Battlestar Galactica - The Woman King

Helo is tasked with corralling Sagittaran refugees assigned to a section of the Galactica not in use, a religious community that doesn’t believe in modern medicine. The Sagittaran religious sect use roots and herbal remedies, not particularly forthcoming when physicians wish to examine them for possible sickness or disease. And sure enough they are harboring a contagion (it is carried through the skin, saliva, or sex) that can be cured with a type of medicine available on the ship…but the medicine supply could very well be limited. In the episode it is clear that the Sagittarans are not held with much regard by the likes of Tyrol, Tigh, or doctor-on-call, Dr. Michael Robert (guest-starring Bruce Davison), mentioned for their pacifist non-action on New Caprica, not helping The Resistance. They very much want to keep to themselves and worship as they see fit, without the interference of others who might not believe as they do. Early in the episode Mrs. King (Gabrielle Rose) and her son aren’t comfortable with Dr. Robert touch-examining them when Helo is trying to coordinate the refugee living arrangements. But this is when the contagion is realized, with Dr. Coddle (another on the Galactica annoyed and bothered by the mere presence of the refugees) telling Helo, Tigh, and Adama that if the community will take medicine within 48 hours, there should be a full recovery. However, Helo believes something is up when the Sagittarans start to die, questioning whether or not Dr. Robert could be killing them due to bigotry.

Big episode for Helo, often relegated to supporting player unless his wife, Cylon Sharon Agathon, and Hera, their child, gets serious focus. Burdened with trying to keep the peace and diminish escalating tensions, Helo has his hands full, returning to his compartment to a Sharon wanting him to let go of his concerns about Dr. Robert and Sagittarans. This episode shows how discontent due to a difference in beliefs can really undermine progress, with Helo, trying to do the right thing, often up against the entire authoritative hierarchy, especially Tigh and Coddle, both of whom challenge his persistent refusal to drop the idea that Dr. Robert is killing the refugees through purposed malpractice. It is only when Tigh and Coddle put aside their harsh feelings for the Sagittarans that progress in Helo’s favor can improve.

Helo’s frustrations and seeming isolation are quite felt, with the episode doing a solid correlation between his situation (loving and marriage to a Cylon) and the refugees, almost cattle-rustled into the section of the Galactica that isn’t being occupied at the moment. Admiral Adama questioning whether or not Helo can do his job, and Tigh later confronting him about his loyalties (Helo punching Tigh is a crowd-pleaser…it was time somebody gave him a good sock to the chin); Helo’s quandary is quite the pressure-cooker. You can just sympathize due to how alone he seems to be…people are dying, it seems to be because of a doctor who is supposed to heal them, and no one believes him when he sounds the alarm. Even Sharon takes him to task for pressing the issue, as Helo continues to beg Coddle to help him figure out if Dr. Robert is actually providing a cure for the dying or is negligent on purpose.

Davison has a face that could be suspicious and/or trusting which makes Helo’s efforts all the more difficult. Because Dr. Robert has a history of Sagittaran deaths on his watch, recorded and discovered by Helo during an investigation, interrupted by a disgruntled Coddle, the evidence would seem to indicate he’s a serial killer.

What happened on New Caprica still resonates and few can really move on. Tigh and Roslin both harbor grudges, for sure. Helo not giving up on Mrs. King, who continues to haunt him due to her son's death due to Dr. Robert's actions, apologized to by Admiral Adama at the end after much reflection on the derelicts of duty acknowledged by those in command who failed to listen to him, gives him quite a hero's conclusion. His voice is ultimately heard, but not without much grief. And it took Dualla's near death (she surprises when admitting she is a Sagittaran), and Helo disputing her care with a defiant Dr. Robert, as security gets between them, for results to actually arrive.

[3/5]