09. Starbuck. Let us count the ways. (Single Digits Guys!)

[krickets]

So this is a bit self-serving, I'll say that right off the bat. I was looking for some Starbuck character meta earlier and couldn't find any. So, I figured I'd see what thinky thoughts you guys have about her. (I know they're floating around up there in that grey matter somewhere!)

According to this poll, Starbuck is the undisputed favorite with BSG fans. Or, at least, with the BSG fans who are taking my polls. (Let's disregard for a moment that I didn't say, "pick your favorite," hahaha. I think it stands to reason that most people would pick their favs when asked to choose between characters.)

For me personally, Starbuck is unequivocally my favorite fictional character of all time. Hands down. But I'm sure there are many who dislike her or are neutral towards her. So, I wanna hear about it. And why. There is absolutely no judgement here, every single opinion is welcome and wanted.

It can be from the superficial (I don't like her hair/I like her hair!) to the philosophical. I don't care. I wanna know.

1, 2, 3, GO!

Comments

[becisvolatile.livejournal.com]

When I grow up, I want to be Starbuck. Initially that’s all I really have to say. It’s just that frakking simple… except, it’s never that simple.

Here’s my sleeve and here’s my heart, let me go even further than saying that Starbuck is my favorite character: I’ll go so far as to say that it’s because of Starbuck that BSG is my favorite show. And that’s a pretty logical connection if you consider a couple things.

A basic principle of television is that it provides a point of intellectual and emotional engagement for an audience. I won’t watch if I don’t find a point of engagement. For me, it’s Kara. She has the swagger that I wish I did. She has the menfolk that I wish I did and she’s, quite literally, “special”… which I think a lot of people wish they were.

I wrote a much more substantial meta on this stuff that, maybe one day, I will post. But that’s really it, she has just the right combination of attributes that I wish I had. Even her “bad” habits have her ending up in bed with hot men and kicking arse.

And even when her character behaves like I shit I’m still compelled to love her because if I identify with her and hate her for doing something, well… isn’t that like hating myself?

To clarify, I know that I’m not Starbuck. And you probably think I’m a nut, but it’s a well-studied fact that people need to identify with character to invest in a show, Starbuck is my “in” to BSG, so she’s my favorite. That’s the cliff-notes version anyway.

*runs off to go and shoot down imaginary Raiders*

[crickets.livejournal.com]

A basic principle of television is that it provides a point of intellectual and emotional engagement for an audience. I won’t watch if I don’t find a point of engagement. For me, it’s Kara. She has the swagger that I wish I did. She has the menfolk that I wish I did and she’s, quite literally, “special”… which I think a lot of people wish they were.

Exactly. I think it's one of the reasons I love Chief so much too because he engages the very human part of you. He's the everyman, not to perpetuate knuggledragger stereotypes, but he is. (Barring the last five minutes of s3.) And I know that this isn't about Chief, but I think it's the same kind of thing you're talking about here.

And Starbuck isn't the only character I identify with on the show, because they are all so multi-faceted. (At one time or another.) That it's hard not to itentify with all of them from time to time. Because they're all so human. But.. I definitely identify with her the most.

*grabs a gun and joins you*

[becisvolatile.livejournal.com]

I'm sort of into Cally too, because if I'm being honest she's sort of the reality, whereas Starbuck is the fantasy. But I tend to keep it quiet because apparently Cally is Satan and I missed the memo.

I can see why you'd like Chief, and I honestly cannot wait to see how his character develops now that he's aware of his Cylonininininty he knows he's a Cylon.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

You're not alone. I like Cally too. I think there's a part of me that still wonders about her because of her shooting Boomer. But I try not to think about it too much because I really genuinely like her. And I never understood all the Cally hate any more than you do.