BSG Retrospective Plot Discussions: No.1: Pegasus and Galactica

noodler

The forum is a little quiet these days so I had the idea last night, whilst reading the Razor episode guide on the S4 Companion Guide, to maybe have some discussions on some of the major plots of the show.

I think the first one should be on the different routes the Pegasus and Galactica took before meeting up with each other. Was Cain right to shoot her XO for disobeying orders? After all, Lee put a gun to Saul Tigh's head and got away with it.

Did she have an irrational (suicidal even?) hate for the Cylons after being betrayed by Gina?

I guess the biggest moral dilemma would be the treatment of civilian ships. Was Adama naive not to dismantle the civilian ships? Was it only through pure luck that he didn't regret the decision? Was Cain right to do so on her end?

We could argue Galactica had its moral conscience in Lee whereas Cain shot her one in the Pegasus CIC.

Anyway, any views, thoughts or contributions?

(Next week I was thinking a discussion on the mutiny would be worthwhile but suggestions are welcome).

dead air

noodler wrote: »

The forum is a little quiet these days so I had the idea last night, whilst reading the Razor episode guide on the S4 Companion Guide, to maybe have some discussions on some of the major plots of the show.

Excellent idea.

noodler wrote: »

I think the first one should be on the different routes the Pegasus and Galactica took before meeting up with each other. Was Cain right to shoot her XO for disobeying orders? After all, Lee put a gun to Saul Tigh's head and got away with it.

Cain's decision to execute her XO was cold and rational, after all she's a razor. This doesn't mean that she lacked Adama's morals, in her mind there is no place for morals in war. Cain could not allow herself to be questioned on important military decisions, this would make her weak and indecisive and lead to further questioning and potential mutiny. Adama would have locked the XO in the brig and court martialled him, but then he had a President and almost 50,000 survivors to answer to (not to mention a strong moral compass). Cain believed the rest of the fleet was destroyed and assumed the role of Admiral, she had no-one to answer to. She could make the tough and extreme military decisions in a split second without repercussion. Cain promoted razors and was surrounded by soldiers where Adama's had personal friendships and relationships with his senior staff (Tigh, the President, his son and Kara)

They were fighting a common enemy but Galactica and Pegasus fought in two very different leaderships. You could even argue that Pegasus was fighting and the Galactica was surviving, both sides of the classic fight or flight theory. Pegasus sought and engaged combat with the Cylon and were to fight to the death. Galactica's decisions always had the survival of the human race at its heart.

Where Cain's decisions were reactionary and quick, Adama had to weigh up more options. He had his XO Saul Tigh to offer strategic military insights (and sometimes serve as the face for tough decisions) and his son Lee Adama with his sense of justice and respect for the law.

Ultimately, Adama's decision making lead to the the Zerek/Gaeta mutiny but the agreement to align with the rebel cylons was to ensure that the human race survived. Cain would never have allowed that.

noodler

dead air wrote: »

Excellent idea.
Cain's decision to execute her XO was cold and rational, after all she's a razor. This doesn't mean that she lacked Adama's morals, in her mind there is no place for morals in war.

I am not so sure that it was a rational decision. There was a reason Galactica left the colonies - they couldn't possibly win on their own. If Cain was going to waste resources, pilots and planes on ultimately futile attacks on Cylon targets then I would argue it was the XO who was being rational and Cain who was being irrational. Surely it would have been enough to lock him up? They hint at it in the show but I wonder how personally Cain was taking the betrayal of Gina.

dead air wrote: »

Cain promoted razors and was surrounded by soldiers where Adama's had personal friendships and relationships with his senior staff (Tigh, the President, his son and Kara)

I think thats a good point. We only know that Cain was particularly close with her XO.

dead air wrote: »

They were fighting a common enemy but Galactica and Pegasus fought in two very different leaderships. You could even argue that Pegasus was fighting and the Galactica was surviving, both sides of the classic fight or flight theory. Pegasus sought and engaged combat with the Cylon and were to fight to the death. Galactica's decisions always had the survival of the human race at its heart.

I think that what Pegasus did to the civilian ships was utterly disgusting. When there are so few of you left and you are in control of the military it is your duty to protect the civilians. Otherwise, whats the point? Just blow your ship up and be done with it. I guess thats why Cain did what she did, she didn't want to carry civilians becasue her aim was to keep fighting and civilians were (A) no use in this respect and (B) wouldn't exactly be 'saved' either.

dead air wrote: »

Ultimately, Adama's decision making lead to the the Zerek/Gaeta mutiny but the agreement to align with the rebel cylons was to ensure that the human race survived. Cain would never have allowed that.

I doubt that Cain's leadership would have gotten the Pegasus that far IMO.

I think a small tv movie on the Pegasus' time in space and specifically the crew tensions and the various attacks it made on the Cylons would be cool. Probably to like Razor though.