The Unsettling Truth About Battlestar Galactica

The Final Five Were An Allegory Instead Of Characters

Battlestar Galactica season 4 centers on the Final Five Cylons, but the show never offers a compelling reason to invest in the characters. Rather than influencing the plot in a meaningful way, the Final Five mostly bicker with one another. Their primary purpose in the story – explaining the origin of the Cylons – isn’t all that necessary in retrospect. It seems like the writers of Battlestar Galactica created the Final Five because they wanted to explore the theme of artificial intelligence, but they never developed the characters past the point. While thematically functional, this makes them narratively useless.

Ellen Tigh looks off in the distance in Battlestar Galactica.

The Final Five Were An Allegory Instead Of Characters

Galen Tyrol grimaces and holds up a fist in Battlestar Galactica.

Starbuck Didn't Deserve All The Hate She Got

Starbuck is one of the most divisive characters of Battlestar Galactica, and a large part of the hate can be attributed to misogyny. Many viewers didn’t like that the series changed Starbuck from a man to a woman. She was criticized for her take-charge attitude, but men in the series were praised for leading. Starbuck was held to an unreasonably high standard and ripped apart whenever she showed insecurities or emotions.

Saul Tigh wears an eyepatch and frowns in Battlestar Galactica.

That isn’t to say she’s a perfect character by any means. She can be judgmental, reckless, and morally ambiguous at times. Those aren’t necessarily good things. However, these kinds of flaws also appear in some of the most beloved Battlestar Galactica characters. The same level of criticism should be applied across the board.

Tory Foster looks sad in Battlestar Galactica.

Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Weakened The Series

While none of the seasons of Battlestar Galactica are without merit, the divisive ending wasn’t the only massive issue with season 4. At least half of the season felt like filler episodes with no connection to the overarching narrative. The tone drastically shifted from a compelling political sci-fi to a melodrama. The Final Five had little to no purpose. The story started weaving religiosity into the plot to the detriment of the series. With all the weaknesses in Battlestar Galactica season 4, the writers would’ve been better off ending the series after season 3. They could have wrapped up with Gaius Baltar’s trial, dropping the reveal about the Final Five.

Samuel Anders puts his hand on metal stairs and looks to the side in Battlestar Galactica.

The Opening Credits Of Battlestar Galactica Lied

The opening credits for Battlestar Galactica tout the idea that the Cylons had a secret plan they’re working towards. Despite this, co-creator Ronald D. Moore revealed that this was entirely false. The Cylons never had a plan other than to kill the humans that they deemed responsible for their human nature. This fact becomes abundantly clear when rewatching the series 20 years later. They never reveal an underlying motive for the Cylons’ behavior.

Starbuck smirks and looks off to the side in Battlestar Galactica.

This Couple Didn't Seem To Like Each Other

There are very few good romantic pairings in Battlestar Galactica, but Anders and Starbuck are one of the worst. They have an adversarial relationship that only gets worse once they get together romantically. They didn’t have many sweet moments where they seemed to really appreciate and enjoy one another’s company. Additionally, the storyline set their relationship up as more of a filler because Starbuck was clearly in love with her ex-boyfriend, Lee.

The promo photo for Battlestar Galactica season 3 shows the characters posing for a picture.

Dr. Cottle Could've Had A Better Character Arc

Dr. Sherman Cottle plays an important role in the plot of Battlestar Galactica, fixing up a character any time they get sick or injured. However, Battlestar Galactica’s reboot wastes Dr. Cottle by underdeveloping his character. They fail to explore the mental impact of his job, his motivations, or his personality. Sadly, upon rewatching the series, it seems that the writers viewed him as a narrative tool rather than a fleshed-out character.

Starbuck and Apollo fight in a boxing match.

The Battlestar Galactica Miniseries Wasn't Clear About The Motive For The Murder

One of the most devastating deaths in Battlestar Galactica occurs when Six snaps the neck of a baby in the miniseries. By not making the mercy killing clear within the narrative, the action seems ruthless and cruel.

Anders grabs onto the shirt of a fellow shipmate.

Theology Harmed The Narrative Of Battlestar Galactica Season 4

Fans of Battlestar Galactica generally reviled the religiosity and theology of season 4 when it first came out, but it’s so much worse when rewatching the series 20 years later. On top of changing the tone of the show, God became a deus ex machina – offering a contrived and implausible solution to an unsolvable problem. This takes away all the emotional buildup, the character-driven narrative, and the world-building throughout Battlestar Galactica. It would’ve been better to have an unhappy ending rather than making the rest of Battlestar Galactica obsolete.

Four people stand on one side of a desk looking at someone in a chair.

Starbuck Surviving Made No Sense In Battlestar Galactica

In Battlestar Galactica season 3, episode 17, 'Maelstrom,' Starbuck gets into a conflict while pursuing a Cylon vessel. By the end of the sequence, her ship explodes, theoretically killing her. However, she and her ship appear undamaged only three episodes later. This makes no logical sense, and Ronald D. Moore’s explanation doesn’t help at all. He stated she can be whatever the audience wants her to be, providing no clarity whether she’s alive, dead, an angel, a spirit, or a deity.

Six sits on her bed looking at another shipmate.