Adam W. is an officer and ace pilot of the Galaxy Garrison acting as an instructor to younger cadets. He is Shiro's ex-boyfriend. Adam dies during Sendak's occupation of Earth.
Appearance
Adam is a 18-25 year-old human male with dark brown hair and half-frame, grey, cat eye glasses. His skin tone is nut brown, and he has a somewhat-triangular jaw. In the first of his two appearances, he's wearing the standard Galaxy Garrison uniform: a long, grey coat with a black belt, orange cuffs and black piping. His coat has two stripes which suggests that he's a junior officer.
In his second and final scene, he's outfitted in fighter pilot gear. He has an oversized grey helmet with a chin brace, reinforcement over his ears, and a face shield. He's wearing a grey, protective vest over a thick, white bodysuit with a zipper. The helmet has red highlights, and the vest has a red crescent shape as the Garrison's logo.
Biography
Adam and Shiro began at the Galaxy Garrison together as cadets. They were inseparable during every mission, every drill. They graduated through the ranks together and presumably moved into a shared dorm, or at least started dating, as junior officers and instructors. It's unknown when they became fiancées.
Prior to the Kerberos mission, Adam became aware of Shiro's muscular dystrophy: a condition that causes the irreversible wasting of muscle tissue. This became a cause of contention in their relationship: Adam believed that Shiro shouldn't go on off-world mission as it posed a threat to his health. By contrast, Shiro believed that he should seize every opportunity to go into space, as his muscle condition would make him unfit for astronaut work in a matter of months.
When Shiro was denied a place on the Kerberos mission, Adam took the side of Iverson and Admiral Sanda, saying they were right to look out for his safety. Shiro reacted angrily, insisting that the mission was important to him. Adam asks, "Takashi. How important am I to you?". He provides evidence of his supportiveness of Shiro's career, and tells his fiancée that he has nothing left to prove. Sensing resentment, Adam leaves the room, clarifying that "If you decide to go, don't expect me to be here when you get back."
Shiro leaves for Kerberos and is declared missing. During invasion of Earth, Adam pilots a plane in the first attack wave of ten Garrison-Altean hybrid fighters. Due to the oversight of Admiral Sanda, the pilots are woefully underprepared to fight the Sendak's fleet. Sendak decimates the fighters and despite Adam's excellent piloting, the battle was lost. Adam was the last left alive when his aircraft was hit and he dies in a fireball.
Personality
First and foremost, Adam is pragmatic and collected. He states facts and refuses to buy into emotional disagreements. He is quick to interpret subtext and respond to unspoken truths. His cool and aloof attitide can sometimes come off as detached or passive-aggressive, but his rationality and ability to set personal limits are what make him a good military official. Despite his unaffectionate tone, Adam does demonstrate love and loyalty towards Shiro, reminding him of their commitment to one-another, and reassuring him that his achievements are more than exceptional.
Abilities
Adam is a brilliant pilot, but ultimately cannot stand up against the superior Galra weaponry
Adam also teaches a class at the Garrison, perhaps aviation theory, or something else that necessitates the heavy textbooks in his satchel.
Trivia
- His last name is unknown, but the first initial is visible on the Garrison's memorial plaque.
- Adam is a coffee drinker.
- Despite his minor screentime, Adam's death in season 7 brought a negative impact on LGBT+ representation in the show.