Is Kara Thrace really dead? LAME. Is Kara Thrace one of the final five cylons? LAME. Will Kara evolve into some type of mega-being/ angel to guide the colonists to earth? Now, that's more like it. That would be an actual destiny as opposed to the cop-out of facing the abyss and decided to dive inside.
It's hard to imagine the show without Starbuck; one of the strongest, most interesting female television characters ever created. So, it would be a powerful move to show a woman, with all her faults transform into something/ someone better - something transcendent. Like Buffy - like Rose Tyler absorbing time vortex - Starbuck as goddess is wonderfully compelling.
There is precedent for this type of character in the mythology of both the old and new series: In the old series, there were "seraphs;" angelic, non-corporial alien beings that came to Galactica's aid...and claimed, "As you now are, we once were; as we now are you may yet become." They travel in a ship known as the Ship of Lights, which has the ability to show up wherever and whenever it's needed. (Like in the middle of a gas cloud right before your viper explodes??)
In the new series we have Baltar's "ChipSix" who has directed Baltar's destiny from the beginning and in turn Caprica Six has her own "imaginary Baltar." Kara herself was guided to her fate by the manifestation of Leoben.
In the episode, the oracle gives Kara the little angel and when Kara gives it to Adama later, it is to put at the front of his ship...she says, "she brings a fair wind and a fresh start." The idea of the angel, guiding Adama's ship cannot have simply been throw away imagery, in my opinion.
It may be too much to ask for - maybe she's really just dead, but as significant as her loss might be - her return as something unexpected would be so much better.
