Kobol's Last Gleaming

Infobox Television episode
Title = Kobol's Last Gleaming


Caption = Kobol viewed from a Raptor
Series = Battlestar Galactica
Season = 1
Episode = 12 and 13
Airdate = UK: January 17, 2005 & January 24, 2005
US: March 25, 2005 & April 1, 2005
Production = 112 & 113
Writer = David Eick (story)
Ronald D. Moore (teleplay)
Director = Michael Rymer
Guests =
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Colonial Day
Next = Scattered

"Kobol's Last Gleaming, Parts I and II" are episodes of the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica" television series.

Plot

Part 1

Survivor Count: 47,897

Newly elected Vice President Gaius Baltar is making love to Starbuck, but when she calls out Lee's name the situation turns awkward. Starbuck leaves Baltar feeling uneasy and he spends the rest of the day rejecting Number Six and unable to concentrate on his duties.

At the same time, Apollo and Commander Adama are sparring in the gym. After a short while, Adama knocks Apollo to the floor. He tells his son that the reason he never wins is because he is too rigid; he never loses control.

Meanwhile, "Galactica"-Boomer is breaking down and considers shooting herself with her sidearm. She regains her composure when she is called for a flight mission.

Elsewhere, President Laura Roslin receives grim news from Dr. Cottle. Her cancer has worsened and reached her lymphatic system. Cottle gives her six months to live.

In the hangar bay, Apollo angrily confronts Starbuck after he learns she slept with Baltar. Their argument turns to blows and Apollo walks out with hurt feelings.

In space, "Galactica"-Boomer and Lt. Crashdown discover a nearby planet. When they return with the data, which shows artificial structures on the surface, Roslin is convinced the planet is Kobol, (the world from which mankind originated). Uncertain, Commander Adama prepares a survey team to scout it out.

An emotionally torn "Galactica"-Boomer now attempts suicide in her quarters after Dr. Baltar hints to her that she is a Cylon after all.

The survey team is attacked by Cylon Raiders above Kobol. One of the three Raptors is destroyed and one jumps back to the "Galactica", but the third—which is led by Lt. Crashdown and includes Dr. Baltar, Chief Tyrol, and Cally—manages to crash on the surface of Kobol.

Roslin's visions continue, possibly brought on by the drug she is taking to combat her cancer. She tells the priestess Elosha that she believes the ancient prophecy that Kobol will show the way to Earth and that she herself has been chosen to lead them.

Later, she converts Starbuck to her cause by revealing to her that Commander Adama lied when he told the fleet he knew the location of Earth. Rather than following Adama's orders to destroy a Cylon Basestar discovered orbiting the unknown planet, Starbuck steals the captured Cylon Raider and returns to Caprica for the "Arrow of Apollo" artifact, a device Roslin believes will unravel Kobol's secrets.

On Caprica, Sharon chases after Helo. He shoots her in the shoulder when she finds him. Helo admits he would rather kill her outright, but she tries to convince him she is really on his side. He then takes her captive hoping she will help him find a way off the planet, reluctantly finding himself relying on her although he now knows she is a Cylon.

Part 2

Survivor Count: 47,887

After crashing, the survey team struggles to gather supplies and seek shelter, but Number Six leads Baltar away toward the ruins of the great "Opera House of Kobol" and shows him a bizarre revelation. He sees the Opera House as it once was, and on the stage is a glowing cradle containing "the shape of things to come." (It remains off-camera to the viewer.)

Back in the fleet, "Galactica"-Boomer is recovering from her failed suicide attempt and is assigned to destroy the Cylon Basestar, in lieu of Starbuck. Enraged by President Roslin's inciting Starbuck to mutiny, Commander Adama "terminates" Roslin's presidency and has her arrested in a military coup. During her arrest, Apollo sides with Roslin and pulls a gun on Colonel Tigh. Roslin however, averts bloodshed by handing herself over peacefully and Col. Tigh has Apollo arrested for mutiny.

On Caprica, Starbuck makes her landing in the ruined city of Delphi and heads to the partially intact history museum. Remarkably, she finds the Arrow of Apollo artifact undamaged in its display case. Suddenly, she is attacked from behind by another physical copy of the Cylon, Number Six. After defeating Six by recklessly throwing herself on top of the Cylon and plunging to the floor below, Starbuck is surprised by the unexpected appearance of Helo. Starbuck is stunned to find Sharon there with him on Caprica when she is supposed to be aboard "Galactica". She surmises that Sharon is a Cylon. Enraged, Starbuck attacks Sharon, but Helo stops her, stating Sharon is pregnant [with his baby] .

Above Kobol, "Galactica"-Boomer infiltrates the Basestar and manages to detonate a nuclear warhead, but not before meeting several naked copies of herself who reveal her true identity. After destroying the Basestar and returning to "Galactica", Boomer, under the influence of her hidden programming, draws her sidearm and shoots Commander Adama twice in the stomach.

Behind the scenes

Music

The opening montage of "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 1" is set to a musical piece entitled "Passacaglia", after the Spanish-Italian musical form of the same name. This theme, which appears for the first time in this episode, later develops into a major "leitmotif" of "Battlestar Galactica" and is often (but not exclusively) connected with the mysterious Opera House on Kobol and Laura Roslin's story arc as a religious figure.

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki
* at the Battlestar Wiki