Battlestar Galactica (7): Just Because She Looks Like Her...

I tuned in Friday night knowing that I would be a bit confused, since I missed the episode from the previous week. But like a cosmic pat on the back telling me my minor indiscretion was forgiven, this episode picked up where “Guess What Is Coming For Dinner” (two episodes ago) ended, and with the “Previously On” to fill in some gaps (which is not to say that I will not watch the missing episode as soon as I am able), I happily settled back in.

I am not going to claim that it was the “most amazing episode ever,” (sorry little bro, cannot agree with you here) but it defiantly qualified as good stuff. All centered on death, but still good.

Anyone else predict that what it would take for Roslin to realize that she is cold and distant would be visions she participates in during jumps on a Cylon Baseship? Me neither, but I really liked it. It had to be something special that changed her, because she has never really respected the emotional reality of other people. There was no way she was just going to look at Adama one day and realize that she loves him. I think this approach was a way to open new psychological possibilities for her while remaining consistent with her character. There is less hypocrisy in her now; the great savior of humanity is not as incapable of loving or being loved as an individual.

Visions didn’t do all the work. Roslin had to actively choose to privilege particular life. When Baltar was brought to her wounded she bandaged him up, tried to save his life. Her initial instinct was towards his dignity as a person, helping the viewer to accept her acceptance of her own better nature. It would have been difficult for the viewer to hear her confess to Adama that she loves him if she had let Baltar die by not reattaching the bandage she took off. My question is whether he will maintain his religious ferocity now that she almost killed him? In other words will he give her the forgiveness he demands others give him?

I would agree that mortality is a fundamental part of the human experience, even a defining characteristic, but I will not agree that simply without the ability to resurrect that the Cylons are “just like everyone else now.” Immortality is only one element that distinguishes the Cylons from the humans, and taking that away does not eliminate the distinction entirely. The fact that little miss Eight (the one with Helo that isn’t Boomer or Sharon/Athena, so I don’t know what to call her) didn’t seem to see why it is totally creepy that she accessed someone’s memories and experiences and then proceeded to behave as if they were her own evidences that (at least at this point) Cylons do not have a proper grasp of what it means to be human. I am hoping that since she believes Helo agrees with Roslin’s deception regarding who would talk to D’Anna first that she will cut out flirting with him.

And I cannot express how happy I am for the return of the (now not so) late, great Ms Lucy Lawless. Can any other character compete with that sick sense of humor or that manipulative determination? Telling Roslin she is a Cylon was priceless.

This Friday, the midseason finale, is a big old coming out party and not in the gay way. Should be exciting.

The TV Girl