Pegasus (Extended Version)

This page covers the DVD-exclusive extended version of the episode "Pegasus". For information on the televised version of this episode, see "Pegasus (episode)". For information related the battlestar Pegasus itself, see Pegasus (RDM). This article is meant to analyze the differences between the televised, 4 Act version of "Pegasus" and the 5 Act Extended Version; material redundant with Questions and Analysis from the televised version should not be included.

"Pegasus" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 2, Episode 10
Writer(s)	Anne Cofell Saunders
Story by
Director	Michael Rymer
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)	Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain
Production No.	210
Nielsen Rating	N/A
US airdate	N/A
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate	N/A
DVD release	19 September 2006 US 28 August 2006 UK
Population	49,605 survivors ( 1,752)
Additional Info	Extended DVD Episode
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Flight of the Phoenix	Pegasus	Resurrection Ship, Part I
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
Online Purchasing
Amazon: Standard Definition | High Definition
iTunes: [{{{itunes}}} USA]

Overview

The Season 2.5 DVD set, as well as the region 2 and 4 Season 2 DVD set, contains the original 5 Act version of the mid-season 2 cliffhanger episode, "Pegasus". Standard episodes contain 4 Acts, separated by commercial breaks, for a total 40-45 minute run time. Occasionally, the SciFi Channel has allowed series it produces to create 90 minute long (with commercials) episode specials, containing 6 Acts (an example being Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II). "Pegasus" ran long, and after editing consisted of 5 Acts of material. The production team felt that there was no way they could reach a length of 6 Acts, thus justifying a 90 minute special, without resorting to just adding filler material not really relevant to the main plot. As a result, the original 5-Act cut of Pegasus was edited down to a standard 4 Act running time. As a result, an entire Act worth of scenes was deleted from the aired version of the episode, purely for time reasons and not due to any issues with their internal content. However, the Extended Version of "Pegasus" is included in the Season 2.5 DVD release, and includes all deleted scenes edited back in, to create an alternate version of the episode.

Executive producers Ron Moore and David Eick recorded a new, separate DVD commentary track for the Extended Version of "Pegasus" (the podcast for the televised version featured only Moore).

Chronological list of new scenes

• The episode now opens with Starbuck briefing Commander Adama and President Roslin about her planned rescue mission for the Resistance on Caprica. Part of this scene was included in the recap section of "Scar".
• On the way to the hangar deck Adama gives Roslin some details on Admiral Helena Cain, stating that "She's a very young officer on a very fast track. Very smart. Very tough. Very well connected." He also indicates her rank as Rear Admiral: "Fleet promoted her to Rear Admiral over half the Commanders on the list."
• In the same scene crewmembers can be seen rushing to the hangar deck, wanting to see Cain's arrival. Colonel Tigh chastises them, but Roslin recognizes the importance of the event for the crew's morale.
• Admiral Cain orders Colonel Tigh to put his men at ease.
• Admiral Cain recognizes Dr. Baltar when she arrives on Galactica, thus acknowledging his status as a celebrity before the Cylon attack.
• Adama apologizes to Admiral Cain for the celebration, but she declines and says "It's so good to see you."
• The conversation between Adama, Roslin, and Cain in Adama's quarters starts more friendly and only turns sour after the topic turns to the Fall of the Scorpian Fleet Shipyards. Some new facts are revealed:
  • The electro-magnetic pulse created by the nuclear detonations shielded Pegasus' survival from the Cylon Dradis.
  • Pegasus sustained heavy damage from the ignition of some of its fuel and ammunition.
  • Pegasus' computer network was offline in preparation for the overhaul, thus avoiding Cylon infiltration of the Command Navigation Program.
• After Adama reports of Dr. Baltar's success in interrogating Sharon, Cain says that they are lucky to have Dr. Baltar aboard, and that she wants to make an appointment with him as soon as possible to work with their Cylon prisoner (called "Gina" by the writers and fans).
• An entirely new scene where Cain and Dr. Baltar visit Sharon in her cell. Baltar reports that they got Sharon to cooperate without torture by treating her like a human being. Cain is visibly appalled by how well Sharon has been treated and makes a point out of ignoring her, despite Sharon trying to talk to her.
• When Admiral Cain is leaving, Six teases Baltar about her. "She's a hard case isn't she? Just your type Gaius. You have a thing for strong, powerful women." Baltar salutes Cain as she leaves.
• The deck gang around Chief Galen Tyrol and Cally receive spare parts from Pegasus.
• Likewise Lieutenant Gaeta receives star charts, computer updates, and a copy of the Pegasus' digital library to compensate for the data lost in the hard drive wipe during "Flight of the Phoenix".
• A small extension to the conversation in which President Roslin complains that only Galactica received supplies, despite the dire needs of the civilian Fleet.
• A few added sentences when Peter Laird visits Galactica for the first time.
• After visiting Gina for the first time, Baltar explains to Cain and Fisk that, in order to make progress with her, he wants their prisoner to be able to bathe and eat adequately, as well as get clothes.
• Cain replies that Gina's comfort is of no interest to her and reveals that she killed "over 800" of her crew by helping a Cylon boarding party gain access to Pegasus. While not specified, that probably led to her being uncovered as a Cylon Agent. Cain also wonders if Baltar has become too close to his prisoners and lost perspective.
• The scene continues with the known part about Baltar's findings and concludes with Fisk respectfully adressing Baltar as "Mr. Vice President" and Baltar commenting on Pegasus with "It's a lovely ship...Looks very new."
• As Cain arrives in her office, Adama is studying her weapons collection. She explains that she doesn't have chairs because standing is better for her back and that, as a side effect, meetings are conducted faster when her officers have to stand as well (Her back problems can be seen in "Resurrection Ship, Part II").
• They go a bit into the difference between Galactica and a Mercury class battlestar. Cain says "The ship's nearly twice the size, needs half the crew". This either refers to the double launch bays or the volume, but not the length.
• When Adama relays Cain's orders to transfer Apollo and Starbuck to Pegasus, he stops Starbuck as she is leaving and warns them "Watch out for yourselves. I think they're gunning for you both." to which Apollo replies "I think they're gunning for all of us."
• Tyrol has learned that he is supposed to be replaced as deck chief, prompting Cally's comment "This is bullshit, Chief!" Laird outs himself as the person who will replace him and Tyrol grudgingly shows him the way to his office. We also learn a new use of "frak": "frakwit"
• The briefing for the recon mission on Pegasus opens with a far longer fly-by establishing shot along the entire length of the ship. Stinger now threatens to throw Starbuck in the brig for her insubordination, but she just replies "I like hack." At the end she demonstratively remains sitting when Stinger orders everyone to stand up before dismissing them.
• The controversial and much discussed rape scene has been restored, so that Sharon is really raped instead of Lt. Thorne being stopped before he can carry out his attempt. The edits however are subtle. First, Thorne quickly pulls down Sharon's pants (this is still heavily implied in the original). Secondly, when Helo and Tyrol arrive in the previously aired version, they look into the cell and it cuts to Thorne letting down his own pants. Now the camera stays outside and Thorne can be seen penetrating Sharon from behind. This lasts only for a few seconds while Helo and Tyrol rush in and attack Thorne. Additionally there are a few more protests by Sharon, her screaming "I'll kill you!" and one shot of Tyrol moving his hands between his head and lap.
• Baltar's last visit to Gina in the episode has a longer opening. Baltar carries in the food and orders the Pegasus officer to unshackle her.
• Before Pegasus is shown to launch her Vipers, Cain orders the main batteries to be targeted on Galactica and says "May the Gods have mercy on their souls."

Questions

• Why is Peter Laird assigned as Galactica's deck chief?
• What was Gina's position on Pegasus? How exactly did she help Centurions to board the ship?
• Due to the massive damage caused by exploding munitions, where did Pegasus manage to get replenished?
• In light of Gaeta's question, was there pornography in Pegasus's digital library?

Analysis

• The reason for Roslin's visit to Galactica is now revealed in the first scene.
• Starbuck's initial rescue plan consist of leaving the civilian Fleet and a small escort in a safe location and jumping back to Caprica with Galactica herself. Because of the risk to the Fleet and the navigational problems it is rejected as too risky.
• With Galactica receiving spare parts and computer updates from Pegasus there is a bit more cooperation between the crews before the small conflicts erupt into a big one.
• It is unknown why Laird is replacing Tyrol as Galactica's deck chief. Possibly because Cain learned of his affair with Sharon and the suspicion that he might be a Cylon collaborator (Litmus) from Galactica's logs. However it explains what Laird is doing on Galactica later during the small party on the hangar deck and why he seems to be in charge of operations when Tyrol asks about the Blackbird. In "Resurrection Ship, Part I" he is definitely in charge of the whole hangar deck, but in that episode he is never formally established in the position. One would assume that he replaces Tyrol after his arrest, but according to the Extended Version it happens before.
• Starbuck's insubordinate behavior towards Stinger doesn't go uncommented now.
• Roslin's line to Baltar in "Epiphanies" about getting too close to his Cylon subjects echoes Admiral Cain's complaints in the added scenes.
• The reintroduction of the full rape sequence creates a possible continuity error with Helo's line, "He was trying to rape a prisoner" in "Resurrection Ship, Part II".

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Cain and Adama toast to Pegasus being a lucky ship.

Admiral Cain: Yes, Pegasus has always been a rather lucky ship.

Commander Adama: To lucky ships.

• Lt. Gaeta (refering to the Pegasus' library): Got any porn in there?

• On Galactica's status as a classic.

Commander Adama: Makes you feel Galactica's a relic.

Admiral Cain: Galactica is not a relic, it's a classic. And I for one happen to appreciate the classics.

Official Statements

• Ron D. Moore stated in his podcast that there were a number of scenes filmed for the televised episode that had to be deleted for time, but that he expects to be edited back into the episode for the DVD release. According to Moore, although most episode rough cuts run a little overtime and one or two scenes have to be edited out, "Pegasus" had more than a full extra Act worth of material left over. The full episode would have been an hour and 15 minutes long. Moore tried to put in more scenes to push it to 90 minutes, in which case Scifi Channel would air it as a 90 minute special (as they had done in the past for "Stargate SG-1" on occasion), but ultimately not enough material could be included in "Pegasus" to make it 90 minutes long without detracting from story quality; they were left with an episode that was too short to be a 90 minute special, but also too long to include all filmed scenes in a one hour episode.
• According to RDM's podcast, there was entire subplot alluded to in the episode which was in the original script, but which was excised before it was ever filmed due to time constraints. The fragment that remains is when Roslin complains to Adama that Pegasus is focusing on re-supplying the Fleet's military assets (re-arming Galactica and re-supplying Pegasus from stores in the civililan fleet) while ignoring the needs of the civilian fleet. The subplot would show how Roslin wanted Pegasus to provide machine parts for repairs to the civilian Fleet, and that after these are repeatedly ignored the civilian fleet ultimately goes "on strike" by refusing to give Pegasus more tylium fuel. It would also expand on Cain's refusal to acknowledge Roslin as the President (and therefore her superior as Commander-in-Chief).
• Moore also stated in the podcast that an alternate version of the attempted rape scene with Boomer was also filmed in which the rape was actually underway when Tyrol and Helo intervened. Ultimately, the decision was made to use the version seen where Thorne is stopped just in time, before he is able to rape Boomer. This is an alternate scene and wasn't just deleted for time: it wasn't in the script, but after discussing it director Michael Rymer, Grace Park and the rest of the cast decided to create it. The production team and writers liked the originally scripted, averted-at-the-last-minute-rape scene better anyway, so the alternate version was not used in the aired episode.
• Prior to the release of Season 2.0 on DVD, it was confirmed that the "Season 2.0" DVD box set of Battlestar Galactica (which contains the first ten episodes of Season 2) does not contain the Director's Cut of "Pegasus". Universal Home Video stated that they were unable to complete the extended version of the episode in time for the Season 2.0 DVD release. Due to this, fans have the opportunity to buy both versions. In his podcast, Moore stated his preference for the extended cut over the broadcast version, due to the great character moments and drama, but that some might feel that the tight, rapid pace of the cut-down episode kept it more thrilling.

Guest stars

• Michelle Forbes as Admiral Helena Cain
• Graham Beckel as Colonel Jack Fisk
• John Pyper-Ferguson as Captain Cole "Stinger" Taylor
• Aaron Douglas Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol
• Nicki Clyne as Specialist Cally
• Sebastian Spence as Whiplash
• Fulvio Cecere as Lt. Alastair Thorne
• Peter-John Prinsloo as Lt. Mei "Freaker" Firelli
• Vincent Gale as Chief Peter Laird
• Derek Delost as Specialist Vireem
• Mike Dopud Specialist Gage
• Leah Cairns as Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
• Michael Jonsson Pegasus Guard #1

External Links

"Pegasus" at scifi.com