TV Recap: Battlestar Galactica - The Road Less Traveled

I was beginning to wonder if I could get any more annoyed at the new Starbuck storyline, and it turns out I can. Just give me more than the usual five to ten minutes and I’m fed up. On the plus side, the one truly great piece of her puzzle – Leoben – made his triumphant return this week. Aside from a modicum of earthward progress by the Demetrius, this week’s episode felt stilted. There wasn’t a lot of forward momentum, despite some characters making enormous personal leaps.

There Are Some Sins That Can Not Be Washed Away

This week we find Chief in a mopey mood, as he begins to work through what happened to his wife. It’s clear that he doesn’t believe she committed suicide, and being air locked is such an impossible accident he’ s turned to figuring the mystery out. The freshly shaved head of Tyrol is intrigued by Baltar’s one true God ramblings, but isn’t willing to accept what’s being preached. When he goes to a Gaius Christ pirate radio broadcast he is called upon by Baltar. Baltar says that Callie would have wanted Chief to take his hand, but Chief has other ideas. He tells Gaius – and the enthralled throng – that there are some sins that can’t be washed away.

Gaius goes to Chief at his “house” later on and apologizes for being so presumptuous about Callie. He admits to not really knowing her. Gaius explains that everyone is evolving, and everyone has a purpose in life. Even if you don’t realize it right now, there is some purpose. Chief holds his hand out and Gaius takes it. It felt like an acknowledgment more than Chief falling fully into the Baltar religion.

Wherever He May Go I Shall Follow

A random woman is raging at Baltar during a service, asking why her sons were killed by the Cylons. She blames everyone involved, from the designers to the politicians. And Baltar responds that the gods didn’t intervene to save her child because they don’t exist. This is all being done over the radio in a pirate broadcast that is gaining a large following. It might have something to do with the smooth as silk vocal styling of one Gaius Baltar. Gaius continues spreading the good word, bonking Tory, and generally having a grand old time as messiah.

Filling The Empty Void

So what really happened this week that is of importance? We got a whole lot of Kara and crew. Day 58 on the Demetrius and Kara is still locked up in her room going cave painting crazy on the walls when Helo shows up. Helo doesn’t seem too enthused at the progress Kara is making, but she insists she’s find the way to Earth.

Kara decides to grab a Viper and go on a recon mission with Hot Dog, where they find a damaged Heavy Raider. Leoben comes on over the radio and says he’s there to offer a truce and a way to complete her journey. I’m sure this sounds great to Kara because her crew is preparing to rendezvous with the fleet in just a few days. Kara brings Leoben onto the Demetrius and when he finally faces her he is surprised – and elated – to see how much she has changed since New Caprica. She has finally started her journey. The Demetrius crew thinks Leoben is dangerous, but Kara orders him brought to her quarters. I think in her head she followed it up with, “I’m going to have sex with that man!”

Leoben is holding Kara’s hand as she paints, and when Anders comes in to witness Leoben’s hands all over his wife he is furious. Sam attacks Leoben and has him dragged away. Later on Sam goes to his Cylon brother and asks what he wants with Kara. Leoben says he just wants Kara to know her destiny, and that the Hybrid might just be the key. Sam also learns about the recent Cylon civil war, and I could have sworn that there was a look or something between the two that indicates Leoben at least suspects who Sam might be.

Leoben’s big plan is to piggyback his Raider onto the Demetrius and they’ll jump back to the Base Star, where Kara can have her tet-a-tet with the Hybrid. Athena isn’t pleased with this plan, but Starbuck puts things in motion. During a check over of the Raider a random Red Shirt is killed. Starbuck goes to Leoben and gives him a proper beat down, but he says it wasn’t a setup. He tells her it’s time to make peace with the past and move on with her journey. Whatever it is that is driving Kara – and making her go mad – can be fixed if the emptiness within her is filled up. The only way that can happen is for the next step to be taken.

Kara goes back to the crew and tells them they are not going back to the fleet; instead they will jump to the Base Star. Athena had spoken to Helo about him not needing to go along with all of Kara’s orders, and it is his duty as XO to step in when the Captain is out of line. Helo refuses Kara’s order to jump them to the Base Star, and she relieves him of duty. Kara then orders Gaeta to start the jump, but he too does nothing. She realizes there’s a mutiny at hand, and Helo strips her of command.

Will the crew of Demetrius rendezvous with Galactica and tell Adama that Kara's gone crazy and no one wants to be a part of this mission anymore? Doubtful. From the previews for next week's episode, it looks like Kara does get to meet with the hybrid, who tells her the same thing we heard her say in Razor (Kara is the harbinger of death, etc). So why is Leoben so enthusiastic about Kara meeting the hybrid? He seems to know a lot about Kara's destiny. Does that include the part about her being the herald of the apocalypse and harbinger of death or did the hybrid leave that part out? Or are we not supposed to take that portion of the hybrid's prophesy literally?