Rapture (Battlestar Galactica)
Encyclopedia
"Rapture" is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica
. Aired on January 21, 2007, this episode marks the return of regular broadcasting after the Christmas mid-season hiatus
.
The episode begins with the Galactica
orbiting the algae planet and arming its nuclear missile tubes. Admiral Adama
is ready to launch his nuclear arsenal upon the planet as the Cylons are sending down six Heavy Raiders
.
On a Cylon Basestar, the humanoid Cylons clearly see that Adama wasn't bluffing when he warned them he'd destroy the Eye of Jupiter if they invade. They decide to recall their ships; however, a copy of Number Three, betting that Adama won't fire nukes for one ship, openly defies the other models and recalls only five of the Raiders. The sixth, which has Gaius Baltar
, D'anna Biers, and Brother Cavil
on board, stays on course to the planet. When Adama sees five ships turn back, he stands down his attack. On the basestar, Three's defiance forces the other models to discuss the future of her line.
Down on the planet, Starbuck
has survived her crash, but her hands are severely burned. At the base camp, Major Apollo
holds Samuel Anders
at gunpoint when he demands that Apollo do something to rescue Starbuck. Anders threatens to kill Apollo if Starbuck dies, and Apollo responds that if that happens he'll let him. Apollo then radios his wife Dee
, who is out in the field. She says she sees the smoke from Starbuck's crash site and Apollo orders her to intercept it and rescue Starbuck, which puts Anders at ease for the moment.
Back aboard Galactica, Captain "Helo" Agathon
and his wife Athena discuss rescuing their child Hera from the Cylons. Athena has a dangerous plan to resurrect her way onto the Cylon ship, but Helo is hesitant to go through with killing her. The two embrace and Helo shoots Athena with his gun. He cries out in despair as Athena dies in his arms.
Down on the planet, Apollo and Anders prepare to defend the camp from approaching Cylon Centurions. They plan an ambush to destroy the robots in a narrow pass and take defensive positions amongst the rocks of a hillside. Meanwhile, Dee makes her way to Starbuck's Raptor
. In the process, she is attacked by other Centurions and her partner is killed. She eventually loses her pursuers and arrives at the Raptor surprising Starbuck. With disdain, Dee tells Starbuck she was ordered by Apollo to risk her life to save her. Dee tends to Starbuck's wounds, saying the Raptor looks intact enough to fly despite the crash. With injuries to her hands, however, Starbuck can't pilot it.
Back in space, Athena awakens in a resurrection tank with Caprica Six
standing near her. Knowing why Athena has returned, Six takes her to see her child.
Aboard Galactica, Helo stands before Admiral Adama and President Roslin
to explain what he has done. Roslin is shocked by the incredible risk he has taken. Adama reminds Helo that Athena knows sensitive information that the Cylons could use against them, but Helo insists that Athena will not betray them. Roslin thinks otherwise, stating that Helo may have put the whole fleet in jeopardy. Helo turns the situation around on her, stating that if she hadn't staged and lied about Hera's death in the first place, the situation would have been different.
Aboard a Basestar, Athena and Six arrive in the nursery where Boomer (the copy of Number Eight who shot Admiral Adama), is caring for Hera. Athena becomes alarmed that the child's stomach is hard as a rock, the sign of possible intestinal blockage. She tells Boomer to fetch a doctor but Boomer says they have already done all they can. Athena decides Hera needs a human doctor and pleads to Six and Boomer to let her take Hera back to Galactica; if not, the first of a "new generation" will die. Six shows sympathy, but Boomer protests the idea.
Athena urges Boomer to come with them saying Tyrol
and Adama still have love for her, but Boomer says that part of her life is over. She then threatens to put Hera out of her misery by snapping her neck. As Athena begs for the life of her child, Six sneaks up behind Boomer and knocks her to the floor. When Boomer tries to get up, Six breaks her neck. Athena takes Hera, and she and Six head out to escape the ship.
Back on the planet, Dee has administered painkillers to Starbuck and bandaged her hands. With Starbuck's guidance, Dee begins to repair the avionics systems to get the Raptor back in the air. Elsewhere, the Centurions engage Apollo and Ander's teams and a firefight ensues. They manage to disable a few of the Centurions and force the rest to retreat. Unable to hold the enemy off indefinitely, Apollo calls Tyrol, who is with the Eye of Jupiter, and tells him to get ready to blow up the temple. Tyrol and his people set the last of the charges and leave the temple as Tyrol uncoils the detonator wire out the passage.
In space, the blue giant star of the system begins its supernova
stage, blasting off a wave of energy which causes the atmosphere of the algae planet to violently stir. On Galactica, Felix Gaeta
alerts Admiral Adama that the stellar event is beginning and estimates an explosion within the hour. Adama orders preparation of the rescue ships.
Back on the planet, Baltar, D'anna and Cavil arrive at the temple and head inside. D'anna and Cavil quickly disable the explosives around the Eye of Jupiter's column as Baltar takes note of the spiral symbol on the floor. He believes the floor pattern must be the Eye, but has no idea how to activate it.
Outside, Apollo's team meets up with Tyrol's people and Apollo orders him to detonate the bombs. Tyrol hesitates, finally stating he can't do it. Apollo grabs the detonator and presses the button himself. Nothing happens. He angrily questions Tyrol, but a thunderous roar from the sky captures everyone's attention. As if symbolically, the mountain spires of the temple frame the expanding glow of the system's star as it shines a brilliant blue. Tyrol believes the view is a sign, saying the nova is the Eye of Jupiter.
Inside the temple, a set of crystal structures at the top of the column begins to glow, casting a beam of light to the spiral symbol on the floor. Baltar believes this is what D'anna has come to see. Cavil notices D'anna becoming enthralled with the artifact. Realizing that she is here only to get a clear vision of the five unknown Cylons, and not the path to Earth, he forbids her to proceed any further and points a gun at her. Cavil is suddenly shot from behind by Baltar.
Standing upon the symbol, D'anna finds herself in a glowing room surrounded by five hooded beings in gleaming white robes. She moves closer to see their faces and instantly recognizes one of them saying, "You! Forgive me, I had no idea." The being, whose identity remains hidden from the viewer, reaches out to take D'anna's hand, but the scene quickly fades with Baltar taking the figure's place. D'anna is stunned. Her eyes seem to glaze over and blood runs from her nose. Baltar demands to know what she has seen and asks if she saw him as one of the Cylons. She only tells him, "You were right," and slumps lifelessly to the floor.
Baltar stands in the fading light and begs God to tell him if he is a Cylon before he dies, but he quickly finds a gun to his head. Its holder is Tyrol, who says "Welcome home, Mr. President." Tyrol then pistol-whips
Baltar, knocking him out.
In space, the Cylon Basestars jump away and Adama orders the rescue ships down to the planet.
In Starbuck's Raptor, Dee has repaired the flight systems and takes the controls to make a shaky lift off. Moments later, they join the other rescue ships and fly through a fire-storm as the planet begins to break apart. Once the Raptors land safely, Galactica makes a harrowing FTL jump, barely avoiding the final fatal shockwave from the star that obliterates the algae planet, and safely joins the awaiting civilian fleet. In the hangar, Anders is ecstatic to know Starbuck has made it home and quickly embraces her. Dee and Apollo embrace as well, but Starbuck and Apollo look at each other over their spouses' shoulders.
Emerging from another Raptor is Athena and her baby Hera. From behind Athena emerges Caprica Six, at whom the guards quickly level weapons. Athena briefly stands in front of Six, telling the crowd that Six helped her escape, but then moves aside to join Helo. Six is then taken into custody. Helo is finally reunited with Athena and their child. Tyrol and Cally bring a body bag from their Raptor. Colonel Tigh
is shown the bag's occupant: Baltar, alive but unconscious.
Gaeta begins to study the data from the supernova remnant
, comparing the burst and color pattern to the Eye of Jupiter symbol. Tyrol believes they are very similar and Roslin wonders if the Thirteenth Colony had a premonition of this event. Colonel Tigh speculates that maybe the tribe saw another nova and drew a picture of it stating, "You seen one nova, you seen them all." Gaeta thinks the Colonel may be on to something and compares the nova burst to another nova explosion recorded 4000 years ago known as the Ionian Nebula which is 13,000 light years away from their present position. Admiral Adama wonders if the Eye of Jupiter was a "road sign" showing the direction the colony headed to next.
Elsewhere, Helo arrives at Starbuck's bunk where she is recovering from her injuries. He asks her if she has pictures of her apartment back on Caprica. She has him fetch a box from her locker containing the photos, one of which is a picture of a painting Starbuck made when she was a child. The painting is the same swirling pattern of colors as the Eye of Jupiter symbol. Helo remembered seeing the painting in her apartment and asks why she made it, but Starbuck is uncertain, saying she simply liked the pattern. She is shocked by the similarities. Remembering Leoben
's claim that she has a destiny, she wonders now if the painting has some prophetic relation to that destiny.
Back aboard the Resurrection Ship, D'anna awakes from her resurrection, finding Cavil next to her. D'anna smiles, having finally seen the five remaining Cylon models, but before she can elaborate, Cavil tells her that her model series has been determined to be fundamentally flawed. The decision has been made to terminate her line and box up her persona indefinitely. Cavil pulls a cartridge from the side of the resurrection tank and the unit powers down as D'anna takes her final breath.
submitted this episode for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
" on her behalf for the 2007 Emmy Awards
.
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
. Aired on January 21, 2007, this episode marks the return of regular broadcasting after the Christmas mid-season hiatus
Hiatus (television)
In television scheduling, a hiatus refers to a break of at least several weeks in the normal schedule of a broadcast programming. It can occur during a season of a television program, or can be between television seasons .- Planned hiatus :Many times television stations will implement a hiatus...
.
Plot
Survivor Count: 41,401The episode begins with the Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (ship)
The Battlestar Galactica is a space battleship in the original and re-imagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica.The Twelve Colonies of Man in the original television series built a number of Battlestars during their thousand-year war with the Cylons, whose battleships are...
orbiting the algae planet and arming its nuclear missile tubes. Admiral Adama
William Adama
William "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series...
is ready to launch his nuclear arsenal upon the planet as the Cylons are sending down six Heavy Raiders
Cylon Heavy Raider
The Cylon Heavy Raider is a heavy fighter used by the Cylons, in the television series Battlestar Galactica.- History :The first Heavy Raider encountered by the Fleet crash landed into Galacticas non-operational starboard hangar bay, and a boarding party of Cylon Centurions exited the wreck to...
.
On a Cylon Basestar, the humanoid Cylons clearly see that Adama wasn't bluffing when he warned them he'd destroy the Eye of Jupiter if they invade. They decide to recall their ships; however, a copy of Number Three, betting that Adama won't fire nukes for one ship, openly defies the other models and recalls only five of the Raiders. The sixth, which has Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
, D'anna Biers, and Brother Cavil
Brother Cavil
John Cavil is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series. In the fourth season episode "Six of One", Cavil's model number was revealed as Number One.- Background :...
on board, stays on course to the planet. When Adama sees five ships turn back, he stands down his attack. On the basestar, Three's defiance forces the other models to discuss the future of her line.
Down on the planet, Starbuck
Kara Thrace
Kara Thrace is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica franchise. Played by Katee Sackhoff, she is a revised version of Lieutenant Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
has survived her crash, but her hands are severely burned. At the base camp, Major Apollo
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
holds Samuel Anders
Samuel Anders
Samuel T. Anders is a fictional character from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, played by Michael Trucco...
at gunpoint when he demands that Apollo do something to rescue Starbuck. Anders threatens to kill Apollo if Starbuck dies, and Apollo responds that if that happens he'll let him. Apollo then radios his wife Dee
Anastasia Dualla
Anastasia "Dee" Dualla, portrayed by Kandyse McClure, is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica.-Character history:...
, who is out in the field. She says she sees the smoke from Starbuck's crash site and Apollo orders her to intercept it and rescue Starbuck, which puts Anders at ease for the moment.
Back aboard Galactica, Captain "Helo" Agathon
Karl Agathon
Karl C. Agathon is a fictional character on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series, portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett.-Background:...
and his wife Athena discuss rescuing their child Hera from the Cylons. Athena has a dangerous plan to resurrect her way onto the Cylon ship, but Helo is hesitant to go through with killing her. The two embrace and Helo shoots Athena with his gun. He cries out in despair as Athena dies in his arms.
Down on the planet, Apollo and Anders prepare to defend the camp from approaching Cylon Centurions. They plan an ambush to destroy the robots in a narrow pass and take defensive positions amongst the rocks of a hillside. Meanwhile, Dee makes her way to Starbuck's Raptor
Colonial Raptor
The Raptor is a multipurpose military spacecraft featured in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. According to producer Ronald D. Moore, the Raptor is analogous to the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowler.-Description:...
. In the process, she is attacked by other Centurions and her partner is killed. She eventually loses her pursuers and arrives at the Raptor surprising Starbuck. With disdain, Dee tells Starbuck she was ordered by Apollo to risk her life to save her. Dee tends to Starbuck's wounds, saying the Raptor looks intact enough to fly despite the crash. With injuries to her hands, however, Starbuck can't pilot it.
Back in space, Athena awakens in a resurrection tank with Caprica Six
Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)
Number Six is a family of fictional characters from the reimagined science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica. She is portrayed by Canadian actress and model Tricia Helfer. Of the twelve known Cylon models, she is the sixth of the "Significant Seven"...
standing near her. Knowing why Athena has returned, Six takes her to see her child.
Aboard Galactica, Helo stands before Admiral Adama and President Roslin
Laura Roslin
Her first actions include organizing all FTL-capable ships together and convincing Commander William Adama to abandon a retaliatory attack on the Cylons. President Roslin and Billy Keikeya, her aide/press secretary/chief of staff, establish a working office space aboard her transport, renamed...
to explain what he has done. Roslin is shocked by the incredible risk he has taken. Adama reminds Helo that Athena knows sensitive information that the Cylons could use against them, but Helo insists that Athena will not betray them. Roslin thinks otherwise, stating that Helo may have put the whole fleet in jeopardy. Helo turns the situation around on her, stating that if she hadn't staged and lied about Hera's death in the first place, the situation would have been different.
Aboard a Basestar, Athena and Six arrive in the nursery where Boomer (the copy of Number Eight who shot Admiral Adama), is caring for Hera. Athena becomes alarmed that the child's stomach is hard as a rock, the sign of possible intestinal blockage. She tells Boomer to fetch a doctor but Boomer says they have already done all they can. Athena decides Hera needs a human doctor and pleads to Six and Boomer to let her take Hera back to Galactica; if not, the first of a "new generation" will die. Six shows sympathy, but Boomer protests the idea.
Athena urges Boomer to come with them saying Tyrol
Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol is a character on the television series Battlestar Galactica. Tyrol is responsible for the maintenance of the Vipers and Raptors aboard Battlestar Galactica...
and Adama still have love for her, but Boomer says that part of her life is over. She then threatens to put Hera out of her misery by snapping her neck. As Athena begs for the life of her child, Six sneaks up behind Boomer and knocks her to the floor. When Boomer tries to get up, Six breaks her neck. Athena takes Hera, and she and Six head out to escape the ship.
Back on the planet, Dee has administered painkillers to Starbuck and bandaged her hands. With Starbuck's guidance, Dee begins to repair the avionics systems to get the Raptor back in the air. Elsewhere, the Centurions engage Apollo and Ander's teams and a firefight ensues. They manage to disable a few of the Centurions and force the rest to retreat. Unable to hold the enemy off indefinitely, Apollo calls Tyrol, who is with the Eye of Jupiter, and tells him to get ready to blow up the temple. Tyrol and his people set the last of the charges and leave the temple as Tyrol uncoils the detonator wire out the passage.
In space, the blue giant star of the system begins its supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
stage, blasting off a wave of energy which causes the atmosphere of the algae planet to violently stir. On Galactica, Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta
Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.- Character overview in his early career :...
alerts Admiral Adama that the stellar event is beginning and estimates an explosion within the hour. Adama orders preparation of the rescue ships.
Back on the planet, Baltar, D'anna and Cavil arrive at the temple and head inside. D'anna and Cavil quickly disable the explosives around the Eye of Jupiter's column as Baltar takes note of the spiral symbol on the floor. He believes the floor pattern must be the Eye, but has no idea how to activate it.
Outside, Apollo's team meets up with Tyrol's people and Apollo orders him to detonate the bombs. Tyrol hesitates, finally stating he can't do it. Apollo grabs the detonator and presses the button himself. Nothing happens. He angrily questions Tyrol, but a thunderous roar from the sky captures everyone's attention. As if symbolically, the mountain spires of the temple frame the expanding glow of the system's star as it shines a brilliant blue. Tyrol believes the view is a sign, saying the nova is the Eye of Jupiter.
Inside the temple, a set of crystal structures at the top of the column begins to glow, casting a beam of light to the spiral symbol on the floor. Baltar believes this is what D'anna has come to see. Cavil notices D'anna becoming enthralled with the artifact. Realizing that she is here only to get a clear vision of the five unknown Cylons, and not the path to Earth, he forbids her to proceed any further and points a gun at her. Cavil is suddenly shot from behind by Baltar.
Standing upon the symbol, D'anna finds herself in a glowing room surrounded by five hooded beings in gleaming white robes. She moves closer to see their faces and instantly recognizes one of them saying, "You! Forgive me, I had no idea." The being, whose identity remains hidden from the viewer, reaches out to take D'anna's hand, but the scene quickly fades with Baltar taking the figure's place. D'anna is stunned. Her eyes seem to glaze over and blood runs from her nose. Baltar demands to know what she has seen and asks if she saw him as one of the Cylons. She only tells him, "You were right," and slumps lifelessly to the floor.
Baltar stands in the fading light and begs God to tell him if he is a Cylon before he dies, but he quickly finds a gun to his head. Its holder is Tyrol, who says "Welcome home, Mr. President." Tyrol then pistol-whips
Pistol-whipping
Pistol-whipping is the act of using a handgun as a blunt weapon, wielding it as if it were a club or blackjack. "Pistol-whipping" and "to pistol-whip" were reported as "new words" of American speech in 1955, with cited usages from 1940s...
Baltar, knocking him out.
In space, the Cylon Basestars jump away and Adama orders the rescue ships down to the planet.
In Starbuck's Raptor, Dee has repaired the flight systems and takes the controls to make a shaky lift off. Moments later, they join the other rescue ships and fly through a fire-storm as the planet begins to break apart. Once the Raptors land safely, Galactica makes a harrowing FTL jump, barely avoiding the final fatal shockwave from the star that obliterates the algae planet, and safely joins the awaiting civilian fleet. In the hangar, Anders is ecstatic to know Starbuck has made it home and quickly embraces her. Dee and Apollo embrace as well, but Starbuck and Apollo look at each other over their spouses' shoulders.
Emerging from another Raptor is Athena and her baby Hera. From behind Athena emerges Caprica Six, at whom the guards quickly level weapons. Athena briefly stands in front of Six, telling the crowd that Six helped her escape, but then moves aside to join Helo. Six is then taken into custody. Helo is finally reunited with Athena and their child. Tyrol and Cally bring a body bag from their Raptor. Colonel Tigh
Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
is shown the bag's occupant: Baltar, alive but unconscious.
Gaeta begins to study the data from the supernova remnant
Supernova remnant
A supernova remnant is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. The supernova remnant is bounded by an expanding shock wave, and consists of ejected material expanding from the explosion, and the interstellar material it sweeps up and shocks along the way.There are two...
, comparing the burst and color pattern to the Eye of Jupiter symbol. Tyrol believes they are very similar and Roslin wonders if the Thirteenth Colony had a premonition of this event. Colonel Tigh speculates that maybe the tribe saw another nova and drew a picture of it stating, "You seen one nova, you seen them all." Gaeta thinks the Colonel may be on to something and compares the nova burst to another nova explosion recorded 4000 years ago known as the Ionian Nebula which is 13,000 light years away from their present position. Admiral Adama wonders if the Eye of Jupiter was a "road sign" showing the direction the colony headed to next.
Elsewhere, Helo arrives at Starbuck's bunk where she is recovering from her injuries. He asks her if she has pictures of her apartment back on Caprica. She has him fetch a box from her locker containing the photos, one of which is a picture of a painting Starbuck made when she was a child. The painting is the same swirling pattern of colors as the Eye of Jupiter symbol. Helo remembered seeing the painting in her apartment and asks why she made it, but Starbuck is uncertain, saying she simply liked the pattern. She is shocked by the similarities. Remembering Leoben
Leoben Conoy
Leoben Conoy is a fictional character portrayed by Callum Keith Rennie appearing in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series....
's claim that she has a destiny, she wonders now if the painting has some prophetic relation to that destiny.
Back aboard the Resurrection Ship, D'anna awakes from her resurrection, finding Cavil next to her. D'anna smiles, having finally seen the five remaining Cylon models, but before she can elaborate, Cavil tells her that her model series has been determined to be fundamentally flawed. The decision has been made to terminate her line and box up her persona indefinitely. Cavil pulls a cartridge from the side of the resurrection tank and the unit powers down as D'anna takes her final breath.
Emmy Award consideration
Grace ParkGrace Park (actress)
Grace Park is an American-born Canadian actress. She gained recognition as Sharon Valerii on Battlestar Galactica, as well as Shannon Ng in the Canadian television series teen soap Edgemont...
submitted this episode for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series-Superlatives:-1960s:*1960: no award*1961: no award*1962: Pamela Brown – Victoria Regina*1963: Glenda Farrell – Ben Casey...
" on her behalf for the 2007 Emmy Awards
59th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
.
External links
- "Rapture" at the Battlestar Wiki
- "Rapture" at Syfy.comSyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...