Recap: BSG4, E08/10: “Sine Qua Non”
President Laura Roslin's abduction by the Cylon Hybrid fuels a bitter power struggle within the Fleet. The Quorum has little information and demands to be told what happened, while Tom Zarek insists that he should rightfully be declared interim president. Lee Adama opposes him and enlists the help of notorious lawyer Romo Lampkin into finding a candidate for the post, leading to a surprising decision. Meanwhile, Admiral Adama and Colonel Tigh come to blows over Tigh's relationship with Caprica Six and Adama's obsession to find Roslin.
I'm just going to declare from the outset that Sine Qua Non was my least favourite episode of Season Four thus far.
It particularly drove home for me how character-driven this series is and how, when my favourites are missing or near missing, replaced by either those that I actively dislike or that I am "meh" about the story unless it's a really powerful one, does not resonate for me. Sine Qua Non, even with some really good dialog/performances sprinkled throughout, did not grab me.
First Up:
The Quorum: Hate them. These are the best civilians they can find to represent the Fleet?! All they do is talk over one another and bleat and bray and...I want to slap each of them, especially their wannabe leader, Tom Zarek. Many have an opinion on the character of Tom Zarek but mine is of the stunt casting of an original Battlestar Galactica actor. I'm sorry, but I've never liked anything about Richard Hatch and the role he plays in the "reimagined" Battlestar Galactica has not changed my opinion. Like the Quorum of 12, his character's huge sense of entitlement and constant bitching and moaning make me wish for his death. Save some good guys RDM, kill off a few more of these crybabies.
Speaking of crybabies: Lee Adama. Who does a better whine on BSG? No one! After all these years the only reason I want him to survive is because of his dad.
Now however he is President Lee Adama of the Colonies and he really has no choice but to stop whining. Hoping to see 
the actor show a bit more of what he showed as a civvy tonight: spine.
Lee Adama turns to Romo Lampkin, former attorney for Gaius Baltar, for advice on in seeking a replacement who meets with the approval of both the Quorum (who won't act, since Zarek has them "inhaling fear and exhaling anger") and Admiral Adama. Someone with the "right skills and abilities."
Romo Lampkin (Baltar's trial eps lawyer) should know lots about those things.
Pike's lifeless body in the Raptor:
Tigh upon reporting to CIC, learns that one of their missing Raptors from the now-missing rebel baseship has jumped to the Fleet. A Raptor crewed by Racetrack and Skulls are enlisted to intercept the craft, which has not returned hails... and is spewing fuel. Racetrack performs a spacewalk, to discover the Raptor with it's now-dead pilot, Eammon "Gonzo" Pike, whose cold blue-hued "corpsicle" floats near the top of the the back compartment.
After the Raptor is brought back to the Galactica, Adama makes the unusual gesture of examining it himself. He finds the book Searider, that he'd lent to Laura Roslin, in a slightly singed state. When Tigh arrives he brings news that Laird was able to retrieve the coordinates that the Raptor jumped from. Adama orders a search to that location--the original jump point was deep in “sector Delta-Nine.”
A Raptor reconnaissance party comes across a debris field, consisting of Cylon debris and damaged Vipers. Tigh informs Adama that the debris consist of a Cylon baseship and fragments indicative of resurrection technology, and notes that they detected radiation from nuclear weapons. Adama refuses to believe that the destroyed baseship was the rebels', insisting that Roslin has survived. Adama presses on with the search, until Tigh points out that the Fleet is left behind with "their asses hanging out in the wind". Adama thus revises his orders to include only four Raptors to stay behind to search until they "find something concrete".
Adama goes to sickbay to query Doc Cottle about how Roslin's sudden disappearance will affect her cancer treatments. Cottle says that with her weakened immune system and her cancer's ability to regroup, the sooner she's found, the better. He also provides Adama with a medical report on Caprica Six is pregnant--a surprise to Adama but not to the audience:
Tigh reports to Adama's quarters about the Raptor's lack of success in finding anything about the whereabouts of their missing people. Adama replies that he's not interested in the search, confronting Tigh about impregnating the Six and putting the Fleet at risk over his weaknesses. After Tigh broaches the topic of Adama's reckless search for Roslin, Adama brings up the question of what Ellen Tigh would say about Tigh impregnating a Cylon, which results in fisticuffs. After Tigh's fall cracks Adama's model ship the fight stops and they both ask each other what they'll do about their....respective women.
As Adama watches the goings-on in a part of the hangar deck, Lampkin joins him with writs of forfeiture for him to sign; the captains of the ships Adama's borrowing do not want to be held liable for any wrongdoing that may occur in the rescue operation. As Adama signs the papers, Lampkin talks of hope and hopelessness before pointing out that he had thought that Adama was a realist in that he would never let a vain hope cost lives. Lampkin then adds that he supposes everyone has their limits. He then quotes, “Sine Qua Non” and discusses how it signifies the things that one can't do without. A couple can be seen embracing in parting as Adama concedes that Lampkin might have a point. 
Admiral William Adama informs Colonel Tigh that he's stepping down as military leader of the Fleet, promoting Tigh to admiral, as Tigh's the only person he can trust to command Galactica.
Romo Lampkin arrives on Colonial One, wryly noting that Adama already has a first pet. Lampkin is told of that "Jake" is a hero of the Resistance on New Caprica and Lee gives the dog to Lampkin as a "new pet to loathe".
President Adama visits his father, who is packing things in his quarters. When pressed, Bill Adama admits that the reason he's undertaking his current mission is because he cannot live without Laura Roslin. He has faith that Laura will get to the rendezvous point.
Adama in a flight suit enters the flight deck and walks to a Raptor. Lee and Starbuck wait and both salute him. In an echo of his first lines in the miniseries, he asks Starbuck what she hears. She replies, “Nothing but the rain.” He finishes the quote and tells them to “keep a light on” because he'll be back. He then boards the Raptor and closes the hatch.
(This scene was well-played.)
Adama launches from the Galactica as Admiral Tigh orders the Fleet to jump. After Adama watches all the ships jump away, he sits in his Raptor and reads the singed copy of Searider Falcon as he awaits Laura Roslin's return.
Conclusion too~
In her cell in the brig, Athena holds Hera as she hums a Korean lullaby.
Adama's Raptor takes off from Galactica and flies clear of the fleet.
Adama puts on his headset and reports that he's in position.
In CIC, Tigh acknowledges Adama's transmission. Tigh then orders the entire fleet to commence jump.
From his Raptor, Adama watches the fleet jump away.
Adama then picks up the charred book he had loaned Laura and begins to read as his Raptor sits alone in space.
Noted~
It is still unclear if the Hybrid's jump at the end of Episode 9 (11) was an automatic response by the Hybrid...or if this Hybrid was specially programmed to jump immediately upon reactivation. Despite the fact that Galcatica has left the Fleet before to engage combat, this episode marks the first time that the civilian Fleet is intentionally left without any defense. The only other time the Fleet was left without military aid was in Scattered, after Boomer's assassination attempt of William Adama.
Bill Adama's actions in the search for Laura Roslin, namely the unreasonable allocation of resources and putting the Fleet at unnecessary risk, mirror the actions he executed when searching for Starbuck in "You Can't Go Home Again". Also in the same vein is Colonel Tigh who in each case helps bring an end to Adama's emotional reactions, this time with fisticuffs and without Roslin's aid.
It's a hard call on what is the mental /emotional state of Romo Lampkin. My assessment is that he is half-mad.
(Noted cont.)
Tigh mentions that Peter Laird - the former Pegasus deck chief - retrieved the navigational data from Pike's Raptor, possibly indicating that Laird replaced Chief Galen Tyrol after his demotion in "Escape Velocity." I can't think of a better choice for deck chief at the moment.
Things that make me go "hmm."
- What exactly happened to the rebel baseship and the Resurrection Hub?
(Previews from next week show that Roslin is still alive).
- If it goes to term Caprica Six's and Saul Tigh's child will be the first full-Cylon child!
- If so, what will happen to the child?
- How will the Quorum and the Fleet respond to Tigh being left in charge of Galactica and the military and what happens when they find out he's impregnated a Cylon prisoner?
- Who will be Tigh's choice as XO? The pickings are getting rather slim.
Notable Dialogue~ Battlestar Wiki
William Adama: I know that you've been spending a lotta time interrogating the Six, but now the brig guards tell me that every time you order them out, you turn off the cameras.
Saul Tigh: I'm not torturing her, if that's what you're worried about.
Adama: I'm not. That I could almost understand. This I can't. Cottle tells me she's pregnant. What the frak have you been thinking, colonel? Do you deny it...? You don't... You can't. What the hell have you been thinking? Who's interrogating whom? How many of our secrets have you told this thing?
Tigh: How can you even ask me that? Question my loyalty?
Adama: Your loyalty? I need more than your loyalty. You're my first officer, I need judgment. I need your competence. You're jeopardizing this ship, putting it at risk because of your weaknesses.
Tigh: My weaknesses?
Adama: Yeah, your weaknesses!
Tigh: You're risking all our lives—for what? Our missing pilots? No—for a frakking woman! A frakking woman!
Adama: You watch what you frakkin' say about that woman! She's the president! Not some frakkin' skinjob that I've been banging! What do you think Ellen would say about this?
Tigh: Leave Ellen out of this.
Adama:What do you think Ellen would say about her husband impregnating a frakkin' Cylon prisoner?
Tigh: You motherfrakker! (violence ensues)
Lampkin to Lee Adama:: So you can't be dissuaded, will you? Not even when you hear my fee?
Lee Adama: Fee?
Lampkin: Appearances to the contrary, I'm actually in this for the money. I have a reputation to maintain after all.
Adama: OK, so what did Roslin offer you to defend Baltar?
Lampkin: (pointing at a small window in the bulkhead) Room with a view.
Adama: I'm not sure I can improve on that.
(Lampkin and Admiral Adama on the hangar deck, watching the deck crew and pilots at work)
Lampkin: Writs of forfeiture. The captains want to be absolved of any blame should anything untoward happen. One of the less ennobling consequences of a legal culture. No one wants responsibility. (hands him a pen to sign) ...
Lampkin: I've always imagined you were a realist, Admiral, not one to indulge a vain hope at the cost of lives. But then, everyone has his limits. "Sine qua non", as they say.
Adama: Without which not.
Lampkin: Yes. Those things we deem essential, without which we cannot bear living. Without which life in general loses its specific value, becomes abstract.
Adama: You may have a point, counselor.
Bear's Battlestar Blog (BSG's composer) I think some of McCreary's insight's are completely unique.
The most lush arrangement comes at the episode’s conclusion, when Adama boards the raptor in his flight suit. The arrangement is noble and simple, with a subtle snare drum and percussion element to give it a ceremonial feel.
Interestingly, the Roslin and Adama theme also plays an important role in this episode, even though Laura is literally never on screen once in the entire show. But, in a way, the entire episode revolves around her.
It first plays as Lampkin speaks with Adama on the hangar deck.
”Sine Qua Non, as they say: those things we deem essential, without which we cannot bear living.” As Romo’s words sink in, Adama realizes that Laura Roslin is who he cannot live without. Here, the Roslin and Adama love theme underscores this absolutely critical turning point in the story. ”Sine Qua Non, as they say: those things we deem essential, without which we cannot bear living.” As Romo’s words sink in, Adama realizes that Laura Roslin is who he cannot live without. Here, the Roslin and Adama love theme underscores this absolutely critical turning point in the story.
Episode Name
: Sine Qua NonEpisode Number: 408 or 410 including "Razor" Telefilm
Written by: Michael Taylor
Directed by: Rod Hardy
Original Air Date: 5/30/08 on SciFi Channel
Survivors: 39,674
Main Characters That Appear: Admiral Adama, Colonel Tigh, Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Athena
Recurring Characters That Appear: Tyrol, Tory, Racetrack, Skulls, Natalie, Cottle, Dee, Hera, Caprica Six, Priestess, Zarek
Cylons That Appear: Tigh, Tory, Athena, Natalie, Caprica Six
Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
Kandyse McClure as Lieutenant Anastasia Dualla
Kate Vernon as Virtual Ellen
Mark Sheppard as Romo Lampkin
Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
Donnelly Rhodes as Doctor Cottle
Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
Leah Cairns as Lieutenant Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
Colin Lawrence as Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall
Alexandra Thomas as Hera Agathon
Donna Soares as Gemenon Delegate
Andrew McIlroy as Jacob Cantrell
Judith Maxie as Picon Delegate
Iris Paluly as Speaking Delegate #2
Ryan McDonell as Lieutenant Eammon "Gonzo" Pike
Veena Sood as Quorum Delegate
Laara Sadiq as Priestess
Aww. More later today.
