Critical Data: Supporting Cast
Sterling Brown for Terrence Sandoval
Full Name: Terrence Darius Sandoval
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: African-American
Occupation: GPI Introduction to Biology professor / former marine
Atlas's widowed father. Doting and supportive of his son and an admirable man to most who meet him, it's clear that while Atlas got his looks from his mom, he got his helpful yet goofy nature from his dad. However, Terrence's life has been a hard one: enduring his childhood being physically and emotionally abused by his drunkard father while his mother stood passively by, Terrence spent his younger years as a brazen jerk in the Marines until he met Glenice. After turning his life around and enjoying marriage and fatherhood, Terrence became a more accepting and understanding person. Upon Glenice's death, he was hired to work as a biology professor at the Goliath's Peak Institute of Sciences, the same university Atlas attends. Like his son, Terrence must try to navigate his new life through his grief and employment.
[Tearfully.] "Atlas? Atlas...come here, come to daddy. I am so, /so/ sorry if I ever made it feel like you couldn't talk to me. I know losing your mother has been horrific, I know we've both cried ourselves to sleep over it, but pushing down our feelings and hiding them from each other won't make them go away; they'll just build and build until we burst. You've burst, son. I think you need to - n-no, /we/ need to look for a therapist. We've put it off for long enough, we need a professional to help us sort out our problems. Let me tell you this, though...remember your storybook you had as a kid, about the boat? I'm try-trying to be your boat...come here, son. I love you so much, okay? I couldn't be proud to have fathered such a fine young man."
[Solemnly, but gratefully.] "Nabi...before you guys go upstairs, I just want to thank you. After Glenice passed, I never thought I'd see Atlas genuinely smile or hear him laugh again. I have you to thank for that. He was so worried about not finding friends when we got here, and you've been right at his side since his very first day. I'm so glad he has a best friend like you, so remember that you'll always have food in your belly and a safe place to sleep whenever you need us. You will always be welcome in our family."
[Stupidly excited.] "You mean this starts up by ITSELF?! Turn it on, I wanna see, I wanna - [Seojun turns it on, Terrence gasps.] This is the greatest day of my life, ho-ly hell, we gotta take this to the embassy right now! Kids, KIDS! Come down here and help us exploit the self-conscious construct of our shitty boss!"
