BSG review 4.8 - Sine Qua Non
Again, my late review for 4.8 with general comments and an extended discussion of the progression of the seasons, if anyone is still interested. :)
A few things to get out of the way:
-- Oh dear lord, Papadama is the most romantic soul left in the fleet. “I can’t live without her.” I just keep hearing that over and over in my head. I knew he was a go-down-with-the-ship kind of guy, but WOW. And Husker in a flight suit! Wheeeeee!
-- Tight/Caprica. Um. Weird. I was fine with the kissing, but her kneeling in front of him and putting her hands on his legs was too much, even worse than knowing she’s knocked up with babybot. Tigh’s tight thighs. Tigh’s tight thighs! Sorry, lunar47 and spinkkitty, that’s all I could think afterward. :)
-- Leland Joseph Adama, the Shining Beacon of Hope and Study in Repressed Ambition. Honesty, the wisdom to recognize the correct if unpopular choice and the courage to see it through. Oh Lee! I gotta admit that I got lost in his little speech at gun point the first time around because I was mesmerized by his beautiful face taking up the whole screen for more than a minute, but when I watched again I adored his words. “Faith in ourselves as a people with the right to survive isn’t a given, it’s a choice.” I think he’s gone past the naiveté enough to make a wonderful, pragmatic but idealistic (I know, it’s really oxymoronic) leader of the fleet.
I also want to point out how Lee was described as a shining beacon of hope and Kara as an angel blazing with the light of God. Fun!
And in my head, if Lee is Leland Joseph Adama, Zak is Zakkary William Adama. Say it with me: awwwwww.
-- Romo frakkin’ Lampkin. I heart Romo so damn much. Guilt represented in a dead cat, House-style white board writing, gun-wielding, wisdom-spouting, Papa advising Romo owned me this episode. He had too many great lines to type them all out, but I’m always amazed at how he can so easily manipulate people (including himself, it seems), and he gets bonus points for making the romantic come out in the realistic Papa.
So I have this whole crazy long picture in my head of what the season are, what they represent and how the progression is going. Read on it you'd like to induldge me.
Season One - Birth, learning to walk
The miniseries and the first season is about the birth of the fleet and the journey of how they learn to exist as this new civilization (or gang, as Lee calls them). At this stage everyone is getting their bearings, getting their footing and learning how to function in a new life. The leaders are learning to work together for the good of the people (and in some cases learning how to lead at all in a time of war), and the whole fleet is becoming a functioning society while on the run.
Season Two - Sin, mistakes
This season is much like an adolescence stage. The fleet is almost grown up and now it’s time to make mistakes so that they can learn how to avoid them in the future. The list of errors the individuals and the leadership of the fleet make during this season could go on and on, but I’ll just lust a few: Tigh and martial law, Baltar shooting Crashdown, Cally shooting Boomer, Lee and the Black Market escapade, the attempt to fix the election, New Caprica, and the ultimate representation of the wrong thing to do the Pegasus. What’s interesting about this season is that amongst all the mistakes a few huge, remarkable things come from the bad: the solidifying of the Roslin/Adama power front in the wake of Cain, the rescue of the resistance from Caprica, and the emergence of the true leader in Lee amid all the Pegasus power changes.
Season Three - Trials, Personal discovery
Season three went to a very dark place and put everyone through some pretty horrendous situations. All of that helped them to realize just what they were made of, who they had become or who they want to be. New Caprica and the aftermath left a scar on every single person in the fleet and just about everyone had to make a decision about what they wanted or who they were going to be. By the end of the season many characters found out they were not who they thought they were: Lee realized he wanted a life outside the military, Kara found out she had to let her past go to move into the future as a leader, Baltar decided he was out for the little guy (and himself), Roslin found out she really was the dying leader, and four people discovered they were people at all. My simplified list from this post:
-- Baltar: scientist, atheist → religious leader, messiah
-- Roslin: teacher/president → dying leader, believer
-- Kara: screw-up pilot → savior, harbinger
-- Lee: CAG → politician
-- Tigh: XO, cylon hater → cylon
-- Papa: skeptic → believer in Earth
-- Chief: loyal military man → cylon
-- Athena: cylon prisoner → pilot, mother
-- Sam: civilian leader → pilot, cylon
Season Four - Redemption, Acceptance
This current season is shaping up to be about the way to redemption, mainly leaving the past behind and accepting who you are and your role in life. Of course not everyone is willing to accept right away or at all who they truly are, or their true nature as Leoben says. That struggle seems to be making up much of the internal drama this season, and it’s involving both human and cylon. The list I compiled a few reviews ago (it may need some maintenance, so let me know what you think):
*Those embracing their nature:
-- 2s, 6s, and 8s. Their breakaway and subsequent civil war with the other cylon models was over their support of the raiders and centurions evolving which they see as a natural process.
-- Baltar. Head!Six has been telling him since day one that he is an instrument of god and now it seems he finally believes it.
-- Tory. Becoming a cylon is probably the best thing that ever happened to her. She has let go of her past and is confident and drawing power from the fact that she is “perfect.” Even the president commented on how capable she’s been since the nebula.
-- The Tight. He seems to have let go of his past too. He’s still trying to be the man he wants to be, but he’s hanging with Caprica Six and he tells Chief “Anything I’ve done, I can live with.”
-- Athena. She’s disgusted with the other 8s wishy-washiness and tells them that “you pick a side and you stick.” She’s always said she knows who she is and what side she’s on.
-- Emily. She has embraced her fate and isn’t scared anymore, so when she dies it’s a beautiful thing.
-- Helo. I include him here because he has accepted that he will always do the right, moral thing. What’s cool about him is that he can remain so faithful to the military and the fleet while doing the right thing.
-- Lee. He seems to have found what he believes he was meant for and a better way to help the fleet than just protecting it with a viper.
-- Papa. “I can’t live without her.” ‘Nough said.
*Those who fear their nature:
-- Chief. His cylon nature scares the crap out of him and the guilt over Cally’s death leads him to obsession (so says Tory) and bitterness (so says Baltar). I think Baltar’s speech to him in his room and the fact that he took Baltar’s hand means he’s on his way to accepting things. *crosses fingers*
-- Kara. I include her here because she’s been all over the map lately and she was clearly freaked out by Leoben called her an angel. She starts to see herself that way once she sees the basestar/comet and things fit into place, but all that comes crashing down when the Hybrid makes her predictions. Poor Kara.
-- 8s. They are wishy-washy little bitches, because they want to rebel and then they don’t, and then one says Athena is right about everything. They get put in this category simply because they can’t make up their minds.
-- Roslin. She is still afraid to die through most of both episodes, but, like Chief, she seems to be working on accepting that her fate is to die.
-- Gaeta. Poor guy is just having a hard time with the whole leg thing. Who wouldn’t?
-- Sam. He almost wants it both ways. He’s afraid of what he is because it means losing the woman he loves, but he’s also incredibly curious about his cylon nature. If anyone can bridge the gap between human and cylon it’s going to be him.
I have better support for the season four part of the theory in this post, but Papa said something in particular this episode that strengthens my claims. He told the Tight “You’re not the same man you were. You’re not even the same man that came back from New Caprica. You found out a lot about yourself, tested in ways I can barely begin to imagine. You’re ready.” And there you have it. The Tight is ready because he’s been through the hard times and he knows who he is and accepts it. I think if everyone can get to the redemptive acceptance stage, then maybe they can finally get to Earth. I realize this whole theory thing isn’t exactly articulate, but maybe I can work on it and get all the support and whatnot in one post one of these days. :D
A few things to get out of the way:
-- Oh dear lord, Papadama is the most romantic soul left in the fleet. “I can’t live without her.” I just keep hearing that over and over in my head. I knew he was a go-down-with-the-ship kind of guy, but WOW. And Husker in a flight suit! Wheeeeee!
-- Tight/Caprica. Um. Weird. I was fine with the kissing, but her kneeling in front of him and putting her hands on his legs was too much, even worse than knowing she’s knocked up with babybot. Tigh’s tight thighs. Tigh’s tight thighs! Sorry, lunar47 and spinkkitty, that’s all I could think afterward. :)
-- Leland Joseph Adama, the Shining Beacon of Hope and Study in Repressed Ambition. Honesty, the wisdom to recognize the correct if unpopular choice and the courage to see it through. Oh Lee! I gotta admit that I got lost in his little speech at gun point the first time around because I was mesmerized by his beautiful face taking up the whole screen for more than a minute, but when I watched again I adored his words. “Faith in ourselves as a people with the right to survive isn’t a given, it’s a choice.” I think he’s gone past the naiveté enough to make a wonderful, pragmatic but idealistic (I know, it’s really oxymoronic) leader of the fleet.
I also want to point out how Lee was described as a shining beacon of hope and Kara as an angel blazing with the light of God. Fun!
And in my head, if Lee is Leland Joseph Adama, Zak is Zakkary William Adama. Say it with me: awwwwww.
-- Romo frakkin’ Lampkin. I heart Romo so damn much. Guilt represented in a dead cat, House-style white board writing, gun-wielding, wisdom-spouting, Papa advising Romo owned me this episode. He had too many great lines to type them all out, but I’m always amazed at how he can so easily manipulate people (including himself, it seems), and he gets bonus points for making the romantic come out in the realistic Papa.
So I have this whole crazy long picture in my head of what the season are, what they represent and how the progression is going. Read on it you'd like to induldge me.
Season One - Birth, learning to walk
The miniseries and the first season is about the birth of the fleet and the journey of how they learn to exist as this new civilization (or gang, as Lee calls them). At this stage everyone is getting their bearings, getting their footing and learning how to function in a new life. The leaders are learning to work together for the good of the people (and in some cases learning how to lead at all in a time of war), and the whole fleet is becoming a functioning society while on the run.
Season Two - Sin, mistakes
This season is much like an adolescence stage. The fleet is almost grown up and now it’s time to make mistakes so that they can learn how to avoid them in the future. The list of errors the individuals and the leadership of the fleet make during this season could go on and on, but I’ll just lust a few: Tigh and martial law, Baltar shooting Crashdown, Cally shooting Boomer, Lee and the Black Market escapade, the attempt to fix the election, New Caprica, and the ultimate representation of the wrong thing to do the Pegasus. What’s interesting about this season is that amongst all the mistakes a few huge, remarkable things come from the bad: the solidifying of the Roslin/Adama power front in the wake of Cain, the rescue of the resistance from Caprica, and the emergence of the true leader in Lee amid all the Pegasus power changes.
Season Three - Trials, Personal discovery
Season three went to a very dark place and put everyone through some pretty horrendous situations. All of that helped them to realize just what they were made of, who they had become or who they want to be. New Caprica and the aftermath left a scar on every single person in the fleet and just about everyone had to make a decision about what they wanted or who they were going to be. By the end of the season many characters found out they were not who they thought they were: Lee realized he wanted a life outside the military, Kara found out she had to let her past go to move into the future as a leader, Baltar decided he was out for the little guy (and himself), Roslin found out she really was the dying leader, and four people discovered they were people at all. My simplified list from this post:
-- Baltar: scientist, atheist → religious leader, messiah
-- Roslin: teacher/president → dying leader, believer
-- Kara: screw-up pilot → savior, harbinger
-- Lee: CAG → politician
-- Tigh: XO, cylon hater → cylon
-- Papa: skeptic → believer in Earth
-- Chief: loyal military man → cylon
-- Athena: cylon prisoner → pilot, mother
-- Sam: civilian leader → pilot, cylon
Season Four - Redemption, Acceptance
This current season is shaping up to be about the way to redemption, mainly leaving the past behind and accepting who you are and your role in life. Of course not everyone is willing to accept right away or at all who they truly are, or their true nature as Leoben says. That struggle seems to be making up much of the internal drama this season, and it’s involving both human and cylon. The list I compiled a few reviews ago (it may need some maintenance, so let me know what you think):
*Those embracing their nature:
-- 2s, 6s, and 8s. Their breakaway and subsequent civil war with the other cylon models was over their support of the raiders and centurions evolving which they see as a natural process.
-- Baltar. Head!Six has been telling him since day one that he is an instrument of god and now it seems he finally believes it.
-- Tory. Becoming a cylon is probably the best thing that ever happened to her. She has let go of her past and is confident and drawing power from the fact that she is “perfect.” Even the president commented on how capable she’s been since the nebula.
-- The Tight. He seems to have let go of his past too. He’s still trying to be the man he wants to be, but he’s hanging with Caprica Six and he tells Chief “Anything I’ve done, I can live with.”
-- Athena. She’s disgusted with the other 8s wishy-washiness and tells them that “you pick a side and you stick.” She’s always said she knows who she is and what side she’s on.
-- Emily. She has embraced her fate and isn’t scared anymore, so when she dies it’s a beautiful thing.
-- Helo. I include him here because he has accepted that he will always do the right, moral thing. What’s cool about him is that he can remain so faithful to the military and the fleet while doing the right thing.
-- Lee. He seems to have found what he believes he was meant for and a better way to help the fleet than just protecting it with a viper.
-- Papa. “I can’t live without her.” ‘Nough said.
*Those who fear their nature:
-- Chief. His cylon nature scares the crap out of him and the guilt over Cally’s death leads him to obsession (so says Tory) and bitterness (so says Baltar). I think Baltar’s speech to him in his room and the fact that he took Baltar’s hand means he’s on his way to accepting things. *crosses fingers*
-- Kara. I include her here because she’s been all over the map lately and she was clearly freaked out by Leoben called her an angel. She starts to see herself that way once she sees the basestar/comet and things fit into place, but all that comes crashing down when the Hybrid makes her predictions. Poor Kara.
-- 8s. They are wishy-washy little bitches, because they want to rebel and then they don’t, and then one says Athena is right about everything. They get put in this category simply because they can’t make up their minds.
-- Roslin. She is still afraid to die through most of both episodes, but, like Chief, she seems to be working on accepting that her fate is to die.
-- Gaeta. Poor guy is just having a hard time with the whole leg thing. Who wouldn’t?
-- Sam. He almost wants it both ways. He’s afraid of what he is because it means losing the woman he loves, but he’s also incredibly curious about his cylon nature. If anyone can bridge the gap between human and cylon it’s going to be him.
I have better support for the season four part of the theory in this post, but Papa said something in particular this episode that strengthens my claims. He told the Tight “You’re not the same man you were. You’re not even the same man that came back from New Caprica. You found out a lot about yourself, tested in ways I can barely begin to imagine. You’re ready.” And there you have it. The Tight is ready because he’s been through the hard times and he knows who he is and accepts it. I think if everyone can get to the redemptive acceptance stage, then maybe they can finally get to Earth. I realize this whole theory thing isn’t exactly articulate, but maybe I can work on it and get all the support and whatnot in one post one of these days. :D