Battlestar Galactica

"...and the Emmy goes to... Edward James Olmos! Mary McDonnell! Ron Moore! Battlestar Galactica" (Thunderous applause)!

OK, I'm getting a little carried away, but after thinking about this past season of strike-invaded TV, I still feel that Battlestar Galactica is the best show on TV. It may not have been the allegorical genius of Seasons 1, 2 and 3, but no show wins an Emmy for the year that they actually deserve it. (Yes, that's aimed at YOU Emmy voters. Get it right for once!) But the last episode of the (sigh... how annoying will this wait be?!) first half of Season 4 was as satisfying emotionally as it was story wise. At least it was for me.

After the fade to black and credits, the only thing running through my mind was, "Holy Mother Frakker!" That was one hell of a finale, no? I actually watched it at my hotel off some Asian website, so thanks to them for allowing me to see it before I got home from Austin! Judging from early comments, most of you seemed to really enjoy it, with the exception of the Planet of the Apes-type ending (LOL to that by the way). I thought it was pretty genius that, after some major stakes-raising hard ball by both Lee and D'Anna involving air-locking either Colonial hostages or Tigh, the two sides came together over a need for survival: To find Earth. And once they arrived, we see the emotional release of three years of blood sweat and tears... which was then ruined by the bleak nuclear holocaust that seems to have befallen their last shot at new lives. Goose bumps... tears... and a pit and my stomach. That is great television.

Let's start at the beginning though:

Starbuck and Lee discuss the way to Earth and what it's like to be in Adama's quarters and looking at Roslin's things when they're not there. The sad celtic music floats over the scene as Starbuck says that "children are born to replace their parents." I'm really hoping that this isn't foreshadowing what's to come by the end of the episode. I'm not ready to say goodbye to the Prez or Adama yet. But in all dramatic stories, unfortunately, the hero usually dies. So, which one will be our fallen hero in Battlestar? Roslin? Starbuck? Adama? Ugh, I don't even want to think about it.

Back on the baseship, Leoben, Caprica Six, Boomer and D'Anna talk to Roslin and Adama. Leoben says they'll be returned in an hour, and Roslin says that they'll have the final five returned to them. Tricky! Roslin's trying to see if D'Anna will slip and say who the final cylon is... but that doesn't work. D'Anna insists that there are only four in the Colonial fleet. Roslin looks at her with disdain and says, "Four?" D'Anna wants the four on the ship, and Adama says what we're all thinking: "It would be a lot easier if you just tell us who they are." No kiddin'. But D'Anna thinks that would just make it easier for the four to be killed. Roslin chimes in saying that there is no way they'd be killed since they know the way to Earth. Leoben agrees, but D'Anna is convinced working together is a mistake. She will hold the Colonials hostage until the four are safely on the baseship. D'Anna is going to Galactica to retrieve her people, and is taking Adama with her. Roslin embraces Adama and says, "If the cylons get the fourth and get to Earth, you can't let this happen. You have to blow the ship to hell." I love Roslin. She's so in control even though she knows she could die. Adama looks at her with a mix of fear and respect. I love how their relationship has come full circle without taking away the edge and tension of their situation.

Back on Galactica, Adama and D'Anna arrive to some stoney, yet relieved faces. Lee embraces his dad as Tigh looks like he sees a ghost when he sees D'Anna. Lee says the cylons are free to go back to the baseship now. No one steps forward, except for Tory. Who, brilliantly, uses her position as presidential aide to make it back to the baseship. Tigh tries to stop her, but she pulls the "I have the President's medication" card, and gets to leave. Anders and Tyrol look on and wonder how long it is before they are discovered.

In Adama's quarters, Lee says Starbuck is working on a plan to get the hostages back by force. Adama admits that Roslin wants the ship destroyed if the final four get to the baseship. Tigh objects to the idea of murdering so many innocent hostages, but Lee gets to make the call and he agrees with Roslin.

In the war room, the team goes over a plan of attack which is grim to say the least. If they fire on the fleet while the rescuers board the baseship, the cylons could wipe out the entire human race. Starbuck says they needs to be ready with nukes, cocked and locked (how Top Gun of her). Tigh asks for other options and Starbuck says, "Yeah, those frakkin' four could give themselves up." Bingo. Tigh realizes what he must do, and it's about frakkin' time.

Tory walks down the hall of the baseship and looks like a kid on Christmas. She's very happy to be "home," and her brothers and sisters look pretty darn happy too.

Baltar thanks Roslin for not killing him. Tory enters and gives Roslin her meds and to tell her now former boss to frak off. OK, she didn't say that, but she may as well have. Roslin asks Tory, since she's a revered final four, to talk to D'Anna about releasing the hostages. Tory blankly says, "I'm done taking orders from you." Oh, s-nap!

D'Anna airlocks a poor hostage and threatens to kill another every quarter hour until the four come home, and then cuts off communications. Lee tells Adama to go forward with the rescue mission and if it fails, to destroy the baseship. HOLY!

Chief, Tigh, Anders get a funky sound in their heads, then they meet at the viper that Starbuck returned from Earth in a few weeks earlier. Anders said there is something different about it but he can't figure it out. Tigh tells them to get Starbuck because maybe she can figure out what's different about the viper before more people die. He then walks straight to Adama's quarters for what is one of the best scenes in Battlestar history IMO. Tigh tells Adama that this is a suicide mission and that the cylons will kill everyone before they even make it to the baseship. Tigh tells Adama about the signal song in the nebula that turned him "on." Adama tells him to quit frakkin' with him. Tigh continues to insist about his true nature, but Adama is in denial. He offers himself up as airlock bait in order to get D'Anna to back down. Adama looks possessed by anger and grief. Saul is taken to the airlock and Adama has a nervous breakdown, and who can blame him? His best friend, his XO, his military touchstone is a skin job. He smashes his office, drinks a whole bottle of booze, breaks a mirror with his fist. He dissolves into sobs while Lee holds him and tries to tell him not to blame himself. Adama cries that he can't kill Tigh... awwwww! This poor guy!

Lee storms off and punches "mother frakker" Tigh and demands to know who the others are, but D'Anna suddenly calls. Lee plays some awesome hard ball with D'Anna, threatening to airlock Tigh, and you can see she's finally starting to get nervous.

Anders and Tyrol are arrested in front of Starbuck, who is not registering what's happening until Anders says it's true; he's a cylon. Her face is filled with horror, but he insists she check the viper. Tyrol just looks relieved that it's out in the open. Tigh says they should have done it day one. Starbuck climbs into the viper and turns on the instruments. D'Anna decides to play hard ball too and brings more hostages to the airlock. Baltar insists he can talk some sense into D'Anna, but she orders the nukes pointed toward the civilian fleet. My stomach is turning into a billion knots! This is cut together so brilliantly, with each scene upping the tension and raising the stakes. The nukes are hot, and there's no time to jump away, so Lee orders Tyrol and Anders out of the airlock. Tigh knows what is about to go down, and he seems fine with it. Wow.

Starbuck sees a faint signal...could it be Earth? Lee gets the key to airlock Tigh. Starbuck bolts out of the viper and runs the longest run of her life trying to stop Tigh's execution. She gets there in the nick of time and says, those frakkin' cylons just gave us Earth. Somehow, I think this will be a tougher sell than she thinks. But at least Tigh isn't a space popsicle now. Cylon or not, he's still one of the best characters on the show.

Lee thinks Starbuck is stretching this, but she insists that everything; her visions, the hybrid, etc. is leading them to find Earth with the cylons. The cylons enter Galactica to see the signal for themselves. They also think it's a stretch, but Lee insists that if they make up their minds to work together, to change, that there is a chance to make it to Earth together and begin anew. The four have been given amnesty and so D'Anna agrees to the joint mission.

Another awesome scene with goose bumps. God, Mary McDonnell is good. Bill is worried about going to Earth... he's clearly still fragile about Tigh. But Laura looks at him and tells him this is what they've been working for, and she wants to see him pick up that first fist full of Earth. It's so moving, and keeps going with an awesome moment between Roslin and Lee, who have butted heads so many times. She tells him that he handled this crisis beautifully and he's not off the hook as a leader yet. Tears! Adama comes in dressed and ready for their trip to Earth.

On the deck, Adama says without Laura, they wouldn't have made it this far, and that she should give the order. She does so, tearfully, and the fleet jumps into the Earth's range. Gaeta says that the constellations are a match. Adama gives the emotional speech to the fleet saying they have made it to their new home: Earth. And the celebrations begin. More tears! Damn you Ron Moore! Damn you good actors! We see Tyrol with Nicky, Athena and Helo with creepy little Hera (doesn’t she look like she "knows things"?). Everyone embraces, cries, congratulates themselves... but something feels off. The planet is blue, but also dark grey. Once they land, Adama's fist full of Earth is filled with radiation. The skies are grey, the landscape bleak, the structures of buildings and bridges are all in ruins. Both humans and cylons look devastated. And if you could see me, so do I!

Did you all see that teaser that ends with, "You’re the fifth!" That was Tigh's voice right? Man this is gonna be a long few months to wait for the second half of the season. There are still so many questions! What will happen with pregnant Six? Who is the final cylon? How long can Roslin survive and what will her death mean? Will the Cavils who may have escaped the resurrection hub catch up to Earth and cause mayhem? Is there anyone alive on Earth? So much to discuss.

It's been a pleasure blogging for you. See you around the boards!

Related
• Use Our Online Video Guide to Watch BSG
• Read Roush's Finale Revelations
• Watch Tory, Tigh and Anders' Cylon Revelations!

The awesome (I cannot stress this enough without sounding like a stalker) Jane Espenson has answered your (and my) burning questions about "The Hub."

I think we all agree that this episode of BSG really kicked it up a notch... there was a wonderful blend of character development and emotional journeys mixed with some awesome cylon humor and kick ass action. So, who better to answer questions about the episode than the lady who wrote it!

Here you go — Enjoy! And, if you'd like to leave any notes for Jane (nice notes only please) I'll be sure to pass them along to her.

Questions for Jane after complimenting her on one of the best episodes ever: How many scenes were deleted? (I wanted to see Laura's face when she heard "Husker" on the radio.) Other question: Was Laura in her hallucinations wearing the scarf that Emily gave her in "Faith?"
Jane Espenson: Oh, there were many deleted scenes, but the one you're talking about never existed. I wouldn't want to write that for fear of undercutting the moment of her seeing him step off the Raptor. With those kinds of moments you have to pick-and-choose since they're so emotionally similar. The scarf? Oh, was she? I didn't notice. That's cool if it's true! The wonderful thing about this show is that everyone involved is working in their own arena to make everything resonate, so it's entirely possible that that happened, but I was not aware of it.

What happened to Boomer after D'Anna killed Cavil? Did she escape?
Espenson: She certainly would've had time to. Heck, there was even time for Cavil to download, I suppose. Huh. How 'bout that.

What is the "Goo-Bath" made of?
Espenson: Oh, I asked that too, and now I forget. It comes in big buckets and they heat it up and you can't get it in your eyes. That's all I remember. It's also, mercifully, odorless.

How far they are taking Baltar as the Christ-figure? (Him lying there bleeding from the wrists and the side. Interesting...)
Espenson: I would've called it an abdominal wound, myself.

Why don't they try to treat Roslin's cancer again with Caprica Six's fetal blood cells?
Espenson: It's too advanced.

Was Natalie close enough to the hub or some other resurrection ship at the time of her death that she was able to download? Are there any more Natalies/Ginas?
Espenson: No, Natalie was too far away to download. And do you mean are there other Sixes with that more natural hair color? Oh, I'm sure there are. Sixes are available in a wide variety of hair colors and styles. I suspect there are also platinum Simons and perm Dorals... we just haven't seen 'em.

Knowing that Jane Espenson wrote this, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of Buffy. One of the first scenes where Roslin was in her dreamy vision, walking though a deserted Galactica, and she was talking about having morality on her shoulders (can't recall the exact dialogue) was totally reminiscent of Buffy tone and texture. Made me smile.
Espenson: Oh, that's interesting. I guess it was a bit vision-questy, like when Giles took Buffy to the desert where he did the hokey-pokey and she saw the Hello Kitty... know what I mean? I didn't think of that.

Hope you enjoyed our little chat with Jane. A head's up: I'll be posting three videos from Comic Con in NYC with Michael Hogan (Tigh), Michael Trucco (Anders) and Rekha Sharma (Tory) very soon. Stay tuned!

Related

• Read Erin's recap of "The Hub"
• Use Our Online Video Guide to Watch Battlestar Galactica

First off, I’ve read all the comments, and I’m not sure what has been deleted, because I certainly haven’t done it… I know some of you are hatin’ on me, but that’s part of this job and I have a thick skin. There’s no reason to delete comments… unless they are abusive or contain foul language that somehow gets past our filters. I’ll look into it for you!

Anyhoo, I'm back from one of the most spectacular weddings I've ever been to... congrats to my wonderful friends! I watched the episode right when I got home because all of you were saying how completely awesome it was! And, I must agree. And, happy to say, my friend Jane Espenson wrote it! Go, girl! I will write her an e-mail tomorrow, and if any of you have any burning questions for her, I will try to have her answer them (of course no questions about future shows... you know how secretive they are!). Please post them below.

Let's get to the show....

So, (and a big LOL to the Miss Cleo reference, whoever started it) we start with a little replay of the hybrid on the basestar being plugged in, and her immediate "Jump!" away from the other ships... kidnapping rebel Sharon, Helo, Baltar and the Prez (and many others).

Immediately, the Prez starts to have mid-jump hallucinations that show either her future, or what she fears is her future... a slow painful death from cancer surrounded by her helpless friends. These hallucinations co-star Miss Cleo, aka, Elosha the late priestess, as the Prez's conscience. Now we know that this is a "journey" episode. Roslin needs Miss Cleo to take her on this journey in order to process her true feelings about many things: Her relationship with Adama, how she feels about the people who surround her in her job, who she really is (a murderer, or a savior, and luckily for her, she chose savior). All excellent themes for Laura that have needed to come to a head for quite some time.

When the hybrid starts jumping, Sharon realizes the hybrid panicking because Natalie was killed (oh yeah, called that one!), which means that they have to soothe the hybrid like you would a crazy feral kitty. At first, and hilariously, Baltar seems to have a knack for getting the hybrid to give out some info, but this quickly goes downhill as the Prez and Baltar argue over how to do it best… which seems to just be to scream at it. Heh. I’d scream at her too with all that annoying jumping and non-stop code gibberish. I totally agree with you guys that it was SO nice to have cocky, sketchy Baltar back instead of wannabe savior Baltar.

Meanwhile, D’Anna is back in business complete with her gratuitous goo-bath scene! Aren’t you all glad you don’t have to download into a goo-bath? But, it’s the Cavil and the bad Boomer eight that bring her back to life. Where’s Leoben? Simon? D’Anna is kinda my cylon hero. She doesn’t take crap from anyone, and after Boomer and Cavil tell her the humans are going to destroy the Resurrection ship, making them all mortal, D’Anna snap Cavils neck into a thousand pieces. At least, that how I imagine it snapped.

There was a creepy scene between rebel Sharon and Helo, where she rubs his shoulders the way Athena would have… you can see the look of confusion and guilt on Helo’s face as rebel Sharon tells him she is the exact same person as Athena… yet doesn’t want him to feel weird about it. Too late, sister. And I had a great laugh over Roslin’s line later in the episode when she told Helo he wasn’t married to the whole production line (of eights). HA! Exactly what I was thinking.

Back on the deck, and after they realize that they are in fact jumping closer to the hub, Helo and rebel Sharon try to figure out how to infiltrate the Hub without showing up on their version of DRADUS. They realize that if the vipers are tethered to the back of the raiders, then separate using a small explosive charge, they’ll be able to rescue D’Anna and blow the ship to kingdom come. But….

The pilots are p.o.’d at this idea. They don’t trust the sixes and eights further than they can throw them. But rebel Sharon reminds them that the cylon pilots will become just as endangered as any human pilot once the hub is gone. That they are true pilots just like Athena, and yells at them to remember how many times Athena has risked her ass for the Colonials on missions. This seems to whip them into enough shape to complete the mission… and as Helo and Sharon find D’Anna, he reveals that she goes to the president first, not to the other models waiting for her. Rebel Sharon looks crestfallen, and D’Anna basically verbally bitch-slaps the naïve little thing by telling her it’s a very human thing to lie. Meanwhile, we all know that the sixes and eights had their own agenda.

In a very strange yet awesome scene, Baltar plays some mind tricks with a Centurian that looks like a dog who doesn’t understand a command. It keeps cocking its head to the side as Baltar spews all this manipulative God talk at the toaster. We’ll never know what would have happened because there’s a huge explosion and the toaster is fried and Baltar has a huge deep slash across his abdomen. The Prez tends to him and tells him he’ll live, “Of course.” I can sense her frustration at this guy who has screwed over everyone, yet never seems to truly pay the price for any of his actions. Or at least, there’s always someone (or a whole harem) who ends up coming to his defense.

Back to the Miss Cleo hallucinations. The most intriguing one to me was watching her own death... which made her see how much Adama really loved her. It’s only when she sees his grief and his willingness to let her go and “rest” (as he slips his ring on her finger and gently kisses her lips), that she’s truly willing to let herself love this man… and be loved. Aw.

So, now D’Anna has her time with the Prez and mind fraks her by telling her she’s one of the final five Cylons. The look on her face is priceless, and D’Anna says as much… that and the fact that she’s holding onto that info because it’s all she has. Smart.

OK, wait, back to Roslin and Baltar’s scene! Seriously, you are all right. Emmy time for Mary McDonnell. When Baltar, high on morphine, FINALLY spills the beans about giving the access codes to the cylons that they used to annihilate humanity, Laura’s whole body begins to shake. She doesn’t say a word; just looks like she’s imploding like an old casino demolition in Vegas. And, when she does kneel to pray with him, you can see the prayer is not for a speedy recovery. She removes his bandage and continues to let him bleed to death. But her damn jump hallucination (and conscience) gets in the way. She realizes that her journey is not to take this information and destroy Baltar with it personally. No… she needs to be someone who values life and justice above all else (apparently she’s forgotten about all her air-locking). Quickly, she redresses Baltar's wound, hooks up an IV, and begs him to live.

In one last vision, Miss Cleo tells Laura, sort like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, that her happiness and destiny lie much closer than she thinks. Just then, the base star jumps right next to Adama’s viper.

As Adama boards the basestar, you can see they are both overwhelmed by their feelings for one another. But, Adama simply says, “Missed you,” and embraces her. He kisses her teary eye, and she finally utters, “I love you.” He smiles and says, “About time.” Hee! Love it. I know you guys wanted to see a real smooch here, but really? That could have been gross. I’m glad I didn’t get skeeved out by a big passionate kiss… the end of the show was a lovely moment just the way it was.

See you next week.

Judging from your comments of last night's episode, you're starting to get a little frustrated with our beloved BSG. Let's see what all the fuss is about....

Wow, Natalie is still alive... didn't see that coming, did you? She goes into surgery having some hallucinations of a beautiful place, grabs Cottle's hand, and then dies. Do you all think that the hybrid performed the emergency jump because she was killed?

Oooh, I love Adama getting up in Sharon's face about killing Natalie. Is it just me, or is pissed off Adama the best kind of Adama? Sharon's excuse is that her vision told her that Six and Baltar were going to take Hera. Adama looks like he's going to pummel her. He tells Sharon that she betrayed a promise to him; he trusted her. That she may have cost the Prez and her own husband their lives. He's so right. I don't get why Sharon is so nuts about her vision. It's cleary Caprica Six, not Natalie, and Baltar is nowhere near Hera. Adama sends her to the brig, and I agree with him.

Meanwhile, back in the delegate room, Zerak is trying to take power, since the Prez is missing. This will not go smoothly... and doesn't. When Lee is asked if his father will support Zerak, his answer is a big fat no. Zerak is pissed at Lee and insists that this role is rightfully his... he was elected after all. Lee must have taken lessons in stalling from our government because he wants to form a "search committee" to find a suitable candidate to take over.

Sunglasses man (aka Romo) advises Lee about the situation, and wants to charge Lee for his services. There's a kitty they keep cutting to, and I'm not quite getting the symbolism. I'm sure they'll beat it into us enough over the rest of the episode. Heh.

Tigh asks Caprica Six where the lost Colonials are... she tells him only hybrids can find them. He says it's important to "the old man." Love that he calls Adama that. She asks Tigh if he loves her. WHAT?!?!?!? Is she completely nuts? She then turns into Ellen again which royally pisses Tigh off and he leaves in a huff.

One of the pilots takes a space walk to check out a damaged bird... it's Pike, and he's dead. Uh oh. The president's book is on the damaged raptor, and we can see the panic in Adama's face.

They also find Sandman's viper, sans Sandman. Tigh tells Adama that this picture is a pretty clear one; they're all dead. Adama in his scary voice tells Tigh to search every nook and cranny for clues as to where the missing Baseship is located.

I'm totally questioning Lee's desire to be in the government. Why would he want to be in that awful room with screaming delegates and journalists at every turn. Flying between nukes and raiders sounds much more appealing right now.

Adama asks Cottle about the Prez's condition now that she's not getting treated. Poor Adama, he's such a puppy dog in love. Cottle says the sooner they can get her back on the ship, the better. Also, he found something in the Cylon prisoner's blood tests. Oh Gods, here we go... this is one of the best scenes in a long time. Tigh has knocked up Six and Adama freaks out. Tigh counters with "you're risking the whole fleet's lives for a woman." They kick each other's asses and then they're back to being friends again. That was a crazy ride. I'm not sure I really buy that transition back into friendship. How can you trust someone who is frakking a Cylon? Especially with Adama's trust issues regarding Sharon? Hmm.

Adama tells Starbuck to send the raptors out to find the Baseship. Starbuck says it's a suicide mission and she's right. (But we all know that they'll find them... right?) Adama tells her it's an order.

Sine Qua Non ("without which not")is finally uttered and Romo explains that there are limits to a man's realism. That there are things with which we cannot bear living without. Adama realizes he's in that place and it's compromising his objectivity and ability to lead. So, he relinquishes his command.

Romo goes bat-sh*t crazy and draws a gun on Lee after telling him he's the perfect candidate for president. He whips out his dead cat and Lee calls him on his craziness... because everyone on this ship has made decisions that have saved them at the cost of others' lives. Lee actually stands up to Romo and actually looks like he has the stones to be a good president. He's sworn in with his dad standing by, and Tigh saying it's a frakking joke. Not Lee, but the Admiral giving him command of the ship.
Wow, is this decision gonna bite Adama in the ass later. He just gave a cylon control of the entire Colonial fleet.

Lee gives Romo a new pet; a dog named Jake. Why? Don't do it! I think he's trying to keep Romo sane, but why risk poor Jake?

Awww... Adama admits that he can't live without Laura! Not to be too get all gooey, but that's awesome. He takes off in a raptor to go find his lady love, with her book in his hand.

I think I have to agree that this episode wasn't that exciting, but I think it was great for character study. But you're all right! That preview is terrible! I hope it is a trick by NBC/Sci Fi and that D'Anna is frakking with Roslin. Otherwise, that's the worst spoiler in spoiler history.

See you guys next week.

I'm baaaacckkk! I'm glad to see you guys all still discussed the show vigorously while I was away! We loves us some Battlestar!

RECAP:

In a nutshell: Gaeta sings to his missing leg, the Prez thinks Tory's friendship is worth "frak," Natalie and the rebels misjudged their intensions with the humans, Hera likes "6" like a stalker-in-training which leads to Sharon's serious jealousy issues... which leads her to blow Natalie away. And Gaeta sings some more sad songs to his leg.

OK, in all seriousness, it's great to be back. Sorry I got the name of the eppy wrong in the pre-cap. I blame jet-lag.

So, we open the show with the Prez and fancy Lee (that's what I like to call him in his pin-stripe suit) are listening to an ancient tape recorder (I think they stole it from Watergate… now we know what era they're in! Mystery solved). It's Baltar blabbing to the fleet about Roslin's shared visions with Sharon and 6. Uh-oh. That can't be good. Lee demands the Prez tell the people what is going on, and she basically tells him to bug off. He keeps badgering her unil she reveals that it's true: She is sharing visions with the enemy. Lee looks like he wants to hurl.

Back aboard the hybrid deck, Starbuck, Sharon and Helo discuss the tentative treaty with Natalie and the rebels. Starbuck says that Natalie will do the talking when they meet up with Galactica. But Kara has no idea if they feed the rebels or frak them once they board the ship. She reminds Leoben that they've essentially given over the entire fate of the cylons to the Colonials. This is some serious stakes raising here. These rebels could really eff themselves and their efforts to separate from the bad cylons if they're not careful. P.S. Isn't the set dec. on the hybrid room totally wicked. Like a TV that's been unplugged, but way cooler. It's vibrant and big and surreal. I love it.

Natalie tries to cozy up to Sharon by saying how beautiful Hera must be. When Sharon asks how she knows her name, Natalie says, "We all know her name; you were blessed." For a minute, Sharon actually looks like she doesn’t want to kill the toaster.

Now the ships coordinate jump points so that Demetrius arrives with the cylon base ship. Otherwise, Galactica will try to blow it to kingdom come. Of course, that's exactly what happens because Demetrius' FTL fails or something. Everyone goes ape sh*t on Galactica, ready to blow the crap out of the base ship. Awesomely, just as it looks like Starbuck and crew will be toast courtesy of incoming raiders, Tigh realizes something is off and tells them to hold their fire. Just then, Demetrius jumps through and authenticates their identity.

Tigh and officers board the ship, and Starbuck asks Tigh to bare with her. It must look like a frakin' toaster party gone awry. He asks which one shot Gaeta, and we cut to Cottle asking for a "cut-back" tray in the sick bay as Gaeta is carried by… that doesn’t sound good at all.

In the Wardroom, Natalie explains that the 2s, 6s and 8s believe their destiny is in seeking out the final five. The 1s, 4s and 5s violently oppose such action, and the D'Annas were boxed. But, she saw the final five! Natalie wants to reactivate her so she can tell them who the final five are... as Kara says, they've been to Earth. They have? That's news to Tory, who they zero in on for a split second. Looks like the four secret cylons don't have any memory of Earth. How is that gonna work out, Starbuck?! Anyhoo, back to this intense confab; Roslin asks the $64K question, why would the Cylons be willing to give up their boxing facility/download hub coordinates (their ability to resurrect) to work with humans? Natalie says they're rebels and just want to be with the final 5. She's starting to sound as batty as Baltar. Adama gives his word that once she gives the coordinates, and the cylons are given the final five, they will be free to leave his ship without harm. He gives his word, and Natalie drops a bigger bomb on Adama than the nukes that hit the colonies: The final five are within his fleet. That's why the raiders didn't destroy Galactica in the nebula.

Gaeta chooses to stay awake during his amputation. I can't discuss this without getting ill.

Adama, Tigh, Helo and the Prez decide the plan of action with the final five. After Tigh suggests blowing them all to bits (heh), Roslin says that they'll wait until they find Earth and then give the cylons the final five.

Back in the super secret cylon meeting room, Anders looks like he's one blink away from a rubber room and a straight jacket as he describe Gaeta singing to ease the pain of his phantom leg. Jeeeeeeez. Poor Gaeta!

This is possibly my favorite scene: The Prez asks Tory to find our who is behind the shared vision rumor because she's sleeping with Baltar. She tries to explain, but Roslin won't have any of it… "Clearly my friendship and trust mean frak." Love angry Roz.

Natalie, Leoben and rebel Sharon discuss a change in their plans. They carry out the mission as planned but when they return they take hostages until they get custody of the final five. Natalie is convinced the humans haven't changed and that they can't trust them completely.

As Gaeta sings to his missing leg, fancy Lee tells Roslin, (while she's getting her chemo... so tacky, Lee!), that the quorum is considering a vote of no confidence against her. She just can't catch a frakin' break! She refuses to break down, even when Lee says the quorum is empty and has nothing left but to presume the worst. He begs her to talk to them and put their fears to rest.

Back in Baltar's Cove of Love, Tory tells him she can't accept that he's started these vision rumors. He says they're true and that Caprica 6 told him when it looked like he was going to be found guilty at trial.

More singing. Then the Prez goes before the quorum to say that she believes in the joint mission and to ask for their support. She then introduces Natalie to the stunned bunch. She explains that giving up their resurrection is what will give their lives meaning.

The Prez, Caprica 6 and Sharon have visions of the opera house and losing Hera. Sharon wakes up with Hera staring at her creepily and says only: Bye-bye. Holy creepy kid, Batman! I got goosebumps.

Back in sick bay, Kara tells the Prez that she knows about the dying leader and the opera house from the hybrid. I love how Kara fails to mention that she, herself, is the harbinger of death. Minor detail!

Natalie feels they're not ready to go forward... why haven't the final five come forward? Leoben and Sharon tell her she's nuts, and to just stall Adama until they can deal with the Centurians.

Baltar joins the Prez for a chat before they go to speak to the hybrid. She tells Baltar he's in her visions. Ha! Take that!

Good Sharon finds Hera drawing stalker pics of 6 and starts trippin' on some freaky visions... then Hera is gone! Bye-bye!

The last five minutes are so fabulously intense. I loved every second. Sharon running around flashing between the opera house and the ship searching for Hera… the colonials on the basestar, Hera holding on to Natalie's leg, Sharon killing Natalie, and the best... plugging the hybrid back in only to here JUMP!

Frakin' A that was hot.

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Erin Fox is on holiday. Please use this post to discuss the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica, presented on Friday nights by the Sci Fi Channel.

Erin Fox is on holiday. Please use this post to discuss the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica, presented on Friday nights by the Sci Fi Channel.

So, one of my favorite writers, Jane Espenson, wrote this episode, so I'm extremely stoked to recap it for you. But before we dive in, did any of you read the play by play from my time at Comic Con? It was a really fun, and very soon, I'll have my interviews with Anders, Tory and the awesome Tigh up on the site. Seriously, these three are the perfect people to tackle the insane acting job of becoming cylons after years of thinking they were human. They were so fun, gracious and easy to talk to... what more could a Battlestar fan ask for?

Hey, did you notice that Edward James Olmos directed this episode? Wicked. We begin the episode with a very sweet memorial for Cally in the ship's chapel. Chief delivers such a lovely tribute to his wife, who they all think killed herself. The president, now wearing a wig to show the progression of her illness (though is it just me, or does she not really seem sick at all?), and Adama sit close together. She leans on him and says this is the kind of service she likes, and when he says it's not his style, she leans closer and says, "But I want you to know what I'd like." Hmmm, I like that these two are not overtly a couple, but seem to be in every other sense. It's a kind of chaste intimacy that Mulder and Scully had while she was ill. Nice work.

At the end of the service Adama and Roslin pay their respects to Chief, and then he suddenly grabs Tory and Tigh with a freaky and intense look in his eye. You can see Tigh and Tory tense up because they have no idea what the Chief is about to do or say. Tigh says, "What the frak was that?" Indeed.

In one of the cooler parts of the episode, Tigh wanders to the brig for his daily (interesting) visits to Six (wearing a strangely slutty shirt. Why isn't she in prison garb? Ha.). She asks why he comes every day and he immediately gets pissed and storms off. However when she stops him, he turns to see his dead wife dressed as Six, wig and all. It's a creepy comparison for a lot of reasons, and it makes Tigh stop dead in his tracks. I love it. Six asks if there's something that he wants or needs from him. He's wigging out and tells her to back off.

Tigh and Tory visit Chief and cry-baby Nicky (seriously, the poor kid needs to be picked up by CPS) in his rack. They ask him what the hell he was doing at the memorial by grabbing them like that. Tory says she thinks he blames himself for Cally killing herself. Chief says Cally thought they were having an affair, but Tory shoots that down by saying, "But we weren't." Basically, he's having a crisis about who he is and if everything he's ever done has just been a program. This again! Come on, guys, be like Tory! Embrace your new selves! Kidding. But when Tory says, "You're perfect, you don't need guilt, we were made to be perfect," Tigh aweseomly retorts, "What is that more of Baltar's crap?" (Please insert his pissed off, gravelly voice). I love Tigh even more as a cylon than I did before. Didn't know that was even possible. We can tell he's having issues about Ellen every day — haunted by what he did to her even more so now that he knows he's the enemy. He tells Chief he'll think of Cally every day, but that he has to be a man and move on.

Back in the bat cave, er, cult room, Tory crawls into bed with Baltar and starts plucking hairs off of his head spouting nonsense about pain and pleasure happening at the same time (she strokes his nether regions while plucking the hairs). I'm not sure what the point of all this is, but one of the best lines of the whole show is when Baltar says to her, "I think I liked you better crying." Ha! The point is actually that she's talking about sin and forgiveness, and bad becoming good, and that if you become one with God, you can never truly do wrong. As this diatribe is going on, the cult is invaded by some sort of rebels (Sons of Aries) that beat up the innocent women looking for Baltar. Of course, they all protect him.

Back on the flight deck, the chief is repairing one of the birds and flashing back to his memories of Cally, some good, some bad. He's totally distracted, and I can tell this flight won't go well. It's an ugly crash landing for the crew because Chief didn't swap out the right parts, and even though they try to give Chief a break because what he's been through, he wants no part of it. He screams at them to tell him he "frakked up."

Six appears with Baltar to give him clues as to who attacked the cult. Baltar also realizes that his followers are having a hard time giving up the old gods. He rallies the troups to stand up for what they believe in and not accept persecution. He storms the chapel during a service and trashes it in retaliation.

In sick bay, Roslin and Adama hang out while she gets a blood test. He brings her a book (aww) and says it's his favorite, but he doesn't want it to end. That sounds like a metaphor if I ever heard one. Roslin says, maybe I should do that... then realizes she can't save it for later because there really is no later for her. Debbie Downer time! Roslin decides she wants to visit Baltar for a chat.

Ellen/Six is back begging Tigh to see that she's the same as he is... made of flesh and veins. She says, "Are you asking for absolution? I can give you that." Tigh snaps out of it and says she can't offer him anything, and leaves. Oh, but he'll be back. He'll be back.

Roslin and Baltar talk in the brig. She admits she's dying and that because of that she's not in the mood to be indulging him any longer. You go girl!

Adama tries to help the chief by saying he can have time off or more work... whatever he needs. Chief imagines him saying, "She probably couldn't handle being married to a cylon and that her son is a half-breed abomination." This makes chief snap; he says horrible things about settling for Cally because Boomer was a cylon, and that she was no angel. It escalates until Adama reassigns him to another ship. In-to- the-tense!

Back in the cabinet room the members of the government (especially feisty Lee) are arguing with Roslin about the attack on Baltar's people. Lee thinks it persecutes one group and favors mainstream religion. The prez wants to slap him so badly... what a brat that Lee Adama is!! She says her job is to keep people safe; end o' story.

Tigh is back with Ellen/Six and is falling under her spell. Meanwhile, Baltar's Six tells him to cross the military protection to get into his bat cave and she promises he won't be hurt. After a total beat-down by the soldiers, we can actually see him being picked up by an invisible Six until Lee comes to save the day. Cool special effects there. Even cooler? Tigh has Six in the brig beat the crap out of him to obtain clarity. Hot stuff.

In the end, Baltar delivers a rousing speech about god loving us all because we're perfect just as we are. People cry, Tory and Six smile.

What did you think of the episode? How long do you think it'll be before Chief loses it completely?

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I have to admit, I had no idea how crazy crowded the Battlestar Galactica panel would be at NY Comic Con. Luckily for me (hee hee) I had a press pass, and scooted right in to a seat in the middle of the room. I was really excited to be among so many thrilled fans, since I am one myself. When the lights lowered, the crowd went crazy as new footage was edited together into a long trailer for what's to come — and let me tell you, that shizzle is intense (Adama screaming at Tigh to admit to what he is, Adama telling someone that "they just couldn't stand knowing that they were married to a cylon")!

The lights came up and the panel was introduced: Micheal Trucco (Anders), Rekha Sharma (Tory) and the awesome Michael Hogan (Tigh). Let's go through the big highlights of the session.

• Rekha was asked about when she found out that she was going to be a cylon and how she felt about it. She said, "I was soooo excited!" Apparently, someone (Aaron Douglas' name was thrown around a lot) tipped her off about the plot. She read the script and squealed with delight and jumped around.

• Trucco was asked the same question and his reaction was, "I guess I'm coming back!" He had only signed on for one or two episodes originally and then they kept bringing him back. When he found out he was a cylon, he said, "There's no way... but I called Ron (Moore) and Dave (Eick) and asked how it reconciled with [Anders'] backstory." Once they had a long chat about it, Michael said that he was very happy with their decision and how the story would be told.

• An audience member asked about how the cylons were "activated" by the song "Watchtower," and what they thought the significance was. Hogan was hilarious and said that he was actually alive when the original version came out, and the others weren't so he had to school them on Dylan and Hendrix in his trailer. They said he always had it blasting and how cool it was to learn about it. How sad is it that I was like, "What about Dave Matthews' version?" Ha.

• The moderator asked Rekha about how much backstory she knew about Tory before she became known as a cylon — did Tory always cry during sex? Ha! Awesome question. After a good laugh, Rekha said that writer Michael Angeli had written that because it had actually happened to a friend of a friend (insert the whole crowd laughing and saying, "Yeah right — a "friend," huh?). She added that Ron Moore took her aside one time and asked her opinion on what Tory's backstory could/should be, so she was very involved in the shaping of that part of the character.

• Someone asked Hogan what it was like suddenly becoming a cylon after thinking you're a good guy for 4 years. He said that it's weird and that "being a cylon is like [developing] sudden schizophrenia, or worse. For so long you think your one thing, and then you're told you're the complete opposite." But he really thinks that Tigh will remain who he is, meaning, a cylon-hating XO.

• Trucco was asked what he thinks it is about Starbuck that makes her so appealing? Jokingly, he said, "I have a thing for angry sex... I mean Anders, not me." Ha! He continued saying that even though she treats him like sh-t, she's one of the most powerful women out there... so it's about survival and also there's some love.

• Hogan was asked about what it's like to be on a show that strikes so many political chords in the real world. He said he's extremely proud to be on the show that's on the nose (politically speaking). Rekha added, "How often do you see an Indian woman on TV? Apparently the vision in the future is less racist." Amen, sister! I have to tell you guys, Rekha is so awesome. She's fun and thoughtful and super smart. I'm stoked she has a meatier part on the show.

• An audience member asked, "Do you feel limited by having only one curse word (frak, of course)?" They all laughed and Hogan said, "We just had a script that said, 'Gagglefrak' in it — that's when you know you're done with just one curse word." Hee.

• The last bit I'll leave you with was my favorite piece of info from the panel. Hogan was asked what his favorite scene was so far (or moment, I'm not sure) and he said it was in the beginning when Adama says, "So say we all," for the first time, and everyone starts chanting it after him. Apparently, he ad-libbed it! One of the most uttered lines in the show and moving moments came from the actor instead of the writers. So say we all, indeed! — Erin Fox

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Hello everyone! I have another precap for you tonight. Why? Because I'm covering Comic Con in NYC this weekend! That also includes a Battlestar Galactica panel with Tigh, Tory and Anders tomorrow! How frakkin' cool is that?! So, here's your chance: Any questions for the cast?

Please post your thoughts on tonight's episode (and questions for Comic Con) now and I'll have the recap up tomorrow morning. Check back later for any scoop I get from the panel.

RECAP:

Hey guys! Holy crap! They killed off Cally! Tory is totally an evil cylon now! Kara and Anders had steamy hot sex! Boomer and Cavil kissed (ew)! There's a whole lotta drama going on this week, but let's face it, the most exciting part was watching Tory transform (post coitus with Baltar) to a clandestinely evil skin job.

Rewind a bit: Cally is taking some weird looking pills that we later find out (from Cottle) are anti-depressants that may cause more intense paranoia. But I don't blame her for taking the drugs... her husband is off in a bar and her kid screams constantly like he's being murdered. Fun times! When she finally gets the nerve up to confront the Chief, she sees Tory stroking his arm. This freaks her out, but the pills make her sick (literally) and she stumbles out with Nicky looking crazy. Before Cally's entrance, Tory is explaining to Chief how different she feels now, how she loves feeling sort of reborn and alive again. She's got some serious evil going on in those eyes.

Cally gets some great screen time and acts the hell out of her scenes. Nice work! She finds a note from the other cylons for Chief to meet at a certain time. She sneaks out to find them talking about their cylon-ness. The best part is when Tigh says that the last thing they need is a cylon hater like Cally finding out her husband is a skin job. Cally wigs to the out! When Chief returns, she pretends everything is fine, and then whacks the frak out of him with a wrench. She takes Nicky and heads for the air lock. Don't do it Cally! That's exactly what Tory says when she appears out of no where to take Cally down from the proverbial ledge. Then Tory coaxes the baby out of Cally's arms and bitch slaps her like she's super-bionic (oh wait, she is). Cally knows what's up, and that she's about to be airlocked by a cylon who's holding her son and there's not a damn thing she can do about it. The look on her face says it all.

Meanwhile, back on the cylon home front, the models that were killed have been reborn and discuss a plan to regain power. The sixes and eights who are on the same side sit down to meet with the cavil team. The sixes insist that they stop lobotomizing raiders and that they bring back the D'Anna model to begin uniting the 12 models once and for all. Cavil at first seems to go along with this, but later we see it was just a ploy to give them false security and then blow them out of the sky. This is gonna get ug-ly.

The smaller storylines aren't really that exciting to me this week: Kara and Anders get it on after having a big fight where she tells him he was an idiot for marrying her, because clearly she did it because it was safe. Ouch. Well, at least he knows now.

Lee is trying to be Mr. Government man now, and ends up royally pissing off the president by calling her on a plan of chain of power. Heh. It's kinda awesome.

So what did you guys think of evil Tory? Of dead Cally? Of the cylon war of the worlds?

Hey guys! Because I know you're anxious to post about tonight's episode (which I'm watching right now), I thought I'd post this "precap" for you to be able to discuss the show before my recap is up (and it'll be up tomorrow morning).

Until then, here's some food for thought: Can someone explain why some Sixes are sexy and platinum blonde, and some are Ginas? Did we just get confirmation on Cylon model numbers that were previously unknown (Cavil is No. 1)? What the hell is driving Starbuck and her "feeling?" Could she have been captured and brainwashed, or was she led by "god" to Earth? What do you think?

Enjoy your evening, and I'll be back first thing tomorrow.

Episode Recap: "Six of One"

So last week, my BSG friends, there was a difference of opinion about what this recap should be: Plot, or thoughtful insights? Well, it needs to be both. Some people come here to chat about the plot and characters, and some people missed the show and need a recap. So, that's the deal.

Let's begin. We left off with Starbuck pointing a gun right between Roslin's eyes. Word spread quickly on Galactica that Starbuck has the president cornered, and Tigh is ready to blow Starbuck away. I know he hates Starbuck, but isn't that a bit rash?

Starbuck tells the prez that she had faith in Roslin when they were in the temple of Athena, so why can't she trust her about seeing Earth? Good question. Has cylon paranoia reached witch hunt hysteria? Why won't the prez trust Starbuck? I feel like, since Kara returned, that she's so completely "Starbuck" that by now, everyone should know she's not a cylon. You can see a flicker in the president's eyes as she remembers her bond with Starbuck. I think that's why she shoots the picture of her and Adama instead of Kara. Poor Kara! She and the prez used to be on the same wavelength about everything; Kara looked up to Roslin as much as she could. Now, Roslin and Adama (the closest thing Kara's had to parental figures on this frakkin' ship) have turned against her. Everything Starbuck held true is falling apart. When Tigh and crew arrive, Starbuck loses it and begs them to go back to Earth because she's losing her feeling for where the planet is located. Sackhoff does some mighty fine acting here. She plays crazy so well... I actually got a little choked up.

Now aboard the cylon ship, we have Cavil, dark-haired Six, Eight, Leoben and then Boomer. Cavil says that the raiders have advanced past their programming, and that will endanger their mission. At first I'm not sure what he's referring to... but perhaps, it's the moment that the raider scanned Anders' eye and turned around running for the hills. Six is outraged that Cavil would consider reprogramming or "lobotomizing" the raiders. She is convinced something amazing is happening, and that it's god's plan. However, Cavil insists on reprogramming, but Six says that they need a majority vote of all the models to change any programming. The cool part about this is that Cavil admits that he's model No. 1, Leoben is No. 2, and the "fours and fives" (Simon and Doral) would be on his side. Now we know that most likely, No. 7 is that last cylon. (Tigh, Tory, Anders and Chief would be the last 9-12 models.)

Tigh, Anders, Tory and Chief meet in the super-secret-cylon room. (It's like a club house, but for cylons. Do you think they have a password?) Here, Tigh tells Tory she needs to get in good with Baltar to see if he's the last cylon. This line cracked me up, "You don't need to get on your back for him," and Tory retorts, "Gee, thanks." So, she finds Baltar and shoots some glances his way… enough to intrigue him . He asks why she's spying on him, but wait! Six doesn’t appear in a hot red dress to manipulate Gaius: Gaius does! Now he's having a delusion of himself. What does this mean? Even he doesn't get it.

There is a party going on for Lee (and some strip poker, hee!) and he toasts to missing friends. Adama looks right at a picture of Starbuck, and suddenly doubt mixed with regret (for his earlier tirade at Kara) flashes over his face. Oh man, this guy is screwed because he misses her like a daughter and can't separate himself from his feelings. Later, with Roslin in his quarters, she calls him on the same thing. She says, "You want to believe Kara. You are willing to be wrong about her and face your own demise rather than lose her again." Ooh, snap! She's totally right, and I can tell by the look on the Admiral's face that she's hit a big bulging raw nerve.

Lee visits Kara before he leaves. He tells her he understands what it means to have a destiny and no real reason behind it. She utters, "So say we all." Before he leaves, they share an amazingly emotional final kiss.

Lee gets an amazing send-off complete with sad Irish music while the fleet salutes him for his service. Am I a complete dork for getting teary-eyed during this part? I'm such a sucker for military salutes!

Now we get to the interesting part! Six has returned and tells Cavil to once and for all stop lobotomizing the raiders. He refuses, and then the shizzle goes down. Six brings in two toaster cylons that have had their chips removed to make them obey commands. They now have free will, and Six has brought them to the meeting to either change the minds of the assembled or to kill them. And it's awesomely stunning. She kills Cavil, Doral, Sharon, Leoben and Simon. She is now, "Six of One." Well played, Ron Moore. I love that she just went all mutinous on their asses! This changes the game completely!

The next big development, which also has me stoked, is that Starbuck has been given a ship by Adama to go find Earth! He admits to her that she may or may not be right about Earth, but he knows she'll die trying to find it. And he refuses to lose her again. Awwwww!

This show just keeps getting better! What did you think about the revelations in "Six of One?"

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I know everyone who writes about Battlestar Galactica overuses the word "Frak," but I think the fourth and final season premiere of one of the best shows on TV deserves a hearty "Frak Yeah!" Hey, everyone, it's Erin Fox, and I'll be blogging Battlestar to the not-so-bitter end this season.

Let's talk about the title for a second. I know it's a bible verse, not because of my years of catechism and Catholic school (sorry mom), but because I remember it being uttered over and over again on a creepy episode of The X Files. The man who was repeating the verse over and over again was actually raising someone from the dead. Hmm... raising from the dead? Starbuck back from the dead, and no one believes that she's been to Earth? The full two verses that I know are the following: "(John 11:25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Just sit with that, knowing what we know about Battlestar, for a minute.... It's a great title for so many reasons.

(Side note: How frakkin' excited are you that Season 4 is here!)

Let's get down to business: At the beginning of the episode, we get a recap of the last few huge developments. Basically, we are reminded (as if we could forget!) that Tigh, Tyrol, Anders and Tori have been revealed as Cylons, and while on a flight to kill some toasters, Lee finds Starbuck alive and well in her Viper.

Cut to....

Starbuck, flying her viper, looks at Lee and tells him not to freak out. He says he watched her blow up, and that this can't be real. In trademark Starbuck sass, she says, "'Fraid not. Did you not hear me, I've been to Earth!" Back on the Galactica deck, Adama gets a furious look on his face and demands that they double check the identification of her craft. Roslin repeatedly and emphatically insists that Starbuck is nothing more than a Cylon trick or a trap. The raiders are multiplying like rabbits and outnumber the vipers a bazillion to one. Suddenly Pixus, one of their fleet ships, is blown to bits including the 600 souls on board. This looks like the end for civilization if they can't jump away. So, Adama screams at the crew to get every bird in the air immediately, but Tigh doesn't move. Instead he has a horrifying fantasy of taking his gun out and shooting Adama through the eye. Adama snaps him out of it, and Tigh makes the call to the pilots. Meanwhile, Anders is freaking out to Chief Tyrol about going up against the Cylons, now that he actually is one. What if a switch goes off and he starts firing on his own people? Chief tells him to get it together and he'll be fine. The crazy thing is, when Anders goes face to face with one of the raders, they just stare at each other until the raider scans his eyeball. Instantly, the raiders all retreat and jump away, saving Galactica from certain annihilation. Everyone is stunned, and then Tori says enigmatically, "Maybe something's changed." Duh, duh, duuuuh!

Meanwhile, Baltar has been whisked away by what looks like a cult of hot women who live in a secret compartment of the ship, and have a shrine of him. Of course, Baltar thinks he'd rather face another ship's wrath than live with these nut jobs. But, Six assures him that she wouldn't have brought him this far to abandon him now. His position on the cult starts to soften: Especially when one hot member comes on to him. Then, it's all good. After they do the deed, two of the other women return. One of them has a very sick son and asks for Baltar's help. Since the boy's condition is viral, he says all they can do is be strong and pray.

Back on Galactica, Starbuck has landed to the confused and frightened stares of the entire crew, except for Lee who attacks her with a huge hug. Aww. Anders gives her a kiss and hug, until Starbuck says, What the hell are you doing in a jock smock?" He explains he's a pilot, and she's really confused. Adama tells her that she's going straight to sick bay for a physical, and then Starbuck gets pissed. Guns pointed at her, she says, basically, what's the big deal, I've only been gone for six hours. That's when they reveal she's been gone for over two months. She is freaked the frak out, and doesn't believe them. But... but... she's been to Earth! Sorry, Starbuck, no one cares yet.

Back in Adama's quarters, Roslin and Co. interrogate Starbuck on her journey to Earth. She has photos to prove it, and insists the star patterns match what they saw in the temple of Athena, but she has no recollection of how she got to Earth or returned from there. When Roslin and Adama ask Chief about the ship, he confirms their suspicions: It looks like the same ship, but is not banged up at all and has no data in its system. Uh-oh, Starbuck. They want her in the brig because they think she may be a trick to take them off the course to Earth. Lee thinks Kara may be the clue to lead them to promised land. I heart Lee.

The new Galactica Cylons discuss what's next for them, and how they'll handle the situation. Tigh insists he will live the rest of his life fighting the Cylons, because that's who he's been his whole life. He surrenders his weapon to make sure he can't hurt anyone.

Roslin approaches the Six model in the brig, and asks her about the other 5 Cylons, and if Starbuck is one of them. Six doesn't say much, but she does say, "The five are close, I can feel them."

Starbuck and Gaeta are going over different areas that Earth could be in, while Dee prepares to jump the ship further away from where Starbuck thinks the planet is situated. Starbuck insists that the "feeling" she has for the location of Earth is getting dimmer with each jump. But Adama can't take that to Roslin; she then plays the "You love me like a daughter so trust me," card. He doesn't buy it.

Lee reviews the tape of Starbuck's ship blowing up and Adama says he wants to believe Kara, but can't. Lee then admits to Adama that he doesn't want to fly anymore because he doesn't fit in... that he wants to be in the government now. Adama looks crestfallen, and then Lee asks the million dollar question: "What if Zak... what if my brother was the one to step out of that cockpit? Would it matter if he had been a Cylon, and had been one all along? Would that change how we feel about him?" Very interesting... is this some foreshadowing? We shall have to see.

Back in the Baltar Lair (ha), and he selflessly (what????) prays for God to take him instead of Derek, the sick boy. One of the ladies takes him into the bathroom for a nice straight razor shave... a man enters telling Baltar his son Kevin spoke to him once, and looked up to him. He's now dead, and this guy goes crazy and starts beating up Baltar, and puts the razor to his throat. Six appears and asks him if he really meant what he said to God about taking his life. He says he was serious, and suddenly the girl is able to beat off the attacker. Back in the lair, Derek has miraculously recovered.

Kara is freaking out that the Cylons really did mess with her, or clone her, or something to make her not real. Anders assures her that if she was a Cylon, it wouldn't change who she really is, and that he still loves her. She retorts, "If I found out you were a Cylon, I'd put a bullet between your eyes." She gets a pain in the head because they've jumped further from Earth again, and knows it's Roslin's fault. She beats up Anders and some other people so she can stalk the President with her gun. WTF? This is intense, people. The episode ends with Starbuck pointing her gun right between Roslin's eyes.

Frak to the Yeah!

What did you think of the season premiere? Do you think Starbuck is really Starbuck?

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Read our interview with BSG producer Jane Espenson.