Valley of Darkness

"Valley of Darkness" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 2, Episode 2
Writer(s)	Bradley Thompson David Weddle
Story by
Director	Michael Rymer
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	202
Nielsen Rating	2.0
US airdate	2005-07-22
CAN airdate	2006-01-21
UK airdate	2006-01-17
DVD release	20 December 2005 US 28 August 2006 UK
Population	47,874 survivors ( 1)
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Scattered	Valley of Darkness	Fragged
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
Podcast Transcript – View
Continuity Errors Present – View
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
Online Purchasing
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iTunes: USA

Overview

After rediscovering the Fleet, Cylon Centurions board Galactica and wreak havoc, while Lee Adama and a rag-tag group of pilots and Marines attempt to thwart the Cylon's methodical plans.

Summary

Teaser

• After jumping successfully to the Fleet's location once rediscovering their actual location, Billy Keikeya meets Anastasia Dualla, who haven't seen each other in two weeks. Billy tells her that he tried to see her again, but Dualla cuts him off, by saying he was too busy sparking mutiny from the president. After realising that was uncalled for, Dualla apologises, and tells Billy she has to go to CIC.
• Meanwhile, Galactica's power system unexpectedly shuts down. Saul Tigh and Ishay are in the sickbay with a comatose William Adama when this happens. Tigh goes to CIC for a sit rep. Gaeta tells him that he believes the computer virus the Cylons uploaded in an attempt to disable Galactica made copies of itself and knocked out the power systems. The emergency power then kicks in.
• The team of Viper pilots cheer their victory over the previous battle, though Captain Adama tells them that they still missed one that managed to crash to one of the drive pods.
• Jammer tells Apollo that the only thing he can find that is working are the sound-powered phones, but the signals are jammed.
• In CIC, Aaron Kelly receives a call, and in horror informs Tigh that they have been boarded.
• While Kat, Hot Dog and Flyboy still boast about their kills, they are shocked to see a Centurion, who swipes its razor claws at Flyboy, killing him.
• The other pilots quickly bolt, and the Centurion pursues them. The pilots including Apollo try to make it up a flight of emergency stairs to hide from the Centurion, but Apollo is in the back of the line.

Act 1

• While the rest of the pilots manage to evade the Centurion, Apollo is forced to turn around and face it. He pulls out his sidearm and empties it in an attempt to destroy it, but the bullets ricochet off it. Just before the Centurion could kill Apollo, its head blows up, and the Centurion is down.
• Behind it are a group of Marines, who managed to destroy it with an explosive round. Unfortunately, it was their last round, and only explosive rounds work against this heavily-armored version of Centurion.
• Apollo scribbles some notes and tells Hot Dog to take the message to CIC, while he announces to the other fellow pilots and Marines that they are going "toaster shopping".
• Gaeta manages to warn the rest of the fleet over the Wireless not to enter Galactica because they have been boarded, before the virus manages to jam the signal.
• In the brig, Corporal Venner, Billy and Laura Roslin listen in horror to the gunshots and screaming in the background. Roslin convinces Venner to release her from her cell.
• Seconds later, they hear the door to the brig opening, and to their relief, it is Apollo and the Marines.
• Apollo informs them of the situation, and he plans to have Venner escort Billy and Roslin to safety. He has some Marines give Billy and Roslin sidearms. Billy relucantly takes one, but Roslin turns down the offer. Apollo tells them to get to the sick bay, but to avoid the gunfire. Meanwhile, Apollo plans to send his team towards the gunfire, arm themselves with more explosive rounds and stop the Centurion incursion.
• In the city of Delphi on Caprica, Helo and Starbuck are walking through a street, where Starbuck notices the lack of dead bodies, and is disgusted that the Cylons sent them to cremation. Helo plans to head to the airbases to look for Raptors and escape the planet.
• However, Starbuck barely talks to him, as he was fooled by, and impregnated a Cylon. Regardless, Starbuck decides to make a "pit stop" by going to her place.
• In Galactica's CIC, Gaeta tells Tigh that it would take as long as an hour to restore main power.
• Tigh then hears news that the Centurions have split off into two groups, one is moving forward, the other moving aft, tp secondary damage and auxiliary fire control.
• Tigh notes that he has seen this before. If they are successfull, the Cylons will go to those systems to vent the entire ship of all atmosphere, and after the entire crew is terminated, the Cylons will turn all the ship's guns against the fleet, and wipe them out.

Act 2

• In the ancient ruins of Kobol, Gaius Baltar awakens to find a rescue party already on the surface. Baltar sees Commander Adama, who wonders what Baltar is holding - a baby.
• Adama holds the baby, and wonders if this is the shape of things to come. When Baltar says yes, Adama says "only one thing for it then."
• He takes the baby. Baltar follows him, wondering what Adama is planning. He takes the baby to a nearby stream, ignoring a pursuing Baltar. To his horror, Adama drowns the baby, and leaves, while Baltar tries to find her.
• He wakes up, as it was only a dream. Number Six is with him, and tells him everything is fine.
• Balter then finds himself surrounded by human skulls and bones. Six tells Baltar that they were victims of human sacrifice, and that the Scriptures were lies, fabricated to cover up how barbaric life on Kobol really was.
• On Galactica, Apollo's team arrive at a small arms locker, where they find Jammer hiding. After lowering their weapons, the team searches the locker, where they can only find six explosive rounds. Since there are five team members (now including Jammer, much to his objection), they will have to take one each, and Apollo will take the reload, before continuing.
• On Caprica, Starbuck finds her apartment, where Helo notices paintings and poetry on her walls, which surprises him. Starbuck then finds a battery-powered radio and starts playing piano-driven music composed or performed by her father.
• She searches through the empty cigar boxes until she finds one. Helo finds no food. The two exhausted Colonials take a rest, and Thrace dons an old military jacket.
• Thrace then reminisces about how she hated the apartment. While everyone has been trying to gain back what was lost after the Cylon attack, Thrace wasn't attached to her apartment. The only thing she did was fight, because it's the only thing she knows.
• Roslin's group finds the bodies of some of Galactica's enlisted crew, massacred by the Cylons, save for one survivor: a concussed and shell-shocked Anastasia Dualla. Billy manages to snap Dualla out of her shock. Meanwhile, Venner finds the way blocked by gunfire, and proceeds to take an alternative route.
• In CIC, the crew hears the news that teams manage to prevent the Centurions from reaching Auxiliary fire control. However, Tigh says that there is still nothing to stop them from getting to Aft damage control, and the ship is still in jeopardy.

Act 3

• On Kobol, Cally and Chief Tyrol continue walking, until Cally wants a rest. Tyrol feels responsible for Tarn's death, but Cally tells him it wasn't his fault. However, after he wouldn't listen, Cally snaps at him, yelling "talk, you motherfrakker". Tyrol finally laughs at this, where Cally then says that she hopes Socinus is OK. They then continue on.
• Later, Baltar returns to the others, where he is harangued by Crashdown for breaking away from the group.
• Cally and Tyrol then arrive with the other medkit. Crashdown wonders where Tarn is. Tyrol hands him his dog tags, and tells them the Cylons killed him.
• Worse, Seelix tells Tyrol that they are too late, the shot would not work anymore. Socinus is going to die a slow and painful death, but Seelix says he can be spared of this, if they euthanize him with a morpha overdose.
• Reluctantly, Tyrol gets the morpha and comes over to Socinus, and injects him with the morpha. Tyrol them tells him that a rescue party has arrived and they are going home. Seconds later, Socinus passes away peacefully.
• In Galactica, Jammer is able to fix a phone, and Apollo is able to make contact with Tigh and CIC. Apollo tells him that they are chasing the Centurions and will dispatch them soon enough. Tigh tells him to hurry.
• Dualla notices a gun on Billy, and tells him to turn the safety on if he is to keep it in his trousers. Venner discovers that the Cylons have depressurised the route they had planned to take to sickbay. The group then heads out along an alternative route that goes past Aft damage control, right where the Centurions are heading.

Act 4

• Apollo's team arrives at the Aft damage control, and station themselves near the compartment. Apollo sees a nervous Jammer, who is about to fight the Cylons for the first time, and manages to motivate him. Apollo then says to himself to fire a headshot, reload, then take another headshot.
• Meanwhile, the Centurions are coming, and Roslin's team is trapped. Billy takes out his gun, and takes the safety off. However, he accidentally fires it, and the Centurions are distracted. Roslin and crew make a run for it while they Centurions open fire.
• Apollo's team seizes the opportunity and fires at them. Two of the Centurions are destroyed, but two Marines are killed in the process. Apollo has the last explosive round and quickly reloads it as the last Centurion charges at Aft damage control. As the Centurion leaps, Apollo manages to fire the last explosive round into its head, and it harmlessly falls to the floor, no longer posing any threat.
• With the threat over, Jammer becomes even more confident. Venner notices bullet holes on Roslin's suit, but she is unharmed. Venner believes the gods must be looking out for her.
• Back in Starbuck's apartment in Delphi, Starbuck finds a set of keys on her old jacket, and asks Helo if he is "tired of walking?"
• Helo and Starbuck leave driving her old surplus military truck, with the Arrow of Apollo in their possession.
• After power is restored in Galactica, and the Cylon threat neutralized, Doctor Cottle is summoned to the ship. In sickbay, Roslin assures Lee Adama that Commander Adama will be fine, and she is taken back to the brig. Tigh tells Captain Adama that he is still shocked that he would side with the President instead of his own father, and that he is unfit to wear a Colonial uniform. Captain Adama agrees but tells Tigh that he isn't fit to wear the uniform either, deferring what will happen with both of them to his unconscious father once he returns to work.
• After Apollo is taken back to the brig, Tigh remarks "thank the gods I didn't have kids", before sitting alongside Adama.

Notes

• The title refers to the well-known Psalm 23 from the Bible.
• The Fleet population cited in the opening credits is 47,874. This is one less than the previous episode. Prior to the opening credits, a Cylon kills Flyboy.
• During the teaser, just before Flyboy has his ill-fated run-in with the Centurion, Louanne Katraine exclaims "Jesus!" in reaction to seeing the Cylon. This would be the second time that a "Jesus" ad-lib makes an appearance in the series, the first being from Michael Hogan during the Miniseries.
• This is the first, and only, episode without an appearance by either Sharon Valerii or the future Sharon Agathon (except in opening montage).
• Karl Agathon reveals to Kara Thrace that the Cylons recovered the bodies and brought them to cremation centers, hence the lack of bodies.
• Socinus, initially slated to die in early drafts of "Scattered", dies in this episode - euthanised by Tyrol.
• Kate Vernon is listed as a guest star in the opening credits. However, her character, Ellen Tigh, is not in the final cut of this episode, thus all of her scenes are amongst this episode's deleted scenes.
• The music that plays in Kara Thrace's apartment and again during the closing act of the episode is Metamorphosis One, composed by Philip Glass. It is from Glass's 1989 album Solo Piano.
• In the German broadcast redubbing of Cally's now-infamous "Talk to me, you motherfrakker!" line, "motherfrakker" is replaced with "blöder Arsch", which translates as "stupid ass". The real world equivalent of the curse word "motherfrakker" doesn't exist in German, and a direct translation into German would have sounded particularly obscene, so the line was changed, and the joke is therefore lost in translation.
• The sign and countersign used by Tyrol and Crashdown on the surface of Kobol ("Flash!"/"Thunder!") was used by the Allied forces on D-Day, the first day of the invasion of Normandy, during World War II.
• The apartment complex used in this episode is later reused as the prison-apartment on New Caprica in which Leoben Conoy holds Starbuck captive at the start of the third season ("Occupation" through "Exodus, Part II").
• The sun painting on the wall in Starbuck's apartment is later revealed in Season 3 episodes to be a representation of the Eye of Jupiter subconsciously painted by Thrace. The symbol has later complications to the destiny of Thrace.
• The Colonials use internal combustion engines, such as Starbuck's truck and the vehicles seen in the flashbacks in "Act of Contrition".
• Colonel Tigh's statement at the end of the episode is bitterly ironic given that the Significant Seven Cylons view him as their father (Islanded in a Stream of Stars).

Analysis

• The Centurions in this episode can only be destroyed by explosive rounds, which is a large plot element. However, in episodes before and after "Valley of Darkness", Centurions have been seen being destroyed by regular bullets. These Centurions might have heavier armor because they are being used for a boarding action and will see heavy fighting. When episode writer Bradley Thompson was asked about this by Battlestar Wiki, he answered:

"Centurions are constantly being upgraded - new ones come out with better armor, quieter servos, better battle software. Some are designed for different uses (the ones designed for submarine use have REALLY heavy armor but are exceptionally slow, and have reduced ammunition carrying capacity.) Not to mention that the Colonials have remarkably bright backyard engineers -- they've been hot-loading our small-arms rounds, coming up with better armor-piercing projectiles -- it's the constant ebb-and-flow of wartime technology."

• The fate of the Heavy Raider in the starboard bay is unknown. It's possible that, like Starbuck's captured Raider, the Colonials keep it for study. However, the crash may have damaged it beyond repair. (The Fleet later gains a second, intact Heavy Raider. Its FTL guidance system is used in tandem with Caprica-Valerii for the Caprica rescue mission (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I).)

Questions

• The remains Baltar and Six find cannot be thousands of years old; they should not have been able to survive in the open. Did the Thirteenth Tribe leave Kobol recently? Do humans, at least until recently, still inhabit Kobol? Or were all the remains merely fabricated hallucinations by Six? (Probable Partial Answer, Probable Partial Answer)
• Are the human skeletons real, or a hallucination created for Baltar by Six? If the skeletons are real, is Six lying when she says they are the result of human sacrifice (i.e. they could have been from the cataclysm that drove humanity off of Kobol)?

When asked about this episode writer Bradley Thompson answered: "The question at the bottom of this is: "Who is Six?" In such cases, I'm not going to embellish what Ron & David have put on the screen."

• Why would later humans have felt it necessary to cover up the nature of civilization on Kobol? Is it related to the reason why Kobol was abandoned in the first place? How would the Cylons have found out? Did Six just make it up, or could it be the Cylon interpretation of the scriptures? (Probable Partial Answer, Partial Answer)

Official Statements

From RDM's blog

• "We've almost completed shooting the opening of Season Two, with Michael Rymer back at the helm filming a two-parter written by David Weddle & Bradley Thompson called 'Scattered' and 'Valley of Darkness.' Things have been going well so far, with a good mood on the set and a feeling of satisfaction and pride running through the whole team at their accomplishments in year one and anticipation for year two."

• "Apollo's betrayal of Adama's decision to arrest the president is detracting from the believability of the show for me. I'm listining to your podcast of ep. 113 as I write this and you just said Lee is "a more capable, more competent, leader . . ." He's also struck me as a fairly honorable character. If he had doubts about this mission I think he would have at least voiced them and then not gone along with the strike team so he would not have been put in the position he was. I hope you won't use Adama's near death experience at the end of season one/start of season two to "write off" these betrayals, esp. Apollo's. His was much more unforgivable considering his relationship with Adama, his leadership role in the fleet, and the battle between the president and Adama. I find it hard to see Lee continuing as CAG after this. "

You bring up valid points and we are planning to play out the consequences of Lee's decision as it impacts both him and his father over the course of the season.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• On the surface of Kobol, Chief Tyrol and Cally are on their way to rendezvous with the rest of the Raptor crash survivors:

Cally: (exhausted from walking) What do you say we take five?

(Chief Tyrol is still in a state of shock from having lost Tarn to a surprise attack by the Cylons and leans against a tree)

Cally: How much further, do you think?

(Chief Tyrol ignores her)

Cally: Tarn getting shot...it wasn't your fault, you know that right?... Chief?

(Chief Tyrol is silent)

Cally: Talk to me, you motherfrakker!

(Chief Tyrol turns around and looks at her strangely)

Chief Tyrol: (laughing) Motherfrakker?

Cally: Socinus better appreciate this.

Chief Tyrol: He's probably lying in the sun, staring up at the birds like some Gods' damned emperor. He's an idiot.

Cally: I hope he's okay...

• Regarding "Sharon, the Cylon":

Starbuck: (to Helo, sarcastically) Your girlfriend’s from a lovely family, good people, great values.

• In her apartment on Caprica, Starbuck and Helo stop to rest:

Kara Thrace: (sitting on her couch) You know, I never really liked this place anyway. Air conditioning doesn't work in the summer. Heater doesn't work in the winter. The rent's a crime...(lights a cigar)...After they attacked, I never pined over any of my old crap. Never missed it. Stupid view of the parking lot. Broken toilet in the bathroom...You know, everyone I know is fighting to get back what they had. I'm fighting because I don't know how to do anything else.

• Speaking to Marines:

Lee Adama: Let’s go toaster shopping.

• Chief Tyrol and Cally have rejoined the others on Kobol, and they find out that Socinus isn't going to survive much longer:

Chief Tyrol: How's he doing?

Seelix: He's not going to make it.

Chief Tyrol: What? What do you mean? What are you talking about? We got the medkit! Give him a shot! Give him another shot!

Seelix: It's too late.

Chief Tyrol: What do you mean, it's too late? I got you the medkit! What else do you want? (looking stunned) So we...got the medicine you asked for...Tarn...and for what? For this? Come on! You have to do something. You have to do something!

Seelix: We can't change that he's going to die, Chief. It's going to be slow and painful, and we can spare him that if we give him the morpha from my kit and the one that you brought back.

Chief Tyrol: What? No. (looks at Crashdown) LT..LT, come on!

Crashdown: He's your man, Chief.

Chief Tyrol: Give it to me. (takes morpha from Seelix and leans down beside Socinus) Hey buddy. It's the Chief. How you doing?

Socinus: (wheezing) What's going on?

Chief Tyrol: Oh, you know...listening to the birds. I got you a little something for the pain. (injects morpha into Socinus) Good news, buddy. The recovery party's here. Raptors just landed. We're going to put you on one and take you back to Galactica, okay?

Socinus: We're going home?

Chief Tyrol: Yeah...(tears welling in his eyes)...we're going home.

(Socinus passes away)

• In Galactica's sickbay:

Colonel Tigh: I can't believe you sided with that woman against the old man. I wouldn't do that if you put a gun to my head...and you did! As far as I'm concerned, you're not fit to wear a uniform.

Lee Adama: Huh. You're right about that part. I am not fit to wear the uniform...and maybe I never was. Then again, neither are you. But this isn't my ship, and it sure as hell isn't yours. (motions at Commander Adama) It's his, and when he wakes up, he'll decide what to do with the both of us. (Captain Adama leaves for the brig)

Colonel Tigh: Thank the Gods I didn't have kids.

• In Aft Damage Control, preparing to fight the Cylons:

Lee Adama: Sometimes you got to roll a hard six.

Jammer: What does that mean, sir?

Lee Adama: Uh, I don't know. It's something my dad says.

Guest stars

• Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas as Chief Galen Tyrol
• Tahmoh Penikett as Lt. Karl "Helo" Agathon
• Paul Campbell as Billy Keikeya
• Nicki Clyne as Specialist Cally Henderson
• Alessandro Juliani as Lt. Felix Gaeta
• Kandyse McClure as Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla
• Samuel Witwer as Crashdown
• Kate Vernon as Ellen Tigh
• Alonso Oyarzun as Specialist Socinus
• Kerry Norton as Paramedic Layne Ishay
• Chris Shields as Corporal Venner
• Luciana Carro as Lt. Louanne "Kat" Katraine
• Bodie Olmos as Lt. Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
• Jennifer Halley as Diana Seelix
• Ty Olsson as Captain Aaron Kelly
• Michael Tayles as Flyboy
• Dominic Zamprogna as James "Jammer" Lyman
• Garvin Cross as Collishaw
• Brad Loree as Bonnington
• Lori Stewart as Twinam