The story was revealed to fans in the amazing book So Say We All: The Complete Uncensored, Unauthorized, Oral History of Battlestar Galactica, put together by Edward Gross, and it came about when Ronald Moore declared, as he described it, killing Starbuck was one of the stupidest decisions in the history of the show. To avoid word about Starbuck’s death leaking out onto the internet, Moore decided not to tell the rest of the cast.

At the same time, Katee Sackhoff was walking around telling everyone she was leaving and having heartfelt goodbyes with her co-stars, even though she knew she was returning.