I get the reference in the title this time! Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a film from 1967 about an interracial relationship, something still illegal in many states when the movie premiered. So I think, based on the title, we can wager a guess as to the main plot of this episode – people meeting people they’re not expecting to meet.
Previously on Battlestar Galactica, Adama gives Starbuck a ship to go and find the way to Earth, and she finds Leoben, who wants to offer a truce between human and Cylon, so Kara can complete her destiny, which will require the help of the Cylon’s Hybrid; Helo and Gaeta mutiny against Starbuck, and Sam shoots Gaeta in the melee. Starbuck finds her vision fulfilled, with an unexpected Cylon baseship. The Hybrid tells Kara that she is the harbinger of death, and she will lead them all to their end (whoever them is!). So the Demetrius and their new friend the Rebel Baseship head back to the fleet.
Baltar’s on the radio, telling the entire fleet that Roslin’s been sharing visions with Caprica and Athena. Apparently the radio was a recording, and Lee’s the one who brought it to her. Lee doesn’t want to have to ask these questions, but he’s worried about the welfare of the fleet, which Roslin tells him as long as she’s still president, is not his concern. Roslin literally scoffs at the idea that she owes the people an explanation. Lee wants to know if there’s any truth to the broadcast, and Roslin asks Lee what he’d do – and Lee gets that it’s true. He ain’t happy.
Back on the baseship, Kara reminds Leoben that he’s put the lives of all the Cylons on the ship in jeopardy – she has no idea what the fleet will do. On the Demetrius, Gaeta is a color not normally seen in healthy humans – the man is positively gray. Just as they’re about to jump back into the fleet, Gina tells Athena that she’s thinking about Hera, and Athena is taken aback that Gina even knows who Hera is – Hera’s fame is disconcerting to her. Actually, that’s not Gina, I need to make a correction here. I assumed that the darker-haired Six model was Gina, the Six that shot Admiral Cain, was abused, got a nuke from Baltar, etc. According to the always-useful BSG Wiki, I am wrong. Gina died in the nuclear explosion, and apparently the leader of the Rebel Cylons is named Natalie Faust (according to the production scripts). So we’ll be calling her Natalie from here on out, okay?
Annnnnd the Demetrius’s FTL is frakked, so it’s going to take them a few minutes, so a busted Rebel Baseship (I want to start an all-girl sci-fi band called The Rebel Baseship, who’s with me?!) jumps into the fleet’s airspace all by itself. Adama calls for battlestations. On the Rebel Baseship, Athena’s trying to find the Demetrius. And the wireless on the Raptor inside the RB is frakked as well, so they can’t contact Galactica. The fleet starts to jump away, but Tigh gets a feeling – he says something isn’t right. Tigh yells weapons hold, and right then, the Demetrius jumps in! Helo tells Galactica to not fire on the baseship, and we can all breathe easy for the credits.
On Galactica, all of the Marines left in the fleet show up, and a bunch of them board the baseship. Tigh goes aboard to figure out what the frak is going on.
Gina Natalie is attempting to explain to Roslin and Adama what the hell’s happened – the Cylons split, with the Twos, Eights, and Sixes deciding their destiny lay with finding the final five Cylons. They also have to explain what happened to D’Anna, that they need to unbox her because she knows the identity of the final five. Tigh is not a fan. Starbuck says the final five have been to Earth, and they can help us get there. Roslin asks why the humans should help the Cylons, and Natalie explains that the boxing facility is in the central resurrection hub. She offers the fleet the ability to destroy the resurrection hub, so no Cylons can regenerate ever again. Adama asks for the coordinates of the hub, and Gina says she’ll give him them if he gives his word that after the hub’s destroyed, the rebel Cylons can leave with the final five Cylons”¦who are in the fleet. We know they’re on the fleet because the Raiders won’t attack them. Tigh and Tory aren’t fans of this statement.
After the meeting, Adama asks how Tigh knew to stop the weapons from firing on the baseship. Tigh says he doesn’t know.
Racetrack and Skulls are out discovering things! They take pictures of the resurrection hub.
Oh, Gaeta’s surgery. Poor Gaeta. He doesn’t want to be put under, he doesn’t want to wake up with no leg, but clearly, they’re about to amputate. It’s cringe-inducing.
Helo, Tigh and Adama plan the attack on the hub, and Roslin’s thrilled that the Cylons won’t be able to come back. Helo suggests that they attack from the baseship, and fill it with Vipers. He also points out that they need to unbox D’Anna before they destroy the hub, and Tigh says they shouldn’t. Also, that the Cylons were clearly lying when they said the Raiders wouldn’t attack the fleet. Helo suggests that the Cylons may be telling the truth, Adama suggests that maybe the final five are different. Tigh reeeeeeaallly wants to blow up D’Anna. Roslin suggests a compromise – they’ll destroy the hub, unbox D’Anna, but the final five stay with the fleet. Adama agrees to this, but that last bit – that the Cylons don’t get the Five – stays secret. Tigh is not happy.
At the Quorum of Twelve, Vice President Zarek reads aloud a press release informing everyone that the fleet is partnering with the rebels to take out the hub. Zarek asks Lee why the Quorum wasn’t consulted, and Lee’s in the dark.
Our four Cylons meet to discuss next moves. Tigh thinks they’re all going to be airlocked, Tyrol wants to know who is the fifth. Sam, seemingly out of nowhere, announces that Gaeta sings when his phantom leg hurts. He sings.
Next morning, Tory and Roslin meet, and Roslin confronts Tory about sleeping with Baltar, and also uses the phrase “charter member of his nymph squad.” Tory does a thing about how she now believes in the Cylon god, and Roslin quite literally calls bullshit. She wants to know who’s spreading rumors about her visions, and that’s about it.
The Cylons are meeting – Natalie (correctly) assumes that the humans will never let them have the final five. She suggests that upon completion of the mission, they take control of their ship, and hold the Viper pilots hostage until they get the five.
Down in sick bay, Gaeta is singing, and he has an incredibly beautiful voice. Lee goes to visit Roslin there, and tells her that the Quorum is considering a vote of no confidence. Lee pleads with Roslin to do something to calm the Quorum, but it’s a no go.
Baltar and Tory are in bed, and Tory’s upset. She tells Baltar that he’s been lying about Roslin sharing visions with the Cylons, and the rumors are destroying her. Baltar says that Caprica Six told him about the visions – they’re true. He’s been sitting on the information for awhile, but in light of the President’s increasing authoritarianism, he went public. Also, apparently, secrets in general are bad.
Oh Gaeta’s heartbroken singing. His foot, ankle, and the bottom half of his calf are missing.
Hey, Roslin went to talk to the Quorum! Apparently she’s doing this as a good faith measure, and brings in Natalie to talk to the Quorum. (Exactly what Lee suggested. He may have been smiling for a half second there.) Gina talks about the Cylon civil war, and how living beyond the range of the Resurrection ship showed them that in order to live meaningful lives, they must die, permanently. Mortality, apparently, makes you whole. Also, it was Kara Thrace’s destiny to find the Cylons. (Let us remember that Kara is the harbinger of death! Oh, wait, maybe Cylon mortality?) Also, let’s take a moment to appreciate the talent of Tricia Helfer. She’s Caprica, Head Six, Gina, Natalie, about half the background cast, and does an amazing job making these three separate characters.
Gaeta singing again. He’s in a lot of pain. What are these songs? They sound vaguely Irish? As does a lot of music on this show, to be fair.
Hey, Opera House vision! Roslin’s running after Hera, as is Athena, and Caprica picks Hera up and walks out with her and Baltar, as the doors close behind them. Athena wakes up, and Hera’s standing right in front of her, and says “bye bye” – is Hera having the visions as well?
Kara visits Roslin in Sick Bay, and questions her about her visions. Kara then quotes “a dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House,” which is something the Hybrid said to her. Roslin is not a fan. She needs to find out about the visions, and asks Kara for help. Starbuck readily agrees, and Roslin sends her to get Athena.
Natalie talks to Leoben and an Eight, and she’s getting a bit paranoid. She thinks they’re not ready to partner with the humans, that the final five are judging them, that they should go tell the humans the truth. Apparently it’s too late to change the Centurion’s orders, so Leoben’s gonna deal with them while Natalie stalls for time with Adama.
Secret meeting with Roslin and Baltar! Roslin admits that she was indeed having visions, and so she and Baltar are going to talk to the Hybrid, who also knows of the visions. And Baltar’s coming, because he’s in the visions too.
In the Agathon’s quarters, Hera is drawing, and Athena asks to see her drawings. They’re all of a lady with blonde hair, and the number six, over and over again. Athena turns around and Hera’s gone! So Athena goes looking for her, flashing back to the vision. At the same time, Natalie is going to talk to Adama, and Roslin and Baltar are going to see the Hybrid, and also there is beautiful music. Tyrol drops what he’s doing to help Athena search. Obviously, Hera finds Natalie, and I’m not sure which is better, the look of joy on her face or the “A tiny human?!” look of shock on Tigh’s face. Natalie (a Six, lest we forget!) scoops Hera up, mirroring the vision, and Athena pulls her weapon, demanding Natalie put her down.
Roslin and Baltar are with the Hybrid, Roslin wants answers.
Tyrol diffuses the Natalie/Athena standoff by showing up and following Athena’s instruction to take Hera away from Natalie.
Athena shoots Natalie, the Hybrid gets plugged in and immediately orders the baseship to jump away, so there’s a lot of major confusion. Gaeta keeps singing his sad song.
A LOT HAPPENED THIS EPISODE.
Monchichi screencapped it all, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
