Starbuck’s journey inBattlestar Galacticais a rollercoaster of defiance, mystery, and ultimately, profound revelation. From her explosive death in “Maelstrom” to her resurrection and the chilling discovery of her own remains, Kara Thrace’s arc is a cornerstone of the series' emotional power – especially in thecontroversialBattlestar Galacticafinale.
Starbuck, one of severalCAGs inBattlestar Galactica’sfleet, has some of the most pivotal moments in theBattlestar Galacticaseries’ biggest twists. Her most important scenes on the show solidified her as an iconic character in this franchise and explored the lingering questions surrounding her true nature and ultimate fate.
5Starbuck’s Death Scene
Season 3, Episode 17
One of Starbuck’s most powerful scenes inBattlestar Galacticais in the season 3 episode “Maelstrom”. It is one of themost devastating death scenes inBattlestar Galactica.Starbuck’s Viper was destroyed during a battle, sending her spiraling into a gas giant’s atmosphere. While experiencing visions of herself as a child, she appeared to accept her death, a scene witnessed in horror by the Galactica crew. This moment’s significance was later understood when her miraculous return revealed the true nature of her ending.
However, her return, while foreshadowed by an angel figurine she places on Adama’s desk, is not foreseen by any of the fleet. This makes Starbuck’s death seem final asshe looks toward a bright light, evoking an ascent to the afterlife. There is a serenity in her facial expression, brilliantly emoted by Katee Sackhoff, as she says to a panicked Lee,“I’ll see you in the side”, “It’s okay. Just let me go,”and,“They’re waiting for me.”Many believe that Starbuck did die in this scene, and the angel who returns isn’t the same Starbuck.
4Starbuck’s Return From The Dead
Season 3, Episode 20
The only thing more shocking than Starbuck’s death was her resurrection. A cover of the song “All Along the Watchtower” plays as Lee tries to track down a“bogey”(an unknown aircraft). After eluding Lee a few times, a Viper rolls up beside him -Lee stares in disbelief as he sees it is Kara. With a cheeky grin, she says,“Don’t freak out. It really is me.”She then goes on to drop the cliffhanger line,“I’ve been to Earth. I know where it is.”Considering that, just episodes before, viewers saw Viper explode, this was a major twist.
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This impactful moment in “Crossroads, Part II” was a great way to end the season, with the promise of hope in the next and final season. The title of the episode is also clever, with crossroads symbolizing a location between worlds. Starbuck’s return picks up right where it left off in the premiere episode of season 4, and she cannot believe she has been missing for months. The character believes she has only been gone for a few hours.
3Starbuck Finds Her Own Skeleton
Season 4, Episode 11
In the season 4 episode “Sometimes a Great Notion”, humans and Cylons unite in their search forEarth inBattlestar Galactica. This episode marks a major moment for Starbuck, and one of the best in the series. In a chilling scene, Starbuck finds her Viper’s cockpit, with her own charred body inside. Lifting her helmet and seeing her blonde-haired skeleton is not enough, though. She also rips off the dogtags and, sure enough, sees her own name, Kara Thrace. Leoben Conoy, who is no stranger to horror, backs up the moment he sees the tags.
Her sheer shock and horror at seeing her own body is palpable…
Starbuck says to Leoben,“If you’ve got an explanation for this, now is the time,”reinforcing that Kara is not aware of her true nature. Upon seeing her own corpse and gagging as any person would in that situation, a stellar performance from Sackhoff,she fears that she is truly a harbinger of deathsent to doom the fleet rather than guide them. Her sheer shock and horror at seeing her own body is palpable. With increasing distress, Starbuck demands answers:“If that’s me lying there, then what am I? What am I?”,the repetition of which arguably eerily reflects the Lewis Carroll quote,“Who in the world am I?”fromAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
2Starbuck Fights Six
Season 1, Episode 13
One of the most impressive fight scenes inBattlestar Galacticais the hand-to-hand combat between Starbuck andBattlestar Galactica’sNumber Sixin the season 1 episode “Kobol’s Last Gleaming: Part 2". The way both Katee Sackhoff and Tricia Helfer have these characters in their bodies is particularly impressive in the nonverbal language of the scene, let alone the well-performed combat choreography. Sackhoff embodies the scrappy Lieutenant’s fighting style as she immediately sinks into a defensive stance, while Helfer is comparatively still and eerie. Six’s movements are slower as the statuesque Cylon calmly, relentlessly pursues Starbuck.
This fight scene emphasizes Starbuck’s sheer determinationand her hatred of the Cylons. It does not matter how many times Six knocks her down, she just keeps getting back up as she’s increasingly bloodied. Just as the viewer thinks Starbuck might actually be defeated, she leaps on Six into a hole in the floor while Six is holding an arrow - for a moment, it is unclear whether or not Starbuck survived the fall. This makes for one of the most compelling Starbuck scenes in the series.
1Starbuck Completes Her Journey
Season 4, Episode 21
“Daybreak” was a massive three-part finale to the incredibleBattlestar Galacticaseries and includes an emotional ending to Starbuck’s arc. Starbuck has final conversations with some of the key characters, including her iconic“nothing but the rain”exchange with Adama inBattlestar Galactica. However, it is her last conversation with his son that has the most impact.
In the final talk, Lee reflects that the earliest memory he has of his father Bill is him leaving in a big plane and wondering when he was coming back, and accepting that he would not come back this time. Starbuck gives a heartbreaking reply:“No. He’s not. And neither am I.”When Lee asks her where she will go, she says she does not know, but only knows she has“completed her journey.”
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There is a touching joy and acceptance in Starbuck’s realization that her story is complete. She asks Lee,“So, what about you?”which shows that Lee’s choices matter to Starbuck. With a boyish excitement, Lee says he always thought he’d want to relax after their huge ordeal, but now he wants to explore - when he turns back around, Starbuck has vanished into midair. Starbuck’s exit in this scene remains simultaneously one of the most emotional and most contentious moments inBattlestar Galactica,provoking questions about whether or notStarbuck is an angel.
