Summary

• The Adama Maneuver in Battlestar Galactica season 3 is a standout moment in TV sci-fi history.
• The maneuver involves Adama's risky tactic that saves the day but damages the Galactica.
• The scene balances intense action with humor, making it a perfect sci-fi moment.

Battlestar Galactica changed what was expected of sci-fi on TV. For all the creative and thought-provoking elements, some of the show's best moments were the ones that delivered on the action, utilizing the pilots of the Galactica's fighter ships, the Vipers, to great effect.

One of the best of these beats came early in season 3, as part of the overarching New Caprica story-arc. The moment broke several rules of the show, but not by ignoring them. Instead, led by Commander Adama, the crew of the Galactica use a strategy that in-universe almost gets them killed as an unexpected swing that catches Battlestar Galactica's Cylons by surprise. On top of being an exciting moment for Battlestar Galactica, the beat stands out nearly twenty years after for being a fantastically constructed moment of television.

Battlestar Galactica's "Exodus" Story Explained

Season 3 Of Battlestar Galactica Starts In A Really Dark Place

The two-part "Exodus" storyline, which first aired in 2006, was the highlight of Battlestar Galactica and the Adama Manuver remaining one of the best moments in sci-fi TV history. The conclusion of Battlestar Galactica season 2 saw humanity try to colonize a new world, dubbed New Caprica, under the leadership of newly elected President, Gaius Baltar. However, the arrival of the Cylon fleet leads to an extended and brutal occupation by the vengeful robotic race. The early portion of season 3 dealt with the fallout of that event, with the human resistance ultimately recovering the necessary tools to fight back.

Most of the story takes place on New Caprica as the battle rages around them. There are tense beats like Gaeta's confrontation with Gaius to more rewarding ones, such as Roslin leading the charge to reclaim the President ship or Anders helping Kara finally escape Leoben. However, the best moment in the episode (and the entire show) takes place above the main battle. While Lee leads the Battlestar Pegasus away from the battle, Adama launches the Galactica into action in a completely unexpected and throughly effective way.

The Adama Maneuver Explained

An Unthinkable Move That Ends Up Saving The Day (At A Cost)

The Adama Manuver was Adama's big strategic swing in "Exodus: Part 2," and ended up almost destroying the ship in the process. Using drones to draw the attention of the Cylon Battlestars, the Galactica acting-CAG Kat is able lure away their ships while they make a FTL jump into the Earth's atmosphere. The Galactica enters free-fall long enough for a squadron of Vipers to take flight just above the New Caprica, allowing them to quickly the battle. This gives the humans on the planet much needed and helps ensure the success of the evacuation of the planet.

After the squadron departs from the Galactica, the ship uses the FTL to teleport back into space. Notably, the fall through the atmosphere damaged the Battlestar, leaving it vulnerable to the Cylon's counter-attack. It's only the timely return of the Pegasus (and ultimately the sacrifice of that Battlestar) that allows the Galactica to escape the battle in (relatively) one piece. The move is latter dubbed the Adama Maneuver in honor of the Galactica Commander, whose decision to perform the potentially fatal move ended up being a major reason the humans are able to ultimately win the day.

Why The Adama Maneuver Scene Is Still One Of Sci-Fi TV's Best

Battlestar Galactica's Finest Moment Is Sci-Fi Perfection

Beyond being a return to military form after the necessarily dour previous three episodes, the Adama Maneuver is just a visually exciting and emotionally stirring moment. The moment is kept close to the chest, allowing audiences watching it for the first time to be surprised by the sheer unexpected nature of the attack. A pair of straight-faced jokes — Adama warns the crew they're about to experience turbulence and then the pilot Hot Dog reasons this'll at least be a new experience — adds just enough levity to the situation to keep it from feeling too intense.

It even plays into the drama of the battle (with the Galactica severely damaged by the maneuver) while setting up overarching problems for the rest of the season as they work to repair the Battlestar. It's an all-around phenomenal scene, a genuine highlight of the series. It's a showy special-effecct heavy moment that plays into the grounded battle around it. It's effectively a perfect sci-fi scene, something the genre has rarely been able to match. Even when compared to the other biggest moments from Battlestar Galactica, the Adama Manuver remains a genuine high-mark for the series.