Writers: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Director: Michael RymerCast: Edward James Olmos (Adama), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Jamie Bamber (Lee), James Callis (Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Caprica Six), Grace Park (Sharon Valerii/Sharon "Athena" Agathon), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Michael Trucco (Anders), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Vincent Gale (Lt. Peter Laird), Don Thompson (Specialist Anthony Figurski), Lara Gilchrist (Paulla Schaffer), Rekha Sharma (Tory), Keegan Connor Tracy (Jeanne), Brad Dryborough (Lt. Hoshi), Finn R. Devitt (Nicholas Tyrol), Kandyse McClure (Dee), Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta), Bodie Olmos (Hot Dog), Lucy Lawless (D'Anna), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben) & Alexandra Thomas (Hera Agathon)
Number Three holds Roslin hostage in an effort to flush out the Final Four Cylons hiding in the colonial fleet...The fourth season effectively concludes here, although technically "Revelations" is just a mid-season cliffhanger until the show wraps up in '09. It's undoubtedly a compelling story from writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle; one that answers a long-standing question, while pushing BSG's storyline into fresh, unpredictable territory -- to be capitalized on next year. If there's one flaw, it's that so much is packed into "Revelations" it should have been a two-part episode, as there's a rushed feeling to most developments...
"Revelations" finds the newly revived Number Three/D'Anna (Lucy Lawless), the only Cylon who knows the identity of the mysterious Final Five, plotting to have the five returned to the damaged Basestar. Arriving on Galactica, she demands the Final Four (apparently, the missing fifth isn't amongst the fleet) be allowed safe passage to the Basestar, where they will join with their brothers and sisters. Of course, Adama (Edward James Olmos) doesn't want the Final Four flushed out, as they allegedly know the way to Earth, but with D'Anna threatening to kill a hostage aboard the Basestar every hour... what choice does he have?
D'Anna's ultimatum puts pressure on the Final Four themselves, although Tory (Rekha Sharma) immediately maneouvers herself into returning to the Basestar -- ostensibly to look after President Roslin (Mary McDonnell). Tigh (Michael Hogan) is far less eager to join "the enemy", realizing he'll have to reveal his true identity to long-time friend Adama in order to stop D'Anna's scheme. Later, Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), Anders (Michael Trucco) and Tigh receive another bizarre "transmission" that compels them to visit Starbuck's Viper -- sensing something's not quite right about it...
As the stand-off continues, Roslin and Baltar (James Callis) are amazed to discover Tory is a Cylon, and one who isn't interested in embracing her lifetime of "humanity" before the Nebula "switched her on". Tigh visits Adama and unburdens himself of his terrible secret, provoking the episode's best performances as Adama's utter disbelief turns into confusion, despair and a nervous breakdown his son Lee (Jamie Bamber) has to deal with. Hogan and Olmos have always been amongst BSG's stronger actors, and the pain and sense of betrayal stirred up by Tigh's revelation is palpable.
It's not long before new-President Lee promises his father he'll shoulder the burden of what must be done. Tigh is arrested and taken to an airlock, then Lee contacts D'Anna and threatens to eject one of her precious Final Five into deep space, lest she stands down and releases all her hostages. Tigh clearly believes death is the only noble way out of his identity crisis, quickly giving up the identities of Tyrol and Anders as well. Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) watches helplessly as Anders and Tyrol are taken away, but heeds her lover's words that something is "different" about her Viper...
Indeed, after settling into the pilot's seat, Starbuck notices the Viper's picking up a colonial emergency locator signal (that no other ship can receive), and arrives with seconds to spare before Lee kills Tigh, Tyrol and Anders. A truce is arranged with the rebel Cylons as they confirm Starbuck's Viper is pointing to a planet that must surely be Earth. Sensing that a "higher power" wants them to find Earth, united with the Cylons, Lee arranges a truce with D'Anna and the former enemies both jump to Earth's coordinates...
Arriving above the blue planet, Adama takes great pride in informing the fleet of their successful mission, before he joins a detachment of ships to the planet's surface. It's here that the episode lands its final, silent gut-punch -- in an artistic continuous shot, beginning with Adama's hand lifting up a palmful of radiated soil, panning across a desolate coastline, as various characters register shock and disappointment... that Earth is nothing but a desolate wasteland. The blackened ruins of New York City (identifiable only if you're familiar with the Brooklyn Bridge's architecture) signals to fans that BSG has been taking place in the distant future, and their promised utopia of the Thirteenth Tribe's homeworld is just an empty, inhospitable husk.
So yes, "Revelations" is aptly named. Old theories of the colonials arriving on an ancient Earth and influencing the rise of the Greek civilization can be crossed out, once and for all. The Final Four are now exposed (and given amnesty), while a peace has been brokered between humans and the enlightened Cylons. How the atheist Cylons, led by Cavil, will react to events is a question to be answered another day -- if they even manage to find Earth.
Many other questions remain, of course: what has happened to the Thirteenth Tribe? Did the Final Five come from Earth? How is that possible, if humans on Caprica created the Cylons? Does this perhaps mean BSG's humans are synthetic beings who forgot their true nature and created Cylons millennia later? What are the In-Head characters (primarily In-Head Six, seen by Baltar; and In-Head Baltar, seen by Caprica Six)? Are these guides/angels the ones reponsible for creating Starbuck's special Viper? Where did Starbuck go after she "died" in the maelstrom? What significance is Roslin's opera house visions, with hybrid baby Hera? How will Caprica Six's pregnancy (the first pureblood Cylon) factor into everything? And, of course, we still don't know who the Fifth Cylon is -- but it's not a character in the fleet, if D'Anna is to be believed. So, it must be a character from the show's past, surely? My money's still on Adama's long-dead son Zak.
This episode was undeniably action-packed, tense and revelatory stuff. But I must say I was slightly disappointed so much had to be rushed -- particularly after a few heel-clicking episodes earlier this season. Tigh's unveiling as a skinjob was suitably dramatic and bold, but Anders and (particularly) Tyrol hardly inspired a raised eyebrow from anyone. And am I the only one amused by how successful Lee's presidency has been? On his watch, in a matter of days, he's helped solve the Final Five riddle and led the fleet to Earth -- with help from people, sure, but I'm beginning to think Roslin was bad luck!
While this definitely should have been a two-parter, of a feature-length episode, it did justice to the most important moments. I'd have appreciated more fallout over the Final Four's unmasking and the flydown to Earth could have benefitted from some musical punch, but these are minor gripes overall.
Excitingly, now that the Earth-question has been answered and the Final Four "outed", there's room and time for BSG to really accelerate in its final half -- answering all the other questions, including the big ones raised here. I'm still not quite convinced BSG can pull it all off, but it was a wise move to find Earth at the halfway point of this final leg, and the show looks ready to move into uncharted waters. It's just a shame fans face another huge wait until episode 11 next year. And, as the grand finale is being filmed right now, I sincerely hope the producers can keep everything a secret until 2009...
17 June 2008
Sky One, 9.00 pm
