Sheppard: Character development and suggestion (not anti)

[IWantToBelieve]

The writers have created conflicts within the characters.

Sheppard is very smart, and being very smart, he wouldn't have just agreed to have Thalan's consciousness downloaded into him. What they should've done was set it up to where the decision wasn't one of theirs to make. Sheppard and Weir being written over at the same time. Then they wake up, pretend they are fine, but as soon as they can, start trying to kill one another.

Simple solution to the conflict of a highly intelligent military officer realizing that being under alien control is a bad idea. I still liked the episode, though.

A lot of what's being discussed truly falls at the writer's feet.

[prion]

1. He likes Ferris Wheels.
2. He passed the MENSA.
3. He can fly Wraith Cruisers too.
4. Surprisingly, he wants kids--so he has no problems with children.
5. Descendent of Ancients--with the most powerful ancient gene yet.
6. He agrees with intimidation/torture (depending on how you see it) in times of crisis.
7. He has an amazing memory.
8. Lost 2 friends of his, 'Home'--unsure if it was in Afghanistan.
9. Not very popular with the ladies back on Earth.
10. His motto is, 'Leave no man behind!'
11. Likes, turkey sandwiches.

His two friends were blown up in a rescue chopper in Afghanistan. Dex and Mitch (I keep thinking, Dex is not a popular name, and now, two characters with the same name. Shep needs to get bonked on the head, get his brains scrambled and talking to Ronon as though he were Dex from Earth). Anyway, the two men were blown up by an RGP (rocket propelled grenade; not enough left of them to even bring home, or words to that effect).

Oh, and he likes anything that flies over 200mph (I think that was the figure) and tea (so he's not a coffee fiend like McKay).

[prion]

First of all its spelled Moronic, if you're going to insult someone don't make yourself look stupid in the process. Also Shep is one of the dumbest people on the team so I really don't believe he was in mensa just because he knew there were 726 premutations of the 7 symbols on the DHD in the first episode.

However, what's written into the actual series is considered canon (fact), so, ergo, Shep took the Mensa test, passed, but never joined.

[FoolishPleasure]

[LIST][*]He said in "Intruder" that there were people in the USAF who never thought he'd make it past captain

He probably figured they would toss him out. The root of his attitude problems has never really been addressed.

[*]Afghanistan. Disobeyed a direct order to rescue several men. Now I'm not sure if he actually did get to save them or not. Was that ever clarified?

No. I'm not sure it is even canon - has this actually been mentioned in the show, or was it just in the character bio? There was mention that he didn't always follow orders, but I don't remember specifics. Hey, I'm old, I have memory issues.

[*]He doesn't appear to have anybody left behind on Earth ("Letters to Pegasus") but when he said he was fine, he did look aside, and when people don't make direct eye contact, they're lying!

This is something that should have been addressed by now. Something personal is eating this guy internally. There could be a really juicy story in there and it should not be taking 3 years to get to it.

[*]Can fly virtually any military helicopter from the sounds of it; ...

This is another PTB research problem. Some of the helicopters they mention Shep flying aren't even used by the Air Force.

1. He likes Ferris Wheels.
2. He passed the MENSA.
3. He can fly Wraith Cruisers too.
4. Surprisingly, he wants kids--so he has no problems with children.
5. Descendent of Ancients--with the most powerful ancient gene yet.
6. He agrees with intimidation/torture (depending on how you see it) in times of crisis.
7. He has an amazing memory.
8. Lost 2 friends of his, 'Home'--unsure if it was in Afghanistan.
9. Not very popular with the ladies back on Earth.
10. His motto is, 'Leave no man behind!'
11. Likes, turkey sandwiches.

1. Most guys do.
2. You made a post in another thread that MENSA was no big deal - strictly common sense and a kindergartner could pass it. I've never bothered with it, so I wouldn't know.
3. Sheppard has never flown a Wraith Cruiser. He has flown Darts, AFTER McKay figured out the logistics for him.
4. Most people do intend to have children at some point in their lives.
5. O'Neill fans would argue this point with you.
6. He didn't come up with the idea, Ronon did. Weir also agreed with it, but that doesn't mean Shep agrees to torturing people.
7. So does McKay. So does my aunt. (Don't look at me though - see previous memory quote )
9. He certainly doesn't have a problem in the Pegasus galaxy (smacks writers for behavioral inconsistency).
10. That is standard military practice. Leaving a man behind for the enemy to capture/interrogate could compromise other missions.
11. So do I.

I still don't know a danged thing about Sheppard.

[lily]

Thanks, Prion, for creating this thread!

I really like all the characters in SGA, both recurring and regulars, but Sheppard always was and will always be my top favorite.

I love all aspects of the character. I felt a conection with the character since the very first scene in Rising. I'm not a pilot, but I love anything related to aviation, so I tend to feel a connection with any character that is a pilot or loves any kind of aircraft. So for me the connection was there since the very first second.

I love his humor, but I also love his dark side. And I love that he's flawed. Others have complained about bad command decisions, etc. Well, for me, it's one aspect that makes him more LIKABLE, not the other way around. It makes him human, and not a perfect poster boy. I WANT him to make bad decisions from time to time. I DON'T want him to be the super hero who always makes the right calls. I don't think we had lack of dark Shep in s2. He certainly seemed dark to me in Michael, for example. BTW, I loved him in Michael

And, like Linzi, I don't have any special issues with the kirking thing. I also see that as flirting, and in fact I've always thought those scenes were fun.

P.S. Don't have time to read all the posts now, but I'll do it ASAP and get back with more comments

[IWantToBelieve]

Just an fyi on the flying thing, a vast majority of the services train with other services. There's a lot of mixture, so an Air Force pilot flying an Army helicopter isn't unusual. DH is an electronics tech and the unit he's in right now, he could've gone to airborne school. He chose not to, but some of the guys do. One of the units his ASOC supports is the 82nd Airborne. We've been stationed at a NATO base where all four services were together - though it was a NATO base, it was called Naval Air Station (Keflavik, if it matters to anyone). I was trained by a marine in my Air Force AFSC, and was in a joint Air Force/Navy command. Hubby worked in a joint command also, but with all the services.

There's a lot more mixture than I think most people are aware of.

[FoolishPleasure]

Just an fyi on the flying thing, a vast majority of the services train with other services. There's a lot of mixture, so an Air Force pilot flying an Army helicopter isn't unusual. DH is an electronics tech and the unit he's in right now, he could've gone to airborne school. He chose not to, but some of the guys do. One of the units his ASOC supports is the 82nd Airborne. We've been stationed at a NATO base where all four services were together - though it was a NATO base, it was called Naval Air Station (Keflavik, if it matters to anyone). I was trained by a marine in my Air Force AFSC, and was in a joint Air Force/Navy command. Hubby worked in a joint command also, but with all the services.

There's a lot more mixture than I think most people are aware of.

I wasn't aware of that. Dang, one less thing I can complain about!

[Trialia]

The Afghanistan thing can be claimed as canon to a point-- if you look in one of the back issues of the SG-1/Atlantis magazine, there's a short story all about it. I think I've mentioned this before in this thread, in fact-- it's called Flipside. (And I wrote my Lizzie!fic of the same name before I saw that! )

[prion]

The Afghanistan thing can be claimed as canon to a point-- if you look in one of the back issues of the SG-1/Atlantis magazine, there's a short story all about it. I think I've mentioned this before in this thread, in fact-- it's called Flipside. (And I wrote my Lizzie!fic of the same name before I saw that! )

Yup, saw that piece of fanfic but it's still fanfiction, even if in an official magazine. Novels based on the series aren't considered canon; that's only what we see on the show, and even if a writer says off-handedly "Oh, Shep loves ju-ju-bees," it's not canon till it shows up in an episode. Just like that Scifi.com bio of Sheppard which mentioned the father we have yet to see any mention of.

Gah..... I really want to see something about family. Even if there is no family left, but something more.

I know a lot of fanfic has Sheppard having a background of some sort in black ops (like Jack) but I don't see that, at least not to the extent of the fanfic. He doesn't have that same cynicism as Jack.

[pookiebear]

Gah..... I really want to see something about family. Even if there is no family left, but something more.

I know a lot of fanfic has Sheppard having a background of some sort in black ops (like Jack) but I don't see that, at least not to the extent of the fanfic. He doesn't have that same cynicism as Jack.

very true, he's got a lot more of an innocent/naive way about it him, its just another reason to like him though. A Sheppard family episode or even couple of scenes from an episode would be ace. He cant be an only child IMO, maybe he's got three younger sisters???It would explain a lot I always pictured him as coming from a small friendly neighbourhood, where everyone knows each other etc. - maybe theres a big gaping whole in my knowledge, wheres he from?

[Elinor]

Gah..... I really want to see something about family. Even if there is no family left, but something more.

Oh me to! Very, very much!!!

'Intergalactic Man of Mystery' has been fun...but it's time to spill a few beans now I think!!

[prion]

Oh me to! Very, very much!!!

'Intergalactic Man of Mystery' has been fun...but it's time to spill a few beans now I think!!

Ah, you've seen that video then? Very fun.

[Elinor]

Ah, you've seen that video then? Very fun.

There's a video?!! Hee! Fab!!!

[maxbo]

That video almost makes the Sheppard gets the girl scenes in The Tower palatable... hmmm, no it doesn't, but it's a funny video anyway. Whoever made it did a great job.

[prion]

That video almost makes the Sheppard gets the girl scenes in The Tower palatable... hmmm, no it doesn't, but it's a funny video anyway. Whoever made it did a great job.

that was Derry. SHe's got a wicked, wicked sense of humor. Now if I rewatch "The Tower," I can just smirk and think of the video.

I think the two things that ticked me off about the Tower the most were, 1) the bimbo princess (basically, just the way she was - not..very..bright) tossing herself onto Shep and his just going for it, at least up to a point until she mentioned the throne and ruling and all that commitment stuff but I tend to think he refused her in the end even if he is a guy, and 2) Ronon slicing the guy's throat, which is a very, very bloody way to go and yet it was so clean. The writers need to watch more CSI and study blood spatter...

The the decor of the second tower looks like those twits from that reality show of redoing the neighbor's house went at it; just drecky beyond words, but then me thinks the 'atristrocrats' had been busy in-breeding for a while so they lacked brains and taste.