This Guide is for the television show "Battlestar Galactica" (1979
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In a frame? Break Out!
Written By: Steve Mount
Source: Episode Viewing
Note: This guide originally appeared in the fanzine Visions of the Galactica, issue 5 (November 1994).
Program Note: You may also have noticed scenes from BG appearing in Radio Shack commericals in summer, 2000 - lots of Vipers and Cylons shooting at each other, and one big ole Cylon Base Ship.
Other sites of interest:
Key terms and characters
The Pilot (Saga of a Star World) (May be shown in 2 or 3 parts or as a 2- or 3-hour movie [depending on edits])
The Council of Twelve is meeting to discuss the armistice arranged between the Colonies and Man's mortal enemy, the Cylons, by Baltar. The (presumably) 12 battlestars of the Colonies are assembled in one place for the treaty signing. All councilors are in favor of the treaty, though Adama is wary.
Apollo and Zac, a newly christened warrior, go on patrol from the Galactica. The run across a Cylon tanker that they discover is a disguised fighter base. The Cylons attack the Vipers as they try to race back to the Galactica to warn the leadership. Zac takes a hit and Apollo goes on ahead. Zac's Viper is subsequently destroyed.
As Apollo reports the presence of the fighters, Adama tries to convince the Council president to launch Vipers from all battlestars. Baltar convinces the president to hold back. As sensors detect a large incoming force, Adama launches Galactica's Vipers. The other battlestars, presumably, are not able to do so, and each is destroyed. The colonial planets are attacked and nearly the entire population is wiped out.
Adama goes to his home world of Caprica, and finds his home destroyed. He and Apollo are confronted by an angry mob wondering why they had not been protected. Adama informs them that all space-worthy ships are to take on all survivors and leave the planet. The order is sent to all colonial planets. This is the makings of the "rag-tag fleet".
The Fleet leaves the colonial system (The Core System) in search of Earth, where the fabled 13th colony of man is said to have colonized. The Fleet heads to Carillon, a source of tylium, needed for the journey to Earth.
Upon arriving at Carillon, a resort of sorts is discovered, and half of the Fleet's population sets down for "shore leave". During a gathering of the humans, Apollo and Starbuck notice that many of the warriors in attendance are impostors. Searching for the reason, they stumble upon the secret of Carillon's natives, the Ovions. They store humans in honeycomb for processing into food. They also find Cylons in the lower levels. Apollo and Starbuck fire their blasters at the tylium in the lower levels and start off a planetary-wide chain reaction.
Meanwhile, a Cylon assault on the Galactica begins. The Cylons believe all colonial warriors to be in a trap in the planet's lower levels. Adama, however, sent "actors" in the warriors' place, suspecting a trap. The entire warrior squadron is on alert on the planet surface, and launch a full-scale counter attack.
Carillon is destroyed, taking a Base Ship with it. The Fleet starts its journey toward Earth.
In the movie version, Baltar is killed by the Cylon leader after the Betrayal. In the TV version (often a two-parter), he is given a Base Star and told to pursue and destroy or capture the Fleet. In the movie version, Serina dies (or presumably dies) of radiation poisoning. In the TV version, she lives on.
Lost Planet of the Gods (2 parts)
Apollo and Serina announce their intention to marry at a dinner with Starbuck, Athena, and Adama. Soon thereafter, Starbuck and Apollo launch on patrol beyond the Fleet's scanning range. They find a dark void in space. Apollo enters and is nearly lost, but Starbuck is able to find Apollo and lead them out of the void.
The Cylon Imperious Leader decides that Baltar may yet be of some use to him. He spares his life, gives him a Base Star, and an aide, Lucifer.
Boomer and Jolly land on an asteroid containing a Cylon listening post. The post picks them up and they are allowed to leave, betraying the Fleet's position. Returning from the patrol, the warriors do not decontaminate, wanting to rush to a wedding party being thrown by the warriors for Apollo. They proceed to infect all of the warriors save Apollo and Starbuck with a mysterious illness.
Unable to do without pilots, the shuttle pilots are recruited to learn how to fly Vipers. The "problem": all shuttle pilots (it seems) are women. Apollo and Starbuck train the women to fly and to fight. During a mission back to the asteroid Jolly and Boomer landed on (Dr. Salik insists that only by going there can he find the cure to the illness), the Cylons at the base are alerted and attack the inexperienced new warriors. The women outdo themselves, however, and the base is destroyed (by Apollo and two or three well-placed blaster shots). The medical shuttle lands on the asteroid for study.
The Fleet is taken to the edge of the great void in space. Adama is sure that it is a void of myth wherein lies a planet the 13th colony inhabited before moving on to Earth, Kobol. Adama overrules all other suggestions and sends the Fleet into the "infinite" void.
The Cylon Base Ship under Baltar's command follows the Fleet just out of scanner range. The ship tickles the scanners and Starbuck is sent out to investigate. He is captured by the Cylons, who on Baltar's orders, take him alive.
Though fearing that Starbuck is dead, Serina and Apollo get married. At the end of the ceremony, a pulsating star appears, with the mythical planet, Kobol, in orbit. Adama, Serina, and Apollo land and find great pyramids and sphinxes. Adama goes into one of the pyramids for divine guidance, searching for clues to find the path of the 13th tribe, colonizers of Earth. Baltar arrives delivering a message of peace, saying that because the Cylon empire is suddenly weak, the Galactica and his Base Ship could take over. Adama refuses, and Apollo would like to just kill Baltar.
Starbuck is released as a gesture of Baltar's sincerity. Meanwhile, Lucifer takes over the Base Ship and orders an attack on the planet. The star pulses while Adama, Baltar, Apollo, and Serina argue, and a portal opens. The four descend and find an ancient chamber. Baltar immediately starts to desecrate the place looking for valuables, while Adama reads an ancient tablet describing the way to Earth. Just then the Cylons attack. Baltar is buried under a heavy rock pillar and the tablet is destroyed. The other three leave Baltar behind.
The women warriors, now on the planet and subject to the attack, begin to take off in their Vipers. They attack the Cylons but are heavily outnumbered. The male warriors, just barely on the verge of recovery, come to their aid and fend out the attack force. After the battle, Serina is shot by a pair of Cylons (Baltar's escorts, no doubt) on the planet surface. She dies later on board the Galactica. The Fleet leaves with the Base Ship in retreat.
The Lost Warrior
Apollo is on patrol and encounters a Cylon patrol. He lures the Cylons away from the Galactica, but in the process uses up all of his fuel. He has no way of contacting the Galactica. He puts down on the planet Equelus and meets up with a small boy, Puppis, and his mother. The mother, Vella, is afraid someone will discover the Viper and has it hidden.
While eating, Red Eye comes to the farm, having seen the ship come from space. Red Eye is a Cylon, but not like any Cylon we've seen thus far. Puppis' uncle Bootis also sees the ship and comes to the farm to investigate. He confronts Red Eye who leaves, admonishing Bootis and Vella for not paying their tribute.
Vella explains to Apollo that her husband was also a stranded Colonial Warrior, Martin, who was killed by Red Eye when he was found by Laserta, the local self-proclaimed baron. Bootis implores Apollo to kill Red Eye with his blaster, but Apollo refuses, saying that more Cylons are bound to be about (regardless of the fact that Martin had been killed 9 yahren prior).
After Laserta takes half his herd, Bootis goes to Laserta's tavern and confronts him. He is killed by Red Eye. Apollo rushes to the tavern a second too late. But still he refuses to kill Red Eye (to Puppis' chagrin).
Apollo learns that the Cylon was a victim of a patrol craft crash. Laserta was the first to find the damaged warrior, and the warrior assumed him to be his master. Laserta named the Cylon Red Eye and uses him to force the locals to pay tribute to him. Armed with the knowledge that Red Eye is not a part of a Cylon base, Apollo dons his pistol belt.
Apollo kills the Cylon in a western-style shoot-out. Vella takes Apollo to her husband's Viper where he recovers fuel cells. He leaves the planet behind, finding Starbuck and Boomer on rescue patrol just before they give up the effort.
Some fun things about Equelus: Horses and wolves (lupuses [lupi?]) growl like tigers. Oviners wear cowboy hats made of tin. A dog is a daggit, a sheep is an ovine, but apparently a pig is just a pig (as in "that fat pig"). It never seems to be daylight, either.
The Long Patrol
The Fleet is finally leaving the reaches of known space. Starbuck takes Recon Viper 1 out into an asteroid field ahead of the Fleet to scout the area. He encounters a fighter attacking an unarmed shuttle. He bedazzles the fighter pilot and puts down with the shuttle pilot. The shuttle pilot bonks Starbuck on the head to "acquire" his Viper, which is small and fast - a smuggler's dream.
The smuggler, Robber, sends an encoded signal back to the home sector. Both the Galactica and the Cylons intercept it. Assuming Starbuck is dead, Apollo and Boomer seek the signal to destroy the ship. Three Cylon ships also follow.
Starbuck takes off in and is captured in the shuttle. He lands amid a sea of security officers and soon finds himself in a prison. The prisoners have names befitting their crimes - Forger, Assault, etc. Starbuck is renamed Bootlegger (the cargo of the shuttle was Ambrosa, a wine). Starbuck soon learns that the prisoners are really ancestors of "Original Sinners", and that the current security officers are the original officers' ancestors. The prisoners make ambrosa for the Colonial war effort.
Starbuck informs the prisoners that the war is over and the Colonies had forgotten about this place. No ambrosa had been shipped to the Colonies in several hundred years. He also discovers that the jail cells are not locked, and the prison revolts.
Meanwhile, Apollo and Boomer are about to destroy the Recon Viper when Cassiopea recognizes the encoded signal is based on a merchant code. Based on this information, the Galatica's computers decipher the message (requesting vector coordinates to Aries). The attack is called off. Apollo and Boomer are directed to Starbuck by Robber, and the three of them destroy the Cylon patrol.
Presumably at this point, the entire penal colony is picked up by the Fleet and the Fleet continues on, as we see Robber and his family dining with Adama and the rest of the cast on the Rising Star.
The Gun on Ice Planet Zero (2 parts)
Blue squadron is on patrol when they come upon a planet of ice. Cree, a warrior cadet, sees a flash on the horizon and he and two other Vipers move to investigate. The flashes are generated by a Cylon weapon, which destroys the two Vipers. Cree is forced down and taken prisoner. Starbuck and Boomer return to the Galactica to report. Adama decides the huge weapon must be destroyed and orders the computer to select people experienced in hostile climate, mountaineering, and demolitions. The selected group are all housed aboard the prison barge.
The landing party consisting of Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer, and four convicts (Wolfe, Leda, Trane, and Kroft) set out for the ice planet with a Viper escort. The Cylons on the planet detect the ships and send out a patrol. The Viper destroys one fighter before being destroyed by the pulsar weapon. The shuttle is damaged by laser fire - a hull breach occurs just as the shuttle enters the planet's atmosphere. Starbuck manages to land the damaged craft, but once they put down, they find the shuttle to be beyond repair.
Apollo cranks up the snowram and hears Muffit bark -- Boxey and Muffit stowed away on the shuttle so they could see snow. The shuttle passengers load into the snowram just as a Cylon fighter attacks. Starbuck blows it away from the roof turret (the exploding fighter is the footage of the base ship exploding from the pilot episode, BTW).
Wolfe and Haals are on the roof turret when they begin to fight. Wolfe tries to shoot the other and shoots out the snowram's power cells instead. The snowram is now disabled. The group camp in the snowram for the night, despite the deadly diethenene storm a'brewing. Muffit leaves and finds a group of local hunters, who bring the warriors to their camp. The hunters are all clones (or theta-class life forms) of one man and one woman. They were created by a Dr. Ravishall, who also created the pulsar weapon. He works for the Cylons, because they let him conduct his research in peace. When the clones learn that the warriors have solenite with them to destroy the pulsar, they agree to take them to the village.
The wounded stay behind and two clones lead the warriors (and Boxey!) to the village. A clone brings Apollo to Dr. Ravishall. Ravishall espouses the belief that his inventions are designed to be benevolent (the pulsar is an instrument for sending high-powered communications), and that he cannot control if they are used otherwise. Though Ravishall prefers to work in peace, he agrees to help destroy the pulsar when Apollo appeals to his humanity. The convicts and Apollo go to the mountain to climb it to the pulsar.
Meanwhile, Cree is being interrogated by the head Cylon in the Cylon base. He refuses to tell them where the Galactica is, and, in defiance, says he is from the Columbia. The Cylons use a mind probe on the warrior. Initially, the probe is unsuccessful. Cree is placed in a cold cell (to freeze?). While in this cell, Starbuck breaks into the prison and frees Cree.
Baltar (he's baaack!) is informed that the base on the planet Arcta encountered Vipers, something Baltar already knew. Baltar informs Lucifer that he has been leading the Fleet to this planet, and he tells Lucifer to have a second base ship come up behind the Galactica to block its escape from the area. A phalanx of fighters is sent to the planet, then redirected to the Fleet, after which most of the fighters do not have enough fuel to return to the base ship. Those that do are ordered to attack the Fleet again (Lucifer doesn't like this much). (While Baltar paces, he limps -- a result of his injury on Kobol, no doubt.) These actions push the Fleet closer to the pulsar.
After Thane escapes and is killed after being captured, Apollo and the remaining convicts scale the mountain. Wolfe escapes, attempting to leave in a Cylon fighter. Apollo, Kroft, and Leda get inside the pulsar station, and plant charges. Boomer and Starbuck, with a large group of revolting clones, attack the pulsar from the inside. Leda is killed by a Cylon centurion, taking a shot aimed at Kroft. The pulsar is destroyed microns before the Galactica comes into range.
Lucifer informs Baltar of the failure of his plan, and neither is very happy (Baltar blames the centurions on the planet, Lucifer blames the plan). On the planet, Dr. Ravishall tells Apollo that he and the clones will remain behind and that they have the means to defend themselves from the Cylons when they return.
The Magnificent Warriors
A Cylon attack destroys two agro-ships, and damages the third, destroying all crops growing in the Fleet. The head farmer on the remaining ships informs Tigh that they have no more seeds to grow new crops. Fortunately, a long-range patrol discovered an agricultural planet just off of the Fleets current course. Adama suggests bringing an energizer to the planet to exchange for seed ("All planets could use more power").
The only energizer in the Fleet that is not of Colonial design (and could lead Cylons to the Fleet) belongs to a female admirer of Adama. He agrees to court Belaby in exchange for the energizer. A landing party (first of four people (Apollo, Boomer, Starbuck, and Adama), then of five (Belaby), then six (Boxey, along on a "safe" mission to spend time with his father), then seven (somewhere, Jolly got included)) goes to the planet, Sectar.
Boomer and Starbuck attempt to trade the energizer for seed, but are rejected. Traveling back to the shuttle, they are jumped and their power sled (with energizer on board) is high jacked. Starbuck goes back into town to find the power sled, and Boomer returns to the shuttle to bring the rest of the party back into town.
Unwittingly, Starbuck accepts the constable's badge, and is "forced" by tradition to stay on as constable (most former constables have been killed by another species on the planet called the Boray, who ride through the town, pillaging, each full moon). During the next Boray attack (they come for the village's grain and women), Boomer, Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo stand the Boray off (where'd Jolly go?). The Boray, however, make off with Belaby.
Adama, Boomer, Starbuck, and Apollo take the power sled and Muffit off to track down Belaby. They find her in the Boray camp. Adama unsuccessfully negotiates for her release. Starbuck uses his own form of negotiation and she is released. He gave over the constabulary to the Boray leader. He promises not to attack the village again - in exchange, the village will provide him with all the grain he can eat and ambrosa he can drink. Adama gets his seeds, and Belaby breaks it off with Adama, due to the fact that he was not able to get her freed.
The Young Lords
Boomer and Starbuck, on patrol, are attacked by a Cylon patrol. Starbuck's ship is damaged and he puts down on a nearby planet. Boomer returns to retrieve a rescue mission. A Cylon garrison is in place on the planet. The Cylon leader, Spectre (similar to Lucifer, but, according to Lucifer, an earlier model), sends a foot patrol out to capture Starbuck. Injured, Starbuck is no match for the patrol and he is captured.
The patrol is destroyed by blaster fire from a group of children and teenagers, freeing Starbuck. He is welcomed to the planet Atilla. The leader of the children, a young man,attacks a Cylon depot, leaving behind a message - the father of the children, held captive in the castle occupied by the Cylons, is to be exchanged for Starbuck.
The father unwillingly agrees to the exchange and Spectre puts out the signal that the terms are acceptable. The exchange is made (over Starbuck's objections). Of course, when the children get their "father" back, it is a man of straw. The Cylons now have both men.
Lucifer informs Baltar, jealously, that Spectre has been requesting too many supplies to support his reported activities. Methinks that the extra supplies were to replace those destroyed by the commando children. Spectre lies to Baltar about Starbuck (first he is injured, then unconscious -- either way, unable to disclose the location of the Galactica).
Starbuck and the children orchestrate a plan to free the father, and pointer and accurate attacks on the outside of the castle allow Starbuck and Miri, the teenaged girl, to enter the castle through a secret entrance. The father is freed.
Spectre reports that the warrior "terminated." The blasts in the background (petro tanks blowing up during the childrens' attack) are reported to be the remnants of a "Scorched Earth" policy the Spectre is carrying out. Baltar, impressed, orders the garrison to leave the planet.
Boomer and Apollo land to find the battle over, and leave the family behind at their request. Of course, Starbuck needs to get off one last kiss for Miri....
In this episode, Adama is sick, presumably from a flu-like illness. This gives us a chance to see Cassiopea (a too-rare look, I'd say) and some grandfather-grandson bonding as Boxey visits Adama in his sickbed.
The Living Legend (2 parts)
Starbuck and Apollo, on recon patrol, are under attack. The attackers, however, are humans piloting Vipers. Realizing their attackees are also human, the attack stops. Starbuck recognizes the voice of Bojay, who had served on the Galactica. The pilots are on the Pegasus, a battlestar sent off to fight at Gamoray yahren before the Peace Betrayal. The Pegasus is under the command of Cain, a great military leader.
The Fleet, however, is in trouble. There is no more fuel left ("Not a drop," says Adama, implying that the ships use a liquid fuel...). The Pegasus, however, has been stealing and using Cylon fuel, and when Cain comes aboard the Galactica, he has a plan to capture the fuel base on Gamoray. Gamoray was the home of the Delphians, but the Cylons destroyed their civilization.
Adama, however, wants a more conservative approach: hijack a few Cylon tankers to get the Fleet out of the quadrant. Reluctantly, Cain agrees with Adama's plan.
Cain asks about a woman named Cassiopea, whom he is sure is no longer alive. She is, of course, and it is clear they have a history. Sheba, Cain's warrior daughter, has nothing but contempt for Cassie. She apparently had a relationship with Cain just after Cain's wife died. Starbuck is left in limbo in regards to Cassie's relationship with him.
A squadron from the Pegasus and one from the Galatica launch to intercept and capture a tanker. Cain, however, has plans of his own. Sending Blue Squadron off to destroy fleeing fighters, Cain destroys the two tankers. Adama will now be forced to attack Gamoray.
Adama, however, is unwilling to risk it. He orders the fuel aboard the Pegasus be distributed to all ships in the Fleet. He relieves Cain of command of the Pegasus - Tigh replaces Cain on the bridge.
Baltar, probes having shown the Fleet at a stand-still, orders his three-base star fleet to begin preparations for a final attack. He is so confident, he decides to accompany the attacking bombers.
Detecting the attack, Adama places Cain back in command of the Pegasus. Cain takes the battlestar to the rear of the attacking ships, to squeeze them in a pincer move. Baltar is obviously shaken when the Pegasus sneaks up behind him. Baltar calls for the Cylons to retreat.
(My question at this point -- if the Pegasus has been raiding and attacking Gamoray for 2 yahren, why did the Cylons not know that there was another battlestar out there....)
After the battle, Cain proposes, again, an attack on Gamoray. A ground force will take out the Cylon's defensive cannon, and the Galatica will attack. The Pegasus will hold the three pursuing base ships at bay. Starbuck, Apollo, Boomer, Sheba, Bojay (a Pegasus warrior), and Cassiopea (as a medtech) parachute to the surface of Gamoray.
Unknown to them, at the same time, the Cylon Imperious Leader is arriving on Gamoray to dedicate the base. The assault team blows up a munitions dump just as the Imperious Leader is giving his dedication speech. The defensive cannon control center is destroyed, and the fuel dump is secured. Baltar begins to send a task force against the unguarded Fleet until he learns that the Imperious Leader is on Gamoray. He sends the task force to its defense.
Cain launches toward the Cylon base ships -- "an unbelievable number" of Cylon fighters are encountered, and casualties are heavy on both sides. Baltar sends the remainder of the fighters on to Gamoray. The Pegasus continues on toward the base ships. When Lucifer informs Baltar of this, and that Cain is in command, Baltar freaks. He believes that Cain is after him personally (which is true). Baltar recalls his fighters, leaving Galactica alone.
All non-essential personnel are evacuated from the Pegasus to the Galactica via shuttle, as Cain begins his assault on the three base ships. Baltar's ship, of course, is in retreat. Apollo and Starbuck attack the cannon on the base ships (having left the shuttle launches in Boomer's hands). The base ships cannot fire, as they could hit each other. Apollo and Starbuck clear the area as the Pegasus passes between the base stars and fires "air-to-air missiles" at point blank range. Both base ships are destroyed. Is the Pegasus still in one piece? Apollo and Starbuck are flash blinded and cannot tell. They return to Galactica as the returning Cylon fighters come closer.
Sheba, shot down by a Cylon, is recovering nicely aboard the Galactica, where Cain's fate is discussed. Consensus is that he is likely alive, but hiding.
Fire in Space
A huge force of Cylon raiders mass toward Galactica. Blue squadron, with Sheba as a new member, fly toward the force. The Cylons are not firing, and many are picked off by the Vipers. Two make their way through and attack the Galactica kamikaze style. One is destroyed just before it slams into the bridge, but the explosion causes grave damage - Adama, for one, is injured. The second Cylon slams into the port landing bay, rendering it unlandable.
Forward sensors, internal communications, one of two energizers, and the landing bay are knocked out. Boomer, Athena, and Boxey are trapped by fire in the "Rejuvenation Center". Boomer hot wires a bulkhead door to move the 20 or so occupants of the center to a storage compartment, just as the fire moves into the center. The life masks in the center had been destroyed, and the compartment only has five. Muffit is sent through the ventilation system to the bridge with a message.
Starbuck, Sheba, and Apollo load up three Vipers with boroton to fire it into the blazing landing bay. They extinguish the flames for a few seconds, but it flares up again. Fire control personnel have just as much success putting out the fire encroaching on the storage compartment and the last remaining energizer. Adama, in the meantime, is being taken into surgery by Dr. Selik, to remove a fragment embedded in his heart.
Starbuck and Apollo go outside the ship for a space walk. They place charges to blow the hull out and deny the fire oxygen. Muffey, meanwhile, reaches the bridge with his message -- "Send lifemasks!" Muffey is sent back to the storage compartment with enough masks for everyone -- they will need them when the hull is breached.
The charges are set, but Apollo lets go of the bulkheads and drifts into space (tethers would have slowed him and Starbuck down, and time is of the essence...) Starbuck leaps after him just before the charges blow. Sheba spots them in her Viper and circles them while awaiting a rescue shuttle.
The fires out, and the Rejuvenation Center crew safe, they meet in the sick bay, where Adama is recovering nicely from his surgery. Muffit is brought into the sick bay, badly burned while saving a fallen fire fighter.
(Much stock footage here, including some from Living Legend. The landing bay explosions looked like they were taken from footage of a fuel dump exploding -- complete with a tanker rail car in the middle of frame. Also saw Sheba wearing, alternately, a Pegasus Viper helmet and a Galactica Viper helmet.)
War of the Gods (2 parts)
Bojay and Jolly lead a scouting mission, when several small, fast lights approach, pass, and pass again. Following the lights on the second pass is a large ship (very much like Star Trek's Crystalline Entity). The Galactica loses signal with the Vipers. Apollo, Starbuck, and Sheba go in search of the group.
They find a planet with odd red vegetation and a polarizing atmosphere. A huge crater is in evidence - the result of the crash of a very large craft? Exploring the crater, the three encounter an odd man, unarmed and unhurt. He says the Great Powers destroyed the ship. He does not mean the Cylons. He is to be taken back to the Galactica. During the walk back, the sky fills with streaking lights, lights which the man says are after him.
On board the Galactica, the man, now introduced as Count Iblis, postpones a debriefing for rest. Sheba attempts to put Iblis through scanners, but he somehow hypnotizes her, and he gets the grand tour of the battlestar, bridge included. When he enters the bridge, all monitors go haywire -- when he leaves, they are restored. Adama is furious Iblis has seen sensitive areas of the ship when they know nothing of him. Adama and Iblis meet, and Iblis tells Adama that he will take over the Fleet and lead them to Earth. Adama does not seem impressed.
Apollo wonders if Iblis might be an android. Medical scans show nothing, though the man is very charming.... Iblis attempts to woo Sheba over to him by promising her that she will see her father again. At the same time, the lights have found the Fleet and are buzzing the Galactica and the other ships. Red Squadron investigates and is lost.
Sheba seems further enthralled by Iblis when he is summoned to Adama. Adama demands to know who Iblis is. Iblis tells Adama to come up with three tests. If he passes the tests, he must be allowed to lead the humans. The lights will continue to plague the Fleet until it is under his protection, he says. Iblis tours a freighter carrying human cargo. Conditions aboard are bad. The people agree to follow Iblis if he can provide food and comfort to them. Aboard the agroship, crops suddenly grow mature.
Adama agrees to discuss Iblis' proposal with the Council. Two tests are agreed upon: Deliver the enemy, and plot a safe course to Earth. The third cannot yet be decided.
Baltar and his base ship encounter the lights. Lucifer notes that they had better be human technology, or else a species well beyond the Cylons must be out there waiting for them. When no explanation is forthcoming, Baltar has Lucifer prepare his ship -- he is going to travel to the Galactica under the Universal Flag of Truce. Soon, Baltar is standing with Iblis in the Council chambers (not that this is last we see of the Cylons for several episodes).
Baltar is committed to life on the prison barge by the Council. Baltar confronts Iblis, whose voice sounds just like that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Iblis notes that since no biological Cylon has lived for a millennium, for a machine copy to have his voice, he'd have had to have been around a 1000 yahren ago...
Apollo is refusing to play Triad in a tournament in honor of Iblis. Adama persuades Apollo to play, saying that not playing is causing dissention in the Fleet, and that by NOT playing, he is helping Iblis' cause. The game is played, and Starbuck and Apollo are uncharacteristically beaten, badly. Apollo suspects Iblis influenced the game. The festivities following the match are VERY festive. The next day, the bridge is virtually deserted, and a Viper alert goes unanswered. Adama, furious that Iblis so influenced his people, calls an immediate alert. Apollo has to practically shake the brains out of Starbuck and Boomer to get them moving.
Iblis is growing in popularity among the people and the Council. Adama fears that he will soon be elected President of the Council. Iblis has also threatened Adama's position on the Council and command of the Galactica.
On the patrol mission, Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer encounter the lights. Boomer, still a bit high, follows and attacks a light and disappears, taken by the Crystalline Entity.
Apollo walks in on his father as Adama is moving an object by telekinesis. Adama says that he took part in an ESP experiment yahren ago, and that he used to do a Uri Geller routine for his wife, bending spoons. Adama postulates that Iblis and the lights are related -- perhaps angels, so described by the ancient scrolls of Kobol. Perhaps they are a race of beings so advanced that they have total control of their minds. Perhaps the lights are chasing, following, or watching Iblis to be sure he does not abuse his powers. The only way to find out, is to go back to the planet and investigate the wrecked ship.
Apollo and Starbuck go to the planet. Sheba, under Iblis' influence, follows in a Viper. Starbuck and Apollo look inside the remains of the ship and find something starling. Sheba is about to look, when Iblis shows up. He threatens to kill Sheba if she does not return to him. Apollo figures out that Iblis is the devil of the ancient scrolls, Mephistopholes. Iblis' form changes to a minotaur-like creature when Apollo fires at him. Iblis lashes out at Sheba and Apollo takes the hit. He is dead. The lights come, and Iblis disappears.
Sheba and Starbuck take Apollo aboard the shuttle and head back to the Fleet. They encounter the lights, are taken aboard the mysterious ship, and meet the "crew": people, much like humans, but very advanced and from a different dimension. They revive Apollo when both Sheba and Starbuck express their desire to trade places with Apollo. Starbuck is told that they are the force of good in the universe, that they watch over the humans as they fight a common foe - evil.
At a reception for Blue Squadron, we learn that all pilots have been returned, and Sheba, Starbuck, and Apollo have little or no memory of the encounter. However, when Earth is mentioned, they rattle off directions and coordinates to Earth, and describe its solar system. Something amazing happened to them -- they just cannot remember what.
The Man With Nine Lives
After Baltar's surrender and the provision of directions to Earth by the people of the lights, the Fleet is under way and all warriors are placed on leave. Apollo and Starbuck head for the Rising Star - Starbuck has a pyramids system that he guarantees to win.
Meanwhile, on another shuttle, a con man sees an interview with Starbuck, where he details what little he knows of his childhood. An orphan, his parents were killed in a Cylon attack on an agro city, Umbra, on the edge of Thorn Forest on Caprica. The con man makes his way onto the Rising Star without paying for the trip, using the interview as cover.
On the Rising Star, Boomer (and the rest of the crowd) notice three Borelian Nomen enter. Rarely seen mixing with other colonists, the crowd grows silent in anticipation. Nomen WILL mix with others when they are hot on a bloodtrail. Boomer calms the crowd and the Nomen sit. One of the Nomen, Taba (the youngest) sees the con man, Chameleon. He draws his weapon and prepares to fire as Chameleon ducks out of the hall. The crowd scatters -- the Nomen weapons, laser bol, must be used once drawn or they overload and explode. Boomer has Taba discharge the weapon on a support column. Boomer insists that the Nomen either give up their weapons while on the Star, or leave. They leave, as it is against the Code to be unarmed.
Starbuck is trying out his new system, and it is working pretty well. He is about to bet everything on one hand, when Chameleon, playing next to Starbuck, tells him his system has one flaw. Starbuck only bets half and loses. He, Apollo, and Chameleon go for a drink, Starbuck grateful to have come away with half his cubits. Chameleon tells Apollo and Starbuck that he is a genetic tracer, matching orphaned children to relatives within the Fleet. Starbuck mentions that he is an orphan. Chameleon says that he once had a son, and that he was lost in a Cylon attack on Umbra. He relates back to Starbuck all the things Starbuck had said in the televised interview. Starbuck is amazed and decides that Chameleon is father. Chameleon says that he cannot prove it, as all testing equipment is in use, and he cannot rightfully move the two of them ahead on the list. He mentions, however, that the Galactica may have the proper equipment for basic tests.
The Nomen did not get onto the first shuttle. Jolly and Boomer confront them. They say that it was full. The deny being on a bloodtrail. Taba lashes out at Boomer, almost drawing his laser bol again, when Taba inferred an insult from Boomer on Maga, the leader of the three. Maga turns Taba over to the warriors, having broken the Code twice in one day. He is to no longer be considered a Noman. Starbuck and Chameleon pass the Nomen and warriors on the way back to the shuttle, and the Nomen keep a close eye on him.
Back on the Galactica, Cassiopea runs blood tests on Starbuck and Chameleon. Apollo, meanwhile, is very skeptical of Chameleon and orders a security check. The blood tests are positive -- the two men are related within 10 generations. Cassie mentions that she can do a neural scan test which can determine 100% any closer blood relation. Starbuck and Chameleon agree to the test. The security check on Chameleon turns up no such person in the Fleet. Starbuck, aghast that Apollo would order such a check, dissolves their friendship.
The neural scan comes back positive - Chameleon IS Starbuck's father. Cassie tells Chameleon first. He insists that she not tell Starbuck. He is afraid that Starbuck will leave everything he knows behind to try to catch up on old times with a man not worthy of such sacrifice. He does vow to be a part of Starbuck's life, and to tell him one day. Perhaps, he says, when he and Cassie are sealed. (Big blush from Cassiopea).
The Nomen board the Galactica as warrior trainees. They overpower their "drill sergeant", Corporal Lomas, and head out to find Chameleon. Starbuck and Chameleon are in a Viper - Starbuck is explaining all of the controls. The Nomen find the pair and chase Starbuck down a launch tube. Chameleon tells Starbuck to hit the deck, and fires the laser cannon at the Nomen. They survive, however. Interrogation later reveals that they were looking for a Capt. Dimitri. Chameleon reveals that to the Nomen, he is Dimitri. He found out that the Nomen were attempting to build a Viper of their own, and he thwarted the effort (for a profit, no doubt).
He admits to using Starbuck to get away from the Nomen. Starbuck and Apollo make up. Adama decides to let Chameleon go, and Starbuck and Chameleon vow to stay in touch (with a knowing wink from Chameleon to Cassie).
Murder on the Rising Star
Apollo and Starbuck are playing triad on the Rising Star with Ortega and Barton. Ortega plays a rough game, and he and Starbuck foul each other, and get thrown out of the game. In the hallway, a fight between the two is broken up by Cassie. Starbuck heads for the turbowash. Later, Ortega is leaving his dressing room, opens the door to someone he obviously knows, and draws his laser.
Starbuck almost runs Chella, a worker, over as he runs to the shuttle bay to meet Cassiopea for the ride back to the Galactica. Chella discovers Ortega's body. Adama and Tigh order Boomer and Apollo to find Starbuck and examine his laser to see if it has been fired. It has. Starbuck insists that it was fired only at target practice. But tests indicate that the energy expended on Ortega's body is the exact amount of energy gone from Starbuck's blaster.
Chief Opposer Cyasota charges Starbuck with wrongful termination. Apollo volunteers to be Starbuck's Protector. In the investigation, Apollo and Boomer speak to Barton. He indicates that everyone hated Ortega, but that Ortega had mentioned a Karibdis as being the only man with the guts to actually kill him.
Though Karibdis is not in the Fleet computer as fleeing on the Rising Star, Adama recognizes the name of Proteus, Baltar's pilot, who sabotaged key defenses on Caprica during the Peace Betrayal. Apollo visits Baltar on the prison barge. Baltar demands freedom for his help. Apollo leaves the prison barge.
Meanwhile, Starbuck attempts an escape. Apollo finds him in the nick of time, and persuades Starbuck to go through the legal system, not to make things worse.
Boomer and Apollo go to the Rising Star, where Ortega was a high-roller. They find Chella, who is a pyramids dealer. They interrogate him, and learn his true story - he was an official who missed his ship off of Caprica during the Cylon attack. He found the Rising Star about the leave Caprica with a load of women and children. Ortega was supervising the loading. Chella, whose real name is Rifkis, bribed Ortega to let him onto the ship. Apollo believes that Chella is Karibdis, until he mentions that he was only one of three people who so bribed Ortega -- and who had been blackmailed by Ortega.
The other two men, Elias and Pallon, are taken to the Galactica. As part of a plan to have the real Karibdis "stand up," Apollo mentions to them that they are to be released, and that Apollo was headed to the prison barge to get Baltar, who was to help in the search for Karibdis. Just before Apollo leaves, one of the men reboards the shuttle.
The tribunal begins with Boomer as Protector Pro-tem. Apollo picks up Baltar and informs him that Karibdis is on board, and will kill them both if he does not help Apollo. When Karibdis shows himself, Boomer opens Alpha Channel and patches in to the tribunal, who hears the man Pallon admit to the murder of Ortega. Baltar, fearing for his life, turns on Karibdis while he is not looking, and Apollo overpowers him. Starbuck is set free.
Starbuck and Apollo return to the Rising Star to play in a triad match, and are met by a standing ovation.
Greetings From Earth (2 parts)
Starbuck and Apollo, on deep probe, are awoken from sleep period when a proximity klaxon announces a nearby ship. Scans indicate human life on board, with minimal life support. The ship, looking very much like a space shuttle I must say, is towed back to the Fleet. The atmosphere in the ship is nearly non-existent, but Drs Selik and Wilker wish to go inside anyway. When they do, they find six people, two adults and four children. Earthlings? They are in stasis for a long space journey. Wilker and Selik try to interpret the control and revive the people.
They are not too successful, and have created a small short when Apollo walks in. Apollo is all worked up that the rights of these people are being violated, and he demands that the work stop. Adama, Wilker, and Apollo are arguing over what to do (Wilker says continue, Apollo says let them go), when Sire Geller of the Council of Twelve walks in and announces that there are representatives of every ship in the Fleet on board, wanting to see the people removed from the chambers, one way or the other. The Council so votes, but not before the two adults awaken.
Michael walks out of the ship and is confronted by a mass of people, with insignia he is not used to. He warns the people to stay back, but Reese, a loud-mouthed, bossy blackshirt gets too close. Michael shoots him with a stun weapon. He then collapses. He is taken to a pressure chamber, and Selik and Adama retrieve the woman, Sarah. They are both placed in pressure chambers - their native atmosphere is about one fifth that of the colonists. If they are removed from the chambers, Selik says, they will die.
A plan is cooked up to make the people a military matter, rather than a civil one, giving Adama wide powers over what to do next. Apollo and Starbuck will accompany the shuttle to wherever it was headed, and Cassie will go along for the ride to monitor the peoples' vital signs. They convince Michael, who reawoke, that the colonists are not their enemies, just curious and desperate refugees. He is wary, but begins to trust the warriors. He tells them that they are fleeing Lunar 7, a base of the planet Terra. The ship will automatically resume its course if placed in space.
Boomer and Jolly, along with Dr Selik, bamboozle Reese and his guards while the shuttle is "jettisoned" -- with Michael at the helm. Starbuck and Apollo are dispatched immediately to "retrieve" the ship.
After a sectar, the ships are still gone and Adama has been asked to appear before the Council to explain what happened.
Meanwhile, a ship from the Eastern Alliance, which the shuttle passengers was fleeing from, picks up the shuttle (launched a month ago from Lunar 7 [yes, a month]). The commander of the warship is told that they have come millions of kilometers, and that it is being escorted by two ships of unknown origin, configuration, or power source. Vipers. The ship sets off to the planet Paradeen. (The ship's crew wear Nazi-like uniforms, and several have Germanic accents, adding to the sense of foreboding.)
Landing on Paradeen, the shuttle and the two Vipers meet up with two androids, Vector and his "son", Hector. The adults, Starbuck, Apollo, Cassie, and a revived Michael and Sarah gather up the children and head for the Ranch, where Sarah's father awaits.... sort of. When they arrive they find he awaits in spirit only - John Fowler is dead.
Inside the ranch, we learn that Sarah and Michael are not married, and that the oldest girl is Michael's daughter. The remaining children are Sarah's. She is the widow of a farmer, Michael is a what she terms a technocrat. Hector and Vector offer to play a video disk of scenes of Terra, but Sarah refuses - she does not want her children to see a place they can never go. Having been born and raised (and engineered) for Lunar 7, a planet with 1/5th Terra's atmosphere, they can never return. Michael explains that Terra was a world of many nations, but evolved to one of two super nations, the West and the East. The two alliances are in a constant state of war, east vs. west.
Sarah asks to speak with Apollo - she tells him that she dos not love Michael, that they were forced together out of necessity. She and Apollo, however, could make beautiful music together. Apollo rejects her (though he does say he could love her), saying that his duty is to his Fleet.
Starbuck returns with Hector, having found the remains of a city. All of the inhabitants are dead, killed with either neutron or bacterial weapons, Starbuck speculates. Apollo sends him back to the city, to see if he can find a data bank or library which could guide the Fleet to Lunar 7 and Terra. Finding nothing on the surface, Starbuck demands to go into the underground archives that Hector mentions.
Apollo returns to the ships to send a signal to the Galactica. He finds a group of people there, farmers, the Morlans. They warn him to leave lest the Alliance find them all. When Apollo looks in the Viper, he finds all the instruments destroyed. He returns to the ranch, to wait for Starbuck - they will go and teach the Morlans a lesson. Sarah, however, confesses that it was he who did the damage, in an attempt to force Apollo to stay with her. Meanwhile, Hector returns to the ranch sans Starbuck. Starbuck was warned that he would only last about 15 minutes underground, but he persisted - he sent Hector back for an oxygen pack, and Hector could not find his way back. Michael, Apollo, Cassie, and the androids go to the city to find Starbuck. (Best line [paraphrased]: Apollo: "We only have a few centons to find Starbuck." Michael: "Apollo, what in the heck is a centon?!?")
The Alliance ship locates the largest pocket of life forms and land nearby. They take Sarah and her youngest, Walker, into custody. The other three children escape to the Morlands', and alert them. Doyle, the Morlands' farmhand, used to be a caretaker in the underground tunnels. After Starbuck is found, Doyle finds the others soon after and lead them the quickest way out to the surface. The Alliance enforcers are ambushed and taken prisoner. The Galactica crew leave the Terrans behind and take the Alliance destroyer back to the Galactica. The Alliance commander, who had been boasting of the power of the Alliance, is quite surprised by the size of the Galactica, as the destroyer lands in the Galactica's landing bay.
Baltar's Escape
Adama goes to the prison barge to interrogate the Alliance commander, Commandant Lightner. Lightner explains of "naturalism," the theory that the Earstern Alliance is destined to rule over all living things. Adama offers up the Galactica as an example of the falsehood of this theory. Adama is called away by the council.
Baltar, on mess duty, speaks to Taba, Maga, and another Noman, in the mess hall (the Nomen guilty of the running the bloodtrail on Chameleon). He knows of their plans to escape, but knows that there is no where to go -- unless they ally themselves with the Alliance prisoners. The Nomen agree to Baltar's plan, though Maga does mention that Baltar's record does not inspire confidence.... As the group is transported back to their cells, the Nomen fall into "death". As the guards turn away, they revive themselves and attack. Baltar and the Nomen lead the Alliance prisoners to the shuttle bay.
Meanwhile, Adama is being "honored" with the Star of Kobol, unawarded for a thousand yahren. Adama knows better, fearing he is being put out to pasture, and refuses it. He is told that martial law is being lifted, and that the Council is to be reinstated to control of the Fleet. Siress Tiniya is to be the Council liaison on the bridge of the Galactica. The Council invites the Alliance prisoners to the Galactica for a meeting, a meeting to discuss peace with the Alliance.
Boomer and Sheba go to the prison barge to fetch the Alliance prisoners. The Council Security guards are captured by Baltar, the Nomen, and the Alliance men, as are Boomer and Sheba. The shuttle heads back to the Galactica. After communication is lost to the prison barge from the Galactica, Tigh orders a squad of warriors to the bay -- but Tiniya overrules him. In a huff, Tigh finds Apollo and Starbuck and lets them know what's up. They leave to get to the landing bay.
The shuttle lands and the council is taken prisoner by the Alliance. Baltar and the Nomen head for the bridge to take control of the battlestar. They are thwarted by Apollo and Starbuck. The Alliance, Baltar, and the Nomen regroup at the shuttle, which has been wired to explode at the touch of a button by Baltar, if Adama tries any funny stuff. He demands the return of the Alliance destroyer, his Cylon ship and crew, and safe passage.
The two ships are moved to the landing bay, but Dr. Wilker has dismantled the two Cylons pilots, hoping to learn something of them. He needs time to reconstruct them. Adama trades himself for one extra centar of time. Baltar agrees.
Not quite ready to pilot a ship, the Cylons are sent to the landing bay. The Council informs Adama that they have voted and have reinstated martial law. The explosive shuttle launches, then the Alliance destroyer. When Baltar commands the Cylons to launch, though, one of the pilots punches the lights out of the control panel. Starbuck and Apollo rush Baltar and wrench the explosive control device from Baltar.
The destroyer is allowed to escape so that it can be tracked back to Lunar 7. Meanwhile, to Tigh's chagrin, it appears as though Adama is courting Tiniya. (What happened to the Nomen is not clear.)
Experiment in Terra
The Galactica is following the escaped Alliance destroyer, in hopes of finding out the location of Lunar 7 (Adama's journal notes that the Nomen escaped, too - on the destroyer?). Blue squadron is keeping close eye on them, and Starbuck is on point. The rest of the squadron spreads out to guard against other destroyers possibly trying to outflank them. Apollo is overtaken by the Crystalline ship.
On board, Apollo, with no memory of his previous visit, awakens. A "man" named John materializes in front of Apollo and tells his that he must go to Terra to prevent a war, presumably between either the East and West, or between Terra and the colonials -- John does not explain much. He tells Apollo that what he must do will affect both his people's and John's. He will appear to the Terrans as a warrior who has been missing in action (but who is really a prisoner on Lunar 1), to give him instant credibility. Next he knows, Apollo is wearing an all-white uniform, and orbiting Terra. He lands and is greeted as "Charlie" by a Terran woman driving a land vehicle.
Boomer and Starbuck detect Apollo's now-materialized ship's homing beacon -- too far away for Apollo to have gone -- and, if they go to his aide, too far for them to return to the Galactica. They head off that way anyhow, sending a distress call to the Fleet. Tigh calls Adama to the bridge to view Starbuck's odd message. Only the emergency beacon will reach, so no explanation can be given. Adama orders the Galactica to break from the Fleet, leaving behind two squadrons of Vipers as escort. It sets off for Terra at lightspeed.
Apollo's "savior" is Brenda -- she got a phone call from Charlie to pick him up in the middle of the desert. Back at her apartment, John appears to Apollo while he is alone. John tells him he needs to go to the Presidium and tell them about what is going on on Lunar 7 and Paradeen. He tells Apollo that only he can see John, and then only while in a "protected state" -- once his uniform turns from white to normal, the protective state has passed. We learn that Charlie has been gone for six weeks and the Brenda's father is also missing, for four weeks. Apollo is picked up by security forces called in by Brenda, who thinks he needs medical/psychiatric attention. Apollo is thrown in a cell.
The president of the Western Alliance is puzzled by Charlie's return -- he was under the impression that he was killed on Lunar 1 when the East attacked it. He is worried that his appearance will hurt his chances of striking a peace with the East, that he will influence the "war mongering" Presidium. Also, several unidentified flying craft have been detected - patrols are sent out to search the area.
Starbuck has landed and found Apollo's ship - and so has a patrol. Unwilling to lower their weapons drawn on Starbuck, he stuns nine of them with three blaster shots (cool!) and destroys their vehicles. He calls for Apollo on his communicator, but Apollo does not have the communicator - a scientist does.
Brenda's father returns, having been on a mission for the Presidium. He believes that the president is selling the West out. The security guards return to get Brenda and find General Maxwell, too. They are both taken into custody.
Starbuck makes his way to the prison. John appears to him and places him in a protective state. John asks what he plans, and Starbuck makes it clear he is going to break Apollo out of his cell. John cannot stop him. Starbuck releases Apollo, Brenda, and the general. They need to discuss what Apollo knows with the president and Presidium. Quickly, as the Eastern Alliance is planning an attack that very night. Brenda takes Starbuck out to try to find his Viper. He and Apollo need to prove that they are "from another galaxy" by showing their advanced technology. He finds it, but is it too late? The Eastern Alliance has launched all of its missiles at the West. Just then, the Galactica arrives, coming out of lightspeed.
Starbuck radios the Galactica, instructing them to destroy the missiles. The Galactica puts a laser shield around the planet, and the missiles blow up against it as they try to reenter the atmosphere. The Eastern Alliance, fearing a new weapon, sues for peace. Apollo asks John if this is the Earth they seek. He tells him it is not, that they still have a long way to go.
Take the Celestra
At an awards ceremony for the former Commander of the battlestar Rikon, Commander Kronus is given the Distinguished Service Medallion, and command of a textiles and agro ship. He currently commands the Celestra. At the ceremony, Starbuck spots Aurora, presumably a woman from his past. She ducks out of the ceremony and gets navigation instructions from the nav center. She is Kronus' pilot. She seems nervous...
After the ceremony, Starbuck finds Aurora. She basically shrugs him off. Rejected, he is more interested than ever, even as Cassie offers tickets to a theater show. On the shuttle back to the Celestra, Kronus' first officer, Chakra, assumes that he will be taking command of the Celestra -- or at least of one of the other two ships. But Kronus says that he will stay in command of the Celestra, and the other captains will remain in command of their ships.
Starbuck wants to go to the Celestra to see Aurora. He breaks his date with Cassie and goes over with Apollo.
On the Celestra, Aurora and a gang of mutineers shut down a turbodyne, leaving the ship dead in space. Repairs should only take a little time, so Kronus tells Adama that the Celestra will catch up to the Fleet. Adama is hesitant, but with Apollo and Starbuck on the way, he approves. The mutineers enter the launch bay and move toward a shuttle. They are thwarted by a security guard and a subsequently sent squad of guards.
Aurora is sent to secure the shuttle, but meets Starbuck, who has just landed. She cannot fire, and the guards and warriors overtake the mutineers. Kronus insists that the warriors take the mutineers to the Galactica for charges. He must accompany them, being the senior officer. Circa has plans for the group, however. He sends them off on a phony vector, away from the Fleet and away from the Celestra.
On board the shuttle, Starbuck learns from Aurora that they have been working like slaves on the Celestra, 18 centar shifts, whole families working at once. They figure the whole Fleet is the same, and were going to escape to a planet they were passing by. (We learn that Starbuck and Aurora were involved on Caprica, but after the Betrayal, Starbuck went to find her and her dwelling had been demolished. He'd assumed her dead.)
Kronus is surprised by the reports of working conditions on the Celestra, and Starbuck and Apollo assure the others that such conditions do not exist elsewhere. Suddenly, Apollo realizes that they should be in contact with the Fleet -- but it is not in the scanners. The Celestra (now under the command of Circa) has gone dark. The mutineers are electronics experts, and plot the Celestra's likely course. The shuttle finds the ship in the nick of time -- just barely enough fuel is left for braking in the dark landing bay (the Celestra did not see the shuttle coming, as its scanners were dark, too).
Starbuck and Apollo make their way to the bridge and a fire fight breaks out. The ship goes out of control, and the frail Kronus takes the steering handle. It is his last act, as he dies, presumably of a heart attack. The warriors and mutineers retake the bridge.
Kronus is buried in space from the Galactica. We learn that the mutineers were found guilty, but given probation, and Chakra and his crew were sent to the prison barge. Starbuck and Cassie announce to each other that they are not tied to each other, but I guess they still want to stay together, as they set off for a concert arm in arm.
The Hand of God
Apollo takes Sheba, Starbuck, and Cassie to the last remaining celestial dome on the Galactica. Used when the ship was first launched 500 yahren ago, the spheres allowed navigators to double check computer calculations by plotting star positions. In the control chair Apollo repaired, Sheba picks up a faint audio/video signal. They take the tape to Boomer who enhances the audio slightly, but not enough to really hear anything. Boomer says that the signal could either be very, very old, and has traveled thousands of light-yahren, or could be recent and from a close source, but distorted due to radio harmonics common in the gamma frequencies the signal was picked up on (such harmonics are why the Colonies stopped using the gamma freqs so long ago). The video signal appears to be a space craft of some sort.
Based on the harmonics theory, the signal would have originated from a solar system just at the edge of scanner range. Apollo, Sheba, and Starbuck are sent out in Vipers to investigate. Boomer tries to enhance the signal further, while awaiting Dr. Wilker's return from the electronics ship. On the patrol, five large planets are found -- around one, Starbuck detects a Cylon Base Ship! The patrol high-tails it out of there, avoiding detection.
Back on the Galactica, Adama decides against backtracking to keep the Fleet from being detected. He decides to attack. The attack is planned - the Vipers will launch before the Galactica comes into scanner range. Occupied by the Vipers, the Galactica will swing around the base ship and attack from the direction of the sun -- hopefully, the base ship will be too busy watching the Vipers to notice. Apollo comes up with a brilliant idea to fly Baltar's Cylon fighter into the base ship and disable its scanners to help the Galactica along. Adama summons Baltar to his quarters.
On the Base Ship, a blip is reported, before the scanners are fully on-line. To be safe, a patrol is launched to scout the outer rim of the system. Finding nothing, they are ordered to continue outward for as long as fuel permits.
Baltar is offered freedom on an inhabitable world in exchange for information about the base ship. He will not be set free until after the attack as an incentive to give accurate information.
Apollo and Starbuck prepare to leave in the Cylon fighter. Boomer gives them a transponder that will id them to the Viper scanners as friendlies. Sheba and Apollo confront their feelings for each other, as do Starbuck and Cassie. Boomer chimes in as well -- they all seem to sense that this may be a one-way mission for our intrepid heroes.
The fighter launches and is soon found by the Cylon patrol, headed back to the base ship. they are not noticed. The entire patrol lands on the base ship. Apollo and Starbuck wait for all other fighter to empty out and leave the landing bay, then follow Baltar's instructions to get to the computer core. They manage to blow the core, just after fighters are launched. In the escape, though, they lose Boomer's transponder.
The Vipers encounter the fighters. The Galactica encounters the base ship, and gets the first shots off. The base ship fires back, blind, but makes several significant hits. The Galactica continues to pound away at the base ship, and eventually it is destroyed. All Vipers are recalled. Having lost the transponder, Starbuck and Apollo fly toward the Galactica wagging their wings, something no Cylon would do. They land safely.
Starbuck goes to the celestial dome to find Apollo scanning the heavens, waiting for another transmission. Starbuck convinces Apollo to wait and to attend the victory celebration. They both leave, but not until after Starbuck accidentally trips a switch. As they close the hatch to the dome, we hear "The Eagle has landed" over the audio and see a United States lunar module land on the moon.
This was the last episode of Battlestar Galactica. In it we got to see many things: Cylons scrambling to their fighters, interiors of a base star (such as the landing bay), a scale model of a base star used to plan strategy, and, of course, the Earth transmissions. We also set up a romance between Apollo and Sheba, and a deepening of that between Cassie and Starbuck. Cliffhangers, all, for a presumably-planned next season. But there was no next season, and only Galactica: 1980 followed, considered by many to be irrelevant to the BG universe.
Last Modified: 05 Apr 2005
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