Escape Velocity

"Escape Velocity" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 4, Episode 4
Writer(s)	Jane Espenson
Story by
Director	Edward James Olmos
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	406
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	25 April 2008
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release
Population	39,675 survivors ( 1)
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
The Ties That Bind	Escape Velocity	The Road Less Travelled
Related Information
Official Summary
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Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
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Overview

Religious freedom is debated and defended as the messianic Gaius Baltar promotes his belief in one true God. Meanwhile, Galen Tyrol tries to cope with the death of his wife and fails.

Summary

Teaser

• In a makeshift temple aboard Galactica, Galen Tyrol performs a ritual commemoration ceremony in the memory of his wife, Callandra Henderson Tyrol. In attendance are Laura Roslin, Admiral Adama, Delegate Lee Adama, Tory Foster, Colonel Saul Tigh and Anthony Figurski.
• After the priest ends the service, Roslin (wearing a wig) tells Adama that she likes the ceremony, insinuating that she wants Adama to perform the same service for her when she dies.
• Tyrol is given condolences by people as they leave the temple. Foster asks Roslin why they have to do "these things at dawn", to which Roslin replies that they have to.
• After Roslin gives her condolences, Tyrol grabs a hold of both Foster and Tigh, who hastily offer their condolences. As they walk out, they complain that Tyrol almost attracted attention to themselves.
• Delegate Adama offers his condolences as Tyrol stares off after Foster and Tigh; Adama leaves without a response from Tyrol.
• Tigh enters the surveillance room adjoining Caprica-Six's brig. The Marines inform him that she continues her same routine. When broaching the topic of how Six doesn't go nuts, the female Marine replies that she probably turns off her brain, prompting interest from Tigh.
• Tigh enters the brig, informing Six that her request to see Hera Agathon has been denied. Six notes that Tigh already told her this, and asks what else he wants from her. During the discussion, Tigh sees Ellen Tigh in place of Six. Tigh, unsure of what to make of it, tells Six to stay back from him. Six notes that he visits her every day, but doesn't ask questions any more. Tigh leaves, with her saying that she'll see him tomorrow.
• In his quarters, Tyrol sits while Nicholas Tyrol cries. Foster and Tigh gruffly admonish Tyrol for his behavior at the service.
• Tigh inquires after the baby. Tyrol notes that Nicholas probably needs to be changed; Tigh goes about doing so.
• Foster asks Tyrol if he believes Cally killed herself because of him. Tyrol brings up the alleged affair between them, to which Foster replies that they didn't have one. Tyrol voices his concerns over which of his memories were real, and whether or not there was ever an action in his life that wasn't programmed. Foster espouses what, according to Tigh, is "Baltar's crap" when she tells Tyrol that they, as Cylons, don't need guilt since they are perfect. Tigh, on the other hand, believes that Tyrol is feeling what men feel after the death of a loved one. Tigh continues by telling Tyrol that he'll see Cally every day, while referencing his own experience of hearing and seeing his dead wife. Tigh finishes by saying that Tyrol feels what he needs to feel, but not at the expense of being outed as Cylons, while Foster says to think about what they are and embrace their Cylon attributes.

Act 1

• Tory Foster visits Gaius Baltar in the commune. There, she wakes Baltar by pulling out a hair on his head. Baltar replies "Gods", which Foster questions. She continues by plucking another hair off of Baltar's head, asking about how he was feeling. He replies that it was an intense feeling. She then massages his crotch, then while doing so, plucks out another hair on his head. She asks if the signals of pain and pleasure get crossed, which Baltar replies in the affirmative. As Baltar tries to leave, Foster forces Baltar down on the bed. After noting her strength, she begins to engage in foreplay, running her tongue across his cheek.
• As she babbles on about her beliefs about "pain turning into pleasure" and the like (much to Baltar's testicular displeasure), members of the Sons of Ares begin their march towards the commune. Their attack on the commune begins by throwing a smoke grenade, which allows them to enter the commune and attack Baltar's cultists with near impunity, painting graffiti and wreaking havoc. They quickly try to find Baltar, but they know they have two minutes to do so before they can expect some kind of military response. At the one minute mark, an announcement over the PA announces a security alert on deck eight, section fourteen.
• During these two minutes, Baltar hides himself behind a support beam near the ceiling. After the attack, Foster looks up at him as the Sons of Ares people clear out of the commune, vowing to find Baltar.
• In the hangar bay, Galen Tyrol is repairing the ECO console on Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson's Raptor. Deckhand Anthony Figurski asks if Tyrol is almost done, Tyrol replies that he just has one more relay, which his hands have a problem in reaching. During this, he has flashbacks of Cally, including one where Cally helps him out during the construction of the Blackbird.
• Tyrol's flashback of his beating of Cally after his suicidal nightmare is interrupted by Edmondson, who asks if he's done with his repairs. Pocketing a fuse, he morosely replies that he's done.
• Edmondson, with Hamish "Skulls" McCall, launch, being waived off by crew members on the deck. They meet up with Redwing, who is leading the Combat Air Patrol, and childes them for driving a school bus. In return, she compares the Vipers to bicycles, to which Redwing replies that the Vipers are race cars much to Edmondson's amusement.
• When they increase speed, the Raptor's forward, lower rear RCS thruster. She requests for an emergency landing and they crash land on the port landing deck, ramming into a landram in the process.
• Meanwhile, Baltar is chastising "Mr. Officious" for his lack of speed in finding out who their attackers are. Virtual Six prompts him to look at the painted graffiti in the wall, which is written in old text. He reads it, discovering that his attackers were from the Sons of Ares. He asks about their motivations, to which Six replies that "old Gods die hard even among your people". He sees Six next to a woman, whose name he believes starts with an "M", until she corrects him: her name is Lilly. Baltar discovers a religious artifact belonging to Asclepius in her hand, which she prays to. She claims that she believes that Baltar will heal their people, but still has belief in Asclepius. Six then adds that the "Gods are fighting back".
• In the hangar bay, Tyrol and Figurski are looking over the remains of the Raptor, whose relays are still hot. When checking under the ECO console, Tyrol discovers the burnt-out fuse he neglected to replace, discovering the replacement in his shirt's pocket. He admits that the crash was his fault.
• McCall angrily confronts Tyrol, but is interdicted by Edmondson, who attempts to defuse the situation. McCall concedes that it's all right, and that no one got hurt. Tyrol presses on however, saying that he doesn't need to be "patted on the head" and that its all right if people told him that he fraked up. He becomes more vociferous when Edmondson mentions that "he's only human", but she walks away and no one else comments. He calls them all "cowards".
• Figurski offers to finish looking over the Raptor. In reply, Tyrol tells Figurski to get out of the ship.
• As Baltar looks at the pendant for Asclepius, Virtual Six tells him that people have room for only one great belief, either him or the Gods. Despite Baltar's misgivings about one man standing up to the old Gods, Six convinces him that such a man who does would surely be magnificent. Inspired by this, Baltar tells his members that they have been targeted because of what they believe in, and urges them to take a stand against Gods that have no relevance in their world.
• Baltar then leaves, with Jeanne and the others following.
• Baltar enters the temple, where the priest is performing a service. He interrupts the ceremony despite the priest's attempts to stop him. Baltar begins asking the parishioners who they serve, blaspheming Zeus by calling him a "serial rapist" and pointing out the absurdity of giving birth through one's forehead. The priest confronts him, but Baltar calls her an "ignorant witch" and continues discussing the so-called Gods, including how Asclepius demise was brought about by the blood of a Gorgon and of Aphrodite, in addition to the "other rubbish" as he vandalizes the temple.
• As his other cultists follow his example, Marines storm the temple and forcibly extricate Baltar as the polytheists in the temple try to attack him, yelling out demands to "burn him".

Notes

• Cally Tyrol's full first name is Callandra. The spelling is confirmed in Bear McCreary's blog post for this episode. The episode also marks the first onscreen mention of her birth name, Henderson.
• The survivor count now accounts for Callandra Tyrol's death in "The Ties That Bind".
• A costuming error in the teaser shows Saul Tigh wearing the rank insignia of an admiral. This is noticeable in the scene where Tigh and Tory Foster confront Galen Tyrol in Tyrol's quarters after the memorial service.
• The diloxin treatment Laura Roslin receives has forced her to wear a wig, since her hair loss began more than 22 days ago in "Six of One".
• Another of the Lords of Kobol is revealed: Asclepius. Asclepius is known to the Colonials as the god of healing.
• Unlike "The Ties That Bind", Tom Zarek is not present at the Quorum of Twelve meetings on Colonial One in this episode. The reason for his absence is unexplained.
• Escape velocity is the minimum initial velocity an unaccelerated object needs to escape a body's gravitational field.
• Tory Foster confirms that the Final Five are stronger than humans.
• Redwing previously appeared in "Exodus, Part II" as Hot Dog's wingman.

Analysis

Characters

• Galen Tyrol's insubordination that leads Admiral Adama to demote him may have been a deliberate act, conscious or unconscious, to maintain the safety of the ship. While not stated explicitly, Tyrol has been implied to have fears of working against the interest of the Fleet. This fear is almost certainly magnified when he forgets to swap out a burned out component for a new one on Racetrack's Raptor, which subsequently crashes. While his memory lapse may have been innocently brought on by the continuing stress of discovering himself to be a Cylon, the resulting subterfuge, and his wife's death, the experience of Sharon Valerii with her memory lapses, unconscious acts of sabotage, and the attempted murder of then Commander Adama, are probably on his mind. This is indicated during the tirade against Cally, Adama, and his life in general in Joe's bar. A demotion in disgrace and transfer could ensure the safety of the ship, without raising any unwanted questions as an official resignation probably would.
• Tyrol continues to have feelings for Sharon Valerii, as he admits to William Adama and everyone else present in Joe's Bar. Tyrol notes many of Cally's weaknesses, including her nagging, nosy nature (which lead to her death in "The Ties That Bind"), and grows annoyed at Adama's willingness to turn Cally into an angel, when he believes that she is unworthy of that. His feelings for Valerii were likely renewed upon realizing that he is a Cylon, which makes a possible association with Valerii much more acceptable to him.
• Foster continues to embrace her Cylon nature and Baltar's teachings. She tells Tigh and Tyrol to turn off the guilt, that they are perfect and different from humans. Tigh, however, can't turn off his feelings and spends much of the episode wondering if Caprica-Six can.
• A part of the book that Adama reads to Roslin, Searider Falcon, has some deeper significance to both of them, just like Love and Bullets in the previous episode: "I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of the emptiness that I felt inside. I couldn't feel anything. And that's what scared me. You came into my thoughts. I felt them. It felt good." This is emphasized by the fact that he closes the book and recites the passage, almost as if the words are his. It is also possible that the passage has additional significance for Adama, since by his admission he normally stops reading after it.
• Roslin's wig is strikingly reminiscent of Helena Cain's hairstyle in "Pegasus" and "Resurrection Ship, Parts I and II". This is a visual counterpoint to her increasing ruthlessness as she confronts her impending death.

Story

• Delegate Reza Chronides mentions Mithraism, thus further establishing the existence of other religions in the Twelve Colonies. The Sons of Ares are another religious group, described as fundamenalist.
  • This is particularly notable in the context of Baltar's cult, because Mithraism had many things in common with Christianity. Yet Christians were prosecuted far more by the (polytheistic) Romans, while Mithraism spread throughout the empire and particularly the army, before Christianity became the official religion and paganism illegal. This furthers the connection of the Lords of Kobol to the Roman/Greek gods and of Baltar to Christ.
    • However, Baltar's monotheistic theology, while similar on the surface with Judeo-Christian-Islamic beliefs, differs in at least one key aspect: There is no sin. People are perfect. God loves things that are perfect. Perfect things have no faults, therefore God loves one including one's faults. Hence, there is nothing wrong with one despite the questionable things done in life. This is different than in Christian tradition in that while God/Jesus may love one anyway, one still must renounce sin in order to be in His grace. If not, one will not be rewarded in the after life. In other words, serious faults would cause one to be rejected by God in some way. This is unlike Baltar's theology in which God would never reject a person under any circumstance because he or she is perfect regardless of their faults or sins. Under this world view God would regard Tory Foster as perfect and guiltless despite her murder of Cally Tyrol, which she has convinced herself that she is.
    • Batlar's speech about loving one's self, and using that understanding to love and understand others seems thematically aligned with Virtual Six's initial remark in the Miniseries that "God is love." Ironically, Baltar's sinful past now seems to enhance his credibility and provide evidence that someone as sinful as he is, has been given fortune by God. According to Christian traditions, a true believer must repent to God to be forgiven of sin. This does not mean he or she will stop sinning, but that they repay God's love with love in return. Likewise, Baltar has repeatedly repented to God and had seemingly divine providence intervene in his favor several times. Since Baltar is now using his own sinful life as an example, it seems that this dynamic of Christianity is consistent here as well.
• The Sons of Ares act with military precision, have access to gas grenades and knowledge about the ship's security procedures. From this it is likely that many of them are soldiers and not civilians. This may be expected from a group dedicated to the god of war.
• Hamish "Skulls" McCall and Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson have notoriously bad luck with the reaction control systems on the Raptors that they are assigned to. An error with the RCS thrusters also occurs in "Dirty Hands", then attributed to impurities in the tylium fuel. This is the third Raptor mishap to befall the pair, the first being their FTL malfunction causing their mis-jump to the New Caprica system in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I".
• When facing down the Marines, the way in which Baltar is standing up, when the scene shifts to virtual Six being absent, it still appears as though he is being lifted up, which puzzles the Marines and Baltar's followers. This marks the first time where virtual Six does something to Baltar that isn't clearly presented like Baltar is doing it to himself. While that is still possible, it is implied that virtual Six can actually affect things physically. This, along with the virtual Baltar appearing to Baltar in "Six of One" and both virtual beings consistently knowing information that neither Baltar or Caprica-Six could actually know, hints that there is something more to them than simply being illusions. What they are, of course, remains a matter of debate.
  • This lends further credence to the theory that virtual Six may be able to interact with the physical world, and possibly hints at the true explanation of Shelly Godfrey's strange appearance and disappearance in the episode "Six Degrees of Separation".
• The scene where Baltar violently confronts the Colonials during their prayer service seems based on the biblical narrative of Jesus and the money changers.

Questions

• Will Lee Adama grow more sympathetic towards Baltar's group?
• Will Roslin learn that Foster is associating with Baltar?
• Will Tyrol seriously consider Foster's words?
• Will Foster clash with Tigh and Tyrol, as their different attitudes towards their Cylon nature develop?
• Are Tyrol and Tigh's hallucinations merely the result of grief and guilt, or are they using projection?
• Do Tigh and Six have sex?
• What of Nicholas Tyrol? Will his father take care of the child?
• Are Tyrol's statements about Cally's negative attributes heartfelt, or merely a result of rage and anger?
• Now that it is clear that Foster lied to Tyrol about the death of Cally, how will Tyrol react should he discover the truth?
• What will Tyrol's new duties be after his demotion to specialist?
• Does Lee Adama notice Tory Foster during Baltar's service?
• Will Baltar's religion end up helping the people of the Fleet, or will it lead them into a dangerous state which compromises them, as Laura Roslin appears to fear?
• What influence will the new religion have on Roslin's beliefs and actions? Will she convert, will she be proven right, or will she be on the wrong side?

Guest Stars

• Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Aaron Douglas as Chief Galen Tyrol
• Michael Trucco as Ensign Samuel Anders
• Kate Vernon as "Virtual Ellen"
• Don Thompson as Anthony Figurski
• Leah Cairns as Lieutenant Margaret "Racetrack" Edmonson
• Colin Lawrence as Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
• Donna Soares as Speaking Delegate #1 (Gemenon Delegate)
• Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
• Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
• Iris Paluly as Speaking Delegate #2
• Marilyn Norry as Reza Chronides
• Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
• Leela Savasta as Tracey Anne
• Finn R. Devitt as Nicholas Tyrol (credited as "Baby Nicky")
• Heather Doerksen as Surveillance Marine
• Laara Sadiq as Priestess
• Karen Austin as Lilly
• Steve Lawlor as Marine at Baltar's
• Hector Johnson as Marine Lieutenant
• Lee Jefferies as "Redwing" McKay
• Rob Hayter as Sons of Ares leader (uncredited)
• Unknown as "Mr. Officious" (uncredited)

External Links

• Composer Bear McCreary on the episode's score: http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=246