Battlestar Galactica: The new movie + pre-Season 4 thread

[Guy Kilmore]

Baltar's hairdo is a bit odd, but Lee's is pretty bad. It's heading into mullet territory!

Tyrol's new skinhead look is pretty good though.

I forgot to mentin that there is one big massive spoiler for Season 4 hidden among those pictures. Oops. But it's probably something people could guess was going to happen.

As someone who hasn't read any spoilers, I was not shocked by a single picture.

[burnt hound]

http://youtube.com/user/emptyvoidness

Some minor clips from season 4. He he, looks awesome. Gaius is going to have a fun season I guess. But then every season is fun for Baltar

[Wouter]

Some awesome clips here, and the bits in the basestar are especially interesting.

SPOILER: BSG

And what are the Dylan Four planning to do with the pistol? And who is that molesting Baltar?

I really disliked the way the writers made Boomer act in most of her season 3 scenes (her quite "cylonesque" conversation with Cally, general passiveness in New Caprica and especially the scene with Hera). Having recently seen the miniseries again it's very hard to imagine the Sharon that was rescuing children from the surface of Caprica turning in the would-be babykiller she seemed to have become by "Rapture", and it struck me as bad writing (or just a complete sacrifice of the character because they already had a "good" Sharon on Galactica). Especially so because she was still herself in "downloaded", but not too long after she hardly tried at all to build bridges to her former crewmates at New Caprica (where she had the chance and could have offered some help - she may have been rejected again anyway but she could have tried).

SPOILER: BSG

The bits on the basestar in 2 of those new clips make me wonder though if she has been attempting to get in Cavil's good graces for a while now, as he seems to be counting Sharon on his side now (at least, I got that impression). From earlier trailers/spoilers, I suspect she will turn on him with a major bang. If so, I may have to take back my words on the bad writing.

[Shryke]

Her crew already turned on her, long before she "died". They spit on her, treated her like shit, like a machine. And then one of them shot her in the chest.

I'm thinking she's not too fond of humans right now.

[Wouter]

She was still fond of them as of "downloaded", though. And while her conversation with Cally was very ... eh .... unsuitable for the circumstances, I suppose she genuinely wanted to make peace with her (she should not have gone empty-handed though, as far as saving Cally from execution goes).

And I now hope/suspect that what happened in "Rapture" may have been partly set-up by Caprica and Sharon (allthough there must be some truth at least in Sharon's hurt about her total rejection on Galactica and by Hera), or by Sharon alone, to show Cavil just what a good, little, evil Cylon she is, and certainly not complicit in the treason of Caprica and Athena.

SPOILER: BSG

Those new clips seem to point in the direction that Cavil is convinced she is in his pocket (notice the reaction of the other 8, Leoben and Natalie when Cavil rather triumphantly calls in Sharon). However, given what they are very probably talking about - shutting down the remaining free will of the Centurions and Raiders, which are only tools after all - I think that this will hit a very sore spot with Sharon who has herself been used in the way that Cavill wants to use the raiders and centurions. He wants to make the raiders attack anyway (they don't want to because they recognized Anders as Cylon), just as Sharon was made to attack Adama despite not wanting this at all. I don't believe Sharon is truly going along with Cavill, and the latters "what have you done!" in one of the earlier teasers of S4 is probably aimed at her.

[Wouter]

NBC universal apparently asked Youtube to remove the new Youtube clips ("copyright claim"), it seems this info wasn't meant to be spoiled already. Hopefully someone has them saved already.

Edit: 10 of the clips, put together in one flv file, are still available at http://io9.com/361683/new-clips-of-cylon-s...lestar-season-4 at this time.

[Sad King Billy]

about those clips:

SPOILER: speculation

the hybrid has some interesting tidbits: "transformation is the key"; To me, this is another hint towards a fusion of Human Inc and Cylon Corporation. Moreover, the voiceover takes place while Boomer (or another 8?) is dancing (in front of Cavil?). So either one of them, or both, may actively persue this goal. There is also something about "---- increases the number of evolutionary jumps within the species".

It also talked about "it is not much consolation that society will pick up the bits, leaving us in ---(apod?) and leaving us for punishment and for --- interdiction experimentals" does this indicate the hybrid sees a gloomy future for itself?

"please, cut the fuse" "they will not harm their own" Asking to break Xena out of her box?

All this is of course blown out of the water if the "end of line" means that it replays a message sent by someone/something else, for example from the father of the Cylons or from the Head faction (headsix, headbaltar, and possibly head-leoben) and isn't just a tool to say to the viewer that it is just a machine, it doesn't matter what happens to it.

also, Cavil's line about "they are tools, not pets". Who are? The humans? Hardly, they were either a threat, in the way of Cylon development, or a distraction in the way of other goals (becoming the perfect machine). So what else? Either the Hybrids, or the metal Toasters. The hybrids is a possibility, if the clip is connected to the one where the hybrid is prophetising. But I like the toaster explanation more.

Speculation about Starbuck: Why doesn't she remember the last two months? It's probably still a long way towards earth, so either she was drugged... or she's number 1, Lee really saw her explode, and this is a "fresh" copy. Gah, I don't know. The drug explanation doesn't make any more sense than anything else: if Starbuck did survive the crash, then why would head-Leoben (for lack of a better term) betray her trust by sedating her, after going through a lot of trouble to gain her trust? And writers: no technobabble explanation, bitte; I assume it's too much to ask that there will not be a "god's plan" explanation.

Lastly, is anyone else thrilled that Baltar and his other self will finally meet face to face? (so to speak)

Let's get a small discussion going: who is number 1? (that is, the Cylon, not Blofeld).

in related news, Starbuck and 6 have closed an unholy alliance to take over earth, starting with California's wine country.

[Werthead]

Number 1?

SPOILER: BSG

Based on the 'Last Supper' picture and RDM's hints, we can rule out Adama, Roslin, Lee, Helo and Starbuck. They leaves a second-tier character like Gaeta, Dee, Cottle or one of the fighter pilots, but my suspicion is Zarek.

[Wouter]

Thoughts on some of the speculation above:

SPOILER: thoughts on speculation

the hybrid has some interesting tidbits: "transformation is the key"; To me, this is another hint towards a fusion of Human Inc and Cylon Corporation. Moreover, the voiceover takes place while Boomer (or another 8?) is dancing (in front of Cavil?). So either one of them, or both, may actively persue this goal.

"please, cut the fuse" "they will not harm their own" Asking to break Xena out of her box?

The 8 dancing in front of Cavil is interesting. Given Boomers apparently subservient behaviour (to Cavil; she comes when he calls, looking rather subdued) in one of the other clips, it may be her and then she seems completely in his pocket/camp. (edit: but it seems that another 8 and possibly Natalie are also present in this clip, so the dancer may just be a "regular" 8). I'm now quite sure that she is infiltrating his faction (as one could expect from a good saboteur ), and that Cavil has a betrayal coming on that will really hurt. What she said in Rapture about agreeing with Cavil probably aimed to start this; I wonder if Caprica and Sharon got watched or monitored by surveillance systems so Cavill and co would know what happened.

As for not harming their own, I think she's talking about the raiders refusing to harm the final four/five ("their own"?). Cut the fuse may be an allusion to the removal of the "safeties" that prohibit higher thinking in the Centurions and Raiders. After all those spoilers, it seems likely that Sharon will do this, probably while Cavill thinks she does the exact opposite (making them even more obedient/inhibited so they will attack even the final five).

also, Cavil's line about "they are tools, not pets". Who are? The humans? Hardly, they were either a threat, in the way of Cylon development, or a distraction in the way of other goals (becoming the perfect machine). So what else? Either the Hybrids, or the metal Toasters. The hybrids is a possibility, if the clip is connected to the one where the hybrid is prophetising. But I like the toaster explanation more.

Remember that Sharon called the raiders "pets" way back in season 1. The raiders are the ones that go "on strike" (instead of actually making a strike on the enemy) when one of them notices Anders (I wonder why it came so close it could see Ander's eyes - and did I see a red light coming from within Anders' eyes themselves, or was this too a reflection from the raiders "eye"?). Moreover, the Centurions are very probably in the same boat (as they are strong rumours they will rebel to some extent) and perhaps the hybrid as well, allthough the latter seems to be mostly insane. Its importance probably lies with its vague prophecy-like utterings (while that 8 is dancing she hears what the hybrid has to say

Speculation about Starbuck: Why doesn't she remember the last two months? It's probably still a long way towards earth, so either she was drugged... or she's number 1, Lee really saw her explode, and this is a "fresh" copy. Gah, I don't know. The drug explanation doesn't make any more sense than anything else: if Starbuck did survive the crash, then why would head-Leoben (for lack of a better term) betray her trust by sedating her, after going through a lot of trouble to gain her trust? And writers: no technobabble explanation, bitte; I assume it's too much to ask that there will not be a "god's plan" explanation.

She claims to have found Earth, may be a wormhole/time warping thingy that leads to the time experience being different allthough that's more Star-Trek like. Problem is her brand new (apparently) Viper, and that her original Viper was observed to have exploded.

Since the clip about the Final Four was removed and hasn't resurfaced yet, I will attempt to give a description here:

SPOILER: FF clip

Tigh, Tyrol, Tory and Anders are in a room on Galactica. Tigh says something to the effect that he won't let any programming run his life for him. Tyrol recalls Boomer, saying she fought it too but shot the old man in the end. Tigh acknowledges this, but says Boomer didn't know what she was, and they do. Then he takes a pistol out of his locker, we hear some noise of him manipulating the gun (don't know what he does, perhaps readying it to fire or something), puts the pistol on a table or drawer and then he asks the other 3 whether they agree. All 3 nod, seemingly very reluctant. Now I wonder what Tigh wants to do with the gun; they certainly still seem loyal to the fleet at this point. Perhaps they agree to stop/kill each other once they detect warning signs of "Boomerish" behaviour?

[Wouter]

Number 1?

SPOILER: BSG

Based on the 'Last Supper' picture and RDM's hints, we can rule out Adama, Roslin, Lee, Helo and Starbuck. They leaves a second-tier character like Gaeta, Dee, Cottle or one of the fighter pilots, but my suspicion is Zarek.

SPOILER: BSG

Didn't Moore, or one of the other main writers/producers, say that the revelation would have great emotional impact and explain many things in the first 3 seasons? If so, it can't be too small a character.

I also wonder, could it be possible that this final cylon can also take the form of one of the seven? We don't know enough about what the final five are, and how they work, to say for sure, I think.

If we can believe the hybrid from Razor, then the fifth is also hungering for redemption, that will only come at the cost of "great suffering". Who hungers for redemption? There are quite a few, but I don't think Gaeta, Dee and Zarek are among them (and the others like Cottle even less so).

In the Baltar clip where his throat seems about to be cut (were his vocal bands damaged there?), do we have any idea who is attacking him? I couldn't make out much of the dialogue, I wonder what is happening there.

[Wouter]

Yet another clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIshvgEEsaw

This one shows Tigh in CiC. In the words of the guy who posted this at Youtube "it's a cheap shot" and beginning and ending of the scene is removed. It's probably a nightmare that he is having rather than something that really happens.

SPOILER: BSG

Zarek will apparently appear in 3 or 4 episodes and also in the second half of the season; this improves his chances of being the final one.

In the clip with the 2 Baltars, they are talking about a woman who is "special" according to head Baltar, and the real one replies that she is fragile. Who are they talking about? Six? Tory?

[Wouter]

This German site has put up an archive with all 12 leaked clips recently shown on Youtube, in avi format. Click on the "Archiv" link to download a rar containing all 12.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Here's another cool season 4 clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tchzd8M-do

[Wouter]

Here's another cool season 4 clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tchzd8M-do

This clip is also available as avi format in the German archive. What do you make of what happens at 00:29, Scot? Is the light seen on the iris a reflection from the raiders' eye or does it seem to come from within the iris itself?

[Ran]

Pretty clearly from the eye itself, given the sound that accompanies it.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I agree with Ran. It's from Ander's eye.

[Wouter]

Interesting, we haven't seen this reaction in one of the "regular edition" Cylons AFAIK. This confirms then that the FF are indeed machines, not some "spiritual only" Cylons or something like that. Since the Raider uses its "eye" to trigger the ID, this could explain why the 7 other Cylon models can't ID the 5 unlike the raider; they lack the typical Cylon eye that possibly sends a signal to trigger this reaction in Ander's eye.

[Wouter]

Some more thoughts about what I think will happen on the Cylon command basestar in early to mid S4:

SPOILER: season4 trailers and rumours speculation

With the data of the 3 recent clips featuring the Cylon command council (allthough the hybrid one is cryptic and of little use), the clip with Anders and the raider and the earlier official trailer/teaser for S4 (the one with "WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!!!"), plus some rumours about things that will happen in S4, we can propose the following possible timeline:

-the Cylons attack the Rag-tag fleet, the attack stops when the raiders recognizes Anders

-Natalie says to Cavil or other Cylons: "something extraordinary has happened" (see official teaser) - talking about the raiders refusing to attack (of course this she could be talking about something else, but it seems to fit in concert with what Cavil says in the Cylon debate clip)

-They discuss what to do about this

-Cavill wants to continue the attack and proposes re-programming to do so "They're tools, not pets" (the short Cavil clip)

-Natalie and some others disagree; a 3 vs 3 stalemate develops within the ranks; 8,6 and Leoben models do not want to attack the FF and/or don't agree on Cavil's "tools not pets" view

-Perhaps, pure speculation on my part, Cavil needs a model 8 to support him - for some reason only an 8 could do the reprogramming or something like that. Alternatively, the stalemate can be broken, by Cylon custom, if only one example of an opposing model agrees with him (and no 6 or Leoben wishes to do so).

-We then get the scene (longer clip involving the Cylon debate) where it's now Cavil's turn to say "something extraordinary HAS happened" to Natalie. I assume he's mocking her earlier statement here, due to the emphasis on HAS which seems to me to imply "you thought something extraordinary had happened? Wait till you've seen this". Then, he calls "8" (he doesn't use the name Boomer, her human callsign, or Sharon, how she was called by her human comrades - a crucial difference IMO) and Boomer enters the room, seemingly ignoring the others. Their reaction says a lot: Natalie goes "what's going on??", the 8 that was already present looks confused and worried and so does Leoben, while Doral seems to be his smug self, unconcerned. It seems a logical conclusion that Cavil has convinced Boomer to help him, or that she is in his power. The "extraordinary" part may be that an individual goes against her model, or perhaps just because it is Boomer, supposedly the most pro-human within Cylon society (outside the traitors Caprica and Athena)

-In the official trailer, we can see an 8 (probably Boomer) working on what seems to be a Basestar datastream; I suppose this is where she changes things in the programming of the Centurions and/or Raiders. This assumption is easier to make if Cavil and Doral indeed need an 8 (the most advanced model within the 7, possibly?) to do the programming.

-Again in the official trailer, there is Cavil's brief "what have you done?" - I suppose when it dawns on him that she hasn't followed his orders.

-then all hell breaks loose on the basestar (we very briefly see Natalie running from an explosion in the official trailer) as the Centurions (or some of them) rebel - I just wonder if they will discriminate between the different models in their targeting

[Werthead]

This sounds pretty good and confirms another spoiler released a while back:

SPOILER: BSG

There is a Cylon Civil War and the Simon, Doral and Cavil lines are completely obliterated. The remainder then unbox D'Anna to find out what she knows about the Five.

Interview with Richard Hatch here. Interesting stuff.

[Shryke]

Jesus, this page is blacker then .....

Ok, I just won't go there. But you get the point.