16 Years Later, Battlestar Galactica’s Creator Finally Addresses a Divisive Question

Ronald D. Moore, creator of the acclaimed reimagined Battlestar Galactica series, has finally addressed one of the show’s most contentious mysteries: the true nature of Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Katee Sackhoff). Speaking on Sackhoff’s podcast The Sackhoff Show, Moore revealed that he deliberately chose not to define what Starbuck became in the series finale. This revelation comes 16 years after the controversial series finale aired in 2009, leaving fans divided over Starbuck’s enigmatic conclusion as she vanished after fulfilling her mission to lead humanity to Earth. Moore’s comments provide the first substantial insight into his creative thinking behind one of television’s most debated character arcs, acknowledging that while he wanted Starbuck to represent “something kind of indefinable,” he recognizes that this approach left many viewers frustrated.

“I get asked one question over and over and over again,” Sackhoff explained in her podcast. “And I don’t have an answer for people. And they say ‘why do you not know,’ and I say, ‘because I never asked:’ What is Starbuck?” Pressured by the star’s inquiry, Moore decided to address the subject. “It was a process of trying to figure that out,” Moore admitted. “I think in the end, I opted to not decide.” That’s a disappointing answer for some fans, but Moore explained what led him to reach this conclusion.

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“Every answer we came up with was unsatisfying to what I thought she was,” Moore underlined. “And what I thought she was was something kind of indefinable. I didn’t want her to be an angel. I didn’t want her to be a Jesus figure that had died and been resurrected, but was the part of the unknowable that had come to us.” The showrunner further acknowledged his potential misstep, adding: “I think for some people it is very unsatisfying. Looking back on it, I’m not entirely that was the right choice. Maybe I should have given an answer? Because it is this weird, hanging thing from the show that does come up a lot.”

Who Was Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica?

Kara “Starbuck” Thrace began the series as Colonial Fleet’s most talented yet rebellious Viper pilot. Initially presented as a straightforward human character, Starbuck’s arc took a supernatural turn in the third season episode “Maelstrom” when her Viper exploded in a gas giant, with her death confirmed by Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) and the discovery of her destroyed fighter. The season three finale shocked viewers when Starbuck mysteriously reappeared alongside Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) in a brand-new Viper, claiming to have been to Earth and knowing how to find it.

Throughout season four, the series presented concrete evidence that Starbuck was no longer conventionally human. She discovered her own charred corpse and crashed Viper on “Earth” (the irradiated Cylon homeworld), proving she had genuinely died. Starbuck also demonstrated supernatural abilities, including an unexplained connection to a musical sequence that, when translated to coordinates, led the fleet to the habitable planet they ultimately colonized. The show established that Starbuck had no memory of what happened between her death and return, and medical tests confirmed she was physically identical to her previous self.

In the series finale “Daybreak,” Starbuck fulfilled her purpose by inputting the musical coordinates into the FTL drive, guiding humanity to their new home. Her final scene showed her conversing with Lee Adama before simply vanishing mid-conversation after stating “I’ve completed my journey.” The series provided no explicit explanation for her nature.

The four seasons of Battlestar Galactica are available for streaming on Amazon Prime.

Are you disappointed with Moore’s revelation about Starbuck? Or do you think the ambiguity favors Battlestar Galactica rewatches? Let us know in the comments!