Caprica

[Staracker]

the problem with john wayne type characters is they start out stoic, stay stoic and you never really get to understand how they got that way in the first place. I would like to see a movie where the hero starts out either kinda wimpy/unsure/hesitant etc, and through the various ordeals, develops into a stoic character. kinda of like george lucas did with anakin skywalker. IMO it helps knowing how this person came to be. not that he is what he is. I can see jake's point about stress wearing people down, and granted that can happen but usually someone else will step up, if they dont then you have disaster. I stopped watching BSG for various reasons, i grew up with the original series and the new BSG was just too alien, light speed drives(far ahead of our technology, yet using gunpowder ammunition...missiles etc which killed the Sci-fi and made it look like contemporary combat. characters that just fell apart, dont think any of the original characters managed to survive the series without self destructing in someway. have you ever been in a school/workplace etc and saw everyone break down? even when devastating news is unleashed, colombine/challenger/columbia/oklahoma city bombing, 9/11 et all, wasnt there anyone around you that was able to keep it together or did everyone just open the flood gates and sobbed uncontrollably? if it doesnt happen in real life, its hard to portray that kind of behavior in a script, no matter the format, sci-fi/fantasy/action etc, the characters still have to show real emotions or lack of emotions to be credible considering their position/ordeal they are going through etc. a military leader will have endured ordeals and scenarios while rising through the ranks, if you can imagine colin powell, gen schwarzkoff (sp) breaking down from any situation, i think you are mistaken.