Battlestar Galactica - are Cylons 'muslim'

Hello

Just been watching Series 1 of the new (and improved) Battlestar Galactica on DVD (because I am a very sad person), and am more and more struck by the 9/11 analogies and I think that:

1 the threatened 'Colonial Fleet' is an analogy of the USA

2 the 'human' cylons hidden in the fleet are an analogy of immigrants to the US from the Middle East.

3 the constant references by the Cylons to 'God' and having no fear of death is supposed to represent the fundamentalist islamic terrorists.

It's almost like it was written by someone who wants the viewers to think in terms of a 'War of Civilisations'. Very good though.

Or is just a Sci-Fi show?

Well considering alot of the ideas are old (the TV show came out in the 70's) thought I'm sure there was plenty of tweaking if this is the new series. Popular media often takes alot of cue from the real world, look at how authors such as Orwell pulled from communism and other various sources to create their works.

yeah they have been defenetly been using currewnt world affairs to write their saga

I just can't get over the colonists using suicide bombers. This is either a brave or very foolish move by the writers because it's bound to hit a few raw nerves in the States and the UK.

Actually the religious analogy of the Humans and the Cylons are of Romans and Christians, respectively.

Its sortof based in that tension of the first century, where both are fighting, and theyre fighting over ideals. Freedoms vs morality, many gods vs one god, etc.

I think the societal analogy is more that the Cylons are Americans and the Colonies are, well, anyone who the US decides to hunt down, place in internment camps, and kill indescriminantly. All the while using a puppet president who will do, say, or sign anything to try to cover his own ass.

WolfofWar is correct. This is a paralell of the big Polytheism vs Monotheism struggle way back when.

Maybe, but the specific situations that each side ends up in varies from episode to episode. For example, the Cylons are monotheistic, but that doesn't necessarily mean they always play the role of the Christian. And the Colonial Fleet is polytheistic, but that doesn't always mean they play the role of the Romans.

Moore loves nuances. Remember DS9? Also it has to be noted that both sides have used suicide attacks.

Originally posted by executioner
I just can't get over the colonists using suicide bombers. This is either a brave or very foolish move by the writers because it's bound to hit a few raw nerves in the States and the UK.

i agree the beuty about this is that is giving us a different perspective on the whole suicide bombers phenomeno and not polarizing towards making them look good or evil. its a good way to show us what the mentality behind this kind of attack is. i stilll dont think beheadings to be a good thing however everytime i remember seeing that guy get his head cut off i get all icky and feel like throwing up.

Originally posted by executioner
I just can't get over the colonists using suicide bombers. This is either a brave or very foolish move by the writers because it's bound to hit a few raw nerves in the States and the UK.

i agree the beuty about this is that is giving us a different perspective on the whole suicide bombers phenomeno and not polarizing towards making them look good or evil. its a good way to show us what the mentality behind this kind of attack is. i stilll dont think beheadings to be a good thing however everytime i remember seeing that guy get his head cut off i get all icky and feel like throwing up.

Well, they could cut off as many Cylon heads as they want and they'd just keep coming back.

Originally posted by Rasobasi420
Well, they could cut off as many Cylon heads as they want and they'd just keep coming back.

If there are resurrection facilities nearby.

So who noticed the camel on president Baltar's desk? Iraq reference, do you think? Maybe I see too much in things.

I thought one of the most harrowing shots was the 'night vision' shots of the security forces as they bust in and took away civilians to detention. Could almost have been lifted from BBC footage of US soldiers in Iraq just after the liberation/occupation.

TD

And incidentally, I love the way the writers have turned things on their heads since the miniseries: the original point of this post (way back in February) was that I had finished up with DVD miniseries/S1 and it seemed to be a more or less direct analogy for the US being attacked on 9/11, the 'muslims' being Cylons

Go forward to the start of series 3, and the Cylons are now 'occupying Americans', even to the extent of trying to recruit and proxy police force/collaborators who are being attacked by suicide bombers on the side of the colonists. Col Tigh even looks like a Bin Laden/Al Zarkawi sort of figure, with his big beard and haggard appearance.

I generally loathe North American TV, however this really is something special - it's just a shame that they are stuck on Sci-Fi/Space channels away from a bigger audience. I was really hoping the NBC rumour was true.

TD

well hopefully it will begin airing in some other big name channel so that the mainstream will get a peek

I'm watching it on Bravo right now. If it goes to NBC and Bravo, that'd be impressive

Rasobasi - is that series 3? I thought it was a Sci-Fi exclusive, although being stuck in the frozen North (Canada) we get it on Space. Frankly I prefer the DVD's because there is no ad break.

I find most of the programs are unwatchable, but as there are so many channels, it is really easy to miss the diamonds in the dross. Which I feel is what is happening to Galactica.

TD

Check out this podcast about Battlestar Galactica and the theology of the Cylons
It directly relates to Islam in the TV and the Jihad between the Cylons and the Humans.

There is only One True God


Listen here...

www.hotconflict.com...