They're not Wraith - they're the Keystone Cops!

[FallenAngelII]

Again - it's a case of showing, and not really explaining. If we knew the motivations and all behind the hunters, if we understood the mindset of the Wraith as far as this practice goes, then it really would have added - not just to the show - but to the entire Wraith mythos.

Why does Sarah Palin enjoy or at least support helicopter hunting where hunters fly around in helicopters and shoot at innocent animals below?

Why does Dick Cheney go moose-or-whatever hunting? Why did the British royal family wait 'til only a few years ago before banning fox hunting on royal grounds (I don't remember if they banned it or if they decided not to)? Why do some Americans view it as a rite-of-passage to bring their sons with them to hunt at the age of 12-16 to "make them a man"?

The Wraith's version of hunting is actually quite tame when compared to human hunting sometimes. Of course, they do cull villages along the way to discourage Runners from staying in one set part of the galaxy for too long and they "cheat" by using tracking devices, but, hey, Sarah Palin and the helicopters.

It's just one of their pastimes (or so I presume).

[g.o.d]

their only purpose is to stand in front of P-90's barrels and get shot. Nothing more. They're complete joke, just like and the Ori. All these races were serious threat in the beginning by they were reduced to the complete joke (the Ori in S10).

They only constant threat in Stargate were the goa'uld(especially anubis) and MW replicators.

[rien]

well according to the episode sateda there were only about 7 runners active (including ronan and they didnt know for sure that all the signals were runners)

given the small number of active runners its possible that only one faction of wraith are interested in hunting runners as if all wraith participated in the hunt then there would likely be a larger number of runners active. also given how quickly and persistently they hunt the runners its possible that their main focus/purpose is the hunt.

someone mentioned that being woken early/asurans destroying human worlds/hoffan drug poisoning their food supply means that there is a food shortage for wraith and that might be why a wraith would go after a sick child (though its not certain he was going to feed of her) but it is possible given the hunter waiths dedication/persistence at hunting runners and their tendancy to cull any inhabited areas that a runner passes thru that hunter wraith do not stop in their hunt to go cull a planet unless absolutely necessary (on point of starvation?) and instead feed on any humans they encounter during their hunt.

there is also the fact that hunter wraith are seemingly able to follow runners to any world whereas other waith hives have to worry about encroaching on other hives territory/feeding ground. maybe they only hunt runners that appear on their territory.

although i fancy the theory that they pick one runner and dont let up until they catch him/her. that would explain why the bald wraith king from sateda was so persistent about ronan even though he was no longer active and there were about 6 other runners who were active

to sum up

-there is probably just a faction of wraith who hunt runners

-this faction are so dedicated/persistent in their hunting that they probably dont stop to cull unless necessary or en route

-they most likely pick one runner to hunt and dont let up til he is dead

im sure someone mentioned somewhere that in the episode tracker we would see a different type of wraith and the hunter wraith do seem different from normal faced wraith in their manner/bearing. they seem almost hyper alert and very single minded/focused on their hunt to the exclusion of anything else (they must have nown their were human inhabitants from the very recently deserted village but were more interested in tracking down the runner)

[MyFavoriteWraith]

Hmmm, I wonder if a Runner is the Wraith equivalent to, say lamb or veal? Where as human we keep our young prey confined and feed it a select diet to make it more succulent, then maybe a Runner, who is flooded with fear, anger, resentment and all those emotion-response hormones, is a delicacy to the Wraith. Rhys sure seemed to be enjoying Ronon in Broken Ties, which actually equated to more of a drug than a delicacy. (And what are sythesized hormones but drugs?)

Oh and just to clear something up. Rien, I think, was referring to my post above and I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, but I wasn't suggesting that the Wraith in the cave was going to feed on a sick girl because he was starving. (I personally didn't think he would.) But instead I was trying to say that, here in Season 5, after all the development as characters the Wraith have had in this series, the writers go back to treating them as the standard bad guy. Then I said, if they had chosen for the Wraith to basically ignore the girl - because she is young and sick, therefore not a very good meal - then it would have been more interesting. And even made a little more sense. I mean, you have your moment of scare - a defenseless young girl alone in a cave with a Wraith, but ultimately he's going not going to waste his time on her.

mfw

[dasNdanger]

When I get a chance I'll address some of the other comments here - been very busy lately.

But I wanted to add something while I'm thinking about it. I actually liked that these Wraith didn't chit chat. Although I would have liked some interaction between the Wraith and Keller in the cave to get some understanding as to why they hunt, but since it was not to be...well...then I really can't complain about them being all 'hissy'. It represented their telepathy - they had no need to talk, and they certainly had no desire holding a conversation with their food. So...yeah, that bit actually worked for me.


das

[Ouroboros]

Can't help but agree, totally laughable how they handled them.

So if Keller can fight off a Wraith and I can beat the **** out of Keller does that mean that I can beat the **** out of a Wraith now?

Cool, apparently they give hiveships to people who can do that. You can bet mine's going to be run a whole hell of a lot differently to. We're going to kick a LOT of incompetent bumbling queen ass let me tell you.

[dasNdanger]

Over on Mallozzi's blog, I asked Carl Binder some questions about this episode regarding the Wraith. Here are his answers:

1. So, in your mind, why do they hunt - for sport? For training? And do ALL Wraith hunt in this fashion, or just the elite? Or, is it reserved for those who have a more sadistic taste for the kill, who savor human suffering more than those who simply feed in order to survive?

CB: 1) I think only a few Wraith partake in this activity, for training as well as sport.

2. Since when did the Wraith become the Keystone Cops? Seriously, these guys are predators - hunters by nature - and yet an entire army of them is taken down by Mad Max McKay, Ronon, Rambo...I mean...Keller, dude that just had a heart ‘attack’, and an unconscious kid. Really, now.

CB: 2) Several Wraith were killed, but I would not call what we saw an “entire army.” And nowhere near all of them were taken down. Some were killed by Ronon and Kiryk (both Runners experienced in the art of killing Wraith). A few were killed by McKay, who needed to fire many shots to bring them down. As for Keller, she fought with a Wraith for a few seconds (more or less distracting it while McKay reloaded his gun), but if McKay didn’t then immediately shoot that Wraith several times, she would have been fed upon as well.

3. Would the Wraith have fed upon an ailing child? After what happened to Steve, I doubt any Wraith would opt to feed on someone so ill, unless it was absolutely starving. So, was it your intention to suggest that the Wraith was about to feed on the child, or just kill her outright? If so, is this (attempted killing of a child) your way of turning them back into monsters in viewers’ minds, perhaps to counter the enlightening episode last week?

CB: 3) Yes, a Wraith would feed on a child.

4. Since I thought he’d be stunning as a Wraith, I asked Alan M. if he’s ever considered shaving off his eyebrows, slapping on some green face paint and plopping a cotton mop on his head, and he said no, because he’d look like you. Do you take that as a compliment?

4) Yes. Looking like a Wraith would be a huge improvement in my appearance.



das

[Laura Dove]

3. Would the Wraith have fed upon an ailing child? After what happened to Steve, I doubt any Wraith would opt to feed on someone so ill, unless it was absolutely starving. So, was it your intention to suggest that the Wraith was about to feed on the child, or just kill her outright? If so, is this (attempted killing of a child) your way of turning them back into monsters in viewers minds, perhaps to counter the enlightening episode last week?
CB: 3) Yes, a Wraith would feed on a child.

He cautiously avoids the point of your question. Such a lazy answer sounds very "turning them back into monsters in viewers minds" to me."

[Ouroboros]

He cautiously avoids the point of your question. Such a lazy answer sounds very "turning them back into monsters in viewers minds" to me."

Nothing evil about wanting a little veal.

Personally I'm more worried that he doesn't see anything wrong with the Jaffa like treatment the Wraith got in this episode.

When was the last time we actually saw a Wraith come back to life after being shot anyway? Probably not quite as long as the last time they used their mental illusions.

The Wraith in this episode weren't highly trained deadly hunters. They were a bunch of idiots that had guns and air support and still managed to lose to a group of people with sticks and knives that they outnumbered.

[Laura Dove]

Nothing evil about wanting a little veal.

A little very ill veal? Can't taste that good.

Personally I'm more worried that he doesn't see anything wrong with the Jaffa like treatment the Wraith got in this episode.
When was the last time we actually saw a Wraith come back to life after being shot anyway? Probably not quite as long as the last time they used their mental illusions.
The Wraith in this episode weren't highly trained deadly hunters. They were a bunch of idiots that had guns and air support and still managed to lose to a group of people with sticks and knives that they outnumbered.

I think the coming back to life and mind tricks have been pretty much forgotten after seasons 1 or 2. But it makes sense that wraith in this episode were easy to kill, if you assume (as I do) that most hunters are very young and inexperienced wraith. They couldn't use their illusions either, because a runner certainly won't fall for them, and they are hungry, hence their regenerative abilities are at their minimum.

But I agree they were pretty pathetic.