Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 4

==Summary==
:It's the final battle as the Aethership Galactica and its allies take the fight to Baltar! Can this rag-tag collection of survivors defeat the mighty Cylonic Empire? And what happens when one of Galactica's allies betrays everyone? Who lives, and who dies? Come with us as #1 New York Times bestselling author Tony Lee brings this miniseries to a shattering conclusion!
==Plot==
=== Prologue ===
* Archduke makes "possibly the last speech" from before launching the assault on .
* From the bridge of the transport, Crown Prince reiterates the ground assault plan that involves and assuming control of the Cylonic Centurions and causing a ruckus while is to go to the babbage computer Lu-c-fer and destroy it, thereby disabling the Cylonic force in the process.
* From the bridge of Queen 's ship, Lady notes that the stand ready to assist in the battle. Adama agrees with Athena on her desire to heal old wounds against their common enemy. 
* On , notes that he is not only ready to assist, but has also made a deal with 's pirate Queens for their assistance. Queen interjects with the clarification that Starbuck has sold himself into bonded servitude for their aid, promising to discuss his future later should her survive.
* Adama concludes his speech, noting that Galactica leads a "rag-tag fugitive fleet on a hopeless quest of vengeance" and will "make galmonging sure" to finish the battle, ending in a "So say we all!"
=== Gamoray === 
* On As opposed to the previous issue, the name "Gamora" is used instead of "Gamoray," which had been established in the previous issue., is notified of survival and the small fleet of incoming vessels by a Cylonic Knight. Chagrined, Baltar requests a report from Lu-c-fer confirms this and notes that wishes to communicate with him. 
* Adama gives Baltar a simple ultimatum: surrender or die. 
* Baltar responds by ordering the Cylonics to fight. 
=== Gamoray's Orbit ===
* The fleet begins targeting the Cylonic communications relays to hinder Cylonic communications.
* tells to proceed with their landing on , telling and to ensure the prince lives, or she'll "flay the skin off" them should they survive.
* interjects, replying that he'll ensure the babbage computer is "upgraded" to prevent Baltar's further use of it.
* Boomer plugs himself into the Cylonic freighter's computer, believing it to have the most current codes to allow them to pass Gamoray's shield.
* The codes work, and the freighter descends upon Gamoray while being ignored by the Cylonic Raiders.
* The Raiders and Basestars engage the other ships in the fleet.
* Galactica and an Ovion vessel briefly quarrel regarding an attack on a basestar. becomes a voice of reason and convinces Adama to let the Ovions have the basestar, as there are other targets. 
* Meanwhile, the quarrelsome Queens of share their mutual hatred for one another in case they lose the chance to do so. 
* swoops in and destroys a Raider that harassed the Queen's ship, to which they snidely reply that he should kill another hundred.
* The Cylonics attempt to flank the fleet when Athena realizes Iblis' true objective, and asks the Ovions to get her to the planet. notes that Ovion ships cannot breach atmosphere, and instead make use of an escape pod that is shot at, and subsequently retrieved by, Starchaser.
* When Iblis effectively installs himself into the babbage computer, the Cylonics in orbit become disabled. As Adama begins a victory speech, Athena delivers bad news that Iblis' plan was to upload himself into the bubble memory of the computer to control the Cylonics for himself. 
* Iblis assumes control and renews the attack against the fleet, seeing as he seeks power for himself. 
* With the shields of her ship down, Lotay manages to send one final message as the Cylonics make their fatal attack: see their conflict ended and her people avenged. 
=== Gamoray ===
* The transport lands on . and go off in search of Cylonic Centurions to commandeer, while and the second team go off to search for the central computer.
* and his team engage Cylonic Knights to prevent them from raising the alarm, as the ground force has yet to be detected.
* Iblis pulls Apollo away from the main ground battle, so they may get to the babbage computer core.
* Boomer and Jolly reach two inactive Centurions, and share their last words and well wishes before integrating themselves into the machines.
* Outside of the control room, Iblis overhears an incredulous being informed by Lu-c-fer that the shields have been deactivated from within the compound. Baltar orders the Centurions to be activated, but Adama triumphantly disproves Baltar's assertion of superiority by demonstrating Boomer's and Jolly's skillful use of commandeered Centurion giants.
* Apollo makes his presence known, and spars with Baltar in a sword fight, destroying Baltar's helmet in the process. Baltar seethes at being subjected to germs, and manages to best Apollo by stabbing the warrior with a shard from the broken helmet.
* Control of the Cylonic Centurion takes its toll on Jolly, who starts to succumb to the strain. 
* Iblis enters the computer core and establishes a neural link to the babbage computer, uploading his mind into the computer, destroying both the Lu-c-fer operating system and Iblis' own physical body in the process.
* Starbuck and Athena make landfall, and come across the wounded Apollo. Athena leaves Starbuck to tend to Apollo so that she can handle Iblis.
* Apollo asks Starbuck why he left Galactica, and Starbuck tells him the truth: it was over Athena, for he loves her and Adama had given him an ultimatum—give up on Athena or leave. 
* Knights come upon Starbuck and Apollo before they are able to continue the conversation.
* Athena makes it to the server room, only to find that Iblis has destroyed Lu-c-fer and integrated himself into the babbage computer. 
* Athena hears 's final words, and pulls her backup plan: Boomer uploads a trojan virus that infiltrates the computer and deletes Iblis from the babbage's core drive. 
* As Starbuck makes his last stand, the Knights burn up and Athena declares that she has shut down the Cylonic Empire.
* Starbuck takes a wounded Apollo away, while Athena receives word that her father has survived the battle and the remaining Colonials have taken minimal losses. 
* Boomer and Jolly have not fared well; Jolly had pulled Boomer from a Centurion before the feedback from the Cylonic hivemind's disconnection killed them both, but they are mentally scarred. Apollo orders that care be given to the two men.
=== Epilogue ===
* A great celebration follows the Cylonic defeat at .
* has fled to an unknown, secret bolthole to rebuild his Cylonic army. 
* is able to convince the Queens of the newly named "" to break his bond of servitude, so that he may return to the nobility. This also allows him to enter into future marriage with , and rejoin the Colonial Empire as a Major in their ranks.
* Boomer and Jolly never regained their humanity, but are still alive.
* left Athena's service, and becomes captain of alongside his first mate, .
* The make peace with humanity, and given that is the last of the Ovion royal bloodline, Athena is bestowed leadership of the Ovion people and resides on Carillion. 
* With and in ruins, and the Colonial Empire in need of aetherships, the humans begin to rebuild and allow the subjects of the Twelve Colonial Empires to believe that the Cylonics are no longer a threat. 
* Rumors of ' having transferred his consciousness into a lone Cylonic are abundant, and the humans focus on rebuilding their Empire to its former glory, and there is even talk of a Thirteenth Colony to be reclaimed.
==Notes==
* 's name is referred to sans the "y" ("Gamora") throughout this issue. For clarity, the Battlestar Wiki's articles and summaries will always prioritize the name as stated repeatedly in Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 3.
* The reason for the Ovions hostile nature towards humanity, which began the Ovion Wars and lead to the creation of the Cylonics, is never stated.
* Author Tony Lee also referenced "bubble memory" in Battlestar Galactica: Starbuck 1.
=== Nods ===
* Adama's statement regarding "rag-tag fugitive fleet on a hopeless quest of vengeance" is derived from the closing statement from the Original Series, where notes that the "rag-tag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest for a shining planet."
* The phrase "So say we all" is exclusively germane to the Re-imagined Series. As common with most Dynamite Comics installments, some Re-imagined Series terminology integrates itself into the stories and comics related to the Original Series continuities. As 1880 is a variation in the Battlestar Galactica multiverse, its use here is not entirely glaring.
* Starbuck's statement of "never tell me the odds" during the battle above is a nod to Han Solo's statement in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
* This issue makes note of a "Thirteenth Colony" (e.g. ), the first instance where 1880 ties into the general Battlestar mythology. It is noted by as being a "lost part of the Empire that needs to be gathered back."
* The last page of the comic is a nod to the Original Series opening preamble narrated by Patrick Macnee, to wit: "There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the , or the , or the . Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens."
==Analysis==
* transcribing his mind into a machine that controls the Cylonics mirrors Count Iblis programming the ' Imperious Leader, as revealed in "War of the Gods, Part II." Further, the rumored survival of 1880 Iblis' searching for his subjects is reminiscent of this as well, given that Iblis may survive in the punchcard mind of a Cylonic Knight.
==Questions==
* How much of ' consciousness still remains intact? 
* How will Baltar control the Cylonics without Lu-c-fer? Are there others like Lu-c-fer in existence?
==Noteworthy Dialogue==
* makes a speech prior to their attack on :
: This is possibly the last speech I will ever give, so be gentle with me. Professor almost eradicated the human race. Only a few colonies survive. But he's weak. He's spent too much energy and now the time to end him has come. 
: I say now--we are the Colonial Empire, and we refuse to bow to Cylonic tyranny. The last aethership may lead a rag-tag fugitive fleet on a hopeless quest of vengance--but we'll make galmonging sure that we finish the job. So say we all!
* and say their good-byes before connecting to the Cylonic Centurions:
: Boomer: Get in. Log on. Kill Cylonics. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
: Jolly: Sounds like suicide, Boomer.
: Boomer: Ah well, you never wanted to live like this, did you? I mean, it's a nightmare to shower.
: Jolly: And I snag the arm on my uniform sleeve constantly. Until the next life, Lieutenant.
* talks to Lu-c-fer:
: Lu-c-fer: Hello, father.
: Iblis: You've been a bad babbage computer, Lu-c-fer. Daddy's going to have to give you a spanking now.
* and talk after Apollo's been stabbed by Baltar:
: Starbuck: You got stabbed with a fishbowl? Man, I'd hate to be you when I tell everyone.
: Apollo: Starbuck... why did you... leave? The... that is? 
: Starbuck: I was in love with , but wouldn't allow it. I was told to give up--or leave. And I could never give her-- (Cylonics appear)—ah, felgercarb. I knew it was too good to last.
* discovers Iblis has uploaded himself into the babbage computer:
: Athena: Lu-c-fer! Stop this immediately!
: Iblis: You're too late princess! Lu-c-fer is gone! I control the Cylonics now! This is the Age of Iblis! And there's nothing you can do about it! I've shed my human form and entered the aether! Pure energy! God incarnate! And my Cylonics? Fully functional and eager to kill for me!
==Related Imagery==
===Covers===
: Even though the covers are not identified with letter designations on the cover identification sheet inside of the issue, they are used below for consistency and order purposes.
BSG188004CovSyaf.jpg|Cover A Main colorized cover.Art: Ardian SyafInks: Guillermo OrtegaColors: Kyle Ritter
BSG188004CovIncen10Boomer.jpg|Cover B: Boomer Concept Art Incentive Cover.Art: Sergio Fernandez Davila
BSG188004CovIncen20CassSheba.jpg|Cover C: Cassiopeia (R) and Sheba (L) Concept Art Incentive Cover.Art: Sergio Fernandez Davila
===Preview Pages===
: Please Note: These are used for promotional purposes by the publisher, and are provided here in the same vein.
SteamBSG041.jpg|Page 1
SteamBSG042.jpg|Page 2
SteamBSG043.jpg|Page 3
SteamBSG044.jpg|Page 4
SteamBSG045.jpg|Page 5
==References==
Category:A to Z
Category:Comics
Category:Comics (TOS)
Category:Dynamite Comics
Category:Dynamite Comics (TOS)
Category:TOS
Category:1880