[General Battuta]

I think Nightstorm has some valid criticisms from some perspectives.

The flashbacks, I think, showed us critical things about the character arcs -- and demonstrated how far they'd come.

Hera was important because she was fated to be the ancestor of all of us here on Earth, Cylon-Human hybrids.

As for God, its role in the series has been foreshadowed/established since '33'. It wasn't a clumsy plot device; it was an obvious payoff.

[The E]

Well, I liked the Finale because it was more about the characters. Seeing the points where the various people made the decisions that ultimately brought them to being part of the RTF made the whole story just that much more complete to me. Also, BSG always had bits of ambiguity all through its mythology, leaving questions unanswered is just par for the course here. IMHO, Ron Moore was right, because the show was always centered on the characters, not the plot. Cavill kills himself because he knows that even if he could get off Galactica, his dream of one day becoming more than human (and, of course, gaining immortality) will never come true.
As for "finding a rock to live on", what has become clear during the run of the show, is that habitable planets are about as rare as they are in reality. They had to land on our Earth, because there were proto-humans already living here, which not only allows but ensures humanity's survival. As for laying the groundwork for our mythology....Didn't you hear Lee say "we'll give them everything that was good about us"? He believed that, on a philosophical level, humanity wasn't ready for the level of technology it attained on the twelve colonies, and that giving the people of Earth a headstart on philosophy, rather than technology, might be a good idea.

[Black Wolf]

All I can say to you nightstorm, is cry some more.

Thank you for your insightful addition to the conversation. Don't be a wanker, k?

[karajorma]

All I can say to you nightstorm, is cry some more.

Either answer his post in a respectful manner or don't post at all.

[Nightstorm]

All I can say to you nightstorm, is cry some more.

Either answer his post in a respectful manner or don't post at all.

Thank you for that Kara, Its nice to have a medium where one can voice their opinion without such an innapropriate response.  My opinions may or may not be shared by others, I voiced them in this discussion thread because hey...they were my opinions.  Take them as you see fit. 

[Locutus of Borg]

I think Nightstorm has some valid criticisms from some perspectives.

The flashbacks, I think, showed us critical things about the character arcs -- and demonstrated how far they'd come.

Hera was important because she was fated to be the ancestor of all of us here on Earth, Cylon-Human hybrids.

As for God, its role in the series has been foreshadowed/established since '33'. It wasn't a clumsy plot device; it was an obvious payoff.

My question is, why Hera?

Why couldn't someone else have a hybrid child? Helo and Athena could go at ti again? Baltar and Six could try it, without protection.

Why was she so important that they had to crap the ship and lose several people.

[karajorma]

If they hadn't gone after Hera then the situation wouldn't have arisen where Starbuck had to enter coordinates into Galactica's nav computer and they'd never have found Earth.

[Fish]

And Cavil would probably have reverse-engineered some sort of procreation abilities from her, and the Cylons he led would have still been a threat.

[Locutus of Borg]

But my question is;

Why is she so frakking important to rescue? What INCLINED them to go?

[Nightstorm]

But my question is;

Why is she so frakking important to rescue? What INCLINED them to go?

Yes exactly one of my points.  At no time do I ever recall Bill Adama stating that Hera was critical to the survival of the human race and I would find it difficult to accept that the survival of the Cylon race gave him sleepless nights.  Why risk the loss of the ship, fighrers, irreplaceable trained pilots and personel to rescue ONE child.  I understnad it was a needed plot device to end the series as they did, but the way it unfolded just seemed incongruous with personality of the character to date.

[The E]

I disagree. My read on that was that Adamas decision had more to do with not letting Galactica die quietly, but letting her last actions have meaning. Basically, after Anders gave them the Colony's coordinates, they had an option not only to rescue Hera, but also have a shot at killing a cylon stronghold, thus giving themselves a little bit more breathing room with Cavills' forces.
Oh, and the fact that Adama got sentimental because he really cares about his ship and the people aboard her, like, for example, Helo and Athena.
But then, I am perfectly content with the ending not being 100% logical, because the emotional payoff made it worthwhile for me. I do not need every i dotted and every t crossed if it feels right. On a sidenote, a series like BSG is probably impossible to finish to everyones satisfaction...

[Angreifer]

I disagree. My read on that was that Adamas decision had more to do with not letting Galactica die quietly, but letting her last actions have meaning.

This, to be honest. It really boils down to symbolism. Hera was important not even so much for who she was, but what she represented. She represented the union of Human and Cylon. If she were to die, or be used by Cavil's faction, she loses her power as a symbol. Also, Galactica's last battle was symbolic. Adama was not prepared to let her go quietly into the night; she's a warship, and a warship deserves better. Don't believe me? Go back to the miniseries...Adama, and most of the crew, was very uncomfortable with the idea of Galactica becoming a museum, because it was a fate that a ship designed to fight didn't deserve. So put the importance of Hera as a symbol together with the desire to give Galactica one last fight, and you get the events that occurred in the finale.

[Nightstorm]

That makes far more sense than simply taking a look at a picture and then deciding to risk life and limb for the sake of one child.  I do agree that that last battle was symbolic, and the way they went about it knowing going in that it was her last battle made them take actions they wouldn't have ever considered before.  Ramming the Big G right into the side of the colony was pretty cool.  Not quite sure what the point was though of jumping the raptors OUT of the unused flight pod.  I get that it was for a stealthier approach, but they could have just as easily pulled the same move they did when Lee and crew abandoned Pegasus.  It was a neat affect though and one of those "Holy frak" moments when you just knew she wasn't coming out of this one with her skin intact.  To be honest...in stead of flying into the sun, which is more or less going quietly into the night, even if her back was broken...I'd rather have seen some kind of set up where they jumped her right into Cavils base ship or some such.  Yea I know he wasn't on one at the end, but that would have been one spectacular ending to the ship.

[Vip]

Not quite sure what the point was though of jumping the raptors OUT of the unused flight pod.  I get that it was for a stealthier approach, but they could have just as easily pulled the same move they did when Lee and crew abandoned Pegasus. 

Actually, the entire explanation for this was cut of from the version that aired on TV. The Raptors were to jump unnoticed some distance from the Colony and then fire the nukes to destabilise its orbit and plunge it into the black hole (notice the entire spinning after Racetrack fires here nukes and how the nukes didn't manage to destroy the Colony or even seriously damage it). But much of this was cut off from the version we got, so now the Raptors scene makes little sense.

Info comes from Bear McCreary's blog.

[Angreifer]

Can't wait to get the DVDs, I'm looking forward to some Extended Edition and Deleted Scenes fun

[Locutus of Borg]

Not quite sure what the point was though of jumping the raptors OUT of the unused flight pod.  I get that it was for a stealthier approach, but they could have just as easily pulled the same move they did when Lee and crew abandoned Pegasus. 

Actually, the entire explanation for this was cut of from the version that aired on TV. The Raptors were to jump unnoticed some distance from the Colony and then fire the nukes to destabilise its orbit and plunge it into the black hole (notice the entire spinning after Racetrack fires here nukes and how the nukes didn't manage to destroy the Colony or even seriously damage it). But much of this was cut off from the version we got, so now the Raptors scene makes little sense.

Info comes from Bear McCreary's blog.

Wait...who's blog?

Is that the drum guy?

[General Battuta]

Not quite sure what the point was though of jumping the raptors OUT of the unused flight pod.  I get that it was for a stealthier approach, but they could have just as easily pulled the same move they did when Lee and crew abandoned Pegasus. 

Actually, the entire explanation for this was cut of from the version that aired on TV. The Raptors were to jump unnoticed some distance from the Colony and then fire the nukes to destabilise its orbit and plunge it into the black hole (notice the entire spinning after Racetrack fires here nukes and how the nukes didn't manage to destroy the Colony or even seriously damage it). But much of this was cut off from the version we got, so now the Raptors scene makes little sense.

Info comes from Bear McCreary's blog.

Wait...who's blog?

Is that the drum guy?

Har har.

[TripRussell8142]

Not quite sure what the point was though of jumping the raptors OUT of the unused flight pod.  I get that it was for a stealthier approach, but they could have just as easily pulled the same move they did when Lee and crew abandoned Pegasus. 

Actually, the entire explanation for this was cut of from the version that aired on TV. The Raptors were to jump unnoticed some distance from the Colony and then fire the nukes to destabilise its orbit and plunge it into the black hole (notice the entire spinning after Racetrack fires here nukes and how the nukes didn't manage to destroy the Colony or even seriously damage it). But much of this was cut off from the version we got, so now the Raptors scene makes little sense.

Info comes from Bear McCreary's blog.

Wait...who's blog?

Is that the drum guy?

yep... that drum guy.. that Irish Bear 

[Snagger]

The reason for rescuing Hera may be another "destiny" thing.  By attacking the colony, Galactica fulfilled her destiny, the very task she was built for - destroying the Cylons.  With the colony gone, the only remaining Cylons were those aboard any Basestars and in the Colonial Fleet.  Given the loss of resurrection some time ago, all "skin jobs" will cease to exist within a generation, as will the modern Basestars with hybrids at their cores.  That can only leave the stranded Centurions and any old (TOS) type Basestars, of which there probably weren't any left.  By going back for Hera, Galactica destroyed the bulk of the Cylon race and put humanity beyond the reaches of the remnants.

[Kosh]

They've still got a couple of baseships on the loose.