John Sheppard Discussion/Appreciation

[knocknashee]

I think Shep must be the most "shipped" character in all of Stargate!

I wouldn't be surprised to see in the future "The Shep/Caldwell" thread and "The Shep/Dex" thread to!!

Whether these'll be ship threads or discussion threads, we'll have to wait and see!!

A Shep / Caldwell Ship Thread??? That's just WRONG! So is the Dex one come to think of it...

[Easter Lily]

That's why I'm a non-shipper where sci fi is concerned
The pendulum swings too much from the sublime to the ridiculous...

I know he's a good looking man but hey, he doesn't even have time to finish War and Peace...

[Tomcatter]

I wouldn't be surprised to see in the future "The Shep/Caldwell" thread and "The Shep/Dex" thread to!!

You're bad! Shep + Puddle Jumper = OTP thread.

[Elinor]

That's why I'm a non-shipper where sci fi is concerned
The pendulum swings too much from the sublime to the ridiculous...

I know he's a good looking man but hey, he doesn't even have time to finish War and Peace...

Hee hee! So many women/men....so little time!

He should've taken a much thinner book with him...like....oh, I don't know...maybe just a magazine!!

[SGLAB]

I have a question. While I don 't see it all the time in fanfic I see occasionally in some Shep described as someone who plays dumb. Does anyone agree with that about him? Personally I don 't think that at all. He doesn't exactly advertise, but I don't think he plays dumb.

[Melyanna]

I think you put it well. He doesn't advertise. If anything, he seems very good at knowing what the situation requires, even if he doesn't always go about things the right way. He's at least as intelligent as McKay, if not as well-schooled in hard sciences. (I suspect Sheppard's better read than McKay. You wouldn't try to read War and Peace if you've never read any of the classics before.) I don't think John plays dumb, really, but just doesn't run around declaring that he's smarter than everyone. And really, how many of those can one show take?

[SGLAB]

I think you put it well. He doesn't advertise. If anything, he seems very good at knowing what the situation requires, even if he doesn't always go about things the right way. He's at least as intelligent as McKay, if not as well-schooled in hard sciences. (I suspect Sheppard's better read than McKay. You wouldn't try to read War and Peace if you've never read any of the classics before.) I don't think John plays dumb, really, but just doesn't run around declaring that he's smarter than everyone. And really, how many of those can one show take?

Exactly. I don't look at intelligence so much as how much information you know and the more esoteric the better. It's more how you use the skills and knowledge you have and the ability to learn.

Sometimes I see the playing dumb description in fanfic and I think what is he suppose to do, tell everyone he meets what a genious he is in math? And like you said we already have one person doing that.

[Lida]

I have a question. While I don 't see it all the time in fanfic I see occasionally in some Shep described as someone who plays dumb. Does anyone agree with that about him? Personally I don 't think that at all. He doesn't exactly advertise, but I don't think he plays dumb.

I don't agree. I don't think Shep is dumb, nor do I think he plays dumb. On the contrary, I think his character is extremely intelligent and has the common sense to use his intelligence, a gift many so called geniuses don't possess (common sense).

However, I think the whole War and Peace thing was a joke. He himself said, he wanted a LONG book, as he thought he'd have plenty of time to read it. Guess he was wrong.

(We need SGA "people" icons)

[Easter Lily]

I think you put it well. He doesn't advertise. If anything, he seems very good at knowing what the situation requires, even if he doesn't always go about things the right way. He's at least as intelligent as McKay, if not as well-schooled in hard sciences. (I suspect Sheppard's better read than McKay. You wouldn't try to read War and Peace if you've never read any of the classics before.) I don't think John plays dumb, really, but just doesn't run around declaring that he's smarter than everyone. And really, how many of those can one show take?

I think it is important for the show that he acts as a counterbalance to McKay... that he takes him down a peg or two, keep him in line... that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, I love Rodney but I don't think I could stand having two Rodneys on the show... as it is, we have a Kavanagh on the show who is really a less likeable version.

Sheppard obviously doesn't think that he has anything to prove, the way Rodney does, which is one reason why I love the man. Sure, he's stumbled his way around Atlantis and the Pegasus galaxy relying on his own smarts and gut instinct but no one expected all that much of him in the first place. He doesn't really act dumb but I suspect that he just doesn't feel like he has to show his hand every single time. One of things that was beginning to annoy me about Jack was his complete and utter reliance on Carter... the way he was being dumbed down for probably no other reason than to give Carter an opportunity to spout technobabble. I felt that in Zero Hour at least we got some sense of the Jack we used to know. With Sheppard, however, I think a different dynamic is going on. He's not being dumbed down, hence he doesn't feel obliged to play dumb and can take action without relying heavily on Rodney. Obviously he defers to Rodney's expertise and knowledge where necessary but he has more than one or two ideas of his own.

[Tomcatter]

We all know he isn't going to finish that damn book by the time the show ends.

I think Jack is more along the lines of 'playing dumb,' while Shep is just lazy and doesn't care to tell anyone about his magical math superpowers.

[Melyanna]

Yeah, I do rather suspect that Sheppard thinks it doesn't matter as much that he has a brain, until someone assumes he doesn't.

Interestingly, there was a comment in the interview with Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper about how rarely the Atlantis people shot their way out of a situation, because either Sheppard would charm a way out or McKay would think a way out. What I found interesting is that that wasn't really true of this season. When it came to the big showdowns, they shot their way out, and quite often it was Sheppard's solutions that saved the day.

I agree with Easter Lily that Jack's reliance on Carter got old after a while. It's nice to see someone who isn't the stereotypical nerd coming up with the answer. Sheppard's solution and the explanation of how he got there were all the more fun because it was the last thing anyone expected.

Of course, I also wonder if John's just got a gift for numbers, or if he actually enjoys math. And I do think he's pretty well versed in a wide range of subjects. He comes up with all kinds of unusual references that just scream geek-of-all-trades.

[knocknashee]

Personally, I just think that Shep keeps his hand close to his chest, and only reveals what he has to to get the job done. I don't think he's stupid, and as Meylanna said, I also suspect he only cares about his intelligence when people assume he's got none.

I kinda get the impression he's supressed his geek-ness to get on in the path he's chosoen in life. People expected a military grunt, so he's acted accordingly. Also, as has been mentioned, I do think John is also just lazy...if he can get away with not having to work too hard in any way, shape or form, he won't...

[Merlin7]

Yeah, I do rather suspect that Sheppard thinks it doesn't matter as much that he has a brain, until someone assumes he doesn't.

Interestingly, there was a comment in the interview with Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper about how rarely the Atlantis people shot their way out of a situation, because either Sheppard would charm a way out or McKay would think a way out. What I found interesting is that that wasn't really true of this season. When it came to the big showdowns, they shot their way out, and quite often it was Sheppard's solutions that saved the day.

I agree with Easter Lily that Jack's reliance on Carter got old after a while. It's nice to see someone who isn't the stereotypical nerd coming up with the answer. Sheppard's solution and the explanation of how he got there were all the more fun because it was the last thing anyone expected.

Of course, I also wonder if John's just got a gift for numbers, or if he actually enjoys math. And I do think he's pretty well versed in a wide range of subjects. He comes up with all kinds of unusual references that just scream geek-of-all-trades.

Big ole WORD to the above. I also think John is lazy, and Joe said that straight out at the con in April. That Shep is lazy. But I love that he comes up with solutions. Like all the ideas in SIEGE 2. It's not expected and that makes it better. I always see Shep THINKING though. It's the way Joe plays it. He will take the easy way if he can...but if not..he goes with the flow and does what has to be done.

I think Shep is more than a math whiz. I think he does enjoy math and it's part of why he sees things differently, as he mentions in HOT ZONE. But given he passed the Mensa test, I'm betting Shep has a very high IQ <Which I hope is brought into play at some point for fun> And that he really is smart in alot of ways. Even though he acts like he doesn't always understand what Rodney's talking about, he does make very interesting references and he asks SMART questions.

[Easter Lily]

I really don't think that Sheppard is lazy...
Lazy people don't care and if anything, Sheppard probably cares too much...
I just see him as someone who doesn't believe he has anything to prove. He has a happy-go-lucky demeanour which belies an iron fist. There are people who don't crave the approval of others and they take up responsibility very reluctantly (I know this because I'm married to one). But it doesn't mean that push comes to shove, they won't pull their weight.

[Melyanna]

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd describe him as lazy either. He might see himself that way, but I think reluctant is a better description.

And you're right about that particular personality type — my father's like that, and so am I. When one of us is in charge, things get done, but neither of us likes to be in charge. That kind of responsibility has to be thrust upon that personality.

And now you've got me thinking about personality types! Also endemic to that one is a need for logic. I think we've seen that throughout the show with his leave-no-man-behind attitude. People are in danger, therefore you rescue them. Something needs to be done, therefore he does it. He also tends to get annoyed when people act out of emotion instead of from logic (like Teyla in Letters from Pegasus).