Battlestar Galactica: Islanded in a Stream of Stars

I am still willing to trust Ronald D. Moore and the writers of the Sci Fi channel’s Battlestar Galactica, but I am getting worried that they will not be able to wrap up the series with any meaningful satisfaction. Here we are with only 2 episodes left and we still seem to be introducing more twists and questions than answers.

Hera is increasingly becoming the key for both sides of the conflict to obtain salvation. The episode starts off with a projection of Hera perched atop the information management table in the Combat Information Center (CIC), positioning Galactica next to a basestar and several heavy raiders.

I don’t know whose projection it was, but it seems likely that it was Laura’s since we peer into her dreams several times during the episode. The other mystery was whether or not this symbolic foreshadowing gesture was a symbol of union or a symbol of conflict. I tend to think it is the latter, since the scene takes place in the Combat Information Center. And I for one would much rather see Galactica go out in a blaze of glory rather than see her abandoned and parted out to the rest of the fleet’s vulture captains.


I am totally confused as to the role that Baltar will ultimately play. He has been a scientist, a traitor, a politician, a religious zealot, and will he ultimately become a savior? I had forgotten until this episode of the dream shared by Six, Baltar, and Laura. What does it all mean? Will they somehow be the catalysts to bring Cylons and humans together with Hera’s help? I do think however, that Starbuck knew deep down that Baltar would somehow expose her “secret.” Either way, he made her come to terms with it.

In Boomer’s first scenes with Hera, I completely despised her. She was an unfeeling monster as she threatened to inject little Hera on board the raptor. I don’t know how they got the little actress who plays Hera to show such emotion, but I totally fell for for heart wrenching sobs. Boomer must have too as she seemed to soften. Hera further brought out Boomer’s motherly instincts as they shared the projection of Boomer’s dream house. I expect this relationship will come into play later as evidenced by Boomer’s reaction when she drops Hera off at Cavil’s daycare center.


There were some odd moments in the episode as well. The first was with Starbuck and Lee in the hall of death. Both actors just seemed uncomfortable in this scene and a little out of character to me. Perhaps they are setting the stage for a re-coupling of Lee and Starbuck, but I hope not. Although I feel for Lee being essentially alone now, I just like the relationship between Starbuck and Anders so much better.

The next out of character moment was when Helo was pleading with Adama to let him go looking for Hera. I don’t know if Tahmoh Penikett just didn’t convince me in this scene or if it just seemed too far out of Helo’s mindset. I will just have to chalk Helo’s mental state up to losing his daughter and being on the outs with Athena.

The medicinal marijuana scene was also a little unbelievable to me. I just don’t see a hard-nosed military man like Adama sitting around smoking a joint in the middle of sick bay. But hey, Doc Cottle walks around smoking all the time, so what the heck. I guess I just didn’t find it dignified to see the president and the Admiral getting high and sharing secondhand smoke with the rest of the patients.

So Sam has essentially become a hybrid now. I am thinking he could save the Galactica or at least pull her back together for a final fight. The Cylon goop didn’t seem to work, but my bet is that with a higher intelligence directing it, it will do the trick to strengthen and repair the ship. But what did Anders mean when he called Starbuck the harbinger of death? A harbinger is someone or something that foretells or foreshadows the coming of something. What or who is Starbuck foreshadowing death for? Another one of those mysteries that needs to be answered.

My prediction however is that not everyone will be satisfied with the wrapping up scenes. There is no way to satisfy everyone. So, prepare yourself to be thrilled and disappointed. Hopefully the void created by Galactica’s absence can be filled by upcoming Galactica movie “The Plan” and the spin-off series Caprica.