Editing Daybreak, Part II
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===Musical Composition and Production=== | ===Musical Composition and Production=== | ||
*The nearly 100-minute score to "Daybreak" was described by composer [[Bear McCreary]] as potentially being re-titled "The | *The nearly 100-minute score to "Daybreak" was described by composer [[Bear McCreary]] as potentially being re-titled "The Battlestar Galactica Symphony." With all thematic material firmly established in previous episodes, McCreary took the opportunity to develop themes further than ever before, combining, fracturing, distorting, elongating, inverting and augmenting them in rewarding ways.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | ||
*McCreary's compositional process was different for this episode. Rather than scoring the most difficult scenes first as he typically would, he began with the very first cue and proceeded chronologically through the entire episode, completing it in a "blistering and virtually sleepless sixteen days."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | *McCreary's compositional process was different for this episode. Rather than scoring the most difficult scenes first as he typically would, he began with the very first cue and proceeded chronologically through the entire episode, completing it in a "blistering and virtually sleepless sixteen days."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | ||
*In an unprecedented move, the producers and McCreary each pitched in personally to fund the full orchestral score when budget constraints threatened to limit the music. Contributors included | *In an unprecedented move, the producers and McCreary each pitched in personally to fund the full orchestral score when budget constraints threatened to limit the music. Contributors included Ron Moore, David Eick, Jane Espenson, Michael Taylor, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Todd Sharp, Paul M. Leonard, and McCreary himself.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | ||
*The sequence where Kara enters the | *The sequence where Kara enters the jump coordinates required unprecedented collaboration between composer and editors. McCreary called editor Andy Seklir and co-producer Paul Leonard to request that they re-cut the scene to match his music - something that "basically never happens" in television scoring. The sequence was re-edited to align perfectly with McCreary's musical vision.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | ||
*The use of | *The use of Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" in the final scene was intended to underscore the concept that the song itself is an ethereal presence that becomes known to selected individuals across the universe and over the eons, bigger than any single person or group.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref> | ||
===Miscellaneous=== | ===Miscellaneous=== | ||
*The final scenes of this episode, in fast-forwarding through time and attempting to set the entire work as a backstory, make the ending similar to that of the film [[Wikipedia:How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]]. | *The final scenes of this episode, in fast-forwarding through time and attempting to set the entire work as a backstory, make the ending similar to that of the film [[Wikipedia:How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]]. | ||
* The constellation [[w:Ursa Major|Ursa Major]] (including the "[[w:Big Dipper|Big Dipper]]" [[w:Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]) appears briefly in this episode by mistake<ref>Revealed by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]] in his [http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/my-god-it-full-of-the-wrong-stars/ blog post].</ref>. It makes only the second appearance of a recognizable star pattern in the series, the first being Orion in "[[The Ties That Bind]] | * The constellation [[w:Ursa Major|Ursa Major]] (including the "[[w:Big Dipper|Big Dipper]]" [[w:Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]) appears briefly in this episode by mistake<ref>Revealed by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]] in his [http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/my-god-it-full-of-the-wrong-stars/ blog post].</ref>. It makes only the second appearance of a recognizable star pattern in the series, the first being Orion in "[[The Ties That Bind]]" (Orion is also visible twice in this episode). | ||
* Adama's statement that New Earth is "one million light years" from Kobol must be taken as exaggeration or an error. The Milky Way is 100,000 light years across, and earlier statements in the show indicate that it takes considerable time to travel much shorter distances. | * Adama's statement that New Earth is "one million light years" from Kobol must be taken as exaggeration or an error. The Milky Way is 100,000 light years across, and earlier statements in the show indicate that it takes considerable time to travel much shorter distances. | ||
** [[Kevin Grazier]] confirmed that Adama's "million light years" comment is meant metaphorically instead of literally, in essence saying the Colonials have come an unthinkable distance to reach their new home. | ** [[Kevin Grazier]] confirmed that Adama's "million light years" comment is meant metaphorically instead of literally, in essence saying the Colonials have come an unthinkable distance to reach their new home. | ||
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* Cavil's suicide, in the way it is framed and executed, closely mirrors the televised 1987 suicide of American politician [[w:Budd Dwyer|Budd Dwyer]]. | * Cavil's suicide, in the way it is framed and executed, closely mirrors the televised 1987 suicide of American politician [[w:Budd Dwyer|Budd Dwyer]]. | ||
* Adama's drunken moment, where he sits against a wall, vomits, and then looks up at the night sky, echoes [[w:Oscar Wilde|Oscar Wilde]]'s famous aphorism: ''We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.'' | * Adama's drunken moment, where he sits against a wall, vomits, and then looks up at the night sky, echoes [[w:Oscar Wilde|Oscar Wilde]]'s famous aphorism: ''We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.'' | ||
* Though it was never explicitly stated in the Miniseries or after, it seems that Tigh was indeed planning to retire whenever Adama decided to leave the Colonial Military. The flashbacks in this episode to Saul and Ellen Tigh in the bar make it clear that Tigh is planning on following Adama out of the service. However Adama, as viewers come to see, decides ultimately to finish out his last years as the CO of ''Galactica'' despite reservations. Tigh obviously followed. This also sheds more light on Tigh's eventual estrangement from Ellen - which was where their relationship was at in the miniseries. The bitterness she doubtless felt at Tigh once again choosing Bill Adama over her was probably a factor in not only her noted loose | * Though it was never explicitly stated in the Miniseries or after, it seems that Tigh was indeed planning to retire whenever Adama decided to leave the Colonial Military. The flashbacks in this episode to Saul and Ellen Tigh in the bar make it clear that Tigh is planning on following Adama out of the service. However Adama, as viewers come to see, decides ultimately to finish out his last years as the CO of ''Galactica'' despite reservations. Tigh obviously followed. This also sheds more light on Tigh's eventual estrangement from Ellen - which was where their relationship was at in the miniseries. The bitterness she doubtless felt at Tigh once again choosing Bill Adama over her was probably a factor in not only her noted loose behaviour, but their growing estrangement before the war. | ||
*It is not entirely clear when in Adama's career he decided to pursue the idea of a civilian job as seen in both parts of "Daybreak". Dialogue during the lie detector test scene suggests Adama has been given his orders to command ''Galactica'', but is considering resigning before taking up the post. However, Adama notes in his initial interview with his prospective employer in the previous episode that he has already commanded two battlestars. One of these is obviously ''[[Valkyrie]]'', but it is not clear if Adama is already referring to ''Galactica'' as the second command (which could also suggest he is already commanding ''Galactica'' at the time this flashback is set and is considering his resignation when on leave from that ship), or to another battlestar that Adama once commanded but has never been mentioned before. | *It is not entirely clear when in Adama's career he decided to pursue the idea of a civilian job as seen in both parts of "Daybreak". Dialogue during the lie detector test scene suggests Adama has been given his orders to command ''Galactica'', but is considering resigning before taking up the post. However, Adama notes in his initial interview with his prospective employer in the previous episode that he has already commanded two battlestars. One of these is obviously ''[[Valkyrie]]'', but it is not clear if Adama is already referring to ''Galactica'' as the second command (which could also suggest he is already commanding ''Galactica'' at the time this flashback is set and is considering his resignation when on leave from that ship), or to another battlestar that Adama once commanded but has never been mentioned before. | ||
*When the Colony's Hybrids shut down, Cavil states that one of the Final Five did it, to which a Doral says it must be Anders, indicating he knows about the Final Five, which means Cavil must have lifted his ban on knowledge of the five among the other Cylon models, presumably after their identities became known during the Cylon Civil War. Doral's comment also indicates some knowledge of the technical specialties of the five or awareness that Anders' mental state could force the others to put him in a Hybrid bath. His knowledge could be based on intel from Boomer, though she escaped before Anders was connected to the stream, and the last she would have known he was in a coma. | *When the Colony's Hybrids shut down, Cavil states that one of the Final Five did it, to which a Doral says it must be Anders, indicating he knows about the Final Five, which means Cavil must have lifted his ban on knowledge of the five among the other Cylon models, presumably after their identities became known during the Cylon Civil War. Doral's comment also indicates some knowledge of the technical specialties of the five or awareness that Anders' mental state could force the others to put him in a Hybrid bath. His knowledge could be based on intel from Boomer, though she escaped before Anders was connected to the stream, and the last she would have known he was in a coma. | ||