that causes him chest pain. Valerii says, "And you ask 'why?'" (mysteriously answering Adama's question, "Why?" said over her ''Galactica'' counterpart's dead body).
* Roslin and Commander Adama bury the hatchet in their first heart-to-heart conversation about themselves and the Fleet. When Roslin brings up the Caprican resistance and whether abandoning the Colonies was the best idea, Commander Adama cuts her off, stating that Roslin saved his life, and that of his son. If he did not take her advice, they would all be dead.
* With Commander Adama in the group, Tom Zarek tells Meier to abandon their plans on Lee Adama, but Meier secretly continues the plan, giving Sharon Valerii one of his [[Stallion|civilian sidearms]] to shoot Lee Adama while he and another Zarek team member work to shoot Commander Adama.
* Valerii relates her feelings to Helo on how the Fleet sees her and other Cylon agents: as machines, not people, with no rights. Realizing what Meier is trying to do (but not relaying the story to Helo), she tells Helo to trust her in what must be done next.
* The team finds the Tomb of Athena. Immediately, Valerii raises her gun towards Commander Adama as Meier raises his gun to Lee Adama's head. But Valerii is feinting: She shoots Meier instead while Lee Adama kills another Meier conspirator that raised his gun at him. Valerii states to Commander Adama that, unlike "[[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Boomer]]", she is aware of who and what she is, and that she makes own decisions on her destiny. She surrenders her gun to Commander Adama as her first of [[Flight of the Phoenix|many]] overtures of good faith.
* The [[Arrow of Apollo]] is not a key to the door of the Tomb; the expedition pushes the door open. Commander Adama leaves Zarek, Valerii, and Helo guarded by Tyrol outside while Roslin, the Adamas, Keikeya and Thrace enter the Tomb. Inside, they find [[Wikipedia:Sarchophagus|sarcophagi]], each bearing statues that represent the tribal symbols. One status, Sagittaron, is missing his arrow.
* When the Arrow is placed on the Sagittaron statue, a hologram of sorts activates around the team, placing them on a grassy field surrounded by stone pillars with glowing representations of the ancient tribal symbols that would later form the symbols of the Colonies. They soon deduce that they are standing on a representation of [[Earth]] in a planetarium of sorts that shows the Zodiac: the constellations form a representation what the Thirteenth Tribe would see from the vantage of Earth's sky.
* Lee Adama finds what they came for in the virtual sky above: The [[Wikipedia:Lagoon_Nebula|Lagoon Nebula]], a celestial point known to the Colonials as well, which now provides the Fleet both a destination and a direction to Earth, although Commmander Adama warns that the Nebula is very far away.
* Back on ''Galactica'', Adama completes his reunification of the Fleet and fence-mending by leading a rousing ovation for the reinstated President Roslin at an assembly in the starboard [[Hangar Deck|hangar deck]], complete with cheers from the crowd.
* Sharon Valerii is placed in the special brig designed for her counterpart. Helo visits her while Gaius Baltar watches with his virtual Number Six, who now returns in her usual form. She claims now that she is an "angel of [[God]]" with a mission to guide and protect Baltar "until the end of the human race."

== Questions ==
* How did Adama and the others return from the map of Earth?
**What exactly was the map of Earth? Were they in the same room in the Tomb of Athena, and a 3D hologram was projected around them? Could it have been "all in their heads?" If so, would it even be perceived by the Cylons if they tried to view it?
***In Ron D. Moore's blog on the official Scifi.com site, October 14, 2005 entry, Moore says that the map was "probably a holographic projection of some sort". As for what was preventing the Cylons finding the map now that the Tomb was open, Moore said that they planned to have Cylon Centurions attack again at the Tomb, destroying the hologram projector, however it was decided not to do this because it didn't flow well dramatically. (This abortive attack sequence mirrors a similar event in the search for Earth on a tomb on Kobol in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] episode, "[[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II]].")
****Presumably, the Colonials took the Arrow with them, and without it, the map won't turn on.
**Did they retrieve the Arrow of Apollo? Is the map still active? If the Cylons find the map in working order and can use it, could they use the strength of their information networks to find Earth before the Colonials do?
*Just who or what is the copy of Number Six that Dr. Baltar sees all the time? Is she truly some form of supernatural force (like Count [[Iblis]] in the Original Series)? Repeated medical scans showed no foreign objects in Baltar's mind.
**For more on this issue, see the article, "[[Cylon-Related Hallucinations]]."
*How was the virtual Six capable of moving the chair in the Cylon holding cell? The chair was seen in both positions in "objective" shots (i.e. shots not from Baltar's POV that didn't include Six.)
**This may be a simple continuity error or it might suggest that Six can selectively appear as a physical manifestation, as hinted at by the appearance of [[Shelly Godfrey]].
**Baltar could have simply hallucinated that she moved it.
*Caprica-Valerii reminded Adama that he asked her ''Galactica'' counterpart's corpse "why" in [[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]. How did she know, without also knowing that Boomer had been killed? Or, was Boomer answering Adama's question of "why" from his attack: that humans have always abused Cylons as he had just done?
**Along that line, in the previous scene with [[Karl Agathon|Helo]], Caprica-Valerii mentions how she was able to remember portions of her life (such as getting her wings), and not others (such as the assassination of [[William Adama]]). Is the communication between copies delayed or possibly selective, even in death?
***Caprica-Valerii elaborates on this more in "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]", in which she is actually referring to Adama's question of "Why are we as a species worthy of survival?" asked in the [[Miniseries]]. The connation that she is referring to Adama's emotional question of "Why?" to Boomer's corpse in this same episode could just be the result of messy editing.
***Clarification: the flashback to the scene in the morgue was removed for the DVD release. This probably confirms that the editing was an error and Sharon really meant the "Why?" in Adama's speech from the [[Miniseries]]
*How can Adama use the Messier number M8 to refer to the Lagoon Nebula? The Messier catalog was created in 1774, on Earth. Possible answers:
**Language and nomenclature in the show is allegorical: the Colonials speak English, Adama references the game of craps ("gotta roll a hard six"), many characters have Western, biblical, or mythological names.
**Parallel development between Earth and the Twelve Colonies extends past attire, vehicles, medicine and government documents to include highly specific astronomical nomenclature.
**The show is set in the distant future, and the inhabitants of Kobol are actually descendents of an Earth-based population, some of whom returned after a vaguely-alluded-to disaster.
***This is supported by otherwise difficult to explain terms such as the Battlestar ''[[Columbia]]'', which appears to be named for the 15th century Earth explorer [[Wikipedia:Christopher Columbus|Christopher Columbus]].
***The cultural influence is also supported by the setup of the map itself. Only someone who could have been on Earth originally could have properly plotted out the Zodiac constellations as seen from Earth. Unless, of course the map was created by the Lords of Kobol, whoever or whatever they were.
*What are Tom Zarek's true motivations? We see in "[[Home, Part I]]" that he had a desire to become the next "Fleet Commander", like [[William Adama]], and is willing to go along and eliminate anyone in his way, such as [[Lee Adama]]. Yet, during the foray on Kobol, he reverses his position and applauds [[Laura Roslin]] when she re-assumes the presidency.
*Caprica-Valerii's claim that the Cylons know more about Colonial religion than the Colonials raises interesting questions. The Cylons had direct access to the Arrow of Apollo and had at least a token presence on Kobol. If all of them knew where the Tomb of Athena was as Valerii claims, why didn't they use this knowledge to locate Earth themselves?
**As shown in the honey trap story arc with [[Helo]] in season 1, the Cylons are very intelligent, but intelligence does not beget wisdom in other human matters such as love. In this case, since the Cylons dismiss the Lords of Kobol although not necessarily the people and entities surrounding the religion, the Cylons may have viewed the Arrow as a reproduction, and not a genuine article.
**Perhaps the Cylons knew or deduced that the Arrow belonged with the Sagittaron Statue and it simply did not occur to them that the genuine Arrow would be anywhere but in Sagittaron or perhaps Kobol.
* If the Arrow of Apollo belongs to the Sagittaron Statue why was the arrow on Caprica? As it is likely a Sagittarion national treasure, should it not be on Sagittaron?
**There are many treasures in American museums not originating from America. Thus there is no reason why a Sagittaron treasure could not be held in a Caprican museum.

== Analysis ==
*The map to Earth is believable and satisfying: no goofy special effects or flaming letters spelling out "Go This Way," just basic astronomy. It gives the Colonials both a "compass" and "landmarks" to follow.

*The compass is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagoon_Nebula Lagoon Nebula], an actual nebula visible from both Earth and the Colonies. Assuming the Colonials' astronomical instruments are advanced enough to permit them to see the nebula from a greater distance than we can, the Lagoon Nebula gives them a general direction to head toward. They also know that Earth is within realistic traveling distance, and they know that Earth will be in a sphere centered on the Lagoon Nebula. The twelve star groupings that appeared on the Colonies' original flags are actual constellations, the twelve signs of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac Zodiac] (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces). These constellations will serve as landmarks: at the right planet, or within perhaps a few light-years of the nebula, these constellations will begin to appear as they do on the Colonials' flags, assuming that they compensate for the natural drift of stars relative to Earth over time, as constellations are not static.

*If each of the Twelve Tribes had an associated symbol that the Thirteenth Tribe identified in their constellations, did the Thirteenth Tribe have one of their own? There is a thirteenth constellation in the Zodiac, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiuchus Ophiuchus] the snake-bearer, which is not included in astrology.

:Ophiuchus may, however, be included in Greek mythology, as it is speculated that the snake-bearer represents Asclepius, the healer. The story of Asclepius is that he learned the secrets of life and death while watching one snake cure another snake he had wounded. Zeus struck Asclepius down out of fear that, under his care, the human race could become immortal.

*As the nebula and constellations in the map to Earth are recognizably ours, this would appear to indicate that the Tomb of Athena isn't a Cylon construct intended to lead the Colonials astray.

*Despite the new data, it could take the Colonials years of searching within the vicinity of the Lagoon Nebula to find Earth.

* This may be the first episode where Adama and the President call each other by their first names, and not formally: "Bill" and "Laura." By the end of this episode, it appears that Adama realizes that, while Roslin did step over the line with her redirection of Starbuck, that there was a logical need to get information on Earth in any way possible. After his near-death experience, Adama seemed more resigned that they should all meet their doom or glory together rather than separate. Roslin reinforced the fleet's hope and gave it direction and purpose. Adama's rousing formal applause generation for Roslin at the end of the episode shows that Adama has firmly buried the hatchet between himself and the President.

* Commander Adama's sense of humor is returning: first in his talk with Billy about Roslin's comments on his future of being president someday ("Don't let it go to your head: [[Richard Adar|Adar]] was a moron.") and in his glib comment on how well their luck was going so far, as their Raptor's descent subjected them to several G-forces and pressed both of them firmly, visibly and uncomfortably against the bulkheads.

* Helo is already experiencing repercussions regarding his relationship with Caprica-Boomer. First by Apollo, who voices his uneasiness about the pair to Starbuck and then later, indirectly, by Commander Adama himself who makes a point of leaving Helo outside the Tomb of Athena with Zarek, Boomer and Tyrol. Tyrol was given the order to guard them which indicates that the chief is the only one of the four left outside that Adama trusts.

== Notes ==
*Population is 47,855, a loss of three since Part I. Two of these were seen on-screen in the last episode (Elosha and a [[Laura Roslin faction]] [[Wikipedia: Redshirt (character)|Redshirt]]). The other may have happened offscreen in the same ambush.
** At episode's end, the count is now 47,853, with the death of [[Meier]] and one of [[Tom Zarek]]'s lackeys.
*The fleet has been reunited, and Commander Adama has restored Laura Roslin to the Presidency.
*The Fleet now has a general idea of the direction they need to take to find Earth.
*Helo still loves Caprica-Sharon, although he knows she's a Cylon.
*Caprica-Valerii's hybrid child is a [[Hera|girl]]. She claims to just "know" this.
*The child that Six claims she and Baltar will have ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]) is actually Caprica-Valerii's and Helo's biological daughter.
*Caprica-Valerii does not "remember" shooting Commander Adama, and she was unaware that Boomer is killed by [[Cally]] (she thought she was just in the [[brig]]). This Sharon copy thinks of herself as a "person" and not simply "a machine".
*Caprica-Valerii possesses the memories of Boomer's two years aboard ''Galactica''. She "remembers" how exhilarating it was to get her wings and how it felt to be a member of the "family" that is ''Galactica's'' crew. She considers Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] a dear friend of sorts, even though she admits she herself has never actually met him. Caprica-Valerii herself acknowledges that it's weird that she has deep-seated memories of things she fully knows she's never actually done.
*Caprica-Valerii apparently still believes that there is only "one true God" and that the Colonials "worship false idols".
*According to Starbuck's observations, the Cylons have a plan for Caprica; "they're cleaning up the bodies, moving in the heavy machinery to repair the infrastructure..."
**Ron D. Moore has stated in interviews that this is actually a major plot point (as later witnessed in "[[Downloaded]]"). Also, while the Cylon [[Farms]] (the hybrid experiments) are logically ''a'' plan for the Twelve Colonies, RDM said that it is not their ''only'' plan.
*Dr. Baltar has had a medical scan performed on his head, and it appears that there are no "foreign objects", like a metallic computer chip containing a copy of Number Six's mind, within it.
*Baltar has come to the realization that the copy of [[Number Six]] he sees cannot be just a hallucination, because she knows things his subconscious mind couldn't possibly know.
*This episode probably begins a few hours after "[[Home, Part I]]," although it could conceivably begin immediately after it.
*If the map displayed in the Tomb of Athena was from the perspective of an Earth-bound viewer, the Lagoon Nebula should have been in Sagittarius, not Scorpio.
**This could be accounted for by drift through time. The map was made millennia ago, by now the angle of view could have changed significantly.
*Since Lee and Cmdr. Adama both recognized the Lagoon Nebula, and the nebula appears the same as it does from Earth, the Colonies must be located on a line that passes through Sol and the Lagoon Nebula. This would place the Colonies - and Kobol - in the Cygnus Arm of the galaxy.
*Between Sharon's Heavy Raider that's been returned to the Fleet in this episode and the Heavy Raider from "[[Scattered]]" and "[[Valley of Darkness]]," the Fleet may have up to two captured Heavy Raiders by this point. However, the one that crashes into the starboard flight pod may have been too damaged to be salvageable.
*On Kobol, Zarek tells Meier that it's "harder" to get blood on your hands than to wash it off when referring to killing Apollo. Given the context, it's reasonable to assume that the correct line was that it is "easier" to get blood on your hands than wash it off, that Richard Hatch flubbed the line, and that the flub was not caught during filming.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==
* ''On "Earth":''
*:Cmdr. Adama: I thought we were in the Tomb of Athena.
*:Starbuck: I think that was just the lobby.

== Official Statements ==

In the podcast for this program, Moore and Eick commented on their attempt to have a more colorful turn of phrase in the dialogue on the Raptor from Chief Tyrol and Adama. Tyrol's original line, in his frustration on reading a map was, "Topography's for pussies, anyway." Likewise, Adama's comment about President Adar to Bill was originally "...Adar was a prick." Both lines were changed at the behest of the studio's standards and practices unit.

* ''From [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=2363 Hollywood North Report's interview] with [[Edward James Olmos]]:''

: '''Robert Falconer''': One watches the series with the sense that [[William Adama]] is either an Atheist, or a man who is very private about his religious beliefs, which is interesting considering he’s part of a society whose cultural iconography seems innately tied to its [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies|religion]]. Has the discovery of the [[Tomb of Athena]] changed his mind about the existence of [[Earth]], or his religious beliefs, if any?

: '''Edward James Olmos''': To answer the first part of the question, I think the beliefs Adama held were spiritual, and that he believed in the spiritual nature of humankind, but he was never a religious person, per se. He studied religions, but it wasn’t his thing, which is part of why the whole idea of Earth merely seemed like mythology or folklore to him.

: As to events altering him as an individual…a lot has changed there. The biggest change Adama went through spiritually and emotionally was his own death. And when you come back from a death experience, where you’re “clinically dead” and your body stops functioning and then all of a sudden you’re brought back, at that moment you’re gone from this understanding and reality…not just lingering there, but gone.

: Now nobody really knows what happens during those moments, but that disembodiment, where you’re just looking at everything going on as though watching a movie, is a profoundly altering experience by all accounts. And I think that experience has changed Adama the most.

: The second life-altering experience for him was the discovery of the Tomb of Athena. One moment he’s standing in the tomb, the next he’s standing “outside” on open land for reasons not fully understood at this point.

: I think those have been the most startling moments for Adama – those and discovering first-hand the new strengths and powers of the Cylons. When [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon (Boomer)]] – who I loved like a member of my own family – is lying in the morgue and I ask her, “Why?”…then later I discover the [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|other copy of Sharon]] on the surface of [[Kobol]] while I’m trying to reunite the family and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the fleet]], and she whispers in my ear, “And you ask me ‘why?’”…I realize the full implications of what we’re dealing with and I say to [[Lee Adama|Lee]] later, “They’re much stronger than we are.”

: And so all these things cause everything to change for Adama.

* ''[[Paul Campbell]] discusses antics during filming of the episode in an interview with [http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84 MediaBlvd]:''

: '''MB/TSFW:''' We had some questions come in from people that read the message board, and one of them was from [[Aaron Douglas]]. (Editor’s note: The question was actually from an earlier interview with TheSciFiWorld.net). He said that we should ask you about the names that Paul and Aaron made up for the race horses that [[Mary McDonnell|Mary [McDonnell]]] took her husband to see.

: '''Paul:''' I was thinking about that the other day. We had this ridiculous…Did he give you any names?

: '''MB/TSFW:''' No, but he said you were all laughing so hard that you ruined take after take.

: '''Paul:''' Absolutely, and once you get Mary on a roll, once you get her giggling, she will not stop. So we had a field day. We were shooting Home Pt. 2, and Mary was talking about taking her husband to the horse races and just randomly picking names. And we were talking about if you were just randomly picking names having no knowledge of the horses, what names you might choose. It would be like Lighting Steed, and Farts Dust, and choosing between the two. Or Beaten by A Nose, and A Nose for silly horse names. Three legged old man, and Guaranteed to Win. But for some reason it just struck us as incredibly silly, and we must have gone on for two or three hours, and we had hundreds of names. I think Mary laugher (sic) her way thru about 50% of those takes. <ref>http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84</ref>

* ''[[Jamie Bamber]] discusses [[Lee Adama]]'s relationship with [[William Adama|his father]] after their reunion on Kobol:''

: Well, they barely see each other for the first half of the season. That serves to emphasis (sic) the pain invovled in the divergent paths the two men seem to be on. Lee stands over his father's comatose body on two occasions and each time feels a connection to his dad despite his apparent treacherous actions. His father's recovery he only experiences as a reported event while in exile [with [[Laura Roslin]]], and he seems doomed not to be able to put things right, and he is committed to denouncing his father's actions for the sake of democracy's cause. So when at the eventual meeting of the two men not a word is said about the past, it is so much more powerful. They now need each other on such a deep, family level that no past event can damage that. They have reached a point of acceptance of each other and each other's convictions, different as they may at times be. <ref>"Inside Battlestar Galactica", Sci-Fi Magazine February 2006: [http://bsgmedia.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/0008d708.jpg 53]</ref>

== Guest stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Leah Cairns]] as Lt. [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[imdb:nm0001664|James Remar]] as [[Meier]]
*[[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Cottle]]

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

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/207/ "Home, Part II"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)|Home, Part II]]
[[Category: A to Z|Home, Part II]]
[[Category:Episodes written by David Eick]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Ronald D. Moore]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Jeff Woolnough]]

Scattered

2006-09-17T14:57:16Z

Biggs33: /* From Podcast */

{{Episode Data
| image =Tighadama.jpg
| title=Scattered
| series=
| season=2
| episode=1
| guests=
| writer=[[David Weddle]] [[Bradley Thompson]]
| story=
| director=[[Michael Rymer]]
| production=201 '''(Season 2.0 Premiere)'''
| rating= 2.6
| US airdate=2005-07-15
| UK airdate=2006-01-10
| dvd= {{Season 2.0 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 2 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=47,875
| prev=[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]
| next=[[Valley of Darkness]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Chaos is rampant as paramedics try to save [[William Adama|Commander Adama]]'s life after he is shot, and ''[[Galactica]]'' is accidentally separated from the Fleet.''

: '''Note''': This is part one of a two-part episode. See the episode, "[[Valley of Darkness]]," for the conclusion.

== Summary ==

===On ''Galactica''===

*Moments after [[William Adama|Adama]] is shot, a [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] ambushes the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]], prompting [[Executive officer|XO]] [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] to execute an [[Emergency jump coordinates|emergency jump procedure]] for the Fleet to rendezvous at another point. After ''[[Galactica]]'' jumps, it finds itself stranded from the rest of the Fleet, in the middle of nowhere.
*After being shot by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], Commander Adama is rushed to the ship's infirmary. As Dr. [[Cottle]] is not aboard, a team of [[Layne Ishay|medics]] work to stabilize Adama's condition.
*Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]] devises a plan to find the co-ordinates of the Fleet: he networks the [[FTL]] computer to the Navigation, Damage Control, and Fire Control [[computers]] aboard ''Galactica'', so it will only take 10 minutes (instead of 12 hours) to compute the Fleet's location. However, not only will this involve jumping back to their last position, where they were ambushed by the Cylons, but networking the computers will make ''Galactica'' susceptible to Cylon computer infiltration.
[[Image:201 02.jpg|thumb|Tigh brutalizes Valerii during her interrogation.]]
*[[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] visits the incarcerated Valerii, who insists she knows nothing about what's going on. She asks about Adama's condition.
*[[Lee Adama]] agrees to a parole with [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]], the conditions of which mean that Adama is allowed to perform his duties as [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] pilot and [[CAG]] but must report to the brig after duty shift is complete. The parole begins immediately, as Captain Adama is required to lead ''Galactica'''s [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] and hold off the Cylons.
*Once ''Galactica'' jumps back to its last position, the [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s manage to hold off the oncoming waves of [[Raider]]s. A [[Heavy Raider]] makes its way towards ''Galactica''. Apollo shoots it down but the Heavy Raider crashes into the starboard [[flight pod]], depressurizing it and the contents of the stillborn [[Galactica Museum|museum]].
*The Cylons attempt to crack ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s computers as Gaeta manages to calculate the Fleet's location. While the Cylons fail to gain control over ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s systems, they [[Valley of Darkness|manage to infect them]] moments before Gaeta breaks the network. ''Galactica'' jumps to return to the Fleet.
*The medics successfully stabilize [[William Adama|Adama]]'s condition, but he remains in serious condition.
*The crashed Heavy Raider seems completely destroyed as it lay on ''[[Galactica]]'s'' starboard flight deck, but multiple sets of red sensors soon light up from inside, and a group of [[Cylon Centurion]]s make their way out of the craft.

===On Caprica===

* In the [[Delphi Museum]], [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Kara Thrace]] meet after she recovers the [[Arrow of Apollo]]. Thrace attempts to shoot the [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii]].

* Helo stops Thrace and tells her that Valerii is pregnant. Thrace refuses to accept it.
* After Thrace's attempt to shoot Valerii, she escapes from the Delphi Museum's grounds in Thrace's captured Cylon Raider. (Exclaims Starbuck: "Bitch took my ride.")

===On Kobol===

*On Kobol, the survivors of the Raptor crash escape into the forest to avoid the Cylons.
*With [[Socinus]] dying, Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]], [[Cally]], and [[Tarn]] return to the crash site to retrieve a medkit. On their way back, the trio are ambushed by Cylons, and only Tyrol and Cally manage to escape.

== Questions ==

* Does Tigh recall that [[Gaius Baltar]] first tested his [[Cylon detector]] on Valerii? Or did he know in the first place? ([[Resistance (episode)|Answer]])
* Regarding the firewall status display: What is not to say that the Cylons programmed the display, or more accurately the GUI interface for it, to show a false reading on their intrusion progress? (see [[#Analysis|Analysis]] for related topic)
* Just how many aboard ''Galactica'' agree with Adama's decision to jail Roslin? ([[Home, Part I|Answer]])
* What is the significance of the number "3"? It is prominently shown on a door that a younger William Adama enters (in Colonel Tigh's flashbacks); when Lieutenant Gaeta arranges 3 bars of soap beside each other after washing his hands in the bathroom, and is also shown during the sequence with the firewall (that Lieutenant Gaeta devises to slow down the infiltration of the ''Galactica's'' network by Cylon forces), that has 4 levels of encryption, with 3 sub-encryption codes for each barrier.
* Is LSO Captain Kelly normally third in the chain of command on ''Galactica'', or would a CAG outrank him if on board the ship?
**As Captain Kelly is the highest-ranking Captain that is not assigned pilot duty, the chain of command would point to Kelly as next in line, but Captain Adama, as CAG, would likely follow Kelly next in the chain of command were not for his arrest.

== Analysis ==
[[Image:Firewallbreech.jpg|right|thumb|Gaeta's firewall under attack, but not (yet) breached.]]
*'''Visual evidence of the data security breach''': As Gaeta leans away from the status display to the floor to yank out the cable networking the computers (while he's not looking), the display does show that the last firewall is breached (probably why the Cylons were able to infiltrate a few but not all of ''Galactica's'' computers).
[[Image:Virus Scattered.JPG|thumb|The virus breaches Gaeta's last firewall on the display in the upper-left corner.]]

*'''Kelly as third-in-command''': In this episode, we discover that [[Aaron Kelly|Captain Aaron Kelly]] is third-in-command, but we haven't really seen that much of him since the [[Miniseries]] (although we see him doing his job as [[Landing Signal Officer]] in "[[Final Cut]]"), which makes this seem contrived. However, in the [[Miniseries]], Kelly gives Tyrol an order to aid the stricken port flight pod rescue after Tigh hesitates to give an order (himself following Adama's command to tend to the matter). Giving such an order with the second-in-command standing there is something only a third-in-command would have the guts or authorization to do. Tigh did countermand him moments later to order the venting of the pod, but did not suggest he was out-of-line for stepping in. This strongly suggests that Kelly already was third-in-command, either at the time of decommissioning or as a direct result of casualties taken in the attack. Additionally, "Final Cut" seemed to establish that as [[Landing Signal Officer|LSO]], he just spends most or all of his duty time in the flight pod, and thus wouldn't normally be seen in CIC. Given that a battlestar's initial defense involves the reliability of Viper launches, Kelly's rank and duties could be considered just as important as the command staff needed to initiate the launch orders.
**From [[Ron Moore]]'s blog on [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/ July 27th, 2006]:
::"The appearance/disappearance of Captain Kelly has more to do with the budgeting process on the show than any creative issue. We only have so much money to spend each week and it's not worth it to pay to bring in Kelly (or any other recognizable guest-star for that matter) unless he's integral to the plot. So, we ask you to take the leap with us and assume that characters like Kelly and Kat and Hotdog and so on, are still aboard ship and doing their jobs even when they're not featured on camera, and therefore are ready to step into action the moment we actually need them for a story."

*'''Time placement relative to "[[Valley of Darkness]]"''': Considering that Colonel Tigh is still sitting at Commander Adama's bedside as [[Valley of Darkness]] opens, and that the Vipers deployed in this episode have just arrived in the flight deck, and the pilots are getting out of their aircraft, it is plausible to assume that [[Valley of Darkness]] takes place either directly after the events of this episode, or at the most, a couple of hours.

*'''Starboard flight pod''': The starboard flight pod is significantly damaged in this episode. However, as RDM reminded us in audio commentary (podcast) for this episode, this landing pod - originally set up as a museum - is not in active use.

*'''The networked-computer vunerability''': Computers simply being networked is not a sufficient condition to allow foreign interference - why would any of the systems [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] linked be connected to [[wireless]] channels? Was the infiltration that he detected most likely originating from within ''[[Galactica]]''?

:As with any other Colonial ship, ''Galactica'' receives data all the time from exterior sources. In addition to its mainframe computer, ''Galactica'' primary computers include the FTL, Navigation, Damage Control, and Fire Control systems. The mainframe ostensibly handles wireless communications (Note [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Caprica-Valerii]]'s request for access to the mainframe with its communications channels in "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]"). The mainframe probably ''did'' come under attack by the Cylon virus but was able to avoid infection because a Colonial mainframe may have been what the Colonials believed would be the central lynchpin in stopping any Cylon computer cracking.

:While the Colonial Fleet became lax in their computer defenses years after the [[Cylon War]], they probably believed that a networked computer system would be acceptable provided that their battlestar's mainframe computer or a robust avionics package and programming would be able to block or stop any electronic incursion. That fact might have been true--where it not for the [[Command Navigation Program]], which gave the Cylons a backdoor to any Colonial flight computer system. Instead of ramming the main door (mainframe) down, the Cylons used the "window", entering through a lesser computer (or opening a hole in their network) to achieve the same effect. The CNP helped to bypass the defenses of the mainframe, where normal communications were probably screened and electronic attacks thwarted, to enter through another system.

:''Galactica's'' computers may have never been networked in her history before this episode. Her computers may also not be as robust as her sister battlestars. But her computers were designed to be networked or run separately since Gaeta was able to set up a network at all. It was very likely that the mainframe was part of Gaeta's ad hoc network since the other computers would not be able to gather any data from the mainframe's wireless communications. Once the connections were made, the other computers (all of which probably had less resistance or defenses to Cylon viruses) were likely more susceptible to infection than the mainframe as these computers could now "hear" the same things that the mainframe heard normally in its business (such as Cylon electronic attack sequences), but was far more able to thwart. The lesser computers became infected quickly. After a time, even the mainframe in whole or in part would be infected since the Cylon virus is remarkably adaptable and polymorphic, even turning later into a [[Logic bomb]] after learning and probing ''Galactica's'' hardware (in "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]").

== Notes ==

*The second season introduced the practice of showing the current fleet population in the opening credits. Throughout this episode, that population is 47,875. That represents 12 total casualties since "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II".
* [[Socinus]]'s lungs are filling with fluid.
* Captain Kelly is third in the chain of command, after Tigh. This was demonstrated in the [[Miniseries]], as Kelly attempted to give orders on trying to stop the fires after the nuclear strike on the battlestar, while Tigh hesitated in giving the order to vent the affected compartments.
** '''Note:''' It is possible that Kelly is only third in command because of the malefactions of Apollo, and that, typically as fourth it is not a surprise that we have not seen him before. The sudden incapacity of two superiors has bumped him up the ladder. It is also worth noting that Doc Cottle holds the rank of Major, as stated in "[[Bastille Day]]", which would make him third in command, were it not for his absence from Galactica when Adama was shot.
** '''Note:''' Another possibility is that Dr. (Major) Cottle might not even be in ''Galactica's'' chain of command at all (he is a medical officer, not a combat officer); in the United States military there are times when a lower ranking person will be in "Operational Command" of people who are technically higher in rank. For example, the United States Navy makes a distinction between Line Officers and Staff Officers. Line officers are those officers in general military specialties, and are eligible to command ships and other units. Staff Officers, however, are only permitted to command units within their specialty. Aboard ships, the senior Line Officer is in command, no matter the rank of any embarked Staff Officer.
* Adama and Tigh served on a merchant freighter together after leaving the military; Adama was responsible for bringing Tigh back into the military when he reentered.
* According to Ron Moore's podcast, the flashback scene at the end of the episode in which Tigh is a drunken wreck in a run-down hotel room about to kill himself, but at the last minute Military Police knock on the door and reinstate him into the military, is an homage to a similar scene involving Martin Sheen's character at the beginning of the film "[[Wikipedia:Apocalypse_Now|Apocalypse Now]]".
* This episode marks the first (known) attempt at networking ''Galactica'''s computer systems, at least under William Adama's command.
* Tigh's distrust of Baltar seems evident in this episode, particularly in the reply he made to [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] regarding the trust he had in the Lieutenant's programming abilities over Baltar's.
* Tigh's wife has taken residence in Tigh's quarters.
* Starbuck seems to incorrectly assume that there is a "real" Sharon Valerii and that the Valerii on Caprica is just a copy of her.
* This episode introduces the first combat depiction of the Cylon [[Heavy Raider]], previously seen during [[Colonial Day]].
* This episode showed the first change in the intro sequence, including subtitles, a lack of the "episode clip" sequence, and the use of the theme music previously used only in the UK showings of the first season.
*Kerry Norton (Paramedic [[Layne Ishay]]) is the wife of Jamie Bamber (Lee "Apollo" Adama)

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''In ''Galactica's'' sickbay:''
*:Colonel Tigh: (to Commander Adama) You never should have brought me back into the service. If you had just let me be, I'd have died back there on Caprica along with everyone else, and been happier for it. I don't want a command. I never did. Don't you dare die on me now.

* ''During a flashback sequence:''
*:Saul Tigh: So, how'd you do it? How'd you get off this [[frak]]king freighter?
*:William Adama: Connections. [[Anne Adama|Anne's]] father has a friend in the Defense Committee.
*:Saul Tigh: So the new wife comes through. I wish I had in-laws with pull.
*:William Adama: Give me a couple years. I'll have some pull. You watch me. I'll have my own battlestar someday.

* ''In ''Galactica's'' brig:''
*:President Laura Roslin: (to Tigh) Colonel, once we find the fleet, I'd like to have a word with you.
*:Colonel Tigh: There's nothing to talk about. You went up against [[William Adama | the old man]] and you lost.

* ''Tigh's pep talk to the [[CIC]] crew:''
*: '''Tigh''': This is his command. His orders are still the word of the Gods on board this ship. Just so we're clear. This will be Adama's command until the day he dies. And we are not going to let him die. So say we all.

* ''On Caprica Valerii being "right":''
*: '''Starbuck''': She's right, huh? Sharon the Cylon is right. Let's all just listen to Sharon the Cylon. Do whatever she says. Because that's a good idea.
*: '''Helo''': Hey, Kara, she helped me get this far.
*: '''Starbuck''': OK. I get it. I get it, Helo. You and I go way back, so I get it. All right? I remember how you felt about her, but she is not the real Sharon. That is some cheap, knock-off copy.

* ''After Starbuck shoots at Caprica Valerii:''
*: '''Helo''': I'm not going to let you kill her. She's carrying my child.
*: '''Starbuck''': My Gods, men are so painfully stupid sometimes! How do you know that?
*: '''Helo''': I know, all right? She's not lying.
*: '''Starbuck''': They lie about ''everything'', Helo. Their entire existence is a ''lie''. They're not human, Helo, they're machines. You can't have a baby with a ''machine''.
*: '''Helo''': I don't know what to tell you, OK? But I believe her. It's hard to describe, we've been together for a long time. I mean, I know what she is, but she's not like the others! Look at me, she is not.

* ''Lee Adama gives his word to Tigh regarding his parole:''
*: '''Adama''': All right, you have my parole. When I'm on duty, I will make no attempt to free her or sow insurrection among the crew. When I'm not on duty, I'll report back to this cell.
*: '''Tigh''': (matter-of-factly) Pre-flight brief is underway in the ready room.
*: '''Adama''': Right.

* ''Starbuck, upon the realization that Caprica Valerii has just stolen her Cylon Raider:''
*: '''Starbuck''': Bitch took my ride...

== Official Statements ==



* "We shot a scene where I’m in the brig, and [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] is trying to get in my face, and I’m all, 'Just shoot me now, you pussy.' It was great." -- [[Grace Park]], <ref>http://scifi.about.com/od/bgsonscifi/a/parkinter2_2.htm</ref>

* We've almost completed shooting the opening of Season Two, with [[Michael Rymer]] back at the helm filming a two-parter written by [[David Weddle]] & [[Bradley Thompson]] called 'Scattered' and '[[Valley of Darkness]].' Things have been going well so far, with a good mood on the set and a feeling of satisfaction and pride running through the whole team at their accomplishments in year one and anticipation for year two." -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

=== From [[Podcast]] ===

* ''Regarding the bar room scenes (i.e. how [[Saul Tigh]] and [[William Adama]] met) that were filmed, but weren't fully utilized:''
*: "We were going to open this show, with just that scene, to show how the two men met. And then come into this scene we're watching now, where Tigh takes command of ''Galactica'', and Adama's been shot, and there's all this chaos. And the episode was going to continue to sort of flashback onto their relationship. On the early days of Tigh and Adama. [...] And we shot those sequences. And edited it together, and we looked at them, but ultimately we didn't like them. We just didn't feel -- they weren't quite the show. [...] You can't really put your finger on any particular person, except maybe me, because it is my concept. [...] I don't know if I created, or had the writers of this episode, [[Bradley Thompson]] and [[David Weddle]], I don't know if I really gave them a rich enough environment to tell that backstory. "
* ''On splitting the original "Scattered" into "Scattered" and "[[Valley of Darkness]]".''
*: "We've always struggled with the length of our scripts, the length of our episodes. If you look at it, there's only 40 minutes and change of actual program content. And our scripts tend to run, in the early drafts, in the 50s or low 50s. [...] 60 page scripts are not unheard of. An ideal page script for us, going into shooting, is usually around 46-47 pages. Sometimes we make that, sometimes we don't. [...] And I think we did on 'Scattered', I think in the final draft it was around 47-48 pages. The shows are still too huge. They're still too long. The style of storytelling -- I might have talked about this before -- just requires spending more time on character, creating moments, really, sort of, taking your time as you go through the show. [...] So we essentially divided it into two and created another action storyline for part two."

=== Interviews===

* ''[[Jamie Bamber]] talks about the challenge of filming the episode's opening act:''

: So far this season I've been given great stuff to do, and [[Lee Adama|as my character]] I've been very careful not to apologize for the decision he made in ''[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|Kobol's Last Gleaming]]''. It's the one thing that Lee can claim as his own act and he's not about to second guess himself. [[Michael Rymer]] [who directed ''Kobol's Last Gleaming'' and ''Scattered''] and I got together early on and decided that would be the case. We could have taken Lee down either path. He could have felt massive guilt in the way in which his father is gunned down seconds after betraying him, and then not having the chance to put that right. It would have been easy to go back and question what he did, but I think the character is far more interesting and stronger for not doing that. Lee is standing on his own two feet and moving forward, which he has to do. <ref name="starburst_71_19-20">Steven Eramo, "Jamie Bamber: A Man for all Seasons". Starburst, Special 71: [http://bsgmedia.org/gallery/albums/StarburstScans/BSGscan11.jpg 19]-[http://bsgmedia.org/gallery/albums/StarburstScans/BSGscan12.jpg 20]</ref>

* ''In issue #348 of ''Starlog'' magazine, p.33, Nicki Clyne (Cally) said:''

:"Cally is supposed to provde the Chief firecover by shooting at the Cylons. I focused on doing it right, because the weapons experts showed me how to aim and fire the guns, but the director said "No, you're shooting those weapons ''too'' well. Remember, Cally hasn't fired a weapon since basic training!" But I figured, "Hey, if ''I'' can learn to shoot a gun that quickly, then Cally certainly can". That was my defense!"

== Guest stars ==
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Leah Cairns]] as Lt. [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]]
*[[Luciana Carro]] as Lt. [[Louanne Katraine|Louanne "Kat" Katraine]]
*[[imdb:nm1406239|Warren Christie]] as [[Tarn]]
*[[Bodie Olmos]] as Lt. [[Brendan Constanza|Brendan "Hot Dog" Constanza]]
*[[Ty Olsson]] as Captain [[Aaron Kelly]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] as [[Socinus]]
*[[imdb:nm0851898|Michael Tayles]] as [[Flyboy]]
*[[Kate Vernon]] as [[Ellen Tigh]]
*[[imdb:nm1756208|Chris Shields]] as Corporal [[Venner]]
*[[imdb:nm0356501|Jennifer Halley]] as "[[Seelix]]"
*[[Kerry Norton]] as Paramedic [[Layne Ishay]]
*[[imdb:nm0262957|Kurt Evans]] as Paramedic [[Howard Kim]]
*[[imdb:nm0871706|Nicholas Treeshin]] as Sergeant [[Watkins]]
*[[imdb:nm0006820|Aleks Paunovic]] as Sergeant [[Fischer]]

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season02/201/ "Scattered"] at scifi.com

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

{{episode list (RDM season 2)}}

[[Category:A to Z]] [[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]] [[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Bradley Thompson]]
[[Category:Episodes written by David Weddle]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[es:Dispersos]]

You Can't Go Home Again

2006-09-15T14:56:00Z

Biggs33: /* Analysis */

{{Episode Data
| image =Starbuck_cant_come_home.jpg
| title=You Can't Go Home Again
| series=
| season=1
| episode=5
| guests=
| writer=[[Carla Robinson]]
| story=
| director=[[Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]]
| production=105
| rating= 2.5
| US airdate=2005-02-04
| UK airdate=2004-11-15
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev=[[Act of Contrition]]
| next=[[Litmus]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of "[[Act of Contrition]]", Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] and Captain [[Lee Adama]] risk the security of [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] as they try to locate a downed Starbuck...''

== Summary ==

* [[Kara Thrace]] is missing following a dogfight with [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raiders]] ([[Act of Contrition]]). While he was forced out of the fight, [[Brendan Constanza|Hot Dog]] is convinced her [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] was not destroyed.
* [[William Adama|Adama]] immediately orders a search started, and [[Lee Adama]] leads it in a Viper.
* On the surface of a small moon, Starbuck awakes to find herself being dragged by a strong wind catching her parachute. Before she can cut herself free of the parachute lines, which have tangled about her legs, she is dragged a considerable distance, smashing her knee in the process.
* When the initial space search fails to locate Starbuck’s Viper, [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] suggests she may be on the moon. Adama orders a low-level search of the moon’s surface. At the same time he accepts an offer from [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] to have the ships of the Fleet continue the space search. Lt. Gaeta calculates that Starbuck has around 46 hours of air left in her oxygen tanks.
* [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] is worried that if they remain in the area too much longer, the Cylons might find them.
* Aware she is probably being searched for, Starbuck determines to try and make her way to high ground, where she stands a better chance of being seen. Along the way, she asks the [[Lords of Kobol]] for help, and comes across a downed [[Cylon Raider]] from the confrontation leading to her crash.
* As the search of the moon continues, the dust-laden atmosphere begins to have its effect on the ''[[Galactica|Galactica’s]]'' Vipers: 13 are grounded due to mechanical problems. The constantly flying is causing other problems: ''Galactica’s'' fuel reserves for her fighters are being used at an alarming rate.
* Tigh also points out that the Fleet is now spread right across the star system, leaving it vulnerable to attack should the Cylons show up.
* On the moon, Starbuck is determined to make the Raider space-worthy, and sets about accessing it – only to find it is bio-mechanical: inside the vehicle is a mass of organs, veins and tubes.
* As time passes, Adama and Lee further risks the Fleet by pulling in the [[Combat Air Patrol|CAP]] Vipers to assist with the search.
* When the timer in the [[CIC]] indicates Starbuck’s air has (presumably) expired, Adama continues the search, relieving Tigh of his duties when he challenges the order.
* With her air supply all but gone, Starbuck manages to find an oxygen supply hose in the Raider and seals the insides of the vehicle so she can breathe. She then sets out trying to work out how the Raider flies.
* As Lee and Adama continue to monitor the search of the moon, Roslin arrives on ''Galactica''. Determined to put a stop to things, she challenges both Adama and Lee concerning their single-mindedness and the way it is putting the survival of the fleet and mankind at risk.
* Realising they have perhaps gone too far, Adama calls off the search and orders the Fleet readied to [[FTL|Jump]].
* With the Fleet successfully away, ''Galactica'' is about to Jump herself when a Cylon Raider appears. Vipers are prepped for launch, however a malfunction with ''Galactica'''s launch tubes allows only Capt. Adama's Viper to launch.
* Making contact with the Raider, Lee discovers the truth – Starbuck is piloting the Raider; she used tape to write her name on the bottom of the Raider and flew formation with Lee's Viper. He escorts her back to ''Galactica'', where she lands and is taken to [[sickbay]].
* Visiting her in sickbay later, Adama congratulates her on her performance – an indirect way of letting her know she is forgiven for Zak.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Valerii]] are still hiding in the “fallout shelter”, but Helo determines they must move on.
* [[Cylon Centurion]]s arrive, apparently conducting a search. A fight ensues.
* Helo is knocked unconscious, and when he comes-to, Valerii is gone.

== Questions ==

*With almost 50% of fuel reserves gone, can ''Galactica'' obtain additional supplies to keep her Vipers flying? ([[The Hand of God|Answer]])
*What use will be made of the captured Raider? ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I|Answer]])
*How many more Cylon spacecraft include biological elements in their design? ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|Answer]])
*Will Helo now go in search of the “missing” Valerii? ([[Litmus|Answer]])
*Will he question why the Cylon Centurion left him unconscious in the restaurant, rather than taking him prisoner? (Helo learns the truth by "[[Colonial Day]]")

== Analysis ==
*On Caprica, the Cylons have apparently stepped up their manipulations of Helo a notch: and they appear determine to test / increase his feelings for Valerii. "Love", and possibly "procreation" seems to be at the heart of their manipulations. The evidence for this comes from the last few episodes:
**[[33]]: Helo scans the airwaves, failing to find any other signals. Caprica-Sharon makes a comment about them being the only two people left on the planet, and the way she says it makes it hard to keep the words “Adam and Eve” from popping into one’s head – especially with all the other religious motifs that have surrounded our insight into Cylon aims (even if they are from "Six’s" perspective)
**[[Act of Contrition]]: As a result of the (clearly-planted) "radio broadcast", they come across a fully-equipped radiation shelter, which does not appear to have been used, and which is more than cozily set-up for a long duration stay for two people.
**This episode: When Helo suggests they pack up and leave the shelter, Sharon’s look is, for a moment, distinctly odd, and she challenges him with, "Unless you can think of a reason to stay here", which comes close to being sultry in its undertone. Helo takes this to mean remaining in the fallout shelter, which he refers to as "home". But they are in many ways already "home": on Caprica, and Valerii’s comment seems tilted in this regard – seeking if he has identified a reason to stay on Caprica (i.e. her). Disappointment is almost evident when he states they should move on
**This episode: No sooner is the decision made to move on than Cylon Centurions turn up. In the ensuing firefight the surviving Centurion only makes a half-hearted attempt to kill Helo, and does not confirm the kill, but simply shoots up the kitchen he's hiding in.
**This episode: When Helo comes-to, Caprica-Sharon is gone, and he’s no longer thinking about leaving the planet – he’s only concerned with what has happened to Sharon.
*That the attraction is there seems obvious, as evidenced by his embarrassment following Caprica-Sharon’s "spontaneous" hug when they first hear the radio broadcast ("33"). It is fair to say that Sharon’s disappearance is the first attempt to ratchet-up Helo’s feelings for her.
*During the fight in the restaurant, the Cylon Centurion clearly made only a token attempt at killing Helo – although it was a pretty good effort in shooting up the kitchen as a whole. It seems a little odd that Helo doesn't wonder why it didn't make sure it killed him. However, he was more concerned with finding Caprica-Sharon, and Helo has simply been given no outside reason to suspect that the Cylons want to keep him alive and that he is in an "experiment" of theirs. It must be remembered that viewers have a vantage point on the events of the series that Helo currently does not. However, as Season 1 progresses Helo ''does'' start to gradually suspect that something is amiss.
*This episode seems to suggest a subtile demarcation between Baltar's hallucinatory Number Six and the other Cylons. Previously, she has referred to them as "we" – implying she is still a part of them. Here she refers to the Cylons very much in the third person: "they". Is this indicative of a possible shift in her loyalties, that the Cylons truly are totally unaware of her presence, or is she simply manipulating Baltar?
*Are all Cylons bio-mechanical? Probably not, as Helo puts a shot straight through the head of a Cylon Centurion. Were there any organic matter to be contained therein, one would expect blood and/or gore to exit the wound. This does not appear to be the case.
*Did the Cylons develop bio-mechanical capabilities first in a basic form with the Raiders, before going on to develop the humanoid constructs?

== Notes ==
*[[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] are bio-mechanical in nature, and their biomass uses a breathable, oxygen-rich mix suitable for humans.
*[[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] are atmospheric-capable - indeed, it appears they may have been regularly used in the atmospheres of Colonial worlds, given they are equipped with a parachute
*Vipers can be refueled in space (and presumably in relatively calm atmospheres).
* Starbuck's damaged [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] disintegrates around her upon re-entry, compelling her to eject. The [[Cylon Raider]] that she disables and forces down on the moon is, when she finds it, notably spaceworthy.
*Colonial [[flight suit]]s are capable of full life support, both planet-side (Starbuck) and in space ([[Brendan Constanza|Hot Dog]]). In the case of Vipers, the back section of the pilot’s seat appears in effect to be a life-support backpack that detaches from the rest of the seat following ejection.
*[[Raptor]] cabins can apparently be depressurized and repressurized (Hot Dog’s rescue), adding to their versatility.
*Non-oxygen atmospheres play havoc with Viper and Raptor engine systems, suggesting they are designed to operate in an O2-rich atmosphere.
*[[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] has the same image that the pilots touch when leaving the Ready Room.
*Colonials play billiard pool.
* A scene where [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] shaking off [[Lee Adama|Apollo]] in the [[Cylon Raider]] is remarkably similar to how [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] and [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] of the Original Series were waggling to not get shot down in a Cylon Raider in the episode [[The Hand of God (TOS)|The Hand of God]].
*Baltar is requisitioning something that requires the President’s authorization – the use of one of the ''[[Galactica|Galactica’s]]'' nuclear warheads for his research.
*[[William Adama]] is not above letting personal feelings rise above professional requirements.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

''Kara to the crashed Cylon Raider:''

Kara: Are you... alive?

''Kara upon entering the crashed Cylon Raider:''

Kara: You bite me, I'll bite you back

== Official Statements ==



== Guest stars ==
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lt. [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] Specialist [[Socinus]]
*[[Bodie Olmos]] as [[Brendan Constanza|Brendan "Hot Dog" Constanza]]
*[[Donnelly Rhodes]] as Dr. [[Cottle]]

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/105/ "You Can't Go Home Again"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Carla Robinson]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]]

[[es:No Puedes Regresar a Casa]]

Bastille Day

2006-09-15T14:49:41Z

Biggs33: /* Official Statements */

{{Episode Data
| image =bsg-1-03.jpg
| title=Bastille Day
| series=
| season=1
| episode=3
| guests=[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
| writer=[[Toni Graphia]]
| story=
| director=[[Alan Kroeker]]
| production=103
| rating= 2.3
| US airdate= 2005-01-21
| UK airdate= 2004-11-01
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev=[[Water]]
| next=[[Act of Contrition]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of "[[Water]]", [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] face a chronic water shortage. Their only recourse: persuade 1,500 prisoners on the transport vessel ''[[Astral Queen]]'' to help them mine ice from a nearby moon. ''

== Summary ==
* ''[[Galactica]]'s'' fleet-critical water supplies have been sabotaged ([[Water]]).
* A source of water has been located on a nearby moon - but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined, which will require a crew of around 1,000.
* As that number cannot be spared from ''Galactica's'' crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer, it is determined to try and enlist the help of the prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]''.
* [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] won’t have the prisoners forced into the work, so [[Lee Adama]] suggests the prisoners who volunteer could be awarded points to go towards their freedom.
* This idea does not go down well with Commander [[William Adama|Adama]], who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President ([[Water]]).
* However, Roslin decides to send a delegation lead by Lee Adama to the ''Astral Queen'' to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, [[Billy Keikeya]] is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.
* As a further snub to his son, Adama insists military personnel also go – one to assist in the screening, who will report directly to him – and one to ensure the selected prisoners can handle the equipment that will be used to extract the ice.
* [[Anastasia Dualla]] is "volunteered" by Billy for the first role, [[Cally]] is eventually selected for the second.
* Arriving on the ''Astral Queen'', Lee puts the situation to the prisoners, and outlines the deal: help us and earn points towards your freedom.
* No-one volunteers. Instead, the nominated leader of the prisoners politely refuses the offer. Billy Keikeya recognizes him as [[Tom Zarek]], a political agitator from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]].
* While Dualla and Billy argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist – Billy almost idolizing him, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help the fleet.
* On ''Galactica'', Adama meets with [[Gaius Baltar]], who is still equivocating over his [[Cylon detector]]. When Adama pushes Baltar into a corner, the doctor tries to admit he can’t actually build the detector.
* This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar’s virtual [[Number Six|Six]], which terrifies him into submission. She then instructs him on what to ask for in order to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.
* When Six only reveals a part of how this can be used to make the detector, Baltar is forced to think things through himself, and realizes it will actually work. Adama agrees to let Baltar have a warhead.
* On the ''Astral Queen'', a planned break-out takes place, and ''Galactica’s'' delegation is taken hostage.
* With the ship in his control, Zarek demands the immediate resignation of Roslin and her government on the grounds that, having never been elected, they do not represent the people.
* As Zarek uses Lee to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Adama, an assault mission, led by [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], is put together using ''Galactica’s'' [[Raptor]]s and [[Marines|Marine]] contingent. As a crack sharpshooter, Starbuck is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets the chance.
* Adama then tries to negotiate with Zarek himself, but is rebuffed. Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants Adama to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard the ''Queen'' will bring down Roslin’s government.
* The Marines and Starbuck arrive in the Raptors and start cutting their way into the ship.
* In the cells, one of the prisoners decides he doesn’t like the way Cally has been “mocking” him, and decides to teach her a lesson.
* As Starbuck and her Marines enter the ship, matters come to a head as the prisoner shoots Cally, wounding her, after he clearly tried to rape her, and she bit off a piece of his ear.
* Lee Adama and Zarek rush to the cell where the prisoner is holding Cally. In the confusion, Lee obtains a handgun and puts it to Zarek’s head, giving him a choice: die immediately, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water, and in return he’ll get to keep the ''Astral Queen'' and get his elections.
* The Marines then make their presence felt, as Starbuck takes a shot at Zarek – who is saved by Lee Adama.
* Roslin and Adama are initially less than pleased at these arrangements. Lee doesn’t really care. The prisoners are helping with the water, even if they have control of the ''Astral Queen'' they are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.
* Later, Lee informs Roslin that he didn’t mean to offend her with his views, and that when the elections come, he’ll vote for her. His honesty causes her to reveal the truth about her cancer and the fact that she might not be alive come the elections.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Valerii]] reach a relatively undamaged city.
* As they explore the city, they are observed by [[Aaron Doral|Doral]] and [[Number Six|Six]] from a rooftop.
* Doral and Six discuss their heritage as Cylons - the "children of humanity", Six expressing regret that humans must be destroyed. Doral is less compassionate: parents need to die to let the children come into their own.

== Questions ==

*Both Six and Zarek make references to "humanity's children", is there a connection?
*Is Zarek genuinely willing to die for his beliefs?
*Can Baltar really use a nuclear warhead to build a Cylon detector, or does Six have some other plan? ([[Flesh and Bone|Answer]]).
*Will elections really be held in seven months? (Answer: [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I|Yes, elections will be held]])

== Analysis ==
*'''Ship of the week concept/budget restraints:''' In their initial write-ups for the series, executive producers [[Ron Moore]] and [[David Eick]] initially envisioned having many episodes or most episodes involve going out into the refugee fleet and solving problems that arose within it and little fiefdoms that people would start to set up. However, as they state in the podcast for this episode, "Bastille Day" was the only episode of the first season in which they actually did this, and by season 2 they have said that they've more or less abandoned the idea (at least, it's no longer the "stock storyline" they originally thought it would be). The reason they dropped this idea, they say, is because '''"Bastille Day" went incredibly over-budget''': the ''Astral Queen'' prison interior used up all of the money they had thought would be spread out over the entire first season to create sets for several other ships that they might visit. Building a new set for each ship-of-the-week turned out to be such an expensive undertaking that it was untenable.
*'''Surviving cities on Caprica:''' The Cylons apparently did not nuke every single city on Caprica, such as they did [[Caprica City]], thought they did nuke most of them. Ron Moore points out in the podcast that at first this was just the plot expediency of needing an environment for Helo to interact in, which of course then asks the question "Why are some cities not nuked?" which then becomes a plot point for later episodes (soon Helo will find that at the least, the Cylons wanted a a few surviving cities to use as foward bases).
*'''Helo shouting in the empty city:''' It seems a little counter-intuitive that Helo would be shouting loudly to see if anyone might hear him, as the Cylons might find out his position. However, in Helo's defense we the viewers are only coming in to see him at this instant; Caprica-Sharon and Helo might have spent many boring hours beforehand wandering through an empty city, before Helo finally got fed up and started shouting. Also, it's only been 12 days since the Cylon attack, and Helo has no idea how far over Caprica they've spread yet.
*'''Boxey's only regular episode:''' This is the only episode of the regular series that [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]] appears in (He appeared in the [[Miniseries]] beforehand). According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series. However, on a case by case basis they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once they show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts. By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
*'''The flight briefing scene:''' Starbuck's flight briefing she gives as acting-CAG seems a bit "out of character" with what the series would later develop as its "norm", and shows some of the learning curve in the first few episodes before the writers and actors got a firm handle on just exactly how everything worked on the show. Starbuck as a character is in full "Top Gun" mode, even wearing aviator sunglasses with a stogie cigar in hand, while giving a very irreverant briefing. Actress Katee Sackhoff and the writers have said that after the first few episodes (after the time of "Bastille Day") they learned to start adding in "more of Katee into Starbuck", and Starbuck as a character smoothed out a great deal by the middle of the season. The other big oddity with this scene is that it's the only scene in the entire regular series (post-Miniseries) to include Boxey, and his presence seems forced (Moore and Eick point this out in the podcast). Why would Starbuck bring a 10 year old to a flight briefing on a military ship? The concept pitch seems understandable on paper: Boxey is supposed to be the orphan kid the pilots adopted who lives with them and is sort of their mascot/gofer/helper, and as such would help Starbuck with a briefing. However Boxey didn't really get any buildup scenes to this, so here it seems that, without much prior explanation, there's just a kid helping Starbuck give a briefing. Some of the several quirks in the first few episodes which soon disappear.
*'''Tigh's momentary drinking relapse:''' In the Miniseries, Tigh went from completely incompetent drunk by the end of the story, continuing into "[[33]]" where Commander Adama even notes how good it is that Tigh isn't drinking anymore. With the Cylon attack, Tigh more or less decided to quit drinking. However, he has a bit of a relapse here and has a few shots, and is a little tipsy in front of some crewmen (though he's not slurring his speach and stumbling over furniture; he's a functioning alcoholic). Throughout the season he oscilates back and forth in his struggle with his alcoholism, sometimes he has relapses, though on the whole on his own he manages to seriously curtail his old drinking habit for a time (without being in a support group or anything, just by himself). Still, he relapses here: this is another instance of the series meeting its [[Naturalistic science fiction|goal to make a very realistic series]]: to make Tigh have an epiphantic, life-changing moment and adamantly stop drinking forever from the Miniseries onward would have been hackneyed and unrealistic. In real life, Tigh would have an ongoing struggle with his alcohol addiction, and even when trying to cut back find himself ''not'' meeting his goals from time to time; the characters on the series are flawed, human, and real.
*'''Starbuck also being a sniper:''' Starbuck simply also being a sharpshooter, "best shot in or ''out'' of the cockpit" stretches the credibility of these scenes: shooting in a Viper and shooting a sniper rifle are entirely different things. The force of moving the plot foward and trying to shoehorn a major character in becomes a bit obvious. Ron Moore actually conceded this point in his blog on [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/ April 11th, 2005], saying that it would have been jarring to introduce a new Marine sniper, but they had to find a way to keep main character Starbuck as part of the action:
::"I concede the point...we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the "real" choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of "Bastille Day" rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with...It's a judgement call, frankly. We're always striving to keep things as "real" as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."
*'''Cally becomes a bigger character:''' Starting with this episode, [[Cally]] started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see [[Bastille Day#Official statements|Official Statements]], below). Originally she was supposed to die, but instead she shows "balls" and bites a man's ear off in an attention-grabbing moment. Many fans and critics started noticing her more after this point.

== Notes ==

* Richard Hatch played the character of [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] television series.
* Events here take place 4 days after those of "[[Water]]".
* In the [[Miniseries]] the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship.
** During a briefing, [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] informs [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] that: "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
** In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Billy's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."
** Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the [[Miniseries]], [[Lee Adama]] states that the prisoners were being transferred to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] for parole hearings.
** For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, the ''Astral Queen'' becomes a prison ship.
* [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] is an expert sharpshooter with a rifle.
* The Colonials are going to be facing a fuel shortage at some point ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|Resolved in a later episode]]).
* [[Raptor]]s are designed for Marine assault and include an extendable docking skirt in their underside that can be pressurized (and possibly used in rescue operations?).
* ''Galactica'' has a small contingent of Marines onboard - perhaps around the 20-30 mark.
* ''Galactica'' has five "remaining" nuclear warheads.
* The [[Lords of Kobol]] are modeled on / parallel the [[Greek Gods|Olympian gods]] of Greek mythology.
* The quip made by the ''[[Astral Queen]]'''s captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden", is a homage to the original ''Star Trek'' television series. It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
* The setup for this plot was likely inspired by the episode "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day", the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of them take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
*According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/ Jacob's Ladder]", which has a similar startling close up shot. Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong. If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
*The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the [[wikipedia:Vancouver Public Library|Vancouver Public Library]], one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.
*Major [[Cottle]], ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until next episode.
*President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the [[Miniseries]], to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of season 2.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

=== Choosing Sides ===

Adama: Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on. 
Apollo: I didn't know we were picking sides. (walks off) 
Adama: That's why you haven't picked one yet.

=== Children of Humanity ===

''On Cylon-occupied Caprica:''

Doral: She's good. Six: So far. Doral: Jealous? Six: This all makes me so sad. Doral: (matter-of-fact) They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got. Six: We're the children of humanity. That makes them our parents in a sense. Doral: True - but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.

''Later, aboard the 'Astral Queen', in a broadcast by Tom Zarek:''

Tom Zarek: I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.

== Official Statements ==
*In the DVD commentary for "[[Bastille Day]]", David Eick and Ron D. Moore talk about Cally's character, and how initial drafts had her being killed:

:Eick: Nicki Clyne, who you see here playing Cally, was somebody who in the Miniseries, I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look, 'cause we thought she was really cute, she kind of reminded us of a young [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001167/ Shelley Duvall]. [...] she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her and I'm very proud of a moment coming up where she does something rather nasty, that...
:RDM: Well she almost died! '''She was gonna die in the intial drafts of this'''.
:Eick: That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! And they're telling us we're too dark ''this'' year.
:RDM: Oh, I know. The second season is so much darker. And I don't think they even care. Yeah, Cally, Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. And I can't even tell you why we decided it was, no I take that back I think it was your note; you said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off...
:Eick: I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being...you know, just ''illustrative''! I didn't really mean it!
:RDM: And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"!
:Eick: "And I got the draft, and she bites his ear off! I was like "that's great!"
:RDM: '''And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show'''. In a real sense, once she had gone through that and survived, and you know Tyrol and the gang come in and see her in the hospital at the end you kind of felt like she is one of the family.

*In issue #348 of ''Starlog'' magazine, p.31, Nicki Clyne (Cally) said:

:"They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky...I had to squeeze this sponge of icky goo all over myself, and I had it on the ''whole'' day. I couldn't wipe off the blood for lunchtime and put it back on, because of continuity reasons. So for the entire day I had my shirt completely stuck to me, and my face was all sticky — it ''wasn't'' a nice feeling. When I ate my lunch, no one wanted to sit with me. I even forgot I had this guck on me. I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me. I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!""




== Guest stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] Crewman Specialist [[Socinus]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[imdb:nm0234235|Pat Adrien Dorval]] as [[Wilkens]]
*[[imdb:nm0783498|Ron Selmour]] as [[Seaborne]]
*[[imdb:nm0821609|Brent Stait]] as [[Mason]]
*[[imdb:nm1807701|Graham Young]] as Marine #1
*[[imdb:nm1348197|Curtis Hicks]] as Marine #2

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/103/ "Bastille Day"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Toni Graphia]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Allan Kroeker]]

[[es:Día de la Bastilla]]

Bastille Day

2006-09-15T14:47:35Z

Biggs33: /* Notes */

{{Episode Data
| image =bsg-1-03.jpg
| title=Bastille Day
| series=
| season=1
| episode=3
| guests=[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
| writer=[[Toni Graphia]]
| story=
| director=[[Alan Kroeker]]
| production=103
| rating= 2.3
| US airdate= 2005-01-21
| UK airdate= 2004-11-01
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev=[[Water]]
| next=[[Act of Contrition]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of "[[Water]]", [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] face a chronic water shortage. Their only recourse: persuade 1,500 prisoners on the transport vessel ''[[Astral Queen]]'' to help them mine ice from a nearby moon. ''

== Summary ==
* ''[[Galactica]]'s'' fleet-critical water supplies have been sabotaged ([[Water]]).
* A source of water has been located on a nearby moon - but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined, which will require a crew of around 1,000.
* As that number cannot be spared from ''Galactica's'' crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer, it is determined to try and enlist the help of the prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]''.
* [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] won’t have the prisoners forced into the work, so [[Lee Adama]] suggests the prisoners who volunteer could be awarded points to go towards their freedom.
* This idea does not go down well with Commander [[William Adama|Adama]], who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President ([[Water]]).
* However, Roslin decides to send a delegation lead by Lee Adama to the ''Astral Queen'' to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, [[Billy Keikeya]] is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.
* As a further snub to his son, Adama insists military personnel also go – one to assist in the screening, who will report directly to him – and one to ensure the selected prisoners can handle the equipment that will be used to extract the ice.
* [[Anastasia Dualla]] is "volunteered" by Billy for the first role, [[Cally]] is eventually selected for the second.
* Arriving on the ''Astral Queen'', Lee puts the situation to the prisoners, and outlines the deal: help us and earn points towards your freedom.
* No-one volunteers. Instead, the nominated leader of the prisoners politely refuses the offer. Billy Keikeya recognizes him as [[Tom Zarek]], a political agitator from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]].
* While Dualla and Billy argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist – Billy almost idolizing him, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help the fleet.
* On ''Galactica'', Adama meets with [[Gaius Baltar]], who is still equivocating over his [[Cylon detector]]. When Adama pushes Baltar into a corner, the doctor tries to admit he can’t actually build the detector.
* This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar’s virtual [[Number Six|Six]], which terrifies him into submission. She then instructs him on what to ask for in order to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.
* When Six only reveals a part of how this can be used to make the detector, Baltar is forced to think things through himself, and realizes it will actually work. Adama agrees to let Baltar have a warhead.
* On the ''Astral Queen'', a planned break-out takes place, and ''Galactica’s'' delegation is taken hostage.
* With the ship in his control, Zarek demands the immediate resignation of Roslin and her government on the grounds that, having never been elected, they do not represent the people.
* As Zarek uses Lee to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Adama, an assault mission, led by [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], is put together using ''Galactica’s'' [[Raptor]]s and [[Marines|Marine]] contingent. As a crack sharpshooter, Starbuck is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets the chance.
* Adama then tries to negotiate with Zarek himself, but is rebuffed. Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants Adama to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard the ''Queen'' will bring down Roslin’s government.
* The Marines and Starbuck arrive in the Raptors and start cutting their way into the ship.
* In the cells, one of the prisoners decides he doesn’t like the way Cally has been “mocking” him, and decides to teach her a lesson.
* As Starbuck and her Marines enter the ship, matters come to a head as the prisoner shoots Cally, wounding her, after he clearly tried to rape her, and she bit off a piece of his ear.
* Lee Adama and Zarek rush to the cell where the prisoner is holding Cally. In the confusion, Lee obtains a handgun and puts it to Zarek’s head, giving him a choice: die immediately, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water, and in return he’ll get to keep the ''Astral Queen'' and get his elections.
* The Marines then make their presence felt, as Starbuck takes a shot at Zarek – who is saved by Lee Adama.
* Roslin and Adama are initially less than pleased at these arrangements. Lee doesn’t really care. The prisoners are helping with the water, even if they have control of the ''Astral Queen'' they are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.
* Later, Lee informs Roslin that he didn’t mean to offend her with his views, and that when the elections come, he’ll vote for her. His honesty causes her to reveal the truth about her cancer and the fact that she might not be alive come the elections.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Valerii]] reach a relatively undamaged city.
* As they explore the city, they are observed by [[Aaron Doral|Doral]] and [[Number Six|Six]] from a rooftop.
* Doral and Six discuss their heritage as Cylons - the "children of humanity", Six expressing regret that humans must be destroyed. Doral is less compassionate: parents need to die to let the children come into their own.

== Questions ==

*Both Six and Zarek make references to "humanity's children", is there a connection?
*Is Zarek genuinely willing to die for his beliefs?
*Can Baltar really use a nuclear warhead to build a Cylon detector, or does Six have some other plan? ([[Flesh and Bone|Answer]]).
*Will elections really be held in seven months? (Answer: [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I|Yes, elections will be held]])

== Analysis ==
*'''Ship of the week concept/budget restraints:''' In their initial write-ups for the series, executive producers [[Ron Moore]] and [[David Eick]] initially envisioned having many episodes or most episodes involve going out into the refugee fleet and solving problems that arose within it and little fiefdoms that people would start to set up. However, as they state in the podcast for this episode, "Bastille Day" was the only episode of the first season in which they actually did this, and by season 2 they have said that they've more or less abandoned the idea (at least, it's no longer the "stock storyline" they originally thought it would be). The reason they dropped this idea, they say, is because '''"Bastille Day" went incredibly over-budget''': the ''Astral Queen'' prison interior used up all of the money they had thought would be spread out over the entire first season to create sets for several other ships that they might visit. Building a new set for each ship-of-the-week turned out to be such an expensive undertaking that it was untenable.
*'''Surviving cities on Caprica:''' The Cylons apparently did not nuke every single city on Caprica, such as they did [[Caprica City]], thought they did nuke most of them. Ron Moore points out in the podcast that at first this was just the plot expediency of needing an environment for Helo to interact in, which of course then asks the question "Why are some cities not nuked?" which then becomes a plot point for later episodes (soon Helo will find that at the least, the Cylons wanted a a few surviving cities to use as foward bases).
*'''Helo shouting in the empty city:''' It seems a little counter-intuitive that Helo would be shouting loudly to see if anyone might hear him, as the Cylons might find out his position. However, in Helo's defense we the viewers are only coming in to see him at this instant; Caprica-Sharon and Helo might have spent many boring hours beforehand wandering through an empty city, before Helo finally got fed up and started shouting. Also, it's only been 12 days since the Cylon attack, and Helo has no idea how far over Caprica they've spread yet.
*'''Boxey's only regular episode:''' This is the only episode of the regular series that [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]] appears in (He appeared in the [[Miniseries]] beforehand). According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series. However, on a case by case basis they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once they show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts. By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
*'''The flight briefing scene:''' Starbuck's flight briefing she gives as acting-CAG seems a bit "out of character" with what the series would later develop as its "norm", and shows some of the learning curve in the first few episodes before the writers and actors got a firm handle on just exactly how everything worked on the show. Starbuck as a character is in full "Top Gun" mode, even wearing aviator sunglasses with a stogie cigar in hand, while giving a very irreverant briefing. Actress Katee Sackhoff and the writers have said that after the first few episodes (after the time of "Bastille Day") they learned to start adding in "more of Katee into Starbuck", and Starbuck as a character smoothed out a great deal by the middle of the season. The other big oddity with this scene is that it's the only scene in the entire regular series (post-Miniseries) to include Boxey, and his presence seems forced (Moore and Eick point this out in the podcast). Why would Starbuck bring a 10 year old to a flight briefing on a military ship? The concept pitch seems understandable on paper: Boxey is supposed to be the orphan kid the pilots adopted who lives with them and is sort of their mascot/gofer/helper, and as such would help Starbuck with a briefing. However Boxey didn't really get any buildup scenes to this, so here it seems that, without much prior explanation, there's just a kid helping Starbuck give a briefing. Some of the several quirks in the first few episodes which soon disappear.
*'''Tigh's momentary drinking relapse:''' In the Miniseries, Tigh went from completely incompetent drunk by the end of the story, continuing into "[[33]]" where Commander Adama even notes how good it is that Tigh isn't drinking anymore. With the Cylon attack, Tigh more or less decided to quit drinking. However, he has a bit of a relapse here and has a few shots, and is a little tipsy in front of some crewmen (though he's not slurring his speach and stumbling over furniture; he's a functioning alcoholic). Throughout the season he oscilates back and forth in his struggle with his alcoholism, sometimes he has relapses, though on the whole on his own he manages to seriously curtail his old drinking habit for a time (without being in a support group or anything, just by himself). Still, he relapses here: this is another instance of the series meeting its [[Naturalistic science fiction|goal to make a very realistic series]]: to make Tigh have an epiphantic, life-changing moment and adamantly stop drinking forever from the Miniseries onward would have been hackneyed and unrealistic. In real life, Tigh would have an ongoing struggle with his alcohol addiction, and even when trying to cut back find himself ''not'' meeting his goals from time to time; the characters on the series are flawed, human, and real.
*'''Starbuck also being a sniper:''' Starbuck simply also being a sharpshooter, "best shot in or ''out'' of the cockpit" stretches the credibility of these scenes: shooting in a Viper and shooting a sniper rifle are entirely different things. The force of moving the plot foward and trying to shoehorn a major character in becomes a bit obvious. Ron Moore actually conceded this point in his blog on [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/ April 11th, 2005], saying that it would have been jarring to introduce a new Marine sniper, but they had to find a way to keep main character Starbuck as part of the action:
::"I concede the point...we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the "real" choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of "Bastille Day" rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with...It's a judgement call, frankly. We're always striving to keep things as "real" as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."
*'''Cally becomes a bigger character:''' Starting with this episode, [[Cally]] started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see [[Bastille Day#Official statements|Official Statements]], below). Originally she was supposed to die, but instead she shows "balls" and bites a man's ear off in an attention-grabbing moment. Many fans and critics started noticing her more after this point.

== Notes ==

* Richard Hatch played the character of [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] television series.
* Events here take place 4 days after those of "[[Water]]".
* In the [[Miniseries]] the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship.
** During a briefing, [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] informs [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] that: "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
** In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Billy's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."
** Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the [[Miniseries]], [[Lee Adama]] states that the prisoners were being transferred to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] for parole hearings.
** For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, the ''Astral Queen'' becomes a prison ship.
* [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] is an expert sharpshooter with a rifle.
* The Colonials are going to be facing a fuel shortage at some point ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|Resolved in a later episode]]).
* [[Raptor]]s are designed for Marine assault and include an extendable docking skirt in their underside that can be pressurized (and possibly used in rescue operations?).
* ''Galactica'' has a small contingent of Marines onboard - perhaps around the 20-30 mark.
* ''Galactica'' has five "remaining" nuclear warheads.
* The [[Lords of Kobol]] are modeled on / parallel the [[Greek Gods|Olympian gods]] of Greek mythology.
* The quip made by the ''[[Astral Queen]]'''s captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden", is a homage to the original ''Star Trek'' television series. It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
* The setup for this plot was likely inspired by the episode "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day", the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of them take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
*According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/ Jacob's Ladder]", which has a similar startling close up shot. Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong. If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
*The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the [[wikipedia:Vancouver Public Library|Vancouver Public Library]], one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.
*Major [[Cottle]], ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until next episode.
*President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the [[Miniseries]], to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of season 2.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

=== Choosing Sides ===

Adama: Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on. 
Apollo: I didn't know we were picking sides. (walks off) 
Adama: That's why you haven't picked one yet.

=== Children of Humanity ===

''On Cylon-occupied Caprica:''

Doral: She's good. Six: So far. Doral: Jealous? Six: This all makes me so sad. Doral: (matter-of-fact) They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got. Six: We're the children of humanity. That makes them our parents in a sense. Doral: True - but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.

''Later, aboard the 'Astral Queen', in a broadcast by Tom Zarek:''

Tom Zarek: I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.

== Official Statements ==
*In the DVD commentary for "[[Bastille Day]]", David Eick and Ron D. Moore talk about Cally's character, and how initial drafts had her being killed:

:Eick: Nicki Clyne, who you see here playing Cally, was somebody who in the Miniseries, I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look, 'cause we thought she was really cute, she kind of reminded us of a young [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001167/ Shelley Duvall]. [...] she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her and I'm very proud of a moment coming up where she does something rather nasty, that...
:RDM: Well she almost died! '''She was gonna die in the intial drafts of this'''.
:Eick: That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! And they're telling us we're too dark ''this'' year.
:RDM: Oh, I know. The second season is so much darker. And I don't think they even care. Yeah, Cally, Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. And I can't even tell you why we decided it was, no I take that back I think it was your note; you said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off...
:Eick: I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being...you know, just ''illustrative''! I didn't really mean it!
:RDM: And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"!
:Eick: "And I got the draft, and she bites his ear off! I was like "that's great!"
:RDM: '''And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show'''. In a real sense, once she had gone through that and survived, and you know Tyrol and the gang come in and see her in the hospital at the end you kind of felt like she is one of the family.

*In issue #348 of ''Starlog'' magazine, p.31, Nicki Clyne (Cally) said:

:"They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky...I had to squeeze this sponge of icky goo all over myself, and I had it on the ''whole'' day. I couldn't wipe off the blood for lunchtime and put it back on, because of continuity reasons. So for the entire day I had my shirt completely stuck to me, and my face was all sticky — it ''wasn't'' a nice feeling. When I ate my lunch, no one wanted to site with me. I even forgot I had this guck on me. I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me. I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!""




== Guest stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] Crewman Specialist [[Socinus]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[imdb:nm0234235|Pat Adrien Dorval]] as [[Wilkens]]
*[[imdb:nm0783498|Ron Selmour]] as [[Seaborne]]
*[[imdb:nm0821609|Brent Stait]] as [[Mason]]
*[[imdb:nm1807701|Graham Young]] as Marine #1
*[[imdb:nm1348197|Curtis Hicks]] as Marine #2

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/103/ "Bastille Day"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Toni Graphia]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Allan Kroeker]]

[[es:Día de la Bastilla]]

Bastille Day

2006-09-15T14:46:25Z

Biggs33: /* Analysis */

{{Episode Data
| image =bsg-1-03.jpg
| title=Bastille Day
| series=
| season=1
| episode=3
| guests=[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
| writer=[[Toni Graphia]]
| story=
| director=[[Alan Kroeker]]
| production=103
| rating= 2.3
| US airdate= 2005-01-21
| UK airdate= 2004-11-01
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev=[[Water]]
| next=[[Act of Contrition]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of "[[Water]]", [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] face a chronic water shortage. Their only recourse: persuade 1,500 prisoners on the transport vessel ''[[Astral Queen]]'' to help them mine ice from a nearby moon. ''

== Summary ==
* ''[[Galactica]]'s'' fleet-critical water supplies have been sabotaged ([[Water]]).
* A source of water has been located on a nearby moon - but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined, which will require a crew of around 1,000.
* As that number cannot be spared from ''Galactica's'' crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer, it is determined to try and enlist the help of the prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]''.
* [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] won’t have the prisoners forced into the work, so [[Lee Adama]] suggests the prisoners who volunteer could be awarded points to go towards their freedom.
* This idea does not go down well with Commander [[William Adama|Adama]], who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President ([[Water]]).
* However, Roslin decides to send a delegation lead by Lee Adama to the ''Astral Queen'' to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, [[Billy Keikeya]] is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.
* As a further snub to his son, Adama insists military personnel also go – one to assist in the screening, who will report directly to him – and one to ensure the selected prisoners can handle the equipment that will be used to extract the ice.
* [[Anastasia Dualla]] is "volunteered" by Billy for the first role, [[Cally]] is eventually selected for the second.
* Arriving on the ''Astral Queen'', Lee puts the situation to the prisoners, and outlines the deal: help us and earn points towards your freedom.
* No-one volunteers. Instead, the nominated leader of the prisoners politely refuses the offer. Billy Keikeya recognizes him as [[Tom Zarek]], a political agitator from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]].
* While Dualla and Billy argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist – Billy almost idolizing him, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help the fleet.
* On ''Galactica'', Adama meets with [[Gaius Baltar]], who is still equivocating over his [[Cylon detector]]. When Adama pushes Baltar into a corner, the doctor tries to admit he can’t actually build the detector.
* This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar’s virtual [[Number Six|Six]], which terrifies him into submission. She then instructs him on what to ask for in order to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.
* When Six only reveals a part of how this can be used to make the detector, Baltar is forced to think things through himself, and realizes it will actually work. Adama agrees to let Baltar have a warhead.
* On the ''Astral Queen'', a planned break-out takes place, and ''Galactica’s'' delegation is taken hostage.
* With the ship in his control, Zarek demands the immediate resignation of Roslin and her government on the grounds that, having never been elected, they do not represent the people.
* As Zarek uses Lee to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Adama, an assault mission, led by [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], is put together using ''Galactica’s'' [[Raptor]]s and [[Marines|Marine]] contingent. As a crack sharpshooter, Starbuck is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets the chance.
* Adama then tries to negotiate with Zarek himself, but is rebuffed. Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants Adama to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard the ''Queen'' will bring down Roslin’s government.
* The Marines and Starbuck arrive in the Raptors and start cutting their way into the ship.
* In the cells, one of the prisoners decides he doesn’t like the way Cally has been “mocking” him, and decides to teach her a lesson.
* As Starbuck and her Marines enter the ship, matters come to a head as the prisoner shoots Cally, wounding her, after he clearly tried to rape her, and she bit off a piece of his ear.
* Lee Adama and Zarek rush to the cell where the prisoner is holding Cally. In the confusion, Lee obtains a handgun and puts it to Zarek’s head, giving him a choice: die immediately, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water, and in return he’ll get to keep the ''Astral Queen'' and get his elections.
* The Marines then make their presence felt, as Starbuck takes a shot at Zarek – who is saved by Lee Adama.
* Roslin and Adama are initially less than pleased at these arrangements. Lee doesn’t really care. The prisoners are helping with the water, even if they have control of the ''Astral Queen'' they are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.
* Later, Lee informs Roslin that he didn’t mean to offend her with his views, and that when the elections come, he’ll vote for her. His honesty causes her to reveal the truth about her cancer and the fact that she might not be alive come the elections.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Valerii]] reach a relatively undamaged city.
* As they explore the city, they are observed by [[Aaron Doral|Doral]] and [[Number Six|Six]] from a rooftop.
* Doral and Six discuss their heritage as Cylons - the "children of humanity", Six expressing regret that humans must be destroyed. Doral is less compassionate: parents need to die to let the children come into their own.

== Questions ==

*Both Six and Zarek make references to "humanity's children", is there a connection?
*Is Zarek genuinely willing to die for his beliefs?
*Can Baltar really use a nuclear warhead to build a Cylon detector, or does Six have some other plan? ([[Flesh and Bone|Answer]]).
*Will elections really be held in seven months? (Answer: [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I|Yes, elections will be held]])

== Analysis ==
*'''Ship of the week concept/budget restraints:''' In their initial write-ups for the series, executive producers [[Ron Moore]] and [[David Eick]] initially envisioned having many episodes or most episodes involve going out into the refugee fleet and solving problems that arose within it and little fiefdoms that people would start to set up. However, as they state in the podcast for this episode, "Bastille Day" was the only episode of the first season in which they actually did this, and by season 2 they have said that they've more or less abandoned the idea (at least, it's no longer the "stock storyline" they originally thought it would be). The reason they dropped this idea, they say, is because '''"Bastille Day" went incredibly over-budget''': the ''Astral Queen'' prison interior used up all of the money they had thought would be spread out over the entire first season to create sets for several other ships that they might visit. Building a new set for each ship-of-the-week turned out to be such an expensive undertaking that it was untenable.
*'''Surviving cities on Caprica:''' The Cylons apparently did not nuke every single city on Caprica, such as they did [[Caprica City]], thought they did nuke most of them. Ron Moore points out in the podcast that at first this was just the plot expediency of needing an environment for Helo to interact in, which of course then asks the question "Why are some cities not nuked?" which then becomes a plot point for later episodes (soon Helo will find that at the least, the Cylons wanted a a few surviving cities to use as foward bases).
*'''Helo shouting in the empty city:''' It seems a little counter-intuitive that Helo would be shouting loudly to see if anyone might hear him, as the Cylons might find out his position. However, in Helo's defense we the viewers are only coming in to see him at this instant; Caprica-Sharon and Helo might have spent many boring hours beforehand wandering through an empty city, before Helo finally got fed up and started shouting. Also, it's only been 12 days since the Cylon attack, and Helo has no idea how far over Caprica they've spread yet.
*'''Boxey's only regular episode:''' This is the only episode of the regular series that [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]] appears in (He appeared in the [[Miniseries]] beforehand). According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series. However, on a case by case basis they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once they show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts. By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
*'''The flight briefing scene:''' Starbuck's flight briefing she gives as acting-CAG seems a bit "out of character" with what the series would later develop as its "norm", and shows some of the learning curve in the first few episodes before the writers and actors got a firm handle on just exactly how everything worked on the show. Starbuck as a character is in full "Top Gun" mode, even wearing aviator sunglasses with a stogie cigar in hand, while giving a very irreverant briefing. Actress Katee Sackhoff and the writers have said that after the first few episodes (after the time of "Bastille Day") they learned to start adding in "more of Katee into Starbuck", and Starbuck as a character smoothed out a great deal by the middle of the season. The other big oddity with this scene is that it's the only scene in the entire regular series (post-Miniseries) to include Boxey, and his presence seems forced (Moore and Eick point this out in the podcast). Why would Starbuck bring a 10 year old to a flight briefing on a military ship? The concept pitch seems understandable on paper: Boxey is supposed to be the orphan kid the pilots adopted who lives with them and is sort of their mascot/gofer/helper, and as such would help Starbuck with a briefing. However Boxey didn't really get any buildup scenes to this, so here it seems that, without much prior explanation, there's just a kid helping Starbuck give a briefing. Some of the several quirks in the first few episodes which soon disappear.
*'''Tigh's momentary drinking relapse:''' In the Miniseries, Tigh went from completely incompetent drunk by the end of the story, continuing into "[[33]]" where Commander Adama even notes how good it is that Tigh isn't drinking anymore. With the Cylon attack, Tigh more or less decided to quit drinking. However, he has a bit of a relapse here and has a few shots, and is a little tipsy in front of some crewmen (though he's not slurring his speach and stumbling over furniture; he's a functioning alcoholic). Throughout the season he oscilates back and forth in his struggle with his alcoholism, sometimes he has relapses, though on the whole on his own he manages to seriously curtail his old drinking habit for a time (without being in a support group or anything, just by himself). Still, he relapses here: this is another instance of the series meeting its [[Naturalistic science fiction|goal to make a very realistic series]]: to make Tigh have an epiphantic, life-changing moment and adamantly stop drinking forever from the Miniseries onward would have been hackneyed and unrealistic. In real life, Tigh would have an ongoing struggle with his alcohol addiction, and even when trying to cut back find himself ''not'' meeting his goals from time to time; the characters on the series are flawed, human, and real.
*'''Starbuck also being a sniper:''' Starbuck simply also being a sharpshooter, "best shot in or ''out'' of the cockpit" stretches the credibility of these scenes: shooting in a Viper and shooting a sniper rifle are entirely different things. The force of moving the plot foward and trying to shoehorn a major character in becomes a bit obvious. Ron Moore actually conceded this point in his blog on [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/ April 11th, 2005], saying that it would have been jarring to introduce a new Marine sniper, but they had to find a way to keep main character Starbuck as part of the action:
::"I concede the point...we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the "real" choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of "Bastille Day" rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with...It's a judgement call, frankly. We're always striving to keep things as "real" as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."
*'''Cally becomes a bigger character:''' Starting with this episode, [[Cally]] started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see [[Bastille Day#Official statements|Official Statements]], below). Originally she was supposed to die, but instead she shows "balls" and bites a man's ear off in an attention-grabbing moment. Many fans and critics started noticing her more after this point.

== Notes ==

* Richard Hatch played the character of [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] television series.
* Events here take place 4 days after those of "[[Water]]".
* In the [[Miniseries]] the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship.
** During a briefing, [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] informs [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] that: "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
** In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Billy's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."
** Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the [[Miniseries]], [[Lee Adama]] states that the prisoners were being transferred to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] for parole hearings.
** For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, the ''Astral Queen'' becomes a prison ship.
* [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] is an expert sharpshooter with a rifle.
* The Colonials are going to be facing a fuel shortage at some point ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|Resolved in a later episode]]).
* [[Raptor]]s are designed for Marine assault and include an extendable docking skirt in their underside that can be pressurized (and possibly used in rescue operations?).
* ''Galactica'' has a small contingent of Marines onboard - perhaps around the 20-30 mark.
* ''Galactica'' has five "remaining" nuclear warheads.
* The [[Lords of Kobol]] are modeled on / parallel the [[Greek Gods|Olympian gods]] of Greek mythology.
* The quip made by the ''[[Astral Queen]]'''s captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden", is a homage to the original ''Star Trek'' television series. It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
* The setup for this plot was likely inspired by the episode "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day", the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of the take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
*According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/ Jacob's Ladder]", which has a similar startling close up shot. Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong. If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
*The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the [[wikipedia:Vancouver Public Library|Vancouver Public Library]], one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.
*Major [[Cottle]], ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until next episode.
*President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the [[Miniseries]], to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of season 2.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

=== Choosing Sides ===

Adama: Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on. 
Apollo: I didn't know we were picking sides. (walks off) 
Adama: That's why you haven't picked one yet.

=== Children of Humanity ===

''On Cylon-occupied Caprica:''

Doral: She's good. Six: So far. Doral: Jealous? Six: This all makes me so sad. Doral: (matter-of-fact) They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got. Six: We're the children of humanity. That makes them our parents in a sense. Doral: True - but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.

''Later, aboard the 'Astral Queen', in a broadcast by Tom Zarek:''

Tom Zarek: I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.

== Official Statements ==
*In the DVD commentary for "[[Bastille Day]]", David Eick and Ron D. Moore talk about Cally's character, and how initial drafts had her being killed:

:Eick: Nicki Clyne, who you see here playing Cally, was somebody who in the Miniseries, I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look, 'cause we thought she was really cute, she kind of reminded us of a young [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001167/ Shelley Duvall]. [...] she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her and I'm very proud of a moment coming up where she does something rather nasty, that...
:RDM: Well she almost died! '''She was gonna die in the intial drafts of this'''.
:Eick: That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! And they're telling us we're too dark ''this'' year.
:RDM: Oh, I know. The second season is so much darker. And I don't think they even care. Yeah, Cally, Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. And I can't even tell you why we decided it was, no I take that back I think it was your note; you said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off...
:Eick: I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being...you know, just ''illustrative''! I didn't really mean it!
:RDM: And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"!
:Eick: "And I got the draft, and she bites his ear off! I was like "that's great!"
:RDM: '''And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show'''. In a real sense, once she had gone through that and survived, and you know Tyrol and the gang come in and see her in the hospital at the end you kind of felt like she is one of the family.

*In issue #348 of ''Starlog'' magazine, p.31, Nicki Clyne (Cally) said:

:"They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky...I had to squeeze this sponge of icky goo all over myself, and I had it on the ''whole'' day. I couldn't wipe off the blood for lunchtime and put it back on, because of continuity reasons. So for the entire day I had my shirt completely stuck to me, and my face was all sticky — it ''wasn't'' a nice feeling. When I ate my lunch, no one wanted to site with me. I even forgot I had this guck on me. I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me. I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!""




== Guest stars ==
*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] Crewman Specialist [[Socinus]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
*[[imdb:nm0234235|Pat Adrien Dorval]] as [[Wilkens]]
*[[imdb:nm0783498|Ron Selmour]] as [[Seaborne]]
*[[imdb:nm0821609|Brent Stait]] as [[Mason]]
*[[imdb:nm1807701|Graham Young]] as Marine #1
*[[imdb:nm1348197|Curtis Hicks]] as Marine #2

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/103/ "Bastille Day"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Toni Graphia]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Allan Kroeker]]

[[es:Día de la Bastilla]]

33

2006-09-15T14:27:49Z

Biggs33: /* Excerpt from the Official Companion */

{{translation|[[:de:33 Minuten|German]], [[33/fr:33 minutes|French]], [[:es:33 Minutos|Spanish]], [[33/pt:33|Portuguese]], and [[33/ms:33|Malay]]}}

{{Episode Data
| image = 33mincount_101_1080i.jpg
| title= 33
| series=
| season= 1
| episode= 1
| guests=
| writer= [[Ronald D. Moore]]
| story=
| goof=Y
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production= 101 '''(Series Premiere)'''
| rating= 2.6
| US airdate= 2005-01-14
| UK airdate= 2004-10-18
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev= [[Miniseries]]
| next= [[Water]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of the [[Miniseries]], [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] must avoid their [[Cylon]] pursuers, which ambush them every 33 minutes after each successful [[FTL|Jump]].''

== Summary ==

=== On ''[[Galactica]]'' ===
* The crew of battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'' have been on continuous alert for some 130.35 hours, during which time the Fleet has had to make an [[FTL|FTL Jump]] every 33 minutes to escape their [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] pursuers shortly after their initial escape from [[Ragnar Anchorage]].
* Everyone in the Fleet is beginning to feel the strain – particularly [[Gaius Baltar]], who is also distracted by [[Number Six|Six’s]] repeated conversations about [[God]] having a plan for him, and also her wanting to have his children.
* Vessels in the Fleet are also beginning to feel the strain: Jump engines and their controlling computers are starting to breakdown or malfunction, requiring ''Galactica'' to linger longer and longer in the Cylon line of fire while the rest of the fleet complete their Jumps.
* Following jump number 237, [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] receives word from a Dr. [[Amorak]] aboard the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'' concerning information on how the Cylons overcame Colonial defenses.
* Overhearing the conversation, Baltar is worried: he knew Amorak at the [[Defence Ministry]]. As Six points out, Amorak might have information on Baltar's complicity with the Cylon attack.
* There is insufficient time before the next Jump to bring Amorak aboard ''[[Colonial One]]'', but Roslin wants to see him directly after the Jump has been completed.
* Elsewhere, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] is having problems accepting her new [[ECO]], [[Crashdown]], and is feeling guilty about leaving [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] to his fate.
* When the next Jump is made, the ''Olympic Carrier'', complete with Dr. Amorak and 1344 other souls, fails to appear with the rest of the Fleet. Six tries to convince Baltar that it is because God is watching over him.
* Thirty-three minutes later, the Fleet is ready to jump, but the Cylons don’t appear. Adama orders a stand-down from the immediate alert, but the Fleet is to maintain a readiness to Jump, in case the Cylons do return.
* When Baltar continues to refuse the concept of God, the ''Olympic Carrier'' reappears; Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] orders the Fleet to [[Action Stations|Condition One alert]], fearing the worst. He orders the Jump clocks reset in anticipation of the Cylons arriving.
*The [[Combat Air Patrol]] lead by [[Lee Adama]] intercepts the [[Intersun|starliner]]. Adama orders all communications with the ''Carrier'' jammed and the ''Carrier'' is ordered (through signal lamps) to remain at its current position. When the ''Carrier'' fails to heed orders not to approach the fleet, tensions rise, and a [[Radiological Alarm|radiological alarm]] reveals there is now a nuclear weapon on the liner.
*As the crisis deepens, the Cylons appear precisely 33 minutes after the return of the ''Carrier'', confirming that the ''Carrier'' was used somehow by the Cylons to track the Fleet. Adama wants to destroy the liner, but Roslin hesitates to give the order, as no one can be sure if the 1,345 people aboard the ''Carrier'' are still alive. Baltar is terrified she won't give the order for fear of Amorak's information.
*Six uses the hesitation to push Baltar into “repenting” before God. As soon as he does, Roslin gives the order to destroy the liner. Apollo and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] (reluctantly) open fire, destroying the liner. After the Fleet makes a Jump once more, the Cylon's relentless pursuit is halted.
*A day later, everyone is living with the consequences of their actions. Only [[Billy Keikeya]] has a small nugget of good news: at some point in the proceedings, a baby was born in the Fleet.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] is on the run in the rainy woodland, and has [[Wikipedia:Claymore mine|Claymore-like ordinance]] he uses to blow up pursuing [[Cylon Centurion]]s.
* Helo's six days on the run comes to an end when he is captured by the Cylons, after being distracted by the appearance of a copy of [[Number Six]], wearing a white raincoat.
*Helo is “rescued” by [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|a copy of Valerii]], who shoots Six and then leads Helo away into the woods. Helo mistakenly believes that this Valerii copy is actually the "Boomer" copy that left Caprica and returned to rescue him.

== Questions ==

*Billy reports that the number of survivors is down by 300 - some lost through death from injuries, etc., some "lost" through initial inaccurate counts, and the rest have "disappeared." How can people simply "disappear" in the fleet?
*Does Doctor Amorak truly have something on Baltar's involvement in the holocaust?
*Is Six actually in contact with other Cylons, and thus involved in the disappearance / reappearance of the ''Olympic Carrier''?
*What happened to the group of survivors [[Helo]] was left with in the [[Miniseries]]?

== Analysis ==
*'''Why did the Cylons come "every 33 minutes"?''' Short answer: it was a number Ron Moore has stated he picked at random, with no other significance. Long answer: See the [[Numerology#33|Numerology]] article for in-depth analysis of the "mystery of 33".
*The cast actually consulted with a sleep deprivation expert before this episode, making a large effort to accurately depict the effects of sleep deprivation on their characters, and it really comes through on screen. Rather than simply yawning alot and constantly saying "wow, I'm so tired", the cast met the series' goal of realistically portraying their symptoms: they behave aggravated, they start to forget things, their minds just start "slowing down".
*With [[Number Six#Baltar's Internal Six|Baltar's internal Number Six]], three possibilities seem to suggest themselves:
**She is a creation of his own psyche; a reaction to his betrayal of his people to the Cylons. Certainly, his increasing psychosis in the episode would seem to point to this; but then, he has - like the rest - been five plus days without sleep, and some degree of paranoia is bound to result.
**She is, as she suggested in the Miniseries, created by an implanted chip in his head and possibly in communication with the Cylons. However, if this is the case, surely the Cylon hunt for the Fleet would continue despite the destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier'' - as the Cylons would be tracing the fleet through Baltar. Given the humans are to all intents and purposes "on the ropes", it seems odd that they would break off the attack when they have such a clear advantage.
***The brain scan on Baltar in "[[Home, Part II]]" dismisses the notion that a mechanical implant is in his head, although it may not be medically recognizable.
***At times through the series, Baltar's virtual Six ''claims'' that the other Cylons are totally unaware of her existence.
**Could Six be a complete download of "Six's" personality, captured at the point of destruction of Baltar's home, and now contained in his head, possibly occupying his subconscious, out of contact with her own kind, but able to fully interact with his thoughts and feelings – even manipulate his thoughts and feelings? This may suggest Baltar [[Gaius Baltar#Speculation: The Real Baltar?|could be a Cylon agent himself]].
*Why is Boomer's Raptor launched alongside Apollo's Vipers for what everyone is expecting to be an interdiction exercise against Cylon Raiders?
:* Based on events from the [[Miniseries]] and in later episodes, Raptors are occasionally used to support or augment Viper operations with strengthened [[DRADIS]] and perhaps [[Radiological Alarm|radiological]] detection. Normally, Raptors are not on [[CAP]] with Vipers and are frequently deployed alone or as a group, but the events of "[[33]]" suggest that Commander Adama wanted to ensure extra coverage with the Raptor's stronger [[Computers|avionics]] to ensure extra coverage of Cylon activity.
:* In a [[You Can't Go Home Again| later episode]] a Raptor is used for rescuing ejected pilots during combat.
*The Memorial Hallway scene continues the writers' allusion to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States to the events of the Miniseries through the use of the many memorials, the confusion in finding lost loved ones, and Dualla's amazement at the size of the memorial. (A [[Lest We Forget|picture of a Colonial soldier]] on one of the Colonies during its destruction also plays on the intense feelings felt by many Americans when they saw similar pictures of New York City firefighters at the ruins of the World Trade Center.)

== Notes ==
*This episode won the [[Awards and Honors|2005 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]]
*When Season 1 premiered in the United States, "33" and "[[Water]]" aired back-to-back as a two hour tv event.
*When the first few episodes of the series began airing on Scifi Channel, title cards were shown at the beginning of each episode, i.e. "33" or "Water" flashing in white letters on a black screen, and then the episode would begin. This stopped by mid-Season 1.
*Continuous jumping badly affects the FTL drives and management systems aboard commercial Colonial vessels, which are not as rugged as the ''Galactica's'' military-issue drives
*The Cylons Jump ability is just as highly-accurate as the Jumps of the Colonials. In 238 times they manage to pounce on the Colonial fleet, arriving with precise momentum and trajectory to be able to close the distance and launch an attack
*According to Socinus, there are 5,251 people in the Fleet from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]]
*As of "33", there are 60 civilian ships in the Fleet, but [[Continuity errors (RDM)|errors in continuity of episode events]], especially from "[[Home, Part I]]", may place this initial information in question
*The head count of Colonial citizens at the end of the episode is 47,273
*[[Zoic]] visual effects artists hid small signs of movement within the ''Olympic Carrier'' in close-up effect shots as something of a morbid joke. Lights in the windows appear to flicker on and off rather rapidly and when slowed down there is some kind of movement visible on the inside of the ship
*In the DVD commentary for this episode, Ron D. Moore states that during the scene when Dualla hands Commander Adama a set of reports that he reads aloud (including fuel shortages, dozens of crewmen breaking down from nervous exhaustion, etc), Edward James Olmos ad-libbed "and ten suicides" in one take. The production team really liked the ad-lib, and thought the way Olmos acted the scene was fantastic. However, there were concerns that the network would think this would make an already ''extremely'' "dark" episode far '''too''' dark and alienate the audience during the premiere, and the line was reluctantly cut.
*During Season 1, ''Galactica''-Sharon parts her hair on the right side of her head, while Caprica-Sharon parts her hair on the left side of her head.
*At first appearance, there appears to be error with Billy's math with the [[Survivor count | survivor count]]. The episode starts with the count being 50,298. He informs Roslin this is in error by 300 = 49,998 survivors. When the ''Olympic Carrier'' is destroyed (1,345 people), he reduces the total to 47,972 – that’s a reduction of 2026, or 681 people ''more'' than listed on the ''Carrier''. However, in deleted scenes from this episode, Billy is actually reducing the survivor count additional times set between the beginning of the episode and the destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier''. These other deaths just occur offscreen.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''Baltar is having a vision of climbing into bed with Number Six''
:'''Six:''' You know you're not safe.
:'''Baltar:''' No, course not. The Cylons will follow us again, as they have the last two hundred and thirty seven times.
:'''Six:''' You're right, you know. There are limits. Eventually you'll make a mistake.
:'''Baltar:''' And then you'll kill us all. Yes. Yes, I know, but...not for another thirty-three minutes.

*Colonel Tigh: Yes, we're tired. Yes, there is no relief. Yes, the Cylons keep coming after us time after time after time. And yes, we are still expected to do our jobs!

* ''When Lee Adama and Kara Thrace are on ''Galactica's'' flight deck:''
:Lee Adama: Hey, did you see the note from the XO?
:Kara Thrace: I saw it. No way.
:Lee Adama: Kara, everyone else--
:Kara Thrace: I don't fly with stims. They fudge with your reflexes, your reaction time.
:Lee Adama: Come on, Kara, give me a break. Just--
:Kara Thrace: Why are we arguing about this?
:Lee Adama: I have no idea.
:Kara Thrace: Neither do I. You're the [[CAG]], act like one.
:Lee Adama: What does that mean?
:Kara Thrace: It means that you're still acting like everyone's best friend. We're not friends. You're the CAG. "Be careful out there?" Our job isn't to be careful, it's to shoot frakking [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] out of the sky. "Good Hunting" is what you say. And one of your idiot pilots is acting like a child and refusing to take her pills. So she either says "Yes, sir" and obeys a direct order, or you smack her in the mouth and drag her sorry ass to [[sickbay]] and you make her take those pills.
:''(Lee and Kara both start laughing)''
:Lee Adama: Well, I'm glad I'm not working for you.
:Kara Thrace: ''(laughing)'' Damn right you're glad.
:Lee Adama: So do I have to smack you in the mouth, Lieutenant?
:Kara Thrace: No sir, I'll take my pills. ''(takes pills from Lee)'' Perfect.
:Lee Adama: Carry on.
:Kara Thrace: ''(half-heartedly saluting)'' Yes, sir.

* ''When Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh are talking outside the [[CIC]]:''
:Colonel Tigh: ''(grunting)'' Oh...a couple hours rack time does sound awfully sweet right about now...
:Commander Adama: You deserve it.
:Colonel Tigh: You know, the truth is, all this has me feeling...well, more alive than I have in years.
:Commander Adama: You look that way too. It's good to see you without the cup in your hand.
:Colonel Tigh: Ah, don't start.
:Commander Adama: I know there's a whole lot of people on this ship, that wish you weren't feeling as good.
:Colonel Tigh: ''(laughing)'' If the crew doesn't hate the XO, then he's not doing his job. Besides, I've gotta make the old man look good.
:Commander Adama: I always look good.
:Colonel Tigh: Look in the mirror.
:Commander Adama: Seriously...
:Colonel Tigh: Sir?
:Commander Adama: It's one thing to push the crew. It's another thing to break them.

* ''As the [[Olympic Carrier]] heads on a suicide run towards ''Galactica'', Lee Adama, Kara Thrace and Sharon Valerii are flying beside the liner:''
:Boomer: ''(in a Raptor flying beside the ''Olympic Carrier'')'' We have...new orders. We are directed to...destroy the ''Olympic Carrier'', and return back to ''Galactica''.
:Kara Thrace: ''(in a Viper flying beside the carrier)'' It's a civilian ship!
:Crashdown: ''(inside the Raptor)'' Yeah...a civilian ship with nukes.
:(Lee Adama looks out the cockpit window of his Viper at the ship, which seems to be barren)
:Crashdown: I don't see anybody in there. Do you?
:Lee Adama: The Cylons will be here any second. If we're gonna do this, let's just do it. Starbuck, form up with me and we'll make one pass from astern.
:''(Lee and Kara fall back a fair distance from the ship)''
:Kara Thrace: Lee, what if you're wrong? ''(silence)'' Lee, come on. Lee!
:Lee Adama: Okay, fire on my mark.
:Kara Thrace: No [[Frak|frakking]] way, Lee. Lee! Come on!
:Lee Adama: ... ... mark.
:''(Lee and Kara both open fire on the Olympic Carrier, and it explodes in a ball of flames)''

== Official Statements ==

=== Offical Statements: Note on [["Lest We Forget"]] ===
{{From RDM blog}}

:"It's probably been asked before, but I'm curious as to whom[sic] is in the picture in the Viper Pilot's briefing room, facing away from the camera . . . the one the pilots, including [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], touch when they enter and leave? This is touching, and is a wonderful human element to the story. So who is it?"

:There was a scene cut from [[33|"33"]] where we saw [[Laura Roslin]] being given her copy of the photo along with a card that said it was taken on the roof of the capitol building on Aerilon during the attack. The photo was inspired by the famous shot of the fire-fighters raising the flag at Ground Zero that became iconic. I thought the Colonies would have their own version of this -- a snapshot taken in the moment that becomes a symbol of the day they can never forget and of all they had lost. The photo itself is of a soldier falling to his knees (possibly shot or simply overcome by emotion) as he stands on the rooftop over looking the devastation of his city, while the Colonial flag waves at the edge of frame. The inscription below the photo on Laura's plaque reads, [["Lest We Forget"]] in itself a reference to the inscription on the watch presented to John Wayne's character in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."

=== Comments from the Cast ===

*"Insomnia. Nobody has slept. Everyone's just coming to terms with the fact that they have lost everybody that they've loved or relate to." -- [[Jamie Bamber]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"It was a hard episode, because, you just had to basically fall apart." -- [[Katee Sackhoff]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"Episode 1 is extremely docu-style because the characters haven't actually slept for five days (sic) and they have been running from the Cylons for the 250th time. And it's very stressful and they're about to lose the plot completely because of sleep deprivation." -- [[Michael Rymer]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

=== Excerpt from the Official Companion ===
In [[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]], the dedicated performance by the cast, trying to accurately and realistically depict extensive sleep deprivation on-screen, was explained:
:"''Battlestar Galactica<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s first season premiere required the show's cast members to depict their characters under extreme physical and emotional duress, as they faced sleep deprivation and the constant threat of Cylon attack. This unique and intriguing acting challenge prompted Edward James Olmos to enlist the assistance of a sleep deprivation expert, who met with the cast shortly prior to the starting of shooting. Olmos and several other cast members also restricted their sleeping paterns a few days before filming, to gain a better understanding of sleep deprivation.

:"I rested just before we actually shot the episode, because I didn't want to go on-camera exhausted," explains Olmos. "But in the week before shooting, I only had about three hours of sleep per night and I studied myself to get to know how to pay the symptoms of sleep deprivation. About two days away from shooting, I was sitting in this meeting and everyone was looking at me as I tried to make sense. I told everyone, "This is what happens when you go without sleep — you don't act funny or yawn all the time, it's more the case that your mind doesn't function correctly". The doctor later expanded on this, and pretty soon everyone was tuned in. So when we went into the episode, everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and it was beautiful to watch."" (page 46)

== Guest stars ==
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lt. [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] as Crewman Specialst [[Socinus]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
*[[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]]
*[[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]]

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/101/ "33"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Ronald D. Moore]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[es:33 Minutos]]
[[de:33 Minuten]]

33

2006-09-15T14:26:09Z

Biggs33: /* Excerpt from the Official Companion */

{{translation|[[:de:33 Minuten|German]], [[33/fr:33 minutes|French]], [[:es:33 Minutos|Spanish]], [[33/pt:33|Portuguese]], and [[33/ms:33|Malay]]}}

{{Episode Data
| image = 33mincount_101_1080i.jpg
| title= 33
| series=
| season= 1
| episode= 1
| guests=
| writer= [[Ronald D. Moore]]
| story=
| goof=Y
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production= 101 '''(Series Premiere)'''
| rating= 2.6
| US airdate= 2005-01-14
| UK airdate= 2004-10-18
| dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US''' {{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev= [[Miniseries]]
| next= [[Water]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''Continuing from the events of the [[Miniseries]], [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] must avoid their [[Cylon]] pursuers, which ambush them every 33 minutes after each successful [[FTL|Jump]].''

== Summary ==

=== On ''[[Galactica]]'' ===
* The crew of battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'' have been on continuous alert for some 130.35 hours, during which time the Fleet has had to make an [[FTL|FTL Jump]] every 33 minutes to escape their [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] pursuers shortly after their initial escape from [[Ragnar Anchorage]].
* Everyone in the Fleet is beginning to feel the strain – particularly [[Gaius Baltar]], who is also distracted by [[Number Six|Six’s]] repeated conversations about [[God]] having a plan for him, and also her wanting to have his children.
* Vessels in the Fleet are also beginning to feel the strain: Jump engines and their controlling computers are starting to breakdown or malfunction, requiring ''Galactica'' to linger longer and longer in the Cylon line of fire while the rest of the fleet complete their Jumps.
* Following jump number 237, [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] receives word from a Dr. [[Amorak]] aboard the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'' concerning information on how the Cylons overcame Colonial defenses.
* Overhearing the conversation, Baltar is worried: he knew Amorak at the [[Defence Ministry]]. As Six points out, Amorak might have information on Baltar's complicity with the Cylon attack.
* There is insufficient time before the next Jump to bring Amorak aboard ''[[Colonial One]]'', but Roslin wants to see him directly after the Jump has been completed.
* Elsewhere, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] is having problems accepting her new [[ECO]], [[Crashdown]], and is feeling guilty about leaving [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] to his fate.
* When the next Jump is made, the ''Olympic Carrier'', complete with Dr. Amorak and 1344 other souls, fails to appear with the rest of the Fleet. Six tries to convince Baltar that it is because God is watching over him.
* Thirty-three minutes later, the Fleet is ready to jump, but the Cylons don’t appear. Adama orders a stand-down from the immediate alert, but the Fleet is to maintain a readiness to Jump, in case the Cylons do return.
* When Baltar continues to refuse the concept of God, the ''Olympic Carrier'' reappears; Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] orders the Fleet to [[Action Stations|Condition One alert]], fearing the worst. He orders the Jump clocks reset in anticipation of the Cylons arriving.
*The [[Combat Air Patrol]] lead by [[Lee Adama]] intercepts the [[Intersun|starliner]]. Adama orders all communications with the ''Carrier'' jammed and the ''Carrier'' is ordered (through signal lamps) to remain at its current position. When the ''Carrier'' fails to heed orders not to approach the fleet, tensions rise, and a [[Radiological Alarm|radiological alarm]] reveals there is now a nuclear weapon on the liner.
*As the crisis deepens, the Cylons appear precisely 33 minutes after the return of the ''Carrier'', confirming that the ''Carrier'' was used somehow by the Cylons to track the Fleet. Adama wants to destroy the liner, but Roslin hesitates to give the order, as no one can be sure if the 1,345 people aboard the ''Carrier'' are still alive. Baltar is terrified she won't give the order for fear of Amorak's information.
*Six uses the hesitation to push Baltar into “repenting” before God. As soon as he does, Roslin gives the order to destroy the liner. Apollo and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] (reluctantly) open fire, destroying the liner. After the Fleet makes a Jump once more, the Cylon's relentless pursuit is halted.
*A day later, everyone is living with the consequences of their actions. Only [[Billy Keikeya]] has a small nugget of good news: at some point in the proceedings, a baby was born in the Fleet.

===On Caprica===
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] is on the run in the rainy woodland, and has [[Wikipedia:Claymore mine|Claymore-like ordinance]] he uses to blow up pursuing [[Cylon Centurion]]s.
* Helo's six days on the run comes to an end when he is captured by the Cylons, after being distracted by the appearance of a copy of [[Number Six]], wearing a white raincoat.
*Helo is “rescued” by [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|a copy of Valerii]], who shoots Six and then leads Helo away into the woods. Helo mistakenly believes that this Valerii copy is actually the "Boomer" copy that left Caprica and returned to rescue him.

== Questions ==

*Billy reports that the number of survivors is down by 300 - some lost through death from injuries, etc., some "lost" through initial inaccurate counts, and the rest have "disappeared." How can people simply "disappear" in the fleet?
*Does Doctor Amorak truly have something on Baltar's involvement in the holocaust?
*Is Six actually in contact with other Cylons, and thus involved in the disappearance / reappearance of the ''Olympic Carrier''?
*What happened to the group of survivors [[Helo]] was left with in the [[Miniseries]]?

== Analysis ==
*'''Why did the Cylons come "every 33 minutes"?''' Short answer: it was a number Ron Moore has stated he picked at random, with no other significance. Long answer: See the [[Numerology#33|Numerology]] article for in-depth analysis of the "mystery of 33".
*The cast actually consulted with a sleep deprivation expert before this episode, making a large effort to accurately depict the effects of sleep deprivation on their characters, and it really comes through on screen. Rather than simply yawning alot and constantly saying "wow, I'm so tired", the cast met the series' goal of realistically portraying their symptoms: they behave aggravated, they start to forget things, their minds just start "slowing down".
*With [[Number Six#Baltar's Internal Six|Baltar's internal Number Six]], three possibilities seem to suggest themselves:
**She is a creation of his own psyche; a reaction to his betrayal of his people to the Cylons. Certainly, his increasing psychosis in the episode would seem to point to this; but then, he has - like the rest - been five plus days without sleep, and some degree of paranoia is bound to result.
**She is, as she suggested in the Miniseries, created by an implanted chip in his head and possibly in communication with the Cylons. However, if this is the case, surely the Cylon hunt for the Fleet would continue despite the destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier'' - as the Cylons would be tracing the fleet through Baltar. Given the humans are to all intents and purposes "on the ropes", it seems odd that they would break off the attack when they have such a clear advantage.
***The brain scan on Baltar in "[[Home, Part II]]" dismisses the notion that a mechanical implant is in his head, although it may not be medically recognizable.
***At times through the series, Baltar's virtual Six ''claims'' that the other Cylons are totally unaware of her existence.
**Could Six be a complete download of "Six's" personality, captured at the point of destruction of Baltar's home, and now contained in his head, possibly occupying his subconscious, out of contact with her own kind, but able to fully interact with his thoughts and feelings – even manipulate his thoughts and feelings? This may suggest Baltar [[Gaius Baltar#Speculation: The Real Baltar?|could be a Cylon agent himself]].
*Why is Boomer's Raptor launched alongside Apollo's Vipers for what everyone is expecting to be an interdiction exercise against Cylon Raiders?
:* Based on events from the [[Miniseries]] and in later episodes, Raptors are occasionally used to support or augment Viper operations with strengthened [[DRADIS]] and perhaps [[Radiological Alarm|radiological]] detection. Normally, Raptors are not on [[CAP]] with Vipers and are frequently deployed alone or as a group, but the events of "[[33]]" suggest that Commander Adama wanted to ensure extra coverage with the Raptor's stronger [[Computers|avionics]] to ensure extra coverage of Cylon activity.
:* In a [[You Can't Go Home Again| later episode]] a Raptor is used for rescuing ejected pilots during combat.
*The Memorial Hallway scene continues the writers' allusion to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States to the events of the Miniseries through the use of the many memorials, the confusion in finding lost loved ones, and Dualla's amazement at the size of the memorial. (A [[Lest We Forget|picture of a Colonial soldier]] on one of the Colonies during its destruction also plays on the intense feelings felt by many Americans when they saw similar pictures of New York City firefighters at the ruins of the World Trade Center.)

== Notes ==
*This episode won the [[Awards and Honors|2005 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]]
*When Season 1 premiered in the United States, "33" and "[[Water]]" aired back-to-back as a two hour tv event.
*When the first few episodes of the series began airing on Scifi Channel, title cards were shown at the beginning of each episode, i.e. "33" or "Water" flashing in white letters on a black screen, and then the episode would begin. This stopped by mid-Season 1.
*Continuous jumping badly affects the FTL drives and management systems aboard commercial Colonial vessels, which are not as rugged as the ''Galactica's'' military-issue drives
*The Cylons Jump ability is just as highly-accurate as the Jumps of the Colonials. In 238 times they manage to pounce on the Colonial fleet, arriving with precise momentum and trajectory to be able to close the distance and launch an attack
*According to Socinus, there are 5,251 people in the Fleet from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]]
*As of "33", there are 60 civilian ships in the Fleet, but [[Continuity errors (RDM)|errors in continuity of episode events]], especially from "[[Home, Part I]]", may place this initial information in question
*The head count of Colonial citizens at the end of the episode is 47,273
*[[Zoic]] visual effects artists hid small signs of movement within the ''Olympic Carrier'' in close-up effect shots as something of a morbid joke. Lights in the windows appear to flicker on and off rather rapidly and when slowed down there is some kind of movement visible on the inside of the ship
*In the DVD commentary for this episode, Ron D. Moore states that during the scene when Dualla hands Commander Adama a set of reports that he reads aloud (including fuel shortages, dozens of crewmen breaking down from nervous exhaustion, etc), Edward James Olmos ad-libbed "and ten suicides" in one take. The production team really liked the ad-lib, and thought the way Olmos acted the scene was fantastic. However, there were concerns that the network would think this would make an already ''extremely'' "dark" episode far '''too''' dark and alienate the audience during the premiere, and the line was reluctantly cut.
*During Season 1, ''Galactica''-Sharon parts her hair on the right side of her head, while Caprica-Sharon parts her hair on the left side of her head.
*At first appearance, there appears to be error with Billy's math with the [[Survivor count | survivor count]]. The episode starts with the count being 50,298. He informs Roslin this is in error by 300 = 49,998 survivors. When the ''Olympic Carrier'' is destroyed (1,345 people), he reduces the total to 47,972 – that’s a reduction of 2026, or 681 people ''more'' than listed on the ''Carrier''. However, in deleted scenes from this episode, Billy is actually reducing the survivor count additional times set between the beginning of the episode and the destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier''. These other deaths just occur offscreen.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

*''Baltar is having a vision of climbing into bed with Number Six''
:'''Six:''' You know you're not safe.
:'''Baltar:''' No, course not. The Cylons will follow us again, as they have the last two hundred and thirty seven times.
:'''Six:''' You're right, you know. There are limits. Eventually you'll make a mistake.
:'''Baltar:''' And then you'll kill us all. Yes. Yes, I know, but...not for another thirty-three minutes.

*Colonel Tigh: Yes, we're tired. Yes, there is no relief. Yes, the Cylons keep coming after us time after time after time. And yes, we are still expected to do our jobs!

* ''When Lee Adama and Kara Thrace are on ''Galactica's'' flight deck:''
:Lee Adama: Hey, did you see the note from the XO?
:Kara Thrace: I saw it. No way.
:Lee Adama: Kara, everyone else--
:Kara Thrace: I don't fly with stims. They fudge with your reflexes, your reaction time.
:Lee Adama: Come on, Kara, give me a break. Just--
:Kara Thrace: Why are we arguing about this?
:Lee Adama: I have no idea.
:Kara Thrace: Neither do I. You're the [[CAG]], act like one.
:Lee Adama: What does that mean?
:Kara Thrace: It means that you're still acting like everyone's best friend. We're not friends. You're the CAG. "Be careful out there?" Our job isn't to be careful, it's to shoot frakking [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] out of the sky. "Good Hunting" is what you say. And one of your idiot pilots is acting like a child and refusing to take her pills. So she either says "Yes, sir" and obeys a direct order, or you smack her in the mouth and drag her sorry ass to [[sickbay]] and you make her take those pills.
:''(Lee and Kara both start laughing)''
:Lee Adama: Well, I'm glad I'm not working for you.
:Kara Thrace: ''(laughing)'' Damn right you're glad.
:Lee Adama: So do I have to smack you in the mouth, Lieutenant?
:Kara Thrace: No sir, I'll take my pills. ''(takes pills from Lee)'' Perfect.
:Lee Adama: Carry on.
:Kara Thrace: ''(half-heartedly saluting)'' Yes, sir.

* ''When Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh are talking outside the [[CIC]]:''
:Colonel Tigh: ''(grunting)'' Oh...a couple hours rack time does sound awfully sweet right about now...
:Commander Adama: You deserve it.
:Colonel Tigh: You know, the truth is, all this has me feeling...well, more alive than I have in years.
:Commander Adama: You look that way too. It's good to see you without the cup in your hand.
:Colonel Tigh: Ah, don't start.
:Commander Adama: I know there's a whole lot of people on this ship, that wish you weren't feeling as good.
:Colonel Tigh: ''(laughing)'' If the crew doesn't hate the XO, then he's not doing his job. Besides, I've gotta make the old man look good.
:Commander Adama: I always look good.
:Colonel Tigh: Look in the mirror.
:Commander Adama: Seriously...
:Colonel Tigh: Sir?
:Commander Adama: It's one thing to push the crew. It's another thing to break them.

* ''As the [[Olympic Carrier]] heads on a suicide run towards ''Galactica'', Lee Adama, Kara Thrace and Sharon Valerii are flying beside the liner:''
:Boomer: ''(in a Raptor flying beside the ''Olympic Carrier'')'' We have...new orders. We are directed to...destroy the ''Olympic Carrier'', and return back to ''Galactica''.
:Kara Thrace: ''(in a Viper flying beside the carrier)'' It's a civilian ship!
:Crashdown: ''(inside the Raptor)'' Yeah...a civilian ship with nukes.
:(Lee Adama looks out the cockpit window of his Viper at the ship, which seems to be barren)
:Crashdown: I don't see anybody in there. Do you?
:Lee Adama: The Cylons will be here any second. If we're gonna do this, let's just do it. Starbuck, form up with me and we'll make one pass from astern.
:''(Lee and Kara fall back a fair distance from the ship)''
:Kara Thrace: Lee, what if you're wrong? ''(silence)'' Lee, come on. Lee!
:Lee Adama: Okay, fire on my mark.
:Kara Thrace: No [[Frak|frakking]] way, Lee. Lee! Come on!
:Lee Adama: ... ... mark.
:''(Lee and Kara both open fire on the Olympic Carrier, and it explodes in a ball of flames)''

== Official Statements ==

=== Offical Statements: Note on [["Lest We Forget"]] ===
{{From RDM blog}}

:"It's probably been asked before, but I'm curious as to whom[sic] is in the picture in the Viper Pilot's briefing room, facing away from the camera . . . the one the pilots, including [[William Adama|Commander Adama]], touch when they enter and leave? This is touching, and is a wonderful human element to the story. So who is it?"

:There was a scene cut from [[33|"33"]] where we saw [[Laura Roslin]] being given her copy of the photo along with a card that said it was taken on the roof of the capitol building on Aerilon during the attack. The photo was inspired by the famous shot of the fire-fighters raising the flag at Ground Zero that became iconic. I thought the Colonies would have their own version of this -- a snapshot taken in the moment that becomes a symbol of the day they can never forget and of all they had lost. The photo itself is of a soldier falling to his knees (possibly shot or simply overcome by emotion) as he stands on the rooftop over looking the devastation of his city, while the Colonial flag waves at the edge of frame. The inscription below the photo on Laura's plaque reads, [["Lest We Forget"]] in itself a reference to the inscription on the watch presented to John Wayne's character in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."

=== Comments from the Cast ===

*"Insomnia. Nobody has slept. Everyone's just coming to terms with the fact that they have lost everybody that they've loved or relate to." -- [[Jamie Bamber]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"It was a hard episode, because, you just had to basically fall apart." -- [[Katee Sackhoff]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"Episode 1 is extremely docu-style because the characters haven't actually slept for five days (sic) and they have been running from the Cylons for the 250th time. And it's very stressful and they're about to lose the plot completely because of sleep deprivation." -- [[Michael Rymer]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

=== Excerpt from the Official Companion ===
In [[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]], the dedicated performance by the cast, trying to accurately and realistically depict extensive sleep deprivation on-screen, was explained:
:"''Battlestar Galactica<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s first season premiere required the show's cast members to depict their characters under extreme physical and emotional duress, as they faced sleep deprivation and the constant threat of Cylon attack. This unique and intriguing acting challenge prompted Edward James Olmos to enlist the assistance of a sleep deprivation expert, who met with the cast shortly prior to the starting of shooting. Olmos and several other cast members also restricted their sleeping paterns a few days before filming, to gain a better understanding of sleep deprivation.

:"I Rested just before we actually shot the episode, because I didn't want to go on-camera exhausted," explains Olmos. "But in the week before shooting, I only had about three hours of sleep per night and I stuided myself to get to know how to pay the symptoms of sleep deprivation. About two days away from shooting, I was sitting in this meeting and everyone was looking at me as I tried to make sense. I told everyone, "This is what happens when you go without sleep — you don't act funny or yawn all the time, it's more the case that your mind doesn't function correctly". The doctor later expanded on this, and pretty soon everyone was tuned in. So when we went into the episode, everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and it was beautiful to watch."" (page 46)

== Guest stars ==
*[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lt. [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] as Crewman Specialst [[Socinus]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
*[[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]]
*[[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]]

== External Links ==
[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/season01/101/ "33"] at scifi.com

{{episode list (RDM season 1)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Ronald D. Moore]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Michael Rymer]]

[[es:33 Minutos]]
[[de:33 Minuten]]

Gaius Baltar

2006-09-14T15:38:34Z

Biggs33: /* Gaius as President */

:''This page discusses the unwitting betrayer of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol in the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]]. For information on the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] character that intentionally betrays the [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)|Twelve Colonies of Man]], see [[Baltar (TOS)]].''

{{Character Data
|photo= Season 3 Baltar.jpg
|colony= [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]]
|birthname= Gaius Baltar
|seen= Miniseries
|marital status= Single, in a relationship with a [[Cylon-Related_Hallucinations#Baltar.27s_Internal_Six|hallucination of Number Six]]. Previously involved with [[Caprica-Six|the "real" Number Six]] and [[Gina]].
|role= President of [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]]
|actor= [[James Callis]]
}}

__TOC__

== Background ==

Dr. '''Gaius Baltar''' was formerly a lead defense systems developer working for the [[Colonial Ministry of Defense]] and was widely considered a genius and celebrity throughout [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]]. Baltar came to prominence as a computer technology designer having won three [[Magnate Prize]]s. Baltar was born on [[The_Twelve_Colonies_(RDM)#Sagittaron |Sagittaron]] and attracted to [[The_Twelve_Colonies_(RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] by the Defense Ministry<ref name="birthplace">Baltar's planet of birth and recruitment by the Colonial Defense Ministry to Caprica are according to SkyOne. However, information from SkyOne may not be canonical at all.</ref>. He networks with others well, and became personal friends with President [[Adar (RDM)|Adar]]. Baltar becomes responsible for the design of the critical [[Command Navigation Program]] (CNP) used throughout the [[Colonial Fleet]]. Baltar's scientific prowess seems strongest in the medical and biological fields. As a result of his lesser (although still advanced) computer programming skills, he seeks the help (and as a byproduct, the affections of) a young woman named [[Number Six|Natasi]] to aid him with the CNP.

Elegantly dressed and aesthetically handsome, with the affected humility of the truly arrogant, Baltar is nonetheless a deeply flawed person and almost pathologically narcissist. Beneath his outstanding abilities lurks a dramatic weakness of character. Self-absorbed, sly, guileful, lecherous and utterly dedicated to his own self-preservation, Baltar carried on a two-year affair with Natasi-- even to the extent of using code she herself wrote to overcome shortfalls in his CNP -- and thus allowed her unrestricted access to some of the most sensitive systems of the Colonial defenses.

Baltar is currently President of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]], succeeding President [[Laura Roslin]].

== [[Cylon Attack]] ==
[[image:Mini-Baltar_Six.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Gaius Baltar]] and [[Caprica-Six|Number Six]] kissing in the [[Miniseries]]. (C. SciFi Channel)]]
When the Cylons launch their attack, Baltar becomes horrified to learn that his "corporate spy" lover is in fact a new type of Cylon -- a [[Cylon agent|Cylon in human form]], able to mimic human beings down to the smallest detail -- and that she altered his CNP as a gateway to make all integrated Colonial computers and defense systems vulnerable to a Cylon virus that subverts their command and control systems.

Appalled by the fact that his sexual folly has led to the virtual holocaust of humanity, Baltar is nevertheless determined not only to survive but also avoid having his unintended treachery revealed.

Rescued on Caprica following the forced-landing of a Colonial [[Raptor]] -- at the cost of [[Karl Agathon|one of the crew staying behind]] ([[Miniseries]]) -- he is pleased to find himself treated with the same esteem he enjoyed back on Caprica. His only problem is that [[Number Six]], his former "lover" -- herself ostensibly destroyed in the shock wave of a nuclear blast -- now appears to him in visions, and he cannot be sure whether this is a result of his own guilt at his actions or whether -- as she initially claims -- she is part of a chip that has been implanted in his brain<ref name="chip">The idea that Six is an actual chip in Baltar's head was dismissed by Dr. [[Cottle]]'s image scan of Baltar's head. See [[Gaius Baltar#Speculation: The Real Baltar?|the section on alternate reasons for Six's existence]] for more.</ref>.

Shortly after Baltar's arrival on ''Galactica'', Commander [[William Adama]] learns that Cylons can mimic human form, and Baltar is put to work trying to devise a means of detecting these humanoid Cylons. By an educated guess (and an apparent attempt to distract those who suspected him of treachery), he exposes [[Aaron Doral]] -- a PR executive who co-ordinated the media coverage of ''Galactica's'' decommissioning -- as a Cylon agent ([[Miniseries]]), using little more than invented [[technobabble]] to convince [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]]. Despite his protestations of innocence, Doral is marooned at [[Ragnar Anchorage]], but soon a team of Cylon agents appear to pick up the stranded Doral. Baltar's educated guess was correct--Doral was indeed a Cylon agent.

Due to his unique abilities, Baltar is charged with turning his initial "[[Cylon detector]]" into a working machine capable of screening everyone in [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]]. While he at first balks at this task, events such as the sabotaging of ''Galactica's'' water reserves ([[Water]]) force him into a position where he can no longer procrastinate over the detector -- despite his fear that such a device might somehow expose him as the original traitor among humans. Gaining aid from a most unusual source -- his "virtual" Six ([[Bastille Day]]), who gets him to request a nuclear warhead for the detector -- Baltar eventually develops a genuine detector; which functions by exposing cell samples to the warhead's radiation, because it has already been demonstrated ([[Miniseries]]) that Cylons are more susceptible to certain kinds of radiation. This, together with his survival of a foiled attempt to expose him as a traitor ([[Six Degrees of Separation]]), firmly establishes his credentials within the Fleet's hierarchy.

With this new-found trust, and despite his willingness to deliberately conceal vital information, such as [[Sharon Valerii#"Boomer" Valerii|Lieutenant Valerii's]] true status as a [[Cylon agent]] ([[Flesh and Bone]]), Baltar willing enters the realm of political leadership, first as the Representative for [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] on the [[Quorum of Twelve]], and then as the newly-elected Vice President of the Colonies ([[Colonial Day]]).

== Cylon Manipulations ==

The Cylons commenced their direct manipulations of Baltar some two years prior to the attack on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]], by bringing him into contact with their agent, [[Number Six]], who started a torrid affair with him while at the same time using him to access vital Colonial command and control systems within the Ministry of Defense ([[Miniseries]]).

This manipulation continues even after the Doctor leaves Caprica behind, with Six appearing to him in sensory perceptions, possibly through an implant in his brain ([[Miniseries]]) or perhaps even through a series of psychotic hallucinations as the doctor struggles to reconcile his guilt and his desire of self-preservation.

Regardless of the cause of her appearances, Six continues to help and hinder Baltar, gradually drawing him to a point of near-open acceptance and participation in Cylon plans and activities ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]). The majority of this manipulation has been through religious intrigue, linked to physical threats to Baltar's well-being or that of other humans. These manipulations include:

* Using the threat of Baltar's former colleague, Dr. [[Amorak]], attempting to contact [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] with information on a "traitor" within Colonial circles -- and only "removing" this threat once Baltar has "repented of his sins" ([[33]])
* Using the threat of direct accusation (in the form of "[[Shelly Godfrey]]") coupled with "photographic evidence" -- and only "removing" this threat once Baltar has "accepted" [[God]] into his life ([[Six Degrees of Separation]])
[[image:Scattered-Baltar_Six.jpg|thumb|[[Gaius Baltar]] and [[Number Six]] seeing "the shape of things to come" in "[[Scattered]]". (C. Universal Studios)]]
Baltar's near-acquiescence to the [[God|Cylon religion]] comes when he goes through a process similar to the [[wikipedia:Evangelicalism|evangelical Christian]] belief in "rebirth" through adult baptism. In this, the new believer in the Christian faith is baptized (generally through full immersion in water), symbolizing the "death" of the "old" self and "birth" of the "new" Christian self. In "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]", Baltar apparently undergoes "death" at the hands of his inner Six when she "breaks" his neck -- and is "reborn" in his real life as the "instrument of God", able to point-out precisely where Colonial forces must strike in order to eliminate the Cylon base preventing them from accessing supplies of [[Tylium|tylium]] ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]).

This act leaves Baltar ripe for the final revelation of his role within Cylon expectations, when "the future" is revealed to him by Six on [[Kobol]], in the form of the first of "God's new generation of children" ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]). Baltar is not particularly pleased by this, especially when he learns that he is to be the father and that the mother will be Six ([[Scattered]]). Despite this, when he believes Commander Adama is trying to kill the child in one of his dreams, he tries to stop this ([[Valley of Darkness]]).

==Survival on Kobol==
[[Image:Baltarixvalleydarkness.jpg|Number Six showing Baltar the clearing filled with human bones, telling him they were from human sacrifices.|thumb]]
While stranded on Kobol, Baltar "awoke" in a clearing filled with human bones. Number Six tells him the bones were from human sacrifices, and that all of the myths about the gods of Kobol and the paradise on Kobol were a lie to hide the true brutality of man, which increases Baltar's cynical opinion of humanity. Number Six also warns that one of the survivors of Baltar's crash would turn against the others.

The Raptor crash survivors, consisting of Baltar, Chief [[Galen Tyrol]], [[Cally]], [[Seelix]], and ranking crew member [[Crashdown]], a lieutenant, are faced with [[Cylon Centurion]]s building a missile battery that will destroy any rescue ships trying to save them. Crashdown, obsessed with success after the deaths of [[Tarn]] and [[Socinus]], orders the team to make a suicidal attack on the Cylon position. Baltar has never fired a weapon in his life and feels it could not be done. Due to the fact that he was the only non-military member of the survivors, he insists that they put it to a vote before Tyrol shouts him down to follow the chain of command.

On starting the attack, Cally freezes in terror, unable to create the needed diversion. Crashdown points his gun at her head and threatens to kill her if she does not obey the order. Immediately, Tyrol levels his gun at Crashdown. A tense standoff ensues. Just as Crashdown is about to fire, Baltar shoots him in the back, killing him instantly<ref name="killing">The act of killing Crashdown appears to have led to a dramatic change in Baltar's attitude toward hurting anyone directly. When Cally tries to blackmail him after they return from Kobol, Baltar is somewhat rough with her. When he visits Tyrol and Boomer in the brig, he does not hesitate to inject Tyrol with fatal drugs to blackmail Boomer into giving Cylon secrets. Baltar's humanitarian acts to the Six copy known as Gina also suggests Baltar's attitude in the care of Cylons is further changing. More and more, Baltar appears to prefer direct intervention and is less cowardly in his attitude.</ref>. The group successfully carries out the alternate plan of attacking the Cylon's [[DRADIS]] dish, and are rescued by the Raptors. Baltar tells the [[SAR]] team that Crashdown died a hero in the fight, and Tyrol reluctantly corroborates his story ([[Fragged]]).

==Return to ''Galactica''==

Back on ''Galactica'', Baltar insists that if Roslin's presidency was terminated, as Vice President he should then succeed her in command, but Col. Tigh dismisses the notion because he has instituted martial law in [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]]. Later, Cally blackmails Baltar into making it a priority to prove that Chief Tyrol is not a Cylon, as Col. Tigh suspects, or Cally would reveal to all that it was really Baltar that killed Crashdown. Baltar pushes Cally against the wall and lectures her sternly, but she refuses to back down, telling him to "help the Chief [by] help[ing] [him]self." Incensed at this ingratitude, Baltar heads to the [[brig]], purportedly to take a blood sample from Tyrol, but actually to inject him with a toxin that will kill him in seconds without an antidote. Baltar does this to coerce Boomer, who shares Tyrol's cell, reveal to him how many remaining humanoid Cylons are hiding in the Fleet. He gambles that, even if Valerii was programmed to think she was human, on a subconscious level she truly ''would'' know the answer as a Cylon operative. With time running out, she shouts out "Eight!" Baltar revives Tyrol with the antidote, leaving him in Valerii's care. Baltar then plans to perform a series of experiments on Boomer, but she is soon killed by Cally ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]).
[[image:brainscan.jpg|Baltar recieves his brain scan from Dr. Cottle, as Six watches on in amusement.|thumb]]
Some time later, as Commander Adama attempts to retrieve President Roslin and reunite the Fleet, Baltar yells at his internal Number Six for her increasingly ridiculous random changes in appearance, even questioning her actual existence. She responds by simplifying her appearance and attitude and told him that he truly had gone crazy, claiming there is no "computer chip"<ref name="chip"/> in his head with her personality, and that she is indeed a hallucination brought on by his guilt-ridden subconscious. Baltar has a brain scan performed in [[sickbay]] by Dr. [[Cottle]] (despite ''interference'' from Six), which confirms no "foreign objects" are present in his head. Baltar is ready to believe that he is truly insane when he hears [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Caprica-Sharon]] discuss Valerii's pregnancy with a Cylon/Human hybrid child from his observation room. Six told Baltar earlier that "their child" would be born in that cell, and this leads Baltar to realize that Six ''must'' be real because his subconscious couldn't have known that. Number Six says that she is indeed real and not a hallucination. While she still denies the presence of a chip in Baltar's head, she claims to be "an angel of God sent here to protect [Baltar]". Six tells Baltar that by "their" child she is referring to Caprica-Valerii's biological child: Six considers herself the mother, and Baltar the father ([[Home, Part II]]).

When [[D'anna Biers]] films a documentary about life aboard ''Galactica'', Six urges Baltar to give an interview to try to win people over to thinking that he should be running the Fleet. Baltar performs badly as he begins his interview but, fortunately, his interview is interrupted by a Cylon attack that Biers chooses to film instead ([[Final Cut]]).

Baltar aids in trying to overcome the Cylon [[logic bomb]] which devastates ''Galactica's'' [[computers]]. Tigh's dislike of Baltar's involvement in this problem makes the scientist edgy enough to retort, "I'm sorry. Do you want to survive this one or not, Colonel?" ([[Flight of the Phoenix]])
[[image:baltargina.jpg|Baltar with Gina, the Cylon prisoner from ''Pegasus''.|thumb]]

==Arrival of ''Pegasus''==

When battlestar ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' reunites with the Fleet, Commander Adama requests that Baltar examine ''Pegasus' '' own Cylon prisoner to see what information he could glean from it. Upon arrival in the ''Pegasus'' brig, Baltar is horrified to discover the Cylon was a terribly abused and tortured copy of Number Six named "[[Gina]]". Baltar vows to help her in any way he could, and begins by having her restraints removed and bringing food to her. The inhumane treatment of Gina by the ''Pegasus'' crew likely makes Gaius more critical of humanity's worth ([[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]).

Over the course of his examination of Gina, he uncovers both her wish to die and the secret of the Cylon [[Resurrection Ship]]. He passes this information to Adama and [[Helena Cain|Admiral Helena Cain]], who develop an [[Attack on the Resurrection Ship|operation to destroy it]] ([[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]).

Baltar continues to spend time with Gina, growing closer to her despite Six's pleas to the contrary and eventually helps Gina escape from the brig. He tells Gina that he can hide her, and also that he loves her. Gina goes on to kill Cain and escapes from the ''Pegasus'' through unexplained means, although it is probable that Baltar had something to do with it ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).

==Serving Everyone, but No One==

To many others, Dr. Baltar's personality appears to exhibit more odd behavior than what may be considered the expected eccentricity of a genius. Crewmembers on ''Galactica'' find him mumbling with himself or discovering him in places they do not expect, such as aboard battlestar ''Pegasus'' to see its new commander, [[Jack Fisk]]. Torn between the "flesh and blood" copy of the [[Number Six]] copy, Gina, the demands of his internal Number Six, and his continuing attempt to cover his own multiple duplicities, Baltar becomes more aggressive and confrontational. With President Roslin's advice to abort the Cylon-hybrid fetus of the incarcerated [[Sharon Valerii]], Baltar reacts to defend it as if it were his own child (as does his internal Six, who threatens him on the problem). Admiral [[William Adama|Adama]] admonishes Baltar, telling him that, on Roslin's death, he will become President and that he needs to behave like one.

Desperate to save Valerii's fetus, Baltar reviews Dr. [[Cottle]]'s medical tests and performs experiments of his own, learning a striking revelation: the blood of the fetus can destroy cancer and repair its damage to human tissue.<ref name="stemcells">According to the writer's original planning, this was due to the presence of Cylon [[Wikipedia:stem cells|stem cells]] in the fetus's blood. This explanation was absent in the final shooting script.</ref> With Admiral Adama's permission, he injects the dying President Roslin with some of the fetal blood, which works miraculously, saving both Roslin and Valerii's child by circumstance.

After saving Roslin's life, Baltar reads the letter given to him in the event of her death, in which she says he lacks compassion and asks him to open his heart if he becomes president. Furious, and goaded on by Six who tells him that Roslin doesn't trust him, Baltar delivers the nuclear warhead used for the Cylon detector to Gina and her militant [[Demand Peace]] movement. ([[Epiphanies]]).

Baltar keeps his [[fumarello]] supply fresh by trading in the [[black market (organization)|black market]] through new ''Pegasus'' Commander [[Jack Fisk]]. Not realizing that Fisk had been murdered, the scientist visits Fisk's quarters, only to meet Captain [[Lee Adama]], who has starten an investigation on the black market and Fisk's murder. Baltar truthfully tells Adama that he knows nothing of Fisk's murder, but Adama correctly deduces Baltar's association with Fisk and the black market since the "Caprica Imperials" fumarellos are a known favorite of Baltar's.

Baltar is also unaware that his involvement in the destruction of the Colonies is partially revealed. In ''Galactica's'' sickbay, Laura Roslin recalled those final days on Caprica, and remembered Baltar in the company of a woman on Caprica who she knows now is a [[Number Six|Cylon agent]]. Baltar is summoned to ''[[Colonial One]]'', where Roslin offers him, without explanation, the chance to resign from the Vice Presidency to return to his studies. Baltar becomes immediately suspicious (and frightened) in Roslin's succinct and direct vote of no-confidence in her vice president. Realizing that the Vice Presidency now has greater importance (if nothing other than to save his own hide), Baltar turns down what Roslin calls a "one-time offer" to save himself as he saved Roslin on her
deathbed ([[Black Market]]).

== Gaius as President ==
[[Image:Baltarlaydownburdensii.jpg|Gaius Baltar as President, from ''Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II''.|thumb]]
Dr. Baltar decides (with no small influence from Six and [[Tom Zarek]]) to run for President in the coming Colonial Elections ([[The Captain's Hand]]).

Roslin is declared the winner of the elections, but is caught by Adama for manipulating the tally, and Baltar is declared president. Though Baltar demands an investigation initially, he backs down under Adama's glare. President Baltar orders the Fleet to return to the marginally habitable planet [[New Caprica]] seconds after his inauguration. Baltar shows incompetency as president a few days later, when he orders the colonization of the planet rather than further investigation into the destruction of ''[[Cloud Nine]]'' and two other ships (he correctly guesses that the conflagration was started by [[Gina]]).

A year passes. On [[New Caprica]], Baltar indulges in women, appears unsympathetic to the supply and resource problems plaguing the new colony, whose inhabitants continue to live in tents. The public appears displeased with his administration. The Cylon armada finds the planet, which prompts the return of the dormant virtual Number Six, who observes it to Baltar as "judgement day" at last. Copies of a [[Number Five|Five]], [[Number Six]], and [[Number Eight|Eight]] meet with Baltar and his cabinet, recommending surrender. Baltar soon realizes, after she speaks, that the Number Six copy appearing before him was in fact [[Caprica-Six]], the reincarnated personality he had a relationship on Caprica (and who was the key agent in the compromising of the [[CNP]]). The Cylon agents (or leaders, as the case may be) claim that they found the planet by accident, due to trace radiation from a nuclear explosion; the one caused by the bomb Baltar donated to [[Gina]] ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).

== Speculation: The Real Baltar? ==

There is speculation that Gaius Baltar could be a Cylon agent himself. See the [[Cylon agent speculation#Gaius Baltar?|Cylon Speculation]] article for the pros and cons of this theory.

==Notes==
*[[Ron Moore]] has stated in several episode commentaries that when the role of "Gaius Baltar" was originally written in the script, the writing team never intended Baltar to have a "funny" aspect, but James Callis himself decided to play up that aspect of the frantic predicaments Baltar finds himself in during the [[Miniseries]] (which although the writers never anticipated, they enjoyed, and started writing him with that in mind).
*According to [[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]], [[Edward James Olmos]] and [[Mary McDonnell]] were hand-picked for their roles, while the rest of the characters were cast by audition: among the actors in the running for the role of "Gaius Baltar" was ''Two and a Half Men''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Wikipedia:Jon Cryer|Jon Cryer]], though the role ultimately went to [[James Callis]]. Callis was suggested by Angela Mancuso, who ran the studio at the time, who knew him from the ''Helen of Troy'' miniseries, in which he played Menelaus.

==References==
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{{succession box|before=''(unknown)''|title=Caprican delegate to the [[Quorum of Twelve]]|after=''(unknown)''}}
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{{succession box|before=[[Laura Roslin]]|title=[[Government|President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]|after=Incumbent}}
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[[Category:A to Z|Baltar, Gaius]]
[[Category:Characters|Baltar, Gaius]]
[[Category:Characters (RDM)|Baltar, Gaius]]
[[Category:People from Caprica|Baltar, Gaius]]
[[Category:RDM|Baltar, Gaius]]

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