By Jonathan Klotz | Updated
When Battlestar Galactica Premiering in 2003, it redefined what it meant as a science fiction series thanks to its dark story and well-written characters. But why it became one of the most popular series of all time can be summed up in three words: The Adama Maneuver. While most science fiction franchises rely more on spectacle than substance, Battlestar Galactica presented one of the most amazing spaceship sequences ever filmed, a moment of glorious triumph for our heroes in their darkest hour. It turned out that the light at the end of the tunnel was a huge military ship freely falling from orbit.
The cavalry arrives
The two-part episode “Exodus” follows the increasingly depressing episodes “Precipice” and “Occupation” that began Season 3, which focused on the Cylon occupation of the human settlement of New Caprica. When “Exodus, Part II” aired, it was unclear how bad things would get for the people facing a firing squad while the Resistance, which included Tigh (Michael Hogan), Anders (Michael Trucco) and Tyrol (Aaron Douglas) and Sharon (Grace Park) were scattered and faced insurmountable difficulties. Battlestar Galactica had already been fighting the colonists for two seasons, but finally, when the resistance fighters needed a miracle, Adama came.
The Galactica, entering New Caprica’s upper atmosphere, manages to disappear, miraculously prompting Number 4 (Rick Worthy) to ask Baltar (James Callis), “Where is the Galactica?” Even us, the Viewers, don’t know where Galactica has gone until the Resistance is pinned down, members are being gunned down left and right by Centurions, and then there’s the ship, which is moving freely into the lower Atmosphere of New Caprica jumps. Fall into the heart of the battle as the Vipers take flight and turn the tide. The sight of the Battlestar Galactica, the ancient and outdated warship never intended to be humanity’s last hope, appearing in the sky is an amazing spectacle, but it’s also a cathartic experience for fans used to seeing the heroes being thrown around by the Cylons.
The good guys win…sort of
The Adama maneuver remains the most brilliant tactical move in science fiction media because it not only makes sense within the rules established by Battlestar Galactica up to that point (and why when). The Last Jedi When it was revealed that “Hyperspace Jump” was a powerful weapon in “Star Wars,” it broke the fan base), it fit the portrayal of Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) as a brilliant military mind and illustrated the desperation of the colonists who risked their best weapon to free the people remaining on New Caprica. Without the narrative power behind the image of a free-falling spaceship, it wouldn’t be as fondly remembered decades later.
But that’s still the case Battlestar GalacticaAs the Cylon basestars converge on Galactica and all hope seems lost again, a volley of missiles erupts as Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) arrives on the Pegasus to rescue his father. It’s another heroic moment in an episode full of such events, which unfortunately results in the Pegasus being blown to pieces while the younger Adama buys time for Galactica to escape. Win some, lose some; Such is life in the colonial fleet.
Battlestar Galacticawhich is now available to stream on Amazon Prime, has some bad plotlines and bizarre twists, but the first four episodes of season three collectively reached a height that no science fiction series has ever achieved since. And no single moment, not from Star Wars, Star Trek or even Stargate, can match the climax of the Adama Maneuver: the perfect fusion of story, character and emotion.