Editing Leland Adama

{{Character Data
|photo= Lee Adama.jpg
|age= ca. 30 <ref name="birthdate">This date is assumed as follows: [[Zak Adama]] died 2 years before the Cylon attack. Since he graduated from some kind of military academy, he would be at least 22 years old, following real world models. On a [[:Image:Youngadamafamily.jpg|photograph]] of William Adama with his sons, Lee seems to be about two years older than Zak, placing his birth at about 26 years prior to the Cylon attack</ref>
|birthdate=c. {{BCH|26}}<ref name="birthdate"/>
|colony= {{RDM|Caprica}}
|birthname=  Leland Joseph Adama
|callsign= Apollo
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Unknown causes, presumably on Earth, c. 148,000 BCE
|parents= [[William Adama]] (father)<br>[[Carolanne Adama]] † (mother) 
|siblings= [[Zak Adama]] †
|children=Unnamed unborn child with [[Gianne]] (presumed deceased)
|marital status= Widowed from estranged wife [[Anastasia Dualla]] †
|familytree=Y
|role=Proto-[[wikipedia:Luddite|Luddite]] advocate on Earth;<br>Acting President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol;<br>Caprican Delegate to the Quorum of Twelve;<br>Commander of Battlestar ''Pegasus'';<br>''Galactica'' [[CAG]]
|rank=Major (ret.)
|serial=318742 <ref name="serial">Confirmed number from QMX dogtags given to them by the studio.</ref>
|cylon=
|actor=[[Jamie Bamber]]
|name= 
|archives=lee-adama
|series=TRS}}
'''Leland [[Joseph]] [[Adama]]''', commonly known as '''[[Lee (disambiguation)|Lee]] Adama''' or by his callsign, '''"Apollo"''', is a former [[Colonial Fleet Reserve]] officer who becomes the {{RDM|Caprica}}n delegate to the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]], then later the interim President of the [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]. He is the sole surviving son of [[William Adama]].

Lee Adama's relationship with his father had always been strained, culminating with a fracture after the death of his younger brother, [[Zak Adama|Zak]], two years before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]. Various attempts at reconciliation occur over the following years, but even these produce conflict as Lee attempts step outside his father's shadow.

After the Fall, he is appointed ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'' [[CAG]]. He is later promoted to executive officer, then commander of ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]''. After [[Battle of New Caprica|''Pegasus'''s destruction]], he resumes being ''Galactica'' CAG until he resigns from the Colonial Fleet to aid in [[Romo Lampkin]]'s defense of [[Gaius Baltar]]. 

During the post-Fall events, he has romantic relationships with {{callsign|Starbuck}}, [[Shevon]], and [[Anastasia Dualla]], the latter whom he marries months after the discovery of [[New Caprica]]. His defense of Baltar, coupled with previous marital issues surrounding Thrace, contribute to his eventual, final split from Dualla.  

== Biographical Notes ==

=== Background ===

Lee Adama is the elder son of [[Carolanne Adama|Carolanne]] and William Adama. He and his his younger brother, Zak, were raised largely by his mother on {{RDM|Caprica}} following his parents' divorce when he was eight. 

As a child, Adama often visited his grandfather, [[Joseph Adama]], and read the law books in his study; he often followed his grandfather's cases, never understanding why Joseph Adama defended the worst of humanity {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.

Despite his father's estrangement from the family, Adama followed in his footsteps and joined the Colonial military after college, graduating third in his class at the military academy and applying to flight school.

In flight school, Adama proved himself a gifted and natural pilot, hampered only by his tendency to over-intellectualize, a trait instilled by his mother who encouraged him to read widely and think freely, such as reading the banned texts by the renegade [[Tom Zarek]] while at college {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.

After flight school, Adama was promoted to lieutenant and was assigned to pilot the [[Viper Mark VII]]. He was also introduced to {{callsign|Starbuck}}, a flight instructor who had become involved with Zak. The three frequently spent time together, and Adama and Thrace formed a friendship {{TRS|Miniseries}}.

=== Brother's Death ===

Two years prior to the Fall, Zak died while on a routine Viper mission, the cause attributed to pilot error. However, Lee Adama chose to blame the mishap on his father, believing Zak had been pushed by him into following his footsteps {{TRS|Miniseries}}. 

Estranged from his father, Lee sought to build a career apart from William Adama. This decision placed a heavy strain on his friendship with Kara Thrace, who got assigned to ''Galactica''. 

Adama spent much time on Caprica and was engaged to a woman named [[Gianne]]. When she told him she was pregnant with their child, he ran from her due to his own family issues. Before he could speak with her again he received orders to take part in ''Galactica'''s decommissioning ceremony {{TRS|Black Market}}.

Despite having a natural knack for piloting, acceptance to test pilot school and being "well on his way to commanding a battlestar someday," Adama tells [[Frank Bruno]] at the [[Caprica Transfer Station]] that he is considering leaving the Colonial Fleet, as he is disinterested in achieving dreams that were his father's alone ([[TRS]]: "[[Razor]]," [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)#Razor|deleted scene]]).

===First Meeting with Kara Thrace===
In the series finale "[[Daybreak, Part II]]," flashbacks reveal that Lee's first meeting with Kara Thrace was far more intense than previously known, as she had been dating [[Zak Adama]] at the time. Late into the night after the dinner, an immediate, powerful chemistry between the two, with Kara daring Lee to make love to her on her dining room table. However, before they could act on their mutual attraction, the crash of a glass partially awakens Zak, causing them to realize what they were doing. They shake hands and say goodbye, with the moment serving as the foundation for their complex relationship throughout the series {{TRS|Daybreak, Part I|Daybreak, Part II}}.<ref name="daybreak">{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/bg4-daybreak-pt-2/ |title=BG4: "Daybreak, Parts I & II" |author=Bear McCreary |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref>

:This encounter also introduces the symbolic pigeon that becomes trapped in Lee's apartment after this visit. According to composer [[Bear McCreary]], throughout the finale this pigeon represents Kara's spirit and Lee's love for her—the more he tries to capture it, the further away it flies, until finally he must let it go. The pigeon serves as a metaphor for their entire relationship: the harder Lee tries to hold onto Kara, the more elusive she becomes.<ref name="daybreak"/>

Adama reunites with both his father and Kara Thrace at ''Galactica'''s decommissioning and conversion into a [[Galactica Museum|living museum and educational center]] of the [[Cylon War]]. As a part of the ceremonies, Lee Adama grudgingly participates in a final Viper flyby salute, doing little to hide his true feelings from the moment he arrives on the battlestar. Matters are not helped when he discovers he will fly in the restored [[Viper Mark II]] his father flew during the Cylon War {{TRS|Miniseries|Razor Flashbacks}}.

Things worsen after the PR official aboard ''Galactica'', [[Aaron Doral]], sees Captain Adama's presence on ''Galactica'' as a major PR opportunity and has Adama and his father pose for pictures together. Immediately following this, Adama confronts his father over his brother's death, venting two years' worth of anger and belief that his father was responsible for the loss of his brother.

=== Surprise [[Cylon Attack]] ===

Following the decommissioning ceremony, Lee Adama departs ''Galactica'', acting as an unofficial escort for ''[[Colonial Heavy 798]]'', the official transport for Secretary of Education [[Laura Roslin]], who represented President [[Richard Adar|Adar]] at the ceremony. Midway through their return to {{RDM|Caprica}}, Adama and the crew of ''Colonial Heavy 798'' hear of the Cylon attacks on the [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|Twelve Colonies]], and soon find themselves under direct attack, which he is able to thwart. Adama quickly becomes one of Laura Roslin's unofficial advisers, aiding her in her self-appointed rescue mission. Adama's annoyance of his father's old Viper comes back to haunt him when [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]], returning from her unexpected rescue mission on Caprica and disastrous attack on two [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raiders]], notes to him that other Vipers and other modern Colonial spacecraft like his Mark VII were [[Command Navigation Program|easily destroyed]] by Cylon attacks.

Adama again saves ''Colonial Heavy 798'' from a nuclear missile attack with a failed experiment he toyed with in [[War College]], using [[EMP]] coils kept in the cargo hold to make it look like the ship has been destroyed. He supports Roslin in her rescue efforts, persuading her to lead the [[FTL]]-capable ships to follow ''Galactica'' to [[Ragnar Anchorage]]. 

As the ranking pilot aboard ''Galactica'', and despite his relative inexperience, Adama finds himself appointed [[CAG]] by Colonel [[Saul Tigh]].

Apollo leads a Viper squadron in the [[Battle of Ragnar Anchorage]], keeping the Cylon Raiders at bay while the civilian [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] jumps to safety. His ship is badly damaged during in the battle, and is about to be destroyed by a Cylon missile when the missile is intercepted and shot by Starbuck's highly-accurate marksmanship. His Viper eventually loses power as the battle draws to a close and ''Galactica'' is preparing to retreat. Starbuck saves him with a crazy idea and her flying skills, bringing them back to ''Galactica'' shortly before the battlestar jumps away.

=== Special Advisor ===  
[[image:Water_Apollo_Roslin.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Adama and President Roslin shake hands after appointment as military advisor {{TRS|Water}}.]]
Adama's work as Roslin's "special advisor" to further help her understand military matters does not sit well with his father, who is still harboring some reservations about Roslin {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.   

In the weeks following the Cylon attack, Adama finds time to re-evaluate his relationship with his father - due in no small part to Starbuck's admission of her involvement in Zak's acceptance as a fighter pilot and his subsequent death. Father and son grow somewhat closer - even standing shoulder-to-shoulder when Starbuck is missing in action and both going to great lengths to save her {{TRS|You Can't Go Home Again}}. Even so, Adama's former self-doubts and moodiness are not easily overcome and sometimes come back to haunt him when he is tasked to fill a role that others are unsure he can manage. As a Viper pilot, Adama is able to escape from Starbuck's shadow, proving himself capable in unconventional and skilled flying in the [[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid]] {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.

After the tylium asteroid mission, Adama matures enormously, emerging from his shell as a somewhat disillusioned officer and becomes a practical leader who now comfortably straddles his responsibilities as [[CAG]] of ''Galactica'' with his duties as advisor to Roslin. With few issues with either Roslin or his father, Adama demonstrates his maturity particularly well in his handling of security arrangements for the initial meeting of Roslin's [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]] aboard the luxury liner ''[[Cloud 9]]'' {{TRS|Colonial Day}}.

=== The Inner Conflicts at Kobol ===

Eventually, Adama's beliefs in the need for democratic representation and civil government brings him in direct conflict with orders given him by his father. During the arrest of Laura Roslin following her [[Arrow of Apollo|interference with military operations]], Captain Adama draws his gun on [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] in a direct act of mutiny, protesting his father's removal of Roslin from office. Arrested together with Roslin, Adama watches helplessly in [[CIC]] as [[Sharon Valerii|Lieutenant Valerii]] shoots his father at point blank range, seriously wounding him ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").

Adama is temporarily furloughed by Colonel Tigh so that he can continue to carry out his duties. For a time, Commander Adama's initiative lives on through his son. Young Adama leads a fight with Cylons to buy time for ''Galactica'' to find its proper bearings to the civilian Fleet {{TRS|Scattered}}, and leads a team of [[Marines]] to stop [[Cylon Centurion]]s that boarded the ship {{TRS|Valley of Darkness}}. After that, Adama continues his initiative and leads a [[SAR]] mission with two [[Raptors]] to retrieve a stranded survey team on the surface of Kobol {{TRS|Fragged}}.

Adama's desire to let democracy work without overt military action comes to a head once more as he plots, with a handful of others, to free Roslin and smuggle her away from ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Resistance (episode)|Resistance}}. Before he leaves, he apologizes to his unconscious Commander Adama at his bedside for what he is about to do: Leave with Roslin and a [[Laura Roslin faction|faction]] of ships to search for data on Earth on Kobol. Commander Adama begins to awaken just as young Adama leaves his side.

On ''[[Astral Queen]]'', Adama is so happy to see Kara Thrace has returned safely from Caprica with the [[Arrow of Apollo]] that he hugs and also impulsively kisses her, pleasantly surprising Thrace. Moments later, as the Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii enters, Adama instantly grabs the known [[humanoid Cylon]] in anger and would have killed her if Helo and Roslin did not intervene.
[[image:Home_pt1-Apollo_Starbuck.jpg|thumb|Adama and Kara Thrace speak aboard ''Astral Queen'' {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.]]
Later, with their military protocols and attitudes temporarily relaxed, Adama playfully teases the brooding Kara Thrace by stealing a [[pyramid (RDM)|pyramid]] ball she took as a keepsake from her time with [[Samuel Anders|Anders]] on Caprica. He returns the ball after sensing her depressed mood and tells her that he would be happy to listen to what was on her mind. In the same conversation, he lets it slip out that he loves Thrace. Amused, Thrace cheers up a bit and teases Adama, telling him that there are no take-backs on what he said {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.

Adama and Thrace join President Roslin and her other supporters on their quest to find the [[Tomb of Athena]] on Kobol. When Cylon Centurions ambush the group along an ancient trail, Adama and Thrace work well together in the fight, complementing each other for their fine shooting. 

Adama's reunion with his recovered father on Kobol further mends the wounds between them, both politically and personally. Like Captain Adama had done on ''Queen'', his father reacts violently to the existence of a another copy of Valerii, leaving Captain Adama in the awkward position of defending her from his father. In the virtual planetarium created by the Tomb of Athena, Adama is the party member that completes the mystery of interpreting how to use the constellations as viewed from Earth to make a flight path. He spots the [[w:Lagoon Nebula|Lagoon Nebula]] in the sky where the Scorpius constellation resided, a celestial body known to the Colonials which gives them a reference point to navigate to Earth. His father confirms Adama's observation, noting that the nebula is far away from their current location at Kobol.

After the Fleet's reunification, Lee Adama is fully restored to flight status and his position as the CAG {{TRS|Final Cut}}. Apollo doubts that [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] could successfully complete a prototype fighter later known as the [[Blackbird]], but in the end aids in its first test flight with Starbuck. Around this time, Adama begins to develop an attraction to [[Anastasia Dualla]] {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.

===Reassignment===

Apollo is on [[Combat Air Patrol|CAP]] when the [[Mercury class battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' reunites with ''Galactica'' and is one of the first to see it up close.  Soon afterwards, friction develops between Adama and the CAG of ''Pegasus'', Captain [[Cole Taylor]]. Taylor feels that Adama's pilots are undisciplined and implies that Adama has his position through his father's influence. Taylor recommends that Adama have his pilots focus on keeping a "killcount" of Raiders to encourage competition between his pilots, while Adama stresses that his first priority is to make sure that all of his pilots merely survive another day.

To Adama's shock, Admiral [[Helena Cain]] re-assigns him and Lt. Thrace to ''Pegasus'', under Taylor's command. Cain believes that having Commander Adama's son in the role of CAG was a mistake that has clouded Commander Adama's judgment, as young Adama has been insubordinate and even [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|mutinous]] in the past. For an upcoming scouting mission against the Cylon fleet following them, Taylor orders Adama to perform the humiliating task of co-piloting a Raptor. Annoyed, Adama orders Starbuck to take the [[Blackbird]] and perform the mission alone. When Commander Adama and Admiral Cain turn on each other, Apollo is away in Taylor's Raptor on his recon mission {{TRS|Pegasus (episode)}}.

As the two battlestar commanders begin sparring with Vipers, ''Pegasus'' orders Taylor to relieve Adama of duty. Taylor pulls his sidearm and takes away Adama's. Now weaponless and with nothing more to do than to ride along, Adama asks permission to head to the rear of the Raptor. While Taylor is busy, Adama secretly communicates with Starbuck over [[wireless]] text messages. This gives away her position to the Fleet, who think her to be a Cylon Raider. When the Vipers are ordered to disengage and pursue her instead, Starbuck manages to identify herself before things get out of hand.

Cain feels that persecuting young Adama for authorizing Thrace's mission would be odd since she is promoting Thrace for her work on her recon mission. Thrace successfully returns Adama to flight status, but demoted to lieutenant {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}.

=== Battle of the Resurrection Ship ===

While Thrace plans an assault on the Resurrection Ship and the two [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s defending it, she tells Adama that his father has ordered her to kill Cain after the battle, and asks Adama to watch her back.  Outraged, Adama confronts his father with this, shocked to learn it was President Roslin's idea. Thrace assigns Adama the specific task of disabling the Resurrection Ship's [[FTL]] drive by sneaking up on it in the [[Blackbird]] and destroying it with a precision missile strike. Apollo succeeds, but the Blackbird collides with a [[Raptor]]. Apollo is able to eject, but the Blackbird is destroyed. Alive, but not unscathed, Apollo floats in space watching the battle take place around him. A tear in his [[flight suit]] leaves him almost out of air. While having the means to stop the leak, he is overcome with a sense of sadness and nihilism, having learned that the two persons closest to him, Roslin and his father, resort to assassination to solve their conflict with Cain. Although hearing Dualla over the [[wireless]], he decides to let go and die, but is found by a [[SAR|SAR Raptor]] and resuscitated. Adama becomes despondent and distant from his friends and family after his near-death experience. In the pilot's locker room, Thrace tells Adama "Let's just be glad that we both came back alive, alright?" to which Adama responds "That's just it, Kara, I didn't want to make it back alive" {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}.

=== The Black Market ===

After President Roslin is saved from her illness, she begins trying to put down the Fleet's [[Black market (organization)|black market]]. New ''Pegasus'' commander [[Jack Fisk]] is soon murdered, leaving the elder Adama (now an Admiral) to assign his son to investigate. With his association with prostitute [[Shevon]] and her daughter [[Paya]] on ''[[Cloud 9]]'', [[Anastasia Dualla]] asks where the relationship between the two of them is heading. After he hesitates, Dualla takes it to mean it is over. Rushing to help Shevon after her call for help, the captain is ambushed by Phelan's men. Waking up from the attack, he finds the Fisk's murder weapon, and the body of Fisk's murderer. 

With some help from [[Tom Zarek]], unwilling to accept the neatly-wrapped up case of Fisk's murderer or the missing Shevon, Adama finds the black market's main ship, ''[[Prometheus (ship)|Prometheus]]''. He finds Paya and other children locked in a storage room. He confronts Phelan, who tells him a black market is necessary, since some supplies may never reach needy people any other way. After Phelan admits running a child prostitution ring, Adama shoots Phelan, and tells his bodyguards that the market can continue operations, unless it keeps holding back essential medicines, begins killing, or returns to child prostitution.

Shevon refuses to see Adama anymore, realizing that Adama has tried to use her and Paya as replacements in his mind for his lost fiancé [[Gianne]] and their unborn child, saying that she can never be her {{TRS|Black Market}}.

===Friendly Fire===

While on leave to ''Cloud 9'' with Dualla, a group of terrorists seize a bar and demand the second copy of [[Sharon Valerii]] for execution, while they hold hostage approximately a dozen people, including Dualla, [[Billy Keikeya]], [[Ellen Tigh]] and Adama. The captain secretly sabotages the bar's carbon dioxide sensors to appear as if it were leaking atmosphere. The sabotage enables Captain Thrace to enter the bar and gather intelligence on the situation, but her cover is blown by Ellen Tigh, and she is forced to draw her weapons. One shot accidentally hits Adama in the chest. After escaping, Thrace breaks down crying for having shot her friend; Dualla is able to care for Adama long enough for him to survive to ''Galactica''{{'|s}} sickbay, and later sits at his bedside while he recovers. Thrace watches, but is unsure what to do and leaves {{TRS|Sacrifice}}.

===A Worthy Command ===

Adama finds himself promoted to Major and assigned to [[Pegasus (RDM)|''Pegasus]]''. He is assigned to the ship by Admiral Adama to assess ''Pegasus's'' crew and the the new commander [[Barry Garner]], the ship's former Chief Engineer. 

His relationship with Dualla has become intimate following his promotion and recovery. Kara Thrace, still ''Pegasus'' CAG, soon comes to blows with Garner is confined to her quarters. When visiting her, Adama chides her for her behavior, stating that he is sick of cleaning up after her all the time. He confronts her about the friendly fire incident, resulting in a moment of uncomfortable silence, before the talk returns to business.

Against orders from Admiral Adama, Garner takes ''Pegasus'' in to search for two Raptors missing during a recon mission into a binary star system. His impulsive and unwise efforts result in the battlestar's [[Battle of the Binary Star System|ambush by three Cylon basestars]]. With the FTL drive damaged after successive nuclear missile strikes, Garner relegates command to Major Adama and heads below to help in FTL repairs. After a moment's hesitation, Adama orders the forward guns to fire on the nearest basestar, critically damaging the basestar and forcing its retreat, while commanding the battlestar's fighters (led by Starbuck) to guard embattled areas damaged from nuclear pummeling. Adama's attack buys time for Commander Garner to repair the FTL drive, enabling ''Pegasus'' to escape back to the Fleet and relative safety.

Admiral Adama debriefs his son, who gave Garner a lot of credit for saving the ship, despite their disagreements. When asked about Garner's flaws, Lee says that he only knew machines, while command is about people. His father tells him to keep that in mind and gives him command of ''Pegasus'', together with a promotion to commander; possibly giving him his old rank insignia {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}.

Sometime later, Adama wishes Thrace good luck in rescuing [[Samuel Anders]] and the rest of the [[Caprica Resistance|resistance group on Caprica]], despite his clear personal feelings towards her. After Thrace and Anders' return, Adama attempts to introduce himself politely, but is hampered by the couple's amorous and highly drunken behavior. When Thrace gives a rude comment, Adama bows out the area, beginning a quiet but palpable rift in their friendship {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.

[[File:Apollo LDYBPII.JPG|thumb|left|Lee Adama in command of ''Pegasus'' {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.]]

=== On New Caprica ===
Four months later, Commander Adama and his [[Executive Officer|XO]], Lieutenant Dualla, are granted shore leave to attend a groundbreaking ceremony on the surface of New Caprica. After the ensuing party, with Dualla and Anders gone, Adama sleeps with Kara Thrace and suggests they break up with their respective partners. Thrace and Adama declare their love for each other, and he assumes that she has agreed to their plan. He wakes up alone the next morning only to find out that Thrace has just married Anders. The rift between Adama and Thrace has widened ever larger. Hurt, he proposes to Dualla, who accepts {{TRS|Unfinished Business}}.

Another eight months later, a year after the settlement, a half-manned ''Pegasus'' is still orbiting New Caprica. Commander Adama has gained a considerable amount of weight in the intervening year. He is in the process of deciding whether or not to supply Kara Thrace with [[antibiotics]] for pneumonia-afflicted Anders when Dualla spots a massive Cylon fleet jumping into the nebula. Adama and his father briefly discuss their course of action; young Adama argues for an immediate emergency jump. Reluctantly, the Admiral orders the orbiting remains of the Fleet, whose population consists of around two thousand citizens, to escape, thus leaving New Caprica to the Cylons for the time being {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.
{{clear}}

=== Battle of New Caprica and Destruction of ''Pegasus'' ===

Commander Adama and his father get into a disagreement over whether or not a rescue mission should be mounted to New Caprica. Lee believes that it would end with the destruction of both ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'', leaving the pitiful remnants of the Fleet at the mercy of the Cylons. Lee also objects to the Admiral's decision to reinstate {{callsign|Athena}} as a Colonial Fleet officer to act as liaison between the New Caprica resistance and ''Galactica''. These disagreements lead to heated arguments between the two, prompting Admiral Adama to make a comment about Lee's weight by calling him a "fatass" and saying he has grown "soft" in the past year ("[[Occupation]]," "[[Precipice]]"). Due to his son's objections, Admiral Adama decides to take ''Galactica'' to rescue the people on New Caprica alone. He gives his son orders to wait 18 hours for his return; if he does not return by then, Lee is to resume the search for Earth with what is left of the civilian fleet. Despite their disagreement, the two have a heartfelt goodbye. Lee tries to talk his father out of the plan and explain himself, but the older Adama stops him. Instead the two embrace and the Admiral gives his son full military honors when departing ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Exodus, Part I}}.

Lee is certain that his father will not return, and he is conflicted between his duty to protect the civilians and his duty to his father. His wife's attempt at reassurance only serve to heighten his guilt. Leaving his ship's Vipers behind to protect the civilians, he takes ''Pegasus'' to assist ''Galactica'', fully aware that he may very well be on a suicide mission. He joins the [[Battle of New Caprica|battle]] just in time, saving his father's ship from certain destruction. Immediately destroying one basestar after exiting the jump, Adama uses ''Pegasus'' to draw fire, giving ''Galactica'' time to escape. This action damages ''Pegasus'' beyond repair. Adama orders the crew to evacuate and the ship's [[Battery|batteries]] to be set on autofire. He is the last person to leave the CIC, thanking the ship as he departs. The small crew evacuates on Raptors just as ''Pegasus'' rams a basestar, destroying itself in the process {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}. 

The Commander and his crew transfer to the last remaining battlestar, ''Galactica''. Dissatisfied with his round appearance, he had also taken up a rigid exercise regimen and starts losing weight rapidly {{TRS|Collaborators}}.

=== The Second Exodus ===

[[File:Maj apollo in viper.jpg|thumb|right|Lee Adama back as a major in the role of ''Galactica''{{'|s}} CAG {{TRS|Torn}}.]]
As of the episode "[[Torn]]," Lee has returned to the role of ''Galactica''{{'|s}} CAG, with the rank of Major. When a dying basestar is discovered in the [[Lion's Head Nebula]], Adama leads a team of Marines on it and captures several humanoid Cylons. After Doctor [[Cottle]] discovers that they are infected with a virus lethal to the Cylons, Adama advocates to use the prisoners as biological weapons in an attempt to exterminate the Cylons. The plan is approved but ultimately fails due to the intervention of {{callsign|Karl Agathon}}, who sabotages the mission {{TRS|A Measure of Salvation}}.

When [[Daniel Novacek|Bulldog]] arrives on ''Galactica'', Admiral Adama tells Lee about [[Valkyrie|the mission]] they executed together, and how he believes it has led to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon holocaust]]. Lee blames the admiralty instead, saying they wanted to provoke a war {{TRS|Hero}}.

After most of the Fleet has arrived safely on the [[algae planet]] following a [[Passage (star cluster)|harrowing journey]], Adama leads the food harvesting operations on the surface. Fourteen days into the harvesting mission, he meets with Kara Thrace and once again suggests they divorce their respective spouses. Thrace refuses to divorce and Adama refuses to cheat on his wife, deadlocking their relationship. When the [[Temple of Five]] is found on the planet and the Cylons show up, Adama is ordered to protect the temple from the Cylons, destroying it if necessary. He orders Starbuck to scout the terrain in her Raptor, which gets shot down by Centurions. After having sent Dualla to rescue Starbuck, the Major and his team attempt an ambush against a group of Centurions passing through a valley towards the temple. The ambush fails, and Adama orders to retreat and the temple to be blown. When trying to do so, he and his team witness the algae planet's star going supernova, and realize that the nova is in fact the [[Eye of Jupiter]]. After the Cylon fleet has jumped away to escape the destruction of the planetary system, the ground team is picked up by a rescue party ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]," "[[Rapture]]").

Later Adama is treated by his friend [[Galen Tyrol]] to a little surprise: A number of crew have created a [[Joe's bar|bar]], on the starboard hangar deck, complete with a Pyramid arcade game and an old Viper Mark II hanging above for atmosphere. Tyrol and Adama have a drink as they discuss their marital problems; Tyrol and his wife Cally have had an argument that has apparently left him "in the doghouse". Adama is reluctant to interact with his wife, as his uncertainty over his love of Kara Thrace continues to fight with him. Adama returns to his quarters, quite drunk, to find Dualla still awake and doing some work, apparently drinking some type of [[alcohol]]. She tries to confirm if they are still going to have dinner later that day as Lee dozes off, leaving Dualla disappointed. Later on Adama and Dualla have an argument about Kara Thrace and the future of their marriage. Dualla says that she married Adama because she loved him, choosing to have him for as long as he or Kara Thrace would let him. She resigns herself to her marriage's failure and tells Adama that she will not stand in his way if he were to choose Thrace over her. Dualla then leaves. Thrace and Adama meet privately. When Thrace asks Adama if he loves her and would be with her if she were to leave Anders, Adama equivocates, remembering Thrace's fickleness [[Unfinished Business|after he declared his love a year before]]. Thrace leaves him to think about the situation.
[[File:3x13-Taking a Break From All Your Worries-Apollo.jpg|thumb|right|Lee Adama drinking in Joe's Bar {{TRS|Taking a Break From All Your Worries}}.]]

Adama returns to the bar and drinks more, toying with his wedding band. He asks Chief Tyrol if he ever thought about what his future with [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] would have been like, or had any regrets. With a quick drink, Tyrol replies in the negative. Adama stumbles back to his quarters, losing his wedding band somewhere in ''Galactica''{{'|s}} corridors. Lee Adama and his wife meet in Joe's Bar. Adama, having since found his lost wedding ring, confesses that he loves Dualla and how dedicated she has been to him, never realizing how much he needed her affection. As the two embrace, Adama tries to avoid looking across the bar at Kara Thrace and Anders. Thrace returns the glance before Adama breaks it off {{TRS|Taking a Break From All Your Worries}}.

===Death of a Lover and Friend===

During refueling operations over a gas giant, Kara Thrace becomes mentally unstable, having [[Virtual Leoben|hallucinations]] about Leoben and her alleged [[The Destiny|destiny]]. When she refuses to fly another mission, Adama has a friendly talk with her. After all that happened two are back where they started; Thrace being the screwup pilot and Adama having to clean up after her as [[CAG]]. He also tells her that his relationship with Dee is better than ever. Adama offers to fly as her wingman to calm her. While on [[Combat Air Patrol|CAP]], Starbuck sees a Cylon [[Heavy Raider]] and goes on alert, joined by Adama. However, from the vantage point of Adama, Thrace's [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] malfunctions and is drawn into the vortex of a storm. He gets sketchy information from Thrace when she says "I'll see you on the other side." Her Viper explodes, and Adama struggles to escape the vortex {{TRS|Maelstrom}}. 

He is badly shaken by her death, as evidenced by his lack of concentration as CAG, confusing people and mission details. He is also shaken by a story told by [[Romo Lampkin]]. Eventually, he begins the healing process with [[Samuel Anders]] by putting Thrace's picture into the [[memorial hallway]] {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.

===The Trial of Gaius Baltar===

President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] recommends that Major Adama be put in charge of the proceedings of the trial of [[Gaius Baltar]]. However, due to the pressures that he is under, Adama declines the position (despite his interest in law as a child). As a token of his affection, Admiral [[William Adama|Adama]] gives Lee his [[Joseph Adama|grandfather]]'s Caprican [[Arts and Literature of the Twelve Colonies#Law books|Law Code books]] {{TRS|A Day in the Life}}. Later, his father places Adama in charge of security for Baltar's lawyer, [[Romo Lampkin]], claiming that he trusts him, but also pulling him off his duties of CAG after he shows that Thrace's death affects his job performance. While following Lampkin around, Adama develops a desire to help Lampkin defend Baltar. His father is not pleased with this idea, but allows him to do so {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.

After Adama contributes to humiliating Colonel Tigh in court, he and his father have a falling out, which leads to Lee's resignation from the Colonial Fleet and him becoming a civilian. Adama also learns that President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] has resumed taking [[chamalla]], which he confronts her about in court, trying to discredit her credibility. Roslin pleads with him to not pursue his line of questioning, but he forces her to admit that her cancer has returned. Disappointed in Adama, she recollects times when the two were friends and she called him "Captain Apollo". After that, [[Anastasia Dualla|his wife]] packs her belongings in preparation for leaving Adama. She says that he should not have confronted the President, and that he was supporting a legal system that was trying to let a murderer walk. She leaves him alone, with him crying that she doesn't understand him {{TRS|Crossroads, Part I}}.

In an unusual move, Adama takes the stand himself and delivers a [[Crossroads, Part II#Noteworthy Dialogue|passionate speech]] in defense of Baltar. He points out a string of incidents, some involving himself, where people were forgiven for serious crimes, and defends those decisions, arguing that humanity is not a real civilization anymore. Adama thinks that executing Baltar for actions that he couldn't really prevent is not justice, and that Baltar is just the Fleet's scapegoat for everyone's misdeeds and failures on New Caprica. The speech plays a major role in Baltar's subsequent acquittal. When Romo Lampkin leaves Adama after their victory, he leaves behind his cane, which he used after being injured in an attempt on his life, and walks normally, thus showing how he manipulated both Adama and the court. Ultimately, Adama's sense of justice has [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II|once again]] placed him at odds with his father, but this time he has alienated Roslin and his wife as well, leaving him seemingly alone.

===A New Beginning===

[[File:Yet another frakking Adama talk.jpg|thumb|The Adamas attempt to reconcile after Baltar's trial {{TRS|He That Believeth in Me}}.]]

As Cylon forces converges on the Fleet in the [[Ionian Nebula]], Adama unofficially returns to duty and mans a Viper. Unexpectedly, he encounters {{callsign|Starbuck}}, whom he [[Maelstrom|believed dead]] {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}. Adama and Thrace join the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula|ensuing battle]] and help to defend the civilian ships from the Cylons. When Thrace returns to ''Galactica'', Adama is glad to see her again and believes her story to a certain degree, whereas most others are is distrustful and suspect a Cylon trap.

His father offers him his pilot wings back, and thus his commission, but Adama declines, saying that he felt the need for a change for some time, and that Baltar's trial was just the trigger. He thinks that he can gain a position in the Colonial government and make a contribution there {{TRS|He That Believeth in Me}}.

[[Tom Zarek]] nominates Adama as the Caprican delegate on the [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum of Twelve]]. Adama is seen off ''Galactica'' with a party in the [[rec room]] and an official ceremony on the hangar deck, where many of the crew salute him and wish him good luck. He embraces Dualla and tells her that she "got the house," implying that their breakup is final {{TRS|Six of One}}. Zarek appointed Adama because of his dedication to finding the truth during the Baltar trial, and because he wants Adama to fight against some of Roslin's proposed changes to the justice system, that are undemocratic in his eyes. Although in public, Roslin claims to have forgiven Adama and to admire his convictions, she snubs him by refusing to meet him and openly teases him about his inexperience in a Quorum session {{TRS|The Ties That Bind}}.

Adama once again shows his idealism when Baltar's new [[Cult of Baltar|cult]] violently clashes with other religious groups in the Fleet. Whereas Roslin wants to shut down the group and pleads to the Quorum to retroactively sign off an emergency measure that restricts their right of assembly, Adama and [[Reza Chronides]] think that they are doing nothing blasphemous and illegal. The Quorum eventually decides to rescind Roslin's decision. Roslin later tells his father, that she thinks that Adama maybe be right, but that he is too idealistic and doesn't understand the pragmatism that is sometimes necessary in politics {{TRS|Escape Velocity}}.

Following the unexplained disappearance of Laura Roslin on a rebel Cylon baseship {{TRS|Guess What's Coming to Dinner?}}, Adama leads a search for an interim president, knowing that his father would never support an administration under Tom Zarek. Despite consulting Romo Lampkin on a list of 47 candidates, it is Lampkin who ultimately decides that Adama should be the interim president; Adama thanks Lampkin by offering [[Jake (New Caprica)|Jake]] as a pet to replace the loss of [[Faye Lampkin]]'s cat, [[Lance]]. 

Even with his ascension to the presidency, Adama is unable to dissuade his father from stepping down as military leader, or his father's personal search for Roslin—a mission that Adama believes to be nothing short of suicide {{TRS|Sine Qua Non}}.

When the rebel basestar returns, having destroyed the [[Resurrection Hub]], Adama is faced with a [[Standoff between Galactica and Cylon rebels|standoff with the rebels]] who hold ''Galactica''{{'|s}} Viper pilots and Roslin hostage to force him to give up the [[Final Five]].  Adama refuses and prepares to airlock Tigh, Tyrol and Anders to force the Cylons to stop even with the threat of the Fleet being nuked in retaliation.  After Kara finds the way to Earth, Adama ends the standoff and shares the information with the Cylons, granting the Cylons a general amnesty.  This ends the standoff and together the humans and rebel Cylons jump to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]].  Adama is so excited by their arrival that he jumps on the map table and cheers.  Unfortunatly, Earth turns out to be a deserted nuclear wasteland and after briefly reuniting with him, Dee kills herself in despair. ([[TRS]]: ''[[Revelations]],'' ''[[Someone to Watch Over Me]]'')

When Adama finds out that his father apparently released Tom Zarek and he is unable to reach him, Adama travels to ''Galactica'' to demand an explanation and falls into a trap led by [[Charlie Connor]] as part of [[Gaeta's Mutiny]].  Adama is nearly executed, but Kara saves him at the last moment, having grown suspisous of the goings on.  The two travel through the ship and find Tyrol who tells them to get Adama to the Secondary Storage Airlock and he can get him off the ship.  Adama and Kara find Roslin and let her know what's going on and lead her to Baltar's cult where she makes a radio broadcast about the mutiny.  They then hook up with his father and Colonel Tigh who manage to escape and lead them to the airlock where a Cylon Raptor arrives to take Adama and Roslin away.  While Roslin and Baltar go, Admiral Adama, Lee, Tyrol, Kara and Colonel Tigh stay behind to retake the ship with Tigh and Admiral Adama defending the airlock while Lee and Kara head back into the ship.  Adama and Kara later rescue Tigh, Caprica-Six, Anders, Athena and Hera, but Kara stays behind when Anders gets shot.  The group finds [[Aaron Kelly]] who joins them and leads them to Admiral Adama just in time to stop his execution.  Joined by Adama's firing squad and more loyal crew as they go on, the group marches to CIC as Roslin uses the rebel baseship to try to force the rebels surrender.  After Gaeta orders a weapons hold, Adama and the others storm CIC and retake it without a fight, ending the mutiny. ([[TRS]]: ''[[The Oath]],'' ''[[Blood on the Scales]])

===No Exit===
After the failed coup d'état, in which Lee is the sole [[Quorum of Twelve (RDM)|Quorum]] delegate not killed in the massacre ordered by [[Tom Zarek]], President Laura Roslin puts Lee in charge of forming a new Quorum.  Lee proposes the idea of making the new Quorum based not upon the individual Colonies but upon ships in the Fleet, as he reasons that the people are no longer defined by their Colonies but by their ships. Roslin approves of the idea and tells Lee that while she will remain President in title, she wants him to do the "heavy lifting" from then on {{TRS|No Exit}}. Given this, its likely that Roslin has made him her new Vice President after the execution of Tom Zarek for his coup.

Lee is shown to have taken on the Presidential duties since then such as meeting with the new Quorum of Ship's Captains and organizing the stripping of ''Galactica'' which is hard for him as he loves the ship.  When Admiral Adama calls for volunteers for a final mission, Lee is the first to volunteer despite it being likely one-way.

===Assault on the Colony===
While planning the mission, Lee re-dons the service uniform of a major (distinguished by its collar piping), but omits rank insignia.

''Galactica'' launches its attack on the Colony and rams right into it.  Lee leads a team of Colonial Marines and Rebel Centurions into the Colony from through its breach their staging point at ''Galactica'''s bow.  They fight their way past Cavil's forces and eventually link up with Kara Thrace and her team, who have rescued Hera Agathon.  The two groups head back to ''Galactica'', but are followed by Cavil and his forces.  Lee runs into Baltar and Caprica-Six who are helping to repel the boarding parties.  Lee and his men provide cover fire for Kara, Helo, Athena and Hera to make their way to safety.

===New Earth===
After ''Galactica'' jumps to the coordinates Kara Thrace provides, Lee is one of the first people to land on the lush, habitable planet the Colonials eventually decide to call "Earth".  They discover that primitive human tribes have already evolved on the new Earth.  Lee makes a radical suggestion:  The Colonials will abandon their ships and most of their technology and start new lives using only essential supplies and the planet's resources.  They will also teach the native humans about language and culture, but not about technology.  This will hopefully prevent Humanity from repeating the same mistakes it made on Kobol and the Twelve Colonies.  Surprisingly, this idea is well received.

===Final Goodbye===
Later, Lee and Kara say their final goodbyes to Adama, who has decided to live alone for the remainder of his life.  After Adama departs in a Raptor, Kara tells Lee that she is also leaving.  She doesn't know where she's going, but she knows that her job here is done.  

In their final conversation, Kara tells Lee: "I just know that I am done here. I've completed my journey...and it feels good." She also says: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Lee." When Lee describes his desire to explore and climb mountains, he briefly turns away to look at the scenery. When he turns back around, Kara is nowhere in sight. Realizing what Kara meant when she said she was leaving, Lee bids Kara goodbye for the last time and promises that she won't be forgotten.<ref name="daybreak"/>

The symbolic pigeon from their first meeting appears one final time in Lee's memory as he realizes Kara is truly gone—representing how he must finally let her spirit go, just as the bird flew away when he stopped trying to capture it. According to composer [[Bear McCreary]], this moment represents the resolution of their relationship: "the more he tries, the further away she flies until finally he must let her go."<ref name="daybreak"/>

==Family tree==
{{Adama Family Tree (RDM)}}

== Notes ==

*From [[Ronald D. Moore]]'s scifi.com [http://blogs.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/01/lets_talk.php blog entry] of January 19, 2005:

<blockquote>In my first draft of the [[Miniseries|mini]], Lee Adama had just been accepted into test pilot school on {{RDM|Caprica}} and was not currently assigned to any battlestar. Presumably, he had been posted to at least a couple of battlestar [[Air Group]]s in his career, as well as several ground assignments as well. This isn't canon yet, however, and I'm currently thinking of changing some elements of his specific backstory as I work on storylines for [[Season 2 (2005-06)|Season Two]]. Overall, I'd say Lee was striving (perhaps too hard) to blaze a different path for himself in the fleet from that of his [[William Adama|father]]. I don't think Lee ever saw himself as a battlestar commander and was looking for a different way to make his mark.</blockquote>
*The caption under Apollo's name in "[[Final Cut]]" list him as "CFR". In the podcast, Ron Moore explaines that this stands for "Colonial Fleet Reserves"; and that Apollo was a reserve officer because he wasn't sure what he was doing with his life and if he was going to pursue a full career in the Colonial Fleet.
*According to Jamie Bamber, Adama's official character biography states that "Lee is never so happy as when he's in his kitchen cooking."
* Jamie Bamber is the husband of actress [[Kerry Norton]], who portrays [[Layne Ishay]], the paramedic from "[[Scattered]]" and "[[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]".
* Bamber, who is British, plays Lee Adama with an American accent (presumably to more closely match [[Edward James Olmos]]{{'}}).
* Bamber is a natural blond, but his hair is dyed brown to better resemble Olmos.  
*While Edward James Olmos and [[Mary McDonnell]] were hand-picked for their roles, the rest of the characters were cast by audition: among those in the running for the role of Apollo was ''[[w:Farscape|Farscape]]'' and ''[[w:Stargate SG-1|Stargate SG-1]]'' star [[Wikipedia:Ben Browder|Ben Browder]].<ref>{{cite_book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|authorlinkurl=|coauthors=|year=2005|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|pages=23|editor=ed. Adam "Adama" Newell|publisher=Titan Books|location=|id=ISBN 1-84576-0972}}</ref>
*Admiral William Adama names his son to succeed him as commander of ''Galactica'' in his resignation letter {{TRS|Hero}} indicating how close they have become prior to the events of [[Gaius Baltar]]'s trial.
*Lee Adama's watch is a [http://www.nixonnow.com/watches/mens/the-scout-A590.html Nixon Scout].
*Lee Adama's Colonial Fleet ID tag is marked "L. Adama/ser 318742. (Quantum Mechanix ID Replica)
*The original script leaked online for "[[A Day in the Life]]" featured flashbacks to the Adamas' family life, in one of which Lee pointed out to his father that he had been born four months after the wedding, implying that Bill and Carolanne rushed into marriage because of pregnancy. While this was removed from the aired episode, it would help explain his negative reaction to learning Gianne was pregnant, per "[[Black Market]]".
*In the series finale, the symbolic pigeon that appears throughout Lee's flashbacks represents Kara's spirit and their love. According to composer Bear McCreary, the pigeon serves as a metaphor: the more Lee tries to capture it, the further away it flies, until finally he must let it go—mirroring his relationship with Kara throughout the series.<ref name="daybreak"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External Links ==
{{ext-scfipedia|article=Creator:Bamber on Apollo}}

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