Analysis
Instead of giving Starbuck the order to kill Cain, Adama muses, "It's not enough to survive. One has to be worthy of surviving." In Moore's view, this reflects "one of the key tenets of the show." Clifton compares the conflict between Cain's urge to fight the Cylons and Roslin and Adama's commitment to maintaining civil society to the struggle between Adama and Roslin in the miniseries over whether to fight the Cylons or flee.
Jason Davis of Mania writes that mortality is a central theme of "Resurrection Ship". He cites Adama and Cain's assassination plots and their regrets over them, Adama inspecting his surgical scar, Starbuck and Fisks's mutual wishes of "good hunting", and Apollo and Gina's death wishes.
Clifton argues that Cain's decision to execute Helo and Tyrol is correct given the position she is in. In his view, the audience's prejudices in favor of the two men do not apply to her character because she does not know them. Clifton argues further that Roslin pushes for Adama to assassinate Cain because she expects her cancer to kill her soon and considers Baltar, who as Vice President would succeed her, unfit to stand up to Cain.
Moore notes that Cain accomplished all her goals except for her own survival. Clifton compares her pursuit of the Cylons to Captain Ahab's pursuit of Moby-Dick.
In Moore's view, the audience is supposed to feel ambivalent about Gina. On one hand, she perpetrated genocide along with the rest of her kind. On the other hand, her situation inspires sympathy.
Clifton suggests a homoerotic undertone to the blanket party.
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