This just keeps getting better and better! I am speechless...
Plot Synopsis:
While Dr. Rush ponders the mysteries of the universe from the perspective of a hardened atheist (I refuse to simply call him a scientist...that contradiction does not exist), TJ views her own world with some semblence of hope thanks to the vision she received when she was nearly killed during the Alliance incursion. Both points of view are about to be challenged, however, as Destiny's wayward damaged shuttle reappears, delivering Kane and the seven other civilian scientists who decided to remain on the miracle planet last season back to Destiny. Reluctantly, Young allows the shuttle to dock and carefully examines the eight survivers and their shuttle - everything from the people to their craft seems to be in perfect factory condition.
As you may recall, Caine was the leading voice requesting permission to remain on the planet his group came to call Eden and the basis of his request was his faith in the mercy of God. He believed the planet to be a life raft built by God. You may also recall that TJ's vision strongly suggested that her baby had been taken to Eden where she would be safe. As we learned in 2:7, however, Destiny is capable of altering the brain wave pattersn of its' inhabitants, and many now believe that what TJ experienced was a simulation. All of this fundamental groundwork is needed before the central plot of this episode may be revealed and understood.
The refugees from Eden are allowed to intermingle with the crew freely, but everyone who interacts with them gets an immediate sense of dread - there's something very wrong here and everyone knows it, though cannot explain the source of their peril. Rush, for example, has logically deduced that if their return was indeed a miracle, (and his analysis of the shuttle suggests that either a higher techological or spiritual power returned it to mint condition and simply plopped it down next to Destiny, which is scientifically impossible to explain), then they should have been returned with intact memories of the experience and their existing medical problems (like near-sightedness) shold have been fixed. He, therefore, thinks something darker as it work. Many think the refugees are a Trojan Horse. Eli, TJ, and Scott, however, all seem unafraid of them (perhaps the three most faithful amungst the regular cast).
That is until Val suddenly dies in full view of everyone in the mess hall from a head trauma that couldn't possibly have happened in real time. It quickly becomes apparent that all of the survivers have not, in fact, survived...they all died - one from a felled tree, the rest from exposure to an extremely cold winter. As his friends die in order a second time, Caine remembers his own death and is certain that his soul has already moved on. He makes a simple request - he wants to see the stars again and he doesn't want to die alone. TJ accompanies him and the conversation that follows should bring a tear to your eye if you have a pulse and a functional soul.
Meanwhile, Chloe is dealing with the reality that nothing can be done to stop her from turning into an alien, and that soon, she will forced form the ship by Greer and Young. With help from Eli, she makes recorded goodbye messages from her friends on Destiny and urges Matt and Eli to forgive Greer and Young for what they will soon have to do.
Matt is having trouble coming to terms with Chloe's impending death as the person she once was. Greer, in his own way, tries to show Matt some mercy by giving him some tough love...he tells him the end is coming very soon and he's going to have to deal with that. He also says that althoguh he prays for Chloe every day, he can't let Matt continue to keep her company because she will become the enemy and action will have to be taken. He even goes so far as to tell Chloe in a brief visit that she needs to tell Matt to go away (which she finally does). This after asking her to forgive him for what he'll have to do.
The Skinny:
Though no human can ever step foot through the gates of heaven - though no irrefutable proof can ever be offered on the existance of such a place, proof of events that can be perfectly explained in the physical world is not proof of the opposite conclusion. Just because we know now that TJ's baby never went to "Eden" and that she is well and truly dead does not mean we may be certain that a spiritual interpretation of her vision cannot also be true. It's all in the eye of the beholder. And what I like best about how this message is conveyed is that the Gate Writers did not explicitly state for us what they behold through their eyes. They might not believe in God...or they might believe in Him ardently...it's impossible to know from the way this story was told and it leaves room for someone like me who does believe to take a much more optimistic message away from this than I would from a typical episode of the similarly-emotionally-charged Battlestar Galactica franchise while leaving room for a less faith-based interpretation.
I do think it's interesting, however, that the three people on Destiny who are most commonly associated with moral fortitude and an open mind toward things beyond their understanding - TJ, Eli, and Matt - were the ones depicted having no fear of the walking dead, and, in the end, retrieving something positive from those encounters. This exchange, IMHO, turns what could have been a depressing, albeit very well-produced, episode into an uplifting and hope-filled turning point for me and possibly for Destiny's crew:
TJ: After everything you've been through, you still believe?
CAINE: That is faith, Tamara. I can't explain it, but I know that my
soul has already moved on and is looking down on us right now...amazed at your
incredible kindness...comforting a shadow. (she holds him by the shoulder as
they watch the stars fly by) You have to believe that your daughter is in
a better place. The greatest gift that you can give her - the best way to
honor her memory - is by living your life. You've got to fulfill Destiny's
mission...and faith in each other like I have faith in you.
Now that the writers have established some credibility when it comes to making good on dangling plot threads that defy explanation, I'm far more willing to trust that any remaining questions will some day be addressed, if not answered completely. Here, we are left to wonder whether some advanced alien civilization, in an act of mercy, gave the dead Eden refugees one last chance to say goodbye or whether this was an act of God (or Destiny playing with our minds, perhaps?)...but I like being left to wonder. I like that there's room for many vantage points here, including ones that have generally been laughed at in previous Gate incarnations.
To me, this episode is about deciding whether you want to believe in the existance of a greater force for good or whether you need proof. And it seems to me that those who needed some proof (like Rush in his studies of the code of the universe) were much worse off by the end of this episode than those who had it in them to take His mercy on faith. Eli - watching his unrequited love slip away from him and leave farewell messages to the crew - seemed resolved to continue recording events on Destiny and living his life well. Greer - who admits to saying prayers for Chloe despite keeping his distance from what he sees as a looming threat - seeks forgiveness and finds comfort. TJ - despite receiving concrete proof that her baby is not physically alive on some paradisical Eden - received a message of hope and love in her time of need. All while Rush sat staring into his great mystery unchanged by these visitations. And that, to me, is a rare kind of story to be telling in the sci-fi genre.
Writing: 9.5
Previous Gate incarnations definition made a conscious choice to stick to approachable, straightforward dialogue in their scripts and keep the plots relatively simple. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but 15 seasons of that can, on occasion, get a little stale. Stargate Universe is most assuredly going a different way. These last four episodes have been some of the best-written (academically) and erudite scripts I've ever seen within the Gate canon. They've also dealt with "big" philosophical issues in a way I've very rarely seen from Stargate. This one is no exception. It takes a totally different kind of writing approach to tell a story involving the conflict (or lack thereof, depending on your perspective) between our thirst for absolute knowledge and power over the universe and our desire to believe in the greater good of God and to do it fairly to all sides involved. Caine is a fantastic voice for faith and optimism and his appearance here was a breath of fresh air.
Acting: 10.0
Tygh Runyan was outstanding reprising his role as Caine one last time, but even more impressive were Jamil Walker-Smith, Elyse Levesque and Alaina Huffman, IMHO. Although, I'm singling them out, only because they played the key roles, IMHO in both stories. you won't find an acting weak spot...sorry, but it's not there. This was a picture perfect performance on all counts.
Message: 10.0
The message I take away from this is that life is far more livable in times of crisis when one has reason to hope...and that hope comes most potently from faith in something good...whether you call that good "God" or something else, the belief in a greater good seems to have given a few of my favorite Universe characters a new lease on life.
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