Sam's exit as commander of Atlantis (speculation on how it will occur)

[atfan]

Agh! WHY WHY WHY a ship?

"Hey this person is an Air Force officer, this means they can do ANY job, regardless of whether it was what they were trained for or if they're experience lends to it!"

Carter commanding Atlantis was a stretch. A REAL stretch. As a military officer, she would usually only command groups based on her role, which is SCIENCE> But, Station Commanders have to come from somewhere, so it is sort of permissable that she became the Atlantis "station commander". But commanding a ship is different, and not only would that be a step down, but I think would be a horrific move based on expertise.

If you are an officer with previous command experience which she has then her chosen degree/field doesn't matter. She was a pilot at one point in time has ten years experience in a front-line combat unit as second in command and leading it as well. She has experience dealing with alien technology at the upper command levels she would no longer be considered just a science offficer but rather a line officer which is unrestricted in what command jobs you can hold this occurs at the Colonel level and above in all services. At the upper levels of O-5 and above this makes sense you need a leader not a specialist. How many people do you think even have the security clearance to take such a high level job not many. Out of those none have her experience of off-world time or combat makes sense from a logistics standpoint alone. There is no such thing as just a science officer there are medical officers/chaplains/Engineers/Pilots/Navigators/Medical Administration/ Special Forces but not science. The fact that the airforce let her continue science was a bonus not a requirement. If she was a civilian I would agree but not with her military background add to that she attended the Airforce academy where most of the higher level officers get their start.

[The_Carpenter]

Maybe she just stands down, so she can devote more time to research.

I don't think she was that comfortable in a command role tbh.

[JohnRico]

I really hope Sam does not end up as some play thing for the IOA to boss around & they force her to get out like Woolsey is the IOAs play thing to order around. I am hoping that Sam just gets I guess you can say an opportunity of a life time some where back on Earth & she pretty much like anyone else would want to move on bigger & better things. I dont think the IOA has the balls to just kick someone out. Hopefully Sam just decides to take a better offer & THEN the IOA moves in & makes a "Power Play".

[Aethon]

Im not sure, she will probably return to the SGC...

I hope I get to see the ep I want, I want Sam to be under some kind of curse and go all crazy about rodney, that would be hilarious. I still miss her technobabble, even though she is the new commander I still miss it...

[atfan]

ewww okay not rodney please anyone else but him would be funny though.

[Flyboy]

If you are an officer with previous command experience which she has then her chosen degree/field doesn't matter. She was a pilot at one point in time has ten years experience in a front-line combat unit as second in command and leading it as well. She has experience dealing with alien technology at the upper command levels she would no longer be considered just a science offficer but rather a line officer which is unrestricted in what command jobs you can hold this occurs at the Colonel level and above in all services. At the upper levels of O-5 and above this makes sense you need a leader not a specialist. How many people do you think even have the security clearance to take such a high level job not many. Out of those none have her experience of off-world time or combat makes sense from a logistics standpoint alone. There is no such thing as just a science officer there are medical officers/chaplains/Engineers/Pilots/Navigators/Medical Administration/ Special Forces but not science. The fact that the airforce let her continue science was a bonus not a requirement. If she was a civilian I would agree but not with her military background add to that she attended the Airforce academy where most of the higher level officers get their start.

1 - Carter's primary role in the Air Force was science based in her research into the Stargate. Like it or not, the majority of her career was spent as a scientist, not really a bonus.

2 - Carter being a pilot does NOT work. Not only do I doubt that she would have moved from pilot to research so easily, or with enough time to both at such a young age, but from what I've heard there's controversy surrounding the assertion that she got over 1000hours air time when she did based on actual female flying regulations in the USAF. Admittadly, this last bit I do not know for sure, but still.

3 - My issue with her commanding Atlantis is not the very fact that she did, but she lacked experience before she did. Early military commands will ALWAYS be in your branch. Being in charge of a signals platoon etc, later you move on to general commands, like being a station commander. Sam missed out this middle step, she MAY have had a command at Area 51, but that seemed to be short lived, and her command of Sg1 in S8 was a joke, and is in no way preperation for a command as big as Atlantis.

My overall point is that it took Jack 8 years to get a command, and even as a full bird Colonal he was running around in fields. Sam, now full bird, is being given a company arguably just as sophisticated as the SGC, I'd expect, any military leader to be at least 1 star in that position, based on the Gateverse's assertion of importance of the SGC and Atlantis. Although minor commands, such as a beta site etc, I'd expect from Lt Colonal onwards, based on the fact that my current station commander is a Wing Commander, which I belive is equivilient to a US Lt Colonal.

In essence, I think the command of Atlantis was beyond her area at this point in time, and should have waited till she'd had significant minor command experience, which would usually start off in her area of expertise.

[mizzoueng]

Maybe it has something to do with the second movie coming up.

Maybe towards the end of the season she is leaked info that the IOA is experimenting with the Ark to use against the wraith and she gets called by Daniel and she has to make a decision to stay at Atlantis or leave her post to help stop the IOA from trying to modify the Ark.

If she steps down from her post this way, I think it would be a fitting end for her tenure.

I don't know how Woosley will run Atlantis. The IOA doesn't really have a track record of making good decisions, or even MAKING a decision when it comes to the Atlantis expedition.

[Skydiver]

if sam was only assigned a TDY for a year, coming back wouldn't necessarily be a demotion. she was asked to do something that was maybe beyond her pay grade at the time, but she was the only person, and it was only suppose to be temporary, but 'temporary' lasted a year, and now she's going home.

or it might not even be a year. i mean, here we are in the second half of the season and it's been just a few months since she came there...she coudl go back to the SGC at the beginning of s5 and it's only been 7 months or something

[Integrabyte]

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how Sam would end up leaving Atlantis keep in mind that she is going to still guest from time to time. I know the IOA will be involved but I think it will have to do with her going against something they didn't like any ideas?

Its going to be done in a very rude manner like they did with Weir. Hell, they should do it off scene

[atfan]

1 - Carter's primary role in the Air Force was science based in her research into the Stargate. Like it or not, the majority of her career was spent as a scientist, not really a bonus.

2 - Carter being a pilot does NOT work. Not only do I doubt that she would have moved from pilot to research so easily, or with enough time to both at such a young age, but from what I've heard there's controversy surrounding the assertion that she got over 1000hours air time when she did based on actual female flying regulations in the USAF. Admittadly, this last bit I do not know for sure, but still.

3 - My issue with her commanding Atlantis is not the very fact that she did, but she lacked experience before she did. Early military commands will ALWAYS be in your branch. Being in charge of a signals platoon etc, later you move on to general commands, like being a station commander. Sam missed out this middle step, she MAY have had a command at Area 51, but that seemed to be short lived, and her command of Sg1 in S8 was a joke, and is in no way preperation for a command as big as Atlantis.

My overall point is that it took Jack 8 years to get a command, and even as a full bird Colonal he was running around in fields. Sam, now full bird, is being given a company arguably just as sophisticated as the SGC, I'd expect, any military leader to be at least 1 star in that position, based on the Gateverse's assertion of importance of the SGC and Atlantis. Although minor commands, such as a beta site etc, I'd expect from Lt Colonal onwards, based on the fact that my current station commander is a Wing Commander, which I belive is equivilient to a US Lt Colonal.

In essence, I think the command of Atlantis was beyond her area at this point in time, and should have waited till she'd had significant minor command experience, which would usually start off in her area of expertise.

I agree with part of what you are saying she didn't have larger command experience but she was 2nd in charge of SG-1 for Ten Years and Department Head at Area 51. Her combat experience as part of SG-1 is what they looked at also she was 30 when she started at the SGC. She had already been in eight years not including academy time. I can't believe she was still a captain.
With a doctorate level degree she would get advancement points automatically plus since most women don't have combat experience that would also be in her favor. I think Jack was offered command before that but had turned it down in favor of being in a field unit. I am not sure but I don't think Jack went to the academy. It makes a difference because Leadership courses and management are given as part of any degree plan as well as military course in strategy. At the SGC as part of SG-1 she served as Department Head for all the scientists.

[anima]

I rememer in Ripple Effect on SG-1 in season 9 the alternate reality Sam Carter of on maternity leave perhaps this will be what happens now.

[fallenexile452]

I think he character will just miss doing all the research and stuff especially after having to leave it to mckay and the others this past year and seeing them have so much fun. After all we are talking about the woman who at one point didn't leave the base when they had time off because she actually enjoyed her work. I think she'll either want to go back to area 51 or be stationed aboard the odyssey to continue studying and working with the asgard tech. That would allow her to come back whenever/if the odyssey then makes the Pegasus trip.

[sueKay]

So nobody thinks the IOA have intervened to remove her cos she's military?

Am I the only one thinking she's being forced from the job?

[The_Carpenter]

I rememer in Ripple Effect on SG-1 in season 9 the alternate reality Sam Carter of on maternity leave perhaps this will be what happens now.

Eeek... Do I hear and shippers on the horizon?

or maybe its and shippers

Don't see it happening, we don't need a sprog running around for subsequent SG-1 movies

[Raven56]

Sheppard changes the past in the last episode of Season 4. Upon his return he finds Woolsey is in command and Carter is around doing science things.

Also affected by the changed timeline: the painting from Outcast has been altered slightly, FRAN is somehow still around, Atlantis has 3 ZPMs, we salvaged the Ancient ship from The Return, Teyla's pregnant from Sheppard, McKay is married, and all plot holes have mysteriously disappeared from the universe.

.....but, it's been a year...and they have no one. largely because, woolsey, the ONLY member of the committee that has actually left earth, negates candidate after candidate cause he can't see them working.

finally, annoyed as heck, the IOA says 'fine, tell ya what, you do it' and he's assigned there...quite against his will.

it allows sam to save face and not be demoted - AGAIN - and puts woolsey there in a more sympathetic attitude rather than 'me boss, you underling'.

i want her last line to him to be 'don't get everyone killed' before she goes home, to let him deal with things as he can

I REALLY like this idea!