Sheppard's behavior, citing travelers as an example

[PuddleJumper67]

Do you think most of Sheppard's decisions are reckless or are they smart? For example, in "Travelers," he sent the S.O.S. signal and enabled his team to find him...but he also attracted the Wraith's attention.

[kirmit]

I wouldn't say reckless, i'd call it naive to think no one else would pick up the signal.

[P-90_177]

yeah i'd say the same. It seems to me that he is a great soldier and he knows how to survive. But he finds it hard in such situations to think past his own survival. Which is fair enough really.

[wm_1987]

Do you think most of Sheppard's decisions are reckless or are they smart? For example, in "Travelers," he sent the S.O.S. signal and enabled his team to find him...but he also attracted the Wraith's attention.

I wouldn't say that they are reckless, maybe not well thought out. But if you think of all the consiquences, like in Travelers, then decisions could never be made. Sometimes you just have to act, and not think to much, it could do more damage.

I don't know, it's just a TV show!!

[PG15]

He's thinking for the moment, just like all pilots.

[sherryw]

Do you think most of Sheppard's decisions are reckless or are they smart? For example, in "Travelers," he sent the S.O.S. signal and enabled his team to find him...but he also attracted the Wraith's attention.

I think that the writers have to have some level of danger in each episode. With Sheppard sending out that signal in Travelers that initially caused the danger with the Wraith showing up. I know as a fan of the show like to have that underying tone of danger.

[KiLL3r]

the show would be pretty dull if nothing dangerous ever happened. then you be on here complaining about the lack of recklessness

[Copernicus]

Do you think most of Sheppard's decisions are reckless or are they smart? For example, in "Travelers," he sent the S.O.S. signal and enabled his team to find him...but he also attracted the Wraith's attention.

The fact of the matter is that it wasn't a comparison between going home safely and sending out the SOS, but rather the mitigation of risk.

Sheppard believed, I would argue rightly based on his knowledge at the time, that his actions would increase his chance of survival. After all, Sheppard doesn't have access to the information that the "redeemability of seemingly bad people" scale on Stargate shows, and don't get me wrong, I love Stargate, is directly correlated to the attractiveness of the actor or actress. The writers couldn't even bring themselves to make Baal pure evil, but that's an aside. Based on what seems to me to be logical analysis, he had a greater chance for survival from trying to signal anyone than from playing along haplessly, which were his two options, as I see them.

[Vapor]

I would like to imagine that Shep was fully aware of the risk of alerting other ships, but decided that he wanted/needed to survive for various reasons which were worth that risk.

It works out, since his signal was cut off from Atlantis and he told them about people that were shooting at him, so he knows that they know that he could be out there somewhere.

Since he knows of the conflict with the Asurans, and the unlikelyhood that they would be taken somewhere that is known to be near Wraith, the fact that they actually showed up seems like more of a "blind bad luck" thing.

At least that's how I like to look at it... >_>

[Lunatiger]

It wouldn't be a show if there weren't reckless acts. Should I list all the reckless things everyone on the show has done?

[prion]

Do you think most of Sheppard's decisions are reckless or are they smart? For example, in "Travelers," he sent the S.O.S. signal and enabled his team to find him...but he also attracted the Wraith's attention.

No, didn't see it as reckless. He needed help, he knew it, and sent the SOS. Who was to know the Wraith would pick up on it?

Lunatiger It wouldn't be a show if there weren't reckless acts. Should I list all the reckless things everyone on the show has done?

You'd blow the server

[FireCat]

He's thinking for the moment, just like all pilots.

See, the writers just aren't aware how the military works. Up to the rank of Major, officers are subjected to combat duty. The position of "Lt. Colonel" is more of a leadership training position. Lt. Colonels spend a great deal of time learning to command large troops, and handle various situations - sort of a transitional position. At this point in his career, Sheppard should no longer be thinking as a pilot, but as a commanding officer. He isn't.

[PG15]

Well, I'm the last person to ask about military stuff, but to me, he's dealing with vastly new situations all the time, so I don't see why he wouldn't sometimes revert back to pilot-thinking.

[Beyonder]

I wouldn't call it reckless either. He was kinda in a hot spot, and as they say: Desperate times call for desperate measures. Right?

[FallenAngelII]

Well, I'm the last person to ask about military stuff, but to me, he's dealing with vastly new situations all the time, so I don't see why he wouldn't sometimes revert back to pilot-thinking.

3+ years... at war with two vastly superior races... former Military Commander of Atlantis for said 3 years.

He should know better than to randomly send out signals in space by now.