{"id":578,"date":"2011-09-08T13:09:07","date_gmt":"2011-09-08T20:09:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=578"},"modified":"2011-09-08T13:09:07","modified_gmt":"2011-09-08T20:09:07","slug":"mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e13-epiphanies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2011\/09\/mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e13-epiphanies\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Battlestar Galactica’: S02E13 – Epiphanies"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the thirteenth episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica<\/em>, President Laura Roslin’s health status becomes dire as the cancer in her body begins to shut it down. In these moments, we learn of her past as the Secretary of Education. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Battlestar Galactica<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I just don’t get it. Is there sorcery at work here? Pacts with otherworldly beings? Sacrifice of family members? How the fuck<\/em> does this show get more agonizing and intense with each new episode? How can a show that tackles deeply serious social issues not allow those issues to distract from the brilliant acting and character development? And throughout this all, it’s still entertaining? WHERE IS THE CATCH?<\/p>\n

There isn’t one so far. And to be fair, there’s no magic involved here, and full credit goes to Ronald Moore, the writers, and the spectacular crew who have made this show. I’m already that guy<\/em>, y’all. Over the past week, I have begged nearly anyone who is close to me to start watching Battlestar Galactica<\/em> so that I have more personal friends I can shriek to when I get to parts like…like all of this episode? And I become that person who can’t even form coherent sentences when you try to explain why<\/em> one should watch a show or watch a book. OMG SO LIKE IT’S REALLY GOOD, AND SHIT IS SO REAL, AND THERE IS LIKE…OKAY, I DON’T WANT TO SPOIL IT FOR YOU, BUT IMAGINE THE MOST HYPER-REAL SPACE ADVENTURE, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE SUPER SCI-FI? OH GOD AM I EVEN MAKING SENSE? IT’S REAL GOOD AND YOU WILL LOVE IT AND OMG STUFF.<\/p>\n

Basically. But honestly, I cannot believe how many revelations we were given. I almost typed, “I cannot believe how many EPIPHANIES I had,” but I got a lifetime’s worth of puns and wordplay on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland on Monday. And I’ve not done this in a bit, and I think it would be fun to split this episode up this way to digest it. Shall we?<\/p>\n

SHIT GOT REAL MOMENTS IN “EPIPHANIES”<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
1) Roslin orders Sharon’s baby to be aborted against her will<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
I mean, right from the get-go, after we learn that Roslin is dying, this episode just hands us an awful and terrifying plot twist to set up the entire story. As soon as she said it, I just put my head in my hands and wished this would all go away. Of course, that’s absurd, but I knew that Sharon and Helo would be destroyed by this. I was interested to see how it would play out and if anyone else would oppose this, but I mostly just didn’t want it to happen. IT’S TOO MUCH, OKAY.<\/p>\n
And it’s not made any easier to cope with once I saw both Sharon’s and Helo’s reactions to the news, and then Helo’s actions later in the episode when he tries to stop the Marines and Adama from carrying out the abortion. This show makes me feel many things that hurt my heart<\/em>. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. It’s a gross decision on the part of Roslin, and it upset me that so many people were totally willing to kill an unborn child against the mother’s will. It’s an extension of what I spoke about in yesterday’s review: the human race is busy destroying itself without any intervention from the Cylons. How distressing<\/em>.<\/p>\n
2) There is a political group that wants to make peace with the Cylons. Oh, and they’re terrorists<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
I love that episodes are routinely able to balance multiple themes and stories. It gives this all a more realistic feel because lots of things are happening all of the time<\/em>. It’s a benefit of having an ensemble cast like this because we’re given a better look at life aboard the Galactica<\/em>. In this case, we learn of a movement to seek peace from the Cylons. (Are they actually called “Demand Peace” or was that just a phrase used? I don’t feel like that’s some epic spoiler, so you can confirm this if you want.)<\/p>\n
The storyline brings up a good point (to an extent): the fleet’s constant use of “attack-and-retreat” isn’t really doing anything aside from putting the human race at risk, or buying a few more day’s time. That isn’t to say I don’t understand why<\/em> they’ve been doing that. The Galactica<\/em> crew is made up of the military. They would naturally approach this issue in the way they have, and I think they’ve done a fantastic job of keeping the fleet safe and alive with only a few slips worth nothing throughout the process.<\/p>\n
Still, while I acknowledge that I had not even thought about the idea of making peace with the Cylons, there are two glaring problems with this. First of all, I don’t think the Cylons want peace, and I thought it was accepted that this was a reality? They want to eliminate the existence of humans, and if you offer them peace, doesn’t that mean they’ll just…exterminate everyone? OMG THEY ARE DALEKS. Maybe there is<\/em> another way this could end, but the Cylons made it pretty clear they don’t think humans should be around anymore.<\/p>\n
But let’s say that this is still a possibility, even if that possibility is real slim. My main problem with the peace movement? Their inherent hypocrisy. WE WANT PEACE, they scream, as they SABOTAGE STARBUCK’S AMMUNITION and then BOMB A TYLLIUM SHIP<\/strong>. Nope, sorry, don’t wanna listen to anything you say anymore! Ugh, that scene with the ship blowing up….hell, IT IS SO DISTURBING TO ME. Seriously, though, I don’t get how this group can claim to want peace and then BLOW SHIT UP. That is INHERENTLY A CONTRADICTION.<\/p>\n
3) The Pegasus<\/em> version of Six works for the peace movement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
My head nearly became obsolete thinking of the implications of this. She is a Cylon. Working for peace. From the Cylons. It’s both the best and worst place for her to hide, and then I think about it, and it’s definitely the best place. So is she actually going to try<\/em> to work for peace genuinely? Or is it all a set-up to trick the humans? Does she still follow Cylon orders? THERE ARE SO MANY LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS I NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS TO.<\/p>\n
(I also want to acknowledge how much I enjoy that the writers make sure to have Six reject Baltar’s advances in the way that they do, to point out how presumptive it is of Baltar and to show us the ongoing effects of the torture and abuse at the hands of Admiral Cain’s military forces.)<\/p>\n
Oh god, so much awkward and awesome and OH GOD SO MUCH SHIT WILL GET REAL, WON’T IT?<\/p>\n
4) STEM CELLS STEM CELLS CYLONS BABIES OH MY FUCKING GOD<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
The stem cell argument, presented to us through Sharon’s baby. The political science nerd in me loved it, and then the Sharon fan in me loved it because her abortion was stopped. Baltar, you beautiful genius. But seriously, can we discuss the implications of this? First of all, it gives us the idea that ignorance can breed hatred and violence against other people, and I’m still furious that so many people wanted to kill something they knew nothing<\/em> about, instead basing their feelings entirely on emotions and guesses.<\/p>\n
While I am glad that Sharon’s child will be allowed to come to term, I am worried that it is being kept alive so that the humans can use<\/em> it, that this final stay is only for selfish purposes. Are they going to keep the child away from Sharon and Helo? Will it be used to harvest blood to cure human diseases? Is it destined to have a life of being a lab rat? How the HELL is Roslin going to react to knowing she has Cylon-human blood inside of her? OH GOD. OH GOD<\/em>.<\/p>\n
5) Roslin remembers seeing Baltar and Six together<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
I really adore the method that the writers used to explore Roslin’s backstory on Caprica before the Cylon attack, memories swirling into her consciousness as she dies from the cancer. I never thought we’d see President Adar, either, and you can see why<\/em> she always would have made a good leader in those days of her life.<\/p>\n
But it’s the sickness and the exhaustion that brings back a memory she’d never have had remembered: On her way to the Galactica <\/em>decomissioning ceremony, she sees Baltar and Six kissing. And that’s sometimes how memory works, and it’s just after this that she awakes to see the doctor standing over her.<\/p>\n
JESUS CHRIST SOMEONE KNOWS. SOMEONE KNOWS WHO BALTAR REALLY IS<\/strong>. And it’s the goddamn president<\/em>. Oh my god, I am literally so unprepared for everything ever.<\/p>\n
6) Baltar has chosen sides<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
THIS COULD NOT BE MORE POORLY TIMED. Six helps Baltar realize that Roslin doesn’t necessarily think that highly of him, and she continues to plant the seed that Baltar actually<\/em> needs to be leading the human fleet. It’s been a long time coming, and there was a moment here in “Epiphanies” where Baltar believed he’d actually become the president. But here in this episode, he plants himself squarely on the side of the peace movement, offering the Pegasus Six a sign that he truly means his pledge of support:<\/p>\n
HE GIVES THEM THE NUCLEAR WARHEAD HE USED TO DEVELOP A CYLON TEST<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
you are kidding me I CANNOT DEAL WITH THIS SHOW.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the thirteenth episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica, President Laura Roslin’s health status becomes dire as the cancer in her body begins to shut it down. In these moments, we learn of her past as the Secretary … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[112,120,119,9,110,113,117],"class_list":["post-578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-battlestar-galactica","tag-edward-james-olmos","tag-jamie-bamber","tag-katee-sackhoff","tag-mark-watches","tag-mark-watches-battlestar-galactica","tag-mary-mcdonnell","tag-tricia-helfer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}