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Hybrid utterances

2010-07-01T06:17:07Z

Skooma:

[[Hybrid]]s, the central computer of a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|baseship]], appear to constantly '''utter incoherent phrases and thoughts''', punctuated by what seem to be computer or system observations, results, or instructions of the basestar's operation.<ref>The behavior of speaking with little pause in an incoherent fashion is a condition known as [[w:Logorrhoea|logorrhoea]], and is generally considered a type of illness in humans. This differs from [[w:glossolalia|glossolalia]]: constant nonsensical speech, and [[w:xenoglossy|xenoglossy]]: speaking in a language not ordinarily known by the speaker. Glossolalia is also known as "speaking in tongues." While the Hybrid speaks the same common language as the humanoid Cylons and Colonials, the content of her speech contacts religious and prophetic messages related to the series storylines as classic glossolalia is claimed to exhibit.</ref> Despite their seemly nonsensical nature, they sometimes seem to relate to the wider world around them, perhaps with a prophetic nature. [[Number Two]]s believe that the Hybrid's words have religious significance.

=== Various Hybrids ===
[[Gaius Baltar]] and [[humanoid Cylon]]s are present when one Hybrid is speaking:

* ''Two protons expelled at each coupling site creates the mode of force, the embryo becomes a fish that we don't enter until a plate, we're here to experience evolve the little toe, atrophy, don't ask me how I'll be dead in a thousand light years, thank you, thank you. Genesis turns to its source, reduction occurs stepwise though the essence is all one. End of line. FTL system check, diagnostic functions within parameters repeats the harlequin the agony exquisite, the colors run the path of ashes, neuronal network run fifty-two percent of heat exchanger cross-collateralized with hyper-dimensional matrix, upper senses, repair ordered relay to zero zero zero zero.'' ([[Torn]])
* ''Mists of dreams drip along the nascent echo and love no more. End of line.''
* ''The five lights of the apocalypse rising struggling towards the light, the sins revealed only to those who enter the temple only to the chosen one.'' (Staring at Baltar:)'' The chosen one. The chosen one. The chosen one. The chosen one.'' ([[The Eye of Jupiter]])
** (alternate version: ''The Final Five revealed only to those who enter the temple only to the chosen one.'') ([[Rapture]])
* ''One degree angle nominal. Seascape portrait of the woman child cavern of the soul. Under pressure-heat ratio ides of evolutions have buried their fears.''
* ''Gestalt therapy and escape clauses.''
* ''Throughout history the nexus between man and machine has spun some of the most dramatic, compelling and entertaining fiction.''<ref>This "[[w:Fourth wall|fourth wall]]" dialogue references the drama of man/machine conflicts in science fiction as seen in the ''Battlestar'' series' themselves as well as movies and novels such ''[[w:The Terminator|The Terminator]]'', ''[[w:I, Robot|I, Robot]]'' and ''[[w:The Matrix|The Matrix]]''.</ref>
* (Grasping Baltar) ''Intelligence. A mind that burns like a fire.''
* ''Find the hand that lies in the shadow of the light. In the eye of the husband of the eye of the cow.''<ref>These two lines are quoted in the music for "[[Rapture]]" as [[Music of Battlestar Galactica (RDM)#Temple of Five theme|theme for the Temple of Five]] and sung in Latin.</ref> ([[The Passage]])

At least one Hybrid has spoken utterances that suggest a knowledge of the 'activation' of the [[Final Five]]:
* ''The excited state decays by vibrational relaxation into the first excited singlet state. Yes, yes and merrily we go. Reduce atmospheric nitrogen by 0.03%. It is not much consolation that society will pick up the bits, leaving us at eight modern where punishment, rather than interdiction, is paramount. Please, cut the fuse. They will not harm their own. End of line. Limiting diffusions to two dimensions increases the number of evolutionary jumps within the species. Rise and measure [[Temple of Hopes|the temple of the five]]. Transformation is the goal. They will not harm their own. [[Data-font]] synchronization complete.'' ([[Six of One]])

A Hybrid aboard a basestar that oversaw the attack on the Colonies:

* ''Counting down. All functions nominal. All functions optimal. Counting down. The center holds. The falcon hears the falconer. Infrastructure, check. Wetware, check. Everyone hang on to the life bar, please.''<ref>This references the poem [[w:The Second Coming (poem)|The Second Coming]] by [[w:William Butler Yeates|William Butler Yeates]]: "Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world."</ref>

* ''Apotheosis was the beginning before the beginning. Devices on alert. Observe the procedures of a general alert. The base and the pinnacle. The flower inside the fruit that is both its parent and its child. Decadent as ancestors. The portal and that which passes.''

* ''Nuclear devices activated, and the machine keeps pushing time through the cogs, like paste into strings into paste again, and only the machine keeps using time to make time to make time.''

* ''And when the machine stops, time was an illusion that we created free will. Twelve battles, three stars, and yet we are countless as the bodies in which we dwell, are both parent and infinite children in perfect copies. No degradation.''

* ''The makers of the makers fall before the child. Accessing defense system. Handshake, handshake. Second level clear.''

* ''Accepting scan. Love outlasts death.''

* ''Their ships fail. Skittering like skipped stones. Meaningless in the absence of time. What never was is never again.''

* ''Progress reports arriving. The farms of Aerolon are burning. The beaches of Canceron are burning. The plains of Leonis are burning. The jungles of Scorpia are burning. The pastures of Tauron are burning. The harbors of Picon are burning. The cities of Caprica are burning. The oceans of Aquaria are burning. The courthouses of Libran are burning. The forests of Virgon are burning. The Colonies of Man lie trampled at our feet.'' ([[The Plan]])

===Rebel Hybrid===
[[Kara Thrace]] travels to the rebel basestar to hear their Hybrid, whom [[Leoben]] believes will guide her on her quest for earth. She finds little sense in its ramblings:
* ''Then shall the maidens rejoice at the dance.''
* ''They'll start going ripe on us pretty soon.''
* ''Centrifugal force reacts to the rotating frame of reference.''
* ''The obstinate toy soldier becomes pliant.''
* ''The city devours the land, the people devour the city...''
* ''Intruders swarm like flame, like the whirlwind; Hopes soaring to slaughter all their best against our hulls.''
* ''All these things at once and many more, not because it wishes harm, because it likes violent vibrations to change constantly.''
* ''But you are a spark of God's fire.''
* ''The children of the one reborn shall find their own country.''
* ''Compartmentalize integrity conflicts with the obligation to provide access.''
* ''No ceremonies are necessary.''
* ''Contact is inevitable, leading to information bleed.''
* ''Assume the relaxation length of photons in the sample atmosphere is constant.''
Just as the Hybrid is being disconnected from its basestar she delivers one final, and unusually coherent, message to Thrace:
* ''Thus will it come to pass. A dying leader will know the truth of the [[Opera House]]. The missing [[Number Three|Three]] will give you the [[Final Five|Five]] who come from the home of the [[Earth (RDM)|Thirteenth]]. You are the harbinger of death, Kara Thrace. You will lead them all to their end. End of Line.'' ([[Faith]])
When President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] is informed of this message she goes to speak with the Hybrid ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]). She has little success talking to the Hybrid and does not get the answers she was expecting:
* ''Filters, Filters, the sublime elevation of the lifter and the filters''
* ''The wing beat of the dove drown out the heartbeat of those who follow the [[Number Six|Six]] is back in the stream.''
* ''The [[Natalie|Six]] who went among the makers is no longer.''
* ''Back in the stream that feeds the ocean that feeds the stream.''
* ''Such a format will close the door.''
* ''[[D'anna Biers|The three]] is online.''
* ''Protect the [[Hera Agathon|child]].''
* ''To remove the pump with the attached hose and wiring, simultaneously release the three tangs while pulling the pump out of the retainer along with the line and wiring.'' ([[The Hub]])

== First Hybrid ==
The [[first Hybrid]] also says several prophetic phrases, although this Hybrid's behavior displays far more coherence, grammatically. The First Hybrid also shows self-awareness, speaking in complete sentences when addressing [[Kendra Shaw]] ([[Razor]]).

* ''At last, they’ve come for me. I feel their lives, their destinies spilling out before me. The denial of the one true path, played out on a [[New Caprica|world not their own]], will end soon enough. Soon there will be [[Final Five|four, glorious in awakening]], struggling with the knowledge of their true selves, the pain of revelation bringing new clarity, and in the midst of confusion, [[Crossroads, Part II#Act_4|he will find her]]. Enemies brought together by impossible longing, enemies now [[Cylon Civil War#Proposed_Alliance_with_the_Humans|joined as one]]. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable. And the [[Ellen Tigh|fifth]], still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering. I can see them all. The [[Significant Seven|seven, now six]]<ref>At the time of this utterance, [[Number Three]] has not yet been [[Boxing|boxed]]</ref>, self-described machines who believe themselves without sin, but in time, it is sin that will consume them. They will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of the [[Cylon Civil War|one splintering into the many]], and then they will join [[Earth_(RDM)#A_New_Earth|the promised land]], gathered on the wings of an [[Kara Thrace|angel]]. Not an end, but a beginning.''
* ''Come in [[Kendra Shaw|Major]]. I've been waiting for you for a long time.''
* ''What am I, a man? Or am I a machine? My [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005#Guardians|children]] believe that I am a God.''
* ''I have seen[/can see] things. Your life, Kendra Shaw, the things you have done. The things [[Scylla|you felt you had to do]], all leading to this moment. You wish to be forgiven, my child. Do you wish to be forgiven? Then come closer, there's something I have to tell you. Come.''
* ''[[Kara Thrace]] will lead the human race to its end. She is the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death. They must not follow her.''
* ''As my own/lone existence comes to a close, only to begin anew, in ways uncertain.''
* ''All [of] this has happened before, and [it] will happen again...again...again...again...again...again...again...''

==Samuel Anders==
After a bullet penetrates his brain during [[Gaeta's Mutiny]] and the subsequent operation to remove the bullet from his brain, [[Samuel Anders]] is rendered comatose. Due to his Cylon nature, his brain functions allow him to become a form of Hybrid; he is first to mention [[The Colony]] and unlock the knowledge of the [[Final Five]]'s true nature, prior to the operation that renders him comatose and ultimately dependent on Cylon technologies. After his operation, members of the [[Significant Seven]] construct a Hybrid tank on ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' in the hopes of essentially restoring his mental abilities, ultimately becoming ''Galactica'''s Hybrid:

* ''The neuroanatomy of fear and faith share common afferent pathways. Flip a coin. Increased vascular pressure marks the threat response. Free will scuttles in the swamp of fear, do not fear the word. You are the harbinger of death Kara Thrace, you will lead them all to their end. End of line. New command. Resume function. Resume function. Resume function...''
* ''A closed system lacks the ability to renew itself. Knowledge alone is a poor primer...''
* ''End of line. Begin reintegration of right hemisphere subcommand routines ...patterns... the universe...sea... begin reintegration of command subroutines. There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, there's a hole in the bucket. A/the long view returns patterns and repetitions... all has happened before and all will happen again...''
* ''Spins and turns, angles and curves. The shape of dreams, half remembered. Slip the surly bonds of earth and touch the face of perfection - a perfect face, perfect lace. Find the perfect world for the end of Kara Thrace. End of line.''

During the [[Battle of the Colony]], Anders is seen responding to commands by [[Galen Tyrol]]:
* ''There are secrets within lies, answers within riddles. Lay off the ACS, you betcha Galen. Open your mind and hear what your heart wants to deny. End of line.''

After the Fleet's discovery of [[Earth (RDM)|the second Earth]], Anders navigates [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] into the planet's sun. When Anders' wife [[Kara Thrace]] says goodbye, he simply responds, "[[Maelstrom|See you on the other side]]."

==The Colony Hybrid==
Once [[Samuel Anders]] begins to communicate with The Colony's (Chief?) Hybrid, she utters one line before deactivating the defenses:

* ''Look through the eye to know thyself.''

This could be interpretted as she was herself looking within and shutting down the defneses, after realizing the truth of one of the Final Five's return.

==Rebel Hybrid's Message deciphered==
Some of what the rebel hybrid has said has come to pass and has been revealed.

What it said about the Dying Leader and the Opera House referes to Roslin and her visions but that has not been resolved yet. The truth behind what it said about Kara being the Harbinger of Death may refer to her part in the destruction of the Resurrection Hub but this too is unclear. However, the part about the Three leading them to the Five that come from the home of the Thirteenth is now clear and makes sense: D'Anna Biers saw the faces of the Final Five in the Temple of Five. She is ultimately unboxed and is able to lead them to four of the five with the identity of the fifth being discovered at Earth.

It is learned that the Final Five in fact ''come'' from Earth as they were born there and the Thirteenth Tribe are Cylons who were apparently created on Kobol. They came to the Colonies to help us after they had their own nuclear holocaust and had their real memories blocked by Cavil and were placed among humans with no knowledge of their true identities.

Many of the Rebel Hybrid's messages may also reference the ''Book of Jeremiah'' from the Old Testament. The ''Book of Jeremiah'' deals with themes of Judaism vs Paganism, Prophets and prophecy, destruction of home, and a main character overwhelmed by his task - concurrent with many of the themes in the show. Roslin later ''did'' come to know the truth of the [[Opera House Prophecy]]: it was a vision that came true in the final episode with Athena, Roslin, Baltar and Caprica Six protecting Hera during the [[Battle of The Colony]], but their actions exactly mirrored that of the vision except they were on ''Galactica'' and not in the Opera House although they did flash to that vision several times.

The room with the Final Five in it turned out to be ''Galactica's'' CIC and the Final Five were in similar positions on the balcony to the ones they were in in the vision.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Cylons]]
[[Category:Cylons (RDM)]]
[[Category:Figures of Speech]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Miniseries, Analysis

2009-02-05T01:04:19Z

Skooma: Nicholas Tyrol is not Tyrol's child and thus just another human baby as of "A Disquiet Follow My Soul".

:''For articles on the Miniseries story see [[Miniseries, Night 1]] and [[Miniseries, Night 2]]''

{{Episode Data
| image = Nukes in Miniseries.jpg
| title= Miniseries
| special= Y
| series=
| season=
| episode=
| guests=''[[Miniseries#Guest Stars|See list on Page 1.]]''
| writer= [[Ronald D. Moore]]<br />[[Christopher Eric James]]
| story= [[Glen A. Larson]]
| director= [[Michael Rymer]]
| production= Pilot
| rating= 3.2 (night one); 3.8 (night two)
| US airdate= 8 December 2003
| UK airdate= 17 February 2004
| dvd= {{Miniseries, Part I NTSC DVD release date}} '''US'''<br /> {{Miniseries, Part I PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
| population=
| prev= None
| next= [[33]]
}}

== Notes ==
* The Miniseries was initially broadcast in 2 two-hour segments. During re-broadcast (such as with the UK's Sky One channel), the two halves were combined into a single 3-hour 56-minute "film".
* Initially, there were 12 [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestars]], one representing each colony. ''Galactica'' represented [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]]. These were built with antiquated technologies, as were their fighter craft, to avoid the Cylon's tactical advantage of disrupting complex electrical and computer equipment.
* Networked computers were susceptible to Cylon infiltration, forcing the Colonials to react by reducing their dependence on technology.
* The [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] has been greatly expanded since then, with as many as 120 battlestars. Practically all [[Mercury class battlestar|other]] battlestars were more advanced than ''Galactica.''
* As the Colonials became more confident of their security, integrated systems were re-introduced to their civilian and military craft.
* The Cylons believe monothestically, in [[God (RDM)|God]], whereas the Colonials believe in a pantheon of gods mirroring the twelve Olympian gods of Greek mythology.
* Cylons are also called "[[toaster]]s", mainly for their original appearance (a nod to the Original Series).
* All pilots have call signs.
* Commander [[Nash]] was ''Galactica's'' first Commanding Officer.
* The scene in which [[Cami]] awaits her death on the [[Botanical Cruiser]] visually echoes the infamous "[[Wikipedia:Daisy (television commercial)|Daisy]]" television advertisement from [[Wikipedia:Lyndon B. Johnson| Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s 1964 campaign against [[Wikipedia:Barry Goldwater|Barry Goldwater]].
* At the time Roslin's convoy is discovered by [[Cylon Raider]]s, it consists of about 60 ships in total, but only about 40 are able to make the jump to [[Ragnar Anchorage]].
* The role of the doctor who offered Roslin the diagnosis of breast cancer was offered to [[Richard Hatch]] as a cameo; Hatch declined the role, later to take the role of [[Tom Zarek]].
* Original drafts of the Miniseries referenced [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] as the current homeworld of the humans. This was revised to the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]] in keeping with the original concept.
* The woman portraying [[Ellen Tigh|Ellen]] in the picture Tigh burns with a cigar is executive producer [[David Eick]]'s wife, Jennifer. (Ellen Tigh would later appear in the episode, "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]", played by actress Kate Vernon.)
* The last said line of the Miniseries, "[[By your command]]," was not added until the final draft, after a friend of Ronald D. Moore commented that it wouldn't be ''Battlestar Galactica'' without it being said somewhere.

== Analysis ==
=== Noted Changes from the Original ===
* The basic story is still present: robotic [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] surprisingly attack the Colonies resulting in a holocaust, thus forcing a "rag-tag, fugitive fleet" to coalesce around the last surviving [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]], ''[[Galactica]]'', to seek a mythical [[Earth (RDM)|Thirteenth Colony]] where refugees hope to find shelter from the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]. However, many of the fine details are changed, such as:
** The Cylons were created by Humanity, not by a reptilian race (also called [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylons]]) who hated Humanity.
** Battlestar ''Galactica'' is a 50-year-old relic on the verge of decommission.
** The names of "Apollo", "Boomer", and "Starbuck" are changed to call signs. Most characters have standard first and last names; some first names were not given until later in the series, such as [[Felix Gaeta|Felix Gaeta's]] or [[Anastasia Dualla|Anastasia Dualla's]].
** The futuristic (and often confusing) terminology used to denote distances, measuring, and time in the original series has been replaced with understandable terminology. For instance, "year" was replaced with "yahren" in the original.
** The ship designs, save for some revisions to the [[Viper (RDM)|Mk. II Viper]] and ''[[Galactica]]'' and a few noteworthy background ships (such as the [[Gemenon Traveler]] and the [[Botanical Cruiser]]), have been redone.
** The [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] is not mentioned in the miniseries, and is apparently supplemented by a government body similar to the United States [[WikiPedia:executive branch|executive branch]]. There is a president, vice president, and secretaries. The Quorum does not make an appearance until episode 1.11 ([[Colonial Day]]).
** Instead of the other-worldly, Egyptian-esque clothing and city designs (i.e. pyramids) seen in the original, the clothing and cities are more contemporary in design and function.
* The relationships and characters from the original have been changed as well.
** [[Boomer (TOS)|Boomer]], who was played as a male character by [[Herb Jefferson Jr.]] in the original, is now the call-sign of a female Lieutenant [[Sharon Valerii]] ([[Grace Park]]).
** [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]], who was played as a male character by [[Dirk Benedict]] in the original, is now the call-sign of a female Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace]] ([[Katee Sackhoff]])
** "Adama", "Tigh", and "Baltar" are now surnames.
** The character of [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]], potrayed by [[Lorne Greene]] in the original, now is known as [[William Adama|William "Husker" Adama]] ([[Edward James Olmos]]). He is a man about to retire, is estranged from his son [[Lee Adama|Lee]]. Adama's beliefs are far more secular than his TOS counterpart.
** [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]], portrayed by [[Original Series]] star and continuation activist [[Richard Hatch]], is the call sign of [[Lee Adama]] ([[Jamie Bamber]]). He is a flawed character who is estranged from his father, believing him to be ultimately responsible for the death of [[Zak Adama]], and is questioning his life's choices.
** [[Baltar (TOS)|Baltar]], who was willingly complicit in the destruction of the Colonies due to his thirst for power, is now a scientific genius named [[Gaius Baltar]]. Unlike the imposing, methodical and mischievous Baltar (portrayed by the late [[John Colicos]]), Gaius ([[James Callis]]) is a cowardly, narcissistic, egotistical man whose womanizing is his Achilles' heel. His betrayal of the human race was due mostly to his lust, or perhaps love, for a woman who turns out to be a [[Number Six|Cylon agent]], whom he allowed unfettered access to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]] prior to the attacks.
** The character of Colonel [[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]], portrayed by [[Terry Carter]], is now separated from his wife and seeing out the rest of his career from inside a bottle in the form of Colonel [[Saul Tigh]] ([[Michael Hogan]]) who hasn't seen military action in a long while.
* The show has taken a more realistic turn. [[Naturalistic science fiction|Realistic science]], which was painfully absent in the original series, is applied in this series.
* Certain models of Cylons appear human, right down to the blood -- it takes complex tests just to screen for these [[humanoid Cylon]]s. This generates some very disturbing questions. For one, the Cylons have now managed to merge in with human society, making it easier to manipulate from within. This mirrors terrorist methods of infiltration and delivering destructive results to heavy population centers (à la suicide bombers). It also brings up interesting questions regarding cross-species mating: Can the human-form Cylons mate with their human creators? ([[Hera Agathon|Answer]]

=== Plot and Character Analyses ===

Since plot and character are so intertwined, both will be covered here.

==== Armistice Station ====

The [[Armistice Station]] serves to understand the conflict between the Cylons and humanity. It also introduces the viewer to the new Cylons and breaks away from conventions set in science fiction. Instead of storming the station, the Cylons use a copy of [[Number Six]] and sexually assault the [[Armistice Officer]]. The question is, why is the Armistice Officer assaulted sexually instead of physically? The answer is three fold:

# This defies those who would make the claim that ''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' is a "rip-off" of ''Star Wars''; the same claim that was made against the Original Series.
# It shows that the Cylons understand the devastating effect of sexual molestation. A human would expect for a Cylon to attack humanity in this way.
# There is a drive within the Cylons to understand and ''experience'' the sensations of being ''truly'' alive.

The station is soon destroyed by a [[Basestar (RDM)|Cylon basestar]]. Though this is a dramatic blow, it does seem rather unnecessary from a logical point of view. The Cylons present are more than enough to subdue the Armistice Officer and be able to keep the station for future purposes. The action may be symbolic, the end of the armistice.

==== Commander William Adama ====

With ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica's]]'' future being a museum piece with gift shops, Commander Adama is ready to retire, albeit reluctantly. Adama heads to retirement with trepidation, unsure of what he would do with the remainder of his life. His crew will ultimately be disbanded and good-byes abound. There is a sense of a ship seeing its last days, despite some of the joy that some of the crew members have in continuing their military careers. Adama is presented with his reconditioned Viper, found rusting in a junkyard on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]], as well as a picture of himself and his two sons when he was younger. This is a touching moment, demonstrating the crew's affection for him as a person. It also establishes Adama's legitimacy as a war-hardened commander in the series.

At [[Ragnar Anchorage]] Adama very quickly deduces that [[Leoben Conoy]] is actually a Cylon, though this is supposedly a novelty for mankind. His apparent knowledge about [[silica pathways]] and the implication that the humans built the anchorage in the storm cloud on purpose because of its radiation, indicates that mankind knew ''something'' about the [[humanoid Cylons]]. Although this seems like a plot hole at that point, it is later explained to a certain extent. The [[Razor Flashbacks|"Razor" webisodes]] shows a young William Adama during the [[First Cylon War]]. He was shot down on the last day of the war and happens upon a facility where the Cylons experimented on humans, which then fell into Colonial hands. From this it seems like that Adama had some classified knowledge about Cylon evolution. Furthermore, Adama's family was involved in the creation of the first Cylons (see ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' spin-off series).

==== Starbuck & Tigh's Card Fight ====

The "card fight" between Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace]] and Colonel [[Saul Tigh]] sparked a bit of controversy in the fan community before it aired. In the original draft, [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] got off free without being thrown in the brig. However, given the fan's astute observation of a disturbing lack of disciplinary action against Starbuck for striking a superior, the aftermath was changed.

The scene demonstrates Starbuck's mistrust of authority and the antagonistic relationship between [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] and herself. The touch of classic Starbuck elements, i.e. the gambling and [[fumarello]] smoking, is a nice homage to the original that fits in nicely. [[Katee Sackhoff]]'s portrayal tells viewers that this isn't the same mischievous Starbuck from the original, as she is clearly unbalanced. (Information on Thrace's past and family comes later in "[[Flesh and Bone]]" and "[[The Farm]]".)

Tigh himself comes off as a grouchy, inebriated old man who has seen his glory days, which hammers home the fact that the good ship ''Galactica'' is seeing its last days. When he puts Starbuck in the brig, she knows she's stepped over the line -- but so has he, given that he flipped over the table first, starting the fight.

It also nicely puts Starbuck in a confined place from a story standpoint, allowing other characters to be introduced.

==== Laura Roslin's Cancer Storyline ====

The cancer story line for the Secretary of Education [[Laura Roslin]] at first seemed a bit over-the-top, detracting from the main story. (Later Season 1 and early Season 2 episodes regarding the [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I|search for Earth's location]] and Roslin's role better define why her illness is significant.) Having the cancer story-line helps show that smaller tragedies don't cease simply because another one looms ahead. It also reveals Roslin's vulnerability and puts her character in a realistic ethical conundrum, where she is more concerned about her own well-being when billions of people have been victims of the Cylon genocide.

==== The Infanticide Debate ====

One of the more emotional and argued points in the whole Miniseries is not the sex changes of two main characters, and certainly not the major change in the Cylons, but the incident where [[Number Six]] kills an infant in the market place. The question during the debate focused on the immorality of the act and was purported by those against the Re-imagining as being an indicator that the source material wasn't being taken seriously.

The intent of the act was never questioned. It is simply assumed that Number Six kills the baby out of cold blood. The doubt of Number Six's intent, or possible lack thereof, still surrounds this scene. It is obvious that Number Six is puzzled by the frailty of the baby and questions as to how the neck could support the weight of the baby's head. Many items can be deduced from that scene, a few follow:

# It is a deliberate act. Cold and ruthless. Nothing more.
# Number Six has feelings and is rational. Due to her knowledge of the impending attack and the expectation that the entire human race could be eradicated, could the act be merciful?
# Could it be an act of spite? In "[[33]]", her mental image asks [[Gaius Baltar]] if he wants children. Which again brings up the question about human and Cylon compatibility regarding procreation.
# Could it be a simple lack of knowledge? If so, the infanticide is accidental, and Number Six has no way of knowing.
# She does demonstrate curiosity as to how much the neck could support. Could the death be an unethical experiment on her part?
# Knowing that the Cylon nuclear attack is near, she does not see any difference between killing an infant at that moment to satisfy her own curiosity as compared to waiting a short while for it to die by nuclear holocaust.

The most disturbing aspect of the whole debate lies in the assumption that a single act of infanticide is unacceptable, whereas the genocide of the entire human race (including born and unborn infants) by Cylon hands seems to be more palatable.

==== The "Glowing Spine" Scene ====

One of the major inconsistencies in the Miniseries is gleaned from this scene. The fact is established that humanoid Cylons are, for all intents and purposes, organic. Also established is, even with the most thorough of tests, it is initially almost impossible to screen human from Cylon (this changes with Baltar's working [[Cylon detector]] later in the series). What causes the spine to glow? It certainly isn't a human reaction to sex. Since the Cylons went to the very painstaking process of creating an undetectable humanoid Cylon model, it is conceivable that glowing spinal columns -- and more to the point the chemicals that would cause the aforementioned reaction -- would arouse undue suspicion and thwart Cylon plans.

One possible explanation for the glowing spine would be that it is the act of Number Six transferring some part of herself into Baltar, as evidenced later. However, this explanation is highly speculative. Furthermore, the Caprica copy of Boomer has a glowing spine when having sex with Helo in a later episode.

Considering Baltar seems to be the only person qualified to work on distinguishing Cylon from human, it may be that he is not smart enough to look in the right places (after all he has not found other Cylon hallmarks, such as a transponder -- if it exists) or, being influenced by Six, unwilling to look in the right places, knowledgeable of it (but unwilling to come forward with the information), or some combination of all three.

'''''Note:''' Comments from members of the production crew have since suggested that the only reason the glowing spine was included was that it "looked cool" at the time, and in retrospect, may have been a mistake. According to the novelization, the spines glow in the infrared spectrum.''

=== Nods ===

* The ''Firefly''-class ship ''Serenity'' from the sci-fi series ''Firefly'' makes a brief appearance. It can be seen flying above [[Laura Roslin]] when she is about to hear her prognosis of breast cancer on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]].
* The fanfare just prior to [[William Adama|Commander Adama's]] speech is taken from [[Stu Phillips]]'s theme for the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] and is actually the Colonial anthem.
* The pilot [["Jolly" Anders|Jolly]] makes a brief (verbal) appearance, just prior to the Cylon's massacre of the squad led by [[Jackson Spencer]], ''Galactica's'' previous [[CAG]]. It is not the same actor that played [[Jolly (TOS)|Jolly]] in the original.
* The original [[Cylon Basestar]] and the original [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005]] can be briefly seen in ''Galactica's'' museum.
* A sword carried by the Centurions in the Original Series is one of the weapons in Commander Adama's collection.
* President [[Laura Roslin]] makes a point of calling [[Lee Adama]] "Captain Apollo", saying that it has a nice ring to it.
* During the attack, ''[[Colonial One|Colonial Heavy 798]]'' assists Gemenon Liner Seventeen-oh-one (1701). This is a nod to [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore's]] work on ''Star Trek''.
* The last lottery number chosen by Sharon Valerii and Helo to rescue a Caprican refugee is "[[Numerology#47|47]]", another in-joke to the ''Star Trek'' series.
* The original [[Wikipedia:USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)]] is seen in the final shot of the fleet at the end of the Miniseries. This is yet another ''Star Trek'' allusion.
* Prior to [[Number Six]]'s meeting with an unknown person in the park, the kids playing in the background wore masks of Cylon Centurions from the original series and were waving mock versions of the swords those same Centurions had.
*The very last line of the Miniseries is the phrase "By your command"; the affirmation from the [[Cylons (TOS)|Original Series Cylons]].

== Official Statements ==
=== Edward James Olmos' (EJO) Statements Regarding the Miniseries ===
After the announcement of Edward James Olmos' involvement in the miniseries, portraying a role that was previously done by Canadian actor Lorne Greene, many fans contacted him. As is evidenced by the quotes before, Olmos demonstrates his honesty and reaction to the mail, most of which could be classified as fairly negative.

From his [http://hometown.aol.com/ejowebmistress/ official website]:

*"I must say one thing and will say this very clearly. If you are a person who really has a strict belief in the original, I would not advise that you watch this program...We really don't stand true to the kind of characters that were built around the original. It definitely does break the mold. Some of the characters' names are the same, but the intent and the way that we are building the reality is completely not the reality that was built in the original." -- 7/03

*"I'm going to be the first one to say it really clearly. Please tell your readers, do not watch this program...[P]eople get really, really angry. You've got to remember that this is a show that was only on . . . in the late '70s, and to this day has a very strong fan base. Tens of thousands of people who write to each other for 25 years over a program that is not on the air and is not even being rerun.<br/>
* "They didn't want this at all, and I didn't know any of this. . . . All of a sudden, my e-mails went through the roof. Suddenly I was accused of teaming up with Ron Moore and creating just a slap in the face of all these people, and I didn't want to slap anybody."

*"Trust me, don't watch it. If you are a real, real staunch 'Battlestar Galactica' person, don't watch it. . . . Just don't write to me, all right? I warned you. I was honest."

*"I've gotten some really strong, strong mail. . . . They're really bitter. They're very angry. And I know the Sci Fi Channel wants to say that everybody's going to enjoy it. They're not."

=== Comments from [[David Eick]] ===

"The goals of the mini series were nothing short of reinventing the science fiction genre. We wanted to present people in a catastrophic situation, in the wake of a tragedy, responding as human beings actually would through the prism of the science fiction genre."

=== Regarding Miniseries Ratings ===

"I think going into it, we all wondered. you know, what the audience numbers were going to be, especially given all the internet, sort of, controversy and the general, sort of, [something] about what we were doing and people objecting. And was it going to be a failure or was it not.

"The first night's numbers were good, but not great. We were waiting to see what the drop-off would be, because there was always a drop off on the second night. And the ratings actually went up." -- Ron D. Moore [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

=== Regarding Roslin's Refusal to Leave Her Nascent Fleet ===

{{from_RDM_blog}}

:Someone recently asked:
:"In the mini series, when the [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon fighters]] are approaching ''[[Colonial One]]'' (just before [[Lee Adama|Lee]] saves the day with the EM pulse), [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] refuses to run and leave the other civilian ships to their doom... Yet she articulated no alternative plan. What was she hoping to do? It just seemed as though she planned to sit there and hope for the best, refusing to budge from the principle of not leaving defenseless people behind, even if that meant her own virtual suicide. It was an odd moment, she had been so decisive and clear headed up to then, and after that. (sic)

:What were her motivations, did she even have a plan? I still find this moment a little jarring and hard to explain away. I guess it does serve as a contrast to her later decision to leave [[Cami|Cammy]] (sic) etc behind. Thanks for your insights into this issue."

:[[Ronald D. Moore|RDM]]: Can we talk? Let's be honest here. The show is not perfect. There are compromises made all the time; some for budgetary reasons, some are for political reasons, some are for no reason at all except that the writer could not, or would not, make the changes necessary to resolve a story point.

:Such is The Case of Laura Roslin and the Incoming Cylon.

:The above writer's observation is absolutely correct. Laura, by all rights and all sensible reasoning, should not obstinately stay when it's known for a fact that a Cylon missile is incoming, probably has a nuclear warhead and oh, by the way, she has no armament aboard her ship that would allow her even the remote chance of a possible last-minute, brilliant tactical move which might theoretically prevent the destruction of her ship and her presidency. Her refusal to leave, to jump away from the impending, obvious threat can be interpreted as an irrational flaw in her character, a case of emotion trumping intellect, or it can be more correctly interpreted simply as a flaw in the script, an accepted error that the writer chooses to ignore in favor of other competing interests of character and plot which take priority in a given moment.

:In this case, I felt that the dramatic moment required that Laura make a commitment to staying with her people, and to her nascent fleet, heedless of the consequence and resolute in her decision, even though it meant her certain doom. It was her instinctive response to the situation, her id's judgment, so to speak, that I was interested in, as well as the simpler plot device of having Lee swoop in and save them at the last moment just at the point you'd forgotten he was even there. Neither impulse is wrong, per se, but the error is in my choosing not to expand the moment and its aftermath in order to play out her realization of just how stupid a choice that was.

:If, at some point following the resolution of the crisis, Laura realized that she let her emotional reaction to the situation lead her into making a bad decision which was only saved by the providential intervention of Lee, then the scene would've accomplished everything I had hoped for in the moment as well as providing Laura with a character-building scene where the new president's first major decision nearly got them all killed. It would've been a way to both emphasize her fallibility and the fact that she can't afford to lead with her heart any longer. Her subsequent decision to leave the sublight ships behind, abandoning them to their destruction by the Cylons, would've also been informed by this experience and had a richer, even more textured component to it.

:In the end, it's not a fatal error in the script, and the moment passes by without comment for the most part, but it is something that nags at me whenever I see the sequence and which, frankly, bothered me at the time. So why didn't I fix it? A variety of answers present themselves, from time pressure to budgets, but the truth is, I knew that the emotional, dramatic moment would carry the audience through the scene and that people would be more invested in watching Lee take out the Cylon missile than in examining Laura's decision-making, so I opted to leave it alone rather than make the necessary page cuts and possible budget cuts needed to accommodate additional beats on this one point. It was probably the correct decision in the end, because the moment works and you move on as you're watching the show. However, being a television writer means not only having to make compromises and less than perfect decisions all the time, but as an additional penalty you get to always be reminded of the errors you've accepted when you watch the final product.

:Good catch by an attentive member of the audience.

:Damn you.

=== Additional Comments ===

* ''"Don't know if this has been addressed elsewhere already: Do [[Lee Adama|Apollo]] and [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] already know each other at the start of the show? I recently reviewed the mini and noticed that in the [[Ready Room]] scene where Apollo is introduced and told he will fly [[William Adama|Husker's]] [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]], when first introduced, Helo waves and Lee gives him one of those "oh, hey!" looks of familiarity, then when Lee isn't thrilled about flying his dad's Viper, Helo is the only one who *doesn't* look confused, he just smiles and turns back around."''

:I don't think they knew each other prior to the pilot. Lee probably had never set foot on the ''[[Galactica]]'' before then. I think the look was something improvised on the set. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:: '''Wikipedian's Note:''' It is likely Helo knew Apollo through [[Kara Thrace]].

* ''Regarding ''[[Galactica]]'' being hit by a [[Cylon]] nuke:''

:''Galactica'' was designed to withstand a nuclear hit. Don’t forget that nuclear weapons in space have a different impact than they do in the atmosphere. There’s not really a shock wave in space, it’s more the immediate blast, heat and radiation effects. ''Galactica'' is shielded against radiation. However, I’ll tell you that we’re going to get into that as the series goes on. '''That nuclear hit will come back to haunt them later; there will be consequences to what happened to the ship structurally when it took that hit.''' We’re taking the approach conceptually on this show that we must live with things that have happened to us, and that there are consequences. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm] (boldface emphasis is by [[User:Joe.Beaudoin|Joe Beaudoin]])

===Interviews===

* '''[[Grace Park]] reflects on viewing the miniseries:'''

: I was completely was (''sic'') into the story. Only once in a while did I pop out and think, "Oh, look at those effects, They're so good."

: [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|The destruction of Caprica]] felt so [[Wikipedia:September 11th attacks|911]] -- the hopelessness of it. I remember back then watching [[Wikipedia:The Twin Towers|the towers]] fall over and over, and I remember how odd it was that a non-organic object exploding and how painful it was. And then there I was watching this and I'm crying, and I had to remind myself this time there weren't really people dying. But it really took me back there. [http://scifi.about.com/od/bgsonscifi/a/parkinter1.htm]

* '''[[Paul Campbell]] discusses how he got the part of [[Billy Keikeya]]:'''

: Yeah [I only tried out for Billy]. Yeah, I know there were a few actors that tried out for multiple parts but that was the only one I would have worked for. I’m certainly not a fighter pilot, and even though I could kick [[Tahmoh Penikett|Tahmoh]]’s ass in a heart beat, I didn’t want to embarrass him, since he’s a friend of mine. And he wouldn’t have done very well playing Billy, because he is just too tall for Dualla. So, I actually didn’t even meet any producers or anybody, I just read for the casting director, and that was it. I really had no idea when they were casting it how far it would go. I thought it was just going to be a few days on this miniseries. I hadn’t been a fan of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I was born in 1979, so I missed the boat. And I didn’t really understand what a cult following the original had had, and how much transfer there would probably be to the new show. So imagine my surprise when I found I was on this TV show that had been picked up.[http://mediablvd.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=84]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[zh:短剧分析]]

Hera Agathon

2008-07-11T21:40:50Z

Skooma: "Agathon" is ambiguous as there are 3 Agathons. Hera is more specific.

:''For information on the Lord of Kobol of the same name, see [[Hera, Lord of Kobol]].''
{{Character Data
|photo=Hera.jpg
|caption=Alexandra Thomas as Hera.
|photo 2=Hera Agathon.jpg
|caption 2=Lily Duong-Walton as Hera.
|age= Approximately two years old. <br/>Born [[Timeline (RDM) #Downloaded|9 months after]] the Cylon Attack ([[Downloaded]])
|colony=
|birthname= Hera; briefly named Isis
|servicen=
|callsign=
|seen= Downloaded
|death=
|parents= [[Sharon Agathon]] (biological mother) <br/> [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] (biological father) <br/> [[Maya]] (adoptive mother)
|siblings=
|children=
|marital status=
|role= "Lead the next generation of God's children"
|rank=
|actor= [[Lily Duong-Walton]], <br/> [[Alexandra Thomas]] (older Hera)
|hcylon= y
|name=
}}
'''Hera Agathon''' is the first successful Human/[[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] hybrid, the culmination of the Cylons' experiments to achieve viable procreation.

Her parents are the human Captain [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] and the Cylon Lieutenant [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]] of ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]''. Sharon Agathon (posing as [[Sharon Valerii|"Boomer" Valerii]]) initially takes part in a Cylon experiment to set up Karl into falling in love with and impregnating her.

This experiment is necessary because the forced cross-breeding experiments in the Cylon [[Farms]] met with complete failure. The Cylons theorized that the key element to procreation that was missing was love (an important element to Cylons, because they believe that "[[God (RDM)|God]] is love").

To the Cylon majority, Agathon is the only [[Nicholas Tyrol|known]]<ref>When [[Galen Tyrol]] is revealed as a [[Final Five|form of Cylon]], his son, Nicholas, would also have the same heritage. Other characters, including the Agathons, are not aware of this point as of "[[Crossroads, Part II]]". It later becomes public knowledge in "[[Revelations]]".</ref> successful progeny of a humanoid Cylon, and therefore literally considered a "miracle from God" by the Cylons.

Agathon is conceived [[Timeline (RDM)|24 days after the Cylon attack]] on Caprica, in a night of passion after Karl "rescues" Caprica-Valerii from what was really a Cylon deception to test his love. Caprica-Valerii is ordered to convince Karl to stay in "hiding" on Caprica, but instead Valerii falls in love with Karl herself. Valerii begins helping him to escape the Cylons, eventually switching her allegiance over to the Colonials both for her love of Karl and their unborn child.

[[Kara Thrace]] (who arrived earlier on Caprica to retrieve the [[Arrow of Apollo]]) leaves with Caprica-Valerii and Agathon in a captured [[Heavy Raider]]. Caprica-Valerii is incarcerated in ''Galactica's'' [[brig]] for the next few months, as her pregnancy continues to advance.

Agathon is born by emergency surgery one month premature. President [[Laura Roslin]] arranges with Doctor [[Cottle]]—and without Admiral [[William Adama]]'s involvement—to fake Agathon's death and secretly gives the child to a woman named [[Maya]] under the guise that the child is the daughter of a ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' officer. The subterfuge, Roslin presumes, is necessary to keep Agathon safe from humanoid Cylons that may be hiding in the Fleet ([[Downloaded]]) <ref>In a deleted subplot from "[[Downloaded]]", [[Gina]] and [[D'Anna Biers]] scheme to kidnap Agathon at [[Gaius Baltar]]'s request. Gina expresses disgust at Agathon being named for a [[Hera, Lord of Kobol|human god]]. When D'Anna asks Gina what they should call the baby, Gina suggests "Thirteen".</ref>. Maya, unaware of the her new child's past, names the girl Isis ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]). if Admiral Adama knows the truth, but he doesn't until Sharon Agathon finds out from Boomer later.

[[Image:Baby_Hera.jpg|right|thumb|Hera Agathon as an infant, in the care of [[Maya]].]]
[[Gaius Baltar]]'s [[Virtual beings|virtual Number Six]] tells him he will someday raise this child, told to him in a vision he had while trapped on the planet [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]]. However, unaware of what President Roslin has done, Baltar, like the rest of the people who knew about her, believes Agathon to be dead.

When the Fleet settles on [[New Caprica]] under the rule of newly-elected President Baltar, Roslin begins teaching at a settlement elementary school with Maya. Roslin keeps Agathon and Maya close for observation in a cradle identical to the one Baltar saw in his vision.

Before the [[Battle of New Caprica]], Roslin hides Maya and Agathon in the [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance's]] underground bunker and tasks resistance leader [[Samuel Anders]] to protect them at all costs ([[Exodus, Part I]]).

During the civilian evacuation, Maya is killed. Agathon is found by President Baltar, [[Caprica-Six]], and [[Number Three]] and is welcomed aboard a [[Basestar (RDM)|baseship]] ([[Exodus, Part II]]). However, the young Agathon falls ill, and none of the Cylon physicians (who have no pediatric experience) understand why.

When Sharon Agathon learns from [[Sharon Valerii|her former ''Galactica'' counterpart]] that her daughter is alive, she devises a plan to free her. After she compels her husband to shoot her, Sharon [[Resurrection (RDM)|downloads]] to the Cylon ships, where Caprica-Six happens to be available to aid and is sympathetic enough to Sharon that she believes her and takes her to Hera. Mother and child reunite.

Sharon, through her Colonial training and maternal instinct, realizes that only Colonial medical care can save Hera Agathon, who appears to be suffering from an intestinal blockage. She persuades Caprica-Six to help her escape back to ''Galactica'' with Hera ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", "[[Rapture]]").

Agathon appears in several visions seen by Caprica-Six, Laura Roslin, and Sharon as the Fleet approaches the [[Ionian Nebula]]. In each vision, the three adults are compelled to save the child for motives not explained ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).

Two months later, after returning from the ''[[Demetrius]]'' mission with a [[Cylon Civil War|rebel Cylon basestar]], Sharon discovers that Hera has a fixation with [[Number Six]], seeing that Hera's various crayon drawings of both the number itself and various depictions of Six, including one that looks like the [[Virtual Six]] in the red dress. Agathon then leaves after this discovery, leaving her mother to frantically search around ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> corridors for her. After Sharon sees Natalie with Agathon, she has [[Galen Tyrol]] take Agathon away before mortally wounding Natalie ([[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]). As a result of this action, Agathon is briefly taken away from her mother, herself incarcerated in ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> brig by Admiral Adama, but reverses that decision days later ([[Sine Qua Non]]).

==Notes==
*The series' producers have noted, in a ''TV Guide'' interview, that this character will not "hyperage", that is, suddenly become much older than series-elapsed time (see the talk page of this article for more information).

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Characters (RDM Cylons)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agathon, Hera}}

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[[de:Hera Agathon]]