Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5

[Aeolus]

I enjoyed most of it, but didn't like the "divine hand in all of it" part.

Keep religion out of my scifi thanks.

I've heard a lot of people talking about this aspect.

Quick question about it (since I haven't followed the series "religiously" ... get it?!): was all this "divine hand" stuff just part of the dialogue, or did the series end with a very real "Deus Ex Machina" plot?

And if so, can I call it 'Deus Ex Galactica" ?!

Ramza

Though in it's defense, the original series had the same thing going on. I just took it as a homage to the original and moved on with my life.

[Hidoshi]

If anyone went into BSG expecting it not to get religious or be religiously involved, they didn't do the research. First of all, Gary Larson who made the original show is a Mormon and the narrative reflected that. Ronald D. Moore is not, and thankfully got the show away from the one-track mindset about the universe, but he understood the spirit of the work and interpreted it well.

The opening of the show is the Gayatri mantra of Hinduism. The armpatch of the Viper pilots is the Sri Yantra symbol, also Hindu. Kobol has the Greek Gods as a major reference. Zodiac astrology plays a role. Polytheism vs. Monotheism has a huge role in the Humans vs. Cylons. Even at the end, Baltar summarises it that the Divine need not be a single or plural logos, and that both sides needed to put that kind of thing aside to work together.

The fact that BSG dealt with religion at all makes it a bolder, more authentic show and progressive piece of sci-fi than most others out there. Star Trek? Constantly paying only lip service to the idea. Stargate? Complete subversion. Star Wars? Tribute concepts undermined by the god damned midichlorins thing in Episode I.

The last show that actually dealt with religion in the role of sci-fi in a meaningful way was Babylon 5, though Deep Space 9 certainly did try (and succeeded to a degree). In either case, it brings the show more into the realm of human struggle and identifies less with the conceit of materialism.

Also, if you think B5 didn't take on religion in a definite way, then you clearly haven't watched the ending. If anything, BSG is more vague about what has really transpired on the metaphysical level. B5 was rather concrete about its portrayal of the Divine.

[Lard]

Oh I definitely think B5 took on religion, I just think it was from a more clinical detached way than BSG getting to the finale and saying "God did it all".

B5 would discuss it but not give any firm answers - the BSG finale clearly said "There is a higher power guiding everything" - to which I call bullshit.

[Hidoshi]

Why? Just because it doesn't cater to your point of view does not make it "bullshit". BSG implies that a higher power is guiding things all along.

[Lard]

It didn't imply it, it stated it outright.

It was preaching and I don't watch TV to be preached to.

[Hidoshi]

I disagree. Watchmen was preaching, not about God but about the supposed human condition. It beat you over the head with the point, which is distinctly why I disliked that movie. BSG on the other hand ends with a rather obscure reference to divine intervention, not stating what kind of spirituality is at work, merely that a divinity has been trying to help humanity escape a destructive cycle. What's the harm in that?

But then, you're probably not equipped to handle that kind of story, so perhaps it just wasn't for you.