The Oath

"The Oath" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 4, Episode 13
Writer(s)	Mark Verheiden
Story by
Director	John Dahl
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	415
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	January 30, 2009
CAN airdate	January 30, 2009
UK airdate	February 3, 2009
DVD release
Population	survivors
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Full Credits
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A Disquiet Follows My Soul	The Oath	Blood on the Scales
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Overview

The opposition to the alliance with the rebel Cylons reaches its zenith, Felix Gaeta leads a mutiny aboard Galactica and frees Tom Zarek from prison.

Summary

Teaser

• In Admiral Adama's quarters, the admiral offers the entering Saul Tigh a cup of algae-ground coffee. Tigh's report regarding civilian captains refusing to allow the rebel Cylons to refit their jump drives for longer range.
• As Tigh continues his report, Laura Roslin enters from the bathroom, dressed only in a bathrobe and carrying a book she was reading. Her smile seems to indicate her enjoyment of Tigh's mild shock at her candid appearance and its implications.
• Gathering his composure, Tigh continues. The Fleet's morale toward all Cylons (Tigh included) would make it challenging for Tigh to pursue work to making progress to solve the problem. Adama agrees.

• Felix Gaeta arrives at Tom Zarek's cell in the brig, accompanied by several marines and other crew. A crewman informs Gaeta that Narcho and Private Paley have secured a small arms locker.
• Gaeta and Zarek talk about how to keep the Quorum from reacting badly to their plans, particularly Lee Adama. Gaeta advises Zarek to charm Representative Adama as he has before.

• In the admiral's quarters, Roslin talks the issues of the Fleet for the first time in days. When she believes that the Cylon alliance and amnesty is not working, and that Lee Adama's work may not work, Adama agrees. Then Roslin tries to stop talking about the Fleet problems, barely, as the two say goodbye with humorous small talk about having dinner ready for Adama when he returns from his shift.

• Gaeta's team escorts Zarek to the hangar deck. When Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson sees the group, she yells out, falsifying a serious Raptor fuel leak, causing most of the deck's occupants to clear out--all except for Jeanne, who hides back in the upper gangway above the deck.
• As Racetrack tells Gaeta that she's disabled the Raptor's transponder, Deck Chief Peter Laird steps in, questioning the authorization of flying a Raptor away. When Laird is not dissuaded from calling CIC to verify the ship's use, Zarek quietly picks up a wrench and strikes Laird on the skull, killing him. Jeanne runs off from the gangway, having witnessed the murder.
• When Gaeta reacts in shock to Zarek, the Vice President tells Gaeta not to hold on to some "operatic ideal" on how his "revolution" must be handled; any hesitation could jeapardize their plans.

Act 1

• In CIC, Hoshi notes a ship launch that he can't authenticate in the flight log--and DRADIS does not show any transponder ID. Gaeta, taking his place at his station, stalls Hoshi, advising him to look at other logs from the flight deck.
• When Tigh tells Adama quietly that he has had had Nowart gather marines for further action to compel other civliian ships to comply, Adama warns that doing the same thing as was done with the Hitei Kan a few days prior would likely destroy the likelihood of anyone in the Fleet supporting the fragile Cylon alliance.
• Hoshi continues to try to verify the flying contact as Gaeta tries to stall.

• On Colonial One as Lee Adama tries to placate an agitated Quorum, Zarek returns, to everyone's shock.

• Diana Seelix meets with Samuel Anders in one of the officer's quarters. She slyly talks about her attraction to him as other crew sneak up, blindfold and savagely beat him.

• As Adama hands Private Jaffee a log to file, Hoshi reports of a fire near the ship's wireless antenna array. As Adama gives orders for damage control teams to handle the issue, Gaeta warns that the "fire" might not be an accident. Adama agrees and orders marines to accompany the DC teams.

• In another officer's quarters, Kara Thrace jokes with Brendan Costanza and his new fatherhood, commenting how her decision of his pilot nickname of "Hotdog" was an apt one. Constanza angrily replies that Thrace has "frakked half the Fleet" and has nothing to show for her similar indiscretions. Thrace throws her bowl of food as Constanza leaves.
• A split second later evacuation alarms ring out. When Thrace steps out to ask Narcho why he, a pilot, is handling damage control, Narcho nastily spurns her senior rank: "Nobody even knows what you are anymore."
• When Thrace sees a mix of marines and other civilians heading in the opposite direction, she follows them on gut reaction.
• Thrace sees the people break into a small arms locker, arming themselves, with Charlie Connor issuing orders to both military and civilian personnel. She runs back to her quarters grabs her sidearm and ammo and calls CIC. Gaeta ignores her warning of the break-in. Thrace quickly deduces what's going on.

• On Colonial One, Lee Adama also tries to call his father regarding Zarek's release, but Gaeta blocks Adama's attempt to reach the admiral by claiming that the admiral is busy. Gaeta also feigns ignorance about Zarek's release.
• Zarek steps in, telling Lee that the admiral released him because Zarek would only be a threat if Adama didn't recognize civilian authority. Adama believes otherwise, and leaves for Galactica.

• Gaeta fakes a shipwide communications failure, including backup systems.
• Lee Adama arrives on the hangar deck from his Raptor and is immediately accosted by Skulls and several others, intent on killing him as Racetrack watches on. "Where are your precious Cylons now?" Connor says as a marine points a gun to Adama's head.
• A shot rings out, but not from the gun Adama stares into. Kara Thrace has shot the marine with the gun and orders Adama's release. When Skulls objects, Thrace doesn't hesitate a second to shoot Skulls in the shoulder. "I can do this all day," she warns, pulling out a second sidearm.
• As Adama runs out, Thrace follows, warning the rest, "Follow me. Please," so she could have a better excuse to shoot them as well.

• As Sharon Agathon feeds her daughter, Karl Agathon gets his uniform on and warns Sharon to get Hera to daycare.
• Just then, the hatchway on their quarters is being jostled. Someone is trying to get in, and soon succeeds: an angry mob, led by Gage a former Pegasus crewman who remembers Agathon's role in the accidental death of Alistair Thorne.
• Gage gloats that he plans on raping Sharon Agathon later as marines beat Helo into unconsciousness.

Act 2

• Thrace and Lee Adama seal themselves in a dry storage locker, reviewing what's happened. "Semper frakkin' fi," Thrace hisses after checking a phone, discovering it dead. Adama is astonished how people he's trusted have turned mutinous. He realizes the hangar deck was only the beachhead to a ship-wide takeover of the ship. Thrace passionately kisses Lee and tells him she hasn't felt this alive in weeks. They leave to work out what to do, gather people who will help. They try to make their way to CIC, passing by allied crewmen as well as avoiding marine teams taking out resistance against Gaeta's men.

• CIC is in confusion as Gaeta continues to throw false report after report, keeping Tigh and the admiral off-base.

• The Agathons are thrown in the Cylon brig along with Caprica-Six and Samuel Anders. Caprica-Six warns that this is a start to eradicating the Cylons, especially their children. Athena reassures her that they'll be kept alive for now as bargaining chips.

• As Jaffe returns to report that the array's damage was faked, Gaeta activates his takeover, ordering marines to enter and arrest Adama. One marine is too trigger-happy and tries to shoot the admiral, but Jaffe protects Adama with his body--and his life. Several of Adama's marines are also gunned down.
• Adama orders his group to stand down as Gaeta charges him with treason.
• Adama accuses Gaeta of betraying his oath and uniform, while Gaeta retorts that the Admiral has done that himself by allying with the Cylons.
• Adama angrily warns that, unlike in times past, there will be no forgiveness or amnesty for this takeover.
• Gaeta orders the marines to arrest Adama and Tigh and to place them in a holding cell.

Act 3

• Kara Thrace and Lee Adama make it to the admiral's quarters, finding Laura Roslin there, telling them of the uprising, the communications blackout and that Zarek is in control on Colonial One.
• Roslin has had enough; she puts on her coat and leads them all out, knocking of one way to get a message out over wireless.

• Gaeta, now commanding CIC, orders Redwing and his marine team to secure the engine room. Specialist Gage now sits in Gaeta's old station.

• Surrounded by his followers, Gaius Baltar wishes his group well as he prepares to leave, believing that the uprising will come to get him as well. Galen Tyrol confirms Jeanne's fears to Baltar.
• As Roslin, Thrace and Lee Adama arrive, Tyrol briefs them. Using secured wireless handhelds, Tyrol has learned that the admiral is in custody. He tells him that he's in control of an airlock that could be used to get Adama off the ship. When Lee asks why Tyrol is doing this, Tyrol tells him that the "old man" deserves a better fate.

• Tigh and Adama begin speaking to their two marine escorts. Nowart and Maldonaldo. Tigh and Adama manage to turn the tables, Adama shooting Maldonado and taking Nowart hostage.

• Roslin and Baltar talk. She knows that Baltar's pirate wireless transmitter that he's used to communicate to his followers throughout the Fleet could be used to warn others in the Fleet as well.

• Adama and Tigh watch Connor give orders to other mutineers. Nowart tells them that he was ordered to take them all to the brig. They head there.

• CIC communications are being besieged by confused voices from other Fleet captains as Laura Roslin's voice begins to talk to the Fleet, telling them all, including the Quorum, of the uprising, pleading all to follow the rightful authorities. Gage is unable to stop the pirate signal until Gaeta gets to the station to jam it. But now the Fleet's comm chatter worsens, asking for more information from Roslin and what is happening on the battlestar.

• Lee and Thrace meet up with Adama and Tigh in the brig. Thrace angrily reacts to Nowart's presence as Adama tells him to leave. Thrace shoots at Nowart's way, warning the admiral that they are not his men anymore.

Act 4

• In the secondary storage airlock, Roslin and Baltar talk about Gaeta and his duplicitous nature.
• As Adama and team make their way there, Baltar takes a moment to try to get Gaeta to stop his takeover. He reminds him of their failings on New Caprica, suggesting that Gaeta was complicit with the Cylon occupation. Gaeta closes the channel.
• A Raptor is heading towards Galactica from the Cylon baseship, but Gaeta realizes the craft isn't heading for the hangar deck.

• The Raptor docks in the bay, piloted by an Eight. Roslin and Adama greet each other and kiss, causing Lee and Thrace to look at each other in surprise. Tyrol's men get word of marines heading their way.
• Baltar and Roslin board the Raptor, but the admiral orders Tyrol to get Lee and Thrace out and back to his secured area. He and Tigh choose to stay behind to ensure that the Raptor gets away.

• Gaeta orders the CAP to intercept and destroy the escaping Raptor as the episode ends.

• The marines, led by Aaron Kelly, use welding torches to cut through the airlock locks and open the door slightly. Adama returns fire. "It's been an honor to serve with you, my friend," Adama tells Tigh, as marines throw a flash grenade through the doors.

Notes

• The episode's title has been confirmed as "The Oath" by writer Mark Verheiden .

Analysis

• Quite a few people have sided with Zarek and Gaeta. These include pilots Narcho, Racetrack, Skulls, Redwing and Diana Seelix, marines Maldonaldo and Nowart, specialists Vireem and Gage, and civilian Charlie Conner. In this episode, Maldonaldo is killed by Adama, Skulls is shot and wounded by Kara Thrace, and Nowart is captured and later released by Adama.
• The Adama/Roslin loyalists include Saul Tigh, Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Galen Tyrol, Helo, Athena, and Hoshi. Gaius Baltar has also sided with Roslin out of self-preservation. By the end of the episode, the only known characters on Galactica capable of retaking the ship are Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, and Galen Tyrol. Roslin and Baltar have fled Galactica, Admiral Adama and Saul Tigh are cornered, and Helo, Athena and Hoshi were captured before they even knew what was happening.
• The mutiny seems to have revitalized Kara Thrace and Laura Roslin. Thrace is the first one to organize any form of resistance against the mutineers. Roslin has openly addressed the Fleet for the first time since the discovery of Earth.
• The mutiny has given Kara Thrace a purpose in life as well as an outlet to channel her inner demons. She throws herself into battle without hesitation or regard for her own safety. She has also become much colder as evidenced by her attempts to gun down an unarmed Nowart.

Questions

• What will happen to Adama and Tigh?
• Where are Kara Thrace, Lee Adama, and Galen Tyrol heading off to?
• How much impact has Roslin's speech had on the Fleet?
• Will Zarek get the rest of the Fleet to fall in line?
• Just how far is Gaeta willing to go to rid the Fleet of the Cylons?
• How will the rebel Cylons react to the uprising?
• Will Roslin enlist the aid of the rebel Cylons to bring down Zarek?
• Where do other crew members such as Hot Dog and Doc Cottle stand?
• Were Gaeta's men actually planning to execute Lee Adama?
• What are Racetrack and Skulls' personal motivations for joining Gaeta?
• How much of Galactica has Gaeta taken control of?
• Where did Nowart flee to?
• Will any of the mutineers switch sides? What about the loyalists?
• What other loyalists besides Lee Adama and Kara Thrace remain at large on Galactica?
• Will Skulls survive his injuries?

Guest Stars

• Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
• Brad Dryborough as Lieutenant Louis Hoshi
• Sebastian Spence as Lieutenant Noel "Narcho" Allison
• Bodie Olmos as Lieutenant Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
• Leah Cairns as Lieutenant Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
• Colin Lawrence as Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall
• Jennifer Halley as Ensign Diana "Harball" Seelix
• Ty Olsson as Lieutenant Aaron Kelly
• Vincent Gale as Chief Peter Laird
• Colin Corrigan as Sergeant Allan Nowart
• Craig Veroni as Sergeant Maldonaldo
• Michael Leisen as Private Stewart Jaffee
• Derek Delost as Specialist Vireem
• Mike Dopud as Specialist Gage
• Ryan Robbins as Charlie Connor
• Alexandra Thomas as Hera Agathon
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
• Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
• Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
• Marilyn Norry as Reza Chronides
• Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
• Iris Paluly as Tauron Delegate (credited as "Speaking Delegate #2)
• Veena Sood as Quorum Delegate