Kane

Kane
Henry Silva's Kane
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Role	Aide de camp to Princess Ardala
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Portrayed by	Henry Silva (1979 film) Michael Ansara (1979 series)
Additional Information
Kane in the separate continuity
Kane in the primary continuity
Michael Ansara's Kane

Kane is Princess Ardala's aide de camp and commander of Draconia, both of the Draconian Empire.

History

Kane is a defector from Earth to the Draconian Realm, a powerful empire said to have conquered three quarters of the known universe. He is the supreme commander of the Draconian forces under Emperor Draco.

Depictions

Kane was depicted differently by the two actors who portrayed him.

For the film (whose contents were re-edited into the pilot episode, "Awakening"), Henry Silva portrayed Kane as not hiding his ambition and willing to use Ardala as a tool to climb the ladder of power. He was also more assertive towards Princess Ardala, not afraid to openly criticize her and her decisions, particularly when William "Buck" Rogers entered the picture.

Michael Ansara portrayed Kane as a more honorable man who was less prone to insubordination but was nonetheless able to humiliate her in more subtle ways when she behaves dishonorably (BR25: "Escape from Wedded Bliss"). He also had a growing respect for Rogers as the series progressed (BR25: "Flight of the War Witch").

Notes

• In the original 1930s Buck Rogers serials, Ardala was Kane's subordinate.
• Except on the packaging of the Mego action figures, the character is never referred to as "Killer" Kane in either the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century film or subsequent television series.
• Kane is one of two re-casted recurring characters from the film to television series, the other being the voice of Dr. Theopolis.
• In the tie-in novel Buck Rogers: Lo, the Rings of Saturn, it was stated that the different Kanes were actually two separated brothers, thus explaining the two different portrayals. Thus, it is "explained" that Silva's "Kane" is the younger brother named Arrin, who was also called "Killer". Following the failed Draconian attack on Earth in the pilot, Ardala was able to successfully scapegoat him for the disaster, and he was removed from his position; however, Arrin's fate was unspecified. Conversely, Ansara's "Kane" is the elder Kane brother, also named Ansara, as a nod to the character actor who played him.