Episode Report Card Strega: B | 5 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Paths Of Glory
By Strega | Season 2 | Episode 3 | Aired on 2005.07.29
The Quorum crowds into the brig, and stares at the Prez who, in turn, stares into space. The Quorum members mutter to each other worriedly. After a moment, Tigh says, "The show's over. Let's give her some privacy." He says that they can discuss what to do next in the Ward Room. And then the Prez stands up and thanks everyone for coming. She says she has a statement to make: "The attempted military coup against the lawful government of the colonies is illegal, ill-advised and clearly doomed to failure." She says that she has not resigned. Tigh harrumphs that the Prez thinks that she's a prophet, and snickers about her plan to use the Arrow of Apollo to open "the Tomb of Artemis, or some such nonsense." The Prez says that her actions have been consistent and logical: "We have found Kobol, we have found the city of the gods, and when we retrieve the arrow, we will open the tomb of Athena and find the road to Earth." Tigh affects amusement, but one of the Quorum members asks if the Prez has read the Scrolls of Pythia. The Prez says that she has, and that she thinks she is "fulfilling the role of the leader." Zarek asks the Gemenon representative if she can verify what the Prez is talking about. The Quorumite brings up the part about a dying leader, and the Prez announces, "I am dying. I have terminal breast cancer." She says that Cottle confirm that she only has a few months to live, and that her sole purpose is to lead the people to salvation. The Gemenon Quorumite gasps, "Praise be to the gods," and she and several others kneel and stretch their hands out toward the Prez. Ew. Tigh watches, baffled, while the Prez shakes people's hands like a rock star. Tigh orders the guards to clear the Quorum out and take them to their shuttle. Once everyone is gone, the Prez and Billy look at each other. Billy looks a little bit pissed, frankly. Venner strolls over, and the Prez thanks him. Venner replies, "Thank the gods."
Kobol. Tyrol, his arm in a sling, hands Apollo the dogtags he's collected. Apollo asks how Crashdown died. Which, honestly, is a weird question. I mean, the options are: that he died in the crash, that he was killed by the Cylons, or that he, like, tripped over a rock. So, does it matter? But really he's just asking so that Baltar can say, "He gave his life in the...in the finest tradition of the service." Cally stares over as Tyrol nods and agrees, "He was a hero to the end." Cally decides not to say "Screw that -- the bastard was going to shoot me!" Baltar walks away from the Raptor so that he can have another chat with Six. She says that she's proud of him. Baltar asks, "Why? 'Cause I've taken a life?" Six says that makes him human. Baltar huffs, "Not conscious thought? Not poetry or art or music, literature? Murder. Murder is my heritage." He asks if he's supposed to pass that on to their child. Six insists that it'll be all right, and strokes his hair. Then Apollo shouts that they're ready to go. As Baltar dreamily backs away from Six, she reassures him, "I'll be your conscience!" Yeah, but for Baltar that's still an improvement.