Battlestar Galactica: The Ties That Bind

April 19th, 2008

Season 4, Episode 3

Synopsis

Starbuck is given command of the ship Demetrius sent on a secret mission to find Earth. Among her crew are Anders, Gaeta, Helo, and Seelix. The mood on the ship is tense as the crew isn’t completely confident Starbuck knows where they’re going.

Having left the military, is appointed to the Quorum of Twelve. Zarek gives him a confidential document that paints Roslin as jockeying for executive power.

The Cylons move to quash a potential rebellion: 6 and 8 have been given permission to unbox 3, so Cavil decides to destroy their basestar using several of his own. Essentially, civil war between the Cylons.

Lastly, the final four continue their clandestine meetings. Callie suspects Chief is cheating on her, but learns instead that Chief is a Cylon. Her tries to calm her down but she clocks him several times in the head with a wrench, and runs off with their child. Tory tracks Callie down in an airlock. Callie is blasted into deep space and Tory is in possession of Callie and Chief’s child. The last chilling scene has Adama informing Chief of the sudden death of his wife.

Thoughts

I am actually pleased that significant characters are starting to die. I hope that the road to Earth gets progressively more tragic and painful, until all that remains of the fleet is one ship, say a steaming, damaged hulk that is Galactica, with nobody but Admiral Adama, Roslin, and Baltar aboard (oh, and perhaps the fifth mystery Cylon, whomever that may be). But one thing bugged me about Callie’s death — why didn’t she tell someone about what she discovered? Just give Adama a phone call? Doc Cottle at least?

Second, the manner in which it played out was certainly sudden and a bit cruel — a mother crying as her child is taken from her.

As for all else, I’m dragging a bit with these new episodes. While I found the first two decent, they aren’t anything as exciting as the first four episodes of season three (Occupation, Precipice, Exodus, and Exodus, Part 2). The revelation of the four Cylons has been rather inconsequential so far. I’d like to see them begin sabotaging the fleet from inside, if that’s their purpose. In any case, I’d like them to take action beyond these clandestine meetings.

And the Cylon rebellion? It’s a bit unsurprising, since it was hinted at way back in Season 2 with Caprica 6 and Boomer (Downloaded) and even Cavil mentioned it as a reason for the Cylons giving up in Lay Down Your Burdens (2). But I hold back because I don’t want to see the Cylons and humans teaming up on the quest to earth. I like it when they’re enemies and trying to blast each other into smithereens in deep space.

Let’s hope this is all building up to something cool, soon.

Next Episode: Escape Velocity
Previous Episode: Six Of One