In the 11th episode ofBattlestar Galactica’s reimagined first season, “Colonial Day,” the character Valance, portrayed by Alex Zahara, emerges as a mysterious figure in the space opera’s narrative. His questionable death remains a topic of intrigue, leaving audiences with unresolved questions.
Valance, an assassin possibly linked to Tom Zarek, adds complexity to the storyline due to his expertise in evading security measures, such as sneaking a ceramic gun past X-ray scanners. The focus of his mission appears to be President Laura Roslin. Valance’s briefcase contains marked events she is set to attend, designed with a concealed compartment for the weapon, impervious to X-rays.
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The story takes a twist when Valance’s briefcase is knocked over during a barroom brawl, exposing the hidden gun. Shortly after, Captain Lee Adama andLieutenant Kara Thrace interrogatehim using unconventional methods, yielding little progress. Unexpectedly, Valance meets his demise while imprisoned aboard the Cloud Nine. There, he is killed by an unidentified intruder who seemingly accessed his location through the air duct. The circumstances of his death remain enigmatic, reflecting the show’s broader themes of uncertainty and intrigue.
Murder Mystery on Cloud Nine
In “Colonial Day,” President Roslinreinstates the Quorum of Twelve, a representative body in the Colonial government. Zarek, who had demanded Roslin’s resignation, becomes a candidate for Vice President. Concerned about a potential assassination attempt, Roslin first nominates Wallace Gray, but later replaces him with Dr. Gaius Baltar due to Gray’s lack of appeal.
Dr. Baltar is informed of his role as Caprica’s delegate for the Quorum of Twelve during a visit by Lt. Thrace. He is also assigned a security detail for a trip to Cloud Nine. On the ship, Thrace and Captain Adama inspect the garden and tighten security due to the event’s size and thepossibility of a Cylon infiltrator.
As guests arrive at Cloud Nine, Col. Saul Tigh and his wife Ellen greet them. With Zarek among the attendees, his interactions are closely monitored by the press. Shaking his hand carries implications of endorsing his past actions, making the situation politically charged.
Meanwhile, Apollo and Lt. Thrace apprehend Valance after his gun, equipped with a silencer, falls to the floor. Despite their interrogation, Valance remains tight-lipped. Apollo suspects Zarek’s involvement and a potential plot to assassinate Roslin if he secures the Vice Presidency. In response, Roslin instructs Apollo to gather intelligence on Zarek.
To unsettle Zarek, Apollo reveals Valance’s arrest. Zarekapproaches Ellen Tigh, flattering her and claiming Valance as a friend. Later, Valance is found dead in his cell, wrists slashed with broken glass. The circumstances of his demise raise uncertainty about whether it was suicide, or a murder concealed as such.
Unmasking the Culprit
During the festivities on Cloud Nine in that episode, main characters such as Lt. Thrace, Apollo, President Roslin, Baltar, Adama, Saul, and Ellen, are observed dancing together. During their dance, Ellen reveals to Saul that she has secured a luxurious day for both of them aboard the Rising Star. Her exchanged glances with Zarek, lingering in the distance, carry a weight of implication.
Could this luxury be the currency for a debt paid — a reward for information? Signs suggest that Ellen could have traded knowledge about Valance’s confinement, whichculminated in his unfortunate demise. Zarek’s cryptic reference to his “friend” Valance earlier in the narrative takes on new significance, potentially linking Ellen’s involvement in the unfolding events.
When Roslin corners him, Zarek disavows any connection to Valance’s untimely end. However, given his history of manipulations and half-truths, his words are hollow. While the show refrains from spelling out the truth, the collective intuition of the viewers, solidified by a consensus among fans, insinuates Zarek’s role as the orchestrator of the assassin’s death.
OnReddit communities forBattlestar Galacticaenthusiasts, a myriad of theories has sprung forth. Among these speculations, one perceptive user has pieced together a tantalizing narrative thread involving Ellen,adding an intriguing layerto the enigma. According to this conjecture, Ellen’s involvement in Valance’s demise is a distinct possibility. The theory ventures into two intriguing avenues: the notion that she might have taken direct action or secretly provided the means for Valance to orchestrate his own death.
This interpretation casts Ellen as a shadowy puppeteer, maneuvering behind the scenes to shape the course of events. In one scenario, she becomes the architect of a calculated act, orchestrating the unraveling of Valance’s life. Alternatively, she could be the silent enabler, providing Valance with the tools he needed to engineer his own demise, without dirtying her hands.
As the world ofBattlestar Galacticaspins itsintricate web of intrigue, the treasure trove of fan theories offers a testament to the show’s enduring allure. Each hypothesis, like a piece of a puzzle, adds another layer of complexity to a multifaceted narrative. While the truth may remain elusive, the creativity of these fan interpretations further cements the series as a true masterclass in storytelling.
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