(Untitled)

May 20, 2010 07:12

I've forgotten where, but recently I came across a vintage grammar guide that lamented the "modern trend for confusing 'love' with 'like'. I love my mother; I like strawberries. One cannot feel love for strawberries."

I can't help thinking that my entire journal is one long counter-example. :)

Ashes to Ashes )

battlestar galactica, doctor who, ashes to ashes

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asta77 May 20 2010, 11:36:01 UTC
I'm behind on 'Who' and 'Ashes', but I have a few things to say about BSG. ;) I could probably say more, but it's early and I will have to go to work shortly.

His face when he says about wanting to climb mountains may have been my favourite thing in the whole series

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! That, I'm sure you are not shocked to learn, is one of my favorite moments as well. In four seasons of BSG I NEVER saw Lee express pure joy until that moment. I was incredibly frustrated by the overwhelmingly number of people either lamenting or angry about Lee's horrible end. Not only was everyone he loved gone, but Lee was going to climb up a mountain and die alone. WHAT?! I don't know how we leap from 'I want to explore' to 'I'm going off to die alone like my dad'. I see it exactly as you do, he'll go climb those mountains and then come back. Lee has spent his entire life trying to be the good son, soldier and politician. He's always tried to fill a role he was expected to fill and live up to others expectations and, for the first time, he can go off and do whatever he wants to do. I was so happy for him! And, in my head, he ends up with Sonja, the Six model who become the Cylon quorum delegate. ;-)

Helo AND Athena were supposed to die. Which makes sense if you consider that in Caprica and Baltar's visions of the Opera House, Hera runs into their arms, as she ended up doing in reality, and Head Six, early on, told Baltar that Hera was to be their child. But Ron wanted a happier ending for the Agathon clan so Helo and Athena lived.

The Final Five are the last survivors of the Thirteen Tribe. The (really) short version: The Thirteenth Tribe left Kobol and settled on Earth. The humanoid Cylons created the robotic Cylons, which, just like on the Twelve Colonies, they rose up against their creators and killed them all, accept for the Five who escaped on a ship. The Five arrived at the Twelve Colonies (like 2,000 years later - have yet to completely figure that out) in the midst of yet another war with Cylon Centurions, this time fighting their human oppressors. (Remember the shows motto, "This has all happened before and will happen again." Both societies created Centurions independently and neither apparently treated them well.) The Five made a deal with the Centurions that, if they ceased fighting the humans, they would help them evolve, hence the skinjobs being created. I could go on, but maybe you know the rest. ;)

I also saw a lot of complaints about Laura's end. I would agree that they dropped the ball in many ways. Her story became Adama's story and, too often, we only saw how her disease effected him. And don't get me started on Adama marrying her corpse and giving her no choice! But given her illness, which was, overall, believably portrayed, she had no strength to do more that she did. And I was happy she lived to see Earth 2.0. She earned that.

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the_royal_anna May 26 2010, 06:50:11 UTC
In four seasons of BSG I NEVER saw Lee express pure joy until that moment.

Yes! That's it exactly. And honestly, it would never have crossed my mind that it could be interpreted any other way than what you describe here. After all they'd been through, to see Lee come out it with so much hope intact, and the release of just being able to be alive, without having to fight to live, was a lovely moment.

And, in my head, he ends up with Sonja, the Six model who become the Cylon quorum delegate

I can definitely see the potential. :)

But Ron wanted a happier ending for the Agathon clan so Helo and Athena lived.

I'm so glad. I can't help thinking Caprica and Baltar would have made terrible adoptive parents, whatever the visions might think!

Thank you so much for your explanation about the Final Five, which is immensely helpful - I think I have almost got my head round it now! The only thing I am a bit confused about is whether the humanoid or the robotic Cylons came first. And Cylons per se were still created by humans initially - were they?

And don't get me started on Adama marrying her corpse and giving her no choice

Hee, I'm sure it looked romantic on paper. ;)

But given her illness, which was, overall, believably portrayed, she had no strength to do more that she did. And I was happy she lived to see Earth 2.0. She earned that.

Yes, I agree.

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asta77 May 27 2010, 03:40:29 UTC
After all they'd been through, to see Lee come out it with so much hope intact, and the release of just being able to be alive, without having to fight to live, was a lovely moment.

And I don't think he was all that hopeful during the four seasons. A lot of fans complained about the decision to send the technology into the sun, but one of the first things that happened after landing on the planet was a discussion of where to a build a city. And who would have ended up doing most of the labor? My guess is the Centurions and thus the cycle starts over, again. Lee was doing the only thing he could think of to stop history from repeating itself and give them a chance at living. Maybe their lives would be short, but given the condition of the ships and dwindling supplies at least people had the chance to enjoy sun and fresh air and hope.

The only thing I am a bit confused about is whether the humanoid or the robotic Cylons came first. And Cylons per se were still created by humans initially - were they?

Humanoid Cylons came first. But who created the Thirteenth Tribe of humanoid Cylons we do not know. If He/She Who Doesn't Like To Be Called God created humans than we could assume they also created the Cylons.

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the_royal_anna May 27 2010, 17:04:05 UTC
And who would have ended up doing most of the labor? My guess is the Centurions and thus the cycle starts over, again.

Yes, that's very true. I thought it was a brave and a right decision to lose the technology (although it amused me that Adama seemed to wangle his own private plane out of it ;)). One thing their experiences had taught them was the value of life itself, and I liked that they chose to embrace that and discard the trappings, if you like.

given the condition of the ships and dwindling supplies at least people had the chance to enjoy sun and fresh air and hope.

Yes, I agree, and that's beautifully put.

Humanoid Cylons came first. But who created the Thirteenth Tribe of humanoid Cylons we do not know. If He/She Who Doesn't Like To Be Called God created humans than we could assume they also created the Cylons.

Oh, thank you! That makes sense.

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