In the wake of the Cylon sneak attack, the ragtag fleet of human survivors is forced to play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with their pursuers. Every 33 minutes, they make a jump to a new location. And every 33 minutes, the Cylons manage to find them. The pilots are on the brink of exhaustion, relying on artificial stimulants to keep fighting, and the civilians are beginning to doubt the leadership of Commander Adama and President Roslin.

Lt. Sharon Valerii wakes up soaking wet in the tool room with an explosive charge in her duffel bag. Shortly afterward, a mysterious explosion destroys all the port-side water tanks on Galactica, creating a crisis for the entire fleet. Sharon can't remember a thing, but all the evidence points to her as a saboteur. She confesses her concern to Chief Tyrol, but he can't believe she's responsible.

While flying a supply patrol, Crashdown and Sharon Valerii discover a bountiful planet that can support human life. Indeed, it might be Kobol, the legendary "home of the gods." The discovery prompts Commander Adama to send a ground team to investigate; it also gives new life to President Roslin's belief that she is a tool of destiny and that this discovery, like her rapidly spreading cancer, is part of an ancient prophecy.

When Commander Adama learns that Kara disobeyed orders and Jumped to Caprica on orders from President Roslin, he demands the president's resignation, with the implied threat of a military coup. Roslin refuses his demand and sparks a confrontation.

President Roslin's fragile coalition is put to the test in the first part of a two-part story. Apollo, who has sided with Roslin, runs into a conflict with Zarek and his accomplice Meier.

Adama heads to Kobol to find Roslin, reassembles the fleet and heads down to Kobol himself to find the presidential party in search of the "Tomb of Athena" which allegedly leads to Earth. Apollo hangs out with Starbuck , Zarek tries to keep his cronie off plotting with Boomer who is unaware of tension building between Helo and Tyrol.

The Battlestars Galactica and Pegasus face a new Cylon target, a "Resurrection" ship, while a power struggle threatens to result in all-out war among the human fleet.

The struggle between Adama and Cain is temporarily put on hold while the two Battlestars combine forces for an assault on the Cylon Resurrection Ship. Apollo faces a momentous decision and Baltar takes an interest in Gina, the Cylon prisoner.

Chief Tyrol is plagued by terrifying dreams and seeks the aid of a priest. Kara leads a rescue mission to Caprica. Roslin and Baltar go head-to-head in a presidential debate that changes dramatically with the discovery of a habitable planet.

Tigh, Tyrol and Anders lead the Resistance on New Caprica to increasingly deadly attacks against the Cylons. Kara finds herself trapped in a new life with Leoben Conoy, and Duck makes a fateful decision. Meanwhile on Galactica, Adama struggles with the question of whether to return to New Caprica to mount a rescue attempt.

Adama plans to return to New Caprica and drop off a surprising person to act as a liaison between Galactica and the Resistance. Tigh's insistence on the use of suicide bombers and ever escalating violence stuns even the fellow leaders of the Resistance. Eventually, the suicide bombings cause the Cylon occupiers to crackdown on their human subjects.

Tigh and Number Six take their first glimpse at their unborn child, Tyrol offers Adama Cylon technology in return for his fellow Cylons properly reintegrated into the fleet, and an attempted coup leads to a costly struggle to maintain civility.

With Galactica on the verge of falling apart, Admiral Adama readies the ship for what could be its final mission, as Baltar's Six warns that humanity's final chapter is near.

Adama and the Galactica crew stake the survival of the human race on their plan to rescue Hera from the Cylon colony in this, the series finale.