Saga of a Star World

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Overview

After a sneak attack destroys human civilization as the Colonials know it; under Commander Adama the survivors set out to find a mythical planet called Earth.

Summary

The Human-Cylon peace accords turn out to be a ruse by the genocidal Cylons, determined to exterminate all humanity. Only the Galactica and a ragtag fleet survive, journeying across the galaxy in search of long-lost sister civilization Earth. Lured to the planet Carillon for fuel and relaxation, the fleet barely survives a trap by the Ovions, an underground, insectoid species in league with the Cylons.

Episode Breakdown

The episode opens with a shot of five Battlestars that comprise the Colonial Fleet assigned to the Peace Treaty. They are the Battlestars Galactica, Atlantia, Acropolis, Pacifica and Columbia.

As the Seventh Millenium of Time approaches President Adar toasts his Qurom of the twelve on the celebration of peace between Mankind and The Cylon Empire, on the Quarom are Adama and Baltar.

On board the Battlestar Galactica Lieutenant Zac, Apollo's younger brother convinces Starbuck to let him take his patrol with Apollo so he can prove to Apollo that he is a worthy warrior. Apollo aware of the deception agrees and Apollo and Starbuck reminice of their younger days and Apollo tease Starbuck about his stomach.

Flight Corporal Rigel clears Apollo and Zac for launch and the two launch on their patrol and head to the Lemure sector.

Back on board the Atlantia Adar congradulates Baltar on the armitise. Adar then meets with Adama and Adama gives his mis-givings about this peace treaty and Adar assures him that the Cylons have sued for peace.

Zac notices two targets above the old moon Cimtar and Apollo flies ahead through and sees the two targets and scans them and reports that they are empty Cylon Tankers. The second tanker jams Apollo's scanning and Apollo continues through the mist and comes into contact with a huge armada of Cylon fighters. Apollo and Zac engage the first pursuing fighters but Zac's top engine is damaged in the attack and he tells Apollo to go on ahead and warn the fleet of the impending Cylon ambush and that he'll make it make ahead of the Cylons. Apollo relunctaly leaves his younger brother behind.

As Adama and Athena return to the Galactica Athena informs Adama that the whole ship is on alert. On reporting to the bridge Colonel Tigh informs Adama that the patrol ran into some trouble but the reports are being jammed. Adam reports this to the President and asks to launch a patrol to intercept. Baltar convinces Adar not to launch fighters due to the delicate nature of the peace treaty. Adama then asks that the fleet be brought to a state of alert. Adar says he will consider it.

Tigh informs Adama that the patrol is under Apollo's command and that Zac is with him. Adama now realizes the gravity of the situation.

Zac continues his journey home ahead of the Cylons.

Tigh urges Adama to launch, but Adam can't launch because of orders, but does agree to Battle Station's drill.

In the warrior lounge Starbuck enjoys a game of Pyramid with some Geminese warriors, he plays his hand, a full Pyaramid and is about to collect his pot when the red alert klaxon sounds.

Zac almost reaches the fleet and is fired upon by the Cylons as Adama and the others watch in horror. Zac calls out for help but is destroyed by the Cylons. When the jamming clears Adar asks "what was that" and Adam answers "that was my son Mr. President."

The Cylons commence their attack and the Galactica lauches her fighters and orders the fire control stations to commence firging. It is reported that none of the other Battlestars could launch their fighters.

Apollo returns to the bridge and reports on the Cylon ambush and aks to go back to escort Zac back in. He is informed of Zac's death.

The attack on the fleet continues and Apollo informs Tigh and Adama of no base ships and guesses that the fighters used the tankers to re-fuel from coming from whereever the base ships are. Adama now knows that the basehips are gathering to attack the Colonies. During this transmission the Cylons bear down on the battlestar Atlantia and she is destroyed to the shock of those watching during the battle and on the bridge of The Galactica.

Questions

• Is each Colony on a planet or are some of them on moons orbiting another Colony's planet?

• Why didn't the Cylons drop nuclear weapons on Colonial cities? Dialouge makes it clear the goal was complete anihilation of the race known as man.

• Why did the survivors so quickly abandon their homeworlds? Although defending the Twelve Colonies with a single battlestar would have been impossible it is unlikely all survivors would be eager to leave quickly.

• How many civilians were left alive on the Colonies because there were not enough ships to carry them to safety?

• Are the civilan conditions on the Gemini freighter typical of those on the other ships?

• If the Ovions got their food supply from harvesting the Colonials what were they feeding them at the casino and what were they sending up to the fleet in supplies?

• Were all the civilians and Colonial Warriors able to evacuate Carillon before the the planet was destroyed?

• Which Colony was Baltar from? His colony was to have been spared but it was left unnamed.

Notes

• The conflict with the Cylons has raged for some 1,000 yahren.
• Each Colony of Man has one representative on the Quorum of Twelve (TOS), and each member to the Quorum has command of a battlestar, apparently.

1. Adama represents Caprica and commands Galactica.
2. Adar is president and commands the Atlantia.

• The Cylons have an hierarchal imperical society, lead by an emperor (Imperious Leader).
• The Cylons wish to exterminate human life as Colonials have interfered with Cylon efforts. (see: Hasari)

Novelization

• Novelized as Battlestar Galactica (ISBN 0-425-03958-7), by Glen A. Larson and Robert Thurston, released by Berkeley Publishing in September 1978.

Statistics

Guest Stars

• Actor 1 as Character 1
• Actor 2 as Character 2

Writing & Direction

• Written by Glen A. Larson
• Directed by Richard A. Colla
• Produced by John Dykstra
• Executive Producer Glen A. Larson
• Supervising Producer Leslie Stevens

Production Notes

• Series 1 (1978 / 1979)
• Production Number: 1.01
• Airdate Order: 1 (of 21)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

• UK Airdate: Date
• US Airdate: September 17, 1978
• DVD Release: December 28, 2004

Re-imagined Series definition: battlestar landing bay mechanism that arrests a landing Viper, Raptor or other small craft (TRS: "Final Cut")

Original Series definition: region of space or planet, see also Quadrant. Usually named after a Greek letter (space sectors), or a geographic formation on the surface of a planet (geographic sector, e.g. Sector Hekla on the planet Arcta")

Original Series definition: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)