Retroactive continuity: Difference between revisions
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On occasion, the writers of ''Battlestar Galactica'' will forget or ignore a critical statistic, plot point, or character development in the development of episodes. | On occasion, the writers of ''Battlestar Galactica'' will forget or ignore a critical statistic, plot point, or character development in the development of episodes. | ||
Two situations can occur in this instance. The writers may acknowledge or ignore the error. Battlestar Wiki keeps track of such mistakes, acknowledged or not, in the | Two situations can occur in this instance. The writers may acknowledge or ignore the error. Battlestar Wiki keeps track of such mistakes, acknowledged or not, in the articles [[Continuity errors (RDM)]] and [[Continuity errors (TOS)]] for the [[Re-imagined Series]] and [[Original Series]], respectively. | ||
Rarely, the writers may adjust the issue in a later episode. As a result, the established facts of the show to-date are changed. This is known as a '''''retcon''''', a [[w:portmanteau|portmanteau]] for '''retroactive continuity'''. | |||
Retcons are different from [[Battlestar Wiki:Separate continuity|separate continuities]], a designation used on Battlestar Wiki to allow officially-licensed ''Battlestar Galactica'' stories (Original or Re-imagined universes) from novels, comics and the like to be listed in the wiki without wrecking the canonical aired content of either series. | Retcons are different from [[Battlestar Wiki:Separate continuity|separate continuities]], a designation used on Battlestar Wiki to allow officially-licensed ''Battlestar Galactica'' stories (Original or Re-imagined universes) from novels, comics and the like to be listed in the wiki without wrecking the canonical aired content of either series. | ||
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===Alterations=== | ===Alterations=== | ||
''Alterations'' to the series content are rare, if | ''Alterations'' to the series content are rare, if nonexistent in the Re-imagined Series. An alteration is a scene that basically tells the viewer, "What you saw before didn't really happen." The most famous alteration retcon ever made on TV was the death of the character Bobby Ewing in season 8 of the TV show, ''Dallas''. An entire season was filmed after the supposed death of Ewing until another character awakens in season 9 to find the before-deceased character in the shower, which dismissed the entire previous season as a dream. | ||
The revelation of [[Saul Tigh]] as a [[Final five]] Cylon at the [[Crossroads, Part II|close of season 3]] of the Re-imagined Series is a great example of the show alluding to a change of the true history of this otherwise well-established veteran of the [[Cylon War]] as a Colonial soldier. | |||
===Reboots=== | ===Reboots=== | ||
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''Reboots'', also known as a "subtraction," is a drastic elimination of past storylines through a substantially new storyline. Reboots frequently cause great controversy with the fans of the original work. Comic book publisher DC Comics has done this many times with its superhero comics, eliminating complicated and confusing storylines and characters to reset the canon of the characters. | ''Reboots'', also known as a "subtraction," is a drastic elimination of past storylines through a substantially new storyline. Reboots frequently cause great controversy with the fans of the original work. Comic book publisher DC Comics has done this many times with its superhero comics, eliminating complicated and confusing storylines and characters to reset the canon of the characters. | ||
The Re-imagined Series itself is a "reboot" of the [[Original Series]], discarding | The Re-imagined Series itself is a "reboot" of the [[Original Series]], discarding much of the visual and character elements from the Original Series and recreating new versions and variations of characters, histories, ships and more. One key change in the Re-imagined Series that caused much controversy initially was the change of the male Original Series character known as [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] into a female named [[Kara Thrace]], with her pilot callsign as "Starbuck." The second change, which reflected the real-world problems in fighting terrorism (due to the difficulties in distinguishing friend from foe) came with the introduction of the [[Humanoid Cylon]]. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
Revision as of 13:55, 9 May 2007
On occasion, the writers of Battlestar Galactica will forget or ignore a critical statistic, plot point, or character development in the development of episodes.
Two situations can occur in this instance. The writers may acknowledge or ignore the error. Battlestar Wiki keeps track of such mistakes, acknowledged or not, in the articles Continuity errors (RDM) and Continuity errors (TOS) for the Re-imagined Series and Original Series, respectively.
Rarely, the writers may adjust the issue in a later episode. As a result, the established facts of the show to-date are changed. This is known as a retcon, a portmanteau for retroactive continuity.
Retcons are different from separate continuities, a designation used on Battlestar Wiki to allow officially-licensed Battlestar Galactica stories (Original or Re-imagined universes) from novels, comics and the like to be listed in the wiki without wrecking the canonical aired content of either series.
Additions[edit]
The Re-imagined Series often creates retcons through the use of additions to the series by way of flashbacks and deleted scenes. Generally these additions don't contradict aired content but add interesting or insightful background to a character or event that was specially created for the episode or outtakes initially removed during editing for various reasons. The flashback scenes of the post-war lives of William Adama and Saul Tigh in the episode "Scattered" is a good example of this. The same is true for a scene, added to the episode, "Scar," where Kara Thrace pleads unsuccessfully for a rescue mission to Caprica to the president and Commander Adama.
Alterations[edit]
Alterations to the series content are rare, if nonexistent in the Re-imagined Series. An alteration is a scene that basically tells the viewer, "What you saw before didn't really happen." The most famous alteration retcon ever made on TV was the death of the character Bobby Ewing in season 8 of the TV show, Dallas. An entire season was filmed after the supposed death of Ewing until another character awakens in season 9 to find the before-deceased character in the shower, which dismissed the entire previous season as a dream.
The revelation of Saul Tigh as a Final five Cylon at the close of season 3 of the Re-imagined Series is a great example of the show alluding to a change of the true history of this otherwise well-established veteran of the Cylon War as a Colonial soldier.
Reboots[edit]
Reboots, also known as a "subtraction," is a drastic elimination of past storylines through a substantially new storyline. Reboots frequently cause great controversy with the fans of the original work. Comic book publisher DC Comics has done this many times with its superhero comics, eliminating complicated and confusing storylines and characters to reset the canon of the characters.
The Re-imagined Series itself is a "reboot" of the Original Series, discarding much of the visual and character elements from the Original Series and recreating new versions and variations of characters, histories, ships and more. One key change in the Re-imagined Series that caused much controversy initially was the change of the male Original Series character known as Starbuck into a female named Kara Thrace, with her pilot callsign as "Starbuck." The second change, which reflected the real-world problems in fighting terrorism (due to the difficulties in distinguishing friend from foe) came with the introduction of the Humanoid Cylon.