Battlestar Galactica: Precipice

October 8th, 2006

Season 3, Episode 2

Battlestar Galactica: Precipice
Battlestar Galactica: Precipice

Battlestar GalacticaThere are basically three plot threads going on at this point. First is the insurgency led by Tigh on New Caprica, and the Cylon’s efforts to squash it. Tigh’s current tactic is suicide bombings, to which the Cylons respond with imprisonment, a secret police force, and executions. The parallels with America’s current situation in Iraq are blatant and uncomfortable, but I appreciate it, as the best drama makes us ask questions about our own lives.

During this episode, Baltar could even be seen as a Bush stand in, with his pathetic declarations of no torture, and being forced to sign an executive order with a bunch of Cylons in the room. So on the other hand, is Tigh supposed to be some terrorist leader, with his beard, eye patch and babbling about being demons? Recall how America funded insurgents in Afghanistan when they were fighting Russia, and the confusion about who is on the moral high ground here is still unclear.

The second plot thread is Starbuck finding out she has a half-Cylon daughter; very disturbing. The whole alien abduction implantation thing is a sci-fi staple, and personally I’m not as interested in this development as there’s already one hybrid Cylon-human hybrid running around, but we’ll see.

Last we have Adama and Apollo continuing their efforts to get back to New Caprica and save everyone. Sharon the Cylon is sent on this mission and the episode ends with this initial contact being made but then coming under Cylon fire. I have a bad premonition that we’re going to see Adama save New Caprica but sacrifice himself with one of the Battlestars getting blown to bits.

At episode’s end, we’re not sure if two of the recurring characters have died. One I could do without, but the other, I’ll be disappointed. Guess we’ll have to wait until next week to find out what that was all about.

Next Episode: Exodus
Previous Episode: Occupation

9 comments!

  1. comment Gravatar Keith - October 8th, 2006

    How can Balthar be Bush if he is head of the conquered nation? He is closer to a Vichy France type guy I think. Or perhaps the president of Iraq presented as nothing more than a puppet.

    I haven’t seen a clear Bush analogy yet because the Cylons are “the Americans” in this allegory, and they run by group consensus and vote rather than having a single leader.

    OTOH, the show is pretty clear on the fact that the suicide bombing strategy is a bad one, and an morally wrong one. At least if they are going to make an Al Qaeda analogy, they’re showing it as a ‘bad thing’.

  2. comment Gravatar webomatica - October 8th, 2006

    Well, the Balatar-Bush analogy is my own interpretation, and it was more evocative than a direct analogy. Note I wrote “could even be seen,” not a blatant “Baltar = Bush.”

    Things could be seen many different ways. You’re right though, clearer analogy is more like Baltar is a puppet dictator.

    You have to agree though a “sci fi” show that even makes people think about such subjects is pretty cool. Although I think some are going to be annoyed an label this as “politicizing” of Battlestar Galactica.

  3. comment Gravatar Ray - October 9th, 2006

    One of the recurring characters you were worried about was in the previews of the next episode. I assume you are most worried about the one who was running through the woods alone. I share your concern. Always liked that one.

  4. comment Gravatar webomatica - October 9th, 2006

    Ray you are pretty perceptive. I guess all the episodes where Roslin had cancer (plus how she was miraculously saved by the Cylon baby blood) sort of prepped me for her death, so I wouldn’t be all that shocked or sad if she died. Callie on the other hand what has she done to anybody? Other than shooting a Cylon?

  5. comment Gravatar Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Prep » Webomatica - Technology and Entertainment Digest - April 2nd, 2008

    [...] Leoben, who first appeared on a space station in the miniseries and later was blasted out an airlock, and also tortured Starbuck on New Caprica. [...]

  6. comment Gravatar Battlestar Galactica: Occupation » Webomatica - Technology and Entertainment Digest - April 18th, 2008

    [...] Episode: Precipice Previous Episode: Lay Down Your Burdens [...]

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  8. comment Gravatar Battlestar Galactica: Exodus » Webomatica - Technology and Entertainment Digest - April 23rd, 2008

    [...] Next Episode: Exodus, Part 2 Previous Episode: Precipice [...]

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    [...] it would be the least dramatically surprising possibility. And why would the Cylons have been so insistent on toying with her and harvesting her ovaries - if she were a [...]

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