I caught the frak up.

Taking the action away from your established main characters and focusing on an event that already occurred is a risky maneuver but Razor did just that and it paid off in a big way. Not only do we get to see a young Adama fighting in the first Cylon war (and finding some horrific things along the way), we also see how much more reprehensible those on the Battlestar Pegasus really were. I thought the original telling of the Pegasus was brutal but finding out Admiral Cain had a relationship with Gina/Six makes me think back on her torture and imprisonment and cringe even more. Is Razor required viewing to enjoy BG? No, but you should be ashamed of yourself if haven’t watched.

I watched the first half of Season 4 over the course of three days. It was a rush, to say the least. Lee becomes President, Gaius gets a harem, Cally is murdered and the Cylons begin a civil war. One of my favorite moments from the season was when Natalie/Six informs the opposing Cylons that she removed inhibitors in their Centurians to give them the gift of reason. It worked out for her then but I’m not sure the Centurians are going to continue to serve for long. 

Everything changed very rapidly and the humans and renegade Cylons form a shaky alliance to unbox D’Anna who will reveal the Final Five Cylons who, in turn, will lead them all to Earth. It all comes to pass but not without consequences of course. Oh yeah, Earth, it’s uninhabitable. Seriously, it was one intense moment after another this first half of the season. Obviously we knew it wouldn’t be wrapped up that neatly but wow, where do they go from here?

That brings us to Friday night’s premiere. This is it. The home stretch. Earth is no place for them to settle but a plethora of information at least. They find bones but they’re all Cylon (along with some unfamiliar metal corpses). Could this possibly mean that EVERYONE is really Cylon? Maybe this is how it ends. No one can claim prejudice because they’re all the same. It could very well explain how “this has all happened before and it will happen again.” After a thousand years of living in peace, the “freed” Centurians start the “First Cylon War” all over again. It would certainly frak with everyone’s minds. It’s already having an effect on these poor characters who are hanging by a thread as it is. Laura Roselin has lost all faith, Adama feels like an utter failure, Kara’s having an identity crisis and in the moment that made me shriek at 3 AM, Dee shot herself in the head. It was quite possibly the most forlorn moment of the entire series.

By the end of the episode it seems the fifth Cylon is revealed as Col. Tigh’s wife Ellen. The way it was left I’m not a hundred percent sure it’s true or not. Will they find her someplace else or will Caprica Six eventually age to become Ellen? That’s just one of the few things I’m still wondering about of course.

The issue of Cylon’s aging, something that’s prevented me from thinking certain characters were Cylons for a while now, was brought up when Saul Tigh told Adama he was one of the Five, but never answered. Athena and Helo’s child Hera has been revered for being a Cylon/Human hybrid (the natural kind). So why now, after Tyrol has been outted as a Cylon, has his and Cally’s hybrid child not been sought after or even discussed at all? I suppose an argument could be made that Hera was the first but now we’re about to have a Cylon/Cylon child from Caprica 6 and Col.Tigh. 

That last incident just happened so I’m sure it will be addressed soon as will the mystery behind Kara’s corpse and a load of other unanswered questions. But that’s what’s so great about Battlestar Galactica, they’ll get answered. I’m expecting to love what’s left of Lost but I’m also expecting to be left entirely unsatisfied with several items brought up throughout the series. The creators have all but admitted to making up a few things just because they thought it was cool. Not Battlestar. You can tell the creators had their designated course set a long time ago. It’s not over yet but I, for one, can’t wait to hear this orchestra’s final symphony.

You can also view and discuss this article at GEN.