Summary
- The iconic line "nothing but the rain" is a kind of military cadence the writers came up with.
- The phrase signifies a unique bond between the characters Adama and Thrace throughout the series.
- Fans have created their own interpretations of the line, even though the creators never intended to define it.
One of the most interesting facts about the Battlestar Galactica franchise is that the people who worked on it made it so compelling that the series was one of the biggest things on television, not once but twice. It was, in fact, the love for the original which debuted in the late 1970s that allowed the SyFy channel to air a kind of sequel Battlestar Galactica series that aired from 2004 to 2009. While the original was quite popular, the sequel was even more so, thanks in large part to how grounded it felt, despite focusing on immense space battles and androids that looked exactly like human beings.
One of the biggest reasons why the more modern version of the Battlestar Galactica series was so beloved is because it felt much like viewers might imagine their own military and, specifically their air force behaving a few hundred years into the future. The way that people interacted on board starships, right down to their taglines and popular phrases that were used, seemed very familiar. That included one famous call and response with “nothing but the rain” as a key. This back-and-forth starts with one of the characters asking, “what do you hear?” And the response is “nothing but the rain.” What comes next varied throughout the show, but the phrasing has made Galactica fans long wonder what it meant.
Battlestar Galactica: What Happens to Starbuck?
Starbuck serves a monumental purpose at the end of Battlestar Galactica.
'Nothing But The Rain' As A Recurring Line
The call and response using “nothing but the rain,” has become as iconic in Battlestar Galactica lore as some of the most massive events in the show’s history such as “The Battle of New Caprica,” precisely because it seems to carry some serious weight among the cast of characters. The phrase is the first interaction viewers see between Admiral Adama (then Commander Adama) and this show’s version of Starbuck (Kara Thrace).
The phrase is the first interaction viewers see between Admiral Adama (then Commander Adama) and this show’s version of Starbuck (Kara Thrace).
In the premiere episode of the modern version of Battlestar Galactica, before the Cylons launch their assault on the humans and all of their homeworlds, Adama is preparing to give a speech that will mothball the titular Battlestar and is walking around the halls of the ship reading over his notes. Thrace jogs by, and the commander asks her, “what do you hear Starbuck?” She then responds “nothing but the rain.” He then continues the back and forth by responding “grab your gun and bring in the cat.” Starbuck then finishes the exchange by with “boom boom boom.”
Throughout the show, the phrasing is used a few more times, apparently to illustrate it is a deeply ingrained tradition for this version of the human military. There are some times when it appears to be just a fun back and forth between commanders and the soldiers underneath them. Other times it’s used as a way to focus attention. It is even used as a kind of code for those fighting alongside each other to know they are on the same side.
One such instance where it is used as a kind of focusing tool is after the war with the humans and the Cylons has officially begun and Starbuck is in space combat. As she’s blasting one Cylon fighter after another, Adama reaches out with “morning Stabuck what do you hear?” She again responds with “nothing but the rain,” followed by “grab your gun and bring the cat in.” The exchange here is especially poignant as her Colonial Viper’s cockpit is being showered with debris from exploded enemy craft. The “rain” in this case is something she’s actively hearing. The exchange is also different from the first time viewers see it since Adama specifically tells his pilot she needs to return to base, which she does.
One of the final uses of the phrase, which is exclusively used by Adama and Thrace comes in the 20th episode of the show’s fourth season, Battlestar Galactica’s penultimate episode titled, “Daybreak: Part 2” This time, the back-and-forth is way for Adama and Thrace to say goodbye to each other as they go their separate ways and the war against the Cylons reaches its climax.
Does 'Nothing But The Rain' Have Any Meaning?
While the phrase seems to carry quite a bit of meaning for the characters in Battlestar Galactica, as it turns out, the show’s creators never bothered to give it actual meaning. In a now-deleted blog post from when the series was still on the air, producer Ronald D. Moore explained the saying was a riff on modern military marching chants, referred to as “jodies.” However, beyond it being a military call and response, it had no deeper meaning. There wasn’t an event that caused “nothing but the rain” to be significant to Adama or Thrace.
There is no deeper meaning to 'nothing but the rain' and simply a cadence the show's writers came up with.
At least there wasn’t a situation that caused it to be significant in the official canon of Battlestar Galactica. This explains why there is only one instance in the show’s four-season run where it’s used in a way that makes any sense when Thrace hears the “rain” of debris on her Viper. It’s also why “grab your gun and bring in the cat” makes no real sense. On the other hand, it’s clear the phrase means something to the characters and viewers have come up with their own head canon. Essentially, the creators used it as a way to show that Adama and Thrace had a bond the other pilots under his command didn’t, without needing to have a specific explanation for why those words were the ones that signified their ties to one another.
- Release Date
- 2004 - 2009-00-00
- Network
- SyFy
- Showrunner
- Ronald D. Moore
- Directors
- Wayne Rose, Michael Nankin, Rod Hardy, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Edward James Olmos, Robert M. Young, Jeff Woolnough, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Jonas Pate, Allan Kroeker, Anthony Hemingway, Jean de Segonzac, Marita Grabiak, James Head, Paul A. Edwards, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Brad Turner, Ronald D. Moore, Bill Eagles
- Writers
- Carla Robinson, Michael Taylor, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Jane Espenson, Mark Verheiden, Michael Angeli, Anne Cofell Saunders, Jeff Vlaming, Michael Rymer, Dawn Prestwich, Nicole Yorkin, Seamus Kevin Fahey
- Franchise(s)
- Battlestar Galactica
Cast
-
Edward James OlmosWilliam Adama -
Mary McDonnellLaura Roslin -
Jamie BamberLee 'Apollo' Adama -
Katee SackhoffKara 'Starbuck' Thrace
The first iteration of Battlestar Galactica first aired all the way back in 1978, but made a return to the small screen in 2003 with Ronald D. Moore's celebrated reimagining of the series. The show follows the human survivors of a devastating war against the Cylons as they attempt to find a new colony on which to rebuild their society.
