Battlestar Galactica REACTION - 3x7

we could have wiped out ALL the German people with atomic bombs or ALL of the Japanese with the same. I don’t care how beat down your own people are, complete genocide shouldn’t ever be the answer

Wanda Did Nothing Wrong

Genocide is never the right answer. Ever. Just because we’ve only seen 2 good cylons at this point doesn’t mean that there aren’t more.

Wanda Did Nothing Wrong

Apparently it will not be a popular opinion but I partly agree with Helo in that I agree with his conviction if maybe not with the fact he acted (I'd have to think on that. He could have just become a Conscientious Objector ). Use of any biological weapon/warfare is absolutely illegal and covered by the Geneva Convention! Even in war time, even against a small group of people (and yes even soldiers that knowingly are at war against you) let alone an entire race of sentient beings. I believe it was the horrors of the use of the Mustard Agent during WWI that prompted nations to commit to that. You'll say the Cylons are trying to wipe out the human race? I personally agree that it changes the stakes. However at the current time humanity is not at immediate risk from the Cylons, and no biological warfare against humanity has been used, so to me use of the biological weapon is unwarranted. Could have kept the virus for later use or threat for negotiations though...

That's such an easy argument to make when you are not on the verge of your entire species and civilization being destroyed.

Drew

It's not at ALL fair to compare this to the holocaust. The cylons tried and are still trying to commit genocide against humanity, this isn't a situation where one group is wiping another out because they dont like them, they are doing it for survival in the most real sense. I'm pretty sure if you went to a Jew in a concentration camp and gave him a weapon that he could use to wipe out the Nazis he would do it in a second, and personally I dont see how you could argue he is ethically wrong to do so.

Drew

Yeah I agree. Fuck Helo,

Drew

Both humans and cylons do evil things and the leaders of both sides are deeply, humanly flawed, which makes them realistic and engaging as characters. BSG makes you make up your own mind about what's right and wrong

MrEvers

Great reaction Jimmy, I wanted to hear your opinion on the Baltar situation.

Robert Kruger

Trying to justify genocide, yikes. It's the Nuremberg defence in full demonstration. Even in regards to fiction that makes me a little uncomfortable. I love how thought provoking it is though, and how BSG is brave enough to challenge Us vs. Them tribalism as it goes forward. Helo's complicated, and compelling if you take a moment to empathise with his perspective, and that's a great character in my book. I neither love or hate him, and he can be frustrating at times, but he's a good character. You may yet come round on him, Jimmy. Though I am surprised you haven't with Athena.

Great Sage Sun

lol jimmy couldn't even LOOK at the damn screen he was so salty about helo

Punjathon

Surprised there wasn't a little more love for Athena though. "Even if it means participating in the genocide of my entire people, I ain't breaking my word to Adama. Let's light this candle." That was when she won me over with her soldierdom.

The Dork Knight

I KNEW Jimmy was going to lose his shit on Helo in this ep. I was not disappointed.

The Dork Knight

Every time I rewatch this show, Helo is still at the top half of my list. He just has a different moral compass, even Adam agreed with him, so he just passed the decision making so he wouldn’t have to feel that burden. Hopefully you’re opinion of him will change, but I’m not sure it will since you’re still under the impression that Athena is up to something whenever there’s a tense moment. Oh and Dee will always be at the bottom, at least for me.

Simply.Beyond

Was Helo correct about the morality of the situation? Maybe. Does his perspective come from a truly ethical place? Oh lord no.

Griffen Rosado

My take on Helo is that he has a massive persecution complex based on how everyone reacted to him and Sharon, and that complex basically informs his entire identity. It's not that he's an idiot, but when it comes to him making a life with Sharon, and having the others around him accept that decision and embracing her as a fellow person, anything that could indirectly threaten that sends off massive alarm bells in his head.

Griffen Rosado

"Cylons are people." I guess. "Ideologically speaking, Helo is in the right." No. "It's not enough to win the war" No. ", you got to deserve it." No. "Otherwise, they'd be the bad guys" No. "and I wouldn't want them to win." No. I had a whole thing in my head on the frailness of ideologies, but no works all the same lol.

Jimmy Macram

Cylons are people. Ideologically speaking, Helo is in the right. It's not enough to win the war, you got to deserve it. Otherwise, they'd be the bad guys and I wouldn't want them to win.

Thomas Hansen