The Road Less Traveled was written by Mark Verheiden and first aired on 2 May, 2008.
Leoben (Callum Keith Rennie) arrives on the Demetrius (58 days into its search for Earth) in a heavily Raider. The idea of a truce with the Cylon rebels causes a lot of friction between members of the crew, and Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) finds herself putting her trust in her old captor.
She seems to be coming a little undone, and Helo (Tahmoh Penikett) is concerned. In fact, no one on the Demetrius thinks she’s capable anymore; pilots who used to love flying with her are openly derisive. They are eager to get back to the Galactica, something they are supposed to do when they hit Day 60.
Leoben and Anders (Michael Trucco) clash over Starbuck, of course, but Anders also has to reconcile with being a Cylon now as well. Leoben is the one offering a peace with the Cylon rebels, and a way to Earth… but will Anders be willing to deal?
Leoben says Starbuck is not the same person she was back on New Caprica. Now he says she’s something else. She also isn’t planning on returning to the fleet until she finds Earth.
Sides on the Demetrius are quickly forming, and it’s starting to look a lot like a full-out mutiny is going to occur.
Back in the fleet, Baltar (James Callis) is settling into his new role as religious/cult leader. He has a bit of a Pump Up the Volume thing going with an illegal broadcast around the fleet about the Cylon god, and religion.
Tyrol (Aaron Douglas) seems to be losing the thread as well. He’s buzzed his hair off and is increasingly volatile with everyone. Will Baltar be able to find a way to him?
The episode ends with the crew of Demetrius in open mutiny against Starbuck leading to a To Be Continued!
Seamus Kevin Fahey delivered the script for Faith which first aired on 9 May, 2008.
Things start to spiral out of control on the Demetrius. Athena (Grace Park) grabs Starbuck, but Anders pulls a gun in support of his wife, and Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) ends up shot.
And that certainly isn’t going to defuse the situation. But Starbuck has a plan. She wants to take Leoben, Athena and Anders in a Raptor to the rebel Cylon baseship. Helo is less than impressed with the plan, but gives them fifteen hours before they jump back to the fleet.
We get a bit of a different look at a Cylon baseship; we usually get a look at it from the Cylon perspective, but now, it seems a little more… understandable?… if unnerving-looking.
Throw in a creepy encounter Starbuck has with the Hybrid (Tiffany Lyndall-Knight) who says that Starbuck will lead humanity to its end.
Is there a chance this will all work out? Not all the rebel Cylons are happy the Colonial raptor is aboard. In fact, one of the Sixs (Tricia Helfer) kills one of the Colonials for things done to her on New Caprica. There is talk of an opera house, the thirteen, and the five… suggesting that the Final Five know the way back to Earth… the Thirteenth Colony?
Anders uses the opportunity to try and figure out his purpose as a Cylon. And Starbuck pushes it right to the limit to get the baseship back to the Demetrius before they leap back to the fleet.
Back in the fleet, Roslin (Mary McDonnell) begins to understand the appeal Baltar holds for his followers, as her cancer treatments continue. She chats with a fellow patient, Emily (Nana Visitor) and begins to see what he offers them. This leads to a bit of a metaphysical encounter… are they projecting like Cylons? or is it just an artistic choice to suggest Baltar’s right?
This two-parter has lots of powerful character moments and pushes the series narrative forward.
