If an episode ever needed to be discussed this is it.

Massive spoilers follow in case you think otherwise.

I have to say that based on the way Moore and Eick described it, I was expecting (or rather hoping) it wasn't going to lead to Kara's death. It would have been more unexpected if she had just retired from flight and lived off Galactica with Sam. But seeing her Viper explode like that, I think my brain shut down and I'm currently trying not to think about it so I won't shed a tear. Not shocking as I had hoped, but certainly painful. I kept wanting to yell out "Eject! Eject! Why aren't you trying to save yourself?"

However, I have a tiny shread of hope that she is not dead. I mean, what was her destiny outside of getting the Arrow of Apollo and all last season? What did Leoben (or the spectre of Leoben) mean about seeing what lies between life and death? What significance did the mandala she painted as a child have to do with the supernova over the algea planet? She had nothing to do with finding the planet or trying to decipher the temple. It can't just be to point toward her death. Anyone else suspect that she maybe one of the Final Five? If they do that, then I hope they pull if off right so it won't cheapen the signifance of anything. If they do, it'll flip everything on its head.

By the way, please do not adjust Katee Sackhoff's credit. It will be rejected because I am waiting for the next episode to air to do this. Not only will the remvoal of her name be official at that point, but it will reduce spoilers for anyone wandering in.

Kara is undoubtedly a hybrid, but not Cylon and Human, I'm talking human and Kobal Lord. Leoben is meant to reflect a contrast to Baltar's Number Six, only those two have fallen into temptation and been corrupted. Kara and Leoben however have come to a mutual understanding and have moved on to the next phase of the grander scheme.

I still say she a Cylon.

According to this site, there going to finally take a look at The Ship Of Lights from the original series, you all know what that means

My guts say she's not one of the final five, although it's certainly a possibility. And the fact that it was a heavy raider and not a regular raider gotta mean something. And since I hang around in the IMDB forums, I was pretty much spoiled about her death so it wasn't as shocking as it would've been to me. There's definately more to Starbuck's death than just a meaningless death. Maybe the explosion triggered a wormhole to Earth or something (one of the midseason trailers did say "one will find earth"). Next 3 epi should be good.

And I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Starbuck.

She is one of the main reasons that I watch this show. Maybe a career decision but a major loss none the less. If I can't hear that laugh again, there is no point in watching the show.

There's definitely more to Kara's death than meets the eye (pardon the possible pun). It seems like it was setting up some important part of her character. It wouldn't make sense to do that just to kill her off for good. The moment was definitely ramping up towards something.

If she's a Cylon, then there's the issue of how Cylons age because there's evidence that she's been a child (unless the mother is part of some Cylon conspiracy, which I doubt; and where's her dad, by the way?). Do Cylons age like humans? I don't know if that's ever been commented on in an official statement. I had a whole theory on how the aging process may tie into the Final Five, but then I started thinking about the various ages (or purported ages) of the humanoid Cylons and it kind of went to crap. But there's so much in the dark, that most theories can't be ruled out at this point. However, I did ponder a good question about the Final Five: where are their resurrection ships? If the first seven are clueless about their remaining brethren, then how can a dead "five" come back? If there's a resurrection ship, then where is it?

Anyway, Cylon or not, I have this vision (or beautiful hope) that Season 3 will end on the image of Kara.

Ron Moore is a badass, he said Kadee Sackoff was such as big lost in the episode's podcast. I'll never listen to his podcast until the DVD is released.