Lee Adama and the Catch 22..
In which I mentally work through my reaction to recent developements with the character of Lee Adama and so I am cutting to save the eyes of possibly still virgin viewers...
I confess to being initially a bit skeptical about this new direction for Lee and here's why...
In a real world sense, I have some issues with a terrifically skilled pilot, tactician and seniour military leader leaving in the middle of a war to go debate policy and ethics (something any number of other people in the fleet could do who don't also possess his particular skill set and experience), simply because he feels it's the time to follow his personal destiny.
On a characterisation level, it's true Lee was ready to muster out before the war started, and it's also true he's indicated dreams of doing something other than fighting. What war movie doesn't have its characters wistfully discussing what they'd be doing if they weren't in the trenches? Dreaming of a different future is necessary to stave off the insanity of war itself.
Also true is that since as far back as S1, Lee has been the character to take a stand and act as a moral conscience, a bellwether. This has been an inherent element of his personality since the get-go and he's been moving more and more in this direction. On this level, I can certainly see him feeling compelled to act and serve in this capacity, follow this destiny. I just see it as something he would do when the fighting is done, because above all, Lee Adama is a moral man and must surely recognise where he is most desperately needed-that he in particular, as an individual, has much to offer to the fight. This isn't a far away war on foreign shores or colonies with tours of duty; this is a post-apocalyptic day-in-day-out fight for the very survival of humanity as a species. Big stakes here. Stakes which aren’t really best served by faffing about in politics.
A young and able-bodied soldier leaving the dire fight to run for office under these circumstances might not be looked upon too favourably by his potential constituents (I wouldn’t personally feel inclined to vote for him).
In a real world sense, Lee Adama belongs in the cockpit and the tactical room, where his skills and intellect are most useful.
But therein lies the Catch 22 and also the reason I’m going with the handwave…
This isn’t the real world, this a television drama nearing its expiry date. Leaving your young male lead, Lee Adama, in the role of a sort intrepid and un-ironic Yossarian--while Kara goes off to prove the truth in her destiny (and possibly lead humanity unto salvation), while Roslin and Adama continue as the stalwart watchdog and shepherd of humanity--really doesn’t give him much to do, does it? It would be an egregious waste of a character who’s already been short-changed on occasion in the past.
There would be no dramatic juxtaposition of having the wretchedly doomed star-crossed lovers once again separated, this time to follow their conscience and their respective perceived destinies. There would be no poignant farewell party or salute. There certainly wouldn’t be as many opportunities for character growth, interplay or the sort of thought-provoking indictment/monologue we got at the close of S3. Moving Lee into this new position should set up nicely for new and different interactions with both Adama and Roslin (something many have been craving more of since the mini).
I do honestly feel that Lee’s reasons for resigning are a little flimsy, but this is courtesy of writers who are walking a tightrope by stretching the concept of “in character” just enough to ask us to believe that Lee would indeed resign in the middle of a war (was that even an option at Ardennes?) to pursue duty in a way he feels is even more valuable than his current contribution. I may not love this. I may even cry “Oy, there! Clunky!” But it is what it is, and I am accepting it because, like Lee, I think it’s for the greater good (and ultimately, better TV). Sometimes you just have to handwave.
Some things I loved about the episode:
-- For some reason, I never look forward to the Baltar scenes and yet they always end up taking me by surprise and last night was no exception. Head!Baltar conversing with real Baltar was cracktastic joy.
--The very bizarre and awkward Tory/Baltar sexing was on the other hand really bizarre and awkward. And ew. Wtf was up with opening the scene with her twitching foot?
--Helo has gotten some guff for not being a good friend to Starbuck (huh?), but I really loved that little head-nod at the end of the episode between he and Adama. I took it as a sort of I promise to take care of our girl, Sir nod.
--I wasn’t a huge fan of the rather draggy World of the Cylon: The Disco Years arc we were gifted last season (aside from Bear’s piano concerto) but I loved the start of the Cylon War of Cavil Aggression Civil War. Cranky and snarky Dean Stockwell is always a win in my book, I like the Natalie Six quite a bit and of course there was my beloved Leoben! Eeeee! Also, I feel like we learned more about the Cylon last night than we did through the whole goofy disco arc.
--Did I hear that right? Phallic Inhibitor? Hee.
--And since I didn’t mention it last week…the FX from the opening battle were like the most sublime geek p0rn ever with all the looping and weaving about and shifting perspective and angles, and the cannons and sound. It was just stunningly lovely.
In other news, does anyone know how to remove gum from whippet?