'Battlestar Galactica' Retro Recap: 'Daybreak'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

You know, normally I’m quite excited to tear through a television show and recap every waking moment of it because it’s just a blast to nerd out on the digital page with all of you. But, this is a recap that quite frankly, I’ve been dreading to put to paper simply because, Battlestar Galactica is hands down one of my all-time favorite television shows and writing this piece, means that once again I’ve come to the end of this incredible journey, and that’s led me to drag my feet on watching the final season one more time simply, so I can draw this experience out for as long as humanly possible.
 
But alas, despite the stalling on my end, the series finale was always an inevitability and well, at long last we have come to the grand finale of this voyage through the stars, and well, the more time I’ve had to think about ‘Daybreak’, the more I’ve come to appreciate an ending that was and still remains quite polarizing among the fans of this fantastic series. Some cannot stand the fact that religious overtones came into play so heavily in this final story and others, simply don’t like the fact that this intrepid crew turned out to be our ancestors so to speak since the finale revealed that the crew of the Galactica arrived on Earth about 150,000 years ago. 
 
Now personally, none of that stuff ever really mattered to me or bothered me that much. Simply because, I think the clues were always there that this fictional crew was somehow related to modern mankind with their love of the gods and the little subtle nods to our modern world, like ‘Frak’ for instance, and the religious stuff never bugged me either due to the fact that I’m not that religious to begin with and it too was with us all the way so really, I digress. Because we aren’t going to discuss any of that in this final recap today, because others have already covered it in print over the years and because none of that is relevant to what the finale stands for in my eyes.
 
Because to me, this finale is about as uplifting as it gets since it is filled to the brim with inspiring moments that speak to the best parts of who we are as a species and really, what impressed me about this ending, is that this episode features humanity and the Cylons united as one, something we’ve never seen on the series before and they come together for the right reason for a change, to save a life. Sure, that life is apparently the key to the future of both species, but the fact that Admiral Adama is inspired to not leave another life behind and is able to rally so many to a greater cause sends one’s spirits soaring and really, I love the message that it sends our way. 

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​Granted, it’s a message we’ve all heard before, in that, in order for mankind to find true salvation, it has to put its differences aside and forgive its past to move forward, but the extra twist really lies in how valuing life is the last ingredient to said salvation and I love that a science fiction series about the end of the world was able to get that kind of message across, thanks in large part to the actions of the crew since they truly risk everything for Hera, and years later, that final battle at the Colony is still breathtaking and powerful since it’s all for that one life and while that whole sequence in its own right is amazing, the true payoff comes at its conclusion with the discovery of Earth.
 
Because once again, this series finds a way to surprise by giving every single character a happy ending, something we’ve also never seen when it comes to this show and well, while this was also lamented by some, I praise it due to the fact that these characters flat out deserve it. They’ve been through utter hell in this story. They’ve lost, they’ve suffered, so to see them enjoy a sliver of happiness and get the second chance they so deserve is a wonderful and beautiful thing and I’ll never forget that amazing closing shot, with Admiral William Adama sitting atop that hill, admiring the peace and tranquility of an easterly view…
 
Yet, what truly managed to impress me when it comes to this finale, is the sheer fact that its emotional weight continues to endure after all these years. Because every single thrilling moment kept me on the edge of my seat, and every revelation left my jaw dropped and every farewell, brought a tear to my eyes and that simply speaks to the quality of the story, and the acting for that matter as well, since all of it has been able to endure the test of time and reach us on a fundamental level and how Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos didn’t get an Emmy nomination for their work in this episode alone, I will never know.
 
But alas, I must digress again because at this point, I’m just fanboying when in fact, there’s little else to speak upon when it comes to this finale aside from offering up one final farewell. Because this is it. There’s no more story to be told, and it’s just as bittersweet to come to that realization now as it was many years ago and well, it’s been an honor and a delight to discuss one of my all-time favorite shows with all of you, and I thank you for joining me along on this wild journey one more time and on that note, I bid you adieu since life goes on, and there’s others shows to Retro Recap, but man…what a blast this re-watch turned out to be. 

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