Sam Adama

For other articles related to Adama, see Adama (disambiguation).

Sam Adama
Biographical Information
Name	Samuel Adama
Nickname	Sam
Origin	Tauron
Residence	Caprica City
Occupation	Ha'la'tha Enforcer Ha'la'tha Captain
Religion	Polytheism (Mars, patron god)
Status	Living
Relationship Information
Spouse	Larry
Family	Joseph Adama (brother) William Adama Sr. (father) Isabelle Adama (mother)
Relatives	William Adama (nephew) Tamara Adama (niece) Shannon Adama (sister-in-law) Evelyn (sister-in-law) Young Bill Adama (nephew)
Significant Other	Ruth (extended family)
Character Information
Portrayer	Sasha Roiz
Other Portrayer	Alexander Kambolis (Young Sam)
First Episode	"Pilot"
Last Episode	"Apotheosis"
Episode Count	16
Image Gallery

Sam Adama (Samuel) is an enforcer (and later a captain) with the Tauron crime syndicate, Ha'la'tha. He is a family man - loyal and devoted to his husband, his brother Joseph and his family.

Family is more important to him than the law. The most important things to him are family, his Tauron heritage and the Ha'la'tha. ("Pilot") ("Reins of a Waterfall") ("The Dirteaters")

Early Years

Sam and Joseph, orphaned and homeless on Tauron

Sam comes from a long, proud line of Tauron farmers. When he was a child, his father, William, told him,

"You are different. Your brother, he feels things on the inside, but you? A blind man could see how you feel. The very first day I held you in my arms, I knew you were a man."

In 12YR, his father and mother, Isabelle, and most of his family were killed in the Tauron Civil War. Afterwards he and his brother, Joseph (Yoseef), immigrated to Caprica and moved into a refugee orphanage in Caprica City. ("Pilot") ("The Dirteaters")

The Guatrau found them in the orphanage or rather they found him. Sam tried to pick the Guatrau's pocket. Right then, the Guatrau knew that Sam had the stones to be one of them. He thinks of Sam and Joseph as sons. ("The Dirteaters")

When they were young, Sam and Joseph frequented Little Tauron, the Tauron enclave in Caprica City. All the Tauron kids did. They hung out at the restaurant, Connie's Place, when they were in high school. Sam would unsuccessfully hit on the guys and Joseph would get dates with their sisters. He grew up to become a Ha'la'tha enforcer. ("Rebirth") ("Gravedancing")

Personal Life

Marriage

Larry

He is gay and married to Larry, who is a non-Tauron. His marriage is a happy one and very stable.

He and Larry are devoted uncles to their nephew, William Adama (Willie). Willie asks them why they do not have children, and why they do not adopt an orphan like his father and Sam were. Sam says it is because of the dangerous nature of his job as a Ha'la'tha enforcer. ("Reins of a Waterfall")

Religion

Sam and Larry are polytheists. Mars is the most important God in their home because of Sam's Tauron heritage. Larry tells Willie that the Mars idol at their home is three times the size of the others because he married a "tough guy." ("Reins of a Waterfall")

Sam tells Joseph that, "I will pray to Mars and all the gods for a swift and terrible vengeance to come to those who have torn your wife and daughter from this world." ("Pilot")

Relationship with Joseph

Sam has no conflicts about being Tauron whereas Joseph is in denial.

Sam has a complicated relationship with his brother. Sam does not have any conflicts about being Tauron, whereas Joseph is a Tauron in denial. Joseph asks Sam to kill Amanda Graystone to even it out between him, who lost his wife and daughter, and Daniel, who only lost his daughter. Soon, Joseph has second thoughts and tries to stop it. Sam never intended to kill her and just frightened her a bit. He knew Joseph would not go through with it. Sam accuses him of being a Caprican in a Tauron body. ("Gravedancing")

He criticizes Joseph, who has become an absent father, for disengaging from life and ignoring William. Sam tells Joseph to be a father and when he can manage that, he will introduce him to his son. Later, Sam tells his brother he is losing William. He tells Joseph he needs to look past himself and have the funeral rites for Shannon and Tamara. Furthermore, Sam tells him that Willie needs the closure and connection with his Tauron heritage. ("There Is Another Sky")

He is proud of Joseph for getting a bump from the Guatrau for handling the Graystone deal. ("Unvanquished")

He gets angry with Joseph for his complicity and complacency with the Guatrau selling cylons to the STO on Gemenon, the same people who killed Shannon and Tamara. ("Blowback")

Sam thinks Joseph overseeing the Guatrau's business at Graystone Industries is good for him emotionally because it keeps his mind off of his grief over Tamara and Shannon. ("The Heavens Will Rise")

Sam helped set up the promotion for Joseph in the Ha'la'tha. Joseph asks his brother not to do him any more favors. ("The Dirteaters")

Relationship with William

Mentor

Sam and Larry have dinner with William.

After the deaths of his wife and daughter, Shannon and Tamara, Joseph goes into deep mourning and becomes an absent father. Sam steps in to spend time with his nephew - mentoring him, teaching him about Tauron culture and introducing him to the ways of the Ha'la'tha. He takes Willie to Little Tauron to show him the neighborhood where he and his father spent their time when they were growing up. ("Rebirth")

Sam and Larry spend quality time with their nephew - having dinner, taking him to school and teaching him about the gods. ("Reins of a Waterfall") ("False Labor")

Uncle Sam's Words of Advice

• Describing a car as a metaphor for mob philosophy: It's got three-fifty under the hood, a triple-mounted clutch, which most knuckleheads will tell you is a bad thing. But if you know anything about cars, you'll realize that what you really want is a triple-C with an undermount wedge. That way, you got control and power. And it's all about "control and power." He throws a trash can through a shop window. ("Rebirth")
• Don't run. You run away, you're guilty of two things - the thing and the running away from the thing. ("Rebirth")
• About being arrested: You just pay the fine, all right? It drives them crazy. They don't even tell you about the option of paying until you've been locked up a day. You gotta know these things. When you give in on the little things, they miss the big things, okay? ("Rebirth")

Sam mentors William.

• Someone tries to make you feel guilty, you figure out what they feel guilty about. You talk about that. ("Rebirth")
• About smoking:

Sam: Also don't smoke. You know why?

Willie: Uh, 'cause it's bad for you, maybe?

Sam: No. Life's bad for you. You don't smoke, because they can get genetic data off a cigarette butt now. ("Rebirth")

• About skipping school:

Sam: You always go to school first thing, all right? You wait for them to take attendance, then you skip.

Willie So what, you want me to go back now?

Sam: No, once you start in a direction, it's best to just keep going. All right, this is what we're gonna do. I'm gonna call in. Gonna tell them that it's a Tauron Day of Devotion to Mars. Your school's got too few Taurons to figure out that it's skor, right? Then you stick around here 'til 3:00, and then I take you home. ("Reins of a Waterfall")

Sam tells his nephew not to tell his father about these things. ("Rebirth")

Closure

Sam and Larry try to convince Joseph to have the funeral rites.

Sam and Larry visit Joseph to convince him to have the funeral rites for Shannon and Tamara. Sam says Willie needs the closure and reconnection with Tauron ways.

Family and friends gather at Joseph's apartment. Larry sits behind his husband, praying. Sam, bare chested to display his tattoos for the ritual, stands behind Joseph and William as each hands a coin to Ferryman, Joseph for Shannon and William for Tamara. Joseph asks Ferryman to grant the deceased women passage. Ferryman asks if Joseph and William will let the women go and both say goodbye. Ferryman assures the Adamas that Shannon and Tamara will live forever in their hearts. They will live forever in peace.

The Ferryman takes ink and flame from the plate Sam is holding and applies a ritual tattoo to Joseph's chest. A woman sings a mournful song. ("There Is Another Sky")

Graystone Deal

Joseph tells Sam he got a bump from the Guatrau.

In order to regain control of his company from Tomas Vergis, Daniel Graystone makes a deal with the Guatrau for funding to develop the Resurrection Program and "influence" to convince the board to oust Vergis. The Guatrau tells Joseph he will represent his interests in this matter. Outside, Sam asks his brother if he is getting a bump from the Guatrau. Joseph says maybe and Sam replies, "What do you know? Little brother makes his move." ("Unvanquished")

Later that day, Sam and Joseph visit Daniel at his home. They determine which lines he will not cross in the proposed partnership with the Ha'la'tha. Daniel backs out and Joseph reveals it was a bluff. Joseph says this is not the life for him. He and Sam leave. Later, Daniel changes his mind and makes the deal with the Guatrau. ("Unvanquished")

Sam and Joseph blackmail Graystone Industries' board members to get them to vote Daniel back in as CEO. If they cannot find incriminating evidence, they will set them up. He kidnaps Cornell Gast and brings him to Daniel's home where Daniel tries to blackmail him. ("Retribution")

Concerns about Tauron

Second Tauron Uprising

Corrupt government forces oppress another resistance uprising on Tauron.

Sam and Larry go to Joseph's home to take Willie to school. As soon as they arrive, Sam turns on the television. The news is about the civil unrest on Tauron. Sam grows more and more concerned about the oppression and violence on his home planet. Government forces are using heavy armor to push back rebel insurgents - the kind of people like the Adamas, their forebears and compatriots. The corrupt government forces killed his parents when he was a child and orphaned him. Ruth and Sam tell Willie to pay attention. Ruth says his father and uncle went through that when they were William's age. Larry is very concerned about his husband and switches the television off over Sam's objections. He is upset that the news is on all the time in their home and that Sam sends practically everything he makes back to the cause.

Later, at Graystone Industries, Sam is visiting Joseph. Sam tells his brother about the nightmares he has been having, about what happened on Tauron when they were young. Joseph does not want to talk about it, but Sam continues, saying it is happening again and will leave a lot more orphans by the time it is over. He complains that Larry is giving him grief because he sends extra money back home. He says Larry is not native-born like they are so he does not understand. Then he admits that he is shaking small arms off the streets to send back to Tauron and the Guatrau does not know. Joseph gets angry, telling his brother this is why Larry is angry and worried. Sam is playing with fire. Sam says he has to do something since their people are down to throwing rocks. He knows that Joseph and Evelyn understand, but feels that Larry has no respect for what they have gone through. Sam feels like he does not know his husband anymore. Joseph tells his brother this will pass. It is a part of marriage. Sam is lucky that he has someone who loves him. ("False Labor") ("The Dirteaters")

Avatar Tamara

Sam defends Amanda from Zoe's dragons in V-World.

When Sam, Ruth and Evelyn see Willie wearing an Avenging Angels T-shirt, they realize that Joseph must never know Tamara's avatar survives in V-World. Sam makes Willie take the shirt off and tells his disgruntled nephew to never bring skor like that into their home again.

With Evelyn's support, Sam takes Daniel Graystone up on his offer to help him and Amanda find Zoe in V-World. The three of them go to New Cap City, which Zoe and Tamara have transformed into a mountain fortress. Zoe senses they are there. In anger, she sends dragons to attack them. Sam shoots them dead and they de-rez.

Sam plans to locate the Tamara avatar and find a way to kill it. When Amanda learns of this (she has sensed all along that Sam is dangerous), she fears he will destroy Zoe too. Amanda shoots Sam, de-rezzing his avatar and ejecting him permanently from the game. ("The Heavens Will Rise") ("Here Be Dragons")

Threat and Tragedy

The Guatrau's daughter, Fidelia Fazekas, is released from prison on probation. She goes to Goldie's Off Track Betting and runs into Sam. They greet warmly and he tells her about the deaths of Shannon and Tamara. He says he and others took her conviction hard, especially Yoseef. ("The Heavens Will Rise")

Fidelia goes to Graystone Industries to check up on her father's interests. She discovers Joseph's and Sam's secret operation to funnel robots to the resistance on Tauron. She tells her father, who does not want to believe it. She tells him this will be popular and will make him look bad. He tells her to make it quick and painless. ("The Heavens Will Rise") ("Here Be Dragons")

Ruth stabs Francis.

Francis comes to Joseph's home under the pretense of bringing him to see the Guatrau. He starts strangling Joseph. Ruth stabs Francis in the back with a meat cleaver, killing him.

Joseph realizes that the Guatrau has put a hit out on him and Sam. They have to go off-world and disappear. Joseph calls his brother, but Sam does not answer. (Unbeknownst to them, Sam is in V-World helping the Graystones find Zoe.) Therefore, Joseph leaves a message for his brother about a rendezvous. Joseph asks Ruth to go pick up Larry and bring him to the spaceport. Sam and Joseph keep fake identification and cubits stored at Goldie's. Sam is to meet him there.

Joseph, Evelyn and William go to Goldie's. Sam arrives soon afterwards. Since he had not heard anything, Joseph thought the Ha'la'tha had got him. Sam and Joseph go inside while Evelyn and William wait in the car.

Tommy and two other enforcers show up and confront them. One of the men asks where Frankie is. Joseph says Frankie is gone. Sam asks Tommy to spare his brother because he has a kid. Tommy says he wishes he could.

William tells Evelyn they have been in there for too long, but she says they are fine. Willie gets out of the car against Evelyn's objections and dashes inside. He runs through the room which distracts Tommy and his men. The two enforcers are shot dead. Sam and Tommy fight. Sam pummels him and beats him senseless.

Sam cries over Willie after he dies.

Joseph shouts for Sam to stop and come help him with Willie who is wounded. Evelyn rushes in with a gun. They think Willie was superficially wounded, but they soon discover he was shot in the abdomen. William dies in Joseph's arms. Evelyn comforts Joseph and Sam cries over Willie's body. ("Here Be Dragons")

Blood for Blood

The morning after William's murder, family and friends are gathered at Joseph's apartment in mourning. Larry comforts his husband. Fidelia shows up under the right of mourning and surrenders her gun. She delivers a message from her father expressing his sympathy over the death of Willie and that no further action will be taken against them. The Adamas are safe. Sam will not be molified and puts a gun to her head, ready to kill her. Joseph stops him and he takes Fidelia to a private room to discuss.

Joseph wants a sit-down with the Guatrau. She says they will need assurances, which he will give, but he also has something he wants in return. Fidelia convinces her father to meet Joseph in the V-World. Meeting in the Virtual World will give the Guatrau the advantage of protection from any reprisals. The Guatrau meets with Joseph who tells the Guatrau that he has been putting business ahead of family and these are the wrong decisions. The Guatrau says Joseph is in mourning, but he needs to watch his tone.

Sam gets his revenge against the Guatrau for Willie's death.

The Guatrau stops speaking and goes into distress. In the real world, Sam has put a plastic bag over the Guatrau's head to suffocate him and has him in a headlock. Joseph removes his holoband, walks over to the Guatrau and takes the kapi out of his pocket. Fidelia has offered up her father as a sacrificial lamb to satisfy the Adamas' right to avenge Willie's death - Blood for Blood.

The Guatrau asks for a knife so he can return to the soil his way. Fidelia demands they give him a knife. Denying him the honor of returning to the soil on his own terms, Joseph shoves the kapi poison down his throat, killing him. Sam stands over the Guatrau's body and says, "That was for Willie." The Adama brothers give her father's ring to her. She is now the new Guatrau. ("Apotheosis")

Renewal and Legacy

Bill's Dedication

By the end of 42YR, his brother and Evelyn marry and they have a son, Bill, who is born in 43YR. He is named after Willie per Tauron custom. ("Apotheosis")

Sam and Larry gather with the family on the fifth anniversary of Willie's death (47YR). Joseph begins the ceremony:

Oh, Jupiter, to you I pray on the anniversary of my son William's death. For he was not yet a man, he chose a man's death. William was a proud Tauron and a good boy.

Our father's name lives on in another way now. Bill, you were named after your brother. This is our tradition. You will do the rest. As we are from the soil, so shall we return.

Bill drops some soil into a candle flame. Then everyone cheers him and says, So say we all. ("Apotheosis")

Sam's nephew will grow up to become Admiral William Adama, Commander of the Battlestar Galactica, who will lead humanity to their new home after the Cylons destroy their worlds (100YR).

Criminal Activities

GDD Mugshot

• Assassinates Caprica's Minister of Defense, Val Chambers. ("Pilot")
• Vandalizes a shop, causing him to be placed temporarily in police custody, along with William Adama. ("Rebirth")
• Assaults Daniel Graystone. ("Reins of a Waterfall")
• Briefly kidnaps Amanda Graystone. ("Gravedancing")
• Kidnaps Cornell Gast to bring him to Daniel Graystone who tries to blackmail him. ("Retribution")
• Blackmails Graystone Industries' board members to get them to vote Daniel Graystone back in as CEO. ("Retribution")
• Running guns with Demos in Caprica City. ("False Labor")
• Steals a U-87 robot from Graystone Industries to kill Atreus and his gang to avenge Demos' murder. ("False Labor")
• To help their people in the Second Tauron Uprising, he and Joseph smuggle U-87 robots from Graystone Industries to Tauron, unbeknownst to Daniel Graystone and the Guatrau. ("The Heavens Will Rise")
• He and Joseph kill the Guatrau to avenge Willie's death. ("Apotheosis")
• His rap sheet lists multiple arrests ranging from misdemeanor petty thefts, gambling, assault, battery and extortion. ("The Dirteaters")

Additional Images

• Sam and William in the show's opening credits sequence.
• Joseph and Sam leave the Caprica City Courthouse.
• Joseph asks Sam to steal the MCP chip.
• Sam exacts the Guatrau's revenge by killing Val Chambers.
• Sam takes William to Little Tauron.
• Sam tells William that his tattoos tell his whole story.
• Sam delivers a "message" from the Ha'la'tha.
• Sam and William leave the Caprica City Police station in Little Tauron.
• Sam tells Amanda that her daughter killed his niece and sister-in-law in the bombing.
• Sam and Larry try to convince Joseph to have the funeral rites.
• Joseph visits Sam at Goldie's.
• Sam drinks Lethe beer while visiting his brother.
• Sam is worried that Joseph is losing himself in V-World.
• Sam and Emmanuelle in New Cap City (deleted scene)
• Sam stands guard during the meeting between the Guatrau and Daniel.
• Joseph and Sam help Daniel blackmail Graystone Industries board members.
• Sam avenges Demos' death by using a Cylon to kill Atreus and his crew.
• The Guatrau tells the Adama brothers that he is changing the deal terms with Graystone.
• Sam and Joseph make a pact to go up against the Guatrau together.
• Sam and Joseph kill the Guatrau to avenge William's death - Blood for Blood.
• Sam with his nephew, William, and his brother, Joseph

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Behind the Scenes

Sexuality

Sam and Larry

In the world of the Twelve Colonies, homosexuality is not an issue. The Caprica mythos is primarily based on Ancient Greek civilization in which homosexuality was accepted as normal. Therefore, Sam Adama's sexuality is never questioned or stigmatized. It is a normal part of the fabric of society. See also Sexuality.

Trivia

The car Sam drives while posing as a driver has a bobble-head bull on the dashboard. The bull is the astrological symbol for Taurus. ("Gravedancing")

External Links

See also: Wagner, Curt. "Exclusive: Caprica Producer Jane Espenson Explains Sam Adama's Tattoos." Show Patrol, February 2010. Retrieved via a published note on the Facebook group, Caprica, 17 February 2010. Retrieved for this Fandom Wiki on January 29, 2018.