A Disquiet Follows My Soul
Encyclopedia
"A Disquiet Follows My Soul" is the fourteenth episode in the fourth season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica
. It aired on television in the United States and Canada on January 23, 2009, in Australia on January 31, 2009 and on Sky One in the UK on January 27, 2009. According to the director, this episode takes place immediately after the webisode series "The Face of the Enemy
". The survivor count shown in the title sequence is 39,644. The Region 1 DVD release of Season 4.5 includes an extended version of this episode.
In sickbay, Saul Tigh and the Six pregnant by him watch their baby on an ultrasound medical imaging device. Six mentions that previously, intra-Cylon procreation has never been successful, and that this baby is the savior of the Cylon race, since it means they can continue as a nation without resurrection ships. Meanwhile, Felix Gaeta
waits to be treated, and complains about how the Cylons don't have to wait and are getting better treatment than he is.
On Colonial One, a presidential press conference is held to address the current situation with Earth and the fleet's upcoming plans. The press seems to be concerned about rumors of the alliance with the rebel Cylons, and multiple questions regarding this situation are being asked, as well as whether the Cylons Saul Tigh
, Galen Tyrol
and Samuel Anders
are going to continue serving in the fleet, and whether the identity of the last Cylon is finally known, to none of which Admiral Adama, Lee Adama
nor nominated vice president and current acting president Tom Zarek
give a definite answer. Lee slips up and mentions that the final Cylon was female, revealing to the reporters that more is known than is being said.
After the press conference, Bill Adama and his son, Lee Adama
argue with Tom Zarek, who opposes the planned official alliance with the Cylons, stating that in the time that he is the acting president, such an alliance will not happen.
Bill Adama, Saul Tigh
, Lee Adama
, Galen Tyrol
, Felix Gaeta
and Karl Agathon
meet in the Admiral's office to confer about upgrading the fleet's jump drives, an upgrade which would triple the fleet's chances of finding a habitable planet. For the upgrades to happen, though, the fleet's citizens and captains of the ships would have to be willing to let Cylons do the upgrades. In turn for upgrading the drives, the Cylons request that they be allowed to become citizens of the fleet. By becoming citizens, they hope to make Adama oath-bound to protect them from Cavil's
faction of the Cylons. Felix Gaeta objects to the idea.
Galen Tyrol
brings his son into sickbay, and after examination, Dr. Cottle states that the child is suffering from renal failure. After the question of blood transfusions comes up and Tyrol remarks that the child would need his blood since it is half-Cylon, Dr. Cottle reveals to Tyrol that the child is not his, but he withholds the father's identity. Tyrol walks away seemingly upset and disappointed.
Felix Gaeta confronts Kara Thrace
in the messhall, accusing her husband Samuel Anders
, now known to be a Cylon, of having helped to murder billions of people, and he accuses her of possibly being a Cylon too. Felix states that a reckoning will happen soon, referring to Captain Thrace accusing him once of being a collaborator and wanting to throw him out the airlock (see "Collaborators
"), and when she asks whether this is a threat, Gaeta confirms it. Kara finally retreats. Gaeta gathers the rest of the people present around him, apparently wanting to introduce them to his plans.
In a Quorum
meeting, Tom Zarek is making a point about how collaborating with the Cylons, the original enemy of the 12 colonies, is a complete mistake, and he claims that President Roslin
and Admiral Adama are proposing this only to stay in power. Following that, he makes a proposal that Cylons should only be allowed to board ships in the fleet with the crew's permission. The Quorum votes unanimously with the exception of Lee Adama
for the proposal, thus accepting it.
Laura Roslin refuses to stay in office as president throughout the entire episode. She throws away her cancer-fighting medication and starts jogging around the ship's corridors. There, she meets Admiral Adama, who tries to convince her that she is needed right now and must step back into office, to which she replies that she does not want to be used in any kind of plan anymore and does not want to play any role, and that she deserves to live, after all that has happened. Adama grudgingly agrees, and Roslin tells him that he deserves to live a little as well. She kisses him and leaves him once again.
Somewhere in the lower decks, Gaius Baltar
holds a speech in front of a multitude of people. He states that they should not have to excuse themselves before God, but that God should come down and beg for their forgiveness, since not they have sinned, but he led them to the desperate situation they are in now (see "Revelations
" and "Sometimes a Great Notion
").
Galen Tyrol is present during Baltar's speech, and he sees Hot Dog, a Viper pilot, there as well. The two exchange long, intense stares, and Galen realizes that Hot Dog is the father of Specialist Cally Henderson Tyrol's child, a fact which Hot Dog admits when Tyrol approaches and confronts him. Tyrol punches him, and they engage in an intense fistfight in the middle of Baltar's speech. Tyrol later on brings Hot Dog into sickbay, both of them sporting fresh bruises, telling him that it is now his turn to watch the child.
The fleet's tylium ship, the Hitei Kan, defects, making an FTL jump to coordinates unknown to the rest of the fleet with the exception of Tom Zarek
, who instructed the tylium ship to do so. After the ship leaves, Bill Adama
has Tom Zarek
arrested and blackmails him into revealing the location of the ship with alleged information of criminal acts of Zarek's during his time as politician. Zarek gives in and reveals the location of the ship to Adama. When Adama later hands the dossier to Tigh for him to give it to Mr. Hoshi, it becomes apparent that he was only bluffing, as the dossier was composed of laundry reports.
In the aftermath, Felix Gaeta
meets with Tom Zarek
. Tom Zarek promises that there will be consequences to what has happened, and Felix Gaeta agrees, stating that in his opinion everything is going wrong, and that there has to be someone to make it right again. He asks Zarek whether he is that man. Zarek replies that he is one of them, but that he needs a partner. Gaeta states that as of now, he has one, and shakes hands with Zarek.
Sharon Agathon and other crew jump to the tylium ship's coordinates, and manage to bring it back. Admiral Adama receives notification of the tylium ship's return, accepting the call while being in his quarters, in bed with Laura Roslin
. She shows some interest in the news, and he asks her if she is now caring about it. She responds in the negative, and hangs up the phone, and he laughs.
felt that the "Gaeta and Zarek scenes through the episode crackled, especially Felix confronting Kara." Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune
also enjoyed Starbuck's showdown with Gaeta, as well as the final scene of Roslin and Adama, and seeing a drunk, angry, and bitter Baltar.
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
. It aired on television in the United States and Canada on January 23, 2009, in Australia on January 31, 2009 and on Sky One in the UK on January 27, 2009. According to the director, this episode takes place immediately after the webisode series "The Face of the Enemy
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy is a ten-part series of webisodes that was broadcast in the mid-season break of season 4 of Battlestar Galactica. The episodes are between 3 and 6 minutes in length, with two released per week...
". The survivor count shown in the title sequence is 39,644. The Region 1 DVD release of Season 4.5 includes an extended version of this episode.
Plot
The episode begins by following Bill Adama through his morning routine. He seems very distressed and discontented and later makes his way to the CIC in a visibly disgruntled mood.In sickbay, Saul Tigh and the Six pregnant by him watch their baby on an ultrasound medical imaging device. Six mentions that previously, intra-Cylon procreation has never been successful, and that this baby is the savior of the Cylon race, since it means they can continue as a nation without resurrection ships. Meanwhile, Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta
Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.- Character overview in his early career :...
waits to be treated, and complains about how the Cylons don't have to wait and are getting better treatment than he is.
On Colonial One, a presidential press conference is held to address the current situation with Earth and the fleet's upcoming plans. The press seems to be concerned about rumors of the alliance with the rebel Cylons, and multiple questions regarding this situation are being asked, as well as whether the Cylons Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
, Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol is a character on the television series Battlestar Galactica. Tyrol is responsible for the maintenance of the Vipers and Raptors aboard Battlestar Galactica...
and Samuel Anders
Samuel Anders
Samuel T. Anders is a fictional character from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, played by Michael Trucco...
are going to continue serving in the fleet, and whether the identity of the last Cylon is finally known, to none of which Admiral Adama, Lee Adama
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
nor nominated vice president and current acting president Tom Zarek
Tom Zarek
Thomas "Tom" Zarek is the name of a fictional character on the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. He is played by Richard Hatch, who had previously portrayed Captain Apollo, a character on the original Battlestar Galactica series of the late 1970s....
give a definite answer. Lee slips up and mentions that the final Cylon was female, revealing to the reporters that more is known than is being said.
After the press conference, Bill Adama and his son, Lee Adama
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
argue with Tom Zarek, who opposes the planned official alliance with the Cylons, stating that in the time that he is the acting president, such an alliance will not happen.
Bill Adama, Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
, Lee Adama
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
, Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol is a character on the television series Battlestar Galactica. Tyrol is responsible for the maintenance of the Vipers and Raptors aboard Battlestar Galactica...
, Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta
Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.- Character overview in his early career :...
and Karl Agathon
Karl Agathon
Karl C. Agathon is a fictional character on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series, portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett.-Background:...
meet in the Admiral's office to confer about upgrading the fleet's jump drives, an upgrade which would triple the fleet's chances of finding a habitable planet. For the upgrades to happen, though, the fleet's citizens and captains of the ships would have to be willing to let Cylons do the upgrades. In turn for upgrading the drives, the Cylons request that they be allowed to become citizens of the fleet. By becoming citizens, they hope to make Adama oath-bound to protect them from Cavil's
Brother Cavil
John Cavil is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series. In the fourth season episode "Six of One", Cavil's model number was revealed as Number One.- Background :...
faction of the Cylons. Felix Gaeta objects to the idea.
Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol
Galen Tyrol is a character on the television series Battlestar Galactica. Tyrol is responsible for the maintenance of the Vipers and Raptors aboard Battlestar Galactica...
brings his son into sickbay, and after examination, Dr. Cottle states that the child is suffering from renal failure. After the question of blood transfusions comes up and Tyrol remarks that the child would need his blood since it is half-Cylon, Dr. Cottle reveals to Tyrol that the child is not his, but he withholds the father's identity. Tyrol walks away seemingly upset and disappointed.
Felix Gaeta confronts Kara Thrace
Kara Thrace
Kara Thrace is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica franchise. Played by Katee Sackhoff, she is a revised version of Lieutenant Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
in the messhall, accusing her husband Samuel Anders
Samuel Anders
Samuel T. Anders is a fictional character from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, played by Michael Trucco...
, now known to be a Cylon, of having helped to murder billions of people, and he accuses her of possibly being a Cylon too. Felix states that a reckoning will happen soon, referring to Captain Thrace accusing him once of being a collaborator and wanting to throw him out the airlock (see "Collaborators
Collaborators (Battlestar Galactica)
"Collaborators" is the fifth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica.- Plot :In the absence of Gaius Baltar, Tom Zarek has become President of the Colonies. Knowing that the military will never support him as President, he agrees to stand down in...
"), and when she asks whether this is a threat, Gaeta confirms it. Kara finally retreats. Gaeta gathers the rest of the people present around him, apparently wanting to introduce them to his plans.
In a Quorum
Quorum of Twelve
The Quorum of Twelve is a fictional governing body of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol on the two Battlestar Galactica television series. In both series, it was composed of one representative from each colony.Series creator Glen A...
meeting, Tom Zarek is making a point about how collaborating with the Cylons, the original enemy of the 12 colonies, is a complete mistake, and he claims that President Roslin
Laura Roslin
Her first actions include organizing all FTL-capable ships together and convincing Commander William Adama to abandon a retaliatory attack on the Cylons. President Roslin and Billy Keikeya, her aide/press secretary/chief of staff, establish a working office space aboard her transport, renamed...
and Admiral Adama are proposing this only to stay in power. Following that, he makes a proposal that Cylons should only be allowed to board ships in the fleet with the crew's permission. The Quorum votes unanimously with the exception of Lee Adama
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
for the proposal, thus accepting it.
Laura Roslin refuses to stay in office as president throughout the entire episode. She throws away her cancer-fighting medication and starts jogging around the ship's corridors. There, she meets Admiral Adama, who tries to convince her that she is needed right now and must step back into office, to which she replies that she does not want to be used in any kind of plan anymore and does not want to play any role, and that she deserves to live, after all that has happened. Adama grudgingly agrees, and Roslin tells him that he deserves to live a little as well. She kisses him and leaves him once again.
Somewhere in the lower decks, Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
holds a speech in front of a multitude of people. He states that they should not have to excuse themselves before God, but that God should come down and beg for their forgiveness, since not they have sinned, but he led them to the desperate situation they are in now (see "Revelations
Revelations (Battlestar Galactica)
"Revelations" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. It first aired on television in the United States on June 13, 2008. The episode serves as the mid-season finale of the fourth season, with the concluding episodes of the series airing after a hiatus...
" and "Sometimes a Great Notion
Sometimes a Great Notion (Battlestar Galactica)
"Sometimes a Great Notion" is the thirteenth episode in the fourth season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. It aired on television on SCI FI and Space in the United States and Canada respectively on January 16, 2009 and on Sky One in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2009...
").
Galen Tyrol is present during Baltar's speech, and he sees Hot Dog, a Viper pilot, there as well. The two exchange long, intense stares, and Galen realizes that Hot Dog is the father of Specialist Cally Henderson Tyrol's child, a fact which Hot Dog admits when Tyrol approaches and confronts him. Tyrol punches him, and they engage in an intense fistfight in the middle of Baltar's speech. Tyrol later on brings Hot Dog into sickbay, both of them sporting fresh bruises, telling him that it is now his turn to watch the child.
The fleet's tylium ship, the Hitei Kan, defects, making an FTL jump to coordinates unknown to the rest of the fleet with the exception of Tom Zarek
Tom Zarek
Thomas "Tom" Zarek is the name of a fictional character on the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. He is played by Richard Hatch, who had previously portrayed Captain Apollo, a character on the original Battlestar Galactica series of the late 1970s....
, who instructed the tylium ship to do so. After the ship leaves, Bill Adama
William Adama
William "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series...
has Tom Zarek
Tom Zarek
Thomas "Tom" Zarek is the name of a fictional character on the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. He is played by Richard Hatch, who had previously portrayed Captain Apollo, a character on the original Battlestar Galactica series of the late 1970s....
arrested and blackmails him into revealing the location of the ship with alleged information of criminal acts of Zarek's during his time as politician. Zarek gives in and reveals the location of the ship to Adama. When Adama later hands the dossier to Tigh for him to give it to Mr. Hoshi, it becomes apparent that he was only bluffing, as the dossier was composed of laundry reports.
In the aftermath, Felix Gaeta
Felix Gaeta
Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Alessandro Juliani.- Character overview in his early career :...
meets with Tom Zarek
Tom Zarek
Thomas "Tom" Zarek is the name of a fictional character on the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. He is played by Richard Hatch, who had previously portrayed Captain Apollo, a character on the original Battlestar Galactica series of the late 1970s....
. Tom Zarek promises that there will be consequences to what has happened, and Felix Gaeta agrees, stating that in his opinion everything is going wrong, and that there has to be someone to make it right again. He asks Zarek whether he is that man. Zarek replies that he is one of them, but that he needs a partner. Gaeta states that as of now, he has one, and shakes hands with Zarek.
Sharon Agathon and other crew jump to the tylium ship's coordinates, and manage to bring it back. Admiral Adama receives notification of the tylium ship's return, accepting the call while being in his quarters, in bed with Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin
Her first actions include organizing all FTL-capable ships together and convincing Commander William Adama to abandon a retaliatory attack on the Cylons. President Roslin and Billy Keikeya, her aide/press secretary/chief of staff, establish a working office space aboard her transport, renamed...
. She shows some interest in the news, and he asks her if she is now caring about it. She responds in the negative, and hangs up the phone, and he laughs.
Ratings
Total viewership for same-day viewing for "A Disquiet Follows My Soul" dropped nearly 20 percent from the previous week's episode, to just 1.7 million.Critical reception
Alan Sepinwall of The Star-LedgerThe Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
felt that the "Gaeta and Zarek scenes through the episode crackled, especially Felix confronting Kara." Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
also enjoyed Starbuck's showdown with Gaeta, as well as the final scene of Roslin and Adama, and seeing a drunk, angry, and bitter Baltar.
External links
- "A Disquiet Follows My Soul" at Battlestar Wiki
- "A Disquiet Follows My Soul" at SyfySyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...