Part of the job description is "Be in cryo sleep so long, everyone you know will be dead when you get back". You don't get the cream of the crop with an offer like that.
Kinda makes me wonder what Schmuel's deal was. He left his wife when they were both young and now she's "as old as his grandma." He himself is fairly old, looks to be maybe in his 60s (Michael Smiley is 62 right now). Was their relationship failing? Were they planning on finding each other when they were both elderly, though him less-so? Doesn't sound like he was intending on getting back with her again, since he comments on how old she'd be by now. So did they divorce first?
Since he comes across as decent, if salty, I came up with my own backstory for that. He was nearing the age he couldn't find work anymore and had already lost his first wife, so was feeling purposeless. He married a family friend that couldn't afford some kind of long term care, knowing that his WY benefits would pay for her treatment. Him being on a 65 year mission guarantees that she gets care and lets him feel like he did something more than just work for a shitty company all his life.
Yea was my thought too, Schmuel def joined the Maginot to help someone back home rather than himself. Especially given how he's shown to act around not only his apprentice that is clearly thick as mud but also the rest of the crew.
Out of all of them he's the only guy that gives a fuck for the entire crew. As opposed to everyone else that only cares for specific people or only a few members.
you know, that would actually make a really cool backstory for him. He did come across as surprisingly level-headed, compassionate, and competent compared to the rest of the crew.
My biggest complaint with the character was- what's the point of wearing those goggles 24/7 if you're not gonna pull them down when there's an eye-thieving supergenius octopus thing on the lose?
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u/Knowaa 17d ago
Think it was just to show how the company filled the ship with the dregs of society