There is no denying Battlestar Galactica earned one of sci-fi’s most devoted cult followings ever, all of whom now agree to never discuss or debate the TV show’s controversial ending. But when fans learn the details of Battlestar Galactica‘s original, lesser-known ending, there are sure to be thousands looking to rewrite history and wishing the TV show end on the same conclusion.
Battlestar Galactica’s TV Show Ending Left Viewers Deeply Disappointed
Controversial Twists, Resolutions, And A Cynical Message Turned Many Fans Off
As tempting as it is to rehash the many controversial choices, resolutions, and subversive twists unleashed in the series finale, much has already been said about the controversial ending of Battlestar Galactica (2004). Suffice to say that the series had been built upon the uncertainty of humanity’s future, its survival in the face of annihilation, and the struggles that created on a personal, character-to-character level. The finale… made unexpected choices in light of that, falling well short of a ‘perfect’ ending. But it wasn’t without a reason.
Showrunner Ronald D. Moore recently explained to Screen Rant that he, too, regrets Battlestar Galactica‘s ending. While leaving the show open to potential sequels or reunions is appealing now, Moore was explicitly trying to conclude the story in as final and finite a way as possible. But that didn’t just amplify the resentment of unsatisfied viewers; it went completely against the original, more optimistic ending to Battlestar Galactica‘s story.
The Original Battlestar TV Show Was Canceled Before Its Heroes Could Find Earth
The ABC Series Only Aired For One Season, Leaving Its Viewers Without An Ending
Considering the doomed fate of the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica TV series created by Glen A. Larson, the reboot of the series had all the time in the world to concoct a proper ending. Looking back, the fact that the original Battlestar gained any devoted following is a miracle, with shifts from a TV movie pilot, to serialized, and two-part episode events (to an ill-conceived sequel Galactica 1980).
The show was canceled after one season with no conclusion to its narrative whatsoever, only confirming that Earth existed in its reality (via scrambled footage of the Apollo 11 moon landing). But even tithout any potential sequel or continuation of the series in place, the potency of the characters and storyline wasn’t lost on Marvel Comics. And with Marvel Super Special #8, the premise of the TV series found a new audience in comic book form.
The comic’s story was adapted from early drafts of the 148-minute pilot by Roger McKenzie and Ernie Colón, driving enough sales for Marvel to greenlight an ongoing series. Legally unable to adapt the series in full, it fell to writer Roger McKenzie and Marvel legend Walt Simonson to expand the fiction into a full, two-year run. And after the series went off-air, that included providing fans with an actual ending.
Battlestar Galactica’s Original Ending Gave Fans An Uncertain, But Respectable Story
The Marvel Comic Sequel Ended With A Surprisingly Good ‘Final Episode’
The 23-issue run of Battlestar Galactica from Marvel Comics is notable for several reasons, but the fact that it was created with an explicit ending in mind sets it apart. Especially considering the guiding hands of Walt Simonson, a soon-to-be industry legend behind iconic comic runs for The Mighty Thor, Star Wars, X-Factor, and more. With Simonson beginning on art duties, and later moving to writing, before utlimately writing and illustrating the final chapters, the ending was in as ‘safe hands’ as possible.
Thankfully, the conclusion is simple to relay; no massive twists, subversions of expectations, or revelations that the story was all “part of God’s plan.” Instead, research into the shared history between the Lords of Kobol and the mysterious planet Earth finally provides a clue, and a course. The surviving humans rejoice to learn the fleet will make its jump to Earth, reuniting the two divided branches of humanity. And in the comic’s final page, the fleet, led by the heroic Battlestar Galactica, does exactly that.
The story of Battlestar Galactica began by chronicling the last fleet of humans on the run from the Cylons, pursuing a path to the legendary Earth. And, fittingly, that story ends once they find it. What the fleet finds upon their arrival isn’t revealed, ending the fleet’s crucible on a hopeful, victorious, and still thrillingly unknown note. By comparison, the 2004 series saving almost all of its resolution and conclusion until after this journey seems downright odd.
There is no way to know how Battlestar audiences would have reacted if the show built to the hopeful, uncertain, but nevertheless successful conclusion of the comic. But considering how the more definitive ending was received, and the legacy it has earned since, it’s hard to ignore a more open-ended finale to the Battlestar Galactica‘s adventure might have been the better option.
- Release Date
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2004 – 2009-00-00
- Showrunner
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Ronald D. Moore
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Edward James Olmos
William Adama
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Mary McDonnell
Laura Roslin
