“All of this has happened before, and will happen again.”
These are the words that echoed throughout “Razor,” the long awaited Battlestar Galactica movie meant to stoke our Cylon deprived brains between seasons 3 and 4 of the sci-fi series. Creator Ronald D. Moore promised revelations that would keep us theorizing until the season 4 premiere, and I’m happy to say he didn’t disappoint. “Razor” not only managed to give us a different perspective on events in Battlestar Galactica‘s past, but gave us insight into where the show may be heading in the future.
Before we get to the big surprise regarding the fate of Kara Thrace (Katee Sackhoff), let’s talk about the woman who was truly the focus of these two hours: Admiral Helena Cain. When Admiral Cain originally appeared during Battlestar Galactica‘s second season, she came across as impulsive, rash, and maybe a little bit crazy. All of these terms could certainly describe Cain’s behavior in “Razor,” but thanks to a major reveal about her character, along with a stunning performance from Michelle Forbes, we were able to witness a little bit of her humanity.
It turns out that Cylon model Gina Six (Tricia Helfer) had not only infiltrated the security systems of the Battlestar Pegasus, but was also having an affair with Admiral Cain. This was a huge reveal that not only answered fans’ questions about whether BSG would ever incorporate a gay character, but also allowed us to view Cain’s actions from a different angle. We now know that the decisions that once appeared overly harsh and slightly insane were made while Cain was suffering from what was probably the biggest betrayal of her life.
This reveal also added weight to Cain’s demise at Gina’s hands in the “Resurrection Ship” two-parter from season 2. None of us will ever be able to watch the scene where Gina shoots Cain without thinking of the relationship they once shared. Of course it’s possible to still see the Admiral as cold, calculating, and crazy, but knowing she once had a spark of humanity gives her character a more tragic arc.
The other character whose fate may be more tragic than expected is Kara Thrace. The last we saw of Starbuck, she was returning from being presumed dead and claiming that she had found the way to Earth. That discovery seemed like a positive and exciting way to cap off the season, but it may not be as wonderful as we once thought. According to the Cylon Hybrid discovered by Lt. Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen), Starbuck is “the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death.” It seems that if they follow her, they will die.
This is obviously the moment in “Razor” that will keep fans speculating until season four arrives. There has already been much talk about whether Starbuck could be the final Cylon, and this revelation will only fuel those theories. However, I’ve always felt that Kara has a different sort of destiny, one that doesn’t involve being a toaster. I never would have guessed she’d be the “herald of the apocalypse,” but maybe those words aren’t exactly what they seem.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching way too much television, it’s that cryptic predictions of the future can be twisted to mean many different things. One of the major themes of Battlestar Galactica is that nothing is quite what it seems, which leads me to believe we should not take the Hybrid’s words at face value. What if Starbuck really is “the harbinger of death” not for the human race, but for the Cylons? Maybe by leading humanity to Earth she will end up bringing about the end of the Cylon race.
There’s also the possibility that the Cylon Hybrid was lying, but that seems highly unlikely. I can see no reason for it to lie to Lt. Shaw, and even if it had that lie ended up having no effect on any of the major characters. Shaw died before she had a chance to get the message out.
“All of this has happened before, and will happen again.”
Battlestar Galactica began with one race nearly being wiped out by another. Perhaps it will end the same way, except with humanity as the ultimate victor. If so, they’ll most likely have Kara Thrace to thank for it.
– Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of Sci-Fi Channel)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
