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13thcolony2005-03-20 11:03 am
widget285.livejournal.com) wrote in 13thcolony2005-03-20 11:03 am
Thoughts on call sings in BSG
So, the latest topic of my musings is that of the call signs used by the pilots because I'm trying really hard not to write a fic about about Lee got his call sign.
/shakes fist at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kuwdora for tossing that bunny at me
So...
The practice of using call signs to designate pilots did not originate with this universe, but is a carry over from standard military practice in out own. The insistence upon this usage is two-fold: it neatly establishes a parallel with our world, something done consistently throughout the series; it provides a credible explanation for the continued use of the – in this context pretty dorky - names given to the characters.
In regard to call signs, there are two interrelated issues: 1) the meaning of the name; 2) the mechanism for its attribution (when/where/how/why a pilot got his/her call sign).
At the bottom of this post is a list of all known (at least to me) call signs. I’d appreciate knowing if any are any missing from the list.
Most of the names on the list have a similar cadence: Husker, Ripper, Boomer, Stalker, Lancer. They’re evocative names, names that imply action (not surprisingly since they are nouns based on verbs), but one does wonder where they come from. Husker? What exactly is that name supposed to mean? Did Commander Adama just enjoy corn-on-the-cobb a lot or does the term have some other meaning in this particular universe? A husk is defined as being “a shell or outer covering, especially when considered worthless” so maybe it’s a nod to his proficiency at shooting down Cylons. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.
And what about Helo? What exactly does that name mean? “Helot” was one of a class of serfs in ancient Sparta. Given the use of Greek/Roman references throughout the show (Kara’s familial name Thrace, for example, is a region near Greece that in ancient times was known for its art, its gold and silver mines and ferocity of its warriors), this might be a germane reference, or it may be completely off. Maybe it’s related to helicopters, appropriate for a Raptor pilot. There is also something referred to as helo chrome wheels which apparently means something to car and truck enthusiasts. Wheels, cars, racing, spacecraft. There’s a connection there. Is it the right one? I have no idea.
Some names are more suggestive. Chuckles, Joker, Jolly. They all suggest that their owners may have been the proverbial class clown type. Crashdown? Not the most auspicious name for a pilot, frankly. Fireball? Turned out to be a *really* inauspicious – and alas, prescient – name for it’s owner. Cat? That at least seems like a fairly harmless and straightforward diminutive of her name Caitrine (or Kaitrine as it appears in one of the episode credits)
Of course what the names mean isn’t the only issue. There is also the question of when, why and how a pilot gets his/her call sign. And that in itself bears examination.
Thus far, there have been three occasions during which the subject of call signs has been touched upon:
Incident the first:
The first was in the mini series during the card game when a fairly soused Colonel Tigh commented in a less than flattering manner upon Starbuck’s call sign and its acquisition:
Tigh: Starbuck. That's a good call sign. Starbuck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck. (Making it sound like a chicken clucking.) Where'd you get that nickname, anyway? Was that before you were thrown in the brig for drunk and disorderly as a cadet, or after?
Starbuck: After.
Tigh: After, that's right, it was... after.
Now, clearly the primary function of this scene is narrative. There are several points the writers need to make here and they need to make them as quickly as possible because there is a lot of ground that needs to be covered re: the introduction of characters/issues/events in the first hour of the mini. What we learn is this: first, this that “Starbuck” is a pilot’s call sign rather than a name, a significant distinction that both harkens back to the original series even as it confirms a different direction. Second, the scene sets up the long standing antipathy between Kara and the XO that will continue throughout the mini and carry over into the series. The writers are also trying to establish character as quickly an efficiently as possible. We already see that Kara smokes cigars and gambles; now we learn that she has been “drunk and disorderly” and had spent time in the brig for that behavior. All in all, this scene, and what follows directly after (punching out Tigh) neatly establishes her rep as the cocky, rebellious, hot shot pilot with authority issues and something of a short fuse
So, maybe that’s all this scene is: setting the stage and establishing character. Except…there seems to be something else as well. Tigh isn’t just goading her at random, he’s using her call sign to do it. We don’t know precisely how or why she got her call sign, but Tigh does seem to imply it’s connected to the whole drunk, disorderly, dumped in the brig incident and that consequently it isn’t necessary flattering. It could be a coincidence, just an aside to this scene, which, as I mentioned already exists to make a number of other salient points about Kara’s character and her interaction with Tigh, but the evocation of her call sign in this context is piquant to be sure.
Incident the second:
The second time we are witness to a discussion about call signs is in “Bastille Day,” and interestingly enough, it’s another conversation in which a pilot’s call sign is used for mockery. Here it is Tom Zarek making not so light conversation about Lee’s call sign:
Zarek: They call you Apollo
Lee: It’s my call sign
Zarek: Apollo’s one of the Gods. A Lord of Kobol. You must be a very special man to be called a god.
Lee: It’s just a stupid nickname
Zarek: Son of Zeus. Good with a bow, god of the hunt. And also god of healing. Now, a god can reconcile those two opposing forces, but a mortal has to pick one side or the other. Have you picked a side, Apollo?
This is another fraught exchange, both emotionally and in terms of what the writers are trying to convey. First and foremost, of course there is the rather ironic subtext they’re playing with by having Zarek (played by Richard Hatch, the “original” Apollo) commenting upon his name to Lee (played by Jamie Bamber, the “new” Apollo). It’s a rather meta moment but it actually works surprisingly well. In fact, I think I would have been disappointed had the writers not acknowledged this issue in some way because as viewers we know what was going on behind the scenes. It’s a sly little nod and I like it quite a bit. It also continues, albeit a bit hamfistedly, the theme of “picking sides” introduced earlier in the episode. Yes, it’s got all the subtlety of a blow to the head, but I cut it some slack since this dilemma of choosing sides, of duality and the need to achieve balance between opposing forces is, appropriately enough, central to both Lee’s and Apollo’s character.
This scene, however, also provides some other information. It gives us a bit of insight into the religion of this universe, confirming that the “Gods” and the Lords of Kobol are one in the same. It also confirms that this particular god, Apollo, shares attributes with his earth counterpart (god of hunting, archery, healing). It also touches upon the relationship of Zeus, the king of the gods and father to Apollo. Zarek rather wryly – and derisively – quips that “Zeus is calling” when Adama calls, adding another layer of meaning and complexity to this exchange and the dynamic of Zarek/Lee and Adama/Lee. When Lee dismisses his call sign as being “just a stupid nickname” he seems rather weary. Is this because he’s recently had the ever loving crap beaten out of him, reason enough to be fatigued? Is it because he’s tired of sparring verbally with Zarek? Or is it, perhaps, because he’s really tired of having to discuss/defend his call sign? Once again, we know nothing about when/how Lee got his call sign, less even than we know about Starbuck’s since at least in her case there is some vaguely implied context. Lee, not at all.
So, where/how/when/why did Lee get this call sign? Is his call sign intended to flatter or to mock? Is it something he earned because of his skill or character? We actually don’t know a lot about Lee beyond his relationships with other characters. Apollo, as Zarek tells us is a the god of the hunt and of healing. Neither seems applicable, unless, of course the call sign is an allusion to Lee’s seeming “straight arrow” character. Apollo was also the god of music, of poetry, of prophecy. Again, none of these *seem* to fit, though the last is significant in terms of the show’s burgeoning mythology. Apollo is also the god of the sun. Hey! Maybe Lee has a penchant for nude sunbathing? Okay, so only in my dreams then. Apollo is also the god of rationality, of law and order and harmony. Now these are traits that can be associated quite easily with Lee. In “Bastille Day” Lee takes the side of the law (over those of his father and the president). Also, his grandfather, Joseph Adama was a civil liberties lawyer on Caprica (something we learn from Adama in “Litmus”). So, maybe Lee got his call sign because he’s a staunch proponent of the law.
Or maybe, the name isn’t meant to be flattering at all. Maybe it’s something of a dig both at him and the old man. In the mini, Lee accused his father of using his influence to get the unqualified Zak into flight school. Did that charge spring so quickly to his lips because he believed it, or was it perhaps because he himself had endured similar charges? Adama commands a battlestar. He was apparently a pilot during the Cylon wars and seems to have been something of a war hero. It wouldn’t at all be surprising that people might assume that he used his position to get his son special treatment. Hell, people do that sort of thing all the time. Even if Adama didn’t, there might well be whispers of nepotism and favoritism that no doubt would have pissed Lee off mightily, since a) they presumably weren’t true and b) if he and his father were already on less than favorable terms he’d further resent the idea that he owed anything to the old man. The more I think upon it, the more convinced I am that Zarek wasn’t the first one to make a connection between Zeus and Adama and their relationship to their respective sons.
Incident the third:
The third time we receive mention of call signs is in the next episode, “Act of Contrition” in which Kara finds herself confronted with the unenviable task of trying to whip some raw recruits into shape as Viper pilots. Her initial impression of the “nuggets” is less than positive. When she announces that “Pilots call me Starbuck. You may call me God,” one of the nuggets, Costanza, turns to his neighbor, Perry and mutters “She’s laying it on a little thick.” Apparently, discretion is not his strong suit because Kara busts him at once:
Starbuck: Costanza, right?
Costanza: Uh, yes... God... sir.
Starbuck: Not anymore. From now on, your name is Hot Dog, and when God speaks, Hot Dog, you listen. Maybe if you'd learned that at the academy, you wouldn't have washed out. (to another trainee) Sit up.
Here for the first time, we witness a pilot getting a call sign and in this case, it is most assuredly not intended to flatter. Quite the opposite: Costanza’s call sign is meant as a rebuke designed to put him in his place and remind him in no uncertain terms of his lowly standing in the chain of command. Is this the norm? Quite possibly, Remember; Kara wasn’t just a product of this system, she’d also been a part of it as a flight instructor. She probably learned to use that tactic in her role as teacher. And clearly she has no qualms about saddling her nuggets with embarrassing nicknames. Witness Costanza’s buddy Perry, who got the less than flattering call sign of Chuckles. If I were Costanza, I’d be grateful that I only got stuck with Hot Dog.
The evidence remains inconclusive, but there is, I think, sufficient reason to believe that call signs, at least a good part of the time, were a joke and one made at the owner’s expense. A derisive call sign would have been a way of keeping nuggets in line, reminding them of their place of their relative impotence compared with their seniors, ie “We get to taunt you with a name you hate and you just have to smile and take it.” With time, some of the sense of embarrassment (probably) would have worn off and the owner would (probably) reach a point where he/she could get a good laugh out of the name and the story behind it. It would, I suspect, even become an element of bonding amongst pilots. After all, if you’ve all been saddled with call signs you hate, you all have no choice but to deal and learn not to take yourself too seriously. At least, that’s my thinking.
Pilot roster with call signs
(all pilots introduced during the miniseries unless otherwise noted)
Original complement of the Galactica:
Husker: Cmdr William Adama
Former Viper pilot; Not directly addressed by call sign, but it is visible on the side of his former viper flown by Lee during the decommissioning ceremony
Starbuck: Lt. Kara Thrace
Viper pilot
Boomer: Lt.JG Sharon Valerii
Raptor pilot
Helo: Lt. Karl Agathon (left on Caprica; presumed deceased by shipmates)
Raptor pilot
Ripper: Maj. Jackson Spenser (killed during Cylon attack)
Viper pilot and CAG
Jolly: name unknown (shout-out to original series; killed during Cylon attack)
Viper pilot
Flatop: name unknown (introduced in “Bastille Day”; killed during accident in “Act of Contrition”)
Raptor pilot
From the launch board in deleted scene from the miniseries:
Ranger
Blazer
Dash
Lancer
Stalker
Additions to original complement of the Galactica:
Apollo: Cpt. Lee Adama
Viper pilot and CAG
Crashdown: name unknown (survivor from Triton; introduced in “33”)
Raptor Pilot
Hot Dog: Costanza (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”; Academy Fleet washout)
Viper pilot
Chuckles: Perry (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”; killed in “The Hand of God”)
Viper pilot
Cat: Katraine (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”)
Viper pilot
Other pilots:
Fireball: name unknown (introduced and killed in “The Hand of God”; Boy, talk about a prescient –and unlucky - callsign!)
Viper pilot
Stepchild: name unknown (introduced and killed in “The Hand of God”)
Viper pilot
Stubbs: name unknown (introduced in “The Hand of God”)
Raptor pilot
Racetrack: name unknown (introduced in “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, pt. 2”)
Raptor pilot
Written on the white board in “33” but otherwise unseen:
Frosty
Joker
Stinger
Hyper
Greenback
Mentioned by Lee in cut scene from “33”:
Winger
T-Bone
Wedge (Star Wars shout out!)
crossposted to my journal and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
bsg2003chatter
/shakes fist at
kuwdora for tossing that bunny at meSo...
The practice of using call signs to designate pilots did not originate with this universe, but is a carry over from standard military practice in out own. The insistence upon this usage is two-fold: it neatly establishes a parallel with our world, something done consistently throughout the series; it provides a credible explanation for the continued use of the – in this context pretty dorky - names given to the characters.
In regard to call signs, there are two interrelated issues: 1) the meaning of the name; 2) the mechanism for its attribution (when/where/how/why a pilot got his/her call sign).
At the bottom of this post is a list of all known (at least to me) call signs. I’d appreciate knowing if any are any missing from the list.
Most of the names on the list have a similar cadence: Husker, Ripper, Boomer, Stalker, Lancer. They’re evocative names, names that imply action (not surprisingly since they are nouns based on verbs), but one does wonder where they come from. Husker? What exactly is that name supposed to mean? Did Commander Adama just enjoy corn-on-the-cobb a lot or does the term have some other meaning in this particular universe? A husk is defined as being “a shell or outer covering, especially when considered worthless” so maybe it’s a nod to his proficiency at shooting down Cylons. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.
And what about Helo? What exactly does that name mean? “Helot” was one of a class of serfs in ancient Sparta. Given the use of Greek/Roman references throughout the show (Kara’s familial name Thrace, for example, is a region near Greece that in ancient times was known for its art, its gold and silver mines and ferocity of its warriors), this might be a germane reference, or it may be completely off. Maybe it’s related to helicopters, appropriate for a Raptor pilot. There is also something referred to as helo chrome wheels which apparently means something to car and truck enthusiasts. Wheels, cars, racing, spacecraft. There’s a connection there. Is it the right one? I have no idea.
Some names are more suggestive. Chuckles, Joker, Jolly. They all suggest that their owners may have been the proverbial class clown type. Crashdown? Not the most auspicious name for a pilot, frankly. Fireball? Turned out to be a *really* inauspicious – and alas, prescient – name for it’s owner. Cat? That at least seems like a fairly harmless and straightforward diminutive of her name Caitrine (or Kaitrine as it appears in one of the episode credits)
Of course what the names mean isn’t the only issue. There is also the question of when, why and how a pilot gets his/her call sign. And that in itself bears examination.
Thus far, there have been three occasions during which the subject of call signs has been touched upon:
Incident the first:
The first was in the mini series during the card game when a fairly soused Colonel Tigh commented in a less than flattering manner upon Starbuck’s call sign and its acquisition:
Tigh: Starbuck. That's a good call sign. Starbuck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck. (Making it sound like a chicken clucking.) Where'd you get that nickname, anyway? Was that before you were thrown in the brig for drunk and disorderly as a cadet, or after?
Starbuck: After.
Tigh: After, that's right, it was... after.
Now, clearly the primary function of this scene is narrative. There are several points the writers need to make here and they need to make them as quickly as possible because there is a lot of ground that needs to be covered re: the introduction of characters/issues/events in the first hour of the mini. What we learn is this: first, this that “Starbuck” is a pilot’s call sign rather than a name, a significant distinction that both harkens back to the original series even as it confirms a different direction. Second, the scene sets up the long standing antipathy between Kara and the XO that will continue throughout the mini and carry over into the series. The writers are also trying to establish character as quickly an efficiently as possible. We already see that Kara smokes cigars and gambles; now we learn that she has been “drunk and disorderly” and had spent time in the brig for that behavior. All in all, this scene, and what follows directly after (punching out Tigh) neatly establishes her rep as the cocky, rebellious, hot shot pilot with authority issues and something of a short fuse
So, maybe that’s all this scene is: setting the stage and establishing character. Except…there seems to be something else as well. Tigh isn’t just goading her at random, he’s using her call sign to do it. We don’t know precisely how or why she got her call sign, but Tigh does seem to imply it’s connected to the whole drunk, disorderly, dumped in the brig incident and that consequently it isn’t necessary flattering. It could be a coincidence, just an aside to this scene, which, as I mentioned already exists to make a number of other salient points about Kara’s character and her interaction with Tigh, but the evocation of her call sign in this context is piquant to be sure.
Incident the second:
The second time we are witness to a discussion about call signs is in “Bastille Day,” and interestingly enough, it’s another conversation in which a pilot’s call sign is used for mockery. Here it is Tom Zarek making not so light conversation about Lee’s call sign:
Zarek: They call you Apollo
Lee: It’s my call sign
Zarek: Apollo’s one of the Gods. A Lord of Kobol. You must be a very special man to be called a god.
Lee: It’s just a stupid nickname
Zarek: Son of Zeus. Good with a bow, god of the hunt. And also god of healing. Now, a god can reconcile those two opposing forces, but a mortal has to pick one side or the other. Have you picked a side, Apollo?
This is another fraught exchange, both emotionally and in terms of what the writers are trying to convey. First and foremost, of course there is the rather ironic subtext they’re playing with by having Zarek (played by Richard Hatch, the “original” Apollo) commenting upon his name to Lee (played by Jamie Bamber, the “new” Apollo). It’s a rather meta moment but it actually works surprisingly well. In fact, I think I would have been disappointed had the writers not acknowledged this issue in some way because as viewers we know what was going on behind the scenes. It’s a sly little nod and I like it quite a bit. It also continues, albeit a bit hamfistedly, the theme of “picking sides” introduced earlier in the episode. Yes, it’s got all the subtlety of a blow to the head, but I cut it some slack since this dilemma of choosing sides, of duality and the need to achieve balance between opposing forces is, appropriately enough, central to both Lee’s and Apollo’s character.
This scene, however, also provides some other information. It gives us a bit of insight into the religion of this universe, confirming that the “Gods” and the Lords of Kobol are one in the same. It also confirms that this particular god, Apollo, shares attributes with his earth counterpart (god of hunting, archery, healing). It also touches upon the relationship of Zeus, the king of the gods and father to Apollo. Zarek rather wryly – and derisively – quips that “Zeus is calling” when Adama calls, adding another layer of meaning and complexity to this exchange and the dynamic of Zarek/Lee and Adama/Lee. When Lee dismisses his call sign as being “just a stupid nickname” he seems rather weary. Is this because he’s recently had the ever loving crap beaten out of him, reason enough to be fatigued? Is it because he’s tired of sparring verbally with Zarek? Or is it, perhaps, because he’s really tired of having to discuss/defend his call sign? Once again, we know nothing about when/how Lee got his call sign, less even than we know about Starbuck’s since at least in her case there is some vaguely implied context. Lee, not at all.
So, where/how/when/why did Lee get this call sign? Is his call sign intended to flatter or to mock? Is it something he earned because of his skill or character? We actually don’t know a lot about Lee beyond his relationships with other characters. Apollo, as Zarek tells us is a the god of the hunt and of healing. Neither seems applicable, unless, of course the call sign is an allusion to Lee’s seeming “straight arrow” character. Apollo was also the god of music, of poetry, of prophecy. Again, none of these *seem* to fit, though the last is significant in terms of the show’s burgeoning mythology. Apollo is also the god of the sun. Hey! Maybe Lee has a penchant for nude sunbathing? Okay, so only in my dreams then. Apollo is also the god of rationality, of law and order and harmony. Now these are traits that can be associated quite easily with Lee. In “Bastille Day” Lee takes the side of the law (over those of his father and the president). Also, his grandfather, Joseph Adama was a civil liberties lawyer on Caprica (something we learn from Adama in “Litmus”). So, maybe Lee got his call sign because he’s a staunch proponent of the law.
Or maybe, the name isn’t meant to be flattering at all. Maybe it’s something of a dig both at him and the old man. In the mini, Lee accused his father of using his influence to get the unqualified Zak into flight school. Did that charge spring so quickly to his lips because he believed it, or was it perhaps because he himself had endured similar charges? Adama commands a battlestar. He was apparently a pilot during the Cylon wars and seems to have been something of a war hero. It wouldn’t at all be surprising that people might assume that he used his position to get his son special treatment. Hell, people do that sort of thing all the time. Even if Adama didn’t, there might well be whispers of nepotism and favoritism that no doubt would have pissed Lee off mightily, since a) they presumably weren’t true and b) if he and his father were already on less than favorable terms he’d further resent the idea that he owed anything to the old man. The more I think upon it, the more convinced I am that Zarek wasn’t the first one to make a connection between Zeus and Adama and their relationship to their respective sons.
Incident the third:
The third time we receive mention of call signs is in the next episode, “Act of Contrition” in which Kara finds herself confronted with the unenviable task of trying to whip some raw recruits into shape as Viper pilots. Her initial impression of the “nuggets” is less than positive. When she announces that “Pilots call me Starbuck. You may call me God,” one of the nuggets, Costanza, turns to his neighbor, Perry and mutters “She’s laying it on a little thick.” Apparently, discretion is not his strong suit because Kara busts him at once:
Starbuck: Costanza, right?
Costanza: Uh, yes... God... sir.
Starbuck: Not anymore. From now on, your name is Hot Dog, and when God speaks, Hot Dog, you listen. Maybe if you'd learned that at the academy, you wouldn't have washed out. (to another trainee) Sit up.
Here for the first time, we witness a pilot getting a call sign and in this case, it is most assuredly not intended to flatter. Quite the opposite: Costanza’s call sign is meant as a rebuke designed to put him in his place and remind him in no uncertain terms of his lowly standing in the chain of command. Is this the norm? Quite possibly, Remember; Kara wasn’t just a product of this system, she’d also been a part of it as a flight instructor. She probably learned to use that tactic in her role as teacher. And clearly she has no qualms about saddling her nuggets with embarrassing nicknames. Witness Costanza’s buddy Perry, who got the less than flattering call sign of Chuckles. If I were Costanza, I’d be grateful that I only got stuck with Hot Dog.
The evidence remains inconclusive, but there is, I think, sufficient reason to believe that call signs, at least a good part of the time, were a joke and one made at the owner’s expense. A derisive call sign would have been a way of keeping nuggets in line, reminding them of their place of their relative impotence compared with their seniors, ie “We get to taunt you with a name you hate and you just have to smile and take it.” With time, some of the sense of embarrassment (probably) would have worn off and the owner would (probably) reach a point where he/she could get a good laugh out of the name and the story behind it. It would, I suspect, even become an element of bonding amongst pilots. After all, if you’ve all been saddled with call signs you hate, you all have no choice but to deal and learn not to take yourself too seriously. At least, that’s my thinking.
Pilot roster with call signs
(all pilots introduced during the miniseries unless otherwise noted)
Original complement of the Galactica:
Husker: Cmdr William Adama
Former Viper pilot; Not directly addressed by call sign, but it is visible on the side of his former viper flown by Lee during the decommissioning ceremony
Starbuck: Lt. Kara Thrace
Viper pilot
Boomer: Lt.JG Sharon Valerii
Raptor pilot
Helo: Lt. Karl Agathon (left on Caprica; presumed deceased by shipmates)
Raptor pilot
Ripper: Maj. Jackson Spenser (killed during Cylon attack)
Viper pilot and CAG
Jolly: name unknown (shout-out to original series; killed during Cylon attack)
Viper pilot
Flatop: name unknown (introduced in “Bastille Day”; killed during accident in “Act of Contrition”)
Raptor pilot
From the launch board in deleted scene from the miniseries:
Ranger
Blazer
Dash
Lancer
Stalker
Additions to original complement of the Galactica:
Apollo: Cpt. Lee Adama
Viper pilot and CAG
Crashdown: name unknown (survivor from Triton; introduced in “33”)
Raptor Pilot
Hot Dog: Costanza (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”; Academy Fleet washout)
Viper pilot
Chuckles: Perry (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”; killed in “The Hand of God”)
Viper pilot
Cat: Katraine (one of Starbuck’s “nuggets” introduced in “Act of Contrition”)
Viper pilot
Other pilots:
Fireball: name unknown (introduced and killed in “The Hand of God”; Boy, talk about a prescient –and unlucky - callsign!)
Viper pilot
Stepchild: name unknown (introduced and killed in “The Hand of God”)
Viper pilot
Stubbs: name unknown (introduced in “The Hand of God”)
Raptor pilot
Racetrack: name unknown (introduced in “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, pt. 2”)
Raptor pilot
Written on the white board in “33” but otherwise unseen:
Frosty
Joker
Stinger
Hyper
Greenback
Mentioned by Lee in cut scene from “33”:
Winger
T-Bone
Wedge (Star Wars shout out!)
crossposted to my journal and
bsg2003chatter
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Jots that one down.
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It would, I suspect, even become an element of bonding amongst pilots. After all, if you’ve all been saddled with call signs you hate, you all have no choice but to deal and learn not to take yourself too seriously.
This is exactly how I see the call signs, especially after the way Kara hands them out. And it really works well with the way both Kara and Lee have reacted to being questioned about them--kind of an embarrassed resignation.
I have always thought that 'Husker' must be in reference to William's husky voice.
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Exactly! And because of that other pilots probably don't pry, unless, of course they've been drinking or they're really bored. Civilians, though...well, they would probably pry, not realizing there might be embarrassment attached.
I have always thought that 'Husker' must be in reference to William's husky voice.
Oooh! Hadn't thought of that one, but it certainly works.
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http://www.livejournal.com/community/13th_colony/34989.html
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I love my thinky show!
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however, i already linked to it in my LJ, so i'll pass that along here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/simplystars/102926.html)
the transcripts are pretty much dialogue only--don't know if there are plans to enhance them to be more script-like. but hey, lots of work and much better than nothing! :)
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And I forgot to mntion that your icon totally cracks me up!
Hee! Space Basset!
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Oh, and I forgot too--since you've seen all the eps, you can also check on Skiffy's site (www.scifi.com/battlestar), in the BSG Episodes section--for each ep, they have a "click here for episode credits" link that will let you view or download a pdf that lists all the cast in that ep. I've used those to look for pilots and callsigns, too. :D
Spoilers at that link, for those who haven't seen through 1-13!
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Anything we can do to tempt you even more to write that? *g*
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Oy!
Helo
I just had a thought on the meanings of names. I think (and it's been a long, long time since I had anything resembling Greek Mythology or language, so...) that 'Helo' has something to do with the sun. It shows up in a lot of words, such as Heliopolos, etc.