The Siege, Part 3 (201)

[iLemon]

Loved this ep. First off, the special effects were incredible. The tension carried right over from Siege II and didn't miss a beat. Also, there was great interaction between Shep and Weir, Rodney was great, the new Ford was awesome, the Daedalus: holy crap. I actually found myself feeling sorry for Col. Everett, but that whole scene with Shep was great. Hermiod was cool and hiccup-lady didn't actually annoy me. Looking forward to more and can't wait to see what Col. Caldwell brings to the table!

Totally agree with you That was a great episode. I was actually hoping that would happen to Everett, but now... not so much

I loved their plan to make Atlantis invisible, that was some great thinking! And the Deadalus! I just don't know what to say about it, it was amazing! All I kept thinking was 'I want one of those'!

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

May I interest anyone in some icons?

I love this one!

[LoveYouBaby]

That one's not bad... hilarious scene but the W/S one is probably the best one for being "one of those moments"...

Oh cool I'm listening to a song that was on CSI: Miami ... Lori Carson - "Fall In The Light" - sorta perfect for the W/S hugging thing ... weird

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

MHO about the hug; Weir and Sheppard have gone through a lot, together. Liz thought she had just witnessed the death of a friend, a death aimed at saving all ther lives. She is a civilian and showing emotion has not been indoctrinated out of her. Personally, I saw huge relief, the need to actually touch this person who, a little while ago, she knew was dead and then, against all reason, whose voice she'd just heard. Now, here he was standing before her. Not only was he a friend she had just gotten back from the dead, so to speak, but, considering all the constant strees she was under, this having John back was like a reprieve. So I didn't see ship, and I don't really think the PTB will ship that pair, but I did see something beautiful.

Ford changing so rapidly: First off, anyone here ever see someone react to a peanut allergy? It is really fast and really scary, and those that I've seen change so radically they become unrecognizable - when they don't up and die! Ford put me in mind of that sort of reaction, but was it really so sudden, in his case? Has anyone calculated exactly how much time between him getting attacked by the Wraith and him walking around loose in the city?

I also think that what happened to Ford is about as rare as a Wraith getting blown up while feeding and the victim spending an hour in the freezing salt water and then getting medical intervention.... That's gotta make Ford one unique fella.

As to Ford using the PJ, that didn't feel like a plot hole so much as a mystery that will be solved in later episodes. A "how done it" rather than a "who done it" sort of thing.

My take on Teyla's Wraith powers: She's adapting. She's gotten better at getting in and then, getting out, and Beckett was there, helping her. I found her part to be believable, and I confess that I reacted much like when our hero goes underwater and we hold our breath; I was right there with Teyla, trying to make myself think about blowing up the city and NOT about how it was all a trick.

[ToasterOnFire]

I'll give up on the whole gene vs. enzyme business. I know there's a world of difference between the two and I admit that my excitement over the ep and the three pieces of fudge I'd just eaten might have affected my judgement a bit. However, it still bugs me that he has been physically altered, be it from a gene, an enzyme or a grape lollipop. But maybe enzymes are capable of that. Certainly more capable than lollipops. I'll drop it, but it still bugs me, so there.

Definitely not any enzymes I'm familar with. Enzymes that invades the body, get into a good number of Ford's cells and into the nucleus, and have the ability to alter the transcription of enough genes to cause physical changes in Ford's face and eye, as well as giving him "superhuman" strength and bodily repair? Plus, these enzymes can invade the body without triggering a systematic immune response? This is the kind of science that can only happen in sci-fi.

Of course, having the ATA gene viral therapy work in about 40 percent of all patients is also currently impossible (AFAIK), not to mention if a therapy does work in real life it tends to stop working a short time later. But I highly doubt we'll ever see legitimate failures or side effects of the therapy on Atlantis.

[Aadizookaan]

OMG! Excellent Episode.

I can't believe the visuals, the character development, and the action. It was worth the long, long, long wait.

I was wondering if anyone else noticed it...the Ancient writing on the stairs in the gate room has changed! Either a change in the writing or a removal of some of the letters on certain steps. For those of you fluent with Ancient translation, please take another gander at the message and tell us all if there was a major change in the message or deletion of some of the previous message.

Thanx.

[puddlejumper747]

Honestly? It was pretty darn cool. The Daedalus was amazing. The ending was even cooler.

The only thing that I absolutely hated (BESIDES the opening credits) was how the conversation between John Sheppard and Colonel Everett ended. Everett re-affirming Sheppard's immoral decision to murder Sumner, and wishing that Sheppard could have been there to do the same to him. Horrible resolution to that story arc.

[ShadowMaat]

Martin Gero has responded to the whole Ford vs. Puddle Jumper debate, but the short answer is that Ford does NOT have the Ancient gene.

He also said that "sometimes a hug is just a hug."

I wish I could be more reassured by that. Unfortunately, TPTB said similar things on SG-1 and look how THAT turned out.

[PsychoPenguin]

MHO about the hug; Weir and Sheppard have gone through a lot, together. Liz thought she had just witnessed the death of a friend, a death aimed at saving all ther lives. She is a civilian and showing emotion has not been indoctrinated out of her. Personally, I saw huge relief, the need to actually touch this person who, a little while ago, she knew was dead and then, against all reason, whose voice she'd just heard. Now, here he was standing before her. Not only was he a friend she had just gotten back from the dead, so to speak, but, considering all the constant strees she was under, this having John back was like a reprieve. So I didn't see ship, and I don't really think the PTB will ship that pair, but I did see something beautiful.

I agree. I don't consider myself either a shipper or an anti-shipper, but I do like seeing the characters I'm watching exhibit some sort of *connection* with each other. I'm not a big fan of the whole "Well, we just survived a horrific fate. Let's barely acknowledge it and move on to the next crisis." (Which may be part of why I don't claim to be an "SG1" fan. To me, they tend to leave too many of the weekly emotional implications to the imagination of the audience.) I don't need to see people kissing and falling into bed with each other, but I do like shared looks, moments of comfort, and evidence of just plain friendship.

Thus, I liked the hug, but I also liked Teyla trying to talk Ford down and Shep and Rodney out on the balcony watching the bombardment together. These people are *friends* and it shows, and I just hope the writers don't get so caught up in "Is this shippy or not?" that they become afraid to show it.

P.S. I forgot Teyla saving Rodney and her comments to him. That moment made me really like Teyla for the first time! We need *more* Teyla moments like that.

[LoveYouBaby]

Thus, I liked the hug, but I also liked Teyla trying to talk Ford down and Shep and Rodney out on the balcony watching the bombardment together. These people are *friends* and it shows, and I just hope the writers don't get so caught up in "Is this shippy or not?" that they become afraid to show it.

Definitely, definitely. I too hope the writers won't take away the human-ness away from the shows. It's things like these that make a show great, that makes it a hit. They can deny the shipping moments if they wish but please keep friendships and great human nature and emotions in the show.

It's what makes Stargate great and Star Trek Enterprise... not

[T_S]

Definitely, definitely. I too hope the writers won't take away the human-ness away from the shows. It's things like these that make a show great, that makes it a hit. They can deny the shipping moments if they wish but please keep friendships and great human nature and emotions in the show.

The aspect of this human part which I personally find even more interesting is when those close friends are placed in situations where they must potentially choose between their friend and a lot of possibly unrelated people. This conflicts - as well as the way they are resolved - are really what makes such a show great.

[Easter Lily]

I agree. I don't consider myself either a shipper or an anti-shipper, but I do like seeing the characters I'm watching exhibit some sort of *connection* with each other. I'm not a big fan of the whole "Well, we just survived a horrific fate. Let's barely acknowledge it and move on to the next crisis." (Which may be part of why I don't claim to be an "SG1" fan. To me, they tend to leave too many of the weekly emotional implications to the imagination of the audience.) I don't need to see people kissing and falling into bed with each other, but I do like shared looks, moments of comfort, and evidence of just plain friendship.

Thus, I liked the hug, but I also liked Teyla trying to talk Ford down and Shep and Rodney out on the balcony watching the bombardment together. These people are *friends* and it shows, and I just hope the writers don't get so caught up in "Is this shippy or not?" that they become afraid to show it.

Well said... Penguin... and Tokra Hostess...
I think the hug can be interpreted in several ways but more importantly, this hug showed a personable side to Weir and that was very important for her and for us. She was often too emotionally detached in the early part of the first season but that she is now able to break through the icy veneer and demonstrate this degree of concern visibly is a momentous step.

However, it still doesn't mean... that somewhere along the track the writers might not choose to go in a particular direction but at least when they do... they might have a basis from which to work from.

I've suppose I've given this as much thought as the next person but I've decided that I'm not against ship as I am against badly written ship. And for the longest time, scifi ship didn't do much for me, especially episodic scifi which went from one adventure to another... in which characters are archetypes and caricatures. But lately we're seeing a lot more character driven, arc-based scifi shows and the interesting thing is, ship is actually decently integrated into the overall storyline. I know Stargate hasn't had a good history of "integrating" ship... sporadic, flash-in-the-pan moments aren't my idea of a good ship but if we see some consistent character development in the course of the show, I think the idea of ship will be less abhorrent or at least, less out of place. Ship should be an extension of the overall storyline and not just grafted in.

[PsychoPenguin]

I've suppose I've given this as much thought as the next person but I've decided that I'm not against ship as I am against badly written ship. And for the longest time, scifi ship didn't do much for me, especially episodic scifi which went from one adventure to another... in which characters are archetypes and caricatures. But lately we're seeing a lot more character driven, arc-based scifi shows and the interesting thing is, ship is actually decently integrated into the overall storyline. I know Stargate hasn't had a good history of "integrating" ship... sporadic, flash-in-the-pan moments aren't my idea of a good ship but if we see some consistent character development in the course of the show, I think the idea of ship will be less abhorrent or at least, less out of place. Ship should be an extension of the overall storyline and not just grafted in.

Yeah, like I said, I'm not anti-ship. And I'll be all for it as long as it doesn't get in the way of natural character development: like Weir being allowed to reach out to people; Teyla exhibiting a sense of humor; Rodney becoming the well-rounded human being he's capable of being; and Shep finally letting someone in on that darkness he seems to carry around everywhere he goes. As long as I also see that, then I can accept ship. It's just when writers try to subtitute poorly written ship for character development that I end up changing the channel. (Did somebody here mention "Enterprise?" You know, I think they did...)

[prion]

I just saw the 'hug' as a hug that Weir was relieved that Sheppard was alive, just as a good friend. In times of high stress and relief, people do hug each other without any hint of romance They're just happy to be alive!

And, I hope that the writers don't let fans sway them from NOT showing human emotion just for fear of starting up fan wars over ship or slash or other such FAN stuff, because everybody on Atlantis is human (thus far, at least) and I'd hate to see a slap on the back, a hug, etc. not make it into scenes like they did with "Siege" part 3 because of what fans might interpret it to be...

[prion]

Ford changing so rapidly: First off, anyone here ever see someone react to a peanut allergy? It is really fast and really scary, and those that I've seen change so radically they become unrecognizable - when they don't up and die! Ford put me in mind of that sort of reaction, but was it really so sudden, in his case? Has anyone calculated exactly how much time between him getting attacked by the Wraith and him walking around loose in the city?

As to Ford using the PJ, that didn't feel like a plot hole so much as a mystery that will be solved in later episodes. A "how done it" rather than a "who done it" sort of thing.

Whatever the enzyme is, it's POWERFUL stuff. Forget face down in the water or the grenade. That fall over the railing was what, a hundred or more feet. It was LONG. He should have been pulverized (and I have yet to figure out how the wraith could still be attached to him with the speed of impact at which they hit). And if the enzyme can heal up a body like a wraith, then I'd like to think it could heal up that nastiness around his eye.

I think after "Hot Zone", Ford did get the gene therapy and it worked on him. After all, makes sense for anybody going out on missions to have the gene working if possible in case the pilot is knocked out or something.