
(S03E07) I was about to say that I wondered if this was the first time any humans (besides Baltar, if he is human) have seen the inside of a Base Star, though the previews for next week seem to put that question to rest somewhat.
It seems it didn't take Apollo very long to lose a stone or two, though we really don't know for sure how much time has passed since the goings on on New Caprica, do we? I also noticed there were a few usual characters rather absent from this episode, such as Col. Tigh.
At first I thought it was a pretty stupid thing for the Cylons to tell Athena and the humans that there was a disease on board that was infecting them, but then I realized that, up until that point, nobody knew how far reaching the disease was.
I guess we're led to believe that when Athena jacked into the Base Star that she somehow triggered off the self destruct mechanism of the ship. I would have thought that her look of obvious guilt would create quite a bit of doubt in the humans as to where her loyalties lie. It still seems odd that the humans so easily trust her and carry her along on so many missions.
I have to admit that when Baltar was getting tortured I felt a bit of satisfaction mixed with pity. Satisfaction that such a wimpy scumbag should get what's finally coming to him, but pity knowing he's stuck on that Base Star with little to no hope of a way out of there. There's also pity that he has to sink so low as to turn on everyone and lie to save his own neck, as it's all he really knows how to do. And now that the humans know what Baltar's done and that he's alive, there's not a whole lot of hope left for him unless he does something pretty heroic.
You have to give it to Baltar for his theological rant to Number Three, just before his dreamstate self seems to change her to feel compassionate toward him. It's the overall theme of the episode really. Are we to decide what God's will is? Who is to die and who is to survive? As Baltar put it: "If we knew God's will we'd all be gods."
I had to look up "lymphocytic encephalitis", the disease plaguing the Cylons, though it doesn't turn up a whole lot of info. I just found it interesting that the doctor says that they've been cured for a few hundred years from the disease, and the knowing that humans from the 13th colony left for Earth 3,000 years ago. So much to think about there, as in what does this mean for the time period on Earth as far as this show is concerned?
Helo couldn't have sounded less convincing to me or, obviously, everyone in the President's office. As soon as he made the claim that the Cylons tried to live in harmony with the humans on New Caprica, I knew he was in for it. And really, his attitude there shows why Tigh, Starbuck and the others feel some loathing for those who were on the "cushy" Battlestars while they suffered on the surface of the planet.
Thinking back to the 'Collaborators' episode, this would have to be one of those situations where someone might be executed for being a traitor. Helo purposely put his fellow man in danger, and it wasn't for saving anyone he has a personal connection to, like his wife.
It's definitely an interesting and controversial topic, even for a fictional sci-fi series like BSG. Is it morally responsible to wipe out an entire race, even if it's an enemy you find no reason to keep in existence? Even if this race is out to cause your own harm and death? Even if they are trying to do the very same to your own?















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
11-10-2006 @ 11:26PM
Dwacon said...
I was wondering if the genocide would be carried out.
Now I know.
Feel a bit disappointed...
--
dwacon
http://dwacon.blogspot.com
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11-11-2006 @ 12:42AM
Will said...
This particular set of episodes reminds me of the Orson Scott Card Ender novels, particularly the first one - Ender's Game. For those who want to know more about it, you can read more on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender's_Game
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11-10-2006 @ 11:41PM
David said...
Of course the Cylons weren't going to die, then the show is over.
I think Helo should have been killed off, he is a useless charater anyways.
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11-10-2006 @ 11:57PM
Ian said...
2 takes from this ep.
1) The Cylon disease acts very like the modern day HIV. i.e. infected persons can take drugs and stay healthy.
2) The only way for Cylon's to be cured is to procreate with the humans.
Next we have to have the reason why the humans will need the Cylons.
Oh yes Baltar. The reason he is being allowed to live. Because the Cylons see he is as religious as they are and his belief's mirror their own. Will the Cylons believe he is a "god" one day? Sent to them by the one true God.
The Cylons on BSG were murdered by one of their own (healthy) kind a number yet to be discovered. The President just about admitted this when Adama said he was closing the investigation. "How convenient". If both these characters are actually Cylons that would all make a lot of sense.
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11-10-2006 @ 11:57PM
Keith McDuffee said...
Ian -- One could argue that the humans need the Cylons to stave off cancer, just as their blood worked for Roslin.
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11-11-2006 @ 12:06AM
Mike said...
Where do I start:
Why was no Marines posted on the cylon prisoners. They consider them such a threat that they put into chains, among other devices, yet they had no guards on their cells to report a loss of air.
Did Athena blow up that basestar? The colonial fleet could have used a ship to replace Pegasus. Where are Sharon's loyalities? Where are Helo's? I would consider every colonial death to be on his hands after he did what he did.
I don't agree with genocide normally but what do you do when an enemy continues to hunt you in hopes of commiting genocide first?
Starbucks role was pretty short this time and I found myself missing her. Anyone else?
As for Col. Tigh, it looks like he will be back in uniform next week. I wonder if that means Helo is going to be out as XO? How can the CAG be of higher rank and more experience than his XO?
Still, all things considered, the best show on television.
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11-11-2006 @ 12:39AM
Scott H said...
First, the lack of Starbuck (except for one short dogfight scene) was a refreshing and very welcome change of pace. Second, Helo's argument, other than the "they tried to get along with us on New Caprica" one, sounded valid to me. And I appreciated Helo getting more air time--I like his character a lot. It can't be the Starbuck/Apollo/Tigh show every single week. Some nice Roslin/Adama scenes, too.
Was anyone else remembering a ST:TNG episode where they had an opportunity to plant a virus that would infect all the Borg and commit genocide? I kept thinking about that.
I thought it was pretty clear that Helo reversed the air in the Cylons' cell--that's the circuit box he was tampering with. I'm actually relieved at the outcome--no blood of thousands of Cylons on Adama's and Roslin's hands. Although I understand that it may have been the best solution for their situation.
I was impressed at how much the show made me feel sympathy for the sick Cylon prisoners. I was also glad that they found some total BS, technobabble reason to prevent Sharon/Athena from getting the virus (the way she explained it made it clear that the writers knew it was BS!).
Anyone else think it was pretty stupid for all the humans to board the basestar seeing what kind of shape all the Cylon ships were in? No one ever thought it could be a possible contagion until one of the dying Cylons TOLD them? Jeesh.
It was an ok show. One of the lesser ones so far this season, although still very good (not at all in the class of the 2 or 3 stinkers from last season).
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11-11-2006 @ 1:04AM
malren said...
"I was about to say that I wondered if this was the first time any humans (besides Baltar, if he is human) have seen the inside of a Base Star,"
OH MY GOD(s).
Do you not remember Kobol's Last Gleaming part 2? Do you even watch this series? It's like you're reading a magazine while the show is on.
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11-11-2006 @ 1:34AM
Dorv said...
Eh... If there was ever an episode I was non-plused by, it was tonight. I mean, I'm the guy that liked Black Market, for christsakes, but I couldn't get into this episode. Yes, it did raise some pretty interesting moral questions, and then answered them, at least in the BSG-verse.
Malren: Calm the hell down, dude. And Racetrack (it was Racetrack, right?) only saw the inside of the hanger bay. I think the point that Keith made is valid.
Gods, like I said, I have no opinion this week. Not a bad episode by any stroke, but nothing I can really get worked up about. At least I won't have someone bitching about the length of my post this week.
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11-11-2006 @ 2:17AM
Michael Canfield said...
The weakest episode, in my opinion, since the one where Lucy Lawless was first introduced posing as a journalist on Galactica.
Nothing was at stake. Clearly the genocide wasn't going to be carried out. I can't agree with what Helo did, especially since the colonials learn tonight that the Cylons want to make Earth their new home. What? They already occupy the twelve colonies, and we know how they accomplished that. Genocide.
Anyway I can't see how the attack would have worked. Once the five infected Cylons were resurrected they could have explained to the others what happened. Then the resurrection ship could have jumped out of range of OTHER resurrection ships and self-destructed, stopping further spread of the disease. It would have been a blow to the Cylons, but not a final one. That might have made a better episode.
Also, I wish they'd stop spending so much time on Gaius and Six, which I anticipate about as eagerly as Lost flashbacks. One scene would have covered it this week.
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11-11-2006 @ 2:27AM
SJ said...
I thought that they would kill the prisoners but they wouldn't download because they are in such a bad state. Of course there won't be a genocide...nobody expected that.
Helo's reasoning did not make sense to me. The Cylons are hell-bent on destroying the humans, especially after what happened on New Caprica. Sure, they may say that they want to enjoy a peaceful life besides the humans on Earth, but that seems highly unlikely. If I knew that somebody was out to kill me, I wouldn't just wait for them to attack me and then defend myself. If I had a chance to take care of them I would.
Mary McDonnell does have some nice legs.
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11-11-2006 @ 7:39AM
Monka said...
Will Thanks!
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11-11-2006 @ 8:08AM
LC said...
"Why was no Marines posted on the cylon prisoners. They consider them such a threat that they put into chains, among other devices, yet they had no guards on their cells to report a loss of air."
Someone was posted. Didn't you see the guard outside the door when Apollo and crew came to execute the prisoners? As with any prison here, guards are never posted directly in front of the individual cages, but rather outside a door to the set of cells.
Besides, had a guard been in there, he would have been killed too. Their air was sucked out quickly. Too quick for anyone to find where the sabotage point was.
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11-11-2006 @ 8:50AM
Keith McDuffee said...
I meant the inside of the halls and such, to the degree Baltar has seen. Cripes give me some credit.
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11-11-2006 @ 10:47AM
Johan said...
Sharon did not blow up the Baseship, she was not looking guilty so much as both worried about what she had witnessed, and the looks she exchanged with Lee were because Lee was suspiscious of her the whole time and and she was uncomfortable about it. It ties in with what she says later to Helo about having to prove herself every day. Also in that first five minutes inside the Baseship there is a real difference between how some of Athena's crew mates treat her (with concern and sympathy for what she is going through) whilst Lee yells at her and draws his gun when she approaches the dying Cylon's. Which is of a peice with Lee later being the most ruthless proponent of Genocide.
The point Helo made about New Caprica is in fact a valid one, even though I can perfectly see why it would make Roslyn so angry (and not just her). What Helo was pointing out was that if the Cylons really had wanted to wipe humanity out on new Caprica they could have easily done so. The funny thing was that in reality it was the president and the survivors of N.P who were too emotionally clouded to see things clearly in respect of the question of Genocide. Yes the Cylon's were ham fisted and tyranical and cruel and oblivious, but they were no longer Genocidal - but they were convinced that the Humans were.
I don't agree that there was no suspense, I thought there was an honest chance that the Humans would get as far as actually unleashing the virus, that it would kill many Cylons, but that Baltar might come up with a cure before they all succumbed, and then the argument would be between the remaining Cylons who either support pursuing the Humans until their destruction - or the ones who argued that we had it coming, and that going the next step in tit for tat attempts at Genocide might still result in the Cylon's coming up as losers (especially if we posit that all but a relative handful of Cylons survive).
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11-11-2006 @ 9:02AM
David said...
It was clearly not the weakest since Xena came. Black Market, Sacrifices, and every episode fro mseaso ntwo that started with "blank hours earlier" were all much much worse than this episode.
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11-11-2006 @ 10:37AM
Chris said...
I love this show, but this episode was lame. I felt cheated by how it glibly passed over the conflict at the end.
Am I really supposed to believe Helo would sabotage the mission because he allowed his personal feelings to get in the way of the Fleet's survival? I don't think so. Baltar used to be the 'go to' character when sabotage was needed, but since he's not around the writers use Helo. How convenient.
Anyways, there's a traitor in Adama's crew and all he has to say about it is, "I'm closing the book on this." That just doesn't fit his character. He gives Starbuck and Col. Tigh an ass whuppin' for spreading discontent among his crew yet ignores a traitor on his ship.
"How convenient."
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11-11-2006 @ 10:52AM
MrTim said...
I was absolutely thinking about the ST:TNG episode. While watching that one I kept thinking, for God's sake the Borg want to wipe out our entire civilazation and have done so to many others, what's the problem here? Pretty much the same situation here. (I'm afraid I was also reminded of Reed Richards deciding to save Galactus, but that's for another website :-)
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11-11-2006 @ 11:25AM
penguendedektif said...
I admit that it was a week episode. Not because of the topic but because of the writing. The topic had a very big promise but I guess they easily spent it. Overall I thought I was watching 24 season 4. Writing was flawed, acting was over and I think some characters were off, especially Lee and Athena. Torture part could be much more insightful, instead they went with showing 6's bareback, again! Helo's trick was way too obvious and convenient. Baseship scenes were rubbish and badly written.
As for the genocide issue, I'm with Helo all the way. But the writers made him and his opinions sound lame, and it all went down the drain. I waited for Adama to come to his senses, he ddin't. But at least he didn't jump to the idea at once, showed his hesitation and in the end closed the books for good. Because he knows it was wrong. And Roslin; well, she's one cold "b word" now.
Come on guys, this is not like somebody trying to kill you. Of course if somebody tries to kill you you defend yourself, if they invade your country you defend it. But just to survive as mankind, you can't wipe out an entire race. If you do, then what's the meaning of your existence. Think about Pegasus incident for a while, think about Admiral Cain and what her crew did. Think about what big did Adama risk against Pegasus. Defense is one thing, genocide is another. If you lose your way, you deserve what you get...
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11-11-2006 @ 12:31PM
David said...
The humans on Earth have wiped out countless races, so why not wipe out the Cylons who aren't really a race to begin with.
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