Silly nBSG Question (humorous observation, not serious)

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-04-26 11:21am

Okay, I was watching the nBSG miniseries that was on Sci-Fi (fantastic, by the way!) and something scurried across my brain. There are some fairly implausible things in the series, like, well, the Cylons but something ultimately implausible crossed my mind.

During sex, Cylon's spines glow brightly as we know. So how, in 2 years of fucking Six did Gaius Baltar miss that? Surely a man as calamitously horny as Baltar must of fucked that smoking hot chick from behind. I mean, seriously, Six is a randy girl, I doubt she's all missonary position, given that we she her ride Gaius in the show. I can forgive the implausiblity of Cylons having invisible dataports in their arms and christmas lights in their backs, not to mention being able to broadcast over interstellar distances without a broadcast rig of any sort. I can forgive Baltar's Magic Cylon Detector. Hell, I can even forgive Roslin's dues ex machina cancer cure.

But I cannot, and will not, except that in two years of Crazy Circus Sex with a world class blonde, Gaius Baltar never tapped that ass over the back of a couch or something. giving him full view of her back. Magic medicine and telepathic droids are one thing, but some things are just too. far. fetched.

Or is one of the Cylon Ten Commandments "Thou shalt not fuck doggy style."

Deathstalker · Post by **Deathstalker** » 2006-04-26 11:55am

The only thing I can think of is that the glowing spine thing is voluntary, or the Chief might also have noticed the same thing when having relations with Boomer. Although, the Chief is from a religious family, he may only stick to one way of doing it.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2006-04-26 12:15pm

Possibly the spine is caused by increased excitation--more nerve impulses?

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2006-04-26 12:24pm

Because all that's required to be considered "realistic" sci-fi these days is to avoid one or two of the more obvious mistakes/stylistic choices that Star Wars and Star Trek made. Once you've done that you can proceed to pull whatever ridiculous ideas you want out of your ass and the fanboys will drool all over it. Hell, a lot of people still consider Babylon 5, a show where could could cure all manner of diseases and injuries by transferring "life energy" from one person to another, to be scientifically realistic because the Starfuries could fly backwards.

CDiehl · Post by **CDiehl** » 2006-04-26 12:26pm

I think Baltar noticed the glowing spine, but doesn't want to rock the boat by asking about it.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-04-26 12:54pm

Maybe glowy spines are a fad in BSGverse, something like the bastard child of tattoos and those glowy sticks you see in clubs.

Darth Servo · Post by **Darth Servo** » 2006-04-26 01:50pm

He had to have seen it given that no man as horny as Gaius would ever refrain from doing it doggy style. 6 probably just passed it off the same way she did with her "electronic organizer"

Miles Teg · Post by **Miles Teg** » 2006-04-26 01:59pm

As I seem to recall, the only time we've seen glowly spineness is when the coupling resulted in a pregnancy. Am I wrong about this? If not, perhaps it only happens under those circumstances. Thoughts?

Miles Teg

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-04-26 02:37pm

Maybe it's already a healthy trait in Caprican women...

Deathstalker · Post by **Deathstalker** » 2006-04-26 03:57pm

Miles Teg wrote:As I seem to recall, the only time we've seen glowly spineness is when the coupling resulted in a pregnancy. Am I wrong about this? If not, perhaps it only happens under those circumstances. Thoughts?

This is true in the left behind Boomer's case, but Gaius seducing Six was destroyed in the intial nuking, so it is unknown if whe was preggers. I doubt it has anything to do with pregnancy, as the Cylons were trying to get pregnant by humans prior to left behind Boomer and were unsuccessful.

Grandmaster Jogurt · Post by **Grandmaster Jogurt** » 2006-04-26 04:18pm

Didn't the novelisation say that it was infrared or something? I seem to recall someone posting that earlier.

avatarxprime · Post by **avatarxprime** » 2006-04-26 06:51pm

Well based on Six and Gaius's relationship she was fairly controlling in the sack, taking advantage of his horniness to make him do whatever she wanted. Maybe she just never let him get into the proper position to see her back during sex.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2006-04-26 06:57pm

avatarxprime wrote:Well based on Six and Gaius's relationship she was fairly controlling in the sack, taking advantage of his horniness to make him do whatever she wanted. Maybe she just never let him get into the proper position to see her back during sex.

Controlling him in the sack?! He was cheating on her minutes before the nukes blow, and he continues seducing other young women on the Cloud Nine after she's been trying to get him on the path of God.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2006-04-26 07:19pm

easiest solution?

like sound in space, it's there for our benefit, and not perceptible by the characters.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2006-04-26 07:46pm

Wow, you guys are taking the post I made really seriously and literally, aren't you?

Calrissian · Post by **Calrissian** » 2006-04-26 07:58pm

very seriously
---lol

Calrissian: thanks the gods !

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2006-04-26 08:14pm

Grandmaster Jogurt wrote:Didn't the novelisation say that it was infrared or something? I seem to recall someone posting that earlier.

Darwin wrote:easiest solution?

like sound in space, it's there for our benefit, and not perceptible by the characters.

In that case, it'd be something like the replicant eyeglow in Blade Runner: a non-diegetic subjective insert, essentially something which doesn't actually exist in the filmic world, but which is present entirely for the audience to understand something.

WTR · Post by **WTR** » 2006-04-27 01:00am

Exactly. It's the reason why they have jump drives aint artifical gravity instead of having to spin the ship or just exercise all the time to prevent muscle atrophy. Because them having to take a few months to travel across one system would be boring.
And because people expect noises when they see things blow up and get shot and ships move, they give us sounds, even if they're supposed to sound like it's from inside the cockpit.
So the Glowing spine thing is a way of saying 'See, this is a Cylon'. So if we ever see Missus Tighe ever shagging someone and see the glowing spine, we'll know she's a cylone.

DesertFly · Post by **DesertFly** » 2006-04-27 01:06am

Actually, the jump drives are a vital plot point. They could get away without artificial gravity, but the way that FTL is portrayed has been an important plot point in the series. Things like sound in space or glowing spines are there for the viewers' benefit, but some things are delibirately made the way they are for story potential.

avatarxprime · Post by **avatarxprime** » 2006-04-27 03:23am

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba wrote:
avatarxprime wrote:Well based on Six and Gaius's relationship she was fairly controlling in the sack, taking advantage of his horniness to make him do whatever she wanted. Maybe she just never let him get into the proper position to see her back during sex.
Controlling him in the sack?! He was cheating on her minutes before the nukes blow, and he continues seducing other young women on the Cloud Nine after she's been trying to get him on the path of God.

How does him cheating on her violate her being controlling in the sack? Everytime we've seen them go at it, it pretty much happens according to what Six allows Gaius to do. In the mini she drives him crazy and then lets him come to her before getting on top. With Gina, she acts weak and has him take her missionary with him on top, it always happens according to whatever Six wants done in bed.

Winston Blake · Post by **Winston Blake** » 2006-04-27 08:30am

Cribbed from somewhere: Given that Cylon spines glow, why didn't Gaius just say "I've got your Cylon detector right here, baby, in my pants!"

Seriously though, spine-glowing must be a weird optional 'this helps me get off' thing, or it's non-diegetic. I don't know why the writers put it in there; i wouldn't be surprised if they regret that and we never see or hear of it again.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2006-04-27 11:34am

Gil Hamilton wrote:Wow, you guys are taking the post I made really seriously and literally, aren't you?

Actually I think the guys here just like the idea of having to conteplate getting it on with hot Cylon chicks.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2006-04-27 12:22pm

Six's glowing spine in the miniseries was just supposed to be "kewl"; the writers admitted later it was a mistake. Then I suppose they felt as if they were stuck with it, so we see it again on Sharon (to be fair, it was pretty awesome when that happened). I've always just rationalized that the Cylons can suppress it if they have to; no way Baltar never hit that from behind (or in view of a mirror, for that matter).

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2006-04-27 12:29pm

RedImperator wrote:Six's glowing spine in the miniseries was just supposed to be "kewl"; the writers admitted later it was a mistake. Then I suppose they felt as if they were stuck with it, so we see it again on Sharon (to be fair, it was pretty awesome when that happened). I've always just rationalized that the Cylons can suppress it if they have to; no way Baltar never hit that from behind (or in view of a mirror, for that matter).

If anyone in the 12 Colonies has mirrors on the ceiling, it's Gaius Baltar.

Darth Servo · Post by **Darth Servo** » 2006-04-27 04:43pm

Winston Blake wrote:Cribbed from somewhere: Given that Cylon spines glow, why didn't Gaius just say "I've got your Cylon detector right here, baby, in my pants!"

Ah, but that would only work with the famales.

<looks around> um, Gaius isn't bi is he?