Sergeant Elias

Elias Grodin

Platoon

Platoon (1986)

Inspiring compassion and goodness in a world gone mad

Staff Sergeant, United States Army

Bravo Company, 25th Infantry division

Staff Sergeant Elias Grodin believes in kindness and compassion, which were rather rare commodities in the Vietnam War. As one of the heads of Bravo Company, Elias is in a tug-of-war with the brutal Sergeant Barnes for the soul of Pvt. Chris Taylor, a new recruit who dropped out of college and enlisted in the army. Sgt. Elias is also the leader of the "Heads," a handful of soldiers from Bravo Company who spend their down time with music, dancing and drugs. Elias eventually reports Barnes to his superiors after Barnes murders a Vietnamese civilian - Barnes later retaliates by shooting Elias in the chest. Barnes tells the rest of the platoon that Elias is dead, though he is soon proven wrong as they all watch from their evacuating helicopters a severely wounded Elias on the ground, outstretching his arms to the heavens. Elias is soon thereafter killed by enemy fire, and his death is later avenged by Taylor, who shoots Barnes in cold blood.