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| == Notes == | | == Notes == |
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| === Character Conception and Portrayal ===
| | *The name [[w:Athena|Athena]] is based on a goddess from Greek mythology who was identified by the Romans as [[w:Minerva|Minerva]], also known as [[w:Athene|Athene]]. |
| According to ''[[So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica]]'', the character of Athena was portrayed by [[Maren Jensen]], a former model who had very little acting experience prior to being cast.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|74}}</ref> Jensen acknowledged learning a great deal on the set from veteran actors like [[Lorne Greene]].<ref>{{cite book/sswa|74}}</ref>
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| Athena was introduced as Commander Adama's daughter and a bridge officer. Her primary storyline involved a love triangle with [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] and [[Cassiopeia]]. A notable scene in the pilot features Athena discovering Starbuck and Cassiopeia in a launch tube and retaliating by activating the [[steam purge]].<ref>{{cite book/sswa|66-67}}</ref>
| | *In "[[The Long Patrol]]," a [[:File:PersonnelStatus.jpg|computer readout]] lists Athena as a lieutenant. Though this could be correct, however it did not specify if her ranking was either that of a warrior or of a naval nature. While this may well have been an error on the writers' parts, it is considered to be her rank in the Colonial Armed Forces. If we are correct in the equivalence of the ranks, the lieutenant ranking would be consistent with her naval ranking of ensign as well. |
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| As the series progressed, Athena's role was significantly scaled back. She, along with the character [[Boxey]], is written out of the show after the midseason two-part episode, "[[Greetings From Earth]]."<ref>{{cite book/sswa|164}}</ref>
| | * ''According to ''[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]'' (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):'' <blockquote>Athena was the youngest of Adama's children. She has an interest in telecommunications which lead her to pursue advance degrees in "ether physics" at the [[Academy]]. During her time there, she created various "improvements computerized (sic) in long-range scanning equipment" and also published "several widely acclaimed essays on the philosophy of science".<ref>{{cite_book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=11}}</ref></blockquote> |
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| === Re-imagined Series Perspective === | |
| When developing the 2004 re-imagined series, creator [[Ronald D. Moore]] reflected on the original Athena, stating that he felt the character "had no real role to play" beyond her romantic interest in Starbuck. This assessment led to his decision not to include a direct counterpart of Athena in the new series, believing the character did not serve a vital purpose in the original narrative.<ref>{{cite book/sswa|315}}</ref>
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| In a sense, the character of Athena was merged with that of her brother [[Zac]] to form the Re-imagined Series character, [[Zak Adama]]. While Zac and Athena were both Adama's children and the lower-ranking siblings of Apollo, Zac provided the Zak Adama's name and gender, and Athena provided the status of trainee pilot ("nugget") instructed by his/her love interest, Starbuck.
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| Later in [[Season 3 (2006-07)|Season 3]], Admiral [[William Adama|Adama]] gives {{callsign|Athena}}, a [[humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] in whom he confides as a father would to a daughter, and gives her a Colonial Fleet commission. After she rebuffs her fellow pilots' attempts to apply [[Number Eight|her "sister"]]'s former callsign, "[[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]" to her, the pilots suggest a handful of humorous and affectionate callsigns, but settle on the name "Athena" in the {{TRS|Torn|prose=y}}.
| | *The character of Athena was, at least originally, equal in part to {{TOS|Apollo}} and {{TOS|Starbuck}}, however it was clearly apparent that [[Maren Jensen]] was incapable of acting to the extent of the male leads, [[Richard Hatch]] and [[Dirk Benedict]]. It should be noted though that her performances did improve over time, due to the presence of an acting coach on-set, however her character was scaled back until she disappeared entirely after her piteous "teaching stint" in "[[Greetings From Earth]]". |
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| === Additional Details ===
| | *The character of Athena is one of a handful of Original Series characters who does not initially have ''direct'' parallel in the [[Re-imagined Series]] (see below). In Season 3, Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] gives {{callsign|Athena}}, a [[humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] in whom he confides as a father would to a daughter (about which there is a [[Tamara Adama|possible connection]] to the ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' spin-off), a Colonial officer's commission. After she rebuffs her fellow pilots' attempts to apply [[Number Eight|her "sister"]]'s former callsign, "[[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]]" to her, the pilots suggest a handful of humorous and affectionate callsigns, but settle on the name "Athena" {{TRS|Torn}}. |
| *The name [[w:Athena|Athena]] is based on a goddess from Greek mythology who was identified by the Romans as [[w:Minerva|Minerva]], also known as [[w:Athene|Athene]]. | |
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| *In "[[The Long Patrol]]," a [[:File:PersonnelStatus.jpg|computer readout]] lists Athena as a lieutenant. Though this could be correct, however it did not specify if her ranking was either that of a warrior or of a naval nature. While this may well have been an error on the writers' parts, it is considered to be her rank in the Colonial Armed Forces. If we are correct in the equivalence of the ranks, the lieutenant ranking would be consistent with her naval ranking of ensign as well. | | *In a sense, the character of Athena was merged with that of her brother [[Zac]] to form the Re-imagined Series character, [[Zak Adama]]. While Zac and Athena were both the children of Adama and the lower-ranking siblings of Apollo, Zac provided the Zak Adama's name and gender, and Athena provided the status of trainee pilot ("nugget") instructed by his/her love interest, Starbuck. |
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| * ''According to ''[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]'' (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):'' <blockquote>Athena was the youngest of Adama's children. She has an interest in telecommunications which lead her to pursue advance degrees in "ether physics" at the [[Academy]]. During her time there, she created various "improvements computerized (sic) in long-range scanning equipment" and also published "several widely acclaimed essays on the philosophy of science".<ref>{{cite_book|last=Kraus|first=Bruce|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=1979|title=[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]|publisher=|location=|id=|pages=11}}</ref></blockquote>
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| == Gallery == | | == Gallery == |
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