nBSG Episode 317: "Maelstrom"...

[Steven Snyder]

I don't see how the raider could be fake. I mean the camera's viewpoint was located behind and to the left of Apollo's Viper when we last saw it. So who was having hallucinations? The audience?

The audience also saw a little girl in a Viper's cockpit earlier, and that wasn't real. We also saw the heavy raider in that first encounter, but the gun cam footage clearly shows she was firing at nothing.

Perhaps all that talk about her special destiny was just that, talk. Every parent tells their child they are 'special', every guy who is trying to score with a girl tells her that she is unique. Maybe Starbuck just wanted to believe she was something more than she was.

[Steven Snyder]

I don't see how the raider could be fake. I mean the camera's viewpoint was located behind and to the left of Apollo's Viper when we last saw it. So who was having hallucinations? The audience?

The audience also saw a little girl in a Viper's cockpit earlier, and that wasn't real. We also saw the heavy raider in that first encounter, but the gun cam footage clearly shows she was firing at nothing.

Perhaps all that talk about her special destiny was just that, talk. Every parent tells their child they are 'special', every guy who is trying to score with a girl tells her that she is unique. Maybe Starbuck just wanted to believe she was something more than she was.

[Skylon]

That's partially why I have a hard time believing that nothing more will come of Starbuck, because completely ditching the character at this point is flushing away god knows how much time spent building up to something. If that's really what happened here, it's a disturbing precedent because it means that anything they've spent time building up could be flushed away just as easily.

Keep in mind the writers could have been in a corner if Katie Sackhoff wanted off the show (which it sounds like she may have). However, she's bound by contract to not say what happened to Starbuck, which says to me, her story ain't over and she likely has agreed to come back at a future date. Possibly similar to what happened with Sinclair on B5.

Back in the finale, or maybe for a few episodes in a future season to "fulfill her destiny".

Which, for those fans who desperately want Battlestar Livejournal, is no problem at all... but for those of us expecting a continuing plot out of neoBSG is somewhat more troubling.

But then I'm starting to think that the "And they have a Plan" line was just bullshit during season 1.

This is the one fear I had with BSG from day one. the writers were presenting an image of having an idea where things were going, and honestly, I don't think they had much of a clue. I think they do now, at least I hope so. The X-Files suffered from this, and I think to a lesser extent BSG is suffering, as there are certain threads that I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see picked up again.

[CaptJodan]

Keep in mind the writers could have been in a corner if Katie Sackhoff wanted off the show (which it sounds like she may have).

Where do you get that impression? From the podcast, I got the impression that she wasn't expected to be let go at all, as she was surprised by the phone call from Moore.

Back in the finale, or maybe for a few episodes in a future season to "fulfill her destiny".

The way I see it, there are only two ways this can go. Either they do pick up this thread later on (She's one of the final 5, rar! (this was implied anyway, I thought)) or as Snyder said, it was all just talk. If it's the latter, then it wasn't really handled well dramatically, because they built it up (there's a difference between mommy telling you you're special and some wacko enemy telling you that you have an amazing destiny) to such a degree that it falls flat, and it just seems like her destiny was to commit suicide (however, as much as I don't really like it, there's still something appealing about the fact that she was just a wackaloon that took herself too seriously). If it's the former...well...I'm not sure it's much better, but for different reasons.

But then I'm starting to think that the "And they have a Plan" line was just bullshit during season 1.

If Moore REALLY wants to push the plan angle at this point, the only thing he has left that I can see is that the final 5 are behind the whole mess. Originally, it seemed like their plan was to breed with humanity, but beyond that it's been a changing "plan" that means they didn't really have one.

I do get the impression that they kind of stumble about with regards to the story. This episode in particular is a good example of that. The podcast shows us that (knowing they had to do a Starbuck centered ep) Moore comes up with the idea to kill her on the spot. It's attractive, it's appealing for shock value, so he does it. Then he works the story afterward around that (the so called "change in direction" that I think I've heard from him).

I suppose time will tell how this episode really plays out for the rest of the season and into the next (and perhaps even the movie). But for the moment, I'm left unsatisifed by the sense I get from Moore about how final this death seems to be at this point. He may change his mind, or he may be holding his cards close to his chest, not to tell us what is up and coming with her. But for now, it's just a wasted build-up and death for her character.

[jedisam]

Personally, I enjoyed the ep, but What the frak happened to Kara's destiny? Her destiny was to commit suicide?

But the implication here is that she HAD a destiny. And that it was important, bla bla bla. If anything, the podcast made me more confused about the issue, because it really seemed as if Moore decided that her destiny was to commit suicide. To face death. Well Jesus H Zeus, we all have to do that at some point, and many of her underling pilots have had to face it before she did. That doesn't make her special. So what the hell am I missing here? IF Moore doesn't bring her back in any capacity, then what the hell is so special about her destiny?

Have to agree with you. What aabout Kat? did she have a destiny too since she practiaclly committed suicide too? what gives? I'm guessing that there's more to the story, but we may never actually get it.

[Skylon]

Keep in mind the writers could have been in a corner if Katie Sackhoff wanted off the show (which it sounds like she may have).

Where do you get that impression? From the podcast, I got the impression that she wasn't expected to be let go at all, as she was surprised by the phone call from Moore.

I thought I'd heard she wanted to work on other projects a while ago. I guess I was mistaken.

[FireNexus]

I have a different thought on the raider. I like the raider rescue theory and the cylon theory. So the raider had a special resurrection pod just for Kara's big boom. Thinking that since the Cylons as a whole ostensibly do not know their location, the final five have to do it with a single Heavy Raider to keep off the DRADIS... err... radar. Eh, the metaphor works either way.

[FireNexus]

Also, on a side note: Did anyone notice that KAra's mom smokes marlboro lights? Phillip Morris really is a powerful corporation, it seems...

[R. U. Serious]

I think they're turning Kara into a Gollum like character. Everybody wishes she was gone, and in some scenes you think she was finally gone, but in the end she'll be instrumental in "saving the world".
At least we'll be saved of silly subplots for now until she reappears.

[Crown]

Also, on a side note: Did anyone notice that KAra's mom smokes marlboro lights? Phillip Morris really is a powerful corporation, it seems...

Yeah, I was going to say the same thing.

[Sam Or I]

An amusing quote from Katee Sackhoff about Starbuck. She hates the BSG livejournal as much as everyone else it sounds like.

http://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews ... off_01.htm

Gilles Nuytens: We have seen a very complicated relationship between the "anders-kara-lee-dualla" characters, is that a storyline you enjoyed doing because of all the various 'love triangles'?

Katee Sackhoff: I actually hate the triangle. I think it's ridiculous. I wish she would just be with one of them and call it a day. Haha. But then that wouldn't be dramatic now would it.

Gilles Nuytens: These characters don't seem to know exactly what they want, they break up, they get back together, they fight and the next minute they kiss, is that going to be solved once for all anytime soon?

Katee Sackhoff: Again I say Ridiculous...

[Uraniun235]

Now that is fucking rich. Well found, Sam Or I.

[jimthegray]

I think it's gonna be that she was grabbed by the lords of kobal.
the weird flash just before she blew up just adds to that feeling for me.

[Master of Cards]

I think it's gonna be that she was grabbed by the lords of kobal.
the weird flash just before she blew up just adds to that feeling for me.

one of the more literal meanings of Dues ex Machina