Survivors: 47,958

Air Date: January 21, 2005

President Roslin sends an envoy to ask the prisoners on board the Astral Queen to work mining water from a planet. Imprisoned terrorist Tom Zarek takes the envoy -- including Apollo, Dee, Billy, and Cally -- hostage, and demands Roslin's resignation.

The fleet has found a source of water, but who will take on the difficult and dangerous job of mining it from the icy planet? Commander Adama and President Roslin send Lee to the Astral Queen, a prisoner transport ship, with an offer for its inmates: Volunteer for this mission and earn "freedom points."

The prisoners not only reject the offer but stage a uprising and hold Lee and his crew hostage. Their leader is Tom Zarek, a freedom fighter convicted of terrorism 20 years earlier. Zarek demands that Roslin step down as president and call for immediate elections to choose a new leader.

While Adama and Roslin organize an assault on the ship, Lee, who read Zarek's radical manifesto while at college, negotiates with his captor. Back on the Galactica, Adama pressures Baltar to develop a device that can distinguish Cylons from humans.

Many light-years away on Caprica, Sharon and Helo struggle to evade the Cylons, unaware that they are being observed by Doral and Number Six.

Additional Notes

- The title of this episode, "Bastille Day" refers to the storming of a Paris prison which started the French Revolution in 1789.
- The Astral Queen is a direct reference to the Star Trek original series episode The Conscience of the King, which featured a ship of the same name. The ship even resembles a Federation starship quite a bit.
- The ship's doctor is named Major Cottle.
- Richard Hatch, who plays Tom Zarek, played Apollo in BSG 1978. Richard Hatch was a vocal opponent of a BSG remake, but ultimately decided to bury the hatchet and rose to the occasion to play this fascinating character. And indeed, Richard Hatch nearly steals the show with one of the best performances of the episode. He and Jamie Bamber were excellent together.
- Tom Zarek is from Sagittaron. According to Billy, Sagittaron was a colony that was exploited by the other 11 for centuries.
- President Adar offered Tom Zarek a full pardon if Zarek would apologize and promise to give up violence as a means of political change. Zarek refused Adar's offer.
- President Adar's term is over in seven months.
- Starbuck is an expert sharpshooter. "The best shot in or out of the cockpit."
- The Galactica has five nuclear warheads aboard, one of which is given to Baltar in this episode.
- This episode establishes that the Lords of Kobol are based on the Olympian gods of Greek mythology.
- Cally was originally supposed to be raped and killed in this episode, but the writers decided against it because they were impressed by the actress' performance.
- This episode features Boxey's final appearance in the show.
- According to the DVD commentary for this episode, RDM derived many of the names of the characters from an "ancient names internet site."
- According to the DVD commentary, they wasted a great deal of money on this episode due to the special effects necessary to flesh out the internal set of the Astral Queen.