This episode makes the scenario even more like "I, Borg" with the discussion centering around whether or not to intentionally send Cylons back to infect them all. The only differences were that this discussion centered more on genocide, and in the end the Borg actually sort of did infect the others, though in an unintentional way.
It seems both humans and Cylons tend to give Gaius Baltar a lot more credit than is due. They make him out to be this great evil mastermind, when really he's an opportunist who just wants to be left alone, but is easily manipulated.
There are also shades of War of the Worlds when we find out that the disease infecting the Cylons is an old human disease. Essentially, they've all caught a really bad cold or flu. Tell me, do they look to you like they've all got the flu? We are told humans built an immunity to this disease a long time ago, but that doesn't explain everything. Where did the Cylons get their genetic material to make humanoid models in the first place? How recent was that? Is there something about Cylon blood that is susceptible? And why doesn't the baby's miracle blood have the same healing properties for them? Surely it was the Cylon blood that cured Roslin's cancer. Why then can't Cylon blood fight a cold? I also fail to see how this infected the ship itself and all the Raiders.
D'Anna or someone says they are going to Earth because they want a new beginning. Really? That's it? Well frack, why didn't they just stay on New Caprica then? Or on all the other twelve colonies they nuked? The humans want a new beginning too; one WITHOUT CYLONS. Take the hint, guys!
I don't especially like the genocide angle for a number of reasons. First, I think that's a word that is bandied about far too easily. Are they truly a specific race? They certainly aren't a species as they aren't reproductively isolated. Maybe we can call them a race. Does this virus, which is biological in nature, affect the Centurions? They seem to be purely mechanical. If so, doesn't that mean they WOULDN'T be destroying the entire race? And after all, I highly doubt they were going to kill Athena in this plan, so the ENTIRE race wouldn't be gone. And Cylons live seemingly forever. Besides all this, while I agree with some of Helo's arguments, I wish he didn't come across as the lone voice of dissent. His interest in sparing them is primarily personal; his wife is a Cylon. I wish there was a conscientious objector on philosophical grounds. I also think there is a big difference between "genocide" just for the sake of killing a people you don't like (the Holocaust) and genocide born out of war (like the Israelites versus the Amalekites). In any case, Roslin is proving over and over that she is a bad President. What makes her so much better than Baltar again?
I got to thinking about Cylons today and the nature of their faith. Primarily they are similar to evangelical Christians with their monotheistic views that they want to share with everyone. Granted, many models are of the more extreme variety. Still, I find it fascinating that Christianity hinges upon a coming resurrection, but for Cylons resurrection is a part of their existence. Faith for them is a faith in what is beyond resurrection. That is an intriguing thought. It reminds me of the tree life of the pequininos in Speaker for the Dead (which, if you've never read, you really should).
Anyway, not sure I like the way this all came out, as much of it felt recycled from other stories I've seen. Granted, "there is nothing new under the sun" but sometimes it is too obvious to me. There were some good developments, but I'm tired of obvious moral dilemmas that don't ultimately hold much consequence. What did it cost Helo to kill the Cylons? Nothing.
Favorite line: "I don't know, but their frakkin' resurrection ship's gonna overheat."
No comments:
Post a Comment