Kira (Starsky & Hutch)
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kira (no last name given) |
| Occupation: | homicide detective |
| Relationships: | sleeps with both Starsky and Hutch, but not at the same time |
| Fandom: | Starsky and Hutch |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Kira is a homicide cop from another department/precinct who goes undercover as bait in a series of murders at a dance hall. She appeared in a single episode called "Starsky vs. Hutch," an episode many fans considered their least favorite due to Starsky and Hutch's actions and subsequent fighting with each other.
Kira is often a focus of character bashing.
The Canon Kira
Kira was Starsky's girlfriend and presented herself to him as a wholesome homebody. She also flirted a lot with Hutch, and with him, took on a "bad girl" persona. When Starsky told Hutch he loved Kira, Hutch went to Kira's house to break off their, at this time, unconsummated relationship. Kira told him she loved both men in different ways, and she and Hutch end up in bed together. When Starsky discovered what had happened, conflict ensued.
At the end of the episode, Starsky and Hutch appeared to make up and offered Kira a shot at a threesome with them, something she declined. Starsky and Hutch then walked away, arm in arm.
The Fanon Kira
Kira is the most well-known, most-written about, and controversial female character in the show, and this episode is one of the most discussed, and often disliked, in the whole series. It doesn't help that "Starsky vs. Hutch" was aired out of order, giving it not only an odd emotional punch, but as the second to the last episode in the whole series and coming right before "Sweet Revenge," it offers fans all sorts of unresolved tension.
Most fans write Kira as a meddler, a manipulative bitch, and worse. Some fans argue that she is simply exercising her sexuality in much the same way male characters did, and that her character gets blamed for all sorts of double standards.
In slash fiction, she is a very handy character used to show the sexual tensions between the two men, the jealousy they feel, and the inevitable outcome.
There are also a small number of fics that have Kira pregnant and not knowing whether Starsky or Hutch is the father. One fic, Their Mother's Eyes, has her give birth to fraternal twins, one with yellow, cornsilk hair and the other with dark, curly locks. Much angst ensues.
Other Fan Comments About Kira
1985
Watched STARSKY VS. HUTCH again recently and I suddenly came to the conclusion that Kira was not all that dumb. She was right y'know! Men do have their cake and eat it too - so why not us women? Hutch didn't really have an answer when Kira confronted him with that one, did he? At least he had the decency to look suitably embarrassed. We've all taken a dig at Kira in past forums but let's be honest, ladies - l'm certain there's lots of us who've eaten breakfast in two different locations in one week sometime during our lives. Was Kira any different? What would we have done if presented with the same opportunity? [1]
2005
Betrayal. In spite of the many fan fic stories where one betrays the other somehow and eventually they kiss and make up, I think an outright betrayal would finish even the closest friendship. Kira was an aberration and I can believe that Starsky eventually forgave Hutch that one -- mostly because deep down he knew what she really was -- but I'll bet it took some huge squirming on Hutch's part and a long period of rebuilding trust. Personal betrayal, not being there when the other needed him, lying, failing to live up to a promise, those things would cause a rift that probably wouldn't heal. [3]
Some Kira Fics
- Soft as Fine Leather, Smooth as Silk by Elizabeth Lowry (originally printed in The Fix #8)
- Kira at Tagging Bay City & Episode Related
- The Thousandth Man by Suzan Lovett
- Kira's Point of View by Amye
- Their Mother's Eyes, part one (gen); Their Mother's Eyes, part two (slash) by Jayed (fraternal twins, "The boy now had wispy white blonde hair. The girl possessed a riot of black curls.")
Some Kira Vids
Some Kira Art
Despite her high fiction profile, she is non-existent in art.
Meta
References
- ^ from The Who Do We Trust Times #2
- ^ from APB #36 (1985)
- ^ quoted anonymously from The Pits Mailing List (Mar 7, 2005)