Adama (1980)

The article discusses the Galactica 1980 character. For information on his Original Series character, see Adama (TOS). For information on the Re-imagined Series counterpart to Commander Adama, see William Adama.

Thirty years after the destruction of the Colonies, Commander Adama has finally led the Galactican Fleet to the shining planet known as Earth.

Journey to Earth[edit]

During the 30 year exodus, changes and tragedies have befallen Adama and the Fleet. Apollo has apparently died, with his step-son Troy becoming a captain in the Fleet.

In addition to his son, he is forced to leave behind Starbuck during a particularly disastrous encounter with the Cylons, circa 1970 CE. Adama's right hand man, Colonel Tigh, has been replaced by Colonel Boomer during the interim.

In the last decade of the exodus, a child from the stars arrives to save the Colonials in the form of the "cerebral mutation," Doctor Zee ^{(1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I", "The Return of Starbuck")}. Zee's advances allow Adama the means to protect the Fleet, following the attrition of the Galactican's Warriors, leading to a subsequent, if not wanting, discovery.

An Earth Found Wanting[edit]

Discovering Earth does not prove to be the salvation that the Colonials had hoped for, as they find Earth to be woefully behind in technology and culture.

Adama and his advisor, Doctor Zee, determine that the Earth is not yet ready for contact with Galactica or the Cylons. Zee also surmises that the Cylons have virtually left the Galacticans alone, so they may lead the Cylons to Earth and thus allow them to exterminate the entirety of humanity in one fell swoop, much to Adama's chagrin ^{(1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I")}.

In order to protect the factionalized Earth, they decide that covert action would be more prudent, and thus begin a plan whereby they influence the people of Earth in the hopes of helping to prepare them for contact. Council of Twelve member Xaviar, however, balks at this approach and strikes out on his own, using Zee's time warp synthesizer in order to affect Earth's development, which is thwarted by led by Captain Troy, Lieutenant Dillon and Earth's Jamie Hamilton ^{(1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II", "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III")}.

Cylon attacks of the Galactican Fleet, now in vicinity of Earth, leave Adama little choice but to settle the planet in small numbers, beginning with children dubbed "The Super Scouts" after a Cylon attack destroys the freighter Delphi ^{(1980: "The Super Scouts, Part I")}. A later attack against the Fleet's agro ships leads Adama to order settlement of agro specialists to Earth, in order to cover the loss of the Galactican's food supply ^{(1980: "Space Croppers")}.

Adama remains aboard Galactica, but visits Earth on numerous occasions in Zee's anti-gravity ship ^{(1980: "The Super Scouts, Part II", "Space Croppers")}.

In the interim, the Galacticans run highly-dangerous missions and other distracting sorties against the Cylons, with the hope of prolonging Earth's protection from the Cylon Empire ^{(1980: "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I", "Space Croppers")}.

Notes[edit]

• Adama and Boomer are the only two major characters from the Original Series to return as recurring characters in Galactica 1980.

• The character's surviving children, particularly Apollo and Athena, are not seen in the series. Apollo is noted as deceased, and the fate of Athena is never mentioned.

• Adama is not only one of only five characters in the Original Series to be featured in every episode of that series, but also the only character to be featured in all the episodes of both the Original Series and Galactica 1980.