Starbuck (TOS)

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Revision as of 02:18, 16 February 2006 by Joe Beaudoin Jr. (talk | contribs) (→‎Relationships: eh, I think someone's got the Starbucks mixed up -- this Starbuck hasn't kissed a man, AFAIK)
Starbuck (TOS)
[[Image:File:Tos starbuck.jpg|200px|Starbuck (TOS)]]

Name

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Age
Colony Umbra, Caprica
Birth place {{{birthplace}}}
Birth Name Starbuck
Birth Date {{{birthdate}}}
Callsign
Nickname {{{nickname}}}
Introduced [[{{{seen}}}]]
Death
Parents Chameleon (father)
Siblings
Children
Marital Status Single
Family Tree View
Role Viper pilot, Battlestar Galactica
Rank Lieutenant
Serial Number {{{serial}}}
Portrayed by Dirk Benedict
Starbuck (TOS) is a Cylon
Starbuck (TOS) is a Final Five Cylon
Starbuck (TOS) is a Human/Cylon Hybrid
Starbuck (TOS) is an Original Series Cylon
Related Media
@ BW Media
Additional Information
[[Image:|200px|Starbuck (TOS)]]


For Starbuck's counterpart in the Re-imagined Series, see Kara Thrace. For the character as depicted in Galactica 1980, see Starbuck (1980).

Biography

Background

Lieutenant Starbuck is a handsome, fumarello-smoking, womanizing, smart-aleck of a human. He's also one of Battlestar Galactica's finest pilots.

Starbuck was born on Caprica in the agro settlement of Umbra. He was orphaned when a Cylon raid destroyed the settlement.

The Peace Conference

En route to the peace conference, Starbuck allows an eager Zac to take his spot on the reconnaissance patrol. His winning hand at the pyramid game amounts to nothing when the alarm sounds, signaling the beginning of the Cylon Ambush. Starbuck is left behind with the other Vipers when Galactica breaks off to attempt to save the colonies. The Vipers manage to hold their own until Galactica returns with the news that the colonies have been destroyed.

Post Cylon-Attack

Starbuck helps to inspect the ships in the Fleet, and process all of the civilians. Aboard the freighter Gemini he helps rescue Cassiopeia.

Starbuck is volunteered (along with Boomer) by Apollo to help lead the Fleet through the minefield of the Straits of Madagon. He is part of the initial landram team that discovers the Ovion resort on Carillon. He is selected to receive the Gold Cluster for his efforts in the Straits, as part of a ploy by Sire Uri to disarm the Fleet. After rescuing Boxey, Muffit, and Cassiopeia from the Ovions Starbuck sets fire to the tylium mines beneath the surface of Carillon. Using deceptive radio communications Starbuck and Apollo force the Imperious Leader's basestar into the atmosphere as the fires in the tylium mine finally detonate the planet (Saga of a Star World).

Starbuck and Apollo discover, and are nearly lost in, a magnetic void. As one of the two Viper pilots not infected by the mysterious illness, Starbuck helps to train the female shuttle pilots to fly Vipers (Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I).

Relationships

Starbuck is close friends and frequent wingman of Captain Apollo, the son of Galactica's commander, Adama. Starbuck is pals with Boomer and Jolly, and is loyal to the other warriors, for example when he takes place of Cree in the mission to the Ravashol laser.

Starbuck seems attracted to almost any women he comes across. On Galactica, Apollo's sister and Galactica bridge officer Athena finds herself attracted to the young pilot despite his reputation and her brother's warnings. Likewise, medical corpsman Cassiopeia is also enamored with Starbuck. He is also linked romantically with Aurora, and at least two versions of Tenna during the course of the series. He even gives young Miri a kiss and makes a pass at Sheba. Siress Belloby also finds him irresistable.

As a Viper pilot himself, the older Boxey once recounted a lengthy list of Starbuck's female admirers.

Skills

  • Starbuck is an amazing gambler and card player, a trait he shares with his father, Chameleon.
  • He also enjoys playing Triad competitively.

Missions

  • Participated on the assault on the Ravashol laser.
  • Rescued Megan on Atilla.
  • Parachuted into Gamoray.
  • Infiltrated a Cylon base star.

Notes

  • The original choice for Starbuck was Don Johnson, Edward James Olmos's Miami Vice co-star. It was the intervention of Glen A. Larson that ultimately had Dirk Benedict cast; Johnson was too short for the role and didn't fit in to the cast as Larson envisioned.
  • The ABC Network had warned the show producers that if Benedict had smoked any more of the "small cigars" a.k.a. fumarellos he would be fired. They rapidly reversed the order as female admirers sent in many cigars to the studio and Benedict.