BSG…as seen in Springfield.

In this episode, two major issues were addressed: abortion and treason. In the first case, President Roslin decides that should Sharon and Helo’s Human/Cylon hybrid child come to term, it might prove a grave danger to the fleet and orders the pregnancy terminated. A last-minute epiphany by Dr. Baltar saved both the child and the cancer-ridden president.

The second issue, that of treason, was interestingly played out. At the beginning of the episode, it is discovered that someone has sabotaged the ammunition used by the Viper squadrons. After an investigation, it is found that the sabotage was perpetrated by an organization of peace protestors who want Admiral Adama to surrender to the Cylons to stop the fighting and bloodshed. In the meantime, another saboteur almost destroys the tyllium refinery ship, which is responsible for providing fuel to Galactica, Pegasus, and all the other ships in the fleet.

It is eventually revealed that the principle organizer of the peace protestors is a Number Six model Cylon – the same Cylon who killed Admiral Cain after being freed by Baltar.

In many ways, there are vast parallels with real-world situations. Many of the peace organizations today receive funding and aid from enemy organizations and nations. International ANSWER, for example, receives money from the World Workers Party, which in turn, has recived funds from various anti-American nations, such as North Korea and Cuba. The founder of International ANSWER, Ramsey Clark, is currently serving as Saddam Hussein’s defense attorney in Iraq.

It will be interesting to see what other real-world events play out in Battlestar Galactica.

Over the weekend, I was watching some episodes from the first half of Season 2. In one episode, President Roslin and Commander Adama ask a reporter (played by Lucy Lawless) to do a piece on the crew of the Galactica. Naturally, the reporter tries to spin the story that paints the crew in a negative light.

After taping an incident which could compromise security aboard Galactica, Adama tries to confiscate the tape. When the reporter was reluctant, Adama makes a comment about doing what’s right. The reporter relplies “I’m sick of people like you questioning my patriotism.” Of course, she hands Adama a fake take, having hidden the real one in her bra.

The reporter, D’Anna Biers, continues to make her expose, doing everything she could to ambush the crew in uncomfortable settings, or to find a way to lay blame of some bad command decisions on certain crew members (such as Colonel Tigh).

Then end of the episode reveals that the reporter is a Cylon infiltrator.

Does this sound a little familiar?