{"id":569,"date":"2011-09-07T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-09-07T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=569"},"modified":"2011-09-06T21:20:16","modified_gmt":"2011-09-07T04:20:16","slug":"mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e12-resurrection-ship-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2011\/09\/mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e12-resurrection-ship-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Battlestar Galactica’: S02E12 – Resurrection Ship, Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the twelfth episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica<\/em>, the varied cast of humans faces destruction, betrayal, loss, and hope as they set out to destroy the Cylon Resurrection Ship. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Battlestar Galactica<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\nI’m beginning to wonder if the Cylons even need to get involved with the destruction of humanity anymore.<\/p>\n

“Resurrection Ship” is so full of bad decisions, impulsive judgments, and the sign of what is to come that I found it increasingly difficult to stomach this. That’s about the best compliment I can heap on this show that sounds negative as hell, and it’s a testament to the way these characters and this story can get lodged under my skin, making me think about the things it brings up days after I’ve seen it.<\/p>\n

The two main issues at hand deal with the dual assassination plans, and the morality around the Cylon threat. But we open “Resurrection Ship, Part II” with images of Lee Adama, floating in an unknown body of water in silence. (I’m beginning to adore how much this show gives us scenes without any dialogue whatsoever.) It’s a jarring image when you think how the previous episode ended. Is he dreaming? Is he hallucinating? Is this a flashback? What’s the brightness floating towards him?<\/p>\n

When it’s revealed to be a Cylon Raider, a Viper right behind it, we discover that Lee is really in space, having ejected from his ship, stuck to his ejection seat. WHY DO I LOVE IN MEDIA RES SO MUCH<\/em>. Oh god, it’s generally the easiest way to capture my interest, even if it’s the same technique every single time. DON’T CARE. How did he end up floating in space?<\/p>\n

Things are not doing well for others either, though, and the episode flashes back to two days prior to this event. The “humanity” of the Cylons is further addressed in disturbing ways, and the divide between the Pegasus<\/em> crew and the Galactica<\/em> crew continues to widen. Unfortunately for Tyrol and Helo, they’re in the possession of the men of the Pegasus<\/em>, who don’t even hide their contempt for the Cylons or the two men who saved a Cylon from being raped. As soon as the two of them were strung up to be beat, I couldn’t help but think of Abu Ghraib, of prisoners beat and tortured without ever facing any sort of court date, stripped of due process. But the message is clear: you cannot violate the consent of Cylons according to these men. Even further, prisoners are already guilty<\/em>. There’s no need for a trial. They’ll act out their own punishment right here.<\/p>\n

I had hope that when Fisk saved the two from further harm, he might express how uncomfortable he was with the whole thing. Instead, he makes sure to state that he also doesn’t think a machine can be raped.<\/p>\n

Thanks, Fisk. May your death in space be a prolonged one.<\/em> Or maybe the show will wait till they find earth and as soon as he steps on it, there’s an earthquake only around him and it the earth opens up and eats him and burps out unicorns in celebration. I don’t know, fuck this dude.<\/p>\n

Simultaneous to this, Starbuck must deal with the fear and reluctance she has in carrying out the mission that Adama has given her. She had already confided in Lee, who told her that he would support her if she needed it, but I found myself transfixed (AND CREEPED OUT) by her conversation with Admiral Cain. Holy subtext<\/em>. Why do I get the sensation that both Cain and Adama are more than aware that the other person is trying to have them killed? Either way, Cain’s advice to Starbuck about committing a terrible sin” has another meaning beyond this. Cain has shown the capacity to do what she needs to do to accomplish a mission or keep her people safe, and even that might require a terrible sin. And I think that Starbuck recognizes that fact, too, but knows that maybe what she’s doing doesn’t fall under that. She seems more uncomfortable than ever while carrying out this mission.<\/p>\n

Lee himself is also visibly shaken by the idea, and when he confronts his father about it, you can tell that maybe this has gone too far for him. He wants to support his friend, but the assassination of their Admiral? Then Adama reveals this is actually Roslin’s idea, and I think that’s what does it for him, and what will later affect his behavior near the end of the episode. Is assassination the answer?<\/p>\n

I think that this same question plagues Adama, and I was surprised to see him solicit advise from Sharon, of all people. I loved the parallel to him questioning her dead body early in the season by asking her a simple question: Why?<\/em> In this case, why do the Cylons seem to despise humans so much? Why do they want to eradicate them? In a brilliant and chilling callback to THE MINISERIES, Sharon reminds him of his words during the decommissioning ceremony of the Galactica<\/em>. With all the terrible things the humans do to one another, do they deserve to live? Perhaps the Cylons have deemed themselves the arbiters of humanity’s fate, and I worry that the events we see in “Resurrection Ship, Part II” are damning evidence that the Cylons might be right.<\/p>\n

The battle to destroy the Resurrection Ship contrasts beauty and destruction, and Bear McCreary’s music swells to give us this moment of selection. I am still shocked at how gorgeous and crisp all these scenes in space are; the special effects are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. But even though we’re meant to view this successful attack as a victory, the writers choose to do something very<\/em> specific that stops any joy immediately. As Lee, piloting the Blackbird<\/em>, helps destroy the Resurrection Ship, there’s a shot of one of the large Cylon holding bays being blown open and half-clothed humanoids tumbling into space. It is brutal, surreal, and skin-crawling, and it is a stark visual reminder that the military are<\/em> killing living creatures, machine or not. And I love that this show refuses to let us forget this.<\/p>\n

But then the events of the cold open are brought before our eyes, and Lee’s crash that forces him to eject into space is given the full context. However, we see what happens just after<\/em> his vision to that calm oasis: there is a hole in his flight suit. He is leaking air. In a heartbreaking scene, Dualla tries to get in contact with him, and I initially believed he was having difficulty responding due to a loss of air. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and it became clear he was choosing<\/em> to remain unfound. He lets the air escape from his suit, apologizing to Starbuck, and he choose to die. Lee chooses to die<\/em>.<\/p>\n

my heart. my heart<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I don’t even know if it’s an intentional parallel to the story of Six and Baltar, but I can’t ignore that there’s another character in this episode who wishes to die as well. There’s much more of an emphasis on how much the effects of torture have hurt her here in this half of the story, and why these things still harm a Cylon, regardless of what the humans may think about them. For Baltar, this copy of Six also represents a more human iteration of what is in his head, and there’s just\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6christ, there is too much heartbreak in their interactions for me to handle. Pegasus Six begging to die? ALL THE TEARS<\/em>. Baltar Six begging Baltar not to appropriate her story in order to win over the physical version of herself? EVEN MORE OF ALL THE TEARS<\/em>. Tricia Helfer not being handed every award on the planet? GIVE ME YOUR TEARS SO <\/em>I CAN CRY THOSE, TOO<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em><\/p>\n

Battlestar<\/em> almost inherently seems like an intense show, too, and scenes like the one between Six and Baltar are evidence of that. It’s happened more times than I can count, but BSG never strays from sticking us right at the end of our seats as we wonder what could possibly happen next, and it helps that the show routinely upends tropes or archetypes in order to surprise us, keeping us on our toes.<\/p>\n

And yet I honestly don’t think I have ever experience a physical tension from BSG like I did as both Fisk and Starbuck got into their positions to execute the leader of the opposite Battlestar<\/em>. It is unbearable<\/em> precisely because there are so many possible outcomes, and they all seem credible. And bless Katee Sackhoff forever for being able to pull of such a difficult scene and portraying her frightened, sweaty reluctance so well. I believed it, every second of it, and I, too, breathed a horrific sigh of relief when the entire thing was called off. (Had Sharon’s words gotten to Adama?)<\/p>\n

EXCEPT LOL JUST KIDDING, SIX SHOOTS CAIN IN THE HEAD IN HER QUARTERS<\/strong>. And I despise <\/em>that Cain enabled and perpetrated abuse on Six, and I refuse to ignore that. I also must admit that even in the end<\/em>, facing her imminent death, she still supports what she believes. DAMN<\/em>. That look on Michelle Forbes’s face, tears in her eyes, resolve plastered over it all? I WILL SORT OF MISS YOU, ADMIRAL CAIN. And it looks like Starbuck will as well, in a way, and I know she intended her line about feeling safer with Cain around to hit Adama pretty hard. It’s an interesting statement, and you can tell that Starbuck at least respected Cain in a way others didn’t. Did she see a bit of herself in her?<\/p>\n

Later that day, though, Lee confides in his best friend, Starbuck, that he did not want to survive the mission. We are given no other information or context beyond what we’ve seen, so it’s just speculation that remains. Did he believe humanity or himself alone did not deserve life? Was he willing to give it all up because of his participation in a military culture that would assassinate people who were difficult? I’m hoping we’re given more insight into this in the future, as well as a larger store about DUALLA CREEPIN’ OUTSIDE HIS QUARTERS. There have been small hints towards this that were incredibly brief, but I guess it’s all out in the open for us. She has feelings for Lee, and now she’s heard his most vulnerable admission.<\/p>\n

Of course, though, I saved the best for last.<\/p>\n

the best<\/p>\n

for<\/p>\n

last<\/p>\n

$\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

THIS SHOW IS VALIDATING MY EVER-GROWING SHIP. YOU ALL SAW THIS SET-UP AND NO ONE SPOILED IT.<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0Seriously, bless you all for this. THIS IS YET ANOTHER BIT OF PROOF THAT MY SPOILER POLICY HAS A REASON FOR EXISTENCE. I couldn’t breathe. I shrieked with joy. How many times have I watched this scene? Like ten? Because it’s perfect. Look at the way they look at one another, how they affectionately touch one another, how Roslin longs for more, how they are both overcome with joy, how THERE IS NOTHING MORE PERFECT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD FOREVER IN ALL ETERNITY.\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I love this show. I love it, and I refuse to apologize for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"