Battlestar Galactica (2003)/The Ties That Bind

The Ties That Bind
Season 4, Episode 3
Airdate	April 18, 2008
Written by	Michael Taylor
Directed by	Michael Nankin
Fleet Survivors	39,676
← 4x02 Six of One (2)	4x04 → Escape Velocity
Battlestar Galactica (2003) — Season Four

The Ties That Bind is the third episode of the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica, and the fifty-sixth episode overall.

Edward James Olmos (Admiral William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Kara "Starbuck" Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar) (credit only), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lieutenant Sharon "Athena" Agathon / Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)

Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Chief Galen Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Captain Karl "Helo" Agathon), Michael Trucco (Samuel Anders), Nicki Clyne (Cally Tyrol), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Felix Gaeta)

Guest Star: Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek)

Guest Stars: Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Matthew Bennett (Aaron Doral), Rekha Sharma (Tory Foster)

and Dean Stockwell (Cavil)

Co-Starring: Bodie Olmos (Hotdog), Tiffany Lyndall-Knight (Hybrid)

Cast: Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Christina Schild (Playa Palacios), Biski Gugushe (Sekou Hamilton), Finn R. Devitt (Baby Nicky), Donna Soares (Speaking Delegate #1), Andrew McIlroy (Jacob Cantrell), Judith Maxie (Picon Delegate), Iris Paluly (Speaking Delegate #2), Ryan McDonell (Lt. Eammon "Gonzo" Pike), Marilyn Norry (Reza Chronides)

Uncredited: Leo Chiang (Tattooed pilot)

Plot Overview

Roslin's cancer treatment continues, Lee moves into his position on the Quorum, making a provocative stand against the President. Kara Thrace leads the Demetrius 22 days into its independent search for Earth. Joining the Demetrius's mission are Gaeta, Helo, Sam, and others. Cally, growing suspicious from the cocktail of drugs she is taking, follows Galen and finds him with Tory. Originally suspecting an affair, she eventually tracks them to a weapons locker, where she learns they are Cylons. When he returns home, Cally attacks Galen with a large wrench, then heads for an airlock with Nicky.

Meanwhile, just as Brother Cavil's faction and Six's faction seem to come to terms, Cavil's ships launch a surprise attack to destroy the others.

Notes

• Lee brings up Executive Order 112.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Despite the attempted cover story, rumours have spread about the Demetrius being commanded by Kara.

• It's been 22 days since the Demetrius began its mission and its crew is getting restless with Kara's constant course corrections.

• Cavil goes to meet with Natalie are on her commandeered basestar. Her faction not only demands a cease to the lobotomising of the Raiders, but that D'Anna be unboxed so they can know the identities of the Final Five. They seem to agree to download her at the central resurrection hub and set up a meeting at the nearest server. However, when Cavil's faction of ships jump in, they do so without a resurrection ship and attack Natalie's.

Characters

• Cally and Tyrol's marriage has been rough since the Ionian nebula. This has caused Cally become stressed, taking medication, and becomes suspicious. She goes to Joe's Bar to find him with Tory where she touches his arm. She assumes he's having an affair, but when she follows him to their meeting with Tigh, she learns they're Cylons. Despondent, she takes Nicky with her to a launch tube and readies to airlock them both. Tory finds them and manages to talk Cally down and agrees to hand over Nicky, at which point Tory knocks her out. She comes to find Tory opening the airlock and she jettisons Cally.

• Tyrol is suffering from doubt about who he is. Tory, on the other hand, has become flooded with new sensations and feelings.

• Despite their earlier snipes, Adama sits by Roslin's bedside and reads to her as she undergoes Doloxan treatment. However, Adama's decision over Demetrius does cause some professional upset between the two.

• Lee is confirmed to the Quorum.

• Sam brings up to Kara their marriage, which she attacks him with her admission that it was safe and easy. Their verbal attacks lead them to having sex. Afterwards, Kara confesses that she feels different since she's been back, alien and that everything feels distant.

• It's revealed Cavil and Boomer are in a romantic relationship.

Referbacks

• The image of the blood drop is lifted from "Resistance".

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Tigh, Tyrol, and Foster are meeting at weapons locker 1701D, which is a reference to the registration number of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1701-D.

Goofs

• Both times Lee mentions Delegate Cowan, it is an obvious ADR dub.

Quotes

• Number One: Now really, Six, if you had wanted some room to spread out, you could've just asked.

Natalie: Is there anything that isn't fodder for a joke with you? Or is that really how you see our very existence, as some sort of nihilistic punchline?

Number One: Nihilistic punchline? I like that. But quite honestly, I'm feeling very serious. Getting riddled with bullets affects me that way.

• Natalie: Escort him off the ship.

(the Centurion doesn't respond)

Natalie: Please.

Number One: It's a good thing you remembered the magic word.

• Number One: Just remember: they started it.

Boomer: But we're killing them. We're truly killing them. My own sisters.

Number One: They can trust their God to watch over their immortal souls.

Boomer: What about ours?

Number One: We're machines, dear, remember? We don't have souls.