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    Sheppard's Gene

    When I was at the VanCon a few weeks ago I asked Martin Gero during a tour if the writers would be expanding more on Sheppard's gene. Other than flying a jumper, shooting off drones and moving a city, which I admit was impressive, there hasn't been much action. He told me the writers have decided not to explore "that mythology any more." He said that alot of people have the gene now so it's not that special anymore. I was alittle surprised at that comment but wasn't able to pursue at that time.

    I can't help but feel that they are missing an opportunity. Fans complain that SGA repeats SG1 and Star Trek episodes. Writers say that with 300 episodes alone of SG1/SGA and many more of Star Trek, that it hard not to find similar shows. They say they add their spin by showing how Atlantis and the team react to the episode. Okay, I'll accept that.

    However, wasn't it Weir that said she wanted Sheppard because he had the gene, "the likes we have never seen before"? Wasn't it Sheppard that replied to Weir, "isn't that why you brought me here"? Hasn't it been friend/foe (Wraith/Larrin) that have remarked in episodes "the one with the gene"? They certainly aren't looking at McKay.

    I feel there are so many possibilities that could be expanded upon, especially now that Michael is more of a force with his hybrids and who knows what' going on with Teyla's child. Sheppard could be a real force in the galaxy. Now he's more of a one dimensional character with signs of breaking out, but not the real force he could be.

    Any thoughts?

    #2
    Originally posted by lcshepp View Post
    When I was at the VanCon a few weeks ago I asked Martin Gero during a tour if the writers would be expanding more on Sheppard's gene. Other than flying a jumper, shooting off drones and moving a city, which I admit was impressive, there hasn't been much action. He told me the writers have decided not to explore "that mythology any more." He said that alot of people have the gene now so it's not that special anymore. I was alittle surprised at that comment but wasn't able to pursue at that time.

    I can't help but feel that they are missing an opportunity. Fans complain that SGA repeats SG1 and Star Trek episodes. Writers say that with 300 episodes alone of SG1/SGA and many more of Star Trek, that it hard not to find similar shows. They say they add their spin by showing how Atlantis and the team react to the episode. Okay, I'll accept that.

    However, wasn't it Weir that said she wanted Sheppard because he had the gene, "the likes we have never seen before"? Wasn't it Sheppard that replied to Weir, "isn't that why you brought me here"? Hasn't it been friend/foe (Wraith/Larrin) that have remarked in episodes "the one with the gene"? They certainly aren't looking at McKay.

    I feel there are so many possibilities that could be expanded upon, especially now that Michael is more of a force with his hybrids and who knows what' going on with Teyla's child. Sheppard could be a real force in the galaxy. Now he's more of a one dimensional character with signs of breaking out, but not the real force he could be.

    Any thoughts?
    I Agree 100%....i think they've watered Shephard down too much

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      #3
      yeh i agree 2 that was just something that made him cool...and also better than anyone else now he is sorta just a normal soilder...im not saying he isnt that good but there have to be a lot of people as good as he is
      The BC-304... Just Try And Stop Us Now!

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        #4
        I totally agree, particularly about the missed opportunity. It did appear at the beginning of the series, that Sheppard's gene was naturally very strong - now, I'm no expert on genetics, but is there such a thing as a 'better' gene? I wonder. Regardless, I wish that Sheppard's 'Ancient' abilities would be explored further... (I'll stop before I get snarky, and *****y, and complaining about TPTB and where the show is going...) Now this may change, as Rob Cooper and Brad Wright are planning to come back as producers, at least for some episodes in s.5. I'll keep my fingers crossed for s. 6...

        Comment


          #5
          Thats one thing that i've alway wanted them to explore, they made such a big thing about Sheppard's gene in Rising and then the very next episode they made the gene theropy and gave it to anyone who wanted it.

          I also feel it was such a missed opportunity to explore the Ancient gene and Sheppard's ability to use it and i really hope they change their minds about it.

          Comment


            #6
            I think its a shame, because IMO its one of only a few unique stories that Stargate has. I think the storyline still has HUGE potential, especially with Sheppard. I have been interested in this aspect since it began with O'Neill on SG-1 and it was revealed that he could operate the tech because of a "gene", after that I thought that was the reason the Asgard treated him special because of that genetic link to the Gatebuilders and thus potential! So I was THRILLED when I saw Rising, with the suggestion that Sheppard was the strongest natural human gene carrier known so far and that's why he was allowed ("destined") to go to Atlantis. In fact, when they first arrived in Atlantis, my impression was that things were turning on in response to Sheppard "returning home" and not the expedition. I thought the city "rose" to save Sheppard. So I was disappointed that suddenly there was a "gene vaccine" and that "Before I Sleep" killed that idea. My only consolation so far is that Sheppard still uses the tech as naturally as breathing and can "feel" it, everyone else seems to have to make a concentrated effort. Notice how people in Pegasus who naturally have the gene are likely "royalty"? That suggests to me that someone there thinks its special! we had "The Tower", but the story fizzled IMO. I agree another try at this kind of story was "Travelers", he is wanted because of his gene but again the story degenerated IMO. Doesn't anyone else find it seriously awesome & interesting that Sheppard was able to FLY Atlantis BY HIMSELF?? His only problem was power requirements, he integrated himself with the systems effortlessly. I don't think anyone else could've done it yet IMO its treated like its a "ho-hum not anything special" thing. Here's a story- I think Sheppard could seize control of Atlantis the same way the Ancients did in "The Return". I think Sheppard is a direct descendant of one of those Ancients who left the city for Earth in "Before I Sleep".
            The writers seem to find Wraith DNA in humans more interesting but have ignored that Sheppard has also acquired pieces of it, which is why I think Todd the Wraith decided to befriend him, but that storyline hasn't been pursued in that manner yet either focusing instead on Teyla's which is apparently as "strong" as Sheppard has the Ancient gene.
            Just my thoughts. thanks.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by BoyNamedSue View Post
              I wish that Sheppard's 'Ancient' abilities would be explored further...
              Me too!
              Actually, wouldn’t it be nice if the gene therapy stop working suddenly? I would like to see that!

              Comment


                #8
                Personally - and this isn't going to sound nice, it's not meant to be nasty it's just what I think is going on - I think the writers and present PTB have reached the limits of what they can do. They can write variations on a theme, politics, military conflict etc etc but there is nothing new. Rising promised a whole new world to explore, new terrifying aliens different from anything encountered before and the lost city of Atlantis and a whole fantastical storyline to follow with ancients. The scifi could have been - perhaps should have been - challenging and ground breaking, instead it's formulaic. Scifi by numbers. Leave aside the lunacy around the casting changes and what exactly is the show doing that the rest of the herd of scifi shows isn't? Nothing. The gene is a case in point. That storyline has a thousand possible outcomes, Sheppard's an ancient, the son of an ancient, the gene was the result of deliberate manipulation in humans, humans are evolving into ancients (and those are just a couple of the options) they could have explored it in anyway they liked, however too simply abandon what was being built up all through series one???? Is that laziness, a lack of interest or simply as I suspect they know they cannot write ground breaking scifi so they're not even going to try? Now don't get me wrong there is an argument that if you know you cannot write big mythological themes you shouldn't try, it's better to make a good show than a bad one, but isn't a spectacular show better than a good one?

                I don't know, they may very well have done the right thing, if you can't embrace the mythology of the show maybe it is better not to try, it just seems a bit of a waste to me. And I think that's a shame.

                Comment


                  #9
                  It's a gene that was passed on from ancestral Ancients, half of the expedition now has it thanks to gene therapy, end of. I wouldn't call any of your suggestions groundbreaking, they're things that have been discussed on the forums many times, and the last thing the writers are going to do is write a storyline that already been suggested here. If you want to see a storyline happen, posting your idea here is pretty much the only sure fire way to make sure that it will never happen.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jenks View Post
                    It's a gene that was passed on from ancestral Ancients, half of the expedition now has it thanks to gene therapy, end of. I wouldn't call any of your suggestions groundbreaking, they're things that have been discussed on the forums many times, and the last thing the writers are going to do is write a storyline that already been suggested here. If you want to see a storyline happen, posting your idea here is pretty much the only sure fire way to make sure that it will never happen.
                    Eh Jenks, I don't want to see something I can come up with, I want to see something that I - or anyone else of the forum - couldn't come up with, something new and exciting. That WOULD be groundbreaking.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Dang! That is so disappointing to hear. I, too, have been unhappy with their dropping of Sheppard's 'specialness'. Even when everyone got the gene therapy, I was still under the impression that the strength and control that Sheppard had with his gene was unique. Like how Carson and McKay could barely fly the Jumpers for a long time. Don't get me wrong, Sheppard is still a great character, my favourite in fact, but everyone else seems to have a little extra something (Rodney and Radek aren't just smart, they are wicked smart. Teyla and Ronon aren't just good fighters, they are better than almost anyone else they have come up against), give Sheppard his due here!

                      It reminds me of when SG-1 ascended the entire population of Abydos in Full Circle. Or when on SGA Rodney tried to ascend through willpower. Kind of belittles the specialness of Daniel achieving Ascension because of his good character.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Also the one epsisode 'HOME' when the misty aliens mentioned how Sheppard was capable of uniquely mainuplating his own environment. i completely agree with the original poster how it all first started with him being unique in some way and now all that has 'simmered' down... :-(

                        p.s.
                        pet peeve - I get annoyed everytime when peeps refer the wraith was the defiant one in the 'Defiant One' but it was actually Sheppard when the wraith calls him 'your defiance will be your downfall or something'. cant rmemeber the actual quote right now but its pretty obvious the eps title was reffering to Sheppard.

                        Shepard is the man. :-)

                        (Have never posted anything before until now but feel its well worth it. :-)

                        Az.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          When I've read Sheppard genes, I began to ask from myself : "What about the baby?".
                          "I was hoping for another day. Looks like we just got a whole lot more than that. Let's not waste it."

                          "Never underestimate your audience. They're generally sensitive, intelligent people who respond positively to quality entertainment."

                          "Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all."

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I agree completely. John's ancient gene should definitely be explored more. Someone earlier mentioned that as the "star" of the show, John needs something to set him apart from the rest of his team. And honestly, I honestly thought that Teyla's baby would be a whole heck of alot more important if he had both Teyla's Wraith DNA and John's Ancient gene. Oh well...another missed opportunity.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by lcshepp View Post
                              When I was at the VanCon a few weeks ago I asked Martin Gero during a tour if the writers would be expanding more on Sheppard's gene. Other than flying a jumper, shooting off drones and moving a city, which I admit was impressive, there hasn't been much action. He told me the writers have decided not to explore "that mythology any more." He said that alot of people have the gene now so it's not that special anymore. I was alittle surprised at that comment but wasn't able to pursue at that time.
                              With so many that have it either by inoculation, or genetics I see his point. They had to come up with a way for us to have more people that can operate Ancient tech when we were cut off from Earth.



                              However, wasn't it Weir that said she wanted Sheppard because he had the gene, "the likes we have never seen before"? Wasn't it Sheppard that replied to Weir, "isn't that why you brought me here"? Hasn't it been friend/foe (Wraith/Larrin) that have remarked in episodes "the one with the gene"? They certainly aren't looking at McKay
                              It's not that they hadn't seen it or knew what it was it was the fact that Shepard had the strongest ability with the gene. That's why she wanted him.

                              I feel there are so many possibilities that could be expanded upon, especially now that Michael is more of a force with his hybrids and who knows what' going on with Teyla's child. Sheppard could be a real force in the galaxy. Now he's more of a one dimensional character with signs of breaking out, but not the real force he could be.

                              Any thoughts?
                              I disagree. He still has plenty of depth and room to grow that has nothing to do with him having the gene.
                              Proud Sam/Jack and Daniel/Vala and John/Teyla Shipper!
                              "We're Americans! Shoot the guys following us!"
                              Don S. Davis 1942-2008 R.I.P. My Friend.

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