Lasers and Tigers and Spaceships, Oh my! - The Wing Commander franchise

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Several big budget sci-fi projects were launched in the wake of Star Wars, some better than others, and we are to take a quick look at probably the most successful one.

Ok, it had it's faults and it didn't made quite the same mountains of money, but it still made a good return overall and it had an very distinctive identity of it's own.
Somehow it has managed to reinvent itself and stay in public conscience over the years in one form or another, from a couple of big budget movies, to a TV series, to comics, novels, video games, tabletop games and rpgs, all the way to a modern reboot and a return to TV screens, it has always managed to cross from one medium to another without losing that special touch that makes it distinctive instead of being yet another space adventure.

And speaking of games and "Wing Commander", yes, that name was used from the start, dig around interviews and publicity material for "Heart of the tiger", "Star Tigers", and etc, and you will find it being used as a label for the franchise as a whole. And yes, that predates the first "Wing Commander "computer game, those computer games did expand on the original background and introduced many elements, but the name was there from the start, being used as a working title for the first concepts.

Anyway, let's see some photos before diving into the movies, shall we?

 

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The space carrier TCS Tiger's Claw, the centerpiece of the task force dispatched to rescue the Caprica colony and push back the Kilrathi offensive. Rumours persist that it was meant to be called the "Galactica" in a very early concept draft, even before the Kilrathi were thought out, and that due to a misunderstanding the old name actually made it into one of the models before being quickly corrected.

The Rapier, the premier frontline starfighter of the Terran fleet, probably the most iconic spacecraft of the franchise, present in almost every incarnation.

And the opposition, a Kilrathi carrier, trying to clear the Caprica sector for a full scale invasion.

A Dralthi, the Kilrathi starfighter of choice, that name is actually a later addition, in the movies and the TV series they are simply referred to as "Kilrathi fighters".

 

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Richard Hatch plays veteran pilot Christopher Blair, aka "Maverick", recently put in command of the Tiger's Claw fighter wing. Pragmatic and resourceful, he's determined to do whatever it takes to turn his pilots into a well-oiled team.

And he can always count on "Maniac" (Dirk Benedict), the leading ace among the Claw's pilots. He's a daredevil and a rogue, an irreverent gambler always ready for a good drink that often bends the rules to do what he believes to be the right thing. But on the other hand he's fiercely loyal to his fellow pilots, often taking risks to help out rookies and always reporting for tomorrow's patrol no mater how hard he parties tonight.

And we also have another ace, the calm and by the book "Angel" (Maren Jansen). If Maniac is full of bravado she's quietly competent and just as deadly, shooting down her enemies with ruthless efficiency. In one episode of the series we learn that she has actually become something of a legend to the Kilrathi, the dreaded silent hunter. Seemingly harsh and reserved in public she's actually always ready to listen to a fellow pilot's troubles in private, and her squadron mates do look for and are thankful for her advice and emotional support when things seem bleak.

It will take more than just shooting to drive back the Kilrathi, and veteran spec-ops pilot "Paladin" (Terry Carter) will help out with scouting and covert operations, his knowledge of Kilrathi tactics and psychology will prove valuable.

Meanwhile admiral Tolwyn (Lorne Green) is in command of the task force. Sometimes handing out bits of exposition and plot development, others providing inspiration or a clever plan, he shares the level-headed pragmatism of Maverick and is always willing to light a fire under Caprica's politicians and push aside a piece of bureaucracy when necessary.

A traitor and one of the reasons for the Kilrathi's initial success, Baltar (John Colicos) dreams of being made a governor or a viceroy after Caprica is conquered. The Kilrathi however view him as just a necessary evil and despise his delusions of grandeur. He will spend a lot of time being growled at and berated as they use him as a tool of conquest.

And finally, cheap mass-produced mechanical cannon fodder deployed by the Kilrathi for harassment and occupation duties the "attack robots" provide convenient targets for the occasional shoot-out with our heroes.

 

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In the beginning the plan was to release a couple of fairly big budget space adventure movies both in theatres and TV and then repurpose the cast, props, and etc for a TV series. And it proved to be quite successful, sure, the TV series ended up having only a couple of seasons due to production costs, but the various spinoffs in other media and merchandising stuff turned out to be very successful, more than was expected, and together with the series's reruns they kept the franchise alive in the public's mind in one form or another.

For the first movie the story involves a future war between the Terran Confederacy and the Kilrathi, a feline species, they appear to be organised into a militaristic and aggressive warrior society routenly involved in raids and wars against it's neighbours. Fighting on the front lines the carrier TCS Tiger's Claw is tasked with supporting the independent colony of Caprica, against a Kilrathi invasion.

Caprica had hoped to remain neutral in the Terran-Kilrathi conflict, but their hopes have just gone up in smoke as the Kilrathi have dealt a catastrophic blow against their defences with the help of a Caprican traitor, Baltar. Things look grim as a Kilrathi carrier starts moping up the last traces of resistance in the system and it appears that it's just a matter of time until the invasion comes and Baltar is installed as a puppet to rule and oppress his former compatriots.

And so a call for help was sent, if the Tiger's Claw can destroy the enemy carrier it will both save Caprica and deal a major setback to the Kilrathi war effort. Stepping aboard the Claw for this mission we have Christopher Blair, aka "Maverick", a veteran pilot recently put in command of the carrier's fighter wing. Not an easy task but one that his practical and pragmatic can-do spirit can handle even if needs to come up with some unorthodox solutions, and fortunately he count on the help of ace pilots "Maniac" and "Angel".

Maniac is a daredevil and a rogue, an irreverent gambler always ready for a good drink that often bends the rules to do what he believes to be the right thing. But on the other hand he's a talented ace that often takes risks to help rookie pilots and always reports for tomorrow's patrol no mater how hard he parties. Actually there is an episode in the series where he does fail to report being affected by an alien virus that starts to incapacitate the Claw's crew, that is taken by everyone as a sign that the situation is very serious indeed and efforts to cure the virus are redoubled. And cured it is, just in time to beat back a Kilrathi attack with a mix of hastily trained volunteers and recovering pilots straight out of the sickbay.

On the other hand we have the calm and by the book Angel, if Maniac is full of bravado she's quietly competent and just as deadly, shooting down her enemies with ruthless efficiency. In another episode of the series we learn that she has become something of a legend to the Kilrathi, the dreaded silent hunter. Seemingly harsh and reserved in public she's actually always ready to listen to a fellow pilot's troubles in private, and her squadron mates do look for and are thankful for her advice and emotional support when things seem bleak.

So we have a close-knit trio of main characters, an inspired rogue, a solid fighter, and a pragmatist to guide and balance them. Alongside we have several minor characters and "Paladin" is probably the most memorable, a veteran pilot usually involved in scouting and covert operations, he often brings in some discovery to drive the plot forward. Admiral Tolwyn also hands out his share of developments and exposition being in command of the Tiger's Claw task force.
And then on the opposition's side we have the Kilrathi which make excellent villains, even if they are practically never shown clearly on camera. The production team did look into using animatronics, suits, puppets, stop motion and other options but doing something good would be terribly expensive, especially with the plans to go on with a TV series after the movies. Trying to avoid comparisons with Star Wars and Chewbacca was also a concern.

Part of the solution was to use suits and animatronics but not in full view as the scenes inside Kilrathi ships happen in a foggy atmosphere with a baleful red illumination and shifting shadows, it's an alien environment after all. Combined with some inspired work by the sound effects department, this makes the Kilrathi appear as sinister feline shadows, speaking with a distinctive menacing growl, and often interacting with a clearly unsettled and terrified Baltar. In space we never get a clear view of the Kilrathi pilots either but we hear them aplenty as they love to taunt and menace their enemies over the radio. Combined with the excellent growling effect for their voices it makes for fun dogfights, especially when Maniac quips back as he always seems to have a cheesy comeback ready.

With heroes and villains taken care of it's time to move on to the plot, which is fairly straightforward. First in "Heart of the Tiger" the Tiger's Claw fighter wing comes together as Maverick and Angel help Maniac come back to form and overcome the emotional damage of losing a wingman in a gruesome accident. He does recover his joy and will to live and goes back to being an ace and a daredevil but some traces of darkness remain as he becomes protective around rookies, worrying about them and taking chances to protect them. Meanwhile Angel finds a friend and a confident in him despite appearing to be polar opposites at first and discovers that she doesn't need to be overly harsh with herself, perfection is a fool's dream after all, and Maverick gains the trust of his pilots.

Soon the Tiger's Claw fights the first skirmishes against the Kilrathi and pushes them back from Caprica. Worried about the arrival of the Tiger's Claw, Baltar proposes a diabolical plan to strike a blow against the human forces and delay them. The idea is to return a captured passenger ship, the Olympic Carrier, to the Capricans along with several prisoners, it's all a ruse of course as the Olympic will be packed with explosives and ready to blow after docking with Caprica's main space station.

Things soon go off the rails however, as the Kilrathi don't feel too comfortable with Baltar's devious acts and change the plan to their liking. The Olympic is automated and it's engines are overloaded beyond all safety limits to turn it into a giant missile that will jump and head for the station at full throttle. No false signals, no prisoners used as shields, instead a sudden and bold attack escorted by a brave and celebrated ace. Baltar's objections are quickly silenced with a growl and a reminder that he is only a tool and a necessary evil.

The attack goes forward and the Claw's fighters have to scramble to prevent a catastrophe as the Olympic jumps in and blasts towards the station at full thrust. Thankfully they prove to be up to the task, Maniac duels the Kilrathi ace while Paladin looks for a way to disable the Olympic and the rest of the fighters hold off the other escorts. The battle reaches a climax as Maniac defeats the ace and Paladin spots a weakness in one of the Olympic's engines but an escort prevents him from exploiting it, it's up to Angel to make an incredibly accurate long range shot while Maverick keeps the escort off her. The shot hits a weak spot that triggers a series of secondary explosions that cripple the Olympic and send it hopelessly off course, flashing past the station into the void. With the mission failed the Kilrathi forces retreat.

And that's the end for the first movie, the crew of the Tiger's Claw celebrates while Baltar has another of his unsettling meetings with the Kilrathi. Surprisingly they don't appear too displeased about the defeat, yes it was a setback but it also gave one their heroes a glorious duel (and a glorious death, fret not over it human, why must you have such a weak stomach?) and victory is still assured, it's just a matter of provoking the Tiger's Claw into a decisive battle and the superior Kilrathi fighting spirit will do the rest. Yes, the initial plan called for a more deliberate and overwhelming invasion but the chance to destroy a human carrier and deal a crushing blow to human morale must not be wasted, it's time to strike.

 

[Some Bloke]

Do the games inspire the asthetics for the remake?

 

[Some Bloke]

I like how Baltar is a mirror image of Paladin in this version. Maybe as the series progresses they develop a rivalry.

 

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Do the games inspire the asthetics for the remake?

I didn't think too much about the remake yet, but I have some ideas for the games...

Basically, this TL will have a series of space sims looking very much like OTL's Wing Commander but it's going to be called "Strike Commander", there is going to be a series called "Wing Commander" but earlier (starting with 8-bit computers) and a whole different genre, Origin Systems will happen and will be as succesfull as OTL but not with Ultima...

I like how Baltar is a mirror image of Paladin in this version. Maybe as the series progresses they develop a rivalry.

Good catch, I wasn't thinking of them as rivals, but now that you mention it, yes, it's a good idea for the series.

 

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Onwards to the second movie. Baltar is ordered to prepare a list of targets among Caprica's industrial infrastructure, the Kilrathi will strike closer and closer to the colony until either the human fleet comes out to battle or Caprica's industry is wrecked. Baltar's suggestions to lure and lead the Tiger's Claw in a wild goose chase to clear the way for an unopposed strike on Caprica itself are quickly silenced, there must be a decisive battle so that Caprica will witness true Kilrathi strength and bow before it.

Soon, admiral Tolwyn is worried as contact is lost with an asteroid mining facility after reports of an enemy landing, it looks like the Kilrathi are trying to conquer a foothold inside Caprica's space, could this be the prelude to a full scale invasion? Paladin and Maniac are sent to investigate.

Also, Maverick and Angel are ordered to help with getting the Claw's squadron of Broadswords up and running. The Broadswords are a brand new type of torpedo bomber, large as a shuttle, and they do look like shuttles at a first glance. Unlike a shuttle, they carry a new powerful anti-ship "skip missile" in their weapons bay and sport powerful engines that will hopefully let them quickly reach a launching point and bug out. The missiles are also a new development, they use a miniature jump drive to hit their targets almost instantly. But they have some limitations, they only work in space and against large targets running high energy reactors, as the missiles take advantage of the reactor's effect on jump-space to emerge at the right point, so in practice they're limited to capital ships and large stations.

That's some temperamental new technology, which leads to a few techno babble and training scenes. Meanwhile the team investigating the asteroid base fights a force of attack robots, a spectacular attack by Maniac with a couple of mag-grenades followed by a precision shot to the master control Robot by Paladin manages to put them out of action. Back in the Tiger's Claw, Paladin presents his conclusions from the analysis of the robots and the material left behind, it looks like the Kilrathi were planning to use the station as a supply depot later on and there are more landings planned, the captured material points to the next target, an important transit hub for Caprica's mining operations, looks like the Kilrathi are careless with their information?

Not quite, as Paladin points out, it's more likely that the Kilrathi aren't trying to hide their offensive and want the human fleet to sally out so that they can engage and destroy it in a decisive battle that will clear the way for the invasion. They do employ some trickery here and there as shown by their use of Baltar's knowledge, but their doctrine and traditions place great value on displays of force and grand battles. Faced with this Tolwyn makes his decision, the fleet will confront the Kilrathi and give them their battle, it's the perfect opportunity to deploy the Broadswords.

On to the battle then, the Kilrathi fleet shows up as expected and their scouts also spot the Tiger's Claw, a strike force quickly launches with Maverick leading the Broadswords while Angel and Paladin lead the escort fighters. With most of the assets committed to the strike Maniac will have to defend the carrier with a small patrol, but he doesn't seem too worried though and seems ready to tackle the whole galaxy in his usual carefree daredevil mood.

On the other side, the Kilrathi are pleased, they've got their glorious decisive battle, it's time to launch the fighters and let their pilot's fighting spirit carry the day. Baltar is summoned to witness this great victory, his insider knowledge of the human settlements and defences has proved useful but he must be reminded that true power comes from Kilrathi might.

The first sign that things aren't going along with the glorious Kilrathi plan comes as the strike against the Tiger's Claw finds the small defence force coming out to meet them far from the target in an aggressive move. The battle begins as Maniac roars ahead of the patrol in a mad charge sowing confusion among the Kilrathi.

It's a reckless attack, surely we will be worn down and defeated by superior numbers, as a worried Baltar comments "it's only a matter of time". But time is not on the side of the Kilrathi as the Tiger's Claw strike is spotted and the presence of the Broadswords raises alarms, why are there shuttles in the strike force? No, they are moving too fast to be shuttles, could they be some kind of suicide craft? The defence fighters are ordered to try to destroy them or knock them off course and a portion of the strike is recalled to bolster the defence. It won't be easy to have them back on time but the humans have something up their sleeves, every bit of help counts...

Soon the fight to stop the Broadswords is in full swing and it reaches a critical point as they close with the carrier, one of them is destroyed at great cost, not enough, part of the Kilrathi fighters forms up to create a barrier between the carrier and the bombers while others are ordered to reform so that they can mount a new coordinated attack on the human force.

But the bombers are now at missile range and start to launch, one missile hits and rocks the carrier with an impressive explosion. The Kilrathi are now frantic, an escort cruiser throws itself in front of the carrier hoping to draw the missiles, but Maverick accelerates into close range and uses his missile to blow its engine section right off, clearing the way. The remaining bombers launch, one missile goes haywire and emerges among a formation of Kilrathi fighters tearing them apart in a jump anomaly but the last two hit and cripple the carrier completely.

And it looks like it's going to go out with a bang, with all control lost, officers dead, and its reactors fluctuating wildly it seems ready to blow up at any time. Panic reigns as the support ships steer away from it despite the surviving crew's pleas to dock and evacuate. The chaos and the rout of the Kilrathi fleet is complete as Maniac absolutely shreds a squadron leader in a brutal close range attack.

Cut to a scene of smoke and chaos inside the carrier where a terrified and disheveled Baltar screams "Jump! " into an intercom, and the carrier vanishes in a distorted jump effect. It's the end, the remaining escorts and some fighters scatter and flee.

Time for a celebration and medals aboard the Tiger's Claw, with the Kilrathi offensive broken (the characters wonder if the Kilrathi carrier managed to survive that last jump, but even if it did it must be a complete wreck) it's time to mop up and secure the sector, but that's a matter for the series.

 

[Some Bloke]

Maybe the series begins with the Claw scheduled to withdraw when the Kilrathi attack when she's out of position.

 

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As the series starts the Tiger's Claw is docked for repairs and resupply while admiral Tolwyn chairs a meeting to complete the plans for a new campaign. With the space close to Caprica secured and the threat of invasion dispelled it's time to look at the rest of the sector. The outer reaches were always a wild region of poorly mapped space, home to strange phenomena and pirate lairs, and the chaos brought by the fighting has made them even more lawless. With local bandits rising up, Kilrathi pirates moving in, and the remnants of the defeated invasion fleet trying to survive, the region risks plunging into chaos as these groups loot and fight their way around the sector. Thankfully, most of the time they will bicker and fight each other rather than cooperate. When this pause to refit is done the Tiger's Claw task force will move out to hunt and defeat them in detail, one after the other.

Meanwhile, Maniac has invited Maverick and Angel for a couple of days of rest and relaxation in an exclusive asteroid casino, having an old friend in the business and being on the news as the saviours of Caprica opens a lot of doors. Ok, Angel is more interested in the attached spa and Maverick prefers watching the shows rather than risk his pay on the tables, but it does promise to be a nice fun holiday.

Things soon take a different turn as a squad of attack robots breaks into the casino, a Kilrathi attack? No, their controllers soon show up and they turn out to be a gang of scruffy looking pirates. It's a very bold move for common bandits but surprise is on their side and it looks like it will pay off and that they will be able to get away with valuables and hostages before help arrives.

Thankfully our heroes rise up to the occasion, the robots are taken out with a little help from casino security and an old fighter on display allows them to improvise a flak cannon and damage the pirate's ship. Facing unexpected resistance, with their ship damaged and help finally coming, the pirates choose to make a quick escape while they can, taking only a little cash. A very thankful casino owner gives out a nice reward and lifetime passes, but it looks like this is the beginning of some fresh troubles as news of a wave of raids and robberies come in. Finally, a scene shows a battered and scuffed Kilrathi cruiser with crude markings, inside, in a typical red-lit and foggy Kilrathi atmosphere, an injured but very much alive Baltar gloats and talks to an audience of shadowy figures, human and Kilrathi. He congratulates his associates over a successful test run and promises that his robots will prove very useful in the future. And with this bit of setup done the first episode ends.

The second episode opens with Tolwyn laying out a plan to adapt to the new situation, the recent wave of raids across the sector shows that the bandit threat is even worse than was thought and the Tiger's Claw can't be everywhere at the same time. Something must be done to bolster the sector's defences. So, Paladin will leverage his contacts to recruit a force of rangers from civilian pilots willing to fight for their homes, retired navy pilots, and adventurers, they will protect outposts and infrastructure through the sector and keep an eye out for pirate activity. This will free the Tiger's Claw to search for and destroy the main pirate bases. A special convoy will bring in supplies and weapons to equip the first ranger squadrons, it's a tempting target for the pirates but the fleet will be ready to respond if they try anything against it.

Things appear to be going smoothly as the convoy prepares to make the last jump when pirates attack, the escort quickly responds and it looks like the attack will go nowhere, it's hopeless, why are they even trying? And then things suddenly get interesting as one freighter makes an emergency jump, did the crew panic? No, a garbled message from another freighter sounds the alarm, it's a hijack. A quick check reveals that there are two freighters not responding to communications and powering up for a jump, the hijackers must have taken a little longer with them and their jump has been delayed. But they might still make it as the escort fighters have been kept busy by the pirates's diversionary attack. But they won't make it, Maverick and Maniac rush for the freighters at top speed and put themselves in right in front of them, hugging them and matching their every move, preventing them from jumping out, meanwhile Angel takes out the pirate leader and his wingman in quick succession, putting an end to the attack. Caught in a couple of unarmed freighters, with no help in sight and reinforcements surrounding them, the hijackers surrender and power down their craft. The hijackers are questioned and their connections to Caprica's underworld are revealed, they lead back to an infamous figure suspected of many crimes, a corrupt businessman and politician later turned traitor, Baltar. And before the episode is over we switch back to the scruffy Kilrathi cruiser, now accompanied by several starships (thanks to a series of quick but inspired kitbash jobs with off the shelf model kits by the VFX department), Baltar has assembled a ragtag fleet of pirates and renegades and promises to lead to power and riches.

With the setup for the season done the next episodes follow our heroes efforts to hunt Baltar's fleet and throw back the pirate raids. An analysis of the attack robots deployed during the raids wields a surprising clue, they have been recently made, very recently. As Paladin points out, the Kilrathi have automated factory ships capable of building robot squads and it looks like Baltar has managed to get hold of one of them. They aren't very mobile and after it is located a strike against it will surely force the pirates to fight or lose it. So, the intelligence department is ordered to keep an eye out for clues, and an opportunity shows up as the remnants of the Kilrathi invasion fleet are located, destroying them will remove a threat to the sector and will be a chance to capture materials and get a clear picture of what exactly Baltar has grabbed, it will also help isolate and maybe tap into the factory ship's communications.

The hunt for the Kilrathi remnants takes a few episodes and leads to one of the best ones in the series. In "Fallen Angel" Angel finds herself in a tense situation while working with a team of marines to secure a Kilrathi camp, as an unseen Kilrathi sniper starts picking off the team. The sniper is urged to surrender but refuses, he might be the last Kilrathi fighting for the empire in the sector but something drives him to fight on desperately until his position is narrowed to a jumble of rocks which is obliterated by Maniac with a well timed strafing run. The tension and the eerie cat and mouse with the unseen sniper really make for a unique atmosphere on this one. With the camp secured, the captured materials and the interrogation of captured personnel give a good haul of information, as the prisoners have no love nor loyalty towards Baltar. It turns out that he has betrayed the Kilrathi empire, taking advantage of the chaos after the carrier battle to escape with a band of deserters, a robot factory ship, and a treasure trove of data and access codes.Another piece of information sheds some light on the sniper's desperate last stand. It appears that Angel has become something of a legend among the Kilrathi, the "grim hunter" that strikes her prey from any distance with deadly accuracy and chilling calm, the sniper had seen two very close friends shot down in quick succession by her. It's a sobering moment and a reminder that the Kilrathi aren't just unfeeling monsters or targets in a shooting gallery.

With the codebreakers hard at work using the captured information to locate the factory ship's transmissions we turn our attention to Paladin's rangers, as he leads one of the first ranger squadrons to rescue a poor farming settlement that is being shaken down by Baltar's thugs. It seems like a simple mission, a good opportunity to prove the worth of the rangers and test things out, but things soon become more interesting as one of Baltar's lieutenants has decided to deal with the village personally. Can a squadron of aging pilots be up to the task of fighting him and his bodyguards?

Yes they can, and things take a personal twist as one of the rangers turns out to be an ex-mercenary who left a family behind in the settlement long ago. Age has caught up with him and his days of glory are clearly over but he still manages to steady his hands long enough to cut a path through the pirates in a spectacular attack that opens the way for Paladin to challenge and take down the lieutenant. With the pirates beaten, the village cheers and Baltar fumes, one of his top men has gotten himself killed by peasants and old men, why did he place his trust in such an idiot? And to rub salt in the wound Paladin is decorated by Caprica's government, the "Quorum of Twelve", which includes several of Baltar's old political rivals, those decrepit fossils dare to humiliate me and drag me through the mud in their speeches, soon I will make them sing a different tune...

Back in Caprica, the crackdown against Baltar's criminal contacts continues as Maniac helps bring down a gang which was using gambling debts to blackmail people in key positions in the government and defence forces. They can trick a new player well enough with their marked cards but by Maniac's standards they are amateurs, bad players and unsubtle ham-fisted cheaters. Their gunfighting skills also fail to live up to his standards as the last game breaks down into a casino shoot-out and their arrest. Mission accomplished, even if Maniac feels that he had to shut things down too soon, with a little more time he would have got enough out of those amateurs to fund the Terran Navy. With this bust Baltar's criminal network in Caprica is almost over and done but it's leader, codenamed "Alpharius", remains elusive. Several clues point to somebody in high places but whoever it is has managed to go quiet before the net closed, it will take some time to put together enough enough to pin him down.

A few more episodes see the clashes with the pirates intensify, Paladin's rangers prove to be good fighters and manage to limit the damage and victims even if the pirates do manage to grab supplies and ships. Actually, they seem to be more focused on supplies instead of valuables than usual for bandits, is Baltar planning something?

He is, he fumes, complains, and rages against Paladin and those "fraking old farmers" that appear to be everywhere, but he also reassures his associates that they will have what is needed for "our plan". Yes, gathering supplies has proven to be more difficult than expected and it would have been nice to pick up some riches along the way, but they will have enough.

Back in the Tiger's Claw our heroes have some good news as the analysis of Baltar's transmissions bears fruit, the robot factory ship has been located at a forgotten corner of the sector, an unremarkable asteroid out of the usual shipping lanes, if the Claw moves fast enough it will be able to strike before the factory can pack up and escape.

But trouble ensues as Baltar has a little surprise to spring, it turns out that Alpharius was a member of the Quorum of Twelve and now he has gathered his last goons and has taken advantage of a ceremony to take the rest of the Quorum hostage aboard their official transport, the "Colonial One". Things start to spiral into chaos as he delivers his demands, the navy must stand down and let him join Baltar's fleet or he will start sending the hostages out of the airlock, one body part at a time. Thankfully Angel and Maverick happen to be aboard the Colonial One for the ceremony and set off to twart his plans. Angel borrows a maid's uniform while Maverick takes to the ventilation ducts and together they manage to work behind the hijackers backs to disable the ship's navigation systems and prevent their escape. Any ideas of shooting the hostages are soon dropped as Angel holds Alpharius at gunpoint with his own laser.

With the Quorum safe, the Tiger's Claw moves to attack the factory. Time is running out but Paladin has managed to get into sensor range with a ranger squadron and Tolwyn uses their data along with a navigation trick from his academy days to plot an extra long jump straight into weapons range and destroy the factory. With the factory destroyed, the Claw's crew rushes to repair the malfunctions caused by the rushed jump and braces for a counterattack, Baltar will surely try to get even, and when he does the Claw will be able to give him a bloody nose, maybe even hold long enough for reinforcements to arrive and crush the pirates in a big decisive battle.

But that's not what happens, reports of jumpspace disturbances come in, a large concentration of ships is jumping indeed, but not towards the Claw. Instead Baltar's ragtag fleet is heading out, deep into uncharted and poorly known space, has he decided to flee? Not quite, Baltar holds a conference with his associates and reassures them, losing the robot factory was a setback but their expedition can go ahead without it. They have the ships, the supplies, and the information, they will find Kobol and they will reap a fine bounty for it. Caprica is becoming too strong and well defended for us? It doesn't matter, let Tolwyn, Paladin, the Quorum, and all the others fuss around Caprica, the Kilrathi Empire will pay anything for what we will find.

Back in Caprica, Alpharius has been interrogated and is talking freely, Baltar's network has combed trough the records of Caprica University's xenoarcheology department and has collected a great deal of information about Kobol, enough to find it. But Kobol is just a legend, old tales of an ancient civilization and a lost Kilrathi tribe, Tolwyn wonders. Yes, Paladin replies, but there are plenty of Kilrathi that believe in it.

 

[Some Bloke]

Does the popularity of the series encourage Americans to spell "Geoffrey" properly?

 

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Season 2 begins with the Tiger's Claw task force setting out in pursuit of Baltar's ragtag fleet. Tolwyn gives out a little exposition with a briefing, Baltar's objective is clear, it's Kobol.

It might seem that he is chasing dusty old tales and legends but that isn't the case, for the Kilrathi Kobol has a great deal of importance, it's the lost planet from which an ancient ancestral tribe brought civilization and knowledge to all the Kilrathi. Anything that he finds will have a deep religious meaning for the Kilrathi, any traces or ruins will become a magnet for pilgrims and scholars and the information of their location will be extremely valuable.

Baltar will surely use the results of his expedition to gain leverage among the Kilrathi, and might be able to set himself up as a warlord or a petty king under the Kilrathi empire, obviously this cannot be allowed to happen. A vengeful Baltar returning to Caprica with a fleet of warships in tow is a nightmare scenario. The Tiger's Claw task force must follow Baltar and prevent him from taking control of Kobol and whatever happens to be found on it. If there are artifacts with religious significance for the Kilrathi, they are to be secured and safeguarded so that they can be used in future negotiations with the Kilrathi empire. The Empire's latest offensives have not gone well and intelligence sources hint at internal troubles within it, so it might be possible to achieve a ceasefire and negotiations.

With this expository bit done, the series is on and the next episodes see the Tiger's Claw heading into poorly charted space in pursuit of Baltar's ragtag fleet. There are several dangers, anomalies, and aliens of the week to overcome and Baltar has a head start but they manage to keep track of him.

One of the episodes sees the Claw's crew pick up some kind of alien flu in a forsaken planet. Things quickly escalate as the sickbay fills up with sick fighter pilots and Baltar has managed to eavesdrop on the fleet comms and launches an attack, reassuring his pilots that they will face little resistance, it looks like he will be able to catch the Claw in a bad spot. Well, almost but not quite, there is a call for anybody who can handle a fighter and a motley collection of shuttle pilots, contractors, technicians and older officers is gathered to defend the fleet, also the ship's doctor manages to find a cure just in time for Maniac to shuffle out of the sickbay with somewhat shaky legs but flying instincts intact and ready to lead the defence. The result is a rude awakening for Baltar's strike force as the defenders fight with unorthodox techniques but plenty of enthusiasm. Facing a spirited defence led by an ace that appears to have jumped straight out of sickbay to tear them apart, Baltar's fighters soon fall back in a humiliating defeat.

In another episode, Baltar fakes a transmission to trick the Tiger's Claw into investigating an icy planetoid that turns out to hold an ancient automated super-weapon created by a long forgotten and vanished race. The weapon is still functional enough to shoot and disable any ships trying to leave its vicinity, turning it into a giant trap that has claimed many ships over the ages judging by the wreckage floating nearby. A detailed analysis of the weapon shows that it can be destroyed, but it won't be a simple straightforward affair since it's protected by several automated defence systems. Thankfully age and the planetoid's icy weather have taken their toll on the ancient systems and a glitch during a ferocious blizzard allows a strike team to enter the complex and plant a string of demolition charges that throw the weapon's power source out of control leading to a catastrophic failure that leaves only a debris field for later xenoarchaeologists.

Not every danger is as clear as this one, in a two part episode the Tiger's Claw meets the Ovions, which appear to be a peaceful friendly insectoid people, willing to trade with travellers, offering repairs, supplies, and rest and relaxation at their inns. And yet things are not as right as they seemed at the first glance, the repair yards hold many ships that appear to have been strangely abandoned by their owners, including some that seem to have come from Baltar's fleet. And at the inn several oddities and strange occurrences build up in a crescendo of tension through the first episode until a few of Baltar's pirates show up to lead Maverick and Maniac to a shocking (but hinted at and kind of expected by that point) discovery. The Ovions hospitality is a sham, they have made a habit of turning unwary travellers into protein and taking their valuables, the inn's freezer holds quite a collection of alien visitors including the pirates former crewmates.

In the second episode our heroes race to gather the crew scattered around the Ovion city and ready the Tiger's Claw to break away from spacedock. It isn't easy as the Ovions have several systems in place to disable visiting ships and power them down for boarding. Thankfully the pirates have the location of a vital command center and a swift and decisive strike takes it out and sows confusion among the Ovions allowing for the Tiger's Claw to escape along with many liberated prisoners. The episode ends with the pirates sharing some interesting bits of information about Baltar's fleet...

Trouble is brewing with two competing factions emerging in the ragtag fleet, those who want to stick to Baltar's original plan and exchange the fleet's discoveries for power and riches, and those who want to use them for political and spiritual purposes, Caprican outlaws versus Kilrathi outcasts, traditional pirates versus pirates turned revolutionaries. The Kilrathi empire continues to give signs of internal troubles and that has not gone unnoticed by the Kilrathi in the ratag fleet who have started to see their quest as a signal of the fates and an opportunity to turn their efforts to a greater purpose. So far Baltar has managed to keep his hold on power and play both sides against each other, so far...

And things reach a tipping point as the Tiger's Claw finds itself in the crosshairs of an ambush by Baltar's fleet, the fighting is fierce and the attackers seem to be determined to carry on at all costs. A coded message is beamed at the Tiger's Claw as Baltar's strike force renews it's attack, has he managed to set up some kind of surprise? Is there a traitor aboard? But nothing happens and the pirates are crushed, throwing themselves at the Tiger's Claw as if they were expecting something.

An investigation right after the attack confirms it, there are no traitors aboard, no sabotage or ploys, the message is gibberish. As the survivors of the pirate force are interrogated the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place, they were set up, Baltar had reassured them that a traitor was ready to bring down the Tiger's Claw defences at the right moment and so they pressed their attack until it was too late to escape. The attack was a ploy to delay the Tiger's Claw and rid Baltar of some troublesome opponents.

And it has payed out, the Tiger's Claw managed to beat off the attack but is forced to make a pause to recover and carry out repairs. Meanwhile Baltar's fleet has Kobol in sight and begins to send out transmissions announcing their discovery and a "new dawn" for the Kilrathi, down with the old cruel empire and the bloated priesthood, freedom and a voice for all Kilrathi. Has Baltar turned into a revolutionary? Didn't he set out to sell his discoveries to the empire?

Well, not quite, a detailed analysis by the intelligence department shows that Baltar is losing control of the situation that he created, his ragtag fleet was never a loyal and disciplined bunch and if enough of it wants a revolution and a messianic liberator then that's what they will have and Baltar has to play along, if he can't be a live messiah for them they will move to the next choice, a dead and martyred messiah. In the end Baltar cares first and foremost about his own skin and has a set of morals and convictions for every occasion. He sparked the idea of a quest for Kobol among the outcasts and the downtrodden to get himself a fleet of followers and now he has to ride the tiger or risk being eaten. The situation might become quite complicated as Baltar's plan begins to get out of hand.

Meanwhile, the Kilrathi empire has been quick to react and has dispatched one of its most feared generals, the "Red Prince", with a task force to crush the ragtag fleet and seize Kobol. This gives the Tiger's Claw a golden opportunity to ambush them among the navigational hazards of the wild fringes and deal a severe blow to the Kilrathi, true, the Terran Confederation has no love for Baltar to say the least, but the chance to ambush and destroy vital Kilrathi assets is too good to pass, the prince will be dealt with before Baltar.

And so the next few episodes see the Tiger's Claw fight a series of skirmishes with the prince's fleet, the prince isn't exactly a tactical genius but he and his troops fight ferociously. He ends up being outwitted as a feint draws most of his fighter screen away from the fleet and opens the way for an attack that destroys a carrier and several support ships. Furious and humiliated he makes a bold decision, he will rush to Kobol immediately at the helm of his own red personal carrier, where he will crush Baltar like the insect he is, cow the outlaws into submission and then turn and sweep those pesky Terrans away, onwards!

Soon he reaches Kobol where he begins taunting and challenging Baltar, calling him a selfish coward and daring him to fight or show his followers the fraud that he is. On the other side, Baltar is nervous and rattled, staying alive and atop of the situation on his ragtag fleet has taken a toll on him. Things look tense in Baltar's command chamber as he hesitates for a moment and several Kilrathi shadows start to shift among the foggy atmosphere and the reddish light, will the "liberator" falter and suffer a tragic "accident"?

No, he's had enough of running and looking over his shoulder, he snaps and orders a course towards the prince's ship at full throttle, he has been seen and despised as a despicable outlaw for too long, always having to scheme for his survival, never having a clear moment of glory, never at peace, enough of that, he's going to take that prince's words and shove them down his own throat before beating him so hard that his ancestors will feel the pain down to the seventh generation. He's going to get revenge from him and every other bully and rival who chased him, belittled him and hurt him over the years.

That's quite a surprise for the prince who tries to call on his support ships, alas, the Tiger's Claw has taken advantage of the situation to mount another attack on his fleet and he his very much on his own. Since fleeing from such a low character as Baltar is unthinkable, there is nothing to do but roar and fight. Bravery and ferocity will have to carry the day.

And they're not enough to stop Baltar as his flagship bears down on the prince's carrier, the prince stops his taunts and tries frantically to stop Baltar's charge, but to no avail. Both ships are locked in a collision course trading volley after volley. As the collision looms, in his final moments Baltar simply laughs, free from a lifetime of fear and suspicions at last, before he and the prince are obliterated along with their ships. This signals the end of the prince's fleet, the few elements that haven't been destroyed along with the carrier or by the Tiger's Claw attacks power down surrender.

And back aboard the Tiger's Claw it's time for an assessment, with Baltar dead the ragtag fleet lands or anchors in Kobol's orbit, waiting for news from home. And "home" appears to be in turmoil, as the failure to seize Kobol has led to the fall of the imperial government, the bitterness and the resentment over the Empire's costly wars have boiled over and revolution is in the air.

Whatever the outcome of the revolution and the shape of the new government are, one thing seems certain, it's going to be a while before the Kilrathi have the means and the will to resume their conquests, if ever...