Battlestar Galactica - SciFi US broadcast thread (1 Viewer)

[David Norman]

Possibly, but it would have to be something that would look exactly like bone on an X-Ray otherwise it would be too easy to detect?

 

[Quentin]

Oh yes. I'm sure it looks exactly like bone...just an altered molecular structure.

 

[Nick_Scott]

There are many ways to look at this, but the core problem is that Moore has not told us much about HOW the human Cylones were created.
Are they born and do they age? Or, are they created "full size"? Or born, but aged "Star Wars style"?

I might argue that they are created "full size" since all the Boomers look the same age. Same for Blondie. All the same age. This brings up obvious questions like, did Boomer REPLACE a real Boomer? etc.

My point is that if they are artifically created in a lab, then they can specifically DESIGN bones and blood to LOOK REAL using telemetry, but is in fact completely different.

Another thing that humans can't do is jump from one cylon to another. Unless thats an example of reincarnation?

nick

 

[Robert_Gaither]

I think parts of what may make the cylons stronger than humans is that some of the material composition of their bodies might be made of superior materials for example we use calcium for our bone structure and they might use something like titanium or tungsten carbide based alloy. The physical strength is something I can deem forgivable for the difference (even if this person had the endorphines, most likely the wrists would of broken when breaking the handcuffs) and maybe they have some form of synthetic muscle (maybe silicon based vs carbon, thus the glowing red spine and power source for electricity) for power. How they can be masked so effectively and walk thru metal detectors is beyond me (or similar technology they have).

The problem I have though is the endurance, if they have enough human flesh it requires oxygen and Boomer never seemed to get tired when she ran (assuming a maybe a blend of human type of muscle tissue and synthetic maybe result in greater endurance but she wasn't phased in the least bit). I would like to see a more definitive of the physical limit of the cylons as they seem to be much faster and stronger than their human counterparts (I just can't see how with their difference that if they wanted to execute someone how it could be stopped).

 

[BrianW]

I don't see anything peculiar about Cylon abilities. I once saw a human break out of large, steal shackles at a Renaissance Fair, and I'm pretty sure my spine glows.

 

[Jason Seaver]

The thing is, they've got a humaniform Cylon corpse to cut up. If Cylons had extra glands to produce adrenaline, that could easily be detected on an X-ray; if they had synthetic muscles, that's an easy biopsy; if they have carbon-composite bones, I think simple exploratory surgery would find that too.

Of course, I'm assuming that Roslin might run into the colonial equivalent of constitutional issues if she tried to compel biopsies among the civilian population, but that Adama could order it for the people under his command.

As to the glowing spines... Uh, I'll have to get back to you on that one. Unless we assume that only female Cylons glow like that (they've only got a male corpse) or that the LEDs look bone-like on an X-ray. And even otherwise, what we've seen of the colonial tech level leads me to believe that "exploratory spinal surgery" is probably not safe, especially if they don't have the knowledge/equipment for arthroscopic surgery.

 

[Winston L]

I have a theory about the whole Kobol-Earth origins of humanity storyline, and I'd appreciate it if you can shoot the appropriate holes in it, if necessary. In other words, I'm putting this out for peer review.

These are all speculations based on seeing all but the last episode of season. If I'm right, this would be major spoilage to some, but not real spoilers so I won't black them out.

Here's how the theory goes.

All humanity came from Earth, colonized Kobol and then the 12 colonies.

You've probably heard it before, but I'm trying to flesh it out some.

This has happened before, this will happen again. It happened on Earth, when they left Earth, when the left Kobol and now, when they leave the 12 colonies. It happened with the left Egypt (the original Exodus).

Now, they are returning to Earth. The interrogated Cylon said that the last time, Starbuck was the prisoner and he was the jailer. The last time, Earth was the departure point, this time its the destination.

The Earth origin can explain everything from clothing to the Earthlike names of William, Lee, Laura etc. (although I don't think an explanation is necessary). It also explains Apollo and Artemis, et al. Unlike the original which presumed Earth actually was the 13th colony and got our Egyptians from space, it may be the other way around.

Let's presume that humans from Earth went to Kobol. It seems possible that they may have adopted some attributes of ancient Earth civilizations, say, the first democracy, as a way of remembering and paying homage to their home. Thus, the governing council, the Lords, might have received titles based on Greek Gods.

After having to leave Kobol (yet another banishment from Eden), the Lords of Kobol attained the status of myth, their titles and the symbols that go with them were misconstrued as Gods - after all, the were from somewhere other than Kobol.

The Cylons disappeared for 40 years. Before returning they found Kobol and the original religious texts of the Lords of Kobol. The Torah, Bible, Koran. Here, they discovered that the Colonists were wrong about the gods and that there is one God, and that God is love.

They embark on a religious war. Kill the humans or convert them. What is the plan?

Consider: The Exodus from Kobol was 2,000 years ago. If the show is set in the present day, then the colonists would have arrived to colonize Earth within the last 2,000 years. It would have made sense if they arrived earlier and gave us the Greek gods, but they couldn't have (unless the current show is set in the past, but what would be the point?).

So, what about Earth during the last 2,000 years would make sense as being the colonists from Kobol? Can't think of any obvious candidates (the Renaissance?, but what about the Kobol greek gods?).

The interrogated Cylon (Leoben?) said that they would "find Kobol, the birthplace of us all." Or, did he say, "find Kobol and the birthplace of us all"? Run back the tape. Is it a comma, or an "and"? If the latter, remember he also said they'd find Earth. Kobol and Earth. Find Kobol and the birthplace of us all.

I'm sure I'm leaving out something, but that's it for now. Still don't know what the Cylons' plan is. Do they know where Earth is or do they need Apollo's arrow? Have they been here? Is the show set in our future?

Tell me your thoughts. I'm sure I'm overlooking something that's inconsistent with this theory. But as a "reimagining", that cerainly would qualify.

 

[Jason Seaver]

I've always just assumed that Galactica takes place in the far future - say Kobol was humanity's first colony which lost contact with Earth. This could happen easier than one might expect - if Kobol was colonized via sub-FTL ships, it might not have had two-way contact, and may not have developed an industrial base immediately, espeially if there were some sort of disaster.

From Kobol, the second wave of colonization happened. Say this takes place a few hundred years later; long enough for Earth to be a distant memory. More than enough time for ancient myth and orthodox religion to have be distorted - especially if you assume that FTL/hyper-travel wasn't invented until after humanity reached the twelve colonies.

 

[Chris]

Eh, I don't think about it that way.. she's in close confines with a limited human population, and whether we as humans like it or not, our body clock does still scream at us The fact that she found someone, even on a subconcious level, who was suitable, would make those other factors irrelevent. IE, she may -think- about it, but she didn't act on it (though, as time goes on, statistically, anyone would act on it..)

 

[todd s]

That is what I was thinking. Thus we know why they have similar clothes and names.

 

[Chris]

Bring on season 2!

 

[Stephen-R]

I believe this show is in the distant past. I believe they seeded Earth's culture.

I still also believe Capt Apollo is the Arrow that leads them toward Earth.

The second season will be entertaining to watch unfold.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Again - I snicker at Larry Niven's Protector and we've had thirty-odd years more evidence of human beings sharing DNA with other earthly organisms, going back billions of years. I suppose the show can place itself in the distant past, but that doesn't mean it would make any sense.

 

[Chris]

Uh, I'm not sure what that means to anything. I have always been of the belief the show understands that it is, in fact, fiction, and therefore, constraints of historical accuracy do not necessarily apply.

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Wow, great finale. I didn't see the Boomer/Adama thing coming. At all.

With such a great finale, this probably isn't the time to bring this back up ... but, here's the issue of the time it takes to run the Cylon blood test again. I rewatched the test sequences in Flesh and Bone and Tigh me up, Tigh me Down again last night on Tivo. In Flesh and Bone, Boomer demands to be tested. They cut away (maybe some time passes here) and then we see her again in Baltar's lab with one sleeve rolled up (like she just gave blood). Baltar sticks a slide in the detector, says "this will take a couple minutes" and then one minute later the machine says she is a Cylon. So, it looks to me like the test only takes two minutes tops.

In Tigh me up, however, we see Baltar in his lab talking to Six and seeming truly despondent over each test taking 12 hours and his having to run 47000 tests. So which is it? 2 mins or 12 hours?

 

[Jason Walstrom]

I believe it has been over 8 hours when he gets the results back. listen carefully.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, gee, then maybe the Cylons can be defeated by dumping Baltar's ring into a convenient volcano. If, you know, plausibility isn't going to enter into it.

 

[Ivan Lindenfeld]

I am at a loss. Is there another, better place to discuss BSG? Very few posts here since Friday.



Cmon July!!

 

[Andrew Beacom]

Plenty of talking points: Adama future, Boomer II's baby, Baltar's part in the shooting.

Anyone know if they will start reshowing the episodes between now and the new ones?

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

Some people even think Lt. Gaeta handed her the gun ...

Interesting take on the Basestar ... making it organic inside rather than all mechanical ... although RDM mentions that they thought of making it just all white ...

So does the organic nature indicate that the organic machine is superior to mechanical?

I suppose it would start to get on my nerves if they could keep jumping home with ease .... that has to stop ...

Regards