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‘Battlestar Galactica’: Did you know SHE was the Cylon?

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The misdirection on ‘Battlestar Galactica’ was probably all in our minds when it came to who the final Cylon was. Deanna (Lucy Lawless) was the only one who knew for sure. Well, she and Ron Moore, who had some interesting things to say about the developments on this’Sometimes a Great Notion’ episode over at Chicago Tribune’s The Watcher column.

Maybe the Cylon was Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell). The cancer eating away at her could’ve been some sort of clue. Many likely took it as a sign. ‘... And the Lord annointed a leader to guide a caravan of the heavens towards Earth.’ Nope.

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For Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace (Katee Sackhoff), it was all too obvious. Supposedly blown up, then comes back to life unscathed. Has weird visions, can ‘feel’ her way toward Earth and just got increasingly scatter-brained as the season went on. But not her.

Gaius Baltar (James Callis) saw a Cylon who wasn’t there. All the time! Talked to her, interacted and even fantasized about sex with her. But he’s just crazy.

Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos). That would be crushing. Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber). How? Helo (Tahmoh Penikett). Heck no. Doc Cottle (Donnelly Rhodes)? Hmmm.

Dee? Anastasia Dualla (Kandyse McClure). That was my choice. Communications officer, always close to the main power (Adama) in crisis situations, even married Lil’ Adama, Lee. And the episode didn’t let me down ... until the end. We’ll talk more about her later. SPOILER AHEAD!!!

By now you know that it is Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon), Saul’s wife, whom he murdered, who is the final Cylon (It was revealed as soon as allowed and the Times got an exclusive with Kate). She was probably in someone’s equations, but if they were going to bring back someone dead, Callie and Admiral Cain came to mind first. Regardless, seems like a great move. Will she return scorned at having been poisoned by her husband, or angry at the Cylon captors that she bedded to get Tigh back, or just plain upset that she didn’t know (maybe she did!)? Who knows what kind of havoc she could wreak, or what could happen when the final five are all together for the first time.

Great stuff to look forward to, and a good episode that unveiled when the Earth died (nuked about 2,000 years ago, says Baltar) and, through the Cylons, how it was when the bombs dropped. Chief Tyrol was in a market and was flash fried, Anders was most likely playing his guitar when the bomb hit. And Saul, in the aftermath, was busy trying to save his Cylon wife.

The psychological impact of the fleet NOT finding Earth was evident. Fights in the hall, ‘Frak Earth’ painted on the ship’s walls, Bill Adama stumbling around drunk with a loaded weapon, and Dee.

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Ah, Dee. Pretty actress Kandyse. We were rooting for Dee. She’d lost Lee and lost Earth, clearly the most shaken that we saw by the devastation found. Frakking writers got our hopes up for her getting better and taking more of a role as her date with Lee seemed to go really well. Felix Gaeta said that she was glowing. Stop here. All signs point to Cylon. The looks of secrecy -- she was hiding something. The anticipation we all felt for the reveal, then (now resume) BAM. Brains in her locker. Not suicide ... not Dee. 39,650, and Kandyse had some words about her departure.

Why’d she do it? ‘I don’t frakking know,’ said Bill Adama, drunk. Me neither. At that point, I still thought it was Dee. Resurrection’s coming! But it never came, and someone else took the fifth Cylon title.

What do we have to look forward to? Revelations include who or what is Starbuck and what actually happened to cause the war on Earth? Also, now that the final five are intact, what do they actually do? There are still reactions galore to take into account as well. How will Galactica and the fleet continue to react to the Earth debacle? Can they, and Laura Roslin, pick up the pieces and carry on? How will they unveil Ellen Tigh to everyone, including Saul?

The actors have told us their favorite moments. Fans and publications like Variety have written about the impact of the show. Now, we watch. It’s a roller coaster, and our hands should be up just enjoying the ride.

-- Jevon Phillips

Top photos: Carole Segal /SCI FI. Bottom photo: Randee St. Nicholas.

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