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Water

2005-04-08T13:18:18Z

TxRedcoat: /* Summary */

[[Image:bsg-1-02.jpg|thumb|"Water" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: The Galactica loses over 60% of her water reserves due to sabotage, forcing the fleet into a crisis and Adama to seek a new supply. 

== Summary ==
* [[Valerii, Sharon#"Boomer" Valerii|Boomer]] finds herself dripping wet in her flight suit, sitting in an equipment room on the flight deck. She is disoriented, and upon opening a duffel bag containing her uniform, she discovers explosives complete with a detonator.
* After drying and dressing herself, she goes to a small-arms locker and finds that a further six detonators are missing, throwing her into a panic and seeking [[Tyrol, Galen|Tyrol’s]] help.
* [[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] visits the ''[[Galactica]]'' to thank the crew for their hard work in defending the fleet following the recent events. ([[33]])
* Protocol is observed during her visit, with officers in dress uniform, etc. Roslin believes this is because [[Adama, William|Adama]] is trying to make her look an idiot; [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] informs her his father ordered the reception out of respect of her position of President.
* The ''[[Virgon Express]]'' arrives alongside, ready to take-on new water supplies – Adama revealing that the ''Galactica'' can recycle water for those ships in the fleet that don’t have recycling facilities themselves.
* In their equipment locker, Tyrol and Boomer discuss the missing explosives. Boomer is on the verge of a breakdown. Tyrol promises he’ll see her through the situation, convinced someone is trying to frame her.
* As the water transfer operation commences, a series of explosions rip through the warship, rupturing her water tanks and spewing her massive reserves of drinking water into space.
* An investigation of the explosion begins. It is ascertained that 60% of the ''Galactica’s'' reserves of water have been lost, leaving the fleet with a critical shortage. Because of its recycling/storage capabilities, 16,000 people are dependent on the ''Galactica'' for drinkable water.
* Pushed to give a reason for the loss of the water, Lt. Gaeta presumes that the detonation of a nuclear warhead close to the water tanks ([[Mini-series]]) may have weakened the tanks, causing them to rupture.
* During his presentation to investigators, Tyrol admits sabotage was the cause of the explosions, revealing the fact that explosives had been taken from a small-arms locker, but covering for Valerii by saying it is unlikely they will discover who took the explosives as security throughout the ship has been lax, and record-keeping patchy, at best.
* Adama orders the [[Raptor|Raptors]] to be flown to the nearest star systems in an attempt to find an alternative source of water.
* Reducing the number of people in the inquiry to senior command staff, Roslin and Baltar, Adama reveals the truth about the [[humano-Cylon]], stating his belief that there is a Cylon infiltrator aboard the ''Galactica''.
* [[Baltar, Gaius|Baltar]] is quizzed about his progress on constructing a working Cylon detector. He makes various excuses for his lack of progress, all of which Adama takes to mean he needs assistance on the project, and so assigns Lieutenant Gaeta to aide him.
* Following the meeting, Gaeta leaves with Baltar, who is not happy about having someone “watching” him. He escapes Gaeta by joining one of [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck’s]] card games and ends up flirting with her.
* Boomer locates water, but has problems trying to report the find while a part of her tries to detonate explosives that have been strapped to her chair.
* When she finally makes the report, she and [[Crashdown]] return to the ''Galactica'' to be greeted like heroes.
* Boomer gets Tyrol to check her seat, where he finds the explosives. He later reveals to Boomer he has handed the explosives to the [[Master-at-Arms]], assuring her that this is good, as it puts the Master onto the same lines of investigation they are now pursuing.
* On ''[[Colonial One]]'', impressed at the way Lee Adama helped her through the pomp of her reception on the Galactica at the start of the episode, Roslin asks him to become a special advisor to her, to help her understand military jargon, and protocol. She also tries to help him come to terms with the destruction of the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'' ([[33]]), which has been plaguing his conscience.

===On Caprica===
* [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]] and [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] have returned to Valerii's [[Raptor]], to find it crawling with Cylon warriors.
* Deciding they cannot use it to escape [[Caprica]], they head off to "find another ship".
* Later, at night, and over a meal and anti-radiation shots, they receive a coded transmission, Valerii prompting Helo into the idea that someone else - probably military - is still alive on the planet.

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 06:58, 24 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Questions ==

*Is Boomer completely unaware of her "Cylon" personality, which apparently planted the explosives?
*If so, why did she "wake up" before her Cylon persona had completely covered its tracks (i.e. got out of the wet clothes, got her back to her bunk, etc., so she'd be completely unaware of her outing to the water tanks)?
*Why did a part of Boomer attempt to blow-up her Raptor when the water-bearing moon was found? Surely she must have been aware that had the Raptor been destroyed, a Search and Rescue mission would have been initiated, with a good probability that the water would have been discovered anyway?
*Is the radio message picked-up by Helo on Caprica genuine, for a Cylon fake, designed to keep him on the planet?
*600-odd tonnes of food a week is a lot of consumables to have available. Where is it all coming from?
*Do the Colonials have food recycling capabilities to match their water recycling capabilities?
*Why do the Cylons want to keep Helo on Caprica?

== Analysis ==

“Water” builds nicely on the events of [[33]] while adding new drama of its own, revealing more about the central characters while at the same time avoiding the “reset” button: three days on from the Olympic Carrier incident, and the repercussions are still being felt by Lee Adama and Laura Roslin. At the same time Roslin seeks to find a balance in her relationship with Adama, who is also willing to try and move beyond the tension that marked their initial relationship during the fleet’s initial flight from the Cylons: the presentation of the book being something of a peace offering.

But the focus of this episode is obviously “Boomer” Valerii, and raises some interesting questions around her.

It has already been established that some Cylons may not even know they are Cylons until they are “activated” (as stated by Six in the mini-series). “Water” sees a new wrinkle added: that the Cylon “personality” within a humano-Cylon can be active without the apparent knowledge of the “human” personality. Boomer's “waking up” scene and subsequent reactions demonstrate that her human persona has no idea of what is going on. Her confusion is genuine and complete, right down to the fact that she has lost track of time (wishing Cally a “good evening”, only for Cally to tell her it is early morning).

However, while this is interesting in itself, it actually masks an even more interesting question: why did Boomer “wake up” while still sopping wet and hiding in the equipment locker? If her Cylon personality wished to remain hidden, why did it not stay in control until she had dried herself off, stowed the duffel bag and the explosives and returned to her bunk? That she finds herself in such a state would tend to suggest that her Cylon personality is not in full control when conscious. Could it be that Valerii’s “programming” as a human is a little too strong, and that there is some kind of internal struggle going on inside her?

If this is the case, then might the same conflict overcome her “sister” on Caprica? If so, there is potential for whatever the Cylons have in mind for Helo to go awry.

The episode also reveals a little more about the ''Galactica’s'' capabilities: the fact that her water recycling systems are around 100% efficient - so much so that she can operate for years without needing to take on fresh water supplies, and she's more than able to recycle water on behalf of a third of the other vessels in the fleet - thus supplying an additional 16,000 people with fresh water. While this is interesting in itself, that the production crew tackle such a vital requirement as water so early on in the series is highly suggestive that they do not intend to forget that some 45,000 people are going to require a lot of food and drink. Given the fact that this episode highlights the food requirements – some 590 tonnes a week - would tend to indicate this is an issue that will be dealt with at some point in the future. It’s hard to imagine the fleet can supply this much food to its people indefinitely.

Overall, another outstanding episode - lead by a very strong "A" storyline involving Boomer and the water sabotage, but with more than enough scope to provide insight into the characters and their developing relationships without bogging down the action. Not even Tigh's tightrope walk with alcoholism is forgotten, thanks to his discovery of his five fingers of booze. And it is nice to see ''Galactica'' still continues to carry the scars for her first run-in with the Cylons back in the mini - the outer skin of the forward end of her portside flight pod is still something of a mess.

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 12:35, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Notes ==

*BSG stands for “Battle Star Group” – and the ''Galactica'' was a part of Group 75
*The ''Galactica'' has an outstanding capability to recycle water supplies
*Galactica has at least 5 Raptors on board.
*Colonials have an equivalent plastic explosive to C-4 (called the [[G-4]]).
*The Cylons have stood down from their attacks of [[33]].

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==




#[[Media:102_responsibility_for_your_actions-01.ogg|William and Lee Adama discuss responsibility for an action]] (OGG, 479 KB)

== Official Statements ==




=== {{from_RDM_blog}} ===

:One of the strange things about writing and producing television is the delay between action and reaction. Tomorrow night's episode was written almost a year ago. The battles, thoughts, emotions, disappointments, and victories happened in what seems like the distant past, so when I sit down to watch the show along with the rest of you (and I do watch them on the air) it's like seeing a page out of an old year book. I can remember bits and pieces of the production process, the early drafts of the script, the days spent in the editing bay playing with the footage and waiting for the visual effects to be completed, but none of it is current, all of it belongs to a season now firmly planted in the past.

:However, I do find that the same distance from the rigors of production also afford a better vantage point for watching the show with something approaching objectivity. You get so used to an episode during all the aspects of production that the simple pleasure of watching it as a piece of entertainment is slowly vacuumed away over time. Only now, months after the fact, can I watch these shows from a little remove and my impressions of the episodes are often not the same as when we produced them.

:For instance, during the shoot of "Water" and shortly afterward, I was acutely aware of just how long the script was and how much material was going to have to be lost along the way. I was fairly upset with myself for writing something so bloated and large that it was killing us on the stage and would later require major surgery in the editing room to make our mandated runtime. The first cut of "Water" ran 10-12 minutes long -- essentially an entire act that had to go -- and for a long time when I watched the final locked picture I was always uncomfortably aware of the "cheats" involved. That is, the dropped scenes, the internal cuts made to scenes that made a hash of some of the logic I'd tried to lay out, the half-expressed thoughts, the missing emotional beats, etc.

:However, when I saw the final aired episode, I was hard-pressed to even remember most of the cuts or why they had bothered me in the first place. (Although I still [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)|missed a nice bit]] with [[Baltar, Gaius|Baltar]] in the [[Wardroom]], where he tossed off a theory of how six small charges could've blown open the water tank, as it was both helpful to the plot and an entertaining bit of grandstanding by the character.) Frankly, I used to think of "Water" as one of the weaker shows in the first season, but now it seems like a fairly coherent piece.

:Of course, this kind of shift in perspective after shedding the baggage of production works both ways, and I've found that sometimes revisited shows much later that I'd always considered to be "classics" turned out to lose their charm along with the experience of making it. So as we go forward, I'm both excited and vaguely terrified at how I'll view the rest of the season.

:Speaking of excited and terrified, I must admit to being overwhelmed by the response you've generated regarding this blog. There's a remarkable backlog of questions on the board and I'll try to both post here more often and answer more of your questions. I don't know what to tell you in terms of what will catch my eye, but I'll try to look for both the straight-ahead fan questions and the more off the wall questions -- don't be afraid to venture far off-topic, some of the more interesting discussions I had at ''Trek'' had nothing to do with the show itself.

== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===



*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicki+Clyne Nicki Clyne] as [[Cally]]

=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Marita+Grabiak Marita Grabiak]




=== Production Notes ===

*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.02
*Airdate Order: 2 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: Date: 25 October 2005 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: Date: 21 January 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: Date: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Talk:33/Archive 1

2005-04-08T13:01:18Z

TxRedcoat: Regarding the nit-picking

== Regarding the nit-picking ==

Personally, I believe these should be reserved for the Discussion page, but I won't edit them out. I will discuss them here though:

-The Raptor
The Raptor is the equivalent of a US Navy E-3 AWACS or A-6 Intruder. It has an advanced sensor package that would make it invaluable in combat situations. I think the CAG's order for the Raptor to retreat was due more to the fact that the incoming Raiders were indeed hostile and her services were no longer necessary.
It is ludicrous to suppose that Raptors are unarmed. (And, as we saw in the S1 Finale, they are indeed armed and are capable of even heavier armaments.) However, it is feasable to infer that they are not front-line combat craft such as the Viper.
With regard to the specific situation, the Raptor was necessary to feel-out the ''Carrier''. It is presumably SOP for a Raptor to accompany any inspections in order scan said vessel for any hazards. A better question here is why didn't the Raptor detect the radiological alarm?

-9/11
How is this misplaced? This was their 9/11. What more do I need to say here?

-Destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier''
I disagree with the statement that the ambiguity of the people on board weakens the story. By us not knowing, it allows us to sympathize with Lee as he wrestles with the idea of destroying the ship. He didn't know if there were people aboard. True, he did not see anyone in the windows, but perhaps his view was obstructed. Perhaps the people in the particular windows were sleeping? We can suppose several ideas here, but the fact of the matter is that the ship had to be destroyed, it was destroyed, and Lee eventually came to terms with it's destruction. Were there people on board? We will honestly never know. The point here is that regardless, 1,300 souls are now dead.

-Tigh's Alcoholism
This is the central flaw of this character. Why would they NOT remind us? It is the one thing that prevents us from placing our trust in him and relying on him as we rely on Cmdr. Adama. Expect to see more of this.

This is just a response to the nitpicking. Please do not take this as a personal attack. --[[User:TxRedcoat|TxRedcoat]] 09:00, 8 Apr 2005 (EDT)

Talk:33/Archive 1

2005-04-08T13:00:48Z

TxRedcoat:

Talk:33/Archive 1

2005-04-08T13:00:28Z

TxRedcoat: Regarding the nit-picks

Personally, I believe these should be reserved for the Discussion page, but I won't edit them out. I will discuss them here though:

-The Raptor
The Raptor is the equivalent of a US Navy E-3 AWACS or A-6 Intruder. It has an advanced sensor package that would make it invaluable in combat situations. I think the CAG's order for the Raptor to retreat was due more to the fact that the incoming Raiders were indeed hostile and her services were no longer necessary.
It is ludicrous to suppose that Raptors are unarmed. (And, as we saw in the S1 Finale, they are indeed armed and are capable of even heavier armaments.) However, it is feasable to infer that they are not front-line combat craft such as the Viper.
With regard to the specific situation, the Raptor was necessary to feel-out the ''Carrier''. It is presumably SOP for a Raptor to accompany any inspections in order scan said vessel for any hazards. A better question here is why didn't the Raptor detect the radiological alarm?

-9/11
How is this misplaced? This was their 9/11. What more do I need to say here?

-Destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier''
I disagree with the statement that the ambiguity of the people on board weakens the story. By us not knowing, it allows us to sympathize with Lee as he wrestles with the idea of destroying the ship. He didn't know if there were people aboard. True, he did not see anyone in the windows, but perhaps his view was obstructed. Perhaps the people in the particular windows were sleeping? We can suppose several ideas here, but the fact of the matter is that the ship had to be destroyed, it was destroyed, and Lee eventually came to terms with it's destruction. Were there people on board? We will honestly never know. The point here is that regardless, 1,300 souls are now dead.

-Tigh's Alcoholism
This is the central flaw of this character. Why would they NOT remind us? It is the one thing that prevents us from placing our trust in him and relying on him as we rely on Cmdr. Adama. Expect to see more of this.

This is just a response to the nitpicking. Please do not take this as a personal attack. --[[User:TxRedcoat|TxRedcoat]] 09:00, 8 Apr 2005 (EDT)

33

2005-04-08T12:37:08Z

TxRedcoat: /* Summary */ as before, destroy at your leisure.

[[Image:bsg-1-01.jpg|thumb|"33" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: Continuing from the events of the [[mini-series]], the [[Battlestar]] [[Galactica]] and the fleet must avoid their [[Cylon]] pursuers, which happen upon them every 33 minutes after each successful [[FTL]] jump. 

: Special Note: This episode marks the premiere of the series.

== Summary ==

* The crew of the [[Battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' have been on continuous alert for some 130.35 hours, during which time the fleet has had to make an [[FTL]] jump every 33 minutes to escape their [[Cylon]] pursuers.
* Everyone in the fleet is beginning to feel the strain – particularly [[Baltar, Gaius|Gaius Baltar]], who is also distracted by [[Number Six|Six’s]] repeated conversations about [[Cylon God|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: FTL jump engines and their controlling computers are starting to breakdown or malfunction, requiring the Galactica to linger longer and longer in the Cylon line of fire while the rest of the fleet makes their jumps.
* Following jump number 237, [[Roslin, Laura|President Roslin]] receives word from a Dr. [[Amorak]] aboard the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'' that he has information concerning how the Cylons overcame Colonial defences.
* Overhearing the conversation, Baltar is worried: he knew Amorak at the [[Defence Ministry]]. As Six points out, Amorak might have information on Baltar.
* 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, [[Valerii, Sharon#"Boomer" Valerii|Boomer Valerii]] is having problems accepting her new [[ECO]], [[Crashdown]], and is feeling guilty about leaving [[Agathon, Karl C.|“Helo” Agathon]] on [[Caprica]].
* When the next jump is made, the ''Olympic Carrier'', complete with Dr. Amorak and 1344 other souls, vanishes. 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 show up. Adama orders a stand-down from the immediate alert, but the fleet is to maintain a readiness to jump, in case the Cylons do show up.
* When Baltar continues to refuse the concept of God, the ''Olympic Carrier'' reappears; [[Adama, William|Adama]] orders the fleet to full alert, fearing the worst. He orders the jump clocks reset in anticipation of the Cylons arriving.
*A [[CAP]] lead by [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] intercepts the liner. Adama orders all communications with the ''Carrier'' jammed and is ordered (through signal lamps) to remain at it's current position. When the ''Carrier'' fails to heed orders not to approach the fleet, tensions rise, and a radiological alarm reveals there are now nuclear weapons on the liner
*As the crisis deepens, the Cylons show up. Adama wants to destroy the liner, but Roslin hesitates to give the order, no one can be sure whether or not there aren’t still 1,345 people aboard the Carrier. Baltar is terrified she won't give the order.
*Six uses the hesitation to push Baltar into “repenting” before God. As soon as he does, Roslin gives the order to destroy the liner. Lee Adama and [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] (reluctantly) open fire, destroying the ship.
*24 hours later, everyone is living with the consequences of their actions. Only [[Keikeya, Billy|Billy]] has a small nugget of good news: at some point in the proceedings, a couple gave birth to a baby.

===On Caprica===
* [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] is on the run in woodland, and has C4-type ordinance he uses to blow up pursuing [[Cylon Warrior|Cylon warriors]]
* However, his 6 days on the run comes to an end when he is captured by the Cylons, after being distracted by the appearance of [[Number Six|Six]], wearing a white rain coat
*He is “rescued” by [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]], who shoots Six and then leads Helo away into the woods

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 06:48, 24 Jan 2005 (EST)

== 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 of whom 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 was involved in the disappearance / reappearance of the ''Olympic Carrier''?

==Blooper Moments==
* During the opening titles, the ''Galactica'' is shown to be making a jump with her flight pods extended - not only that, the shot is from the [[Mini-Series]].
* Billy may be a good PA but he’s crap at maths. “33” starts with 50,298 survivors. He informs Roslin this is in error by 300 = 49,998 survivors. When the Olympic Carrier is destroyed (1345 people), he reduces the total to 47,972 – that’s a reduction of 2026, or 681 people MORE than listed on the ''Carrier''!
* Whatever Roslin taught at school, it wasn’t mathematics – she fails to pick up on Billy’s error.

== Analysis ==

Overall, a good opening episode that cleverly adds to a number of arcs from the mini: is Boomer a Cylon? What is the Six who is interacting with Baltar? Can the Colonials truly escape the shadow of the Cylons?

The opening sequence of shots ending with the Valerii on the Ragnar Anchorage is interesting: is this a hint to the real identity of Boomer on Galactica? Also, is the good-natured teasing between Starbuck and Boomer during the CAP an indication that others have noticed Boomer seems to be handling the lack of sleep a lot better than others. Could this lead to some kind of rumour-mill starting-up about her?

As to Baltar's Six: three possibilities seem to suggest themselves:

*She is a working 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 mini, an implant 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.
*She could she actually be a complete download of "Six's" personality, captured at the point of destruction of Baltar's home, and now contained in his head, possibily 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?

Hopefully, these issues will be addressed in time. Meanwhile, the episode builds on some of the relationships established in the mini: Apollo and Starbuck clearly have a past, one that reaches beyond command hierarchies, exhaustion and tempers. The hanger deck confrontation is a valuable byplay not so much for what it says, but for the way in which it is communicated - a large element of non-verbal communication passing between Thrace and Lee Adama prior to her taking the stims.

Similarly, Roslin's mistrust of Adama, as expressed at the end of the mini following his admission that "earth" was a deception on his part, has begun to grow into an edgy respect: she knows full-well that without his leadership, the fleet would not have survived 5 days of repeated FTL jumps - and she is prepared to admit it.

Then there is Adama's relationship with his son. From the scene where they discuss responsibility, it is evident that there is a gulf between them still - one that may well be held open in part by their relative positions aboard the Galactica: Adama is Lee's father and the Officer Commanding the Galactica. While both again appear to want to bridge the gap – the difference in rank still prevents them openly discussing things: hence Lee's act of rebuffing his father's attempt to console him following the shooting of the Olympic Carrier.

Overall the three storylines evident in the episode – escaping the Cylons, Baltar and Six and Helo on Caprica - are cleverly interwoven, with the main storyline; the Baltar / Six relationship in particular intersecting smoothly through the crisis involving the Olympic Carrier, while the Helo subplot is given enough exposure to engage us and deflect attention from the "A" story sufficiently to heighten the drama, without actually interrupting the overall story flow.

Indeed, such is the subtlety of the Helo sub-plot that the questions it raises don't really reveal themselves until a second viewing, and you realise they are related to the central Cylon theme: why does Six ask him if he is alive? He clearly is, and the question is not a reference to either his leg wound or his radiation-induced sickness. Nor is it simply a throwback to her "sister's" first words to the Colonial officer at Armistice Station. It is something that appears to go to the very centre of Cylon reasoning.

Similarly, while it could be over-sensitivity given the amount of time the Valerii on Caprica was on-screen, but one couldn't help but feel she was perhaps a little too human; too familiar with Helo? It seems odd that she is introduced to Helo through the "killing" of the Six construct. Why resort to the "murder" of one of her own? Was this simply to establish her credibility in the eyes of Helo? Could she not have found another way to make contact with Helo? Contrasted with the comments regarding Boomer's heritage back at Galactica, are the writers attempting to imply something? Could it bee that BOTH the Valerii characters are Cylons that believe themselves to be human?

Time will tell - but it will be interesting to see how the Helo/Valerii/Caprica arc is followed-up.

But, in discussing the role of Cylon agents, there is a potentially interesting throwaway comment in this episode that might be an indication that something is amiss in the fleet: in discussing the number of survivors, Roslin asks why the total has dropped by 300. Billy responds that some over-counts were made (understandable), that there have been deaths from wounds (possibly people picked up from the 12 colonies), and some seem to have simply "disappeared" during the last Cylon attack (witnessed prior to jump 237).

"Disappeared"? How? No ships were destroyed during the attack / jump, so how do people just "disappear"? Again, is this simply an error in the script, or are the writers trying to point at something deeper?

All that said, the episode isn't without some flaws.

===Nit-picks===

*Why is Boomer's Raptor launched alongside Apollo's Vipers for what everyone is expecting to be an interdiction exercise against Cylon Raiders? It is a complete departure from previous actions: in the mini, CAG ordered Boomer to get her Raptor out of the way as his squadron went into to face the Cylon Raiders; at Ragnar, the Raptors weren't deployed against incoming Raiders, nor where they in evidence prior to jump 237 at the start of this episode. It is unclear whether Raptors are armed, or whether they would be effectively in an electronic warfare capability against Raiders, but the sudden presence of a Raptor in a Viper interdiction flight smacks of being a somewhat clumsy means of meeting the needs of the plot: obviously, the writers wanted Boomer there to handle the communications with Olympic Carrier & so heighten the perceived tension.

*The 9/11 scene is, sadly, something of a misplaced element. Yes, 9/11 is a horror that stunned the world, and will always rightfully have a place in the memories of all Americans, but the use of a scene that so closely mirrors the aftermath of the site around the World Trade Centre to try and convey the sense of loss the Colonials are feeling is somewhat heavy-handed. More should have been done to impart this to the audience back in the mini (where Cylon strikes on the Colonial worlds were restricted to a few scenes of Caprica, and even then the outright and inevitable destruction was barely shown).

*Similarly, the failure to openly resolve the issue of whether or not 1345 people were aboard the Olympic Carrier weakens the story. Indeed, Apollo's flyby of the ship is suggestive that she indeed wasn't carrying anyone any more - thus removing our feelings of horror one step further from the drama being played out on screen. In opting to remain ambiguous about the presence of humans aboard the ship, the writers very much weaken the entire “should we / shouldn’t we” argument as to whether the Colonials can fire on and destroy the ship. Should they have shown people clinging to the windows of the Carrier, staring back at Apollo in helplessness as he made his final fly-by? Perhaps; perhaps not - but out emotions would have been better engaged if we had at least seen some evidence that lives were going to be destroyed along with the Olympic Carrier.

*A final nit-pick comes with the reminder of Tigh's alcoholism. The by-play here didn't entirely fit, and came across as a clumsy reminder that the writers hadn't forgotten about Tigh's condition and would possibly be returning to it in the future. Better to have kept the focus on Adama's comments regarding driving and managing the crew.

However, all this said, "33" serves as an excellent opening episode: the pacing is smooth, the storylines cleverly interwoven and combined without stepping on one another, and there are no hurried or harried resolutions. Arcs established in the mini are extended and new interactions given birth.

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 11:59, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

Despite [[RDM]]s comments below that the number "33" was chosen at random, 33 is quite a significant number and adds complexity to this episode, whether intentionally or not. 33 was praised by the Freemasons as one of their "significant numbers", and frequently appeared in their dogma. Most importantly, 33 is commonly given as the age of Jesus Christ at his corporeal death. This is referenced in many other artistic works (such as the Smashing Pumpkins song "Thirty-Three"), and is hard to ignore in this case, particularly given the strong religious themes in Battlestar Galactica's Universe.

== Notes ==

* Continuous jumping badly affects the FTL drives and management systems aboard Colonial vessels
* The Cylons have the same ability to undertake highly-accurate FTL jumps as the Colonials: 238 times they’ve managed to jump to the Colonial fleet and arrive with precise momentum and trajectory to be able to close the distance and launch an attack
* There are 5,251 people in the fleet from Sagittaron

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

''Discussion on Stims between Lee & Kara''

'''Lee:''' "Hey, um, did you see the note from the XO?" 
'''Kara:''' "I saw it. No way." 
'''Lee:''' "Kara, everyone else--" 
'''Kara:''' "I don't fly with stims. They fudge with your reflexes, reaction time." 
'''Lee:''' "C'mon Kara, give me a break. Just--" 
'''Kara:''' "Why are we arguing about this?" 
'''Lee:''' "I have no idea." 
'''Kara:''' "Neither do I. You're the [[CAG]], act like one." 
'''Lee:''' "What does that mean?" 
'''Kara:''' "It means that you're still acting like everyone's best friend. We're not friends. You're the CAG. (beat) 'Be careful out there?' Our job isn't to be careful, it's to shoot fraking [[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." 
(beat; Lee bursts out with a chortle) 
'''Lee:''' "Well, I'm glad I'm not working for you." 
'''Kara:''' "Damn right you're glad." 
'''Lee:''' "So do I have to smack you in the mouth, Lieutenant?" 
'''Kara:''' "No sir, I'll take my pills." 

== Official Statements ==




=== {{from_RDM_blog}}: Why 33 minutes? ===

:The truth is, there's no real answer. It's just a random number that felt right when I came up with the idea that our people were under continuous, relentless attack since the end of the pilot. I wanted it to be a short interval, just long enough for them to grab a bite to eat, jump in the shower and maybe try to catch a catnap before dragging themselves back to their duty stations and begin the whole tedious, terrifying ordeal all over again.

:A deeper truth is, I was never interested in coming up with an explanation for Why? Never. I mean, I suppose I could've come up with a sufficiently important-sounding bit of technobabble that would've made sense (you see, the [[Cylon]] double-talk sensors tracking the [[Olympic Carrier]]'s nonsense drive signature needed 15 minutes to relay the made-up data wave through the pretend continuum, then the Cylon navigational hyper silly system needed another 10 minutes to recalculate the flux capacitor, etc.) but what would that have really added to the drama? How does explaining that 33 minute interval help our understanding of [[Laura Roslin|Laura]]'s terrible moment of decision, or bring us to any greater knowledge of [[Dualla]]'s search for her missing family and friends, or yield insight into [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s morally shattered psyche?

:It doesn't, of course. The answer, however artfully it may (or may not) have been crafted can only subtract from the experience we have in watching the episode. Not knowing the how's or why's of the Cylon attack puts us in the same seat as the characters we're watching. They're in the dark, and we're in the dark. The relentless attack is unfathomable in its origin and unstoppable in its execution. It's mortality coming at you on a loop. If you only had 33 minutes before the next time you could die, what would you do? And what about the time after that? And the time after that? At a certain point, you stop caring about why it's happening, all you know is that it is happening, and it's happening to you.

:So the mystery of 33 will be permanent on this show. No explanation, not even the attempt. Let it just be a number that seemed like an eternity for five long days on the [[battlestar]] [[Galactica]].

=== {{from_RDM_blog}}: Note on [["Lest We Forget"]] ===

:"It's probably been asked before, but I'm curious as to whom is in the picture in the Viper Pilot's briefing room, facing away from the camera . . . the one the pilots, including [[Adama, William|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 [[Roslin, Laura|Laura]] 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 its 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]

== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===


*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as [[Socinus]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicki+Clyne Nicki Clyne] as [[Cally]]



=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Rymer) Michael Rymer]




=== Production Notes ===

*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.01
*Airdate Order: 1 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 18 October 2004 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: 14 January 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

You Can't Go Home Again

2005-04-08T12:25:20Z

TxRedcoat: /* Summary */ grammar edit

[[Image:bsg-1-05.jpg|thumb|"You Can't Go Home Again" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: Continuing from the events of [[Act of Contrition]], [[Adama, William|Adama]] and [[Adama, Lee|Lee]] risk the security of the Fleet as they try to located a downed Starbuck... 

== Summary ==

* [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] is missing following a dogfight with [[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] ([[Act of Contrition]]). While he was forced out of the fight, [[Constanza|Hot Dog]] is convinced her [[Viper]] was not destroyed.
* [[Adama, William|Adama]] immediately orders a search started, and [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] leads it in a Viper.
* On the surface of a small moon, Starbuck finds 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, [[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 [[Roslin, Laura|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.
* [[Tigh, Saul|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: the Galactica’s fuel reserves for her fighters is 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 the ''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 made ready to 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 the ''Galactica'''s launch tubes allows only Capt. Adama's Viper to launch.
* Making contact with the Raider, Lee discovers the truth – it is apparently Starbuck piloting the Raider. He escorts her back to the Galactica, where she lands and is taken to sick bay.
* Visiting her in sick bay later, Adama congratulates her on her performance – an indirect way of letting her know she is forgiven for Zak.

===On Caprica===
* [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] and [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]] are still hiding in the “fallout shelter”, but Helo determines they must move on.
* Cylon warriors 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 the Galactica obtain additional supplies to keep her Vipers flying? ([[The Hand of God]])
*What use will be made of the captured Raider?
*How many more Cylon models include biological elements in their design?
*Could the first Cylons developed by humans have in fact been bio-mechanical, making the humano-Cylons the latest step in their evolution?
*Will Helo now go in search of the “missing” Valerii? ([[Litmus]])
*Will he question why the Cylon warrior left him unconscious in the restaurant, rather than taking him prisoner?

== Analysis ==

Following-on from [[Act of Contrition]] this is again very much a character-driven episode in which the action is secondary to the developing and changing dynamics between the principal players. As with “Act”, it is also one where [[Olmos, Edward James|Edward James Olmos]] is able again to demonstrate his range and power as an actor: never has so much fury been portrayed on-screen with a single wide-eyed look as when Adama confronts Tigh. Of equal measure is the way in which Adama’s public loss of control in CIC is handled. Here is a man who is perhaps the closest thing to a deity his crew are ever likely to meet. Throughout the mini and the series, his demeanour has always been one of calm, understated authority. Never has he so much as raised his voice in public to achieve his needs. Where Tigh is bellicose and strutting, Adama is the calm eye at the centre of whatever raging storm of crisis might otherwise engulf CIC.

Until mid-way through this episode, where Adama’s signals a subtle shift in dynamics: his personal involvement is now clearly affecting his ability to command; his decision making is becoming increasingly subjective. In contrast, the bellicose martinet in Tigh shifts as well, becoming the more objective, reasoned voice of command. For the first time the officer buried within is revealed, and Tigh grows accordingly in stature.

But the show is not all Olmos’. [[McDonnell|Mary McDonnell]] also gets a chance to stretch her character away from the “ex-school teacher” and slightly insecure politico we’ve seen to date. In [[You Can’t Go Home Again]], Roslin fairly blossoms into leadership, demonstrating she can be shown – but not necessarily lead. Her confrontation with Adama and his son is a marvel to watch. Until now, she has played a finely balanced game with them both, realising that she needs each of them to support her position, while also being aware of the gulf lying between the two of them.

But here, confronted with a Lee Adama fresh from his new-found convictions first seen in [[Bastille Day]] and closely allied to his father – both of them operating out of personal loyalty, she demonstrates that while she may need them both, she doesn’t rely on them. Her developing relationships with them both may suffer strain and breakage as a result but she’s not going to walk on eggshells. The needs of the many DO outweigh the needs of the one, and it is time Adama and Lee realised that.

Indeed, it is in this that Starbuck’s dilemma on the moon is very much a secondary consideration to the story and the audience. What holds here is the way the dynamics between the characters ebb and flow. Adama and Tigh draw apart, Roslin and Lee draw apart, but Adama and Lee - perhaps for the first time in Lee’s adult life – draw together, forcing Tigh and Roslin into an uneasy alliance. How will this affect their future relationships? Will Roslin be able to confide in Lee Adama? Will Lee and his father finally come to an understanding and allow each other into their respective worlds as father and son? Will Tigh be able to reconcile his friendship and respect for Adama with his abrupt – and wholly unwarranted – dismissal from CIC?

And what of Tigh and Lee Adama? But – most importantly of all, how will the CIC crew regard Adama in the future? Can there be no repercussions after all that we’ve seen? Perhaps. Forgiveness was very much in evidence throughout the last act of the episode: Adama to Thrace, Roslin to Adama, Adama and Tigh. But – the episode title pretty much says it all: you can’t go home again, and a lot has been said in this episode - as in “Act” - that simply can’t be ignored. RDM has avoided the “reset” button so far; it’s going to be interesting to see if he can continue to avoid it in the future, and allow the shift in dynamics between the characters to play itself out over time.

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. Valerii 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, Valerii’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 warriors turn up. In the ensuing firefight the surviving warrior makes no attempt to either kill or capture Helo, Instead settling on simply shooting up the place and ending the usefulness of a range of kitchen appliances and tools.
*This episode: When Helo comes-to, Valerii is gone, and he’s no longer thinking about leaving the planet – he’s only concerned with what has happened to Valerii.

That the attraction is there is obvious: witness his shy embarrassment following Valerii’s "spontaneous" hug when they first hear the radio broadcast (“33”). It is fair to say that Valerii’s disappearance is the first attempt to ratch-up Helo’s feelings for her.

However, there is no potential weakness in this element of the story: During the fight in the restaurant, the Cylon warrior clearly made only a token attempt at killing Helo – although it was a pretty good effort in shooting up the kitchen as a whole. That he was not killed or at least taken prisoner again, should, by rights, alert Helo to the fact that something here isn’t quite right where the Cylons are concerned: why shoot-up the place and then not even bother to check whether he is dead or alive?

Turning to Baltar’s Six: this episode seems to suggest a subtle delineation between her and the 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, or just a simple turn of phrase, signifying nothing?

As to the Cylons themselves, “You Can’t” holds perhaps the most surprising revelation of all: that Raiders are bio-mechanical constructs. Until now, everything has apparently pointed to all but the humano-Cylons being mechanical constructs. "You Can't" turns this upside down, and raises a number of questions:

*Are all Cylons bio-mechanical? Probably not, as Helo puts a shot straight through the head of a Cylon Warrior. 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 have developed bio-mechanical capabilities themselves, and used them first in a basic form with the Raiders, before going on to develop the humanoid constructs?
*Could it mean that the very first Cylons developed by the Colonials were actually bio-mechanical in nature, rather than pure androids?

If the latter proves to be the case, it would certainly put a new angle on the conversation between Six and Doral on Caprica ([[Bastille Day]]) when they both refer to the Cylons as humanity’s children – as indeed the Six on Caprica did when talking to Baltar in the mini. It might also give a deeper reason for the initial Cylon revolt.

Of the entire episode, the Starbuck / Raider element is the most niggling. Both deeply fascinating for revealing more about Cylons, it is also causes a few winces given the ease with which she patched the ship and got it flying again – and with enough skill to survive a dogfight with Lee Adama.

In this respect, “You Can’t” was as contrived as [[Act of Contrition]] – but with the difference that the contrivances were somewhat more subtle and the story – for the most part – flowed a lot better than with [[Act of Contrition]].

== Notes ==
*[[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] are bio-mechanical in nature, and their biomass uses a breathable, oxygen-rich mix suitable for humans.
*[[Viper|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 refuelled in space (and presumably in relatively calm atmospheres).
*[[Thrace, Kara |Starbuck's]] damaged [[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 suits are capable of full life support, both planet-side ([[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]]) and in space ([[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 depressurised and repressurised (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.
*[[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] has the same image that the pilots touch when leaving the Ready Room.
*Colonials play pool!
*Baltar is requisitioning something that requires the president’s authorisation – the use of one of the ''[[Galactica|Galactica’s]] nukes for his research?
*[[Adama, William|William Adama]] is not above letting personal feelings rise above professional requirements.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==




== Official Statements ==




== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===


*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as [[Socinus]]
*[[Olmos, Bodie|Bodie Olmos]] as [[Constanza|Constanza / Hot Dog]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Donnelly+Rhodes Donnelly Rhodes] as [[Doctor Cottle]]



=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]




=== Production Notes ===
*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.05
*Airdate Order: 5 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 15 November 2004 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category: RDM]]

You Can't Go Home Again

2005-04-08T12:23:11Z

TxRedcoat: Made some edits, destroy at your leisure.

[[Image:bsg-1-05.jpg|thumb|"You Can't Go Home Again" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: Continuing from the events of [[Act of Contrition]], [[Adama, William|Adama]] and [[Adama, Lee|Lee]] risk the security of the Fleet as they try to located a downed Starbuck... 

== Summary ==

* [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] is missing following a dogfight with [[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] ([[Act of Contrition]]). While he was forced out of the fight, [[Constanza|Hot Dog]] is convinced her [[Viper]] was not destroyed.
* [[Adama, William|Adama]] immediately orders a search started, and [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] leads it in a Viper.
* On the surface of a small moon, Starbuck finds 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, [[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 [[Roslin, Laura|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.
* [[Tigh, Saul|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: the Galactica’s fuel reserves for her fighters is 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 the ''Galactica'', determined to put a stop to things,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 made ready to 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 the ''Galactica'''s launch tubes allows only Capt. Adama's Viper to launch.
* Making contact with the Raider, Lee discovers the truth – it is apparently Starbuck piloting the Raider. He escorts her back to the Galactica, where she lands and is taken to sick bay.
* Visiting her in sick bay later, Adama congratulates her on her performance – an indirect way of letting her know she is forgiven for Zak.

===On Caprica===
* [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] and [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]] are still hiding in the “fallout shelter”, but Helo determines they must move on.
* Cylon warriors 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 the Galactica obtain additional supplies to keep her Vipers flying? ([[The Hand of God]])
*What use will be made of the captured Raider?
*How many more Cylon models include biological elements in their design?
*Could the first Cylons developed by humans have in fact been bio-mechanical, making the humano-Cylons the latest step in their evolution?
*Will Helo now go in search of the “missing” Valerii? ([[Litmus]])
*Will he question why the Cylon warrior left him unconscious in the restaurant, rather than taking him prisoner?

== Analysis ==

Following-on from [[Act of Contrition]] this is again very much a character-driven episode in which the action is secondary to the developing and changing dynamics between the principal players. As with “Act”, it is also one where [[Olmos, Edward James|Edward James Olmos]] is able again to demonstrate his range and power as an actor: never has so much fury been portrayed on-screen with a single wide-eyed look as when Adama confronts Tigh. Of equal measure is the way in which Adama’s public loss of control in CIC is handled. Here is a man who is perhaps the closest thing to a deity his crew are ever likely to meet. Throughout the mini and the series, his demeanour has always been one of calm, understated authority. Never has he so much as raised his voice in public to achieve his needs. Where Tigh is bellicose and strutting, Adama is the calm eye at the centre of whatever raging storm of crisis might otherwise engulf CIC.

Until mid-way through this episode, where Adama’s signals a subtle shift in dynamics: his personal involvement is now clearly affecting his ability to command; his decision making is becoming increasingly subjective. In contrast, the bellicose martinet in Tigh shifts as well, becoming the more objective, reasoned voice of command. For the first time the officer buried within is revealed, and Tigh grows accordingly in stature.

But the show is not all Olmos’. [[McDonnell|Mary McDonnell]] also gets a chance to stretch her character away from the “ex-school teacher” and slightly insecure politico we’ve seen to date. In [[You Can’t Go Home Again]], Roslin fairly blossoms into leadership, demonstrating she can be shown – but not necessarily lead. Her confrontation with Adama and his son is a marvel to watch. Until now, she has played a finely balanced game with them both, realising that she needs each of them to support her position, while also being aware of the gulf lying between the two of them.

But here, confronted with a Lee Adama fresh from his new-found convictions first seen in [[Bastille Day]] and closely allied to his father – both of them operating out of personal loyalty, she demonstrates that while she may need them both, she doesn’t rely on them. Her developing relationships with them both may suffer strain and breakage as a result but she’s not going to walk on eggshells. The needs of the many DO outweigh the needs of the one, and it is time Adama and Lee realised that.

Indeed, it is in this that Starbuck’s dilemma on the moon is very much a secondary consideration to the story and the audience. What holds here is the way the dynamics between the characters ebb and flow. Adama and Tigh draw apart, Roslin and Lee draw apart, but Adama and Lee - perhaps for the first time in Lee’s adult life – draw together, forcing Tigh and Roslin into an uneasy alliance. How will this affect their future relationships? Will Roslin be able to confide in Lee Adama? Will Lee and his father finally come to an understanding and allow each other into their respective worlds as father and son? Will Tigh be able to reconcile his friendship and respect for Adama with his abrupt – and wholly unwarranted – dismissal from CIC?

And what of Tigh and Lee Adama? But – most importantly of all, how will the CIC crew regard Adama in the future? Can there be no repercussions after all that we’ve seen? Perhaps. Forgiveness was very much in evidence throughout the last act of the episode: Adama to Thrace, Roslin to Adama, Adama and Tigh. But – the episode title pretty much says it all: you can’t go home again, and a lot has been said in this episode - as in “Act” - that simply can’t be ignored. RDM has avoided the “reset” button so far; it’s going to be interesting to see if he can continue to avoid it in the future, and allow the shift in dynamics between the characters to play itself out over time.

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. Valerii 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, Valerii’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 warriors turn up. In the ensuing firefight the surviving warrior makes no attempt to either kill or capture Helo, Instead settling on simply shooting up the place and ending the usefulness of a range of kitchen appliances and tools.
*This episode: When Helo comes-to, Valerii is gone, and he’s no longer thinking about leaving the planet – he’s only concerned with what has happened to Valerii.

That the attraction is there is obvious: witness his shy embarrassment following Valerii’s "spontaneous" hug when they first hear the radio broadcast (“33”). It is fair to say that Valerii’s disappearance is the first attempt to ratch-up Helo’s feelings for her.

However, there is no potential weakness in this element of the story: During the fight in the restaurant, the Cylon warrior clearly made only a token attempt at killing Helo – although it was a pretty good effort in shooting up the kitchen as a whole. That he was not killed or at least taken prisoner again, should, by rights, alert Helo to the fact that something here isn’t quite right where the Cylons are concerned: why shoot-up the place and then not even bother to check whether he is dead or alive?

Turning to Baltar’s Six: this episode seems to suggest a subtle delineation between her and the 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, or just a simple turn of phrase, signifying nothing?

As to the Cylons themselves, “You Can’t” holds perhaps the most surprising revelation of all: that Raiders are bio-mechanical constructs. Until now, everything has apparently pointed to all but the humano-Cylons being mechanical constructs. "You Can't" turns this upside down, and raises a number of questions:

*Are all Cylons bio-mechanical? Probably not, as Helo puts a shot straight through the head of a Cylon Warrior. 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 have developed bio-mechanical capabilities themselves, and used them first in a basic form with the Raiders, before going on to develop the humanoid constructs?
*Could it mean that the very first Cylons developed by the Colonials were actually bio-mechanical in nature, rather than pure androids?

If the latter proves to be the case, it would certainly put a new angle on the conversation between Six and Doral on Caprica ([[Bastille Day]]) when they both refer to the Cylons as humanity’s children – as indeed the Six on Caprica did when talking to Baltar in the mini. It might also give a deeper reason for the initial Cylon revolt.

Of the entire episode, the Starbuck / Raider element is the most niggling. Both deeply fascinating for revealing more about Cylons, it is also causes a few winces given the ease with which she patched the ship and got it flying again – and with enough skill to survive a dogfight with Lee Adama.

In this respect, “You Can’t” was as contrived as [[Act of Contrition]] – but with the difference that the contrivances were somewhat more subtle and the story – for the most part – flowed a lot better than with [[Act of Contrition]].

== Notes ==
*[[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] are bio-mechanical in nature, and their biomass uses a breathable, oxygen-rich mix suitable for humans.
*[[Viper|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 refuelled in space (and presumably in relatively calm atmospheres).
*[[Thrace, Kara |Starbuck's]] damaged [[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 suits are capable of full life support, both planet-side ([[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]]) and in space ([[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 depressurised and repressurised (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.
*[[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] has the same image that the pilots touch when leaving the Ready Room.
*Colonials play pool!
*Baltar is requisitioning something that requires the president’s authorisation – the use of one of the ''[[Galactica|Galactica’s]] nukes for his research?
*[[Adama, William|William Adama]] is not above letting personal feelings rise above professional requirements.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==




== Official Statements ==




== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===


*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as [[Socinus]]
*[[Olmos, Bodie|Bodie Olmos]] as [[Constanza|Constanza / Hot Dog]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Donnelly+Rhodes Donnelly Rhodes] as [[Doctor Cottle]]



=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]




=== Production Notes ===
*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.05
*Airdate Order: 5 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 15 November 2004 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category: RDM]]

Tylium (RDM)

2005-04-08T12:03:14Z

TxRedcoat: Tylium is an ore, the fuel is refined from it.

'''Tylium Ore''' is the mineral from which fuel used in propulsion systems of Colonial and [[Cylon]] craft is refined from.

Typically, tylium ore is mined from asteroids ([[Hand of God]]) and is apparently not found on the [[12 Colonies]] natively. Large tylium ore deposits can keep fleets fueled for years.

Additionally, tylium ore is rendered inert when exposed to nuclear radiation/fallout. ([[Hand of God]])

[[Category:A to Z]] [[Category:Technology]] [[Category:Resources]]

Act of Contrition

2005-04-08T11:58:26Z

TxRedcoat: /* Guest Stars */ fixed cast link for Flat Top

[[Image:bsg-1-04.jpg|thumb|"Act of Contrition" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: When several Viper pilots are killed in a freak accident, Adama turns to Starbuck for help - but her involvement in the aftermath of the accident and in training new pilots causes the truth surrounding Zak Adama's death to finally surface. 

== Summary ==
* It is [[Saunders, Dwight|Dwight “Flat Top” Saunder’s]] 1,000th deck landing, which brings the Galactica’s pilots down to the hangar deck to celebrate
* As the celebrations continue, a set of communications drones are manoeuvred in the hangar bay and one breaks loose from its restraints, falling to the deck and igniting the motor. The drone flies across the hangar, smashing into the celebrating pilots where it explodes, killing Flat Top and twelve others and putting seven more in sickbay
* As the surviving pilots prepare for a memorial service for their fallen comrades, [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] has flashbacks to her first meeting with [[Adama, William|Adama]], following the death of his son, [[Adama, Zak|Zak]]
* During the memorial service itself, she, [[Adama, Lee|Lee]] and Adama all have flashbacks – to Zak Adama’s funeral and (in Starbuck’s case) to her telling Zak he’s qualified as a [[Viper]] pilot
* Following the service, Adama asks Starbuck to oversee the training of any new pilots they can find in the fleet
* She is initially hesitant, and Adama guesses the cause is Zak’s accident. He reassures her that his son’s death was not her fault – which causes Starbuck to remember her admission to Lee Adama: that she passed Zak through his basic training when he had in fact failed ([[Mini-Series]])
* She reluctantly accepts the duty, but memories of Zak continue to haunt her as she plays cards with [[Baltar, Gaius|Baltar]], oblivious of a conversation that takes place between [[Crashdown]] and [[Gaeta]] concerning Baltar’s Cylon detector – a conversation that leaves [[Valerii, Sharon#"Boomer" Valerii|Boomer]] very uncomfortable
* Elsewhere on the ''Galactica'', [[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] is examined by the ship’s medical officer, Doctor [[Cottle]]. His diagnosis is not good: her cancer is inoperable. Roslin decides that she wants to try alternative therapy using [[Kamala]] extract – something entirely unproven in its effectiveness
* Later, Starbuck meets her first batch of recruits. They are all pilots – but none have ever flown a Viper. With no simulators aboard the ''Galactica'', the newbies – [[Nugget|nuggets]] – are thrown in at the deep end: straight into the cockpit of the real thing
* Their performance during their first training flight is hardly stellar, and Starbuck is uncompromisingly hard on the first batch of recruits, washing them all out
* Lee confronts her on her decision, and realises it is caused more by guilt about Zak than on the ability of the trainees. When she refuses to reinstate the trainees, he takes the matter with Adama
* Adama initially support’s Starbuck’s decision, but a misunderstanding between him and Lee causes him to meet with Starbuck to discuss Zak’s death
* When Starbuck tries to dodge the issue, Adama pins her down, and she admits the truth: Zak bodged his final training flights, but she passed him because she was in love with him and they were engaged – but Zak really wasn’t the right material for flying Vipers
* Angered and hurt, Adama orders her to reinstate the trainees and to get out of his cabin
* Starbuck leads a handful of the trainees on a training flight, only to have a group of [[Cylon Raider|Cylon Raiders]] show up
* In the ensuing dogfight, Starbuck takes care of the Raiders, but her Viper is damaged, forcing her to eject inside the atmosphere of a weather-wracked moon

===On [[Caprica]]===
* [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] and [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]] are tracking the source of the signal they previously picked up out in the woods (“Water”)
* The signal leads them to a restaurant in the city, which has a radiation shelter under it, stocked with everything they need to survive - water, food, blankets - even anti-radiation medication
* Their arrival at the restaurant is observed by [[Number Six|Six]].

== Questions ==



== Analysis ==
An interesting episode that reveals a lot of the back story around the late Zak Adama, hampered by a weak start.

The bon homme between Starbuck, Lee and Adama as seen in the teaser doesn’t entrely work. Coming on top of the clear division between Adama and Lee following the latter’s activities on the ''Astral Queen'' just 48 hours before, it is hard to accept the cameraderie that they share here.

Also, while hi-jinx are to be expected, even in the most dire situations – the crew are going to have to let off steam at times – the whole “1,000th” landing idea smacked too much of a contrivance to get ''Galactica’s'' pilots together so that a bunch of them can be knocked off.

Moving on, there is Adama's cosy tête-à-tête with Starbuck regarding the role of instructor, the cosy little cuddle at the end just doesn't sit right. Until now, Adama has been portrayed as approachable but aloof. Personnel of all ranks have been comfortable in talking to him openly, and have clearly regarded him with respect. However, there has always been a degree of separation
between him and those around him. So it's a little hard to accept Adama as a man given to heartfelt hugs with junior officers - no matter what their past.

The hug serves a single purpose: a (transparent) means to give Adama's relationship with Starbuck a little extra depth ready for his fall when her revelation concerning Zak is finally made.

However, once the story gets past these little wobbles, it turns into a finely-crafted piece, weaving the past, present and - in Starbuck's case - the future into a picture of love, guilt, betrayal, need, and hurt. The acting throughout is outstanding, and the framing superb throughout. The interweaving of Starbuck's and Adama's recollections of Zak's funeral with the Service for the Dead on ''Galatica'' is particularly potent, while Starbuck's flashbacks in particular serve to reveal her angst far more effectively than any amount of dialogue. To quote an old cliché: a picture is worth a thousand words.

Alongside the main story arc, other elements are moved forward, either directly, or through dialogue. It is through the latter that we learn that the water situation in the fleet is still not resolved, and that operations are continuing on the ice moon discovered by Boomer and Crashdown in [[Water]]; we also learn – via the card game – that secrets on ''Galactica'' are proving hard to keep: rumours are already spreading that Gaeta is assisting Baltar in the development of his Cylon detector.

Given a more direct reference is Roslin's illness. In a nice follow-on from [[Bastille Day]] she meets the ''Galactica's'' medical officer. Something of a cliché himself - a healer killing himself through smoking - but even so, he is a useful foil for opening a new mini-arc to Roslin's character: her determination to fight the cancer through orthodox and possibly unorthodox means.

Finally, on Caprica, it is now clear that the Cylons want Helo to remain with Valerii. The receipt of the "military signal" and the discovery of the cosy little "radiation shelter" are together too much of a coincidence. The shelter is a honey-trap, and Valerii is the bait.

An essential element to any story is the performance of the actors, and "Acts" presents some of the strongest performances just seen in BSG. In this, [[Edward James Olmos]] clearly silences any critics of his acting abilities. With barely a turn of the lips, an opening or narrowing of the eyes, he conveys everything we need to know about Adama's reaction to Thrace's admission in his cabin: confusion, hurt, betrayal, loss, anger and finally – fury. It's been a while since such a range of emotional reactions have been so powerfully portrayed, and full kudos to Mr. Olmos and to the episode's director and director of photography for the manner in which the scene is crafted.

Equally deserving of praise is [[Katee Sackhoff]] for her handling of Thrace's memories and dilemma. Here, for the first time, we get to see what goes on behind the “Starbuck” mask; and the flashback scenes to her time with Zak are handled with extraordinary poise, and add the required depth needed to reinforce her guilt at his loss, and her fear of what might happen should she ever be put in a similar position again – or that Adama should ever discover the truth.

Overall, a vastly different episode from all that has gone before and one that is, as stated before, saved from mediocrity only in the interweaving of the various story elements – future, present and past – and the outstanding performances from both Sackhoff and Olmos, well-supported by [[Jamie Bamber]] and [[James Callas]].

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 00:14, 15 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Notes ==

*It is 48 hours since the prisoner uprising on the ''Astral Queen''
*Water replenishment ops are still underway
*The ''Galactica'' has a remaining contingent of 40 Vipers on top of her 5 Raptors (revealed in [[Water]]), but now only has 21 combat-ready pilots and a further 8 newbie “nuggets”
*Cylon Raiders have guns of an apparently similar nature to those mounted on Vipers
*Zak and Starbuck were engaged, and that lead to her passing him for flight duty
*Adama's relationship with Starbuck is not as long-standing as the mini appeared to suggest: they have only served together for 2 years
*Word is leaking out about Baltar's “Cylon detector”
*Helo and Valerii still appear to be the only “people” left alive on Caprica. Neither seem in any hurry to get off the planet.
*The Colonial military use HumVees and Deuce-and-a-half trucks!

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

In Adama's Cabin, with Thrace and Adama, discussing comments made earlier by Lee Adama:

Adama: He said something else. That you might have been feeling guilty about something you did for Zak. What did you do for him? 
Thrace: I don't know. You'd have to ask Lee. 
Adama: I'm asking you. 
Thrace: Well I don't kn- I, ah...I don't really know what he was talking about, so... 
Adama: Don't fence with me, Kara. I love you like a daughter. I don't deserve that. 
Thrace: Ummm...Zak...failed...basic flight. He wasn't a bad pilot, he just had no feel for flying...and, um, when it came to his final check ride he...busted...three of the test manoeuvres, and I should have flunked him, but I didn't. The bottom line is your...son...didn't have the chops to fly a Viper...and it killed him. 
Adama: (following a flashback): You did it because you were engaged. 
Thrace (breaking down): Because I made a mistake...because I was just...I was so in love with him...and I let that get in the way of doing my job...and um, and he um, he just wanted it so much, and I...I didn't want to be the one who crushed him... 
Adama: Reinstate the trainees to flight status. 
Thrace: I will...but I just want you to understand...that I... 
Adama: Do your job. 
Thrace: Yes sir... 
Adama: And walk out of this cabin...while you still can...

== Official Statements ==




== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===


*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jill+Teed Jill Teed] as [[Hadrian|Sergeant Hadrian]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Donnelly+Rhodes Donnelly Rhodes] as [[Doctor Cottle]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Lorena+Gale Lorena Gale] as [[Elosha]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Tobias+Mehler Tobias Mehler] as [[Adama, Zak|Zak Adama]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Colby+Johannson Colby Johannson] as [[Saunders, Dwight|Flat Top]]
*[[Olmos, Bodie|Bodie Olmos]] as [[Constanza|Constanza / Hot Dog]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Lucianna+Carro Lucianna Carro] as [[Katraine|Katraine / Kat]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Terry+Chen Terry Chen] as [[Perry|Perry / Chuckles]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bill+Melien Bill Meilen] as Caprica Cleric




=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bradley+Thompson Bradley Thompson] and [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Weddle David Weddle]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Hardy Rod Hardy]




=== Production Details ===

*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.04
*Airdate Order: 4 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 8 November 2004 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: 28 January 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Talk:Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II/Archive 1

2005-04-08T11:46:17Z

TxRedcoat: /* Discovery of Earth and Consequences */

==Discovery of Earth and Consequences==
If the ''Galactica'' finds Earth in 21st century near future during the second season instead of 1980, what will happen next? - [[User:John-1107|John V]]

:They won't find Earth until the last episode of the show, if even then. Once they find Earth, the show's over.[[User:Kuralyov|Kuralyov]] 10:56, 2 Apr 2005 (EST)

:: That is, assuming, that we're talking about "our" Earth (past, present or future) here... Just an unfinished thought. --[[User:Joe.Beaudoin|Joe Beaudoin]] 20:43, 2 Apr 2005 (EST)

:::Just because they find Earth does not mean that the show would be over. The whole reason they were searching for Earth in the first place was to have a point of re-supply and attack. In 1980, they realzed that Earth was not technologically advanced enough to repel a Cylon attack. For all we know, the Cylons might have already found Earth and razed it. Earth could be the new Cylon homeworld. The possibilities are endless in this regard. Please remember, this is mostly opinion.--[[User:TxRedcoat|TxRedcoat]] 07:46, 8 Apr 2005 (EDT)

Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II

2005-04-08T11:41:38Z

TxRedcoat: Edited for clarity. Please destroy at your leisure.

[[Image:bsg-klg2-1.jpg|thumb|"Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 2" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]
== Overview ==
''Starbuck has gone to Caprica. Adama insists Roslin must stand down as President. When she refuses, he is forced to deal with that situation while simultaneously adapting the plan to rid themselves of the Cylon baseship over Kobol''

== Summary ==
*[[Raptor]] 1 is down on [[Kobol]] and is on fire, as the crew struggle to get out and remove the bodies of the dead and injured, [[Baltar, Gaius|Baltar]] becomes trapped by fire in the back of the vehicle
* [[Crashdown]] tries to help him, but Baltar is too terrified to move. [[Number Six|Six]] appears and gives Baltar the strength to escape by giving the impression ''she'' is helping him out of the ship
* As they get clear, the ship explodes, and Baltar wanders into the long grass before collapsing, as the rest of the crew start checking on their injured
* [[Adama, William|Adama]] challenges [[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] over [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck's]] actions with the [[Cylon Raider]] and she admits her role
* Adama requests her resignation as President. Roslin refuses. He states he is terminating her presidency. When she reveals the press are recording the conversation, he hangs up
* He isolates ''[[Colonial One]]'' using the [[CAP]] to physically isolate it, and by jamming all communications from it. He then orders [[Tigh, Saul|Colonel Tigh]] and [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] to set-up a strike force to take ''Colonial One''
* Visiting [[Valerii, Sharon#"Boomer" Valerii|Boomer]] in sickbay, Adama asks her to fly a dangerous mission: take a Raptor fitted with a Cylon [[IFF]] transponder, jump to the Cylon [[Baseship|baseship]] orbiting Kobol and drop a nuclear bomb into its landing bay before jumping clear
* The strike team flies to an isolated ''Colonial One'' aboard two Raptors, lead by Tigh and Lee Adama, and they start cutting their way into the ship
* Boomer's Raptor makes it through the Cylon perimeter around the baseship, but the bomb release mechanism fails, forcing them to land inside the basestar and attempt a manual removal of the bomb
* While there, Boomer encounters a number of her "sisters". While she tries to claim she is human, they inform her she cannot escape destiny
* After she leaves on the Raptor, her "sisters" make no attempt to disarm or remove the bomb. The baseship is destroyed in a massive nuclear explosion.
* On Kobol, Baltar recognises Six "saved" him, and she takes him to see exactly why he has been chosen by God, and she walks him towards the ruined Tomb of Athena
* Entering it, he is shown the "face of things to come", apparently a baby in a crib, the "first of the new generation of God's children" - and he is to be their protector
* Roslin refuses Adama's final request to yield and her security team ready themselves for an assault and the strike team access the ship
* A confrontation ensues between Colonial forces and Roslin's security. It is broken only when Lee Adama sides with his conscience, and turns on Tigh. Afraid of a bloodbath, Roslin surrenders and Lee Adama is arrested
* Roslin is returned to the ''Galactica'' and placed in the brig, while Lee Adama is in irons in CIC
* Boomer and Racetrack arrive in CIC following the success of the attack on the baseship, and as he thanks them, Boomer shoots Adama twice at close range, seriously wounding him

=== On Caprica: ===
* [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]] has taken [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] to hide near the [[Delphi]] Museum of the Colonies
* She is aware of the importance of the [[Arrow of Apollo]]
* They have discussed the fact that she is a Cylon (rather than a Cylon-created human clone as Helo suggested ([[Colonial Day]])
* She reveals her relationship with him is important as it brings the Cylons closer to God. She also reveals she is pregnant
* Starbuck completes her long-range jump and arrives over [[Caprica]]. Passing through Cylon lines, she sets down in Delphi and heads for the museum
* Locating the [[Arrow of Apollo]] she is confronted by [[Number Six|Six]] and a fight ensues in which Starbuck is initially badly beaten, before a last-minute rush sends them both over a landing, killing Six.
* Helo comes to Starbuck's aid, and she panics when she sees Valerii, immediately realizing that Valerii is a Cylon. Helo stops Starbuck from shooting her, citing that she's pregnant

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 19:36, 24 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Questions ==
* Are Adama's wounds fatal?
* What will be public reaction when the news of [[Roslin, Laura|Roslin's]] arrest finally breaks through the communication's embargo?
* Who will take over as the civil leader with Roslin in the brig and [[Baltar, Gaius|Baltar]] "lost" somewhere on the surface of [[Kobol]]?
* How will [[Tigh, Saul|Tigh]] rise to the demands of command?
* What is the baby in the crib?
** The offspring from Valerii and [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]]?
** The future offspring of Baltar and a corporeal [[Number Six|Six]]?
* If the Cylons understand the significance of the Arrow of Apollo (and by extension, the Tomb of Athena), why don't they use them themselves find [[Earth]]?
:* Might they possibly also want to open the tomb in order to find and in turn sabotage Earth for the remaining fleet?
:*If they want the humans to find Earth, why try and prevent Starbuck from taking the Arrow in the first place?
** Are the Cylons genuinely interested in Earth, or has it simply been a means to bring them to Kobol?
* Why didn't the sound of Starbuck's Raider landing attract Helo's attention sooner? He's across the road from the museum, and so could hardly fail to see it touch down, or see Starbuck climb the steps to the museum itself.
* How did Six know Starbuck's name so readily? Is this a pointer to her being in communication with her "sister" in Baltar's head? Or having been in communication with Conoy ([[Flesh and Bone]])?
* Did Boomer sabotage the bomb release mechanism, thus forcing herself into landing on the baseship?
* Why didn't [[Racetrack]] raise concerns about [[Valerii, Sharon|Boomer's]] ability to survive in a vacuum on their return to the ''[[Galactica]]''?
* Did the IFF transponders genuinely work, or did the Cylons simply allow Starbuck's Raider to pass and the Raptor to reach the baseship in order for Starbuck and Boomer to continue along their "paths"?
* How many operational [[Raptor|Raptors]] does the ''Galactica'' have? [[Water]] gives the impression she had five. A total of six are used in Part I and Part II of "Kobol's Last Gleaming".
:*Not necessarily. In [[Water]], Tigh only said that there were five ''systems'' within their "Practical Jump Radius". If one raptor each was adequate for survey purposes, there would have been no reason to deploy the sixth.

== Analysis ==
An extraordinary ending to a remarkable first season; not by any means a traditional cliff-hanger episode so frequently used by sci-fi writers, it nevertheless fulfils the same purpose by both bringing several of the on-going arcs of the season together, without actually tying the thread together nor leaving them dangling in the wind. The result is to confirm much of the speculation developed throughout the first season, while simultaneously opening the overall arc of the series by providing both crises and a glimpse of the future.

As with “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 1”, music plays an important part of the episode – particularly with reference to Baltar’s visions in the ruins of Kobol, where the string orchestration used in the teaser of Part 1 becomes the motif for Baltar’s transition from confused pawn to willing participant in the Cylon’s plan. Similarly, music is used to indicate Boomer’s shifts between her human and Cylon selves. And the counterpoint couldn’t be more interesting: while both utilise strings, the harmony around Baltar’s enlightenment indicates - as Six points out – the rhythm of his life falling into line with God’s will, whereas the discordant working of strings around Boomer’s contact with her “sisters” underscores the final collapse of her human will, opening the door to her Cylon personality to take control of her conscious actions and shoot Adama when the time comes.

And it is with Boomer that some of the arcs of season one draw together: yes, Valerii on Caprica is pregnant; yes love and procreation were the keys to Cylon desire with her and Helo; yes her true nature would be revealed to her crewmates – if not directly through her actions in shooting Adama, then certainly through Starbuck’s return to the Galactica. While Starbuck is liable to be thrown into the brig on her return, that’s no reason for Tigh and others not to believe claims about Boomer in light of what she has seen on Caprica and what has happened in CIC.

Another element that is finally revealed is what the Cylon’s really want out of Baltar – but this in itself raises questions. Not only about his relationship with Six, but also about the future of the Helo / Valerii storyline, and those questions centre on what he saw in the crib.

That he was seeing into the future is clear: but is the child he sees the product of Helo’s relationship with Valerii, or his own (future) relationship with a corporeal Six? On the one hand, much of what is seen points to the child being born of Valerii: she admits her condition to Helo (and thus opens the door to him remaining on Caprica with her while Starbuck returns to the Galactica with the Arrow) and the Cylons were apparently aiming for her to become pregnant by Helo (or at least, Doral and Six showed no surprised when she reported her lovemaking with him). But – Six’s words to Baltar as she prepares him to see the future are interesting: “You are the guardian and protector of a new generation of God’s children,” – a somewhat neutral explanation that comes before she smiles, catches her breath and adds, “The first member of our family will be with us soon, Gaius.” This could be a reference to the fact that Valerii is pregnant; however the shift to the possessive “our family” and “with us” could be seen to indicate the child could be Baltar’s own.

And again, how much more of an effective guardian and protector will Baltar be, if he is in fact protecting his own offspring, rather than that of another Cylon / human relationship? And if this is the case, where does that leave the Valerii / Helo relationship?

This episode also reveals some more about Six: if the offspring on the crib she sees with Baltar is that of Valerii and Helo, then it would more or less confirm that she is in contact with corporeal Cylons elsewhere – how else would she know of the developing Valerii / Helo situation otherwise as it started after her “death”? Similarly, it is interesting to note the degree of savagery involved in the beating Six gives Starbuck. In many respects, it mirrors the beating she gave Valerii in “Litmus”; at the time, the viciousness she showed seemed to be linked to the jealousy evident between her and Valerii. We now know that Six has been affected by Baltar’s reaction to sleeping with Starbuck (“Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 1”); could the physical beating Starbuck receives be a manifestation of the jealousy she feels for what happened on the Galactica, transmitted to her corporeal sister?

But the key question is what will happen to Adama? It is very hard to conceive of the series progressing without his presence. While the ensemble cast is one of the best put together on-screen, and while many of them – Callis in particular – have put in powerful performances, it is fair to say that Olmos is very much the anchor of this series. Without his strength and gravitas, Battlestar Galactica could end up drifting very badly. Therefore, while it will be interesting to see what new dynamics may develop while Adama is out of commission – how will Tigh handle the vagaries of command, who will he nominate as his XO, etc, – it is essential Adama’s presence is felt sooner rather than later in the next season.

While discussing Adama, it may be interesting to note that his shooting almost brings the story full-circle. As he was dying on [[Ragnar Anchorage]], the [[humano-Cylon]] [[Conoy, Leoben|Leoben Conoy]] warns Adama that, “Sooner or later, the day comes when you can’t hide from the things you’ve done” ([[Mini-Series]]). Adama has waged war on the Cylons – both as a young officer during the Cylon War and now in his efforts to protect his people and the fleet. He has just been responsible for the destruction of a Cylon baseship, complete with many copies of Valerii; and now Valerii has shot him.

And how will the fleet react once word of Roslin’s arrest breaks through the communications blackout the Galactica inflicted on Colonial One? What can the civilians do? In many respects Adama holds all the cards – or would do, were he in a fit condition. His ship is the key to the protection of the fleet. She is pretty much unassailable, and without her facilities, 16,000 people in the fleet would very soon be without water (“Water”). Therefore, it is hard to see anyone stepping too far out of line when it comes to making major decisions: where the fleet will go, what it will do, etc. But within the civilian community, it is hard not so see repercussions: Roslin has been arrested; Baltar is missing, possibly dead. Who is available to take the civil reigns? Wallace Gray (“Colonial Day”)? Tom Zarek (“Bastille Day”; “Colonial Day”). Is it a coincidence that not too long before, at the Quorum of Twelve, Zarek himself raised the spectre of a military coup – and that’s more-or-less what they now have on their hands?

All told, this episode generates outstanding drama that demands a successful renewal and second season. It brings what has been an excellent first season to a powerful close, reflecting the almost unbroken run of quality drama evidenced by the show. Indeed the overall quality in terms of production, writing, casting and acting more than demonstrates both Ronald Moore and David Eick are correct in limiting the show to 13-episode runs.

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 19:36, 24 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Notes ==
* This episode takes place directly after those of [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]
* Cylon vessels are indeed capable of very long-range jumps
* [[Delphi]] was once a cultural centre on Caprica, and apparently held a lot of historical / religious artefacts
* Cylon basestars appear bio-mechanical, like Raiders
* In [[Water]] it was established that the ''Galactica'' had at least 5 [[Raptor|Raptors]] on board: [[Adama, William|Adama]] orders Raptors to survey local star systems for water bearing planets, 5 are dispatched. This episode reveals ''Galactica'' has at least 6: 1 is destroyed over [[Kobol]], one crashes on Kobol; three take part in the raid on ''[[Colonial One]]'', 1 simultaneously carries a nuclear warhead to the Cylon basestar,

Question: In the episode summary, you will find the entry "The strike team flies to an isolated Colonial One aboard two Raptors, lead by Tigh and Lee Adama, and they start cutting their way into the ship". TWO Raptors used in the raid. Yet, this section refers to THREE raptors being used and creates a problem with the total number of Raptors there are. Which is correct?

===Nods===
The use of [[IFF]] transponders by the Cylons is an indirect nod to [[TOS Battlestar Galactica|the original series]], in which [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] and [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] use an IFF-type device to identify their [[Cylon Raider#Original Series Raider|Raider]] to Colonial forces when they launch an attack on a Cylon Basestar ([[The Hand of God (TOS)]])

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==
Adama congratulates Boomer and her copilot after they successfully delivered the nuclear warhead to the Cylon basestar. The words he uses seem significant. He says that Boomer and her copilot "Congratulations to both of you. You carried out a very difficult and dangerous mission. and you did it... despite any... personal misgivings you may or may not have had... and for that I'm very proud. "

What possible 'personal misgivings'?? A Cylon deliving a bomb to kill other cylons? Could that be?? Did Adama know that Boomer was a Cylon when he sent her on the mission? He knew she was unstable... she had tried to kill herself. Why send her on that mission? I think it will come out that somehow he knew she was a cylon. Perhaps the chief mechanic told someone that Boomer was unstable and had said she was worried she was a cylon. Perhaps Adama knew that only a cylon could slip past the cylon ships surrounding the basestar.

* I think the quote was intended as a direct slam at Apollo. Note that he is standing (in irons) in the CIC as this exchange happens; I believe there's even a brief visual of Apollo reacting to the quote. [[User:Jim Huggins|Jim Huggins]] 09:54, 4 Apr 2005 (EDT)

Also... did that other dude hand her a weapon when he shook Boomer's hand just before she shot Adama? Watch the tape again... the camera pans down to their hands a little bit... where they were shaking hands... or could that little camera movement hint that he handed her a weapon??

Great show. Cant wait till July...

== Official Statements ==

== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===



*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Lorena+Gale Lorena Gale] as [[Elosha]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as [[Socinus]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicki+Clyne Nicki Clyne] as [[Cally]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jim+Shield Jim Shield] as [[Karna]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Leah+Cairns Leah Cairns] as [[Racetrack]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Warren+Christie Warren Christie] as Ground Crew #1
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jen+Halley Jen Halley] as Ground Crew #2



=== Writing & Direction ===

*Story by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Eick David Eick]
*Teleplay by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore]
*Directed by [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Rymer) Michael Rymer]




=== Production Notes ===

*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.13
*Airdate Order: 13 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 24 January 2005 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: 01 April 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
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