Sharon Valerii, a.k.a. “Boomer,” awakens in a tool room, but has no idea of how she got there. Dripping wet and disoriented, she finds explosives in her duffle, a discovery that chills her later with the explosion of Galactica’s water tanks, a devastating set back for the whole fleet, all of which depends on Galactica for its water supply. President Roslin and Commander Adama work to keep order on the ship and in the fleet, try to figure out just what may have happened, and put the rest of the fleet on a smaller supply functionality until balance is restored; however, Sharon still has no idea what happened to her. The crew (mainly Chief) has some differing opinions on her role, or lack thereof, in the explosions.
The interesting issue that begins to unravel in this episode is not necessarily an overtly theological one—no high concept theological discussion about the nature of God. But Sharon begins to realize that she has had some blackouts and that she possesses explosive devices. While she finds these devices in her possession and evidence points to her having been in the water tanks, she hides this knowledge. Later, after she sees the one unaccounted explosive device on her raptor next to her seat, she still does not report it to anyone except her boyfriend, the Chief, who protects her.
The most interesting part of this plotline is her struggle to turn from the “dark side” of her soul in the raptor. It seems like there are two parts of Sharon: the Cylon killer robot, who is programmed to destroy the human fleet; the human sympathizer, who at the very least wants peace for humanity. Interestingly, she pilots a raptor whose mission is to find water and restore the water supply, rectify the wrong she did. When they do find water, her computer notes it, but she has trouble announcing its findings. Instead, it seems that she is programmed to destroy their raptor, rather than share her findings. The struggle is intense, but the sympathizer part of Sharon wins and she is able to pull away from the explosive device and announce her findings, thereby in a sense rectifying part of her earlier wrong by replenishing the fleet’s water supply.
The scene with her struggling to do what is right is poignant, showing how excruciating it can be to go against what we have been perhaps “programmed” to do. I think of the times when I have been in the minority speaking out against an issue or decision. It would be so easy to just go with the mob; to not really have to think and to be a part of a club. But, how easy would it be to live with that decision to go against your conscience, go against what you think is right? Tomorrow or years from tomorrow that decision to go against your scruples will eat at your heart and, like that ancient fig tree, your heart will wither and not bear fruit.
Sharon’s character (for that matter, all of the Sharon models) is interesting to watch through the series.
The interesting issue that begins to unravel in this episode is not necessarily an overtly theological one—no high concept theological discussion about the nature of God. But Sharon begins to realize that she has had some blackouts and that she possesses explosive devices. While she finds these devices in her possession and evidence points to her having been in the water tanks, she hides this knowledge. Later, after she sees the one unaccounted explosive device on her raptor next to her seat, she still does not report it to anyone except her boyfriend, the Chief, who protects her.
The most interesting part of this plotline is her struggle to turn from the “dark side” of her soul in the raptor. It seems like there are two parts of Sharon: the Cylon killer robot, who is programmed to destroy the human fleet; the human sympathizer, who at the very least wants peace for humanity. Interestingly, she pilots a raptor whose mission is to find water and restore the water supply, rectify the wrong she did. When they do find water, her computer notes it, but she has trouble announcing its findings. Instead, it seems that she is programmed to destroy their raptor, rather than share her findings. The struggle is intense, but the sympathizer part of Sharon wins and she is able to pull away from the explosive device and announce her findings, thereby in a sense rectifying part of her earlier wrong by replenishing the fleet’s water supply.
The scene with her struggling to do what is right is poignant, showing how excruciating it can be to go against what we have been perhaps “programmed” to do. I think of the times when I have been in the minority speaking out against an issue or decision. It would be so easy to just go with the mob; to not really have to think and to be a part of a club. But, how easy would it be to live with that decision to go against your conscience, go against what you think is right? Tomorrow or years from tomorrow that decision to go against your scruples will eat at your heart and, like that ancient fig tree, your heart will wither and not bear fruit.
Sharon’s character (for that matter, all of the Sharon models) is interesting to watch through the series.
No comments:
Post a Comment