Wednesday, April 01, 2009

 

BSG: What I Would Have Done

It's been pointed out to me that, in regards to SF Signal's Mind Meld feature on BSG, I didn't actually, you know, answer the question. That is, I didn't actually say what I would have done differently.

This is absolutely true. I have every intention of answering the question directly after a bit of blithering on where I thought the series as a whole went wrong, but by the time I got to that point I'd already rambled on for over two thousand words and figured it was time to call time.

So what would I have done differently?

Actually, I think that the whole series could have been salvaged in the last ten episodes. There was a way to address all of the mysteries that had been set up to that point, to explain what the Cylon's "plan" was, and just what was going on with the Six who was haunting Baltar (and the Baltar that was haunting Caprica Six). By the time the second episode of "Season 4.5" aired, it was clear that they wouldn't be doing anything like what I had in mind, so I just filed it away, figuring I might use it in a story myself someday.

But since you asked...

I won't go into all the details, but here's a few highlights of my "Alternate Season 4.5":
After that comes some time travel hoodoo, as a failed jump in the midst of a confrontation with the Cylons accidentally sends elements of both fleets, Cylon and Colonial, into the distant past. The remnants of both fleets find themselves in the vicinity of Earth, but this time a primordial Earth. Et cetera, et cetera. There were still some details to work out from that point forwards, but that's the basic structure of it.

So, what would you nice people have done differently?

EDITED TO ADD: I forgot to mention that Starbuck is the first Colonist to benefit from the consciousness uploading of Resurrection, and while she was originally human is now inhabiting an artificial Cylon body with all of her original memories intact. She was saved from certain death by God, who has decided that the unforeseen factors of recent years have necessitated a change in Plan...

Comments:
I think I need to rewatch this last piece of the season before I decide just how I would fix it.

I am not as angry as I could be, because I remember Season Five of Babylon 5, for example..but that at least had the grace of a great final episode
 
All makes sense. But did the five know the Cylons would winnow down the humans, or were they betrayed?
 
Rewatch it, JT? You're a stronger man than I...
 
No, I don't think the Five had any inkling that the Cylons would turn around and attack the Colonies. When they wiped their memories and went to live with the Colonists, it would have been to start their lives over with a clean slate. If the Cylons had worked out the winnowing plan by then, they wouldn't have revealed anything to the Five.
 
....and then Lee and Kara had sex, right?
 
Jen, then Lee and Kara had sex... forever.
 
Damn, Chris. Your ending is very good and makes Daybreak look worse by comparison. I wish you could have influenced the direction of BSG.

I didn't hate all of Daybreak, but I sure didn't like the bit once they got to earth. I do plan to rewatch again once the whole series comes out on DVD because I know I had forgotten a lot of little things that did crop up in the end. I have to admit I am eagerly anticipating rewatching the mini-series and 33. Some of the other stinkers definately not so much.
 
*happy sigh*
 
While I liked the finale on the whole, I did see some narrative problems.

However, I think your version does a better job of tying up some loose ends and brings more logic and foresight to the series as a whole rather than a blanket "God" explanation for the unknown.
 
This is brilliant.

I think I'll forgo ever re-watching season 4.5, and instead just let your alternate version play in my head. Thank you for the gift!
 
You're welcome, Dana!
 
This is the best rewrite of the moore ending ive seen. Youve managed to fix most of the plot holes with a minimum of edits.

Im still too much of a geek to like the moore ancient history luddite ending though. I could never bring myself to give up access to jump drives (at least until they all broke down etc).
 
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