Introduction

“Sacrifice” is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica television series.

It aired originally on the Sci Fi Channel on 10 February 2006.

In the episode, Dee spurns Billy Keikeya and goes on a date with Lee “Apollo” Adama at a bar. An armed group takes control of the bar, demanding the captive Cylon Sharon in return for the lives of their hostages. Lee is badly wounded when Starbuck attempts a rescue. Billy is shot and killed saving Dee just before a team of Marines raids the bar and rescues the remaining hostages.

The episode focuses on Admiral William Adama’s relationship with Sharon as he weighs the gunmen’s demands. It also presents the gunmen’s motives and raises questions about whether there is merit to their point of view.

Outline of Series 02, Episode 16

The press has learned that a Number Eight model Cylon is being held in Galactica’s brig. Admiral Adama insists to President Laura Roslin that Sharon is a valuable source of intelligence. Billy, Roslin’s chief of staff, urges Adama to tell the fleet about Sharon.

Billy proposes marriage to Dee, but Dee turns him down. Later he discovers Dee on a date with Lee in a bar on Cloud 9 and is heartbroken.

Gunmen led by Sesha Abinell take over the bar, demanding that the Admiral hand over Sharon. Learning that Abinell is seeking revenge for her husband’s death in a Cylon attack, Adama refuses and orders Starbuck to plan a rescue with several Marines. A ruse by Lee convinces the gunmen that the bar is losing oxygen, giving Starbuck an opening. Her attempt backfires, and she accidentally shoots Lee during the confusion. Dee and Billy attend the bleeding, unconscious Lee. Roslin argues to Admiral Adama and Colonel Tigh they cannot give in to terrorists. As Abinell threatens Ellen Tigh, who is among the hostages, Adama agrees to hand over Sharon, but not alive.

Adama sends over the corpse of Sharon “Boomer” Valerii, the Number Eight copy who shot him and died, to give Marines time to storm the bar. Abinell shoots Boomer’s corpse but discovers the deception shortly after. She orders Dee killed. Against Dee’s advice, Billy grabs a gun and shoots the would-be executioner dead. As he dies, the executioner also shoots and kills Billy. The Marines kill the remaining gunmen, including Abinell, and free the hostages.

Roslin mourns Billy, whom she described as “the closest thing I have to family left”. Dee awaits Lee’s recovery in Galactica’s sickbay as Starbuck looks on.

Battlestar Galactica TV Series, Films & Webisodes

You can find a full index of Battlestar Galactica TV series, films, and webisodes here.

Trivia

You can read interesting trivia and background details about the BSG franchise here.

Production & Filming Details

• Director: Rey Villabos.
• Writer: Anne Cofell Saunders.
• Release Date: 10 February 2006 (UK).
• Running Time: 45 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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