Battlestar Galactica
Jul. 18th, 2005 02:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
semperfionaI have a new theory about Battlestar Galactica's human-appearing cylons.
I don't know why I didn't think of it last season, but nonetheless,
I think they really are human--descendants of
captives from the first Cylon War or clones made from DNA captured in
that war, or cybernetically-enhanced humans at worst. They're not really
machines at all, though they might have some machine parts. Simple
genetics, really. If they're capable of reproducing with humans, and I
see no reason to doubt that as it appears to be a very important part of
their plans, then they've gotta be the same basic species. And after
all, where would they have gotten artificial human-appearing DNA?
Occam's Razor...it's a whole lot simpler to clone existing humans than
to create all-new ones by building DNA from scratch or to make a machine
and cover it with skin, organs and muscles.
They're human in every outward and inward way. They can reproduce with
humans. They get wounded and die. They feel emotions. You might say that
they only "think" they're feeling emotions because that's what their
programming tells them, but what is the effective difference to the
character? Can you prove the difference in yourself? I can't.
For me, this theory adds even more depth to the series. "They look just
like us" makes for a very tight and paranoid feeling, building doubt of
not only everyone else but of oneself and of one's decisions when
someone has been determined to be a cylon (such as Doral in the
mini-series--it was my opinion that showing proof that he really was a
cylon detracted from the ending--ambiguity would have been better in the
long run). But "they *are* us" is even more wrenching. What does it
really mean to be human, anyway? What a theme for a television show!
Countering the more obvious counter-arguments...
Apparent telepathic connections between instances of the same model:
It's not impossible to brainwash people using even today's technology; a
cyber-implant or simple brainwashing could account for their beliefs
about themselves and their apparent ability to communicate
telepathically.
Gaius' cylon detector:
We have no proof that it works at all, actually. We saw a red light when
he tested Boomer, but for all we know it always shows red; he's only
ever completed the one test. Remember Number Six? "Isn't it easier just
to tell everyone they're human?" Even if it does work, it might be
detecting anything. Needn't be non-human DNA.
I don't know why I didn't think of it last season, but nonetheless,
I think they really are human--descendants of
captives from the first Cylon War or clones made from DNA captured in
that war, or cybernetically-enhanced humans at worst. They're not really
machines at all, though they might have some machine parts. Simple
genetics, really. If they're capable of reproducing with humans, and I
see no reason to doubt that as it appears to be a very important part of
their plans, then they've gotta be the same basic species. And after
all, where would they have gotten artificial human-appearing DNA?
Occam's Razor...it's a whole lot simpler to clone existing humans than
to create all-new ones by building DNA from scratch or to make a machine
and cover it with skin, organs and muscles.
They're human in every outward and inward way. They can reproduce with
humans. They get wounded and die. They feel emotions. You might say that
they only "think" they're feeling emotions because that's what their
programming tells them, but what is the effective difference to the
character? Can you prove the difference in yourself? I can't.
For me, this theory adds even more depth to the series. "They look just
like us" makes for a very tight and paranoid feeling, building doubt of
not only everyone else but of oneself and of one's decisions when
someone has been determined to be a cylon (such as Doral in the
mini-series--it was my opinion that showing proof that he really was a
cylon detracted from the ending--ambiguity would have been better in the
long run). But "they *are* us" is even more wrenching. What does it
really mean to be human, anyway? What a theme for a television show!
Countering the more obvious counter-arguments...
Apparent telepathic connections between instances of the same model:
It's not impossible to brainwash people using even today's technology; a
cyber-implant or simple brainwashing could account for their beliefs
about themselves and their apparent ability to communicate
telepathically.
Gaius' cylon detector:
We have no proof that it works at all, actually. We saw a red light when
he tested Boomer, but for all we know it always shows red; he's only
ever completed the one test. Remember Number Six? "Isn't it easier just
to tell everyone they're human?" Even if it does work, it might be
detecting anything. Needn't be non-human DNA.
