Wraith Defenders Club

[Todds worshipper]

Thanks for posting all of that!!
Ya know, I'm thinking Joe probably paid him to answer my questions, just so I could stop bugging everyone about the finger armor thingys and all.

I am satisfied.
das

He answered your questions das !!!
Oh, you guys already know....oh well it was the first thing I checked when I turned on my computer, I was so sure Mr.Cooper would be answering soon
Wow, that's a surprise for my first day back at work. I wish I could come home to great news like that everyday

I loved his answers, he was truthful and you could tell he actually thought about his responses. Funny how I only said that last night and today it happens
I'd also like to win the lottery tomorrow night and I'd love to marry Christopher Heyerdahl
(well, I gotta try saying something like that to see if that comes true tomorrow too)

This bit is interesting (RC's reply to someone named Mel):
Yes, there were some scenes that didn’t make the cut for time and we have finished an extended version for the DVD’s that will include roughly four extra minutes of running time. Some of the changes are minor but some of the scenes had to be recut and the longer versions are quite different. Interestingly, in some cases, I’m not really sure which ones I like better. I guess I’m glad both exist.

I'd love to see the extended version of Vegas
With the extended Enemy At The Gate, Season 5's DVD's are going to be worth their weight in gold

[Starry Waters]

I'd also like to win the lottery tomorrow night and I'd love to marry Christopher Heyerdahl

I'm all for winning the lottery (for me of course ). Marry Chris...only if he dresses as Todd every night!!!

[MyFavoriteWraith]

I also highly encourage everyone to read Rob Cooper's Q&A on Joe's blog. Then I also suggest that you read Brad Wright's brief, terse Q&A and ask yourself, as I've asked myself, "how can this obviously lovely, talented man be production partners with such a putz?"
Also, the person who wrote in saying she misheard the Marilyn Manson lyrics as "The Beat of the Meatball" and was corrected by her daughter that it was "The Beautiful People" - omg, I've got tears running down my face again I'm laughing so hard. That is better than my favorite misheard lyric by my dad when he heard Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistable" and thought he was singing "Send me all your vegetables".

mfw

[ciannwn]

Also, the person who wrote in saying she misheard the Marilyn Manson lyrics as "The Beat of the Meatball" and was corrected by her daughter that it was "The Beautiful People" - omg, I've got tears running down my face again I'm laughing so hard. That is better than my favorite misheard lyric by my dad when he heard Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistable" and thought he was singing "Send me all your vegetables".

I recommend 'Wishmaster - The Misheard Lyrics' to anyone who enjoys such things.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5_mlQOsUQ

I've misheard lyrics too. 'Wasteland' by the Mission UK doesn't start with "There's a crystal mule from my window" as I once thought. It's actually a crystal view.

[dasNdanger]

I recommend 'Wishmaster - The Misheard Lyrics' to anyone who enjoys such things.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5_mlQOsUQ

I've misheard lyrics too. 'Wasteland' by the Mission UK doesn't start with "There's a crystal mule from my window" as I once thought. It's actually a crystal view.

I totally missed 'the beat of the meatball' last night! LOLOL! I mostly just read the Wraith bits because I was watching tv at the time. I have to carefully read over the Q&A to fully take in everything.

I'm pretty good with lyrics, when I want to hear them (often I ignore lyrics in favor of listening to the beat). But the one song that I just ALWAYS hear wrong is Pearl Jam's Glorified G - Instead of 'glorified version of a pellet gun', I ALWAYS hear 'glorified virgin on a pelican'...


das

[Starry Waters]

I also highly encourage everyone to read Rob Cooper's Q&A on Joe's blog. Then I also suggest that you read Brad Wright's brief, terse Q&A and ask yourself, as I've asked myself, "how can this obviously lovely, talented man be production partners with such a putz?"
Also, the person who wrote in saying she misheard the Marilyn Manson lyrics as "The Beat of the Meatball" and was corrected by her daughter that it was "The Beautiful People" - omg, I've got tears running down my face again I'm laughing so hard. That is better than my favorite misheard lyric by my dad when he heard Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistable" and thought he was singing "Send me all your vegetables".

mfw

Cooper and Wright:

Hard to believe, isn't it!! I'm so angry at Wright after that comment he made saying he didn't need any of the SGA fans for SGU to be financially successful that I decided never watch any of SGU. Cooper was so nice that it actually makes me want to give it a chance. Wright is just plain rude or has absolutely no people skills at all.

Songs:

I'm rolling on the floor here!!

[ciannwn]

But the one song that I just ALWAYS hear wrong is Pearl Jam's Glorified G - Instead of 'glorified version of a pellet gun', I ALWAYS hear 'glorified virgin on a pelican'... das

The mind boggles.

[MyFavoriteWraith]

I totally missed 'the beat of the meatball' last night! LOLOL! I mostly just read the Wraith bits because I was watching tv at the time. I have to carefully read over the Q&A to fully take in everything.

I'm pretty good with lyrics, when I want to hear them (often I ignore lyrics in favor of listening to the beat). But the one song that I just ALWAYS hear wrong is Pearl Jam's Glorified G - Instead of 'glorified version of a pellet gun', I ALWAYS hear 'glorified virgin on a pelican'...


das

Omg, one of my friend's thought the same thing! lol That one I can see being misinterpreted as it's kinda slurred when it's sung. Ok, as long as we're fessing up here, the worst one I can think of my misheard lyrics is The Police "Message in a Bottle" - instead of "a year has passed since I wrote my note" I heard "a year has passed since I broke my nose".

Cooper and Wright:

Hard to believe, isn't it!! I'm so angry at Wright after that comment he made saying he didn't need any of the SGA fans for SGU to be financially successful that I decided never watch any of SGU. Cooper was so nice that it actually makes me want to give it a chance. Wright is just plain rude or has absolutely no people skills at all.

Yes, I think they really need to muzzle him if they expect to keep a fanbase. Sheeesh. Let him talk when he's with all his Hollywood cronies. Those guys...ugh, I'm going to stop here because I'm about to get profane.

I am going to sing "the beat of the meatball" now whenever I hear that song. lol I needed that laugh. Life's rough, I try to get at least a good belly chuckle a day if I can.

mfw

Edit: Thank you ciannwn for that link! Another laugh for the day. Aces!

[Starry Waters]

I recommend 'Wishmaster - The Misheard Lyrics' to anyone who enjoys such things.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5_mlQOsUQ

I've misheard lyrics too. 'Wasteland' by the Mission UK doesn't start with "There's a crystal mule from my window" as I once thought. It's actually a crystal view.

That made my day!! Ciannwn, you come up with the most interesting stuff!!

[ciannwn]

That made my day!! Ciannwn, you come up with the most interesting stuff!!

My cousin gets the credit for finding that one.

I came across the Harry Potter version of the Badger Song. I wish I knew how to do this kind of thing because I have a mental vision of an SGA version. Lyrics would be Sheppard (umpteen times), Rodney, Rodney and '"It's a Wraith ooh it's a Wraith."

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8aupR2KW9Kk

[Solla]

He answers a second set of das questions!

DasNDanger writes: “So, my question - when the so-called heroes of Atlantis engage in torture and talk of genocide against another race that they have deemed ‘the enemy’, what message do you think it sends in this day and age where real torture, and real genocide, is practiced against those who are considered a threat by those who justify their actions as the saviors of their people, if not of the whole world? Do you think it could have a desensitizing affect on our view of the real atrocities committed around the world, basically justifying the idea that - as long as we are the heroes - any and everything can be done to anyone who is perceived as a threat, all morality be damned?”

RC: When McKay said they “tried everything” to get information from Todd, he meant trick questions, bribery and ‘friendship’ therapy. Look, seriously, I don’t want to make light of something very serious and important. I am well aware of the reality of true horror that exists in the world. Unfortunately, without some form of escapism I think we’d all go completely insane. Quite frankly, I hope everyone recognizes this is just entertainment. I certainly hope it doesn’t have the impact you seem to be suggesting it might. But let’s say it does. I don’t believe I’m condoning torture in this episode. I’m just realistically representing that it happens in certain situations. Also, if we were about to be invaded by life-sucking aliens I would hope there are people who would find someway of stopping it. For the children. Having said all that, I’ll state for the record we should all make sure we don’t torture anyone today or ever. It’s very bad.

And when McKay said "if you fail to co-operate, Sheppard, I have the power to ruin your life", he meant phone calls after midnight and throwing tomatos

Actually Cooper evaded the real issues in his answer.

[ciannwn]

Hmmm...he didn't exactly answer the nipple thing, did he? By not answering, he - in affect - didn't disagree with my observation that he appeared to be nippleless.

Going by what he said I think he did answer it.

We decided it was an opportunity to show subtle and not-so subtle differences.

The spine ridges (or whatever one wants to call them) are the not-so subtle difference because they are very noticeable. The lack of nipples is the subtle difference because you have to be really observant to spot that something's missing..

I think the tattoos could represent an association to a particular group or queen or an expression of individuality and an artistic decoration — another nod toward goth and gang style on Earth. You decide.

Seeing as it's left up to our interpretation I opt for artistic decoration. Some form of art would add another dimension to them as a species.

[Wraith Cake]

I remember watching a TV program about the fascination on Star Trek. I can't remember what the name of the program was. There were interviews with William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and a bunch of other actors who were on ST. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that either Shatner or Stewart said that if Shakespeare were alive today his stories would be close to Star Trek. Now if Shakespeare were alive today would he write SF and compare to ST? I can think of one ST movie "The Wrath of Khan". Do you think that ST or SGA for that matter has any Shakespearean comparison?

LS

Ha ha ha!!! We had a wrath of Khan night at our house--yes proudly a geek home, yes we are

Well, Kirk said "KHHHHHHAAANNN! I think something like fifty times!! in the episode. The competition was, every time someone heard "KHAN!" we had to eat a tootsie roll. Well, our friend Luigi looked grey by evening's end, but he won. We laughed, but thankfully he didn't get sick. He won a Khan figurine we picked up at the local comic shop for half off (we're total nerds!!)

WK

[Wraith Cake]

From 'Vengeance' -

MICHAEL (voiceover): The embryo then contained enough human D.N.A. for me to manipulate.

MICHAEL (voiceover): I accelerated the development, augmenting the complexity of its physiology. There were several adjustments, several mistakes ...

MICHAEL (voiceover): ... until I finally found the perfect balance between strength, agility and resilience.

MICHAEL: A perfect animal to do my bidding.

It seems that Michael wasn't intending to create new, intelligent Wraith. He was after an obedient (to him) animal with a particular balance of strength, agility and resilience and he ended up with a human sized creature. I've tried to find a pic of one but they were never shown clearly and I'm having problems making out what's on thumbnails when much of the action took place in gloom. I'll just have to go by the transcript here.

Suddenly something roars and surges out of a side door, seizing Ronon and slamming him against the wall. John spins around and sees a large black creature -- at least as tall as Ronon and standing on two legs -- grappling with Ronon.

Why did Michael abandon this approach and start turning humans into hybrids instead?

'In story' speculation -

Humans have hands for weapons and very complex brains. Maybe turning his super-cockroaches into more efficient servants would have required a super-cockroach queen feeding on a human so there was more DNA to manipulate in a second generation. Perhaps it would even have required a third generation before he could get what he wanted. If so, turning humans into hybrids would have been a lot quicker.

Plot device reason. When Rachel Luttrell became pregnant TPTB came up with the Teyla pregnancy story arc. They needed Kanaan to be alive so Teyla could persuade him to help her and, later on, look after the baby so she could stay in Sheppard's team. This would have been impossible if Michael was still producing followers by feeding humans to Iratus bugs because lunch always ended up dead. The problem was solved by having Michael switch his activities to transforming humans into hybrids.



This is an article on the world's largest insects.

http://ufbir.ifas.ufl.edu/chap30.htm#gallery

The largest is 16.7 cms long (which is just over six and a half inches). There's also two pics of large insects being weighed with the researcher close to the scales. This gives an idea of scale.

This pic shows the Iratus bug which attached itself to Sheppard.

http://www.stargatecaps.com/sga/s1/1...l/104x423.html

This is Teyla's bug in 'Vengeance'.

http://www.stargatecaps.com/sga/s3/3...eance0620.html

The Iratus bugs appear to be a bit bigger than real life bugs but they certainly aren't Wraith sized. They only started evolving into much larger creatures after acquiring the DNA of a vertebrate with a circulatory system and breathing apparatus that allowed it to be big.

Beckett on Steve's death.

BECKETT: Initial tests revealed a significant amount of Hoffan serum in his bloodstream. I'm guessing we'll find similar trace amounts in each of his organs once we analyse those as well.

This suggests that Wraith have a vertebrate's blood circulatory system because they evolved to be vertebrates.



Not all vertebrates are mammals.

http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Scienc...imalIndexV.htm

Vertebrates include fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds. Ostriches are the largest living birds and they can afford to be big because they don't fly. They are also warm blooded.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfact...iles/477.shtml

Statistics
7ft (1.75-2.75m) tall, males up to 150kg, females 90-110kg, Stride length: 3-5m.

Wraith are vertebrates but this doesn't automatically mean they have to be mammals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal

Mammals (formally Mammalia) are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, which they use in feeding their young. They are also characterized by the possession of sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.

It's likely that Wraith have something like sweat glands for regulating body temperature.

http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/i.../coldwarm.html

Only mammals can sweat. Primates, such as humans, apes and monkey, have sweat glands all over their bodies. Dogs and cats have sweat glands only on their feet. Whales are mammals who have no sweat glands, but then since they live in the water, they don't really need them. Large mammals can have difficulty cooling down if they get overheated. This is why elephants, for example, have large, thin ears which loose heat quickly.

(Even though the above paragraph has typing errors it's on a NASA run website. )

We have no idea why Wraith have those facial slits, though.. If TPTB wanted to they could say that Wraith don't sweat because they lose excess heat through the facial slits and it's only when Beckett's retrovirus strips away the bug DNA that sweat glands develop. And why not? The retrovirus gives them human eyes, alters the bone structure of their heads and changes the colour and texture of their skin. This is canon because we've seen it on the telly.

Edit: On second thoughts, perhaps not because -

Spoiler:

Spike covered his facial slits with makeup in 'Vegas'.

Wraith might have three middle ear bones because their hearing seems to be like human hearing and they must have a neocortex region or something very similar. All that we can be certain of, though, is that they have hair.

From Instinct -

BECKETT: Now, there are many aspects of human physiology that are quite useful: bipedal motion, opposable thumbs, large brain capacity ... but the human digestive system serves no purpose in the adult Wraith. So why have one at all?

WEIR: Because they eat normal food when they're young?

BECKETT: Exactly! Then at some point, they lose the ability to sustain themselves with that food.

According to Stargate canon Wraith took on useful human characteristics. Producing milk to feed young mightn't have been useful for a species where there is only one female per hive. Can male Wraith produce milk?

Spoiler:

This could all hinge on whether or not Spike has nipples. If he doesn't then males don't produce milk unless there's a special cast of males for baby care.

So why is the Wraith language a derivation of Ancient? Beckett's idea in 'The Gift' isn't all that helpful.

BECKETT: My theory is that the Ancients unwittingly allowed humans to evolve on a planet with, uh, (he looks apologetically at John) insect species on it. At some point the insects fed on humans and somehow incorporated our DNA into theirs. The Wraith are an evolution of that combination.

Pegasus human language is also a derivative of Ancient but how would bug lunches know this language if they evolved in a far flung corner of Pegasus which the Ancients had forgotten about? Maybe the humans didn't evolve on the bug planet but moved there later on because it had a Stargate.

If Wraith evolved because the bugs had fed on Ancients they would surely possess the Ancient Technology Activation Gene. You'd think Beckett would have mentioned it if he'd found it during his research. Would the Ancients have continued to use this genetic key which was designed so that only their kind could activate/use certain technology once the war started or would they have come up with something else? We have no idea.

From the Stargate wiki -

http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Ancie...ctivation_gene

Spoiler:

Michael's Hybrids possibly possess the gene, because they were able to move a jumper and use it to infiltrate Atlantis's control room. This is possibly done by the gene therapy. Michael held Carson Beckett's clone prisoner for two years and had him work for him. He possessed the knowledge and Ancient gene of the original Beckett.

Wraith evolved from Iratus bugs which fed on humans because TPTB say so. This is canon unless they change their minds and say that the bugs evolved through feeding on Ancients or Wraith are the creation of a mad Ancient geneticist. It's possible for an Iratus bug egg containing human DNA to produce a creature as tall as Ronon because this happened in 'Vengeance'.

Did you read anything I wrote?

Based on what you've written here, it only looks like you read the part about "large as a large man's hand".
It seems like you're doin' the "La La La not listening". Sorry to say


WK

[Wraith Cake]

das, he answered you!!!!

DasNDanger writes: “I’m going to start early with questions for Mr. Cooper, lest I forget (asking a couple Wraith-related non-Vegas questions, too…if that’s okay):

1. In reply to a question of mine, Mr. Wright gave you most of the credit for the creation of the Wraith. So, first, THANK YOU. They are absolutely beautiful in style and design. Did you base their look on any insect in particular? If you care to share, what were some of your inspirations for their design?

2. The Vegas Wraith seemed to be nippleless. Was this the case, and if so, what was the thinking behind it - just going for a cool look, or was it yet another clue to their physiology?

3. In Vegas, when the Wraith is sitting in the trailer, flashing back to how he came to earth, he pulls off part of his mask and it’s in a star pattern, over his left eye, like Todd’s tattoo. Was that a bit of foreshadowing, or just a coincidence? We have speculated that he was sensing Todd’s thoughts, and visa versa…so at that moment was he reflecting Todd’s insanity, or just his own desperation?

4. In line with the above, how much - if any - mental contact did AU Todd and the other Wraith have? In your mind, was Todd ‘helping’ the other Wraith design the transmitter, or in any other way exchanging information with him?

5. Extra Wraith ‘nostrils’ - are they true nostrils, or more like sensory pits…or just sexy-cool holes in their face?

6. Wraith tattoos - just personal adornment, or do they have some significance?

7. I will try one last time…please, oh please…Wraith finger armor thingys - WHAT the hell are they for??!!! ”

RC: Mr. Wright was being generous. I was interested in putting a twist on the vampire mythology. James Robbins, our production designer and extraordinary artist, came up with much of the visual look. We always wanted them to have a dark goth-like quality.

We were amazed when we all looked back and realized that in five seasons we had never seen a wraith with his shirt off. We decided it was an opportunity to show subtle and not-so subtle differences.

The Wraith doesn’t actually pull off part of his mask — it was scraped off when he hit the ground after having jumped from the building. You don’t really see that side of his face after he falls. He’s just revealing it by lowering his hands. I wanted a shot that showed the fifty-fifty — highlighting the disguise and the real wraith look underneath. Plus, I thought it looked cool. My inspiration was a similar shot of the Joker from Tim Burton’s Batman.

Any visual connection to Todd was what we like to call a happy accident. I do think there was some mental link between them but never thought to draw that comparison as you suggested. Of course, I shouldn’t admit that. I don’t think Todd was necessarily helping him but I believe Todd was aware of what was going on and that’s why he was so confident he knew what was going to happen.

We thought the face-holes both looked alien and suggested an extra-sensory capability. I thought it made them look a bit like sharks which is kind of what they are — more intelligent feeding machines.

I think the tattoos could represent an association to a particular group or queen or an expression of individuality and an artistic decoration — another nod toward goth and gang style on Earth. You decide.

It’s a secret. Actually, James Robbins again deserves credit. They’re meant to be like rings. Decoration. James says he wanted the wraith to have culture. These little visual details add depth to the Wraith and make fans crazy about their meaning.

Oh lovely! Some answers. I honestly think there is a huge debate in the writing room and the fan room as to whether the wraith are more human or more buggy. So because it is so hotly debated, I think they haven't spoken about it directly since season one, and I think they (the writers) won't address it. Which is fine with me.

Well, there you go. Good on you!!

WK