Ronan Dex eating Jello with his fingers.

[HereticKnight]

Ronan comes from a world at least as advanced as Earth. Surely they had utensils of some kind. They may not have been exactly the same as our utensils, but I just don't buy that the mere concept of utensils would be as alien to him as they seemed to be.

Besides, we've seen how resourceful he is. If they didn't have utensils where he came from, it's reasonable to assume they also didn't have foods like Jello. When confronted with Jello and these little metal tool dealies, he would have figured it out on his own.

Still, it made for a pretty amusing sight gag.

[AGateFan]

I think he probably lost some of his advanced alien civility while on the run from the wraith for 7 years. He probably had to eat fast and without utensils.

I said in another thread that I really liked this scene though. It wasn’t like he was just being a barbarian because he thinks that its cool to be a barbarian. He just didn’t consider using the utensils and didn’t get all upset when Sheppard recommended them. Instead he took the recommendation and just went to eating with the utensils.... I did note that Shep gave him a fork and a knife, still not good for eating Lime Jell-O.... unless it was a spork.

[TheCorpulent1]

It looked like there was a lot more mixed in there than just Jell-O. And I agree, the fact that Dex eats with his hands doesn't say anything about his society's level of technology. He probably just got used to eating with his hands over the last 7 years.

[Lida]

It looked like there was a lot more mixed in there than just Jell-O. And I agree, the fact that Dex eats with his hands doesn't say anything about his society's level of technology. He probably just got used to eating with his hands over the last 7 years.

Guess I'll have to go watch that scene again, as I saw what looked like mashed potatoes and meat, not jello. As for his "eating method" indicating his civilation's level of tech, I doubt that he was able to carry eating utensils with him the past 7 years, or plates. When you are on the run and are eating whatever you can find, you usually use your hands.

I'm quite sure Dex's civilization is quite advanced, as the pictures of it, the uniform he wore and his knowledge of weapons, showed in this and last week's episodes.

I do question why the Mr. Gero or Mr. Waring felt it necessary to have Dex eating with his hands, except, perhaps to make the point, that Dex might NOT fit in with the rest of the crew of Atlantis. I personally think the character did it on purpose, almost as a show of defiance, and to keep himself further distanced from the possiblilty of once again "fitting" in with a group of people that matched his intelligence and level of tech. He is still not at ease with others nor does he completely trust his "new" companions yet.

Just my take on it.

[AGateFan]

Guess I'll have to go watch that scene again, as I saw what looked like mashed potatoes and meat, not jello. As for his "eating method" indicating his civilation's level of tech, I doubt that he was able to carry eating utensils with him the past 7 years, or plates. When you are on the run and are eating whatever you can find, you usually use your hands.

.

Lime Jello was about the third thing he was eating as shep walked up. He also had some mashed taters, some type of meat and some type of biscut and a pitcher of water. I guess the Jell-O just sticks out because it has become kind of Iconic for Stargate fans. Green, red, blue, theres always room for Jell-O,

[Vicious]

It does get kind of hard to sit down and have a nice meal with the family when you are a runner.

[Hatcheter]

... I did note that Shep gave him a fork and a knife, still not good for eating Lime Jell-O.... unless it was a spork.

It was a spork.

[Blue007]

"watch it wiggle, see it jiggle"" LOL
What was even more amusing was the look on Ronon's face as he started to eat the green jello and most of it fell.... I know alot of folks were ofended by it, but I thought it was pretty funny...he was just so laid back about it...and Shep was so unpleased by it...it was a good scene.

[TheCorpulent1]

It was a spork.

And thus vastly superior to both a spoon and a fork. Truly, man's greatest achievement.

[!Dorentus!]

Ronan comes from a world at least as advanced as Earth. Surely they had utensils of some kind. They may not have been exactly the same as our utensils, but I just don't buy that the mere concept of utensils would be as alien to him as they seemed to be.

Besides, we've seen how resourceful he is. If they didn't have utensils where he came from, it's reasonable to assume they also didn't have foods like Jello. When confronted with Jello and these little metal tool dealies, he would have figured it out on his own.

Still, it made for a pretty amusing sight gag.

I think their just trying to put him into the big, tough, alien role, which is probably going to be too predictalble for me

[Easter Lily]

I really appreciated that scene for what it was... to show Ronon as an outsider, a stranger and an alien. I'm beginning to think the TPTB might be getting the right idea about developing the alienness of long-term aliens on Atlantis.

I've lived in Southeast Asia in the past... and in many instances, people still eat with their hands unashamedly... so I don't think it's a mark of primitiveness or otherwise. It's just a style of eating. Many actually believe the food tastes far better that way. As far as I know, it's still good common sense to eat with your hands when you're struggling with bones.

[Giantevilhead]

Maybe his civilization was like the Asgard and they ate colored playdough cubes.

[MasySyma]

I think their just trying to put him into the big, tough, alien role, which is probably going to be too predictalble for me

To each his or her own I guess.

Personally, I appreciated the scene for what it was. It showed that Ronan is not quite what most of the Atlantis crew think of when picturing "civilized" aliens. I would have had problems with the scene if Ronan had used the utensils correctly on the first try and said "Waiter more water and a bring a portion for my friend please."

Too often, shows just assume the incoming alien wants to adapt the dominant culture's behavioral norms. Why should Ronan change his habits? He is used to eating quickly and practically from his years on the run. If he eats like that in four seasons, it will be interesting, but right now, he doesn't know where or when his next meal is, so green jello is a challenge not an etiquette lesson.

[Elmindreda]

I really appreciated that scene for what it was... to show Ronon as an outsider, a stranger and an alien. I'm beginning to think the TPTB might be getting the right idea about developing the alienness of long-term aliens on Atlantis.

I've lived in Southeast Asia in the past... and in many instances, people still eat with their hands unashamedly... so I don't think it's a mark of primitiveness or otherwise. It's just a style of eating. Many actually believe the food tastes far better that way. As far as I know, it's still good common sense to eat with your hands when you're struggling with bones.

I agree that the writers were just trying to emphasize Ronon's differences, and why he felt he might not fit in. To me, it did feel a bit forced, especially after seeing the views of Ronon's home planet in the last ep., and seeing his gun, his uniform, etc. I did have one thought that might explain his behavior---no matter how advanced his society was technologically, isn't it possible that they employed a class or caste system, where soldiers and warriors were mainly made up of the strongest yet less "culturally civilized" members of the society? I may just be reaching here, but it would explain things.

[Qasim]

I was ROFLMAO

Some people on Earth still eat with their hands - its just their culture