Battlestar Galactica: Season 2-15: Scar

The Best Scenes in BSG 215:

Starbuck Faces Her Scars

By Koenigrules 

Episode 215, entitled Scar, brings back the Cylons with a vengeance.  The most deadly Raider in the Cylon Fleet, aptly called Scar because of the very pronounced marks along its hull, has been slaughtering a number of Viper pilots over the past several days.  One might say the Galactica is a 'sitting target' for Scar as it is parked in a stationary orbit around the mining operations where ore is being obtained so that a fresh complement of Vipers can be produced.  As the battlestar secures that ore supply, the Vipers engage in their reconnaissance patrols—with some meeting up with Scar and failing to return as a direct result of that encounter.  Starbuck and Kat venture out to do battle with Scar before he can inflict any more harm on their squadron.  And in a series of flashbacks (which were used very effectively in the preceding Black Market episode and likewise here), Kara recalls the events that led up to this exact moment in time.   

We see that Kara has been relying on the bottle of late to drown out her sorrows.  Apparently, she blames herself for leaving resistance fighter, Anders, to his doom on Caprica.  In her troubled state of mind, Kara starts making out with Apollo but stops when Apollo refuses to go all the way.  Frustrated, she tells Lee that all she wanted was a good lay to get her mind off Anders: "There is nothing between us.  I am hung up on a dead guy and it's pissing me off.  And I don't know what I'm doing [anymore]."  It would appear that there is more than one Scar in Starbuck's life.  Besides the Cylon, Kara also has some psychological wounds (or scars) produced by the lingering memories of her lover who might either be alive or dead.   

As the flashbacks count down to the present timeframe, Kara is seen questioning Boomer about the Cylons and Scar, of course.  According to Sharon, the Cylons will no longer attack en masse as they can never be 'reborn' due to their Resurrection Ship being destroyed by the combined might of the Galactica and Pegasus.  Even the Raiders are incapable of reincarnating.  This information completely takes Kara by surprise for it would mean that the Cylon ships have a life force too that can undergo the same process as the multiple copies of the 12 models.  Sharon then explains that Scar has been adversely affected by his previous reincarnations, increasing the rage and hatred he has for the humans.  At this point Scar does not really care whether he lives or dies, so long as he can bring down as many humans with him in the process.  Apparently Boomer shares a telepathic bond with the Scar entity, explaining why she knows so much about the enemy.   

More prepared to deal with Scar, Starbuck reluctantly takes fellow co-pilot Kat along per the orders of Captain Apollo, but not before the latter punches Kara in the mouth for daring to send more pilots out to their demise without adequate training or preparation.  While battling Scar, however, Kara learns that she has to rely on Kat in order to survive.  And so she leads Scar to Kat's position, where the Cylon is permanently blasted apart—much to the relief of both pilots.  In celebration afterwards, Kat asks Kara to fill her cup with drink; much to the amazement of those attending, she does just that and then pays Kat the appropriate comment (i.e., "You've earned it.") 

Some great lines are delivered in the final minutes of the episode.  Adama's "So Say We All" is used pretty effectively by the Admiral as Starbuck raises her bottle to toast the various pilots that were killed not only by Scar, but also those that had defended the Galactica from the Cylons since they left the home worlds.  The other statement is delivered by Helo as he spars with Kara.  When the Lieutenant indicates that she cannot get Anders out of her head, Helo smiles back at her and indicates that she now has something towards which she can direct her energies.  No doubt Starbuck will be headed back towards Caprica to find out what has happened to Anders, and her journey will soon became ours. 

I really liked the FX in Scar, particularly the scenes where the sentient Raider is pursuing Kara and Kat in an asteroid belt.  This episode, like Epiphanies, relied on other episodes to support the plot, most notably You Can't Go Home Again that focused on the Raider stolen by Starbuck.  In fact, in the first draft of the Season 1 episode, they were going to have the Raider 'talk' to the Lieutenant, suggesting that the Cylon ships were always intended to contain a life essence.  It sure looks like Ron Moore has a Bible for this show that is being followed quite nicely! I give this a 9 out of 10 for having an intriguing story, coupled with Katee Sackhoff's outstanding performance to date in the series.