Battlestar Galactica 1978

In a distant star system, on the cusp of the seventh millennium, humanity has been embroiled in an exhausting struggle against the Cylons for over a thousand years. The Twelve Colonies - Gemini, Caprica, Taurus, and others - have been pitted against this robotic foe, with neither side able to claim a decisive victory. But just as all hope seems lost, the Cylons unexpectedly extend an olive branch through Count Baltar (John Colicos), a cunning human diplomat who has secretly aligned himself with their cause. The Council of the Twelve and the commanders of the military fleet are overjoyed by this sudden turn of events, eager to lay down arms and negotiate a lasting peace.

However, not everyone is convinced of the Cylons’ sincerity. Commander Adama (Lorne Greene), the seasoned leader of the Battlestar Galactica, is skeptical of their intentions and orders a reconnaissance patrol to investigate further. This mission is entrusted to his most trusted pilots: Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Lieutenant Starbuck (Dirk Benedict). But just as they are about to depart, Adama’s youngest son, Zac (Rick Springfield), convinces Starbuck to let him take the reins, hoping for a chance to prove himself. The patrol sets off, unaware that they will soon stumble upon a vast Cylon armada hiding behind the moon of Cimtar, poised to strike at the heart of humanity.

As the patrol approaches the Cylons’ fleet, their transmissions are jammed, leaving them unable to alert the Colonial Vipers to the impending threat. A desperate battle ensues as the Cylon raiders pursue the Colonial fighters, with Zac’s ship taking a direct hit and becoming crippled in the process. Forced to abandon his damaged fighter, Apollo must make a heartbreaking decision: leave his younger brother behind to warn the fleet, sacrificing Zac’s life for the sake of humanity’s survival. Just as Apollo reaches the safety of their own lines, Zac’s fighter is destroyed by the Cylons, marking the beginning of a desperate and treacherous struggle for survival in the face of overwhelming odds.

As Baltar cunningly manipulates President Adar (Lew Ayres) into halting the launch of their fighter squadrons, the Galactica’s Viper pilots are placed on high alert, with their aircraft primed for immediate takeoff. Meanwhile, the Cylons unleash a meticulously planned assault on the fleet, catching the other battlestars off guard. The Galactica, with President Adar onboard the Atlantia, manages to launch its fighters in time, while the rest of the battlestars are decimated by the relentless Cylon attack. Apollo (character A, actor not provided) informs Adama that the Cylons were accompanied by refueling tankers, which enables the raiders to operate at a distance from their basestars, likely stationed elsewhere. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Adama orders the Galactica to withdraw and safeguard his homeworld, Caprica, but they arrive too late; the Cylon armada has simultaneously launched massive assaults on the Colonies, destroying them in an instant.

With the Colonies reduced to ashes, Adama focuses on gathering as many survivors as possible and instructs every intact civilian ship to take on board whatever survivors they can carry and follow the Galactica. This ragtag fleet soon forms under the protection of its flagship, the Galactica, and sets course for the legendary thirteenth human colony, known as Earth, whose location is shrouded in mystery, known only to the last lord of Kobal, the original home of humanity. Thousands of years earlier, the Thirteen Tribes had abandoned this planet, migrating to the stars.

After initially escaping the Cylons across the perilous starfield known as the Nova of Madigon, a treacherous expanse characterized by extreme temperatures and Cylon minefields, the Galactica and its fleeing companions find brief respite on the resort planet Carillon. Starvation looms large, however, as much of their food supplies were contaminated by pluton bombs during the Cylon attack. In dire straits, the fleet must find a source of sustenance to avoid the abyss of hunger, or face the very real possibility of extinction.

As the Imperious Leader of the Cylons issues a decree for Gaius Baltar’s execution, a last-minute reprieve is granted, and Baltar is instead tasked with assisting in the hunt for the human fleet. Meanwhile, on the enigmatic planet of Carillon, the insectoid inhabitants strike an unusual bargain with humanity, offering to provide much-needed fuel and allow the weary survivors to rest and recreate at their opulent casino-resort. However, Admiral Adama’s instincts are piqued by the suspicious abundance of resources and the absence of any prior mention of this otherwise unknown planet.

It becomes apparent that Carillon is more than just a lavish retreat or a minor mining operation; it is, in fact, the largest tylium mining facility in the region. Baltar’s initial survey had reported inadequate tylium reserves, but Adama is convinced that his old acquaintance has been complicit in hiding the truth, and that Carillon is merely a Cylon trap waiting to be sprung.

As tensions simmer beneath the surface, Sire Uri, Adama’s cunning arch-nemesis on the Council of the Twelve, sees an opportunity to further his own interests by exploiting the fleet’s fragile morale. Believing the Cylons have abandoned their pursuit, Uri convinces the Council that it is time for humanity to celebrate its escape and lay down its arms, proving to the Cylons that they are no longer a threat. The Council orchestrates a grand banquet, inviting all fighter pilots to attend. However, Adama remains skeptical, suspecting that this apparent display of goodwill might be a ruse for a devastating attack on their fleet.

In anticipation of such an eventuality, Adama orders Colonel Tigh to secretly hold back the fighter pilots from attending the party, while he prepares non-combat personnel to don fighter uniforms. As the stakes escalate and paranoia spreads throughout the fleet, Adama must navigate the treacherous landscape of Carillon, where deception lurks around every corner, and the very survival of humanity hangs precariously in the balance.

As Apollo and Starbuck delve deeper into the mysteries of Carillon, they begin to unravel the sinister truth behind the planet’s prosperity. Initially, it seems like a utopia, with strangers donning the uniforms of their squadron milling about, but further investigation reveals the disturbing reality: the Ovions, native insectoids, have engineered the gambling resort as a clever ruse to lure humans and serve as a living food source for their hatching larvae in underground chambers. Furthermore, they’re secretly colluding with the Cylons, exploiting the tylium deposits solely for the latter’s purposes in exchange for their freedom, and actively aiding the Cylons’ efforts to eradicate the human fugitives.

Tensions escalate when the laser fire from the subsequent battle between Apollo and Starbuck’s squadron and the Cylon centurions sets off the tylium mines, threatening to destroy the planet as the inferno rages out of control. Adama’s cunning plan pays off, however, as he lures the Cylons into a trap by making them believe all fighter pilots are at the banquet, prompting them to launch a raider attack against the Galactica in orbit. But Adama is one step ahead, having recalled his fighters from Carillon and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Apollo and Starbuck seize the opportunity to take down the enemy by disobeying Commander Adama’s recall order and targeting the Cylon basestar hidden on the far side of Carillon. They cleverly employ fake radio chatter to deceive the basestar into believing it’s under attack from multiple fighter squadrons, luring it into a fatal descent into the planet’s atmosphere. As the tylium deposits finally erupt in a massive explosion, destroying the basestar, the humans realize their enemies will continue to pursue them, and they set course for Earth, their last hope for survival amidst the ongoing struggle.