The Oath (413)

[Shan Bruce Lee]

Way back in season 1, Zarek said it best, I think in colonial day episode that the guy watering the plant was just going through the motions. That's what the quorum is doing really. Going through the motions of pretending their old life still exists.

On the run for years, in a constant state of war, the democracy that they had on the colonies just doesn't work any more. Certainly what Zarek and Gaeta is doing isn't democracy. Roslin and Adama are doing what is best for the fleet and the survival of humanity, even if people don't agree with it. Increased FTL still gives them the best chance for survival.

It also gives the Cylons (who can't be trusted) a perfect way to track them regardless of where they go.

Sure they may be able to jump a little further but what's the difference between jumping a little ways into a metaphorical wilderness and jumping a long ways into it?

[Replicator Todd]

Fantastic episode! My favorite episode so far in the entire BSG series, I loved this episode soooo much!

[Arative]

It also gives the Cylons (who can't be trusted) a perfect way to track them regardless of where they go.

Sure they may be able to jump a little further but what's the difference between jumping a little ways into a metaphorical wilderness and jumping a long ways into it?

Its been stated on the show that you can't track someone through a jump, so the FTL drives would not give the Cylons a way to track them. Some cylon's can't be trusted, other cylon's certainly can be trusted. I'd trust Athena or Tigh over most humans.

The difference is with a finite fuel supply, jumping farther will less fuel is better for the fleet, so they might find a refuge in the wilderness.

[Shan Bruce Lee]

Its been stated on the show that you can't track someone through a jump, so the FTL drives would not give the Cylons a way to track them. Some cylon's can't be trusted, other cylon's certainly can be trusted. I'd trust Athena or Tigh over most humans.

The difference is with a finite fuel supply, jumping farther will less fuel is better for the fleet, so they might find a refuge in the wilderness.

I'm not saying they would track them by their jumps. I'm saying they'd be installing their tech on the fleet's ships. Which is exactly what Six used Baltar to do in the first place.

[HAL2100]

I wonder if what was said in the preview next weeks episode was true.

Spoiler:

about Colonel Tigh being killed; it better not be true.

If it happens, just remember that he's not really dead - just in line for a download.

[tech100]

I'm not saying they would track them by their jumps. I'm saying they'd be installing their tech on the fleet's ships. Which is exactly what Six used Baltar to do in the first place.

Interesting... that could be partly why the civilians wouldn't want Cylon tech on there ships.

[anotherquestion]

Interesting... that could be partly why the civilians wouldn't want Cylon tech on there ships.

If Cylons could track Cylon-tech FTL jumps, it seems logical that the "Brother Cavil" faction would have jumped some lobotomized vipers to the fleet by now.

I'd assume that all uncoordinated FTL jumps were untraceable.

Of course there is still the problem with the pesky "33" minute latency for the Cylons following the Colonials jumps in episode 1. I suspect this had more to do with the Colonials limited jump range and conventional "lightspeed" broadcasts (from 33 minutes of a lightyear away) of the current Colonial position from the skinjobs aboard the "Evening Star" liner.

[Bruman]

I can see both sides to the FTL question, and its very believable that the fleet would be all divided on wether to prioritize finding a new home or staying away from the cylons more. Just because they're friendli-ER, doesn't mean they can be trusted.

But it looks like Zarek is really the main guy here. One should use the governmental process to come up with some kind of agreement, but Zarek wants to use the moment to eliminate Adama, who will not let him act as Vice President, while Rosslyn is basically out of the picture. To that end he allies with Gaeta and company to stir mutiny. So this didn't need to be a civil war where humans are basically destroying their own capacity to fight the cylons. Zarek is the real driver here (though Adama bears some blame for threatening a coup of his own).

Gaeta is in over his head. He will not be able to maintain leadership for long. Interesting that lover-boy Hoshi wasn't in on the plot.

As for communications. When coups happen here on Earth, the first place the military seizes are the radio and TV stations, because it's important to keep as many people in the dark as possible. In the age of the internet and cell phones that may be much tricker to do.

[STC]

This was one amazing episode! I spent most of the episode riveted to my seat and eyes agog. The writers certainly have shown a change in Gaeta, who was at one time (IMHO), calm, fair and pretty easy going into a furious, raging traitor. It was masterful watching him control the communication access to the CIC and manipulate the other characters.

He rages to Kara about being airlocked but he also forgets that it was someone who turned out to be a Cylon (Tyrol) that made it clear to the others that he bore no grudge about what happened on New Caprica.

He is a leading this charge.........could he be 'the dying leader"??

[daniel9]

that was a great ep . cant wait for next week . hm according to the podcast. we know now who the person thats clawing for the light. gaeta is going in the opposite direction and hes gonna get his int he end. theres no way adama will get kiled tho. do we even know where the fine five resurrection ship is besides on earth?

[pristinaheather]

I LOVED this episode. I don't even know what else to say. It was just SO good.

Obviously Gaeta and Zarek aren't going to be able to keep control, but the pile of bodies in the mean time is going to be spectacular. I was Shocked at some of the mutineers. Actually Stunned. Racetrack. I mean,Really? Wow. She was the first to jump on the Athena bandwagon. Diana didn't surprise me all that much, but some of the Marines and Pilots that turned certainly did.

I hope Tigh doesn't really die in the coming episode, but if he does I glad he and Adama got to sort things out first. Kara kicking into warrior mode made me happy, it really is the only time she seems completely confident in herself. I also agree with her 'kill the enemy' mentality. At this point they really have no other option. With so few Humans and Rebel Cylons left they do need each other to survive. Who's fault it is, Human or Cylon, cant be a factor because the perception of both sides is tainted by the experiences of war. They can only make rational decisions based on the future, and the future for both factions looks grim without each other. The Humans have limited resources and failing equipment. The Cylons are traitors to their race, also with limited resources, and without the ability to procreate. For the most part anyway, we have no idea why Tigh and Caprica Six are fertile. And who's to say the other final five would be so lucky when paired with either Cylon or Human, depending on which faction the final five chose. The only option is to pool resources and colonize. But to do that they need to escape the other Cylons, obviously. If Rosalin had not gone into her depression, and just talked to the quarum and the citizens much if this could probably have been avoided.

The mutineers are basically opting to go down fighting, a decision based on their combined bitterness and rage. The Human race will die, but at least they didn't abandon their principals. Its BS. Gaeta and Zarak are doing it for other reasons. Zarak knows how to seem like hes a true patriot and all that nonsense, but in actuality its about power. Its always been about power for him. Hes smart enough to see all the variables, but he chooses the ones that suit his need for power. This one makes him president and the military in his pocket. Gaeta, I honestly wonder if hes just gone crazy. He was very idealistic, maybe the pressure of reality finally just became to much for him. The choices he has made have all been terrible, many of them detrimental to the survival of the human race. The network in season two, the many bad choices during the Cylon occupation of New Caprica, and finally the attempted mutiny on the Demetrius which led to him getting his leg shot off. I cant wait to see who gets to kill them both. I picture Kara for Gaeta, and either Lee or Adama for Zarak.

Finally I would like to ponder the futures of the captive Cylons in the brig. Namely the females. More rape on BSG? Not that I'm complaining. As a female I love the realism of what happened to the captive Six on Pegasus. I don't really wish it on the two female Cylons currently captive seeing as one is pregnant and the others has her toddler sitting a few feet away, but its possible. It would probably be easier to take if it were another poor Cylon. As for Sam and Helo, both are too chivalrous to just stand by and let it happen. Maybe that is the end for Helo that the actor fought to have changed. ( I read that somewhere, Not positive its true. )



I guess I did have some things to say.

Its strange, I hated Dee, but would give anything to see her reaction to this cluster-frak.

[helio9]

Brilliant episode. I can't wait to see how this plays out. I don't think killing Adama and Tigh is in the best interest of the uprising at this point, so we'll see what happens...I'm not saying their survival is guaranteed, but I don't think they'll kill them in that way, both at once.

[Shan Bruce Lee]

If Cylons could track Cylon-tech FTL jumps, it seems logical that the "Brother Cavil" faction would have jumped some lobotomized vipers to the fleet by now.

I'd assume that all uncoordinated FTL jumps were untraceable.

Of course there is still the problem with the pesky "33" minute latency for the Cylons following the Colonials jumps in episode 1. I suspect this had more to do with the Colonials limited jump range and conventional "lightspeed" broadcasts (from 33 minutes of a lightyear away) of the current Colonial position from the skinjobs aboard the "Evening Star" liner.

People still aren't getting what I'm saying. I'm not saying the Cylons will track their jumps or track the actual tech. I'm saying they would be installing tech on the colonial ships. Tech that even Tyrol said he didn't understand. Even if they stood over their shoulders the whole time they'd have no idea what was being installed with the jump drives... like the little "smoke detectors" Six put on Galactica.

[helio9]

People still aren't getting what I'm saying. I'm not saying the Cylons will track their jumps or track the actual tech. I'm saying they would be installing tech on the colonial ships. Tech that even Tyrol said he didn't understand. Even if they stood over their shoulders the whole time they'd have no idea what was being installed with the jump drives... like the little "smoke detectors" Six put on Galactica.

That's a good point. Even if they watched them the whole time, they wouldn't know if the Cylons had integrated remote control bombs into the systems. Oversight would be irrelevant if the overseers don't understand what they're looking at.

[GateTrek2004]

frakking to be continued!!!!! This just proves to me why BSG is a great show! even though last weeks episode was a little slow, it DID set up lots of things that happen tonight!

If the previews are any indication of whats to come, I'm not gonna be happy, but i would understand in the grand scheme why it did!

i was going to look on IMDB to see if in fact...

Spoiler:

Tigh or Adama dies like the preview says "Tigh was killed...

and learned you CANNOT trust it! because according to them...

Spoiler:

Dee, who died 2 episodes was in last weeks episode, as well as tonight's episode and the last 7! I did not see Dee ANYWHERE in the last 2 episodes did you?

so i can't trust it and it also did not credited people who WERE in this weeks episode: Hot Dog, Racetrack, Skulls, Connor, one of Baltar's groupies, a few others too.