The Hub (Battlestar Galactica)
Encyclopedia
"The Hub" is the eleventh episode in the fourth season of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica
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 first aired on television in the United States on June 6, 2008. The survivor count shown in the title sequence is 39,673.

Plot

A cold open
Cold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...

 reviews some of the events of the previous episode, Sine Qua Non
Sine Qua Non (Battlestar Galactica)
"Sine Qua Non" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. It first aired on television on May 27, 2008. The episode name is a Latin term referring to something essential that cannot be done without...

.
Text reading "Two Days Ago" picks up the story of President 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...

 and the other human beings aboard the damaged Cylon basestar
Cylon Basestar
The Basestar is the capital ship of the Cylons in the 1978 science fiction television series and movie Battlestar Galactica along with its re-imagining in the 2003 miniseries and 2004 television series.- Battlestar Galactica :...

. As the Cylon hybrid is reconnected, it cries out "Jump!" The ship jumps to an empty part of space. During the jump, Roslin finds herself aboard a dark, empty Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (ship)
The Battlestar Galactica is a space battleship in the original and re-imagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica.The Twelve Colonies of Man in the original television series built a number of Battlestars during their thousand-year war with the Cylons, whose battleships are...

.
Priestess Elosha
Elosha
Elosha is a fictional character from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series.Elosha is a priestess who follows the religion of the Lords of Kobol. After having a troubled childhood, a young Elosha turned to religion and studied the scriptures inside and out, probably on the colony Gemenon...

, who died in the Season 2 two-part episode, Home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...

,
appears. She and Roslin embrace. Roslin admits she feels at home aboard the Galactica. The jump ends, and Roslin's vision ends. During subsequent jumps the vision reoccurs. Roslin and Elosha walk through the ship, eventually reaching the sick bay
Sick bay
A sick bay is a compartment in a ship used for medical purposes — the ship's hospital.The sick bay will contain the ship's medicine chest which may be divided into separate cabinets such as a refrigerator for medicines which require cold storage and a locked cabinet for controlled substances...

 where they see a version of Roslin dying alone of her cancer. Again, the vision ends when the jump ends. The Hybrid continues to jump the basestar, and the Leader of the Number Eights theorizes that the Hybrid is completing its mission and bringing the basestar to the Hub, so that the resurrection technology of the Cylons can be destroyed.

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...

, one of the Sixes
Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)
Number Six is a family of fictional characters from the reimagined science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica. She is portrayed by Canadian actress and model Tricia Helfer. Of the twelve known Cylon models, she is the sixth of the "Significant Seven"...

, and an Eight believe that the Hybrid is panicking. Baltar's attempts to talk to the Hybrid seem to calm it somewhat, but Roslin's attempts to do the same do not. Baltar criticizes Roslin for speaking "at" the Hybrid rather than to it. Roslin attempts to calm the Hybrid again, speaking to it more humanely, and the Hybrid seems to calm down even further.

The jumps continue, as do Roslin's visions during the jumps. Roslin and Elosha discuss death and dying. The periods between jumps become somewhat lengthy. During one such period, Capt. Karl "Helo" Agathon
Karl Agathon
Karl C. Agathon is a fictional character on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series, portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett.-Background:...

 discusses the misson with the Leader of the Eights. He and the Eight conclude that only by using the Galactica's Viper
Colonial Viper
The Colonial Viper is the primary fighter spacecraft type used by the human protagonists in the Battlestar Galactica fictional universe. Appearing in both the 1978 original series and the 2003 reimagined series, as well as various derivative works, the single-pilot spacecraft are carried aboard...

 ships—several of which were trapped aboard the basestar when it jumped away from the Colonial Fleet—can they hope to destroy the Hub. They conceive a plan. When Helo shows signs of stress, the Eight massages his shoulders just as his wife, Sharon "Athena" Agathon has done. Helo is surprised at her actions, but the Eight reveals that she downloaded many of Athena's memories after Athena used the resurrection ship technology (an event which occurred during the Season 3 episode, Rapture
Rapture (Battlestar Galactica)
"Rapture" is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Aired on January 21, 2007, this episode marks the return of regular broadcasting after the Christmas mid-season hiatus.-Plot:...

). Helo finds himself emotionally drawn to the Eight.

Aboard the Hub, the Cylon known as Brother Cavil
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 :...

 "unboxes" or reactivates the Number Three known as D'Anna Biers. All Number Threes were deactivated and their memories isolated and stored in the third season episode Rapture. But now Cavil uses the resurrection technology to reactivate Biers. Cavil reveals that civil war has broke out among the Cylons, with the Eights, Sixes and Twos
Leoben Conoy
Leoben Conoy is a fictional character portrayed by Callum Keith Rennie appearing in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series....

 opposing the Fours
Number Four (Battlestar Galactica)
Simon , is a fictional character, a Cylon from the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. He first appears in The Farm , an episode written by Carla Robinson and directed by Rod Hardy...

, Fives and Ones
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 :...

. Biers is surprised to see Sharon "Boomer" Valerii having defected to join the Ones. Biers expresses surprise that Cavil does not want to know the identity of the Final Five Cylons. Cavil says his mind has not changed on that subject, and that the identity of the Final Five must remain hidden. He merely wants to know if Biers and the Threes will help end the civil war.

Meanwhile, Roslin continues to communicate with the Hybrid during periods between jumps. Baltar asserts that only he can communicate with it, but Roslin seems able to glean information from it as well. Roslin tries to learn about her dream in which she and Athena run through an opera house in pursuit of the half-human/half-Cylon hybrid child, Hera Agathon, only to have a Six and Baltar pick up the girl and leave through a closed door. Although the Hybrid appears to give Roslin more clues, it quickly senses the re-activation of the Threes. This creates alarm among the humans and Cylons aboard the damaged basestar, infusing them with a sense of urgency.

During another jump, Roslin and Elosha witness Admiral William Adama
William Adama
William "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series...

, Lee "Apollo" 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:...

 who is comforting Capt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, and Dr. Cottle
Dr. Cottle
Dr. Sherman Cottle is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. He is the battlestar Galacticas Chief Medical Officer. The character is played by Donnelly Rhodes.-Character biography:...

 standing a deathwatch over Roslin. Adm. Adama seems very distressed over Roslin's impending death, and Roslin and Elosha discuss what it means to die, and to die alone.

When the jump is over, Helo and the Leader of the Eights tell Roslin and the Leader of the Sixes about their plan. The Cylon Raider
Cylon Raider
The Cylon Raider is the standard starfighter used by the Cylons, in the various Battlestar Galactica movies and television series. Cylon raiders are used as the main line of defense for Cylon Basestars.- Original series :...

s and Cylon Heavy Raider
Cylon Heavy Raider
The Cylon Heavy Raider is a heavy fighter used by the Cylons, in the television series Battlestar Galactica.- History :The first Heavy Raider encountered by the Fleet crash landed into Galacticas non-operational starboard hangar bay, and a boarding party of Cylon Centurions exited the wreck to...

s will attack any basestars around the Hub, and disable the Hub's jump drive. Meanwhile, the Vipers—all electronics and engines turned off in order to avoid detection — will be towed into battle by several Heavy Raiders. Once they close with the Hub, the Cylons will free the Vipers. The Leader of the Eights and Helo will board the Hub and kidnap the Three. Once they are clear, the Vipers will use nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...

s to destroy the Hub. After the meeting, President Roslin tells Helo that he must bring the Three to her first so that she can learn the names of the Final Five Cylons hiding among the humans in the Colonial Fleet. She tells him that she must know the names of the Final Five first, and that only the human race can know the way to Earth. Helo disagrees, arguing this is a betrayal of the trust they have built with the Cylons. Roslin tells him that he must put aside his feelings for the Eights and follow orders, or she will remove him from the mission. Helo agrees to do as she asks.

Roslin continues to try to talk to the Hybrid. The Hybrid's vocalizations soon lead the Cylons and humans to realize that the Number Six model known as Natalie is either wounded or dying back aboard the Galactica. This leads to murmurs of distrust among the Cylons.

Helo and the Leader of the Eights discuss the Viper towing plan with the Cylon and human pilots. Many of the human pilots express dismay, arguing that their ships will be defenseless before the Cylons. Lt. Eammon "Gonzo" Pike in particular is vocal about his anger and distrust of the plan. His complaints lead to several rejoinders by the Cylon pilots, especially the Sixes. But the Eight and Helo point out that the Cylon pilots will be fighting and dying as well. The Eight points out that there is no alternative plan, and that if the plan succeeds then the human pilots will have destroyed Cylon resurrection technology forever. This appeases the disgruntled pilots, human and Cylon.

The damaged basestar jumps to the Hub's location. Once more, Roslin has a vision during the jump. Still at her own deathbed, she and Elosha talk more about death. Elosha says that everyone values their life, even bad people like Baltar. Life is too precious for any one person to decide whether to take another's life, she counsels Roslin. Roslin has difficulty believing her. Elosha says that is because Roslin has not allowed herself to feel in a long time, nor to love. Roslin watches Adama weep over her dead body, and her face softens.

After the jump, battle ensues. Onboard the hub, Biers takes the opportunity to kill Brother Cavil, and Boomer flees. Helo and the Leader of the Eights board the Hub and leave with Biers. The Viper pilots are freed on cue, and destroy the Hub with nuclear missiles once Helo, the Leader of the Eights and D'Anna are safely away. Also, one of the two enemy Basestars is destroyed in the Hub's explosion accounting for the destroyed Basestar detected in the previous episode. During the battle, Baltar encounters a Centurion. He begins to speak to the Centurion, telling it about his beliefs in a Cylon God, the seeming enslavement of the Centurions by the humanoid models, and the need for the Centurions to take control. As the Centurion seems to become angry, a weapon strikes the Cylon basestar. The Centurion is destroyed in the explosion, and Baltar is wounded in the stomach (bleeding heavily).

Roslin discovers Baltar in the damaged corridor, and drags him to safety in another room. She puts a field dressing on his belly wound, and injects him with morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...

 for the pain. As Baltar becomes less lucid due to the drug, he tells Roslin that he carried an incredible guilt which the Cylon monotheistic
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...

 god has taken away from him. An incredulous and shaken Roslin listens as Baltar tells her that he gave the Cylons the defense codes which led to the genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...

 against the human race. Baltar justifies his actions by saying that the book of Pythia tells of a Noahic-like flood
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...

 which reinvigorated the human race. No one blamed the flood, Baltar says; likewise, he is just a flood, and no one should blame him. As Baltar slips toward unconsciousness, Roslin removes his field dressing. Baltar begins to bleed to death. Out in space in the battle, Lt. Pike declares that he is not going to put his faith in the Cylons any more, and that he has programmed his Raptor to jump repeatedly until it reaches the Fleet again. The other human pilots tell him not to flee. An enemy Cylon Raider attacks his ship, and a bullet pierces the front window of his ship, mortally wounding him. Pike manages to jump his ship (the results of his jump are seen in the previous episode, Sine Qua Non). The rebel Cylons and humans land about the damaged basestar, and it jumps to safety shortly thereafter.

During the jump away from the Hub, Roslin is deeply moved to see herself die. Adama weeps as Roslin's life ends. He says he will no longer be selfish and fight to keep her alive. As he prays that she finds true rest, he removes his wedding ring and puts it on Roslin's finger.

The jump ends. Helo takes Biers to see Roslin. The Eight tries to stop him, telling him that this is a violation of their trust and the pact the Cylons had with the human beings. But Helo tells her that he's "just following orders," and leaves with the Three.

Roslin finds herself across the room from Baltar. Realizing she may have ended his life, she rushes to put a new field dressing on his wound, and attaches an I.V. bag
Intravenous therapy
Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. The word intravenous simply means "within a vein". Therapies administered intravenously are often called specialty pharmaceuticals...

 of fluids to his arm to help him overcome shock. Helo and Biers arrive. Biers rushes to Baltar's side, and finds that he is still alive. She announces he will live, and Roslin is relieved.

Roslin orders Helo to leave them alone, and she asks Biers for the identities of the Final Five. Biers declares that Roslin is herself a Cylon. Roslin is shocked, but then the Three bursts out laughing. She says that was a lie, and that she has no intention of revealing the identities of the Final Five until the basestar reaches the Fleet and safety.

The basestar jumps back to the position the Colonial Fleet had occupied before its jump at the end of the previous episode, Sine Qua Non. William Adama, reading in his Colonial Raptor
Colonial Raptor
The Raptor is a multipurpose military spacecraft featured in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. According to producer Ronald D. Moore, the Raptor is analogous to the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowler.-Description:...

 and waiting for the basestar's return, quickly powers up his ship and flies toward the basestar. He and Roslin greet one another on the basestar's flight deck. They embrace, and Roslin tells him that she loves him. Adama responds that it's "about time".

Reception

Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The 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...

praised Mary McDonnell's performance and was intrigued by Helo's uneasy interactions with the Eight who had downloaded Athena's memories. Lucy Lawless' return "proved worth the wait, between her casually snapping Brother Cavil's neck while still in her resurrection bath, or her snarking on all sides of the Cylon/human alliance once she was free of the Hub." Eric Goldman of IGN.com also praised McDonnell's acting in this episode, and found the episode's final scene satisfying, despite not finding it believable that Adama would have waited for Roslin. "But in and of itself, Roslin being reunited with him and proclaiming that she loved him was incredibly sweet and gratifying, considering all that has occurred between the two throughout the entire series."

Cultural references

  • Once again, as in the The Ties That Bind
    The Ties That Bind (Battlestar Galactica)
    "The Ties That Bind" is the fifth episode in the fourth season of the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. The episode originally aired on SCI FI and Space in the United States and Canada respectively on April 18, 2008, and on Sky1 in the United Kingdom on April 22...

     episode, the Orion constellation is visible as the damaged Basestar jumps back from completing its mission to destroy the Hub

  • D'Anna's line: "And with a whimper, every Cylon in the universe begins to die" is likely a reference to the final stanza in the poem "The Hollow Men
    The Hollow Men
    The Hollow Men is a major poem by T. S. Eliot. Its themes are, like many of Eliot's poems, overlapping and fragmentary, but it is recognised to be concerned most with post-World War I Europe under the Treaty of Versailles , the difficulty of hope and religious conversion, and, as some critics...

    " by the twentieth-century modernist poet, T. S. Eliot
    T. S. Eliot
    Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...

    .

External links

  • "The Hub" at Battlestar Wiki
  • "The Hub" at Syfy
    Syfy
    Syfy , 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...

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