Those that look at "Die Hard" as a good Christmas movie are people who are missing the point. And it seems that the same can be said of those who see this episode as a simple "boxing" episode. "Boxing" has little to do with the heart of the episode.
Think back. In Occupation, Athena asks Adama a poignant question: if he feels guilty about leaving people behind on New Caprica. He replies that he doesn't do guilt. Clearly, he does. Thus, one of the big, momentous speeches by Adama after fighting Tyrol in the ring. In short, he's finally able to get the guilt off his chest. Guilt for letting his guard down; for letting those under his command get too close and allow them to muster out. And, yes, the price was a costly one.
You may also notice that Starbuck and Apollo have had little contact in the episodes leading up to this one. We finally find out what triggered the resentment that each had for the other. It's ironic that most people will think of reasons NOT to do something, rather than reasons to do it. Starbuck once accused Lee of thinking too much. But when it comes to the matters of the heart, it's actually Kara who thinks too much. And as the season progresses, we finally find out what's behind the self-destructive tendencies that she's always harbored, and why she's never felt worthy of being loved. In short, Anders was the safe play because she already knew that she never really loved him.
I really recommend watching the extended version of the episode because it provides even more valuable insight, and why people need and outlet when the guilt, pain, and resentments get to be too much. The "boxing matches" make sense when you think about how much everyone has already gone through in such a short period of time. And the hard times are still on the horizon as we will find out. The boxing is simply a release. I could have been most anything, but the boxing does make sense.
Once again, the human element is what is paramount in this series. Not the action. Not even the romance angles. But how humans tend to act and react in these types of situations. While the boxing is fun, it's what's said after that carries the most weight; what Adama tells those he commands, and what Kara and Lee finally get off their chests. But as we also know, all actions carry consequences. Yes, the human element is what makes the series so poignant and profound. And there is no shortage of that is this powerful episode.
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