I can’t believe Derek is dead. Yes, I'm living in denial. Visiting Kyle’s unmarked grave in the opening scene perhaps should have been a hint as to Derek’s fate. Though, that foreshadowing strikes me as a little heavy handed. A few weeks ago, such an abrupt death would have been completely unimaginable, but, since the BSG finale, not so much. I know Brian signed on for a pilot, though the talk was his long term involvement in that project was contingent on TSCC’s cancellation. And there have been warnings of character death before season’s end. I just assumed Riley and Charley's death were the deaths was hinted at. My hopes that we haven’t seen the last of Derek hang on two things. One, the arc with Jesse doesn’t feel like it's over. And, two, last week, Cameron spoke to Derek about succumbing to torture, presumably, in the basement. Why bring that up if it wasn’t going to play into a future storyline? I suppose Derek could reappear in flashbacks to tie up lose ends. If there is a Season 3 and he’s gone for good, I can accept it. But there feels like there is a hole now where I didn’t know there could be one until Derek was introduced.
As shocking as Derek’s death was, I found the John Henry/Catherine/Ellison scenes far more riveting. John Henry is certainly evolving. I don't know if I can go so far as to say he loves Savannah, love and hate are probably still beyond his comprehension, but Savannah is special to him, he certainly appreciates her, and her absence would be felt by him. I think back to his killing of the doctor earlier in the season and his inability to comprehend the finality of death and the wrongness of his actions. Having 'died' himself he now understands what death means and the importance of life. Every life has meaning and a wealth of acquired knowledge that cannot be downloaded. He does everything he can to try and protect Savannah. To have the sort of self-awareness he is gaining is bringing him ever closer to human consciousness and, in some ways, he is evolving beyond both Cameron and Catherine.
Since Catherine’s first appearance I felt she was not entirely what she seemed to be and that she had her own agenda. But I never considered she could possibly be on humanity’s side. Her attraction to the eels suddenly makes sense - they stay in hiding, attack when provoked, and will eat (destroy?) their own.
Catherine informs Ellison that his and Savannah’s survival may someday depend on John Henry’s survival. It’s the same as saying humankind’s survival may depend on John Henry. I didn't feel she was lying. I can't recall an instance where she has lied, beyond assuming Catherine Weaver's identity and no one would have reason to question she's not Catherine. When pushed to cover her tracks, she will skirt the truth.
A Sarah/Catherine meeting seems to be forthcoming, but I have a hard time seeing Catherine convince Sarah she’s on her side. John, on the other hand, could be swayed. He trusts Cameron (I love how he felt compelled to apologize to her for not keeping her in the loop) and while John Henry now resides in the body of Cromartie, it wouldn’t be the first time John has had to work with an ally who shares the face of a machine sent back to kill him.
And for anyone interested I'm sort of Twittering. Or is it tweeting? I blame