‘Battlestar Galactica’: Ellen Tigh’s awakening

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The Cylon revelations are crystallizing in ‘Battlestar Galactica’ as the final one of the final five is unveiled, Anders becomes aware of the history of the final five on Earth, and the extent of Cavil’s hate toward humanity is put on display.

The humans are going through their own evolutions as well. Bill Adama must struggle with the fact that his ship, a symbol of stability and safety among this ragtag fleet, is crumbling around him. Galen Tyrol shows him the damage, and is charged with fixing it. The other Adama, Lee, is given just as big a responsibility by President Roslin: basically to rebuild the government after Tom Zarek decided to scrap the last one (which I still believe was a wrong, out-of-character act for Zarek, despite his history of 20-plus years as a revolutionary who killed people, commenters!). Laura would remain as the president, but Lee would do the actual work.

To the Cylons on Galactica ...

Doc Cottle’s excellently gruff beside manner is great, and before he lets the brain guy (guest star John Hodgman -- you know, PC from the commercials) get to the bullet in Anders’ head, he lets Starbuck and the others speak to Sam. Anders’ returning memories, which he gladly relays to the final four Cylons during storytelling time in the emergency room, fill in some of the reasons they’re there, and tell of a benevolent purpose. They worked together on Earth in a research facility (Galen and Tori shacked up too) and helped reinvent ‘organic memory transfer.’ The people from Kobol had invented it first, but they rediscovered it.

After being poisoned on New Caprica, final Cylon Ellen Tigh was resurrected and kept from most of the other Cylon models on the base star by Cavil, save for a lone No. 8 (Boomer). In the past, Ellen gets a scolding by Cavil on the physical imperfections and limited sensory input that the human body can perceive (among other things), and is really upset with Ellen for being instrumental in his creation. Through Cavil, you can see how and why the Cylons’ human-hating ways festered, and why they not only fought against injustice for their kind, but also hunted humans. The killing machine doesn’t hide the fact that he despises humans, but he may hate the final five even more.

During Ellen’s detainment, and from Anders on Galactica, we find out that there is one more Cylon model, Daniel, that was apparently murdered/discontinued by Cavil. With that knowledge coming at us on two fronts, let the speculation begin on when/whether Daniel will be resurrected and if he’s someone that we already know.

Adama’s wrestling with whether or not to use Cylon tech on his ship is understandable, but at this point, with the ship so far gone and them being out in space, the decision shouldn’t have even taken that long, or that many drinks.

Boomer pulls a fast one and rescues Ellen Tigh, apparently taking her back to Galactica. Her reunion with Sol (and Sol’s pregnant Six -- cute scene kissing her belly) and the rest of the Cylons will be next. Not sure about the condition of Anders, but it doesn’t look good. And with no resurrection, this could be it for Mr. Starbuck.

What’s all this mean? Where’s all this going? Well, this has happened before. And it will happen again. That point’s been hammered home enough. So either they break the cycle, or the history Anders laid out becomes the future. Those seem to be the clear choices.

-- Jevon Phillips

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