'Visitation' (209) General Discussion

[Blackhole]

IMHO the Faith aliens having the ability to create a planet and restore a shuttle doesn't mean they have the foolproof ability to restore life. Life is on a different level entirely. So it's not too surprising that they could have thought they'd fixed the crew but it didn't last.

I have to disagree with you.

Given the scientific resurrection capabilities we have witnessed in the Stargate Universe from seemingly less advanced races that couldn't create a planet, to make a mistake or oversight of that caliber seems unreasonable. Even if they had some non-interference directive that precluded allowing lasting life to already dead people; forcing all of the Faith planet colonists to go through the horror of dying a second time while Destiny's crew had to stand by and watch helplessly was imo rather pointless and even cruel.

JM's blog suggests that the writers would have us believe that it was an unfortunate mistake on the part of the aliens. I think the writers wanted to introduce a new shuttle and tie up the Faith planet storyline. The episode imo came across as contrived and in line with SGU's penchant for depressing and melodramatic storytelling.

[SGUFAN11]

Ok so after almost finishing the 1st half of the 2nd season, I'm have mixed feelings of where SGU is heading. I'm probably one of the biggest SGU fans there is and watch the episode of the week about 5 times to fully understand what is going on and what I probably missed the first time I watched it. This weeks episode finally got my attention on where its going. We are most likely going to see more aliens in the 2nd part of the season because it's hinted that the ship is under attack by alien ships. The whole incident with Caine and crew struck an old nerve or question that I had. What is going to happen to Col. Telford? Now I finally realized that these aliens are communicating with them by sending a bittersweet message to the people on board destiny. I think that Telford will come back to show on the 2nd part by maybe the possibility of Destiny taking over an alien ship and he happens to be there or he befriends the aliens and finds Destiny somehow; either way he's coming back. Back to last weeks episode, many people believe that Caine is alive due to the fact that a light was shown not revealing the death of Caine, and I personally believe that Caine is dead because TJ reiterated that he would die the death of his fellow scientists and it shows him being cold wrapped up in blankets talking to TJ. But we will have to find out in next weeks episode of the 1st part of the season who is actually right. Now my last comment for today is why are they splitting up the season in two parts?(If anyone knows that answer reply to my comment). I really look forward each week to SGU and its never-ending drama and sci-fi action. It's really my only big disappointment.

[lars]

As you can think about a ton of reasons why they would re-build them this way, it's quite futile discussing it. Other species will have radically different philosophies regarding everything. They just may not know cruelty or anything like it. Even though most alien species in the Stargate franchise before SGU were pretty human-like in their mindset doesn't mean every species is.

Besides, being able to built a planet doesn't mean you have to be able to perfectly replicate a human. Mankind is able to built bombs which can destroy life on earth multiple times; yet such a tiny thing as a bacterium is a decent threat for us.

[Blackhole]

As you can think about a ton of reasons why they would re-build them this way, it's quite futile discussing it. Other species will have radically different philosophies regarding everything. They just may not know cruelty or anything like it. Even though most alien species in the Stargate franchise before SGU were pretty human-like in their mindset doesn't mean every species is.

Besides, being able to built a planet doesn't mean you have to be able to perfectly replicate a human. Mankind is able to built bombs which can destroy life on earth multiple times; yet such a tiny thing as a bacterium is a decent threat for us.

I still disagree. They engineered a planet with a viable biosphere. They then reanimated dead bodies (and restored a million year old shuttle). One that had been dead and buried for months. Think of the cellular degeneration that has occurred in that time. The technological oversight or mistake of not realizing their creations would soon degenerate is not believable to me. I can understand if you think differently.

[Eestlanna]

This whole freezing to death thing is the stupidest I've ever seen. Grown up people do not freeze to death while trees are growing right next to them. What stopped them to build at least some sort of a cabin and make a fire in it? There is absolutely no reason why they should have been frozen to death.

[MattSilver 3k]

This whole frozing to death thing is the stupidest I've ever seen. Grown up people do not frozen to death while trees are growing right next to them. What stopped them to build at least some sort of a cabin and make a fire in it? There is absolutely no reason why they should have been frozen to death.

Good point. Grown people don't frozen to death. They freeze to death. And yeah, scientists hanging around and hoping for their alien Gods to save them totally went out of their way to make pretty little cabins in like four months.

[SGUFAN11]

I have to agree with you guys on this one to some extent. These scientists you have to remember are not quite thinking clearly. They were more worried about leaving Destiny and not realizing the consequences of how the planet could change over seasons. They were definitely the hippy type, who love the earth and just sit around and sing kumbaya.

[Eestlanna]

Good point. Grown people don't frozen to death. They freeze to death. And yeah, scientists hanging around and hoping for their alien Gods to save them totally went out of their way to make pretty little cabins in like four months.

I'm sorry about my bad language.
I'm sure normally it would take a few weeks most to build some sort of simple cabin.

[Blackhole]

I'm sorry about my bad language.
I'm sure normally it would take a few weeks most to build some sort of simple cabin.

Your language is fine and I agree with you, assuming they had basic tools. I think the problem would have been enough food. Besides, they never should have set the shuttle down anywhere where the winters were harsh. We had long discussions about the viability of survival after the Faith episode. Colonel Young was right that Caine was mostly responsible for talking them into staying. They were very foolish to settle there and Caine's God will provide attitude got them all killed.

[Blackhole]

I have to agree with you guys on this one to some extent. These scientists you have to remember are not quite thinking clearly. They were more worried about leaving Destiny and not realizing the consequences of how the planet could change over seasons. They were definitely the hippy type, who love the earth and just sit around and sing kumbaya.

I agree they had no idea just how difficult survival was going to be and Caine's God will provide for us attitude reinforced their ignorance and got them all killed.

[Eestlanna]

I agree they had no idea just how difficult survival was going to be and Cain's God will provide for us attitude reinforced their ignorance and got them all killed.

I wonder what stopped them building a cabin after it started getting cold? P.S. I consider myself very much religious person, but I would never ever listen someone saying something as idiot as don't build yourself a shelter, wait for God.

[Eestlanna]

assuming they had basic tools.

They did have them. We saw them using an ax and and a spade.

[Blackhole]

I wonder what stopped them building a cabin after it started getting cold? P.S. I consider myself very much religious person, but I would never ever listen someone saying something as idiot as don't build yourself a shelter, wait for God.

Caine did say the shuttle's power failed maybe they were solely relying on it for shelter or they didn't have enough basic tools or none of them had any carpentry skills or probably all of the above. Settling there was suicidal.

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

This whole freezing to death thing is the stupidest I've ever seen. Grown up people do not freeze to death while trees are growing right next to them. What stopped them to build at least some sort of a cabin and make a fire in it? There is absolutely no reason why they should have been frozen to death.

grown people freeze to death all the time, especially if they have convinced themselves that magical aliens or gods or benevolent whatevers are going to show up and provide for all their wants if all they do is believe.

Those people froze to death because they chose to stay there and do nothing but pray instead of being on the Destiny where they had to provide for their own fate. That's a lesson and a half right there.

[Eestlanna]

grown people freeze to death all the time

Normal grown ups never freeze to death while having an ax and plenty of trees. Even I could build such a cabin and make a fire.

especially if they have convinced themselves that magical aliens or gods or benevolent whatevers are going to show up and provide for all their wants if all they do is believe.

Human self-preservation instinct would force them to help themselves, no matter what they believed.

[Kaeb]

I'm sorry man, you were absolutely right. Excellent episode, BAG, the new shuttle, nice character moments, closure of the Eden-story line etc. But to me it feels like this episode could have easily stood on it's own, like most of SGA's episodes. But like i said, maybe we'll get some more info in the second half of the season after which we can say: ''Aaaw, that's why we focused 2 complete episodes on that alien species, Eden and the group that stayed behind".

If you want all your answers straight away, then you are watching the wrong show. It's the mystery that keeps things interesting and so ominous.

[jelgate]

Normal grown ups never freeze to death while having an ax and plenty of trees. Even I could build such a cabin and make a fire.


Human self-preservation instinct would force them to help themselves, no matter what they believed.

That depends on the time frame. It takes awhile to build a wooden shelter especially if we are cutting down trees with only 6 people

[LoneStar1836]

I think it's more likely that they would have probably starved to death rather than freeze to death. They didn't seem to have long enough to prep and store enough food for the winter...much less being skilled enough to know how to do that in the first place.

I'm thinking of the movie Into the Wild, where the guy it's based on went to Alaska but died of starvation (became so desperate for food that he made the mistake of eating something poisonous making him extremely sick) rather than the cold of winter. In the movie, he was living out of a derelict bus.

[Eestlanna]

They didn't seem to have long enough to prep and store enough food for the winter.

On the contrary. The nature was all green when they stayed on the planet. It takes about two months cold weather to turn the leaves yellow, then fall and then snow to come, I've never seen it happen faster. It's not logical.

[StefanSGA]

If you want all your answers straight away, then you are watching the wrong show. It's the mystery that keeps things interesting and so ominous.

My favorite show of all-time is Lost, so that's seriously no problem. I don't need answers right away but this storyline felt like an unnecessary side-step, like Nikki and Paolo in Lost.