Boxey (TOS-BN)

Background

In the Berkley novelizations, Boxey is a full-fledged orphan, his parents presumably killed during the final Cylon attack on the Colonies. His adoptive parents became Serina and Apollo respectively. Following Serina's death, Apollo becomes his sole guardian and father figure.

As Boxey grew older, he came to hate that name and his extended family searched for a new name, given that they never knew his birth name. As a result, they christen him "Troy".

Given the deaths of both sets of parents, biological and adoptive, Troy had "put up barriers that no one could get through" for fear of loving someone, then losing them again.

The Tombs of Kobol

Boxey is pleased at the fact that Serina and Apollo are to be married, however the marriage was short lived and he is forced to go through the death of his second mother.

Surrender the Galactica!

In Surrender the Galactica!, Boxey experiences recurring nightmares about Apollo's death in combat. These dreams feature him piloting his own Viper alongside Apollo, but being helpless to save his stepfather when Cylon raiders attack. In his nightmares, Apollo successfully destroys three enemy ships before falling victim to a fourth raider with special weaponry, leaving Boxey screaming helplessly as his father's ship dissolves.

Driven by his fear of losing Apollo and his inability to cope with waiting for his stepfather to return from dangerous missions, Boxey writes a farewell note and runs away from his quarters. The note reads: "Dear Dad, I'm glad you're still alive. I was real worried. I had bad dreams and you always died. I'm afraid. I don't want to wait here and think about you getting killed. I'm going away. Then you don't have to worry about me again. I hope you never get killed. I'm taking Muffy with me. Your son, Boxey."

Boxey's journey through Galactica leads him to the lower levels known as the Devil's Pit, where he encounters an elderly man who recognizes him as Apollo's son. The old man, a former resident of the ship's upper levels, befriends Boxey and provides him with food and shelter.

In the Devil's Pit, Boxey also meets Peri, a tough young girl who knows the hidden passages and secret areas of the ship. Together, they navigate the dangerous lower levels, avoiding conflicts between rival factions of displaced personnel who have formed makeshift communities in the abandoned areas. Despite their initial antagonism, Boxey and Peri develop a friendship as they help each other survive various encounters with hostile groups.

Eventually, Boxey becomes involved with a theater company operating in the ship's lower levels. He performs in their productions, using makeup and costumes that disguise his identity from anyone who might recognize him. During one performance, Apollo arrives in the audience, accompanied by the old man from the Devil's Pit who had helped in the search. Boxey spots his stepfather from behind the stage curtain, leading to an emotional confrontation.

The reunion between Apollo and Boxey is highly emotional. Apollo acknowledges that he cannot promise to stop going on dangerous missions, as duty requires him to continue serving as a Viper pilot. However, he expresses his need for Boxey to be there when he returns, telling the boy: "I can't stop your worries. When I go out on a mission, I always face danger. I've gotten out of more scrapes than I can count. When I'm out there, I think of you. Often. I count on getting back here—to you." Moved by his stepfather's words, Boxey chooses to return to his normal life aboard Galactica.

The Living Legend

After Adama's death sometime well into the future, Troy is given command of Galactica and access to Adama's personal journals that have not been read by anyone before him. (Apollo is not given command due to his death sometime before Adama's.) When presented with Adama's logs after a pre-recorded introduction made by Adama, he first searches the logs about Commander Cain, who Adama credits for saving the entire Fleet.