“The Eye of Jupiter” is episode eleven of season three of the new Battlestar Galactica.
A Raptor leaves Galactica, heading down to the planet they reached in the previous episode, “The Passage”. It’s the 14th day of the resupply mission on what’s called ‘Algae Planet’ – which admittedly looks better than New Caprica. At the ground camp, Chief Tyrol thinks he hears something. He speaks to Anders as the Raptor comes in hot. Inside a hut, Apollo asks who that is. Dee suspects Starbuck and thinks it’s amazing that she keeps landing on top of the pilot rotation. Apollo expects Starbuck will think it’s bad luck and heads to meet her. Inside the Raptor, they greet each other and start making out.
Cally speaks to the chief; afterwards, he thinks he’s hearing chimes. Inside the Raptor, Apollo says they have to do something; he suggests divorce. Starbuck made a vow and won’t break it. Even if what they’re currently doing is breaking it. Starbuck thinks this is just bending the rules. Starbuck won’t divorce and Apollo won’t cheat.
On a Cylon base ship, Gaius wakes – alone for once – to a baby crying. He follows it to find Hera and Boomer. Boomer says Her isn’t well.
The chief follows the sound he thinks he can hear to a rock outcropping. He enters a passage, which is artificial inside, and opens a door. Beyond it is a large chamber, one that still seems to have power.
With more people inside, the chief is speaking to the president and Adama over the wireless. The temple is at least 4,000 years old, lining up with the exodus of the thirteenth tribe. He thinks it’s the Temple of the Five, from his father’s books. He doesn’t know if it could be related to the Eye of Jupiter. Adama asks Roslin what that is. According to scripture, a marker from the thirteenth tribe that leads the way to Earth. Then the ship goes to alert and Gaeta calls him from CIC. Four Cylon baseships have jumped in.
In CIC, the rest of the fleet is told to jump to the emergency standby coordinates. Galactica is waiting until their people on the ground are back. They also can’t let the Cylons find the Eye of Jupiter if it leads the way to Earth. The Cylons, though, aren’t launching Raiders and are out of weapons range. They are calling. They want to speak to the admiral. It’s Gaius.
A Heavy Raider comes in to land on Galactica. The president asks Adama why send Baltar; they know they won’t believe him. Adama thinks he can say what he wants if it gives them time to get their people off the planet. Along with Gaius are D’Anna, Boomer, Cavil and Caprica. Number Six tells Gaius it’s like old times. Gaius has missed the place. It feels like he’s home. She tells him if he’s one of the final five, that’s part of his programming. Gaius says if he’s human, this is his last chance to see his own kind.
Athena is on the route and she tells Tigh to wait; that’s Boomer. Tigh says Boomer has lost her visiting privileges; she can wait here. They proceed to the president and Adama; Gaius says it’s good to see Roslin. The feeling isn’t mutual. Cavil says they come in peace. He sounds sarcastic rather than sincere. D’Anna wants to skip to the matter at hand; they want the Eye of Jupiter. They know Galactica has found the original settlement of the thirteenth tribe and if they’d found the artefact, they’d have cut their losses and gone. They don’t believe that they’re staying because of people still on the ground.
Gaius says the chances they’d all converge at the same place at the same time are so infinitesimally small it’s not chance. They both want the Eye; they should discuss the practical issues. The Cylons would have blown them out of the sky if not for Gaius. The president decides Adama can handle this. D’Anna says if they give the Cylons the Eye, they will let them go. Cavil says they’ll throw in Baltar, too. To sweeten the pot. He’s sure the admiral and president would enjoy some time with the former. Tigh certainly likes the idea and Adama isn’t displeased.
Adama is willing to nuke the entire continent to stop the Cylons from getting the Eye of Jupiter. Boomer tells Athena that Hera is still alive. D’Anna and Gaius are cutting Caprica out of their decisions. The story continues in the next episode, “Rapture”.