Completely agree with you on Kara Thrace - she's amongst my favorite female characters as well. And for all the reasons you mention above. Even when Galatica got on my nerves - I stuck with it in part because of Kara. That genderswitch was a stroke of genuis for oh so many many reasons.

It's actually what pulled me into watching the show. Not sure I would have - if it weren't for Kara. I shipped that character hard.