Teyla's role throughout SGA

[Jeyla4ever]

Ok guys, I know this is my first post and it probably wont go down too well, but what the hell.

Basically, I've been a big fan of stargate for a long time now and I'm at least glad to say that SGA isn't that bad, it's no SG1 but it's better than nothing.
But I feel there's one thing holding it back a little, sort of.

My problem is quite simply - Teyla.
I don't mean to sound too harsh here, but really, why is she even there? She never does anything important or worthwhile, she just tends to ***** about the moral implications of whatever it is they're doing and occasionally get shot.
She can sense the wraith, but how often has that actually helped? Not often enough!
Even this week's episode, she was made out to be a main character, integral to the plot, but really she still never did anything important, apart from get shot.
It's got to the point where each week I hope and pray that she does something useful, something worthwhile, something that justifies her not being killed off instead of Beckett. But it never happens. Even characters like Zelenka and the new doctor woman get more air time than she does, plus they're just more interesting in general, yet they're not even mentioned in the opening credits.

I don't know how many of you will agree with me on this, but I think it's time she went away and never came back. She's not needed and is just a waste of space, so I made a petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TaylaDie/petition.html

If you do happen to agree with me, then please feel free to sign it and spread the word =)

I agree with you that Tabula Rasa was very dissapointing for me in regards to I was expecting Teyla to save the day and what she was actually needed for was to remind and guide Rodney in what he needed to finish. And yet, ironically, if it wasn't for Teyla, they'd all be DEAD and who would have administered the actual procedure if not for Teyla? In the end, who else but Teyla was able to think and remember and understand what it was the Rodney had to do when Rodney himself didn't know? Ronon? Keller? the only one would have been Carter, and she was too busy running around and being in awe by the size of Atlantis.

The fact that the episode started making you think that Teyla was the key to their salvation was not due to Teyla herself but to the writers lack of imagination.

What little Teyla did in this episode was truly, for me, very well portrayed! Just because she doens't act or talk like she's Rodney, John, Keller, or Carter doesn't make her any less valuable or significant in the show.

That's just my two cents.

And yes, Missing is supposed to be a kick ass episode for Teyla but you probably won't like it because she's not Keller or Carson.

And btw, I LOVE Carson!

[Womble]

Ok guys, I know this is my first post and it probably wont go down too well, but what the hell.

Basically, I've been a big fan of stargate for a long time now and I'm at least glad to say that SGA isn't that bad, it's no SG1 but it's better than nothing.
But I feel there's one thing holding it back a little, sort of.

My problem is quite simply - Teyla.
I don't mean to sound too harsh here, but really, why is she even there? She never does anything important or worthwhile, she just tends to ***** about the moral implications of whatever it is they're doing and occasionally get shot.
She can sense the wraith, but how often has that actually helped? Not often enough!
Even this week's episode, she was made out to be a main character, integral to the plot, but really she still never did anything important, apart from get shot.
It's got to the point where each week I hope and pray that she does something useful, something worthwhile, something that justifies her not being killed off instead of Beckett. But it never happens. Even characters like Zelenka and the new doctor woman get more air time than she does, plus they're just more interesting in general, yet they're not even mentioned in the opening credits.

I don't know how many of you will agree with me on this, but I think it's time she went away and never came back. She's not needed and is just a waste of space, so I made a petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/TaylaDie/petition.html

If you do happen to agree with me, then please feel free to sign it and spread the word =)

Well, for one, she is a beautiful woman. Someone on that show has to look good, you know (although the new long-haired Carter fills that niche quite fine).

[Arica12]

I rather agree that there are some serious issues with Teyla. I like Rachel Luttrell and think she could have done a lot more with the character given the opportunity, but Teyla is wallpaper. Her character does little more than impersonate Teal'C. I also have reservations about the upcoming storyline, I think that pregnancy is boring, simply because it necessitates a drawn out storyline and then your stuck with a baby. There's really only 3 options kill baby, baby rapidly ages or disappears and is perhaps mentioned living happily on another planet etc, none of these is exactly thrilling given we've seen it all before. I know this wasn't what the producers planned and kudos for them for supporting Rahcel Lutrell, but still, I just don't think it will be interesting.

The other thing i'm woried about is the 'disappearing Athosians'. De we really know that much about the Athosians to really care what happens to them? For that matter do we really know enough about Teyla to care about their disappearance? I hope this works out as I do think the character had potential, I'm just not sure it will

[ShadowMaat]

Weren't they getting hate mail and death threats over Jonas from a very vocal, very passionate group of fans? I'm not surprised that they would have chosen not to keep him around and have SG-1 as a five-person team.

Yup. Some of the show's most "devoted" fans are the scariest ones of all.

I don't know if they'd create an entirely new character to replace Teyla or if they'd use someone we've already met (Larrin, I believe, is the current front-runner), but either experience would likely be unpleasant, especially given what has already been mentioned: the fact there there have already been so many casting changes. I don't think that rules out the possibility of more changes on the way, but from a fan perspective I think enough might be enough already. In fact, enough was probably enough a change or two back.

Arica- If you ask me, the Athosians were nothing but a plot device and TPTB have been looking to get rid of them since episode 2 of the first season. It took them a while, but they finally succeeded.

[Blower'sGate]

Surprisingly enough I loved Teyla in Tabula Rasa and now I really don't want to see her die, lol

[Mattathias2.0]

I agree that up until the end of S3, Teyla has been a charcter which they hardly used (but I grant them some kudos for Submersion, Reunion and Tabula Rasa).

I also agree that if she was killed off, we could get something potentially worse, and killing her off wouldn't serve any real purpose. I also agree with ShadowMaat on how a three man team of all males is unacceptable. Would Sheppad start kirking Ronon??

[ReganX]

Arica- If you ask me, the Athosians were nothing but a plot device and TPTB have been looking to get rid of them since episode 2 of the first season. It took them a while, but they finally succeeded.

I think that it may have been a case of them sketching Teyla's background as a leader amongst her people, but once they had done that and brought in the Athosians, they had to come up with a way to remove them from the main storyline - hence the move to the mainland - and now even that tie has been cut.

[ShadowMaat]

Y'know, for someone who's supposed to be a Leader of Her People, she certainly seems to be happy being subordinate to Sheppard and Weir/Carter. I think she raised a stink once or twice in the first season, but for the most part she plays the dutiful little minion very well. And for a supposed leader she's been doing a pretty good job of ignoring her people.

I don't think TPTB did a very good job of figuring out her character. They seemed to go with whatever sounded good and then ignored most of the consequences.

[maylet]

Heh...

Well, just so you know, TPTB have confirmed that Teyla will have a greatly expanded role in Season 4.

That's true, we will see more of Teyla on this season

[ToasterOnFire]

I've also been disappointed with the lack of development and screentime for Teyla over these past 3 seasons. I find her character and her culture to have a lot of potential so it's upsetting that TPTB constantly shuttle her to the side. I'm hoping for big things with her upcoming eps and arc - it's past time that happened.

While I agree with a lot of what you said, what would be the point in getting rid of her? It still wouldn't give her character any meaning, but it would open a hole for another, equally pointless female character to join the team.

Larrin? O_O

[Chailyn]

Y'know, for someone who's supposed to be a Leader of Her People, she certainly seems to be happy being subordinate to Sheppard and Weir/Carter. I think she raised a stink once or twice in the first season, but for the most part she plays the dutiful little minion very well. And for a supposed leader she's been doing a pretty good job of ignoring her people.

I don't think TPTB did a very good job of figuring out her character. They seemed to go with whatever sounded good and then ignored most of the consequences.

Yeah, I never bought the "leader" thing either. As you point out so effectively, it just isn't very convincing. I just can't realistically see her as the leader of her entire civilization. Then again, didn't she introduce herself as "daughter of somebody" in Rising? Maybe leadership to the Athosians is conveniently bestowed through bloodlines. That would definately explain things. Methinks no election process.

I do hate the way female characters are given these leadership roles and then are portrayed as lacking leadership qualities. Yes, it's nice to see a woman in charge once in a while, but it's even worse if they come off as incompetent or underdeveloped, imo. I thought she was okay in Season 1, but I've had believabilty issues with her character since. I'm hoping that s4 corrects some of that.

[ReganX]

Y'know, for someone who's supposed to be a Leader of Her People, she certainly seems to be happy being subordinate to Sheppard and Weir/Carter. I think she raised a stink once or twice in the first season, but for the most part she plays the dutiful little minion very well. And for a supposed leader she's been doing a pretty good job of ignoring her people.

I don't think TPTB did a very good job of figuring out her character. They seemed to go with whatever sounded good and then ignored most of the consequences.

Just because it's officially a part of her character history, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will have any bearing on how she'll be written.

[ShadowMaat]

I have a hard time believing that a real leader would abandon her people just to tag along with a bunch of strangers. If Teyla had been the second in command it might have worked better- it'd show that the Athosians were willing to help in a reasonable manner without making too great a sacrifice and it'd explain why Teyla is so happy to take commands from someone else rather than issuing them herself plus she'd be able to show off the occasional stubborn streak/command presence without it seeming out of character.

Or have her as the village's token freak. She's kept around out of gratitude to her father, but serves no real purpose, herself, other than maybe as an early warning system for the Wraith- something considered freakish and unnatural by her people. They foist her off on the Atlantis team as a token gesture of help, but really it's to get rid of that creepy chick with the weird habits and too close a connection to their greatest enemy. Teyla can be all doe-eyed and docile, used to being commanded and grateful for the team's "rescue" but still prone to the occasional wild outburst... which gets tamed over time, explaining why all (or at least most) of her concerns are trod over without much interest from the rest of Atlantis and why she doesn't stick up for herself and her beliefs. And, of course, it means you can write off the Athosians entirely, maybe even killing them off in one of the initial Wraith attacks and having it be a good thing since they were all so mean to Teyla.

[Devine27]

I don't think TPTB did a very good job of figuring out her character. They seemed to go with whatever sounded good and then ignored most of the consequences.

I've also been disappointed with the lack of development and screentime for Teyla over these past 3 seasons. I find her character and her culture to have a lot of potential so it's upsetting that TPTB constantly shuttle her to the side. I'm hoping for big things with her upcoming eps and arc - it's past time that happened.

That's it in a nutshell. TPTB created the character of Teyla, but have done very little, or have been unable to dedicate the time needed, for the character's development. This year, due to a less strenuous work schedule (producing 20 episodes instead of 40), they were able to due so. They have even admitted their neglect of Teyla and have promised to rectify the situation. With that in mind, don’t you think this petition is a little ahead of the game. And still, if season four sucks shouldn’t the petition be for better writers on SGA, not killing off another character? At this rate, if they boot anymore people off the show they’ll need to give it a new name.

[g.o.d]

That's true, we will see more of Teyla on this season

when? In the next episode? or in the second half of s4? And in how many episodes will she have a bigger role? One third of s4 has already aired and what did she do? Nothing. Or perhaps she will have a bigger role in the next season

I know it's not Rachel's fault. She doesn't write stories. Given the amount time she spends on the show, I'm sure she's doing her best