The Hand of God (TOS episode)

The Hand of God is an episode of Glen A. Larson's Battlestar Galactica. With the show's cancellation in April 1979, The Hand of God is the de facto season finale.
== Plot ==
=== Act ===
Late at night, Apollo leads Starbuck, Sheba and Cassiopeia out to Galactica's aft section, where above the thrusters stands the ship's last remaining Celestial Chamber - an observatory for stellar cartography - which he has made a hobby out of repairing. While there Sheba picks up a transmission on a Gamma Frequency, a radio frequency no longer used by the colonials due to the rate of signal deterioration. The transmission contains footage of what appears to be a small craft, but it has degraded and the human voices in the transmission cannot be made out. Apollo thinks the craft is familiar, comparing it with a type of craft once used 2000 yahrens ago.
The four wake-up Boomer at the Blue Squadron bunks. As a communications expert, he proves helpful in clearing up a recording of the transmission, but it can only be cleaned so much. Describing Gamma Frequencies, the four understand this footage could be very close by, or could have come tens of thousands of lightyahrens.
Later in the day, Adama has been made aware of the signals and sets out an investigation of it. He prioritises exploring local systems in the direction of the transmission, should it be a shortwave transmission. Tigh confirms a star system is located in that area of space, and a patrol heads out in search of it.
Apollo, Starbuck and Sheba take off in Vipers to explore their target star-system. None of the three planets they find have life on them. While approaching the third planet, Starbuck discovers a Basestar patrolling the planet from the other side, and the three retreat to evade detection while the atmosphere masks them.
=== Act 2 ===
Returning to Galactica, it appears that the transmissions were faked by the Cylons to lure the fleet into a trap, though Apollo isn't convinced. With no way to get around without detection, Adama believes facing off against the Basestar is the only real course of action, but has hopes that this is the only Basestar they will have to deal with.
On the Basestar, its golden Centurion commander arrives at the bridge soon after its arrival in the system. The subordinates report in, with one reporting a "blip" picked-up by their sensors before achieving orbit which hasn't been picked up since. The commander orders a Raider patrol to search the system just in case.
Adama briefs the Warriors onto their mission, which calls for a massive Viper assault on the Basestar itself, distracting it while Galactica makes its move and fires its cannons. While the others go to the officer's mess for a free drink, Apollo realises they could give Galactica a better chance if they enter the ship in Baltar's Raider and destroy the command center. Adama is convinced Apollo's idea has a chance of success, and orders a Shuttle to ferry Baltar to his office.
Baltar arrives in Adama's office, where he is unshackled and offered a drink, and finally freedom in exchange for information to assist in the attack. Adama's offer of freedom is to maroon him on a planet with provisions, but with only short-range radio equipment.
Readying the captured Raider, Boomer provides Apollo and Starbuck with equipment that will identify them as friendlies on Viper computrons. Everyone leaves but Sheba and Apollo, who argue over their relationship as he has been requesting to go on high-risk missions repeatedly. Outside, Starbuck also gets yelled at for his similar recent behaviours. They rekindle and kiss, with Starbuck promising to come back. 
=== Act 3 ===
After a quick run-through by Baltar, the Raider launches headed to the Basestar. On their way, they are intercepted by the Raider patrol, which treats them as strays, and they launch safely. 
On Galactica, the pilots are given their orders, and Red and Blue Squadrons are launched, led by Boomer. Galactica changes its course to meet the Basestar from a different direction.
Back in the Basestar, Apollo and Starbuck wait for the Centurion pilots to leave the landing bay before making their own departure. They quickly find the hatch to the central core, seeing a lone guard at the bottom of the ladder. The guard spots them as they climb down, but it is shot. The two make their way through to a corridor with computer equipment on either side, which leads to the command room. They begin placing explosive charges on the equipment. In the command room, the golden Centurion orders an attack on the newly detected Viper squadrons. The bridge crew discover the two Warriors and a fight ensues, with the FoF transmitter being lost in the fight.
=== Act 4 ===
Out in space the Vipers engage the Basestar's Raider squadrons. Galactica approaches more and can detect the fighting on their sensors. As the Basestar enters their sensors, Galactica begins its attack. Charging head-on, it fires its lasers, taking damage as the two slug it out. Adama orders the forward lasers to fire, which results in the Basestar's destruction. All Vipers are ordered to land, leaving the few remaining Raiders to abandon the star system.
Back in the bridge, there is no sign of Apollo and Starbuck as every Raider approaching Galactica was on a suicide run. When the Raider begins waggling side to side, the crew are able to identify them without the tag.
Back at the Celestial Chamber, Apollo looks out once more at the stars. Starbuck arrives, having realised he wasn't at the victory party. Apollo admits he hopes the transmission was from Earth and not the Basestar, but with no sign of any more transmissions he gives up and goes to the party. As they leave, Galactica picks up the transmissions once again - which turn out to be Earth's Apollo 11 moon landing.
==Production==
=== Deleted scenes ===
* The opening Celestial Chamber scene was cut down before airing. There were two takes for a sequence where Starbuck (seen from space) compares the antiquated Celestial Chamber to old sublight ships, which would take yahrens to get from one star system to another.Battlestar Galactica Complete Series, Bonus Disc.
== Staff ==
Richard Hatch 	Captain Apollo
Dirk Benedict 	Lieutenant Starbuck
Lorne Greene 	Commander Adama
Herbert Jefferson Jr.	Lieutenant Boomer
John Colicos 	Count Baltar
Laurette Spang 	Cassiopeia
Tony Swartz 	Flight Sergeant Jolly
Anne Lockhart 	Lieutenant Sheba
Terry Carter 	Colonel Tigh
David Greenan 	Flight Officer Omega
== Gallery ==
== Sources ==
== External links ==
*
*Transcript at ByYourCommand.net
*The Hand of God at NBC.com
Category:Original Series episodes