Temporary solution for the Wraith's limited food supply.
Considering the rival Wraith factions have been at each other's throughts over the limited number of humans in the galaxy, I'm suprised they haven't begun to feed on their drone warriors to compensate. One would think since the drones are essentially faceless clones created in mass to be nothing more than expendable soldiers, the Wraith would have resorted to this sooner. It's a bit heartless, but considering the Wraith would gladly feed on a human with out hesitation, if pushed I wouldn't think it would be very difficult to turn on thier own. That being said, does anyone think there is some type of social caste system between normal Wraith and the clones? Also since most of the Wraith in the series we have seen so far are clones, do you think thier social structure is really bug based; one reproducing female per hive and the rest are all male workers or dose it just seem that way because of all the clones?
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The Defiant One seemed to demonstrate how the Wraith feed when there isn't enough to go around: first all the humans are fed upon, then when there isn't a single human left the Wraith start feeding on fellow Wraith.
The Wraith seem to have a mix of insectoid and human characteristics. On the surface their society seems to be very hive-like but when you dig a little deeper you find Wraith such as Todd who look after themselves first and hive second.
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It would have been logical to build down the number of drones after the war with the Ancients, but it seems that they decided to hibernate instead, to let the humans breed so they could all be sustained. They are, as they said, very patient creatures.
In Loving Memory of Wraithlord.
I wish I got to know you better.Comment
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The Wraith probably kept their drones figuring they would be useful if they ever have to fight another technologically advanced civilization. Then through season 1 they kept them so they could fight whatever defenses the humans from the new feeding ground might have. Then in seasons 2-3 they kept them to fight off rival hives if need be. Then in season 4 they kept them to fight the Asurans. Now they're keeping them to fight the Earth forces with their Wank Beams.Originally posted by GoSpikey View Post
They bring starvation upon themselves.
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You'd think at this point the Wraith would unite and turn their clones into snacks, find a means of getting the humans to reproduce faster, and or use the original cloning facilities where the warriors were created to make a more sustainable food source. Generally I'm kinda suprised the Wraith haven't done more to help themselves. I'm sure if they were desperate enough they would eventually accept or create their own version of Dr. Keller's gene therapy so they can eat normal food and not have to rely solely on sentient life force to sustain themselves. I get the feeling though, that most Wraith would probably reject the treatment, especially if Dr. Keller is right in that they would loose thier longevity, strength, and ability to heal.Comment
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^One of the disadvantages of being a species that has writers.
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But from an ep like "The Defiant One" we learn that they first turn on the humans (their food, so logical) and then they turn on their own, if it's necessary for their survival.
Logically they should have built their army down, but they preferred hibernation instead.
In Loving Memory of Wraithlord.
I wish I got to know you better.Comment
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Weren't they awoken from their hibernation too soon? They probably just assumed by the time they woke up that the worlds in the Pegasus would have increased their populations to a point where they could all be sustained again.
Why they dont just go back into hibernation or at least some of them, I dont know. Maybe they fear that with Atlantis back in operation it would be too risky to sleep. Or maybe they really believe they will find Earth and its yummy 6 billion people buffet.Comment
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I'd doubt that they would ever go for it. It's like telling one of those starving nations, "Hey, you don't got much food, why don't you eat each other?"
Not exactly going for the cannibalismsigpicComment
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This should get some conversations going:
Since this is a multinational endeavor, maybe we have some countries that would be willing to part with their death-row inmates and instead of hanging, lethal injection, or electric chair, we could feed the poor, starving Wraith. It could be spun by the leaders as a humanitarian effort by the "good" people of Earth.Comment
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Feeding on the Warriors/drones aside, & given that we know that the Wraith have cloning technology, I don't see why they don't just grow their own stock of Human clones & feed off them in addition to the worlds they cull.
Given that their Warriors are pretty much clones taken from one genetic template donated by Queen Wraith, it leads us to assume, or at least speculate, that there are only a few thousand Wraith, like Todd, whom are born 'naturally' by Queens & the rest are clones/warriors/drones (sort of like a queen bee/hive mentality, which we have seen in part in the past).
It begs the question how Wraith like Todd, kenny, Steve, Michael, etc are born (do they have a consort which mates with the Queen to produce such males, unlike the clone warriors).
As for feednig ,they seem to like feeding on Humans & other sentients, such as Jaffa, etc first, then they feed on one another (et ala The Defiant One, Submersion, etc) & then they hybernate until worlds are ready to cull again, & the cycle goes on. Also makes me wonder if feeding is what helps them regenrate & gives them their long lifespans & other phsycial abilities, like enhanced strength, etc (as mentioned in the Queen); will altering their DNA to make them in Wraith/Human hybrids or taking away their need to feed (as proposed by Keller in First Contact) negate these advantages (although combining Wraith/Human DNA does seem to have its advantages, it seemingly made Michaels telepathic abilities stronger when he contacted Teyla telepathically before)?
Do we even have the right to change the fundimental way another being lives its life & alter the very fabric of Wraith society. Yes, it would allow us to co-exist with the Wraith & stop them feeding, but as Todd pointed out; it would funditmentaly change whom & what they are. The Wraith are not evil (sadistic & aggressive, yes, evil, not so much) - it is stated that they need to feed to survive; in that regard they are no different to Humans or other life forms, except their food source is other sentient beings (therein lies the dilemma). I think their disregard for other life forms comes from their technological superiority, their basic instincts/culture/society & the way it is run/they interact with one another, & their so-called 'contempt' or Humanity & other 'lesser' races (it's hard to show respect for something one considers mere food when you're top of the food chain).
As for feeding the Wraith our crimninals, like in Condemned, what gives us the right ot execute them in such a fashion? I agree that what they may have done is wrong in terms of their crimes, but do they deserve to be fed to the Wraith because of it? You see how this opens up a moral can of worms (althou it would probaby deter people from commioting crime, but what happens when there are no more criminals lefto t feed the Wraith? Do we invent crimes to justify feeding inncoent people to the Wraith)?
Thoughts?Comment
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I agree also the hate hybrids micheal they wont want to be like that.Originally posted by akren View PostComment
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Just going to make a quick comment on that bit I put in bold.Originally posted by akren View Post
No - we don't have the right to change the Wraith - not against their will. If some seem the wisdom in it, and decide on their own to change, then so be it.
Even though I am a sci fi fan, there is one big thing that really irritates me about basic sci fi storytelling, and that is how human characters (it is usually the human 'heroes') feel it is their duty to change alien species to fit into the human 'mold'. It's one reason I dropped Star Trek Voyager, because Janeway was constantly making moral decisions for other races/species when it wasn't her right to do so. That is no different than forcing your political views, or religion, on another culture. Yet in sci fi it is done all the time, and after a while, it becomes very obnoxious.
I find it much more interesting to learn to find ways to coexist, even if a dangerous species is never altered. For instance, I'd have no problem watching SGA year after year, knowing that the Wraith feed on humans, but 'accepting' it as part of their biology. The FUN and INTERESTING part is NOT finding a way to kill them or necessarily change them, but to coexist with them. That becomes the dilemma that must be resolved. Unfortunately, SGA established the Wraith as 'enemies that must die' right from the beginning, instead of establishing them as a unique and dangerous species that must be dealt with carefully.
We are getting that now with Todd, and most fans are LOVING it! They love the tension, they love not knowing if Todd will slip up and suck on someone, they love the danger of having a Wraith in the same room as Rodney. It makes for much better storytelling than 'Wraith! KILL IT!'
As you say, the Wraith are NOT evil - they are just different. An aggressive predatory species, not unlike tigers or sharks, only they look more like humans, and can talk. I love the Wraith being dangerous, and aggressive, but I also love them playing nice with humans. Personally, I'd love to have the best of both worlds, and the way to do that is to only have them 'feed' off-camera, making passing mention of it without showing it. This was nicely done in The Queen (Spoiler for The Queen: ):Spoiler:
If Todd wasn't out there eating people, we wouldn't be blessed with his snark and his jokes and his 'threats' aimed at Rodney...and the relationship between him and the Lanteans wouldn't be nearly as interesting and entertaining! He's so good as he is now, I think the writers will have a hard time making him as interesting (and sympathetic) if he's a fruit-eating Wraith hellbent on ruling the galaxy. That would make him no different from the next bad guy to come down the pike.
So, in a way, the Wraith ARE defined by their ability and need to feed on humans, and that underlying knowledge of what they eat is what makes them such a dangerous species, as well as such entertaining 'allies'. I'd hate to lose any of that.
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I think Cannibalism is almost as Taboo as it is for humans for Wraith. I agree about Todd being the most interesting storytelling on Stargate Atlantis. With that said, I do believe that probably a lot of the Wraith are evil. Certainly the majority of the ones we've met so far. I mean yes they all eat people to survive, but Todd never struck me as someone who is sadistic about like say Steve or ...every Wraith Queen ever seemed to be. I have a hard to believing that humans will ever be able to permanently co-exist with the Wraith. Although I though Atlantis' Alliance with Todd was awesome because unlike the one with Micheal's Hive, Todd and Kenny seemed to regard Sheppard and Co as actual partners (albeit it still human) rather than food they were waiting to catch off guard.) Yet, I don't believe that the Wraith should be forced to adapt to suit humanity. Hence I don't believe that there is a simple or even any answer that is the morally correct one. Which is fascinating. The mass cloning of humans maaaybe could be one, but I don't think that they have the infrastructure or the biological ability even, to make it work."First Weir, then Samantha Carter, and now, you! It's a pity you humans die or get reassigned so easily, or I might have a sense of satisfaction now!"
*You got the touch! You got the poweeeeer!*
"Arise, Woolseyus Prime."
"Elizabeth..."Comment
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I've never had the impression that the Wraith think ill of cannibalism. It seems that their instinct to survive overrides any moral qualms about feeding on their own kind. Now - some may prefer not to (for whatever reasons), but I honestly can't believe a Wraith wouldn't feed on one of his own from an enemy hive. I think we even saw this in SoW, when Todd's hive was attacked. Didn't Ronon (or someone) say that some of Todd's crew had been fed upon? Seems like something they do.Originally posted by Infinite-Possibilities View Post
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