CLUE UPDATE, 11-13

11. Audio Clip [with masking static]: (perhaps Leoben or Lee Adama) "Every revolution begins with one small act. But I hope you know how serious this is." [Crowd noise] Unknown voice (perhaps Leoben) "[inaudible] ... Administration" Unidentified male voice, "You know what I'm talking about" Another unidentified male voice (possibly Baltar) "Our little secret" Kara (or possibly Sharon): "Or anyone else" Gaeta: "A pity frak is out of the question then?" .... distant church bells toll (12 times of course)
12. Video clip: A fire warning sounds as Kara listens, then goes to a corridor and asks former Pegasus pilot "Zerchak(?)" why a pilot is in charge of evacuation. He tells Kara hatefully to "Take your frakkin' hands off me. Gods, nobody even knows what you are anymore." She doesn't trust him and heads back in the wrong direction (she senses a false alarm and possible mutiny?)

13: Video Clip: Old scene [From Guess What's Coming to Dinner] of Adama, Tigh, Roslin and Helo discussing a plan [to hold onto the Five until they reach Earth ... meanwhile Natalie and her rebel 2,6,8 alliance with one rebel Base Ship had their own double-cross in the works if you recall] This is only interesting if it shows Adama setting them up ... we now know Tigh is a Cylon as of this scene so only Roslin or Helo could betray the secrecy of the plan and casting suspicion on them seems the only reason for showing this clip

THE END IS THE BEGINNING

This is the most important sequence in the whole story of Battlestar Galactica. If the cycles of time repeat then the end must be the beginning. The story began with Six and it should end with her. In the miniseries we were left with a great mystery: who was the person she was meeting (that we did not see) after she met up with Baltar? Most likely this person is the fifth and Final Cylon. Roslin will have a memory flashback or a dream at the same place, where she is crying/laughing in the fountain ... is this after her cancer diagnosis? In a dream/hallucination where she realizes something profound by returning to this place?

CLUE UPDATE 8 thru 10

The latest from the Sci-Fi Clue Site: 8. Video Clip: Baltar attempts to seduce Tyrol into becoming a religious follower of his message 9. Video Clip: Adama (with weird echoey voice) demands a gun from a soldier in a corridor and goes into his office and says "Sit down Cylon" probably to Tigh (not seen) 10. Video Clip: Gaeta sits with Baltar and smokes a small cigar and tells how he thought he'd end up an architect, then finishes with "I hope that people realize, eventually, who I am," - this seems to indicate delusion, narcissism and a bit of megalomania and Baltar seems stunned by what he's hearing. Then in echoey, surreal voiceover we hear Baltar say "I know who you are." [Now, if Gaeta is the Final Cylon, what a letdown, in that he seems insubstantial. Somehow Gaeta is in control of this meeting and Baltar's eyes show concern - even fear] [Clues 1-7]

SCRAMBLE

The letters scramble at the end of this clip.
Does it mean anything?
MORE

AH, SUSPICIONS

[potentially mega-spoilery] New Sci-Fi teasers (click Sitrep link to view) ask us Who Is The Final Cylon? Then they show an image of Helo looking at Dualla with concern, Laura Roslin on the rebel Base ship, Baltar on the rebel Base ship, Romo being pushed around by armed marines, and some guy with an underbite with a gun to his head (is that the guy from the Tillium processing ship?). Another shows Kara in front of a burn area in a field of dead grass "What am I?" Then the juicy stuff: (see image montage) ... Tyrol touches the ruins of a temple wall and has a profound flashback - did he destroy Earth? Or is he merely holding an avocado?

Is this a blond Adama? [the hairdresser on the Galactica puts in summer high-lights?]

WHAT FUTURE FOR SIX?

The most important character to the story is in limbo right now. Why didn't Head-Six show up when Baltar was near death on the rebel Base Ship? Is she the center of the universe? Will she fade away? Is she just a number? A literal angel? If the end is the beginning, Six must be there.

Kudos must be given to actress Tricia Helfer who has played the Six character. Cast in the show with limited acting experience and a background as a model she was tasked with creating multiple characters (sometimes for the same scene) and has excelled in the part, holding her own alongside seasoned and talented veterans such as Mary McDonnell, Michael Hogan, Edward James Olmos and the scenery-chewing James Callis. It is the depth and nuance she brings to her performance(s) which has anchored the show.

WEBISODES 4, 3, 2 REVIEWS

Ep. 4 They decide to dump the leather Sharon body but worry about losing air in doing so. The weasily mechanic denies pulling the insulation from the pliers. Gaeta tells them all to "shut up" and without investigation makes the claim that it was "an accident." Another flashback to the list of names and Gaeta asks nice Sharon to try to find them. She says the "Ones keep good records." On the Raptor nice Sharon foreshadows her wire into hand idea to Gaeta. Three Galactictas out of 10.


Ep. 3 Red-shirt mechanic lifts a Spock panel and looks at the "scrubbers." Gaeta flashback to New Caprica with the nice Sharon showing him a list of names. Leather Sharon tries to fix what red-shirt mechanic could not. She is electrocuted and dies. Gaeta notices that the pliers red-shirt handed her have no insulation. Four Galacticas out of ten.

Ep. 2 On the Raptor the stranded passengers wonder what happened. The Sharons raise the threat of the Cavil Base Ships, and Gaeta reminds them the Galactica knows they're missing. Jump drive doesn't respond, a red-shirt kisses his Poseiden medallion, to which one of the Sharon comments: "We're a long way from water." Technical discussion about a random high-energy particle flipping a bit of data and randomizing their jump coordinates. Leather Sharon recognizes star patterns with her naked eyes and nice Sharon cozies up to her former lover Gaeta from the New Caprica days. Meanwhile, back on Galactica, Geata's boyfriend Lt. Hoshi pleads with Tigh (still in charge) to let him take a Raptor and go look for "Felix," and mentions it's been over "two days." Start the countdown clock, only 20 hours of air left ! ... cue suspicious looks among the passengers (Hitchcock's Lifeboat anyone?). Five out of ten Galacticas

ESPENSEN COMMENTARY
Click on Galactica Sitrep link upper right if you want to watch the clips. On their site they have a clip with writer commentary from Jane Espensen, who informs us that Col. Tigh is the authority figure because Eddie Olmos was busy directing and acting in The Plan (the 2-hour Cylon perspective story to air after the series). Espensen further mentions a coach and Pyramid players so that story must be partly about Sam Anders being a star player and Six going to see the games.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The creators and writers of Battlestar Galactica like to impart double or multiple meanings, and perhaps they have done so with their choice of names. Here are a few names and some of their translations and potential meanings. Feel free to add others to the Comments.

William - will, helmet Adama - diamond, Ethiopia, Admah Gaius - jurist and writer (Roman), Corinthian baptized by Paul Baltar - places in Portugal and Spain Laura - laurel (wreath, tree) - victory Roslin - Scotland Saul - king of Hebrews, battled philistines, committed suicide Tigh - close, inclosure, Irish loch, Capt. Bligh Kara - gift, joy, dark, black, Sikh bracelet Thrace - region: northern Greece,Turkey Carl - Scandinavian peasant Helo - Helios (sun god) Agathon - physical beauty, poet, dramatist, famous, innovator Felix - happy, lucky Gaeta - coastal city in SW Italy Six - the cardinal (red) number the sum of 5 + 1 Cavil - carping criticism Leoben - place in Austria Galen - philosopher, doctor Tyrol - in Austria Sharon - forest, shrub, rose, fruit Simon - "he has heard," common Hebrew name Lee - the side of a ship which is downwind Apollo - light and truth D'Anna - Diana/Artemis: Goddess of the Moon and the hunt (region: Lake Nemi) Biers - a coffin along with its stand Sam - a judge or prophet, name of god Anders - common name, manly, different Natalie - birthday (born on Christmas Day)

CONTINUITY QUIBBLE

Hate to nit-pick, but didn't we see the Zephyr get it's hoop blasted apart (click on inset) in He That Believeth In Me? Who straightened the supports? Who manufactured the replacement hull? Who did the work? When? The purple pic is from Webisode 1 - most recent. The yellowy image is from 10 episodes ago.

WEBISODE 1 REVIEW

A bloody Gaeta is on a Raptor "Nine Days After Finding Earth" and we see flashbacks (names on paper) of violence and a bloody hand (did another Sharon stick a wire in there?). "Three Days Earlier" (so six days after finding Earth) On the C&C, Tigh is in command(?) ... Gaeta, sporting a new prosthetic leg (and walking cane-same-side a la Dr. House), is ordered by Tigh to take R&R on the Zephyr (the ship with the big hoop - looking pretty good despite the major damage it took in Season 4, episode He That Believeth In Me). Hoshi gives Gaeta some morphine to take with him and then gives his boyfriend a goodbye kiss. Two Sharons pile in with some red-shirts and off the Raptor goes, Gaeta has two crutches this time. En route, Lt. Hoshi comes over the Comlink with a warning, "Draedus contact, incoming hostiles" ... the entire fleet jumps away and somehow the Raptor ends up in space alone. Dunno if Bamber or Callis directed this one - has the feel of the show. 4 Galacticas out of 10.

DELETED SCENES

io9 posted these in October, and they're worth a revisit. The Kara/Athena scene is crucial - too bad it hit the editing room floor. The fade out of Head-Six was a travesty - good they cut that. The Boomer mea culpa to the 2-6-8 faction was illuminating and added depth, a pity that was shorn. Chief chokes out Callie was less elegant than having Tory off her - good choice there.

RETURN OF LORD IBLIS?

There seems to be a strong focus on Baltar and Head-Six for the final run of episodes, and now Baltar is sporting some devilish facial hair. Is Lord Iblis going to manifest in him? Is Head-Six an archangel or a servant of the sinister?

And could this be their baby all grow'd up?

FINAL CYLON - ROBOT CHICKEN STYLE

Those nutty geniuses over at Robot Chicken have revealed not only their pick for the Final Cylon, but how Ron Moore made the careful choices he did in selecting them.

CLUES: 7 DOWN, 23 TO GO . . . . . .

Ron Moore and Sci-Fi are ladeling out the clues prior to the January 16th air-date on the official site You Will Know the Truth. There have been 7 so far, with 23 more to go the next 43 days. Here's what we've been given so far: 1-Quote, 2-Quote, 3-Audio Clip: Leoben asks Kara, "What is it? What does it mean?"

4-Video Clip: President Lee Adama Press Conference - blanked out audio of him saying something in response to a question asking the identity of the Fifth and Final Cylon, then regretting what he said. 5-Image: Black and white picture of a Cylon fetus floating in some sort of amniotic fluid or in mist with the red-light-spine glowy thing happening 6-Video Clip:Head-Six (in a teal dress) asks Baltar which of the Old Gods he would be and asks him to imagine what kind of man he would be if he took on the Old Gods 7-Image: Last Supper minus Roslin

ONE COOL CHICK

Everything you love about Katee Sackhoff, right here in this clip:

Oh, and it looks like you can cross Ellen off your Final Cylon list.

CONCEPT ART - ORIGINAL GALACTICA

Ain't It Cool News found this terrific Flickr set of images of original concept art for Battlestar Galactica. Wonderful images. It looked as though they were attempting to integrate a Star Wars aesthetic, with a little H.G. Wells, Dr. Who, and Fantastic Planet thrown in and certainly were paying homage to 60s sci-fi artist Robert McCall.

FINAL CYLON - BOON OR ANTICLIMAX?

io9's 'No Final Cylon Will Ever Be Good Enough' may be on to something ... or Ron Moore and company may surprise us with some excellent writing that lends meaning as to why the Final Cylon is the last to be revealed and why it is who it is.

So far season 4 has been very uneven, with the episodes Faith and Guess What's Coming to Dinner the high-points. The choices of Tigh, Tyrol, Tory and Anders (or TTTA as I like to call them) as 4 of the 5 were somewhat arbitrary according to some of the writers' own accounts of what went on in plotting for future episodes and actor Michael Hogan was open with displeasure at the choice for his character. But as Moore & Co. tie up the loose threads of BSG's epic story, one hopes they won't go for the boring (Adama, Helo or Lee), the obvious (Kara), the contrived (Ellen, Dualla, Zarek), the reaching for it (Callie, Zak Adama, Doc Cottle, Seelix) and do something daring (or rather did, as it's been like 2 years since they decided) ... something like making Head-Six the Final Cylon, or the rebel Hybrid, or the Galactica vessel itself. It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised, but the story arc they've set up points toward Roslin or Gaeta.

Battlestar Galactica has transitioned from a sleek, chic, sophisticated cerebral science fiction television show to a gritty, action-oriented war story. The miniseries and early episodes' spare evocative music and modern architecture, the adult and matter-of-fact dialog, the sense of danger and menace of an 'enemy within,' Head-Six, the scene of the little girl abandoned on the agro-ship and Dualla and Billie on the observation deck, Roslin's evolution into a leader on Colonial One ... these early high-points bespoke of a more refined, elegant type of science fiction drama. But now, closing in on the final episodes, it feels more like a military war movie - gray, worn, and weary. If the early part of Battlestar was the Ridley Scott brilliance and elegance of Alien, the latter half of the series is James Cameron's Aliens. Both excellent, but entirely different in their artistic presentation. If the end is the beginning, hopefully not only the story, but the look and feel of Battlestar Galactica will return to the look and feel of the miniseries.