Battlestar Galactica
Season 2.5 Episode Summaries
"Black Market" (#214):
Analysis:
This episode has ties to the classic series:
In one that series' episodes, Apollo ended up seizing supplies from a wealthy civilian who had secured the goods through the black market.
Cubits, which were the monetary unit in the classic series, are again referenced in this episode.
Roslin makes a passing reference to her other aides. This is the first appearance or mention of any other aide other than Billy in several episodes, if not all season. This line was probably dropped in to set the stage for a storyline starting in episode 216.
Lee has been visiting a prostitute on Cloud Nine . Though how long is not indicated, it has been long enough that he's tried to develop a rapport with not only her, but her daughter as well.
Fisk has been involved with Phelan long enough to trust his uninvited presence in his personal quarters on Pegasus.
Fisk had been working to gain Baltar's favor by giving him gifts, but Baltar has shown that he has little power as Vice-President, so Fisk's motivations are curious. Especially in light of the fact that Roslin is now cured and Baltar is no longer looking to be in line to assume power.
Baltar has a cold reaction to appearance of his Inner Six in Fisk's quarters. This indicates that Baltar still isn't warming back up to her in the wake of Gina. Of course, his reaction could also be in part that she's pointing out that the "inner circle" is beginning to distrusting him again.
Inner Six seems to be all over the place. She was clearly unhappy with Baltar's interest in Gina, but now she uses his desire for Gina has a motivational tool when it serves.
Lee clearly is suspicious of Baltar's intentions. From his findings in Fisk's quarters, he knows that Fisk was involved in the black market. Lee probably just wasn't sure if Fisk was involving Baltar directly or simply gaining his support indirectly with the bribes.
Tigh claims that it was he that traded with Fisk, but it smacks of something Ellen would do, especially since it was her bracelet that was traded. One thing that may counter that is Tigh's seemingly uncomfortable expression while Lee makes his report to his father about his finds in Fisk's quarters. It would be bad enough if Tigh was looking the other way with his wife's dealings, but it probably wouldn't sit well with Admiral Adama if Tigh himself was working the black market for "necessities" such as alcohol.\
Roslin ahs now acted on her distrust of Baltar, which was heightened by her remembering that she saw him with a Six model in that park on Caprica. Instead of stating her reasons, she chose an indirect approach. All that resulted is Baltar is now a full rival, rather than a selfish immature politician.
Baltar's Inner Six says that Roslin fears him, like a rival. She does fear him, but less as a rival, and more as an enemy and a spy for the Cylons.
Zarek spins Fisk's logs into showing how morally upstanding he is in having refused Fisk's pressures. However, it's more likely that Fisk wanted in on Zarek's own operation. Lee points out that Zarek didn't protest his treatment to anyone, which is exactly what a guilty man will do when blackmailed. Zarek talks his way around Lee's comment, but Lee's point stands, especially in light of his appearance on Prometheus .
Zarek plays Lee like a fiddle. Zarek turns up just after security. He then claims to know nothing about the black market and that Fisk was pressuring him. However, when Lee is about to leave, Zarek lets slip the "rumor" of the Prometheus and Phelan. In light of his later appearance of the Prometheus , it looks as though Zarek used Lee to remove Phelan so he could fill the power vacuum.
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and brought it to mortals. This roughly parallels what the black market on Prometheus does. It supplies the people of the fleet with goods that are rationed by the "gods," which in this case is the military and Roslin's civilian government.
Phelan's black market deals in many vices, including child slavery, whose depiction rams home how base humanity can be. If humanity is willing to bargain for cigarettes, liquor, drugs and sex, then why not children.
Lee's flashbacks lead the audience to believe that Lee broke off his relationship shortly before the Cylon attacks and he is guilty about abandoning the blonde. However, the amount of time between the end of the relationship and the attacks is never defined. This could be just as easily a symbol of the life that he (and everyone else in the fleet) no longer has.
Shevon is very perceptive. Of course, she attributes her insightfulness to being a member of the oldest profession, which has always been about replacing or fulfilling the needs of men.
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