Battlestar Galactica changed Cylon Lore because the star was over

According to Jonathan Klotz
| Published 25 seconds ago

Battlestar Galactica is one of the best sci-fi shows of all time, with amazing performances and memorable moments, and it’s still attracting new fans decades after its cancellation. Given the lack of planning and flying by the seat of their pants the writer’s room did while filming the series, it’s a wonder it became an all-time classic. One example is the “boxing” of the Cylons to prevent them from being resurrected, which was only created as a concept because Lucy Lawless was leaving the show and creator Ronald D. Moore needed to explain why all of the #3 Cylons were now gone.

Box number 3

Cylon boxing is quite literal, with the newly downloaded consciousness diverted from the waiting Cylon body into a small metal container attached to the resurrection tank. A digital consciousness is trapped inside a box in a punishment reserved for individual models who might pose a danger to their society, usually by becoming too sympathetic to humans. IN Battlestar Galactica Season 3 Episode 12, “Rapture,” John Cavil/Number One (Dean Stockwell) boxes the entire model line of Number 3 for her fanatical pursuit of the Final Five’s secrets as he comes close to revealing his plans, a dramatic exit for Lucy. Lawless, who later became a pivotal plot point.

Number 3, introduced as D’Anne Biers, an investigative reporter in Season 2’s “Final Cut”, was the only Cylon fascinated by religion. Battlestar Galactica always had religious undertones, but with number three’s quest for the mythical Final Five, Lucy Lawless was able to relate to the role and her performance helped The development of number 3 is believable. Just before she is boxed in by John Cavil, she has a look in her eyes that accepts her fate like a true believer and is certain that she will see the Five one day.

During your run, Battlestar Galactica didn’t see many cast changes during its run, with the departure of Lucy Lawless remaining the most watched. The human characters could be killed, well, five of them couldn’t be, but the rest were fair game, which is why the Cylon’s departure required a creative solution. Boxing is first mentioned in “Withdrawn” in Season 2, Number 3 threatening Number Six (Tricia Helfer) and Number Eight (Grace Park) with him, but backstage the writing was already on the wall for Lawless to leave, which adds a touch of irony to the scene when it’s rewatched.

Battlestar Galactica never had a plan

Battlestar Galactica lack of planning from day one is actually not uncommon, Babylon 5brilliantly written in its entirety from start to finish before filming began is an exception science fiction it shows and isn’t the rule, which is why no trapdoor was planned for Lucy Lawless #3. It’s also why the reveal of The Five introduced enough plot holes to fuel a generation of YouTube explanatory videos. A series of revivals providing insight into the workings of Cylon society helped humanize the cybernetic lifeforms, but as fans later learned, there was never a plan.

Both Battlestar Galactica and Lucy Lawless are still loved by thousands, if not millions, of sci-fi fans around the world, planning or not. The gritty writing and rendering work well with the dark tone of the series, making it look like terrible things are happening at times, reflecting what life would actually be like trapped on spaceships trying to outrun an unyielding enemy. Ultimately, the Cylon box concept proved to be a brilliant counterpoint to their digital immortality, as there is nothing more terrifying to a race that has conquered death than the existential dread of eternal nothingness.