Echoes of the “War on Terror” and Post 9-11 Culture in Battlestar Galactica (Syfy Channel, 2003-2009)

Abstract

Ronald D. Moore’s “remade” version of Battlestar Galatica marks a return to a resolutely militaristic form of science fiction which can perhaps be best understood if one is to reflect on how the series resonates in the context of “post 9-11” America. While some of the echoes of American culture are obvious to the viewer, such as the “federation” of colonies (twelve plus the missing thirteenth colony of Earth), other elements of the story arc can be perceived as indirect references to the War on Terror and/or the actual attacks of September 11th 2001. One such visual is in the opening credit scene of all four seasons: the moment when Six protects Baltar from the nuclear explosion on Caprica, with the blast arriving horizontally through a pane-glassed facade, reminiscent of what victims must have seen in the World Trade towers as the planes hit. Another visual shown occasionally in all four seasons but more often in Season 4 is the wall of commemoration on the battleship, again bearing a striking resemblance to the wall in New York City mourning the lost and the missing in the days following the attacks. Beyond these specific references, this study will attempt to analyze how the concept of the “Other as Us,” characterized by the physical appearance of the Cylons (as well as their origin as creations of humanity) creates not only a permanent form of paranoia – fundamental to the scenario itself – but more importantly in the viewer, thus transmitting a message of one of the most dangerous aspects of America’s war against terrorists both inside and outside the United States and its toxic influence on the democratic/utopian ideal. This, coupled with an examination of the power struggles revolving around Admiral Adama, President Laura Roslin and Gaius Baltar, will illustrate the delicate questions the series poses on the United States’ management of a “global” war and its meanings within contemporary America.