BG-10: War Of The Gods

[KJ]

Hey, who kick started this thread again?

A full year after the DVD hits and BG's most popular episode outside the pilot is still being talked about. Excellent!

I know there was this guy who chased up the deleted footage for the DVD boxset, and worked his ass off in getting everything together for this set. But i wonder why some were found and others were not? Not all deleted footage of TV shows survives over the course of time, but Larson's explantation of the scene being "We once had a shot of him lying in ashes"

Sounds to me like; "it's gone, lost, destroyed, etc" -

Hate to say it but i'm sure we would had an answer by now, if it was still about?! How many Battlestar Galactica fans when to Galacticon2003 and asked about the "Cloven Hooves"? or anything else on the 2 part episode. Actually? how many visitors to the covention last year, had their DVD's at the time and played them at the con. Sure would have been an excellent way to discuss the episode and the deleted scenes.

Some of the things listed on kingfish's "link" about "War Of The Gods" I wish where on the DVD and others i wish were i knew where they belong from, in the novelization.

The morning after the party on the Rising Star, after the alert is sounded and the pilots wearily get up, there is a scene that occurs in the launch bay. Boomer: "I'm sorry, Apollo... Starbuck. I deserve irons for this kind of behavior. I just don't know what happened last night." Apollo: "I think I do." Starbuck: "Don't bother explaining it to me right now. I'm having trouble finding my left eyelid..." Apollo: "Can you fly?" Starbuck: "We'll soon find out, won't we?"

Not long after Boomer disappears, there is a scene where Starbuck, Apollo, and Dr. Wilker are conducting an investigation on the agro ship. Farmer: "It's just like you see... bumper crops... Every tree is producing like nothing I've ever seen." Wilker: "Yes... except one... That one over there..." Farmer: "Oh, yeah... Now that is a little odd. I noticed that just a little while ago." Wilker: "What happened to it?" (The older farmer looks off as the Doctor walks up to the tree where Iblis and Sheba had conferred) Farmer: "I can't tell you... It's a mystery to me... It was as healthy as could be yesterday." Wilker: "Curious... It seems completely dead, and in so short a time." Farmer: "I'll tell you who might now. That miracle worker, Count Iblis, or whatever they call him." Apollo: "What's he got to do with it?" Farmer: "He must have seen that there was something wrong with it... He was standing right there next to it where you're standing now." (Apollo and Starbuck exhange looks) Starbuck: "Did he touch it?" Farmer: "Well, I didn't want to be nosey, him and the girl carrying on and all. But, yes... I think he did pull a leaf off... Sure enough right about there..." (Apollo and Starbuck again exchange looks) Wilker: "Well, that can't have anything to do with this bumper crop of food. I'd like to get back to my lab right away if it's all right, Captain." Apollo: "Let's go..." (If Iblis' touch was enough to kill the tree, then it provides more proof that it was the white lights that caused the crops to grow.)

After Adama gives Tigh a false explanation for Apollo taking the shuttle, Tigh addresses Athena. Tigh: "The shuttle that just launched... Has it communicated its docking instructions with one of the passenger ships?" Athena: "Passenger ships? I don't think I understand. Shuttle Alpha just headed off across the quadrant." Tigh: "Across the quadrant?" Athena: "Is something wrong?" Tigh: "No... What could be wrong..." (Tigh moves off... again a little disoriented, but not confused)

After Count Iblis storms out of Adama's quarters and Adam goes after him, Adama finds the corridor empty. He leans against the bulkhead... heavy in pain. Suddenly from around the corner, Sheba appears. She is almost running when she reaches Adama who appears to be crying. Sheba: "Adama... What is it?" Adama: "We have sold our souls to a demon." Sheba: "What are you talking about?" Adama: "Count Iblis..." Sheba: "The answer to our prayers. Our deliverer." Adama: "Tell that to my son... and Starbuck." Sheba: "Where are they?" Adama: "They have gone to prove Count Iblis for what he is." (Tigh suddenly rounds the corner and is upon them) Tigh: "Commander, are you all right?" Adama: "Did you tell the Count where Starbuck and Apollo went?" Tigh: "I didn't tell him anything about the shuttle. But he knew..." Adama: "Is he still on board?" Tigh: "So far as I know. Nothing else has launched towards the planet where we found his ship." Sheba: "So that's where they've gone? Those fools... All of you. Don't you know what you've done? We gave our word." (She turns and runs off up the corridor.) Tigh: "Sheba..." Adama: "Let her go. She's too blinded by Iblis to listen. Quickly, Tigh. We must find him." Tigh: "I don't think I understand." Adama: "That's because it's almost incomprehensible."


After the white lights appear over Iblis, he says, "There are no rules. No one has dominion over me." Sheba: "I wonder... In all the universe are there not balances... rules... and counter rules... Even for an advanced race, there must be a greater law..."

It puzzles me about the second extended argoship scene. The DVD has the first extended scene with the farmer watching Iblis and Sheba. Is the other one described, part of the novelization? I wouldn't think so, being the first part is in there. Why isn' the discovery of Iblis killing the tree on the DVD?

Same goes for the launch bay scene with Apollo wondering about Starbuck being able to fly at all?

When Starbuck and Apollo look into the wreckage of the ship, this is exactly what they see: A piece of metallic surface, highly scorched but out of which portrudes a foot-like extremity, except that its tip is clearly in the shape of a cloven hoof. (Then they lift the metal and toss it aside) They grimace in horror... Under the wreckage is the figure of a devil... a demon. (This segment was shot but the footage was edited out by the censors due to its possible satanic implications)

May no longer exist -

Is it possible for Universal to edit in the deleted scenes into the episodes to create uncut extended versions of the original series episodes. That, an all new 'Cloven Hoof' footage could be re-created for a special edition extended cut on DVD? (DVD with a new set of extras) Universal can't argue about the sales considering how the boxset is doing, robotech and several anime benefited from longer uncut versions why not for the first time, a live action classic Sci-Fi series!

Food for thought!

As for someone stating before, about the wrecked ship being the Pegasus.

Now, as to the crashed ship. I must admit, when I first watched this episode I also thought it was the Pegasus. But since I have read otherwise on this page, I feel slightly cheated that we can't see the deleated scene. But in some ways, things like that actually play better if you don't see them. Let's our imagination do the work, witch just makes the whole scene more unsettleing!

But to round off, a brilliant episode! And Patrick MacNee gives us a stellar performance.

Man this episode was so cool on that level with it's "redherings" dropped in there about cain and the wreck ship being the same size as a Battlestar!

Rob Field's Maximum Press Battlestar Galactica comics had Count Iblis show Sheba the wrecked ship 20 years later. (To decieve her) And Sheba saw her father, mainly cos Iblis told her to see what your heart lets you know to be true? issue 4 finally showed Galactica fans what they KNEW to be true......'A Cloven Hoof' or what Apollo describes to John as The torso of a Man and the 'Hooves' of a beast!

By the way, do you not think that Iblis and the 'Angels' in this episode are quite simmilar to the Vorlons and the Shadows from Babylon 5?

Larson's says in the Sci-fi Universe magazine June 1995 That he would have used the The Lightship to explore the religious and moral underpinnings fundamental to the series. So with that, i take it we would have seen the 'John' and The Lightship reappear again and again to guide, assist or flat out bug? The colonials from time to time. And John would have been a nice counter balance to Count Iblis? His equal yet opposite. Could have been a different twist in science fiction storytelling, being most evolved superior beings are twisted up, powerhungry or like picking on the weaker mortals (see Star Trek*)

KJ

[kingfish]

Jason, the book was more graphic. After the party, Apollo finds not only are the warriors passed out but that they were having SEX. Apollo sees men and women in various stages of UNDRESS. The scene with Sheba and the Count on the agro ship is also adult. Sheba places her tongue in the Count's mouth as she is kissing him.

[Eric Paddon]

"Is it possible for Universal to edit in the deleted scenes into the episodes to create uncut extended versions of the original series episodes."

The only thing Universal could do is release the "telemovie" editions of the two part episodes that restored deleted scenes when they were syndicated as part of a TV movie package in the early 80s (the other part was messily editing two single part episodes into one with horrid results). The reason they could never go further is because only the scenes used for the telemovie versions have a proper sound mix. The raw outtakes we saw on the DVDs that were never used at any time would have to have their sound completely redone to match the footage used and that wouldn't be a cheap endeavor.

[Senmut]

DAmned Nitwerk idiots!!!!

[jewels]

Originally Posted by Lord Kingjason

Sounds to me like; "it's gone, lost, destroyed, etc" -

Hate to say it but i'm sure we would had an answer by now, if it was still about?! How many Battlestar Galactica fans when to Galacticon2003 and asked about the "Cloven Hooves"? or anything else on the 2 part episode. Actually? how many visitors to the covention last year, had their DVD's at the time and played them at the con. Sure would have been an excellent way to discuss the episode and the deleted scenes.

KJ

KJ, I don't think the "cloven hoof" footage even made it as far as the censors--I remember hearing Anne Lockhart answer a question about it and her answer was along the lines of it (the fake dead whatever it was) looked really awful, more like a sheep. That was supposedly why it wasn't used--it wasn't a believable scene cause of a badly done prop.

jewels

[KJ]

Jason, the book was more graphic. After the party, Apollo finds not only are the warriors passed out but that they were having SEX. Apollo sees men and women in various stages of UNDRESS. The scene with Sheba and the Count on the agro ship is also adult. Sheba places her tongue in the Count's mouth as she is kissing him.

No offence kingfish, but i gotta take that with a "grain of salt". Even though i know several of the episode based novels (most in fact) added things we wouldn't have seen in a show like Galactica despite it budget. i've heard they put sex or implied sex in "Apollo War" novelization as well. The novel is expanded and different from the televised episodes. But i'm taken back by hearing the descriptions of it, is all.

The only thing Universal could do is release the "telemovie" editions of the two part episodes that restored deleted scenes when they were syndicated as part of a TV movie package in the early 80s (the other part was messily editing two single part episodes into one with horrid results). The reason they could never go further is because only the scenes used for the telemovie versions have a proper sound mix. The raw outtakes we saw on the DVDs that were never used at any time would have to have their sound completely redone to match the footage used and that wouldn't be a cheap endeavor.

Hi Eric long time no see! -

Yeah, sounds like we fans could set up our own Trading Post. I've got several Sci-Fi Channel adverts of the first showings of Battlestar Galactica back in November 1995. And several fans might have those rare Telemovie versions of the 2 parters like LL, LPOTG and WOTG's (although i have WOTG telemovie from the U.K. boxset)

Any rare footage we want to view. Could no longer be a problem? VHS tape or VCD/data file burned copies could keep the rare scenes intacted and preserved. knowing our luck with asking studios for offically released things, i expect a resquest of this nature would be take dozens of petitions and a tons of well thoughtout arguements to get things going. nothing stops us fans from being creative though.

DAmned Nitwerk idiots!!!!

I hear ya -

Jewels, I've heard about that. Anne Lockhart has been quoted saying that. Apparently there was also suppose to be some talk about an alternate scene where Sheba did look in to the wrecked ship and saw the Cloven Hoof and might have screamed in horror.

If thats true i can't see where it would fit in between Iblis appearing and confronting them or earlier when Apollo and Starbuck saw the 'Dead Demons' inside the ship and stopped Sheba from entering. It might have occured after Apollo was killed and just before the Shuttle journey leaving the red planet. In any case. But Sheba screaming? Doesn't fit her character, best to leave that part out, that is if such a scene was actually shot all together?

While the "Hooves" may have looked bad, the props for the Dead Demons might have been more scary?! My imagination always plays tricks on me about this episode. Sometimes, i keep thinking to myself, did i or didn't i see what was inside the ship? Other times i thought wasn't there a loud but different noise when both Apollo then later Stabuck shot Iblis with the laser pistols?

Ah just my imagination is all.

Adam Stacey's second season fictional storylines scripts. Has a beautiful ending 3 part story called "A New Threat" or something to that end. "A MUST READ!" It soo... well done it outghta be considered canon should there be a continuation one day. I read it and i think to myself. THIS IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED had Count Iblis demonic allies turned up. It's such a wicked follow up to 'War Of The Gods'. If Larson had planned out what Stacey had done in his fanfic scripts, Galactica would have gone from strength to strength no doubt.

Satyrs indeed!

I've said before maybe Larson used some of the things he planned for Galactica in Buck Rogers? We know the props and models of BG were reused for Buck Rogers In The 25th century. Buck's second season had him being turned into a Satyr. It didn't fit the show somehow, a retooled Battlestar Galactica 'script' idea perhaps?!

More food for thought, but it's just my opinion i could be wrong?

KJ

[kingfish]

Jason those are the exact words from the novelization of War of the Gods from memory. I wish I could get my hooves on a copy. I guess they aren't going to reprint the entire series of I books( Young Warriors looks like the last) .

[KJ]

I wish they would reprint the books. The ones they've done so far aren't hard to find. Most comic conventions, old book shops and markets places have the early Galactica Berkley books in the series. It's the laters one from 7 upwards fans want.

*Sigh* (more frustrations for BG fans eh?)

Got a good link to a review of War Of the Gods.

https://www.firsttvdrama.com/show1/la.../wargods1.php3

And a link to Adam Stacey's kick ass Battlestar Galactica fanfic Second Season scripts. And FF timeline.

https://www.msu.edu/~stacey/Galactica/gal-fanfic.htm

https://www.msu.edu/user/stacey/Galactica/gal-time.htm

KJ

[Eric Paddon]

Adam's stories were one of my early inspirations for realizing the potential that fanfic has to offer to a fanbase starved for a continuation story. Unfortunately, Adam's last story in his incomplete second season was written some five years ago and based on some remarks he made when he resurfaced earlier this year in one of the mailing lists, I don't see him having any plans for resuming them.

[KJ]

We BG fans think alike Eric! I just love the fact he introduced so much. i've only read some of the important storyarcs in his fanfics. But wow, i read the stories he has done and i think to myself THATS HOW LARSON SHOULD have done it.

But seeing as Larson did G80 and Buck Rogers season 2 and yes fans mull over the weird 2nd season outline that cropped up? Nope Larson didn't envision what Adam and many other here did about what really would have happened in season 2. It has been said Larson pretty excellent at selling a fantastic concept for a series, but once thats done he should step well back from it. And just handle the producing duties. I've always said from; McCloud through Qunicy, The Six Million Dollarman, BG, Buck Rogers, The Fall Guy and Knight Rider were Larson's golden years most of what came after that era was he best recognised work (mostly because most of them are so well known), soon died afterwards.

Reading Adam's The New Threat and several others. This is the stuff of "Legend" what every fan more or less dreamed might have happened, it's like most fans think on the same wavelength far as imagination goes. Adam even done some character driven stories rather than actions ones involving dog fighting battles with Cylons. And a TOS Star Trek kinda episode with Apollo on trial for negligence resulting in the deaths of a ship's crewmates?

I've practically downloaded all his stories but have yet to finish reading all he did. His stuff along with other fanfics like "Ending and Beginnings" and "School of Fear" from other places. It is the stuff that makes Galactica fandom all the more enjoyable to be a fan of just like B5, Star Trek and Star Wars etc.

KJ

P.S. Eric didn't you do the story with Colonel Tolan? If it was you. It most certainly a great read. i got it saved somewhere. Got to read it completely as of yet. but you've joined the club of great BG fanfic writers alright. Have you done any more?

[Eric Paddon]

Well I did do a Tolen story that is also a sequel to "The Lost Warrior" if that's the one you mean. That's one of my earlier efforts from about eight or nine years ago. Glad you liked that one!

I've done probably two dozen stories at this point, with the centerpieces being adaptations of the original series episodes, a "Galactica 1980" trilogy of stories that attempts to fix that misbegotten universe, a crossover with the first Planet Of The Apes movie and in conjunction with several other fanfic writers we are doing our own "Second Season" project that is currently in progress with ten stories written so far. The link for where all of my stories and over 300 fanfic stories by a wide diversity of authors can be found is here:

https://www.galacticafanfic.com/bsg-page.html

And within that site for the second season stories:

https://www.galacticafanfic.com/stories/season2.html

Happy reading!

[KJ]

Yep been to that particular link Eric, thanks. Even when browsing through there you get a very strong sense of the uniqueness but similarities all the writers have telling those stories.

Kinda funny, but with the CFF effort i feel what would happen if Fans send Larson their stories showing him fans still care and the Galactica fans have their own vision of a take a "Second season" of BG should have gone. But i guess that move would be considered wrong? Still fans can group together and continue their unrealised dream of what might have happened had the show gone on. Where no stupid network executives telling you the "Plug's" been pulled?

I have my own outline to present, remember my Season by Season outline i did on skiffy? The mere i idea i had sprung up from a post i had over there. i liked the idea since then, but have yet to do it up professionally. I would think at least if i made it good enough to show off. One day i could show it to any of the Galactica cast at conventions.

Yeah a pipe dream. but i've met several at cons so it's ain't that far off a dream is it?

Anyways Eric all the best to you and your writers group doing fanfics of a 2nd season BG scripts. I suupose like Adam's scripts you'll be covering the unresolved things of BG season 1. Count Iblis minions?, The Borellian Nomen who went off with Commandant Leiter 'Maga, Bora and Taba', Cylons, The Ship of Lights, Baltar's fate, Commander Cain and the Pegasus etc. I hope you can up the stakes and blow away everybody with mind bending stuff.



KJ

[Senmut]

Wouldn't hurt if we sent our stuff to Larson. I'm sure it won't kill us, and if it has no effect we're in no worse shape than now.

[Eric Paddon]

"I suupose like Adam's scripts you'll be covering the unresolved things of BG season 1. Count Iblis minions?"

Check. Story #7 "The Derelict" (by yours truly).

It'd be great if Larson or some cast members could get some exposure to what various authors have done, though the real joy is in letting the non-writing fanbase have something to compensate for what we haven't been given on film.

[Senmut]

And writing all this stuff feels good. Given how close our writers have stuck to the feel and texture of the show, I would say that we do understand what the fan base wants!

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

I think Iblis at the time was just interested in destroying the Cylon race, and then he could move on to humanity afterwards. "One race at a time" as it were.

If I were writing a full backstory on how Iblis did this, I would see him as someone who took the form of a living Cylon and gave them the technological breakthrough to develop the centurion robot (perhaps the old Cylon race was in a war where they needed such technology to win, or perhaps even in a civil war with each other and Iblis helped one side), knowing that inevitably the robots would destroy the living Cylons.

Check out the Realm Press story "Dark Genesis" (BSG Tourbook, c. 1999, Realm Press comics). It has the scenario you described fleshed out somewhat nicely.

[Eric Paddon]

There are still some Realm Press stories I need to get up to speed on since I never got all the issues of that comics run, unlike the Marvel and Max Press issues where I have every issue. I'd definitely be interested in seeing that one!

It would have been nice if WOTG had ultimately played up this angle a bit more beyond the Iblis-Baltar conversation, like perhaps something said by the SOL being at the end about Iblis and other things he'd done (like, "he tried to enslave your people just as he once enslaved the original Cylon race").

[KJ]

There are still some Realm Press stories I need to get up to speed on since I never got all the issues of that comics run

Don't think anyone's got the entire run of Realm Press comics Eric. Many were convention exclusives available only in the United States if i remember correctly? while i have several comics of them myself. I don't have all of them. i just hope more turn up at comic conventions when i go looking for some.

It would have been nice if WOTG had ultimately played up this angle a bit more beyond the Iblis-Baltar conversation, like perhaps something said by the SOL being at the end about Iblis and other things he'd done (like, "he tried to enslave your people just as he once enslaved the original Cylon race").


I think Iblis at the time was just interested in destroying the Cylon race, and then he could move on to humanity afterwards. "One race at a time" as it were.

If I were writing a full backstory on how Iblis did this, I would see him as someone who took the form of a living Cylon and gave them the technological breakthrough to develop the centurion robot (perhaps the old Cylon race was in a war where they needed such technology to win, or perhaps even in a civil war with each other and Iblis helped one side), knowing that inevitably the robots would destroy the living Cylons.

Far as playing up the Count Iblis background. I'd also like the possibility of the SOL beings revealing to the colonials other things about Count Iblis like for instance, that he isn't the only fallen 'Angel' i.e. the "Angel"/"Morning Star" that became Satan. In the bible Satan was cast out but also along with 1 third of heaven's angels who also rebelled against god?

Would be interesting if the metaphor could be played up that Iblis along with several other outcast, also are out there fighting amounst each other? Iblis did tell Adama off, when Adama just assumed Iblis only enemies might be the Cylons in the universe! (Iblis could have meant alot of things with that line?) The SOL beings, telling the Colonial Warriors to beware in their travels of others like Iblis would be a great forshadow of other powerful renegades just like Iblis who were once like them but are corrupt and dangerous. Iblis has other enemies in the universe besides the SOL beings? His other brothers and sisters out there who also rebelled for example? Siblings do fight each other don't they?

I'm trying to work some of that into my season by season script BG continuation outline (a work in progress!)

Anyway, just my two cents!

Later

KJ

[KJ]

Apollo fell to the ground in a heap after his two guards tossed him into the holding cell. The cage door slammed shut and they left him inside the dark chamber. A groan erupted in the far corner and Apollo cautiously made his way to inspect the noise. A form lay slumped on the ground breathing uneasily.

"Bojay!"

"Apollo?" replied the warrior weakly "We thought you were dead." "No," Bojay coughed spasmodically. "Just captured. Unfortunately." Apollo examined his body for any signs of wounds but could find none. "I don't see anything cuts or broken bones. Where are you hurting?" Bojay raised his right hand and brought two fingers to touch his temple. "In here." Apollo stared in shock but Bojay simply smiled back. "They're methods of interrogation are not as physically brutal but equally damaging.

They possess powers of the mind, Apollo. Amazing powers. Able to extract any thought from your mind or inflict any form of pain they can imagine." "Why?" said Apollo in shock. "They needed a specimen to examine. To be sure of what they believed." "What did they need to be sure about?"

"That we were human. That's all." "We were human," repeated Apollo. A memory flashed into his mind. A scene from his past on an alien world stained red in the blood of evil. Starbuck, Sheba and himself were standing on a rock outcropping looking down on the wreckage of a downed starship. Apollo remembered thinking to himself that whatever hit the planet must have been as big as a battlestar. The Satyr warship's bulk was greater than the Galactica's. A new memory flashed into his mind, of seeing a man in white robes standing above them as they surveyed the impact crater. "I don't want to be reminded of what happened to my people," said the Count. His people, thought Apollo. Another memory burst into his mind's eye and he remembered their last encounter on another alien world where Adama, Sheba and himself had been tested by the Lord of Evil. "I have other minions," echoed Iblis' voice.

"Followers who will do my bidding. They are powerful and they are numerous." Then a hazy memory finally clarified in his mind. An incident shortly before his death. The trauma to his system had always clouded the events on the planet's surface shortly before Iblis' attack but for once he could remember without difficulty.

A door forced open and the contents of an alien vessel revealed. A passenger. A crewman whose body had survived the terrible collision with the planet's surface. A twisted, ugly form with black, coarse hair and two knobby horns jutting out of the head. But what Apollo remembered most of all was the foot. Not the foot of a man or any other being he had encountered but the cloven hoof of a satyr. "Bojay," said Apollo as he emerged from his thoughts. "I think we're in a lot of trouble.

"Bojay laughed until the pain forced him to stop. "You're just now realizing that?" "This is more than just you or I, Bojay. Our entire Fleet is in danger. We've stumbled across something greater than a first contact. We're now embroiled in a war between good and evil. "Bojay knew Apollo was a serious character but his prophecy of doom was intimidating him. "Lighten up, Apollo. Your father will get out of this mess." "I'm not so sure this time. Before I came here, I intercepted a transmission from the Fleet. They were under Cylon attack."

"Cylons! Great and I thought we had enough problems to deal with. First, we're
out of fuel. Second, we're practically starving. Third, we have a new enemy that you contend represents some dark, evil force in the universe. Those tin cans have the worst sense of timing." "Well, that's beyond our control. For now we have to find a way out of here. Tell me about your interrogation. Anything you can remember." "I'd rather not." Bojay put a hand to his head and tried to ease the ache. "But if you insist. . ."

Beautiful passage from Adam Stacey's A New Threat Part 2 story.

Nice reminder of how Battlestar Galactica is continued better from the fans active and rather passionate imagination's.

KJ

[peter noble]

War of the Gods



Original Airdate Part 1: January 14, 1979

Writer: Glen A. Larson.

Director: Dan Haller.



Guest Cast: Patrick Macnee (Count Iblis), Kirk Alyn (Old Man), Bruce Wright (Guard), Paul Coufos (Pilot), John Williams (Statesman).



A Viper patrol vanishes after encountering a mysterious Light Ship. Apollo, Starbuck and Sheba are sent out to investigate and discover the wreckage of a vessel on a nearby planet. There, they meet Count Iblis, an elusive stranger, who returns with them to the Galactica. Iblis quickly rises to prominence by performing powerful miracles, such as delivering Baltar to the Council of Twelve for justice. Adama questions his motives as Iblis comes closer to gaining control of the fleet.



In retrospect, the most unique aspect of War of the Gods was that it was every broadcast at all. "I think I started to lose the network executives," Larson recalls. "I don't think they knew what to make of the series at that point. They had been trying to overlay all of these basic soap opera principles on us but at that point we were writing faster than they could keep up with us. They didn’t know what to do with us at that point and I think some of them had written us off."
Lockhart recalls one humorous incident between her and Patrick McNee during filming. Iblis, in an effort to comfort Sheba, leans forward and says, “Oh Sheba, nothing can harm you as long as I am inside you. I would just lose it every time he said this to me,” laughs Lockhart. “We got a bad case of the giggles.”



After repeated attempts to get the scene, the actors called Larson to the set. “I said to Glen you can’t have this man say this to me,” says Lockhart, “and Glen said there was nothing naughty about it. It’s just the intent of Iblis taking your spirit and he’s possessing you and all this stuff. Glen insisted on it and we finally pulled ourselves together and actually shot him saying the line, my reaction and the kiss. They edited the show and sent it to ABC and Standards and Practices cut it.”

[peter noble]

Original Airdate Part 2: January 21, 1979



Writer: Glen A. Larson.

Director: Dan Haller.



Guest Cast: Patrick Macnee (Count Iblis), Kirk Alyn (Old Man), Bruce Wright (Guard), Paul Coufos (Pilot), John Williams (Statesman).



Fans of the series have long questioned a mystery raised in the episode’s finale. Returning to the planet to investigate Iblis’ ship, Apollo, Starbuck and Sheba make a shocking discovery in the wreckage. That discovery, however, was never revealed on screen. "What you were going to see there was a cloven hoof," says story editor Jim Carlson, "but the network wouldn't allow that. We were going to have a very stylized boot so it would look like some unearthly being."



“It was horrible,” recalls Lockhart. “It was supposed to be something malevolent and deadly looking when I go in there. Apparently it was on short notice and this was the best they could come up with to suggest this Mephistopheles character – but they couldn’t show anything so they had to cover it. It looked like a dead sheep under a blanket with its feet sticking out. It was about the most unthreatening thing you have ever seen. It was far more effective to not ever show what we saw because for 25 years people have been asking about it.”


She laughs, “I guess I am a better actress than I thought because what I was reacting to was a furniture pad with four phoney feet sticking out of it.”

[skippercollecto]

1. Has it ever been determined who played the fourth triad player (the guy with the mustache)? Who was the sports announcer? Who played the angels? They are all uncredited.
2. Iblis allows the Council of 12 to ask for three requests. You hear the first two--Baltar's surrender, and the coordinates to Earth. The third is never mentioned. I am wondering if the writers simply didn't know what to come up with, and so never created one.
3. When Galactica first aired in 1978 and 1979, there was a two and a half month gap between the first episode of Living Legend and the last episode of War of the Gods, because of the holidays and reruns. In those five episodes, Anne Lockhart was originally listed as a guest star. She wasn't added to the opening credits until Man with Nine Lives. There was no discussion anywhere about her being added to the series (the Internet didn't exist yet, and there were no fan clubs), so I didn't know her status. I have always thought she was supposed to die at the end of War of the Gods. It looked to me like the script was rewritten during November and December 1978 after the producers discovered that the public liked her character. What do you think?
4. In a deleted scene on the DVD, Starbuck and Boomer are getting ready to play triad. Look at the two players in the background--one of them looks like Ortega!
5. The music in this episode is not repeated anywhere else, especially the scene with the Ship of Lights. The music for those scenes is reminiscent of Carmina Burana. What is Carmina Burana, you ask? It was a poem written in Latin hundreds of years ago about fate and death. It was set to music in the 1930s by Carl Orff, and in the past 15 years has become a popular choral piece. It is used as trailer music for every upcoming horror movie anymore. Yet the music would not have been well-known in the 1970s, so it wouldn't have been obvious then. I don't have a way to upload music. Perhaps one of you can upload the Ship of Lights theme and the brief segment of Carmina Burana that sounds almost identical.

Mary

[KJ]

2. Iblis allows the Council of 12 to ask for three requests. You hear the first two--Baltar's surrender, and the coordinates to Earth. The third is never mentioned. I am wondering if the writers simply didn't know what to come up with, and so never created one.

Great writing talent often don't fill in all the blanks? After all many things are designed to be open ended.

Like the brief case in Pulp Fiction? was with the gold tint etc. just cos you see gold tint doesn't mean the case was full of gold bars. Best thing about the 3 requests for Iblis was that, Adama and the Council were stalling etc, no matter was thought up the 3 had to be VERY important. Even so, we know that Iblis wasn't really performing miracles just taking advantage of his brothers (light orbs) presence nearby helping the colonials inadvertly (i.e. the food sources on the agroships.)

Fans could guess up all kinds of 3 requests to foil Iblis in that episode. but knowing what his character turned out to be (Satan) what kind of 3 request would outdo Iblis? Maybe thats the whole point, hoping you don't get to 3? Iblis warned Adama what happens when a mortal breaks a bargain with him but reveals his identity even further by saying that.

While it's good to wonder "what if". Imagine all the failures had they went ahead?

Count Iblis your 'third' request is...."Destroy the Cylons for us?"

No problem being he created them technically? [converts the humans to enslaved demons?]

Locate the 13th Tribe?

He's a demon (Satan at that) Iblis would screw the colonials over by sending them to see some desendants of the 13th tribe but just not at Earth? (maybe ones that left the group before finding Earth?) [then converts human to demons]

Locate the Pegasus Guess Sheba cuts in and demanded the return of the Pegasus! Iblis has an agenda, no matter what you'd ask for in the end he wants souls, souls of the colonials. Iblis could have located the real Pegasus and then converted the fleet to demons cos they chose to follow him, doesn't make a lick of a difference. Don't make deals with devils and don't get screwed over with.

The writers were so good on these episodes, i'm glad there are so many ways to look back and take it apart and see how juicy the story was after all these years.

The subtly of the writting was good enough to allow people/fans to ask unending questions as to how this and that would have come about. And all the great, what if scenarios.

KJ

[TopGun]

I liked these episodes

The scene where Starbuck shoots Iblis and you see his true form kinda reminds me of Monkey

[Eric Paddon]

For a number of years we've been trying to figure out the various mysteries of who were the actors who provided voices for certain characters. Since determining that Murray Matheson provided the voice of Spektor in "The Young Lords" the only remaining mystery has been who did the voice of the lead SOL being in both this episode and "Experiment In Terra."

I think the mystery has finally been solved. While recently watching for the first time "Buck Rogers" on DVD, I could have sworn the voice of "Dr. Theophilus" was the same voice as that of the lead SOL being. Doing an imdb search I discover that Dr. Theophilius was voiced by an actor named Eric Server, who by a remarkable coincidence appears in Galactica on camera as "Dipper" in "The Magnificent Warrirors" (as Barry Nelson's lead henchman).

[peter noble]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

For a number of years we've been trying to figure out the various mysteries of who were the actors who provided voices for certain characters. Since determining that Murray Matheson provided the voice of Spektor in "The Young Lords" the only remaining mystery has been who did the voice of the lead SOL being in both this episode and "Experiment In Terra."

I think the mystery has finally been solved. While recently watching for the first time "Buck Rogers" on DVD, I could have sworn the voice of "Dr. Theophilus" was the same voice as that of the lead SOL being. Doing an imdb search I discover that Dr. Theophilius was voiced by an actor named Eric Server, who by a remarkable coincidence appears in Galactica on camera as "Dipper" in "The Magnificent Warrirors" (as Barry Nelson's lead henchman).

Wow, that's just hit me. I can hear the voices in my head. By Jove, I think you've got it!

Peter

[Eric Paddon]

Glad I wasn't alone! This drove me nuts for years because unlike Spektor, where I could finally recognize Matheson's voice after awhile given the frequency I see him in other TV episodes over the years, the SOL voice never struck any familiarity from someplace else until I watched Buck for the first time (yep, I actually went 25 years without ever watching an episode!).

[Senmut]

You didn't miss alot. As to Matheson's voice, I will confess I recognized him at once, from his role on Banacek.

[TopGun]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before, apologies if it has.

Iblis is supposed to be the Devil right, and his voice was put into the Cylon Emperor. And then theres the cylon called Lucifer, which is one of the many names of the Devil.

[Charybdis]

As for Anne Lockhart joining the show. Anne has always said that she was a friend of Glen's and he created the part just for her to join the show. Only, they didn't want to tell everyone right off that she was joining the show as one of the main actors, so they didn't tell anyone and just had her "guest starrring" at first. Once she did well on the show and her character was established, she joined the show officially. It had nothing to do with the audience...