[ensign edwards]

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Actually, according to the occupation 'webisodes', Duck's wife was killed by Cylon soldiers who raided a temple looking for weapons. So, whether or not using the temple for cover was wrong, it was still the Cylons (not the bombers) who killed Duck's wife. The Cylons did not have to kill people to search the temple.

Yeah, but hiding weapons in a temple is only a rung or two higher than simply using people as human shields.

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And (as I was recently reminded of) Tigh was also STRONGLY pressured into killing his wife by Anders and the others; so in essence, they are as responsible as he is. Anders in particular told him, "You KNOW what has to be done." Tigh seemed reluctant to do this, but I sensed there was a LOT of peer pressure by his squad to do so (Anders even told him that if he didn't, they would). My wife and I just rewatched the Occupation episodes recently in a mini-marathon, and Tigh's heroism seemed even MORE apparent.

Another good point, my worthy metallic adversary. Tigh was not alone in his harsh methods. Still don't absolve him, though.

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And yes, you are right; they were planning to bomb the market place but they didn't.

Are you sure about that? I know they never showed the market bombing, but I don't remember anyone saying, "No, we're not gonna go ahead with that." I assumed it happened but simply wasn't shown.

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'he was wrong for killing his wife; period"

Even if he was right in doing it (and I'm not saying he was), I think it shows the kind of person he is. I mean, I'm no expert on love, but even if I knew it had to be done, I don't think I'd have it in me to kill someone I cared about. It just goes against simple human nature--or Cylon nature, I suppose.

[obsolete toaster]

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Yeah, but hiding weapons in a temple is only a rung or two higher than simply using people as human shields.

Sometimes that extra rung or two makes all the difference between doing the despicable and being a hero; remember, at the time they had NO choice. Sooner or later, the Cylons would pare down the population anyway (as Cavil pointed out, they sought to keep humans to a 'manageable number' of about ten thousand or so). When faced with extermination? Any moral (or immoral) infraction is justified (even religious sacrilege). The resistance only had ONE place they thought the Cylons wouldn't search (and they were wrong, sadly).

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Are you sure about that? I know they never showed the market bombing, but I don't remember anyone saying, "No, we're not gonna go ahead with that." I assumed it happened but simply wasn't shown.

No, it wasn't. They decided to do the graduation ceremony instead (and the Cylons preemptively decided to close the marketplace, anyway).

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Even if he was right in doing it (and I'm not saying he was), I think it shows the kind of person he is. I mean, I'm no expert on love, but even if I knew it had to be done, I don't think I'd have it in me to kill someone I cared about. It just goes against simple human nature--or Cylon nature, I suppose.

I'm no expert either!
11 years of marriage and I'm still learning; in love, I think one is forever a student!

And no, there is NO circumstance I can conceive of that'd cause me to kill my own wife, but then again I'm not a soldier or a terrorist, so I'm really not qualified to speak to how Col Tigh felt, but if I were him? I'd tell Anders that if you even think about killing her, YOU'D be next. I'd shove his pyramid ball so far up his a$$ he'd cough up a winning shot!

[ensign edwards]

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And no, there is NO circumstance I can conceive of that'd cause me to kill my own wife, but then again I'm not a soldier or a terrorist, so I'm really not qualified to speak to how Col Tigh felt, but if I were him? I'd tell Anders that if you even think about killing her, YOU'D be next. I'd shove his pyramid ball so far up his a$$ he'd cough up a winning shot!

My point exactly. I think you've convinced me that Tigh is not as bad as Admiral Cain, but I'm never going to accept that he was a hero. I think Adama deserved the credit he received, and I think Tigh deserved the lack of credit he received.

[obsolete toaster]

ensign edwards, on 28 December 2010 - 11:36 AM, said:

My point exactly. I think you've convinced me that Tigh is not as bad as Admiral Cain, but I'm never going to accept that he was a hero. I think Adama deserved the credit he received, and I think Tigh deserved the lack of credit he received.

But as I indicated, I also can't imagine being in Tigh's circumstances either. It seems inhuman to you and I, but from his POV fighting Cylons his whole (perceived) life only to then find out his own wife betrayed the cause that he put his life on the line for? I just can't know HOW I'd react, but I am not Col Tigh, either. There was also his (very real) fear that someone else in the resistance movement would kill her if he didn't.

It's a call I don't think I could (and doubt I will) ever have to make. Thank the gods!!
But all the same, I just can't imagine totally dismissing Tigh after all he was trying to do to help the human resistance (even lost an eye to the cause, but kept right on fighting). At least you can see where I come from when I say he is NOT the same as Admiral Cain.

We can (as always) agree to disagree on the other point.

[Captain Taurus]

obsolete toaster, on 28 December 2010 - 10:03 PM, said:

But as I indicated, I also can't imagine being in Tigh's circumstances either. It seems inhuman to you and I, but from his POV fighting Cylons his whole (perceived) life only to then find out his own wife betrayed the cause that he put his life on the line for? I just can't know HOW I'd react, but I am not Col Tigh, either. There was also his (very real) fear that someone else in the resistance movement would kill her if he didn't.

It's a call I don't think I could (and doubt I will) ever have to make. Thank the gods!!
But all the same, I just can't imagine totally dismissing Tigh after all he was trying to do to help the human resistance (even lost an eye to the cause, but kept right on fighting). At least you can see where I come from when I say he is NOT the same as Admiral Cain.

We can (as always) agree to disagree on the other point.

Seems ironic, that he kills her only for her to come back as a Cylon! He too, is a Cylon. So, he has been fighting himself this whole time. Makes me wonder how he felt before he realized he was a Cylon and did finding out that he was a Cylon make his actions okay? Not like he truly killed her, just offed one of the final five until she resurrected herself. But it still doesn't negate the fact that it was a gripping moment in Galacitca lore and he made a difficult decision. He killed her because he had stronger feelings about the resistance than he did for her. Like you said, Tigh was trying to help the human resistance. Can't do that when someone else is undermining your objectives. But killing her? He could have easily told her to side with the Cylons and leave the resistance. But then again, she might have compromised the entire resistance if he allowed her to live. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Cylon-Knight]

^ Amen bro. Well put.