Mmmm ... Alec. y'know, he's the first reason I watched the show. I have a thing about ravaged faces. Why is Alec the way he is? Well, he's kinda Bondian if you look at the original time. It's not that he doesn't care, it's that he can't care for long. Why Straker? I question what happened to cement the friendship because they didn't share childhood together, growing up, playing games, besting each other at getting girls or grades. They came together later than that and men bond for reasons completely beyond the average female. (No, I'm not suggesting that anyone on here is average. We all write and that is non average.)
So, somewhere there was a "happening", something that told Alec this man was worth his trust, that Ed Straker, relatively proper Bostonian, military leader, at least an MS in astrophysics, was worth following, no matter where, no matter when, no matter what. Regardless of what has happened between them since then, Alec stands at his right shoulder, through thick, thin, stupid personal decisions and self induced angst. (Yes, some of Straker's issues are indeed self induced.)
So: Alec the flirt, Alec who drinks on duty (sorry, but even in the 1960's that could get you canned in the US military. sloshed with regularity off duty, not an issue, alcoholism is still rampant in the US military, although we don't bruit it about.) Alec who argues with his commanding officer, Alec who would follow Ed Straker through hell if Ed said it was necessary ... Somewhere there is an explanation. I just haven't figured it out yet because Alec isn't the character most people focus on. Alec is very 1960's era "spy" in his portrayal, so like most of the spies of the era, we never know who he is exactly because Alec wears a mask. Ed sees behind that mask and is probably the only person who consistently does so. Alec is also Straker's conscience sometimes ... which given the spy thing, is kinda odd also.
So, at some point, Alec came in out of the cold because he was needed? See, questions upon questions upon questions and very little exploration. (OK, as soon as Sorcerer works itself out of my system, and Ford gets ... er... solved? I will have to figure out Alec.)
Although, oddly enough, I don't see him as having a bad relationship with his mother. No relationship, maybe. Or a cut short one ... but not bad somehow. Maybe orphaned at a critical moment ... oh, that would be great, the aliens took out his family. Sole Survivor time ...
Wow, I seem to have put more thought into Alec than I thought ...
Well, time to go home. I'll have to see what Alec does now as I've got his alter ego figured out, somewhat.
later
d
oh, yeah ... zen ... definitely.
and Matt: no one on the show. Ayshea is too young and I figure Miss Ealand's gotta have a spouse (ex? dead? misplaced?) or a boy toy on call.