# Battlestar Galactica 4.8 - "Faith" (here there be spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716 "2008-05-09T16:39:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [May 11, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/81 "2008-05-11T18:54:39Z")
[QUOTE=AndyPolley] I think you are confusing this week’s redshirt with Seelix, who was involved with the airlockings in “Collaborators” and was seen a bunch of times on NC, and a few times since. The redshirt was just that, a new character who you knew was going to bite it. [/QUOTE] Actually, the character of Jean Barolay, played by Alisen Down, has been seen in multiple episodes going back to the introduction of Anders and his resistance gang on Caprica. She was one of the two who helps Anders set the bomb in the cafe in season two’s “Downloaded,” for example. She is not a never-seen-before character introduced only to be killed. Here, see for yourself: [screenshot from “Downloaded”](http://i31.tinypic.com/5nnqlx.jpg) / [credits](http://i28.tinypic.com/2nsc37o.jpg) [screenshot from “Faith”](http://i28.tinypic.com/r9nz4l.jpg) / [credits](http://i25.tinypic.com/qnnwuv.jpg) The lighting is pretty different (and her hair is _very_ different), but it’s clearly the same person. [Here’s her Battlestarwiki entry](http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Jean_Barolay). The show is usually pretty careful about these recurring characters. Jammer, for example, had a bit part in the miniseries and hung around for two full seasons before increasing in prominence at the beginning of season three and then meeting an ignominious end in the fifth episode. Ditto [Socinus](http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Socinus), also introduced in the mini, and then killed center screen toward the beginning of season two. It’s pretty rare for them to introduce somebody totally new and expect us to care about them, and it sticks out badly when they do (e.g. “Black Market”). So maybe these fringe faces are only there to be recognizable when they die, and not to be particularly well-developed. I bet the actors can’t really complain; they get a regular ongoing gig for a couple of years, and they get a big death scene at the end of it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/82 "2008-05-11T21:30:46Z")
Just thought I’d add. I’m excited about this because I just realized it. Title of the next two episodes: Guess What’s Coming to Dinner, Part 1 Guess What’s Coming to Dinner, Part 2 It’s a two-parter! This means that it’s going to be an effing extravaganza. Almost all two-part episodes have some cool stuff happen. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/83 "2008-05-11T22:10:04Z")
The minute Nana Visitor showed up I paused the TiVo and said to Dan “Hey!!! That’s Nana Visitor!!!” and he said “uh, who?” and I said “Kira from DS9!!!” and he said “uh, ok…” He didn’t watch DS9 ☹ [QUOTE=MacTech] I’m just as dissapointed as you about the whole religious angle the show is taking, get rid of the IPU/FSM crap [/QUOTE] I have no idea what IPU or FSM stands for. This stuff has also been addressed by other people but I wanted to chime in: [QUOTE=msmith537] And actually why couldn’t they? [/QUOTE] As said, because there was a high likelihood that they would not be allowed to return once they got back to the fleet. Adama would likely think it was too risky. [QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] Okay, it’s 20 minutes and 22 jumps, then. [/QUOTE] You’re still misunderstanding the 15 hours thing. That’s how long until the last minute they can leave and still make the rendezvous. Not how long it will take to get there once they start jumping. ---
**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:** [May 11, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/84 "2008-05-11T23:08:53Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] He didn’t watch DS9 [/QUOTE] So, you hanging out with losers, or what? 🙂 [QUOTE=OpalCat] I have no idea what IPU or FSM stands for. [/QUOTE] Nor I, but I wish the plot didn’t have such an intent religious aspect. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/85 "2008-05-12T00:05:48Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I have no idea what IPU or FSM stands for. [/QUOTE] Invisible Pink Unicorn, and Flying Spaghetti Monster, two regularly referenced “Gods of the SDMB”. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/86 "2008-05-12T00:41:58Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Invisible Pink Unicorn, and Flying Spaghetti Monster, two regularly referenced “Gods of the SDMB”. [/QUOTE] Careful there. Cervaise has a list of approved vocabulary words in post #4. 🙂 ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/87 "2008-05-12T00:46:21Z")
Noel Allison, a pilot from Pegasus played by [Sebastain Spence](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817819/) Ah, Mongo straight! according to the Galatic Wiki Thing and IMDB has the call sign “Narcho”. Yet I recall seeing some permutation of “Foster Cade”, the character he played in _First Wave_ stenciled on his viper. Can anyone back me up? ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/88 "2008-05-12T00:49:21Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] Careful there. Cervaise has a list of approved vocabulary words in post #4. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Merely some _official spelling_, thank you very much. 😛 Re Invisible Pink Unicorn and Flying Spaghetti Monster, they’re basically shorthand for “spiritual woo-woo.” It bothered me, too, [going back into the first season](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5939314&postcount=24), that this ostensibly rock-hard SF story was going a little soft in the middle, indulging in prophecies and psychic visions and whatnot. I’ve since come to accept that that’s not what the show is about, and made peace with it. I’m still hoping they resist the urge to get totally all mystical and religiously opaque in the climax; the last thing we we want from this show is a replay of the last five minutes of _The Black Hole._ But, we’ll just have to wait to see. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/89 "2008-05-12T00:58:06Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Actually, the character of Jean Barolay, played by Alisen Down, has been seen in multiple episodes going back to the introduction of Anders and his resistance gang on Caprica. She was one of the two who helps Anders set the bomb in the cafe in season two’s “Downloaded” [/QUOTE] :eek: I stand very much corrected. In my meager defense, she does look different in this episode than she did in “Collaborators” and “Downloaded.” I’m usually such a formidable BSG geek, too. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/90 "2008-05-12T00:58:46Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Invisible Pink Unicorn, and Flying Spaghetti Monster, two regularly referenced “Gods of the SDMB”. [/QUOTE] Ah I’m familiar with them both, I just wasn’t thinking in that direction when I was trying to figure them out. I was trying to think of things within the BSG religious sphere. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/91 "2008-05-12T00:59:51Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Noel Allison, a pilot from Pegasus played by [Sebastain Spence](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817819/) Ah, Mongo straight! according to the Galatic Wiki Thing and IMDB has the call sign “Narcho”. Yet I recall seeing some permutation of “Foster Cade”, the character he played in _First Wave_ stenciled on his viper. Can anyone back me up? [/QUOTE] I can’t recall, but I do have to insert an obligatory drool here, as someone who has not one but _two_ autographed photos and who owns the domain name [sebastianspence.net](http://sebastianspence.net) (though nothing is up there at the moment). ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/92 "2008-05-12T01:01:19Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] It bothered me, too… I’m still hoping they resist the urge to get totally all mystical and religiously opaque in the climax [/QUOTE] You are an optimistic fellow, aren’t you? Fearing that there will be a religious day-new-maw, however you spell that furrin word or that **everyone** will be a Cylon in some form or other gives me two chances at being disappointed. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/93 "2008-05-12T01:09:28Z")
Don’t know how I came across [this](http://www.celebsquotes.com/e/edward-james-olmos/edward-james-olmos.jpg) googling “cade foster viper”, but it’s gawdam scary. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/94 "2008-05-12T01:38:08Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] You are an optimistic fellow, aren’t you? [/QUOTE] Hey, as long as we don’t have Baltar [copulating with a Centurion and then entering its metal shell over a burning hellscape](http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkJJeDlDEbs), I think I’ll probably be good with it. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/95 "2008-05-12T01:46:06Z")
I want to see Baltar eaten alive by Cardassian voles. Er, rats. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/96 "2008-05-12T03:26:25Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] this ostensibly rock-hard SF story [/QUOTE] This is not and never has been “rock-hard SF”. The science has played little to no part in advancing/resolving the story. This has _always_ been a mystical story in a futuristic setting. As such, the spiritual aspects of the story have always been not only appropriate, but damn near required. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/97 "2008-05-12T03:35:04Z")
[QUOTE=Zakalwe] The science has played little to no part in advancing/resolving the story. [/QUOTE] We disagree over the definition of Science Fiction. 🙂 Including the religious stuff moves it towards fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/98 "2008-05-12T04:36:32Z")
A change in topic direction, but in some discussions lately about the show with some friends, questions came up that maybe you guys could answer. 1. Have we ever seen a Cylon besides Anders get sick with a human disease? I’d have thought it wasn’t possible, but Anders had pneumonia on New Caprica, so… 2. Was there ever a real, functional Cylon detector? In the wikipedia[a entry on Tyrol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galen_Tyrol) it says, “He is proven not to be a Cylon and resumes his job.” How was it proven that he wasn’t a Cylon? If there is a way to prove someone isn’t a Cylon, why isn’t testing more widespread, especially among high ranking officers and governmental officials, their aides, and key personnel? Test Starbuck and get it over with. Really, you’d think they’d have something workable by now as a fool-proof Cylon detector… ---
**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:** [May 12, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/99 "2008-05-12T15:21:14Z")
[QUOTE=Zakalwe] This is not and never has been “rock-hard SF”. The science has played little to no part in advancing/resolving the story. This has _always_ been a mystical story in a futuristic setting. As such, the spiritual aspects of the story have always been not only appropriate, but damn near required. [/QUOTE] Nope, sorry. The mystical prophecy stuff doesn’t begin to solidify until the middle of the first season. Up until that point, there’s nothing in the narrative but technology. Sure, they don’t bother to _explain_ the technology, and some would argue, plausibly, that “hard” SF is _about_ the science and technology (as in the works of Bob Forward). But as far as I’m concerned, and especially on TV, the less magic, the harder the SF, and at the beginning, BSG had _no_ magic outside the FTL jump technology. Consider _Babylon 5_ and _Firefly_, which included characters with psychic powers; by comparison, until Roslin started having her visions in, what, episode five or so, BSG was the hardest SF ever seen on TV. You’re remembering the show _then_ with what you’re aware of _now_ and it’s not accurate. Go back and read the threads if you don’t believe me; it was an adjustment for everybody. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716/100 "2008-05-12T15:49:50Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Nope, sorry. The mystical prophecy stuff doesn’t begin to solidify until the middle of the first season. Up until that point, there’s nothing in the narrative but technology. [/QUOTE] Imaginary Six shows up before Roslin’s visions. What’s that? It’s not technology. It might still be God. I admit I’d be a little skeptical of 39,000 people in the position the fleet is in not suffering from some delusions, religious revivals, and flights of nuttiness. I think you have to take it as being quite remarkable that they’ve stayed as sane as they have. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-4-8-faith-here-there-be-spoilers/448716.md?page=6)