AirLockAlpha.com

The following story contains MINOR SPOILERS for the "Battlestar Galactica" episode "The Son Also Rises."

In less than two weeks, the Colonial Fleet will see the largest trial ever recorded in the history of the Twelve Colonies – the trial of former President Gaius Baltar (James Callis). And as expected, the build up to this event is already in full swing.

However, although the story revolved around the impending trial of Giaus Baltar, BSG's most recent installment, "The Son Also Rises," seemed geared up to help Apollo (Jamie Bamber) mourn the loss of Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) and move on.

It is a small disappointment that Kara isn’t given the full show of military honors, the moving speeches from those who knew her best and a proper memorial in the flight deck as one of the colonies most memorable and heroic pilots. The Lords of Kobol know she deserves it.

The lack of any recognition and the complete absence of any kind of tribute to the fallen Viper pilot might be for the better as the role-on effects of Kara’s demise in last week’s “Maelstrom” becomes limited to a smaller and more personal trio. Consisting of long-time friend Apollo, commanding officer and father figure Bill Adama (Edward James Olmos) and her husband Sam Anders (Michael Trucco), the group all find different ways of grieving for their loss in a series of intimate moments.

Apollo spends his days moping around the wall of remembrance, Adama decides to review her personnel record and Anders does what Kara would have done … he gets drunks and causes havoc in the middle of the flight deck. Aside from the obvious of giving everyone something to do, the approach helps highlight the feeling of isolation felt by the trio, and also mixing things up with the abandonment issues each feels after Kara’s plummet into the storm.

But in the midst of all the bereavement, there is still time to explore the delicate situation of Baltar’s imprisonment and the treatment of the latest Cylon prisoner. It’s about damn time Caprica Six (Tricia Helfer) came back into the picture, as her absence over the last few weeks has been sorely felt. Since "defecting" to Galactica, Helfer has been severely underused to the point where you can’t help but wonder if the writers had any plan for the character after leaving the Cylon baseship, considering how much of an icon she has been for the series -- the Cylon in Baltar’s head is a concept dating back to the miniseries and has since become one of the selling points of the show.

Writer Michael Angeli has obviously been very careful about Caprica Six's involvement in the episode, limiting her to expositions of her feelings for Baltar. No doubt this is a way to stall the really intense scenes until his trial finally hits the screens next week, while simultaneously keeping the primary focus of “The Son Also Rises” on Apollo himself.

Unfortunately however, with an actor as talented as Mark Sheppard, that isn’t always easy. Playing the "rock star" lawyer, he easily manages to steal away every scene from Bamber, turning everything on its side and shaking things up in a few unexpected ways (stealing the President's glasses being one of the most amusing).

His small case of kleptomania, the slow manipulation of both Baltar and Six, and heck even his accent is enough to make him the most interesting guest star the series has included.

The explosives being planted about the ship designed to pop-off Balter’s lawyers bring back thrilling memories of the insurgency of New Caprica, but now with the troubling notion that someone within the crew is actively committing acts of terrorism onboard the Galactica, thereby endangering everyone onboard.

And even though the culprit is eventually apprehended, it’s only the beginning of the chaos to come when “Battlestar Galactica” returns this weekend with the trial of the century.

“Battlestar Galactica” stars Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell and Jamie Bamber. “The Son Also Rises” was written by Michael Angeli and was directed by Robert Young.

Alan Stanley Blair is a staff writer and columnist for Airlock Alpha. Contributing from his home country of Scotland, he can be reached at ablair@airlockalpha.com.

Win a "The Last Mimzy" prize pack! CLICK HERE to get started!