As I’ve often discussed, many clues show the Final Five to be over 4,000 years old. We see them in hooded robes in the 2,000 year old Kobol Opera House in visions, and they are almost surely the 5 priests who built the “Temple of Five” 4,000 years ago on the way from Earth.
But we also see that 4 copies of the Final Five have been present in the Colonies for a long time. Tigh is 60 years old, the others look to be in their 30s. And they have aged and gotten sick and been totally human. Indeed, until recently they had no idea they weren’t. As yet there are still few clues as to why the Final Five might be living with the colonials as sleepers.
But here’s the interesting question: What have then been doing the last 4,000 years? They had some role in the creation of the new generation of Cylons, who got programmed to know of the Final Five but to avoid thinking about them. Perhaps they’ve been living out in space until this set of 5 sleepers was introduced into colonial life, destined to be among the fleet that flees the coming human/Cylon war (the third such war, at least, if I read things correctly.)
But more likely they have been living in the colonies for the past 2,000 years. If so, have they been living in the same bodies, perhaps growing old and then downloading into a new young body when done with the old? This could be pulled off — “Boy, you sure look a lot like your dad!” — especially if you moved around from colony to colony, though I can certainly see some risks in a society with thousands of years of photography and computers. Of course the Final Five would have no problem manipulating colonial computers.
Another option might include taking different bodies with each incarnation. And quite possibly starting each new incarnation as a baby, as a sleeper, then growing up and learning of your nature when some trigger happens.
This has led to speculation in my thread about Joesph Adama that he could have been another member of the final Five (presumably the missing one) and also be a current character. A different current character. Perhaps his grandson, Lee. Or perhaps Romo Lampkin, the lawyer who says he knew Joseph well. For those in the “it’s somebody not in the Last Supper photo” camp, this makes some sense and provides the needed “oh shit” moment when all is revealed.
This also allows other members of the Final Five to have had earlier incarnations with roles in colonial history. In particular, one wonders if members of the Final Five, in other bodies, may be some of the characters in Caprica the new Prequel series being made. That includes Joseph Adama, but also the mysterious monotheist preist, Sister Clarice who we are told plays such a pivotal role in the creation of the Cylons.
And of course, who were the final Five at the fall of Kobol? Where they Lords of Kobol, or their enemies? And did they look like Tigh, Foster, Anders and Tyrol?
From the Battlestar Galactica Analysis Blog
Final Five
The question I have is why the four of the Final Five we have seen haven't speculated on any of the questions you ask about them? Tigh remembers a time before the Cylons and when they were created I presume. Why don’t the newly revealed models wonder about other copies of themselves? I can see them thinking they are regular Cylons but why wouldn’t they wonder if there are more copies like themselves? It could be explained by “to much confusion” or are they programmed not to think about the final five either? Tory said stuff like “I don’t know but like it” and the others seem depressed and confused but the question about other copies some place (maybe they wouldn’t consider some time in the past) seems pretty obvious to me.
Wondering about other selves
A good question, whether they have other copies or not. Tigh has been shown to ask about his memories, in the revelation scene, he talks about the two wars, but not about the question of how he was born before Cylons were made. Indeed he should be asking, I presume they don’t want to push this question on the audience too hard, we don’t see all they say.
Or it could be conditioning, as you say. We remain entirely uninformed as to why the 5 are sleepers. I am guessing it is part of some plan the 5 have to bring them closer to their human side by regularly making copies who live as human.
It’s less clear, by the way, why Boomer was programmed as she was. The Cylons seem to be good enough actors. Gina, Caprica Six, D’Anna, Doral and the rest all lived among humans undetected, though Baltar sussed out Doral but he may have access to extra info. So it doesn’t make a lot of sense but may just have been a plot device.
The Final Irony
There is a suggestion that the essence or spirit of Cylons and humans is the same. Indeed, in Buddhist thought one might consider conciousness a product of the universe and the level or quality of conciousness is coloured by its projection through the form it takes. This is orthogonal to your topic but something to consider in light of the Caprica prequel, the First Hybrid's comments, and the emerging end-game.
I can't make my mind up whether the Final Five are ancient or modern, or decide how much it matters. It's possible to speculate and spoilers suggest it may have some weight that Starbuck died and was remade in an artifical body, would be human in spirit and intent but Cylon in physical form, no be neither one nor the other. Again, it's huge speculation but the Final Five might have this type of quality about them.
The end game seems to be that neither human or Cylon can make that final step on the evolution ladder on their own but can do it if they work together. I'm not entirely convinced this was in Ron's original vision but his plan and audience comment seem to be creating something that squares the circle for both. I guess, in a funny sort of way that's a Final Irony to match the Final Cylon. Kinda neat, that.
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