Comic Con: Preparing for Next Year

First up, I want to thank Ain't It Cool News for posting these stories. In the LOST article, they reported on a lot of serious and humorous events from the LOST panel, many of which made me happy to hear. However, after 5 seasons, I am a little weary of believing everything they say; in the past, they have said things in order to misdirect us (they said a lot of things were going to happen in the Season 1 finale, only to either have the exact opposite happen, or to wait years for the event to actually occur. Other times, they have promised something, only to have to push it back (I think they have finally realized that they will never tell Libby's story, regardless of the promises at the end of Seasons 3 and 4). I am excited to see that (they claim) Juliet and Daniel are coming back. Unfortunately, because I am abroad right now, I cannot watch all the videos. I WAS able to watch the last one, marked "Fakery", which was very intriguing indeed.

UPDATE: A new link from The Onion AV Club!

UPDATE 2: So I just had a thought; Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have been saying that there won't be flashbacks, flashforwards, or time travel in Season 6, and that they are planning something different. A few of the Comic Con videos have involved an alternate universe where either the plane didn't crash and the castaways continued living their lives, or, the detonation of the bomb altered events before the crash as well. In one video, Kate was featured on America's Most Wanted for killing her step-father's apprentice by accident, rather than her step-father himself (and another video showed Oceanic 815 crashing on the tarmac in LA). What if this year, instead of flashbacks, etc., we see scenes from this alternate timeline? I don't know what the purpose would be because none of what happened in the timeline would matter unless Lindelof and Cuse (I don't know why I keep tagging J.J. Abrams for LOST) find a way to reconcile the two timelines.

Up next, in the Battlestar Galactica article, the reporter noted that there could be more made-for-TV Galactica movies after The Plan. I don't know how I feel about this; on one hand, I love the show and would enjoy seeing more from that world (and that time, since we are getting Caprica soon). On the other, I don't want some story shoehorned in that doesn't make sense. Finally, I still need to see the Caprica pilot, and if I like it, I will try to follow it here.

Finally, I have not yet read the Dollhouse article because it deals with "Epitaph One", which I haven't seen yet. I can't wait to check it out.

Up next: The Legend continues...

Battlestar Galactica: This Island Earth

To quote Six Feet Under, everything ends. And so, after over 5 years (remember, Season 4 was split over two years and the miniseries pilot aired a year before the series proper began), Battlestar Galactica has finally come to an end. The show has come a long way from where it started back in 2003. The miniseries was a response to 9/11. The series debuted in 2004, the year of the serialized hour-long (LOST, Veronica Mars, and (I can't believe I'm about to type this) Desperate Housewives). Over its 4 or 5 years, the series would examine our world through the trials and tribulations of the crew of the Galactica, including an excellent Iraq War parallel that cast the show's "heroes" as the Iraqis and the show's "villains" as the Americans. Then, halfway through Season 4, on a show that was all about depressing bleakness, the bottom fell out: Earth, the planet that the remaining 50,000 humans had spent years searching for, in hopes of finding a new home, was discovered. But it was a nuclear wasteland, and had been for millenia.

Since then, we witnessed people lose all hope, we saw a mutiny, and we saw a woman betray everyone she once loved to help her new master. Last week, Adama decided that Hera, the hybrid baby, was worth rescuing. Something about her was special, and if humanity wanted to survive, they would need to get her back. So how does it all end?

The two-hour final episode basically has two parts: the battle and the aftermath. The battle was absolutely incredible; Ron Moore obviously spent a lot of money for this episode, and although the CGI on the show has never been cinema-quality, everything still looked damn good. I still think Baltar's last-minute change-of-heart about fighting was slightly out of character, but I'm glad he was there, and he was finally able to show everyone that his preaching skills were useful for something (and he finally admitted that he probably is insane). In other parts of the battle, Boomer and Athena had their final showdown; I knew that things would come out the way they did, and while that result feels better, I almost wish that the one who died survived and the survivor had died, just for the tension it would have created. Then again, that desire went out the window when I thought that Helo died (and as much as I love Helo, I kind of wish he had died to make Athena that much angrier). And then there was the Tyrol incident. Poor guy can't catch a break. First, his true love turns out to be a cylon sleeper agent. Then he starts getting depressed and wants to attempt suicide. Then, after marrying another woman, he goes through the hell that was New Caprica. After that, he learned he was a cylon, and his wife kills herself because of it. Or did she? We know the truth about that, and that bit of information led to a result that could have ended humanity and the cylon race right then and there.

The aftermath section, on the other hand, was more about tying up loose ends and showing where everyone would go on to do once the fighting was over (somewhat similar to Six Feet Under). I believe it was necessary, but it dragged a little in some parts. And the absolute last scene was ridiculous. But still, it was great seeing the various characters planning the rest of their lives.

Oh, but what the hell was up with Starbuck? A reviewer from the Onion AV Club postulated that she was an "angel", like Head Six and Head Baltar, that everyone could see, who had been sent to lead everyone to where they needed to end up. I guess I'll go with that one for now. Oh, and how was she the "Harbinger of death" that would lead everyone to their end?

Not every question was answered, but after the dust all settled, I was very happy with the way Galactica ended. There were a few dips in quality, but it has proven to be one of the best science fiction series I've ever seen. Hopefully, the spin-off Caprica will be just as good.

Up next: That's not its purpose...

Battlestar Galactica: The End Is Nigh

I must say that the opening paragraphs of the review for "Someone To Watch Over Me" from The Onion AV Club really rung true for me to a point. I am quite glad that Boxey didn't become an important character, but I tend to prefer that writers have a plan for series like this, especially when we were told for 3 years that the cylons had a plan! Is that plan still around? I guess so, because the final entry into the Battlestar Galactica canon (aside from Caprica) will be a TV movie called -wait for it!- The Plan. Granted, we probably never would have seen the amazing New Caprica occupation had they planned everything out, because that story was the impetus for creating the Final Five (we saw the cylons voting, and why wouldn't the five models we were unfamiliar with get a vote?).

Having said all that, holy crap that was great. I have no idea how this show will end in three (or four, since the last one is double length) episodes because it seems like there is still so much that has to happen. Watching Tyrol's heart get ripped out for the who-knows-how-manyth time was as painful as ever. And watching Boomer, the Sharon-8 that we once sympathized with, do something so despicable was incredible. Meanwhile, Athena, the Sharon-8 who was fully aware of what she was when she helped the cylons back in Season 1, only to be won over by love, had to watch Helo have sex with Boomer. Damn...

I won't lie and say that I have a few problems with the inconsistencies in the show's mythology, but this remains one of the best series on television. I will be very sad to see it go.

Up next: Magic mythology...

Battlestar Galactica: To Hell and...

It's been an eventful few weeks. Now that the 40,000 remaining humans and the rebel cylons have left the nuclear wasteland that is Earth, the question is, "What next"? For 3 or 4 years, the humans kept themselves going with the promise of Earth driving them forward. Now, they are a group without a mission (a reviewer at the AV Club pointed out that Pegasus suffered a similar affliction, and look how well that turned out), and tensions are running high. Most humans aren't happy about trusting the rebel cylons, because getting over a near genocide and an oppressive regime are not things easily forgiven. But cylon technology is better than human tech, and Adama concedes that, with limited fuel, they will need to exploit every advantage they have if they hope to find a habitable planet soon.

If you thought this series was dark before, you haven't seen anything yet. After 4 seasons of planning, Tom Zarek finally got what he wanted, a revolution that put him in charge. And right alongside him was Felix Gaeta, one of the most idealistic characters on the series, whose faith in everything was lost earlier this season, along with his leg. **HUGE FRAKKING SPOILER ALERT** I actually was hoping that the execution of Adama had actually happened. Don't get me wrong, I love Admiral Adama, and the fleet would be in trouble without him, but that is exactly why I wanted him to die. First of all, it would prove once and for all that Galactica has some of the biggest metaphoric balls out there, and it would cause a ton of problems for the crew. And it's not like Edward James Olmos wouldn't be out of work anyway; the show is at its end.

I'm excited to see how the other 3 cylons will factor into the ending, and I can't wait to see how everything ends.

Up next: Getting back to the island...

Battlestar Galactica: Great Notions

And that's why I need to remember to trust the writers. Usually, I am pretty good at telling myself they have a plan and that even if things don't make sense right away, the writers deserve the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes this lets me down (Heroes), but most of the time, my faith is rewarded. I know that I aired a lot of grievances about the concept of the Final Five cylons last year, and while not every issue has yet been resolved, Galactica's midseason premiere, "Sometimes A Great Notion", did a lot to put my fears to rest. I still don't believe that the writers planned the idea of the Final Five from the beginning, but the direction they've taken the story in is very surprising and fulfilling. There is still some explaining to do, but it looks like the ultimate answers will be good ones.

But not only did we get insane revelations in this episode, we also got some incredible dramatic tension. Battlestar Galactica is known for being dark and depressing, but this episode really took things to a new level. The discovery of Earth was the biggest morale boost the fleet had ever experienced, but like most of the other good moments on the show, it quickly soured (I think the only good thing that didn't somehow turn out bad was the taking of the tylium asteroid in Season 1; the rendezvous with Pegasus, discovery of New Caprica, and Baltar's trial all led to more problems being created than solved). Earth is a nuclear wasteland, and according to Baltar, it has been for 2,000 years, so the radiation will make the planet uninhabitable for many years to come. Most of the episode follows the various characters as they cope with this heartbreaking discovery. The fleet has spent almost three years looking for a home, living in cramped spaceships with little to eat and the constant threat of final annhilation from the cylons. One character loses his/her faith in his/her beliefs, another loses his/her faith in his/her ability to lead, and another loses his/her will to live. Yeah...

It looks like the final nine episodes will follow the fleet and the rebel cylons as the follow in the footsteps of their ancestors. With no set goal in mind, they are venturing out into open space to find any new home they can. The 13 tribes of Kobol did the same when they left Kobol, and somehow were able to settle on 13 different planets and make their civilizations. All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again. Again...

Up next: Life in the mundy world...

The List: #6 Battlestar Galactica

#6
Number of Seasons (To Date): 4
Years Active: 2003 - Present
Network: Sci-Fi

A lot of articles about this show talk about how it was one of the best new series (that's certainly true) of 2004, but I listed its start in 2003, since that is the year the miniseries pilot aired. Unfortunately, many people who would love this series don't give it the time of day (metaphorically speaking) due to the fact that it's a science fiction show and bears the name Battlestar Galactica. The original 1979 series was a cheesy Star Wars rip-off (I've seen about 5 minutes of it and couldn't stand it) with clear-cut heroes and villains. This new version is anything but.

It's incredible that the original series could be so lighthearted, seeing as how it's a story of genocide. The updated version is considerably darker in tone, and makes for great drama. The human race is reduced from a population of about 10 billion to less than 50,000 after being attacked by their own creations. The cylons, a race of robots created to do manual labor for humanity, rebelled against the humans, "evolved" to appear human, and infiltrated man's defenses in order to wipe them off the face of the 12 planets they lived on. Unfortunately, the cylons didn't plan on one antiquated battlestar without networked computers; the plan relied on spreading a computer virus throughout the military's computer system to disable any resistance, but since the Galactica could not upload the virus, it survived to fight another day. Galactica rounded up the surviving human ships and vowed to lead them to a new home.

The loss of nearly everyone else has led to some pretty crushed spirits in the fleet. The remaining 50,000 humans are in for a few years of discomfort and heartache, which would be true even without dealing with the flaws of the various characters. But seeing as how they are human, there are plenty of flaws to be found, and they are responsible for some of the show's best dramatic moments. An alcoholic has to put up with a limited supply of liquor (and the fact that he's a high-ranking military officer), an apolitical woman is thrusted in to a position of power, and a man in love has to deal with a terrible secret about the woman he loves.

This is one of the most human dramas on television; there is nary an alien to be found. The show is about how humanity deals with tragedy; we see man at its best and worst, often in the same episode. Despite Galactica being a genre show (or perhaps because of it?), it tells a universal story.

Up next: #5...

Battlestar Galactica: A Place To Go From Here?

I had an epiphany today; I realized how Battlestar Galactica could end, and not only does it make sense, it would be totally awesome (in a nerd's wildest fantasy way). Earth is gone; the people of the 13th Colony used up the resources and destroyed themselves, creating a nuclear wasteland. Maybe the fleet will find clues pointing the way to where the last survivors of the 13th Colony went. The Colonials and rebel cylons will follow them to a new solar system filled with dozens of planets and moons terraformed to support human life. And the first people Adama and the crew of the Galactica encounter will be none other than Capt. Malcolm Reynolds of the starship Serenity.

Yeah, I'm going there. But think about it. As the picture above illustrates, Firefly-class ships existed on the Twelve Colonies (and no, this isn't photoshopped; watch the scene in the miniseries pilot when Roslin is at the clinic). Universal, which produces Galactica, owns the film rights to Serenity, and most of the "rules" apply to both shows; no aliens, wormholes or overly extravagant technology (except for the FTL drive in Galactica). It would be so awesome, especially if a spin-off were developed featuring a certain cargo smuggling ship...

Up next: Scrubs!

Battlestar Galactica: Where Do We Go From Here?

And so we reach the home stretch for Battlestar Galactica. The series finale is being filmed right now, and we begin the long wait for (most likely) 2009 and the last 10 to 12 episodes. The episode "Revelations" was a doozy; on its own, I loved it, but taken with a few events of the last couple of episodes, there are a few things that I am taking issue with (most are cylon-related). Oh, and there are huge spoilers in this post, so be careful if you haven't seen it yet.

Let's begin at the end. A few months ago, Ron Moore and/or David Eick said that the colonists wouldn't get to Earth until the series finale, so one of three things happened. They lied, they changed their minds, or the planet featuring a radioactive and destroyed city (I'm guessing it was Manhattan, and the colonists were on Liberty Island) wasn't Earth. I'm guessing it was option number two. As far as Earth twists go, having the fleet arrive at a post-apocalyptic Earth wasn't the most original, but seeing as how fans have had pretty much every theory imaginable, it must have been hard to come up with something completely unexpected. Other theories have included the fleet showing up in the distant past (one of my friends, who majored in history, noted that many of the characters had names that are also the names of ancient cities/locations [examples include Thrace and Tyrol] and people [Agathon; if you don't believe me, Wikipedia these names]), the fleet showing up in the present, and George W. Bush launching a nuclear attack at them, or that Earth would be populated with cylons. One of the reviewers from the Onion AV Club's TV Club wanted the fleet to show up in Hollywood and be welcomed by real-life celebrities (playing themselves) as well as people delighted by the idea of life among the stars (played by real life Galactica fans).

Personally, I was a fan of the whole, "George Bush thinks they are terrorists and blows them out of the sky", but this apocalypse works too. For one thing, seeing everyone cheering upon arriving at the beautiful (from space) blue planet, only to have them realize in horror that it is a nuclear wasteland full of ruins was heartbreaking. Also, having the colonists and rebel cylons find an Earth that has been destroyed because of warring humans opens up the question of whether humanity is worth saving again. This was examined in Season 2, when the fleet had split over ideology, and now, it can come back in full force. After the humans and cylons have finally been able to forge an alliance, it can all be taken away because of the cylons blaming the humans for others of their race destroying themselves. Humanity's pettiness ruined it for everyone. It is hard to think of any happy ending that could come from this, and thematically, a happy resolution doesn't fit with the show, but the optimist side of me hopes that there is some silver lining for these people who have suffered for so long (however, the cynic in me got such a kick of the end out of this episode).

Speaking of the cylons, there is still one yet to be revealed. D'Anna said that the fifth and final was not in the fleet, which lends credence to my theory that Kendra Shaw is the final cylon. However, Shaw died, and there have been hints that the final five don't resurrect (or, I mean, they didn't even before the resurrection hub was destroyed). This brings me to a few of the problems I'm having with the series. I really don't like the concept of the final five. I've said this before, but I'll say it again. When the writers were working on the occupation of New Caprica, they needed a reason to not reveal the last five cylons together in the third season premiere. I still think that they could have gotten away with saying that the cylons wanted to still have some sleeper agents JUST IN CASE there was dissension among the humans, and they could have spies in place to report on a possible RESISTANCE. But no, instead, we are introduced to the idea that there are five other models that the seven known models don't know the identity of.

In addition, it would appear that these final five are so different that they (seemingly; none of these are conclusive) don't resurrect, don't have model numbers, age (WHAT?!) and can get other cylons pregnant (so far, only one person aside from me, that I know of, has called foul on the fact that Tigh impregnated Caprica Six). The idea of "no model numbers" came to me through internet hearsay, though the site I got it from is trustworthy enough to make it worth considering. Apparently, Ron Moore said this in an interview. This reinforces a thought I had earlier; why do the seven original models have the numbers 1-6 and 8 instead of 1-7? To me, this is further proof of the final five being an afterthought to the occupation. I think that the only thing that could have convinced me that the final five were in the plan from the beginning is if the five's model numbers were the five prime numbers between 1 and 12. Yeah, I'm that much of a nerd. I figured out that there are five prime numbers (2, 3, 5, 7, and 11) in that range, and it would have been kind of cool if the final five were all prime (I'm such a nerd). I wonder how the seven knew that there were 12 models at all! The final five can barely be called cylons at all...

So, with only about 11 episodes left, where do we go from here? In addition to revealing the twelfth cylon, cylon numbers 1, 4 and 5 are still out there, and they will probably serve as (possibly only one of) the final villains. The centurions, who now have free will, need to rebel. A final home needs to be found. Maybe they'll find a way to settle on Earth. Maybe they'll go to Mars. Maybe they will realize that the ships in the fleet will forever be their new homes. Maybe...

Up next: Scrubs through the ages...

Battlestar Galactica: Last Resorts

Like LOST, it seems that so much and so little have simultaneously occurred on Battlestar Galactica over the last few episodes. The drama that has been building has been, for the most part, very enjoyable, but there are times when I wish that something would would result from the mounting tension. However, with each passing week, the inevitable explosion of temper will be that much more powerful when it happens. And don't get me wrong, the drama is still superb.

Relations are rapidly falling apart on both sides of the war; the humans are tearing themselves apart, and the cylons have begun a civil war that has divided them and threatens to end the entire race. But let's start with the humans (and the people who are posing as human). Apollo's new position as Caprica's representative in the Quorum of Twelve (sort of like the Senate) is driving a wedge deep between himself and his father (nothing new) and President Roslin, who was once considered Apollo as a kind of confidante. Meanwhile, while the Quorum continues to appear as nothing more than argumentative assholes who cannot decide on anything, Roslin, whose health is rapidly declining, appears to becoming somewhat of a fascist. Granted, she has reason to fear Gaius Baltar gaining followers, but she acts as if it is her job to tell the people of the fleet what to think.

The four cylons who "live in secret" are each dealing with their situations differently. Tyrol is having the hardest time, mainly because of what happened to Cally when she found out, while Tory seems to be embracing her nature, and is slowly becoming cold-hearted and calculated. She also is becoming one of Baltar's most faithful acolytes.

And then there's Starbuck. Claiming she knows the way to Earth, Admiral Adama gives her a ship, four raptors, and a skeleton crew, and tells her to see if her theory pans out. Her two months elsewhere have solidified her determination of her "destiny", but have also made her in-fucking-sane. Commanding over Helo, Athena, Gaeta, Anders, Hot Dog, Seelix, and a few others, she rarely comes out of her quarters, but when she does, she gives terse orders that always seem to contradict her previous ones. It isn't hard to understand why a few of her crew members begin to become suspicious of her competency, but the last straw comes when she allows a Number 2 model cylon onboard and decides to form a plan with him.

This brings us what's been happening with the cylons. The Twos, Sixes and Eights (minus Boomer) have taken a stand against the Ones, Fours and Fives over matters of the cylons' place in the universe. The latter group believes that the Twos, Sixes and Eights are having delusions of grandeur and are trying to be more than just machines, and in fact desire to be human. After nearly being destroyed (outside the range of a resurrection ship), the Twos, Sixes and Eights make a desperate move to save themselves by negotiating an alliance with the Colonial fleet. As it turns out, they do desire humanity, but while they understand aspects of humanity that seem to escape us (the Six called Natalie has a very profound theory on the subject of mortality), they also don't seem to understand other sides of the same subject.

Further complicating matters is the matter of trust. Neither side trusts the other (with good reason), but both are also under the allusion that the other side trusts them. In an ironic twist, the rebel cylons actually see themselves as more human than the Colonials, since there is no way the warmongering humans can possibly trust them (trust being a very human attribute).

The most recent thing to happen will certainly complicate the matter of trust, despite the fact neither side was responsible for what happened. And an event I alluded to in my last post on Galactica seems like it will finally occur within the next episode or two.

Things have been pretty bleak this season, and they don't look like they'll be improving for the characters any time soon. And that's why we watch.

Up next: Welcome to the Dollhouse...

Battlestar Galactica: Whys And Wherefores

Sorry for the long delay, but I had some trouble figuring out what I wanted to say in this post. Anyway, while Galactica has its share of (incredible) space battles, it is definitely not an action show. Most of the series is about the characters trying to make decisions about their future and how to survive for another day. It sounds sort of boring and frivolous, but the topics are relevant to the real world, and cause us to think about how these issues affect us.

Religion is an important example; one of the central conflicts between the humans and the cylons is their differing views of religion. The humans are (mostly) polytheists who believe in the Greek pantheon (of course, for the characters, they aren't the Greek pantheon, and this may be a clue about the Earth they will eventually find), while the cylons are (mostly) monotheists who believe in the Christian God. The cylons believe that they are justified in destroying humanity since God desires peace, and the humans are seen as war-mongering pagans. And the occupation occurred as a way to spread God's message to the humans once the cylons determined that they were wrong in their old tactic of eliminating the humans.

Free will is another important topic in the series. There have been many debates over whether the Colonial fleet should do what seems rational or if they should attempt to fulfill obscure prophecies from ancient religious texts. The president, for example, believes that they are playing a role foretold in the prophecies, and lobbies to have Commander Adama order seemingly suicidal missions in order to aid in finding Earth. Adama, a skeptic, thinks that these are nothing more than religious hokum, and is reluctant to send his soldiers to do things that may be completely irrelevant.

On the cylon side, we learn that the humanoid cylons have inhibited free will in the metal centurions so that they don't begin questioning the orders of the humanoids. This comes off as ironic since the humanoids "evolved" from metallic cylons who rebelled against their human masters. Of course, now, it seems like that decision is coming back to bite the humanoid cylons in the ass, but I won't go in to it too much.

Politics and justice are also important aspects of the show. The focus of the show is on both the military and the civilian government, and many of the problems are about how to deal with the fallout from political and military decisions. I mentioned the abortion issue in a previous post, and many other things are dealt with. The twist is that many of the issues have to be dealt with in non-conventional ways since the fleet is not a society in the strictest sense. When a strike starts developing on a fuel refinery ship, the president responds that although the conditions suck, they need people who know how to operate the machines to remain on the ship to keep the fleet moving. And since these people will be in a position to pass on their knowledge to their children (who will have front row seats to the machine operations), for the time being, jobs will be inherited like a class system.

As for justice, events in Season 3 reinforce the idea that justice is a tricky subject. What is justice to some is mob rule to others. The final episodes of the third season are the culmination of an arc that dominated the entire second half of the season. The trial of the millennium occurred, and what was supposed to be a quick and dirty case turned into a discourse on justice.

So that's it for Battlestar Galactica. I may do updates as the series goes on, but I believe that these posts should encourage anyone who hasn't watched yet to jump in.

Up next: Two "classic" plays...

Battlestar Galactica: Why Cally Should Have Been A Cylon

I want to remind readers that this post is extremely spoiler-heavy. If you have not yet seen the show, I would advise against reading this until after you are caught up.

Ok, so I have been saying this since early Season 2, and one of my friends has been calling me crazy for this opinion (he has reasons that lie within the show as well as with his feelings for the actress who plays Cally). But I believe revealing Cally to be a cylon would have made more sense and would have had a much bigger emotional impact on Chief Tyrol than being revealed as a cylon himself, which is what really happened.

To start with, let's look at Cally's story arc. She began the show in the miniseries as little more than a named extra with a few lines. She was one of the deckhands on Galactica, serving under Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol, and like many other characters on Galactica, including Racetrack, Seelix, and Helo, was slowly built up and received more and more lines. Over the course of the first season, it became apparent that she had a bit of a crush on Tyrol. Unfortunately for her, Tyrol was dating Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, a raptor pilot and sleeper agent cylon (Boomer was programmed to believe she was human). My suspicion that she was a cylon arose after Boomer was activated and shot Commander Adama; Boomer was immediately arrested and interrogated, and once Tyrol returned to Galactica (he, Cally, and a few others were stranded on the surface of Kobol at the time), he was imprisoned as well, under suspicion of either being a cylon as well, or aiding and abetting one. Boomer gave up some information, but Colonial brass believed that they could probably get some more, especially since they could use Tyrol as a bargaining chip (they already threatened to kill him if she didn't cooperate). However, as they were leading her away to more permanent lodgings, Cally forced her way to the front of the mob of people yelling obscenities at her and shot her. My first thought was not, "Cally is killing her because she is angry that Boomer betrayed the Chief". It was, "Cally is killing her because Cally is a cylon and wants to make sure that Boomer doesn't reveal anything else". In my opinion, Cally played the Jack Ruby to Boomer's Oswald (fortunately, Kennedy survives this version of the story). I am not a conspiracy theorist in real life, but in the world of fiction, especially when I trust that the writers have the long-term story planned out, I am always looking for subtle hints or situations that can be read multiple ways.

It was after this that I began to think that Cally's increasing role may be due to more than just good fan reaction. By Season 3, the sweet Cally that we had met in the miniseries was nearly gone, and was being replaced by an angrier, subversive Cally. In "Dirty Hands", she goaded Tyrol, now her husband, into getting the fuel processing ship to strike, which made the fleet sitting ducks. With her swiftness to defend Tyrol's honor in Season 2 through violence against other deckhands, along with her mounting subversive nature, I had all the evidence I needed to declare her a cylon.

And to make her a cylon would have created a lot of emotional whiplash for the Chief, which would translate into great drama for the audience. I believe that I am safe in saying that Tyrol has become a fairly popular character. In the first season, he was one side of one of television's greatest love triangles ever conceived. He was in a relationship with Boomer on Galactica, while on Caprica, Helo revealed to another copy of the Sharon model that he loved her too, and was jealous of Tyrol (we almost can't call it a love triangle now, since Helo's Sharon, now given the call-sign Athena, has become a much different character than Tyrol's Boomer). The difference between these two characters was their reactions to learning the truth about the women they claimed to love. Both were shocked and disgusted upon first hearing it, but then things changed. Tyrol could never be with a cylon. It was unnatural, and the cylons are the enemy. But Helo realized that he still loved Athena, no matter what she was. This revelation haunted the Chief throughout the rest of Season 2; as much as he tried to deny his love for Boomer, he still came to Athena's aid (along with Helo) when a cylon "interrogator" was about to rape her. He also suffered intense nightmares that were the product of his fears of being a cylon himself. So when Tyrol learns that the woman he loves now, the woman he is married to, is a cylon, imagine what kind of effect that would have on his psyche.

But as we learn, the Chief turns out to be a cylon, along with Col. Tigh, Sam Anders, and Tory Foster. Of the four of these, the only one I was completely pleased with was Tory. With the other three, I wasn't so much angered as I was perplexed, especially with Tigh (how long have the cylons been able to appear human?!?), but the only person that I would change would be Tyrol. There was so much potential for incredible drama if they had made Cally a cylon, along with compelling evidence. Oh well.

Up next: Religion and philosophy in the Twelve Colonies...

Battlestar Galactica: The Story Is Real

So why is this particular story so important? Why is this retelling relevant? Battlestar Galactica is one of the smartest written shows on television, with stories that draw on current issues in society, and are told in such a way where they don't ask us to take a side on the issue. They only ask us to think about the issue.

The miniseries pilot was very much a reflection on life after September 11th. It played upon the realization that we can not only be hurt by our enemies, but we can be attacked without warning (although, the series will go on to suggest that there may have been warnings after all, a sentiment reflected in reality about the 9/11 attacks). More importantly, the fear of being unable to discern who are enemies are is a major theme of the series. Gone are the days when we can look at someone's military uniform to figure out whether they are on your side. Today, anyone could be a threat. Sadly, since the people responsible for the 9/11 attacks were Middle Eastern Muslims, these groups of people have born the brunt of our fears. It serves as a way for us to try and find a new way to identify our enemies. But skin color and religion are not effective indicators; aside from the obvious fact that not every Muslim or Middle Easterner is a terrorist, there are people of every race, creed, and religion who can be classified as terrorists or enemies of the state.

The cylon threat is a reflection of our fears about who "the enemy" is. The cylons can perfectly imitate humans. Cylons can eat, sleep, have sex (or frak, if you will), even interpret and exhibit complex emotions, even love (this is a topic for a later post, but in some respects, the cylons almost succeeded too well in making themselves appear human). Some cylons have been programmed to believe that they are human; if they don't know that they are cylons, they are not in danger of giving up their secret. With such effective sleeper agents in place, it is impossible not to be fearful of one's neighbors and anyone you haven't previously met. Although, depending on how long the cylons have had the ability to appear human, even old acquaintances may be suspect. Even worse than fear, though, is the strained loyalty some people feel when they begin to suspect their loved ones of being cylons.

This fear is one of the core themes of the series, but other real-world issues are present. One of my favorite examples had to do with abortion. A young Gemenese girl sought asylum aboard Galactica, since the colony of Gemenon is known for strict interpretations of religious texts, and believe that abortion is a sin. The president is a staunch pro-choice activist, but has to deal with the Gemenese representatives who threaten not to back her in the upcoming election. The interesting thing about the resolution is why abortion becomes a crime. The writers remind the viewers, who are most likely hoping that the president chooses their point of view for their reasons, that the situation has fundamentally changed. There are less than 50,000 humans left, and the number of survivors tends to decrease much quicker than it increases. The president goes against her own beliefs in order to preserve humanity.

Perhaps the most important real-world parallel story outside of the ones introduced in the miniseries has to do with the US occupation of Iraq. I will try not to give away too many plot details, but at one point in the series, a situation comes about where the cylons and humans are forced to live together with one group taking over the civilization of the other. Here's the kicker: the humans, who are the heroes of the story, represent the Iraqis, while the cylons are the Americans. Even better is that the writers don't show one side as right and the other as wrong. Instead, both sides are depicted as doing deplorable things. The humans use suicide bombers and exploit the deaths of their own kind in the name of self-preservation. The cylons torture resistance fighters, and they recruit humans to do their dirty work, claiming that the recruits will be doing a good thing by taking the cylon centurions off the streets and helping th give power back to the humans. Also, each side has noble intentions behind their monstrosity. The cylons tried to create a harmonious society in which human and cylon could live side by side. The humans truly are working in the interest of self-preservation. But both sides believe that their ends are noble enough to justify some horrific means.

The occupation only breeds more fear and hatred, even after it ends. Many of the humans who were subjected to the horrors of the occupation came away scarred, and went on to kill the HUMANS that had collaborated. Never mind that there are now about 40,000 people left. These people put their own need for revenge and closure ahead of the need to keep the human race alive. I guess it could be argued that they did not want to live in a society with people who had oppressed them, but what happens when the families of the people they killed come to take THEIR revenge?

Rights issues are also explored in the show. Do the cylons have rights? They are not human, after all. But they can feel pain. And they can feel love, and even be loved. So when the humans kill a cylon, are they justified in doing so? As for killing a cylon who may care for someone else, or has someone who cares for them, some weight is taken off this decision, since, when the cylons are "killed", their consciousness and memories are downloaded into new bodies. But they still feel the pain. When the fleet's admiral and the president found a way to exterminate the cylons for good, are the humans justified in doing so? The cylons nearly exterminated the humans first, and present a legitimate threat. But if the humans commit genocide, even as a means of revenge or self-preservation, doesn't that make them as villainous as the cylons?

What about human rights issues for other humans? I've already mentioned the fallout of the occupation, but when a human who is believed to have sold out the humans to the cylons for the initial attacks, he becomes the most hated man in the fleet, and even though every citizen is entitled to a fair trial, there are talks between the President and the Admiral discussing whether or not he deserves one.

Up next: An essay about my opinions on the revelation of one of the cylon models (note: this will be extremely spoiler-heavy, and not recommended for people who have not yet seen the show)...

Battlestar Galactica: The Frakking Story

So what is the big deal about this show? Why has it captured the attention of both fans and critics in ways that so few shows have? The basic plotline ins't all that creative or original, but it's the message and tone behind the story that gives the series its distinctive voice.

The new Battlestar Galactica began with a 4 hour miniseries; the Sci Fi Network told the creative team to have the miniseries set up the conflict and the characters. If it did well, it would get picked up as a regular series. And so what is the conflict? It actually begins before the miniseries; decades ago, an advanced human civilization in a galaxy far, far away (sorry, had to do that) created a race of robots called cylons to serve as both soldiers and laborers. Unfortunately, the cylons rebelled against their human masters. Sound familiar? When I heard that, my mind jumped to Terminator, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. The idea of robots turning on their creators has been around for decades. So I wrote of Galactica as nothing more than some people trying to make a buck off a known name. But it's what happened after this rebellion that sets the show apart. The war against the cylons ended 40 years before the first shot of the miniseries. There was an armistice declared, and the cylons left to find their own planet and set up a society of their own. These events are described in the prologue; we are told these facts through title cards while the visuals show us a space station created to serve as a neutral location for negotiations, should they ever become necessary. The human government (hereafter called the Colonial government) always sends a representative, but in 40 years, the cylons never sent anyone, and no one has heard from them since the armistice.

At least until the beginning of the miniseries. In the 40 years (and possibly even before), the cylons found a way create biomechanical models that mimic humanity so well that they are nearly indistinguishable from real humans. There are 12 different humanoid models, each with multiple copies, similar to any mass-produced item or piece of software. Their ability to blend in with humans has allowed them to infiltrate Colonial society and sow the seeds of an attack. And what truly sets this show apart is that the attack not only succeeds, but succeeds so well that the Colonial population is reduced from billions living across 12 planets (each one a colony of Kobol, the planet from which human life originated, and each named with a derivative of the western zodiac, such as Caprica, Tauron, and Gemenon) to less than 50,000 living in a a small fleet of spaceships.

Yes, this is a story of genocide. Genocide, terrorism, and fear are the driving forces in the world of Battlestar Galactica. While there is some humor every now and then, this is a tragic story. Episodes often deal with the crew making extremely hard decisions in order to survive another day. The fleet, which flies through space under the protection of the Battlestar Galactica. Battlestars are large, space-faring battleships that are part of the Colonial military fleet. Galactica only survived the cylon attack because its computer system was so archaic, it was not part of a network and therefore could not receive the computer virus used by the cylons to cripple Colonial defenses. Led by Commander William Adama and the newly-appointed President of the Colonies (I won't say who it is right now because I don't want to spoil too much, though I may reveal who it is at a later time), the human race faces food and water shortages, cabin fever, and most importantly, attacks from the cylons. But even when the cylons aren't around, they are still the cause of fear and paranoia in the fleet, since anyone could be a cylon.

Up next: Real world parallels, and hard decisions...