This was a FANTASTIC episode.

Starbuck RULES!

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Because the majority of the comfy countries that we live in have a history of making morally repugnant 'deals' to assure our superiority in something - medical research, weaponry, technology - it's what we do.

Adama is willing to make a deal to get superior Cylon tech? Well, yeah. You have a better idea? There's several empty seats in The Hague mocking your decision.

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William Adama forced something down the people's throats that they did not want. They made clear they did not want it. At first, he said it was a political decision. When it turned out that the political system didn't give him what he wanted, suddenly he decided it was a military decision.

In an interview, Ron Moore said that Adama was a guy "without a lot of choices."

But like many successful people, he also has control issues. If you're not sure whether or not I'm talking about Adama or Moore, neither I am. I think we're seeing a lot of Ron here in his script. People who are very successful often have a very hard time taking themselves out of the equation. Some of the most successful CEOs and leaders stay far longer than is useful to the people they are supposed to be serving. In fact, most of the time they do.

Who ever said Adama was admiral for life? Adama? That is, Adama didn't have a lot of choices, but one choice I don't think that was considered was that he might not be the best person for the job anymore. Or the people might not want him.

In other words, in his position, the best choice might have been to say "We failed you. Here are the keys. Good luck."

You also have to consider that Adama has a personal interest in succeeding where he previously failed. This has colored his judgment. Instead of stepping aside, he pushes harder. He pushes the people right up against the wall.

For every action, there is a reaction. Nothing occurs in a vacuum. When Adama tells Gaeta "You killed this boy" nothing could be more self-sanctimonious. How many died because Adama refused to listen to the people?

The scene where Adama lets the prisoner run away is very telling. That prisoner may have run around the corner and shot someone else in the head. But Adama is too self-righteous to take the personal responsibility to shoot the guy. What's the real difference between Gaeta and Adama? Gaeta didn't pull the trigger and kill that boy himself, but Adama holds him responsible.

I think Adama failed to take responsibility himself. Powerful people often confuse control with responsibility. Adama refuses to relinquish control, but does not take responsibility for the consequences of his own actions.

If Gaeta is responsible for the boy dying, what is Adama responsible for?

Those in power often want to have it both ways.

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Two little remarks:

1. We just met Hoshi, we haven't even really seen them together or gotten a sense of their relationship, but Gaeta's already lying to him and shutting him out. Tsk.

2. During one of the (many) chaotic corridor scenes, a bit of the instrumental theme from Gaeta's ballad is playing. I liked the song (thanks, everyone who assured me I wasn't the only one), but I'm just loving it as an incidental theme.

Btw, when you say "Gaeta's Number Six" up there, I think you mean Eight. Unless he's got another Cylon on the side I didn't know about...

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In rapid succession Gaeta also lost a leg after being shot by his own team, and his friend Dualla blew her brains out after discovering Earth was a radioactive cinder. There's plenty of reasons for him to go over the edge.

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That, and it's the only hook that gives "Caprica" dramatic purpose-- what happened to the human Bill Adama, and when did he get replaced with a skinjob?

Oh, and BTW-- don't knock on Tigh. His has consistently been the most interesting character on the show, from the miniseries until now.

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