Chapter 41-1 Eye of the Storm

[Grognaurd]

I think Datu will be OK. Sure, Tanya is saying he is going to die, but what would you expect her to say? She, Saul and Victor are the only ones that know about the super slow turn. Her public position is that they were not infected. If the heat gets really hot on Datu, will she let others know about her and Saul?

A few chapters back we were discussin the fracture of the Dunbar /Colony alliance. That may still happen. Now, we have another fissure, infected vs non infected. How does that play out? Michael may lose his soldiers and be forced to work with Victor. Jut how many Cylons, I mean slow turners are out there? There will be finger pointing and a desire to test everyone. How does that further fracture everything? It is really not paranoia if it "turns" out people ARE out to get you.

Last, Let's assume that this blood test is much more rare than a blood glucose test? How many tests does Tanya have left? TEOTWAWKI is all about dwindling resources. This test may very well have a limited number of doses, like the high end antibiotics that Saul got in Seaon 2. Or, like Riley discussed in Season one, expiration dates on the food. Do people trust the results given from a test that is past the expiration date? In a court of law, they would be inadmissible, but what about the court of public opinion? Seems to me that even though it is a science fact based test, charismatic leadership will be the deciding factor.

[nikvoodoo]

I'm not sure if someone has mentioned this yet or not........ and this could just be my underlying hate for CJ............. But did anyone else find it strange that the only people that CJ "knew" anything about were 2 dead guys???? They aren't alive anymore to confirm or deny her story...... How do we know that entire speech wasn't just a made up tug on your heartstrings to get what I want story???

Seems like something that CJ, the collector of all things intel, would have done. Besides, Glenn seems like the type of guy who would wax a yarn for you that would take all day and night if you gave him the chance. I don't doubt CJs claims to the intimate knowledge she had for either guy.

The one thing I did take from this episode CJ related is Michael really thought it would be a good plan to manhandle a cripple. Seems to me like that's not the greatest plan ever.

[7oddisdead]

Seems like something that CJ, the collector of all things intel, would have done. Besides, Glenn seems like the type of guy who would wax a yarn for you that would take all day and night if you gave him the chance. I don't doubt CJs claims to the intimate knowledge she had for either guy.

The one thing I did take from this episode CJ related is Michael really thought it would be a good plan to manhandle a cripple. Seems to me like that's not the greatest plan ever.

ah, I remember the first time I violently shook a pirate. I think he said "arrgh, watch the peg-leg matey" ....now that I think about it. That didn't happen at all.

[scbubba]

Seems like something that CJ, the collector of all things intel, would have done. Besides, Glenn seems like the type of guy who would wax a yarn for you that would take all day and night if you gave him the chance. I don't doubt CJs claims to the intimate knowledge she had for either guy.

The one thing I did take from this episode CJ related is Michael really thought it would be a good plan to manhandle a cripple. Seems to me like that's not the greatest plan ever.

I think we are seeing Michael without a plan at all. He's simply reacting to things around him and barely thinking things through. The main reason that Puck is so pissed at him in 41-1, IMO, is that he's been looking up to Michael and the events of the past couple of days (in story time) have shaken that for Puck. He was trusting in and depending on Michael and all of a sudden Mikey's playing fast and loose with good sense and judgement.

I'm seeing CJ and Michael becoming more and more polar opposites of each other. Both have strengths in leadership and management. But their strengths are being pushed out to the extremes and any strength over used or taken to an extreme is likely to become a weakness.

Things are shifting. The initial goals, heroes, villains, problems, etc in the beginning aren't necessarily the same now.

Damn good storytelling, Kc. A fine job.

[Unit]

3)
The more I think of it the more I am convinced that R2Da2 is one of the, if not THE 'richest' character on this show. He was through up and downs like really no one else; he had his moments of comic relief as much as of pure heroism, tragedy, importance and what now; if it was not for him, many things of the story simply wouldn't have worked in any way. I really have trouble realizing anyone else aside R2Da2 having this kind of roller coaster on this show (Saul maybe). Yes, sure: Everyone on this show had his or her tragic moments, dark fates, moments of relaxation or relief; but who else has such a vivid and colorful "vitae" within the WA-storyline like R2Da2 has? R2Da2's personality is probably one of the most "human" compared with anyone else, 'cause he vividly expressed anxiety, anger, sorrow, happiness, cynicism, sarcasm, helpfulness, etc. like very few other (are there any at all?). Up until now I have the impression that most other characters (exception: Victor) had his or her specific role and task to fulfill, which was much more focussed than what we see with R2Da2 - he was the maintenance-guy as much as the chief-engineer beginning with the generator in the tower, fixing helicopters several times as well as gates, and finally creating 'new technologies'; but aside from that he also was the tragic hero in the Arena with a very strange love-interest story upon which his 'quasi'-father-hood for Hope was established, and for her he cared a lot. Besides these things there are only very few characters available of which we know details of their past; mostly things are reduced to "I was in the miliatry" or "I was a lawyer", but that was that; R2Da2 comes from the Philipines, worked as the service craft of the Tower in order to send money to his family in the Philipines, did evening-classes to become more professional, seemed to socialize a lot with the inhabitants of the Tower, was a very poor car-driver ... Really - up until now in my eyes R2Da2 is one of the, if not the one character on the show with the most detailed personality. I don't say that this is not true for any other character; but what I say is that we as the audience know more about him than about most other characters on the show. And that, actually, makes him "the ressourceful"; this title - I guess established by Nikvoodoo (not certain about it) - was given to him when he seemed to be able to work on absolutely any technological issue; but this title is especially true for his personality or him as a (fictitious) person.

And that is why his announced death (will this really happen) makes it even harder to stomach. If this really happens, the WA-verse not only looses one of the key characters within the story, but one of the richest and most human characters at all. That is why I 'enjoyed' it very much that most other named characters were around and cared about his situation - each and everyone in his or her own way. This is a perfect mirror image of what R2Da2 actually means to anyone. I really hope that he "survives" as much as Saul and Tanya do it; but with the certainty Tanya mentioned his upcoming death within the coming few days it does not seem likely to happen. Really - a real loss. The gap cannot be filled in easily; and currently I do not see it.

Best wishes!
Liam

I love this analysis of Datu. He is absolutely one of the most relatable and loved characters on the show. He is honest and open with his past and story and we all know with his emotions Where others like to keep secrets Datu likes to lay it out on the line.

[Gnex]

ah, I remember the first time I violently shook a pirate. I think he said "arrgh, watch the peg-leg matey" ....now that I think about it. That didn't happen at all.

So since CJ is using Pegs as a crutch against Michael..... Would we be safe to assume that she is her "Peg" Leg??!?!

[LiamKerrington]

Damn Liam! Very nice post on Datu's character arc. I think my eyeballs almost started sweating somewhere in the reading of this and thinking of poor Datu at the end of 41-1... <sniff>

I am sorry. This was not my intention.

I think Datu will be OK. Sure, Tanya is saying he is going to die, but what would you expect her to say? She, Saul and Victor are the only ones that know about the super slow turn. Her public position is that they were not infected. If the heat gets really hot on Datu, will she let others know about her and Saul?

A very good point and a very good question.

A few chapters back we were discussin the fracture of the Dunbar /Colony alliance. That may still happen. Now, we have another fissure, infected vs non infected. How does that play out? Michael may lose his soldiers and be forced to work with Victor. Jut how many Cylons, I mean slow turners are out there? There will be finger pointing and a desire to test everyone. How does that further fracture everything? It is really not paranoia if it "turns" out people ARE out to get you.

Funny - before I read your posting I had started to draw parallels between WA and the new BSG myself ...

The one thing I did take from this episode CJ related is Michael really thought it would be a good plan to manhandle a cripple. Seems to me like that's not the greatest plan ever.

That was humiliating. I still don'T get it. If it comes to warm and friendly or loving feeling Michael is socially inapt, normally he is very much focussed on his tasks, but if things start to piss him he becomes a real pain in the ass - especially an unreliable hotshot. Reminds me of him characterizing Saul in the beginning of WA ... What has happened with Michael? Or has he finally started to reveal his "bad" sides which were always there?

[Grognaurd]

In another thread, I posted that biting people and eating human flesh is a major loss of impulse control. Sound like someone else we know? Michael? Very very impulsive recently. Is he losing control? Is he further down the turning process?

I am just asking the question. Not the story that I want to hear, but it does make me wonder...

[Gooer]

in another thread, i posted that biting people and eating human flesh is a major loss of impulse control. Sound like someone else we know? Michael? Very very impulsive recently. Is he losing control? Is he further down the turning process?

I am just asking the question. Not the story that i want to hear, but it does make me wonder...

more proof he's guna turn!

[tKm]

I also wonder if Tanya or Saul will test their zombie invisibly by approaching zombies to see if they are attacked.

Well I've wondered about this as well. In what stage would "invisibility" occur? If Saul really is infected, then he has been since the Tommy incident. I've been trying to think about specific scenes where a zombie goes explicitly after Saul, instead of attacking the group that Saul is in, but I haven't been able to find one. The LAX scene after Burt tests his IED is the closest we come to an ideal situation where we would see any "invisibility", but the zombie could have just been going after Burt.

I guess what I'm wondering is the following.

1 - Are Saul, Tanya, and now Datu REALLY infected? There isn't a definitive answer yet.
2 - If they are infected, what makes them different? What makes them turn more slowly?
3- The gas and cracks in Englewood (Inglewood? Sorry, I'm a bit new here) are still a huge mystery. What is it about the air there? Could Datu, being infected, breathe there? Or are both Tanya and Saul infected in a different way that allows them to breathe the air. There was NOTHING at ground zero the first time, but the second time the Little Ones didn't seem to mind. If they could test the gas on Datu to see if his body would reject it, wouldn't that give them helpful information about what is going on with Tanya and Saul?

I think they should see if Datu can deal with the air at ground zero, and as much as I love the character, I'm thinking he would make a valuable...test subject. Which sounds horribly wrong, but I want answers!