Who is Tony Almeida?

Tony has had an interesting evolution as a character in the 24 universe. He began in a supporting role as third in command at CTU that was mostly informational - delivering information about the plot and occurences during the day to the audience. Throughout the progression of the series, his character has evolved to become the anchor of CTU, the human face of CTU Headquarters, a leader that everyone respects and looks up to, and Jack Bauer's most trusted ally. He exemplifies the ideal of a true patriot, who lives by his own strict code of honour that is based not upon forced, simplistic flag-waving ideas of serving one's country, but on altruistic ethics and principles. He does whatever it takes to protect the good of his fellow agents and the people of the United States, even to his own personal detriment. That is, until he is faced with an impossible choice: sacrifice his wife Michelle, the love of his life, and risk public safety and national security, or follow code and let his wife die to protect the lives of millions of innocent civilians. It is then that Tony's duty and his heart diverge, and he is forced to decide whether he is a man of pure heart or a man of pure principles. He chooses to sacrifice himself to save his love, and in that proves once and for all that he is the ultimate altruist, who believes in something deeper than simplistic black and white ideas of good and evil, of right and wrong. He has developed meaningful and complex interpersonal relationships with many of the other major players in the 24 universe, which contribute significantly to the show's nuances and re-occuring themes. No fan of the show could imagine it without him.

Taken from... www.almeidaisgod.com