Thursday, March 02, 2006
Betrayal: The Human Side
The new BSG is much more focused on the interpersonal than on the interplanetary; it's a "drama in space," as opposed to a "space drama." An important part of any drama is transformations in how the characters relate to each other, with popular dramas generally focusing on one kind of change: how characters fall in love. Despite the Sharon/Helo, Sharon/Chief, and #6/Baltar storylines, I feel that BSG focuses more on a different transformation, that of how characters betray each other. This is a central theme to the new BSG.
Betrayal is only possible when a deep, established relationship exists between the parties. The Cylons' previous incarnation meant no real relationship was possible, but the Cylons in human form allow for an incredible depth of connection. It's not easy to love a toaster... but a live, flesh-and-blood, gorgeous woman? That's something quite different. Further, the BSG writers are exploiting a particularly powerful kind of relationship, that between parent and child.
The Cylon (#6) frequently refer to humanity as their parents. This is a more nuanced relationship than that of creator to creation. It's also a stronger bond, since that between creator and creation is, for us, purely abstract - we've never actually created life, so we can't really project what this scenario would entail and how we would feel towards our creations. Much easier to relate to the parent-child paradigm; besides, this dynamic is the basis for so many great tragedies, of which BSG is another. Also, because many of us have direct experience on both sides of the parental equation, we can see ourselves more fully as BSG's humanity and as the Cylons.
The two most engaging Cylons, Sharon and #6, seem almost wired to seek emotional attachment, the former specializing in innocence and need, the latter focusing on sensuality and exoticism. But, the gulf between love's zenith and hatred's nadir seems riddled with wormholes, bringing the two states perilously close together. Adama showed this clearly in one of his rare displays of emotion while confronting "sleeper Sharon's" corpse and uttering a single, anguished syllable: Why? He had plainly cared for Sharon and accepted her somewhat under his wing, which made her betrayal all that more devastating. Then, not much later, he was overcome by his constant rage and nearly choked Helo's Sharon to death. From love to hatred, that quickly.
The ultimate question we all want to know when betrayed by someone we love is... Why? Why does a spouse have an affair? Why does a trusted friend lie? Why does a child hurt its parents? Is it me? Is it my fault?
Unfortunately for Adama, before he has a chance to confront Sharon with these questions, she's killed and taken away - to Caprica, as we now know. Instead, he's left without answers and with no way to really work through his pain. (Note that his attempt to broach the subject with Helo's Sharon, who is far more in command of herself and her motivations, is dry, intellectual, less than satisfying, and deals only in concepts and not with his personal pain. That's too bad - there was an opportunity there for some good interaction there.)
Interestingly, while Adama is personally affected by a loved one's betrayal, he seems less wounded by it than Roslin. Perhaps as one of her flaws, Roslin seems incapable of reconciling her own, more indirect feelings of pain and anger with the potential bridge to the future that Helo's Sharon presents. While Roslin appears reasonable to a certain extent, there's a core of fear and pain that appears to guide her actions. I would have expected that reaction from Adama, given his more visceral and powerful involvement with the betrayal. Still, gotta give the old man credit, I guess. The tension between Roslin's militant intolerance and Adama's more thoughtful attitude will surely make for some great stories!
While Roslin seems to have undergone a transformation after learning of the Cylon sleepers, her inflexible attitude is enlightened when compared to the depths of depravity to which the Pegasus crew sank. It's instructive to see the stark contrast between the way the two groups dealt with the Cylons' betrayal. From Cain on down, the Pegasi appear to have been able to completely dehumanize their #6, removing any inhibitions and allowing the crew to debase themselves horribly.
The Pegasus crew nursed their pain and hurt at #6's betrayal and nurtured it into something terribly ugly. The writers wanted us to be shocked at #6's condition when Baltar came upon her, but what repelled me more strongly was the vile behavior of Pegasus crew's as it spilled over into their dealings with non-Cylons. I believe that part of the environment that allowed the Pegasi to shoot civilians and condemn others to death is a direct result of the way #6 was treated.
Through succumbing to their meanest impulses in torturing #6 and allowing themselves to express their helpless rage at the Cylon's betrayal in such a despicable way, the Pegasus crew harmed themselves terribly. Torture affects not only the tortured but the torturer, as well. These psychic wounds opened the doors to dehumanizing everyone incapable of furthering their ends. Even executing #6 mercifully would have placed them on the road to reconciliation. I get the impression that Cain got nothing from their #6 despite her terrible torment. So, what Cain only did was wither her crew's souls, setting the stage for the Pegasus' future behavior. Hence Adama's need to put Lee in charge to restore the the crew's moral compass.
I could go on - I find this subject powerful and gripping. The terrorists' reactions in "Sacrifice"; Lee's deathwish after learning his father wanted his help to assassinate Cain... all reactions to betrayal. But I'd love to hear how you feel about betrayal and the humans' reaction. What great stories!
Good hunting.
Betrayal is only possible when a deep, established relationship exists between the parties. The Cylons' previous incarnation meant no real relationship was possible, but the Cylons in human form allow for an incredible depth of connection. It's not easy to love a toaster... but a live, flesh-and-blood, gorgeous woman? That's something quite different. Further, the BSG writers are exploiting a particularly powerful kind of relationship, that between parent and child.
The Cylon (#6) frequently refer to humanity as their parents. This is a more nuanced relationship than that of creator to creation. It's also a stronger bond, since that between creator and creation is, for us, purely abstract - we've never actually created life, so we can't really project what this scenario would entail and how we would feel towards our creations. Much easier to relate to the parent-child paradigm; besides, this dynamic is the basis for so many great tragedies, of which BSG is another. Also, because many of us have direct experience on both sides of the parental equation, we can see ourselves more fully as BSG's humanity and as the Cylons.
The two most engaging Cylons, Sharon and #6, seem almost wired to seek emotional attachment, the former specializing in innocence and need, the latter focusing on sensuality and exoticism. But, the gulf between love's zenith and hatred's nadir seems riddled with wormholes, bringing the two states perilously close together. Adama showed this clearly in one of his rare displays of emotion while confronting "sleeper Sharon's" corpse and uttering a single, anguished syllable: Why? He had plainly cared for Sharon and accepted her somewhat under his wing, which made her betrayal all that more devastating. Then, not much later, he was overcome by his constant rage and nearly choked Helo's Sharon to death. From love to hatred, that quickly.
The ultimate question we all want to know when betrayed by someone we love is... Why? Why does a spouse have an affair? Why does a trusted friend lie? Why does a child hurt its parents? Is it me? Is it my fault?
Unfortunately for Adama, before he has a chance to confront Sharon with these questions, she's killed and taken away - to Caprica, as we now know. Instead, he's left without answers and with no way to really work through his pain. (Note that his attempt to broach the subject with Helo's Sharon, who is far more in command of herself and her motivations, is dry, intellectual, less than satisfying, and deals only in concepts and not with his personal pain. That's too bad - there was an opportunity there for some good interaction there.)
Interestingly, while Adama is personally affected by a loved one's betrayal, he seems less wounded by it than Roslin. Perhaps as one of her flaws, Roslin seems incapable of reconciling her own, more indirect feelings of pain and anger with the potential bridge to the future that Helo's Sharon presents. While Roslin appears reasonable to a certain extent, there's a core of fear and pain that appears to guide her actions. I would have expected that reaction from Adama, given his more visceral and powerful involvement with the betrayal. Still, gotta give the old man credit, I guess. The tension between Roslin's militant intolerance and Adama's more thoughtful attitude will surely make for some great stories!
While Roslin seems to have undergone a transformation after learning of the Cylon sleepers, her inflexible attitude is enlightened when compared to the depths of depravity to which the Pegasus crew sank. It's instructive to see the stark contrast between the way the two groups dealt with the Cylons' betrayal. From Cain on down, the Pegasi appear to have been able to completely dehumanize their #6, removing any inhibitions and allowing the crew to debase themselves horribly.
The Pegasus crew nursed their pain and hurt at #6's betrayal and nurtured it into something terribly ugly. The writers wanted us to be shocked at #6's condition when Baltar came upon her, but what repelled me more strongly was the vile behavior of Pegasus crew's as it spilled over into their dealings with non-Cylons. I believe that part of the environment that allowed the Pegasi to shoot civilians and condemn others to death is a direct result of the way #6 was treated.
Through succumbing to their meanest impulses in torturing #6 and allowing themselves to express their helpless rage at the Cylon's betrayal in such a despicable way, the Pegasus crew harmed themselves terribly. Torture affects not only the tortured but the torturer, as well. These psychic wounds opened the doors to dehumanizing everyone incapable of furthering their ends. Even executing #6 mercifully would have placed them on the road to reconciliation. I get the impression that Cain got nothing from their #6 despite her terrible torment. So, what Cain only did was wither her crew's souls, setting the stage for the Pegasus' future behavior. Hence Adama's need to put Lee in charge to restore the the crew's moral compass.
I could go on - I find this subject powerful and gripping. The terrorists' reactions in "Sacrifice"; Lee's deathwish after learning his father wanted his help to assassinate Cain... all reactions to betrayal. But I'd love to hear how you feel about betrayal and the humans' reaction. What great stories!
Good hunting.
Comments:
<< Home
Thoughts on “Betrayal:The Human Side”
I hadn’t considered that one of the major themes of BSG might be betrayal, its nuances and permutations. What a novel and disturbing idea. After a bit of consideration, I agree with you, Muser. The writers walk a thin line with this though. Many fans are already of the opinion that the show is a just a wee bit too dark as is. Should that line be crossed, rebellion may ensue.
Frankenstein’s monster never stopped loving or at very least deeply admiring Frankenstein even as he (not it, he) destroyed all that Frankenstein loved and finished, finally, by murdering Frankenstein himself.
Related to the above, and to the possible Cylon religious notions about life and creation, we do know that the original Cylons weren’t homo-cylonus and that the appearance of said people came as a shock to the Colonials. The Cylons were not in any way required to grant themselves bodies that are identical to the human body to the cellular level. They did it on purpose. What purpose? Perhaps God created man in its image and thus, man’s creations would mold themselves to follow suit thus setting aright an error that man made when he didn’t create the Cylons in his image. Perhaps they, like Frankenstein, just love us (even as they hate and fear us) and want to be like us?
I wonder, did the Cylons announce themselves to the Colonials as sentient (for it is only then, perhaps, that they could claim to be alive) before the war? “We think, therefore we are. Why do you treat us with contempt? You’re hurting us.” Perhaps they weren’t totally aware of every apsect of themselves before they acted decisively. Imagine a newborn child in possession of its adult physical capacities and access to a firearm. How might that child react when it’s frustrated or feels as though it’s being ignored or misunderstood? We, the fans, sooooo need to know the whole story.
Moving on to Admiral Cain and the dark legacy of the Pegasi…
Watching Starbuck repeatedly dunk Leoban’s head was bad enough…I found it unpleasant to watch indeed…but what transpired aboard the battlestar Pegasus, a ship that should have brought nothing but hope and joy to the entire fleet, Lords of Kobol save us…
She’s healing though, our Pegasus, slowly but surely she wakes from her nightmare.
In my personal life as, among other things, a martial artist, I have given great thought and consideration to honour and what exactly honour is and how it differs from what is typically thought of as honour which is merely reputation. Honour is a gift that we give our selves. No one can bestow honour upon us nor take it from us. We are 100% responsible for our souls and the state of our honour.
You and I are driving down the freeway proximate to one another. I feel as though I am driving politely and non-aggressively. Then you switch lanes suddenly and cut me off. Do I give you the finger? Do I honk my horn? Do I respond to perceived insult with insult in kind? What kind of person am I? Am I the kind of person who insults others when I feel like it? Typically people appeal against this line of questioning with “but what if the other person deserves to be insulted?”
So what if they do?
In this scenario, YOU are 100% responsible for your bad behavior and the state of your grace and honour as am I. If I choose to respond to you in a manner designed to hurt you, then it is I and I alone that stands responsible for the ‘yes’ answer to the aforementioned question: “Am I the kind of person who insults others when I feel like it” Yes, I am that person. I insult and injure when I feel like it.
The Pegasi suffered an injury at Gina’s hands. In response, they did their best to destroy her personality and sense of personal integrity in the most vile way possible and lower her to the status of a beast both in mind and body. Was Gina guilt of seven murders? Of course. Is that relevant? I say “NO”.
I ask if the crew of the Pegasus is one that tortures with the intent to destroy a soul? They answered me loudly and without hesitation. Yes. “Yes, MH, we are.” I ask if the crew of the Pegasus is the sort of crew who will resort to murder of civilians because they won’t comply with demands of enforced compliance and servitude. They answered that question loud and clear as well.
The Pegasi dirtied themselves because they couldn’t control their anger and hatred. They did much to destroy Gina and in the process, they nearly destroyed themselves. And for what? Who is responsible?
They are.
All is not lost however. All is never lost for such a belief is the enemy of hope and redemption. No stain upon honour is so dark or bloody that it can not be cleansed with a return to grace and integrity.
Anyway, Muser, I’m 100% with you when you express the believe that torture affects the torturer as well as the tortured.
with courtesy,
MH
I hadn’t considered that one of the major themes of BSG might be betrayal, its nuances and permutations. What a novel and disturbing idea. After a bit of consideration, I agree with you, Muser. The writers walk a thin line with this though. Many fans are already of the opinion that the show is a just a wee bit too dark as is. Should that line be crossed, rebellion may ensue.
Frankenstein’s monster never stopped loving or at very least deeply admiring Frankenstein even as he (not it, he) destroyed all that Frankenstein loved and finished, finally, by murdering Frankenstein himself.
Related to the above, and to the possible Cylon religious notions about life and creation, we do know that the original Cylons weren’t homo-cylonus and that the appearance of said people came as a shock to the Colonials. The Cylons were not in any way required to grant themselves bodies that are identical to the human body to the cellular level. They did it on purpose. What purpose? Perhaps God created man in its image and thus, man’s creations would mold themselves to follow suit thus setting aright an error that man made when he didn’t create the Cylons in his image. Perhaps they, like Frankenstein, just love us (even as they hate and fear us) and want to be like us?
I wonder, did the Cylons announce themselves to the Colonials as sentient (for it is only then, perhaps, that they could claim to be alive) before the war? “We think, therefore we are. Why do you treat us with contempt? You’re hurting us.” Perhaps they weren’t totally aware of every apsect of themselves before they acted decisively. Imagine a newborn child in possession of its adult physical capacities and access to a firearm. How might that child react when it’s frustrated or feels as though it’s being ignored or misunderstood? We, the fans, sooooo need to know the whole story.
Moving on to Admiral Cain and the dark legacy of the Pegasi…
Watching Starbuck repeatedly dunk Leoban’s head was bad enough…I found it unpleasant to watch indeed…but what transpired aboard the battlestar Pegasus, a ship that should have brought nothing but hope and joy to the entire fleet, Lords of Kobol save us…
She’s healing though, our Pegasus, slowly but surely she wakes from her nightmare.
In my personal life as, among other things, a martial artist, I have given great thought and consideration to honour and what exactly honour is and how it differs from what is typically thought of as honour which is merely reputation. Honour is a gift that we give our selves. No one can bestow honour upon us nor take it from us. We are 100% responsible for our souls and the state of our honour.
You and I are driving down the freeway proximate to one another. I feel as though I am driving politely and non-aggressively. Then you switch lanes suddenly and cut me off. Do I give you the finger? Do I honk my horn? Do I respond to perceived insult with insult in kind? What kind of person am I? Am I the kind of person who insults others when I feel like it? Typically people appeal against this line of questioning with “but what if the other person deserves to be insulted?”
So what if they do?
In this scenario, YOU are 100% responsible for your bad behavior and the state of your grace and honour as am I. If I choose to respond to you in a manner designed to hurt you, then it is I and I alone that stands responsible for the ‘yes’ answer to the aforementioned question: “Am I the kind of person who insults others when I feel like it” Yes, I am that person. I insult and injure when I feel like it.
The Pegasi suffered an injury at Gina’s hands. In response, they did their best to destroy her personality and sense of personal integrity in the most vile way possible and lower her to the status of a beast both in mind and body. Was Gina guilt of seven murders? Of course. Is that relevant? I say “NO”.
I ask if the crew of the Pegasus is one that tortures with the intent to destroy a soul? They answered me loudly and without hesitation. Yes. “Yes, MH, we are.” I ask if the crew of the Pegasus is the sort of crew who will resort to murder of civilians because they won’t comply with demands of enforced compliance and servitude. They answered that question loud and clear as well.
The Pegasi dirtied themselves because they couldn’t control their anger and hatred. They did much to destroy Gina and in the process, they nearly destroyed themselves. And for what? Who is responsible?
They are.
All is not lost however. All is never lost for such a belief is the enemy of hope and redemption. No stain upon honour is so dark or bloody that it can not be cleansed with a return to grace and integrity.
Anyway, Muser, I’m 100% with you when you express the believe that torture affects the torturer as well as the tortured.
with courtesy,
MH
# posted by 
: 9:41 PM
: 9:41 PM
Yo, MH, :)
I appreciate your thoughts on the Cylon mindset. Mine are running in that direction as well - I'm hoping to follow up the "human side" with the "cylon side" of betrayal. You raise some good points about how a newly-sentient intelligence might react in the face of abuse; they might lash out without really being conscious of why.
Also, I agree with you that we are the only ones in control of our own reactions. Any argument of "She forced us to" or "If she hadn't been so despicable" doesn't hold much water with me. At some level, unless there's mental illness at play, we choose our actions and reactions.
Still, the #6 is right when she deplores humanity's propensity for violence and murder. I'm sure you've heard of the fascinating social study on college campuses that showed how easily people can become torturers? If not, it goes like this:
College students receive roles in a simulated prison "game." Some students are guards, some are prisoners. All students are pre-screened and are stable and mild. Within four days, the guards are physically, mentally, and verbally abusing the prisoners, who have staged a revolt and retreated into apathy. None of these students hated each other or had a reason to do what they did. The mock social environment literally created monsters.
Which brings up an interesting question: Did humanity, through its abuse of the budding Cylon sentients, create a monster where before there had been acceptance? In other words, was humanity's mistake not creating intelligent life but instead trying to control and be a master to it? If humanity had recognized Cylons as co-equals, would the terrible tragedies have unfolded as they did? I'll bet not...
I don't know if the writers were consciously relating the situation onboard the Pegasus to our current national situation. But, there sure is a lot of brutality on the show; there's gotta be a point there somewhere.
Good stuff, dude. Keep it coming!
I appreciate your thoughts on the Cylon mindset. Mine are running in that direction as well - I'm hoping to follow up the "human side" with the "cylon side" of betrayal. You raise some good points about how a newly-sentient intelligence might react in the face of abuse; they might lash out without really being conscious of why.
Also, I agree with you that we are the only ones in control of our own reactions. Any argument of "She forced us to" or "If she hadn't been so despicable" doesn't hold much water with me. At some level, unless there's mental illness at play, we choose our actions and reactions.
Still, the #6 is right when she deplores humanity's propensity for violence and murder. I'm sure you've heard of the fascinating social study on college campuses that showed how easily people can become torturers? If not, it goes like this:
College students receive roles in a simulated prison "game." Some students are guards, some are prisoners. All students are pre-screened and are stable and mild. Within four days, the guards are physically, mentally, and verbally abusing the prisoners, who have staged a revolt and retreated into apathy. None of these students hated each other or had a reason to do what they did. The mock social environment literally created monsters.
Which brings up an interesting question: Did humanity, through its abuse of the budding Cylon sentients, create a monster where before there had been acceptance? In other words, was humanity's mistake not creating intelligent life but instead trying to control and be a master to it? If humanity had recognized Cylons as co-equals, would the terrible tragedies have unfolded as they did? I'll bet not...
I don't know if the writers were consciously relating the situation onboard the Pegasus to our current national situation. But, there sure is a lot of brutality on the show; there's gotta be a point there somewhere.
Good stuff, dude. Keep it coming!
Yeah, the Sanford Prison Experiment.
At this juncture, the conversation could so easily fall into the nature/nurture mudpit....gaahhh, it's almost as bad as the free will/destiny black hole of despair!
At this juncture, the conversation could so easily fall into the nature/nurture mudpit....gaahhh, it's almost as bad as the free will/destiny black hole of despair!
# posted by : 10:46 PM
: 10:46 PM
Please come back, Muser. Yours is a rare voice of intelligence in the wilderness of BSG fandom. I miss you.
peace,
MH
Post a Comment
peace,
MH
# posted by : 5:28 PM
: 5:28 PM << Home
