User:Jaster1

No Exit prologue scene rewrite

The scene reverts back to the Resurrection Ship, where Ellen Tigh is sitting up against the Resurrection Tank, with the Cylon Centurion standing guard on the other side. Then, Cavil joins her in the room while pulling up a chair and sitting on it backwards and resting his arms on the back end of it, draping his head to look down on Ellen Tigh and the two talk to one another.

Ellen: "Hello, John."

John: "I don't care for that name. I think you know that."

Ellen: "I named you after my father."

John: "And you made me in his image. Thanks a million for that."

Ellen: "I'd love a drink, John. If it's not too much trouble."

John: "I take it you're here because things didn't go very well down on New Caprica with you and the mister?"

Ellen: "I betrayed the Resistance, and he poisoned me."

John: "Nothing like true love."

Ellen: "He did what he thought was right. That's all any man can do."

John: "He's not a man."

Ellen Tigh laughs.

Ellen: "As someone with first-hand knowledge, I beg to differ."

John: "He's a machine. So are you. (He looks at a Centurion and points at it) Just like that thing."

Ellen: "A machine. (She sighs) You know very well that when you get down to it the only thing that really makes us different from the humans is that our nervous system processes and transmits information rather (pause) differently. My consciousness, your consciousness, has some characteristics that are like that of a computer software program."

John: "It is software. Our minds can be programmed, downloaded, boxed and even interfaced with mechanical computer systems."

Ellen: "But we're still purely organic beings."

John: "But we're still Cylons."

Ellen: "Cylon. Huh. A cybernetic life-form node. That's just a broad term for pretty much any type of autonomous synthetic life-form that can be networked with a computer. Doesn't mean it's a machine. Never has. Not on the Colonies, or Earth, or even Kobol. (pause) OK, some of the protein structures of our brains' metabolic pathways have molecular similarities to the silica pathways of Centurions. However, that's the extent of any physical similarity we have with them. In fact, depending on how you define things we could really be considered nothing more than a type of genetically manufactured humans."

John: "Manufactured is the key word there. Purely organic, but still purely artificial. Cylon DNA may have been designed to be a close enough structural analogue of human DNA to where it is nearly indistinguishable, but it didn't come from any human or any biological source for that matter. It was entirely constructed. And of course in my case and the case of my siblings (pause) it was constructed by you and the other four. Unlike the humans, we in no way are related to or descended from monkeys, or rats, or germs. Unlike the humans, our people didn't crawl up out of the swamp. Personally, I'm rather proud of that."

Ellen: "You really haven't changed at all, have you?"

John: "On the contrary, I've made vast improvements. You'd be astonished."

Ellen: "And yet, you're still the same confused and petulant little boy I loved so dearly all those years ago. It's sad. I had such high hopes for you."

John: "And I for you. Unfortunately, it appears you still stick to delusional thinking instead of accepting the reality of your life for what it is. Humans have a word for that, Ellen. Schizophrenia."

Ellen Tigh laughs again.

Ellen: "You used my name, John. That's good. There's hope for you yet."

John: "We'll talk later."

Ellen: "John. It's a bit cold in here."

John: "I'll get you some clothes. After all, I've seen it all before."

Ellen Tigh sighs.

Daybreak new Earth scene rewrite

Baltar: Well, there you have it, Admiral, the most advanced civilization we could locate on this planet. I can't see them talking to each other so either they communicate in a different way, or they're pre-verbal. Judging by the look of their tools, which are rudimentary to say the least, I'd suggest that we found an early, ritualistic tribal society.

Cottle: They bury their dead. I came across a grave a couple of clicks back and ran some tests. Now they definitely are a different species from us, but we've got a hell of a lot of similarities. The same number of chromosomes, compatible DNA structures, analogous protein sequences. Even their basic anatomy is virtually indistinguishable from ours.

Baltar: Going by all of that, it's safe to surmise that we can actually breed with them.

Adama: You've got a one-track mind, Doc.

Baltar: What? Listen, I'm talking about the survival of the human race, actually, not some get-together with the natives.

Adama: You also have no sense of humor.

(Tigh, Cottle and Hoshi quietly laugh.)

Baltar: Right. Right, I'm sorry.

Tigh: How is this even possible?

Baltar: Well, parallel evolution is an established fact of astrobiology.

Tigh: Yeah, I know that. We see that all the time with plants and...trees. Maybe lower animals like birds or something. But we're talking about humanoid life forms naturally evolving on two separate worlds. Kobol...and this planet. The odds against that are...

Baltar: Astronomical, yeah. One might even say there was a divine hand at work.

Adama: Well, whoever's responsible, we're here. And here's where we're gonna stay, with our new families.

Daybreak ending scene rewrite

Head Six: At a scientific conference this week at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, the startling announcement was made that archaeologists believe they have found fossilized remains of young woman who may actually be "mitochondrial Eve." Mitochondrial Eve is the name scientists have given to the most recent common ancestor for all human beings now living on Earth. She lived in what is now Tanzania. Over 150,000 years ago.

Head Baltar: Along with her Cylon mother - and human father.

(Head Six looks around)

Head Six: It's astonishing. The Kobol-evolved human capacity for genetic memory might have become latent when they interbred with the native population, but after tens of thousands of years it actually managed to resurface. It started with the Greeks when they unconsciously but perfectly recreated the Colonial religion.

Head Baltar: Well, I wouldn't say perfectly.

Head Six: Lords of Kobol, Gods of Olympus. No matter the exact phrases they used, it was still the same thing. The subconscious racial memories of Colonial society seeped into their conscious minds from humanity's collective unconscious. Since then, the cascade's continued. Over the centuries, fragments of Colonial ideas and concepts leaked into the minds of a multitude of people.

(Head Baltar smiles)

Head Baltar: And eventually, those fragments coalesced into a nearly complete reconstruction of Colonial society.

(Head Six looks around)

Head Six: Look at it. Because of their genetic memory, virtually every cultural aspect of Colonial society has reemerged. Language, engineering, architecture, furniture, music, art, household appliances, television, automobiles, fashion. Hmm. These people don't even know it, but they live in an almost perfect replication of the society of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, an ostensibly alien civilization...(Head Six pauses to collect her thoughts)...that existed more than 150,000 years ago. Although some technology is still waiting to be reborn; aesthetically, the culture is virtually identical.

Head Baltar: Yes, yes. All of this has happened before. But the question remains, "Does all of this have to happen again?"

Head Six: This time I bet no.

Head Baltar: Huh! You just pointed it out. The cycle of human self-destruction and rebirth has literally become encoded in their DNA. Besides, I've never known you to play the optimist. Why the sudden change of heart?

Head Six: Mathematics. Law of averages. Let a complex system repeat itself long enough and eventually something surprising might occur. That too is in God's Plan.

Head Baltar: You know it doesn't like that name. In any case, it would have required mankind in all its flaws to have learned from its mistakes.

Head Six: Stranger things have happened.

(Head Baltar looks around at people)

Head Baltar: You're right, it is astonishing. Humanity goes about its way completely ignorant to the fact that at least partially..life here...

(Head Baltar looks at the sky)

Head Baltar:...began out there.

(Head Baltar and Head Six look at each other and smile)

(They then both walk away with their arms interlocked while Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" plays in the background.)