Battlestar Galactica: Season 2-17: The Captain's Hand

The Best Scenes in BSG 217:

The Fate of Another Pegasus Commander

in Captain's Hand

By Koenigrules

 Some Galactica fans did not care for Black Market, Scar or Sacrifice as they did not advance the multiple threads of the major Galactica story.  But, I am glad to say that Captain's Hand picks up where Epiphanies left off, with Laura Roslin still suspecting that Baltar will betray her at some point in the not too distant future and a new Commander of the Pegasus being installed, one Barry Garner (played with a good deal of gusto by John Heard), who prefers to do things "by the book". 

This includes not tolerating Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace's frequent outbursts and restricting her to her quarters (wrong move there!) as well as not listening to Major Lee Adama about a possible Cylon trap when two of Pegasus' Raptors go missing (double wrong move there!).    

Captain's Hand also introduces some new developments.  It seems that Doc Cottle has been performing abortions on pregnant civilians who request it.  A female stowaway who comes from the most religious planet in the Colonies, Geminon, also requests the same operation so that she does not bring further shame to her family.  And this situation does bring up an interesting clash of views between President Roslin and Admiral Adama.  The President grants Rya's request, abiding by the law.  Adama, however, wants the baby to be born and sees that the only way they can repopulate new worlds is by bringing those fetuses full term and then having them delivered.  In the end, Roslin accepts Adama's position, even if it means losing the support of some of her constituency (i.e., the Geminese Council member and her representatives) in the upcoming presidential election. 

Pertaining to the election, it looks like Vice President Baltar is being groomed for the presidency by Tom Zarek.  Zarek realizes his checkered past will prevent him from attaining that coveted rank; but Baltar has the respect of the fleet and can win if he breaks away from Roslin's hold (which he has already done so mentally).  It would also seem that Zarek has an agenda of his own.  When he makes the statement that Baltar "is a man of conviction who will remember his [true] friends," one wonders what Tom's agenda really is.  As always, Hatch's appearance (although brief) proved to be a dynamic one and conveyed an element of mystery to it-with a bit of unspoken menace as well. 

Back to the main story in Captain's Hand, I found myself at first disliking Commander Garner and then slowly appreciating his leadership style.  Above all, here is a man who values his crew and will do anything to retrieve those members that are lost, even if it means putting his own ship at risk.  When Lee tries to assume command of the Pegasus by placing Garner under arrest, he does not quite understand why the officers refuse his order.  After all, the Cylons have killed the pilots within the Raptors and have now targeted the Pegasus with three base ships armed with an arsenal of nukes!  But Garner has developed a close relationship with these men to the point where they will do anything for him.  And that is clearly a positive quality to any battlestar leader: namely, the ability to engender trust and loyalty in his crew.  To a certain degree, Admiral Cain did that too (although she went too far in her methods of dealing with those who disagreed with her policies).    

Things really heat up when some of the Cylons' nukes hit the stern of the Pegasus and disable the ship's FTL drive.  Thinking quickly, Garner gives Lee the con and proceeds to the area where the auxiliary valves need to be opened so that pressure can be restored and the drive can be reactivated.  Garner is successful in his efforts, but a nearby O₂ leak incapacitates the commander and within seconds the man dies within the chamber.  Lee is quick to initiate a jump before the Cylons can do any more damage.  Upon discovery of what has happened to Garner, Lee writes up his report praising the commander's leadership in the crisis situation and delivers it to his father the next day, stating matter-of-factly that Garner sacrificed himself to save the Pegasus.

 Then Adama does something very logical that quite frankly, I was not expecting.  He installs Lee as the new Pegasus commander, hoping that his son will be up to the new challenge.  As if that wasn't enough good news for Apollo, he meets up with Starbuck who wants to repair the bad feelings experienced between them.  Both of them hug and in that act, all is forgiven.    

I would say that the best scene of Captain's Hand is the final one where Baltar announces his run for the Presidency.  He had told Roslin in an earlier conversation that it was absolutely essential they repopulate; otherwise, the human race will become extinct in 18 years!  Believing his argument to be a sound one, Roslin removes the legalization right that abortion has enjoyed for quite some time and she warns the fleet that if anyone aborts the life of a fetus, he/she will be brought up on criminal charges.  At the press conference, however, Gaius suddenly adopts the contrary position, indicating that human rights should not be further curtailed and that he cannot support Laura's decision to criminalize abortion.  Therefore, he will provide people with an alternative choice in the upcoming presidential polls: namely himself who makes the promise to give back to the people those freedoms that have recently been lost.  And as Laura looks at Gaius with anger in her eyes (pissed because she realizes he was manipulating her all along), Six claps her hands very slowly as she gazes at her lover.  He gives her a satisfying smile back, pleased that things are going his way for a change.  But I would certainly not rule Laura out.  If anything, I think Baltar's run will make Laura all the more determined to stop him from ascending to the presidency.  But can she do it on her own?  That is the $64,000 question.

 All in all, Captain's Hand is a great action-packed and very emotional episode.  I give it 10 out of 10 because it attempted to continue multiple story threads from previous teleplays, and it succeeded brilliantly!  I can hardly  wait for the next Galactica installment!  So Say We All!