Battlestar Galactica: "The Captain's Hand"

“The Captain’s Hand” faces religious fundamentalism head-on as a pregnant teen seeks asylum, as well as an abortion, aboard the Galactica. Admiral Adama meets with Roslin on Colonial One to discuss the matter of the pregnant girl. Roslin stands by her pro-choice beliefs, saying that she has fought her whole life for a woman’s right to choose, but Adama tells her that the number of survivors in the fleet doesn’t go up very often and he reminds her of her earlier statement that the fleet “needs to start making babies” in order for the human race to survive. Roslin goes to Baltar’s lab to ask him about the fleet’s population and he tells her that at the current rate humanity will be come extinct in 18 years. This analysis later forces her to act against her previous beliefs on the rights of women. Later, Roslin allows the girl’s abortion and grants her asylum, but subsequently issues an executive decree making abortion a capital crime, citing “current circumstances” that make reproduction vital to humanity’s survival.

The Gemenon delegate sees abortion as a theological issue and approaches Roslin as soon as she finds out about the girl on board Galactica and as soon as she learns that the girl has not been returned to her parents, in spite of Roslin’s decision to criminalize abortion. The Gemenon delegate seems to want to make this government into a theocracy and is a staunch supporter of Roslin when she embodies their scriptural ideals, but is her enemy (not willing to negotiate) when Roslin goes against her fundamentalist beliefs. Their last conversation ends with an infuriated delegate, enraged that the girl had her abortion because the procedure was begun just before Roslin announced her decision. Roslin steely tells her “you have your pound of flesh,” so let it be. Roslin’s reply is a reference to the debt owed Shylock by Antonio in one of my favorite Shakespearean plays The Merchant of Venice. The phrase is used a lot and has come to mean a debt that a creditor insists on collecting regardless of how much suffering it might cause the debtor.

I find it interesting that now that Roslin no longer seems to be dying of a “wasting disease,” a key characteristic of the leader according to scriptures, there has not been very much mention of theology in the last few episodes—not much mention by neither Roslin nor Baltar and Head Six. Is Roslin no longer a scriptural figure? Regardless of if she thinks of herself as a scriptural figure, she does not seem to regard scripture as holding infallibility, that not all of its commands should be followed, that there are certain scriptural commands that may have been contextual to scriptural times; perhaps those passages were answers to certain problems confronted by those ancient peoples—perhaps those ancient peoples were confronted with dwindling populations much like Roslin’s dwindling people and were desperate to grow their population numbers for survival.

Battlestar Galactica: “Epiphanies”

Laura Roslin is losing ground in her battle with breast cancer. During her in-and-out of consciousness spells, she has flashbacks to the day before the Cylon attacks, the day she left for Galactica. We see her leadership style back in the colonies is one as a negotiator, a different tactic than President Adar’s, who saw any budging on a decision he had already made as a sign of weakness and a possible threat to his administration. The episode ends with her first task out of her deathbed as negotiating with the spokesperson for the Cylon sympathizers in the fleet.

There are just a couple of small scenes that hold theological importance. While Roslin is losing ground, her situation is dire, Dr. Cottle orders an aide to notify the Admiral. Adama then makes a speech over the P.A.: “This is Admiral Adama. As you know, President Roslin has been aboard Galactica for the last few days. She’s a fighter. But as of this moment, her prognosis is grave. I know that many of you believe in the power of prayer. If that is your way, then I urge you to pray for our President. As for the others, I hope you will join me in keeping her in our thoughts.” Adama acknowledges prayer and encourages those who believe in its power to use it. I’m not sure if he would have said this before he knew Roslin, knew her faith.

Earlier, on board Colonial One, Billy gives Baltar a tour and hands him a list of Cylon agent suspects. Baltar looks at the whiteboard and Billy says, “That number means everything to her. Represents hope, that’s our future.” Baltar responds with a slight eye roll. Billy gives him the letter Roslin wrote to be given to him upon her death. Baltar takes it and tells Billy, “Well, let’s just pray that she gets better.” Baltar’s response it interesting given his faith journey on the path to the Cylon God. He, a scientist, suggests prayer. Also, it is interesting to note that in a deleted scene from “Home,” part II, Billy tells Roslin that he is an atheist, yet he agrees with Baltar that they should pray that Roslin gets better. He could be agreeing that they should pray, or he may be hoping that she gets better so that Baltar won’t become President.

Battlestar Galactica: “Resurrection Ship,” Parts I and II

At the beginning of Part II of “Resurrection Ship,” the battle begins as the Colonials attack the Cylons and their resurrection ship, the place where the programming mind of a destroyed Cylon is uploaded into a new body and then is reintegrated back into the Cylon fleet. While the space battle ensues, while Apollo is floating through space with a suit leaking oxygen, while tension rises in the CIC’s of both Galactica and Pegasus, a battle of a different sort is going on in Number Six’s cell on Pegasus. This battle is between Baltar and Head Six as he tries to sort out the theology of forgiveness according to the Cylons. His two sources are Number Six and Head Six (who I believe is actually part of Baltar’s psyche).

Basically, the discussion of forgiveness is between one whose actions led to the destruction of a world and one who wants to die in order to go to God. Head Six tells Baltar, “Tens of thousands of Cylons are about to die. Tens of thousands, Gaius. God will not forgive this sin.” If Head Six is indeed part of Baltar’s psyche, then it would seem that Baltar is grappling with his own issues of forgiveness; after all, he’s dealing with his own emotions of being the one who let a Cylon have access to the defense mainframe in Caprica that opened his world to attacks and genocide. He asks Prisoner Number Six, “Do you think God will forgive this?” “God forgives all,” she replies. Immediately, Baltar’s Head Six jumps in, “Don’t listen to her. You think she can help you? You think that that broken woman can offer you even a fraction of what I can? I know God’s plan for you. I know how to help you fulfill your destiny.” Baltar’s doubts keep hounding him, speaking at the very least at the back of his conscience.

Ultimately Baltar pushes Head Six to the back of his mind and out of the conversation and he chooses to follow Prisoner Number Six. She is, after all, real, in the flesh and he is a carnal kind of guy; also, her theology of forgiveness offers him hope. While she offers him hope, he doesn’t follow through with what she wants from him, which is for him to kill her. After the resurrection ship is destroyed (she seems to sense this), she begs Baltar, “I’m ready to die. Send my soul to God. Please.” But Baltar refuses, suggesting that what she really wants is justice—justice for all that she has been through since being put in the Pegasus brig. Maintaining his carnality, he offers her hope for her future with humanity, rather than offering her the eternal life she seeks with God.

Battlestar Galactica: “Flight of the Phoenix”

While there are not any overt theological statements about the Cylon God or the humans’ pantheistic god system, this entire episode is simply about faith and the hope it brings, which is really what the series is about—the difficulties of keeping faith and finding hope in the grittiness of survival. The building of the Blackbird raises Tigh’s eire as he doesn’t seem to get that the project gives some of the crew a diversion from their everyday monotonous tasks and eventually gives the crew the esteem that they can survive. The project starts with Chief and spreads throughout the crew as it seems about everyone wants to be a part of building this monument of hope, and the Blackbird comes to symbolize the hope the crew has of survival.

The project climaxes at the christening ceremony at the end of the episode. Roslin and Chief each recognize that it has been an honor to complete the project. After Roslin compliments Chief on the Blackbird, he tells her that it’s “just a ship.” She explains to him and the rest of the crew, “Oh, you’re much too modest. After what we’ve been through, it would be very easy to give up, to lose hope. But not here. Not today. This is more than a ship, Chief. This is an act of faith. It is proof that despite all we’ve lost, we keep trying. And we will get through this, all of us, together. I promise.” By building the ship, the crew recognizes and plans on being around to fly it eventually—they are preparing for the future.

Chief unveils the name of the ship: “Laura.” This, of course, brings Roslin to the brink of tears. After all, earlier in the episode, she received her death sentence from Cottle; she will die in a few weeks. But she now knows that her name will live on through this symbol of hope and faith. She has been a symbol of hope for the fleet, as she has led them on the path to Earth, to the Promised Land.

Battlestar Galactica: "Home," Part II

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: 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.
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.

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.

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.

Battlestar Galactica: "Home," Part I

Finally, away from Commander Adama, the prophet Laura Roslin finds herself confronted by the political structure of the civilian fleet, as the Quorum of Twelve and she, along with Zarek, discuss the issue of returning to Kobol, whether this was the right choice or a suicidal decision. Roslin weighs in: “At this point, it’s my firm belief that Commander Adama has let us go. Lieutenant Thrace will return. She will have the Arrow of Apollo. And it will help us find our way to Earth.” Roslin speaks the words of faith—faith in Starbuck’s ability to retrieve the Arrow, faith in the scriptures’ leading them to the Tomb of Athena, faith in the existence of Earth. As Quorum members become anxious to get started looking for the Tomb, Elosha reminds them that the scriptures “tell us that any return to Kobol carries with it a cost in blood.” Roslin continues speaking the words of faith as she acknowledges that there are a lot of unanswered questions, but she “refuse[s] to lose sight of what this has always been about—our mission to save humanity….But it is our foretold destiny.” She offers an out for those who do not “have the stomach for this mission,” who do not believe what the scriptures have said, by suggesting that they rejoin Adama’s fleet, rejoin the world of reason, rejoin the world that seems safe and more predictable. However, we don’t see anyone run for the door when she makes this offer.

Another interesting discussion takes place when Meier conspires with Zarek against Lee and Roslin. Zarek dismisses him because the people who are with them believe Roslin will lead them to Earth. Meier reminds Zarek that Roslin is a fraud and asks him if he believes her. Zarek responds, “No, but I believe in the power of myth. I’m not interested in risking our lives any more than you are, but she’s clearly not gonna be talked out of this. And in the end, President or not, it doesn’t really matter. She still needs a commander, a man in charge of the fleet. The man with the guns makes the rules.” It seems that Zarek hasn’t had a change of heart and that Roslin is rightly reluctant to trust him. He is somewhat similar to Roslin, in that he understands that there is a “religious card” (to use her earlier phrase) to be played, that this card has certain power over people with it. However, Roslin is much further on the path of a spiritual journey, while Meier and Zarek are still starring at the signpost. When Meier reminds him that Lee is Roslin’s right hand and would be the more likely candidate for Commander and they recall the scriptures saying that some will die on Kobol—“one man in particular.” They seem to be sarcastic in citing scripture to support their own ambitions for power.

The small landing group arrives on Kobol in the Galleon Meadow Forest, where Elosha quotes scripture: “And the blaze pursued them. And the people of Kobol had a choice, to board the great ship or to take the high road through the rocky ridge, and the body of each tribe’s leader…” Sharon continues reciting the passage: “…was offered to the gods in the Tomb of Athena.” She explains that the ship took the founders of the Thirteen Colonies to their destiny and those who didn’t board the ship took the rocky ridge of a high road leading to the Tomb. Elosha points out that this path is supposed to be marked by gravestones. When she finds a stone, she inadvertently steps on a landmine, is thrown into the air, and is killed, along with a few others who are killed by Cylon centurions. It turns out that the blood that is spilled on Kobol is the priestess, herself. This leaves Roslin in an interesting position. Elosha had been her font for spiritual leadership, her resource of how to be a religious leader; now that Elosha is gone, Roslin picks up Elosha’s book of scriptures herself, taking on the true mantle of spiritual leadership, and she is now the primary religious leader without the aid or lens of an interpreter of the spiritual texts.

Another scene in this episode struck me, not because its particular theological assertions (there aren’t any), but as an excellent sermon illustration. Adama meets with Dualla in his quarters:

Adama: It’s interesting. Betrayal has such a powerful grip on the
mind. It’s almost like a python. It can squeeze out all other
thought. Suffocate all other emotion until everything is dead except for
rage. I’m not talking about anger. I can feel it. Right here.
[He points to his heart.] Like it’s gonna burst. Feel like I wanna
scream. Right now, matter of fact.
Dualla: If I may say
something?
Adama: Speak your mind, Dee.
Dualla: I don’t think
the problem is that you’ve been betrayed. I think it’s that you feel
helpless. You were shot, you were injured. You couldn’t do
anything.
Adama: Don’t make excuses for me.
Dualla: And when
you finally had a chance to do something…you let us down. You made a
promise to all of us, to find Earth, to find us a home. Together. It
doesn’t matter what the President did or even what Lee did, because every day we
remain a part is a day that you’ve broken your promise. The people aboard
those ships made their own decisions.
Adama: It was their decision, not
mine. Thank you, petty officer. You may leave now.
Dualla:
You asked to talk to me, sir. Maybe, because you think that I don’t have
anything to say. But I do. It’s time to heal the wounds,
Commander.

With this conversation still stinging, Adama heads to the CIC and announces that they are going to Kobol to put the family back together. This is an excellent scene as it shows Adama in a rage, feeling betrayed, but he is able to get past these feelings, get past his stubbornness, and sees what is truly important, that is pulling the fleet/family back together.

Battlestar Galactica: “The Farm”

This episode is loaded with a ton of political and social themes, a ton, that I could write pages and pages, especially the theme regarding women’s rights and fertility, the Cylons’ preoccupation with reproduction, and the realization that the only time procreation has happened involving a Cylon has also involved love. But, I’m going to try to stay true to the over-arching theme of this blog and consider the theological implications of this episode, specifically regarding Roslin’s continued journey as a spiritual leader.

We find Lee, Roslin, and Elosha freezing in a meat locker with Tom Zarek, who tells Roslin, “I have communicated your latest message to the Quorum of Twelve. They have decided the question of openly supporting you needs more…deliberation.” Also, Zarek tells them that “Zeus has returned to Olympus. Adama is back in command.” Everyone seems relieved, the god-figure of the fleet has returned. Unfortunately, Zarek chooses this time to suggest that Lee’s denouncing his father, denouncing Zeus/God, would help galvanize the fleet. Lee’s still caught up in the emotions of knowing that his father has survived and, naturally, he cannot speak out against his father. Roslin steps up and says that she’s going to “play the religious card.”

So, now we’re back to dueling positions about Kobol and it seems that Adama, or Zeus, is laying out his thoughts about Roslin’s religious positions more publicly. Adama reads a transcription of Roslin’s broadcast in CIC. “It’s religious crap!” Roslin stated, “It seems I have been chosen to help lead you to the promised land of Earth. I will not question that choice. I’ll simply try to play my part of the plan. Therefore, at the appointed hour, I will give the signal to the fleet. All those wishing to honor the gods and walk the paths of destiny will follow me back to Kobol. It is there we will meet the gods’ servant with the Arrow of Apollo.” Adama slams the clipboard with her message against a console, breaking it in half, just as it appears (from his point of view) that Roslin attempts to break the fleet in half. He believes that no one will follow her, that “no one’s gonna believe this crap. No one’s this stupid.”

On the Astral Queen, Elosha encourages Roslin to give the passengers her blessing. The passengers kneel before her, as though they were kneeling before God or, at the very least, a prophet. Roslin hesitates, saying simply that she cannot do this—it isn’t right. Elosha whispers, “Laura, this is your path. The one that the gods picked for you! The one you picked for yourself.” Roslin had decided as a political tactic to play the religious card, to embrace the path of being a prophet, and she has realized that the scriptures do actually hold some literal truths in them, and now she publicly embraces that role, calling people to follow her banner in the name of their faith. This results in the people looking at her very differently from being merely their political leader, that is their President; this results in the people asking Roslin for her blessing, as they look at her as a prophet, a spokeswoman for the gods. It’s very interesting for me, as an ordained minister, to see how she navigates through various issues in later episodes as a political leader and a spiritual leader, trying to maintain what she truly believes in, trying to lead others according to her beliefs, while not alienating them.