I'm venting today a little about a topic that I'm frankly sick of thinking about. Apologies in advance for pulling you into my deluded psyche. Here we go.
So, who is the fifth and final cylon?
For going on three weeks now, I've been convinced that it's Anastasia Dualla. (That's right, Dee. I said it!)
So, why Dee...
My rationale was three-fold:
Point One: Gender
The fifth is probably female. This keeps what I like to call our “5-7-12” theme consistent. Thematic numbers seem to be extremely important to the BSG series writers. We have the concept of twelve colonies, twelve humanoid cylon models, twelve human archetypes and further designation of the “Significant Seven” and the “Final Five.” If the fifth cylon is female, we have a cylon group of seven males and five females.
Not exactly iron-clad proof, but a fair point, I think nonetheless.
Point Two: Gasp. “You... forgive me, I had no idea.”
D'Anna Briers is surprised and apologetic towards one of the Five that are revealed to her in the Opera House. It's clearly a clue for us, but the last time Briers had significant contact with humans was back in season two; we really need to think back. Honestly, myself, I'm split between this being a clue for Sam Anders (whom she tried to kill before a Six shot her) or for Anastasia Dualla, whom she consistently dismissed condescendingly during the Galactica tour in “Final Cut.”
Point Three: “Adama is a cylon.”
Here's the clincher for me. These are the famous last words of Leoben before Roslin throws him out the airlock. We also have significant indication that Leoben's entire objective aboard Galactica was to relay that very message to Roslin, even stalling stalling his own execution through lies, voluntarily enduring torture the face of for the chance to tell her. He leaves it up to her to deduce which Adama he means, though I don't think she could even be sure at this point.
She (and I admittedly, at first) assumes Leoben is referring to Admiral Adama (hereafter referred to as William). After he passes his cylon test, she rejects the theory as a divisive lie and begins the even more intimate partnership/relationship with the man that continues today. We have no indication she thinks of his revelation again... but I'm not so sure I agree with her assessment.
So, let's look at our "Adama" options: William, his children, and don't forget Dualla (since Lee and Dualla have since married).
The Admiral: William being a cylon is a long-shot without taking into account the “Last Supper” photo-argument, given Boomer's programming to shoot the man. We know that the Significant Seven do not program themselves, nor do they know who programmed them. But since we're aware of at least eleven of the twelve cylon models are programmable, and if the raiders even refuse to engage one of the Final Five, I have a hard time buying Boomer being programmed to shoot one.
Zac & Lee: I don't even want to discuss any of William's kids. Lee is excluded in the "Last Supper" photo. But, if Zac Adama is a cylon member of the Final Five... I'll quit watching the show. It's beyond reasonable plausibility to me that one of the main characters on the show can have a child, raise him and have no idea he's a planted cylon. I have no idea what kind of complicated-conspiracy/hospital-room-switched-at-birth scenerio would have to ensue to make this work... and I don't want to. It sucks.
Dee: So, if Leoben is being truthful: we get more early development of Leoben's character as uniquely prophetic, foretelling Dualla and Lee Adama's marriage, and yet another hit for Dualla. Nice.
So, I went along my merry way under this assumption until I saw Razor.
And Why I'm Unsure Now
Now, I generally don't buy into the over-analysis that seems to take part on some of these topics. I know what you're thinking - and yes, some analyses are much much worse :) Remember, the meticulous examination “Last Supper” promo picture. Clearly, the show producers are trying to relay a fair amount of symbolism through the image, but like the cylon model to astrological sign mapping, we viewers can occasionally read more into these symbols than what was intended by the writers.
Ronald Moore admitted over a year ago, for example, that the numbering of the cylons, with the exception of Six, was entirely random. But you'll still find cyberspace littered with charts and diagrams matching the various models by job function or personality types to their perceived astrological match.
That said, something the old hybrid imparted in Razor reminded me of an obvious omission in the now famous BSG promo image. I'll only highlight one point; I think you'll find it not too much of a stretch.
The old hybrid elaborates about the fifth:
“At last, they’ve come for me. I feel their lives, their destinies spilling out before me. The denial of the one true path, played out on a world not their own, will end soon enough. Soon there will be four, glorious in awakening, struggling with the knowledge of their true selves. The pain of revelation bringing new clarity and in the midst of confusion, he will find her. Enemies brought together by impossible longing. Enemies now joined as one. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable. And the fifth, still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering. I can see them all. The seven, now six, self-described machines who believe themselves without sin. But in time, it is sin that will consume them. They will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of one splintering into many. And then, they will join the promised land, gathered on the wings of an angel. Not an end, but a beginning.
Kara Thrace will lead the human race to its end. She is the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death. They must not follow her. “
Kara Thrace will lead the human race to its end. She is the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death. They must not follow her. “
Remember Moore's admission/media slip that the “missing” individual at the table is the fifth cylon. Given the placement of the twelve present in the photo, we can infer that the missing individual would correspond to Judas in DaVinci's original piece. I mention it, because the characterization of a regretful Judas-like character being the fifth seems consistent with the hybrid's revelation.
So, Dualla? Hungering for redemption? Now I'm confused. Besides Baltar, who is excluded by the photo, I'm drawing a blank on who would harbor this amount of regret and guilt. Shrug. Maybe Dualla's heated argument with her father affected her more than I gave her credit for.
Or... maybe it's not Dee at all and I'm back to square one. Grrr...
To be sure, I guess I'll have to wait until Kara and her new crew reactivate the Three. In the meantime, feel free to leave your own hypothesis/thoughts.
Open Questions after the “Faith” Episode Last Night:
1.Why did Boomer's blood “activate” the hybrid for Kara Thrace? What's the significance here?
2. What happens to Baltar's Virtual Six now that the NC Six is really dead?
1 comment:
There are others that may have a ax to grind. There was Lt. Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek, the pilot that was held hostage by the Cylons. Billy, the Presidents first Chief of Staff. He was in love with Dualla, and later killed. There's also Ellen Tigh, Mrs Adama (Zak and Lee's mother). There's Baltar's defense attorney Romo Lampkin. There's the genocidal Dr. Robert, Tom Zarek who was a convicted terrorists, and the vengeful Admiral Cain. Not to mention Joseph Adama, the lawyer father of William Adama, who will be a main character in the new Caprica series.
There's allot of possibilities, though most are not feasible. Just hope they don't bring in Lee Majors or Carl Weathers, that means the series is in trouble and about to be canned, unless one of them is the final cylon. It could always be someone we haven't seen or has not been introduced yet.
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