In the eighteenth and penultimate episode of the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica, the writers not only set up for the series finale, but take each of the main characters to monstrous or disturbing places. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Battlestar Galactica.
There are a number of scenes in “Islanded in a Stream of Stars” that are both touching and immensely difficult to watch. I am both frightened and saddened upon thinking of how close I am to the end of all of this, but I continue to be enamored with how the writers compose characterization and drama after all this time. I’m impressed with all of the post-Earth storylines and as we rapidly approach the very end, I’m pleased to have gone through this. It’s very easy for me to say that Battlestar Galactica is one of, if not THE, most intense shows I’ve ever seen. Here we are, just one episode from the finale, and they’ve still got it.
The opening sequence involving the hull breach is certainly going to rank as one of the scariest scenes in the entire series, both for showing us just how poor the quality of the Galactica is, and for giving us a Six who gave her life in order to save a human who was, quite frankly, being a goddamn bigot to her just a few minutes earlier. I suppose there’s something innately horrifying about the concept of being sucked violently out into space and freezing/suffocating to death pretty much instantly. It’s not a pretty, noble death, and for a show that’s given us a whole lot of death, it’s still my least favorite thing to see. As the Cylons continue to integrate into the human population, we see that a lot of crew members still aren’t all that keen on the “skinjobs” being a part of the general populace. However, it’s clear that the previously obvious line between the two parties is anything but obvious anymore. And a lot of that is due to both the Cylons’ desire to genuinely help out, and Adama’s outright acceptance of them. We know he’s struggling with the loss of the Galactica, finally conceding to this by the episode’s end, but he largely keeps these conflicts to himself.
The Cylons also face a problem due to Boomer’s kidnapping of Hera: leaving the fleet really isn’t an option anymore, and now they have another problem. It’s here that Ellen Tigh finally reveals where the Cylons went after the end of the First Cylon War forty years prior: The Colony. THERE IS A CYLON HOME WORLD JESUS SWEET PEA CHRIST. After the end of season three, and especially after learning of Adama’s backstory in Razor, it’s a thought that’s crossed my mind. Where did they go? How did they hide for so long, and what exactly were they doing? Quite a few pieces have been filled in for me, but now I am EXTRA EXCITED to see one final piece of the Cylon mythology. What little glimpse I got of the Colony makes me WANT TO SEE SO MUCH MORE OH GOD.
I was worried for a second that this wouldn’t happen. As much as I wanted a giant expedition to the Colony in this episode, Adama was right: he has followed far too many “visions” and calls to “destiny” in one lifetime. He knows Hera is important to Athena and Helo, but is he going to risk what little is left of the fleet’s population in order to do so? He certainly needs a better reason than what Ellen or Starbucks offer him, and I think even Roslin would have agreed with him this time.
And so he allows only a Heavy Raider to follow Ellen’s information regarding the location of the Colony. In the meantime, the perspective of the show switches over to Helo and Athena. It is heartbreaking to see how upset they are, and it angered me so much that Boomer had done this to them. Would Athena ever forgive Helo for making that sort of mistake, especially when he was so close to figuring out that it wasn’t his wife with him? I think that the degree that Athena is distraught over the loss of Hera is what motivates Helo to be proactive about things. Certainly, he also wants to make things up to his wife as well, so he goes directly to Adama to beg for a Raptor to go search for his daughter. Without a doubt, it was Tahmoh Penikett’s time to shine, the one scene that will always stick out in my memory when I think of this show and his character. I recall thinking he wouldn’t even survive past the mini-series, and I watched him, four seasons later, portray a man destroyed and broken by his daughter’s kidnapped. It’s gut-wrenching, absolutely. Ain’t no shame in admitting how misty-eyed I got during this scene. WE’RE ALL FRIENDS, RIGHT?
I’ve said it many times over the course of the reviews, and I don’t mind repeating it now: one of Battlestar Galactica’s great strengths is in giving us antagonists who are rarely painted in absurdly absolute tones. There’s no “evil” in this show, and even the most violent and heinous Cylon is largely sympathetic. It was easy to hate Boomer in her first scene in “Islanded in a Stream of Stars,†and it was the kind of visceral hate that comes from a character doing something so utterly reprehensible and awful that there’s no doubt in your mind that it’s an immoral thing. Given that, I was honestly completely shocked that the writers still found a way to take my resolute morality and crush it to tiny pieces. Oh, you want to feel like you can judge Boomer? Here, let’s make this ridiculously difficult to watch.
I can’t say I could pinpoint exactly what it was that triggered Boomer’s fierce sense of remorse over her actions, but Hera’s ability to project and share a projection is probably a good start. Not only did it confirm to us that this projection was real and wasn’t created specifically to manipulate Tyrol, but it forces Boomer to fairly quickly come to terms with what she’s done. Hera is the child she might have had if she had not shot Admiral Adama, if she had stayed with Tyrol, if she’d not been a Cylon. All these hypothetical situations could have led here, but that’s all they are anymore. It’s just an idea and one that can’t be made reality at this point. So Boomer takes what she can get, and in this instance, it’s the small and brief emotional attachment that grows between her and Hera as they head towards the Colony. The show doesn’t paint it as some great love, but simply a sign of what could have been.
That’s why Boomer breaks down when she hands Hera over to Cavil. She’s made a grave error, a miscalculation of her own capacity for love or affection, and the only sign she’s had of hope since the events of the miniseries. Like Tahmoh Penikett, this is absolutely one of Grace Park’s shining moments. I mean, think how terribly this could have turned out, especially since there’s no real way to paint her actions as anything but horrific. Instead, the show decides to give her character a new context, a new turn for Boomer right at the very end of this massive story. I LOVE THIS SHOW.
Even with all this being forced upon us, this final episode before the finale still manages to pack in some surprise, two beautifully touching moments, and one hell of a set up for the end of Battlestar Galactica. Because even though I was already freaking out over Hera and Boomer, and Helo and Athena’s reaction to their child being taken, there’s still SO MUCH MORE GOING ON. Roslin haves the Opera House dream again, as does Caprica Six. WHAT DOES IT MEAN. I DON’T GET IT. She doesn’t look like she’s doing to well, and I’m getting the creeping suspicion that she might not make it to the last minutes of the finale, and I WILL NOT BE OKAY IF THAT HAPPENS. But short of a miracle (of which multiple characters need one), how is she going to get better?
The fascinating that’s drawn here (and confirmed by Roslin herself) is that the two things Admiral Adama loves most–Laura Roslin and the Galactica–are now dying before his eyes. Death is everywhere, and that concerns me. The Hybrid told Kara Thrace that she’d be the harbinger of death; is this what she meant by that? Even worse, Anders, now relegated to being a hybrid of sorts for the Galactica, tells her exactly the same thing. Why is there such an emphasis on death in season four? It’s not just characters like Cally, Dualla, or multiple Cylons dying permanent deaths; we see representations of it elsewhere. Galactica is dying. Baltar’s “faith†dies when he’s forced to admit he doesn’t believe what he’s saying. Roslin is dying. The destiny and hope that came with finding Earth died when they found out it was also dead as well. The Cylons now possess the capacity to die as well, a key fixture we’d come to accept as permanent for three seasons. Was Starbuck’s return meant to trigger all of this? If so, WHY?????? NO SERIOUSLY WHY.
Also IS ANDERS REGENERATING. holy shit he’s a fucking Time Lord OH MY GOD
It doesn’t help at all that Starbuck goes to Baltar for help. As I said, the man’s crisis of faith has never been more severe; he’s merely going through the motions at this point with nothing to grasp on to. So when Starbuck comes to him and asks him to test the second set of dog tags she found on her own corpse, I did get a little excited. WHAT WOULD HE FIND? I should have instead anticipated that, once again, Baltar would do something to benefit himself. SURPRISE. I was mortified that he chose a GODDAMN FUNERAL to tell the present members of Galactica that Starbuck was dead, that the woman that stood before them WAS AN ANGEL. ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS, BALTAR. Look, even on the off chance that she is actually a goddamn angel (NO THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE LOL WHAT ARE YOU SAYING), I couldn’t believe the gall of announcing that publicly to the whole fleet.
On the upside, the public “outing†does give us my favorite moment of “Islanded in a Stream of Starsâ€: Lee coming to Starbuck immediately and giving his unconditional love and support. This is especially beautiful because we’d seen in “Blood on the Scales†that Lee had a bit of a problem with Tigh being a Cylon, but now, many days later, he seems to have gotten over that. To be fair, he is TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH KARA THRACE, but still! How goddamn sweet is this gesture? And then she puts a photo of herself up on the wall and then suddenly my vision is all blurry and my throat hurts??? What has this show done to me?
There’s no more fitting end to “Islanded in a Stream of Stars that I could think of aside from what we are given here. Adama’s relationship with Galactica has been shown to us from the very first moments of the miniseries. He loves the ship, and he loves his crew, and he loves his job, even if there are days when he hates it. It’s entirely natural for him to have a meltdown of tears in his quarters over his ship dying, and it’s another brilliantly acted scene from the man. (And, while I’m at it, he directed this episode and it is beautiful and he did a lovely job.) Though I must admit to laughing just for a few seconds at the fact that this show seems to have a volatile and emotional attachment to sticking characters into frantic situations involving paint. This is the third time, I believe, that someone has thrown paint around in some matter during a moment of angst. That shit is hard to clean up, y’all. You ought to be careful!
Adama’s final point to Colonel Tigh is an important one. Galactica is dying, and there’s no way he can deny it anymore. The two toast to an integral concept: it’s best for her to go out in style in the way of their choosing. It’s the action that gives her the most dignity, and it’s the only fitting end to a tumultuous but loving relationship. Even if the episode parallels the ship with Roslin, that closing scene parallels Galactica with Tigh as well. Things started out pure and certain, and through great tragedy and loss, things are one big ol’ mess of complications. But the love is still there, and it’ll always be there.
I hope you can join me tomorrow at 9am PST to liveblog “Daybreak, Parts I & II†with the rest of the Mark Watches community. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find a pillow to sob out all of my worries into and wish that there was more to this than their is.
To Galactica, the Grand Old Lady
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And since I don't have time to write anything more the rest of my thoughts about this episode can basically be summed up as:
'Why? Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? Why must you hurt me so much? Just, why BSG? Why?
Oh that gif <3
BSG exists to crush any and all joy within its viewers.
BSG exists to crush any and all joy within its viewers.
<img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/o90kfm.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
It certainly does.
Oh damn it *cries*
Here, have something hilarious.
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Now Lee knows how Roslin felt all those years.
I'm trying to read Lee's lips and what I'm coming up with is "Just…BUZZ OFF!!!" but with out really completing the last word. *shrugs*
He's shouting Gaius Baltar. It's just a favourite moment of mine in the episode when the ship Captains are talking about taking Galactica's parts, which is horrible, and Lee is being reasonable about it but one of the Captain's out of nowhere asks what Gaius has to say about it. I just love Lee's reaction.
Ahhh, thanks to you and chikzdigmohawkz. I remembered the scene but couldn't for the life of me figure out what he was yelling. That's good stuff.
And yelling "Buzz off" at Gaius Baltar is something I would like to do, so it's appropriate anyway!
That's the part where the new Quorum is trying to divide up Galactica's parts, and Lee tells them that not one bolt will be removed without the admiral's permission. So one of the members of the Quorum stands up and is all 'well, what does Gaius Baltar think about that?' Lee's response: 'GAIUS BALTAR?!'
This might be the best incredulous response I have ever seen. It was simply perfect
<<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llzkb99G5s1qjl6iro1_500.gif">
Bear McCreary, how do you do these things to my heartstrings? How? How?
Remember that you need to "turn the page" in the Episodes section on Disc 3 to get to the Extended Version of Daybreak. The parts of the regular version are what you'll see when you first go to the Episodes section.
I love the Tyrol/Athena scene in the Extended Version of "Islanded".
Ack, Disc 4.
[youtube KH0Ph2Opdbg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH0Ph2Opdbg youtube]
I think back to what Adama said earlier this season about his favorite book, that he’s never finished it because he doesn’t want it to be over. And of course, with a show like this there’s the added trepidation of wondering how happy the end could possibly be, like is said in the Lord of the Rings films, “Ubj pbhyq gur jbeyq tb onpx gb gur jnl vg jnf nsgre fb zhpu onq unq unccrarq?” You know it could very well end with everyone dying pointlessly, a feeling it’s really not easy to build up. Juvyr V qb guvax gur fubj’f raqvat jnf synjrq va znal jnlf, V qrsvavgryl erfcrpg vg sbe gung.
I rot13ed your final sentence for finale expectations.
Also, the quote from the LOTR movie is a spoiler, since Mark hasn't seen them yet.
Yes you're right. Don't know how I missed that.
These things, they happen.
Long time lurker here – had to post this that I just found (sorry if it has been posted before!).
Just discovered The Doubleclicks (local (to me!) Portland nerd girl duo), and they covered the BSG theme. So great!
Can't wait to read the final episode review!
And…it didn't post the link. Oops! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaJilceOa70
Click on the button in the right-hand corner of the comment box that says "Embed video", then copy & paste the web address into the pop-up.
[youtube FaJilceOa70 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaJilceOa70 youtube]
Ah, I tried that, but I see you have to click "embed image" and not "close message". Thanks!
Wow! They did a great job with that!
You're welcome!
There are no words for how incredibly jealous the opening shots of Hera playing with the war room models make me (I will never stop loving those things). After that moment though she spends the rest of the episode breaking my heart. The crying for her mother in the Raptor and calling for Boomer at the end are so hard to watch. The little actress is so good.
Grace Park continues to be completely amazing. She has four different characters in this episode alone and they all feel completely different. There's something about the voice she uses for the one looking after Sam that makes her sound slighlty younger than usual. Boomer's transition from yelling at Hera and threatening to drug her to crying when Cavil takes her away, it covers very little screentime but it works so well.
V’z trggvat gur perrcvat fhfcvpvba gung fur zvtug abg znxr vg gb gur ynfg zvahgrf bs gur svanyr, naq V JVYY ABG OR BXNL VS GUNG UNCCRAF.
Bu tbq gur yviroybt vf ABG tbvat gb or cerggl vf vg?
The Lee and Starbuck scene was a great callback for me to the opening of S4, when Lee challenged Adama that what if Starbuck was a Cylon — if Zak had turned out to be a Cylon, would he love him any less? Lee is NOT a fan of the Cylons, but Starbuck is different. Lee/Kara is the most beautiful for me when he's stepping back and just accepting/appreciating her for who she is. He's never been able to contain her or make her play by his rules, and I love Lee best when he's not even trying.
Starbuck putting a picture of herself on the wall! !!! MY HEART. Another perfect scene.
I can't even talk about my Agathons, because it's too upsetting.
It has been such a joy to read your commentaries and reactions to this show, and I am so glad you took this time to go through and discover what an incredible work of art this series is. I myself just came to it earlier this year, so your reviews have recaptured for me those magic moments that happen the first time through, as your head explodes and your heart swells and breaks over and over again.
I would love to join in for tomorrows live blog, but I can't quite handle the thought of going through the emotion of Daybreak again right now. I do hope you post your chat transcript afterwards though.
And as others have said, make sure you watch the Extended, Theatrical Edition that's on the DVD's, not the aired (or netflix) version. The differences are mostly subtle, but enrich the ending as a whole.
Oh my goodness, I can't believe this is ending. I still have so many questions and don't know where we're heading.
I'm seriously jealous of Hera's curls.
Baltar, that was a serious asshole move to announce that Starbuck was an angel in front of everybody. I'm glad she slapped you.
Boomer, I'm still holding out hope for you. Come on, don't let me down. Don't leave Hera with creepy, creepster Cavil.
Helo, don't cry. Please, stop breaking my heart.
I miss Head Baltar. I'd like him back for the finale please.
Grace Park, you amaze me. They don't even really need to put you in different clothes for each of the Cylons you play. As soon as you open your mouth, I know when you're Athena, Boomer, caretaker Eight, or another random. Allow me to bow down to you.
This episode has left me in a giant ball of anticipation. I need to know how this all ends. Until tomorrow….
I think Helo crying should be outlawed. It's just not fair to the rest of us.
Because he's so good at it?
I'm so excited to the live blog! Hopefully I'll be around for it!! Remember, extended edition!!
I can't wait for more!
Question to those who've already seen the finale as I will not be around tomorrow (all kinds of sad by the way) : Fb, VVEP gur cynarg gung gurl nyy raq hc fgnlvat ba va gur raq vf npghnyyl Rnegu? Fb gur "rnegu" gung jnf n jnfgrynaq jnfa'g npghnyyl Rnegu. Vg'f orra n ovg fvapr V jngpurq vg ohg gung pbashfrq zr orpnhfr V erzrzore guvaxvat "Url, gung ybbxf yvxr Rnegu ohg gurl nyernql sbhaq Rnegu naq vg jnf nyy ohearq naq ahpyrne-l." Nyfb, jrer Urnq Fvk & Onygne natryf sebz gur shgher? V srry fvyyl nfxvat ohg V ernyyl qvqa'g trg gung.
I'm sad that your reviews are coming to an end. I dreaded BSG ending. I mean I cried like I lost a BFF/family member when the show went off the air. I miss it still to this day. It really is my favorite show of all time, (and I watch way too much TV).
I think it changed the face of sci-fi TV. It left a tremendous legacy that I see now reflected in how many shows borrow heavily in production values and filming techniques to extremely dark storytelling, complicated mythology and morally ambiguous characters that you manage to not entirely hate (.Stargate Universe, et al).
And yes I am bitter and mad as hell that this show never received the gods damn recognition both ratings wise and in the awards categories, aside from a Peabody( which is obviously nothing to sneeze at) that it frakkin' deserved.
I'll be here tomorrow with Breakfast and Bloody Marys to toast the end of my beloved Battlestar Galactica. /weeps quietly
So say we all!
Mark,
Thank you so much for the existence of this site! I've only been around here for a couple of weeks, but it's really a great place. I'm so excited to see everyone's reactions to the finale of this show. It's my favorite show, and I also think it's one of the best-made television shows, certainly in recent years. It's been really fun to revisit the series and see the reactions of people who do and do not know what is going to happen! So let's toast the Grand Old Lady and have a wonderful time tomorrow!
And then onward to Buffy!!!! (first time watching!)
Super, super excite about Buffy!
I will repeat myself come your final review of "Daybreak," but revisiting this show via your reviews has been a privilege. I stand by my opinion that is one of the best narratives that television has ever given us, and reading your reviews has given me new insights, as well as the giddy excitement of seeing someone else discover the joy that is the Roslin/Adama OTP. I'm sad that you're coming to its end, but I'm so glad that you have shared this incredible ride with us. Hope to be there at the liveblog tomorrow!
I'm going to have to skip the liveblog because I've still not seen the extended finale on my dvds (just the broadcast version), and I want to stretch this out as long as possible. Hopefully until at least (Buffy Spoilers)
nsgre cenlvat znagvf grnpure ynql orpnhfr frevbhfyl wbff jgs,
y'know?
Yeah, I'm definitely watching this episode and the Finale tomorrow.
That public outing of Kara also gave us the thing I wanted to see all the way back in Sometimes A Great Notion – Lee's unconditional support and love of her, which are exactly the things she needs right now.
I mean, when she found her own dead body and burned it, the very first person she went to to get it off her chest was Lee – she only stopped herself because she saw he was in clear distress over Dee's suicide. Their friendship makes me want to weep now, as much as it made me want to hug them in S1 and S2.
Also, Mark, give yourself the weekend off watching other things once you're done with Daybreak. You will need AT LEAST THAT MUCH TIME to recover/try to fill the aching hole in your heart that the end of this show will cause.
Because Buffy will gut you in different ways (lol, my username is a derivative of the name of one of the characters on that show), but trust me, compared to what BSG has been so far it's practically sunshine and puppies.
This has to be one of my favorite titles ever. It’s just so poetic and evocative, and now, having seen the episode, I know that it could refer to just about any of our characters, since with Galactica’s “death” they’re going to be scattered through the fleet, and really more alone, or “islanded" than ever before.
I can’t even talk about the content of the episode, since there’s such an air of finality about it, and it just reminds me how near the end is.
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