Kara Thrace and her Special Destiny
3x17 "Maelstrom"
Hmmm. So (attempted) suicide is Starbuck’s special destiny? What’s so special about that? I’m furious that they (might have) killed of one of my favorite characters of all time. Not that it was unexpected – given all the rumors of Katee Sackhoff not being in the rest of the season. But still! I almost wish she IS a Cylon now, just so we could see Starbuck again in all her frakked up insane glory. Anyway, traumatic episode for sure – who wouldn’t have smashed up that nice boat - but one with a lot of questions unanswered. Kara Thrace and her Special Destiny. I almost wish it really was a cover band. And her backup singers could be three Leobens decked out in Dreamgirls-like attire.
So what was/is Starbuck’s destiny, if not suicide? I hardly think Leoben would have spent so much time with her – during the Cylon occupation and in her dreams as Leoben/Not Leoben– for her to frakkin kill herself! I still don’t get it. Her mother obviously had a lot to do with Starbuck’s crazy ass personality, and it was interesting to see a slice of her childhood to explain all that. Through the flashbacks and Leoben, Starbucks is no longer fearful of it – it being death I presume. And so commits suicide? Huh? Sharon described death for Cylons as a ‘learning experience’, am I to deduce that Starbuck really IS a Cylon now, because she is learning through her stupid suicide? Hm. I think I’m trying to justify Starbuck’s suicide as a legitimate response to her realization of her “Cylon-inity” as supposed to a nutty response from her emotions being all fried up from Leoben and her mother. She could be really dead. Or she did press that eject button (yeah, right. That would be one wussy stupid way of bringing Starbuck back. Why pretend to kill her then?)
But there has to be more, right? What’s up with those bull’s eye paintings? Is Starbuck really dead? Is she a Cylon? What is her damn special destiny? Does Starbuck have a map of Earth in her brain or something? What? I need to know!
With three episodes left, I guess we will find out soon enough.
I can’t remember anyone else from this episode other than Starbuck, too traumatized from seeing her Viper blow up. But it would be real interesting to see the aftermath of her death. Boy, the entire fleet is going to be changed by that. And us viewers too.
P.S. After a day of so of shock of the death of Starbucks, I had some less pissy and annoyed thoughts on Starbuck:-
Supposing that Starbuck is NOT dead and will appear on the show again (because she will have to. Or else...Frak you, Ronald D. Moore)...what if Starbuck is NOT a Cylon as I said above but a Hylon (half human, half Cylon), like Hera?
Clue 1: They alluded to the fact that Hera was also having trouble recovering from the Occupation/Abduction, like Starbuck. They also visited presumably the same psychiatrist person.
Clue 2: The mother as with Leoben, mentions Starbuck being special. The mother was also in the military during the first Cylon attack and war from way back. Hence, it IS possible for her to have hooked up with the enemy and bore Starbucks – hence treating her in a less than gentle manner while raising her. She was ‘preparing’ her, as well as punishing her for being a Hylon at the same time.
Clue 3: Starbuck’s paintings. They still had no explanation as to how Starbuck knew of this 3000 or so year old marker for Earth. If Starbuck’s father is a Cylon, he could have ‘transferred’ some of his memories of this marker to her.
Clue 4: Perhaps Leoben’s interest in Starbuck is less romantic, but more …familial? Maybe Leoben is ….Starbuck’s FATHER? That would make sense on why Leoben (or his many copies, which would make more sense. Do Cylons age?) was so interested in her during the Occupation, and wanted her to LOVE him. And look how he tried to make her love him – by giving her a DAUGHTER. But, if Leoben is her father, how gross is that dream sequence Starbuck had at the beginning of the episode now? Heh.
Clue 5: When Cylons die, it's a learning experience. When humans die, well, they die. Leoben was adamant on Starbuck going through to the place between life and death. Given neither humans nor Cylons go there when they die, perhaps Hylons can. I remember Three also wanting to experience the same thing earlier, with less luck (she was killing herself over and over again in trying to get to that place). So that would make sense on why Not Leoben was trying so hard to get Starbuck to off herself.
Counter point: Of course, all of this would make Hera much less special – she isn’t the first Hylon. Which makes Six’s, Three’s and the rest of the Cylons’ interest in Hera illogical. Especially the scenes with Baltar and Head Six. Why were they so interested in this “first child of the future” if Hera is in fact, the second? Hmm.
All I got to say is, boy, Starbuck better not be dead, be it she's a Cylon, Hylon, or escaped. Just look at all these trains of thought and theories going to waste if she is.
