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‘Caprica’ recap: Zoe versus Tamara, and death by Daniel’s hand

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Most viewers (OK, I) expected the showdown between Zoe 2.0 and Tamara to be a knock-down, drag-out fight that would be the center of this ‘Things We Lock Away’ episode of ‘Caprica.’ Well, there was fighting aplenty, with chains and swords and pipes, but that bloodshed may not have been the defining, or even most violent, moment.

So, yeah, Zoe found Tamara. Of course she’d be in New Cap City, the place of virtual decadence and depravity. It was not exactly the meeting I expected, with two point-blank shotgun blasts to the chest instead of sisterly bonding.

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From the moment Zoe 2.0 walked in the arena, we knew there would be a spectacular ... wait. She was shot, stabbed, kicked and beaten with chains -- and she didn’t fight back? The Zoe I know would have sliced up those digital thugs. But, as this episode tried to prove a few times, Zoe 2.0 is not who we met in the first episode. Philosophical moment: Why is Zoe 2.0 not original Zoe, taking into account that they are physically the same and have the same memories (on V-World)? Zoe had a plan, and Zoe 2.0 was just part of it. Experiences and our reactions to them shape us as people just as much as genetics (real or fake). Seeing Zoe 2.0’s ‘birth,’ and Zoe’s statement (‘You’re a person with restricted movement, but you’re still real.’), shed a bit of light on both of them.

And although we learned a bit about Zoe 2.0, we didn’t find out much at all about Zoe’s friend Lacey. Pushed around and thrown into a dingy cellar by Clarice Willow’s minions, Lacey was a bundle of nerves and defiance the entire episode. She smartly realized that she was being drugged by Clarice’s clan and rebelled against eating and drinking. In the end, though, she cooperated with Clarice, imparted some key information about the possible whereabouts (the always-seen infinity pin?) of Zoe 2.0’s original programming, and was informed that she’s getting to fulfill her original wish: a ticket to Gemenon. Without Zoe, though, I wonder what Lacey’s ultimate goal is now?

So Lacey is being sent away by Clarice, and Amanda is getting closer. The once-fragile Amanda is now the master manipulator, playing on Clarice’s destiny-fulfilling beliefs to get inside her multi-marriage home. It was almost comical to see Clarice’s clumsy attempts to probe Amanda about Zoe’s belongings, when Amanda knew what was happening the whole time. I don’t think that she realized, though, that there was strife in the house already because of her, and that now her snooping will be under scrutiny by a lot more eyes than just Clarice’s. She’s proved to be smart, so we’ll see how careful she is.

The writers have done a good job of making Amanda’s smart husband, Daniel, not likable. His smug attitude and willingness to strong-arm his way back into his company have surpassed the grieving dad persona that he might have had early on. And now we find that he even stole his genius daughter’s (what look to be) crayon drawings/designs to create the first versions of the Cylons? Wow. Liking him less and less. What else can they do to him?

Then they do it. For a fleeting second, I thought Tomas Vergis had seen reason. A twisted reason, but reason nonetheless. Join Daniel and oppose the Ha’la’tha. Daniel had taken his company back, however unsavory his methods, and was presenting his version of an olive branch. Businessman to businessman.

But he underestimated the Tauron, again. Vergis knew he was dead, and Joseph had already explained this to Daniel, so like a true Tauron, Vergis wanted to go out on his own terms -- at the hands of his enemy. Civilized Daniel would, of course, not kill Vergis. It’s barbaric. It’s not his way. It’s not the Caprican way. But through a bit of trickery, Vergis wins again and now Daniel has killed someone by his own hand. This will affect Daniel and, coupled with his new Tauron allies, will probably lead to something ... not good.

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Another advancing episode. This half of the season is not afraid to show us the path toward what we know is coming. We’re not there yet, but we can see the train’s lights. I don’t exactly understand the multiple Zoes that Zoe 2.0 is seeing in V-World (shades of Baltar and Six in ‘Battlestar Galactica’), but weirdly enough, though I question it, it’s not so out of the box that it throws me. Maybe, again, because this groundwork was laid out already.

-- Jevon Phillips

Upper photo: Zoe (Alessandra Torressani) prepares for battle.

Lower photo: Amanda (Paula Malcolmson) and Clarice (Polly Walker) announce their arrival. Credit: Syfy

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