I think that “Home,” Parts 1 and 2, are about the best Battlestar Galactica has to offer. The writing, acting, music, and cinematography are all stellar and captivating. There’s so much material to think and write about, it’s hard to narrow it down to bit-sized chunks for a blog. So, please forgive me if I don’t talk about a thread that may be your favorite. If there is something you see as being important or interesting in these episodes, please leave it in the comment section at the end of this or any other blog entry.
Part 2 opens with Roslin’s group climbing up a steep, rainy ravine on her faith quest/journey and Adama’s group reasoning where Roslin’s crew might be heading. Interestingly, while Tigh and Gaeta chuckle at the mention of Roslin’s visions, Adama defends her and her beliefs. He clearly is taking this mission seriously, taking the importance of unity seriously.
Roslin’s group finally reaches the summit. Sharon tells Starbuck, “There’s a formation of twin rocks ahead. I think those are the Gates of Hera. I’m putting together a lot of pieces from a lot of sources beyond your scriptures. If I’m right, that’s the spot where your god supposedly stood and watched Athena throw herself down onto the rocks below out of despair over the exodus of the Thirteen Tribes.” Zarek asks, “Supposedly? I thought that the Cylons believed in the gods.” Starbuck answers, “Yeah, don’t get her started. They believe in one true god or something like that.” “And we don’t worship false idols.” Lee remarks, “You were quick enough to come on this mission. Lead us all to some tomb only actually mentioned in our false scriptures.” “We know more about your religion than you do. Athena’s Tomb, whoever, and whatever she really was, is probably up there. That part is true.” Sharon seems to approach the scripture as many mainstream Christians, realizing that some of Scripture is historically, contemporaneously, written to answer a particular society’s questions or dilemmas, while other parts of Scripture holds certain Truths that are timeless. Now, the question is how does Sharon know what parts are “true” in the scriptures she refers to.
After their two groups finally meet, Adama and Roslin have a heart to heart talk:
Adama, playing a God-like (before now he has been referred to as Zeus) role, offers Roslin forgiveness, something she didn’t ask for. Regardless of whether or not she thinks she wants his forgiveness, he gives it to her anyway. She offended him, overstepped his military line and their budding friendship, and he forgives her. Interestingly, she doesn’t offer her forgiveness of him, of his not taking her beliefs seriously, of overstepping his command and putting his superior in the brig, of staging a military coup. Also, this is the first time in the series that they have used their first names, demonstrating a new intimacy in their relationship, truly showing that they are putting certain distancing formalities and relational transgressions behind them.
Roslin brings up what Starbuck told her about what’s happening on Caprica:
Toward the end of this episode, Adama reintroduces Roslin to a large group of assembled people in one of the hanger bays by quoting scripture: “We have struggled since the attacks, trying to rely on one another. Our strength and our only hope as a people is to remain undivided. We haven’t always done all we could to insure that. Many people believe that the scriptures, the letters from the gods, will lead us to salvation. Maybe they will. But the gods shall lift those who lift each other. And so, to lift all of us, let me present once again, the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin.” This scene echoes one from the mini-series when Adama rallies the Galactica, after the Cylon attacks and after they had lost so many of their crew, when he refers to Elosha in front of the crowd about the existence of Earth. Here, instead of referring to Elosha, he seems to have in a small part taken up the mantle she left for Roslin, as he himself refers to scripture and lays the passages on Roslin’s shoulders by way of her introduction. Adama then leads them in a unified clapping that results in cheering and sustained applause for their President and ultimately for the unity of the fleet.
While I’ve grown to really enjoy watching the relationship between Adama and Roslin, between reason and faith, grow in this series, I can’t completely ignore the scenes between Baltar and Head Six in this episode. Batlar begins to wonder if the Six he’s seeing is the result of a chip planted in his head or psychosis. Head Six tells him to “wake up and smell the psychosis already. There is no Cylon chip implanted in your brain. I’m not real. You’re not really getting secret messages from the Cylons. You’re just crazy….You helped the Cylons commit genocide against your own people and your fragile little mind couldn’t handle it. So poof, I appear and start telling you how special you are, how God has chosen you.” Later she reminds him that he’s always had a little voice helping him through rough times; however, Baltar tells her he doesn’t believe her and that God has a plan for him. Tests show that there are no unidentifiable objects in Baltar’s head, which seems to verify Head Six’s assertion that Baltar is psychotic. Maybe he is, or maybe somehow the Cylons’ evangelism style is to continue to test Baltar’s faith in the Cylon God, as Head Six did in season one episodes getting him to confess his faith in the Cylon God and to seek forgiveness for his sins. The question would be a pragmatic one—how would the Cylons be capable of communicating with Baltar like this? I’m inclined to believe the psychosis theory.
Part 2 opens with Roslin’s group climbing up a steep, rainy ravine on her faith quest/journey and Adama’s group reasoning where Roslin’s crew might be heading. Interestingly, while Tigh and Gaeta chuckle at the mention of Roslin’s visions, Adama defends her and her beliefs. He clearly is taking this mission seriously, taking the importance of unity seriously.
Roslin’s group finally reaches the summit. Sharon tells Starbuck, “There’s a formation of twin rocks ahead. I think those are the Gates of Hera. I’m putting together a lot of pieces from a lot of sources beyond your scriptures. If I’m right, that’s the spot where your god supposedly stood and watched Athena throw herself down onto the rocks below out of despair over the exodus of the Thirteen Tribes.” Zarek asks, “Supposedly? I thought that the Cylons believed in the gods.” Starbuck answers, “Yeah, don’t get her started. They believe in one true god or something like that.” “And we don’t worship false idols.” Lee remarks, “You were quick enough to come on this mission. Lead us all to some tomb only actually mentioned in our false scriptures.” “We know more about your religion than you do. Athena’s Tomb, whoever, and whatever she really was, is probably up there. That part is true.” Sharon seems to approach the scripture as many mainstream Christians, realizing that some of Scripture is historically, contemporaneously, written to answer a particular society’s questions or dilemmas, while other parts of Scripture holds certain Truths that are timeless. Now, the question is how does Sharon know what parts are “true” in the scriptures she refers to.
After their two groups finally meet, Adama and Roslin have a heart to heart talk:
Adama: You interfered with a military mission, and you broke your word to me.
Roslin: It’s the second part that really bothers you, isn’t it?
Adama: Laura, I forgive you.
Roslin: Thank you, Bill. I didn’t ask for your forgiveness.
Adama: You, you have it anyway.
Adama, playing a God-like (before now he has been referred to as Zeus) role, offers Roslin forgiveness, something she didn’t ask for. Regardless of whether or not she thinks she wants his forgiveness, he gives it to her anyway. She offended him, overstepped his military line and their budding friendship, and he forgives her. Interestingly, she doesn’t offer her forgiveness of him, of his not taking her beliefs seriously, of overstepping his command and putting his superior in the brig, of staging a military coup. Also, this is the first time in the series that they have used their first names, demonstrating a new intimacy in their relationship, truly showing that they are putting certain distancing formalities and relational transgressions behind them.Roslin brings up what Starbuck told her about what’s happening on Caprica:
Roslin: They’re fighting for their homes. Does it give you pause? Maybe your impulse the day the Cylons attacked was right. Maybe we should have stayed and fought for our homes. Maybe the President of the Colonies should have stayed with her people.Roslin didn’t seem to understand the first part of the conversation, that Adama was prepared to move on from their past. Instead, she second guesses her decisions. When Adama thanks her for her leadership, she places the laurels on the gods. However, he points out that she was the one who spurred him to lead the fleet away from danger; she made the choice to push him to leave. With his thanking her, he gives her back her mantle, her book of scriptures, and tells her that they will look for the Tomb together. He has at last reunited the fleet.
Adama: I didn’t come here to navel gaze. Or to catalog our mistakes. We made a
decision to leave the Colonies after the attack. We made the decision. It was the right one then; it’s the right one now. ’Cause every moment of every day since then is a gift.
Roslin: From the gods.
Adama: No, from you. For convincing me that I should go on. I would be dead. My son would be dead. Whatever else the cost, I won’t second guess that outcome.
Toward the end of this episode, Adama reintroduces Roslin to a large group of assembled people in one of the hanger bays by quoting scripture: “We have struggled since the attacks, trying to rely on one another. Our strength and our only hope as a people is to remain undivided. We haven’t always done all we could to insure that. Many people believe that the scriptures, the letters from the gods, will lead us to salvation. Maybe they will. But the gods shall lift those who lift each other. And so, to lift all of us, let me present once again, the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin.” This scene echoes one from the mini-series when Adama rallies the Galactica, after the Cylon attacks and after they had lost so many of their crew, when he refers to Elosha in front of the crowd about the existence of Earth. Here, instead of referring to Elosha, he seems to have in a small part taken up the mantle she left for Roslin, as he himself refers to scripture and lays the passages on Roslin’s shoulders by way of her introduction. Adama then leads them in a unified clapping that results in cheering and sustained applause for their President and ultimately for the unity of the fleet.
While I’ve grown to really enjoy watching the relationship between Adama and Roslin, between reason and faith, grow in this series, I can’t completely ignore the scenes between Baltar and Head Six in this episode. Batlar begins to wonder if the Six he’s seeing is the result of a chip planted in his head or psychosis. Head Six tells him to “wake up and smell the psychosis already. There is no Cylon chip implanted in your brain. I’m not real. You’re not really getting secret messages from the Cylons. You’re just crazy….You helped the Cylons commit genocide against your own people and your fragile little mind couldn’t handle it. So poof, I appear and start telling you how special you are, how God has chosen you.” Later she reminds him that he’s always had a little voice helping him through rough times; however, Baltar tells her he doesn’t believe her and that God has a plan for him. Tests show that there are no unidentifiable objects in Baltar’s head, which seems to verify Head Six’s assertion that Baltar is psychotic. Maybe he is, or maybe somehow the Cylons’ evangelism style is to continue to test Baltar’s faith in the Cylon God, as Head Six did in season one episodes getting him to confess his faith in the Cylon God and to seek forgiveness for his sins. The question would be a pragmatic one—how would the Cylons be capable of communicating with Baltar like this? I’m inclined to believe the psychosis theory.
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