Previously on Battlestar Galactica: The Cylons wanted equal rights, which ticked off Tom Zarek, so he led a revolution and recruited Gaeta as his second-in-command.

Battlestar Galactica: Episode 4.13 “The Oath” Recap

The fleet still isn’t responding to Admiral Adama’s desire to install Cylon FTL drives on all the ships, so Adama (Edward James Olmos) asks Tigh to threaten to jail the whole Quorum if they won’t comply. Tigh (Michael Hogan) doesn’t think he should be running point on this mission, being a Cylon and all. Adding to Tigh’s unease is that President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is in Adama’s chambers enjoying some coffee. Laura and Bill bicker like an old married couple.

Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) uses his many connections and friends on the Galactica to sneak Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) off the ship. They get held up by a mechanic on the flight deck, so Zarek knocks him out with a wrench, killing him. Gaeta is a little wary of his new role as a murderous revolutionary.

The survivor count is 39,643, one less than last week. Sorry Laird, former Pegasus deck chief, it looks like your day of reckoning was today.

Gaeta returns to the CIC to cover his tracks and keep Adama occupied while his revolution begins. This include some crew members capturing and beating the crap out of Anders. Ooh, anti-Cyloin hate crimes.

Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) taunts Hot Dog about his new status as a proud papa. A “fire” on Galactica allows Gaeta to orchestrate a pretty awesome coup where he pretends the communications are down, closing the armory so a group of revolutionary civilians can get guns. Starbuck sees this and tries to warn Adama, but Gaeta answers the call and hangs up on her. Gaeta also manages to get rid of Lee, who calls to ask about his father releasing Zarek.

Who knew the communications officer had so much power? This tiny, one-legged man is masterminding a pretty brilliant military coup d’etat.


Lee flies to the Galactica and is instantly taken hostage by his former Viper co-pilots who aren’t too happy that he tried to cut a deal with the Cylons. They threaten to kill him, but Starbuck shows up and starts shooting people left and right until she saves Lee and they flee together. With only each other to count on, Starbuck gives Lee a big kiss before the go commando and shoot their way through the Galactica.

They make their way to Adama’s chambers where they find Roslin and tell her about the coup. The fact that Bill is in danger is what finally convinces Roslin to get off her pity pot and try to fight for her presidency.

Sadly, things aren’t as happy for Helo and Athena when the revolutionaries come and take Athena and Hera away. The man in charge worked with Thorne, the Pegasus Cylon interrogator who Helo and Tyrol killed to protect Gina. So he beats up Helo and threatens to have his way with Athena.

Gaeta does his best to keep Adama in the dark until the revolution is discovered. At that point, Gaeta calls in his marines and orders them to place Adama and Tigh under arrest under the charge of treason. Adama goes, but not before vowing that everyone involved in this revolution will be punished.

Gaius Baltar is holed up in his den of religious iniquity and he tries to convince his female followers that he has to go to be safe. Tyrol is also there, and he isn’t letting anyone leave. Lee, Starbuck and Roslin show up and Tyrol lets Roslin in to ask Baltar about using his wireless system to get a message to the fleet. The Chief also tells Lee and Starbuck that Adama and Tigh are heading to the brig, so they run off to save him.

On his way to the brig, Adama promises his captors there will be a day of reckoning if they don’t let him go. They refuse, so Saul takes one guy out while Adama takes the other’s gun. Oh snap, these old men just kicked the crap out of those wussies.

They run around and eventually meet up with Lee and Starbuck. Starbuck says they can’t hold hostages, they need to kill them, because these revolutionaries are now the enemy.


Now that Gaeta has taken over the CIC, he calls up Zarek, who is unhappy to hear Adama is still alive. While they talk, President Laura Roslin’s voice comes on the air and she talks about the crossroads they’ve come to and how their former enemies are possibly their only hope. Gaeta finally shuts her down, but not before all the other ships in the fleet hear her and wait for more from their president.

Adama’s team prepares to take back the CIC, but Lee still seems to feel, underneath it all, that Zarek has a point about how the Cylon alliance is a bad idea. Roslin and Baltar are amused that little Felix Gaeta is the one who led this coup. Baltar calls Gaeta and uses his slick tongue to convince Gaeta to stand down by discussing their “special secret.”

All the good gyys meet up at a secret hanger bay and Adama takes some time to himself to give Roslin a great big kiss. Adama and Tigh stay behind to fight the revolutionaries while Lee, Starbuck, Baltar and Roslin escape on a Raptor.

Gaeta sees the Raptor that left and orders his men to shoot it down. Meanwhile, the revolutionaries toss a grenade into the hanger bay where Adama and Tigh are planning to make their last stand, and…

TO BE CONTINUED!

Frak!!!!!!! That was unbelievable, and next week on Battlestar Galactica, Adama is possibly thrown out the airlock while Roslin screams, “I’m coming for all of you!” It’s going to be 17 kinds of awesome.

(Image courtesy of the Sci Fi Channel)

 

John Kubicek

Senior Writer, BuddyTV

John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire DiariesSupernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.