# Battlestar Galactica 4.16 - "Blood on the Scales" (note change in spoiler policy) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716 "2009-02-06T16:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/161 "2009-02-09T01:10:21Z")
Frangible bullets. After all, they _are_ on a spaceship. 😃 ---
**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:** [February 9, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/162 "2009-02-09T01:24:44Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > That, and I wonder why they aren’t concerned about all the ricochets from all those bullets they’ve been shooting all over. Here is a [studio still](http://www.alexanderpalace.org/alexandra/images/ipatievmurroom.jpeg) of where they were sitting. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/163 "2009-02-09T02:10:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Here is a [studio still](http://www.alexanderpalace.org/alexandra/images/ipatievmurroom.jpeg) of where they were sitting. That is one precarious-looking airlock. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/164 "2009-02-09T02:21:22Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > That is one precarious-looking airlock. Hey, it gets a lot of wear and tear. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/165 "2009-02-09T06:23:21Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I recall Zarek ordering them to jump - this was before the Galactica started its jump sequence… I now do not recall if we ever got confirmation that they did Jump. > > It does seem, however, that in the exterior shots that followed with the basestar, that there were far fewer ships still there. No ships jumped. Ten ships shut down their FTL, indicating they weren’t going to jump if the rest of the fleet jumped. It looked like fewer ships in the basestar shots, because the fleet was spread out, so the basestar couldn’t use the fleet for cover as effectively. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/166 "2009-02-09T14:47:53Z")
> [@cstamets](#): > > No ships jumped. Ten ships shut down their FTL, indicating they weren’t going to jump if the rest of the fleet jumped. > > It looked like fewer ships in the basestar shots, because the fleet was spread out, so the basestar couldn’t use the fleet for cover as effectively. Went back to [hulu.com](http://hulu.com) and found the scene - its at about 26 minutes into the episode - Gaeta’s quote is “Give the jump coordinates to those ships that did not shut off the FTL drives and order them to jump immediately”. So, at the end of the episode - we have 35 ships that jump, 10 that shut down their FTL drives, the Galactica and the Base Star. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/167 "2009-02-09T14:57:30Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Went back to [hulu.com](http://hulu.com) and found the scene - its at about 26 minutes into the episode - > > Gaeta’s quote is “Give the jump coordinates to those ships that did not shut off the FTL drives and order them to jump immediately”. > > So, at the end of the episode - we have 35 ships that jump, 10 that shut down their FTL drives, the Galactica and the Base Star. Except that we’ve seen the fleet’s procedures for jumping, time and time again, since “33” in the first season. That procedure has _Galactica_ start the jump count. The ships all jump on _Galactica’s_ count. Galactica never jumped. Their count never reached zero. Furthermore, the episode never showed _any_ ships jumping. We don’t know that any ships jumped, at all. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/168 "2009-02-09T15:10:46Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Except that we’ve seen the fleet’s procedures for jumping, time and time again, since “33” in the first season. That procedure has _Galactica_ start the jump count. The ships all jump on _Galactica’s_ count. > > Galactica never jumped. Their count never reached zero. > > Furthermore, the episode never showed _any_ ships jumping. We don’t know that any ships jumped, at all. I don’t disagree - but a) this wasn’t ‘normal’ procedures b) He ordered the ships to jump “immediately” to the “rendevous” coordinates - makes sense that the Galactica would jump last ‘in case’ there was a battle. c) what views we get of the fleet after that moment show significantly fewer ships. d) another intersting comment when Galactica is about to jump is “we’re leaving them behind”, indicating that perhaps Gaeta was hoping the holdouts, upon seeing the other ships jumping, would change their mind. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/169 "2009-02-09T15:11:48Z")
I think it was left unclear deliberately ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/170 "2009-02-09T15:39:15Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I think it was left unclear deliberately I suspect it is irrelevant, either way. If it was meant to be a plot point, they’d’ve shown some of the fleet jumping away. Either that, or this week will start with their usual “as seen before never seen before” footage of ships jumping away. But I judge that unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/171 "2009-02-09T16:40:39Z")
I second the fact that it was mentioned by the Cylons that the fleet had scattered leaving them more unprotected, especially after the attack on them. But what I want to know is - when is Cavil coming back?? Are we just trying to save salaries at this point? Talk about the threat of them, but never actually show them, thus saving revenue and plot time? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/172 "2009-02-09T17:00:06Z")
The 25 ships that jumped only jumped because Galactica told them too. They’ll follow whoever commands Galactica. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/173 "2009-02-09T17:31:40Z")
> [@melodyharmonius](#): > > when is Cavil coming back?? Are we just trying to save salaries at this point? Could be. This season barely got approved, and the budget might have been trimmed to allow it. Lucy Lawless is probably gone for good, too (D’Anna stayed on Earth). Dean Stockwell might get a cameo just to wrap up that storyline, but I agree it won’t be more than that. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/174 "2009-02-09T17:38:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Foreshadowing: When Tyrol crawls through the ventilation shaft (a scene that’s been done so often it surprised me to see it on this show) into the arms locker, the redshirt who had been his old friend comments “She used to be a great ship, didn’t she?” Or something like that. Past tense, anyway. I took that to mean that he was referring to “The ship” as a whole, including its crew, and by putting it in the past tense he was expressing his own dismay at the mutiny, with the idea, “Boy, things surely have gone straight to shit, huh?” ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/175 "2009-02-09T17:54:06Z")
Actually, they’d have to contrive a way for Cavil to _find_ them in the first place. He knew they were heading for Earth. But now, they’ve gone completely off the grid. The galaxy is big, and Baltar is all out of nukes to give disaffected Cylons for to act as beacons for Cavil. Additionally, he probably died – _really_ died – in the Hub explosion. _And_ he still had all their Raptors (and maybe Centurions) to lobotimize. There were a lot of other issues the Cavilcade had to deal with, before getting back on the Kill All Humans kick. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/176 "2009-02-09T18:15:18Z")
> [@simster](#): > > b) He ordered the ships to jump “immediately” to the “rendevous” coordinates - makes sense that the Galactica would jump last ‘in case’ there was a battle. Yeah, typically when they jump it’s because the Cylons have shown up and Galactica holds off the Cylons until the rest of the fleet is safely away. This time, I think Galactica would have jumped last because they sure would look stupid if they jumped first and no one followed. Oops! Anyway, I vote no one jumped before Galactica was retaken, though. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/177 "2009-02-10T00:56:55Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Those 35 ships are still technically part of the mutiny - so all is not resolved yet. They’re also gonna need a replacement Quorum. I don’t know if the writers are going to keep exploring the fallout from this power struggle, but if they want to, there’s plenty of material to work with. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/178 "2009-02-10T17:08:42Z")
Not enough time, too many things to wrap up. But there’s still a lot of lingering bitterness over the pact, as evidenced by the Space Marine officer telling Adama that he couldn’t serve under someone who wouldn’t fight the Cylons. There’s going to have to be another major gesture of trust, probably on the part of all three species. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/179 "2009-02-10T17:38:58Z")
Is it Friday yet, dang it all? ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716/180 "2009-02-10T17:42:17Z")
Minor nitpick: Narcho isn’t a space marine officer, he’s a pilot. He was Pegasus CAG. I think he’s now one of the wing leaders (assuming Helo is still Galactica CAG?). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-16-blood-on-the-scales-note-change-in-spoiler-policy/484716.md?page=10)