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While on patrol in the Omega sector, Boomer and Starbuck are suddenly attacked by four Cylon Raiders of Canus patrol. When the remaining two Raiders attempt to flee, Starbuck pursues and destroys one; the other enters Starbuck's blind spot and causes severe damage to the undercarriage of Starbuck's Viper before Boomer causes the lone Raider to retreat.
Boomer visually inspects the damage to Starbuck's undercarriage, claiming that "everything back of your anti-burn baffles is gone"
On his scanner, Boomer locates Attila, a habitable Delta-class planet for Starbuck to land his crippled fighter on. Running low on fuel, Boomer returns to Galactica to bring back help.
In a Cylon-controlled garrison on the planet Attila, the two Vipers are tracked on scanner. When one Viper is seen crash landing on the planet's surface, garrison commander Specter, an IL-series Cylon, orders a squad of Centurions to capture the downed pilot.
Starbuck pulls himself from the wreckage of his viper, but his leg is badly injured. Meanwhile, the Cylon patrol looms closer and closer, approaching the Colonial Warrior through tall marsh reeds. Starbuck tries to evade the Cylons, but he collapses on the riverbank in exhaustion, only to be captured by the pursuing Centurions.
Specter informs Baltar (aboard his basestar) of the warrior's capture. Baltar, of course, seeks information about the location of the last remaining battlestar.
TV Guide ad for The Young Lords
Returning to the garrison with Starbuck, the Cylon patrol is ambushed by a group of young fighters (children, really) who destroy the Cylons and rescue Starbuck, who passes out cold.
Aboard Galactica, an ill Adama is told the bad news about Starbuck. They decide that Apollo and Boomer will pilot a shuttle, so as not to attract attention to themselves, back to Attila to fetch Starbuck. They have 24 centares before the fleet is out of range.
On Attila, Starbuck is helped back to the children's campsite, inside a cave. The children turn out to all be siblings of the true owners of the garrison currently occupied by the Cylons. The children have been waging war against the "tin cans" ever since.
The eldest son, Kyle, is their de facto leader. Eldest daughter Miri is their moral leader and acting mother. The other children include Ariadne and brothers Nilz and Robus.
With his father away on the mission to rescue Starbuck, Boxey crawls into bed with his grandfather, with Boxey telling Adama a story about Mushieland as they drift off to sleep.
Kyle, who had previously lied to Starbuck that his father (Megan) was dead, has secretly conspired with Specter and the Cylons to trade Starbuck for his imprisoned father. Specter gives the good news to Megan, who reluctantly agrees to cooperate.
Lucifer expresses his distrust of Specter, who is an earlier IL-series model, to Baltar. Lucifer notes that Specter's garrison has ordered the most laser pumps and petro in the system, Baltar dismisses it as merely stockpiling. Specter lies while reporting to Baltar, concealing the fact that Starbuck has escaped.
Starbuck, pleading to Miri's and Kyle's better judgment, finally convinces them to not proceed with the trade. Instead, they put a dummy (wearing Starbuck's flight jacket) on a raft, and push it across the moat to the Cylons.
Specter and the Cylons, who had the same plan, push a likewise-fake dummy of Megan in a raft across the moat to the children. When Specter realizes that he has been deceived, the Cylons open fire on the children's position.
Kyle finally agrees to allow Starbuck to lead their forces, although Kyle will remain as the second-in-command. Together with their whole clan they compose a battle plan, and a rhyming poem to match, to attack the Cylons occupying their castle:
Through the tunnel, under the land/Starbuck and Miri creep hand on hand.
We swim the moat to the petro dump/And blow it up with a great big whump!
At the bridge, the youngest daughter/Drops tin cans into the water.
And around the castle, the son firstborn/Rides at a gallop and blows his horn.
We go up the steps to the castle floor/And sneak a peek through the secret door.
Although the dump is double-guarded/We'll sneak across when the guards are parted.
Robus sets one bomb and then the other/Leaving the rest to his older brother.
When all is ready across the moat/Kyle will sound the signal note.
At the bridge, the youngest daughter/Drops tin cans into the water.
Through all the confusion, noise, and bother/Starbuck and Miri rescue father.
As the plan comes to fruition, Specter files one final (bogus) report with Baltar. Immediately thereafter, the entire Cylon force departs Attila, as it is "too rusty for their circuits".
With the Cylon presence gone from their castle, Megan is reunited with his children.
Apollo and Boomer land the shuttle to bring Starbuck home to Galactica, arriving just in time to see Starbuck get a passionate farewell kiss from Miri.
In the opening sequence just before Starbuck's viper is damaged, three incoming Raiders are seen on Boomer's scanner. However, there are four Raiders in the actual dogfight.
The report to Baltar from Specter was used in the direct-to-video release, Conquest of The Earth.
Kyle says of his siblings, "They watched the Tin Cans slaughter our people" and later, "Our fortress held out longer than any of the others when the Tin Cans attacked." Therefore, we may infer that Megan and his family were not the sole inhabitants of the planet, originally. However, since it seems all the other humans on Attila were exterminated, the family may well be the last inhabitants of their planet—since six blood relatives do not constitute a genetically viable population. The family uses the typical Star Trek line about "This planet is our home now" and refuses to leave when offered passage on Galactica. And no one from Galactica opts to stay on Attila; thus ensuring that the human presence on Attila will eventually die out.
At the end of the episode, Megan explains that "Our ancestors originally migrated here from the Colonies." Thus the Galacticans do not look to Megan and his family for clues about Earth.
More generally, in Experiment in Terra, Adama theorizes that the humans they have encountered during their flight are probably offshoots of the Thirteenth Tribe, who split off from the Tribe during that ancient journey. Since the humans they have encountered are no more technologically advanced than the Colonials (often less), that may be a reason why Adama basically ignores them and keeps looking for Earth—since he hopes and believes that Earth would be a strong ally against the Cylons. Realistically, it seems silly and/or callous that Adama doesn't:
try to work with these offshoot colonies for mutual aid or even resupply
allow the Colonials the choice of settling on one of the human-populated worlds
spend any time whatsoever researching the legends or history of these offshoot humans for clues about Earth
in the case of Terra, for example, at least warn his fellow human beings that they may encounter a war fleet of fantastically advanced hostile robots bent on the destruction of the life form known as man.
One possible motive why the Colonials never show much interest in the human worlds they encounter along their journey: the humans aren't advanced enough.
Why do the Cylons so ruthlessly pursue Galactica as the "last remnants of humanity" when, in reality, humans clearly exist in abundance everywhere they go? Nearly every episode has them encountering some forgotten "fringe colony" teeming with humanity, yet the Cylons turn a blind eye toward them and myopically follow Galactica.
When Colonials encounter a planet such as Attila (specifically, a planet populated with humans), why don't they become inquisitive about the human inhabitants? In other words, why don't they assume that they're getting closer to Earth? After all, they left their devastated home worlds (Saga of a Star World), then went through a vast, unknown magnetic void (Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I), and have since emerged into what is effectively "uncharted space". So when they find humans, shouldn't they be a little more inquisitive (or, at least, excited?) rather than dismiss them as an unimportant fringe colony? (Analysis)
How old is Specter? Lucifer?
Wouldn't the Centurions under his command file reports as well, thus contradicting everything Specter reported?
After a Cylon attack that destroys two of the Galactican Fleet's Agro ships, Troy and Dillon are sent to Earth to set up an agricultural colony. In Southern California, they befriend a local Hispanic farmer who is struggling to keep his farm in the face of drought and the influence of his neighbor, a powerful rancher who controls the access to water for irrigation.
He declares a new strategy in the war on the humans, ordering the targeting of Galactican Fleet's agricultural ships. The Imperious Leader (stock footage is used, with Dennis Haysbert's voice overdubbed for the Imperious Leader) hopes that the Colonials will have no choice but to flee to Earth for food and, as such, will lead the Cylon fleet there as well.
Dozens of Cylon raiders are immediately launched to attack Galactican Fleet, which they are able to detect their electro-magnetic transmissions. They begin carrying out their order for agricultural ship destruction.
After breaking through the perimeter of Vipers guarding the fleet, the Raiders succeed in destroying two of the Agroships, all of which Adama and Doctor Zee watch from Zee's chamber.
Adama and Zee discuss the attack. They discuss why the agricultural ships were attacked and why the Cylons haven't come in for the final attack. They immediately surmise that the Cylons feel that the Fleet is their only link to Earth, and they're trying to force their hand by bringing the Fleet to Earth, inevitably leading the Cylons to the last outpost of humanity.
Zee notes that Lieutenant Dante's men have been most successful in keeping the Cylons from Troy and Dillon during the Warriors' constant trips to and from Earth. Troy and Dillon are in position on Earth and Adama believes they are their only hope of replenishing their food sources.
Boomer informs Adama that Troy and Dillon are ready to launch, as are the decoy squadron. Adama is extremely happy that they are about to establish their first colony on Earth.
They are interrupted by an unidentified captain who complains that D Squadron, nicknamed the Daggits. Boomer points out that there aren't many people who would volunteer to bring the fight to the Cylons, which Adama supports, saying that their mission requires a certain "devil-may-care attitude". However, the captain reports that they have been modifying their Vipers by removing the limiters from the turbochargers, which concerns Adama.
Troy, Dillon, and D Squadron launches. Troy and Dillon head to Earth while D Squadron engages the Cylons. Having successfully entered the Solar System undetected, Dillon tells Troy of his optimism of setting up a Galactican colony on Earth.
After landing in the Alonzo's farm field and hiding their ships, they run across a scarecrow, believing it to be an Earthling, Hector Alonzo. However, as they round to face it, Troy posits that it might be either some primitive burial symbol or a crude attempt at artistic expression. They head toward the Alonzo's home.
Gloria Alonzo, Hector's teenage daughter, gives a plate to her mother, Louise Alonzo. Gloria asks why her father is depressed and expresses her optimism that someone will answer his ad. Louise replies that Hector feels foolish for running the ad, believing that everyone in town will see it and believe he's giving up. Gloria replies that he's hanging on; Louise blames herself for talking him into the ad. Gloria consoles her mother, telling her that Hector cannot hold his emotions bottled up. They hug after she asks if Hector realizes that they know what's happening to him, even Chris Alonzo.
Louise approaches her husband and asks if he'd like to go outside. He silently puts his arm around her and proceeds to go on the porch with his wife. On the porch, he reveals that it'll kill him to sell his land, particularly to John Steadman. Hector stops her from saying "don't worry," telling her to save it for the children. However, she tells them that they already know.
Chris is next to his bed praying to God for help for his parents, realizing that his parents work hard for him and his sister and that they may have to sell because they can't afford it. He pleads with God to send people to help his dad.
Dillon and Troy approach the Alonzos outside and, after noting that they didn't come in a vehicle, inquire about the ad for help on the farm.
That morning, Troy and Dillon talk to Hector about the ad, which he offers to sell half-interest in his farm and requires farm hands. Hector warns them that they may be throwing their money away, since they don't have enough water to support their farm. The problem stems from two sources: the worst drought in years and the irrigation quota. He tells them that the water is controlled by Steadman of the Growers Association, who makes it impossible for small farmers like him to succeed.
Gloria comes over and doles out food to Dillon, who initially refuses. However, Dillon concedes to the obviously smitten Gloria, who says she's cooked the food herself. Louise notes that they're lucky to eat meat twice a week.
Hector Alonso
Hector tells Troy that Steadman has dammed up the water supply. Dillon asks if he complained to the association, but he notes that the dam is on Steadman's property and Steadman has a lot of say on the association. Dillon notes that the inequity of the situation. Hector dejectedly replies that if he came to talk about fair, he came to the wrong place.
Troy asks to look at the dam. Louise pipes up, saying that Steadman treats trespassers harshly. Dillon replies that he doesn't think Steadman would mind meeting his neighbors.
Upon visiting Steadman's property, Troy notes that it is very green. Hector notes that it's "about the same color as his money," noting that his wealth is the reason he has clout with the association. He further adds, much to Troy and Dillon's confusion, Steadman's negative attitude of Hispanics, who he views as peasants.
On cue, Steadman arrives with two of his lackeys, one of them Maze. Steadman greets Hector and then notes that his people have orders to eliminate any "critters that don't belong here, and that includes coyotes, dogs and trespassers". Hector replies that he thought Steadman would like to meet his new neighbors; Steadman assumes that he's sold the property without giving him first bid, but Hector informs him that Troy and Dillon are his new partners.
Troy points out the dam. Steadman laughs and tells him that what he does on his property is his business, but he haughitly "corrects" himself and notes that it is controlled by the association. He says that since the drought, there are strict allotments made for the water. Troy notes that they're interested in the association, the local farmers, and the quota system. Steadman replies that he too works under the quota, adding that "the man with the biggest spread and the biggest overhead is gonna get the largest quota". He assures them that it works out "proportionally" for everyone concerned.
Troy attempts to argue that "farmers are brothers of a kind," but Steadman deflects this point and notes that they're standing on private property and would appreciate it if they leave.
As they leave, one of the Steadman's men notes that Hector's kind is "always trying to get somethin', because of what they are, instead of working for it". Steadman assures the boys that they'll take care of it in "our own good time".
Later, Troy and Dillon go with Hector and Chris to buy seed. Hector tells them he would understand if they would pull out upon seeing the problems he faces. Hector finds it odd that his new partners tell him not to worry, particularly when faced with the water situation, including their purchasing of seed he thinks will not grow in such weather. He also points out that beans, being legumes, require cobalt and molybdenum in order to grow. His soil does not have these elements in great enough supply to support beans, but the Warriors again tell him not to worry assuring him that they have a special treatment process. He concedes that all they can do is give it a try.
Maze and Barrett believe that Hector's got them conned and decides to "deal with that situation". They enter their Ford pickup truck.
As they pass Hector's truck on the two-lane road, Maze throws a cigar into the back of the truck. It begins to burn at the burlap. Maze then begins heckling Hector.
Dillon asks Hector why he puts up with the heckling. Hector replies that while it bothers his family, he's gotten over it.
Troy smells something burning. Chris notes that the truck is on fire and they pull over and stop. They take out the sacks of seed, but it's too late for them. Hector ruefully notes that he's lost crops before, but never so quickly.
Dillon finds the cigar in the truck bed. Hector believes that the cigar belonged to "Old Maze," as he is a cigar aficionado.
Hector explains to the Warriors that the reason why Steadman's men destroyed their supplies was because of their association with a Latino. Chris mentions that he doesn't understand their hatred. Hector explains it has to do with prejudice and racism. Dillon tells them he's getting angry; Troy replies that he was getting angry five centons ago.
At Steadman Acres, Steadman convinces Maze to ride Satan, telling him that anyone who can ride the wild horse will win $1,000. Maze states that the amount won't even cover medical expenses, to which Steadman replies that he'll take care of them.
As Steadman and Barrett enjoy the show, which ends as Satan dumps Maze into a water trough.
Troy and Dillon arrive at Steadman Acres to confront Steadman, and demand compensation for the burned seed. Steadman asks his employees if their claim is true; Barrett mocking chastises Maze, telling him that he should use ashtrays. Steadman, who claims that the incident wasn't one of malice, decides to have a good play with his employees, deciding to take the payment out of the henchmen's wages for the supplies lost.
Steadman offers to help them with anything else they may have forgotten at the store, but Troy replies that they'll be satisfied with what they had. He can't resist the opportunity to put one over on Troy and Dillon, and, knowing they are new, tells them about his offer regarding Satan. Claiming that it's the "best horse flesh" in the county, Steadman asks if Hector has a horse at his place, knowing full well that he doesn't. He tells them that it's an acquisition for them to think about. When asked on the cost, Steadman replies that Satan will have to choose his owner. He then tells them about his offer: anyone who can ride him, owns him, plus $1000 to boot.
Dillon and Troy accept the offer, Dillon notes that he seems friendly enough when spoken to. Troy gives the buck to Dillon, noting his affinity for such situations.
Steadman mockingly comments to Barret and Maze about not wanting to see Hector go under, which Maze playfully replies that Steadman's offer is a charitable one.
After holding the animal by the reins, Dillon notes that the animal seems upset. Troy replies that "I would be too if I had Earthlings climbing all over my back".
The horse begins resisting. Dillon uses his wrist computron to determine that Satan has disturbed brain wave patterns. Troy surmises that the animal is mistreated. Dillon notes that the animal didn't seem different to what was on Caprica and gives the creature a burst of alpha waves.
The horse is now calm, much to the astonishment of Steadman and his workers. Dillon rides the horse successfully. Steadman protests that he shouldn't be able to do that and it's a trick of some kind. Troy notes that Dillon seems to have a way with animals.
Steadman throws his hat on the ground, vociferously claiming that the horse can't be ridden. Dillon rides up, with the horse crushing the hat under-hoof, and says that they owe them $1,000 and want the horse delivered to Alonzo's ranch. A red-faced Steadman tells his boys to get the Warriors their things.
Dillon presents the horse to Gloria, noting that Satan would like her over Mr. Steadman. Gloria asks Dillon if he has a girlfriend. Unfamiliar with the term, he asks her why, to which she replies that she thinks he's cute. She walks away, allowing him to look up the term. Chris, who has the horse's reins, tells Dillon that he's got trouble.
Maze and Barrett arrive with their seed. Much to their chagrin, they find that the seed is not heavy for Troy or Dillon, who they believed would lose their balance over the heavy seed. Troy says he could handle another bag, which he catches with one hand.
Barrett notices Satan and their new owners, Gloria and Hector. He comments that the horse is nice, but tells her "good luck watering it". Gloria claims they have enough water for Satan, to which he replies that this won't be the case when Steadman cuts off the irrigation quota for them.
Dillon notes that they'll complain to the Growers Association, which is a prospect the lackeys laugh at. Hector notes that it'll be months before they get a hearing.
Troy walks away, having been summoned by Commander Adama. He tells Adama of the situation. Adama notes that with the food gone, it is imperative that they complete the project. He notes that while they have seedlings, they need water.
Chris comes up behind Troy, who confers with Adama. Zee orders that they plant the seedlings, for he'll be able to provide the water. He orders that the ground must be prepared no later than tonight.
Chris asks who Troy was talking to with that "watch" of his. Troy replies that he was going over some things in his head; Chris notes his father's belief that people who talk to themselves are trouble.
Dillon arrives and Chris is sent away to help the others. Troy notifies Dillon that they need to begin planting as soon as possible.
Hector is having problems getting farm hands; no one within 50 miles that he knows will help them. Money isn't the problem, but the farmers fear Steadman. He notes that the time table is unrealistic; it'll take one to two weeks to sow and plant the ground. Troy tells Hector that he'll get them help.
Jamie Hamilton arrives with the Super Scouts. Hector doesn't believe what he is seeing, but Hamilton assures him that they're a specialized branch of the scouts with a lot of agricultural training.
Lancer assure Hector that they're a lot tougher and stronger than they look. Chris asks how far they can throw a ball; Lancer is about to reply a good 3000 feet, until he is stopped by Troy.
Troy asks where the children can sleep, Hector points out a barn where they can stay.
Hamilton later asks Troy for a situation report. Troy tells her that he'll explain later. Hector tells them to bring their belongings inside and that they'll soon have dinner.
A team of agricultural experts dressed in Earthling farmer clothing enters the anti-gravity ship. Adama tells them that they will remain there to help the farm and form a colony, should the rain-making process be effective.
Zee explains that the process is simple. The mist the ship creates upon entering Earth's atmosphere will create clouds and, using their technology, will create precipitation. They'll seed the clouds with super-cooled carbon dioxide and do a bunch of other mumbojumbo.
Steadman meets with his henchmen, who inform him that Alonzo is looking for help and is calling everyone in the valley. He's sure that the two "yokels" (Troy and Dillon) are somehow involved in Alonzo's determination.
That night, under cover of darkness, Troy and Dillon begin plowing the fields with their lasers. Steadman drives up and sees this.
Starla inquires about the nutrient monitors. Lancer asks how they can grow plants without computers. The Super Scouts respond incredulously to Hamilton's claim that Earthlings plant things naturally.
Troy and Dillon use their superhuman jumping ability to rapidly seed Alonso's fields. Steadman watches from a distance, noting that they are jumping 50 feet in the air.
Agricultural experts from the Fleet are outfitted with local garb
The anti-gravity ship makes its descent towards the valley. Zee tells Adama that carbon dioxide emissions are proceeding as scheduled. The next pass over the clouds will make it rain.
A rain storm begins, first with lightning and thunder, which Troy, Dillon, and Hamilton watch occur. It begins to rain, much to Steadman's surprise.
Zee responds to Adama's question regarding their food supply reserves. He informs Adama that with the special nutrients dispersing with the rain, the crops will grow faster and become plentiful within a few Earth hours.
Awakened by the lightning and thunder, Chris runs to the window of his room. He is surprised when he sees a flying saucer, actually Dr. Zee's antigrav ship, begin landing beyond the mountains.
The crops shoot up overnight.
The next morning, Steadman goes to the Grower's Association, blaming the problems of the valley on Hector Alonzo. Tom Rogers asks how Hector can cause a threat. He then dissolves into frantic revelations of jumping aliens and flying saucers at Alonzo's place, giving a call to arms for the townsfolk to get the sheriff and law enforcement involved.
Hector and his wife react to the bountiful crop they now have. Also present are agricultural experts from Galactican Fleet, who masquerade as agricultural students studying advanced, experimental farming techniques. Troy assures Hector that they'll work on their share of the farm and will be of no burden.
Steadman and his cronies arrive. Steadman makes his accusations. The police subsequently arrive, lead by the Sheriff and Mr. Rogers. They follow up on Steadman's claim of Alonzo's harboring of illegal aliens.
Hamilton presents herself as a reporter with United Broadcasting Company and she shows them her identification.
Steadman tells them to check out the identification of the others, but Roger himself asks Steadman for ID. Steadman claims that he never carries any on his person, since everyone knows who he is. The scouts, however, point out that they don't know who he is; Lancer adds that he doesn't want to know Steadman at all.
Steadman claims to the police that he saw them arrive last night. After Hamilton pretends to be interested in Steadman's story, Steadman reveals that he saw a ship. It is revealed through more direct questioning that the ship was an UFO. Once Steadman spills what he saw, Hamilton notes that she should call her station and get a crew on the story right away. However, Rogers says that it isn't necessary to call them. The sheriff agrees, saying they should leave Alonzo and his friends alone. Rogers also goes on to say that they've been having second thoughts about the water situation.
Rogers says that he's calling an emergency meeting, where he pledges that the dam won't be there by tomorrow morning.
Steadman claims that everything he's said is the truth. He points out that Dillon was able to ride Satan, a feat that he claims no human could do. However, on cue, he is proven wrong when Chris rides Satan within plain sight.
Rogers laughs at Steadman, telling him not to take any wooden saucers now.
Rogers has his emergency meeting and, despite the loud protestations of Steadman, have the dam removed in addition to other strictures. Overwhelmingly, Rogers proposition is supported. Hamilton is pleased when Steadman storms out in defeat.
Gloria is sad to see Dillon go. She asks if he'll come by again, which he replies that, as their friends are there, of course they will. She kisses him on the cheek and runs off.
Louise tells Dillon her belief that Gloria has a crush on him; Chris tells him not to worry, since she'll grow out of it.
Hector thanks the Warriors and Hamilton for everything they've done. Troy replies that it is they who should thank him. Hector assures them that Troy's people will be taken care of like they were members of his own family.
Troy and Dillon ride off in their turbines, talking about how beautiful the place was—and Gloria. They fly off into the sky.
The final series episode, "The Return of Starbuck" was being filmed around the same time as this episode.
"Space Croppers" is the final episode of the series to include the central cast outside of Adama and Doctor Zee.
The voice of the Imperious Leader is furnished by actor Dennis Haysbert from 24 fame; Patrick Macnee typically did the voice work for the Imperious Leader, and may have not been available (or offered, due to budget constraints) to reprise the role. It should be noted that Haysbert was also working on Larson's Buck Rogers in the 25th Century series, which was being filmed around this time.
Whether the voice change was intentional or a byproduct of casting, it does leave the impression that there is a new Imperious Leader in place at the time of the 1980 series.
There is an early draft of Space Croppers called Harvest Home. In some guides, this episode is sometimes erroneously called that name.
This episode was sent out on satellite only twenty minutes before air time, which shows just how rushed the series was.
Troy claims the horses weren't much different from what was on Caprica. However, Troy lived in a major city on Caprica before the Cylon holocaust (Serena's son, then called Boxey). It is unclear how much Troy could recall about Caprican horses after fleeing the planet at a young age and living aboard the Fleet nearly his entire life.
There is an episode of Lost In Space which is also named The Space Croppers. It involves Dr. Smith's marriage to a space cropper named Sybilla, who grows man-eating plants.
"Space Croppers" continues the storyline of Galactica's arrival at Earth, suggesting that the Cylons are now very close to finding out the location of the planet, and establishing the first colony from the Fleet on the Earth.
In fact, the opening battle apparently takes place near Saturn in our solar system since the planet is seen in the background, courtesy of reused Agro Ship footage from the 1972 film Silent Running.
If the series had continued, a conflict at Earth between the Colonials and the Cylons would have seemed to be a logical next step for the storyline.
Adama states that two agroships have been destroyed in the Cylon attack, yet after the events of The Magnificent Warriors there was only one agroship left.
The Gemini freighter is seen during the Cylon attack. It was destroyed in The Super Scouts Part 1.
A Cylon tanker is also seen in the fleet during the attack.
The Imperious Leader orders an attack on Galactican Fleet's agricultural ships:
Imperious Leader: I'm growing impatient waiting for Galactican fleet to lead us to the last outpost of humanity. Launch a full-scale attack on their agricultural ships. We must destroy their food supply, thereby forcing them to lead us to Earth.
Chris Bunch discusses the episode in his interview with Susan Paxton:
Chris Bunch: [The episode] aired simply because Glen [Larson] has the wonderful habit of rolling paper into the typewriter, whackin’ away, and sooner or later coming up with a plot. In this case, he came up with a plot about page 56. So he simply wrote on and at page 62 typed END OF PART ONE. The turkey ran three parts before he finished, and was shown with Bob [McCullough]’s script in the middle.[1]
Galactica 1980 story editor Chris Bunch on this episode:
Q: How far in advance were the episodes filmed?
Bunch: Space Croppers went out on satellite to New York twenty minutes before air time. This was the only freelance script or even staff script that was filmed because there were problems, like Larson was stuck on an episode or couldn't get the Lear Jet to pick him up in Hawaii or whatever.
When Larson is worried about a show, or trying to make it work, he writes every script. Every goddamned script. So there was a lotta fallout with scripts being commissioned and abandoned right and left and down the center.[2]
Unable to shake off Conoy’s words to her (TRS: "Flesh and Bone"), she wants Adama to take the test first; he reluctantly agrees.
When a lone Cylon Raider shows up, Lee Adama is ordered to intercept, and Tigh is stunned to learn Adama is off-ship.
The Raider is crippled, and a Raptor is dispatched to gather intel on it, particularly how its FTL drive operates.
Adama returns to Galactica on a Raptor with a further shock for Tigh: his wife, Ellen.
Roslin calls Baltar to check on the progress of Adama’s Cylon test – only to find Adama has cancelled so that a woman called “Ellen” can be tested. Roslin orders Baltar to restart Adama’s test immediately.
Roslin summons Tigh to Colonial One, reveals her suspicions regarding Adama, and challenges a defensive Tigh over Adama’s behavior in leaving Galactica unannounced.
Tigh takes the wind out of Roslin’s sails when he states Adama was off-ship so he could collect Tigh’s missing wife.
After Tigh has left her office, Roslin calls Baltar and orders him to stop Adama’s test and resume Ellen’s.
Later, at a dinner in Adama’s quarters, Ellen behaves with a mixture of her old self – trying to play footsie with Lee Adama under the table, and trying to flirt with him over the table – and a strange curiosity concerning Earth.
Adama deflects her probing by asking how it could be that she got aboard a ship, the Rising Star, without anyone having any knowledge of her or of treating her during her alleged 3 weeks of being unconscious.
Ellen simply shrugs off the questions in her apparently drunken state and breaks up the party with her “drunken” playing.
As she and her husband return to their quarters, they encounter Baltar, with whom she openly flirts, both annoying Tigh and raising Six’s curiosity.
After Baltar has departed, Ellen deflects her husband’s anger at her behavior by claiming Adama wants her, then dragging Tigh after Baltar.
In Baltar’s lab, a row is brewing over the various tests that should have been carried out; things become more complicated when Tigh and his wife arrive, and the disagreements and suspicions become a three-way argument, which is broken up when Adama, Lee and Tigh are summoned to CIC.
The Cylon Raider has stopped behaving oddly, and is on a collision course for Galactica. Alert Fighters are dispatched at Tigh’s order, and the Raider is destroyed.
Later, back in Baltar’s lab, Ellen’s test results come through and are apparently green. Baltar, however, simply states to Six that having everything turn up green makes life a lot easier.
Helo and Valerii are trying to avoid the Cylons by running through the storm drains under a city.
Valerii has a plan—she claims to have overheard the Cylons discussing a huge base at Delphi, she believes they can steal a ship from there and get off the planet.
Doral and Six are definitely affected by the fact that even though Valerii has run off, she is experiencing emotions they have never had—as is Helo.
The script was originally called "Secrets and Lies".
Three days have passed since the events of "Flesh and Bone".
There are now 47,905 survivors in the Fleet. A loss of 49 since "Flesh and Bone". Compared to other casualty figures in the first season, this is unusually high for a three-day period.
Colonel Tigh's drinking problem became drastically worse because of his wife's infidelity and their estrangement.
Keikeya's relationship with Dualla is picking up, despite his attempts to pump her for information.
Baltar apparently has no intention of being honest about the results of his Cylon tests.
Galactica has a forward observation lounge that has become a much sought-after trysting-place, with individuals and couples rotated through it at regular intervals.
The Cylons have established a major base at Delphi, another major city on Caprica.
The opera music that Baltar is listening to in his lab while talking to and getting intimate with Number Six is titled "Battlestar Operatica," and was written and composed by Bear McCreary. It is sung in Italian, and directly relates to Baltar's situation. The lyrics translate: "Woe upon your Cylon heart / There's a toaster in your head/ And it wears high heels / Number Six calls to you / The Cylon Detector beckons / Your girlfriend is a toaster / Woe upon your Cylon heart / Alas, disgrace! Alas, sadness and misery! / The toaster has a pretty dress / Red like its glowing spine / Number Six whispers / By your command" (translation given in the liner notes for the Season 1 soundtrack, reposted on this page, with permission).
Continuing from the previous episode, Caprica-Sharon now seems to be honestly trying to lead Helo away from the Cylons and truly escape.
This is the first mention of the city of Delphi and Helo's hostile reaction to the news of its being used as a Cylon hub. Plausibly the emotional reaction is due to Delphi being a spiritual center for the Twelve Colonies.
The test apparently takes 11 hours to generate results (although Boomer’s result in "Flesh and Bone" was obtained in far less time than this – "a couple of minutes," according to Baltar, and about 60 seconds of screen-time).
Baltar claims in "Resistance" that he allowed Boomer to believe she was human "for [his] own purposes". Does he have the ability to determine other Cylon infiltrators in a much shorter time frame than he chooses to admit in this episode? Perhaps he was just going through the math in his head - but then why the half-serious jokes about suicide as he contemplates the task?
Perhaps a "positive" result with a real Cylon takes much less time, but it takes 11 hours to be definitely sure someone isn't a Cylon.
There was a scene change between Baltar agreeing to Sharon's test and Baltar and Sharon getting the final results. It is possible that Baltar conducted the bulk of the test in the intervening time, and the audience only saw him conduct the final phase of the test after the bulk of the eleven-hour process was completed off-screen.
Is it possible that the Cylon Raider is there to transmit instructions to other Cylons within the Fleet (as later in "Final Cut")?
In a deleted scene, it is mentioned that they noticed a high-frequency burst which could have been a Cylon within the Fleet sending out a signal, but couldn't track which ship it came from.
"'Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down' was originally called 'Secrets and Lies', or 'Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down' by Jeff Vlaming. And when I saw those titles on the script, I knew we had to go with 'Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down'. It was too good. Too good a title to let lie on the cutting room floor."—Ronald D. Moore podcast
"'Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down' began life as a very different episode than it ultimately came out to be. It was originally going to be a riff on 'Crimson Tide'."—Ronald D. Moore podcast
"It did feel right that, perhaps, there was one place; that perhaps there was one area of the ship, which accepted a window or a port to look out and that it would be a fairly confined space for the crew on these very long, deep space missions that probably lasted months, if not years. And that there might be a place where they can go to and just stargaze. And in this situation, it seemed like there would be a lot of people lining up to try and look out at the stars, you know, a break from the monotony of staring at metal walls."—Ronald D. Moore podcast, talking about the observation area of the Galactica
"The long and the short of it was that we had just come out of a very heavy, very dark, very disturbing episode. And the very next episode was supposed to be 'Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down' which was all about a very disturbing, very dark, very (sort of) unhappy episode where our two—two of our lead characters started pointing guns at one another. So there came a point when I just decided, well, let's just punt. Let's not do the dark and brooding episode. Let's try a different tone. Let's see if the show can withstand something lighter. Let's try something that's closer to a comedy, or as close to a comedy as Galactica can withstand."—Ronald D. Moore podcast
Wiliam Adama: Madam President, we are the proud owners of the universe's first bona fide Cylon detector.
Laura Roslin: Well, that is great news. So... when do we begin?
Adama: Doctor Baltar would like to start widespread testing as soon as possible, but there are some serious limitations, because he can only do one person at a time and verification takes hours.
Roslin: So, who's going to go first?
Adama:[thinking for a second] The test... right. I think people in sensitive positions should go first.
Roslin: I completely agree. How about you?
Adama: Excuse me?
Laura Roslin: If you're a Cylon, I'd like to know.
Commander Adama: If I'm a Cylon, you're really screwed.
[Adama and Roslin both start laughing.]
Laura Roslin: Seriously, I do think you should go first. Show everyone in the fleet that they can trust the people at the top.
Commander Adama: Well then, maybe YOU should go first. [silence] All right... I'll go first.
When the demand for Cylon production is dramatically changed, Daniel Graystone and the Zoe avatar are forced to take drastic actions. Barnabas Greeley tests Lacy Rand's allegiance to the Soldiers of the One. Amanda Graystone's mental health is pushed to the brink. Joseph Adama's quest to find his daughter in V-World comes to an end.
On Colonial Highway 5 in the forest, the U-87 is driving a Graystone Industries van while being pursued by Caprican military aircraft.
Twenty hours earlier, a CAP news report notes that Graystone Industries stock has dropped another 30% leading to speculation that the increasingly cash-strapped company will be forced to sell off assets.
In the lab with the U-87, Drew Tanner questions Philomon about his relationship with Rachel. Philomon says that he is not bothered by Rachel refusing to let him see her true form. When she does, his feelings for her will mean that her appearance doesn't matter.
As Tanner lights a cigarette, the U-87 instinctively flinches. The two note that the U-87 has not been the same since Daniel Graystone's tests with it the previous week. Philomon promises to take care of the robot, which comforts Zoe.
At Atlas Arena, Cyrus Xander presses Daniel for an answer to Tomas Vergis' offer to buy the Caprica Buccaneers, which should keep the company afloat for another month. Distraught, Daniel agrees to accept the deal.
Clarice tells Greeley that she has called off the shipment and accuses him of trying to build a power base with the support of other STO cells. He argues that the STO needs to take action and mocks her beliefs in apotheosis before Clarice suddenly pistol-whips him.
As the groups take aim at each other, Clarice holds a gun to Greeley's head and threatens to kill him. She then releases him and tells him to back off if he wants to avoid a violent response from her, before her group walks away.
Back on Colonial Highway 5, the military aircraft continue to chase the U-87's van. The aircraft are notified that the vehicle contains a Cylon prototype and are ordered not to engage.
Seventeen hours earlier, Amanda Graystone is sitting in her bedroom. While a documentary about the Pantheon Bridge runs on the television, she looks through news articles about the U-87 defense contract, including speculation regarding Daniel's role in the break-in at the Vergis Corporation.
Taking pills and lighting a cigarette, she has flashbacks of chasing her brother Darius through the halls of the Delphi Convalescent Institute and of a bloody razor blade.
She calls Clarice, who is preparing to go to Gemenon. Clarice advises her to talk to Daniel about her feelings over dinner that evening.
At the docks, Greeley leads a prayer group of STO members. Dismissing them, he shows Lacy Rand the shipping crate he has acquired for her cargo to Gemenon. It is pre-cleared through customs, but the shipment will have to wait at least a week in order to prevent a search due to a raised threat level.
Rand is grateful, but Greeley demands a favor in return. He gives Rand a replica of Clarice's keyless entry remote for her car, asking Rand to switch it out for the authentic one on Clarice's key chain. He tells her it will allow him to track Clarice, and Rand agrees to do so. Greeley welcomes her to his terrorist cell.
Fifteen hours before the pursuit of the U-87, Joseph Adama is lying on his sofa, oblivious to the world and still in New Cap City. Sam Adama is disgusted with his brother and wants to rip the holoband off, but Evelyn warms him that that is not possible. She tells him that Joseph will need organ meats and other nutritious foods when he comes out of it. Sam reluctantly agrees to buy the food, but insists that Evelyn keep close watch of Joseph.
Philomon and "Rachel" – Zoe – are cuddling together in a canopy bed floating on a sunlit stream. Philomon claims that he is fine not having met Rachel yet, and that what she looks like does not matter. They talk a little about the benefits of more environmental exposure for the robot. He hints that if his next attempt fails, there will be serious problems.
At the Athena Academy, Rand hurriedly switches keychain fobs while Sister Clarice is out of her office. She calls Greeley with the news.
Colonel Sasha Patel from Military Procurement visits the Graystone estate lab. After some pleasantries and an optimistic update from Daniel on the robot, the colonel worries about the coming deadline for delivery. She confronts him with knowledge that the U-87 relies in part on stolen technology. Because of potential political embarassment, the deadline for Daniel's delivery of one hundred thousand robots is moved up "to the 7th" – the very next week. "Well," Patel says, "I think we both know that if you can't get it done by then, you just can't do it . . . Daniel."
Ten hours earlier, in the New Cap City version of the Adama apartment, Tamara cautiously approaches a silhouette of her signature T, which someone else has obviously placed there. From behind her, Emmanuelle emerges from the shadows and tells Tamara that she put it there to draw the girl to this place. Emmanuelle believes that Tamara, like everything else in New Cap City, is not real, and that she now believes that allowing Joseph to find her would be a worse option. Joseph is so lost in the search that he missed her brother Willie Adama's Ink Day and is now addicted to amp. She asks Tamara for a suggestion on how to help him.
At the Graystone Industries lab, Philomon tells Daniel about his plan to build a "psych profile" of the U-87's anomalies as a way of making copies of the MCP for mass production that preserve the original's abilities, a process that will take weeks. Instead, Daniel want to purge the anomalies "like a cancer" and use clean MCPs. Philomon protests that the uniqueness of the U-87 would be lost. Daniel becomes furious, and Philomon relents after his job is threatened. The entire conversation is overheard by Zoe-A.
On a virtual lakeside, Zoe-A tells Rand her plan to escape the lab – but Rand cannot do it that evening, and that they have to wait at least a week for the shipment to Gemenon. Zoe-A accuses Rand of failing her the same way she failed the original Zoe, and that she does not even see Zoe-A as real. Rand tries to apologize, but Zoe-A is pulled back into the robot.
Amanda puts on makeup, slips on a formal dress, and reads an Eros Day card left for her by her husband. She goes downstairs and is surprised to see Daniel preparing dinner, rather than getting ready to eat out. As they talk, Amanda reminds him that he was the one source of stability in her life at a time when she was losing her mind. She then confronts him about the break-in and murders at the Vergis Corporation lab. Daniel does not deny it, instead answering only that "it's complicated." She quietly walks out of the house.
Joseph enters the dark and apparently empty New Cap City apartment. He takes another dose of amp, hears someone in the shadows . . . and then sees Tamara. He runs to her and hugs her. She briefly returns the hug, and then tells him not to follow her anymore, since his existence in the game is killing him. Tamara shoots herself. Horrified, Joseph moves toward her on the floor – and at that moment she aims the gun at his head and fires, removing him permanently from the game. In the game, Emmanuelle disconnects, returning Evelyn in the real world. In the Adama apartment, she holds the sobbing Joseph, who is trying to grasp the fact that Tamara is really gone.
Philomon apologizes to the U-87 before commencing the wipe. At that moment, Zoe-A reveals herself, saying that she is "Rachel" and that she is trapped inside the robot. He yells for help but she silences him and begs for his help. Philomon repeats his claim that what she looks like does not matter. The U-87 steps back to let him pass, but he abruptly goes to a computer terminal and triggers an alarm. She yells "NO!" and pushes him away from the terminal, into the air, slamming his skull against a column. Philomon is instantly killed. The U-87 commandeers a Graystone Industries van and rams the complex gates.
Daniel and Xander speculate about the U-87's actions as Philomon's body is taken away by coroners. Daniel asks that the soldiers trying to stop the robot do not destroy it, but Xander reports the military leadership's conclusion: Graystone Industries is incapable of managing the project any longer.
Colonel Patel walks out of a restaurant with Tomas Vergis. Despite Patel's dislike of Taurons – an accusation that Patel does not deny – she grants Vergis control of the U-87 project, and Graystone Industries along with it.
Still distraught, Amanda walks through Caprica City, toward the Pantheon Bridge. She removes her wedding ring and places it on the walkway barrier, slips off her shoes, steps onto the barrier, and jumps into Caprican Bay.
Rand accidentally finds Greeley and Gatwick working on video equipment. Gatwick tells her to leave, but Greeley insists that she should stay and watch, since she already played a role in their plan: the new keychain for is a digital relay that will trigger a bomb placed in the trunk of Clarice's car. The link to stop light cameras tracking Clarice's progress through heavy traffic start to go out. While Gatwick tries to re-establish the connection, Rand attempts to persuade him from detonating the bomb – and upon hearing this, Greeley decides to relieve Gatwick of the responsibility, by ordering Rand to do it herself. She refuses. Greeley points a pistol at Gatwick's head, until Rand relents. They wait until the CCTV video connection is fixed, and the car is in view again. Rand pushes the button, and the vehicle on screen erupts.
Crawling through heavy spaceport-bound traffic, Clarice and Nestor discuss her desire to receive approval from the leadership of the Monotheist Church to remove Greeley once and for all. The traffic comes to a complete halt near the foot of the Pantheon Bridge. Clarice spots a woman standing on top of the bridge, and she gets out of the car. Suddenly, a blast goes off behind her, and she spins around in horror at the fireball.
As the highway pursuit continues, Zoe tearfully remembers confrontations with Amanda and Daniel. The pursuit eventually stops at a military roadblock. After a momentary pause, Zoe charges the roadblock at full speed as her vision fills with bright light. The van flips over and explodes.
"End of line" is also used in various programming languages to signify the end of a line in a program or other computer script.
Jesse Haddock is credited as Vergis's driver rather than Darius because this was leftover from the original concept of Amanda's visions of her brother. According to David Eick's podcast for "Ghosts in the Machine," it was planned for it to be part of a hoax perpetrated by Vergis who found a look-alike of her brother to drive Amanda insane. However, it was decided instead to portray it as her mental reaction to Zoe's death and all scenes that were filmed to explain it as a ruse were edited out.
Will Joseph accept that he will never see Tamara again? (Answer)
What will become of Tamara-A in New Cap City? (Answer)
Will Joseph learn that Evelyn was Emmanuelle?
Evelyn and Sam appeared to be working together (and there was the deleted scene where Sam did enter V-World to help Joseph) - did Evelyn contact Sam, or vice versa?
Is Evelyn involved with the Ha'la'tha?
Is Evelyn from Tauron or does she merely know the language?
Will Amanda survive her attempted suicide? (Answer)
Will Clarice be involved in what next happens to Amanda? (Answer)
What will Clarice do about Barnabas' attempt to kill her? (Answer)
How will the STO leadership on Gemenon view Barnabas' actions if they are made known to them?
Were Nestor and bystanders killed by the car bomb? (Partial answer)
Will Lacy and Keon continue to work for Barnabas now that he has shown a willingness to kill both of them, or will they attempt to escape or oust him? (Answer #1, Answer #2)
Will Zoe-R survive the wrecking of the car she was in? (Partial answer)
Will the GDD recapture Zoe?
If Zoe is recaptured, what will be done to her?
How will Philomon's fate and Lacy's apparent inability to help her affect Zoe's attitudes towards humans?
What is the extent of Vergis and Patel's involvement?
Will Vergis succeed in securing the defense contract? (Answer)
The final discovery made so much sense to me. That she had always cared for Joseph and felt a need to protect him was clear to me from the beginning. Following my discovery of her real identity, it suddenly became quite clear that Emmanuelle’s meetings with Tamara revolved around her intentions to connect with her, and were charged with the need to reach out and offer a sort of maternal guidance. Evelyn’s affections for Joseph in the real world were channeled into Emmanuelle’s empowered stance and instinctive role as his female guide in the V-world, but the integrity of her essence conflagrated when she sat down with his daughter and faced the young girl who she implicitly cared for with such affection.[2]
Sister Clarice Willow confronts Barnabas Greeley with knowledge that he has been building an STO power base of his own behind her back:
Barnabas: Wow. I am a bother.
Daniel Graystone finishes informing Philomon of his plan to burn away the anomalies in the U-87's MCP in order to successfully begin mass production. Inside the U-87, Zoe-A listens:
Philomon: But we’d be destroying the original in the process along with everything that makes this prototype distinctive. Everything that makes it . . .
Daniel: What? Unique? A nifty poker player? Sweet Aphrodite, I don't know why I put up with your crap for so long. It is a robot, Doctor! It's not a pet, and it's definitely not a person. It's no different than your fancy cell phone, and right now I don't need a cell phone that will check my mail and wipe my ass. I need a cell phone that works!
1978-11-19
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