Caprica: Un-watched until today

As I have never watched Caprica before, I was a little confused throughout the episode “Unvanquished”. But one scene that related to our discussions about religion/religiosity on television, was the scene about thirty-five minutes in when a group of people sat in a circle. This scene represented a ritual that was practiced by a group of people. The characters began the scene by cutting their palms and spilling their blood into a bowl. Afterwards, the leader of the group poured the blood out in a symbol that looked either like an S or an Infinity sign. Finally to conclude the ritual, they all said, “I feel God stirring within.”

A ritual is a prescribed activity, which can be repeated, that helps give order and meaning to those who practice. It takes us out of normal time and space and instead, time is measured by the actual ritual taking place. During the ritual, these characters are separated from their normal lives and enter a liminal space where all their worries are suspended. Finally, the characters feel a sense of transcendence after performing the ritual.