Deadlock

For the game of the same name, see: Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock.

"Deadlock" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 4, Episode 16
Writer(s)	Jane Espenson
Story by
Director	Robert Young
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	418
Nielsen Rating	1,528,000 viewers (Live+SD)
US airdate	February 20, 2009
CAN airdate	February 20, 2009
UK airdate	February 24, 2009
DVD release	28 July 2009
Population	39,556 survivors ()
Additional Info
Full Credits
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
No Exit	Deadlock	Someone to Watch Over Me
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
Podcast Transcript – View
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Listing of props for this episode
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Overview

Ellen Tigh and Sharon "Boomer" Valerii return to the Fleet, prompting the rebel Cylons to consider parting ways with the Colonials.

Summary

Teaser

• A mixed Cylon and human work force is making repairs to Galactica using the organic resin Galen Tyrol described. William Adama asks if he can touch it. After doing so, he asks Tyrol if it is alive.
• In Dogsville, a group of Marines are distributing food. The civilians in line become rather unruly, pushing and shoving despite the Marines assurances that "everyone will get their share."
• Caprica-Six is walking nearby with her head covered. She is recognized by a group of civilians who attack her. She beats them back, but is struck in the process.
• Adama tells Tyrol that the use of the resin "had better work."
• In Sick bay, Sherman Cottle tells Caprica and Saul Tigh that their baby is perfectly healthy and "has a heart like a kettle drum." He shoos them away but Tigh wants Caprica to stay in sick bay just in case. They have a good laugh about the fact that he doesn't trust the machine. She says that Liam is fine and she would sleep better at home.
• In CIC, Louis Hoshi detects the Raptor that Sharon "Boomer" Valerii and Ellen Tigh are on, reporting that it (Raptor 702) was logged as missing over a year ago. The CAP, led by Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, moves to intercept and communicate with it, but 702's transmission is garbled. Valerii acknowledges she can hear them via signal light. A Number Six flying a Heavy Raider with the CAP reports that the voice sounds like an Eight. Adama orders the CAP to bring it in.
• On the Hangar Deck Ellen steps out of the Raptor. She states how thrilled she is to see everyone. Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza wonders aloud "How many dead chicks are out there?" Tigh is elated to see Ellen, and the two kiss passionately. Tyrol approaches Valerii, grins slightly, and says, "Nice to see you again." He informs Adama that the Eight is Boomer and Adama quickly and angrily orders her taken to the brig.

Act 1

• In the wardroom, Ellen is speaking with President Roslin, Lee Adama, Colonel Tigh and Admiral Adama. She reports that the destruction of the Resurrection Hub has resulted in Number One becoming psychologically unbalanced as he does not feel biological procreation can assure Cylon survival. Noting the wary look on all of their faces she says that she is still the same Ellen and asks if anyone has a flask. Adama hands her one. She reports that Boomer helped her escape and hopes they won't treat her too badly. She asks to see the rest of the Final Five. Ellen says they are like family, asking the others to imagine what it would be like if, instead of 50,000 survivors, there were only 5 and how close they would all be. She asks Tigh how much he remembers. He replies "just flashes." Lee tells her about the condition of Sam Anders. She asks to see him and the others. Adama says he'll see what he can do, exchanging concerned glances with Lee and Roslin.
• Once Ellen and Tigh are alone, he tells her there is so much to ask her and tell her. She is not interested in talking, asking him "floor or table?" He says that he doesn't care, and she sweeps everything off the table. Just before they make love, Tigh briefly projects the face of a Six over Ellen's features.
• Meanwhile, in Tigh's quarters, Caprica-Six has a sudden flash of pain. She drops the bowl she is eating from, clutches her belly and groans.
• The followers of Gaius Baltar are loading pistols and discussing supplies as he walks in. Jeanne is excited to see him, running over and kissing him immediately. Paulla Schaffer is somewhat less enthusiastic, saying that they "wondered if he was coming back." He replies that his return was always a matter of course and asks what he missed. She states that people started stealing their food, prompting them to take guns from the bodies of dead mutineers once they realized they had "been abandoned." He replies that he never abandoned them, prompting Jeanne to amend "abandoned by God." He replies that he knew his extended absence would teach them self-reliance and that is why he stayed away for so long. Paulla sarcastically remarks that is very wise of him. Baltar's Messenger Six appears to tell him that "The sheep have a new shepherd."
• Ellen and Tigh are getting dressed. She compliments him on his sexual technique and asks whom he's frakked. She states that after thousands of years of marriage she is quite familiar with his lovemaking style, adding that she's not mad as he thought she was dead. He admits to sex with a Six but added he always thought of her. She reminds him of the incestuous nature of the relationship as they created the Sixes and is not happy about being his "mental porn." He admits that he is still seeing Caprica but does not mention Liam.

Act 2

• Adama is once again inspecting a work area.
• In sick bay, an Eight, a Six, Tory Foster, Tigh, and Tyrol are visiting Anders. Cottle tells them not to unplug anything. Ellen enters and says that this was "how it was" as she gently brushes Sam's cheek. The Six tells her that the others are considering jumping away and starting a new life with the Final Five. Tigh is incredulous at the suggestion that they abandon the fleet. The Eight says they are not safe there, mentioning the attack on Caprica-Six. Tory agrees, leading Tigh to accuse her of plotting this all along and argue that Sam could not survive on the baseship. The Eight disagrees, and Ellen tries to change the subject by saying "Caprica-Six is pregnant?" She argues with Tigh, but Tyrol says the two should stick to the matter at hand and argue in private. The Eight says they should have a binding vote as that is the way the Five taught the other Cylons. Tory and Tyrol vote to go, Tigh votes to stay and points out that is exactly what Sam said they should do before losing consciousness. Ellen abstains and walks out the door, leaving the Five deadlocked.
• Paulla leads Gaius and the others to Dogsville. Jeanne remarks on their improved living conditions since arming themselves. Gaius greets a beautiful young woman with a small boy. She says that her name is Naia and her son is named Gaius, and Baltar assumes the child was named after him, which pleases him but Naia said he was named after his father. Baltar smoothly but noticably segues into saying he is pleased that the child is named after his father. Gaius asks Gaius if he is hungry, to which the boy nods. Baltar makes a grand speech promising to feed all the people of Dogsville. Naia embraces him in gratitude, but Paulla is not happy about it.
• Roslin walks up to Caprica-Six in the corridors of Galactica. She congratulates her on her pregnancy and personally apologizes for the assault in Dogsville. She mentions their shared visions, and Caprica says she has not had them since becoming pregnant. Laura says she has not either and asks if this child is "important." Caprica pretends to not know what she means stating that all children are important and walks off.
• Tyrol walks into Joe's Bar and orders a drink. Starbuck is there and remarks on how watching Ellen and Tigh felt like watching her parents make out. She asks Tyrol if he has visited Boomer in the brig. He says no. She suggests that he do so while she is sleeping, and says that she could no longer stand to watch Sam sleeping. Tyrol takes a bottle and walks out. Starbuck plays with the bullet removed from Sam's brain.

Act 3

• Adama is inspecting the repairs yet again.
• Ellen walks into Tigh's quarters and tells Caprica-Six they should talk. In explaining her relationship with Saul she lets it slip that they made love, and realizes from the look on Caprica's face that she did not know. Ellen tells her not to worry as their baby is living proof that Tigh loves her. Ellen remarks that they tried to have children earlier, implying that he does not love her as much, and reassures Caprica she will not make him choose between them.
• In Dogsville, Gaius and company are distributing food. Paulla makes a worried remark that when the Marines tried this a riot broke out, but Gaius states that here there are no uniforms, assault rifles or other symbols of oppression. A group of rough-looking men led by Enzo walk up to them and demands they surrender their food. Gaius defies him and asks his followers to show they are armed. When they nervously do so, Enzo replies "ours are bigger" and the strong-arm men pull out Colonial military sidearms. They take the food and walk away.
• Adama and Tigh are getting drunk. Adama has clearly had more and is constantly refilling his glass. He asks Tigh if there have been any "mythic revelations" since Ellen's return, to which Tigh replies "Nothing new to report, sir." Adama asks if Tigh was actually born on Earth. Tigh nods. Adama states that is "not very machine-like" of him. Tigh jokingly defends his machinehood by saying his "great-grandpa was a power sander." They have a good laugh. Adama confesses to mixed feelings about using Cylon technology to repair Galactica, fearing that she will no longer know who she is, but that combined with Cylons flying CAP, it might just be enough for the fleet to survive. He says that he needs the help of the Cylons in general and Tigh in particular, and Lee and Laura know it. Tigh has no response to this.
• Gaius dresses Paulla down for not telling him that the Sons of Ares have begun hoarding food. Paulla replies that this should have been obvious. Messenger Six appears and asks Gaius if he really wanted to feed those people, to which he replies that it felt good to help people. Six tells him to give his people the hope that Paulla can't. He proceeds to berate his followers for "lapping up Paulla's icy pragmatism." At Six's prompting he promises to get them "more guns, bigger guns, better guns!" The cultists are quite enthusiastic about the idea.

Act 4

• Adama inspects the repairs, again.
• Ellen and Tigh meet alone. He tells her to hate him if she must but Galactica needs the rebel basestar. She ignores him, asking why he made love to her when his real love is at home. Tyrol and the others enter, leading Tigh to realize that this meeting was anything but private. Ellen says she has voted to join the baseship and they are leaving. Tigh refuses to leave, pointing out the millennia-long cycle of human–machine violence and claiming that only by coming together can either form of intelligence hope to survive. Ellen seems to gloat, pointing out to Caprica-Six that there is something he loves more than her and the baby, namely Galactica and Adama. Caprica grabs her stomach, groans and falls over.
• In sickbay, Cottle tells Tigh, Ellen and Caprica-Six that the baby is fighting back. Tigh blames Ellen, stating that she should have known what forcing him to choose would mean. She apologizes, saying she was only trying to hurt Saul and of course humans and Cylons should stay together. Caprica yells at them to stop fighting. Ellen walks away, but then walks back to put her hand on Saul's shoulders.
• Adama is once again inspecting the repairs.
• Ellen tells Tigh to talk to the now sleeping Caprica-Six and tell her that he loves her. He tries, but is unable to and asks why he should have to say it when she knows he feels it for all of them.
• Adama is still inspecting the repairs.
• Liam's heart rate drops. Caprica-Six begs Cottle to cut him out of her, even if it means her death. Cottle refuses, stating that not even a Cylon baby could possibly survive outside the womb after only four months. Ellen tells her that Tigh loves her more and promises to go to the basestar so that the three of them can be a family. Liam flatlines. Tigh says that it is his fault and he is sorry. Cottle shoos them away. Caprica cries the cry of the bereaved mother.
• Gaius is talking to Lee, Roslin and Adama. Adama refuses to listen at first, saying that he is going to the head for a "project I've been working on." Gaius stops him, warning him that the decreased security in Dogsville resulting from losing so many Marines during the mutiny is causing a revolution to brew. He states that Adama has two options for stopping it. He can either bring Centurions over from the baseship or take the "last human solution" that Baltar is offering him.
• Apparently Adama has agreed to arm Baltar's cultists as some kind of auxiliary security force, as the Marines are passing out assault rifles to them. Paulla is impressed. Gaius clearly has no idea how a rifle works.
• Tyrol comes to visit Boomer in the brig while she is sleeping.
• In sick bay Sam's brain waves suddenly become very active.
• Tigh enters Adama's quarters weeping uncontrollably and nearly collapses. Adama says that Liam is a good name, short for William. Tigh says that "it's not like Zak." Adama embraces and comforts him.
• Roslin and Adama are walking arm in arm through the Memorial hallway. Laura notices a Six putting up pictures of the Cylons who have been lost since joining the Fleet. Laura is taken aback, stating "Oh my Gods, it's already happening isn't it?"
• Adama touches the ID of an Eight.

Notes

• Joe's Bar now has a piano.
• The rebel Cylons have now taken to putting up photos in the Memorial hallway of those who have died since the start of the alliance.
• Baltar's Messenger Six appears for the first time since "Escape Velocity", discounting a deleted farewell scene from "The Road Less Traveled" (included on the DVD release) that now appears to be moot.
• More so than previous episodes, "Deadlock" establishes that the rebel Cylons now have freedom of movement, at least aboard Galactica, with Caprica-Six seen visiting Dogsville (for reasons unknown), another Six in the Memorial Hallway, and assorted others working or performing flight duties.
• Roslin addresses Caprica by her name for the first time.
  • This casts doubt on the canonicity of the bonus scene for "Taking a Break From All Your Worries".
• The Cylon practice of democracy by majority rule came from the Final Five.
• The arrival of Ellen Tigh in a Raptor, with the camera initially focusing on her legs, parallels her introductory scene in "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down".
• Tyrol displays one of his Cylon abilities, possibly activated by his acceptance of his nature: he is able to tell different copies of the various models apart. Notably he is able to immediately identify Boomer just by looking at her when he had no reason to think that she was anything but just another Eight.

Analysis

• Cylon pilots have begun participating in the CAP with Heavy Raiders, presumably because of a shortage of Colonial pilots. As explained by Ronald D. Moore in his podcast for this episode, surviving mutineers (including numerous pilots) were imprisoned on Astral Queen.
• Foster's plan to rebuild a pure Cylon society seems ill-considered even in light of the unborn Tigh baby. There is no evidence that pairings of Number Twos with Number Sixes or Number Eights will suddenly be fertile after so many failures. All the pregnancy really proves is that the Final Five could reproduce with Twos, Sixes, and Eights, which is hardly a broad genetic base.
• In this episode, Ellen Tigh shows more characteristics of the "old Ellen", though she is still more intelligent and compassionate. Adama once said that Ellen brings out Saul's worst instincts; obviously the reverse is also true.
• After Ellen Tigh exits the Raptor, she meets with William Adama, Lee Adama, Laura Roslin, and Saul Tigh just like she did after she exited a Raptor in "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down".
• Adama's acceptance of the Cylons is shown further here: instead of referring to Boomer as "it" or other derogatory terms, he refers to her as her model number, though notably he doesn't refer to her as Boomer, indicating that he likely still harbors anger over her actions. He also confines her to the brig, but this is likely also to do with her role in the Cylon Civil War.

Questions

Answered Questions

• Are the Cylons now flying regular joint CAPs with Galactica's vipers? (Answer)
• Has Sharon "Boomer" Valerii genuinely under her own free will defected with Ellen Tigh from Cavil or is she part of a plot by Cavil either voluntarily under her own free will or programmed? Alternately is she a dupe under her own free will but Cavil knowing how the Eight model acts and Sharon Valerii in particular so well he manipulated her in to "escaping" with Ellen for his own purposes? Is she working for a third party? (Answer)
• What will happen to Boomer? (Answer)
• Will Caprica seek revenge on Ellen for the death of her unborn child? (Answer)
• How will the death of Liam affect Ellen and Saul's relationship? How will it affect Saul and Caprica's relationship? (Answer)
• How did Ellen Tigh and Sharon "Boomer" Valerii find the Fleet? Is Cavil tracking them? (Possible Answer)
• Why was Tyrol so eager to leave the Fleet? (Answer)
• What has happened to Karl Agathon? Is he still recovering from his injuries received in The Oath? (Answer)
• How close will the Cylon and Colonial pilots become now that they fly together? Will the Cylon pilots receive callsigns? (Answer)
• Why has Baltar's Messenger Six returned after a long absence? (Answer)

Unanswered Questions

• What will be the consequences of Baltar's cult being given access to weapons?
• How did the Cylons imagine they could take Anders aboard their Baseship without Thrace's approval?
• Why has Anders' brain suddenly started showing activity again? What is his exact condition? Does he still possess his Cylon memories?
• What was the biological cause of Liam's death?
• Is Tyrol able to identify the Eight piloting the Raptor as Boomer due to his personal experience with her, or by the previously demonstrated ability of Cylons to distinguish between copies by sight?
• Who has been placing photographs of Cylons on the memorial wall? Other Cylons, Colonials or both?
• Will any of the humans object to the Cylon pictures?
• Just how close were the Final Five in their former lives?
• How many Cylon practices come from the Final Five? For example, the Cylons have been shown to accepting of nudity and sexual threesomes.
• Why was Caprica visiting Dogville?
• Although previous episodes have had Roslin basing herself aboard Galactica due to her health issue, beginning with this episode it is made clear that her "flag" so to speak, as well as the new Quorum's, is now aboard Galactica. Given the precedent set back in the Miniseries, shouldn't Galactica now carry the call sign Colonial One?
• Does Saul still see Caprica as Ellen?
• What are the legal ramifications of Ellen's Resurrection?

Official Statements

• Aaron Douglas addresses the Chief's vote on his livejournal community: Galen does not believe that he and the other Cylons will ever be accepted in the fleet.
  • He is the Chief in name only, because Adama asked him to be. This was a recognition of the fact that he is the best person to fix the ship, not true acceptance.
  • He has no strong emotional ties to Galactica's people now that he knows Nicky isn't his son.
• In the Podcast for this episode, RDM mentions that the remaining mutineers (Racetrack, Skulls, etc) were deported to the prison ship Astral Queen.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Upon seeing Ellen Tigh emerge from the Raptor:

Hot Dog (with Starbuck standing right next to him): How many dead chicks are out there?

• Tyrol examines Boomer for a moment before sensing who she is

Galen Tyrol (to Boomer): Nice to see you (she smiles; to Adama) This is Boomer.

Adama: Marines!

Marine: Sir!

Adama: Take this Number Eight to the brig!

• Dr. Cottle remarking to Tory, Tyrol, a Number Six and a Number Eight gathered around Anders's bedside in vigil:

Cottle: Lot of visitors. Just don't anybody unplug anything!

• Baltar is in a meeting with Admiral Adama, Delegate Lee Adama, and President Roslin. Baltar is urging the Admiral to allow his followers to be armed to do the distribution of food and to keep order and other police work instead of having, eventually, inviting over Cylon Centurions to maintain order and security.

Adama (taking to Lee and Roslin): The two of you can stay here listening to this

Roslin Where are you going?

Adama: I'm gonna go to the head. Do something constructive. A little project I've been working on.

Baltar: Listen to me. Admiral!

Lee (to his father softly, respectfully, but insistently) Just wait...wait (Lee turns to Baltar) Explain what you mean.

Baltar: What you have right now are starving civilians, (looks down at Roslin) with no representation, no recourse. (looks back to Lee) They're broken, they're exhausted. They've had enough. That is not a mutiny Admiral, that is a revolution.

Lee: And you think you can maintain order...?

Baltar (directly to the Admiral who is walking by him): Listen to me! Listen.... PLEASE ADMIRAL! (Adama stops at the doorway and faces Baltar)

Baltar: Galactica is slipping away from you, drop by drop. You are pouring Cylon blood into her veins. I see the Cylon pilots (turns to Lee and Roslin) We all see them! (turns back to Adama) We all see the Cylon work force. Where they're going into the far recesses of the ship? When are you inviting the Centurions over, to join in all the fun we're having over here? Of course when you do that, that very moment. this becomes a blended ship. Only half human. And right now I am here to tell you your people...(pauses and then looks over to Roslin).....your people, are not ready for that.

(looks back to Adama who makes a move to walk out but Baltar catches his arm. Adama looks down and slowly looks up at Baltar but he isn't intimidated)

Baltar: I am offering you the last human solution you will be ever presented with.

Guest Stars

• Kate Vernon as Ellen Tigh
• Donnelly Rhodes as Dr. Sherman Cottle
• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Roark Critchlow as Slick (credited as Piano Player)
• Bodie Olmos as Lieutenant Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
• G. Patrick Currie as Enzo
• Brad Dryborough as Lieutenant Louis Hoshi
• Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
• Rebecca Davis as Naia
• Merwin Mondesir as Marine #1
• Tammy Gillis played Marine #2
• Bear McCreary as Joe's bar patron (uncredited)
• Unknown as Marine Nathanson
• Patrick Gilmore as Rafferty