Firstly - you are queen of making me think so much I write comments in two parts! TWO PART COMMENT AHOY!
Back then, I was all "Geez Lee grow some balls!" he is a lot like Kara in his need for love from his parent.
I agree with you about his need for parental approval. I think what he really needs is for his father to see the man he is and not the man he wishes he were. It's why I love his relationship with Roslin so much - she does see him as him and not as anyone's son or brother. But a lot of this is based on his portrayal from the mini series through to the Ressurection Ship arc, which I don't think you've seen. I'd really recommend it - the character has balls aplenty in those episodes. And it makes his disappointment and shock at Roslin's a) confiding in his father and b) disappointment at her choice (he never got the full reasoning behind it even) even more poignant and sad.
The way Cain was handled bugged me and still does. but Kara's eugoogoly was so very true.
I found her character much more interesting and nuanced the second time I watched that series of episodes, oddly enough. Maybe because the shock value civilian killings (which the network insisted be added, I believe - they were worried she wasn't evil enough to assassinate) and my opinion that it was cheap, had faded and I was expecting it. I think Kara's eugoogoly (awesome! Zoolander!) was meant to be true. Though it always bothered me that Adama sent her to assassinate this person without ever telling her the motivation behind it. I mean, Kara never knew (as far as I can tell) that Cain had civilians killed and abandoned. Which was basically the thing that pushed Roslin over the edge.
However, when it comes to dealing with the Cylons directly, that would have been a huge issue. She would never have allowed New Caprica to happen
True, but that gets to the interesting part that the only way she could have done that was to decimiate the democratic civilian system. As you note, she would have had to surrender power to civilian leadership - and her story arc is all about what happens when you have military dictatorships.
I appreciate and agree with your points. That's the thing - they would have been safer. And while it might be wiser, or more compassionate to know your enemy, it's certainly not short-term safer.
It's one of the reasons it's so sad her arc was kind of ham-handed. It's a key question in the show - deliberately attempting to discuss a key question in current western life - how much danger will you accept for democracy and freedom; how many of your rights will you sacrifice so ensure your immediate safety? If you sacrifice too many, does it swing around and simply make it more dangerous for you? Aaah, politics.
Re: Kara and her many parents.
Back then, I was all "Geez Lee grow some balls!" he is a lot like Kara in his need for love from his parent.
I agree with you about his need for parental approval. I think what he really needs is for his father to see the man he is and not the man he wishes he were. It's why I love his relationship with Roslin so much - she does see him as him and not as anyone's son or brother. But a lot of this is based on his portrayal from the mini series through to the Ressurection Ship arc, which I don't think you've seen. I'd really recommend it - the character has balls aplenty in those episodes. And it makes his disappointment and shock at Roslin's a) confiding in his father and b) disappointment at her choice (he never got the full reasoning behind it even) even more poignant and sad.
The way Cain was handled bugged me and still does. but Kara's eugoogoly was so very true.
I found her character much more interesting and nuanced the second time I watched that series of episodes, oddly enough. Maybe because the shock value civilian killings (which the network insisted be added, I believe - they were worried she wasn't evil enough to assassinate) and my opinion that it was cheap, had faded and I was expecting it. I think Kara's eugoogoly (awesome! Zoolander!) was meant to be true. Though it always bothered me that Adama sent her to assassinate this person without ever telling her the motivation behind it. I mean, Kara never knew (as far as I can tell) that Cain had civilians killed and abandoned. Which was basically the thing that pushed Roslin over the edge.
However, when it comes to dealing with the Cylons directly, that would have been a huge issue. She would never have allowed New Caprica to happen
True, but that gets to the interesting part that the only way she could have done that was to decimiate the democratic civilian system. As you note, she would have had to surrender power to civilian leadership - and her story arc is all about what happens when you have military dictatorships.
I appreciate and agree with your points. That's the thing - they would have been safer. And while it might be wiser, or more compassionate to know your enemy, it's certainly not short-term safer.
It's one of the reasons it's so sad her arc was kind of ham-handed. It's a key question in the show - deliberately attempting to discuss a key question in current western life - how much danger will you accept for democracy and freedom; how many of your rights will you sacrifice so ensure your immediate safety? If you sacrifice too many, does it swing around and simply make it more dangerous for you? Aaah, politics.