Wraith Defenders Club

[Sparrow_hawk]

Someone said that Wraith seem agitated when asked for names... Perhaps when asked they 'say' their names telepathically and get angry that these stupid humans don't get them... OK, only joking

It's funny but I wondered that, too! But they would know that humans can't read them.

Todd is a great collector of information. The simple answer is probably that their names are just one more bit of information that he is storing away for future use. Sheppard’s name already came in handy once when he needed to contact them to get help with the Replicator virus.

But I wonder if Wraith believe in the power of names. There was a belief that by knowing an object’s or person’s “true name” you could gain power over it. For example, in medieval times they thought that if you knew a demon’s true name you could control it and make it do your bidding or exorcise it. It is a theme that also comes up in fairy tales like Rumplestiltskin and myths as well. If that is what the Wraith believe, Todd must be very amused by the way the Lanteans give away their names so freely.

I just can’t buy the notion that Wraith don’t have names. They may not be the same kind as we use, but there has to be some way for them to identify one another when they communicate, especially from far away. And they may have more than one name. Could there be “public names” that would give superficial access and “private” names that would give deeper access to their consciousness? So casual contacts would be on one level, shut out of most of their thought, but their own Queen might have access to their all of their thoughts whenever she likes.

Anyone else have thought on the subject?

BTW - everyone has such gorgeous sigs - I love logging on just to see the new ones!

[GoSpikey]

Er, Icarium, I think?

That website/program thingy you use to make your siggy? Is it very computer friendly, so much the opposite of photoshop?

Aka, maybe I can try stuff on my Ancient laptop instead of in a cold room upstairs?

[dasNdanger]

But I wonder if Wraith believe in the power of names. There was a belief that by knowing an object’s or person’s “true name” you could gain power over it. For example, in medieval times they thought that if you knew a demon’s true name you could control it and make it do your bidding or exorcise it. It is a theme that also comes up in fairy tales like Rumplestiltskin and myths as well. If that is what the Wraith believe, Todd must be very amused by the way the Lanteans give away their names so freely.

LOVE this idea!! And it would make total sense, since a 'Wraith' is a type of phantom, or loosly, a 'demon'. AND it would make sense that they conceal their names for this reason, and that they immediately begin to use a person's name as soon as they discover what it is, perhaps hoping they can somehow then manipulate the humans to do their bidding...hmmmm...

I REALLY like this idea....


das

[Sparrow_hawk]

LOVE this idea!! And it would make total sense, since a 'Wraith' is a type of phantom, or loosly, a 'demon'. AND it would make sense that they conceal their names for this reason, and that they immediately begin to use a person's name as soon as they discover what it is, perhaps hoping they can somehow then manipulate the humans to do their bidding...hmmmm...

Exactly. Names are important.

[Traveler64]

It's funny but I wondered that, too! But they would know that humans can't read them.

Todd is a great collector of information. The simple answer is probably that their names are just one more bit of information that he is storing away for future use. Sheppard’s name already came in handy once when he needed to contact them to get help with the Replicator virus.

Yes, indeed, he is a collector of information--as a scientist, curious and interested in all things, and as a soldier/commander who needs all the information available to survive and overcome.

But I wonder if Wraith believe in the power of names. There was a belief that by knowing an object’s or person’s “true name” you could gain power over it. For example, in medieval times they thought that if you knew a demon’s true name you could control it and make it do your bidding or exorcise it. It is a theme that also comes up in fairy tales like Rumplestiltskin and myths as well. If that is what the Wraith believe, Todd must be very amused by the way the Lanteans give away their names so freely.

I think you hit the crux of the matter--the power of a name. The very way he says the human's names, he enunciates it.

I just can’t buy the notion that Wraith don’t have names. They may not be the same kind as we use, but there has to be some way for them to identify one another when they communicate, especially from far away. And they may have more than one name. Could there be “public names” that would give superficial access and “private” names that would give deeper access to their consciousness? So casual contacts would be on one level, shut out of most of their thought, but their own Queen might have access to their all of their thoughts whenever she likes.

I agree--they are too individual and too individually intelligent with their own thoughts and ways of doing things not to have 'names'. You may have hit a very intriguing theory--names like passwords in a computer, except these names would trigger certain levels of access to another Wraith's mind and thoughts. I love this idea. It really strikes a chord here.

[Wraithworshipper]

Hive ships are bio-mechanical. Maybe their names are part of that bio-mechanical coding? If so, then could their names be a hint to the coding to access the computers. Since the Wraith are Bug-Human hybrids, and they operate as a hive-society/hive-mind maybe a clue to understanding the essence of the Wraith can be found in our own bio-shere in the study of bees, and colony dwellers like ants and termites.

Also, anyone else notice that the Wraith seem to like to smell their food, take a nice big whiff, as it were, just before feeding? Like bees, there seems to be several layers to each Wraith communication--visual, movement/gestures (dance-thinking bees here) and scent.

[dolfynnchick]

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYONE, HUMAN AND WRAITHS!
And now, let's go and pinch some Wraiths! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

You can't go pinching them, they're already green!

[GoSpikey]

About Todd talking to Sheppard in the cell?

Maybe he was just checking if he'd still have any food 3 hours later. You know, will he make it, or not?

[Shanthaia]

About Todd talking to Sheppard in the cell?

Maybe he was just checking if he'd still have any food 3 hours later. You know, will he make it, or not?

Todd is a person with so many layers, I think it is imposible to pinpoint a single reason why he talked with Sheppard. There are many. In my opinion at least: lonliness, curiosity,checking if food is still ok (like spikey said), boredom...and I am sure there are many more.

[GoSpikey]

Todd is a person with so many layers, I think it is imposible to pinpoint a single reason why he talked with Sheppard. There are many. In my opinion at least: lonliness, curiosity,checking if food is still ok (like spikey said), boredom...and I am sure there are many more.

Yeah, he's spiffy.

[GoSpikey]

Dunno if I showed these here already, or if it was somewhere else:

Spoiler:

Soooo happy to finally be holding a gun again!

[Wraithworshipper]

Todd is a person with so many layers, I think it is imposible to pinpoint a single reason why he talked with Sheppard. There are many. In my opinion at least: lonliness, curiosity,checking if food is still ok (like spikey said), boredom...and I am sure there are many more.

We know that Todd is a long range planner. It may be that Todd figured if the Genai felt Sheppard was worth torturing for a way to use Atlantis, if he played his cards right, maybe he could use Atlantis to his gain. After all, Atlantis's reputation for being honorable, do-gooders precedes them everywhere, and what a coup for him to get his hands on some ancient tech.

[Shanthaia]

We know that Todd is a long range planner. It may be that Todd figured if the Genai felt Sheppard was worth torturing for a way to use Atlantis, if he played his cards right, maybe he could use Atlantis to his gain. After all, Atlantis's reputation for being honorable, do-gooders precedes them everywhere, and what a coup for him to get his hands on some ancient tech.

Todd has been in there for many years (that sounds more than 3) so how should he know about atlantis when he starts the converstaion with Sheppard? He also had given up on escaping. John had to motivate him to give it a try...
But you are right with the long term planning and I suppose he started it the moment the odds of escaping went up. Say as the reached the surface?

[naamiaiset]

Dunno if I showed these here already, or if it was somewhere else:

Spoiler:

Soooo happy to finally be holding a gun again!

I love that scene. he ends up pointing the gun right at sheppard's head.

[Icarium]

Er, Icarium, I think?

That website/program thingy you use to make your siggy? Is it very computer friendly, so much the opposite of photoshop?

Aka, maybe I can try stuff on my Ancient laptop instead of in a cold room upstairs?

Hard to say, I really have no comparison. I just wanted a free programme to experiment on . Google paint.net and you can find requirements for it.

Icarium