Battlestar Galactica (2003)/Kobol's Last Gleaming (1)

Kobol's Last Gleaming (1)
Season 1, Episode 12
Airdate	• January 17, 2005 (UK) • March 25, 2005 (USA)
Teleplay by	Ronald D. Moore
Story by	David Eick
Directed by	Michael Rymer
Fleet Survivors	47,897
← 1x11 Colonial Day	1x13 → Kobol's Last Gleaming (2)
Battlestar Galactica (2003) — Season One

Kobol's Last Gleaming (1) is the twelfth episode of the first season of Battlestar Galactica.

Edward James Olmos (Commander William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)

Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (PO Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Crashdown)

Guest Stars: Lorena Gale (Elosha), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle)

Cast: Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Bodie Olmos (Costanza/Hot Dog), Stephen Spender (Pilot), James Bell (ECO)

Uncredited: Jennifer Halley (Seelix)

Plot Summary

The fleet discovers the planet Kobol, and Roslin convinces Starbuck to steal the captured Raider and go to Caprica to recover the Arrow of Apollo from the museum at Delphi.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Number Six warns Baltar that something is about to go down on Galactica, but she doesn't elaborate beyond implying it has something to with Boomer.

• Six claims that Boomer's model is weak and always has been.

• Boomer and Crashdown happen to find the planet Kobol. This is confirmed when the ruins are estimated to date 2000 years, the time of the supposed exodus, followed by a vision by Roslin that shows a forum, the opera house in the city of the Gods. Kobol is said to be the birthplace of mankind, where they lived in harmony with the Gods until the exodus of the 13 tribes.

• Roslin goes to Adama to explain that the Arrow of Apollo can be used to open the Tomb of Athena and find the way to Earth. She suggests using the captured Raider and using it to jump back to Caprica to retrieve the arrow. Adama refuses, citing it as a valuable military asset.

• Adama sends three Raptors to survey Kobol, only to find a Cylon basestar is parked in orbit. One of the Raptors is destroyed and the other jumps away as the other is hit and is heading toward Kobol's surface. Galactica needs to destroy the basestar before they can execute a rescue.

• The Cylon devices found are learned to be transponders to identify other transponders. Adama wants one tested in the captured Raider.

• Kara comes up with a plan to arm the Raider with a nuke to take out the basestar. However, Roslin convinces her to use the Raider to instead travel back to Caprica for the Arrow of Apollo.

Characters

• Kara has sex with Baltar, during which she calls out Lee's name. Lee learns of their affair and becomes visible upset. Number Six is shown to be angry at Baltar.

• Boomer is shown to be contemplating suicide. Baltar talks with her and indirectly encourages her suicide, leading her to shoot herself immediately after she leaves. However, she only succeeds in blowing a hole through her cheek.

• Helo shoots Sharon, but can't bring himself to kill her and keeps her around only to get off Caprica.

• Six suggests Baltar join the survey party on Kobol. He's on the same Raptor as Crashdown, Tyrol, and Socinus who's been released from the brig.

• Much to her dismay, Kara learns Adama lied about knowing the location of Earth.

Referbacks

• Miniseries: When Adama asks Starbuck what she's doing when she steals the Raider, Starbuck responds "Bringing the cat home."

Trivia

The Show

• The recap includes footage from a deleted scenes from "Flesh and Bone", which explains the presence of the second Cylon transponder. However, the origin of the third is unknown.

Allusions and References

• "Kobol's Last Gleaming" (1) and (2) borrow plot elements from the original series episode "The Lost Planet of the Gods". In both versions, the Colonial fleet rediscovers the lost world of Kobol, the original planet that branched off the Twelve Colonies.

Goofs

• In the card game in the first act, Lee is leaning against the table when Baltar claims "I always win." In the next shot, he's leaning back in the chair, and then against the table again when it cuts back to the previous shot.

Quotes

• (after Kara has sex with Baltar)

Lee: Why'd you do it, Kara? Just tell me why.

Kara: Because I'm a screw-up, Lee. Try and keep that in mind.

• (Kara lays out her plan to destroy the Cylon basestar)

Lee: Might work. Might get you killed.

Kara: Would you miss me, sir?

Lee: I need every pilot I have. Even the screw-ups.

• Kara: I believed you. Believed in Earth.

Adama: What are you doing, Starbuck?

Kara: Bringing home the cat, sir.

Adama: We can talk about this.

Kara: No, I don't think so.

Adama: I want you to remember one thing. I do not regret anything that I did. Be sure that whatever you're going to do, you don't regret it later. Do you understand me?

Kara: I guess we'll find out.

Gaeta: Commander, she's spinning up the Raider's FTL drive.

Tigh: What? This is an autopilot test. What the hell is she doing?

Lee: What are you doing, Kara?

(Kara jumps away in the Raider)

Lee: Galactica, Apollo. She just jumped away. Repeat. Starbuck and the Raider just jumped away.

Tigh: She wasn't scheduled for a jump test. Where the hell did she go?

Adama: Home.