It’s just so great to have Battlestar Galactica back again. The first episode of the fourth and final season aired on Friday. Lots of fun too, since it picked up immediately on the two biggest character developments of the end of season three: the return of Starbuck, seemingly from the dead, and the continued realization of the outed “four” who are coming to terms with not being human.
It’s a little sad too, the way that this last season of “The Wire” was sad. Sad because yet another great TV show is ending, and it’s tough to see what might take it’s place.
If you haven’t been reading the spoilers and potential plot summaries about the upcoming BSG spinoff “Caprica”, another one is up on SyFy Portal. Check out this portion of the plot concept:
William Adama, who will be 9 years old in the series, actually had a sister. But both his mother and sister are killed in a suicide bombing that also took out Zoe, the daughter of Daniel Graystone, a wealthy computer engineer and designer who is trying to build an “intelligent robot.” The terrorist attack bring together Daniel and Joseph, but Daniel grieves in a different way. He discovers that Zoe had a far better understanding of robotics and computers than even he did, and uses that technology to help build the first Cylon … with Zoe’s personality.
Joseph ends up helping Daniel to create robotic versions of not just Zoe, but of his own daughter, Tamara, as well. Unlike Daniel Graystone, however, Joseph changes his mind about having Tamara created in robot form, and eventually reveals to his son William that their name is not Adams, but instead is Adama.
Now remember, this new series is being created by the people who know exactly who the fifth cylon is, and largely how BSG is going to wrap up. In some ways, this is like the Monty Hall problem in statistics – Monty knows which door has the Cadillac behind it, so his choice is not truly independent.
There are some who think the fifth cylon is Roslin, Baltar, or even Admiral Adama. All of these possibilities are contradicted by the clue from the Entertainment Weekly article – none of the humans in the picture is a cylon. There are others who vote for Gaeta, since he’s been suspiciously close to the action the entire series… kind of like Wedge Antilles in Star Wars. I’ve seen votes for the Tom Zarak, Dee, or even Starbuck.
It’s hard to be certain, of course, but I’d say that the plot summary for Caprica raises some questions… like whether or not humanoid cylons actually pre-date the Cylon war. The idea that there effectively was a proto-Cylon “Adama” raises some possibilities.
I just wonder if we’re going to start seeing more references to Zak Adama in this fourth season… there was that statement that, “Adama is a Cylon”.
Anyway, we’ve got at least eight or nine weeks of great TV ahead of us. Actually, right now, with “John Adams” on HBO, it’s promising to be a good April.
Update (4/22/2008): New post on Episode 3 of the 4th Season: Ties That Bind.
Update (11/26/2008): New post on Final Five Candidates for the Fifth Cylon (Possible Spoilers).
Psychohistory 
Pingback: Battlestar Galactica: The Fifth & Last Cylon (possible spoilers) « Psychohistory
Just what I need in my life–yet another obsessive pursuit to consume my few remaining waking hours.
I really liked the 12 olympic gods theory…though I have no idea what it means in terms of the final Cylon.
I really have no clue, which just goes to show you what a fine job the showrunners have done!
I can’t say that I’m looking forward to Caprica and I hadn’t read that plot before, I don’t know I’ll probably give it a go but even BG sometimes struggles to keep my attention – of course I keep watching so what does that say about the show LOL
The 5th cylon……my guess…from left field Billy. The presidents 1st aide. What do you think??
Gaeta is an interesting choice, but has been played as such a minor character (curious, as you point out, how a minor character stays so close to everything). Dramatically, to make him the final Cylon there’d need to be a major reveal on him – say, that he’s Iblis, and the first Cylon (now that that story line is likely coming into play with the return of Starbuck). My, wouldn’t *that* be fun! 🙂 I’m not sure that Juliani is ready yet for such a task, though.
The comment on Zak rings a bell here, because, when Starbuck returned, Lee made a comment that “If my brother had walked off that ship”…hmmm…..
Zac has always played a big part in the plot, the bonding factor between Adama, Starbuck and Lee. Maybe there is a reason.
I’d like to see the final Cylon be Ellen. Tigh is wracked with guilt for killing her as a Cylon spy when he was a Cylon the whole time. But Ellen would have to be able to resurrect. And the ability of the Final Five to resurrect hasn’t been addressed yet (along with dozens of other unanswered questions). Still, it would be interesting to see how Tigh and Ellen would cope with their reunion, given everything that’s happened.
I thought about this long and hard, what would be good dramatically (Geata and Dee do not hold enough power, nor did Zak), and still be a twist (Thus eliminating Starbuck and Baltar) and not destroying the integrity of the series (Adama, and Roslin are out). Plus it has to fit the clues that Moore has dropped. (Someone not in the last supper picture, has been around since first season, we saw it second season ect… ect… )
My first guess was Zarek, but that really does not lend to much of a twist to everything. He has always been some what suspected since he was first introduced.
Right now my most solid guess is Richard Adar, the president of the Colonies. It still has the shock effect (we were betrayed by our leader), the dramatic effect (how many times has Roslin fell back on Adar’s philosophy? How this would crush her, and a lot of the fleets faith in her)
Logically it can fit into the series, the President manipulating events to bring the two societies closer together, by quelling paranoia, and promoting Baltar opinion of AI as shown in the pilot. Sending Adama on a mission to see what the Cylons were upto, not for military purposes, but for peaceful. Then a the cylons attack destroying everything he’s worked for. Hence Xena’s big apology in the temple, realizing they needlessly destroyed what they already had control of.
Ah, just a theory, but it makes sense to me.
Doc. Cuddle is the final Cylon. Think about it.
Pingback: Starbuck is NOT the Fifth Cylon « Psychohistory
It’s Romo Lamkin. The creater, I forget his name, said he left clues. The hybrid said something about the 5th Cylon clawing towards the light. Romo is clearly emotionally wrought because of what happened to his family but I think also because of what is happening between the Cylons and the humans. He is a different kind of Cylon and it is clearly disturbing him the way the two races have turned on each other. And the big clue? His coming out of the the bag repeatedly as in, ‘the cat is out of the bag’. Any thoughts?
And just maybe, to tie in with the Zak theory, and because he is a mentor to Lee and he can influence the Admiral, perhaps he is actually Zak in a different form. Which would fill in the theory of ‘Adama’ being a Cylon.
It’s Dee. Her full name is Anastasia Dualla; Anastasia is the feminine form of ANASTASIUS which is ancient Greek for RESSURECTION …End of line.
ANASTASIA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αναστασια (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: a-na-STAY-zha (English), a-na-STAS-ee-a (English) [key]
Feminine form of ANASTASIUS. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
ANASTASIUS
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Αναστασιος (Anastasios) which meant “resurrection” from Greek αναστασις (anastasis) (composed of the elements ανα (ana) “up” and στασις (stasis) “standing”). This was the name of numerous early saints and martyrs.
The final cylon is not a person. It is a god.
The cylons have created a god. This god is who Baltar and Six have been seeing, and it is also the god that is giving visions to the other humans and cylons.
I can tell you the leaked script contains the spoiler on the last section of scene 7 showing the 5th model. Roslin dies in the last episode as the 5th model tells her on her deathbed.
Oh yes its someone close to her and will show the intergration plan that was always the big part of the cylons coming home.
I won’t tell you it is but its already been shown in the the 2nd series. Go figure all will be shown in early 2009 the leaked script has been changed since someone leaked it.
Guys, you forget one very important thing. One other clue to the 5th’s identity is linked to the “wake up call”. The 5th cylon was NOT on the ship when the music went on, compelling the 4 to gather. If it was, it would have been revealed as well. Also, later, 3 confirmes that there were only 4 cylons on the ship at that time (she would not have made that assumption if she wasn’t sure of it, so just not seeing the 5th is not an option. She knew exaclty where they were becore seing them).
That being said, the 5th cannot be either Gaeta, Dee, Starbuck, Roslin, or any other character on Gallactica at that time (I would also presume that the “wake up call” would have been heard all across the fleet, ruling Zarek out as well, beacuse 3 didn’t feel the 5th there either). So it could be ANY character who died before the “wake up call”. It must also be a huge surprise and a tensionate one. So minor characters as Adar are also out of the question, beacuse the main characters do not have a special relationship with them (Roslin’s was not that powerfull for a proper comeback). Also, the 5th is NOT the Cylon God. That is (or was, if it has been replaced or not) the old Hybrid in Razor Flashbacks, the first skinjob. The final 5 are equal in rank, and the Cylon God, if it’s a cylon, it’s another one.
Zak is a good theory, ALTHOUGH!… Leoben could not have known the last 5 to point Zak out. Also, I bet my money on a well known character beacause this is the way the public will get the most eccitment and I dont think that the producers will not want to make the most of it. This gives me a few options left:
– Admiral Cain – too evil in my opinion for a proper comeback, the surprise would be not that powerfull, plus that we all have the feeling that she got what she deserved when 6 shot her adn I don’t think the producers what to stir that again.
– Ellen – not a powerfull enough presence, and also hated by many for betraing the resistance, the 5th should be a loved character for the best effect. Moreover, Baltar identified her as non-cylon. And yes, Baltar’s test works, beacuse he identified Boomer, but he chose to keep quiet, and then he didn’t continued testing to get to all the other characters. If he did, I”m sure he would’ve found the others, including the final… 5 🙂
– Kat – A better choice than the previous, because of her sacrifice to save the last ship lost in the nebula, but still a bitch a lot of the times, especially to Kara, which made her unpleasant a lot of episodes. Still, the actual caring Kara has for her might be enough of a comeback drive.
And my final. most confident and best option is…
– Billy – Let’s face it. Who on this show didn’t love Billy? He was sweet, shy, hurt by Dee, still he was intelligent in advising Roslin and stood by her all the time. She considered him her son. I have all the confidence that he is the 5h Cylon. Just give it a thought…
Still, there is a thing that I haven’t really figured out yet… When 3 sees the faces of the final 5, she stops at the last one and sais “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know”. So it must be someone she did soething bad or fought dirrectly against to. If Billy is the final cylon, she or any other cylons didn’t have a special relationship with him. Unless, of course, she was not refering to the 5th, and then the best match is Saul, who was tortured in the cylon prisons, even if not by her, and lost an eye. Still, that sounds like a possible clue to the 5th to me… It could be, it could be not. Maybe you have other viable options… It’d love to see them.
New Post:
Top Five Candidates for the Fifth Cylon (Possible Spoilers)
Has anyone thought that maybe – the line “this has happen before and will happen again” means that all of them are Cylons- that there are no humans- that once the Cylons destroyed the “real colonies” they felt empty and decided to rebuild the colonies- using Cylons that believed themselves to be human in an effort to achieve redemption to their GOD thru the struggle. In Caprica humans create robots of those loved ones that die- why not later Cylons creating “Humans” for those they killed. I big clue is that Galactica’s science/medicine can not tell human apart from Human-cylon? why is that ? since clearly for an 8 to interface to a computer by putting a data cable into her hand- the physics dictate that the biology of a cylon should be detectable- or is it just bad writing in a other wise great written series?