"Baltar's Escape" is the eighteenth episode of Battlestar Galactica. It premiered on March 11, 1979.
In syndication and on streaming, "Baltar's Escape" is sometimes listed as the twenty-first episode of the season. This happens when the previous episode, "Greetings from Earth", is split into two episodes.
Plot[]
- "Since the return of our warriors with prisoners from the Alliance of the planet Terra, the fleet has been in a state of constant confusion. If this Terra is the planet Earth it is we seek, our flight across the universe may have been in vain. For we will have eluded the Cylons only to be faced by an equally oppressive human enemy. As usual, of late, the Council, led by Sire Domra, is in total opposition to me. They wish to release the prisoners and have an unarmed peace envoy return with them to their outpost on Lunar Seven. I am afraid that the Council is bent on repeating the mistakes that led to the destruction of our Colonies at the hands of the Cylons. I am determined that shall not happen again so long as I am in command. In the meantime, I have ordered the fleet to full alert while I shuttle to the prison barge to interrogate personally those Eastern Alliance enforcers."
- —Adama
Act 1[]
Cpt. Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck shuttle Commander Adama to the Prison Barge to question their recently captured Eastern Alliance leader, Commandant Leiter. Commander Leiter recognises Commander Adama as an outsider, and explains to him the conflict between the Eastern Alliance and those he dubs "Nationalists", who are rebelling against the Alliance's hegemony in favour of independence. As the Alliance ideology considers the universe's natural order to be of the strongest and smartest against the weak and unintelligent, the handful of people on Paradeen were a serious threat. Commander Adama is intrigued by this information, albeit without understanding of his bear and wolfpack analogy as he does not know what bears and wolves are. He tries to confuse Commander Leiter by exposing the major flaw in his ideology, that if the Eastern Alliance represents the most powerful force in the universe, what explanation can be given for Galactica, a ship Commander Adama estimates will require a thousand Alliance ships on par with Leiter's to destroy. Commander Leiter is not intimidated, though accidentally implies the Alliance fleet is considerably less than a thousand ships. When he demands the immediate release of himself, his men and their ship, they are interrupted by Security Chief Reese, who has received orders from the Council of Twelve to suspend the interrogation due to a pressing council meeting.
Soon after the interrogation, it is time for the prisoners' feeding in the ship's cafeteria. Count Baltar has been given kitchen duties, and serves everyone their meals. Recognising three Borellian Nomen, he sits with them after to discuss an escape attempt, pleading to their egos that they could escape whenever they wanted but lack someone like Baltar to give them somewhere to go. They are interested in his offer, and he continues, pointing out the Eastern Alliance crewmembers who are to be transported by Shuttle to Galactica shortly. He proposes they start a prison riot, hijack the Shuttle and take it straight to the Eastern Alliance, where Count Baltar can arrange their safety by offering tactical information on Galactica. The Borellians agree to help, on the condition they be treated as co-partners and not Baltar's followers.
Act 2[]
On Galactica, Commander Adama arrives at the Council meeting where he is presented with the Star of Kobol, a medal honouring his services to the fleet. Siress Tinia brings forward the matter of the day, the end of marshal law and the return of powers to the civilian government, which will require Tinia to stand on Galactica's bridge as a government representative and overseer.
Back at the Prison Barge, an escape ensues. The Borellians have already knocked out the security guards and released Baltar as well as the officers of the Eastern Alliance. Lieutenants Boomer and Sheba are ordered by Adama to transfer the Eastern Alliance from the Prison Barge to the Galactica to meet with the Council of Twelve for an unarmed peace envoy via shuttle, where they get irritated by the presence of two 'Blackshirts'. In retaliation, Boomer screws around with the shuttle to teach the security guards a lesson.
Act 3[]
Boomer's shuttle prepares to pick up the enforcers, and are quickly hijacked by the Nomen. At the bridge, Colonel Tigh is increasingly uncomfortable around Tinia, who does not want any warriors in the launch bay when the Alliance arrives. Tigh decides to go to the Officer's Club, where he informs Apollo and Starbuck of their current situation while ordering two rounds of grog. The shuttle arrives at the launch bay, where the Council stands ready to greet them with open arms. However, it was all but a ruse, as the representatives find themselves captured by the Enforcers as Baltar and the Nomen head their way to the bridge. The four never make it and retreat back to the shuttle following their crossfire with Apollo and Starbuck, who then inform the bridge what had just happened.
Baltar then opens the channel to the bridge and demands Adama a ransom: A release from the Fleet in his Cylon Raider. If the demands are not met, every hostage will be killed in the shuttle, starting with Lieutenant Boomer.
Act 4[]
Apollo and Starbuck have only one centar to help Doctor Wilker rebuild the two Cylons that were captured along with Baltar but then they discover a way to thwart Baltar's plan after a Cylon accidentally smashes a control panel to a scanner that Doctor Wilker orders him to turn on. Meanwhile, Adama offers surrender to Baltar in exchange for one more centar. Both Tigh and Tinia protest, and the latter decides to go along as she is just another council representative.
However, Adama plans to have the Warriors attack the hijackers in order to release the hostages. The plan is revised by Tigh, who orders the shuttle to be launched at once under Apollo's request. Both the Nomen and the Enforcers escape in their craft, but when one of the Cylons in Baltar's captured Cylon Raider destroys the launch button, it allows a brief moment of disorientation for Baltar, allowing Apollo and Starbuck to recapture him, revealing it was all the Cylon's idea. Tigh is back in the Officer's Club sitting with Apollo, Starbuck, Sheba and Boomer when Adama suddenly shows up holding arms with Tinia, causing Tigh to order a round of grog while the other warriors laugh.
Production[]
Cast[]
| Actor | Character |
| Richard Hatch | Captain Apollo |
| Dirk Benedict | Lieutenant Starbuck |
| Lorne Greene | Commander Adama |
| Herbert Jefferson Jr. | Lieutenant Boomer |
| John Colicos | Count Baltar |
| Terry Carter | Colonel Tigh |
| Ina Balin | Siress Tinia |
| Lloyd Bochner | Commandant Leiter |
| John Hoyt | Sire Domra |
| Robert Feero | Bora |
| Anthony De Longis | Taba |
| Lance LeGault | Maga |
| Bruce Wright | Guard |
| John Dullaghan | Dr. Wilker |
| Ron Kelly | Security Officer Reese |
| Sarah Rush | Flight Corporal Rigel |
| David Greenan | Flight Officer Omega |
| Mitchell Reta | Control Operator |
| Paul Tinder | Fifth Guard |
| Paul LeClair | Second Guard |
| Anne Lockhart | Lieutenant Sheba |
Sources[]
Notes[]
- Anthony De Longis would later go on to play the Kazon warrior Culluh in the Star Trek: Voyager episodes "State of Flux", "Maneuvers", "Alliances", "Basics, Part I" and "Basics, Part II".