Wraith technology is THAT advanced?

[Infinite-Possibilities]

I know it was the right idea to make the Wraith seem more threatening in this episode, but if all it takes is a single ZPM for an ordinary Hive to become virtually impervious to uber Asgard beams and powerful enough to destroy uber Asgard shields with a single salvo, shouldn't the Wraith already be more technologically advanced than the Alterans?

Asgard weapons can destroy Ori Motherships with little trouble, if they inflict only minimal damage to a SuperHiveship hull, then that makes it by far the most powerful vessel in the franchise so far right?

I realize it feels like a nitpick but it just seems like a bit of weird thing to do and it kinda tugs a little at my suspension of disbelief. Wraith never were supposed to be technologically gifted in their strengths.

And on another level I kinda have to feel a little disappointed that the PTB keep seeming to have jumps in technological abilities be huge each time. Can't we finally have enemies that are on roughly equal bearing in a fight?

I was actually really pleased personally when the Asgard introduced their particle beams in Unending, I thought it was the perfect way to even the odds with the Ori ships. but since the Ori arc was over almost immediately after it left Earth ships with a weapons nearly too powerful to be threatened. And so when the Wraith upgrade their ships they are so powerful that they make the Earth ships look ineffectual. I'd love to see more space battles with the excitement of feeling they could go either way.

[Gate-builder]

Todd hinted that it wasn't just a single ZPM, that they actually a number of them on board. This would make a bit more sense considering how they were able to drain Atlantis's shield so fast.

[Phenom]

The wraith did defeat the ancients so it makes sense that a super dooper hive would be substantially more powerful than a single ancient ship.

[Infinite-Possibilities]

I was fairly sure they made it clear that the Wraith defeated the Ancients by superior numbers and attrition. Wasn't that the explanation?

[Hong3103]

i was fairly sure they made it clear that the wraith defeated the ancients by superior numbers and attrition. Wasn't that the explanation?

+100.

[Nemises]

Todd hinted that it wasn't just a single ZPM, that they actually a number of them on board. This would make a bit more sense considering how they were able to drain Atlantis's shield so fast.

atlantis had 3 and still got its butt handed to it. the writers screwed up its as simple as that.

[Phenom]

I was fairly sure they made it clear that the Wraith defeated the Ancients by superior numbers and attrition. Wasn't that the explanation?

Yeah they did, but I reckon it still feels logical that if a wraith ship is given a massive power boost then it would be more powerful than an ancient ship.

Although the ancients were defeated by greater numbers and attrition rather than tech, that does not mean that the wraith were light years behind the ancients. They certainly packed some punch, it just may not have been as impressive scientifically speaking than the ancients.

[Giantevilhead]

It's the super dense hulls. All the other ships in Stargate depend on shields, once their shields are gone, they're screwed. The Asgard beam and the drones are both designed to fight powerful shields, it's probably the same with the Ori beams too. Once they get through the shields, they don't actually do a huge amount of damage. Just look at how many shots it took the Ori ship to destroy the Dakara weapon. A naquadah enhanced nuke could do way more damage.

[gopher65]

It's the super dense hulls. All the other ships in Stargate depend on shields, once their shields are gone, they're screwed. The Asgard beam and the drones are both designed to fight powerful shields, it's probably the same with the Ori beams too. Once they get through the shields, they don't actually do a huge amount of damage. Just look at how many shots it took the Ori ship to destroy the Dakara weapon. A naquadah enhanced nuke could do way more damage.

That was my feeling as well. Drones and Beams penetrate shields very effectively, but aren't that great with dense armour.

[Avenger]

It's the super dense hulls. All the other ships in Stargate depend on shields, once their shields are gone, they're screwed. The Asgard beam and the drones are both designed to fight powerful shields, it's probably the same with the Ori beams too. Once they get through the shields, they don't actually do a huge amount of damage. Just look at how many shots it took the Ori ship to destroy the Dakara weapon. A naquadah enhanced nuke could do way more damage.

Yes. Also, the Wraith hulls have regenerative qualities, and given the massive advancement that ZPMs provided in growing the ship, the regeneration would have been massively improved as well.

[Ed]

also the hive is organic so there is no limit on how good it cn get more power = better ship simple as disadvantage is that its not plug and play like a mechanical ship

And atlantis isn't built for combat and was fighting the gravity well efectivly the hive had the high ground and atlantis was skimming the atmosphere and didn't have the best pilot i wasn't expecting it to do briliantly

[RepliVeggie]

It said in an earlier episode the Wriath had VASTLY inferior technology. The hive was way too powerful. But it was a good episode.

Also the only reason the hive was able to deplete Atlantis' shields was the worm hole drive depleted the ZPMs almost entirely prob. As Zelenka said the Ancients abandoned it due to its imense energy costs. (IMO 3 ZPMs for the ability to travel that fast in an emergency is worth it) Likely Atlantis had nothing left after dropping out of wormhole space.

[andromeda_dan]

On Offense, the super hive ships' advantage came from it's ability of fire shots at faster volleys than usual, making it's target deplete its shielding faster and also deny the target's shield to regenerate. Notice that in the battle with the Daedelus, the fight was almost even, even though the energy balls being fired out by the hive was more powerful than normal, the Daedalus' shielding was able to hold, it was until the super hive fired off 6-10 consecutive volleys when Daedalus lost its shielding. In defense, the super hive's extra armor gave it an advantage, no doubt, but if the earth ships were able to concentrate all their energy beam into 1 spot, it may eventually cut thru and wreck havoc to the super hive.

[PotluckoftheGods]

As far as the jump in technology is concerned, I'm fine with the explanation that the Hive is a biological entity with a vast capacity for self-modification, provided it has enough power. Remember, when we see the Odyssey handle the Ori, she has a ZPM too. Maybe the technology jump isn't as great as we think because the Daedalus is just using her own power generation capabilities.

Of course, that doesn't explain why Atlantis with 3 ZPMs fairs so poorly, but like I said, I'm fine with the reasoning that, under extreme circumstances, the Hive can undergo some spectacular changes that are beyond more conventional ships.

[lunarleviathan]

I'd say the explanation was one of, if not the, worst in Stargate history.

There is no possible way to justify it or explain it. It was clearly done because they just couldn't be arsed. :-(