Six of One (402)

[Lady Snow]

Can Tom Zarek be the final cylon?

Sure.

---

Alright, I've had a night to ponder the episode, and so I present...

Lady Snow's List of Things that Made her Scream

1. Adama to Roslin: "You're afraid you're not the dying leader." Oh, frak yes. She totally is. And it's about time someone said that. Laura can sit there and list off her "miracles" - and no one's every questioned her on them before. No one's ever mentioned that not only has the entire fleet bought into her myth, she believes in herself more than anyone else (even - and perhaps especially - Bill). Maybe I'm supposed to be feeling this doubt in Laura (and if so, kudos to the writers), but with the reemergence of Kara, but what if Laura's leading them down the wrong (or just obscenely long) path to Earth? Like Kara said, everyone trusted her on far less than developed film... what if they were wrong?

(And wouldn't that mean Kara's dying?)

2. Lee to Kara: "I believe you." That was very very touching, but what I thought was ultimately more important was the dialogue immediately preceding the moment that made shippers' hearts go 'SQUEE' - a) Tom Zarek got Lee into government, putting him in (what I assume will be) Baltar's now-vacant Caprica seat on the Quorum, and b) Lee understands the concept of destiny. Regarding a: That's awesome. Team Apollo exists, and I called it! *happy dances* I am very excited to see what happens with this unholy alliance, because it's Tom frakking Zarek. The Lords know he runs half the fleet anyway, even with Lee chomping at his heels. Regarding b: I don't know how I feel about the Lee/Kara romantic relationship, but I've been a huge fan of their friendship and deep-rooted non-romantic love for each other since the beginning. Their conversation epitomized that. It felt like a mutual absolution of any guilt or lingering doubts that their destinies were the wrong thing to do, and it was pretty much perfect. They're okay, because there is at least one other person alive who understands them - and, more importantly, accepts them. That look of relief/gratitude/love/joy on Kara's face says it all, far better than I could.

3. Baltar to Head!Baltar: "Oh my giddy aunt." I mentioned this here before, but it bears repeating. This was fun, but extraordinarily random. This felt like a regression to the bumbling sex-driven Baltar from early S1, which begs the question of whether he really has grown as a character at all since then or not. He is, at his base (all of which are belong to Six [sorry, I had to]), a self-serving, conniving little man, and I suppose I figured he'd grown into other ways of serving his own interests. Is it that he's living in a lush place that has a female populace who literally worships him that's caused him to become Mr. Sex-a-Lot again? Does Head!Baltar represent the human drives in him? It was just a bit... bizarre.

4. Natalie to Cavil: "We want you to stop lobotomizing the Raiders." They made the Centurions self-aware. They made the frakking Centurions self-aware. Holy crap. The ramifications of this are huge for the Cylon fleet. I do wonder, though... "The Raiders hear what we hear," said Natalie. Okay, but what does that mean? Is that a function of their resurrections? Do all the organic Cylons have this subconscious processing level where they, well, get messages from God? Obviously they believe the Hybrids do, as they "vomit metaphysics," but the Raiders too? We saw the first vestiges of Raider self-awareness in "Scar," I believe, when Athena called them glorified dogs. Let's say that the organic-based Cylons do hear this stream of thoughts - where does that leave the Centurions? They're self-aware now, and apparently they feel a close affinity to the Raiders, but they're not organic - do they hear this stream? Just how tied into the collective consciousness are they? I truly hope they don't drop the ball on this, because it has enormous amounts of potential.

(Also, the vote turned out exactly the way we predicted: The Simons and Dorals followed Cavil, and the Leobens and most of the Eights followed the Sixes. Ooh, here's another nugget to chew on: Boomer. Voting against her number because she's sleeping with Cavil? A) GROSS! B) I guess we've found our new serial contrarian...)

I don't want this post to take forever, so I'll leave my list o' points there for now. I do, however, want to ask one last burning question:


Just how bad is Hot Dog at Strip Triad?

[LoneStar1836]

This episode was better after the second viewing. Wasn't really loving it the first time...maybe because I missed hearing some of the dialogue as well as there being a lot going on.

Great character interactions in this one. Some of them were tear worthy and difficult to watch.

Adama being a mean drunk. Ouch. That hurt hearing him say those things. It's going to be a tearjerker when Roslin does die. (I don't see how the show can avoid that fate for her, and I actually want her to die.)

Lee moving on. Tough to accept, but I hope the writers have some good stuff planned for him on his new path.


Though I must say that I hope Baltar frakking someone in every episode is not going to become a trend. Right now, his story is my least favorite. Now I guess I see why there had to be a female final five....


I wonder if Baltar is picking up headBaltar through Caprica's projections...like Roslin was being drawn into them last season. There has to be some kind of explanation for them though I'm not sure that the writers will ever give one.


Hmm.... I wonder if the Chromdomes don't rebel altogether and even turn on Six and company eventually. All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again....

So I guess Caval and crew will not be boxed? They'll just be held at gun point until they see the light? Six could save herself the trouble of a civil war if she did that, but she doesn't seem like the boxing type, unlike Caval who would probably box all dissenters if he could. He may be wishing he had thought of that sooner. So how soon till we see Three again?

[LoneStar1836]

Alright, I've had a night to ponder the episode, and so I present...

Lady Snow's List of Things that Made her Scream

1. Adama to Roslin: "You're afraid you're not the dying leader." Oh, frak yes. She totally is. And it's about time someone said that. Laura can sit there and list off her "miracles" - and no one's every questioned her on them before. No one's ever mentioned that not only has the entire fleet bought into her myth, she believes in herself more than anyone else (even - and perhaps especially - Bill). Maybe I'm supposed to be feeling this doubt in Laura (and if so, kudos to the writers), but with the reemergence of Kara, but what if Laura's leading them down the wrong (or just obscenely long) path to Earth? Like Kara said, everyone trusted her on far less than developed film... what if they were wrong?

I think we are definitely supposed to be feeling that doubt, but I still believe she is the dying leader if the scriptures are true. They have played her up to be the dying leader since the beginning, and I don't think the writers are ready to dismiss that yet.

Starbuck may know which is the final exit to take on their journey to earth, but Roslin did get them started in that direction. I guess we will have to wait and see how the whole Starbuck story plays out. I'm not ready to accept that she actually died and was resurrected. I'm not sure RDM and co. are ready to take that kind of leap into the spiritual.

2. Lee to Kara: "I believe you." That was very very touching, but what I thought was ultimately more important was the dialogue immediately preceding the moment that made shippers' hearts go 'SQUEE' - a) Tom Zarek got Lee into government, putting him in (what I assume will be) Baltar's now-vacant Caprica seat on the Quorum, and b) Lee understands the concept of destiny. Regarding a: That's awesome. Team Apollo exists, and I called it! *happy dances* I am very excited to see what happens with this unholy alliance, because it's Tom frakking Zarek. The Lords know he runs half the fleet anyway, even with Lee chomping at his heels. Regarding b: I don't know how I feel about the Lee/Kara romantic relationship, but I've been a huge fan of their friendship and deep-rooted non-romantic love for each other since the beginning. Their conversation epitomized that. It felt like a mutual absolution of any guilt or lingering doubts that their destinies were the wrong thing to do, and it was pretty much perfect. They're okay, because there is at least one other person alive who understands them - and, more importantly, accepts them. That look of relief/gratitude/love/joy on Kara's face says it all, far better than I could.

Nicely said.

I've always been more in the camp of K/L friendship as well.

That was an interesting scene and of course one of my favorites in the ep.

Zarek and Apollo together again. Since Lee seems to be on the outs with Roslin (notice that she didn't hang around when Lee was leaving Galactica), this will be interesting.

I don't want this post to take forever, so I'll leave my list o' points there for now. I do, however, want to ask one last burning question:


Just how bad is Hot Dog at Strip Triad?

Apparently pretty bad.

[Legionnaire]

I am also happy Lee and Zarek are going to be more involved with each other and that we will be seeing more of Tom. I didn't ever really see Lee going this way, which looking back on it is pretty silly because it makes a lot of sense, I just figured he'd always have to wear the uniform because they need everyone they can get. However, theres always been a special relationship between Tom and Lee since season one and it's nice to see that be capitalized on.

[Jumper_One]

well this was certainly interesting. Lee leaving Galactica, Kara going crazy (sorta) and leaving too, a very honest talk between the Admiral and Roslin, Baltar having sex with Tory. did I forget something? oh yeah what's up with the Cylons? looking forward to the next ep

[daniel9]

lol is it me or is the cancer progressing with rosslin? i think she lost a fewstrands of hair when she was brushing her hand thru it after the talk with adama. hm i wonder if that attack on baltar's necklast week is making him go back to the accent of that planet he was born in?

[Trek_Girl42]

Sure.

---

Alright, I've had a night to ponder the episode, and so I present...

Lady Snow's List of Things that Made her Scream

1. Adama to Roslin: "You're afraid you're not the dying leader." Oh, frak yes. She totally is. And it's about time someone said that. Laura can sit there and list off her "miracles" - and no one's every questioned her on them before. No one's ever mentioned that not only has the entire fleet bought into her myth, she believes in herself more than anyone else (even - and perhaps especially - Bill). Maybe I'm supposed to be feeling this doubt in Laura (and if so, kudos to the writers), but with the reemergence of Kara, but what if Laura's leading them down the wrong (or just obscenely long) path to Earth? Like Kara said, everyone trusted her on far less than developed film... what if they were wrong?

(And wouldn't that mean Kara's dying?)

I'm glad this has been brought up in the show now- as it has been long-discussed by fans. I also loved the bit where she called him "Admiral Athiest".

2. Lee to Kara: "I believe you." That was very very touching, but what I thought was ultimately more important was the dialogue immediately preceding the moment that made shippers' hearts go 'SQUEE' - a) Tom Zarek got Lee into government, putting him in (what I assume will be) Baltar's now-vacant Caprica seat on the Quorum, and b) Lee understands the concept of destiny. Regarding a: That's awesome. Team Apollo exists, and I called it! *happy dances* I am very excited to see what happens with this unholy alliance, because it's Tom frakking Zarek. The Lords know he runs half the fleet anyway, even with Lee chomping at his heels. Regarding b: I don't know how I feel about the Lee/Kara romantic relationship, but I've been a huge fan of their friendship and deep-rooted non-romantic love for each other since the beginning. Their conversation epitomized that. It felt like a mutual absolution of any guilt or lingering doubts that their destinies were the wrong thing to do, and it was pretty much perfect. They're okay, because there is at least one other person alive who understands them - and, more importantly, accepts them. That look of relief/gratitude/love/joy on Kara's face says it all, far better than I could.

The thing about Kara and Lee, is that I want them to be okay with each other- whatever their relationship is/isn't/becomes, I just want to see them okay with each other in the end before one of them dies, or the show ends, or whatever happens. Which is why I really liked their scene in this week's ep. The nature of their relationship isn't so important as the fact that they have one at all.

3. Baltar to Head!Baltar: "Oh my giddy aunt." I mentioned this here before, but it bears repeating. This was fun, but extraordinarily random. This felt like a regression to the bumbling sex-driven Baltar from early S1, which begs the question of whether he really has grown as a character at all since then or not. He is, at his base (all of which are belong to Six [sorry, I had to]), a self-serving, conniving little man, and I suppose I figured he'd grown into other ways of serving his own interests. Is it that he's living in a lush place that has a female populace who literally worships him that's caused him to become Mr. Sex-a-Lot again? Does Head!Baltar represent the human drives in him? It was just a bit... bizarre.

Head Baltar is.....my only complaint is that it looked as though they were trying to figure out how to shoot head!Baltar scenes in this ep so the filming itself was a little awkward- but I think they'll have that figured out for next time. Otherwise head!Baltar is awesome. Baltar finally has someone to cheer him on in his conquests.....

Anyway, Baltar better take some time off from enjoying his female company next ep. On the bright.....er, not so bright side, he is getting a very enthusiastic head start on re-populating the human race for when they get to Earth.

4. Natalie to Cavil: "We want you to stop lobotomizing the Raiders." They made the Centurions self-aware. They made the frakking Centurions self-aware. Holy crap. The ramifications of this are huge for the Cylon fleet. I do wonder, though... "The Raiders hear what we hear," said Natalie. Okay, but what does that mean? Is that a function of their resurrections? Do all the organic Cylons have this subconscious processing level where they, well, get messages from God? Obviously they believe the Hybrids do, as they "vomit metaphysics," but the Raiders too? We saw the first vestiges of Raider self-awareness in "Scar," I believe, when Athena called them glorified dogs. Let's say that the organic-based Cylons do hear this stream of thoughts - where does that leave the Centurions? They're self-aware now, and apparently they feel a close affinity to the Raiders, but they're not organic - do they hear this stream? Just how tied into the collective consciousness are they? I truly hope they don't drop the ball on this, because it has enormous amounts of potential.

(Also, the vote turned out exactly the way we predicted: The Simons and Dorals followed Cavil, and the Leobens and most of the Eights followed the Sixes. Ooh, here's another nugget to chew on: Boomer. Voting against her number because she's sleeping with Cavil? A) GROSS! B) I guess we've found our new serial contrarian...)

I don't want this post to take forever, so I'll leave my list o' points there for now. I do, however, want to ask one last burning question:


Just how bad is Hot Dog at Strip Triad?

Boomer slept with CAVIL? Where was that stated/implied?

And, to borrow a word, that is just GROSS.....

Great character interactions in this one. Some of them were tear worthy and difficult to watch.

Adama being a mean drunk. Ouch. That hurt hearing him say those things. It's going to be a tearjerker when Roslin does die. (I don't see how the show can avoid that fate for her, and I actually want her to die.)

The writers are going to try and make us cry every week..... But this week, really did feel like the beginning of the end, with all those sad little moments. We can just feel the ending coming now, in the story.

Roslin has been my favourite character from the start, but I want her to die before the end too. As hard as it'll be to face, it'll bring her story to completion and meaning. And yes, the tears will flow. Excessively. If pulling out a just a little hair can get eye-watering.....

Lee moving on. Tough to accept, but I hope the writers have some good stuff planned for him on his new path.

I can't wait to see what direction the writers take Lee in- I love the change, Lee never intended to stay military, and this looks very promising for his character.

[anotherquestion]

I can't wait to see what direction the writers take Lee in- I love the change, Lee never intended to stay military, and this looks very promising for his character.

It looks very ominous to me. Isn't Lee in the Judas position in "The Last Supper" photo montage?

[Jeffala]

Boomer slept with CAVIL? Where was that stated/implied?

And, to borrow a word, that is just GROSS.....

Natalie tells Cavil that he's "influenced" Boomer. I made a joke about them sleeping together above because of one of the Eight's dancing topless in front of one of him at the beginning of the episode. I guess they could be sleeping together but it'd be a hell of a step down from Chief Tyrol.

(Also, the vote turned out exactly the way we predicted: The Simons and Dorals followed Cavil, and the Leobens and most of the Eights followed the Sixes. Ooh, here's another nugget to chew on: Boomer. Voting against her number because she's sleeping with Cavil? A) GROSS! B) I guess we've found our new serial contrarian...)

I wonder if the other Eights could get together and vote to box her or if it takes a vote of all of the models to box just a unit as opposed to an entire model.

[rufus789]

Spoiler:

So one thing thats always bothered me is the idea of the dieing leader. Who says it has to be Roslin? True she is in the process of dieing but couldn't it also imply that they lead the way in the moment of their death? This leaves things slightly open but wouldn't that open up the part for Baltar, completing his Messianic figure, or some other character? This makes me rethink a lot of what we've been assuming in the series up to this point.

Anyway, thats one thing I've been wondering, now i'm going to contradict myself on the Baltar part by noticing two things, one that RM said that anybody in that last supper picture isn't a cylon, so that rules out Roslin, both Adamas, Starbuck, Helo and Baltar.

The last thing is that in Crossrodes when Roslin has the headache similar to Starbucks, its delayed, not automatic. It actually seems to be in response to the cylong computer virus more than anything else. It just makes me thing that anybody who has had some sort of close personal interaction with cylons will be affected by them. I definetly think theres "something else going on" with Head Six and the Head Baltars, as well as Roslin's preminitions throughout the series.

[theschmoo]

The thing about Kara and Lee, is that I want them to be okay with each other- whatever their relationship is/isn't/becomes, I just want to see them okay with each other in the end before one of them dies, or the show ends, or whatever happens. Which is why I really liked their scene in this week's ep. The nature of their relationship isn't so important as the fact that they have one at all.

I can't wait to see what direction the writers take Lee in- I love the change, Lee never intended to stay military, and this looks very promising for his character.

RE: Kara/Lee, you must be reading my mind, that's exactly how I feel about them

As for Lee joining the Quorum, I'm going on the belief that it's part of his destiny to defend Kara once she returns after having found Earth [or the path to Earth].

[AutumnDream]

It looks very ominous to me. Isn't Lee in the Judas position in "The Last Supper" photo montage?

No, Kara is... sorta. Nobody really is because the picture is set up differently.

[AeronPrometheus]

Tigh is still overcompensating for the possibility that he might turn on the fleet at any moment... to the point where he's telling others to be overly cautious; "And for Gods' sake, don't shoot the frakkin' president!". Yeah, it sounds like good advice but were they really planning on busting in there with safeties off? They didn't even do that AFTER they heard gunfire.

I like how the 1s, or at least that particular 1, has assumed command of the skinjobs. Maybe he thinks he's better cause he's number 1. Or because he has his own, personal 8 ^_^.

I agree to the consensus of: GROSS!

I also have to say that Grace is the hottest thing I've ever seen powered by white rice. Sorry Racetrack, you're just too Caucasian for me.

"Oh my giddy-od" is the funniest thing I've ever heard Baltar say, even he was thinking 'enough is enough'. But their banter was golden. It's sad though that Balter still can't put two and two together without talking to someone that isn't there. I also find it amusing how he's now the nerdy kid that gets picked on by the rest of the school. "What did you say to me?" "...I said excuse me.".

Now that I got the details out of the way...

I loved the opening scene. Did Roselin shoot the portrait on purpose and lie about it or did she really miss, half-asleep and in the dark? If it was an accident I'd really want to see that picture come back and bite her in the ass. She's gone from being stubborn to arrogant, and almost brought Adama with her. They make a cute couple but she's no longer thinking about the fleet or else she would have thought of the loosed ship idea first. Adama is right, she's scared of being just another survivor waiting to die and it's as if that realization is causing a self-destructive pattern. Which would not be a good thing for the leader of the remainder of the Colonies.

The send off for Lee was beautiful, I'm so glad they brought the old Colonial music back. The first greatest episode of the series in my mind was The Hand of God, brought to a close with the Colonial anthem. Lee and Dee mutually parting ways, "I guess you got the house" was such a cheesy line but I liked it anyways. At least they both respect each other. It'll also be good to see Zarek again, such an underplayed character.

Say what you will everyone, but Lee and Kara have been the best match since the series started. They have such an intertwined history together and they love each other just as much as they hate each other. Despite all their differences and disagreements they can't help but be gravitated towards each other in times of need. To me, that's the perfect definition of compassion towards another person.

...Now whether or not they both live till the end of the series...

Oh, Adama. Who can peg you? Such a display of emotion despite being "bottled up" as Roselin so accurately put it. He was as angry at himself as he was with Kara when he threw her to the ground. Those words cut hard, and they were right on the money. It took a few shots of some vintage, but he finally saw it, in her, in him. Wait 'till the wife finds out.

It was so good to see 6 level the deck, the best part was she didn't tell them to kill the "Cylon board or directors" they did that of their newfound free will. Wonder what's going to happen to traitor 8/Boomer? I have a personal hope she makes it long enough to see Tyrol again... Just imagine. Seems like a "little bit of history repeatin'".

Speaking of 8, they're really cutting Athena some slack lately huh? Did we forget she an airport security nightmare?

Frakkin' A.

[wilsan]

You know, when they said there was going to be lots of supprises, they weren't kidding. It has only been the second ep. and there already turning everything on it's head. I'm not sure if it was the one six, or if it was all of the sixes decision to remove the inhibitors. This will get interesting to see what happens seeing how the sentries have free will.

[ToasterOnFire]

So the title is apparently from the phrase "Six of one, half dozen of the other", or describing two things that are really the same or equal. What specifically do you think they were referencing in the ep?