Finally, a title I understand! Because of the book and because this is a Lee-centric episode. I love it when things are obvious.
Previously on Battlestar Galactica, Roslin demands Baltar’s book; Zarek warns her of massive unrest if Baltar’s trial goes forward; Adama Sr. puts Adama Jr. in charge of Baltar’s trial, and gives him Grandpa Adama’s law books; and, oh, Starbuck’s gone baby gone.
We begin with Adama looking at Starbuck’s folder, just for a second, then go to President Roslin pulling names of captains out of a bowl, then back to Adama – he’s looking over Starbuck’s disciplinary citations with a smile and tears in his eyes. Down on the flight deck, Sam Anders is drunk and causing a nuisance. Lee is in the memorial hall and has a photo of Starbuck he’s about to put up, but Racetrack comes and gets him – somebody’s gotta talk Sam down. Sam starts crying, falls off the Viper he was standing on, and, well, everything’s just incredibly sad. Even Tigh misses her.
Tigh now informs Adama that he was one of five captains picked to serve as a judge for Baltar’s trial – so that’s what Roslin was doing!
Racetrack is about to take Baltar’s attorney back to his ship when a bomb goes off on her raptor, killing the lawyer. Racetrack is okay, of course, otherwise nothing would ever get discovered ever again on this show. Press conference! Roslin’s never going to bow to terrorism; the trial is still going forward.
Lee isn’t doing so well. He’s leading a pilot’s meeting, is distracted, and calls Racetrack “Starbuck.” Someone hug that boy for awhile, please? I volunteer.
OH WAIT FUCK YEAH MARK SHEPPARD’S HERE. I KNEW HE’D BE COMING SOON BUT DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS NOW. Who is Mark Sheppard? Well, he’s been in Firefly, BSG, Supernatural, Dollhouse, Doctor Who, and a million other shows, and I’ve yet to see him be anything but pure awesome. So yay.
Mark Sheppard is going to be Baltar’s new lawyer. And apparently he’s doing it for the fame. He has a cat he hates. Adama Sr puts Lee in charge of Mr. Lampkin’s security. (Apparently that’s what we’ll be calling Mark Sheppard.) Adama’s grounding Lee until he can “work things out.” Lee installs Lampkin on Galactica, and then Lampkin insists on seeing Baltar, preferably in Lee’s room. Lampkin then mentions that Lee looks like his grandfather, whom Lampkin apparently knew – and hated, and learned a lot from.
We’ve got drama drums and somebody assembling what looks like a bomb. Problematic.
Baltar is led through the halls to Lee’s room to meet with Lampkin.
Baltar finds everything pathetic. Baltar’s twitchy. Lampkin’s super-cynical about Baltar’s writing. Baltar says they need to get to Caprica Six. Lampkin responds by quoting Baltar’s own book back to him. Lampkin taunts Lee about being stuck on the ship and goads Lee into taking him over to Colonial One to get some files. Somebody – Kelly – tries to stop Lee from getting on the Raptor, but Lee pushes past him. Then we see there’s a bomb on the bottom of the Raptor. Lampkin’s cat jumps out of the Raptor at the last second, and as Tyrol goes under the Raptor, after the cat, he spots the bomb. Good job, cat. And Tyrol.
Lee gets chewed out by his father for nearly getting blown up. Also for nearly leaving the ship. But mostly, because he could have died. Starbuck’s been gone for two weeks, apparently, and now they’re fighting over whose grief and loss is worse. It’s two weeks ’til Baltar’s trial, and apparently his ass needs to be protected.
A bunch of people – officers, pilots, deckhands – get together to talk about what to do about the bombs. Callie blames Cylons, Athena gets upset and leaves. Lee tries to get Lampkin to take the threat of attack seriously, but he doesn’t seem interested. Lee goes to talk to Roslin and Adama, and Roslin can’t find her glasses, but also, Lampkin can talk to Caprica Six, though they’re having trouble finding the files Lampkin’s requested.
Lampkin goes to interview Caprica Six and Adama, Tory, and Roslin are all listening in. As is Lee, for that matter. Caprica Six seems no longer to be a fan of Baltar, to the point where she wishes she’d stabbed him. Lampkin talks about his ex-wife, how much he loved and hated her, and how incredibly hard it was to get over her. (Where is he going with this?) Six asks if Baltar asked about her, and Lampkin takes his glasses off for the first time. He says that Baltar says that he misses her, loves her, hopes she is well, and gives her Baltar’s pen, which he says is from Baltar himself. Lampkin says that Baltar would do anything to be with her again, and his writing has no meaning without her. Caprica Six gives the pen back, saying they’ll never let her keep it. Lampkin points out that she’ll never get a trial, and he asks if her love hurts as much as his did. This shocks Roslin and and company; Adama Sr, by the way, is missing a button.
Lee gives us a necessary catch-up: Lampkin stole Baltar’s pen, he lied to Baltar, and he lied to Caprica Six. Lee relates his grandfather telling him to be a good boy, but not too good. Lampkin replies that according to Lee’s grandfather, we all have our demons, and the law is how we exorcise them. Lee says that his grandfather defended the worst of the worst, and Lampkin explains that he wanted to know why humans do what they do. Lampkin wants to know why Lee’s suddenly hand-in-hand with him. Lee asks if whether Lampkin’s story about the woman he loved is true, and he says it was.
Lampkin gets the files he was waiting for delivered, and as he’s about to turn back to the room, a Marine notices a screw on the floor, and the room explodes. Lampkin survives, and Lee brings him his bag, which contains the following: Roslin’s glasses! She looks less serious without them. A button from Adama’s shirt – its tarnished. A flip flop from the prosecuting attorney down the hall, and some random other things – Lampkin’s a kleptomaniac, it seems. Lee asks what Lampkin took from him, and Lampkin says he was going to take the photo of Starbuck that Lee carries around, but Lee’s had too much taken from him already. Lampkin then entrusts Lee to get Baltar’s pen back to him. Lee then finds something that gives him cause for alarm – a piece of metal – and demands to know where it came from. Apparently it belonged to Kelly, which indicates that he was responsible for the bombings. Lee confronts him, and Kelly confesses – he, too, has snapped from the pressure. Adama Sr reinstates Lee as CAG, but now Lee thinks Lampkin needs help with the case. Adama says no, someone else will do that. Adama doesn’t want to see Lee sitting on the other side of the table during the trial. Adama tells Lee to report for duty, Lee asks if that’s an order, Adama says he’s done giving him orders. Adama then heads down to the bridge and says that Lee should be removed from the board – he won’t be flying anytime soon.
Lee goes and places Kara’s photo on the wall where she wanted it and runs into Sam. It’s hard to let her go, they both agree.
Baltar gets his pen back, and with it, a note from Lampkin about how the most powerful force is a son stepping out from his father’s shadow.
Thanks to monchichi for the screencaps!
