The Return of Starbuck
Encyclopedia
"The Return of Starbuck" is the tenth and final episode of the television series Galactica 1980
, a spin-off of the earlier ABC science fiction series Battlestar Galactica
.
The episode, first aired on May 4, 1980 on ABC
, featured the return of the original series' character Lieutenant Starbuck
and also explained the origins of Doctor Zee, the new series teenage prodigy.
with Commander Adama
. The rest of the episode relates this tale.
Several years earlier, Starbuck and Boomer
, while on patrol, are ambushed by Cylon
raiders. Starbuck's Viper is damaged severely and crashes on a small planet, while the Galactica is forced to move on.
Starbuck awakens in a desert landscape and discovers a Cylon ship that also crashed. Starbuck constructs a shelter out of the ship wreck and then tries to rebuild one of the Cylons. When the Cylon is reactivated, it immediately threatens to kill Starbuck, but the human manages to win over the huge robot soldier with a combination of argument and threats to turn off his power. Starbuck also starts calling him "Cy
" and proposes that they teach one other about their respective races.
The twosome's lonely existence on the planet is interrupted when the Cylon discovers a strange woman, whom they are surprised to discover is pregnant. The woman remains mute for the first few days but then enigmatically asks Starbuck, "Would you die for me?". The woman, named Angela, starts referring to her unborn baby as "our child." On her request, Starbuck and Cy build a vehicle to transport the baby to safety.
The morning after the baby's birth, another Cylon ship lands close to the crash site, apparently having picked up the distress beacon. Cy announces that he must join his fellow Cylons. Starbuck protests, but cannot bring himself to shoot the departing centurion. He then hustles Angela to the completed hybrid ship and gets her and the baby inside. He himself stays behind (to save fuel) and launches the ship manually. Starbuck is suddenly attacked by the Cylons. Cy reappears and shoots the attackers, his fellow Cylons, but is himself mortally damaged. Cy dies in Starbuck's arms, calling the human his "friend." Angela's shape appears above the hills, declaring, "The child is safely on its way and I am ready to return home now... And I judge this mortal to be good, so very good."
In the next scene, Dr. Zee is seen reading from the Galactica's files about the crew taking in a "child from the stars", matching the events of his dream. Adama reveals that Dr. Zee was that child. The last shot shows Starbuck, again alone in the planet's desert landscape. Nearby is the presumably still operational ship from the destroyed Cylon platoon.
, the inhabitants of the Ship of Lights, of which Angela was one. The entire affair had been set up by the Seraphs as a test of Starbuck's worthiness to join them.
Galactica 1980
Galactica 1980 is a science fiction television series, and a spin-off from the 1978–1979 series Battlestar Galactica. It was first broadcast on the ABC network in the United States from January 27 to May 4, 1980.-Development:...
, a spin-off of the earlier ABC science fiction series Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
.
The episode, first aired on May 4, 1980 on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, featured the return of the original series' character Lieutenant Starbuck
Lieutenant Starbuck
Lieutenant Starbuck of the Colonial Service, played by Dirk Benedict, is a fictional character in the 1978 science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is a Viper starfighter pilot, gambler, womanizer and smoker of "fumerellos," or cigars. He is involved with Lieutenant Athena...
and also explained the origins of Doctor Zee, the new series teenage prodigy.
Plot
Doctor Zee shares a dream he had about Lieutenant StarbuckLieutenant Starbuck
Lieutenant Starbuck of the Colonial Service, played by Dirk Benedict, is a fictional character in the 1978 science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is a Viper starfighter pilot, gambler, womanizer and smoker of "fumerellos," or cigars. He is involved with Lieutenant Athena...
with Commander Adama
Commander Adama
Commander Adama is a fictional character in the 1978 movie and subsequent ABC television series Battlestar Galactica and its continuation series, Galactica 1980. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the...
. The rest of the episode relates this tale.
Several years earlier, Starbuck and Boomer
Lieutenant Boomer
Lieutenant Boomer, later known as Colonel Boomer, was a character on the 1978-1979 television series Battlestar Galactica and its spin-off series Galactica 1980. He was portrayed on both series by Herbert Jefferson, Jr. Boomer was a lieutenant in the Colonial Service, an officer with a background...
, while on patrol, are ambushed by Cylon
Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)
The Cylons are a cybernetic civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original 1978 and 1980 series, the 2004 reimagining, as well as the spin-off prequel series, Caprica...
raiders. Starbuck's Viper is damaged severely and crashes on a small planet, while the Galactica is forced to move on.
Starbuck awakens in a desert landscape and discovers a Cylon ship that also crashed. Starbuck constructs a shelter out of the ship wreck and then tries to rebuild one of the Cylons. When the Cylon is reactivated, it immediately threatens to kill Starbuck, but the human manages to win over the huge robot soldier with a combination of argument and threats to turn off his power. Starbuck also starts calling him "Cy
Cy (Cylon)
Cy is a Cylon Centurion from the Galactica 1980 episode "The Return of Starbuck" who strikes up a friendship with Lieutenant Starbuck. He is nicknamed Cy by Starbuck.and at the end of the episode, when three new Cylons arrive to rescue him, Cy calls himself "Group leader Cyrus".-Galactica 1980...
" and proposes that they teach one other about their respective races.
The twosome's lonely existence on the planet is interrupted when the Cylon discovers a strange woman, whom they are surprised to discover is pregnant. The woman remains mute for the first few days but then enigmatically asks Starbuck, "Would you die for me?". The woman, named Angela, starts referring to her unborn baby as "our child." On her request, Starbuck and Cy build a vehicle to transport the baby to safety.
The morning after the baby's birth, another Cylon ship lands close to the crash site, apparently having picked up the distress beacon. Cy announces that he must join his fellow Cylons. Starbuck protests, but cannot bring himself to shoot the departing centurion. He then hustles Angela to the completed hybrid ship and gets her and the baby inside. He himself stays behind (to save fuel) and launches the ship manually. Starbuck is suddenly attacked by the Cylons. Cy reappears and shoots the attackers, his fellow Cylons, but is himself mortally damaged. Cy dies in Starbuck's arms, calling the human his "friend." Angela's shape appears above the hills, declaring, "The child is safely on its way and I am ready to return home now... And I judge this mortal to be good, so very good."
In the next scene, Dr. Zee is seen reading from the Galactica's files about the crew taking in a "child from the stars", matching the events of his dream. Adama reveals that Dr. Zee was that child. The last shot shows Starbuck, again alone in the planet's desert landscape. Nearby is the presumably still operational ship from the destroyed Cylon platoon.
Cast
- Lorne GreeneLorne GreeneLorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
as Commander AdamaCommander AdamaCommander Adama is a fictional character in the 1978 movie and subsequent ABC television series Battlestar Galactica and its continuation series, Galactica 1980. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the... - Patrick StuartJames Patrick StuartJames Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
as Doctor Zee - Dirk BenedictDirk BenedictDirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.-Early life:Benedict was born...
as Lieutenant StarbuckLieutenant StarbuckLieutenant Starbuck of the Colonial Service, played by Dirk Benedict, is a fictional character in the 1978 science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is a Viper starfighter pilot, gambler, womanizer and smoker of "fumerellos," or cigars. He is involved with Lieutenant Athena... - Herb Jefferson, Jr.Herb Jefferson, Jr.Herbert Jefferson Jr. is an African-American actor. He graduated with honors from New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1969. He is probably best known for his role as Lieutenant Boomer on the original Battlestar Galactica television series...
as Lieutenant BoomerLieutenant BoomerLieutenant Boomer, later known as Colonel Boomer, was a character on the 1978-1979 television series Battlestar Galactica and its spin-off series Galactica 1980. He was portrayed on both series by Herbert Jefferson, Jr. Boomer was a lieutenant in the Colonial Service, an officer with a background... - Rex Cutter as CyCy (Cylon)Cy is a Cylon Centurion from the Galactica 1980 episode "The Return of Starbuck" who strikes up a friendship with Lieutenant Starbuck. He is nicknamed Cy by Starbuck.and at the end of the episode, when three new Cylons arrive to rescue him, Cy calls himself "Group leader Cyrus".-Galactica 1980...
- Gary OwensGary OwensGary Owens is an American disc jockey and voice actor. His polished baritone speaking voice generally offers deadpan recitations of total nonsense, which he frequently demonstrated as the announcer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Owens is equally proficient in straight or silly assignments and is...
as CyCy (Cylon)Cy is a Cylon Centurion from the Galactica 1980 episode "The Return of Starbuck" who strikes up a friendship with Lieutenant Starbuck. He is nicknamed Cy by Starbuck.and at the end of the episode, when three new Cylons arrive to rescue him, Cy calls himself "Group leader Cyrus".-Galactica 1980...
's voice
- Gary Owens
- Judith ChapmanJudith ChapmanJudith Chapman is an actress known to fans of American daytime television. She gave her screen debut at the age of 16 in the Spaghetti Western Sette donne per i MacGregor. She has appeared on half a dozen daytime dramas since the mid-1970s...
as Angela - Ellen Gerken as Girl
Planned sequel
Starbuck's fate remained unknown as the series was cancelled after the episode's production. A follow-on episode "The Wheel of Fire" was scripted but never produced. The script for "The Wheel of Fire" reveals that Starbuck is eventually rescued from the planet by the SeraphsSeraphs (Battlestar Galactica)
The Seraphs were an alien race in the original Battlestar Galactica series from 1978/79 and its spinoff series, Galactica 1980...
, the inhabitants of the Ship of Lights, of which Angela was one. The entire affair had been set up by the Seraphs as a test of Starbuck's worthiness to join them.
Filming location
- Much of the "The Return of Starbuck" was filmed at Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)Red Rock Canyon State Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains....
.
External links
- "The Return of Starbuck" at the Battlestar Wiki