The McGuffin Review: Battlestar Galactica 73-Revelations

Posted by Cory Johnson on 06.20.2008

Everything they have been waiting for is finally within reach, including the final five and EARTH! Come on, it's the mid-season finale, you know that they are going to bring it.

Here we are, the mid-season finale of Battlestar Galactica, strap in, I have a feeling this is going to be a doozy.

Episode 73 Revelations

Starbuck finds Lee in Adama’s quarters, looking at some of Roslin’s books. Lee tells her that his scariest childhood memory is hearing wait until your father gets home. Nobody has the nerve to sit in Adama’s chair. Weird creepy moment as Starbuck recalls that Leoben told her that children are born to replace their parents, and that for children to reach their full potential, their parents have to die as the camera pans to Adama‘s empty, weathered chair.

Roslin tells the Cylons that they will return the final five to them when they rejoin the fleet. D’Anna corrects Roslin, saying the number is four (?), and she wants them before they are killed. Roslin tries to rationalize with her, saying that the final five know the way the way to Earth, so they wouldn‘t kill them. Leoben attempts to deescalate the situation, saying the all want the same thing and they should cooperate. D’Anna says that they tried that on New Caprica and it didn’t work out. D’Anna informs the Galactica crew that they are going to be hostages until she has the final four as the Centurions advance and Adama, Helo, and the rest of the humans point their guns at the skin jobs. Roslin whispers to Adama that he needs to stand down. D’Anna just smiles as Adama gives the order. D’Anna informs Adama that he will be taking her to Galactica. Adama refuses, but Roslin hugs him and tells him to blow the Base Ship to prevent the Cylons from getting the final four and Earth. Adama looks at her puzzled, but that look fades as he realizes that she just asked him to kill her as well.

Felix drops his pills and struggles to pick them up with his crutches. Dru picks up his pills and Tigh asks him if he wants to be relieved, which he refuses. Dradis comes to life spotting the Base Ship and then a Raptor. Starbuck greets Raptor with a Marine detachment as Chief and Anders watch from the shadows. Adama and D’Anna step out, as Anders tells Chief that maybe she won’t be able to ID them. Lee hugs his father. Tigh has a complete look of horror as D’Anna steps off. D’Anna informs them that Roslin is safe, and that she is already in contact with the final four and only asks that Adama not interfere with shuttle traffic to the Base Ship where she will wait for them. As D’Anna tries to board the Raptor, Tory suddenly remembers that Roslin needs her medication and she needs to make sure that she is alright. Tigh objects, thinking this would only provide the Cylons more hostages. Tory says that her place is by Roslin’s side. D’Anna smiles at Tigh..

Adama shares Roslin’s plan with Lee, Starbuck, and Tigh and puts the decision in Lee’s hand. Tigh mentions that half the Viper pilots are on that Base Ship. Lee agrees with Roslin and decides to blow the Base ship. This begins the final mid-season finale of Battlestar Galactica with 39,665 survivors looking for Earth.

Athena , suddenly needed and out of the brig, ties to explain the layout and likely locations of the prisoners on the Base Ship. With no win-win solutions on the table, Starbuck offers that this would be easier if those four skin jobs would just give themselves up.

D’Anna presents Tory to the other Leobens and Sixes. D’Anna says that she saw Tory in her vision and now she has come home. Tory smiles. Weirdest "family reunion" ever.

Baltar thanks Roslin while she changes his dressing for not murdering him. Roslin recoils at the thought of saving Baltar’s life, and tells him of Adama’s orders as Tory enters with a Six and gives Roslin her medication. Tory announces that she is one of five. Baltar says that he knew it on some level. Roslin tries to get Tory to convince D’Anna to release the hostages, but Tory is done taking orders from Roslin and walks out.

Something is launched out of the Base Ship and D’Anna announces that she has changed the plan and executed the first of the Colonial hostages and one will follow every half-hour until the four are returned to her. Lee tries to bargain with her, but D’Anna has already ended the transmission. Lee tells Adama that the rescue mission is a go, should it fail, they are to destroy the Base Ship. Tigh has that look of horror again.

On the flight deck, Chief seems to be back fixing Vipers when he snaps up when he hears static and music again.

Starbuck and Athena lay out the rescue plan, while Tigh and Anders hear the same static and music. On the Base Ship, Tory swoons at the music. Leoben catches her.

Tigh meets Anders and Chief at a Viper and wonders what drew them all to that Viper-the one that Starbuck brought back. Anders thinks Starbuck can help and Tigh growls at him to hurry up and go get her, because a lot of good people are going to die.

Tigh stomps through the hull to Adama’s quarters and tells him to scrap the mission, as the Cylons will kill every hostage before they get anyone on board the Base Ship and says that Laura will be next. Adama says that he is looking for options and asks Tigh if he has one. Tigh confesses that he should have told Adama when he first found out, but he didn’t have the guts. Adama wonders what is wrong with Tigh. Tigh tells him about the music in the ship, and how it was a Cylon signal that switched him on and now he can’t turn it off. Tigh confesses that he is one of the five. Adama tells him to quick frakking with him, as he has known him for 30 years. Adama comes face to face with Tigh and snarls at him to think about this, as when he met Tigh, he had hair and Adama has never seen a Cylon age. Tigh reminds him that they didn’t know that skin jobs existed until after the attack. Adama brings up the captivity on New Caprica, and thinks that they implanted something or tied post-hypnotic suggestion and tells him they are going to see Doc Cottle. Tigh grabs him by the shoulders and pleads with him to listen and proclaims that he is Cylon. Adama tells him to get his hands off him. Tigh offers his plan, that D’Anna will back down if they threaten to push him out of the airlock.

Marine haul Tigh away as Adama goes rock star on his office, screaming and throwing everything. Adama breaks out the bottle, then breaks his hand open punching out his mirror. Lee holds his drunk, sobbing father, trying to console him saying that no one could have known. Adama asks what he has done, sending all those people to die and for what. Adama calls Earth a frakking joke. Lee orders him to pull it together. Adama says that he can’t kill him, and he can’t kill the president. Lee says that he will take care of it Tigh is positioned at the airlock at gunpoint. Lee walks up to him and CLOCKS him. Lee demands to know who the others are. Tigh wants to know where Adama is, and Lee tells him right where you put him. Lee, talking to D’Anna on the phone, tells him that if she hurts anyone else, Tigh goes out the airlock. Lee tells D’Anna that she will deal with him when she asks to speak with Adama. Lee gives her five minutes to release everyone before Tigh goes out the airlock before hanging up on her this time. Lee asks Tigh if he wants to save the fleet, and tells him that he needs the others and he needs them now.

Starbuck says the Viper hasn’t changed at all and tells Anders and Chief that she thinks they are out of their minds. Anders says that he trusted her feelings and now he needs her to trust his. The Marine bust in to arrest Anders and Chief. Starbuck is informed that they are Cylons, just like Tigh. Starbuck tries to wrap her head around this as Anders tells her that It is true. Anders begs her to find out what changed with that Viper before he is dragged away.

Centurions, with Boomer behind them, herd the humans to another part of the Base Ship.

Anders and Chief are put into the airlock shaft with Tigh, who tells them that they should have come clean on day one. Lee orders Dru to get the Base Ship on the phone.

Starbuck gets into the Viper.

Roslin and Baltar hear the cries and commotion, as Leoben arrives to tell them that D’Anna is getting ready to execute more hostages. Roslin wants to see D’Anna, but Baltar offers to go, saying that he was with her in the temple in her vision.

D’Anna is pissed to learn that Lee has found Chief and Anders.

Starbuck brings the Viper online.

Tory tells D’Anna that if she presses Lee, he will back down. D’Anna orders the Cylon weapons to be turned on the civilian fleet as Baltar arrives.

Starbuck is screwing around with the Viper’s dradis and navigation system. It looks like she has...something.

Baltar warns D’Anna that Lee is resolute, and doesn’t care about those three, not now. Tory knows that Lee will back down.

Starbuck is sprinting through Galactica.

The Base Ship trains a nuke on a civilian ship, which wouldn’t be able to spool up and get away before being destroyed. Lee orders the airlock tube cleared of everyone but Tigh. Lee has his jaw set firm, as Tigh and Dru look like they are about to witness the end.

Baltar asks D’Anna if god could have brought her back for a different purpose than this, perhaps to make peace. D’Anna says that they will never be forgiven for what they did to the 12 colonies as the airlock doors shut on Tigh.

Starbuck keeps running like the reincarnation of Flo-Jo.

Baltar breaks it down for D’Anna, saying that brute force has never worked for Cylons anywhere, so why would it work now?

Starbuck is still sprinting, now through the hanger deck, as Lee asks for the key to open the airlock. Tigh stands at attention.

Sharon says that they have weapons lock on their ship.

Tigh begins to quiver, as Lee hesitates just a moment. Tigh tells Apollo to stop waiting and just do it. Lee reaches for the button just as Starbuck rushes in and breathlessly tells him that “those three frakking Cylons just gave us Earth.”

Lee sits in the Viper and says that there is a colonial signal, but wonders why no other ship can pick it up. Lee tells Starbuck that she is reaching and sarcastically notes that they are getting messages from the beyond now. Starbuck tells him to get over it, something is orchestrating this, and whatever he wants to call it, wants them to find Earth with the Cylons.

With everyone together, Humans, Cylons, the final four, Centurions, Lee shares the Viper’s signal with D’Anna. Lee tells her that they could have just jumped away, but that would have just lead to another standoff. D’Anna starts saying that all this has happened before, but Lee cuts her off saying that it doesn’t have to happen again-if they decide to change. Lee has granted amnesty to the final four, they can stay or go, whatever they choose. D’Anna agrees to release her hostages and says that they will go to Earth together. D’Anna shakes Lee’s hand.

Lee shows Adama the path to Earth and asks if he is ready to take them to their new home. A weary Adama says that he doesn’t know. Roslin suddenly appears, asking him what doesn’t he know about. Adama tells her that it is good to see her. Roslin says this is it, everything they have been working for, and tells him that she wants to see him pick up that first fistful of Earth. Adama says that he will be back. Lee tells Roslin that he just served the shortest Presidency in history. Roslin gives him a “good boy” speech and tells him to stay ready. Adama rejoins them, in full uniform and wonders if they are done yapping so they can go find Earth. Adama scraps Starbucks recon plan, saying that if they give this Alliance too much time it will fall apart again and that Earth is their last stop. Adama says that they are all going together, as fast as they can.

Adama tells Roslin that they wouldn’t have made it this far without her, and asks her to give the order to jump. Roslin tears up, saying that this has been a long time coming, then composes herself and gives the order. The human and Cylon fleets jump. Gaeta says that the constellation match. The ships slowly cruise towards Earth. Adama addresses the fleet.

Adama: ”Crew of Galactica, people of the fleet, this is Admiral Adama. Three years ago, I promised to lead you to a new home. We’ve endured a difficult journey. We’ve all lost. We’ve all suffered and the truth is, I questioned whether this day would ever come. But today, our journey is at an end. We have arrived…at Earth.”

Adama hugs Roslin amid the cheers and embraces of the rest of the crew. Lee gets up on the console and throws his jacket off. Chief sits with his son and kisses him. The Viper pilots hug. Athena hugs Helo and Hera. Baltar prays with his followers. Tigh drinks alone. Starbuck sits at the wall of remembrance, Anders a short distance from her. Adama hugs Lee and tells him that they did it, Lee defers all the credit to his father.

Landing parties prepare to descend on to the surface. Adama picks up a handful of Earth with Roslin by his side. Everyone is somber, D’Anna’s jaw is on the floor, like she just suffered a stroke. Helo and Athena walk slowly around the ruins???!??? Six approaches Tigh and lightly touches his arm. Starbuck looks at the ruins of the temple and out into a sea or ocean that may have city ruins in the distance. We fade to black. NOOOOOO.

Analysis
I was hoping that this episode would blow me away. It did, but not In the way that I expected. I really was expecting that we would find out who was the fifth Cylon. This reveal was just as shocking, but in a totally different way.

The hostage crisis was well done. Lee finally became a character who belonged at the forefront of the show after being in a holding pattern since the end of Baltar’s trial. I have to say that he really impressed me with his resolve.

The Centurion scenes were pretty blatantly blue screened, but every episode is allowed one minor gripe, the ships sliding towards Earth was a great visual to make up for it.

You know what, I could go on about how much I enjoyed this episode, but I have too many questions right now.

Things I Wonder
What the Hell????
Did anyone else have a Planet of the Apes flashback?
What happened to Earth?
Do you think that this Earth is before or after us?
The despondent Adama didn’t really work, did it?
How close was Tigh to going out the airlock?
Chief is still deep in grief isn’t he?
Where did that Viper come from? From Earth?
So if the final five know the way to Earth, does that make Starbuck the final Cylon?
If it isn’t Starbuck, it has to be Baltar, doesn’t it? Since he was already with D’Anna and she only wanted the final four still in the fleet, I’m thinking Baltar.
How much more can Six be pushed to the background? Freaking Sharon had more screen time.
How long till Cavil comes back?
Starbuck just seems like she doesn’t have a defined role or personality, does she? She was all over the place In this episode.
Why does it matter if the final colony was wiped out if they have a place to live now? Unless whatever reduced the Earth to ruins could still be a threat.…
How great was Adama’s complete denial of Tigh’s confession?
Where is that music coming from? From whom?
Why does Tory hear the music? Why don’t any of the other Cylons hear it?
Roslin does not have long now, does she?
Where is Cavil?
Wouldn’t the suddenly now mortal Cylons have been a little more worried during the stand off with the Galactica crew?
How long until this Alliance crumbles? How will this be different than New Caprica?
Is Baltar no longer seeing the Six in his head?
Did Roslin seem exceptionally fragile and…powerless?
Gaeta didn’t hear the music did he?
Adama gives better speeches than the politicians, doesn’t he?
Athena’s brig sentence was insanely short and never mentioned again, wasn’t it?
Do the Cylon models still share that same kind of consciousness now?
How much better does Baltar's religion fixation work in smaller doses?
How are they going to top this?
How long do we have to wait???

Thanks for reading, I have had a blast doing the first half of this season, thank you for coming along for the ride and your comments and feedback, even the slightly deranged emails (um, there are some extremely devoted fans out there). I truly appreciate them all. I will be back tomorrow or whenever it gets posted with Secret Diary of a Call Girl (talk about something completely different, huh?) and next week I’ll still be reviewing Weeds. Otherwise I’ll find something to keep reviewing until Battlestar returns. Until then, this is Cory, keep watching.

The 411: As if there was any doubt....great episode. This episode stands out for so many reasons, but it has all the ingedients of a classic Battlestar episode, tension, drama, and twists. The cliffhanger is something that nobody could have predicted, and only opens up the last half of the final season for more questions and more revelations. Just classic, classic television.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]