BSG 4.17: The Force of the Past

[dionusia]

My extremely long typical-length musings on "Someone to Watch over Me."

I also get into some etymology and spec at the end. Yeah, I know. Forgive me. :)

Caps from capaholic.

Comments

[wisteria_]

I really think Boomer’s the most tragic figure in the entire show.

Yeah. Though I must say that I appreciated how she didn't get a big Redemption Arc. With shows like BSG, those storylines are quite common and perhaps the easiest route for such a character. They didn't make her wholly evil -- she had (in her mind) legitimate reasons for her choices -- but she didn't see the error of her ways and have a grand moment of repentance and atonement.

I also liked the overall tone and feel, and how much of it all centered on memory and fantasy, vision and delusion.

It was just so, well, languid and wistful, which are two things I love in an episode -- especially one focused on Kara!

There’s nothing she can do to fix her husband. She died and can't explain how she came back.

Poor, poor Kara. Having Sam in a coma is almost the worst thing that could happen to her, because he almost certainly won't come back as himself, and she can't have any sense of closure.

The rush of elation and sense of purpose that she gained in battle during the mutiny has now faded and gone.

Kara really is all over the place this half-season. I don't mind because it absolutely makes sense for her headspace right now. She can't focus on being one thing, because she doesn't know what the hell she is anymore. "Starbuck" is gone, and there's not really any place for that woman in this world anymore. If she had some answers, she might find some footing and peace, but the possibility of what those answers might be scares the hell out of her -- cueing the cycle of avoidance and depression. (I know that one far too well.)

Your bit about the head characters made me wonder: does the fleet in general know about their existence? I'm pretty sure Baltar never told anyone about Head!Six. If so, then Kara would have no concept of what her father would mean in that context. She'd take it as another sign of her being crazy.

Kara’s dad, in marked contrast to her mother, made her feel confident and safe.... But he also abandoned her, which naturally also makes him a figure of resentment.

That sequence is so fascinating. As I said in my post-ep, she has an (understandably) idealized version of her father, since he left when she was so young - and, presumably, the abuse began once he was gone. His explanation of "I left because music meant more to me" must have come from her subconscious, even if she didn't attribute it to her father in the moment. That says quite a lot about how she perceives her own worth. And when she does put the pieces together, she still seems to forgive him because of that unconditional love.

He was a manifestation of a subconscious desire to have someone to talk to who made her feel safe, someone who knew who she was.

Some people have complained that she confessed to a stranger when she has several friends who would willingly help her through this, but that's often not the way damaged people like Kara would handle things. It reminds me of Catholic confessional with the priest behind a screen. Easier to talk to someone who doesn't know you than to someone whom you'll have to see again and again.

As always, lovely meta, dearie! Thanks for sharing it. :)