BG-03: The Lost Warrior

[Flamingo Girl]

On patrol, Captain Apollo leads a Cylon attack force away from the fleet. When he lands on a remote farming world, he's befrinded by a widow and her son, and finds danger at the hands of a terrorizing thug--and his malfuntioning Cylon henchman named "Red Eye."


Series stars; Richard Hatch as Apollo, Dirk Benedict as Starbuck, Herb Jefferson Jr. as Boomer, Lorne Greene as Adama, Terry Carter as Colonel Tigh, Maren Jensen as Athena, Tony Swartz as Jolly, Laurette Spang as Cassiopia, Noah Hathaway as Boxey, Sarah Rush as Rigel, David Greenan as Omega, and John Colicos as Baltar.

Guest starring Johnny Timko as Puppis, Kathy Cannon as Vella, Lance LeGault as Bootes, Claude Earl Jones as Lacerta, Red West as Marco, Larry Manetti as Giles, Jason Donahue as Jason, Carol Baxter as Macy, Mary Kaye Mars as Vi.

(Thanks to Michael Faries Battlestar Galactica.com)

[kingfish]

This episode starts off with Captain Apollo trying to decoy the Cylons by leading them away from the fleet. He runs out of fuel and must make a crash landing on the planet Equellis. Once on the planet he discovers a widow named Vella and her son Puppis. Puppis' father was also a Colonial warrior marooned there with no way home. His ship was incapable of flying. The people of the planet are paying tribute to a man named LaCerta. Lacerta's enforcer is a Cylon called RED-EYE. Apollo goes into the town dressed like one of the inhabitants and immediately is disliked by Marcos who used to be LaCerta's right hand man before RED-EYE. The episode was on the order of Shane a western that starred the late Alan Ladd. Vella hates guns because her husband was killed by one. Apollo can understand because Serina was also killed by a gun. Lance LeGault shows up as Booties who wants to kill Red-Eye so badly that he errantly tries with a Numo which is like firing a BB Gun. He is killed.

Back on the Galactica, Starbuck hatches a plan to try and lead Apollo back to the fleet.

Starbuck: Boxey has lost one parent, I am not going to see him lose another.

He and Boomer launch and head in the direction of Apollo's last transmission. Starbuck even tries to remain out there longer by CHOPPING the power. They drift for a time.


Finally Apollo finds out the truth about Red-Eye. There was a battle, a Cylon Raider crashed, and one Cylon survived with the belief that LaCerta was The Imperious Leader. Poor Red-Eye must need glasses. With this knowledge Apollo can take action. At first he believed there was more than one Red-Eye but this theory being proved false Apollo decides to challenge the Cylon in an old fashioned SHOOTOUT. Apollo wins but is still stranded. Vella finally realizes that her husband martin's ship may have the fuel Apollo needs to make it home.

Starbuck: Just a few centons more.

Boomer: You said that a few centons back

Both men feel that time has run out so they decide to head back when they hear.

Apollo: Recon probe three to Galactica, come in.

Starbuck: Is that you Apollo?

Apollo: What are you two doing out here?

Boomer: Well the stars looked kinda nice so we thought we would have a look around.

All three laugh.

Apollo: Lets go home.

They hit their turbos and are gone.

The last scene of the episode shows both Puppis and Vella looking up at the stars.

Puppis: Don't worry mother he will be back someday.

[skippercollecto]

I've never been quite sure how to spell Kathy Cannon's character's name. To me, it sounds like Apollo calls her "Bella." However, since so many of the characters in this episode are named after stars, I wonder if it's supposed to be "Vela."

Mary

[Senmut]

Yes, it is Vela.

[shiningstar]

Yes I believe it is Vela........

[goldcenturian]

important thing in the show. This show is slow too, like the Magnificent Warriors. However, Starbuck getting beaten by Boxey at Pyramid and Starbuck eating the bets was hilarious. The brief moment with Cassie and the ones with Adama on the bridge were good too. You knew that he was gonna do anything to keep Boxey occupied and find a way to get his best friend back! And Katee said Kara ( the new Starbuck in the mini) was just a great pilot who doesn't care about anything! The girl is not too bright!
Carolyn

[Dawg]

Actually, Carolyn, Katie is probably right. Kara Thrace just might be a hot-shot pilot who doesn't care about anything.

I doubt I'll ever find out, because I don't intend to watch the mini.

Now, Starbuck, on the other hand, was a rogue with a heart of gold, and cared deeply for his family and friends.

Am I right?



I am
Dawg

[BST]

YES, most definitely, YES.

Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer epitomized "All-for-One, One-for-All" much like the Three Musketeers.

Each would lay down his life to save the others; Starbuck proved this in WOTG when he offered his life in exchange for Apollo's when Apollo's body lie in state aboard the Ship of Lights.

These actors portrayed characters that one could "look up to" and try to emulate. They were people to be proud of, very much unlike their 'mini' namesake 'psycho-babies' who bitch and moan about everything.

Oh well, I'll stop now before I ruin this reply with any more words about that stinkin', frackin', good-for-nothin' smoldering pile of daggit droppings.


BST

[LadyImmortal]

You're very correct, Scooter.

Starbuck hid his emotions behind that 'I don't care about anything' facade of his but that's all it was - a facade. Many people have seen the more caring side of Starbuck - the Starbuck that we know anyway. He's the first to volunteer if someone's in danger - or if he thinks he can save someone's life.

That's not being uncaring in my book.

--Rhonda

[goldcenturian]

You're right. The sad thing is when Katee talks about Kara she uses Starbuck, not Kara. That's what scares me. That someone out there may actually believe that OUR Starbuck was the same. Katee obviously thinks so, becasue she was comparing the Old and the New Starbucks at the time she said THIS!!!
Carolyn:confused:

[Dawg]

I know, but remember, Carolyn, Katee is just a child. She knows only what the producers want her to know, and says only what the producers want her to say.

Unlike Mr. Olmos, who's been around long enough to know which side of the bread his butter's on - and is in a position where he doesn't have to care.

Perhaps, as time passes and she grows up, wisdom will come her way.

But I wouldn't hold my breath.

I am
Dawg

[shiningstar]

You're right Katie ..............is NOT and NEVER
will be accepted as the TRUE starbuck ........
NO NOW!

NOT EVER!

[amberstar]

Our Starbuck is more complex than the Mini will lead this new generation to believe.
He was an Orphan, that was kinda taken in by Commander Adama and family. To his character this was his family! He would lay down his life for them, but he tried to keep his emotions hidden for fear of being rejected.
Thus we get the gambler, romeo side of Starbuck. This I fear is the only light that Moore will shine on his personality. What a complete loss! The Whole Idea of this makes me sick!!!
Enough about that.
The Lost Warrior was good in spirit, it showed how people can care about one another and refuse to let ones they care about become left behiend. You just don't give up on people that you truly care for.
Amberstar

[shiningstar]

You are so right Amberstar.

Shes a man baby! Dirk is "Starbuck" nuff said

[shiningstar]

so RIGHT Originalsinner!

I really love "The Lost Warrior" episode. It's my favorite episode. The part I like best is when Apollo takes out and puts on his blaster to fight "Red Eye." A chill went down my spine the first time I saw it. The Colonial Warrior revealed his true self to the townspeople. Nicely executed.

[Flamingo Girl]

The only thing that I don't like about it is the promise that Apollo makes to return for Vella. It irks me to no end when series' do that, have a character that is incredibly important to one episode, make all kinds of promises to the character about never forgetting, and returning, and blah blah blah, then never making another single reference to that person ever again for any reason for the rest of the series.

*adopts Dawg's Grrr*

[Muffit]

I like the direction the writers took this episode. So different from the ever-large metropolises visited in most sci fi series. And Red Eye was a great name.

I'm willing to bet the TNG episode in which Worf and his son are dolled up like cowboys in a western town got its inspiration from this BSG ep! Hey, somebody thought this was a neat idea!

Ooh, and everyone. SOMETHING INTERESTING. Watch the credits carefully. One of the characters is named Six!!! (Actually spelled, "VI"). Coincidence???



P.S. FG, I have to agree with you about promising to return. In Trek that happened a lot, and rarely if ever did anybody return. Except in Wrath of Khan, and that was an accident.

[skippercollecto]

Muffit, I hope you aren't offended if I correct what you just wrote. The two waitresses in the saloon were named "Macy" and "Vi,"--pronounced "veye," as if it were a nickname for Violet or Viola.

Mary

[Muffit]

Thanks skippercollecto, that makes more sense. In the credits it looks just like "VI" so that's why I thought that. Oops, my mistake.

[Charybdis]

OK, I'm playing devil's advocate here. It is strange that Puppis says that Apollo told him he would return, but I guess that's Apollo's nature, not wanting to hurt a little boy who has his hopes up...

BUT, the part that I find intrigueing is Apollo's steadfast policy against using his blaster until he finds out about the Cylon connection. Granted, he was not too sure if Cylons were around, but he himself states at the beginning that if they didn't really know what Cylons were, then they weren't in force on Equellis. Based on that, he could have taken out Red Eye earlier in the story.

In fact, my main point about this is that he basically lets Bootes get killed with his rigid stance with not having his blaster. Then, right after Bootes is shot, Apollo learns of Red Eye's origins and then he takes his blaster out and shoots Red Eye.

Seems to me that Bootes was sacrificed needlessly...

[jewels]

Unless there's a colonial version of the Prime Directive....(had that been invented yet? I'm not good at Trek chronology).

[Muffit]

Originally posted by Charybdis
Seems to me that Bootes was sacrificed needlessly...

Ah, yes, but it makes for good drama - stirs the emotions a bit! We had to see at least one instance of a fatal showdown. Makes you so much more glad when he does finally take action and gun the confused Cylon down. Also, I think he was taking to heart what Puppis' mother said about guns. Apollo is ever the example in BSG.

Cheers,

Fun how this "review" thread became a 'let's bash the new starbuck' thread. On the record, I like the new Starbuck. Not as much as I liked the old, but I have no problem with the new. In regard to this ep being the inspiration for TNG's worf in the wild west ep, I'd suggest that it is more than likely that this episode was based on the Star Trek OS episode "Spectre of the Gun"

[shiningstar]

I think you are sooooooo Right Scooter. This was a
great episode in my thinking.

[shiningstar]

I think you are sooooooo Right Scooter. This was a
great episode in my thinking.

"Apollo Goes West."

Great fight scene and good pacing in the storyline make for a great BG episode. One of the best of the early ones.

We get to see what becomes of the famed Red Light when a Cylon dies after Apollo disposes of Red-Eye. The shot with the light slowing, stopping and fading off is dramatic. A great piece of television. Lance LeGualt gives a very strong performance. It's a shame his character gets killed.

[shiningstar]

That was my take on it too vipertech.

**1/2

It's reasonably enjoyable stock western with a message about the line between non-violence and standing up for one's self...