“Daybreak: Part 3” is episode twenty-one of season four of the new Battlestar Galactica and the third part of the three-part season and series finale.
At the end of the previous episode, “Daybreak: Part 2”, a ceasefire was agreed with the Cylons when the Final Five agreed to give Cavil resurrection in return for Hera and an end to the war. Galactica‘s forces return and in CIC the Final Five will join with Anders; each knows a part of Resurrection. Ellen warns them that they will know everything about each other for a moment. Tory is clearly concerned about her killing Cally in “The Ties that Bind”. Cavil tells them to hurry up. The download is started, but it ends when Tyrol sees what Tory did and he attacks her. He ends up snapping her neck as the Cylons decide it’s a trick and open fire. They are quickly killed, though Cavil kills himself.
Racetrack’s Raptor is hit by a piece of debris and it fires its weapons at the Colony. With it falling apart, Adama tells Starbuck to jump. She doesn’t have the rendezvous coordinates; he tells her to jump anyway. Her destination is chosen based on the notes from the song. When Galactica emerges, it’s in bad shape. Adama asks for a report and Tigh says she broke her back. She’ll never jump again. Roslin asks Starbuck where she’s taken them. It turns out to be Earth. The previous planet they called Earth was a different one.
12 hours later and the rest of the fleet arrives. Cottle, Gaius, Hoshi, Tigh and Adama are observing natives on the planet. Tribal, but pre-language. Cottle says their DNA is compatible. One a planet one million lightyears away, they’ve discovered humans.
Lampkin is talking about plans for where to build the city but Apollo tells him no. Not this time. They’ll break the cycle. He explains to his father they can give the locals speech and other things, but not their technology and weapons. Their minds evolve far faster than their hearts.
The humans from the Colonies are surprisingly okay with leaving all their tech behind. The Cylon Twos, Sixes and Eights will stay as well. The Centurions will be given their freedom and the base ship; they’ve earned it. Ellen thinks this will also break the cycle and the Centurions won’t come back to wipe them out. Anders will guide the fleet into the Sun.
Needless to say, this is all set a long time before the present. Because this is Earth. Most of the second half of the episode has wrapping up, though that still leaves questions. There are also more clips from Caprica before the fall. And it seems that the Six and Gaius that Gaius and Caprica Six were seeing are, in fact, real. Gaius’s angels.