Lem is New Canton Runner 38. You don't know much about him, other than his fearless attitude and his apparent love for the New Canton operator Nadia. You can't tell where he's from, but you don't think he's local.
History[]
Pre-apocalypse[]
Lem is known to be an Olympic level athlete in several disciplines, including a Gold Olympic medal in luge. He is also a Nobel Prize winning chemist and a self-made millionaire, known for his philanthropic efforts. He grew up in an orphanage but managed to make something of himself through hard work and determination.[1]
Early Apocalypse[]
Lem sees a woman, Nadia, trapped in a van and surrounded by a horde of zombies. He leads the zombies away and gives Nadia chance to escape. Nadia is very grateful and expresses her affection towards Lem, but he keeps his distance as he doesn't want to take advantage of her feelings.[2]
Lem writes a note to Nadia saying that if he ever becomes a zombie, she should go to his old house. He leaves the key to the house with the note.[1]
Lem regularly delivers supplies to Jamie Skeet, who is taking care of a group of children near a primary school. Lem plans to move the children to New Canton where they will be safer.[3]
Season One[]
Lem and several other New Canton runners are sent out to the old mill in search of extra food stores. When they open up the basement, they accidentally release a horde of zombies. Many of the runners are bitten and turned. Lem manages to climb to the roof of the mill. Lem is trapped on the roof for two days. Nadia stays in contact with him while he is up there. Eventually Lem spots a runner from Abel Township approaching - Runner Five. Lem calls out to Five for help, and Five lures the zombies away so that Lem can climb down. Lem meets up with Five and thanks them for their help. He tells Nadia that a runner from Abel Township saved his life. Then Lem realizes he has been bitten and begins coughing. Lem says farewell to Nadia, gives Five his headset, then runs off, luring the zombies away before he turns.[4]
The following section contains spoilers for Season 2. [skip section]
Lem manages to lose the zombies and make it back to his house before he turns. With what little time he has left, he records a message for Nadia. Lem tells Nadia that he loves her, that she's a good person, and not to let his death change that about her.[1]
End of spoiler section.
New Canton retires the number 38 following Lem's death, unwilling to replace him with another runner.[5]
Runner Five uses Lem's headset to listen to New Canton's broadcasts. However, Nadia picks up the headset's signal on her scanners, sees that the wearer is moving in a very un-zombie-like manner, and comes to believe that Lem is still alive.[6]
Some New Canton runners catch of glimpse of the person wearing the headset and tell Nadia that it isn't Lem. Nadia contacts the runner on a private channel and delivers some barely-veiled threats to them.[7]
Season Two[]
After a successful joint mission between New Canton and Abel Township, Sam Yao accidentally reveals to Nadia that Runner Five was the Abel runner who has been wearing Lem's headset.[8]
In her anger over Runner Five making her think Lem was still alive, Nadia sends Five into Dedlock territory in an attempt to get them killed. Sam intervenes and guides Five back to safety, and he tells Nadia that Lem was the one who gave his headset to Five in the first place. Nadia is surprised to hear this and falls silent for the remainder of the mission.[2]
Esteban Sosa and Runner Five go to Lem's old home to retrieve the tape that he had left for Nadia before dying.[1] They also find information about a group of children he had been supporting.
A zombified Lem appears in Athena. He saves Runner 5.
Appearances[]
- S1M8 The Old Mill
- S2M10 Holding Out For A Hero (recording)
- S2M33 Athena (zombie)
Trivia[]
- Sam likens Lem to Ace Rimmer, a character from the TV sci-fi series Red Dwarf. Other characters would often say "What a guy!" after encountering Ace.
- In the Base Builder, you can add a "Statue of Lem" to Janine's Farmhouse after unlocking it in Season 2 Mission 10: Holding Out For A Hero. The description of the addon is: "Statue of a fallen hero. What a guy!"
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Season 2 Mission 10: [[Holding Out For A Hero (Season 2)|]]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Season 2 Mission 4: We Used To Be Friends
- ↑ Season 2 Mission 11: The Kids Are Alright
- ↑ Season 1 Mission 8: The Old Mill
- ↑ Season 1 Mission 18: Eavesdropping - Nadia Al Hanaki: "We’re not gonna put in a new Runner Thirty-eight, you know. We’re retiring his number. He… he was quite a guy."
- ↑ Season 1 Mission 20: Listen In
- ↑ Season 1 Mission 23: Aftermath
- ↑ Season 2 Mission 1: Back Once Again