This show never fails to surprise me. When given a situation in which a monstrous battle should be the centerpiece of the show, they actually manage to make it a subplot. This is so offbeat as to be lunacy. And yet I think it was a brilliant move.
Battlestar Galactica, Episode 2.12, “Resurrection Ship, part 2”
Written by Michael Rymer and Ronald Moore
Directed by Michael Rymer
The center of the story is the battlestars Galactica and Pegasus launching an assault on the pursuing Cylon fleet, with the specific goal of destroying the resurrection ship which acts as the Cylons' safety net. Far more in the foreground though are the people involved. The interactions that will determine the future of humanity are given priority over the pyrotechnics.
Starbuck is under orders from Adama to assassinate Admiral Cain following the battle. Cain has dispatched her marines to Galactica to take out Adama after the battle. Helo and the Chief have to answer to Cain's men over the officer they killed. Baltar figures out something about the Cylon in his head. And just for extra style, Apollo is spotted floating free in space during the battle. This show never takes the easy path to anything, for which I love it.
So let's untangle all these elements. Apollo agrees to back up Starbuck in her clandestine mission but collides with a Cylon raider after taking out the resurrection ship's FTL drive. He ejects in time but seems to have something of a breakdown in the process. Discovering a pinhole in his flight suit that is leaking his air, he actually lets it go. Let me say that again. Apollo let go and accepted his impending death. He is rescued but it doesn't seem to make him feel good. I'm not sure where they are going with this but it has endless possibilities.
Starbuck's plan to take out the Cylon fleet is a smashing success. Sadly we don't see a lot of the battle but the bits we do see are suitably spectacular. For once the Cylons don't seem invincible. They get caught with their pants down and take a serious beating. Clearly this isn't the end of them but the human fleet just earned some much needed breathing room. Starbuck seems to come out of all this a lot less carefree, and a lot more hard edged. Clearly she respected Admiral Cain and may have adopted a fair bit of her mentality.
Baltar figures out that the Cylon in his head and the one in the Pegasus' brig are tied together. He uses that to manipulate the prisoner. What happens to her is a bit of a mystery. It won't remain one though. Baltar has a plan I believe.
The twin assassination plots are never used. Both leaders opt out at the last minute. As a result we immediately think better of each of them. Cain's sudden flash of decency proves short lived though as Baltar's Cylon takes revenge by shooting the Admiral in the head. On the other end, Adama actually sits down with Boomer to try and find out why the Cylons seek to eradicate humans. I'm reminded of the documentary The Fog of War in which former defense secretary Robert McNamara recognizes that he couldn't effectively fight the enemy if he doesn't truly understand them. The ability to empathize the enemy's position makes it possible to understand why the enemy fights. Adama is pursuing this approach and he has proven effective in dealing with the opposition. Cain couldn't care less and pays with her life. Something to keep in mind.
The implications of all this for the series are hard to guess at. Adama is promoted to Admiral, meaning the Pegasus now follows him. Her XO is promoted to Commander. Hopefully he is trustworthy. Some antagonism can be expected between the crews. Only time will tell if they can learn to fight together as one. Baltar has graduated from having a pretty blond Cylon in his head to a real one. That's probably not a good thing. Apollo may be done as a warrior. Interestingly, he and Starbuck are on opposite paths. She becomes more serious and more driven while he becomes more rebellious and less of a fighter.
While this is an excellent episode, I do have a complaint about the story structure. We have followed the human fleet from its most desperate situation to now and have become very attached to their cause and these characters. This was their first real victory since the destruction of their home worlds. But because the battle was cast as a subplot, we never got the chance to truly appreciate the magnitude of their accomplishment. We should be euphoric over their victory but instead end up uneasy about the future.
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