Ron Moore Discusses BSG Revelations

Warning: This article will contain SPOILERS for the latest episode of “Battlestar Galactica.” If you don’t want to know any of the details or haven’t watched the episode yet, please stop reading now…

“Battlestar Galactica” returned with a roar Friday night, featuring at least one jaw-dropping revelation per episode segment.

But the biggest revelation was saved for the episodes waning moment with the long-awaited reveal of the identity of the fifth Cylon.

The final Cylon turned out to be none other than Saul Tigh’s deceased wife, Ellen.

That revelation, as well as a variety of other moments, sparked a firestorm of conversation and controversy among fans. Series producer Ronald Moore spoke to the Chicago Tribune’s television critic and media blogger Maureen Ryan about the decision and what it could mean for the rest of the “Galactica” run.

“There’s a certain logic to it,” Moore said. “I sort of figured out early on that I liked the pairing of her and Tigh. [I liked] that there was something deeper to their marriage and deeper to their relationship, that it was literally a relationship that had transcended time and space, that it was very ancient that had gone on for a very long.”

There was something really appealing about the idea that of the final five, the two of them were a pair, and they were THIS pair — you know, as drama-ridden as their relationship had been, the idea that there had always been something deeper and more profound at its center, I always really, really liked,” he continued.

Moore also said that he and the writers had singled out Ellen as the final Cylon as far back as the third season of the show.

“Over the course of the third season, Ellen came and went in my thinking in terms of who the final five were,” he said. “It probably wasn’t until we settled on the final four that I knew it was Ellen. When we got to the final four — Tigh, Anders, Tory and Tyrol — then it felt like, “and Ellen has to be the fifth.” Because Tigh being revealed as a Cylon was such a profound shift in that character, such a big leap for the show, that it felt really natural that she was also a Cylon.”

Moore went on to say that while the revelation wasn’t the usual shock administered by “Galactica.” Many times, the twists and turns come up quickly, but he said this one was more woven into the overall tapestry of the show and designed to be a game-changing moment when a lot of elements click into place.

“It really did just fit into the larger story. And that’s sort of how the show has always been, it’s been about taking leaps and seeing how things fit in together. That just felt really natural. It just felt like it would line up correctly. It felt like all the pieces would make sense and that it would be a satisfying thing,” he said.

And Moore promises that this won’t be the last time we see Ellen this year….

In the Los Angeles Times, actress Kate Vernon, who playes Ellen, revealed she will be in seven of the final nine episodes of the series.  She also said she’s known her role for two years and has had a difficult time keepng the secret.

 

The final episodes of “Battlestar Galactica” continue Friday at 10 p.m. EST on SciFi.