Daybreak: Part 1
- Episode aired Mar 13, 2009
- TV-14
- 48m
The Colony is located sitting on the edge of a black hole with only one point of entry in what is a very large debris field. Knowing that the Galactica has reached the end of the line, Admir... Read allThe Colony is located sitting on the edge of a black hole with only one point of entry in what is a very large debris field. Knowing that the Galactica has reached the end of the line, Admiral Adama asks for volunteers to mount a raid on the Cylon base, realizing it may be the sh... Read allThe Colony is located sitting on the edge of a black hole with only one point of entry in what is a very large debris field. Knowing that the Galactica has reached the end of the line, Admiral Adama asks for volunteers to mount a raid on the Cylon base, realizing it may be the ship's last jump. In flashbacks prior to the Cylon invasion, key moments in the lives of sev... Read all
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaStarbuck says the colony is hiding in the accretion disk of a singularity. A quantum singularity is an accumulation of matter that is so dense that its gravity can even bend light (hence the name "black hole"). Typically, it is the remains of a collapsed star. An accretion disc is composed of assorted materials such as asteroids that are being pulled towards the center of the singularity. Because of the forces at work, the accretion disk involves a great deal of friction which is manifested as light and other radiation. The colony is hiding at a point where it can maintain a safe distance from the singularity but still be hidden by the material within the disc.
- GoofsStarbuck describes The Colony as being located in the accretion disk of a naked singularity. Naked singularities don't HAVE accretion disks; it's part of what makes them naked. A naked singularity is a theoretical kind of black hole (one which probably does not exist), wherein the rate of spin and the amount of charge on the collapsed star sufficiently counter the effects of gravitation so that not only is the volume of the star reduced to zero, but the radius of the outer event horizon is also reduced to zero. The result is a black hole with no net gravitational effect (unless one physically contacts it). No net gravitation means that no material is drawn to it - no accretion disk.
- Quotes
Admiral William Adama: [addressing the crew and civilians on the hangar deck] No one should feel obligated to join this mission in any way. This is a decision I have made for myself. If it turns out that there are not enough personnel to crew Galactica, I will lead a Raptor assault with anyone who is willing to join me. Let there be no illusions! This is likely to be a one-way trip! So don't volunteer out of sentiment or emotion. There is a line running down this deck. Volunteers, move to the starboard side; Everyone else, to the port. Make your choice!
- Alternate versionsThe aired TV Version: 43:09 min NTSC (not including credits) The Extended Version: 47:15 min NTSC (not including credits) Difference: 4 minutes and 6 seconds in 6 scenes. On both DVD and Blu-ray, Parts 1 and 2 can be viewed as a seamless whole.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Ringer's 40 Best TV Finales of the 21st Century (2023)
- SoundtracksMain Title Theme
Written by Richard Gibbs
The first half is essentially based around various flashbacks to events on pre-war Caprica that could have provided great background and added depth to the personal lives of some of the shows key character. Instead with them being revealed so late on there will be no time to see how such dramas and introductions will have influenced the lives involved.
How did Laura Roslins hearing that her sisters and father were killed in a car crash give her the steel to lead the human survivors? Was the tension between Gaius Baltar and his elderly father the key to how Caprica Six ingratiated herself in to his life? Just how did Lee Adamas introduction to Starbuck via his brother Zac,her then boyfriend, develop in to a more heated love-hate on-off relationship?
Sadly we will never know how these scenes tie in to those already shown a year or more earlier as from the second half of this episode it moves forward towards the shows conclusion - the epic final showdown between the Human and Cylon races.
So back to the present day and things were intended to become more interesting as Admiral Adama, having seen Heras photo on the'Wall of the Lost' decides to undertake one final risky mission seeking out the Cylon Colony 'Homeworld' and attempt a rescue of the prodigal Half Human-Half Cylon child on which both sides believe their shared fate will one day rest.
But again I was left somewhat wanting.
Having informed the crew and civilians remaining aboard the Galactica about the decision to attempt the rescue/attack the off-watch personnel arrive on the hangerdeck and I expected another passionate speech as we've come to expect from the Admiral...but it never came. I felt like he simply said 'volunteers on this side, others on that'...no emotion from anyone. Even when Doc Cottle volunteered and Adama explains that of all the people he is the one who mustn't go I didn't get teary eyed, well except for the yawn.
So overall it was not only an episode of two halves,but also of two feelings.
The flashbacks were a waste at this point and added nothing in the context of the closing trio of episodes being far too late in the multi-series run.
The present day scenes were lacking in the emotion that should have flooded through following Adamas decision and announcement.
A final point that annoyed me somewhat was how Kara and Anders produced the coordinates for the Ceylon Home world. Did I miss something? Kara 'plugs in' Anders, begs for information based on her and Heras dots and numbers....and then it simply cuts to her walking out...Where was the convoluted, techno-babble cryptic that Hybrids vocalise? ....
So I was underwhelmed by the episode due to it feeling like a wasted effort both with the flashbacks being too late to influence or inform, and the present day scenes feeling rushed and staid in relation to what could have been.
6/10...losing a couple for simply being so disjointed and wasting half the episode that could havebeen use to beef up the second part, and the extra for the uncharacteristically un-emotional decision making and speeches, (My lowest score of the whole shows history, sad when you consider this should have been such a hard working, emotional episode)
- mcguin71
- May 26, 2015
Details
- Runtime48 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1