Thoughts on the BSG Series Finale
- Thread starter Leistungsfähiger Amerikan
- Start date
It sounds like the retcon in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover Landfall, when the captain of the spaceship blew it up, with all the records and such, so that the colonists/castaways could learn by making their own mistakes. She had to explain their retrogression somehow. So all the mothers dying worn out at age 24, all the epidemics of typhus and cholera, all the . . . well, I think you know the score.
H. Beam Piper did it better in "Genesis", where the ship blew up in transit because of poor design.
MacCaulay
Banned
E-Stop?
I'm a machinist on a CNC machine (lathes, verticals, horizontals; mills and drills and taps and such) and the button that they use is the exact same as what we use as an Emergency Stop button for when a tool breaks. It's creepy. We could all see the little arrows on the top of the button.
So when Racetrack launched the nukes, we all started yelling "E-Stop! E-Stop!"
Yeah...lame in-joke, I know...but you'd be susprised how many things we've seen they've literally just pulled off a shop floor and put onto the set of that show.
Just saw the final chapter yesterday (downloaded, I'm in Spain) and think there are some things unclear:
First basic flaw: The initial colonies are still habitable. There can be other survivors, besides Anderson’s group. Anyway, the countryside and buildings are still there, and are not radiactive. Then, as the cylon civil war happens we have two options:
-The cylons quit. The human survivors are still there. Even if there are no humans, we got a home to get back for the fleet. The only reason they wandered through space was that the cylons were after them. It is better to go to a known place, were there might be other fellow humans and remains of the towns and fabrics, than search for an unknown world. And you already have the adress. If the cylons don’t quit but are on the good side, you can also return (your good cylons would also like to reunite with their fellows).
-The cylons remain, and they are on the bad side.Then, no matter what happens with the cylon colony, you still have cylon bases, cylons and centurions, and a whole set of planets where to recreate your society. You even have some experiments going on with humans, as seen. (shouldn’t it have been a resurrection ship over there, by the way?) Not much later you can make new ships to go after the fleet and the cylon traitors.
The best way to writte off this flaw, obviously, is to make the colonies unhabitable after the nuclear attack). But then you miss the chance for some superb episodes in season one.
Second basic flaw: The cylons are inmortals. They were created with a certain age, and do not grow old. (They were the same age in the memories of the original Earth apocalypse, we never see different aged cylons). This is incoherent in two ways.
First, How come that Adama has known his cylon friend for a lifetime? Was Saul changing in any way during those years? And didn’t he know he was a cylon even he did not age? They might have put memories in his brain (as seemed to happen with Boomer) but the other humans could not be fooled. And Chief? And Saul’s wife?
Second. If the cylons do not age, and do not die, how can they live with humans in the new planet? Could some of them make it till today? (counting on a lot of them dying from combat, accident or suicide).
Thinking about this second flaw I have made up an alternative ending:
The fleet arrives, but they retain their ships and technology. In order to not interfere with native life, they settle in a remote island in the Atlantic. Some years later, the cylons, as they see their loved humans age and die, decide to part and settle on their own far away. They do so in the Artic. They still have their base ship, and their centurions.
Centuries later, the sea destroys the island. There are no survivors. These humans, tied up to the remains of their ancient technology, called the land Caprica, but somehow the legend would remember the place as Atlantis. Some day we will find alien and very old spaceships under the ocean. (What a final scene, a submarine searching the bottom of the ocean and discovering a huge armor plate with the name Galactica)
And the cylons? They still live hidden in the Artic. But some of them got bored and mixed from time to time with humans, creating a set of legends: Druids, magicians, sorcerers… and monsters.
Another ending scene: Athena and Caprica having coffe at Starbucks and remembering old –very old- times.
In spite of what I wrote, I gotta say I loved the show as I have never loved a TV show. I felt in love with the characters and was absorbed by the plot until the very end. Watching the las episode was a mixure of emotions, but sadness was the predominant one. I’m gonna miss it A LOT. (Was there really no way to keep Kara alive?)
First basic flaw: The initial colonies are still habitable. There can be other survivors, besides Anderson’s group. Anyway, the countryside and buildings are still there, and are not radiactive. Then, as the cylon civil war happens we have two options:
-The cylons quit. The human survivors are still there. Even if there are no humans, we got a home to get back for the fleet. The only reason they wandered through space was that the cylons were after them. It is better to go to a known place, were there might be other fellow humans and remains of the towns and fabrics, than search for an unknown world. And you already have the adress. If the cylons don’t quit but are on the good side, you can also return (your good cylons would also like to reunite with their fellows).
-The cylons remain, and they are on the bad side.Then, no matter what happens with the cylon colony, you still have cylon bases, cylons and centurions, and a whole set of planets where to recreate your society. You even have some experiments going on with humans, as seen. (shouldn’t it have been a resurrection ship over there, by the way?) Not much later you can make new ships to go after the fleet and the cylon traitors.
The best way to writte off this flaw, obviously, is to make the colonies unhabitable after the nuclear attack). But then you miss the chance for some superb episodes in season one.
Second basic flaw: The cylons are inmortals. They were created with a certain age, and do not grow old. (They were the same age in the memories of the original Earth apocalypse, we never see different aged cylons). This is incoherent in two ways.
First, How come that Adama has known his cylon friend for a lifetime? Was Saul changing in any way during those years? And didn’t he know he was a cylon even he did not age? They might have put memories in his brain (as seemed to happen with Boomer) but the other humans could not be fooled. And Chief? And Saul’s wife?
Second. If the cylons do not age, and do not die, how can they live with humans in the new planet? Could some of them make it till today? (counting on a lot of them dying from combat, accident or suicide).
Thinking about this second flaw I have made up an alternative ending:
The fleet arrives, but they retain their ships and technology. In order to not interfere with native life, they settle in a remote island in the Atlantic. Some years later, the cylons, as they see their loved humans age and die, decide to part and settle on their own far away. They do so in the Artic. They still have their base ship, and their centurions.
Centuries later, the sea destroys the island. There are no survivors. These humans, tied up to the remains of their ancient technology, called the land Caprica, but somehow the legend would remember the place as Atlantis. Some day we will find alien and very old spaceships under the ocean. (What a final scene, a submarine searching the bottom of the ocean and discovering a huge armor plate with the name Galactica)
And the cylons? They still live hidden in the Artic. But some of them got bored and mixed from time to time with humans, creating a set of legends: Druids, magicians, sorcerers… and monsters.
Another ending scene: Athena and Caprica having coffe at Starbucks and remembering old –very old- times.
In spite of what I wrote, I gotta say I loved the show as I have never loved a TV show. I felt in love with the characters and was absorbed by the plot until the very end. Watching the las episode was a mixure of emotions, but sadness was the predominant one. I’m gonna miss it A LOT. (Was there really no way to keep Kara alive?)
Sheer f*cking insanity. Not to mention he clearly had no idea what to write for the finale.
Highpoints
Kara just vanishing — They apparently loved the idea and thought it a fitting end for her character. It's also made clear that having her magically reappear way back when was just because they didn't want to kill her and that they had no idea what to do with her before they made her into an angel.
Pigeon chasing that works as a metaphor for Lee and/or is a Bladerunner homage — Doesn't actually mean anything, they just liked the bird and were so impressed with the real pigeon's performance they didn't CGI it like they intended.
The flashbacks were originally meant to be in random non-linear order and cut more disjointed — the director talked Moore out of it.
Opera House is the CIC — Made up on the spot. In fact he was weirdly happy or giddy that they made up the original Opera House with no clue to what to it meant and that him somehow using it well in the series finale justifies that.
The ONLY reason the Colonists just up and abandon technology is because Moore didn't want their leftovers discovered by the modern world. Moore gave absolutely no though to whether or not this made any sense in the context of the characters, the show, or any previous plotlines.
Moore had no idea (podcast was recorded a week before Part II aired) that people would find anything out of place about the finale. He doesn't raise any issues and explain them or anything. As far as I can tell he thinks everything was wrapped with a nice neat bow and any mysteries are for art's sake.
Moore wrote a line for Kara in response to Roslin's question (after they jumped to New Earth) about where they were: "Somewhere along the watchtower" — Yeah. That's right. Even worse than keeping "there must be some kind of way out of here" when Kara is punching numbers.
Alternate 4.5 Season plotline —*Ellen goes crazy because of the Caprica cybrid, joins the Colony/Cavilcade, and the fates of everybody are decided by her reconciliation with Saul. (Yeah…) Further points:
- Gaeta's mutiny leads to a battle with the Cylon rebel baseship just as Cavil attacks.
- Adama regains control of Galactica to fight off Cavil's forces and Baltar saves Hera during the battle.
- Half the fleet is lost. Boomer and one of the Cavils are captured.
- The mutineers are banished and Adama lets other civilian ships who desire to leave to leave.
- Tory talks to the Cavil model they had captured and discovers Ellen is alive.
- After that, Tory turns Baltar's followers into a dangerous Manson-like cult and Baltar responsibly turns everyone in.
- Nicky is revealed as Narcho's son.
- At some point Caprica Six loses her baby because Tigh didn't truly love her; she and Baltar reconcile.
- Rebels unite behind the "fab four" while Cavil & Ellen join forces.
- Boomer reveals Cavil's ethnic cleansing of cylon models that didn't agree with him.
- The rebel cylons and humans recruit additional cylon models, building up their forces to fight Cavil.
- There's a big battle on The Colony where Cavil & Ellen escape with Hera.
- In the chase, Kara finds earth. Helo & Athena die at some point. Hera becomes our genetic ancestor on Earth.
What? She's standing next to Lee talking to him, and then vanishes into thin air because she's an angel.
(The camera focuses on Lee, then pulls back and she's gone. Since there was no ship and BSG doesn't have transporters she vanished into thin air.)
How did you get that impression? One minute Lee was talking to her, and the next, she's gone. Unless, of course, she's a ninja and happened to find someplace to hide on the African savanna. She then proceeds to hijack a Raptor and fly it back to the Galactica to be with Anders.
Or she turns into a pigeon.
Well been a while since I saw the episode some my timing might not be right but here how i thought it was
Kara go hurl herself in the sun with Anders with the ships of the fleet die become angel which give her the ability to appear to Lee on Earth like the number 6 and Baltar
It is in that order, but wouldn't it have made sense for her to be in the CIC with Anders if that was the case?
Maybe, just maybe...
Check this out. Saw this in a book called "Weird California." Makes you wonder.
The Coso Artifact:
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/coso.html
Check this out. Saw this in a book called "Weird California." Makes you wonder.
The Coso Artifact:
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/coso.html
You probably got it right my memory of it too hazy tell if you are right or wrong, my best recollection is that she remain at anders side as the ship goes to the sun.
Or maybe actually she never was properly ressurected and actually she was a mental image angel since her death
I'm rewatching the relevant scenes on Hulu right now. Kara says goodbye to Anders, puts her dogtags in his tank, and leaves.
I like my idea of Kara ninja-ing her way back onto the Galactica. Make much more sense.