Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I

"Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I" An episode of the Original Series
Episode No.	Season 1, Episode 2
Writer(s)	Glen A. Larson Donald Bellisario
Story by
Director	Christian I. Nyby II
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	50204
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	1978-09-24
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release	2004-12-28
Population	survivors
Additional Info
Full Credits
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Saga of a Star World	Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I	Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II
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Listing of props for this episode
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Overview

With many warriors suffering from an unknown ailment, Galactica recruits new Viper pilots — mostly young women, including Apollo's new bride, Serina. Led by Adama's spiritual interpretations, the fleet enters a vast magnetic void, emerging at the planet Kobol, their legendary home world. Before Adama can discover Earth's location from the inscribed hieroglyphs, though, a Cylon attack destroys the sacred city on Kobol — and claims the life of Serina.

Summary

• The episode begins on board Galactica. Adama, Apollo, Serina, Boxey, Starbuck and Athena are all enjoying a meal prepared by Athena. Adama drops hints that Serina would makes some young man happy and that they have been waiting sometime for a major announcement by Apollo. Apollo finally announces that he and Serina are to be married if Boxey approves. Everyone celebrates and Athena looks at Starbuck longingly. Starbuck quickly gets up from the dinner and leaves stating that as best man he has to prepare for the groom's send off.

• Boomer and Jolly prepare for their patrol and as they wait for launch clearance Starbuck and Apollo reminisce in the launch bay. Starbuck feels that Apollo's marriage is an end of the closeness of their friendship, Apollo is touched by Starbuck's devotion of friendship.

• Boomer and Jolly launch on their patrol, soon followed by Starbuck and Apollo.

• Meanwhile on board the Cylon basestar Baltar's order of execution is countermanded. He is spared and given command of a basestar and introduced to an IL-Series Drone, Lucifer, as his second-in-command.

• Starbuck continues to reminisce with Apollo on their patrol and they come across a black void. Apollo ventures out to investigate the void much to Starbuck's chagrin. Starbuck keeps track of Apollo so they won't get lost.

• On board Galactica Greenbean shows up with victuals for the party and security enters questioning where the supplies came from. Colonel Tigh enters and says that he is responsible for the supplies being in the Warriors Lounge. Tigh jokingly reprimands Greenbean for lifting rations and orders the party be in full swing before Apollo returns.

• Starbuck continues to track as Apollo ventures deeper into the void. He fires a round of lasers so Apollo can find him and Apollo does. Apollo follows Starbuck out of the void and the two head back to Galactica. Apollo owes Starbuck a fumarello.

• Boomer and Jolly land on an asteroid in the Otarsis sector and Boomer notices some pods. At first Jolly can't see them and Boomer points them out. Boomer reminds Jolly that if they miss any one of these outposts they'll never know what hit them. They hide as a Cylon patrol launches from the pods and after the ships veer away from the direction of the fleet, Boomer and Jolly quickly leave to warn Galactica.

• On board Baltar's basestar Lucifer reports that they spotted the patrol at the listening outpost and follow the route to Galactica. Lucifer says they will take them by surprise. Baltar reminds him of the defeat at Carillon and tells Lucifer to keep Galactica just beyond their detection range as he formulates a plan.

• Adama orders Boomer and Jolly's patrol in. As Boomer follows Jolly in he notices Jolly not flying properly and tells him to steady up. Jolly appears feverish but manages to land. Boomer makes his report to Adama about the outpost and Adama asks Tigh to change course that will eventually take them into the void.

• Boomer skips decontamination and heads to the party. Boomer falters and Giles tells him to quit clowning around since Tigh is watching. Tigh warns them that if they are going to get falling down drunk then he will send them back to quarters. Boomer almost passes out from his fever.

• In the medical bay Doctor Salik and Cassiopeia look over Jolly and he is almost in a coma. Due to his condition they put him in a cryo-support chamber.

• Apollo and Starbuck return from patrol and go to de-con. Meanwhile on the bridge Salik reports to Adama the nature of Jolly's illness. Adama orders security to quarantine everyone who has been in contact with Jolly and Boomer. As Apollo and Starbuck approach the Warrior's lounge Salik and Adama stop them just in time and orders the other warriors back in and Salik orders them quarantined.

• Apollo makes his report on the void to Adama and Tigh. Adama is distracted by mention of the void and goes to his quarters to think about this news. He apparently knows something that Tigh and Apollo don't.

• Apollo returns to his quarters and talks with Boxey. Boxey won't tell Apollo what Serina has planned. Apollo enters and sees Serina in her flight uniform. He find out she has been training as a shuttle cadet and she has finished her first solo. Boxey leaves so Serina and Apollo can argue. Apollo mentions about how dangerous being a pilot is including a shuttle pilot. Serina reminds Apollo that Athena is a pilot and a warrior. They both mention how dangerous the other's job is and about the losses suffered on Carillon. Apollo finally relents and asks her if she is any good and Serina says she is top of her class and Apollo says she better be since she is going to be married to the squadron commander.

• Salik reports another warrior has gone critical. Adama questions Salik about the warriors' condition and Salik tells Adama of the cryo-containers. Adama stresses the importance of the warriors and Salik tells Adama that his main concern right now is keeping them alive.

• Adama reads a journal in his quarters about the days of Kobol and the magnetic void. Apollo enters and Adama gives him a roster of colonists who are deemed experienced enough to be combat trained. Apollo is shocked at this revelation. Adama stands his ground and sends Apollo on his way with his orders to train the new pilots. Apollo asks Adama to read the names on the roster. Adama does and notices Serina's name.

• Apollo and Starbuck begin the female shuttle pilots' training as Viper pilots. Serina flirts with Apollo during the training.

• Cassiopeia reports on another unit going critical. Salik goes to the bridge to ask Adama for a shuttle to go the asteroid where Boomer and Jolly were to find the source of the infection. Faced with the great loss of warriors Adama now has no choice but to get the very green Viper pilots who are still in simulators ready for the mission. Adama orders Salik to get his team ready.

• In training Athena is in the simulator and as she destroys a Cylon she also inadvertently kills Starbuck. The training is interrupted when Apollo is called to the bridge.

• On the bridge Adama asks about the status of the trainees. Adama then tells Apollo that there is no choice now but to launch the new warriors on the mission to the asteroid. Apollo reminds Adama that the pilots will be throwing away their lives if they go on this mission. Adama weighs the odds but still elects to have the mission proceed much to Apollo's amazement.

• Apollo and Starbuck launch their Vipers first, followed by the new Blue Squadron pilots. The launch goes off without an issue except for Brie who has difficulty getting control of her viper after launch, but she does and Rigel announces the successful launch of Blue Squadron.

• On board Baltar's ship Lucifer reports to Baltar that they have overtaken Galactica and that Galactica is turning into the void. Baltar requests that they capture one of the warriors during their patrols. Lucifer leaves, happy in Baltar's deviousness.

• The warriors continue on their mission. Apollo goes ahead to the asteroid to destroy the outpost while Starbuck stays behind with the new warriors. Brie reports on objects coming from behind and Starbuck notices that it's a Cylon fighter. Athena follows Starbuck as his wingman. Starbuck allows Athena to follow but tells her "for Sagan's sake, don't shoot me". The Cylons warn the outpost and they launch fighters to intercept. The new warriors engage the Cylons to help Apollo after Apollo tells them not to. The new warriors successfully fight off the Cylons while Apollo destroys the listening post. With the mission a success, the medical shuttle lands and finds the source of the infection.

• Adama orders the fleet to probe speed, Tigh can't believe they are going into the void. Adama tells him they have no choice since the outpost has now alerted other Cylons.

• Lucifer reports to Baltar on the destruction of the outpost and Baltar is confused since there is nothing of value on the post to begin with. Lucifer reports on the erratic flight patterns of the Colonial Warriors. Baltar warns Lucifer not to fence with him, he then orders Lucifer to capture one of the patrol ships.

Questions

• How long has passed since the Battle of Carillon (and, therefore how long has Serina been training as a shuttle pilot)?

• Why weren't any males being trained as shuttle pilots (or as potential Viper pilots)? Wouldn't it be wise to constantly be bringing new pilots into the ranks?

• With the question of material losses, how many Vipers and shuttles do the survivors have left? Is the Fleet capable of building more?

• If the Fleet is restricted to sublight speeds, how are they able to flee the Cylons at all?

• Why does Adama steer the fleet into the magnetic void? (Answer)

Analysis

• Overall this is a good beginning to the series. It gives some background information on the Colonial religion when Adama reads about Kobol and the black void and ties into the pilot movie by mentioning the battle of Carillon a couple of times and Baltar's new role in the series.

• Lucifer tells Baltar that he shall "inherit the most capable Centurions in all the Empire". Since the Cylons are all mechanical and should be equal in all aspects, this seems to be a rather unnecessary and ludicrous claim even for a robot to make.

• Apollo asks Serina if she knows how many shuttle pilots were lost on Carillon. She replies many civilians were lost too. The implications are the number civilians and Colonial Warriors killed when the planet was destroyed may have been high, though an exact figure is never given.

• The beginning of the episode establishes the crew of Galactica as being very much a family. Not only do they share the closeness of family, but also the conflict that can arise. Apollo's clashes with Adama establish him as an independent son, willing to butt heads when orders are given that he does not agree with, but ultimately he ends up following them.

• Adama keeps his suspicions to himself regarding the magnetic void, causing a great deal of confusion and doubt on the part of Colonel Tigh. They are steering the Fleet into an abyss that might be infinite, and Adama is not elaborating on why they are taking such a risk. Tigh complies, proving his loyalty, but Adama's lack of communication on the issue is starting to get to him. Another second-in-command might have more openly questioned the order, or even refused it. This situation shows that Tigh is not only willing to follow Adama into the abyss, but that he would take the whole Fleet along as well.

• The progression of Serina from shuttle pilot trainee to Viper pilot feels rushed. Apollo is dismayed that Serina has been (conveniently) training on shuttles for a while, but eventually accepts her decision. Serina's point about everybody needing to contribute (in ways that may be different to before the Cylon attack) is a powerful thought, although it is one that is not explored very much in the original series. Serina's shuttle pilot status is short lived, when she happens to be one of the group of (all female) shuttle pilots selected for Viper training. It is surprising that Adama hadn't examined the list of names he was handing Apollo, but the details of such personnel matters may be below Adama's pay grade.

• Adama presents Apollo with an ethical dilemma, giving him the choice of not deploying Serina when the time comes for the shuttle pilots to fly their first Viper mission. Apollo refuses to accept the special treatment, but it is interesting that Adama even offered him the chance. If they had wanted to keep Serina out of combat, removing her from the initial list of shuttle pilots to train would have been far more discreet.

• Baltar's fortune changes dramatically in this episode, going from a prisoner to the commander of a basestar. It doesn't take Baltar long to get used to being in charge again, and his arrogance quickly reasserts itself. Lucifer is initially quite impressed with him, although he does not understand his reasoning. Towards the end up the episode Lucifer is beginning to openly question Baltar's plans, setting the groundwork for later conflict between the two.

Notes

• Adama is likely in his 100s. When talking to Serina about what a catch she'd be, he mentions that "if he were a 100 yahrens younger...".

• The scene with Baltar and Imperious Leader is altered somewhat from the epilogue in the pilot episode. In the original epilogue the Imperious Leader had mentioned how the Cylons were omnipotent and wanted to extend the hand of peace. In the scene during this episode it is shortened to have Baltar just go in search of the humans.

• In the original movie, Baltar was beheaded in front of the Imperious Leader. However, the scene was altered when the series was being picked-up, as the producers wanted John Colicos to return as Baltar. So they re-edited the scene in the pilot to have Baltar removed and added the epilogue and then altered the scene further in this episode.

• On the DVD box set there is a deleted scene with Serina piloting a shuttle and making her first landing. There is dialogue in the aired episode from Boomer to Jolly about this landing.

• Several of the female warriors would again be shown in future episodes during battle scenes. Brie would return in "War of The Gods" when she and Greenbean are captured by The Ship of Lights.

• The character of Serina was originally to be given a larger role in the series. In the pilot there were scenes shot where she met with a doctor and her illness was disclosed, some sort of radiation/cancer like ailment due to the bombing runs by the Cylons on Caprica. This was to have played out during the series run, but when Jane Seymour elected not to return for the entire series her character was killed off.

• During the preview of the episode there is a scene showing Starbuck instructing the female warriors but this scene is not included in the episode as aired or on the deleted scenes on the DVD.

• It is explained that the brown jumpsuits worn underneath the warriors uniforms help in counteracting the G-Forces endured when flying a Viper.

• There was a scene shot in The Life Center with Cassiopeia and Apollo explaining Cassiopeia's character changing from a socialator to Med Tech. She mentions to Apollo that one good thing came out of the destruction of the colonies people were given a chance to start anew.

• The opening prologue is changed from that of the feature film/pilot. Gone is the mention of the lost civilizations of Lemuria and Atlantis. The dialogue is shortened and the end tag is changed to "who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens".

Noteworthy Dialogue

• A dishelved Baltar is presented to the Imperious Leader:

Imperious Leader: I have examined your epistle suggesting you would be able to locate the humans.

Baltar: Why, yeah. (looks around) Oh, yes. I think... as they do! I– I– I– I know where they... will go, what they must do.

Imperious Leader: I find your reasoning logical.

Baltar: Then... then I am to be...?

Imperious Leader: Spared.

Baltar: (rises, proclaiming) To serve the Empire!

• Adama gushes about Serina's cooking:

Adama: I am an expert in the art of culinary graces, and you are a find, Serina. You're a genuine find. And if I were a hundred yahrens younger...

• As Starbuck and Apollo exit the magnetic void thanks to Starbuck's flying skills:

Starbuck: ...and you owe me a fumarello.

• Baltar plots strategy with Lucifer:

Baltar: How far is this outpost from us?

Lucifer: 1.5 hectares. Since the Galactica is kept to a minimum speed by the slower vehicles under her protection, at lightspeed we can easily catch her within a centon.

• Apollo and Serina argue over Serina training to be a shuttle pilot:

Serina: Your own sister's a pilot and a warrior.

Apollo: She's my sister, not my wife to be.

• Starbuck gives a bit of advice to the female Viper pilots on their first launch:

Starbuck: Remember, these controls are as sensitive as a school girl's... lips.

• Lucifer and a Centurion leave to execute Baltar's commands:

Lucifer: Isn't he wonderfully devious? We can learn much from him.

Guest Stars

• Jane Seymour as Serina
• George Murdock as Dr. Salik
• Ed Begley Jr. as Greenbean
• Sheila de Windt as Deitra
• Janet Louise Johnson as Brie
• Larry Manetti as Giles (uncredited)
• Bruce Wright as 1st Lt. Guard
• Paul Coufos as 2nd Guard
• Jennifer Joseph as 2nd Girl Warrior
• Janet Lynn Curtis as Sorrell
• Leann Hunley as 1st Girl Warrior
• Gay Thomas as 3rd Girl Warrior