Valley of Darkness

Infobox Television episode
Title = Valley of Darkness


Caption = Commander Adama remains in critical condition
Series = Battlestar Galactica
Season = 2
Episode = 2
Airdate = July 22, 2005
Production = 202
Writer = David Weddle & Bradley Thompson
Director = Michael Rymer
Guests =
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Scattered
Next = Fragged

"Valley of Darkness" is an episode of the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica" television series.

Plot

Survivor Count: 47,874

After returning to the fleet, the "Galactica" suffers from a total computer system crash due to the Cylon computer virus, and becomes disabled and adrift. The Cylon Heavy Raider that crash-landed into the starboard landing bay carries a boarding party of Cylon Centurions, which begin a deck by deck assault on the crippled ship, intent on shutting down its life support systems and killing everyone aboard, then using the ship's guns to destroy the fleet. With unreliable comms, isolated groups of officers and marines attempt a resistance. However these Centurions appear heavily armored; only explosive rounds can damage them and these are few and far between.

During the crisis, Capt. Apollo rescues President Roslin from the brig, and is ordered by Colonel Tigh to co-ordinate a group of crewmen and marines to ambush the Cylons before they can make it to aft damage control. If the Cylons reach their objective, they will be able to override the decompression safety protocols and vent the ship's air into space.

Once the battle is over, Dr. Cottle is finally brought to "Galactica" to perform emergency surgery on Commander Adama who remains in critical condition after being shot. Back on Caprica, Lt. Starbuck and Karl "Helo" Agathon hide out in Starbuck's old apartment. Later, she finds the keys to a truck, giving the two of them transport out of the city.

On Kobol, Chief Tyrol and Specialist Cally return to the rest of the stranded survey team with the missing medical kit, but without Tarn, who was killed by a Cylon ambush in the forest. Specialist Socinus is still alive, but is now too far gone to be saved by the recovered medicine. Tyrol is devastated to realize that their mission, which cost Tarn's life, hasn't even saved Socinus' life. The medic explains that Socinus faces a lingering, painful, but unavoidable death. She suggests euthanasia. Tyrol, at first horrified, finally agrees -- and administers it himself.

Behind the scenes

*The soundtrack to this episode features "Metamorphosis One", a track from the Philip Glass album "Solo Piano".
*When they are on the hill on the surface of Kobol, the crashed Raptor crew uses the code words "flash" and "thunder" to identify as themselves as friendly to each other. These are the same code words that were used by Allied paratroops at D-Day during World War II, but with the challenge and response in the opposite order.

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki