Things We Lock Away

Synopsis: The title is appropriate, as we open with Lacy locked in Clarice's attic. Eventually, Clarice questions her about Zoe's avatar files and whether Zoe had a back-up. Lacy says she doesn't know, but if she did it might have been hidden in that infinity pin she had. Clarice then doesn't want to just let Lacy go, but instead sends her to Gemenon for STO training. Poor Lacy. Clarice then tries getting back in with Amanda to go through Zoe's things and find the pin. She even invites her to stay at her house (instead of the cabin) for awhile. Back in V-world, Zoe finds Tamara, who promptly shoots her. Tamara holds Zoe responsible for her death, and they fight and fight even though neither can die. Through this, a "head Zoe" appears to give virtual Zoe guidance. So there's that. Zoe tries convincing Tamara that they should work together.

Okay, why is Lacy locked up? What possible reason does Clarice have to take her remaining monotheist student and lock her in an attic? Like that's going to get Lacy in her good graces! Later, Clarice suggests she's testing her trust, holding her responsible for the car bomb. But how does she know Lacy had anything to do with the car bomb? When did she find this out?

Tamara is just insane now. All she can do is be an evil overlord for the amusement of virtual gamers. I guess killing them got old. Why does she stay here and not go to other worlds?

Zoe is held responsible for the train bombing. We know, and Zoe knows, that she was NOT responsible. Yet at no time does Zoe say, "It was Ben!" It's fine to protest your innocence, but you can do that by pointing to the true guilty party! And then there's this weird masochistic angle where Zoe doesn't fight back, as if to suffer for original Zoe's sins. ...But what sins? Where she mouthed off to her mom? That has nothing to do with Tamara or the people here who are beating her up for the TRAIN BOMBING with which she had NOTHING TO DO. Then Head-Zoe appears and tells her she doesn't deserve this and doesn't have to suffer for the original's sins. But to that I would argue, original Zoe doesn't deserve this punishment... but Zoe-A does! Avatar Zoe is responsible for Philo's death and for putting the idea in her father's head to create this Tamara. Avatar Zoe has sins to pay for which relate far more to Tamara than the other Zoe did.

And lets get into this whole "head-Zoe" thing. I guess this is in the tradition of Number Six and Head-Baltar on BSG. In that series, they turned out to be angels sent by the one God. If Zoe-Angel is also sent by God, just what is her purpose? She saves Zoe as a kid, and then inspires her to create life (one could argue blasphemously). This angel being is responsible for the Cylon race! How is this a good thing? This makes the mythology even more bizarre.

According to commentary, they tried to get James Callis or Tricia Helfer to guest on the show in the angel role but their schedules didn't allow for it. I'm glad, because that would have made no sense. Why would they appear in the forms of people who have yet to be born? Would only make it harder to watch BSG after Caprica.

I liked getting flashes to the fire when Zoe was young. However, we see the Zoe-Angel appear to her and she looks like teenage Zoe. Why is Zoe seeing an image of her older self? That's just weird.

Oh, and I'm supposed to believe Zoe not only created the avatar, but also essentially designed the Cylon robots too. Unbelievable.

In that scene where Zoe first creates Zoe-A, she's wearing this bizarre 1950s-inspired ensemble, with a sweater and a neckerchief. That just seemed so wrong for this show and for Zoe. What mouthy parochial school techno-nerd religious fanatic dresses like that? Did they really need to make Zoe a hipster on top of everything?

Seeing the way the avatar was created and all, I came to realize this show has had this all wrong from the beginning: it's not apotheosis or even resurrection. It's just cloning. Really, this is a story about soul cloning essentially. Oh, and how was avatar Zoe able to move around in the lab in that scene? What, Zoe made a virtual lab where she could do actual lab work on a virtual person or something? My brain hurts.

Not the worst episode of the series, but "Things We Lock Away" has me concerned. I like Lacy, in fact I think she's the only likable character at this point, and I don't understand why she's being treated this way. Hope she doesn't go to Gemenon. As for Sister Clarice, she gets worse and worse. Add kidnapping to the list of things her one true God is okay with.