I absolutely loved the diversity and complexity of Battlestar Galactica. Last weekend I finally got the chance to watch the first three episodes of the Battlestar Galactica spin-off Caprica and I was happy to see that it has the same diversity as Battlestar Galactica.

Modern image of the Eve archetype

The image added to this post displays the character Zoe Graystone as a modern image of the archetype Eve. Naked and displaying an apple with a bite out of it. This image absolutely fits the tag-lines of the Caprica commercial (which displayed this picture):

The future of humanity begins with a choice.

Where Battlestar Galactica puts more emphasize on the question of destiny, for example are we free to choose or is our destiny fixed and we can't escape it (and if it is fixed, by whom?), Caprica emphasizes the beginning. Situating 50 years before Battlestar Galactica the Cylons, cybernetic 'lifeforms', are invented. This invention will turn out to be the destruction of humanity. In certain situations people make choices, sometimes under pressure. These choices have consequences, but are the people that make the original choice responsible for everything that happens after that? Isn't all of humanity responsible for the destruction in the end. The parable to our world lies at hand. Aren't we all responsible for the abuse of nature and our planet?

Life after death

Caprica, at least the first three episodes, addresses the question of life after death. What is a human, what makes a human unique? Is it possible to copy a soul? Is there life after death?

The strange thing about the picture of Zoe as Eve is that she's eating the apple. In the bombing of the first episode, Zoe dies. Eating is signal of physical life. Zoe Graystone is reborn digitally. That is, before she died, she created an avatar of herself, who (or which) lives on after her death. Thanks to her father this digital version is downloaded in a Cylon. Is this some kind of rebirth to the physical world? Or maybe a reincarnation? Is this the way to an eternal live?

Zoe is a biblical name. It is used in the new testament to indicate eternal life. For example in Luke 16:9 where Jesus says He is the way, the truth and life (zoe). Zoe seems to be the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Eve, which is to breath. Zoe seems to be positioned as the origin, the start of life, and the continuing of life, eternal life. What's more: In one of the first three episodes Zoe and her friend, Lacy Rand, draw the conclusion that Zoe, the 'rebirth', is Trinity. She is the two persons in another non-physical dimension and one in the physical. She is the original Zoe, the creator, the digital Zoe, the 'daughter' both created and the original, and the physical Zoe. The last one seem to have similarities with the Holy Ghost. Clearly the last question, the search for eternal life is the one explored in the series. I'm curious about the exploration of these questions in the series and if it offers any answers. It seems that the images of Zoe are parables which let us think about life. At least.

Monotheism and polytheism

Just like Batlestar Galacica, Caprica has the same debate between a polytheistic society and a monotheistic minority. Some of this minority even performs a terrorist act in the first episode. It isn't important if one of the two is true, it's just how they try, or even don't try, to live together. It raises questions about the way we handle minorities in our societies. Not even minorities based on religion, but also ethnic minorities.

The complexity in the way Caprica is a parable on our world an societies is beautiful. Besides that the TV show is fun to watch, it keeps you sharp on actual life questions, religious, social, technological and ethical. If you are not just looking to be entertained, maybe this is a TV show for you. I'm especially interested in the theological questions. These will probably in a post at sometime in the future.