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The race is on to Dakara. Carter and her father join Teal’c and Bra’tac, where they make a shaky start on deciphering the writing on the temple that the Jaffa freedom fighters have taken over. Anubis has sent Baal and his fleet to retake the temple and end the Jaffa rebellion. And using the knowledge that the clone Carter has ripped from Daniel’s mind, the Replicators are converging on Dakara to destroy an Ancient weapon which could seal their doom. When Carter and her father manage to awaken the Ancient technology, they set about try to figure out how to make it do precisely that.

Replicators open the stargate at the SGC and quickly overrun the gate room. O’Neill seals the mountain and orders all hands to evacuate, and begins preparations to reduce Cheyenne Mountain to a smoking hole in the ground rather than allowing the Replicators to seize it. Over Dakara, three fleets engage in a pitched battle - the Jaffa rebel fleet, Baal’s forces, and Replicator-controlled Goa’uld ships. Carter manages to strike a brief truce with Baal, assuring him that the Jaffa and Goa’uld forces should join up to hold the Replicators away from Dakara. Just after a huge Replicator lander takes up a position just outside the Temple of Dakara, all of the Replicators across the galaxy freeze up: Daniel has managed to to turn his interrogation against his captors, turning the tide of battle even though it will cost him his life.

written by Damian Kindler
excerpt written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Peter DeLuise
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Carmen Argenziano (Jacob Carter / Selmak), Tony Amendola (Bra’tac), Cliff Simon (Baal), Erik Breker (Colonel Reynolds), Gary Jones (Chief Sgt. Walter Harriman), Isaac Hayes (Tolok), Jeff Judge (Aron), Dan Shea (Sgt. Siler), Emy Aneke (Baal’s Jaffa)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

McKay concocts a plan to send a message through the stargate back to Earth, warning them of the Wraith approach to Atlantis and relaying all that the team has found in the city to date - all in 1.3 seconds, thanks to data compression. Despite Major Sheppard’s objections, Dr. Weir gives McKay’s plan the go-ahead. While he continues his plans, Weir sends Sheppard and Teyla to warn Teyla’s people about the coming of the Wraith. Teyla promises to save some refugees from a predetermined meeting point in the event of a Wraith attack, again despite Sheppard’s objections. After the warning is delivered, the Wraith arrive, harvesting defenseless people by the hundreds. Teyla and Sheppard have to leave their ship cloaked on the surface to avoid detection, as the Wraith have the stargate occupied. Trapped, unable to offer assistance without giving away their own presence, they bear witness to the slaughter of hundreds. And on Atlantis, it becomes apparent that there may be enough time left from McKay’s highly-compressed message to send brief personal video messages home from each of the crew.

written by Carl Binder
directed by Mario Azzopardi
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Amanda Tapping (Colonel Samantha Carter), Terence Kelly (Orin), Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Ben Cotton (Kavanagh), Gary Jones (Technician)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Baltar announces that his Cylon detector is functional, and President Roslin and Commander Adama discuss who should be the first to submit to testing. They both agree that those in sensitive positions should be first, but Roslin - after the Cylon clone interrogated by Starbuck planted the seed of suspicion - is keen to test Adama first. Roslin’s chief of staff, who has been flirting with Galactica bridge officer Dualla for weeks, gets Dualla to admit that Adama has recently made several untraceable calls. And when a single Cylon ship appears near Galactica, attacking and evading erratically, Adama isn’t on the bridge - in fact, he isn’t on the ship at all, having taken a Raptor to another Colonial ship without filing a flight plan. Adama returns during the attack, with a passenger aboard - Ellen Tigh, Colonel Tigh’s wife, who was assumed dead in the attack on Caprica. But the story of how she survived raises suspicions that she, too, may be a Cylon - and for once, Adama hopes that’s the case.

written by Jeff Vlaming
directed by Edward James Olmos
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Matthew Bennett (Doral), Alex Green (Deckhand)

Original UK Airdate: December 12, 2004

Original title: Secrets And Lies

LogBook entry by Earl Green

In the wake of the successful Jaffa revolution and the final destruction of the Replicators, Teal’c and Bra’tac are honored as heroes, but the Jaffa retain control of the Ancients’ weapon on Dakara. Teal’c and Bra’tac reluctantly contemplate their future as leaders of a new Jaffa government even as the rebel Jaffa fleet sets off to pursue Anubis’ forces. Daniel finds himself in a limbo that curiously resembles a diner, and Oma is there too, though she isn’t exactly forthcoming with any details of whether Daniel is closer to life or death. The only other person in the diner who will pay Daniel any heed is a garrolous patron who seems to be almost too eager to tell Daniel what’s happening - particularly with regard to a ruse that Anubis has used to lure the Jaffa into a trap. And at the SGC, Carter’s father reveals that his symbiont’s imminent death will mean his own - and urges Carter to seek out happiness before she, too, is facing down her own mortality.

written by Robert C. Cooper
excerpts written by Damian Kindler
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Isaac Hayes (Tolok), Mel Harris (Oma Desala), George Dzundza (Jim), Carmen Argenziano (Jacob Carter), Tony Amendola (Bra’tac), David DeLuise (Pete Shanahan), Clare Carey (Kerry Johnson), Gary Jones (Chief Sgt. Walter Harriman), Cliff Simon (Baal), Rik Kiviaho (Anubis)

Notes: Two versions of this episode exist, the 90-minute version originally broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel, and a one-hour version prepared for syndicated broadcast; the first copies of the Season 8 DVD boxed set mistakenly included the syndicated version rather than the full original episode.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Teyla awakens from a terrifying dream about a Wraith infiltrating Atlantis and killing Sheppard. The rest of the Atlantis team is still trying to find a defense against the approaching Wraith hive ships before they arrive, and a new control chair is found that could allow the crew to protect the city more effectively. Teyla uncovers another possible avenue, however - the discovery of a Wraith log device reveals that some of Teyla’s people, including Teyla herself, have a small amount of Wraith DNA. Those with this rare “gift” can sometimes hear voices, and Beckett theorizes that perhaps the ability includes a fleeting telepathic link with the Wraith. Teyla agrees to be subjected to an experiment to see if she can tap into the Wraith - but if the link goes both ways, she may become a deadly liability.

story by Robert C. Cooper & Martin Gero
teleplay by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Peter DeLuise
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Claire Rankin (Dr. Heightmeyer), Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Ben Cotton (Dr. Kavanagh), Dean Marshall (Sgt. Bates), Brenda McDonald (Charik), James Lafazanos (Wraith), Chuck Campbell (Technician), Daniel Doileau (Victim)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

A crtical shortage of tylium ore, needed to fuel every ship in the Colonial fleet, could end humanity’s flight from the Cylons prematurely. A mission to find planets or asteroids rich in tylium finds a very promising candidate - but it’s an asteroid that’s crawling with Cylons, complete with a well-defended base. For lack of any better options that wouldn’t leave the fleet in more dire danger of exhausting its fuel, Commander Adama decides that the time has come for an all-or-nothing strike on the Cylon base. It’s not a risk-free plan, and it won’t come without casualties, but when the plan of attack begins to unravel it falls to Apollo to risk everything to complete the mission - by himself if necessary, and regardless of the risk.

written by David Weddle and Bradley Thompson
directed by Jeff Woolnough
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Lorena Gale (Priest Elosha), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Cailin Stadnyk (Ensign Davis), Bodie Olmos (Costanza / Hot Dog), Luciana Carro (Katraine), Terry Chen (Perry / Chuckles), Christina Schild (Playa Kohn), Biski Gugushe (Hamilton), Paul Cummings (Pilot / Fireball), Camille Sullivan (Pilot / Stepchild)

Notes: The original Battlestar Galactica series’ first (and, arguably, only) season ended with an episode titled The Hand Of God, which also involved a risky attack on a Cylon base, though in a far different context than what is seen in this story.

Original UK Airdate: January 3, 2005

LogBook entry by Earl Green

An English teacher named Daniel Jackson - fallen from favor in his career as a linguist and archaeologist - is summoned to a top-secret facility at Cheyenne Mountain, as is a junior government aeronautics employee named Samantha Carter. Once they sign confidentiality agreements, a man named General Hammond finally reveals why they’ve been brought there: an archaeological expedition in Egypt made an unusual discovery - an intact camcorder containing an intact tape. The tape shows Jackson and Carter, but radically different from the sheltered, routine lives they live now. On the videotape, Daniel Jackson claims to be a member of an elite team called SG-1 which travels through a device called the stargate; he also says that a timeship carried them into Earth’s past on a risky mission recover an alien artifact called a zero point module. Also on the tape is Jack O’Neill, a retired Air Force general, and a hulking humanoid alien named Teal’c. Apparently, the taped message was left in the event that the mission failed, resulting in radical changes to the timeline. The expedition also uncovered the time travel vehicle mentioned in the tape, which O’Neill supposedly has a unique ability to control. With no experience, and highly skeptical of what they’ve been told, it’s now up to this unlikely handful of adventurers to restore what may - or may not be - Earth’s real history.

teleplay by Jospeh Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
story by Jospeh Mallozzi & Paul Mullie & Brad Wright & Robert C. Cooper
directed by Peter Deluise
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: David Hewlett (Rodney McKay), Don S. Davis (General Hammond), Robert Wisden (Major Samuels), Colin Cunningham (Major Davis), David Lewis (Cameron Balinsky), James Purcell (Dr. Hersfield), Alessandro Juliani (Katep), Georgia Craig (Sabrina), Jay Williams (Ra), Benjamin Easterday (Ra’s Jaffa Commander), Neil Schell (Mr. Crandall)

Notes: Though he has appeared in Stargate SG-1 before, this was guest star Alessandro Juliani’s first appearance in the series since becoming a regular on Sci-Fi Channel’s new version of Battlestar Galactica.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The three Wraith hive ships detected on a direct course for Atlantis will meet only one obstacle before they reach the planet - a defense satellite built by the Ancients as Atlantis’ last line of defense. The good news is that the satellite is still intact, but the bad news is that its systems are completely dormant - and Dr. McKay is given mere hours to solve that problem. Meanwhile, Sheppard still holds Teyla in suspicion, worried that any preparations in her presence could be providing the Wraith with intelligence via her recently discovered telepathic connection to them, and Sheppard isn’t the only one who suspects her. Dr. Weir is equally worried that the Wraith intend to invade Earth’s galaxy via the stargate, and orders her team to look for an alpha site to which the crew can be evacuated so the city can be destroyed as a last defense. But it’s impossible to keep the Wraith out of Atlantis…because they’re already there.

written by Martin Gero
directed by Martin Wood
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Craig Veroni (Dr. Grodin), Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), Christopher Heyerdahl (Halling), Dean Marshall (Sgt. Bates), James Lafaznos (Wraith), Rob Avery (Miller), Craig Fraser (S.O.), Chuck Campbell (Technician)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Representatives from all twelve human colonies gather aboard the Cloud Nine to attempt to piece together a new, workable government for the surviving human race. Baltar winds up representing Caprica, and finds himself relieved to get out of the lab aboard Galactica. But Tom Zarek is also in attendance, and he has an agenda of his own, couched in a reasonable proposal to establish a clear line of succession by appointing a Vice President to take over should anything happen to President Roslin. Roslin’s aides, and Apollo, fear that the President’s days could be numbered even more than they already are if Zarek wins the vice presidency. Roslin appoints her own candidate, and a vote is to be held among the twelve colonies’ representatives. But Apollo and Starbuck find that Zarek, despite an attempt to create a new respectable image for himself, isn’t above using dirty - or deadly - tricks to secure his position of power. Determined to choose a successor she can trust, the President decides to engage in some political manipulation of her own, withdrawing her original choice and nominating Baltar for the job.

written by Carla Robinson
directed by Jonas Pate
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Robert Wisden (Wallace Gray), David Kaye (McManus), Alex Zahara (Valance), Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Cailin Stadnyk (Ensign Davis), Christina Schild (Playa Kohn), Biski Gugushe (Hamilton), James Ashcroft (Spectator #1), Patricia Idlette (Sarah Porter), Mario Battista (Gardner)

Notes: This episode’s cast was heavy with veterans of another SF series shot in Vancouver, Jeremiah; Robert Wisden played Jeremiah’s father (as well as frequently recurring as Lt. Col. Samuels on Stargate SG-1, also shot in Vancouver), while Alex Zahara played Jeremiah’s adopted brother and series regular Kandyse McClure was the ill-fated love interest of Kurdy (Malcolm Jamal-Warner). The design of the domed Cloud Nine vessel was another throwback to a model from the original series, a model which itself had previously served - in a slightly different form - as the main setting of the 70s cult SF film Silent Running.

Original UK Airdate: January 10, 2005

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Clone troopers lead a rescue mission to Hypori, where only Ki-Adi-Mundi still stands against General Grievous. The reinforcements’ heavy firepower turns the tide of the battle, but despite Ki’s urgings, they are unable to pursue Grievous - the wounded need medical care too badly. Yoda has a vision of Qui-Gon Jinn and a boy Anakin preparing to face a psychological trial. Anakin and Padme continue to hide their marriage, much to Anakin’s frustration. Months later, the war continues, and the Council faces a shortage of Knights to lead the battles. Obi-Wan suggests that Anakin be knighted despite not having faced the formal Jedi trials, arguing that the events of the war have tested him enough. Mace Windu has reservations, but eventually Obi-Wan’s suggestion is accepted. Anakin Skywalker becomes a Jedi Knight.

Volume 2 Cast: Mat Lucas (Anakin Skywalker), James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi/Agen Kolar/Turnstile Computer/Techno Union Scientist #2/Mutated Warrior #1), Tom Kane (Yoda), Grey DeLisle (Padme Amidala/Shaak Ti/Stass Allie/Nevanian Boy/Nelvaanian Woman/ Nelvaanian Child), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), T. C. Carson (Mace Windu/Saesee Tinn/Alien General), Andre Sogliuzzo (ARC Trooper/ARC Captain/Battle Droid/Clone Commander Cody/Clone Trooper/Captain Typho/Clone Pilot/Captain Fordo), Daran Norris (Ki-Adi-Mundi/Even Piell), Richard McGonagle (General Grievous/Kit Fisto/Nelvaanian Shaman/Nelvaanian Warrior), Frankie Ryan Manriquez (Young Anakin Skywalker), Fred Tatasciore (Qui-Gon Jinn/Oppo Rancisis), Corey Burton (Count Dooku), Nick Jameson (Supreme Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious/Main Techno Union Scientist)

story by Bryan Andrew, Darrick Bachman, Paul Rudish and Genndy Tartakovsky
directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
original music by John Williams
new music by James L. Venable and Paul Dinletir

Note: The episodes in Volume 2 of Clone Wars were roughly 12 minutes in length.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer