Who is the gay character on Atlantis?

[LtColCarter]

Todd and Sheppard make a nice couple. And they were both unattached at the end of the series.

Kinky!

[Jershon]

"In fact, for several years now, there has been one recurring character who, in my mind, is gay but there has never been an opportunity to confirm the fact. While I feared that suggesting it in a throw-away (“I’m heading back to Earth to spend time with my boyfriend. See ya!”) would seem like a truly forced WTF moment for fans, alternately, making a big deal of it felt wrong as well. So, unless the right circumstances present themselves for this character, the fans can simply go ahead assuming he is heterosexual until such a time that, in a Rowlingesque postscript, I can add: “And, oh yeah, by the way - he was gay.”

I've been re-re-re-reading this trying to figure out little hints and honestly I don't think it was someone actually living on Atlantis. The need to present the right circumstances and the emphasis on going back to Earth makes me think that it was someone who regularly popped in and out rather than someone who spent all his time in the area.
And too even with the guy trying to keep his sexuality a secret, if he lived in the city something would have eventually come up... that Vega chick was pretty new to the show (or at least new to being noticed) and they made her lesbo right off the bat because they could... (she lived in the city, easy to use with time constraints).
I generally agree with the idea that the guy must be someone that the show never developed that much. But only because they made a big deal of right circumstances and right amount of time. Probably someone who's airtime was frequent but short in every case. So my guess which is probably going to get me killed is

Spoiler:

Caldwell

I think it makes sense enough on the description given from the blog. Though I could totally see Shepherd being outed despite his past marriage and his apparent interest in Weir. He could be outed as bi... If he wasn't out it could explain some of his troubled military career that seemed to disappear once he got placed on Atlantis. Plus he does always hang out with the cute guys a lot. And like Mallozzi said he is very much a loner who would need someone already very close to him to crack his shell. That could be inherent from being closeted. I remember back in the day when I was in the closet I had a hard time letting anyone near me for fear that I'd get sniffed out. But for the moment and based on the description my money is on the spoiler above.

[HaveYouSeenMyForceLance?]

In tonite's blog, Joe Mallozzi wrote:

So who do you think it is?
My bet's on Lorne - I LOVE Lorne!
(not sure why they couldn't have done it anyway)

My bet is with Dr. Beckett. It seemed fairly obvious upon my re-watch more so than Lorne, Chuck or Woolsey. He's unattached, he's sensitive, and he mentions his mother more than anyone else (and he has pet turtles, jk). As for the Lorne argument, there are many straight guys who are painters, so...

[Falcon Horus]

Beckett dated Laura Cadman for a while... not entirely proof he's not gay, but it seems he's probably straight as a wistle.

[Raelis]

Beckett dated Laura Cadman for a while... not entirely proof he's not gay, but it seems he's probably straight as a wistle.

He was also flirting with that female scientist in "Whispers".

[Falcon Horus]

He was also flirting with that female scientist in "Whispers".

Oh right, forgot about that ...

[thekillman]

I find it weird that Joe talks about a recurring character yet a quick check on Wikipedia shows that plenty recurring characters are not even on the list while Regulars (for some reason) are.


I don't think Lorne is gay. It just doesn't fit. The only two characters i would ever imagine saying "and oh by the way i'm off to home to visit my boyfriend" are Kavanaugh(who isn't even on the list) and Caldwell (who ALSO isn't even on the list).

[Ian-S]

I always thought it was the English guy, you know the one that (I think) got blown up in the Ancient satellite (been a while since I watched).

[Lythisrose]

I always thought it was the English guy, you know the one that (I think) got blown up in the Ancient satellite (been a while since I watched).

Peter Grodin?

[Raelis]

I don't think Lorne is gay. It just doesn't fit. The only two characters i would ever imagine saying "and oh by the way i'm off to home to visit my boyfriend" are Kavanaugh(who isn't even on the list) and Caldwell (who ALSO isn't even on the list).

Out of curiosity, why these two?

[HaveYouSeenMyForceLance?]

Joe Mallozzi basically said that the fans hadn't figured out who he meant was the gay character on Atlantis. He also stated on his blog that when he writes for that character he always pictured him as gay. No one had advanced the Beckett theory publicly until now...

Beckett dated Laura Cadman for a while... not entirely proof he's not gay, but it seems he's probably straight as a wistle.

Well it is not proof that he isn't gay as it did not last very long, and he may still be "in the closet".

http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Laura_Cadman

Though Dr. Carson Beckett, while on Earth, was encouraged to call Cadman by both Lt. Colonel John Sheppard and Dr. Elizabeth Weir, he stated that the relationship didn't work out possibly due in part to their first kiss being carried out through Dr. Rodney McKay. (ATL: "The Return, Part 1")

And interestingly, Cadman's and Beckett's on-screen kiss was actually done while Cadman was in Rodney McKay's body. And Beckett always seemed awkward around her too. I read more into the above quote than what it is at face value. It seems like a lame excuse to me for their relationship not working out.

He was also flirting with that female scientist in "Whispers".

Yes, but Clone Beckett may not be gay though. Also, many gay men find women attractive just not in a sexual way. Watch a few episodes of Will & Grace to get my meaning.

I find it weird that Joe talks about a recurring character yet a quick check on Wikipedia shows that plenty recurring characters are not even on the list while Regulars (for some reason) are.


I don't think Lorne is gay. It just doesn't fit. The only two characters i would ever imagine saying "and oh by the way i'm off to home to visit my boyfriend" are Kavanaugh(who isn't even on the list) and Caldwell (who ALSO isn't even on the list).

By recurring I think he means a solid secondary character who was a regular on the show, and not a tertiary character like Kavanaugh, and I don't think he meant Caldwell, Lorne or Chuck either. I think what he meant was what we would call a regular cast member who isn't the main star, ie. Sheppard and McKay. Beckett wasn't always in the opening credits so I think he fits the "recurring" character label plus they killed him off too (Sunday).

I always thought it was the English guy, you know the one that (I think) got blown up in the Ancient satellite (been a while since I watched).

People always think that the English are gay because of their accents and etiquette.