While I’ve loved the battle upon the Galactica these past few episodes, I’m glad it’s over. Who doesn’t love Starbuck when she’s in her element? And standing by Lee while she’s all akimbo with the pistols? Frakking awesome. And Lampkin! But it needed to be over, and I’m happy with the outcome. Like Gaeta said, regarding his leg (great line and scene): “It stopped.”
Fortunately for me, I didn’t make some sort of crazy bet last week, when I said Saul Tigh would jump on the grenade. As this week went on — and the more I thought about it — I wanted to take that back. But, hey, Saul’s alive! We can all go back to being happy now. What grenade? Right?
As for the two immediately pictured above, I said it best in the title: I won’t miss them. Zarek wore out his welcome a long time ago, in my eyes, and there simply wasn’t anything that could be done to excuse Gaeta’s actions. Heck, even he wasn’t surprised that he was staring down the barrels of six guns. Every time Zarek pulled a bold move, like having the quorum executed, I felt satisfied in knowing it was spelling out his certain doom. I was never fascinated nor interested in either of these characters, so to get them out of the way for better things is all good in my book.
I have to admit, though, that I’m still waiting for Adama to give everyone a good answer for why he’s cuddling up to the Cylons so willingly. We (and all the characters on the show) can all assume the reasoning behind it, so it makes sense to us, but events like this mutiny are what happens when some can’t make sense of it and can’t see past … the past, when instead they need to see that their present situation is all that matters.
Right now I’ve got two big questions coming out of this episode (stacked upon all the usual stuff we all have): the fate of Anders and the cracks in Galactica that Tyrol saw. It would seem a big waste for Anders to die in next week’s episode, since something like that would have served better had it happened within this episode. He’s also got more story to tell, so to have him gone would really make him a wasted character. Then again, what possible story could Tori have left to tell?
As for the cracks Tyrol saw, first of all those were awesome CGI shots in the FTL bay … but I digress. Will this mean that everyone will eventually have to be evacuated onto the other ships and the Cylon Base Star? Since this show’s title is the name of the ship, it would be quite anticlimactic for everyone to abandon it to let it crumble up in the void of space. To me this is just another sign that the end is near, and wherever these survivors are going to call home is close at hand.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Feb 07, 2009 @ 08:05 EST5EDT
I feel the need to reference my comments from last week just to keep my excitement (and swearing) down:
https://www.cliqueclack.com/tv/2009/01/31/saul-tigh-jumps-on-the-grenade/comment-page-1/#comment-9868
Another great episode.
I like that there are open questions that will be answered soon, but aren’t necessarily laid out in cliffhanger form (Anders, the metal fatigue the Chief found).
Who was the guy that was the first to turn back to Adama’s side? I know he ‘witnessed’ the assassination of the quarom, but Tigh referred to him as “brig rat” or something along those lines. Was he the one escorting them last week that Adama took prisoner for a bit?
I also liked (for a change) how they changed up the “Previously On…” to include a longer version of the last scene, which clarified why it seemed like Apollo and Starbuck just high tailed it out of there in the end.
All around GREAT episode.
The one Adama let go last week was just a kid marine, much younger than the brig rat, who was Captain Aaron Kelly. IIRC, he was the one bombing Baltar’s defense attorneys, and has apparently been in the brig ever since.
This begs two questions. First, why did he get more than 30 days in the brig, when other characters who commit murders get off with a slap on the wrist? Second, why was his bombing spree a crime?
Kelly also had Tyrol dead to rights and let him go prior to rejoining the loyalists.
As to the main post, could that first picture be swapped out? It hurts my eyes with that stupid Hollywood shooting pose. Starbuck won’t hit anything unless they’re packed in bulkhead-to-bulkhead, gravity and recoil will pull at odd angles for the human wrist, and the right-hand pistol will be more likely to jam. It looks even sillier next to Apollo, who’s using a two-handed grip and actually looking down the sights.
I actually liked Gaeta more in this episode than the previous one, and still prefer him to some of the angstier loyalists. We knew only he and Zarek would be executed after the mutiny was quelled, but it was odd that only faceless mutineers died in the fighting, when the last hour spent so much time urging us to hate the named ones. My favorite character is Racetrack, but when she was laughing and flirting with Zarek hours after he cold-bloodedly murdered an unsuspecting Laird, I was hoping Starbuck and Apollo would gun down the whole group. They could have at least cut a bloody swath from the launch bay to the CIC.
As to the Rogue Cylon alliance, did I miss it, or has no one mentioned the basic “enemy of my enemy” logic in any of the discussions, especially when Gaeta was snarking up the room?
Racetrack giggling – digusting. I hope they deal with her on camera. I’m hoping Adama won’t overlook that she was there when Lee was going to be shot.
Hey bsgfan….I forgot to deliver a message last week from the Yancy street gang. They are mostly of the opinion that quote ” if either side of the factions had a bsgfan or two among them….that would heavily shift the balance of power on that side….badass!” unquote.
I agree with you about racetrack.
Such a nice man you are Tim-1.
I’m afraid I lack the skills for a coup or fighting against one. The only thing that finds me threatening is my morning coffee. ;)
Maybe I could stand behind Adama and Tigh and talk smack to the other side!
Just a guess as to why his brig time was longer than 30 days for Kelly. His offense was more of a conspiracy, his plots could have killed several (humans and Athena, who is a cherished cylon) on that Raptor, while Cally’s offense (guessing you mean her) was discharging a firearm. (She killed a non cherished cylon at a time when they had no cylon friends.)
Of course this is all Adama’s discretion anyways.
But in their current desperate straits, they can’t afford to punish an officer for the murders his plot might have caused, only for the people he actually did kill. I don’t see how hypothetical outcomes enter into it in this fleet.
Besides, when I watched that episode, it was obvious his bomb was only powerful enough to kill those in the Raptor’s passenger compartment. The pilot, Racetrack, didn’t even have a scratch.
I was referring to all murders and crimes our favorite characters (not just Cally) have committed over the years, for which there has been scant punishment. I only referenced Cally, because that’s the one time I can recall a specific punishment even being mentioned. Usually, it’s a vague notion of dire consequences that never has any teeth to it.
You’re right that it’s all at Adama’s discretion, but he seems much more forgiving of characters in whom he is personally invested, even when the offenses range from dereliction and insubordination to murder and treason. Someone like Kelly is just left to twist in the wind. I just feel that the same scale of punishment, whether strict or lenient, should be applied to Kelly as to Starbuck, Helo, or Athena.
Realistically, they can’t afford the resources to guard and feed him in the brig forever. He should have either been executed or put back to work.
I had forgotten the stuff Kelly had been doing lately, but I do remember that Kelly has been around all the way back to the miniseries.
Dorv….As usual, you display an excellent flair for detail. Great episode.
I wasn’t sure who he was either Dorv. Apparently he’s the LSO, Captain Kelly, third in command early on before New Caprica. After New Caprica he was the guy assassinating Baltar’s lawyers, and has been in the brig ever since.
More info: https://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Kelly
I hadn’t even realized this character had cropped up so many times as a recurring role. Random.
bit of trivia for you. Originally, RDM wanted Kelly to have a larger role in the show but after mini-series the actor was unavailable to come back for season 1. They brought him back early on in season 2 and hes been a re-occurring character since then.
“awesome CGI shots in the FTL bay ”
heheh, I’ve not had such a thrill for CGI since the engine room of the titanic ;-D
With those fast-moving gears and pistons, I was just waiting for someone to try to stop Tyrol and end up going over the guardrail to become mulch. Reminded me of Galaxy Quest.
I loved Tyrol inch-worming through Galactica. He was Chief to me again. It’s so fitting the he be the only one in the story to stop Galactica from a jump. I did think he was gonna lose some fingers though.
I really wanted Starbuck to help retake the CIC, but like real life, more important things hold us back from “storming CIC”. If Anders does pass (doubtful) it would help pave the way for the Lee/Kara match at the end. I’ve heard tell that Sackhoff was not totally happy at first with the ending for her character (She always wanted Kara to be alone) this leaves me to believe there is at least a chance for the Lee/Kara relationship.
Zarek killing the Quorum – Wow, that’s sick, even for him.
Oh those cracks! Are they unable to jump safely now, I wonder? I have seen some repair pictures floating. Poor, faithful, Galactica – what a great ship, I’ll be sad to see her go.
There’s something that’s just out of reach about Tyrol crawling through the ship, and eventually finding the the damage… There’s an analogy or something that I’m missing… I think its important, especially how many times they cut away to him.
I was reminded of his labor speech on New Caprica where he talked about something that they made being perverted, so that one must throw ones self on the gears, or stick fingers in the gears in this situation.
I know what you are talking about though, there is a greater message there. The whole episode was incredibly layered. Right down to the focus on the smokes at Gaeta’s last rites with Baltar.
I forgot to mention that even though, I had heard the “I’m coming for you!” line from Roslin before, in previews; I was still awash with goosebumps when I heard it with the rest of her speech.
See, bsg, I’m glad I’ve seen now in full context, because it sounded incredibly cheesy to me in the previews… But the lead up in the scene, how she ramped up in her diction, really just made it an incredible scene.
I agree Dorv. In the previews that line did come across a little cheesy (and I thought it was going to be more of a rescue reference) but in full context it was enormous.
So what was up with Baltar dreaming Adama being executed? Just a simple deduction he had or was that more important (perhaps sixinthehead doing something?) And what was up with the Six trying to mack on him? You would think that model has learned by now that Baltar is trouble. Although perhaps since Caprica is now knocked up with Tigh’s baby (and with Ellen coming back… wooo thats gonna be a doosey) maybe another Six figured she should take up the Baltar mantle.
Oh….why can’t I get to have an eight in my head! It’s not fair!
And Akbar, did you see those previews for next week? ;)
Oh yes I did. You should see the Canadian preview, I link it down below.
I think Gaeta’s story was definitely played out, but I think I’ll miss Zarek. I thought he was an interesting character, and it’s always good to have a trouble maker like him stirring things up. I suppose this late in the game, however, it was a fitting end for him.
Didn’t anyone notice the extremely leet moment at 1337 hours in the holding cell corridor?
*snicker*
Not enough geeks and nerds reading this website ;-)
It wasn’t a grenade, it was a flash bang.
Anders will be fine, I think that storyline will have an “ehh” ending.
I’m hoping in the last few episodes BSG can’t actually jump anywhere, they have to use smaller ships to look for a planet, then they find something and jump as the ship breaks apart.
*POST AUTHOR*
With all due respect, a flashbang is still a grenade. But the point is moot now.
Oh holy frak. To quote Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz quoting Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys 2:
“This sh*t just got real”
This season just gets way more awesome every day.
-My thought on the cracks is because of extensive battle damage (and probably the atmo jump as well) the old girl is indeed dying. My guess is she either can’t jump or has one more left in her.
-I have to say the fanboy in me was ECSTATIC that we finally saw an engine.
-Adama continues to be more badass than Batman*. Notice how he makes the walk from the deck to the CIC with no weapon until the end? Bad ass. EJO continues to give an amazing performance.
-Roslin’s little “Not now..” moment brought me to tears. Mary continues to be one of my favorite actresses ever.
*in fact, EJO should play batman in a live action Dark Knight Returns.
Spoiler time:
Everyone who wants even more of a preview for next week should see the Canadian preview here:
https://spoilertv.blogspot.com/2009/02/bsg-episode-415-no-exit-ctv-promo.html
It is even more important of a preview to me than the scifi version.
I am going to miss Zarek. But his character (and Gaeta) were played to their proper end. I am still holding out to see Zarek come back as a cylon as the unkown 6th model. But thats just me dreaming.
And the killing of the quoroum… It made total sense for Zarek to do it, but man, my jaw was on the floor with that move.
The killing of the Quoroum reminded me of the “St. Valentines Day massacre” which ironically the anniversary is coming up. Brutal.
Wow. Nice preview. You sure know how to show a girl a good time!
Who was walking down the hallway behind the centurion?
From the looks of it – No Exit will be the “trippy” episode.
The metal fatigue/battle damage/whatever is one of those things that I think is critical going on, and its a story that I’m glad is getting told (even though I would not have foreseen it).
I think we even got a preview of it in one of the ‘hints’ on the https://www.youwillknowthetruth.com website that I watched in the lead up to the season (there was a scene were Adama noticed a crack in the metal above the bulkhead door to his cabin.
Where the frak is the podcast :(
Right here!
https://media.scifi.com/battlestar/downloads/podcast/mp3/416/bsg_ep416_FULL.mp3