Thanks to everyone who attended last week’s online chat. Until I get a better interface for conducting these chats, I may not bother to do it again this week. If you’re definitely interested in attending one again, say so in the comments. For the most part, though, people just want to watch the show and not be distracted.
As I said last week, the screener I (and I assume any other press) received was missing the final scene of the episode, where Ellen Tigh was revealed as the final Cylon. The scene was cut just after Tigh’s conversation on the beach, just before he walked into the water (pictured above). Most people already assumed we’d find out who the final Cylon was in this episode, and even some cable companies (Comcast, in particular) listed the episode description with “the final Cylon will be revealed.” I wonder if all the people complaining about spoilers on website comment forms took time out to call or write their cable companies with their dissatisfaction.
The thing is, even if news got out that Ellen was the final Cylon, it was a minor point to other happenings in the episode. If I had to break down the most shocking reveals in order, they’d be:
There’s a great, revealing interview and write-up over on the Chicago Tribune about the decisions leading to what happened in this episode, most particularly the choosing of Ellen as the final Cylon. I’m definitely not disappointed that it’s Ellen (I was told by a reliable source who it was long ago), and I can see where the story might be leading with that revelation. I’ve thought since the last episode, last year, that finding out who the final Cylon is was no longer important. The central theme now is where will everyone go, now that they’ve discovered Earth to be an inhabitable wasteland?
There are still many saying they don’t believe the planet we’re seeing is Earth, that the “true Earth” has still not been discovered. From the Tribune interview, Moore says: “They have found Earth. This is the Earth that the 13th Colony discovered, they christened it Earth. They found Earth.” I’m not sure how to be clearer than that, folks.
If you missed the episode (or you want to catch it again), it’s embedded below.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Jan 20, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
I still think Ellen’s story is still important, how she relates to Tigh, Cavil etc. And I’ve come to the conclusion in my own head that the Starbuck question will be answered through her/by her/because of her.
Side note: It never bothers me when people have issues with this show. I have had them myself (HERO) – what bothers me is when they just say it’s terrible and don’t back it up with a reason, or when they use curse words to express displeasure. (GD’s, F’s, etc.) It’s hard for me to see merit, when someone uses offensive language.
I guess if anything, I’m just a little disapointed about Ellen, just because, at first glance, I think it takes away from the performances of Hogan and Vernon in her death scene (and, by extension, the journey that Tigh has been on since New Caprica).
But, as the reveal continues to percolate, there is a lot of different directions that they can play those things that I thought were originally just glanced over.
While this show might have a solidified emotional core in Roslin and Adama, and I might have my favorite characters in Starbuck, the Chief, and Cally, but Hogan’s portrayal of Saul Tigh has been one of the most interesting and powerful things to watch from moment one of his time onscreen in the miniseries. Ellen’s emergence in ‘Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down’ (and ironically, the onscreen speculation that she was a Cylon) has only driven Tigh’s story to more interesting places.
One of the other twists that we haven’t really touched on… While we know Tigh was the one who killed his wife, who exactly was it that was encouraging him to do so?
Good point Dorv. It was a fellow Cylon who convinced him to kill his wife. However, in the way they have made them be Cylon the emotional weight of her death still holds for me. Especially going with what RDM says as their relationship is epic.
As for me… I guess I won’t be convinced that she is the 5th until the show is over. Too many times has he hallucinated/fantasized about her in the show for me to just accept that at face value.
Wasn’t it Anders and the Chief?
It seems to me, when its all said and done, that Tory will stand out as the weird choice for Cylon (Which is what I said in the beginning, IIRC).
Nope, just Anders. The Chief wasn’t there (probably off consoling Cally and their rugrat) The only other person there was the guy who later showed up as part of the Circle.
Here is the scene:
Anders: I lost three men today. And if that Marine Sergeant wasn’t on her game, they’d have killed us all.
Tigh: I know, Godsdamn it. I know. You don’t have to keep running your mouth about it. I get it, all right?
Anders: You get this. If Sharon had been killed, not only would we not get the launch keys, but the Cylons would know that we were in direct contact with Galactica. Now this whole plan, the fate of this whole city, would have fallen apart. Do you understand that, Colonel?
Tigh: I get it.
Anders: Good. [Taking off.] Hey… you know what has to be done here. If you don’t want to do it, I understand. But believe me, Colonel, someone is gonna do this. Now, it would be better for her sake if it was you.
I stand corrected, because I specifically remembered Tyrol being there.
Now that you’ve got the lines, I do remember the scene better. The other guy was the one in the Circle whose son or wife had died, right?
So then, I guess it is Earth after all. The condition of this Earth is a big disappointment for me, considering all the hoopla that was one of the central themes of the show. Oh, I know there will be new ramifications forthcoming, but for now….right now, this is anti-climatic for me, as far as the Earth search went. It is only a temporary disappointment however, because I know that in the end, the “Earth panacea” was a red herring for the colonists, and this show is going to start rocking pretty soon. I just hope that our favorite characters get through ok.
Tim-1: You know, I was thinking of the character arc of one of my favorite characters on the show, and realized I had completely forgot about a plot line.
You remember when Cally killed Boomer?
Ah, the good ole days :)
Good ole Dorv….ruffling my feathers again! You nice man. See, look how calm I am. I’m workin on it.
Well, you know… I’m here for you ;)
Yes, I’m sure. Gotta say this. I just don’t understand it. I know that some people don’t understand my loyalty to Grace Park. I get that. What I don’t understand is why the intolerence by some? Dorv, I am not even angry with you because one: I like you. two: It is really not my character to offend people. three: Nobody gives a damn anyway. And really, when a main blogger makes condescending references about me after previously welcoming me on the site, KNOWING how my posts are reflected, seems uncalled for. Perhaps politeness and courtesy has lost its place in the internet age of today, and maybe I’m the one who hasn’t just got that yet. But I will never change who I am, will never apologise for who I uphold, especially about Grace Park.
I was going to post this little ode for all the Grace Park fans next week, but I think I may as well post it now.
written in a “Paul Celan” format, words by Tim-1
An ode to Athena and Boomer:
“Weep not for the life
this passage
Wait for the hand
that delivers
Not a sorrow
within a heart
eight visions told
stacked heart to heart
eight lives brighter
beckon the life that loves
eight journeys summoned
rests the home”
Nice work.
I’m interested to see how Boomer and Athena are woven back into the thread in the final nine episodes… It just doesn’t feel like she’s been given much of a story, other than being the mother to Hera, this past season.
There’s a lot of story left to be wrapped up in these nine episodes, and I hope neither of these characters get lost in the shuffle.
Tim, wasnt sure if you saw this but I thought you might like it:
https://www.watchingbsg.com/scifi-red-carpet-grace-park-goes-to-tokyo/
Looks like a Podcast got posted these evening!
Listened to that this afternoon. Some decent info in it. One thing that is driving me crazy is the time discrepancy we now have.
In the podcast for ep 411 RDM states that both the Cylons who founded this Earth (aka the 13th tribe) and the other 12 tribes left Kobol at the same time.
-In season 1, the great exodus from Kobol was approximated 2000 years ago. We also find the Tomb of Athena on Kobol which contains a map to earth. So therefore someone who had been to earth would have had to bring it back.
-In season 3, we find the temple of 5 and date it at 4000 years old, to which Tyrol states “That lines up with the exodus of the 13th tribe”
-In season 4, we discover the 13th tribe’s “Earth” and Baltar confirms the nuclear war was 2000 years ago.
So….when exactly did everyone leave Kobol?
Akbar- I just took this from Patriot Resource. I hope it helps you!
PR: Lastly, the show’s cycle of time has been thrown off, which explains the poor performance of the prophecies.
Now, get some sleep ;)
While it might explain away the prophecy mess ups, something still doesn’t add up in the math.
Unless it isn’t supposed to at this point and all will be explained later. (somehow, I don’t think thats true. I just think we are seeing a ret-con that wasn’t all the way thought out)
Sleep? Sleep is for the weak ;)
A very good episode I think. I’m excited about Ellen coming back on the show, though I am not sure if they will have Kate playing the character anymore. My theory is that the baby that Tigh and Six are going to have is actually a reincarnated Ellen. Obviously the FF don’t download like the SS but they do somehow “comeback” and my guess is in the reincarnation form passed through other Cylons that are tied to them. Thinking of the 5 as a matrix type deal where they are a “group” and any time one of them dies the others can recreate the dead one.
That would explain the lack of “copies” on the old earth, the fact that the FF “knew” each other in their pre-nuclear lifetime, and even Ellen’s own comments that they will be “reborn”.