Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-4141313-20190119003858/@comment-4141313-20190127001538

There's a difference between saying someone is strong, and showing someone is strong. Its why Show Don't Tell is practically a law in proper writing. Even then, the only ones who really hyped up Adam were those close to him. Of the two, Blake is someone who both fought alongside him, used to believe him, and was afraid of him, making it reasonable she'd put him on a pedestal/be afraid of him. Whereas Sienna saw him as someone equal to herself, enough to consider sharing leadership of the Fang with him.

Sienna: Adam - if you continue along this path, you might just find yourself standing beside me at my throne.

And since Sienna often worked alongside him like Blake did, she'd naturally consider him strong if he brought in results.

Cinder didn't say he was strong, she said he was skilled. There is in fact a difference. Its why the Weak but Skilled trope exists. In fact, the reasoning Cinder gave for why she picked Adam was because he was a skilled leader.

Cinder: You're the one we need. Your skill, your ability to lead those beneath you. You're an exceptionally valuable man, Adam.

This is even confirmed by Sienna later on.

Sienna: You are a symbol for many in our organization, but that doesn't make you infallible.

Adam: I will admit, Sienna, you were right about my popularity.

Cinder needed soldiers for her inevitable attack on Beacon, and rather than hire untrustworthy and subpar thugs, she sought Adam out so the White Fang would be her foot soldiers.

As for why Blake and Sun didn't give chase, it wasn't because he was strong, but because he was indeed dangerous. Blake told Sun that following Adam into the woods was suicide since Adam could easily lay in wait and take them by surprise.

Sun: But he's getting away! We could take him!

Blake: No, we can't. He wants to lure us away so he can pick us off. We need to protect the school and the people here.

Blake said he was basically employing a standard tactic, Divide and Conquer.

And again, to put him on the same level as Qrow would put him on a similar level to Tyrian, and Tyrian has shown the capability of taking on four students simultaneously and only lost his stinger due to getting distracted by his sadistic glee. Adam meanwhile struggles to take on two students.

Not only did Adam's strength come across as Told not Shown, it was from people who reasonably overhype him.

Seriously, this is getting repetitive, as it seems no matter what argument any of us use, you immediately come up with a counterargument that is just as easily disproven, or overhype Adam yourself. Its fine to like Adam if you want too, despite how many of us dislike him, but its not alright to make him out to be something he isn't.