Stargate Extinction Pre-Viewing PLOT discussion, speculation and eventual spoilers

[Raelis]

You know what I think would have been cool? If McKay, Zelenka and others made the IOA believe that Atlantis had that kind of failsafe so that they could go back to Pegasus. They would have cooked something up to make the danger seem real, and the IOA would be pissing in their pants. And Atlantis would go back where it belonged.


ETA: it's just occured to me. Didn't Malozzi say before that they were planning to get Sheppard and Nancy back together?

[Arica15]

ETA: it's just occured to me. Didn't Malozzi say before that they were planning to get Sheppard and Nancy back together?

I think that's what they were thinking about if they had had gone to a sixth season, personally I would have liked to have seen that...it would been far less obvious than just pairing Teyla and Sheppard together.

[Raelis]

I think that's what they were thinking about if they had had gone to a sixth season, personally I would have liked to have seen that...it would been far less obvious than just pairing Teyla and Sheppard together.

Yeah, I just found it interesting that he said in the past they wanted a John/Nancy hook-up, and now he claims they were planning to go for John/Teyla...

[scifan]

That was a worry I had too. It's not like Eatg couldn't have worked, but it wasn't meant to be a 45min. episode for all of what they were trying to do. I think the same thing is the case here. It can't be 90 minutes like Children of the Gods or Ark of Truth (if I remember their run times correctly). That just won't work with this concept. It would require that the movie be at least 2 hours, maybe even 2 1/2 hours long with the right pacing. That's what I think at least.

I agree. EatG was way too rushed for my liking. Ronon was dead of all of 5 seconds, Atlantis got to Earth in a nick of time... and landed safely in SF harbor. Of course there is more to complain about... but I'll leave it at that. lol

ETA: it's just occured to me. Didn't Malozzi say before that they were planning to get Sheppard and Nancy back together?

Not sure if I caught that... He might have, but then again he might have been saying it with a snarky attitude. He's done that before. To me.. he can be hard to figure out.
Not that I'm against John being with Nancy, but she's not completely in the loop with SG info and it seemed that his secret missions and so on is part of the main reason they aren't together. He had to lie about what he was doing and this is bigger than before. Plus she's in Homeland, he'll be in PG.

IMHO, Teyla would be a more obvious choice. They've said in various commentaries before S4 they planned on getting them together and I believe MG and BW mentioned they wanted to revisit those two in the future, but it never came. Oh well.. it happens. Am I sadden, yes, but mostly because we don't have SGA any more. Would've like to seen them together... sure, but we can't always get what we want in life.

[Lt.UrsulaKenmore]

That was a worry I had too. It's not like Eatg couldn't have worked, but it wasn't meant to be a 45min. episode for all of what they were trying to do. I think the same thing is the case here. It can't be 90 minutes like Children of the Gods or Ark of Truth (if I remember their run times correctly). That just won't work with this concept. It would require that the movie be at least 2 hours, maybe even 2 1/2 hours long with the right pacing. That's what I think at least.

Actually Joe has repeated said that if it were a part of the series, Extinction would have consisted of the first THREE episodes of the season. So rather than 90 mins. or 2 hours, it'll be more like 135 minutes which would over the two mark and towards the 2 1/2.

I also have to agree with alot of people, but I will point out that the writers, as Joe illustrated once on his website, liked to go back to races they had introduced in the season prior and team Atlantis had pissed off in said prior season. With that in mind, I believe the "mysterious alien race and potential new galaxy" referr to the aliens from Daedalus Variations. It makes total sense then, they're not actually "new" per say, they just weren't gone into in any great depth during the season they were introduced in.

Another thing, is that I always thought I was alone in thinking that Teyla and Sheppard don't belong together. Letters from Pegasus proved that, there are some things that are at the core of what makes Teyla who she is and Sheppard doesn't get that and most likely never will to the point that Teyla does. I didn't see what was so wrong with Kanaan and her, she's so close to her Athosian roots that I really do think that there'd be more of a personal attachment than just leadership and culture. And why in cinema, whether little screen or big screen, does the "She's just not that into you" thing only seem to apply to people general thought of as not attractive or not as attractive and that the generally thought of as pretty people can't get the same treatment? In Hollywood, the realm of the Pretty People, pretty people aren't into other pretty people all the time. Why would the pretyy people in Atlantis be treated any differently? I thought it was great that Sheppard didn't get Teyla and that Teyla fell for someone else that had been important in her life, a childhood friend that went through the difficulties of having the incredibly feared Gift with her, before Sheppard even got there. For all the things that Sheppard and Teyla went through together, I can't help but think that Teyla and Kanaan went through even more that shaped who they are. To me, that makes them the even better match. Sorry to the Shep/Teyla-shippers out there, and personally, I'm a Sheppard/Weir-shipper, but I also do acknowledge that Joe Flanigan was personally aiming for a relationship for Sheppard that was definitely featuring Larrin and the whole "Moonlighting" thing they had going. It's seems that only a few of the fans and a few of the writers wanted Sheppard and Teyla together, not the actors and not really everyone else.

Like many here, I can't believe I'd ever say this, write this, or THINK it, but I truly believe MGM made the right call in not renewing for a Sixth season or greenlighting the movie either. It's incredibly heartbreaking considering my love and admiration for the series, I wouldn't have created stargateatlantisseasonsix.com if I didn't loe this series, to have to admit this, but it's sadly true.

[Lt.UrsulaKenmore]

Another thing to add to my long thing here, I'm sorry I should have added it before, but now reading more of the other replies, what can't two attractive people of the opposite sex work together professionally? Is that really too much to ask for nowadays? Why does everything have to turn into the weirdest, horniest episode of either Grey's Anatomy or The Bachelor/Bachelorette ever? Why reduce things down to the point where you think you're audience is stupid, pathetic, or both? There's a line from The West Wing where one character said that during election years voters get stupid and another character aptly replies to her that no, voters don't become stupid during election years, they get treated like they're stupid during election years. I think that if you have it where two characters that work together, like Sheppard and Teyla, get together, then you end up with the president and his girlfriend plotline from Scandal and you're treating your audience like they and people are too dumb to realize that people can be professional in situations like this and not end up hitting the sheets together each and every single time.

Another thing that's sad to say but might be true is that the SGA writers might have been treating their audience like they're too dumb to expect that these characters that have been earning our respect and admiration for five years would continue to earn that admiration and respect without their pants down. God, I'm getting bummed the Hell out talking about all this. At least I get to do it among friends.

[Mnikolic]

When I watched SGA for the first time, I was a Sheppard/Weir-shipper as well. Probably still am, I just have to re-watch the series to confirm it, since it has been 4 years since I've seen SGA.
EDIT: I agree on the writers treatment on the audience thing. After what S4 did, S5 needed to be SPOT ON, including the finale. It was a good season with a good season finale, but it didn't deliver what it was supposed to deliver: an upgrade to season 4.

[The Lady Blue]

Actually Joe has repeated said that if it were a part of the series, Extinction would have consisted of the first THREE episodes of the season. So rather than 90 mins. or 2 hours, it'll be more like 135 minutes which would over the two mark and towards the 2 1/2.

This is the first time I've ever read this. The couple of times I read his blog about Extinction, my understanding from what I read was that it would be the first 2 episodes, not 3. I just checked, and yes, that's what he's still saying.

Late in Atlantis’s fifth year, when we were working on the final few scripts of the season, we had no way of knowing what the future held. A sixth season? A wrap-up movie? Robert Cooper suggested we hedge our bets by preparing for both. His idea was to add an extra month to the production schedule during which we would shoot the sixth season opening two-parter that, in the event the show wasn’t picked up, could become a direct-to-dvd feature.

This would mean it would have been roughly a 90 minute film.

I also have to agree with alot of people, but I will point out that the writers, as Joe illustrated once on his website, liked to go back to races they had introduced in the season prior and team Atlantis had pissed off in said prior season. With that in mind, I believe the "mysterious alien race and potential new galaxy" referr to the aliens from Daedalus Variations. It makes total sense then, they're not actually "new" per say, they just weren't gone into in any great depth during the season they were introduced in.

I'd have to watch Daedalus Variations again, it's been a while, but from what I remember, they were jumping between different dimensions that had different versions of themselves, not just jumping through their own dimension of space, which is what the wormhold drive does. So, I'm not sure how what you've suggested would work out.

Another thing, is that I always thought I was alone in thinking that Teyla and Sheppard don't belong together. Letters from Pegasus proved that, there are some things that are at the core of what makes Teyla who she is and Sheppard doesn't get that and most likely never will to the point that Teyla does. I didn't see what was so wrong with Kanaan and her, she's so close to her Athosian roots that I really do think that there'd be more of a personal attachment than just leadership and culture. And why in cinema, whether little screen or big screen, does the "She's just not that into you" thing only seem to apply to people general thought of as not attractive or not as attractive and that the generally thought of as pretty people can't get the same treatment? In Hollywood, the realm of the Pretty People, pretty people aren't into other pretty people all the time. Why would the pretyy people in Atlantis be treated any differently? I thought it was great that Sheppard didn't get Teyla and that Teyla fell for someone else that had been important in her life, a childhood friend that went through the difficulties of having the incredibly feared Gift with her, before Sheppard even got there. For all the things that Sheppard and Teyla went through together, I can't help but think that Teyla and Kanaan went through even more that shaped who they are. To me, that makes them the even better match. Sorry to the Shep/Teyla-shippers out there, and personally, I'm a Sheppard/Weir-shipper, but I also do acknowledge that Joe Flanigan was personally aiming for a relationship for Sheppard that was definitely featuring Larrin and the whole "Moonlighting" thing they had going. It's seems that only a few of the fans and a few of the writers wanted Sheppard and Teyla together, not the actors and not really everyone else.

Like many here, I can't believe I'd ever say this, write this, or THINK it, but I truly believe MGM made the right call in not renewing for a Sixth season or greenlighting the movie either. It's incredibly heartbreaking considering my love and admiration for the series, I wouldn't have created stargateatlantisseasonsix.com if I didn't loe this series, to have to admit this, but it's sadly true.

Um, I'm just going to leave the rest of this alone.

[scifan]

It's seems that only a few of the fans and a few of the writers wanted Sheppard and Teyla together, not the actors and not really everyone else.

Um... not completely true. Rachel Luttrel was a big John and Teyla fan and had mentioned she wish they would revisit their relationship. Jewels was a fan and... don't quote me... but I think Jason was too. As for the writers. Brad W, Martin G, Andy M and maybe one or two wrote some of those JT scenes. Sadly, Kannan wasn't suppose to last as long as he did. They had planned on killing him off at the end of S4 but didn't get around to it. It's in the commentary. Not a big fan of Kannan, but don't like he was used as a fill in/prop either.
Any way... doesn't matter now. The show is over... *sigh*

[Mnikolic]

This is the first time I've ever read this. The couple of times I read his blog about Extinction, my understanding from what I read was that it would be the first 2 episodes, not 3. I just checked, and yes, that's what he's still saying.

This would mean it would have been roughly a 90 minute film.

Maybe they were going to do a 135 minutes movie, and then just make a two parter which would represent a retrospective of the movie. Or even better... the two-parter would be an add-on to the movie, that would explain some things that were/would be left unexplained in EATG and the movie and episode 3 would be the continuation of the movie. After all, on that picture that shows the intended names of the episodes for season 6 on a paper, the first two episodes are named "Now what, Part I" and "Now what, Part II". The two parter could also deal with the expedition figuring out what to do next, post-movie.

Of course, they could also do a shorter version of the movie and make it a 90-minute long two-part episode, but I don't think Joe, Robert, Brad and the rest of the writers would go for that.

[The Lady Blue]

Maybe they were going to do a 135 minutes movie, and then just make a two parter which would represent a retrospective of the movie. Or even better... the two-parter would be an add-on to the movie, that would explain some things that were/would be left unexplained in EATG and the movie and episode 3 would be the continuation of the movie. After all, on that picture that shows the intended names of the episodes for season 6 on a paper, the first two episodes are named "Now what, Part I" and "Now what, Part II". The two parter could also deal with the expedition figuring out what to do next, post-movie.

Instead of hypothesizing, I'd just rather go off of what was actually said.

Of course, they could also do a shorter version of the movie and make it a 90-minute long two-part episode, but I don't think Joe, Robert, Brad and the rest of the writers would go for that.

Stargate: Children of the Gods- Run time 92 minutes
Stargate: The Ark of Truth- Run time: 97 minutes.
Stargate: Continuum - Run time 98 minutes.

[Lt.UrsulaKenmore]

I'd have to watch Daedalus Variations again, it's been a while, but from what I remember, they were jumping between different dimensions that had different versions of themselves, not just jumping through their own dimension of space, which is what the wormhold drive does. So, I'm not sure how what you've suggested would work out.

That Daedalus could go across dimensions, why not the aliens? Who says they can't be like Species 8472 or the Borg from STAR TREK Voyager that way? It would be a concept that while yes, sci-fi has seen before, it would be new to Stargate. And it would be a villian upgrade like the Ori were for SG-1, villians that really do have the power of gods. Here would be a race that could come from different dimensions and magically appear on the doorstep of Atlantis or someother really unhelpful place and wreak total and complete havoc. There's a plethora of storylines with that and, not to mention, an easy way to re-include Weir and her Replicators as these aliens chief combatants, really the only people that can go up against them, again like the Borg and Species 8472.

[Lt.UrsulaKenmore]

Um... not completely true. Rachel Luttrel was a big John and Teyla fan and had mentioned she wish they would revisit their relationship. Jewels was a fan and... don't quote me... but I think Jason was too. As for the writers. Brad W, Martin G, Andy M and maybe one or two wrote some of those JT scenes. Sadly, Kannan wasn't suppose to last as long as he did. They had planned on killing him off at the end of S4 but didn't get around to it. It's in the commentary. Not a big fan of Kannan, but don't like he was used as a fill in/prop either.
Any way... doesn't matter now. The show is over... *sigh*

Rachell also was quoted in Stargate Magazine as saying that she liked the idea of Teyla choosing Kanaan citing that sometimes your ties to your roots are stronger. And no matter how anyone might want it to happen, Sheppard doesn't have any tie to Teyla's roots whatsoever whereas Kanaan does. She's always been the leader of the Athosians despite living and working in Atlantis. Kanaan's a logical choice for her and Sheppard just seems, well, not. Larrin is definitely better for him.

[McBecklover]

woo! The Borg! I love them

[The Lady Blue]

That Daedalus could go across dimensions, why not the aliens? Who says they can't be like Species 8472 or the Borg from STAR TREK Voyager that way? It would be a concept that while yes, sci-fi has seen before, it would be new to Stargate. And it would be a villian upgrade like the Ori were for SG-1, villians that really do have the power of gods. Here would be a race that could come from different dimensions and magically appear on the doorstep of Atlantis or someother really unhelpful place and wreak total and complete havoc. There's a plethora of storylines with that and, not to mention, an easy way to re-include Weir and her Replicators as these aliens chief combatants, really the only people that can go up against them, again like the Borg and Species 8472.

I'd have to go back to Voyager, but the Borg weren't able to defeat them on their own, if I remember correctly, they were getting their butts handed to them until Voyager showed up. Voyager's medical technology was needed. It's a scenario, and like I said, anyone can come up with one. It is interesting, though. I don't know that Weir and her replicators would or could be the only ones to defeat them if they are powerful like Gods and technically advanced to boot. Couldn't they just come up with their own specialized ARGs anyway to disassemble RepliWeir and her RepliColleagues? That would last for episode, but then you could aways find ways to drag it out. The Replicator storyline on sg1 lasted for 10 seasons and then showed up again in Ark of Truth. Me personally, and I'm just talking about me, I'm tired of the replicator storyline, and I'd have wanted to see something different.

Rachell also was quoted in Stargate Magazine as saying that she liked the idea of Teyla choosing Kanaan citing that sometimes your ties to your roots are stronger. And no matter how anyone might want it to happen, Sheppard doesn't have any tie to Teyla's roots whatsoever whereas Kanaan does. She's always been the leader of the Athosians despite living and working in Atlantis. Kanaan's a logical choice for her and Sheppard just seems, well, not. Larrin is definitely better for him.

I haven't looked at them for a long time, but I do have those books. I don't remember reading that, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. I'll just quote Rachel from an interview she did last year:

AK:.In season 5 , Teyla pursued a relationship with Kannan, who is the father of her child, Torren.Though the two have a strong connection from Teyla’s time with her people, what are your thoughts on the inner nature of her relationship with Colonel Sheppard, in terms of the possibility of romantic interests between the two? Who would you prefer to see Teyla with and why? What challenges may be associated with your choice?

RL:I believe that Kannan was someone Teyla dearly loved. I believe that he would have been the choice that her parents would have made for her had they been alive. He represented her connection to her people and Teyla desperately wanted to keep that strong. There was already a great deal of guilt for having joined Atlantis and “leaving” them in a manner of speaking. But I think that she did love Sheppard. In a way he was forbidden but longed for.

I have not doubt that she loved Kanaan. I just don't think it was deeply romantic. I think Teyla tried to do what was expected of her at the expense of what she really wanted. I think John is the same way, always putting the team and his job before his own happiness. And I liked Larrin, just not with John. They didn't seem like a good fit, but we've all got our own preferences and that's fine with me.