The eight latest episodes of Sex Education feels criminally short. Sex Education is not only entertaining, but it also conveys positive themes about identity and other important life skills. Adam has always been my personal favourite. Although he came in season 1 as some sort of antagonist — we can exactly know the root cause of his attitude. Adam has gone a long way in the three seasons of Sex Education thus far. It’s his capacity to adapt and grow as a person, that has made him such a transformative character.
His journey is (still) not easy. It took a while for Adam to get the acceptance of himself from himself. Adam’s been raised a certain way — and the damage his parents done to him is not a thing that can be fixed overnight. That’s why it is such a breakthrough in season 3 where Adam, showing Eric, the audience, and himself that he did have the capacity and capability to love and be loved. Given how enraged and closed off he was at the outset of his journey, this is nothing short of amazing.
Self-improvement is one hard and long process.
Adam is still working on how to become the better version of himself. Just like we are all do. Self-improvement is a lifetime process and there won’t be any instant results. Adam’s still struggling to deliver things on his mind and speak up. But he’s getting there. It’s a touching moment when he can be open with Miss Sands on his struggles — and how Miss Sands relentlessly supporting Adam.
Adam also allowed himself to see things from 2-steps-back perspective. That’s why he can sort-of make amends with Rahim. But it’s still baby steps for him. He should see it coming: the fact that him and Eric are not on the same stage of relationship and sexuality. Adam might not be ready to let Eric leave, given how much he helped him come out of his shell and become a better person. Self-improvement is a difficult task. It takes time and effort, especially for someone like Adam, who has spent his entire life suppressing his emotions and ignoring his inner self.
In life, it’s all about the small wins.
This message delivered in both literal and figurative speech for Adam’s arc this season. Screen Rant’s highlighted the fact why it’s okay for Adam not winning in his first dog contest — which a literal takes on this message. Furthermore, Adam’s baby steps in rediscovering himself is nothing magical. It fills with lots of struggles and dilemmas. Adam is at important turning points on his life. Attempting to reclaim his control over himself in many different ways: He comes out to his mother and peers (as Adam has very few people he considered as friends); he begins to communicate his feelings and thoughts; finds out that there are people who are actually care for him (Yup, including Rahim) and starts to gain self-confidence by discovering and doing the things he truly enjoys. It’s all about small wins for Adam.
Asking questions and asking for help are good (and definitely NOT a sign of weakness).
What’s so great about Adam storyline is the fact that Adam opens to help. He knows for sure it’s critical to seek help if you’re having a problem. It might be from friends, teachers, or parents, but whether you’re feeling uncomfortable or looking for feedback, reaching out to a trusted source is essential.
Adam opens up to his mom, which aside from her flaws, remains Adam’s #1 supporter. He also makes several attempts to talk to Miss Sands which plays important role on his educational achievement-slash-progress. He also makes amends with Rahim, despite the bumpy roads with ups and downs, which he knows the best person to consult to become a better partner for Eric.
Adam picks the right person to improve himself. He finds the right support system. We need these persons in order to grow. Just like the tagline of season three, Growth is a group project.
Acceptance.
This is the greatest progress of Adam so far. Adam’s comfort, as well as his mental and emotional state, being public with the couple’s connection, and being honest with respect to his sentiments, are basically the fundamentals of Eric and Adam’s relationship. Hence, eventually, Eric felt restrained in certain respects and desired the freedom to explore his identity on his own terms. Given that they were both heading in opposite ways, it’s understandable that Eric felt he couldn’t be himself with Adam. Eric and Adam were never in the same state — for every significant stride Adam took toward acceptance of his sexuality and identity, Eric was already many steps ahead of him.
However, despite the heartbreak, Adam learns to accept this truth. And this acceptance leads to another pivotal point on his life: he joins the dog contest — which a major statement on how Adam put himself first on top of everything and everyone else.
Final takes
Adam easily one of my favourite characters on TV series ever. His vulnerability and anger issues made him human — and a firm example on how someone can change for the better as long as they open for the change itself. Some character developments in some series felt forceful and instant. Adam’s progress shows how a person can evolve into a full-term and better version of themselves through difficult ups and downs. There’s no such thing as magical transformation.
This series demonstrates how to properly transform a previously unlikable character into someone people can genuinely care about through genius writing and character dynamics. There isn’t a single scene in which we don’t cheer for or sympathise with Adam’s predicament, thanks to Swindells’ outstanding portrayal. Sex Education provided Adam a fantastic redemption narrative that didn’t shy away from his difficulties or who he was at the start of the series. Rather, the writers expanded on that, breaking down and through his layers to completely and deliberately explore his character.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit:Netflix