More coherent Battlestar Galactica season finale thoughts

Okay so I've now had some time to absorb last night's Battlestar Galactica finale and have come up with some thoughts.

While I found last year's finale mind-blowing in every way and completely unexpected, this year things were shocking in a very different way. For one, I found the actual progression of the episode to be pretty predictable. I started getting worried about the people that were hearing the music and figured they had to be Cylons pretty early on. As soon as Lee got on the stand, I knew that Baltar was going to be found not guilty and that the Admiral was going to vote in his favor. And as soon as Lee said he was going to go after that bogey, I knew it was going to be Starbuck. I mean, we all knew that she couldn't just be dead and gone. Really, no surprises there.

What I was more shocked about was the impact of it all. I mean, Anders, and Tyrol, and TIGH?? (And Tory, I guess, but we don't care so much about her...meaning she's probably going to end up being really important). These are three of my favorite characters! Sam, I can kind of understand, as he only showed up on Caprica after the attacks. But Tigh and Tyrol...weren't they tested back in the first season? I suppose that their being part of the final five could mean that they're "different" from the other models. But Tigh...isn't he OLD? He and the Admiral have been friends for an extremely long time, way before the other humanoid models started showing up. He's AGED. So was he like reconfigured as a Cylon? Or replaced sometime over the past couple of years? And Tyrol...he has a child! If Hera being a human/Cylon hybrid is so important, then shouldn't Nicky be similarly important? Also, is it a coincidence that these three guys basically led the resistance on New Caprica? I mean, I guess we don't really know anything...I'm assuming that they're members of the final five, but what does that even mean? And who's the last one?

Other questions: what was up with Laura sharing dreams with Sharon and Six? And All Along the Watchtower...really? How does hearing a rock song lead to deducing that you're a Cylon? Where were those groupies taking Baltar? (Speaking of which, I totally loved the moment after the trial where Lampkin and Lee pretty much just abandon Baltar and he gets that horrified/helpless look on his face.) And of course, is Starbuck alive or is she some weird spirit guide or something like that?

UPDATE: If you care to be semi-spoiled, there's an interview with Ron Moore here. It makes me a little afraid, but they've got a loooong time to work it out, so I'm withholding judgment for now...