Cottle determines that Roslin's cancer is far beyond surgical means of removal and suggests an aggressive chemotherapy-like treatment.
Haunted by the memories of her fiancé Zak Adama whose death she feels responsible for, Starbuck is overly harsh on the pilots ("nuggets") and fails them after the first day.
After Adama confronts her, Starbuck tearfully admits that though Zak failed basic flight, she passed him due to their engagement.
Following Adama's dressing down of her, Starbuck begins acting like an actual flight instructor, leaving her issues out of the cockpit.
As Galactica launches Vipers, Starbuck sends the nuggets back and attacks the Raiders alone in a sure suicide run, hoping to hold them off and allow the trainees to escape.