Comments | bop_radar: Pilot-centric thoughts post-4.02

bop_radar

Pilot-centric thoughts post-4.02

Apr 17, 2008 10:22

I've been working on my post about my holiday but it's loooong and in the meantime my thoughts keep flying back to BSG. Not helped by the fact that wisteria_ has posed some terrific burning questions about the first two eps. I couldn't really answer any of them but I do have more to say on the subject of pilots.
( tl;dr ramblings, with a warning for sap )

bsgseason4, bsg_meta

Comments 22

areasontofight April 17 2008, 15:10:23 UTC

Both Kara and Lee are more emotionally centred this season. That's the best way I can think to describe it. There's an inner stillness and certainty to each of them, regardless of what's going on on the outside.

I'm so glad you said that, and I completely agree. I was going to say something similar myself about 4x02, but I wasn't sure how to put it without sounding crazy considering Kara spent most of the episode screaming on the floor of the brig. But underneath that there's such certainty in her. She knows she is right and that she can show them the way to Earth. All the emotion on the surface comes from no one believing her. It reminds me of Crossroads Pt1 when Adama didn't believe that Lee hadn't known about Tigh and Ellen prior to the trial - there's something about seeing people who are telling the absolute truth be called liars by those they love that upsets me more than anything else. (Now watch Kara turn out to be a lying Cylon.... *g*)

I think Lee kind of panicked when Kara stood up because it harder for them to not hug ( ( ... )

bop_radar April 18 2008, 02:38:24 UTC

I wasn't sure how to put it without sounding crazy considering Kara spent most of the episode screaming on the floor of the brig. But underneath that there's such certainty in her
I'm so glad you see it too. Not everyone does. It definitely sounds kind of weird at first because superficially she was in near hysterics most of the episode. But underneath something feels different about her--and you can especially see that when she's with Lee. She felt different.

there's something about seeing people who are telling the absolute truth be called liars by those they love that upsets me more than anything else. (Now watch Kara turn out to be a lying Cylon.... *g*)
She won't be. Don't worry, I have faith! And I agree that it's really heartrending to watch.

to say she's got a lot going on would be an understatement. Is that really the time to start making declarations of love?Exactly! Just as it wasn't when she was going through turmoil in Maelstrom. Back then, he did the most he could in saying 'whatever it takes' and staring at her with ( ... )

areasontofight April 18 2008, 14:19:10 UTC

She won't be. Don't worry, I have faith!

Me too. I don't believe for one second that Kara is a Cylon. And I don't think anyone out there does. But what if they're pushing it so hard so that we all assume they're playing us, and then she will be one. Reverse psychology! But I'm kidding. Kind of.

I know some people are reading it as coming from a place of desperation, and I do think it's connected to her facing/experiencing death, but I also think it's bigger than that.I definitely think part of Kara now is desperation and coming so close to death (or dying?). But it is more than that. Before she was always the screw up, deserted by those she loved, and so she pushed people away and kept screwing up - almost seeing how far she could get away with it. But now it's like she realises why she's here. She's no longer just muddling her way through life doing the only thing she knows how to do. She has a reason for being, a purpose and, perhaps as a result, is worthy of love. And she's not so afraid of that love anymore, so she can open up ( ... )

bop_radar April 19 2008, 13:43:58 UTC

But what if they're pushing it so hard so that we all assume they're playing us, and then she will be one. Reverse psychology!
The thought has crossed my mind too... but no.

But now it's like she realises why she's here. She's no longer just muddling her way through life doing the only thing she knows how to do. She has a reason for being, a purpose and, perhaps as a result, is worthy of love. And she's not so afraid of that love anymore, so she can open up and allow herself to feel in return. Again with the idea of there being a certainty about her, it's like she 'gets' it now - there's a reason she's alive.
That's beautifully expressed. Thank you for sharing that! Yes, I think that's what I'm seeing too.

Nothing about that scene, however much of a goodbye it may have been, said to me that they were even close to being over each other. Very strange...
Truly. I'm with you.

I don't think it would make sense for that to be it, but I have zero idea of how the season is going to play out. I can't imagine they'll be off doing ( ... )

alexandral April 17 2008, 15:39:51 UTC

May be later I can come up with something intelligent but for now I just say that I agree with everything. This is a fabulous post.

As for all the reactions about whether this is it for them, I still really cannot read this is a closure/ending scene for them in any way. It was goodbye in the literal sense that they were parting, but it definitely promised more.

I felt the same. Considering I have missed 2/3 of the season 3 my POV is quite unclouded at the moment. It looked as if they both said "Yes, our relationship is a forever thing". It came across as if both of them weren't sure why they weren't together (and so was I!!!)

bop_radar April 18 2008, 02:30:34 UTC

Thank you--I'm glad you liked the post. It's refreshing to hear from someone that hasn't seen S3. It was a pretty dark period for both of them. And I definitely agree that this was a 'our relationship is forever' scene.

It came across as if both of them weren't sure why they weren't together (and so was I!!!)
Hee hee, yeah if only they weren't parting, I think they'd have worked that one through to its natural conclusion. ;)

carylerg April 17 2008, 15:52:09 UTC

I wish I had something more profound to share, but since I've only had four hours of sleep all I can say is that I agree with all of this.

It's fun to see my fellow Kara/Lee shippers feeling giddy about an episode. I just hope the writers throw us some bones to help keep hope alive. :)

bop_radar April 18 2008, 02:29:15 UTC

Yay--I'm glad you're giddy too! And I share your hope on the writing front. I'm already bracing myself for the next ep (I always get pre-BSG jitters) but maybe, maybe they'll give us something...

daybreak777 April 17 2008, 16:18:49 UTC

Wow, what a post! When you come back to LJ, you don't mess around. :-)

Both Kara and Lee are more emotionally centred this season.
Really? I can't see it. *looks harder* I see Lee as having grown up big time. Like you said about his refusal to be a pilot again and not getting pulled back into wanting Daddy's approval. Kudos to him. But I don't think he's all there yet. And Kara? 'Centered' is not the word I'd use for her in SoO. I so wish that were so. She's just more open about emotions to me, so was Lee. And hers seemed all over the place. She did seem centered when she first got out of that viper . . . But I don't know if the certainty is really hers. She's been physically connected to this map (i.e. migraines of destiny). She has to follow because she wants to, but it also physically hurts her to jump away from the path. How much choice does she have other than to be determined? If Adama hadn't sent her back, I feel she might have lost her mind or literally died trying to convince them.

They were each respecting the other ( ... )

bop_radar April 18 2008, 02:28:21 UTC

When you come back to LJ, you don't mess around.
It's just that the pilots have colonised my brain again. I don't quite have insomnia again but I may soon...

But I don't know if the certainty is really hers. She's been physically connected to this map (i.e. migraines of destiny). She has to follow because she wants to, but it also physically hurts her to jump away from the path. How much choice does she have other than to be determined?
I do agree with that: I think the centredness I see in her stems directly from her death-rebirth-findingEarth experience. And therefore it's not necessarily personal to her: I was trying to express that in the post. And I'm not suggesting that all their problems are magically fixed. Both of them still have immense obstacles to overcome in their lives--but those are external and surface-level, rather than being an internal struggle. Kara's not questioning the fact that she found Earth: she totally believes she did. She's not thinking 'maybe I should give up trying to convince people'--she's listening ( ... )

daybreak777 April 18 2008, 07:07:52 UTC

Hee! Pilots!colonization is totally understandable. :-)

she's listening to her destiny calling her. So is Lee. I don't know. I guess we're seeing different things in them right now.
Nah, I see it, I think. I'm just resisting it. They are growing up. I should just accept it and stop mourning it. Time to put away childish things, eh?

I did want this. Want to see the maturity in them, so I should quit whining about it. :-) So I will! I do feel a sort of zen now. Quiet. I do wish for that for my girl. I quite liked that woman who got out of that pristine Viper so confident, happy, sure.

Mourning for Kara? No. I'm mourning my show. This was only the first of many farewells and it was only the second episode. But that's silly talk. We have 18 to go! And just because you say farewell to one thing, doesn't mean you don't say hello! to something new. Right?

I have never doubted that pilots will come together again before this series ends. Never. I will just try not to think about what happens before or after that. It will happen and it ( ... )

katiebugs18 April 17 2008, 16:29:51 UTC

Great post. This is in no way hideously sappy, right now there is no such thing as too sappy when it comes to Pilots!

Both Kara and Lee are more emotionally centred this season...There's an inner stillness and certainty to each of them, regardless of what's going on on the outside.

So true and it's such a relief. It's as if they (and by extension us) can breath a bit easier. For Lee it was the chat with Dad but for Kara, the part where I thought it was glaringly obvious (because we did see under-tones of it before this) is how genuinely happy she seems for Lee. Despite Lee leaving not just Galactica but the Fleet as well (something Kara views as her world) she seems genuinely happy and hopeful for him. I thought it was lovely of her. They've both found their centers, their destiny's, and are comfortable with themselves so now they can really and truly focus on the other in an honest, healthy way.

'Except me' and 'Especially you' were a bit 'wtf' to Lee and Kara themselves, respectively.To them and to me. But I like your ( ... )

bop_radar April 18 2008, 02:16:44 UTC

Thank you!

So true and it's such a relief. It's as if they (and by extension us) can breath a bit easier
*nods* It feels as if their inner jangly-ness and jitteriness has evaporated. None of the surface issues are really resolved, but undeerneath there's a stillness.

the part where I thought it was glaringly obvious (because we did see under-tones of it before this) is how genuinely happy she seems for Lee
Mm, yeah the fact that she was able to be that points to a real emotional shift in her. It's incredible that she can feel that way at such a tough time as this so it suggests that what she's gone through is helping her see things in a bigger perspective and with an emotional distance that is rare.

I mean she called him. The last time she did that was after their fight in 'KLG1' and at that time he walked away and then we all know how that turned out. I thought it was huge of her to call to him and leave herself open like that.Oh, nice reference. I hadn't drawn that parallel myself, but you're right. Because Lee didn't read it ( ... )

katiebugs18 April 18 2008, 21:45:30 UTC

It's odd to me that he IS still wearing it. I don't know what to make of that, because their scene was very much closure. Perhaps the papers haven't been signed yet? Or perhaps he just didn't want to upset Dee by taking it off before he physically left Galactica. Or it was just sloppiness. ;) Not sure.

Honestly, I think it's sloppiness. I think Jamie and everyone got so used to him wearing it that no one's really noticed he still is. And if anyone has after the fact they can chalk it up to Lee waiting till the divorce is all signed and sealed or whatever. But I'll be annoyed if he doesn't lose it soon.