Elizabeth Weir/Torri Higginson WOW Thread - Part 2

[gwangung]

Writing wise, Weir's character is hurt because she's been tied to the base.

Internally, she's been tabbed as leader because this was conceived as a scientific/diplomatic situation. However, she's been screwed as she now leads the most technologically advanced race next to the Wraiths...who are her enemies. It's now a military situation, which doesn't play to her strengths.

[Major Fischer]

Writing wise, Weir's character is hurt because she's been tied to the base.

Internally, she's been tabbed as leader because this was conceived as a scientific/diplomatic situation. However, she's been screwed as she now leads the most technologically advanced race next to the Wraiths...who are her enemies. It's now a military situation, which doesn't play to her strengths.

Which allows much more room for her to grow as a character than, say Hammond--who I love, please don't read this as competition between them on my part--who though he grew during the series did not have a lot of room to grow.

I don't think they've written her well though some of the early episodes, but SG1 wasn't writing Hammond very well during some of the early epsiodes of that series either. I think it takes about ten episodes for the writers to get the majority of the characters pinned down in their minds.

She's certainly loosening up a bit, I really enjoyed her obvious sarcasm in Underground.

Spoiler:

"I did send you out for food?" and "I usually stop short of offering nuclear weapons..."

I think that if they are smart they can use that episode's experiances as an excuse for letting her be less tied to Atlantis.

Which of course is silly for realism in terms of the leader leaving the base, but hey, it's SciFi!

[gwangung]

ANother thing that occurs to me...

Weir has the fate of Atlantis on her shoulders. That's pretty clear. But she ALSO has the fate of the Pegasus Galaxy on her shoulders, because the Atlantis team is the most techologically advanced faction who are opposed to the Wraith. ANNNNNNDDDD....ya gotta remember that they went on this mission to get some help for Earth in the war against the snakes, so she has the fate of Earth on her shoulders.

Hope she has a lot of ulcer medicine on hand.....

[MartoufMarty]

i didn't actually like Jessica Steen as Dr. Weir. i really like Torri Higginson as Dr. Weir. the title of the thread is right, Weir does ROCK!

she doesn't go off-world or anything, but she's the leader.

she just... rocks!

[MartoufMarty]

ANother thing that occurs to me...

Weir has the fate of Atlantis on her shoulders. That's pretty clear. But she ALSO has the fate of the Pegasus Galaxy on her shoulders, because the Atlantis team is the most techologically advanced faction who are opposed to the Wraith. ANNNNNNDDDD....ya gotta remember that they went on this mission to get some help for Earth in the war against the snakes, so she has the fate of Earth on her shoulders.

Hope she has a lot of ulcer medicine on hand.....

PEPTO!

[Manic]

Throughout "Underground," you could tell she just wanted to smack John upside the head. He was making poor negotiative decisions, and it was driving her crazy. Afterall, that's why she was picked to lead the Atlantis mission. She's the negotiator, and they should've called on her to talk with the Jennai(sp?). Personally, I think she should assign a deputy-mayor to run Atlantis, while she goes on all diplomatic missions with John's team. It'd give her some action, and her character a lot more room to grow. Then I think a good portion of the Weir-haters would finally lighten up.

Then again, there are the Weir-haters who seem to hate Weir simply because she's being played by TH instead of JS. I think that if TH had played Dr. Weir in "Lost City," there'd be a lot less people bashing her.

[Major Fischer]

Then again, there are the Weir-haters who seem to hate Weir simply because she's being played by TH instead of JS. I think that if TH had played Dr. Weir in "Lost City," there'd be a lot less people bashing her.

Bingo! People grow really attached to actors sometimes, and really there isn't much changing their mind.

[Channara]

I agree that Weir should really get out more, I don't want her stuck behind the desk having to do all the nasty decisions and have a bad hairday everyday

But there are some issues, as we know from the Lost City, Weir's a diplomat, she has no field nor combat experience and for her to go out for a walk would be a suicide, McKay has at least worked for the Air Force prior to this mission (well so has Weir, but strickly administratively). But I hope they come up with a solution.

Also, if the hair bothers you, send TPTB a postcard!

[Ancient 1]

PEPTO!

I was thinking Mylanta (sounds similar to Atlantis)

[Major Fischer]

But there are some issues, as we know from the Lost City, Weir's a diplomat, she has no field nor combat experience and for her to go out for a walk would be a suicide, McKay has at least worked for the Air Force prior to this mission (well so has Weir, but strickly administratively). But I hope they come up with a solution.

She's an international negotiator, not a diplomat exactly. There is a fine point to that, but in general, 'diplomats' have to be nice, and 'negotiators' don't. We don't actually know much about her background, and I think there are any number of things that she could have been doing that are field related.

For instance: She could have worked for NATO in Kosavo or Bosnia. She could have worked for the UN force in Cambodia trying to put the country back on it's feet. She could have worked for US AID in any number of dangerous countries. Or she could have worked for an NGO in any number of dangerous countries. All of which would have required her to have smarts for safety on the ground and what is a bad sitatution.

No, it's not combat tactics, but it's also not chopped liver. I've been trying to point out that people are selling the character short on her potential experiance. I think because when people think about diplomats they think about people in expensive suits who go around in limos. The simple fact of the matter is that US Embassy and State Department personel are threaten, get shot at (not to mention get shot) on a not infrequent basis.

Just because she isn't a soldier doesn't mean she'd be a danger on a mission. Anymore than, say, Daniel was on early missions.

[Channara]

No, it's not combat tactics, but it's also not chopped liver. I've been trying to point out that people are selling the character short on her potential experiance.

I think because when people think about diplomats they think about people in expensive suits who go around in limos.

The simple fact of the matter is that US Embassy and State Department personel are threaten, get shot at (not to mention get shot) on a not infrequent basis.

Just because she isn't a soldier doesn't mean she'd be a danger on a mission. Anymore than, say, Daniel was on early missions.

True on all grounds, thanks for pointing that out.

So she might be more experienced (which is something I hope to find out soon), but what did she do in the Lost City I? Run around in an expensive limo (Kinsey's limo I believe it was), and UN always makes me think of those big rooms with lot of big wig's who disagree all day and go home to a meal made by the maid.

[Major Fischer]

... and UN always makes me think of those big rooms with lot of big wig's who disagree all day and go home to a meal made by the maid.

Amazon Book Link is a really good read about what being a low level UN worker is like. It's written by three people who spent time in Cambodia, Somalia, Liberia, and Kosavo. Ignore the reviews, it's not really a pro-UN or anti-UN book in my mind and I think half the people who rated it on Amazon never read it. It was the authors trying to get their bosses attention though, it apparently has annoyed not a few people in New York

[Ancient 1]

Writing wise, Weir's character is hurt because she's been tied to the base.

Internally, she's been tabbed as leader because this was conceived as a scientific/diplomatic situation. However, she's been screwed as she now leads the most technologically advanced race next to the Wraiths...who are her enemies. It's now a military situation, which doesn't play to her strengths.

A degree in Political Science does not make one a scientist. I'm not sure if she should be in charge. She needs to get out in the field and negotiate these deals that clearly Sheppard and Tayla have almost no skill. I suppose she could still be "leader" but the bottom line is that she needs to get out more.

[2BAM]

I'd like to see Weir get out as well, I think she deserves a holiday.

[gwangung]

A degree in Political Science does not make one a scientist. I'm not sure if she should be in charge.

Actually, I think she has to be; the gate to Pegasus is in Antarctica, which is covered by treaties up the yingyang. She's in charge of the expedition because she has to be, according to treaty; certainly a military person can't be put in charge, because other nations wouldn't allow it. She's a compromise candidate who DOES have an advantage in that she's worked in SGC before.

She needs to get out in the field and negotiate these deals that clearly Sheppard and Tayla have almost no skill. I suppose she could still be "leader" but the bottom line is that she needs to get out more.

Yeah, I gotta agree with that. Like I said before, being tied to the base is really hurting her character and misuses her strengths.

Hm. Wonder if there's an upcoming plot line that addresses that...