Where are the nukes ?

Okay, so I usually blog about self centric existential whiny baloney, but today we're straying from the path. You say to yourself "oh Christ, finally!" I know, I know, this is the moment you've been waiting for through the nearly one hundred posts I've made to this blog. I'm sure you're going to be thrilled...

I am a huge fan of the television show, Battlestar Galactica. I'm sure many of you are. Some aren't because it's Science Fiction, and any right thinking mature adult would never watch Science Fiction, but they are above such childish nonsense. Or maybe they're just insecure. But enough insults for the neophytes...

The show has just began it's third season, and is better than ever. This is, in my opinion, the boldest television show I've ever seen. I'd liken it to the Soprano's when they arrived on the television scene. The human drama in BSG picks up where Soprano's left off. While Soprano's dealt with very personal details in a few people's lives, BSG does the same and adds to that the larger struggle of an entire society uprooted through a holocaust, trying to find order out of chaos, fighting fear of the unknown and fleeing before certain destruction at the cold metal hands of the Cylons.

The writing on this show is at the top of it's field. The writers never shy from making hard choices in their writing, many times having to face serious situations they've painted themselves into, killing a major characters, forcing these people to make hard choices they never thought they'd face, becoming idealists or murders under situations that leave them little choice, and we get to see them struggle with the dark consequences...

Alright, so I can't say enough to build this show up upon some Babylonian pedestal, but the big point I need to make in this blog is...

(This is spoiler material if you haven't seen the show up to the 4th episode of the 3rd season, so if you don't want to be spoiled, get the fuck out. Now.)

Where the hell are the nukes ?

At the start of season one, we learn that the Battlestar Galactica is carrying five nuclear warheads, and that Adama is concerned for the small number of nukes he has at his disposal, assuming that with the destruction of the Colonials entire civilization there are no more nukes to be had, so these nukes will need to be pressed into service only under the most dire of circumstances.

Adama first gives Baltar one nuclear warhead so that Baltar can use the radioactive material as a component in his 'Cylon detector'. Adama uses a second warhead against a Cylon Basestar at the conclusion of season one.

We go all of season two without seeing any of the remaining three nukes used. In addition, the fleet picks up a second Battlestar, the Pegasus, and we can only assume she also carries nukes, although we are never told such.

As far as I can tell, we start season three with at least three nukes, and we find the Colonials trapped on a planet in captivity where the Cylons have in effect created a concentration camp type scenario.

Adama takes the Galactica into battle against four Basestars, and we get the impression there is no way for the Galactica to stave off the onslaught of this many Basestars. The Colonials are rescued but the Galactica is crippled and in the fatal grip of the Cylons. It's at this time the Pegasus appears and drives off the Cylons long enough for the Galactic to escape, although she is lost in the battle.

But seriously, where the hell are the nukes? If Adama seriously thought the Galactica was about to be destroyed at the hands of the Cylons, and the fate of over 40 thousand Colonials was hanging in the balance, wouldn't he pull a couple of those bad boys out?

The topic is never broached. We as viewers have no idea what the status of these warhead is. This is the only major glaring point I have with the series at this point. I know its a silly little thing, but come on. Baltar gave the warhead he acquired for his detector to a Cylon agent and it was used at the end of season two to destroy the Cloud Nine. So it's not as if nukes just don't exist anymore.

Okay, I'm rambling now. But I'd really like to know what is up with this, because the rescue of the Colonials in the latest episode, the tactics used by Adama, these were outrageous and wholly unexpected. Beyond bold. I stood up out of my chair when I saw what was happening. The writers of this show gave to me the most amazing moment in my television viewing experience that I can remember.

But they must have forgotten they had a couple nukes to help them out. I'm curious to see if this is addressed in the show or not...