If that continues you should remove the spark plugs and then try cranking the engine. If an injector is leaking fuel into the cylinder it can hydrolock the engine, which makes it difficult if not impossible for the starter to turn the engine.

 

pulled the airbox and sprayed a good amount of starting fluid down the throttle body. at first, just turning, then started to glug to power, ran a bit rough (expecting it to die out after burning through the starting fluid, and finally came to life idling out quite nicely. let it run for a bit, a few more shut offs and restarts and all seems fine....for now.

not sure what to make of all this. maybe some combo of poor battery performance and finicky starter and something with the fuel supply. just hoping its not an intermittent electrical issue.

 

I know you said your cables look fine, but I would replace them. Just because they look fine on the outside, doesn't mean they aren't corroded to dust on the inside