“Kobol’s Last Gleaming: Part 2” is episode thirteen of season one of the new Battlestar Galactica and the second part of the two-part season finale.
In the previous episode, “Kobol’s Last Gleaming: Part 1”, when the three Raptors jumped to Kobol, they encountered a Cylon Basestar. One was destroyed, one jumped back to Galactica and the third was crashing. The episode opens at the crash site and everyone is being got out. Gaius is the last one left inside, trapped by frames, and Crashdown is trying to get him out. Gaius sees Number Six reaching her hand out to him and they get away just before the Raptor explodes.
On Caprica, Helo and Caprica Boomer are outside the Delphi Museum of the Colonies. Helo doesn’t understand why they are there. To get the arrow of Apollo, supposed to be the only clue to the location of Earth. Helo says Earth doesn’t exist. He’s trying to get back to Galactica, and needs a way off planet. Either Caprica Boomer can help him or he will shoot her. She tells him to shut up. She’s the only reason he’s alive, and the only hope he has of getting off planet. They will have to wait until it’s dark.
On Galactica, Commander Adam thinks Starbuck was coerced. Colonel Tigh says Starbuck can’t be coerced; he’s tried. Dualla tells the commander that the president is on the line. Adam brings up the jump and Roslin says to save time, she will answer the question he wants to ask. Yes, she told Starbuck to take the Raider to Caprica. Adama is not happy. Both want to preserve the fleet but have different ways of doing so. The commander wants the president to resign. She refuses. He’s terminating her presidency. She will exercise the authority of the office until unable to do so. If Adama wants to stage a coup, he will have to come and get her. And the press is there.
The commander orders Colonial One be isolated and transmissions jammed. And prep a strike team. If the president can turn Starbuck against them, she can do anything. The commander thinks the president is bluffing. Tigh reminds him of the basestar. The president thinks the commander is bluffing.
The commander checks they have a Cylon transponder. They do. Now, they need a pilot, and he heads to see Boomer who nearly committed suicide last episode. He wants Boomer to take a Raptor, light jump to Kobol and take care of the basestar. In theory, the transponder will allow them to approach without being fired on. As for visual, they could be two Cylon agents returning in a captured Raptor. More accurate than he thinks. Adama wants Boomer to fire a nuke into the landing bay then light jump out.
Starbuck comes out above Caprica. Her transponder works. She’s heading down to the city as below Helo and Caprica Boomer are waiting. Boomer says what they had was very important. It’s the next step, to bring them closer to God. Helo tells her gods are a human belief, and he’s human. Boomer says she genuinely felt something for him. Helo doesn’t care. And she’s pregnant.
The assault team is approaching Colonial One as Boomer jumps to Kobol. The president warns everyone that this may not be the safest place. They should take refuge with the other civilians. Billy tells her they will stand with their president. Apollo’s teams are cutting their way in. On Galactica, the commander wants to talk to Roslin.
Boomer’s Raptor approaches the basestar. Raiders pass. They don’t attack.
At the Kobol crash site, Chief Tyrol wants orders from Crashdown. In the process making it, respectfully, clear that Crashdown doesn’t know what he’s doing, and that trying to be visible from the air is not a great idea when Cylons might land troops. Crashdown realises he’s out of his depth and tells the chief to take over.
Boomer’s Raptor is unable to launch the nuke. It’s jammed. She decides they will have to dock and drop it off manually. Starbuck has landed outside the same museum Helo and Caprica Boomer were outside. They’re likely to meet up. One thing that seems certain is that everyone, including Boomer herself, however much she tries to deny it, will know she’s a Cylon.
A cliff-hanger ending leading into season two and “Scattered”.