Abhiroop Das
While Prime Video’s ‘Ballard‘ is a story about two cold cases and the specialized Division dedicated to solving them, its backbone is undoubtedly found in the character of Renée Ballard. Over the course of the show, she juggles intricate police work with a past that continually haunts her. Ultimately, the protagonist finds solace in her own self and the bonds she makes. Her tattoo serves as a synthesis of the two facets, serving as an expression of her unwavering spirit. Its meaning empowers the character to make significant strides in life, while also opening the doors to multiple interpretations of her body art. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ballard’s Tattoo is a Show-Only Feature
In ‘Ballard’, Maggie Q’s character sports a singular tattoo over the right side of her abdomen, which extends to her ribs to the right. The tattoo itself is that of a bird in flight, and is shown on two occasions: Its earliest appearance is in the first episode, titled ‘Library of Lost Souls.’ Here, it can be briefly seen when Ballard changes into formal wear, before entering her workplace at the LAPD Ahmanson Recruit Training Center. The other appearance happens much later, in episode 7, titled ‘Fork in the Road,’ following an intense fight that leaves the protagonist injured. When she has difficulty changing her clothes, her friend and romantic interest, Aaron, helps her and takes note of the bird etched on her body. While these two scenes appear to be minor, their juxtaposition points to a larger symbolic meaning.
Although Maggie Q is known to be a tattoo aficionado, the one depicted in ‘Ballard’ is most likely not her own. Instead, it appears to be a creative addition to her character’s design, solely for the narrative of the show. In reality, Maggi Q sports four tattoos as of the most recent information, one of which is a cover-up over an originally different design, which brings the total count up to at least five tattoos throughout her life. The actor’s most popular and noticeable tattoo is the phoenix on her left hip, coloured in black and grey. It is accompanied by a Zulu proverb inked alongside her left torso, which says “umuntu ngumuntu ngabant,” translating to “a person’s character is made by the collective.”
Maggie Q also has a tattoo of characters from an Asian script along with a triangle on her left forearm. Complementing it, her right forearm sports a cross, which sits on top of her previous tattoo of a sentence in Tibetan script. In an interview with Fuse TV, the actor revealed that she had the design covered up sometime prior to 2014. As of writing, the actor has not specified her reasons for doing so. In the same interview, she described her experience of getting her first tattoo, the phoenix, inked. She stated that she wanted to start out with a bold, large design and had not taken any pain medication during the inking process, choosing to go through the experience organically.
Maggie Q and Her Character Ink a Monument to Their Respective Pasts
Maggie Q’s phoenix tattoo bears the closest resemblance to Ballard’s inking, given that both of them are birds in flight. As such, it is possible that the real-life tattoo informs its fictional counterpart. In an interview with the Daily News, the actor revealed the rich meaning behind her body art, calling it her “bird of strength.” She explained that the tattoo came to be when an artist described her as a phoenix, a mythical bird that rises from its own ashes. It reflected the actor’s personal struggles, coming into the industry as a complete newbie and carving her own path with iconic roles such as the eponymous protagonist of ‘Nikita,’ special agent Zhen in ‘Mission: Impossible III’, and Tris in ‘Divergent,’ before essaying Renée Ballard in the ‘Bosch’ universe.
In the show, Ballard reveals the true meaning of her tattoo when Aaron asks about it. The detective reveals that, following the death of her father when she was fourteen, she lost her guiding force. Subsequently, she got embroiled in a negative circle of influence that threatened to derail her life. In light of this, she chose to ink a bird, representing her father watching her from heaven. This provided her with a new moral pillar and helped improve her life. Besides the tattoo’s overt meaning, its placement, both physical and narrative, is also of significance. The fact that it is etched on her abdomen can be interpreted as a measure of its intimacy; it is a side of her that she doesn’t show to other people frequently. As such, her decision to tell Aaron about it can be read as a statement of trust.
The Tattoo is Also a Marker of Ballard’s Resilience
Notably, the two times the tattoo shows up in the show, Ballard can be seen changing into a new pair of clothes. This act can be interpreted as marking a transitory checkpoint for various stages of her life. On the first occasion, she prepares for the role of leading the Cold Cases Division, channeling her brilliance and fearlessness to solve seemingly unsolvable cases. The other occasion marks a period of recovery, following the trials and tribulations she endures as part of her job. Here, Ballard has a chance to rest and recuperate while enriching the bonds she has with her family, her friends, and her colleagues. In keeping with its original meaning, the tattoo becomes her companion in both her highs and lows, providing an anchor that she can rely on when fighting her way back.
Another interpretation of the tattoo lies in the nature of its design: a bird soaring in the sky. While representing Ballard’s father, it also serves as a point of contrast, as her father died in a surfing accident, and his body was never found in the ocean. As such, her father’s passing functions as a cold case in itself, and how she chooses to deal with it becomes a blueprint for her general investigative spirit. Instead of remembering her father as a figure lost to the deep waters, Ballard flips the idea on its head. She reimagines him as a bird whose soul managed to break free and fly high, and thus, finds a deeper closure, one that empowers her to dedicate her service to those in need.
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