Replicators & Asurans

[Daniel Jackson]

On SG-1, the Replicators were introduced as a secondary villain to visit once or twice a year so the Goa'uld weren't the only majorly powerful villains. They appeared once in Season 3, once in Season 4, twice in Season 5, and were thought to have been defeated in Season 6. Then they returned in Season 8 for five episodes culminating in their final defeat.

On Atlantis, the Asurans were introduced for the same reason the Replicators were introduced on SG-1, so Wraith wouldn't be the only powerful villains. However, where as SG-1 teased us once or twice a year and then closed the story arc with a multi-episode arc, we got five episodes in Season 3, five more episodes in Season 4 (if you count the Asuran's brief appearance in "Reunion"), and then... it's over. Well... that didn't last long. I thought they were supposed to be the new, big, bad vaillains of Atlantis? They only lasted one season. Yeah, yeah, there's Weir and her Asuran battleship, but that's a bit of a reboot, isn't it?

[Prior_of_the_Ori]

You have to remember certain differences between the Replicators and the Asurans first.

The Replicators were practically invincible and meant to provoke fear due to their non-humanoid forms. As such, they were supposed to be used sparingly and in big plotlines because no one else could beat them and it was near luck that they dealt with each infestation when they could. Furthermore, since they were off in another galaxy fighting the Asgard, it allowed two points one which was to give a valid reason why the Asgard weren't fighting the Goa'uld and two that it prevented the Goa'uld from fighting such a foe that they had no capacity of winning against.

The Asurans however are somewhat 'dumbed down' as they make use of starships and cannot survive in space. In direct combat then they are pretty much invulnerable as well but by this point Earth had access to anti-Replicator weapons so it made things more even. Plus, the Asurans were a foe that the Wraith could actually fight. The power disparity is much shorter compared to the Replicator versus Goa'uld one. However, despite that, being machines, the Asurans had the capacity to simply outnumber the Wraith and everyone just as the Wraith did to the Lanteans (irony there). So in order to make them more manageable, they decided to blow up Asuras but leave a faction of Asurans alive.

This way they allow the Wraith to remain dominant but still allow the Asurans to be a threat. If it cotinued, they might have struggled to keep things somewhat realistic. Because, while the Wraith were showing some good resistance against the Asuran fleet, it would have been impossible for them to match the numbers the Asurans would have been cranking out. By "This Mortal Coil" we hear 38 Aurora ships being constructed, thats more then half of the number of known Hive-Ships and, supposedly, an Aurora was capable of beating a Hive. So had things continued, the Wraith would have been defeated which would not have been a good thing as they should remain the primary enemies of the show.

Anyway, I wouldnt count the Asurans out yet... unlike the Replicators, the Asurans are very set and stagnant. The destruction of Asuras and their new 'leader' might give them the incentive to change and become a more dangerous threat, one not confined to a single world.

[umopapisdn]

I agree with not counting them out just yet ... and everything else you just said^^

[Ebeneezer_Goode]

You have to remember that season 4 has new show runners, perhaps they thought the introduction of the Asurans was a mistake and wanted rid of them.

[nosaj]

i think the asurans storyline was a great one it made the alliences switch three times an episode and kept things really compelling and interesing however i believe that the

Spoiler:

repli-wier leader will make things a little more interesting when they bring the story back up again

[hawkmajor]

whats the difference between the MW replicators and pegasus replicators

[Ltcolshepjumper]

You have to remember certain differences between the Replicators and the Asurans first.

The Replicators were practically invincible and meant to provoke fear due to their non-humanoid forms. As such, they were supposed to be used sparingly and in big plotlines because no one else could beat them and it was near luck that they dealt with each infestation when they could. Furthermore, since they were off in another galaxy fighting the Asgard, it allowed two points one which was to give a valid reason why the Asgard weren't fighting the Goa'uld and two that it prevented the Goa'uld from fighting such a foe that they had no capacity of winning against.

The Asurans however are somewhat 'dumbed down' as they make use of starships and cannot survive in space. In direct combat then they are pretty much invulnerable as well but by this point Earth had access to anti-Replicator weapons so it made things more even. Plus, the Asurans were a foe that the Wraith could actually fight. The power disparity is much shorter compared to the Replicator versus Goa'uld one. However, despite that, being machines, the Asurans had the capacity to simply outnumber the Wraith and everyone just as the Wraith did to the Lanteans (irony there). So in order to make them more manageable, they decided to blow up Asuras but leave a faction of Asurans alive.

This way they allow the Wraith to remain dominant but still allow the Asurans to be a threat. If it cotinued, they might have struggled to keep things somewhat realistic. Because, while the Wraith were showing some good resistance against the Asuran fleet, it would have been impossible for them to match the numbers the Asurans would have been cranking out. By "This Mortal Coil" we hear 38 Aurora ships being constructed, thats more then half of the number of known Hive-Ships and, supposedly, an Aurora was capable of beating a Hive. So had things continued, the Wraith would have been defeated which would not have been a good thing as they should remain the primary enemies of the show.

Anyway, I wouldnt count the Asurans out yet... unlike the Replicators, the Asurans are very set and stagnant. The destruction of Asuras and their new 'leader' might give them the incentive to change and become a more dangerous threat, one not confined to a single world.

It was a horribly executed story arc in Season 4. If the Asurans were supposed to be a secondary enemy, why not drag the arc out to at least the end of Season 4? No, the writers wanted to move on to the Michael-hybrid arc(which lasted a mere six episodes total, not including Whispers).

The primary difference between the MW and PG replicators is culture and ability. The MW replicators are machines in every way, including how they think. They can replicate metals only. The PG replicators have a culture very reminiscent of the Ancients. They cannot replicate metals, but they can replicate organic tissue.

[hawkmajor]

Thanks

[Mirelinde]

Replicators of MW are more agressive: Firtst had "Napoleonian" planes about conquest of worlds - even Oberoth hadn't such plans! And generally, Asurans set in own planet calmly for 10 000 years and tkae nobody...
And still... Asurans have names - MW-replicators have numbers instead names (so well Asurans are like human more). Of cours Fifth was like human - but it's more like exception