Kara “Starbuck” Thrace
Context
Battlestar Galactica is a 2004+ military sci-fi TV series. It is a reinvention of a 1978 TV series. Nevertheless it’s one of those major, much better TV series of the 2000s with much more complex plots, grittier settings, heavier themes, etc. than in previous decades.
The core plot of the series is the flight of the last survivors of humanity after the cataclysmic attack by the alien Cylons. The titular Battlestar Galactica is the last capital ship left for the ragged human refugees.
Our BSG2004 profiles are short notes for people who watched the series. As such they have S P O I L E R S and are primarily about DC Heroes RPG capsule stats.
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Background
- Real Name: Captain Kara Thrace.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Crew of Battlestar Galactica.
- Base Of Operations: Battlestar Galactic.
- Height: 5’6” Weight: 140 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde
Powers and Abilities
Kara “Starbuck” Thrace is a highly trained and viciously effective combat pilot. She is a military officer with a wide streak of rebelliousness that is tolerated in the desperate world they live in.
Kara is an effective brawler, and is skilled in combat small arms and as a sniper.
History
Kara Thrace was assigned to Battlestar Galactica at the time of its decommissioning. Instead of the powering down of the last of the Cylon-War era Battlestars there was a Cylon massive first strike. All 13 colonies and nearly the entire fleet were destroyed in a combination of nuclear and information-warfare.
Starbuck was one of the few remaining pilots in a truly dangerous world. The Fleet was under constant harassment and pursuit by a better armed, better informed Cylon fleet.
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Starbuck engaged in more than a few dogfights and some downright insane maneuvers. Starbuck also managed to understand and fly Cylon ships by intuitive process. Her loyalties swayed several times as circumstances changed and colossal mind-bending challenges ensued. As the Cylon pursuit enters its second year Starbuck serves the human race and the Galactica fleet as best as she can.
After the Pegasus arrived and tensions grew high between the two Battlestar commanders Starbuck was sent as an assassin to kill Admiral Cain by (then) Commander William Adama as a last resort. She was never required to pull the trigger but was changed by the experience.
Description
A slim, attractive blonde and athletically built.
Personality
Kara is foul mouthed, rebellious and often spoiling for a fight and is well loved for it. Starbuck has to always prove herself even when circumstances don’t call for it. She is a classic case of over-compensation for perceived weaknesses. She is a cigar smoking, heavy gambler who is always willing to take on any man, woman, Cylon or beast to prove who is best.
Recently she has become haunted by the deaths of pilots around her. It also bothers her that she has not been able to return and rescue the human resistance members on Caprica as she had promised.
Quotes
[Starbuck in the brig]
Apollo: “What’s the charge this time ?”
Starbuck: “Striking a superior asshole.”
Apollo: “Are you sure this is a good idea ?”
Starbuck: “No… not really.”
Starbuck: “You sure they’ll fly ?”
Tyrol: “Well, the reactor’s still hot, so all we have to do is pull the rad buffers from the engine, refuel it, load the ordnance, and you’re ready to go. Biggest problem is getting them over to the port launch bay. ”
Starbuck: “Why can’t we use the starboard launch ?”
Tyrol: “It’s a gift shop now.”
Starbuck: “Frack me.”
DC Universe History
Battlestar Galactica is a self contained story and the characters should only be used together. It could be interesting to have a guns-and-planes character visit the Galactica Universe.
Alternately you could have the Galactica arrive at Earth with the Cylons in pursuit, bringing their war to the DCU’s doorstep. Or worse, maybe the Cylons have arrived ahead of the Galactica and begun infiltrating Earth’s population. The robotic Manhunters were revealed as having done something similar in the Millennium mini-series.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Starbuck
| Dex: 06 | Str: 03 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Unwanted Power |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 04 | Min: 04 | Occupation: CAG of Battlestar Galactica |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 06 | Resources {or Wealth}: 003 |
| Init: 017 | HP: 030 |
Skills:
Martial Artist*: 06, Weaponry*: 06, Vehicles (Air and Space): 08, Artist (Painter): 02, Acrobatics (Dodging and Sports [pyramid]): 04
Advantages:
Rank: (CAG, Colonial Fleet), Lightning Reflexes.
Connections:
Admiral William Adama (High), Lee Apollo (High).
Genre:
Near Real.
Drawbacks:
Dark Secret (Abusive childhood), MPI (nutty one-upmanship); MPR (Bad Knee. If her knee goes out she loses 1 AP of current body and drops to 2 APs movement speed; Guilt (Zak’s death- removed by middle of second season).
Equipment:
At one point Kara possessed a special viper named Blackbird — it was a -1 to all control rolls and had Invisibility (electronic sensors): 08
Helper(s): http://scifi.com/battlestar/characters, Roy Cowan, Woodrow Hill.
Source of Character: Battlestar Galactica 2003/2004.