Resurrection Ship

Infobox Television episode
Title = Resurrection Ship


Series = Battlestar Galactica
Season = 2
Episode = 11 & 12
Airdate = January 6, 2006
January 13, 2006
Production = 211 & 212
Writer = Part 1: Anne Cofell Saunders (story), Michael Rymer (teleplay)
Part 2: Michael Rymer & Ronald D. Moore
Director = Michael Rymer
Guests =P.J. Prinsloo
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Pegasus
Next = Epiphanies

"Resurrection Ship", Part I and II are episodes of the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica" television series.

Plot

Part 1

Survivor Count: 49,604

The two Battlestars' Vipers engage and it seems that a shooting war is inevitable, but without immediate fire orders they simply fly around each other in an uneasy dance. The melee is halted when a suspected enemy vessel appears in the immediate vicinity, forcing all Colonial Vipers to regroup against the intruder in an attack posture. The new vessel turns out to be Lt. Starbuck returning from her unauthorized recon mission in the Blackbird. She announces that she is carrying close-up photos of the mysterious Cylon vessel.

Commander William Adama and Rear Admiral Helena Cain call off their attacks and decide to meet on "Colonial One" as neutral ground. President Laura Roslin mediates an uneasy truce; the resolution of Helo and Tyrol's fate will be delayed until after the attack on the Cylons. Adama and Cain accept the compromise only reluctantly but the only alternative would be to set the two battlestars against each other in mortal combat.

Impressed by Starbuck's audacity and initiative, Cain promotes her to Captain and appoints her as "Pegasus" CAG. Cain believes that Starbuck is the right officer to lead the "Pegasus" Vipers' attack on the mysterious Cylon fleet that has been trailing "Galactica".

Elsewhere, Dr. Baltar learns from "Pegasus"' Cylon prisoner, Gina, the purpose of the mysterious vessel. It is a "resurrection ship", a place where Cylons are downloaded into new bodies if they are killed too far from the Cylon homeworld for it to happen there.

Adama and Cain believe that if they destroy this ship, the Cylons may be more reluctant to pursue them as any Cylon deaths which occur will then be permanent - they will actually die for real. Cain tasks Starbuck with planning the attack on the Resurrection ship, and Starbuck, in turn, requests assistance from Capt. Apollo.

Laura, realizing Cain's true nature, predicts that Cain will assassinate Adama at the first opportunity and then destroy or abandon the civilian fleet. She urges Adama to strike against Cain first, as distasteful as that necessity might be. Col. Tigh learns from Col. Fisk that "Pegasus" did in fact, have a small civilian fleet of its own, and that Cain stripped the ships for spare parts, press-ganged its useful civilian personnel into the military, and then abandoned the rest stranded in space. If any civilians who were "selected" to join the "Pegasus" crew refused to go, their families were lined up against ship bulkheads and shot.

Realizing that Roslin is right about Cain, Adama asks Starbuck to assassinate Cain on board the "Pegasus" once the attack on the Cylons is concluded. She will have her chance when she reports back to Cain in the "Pegasus" CIC after the battle. Simultaneously, Cain directs Fisk to take a detachment of completely dependable and loyal Marines over to the "Galactica" and to likewise "terminate" Adama's command "starting with Adama" once the strike against the Cylons is over.

Part 2

Capt. Starbuck and Capt. Apollo struggle with their roles as would-be assassins, and reaffirm their trust in each other. Meanwhile, two Pegasus crew begin a vengeful beating of Helo and Tyrol while they are restrained in the Pegasus brig, before being stopped by Col. Fisk. On the "Galactica", Commander William Adama asks Boomer why the Cylons hate humanity. She replies that "hate" may not be the right word. It is because humanity still kills one another because of greed, jealousy and hatred, and may not be worthy of surviving.

The battle begins with Colonial forces baiting the Cylons into a trap using civilian vessels. "Galactica" and "Pegasus" then attack the Cylon resurrection ship and the two Basestars that escort it. During the battle, Apollo takes the Blackbird and successfully knocks out the FTL drive of the operation's main target to prevent its escape, but soon afterward he collides with a Raider, which due to the Blackbird's stealth abilities had been unable to detect him, and is forced to eject into space.

He quickly discovers that there's a finger-sized leak in his flightsuit and that he is losing oxygen. Realizing he will be unable to get back to provide backup for Starbuck's assassination attempt on Rear Admiral Cain, Apollo "gives up" and wishes to die. Dualla attempts to contact Apollo to ascertain his position, but he simply allows his suit to leak and mutters "I'm sorry, Kara."

Aboard "Pegasus", Gina reveals that she wants to die after the cruelty and degradation she has experienced on the "Pegasus". She asks Baltar to kill her after she reveals the secrets of the resurrection ship, but instead, he decides to help her escape her cell and says that she should seek justice, not suicide. As he leaves the cell and a Marine guard enters, he distracts the guard while Gina knocks him out. She kills the guard by breaking his neck and steals the guard's firearm.

The battle proves to be a resounding victory, with the escorting Basestars and the resurrection ship completely destroyed by the Colonials and the remaining Cylon forces routed. Meanwhile, aboard "Galactica", Col. Fisk anxiously awaits a call for the order to commence his Marine raid on the "Galactica" bridge to terminate Adama's command. Simultaneously, in the "Pegasus" CIC, Starbuck awaits Adama's coded order to kill Cain. The calls are made, and congratulations given, but neither Adama nor Cain can bring themselves to issue the code phrases needed to order the other's assassination. The relief on Fisk's and Thrace's faces is plain.

Apollo is found drifting in space and is taken aboard the search and rescue Raptor. Because of the lack of oxygen Lee went into cardiac arrest. However Racetrack manages to revive him as they return to the "Galactica".

As Rear Admiral Cain retires to her quarters after the battle, she finds the wrathful and vengeful Gina lying in wait for her. Cain is killed with a shot to the head. Gina then disappears into hiding.

Afterward, everyone assembles onboard the "Pegasus" for Cain's funeral. When the funeral is over Kara visits Lee in the sleeping quarters and asks if he is okay. Lee feels guilty for letting Kara down. Kara comforts him, discussing what they've been through but he tells Starbuck that he really did want to die in space. Dualla overhears their conversation from the hallway.

Helo and Tyrol are moved to "Galactica"'s brig where Helo is reunited with Sharon. Tyrol pauses for a moment, looking at the lovers, and does not say a word. Col. Fisk succeeds Cain as commander of the "Pegasus", reporting to Adama as overall military leader. Recognizing Adama's increased responsibilities in commanding two Battlestars, President Roslin promotes Adama to the rank of Rear Admiral. Adama says that while he had never given up hope of becoming an admiral, he had given up trying many years ago. Roslin tells Adama, "Just goes to show you Bill, never give up hope." Adama answers, "Same goes for you, Laura." President Roslin nods, and stands. Rear Admiral Adama helps her to her feet, then kisses her.

References

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki
* at the Battlestar Wiki