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Date Posted: 06:45:44 11/12/06 Sun
Author: Chani
Author Host/IP: m115.net81-65-240.noos.fr / 81.65.240.115
Subject: Dee, what did you think of the lastest BSG ?

Sometimes I think it's almost as good as BTVS! Here what I wrote on my LJ:


The last episode, among other things, questioned the matter of genocide and seemed to bring into conflict pragmatic characters and idealists...

Lee and Roslin wanted to use a virus in order to get rid of the Cylons for good, knowing that if it spread into the Resurrection ship it would destroy ther entire race (and yes they used the word race and i don't think it was by chance). Roslin thought it was necessary in a goal-justifying-means kind of way because Cylons were a constant threat. Lee argued that Cylons were only things, that they had been built and created, not born, so it was okay to destroy them all. No moral dilemna there.

Helo disagreed and called it a genocide, knowing first hand that Cylons were not things since he married one and had a daughter that was half-Cylon. He also argued that wiping their Cylon race away would cut off a piece of the humans' soul. Adama seemed torn but we could see that he did hear Helo's speech.

In the end Helo disobeyed the orders and prevented the Cyclocide by making the Cylon infected prisoners die of asphyxiation on the Galactica before they could download and spread the virus into the Resurrection ship.

I loved Helo's scenes in that episode, and it isn't only because he's beautiful. He stood on an ethic ground and represented not only the conscience but the rational side there.

I think he understood, even without knowing it, the meaning of "crimes against humanity" in a way that the others didn't. It's something I've discussed with my students more than once in my ECJS (Education Civique Juridique et Sociale) class.

"Crime against humanity" doesn't only mean that human beings are the victims of crimes such as slavery, torture or genocide, it also means that the very nature of those crimes goes against the way human beings see themselves, against what they want to be...which is civilized animals that live with ethics. Those crimes hit humanity by de-humanizing the victims AND the criminals.

It's exactly what Helo said when he pointed that the humans would lose a part of their soul by using the biologial weapon to destroy the Cylon race. A Cyclocide would be a crime against themselves as well at the end of the day.

It isn't only a matter of "right and wrong" and it isn't only that Helo has personal issues since he loves a Cylon. Helo felt that doing what he did was necessary for human sake. He loved his uniform and his people, as he told Sharon. And in a beautiful twist it's HIS pragmatism based on ethics that overcame whereas the others hid denial behind a supposed war pragmatism.

I loved that Roslin reminded Adama that the Cylons were a mistake that humans made when they built them, using it as a point to justify Lee's plan. Destroying all the Cylons was like fixing a mistake for her. At the end of the episode, Helo told Sharon that he thought he did the right thing but if it were a mistake, fine he would live with it. Roslin doesn't want to live with the humanity's mistake, no wonedrshe was annoyed when helo mentioned that the Cylons tried to live with humans on New Caprica. Roslin want to forget the mistake by fixing it , getting rid of the threat and moving on. But she forgets to carry on to the end of the logic. The source of the threat was humanity, it's always men who are men's worst enemies.

Living with their mistakes instead of wipping them away, might be the only way to learn and insure the maintenance and salvation of mankind. Not the easy way for sure.

It's exactly what Helo is doing, and he does it doubly since he lives with Sharon!

There's another character who made mistakes and had to live with them...Baltar. And again he made one, apologized and asked CapricaSix and D'Anna to forgive him. I found it quite ironical that it's precisely when the humans heard about him being on a Cylon baseship and helping the Cylons to find Earth, that he got tortured ! Baltar seems to always have relations based on misunderstandings!

The torture scene was a very interesting sequence. First because it showed Cylons doing a crime against humanity too! They are developping human features more and more, flaws as well as qualities, the best and the worst. What a mirror for mankind!

Also by disconnecting his mind from his body, Baltar kind of found again his old self, the scientist, the genius who's supposed to be superior. It was a double epiphany for both him and D'Anna.

When he screamed " I believe in you" and "I love you", there was again a big misunderstanding but it saved him. D'Anna was touched, interpretating his words in a certain way that fit her expectations. On screen it was a bit like she had religiously "deflowered" him with her pointy tool in his ear (hence the blood) while his Six made love to him his head ! Heehee brilliant!

Of course, I read it as Gaius having faith in himself again, and revelling in his inner narcissism through the metaphorical sex/love with his Six. Gaius believes in Baltar and loves Baltar, period.

Speaking of love, I was thrilled by all the Helo/Sharon scenes, especially the last one when she took him in her arms and whispered in his ear "I'll always love you Helo". Helo is definitely loveable and Tahmoh Penikett has an incredible presence on screen. He's impressive and doesn't need much to convey a lot.

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Replies:

[> Of course I meant Cyloncide, not cyclocide... -- Chani, 07:05:23 11/12/06 Sun (m115.net81-65-240.noos.fr/81.65.240.115)


[Edit]
[> [> Of course. -- dee, 05:20:27 11/13/06 Mon (cache-rtc-ad04.proxy.aol.com/152.163.100.198)


;o)

I'll be back in a bit to answer about BSG as I've got to send off some work stuff first.
Just wanted to let you know I saw this.

[Edit]

[> [> [> Re: Of course. -- dee, 06:41:00 11/13/06 Mon (cache-rtc-ad04.proxy.aol.com/152.163.100.198)

"Sometimes I think it's almost as good as BTVS!"
**Almost, yes.

I'm with you on the "crimes against humanity" repurcussions.
I agree about the risk of humanity losing a part of it's essence and what it strives to be as a collective consciousness.

I think Roslin just wants the mistake corrected, as you've mentioned. She thinks the threat will end if the Cylons are obliterated.
Why can't she see it just won't be that easy?
I always have trouble with folks in authority who are so shortsighted they don't consider what may happen if a sweeping life-altering choice is made for the "benefit" of others. Or maybe they do consider it and just don't care.
Scary.
Drastic times call for drastic measures, that's true...but the ramifications of destroying an entire race in the guise of doing what is best for humanity won't sit well once humans only have each other to turn on and blame for all their troubles.
At this point, none in higher rank (Lee, Roslin...even Adama, though he's been pretty quick to sit back and wash his hands, letting Roslin suck it up and shoulder the blame) seem to recognize that the Cylon race plays a huge part in humans striving to be the best they can be.
Life is more precious to us when we think it may be taken away at any moment.
Why can't they see that humans will eventually turn on each other if they don't have the Cylons to focus on. How can humanity be so great and yet so foolish?
Ah, good stuff.



Where else on T.V. can we find such engaging characters and story arcs? Since the Buffyverse, that is.
:o)

And on a Baltar note...I must say wow. Just...wow.
I could go on about his narcissism but it has continually proven to be his life-saver. Why stop now?
And D'eana with the torture device probing his ear while he's basically getting off on (literally) loving himself...priceless.

That man could talk his way out of anything...and has!

One more very important thing.
Helo is of the hunky.
heh.

[Edit]

[> [> [> Helo is the best thing I've seen on tv since Spike ! -- Chani *in fangirl mode*, 10:29:55 11/13/06 Mon (m115.net81-65-240.noos.fr/81.65.240.115)

In a totally different way, of course !

A friend on Lj, aycheb, described him better than I could:

He has the look of one of those Easter Island statues, he's a rock, a bedrock, a Peter on which the church is built. And I don't think it's just that he loves Sharon, more he's able to love Sharon because he has that innate decency, that big, unshowy goodness which had him giving Baltar his place on the shuttle back in the mini-series.

[Edit]

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