Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 4

:Marooned in a reality where the never existed and the Cylon's [sic] rule supreme, joins a version of in his relentless resistance against the domination. Meanwhile, imprisoned in the holding cells of a Cylon Basestar, discovers an ...
==Plot==
* Three months after his arrival in the alternate reality, leads a raid on , freeing its remaining humans—including and —by repeating history (after a fashion) and destroying .
* While Cylon collaborators and his henchmen hang, leads the air assault above using Apollo's Temporal Viper.
* The liberation that the Colonial Resistance planned for weeks is successful, and Serina hands Apollo a helmet after she lands, so that he can take point in his craft. 
* The citizens of Equellus are transported back to Cache, where he is warmly greeted by and . Adama cautions that they should run such raids with greater care, noting that a fumarello-smoking is being pursued by the for hitting a basestar three months prior. This bolsters Apollo's hope of 's survival, as it fits his modus operandi. 
* With Apollo's hopes being right, after a fashion, the Cylons scan the sector coming up empty. Unbeknownst to them, has sensor shielding that prevents the Cylons from reading them.
* Lieutenant Starbuck is not entirely pleased at their evasion of the Cylons, preferring to fight them instead with the awesome and resources they have at hand. Captain Starbuck disagrees, sharing his belief that the and that all that's left is to tend to their own survival.
* Disgusted at knowing that a version of himself gave up on the human race, Lieutenant Starbuck leaves core command and heads down to his Temporal Viper to perform maintenance. 
* While in his Viper cockpit repairing a circuit board, Lieutenant Starbuck asks himself how a version of himself turned out "to be such a frimp? Such a vapor-sucking, pogee-eating sack of--" at the same time Captain Starbuck—fumarello in mouth and a bottle of ambrosa in hand—arrives at the bay asking himself the exact same thing about his counterpart. Lieutenant Starbuck takes note of a secret door leading from the room Captain Starbuck exited, and examines the hand reader after his counterpart walks away.
* Unsurprisingly, Lieutenant Starbuck discovers that the door opens for him, and he happens upon a secret laboratory wherein lie disassembled remains of a Cylon Warden, s, and even an .
* Captain Starbuck surprises his counterpart, noting that he left his fumarellos behind and explains that his techs have been able to use the Imperious Leader to devise the anti-Cylon technologies they deploy.
* Captain Starbuck has a heart-to-heart with his counterpart, noting that he too has had to make tough decisions to keep his crew alive; Lieutenant Starbuck continues to advocate an offensive approach, which the Captain disregards as being far too risky. 
* Lieutenant Starbuck tantalizes his counterpart with information on the Q-Cache, which the Captain readily accepts.
* Galactica arrives near the hypergiant, which hides them from the Cylons as Lieutenant Starbuck uses his Viper's emergency tracker signal to ping Apollo. 
* On Cache, Apollo receives the signal and responds. In doing so, he opens Cache to a Cylon attack as Baltifer's basestar jumps in using the temporal warp drive reverse-engineered from Starbuck's Viper. Baltifer commends Zee with begrudging, back-handed praise. 
* Captain Starbuck is able to hide Galactica using the sensor shield, but Baltifer's attentions are diverted by Apollo's signal, which allows them to find the Colonial Resistance—much to Adama's rancorous dismay.
* Baltifer opens communication with the base, greeting his old nemesis and noting the appearance of Apollo, . 
* Baltifer forces Adama and Apollo's surrender after opening fire on Cache with the chronal cannon, which revert Cache's tectonic plates to an ancient configuration. On Baltifer's promise that no further temporal weapons would be used against the Colonial Resistance, Apollo flies Adama to the baseship in his Temporal Viper.
* While aboard Galactica, Lieutenant Starbuck argues with his counterpart to engage the basestar. One of the pirate's crew members knocks Starbuck out cold, much to the Captain's relief.
* Adama and Apollo are brought before Baltifer and Zee. After trading barbs, Zee employs a tech spider to scan Apollo and confirms that Apollo is not the one killed by in ' destruction. 
* When Apollo fails to explain this, Baltifer orders the destruction of Cache, noting that he only promised to not use temporal weapons against it... he said nothing about conventional ones as he launches the full force of the basestar's s to address the issue.
==Notes==
=== Publication Releases ===
* A version of this issue, the Battlestar Galactica #4 Exclusive Subscription Variant, released in August 2013. Per the publisher:
*: A super-special, exclusive Chris Eliopoulos Cute cover, only available to comic shop subscribers and limited to initial orders!
=== Nods ===
* Equellus, Vella, Puppis, Lacerta, and Red-Eye (including its armored horse) are derived from the episode "The Lost Warrior," an centric episode of the Original Series.
* The word "frimp" is another Galactica 1980 nod.
* is the second (and only) battlestar in the alternate reality to be identified by name. Whether commanded it or not remains unstated.
==Analysis==
* develop an amicable working relationship with not only but also , similarly mirroring the relationships Apollo had with their primary reality counterparts. The same can be said about the relationship between himself and . While there is fertile room for dealing with the complex (and discomforting) nuances of those relationships for all parties, the pace of the comic and the overall story arc—which lends to being a fun by-the-numbers romp—do not permit that. 
* Comparatively, the animosity between and drive engagement in the issue, culminating to the climax that is paid off in .
* Baltifer's face is finally revealed in this issue, having been hidden and obstructed by shadow for the previous two issues, revealing the extent of 's merging of and . Baltifer's motivations are further enhanced with the logic inherent in Lucifer's character, although Baltar's inherent hubris comes to play, ignited by not only the revelation of an alternate Apollo's existence but the survival of Adama, Baltar's old nemesis and leader of the Colonial Resistance.
* Zee continues to play the role of the Mad Scientist to continue the story flow, particularly as the inventor of the temporal warp drive and chronal cannons, thereby allowing this five-issue arc to reach both its climax and .
* Baltifer's reneging on Apollo and Adama's perceived deal based on a mere technicality—in that he wouldn't use temporal weapons to destroy the resistance base on Cache—is a variation of the "I lied" trope, in keeping with the spirit of the "you said you would let them go" conversation at the end of this issue.
==Questions==
* How many other humans have been saved by the Colonial Resistance in the three months following Apollo's arrival?
* If Cain existed, did he command Pegasus when it was destroyed at the peace conference by Baltar's hand?
* Is the temporally displaced Apollo angling on kindling a romance with the alternate Serina?
* What kinds of sacrifices did have to make? 
* How did Starbuck salvage Galactica? 
* Where did Galactica come from, if it was not constructed by the Colonials in the alternate reality?
==Noteworthy Dialogue==
* (about to execute ): Pleading. Pathetic.
* Red-Eye (about to execute ): Humans. Pathetic.
* The two Starbucks have a heart-to-heart:
*: Captain Starbuck: You haven't had to do the things I have, kiddo. You haven't had to make the choices. I keep my crew alive, that's a good day for me. I used to have loftier aspirations, just like you. Don't judge me.
*: Lieutenant Starbuck: This tech you have, these fighting ships... you could be making a difference. 
*: Captain Starbuck: Reward and risk, kiddo. Not enough of the former, too much of the latter.
* is incensed at Baltifer's reneging on their deal:
*: Adama: You gave your word, you monster.
*: Baltifer: Yes, and it is worth so little. I am surprised you don't know that by now.
==Related Imagery==
===Covers===
BSG04CovRoss.jpg|Main CoverArt: Alex Ross
BSG04CovIncenSketch.jpg|Incentive Cover. Alternate main pencil sketch cover.Art: Alex Ross
BSG04Cov25Only.jpg|Virgin cover.Art: Alex Ross
BSG01CovSubscription.jpg|Subscription Cover "Cute Exclusive"Art: Chris Eliopoulos
===Preview Pages===
: Please Note: These are used for promotional purposes by the publisher, and are provided here in the same vein.
File:BSGv2041.jpg|Page 1
File:BSGv2042.jpg|Page 2
File:BSGv2043.jpg|Page 3
File:BSGv2044.jpg|Page 4
File:BSGv2045.jpg|Page 5
==External links==
* 
==References==
Category:A to Z
Category:Comics
Category:Comics (TOS)
Category:Dynamite Comics
Category:Dynamite Comics (TOS)
Category:TOS