Like many of you who watched the series finale of Battlestar Galactica, I’ve had a chance to chew on, swallow, regurgitate, and chew again the events that took place during those two hours. And, like you, I’ve read numerous opinions as to what bit Ron D. Moore was trying to portray with his science fiction opera. There are many theories: it was a story about God and the Devil; or a journey similar to that of Moses and his disciples; or a bad practical joke played on Al by Ziggy and Sam Beckett. Needless to say, there isn’t one true answer to what it was all about.
Except for mine, of course. After drinking several cans of Red Bull I had an epiphany as to what the underlying theme of BSG was all about: redemption.
Not the redemption of the skinjobs who started the mess in the first place. I’m talking about the redemption of the remaining survivors of Caprica and the other colonies. These guys were downright hedonists! Smoking, drinking, doing drugs, pursuing sexual relations with their brother’s new girlfriend … it was all done. Their nightclubs oozed sex, their military commanders puked all over themselves and the street, and their teachers had sex with their former students, then threw them away like eight-sided pieces of paper.
Despite the fact that these folks thought they were living in a perfect world, it was actually wrought with lust, gluttony, greed, and all those other bad things. Think of it as a futuristic Sodom, or a galaxy-wide Jerry Springer show. Either way, someone higher up didn’t like what was going on. So, he (or she) kicked them in the ass, made them leave the planet, and gave them an ultimatum: redeem yourselves, or never find a home again.
It was a hard road to travel. Sure, there was still drinking, smoking, and coveting of other people’s wives, but it was done in moderation. All of the surviving colony members began to realize that the way they had previously lived wasn’t working for them at all. Through a lot of hard work and some tough decisions (plus a battle to the death, where they kicked some Cylon ass), they were able to redeem themselves.
Their reward: a new place to live and a chance to start over again — the right way. This is why they abandoned their technology and their weapons and decided to live a simpler, more peaceful life on Earth. Going back to the way they had lived before would have started the cycle all over again, which would have led future generations to a path of redemption all their own.
There you have it — the definitive explanation about BSG – despite what Ron Moore, Universal, Syfy, or anyone else in the media would have you believe. What can we learn from it? How the hell should I know? It’s a television show, for Pete’s sake! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to Jack Daniels soaked cigarette at my favorite nudie bar with my illicit lovers.
Clacked by Richard Keller 
on Mar 26, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
That’s kinda what I said too. “There’s no sanctification without sacrifice.”
so you’re saying the whole show was a Noah’s Ark story?
Not enough unicorns.
Very well thought out, can’t disagree really- but I’ll still keep wondering.