Escape Velocity

"Escape Velocity" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 4, Episode 4 (discuss, thread)
Writer(s)	Jane Espenson
Story by
Director	Edward James Olmos
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	406
Nielsen Rating	1.3
US airdate	25 April 2008
CAN airdate	25 April 2008
UK airdate	29 April 2008
DVD release	6 January 2009
Population	39,675 survivors ( -1)
Extended Info	{{{extra}}}
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
The Ties That Bind	Escape Velocity	The Road Less Traveled
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
Podcast Transcript – View
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Satirical view of this episode on WikiFrakr
Promotional Materials
Watch this episode's promo (on-wiki)
Online Purchasing
Amazon: | Standard Definition | | High Definition
iTunes: USA | Canada | UK

Overview

Religious freedom is debated and defended as the messianic Gaius Baltar promotes his belief in one true God. Meanwhile, Galen Tyrol tries to cope with the death of his wife and fails.

Summary

Teaser

• In a makeshift temple aboard Galactica, Galen Tyrol performs a ritual commemoration ceremony in the memory of his wife, Callandra Henderson Tyrol. In attendance are Laura Roslin, Admiral Adama, Delegate Lee Adama, Tory Foster, Colonel Saul Tigh and Anthony Figurski.
• After the priest ends the service, Roslin (wearing a wig) tells Adama that she likes the ceremony, insinuating that she wants Adama to perform the same service for her when she dies.
• Tyrol is given condolences by people as they leave the temple. Foster asks Roslin why they have to do "these things at dawn", to which Roslin replies that they have to.
• After Roslin gives her condolences, Tyrol grabs a hold of both Foster and Tigh, who hastily offer their condolences. As they walk out, they complain that Tyrol almost attracted attention to themselves.
• Delegate Adama offers his condolences as Tyrol stares off after Foster and Tigh; Adama leaves without a response from Tyrol.
• Tigh enters the surveillance room adjoining Caprica-Six's brig. The Marines inform him that she continues her same routine. When broaching the topic of how Six doesn't go nuts, the female Marine replies that she probably turns off her brain, prompting interest from Tigh.
• Tigh enters the brig, informing Six that her request to see Hera Agathon has been denied. Six notes that Tigh already told her this, and asks what else he wants from her. During the discussion, Tigh sees Ellen Tigh in place of Six. Tigh, unsure of what to make of it, tells Six to stay back from him. Six notes that he visits her every day, but doesn't ask questions any more. Tigh leaves, with her saying that she'll see him tomorrow.
• In his quarters, Tyrol sits while Nicholas Tyrol cries. Foster and Tigh gruffly admonish Tyrol for his behavior at the service.
• Tigh inquires after the baby. Tyrol notes that Nicholas probably needs to be changed; Tigh goes about doing so.
• Foster asks Tyrol if he believes Cally killed herself because of him. Tyrol brings up the alleged affair between them, to which Foster replies that they didn't have one. Tyrol voices his concerns over which of his memories were real, and whether or not there was ever an action in his life that wasn't programmed. Foster espouses what, according to Tigh, is "Baltar's crap" when she tells Tyrol that they, as Cylons, don't need guilt since they are perfect. Tigh, on the other hand, believes that Tyrol is feeling what men feel after the death of a loved one. Tigh continues by telling Tyrol that he'll see Cally every day, while referencing his own experience of hearing and seeing his dead wife. Tigh finishes by saying that Tyrol feels what he needs to feel, but not at the expense of being outed as Cylons, while Foster says to think about what they are and embrace their Cylon attributes.

Act 1

• Tory Foster visits Gaius Baltar in the commune. There, she wakes Baltar by pulling out a hair on his head. Baltar replies "Gods", which Foster questions. She continues by plucking another hair off of Baltar's head, asking about how he was feeling. He replies that it was an intense feeling. She then massages his crotch, then while doing so, plucks out another hair on his head. She asks if the signals of pain and pleasure get crossed, which Baltar replies in the affirmative. As Baltar tries to leave, Foster forces Baltar down on the bed. After noting her strength, she begins to engage in foreplay, running her tongue across his cheek.
• As she babbles on about her beliefs about "pain turning into pleasure" and the like (much to Baltar's testicular displeasure), members of the Sons of Ares begin their march towards the commune. Their attack on the commune begins by throwing a smoke grenade, which allows them to enter the commune and attack Baltar's cultists with near impunity, painting graffiti and wreaking havoc. They quickly try to find Baltar, but they know they have two minutes to do so before they can expect some kind of military response. At the one minute mark, an announcement over the PA announces a security alert on deck eight, section fourteen.
• During these two minutes, Baltar hides himself behind a support beam near the ceiling. After the attack, Foster looks up at him as the Sons of Ares people clear out of the commune, vowing to find Baltar.
• In the hangar bay, Galen Tyrol is repairing the ECO console on Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson's Raptor. Deckhand Anthony Figurski asks if Tyrol is almost done, Tyrol replies that he just has one more relay, which his hands have a problem in reaching. During this, he has flashbacks of Cally, including one where Cally helps him out during the construction of the Blackbird.
• Tyrol's flashback of his beating of Cally after his suicidal nightmare is interrupted by Edmondson, who asks if he's done with his repairs. Pocketing a fuse, he morosely replies that he's done.
• Edmondson and Hamish "Skulls" McCall launch to the departing waves of crew members on the deck. They join up with a combat air patrol led by Paolo "Redwing" McKay, who teases them for driving "a school bus". Edmondson counters by comparing the Vipers to bicycles, to which Redwing replies that the Vipers are race cars.
• When Edmondson throttles up, she loses control of the Raptor's port lower rear RCS thruster. She requests an emergency landing and struggles to bring the Raptor back to the port landing pod deck, but they crash-land, with flaming wreckage colliding with a landram.
• Meanwhile, Baltar is chastising "Mr. Officious" for his lack of speed in finding out who their attackers are. Virtual Six prompts him to look at the painted graffiti in the wall, which is written in old text. He reads it, discovering that his attackers were from the Sons of Ares. He asks about their motivations, to which Six replies that "old Gods die hard even among your people". He sees Six next to a woman, whose name he believes starts with an "M", until she corrects him: her name is Lilly. Baltar discovers a religious artifact belonging to Asclepius in her hand, which she prays to. She claims that she believes that Baltar will heal their people, but still has belief in Asclepius. Six then adds that the "Gods are fighting back".
• In the hangar bay, Tyrol and Figurski are looking over the remains of the Raptor, whose relays are still hot. When checking under the ECO console, Tyrol discovers the burnt-out fuse he neglected to replace, discovering the replacement in his shirt's pocket. He admits that the crash was his fault.
• McCall angrily confronts Tyrol, but is interdicted by Edmondson, who attempts to defuse the situation. McCall concedes that it's all right, and that no one got hurt. Tyrol presses on however, saying that he doesn't need to be "patted on the head" and that its all right if people told him that he frakked up. He becomes more vocal when Edmondson mentions that "he's only human", but she walks away and no one else comments. He calls them all "cowards".
• Figurski offers to finish looking over the Raptor. In reply, Tyrol tells Figurski to get out of the ship.
• As Baltar looks at the pendant for Asclepius, Virtual Six tells him that people have room for only one great belief, either him or the Gods. Despite Baltar's misgivings about one man standing up to the old Gods, Six convinces him that such a man who does would surely be magnificent. Inspired by this, Baltar tells his members that they have been targeted because of what they believe in, and urges them to take a stand against Gods that have no relevance in their world.
• Baltar then leaves, with Jeanne and the others following.
• Baltar enters the temple, where the priest is performing a service. He interrupts the ceremony despite the priest's attempts to stop him. Baltar begins asking the parishioners who they serve, blaspheming Zeus by calling him a "serial rapist" and pointing out the absurdity of giving birth through one's forehead. The priest confronts him, but Baltar calls her an "ignorant witch" and continues discussing the so-called Gods, including how Asclepius heals with the blood of a Gorgon, in addition to the other "invented rubbish" as he vandalizes the temple.
• As his other cultists follow his example, Marines storm the temple and forcibly extricate Baltar as the polytheists in the temple try to attack him, yelling out demands to "burn him".

Act 2

• William Adama visits Laura Roslin in sickbay after her blood test. He's brought a different book to read named Searider Falcon, a classic novel. Roslin comments that she hasn't read it in years, and Adama confesses that he's never finished the book, since he finds the book too good to finish, and is saving the ending. She suggests that she should also do that, but after an awkward realization shared between the two, she corrects herself.
• After Adama offers to take her bag, he notes that "Baltar's back at home in the brig again". Roslin believes that Baltar's desecration of the temple was revenge for what happened to his commune that morning. Adama replies that he has people looking into the brutal attack on Baltar's cult, but no one is talking about the Sons of Ares. She replies that Baltar's knowingly provoking the hard-line religious groups from Dogsville, and they agree that they can't have a religious fight in the Fleet. Further, they both agree that Baltar is the crux of the problem, as he has an "uncanny way of stirring up all the crap". They discuss the various options, including locking him away for his own safety to removing him from Galactica. However, Roslin has a better idea and goes to the brig so that Baltar can see her.
• Colonel Tigh visits Caprica-Six in the brig. She notes that he didn't even make it to tomorrow. Tigh reveals that he does want something, and asks her how it feels to have the blood of billions of human beings on her hands. She replies that she cannot help but to feel it. Tigh orders the Marines to aim their weapons at her.
• On the hangar deck, Tyrol is welding as Figurski walks by and asks him if he woke up early or never went to sleep. Tyrol doesn't reply and Figurski walks off. After this, Tyrol simply walks off the job, throwing his welder's mask and gloves upon the floor.
• In the brig, Six tells Tigh that she is just as human as he is. During the conversation, he sees Ellen Tigh in Six's place, and asks her how she deals with the pain. She doesn't answer and Tigh tells the Marines to step outside. After the Marines do so, he tells her that she has nothing to offer him and that she is the same as the rest of the Cylons.
• Also in a brig, Baltar is awakened by Roslin. After Baltar makes a quip about her strip searching him, she tells him that his situation is being looked into "aggressively". She tells him that she is wearing a wig and dying from cancer, but she doesn't want his pity and is still doing her job. She assures him that she's aggressively looking into the men that attacked him. However, there is a caveat to this: she tells him that she wants a quiet little death, and insinuates that Baltar give up his crusade quietly, as she has neither the time nor the patience to indulge him.
• Roslin leaves, telling Baltar that he's being released and to stay safe.
• In Joe's Bar, Adama joins Tyrol at the bar. Adama tells Tyrol that the deck crew misses him and tells him that if he needs time off, or if he wants to work more shifts, all he need to is ask. Tyrol replies that he doesn't need special treatment. In reply, Tyrol hallucinates Adama receiving a shot of alcohol and this reply: "I guess it was just more than she could take, huh? Being married to a Cylon who made her the mother to a half-breed abomination."
• The hallucination ends when Adama gets his drink and comments that Cally was a good woman. Tyrol replies that had Adama really thought that, he wouldn't have threatened to stick her up against a bulkhead and have her shot. Despite Adama's efforts to move their conversation somewhere else, Tyrol then goes into a tirade about how he was stuck with the best of limited options, describing Cally as a "shriek" with "dull, vacant eyes" and a "cabbage smell". He tells Adama that he is sick of his life, a life that he did not choose, and hating to find out that those they really loved were dead, dying, or were Cylons. He pines on his love of Sharon Valerii, and notes that because he tried to stick his head in the sand, he married Cally. He tells her that she was no angel, but notes that Adama has already made her into one. He tells Adama that they are not in the same club, since he never asked the right questions.
• Adama gives him a last chance to recant, but Tyrol refuses, daring Adama to demote him and get him off the ship. Challenged, Adama does so, and orders Specialist Tyrol to report to a petty officer to get reassigned, since Tyrol is a danger to others.
• Adama leaves, while Tyrol slowly collapses into his stool at the bar.

Act 3

• On Colonial One during a Quorum meeting, Lee Adama argues with President Roslin over an emergency measure limiting the size of Baltar's groups so they don't provoke attacks from fundamentalist groups, steadfastly contending that "where ever Baltar is, violence happens", and assures Adama and other delgates that her goal is to keep the people safe from harm by preventing such violence. However, Lee's objections are supported by fellow Quorum members, such as Reza Chronides, who are concerned that the emergency measure that Roslin "bulldozed through" may be used against other religious groups, such as the Mithraists. Roslin assures people that this won't happen, and the emergency measure was enacted because Baltar is a special case, a claim that Lee rebukes by saying that they're making him a special case. During the conversation, Tory Foster remains silent, but is visibly concerned.
• Despite Lee's assertion that Baltar is not preaching violence and other amoral acts, and objections by the delegates, Roslin tells them to clear their heads and urges the people to remember the tragedy they experienced on New Caprica. Chronides pointedly asks if Roslin will open the resolution for a full discussion amongst the Quorum, which Roslin quickly and vehemently refuses to do.
• Lee responds by noting that the Quorum can override Roslin, and notes that he's willing to do so since he believes the resolution cannot stand.
• Incensed by this, Roslin replies with rhetoric: should they overturn her decision, the people would win, but at what cost? She implores them to remember what happened when Baltar held political power, and saying they should be terrified at the prospect of Baltar regaining such power again, even through Baltar's cult.
• In the brig, Tigh watches Six as she sleeps. He believes he's seeing Ellen. When she awakens, Six asks if she should get familiar to waking up to Tigh's face. She notes the lack of a Marine escort. Tigh tells her that it is an informal chat between them, to which she astutely replies that they're also being watched. Tigh tells her that she hasn't answered his question. She replies that she wants the pain and learns from it. She mentions how she fell in love with Baltar, and understood that she wouldn't have him forever. She continues to discuss Baltar, which breaks Tigh out of his illusion of seeing Ellen. He angrily reacts to this, saying that he refuses to hear about "Gaius Frakking Baltar" and leaves the brig. He enters the adjoining surveillance room to dismiss the Marines and deactivate the surveillance equipment.
• Tigh reenters the brig, where he is prompted with an offer by Six to help him turn off the pain. She reveals that she learns from the pain, the guilt, and she claims that she's found clarity and wisdom from these things. Tigh sits on the cot with her, where he is told how the humanoid Cylon brain is patterned after the human brain, where she claims that the Cylons have learned things about the human mind that the humans themselves are unaware of.
• Six, who Tigh now sees as Ellen, removes his eye patch and offers to give him clarity.
• Baltar and his cultists proceed to the commune, but are stopped by a Marine who tells him of Roslin's emergency measure, Emergency Provision 17, and that no group larger than twelve can be assembled at any time. Baltar insists that he lives in the commune, but the marine will have none of it, even when Paulla Schaffer offers to leave and allow Baltar to enter. When Baltar tries to make his way into the commune at the urging of his Virtual Six, he is beaten back by the Marine and begins to spit out blood from his mouth.

Act 4

• In the brig, Saul Tigh tells Caprica-Six to get her hands off him. She punches him, throwing him from the cot. She then jumps on him and begins punishing him in the face, enjoying it in the process. After this, she asks him if he feels the pain, and the clarity that comes with it. When he does not reply, she continues to punch him.
• Virtual Six convinces Gaius Baltar to continue to defy the Marine, assuring him that the gains for doing so outweigh the initial costs. He does so, and is repeatedly beaten back to the ground in front of his followers every time he takes a move towards the commune. "Aided" by his virtual Six, Baltar gets up and continues this action, until Lee Adama arrives with a Marine lieutenant. He informs them that the provision has been rescinded and right for full public assembly is restored.
• Tracey Anne, Jeanne and Paulla Schaffer rush out to help Baltar into the commune. Before entering the commune, Baltar thanks Adama for helping him. Adama replies that he doesn't know why he does these things for Baltar. Baltar says that Adama does such things because "your God compels you".
• In sickbay, Laura Roslin tells William Adama (who is holding Searider Falcon in his hand) that Lee has no idea of what he's doing, believing that there are "pragmatic realities" that Lee refuses to face. Adama agrees to this, saying that Lee's only doing what he thinks is right. Roslin does agree to that, but says that "sometimes the right thing is a luxury" and has its own set of dangerous consequences that Lee doesn't want to be true. She stops herself from continuing, since she realizes that shouldn't get upset during her Doloxan treatment.
• Adama tells her that he's about to get into the part of the book he hasn't read yet and, when asked if he can continue, Adama starts reading. Roslin goes to sleep and Adama continues from the reading, despite having closed the book and apparently knowing the words by rote.
• In the brig, a beaten Tigh begs to Six to continue her assault. However, she changes tactics, saying that being beaten is not what he needs. She then kisses him.
• In the commune, Baltar makes his speech where he notes that while he isn't a perfect man, he believes that something in the universe loves him despite his flaws and faults. Urged on by Virtual Six, he calls this "spark", which dwells in the soul of every living being, "God" and moves the crowd when he says that each and every person is perfect, and that they can love others once they love themselves.
• During Baltar's speech, Lee Adama sees Tory Foster in attendance. Elsewhere on the ship, Galen Tyrol stares at Nicholas, who is playing in his crib.
• On Demetrius, Kara Thrace is sleeping at a table when Samuel Anders comes in, watching over her.
• Baltar finishes his speech by saying that God loves that which is perfect, and that people are perfect as they are. Foster is smiling, while the other cultists begin to weep and give him a standing ovation. Lee Adama moves to leave the commune while Virtual Six looks over at Foster.

Notes

• Escape velocity is the minimum initial velocity an unaccelerated object needs to escape a body's gravitational field.
• Cally Tyrol's full first name is Callandra. The spelling is confirmed in Bear McCreary's blog post for this episode. The episode also marks the first onscreen mention of her birth name, Henderson.
• The survivor count now accounts for Callandra Tyrol's death in "The Ties That Bind".
• A costuming error in the teaser shows Saul Tigh wearing the rank insignia of an admiral. This is noticeable in the scene where Tigh and Tory Foster confront Galen Tyrol in Tyrol's quarters after the memorial service.
• The Doloxan treatment Laura Roslin receives has forced her to wear a wig, since her hair loss began more than 22 days ago in "Six of One".
• Another of the Lords of Kobol is revealed: Asclepius. Asclepius is known to the Colonials as the god of healing.
• Unlike "The Ties That Bind", Tom Zarek is not present at the Quorum of Twelve meetings on Colonial One in this episode. The reason for his absence is unexplained.
• Tory Foster confirms that the Final Five are stronger than humans.
• Redwing previously appeared in "Exodus, Part II" as Hot Dog's wingman.
• The Raptor accident was the third such incident for the pair of Hamish "Skulls" McCall and Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson. The first occurrence being their FTL malfunction causing their mis-jump to the New Caprica system in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I", and another incident with the RCS thrusters occurs in "Dirty Hands".
• As Baltar speaks about loving oneself, knowing "what we are" and loving others, the camera includes shots of three Cylons who are struggling with self-identity and their feelings for humans – Galen Tyrol staring at his son at play, Samuel Anders watching his wife as she sleeps aboard the Demetrius and Tory Foster watching Baltar himself.

Analysis

General

• The Sons of Ares act with military precision, have access to gas grenades and knowledge about the ship's security procedures. From this it is likely that many of them are soldiers and not civilians. This may be expected from a group dedicated to the god of war.
• When facing down the Marines, the way in which Baltar is standing up appears as though he is being lifted up, which puzzles the Marines and Baltar's followers. This marks the first time where virtual Six does something to Baltar that isn't clearly presented like Baltar is doing it to himself. While it is possible that he moves like that all by himself, and his feet are never shown, it is implied that virtual Six can actually affect things physically. This, along with the virtual Baltar appearing to Baltar in "Six of One", and both virtual beings consistently knowing information that neither Baltar or Caprica-Six could actually know, hints that there may be something more to them than simply being illusions. What they are, of course, remains a matter of debate.
  • In the podcast, Ron Moore points out that such an interpretation was never intended by the writers. He concedes that the way it is shot goes into that direction, which he considers too far, but believes that none of the characters present would think of it any other way than Baltar moving around by himself.
• The scene where Baltar violently confronts the Colonials during their prayer service seems based on the Biblical narrative of Jesus and the money changers.
• Racetrack and Skulls' Raptor accident bears similarities to the real life Gemini VIII mission, where a thruster on the craft jammed in the "on" position, causing the spacecraft to roll violently to the left. The high roll rate endangered the lives of astronauts Scott and Armstrong, and the incident caused the mission to be aborted. A dramatized version of the accident can be seen in this clip from From The Earth To The Moon.

Characters

• Galen Tyrol's insubordination that leads Admiral Adama to demote him may have been a deliberate act, conscious or unconscious, to maintain the safety of the ship. While not stated explicitly, Tyrol has been implied to have fears of working against the interest of the Fleet. This fear is almost certainly magnified when he forgets to swap out a burned out component for a new one on Racetrack's Raptor, which subsequently crashes. While his memory lapse may have been innocently brought on by the continuing stress of discovering himself to be a Cylon, the resulting subterfuge, and his wife's death, the experience of Sharon Valerii with her memory lapses, unconscious acts of sabotage, and the attempted murder of then Commander Adama, are probably on his mind. This is indicated during the tirade against Cally, Adama, and his life in general in Joe's bar. A demotion in disgrace and transfer could ensure the safety of the ship, without raising any unwanted questions as an official resignation probably would.
• Neither Tyrol nor, apparently, Tigh have been told the full truth about Cally's death; Foster has not seen fit to tell Tigh, possibly as a result of the suicide pact made in "He That Believeth In Me". The official story surrounding her demise has not been disclosed to the audience, however all Galactica's crew knows is that she did die. What has not been disclosed thus far is how Nicholas was found, despite the fact that Cally was seen by several crewmembers carrying the child before her death.
• Tyrol continues to have feelings for Sharon Valerii, as he admits to William Adama and everyone else present in Joe's Bar. Tyrol notes many of Cally's weaknesses, including her nagging, nosy nature (which lead to her death in "The Ties That Bind"), and grows annoyed at Adama's willingness to turn Cally into an angel, when he believes that she is unworthy of that. His feelings for Valerii were likely renewed upon realizing that he is a Cylon, which makes a possible association with Valerii much more acceptable to him.
• Tyrol's tirade about Cally and his reasons for marrying her also have a double meaning in regards to Adama. As it becomes more obvious, especially ever since "A Day in the Life", Adama's feelings for Roslin have become more apparent. Unfortunately, with her cancer re-appearing and her possible upcoming death, Roslin, like Valerii to Tyrol, is unattainable to Adama. Ironically, though Tyrol believes that Adama wants him to join his "club" in lamenting for Cally, it may very well be that it is Adama who wants to join Tyrol's club.
• Foster continues to embrace her Cylon nature and Baltar's teachings. She tells Tigh and Tyrol to turn off the guilt, that they are perfect and different from humans. Tigh, however, can't turn off his feelings and spends much of the episode wondering if Caprica-Six can.
• As Adama reads from Searider Falcon to Roslin, he closes the book and continues, "I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of the emptiness that I felt inside. I couldn't feel anything. And that's what scared me. You came into my thoughts. I felt them. It felt good." Writer Jane Espenson explains in the DVD commentary for "The Hub" that Adama is pretending that the words come from the book, but he is actually speaking his heart to Roslin after he closes the book.
• Roslin's wig is strikingly reminiscent of Helena Cain's hairstyle in "Pegasus" and "Resurrection Ship, Parts I and II". This is a visual counterpoint to her increasing ruthlessness as she confronts her impending death.
• Roslin's wig is also reminiscent of the hairstyle and look that she has in the vision she shared with Athena and Caprica-Six (TRS: "Crossroads, Part I"). This may indicate that the vision was a foretelling of future events to come in the season.
• Roslin's body language during and after her speech to the Quorum portrays several nuances to the audience. First, it is apparent, besides the hair loss, that the cancer treatments are weakening her body tremendously. Second, her previous statements to Baltar of having less and less patience is more evident in how she dealt with the Quorum's request. Third, as she leaves, the nuance of Roslin, with a hunched back and slowly sulking away indicates that there may be future consequences for the Quorum in standing up to Roslin.

Religion

• Delegate Reza Chronides mentions Mithraism, thus further establishing the existence of other religions in the Twelve Colonies. The Sons of Ares are another religious group, described as fundamentalist.
• This is particularly notable in the context of Baltar's cult, because Mithraism had many things in common with Christianity. Yet Christians were persecuted far more by the (polytheistic) Romans, while Mithraism spread throughout the empire and particularly the army, before Christianity became the official religion and paganism illegal. This furthers the connection of the Lords of Kobol to the Roman/Greek gods and of Baltar to Christ.
• In Baltar's theology people are perfect and God loves things that are perfect. Perfect things have no faults, therefore God loves one including one's faults. Hence, there is nothing wrong with one despite the questionable things done in life. This is similar to the Calvinist and Free Grace Christian theologies that hold that those truly saved by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ can not lose their salvation. In other words, regardless of faults or sins past, present or future a true believer in Christ's complete salvation at the Cross would never be rejected by God. This is similar to Baltar's theology in which God would never reject a person under any circumstance because he or she is perfect regardless of their faults or sins. Under this world view God would regard Tory Foster as perfect and guiltless despite her murder of Cally Tyrol, which she has convinced herself that she is.
• Furthermore, according to conventional Protestant Christian theology, one need only accept Jesus as savior and confess once. The confession must be heartfelt and true for Christ's salvation and redemption to be in effect in God's eyes. To use the example of Tory Foster once more, it is likely that Foster is truly embracing Baltar's teachings and perhaps her Cylon nature in that she truly believes they are perfect as is and forgiven as they are. This differs from what is required under conventional forms of Christianity in that Christ has paid for the sinner's salvation.
• Baltar's speech about loving one's self, and using that understanding to love and understand others seems thematically aligned with Virtual Six's initial remark in the Miniseries that "God is love." Ironically, Baltar's sinful past now seems to enhance his credibility and provide evidence that someone as sinful as him has been given fortune by God. In Christianity, to be redeemed from sin does not mean that one will stop sinning, but to live in constant reminder of God's love and favor because of Christ's sacrifice. Furthermore with that understanding that one is loved, one's behavior will change gradually and in certain circumstances miracles occur. Likewise, Baltar has repeatedly repented to God and had seemingly divine providence intervene in his favor several times. Since Baltar is now using his own sinful life as an example, it seems that this dynamic of Christianity is consistent here as well.

Questions

• Will Lee Adama grow more sympathetic towards Baltar's group? (Partial Answer)
• Will Roslin learn that Foster is associating with Baltar? (Answer)
• Will Tyrol seriously consider Foster's words?
• Will Foster clash with Tigh and Tyrol, as their different attitudes towards their Cylon nature develop?
• Are Tyrol and Tigh's hallucinations merely the result of grief and guilt, or are they using projection?
• Do Tigh and Six frak? (Answer)
• Are Tigh and Six the "enemies brought together by impossible longing" spoken of by the First Hybrid in "Razor"?
• Are Tyrol's statements about Cally's negative attributes heartfelt, or merely a result of rage and anger? (Answer #1, Answer #2, Answer #3)
• What of Nicholas Tyrol? Will his father take care of the child?
• Now that it is clear that Foster lied to Tyrol about the death of Cally, how will Tyrol react should he discover the truth? (Answer)
• What will Tyrol's new duties be after his demotion to specialist? (Future Answer)
• Further, what is his status within the Colonial Workers Alliance? Has he abandoned this union's leadership position or been forced out?
• Will Baltar's religion end up helping the people of the Fleet, or will it lead them into a dangerous state which compromises them, as Laura Roslin appears to fear?
• What influence will the new religion have on Roslin's beliefs and actions? Will she convert, will she be proven right, or will she be on the wrong side?
• Does Baltar's facial expression of seeming shock when he sees Virtual Six standing next to her and smiling, mean that he realizes that Tory Foster is a Cylon? (Possible answer) Does he connect that with Foster's display of strength to him during their sex play?

Official Statements

• Mark Verheiden discusses Baltar being "lifted" by Virtual Six:

"I would argue that Baltar’s gyrations were still him contorting himself, as if Number Six were hoisting him from the floor. I am reminded of Church services where people, in the throes of religious fervor, can evidence remarkable physical contortions, 'speaking in tongues,' etc."

• Verheiden talks about Roslin's animosity towards Baltar:

"This starts to get a little complicated, I think, which of course means you’re watching Battlestar Galactica! But Laura’s emotions about New Caprica have to be a swirl of righteous resentments and animosity.

"Remember that she was removed as President by the will of the people (in a squeaker of an election), replaced by a guy she knew would be a poor leader. That proved to be true even before the Cylons arrived and the occupation began.

"So she would have watched the political machine on New Caprica flounder under Baltar’s rule, then see the Government’s total capitulation when the Cylons arrived and he immediately surrendered.

"While Baltar more or less cooperated with the Cylons (regardless of whether his reasons were pragmatic and practical, as pointed out in his trial), humans were rounded up, imprisoned, eyeballs were gouged out, people were tortured, the nightmare went on and on.

"After all that, Baltar managed to evade Laura’s idea of justice AND he falls into a sect of acolytes who look to him for spiritual guidance.

"Is it any wonder that the guy gets under her skin? And that she fears for the fleet should he find another power base?"

Noteworthy Dialogue

• William Adama and Galen Tyrol's argument at Joe's Bar:

William Adama: She was a good woman.

Galen Tyrol: If you really believe that, you wouldn't have threatened to stick her up against a bulkhead and shoot her. It's OK though, thought about doing it a few times myself. Believe me.

Adama: Chief...

Tyrol: How many of us ended up with the people we wanted to be with? Got stuck with the best of limited options. And why? Because the ones we really want, that we've really loved, are dead, dying, turned out to be Cylons and they didn't know it. And if Boomer had...

Adama: Let's go. Let's go.

Tyrol: No. No. I didn't know—

Adama: Let's go home.

Tyrol: I didn't know. So I buried my head in the sand, and I took it, and I settled. I settled for that shriek. Those dull, vacant eyes. Boiled cabbage stench of her. And why? Because this is my life. This is the life I picked! And that's fine. But you know what, it's not! I didn't pick this life! This isn't my frakkin' life!

Adama: What the hell's gotten in to you? Don't do this. Don't do this to her memory.

Tyrol: You know what? I'm sorry if I'm not doing this the way you want me to, the way you might, but I'm not making an angel out of someone who wasn't an angel. But I can see you have. And now you've come down here to be in my club. But you're not in my club. You don't know what frakkin' club I'm in because you never ask the right questions.

Adama: Chief, let's get out of here.

Tyrol: No. Why don't you go, take care of your precious ship.

Adama: Stop it! Stop all of this! Because if you don't, I'll have to act on it. Now shut up!

Tyrol: Great! Do it! Please! For the love of Gods, please demote me! Get me off your frakking ship!

Adama: Specialist Tyrol, I want you off my hangar deck before you endanger another pilot. You're to report to Petty Officer Basim at 0600 for reassignment. Do you understand?

• Caprica-Six tells Saul Tigh about her feelings:

"I want the pain. It's how I learn. I was instrumental in the destruction of humanity, but at the same time I learned, because...because I fell in love...with a human man, and he was mortal and fallible. And he had this incredible pride in himself. He thought he knew everything there was to know. And I loved him, with my whole heart. And then one day, I realized I wouldn't have him forever. I understood what I'd done. How I betrayed him and humanity. And that pain taught me to understand death. Baltar could die. And I loved him. Baltar's heart was ephemeral. Baltar's body was fragile in my hands."

• Laura Roslin about Lee Adama and his understanding of politics:

Roslin: Lee has no idea. He really has no idea. [...] There are pragmatic realities he refuses to face.

William Adama: Well, that's a problem of course. He'd say what he thinks is right.

Roslin: Well yeah. He is Lee. Thing is, it probably is the right thing, but...sometimes the right thing is a luxury. And it can have profoundly dangerous consequences. And it's almost as if he doesn't want that to be true.

• Gaius Baltar speaks to his followers:

"I am not a priest. I've never even been a particularly good man. I am in fact a profoundly selfish man. But that doesn't matter, you see. Something in the universe loves me. (smiles) Something in the universe loves the entity that is me. I would choose to call this something "God", a singular spark that dwells in the soul of every living being. If you look inside yourself you will find that spark too. You will. But you have to look deep. Love your faults. Embrace them. If God embraces them, then how can they be faults? Love yourself. You have to love yourself. If we don't love ourselves, how can we love others? And when we know what we are, then we can find the truth out about others, seek what they are; the truth about them. And you know what the truth is? The truth about them? About you? About me? Do you? The truth is, we're all perfect. Just as we are. God only loves that which is perfect and he loves you. He loves you because you are perfect. You are perfect. Just as you are."

Guest Stars

• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Kate Vernon as "Virtual Ellen"
• Don Thompson as Anthony Figurski
• Leah Cairns as Lieutenant Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
• Colin Lawrence as Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Jeanne
• Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
• Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
• Donna Soares as Gemenon Delegate (credited as "Speaking Delegate #1")
• Iris Paluly as Tauron Delegate (credited as "Speaking Delegate #2")
• Marilyn Norry as Reza Chronides
• Lara Gilchrist as Paulla Schaffer
• Leela Savasta as Tracey Anne
• Finn R. Devitt as Nicholas Tyrol (credited as "Baby Nicky")
• Heather Doerksen as Sergeant Brandy Harder (credited as "Surveillance Marine")
• Laara Sadiq as Priestess
• Karen Austin as Lilly
• Steve Lawlor as Marine at Baltar's
• Hector Johnson as Marine Lieutenant
• Lee Jefferies as "Redwing" McKay
• Rob Hayter as Sons of Ares leader (uncredited)
• Unknown as "Mr. Officious" (uncredited)

External Links

• Composer Bear McCreary on the episode's score: http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=246

References

Battlestar Galactica (Re-imagined) Season 4 (2008-09) Episode List DVD Movies and Features: Razor | The Plan Webisodes: Razor Flashbacks | The Face of the Enemy < Previous Season Episode | He That Believeth In Me | Six of One | The Ties That Bind | Escape Velocity | The Road Less Traveled | Faith | Guess What's Coming to Dinner? | Sine Qua Non | The Hub | Revelations | Sometimes a Great Notion | A Disquiet Follows My Soul | The Oath | Blood on the Scales | No Exit | Deadlock | Someone to Watch Over Me | Islanded in a Stream of Stars | Daybreak, Part I | Daybreak, Part II Template:Navigation box end