Thread: Outlaw Star - The Hook

For me, the initial "hook" was the temperamental white-haired alien catgirl I'd seen in the trailer. However, when the first couple of episodes dealt with Hilda, Gene, Jim and Mel trying to elude pirates who were attacking with Tao spells, I still found it pretty riveting and Aisha's introduction was just a bonus by that point.

I also enjoyed how as the series progressed, Aisha and Jim were close enough that she was actively protecting Jim from harm without a second thought when things started to get hairy.

Like Mantis (and others in their own ways) said, OS really kinda has it all if you're looking for cool SF that's fun and has genuine heartfelt moments. As with any good series (there may be a few exceptions to this "rule" as with any, but I digress), OS has memorable characters--really, truly memorable--and not just one or a few, but ALL of them! But if I had to pick, what was THE hook for me? To be fair, I knew of OS's reputation and everyone I knew raved about it so I was "hooked" before putting in the disc (that's right, I still use a DVD player!), but for me it was one "Hot Ice" Hilda. She's so enigmatic when we first meet her (who is she? what's her agenda? Is she "good" "bad" or something in between?), and remains so all the way up to her final moments (sob). (Not to go on a tangent/rant, but there's a little tip for any aspiring writers...we don't NEED to know everyt little thing about a character's backstory, especially not via cheesy flashback or even cheesier monologue...why does Hilda wear an eyepatch? How did she meet Swanzo? How did she get the name "Hot Ice" Hilda? So much we don't know, and that's so cool.) BUT what we do get to learn about her speaks volumes, nothing more so than her final actions. TL;DR sure, I have a bit of a thing for 'older' world-wise women in general, and her character design is awesome (as is her English VA, very fitting), but what really made me LOVE Hilda as a character was that pivotal moment that the famous (U.S.) Toonami bumper 'Broken Promise Dreams' honed in on: that moment when she physically and psychologically confronts Gene, and he has to step up to the plate. I was so sad to see her go, but in a way she kind of had to (sob again) sort of like Obi-Wan to Luke: she was the guide, helping our young protagonist 'take that first step into a larger world' and then has to move on so he can grow to his full potential.

Though those big shoes were successfully filled by the likes of Gene, Jim, Aisha and others, I gotta' say thank you Hilda for hooking me on Outlaw Star!

for me it was one "Hot Ice" Hilda. She's so enigmatic when we first meet her (who is she? what's her agenda? Is she "good" "bad" or something in between?), and remains so all the way up to her final moments

Whoa...pretty much all of what you wrote there is what I was trying to convey in my post above.

There's something to be said about a show where the writers aren't afraid to kill off one of the coolest characters so early in the series' run while simultaneously showing the audience enough respect make no attempt to bring her back through some contrived plot device.

Originally Posted by (Who is) Lobo

for me it was one "Hot Ice" Hilda. She's so enigmatic when we first meet her (who is she? what's her agenda? Is she "good" "bad" or something in between?

Nicely put!
Hilda is a beautiful mystery.
We're only given the tip of the no-doubt massive ice berg that is her character in the show, which just goes to show how alive the show's universe really is.

We're only given the tip of the no-doubt massive ice berg that is her character in the show

A Hot Ice-berg, no less.