Hey there. Hope you don't mind me chiming in as I'm still in that emo state of mind mourning Laura and A/R. I knew her death was coming because like what are the odds that she'd make it, but it still broke my heart when it happened. Her getting to see the 'promised land' was more than I had hoped for and I was happy she had this last piece of happiness, but actually seeing her die and the scene of Bill 'reading' to her by her grave just killed me.
Someone at TWOP said that S4 may have been about finding Laura as a woman, but they did a disservice to Laura, the leader. I think I have to agree with that, wonderful as the A/R developments were. I wish her final arc hadn't been so defined by dying dying dying, or at least she'd gotten more to do as the 'dying leader'.
I think I like the finale more when I don't examine it too closely 'cause when you think about it, RDM really let a lot of plot/character threads fizzle out in S4 (Baltar's cult, Tigh/Caprica, post-mutiny fallout/reconciliation etc.) I think one of my major problems with the finale is that after loving all the grey and ambiguity of BSG, it felt way too neatly tied up and heavy-handed with its messages (didn't care for all about God and evil!robots). Subtlety was one of BSG's strengths. And after hearing that it'd be all about the characters, I actually expected there to be more about the characters. Less space p0rn would have been fine by me too. I can't nitpick too much about A/R's ending which is what I cared about the most, but I wish there'd been more physical/verbal intimacy at the end. I know they've always gotten by without words, but I wouldn't have minded some then. And I would have preferred if Bill had given her the ring or said something to her before she died. Oh, Bill.
Gaius saying that he knew farming was one of the most moving moments for me. I still could have done without the harem arc though. And I'm not lying here, but I didn't cheer at Tory or Boomer's death. :P It actually gave me pause, because given the show's message, those acts didn't bode so well for the cycle of violence not to be repeated. But they were very human. ;)
Overall, I liked it more than I disliked it. But like you said, expected more from RDM's record of storytelling. I'm beginning to think finales are never the strongest reflection of a show. Well, at least thank the Gods it was no travesty like the Alias finale. ;)
I hope you'll be inspired to write some happy A/R fanfic sometime 'cause I definitely need the therapy! Afterlife fics are adding to the sadness at the moment.
And yay, I am glad that things are working out for you in your personal life. *hugs*
or at least she'd gotten more to do as the 'dying leader'.
Ah, but I don't believe she is the dying leader. Pythia wrote that the anointed leader would never see the 'promised land'. She also wrote that the anointed leader was dying of "a wasting illness".
"And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland. And unto the leader, they gave a vision of serpents, numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come."
Pythia foretells of an initial battle in which the Colonials are "led by serpents two and ten" and are victorious over their foes.
The Hybrid from the rebel Cylon's ship prophesies that the "dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House".
So:
"And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland. Leading the caravan: Galactica.
And unto the leader, they gave a vision of serpents, numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come." The fleet is forced to attack a Cylon base in order to obtain fuel. The attack is lead by twelve Vipers ("serpents numbering two and ten"). This takes them to the Temple of Hopes, aka The Temple of Five, where we find The Eye of Jupiter - a "sign of things to come."
Dying of a wasting illness - Galactica has certainly been doing that from the beginning - she's old and about to be decommissioned in the pilot of the series. By the last few episodes, she's wasting away entirely.
"The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House".
Well, YEAH.
The anointed leader would never see the promised land.
Galactica never landed on Earth. She delivered the fleet, and then she died.
Laura was dying, and she clung to her perceived role as the dying leader--which gave her strength and purpose. But she was wrong. It was Galactica.
Someone at TWOP said that S4 may have been about finding Laura as a woman, but they did a disservice to Laura, the leader. I think I have to agree with that, wonderful as the A/R developments were. I wish her final arc hadn't been so defined by dying dying dying, or at least she'd gotten more to do as the 'dying leader'.
I think I like the finale more when I don't examine it too closely 'cause when you think about it, RDM really let a lot of plot/character threads fizzle out in S4 (Baltar's cult, Tigh/Caprica, post-mutiny fallout/reconciliation etc.) I think one of my major problems with the finale is that after loving all the grey and ambiguity of BSG, it felt way too neatly tied up and heavy-handed with its messages (didn't care for all about God and evil!robots). Subtlety was one of BSG's strengths. And after hearing that it'd be all about the characters, I actually expected there to be more about the characters. Less space p0rn would have been fine by me too. I can't nitpick too much about A/R's ending which is what I cared about the most, but I wish there'd been more physical/verbal intimacy at the end. I know they've always gotten by without words, but I wouldn't have minded some then. And I would have preferred if Bill had given her the ring or said something to her before she died. Oh, Bill.
Gaius saying that he knew farming was one of the most moving moments for me. I still could have done without the harem arc though. And I'm not lying here, but I didn't cheer at Tory or Boomer's death. :P It actually gave me pause, because given the show's message, those acts didn't bode so well for the cycle of violence not to be repeated. But they were very human. ;)
Overall, I liked it more than I disliked it. But like you said, expected more from RDM's record of storytelling. I'm beginning to think finales are never the strongest reflection of a show. Well, at least thank the Gods it was no travesty like the Alias finale. ;)
I hope you'll be inspired to write some happy A/R fanfic sometime 'cause I definitely need the therapy! Afterlife fics are adding to the sadness at the moment.
And yay, I am glad that things are working out for you in your personal life. *hugs*
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Ah, but I don't believe she is the dying leader. Pythia wrote that the anointed leader would never see the 'promised land'. She also wrote that the anointed leader was dying of "a wasting illness".
"And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland. And unto the leader, they gave a vision of serpents, numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come."
Pythia foretells of an initial battle in which the Colonials are "led by serpents two and ten" and are victorious over their foes.
The Hybrid from the rebel Cylon's ship prophesies that the "dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House".
So:
"And the Lords anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland. Leading the caravan: Galactica.
And unto the leader, they gave a vision of serpents, numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come." The fleet is forced to attack a Cylon base in order to obtain fuel. The attack is lead by twelve Vipers ("serpents numbering two and ten"). This takes them to the Temple of Hopes, aka The Temple of Five, where we find The Eye of Jupiter - a "sign of things to come."
Dying of a wasting illness - Galactica has certainly been doing that from the beginning - she's old and about to be decommissioned in the pilot of the series. By the last few episodes, she's wasting away entirely.
"The dying leader shall know the truth of the Opera House".
Well, YEAH.
The anointed leader would never see the promised land.
Galactica never landed on Earth. She delivered the fleet, and then she died.
Laura was dying, and she clung to her perceived role as the dying leader--which gave her strength and purpose. But she was wrong. It was Galactica.
I LOVE MY SHOW.
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