Originally posted by Yeade
I just finished watching the episode, so I can't gather much of an overall impression through the haze of my general SGA squee. 
However, I do have a few thoughts on Sheppard and Mara:
At first, I found Sheppard's behavior a little out of character.
Sheppard strikes me as someone who keeps everybody at arm's length by being superficially charming and friendly. This is likely why he always seems to end up with women who wouldn't hold him to anything, but I imagine these women have a hard time getting close enough in the first place.
Given his previous three liaisons, his interaction with Mara didn't make much sense to me. True, he fell hard for Chaya and Teer, but the former was an Ancient and the latter close to Ascension; in other words, I can write both off as being an effect of Sheppard's magic gene. And, more to the point, he proved quite resistant to Neera's advances, catching on to her attempts to fish for information pretty quickly. So why then, after what he'd seen of the machinations in the Lord Protector's court, would he so... passively accept sleeping with a woman who's in contention for the throne, so to speak, and whose goal---by her own admission---is to marry him and rule, ousting her older brother from power? It simply doesn't seem smart to me, and Sheppard isn't exactly the dullest tack in the box.
Of course, one could always assume Sheppard turned Mara out---clutching her clothes to her chest in ladylike modesty---right after the scene cut, and he was just too surprised at her advances to do it before.
If not, well... I must go with an aphrodisiac in his food or drink!
No, wait! Hear me out!
My understanding of the court intrigue is that Otho was plotting with both Tavius and Mara. Otho doesn't have the Ancient gene and so can't operate the chair himself, but I think he was setting himself up as the power behind the throne. As Mara's betrothed, Otho would also gain prestige were she to rule, and from his position as consort, he could manipulate the easily influenced Mara to do whatever he wanted. The question was how to bump Mara up the line of succession.
First, he had to get rid of the Lord Protector. So he supplied Tavius with the poison that let the foolish boy go through with his plan to kill his father and inherit the throne.
Or so Otho allowed Tavius to think, playing the simpering chamberlain.
Maybe not immediately afterwards---two royal deaths, one after another, would be a little too suspicious---but certainly later, Otho would do away with Tavius as Tavius did away with his father, and Mara would rightfully take her place as regent, Otho at her right hand.
This was the plan Otho had in motion before Sheppard arrived, and it was not without its risks. It would be so much better if the Lord Protector would abdicate the throne to Mara directly. Tavius wouldn't be able to overturn his father's decision, and if he made trouble, Otho could have him killed then. The question, though, was how to strengthen Mara's claim over that of Tavius.
Enter Sheppard's magic gene.
And, suddenly, there was the very real possibility that if Mara could bear children with a stronger ATA gene, she would win the favor of her father and be proclaimed heir over her brother. Then Otho could have Sheppard, a stranger, killed and claim the child as his own.
The revised plan was for Mara to seduce Sheppard and steal his genes. Now, Otho had already provided Tavius with poison. What if, to assure Mara would be successful, he brewed her an aphrodisiac? To be slipped in Sheppard's food or drink.
MUWAHAHAHAHAHA...!
Where Otho's plan hit a snag is that Mara genuinely, if not loved, then liked and was attracted to Sheppard. Because, seriously, who (or what) wouldn't be?
However, I do have a few thoughts on Sheppard and Mara:
At first, I found Sheppard's behavior a little out of character.
Sheppard strikes me as someone who keeps everybody at arm's length by being superficially charming and friendly. This is likely why he always seems to end up with women who wouldn't hold him to anything, but I imagine these women have a hard time getting close enough in the first place.
Given his previous three liaisons, his interaction with Mara didn't make much sense to me. True, he fell hard for Chaya and Teer, but the former was an Ancient and the latter close to Ascension; in other words, I can write both off as being an effect of Sheppard's magic gene. And, more to the point, he proved quite resistant to Neera's advances, catching on to her attempts to fish for information pretty quickly. So why then, after what he'd seen of the machinations in the Lord Protector's court, would he so... passively accept sleeping with a woman who's in contention for the throne, so to speak, and whose goal---by her own admission---is to marry him and rule, ousting her older brother from power? It simply doesn't seem smart to me, and Sheppard isn't exactly the dullest tack in the box.
Of course, one could always assume Sheppard turned Mara out---clutching her clothes to her chest in ladylike modesty---right after the scene cut, and he was just too surprised at her advances to do it before.
If not, well... I must go with an aphrodisiac in his food or drink!
No, wait! Hear me out!
My understanding of the court intrigue is that Otho was plotting with both Tavius and Mara. Otho doesn't have the Ancient gene and so can't operate the chair himself, but I think he was setting himself up as the power behind the throne. As Mara's betrothed, Otho would also gain prestige were she to rule, and from his position as consort, he could manipulate the easily influenced Mara to do whatever he wanted. The question was how to bump Mara up the line of succession.
First, he had to get rid of the Lord Protector. So he supplied Tavius with the poison that let the foolish boy go through with his plan to kill his father and inherit the throne.
Or so Otho allowed Tavius to think, playing the simpering chamberlain.
Maybe not immediately afterwards---two royal deaths, one after another, would be a little too suspicious---but certainly later, Otho would do away with Tavius as Tavius did away with his father, and Mara would rightfully take her place as regent, Otho at her right hand.
This was the plan Otho had in motion before Sheppard arrived, and it was not without its risks. It would be so much better if the Lord Protector would abdicate the throne to Mara directly. Tavius wouldn't be able to overturn his father's decision, and if he made trouble, Otho could have him killed then. The question, though, was how to strengthen Mara's claim over that of Tavius.
Enter Sheppard's magic gene.
And, suddenly, there was the very real possibility that if Mara could bear children with a stronger ATA gene, she would win the favor of her father and be proclaimed heir over her brother. Then Otho could have Sheppard, a stranger, killed and claim the child as his own.
The revised plan was for Mara to seduce Sheppard and steal his genes. Now, Otho had already provided Tavius with poison. What if, to assure Mara would be successful, he brewed her an aphrodisiac? To be slipped in Sheppard's food or drink.
MUWAHAHAHAHAHA...!
Where Otho's plan hit a snag is that Mara genuinely, if not loved, then liked and was attracted to Sheppard. Because, seriously, who (or what) wouldn't be?
Yeah it did seem out of character for our Shep.
I mean I didnt get a sense of ANY sexual tension at dinner, and when she turned up in his room when he was lokoing at something in his vest, (What was that? A plaster? a condom - he's certainly prepared- an anti kirk patch? what was it? anyway i digress)
Shep didnt seem to think her intention was sex at first. It was only when she took off her clothes and showed him what was on offer did he comment he hadnt seen it coming.
I think as it goes, well to put it crudely. Sheppard is a man and there is a naked woman stood in front of him offereing him sex.
I think it was the classic, the other brain was doing the thinking for him, he got caught up in the moment and it was only when he got a reality check in the sense of her mentioning him being a good ruler did he look...like what? her pushing him on the bed was meant to be comical.
Later in the ep when he talks to Weir he says he turned down the girl so i dont think he had sex with her and talking to the bald dude the next day he straight away mentions mara coming to his room. WOuld he do that if he had sex with her? You would think he would want to keep it queit.
What did puzzle me was when he went to save her at the end and said she could come with him? I dont know, maybe he has a thing for strays.
Sorry if thats all jumbled. Its late and my brain is going nooooooooooo!
my thoughts anyway.,
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