Deathtrap!

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Deathtrap! An issue of the Marvel Comics series.
Issue No.	3
Writer(s)	Roger McKenzie
Illustrator(s)	{{{illustrator}}}
Penciller(s)	Ernie Colon
Inker(s)	Ernie Colon
Colorist(s)	Marie Severin
Letterer(s)	Jim Novak
Editor(s)	Jim Shooter
Collection Design	{{{designer}}}
Cover Artist(s)	Rudy Nebres
Adaptation of	Saga of a Star World (Part 3)
Published	May 1979
Collects
Collected in	Saga of a Star World
Reprints	Marvel Super Special #8: Battlestar Galactica (Part 3)
Reprinted as
Pages	{{{pages}}}
ISBN	[[Special:Booksources/|]]
Population	0 Survivors
Special	{{{special}}}
Chronology
Previous		Next
Exodus!	Deathtrap!	Into the Void
Purchase
Available at BOOKSAMILLION.COM - Purchase
Available at Amazon.com – [[amazon:{{{amazon}}}|Purchase]]
Available at Amazon.co.uk – Purchase
Available at Things From Another World - Purchase

This comic is the last of three issues adapting the Original Series' "Saga of a Star World."

Plot

• The trio of Warriors, Captain Apollo and Lieutenants Boomer and Starbuck, are aided by Galactica in clearing the Cylon minefield in the Nova of Madagon.
• Athena reports that the Vipers are clearing a path a hundred maxims wide.
• After Tigh's report of clearing through the nova, Adama praises the Gods of Kobol. He orders the fighters recalled and the retraction of Galactica's radiation shields. In doing so, they behold their eyes on the dark world of Carillon.
• Some several hundred quadrons away, the Imperious Leader is informed that the survivors have not been found. The Leader is assured that the survivors' lack of provisions will result in their capture within their star system, and that they will wait for this to occur.
• Mineral ships and landram parties are dispatched to Carillon's dark surface.
• Starbuck and Boomer, as part of expedition one, are given coordinates to a potential caretaker operation sighted by Blue Squadron. In their landram, Starbuck is corrected by Boomer regarding the fact that they are seeing the surface of Carillon during its daytime period.
• In another landram some "millicentons away," Apollo instructs Boxey to keep an eye on a readout that will report tylium readings. With them are Serina and Muffey II.
• During a conversation between Serina and Apollo, Boxey inquires as to why they need to keep moving from planet to planet. Apollo informs the youth that people hurt others because of any and all perceived differences, whether physical, spiritual or belief. He asks why they don't "kill them back," to which Apollo replies that by doing so they would change what they are to be like their aggressors. As Boxey asks more narrowing questions, Apollo points out that life can be complicated.
• The indicator in their landram signals presence of tylium, and Apollo congratulates Boxey for doing his job. Believing they are over the old tylium mine, the landram stops.
• Muffey then jumps out of the landram, yipping incessantly as the drone heads into the darkness. Boxey hurries out, calling after Muffey; Apollo instructs Serina to stay.
• Boxey is surrounded by Ovions, one of whom covers Boxey's mouth with a claw.
• Starbuck and Boomer come across a resort, draw their laser pistols and enter, encountering a woman who informs them that they're in a resort. She recognizes them as Colonial Warriors and relates the fact that she won a satchel's worth of cubits. The disbelieving Warriors continue into the resort, wondering how no one heard about the destruction of the Colonies.
• They are approached by a heavy-set humanoid greeter, and Boomer concocts a story about being on a recon patrol to ensure that the armistice is observed. The greeter welcomes them and shares with them that food and drink are on the house before ambling away.
• Starbuck shares his concern with Boomer about keeping mum about their intentions, believing that it will only take one person to alert the Cylon war machine of their presence. Boomer agrees and advocates for reporting to the Fleet what they've uncovered.
• Apollo and Serina drive along in the landram in search of Boxey and Muffey, but stop when encountering a group of Ovions. They get out and are escorted to a cave-like opening, leading to a mine that Apollo believes to be the largest in the star system.
• They are welcomed by a robed Ovion, who welcomes them to Carillon. Apollo asks the Ovion where Boxey is. As their guide walks them through the mine, the Ovion shares with Apollo the fact that they are all one community, hewing to order without need for competition or jealousy. The Ovion leads them to an elevator, where they are told to be "well fed, well entertained" to their contentment.
• Serina angrily seethes at the comment, asking what the Ovions believe the humans to be, "cows?"
• They are reunited with Boxey and Muffey, who is with both Starbuck and Boomer inside the establishment, and feasting on food and drink at a table. Starbuck relays that the Ovions have much to share and are happy to do so.
• The robed Ovion reports to their Centurion overseer, noting that the humans have allowed only a few of their Warriors to land with the rest standing alert on Galactica. The Centurion assures them that this will change as the humans embrace the Ovions' hospitality, noting their unparalleled experiencing in "dining with humans."
• The Imperious Leader is given a report by the Centurion, noting that the humans have arrived at Carillon and have "fallen prey to the Lords of Ovion." The pleased Leader commands that the humans' forces are to be rendered impotent, so that the supreme star force, dispatching from Borallus, will be in a position to annihilate the survivors.
• On Galactica, Tigh reports that the squadron of Vipers have launched as Adama ordered. Tigh shares his concern about running afoul of Sire Uri, but Adama is adamant that the risk be taken as it is his vow that he never lead the humans into the Cylons' deception again.
• Boomer finds Starbuck at a gambling table, and pulls him away to discuss a matter privately. Boomer shares his feelings that the casino is wrong, and asks Starbuck if he's ever "been in a chancery where you couldn't lose your money?" Boomer and Starbuck make way to a lounge, discussing the issue further, and noting that no one has ever even heard of Carillon. With its riches and entertainments, such a place would be well known throughout the star system. He notes that people there are a smattering of humans from their homeworlds: Caprica, Tauron, and Sagitaria.
• Starbuck becomes distracted by a trio of women, believing that they can put them on the "star circuit." Boomer admonishes Starbuck for his flight of fancy, with Starbuck rebuffing him that their plight couldn't last forever. Boomer replies with a rumor that guest just drop out of sight, to which Starbuck replies that he's heard of a tour that many people take before returning home.
• Meanwhile, somewhere in the casino, two people find out what's in the lower levels—much to a woman's horror, after she calls after the "Gods of Kobol" at what she's beheld.
• Off in the distance, Boomer brings to Starbuck's attention three men, who wear uniforms from their squadron, but are clearly not people they recognize.
• They run past Apollo and Serina on a walkway. Muffey II yips after something with Boxey following, and Apollo tells Serina to stay with Boomer as they investigate the ersatz Warriors.
• Apollo and Starbuck make their way to the subterranean levels under the resort and chancery, in search of the impostors. They happen across a centurion who happens across Boxey and Muffey II, just as Boxey admonishes the drone daggit for getting them lost.
• Apollo draws his laser pistol and shoots the centurion in the back, telling Boxey to run while Muffey attempts to chew the centurion's leg.
• Starbuck voices his concern that they're "setting fire to the biggest bomb in the universe," while fleeing the additional centurions who are now aware of their presence.
• The wayward quartet makes their way, discovering the truth about the chancery: the Ovions feed the humans to their young. They make their way back to the surface to sound the alarm about the "deathtrap."
• The Cylons pursuing them are blasted apart by Jolly, manning the laser turret of a landram. Jolly updates Apollo on Adama's plan, noting that the impostors were Adama's idea, so that the Cylons would believe the humans had brought all of their military personnel to Carillon.
• The supreme star force approaches the Fleet, believing it to be helpless and undefended. When the Cylons get too close, Adama springs his trap and a battle ensues. Apollo and Starbuck join the fight in their Vipers, and they detect a Cylon basestar in orbit; they fool the Cylons into believing that Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink Squadrons are massing an attack, and the Cylons draw closer to the perceived safety of Carillon's bulk.
• The Cylons discover too late Apollo and Starbuck's deception, and Carillon explodes, leading the rag tag, fugitive fleet to resume their lonely quest: for a shining planet known as Earth.

Notes

General

• Cassiopeia is absent from this issue entirely. She reappears in A Death in the Family.
• Sire Uri is only mentioned by Tigh when he questions Adama on his plan, but appears again beginning in The Memory Machine.
• It is unspecified if the robed Ovion who escorts Apollo and Serina through the mines is Lotay.
• A translator, or languatron, is not used to understand Ovions as they speak in the Colonial standard language.

Differences

• This last act of the storyline differs greatly from the end of "Saga of a Star World," notably:
  • The comic eschews the love triangle between Athena, Cassiopeia and Starbuck, and as such neither woman is actually seen on Carillon.
  • The structure of Ovions' society is greatly explained. Further, the languatron is nowhere to be seen, as the Ovions can speak in the human tongue.
  • While Starbuck shares his fantasy of being a manager for the Tucana singers, he does not appear to have the chance to talk to them to discuss his proposal.
  • Although Adama and Tigh send ersatz Warriors to Carillon to fool "whoever would be watching" into believing that the Colonials had relaxed their military defenses, the sub-plot where Sire Uri awards the Gold Cluster to Apollo, Boomer and Starbuck does not exist. As such, when Starbuck and Boomer uncover the ersatz Warriors and attempt to pursue, they are not in ceremonial garb. Furthermore, Uri is only mentioned, but would later be a continuing foil throughout the Marvel storyline.
  • The presence of Imperious Leader at Carillon is unknown.
  • The epilogue featuring Baltar's salvation at the hands of the Cylons is absent, although integrated into Into the Void.

Publication History

This issue was reprinted in Star Heroes: Winter Special (UK) Vol. 1 #1 (October 1979 CE), and later republished in Saga of a Star World (June 2005 CE).

Analysis

• The Ovions are members of the Alliance, and the Cylons allow the humans to live on Carillon, despite the Imperious Leader's standing order on the humans: extermination. This illustrates that leeway exists with this edict, particularly when the logical result is humans being killed by humans.
• Serina picks up on the Ovions' approach to humans as cows, although does not follow it to the logical conclusion immediately.
• The Cylons refer to the Ovions on Carillon as the "Lords of Ovion," suggesting that Ovion is either a place on Carillon, or a place elsewhere in the galaxy.
• The supreme star force had indeed been stationed at Borallus, as Adama had feared. However, he never received direct confirmation of his fears in this particular instance.

Questions

• How long have the Ovions served under the Cylons?
• Are other aliens patrons of the chancery also eaten by the Ovions?
• How long have the Ovions "advertised" Carillon to travel agents to acquire their food supply?
• Were the Ovions original inhabitants of Carillon?
• If Carillon had been too far away for the Colonials to consider mining for tylium, why did the Cylons mine the Nova of Madagon?
• What are Uri's ambitions? (Answer)

Notable Dialogue

• Apollo and Boxey discuss the Cylons while driving the landram on Carillon's surface:

Boxey: But, Captain Apollo, I don't see why we had to leave home at all! Why'd those Cylons want to hurt us?

Apollo: Oh, because there are and always have been living beings who can not accept anything they don't understand! Anything... different!

Boxey: What do you mean, different?

Apollo: Just about anything at all, Boxey! The shape of your eyes, the number of limbs, the color of your skin... even thoughts and ideas! They just aren't equipped to deal with difference!

Boxey: You mean they're stupid?

Apollo: I guess by our standards. How can it be anything but stupid to kill what you don't understand?

Boxey: Why don't we kill them back? What if they come after us?

Apollo: We might have to defend ourselves. Maybe even kill them.

Boxey: But then we'd be like them, wouldn't we?

Apollo: Boxey, you're beginning to see how complicated life can be...

See also

• Battlestar Galactica: Vol. 1 #3 at the Marvel Database

Re-imagined Series definition: mineral that can be refined to a powerful fuel, see: tylium

Original Series definition: a highly combustible fuel (see: tylium) ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}

Original Series definition: a term for a robot, such as Muffit II ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}

Original Series definition: a title of nobility akin to "Sir," typically ascribed to a civilian of the male gender (e.g. Sire Uri, Sire Solon)

Original Series definition: a domesticated canine, e.g. dog (see: daggit)

Re-imagined Series definition: battlestar landing bay mechanism that arrests a landing Viper, Raptor or other small craft ^{(TRS: "Final Cut")}