Crossroads, Part II

"Crossroads, Part II" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 3, Episode 20
Writer(s)	Mark Verheiden
Story by
Director	Michael Rymer
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	320
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	2007-03-25
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release
Population	? survivors
Additional Info	Season Finale - 50 Minute Episode
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Crossroads, Part I	Crossroads, Part II	TBA
Related Information
Official Summary
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Overview

As Gaeta testifies against Baltar about the execution list that the accused signed on New Caprica, Roslin finds a disturbing link between her dreams and the Opera House on Kobol. Lee Adama turns around the trial with an unusual move, and several people make a disturbing discovery about themselves.

Summary

Teaser

• Admiral Adama shaves, cutting himself when the lights flicker.
• Laura Roslin calls, seeking a bit of humorous motivation to get out of bed and face the trial again, which she does not relish.
• After one feeble attempt, Adama manages "get your fat, lazy ass out of that rack, Roslin!" which makes Roslin laugh and give a heartfelt thank you. Adama tells her, "Don't let 'em see you sweat, Laura."
• Samuel Anders and Tory Foster are sexually engaged when she hears a strange music. When she notes it to Anders, he's surprised at the revelation, having heard it before himself.
• Diana Seelix knocks on the duty locker door and Anders opens it. An unconfortable silence between Seelix, Anders and Foster begins.
• Galen Tyrol is half-asleep, humming the music. He leaves his bed and quarters and goes to a section of ventilation to hear the music elsewhere on Galactica.
• Lee Adama recommends a mistrial for Gaius Baltar, using his grandfather's written advice, believing that their successes are actually worsening the issue. Baltar is incensed at the suggestion, believing that Adama wants to leave the case.
• Romo Lampkin, Baltar's attorney, is inclined to agree with Adama, but young Adama's comment about his father's words about the "treacherous" Baltar leaves him to ponder.
• Baltar doesn't want to repeat the terror he's experienced in the time before the trial.
• Racetrack is training Seelix, Anders, and other Raptor nuggets, when Anders overhears Chief Tyrol humming. Together, they realize that the melody feels like something out of childhood, and they hear only a part of the melody.
• Before they can analyze further, Racetrack yells for Anders to return to the group.

Act 1

• Roslin takes diloxin treatment in sickbay. As she lies down and dreams, she experiences the same dream as Sharon Agathon, also in sickbay with her daughter, and both scream simultaneously. The two ask to talk privately.
• Later, Roslin and Sharon Agathon meet with Caprica-Six, who has also experienced the dreams. When asked why Six is trying to reach Hera, she says that she felt she had to protect her "with (my) life."
• Saul Tigh tells Admiral Adama about the music. The admiral tells Tigh that he will look into it later as he leaves for court.
• The trial resumes. Lt. Felix Gaeta is on the stand. The execution order from New Caprica is admitted as evidence by Cassidy, the prosecutor.
• Gaeta lies, as viewers are shown the actual events where Baltar is forced to sign at gunpoint, where Gaeta says that Baltar did not resist.
• Lampkin chooses not to cross-examine, to Baltar's great horror. The prosecution rests.

Act 2

• After a recess, the defense begins its case.
• Lampkin motions for a mistrial, as Baltar objects, due to prejudicial comments by Admiral Adama four days before. He asks for Mr. Lee Adama to take the stand.
• The prosecuting attorney strongly objects, but after Lampkin warns of much case law (he can think of seven examples off the top of his head) that permits such a procedure, the tribunal allows Mr. Adama to testify.
• Mr. Adama refuses to confirm his father's comments. As Lampkin tries to intimidate Mr. Adama, he restates, asking if Baltar deserves a fair trial.
• Asked why, Mr. Adama believes Baltar is not guilty, but Admiral Adama asks for the questioning to continue.
• Pressed for more clarification, Mr. Adama states that Baltar did not commit treason. He asks the tribunal what anyone else would do in that situation. He notes that all other conspirators and resistance fighters were pardoned, as were many, many other mistakes of the past, from Roslin, to Admiral Adama, and himself in the destruction of the Olympic Carrier and running from New Caprica, recommending never to return with his battlestar.
• Mr. Adama believes that new laws are needed because they are less of a civilization now and more of a gang. He states that, unlike everyone else, Baltar is being prosecuted because of his arrogance and other considerable character flaws and is not being accorded the same forgiveness as others.
• Adama believes that the trial is built on emotions and shame from the events of New Caprica, and the shame of those that ran away. Mr. Adama looks to his father as he speaks.
• He believes that Baltar is a scapegoat for all the guilt of the people.
• The prosecuting attorney does not cross-examine, and the defense rests.
• The tribunal steps out to deliberate as Roslin steps down to congratulate Cassidy for her work.

Act 3

• Baltar is acquitted, 3 votes to 2 against. Yelling turns into a riot in the gallery as marines try to get Baltar to safety while the press tries to interview many players.
• Baltar is happily discussing the victory but makes a mistake in insulting Admiral Adama. Lee Adama warns him, "Don't push it, doctor."
• When Baltar asks Lampkin to aid him in a book tour and other profitable matters, Lampkin tells him that his association with Baltar is done.
• Baltar suddenly realizes that, despite his apparent freedom, he is a man without a country, without work, friends, or even quarters.
• Lampkin and Mr. Adama say their goodbyes. Lee Adama, on seeing Lampkin walking away without his cane, realizes that he had used the cane as yet another psychological tactic.
• Gaius Baltar tries to be inconspicuous as he moves files elsewhere, but all eyes are on him.
• Roslin and Admiral Adama speak in CIC. She is incensed at the verdict. Adama reminds Roslin that "not guilty" does not mean "innocent."
• Roslin assumes that Adama cast a guilty vote, when, to Roslin's shock and anger, the admiral states he voted not guilty, feeling that the prosecution did not hold their case.
• Adama tells Roslin that no one is asking anyone to forgive or forget, but they must look to the future.
• Adama orders the last jump to the Ionian nebula. The jump is successful, and Adama orders a DRADIS scan when Roslin becomes immediately dazed and stunned.
• As Admiral Adama looks to Roslin to check on her health, main power on every ship of the Fleet fails, leaving each one, including Galactica, drifting dangerously close to each other.

Act 4

• Pilots scramble with flashlights to their stations while CIC tries to get to auxiliary power, but battery power is the best they can muster.
• The scene shifts to a dream in the Opera House again, with Gaius Baltar holding Hera and Caprica-Six next to him. Above them, the glowing images of the Final Five appear. Caprica-Six awakens from the dream.
• Baltar tries to take advantage of the darkness and chaos when three women confront him. Frightened, Baltar is told by the women that they will take him to safety.
• The mysterious music gets louder, and Tigh, Galen Tyrol, Tory Foster and Anders begin quoting lyrics from an increasingly coherent melody.
• As viewers watch, the music becomes louder and more dynamic. Each of the four are drawn to the gym on Galactica, where they discover each other. Each are stunned and shocked.
• Tyrol believes the impossible; that all of them are Cylons. Each of them begin to hum the music, together, coherently, in full. Tigh angrily stops them and closes the hatches while they talk.
• Tigh states his time in service, and his history, trying to believe that none of it was in vain. Anders objects as well.
• As power is restored, DRADIS picks up a large Cylon fleet coming their way. Vipers manage to scramble. Helo, as acting XO, notes the mass power outage will mean that it will take at least 20 minutes for the FTL jump drives on the civilian ships to be ready. The admiral doesn't believe they have the time.
• In the closed room, Tigh states that, despite what they believe about themselves, that he is going to do his job as a Colonial officer, and heads to CIC. The others follow suit.
• The hangar deck is abuzz with activity as Chief Tyrol tries to resume his usual work.
• Lee Adama, after watching other pilots run from duty lockers to flight preparation, heads there himself to prep.
• Admiral Adama orders the preparation of the battlestar's nuclear weapons. Tigh reports on station, keeping his face stony, as does Tory Foster, offering any help to President Roslin.
• The Vipers launch. Helo is confused about the pilot of Viper 3.
• Apollo, identifying himself in Viper 3, picks up a target on his Viper's DRADIS, and tracks it down. As he looks around, an image of a Viper Mark II keeps appearing and disappearing in the clouds and on DRADIS. The image buzzes overhead and alarms the pilot momentarily.
• Pulling alongside in her undamaged Viper, Starbuck greets Apollo. She tells him not to "freak out," that it really is her.
• The believed-dead pilot tells Apollo that she has been to Earth, and that she can guide the Fleet there.
• The music's mood and intensity changes from a sitar blend into an extremely loud rock-fusion version.
• As the music continues to play, the episode concludes as the shot pulls swiftly and violently away from Apollo and Starbuck's Viper, past the Colonial fleet, the Cylon fleet and several planets to show an arm of the galaxy.
• The shot suddenly zooms forward and through another nearby galactic arm to the familiar blue-green planet of Earth, showing what is known to viewers as the North American continent (in its current shape, long after the tectonic drift that split the Pangaea super-continent millions of years earlier in the planet's history).

Questions

• What is the source of the music?
• Are we supposed to interpret the music as the actual Dylan song, and therefore a connection to Earth? (Answer)
• Is Saul Tigh the oldest humanoid Cylon model?
• Who is the twelfth Cylon?
• Did the Cylons develop humanoid models before the first Cylon War? (Answer)
• Why does Caprica Six feel the need to protect Hera with her life?
• How are Laura Roslin, Hera, Sharon Agathon, and Caprica Six spiritually connected, and what is the nature of said connection?
• Assuming they choose to reveal their true natures, how will those close to the four revealed Cylons react when they learn the truth about their friends and loved ones? Can they reveal their natures?
• With the revelation that they are Cylons, will their allegiances to the Colonials change or will they continue to identify themselves as humans?
• Will Colonel Tigh's hatred of the Cylons persist in light of his discovery of his Cylon nature?
• Will Cally's hatred of the Cylons persist if she discovers that her husband is a Cylon and that her son is a human-Cylon hybrid?
• What is the importance of the Opera House?
• Who are the women who spirit Gaius Baltar to safety and what are their plans?
• What is the current state of Earth?
• How far is the Fleet away from the Solar System?
• What phenomenon causes the simultaneous power loss and equally simultaneous power restoration throughout the Fleet after jumping to the Ionian nebula? Are the pursuing Cylons also affected?
• Why does the Fleet jump into the nebula when it is obvious that the Cylons were following them, had probably inferred their trajectory, and could well set up a trap?
• As William Adama is the deciding vote for Baltar's 'not guilty' verdict, how will this act (and Lee Adama's testimony) affect their relationship with each other?
• How will Kara Thrace's "resurrection" from the dead be viewed by the Colonials?
• What convinces Laura Roslin to take the diloxin treatments she scoffed earlier?
• Will Roslin's physical appearance change drastically because of her cancer treatments?
• How were Kara Thrace and her Viper, unharmed and without any explicable means, able to survive the events of "Maelstrom" and transport from the "interior" of a gas planet to Earth and then to the Ionian nebula within a relatively short span of time?
• Does Apollo truly see Starbuck in a Viper or has she become an apparition, similar in nature to Baltar's internal Six?
• Did the Six (in "Torn") say that the Final Five are "complicated" because they aren't just "deeper" cover agents but rebels or otherwise outcasts from Cylon society? Or are she and the known 7 the outcasts?
• If any of the Final Five were to die, would they be resurrected in a Cylon Resurrection Ship?
• Are any of their histories, such as Tigh's 40 years of service and Tyrol's memories of his parents, true? (Answer)
• Do the final five have the same physiology as the other seven, such as their innate immunology, the ability to interface with computer equipment via optical link, and general inability to conceive children?
• Will the six other active Cylon models discover the identities of the final five?
• Given the small number of survivors from the Colonies, were the members of the final five preprogrammed in order to facilitate their escape with the Fleet?
• Is there any significance to Roslin's disorientation after the jump?
• Did other copies of the newly-revealed Cylons exist in the Colonies, or are the ones aboard Galactica the only versions?
• Why does Tigh ask "What about Ellen?" in the midst of stating his memories of two Cylon Wars and two decades of service?
• Is Tyrol a tougher model of Cylon that isn't vulnerable to whatever effect the storm at Ragnar Anchorage had on the other models in the Miniseries, or is there some other explanation for why he showed no ill effects from the storm despite being aboard the Anchorage much longer than Doral was?
• What does Starbuck know that makes her assure Apollo "It's gonna be OK" when a Cylon fleet is closing fast?
• Does Baltar also see the vision of himself in the Opera House shared by the others?
• Why weren't Tyrol or Tigh affected by the virus that killed the other Cylons in "Torn" and "A Measure of Salvation"?

Analysis

• With the revelation that Galen Tyrol is a Cylon, the second known Human-Cylon hybrid known to exist is in the form of Nicholas Tyrol. His birth reinforces the Cylon belief that love is a necessary component to successful procreation. This would make one male and one female hybrid born to date. There may be significant biological differences between the two hybrids; one was carried to term by a human while the other was carried to term by a Cylon.
• The reason for Tyrol's discovery of the Temple of Five on the algae planet is better explained here, however it is clearly apparent that his conscious mind is unable to rationalize the reason he discovers it.
• It is also reaffirmed that none of the original seven are aware of the final five. As demonstrated by Sharon Valerii's lack of knowledge about Galen Tyrol's true nature during her relationship with him in Season 1 and the torture of Saul Tigh on New Caprica by the Cylons.
• Saul Tigh has been known to physically exist for roughly 23 years as of this episode. While Tigh claims to have fought in the first Cylon War, aside from likely military documentation about his service in the war, there are no supporting non-Cylon witnesses to support his claim. This predates the two-year marker previously indicated by two known infiltrators, Caprica-Six and Sharon Valerii.
• The final scene of the episode depicts Earth, notably the North America content, definitively indicating the existence of this planet.
• As described by Tyrol when the four meet, the music and the Fleet's arrival to the nebula set off a switch within the minds of the four Cylons. However, unlike Boomer, their Cylon natures did not come with a different set of memories or personality.
• The four new Cylons all hold very important or potentially important roles within the Fleet. Tigh is the right hand man for Adama. Foster is the right hand woman for Roslin. Tyrol is the chief in charge of all military maintenance and repairs on the Vipers and Raptors, and is also head of the Colonial labor union. Anders is a new pilot amongst the soldiers of the Fleet and previously a key figure in the resistance movements on both Caprica and New Caprica.
• According to Lampkin, Joseph Adama was a brilliant defense attorney, but not an honest man. This may allude to one of the reasons why Lampkin despised Joseph Adama, but explains Lampkin's tactics as he also respected Joseph as a mentor.
• Lee Adama finally realizes the full extent of how he was manipulated once he sees Lampkin walk off on his own with no cane. Lampkin's ruse was successful in putting a wedge between the Adamas to allow Baltar to be pronounced not guilty.
• Another tendency for the younger Adama is that when faced with the option of completely severing and opposing his father, he will relent and attempt to return to his father's good graces. This has been seen when Lee Adama was given the chance to denounce his father to the Fleet during the military coup, but eventually told Zarek that he couldn't.
• Ironically, it was Roslin who originally wanted Lee Adama to lead a panel to determine who is fit to be on the tribunal. Her reasons being that she believed Lee Adama has a sense of right and wrong that others don't have at that time. Her belief about Lee comes back to haunt her as he rightly pointed out that her broad forgiveness policy for all within the Fleet after the second Exodus should be applied to Baltar as well. Her fear and knowledge of Baltar's involvement with the genocide of the Colonies has clouded her judgment to extend her original act of grace to Baltar.
• Lampkin, apparently was telling the truth that all he had wanted was to have the glory of being the attorney for the most hated man of the Fleet. Once his job is accomplished, he cleans his hands of Baltar, and makes it clear that besides the trial, he does not want to be associated with Baltar.
• Starbuck's last words in the episode allude back to "Maelstrom" as she is taking on the role of the Aurora idol that she gave to Adama before her "death". She claims that, like the idol placed on the model ship, she will be leading the way to Earth.
• Baltar's determined investigation into whether he was one of the Final Five was rooted in a desperation of figuring out who he was. For Baltar, if he were a Cylon, then he never was a traitor to his people and his self-identity would be cemented forever. However, for the four newly discovered Cylons, the revelation of their underlying natures leave them confused and their self-identity fundamentally shaken. While Baltar would have embraced this revelation with joy, the four new Cylons tremble with horror.
• The loss of Tigh's eye on New Caprica now has a kind of dark humor to it, as the Centurions on both the Original and Re-imagined Series are characterized by having only a single eye.
• Tigh states that if he dies today, he will be remembered as a human officer of the Fleet and a patriot. But if death for the Final Five is similar to that of the other humanoid Cylon models, if he dies he will be downloaded into a new body, surrounded by Cylons intending to manipulate him to their side or box his consciousness, and should he ever come in contact with those who knew him as a human they would instantly regard him as a Cylon and therefore an enemy.
• If the Final Five are capable of resurrecting and assuming that Kara Thrace is the last of them, this could provide an explanation for how she comes to the Ionian nebula (assuming her to be the physical Kara Thrace and not some manner of hallucination or projection). Her Viper could have been provided in the same way as the Raptor Baltar uses to get to the disabled basestar in "Torn".

Notes

• Four of the "Final Five" are revealed to be Galen Tyrol, Samuel Anders, Saul Tigh, and Tory Foster.
• Lee Adama points out a string of incidents throughout the series that would have resulted in serious consequences under normal circumstances, but where the persons involved weren't punished: his destruction of the Olympic Carrier (33), William Adama's coup against Roslin, Lee putting a weapon to Colonel Tigh's head and supporting a munity (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II), Helo and Chief Tyrol killing Lt. Thorne (Pegasus), Tigh's use of suicide bombers on New Caprica (Occupation), people supporting the Cylons on New Caprica (Collaborators).
• Bob Dylan stated his song "All Along the Watchtower" is better understood when viewed in reverse order. This song has been covered by numerous artists with Jimi Hendrix recording the definitive version. The song's lyrics can be interpreted as holding many parallels to the situation that Tigh, Anders, Tyrol, and Foster find themselves in.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Lt. Felix Gaeta has just commited perjury on whether Baltar was forced to sign the order of execution or not. Prosecutor Cassidy puts the document Baltar signed in evidence and on the defense table in front of Baltar:

Baltar: Get that out of my face before I....! (He grabs the document on the table and crumples it slightly and flings it away.)

Lee: "Gaius, Gaius, we'll get him in the cross."

Judge Franks: Counselor will you control your client!:

Baltar (to the judge): Look, Its no secret....

Romo: Quiet!!

Baltar: ...the whole fleet knows that this man tried to stab me though the neck... (to Felix) ...AND YOU MISSED!! BUTTERFINGERS!!!

• Saul Tigh, Tory Foster, Samuel Anders and Galen Tyrol decide what to do now they know they're Cylons:

Felix Gaeta: (over the intercom) Inbound Cylon Fleet. I repeat. Action stations, action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship. This is not a drill.

Tory Foster: My Gods, what are we going do?

Saul Tigh: The ship is under attack, we do our jobs. Report to your stations.

Galen Tyrol: Report to Stations?

Saul Tigh: My name is Saul Tigh, I am an officer in the Colonial Fleet. Whatever else I am, whatever else it means, that's the man I want to be. And if I die today, that's the man I'll be.

• Starbuck pulls alongside Apollo in her undamaged Viper:

Starbuck: Hi, Lee.

Apollo: (his eyes widen in disbelief) Kara?

Starbuck: Dont freak out, it really is me (laughs). It's going to be okay. I've been to Earth. I know where it is. And I'm going to take us there.

Prior to the clarification of what the song is, two the four Cylons (Saul Tigh and Samuel Anders) each speak a line of the lyrics in conversational context:

• While Anders is supposed to be learning about Raptor flight systems during a pilot training session, he catches Chief Tyrol humming the tune and asks him about it. When Racetrack, who is the training officer, sees Anders off talking to the Chief:

Racetrack: Yo, Anders! Do you need a frakking invitation? MOVE IT!

Anders: Alright. No reason to get excited.

• Tigh and William Adama discuss the music Tigh hears:

Saul Tigh: You'll look into it? You'll look into it? I am here telling you there is Cylon sabotage aboard our ship.

William Adama: Sabotage? With music?

Saul Tigh: I know, I know. I can't quite understand it myself. There's too much confusion.

Official Statements

• Jamie Bamber discusses the finale:

It is a different finale in the sense that the previous ones have been about fragmenting the characters and spreading them all over different parts of space, and this one, everyone is really on board Galactica. Every major character is on Galactica, and the stuff going on down on Galactica is where the drama is.

• SciFi.com Forums Admin discusses the running time:

The Sunday, March 25, season finale of Battlestar Galactica will run five minutes longer than usual. If you plan on recording the episode, set your DVR or VCR to continue for five to 10 minutes after the end of the hour so you do not miss anything.

• Bear McCreary discusses the use of the Bob Dylan song:

I learned that the idea was not that Bob Dylan necessarily exists in the characters' universe, but that an artist on one of the colonies may have recorded a song with the exact same melody and lyrics. Perhaps this unknown performer and Dylan pulled inspiration from a common, ethereal source.

• RDM has confirmed in this interview that Tyrol, Tigh, Tory, and Anders are indeed Cylons and members of the Final Five. When asked whether Starbuck was real or a hallucination, he did not provide a conclusive answer. Also in that interview he states that Tigh "fought in two wars."
• In 20 Answers RDM states that the issues regarding Tigh's service in CW1 has a complex rationale already built out from "a lot of time and effort," strongly implying that it is not simply a false memory.

Guest Stars

• Michael Hogan as Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas as Galen Tyrol
• Nicki Clyne as Cally Tyrol
• Tahmoh Penikett as Karl "Helo" Agathon
• Alessandro Juliani as Felix Gaeta
• Kandyse McClure as Anastasia Dualla
• Michael Trucco as Samuel Anders
• Donnelly Rhodes as Dr. Cottle
• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Chelah Horsdal as Cassidy
• Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck
• Leah Cairns as Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
• Jen Halley as Diana Seelix
• Brad Dryborough as Hoshi
• Alison Matthews as Fallbrook
• Susan Hogan as Doyle Franks
• Stephen Holmes as Reporter #2
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Young Woman
• William Samples as Judge #2
• Lily Duong-Walton as Hera Agathon (uncredited)