Two decades later, Ronald D. Moore’s rebooted Battlestar Galactica still holds up as one of the best sci-fi series of the century. How Moore managed to turn a campy ’70s romp into such a serious post-9/11 ethics allegory remains a mystery, but the show’s characters are still some of the most complex. In depicting these characters the show resists easy conclusions, often placing them on Shakespearean paths, even if they end in tragedy.
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A Season 4 episode, however, seemed to confirm one Battlestar Galactica character as the most tragic. “Blood on the Scales” is a mid-season story that culminates in the execution of Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani). Airing in 2009, the episode chronicles Gaeta’s failed mutiny against Adama and Tigh and seals his fate and legacy as perhaps the series’ most heartbreaking figure, fallen from idealism into corruption in the tumult of war.
“Blood on the Scales” Turned Felix Gaeta Into Battlestar Galactica’s Greatest Tragedy
Felix Gaeta’s evolution is nearly complete by the time we get “Blood on the Scales” in Season 4. Introduced in Season 1 as Admiral Adama’s aide, Gaeta initially represents the best of the Colonial military and someone loyal, thoughtful, and committed to the survival of the fleet. Early episodes like “33” and “Lay Down Your Burdens” show him as someone with high ideals who believes in order and diplomacy.
However, as the show progresses, his faith is slowly dismantled. Gaeta’s disillusionment begins in earnest during the New Caprica arc, where he’s captured and tortured by Cylons, including Gaius Baltar’s complicity in the occupation government. If you watched “The Face of the Enemy” webisodes during the mid-season break, you also know that Gaeta lost his leg after refusing to betray the resistance. These experiences fundamentally change him, meaning by Season 4, he no longer believes Adama and Roslin are fit to lead, especially after they decide to ally with rebel Cylons and trust characters like Sharon “Athena” Agathon.
“Blood on the Scales” is simply the final stage of this fall arc. After Gaeta and Tom Zarek seize control of the Galactica, we watch their mutiny fail in almost real time as loyalist forces retake the ship, and they are arrested. The following execution is nothing short of devastating. Gaeta’s last words, “it stopped,” are in reference to his agonizing leg pain, but also to the torture of his internal psychological debate. Juliani’s performance is heartbreaking; a convincing portrayal of regret, fear, and a bit of leftover conviction.
Images of the firing squad no doubt haunt the dreams of Battlestar Galactica fans. Like most of its other characters, BSG and its writers refused to frame Gaeta as purely villainous or heroic, even in his death. Rather, he becomes a byproduct and ultimately a casualty of the war. Seventeen years later, “Blood on the Scales” is still remembered as a harrowing moment in the series and the episode that cemented Felix as Battlestar Galactica’s most tragic character.
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Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
