Trinity (206)

[watcher652]

The technology would have been a great asset for every planet, and after everything we've seen, McKay seems like he still hasn't learnt his lesson, he was more worried about his rep than the friendships he has made. Wish we could have seen more of the argument between McKay and Weir.

No, the tech would not have been a great asset. Remember what Radek said. The power source couldn't be used at any level. The experiment created particles that had unpredictable reactions. Rodney had the test at only 40% and it still went wrong, overloaded and took out 5/6 of a solar system.

Rodney wasn't worried about his reputation at the end. He wasn't apologizing for his reputation. He was apologizing because he let his friends down. He apologized to everyone. He knew he was wrong and there was no way he could make it right. All he could do is apologize and hope for forgiveness.

[SaharaGate]

Only just watched the ep and..well. Wow!

The eps are getting better and better each week..definitely my favourite so far.

I mean sure it was predictable...but that was kinda the point. There was this awful, arresting agony to watching McKay work, knowing it would all go wrong.

In my opinion, the whole weapon, power source experiment hting was really just incidental to the character exploration in this ep. This ep didn't advance the overall story arc of the Atlantis universe that much, but it did show us a lot about Rodney, his shortcomings and his interactions with the other characters - particularly shep, which is my personal favourite dynamic That last scene between them will make me happy for weeks (in that angsty kind of way heh).

The chemistry between those two is just fantastic...so very dynamic because it isn't always fun and playful. To me, this is the most realistic and fascinating relationship on the show.

That said though, I do think people were expecting a little much of him...although he acted rashly and let his ego get the better of him, he did genuinely believe he could do it, and even put his own life at risk to do so (and we know nothing is more precious to him than his own life...save maybe his team's lives). I personally don't think it is a crime that he failed...he was wrong. That's all.

So THANK U powers that be for showing us the darker side to his character. Well not dark, just very, very fallible.

[QuiGonJohn]

I liked this episode. Too tired to read ALL the pages to comment on other's posts right now. Just got done oging through all the pages of the BEACHHEAD thread.

I love Gateworld, but it's almost a bit disappointing to see SO MANY pages about a new episode, so soon after it airs. Makes it harder to stay involved in the discussions.

Biggest thing to me is McKay having to come to grips with the fact that his own self-confidence can get in the way of seeing the big picture.

[SaharaGate]

I don't think you're correct here. Rodney is NOT "just a scientist." Elizabeth is the head of the multi-national Atlantis expedition. Rodney, John and Carson all report directly to her. Since this is ultimately a science expedition, if for whatever reason Elizabeth is incapacitated, I think Rodney would be in charge. Unless the situation called for a military action, which may mean John would be in charge, like Everett took over from Elizabeth during the Siege. Or unless the provision has been made that all three share in the duties until someone could be found to replace Elizabeth or Elizabeth herself is back in her position.

Rodney would take any verbal lashing from Elizabeth or John very seriously. He's never disappointed Elizabeth or John before. Didn't you see the episode? Didn't you see how much he wanted to apologize to John for letting him down? It mattered to him more than apologizing to Elizabeth because he personally asked John to trust him.

Rodney has always been the Answer Man, coming up with a solution that has saved the expedition time and time again. This is the first time he's been wrong. When he saves the day, he does so in a big way. When he doesn't, we see what a major disaster that turned out to be. This is the first time his genius has let him down.

Throughout all the episodes, Rodney has shown an unexpected braveness and an unwavering loyalty to his team. He may grouse about it and it takes him longer to work up the courage, but ultimately he does the right thing. He constantly puts himself in danger by being on the first contact team.

I don't think Rodney is "just a scientist." Not at all.

*nods vigorously*

Rodney is so much more than a scientist. Though he is very driven by the desire to learn and by personal achievement.

I just love that they are allowing him to fail so early in the series. In SG, it seemed like the team were invincible for a very long time.

And i love that Shep trusted him implicitly and that this trust was shaken.

Fantastic characters.

Though personally i was a little bothered by Liz shouting at Rodney at the end. He acted recklessly, but he didn't do it alone.

What he did do was take people's trust in him and run with it...and that's not so cool.

but if that agonizing look on his face at the end of the ep is anything to go by, he has definitely learned something about himself after this.

What I think is utterly amazing about Rodney (& DH) and what has made me fall in love with this character all the more, is the way he can go from being infuriatingly, egomanically arrogant to disarmingly humble in a matter of seconds.

He takes complete responsibility for his mistakes and makes absolutely no apologies or excuses for himself. The only time he does that is when he sees something as a 'higher' scientific goal, when he's working towards something he really believes in.

All the petty things he will blame on his staff or Radek, but when it comes right down to it he doesn't shirk responsibility. He takes complete ownership of his failings. While he is quick to take credit for things, he's just as quick to accept blame that is duly his.

He is just full of so many contradictions.

That very last scene with Shep...wow. I'm just in awe of DH's ability. When his voice breaks like that...it's heartwrenching.

[ShadowMaat]

Regarding Dr. Vogel, I have a feeling (although I haven't Googled to check), that Vogel is someone from Rodney's past rather than someone from "science history".

[TJuk]

My take on 'Trinity'

I thought the episode, though not a bad episode kinda fell flat at the last hurdle, it was less a climax and more a fizzle out. The build up was good, but the ending...well Sheppard spoke and acted as if he really didn't give a damn. The whole 'McKay looses Shep's trust' issue seemed little more then a word or two with no real emotion or action behind it. Infact, for a McKay centric episode, I found the Teyla & Ronon b plot far more engaging.

It seems to be a recurring theme this season, good eps but with the exception of Seige 3 and Duet (the latter of which I dont count in the same catagory because it was non-arch fluffy fun) nothing has really got me going. There have been some priceless little moments, some interesting developments but for the most part the majority of episodes seem to have lessened my ethusiasm. It just seems like they build for some good angst, drama or tension and then...run out of steam. Maybe if we'd seen more of the aftermath of McKay's actions, a good arguement with Sheppard, actually shown the one with Weir and not just overheard it and maybe the person hurt/nearly as a result of his extreme arrogance & over-confidence had been someone that McKay REALLY cares (maybe Zelenka?) instead of 'red shirt of the week', then maybe it would have had a little more emotional punch.

As a result what could have been a great episode was another 'good' ep, its turning into a medicore season so far, no real risks, no real emotional punch, no high drama, no real character devleopments, heck McKay really didn't seem like he gave a damn about Collins death, he didn't react even half as much as he did to any of the deaths in Hot Zone.

What can I say, add the fact Beckett was in it for all of...oh 1 scene and a couple of lines (so much for series regular) with the odd patented 'concerned look' and I found this episode distinctly disappointing. The only good thing on the 'a plot' is it may have repurcussions to future episodes and its about damn time McKay ran out of rabbits to pull out of his arse.

Finally we get to see theres a little ice and fire under Teyla's calm serene ficade. She's a wolf in sheeps clothing and her confession to the fact she might also consider 'judge, jury and excutioner' Ronon style, if the situation called for it, is VERY interesting. Add to the fact she's not telling the folks back on Atlantis and thats a nice little twist and a sorely needed bit of character devleopment because so far this season she's pretty much had little more to do then 'give hot blokes appraising looks' and show more skin then usual. On the flip side theres also bloody amazing stick fighting last week, Rachel is really kicking ass with style this season!

Here's hoping Beckett gets a little character developement soon and its not just 'hatches, matches and dispatches' man next week!

TJ

[Wass]

Regarding Dr. Vogel, I have a feeling (although I haven't Googled to check), that Vogel is someone from Rodney's past rather than someone from "science history".

Well I googled to check and found two people with same names it could be them or a new character.

http://www.pb.izm.fhg.de/mec/hidden_...ietmar_dr.html

http://wswww.physik.uni-mainz.de/Clu...l/welcome.html

[PugGate]

The Daedalus was about to withstand quite a few blasts from the Ancient superweapon, that either means that the weapon wasn't nearly as powerful as they made it out to be or that the Daedalus shields are very powerful.

Well they are asgard shields.

It just seems a little odd that the Stargate was in space instead of beside the military installation, unless they were worried that the military installation mught blow up. I was just thinking that it would have made more since for the stargate to be on the planet because the Ancients could have rigged up an iris.

[PugGate]

Why the heck wasn't Hermiod helping Mckay? Does the most powerful energy source in the galaxy not interest the Asgard?

[Giantevilhead]

Let me just make this clear. I am fairly certain that during the show it was explained that the weapon, the gun itself, was not an Ancient weapon. It was a weapon of the race of that planet, started with a “D”, and the Ancients, out of desperation, powered it with their unstable super energy source. But the energy supply itself can’t solely determine how deadly the weapon is. So yes, the Asgard shields are very powerful, they were able to withstand what a hive ship could not, but they did not withstand an Ancient weapon.

No, McKay said that the weapon was a ground based version of the satellite weapon except that it had a lot more firepower.

[Quinn Mallory]

Why the heck wasn't Hermiod helping Mckay? Does the most powerful energy source in the galaxy not interest the Asgard?

I was just thinking the same thing.

McKay and Hermiod probably can't stand each other. In addtion McKay's ego probably want this to be purely a human (and more importantly his personal) achievement.

[Quinn Mallory]

Well I googled to check and found two people with same names it could be them or a new character.

http://www.pb.izm.fhg.de/mec/hidden_...ietmar_dr.html

http://wswww.physik.uni-mainz.de/Clu...l/welcome.html

I would bet my money that Dr. Vogel is just a made up person.

[Quinn Mallory]

What can I say, add the fact Beckett was in it for all of...oh 1 scene and a couple of lines (so much for series regular) with the odd patented 'concerned look' and I found this episode distinctly disappointing.

Well, this is at least infinitely better than the last episode (The Condamned) with absolutely no Beckett at all.

[TJuk]

Well, this is at least infinitely better than the last episode (The Condamned) with absolutely no Beckett at all.

Not really, the only thing worse then having Beckett missing is having him 'just there' like a random line speaking breathing prop! (its what killed Ford's character & is almost happening to Teyla this season), he's better then that. And I dont think a token few lines really counts as episode participation.

TJ

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

Interesting episode filled with some meaty, hard SF, a goodly dose of history, and good, character-building sub-A and B plots.

I really appreciated how they tied the main plot with the Manhattan Project and the Trinity test site, and all the controversy and debate between scientists and military that went on there, too. It was interesting to find out that the Wraith did not destroy that world; the tests did.

I throughly enjoyed the tension between Weir and Caldwell. Both were brilliant and the writers made adults of both. Thank you, PTB.

As for Rodney, I loved his enthusiasm, his ego, which was not as annoying to me, this week despite his ambition, and the fact that he took full responsibility for the death of that red shirt. I hope we see some character development from this; some dangerous self-doubts, hesitation, etc.

It's also increasingly apparent that Rodney and Sheppard have a close relationship; not so much slashy, for me, 'cause I'm not into that sort of thing, though there's certainly enough fodder for slash. What I see is more like the friendship between Bashir and O'Brien from DS-9.

Dex and Teyla do look good together, and I'm not talking ship(I'm ambivalent towards all Atlantis ship, ATM). Both Dex and Teyla were strong characters in this ep, and I think they have good onscreen chemistry.

Overall, a very well done episode that I will enjoy watching again.