William Adama quotes from Battlestar Galactica (2003)

Adama

There's a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.

Adama

[to Tyrol, after Socinus has been incarcerated] What I can't do is I can't let someone who wears this uniform get up on the witness stand and lie under oath. And that's what your man did. He either lied the first time or he lied the second time. And it doesn't matter. He's guilty, and he'll pay the price. You? You'll pay a different price. You'll have to walk out on that hanger every day knowing that one of your men is in the brig because you couldn't keep your fly zipped. You are the most experienced non-commissioned officer we have left. You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly.

Adama

Manipulative. Cunning. The only problem with Leoben isn't that he lies - that would be too easy - it's that he mixes lies with truth.

Adama

If you keep running from the school yard bully, he keeps on chasing you but the moment you turn around and stop you punch him really hard in a sensitive spot. He'll think twice about coming back.

Adama

When you are in the cockpit, you are in control. Its hard to give it up... All you can do now is wait and hope you didn't make any mistakes. Welcome to the big leagues.

Adama

It's not enough to survive. One must be worthy of survival.

Adama

So say we all!

Adama

We're leaving. But we'll be back.

Adama

This is the Admiral. You've heard the news, you know the mission. You should also know there is only one way that this mission ends: and that's with the successful rescue of our people, off of New Caprica. Look around you. Take a good look at the men and women that stand next to you. Remember their faces, for one day you will tell your children and your grandchildren that you served with such men and women as the universe has never seen. And together, you'll accomplish the feat that will be told and retold down through the ages, and find immortality as only the gods once knew. I'm proud to serve with you. Good hunting.

Adama

When you stand o­n this deck, you be ready to fight, or you dishonor the reason why we're here. Now remember this: When you fight a man, he's not your friend. Same goes when you lead men. I forgot that o­nce. I let you get too close. All of you. I dropped my guard. I gave some of you breaks, let some of you go, before the fight was really over. I let this crew and this family disband. And we paid the price in lives. That can't happen again.

Adama

[reading the opening of Love and Bullets]"It started like it always did. With a body. This one was in the river, and I could tell she had once been beautiful, but this bullet and fast current had taken away from her. All we are, or that we think we are, all that we are certain about, is taken away from us. When you've worked the streets and seen what I've seen, you become more and more convinced of it every day. Caprica City has been my teacher, my mistress. From the moment I opened my eyes, she is in my blood, like cheap wine. Bitter and sweet, tinged with regret. I'll never be free of her, nor do I wanna be, for she is what I am. All that is, should always be."

Adama

About time.

Adama

This is the end of the line. We've got no where else to go. And if we give the alliance too much time it'll fall apart again. We gotta roll the hard six. We all go together and as fast as we can.

Adama

You know, there are days that I really hate this job.

Adama

In other words, it's our destiny to go after her, right? [Starbuck nods] Wrong. I've had it up to here with destiny, prophecy, with God or the Gods. Look where it's left us. The ass end of nowhere; nearly half of our people are gone; Earth, a worthless cinder; and I can't even walk down the halls of my ship without wondering if I'm gonna catch a bullet for getting us into this mess.