In the fifth episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica, someone better have given Katee Sackhoff all the awards. All of them. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Battlestar Galactica.
I swear, all Starbuck-centered episodes are perfection. And I don’t think it’s at all difficult for me to admit that “The Farm” will probably be in the top episodes by the time I’m done with this series. To be fair, too, all of Edward James Olmos’ scenes are brilliantly acted and written as well, which is why I feel so highly about “The Farm.”
I allowed myself a caps-lock burst yesterday for a specific reason, and that pops up again here: this show seems determined to ignore traditional arcs as a lot of serialized shows do. We’ve seen major and secondary character deaths in the first quarter of the season, and with “The Farm,” a mystery I expected to be drawn out for at least another season or so is handed to me on a silver platter. And more. Oh god there is so much more.
During the cold open, I was surprised both with the fact that I thought that entire episode would deal with the plan to steal a Heavy Raider, and by the moment where Starbuck zoned out. I mean…Starbuck sure gets injured a lot, doesn’t she? So I figured that it wouldn’t happen again, that she’d catch a break and get off of Caprica somewhat soon. What “The Farm” does so well over the course of the next half hour is build up the tension and the uncomfortable nature of Starbuck’s predicament, so much so that we question exactly what it is we’re watching.
The slow reveal of information is why “The Farm” is so uncomfortable to watch, first of all. Starbuck wakes up in a dilapidated hospital, and my mind is conflicted by what I see. I want to believe that Simon is part of the resistance, and that Starbuck is going to be okay. (Though part of me wanted Simon to be a Cylon because then I would see more of him and he has a rather nice face STOP JUDGING ME.) Part of me also wanted things to just go right for Starbuck for once. I think that’s fair, don’t you? But what I wanted and what was before my eyes comprised two different things. I could not ignore the fact that Simon’s kind disposition felt off. I was shocked by the almost casual way that he revealed that Anders had died during the ambush. I watched the way it broke Starbuck’s heart, knowing that he actually meant something to her, and I started hoping it wasn’t true. But then that would mean that Simon was probably a Cylon, and that’s not an ideal situation, is it?
There really is no better actress to portray this dilemma or this character, though, and Katee Sackhoff has a diverse range of emotions that she utilizes while in this hospital, and the anguish she displays upon learning of Anders’s death is just the start. Throughtout “The Farm,” though, the writers utilize her talent to give us a much deeper portrait of Starbuck. All of this is initially revealed through reactions. As I said before, as we learn bits and pieces about this place that she is being kept, it becomes a slow process of discovery on both our part and Starbuck’s. While I did want Starbuck to simply be okay, the first real sign that something is wrong with all of this comes out of her conversations with Simon. She drifts in and out of consciousness, due to the pain medication, and only manages to gather tiny bits of information while she’s awake.
During one of these moments, Simon brings up an odd topic: having children. I think that because it’s so out of nowhere, I became suspicious. Yes, bearing children will become important to the future of the human race, but why are you bringing this up to Starbuck after she just got shot? Even worse, he refers to her as a “commodity,” and what would would cause a person to say such an offensive thing to another human being? Again, though, I have to come back to the same point: Why bring this up now?
As their conversations progress, they only get creepier, and more and more details about the place erode away at the idea that Starbuck is being held by resistance forces. Until Starbuck asked outright about the lack of noise in the place, I’d not even thought about how weird that was. I didn’t buy the radiation poisoning explanation either. Wouldn’t there still be the sound of people talking?
But it truly eclipses into the realm of vastly inappropriate and unendingly disturbing when Simon brings up the possibility that Starbuck is averse to having children because she was abused. I knew that Simon wasn’t lying about her broken fingers, and you could see the confirmation of the truth in Starbuck’s face. I’m glad the writers chose to portray her reaction to this notion, which is both presumptive and an invasion of her privacy, as one of fury. And as someone who was abused as a kid, the reason Simon gives her to Starbuck not wanting children would be just as offensive to me. That is not at all the reason I don’t want children of my own, and I’m glad that Starbuck rejects it. And as uncomfortable as this was to admit, I knew at this point that there were only two real options left for what Starbuck was facing: this was either some sort of Cylon base and she’d been captured, or we were dealing with some fringe resistance group who were taking women in order to help rebuild the human race. Neither option was particularly appealing to me, and neither one put Starbuck into a good place.
When she awakes the next morning with a new scar on her lower abdomen, it’s obvious just how malicious her casual imprisonment is. Now they’re operating on her without her consent, while she’s unconscious, and after Simon refers to her as Starbuck–a name she’d not told him–it’s painfully obvious that this is a disaster. At this point, I was not surprised to see Simon meeting with Six, to learn that this was all some sort of Cylon hospital. I don’t really think the writers meant for us to be surprised by this either, as it was sort of the only logical conclusion to everything we’d seen.
However, I was surprised by the brutal violence with which Starbuck kills Simon when he comes to see her, noticing she’s not asleep, suspicious of her behavior. There was something frightening in her face as Simon’s blood squirted on to her, but absolutely none of this would prepare me for what Starbuck was about to discover.
The Cylons have kidnapped women and made them baby machines. Kara will later name this act for what it actually is: rape. Too often in science-fiction (even in my beloved The X-Files), we see this familiar plot device used over and over again. It’s called an “experiment” or a “test” or a “devious plot” or anything that does not spell it out for what it is. The Cylons are kidnapping women, raping them, and doing so in order to develop human-Cylon offspring. Boomer tells the group later that this is because it is ordered by God, that God wants them to procreate and re-populate the universe with these new children. However, it seems the existence of “love” is the only thing that can keep the children alive after such a conception, and the “farm” (as this horrible place is called) is merely an attempt to create more children through a purely scientific means.
It’s still horrifying to me, and the fact that Sue-Shaun is there and begs for death rather than a life here is just so bleak and depressing. It also contributes further to the ambiguous nature of the Cylons as a whole. By ambiguous, I mean simply that it’s not easy to decide what “side” they ultimately fall on. Adama’s talk with Tyrol, which I’ll get to in a bit, further complicates the issue. They are living creatures with their own identity and consciousness. But they have exterminated most of the human race, and now we have discovered they are raping women for some religious plan. So where exactly do the humans stand in all of this?
The final scenes on Caprica are so bizarre because it seems everyone is at least superficially okay with Boomer being around them, especially since she has not chosen to hide the fact that she is a Cylon. To be fair, she does offer them intel on the Cylons and she did steal a Heavy Raider to attack the farm. Perhaps she’s earned enough trust to be allowed in this far, but I also couldn’t ignore just how unbelievably awkward it was. Starbuck’s rage and Helo’s lovestruck confusion seemed about the only sensical reactions to her, but I suppose that even I don’t understand my feelings about her. She’s definitely doing good, and appears to be able to resist her programming. But what if the Cylons are able to override her and turn her into a weapon, like the Boomer on the Galactica?
I suppose we’ll find out a hell of a lot more, and I can’t even begin to imagine how bizarre and chaotic it will be when another Boomer boards the Galactica. At this point, the fleet hardly needs anything else to deal with. With Adama back in command (and greeted with thunderous applause upon his return), it’s all about putting the pieces back together. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that Adama still believes that Roslin (and now his own son) are forces that need to be dealt with in a purely military manner. And there’s no talk of suspending or eliminating martial law once in “The Farm.” Does that mean Adama implicitly agrees with Tigh’s choice? Perhaps not; he might just be dealing with more pressing issues of command before dealing with the political turmoil in the fleet, though sending out Marines to quarantine a ship is not exactly the best way to keep things stable.
Despite his less-than-desirable traits and history, I do like that Tom Zarek is around. He creates a fascinating dynamic to the efforts of Roslin to rally more of the fleet to follow her to Kobol. I thought his idea to use Lee as a more personal and emotional message was fitting, especially since Zarek actually spent time in a more personal way with Lee. Hell, I imagine that’s even why he agreed to help Roslin: Lee asked him to.
But it’s a tall order, even for Lee, who is torn between his duty as an officer of the military, as a son, and as someone who believes in what Roslin is trying to do. In a way, there’s a neat parallel between this and the end of the episode. Granted, Lee is nowhere near as stoic as his father, but I feel that part of Adama’s stony persona comes from the rigid military training that he has. Adama begins to question the very nature of what he is fighting against in “The Farm,” and that starts with his defense of keeping Cally in the brig. If any character was meant to change the minds of how humans are to treat Cylons, while still understanding the threat they pose, it seems Adama is the one. The writers deal with the fact that he was shot by a longtime pilot, a friend, in an incredibly intimate and gorgeous way, and it’s a chance for them to show us a side to this man that is rarely present. It’s nobel of Tyrol to want to protect Cally, but regardless of the fact that Boomer tried to kill Adama, the Commander sticks to the sentence. Cally still fired her weapon into an open crowd. But I knew there was something more to this, and Adama’s question to Tyrol proved it. I’m just happy that they’re having these characters deal with the fact that they loved, respected, and spent time with a person who was secretly someone else, possibly never truly knowing they were someone else. Whereas someone like Starbuck would fly into a sanctimonious rage at Tyrol, Adama instead chooses empathy. How could he love a machine? Perhaps this suggests that these humanoid Cylons are not machines at all.
I think that is best represented in Adama’s heartbreaking visit to the morgue. He asks Boomer’s body, “Why?” But she is unable to respond, and he is gutted to realize that someone he cared for very much had to be the one to try and kill him. I imagine that Adama’s whole view of Cylons has changed at least a little bit, and I’m hoping that he can possibly lead people in a different direction than they seem to be going.
It’s nobel of Tyrol to want to protect Cally
Yes, he should get some sort of prize.
I find that a lot funnier than I really should.
So much funnier to me than it should be.
I think we should make peace with this typo.
hee hee hee
It's odd to look back and realize that we didn't learn any new Cylon models during season one, past the four we knew from the miniseries. Now one more is down, and seven to go.
The teaser here is so well shot, really imparting what it might feel like to be gutshot (hopefully no one here has firsthand experience).
Wow, I completely forgot how important it is that we find out a new model in this episode! Is anyone keeping score? Is there some kind of chart we could use?
I've been keeping a Cylon Count in my comments!
So I suppose your schedule would look like this?:
Thursday, August 25- Episode 2.06
Friday, August 26 – Episode 2.07
Monday, August 29 – Episode 2.08
Tuesday, August 30 – Episode 2.09
Wednesday, August 31 – Episode 2.10 (Extended)
Thursday, September 1 – Episode 2.11
Friday, September 2 – Episode 2.12
Monday, September 5 – Episode 2.13
Tuesday, September 6 – 2.14
Wednesday, September 7 – Episode 2.15
Thursday, September 8 – Episode 2.16
Friday, September 9 – Episode 2.17
Monday, September 12 – Episode 2.18
Tuesday, September 13 – Episode 2.19
Wednesday, September 14 – Episode 2.20
Thursday, September 15 – Season 3 Predictions
Friday, September 16 – First Web Series
Monday, September 19 – Episode 3.01
Tuesday, September 20 – Episode 3.02
Wednesday, September 21 – Episode 3.03
Thursday, September 22- Episode 3.04
Friday, September 23 – Episode 3.05
Monday, September 26 – Episode 3.06
Tuesday, September 27 – Episode 3.07
Wednesday, September 28 – Episode 3.08
Thursday, September 29 – Episode 3.09 (Extended)
Friday, September 30 – Episode 3.10
Monday, October 3 – Episode 3.11
Tuesday, October 4 – Episode 3.12
Wednesday, October 5 – Episode 3.13
Thursday, October 6 – Episode 3.14
Friday, October 7 – Episode 3.15
Monday, October 10 – Episode 3.16
Tuesday, October 11 – Episode 3.17
Wednesday, October 12 – Episode 3.18
Thursday, October 13 – Episode 3.19
Friday, October 14 – Episode 3.20
Monday, October 17 – Season 4 Predictions
Tuesday, October 18 – Second Web Series
Wednesday, October 19 – First Movie (Extended)
Thursday, October 20 – Episode 4.01
Friday, October 21 – Episode 4.02
Monday, October 24 – Episode 4.03
Tuesday, October 25 – Episode 4.04
Wednesday, October 26 – Episode 4.05
Thursday, October 27 – Episode 4.06
Friday, October 28 – Episode 4.07
Monday, October 31 – Episode 4.08
Tuesday, November 1 – Episode 4.09
Wednesday, November 2 – Episode 4.10
Thursday, November 3 – Episode 4.11
Friday, November 4 – Third Web Series
Monday, November 7 – Episode 4.12 (Extended)
Tuesday, November 8 – Episode 4.13
Wednesday, November 9 – Episode 4.14
Thursday, November 10 – Episode 4.15
Friday, November 11 – Episode 4.16
Monday, November 14 – Episode 4.17
Tuesday, November 15 – Episode 4.18 (Extended)
Wednesday, November 16 – Episode 4.19/4.20 (Extended & Combined)
Thursday, November 17 – Second Movie
Friday, November 18 – a well-earned breather
That's what I've got written down at home! A+
Doctor Who?
When I first looked up the episode count for BSG, I was very excite to see that they all had 15/20 episodes, since that meant that the movies would fall on weekends and therefore possibly be liveblogged. Then I remembered prediction posts. And then I remembered that Doctor Who would be starting up again in the middle of the second season. 🙁
I don't want to link to the calendar I came up with because it has episode titles, but here are the main points:
-Saturday, August 27: First DW Liveblog
-Monday, August 29: First DW Review
Week of September 18 through 24:
-Monday: DW Review 6×11
-Tuesday: BSG Season 2 Finale
-Wednesday: BSG Season 3 Predictions
-Thursday,: First BSG Web Series
-Friday: Mark Starts BSG Season Three (and possibly Fringe Season Four?)
-Saturday: DW Liveblog: 6×12
-Saturday, October 1: Last DW Liveblog of Series Six
-Monday, October 3: Last DW Review
Week of October 23rd through 29th:
-Monday: BSG Season Three Finale
-Tuesday: BSG Season Four Predictions
-Wednesday: Second BSG Web Series
-Thursday: First BSG Movie
-Friday: Mark Starts BSG Season Four
-Monday, November 14: Third BSG Web Series
-Thursday, November 24: BSG 4×19/4×20 combined
-Friday, November 25: Second BSG Movie
ETA: It turns out I messed up some of the dates, so I ended up having to redo the calendar anyway. No-longer-spoilery link here, though my color-coding is gone for some reason. The dates above have been corrected, too.
I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions to clarify. Is there any place online to find the extended episodes? Are they the same/different to the ones on the DVDs? Also, does 'Enmbe' or 'Gur Cyna' (rot13 for names) come first, and are the web series still available online? Thanks.
Enmbe is first, Gur Cyna second. As for the webisodes, I think they're online but region locked to the US, if you're outside then you have to download them.
Thanks. I'll have to do some Googling, see if I can find them anywhere.
I have actually started to think of the movies as "Enmbe" and "Gur Cyna." Like, that's how I say them in my head now.
They sound a little anime!
I'm glad they deleted the scene where Lee is asked to explain himself about not denouncing Adama publically and he whines about Roslin not supporting him on Colonial One by telling him to stand down when he had the gun to Tigh's head. He's more sympathetic without it.
When you first posted your prediction post last week, at first I was upset because I had to wait another day for an actual review. And then I realized it meant The Farm was going to fall on a day where I had the afternoon off. Hurrah for commenting on time! And not having to read this on my phone in a bathroom stall!
First of all, Kara and Sam. Yes, I ship it. No, they haven’t known each other long, but under the circumstances I think it’s understandable that two people would attach to each other like that. Why the hell not? It’s only the end of the world. And I’m perfectly OK with Kara both crying her eyes out when she thinks Sam is dead, and being upset at the end during the good bye scene. Again, she hasn’t known him long, but I think aside from liking him and liking having sex with him, he also represents something to her. He and his people are still fighting. There are still people alive on Caprica. It’s a sign that there’s still something to fight for. So I think her quick emotional connection is completely understandable.
I really love that during the goodbye scene it’s Sam who gets teary eyed first. Poor baby, let me hug you.
Also, he’s so pretty.
<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ln7ibxqtra1qh8f7no1_500.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2467z2o.jpg"/>
OK, but other stuff happened to. Really, really fucking creepy as shit stuff. Simon the doctor is, like, my worst nightmare. That pelvic examination? Makes my skin fucking crawl. Being reduced to a baby machine is something I have literally had nightmares about (especially lately, what with the War On Women’s Reproductive Rights 2011 that’s been happening at the state level). It creeps me out on such a visceral level. When Starbuck gets back to her room after seeing a Six, and is completely freaked out? That’s my face.
I’m still bugged, though, by the whole ‘you’ll die if I cut the power’ moment? A) How did she know that after looking around the room for 2 seconds and not examining anything closely, and B) Why does it kill them? Are they all grievously injured and on life-support? But Sue Shaun is also still conscious, so…IDK. I get the story reasons behind it, it’s a big sad moment, etc. It just doesn’t make that much sense.
Love that Starbuck is at least as responsible for her own rescue as her boys. She was getting herself out, but she still appreciated the assist.
And so now we know why the Cylons wanted Sharon and Helo to bone. Love is needed for procreation? Weird. But OK. Sure. I wish we got a little more reaction from Helo on how he feels finding out he was a baby making assignment. That’s got to be awkward. But he seems to have accepted Sharon again PDQ.
Seeing papa Adama not giving a shit about those who go off with President Prophesy makes me sad. I don’t believe for a second that he really doesn’t care at all, but he’s convincing himself he doesn’t care, that it’s all purely strategy that matters. But he’s crying on the inside, you just know it.
OK, maybe that has a lot to do with Lee. I absolutely respect Lee for siding with Roslin, and I absolutely respect him for refusing to sell out his father to the rest of the fleet. Making one compromise doesn’t mean you have to sell out everything you believe in. He will help the president, but he will not do more to actively betray his father.
And I love Laura’s smile when she hears Adama is awake. She is on a completely different political and religious side, but she still likes and respects him.
Michael Trucco should not be allowed to be that gorgeous. I have an unhealthy obsession with his arms.
No such thing. All the obsessions with all the arms on this show are perfectly healthy. PERFECTLY.
Is there a "The Arms of the Men of Galatcica" Fan Club? If there isn't can we start one?
I have a graphic that's appropriate but is spoilery. And actually I'm not sure I have it anymore. Sad.
I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
I think it should be the Arms of the Men and Women of Galatica, because Starbuck's arms are like, whoa.
"Arms of the Supermegafoxyawesomehot Crew of Galactica"
Someone design us a logo quick!
Basically, I agree with this entire comment. I really cannot justify why I'm so attached to the idea of Sam/Kara, but I like it a lot.
Shhh, just come.
Oh dear, I just snorted at that comment. Sorry, I've got a really dirty mind.
;P
he's so beautiful <3 so proud of Starbuck!!
And I love Laura’s smile when she hears Adama is awake. She is on a completely different political and religious side, but she still likes and respects him.
Yeah, that's a nice little moment. Especially since I get the impression Adama pretty much hates her at this point (and, to be fair, she did turn his son and surrogate daughter against him from his POV). I think it says something about her as a person that, even with everything that's going on, she still wouldn't take any pleasure in Adama's death.
I’m still bugged, though, by the whole ‘you’ll die if I cut the power’ moment? A) How did she know that after looking around the room for 2 seconds and not examining anything closely, and B) Why does it kill them? Are they all grievously injured and on life-support?
This bothered me too. It also seemed like when she was destroying the equipment that she was removing power from ALL of the beds/patients. I mean, surely not all of them want to die and maybe you could at least ask them first. I'm sure I just misinterpreted but it really looked like she was cutting off power from everyone, not just Sue-Shaun.
Yeah, that was weird. I could understand if Sue-Shaun was like "no time to get me out of these wires, save yourself!" and then maybe the Resistance could have rescued her later, but I think the whole dying-because-of-smashing-the-electricity-box thing was badly explained.
Ditto on the nightmare about the current war on women's bodies. They haven't been successful, but bills trying to criminalize miscarriages or allow justifiable homicide of abortion doctors make me think that hooking women up to machines to ensure they carry children to term would be a dream for certain people. Hell, it's right in line with that anti-abortion horror film The Life Zone. I think that's why I was so uncomfortable watching. But, it was nice to see a show come out in favor of choice so strongly.
I don't know why it killed them, and I wish there had been a way to save the other women, because Sue-Shaun's the only one who said that she wanted to die. :/
I'm glad Lee didn't betray his dad, as well, especially since Zarek wanted it so badly.
I agree, but personally I think this storyline would have been more interesting if the pressure had been coming from humans and not teh evil robots because it makes the whole thing less controversial. I could see why they wouldn't want to tackle that, though.
I agree. It would be a lot more challenging if it was coming from the people you thought of as "good."
I knew that there was something familar about Anders's face, and seeing this still just now made me realize.
I was thinking yesterday that I was just bothered by the idea that he looks sort of like Dane Cook, but then I realized that he played a detective in Castle for a few episodes.
/csb
Yes! Detective Demming/Schlemming! And he and Nathan are kind of buddies now.
Nathan went on Jimmy Kimmel awhile ago and told this hilarious story, but all the youtube links I'm finding link to the same vid which has been made private. WTF people? Urg.
ETA: Never mind, a friend of mine found it on hulu! My words could never do this justice. (I don't know if I can embed hulu clips so I'm just going to link)
http://www.hulu.com/watch/178466/jimmy-kimmel-liv…
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks he looks kind of like Dane Cook!
First of all, Kara and Sam. Yes, I ship it. No, they haven’t known each other long, but under the circumstances I think it’s understandable that two people would attach to each other like that. Why the hell not? It’s only the end of the world. And I’m perfectly OK with Kara both crying her eyes out when she thinks Sam is dead, and being upset at the end during the good bye scene. Again, she hasn’t known him long, but I think aside from liking him and liking having sex with him, he also represents something to her. He and his people are still fighting. There are still people alive on Caprica. It’s a sign that there’s still something to fight for. So I think her quick emotional connection is completely understandable.
THIS.
[youtube K5I3d0hp6bo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5I3d0hp6bo youtube]
Here’s Bear McCreary conducting a rendition of “A Promise To Return” which plays at the end of this episode and is AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS I LOVE HIM SO MUCH DID YOU KNOW THAT?
I tend to forget about the Galactica storyline in this episode because of the overwhelmingness of Kara’s story. I loved Starbuck from the start but this episode put her to the top of my favorite female characters. How she has not won Fandom March Madness yet is beyond me. LET’S WORK ON THAT OKAY? TROY WOULD VOTE STARBUCK.
This is the song I want to walk down the aisle to (if I ever get married)
Oh Fandom March Madness. I both love and hate it. So much fun, but it definitely takes over my life while it is going on.
I thought this was the best episode so far. Despite that I want to claw Anders' eyeballs out for being with MY Starbuck, I was still shocked at the casual way Simon told Starbuck that Anders was dead and I was immediately suspicious. One of the biggest things that had me suspicious was the lack of Helo. If this was a resistance hospital, wouldn't he be coming to visit her? Of course there are a lot of reasons why he might not be there, but I just KNEW there was something NOT RIGHT about this whole situation. I also have a bad feeling that whatever the Cylons were doing to Starbuck without her consent is going to pop up later and I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THIS ENTIRE SITUATION.
EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE AND SERIOUSLY FUCKED UP.
I CAN'T EVEN
THIS SHOW IS TOO MUCH
but I love it…………. O_O
I…. I have a confession to make. Two episodes into Sam being on the show and I am a Sam/Kara shipper. I cannot help it. I am powerless against the trope of ~separated lovers~ who have promised to see each other again. So I basically spent the entire last scene on Caprica like this:
<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqaqyiLRrJ1qih60yo2_400.jpg">
What is my life even?
That said, I loved this episode even without the Sam/Kara stuff. The idea of farming people to make babies is just so upsetting, but I felt like this story helped me to understand Kara better as a character. I also liked that even though Lee is helping Roslin, he still couldn't bring himself to denounce his father. I JUST WANT THOSE TWO BOYS TO HUG IT OUT, OK?
I am a Sam/Kara shipper.
JUST GIVE IN AND GO WITH IT
Seriously, come on over. We have cookies.
Also, I have to say, your comments I always look forward too. We disagreed about pretty much everything on Doctor Who, but I always respected the way you framed your views. But now for BSG we agree about ALL THE THINGS (mostly) and it's weird. A good weird.
It's a good ship.
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2nl44l1.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
A very, very good ship.
There are not enough thumbs up votes for this gif
It's pretty amazing how after a season of teasing us with Kara/Lee, they introduce this new character and sell us on this relationship so immediately and effectively.
Va pbagenfg, jura gurl gel gb znahsnpgher n eryngvbafuvc orgjrra Yrr naq Qrr, jub unir orra ba gur fubj sebz gur fgneg, gurl snvy zvfrenoyl.
I never really shipped Kara/Lee. I'm not entirely sure why, maybe I just prefer them with a friendship/sibling like relationship but I shipped Kara/Sam immediately.
Juvpu znxrf gur jubyr Yrr/Qrr zrff naq yngre gur dhnqenatyr bs qbbz qrcerffvat. V ernyyl yvxrq zl fuvcf nf gurl fgbbq.
I'm like you. I just didn't like Kara/Lee romantically, In my case, I think it was because it was just after Firefly and I really wanted them to have a relationship like Mal and Zoe.
Kara/Sam on the other hand….They had me at the hand kissing.
Agreed so hard with both halves of this comment.
That is literally my favourite image of all time. It sums up like 90% of my life.
SAM/KARA OTP. NO SHAME.
God, I really love that NOW KISS image.
"NOW KISS!"
SO SAY WE ALL, goddamn
A Promise To Return
<img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2uhoh3k.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/zv605w.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2ldd5w5.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
Other people are probably going to cover this far better than I'm capable of right not but while I'm tired of stories like this I am glad that Starbuck called the Farm what it is, rape. (Also Katee Sackhoff for all of the awards ever and some new ones we'll make up just for her.)
’Well, when you think you love somebody, you love them. That's what love is. Thoughts… She was a Cylon. A machine! Is that what Boomer was, a machine? A thing?’ ‘That's what she turned out to be.’ ‘She was more than that to us. She was more than that to me. She was a vital, living person aboard my ship for almost two years! She couldn't have been just a machine. Could you love a machine?’
<img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2hmdkt0.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
What, Is that some kind of reverse Deal With It gif I see??
*mind blown*
Do you mean that you
<img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/14t3dog.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
(As a glasses wearer I may have an irrational love for characters doing things with their own glasses)
asdfghjkl; you have to stop!
You know, if you just watch those two gifs on repeat, you've got about 50% of Battlestar Galactica right there.
Anyone else playing the glasses drinking game? No? Just me?
I think this and the Adama one are my new favourite gifs.
Also those two need to make up…FAST
I'd change your 'up' to an 'out' but yeah.
That also needs to happen as soon as possible.
So say we all.
Excellent gifs.
(me too)
See, you know, it always kind of bothers me, because when I take off my glasses, I can't see!
Must be a far-sighted thing:-)
All the upvotes for the 'can't deal with it' gif.
This totally reminds me… my friends and I have a drinking game to BSG that is amazing! Their are quite a few rules, and we usually make up new ones every time we play. Some are simple, like drink every time someone says frak or every time Starbuck yells or hits someone, but my absolute favorite is drink every time Adama takes off his glasses. You wouldn't think he does it that often, but once you start playing, you realize EJO does it literally all the time for dramatic effect. Battlestar used to play on Fridays in the US, and I can remember being absolutely trashed through most of seasons 3 and 4 thanks in part to Eddie and his glasses. SO MUCH LOVE
MY EMOTIONS indeed. STARBUCK AND ANDERS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME.
I did love the music at the end of this episode.
I love Adama's kind of implicit view that it's how they interacted with Boomer that's important. Although he now can't tell if she ever really cared about any of them, he does know that The Chief loved her. And that she had friends who cared about her, and that he himself cared about her. It's an interesting perspective that since she inspired those kind of relationships and emotions, by definition, she's more than just a machine.
Basically it seems that Tyrol thinks: I loved her, but she was just a machine, so I couldn't really have loved her. Wheras Adama goes for: She was a machine, but I loved her, so she couldn't really just be a machine.
Also…
"That's all love is. Thoughts." Love that line. So perfect and so true.
Basically it seems that Tyrol thinks: I loved her, but she was just a machine, so I couldn't really have loved her. Wheras Adama goes for: She was a machine, but I loved her, so she couldn't really just be a machine.
That's a really good point, I like that!
BTW, this is what Bear McCreary has to say about A Promise To Return (the string piece from the end of the ep)
” We struggled with the end of The Farm, especially the scene where Starbuck says a tearful farewell to Anders, and promises she’ll come back some day. Leaving the scene dry, or playing it relatively sparse, deprived it of any emotional impact. And over-scoring risked making the whole story arc feel hammy and forced, too operatic. I walked that very fine line…”
Might want to rot13 some of the second quote since it's spoilery. And I didn't know about the dedication. That is so, so sad.
DAMN! I thought I had read more carefully than that. Didn't even register. Ack, sorry if anyone saw that, really really sorry.
Here's the quote with the offending spoiler removed.
"If you have the Season Two album and read the liner notes then you know that “A Promise to Return” was dedicated to my friend Ludvig Girdland, who played first violin on it. Our recording session for The Farm was among the last that this remarkably gifted violinist ever played. Weeks later, he was involved in a tragic automobile accident, instigated by a drunk driver. Ludvig physically survived, but fell into a coma from which he has yet to emerge, years later. "
This whole episode could have been avoided if they hadn't stopped in the middle of the frakking forest to discuss their plan! I could almost write it off as the Resistance being inexperienced but surely Starbuck and Helo should know better. Organise this shit BEFORE you leave your big secure base. It's one of those moments where you just know it's only being done so Kara and Sue-Shaun can be caught by the Cylons. Surely there had to have been a way to hit that plot point that doesn't make me facepalm at everyone? [/rant]
That's probably my only complaint about the writing of the episode, there's a lot of really heavy subject matter involved here and it's handled well.
The Galactica crew applauding Adama's return is just, awwww, they all missed Space Daddy. Except Gaius apparently who looks strangely reluctant the whole time. The message he reads that Laura has sent out to the fleet, I dpn't know if it's the way it's written or if EJO was trying to deliver it like Mary McDonnell would but it really sounds like something Laura would say. It's actually constructed in the same way she makes her speeches, it's not just a few lines to get the point accross that sound like anyone could have said them.
Fbzrguvat V unqa'g abgvprq hagvy jngpuvat juvyr jnvgvat sbe gur cbfg, jura gur cevfbaref ba gur Nfgeny Dhrra nyy xarry va sebag bs Ynhen gurl gbhpu gur pragre bs gurve sberurnqf jvgu gurve svatref. Vg'f njshyyl fvzvyne gb n trfgher hfrq ba Pncevpn (gur frevrf ab gur cynarg) ol gur Fbyqvref bs gur Bar. Ohg gur cevfbaref zhfg or cbylgurvfgf bs gurl'er sbyybjvat Ynhen fb…V qba'g xabj jurer V'z tbvat jvgu guvf, yvxr V fnvq V'ir bayl whfg znqr gur pbaarpgvba.
Wow that turned into a bit of a wall of text didn't it?
This whole episode could have been avoided if they hadn't stopped in the middle of the frakking forest to discuss their plan! I could almost write it off as the Resistance being inexperienced but surely Starbuck and Helo should know better.
I did a comedy picspam once where my justification for this was Starbuck refusing to be in a car with Anders anymore until he agreed to stop singing "Driving along in my automobile, my baby beside me at the wheel"
<img src="http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h8/NB2000/LOLCats/Gifs/2por3bd.gif"/>
OLIVIA YOUR FACE IS DELIGHTFUL
Olivia and Starbuck are probably my 2 favorite female characters ever. I seriously love them SFM because they are both badass women! So thank you, NB2000 for combining my 2 loves.
I'm pretty sure that Zbabgurvfgf qb gur fnyhgr jvgu bar svatre juvyr cbyvrf hfr gjb, gur svefg naq zvqqyr svatref, guhf nyybjvat gru zbabgurvfgf gb flzobyvmr gurve fcrpvny 'Bar-Gehr-Tbq'-arff…
Also, first time using this automated rot13er, so apologies for any errors.
Lbh'er nofbyhgryl evtug nobhg gur svatref. Vg jnf gur trareny fvzvynevgl bs gur trfgher gung fgehpx zr.
Nccneragyl jura gurl znxr zragvba bs gur "ubfcvgny" Fgneohpx'f va orvat n sbezre zragny vafgvghgvba, vg'f gur fnzr bar srngherq ba Pncevpn va Nznaqn Tenlfgbar'f fgbelyvar.
That was an awkwardly constructed sentence. Oh well.
It looks great in rot-13.
bwah!
I didn't actually like 'The Farm', but only because of the actual farm itself. The actors, budding romance, everything else was spectacular, but when the big reveal came and all those women were wired up? It just felt like horror for the sake of horror, and not fitting with Cylons' other plans (I mean, why convince Helo to build a 'love-nest' if she could just rape him for his semen and run?)
Well I'm a bit biased. I have no idea why, but anything to do with pregnancy/periods/abortions/something growing inside you (you say 'miracle of life' I say 'ohgodohgodohgodit'sgonnaeatme) really REALLY squicks me out- to the point where I was fast-forwarding alot. I also black-outed when my science class showed a baby being born. I'm a girl btw. Which makes it so much scarier because there's a part of me, fuelled by media and expectations, that goes 'Oh god I'm going to have to DO THAT at some point. WHY WHY omg'. I'm actually feeling sick now D: /life story over. Sorry. Ranting.
I really like this episode for basically the same reason you hate it – it freaks me the hell out.
But yeah, I know where you're coming from. I also have serious issues with that kind of thing (I mean, the whole process is revolting from start to finish, right? Has anyone even SEEN Alien?) and I quite often have nightmares when I'm pregnant and for whatever reason can't abort it. That's why it horrifies me so much when I wake up and realise that there are places where abortion is still totally illegal. It's like forcing someone to live through a horror movie; I find it hard to imagine a more traumatic experience.
Lol, fair enough.
Alien! That's literally what I thought of when we had to watch all those stupid pregnancy videos. (Stupid Catholic school, making have to research safe sex myself, thank God for google)
I know, even though abortion squicks me out as much as the other things, I'm all for pro-choice. There are just too many things that can go wrong during a pregnancy (not to mention how the fetus was conceived, I mean, making a girl have her rapist's child?)
So much this. Man. You know that quote about how a woman doesn't want abortion like she wants ice cream, she wants an abortion like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg? Yeah. I've been through a lot of depression and debilitating anxiety in the past few years and nothing has made me understand that quote better than those experiences. Discovering I was pregnant in the middle of a mental breakdown would have been one of the worst things possible. (Thankfully, I wasn't. Did you know stress can fuck up your menstrual cycle?)
D: Poor you, I hope it all turned out alright.
I did know that actually- from experience- which was not fun during my last exams when my period suddenly stopped for several months. I breathed into a paper bag then went to the doctor's. She was like "Hmm, you're pregnant." And then came back in later like "LOL! Whoops! Hormone imbalance. My bad." Me: "WTFHAOHFENAGEDGAIN- ARE YOU EVEN ALLOWED TO PULL SHIT LIKE THAT???" Then I went to do my English exam. A fun day.
Freaked me out because a girl in my year who I've known since infancy dropped out and now has a baby and is living in a council flat.
WHAT. That must have been terrifying!
I assumed that the Cylons were simply trying multiple avenues to try and get biological reproduction working. Even if they had already decided that love was necessary, they may have still kept the farms operating under the hope that they would find a way around that restriction.
'Oh god I'm going to have to DO THAT at some point. WHY WHY omg'.
You really don't have to, though. I mean I hope not.
Also I agree that the farm itself does seem like horror for horror's sake. Especially when Boomer's explanation is just "well God told us 'be fruitful and multiply'". I mean, that's a pretty weak reason. Surely there's another way to make more cylons. Where have they all come from otherwise? Also, God didn't tell them to be fruitful and make cylon-human hybrids, I'm guessing. I was actually hoping there was some other explanation for this behavior other than "We (the cylons) are all super religious and interpret our religious texts very literally except not. . ."
I feel pretty much the same way about The Farm. It is one of the most horrific rape scenarios I've ever sat through, simply because of the prolonged suffering. I mean, how long were those women there before Starbuck came? To be awake and coherent as you are continuously 'fertilized' surrounded by the people holding you captive, constantly being observed is just… ugh. Do not want.
I can't quote it or anything, but RDM actually says something similar in his podcast commentary for this episode. He didn't end up being very happy with the women-hooked-up-to-machines part of the ep. He didn't feel like it really came together or had a good reason to be there, other than it is horrifying. At least, that's what I remember him saying. I listened to it last week.
I'm with you on the pregnancy as horror thing. My mom was a labor and delivery nurse and taught lamaze classes. She sometimes took me with her to class when I was 5-6, and I could hear (but not see) the videos and descriptions of everything. Totally horrifying. No kids for me. I KNOW what they do to you when you have them. (Of course, I'm equally horrified of any kind of surgery, and I doubt I'll be able to about that forever…)
That kind of thing actually freaks me out for the opposite reasons. I'm a mother of two, and I adore my children, and I love being pregnant, but anything that subverts the joy that I take in that process, any force involved, would turn it into an absolute nightmare, and the sheer horror of having something so intensely personal and wonderful (under the right circumstances) and turning it into rape (or, even more special, further trauma following rape) is unthinkable to me. I hadn't thought this through until I saw the Feminist Frequency video on supernatural forced pregnancies (I'm pretty sure it was posted in an earlier thread, and I won't post it here in the interests of not triggering) and the clip of another video at the end, which has this lullaby playing over these grotesque scenes of these pregnancies in our media, made me completely lose it. It's simply inhuman. Choice makes it possible for people to take more joy in their lives, whether it's because they have children that they wanted or that they don't have children that they don't want. That's part of what makes Starbuck's response to Simon so wonderful – sure, she was abused, but she also doesn't fucking want kids so BACK THE FUCK OFF. That is plenty of reason, kthx.
So, wall of text, I feel you, and never, ever feel pressured into anything you don't want. Babies deserve to be wanted, and women deserve to make their own choices, even if half of our government has ideas along the lines of the Cylons.
OH wow I can see why that would be so much worse for you. I can understand why people want babies and stuff- they seem to be quite soft and gurgly (have fun! See you in nine months. I'll be over here boiling water until then) and for someone who'd already had them and experienced what it SHOULD be like, it must be horrible.
And thank you for not linking that video, because I would be compelled to click it because I clearly enjoy my own pain.
Ahaha. Thank you. It's just whenever I bring this type of thing up, everyone around me tells me 'You'll want them when you're older'. When a female celebrity turned up with an engagement ring, my Mum said 'she had to do it soon to be able to have children', I suggested that maybe she didn't want any, and was told 'not to be so silly'.
There's still this expectation that one of women's main aims (as well as a job-woot! Progress!) is to get married and have kids. And to some extent it's still considered ridiculous that she might not want to. At all. (I don't know if this is the same for guys? Maybe them as well? It's not a topic that comes up casually in my group)
I was freaking out during every conversation Starbuck and the doctor had about reproduction and then later, the room with all the women. The second he said she had a cyst on her ovary, it triggered me so. damn. hard. I have PCOS so severely that I had to have an operation that left me infertile. While that would've been my choice, regardless (I'm crap with kids and don't particularly have any kind of maternal instinct to fall back on), since that surgery, my family has said a lot of really hurtful things about my being unable to have children (before they just stuck to smug, "Oh, you'll change your mind someday"). So when he was talking about how her reproductive system had to be kept functioning, and that she was a commodity, and then the scar on her abdomen, it was triggering every. single. awful conversation I have had with my family.
And then the farm, which as Starbuck rightly terms it, is rape. Again, triggered so damn hard. I feel like this episode should've come with some kind of warning on it because I spent the whole time quietly freaking out.
None of this is to say that this episode wasn't amazing, because it was, but just…if I ever revisit this episode, I'm going to have to be in one of my stronger moods, where I can mentally prepare myself for what I'm about to watch. I wish, for this episode at least, that I'd been spoiled as to what it was about, so that I could've gotten my head in the right space to watch it.
agh, I'm sorry. I have PCOS as well — not to the point where it's required surgery, but to the point where, well, The Fertility Issue Has Been Raised. One particularly callous doctor of mine once asked if I was thinking of having children. This was already a sensitive issue for me, because not only do I still not know what I want where that's concerned, but I'm very single and occasionally very unhappy about that / the reasons why, which meant she was already tromping into a giant minefield about which she apparently didn't care at all. The next thing she said was, and I quote, "Well, you better think about that sooner rather than later, because it's only going to get harder."
While I was still stunned from that one, I got plunked down into a seat across from a picture of a row of giggling babies while I had to wait for blood test #246.
I eventually left the doctor's office sobbing and no one said a word.
People are assholes, and the pressure that gets put on women around this topic is awful, and yes, this episode was really fucking difficult to watch. Still is. 🙁
Yeah, I know about doctors like that. I could get into a lot of stories about it, the "best" of which involves a male doctor slut-shaming me over needing birth control pills to treat it at the age of fifteen and refusing to write the prescription, but…well, I don't want to tie-up Mark's comments too much with my personal crusade about this.
Point being: you have my deepest sympathies, hon.
I hate going to the doctor for something that's really emotional and nobody even makes an effort to care. I had to get a ton of tests a few years ago for what turned out to be IBS, and I was suffering from severe anxiety and depression at the time too, which meant that I spent a lot of time at the doctor's office sobbing about how I couldn't eat anything and I didn't know why everything I ate was making me feel horrible and I just wanted to be able to eat normally again. And of course the doctors were just like "…" and not helpful. Nurses are a little better with the bedside manner thing, but considering how many health issues can be emotionally difficult for people, doctors really should have more training in how to not act like an uncaring robot.
I don't have PCOS (that I know of? I probably have endometriosis but it's hard to confirm a diagnosis for that without surgery) but I do have a cyst on my ovary that refuses to go away. A few years ago I started having stomach problems and had to get a bunch of ultrasounds and other tests on my abdomen, and they were like "oh, hey, there's a cyst on your ovary." "Is that bad?" "No, it should go away on its own." LIES. Every time I get any kind of abdominal test since then… "Oh hey, there's a cyst on your ovary." Yes, I know. Should I do anything about it? "No, it should go away on its own." My cycles were a WORLD of intense pain before I went on pills. I don't know if the ovarian cyst had anything to do with my mittelschmerz (love that word) but I wouldn't be surprised?
/tmi
Your family 🙁 I'm sorry they said those awful things to you. Nobody should be treated like their most important function is reproduction.
I love that philosophical and ethical questions are so openly dealt with in this episode (and on this show in general). Did the Cylons kill so many people in order to force the remaining ones to have no choice but to breed with them? Has Starbuck been implanted with a Cylon embryo? (Good Crikey, I hope not!)
How awkward will a scene between Tyrol and Caprica!Boomer be? "Boomer! I thought I'd never see you again. I –" "Oh, hey, Chief. I'm not the Boomer who was sleeping with you, and I'm pregnant with Helo's baby." *awkward silence* "So…how are things back home? I hear your people have a new rape program. How's that going?"
Wow. I liked this episode, but I was also really uncomfortable watching it. I was certain that Simon was a Cylon from the beginning, so I was really just waiting for the reveal, but when the gynecological exam happened, I was all no no no no no. Bad. I'm glad Starbuck is there, saying all the things I feel about that situation, and welcomed her disgust at being described as a commodity and having her choice taken away from her just because humanity is at risk of being wiped out (the value of "human mothers" was a big ole Cylon red flag.) That they've already started experimenting on women and forcibly impregnating them — yes, rape, as Starbuck says — is even more fucked up. I don't like forcible pregnancy storylines, and I should have seen this one coming, so I'm just a bit squicked out by it all, mostly because of my speculation about what they did to Starbuck. I'm afraid they performed an ooectomy on her. I'm even more afraid, given that Simon knew Anders' name and that he was close to Starbuck, that Anders is a Cylon, too. It could be because they've had run-ins with the resistance, or because they have spies in the resistance reporting back, but I don't know. That fear wasn't helped by the conversation about love being necessary for human-cylon procreation, and then showing that Starbuck and Anders care about each other.
I really liked the commentary on reproductive choice, and this sort of episode was pretty inevitable, especially coming after the fleet was going to experiment on Boomer, though not necessarily in such an extreme fashion. But I'm also really apprehensive about this whole thing. Urgh.
I'm glad Adama is back, and I don't know if it's his make-up, posture, or hair, but he seems smaller and softer. He's still a hard-ass in command, but he just seems different. It hurt to watch him break down over Boomer's corpse; I agree, it's interesting to see how he's dealing with the nature of the enemy now that someone he knows, or thought he knew, has been revealed to be one of them. This episode was pretty frakkin dark, upon reflection.
Damn, I'm really late to this post but these are some impressive theories.
Also, because I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet: how uncomfortable was that scene where all the prisoners want Laura to bless them? You can just see how horrified she is at the prospect, and yet she has to because in order to do what she thinks is right, she has to play a certain part. It's just so awkward and weird.
I love scenes like that, because if I feel that uncomfortable watching something, it means they're doing something right.
LOVED that moment. Like, yes, Laura, playing the religious card means you have to be a religious figure now. I think that's the moment where she really truly comprehended just how far down the rabbit hole she's gone. Not in a 'I regret this' way, but certainly in a 'I was not prepared' way.
but certainly in a 'I was not prepared' way.
That shouldn't be as funny as it is in this context. LAURA WAS UNPREPARED!
Yeah I'll shush now.
Adama became my favorite character with that one scene with boomer, i hadn't really warmed to him up until that point. Edward James Olmos just really hit it out of the park and then out into the stars with that scene.
It says their 3.09 is Extended, it doesn't say it for 4.12 or 4.18 and their 4.19/4.20 obviously isn't because they don't have them as one episode. Possibly because the Season 3 DVDs have been out longer than the Season 4 DVDs.
Thanks for the link! 😀 😀
Just a couple things:
This episode is probably one of the show's more contentious and controversial, and there's actually been a lot said about how it explores gender roles and reproductive choice. I've seen some people say that Sue-Shaun asked Starbuck to destroy the machine because she would rather die than be forced to be a mother, but I don't think that's true. There are a lot of ways in which women have been forced to be mothers, most of which have to do with culturally conceived notions of femininity and division of labor. We haven't necessarily seen a lot of that in the BSG-verse (contrary to what Moore has said, I don't think this show accomplished portraying a society that showed true gender equality, but I do think it's fair to say that overt gender roles are not shown to be generally pervasive in this world), and I don't think we see it in Simon calling Starbuck a commodity or the Cylon program of raping human women. Because at that point, it's entirely about their bodies. They're not even people anymore; their bodies are just receptacles that can be used for a specific purpose. It's frightening to feel your bodily integrity threatened because it goes right to your personhood; this goes beyond a rejection of gender roles to a rejection of being dehumanized by having one's self reduced to the biological processes one's body is capable of.
Or, to put it another way, these women were essentially refusing to be used as machines. And yes, I do use that word intentionally. I'm not saying there are absolutely direct parallels, but I do think it's something to consider.
And the other thing was that I rewatched this last night while peeling and chopping mangoes, and my fingers were definitely most in danger of being inadvertently sliced during the scene when Adama cried over Boomer's body.
I saw the dehumanisation aspect as a deliberate and disturbing contrast, in that the Cylons are seeking to obey a religious commandment to procreate – and presumably running more Cylons off the assembly line equivalent doesn't count – and both ther religious belief and desire to procreate biologically moves them furrther along the path from machinery to humanity.
(Not the best aspects of humanity necessarily, but still..)
But as a means to achieve this objective, they have chosen to employ a method that reduces actual humanity to production line machines. I found that really (darkly) thought provoking.
I too assumed that the Cylons were attempting multiple methods in and hence the farms and the Helo & Sharon experiment were simplt running in parallel.
starbuck is clearly a champion cylon killer. grotesque indeed!
This is why I love this show. I love questioning the nature of being human. BSG does this SO FRAKKIN WELL! This episode is one of many that tackles this issue head on and doesn't give a clear black and white cookie-cutter neatly packaged answer. Which is why this show is pretty close to perfect.
I was expecting some The Handmaid's Tale type of fuckery since Roslin's line about having babies. Still it's disturbing to watch. Until this point, I was willing to give the Cylons the benefit of the doubt. Commit genocide: maybe they had a good reason. Mess with Starbuck: you're dead to me.
Commit genocide: maybe they had a good reason. Mess with Starbuck: you're dead to me.
Hahaha, upvotes for you!
I was also glad that Starbuck reacted to Simon's comments about her childhood with anger, because WTF he doesn't know her or her reasons for not having kids. But actually, the way my parents treated me when I was small IS one of the reasons why I don't feel ready to have kids. I don't want to repeat their mistakes. (The other reasons have to do with me having no money and lots of depression.) Although sometimes, that actually makes me WANT to have kids, because I want to do better by my kids than my parents did by me. It just seems like such a huge and daunting task that I psych myself out.
I am a little afraid of being so afraid of repeating my parents' behavior that I start to emulate it. I don't know if that makes sense, but it goes like this: I was scared of my father when he was angry, because his explosive anger often led to physical punishment. So I'm afraid that as a parent, I would try to avoid getting visibly angry so as to not be like my dad, but then by trying to keep it all inside, it would only come out stronger and more destructively later.
I started thinking about this several years ago when I was walking the family dog, and I was so frustrated that he wouldn't listen to me that I started yanking way too hard on his leash out of anger. Then I realized what I was doing and I was kind of horrified at myself, because he's just a dog, and I'm the human and I have a responsibility to treat him well even if he is frustrating. And I was just a kid, and my parents had that same responsibility to me, and they fucked it up.
I have more thoughts on childhood and having kids and such but I will stop now.
Anyway, episode thoughts:
Awww yeah, Starbuck and Anders!
"You always such a bitch in the morning?" Punch him in the faaace
Awww yeah Starbuck being all sexy and dominant. Do want.
NOOOO STARBUCK GETTING SHOT DO NOT WANT
Aw man, return of spoiler drums. I guess they kept them off the table when Adama was out of commission so as not to spoil when he'd come back?
Speaking of Adama coming back, everyone applauding him = <3! EVERYONE LOVES YOU ADAMA! And he takes a moment to say he loves everyone too, aw.
Aw Lee getting all teary when he hears Adama's back… and then he has to DENOUNCE him? WTF. Zarek, you do nothing but cause bad things.
"I'm playing the religious card." Hee hee, Roslin. "How does this thing work?"
NOOO ANDERS YOU ARE TOO HOTT TO DIE
"Time for your pain meds." Oh yeah, just let someone you've never met inject random things into you! What choice does she have, though. Ugh, all of these scenes are so creepy to me.
Adama's finally getting that the Cylons might have value as actual people. It kind of bugs me that Cally's only charged with discharging a firearm without authorization, though. Goes against everything Adama just said about Boomer being a person.
Don't worry Chief, you'll see your dead ex-girlfriend again! Yay?
Whyyyy is he doing a gynecological exam on her this is so creepy
Hey Starbuck, your only value in this world is to have children! That's not sexist and creepy at all!
YAAAAY ANDERS IS ALIVE. THE HOTT MAN SHOW SHALL CONTINUE.
OH HEY SHARON LONG TIME NO SEE.
The sight of all those women with tubes coming out of them 🙁 🙁 🙁
Once again Starbuck saves her own goddamn self WHILE SERIOUSLY INJURED. I love you Starbuck.
The Heavy Raider shooting AT the Centurions is one of my favorite Sharon Moments. SHARON ILU.
"If you agreed to it, it'd be voluntary!" Well yeah, that's what rape MEANS. I can't stand Sharon spouting that Cylon bullshit now that she's on their side. I don't care if it's a commandment YOU DO NOT ATTEMPT TO IMPREGNATE PEOPLE AGAINST THEIR WILL. Maybe the idea that LOVE apparently needs to be present in order to successfully procreate is a HUGE HINT FROM GOD that you should STOP TRYING TO MAKE BABIES BY FORCE.
I think there must have been a few days that passed while Starbuck was recovering in the "hospital," and that's why everyone is OK with Sharon. She's had that time to gain their trust. That would also explain when Helo and Sharon had time to talk about love, and when Anders found out about the whole Arrow of Athena/Earth plan.
Dammit there's something in my eye. ANDERS AND STARBUCK HOW HAVE YOU ONLY BEEN TOGETHER FOR ONE EPISODE AND YET YOU ARE MAKING ME CRY.
TIME TO UPDATE THE CYLON COUNT! We haven't had a new Cylon since the miniseries!
Known Cylons: 5
– Number Six
– Aaron Doral
– Leoben Conoy
– Sharon Valerii
– Simon the Creepy Doctor
Completely agree (and identify) with the first bit you wrote. I'm glad Starbuck rejected what Simon was suggesting but like you I had my own angry father who terrified me a lot of the time and despite being usually a very meek and friendly individual I do find that I can get quick to anger as well, going straight from 1 to 10. I recognise this in myself but controlling it is something else and I do worry that if I ever did have kids that I'd somehow continue the cycle.
BACK TO SHOW!
Yes, I'm hoping that Sharon was with the team for a few days and got a chance to win a bit of trust. I'm kinda surprised that Anders et al didn't shoot her on sight then go after Helo though, in the previous episode they took some convincing that Helo and Starbuck weren't Cylons and then suddenly a Cylon turns up and is all buddy-buddy with them and that's fine? Maybe it's just Helo, Starbuck didn't question whether he was a Cylon when she saw him again either, even though he was with Sharon then too.
grandioso ermapesva mi rexpedo te deirias mersengo rorrul. ouria te expes reglo nos iquia o nhangi rescórbas cifad bien.