Talk:Revelations (Battlestar Galactica)

Starting

Just getting this started. The Sci Fi channel is showing the entire episode on their site right now. I just finished watching it. Starts every hour. -- Dream Focus (talk) 17:07, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Since the episode cannot be confirmed by ohters (no access to video content on the site), I have reverted for the time being. — Edokter • Talk • 17:45, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

I just checked and its there now! http://www.scifi.com/ You can watch it right now. It's playing all day, in its entirety, from 9AM to 4PM EDT, as the banner up top clearly states. Make sure you have the plugin for Firefox, or whatever browser you are using, for Windows Media Player, and your settings don't have Windows Media Player set to "work offline" or your firewall doesn't block it. -- Dream Focus (talk) 19:35, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, I don't see it. If it is even there, it's only accessable from the US. — Edokter • Talk • 23:47, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, it was there, and yes, it was only accessible from U. S. IP addresses. Nobody's lying to you, as you appear to have implied. -- Davidkevin (talk) 13:59, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Nuclear Winter

Though the landscape wasn't identifiable, the devastation seems consistent with some sort of Nuclear_winter Koolaidman (talk) 03:12, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

I'd say the location was New York City near the Brooklyn Bridge. The camera pans across a large city, but in between there is a long clear frozen patch about the width and length of a river. On the near side, the shot ends on a structure with a long overhanging portion. This last structure looks suspiciously like one of the main pillars of the Brooklyn Bridge. Granted, it's just a wild guess. It could be anywhere with some buildings and what might be a bridge. Newtwowiki (talk) 03:19, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Nope. That is a view of Vancouver where most of the show is filmed.. The beach is either Jerico or Spanish Banks and the pan is a view from that beach to the downtown peninsula. I guess they destroyed the buildings with CGI. [KT] 08:19, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

CGI is expensive, they probably just blew up the city —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.31.36.169 (talk) 23:17, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

Earth is in ruins, but there is no evidence that it is the result of nuclear war. It could possibly just be in the distant future. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.250.224.82 (talk) 03:25, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

So, the geiger counter clicking away as Adama scoops up a fistful of soil isn't any sort of clue?

--82.226.191.237 (talk) 20:35, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

It is a possiblity that is was a nuclear war by the way the geiger counter crackled. I think the timeline is in keeping with real life--it is 2008 in the show. I say this because in the last episode of the original series the characters missed a transmission from the Apollo astronauts. Next year marks the 40th anniversery of the first lunar landing. May be dead wrong but I feel that this is a little better than mere speculation. 75.178.65.182 (talk) 05:37, 14 June 2008 (UTC)Raedkin

I don't believe it is NYC. I'm pretty sure it was the ruins of the structure pictured in the book in the beginning of the episode. Lacaid (talk) 03:52, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

There isn't any proof it isn't the distant past, distant future, or even the near future. The other Cylons might have wiped it out and jumped away just a few hours before the fleet arrived. The geiger counter indicates nuclear disaster, but the cause and time is unknown. Jclinard (talk) 04:09, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

The depiction is one of considerable time passing from the nuclear event. One, the Geiger counter reads radiation, but not huge or unsafe amounts, just elevated levels. Two, vegetative growth and oxidation of the metal shows deterioration from exposure, not a recent blast. Three, large portions of the ruins are embedded into the ground, consistent with wind and soil buildup and erosion. Four, atmospheric conditions have returned to normal, apart from being a bleak day. -- 76.126.129.250 (talk) 07:39, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, it was never indicated when the story takes place in relation to our timeline, it's not like "a long, long time ago...." So, we'll just have to wait for a plot point, back story, or explanation from the producers. Also, I can say with relative certainty that SineBot is correct, that is New York City. I live there, and the base of the Brooklyn Bridge is unmistakeable. Also, it's a view of what was once a long collection of skyscrapers spanning accross the coast of a river (there wasn't a river next to the structure in the picture, just roads), so that's probably the East Side of Manhattan. Always fun seeing your home wiped out.... 68.174.162.109 (talk) 04:59, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Occams's Razor indicates that a faction of humanity fled the war on Earth and landed on Kobol, then left Kobol to found the 12 Colonies. In other words... humanity just keeps bouncing between Earth and Kobol, age after age after age... all of this happened before... all of will keep happening again. The Eternal Squire. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.142.130.14 (talk) 05:45, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

It has to have been at least a few years after the nuclear holocaust, since the was no smoke and the sand has covered the roads and ruins.71.177.159.72 (talk) 06:11, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

I'd just like to note that of the entire cast and crew, only Chief is smiling. And man is he smiling. He's doing his little 'lol' head-shake as well. Take a look. Approx halfway through the final scene 24.127.206.255 (talk) 07:47, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

It is New York City, viewed from the heights near the Brooklyn Bridge across towards Manhattan. Obviously the Temple of Aurora is a future addition to the city. Check it out.--Werthead (talk) 12:13, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Edited to remove the references to San Francisco. Until confirmed by the producers, we can't say it's NYC either, although the picture comparison leaves little room for doubt.--Werthead (talk) 12:15, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

No, its not NYC. Looking from brooklyn across to manhattan would have the buildings appear on the right side with open water on the left. In the show the buildings are on the left and as it pans water appears on the right. --ChrisRuvolo (t) 15:24, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

There is an extensive amount of open water extending across to a distant opposite shoreline (Jersey?) behind the shots of the characters' reactions to the ruins, to the far left of the Manhattan-like island. As it pans over to the presumed Manhattan, a small, square island with what appears to be a pedastal on it is visible to its left (possibly a statueless Liberty Island, although the location would be more accurate for Ellis Island). The shot pans over to what appears to be the Brooklyn Bridge. What is anomalous is that the island suddenly seems to stop just to the right of the bridge, whilst in reality Manhattan continues for many miles in that direction. This could be put down either to a CGI error or the rest of Manhattan being flooded. This is supported by a skyscraper actually extending out of the water to the right of the island, just under the bridge. Whilst it is not 100% conclusive (some have suggested it's actually Sydney, and presented intriguing photographic comparisons), it is well-supported. But obviously OR, so it cannot go in the article. Hopefully either Mark Verheiden (producer) or Mojo (CGI artist) will confirm this on their blogs, but most likely we will have to wait for the podcast. Note that composer Bear McCreary has already said on his blog that, regardless of the city, the planet itself is definitely Earth.--Werthead (talk) 21:11, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

They could be in Manhattan looking across to Brooklyn - devil's advocate, though, I've never been to NYC. Sceptre ^(talk) 17:41, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Actually, silly me - I've rewatched the scene: open water is on the left. Sceptre ^(talk) 17:43, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Maybe they're angling for a fallout series. Comradeash (talk) 12:54, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

The producers screwed up one thing, they got the ruins wrong. Anyone who watched the recent History Channel show "Life After People" knows that very little trace of civilization would be left after about 300 or so years. Meaning, either A) the producers screwed the pooch here and should have watched the show or B) the nuclear winter happened on Earth less than 300 years before Galacitica arrived. :) It's obvious that Earth was devastated by a nuclear war in the show. Which means that the decay would have happened at an even faster rate, since the blasts would given the whole decay process a big head start; so it may have even been less than 300 years. Btw, I said it was NYC, not SineBot =p. I also agree with the whole 'it's happened before, it'll happen again' nonsense the show has been repeating. Humanity is self-destructive, that's the whole show. I think the whole thing is a process of human evolution in the show: the Cylons are the next evolution of humanity. In time, they forget (or erase from record) that they are "machines". The old "humans" (who are just "Cylons" from a previous iteration, die out or mix in). Then 15,000 years later a whole new civiliation is made, they create new "Cylons" that are even better than they are, and the whole thing happens again. All for the purpose of evolving the species. Probably just a lab project for some twisted aliens. :D Newtwowiki (talk) 16:43, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

We can't incorporate in the article anything about timing; too speculative. At the very least the area they landed on is definately a radioactive wasteland; particularly the soil by the way the counter was acting but it's wasn't ground zero either or there wouldn't be buildings at all. We can also safely say that not all intelegence left earth to go found Cobol and later the 12 colonies. It looked to me that these ruins have all partually collapsed so it could be more than 300 years but no way have they survived unmaintaigned since longer than the Temple for the Five was founded which was a few thousand years ago. I also think they can't live on earth now if as implied the wasteland is global. Previews did indicate that Adama encounters the final cylon on earth though so the point was to find it and now they'll have to find a livable planet. Jon (talk) 19:33, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

So if the "new" human species (ie. cylons) has kept evolving then that means they have probably suffered from technological regression seeing as how they don't know how a lot of their technology and history works eh? 207.34.120.71 (talk) 21:06, 16 June 2008 (UTC)

Something in common?

You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God... damn you all to hell!

--65.49.14.26 (talk) 03:14, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

lack of plant and animal life?

In the external link section is a link to a fan site which doesn't even have a page for this episode yet. That is a bit odd. Someone mentioned that Earth was devoid of any life other than a few weeds. I thought I saw grass. Also, if they didn't have a lot of plant life somewhere, they wouldn't be able to breath so easily, would they? And no animals were in sight, since a landing space ship and strange people about would've scared it off, and they didn't really show a lot of terrain so I don't think the lack of animals in that scene meant there was none left. Surely something would've survived somewhere. Dream Focus (talk) 08:48, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

What is left unsaid

The episode shows the crew finding a habitable planet covered in ruins where the constellations match the record books.

• The constellations would match for any planet within a few light years of Earth.
• Even if they found the correct solar system, how would they tell the difference between Earth and a terraformed Mars or Venus?
• It's a beach! Nothing grows on a beach. How many trees do people seriously expect to see? Greenery can be seen from orbit, and the temple of Aurora might be atypical.

ANTIcarrot (talk) 14:28, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Someone had to make Starbuck's raptor, and send a signal to show the way home. Some intelligence remains perhaps. Anyway, if there were any cities intact, they would've surely seen them from orbit and landed there instead. Instead of saying Earth is a radioactive wasteland, since a wasteland would usually indicate a lifeless area, perhaps it could be reworded as radioactive, and having no signs of human life. There may still be people hiding underground, and seeing a Cylon Basestar appearing in orbit, they certainly wouldn't come out and say hello. Only time will tell what they have in store for the series, if anything. Dream Focus (talk) 16:06, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

The coast lines match present earth too closely to not be intended to be earth is the primary argument it's earth. As to the constellations, Sol itself would be one of the brightest stars in the night sky from our closest neighbors. Orion's brightest star to us itself is so close it may be noticably out of alignment with Orion vs as seen from earth even from Alpha Centuri. If I recall correctly, from Alpha Centurai, Sol would be near or in Taurus. Jon (talk) 19:42, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

I think you mean Sirius which technically isn't in Orion but is close to it, but yes, Sirius (8.8 ly from us) would be in a completely different location when viewed from Alpha Centauri (4.3 ly from us). Whilst I agree that this is Earth, based on interviews with Katee Sackhoff where she said they find Earth a lot earlier than people were expecting and the fall-out from it takes up the rest of the season, some of the anti-crowd have indicated that whilst Earth's shorelines are visible at the end of S3, they are not in this episode (although the final shot of Earth where the music fades out just before the ships start landing could be of Africa with the Mediterranean at the top: there's a hint of the Italian peninsula).--Werthead (talk) 21:04, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

YOU MANIACS, YOU BLEW IT UP! Ah, DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.41.138.181 (talk) 23:20, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, what did they expect? There had to be a reason why their ancestors left Earth in the first place ... -- 217.186.220.54 (talk) 00:33, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Their ancestors left Kobol not Earth 77.102.173.23 (talk) 14:35, 22 September 2008 (UTC)

It is the Earth. They show North American from orbit. 67.184.14.87 (talk) 05:25, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

External link to official page page is valid, isn't it?

In the external link section, I had a link to the official website of the show, which I noticed has been deleted. At that site there are recaps of all the episodes, and other information, and of course the episode itself one week after it airs on television. I believe a link to the official site is relevant to the article. Edokter, if there is a reason you believe otherwise, please state your case here. I'm adding it back for now. I don't see how you can have any article about something, without linking to its official webpage. Dream Focus (talk) 01:29, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

It's already linked to in the main article. We don't need to link the homepage on every episode article, unless it links to the specific episode page. — Edokter • Talk • 10:21, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

plot summary main page correction?

"Starbuck re-inspects the Viper fighter she was piloting in the third season finale "Crossroads" after being requested to by Tigh, Samuel, and Tyrol, and discovers a hidden signal being received by the fighter."

Sam and Tyrol requested Starbuck to re-inspect. Tigh was already revealed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.253.219.66 (talk) 04:12, 16 June 2008 (UTC)

Two different versions

There seems to be a slight difference between the widescreen and full screen (TV) version. The wide screen shows a larger view of the ruins that makes them appear to be the Brooklyn Bridge while the full screen shows more nondescript ruins due to the scope of the shot. I just wanted to rise this point for consideration as we continue to clarify the last scene. -66.109.248.114 (talk) 04:49, 17 June 2008 (UTC).

Interesting, I wonder if their planning on relasing this half of season 4 on DVD (where many more of us would be able to see the widescreen version than in the broadcast version) before the second half of the season broadcast resumes in several months. (Last I heard second half episodes are still in production). At this point with only the full screen version to go by the only reason to try to place it in NYC area as opposed to many other coastal cities around the world is to further parallel the original Planet of the Apes movie ending. Jon (talk) 13:22, 18 June 2008 (UTC)