Battlestar Galactica (2003)/The Oath (1)

The Oath
Season 4, Episode 13
Airdate	January 30, 2009
Production Number	4A15
Written by	Mark Verheiden
Directed by	John Dahl
Fleet Survivors	39,643
← 4x12 A Disquiet Follows My Soul	4x14 → Blood on the Scales (2)
Battlestar Galactica (2003) — Season Four

The Oath is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica, and the sixty-sixth episode overall.

Edward James Olmos (Admiral William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Kara "Starbuck" Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lieutenant Sharon "Athena" Agathon)

Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Chief Galen Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Captain Karl "Helo" Agathon), Michael Trucco (Samuel Anders), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Felix Gaeta)

Guest Star: Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek)

Guest Star: Sebastian Spence (Narcho)

Co-Starring: Bodie Olmos (Lt. Brenden "Hotdog" Costanza), Ryan Robbins (Charlie Connor), Keegan Connor Tracy (Jeanne), Mike Dopud (Specialist Gage)

Cast: Ty Olsson (Capt. Aaron Kelly), Leah Cairns (Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson), Jennifer Halley (SP2 Diana "Hardball" Seelix), Brad Dryborough (Hoshi), Colin Lawrence (Ensign Hamish "Skulls" McCall), Alexandra Thomas (Hera), Derek Delost (Specialist Vireem), Vincent Gale (Chief Peter Laird), Colin Corrigan (Marine Allan Nowart), Michael Leisen (Pvt. Stewart Jaffee), Lara Gilchrist (Paula Schaffer), Andrew McIlroy (Jacob Cantrell), Judith Maxie (Picon Delegate), Iris Paluly (Speaking Delegate #2), Marilyn Norry (Reza Chronides), Craig Veroni (LCpl Eduardo Maldonaldo), Veena Sood (Quorum Delegate), Alain Chanoine (Marine Reb)

Plot Overview

Loyalties are made clear when Gaeta orchestrates a coup d'état of the Adama regime. Both prisoners and lives are taken as many of the fed up people work to take over Galactica.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Zarek is freed from Galactica's brig and sneaked off in Raptor where he returns to Colonial One under the pretence that Adama released him.

• Gaeta coordinates efforts to compromise communication to prevent word from getting to the CIC and to allow mutineers access to the small arms locker.

• Once the mutiny is underway, a stronghold is established in the Baltar's compartment.

Characters

• Geata's leg continues to itch. He shows some remorse when Zarek kills Chief Laird, but asserts to Zarek that he will see things through.

• Gaeta relieves Adama of command and has he and Tigh taken to the brig and Gaeta takes over in the CIC. However, Adama and Tigh escape and make their way to Baltar's compartment.

• Kara saves Lee when he arrives on Galactica and they attempt to fight back. They find Roslin and bring her to Baltar's compartment where she attempts to quell the fleet before her signal is jammed.

• Helo, Athena, Hera, Caprica-Six, and Sam are taken to the brig.

• Tyrol finds a secondary storage airlock where an Eight meets them in a Raptor to get Roslin, Baltar, Adama, and Tigh off-ship. However, Adama stays behind as does Tigh, fending off marines before a flash grenade is lobbed.

Referbacks

• Baltar contacts Gaeta to remind him of their "little secret" (revealed in "The Face of the Enemy") that was sealed, Baltar puts it, with a special pen ("Taking A Break From All Your Worries").

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• This episode was originally to be directed by Kevin Smith, best known as the writer/director of the comedic View Askew films. However, due to a series of miscommunications, the episode wound up being double-booked along with John Dahl who ultimately got the job.

Quotes

• Tigh: Lee's giving the Quorum a shove, but it'd take a cavity search to find the backbone in that sorry bunch.

• (a marine puts a gun to Lee's head)

Connor: So where are your precious Cylons now?

(the marine is shot from behind; his body drops to reveal Kara, gun in hand)

Kara: (to the other mutineers) Take it from someone who died once, it's no fun. Let him go.

Skulls: Frak you.

(Kara shoots him in the shoulder)

Kara: I could do this all day. Who's next?

• Adama: You killed this boy.

Gaeta: Admiral Adama, I am removing you from command of this ship. I am taking you into custody on the charge of treason.

Adama: You swore an oath when you put that uniform on. You pledged to defend this ship and her crew.

Gaeta: You swore the same allegiance. What happened to your oath? For seven years, I have done my frakking job and for what? To take orders from a Cylon? To let machines network our ship? No, you - you are not the leader that you were when we started. You're just a sad old man that has let his heart and his affection for a Cylon cloud his judgement.

Adama: I want you all to understand this! If you do this, there will be no forgiveness. No amnesty. This boy died honouring his uniform. You, you'll die with nothing.