Battlestar Galactica Recap: The Hub

In the miniseries/pilot for Battlestar, Adama said "You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction. But we never answered the question, why? Why are we as a people worth saving?"

Last night, priestess Elosha/Roslin's subconscious said "If humanity is going to prove itself worthy of survival, it can't do it on a case by case basis."

Coincidence? Not even close. Huge, huge accolades to Jane Espenson, who wrote this episode. One of the best TV writers out there (Buffy, Gilmore Girls, Firefly, Ellen and more) her script for The Hub was hilarious, smart, and went right back to the big theme of the show - already existing isn't proof that humans deserve to survive. Don't ask the monkey for more unless you've already seen it....


Okay, we'll get to everything that worked (and there was soooooo much) in a second, but first - what I didn't love. By that I mean, what I just liked rather than loved - there was nothing that I disliked in this episode. Well, maybe the capri pants that they insist on keeping 8's in. I don't like those. I also wasn't over the moon for the jump hallucinations. Not that they didn't provide great moments, but it did seem like one out of the Script Manual Edited By Jimmy Stewart & Frank Capra. Small quibble, whatevs.

So no Galactica this time - it was everything that happened since the Hybrid decided to take the Basestar on a roadtrip. Basically, Hybrid was a wee bit upset that Natalie was killed, and began jumping closer to the ever moving Resurrection Hub. The scenes of Roslin and Baltar trying to reason with the Hyrbid were hysterical - Baltar cooed at it like it was a baby, and then had a tantrum like he was one. During every jump, Roslin was pulled into a hallucination of watching herself ravaged by cancer. She was led by Elosha, who reminded Roslin that the price for becoming a steely eyed "decider" was not fully loving the people around her (Hmm... a female President trying to balance strength, relationships, and femininity?) After dream Laura dies, real Laura watches Bill slide his wedding ring on her finger, saying "You go, rest now. You go."

What's that sound? Is it me bawling? Shut up, I'm not crying. My contacts are itchy, Gods.

Helo, the Cylon pilots, and the human pilots have to work the actual mission of destroying the Hub, which only works when an 8 steps up to the Athena plate. Okay, that 8 is creepy and is totes going after her alters husband. One of the many laugh out loud moments was when the 8 explained to Helo that she'd downloaded Athena's memories, basically making herself Wife 2.0. Helo looked at her like she was insane, and the 8's response? "I don't want it to be strange." Uh, too late. We're so far pass Strange, Strange is in the review mirror and coming up is the exit for Batshit Bonkers.

Meanwhile, back on the other Basestar, a newly awakened D'Anna immediately starts shit with Boomer and Cavil. In about thirty seconds, she goes all Mean Girls on Boomer and snaps Cavils neck (no Hub, no more Cavil - bye, bye you deliciously evil man!) When the mission goes as planned, Helo and the 8 grab her (where did she find that bathrobe???) and take her back to speak to the President and the Cylons.

Whoops, just the President. Helo, torn as usual between the "right thing" and the "morally right thing", does what Roslin asks and betrays the Cylon trust to bring D'Anna directly to the Pres. Wife 2.0 is not happy.

While all of this is happening, Baltar is trying to convert a Centurion. No, seriously - he's come over to the Centurions house with his pamphlets and his soothing talk of not being a slave and one true God and is proselytizing to a robot who has guns for arms. That is some brave religion he's got going there. And then, since it's Batlar, all of his fancy metaphors of dogs and owners goes to waste when the ship gets hit and the robot dies, leaving Baltar with a bloody hole in his side.

Now we're getting to the fantastic stuff. Roslin is frantically trying to save Baltar's life and is doing a pretty good job of it when a grateful and drugged up Baltar ADMITS TO BEING THE CAUSE OF THE HOLOCAUST. I know! Gasp out loud, it's okay! Watching Mary McDonnell go from shock to horror to disbelief to anger to fury to killing rage was fucking brilliant. Seriously, go back and watch it again - I did. She acted her ass off. Batlar is talking about redemption and God's love and Roslin is trying to wrap her mind around the life changing implications of it all... and GOD(S)DAMN THE EMMY NOMINATING PROCESS STRAIGHT TO HELL.

You see it, the moment when she silently decides to kill him. It's when she stops shaking. And it's almost lovely, as she gently undoes the bandage and shushes him as he begs for her not to do it, then quietly steps back.

Of course, as my Battlestar watching buddy and I said on the phone during the commercial, Baltar can't die yet. (Not yet, anyway) And eventually, convinced by watching hallucination Adama destroyed by her halluciation death, Roslin realizes she's not so far gone she can let Baltar die. And she frantically stops the bleeding.

Just in time! Cause here comes D'Anna to frak with her for a while. The fake out was funny, but even better was D'Anna informing her that a) With no Hub, the only thing protecting her was the information on the Final Five and b) betraying the Cylons wasn't necessary because she doesn't trust them either. The look on Roslin's face was a combination of "What a bitch" and "I could use you on the Quorum".

And then. Oh, and then. Mission completed, they jump back to where Galactica should be, and instead find Adama playing Ulysses's dog Argos in his little raptor. And when he lands on the Basestar and Roslin is waiting for him, we finally get the payoff that every fan has been waiting for when they just grab on to each other.

Laura: Missed you
Bill: Me too
Laura: Love you
Bill: About time

It's not my contacts, it's just me holding my very confused dog and sobbing on my couch. I'm not made of stone.

So that's where we're at - D'Anna is holding up a house of cards built on a very uneasy alliance between human and cylon, all equally vulnerable to a bullet. And in this mess are four cylons we know, and one we don't, and a planet somewhere called Earth.

I leave you now with some of the comedy, which I'm paraphrasing from memory, so it may be slightly off.

Roslin (To Elosha): If you're my subconscious, you're a little full of myself.

Roslin and Baltar dealing with the Hyrid

Baltar: STOP JUMPING THE SHIP
Roslin: Yelling seems pointless, she's not listening
Hybrid: (something about jumping)
Roslin: Do it again!

Helo (after they find out D'Anna is already online): This makes it easier.
Roslin: Why?
Helo: Well, we won't have to find a body.

Baltar (drugged and injured): You're very pretty.
Roslin: The morpha works fast.
Baltar: Still.

D'Anna: You don't know you're a Cylon?
Roslin stares
D'Anna: You should have seen your face!

Next week is the last episode of this half of the season - and you know what that means. Tons and tons of drama. Woo!