Battlestar: Galactica 2.9: "Flight of the Phoenix"

Written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle
Directed by Michael Nankin

In which tempers are frayed as the crew deals with the lingering effects of the Cylon computer virus, which forces Adama to consider using Boomer as a potential countermeasure…


After so many episodes with a podcast from Ron Moore, I’m sorry to see this episode not get one. I think it would have been interesting to hear Ron’s comments on the truth behind the events; certainly, it seems as though a few very important things happened, both obvious and subtle. In particular, the motivations of the Cylons are becoming more and more suggestive of herding and masterful manipulation.

This question has been bugging me ever since the series premiere, and certainly ever since Boomer became the center of the Cylon/Human question. Looking back, there are several points at which Boomer had the opportunity to “save” the humans, on Caprica and otherwise, and she did so with remarkable efficiency and apparent personal risk. But how much of that risk is genuine?

In this episode, for instance, the entire plot seems designed to allow Boomer to gain some degree of trust among influential humans. The Cylons need her to be kept alive and well, after all, to ensure that their most successful breeding experiment remains viable. In keeping with the first season, it’s entirely possible that Boomer is truly in love with Helo and even Tyrol; that doesn’t mean that she’s not playing humanity in the process.

If that’s not the case, then the Cylons are making some rather convenient decisions. And that kind of contrivance is usually not evident on “Galactica”. A lot of effort goes into long-term cohesion. Hence the morale low after the apparent high of the broadcast in the previous episode; the crew psychology is following a clear and consistent pattern. So should the logic of the Cylon gambit.

From where I’m sitting, it certain seems that the humans in the Colonial Fleet are being purposefully herded and kept at a level of stress and anxiety that keeps them from considering the big picture. Lately the Cylons haven’t been attacking: why would that be the case? Because the fleet was busy distracting itself. The Cylons kept just enough pressure on to keep the ruse going, but they never delivered the killing blow that they are clearly capable of implementing.

The way I see it, the Cylons could have wiped out the fleet at any time. They haven’t, and therefore, there must be a reason. It’s still unclear what that rationale might be, and thus, it is difficult to imagine how the hapless humans without a clue can hope to win. I get the feeling that this is going to be another “Babylon 5” scenario: the conflict and warfare will ultimately set the stage for a philosophical transformation, with victory as a convenient late-minute side effect.

The crew might think that using Boomer to plant a virus in the Cylon network is the prize in this episode, but since that looks like a complete ruse, that’s not the case. The real prize is the Blackbird. Not the single fighter itself, though that’s likely to be meaningful in the long run, but rather what it represents: the ability of the personnel to build new fighters. This is something that the fleet needs to recognize: long-term survival means more than maintenance. Training pilots is one thing, but equally important, they should be training artisans and engineers to make the components for new equipment.

All that, and I’ve only scratched the surface. Tyrol’s personal low point was hard to watch, as was his fight with Helo. (Though clearly, Grace Park is someone to fight over.) Dee’s growing attraction to Apollo, which threatens to create an Excruciating Polygon of Lust within the crew. And there’s the news that Roslyn is on even less borrowed time than expected. Like I said…the Cylons don’t need to do much, since the humans are more than capable of undermining their strengths while under so much pressure.

But this is another example of where I disagree with the notion that this series is massively divergent from the “Up With Humans” message of the Trek franchise. Some Trek fans bash this series for its darkness and the deep flaws of its human characters. But this series highlights something that the recent Trek installments couldn’t truly communicate: when push comes to shove, despite its flaws, humanity will rise above.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10