The Bad Influence Speaks

39,521 survivors

Wow, number 8.  We only have 2 left to go before the end. Sorry for the delay with the post.  I switched to days for this week and have either been at work or comatose...lol.

The cylons had a home colony?  Since it was moved, I'm assuming it was on ships and not planetary based.

Watching Helo consumed with guilt is tough.  It's painful to see a good man in so much pain.  I'd like to think that Boomer is such a bitch to Hera because she feels guilty for kidnapping her but part of me isn't sure about that. 

I busted out laughing when Gaius noticed Kara sitting on the toilet with a magazine ("the latch was busted") while he shaved.  He even seemed kinda disturbed that she had a conversation with him while sitting there.  I'd admit toilet talkers in public restrooms annoy the crap (no pun intended....well maybe some) out of me but this was freaking funny.  You have to love her lack of shame.

I love what she said to Sam, paraphrasing, "Human. Cylon. It doesn't matter. You're just Sam." It's a little disturbing that they turned him into a hybrid though.  Can a person even come back from that?

Nice move on Balter's part.  I guess Kara slapping him answered the question on whether she had told anyone about finding her own corpse or not. I got all "awwwwwww" and gushy (perv, not like that) when Lee was trying to comfort her and tell her that whatever had happened it was ok.  "This is all that matters." It was very sweet.

Even though I've known all along that the end has been coming, Adama making the decision to abandon Galactica really made it hit home.  When Galactica is gone, this fantastic show will truly be done.  It's a bittersweet loss.  I want to know how everything ends but will miss seeing the characters evolve. 

After tonight, there will only be the series finale remaining.  Good hunting, fans.

39,556 (for the third in a row)

Here we are with episode number 7 of the final 10 of Battlestar Galactica.  Feels weird, doesn't it? I'm impressed with how well they have been answering questions thus far.  I'm also impressed that no one else has died in 3 episodes. Finally we had a Kara Thrace based episode.  Not that it really answered any questions but it gave a great lead up for what may come.

How many times has Kara made that same speech at briefing?  When you can repeat it without thinking and dream the speech, it's been way too long.

It was sweet of Helo to gather up all her things. He's just flat out a good guy. I'd love to meet a guy with similar personality traits.

Finally, we have a happy memory for Kara.  Everything else involved pain, guilt or remorse. Well, except for flying memories. I still can't quite place why the pianist looks so familiar.  I must have seen him in something before. He did give her some sound advice (paraphrased): Sometimes lost is where you need to be. Just because you don't know your path doesn't mean you don't have one.

When Boomer went directly to get Athena I was originally puzzled and wondered if it was part of Cavil's plans.  As the episode went on I became sure that Cavil had planned this all along.  He never intended to kill Ellen.  All along he wanted her (and thus Boomer) to join the fleet.  I bet that Boomer was the one to bring up separating from the Colonials and going off on their own. It would make it easier for Cavil to attack the rebel cylons.  Exactly why Hera is so important to Cavil, I'm not sure. I have a random thought of could Cavil have used the same steps on the other skin jobs with him as he did with the metal cylons and removed the free thought aspect from their software? 

By the way, HOW DOES HELO NOT REALIZE THAT IS NOT ATHENA?!?  I know they are the same model but they have lived different lives and have different mannerisms as a result.  Dude, they are essentially different women and YOU NEVER REALIZED YOU WERE FUCKING THE WRONG WOMAN!

I am assuming the pianist was a ghost (whether hallucination or not) of Kara's father.  Obviously the song that he taught her as a child is what brought the others of the final five out into the spotlight.  Was he, as I pondered in the past, Daniel? Is Kara a child of the 13th Colony?  Wouldn't she be the first hybrid since her mother was human?  Perhaps the reason her father disappeared because of Cavil's boxing of the series and not by his own violation?

In the next 3 weeks, we will see.

39,556 survivors

Every time I think that Battlestar Galactica cannot get better they surprise me.These final episodes are well written, remarkably acted, and superbly produced.  The shock on everyone's face when Ellen Tigh showed back up with Boomer was fantastic as was their continued surprise as she talked intelligently. I have noticed that she retains the same manipulative talents she showed as a human.  I guess one of her main forms of entertainment over the millennia has been manipulating Saul.

Sol should have really mentioned the baby to Ellen.  I mean, she was going to find out anyway.  Her conversation with Caprica Six was catty.  She was never trying to be good. Tory and her "pure cylon" and "13th tribe in original form" speech gave me shivers and not for a good reason.  Whenever racial purity is talked about, bad things happen. 

"I knew if I stayed away, you'd find the strength."  Gaius is quick with the save-your-ass replies, isn't he? His scene in Dogtown with feeding the hungry was never about the hungry.  It was about wresting back power from Paula.  It was manipulation at it's best.  He and Ellen have that in common.  Really this episode seemed all about manipulating others for your own benefit regardless of who gets hurt (which is generally the innocents).

Another thing, I've noticed is so few do the right things for the right reasons.  In recent episodes, Gaius does the right things (feeding the hungry) for the wrong reasons (re-securing his power.  Gaeta did the wrong things (killing, mutiny, etc) for the right reasons (protection of the fleet and the human race).

What was with the Six who was working on the ship?  I thought that the Admiral had said that no cylons were supposed to be on the workforce.  He kept walking past her and never noticing.  Also, are they really fixing the ship?  Galen and the others wanted to jump away from the fleet.  Some of them would see it as practical to damage the ship further so they could not follow.

Poor Saul and Caprica.  There is nothing worse than losing a child.  Hopefully, Ellen will not capitalize on this to win Saul back.  He is a better man with Caprica.

This week:  Finally!  We're going to see what is going on with Kara. I've been waiting for this since the season opener.

39,556 survivors (BSG)

And we're creeping ever closer to the finale of Battlestar Galactica.  This was the 5th episode in the final 10 or number 6 if you're counting down. It's bittersweet for me. I'm eagerly anticipating each new episode but mourning the end of an excellent series.  I'm also thankful this isn't like Lost.  At least the creators are actually answering the questions they posed in earlier seasons and should cover everything before the final credits.

On to the episode commentary:

It makes sense that the final 5 are really the first 5, the creators of the other skin jobs.  I had been puzzled with the thought that the original metal cylons would have created something that considered itself superior to them. That just never made any sense to me.  I also like the notion that Ellen Tigh who was considered less than intelligent, grasping and a troublemaker was the cylon who made the leap that brought back resurrection.

The knowledge that there was an 8th original cylon is amazing.   

Brother Cavil knowing all along who the 5 were was a shocker and it brought up many questions for me. Why does he know this and not the others?  Did he wipe the 5 out of the memory of the others they created?  Did he get extra pleasure of having sex with Ellen on New Caprica because of the knowledge that she thought she was human but he knew she was really a cylon? Why did he box and then corrupt the files of Daniel (number 7)?  How far are they going to go with his whole Oedipal complex?  I mean he was having sex with his mother and killed his father (well one of each).

He really came off as a pissed off, whiny teenager in the episode.  He hates everyone because his life is not like he wants it.  Boo hoo.

Is Kara going to pull life-support from Sam now that there is no brain activity?  Is his consciousness still there in his body ready for download?  Could Ellen fix that?

I had one wild, random thought about Kara.  We still don't know what she is.  Could she maybe be a child of the 5....well, 6 I guess it really is?  What if maybe Daniel had a back up plan?  He could have had a separate resurrection ship with copies of the first ones.  If Kara was their child, she could have a copy there and it would explain how she came back.  Of course, she could just be a collective hallucination for the fleet.  Finding out will be fun.

39,603 survivors (BSG)

While watching I have noticed that Gaeta really does have good intentions, his methods are flawed but he does not want people to have to get hurt.  Zarek, on the other hand, is very much a end justifies the means person.  You get in his way, and say goodnight, Gracie.

When did Gaeta become a commander?  Did Zarek promote him?

Gaeta has good intent wanting to see a trial like Roslyn did with Baltar but he doesn't have the support of good people who will not pervert the meaning of justice.  Zarek simply set up a kangaroo court.  Is he really out for anyone other than himself?

"I think you should leave now, Mr. Vice President." "So say we all."   Mwah ha ha ha ha ha

The quorum may be full of snippy kids but that was fantastic.  They really didn't deserve to get slaughtered.  That started the beginning of the end for Zarek.  It got some of the soldiers questioning the orders of a man who has unarmed civilians killed because they stood up to him.  When Gaeta saw that, he realized with whom he allied himself.  I honestly think he want to protect the fleet and does not want to see civilians hurt.  (Yes, I know this all comes from writers, brilliant ones at that, but it's easier to refer to them as if they were real people when commenting on actions.)

"The truth is told by who ever is left standing." -Zarek

That is so very true.  History is always written by the victors.  It's part of the spoils of war to be able to tell your version of what happened.  Those in power, in effect, create truth. To quote Stalin, "The people who count the votes decide everything." (No, I'm not going into current political ramifications of that concept here.  Check out my personal blog. I may get to it there. Filterless.)

Wow. When Lee grows a pair, he really grows a pair!

Was anyone actually surprised when Zarek lied about Tigh?

"I'm coming for all of you." I had been waiting for that line since the season started.  It's been in commercials for months now.

In those last moments, when Gaeta said, "it stopped," what was he talking about?  Was it the phantom leg feeling or was it the pain?  I wonder if some of the problems he was having at the end resulted from his guilt over his actions.

I enjoyed and was satisfied with the results of the episode, but once the credits rolled I had one question.  What happened to Sam?  Did Kara and the lawyer get him to Cottle on time?  Did he die?  What was the fate of Samuel Anders?

39,643 survivors

I actually jotted down a couple of notes during "The Oath" while it was on.  This way I can remember what I was thinking.  I loved the look on Tigh's face when Roslin stepped out from around the corner in Adama's quarters in a bathrobe.  That surprise when he realized that they were living together like that was priceless.

Was anyone else surprised when Zarek killed the engineer?  I don't know why I was because that is the kind of man he is but I guess I had thought he had softened some.  I know Gaeta was shocked when it happened.  It seems that many of those participating in the mutiny started with the Pegasus crew and those who had been Galactica stuck more with protecting their ship.

One thing this all shows is the person who controls communication controls everything.  You can draw a lot of real world examples from that.  In countries where the state controls the press, then the people never have the true story.  They only have what those in power want them to know.  It's also why secretaries have so much power in business.  They control access to the boss.  I'm serious when I say never piss off a secretary.  The payback is not pretty.

Does Kara stockpile ammo or something?  She pulled what?  4 or 5 clips out of her locker plus the clip in the sidearm.  I'm impressed.  She also kicked some serious ass when she saved Lee.  She made the comment about dying twice at that point.  Is the fact she found her own corpse common knowledge?  They never actually showed her telling Lee since they got sidetracked when he told her about Dee.

It's nice to know there are some constants.  Baltar will always be a schmuck.

Gaeta has never had to make the tough calls before.  It seems he is willing to see it through but I wonder if he can deal with the consequences.  I still don't agree with the way he is going about this.  I understand that he is pissed about his leg and mad at himself and the whole world because of what he discovered about himself (during the webisodes).  Violent overthrow of the government is rarely a wise course of action.

Don't you just hate it when it says "to be continued?"  I am freaking out a little about the fact that they are killing off Tigh and probably Adama. 

Throughout the episode my sister and I were having a philosophical discussion about the coup.  Here's how it went (and it is word for word, we really do text that way):

Me: Looking forward to Gaeta dying.

Sis: He has a point though

Me: About him being different?

Sis: That their democratic government is a fraud. And why should the fleet trust the cylons?

Me: True but this is not the way to go about it

Sis: But Adama won't listen. He doesn't acknowledge the government except for Roslin.

Me: Thought it was just Zarek he did not acknowledge

Sis: The quorum he ignores, other than Lee when he is useful.  I am not saying Gaeta is right, just that Adama has no accountability anymore and that is dangerous. And Roslin's I am president but not, left a power vacuum.

Me: That was a poor choice on her part.

Sis: It was selfish, if she wasn't going to do the job then resign.

Me: I agree

Sis: You reap what you sow. And Adama and Roslin sowed this.

Me: Wonder what Gaeta and Zarek will reap

Sis: The same. Revolutionaries and dictators meet the same bad end. Lee seems to get it.

Me: And he will lead the new government?

Sis: He is the best option.

Me: Always has been

BSG The Final Episodes

My sister, bless her heart, has been trying to get me to watch Battlestar Galactica ever since the mini-series first aired. I resisted.  Why?  I do not know.  It might have been because I watch too much TV already.  Well, she succeeded in getting me to watch Razor when it aired over Thanksgiving weekend in 2007 (though not so much by my choice; pushy does not begin to describe my family). I liked it though I HATED Starbuck for reasons I could not articulate.  It was an instant dislike though.

When she came down for two weeks at Christmas this past year, she brought the mini-series, Season 1, Season 2.0, Season 2.5, and Season 3 on DVD with the sole aim of forcing me through it.  I figured that I would sit through the mini-series, not like it and that would be it. 

I was wrong.

I LOVED IT!

Kara "Starbuck" Thrace even grew on me.  She's become my favorite character on the show now.  I think I identify with her being the frak up.  Gods know, I am that for my family. By the way, I love the word 'frak'  it rolls off the tongue so well and has a nice feel in my mouth.  It is also fairly socially acceptable which is nice for 3D life and when I am chatting in WOW. I can be a foul mouthed thing and having back up words is nice.  "Sonofanirishsetter" makes a nice exclamation, too, as does "For the love of Pete on a pogo stick."

By the time my sister had left on January 2nd, we had only gotten through the mini-series and Season 1. Ok, we had also watched season 1 of Big Bang Theory, and a half dozen movies.  So she left seasons 2.0, 2.5 and 3 with me.  Let me tell you. I had to cram to fit those in before the last season started on January 16th.  Ok, I had a break where I watched seasons 1 and 2 of Eureka and season 3 of Supernatural.  I bought 4.0 for myself when it came out as well.  I kept texting my sister with things like:
"Lucy Lawless is a cylon?!"
"OMG Lee got fat!"
"Dang, Leoben has a hard on for Kara"
"Kara's coming back, right?"
"Why can't Baltar just die?"

Apparently, it was highly entertaining for her. 

The first episode of this new season was a killer.  Pun intended.  I guess they really intend to go out with a bang.  Though I'm curious how long soil and groundwater stay contaminated after a nuclear blast.  I would think that 2,000 years is an extremely long time. 

Spoilers below if you have not had a chance to watch anything from the new season.  I know there are some who are waiting until it is all out on DVD and having a marathon then.

Season Opener, Sometimes A Great Notion:

Earth being populated by Cylons was the first shocker.  Wow, but beautifully poetic.  Wouldn't it be wonderful irony if they created humans in labs to use as labor and they revolted in an nice 180 of what happened on the Colonies?  It's not likely but would be interesting.

Kara following the Colonial beacon to that downed Viper and then finding her own corpse was a shocker.  So was Leoben freaking out and leaving her there.  To quote Xander from Buffy, when scary things get scared, not good.  What happened to her then?  Is she a Cylon or something?  Does this mean that Ellen Tigh is NOT the 5th?  I wondered about Tigh's accuracy on that one because of the amount of time he spent seeing Ellen's face on Caprica Six.

Also, how did the Cylons get from Earth to being integrated with humans in the Colonies?  Did they have a resurrection ship away from Earth?  Why were there only the 5?  What if there are more? Hell, what if they are all just separate races of Cylon? Did the survivors of Earth manage to find their way to the 12 Colonies?  Did they integrate earlier or did it take them 2,000 years and they arrived to see the  first Cylon war?  Did they decide to integrate the 5 after that?   Hell, what if the 5 were the ones who created the other skin jobs?

Dee knocked the rug out from under me.  I'll admit I have wanted her to go away for quite a while now so Lee and Kara can get together but I was not thinking anything like that.  I am assuming that her date with Lee was her way of saying good-bye.

Second episode, A Disquiet Follows My Soul:

I feel like I missed things and really need to re-watch this one.

I was not terribly surprised that the Chief's son really wasn't his son.  I had been wondering why none of the other Cylons made a big about his having a child once they found out he was one of the 5.  His son would have been like Hera then.

President Roslin stopping treatment was expected after her depression. So was Zareck stirring up trouble.  Gaeta's involvement knocked me for a loop.  Yes, I have seen the webisodes and know how his views of himself had changed but I never thought he would start planning on going against the Admiral.

Admiral Adama FINALLY got some, too.  I love that.

I am twitchy waiting until tomorrow night to find out what happens next and, yes, I blame my sister for that.