Instinct (207)

[kimaken]

I'm spoiling the ep too much for myself as I haven't seen that ep, but why didn't the adult wraith return to a hive ship?

There wasn't one to return to since the dart was destroyed when it crashed on the planet. Evidently no other Wraith have visited that planet since then.

[Dr Weir]

There wasn't one to return to since the dart was destroyed when it crashed on the planet. Evidently no other Wraith have visited that planet since then.

I thought by the telepathic network another hive ship would know about it, but maybe because of distance or most of the wraith being in hibernation they didn't.

[Sabre]

Not that I dare to call it inconsistency, but there's something I don't get and in the Instinct thread I was not answered. Hope you'll help.

I don't get the fact that for the beardy man Wraith were a legend, and didn't even know how they look like or if they sucked lifes.

For his son though, Wraith were known, and he even knew that they do cullings periodically as he said "this used to be part of a mine before the last culling".

The only explanation I find is that she was informed by the wraith daughter about who the wraith are, and that would mean that the little daughter knew not only when and where the other wraith were feeding, but also more about the wraith as a whole.

It's perfectly possible that I missed something though, I get 90% of the english spoken in the chapter, so it's possible I missed something. Thanks if any body explains me where I'm wrong and give me a smack in the head like Sheppard's

Sabre

[Iguana775]

There wasn't one to return to since the dart was destroyed when it crashed on the planet. Evidently no other Wraith have visited that planet since then.

Where was the stargate located? couldnt he have just left?

But, if that wraith was the girls real father then that would explain it.

[Dr Weir]

Where was the stargate located? couldnt he have just left?

But, if that wraith was the girls real father then that would explain it.

I was wondering that when I saw the pics but wouldn't he had taken her away if he was? I dont know, I really need to see this ep!

[Sabre]

Where was the stargate located? couldnt he have just left?

No, this planet was one of those with the gate on orbit.

And seemingly the crashed ship could not be a dart, since those are for a single wraith, perhaps an scape pod of a bigger ship or something

Sabre

[mindfire]

I really liked this episode, and helped explain in some part what wraith young are like.

[unowhoandwhy]

It took me a while to digest this ep because I was actually disappointed in it and I didn't want to be. I lobbied so hard to get Carson Beckett as a regular character that now I feel... disloyal... stating that I don't like the direction they are taking the character. The ep had a lot of potential, but they seem to have used it as a set-up episode for next week and that resulted in a lot of things that I don't agree with AT ALL.



First of all, if you are going to be carrying around an experimental retrovirus that has been tested and NOT worked at all, don't you think you should slap a biohazard sticker on the case and LOCK it?! Or, better yet, leave it in the lab, in a containment area, where it belongs! (Let's not even go into the fact that Elia never saw Carson show which case held the retrovirus & also not discuss how a Wraith with limited knowledge of Medieval-level technology figured out a 21st century hypodermic needle in the first place, this is a scifi show, after all, and we have to suspend a LITTLE of our disbelief.)



Then, they have Carson Beckett shoot Elia with a pistol. I feel more comfortable seeing him with a pistol than a P-90 like he had in "Duet" because the pistol is more in keeping with his physician's oath to do no harm. When I was an MP (Military Police) our Combat Medic didn't even carry a rifle, just a pistol for self-defense, and he was only a medic, not a doctor, who I think would have a higher duty to "do no harm". A pistol is for self defense, or to protect those who cannot defend themselves. A P-90 is for killing, plain and simple.



This is the same Carson Beckett who put down his P-90 and volunteered to "help" a full-grown (and probably hungry!) Wraith. This is also the same Carson Beckett who objected to conducting experiments on Perna's people... who even objected to experimenting on Steve! Now, he seems not only OK with using the one well-mannered Wraith he is likely to find as an experimental subject, but is eager to get going on the experiment whether it is safe or not??!! (And did any of them ASK her if she wanted to become a little greyish-bluish lab rat? Must have been during a commercial break, huh?) And then Carson shoots her! OK, he was protecting Rodney, but there are ways that the scene could have been written where it didn't look like our beloved "Cowardly Lion" has turned into Rambo!



My Gawd, Rodney was right behind Elia, he could have been killed by a bullet that passed through her into him! Or even by a missed shot. Carson may have become more brave, but he is still a doctor, not a warrior or a sharpshooting marksman, and he should have at least considered the fact that he could accidentally shoot Rodney.



And I am just waiting for this to come back and bite them in the you-know-what: Teyla's decision to tell Ronon that the two of them can decide when it is OK to disobey Sheppard's orders is a VERY BAD IDEA... I can't be the only one who thinks that, right?



Alright, enough negativity, I didn't actually hate the ep, I was just disappointed that it wasn't what it COULD have been. I really liked seeing Elia (although the scene with her feeding on daddy creeped me out), because we don't know a lot about the Wraith culture & we almost never see a female Wraith (especially not one with table manners ).



And why did the other Wraith never come and rescue her from her "father"? (I know, I know, because it would have been a very short episode!). But, does this say things about the Wraith society that we haven't begun to learn? There don't seem to be a lot of female Wraith around (or they are very well hidden), so I was assuming they have taken after their bug ancestors and they have a hive mentality where they are all directed by a queen bee type creature. Was Elia not important because she was destined to be a worker drone? Or because she wasn't mature and was considered worthless until she was mature? Or are the Wraith loners who only band together for hunting & procreating?



If you have seen the previews for next week, you will know that

Spoiler:

this ep was really just a set-up for having Sheppard infected with the Wraith retrovirus

But, they could have used it as an important part of the season in it's own right.



And, I am very, very, very happy to see Carson Beckett on screen more. I just hope they don't take the character to a place that he shouldn't go (Doc Warrior he is not!).

Paul McGillion is a talented actor and I love seeing the expressions and nuances he gives to Beckett. And I would never begrudge him screen time or a little "piece of the action" as it were. I honestly believe he should get out of the lab and get to do field research. But, I hope the producers and writers allow him to do it in such a way that it doesn't compromise the quality character that has captured the hearts and attentions of a lot of fans!





Just my $0.02... maybe $0.03 or $0.04, actually!

[prion]

I think his initial character profile said that his father was a Cold War General (or was it Colonal? can't remember) and that the only reason he wasn't court marsheled for whatever he did in Afganisan was because of intervention by his father. And something about Antartica being a self exile, not quite sure about that one.

Actually, that's fan supposition so far. If his father is still alive, I would think he'd intervene on behalf of his son to keep him in the service (as heck, doesn't do his rep any good either for his kid to be screwing up). However, until it shows up on the show, it's not canon.

[prion]

It took me a while to digest this ep because I was actually disappointed in it and I didn't want to be. I lobbied so hard to get Carson Beckett as a regular character that now I feel... disloyal... stating that I don't like the direction they are taking the character. The ep had a lot of potential, but they seem to have used it as a set-up episode for next week and that resulted in a lot of things that I don't agree with AT ALL.

We're just the viewers. While viewer reaction probably did get Paul McGillion into the front credits, it was also his talent. What the writers do with that is up to them, not to us.

First of all, if you are going to be carrying around an experimental retrovirus that has been tested and NOT worked at all, don't you think you should slap a biohazard sticker on the case and LOCK it?! Or, better yet, leave it in the lab, in a containment area, where it belongs! (Let's not even go into the fact that Elia never saw Carson show which case held the retrovirus & also not discuss how a Wraith with limited knowledge of Medieval-level technology figured out a 21st century hypodermic needle in the first place, this is a scifi show, after all, and we have to suspend a LITTLE of our disbelief.)

Actually, the needle was 20th century, if not older. A hyperdermic needle is a needle. It hasn't changed all that much since its creation except today, they're disposable. In olden days, they were glass. As for biohazard labels... uh, don't think anyone would read it or know what it was besides the Atlantis folk. However, locking the case would have made sense, but then she's a wraith and wraith are stronger, so snap goes that lock. It's a plot device anyway.

Then, they have Carson Beckett shoot Elia with a pistol. ...
This is the same Carson Beckett who put down his P-90 and volunteered to "help" a full-grown (and probably hungry!) Wraith.

He was saving Rodney; he also shot her in the shoulder, which wouldn't necessarily kill her. He could have easily shoti n the spine which could have killed her, so he was sparing in that effect. it was self-defense, for Rodney's sake.

This is also the same Carson Beckett who objected to conducting experiments on Perna's people... who even objected to experimenting on Steve! Now, he seems not only OK with using the one well-mannered Wraith he is likely to find as an experimental subject, but is eager to get going on the experiment whether it is safe or not??!! (And did any of them ASK her if she wanted to become a little greyish-bluish lab rat? Must have been during a commercial break, huh?) And then Carson shoots her! OK, he was protecting Rodney, but there are ways that the scene could have been written where it didn't look like our beloved "Cowardly Lion" has turned into Rambo!

He wasn't going to experiment ON Elia, but get tissue samples. Whole 'nother ball of wax. It's like taking a blood sample from anybody and saying we're going to muck about with this sample in the lab (at which point you should say 'hey, if you develop any expensive drugs from that, i want royalties!).

My Gawd, Rodney was right behind Elia, he could have been killed by a bullet that passed through her into him! Or even by a missed shot. Carson may have become more brave, but he is still a doctor, not a warrior or a sharpshooting marksman, and he should have at least considered the fact that he could accidentally shoot Rodney.

Heat of the moment. In retrospect, the writers/camera folk could have shot the angle differently to avoid this problem.


And I am just waiting for this to come back and bite them in the you-know-what: Teyla's decision to tell Ronon that the two of them can decide when it is OK to disobey Sheppard's orders is a VERY BAD IDEA... I can't be the only one who thinks that, right?

Well, yep, we are waiting for this to come back and bite 'em in their respective butts. Conflict! However, it's not like Shep didn't disobey Weir's orders in "Hot Zone." And, well, they could have sat there and obeyed Shep's orders and he'd be dead. That woudln't be good.

And why did the other Wraith never come and rescue her from her "father"? (I know, I know, because it would have been a very short episode!). But, does this say things about the Wraith society that we haven't begun to learn?

Maybe the wraith are more like us. Maybe he just didn't care for Elia, knowing she was tainted by human contact, or maybe he was biding his time. He probably ate, hibernated, and heck, didn't want to share his food

[Daniel's Sister]

Well, if we are going to read volumes into every look a character gives to another character, than by your reasoning (coughs), Dr. Weir is secretly drooling over Shep, after that cute look she gave him after he delivered that priceless line about "adolescence" (you know, the teenage thing line).

Well, I do think that Weir and Sheppard like each other. My mom agrees with me. The part in "The Siege" part 2 when John said to Elizebeth, " You know I have to do this", when he and Elizebeth gave each other that look.
And then in "The Siege" part 3 when John came back and Weir gave him a hug.
And, the part's in " The Intruder" when they kept on thinking that the other died. They definatly like each other.

[kiwigater]

So where's the inconsistancy? In the episode, or in your explanation?

I assume you're addressing me here??
Well, it depends on your point of view really (doesn't everything!). In terms of absolutes, in the current real world, the sort of science they're talking about is impossible, both practically (ie, making a retrovirus that would remove large segments of DNA - we can't even fix one single gene yet, let alone hundreds/thousands of them ), and theoretically (even assuming you could make such a retrovirus, it effects would unlikely to be so rapid). BUT, in the context of the show (requiring that suspension of disbelief mentioned earlier) it MIGHT be possible - it's a fictional world, and personally I choose not to apply real world rules to it.

[skye1974]

As for her picking up bad habits from Sheppard... what does that say about her then... That she's easily led? That she has no mind of her own? I don't know what is worse, saying that Teyla is weak-minded and impressionable or that she's a closet loose cannon. Either way, it doesn't sound good, does it?

If that is the case, then we would, in turn, have to believe that Dex is weak-minded and impressionable as well. If he disobeys orders just because Teyla does or says so, he's just the same as she is. I believe he is intelligent and aware enough (and not "half-wild" at all) to realize exactly what she's saying. I think this is just another case of their "alien bonding".

[Easter Lily]

And I am just waiting for this to come back and bite them in the you-know-what: Teyla's decision to tell Ronon that the two of them can decide when it is OK to disobey Sheppard's orders is a VERY BAD IDEA... I can't be the only one who thinks that, right?

Well, Atlantis has its fair share of people with bad ideas... but I don't see it as a bad thing in and of itself plotwise... My biggest problem is with the way Teyla is being characterized. Sheppard disobeying orders seems normal -- he is afterall the antihero but Teyla telling someone else to do so, seems incongrous to her image as the "leader of her people".
I'm strange I know, but I don't mind people making mistakes and doing the wrong things on the show, as long as it comes back later on to bite them very hard.

[Easter Lily]

If that is the case, then we would, in turn, have to believe that Dex is weak-minded and impressionable as well. If he disobeys orders just because Teyla does or says so, he's just the same as she is. I believe he is intelligent and aware enough (and not "half-wild" at all) to realize exactly what she's saying. I think this is just another case of their "alien bonding".

Oh, I'm not saying that she's weak-minded or impressionable... I'm arguing that people who say that she's taking a leaf out of Sheppard's book on following orders seem to be implying that she is.
I don't have a problem with either one of them wanting to come to Sheppard's rescue... I just have a problem with the way she put it across to Ronon. However, I've decided that I almost certain that it will come back to bite her, the way it has for Sheppard.

I'm happy for the alien bonding to continue... it's certainly given Teyla a lot more scope than it she has had previously...