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Curtis "Lem" Lemansky, is a major character in the FX cop drama The Shield. He is a member of Vic Mackey's strike team and often assists Vic in his various schemes. Despite this, Lem is easily the most good-natured of the team and the one most conflicted about the crimes they commit.
Biography[]
When Vic and Shane Vendrell murdered Terry Crowley for being an informant their actions were kept secret from Lem as Vic knew he would see it as too far. Lem later assisted Vic in locking Kern Little and T-Bonz in a freight container and get rid of the evidence after Kern killed T-Bonz. Lem's humanity was further demonstrated when he accidentally shot an innocent man and did everything in his power to make up for it.
When Vic fell out with his old friend Ben Gilroy, Lem helped Vic bring him down with the assistance of Shane and the other strike team member Ronnie Gardocki.
When Vic prepared to confess his crimes for Ronnie's sake so Armadillo Quintero wouldn't get away with burning his face, Lem and Shane proved how deep their loyalty to Vic went when they orchestrated Armadillo's death. Lem later had reservations about Vic's plans to rob the Armenian money train but reluctantly went along with it.
Lem's friendship with the team was strained when Vic forced him to lie to Tavon Garis that he attacked Shane's pregnant Wife Mara in order to cover for Shane's violent assault on Tavon. Lem burnt the remaining money that they stole which left Shane very resentful of him and the Strike Team disbanded.
Lem was transferred and began working with juvenile offenders, a job that easily suited him due to his caring nature. Lem got dragged back into things when Vic contacted him and revealed Shane had made an alliance with drug lord Antwon Mitchell and Lem reluctantly provided information to stop Shane from getting sent down so the team wouldn't be at risk of Shane making a deal and selling them out to save himself.
When Lem's young informant Angie was murdered after she'd been providing information on Antwon, Lem was devastated and accused both Vic and Shane of being responsible. Eventually everyone was able to reconcile and Vic was able to bring Antwon in.
During the search for Angie Lem stole a stash of heroin in order to get leverage for information on her disappearance. This was witnesses by Vic's informant Emolia. Internal Affairs detective John Kavanaugh then attempted to use this to force Lem to turn on Vic which he also tried to do by exposing Vic's involvement in Terry's death but Lem refused to see that his friend was capable of doing something so terrible. Vic even lie to Lem's face later, pretending he felt responsible but did not kill Terry.
Vic was deeply concerned for Lem and tried to protect him from Kavanaugh. Despite Kavanaugh's attempts to send him to prison Lem showed disgust when Vic showed callousness towards his wife's mental illness and even saved Kavanaugh's life. This did not stop Kavanaugh from making a deal with Antwon so that Lem would serve time in the same prison as him but this plan was thwarted by Vic and the rest of the team.
Ultimately Lem was betrayed and murdered by Shane after Shane was fooled by Kavanaugh and David Aceveda into thinking Lem was going to give them up. This left Shane guilt-ridden and caused irreparable damage to his friendship with Vic.
Personality[]
Lemansky seems to be the most morally just of the strike team, he is portrayed as someone with a strong sense of morality and compassion, distinguishing him from the more ruthless members of the strike team. His reluctance to participate in some of the darker activities (such as Vic's plans to rob the Armenian money train) and his deep remorse after accidentally shooting an innocent man indicate that he has a strong moral compass. He tries to make up for his mistakes, showing that he is empathetic and more so then his accomplices.
He is also extremely loyal to his friends, particularly Vic Mackey. Even when faced with evidence of Vic’s misdeeds (such as the murder of Terry Crowley), Lem remains in denial, unwilling to believe that his friend is capable of such things.
Lem is frequently torn between his loyalty to the team and his own values. He participates in illegal activities and covers up crimes, often reluctantly. His discomfort with these actions suggests a constant inner conflict, as he is not as hardened as Vic or Shane.
Lem is compassionate with juvenile offenders, where he is well-suited due to his caring nature. His devastation after the death of his young informant, Angie, highlights how deeply he cares about protecting the young, He is also willing to sacrifice for his friends, as seen in his efforts to shield Shane from consequences, even though Shane had previously assaulted Tavon and acted recklessly on multiple occasions.
Lem’s idealism and belief in his friends are ultimately his downfall. He is betrayed by Shane, whom he trusted despite their strained relationship. His faith in the team and his loyalty blinded him to the darker realities of the people he was aligned with.
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