Battlestar Galactica (2003)/The Hand of God

The Hand of God
Season 1, Episode 10
Airdate	• January 3, 2005 (UK) • March 11, 2005 (USA)
Written by	David Weddle & Bradley Thompson
Directed by	Jeff Woolnough
← 1x09 Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down	1x11 → Colonial Day
Battlestar Galactica (2003) — Season One

The Hand of God is the tenth episode of the first season of Battlestar Galactica.

Edward James Olmos (Commander William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)

Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (PO Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Crashdown)

Guest Star: Lorena Gale (Elosha)

Cast: Nicki Clyne (Cally), Cailin Stadnyk (Ensign Davis), Bodie Olmos (Costanza/Hot Dog), Luciana Carro (Katraine), Terry Chen (Perry/Chuckles), Christina Schild (Playa Kohn), Biski Gugushe (Hamilton), Paul Cummings (Pilot/Fireball), Camille Sullivan (Pilot/Stepchild)

Plot Summary

The Galactica, low on fuel after its ongoing rescue operations for Starbuck, launches a daring attack on a Cylon tylium fuel refinery with the intent of replenishing the fleet's fuel supply.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• After Roslin has a vision of a dozen snakes on her podium, Elosha tells her about the oracle Pythia from the sacred scrolls. She foretold about the exile and the rebirth of the human race, that the Lords of Kobol anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland and to whom would be given vision of serpents, "numbering two and ten as a sign of things to come." She also wrote that the leader would was dying from a wasting disease and would not live to see the new land.

• Number Six tells Baltar about the same passage and that it goes on to say "Though the outcome favoured the few, it led to a confrontation at the home of the Gods."

• Sharon begins to experience some sickness. Helo is confused when he sees another Six.

Characters

• Kara's knee is still not good enough to fly a Viper, leaving Lee to take the lead in the attack on the Cylon tylium refinery.

• Adama gives Lee the lighter his father took with him into court and swore he never lost a case when he had it. The inscription reveals his father's name was Joseph Adama.

• Baltar is asked where the Vipers should target in the tylium refinery. Six tells him God will guide him and, to his own disappointment, he simply guesses. He turns out to be correct and he now believes that he is an instrument of God.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• This episode shares its name with that of the last episode of the original series with both episodes sharing a similar plot revolving around an offensive assault on the Cylons. Contrary to belief, however, it is not actually based on the original episode; Thompson and Weddle were not aware of the episode when writing it, making the parallel between the episodes a simple coincidence.

Quotes

• Adama: We take the tylium from the Cylons.

Tigh: With all respect, this is hardly a time to attack a superior force.

Adama: This is exactly the time.

• Adama: Captain Adama and Colonel Tigh are working on the plan now and I need some serious out-of-the-box thinking.

Kara: Out-of-the-box is where I live.

• Adama: We're not going to win this one by the book. I want Starbuck in here because she's not weighed down by conventional thinking. All due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.

• Lee: I'll bring it back.

Adama: You better, or I'll kick your ass. It's a good lighter.

• Kara: I never wanted this kind of responsibility.

Adama: The Cylons never asked us what we wanted. Welcome to the big leagues.

• Number Six: You are part of God's plan, Gaius.

Baltar: So God wanted me to destroy the Cylon base.

Number Six: You did well. You gave yourself over to Him.

Baltar: Yes, I suppose I did. Yes, there's... there's really no other logical explanation for it. I was...

Number Six: Am.

Baltar: I am an instrument of God.