'Battlestar Galactica' Recap: The Rising

Image credit: Carole Segal/SCI FI Channel

BROTHERS IN ARMS Tigh and Adama worked like men half their age when they took down the two soldiers leading them to the brig

All About

Battlestar Galactica

Get the latest photos, news, and more

'Battlestar Galactica' Recap: The Rising

Lemme get this out of the way right up top: I probably should've registered some surprise, last week, upon the reveal of Bill and Laura getting all spoony — much like Tigh is surprised by the couple's morning rituals at the beginning of ''The Oath.'' It's just that, in the back of my head, I guess I'd always thought they were intimate, ever since they were sharing what seemed to be a post-coital joint on New Caprica way back in ''Unfinished Business.'' But even if the Mommy and Daddy of the Colonial fleet had consummated their relationship, apparently no one else knew. So, my bad.

One of my favorite episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation was called ''Brothers.'' In it, Data — urged by some nascent programming — single-handedly shuts out the rest of the crew and takes control of the Enterprise. He knew exactly how that ship functioned and what the response to his actions would be, and so he was able to parry any attack with a mere flick of his hand on a keypad. Felix Gaeta's mutiny reminded me of that: He knew who to approach for support, who needed to be taken out of the way, how to get Tom Zarek out of the brig and back to Colonial One, how to make what he and his team were doing sound like system glitches, and, most importantly, what to tell Adama to trigger the events that he wanted. It was a heist, really — the stealing of Galactica with her commander right there at the helm — and it was actually a beautiful thing to see.

Of course, not everything can go exactly to plan: Zarek takes matters — in the shape of a wrench — into his own hands and kills Laird, Tyrol's replacement as Chief of the Deck. It's easy to forget that before he put on the suits, polished his silver tongue, and slipped into the vice presidency, Zarek used to be a terrorist. He has killed before. Some things never fade.

For me, that's what this episode was all about: a rediscovery of who these people truly are. A reminder of what makes them such titanic characters. Just think: How long has it been since Kara Thrace was a force to be reckoned with? And how great was it to get the badass Starbuck back? Not that I don't appreciate the emotional turmoil she's gone through, lo these past few years, but to see her on that flight deck, pistols strapped to her hips, getting her Van Cleef on...man that was a sight for sore eyes. ''Take a breath, Lee. Feels good to be alive, doesn't it?'' Indeed.

NEXT: Adama kicks butt