The Living Legend

Infobox Television episode | Title = The Living Legend
Series = Battlestar Galactica (1978)
Season = 1
Episode = 13 & 14
Airdate = November 26, 1978 & December 3, 1978
Production = 50919 & 50920
Writer = Glen A. Larson
Director = Vince Edwards
Guests = Lloyd Bridges as Commander Cain
Rod Haase as Tolan
Junero JEnnings as Pegasus bridge officer
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = The Young Lords
Next = Fire in Space

"The Living Legend" is a two-part episode of the original "Battlestar Galactica" television series. The episode is often rated as one of the most popular of the original series. It served as an inspiration for the "reimagined" series episode "Pegasus" in which the character of Commander Cain and the Battlestar "Pegasus" were revived, with substantial changes.

Plot Synopsis

Part One

While on a routine patrol, Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck encounter two other viper fighters, which attack and nearly destroy them. The viper pilots, who are led by a woman named Sheba, inform them that they are from the fabled Battlestar "Pegasus", which was thought to have been destroyed in a battle with the Cylons years earlier. The "Pegasus" is under the leadership of the legendary Commander Cain, a man widely believed to be a military genius, and who was regarded as one of the greatest heroes of the war between the Twelve Colonies and the Cylons. Upon arriving at the "Pegasus", Apollo and Starbuck are taken to Cain's quarters. After learning that they are from the Battlestar "Galactica", Cain is elated and swears that with the "Galactica's" help, he will finally be able to defeat the Cylons. He also asks them if, among the survivors of the Cylon attack, they have seen a young woman he obviously remembers fondly; she turns out to be Cassiopea, Starbuck's girlfriend. Neither Starbuck or Apollo tell Cain that they know her.

Meanwhile, the "Galactica" and the fleet of civilian starships she is escorting have come to a complete stop due to a critical fuel shortage; if the fleet cannot find fuel soon their life-support systems will begin to shut down. At this point the battlestar's sensors detect another battlestar approaching the fleet; when Commander Adama states that all other battlestars were destroyed by the Cylons in their sneak attack, and thus the sensors must be malfunctioning, Commander Cain appears on the viewscreens of the "Galactica"'s bridge. Adama is astonished - he and Cain had been friends for many years - and he immediately grants Cain permission to land on the "Galactica" with Starbuck and Apollo. Cain arrives aboard the "Galactica" and is given a hero's welcome. He and Adama meet in Adama's quarters, but a dispute soon develops between them. Cain, while brilliant, is also arrogant, egotistical, and does not seem to understand that the war has been lost. He tells Adama that the combined firepower of the two battlestars can overwhelm the Cylons occupying the nearby planet of Gomorray, and that the fleet of civilian ships will have all the fuel they need. Adama replies that he cannot risk a full-scale assault on a well-defended Cylon colony when several Cylon warships are in pursuit; they will likely attack and destroy the civilian fleet while the "Galactica" and "Pegasus" are away attacking Gomorray. Instead, Adama - who has the higher rank - proposes attacking and seizing several Cylon fuel tankers, thus giving the fleet the necessary fuel to leave that sector of space. Cain clearly disagrees, but he reluctantly agrees to follow Adama's plan. Cain then has a reunion with Cassiopea, it is clear that they were once lovers. However, this stirs the jealously of Sheba, the viper pilot, who turns out to be Cain's daughter. Sheba had apparently resented her father's affair with Cassiopea, which occurred not long after her mother's death.

Cain and Sheba lead a combined force of vipers from the "Pegasus" and "Galactica" on a raid to seize two Cylon fuel tankers. In the battle, Cain deliberately targets and destroys both tankers, thus disobeying Adama's orders. When Adama confronts him, Cain states that he was only doing what was necessary, and that Adama would now have "no choice" but to attack Gomorray. Adama, however, announces that he will divide the "Pegasus" fuel supplies to the rest of the fleet, and that Cain will be relieved of his command. Colonel Tigh is named as the new "Pegasus" commander. Although Cain takes his demotion in stride, his daughter and other "Pegasus" personnel attempt a mutiny to restore Cain to command. They are confronted by Apollo, Boomer, and other warriors from the "Galactica", who have arrived on the "Pegasus" to distribute its fuel. Before shooting can begin, the fleet is attacked by a huge number of Cylon fighters. The fighters are led by Count Baltar, the human traitor who has joined the Cylons in trying to hunt down and destroy the "Galactica" and the last surviving humans. Realizing that he now needs Cain's military skills, Adama restores Cain to command of the "Pegasus". When the "Galactica" suffers heavy damage in the ensuing battle, Cain takes the "Pegasus" into the fight. Baltar, who doesn't know of the presence of a second battlestar, is gloating over the "Galactica's" imminent destruction when he is informed by his pilot of a second battlestar approaching his fighter.

Part Two

Stunned by the sudden arrival of the "Pegasus", Baltar calls off the attack, and the "Galactica" is saved. A council of war is immediately held aboard the "Galactica", where repairs are underway. Adama reluctantly agrees to attack Gomorray and approves Cain's elaborate plan of attack. A small force of colonial warriors will land on the planet, and destroy the center which controls the defense batteries. The "Galactica" and "Pegasus" will launch fighters and overwhelm the planet. To keep the fuel tankers safe while they are fueling, the "Pegasus" will head towards the three Cylon basestars under Baltar's command and trick him into believing the "Pegasus" intends to attack, at the last moment Cain will move away and save his ship.

Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer, Sheba, and Bojay - another pilot from the "Pegasus" and a close friend of Sheba's - parachute down to the planet's surface. With them is Cassiopea, who has come as their medical technician. Bojay is injured in a gunfight with a Cylon, and Cassiopea saves his life, thus earning the respect of Sheba. The Cylon control center is destroyed, and vipers from the two battlestars wreak havoc over Gomorray. Fuel tankers land and begin taking on tylium. The warriors board a shuttle, Cassiopea directs it to land on the "Pegasus" so she can help the wounded on board, including Bojay. Cain leads the "Pegasus" directly into a massive number of Cylon fighters, in the ensuing fight the battlestar suffers heavy damage but survives. His daughter Sheba is wounded in the battle, and is taken to the ship's medical center for help. At this point both Apollo and Commander Adama learn that Cain's plan was never to break off; he intends to head straight for the three Cylon basestars and attack them head-on. Given that he is outnumbered three-to-one it seems like a suicidal plan, but Apollo notes that if anyone could accomplish such an incredible feat, it would be Cain. Adama contacts Cain and begs him to turn away, but when Cain refuses Adama reluctantly gives him his blessing.

Cain has a tearful farewell with Cassiopea and his wounded daughter, who begs to stay with him. However, she is placed on a shuttle with other wounded "Pegasus" personnel and flown to the "Galactica". Apollo and Starbuck lead an escort of vipers to ensure the shuttles reach the "Galactica", but after a short time they turn command over to Lieutenant Boomer and fly back to the "Pegasus" to help her in the fight with the Cylon baseships. Baltar orders his basestar to fall back and allow the other two basestars to fight the "Pegasus" first. Apollo and Starbuck's vipers attack and cripple the two basestar's defensive laser cannons; Cain has the "Pegasus" fly between the two enemy ships and destroys them with nuclear missiles. Unfortunately, the dust and debris from the explosions prevents Starbuck and Apollo from discovering whether or not the "Pegasus" survived the battle. They return to the "Galactica", where they tell the recovering Sheba that her father probably headed into deep space and no doubt survived the battle, and that the "Pegasus" will be heard from again (since the series was cancelled after only one season, the "Pegasus" was not seen again in the original series).

External links

* at the Battlestar Wiki
* at the Battlestar Wiki