According to executive producer Ronald D. Moore, Billy was killed to release actor Paul Campbell to do other projects. Campbell said in an interview that it was because he was unwilling to sign a five-year contract for the series. In early drafts of the episode, Colonel Saul Tigh clashed with Adama over his handling of the crisis, but in the final version episode the two of them and President Laura Roslin all agree that they cannot bow to the demands of a group they call terrorists.