The finale for season two was a two-parter with part one airing on 3 March, 2006. It was written by showrunner Ronald D. Moore.

The cold open sees us checking in on a number of characters, Tyrol (Aaron Douglas) seems to be having drunken nightmares, with unfortunate results for Cally (Nicki Clyne), Baltar (James Callis) and Roslin (Mary McDonnell) are both preparing for their presidential debate, and Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) is organizing the jumps to Caprica, an the rescue of the fighters there, including Anders (Michael Trucco). Starbuck is getting some help from Boomer (Grace Park).

While the debate continues, with Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) in Baltar’s corner, Tryol meets with a religious leader, Brother Cavil (Dean Stockwell). As Starbuck leads her mission, Tyrol shares his dreams with Cavil. Is he afraid that he’s a Cylon. I like seeing Tyrol given more to do, he’s definitely going through something here, and this paired with the other themes going on in this episode makes for some great storytelling.

One of the Raptors screws up the jump, but the crew find a habitable planet! Baltar with Tom and Six (Tricia Helfer) pushing him use the idea of settling on the planet as his driving election promise. And he may be that much closer to the presidency by selling hope.

Arriving at Caprica, Starbuck loses a couple more Raptors but they have enough forces to carry out their mission. But once they land, they are able to meet up with Anders and his people, but the episode ends with them coming under Cylon assault.

Part 2 closed out the season on 10 March, 2006. It was also written by Anne Cofell Saunders and Mark Verheiden, and I remember being absolutely gob smacked with where the episode ends up.

In the fleet, there is one ship’s votes left to be counted and Roslin is way behind. She’s preparing to give her position, even though she knows in her gut that settling on this planet they’ve found will mean trouble.

Starbuck, Anders and their teams ae under assault until all of a sudden everything stops. And surprise, surprise, since we know there’s a Cavil aboard the Galactica having chatted with Tyrol to see one on Caprica… Cylon!

She is able to get everyone back to the fleet (and I love seeing the way she and Adama (Edward James Olmos) interact when she arrives) and Cavil is outed by Tyrol.

It’s also an interesting dynamic with Apollo (Jamie Bamber) once Anders and Starbuck are reunited.

Cavil claims to have a message for the fleet; Cylons and man will go their separate ways.

Then as we finish counting the votes, knowing that if Baltar wins they will settle on New Caprica. How far will Roslin go to keep hold of the presidency? When things are sorted, including the use of that missing nuclear weapon (thanks Baltar and Pegasus Six), we get a jump forward in time, which was absolutely stunning when it originally aired. With the added text of ‘one year later’ we all realized that it wasn’t a dream despite the way the transition was handled.

The fleet is in orbit around New Caprica, there are only skeleton crews on each ship. Apollo (and his fat suit) are aboard Pegasus, and Adama has grown a moustache and he relieves Tigh (Michael Hogan) of duty so he can go down to the planet himself, and we see how everyone is living there, and the life they have eked out for themselves.

It is not a paradise. It’s a very rough existence, and we see some new pairings, including Tyrol, whi is a workers’union president and Cally. And Baltar is not a very good president. But Roslin is a great teacher. Anders is sick, and Starbuck asks Apollo for help, but there’s some static there. Oh, and the hybrid baby is still around…

And guess who arrives just as the credits roll…

The Cylons (drawn by the nuclear detonation signal).

But he fleet and the Battlestars leap away in time, leaving everyone on the planet to be subjugated.

It was a helluva ending then, and it’s still a helluva ending now. What a way to close out the season. Lets find out what happens next!

The series remains smart, well-written, fantastically produced, and brilliantly acted. I almost forgot how much I love this show.