The Oath

The Oath is an episode of the TV series, Battlestar Galactica, and aired during the show's fourth season. In the previous episode, the Fleet's leadership announced its plan to upgrade the Fleet's jump drives using Cylon technology to triple its reach in searching for a final home. Felix Gaeta, betrayed by Cylons on several occasions, vehemently opposes the plan. Finally, he makes a pact with Tom Zarek, as of then not fully disclosed, to, in his words, rectify things that have gone wrong.
==Plot==
===Prelude===
In the opening moves of Lt. Felix Gaeta's revolution, Vice President Tom Zarek is successfully smuggled out of his cell with the help of Marines and pilots under his control. Noel "Narcho" Allison and Private Paley meanwhile empty a small arms locker, which is used to arm the civilians loyal to Zarek. Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson makes a false declaration of a fuel leak in her Raptor to force an evacuation of the port hangar deck, but when the Raptor is prepared for take-off, Deck Chief Peter Laird tries to contact CIC over the unscheduled flight and is killed by Zarek. Gaeta is horrified at the act, as he held hopes for a bloodless coup, though Lt. Hamish "Skulls" McCall considers the death necessary as Chief Laird was loyal to Admiral William Adama. The attack takes place within eyeshot of Jeanne, one of the Monotheists in Dr. Gaius Baltar's cult.
===Act 1===
Gaeta arrives at CIC in time to hear Lt. Hoshi report the unscheduled launch to Adama. Gaeta is quickly able to fool the rest of the crew that it is a "DRADIS Ghost", the result of malfunctioning equipment getting false-positives on ships that do not actually exist. Adama and Colonel Saul Tigh accept his claim, and move on to discussing the further use of Galacticas Marines onboard civilian ships following the recent incident on Hitei Kan while Hoshi runs checks to verify the existence or nonexistence of the ship.
The Raptor arrives on Colonial One, allowing Zarek to greet the Quorum of Twelve, who are surprised to see him released from Galacticas brig so quickly, Leland "Apollo" Adama especially. Meanwhile, Diana Seelix approaches Samuel T. Anders in his quarters; initially discussing their time in the Caprican resistance together, she slowly raises his newly discovered Cylon identity and beats him. In CIC, Adama is told of a fire reported near Galacticas wireless antenna array; believing the fire to be genuine, a team is sent to put it out. Aware the fire alarm is a false alarm, Gaeta suggests it could be sabotage, and Adama orders Marines to escort the crew, of whom Private Jaffee accompanies. At the same time, Kara Thrace teases Brendan "Hotdog" Constanza about finding out he is a father, but finds him unusually irritated with her. When they hear the fire alarm, the pilots evacuate the area. Thrace notices Allison has joined the apparent damage control team despite being a pilot; he is equally hostile towards her. When she spots a group of Marines and civilians moving together down a corridor, she investigates, and sees Charlie Connor - one of Anders' resistance fighters - is in command of them and is arming them. She quickly realises a mutiny is in progress and rushes to her quarters to arm herself. Calling CIC, she quickly realises Gaeta's involvement when he cuts off her call. On Colonial One, Apollo tries to get in touch with his father, but Gaeta feigns his business. When asked why the Admiral released Zarek, he pretends he had no idea of it. At the end of the call, Gaeta makes a false report about the ship's wireless going out along with its backups and prevents any more outbound calls. Having not gotten any answers from Gaeta, Apollo insists on going back to Galactica to talk to his father, and takes off as a passenger on Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson's Raptor. Arriving on Galactica, he is quickly attacked by Lt. Hamish "Skulls" McCall, sees his death as the necessary punishment for his views in the Cylon repair crew controversy. Starbuck shoots the Marine ready to execute Apollo and injures Skulls in the leg as well to save him. In Karl "Helo" Agathon's quarters, shouting can be heard along the corridor followed by shooting. While Sharon "Athena" Agathon gets their daughter Hera ready for her daycare, he readies his sidearm. Specialist Gage enters with a group of rebels and the family is taken captive, with Helo beaten as retribution for the death of Lt. Alastair Thorne on Pegasus.
===Act 2===
Starbuck and Apollo travel through Galactica, headed to CIC to report the mutiny. Attempting to use phones along the way, she finds they are all dead. Apollo is disturbed by the inexplicable violence of his fellow pilots, but the two understand the rebels on the hangar deck were not the only rebels. As they move down the corridors, screams and gunshots echo throughout. They spot one of the loyal Marines exchanging fire with rebel civilians, as well as an unarmed crewman, which confirms that only some of the crew is part of the mutiny. The Agathon family is sealed in the Cylon brig, where they find Anders is also captive. Caprica Six has her suspicions of what is to happen, and that her unborn child will be destroyed by the revolutionaries.
At CIC, Private Jaffee rushes in to report the fire report was a hoax. Sensing his deceptions won't hold out any longer, Gaeta calls in his loyal Marines who detain the entire staff, including other Marines not part of the conspiracy. Jaffee believes the Marines are about to assassinate Adama, and he is shot dead as he jumps in front of him. In the subsequent shootout, the mutineers hold out and Gaeta orders a cease fire so that Adama and Tigh can be taken away to the brig, charged with treason, while other Marines hold the staff hostage to preserve ship functions.
===Act 3===
Starbuck and Apollo find President Laura Roslin asleep in Adama's quarters. With no way to get in contact with the Fleet, Roslin and the other two make their way to Baltar's chapel. The three arrive and as Baltar prepares to abandon his followers. Former Deck Chief Galen Tyrol has made contact with loyal crewmen and, armed with their own wireless systems, are able to continue reporting to one another. He reports that Adama is in custody, and directs them to a secondary airlock unused since before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. Meanwhile, Adama and Tigh manage to anger one of their marine escorts, Nowart, and snatch his gun to use on his fellow, Cpl. Maldonado. Roslin negotiates the use of Baltar's private wireless, which he accepts, despite his followers' insistence it is some sort of deception on her part. At CIC, Gaeta has resumed command, with Specialise Gage joining. Paulo "Redwing" McKay is ordered to take a Marine team to the engine room to take control of it. As Galactica is pestered with requests from ships in the Fleet, Gaeta becomes aware of Roslin's successful wireless message promoting a counterrevolution. Adama and Tigh, still hosting Nowart hostage, run into Apollo and Starbuck. When Starbuck shoots at a fleeing Nowart, she berates Adama for his objections.
===Act 4===
Roslin and Baltar head over to the airlock, where they are to escape for the Rebel Basestar. Baltar picks up a phone and tries to persuade Gaeta to stop the mutiny, which he refuses. Understanding Gaeta's feelings against the perceived traitors, he reminds him that he too was complicit in the Cylon occupation of New Caprica. Gaeta angrily hangs up. A Raptor crewed by a Number Eight takes off from the Basestar and docks with the airlock as Adama's group makes their arrival. Tyrol informs them that he is getting reports of a Marine detachment rushing to the airlock, and everyone but Tyrol, Adama and Tigh get on board. Tyrol makes his escape through accessways to avoid detection, while the Admiral and Tigh hold their ground to allow the Raptor's departure. The Marine detachment, led by Cpt. Aaron Kelly, start using welding torches to cut through the airlock door. Opening it up, they throw in a flashbang.
==Cast==
*Edward James Olmos as Rear Admiral William Adama
*Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin
*Jamie Bamber as Commander Lee "Apollo" Adama
*James Callis as President of the Twelve Colonies Gaius Baltar
*Tricia Helfer as 
**Caprica Six
**Messenger Six
*Grace Park as 
**Lieutenant Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
**Sharon Agathon
**Number Eight
*Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
*Aaron Douglas as Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol
*Tahmoh Penikett as Captain Karl "Helo" Agathon
*Michael Trucco as Samuel T. Anders
*Alessandro Juliani as Lieutenant Felix Gaeta
*Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
*Sebastian Spence as Lieutenant Noel 'Narcho' Allison
*Bodie Olmos as Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza
*Ryan Robbins as Charlie Connor
*Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
*Mike Dopud as Specialist Gage
*Ty Olson as Captain Aaron Kelly
*Leah Cairns as Lieutenant Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
*Jennifer Halley as Ensign Diana "Hardball" Seelix
*Brad Dryborough as Lieutenant Louis Hoshi
*Colin Lawrence as Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall
*Alexandra Thomas as Hera Agathon
*Derek Delost as Specialist Vireem
*Vincent Gale as Lieutenant Peter Laird
*Colin Corrigan as Sergeant Allan Nowart
*Mike Leisen as Private Stewart Jaffee
*Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
*Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
*Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
*Iris Paluly as Dahlia
*Marilyn Norry as Reza Chronides
*Craig Veroni as Lance Corporal Eduardo Maldonado
*Veena Sood as Quorum Delegate
*Alain Chanoine as Marine Reb
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Lee "Apollo" Adama
*William Adama
*Karl "Helo" Agathon
*Gaius Baltar
*Anastasia Dualla
*Felix Gaeta
*Calandra Henderson
*Number Eight
**Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
**Sharon Agathon
*Number Six
**Messenger Six
*Laura Roslin
*Saul Tigh
*Kara "Starbuck" Thrace
*Galen Tyrol
===Locations===
*The Fleet
===Species===
*Cylon
**Centurion
**Humanoid Cylon
**Raider
*Human
===Technology===
*FTL
*Wireless
===Vehicles and vessels===
*Basestar
*Colonial One
*Galactica
*Raider
*Raptor
*Viper
===Organizations===
*Colonial Fleet
*Colonial Government
*Colonial Marine Corps
==Production==
===Deleted scenes===
* A Marine rushes to CIC to report Cpl. Maldonado dead, Spc. Gage is visibly irate at Gaeta's handling of the situation
* Extended sequence of Starbuck and Apollo hiding after escaping from Racetrack and Skulls. They plan to rush for CIC, believing Adama to still be there.
* Starbuck and Apollo find Roslin and hide her in Adama's office.
* Extended sequence of Adama staying behind at the end.
==Sources==
==External links==
*Archived podcast
4.13