Battlestar Fodder

Battlestar Galactica: Episode 2.20 - "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2"

by Shannon Nolley, Sci-Fi Fodder Editor

Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2
Episode 2.20
10 March 2006

Since last week was part one of this finale, the show jumps into things pretty quickly. This is also a 90-minute episode so there's lots to discuss! The "Previously On Battlestar" bit featured another snippet of the never-aired scene of Apollo talking to Dee about how he's leaving Galactica for the Pegasus but he's not leaving her - it'll be hard but he'll try if she does. Yadda yadda.

(The Opening Credits roll early! Population at 49,550)

We last left our heros on Caprica, surrounded by Cylons and under attack. We rejoin them as the Toasters are closing in. They decide to fall back, if they stay there in the open they're dead for sure.

Meanwhile on the Galactica, Doc Cottle is tending to poor beat-up Cally (from the round she lost to Tyrol while he was having a nightmare). Her jaw has been wired shut and her face is rather mangled. Tyrol enters, wide-eyed and penitent. He tells her he's sorry and knows that what he did was unforgivable. Too bad. She forgives him. He wasn't himself. Teary-eyed and confused, he stammers. "I care about you," she says. "I always have and always will." She finally admitted it to him! YAY! Of course, he looks stunned but I'm so proud of little mouse-like Cally for finally fessing up. It just took a severe beating to get it out of her.

Back on Caprica, Starbuck, Anders, Helo, Sharon and crew have retreated to a convenient stone garrison-type thing to hold off the Cylon advance. Starbuck gives Sharon a gun. Guess she's got nothing to lose at this point. Helo is trying to raise the Raptors on the radio, but the Cylons have jammed the frequencies. Then... silence. The bombing has stopped. (Just moments before it looked like Sharon was concentrating hard on something. Coincidence? Can she communicate with the other Cylons telepathically?) The Toasters are still mulling around in the woods but they aren't advancing. Everyone's confused. Sharon says that their plan is probably to take prisoners for interrogation and send the rest to The Farm. They'll lob gas in and everyone will wake up someplace else. Starbuck ain't goin back the The Farm. She makes Anders swear to a murder/suicide pact if it comes down to it. He reluctantly agrees (after Kara points a gun at his head, that is).

Now to Colonial One. Roslin is down more points in the polls. She's ranting. Are the people stupid??? It's all about the frakking planet! (Roslin curses! Gasp!) Settling on the planet will mean disaster to humanity and I won't say otherwise." Torrie (putting on her best Westley from "The Princess Bride" impression) says only "As you wish." Roslin hopes Torrie has a back-up plan for victory. There's always a back-up plan, Torrie says.

On Caprica they're just waiting. Anders wakes himself up by nearly falling over. It's been 18 hours. They lasted through the night without a peep from the Cylons. Starbuck is sure they're up to something. Any bright ideas in that military brain of yours?" Anders asks. "Same thing we always do - fight 'em til we can't," she responds. She decides to get a reconnaissance team together to scout the area to see what's what. Next we see four guys "sneaky" in a tight group about 5 feet from the front of the garrison and give the "all clear" sign. Ok. They could have gone a little farther. Starbuck, Anders and the rest join the recon group. The Cylons are gone. They just left. From behind Brother Cavil - sporting a fetching fedora - steps up and says "Praise the gods it's a miracle!" They remove their helmets to pray. Meanwhile, the Galactica Brother Cavil is on the Colonial One praying to the gods with Roslin. Yep. Cavil's Cylon.

Guess he knows Tyrol's not a Cylon because he really didn't see him at the meetings (a joke from last week's episode). Isn't it extra blasphemous for a Cylon to be leading prayer to the gods? Err. So did Starbuck's team really bring a priest on their rescue mission?? If not - WHY AREN'T THEY SHOOTING HIM?!?! I don't recall seeing him among the marines. The only thing I can think is that he was part of the Resistance and Anders' crew brought him along. Dammit!!! With Cavil revealed as a Cylon we're almost assured that no other leading characters are going to be outted - let alone other men (which is what I've been waiting for) - any time soon. This big reveal is lame. They make the guy they introduced in the first half of the finale the big Cylon surprise? Pish. That's a redshirt kind of move. Sure, I like Dean Stockwell being the Cylon - he's a smooth dude, but ... argh!! That's not enough.

Back on Galactica, Baltar enters Admiral Adama's quarters. He's been summoned there, but it doesn't appear that anyone's around. Roslin reveals herself. She was the one who called him there. She wanted to meet with him without the press swarming. Baltar is intrigued. She must have something interesting to say if she's gone to this much trouble. Roslin says that permanent settlement on the planet is a very important issue. It requires careful study. Baltar agrees. However, Roslin proposes that the issue be tabled until after the election when further study can be done and it can be decided upon my by the Quorum of Twelve. She appeals to his sense of patriotism. That did it. He's annoyed now. "It's my patriotic duty to lead us to New Caprica!" he hisses and then thanks her for demonstrating how desperate her campaign is. He gets up to leave. Before he can reach the door, Roslin asks "Were you with a tall blonde woman on Caprica just prior to the attack?" (Remember that Roslin recalled seeing Baltar with Caprica Six when she was close to death in the "Epiphanies" episode.) The Six hallucination appears next to Roslin and says "She knows! You've got to get out of here!" Baltar brushes Roslin off saying that it's none of her business who he was with and he leaves.

Meanwhile in Colonel Tigh's quarters, he and his "lovely" bride Ellen are fighting. She wants to move down to the planet if there's colonization. He doesn't. They snarl at each other as usual. Tigh gets a call. Starbuck is back. In the hangar now, Starbuck approaches him and Admiral Adama. Tigh jokes that there'll be no living with her now. Starbuck and Adama share a big hug. Starbuck is smiling so wide it's amazing she can even see out of the slits of her eyes. Anders is close behind her. She begins to introduce her "friends" but Adama says that he's already familiar with Anders from his professional sports days. Starbuck is as nervous as a schoolgirl - she's basically introducing her boyfriend to her father for the first time. It's very cute. Starbuck says she has news. Good news. The Cylon occupation is over. They've left the colonies. Huh? Cavil exits the shuttle and says "It's true, the Cylons have left the Colonies." Tyrol recognizes him at once and pounces on him, screaming for security. "He's a Cylon!" Tyrol yells. Cavil puts up no resistance. He admits to being a Cylon and says he's got a message. So.. "Take me to your leader," he says. (Ok. At least he's got some good lines.) Adama orders him taken to the brig. He points at Sharon and says "Take THAT too!" Helo protests and says she didn't know Cavil was a Cylon! Adama scolds him and says the obvious - of course she knew.

Helo is now talking to Sharon in the brig on the phone-intercom things. He's pissed and begging for an answer. Why didn't she say anything? Sharon is quiet and doesn't have much of an explanation - mostly "I don't know" is the gist. She can say lots of things, but her real motive is that they killed her baby (at least she thinks they did). "You think I care about you or us or the Admiral's trust?" She drops phone, walks away, and lays down on bed. Helo bangs on window in despair, rage and frustration. "Sharon, I love you and I'm not giving up that easy!" he yells. She says nothing.

Meanwhile, Starbuck and Anders are in the pilots' quarters drinking shots. "You don't have to get me drunk, I will sleep with you. I figure I owe you one," he jokes. "Slut," she returns. They kiss. Apollo enters. Starbuck runs to him and gives him a big happy hug. "Wanna meet my man? My personal property?" she jokes and runs over to get more kisses and teasing from Anders. They're making out again. Apollo looks sick. (Even if he wasn't hung up on her a bit, anyone would be sickened by this display. It's nice to see Starbuck finally happy but... get a room! Oh wait.. I guess they ARE in their room.) Apollo and Anders shake hands. Starbuck teases Apollo that he's gotta get a girl. "I'm doin fine," he says. "You're not still frakking Dualla [Dee] are you?" she scoffs. Even Anders tries to quiet her teasing now. More jokes and jabs. Anders and Starbuck resume their making out and are all over each other. Apollo - looking like he's going to vomit - leaves.

Caprica Cavil is in the brig talking to President Roslin. "I'm here to deliver a message. After that you can do whatever you want with me," he says. Behind her, the door opens and the Galactica Cavil is brought in. He's indignant and demands to know what's going on "I'm not a frakking Cylon! I'm not..." He sees his twin behind bars. "Oh. Well. Ok then," he resigns and willingly goes into a nearby cell. (HA! That's good stuff.) The Caprica Cavil apologies to his twin saying that there was a change in the plan. "It was decided that the occupation of the Colonies was an error," he says. Adama and Tigh look skeptical. Galactica Cavil says "I could have told them that. Bad thinking. Faulty logic." The Caprica Cavil goes on to explain that the opinions of war heros (Caprica Six and Sharon Valerii) carry a lot of weight so when they started talking about the Cylon mistakes, corruption and the need for a new beginning, the rest of the Cylons listened. "We're not like you, we can admit our mistakes and accept change," Galactica Cavil says. "So you abandoned the Colonies leaving behind a devastated nuclear wasteland," Roslin says. "And we're supposed to be grateful," Adama adds. Caprica Cavil says that the pursuit of the fleet was another error (that's two for those keeping score). The two Cavils take turns now: "We became what we beheld. We became you. People should be true to who and what they are. We are machines, we should be true to that. We should be best machines ever. We got it in the heads that we were the children of humanity and instead of forging our own destinies and paths to enlightenment, we hijacked yours. My mission is to deliver reprieve. Man and Cylon go separate ways- no harm done." "No harm" says Adama. "You completely annihilated our race and destroyed our civilization." "Now if you're going to start pointing fingers..." Caprica Cavil returns. "Where did the Cylons go?" asked Roslin. He won't say - just that they have other plans. "New marching orders from the one true god?" Adama asks. "There is no god," the Cavils say. " Supernatural divinities are the primates' answers to why the sun goes down. At least that's what we've been telling the others for years. Can't really prove it of course." (REALLY interesting if they are telling the truth. Not all Cylons believe in god? I thought that was one of the pirmary reasons for their attack - to wipe out the heathens!) Roslin is done. "You want a way to prove it? Throw them out the airlock (YAY! Her fav!) and let them see if there really is a Cylon god," she orders. Roslin, Adama and Tigh leave. The Cavils are left there blinking. (If you like Roslin's no-nonsense airlock answer to the tough questions, you must see this t-shirt! Thanks for the link, Mac!)

It's Election Day. The votes are being counted on board the Galactica. Gaeta and Dee are opening canisters with ballots to be counted. The press is saying that it's a back and forth battle. Currently, the polls stand at 21,569 for Baltar and 17,754 for Roslin. On Colonial One, Roslin is not happy. Torrie goes to the phone and asks for a secure line. She says that there are only 5 ships left to report in, they have to move now. On the other end of the phone is... Tigh who listens, acknowledges and motions to Dee. Minutes later, Dee takes two men and intercepts a ballot box being delivered by guards from the Zephyr. She tells the guards she and her men will take it from here. With some reluctance, the guards leave the box with her. She motions to the marines and they take the box into another room, later emerging in the counting room with what looks like a secure box with an official Zephyr seal on it. Gaeta opens the seal and dumps out the ballots with Dee's help. Tigh looks on.

More election results are coming in, the press is reporting. A whopping 8,593 for Roslin, putting the totals at 24,265 for Roslin and 22,366 for Baltar. What a comeback! She's retained the presidency. The reporter remarks that he's never seen one pulled out of the fire like this. Celebration on Colonial One, but Roslin looks pained. Zarek, listening to the radio with Baltar, doesn't like it either. He says it must have been fixed. Baltar says that Roslin may be many things, but she's not dishonest or corrupt. It's over. Meanwhile, the Admiral puts a call in to Roslin. He congratulates her and asks if she was as shocked as he was about her come-from-behind win. Roslin - obviously shaken and disturbed (implying knowledge of the fix) say that she's just relieved. On Galactica, however, Gaeta is looking over the Zephyr ballots. He calls over Tigh. Gaeta says that the ballots aren't right. The Zephyr had called over earlier to say that their ballots had misspelled Baltar's name and that he had OK'ed them for use anyway. These ballots have Baltar's name spelled correctly. They're frauds. Tigh takes over. He'll take it from here! Gaeta, suspicious, leaves as ordered but puts a call in to Adama and rats out Tigh.

Later, on Colonial One, Adama is talking to Roslin. Tigh has admitted his guilt and said he worked with Torrie. A judicial tribunal may have to be convened. Roslin confesses that she gave Torrie the OK, but she didn't know about Tigh's involvement. She finally tells Adama why she's so desperate to keep Baltar from the presidency. "He's working with the Cylons. I saw him before the attack on Caprica with the tall blonde model (Six/Gina)," she says. "What the hell are you saying?!?!" Adama demands. Roslin tells him how she remembered it when she was dying, but that she knows it to be true. He believes her, but she's got no proof. Nope. None. They sit. "Do we steal the results of the election or not? If so, then we're criminals - unindicted maybe but criminals just the same," Adama says. "You won't do it. You'll die inside. The cancer will go right to your heart. The people have made their choice and they'll have to live with it," he continues. "It's the wrong choice!" she says as she begins to cry. Adama agrees. "So that's it. We give it up," she states. "The battle perhaps, but not the war," he replies. They smile at each other.

Later, the Admiral has called Baltar to his quarters. An error in the counting was discovered and corrected. Baltar's the President. Baltar is momentarily happy, then says he'll want an investigation into how such an "error"could be made. (He's already taking the job to heart, it seems.) "I suggest you take your victory and leave it at that," Adama growls, taking a page from Roslin's usual course of business. Baltar - who has always cowered from Adama - recognizes that perhaps he knows what Roslin knows and backs off. "Set a course for New Caprica," Baltar says in a new authoritative voice. (They won't be going back to old Caprica even if the Cylons have left because it's a nuclear wasteland now.) On the bridge now, Adama orders the ships to jump to their new home. "God help us," he says.

Baltar is now with Gina on Cloud Nine (you know, the ship). He tells her that they might not be able to see each other as often because of his new job, but that they'll have some opportunity to see each other on New Caprica. She tells him she's not going to new Caprica. Baltar is confused, hurt and a little desperate. "What? We're all going. It's our chance to be together again!" he says. She's resolute. Baltar gets up to leave. He can't do "this" anymore (be with her if she's not returning the love?). Nearly in tears, Gina simply says "Stay." She begins to unbutton her blouse. She stands and removes her shirt (we see the scars on her back from the abuse she took on the Pegasus under Cain's command). She goes in to the bedroom and continues to disrobe. Baltar quickly follows behind and throws off his clothes. She takes his hand and slowly kisses him. We flash to Baltar being sworn in as Roslin stands nearby biting her tongue. Flash back to Gina and Baltar. Gina is crying softly. Back to Baltar being sworn in. Then we see Gina is listening to the ceremony on the radio. She is sitting naked on the floor in front of the nuclear warhead that Baltar gave her. Baltar announces that his first executive order is the immediate settlement on New Caprica. Gina cries and reaches for the detonation button. She pushes it. Could Nine explodes with a vengeance and takes out at least a few ships with it. (There's special effect here that makes it look as if we were watching this from a nearby ship and debris hits our window, cracking it. Nice touch.) Later, on Colonial One, Adama is reporting their findings to Baltar. "We suspect the warhead was stolen from your lab and smuggled aboard Could Nine by a Cylon conspirator," he says. Adama suspects that this could be the first stage of a Cylon attack and that they should beef up internal security. Baltar refuses. The first priory is to see that the people are safely established on New Caprica. "You're not listening," Adama says. Baltar replies, "I don't have to, I'm the President." Adama leaves. We pan back now to see how alone Baltar is. Where arehis aides? His cabinet? Zarek? His Six hallucination? Baltar sits alone an cries. He puts his head down on his desk.

With his head still on his desk, Gaeta is trying to wake him. "The union needs our answer, Sir," Gaeta says. In Baltar's quarters behind him, some hussy is getting dressed. The camera pans back. Things are different.

We're ONE YEAR LATER. Gaeta is part of Baltar's cabinet now. Baltar is cocky and surly and obviously hung over. "How many Cylon attacks have there been since I took presidency?" he demands. None. That's right. None. The union can go to hell or jail or whatever. He could care less. There's another blonde hussy in the room. Geesh! Gaeta leaves. Baltar pops some pills. We glimpse out the window and at the settlement outside. They're on New Caprica. The settlement looks grey, dreary and very industrial. Not exactly an oasis.

Meanwhile, the Galactica, Pegasus and a slew of other ships are in the planet's orbit. It's the orbital defense patrol - day 380. The Galactica has nothing but a skeleton crew. Adama (with a mustache!!) is walking the ship. Lights are flickering on and off. He looks at them, but either can't or simply doesn't fix them. Looks like The Bucket is falling in to disrepair. Adama meets with Tigh in his quarters. He convinces Tigh that it's time to move down to the planet. Time to pack it in. More than 1/2 of the crew is on the planet. They can barely put a squad in the air to train. Someone's gotta watch the lighthouse. The Cylons can show up at any time, but settlement may be the better plan. They've been orbiting New Caprica longer than they were running. Tigh reluctantly goes after a nice big hug. Adama picks up a cigarette (he smokes now?!?!) and breaks off the filter (eww!) and lights up.

Now to New Caprica City. Population: 39,192. (unsure how many people died in the Could Nine explosion and also don't know how many are in orbit)

It's more like a village than a city - at least this section. Everyone looks cold and are bundled up. The structures are mostly tents. Starbuck with long hair (very hot!) is looking for Anders, who's playing ball with the boys. Anders is coughing a lot. Starbuck finds him and scolds him for being out there when he's sick. Doc Cottle is looking for him. She says "I can't believe I married an idiot!" Married! Yep! Starbuck and Anders tied the knot. Back in their tent, Doc is looking over Anders. Starbuck prepares a washcloth for Anders' head (and also revealing a very sweet arm tattoo). Anders is still coughing. Doc looks sullen. Outside the tent Starbuck asks Doc his opinion. Fluid in the lungs. Pneumonia. Starbuck asks if there's any pills that he can be given. Doc laughs. They've been out of antibiotics for months. He's young and strong, with a little luck he'll make it. "Son of a bitch!" Starbuck says to herself. As Doc walks away, she spies Tigh and Ellen going in to a large tent where there's lots of yelling. She smiles.

Inside the tent we see that it's a union meeting. The union president is addressing the troops. It's Tyrol. A very pregnant Cally is on stage with him. (You go girl!) Starbuck enters and greets Tigh. They exchange hugs and greetings like long-lost friends - their old rivalries seem to have fallen away. Starbuck tells Tigh that Anders is sick and asks if there's any way he can help her get meds. Tigh says she should call Apollo - the Pegasus has some backups for pilots. There was apparently some rift between Starbuck and Apollo. She doesn't think he'll be receptive to a favor, but it's for Anders so she'll make the call. Tyrol is still addressing the workers. They're mechanics. They're not going to take Baltar's crappy treatment anymore. They're gonna strike! Meanwhile, former President Roslin and Mia (the adoptive mom of the Cylon baby) are leading a classroom of children. They're teachers. After they dismiss the students, we see Mia tend to her baby. Mia has renamed her Isis - arguably the Egyptian equivalent of the Greek Hera, the name Sharon and Helo gave her. Not much else happens here. I think we're just supposed to see that the baby is alive and well and on the planet.

Starbuck goes to a shuttle to make her call to Apollo. On the Pegasus, Apollo is walking his ship in much the same way Adama was walking the Galactica. Apollo enters the bridge. Dee (promoted to XO?) is there as is Helo (apparently part of the bridge crew .. no sign of his Sharon). Dee tells Apollo that he's got a phone call. She won't say from whom, but gives him a sly look like "you KNOW who... it's HER." Starbuck tells him she needs a favor. It's for Anders. He's sick and he's going to die. Apollo doesn't say much. Just then, Dee notices a blip on the radar. Apollo looks but doesn't see anything -- at first. Then, there's another blip. And another. And another. No longer blips. They're ships. Cylon ships. A lot of them. "THE CYLON FLEET!!! THEY'VE FOUND US!!" Apollo yells. Basestars galore have jumped into orbit around the planet. Apollo makes a call to Adama. They've got to get out of there! Their ships have barely enough crew to function let alone fight. Adama is reluctant to leave the planet defenseless, but he realizes that they are out numbered and out matched. The only recourse is to flee and regroup. With a vow to return, the orbiting ships jump away.

On the planet, Gaeta runs to Baltar with the news that the Cylons are here and the fleet has jumped away! The Six hallucination finally appears to Baltar. "Judgement day," she says. The Cylon Raiders swarm over the city. Everyone looks up in horror. A shadowy figure enters Anders' tent. He's still very sick so he can barely make it out. It's the tall male Cylon (the model that Roslin had thrown out the airlock long ago). "I'm looking for Kara Thrace," he says. (OOH! Why are they looking for Starbuck?? I still think they did something to her at The Farm that was important to them.) In Baltar's office, the Cylon reps enter - a Doral, Sharon, and a Six. The Six ever so slightly exhibits emotion over seeing Baltar - it's the Caprica Six! Baltar looks uneasy as he recognizes her. "As long as you offer no resistance, you won't be harmed," Doral says. "You have no choice." Baltar asks how they found them. Doral explains that it was an "accident." They picked up a radiation signature of a nuclear detonation. (Gina! She was alerting her peeps as to their location!) Baltar thinks of Gina (and undoubtedly how he had given her the device) and cries. Regaining himself slightly, he looks at Six, then to Doral. He surrenders on behalf of humanity. Next thing we know, Cylon Centurions (Toasters) are marching down the street of Caprica City. Everyone is horrified and can only look on in disbelief. "What do you want to do now Captain?" Tyrol asks Starbuck. "Same thing we always do - fight 'em until we can't," she replies.

And with that, we must wait until October to see what happens next. Gods help us. (*sob!*)

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Note: Copyright to all images is held by SciFi Channel/Universal Pictures

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Posted by Shannon on March 11, 2006 6:54 PM
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