Battlestar Galactica ends its run tonight with a two-hour series finale. I will miss it horribly.
“Why?”
Because it is the best show on TV and I know that writing, producing and performances the likes found on Battlestar Galactica are few and far between. It is not every series that can actually be granted the time to tell a complete story arc before being cancelled. It is not every series with such a epic and sweeping story to tell. If you have not seen it or if your only expectations are gathered from the TV show of the seventies then I am a bit envious. If you are about to start putting the DVDs into your cue to watch from the beginning then you are about to discover something wonderful. A drama of life and death, or war and genocide, and of despair and hope; and, I might add, you will get to do so commercial free.
Now BSG is not for everyone. It is a high intensity drama and if that’s not your thing then that’s not your thing. But hey, that’s ok; that’s why there are so many different flavors of ice cream. Some will hear the words, “science fiction” and run for the hills in the opposite direction. That’s too bad really because if you can look beyond the genre of where the story takes place then you are in for a treat. If you can’t get beyond that then you should probably move onto another blog – everyone will be happier that way.
Still here? Good! I am pleased that you are Gentle Reader but I must warn you I am about to make some spoiler-laden predictions so if you wish to remain unsoiled until you have a chance to catch up and see the series for yourself then you should probably stop right here. See you next time!
STILL HERE? Wonderful. Now then… let’s get down to the business of predictions. Scroll down and you’ll have ‘em.
1. Dr. Gaius Baltar is going to sacrifice his life to save humanity.
2. Starbuck is Daniel; or rather Danielle after Cavil was through experimenting with him/her a few generations back. [NOTE: a friend of mine has a great theory that I have to mention. His idea is that Starbuck is the first human/Cylon hybrid – you know, like Hera? We will see how it plays out tonight.]
3. Anders is going to “JUMP!” the Battlestar Galactica into Cavil’s Cylon station just outside that singularity. Insert CATACLYSMIC BOOM here.
4. Cavil is going to be stranded for all eternity inside that black hole – completely isolated, completely aware. Trapped for all time. [NOTE: this is my friend’s idea. I liked it so much that I’m borrowing it.]
5. The resurrection machines will be able to start the terraforming process on the planet earth and Roslin will be regenerated in the process.
THERE. That’s it. I’m spent. Here’s a link to the Sci Fi Channel’s BSG series end special: http://video.scifi.com/player/?id=1063661.
This re-imagining has been one for the ages. Thanks Mr. Moore.
SO SAY WE ALL!
2 comments:
As the "friend" who has been quoted, I just had to comment. Let's see how well you did with the predictions. Though I will say it is nice to be quoted on a blog for a change :)
1. Dr. Gaius Baltar is going to sacrifice his life to save humanity.
Not exactly. Though he did stand with humanity during the assault of the Cylon colony to rescue Hera. So in a sense he redeemed himself in the end and he did survive to settle down with Caprica 6.
2. Starbuck is Daniel; or rather Danielle after Cavil was through experimenting with him/her a few generations back. [NOTE: a friend of mine has a great theory that I have to mention. His idea is that Starbuck is the first human/Cylon hybrid – you know, like Hera? We will see how it plays out tonight.]
I think we missed on this prediction. Though not well explained, it looked like Starbuck may have been the "Angel of Death" Regardless she was some sort of angel or agent of a higher power. It was she who input the final jump coordinates, based on the music that she and the Final Five heard, that just happened to put the Galactica above Earth's moon. This time our Earth - not the other Earth the 13th tribe nuked 2000 years previously. (I knew there was a reason I appreciated Hendryx way back when!)
I am still puzzled with Starbuck's nature other than she was the personification of deus ex machina.
3. Anders is going to “JUMP!” the Battlestar Galactica into Cavil’s Cylon station just outside that singularity. Insert CATACLYSMIC BOOM here.
Oh yeah - dead on prediction. Loved the battle scenes - especially when the classic Cylons appeared side by side with the new ones. A truly epic battle.
4. Cavil is going to be stranded for all eternity inside that black hole – completely isolated, completely aware. Trapped for all time. [NOTE: this is my friend’s idea. I liked it so much that I’m borrowing it.]
We missed this one. Who would of thought Cavil would blow himself away rather than let himself be caught or have the Colonials do it for him. I am going to have to hear some director's commentary of this twist. Or wait for some deleted scenes when the DVD's come out.
5. The resurrection machines will be able to start the terraforming process on the planet earth and Roslin will be regenerated in the process.
This one did not come to pass. Roslin passed away in Adama's company as they cruised in a raptor above the plains of our Earth viewing all the wildlife. And he buried her under a pile of rocks on the ridge overlooking the plains. A touching send of to a complex character and relationship.
Not to get into too many details, I really enjoyed the finale. There were some unanswered questions - especially as to Starbucks nature. But to see the Colonials end up at our Earth, 150,000 years in the past and then scatter to settle with our ancestors - WOW! And to have Hera identified as "Eve", common maternal ancestor of everyone now alive - as evidence by mitochondrial DNA - WOW!
And I loved the fact that the #6 and Baltar apparitions were real - apparently some more agents of a higher power. And to hear them discuss "God's Plan" and the fact that "He" did not care for that name -- wonderful. What I can't figure out if the #6 and Baltar apparitions where good vs evil. Just much too gray with those characters to make any decisions. And when the flashed forward to the present day and showed images of our current progress in robotics - are they the next generation of Cylons to come???
It has happened before and it will happen again.
SO SAY WE ALL!!
First of all THANK YOU Frodo! This is an excellent and well thought out bookend to the greatest TV show in recent memory; Battlestar Galactica. I suppose at the end of it all if you were to pin down Ronald Moore I’d say that he’s a fan of Henry David Thoreau and his principal of “simplification” (i.e. forsaking technology and getting rid of all its trappings) and that he believes in some sort of a higher power / God. Moore’s the better. BSG has been a wonderful and wild ride. Here are my follow up responses…
1 A. Although I predicted his demise I was pleasantly surprised that Baltar and Caprica 6 made it out alive and were starting their lives together on the New Earth. I love the fact that they BOTH saw the angels / agents of a higher power.
2 A. I did not see that coming. Starbuck as the savior of human and Cylon kind alike AND being an agent of a higher power / angel / Angel of Death. Wow. Ron Moore and Co. were not pulling any punches in finishing off this series.
3 A. Cool – I got one! Man, that Cylon station is HUGE. Man, I am such a geek. : )
4 A. Cavil – suicide? I did not see that coming. BUT if you look at the character of the Cylon it is not that far of a stretch. It was perceived in his mind as a no win situation and he did not want to be a captive of the “humans”. Still, I like your idea of stranding him for all eternity. It’s more epic in scope of punishments. Ouch.
5 A. No. As it turns out the prophecy was true; “a dying leader will take her people to earth.” I was going for the happy ending- this is BSG and surviving is enough of a reward itself.
So there we have it. BTW, did you catch Ronald Moore’s cameo appearance? Too much fun. I will miss this series. Even after 5 years I’m still so glad I tried the broccoli – see: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2005/01/how-i-learned-to-enjoy-broccoli-and.html.
What a great show. Thanks for the memories!
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