The Plan

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"The Plan" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Special Episode
Writer(s)	Jane Espenson
Story by
Director	Edward James Olmos
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	101 - 01001
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	2010
CAN airdate
UK airdate
DVD release	October 27, 2009
Population	survivors
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous
Daybreak, Part II	The Plan
Related Information
[[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

This special episode, based on the episode title, involves characters and events based around the series' premise stated in the opening credits of the Cylons and their plan for humanity. This story is set during the events of the Miniseries through Season 2's "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II," told from the Cylons' perspective. The disappearance of Shelly Godfrey is explained, as is Ellen Tigh's mysterious appearance. Samuel Anders and John Cavil are the main viewpoint characters.

Summary

Teaser

• The show opens with the statement "The Cylons where created by man. They rebelled. They evolved. They look and feel human. Some are programmed to think they are human. There are many copies and they have a Plan." While this is being said they show the Cylon Fleet.

• Next, you are taken inside the battlestar Galactica and you see two Number Ones being escorted to an airlock. Both of them are having a difference of opinion.

One A - "I was doing fine here, thanks for exposing me."

One B - "You weren't doing fine. Thank goodness. If you'd wiped out this fleet you would have made us ever more irredeemable in the eyes of our parents."

One A - "No, I would have proved us to be superior."

One B - "No, no see, I figured out what went wrong."

One A - "Well that's a very useful revelation to have, if your standing in front of an airlock."

One B - "None the less"

One A - "Our failure is obvious, we had our foot on the throat of humanity and we failed to step down hard enough."

One B - "That was our error. Have you learned nothing in all this time in the fleet. Because I learned a great deal among the rebels on Caprica. Every killing of a human being was a grievous error. You want to know why?"

One A - "I really don't."

One B - "Are you certain?" Because it's fascinating."

One A - "Listen brother. If you are right, that means this whole project was doomed from the beginning."

One B - "Yes, from the very top."

Act 1

This event take place 2 weeks before the attack on the colonies:

• At the Cylon Fleet near the “Colony” You see two Number Ones standing over the resurrection tubs of the “Final Five:” Ellen Tigh, Saul Tigh, Samuel T. Anders, Galen Tyrol and Tory Foster they are talking about what they “the Ones” might expect after their parents resurrect. One of the “Ones” plans on joining one of the mothers, “Ellen Tigh” on Picon since he has never experience a nuclear holocaust in person. The other “One” is going to make his way to Caprica to make the final arrangement with their contact.

This event takes place 14 hours before the attack on the colonies:

Caprica City:

• Dr. Gaius Baltar is having a little conversation with a “Number Six” who has been posing as an agent of a company seeking defense contracts in exchange for his access to government mainframes she helped him design the navigation program used by the Colonial warships. However, she has been covertly creating backdoors in the program. Shortly after their goodbyes “Number Six” meets up with a “Number One” and passes off the access codes to the Colonial Defenses which will later be used in the attack.

These events take place just prior to the attack on the Colonies:

• Inside of Club Pink Moon on Picon, you find a “Number One” talking with Ellen Tigh about why she like olives. They introduce themselves to each other (there is a quick flash to her inside of the resurrection tub). The “Number One” order her another drink.

• Meanwhile back at the Cylon Fleet - The Cylon Fleet jumps to there potions over the Twelve Colonies so there attack can begin.

• The “Number One” ask Ellen why she is there, stating she is meant for greater things.

• At the Caprica Pyramid Training Camp:, you see Sam T. Anders is practicing Pyramid with his teammates.

• Meanwhile the Cylon Fleet jumps in over the Twelve Colonies and begins to count down to the attack.

• Back on Caprica in Delphi you see Tory Foster driving to a Airport/Spaceport (a quick flash to her in her resurrection tub).

• The Cylon Fleet continues to make their final preparation for attack over the Twelve Colonies.

• Back in Club Pink Moon on Picon, Ellen and the “Number One” continue the conversation about people learning their lessons.

• The Cylons Fleet closes in on the Colonies to begin their attack. The hybrid uses the backdoors the “Number Six” had created in the defense system. The vipers of the Colonial Fleet see the Basestars and raiders but the Battlestars won’t confirm they are there since the defense system is starting to crash. The Cylons scan the Battlestars and vipers and they all go dead in space. The Cylons begin to launch their nuclear weapons onto the Colonies.

• Back at the Pyramid Training Grounds Sam and his team continue to practice as the bombs start to fall. (There is a quick flash to Sam in his resurrection tub). The bombs continue to fall.

• Ellen and “Number One” carry on their conversation about selling yourself out.

A Cylon MIRV.

• The bombs make their final decent.

• Tory is still driving to the Airport/Spaceport in Delphi, Caprica talk with someone on the car phone.

• The Pyramid team continues its practice and the coach shows Sam up by making a great goal.

• The warheads arm for their final dispersement as they continues to fall. The coach toasts his goal with the team doctor (who really is a Humanoid Cylon a "Number Four").

• Tory continues her drive.

• The warhead launch out of their capsule and make their way to their final targets.

• Sam falls to the ground giving into his defeat by the coach. The warheads are launched and begin to proceed to their targets. The destruction of the Colonies has begun. You are taken through several screens of the destruction throughout the Colonies.

• Sam says “This has happened before.” The Pyramid team watches as the bombs go off near them. You see the team doctor crack a smile. You again are taken around the Colonies showing the attack by the Cylons. The progress reports come in. (See Noteworthy Dialogue below). You see the screen of each Planet listed burning from the attack.

• You now see Galactica and the CIC as they receive word of the attack on the Twelve Colonies. Saul Tigh the first officer thinks is just a joke being play on Commander Adama since he is about to retire. (A flash to Saul in his resurrection tub). There are some shots of different Humanoid Cylons throughout the Colonies just after the attacks. Back on Picon, Ellen has been hurt badly and also says “This has happened before.” When she looks up at the “Number One” she asks if she is going to die. His reply is “No, not when you have so much to learn.”

• Commander Adama makes the announcement to the crew of the ship about the attack on the Colonies. While he does this, you see rescue operation beginning through the Colonies. You see Galen “Chief” Tyrol making a motivation speech to his crew to get the Galactica ready for battle (there is a quick flash to him in his resurrection tub).

• Back on Occupied-Caprica you see the Cylon Centurions collecting the damaged ones and bringing them to a container for what appears to be repairs. The Pyramid team sees this and debates what they should do. Meanwhile, on Colonial One they bring aboard survivors from Caprica. Back on Galactica, Commander Adama finds a cryptic message left for him by Baltar. “There are only 12 Cylon models.” You see Baltar in his cabin in shock and disbelief as to what has just happened.

Notes

The Universal Studios Intro for 'The Plan'

• The planet behind the Universal Studios logo at the beginning of the movie is Caprica instead of Earth.
• Unknown to the Colonials there apparently was a second Resurrection Ship nearby by the time the Cavil's were executed allowing them to download into new bodies when killed, although the Caprica copy was presumably boxed.
• Galactica Cavil was Ellen's mysterious hero that saved her from the attack on Picon. It was known to be a Number One, but it wasn't clear exactly which one it was.
• An outfit is listed on propworx as being worn in the extended version of "Daybreak" by Gina Inviere, in a scene where she speaks to Sharon Valerii just before the latter becomes a sleeper agent. This scene does not appear in the extended "Daybreak", but Ronald Moore's commentary on that episode states that it was moved to "The Plan". Thus, the Six seen speaking to Boomer is Gina Inviere.
• Scorpion Fleet Shipyards is identified in "The Plan" as Scorpia Fleet Shipyards.

Analysis

• Given the Galactica copy of Cavil's comments in the airlock, his resurrected self is the copy that led the anti-human Cylon faction during the Cylon Civil War and later killed himself permanently in CIC during the Battle of The Colony.

• It is likely that the device Leoben constructs to intercept Colonial military transmissions is a forerunner of the device he gave Laura Roslin to overcome the mutineers' communications jamming in "Blood on the Scales."

Questions

• Did Giana take her husband's surname? In other words, is the full alias of Number Four actually "Simon O'Neil"?
• Is Galactica Cavil really the same Cavil that leads one side of the Cylon Civil War?

Official Statements

Future Movies

Speaking at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, director and star of The Plan, Edward James Olmos stated that he believes there will be several more Battlestar Galactica movies in the future and is confident that the DVD release of The Plan will sell well enough to facilitate these films:

"As a matter of fact, I've got to tell you right now. Because of you all, what you're doing, because of the love for that world...I can guarantee that this will not be the last movie."

This statement, however, is by no means official, as both Ron Moore, David Eick, and SyFy have made no mention of any additional Battlestar films.

Olmos later went on to clarify that if The Plan sold ¾ of a million copies (750,000) then Universal Studios would assuredly be willing to produce future Battlestar-related productions.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Sam and his team our practicing at the Pyramid Training camp on Caprica, you see Sam lying on the ground just after the coach had showed him up by making a goal. He is looking up into the sky just as the bombs are coming in and he says, "This has happened before." It was as if part of Sam's memory was breaking through trying to warn him that the cycle was starting again.

• Ellen Tigh makes a similar statement when she first comes to after the attacks.

• A Hybrid summarizes the Fall of the Twelve Colonies and notes all but the two most religious colonies (Gemenon and Sagittaron):

Progress reports arriving.

The farms of Aerilon are burning.

The beaches of Canceron are burning.

The plains of Leonis are burning.

The jungles of Scorpia are burning.

The pastures of Tauron are burning.

The harbours of Picon are burning.

The cities of Caprica are burning.

The oceans of Aquaria are burning.

The courthouses of Libran are burning.

The forests of Virgon are burning.

The colonies of man lie trampled at our feet.

• The named locations on Leonis, Scorpia, Tauron, Picon, Aquaria and Libran evoke the zodiac symbols each is named for. Aerilon's association with agriculture and Caprica's association with sophisticated, urban life were established in "Dirty Hands" and "The Woman King".

• The Hydrid on the basestar states - "Twelve Battles, Three Stars"

Guest Stars

• Michael Hogan as Saul Tigh
• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Michael Trucco as Samuel T. Anders
• Aaron Douglas as Galen Tyrol
• Kate Vernon as Ellen Tigh
• Dean Stockwell as Number One
• Callum Keith Rennie as Number Two
• Rick Worthy as Number Four
• Matthew Bennett as Number Five
• Lymari Nadal as Giana O'Neill
• Tiffany Lyndall-Knight as Hybrid