The only daughter of Commander Adama, Athena was first seen as a shuttle pilot, then as a bridge officer. She appears to have been aboard theGalactica only for a short period of time, since Starbuck refers to her as being a trainee. She trains as a Viper pilot inLost Planet of the Gods, but returns to her post later on. She is also seen as a instructor inGreetings from Earth.

Athena is close to her father, but she isn't at all close with Apollo. She was also involved with Starbuck, her brother's best friend. When Cassiopia came on the scene, Starbuck pushed Athena aside after juggling between them for a few episodes.

Introduced as a strong female character, the writers quickly became unsure of how to write her, and the casting choice of Maren Jensen might not have been a great choice. A novice actress and a former model, Jensen was apparently unhappy with the situation, and wanted to go back to modelling. Athena disappears completely after Greetings from Earth, and no mention was made as to where she was.