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Thoughts on Home, Part II

Imagine this scenario: four guys plotting the reconciliation of the fleet in a darkened strategy room over maps and tracts of Pythia. We only needed cigar smoke.

The major players in the Fleet's reconcilliation...

Our major players include William Adama, Colonel Tigh, Lt. Gaeta and Chief Tyrol, although I'm not quite sure why the Chief is involved aside from the fact that he's a really good character and a very good actor.

Adama doesn't believe in Roslin's vision until the end of this episode...
But back to the action -- Adama doesn't believe in Roslin's vision until the end of this episode, but he believes that because she believes in it, he must go along with it in order to get 1/3 of the fleet and more importantly his son back. He has only a hope of seeing Starbuck again at this point, but it's there. All appears to revolve around his reaching out to the whacked out President and he goes at it with that single-minded dedication we've come to expect from the senior Adama.

Adama: I'm the only one who can reach out to Roslin. It's always been between the two of us anyway.

Hence, they meet and we're left with fan fic writers to fill in the unspoken bits and pieces with vignettes about what might have happened. No one ever really believed that Adama could get that frakkin angry at President Roslin without them having some kind of relationship – on screen or off. Whether it be platonic or not – many conversations had to have occurred between them for that man to be so pissed at her taking off for Kobol and telling Starbuck about the Arrow of Apollo and his lack of knowledge about Earth. Of course, anybody who messes with Starbuck's life is subject to an untimely demise at the hands of the senior Adama. So that may be all there is to it. He's wrapped as tight as a coil where she's concerned.

      

Many loose ends are tied up in this episode...
There was a lot to like about this episode. It brings to an end a number of lose ends, and I particularly enjoyed the Adama/Roslin summit and the "apology/forgiveness/I don't need your forgiveness/I forgive you anyway" discussion. Then there's Number Six messing with Gaius' genitals while he was having a brain scan, and the way we couldn't tell who's side Sharon was really on right up until nearly the end of the show.

Sharon remains unpredictable...
Sharon recites the myths of Kobol and the scriptures, but she's detached, more like a scientist than a believer. She is their guide, in exchange for her life. "We know more about your religion than you do." and, "We don't worship false idols." But what is she really after? What does she want? Which way will she jump next? All throughout, I kept thinking something terrible was going to happen... and instead, Sharon did the honorable thing, rescued everyone, and regained some of her credibility in, of all people, William Adama's eyes. I mean, she shot and nearly killed him! But, no, that was the "other" Sharon.

A pivotal question is asked...
Adama nearly chokes her to death and before they separate, she whispers "You ask me why?" Everything in this show is pivotal and meaningful – I think that statement was no exception. It is incredibly insightful and makes one wonder, "Is this why the cylons returned to massacre humanity? Did they think that they would be killed instead by the humans if they just showed up on Caprica one day and asked for equal access to goods and services. We are constantly asking ourselves why the Cylons are doing what they're doing? Her is yet another idea.

Number Six and Baltar's baby...
At least one big, confusing issue was resolved: the baby Number Six keeps talking about is Sharon's and Helo's, or at least it appears to be at this juncture. The wildcard Starbuck baby possibility is still swinging out there in the wind from the episode, The Farm.

An episode would not be complete without it....
And then there's Number Six moments which are always an integral part of this series, and she didn't let us down during Home, Part II. Baltar offered some resistance to her guidance and wham, she whipped him back into shape by delivering a mind frakking, mental cocktail of "I'm not really here; you are truly crazy," which packed much the same punch as she did earlier in the series when she showed up and accused him of treason.

As usual, she donned several interesting looks in this episode:

1. Naked,
2. Disturbingly wholesome. hair pulled back, clean and innocent, and
3. Back in the infamous red dress.

Baltar finds out that he has no Cylon chip in his head which leaves us with the obvious question, " How is he interacting with Number Six?" He can't be crazy; his information is too accurate. I don't for one minute think that Number Six is a figment of his guilty conscience or an "Angel of God" sent to guide him to the "end of the human race."

Hope springs eternal, or there is some use for that silly arrow...
Finally, I really liked the standing stones and that all of the horoscope names and signs had a factual reason to back them up: star map of the sky from Earth. This isn't a realistic representation, because it's not possible to see all twelve constellations at the same time in the night sky. But as a representation, it gives them an idea of a starting point and gives us at least another nine years for them to wander around in the cosmos. Happily, there really was a reason for that damned arrow beyond mythical mumblings, which is good because Starbuck nearly died trying to retrieve it.

More respect for Adama...
I also have to respect Commander Adama, Tyrol, Tigh and Gaeta on this one more than the President's crew. While the President and company took that harrowing trip over hill and through ravine to the tomb, Adama and asosciates studied the books, mapped out strategy and set down in their raptor within shouting distance of the tomb. This is why Adama is leading the fleet and Roslin is a counterbalance and offering a diplomatic balance to their mix.

Of course, it's not going to be easy to decipher the way to the promised land; nor do we want it to be easy for them to find us for a number of reasons. First and foremost, when they find Earth, the series ends. We hope for nine years of angst at least on the Scifi channel. These are also some of the most frakked up people I've ever seen. They make me feel better about what's happening on our planet and that's sad. I personally hope they either work out their problems or do themselves in before they bring all that angst to Earth.

Bits and pieces for this episode:

-- This week's count: 47,855, down three from last week.

-- The Adama-Lee reunion was really touching. The Adama/Starbuck reunion was wonderful; I wrote a fanfic about it. Neither lasted long, but the intensity that was packed in those few moments was priceless. Then, of course, Adama saw the second Sharon and lost it which ended the touching reunion quick fast and in a hurry.

– Commander Adama left Colonel Tigh in command? I can only say that I hope that Adama has a battlestar to return to after this mission, and that rioting and looting hasn't broken out from some stupid move he makes or another. Even the ratings went down when Tigh was in command.

–- Frak appears to stand for everything in the strong language category. Now they're using it instead of God, like "for frak's sake."

-- There's something ironic about the original Apollo trying to kill the new one. We sense irony with Zarek plotting the demise of his descendant.

-- Whenever I see a lot of scenes shot in the pouring rain, I thank God that I'm the reviewer sitting in front of my computer screen and not the actor slogging through the scene. Home was no exception.

-- All that cold and damp can't be good for Laura Roslin who looked like she was a dying, drowned rat as she stumbled through the swamp. She had to be grateful that her feud with Adama was over if only to get a warm ride back to the fleet. His raptor had to be closer than hers.

Then we had the pithy dialogue:

-- Sharon to Chief: "We haven't met, but I remember you." Galactica Sharon didn't download when she died, so we have no way of knowing how much Pregnant Sharon knows. Looks like she remembers her affair with Chief Tyrol, right? Her slips into the knowledge of the Galactica Sharon is telling and disturbing.

-- The cranky Dr. Cottle returned to give the brain scan to Baltar calling him a "Freaking hypochondriac. One on every ship." Did he use the word "Frak" or was I just hearing things.

–- The Chief's idea of topography: "Topography's for pansies, anyway." Wonder if he builds that viper without a manual?

-- Number Six to Gaius: "I'm your subconscious, frakking with your mind." Well, there's a newsflash.

–- Adama to Billy: "She thinks you could be President one day. (Is this after she dies? As a breast cancer survivor, I have to comment (once again) that Roslin embraces her demise a little to easily) Don't let it go to your head. Adar was a moron."

-- Adama to the other three guys in the smoky strategy room: "We [Adama/Roslin] may have gone down separately, but we're going to come back together. Hopefully, on our feet. But even in body bags, we're going to come back together." Body bags – classic, reimaged Battlestar.

I give this one three out of four vipers for originality, characterization and general angst.