# Battlestar Galactica 1.9 — "Hand of God" (now with lemon fresh spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097 "2005-03-11T21:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/21 "2005-03-12T07:16:50Z")
Hotdog picked up one hell of a thousand-yard stare. I wonder how many of the “recruits” are left? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/22 "2005-03-12T08:18:28Z")
That one pilot whose call-sign was **Fireball**? Talk about jinxing yourself! ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/23 "2005-03-12T08:22:57Z")
> [@picker](#): > > **Spoiler for this week’s episode, general thoughts on various plot points, and rampant speculation** > > I thought the battle was interesting, although when the strike force was coming in and dodging the flak and when Apollo flew into the mine shaft that they definitely laying the ground work for a future video game. > > )? It’s been done before. In Rebel Assualt 2, there’s a level where you assualt a mining facility on an astriod, and you end up flying inside it to destroy the base. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/24 "2005-03-12T08:50:29Z")
> [@AlbertRose](#): > > I know that I’m being manipulated when the entire navigation deck erupts in protracted cheering & applause. But that’s forgivable because of the scenes that affect me. Actually, what struck me about the long celebration was how it reflected that this was their first real unambiguous victory. Up to now they’ve been playing defense, just managing to stay alive from day to day; this is the first time they can say they actually kicked ass instead of avoiding having their own asses kicked. It’s been tough going so far; this is a huge and long-overdue success. I really enjoyed the lengthy cheering, because I thought it was earned. This for me underlines the character-oriented nature of the show: if this were _Enterprise_, the episode would end almost immediately after it was clear the mission had succeeded, say while Apollo was flying back, because hey, the plot’s over. In character-oriented drama, the plot isn’t over until we see how the people react to it. It’s striking how clearly _Galactica_ is pointing up exactly what _Enterprise_ is missing. **Tangent:** Yeah, I didn’t reread and I didn’t preview, and when I noticed it after posting I :smack:'d, but I didn’t figure it was worth a correction. Re the prophecy: I share the concern of **picker** et al. that a paranormal angle is exactly what this hard-as-nails SF show does not need. I find myself grasping at straws to rationalize this development; I hope the writers have something unexpected up their sleeves. Oh, and I’m about ready for the Caprica plot to take a big step forward already. Re **picker** ’s spoiler question: Let’s split up the boxes so people can choose what they want to read. Or if you’re confident in your coding:[spoiler]colors show up inside the spoiler box if you specifically code them out of the default black like this.[/spoiler]So you could have one big spoiler box with colored headings, if you want. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/25 "2005-03-12T11:44:20Z")
The general usage for Cafe Society is to use spoiler boxes for comments about actual plot. Speculation about future episodes, however, is merely speculation and needn’t be enclosed. If the person posting a speculation thinks it’s a potential spoiler (because it’s a connection someone else might not make, or because of insider info, or whatever), then use of spoiler boxes is probably a good idea. **Cervaise** , I like that idea, and I’m going to add it to the spoiler box sticky in the [Rules](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=286554) thread. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/26 "2005-03-12T14:16:46Z")
Did I hear correctly that one of the viper pilots (one who gets hit) had the call sign “Chuckles”? Chuckles? Fireball is pretty bad, but Chuckles? I liked the episode. Spoiler/plot discussion from current episode: [spoiler] I was totally suckered by the double fake out–and damn glad I was. When I heard the original plan (the edited version), I was steaming mad. That was Starbuck’s “out of the box” thinking? It was one step above “Hey! Look behind you!” There was no way that should work, and I was ready to throw things at my TV if it did. I was exepected either Starbuck to come to the rescue by getting in a viper herself or a massive loss. So I was cheering when those freighters opened up. I really liked the fact that Starbuck was doubting whether Lee could lead the attack. Up till now, it’s been all about Starbuck making the heroic moves. It was neat to see that Starbuck herself was starting to buy into the belief she was the only one capable of that. And even nicer for her (and us) to see that there are other strong fighters. [/spoiler] I do think that Caprica Boomer is pregnant (though I’ve got to wonder what living in fallout and taking all those anti radiation meds are doing to the fetus). I’m not sure why the cylons would want to create a human/cylon hybrid. Perhaps they’re at the limits of what they can do with 12 constantly copied models and need an infusion of DNA. However, I’m speculating that it’s because they want to evolve to the next level and can’t do so without a chance to be born and grow up without pre programming. With 12 preset personalities and physical models, they pretty much know their fate in advance. Maybe they want something more. I wonder what cylon society is like. Are the human models in charge? It would kind of suck for the poor toaster models. First they were controlled by the actual humans so they rebelled and created human model cylons only to be controlled by them as well. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/27 "2005-03-12T14:23:48Z")
A somewhat mediocre ep, IMO. The interactions between Adama, his son and Starbuck pretty much retreaded themes already covered in earlier episodes and what’s been shown of the religious angle so far simply makes no sense, although I was pretty tired and maybe missed something. Why would the Cylons WANT the humans to refuel, anyway? I tend to think this was more about Baltar’s growing madness (the “instrument of God” remark) and setting him up eventually to be the megalomaniac we remember from the old series. Boomer/Helo: still runnin’. Yawn. OTOH, the asteroid battle was a right cracker, staged and paced impeccably, and that’s even though I pretty much knew what must be coming when none of the first-string pilots were in the raiding party. Seriously, the outfit that does the FX for this series is doing some of the finest such work I’ve ever seen, in TV or the movies. The whole thing where **Galactica** ’s command staff followed the battle by shoving models around a map, like it was _Battle of Britain_ or something, cracked me up. Endearingly cheesy, I’ll call it. Next week looks pretty good. The political allegory has been really well done so far, and has become my favorite aspect of the series. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/28 "2005-03-12T18:29:31Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Actually, what struck me about the long celebration was how it reflected that this was their first real unambiguous victory. Up to now they’ve been playing defense, just managing to stay alive from day to day; this is the first time they can say they actually kicked ass instead of avoiding having their own asses kicked. It’s been tough going so far; this is a huge and long-overdue success. I really enjoyed the lengthy cheering, because I thought it was earned. This for me underlines the character-oriented nature of the show: if this were _Enterprise_, the episode would end almost immediately after it was clear the mission had succeeded, say while Apollo was flying back, because hey, the plot’s over. In character-oriented drama, the plot isn’t over until we see how the people react to it. It’s striking how clearly _Galactica_ is pointing up exactly what _Enterprise_ is missing. If this had been an episode of Star Trek, it would have ended with some witty banter on the bridge between the senior officials about how great they are. The actual grunts don’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/29 "2005-03-12T19:25:06Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > command staff followed the battle by shoving models around a map, To probably misquote Mr. Spock, “two dimensional thinking”. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/30 "2005-03-12T20:01:32Z")
> [@MaddyStrut](#): > > I wonder what cylon society is like. Are the human models in charge? It would kind of suck for the poor toaster models. First they were controlled by the actual humans so they rebelled and created human model cylons only to be controlled by them as well. That’s alright. Like the Ompa-Loompa’s before them, they are basically slaves. And it seems fittingly historical for an “opressed” people to overthrow their oppressors and then either become the opressors or put someone just as bad in their place. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/31 "2005-03-12T20:05:20Z")
> [@picker](#): > > **carnivorousplant** > If this was unintentional on your part (as I assume it was) Yes, i apologize. > [@picker](#): > > [ > could a mod please re-box or edit it at their earliest convenience? Please and thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/32 "2005-03-12T21:59:25Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > The whole thing where **Galactica** ’s command staff followed the battle by shoving models around a map, like it was _Battle of Britain_ or something, cracked me up. Endearingly cheesy, I’ll call it. This is a remake of the original BSG which was a blatent ripoff of the space fighter combat in the then new first Star Wars movie which in turn ripped off whole chunks of dialouge from WWII dogfight movies including ones about the…Battle of Britain. I sort of liked how in the space combat in this episode one could sort of see a chain of inspiration circle back on itself. That said, the space combat was excellently done. A good mix of footage from in the CIC and out watching the actual combat. > [@](#): > > I do think that Caprica Boomer is pregnant (though I’ve got to wonder what living in fallout and taking all those anti radiation meds are doing to the fetus). One wonders why they just didn’t get a Cylon pregnant _before_ they wiped out the human race. Would’ve been a lot easier. #6 also seems to be more interested in Helo falling in love with Boomerbot then having him knock her up. Since the Cylon religion seems to be very “love oriented” perhaps they need a child conceinved in love for religious reasons. > [@jeff](#): > > Meanwhile the starbuck extravaganza continues as Starbuck is once again able to show off her “superabilities” as a tactical expert and trick the cylons/president with her double fakeout manuaver. Starbucks super abilities don’t really bother me. She’s far less versitile then the average ST character, they are short handed on Galactica so it makes sense to have some officers multi-task, and shes buddies with Adama so he picks her for all the special missions n’ stuff. My disbelief is far more streached by how no one questions Balthar’s seemingly random knowledge about everything . How did they expect a computer scientist to figure out the layout of a refinery built by a race no human has seen in 40+ years. No one questions how he knows this, or how the Cylon detector works etc. etc. He’s sort of a spoof of the scientest as oracle cliche found in a lot of sci-fi. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/33 "2005-03-12T22:20:48Z")
Does anyone know what song was playing during the celebration? Is that a real one or specillay made from the show?(I suspect the former, considering it sounds very Irish). Also, Helo is going to have a hell of a time catching up with the fleet, assuming he knows where they are. He’d have to find a ship with enough fuel to get him all the way out there. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/34 "2005-03-12T22:42:49Z")
Oh, and another thing that comes to mind. Not only do they have a refinery ship, but they apparently also have a factory ship that is devoted to making minuature, highly detailed plastic models of spaceships. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/35 "2005-03-12T22:57:35Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > a factory ship that is devoted to making minuature, highly detailed plastic models of spaceships. Naw, the President’s Physician carves them from the bones of his patients who try herbal remedies. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/36 "2005-03-12T23:25:26Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Does anyone know what song was playing during the celebration? Is that a real one or specillay made from the show?(I suspect the former, considering it sounds very Irish). Actually, I suspect the latter. When we first heard the song my wife and I both thought of “Spirit of the West”, a Canadian pop/folk/whatever band out of Vancouver. My wife did some Googling to try and confirm it, and found [this](http://www.galactica2003.net/cast/mann.shtml), which doesn’t confirm anything but does suggest a connection between the show and the band. Spirit of the West writes songs with more than a little Scottish influence, and that victory song is definitely their style. I can’t help you with the title, though; sorry. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/37 "2005-03-12T23:27:00Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Oh, and another thing that comes to mind. Not only do they have a refinery ship, but they apparently also have a factory ship that is devoted to making minuature, highly detailed plastic models of spaceships. So out of 50k people, there wouldn’t be one person skilled at making models? ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/38 "2005-03-12T23:42:23Z")
Anybody else think it’s strange that a full grown press core has apparently sprung up within the fleet less then a month after the destruction of the colonies. Given the way they ask questions, they appear to be competeing with eachother, suggesting rival media companies, and today I noticed that they even have _press passes_. Good to know Fox will survive the appocalypse. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/39 "2005-03-13T00:19:38Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Anybody else think it’s strange that a full grown press core has apparently sprung up within the fleet less then a month after the destruction of the colonies. Given the way they ask questions, they appear to be competeing with eachother, suggesting rival media companies, and today I noticed that they even have _press passes_. > > Good to know Fox will survive the appocalypse. “It’s hour 57 and we’re still sitting outside Martha Stewarts private ship, where she is currently under house arrest. Okay, I think I see something through that porthole. Yes, that’s it! She’s moving through her kitchen with a cup of coffee! We’ll keep you updated on all the latest developments”. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097/40 "2005-03-13T00:29:50Z")
My guess is that the herbal medication the President is taking is known for it’s hallucinatory/ vison inducing properties, and secondarily as a New Age cancer cure. Sorta like if it was claimed that peyote could give a person the mystical insight to cure their own cancer. I’m glad that they deliberately dealt with the Starbuck-as-Superpilot theme, giving Lee the chance to show that he has the right stuff too. Off the cuff trivia question: the shots of the fleet clearly show a ship with a rotating ring. Since they have artificial gravity, what’s the deal with this? I think I see now where they’re going to take Baltar. “I am the instrument of God” is about the scariest words that can come out of someone’s mouth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1-9-hand-of-god-now-with-lemon-fresh-spoilers/294097.md?page=3)