I have enjoyed Stargate: Atlantis so far (through 110, "The Storm"), but I am disappointed by the lack of mention given to Atlantis itself and the Ancient technologies therein. Let me try to explain myself. This post makes reference to features of already aired episodes.
The atlantis team arrived at Atlantis to find everything in apparent working order, except for the lack of an appropiate energy source to power much of the city. Most unfortunatley for them, they cannot power the shields.
So far the only technologies that have been pressed into regular use by the atlantis team are the puddle jumpers, and to a lesser extent the "life signs finder", the transporters, and some small shields such as their version of the iris and the cell where they kept Steve.
Though it is apparent the atlantis team has started to make a survey of the city and how it functions, the only indication that this is true is when familaritarity with Ancient systems is demonstrated. For example, has anyone open up a transporter to try to figure out how it works? It is likely that it has been looked at, but the only indication we will get is when Dr. McKay is either able or not able to work some magic with the transporters in order to further the plot.
I know that such details may not necessarily make sense within the context of the stories that the episodes are trying to tell, but I feel uneasy that Atlantis to this point is simply the well from which any technolgy may be drawn in order to further a plot. For example the personal shield device that McKay had in 103, "Hide and Seek".
Some of the questions I have include the following:
What was the political structure of Atlantis? What was its purpose? How did Atlantis figure in greater Ancient society?
It seems that Atlantis held the seeds for establishing the Ancient society within the Pegasus galaxy including the ability to manufacture Ancient technology. Is this true? Why has this manufacturing capability not been discovered or even hinted at in the series?
Why must the city derive its major power from ZPMs? That is to say, even if the Ancients prefered the ascetics of such small, yet powerful supplies of energy, what prevents the Atlantis team from picking up an Ancient physics textbook and then creating an equally powerful yet considerably more bulky fusion generator? Especially given all of the examples shields that they have found, and conceivable usfully in the creation of such a generator?
Is the technology left behind in Atlantis not in such pristine condition as has been previously intimated?
I enjoy the series; these are just some of the questions that irk me, especially since one of the stated goals of the atlantis expedition was to acquire new technolgies.
The atlantis team arrived at Atlantis to find everything in apparent working order, except for the lack of an appropiate energy source to power much of the city. Most unfortunatley for them, they cannot power the shields.
So far the only technologies that have been pressed into regular use by the atlantis team are the puddle jumpers, and to a lesser extent the "life signs finder", the transporters, and some small shields such as their version of the iris and the cell where they kept Steve.
Though it is apparent the atlantis team has started to make a survey of the city and how it functions, the only indication that this is true is when familaritarity with Ancient systems is demonstrated. For example, has anyone open up a transporter to try to figure out how it works? It is likely that it has been looked at, but the only indication we will get is when Dr. McKay is either able or not able to work some magic with the transporters in order to further the plot.
I know that such details may not necessarily make sense within the context of the stories that the episodes are trying to tell, but I feel uneasy that Atlantis to this point is simply the well from which any technolgy may be drawn in order to further a plot. For example the personal shield device that McKay had in 103, "Hide and Seek".
Some of the questions I have include the following:
What was the political structure of Atlantis? What was its purpose? How did Atlantis figure in greater Ancient society?
It seems that Atlantis held the seeds for establishing the Ancient society within the Pegasus galaxy including the ability to manufacture Ancient technology. Is this true? Why has this manufacturing capability not been discovered or even hinted at in the series?
Why must the city derive its major power from ZPMs? That is to say, even if the Ancients prefered the ascetics of such small, yet powerful supplies of energy, what prevents the Atlantis team from picking up an Ancient physics textbook and then creating an equally powerful yet considerably more bulky fusion generator? Especially given all of the examples shields that they have found, and conceivable usfully in the creation of such a generator?
Is the technology left behind in Atlantis not in such pristine condition as has been previously intimated?
I enjoy the series; these are just some of the questions that irk me, especially since one of the stated goals of the atlantis expedition was to acquire new technolgies.
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