Lee "Apollo" Adama (Battlestar Galactica)

[inlovewithnight]

Title: Not The Hero You're Looking For
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica
Character: Lee Adama
Author: inlovewithnight
Spoilers: All episodes to date; miniseries through the end of season 2
Notes: Thanks to karabair and romanticalgirl for AIM discussions that really helped clarify a lot.

Comments

[asta77]

He's delightfully flawed, and in terms of comparative airtime, he has a hell of a lot more issues to pack into each scene. Sure, I like Lee because Jamie Bamber is a lovely specimen of man-flesh, but I also like that he can say more with a single reaction shot than a speech, and that he brings his A-game to whatever the writers hand him (hi, "Black Market!").

Amen! :)

He's a complicated character if viewed as a whole; when broken down into episodic chunks, that complexity may read as inconsistency. Lee's more than the sum of his parts, or his scenes.Not that there haven't been some missteps in regards to the writing of Lee Adama ('Black Market' and the Lee/Dee romance jump to mind), but, overall, I think the character has been written consistantly. Whether or not you agree with some of the reveals about his character (the Dead Pregnanct Girlfriend, the hooker, the depression...) they do tell us something about him that we didn't know before. I think the show has done a pretty good job of letting us get to know these charaters as

[inlovewithnight]

Thanks. Wow, such a thoughtful comment, I have no idea what to say. ::flails::

"Inconsistent" is one of the complains I've seen around and about regarding Lee; I think that it's the same situation as the show as a whole, though. Broken down week by week, you can't see the larger patterns. If you view it as a whole, though, it becomes clearer.

the look on Lee's face...something in him just dies right there. Two people who he trusts and has so much faith in he discovers have made this decision that is abhorrent to him personally and unfathomable in the society they say they are trying to create.
Yes. Oh, that scene.

there is a difference between Zarek whose ideals were for the better of society, but his means did not justify his ends and a guy who murdered people to protect his bottom line and is selling kids into slavery.
Good point. I may have been excessively harsh on Black Market here. :)

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

[ancarett]

Oh, lovely essay! I agree with you that so much of his character's depth and interest has been muted, seemingly forgotten, for large chunks of season two. The writers seemed content to play the "ohmigosh EMO!Iwannadie!" card for a few episodes and then let it drift. We lack forward development of his link with Laura Roslin, his fierce hatred of Sharon is simply not addressed at all after a point. . . . It's frustrating because he's such a great character who can be more than just a foil for Kara and company.

Also, for Great Lee scenes, I'd also add "Home, Part II" where he reunites with his father. That scene brings me to tears every time I see it, dang it! The whole episode does have some great Lee moments what with his reaction to the bickering amongst the exile fleet, the return of Kara, his reunion with his father and the whole Sharon antagonism!

[inlovewithnight]

Thank you! I'm hoping for forward development, as you said, next season. Fingers crossed. He makes a great foil, but he should have more time to himself.

Oh, yes! I can't believe I forgot "Home."

[anonymous_sibyl]

Who's a good widdle essay, then? *G*

I like this. This was very much my Lee, and you took into account all his flaws, and managed to somehow integrate them in a way that makes sense to me.

[inlovewithnight]

Thank you! :)

[juprujac]

This is excellent! Really, really wonderful. Lee Adama is without a doubt my favorite BSG character, and I have great love for him.

"Bastille Day" is one of my favorite episodes, especially because we see Lee take a stand and that last conversation between him, Adama and Roslin is just one of his best moments. I can’t say that was when I feel in love with him because he had me with ”The lady’s in charge” in the mini. ;)
I guess what pulls me to him (along with the beautiful, because he is beautiful) is the fact the Lee Adama is real. He is not a one faced character, always everyone’s friend, the nice guy, the emo guy, the bitch, the best at everything (this really bothers me with Kara) etc. He is a combination of all of it.

Even though, like you said, this isn’t about Lee/Kara, I just have to say I think this is completely true:
” …is that he can't count on her. Whatever else she may be, she's not an emotional support for him.”

Thank you for writing this and spreading the Lee love. Our boy is just wonderful, don’t you think?!

[brightest_blue]

Yes, just, yes. Lee is such an interesting, complex and totally hot character that I hope they do more with him in Season 3. It seemed that the writers' interest in him petered out somewhere in the middle of Season 2.