Epiphany (212)

[DetriusXii]

I just saw the ep. It was okay viewing but nothing fancy.

The story reminded me of an existential SF novel I read in school about twins who found a shed inside which time went faster. One of the twins - the skinny, gentle, feminized, picked-on-by-his-big-athletic brother one - decided to spend the night inside the shed so that when he emerged he'd be a year older than his brother and of course, he grew into a real man. Anybody recognize it?

I read the book in grade 8. Apparently, the wormhole was connected to a garbage dump on an alien world and that's why odd trinkets kept on coming through the wormhole, right?

[DetriusXii]

The writers are messing with continuity again. Once the ascended beings ascend, they're forced to follow Alteran rules of non-interference. So if McKay were to grab the ZPM, , he could have said "Bite me", take the ZPM, there would be nothing that the newly ascended could do. This noninterference rule is becoming inconsistent.

[Willow'sCat]

I really didn't notice the Capt Kirk routine much. I didn't think it was OTT and I'm probably in the minority but the ancient chick seemed nice and I liked the fact that Sheppard got to romance someone. I like seeing that with his character coz it made him happy.

Well basically every good looking chic he mets he ends up kissing or hugging or whatever, Capt Kirk was a lot like that god bless him.

I just found it strange that in the whole of Atlantis, Weir is the only one who can read Ancient that well? You mean they don't have a linguist???

There seemed no other way to include her in this episode so I guess TPTB had no choice I am glad she went off-world It was nice having the whole team together.

After watching the episode, I definitely think the Beast is the manifestation of the villagers' fears about Ascension that they wouldn't admit or face. So, Drwho'srose, I think, the villagers weren't thick. Just in denial. Which is, IMO, actually easier to do the sharper you are because you're that much better at spinning believable excuses.

Yes but ten thousand years (of evolution) and no-one was a little bit suspicious? That is more denial then I like to think about.

[Willow'sCat]

The writers are messing with continuity again. Once the ascended beings ascend, they're forced to follow Alteran rules of non-interference. So if McKay were to grab the ZPM, , he could have said "Bite me", take the ZPM, there would be nothing that the newly ascended could do. This noninterference rule is becoming inconsistent.

Elizabeth would have slapped him silly, didn't you see the dirty look she gave him. Although I hate to admit it I thought the same thing "what could they do?"

[Agent_Dark]

Anyone notice the set re-use?

The outside of the cave where the portal is, was the cave that Ronan was hiding at in Runner. And the hut that Sheppard wakes up in was the same hut that Mitchell wakes up in Babylon

[AutumnDream]

I actually didn't notice at all. >.>

And McKay sometimes is blind to everything else when he gets excited about some bit of technology, but I really think he wouldn't have taken it if someone pointed out to him he'd be destroying what is possibly the last remaining sanctuary from the Wraith, and the only hope millions of people have to ascend. If he really was going to, Weir certainly would have "slapped him silly".

[Shep'sSocks]

Anyone notice the set re-use?

The outside of the cave where the portal is, was the cave that Ronan was hiding at in Runner. And the hut that Sheppard wakes up in was the same hut that Mitchell wakes up in Babylon

Because they spent all their money on the amazing beast special effects, they had none left for their set.

[the fifth man]

I get the general idea "The Hive" was much better than this one. But hey, any new ep is good compared to the big nothing I have. Can't wait until January so I can actually see these.

[Ouroboros]

I've finally watched the episode! Yay! And you guys have run away with the thread! So much to catch up on! <sobs>

Yes, I agree. I've been reading reviews on LJ, and many of the running commentaries include people thinking "why didn't McKay send a note?" a few moments before McKay asks himself just that. These and the little touches of character continuity were much appreciated.

That said, Ouroboros, you weren't bothered by the not-so-mathematically-sound time dilation stuff or the, IMO, somewhat shaky resolution to the whole Beast plot? I figure you wouldn't care whether any backstory about Sheppard was revealed or not.

Good call on the backstory, I didn't really care no, mainly because I was never expecting anything like that to happen. The ending was a little easy I suppose but I was still on an emotional high from the story assuming I was smart enough to think of giving the guy a note that it didn't really bother me.

It wasn't a perfect episode by any means but it never insulted my intelligence like the hive did so it doesn't really earn any spite from me. The ending was actually somewhat unexpected to because I was actually expecting the thing to be a new type of Wraith. While I probably would have liked that better it would have been predictable and the "it's our fear" thing wasn't really. The beat being their manifested fear even sort of makes sense from a literary perspective. The beast would only prey on those who ventured out, away from the safty of the famliar, from the settlement. This paralleled it to their fear of ascencion, of the unknown's it would bring which was what was holding them back from achieving it. It was a nice tidy little bit of metaphor that you don't get often on Stargate Atlantis. I liked it.

I also liked how the new fangled probe thing that McKay pulled out of his arse simply failed outright to do them any good. In some lesser episodes that device would have been made up on the spot like it was but then also used to save the day by resolving the core conflict. That didn't happen here though, the probe simply got destroyed without helping them at all.

As far as the math adding up I think it's a pretty shaky complaint to make. No one ever specified any hard numbers that I can remember and the time dilation ratio got figured out by Teyla and McKay verbally counting out one end of it. Not exactly precise scientific measurment going on here. It would have made less sense if their estimates HAD been perfectly accurate.

[AutumnDream]

n some lesser episodes that device would have been made up on the spot like it was but then also used to save the day by resolving the core conflict.

You must hate MacGyver.

[Ouroboros]

Nah MacGyver was cool as hell because a lot of the time that **** would actually work!

One of my friends in junior high was a bigtime MacGyver fan and actually proved this to me a few times. My young mind was blown to pieces, pieces I tell you!

[Easter Lily]

I really didn't notice the Capt Kirk routine much. I didn't think it was OTT and I'm probably in the minority but the ancient chick seemed nice and I liked the fact that Sheppard got to romance someone. I like seeing that with his character coz it made him happy.

I didn't mind it as much this time round... Tolerable compared to Sanctuary. At least he didn't lose his capacity to think on this occasion and there was no Rodney McKay nagging him even if he was directing his energies barking orders at "Conan" and "Xena". But what is it about ascended women that they're so dull?! Something about being on the path, I imagine. She just lacked any "zing"... the little girl came across much more spirited.
Unlike Sanctuary, this episode kept its sense of humour and Sheppard wasn't portrayed as a complete "himbo".

I had read some comments in one particular thread here (won't name names but I'm never visiting that place again!) that have really upset me or gave me the impression that this episode was horrible. Suffice to say there were many negative comments made about one or two of the other characters... which really depressed me.

Probably just a lot of upset people, not getting the Sheppard backstory they were hoping for. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Naughtrish]

How/when did Ronon get his sword back? He didn't have it with him at the end of The Hive. He had in in Lost Boys though. It was still on the ship when it blew up. Does he have a spare? He only had one with him in Runner

He had a spare one hidden in his hair

Sorry if someone said it before... I'm catching up

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

I read the book in grade 8. Apparently, the wormhole was connected to a garbage dump on an alien world and that's why odd trinkets kept on coming through the wormhole, right?

Yep, that's the one. And it had a self-sacrificing snake in it.
And the event horizon was in the sink. I gotta find that book again....

[Naughtrish]

Stupid question of the day.
If the "beast" was the sum of all their fears, why it attacked Sheppard? He clearly didn't fear it the same way than the others. So it pushed the ascending ones to prevent them from ascending/escaping, but as Sheppard wasn't one of them it hurt him? How someone else's fear can hurt you if you don't know about that fear?
Signed: Lost in rhetorics