Revelations

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.10

It is unfortunate that BSG goes on hiatus with this episode. The deliberate pacing of this season, while still entertaining, didn't really pick up until the last couple of shows. Still, we do get a great hour to go out on and plenty of food for thought to mull over until sometime in early 2009.

D'Anna's negotiation with Admiral Adama and President Adama are pretty hardcore. She starts executing hostages until the Colonials hand over the Cylons that are hiding in the fleet. Tory jumps ship at the first opportunity. This is played well, since she has been the one to really embrace her true nature. Tyrol has become increasingly cynical over the course to the season. He approaches every new curveball with a shake of the head and a "whatever" attitude. Anders is still scared of how his new identity will impact his continually deteriorating relationship with Starbuck. Tigh is still the XO, and even when he is outed he continues to make decisions he feels that are in the best interest of the fleet.

Saul's revelation to Bill was one of the best moments of the season. Bill offers so many explanations as to why Saul can't be a Cylon, you'd think he had hung out on a BSG message board. Tigh has the hard job of convincing Adama that he is what he says he is and that he is still Saul Tigh, XO of Galactica and loyal friend. He is even willing to sacrifice himself in a gamble to get D'Anna to give up the hostages.

The aftermath of the scene falls way short though. Bill becomes a drunken mess within two minutes and Lee has to help him pull it together. Olmos and Bamber are great as father and son, but the transition to this event seemed too sudden, as if some build up scenes were edited out.

The rest of the hour is really great. Tory, Anders, Tyrol, and Tigh are all outted, bring a conclusion to the hiding in plain sight arc for the four. The alliance between the Colonial Fleet and the Rebel Cylons is re-established. In addition, the purpose of Starbuck's new Viper is revealed as a compass for finding Earth.

This leads to two great ending sequences, both with opposing emotional affects. The first happens when the fleet arrives in orbit of Earth. There is an emotional swell that is undeniable. We've watched these characters struggle, bleed, and die in their search for a fabled home, and when they find it one can't help be feel overjoyed for them. I especially loved Lee jumping onto the table in CSC, throwing off his blazer, and whooping. I don't know if it was scripted or not, but it works and it pumps up the celebration even more.

Which leads us to the real conclusion to the journey. When the entire cast lands on Earth they find it an irradiated wasteland. It appears to be the Earth of our future due to the fallen facade of a Christian church and twisted skyscraper skeletons in the distance. Director Michael Rymer, who has been present since the mini-series and is largely responsible for the way every other director has shot the show, does an incredible job with the scene that is silent except for the waves of the sea crashing on the shore.

The silent reactions of the individual cast members are amazing and they say so much about these characters. Adama is angry; Roslin is crestfallen; D'Anna looks at them both as if expecting some kind of answer. Tory and Anders join hands; Athena and Helo hold hands as well; Caprica Six approaches Tigh and puts her hand on his shoulder. Dee looks reflective (I didn't see Gaeta); Baltar can do nothing but sit on a rock; Galen cynically chuckles and shakes his head as if this is the biggest, foul prank ever played. Then come three reactions that really got me: Lee sadness increases with each step as the camera tracks him through the single shot that wraps the hour up; Leoben just looks down at the ground unable to move as a betrayed and defeated prophet; Kara's is the last face we see and it's about to erupt in tears. She led them all there. She led Humanity to its end.

This plays more like a season finale than any of BSG's previous mid-season cliffhangers. The plot lines of first half of season four has been resolved and second half has been set up to spin the show into a new direction as it barrels to a series conclusion. Undoubtedly, the rest of the Cylons led by Cavil (I still think he had time to download before the Hub blew) and Boomer will find the Alliance. The final Cylon has not been revealed yet. More importantly, the Promise Land doesn't look very promising, so what will the humans do now?

It's going to be a long wait.

This episode: 9 out of 10
Season Four (so far): 7 out of 10