I would like to start by saying this:
I always believed Ellen Tigh to be bat-guano crazy and I’m glad that her being a Cylon doesn’t mean that was inaccurate.
Spoilers abound. Read at your own risk.
OK, I just finished watching and I’m filled with … opinions.
First, this wasn’t the most action- nor exposition-filled of episodes, yet it answered a lot of questions – in my mind, at least.
Ellen Tigh, Cylon or human, loves Saul Tigh so unreasonably so that she is completely unhinged, even without alcohol. Though, of course, she prefers to have some on hand.
Last week left us with the misimpression that Ellen Tigh’s human behavior was simply because she didn’t remember who she was and who Saul was and their thousands of years of history together.
Hahahahaha.
No, Ellen Tigh’s just a crazy lady. And so’s Saul Tigh.
Raise your hand if you thought that Tigh and Adama were going to kiss each other when they were hugging over the death of Liam.
OK, but to be serious:
The reason Hera is so important is that a Cylon-Cylon pairing may not actually be able to produce a child. Maybe the One True God decided that the offspring of two Cylons was too dangerous, because the only way to end the cycle of “All this has happened before and will happen again” was to have a combined race, human/Cylon.
That still doesn’t explain why Hera is so drawn to Six. Is it that she’s supposed to be the mother of the new hybrid race?
OK, I get ahead of myself.
First off, Ellen’s anger at Saul was so insane. Saul doesn’t remember being a Cylon. He had no idea whatsoever when he frakked Caprica Six that he was partially responsible for creating her. No more than Ellen remembered that about Cavil/John when she frakked him.
And Caprica Six’s memory was blocked on that point, too, unlike Cavil/John’s. I mean, that was way creepier than the Saul/Six pairing. Though, with a child in the offing, it’s more … permanent.
I wonder if Ellen was able to make the “intuitive leap” to the resurrection technology in part because she was unable to have children. Obviously, the problem ain’t Saul. And she didn’t get preggers from her liaisons with Cavil/John, either.
I think her inability to have children, way back on Earth, affected her very deeply, and made her believe the only way to ensure her future with her One True Love, Saul, was to perfect the resurrection tech?
Other initial thoughts (I’m sure I’ll have more later this weekend):
• Tyrol and Boomer are going to end up together. If Anders recovers, will he be with Tori, who I believe is the woman he was in love with back on Earth, despite her crazy in love relationship with Tyrol. Whatever the case, Tyrol and Tori are NOT in love, and Tyrol’s always loved Boomer. Now that they’re both Cylon, what’s to stop them? And if Tyrol’s out of the way, mayhaps Anders will feel more at ease going for Tori? What of Starbuck, in that case? She loves Lee, but she luvvvvvvvvvs Anders.
• It’s true that Saul Tigh’s first love is the Galactica and Bill Adama. Adama was actually his first friend, if you think about it. When Cavil/John placed Saul among the humans, Ellen wasn’t there yet. The first person he really got to know was Bill Adama. His current incarnation has known Bill longer than anyone. Perhaps if he were resurrected and regained all his memories, this would be different, but until/unless that happens, it won’t be.
• Best line of the night award goes to Saul Tigh: “My grandfather was a power sander.”
• Besides Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon SO deserve Emmy nominations, at the very very least. C’mon!
“Raise your hand if you thought that Tigh and Adama were going to kiss each other when they were hugging over the death of Liam.” *raises hand* That had me hysterically laughing in my hotel room. I’m sure someone is calling security!
I did enjoy the episodes. I feel the show is getting better. In the middle period of the series it was really flaky (Baltar’s stuff).
Still wondering where the Daggitt is.
So say we all!
Great post. I was disappointed, in a way, to see that Ellen really IS insane and unreasonable, but it does follow her character much better this way. How could she be so upset at Tigh when Tigh thought she was dead, but she was having numerous affairs when they were both clearly alive?!
I had thought it would turn out that Six was based on a younger version of Ellen, and that was why Tigh was drawn to Six. Turns out, it’s just cuz Six is less insane, lol. Notice how much mentally healthier Tigh is with Six? He even gave up his liquor!
And Caprica Six is much healthier with Tigh than she was with Baltar. So here’s for an Ellen-Baltar pairing!
Interesting theory about Tori and Anders. I think Tori is too evil for anyone, except maybe Cavil. I like Anders (hot!), so I want him and Starbuck to be happy forever.
Lee can go and marry, oh I don’t know, Jeanne.
@Dan – I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one.I hope no one called security…
@Steph – I understand what you mean about Ellen in some ways, but Ellen Vernon (no relation) is so excellent at playing a totally crazy lady. I hadn’t really thought about Caprica being so much healthier with Saul than before, but you’re right. The Six/Saul pairing is much better for both of them. I still think that Six may very well be based on a young Ellen Tigh. (Who would be based on a young Saul, then? Leoben, perhaps?)