Atlantis' leadership in s4 - Spoilers and speculation

[wraithlord]

Liz always and forever... all the way !

me too Elizabeth forever

[Rootortoise]

I love Carter, but I don't want to see her chained to a desk as Weir often is. I want her to be called in at times when her talents as a soldier and scientist can be put to good use.

well except for the fact we already have very talented soldiers...lt col john sheppard, major lorne etc AND we have very talented scientists called rodney mckay, radek zelenka...i'd much rather have them....and then that only leaves the leader...and shes called elizabeth weir....so where does sam fit in? hmmm oh and we already have cauldwell and col ellis in charge of the other ships...so dont need her as ship commandder either...
theres no place for sam in atlantis and if she takes over weir as leader now i am going to be so pissed.

Weir all the way!

[Caldwell's 2IC]

WEIR because...

SAM should be on SG1 where she belongs, i hate her character and shes never been good at commanding anyone in her life (that ep where she lost her cool in front of dr lee, that ep where the pilots would rather listen to a teenager-jack than sam, the fact that CAM pretty much took over her role in season 9, daniel wouldnt listen to her "orders" in that episode in season 8 with mayborne)

WEIR has earned her right to be leader, against all opposition from military (everitt), IOA (woosley) not to mention she has made all teh tough decisions and managed to keep atlantis running smoothly.

WEIR is a part of the "family", she actually fits into the group dynamic unlike sam who will be shoehorned in

the fact that WEIR actually has better chemistry with mckay than sam ever will and she can keep mckay in line.

TORRI deserves the role, she has played it fantastically and earned the right to continue the role she started, she has helped make the show as successful as it is

ETA: it was meant to be led by a civilian and should remain so, she works well with sheppard on the military side.

and just because i like WEIR, not some sg1 has been.

(sorry if anyone likes sam but ive had enough of sg1 imposing on my show)

My thoughts exactly !

[jenks]

Carter never looked very comfortable in command imo and Weir has been an awful leader, so I went with someone else. Would make sense for it to be a general, but Daniel has toughened up as of late, maybe he would provide the perfect balance and work out as a great leader... (He'd also give McKay a run for his money in terms of wit )

[Uber]

I don't know who should lead the Atlantis expedition mainly because I don't know what's going to happen next. If something major happens and earth feels it's necessary to jazz up the military side of Atlantis, then Carter is a perfect fit.

Why? Because she's politically viable and the oversight committee likes her (Woolsey certainly is a fan after what happened in The Scourge). She also knows how to balance diplomacy and military force a lot better, whereas someone like Caldwell is too gruff for such a thing and Weir is a bit out of her element.

With that in mind and with nothing else to go on, I'll vote Sam.

Carter never looked very comfortable in command imo and Weir has been an awful leader, so I went with someone else. Would make sense for it to be a general, but Daniel has toughened up as of late, maybe he would provide the perfect balance and work out as a great leader... (He'd also give McKay a run for his money in terms of wit )

The only time I saw Sam uncomfortable giving an order was to Jack in Lost City 2...and that's completely understandable. As for managing McKay? I think she'd be fine. She certainly gives as good as she gets.

But all of this of course hinges on if something happens that requires a strong military presence, which I honestly can't believe hasn't happened sooner.

As for Sam, I'd hope she'd be given some meaty dialog and be given a chance to earn the respect of those who've been there longer. And I still look forward to seeing whatever the writers have in mind for her over there...as it looks like Season 4 is going to ramp things up considerably and I doubt that they'd simply have Carter over there so she could be the one ordering the gate shield be lowered and raised. I certainly wouldn't want her to simply administrate but to mix it up with the group.

So, if she's there to be put in charge, I guess we'll find out what happens to make her expertise and presence necessary. If she's there in some other capacity, I'm sure we'll learn that soon enough too.

I'm cautiously excited though because I think that having her there will open up new opportunities for the expedition and the show.

[jenks]

With that in mind and with nothing else to go on, I'll vote Sam.The only time I saw Sam uncomfortable giving an order was to Jack in Lost City 2...and that's completely understandable.

All of season 8 springs to mind...

As for managing McKay? I think she'd be fine. She certainly gives as good as she gets.

I put that down to bad writing in Pegasus Project, if they'd stayed true to the characters McKay would be walking all over her...

[Uber]

All of season 8 springs to mind...

Actually, she seemed quite natural to me. Her style of leading SG-1 was different from O'Neill's but that's okay because the dynamics of the team were also different. And then in Season 10, it seems that she is just more naturally giving orders and getting things done. She was even

Spoiler:

put in charge of the SGC in Uninvited, so clearly someone has faith in her leadership abilities.

I put that down to bad writing in Pegasus Project, if they'd stayed true to the characters McKay would be walking all over her...

No not really. When McKay was first introduced on SG-1, she and he got into it quite regularly...and let's just say, floormat she was not.

I don't know if they're planning to send her there to lead the expedition or not. That's just a theory of mine. All I ask is that whatever she's sent to do, command a ship/lead the expedition/organize a baking contest, please let it be clearly defined. May I never hear the words "co-leader" ever, EVER again.

[saberhagen83]

Weir for me, even though Carter is my favorit character in SG. And untill I hear that Weir will leave completely, I still say she WILL lead Atlantis next season. Nothing has told me otherwise...unless I have missed some news in the past few days I know she will be recurring but nothing about her leaving...

[Night Spring]

When McKay was first introduced on SG-1, she and he got into it quite regularly...and let's just say, floormat she was not.

While I agree that Sam wasn't a floormat in her interactions with McKay, I don't think McKay was there long enough for him to do anything "regularly" with Sam.

But in all interactions between Sam and Rodney so far, they've been co-workers. Sam may have had a higher "standing" than Rodney because of her longer experience with SGC, but basically, they were equals. So if Sam were to become Rodney's boss, I wonder how that dynamic would go down. Also, if Sam were to become the leader / commander of Atlantis, then she would also be Sheppard's boss. And that's just a totally unknown factor -- have those two even been in the same scene together???

My concern is that Sam as commander would be the same as Weir -- Sheppard and McKay would make recommendations, and if she agrees, it would come off like she's just rubber-stamping their ideas. If she gives input... hmmm, my guess is it'd look like the three of them are running the base by committee rather than any single one of them being in command. I mean, that's how a lot of S8 looked like to me. Daniel and Teal'c had been Sam's equals for so long, my mind never shifted into seeing Sam as their commander. And JF, DH, AT -- aren't they all close in age? Torri at least had the "mother-hen" vive going for her, but I don't see Sam doing a mother-hen against Rodney and John.

[J_B]

Well I don't know what show you've been watching for the past ten years but on Stargate SG1 Dr Daniel Jackson is the man who opened the gate here on Earth, solved the puzzle allowing us to travel to Atlantis in the first place, is a warrior, a scholar, a linguist, a former ascended being, a true hero who died saving an entire planet, a man who also died saving Jacks life, and who has time and time again run rings around Carter and her totally inside the box way of looking at things. He truly does belong in Atlantis.

Then again seeing the way you have reduced all the characters except Carter to a fraction of thier whole I guess the version of the show you watch is the only one you can see through those AT/Carter tinted glasses.

That said, I still don't want any of them there at the expense of the existing character/actors.

BTW are you saying that a puppet costs more than AT? Wow, I never knew that she worked so cheap, perhaps that is why they are sending her to Atlantis to save themselves some money.

The gate was originally opened because he was the one who deciphered the symbols on the gate, others could read it, it was just him who translated it properly. Go watch Atlantis, you'll see McKay, Weir, Zelenka + others being able to read Ancient. However it was Carter who originally deciphered the address system, it was her who made the SGC' s version of the DHD. She was even working on the Stargate program for 2 years prior to Daniel Jackson.

He didn't solve the puzzle, it was O'Neill who found the Antartic outpost. Without him, it would never have been found. Hence O'Neill is the real reason they are in Atlantis now!

So let's break down what you said exactly: Him being a warrior:Vala + Prommetheus= 'Prometheus Unbound' = Ass Kicking! He can handle a P90 but so can all the team. Therefore they are all technically warriors

Besides, don't they have enough warriors in Atlantis already with the main team & all the marines who are in the city & aboard the 304's.

Scholar: Scholar is only good for deciphering clues, which he was good at in SG-1 because he could speak the language of the Goa'uld, Ancients. Pegasus has Wraith & Asurans. Hence there is a lot less deciphering in Pegasus compared to the MW. Pretty much everything found there requires a scientific mind because it's mostly technological! If you still disagree, then I'll break it down ep by ep for you!

Linguist: Again there is only Wraith & Asurans. McKay can speak, Write & understand Wraith. While everyone can understand the Asurans because they are speaking English. McKay can read Ancient, as well as Weir can easily understand it if you watch Echoes. No further translations required!

A former ascended being: Notice the word former. Has he any of the knowledge he gained from ascension in his conscious mind that he can recall when needed. Does he have any special powers or abilities that technologically advanced humans have...I don't think so! Hence that makes no difference at all because you wored it correctly...FORMER!

Daniel died trying to save lives. Aren't all the SG-1 missions where they go behind enemy lines or engage the enemy to save lives. Especially when it was in the younger years to strop the Goa'uld invading Earth. I can name episodes where every member of SG-1 put their lives on the line for other people.

Could you please enlighten me as to exactly what rings he has ran around Carter if you don't mind!

Now lets' take a proper look that if anyone from SG-1 in Atlantis should be in charge, why it should be Carter.

First the new main enemy is the Asurans. Original form of the Replicators. Who did the Asgard turn to in 'Small Victories' for help in coming up with a strategy that was 'out of the box'...Was it DJ or SC?

Who was it that worked on Da'kara to configure it to wipe out the Replicators? Who was it who figured out the puzzle to allow them to get access to the chamber in the 1st place?

In Beachead, who is it that developed the gatebuster etc, etc!

Who managed to blow up a sun to destroy Apophis's fleet?

Point being, all the smart technological stuff can only be done by Carter. Atlantis doesn't have any old inscriptions or tablets that need translating. It has all the technology there, along with a Database full of advanced Lantean knowledge.

If you think Jackson could understand all that advanced stuff, then I tell you to watch 'Arthurs Mantle':

DANIEL
Uh, see, this is all technical—way over my head. I wish you understood Ancient.

I rest my case on that! Atlantis is full of all the advanced stuff in their database. He wouldn't have a clue what any of it means. Not to mention if the Wraith or Asurans attack who would you want on your side?

If all that doesn't show you know nothing, then the last section of your post surely confirms it.

BTW are you saying that a puppet costs more than AT? Wow, I never knew that she worked so cheap, perhaps that is why they are sending her to Atlantis to save themselves some money.

Tell me do you actually have a clue as to what is required to make an Asgard puppet work at all in real life? If you think it's cheap, then you honestly have no fracking idea of what exactly you are talking about!!!!

Do you believe it's a midget in a funky costume, or one guy shoving his hand up the latex/silicone ass & operating the mouth/eyes or whatever by his fingers!

It takes a whole team of puppeteers to work a single Asgard at any one time, that combined with all the VFX that goes in post-work by the visual effects department to make it look more realistic. Which touches up the puppet & also more importantly removes all wires etc, so that it's not seen in the finished ep. Then someone is required to provide the voice for it anytime a speaking paret is required. That's only for the simple stuff for advanced projects like it walking out the door in 'Covenant', that all requires CGI. Which costs a bomb to do, mant thousands of dollars for a few secs of screentime! Hence they'd need to combine a whole team of 4/5+ people to work the puppet at any one time. Pay someone to provide the voice for it. Have a few people there full time to do all these exhaustive post 3d work on it. That's what I mean by it's expensive, it would take a whole team of people from multiple departments to make the puppet work for the show. I didn't say it would cost more than AT because you nor I know what she gets for her role as Sam Carter. However if they were to put an Asgard on something like the main team where it would be seen & invloved off world every week, then it would cost a lot more than her or everyone else on the show.

Besides it's not about money, RDA cost more than a lot of other actors who could have done the Jack O'Neill role. Yet they chose him. The same for Carter, it's not about salary. It's also about the fanbase that is brought along with the character themselves. A new Asgard wouldn't have that, so add up all the money required to intergrate one into the show full time. Then compare it with putting in a human character. No puppeteers, nobody to provide the voice, virtually no post processing that needs done. With a human character everything is already there to go!

In conclusion, can DJ, Teal'c, Mitchell, Vala create or understand advanced tech that enables them to defeat the Ori, Wraith, Asurans, Goa'uld or any other enemy they face...The simple answer is a big fat NO! Hence she's the one most qualified out of them all to be on Atlantis.

[MasterPower]

Season 4 spoiler below...

Spoiler:

Now that Carter is in charge of Atlantis in season 4 and since there won't be a season 11, will we see some SG-1 crossovers? Possibly O'Neill, or maybe Daniel since he is the Ancient geek guy?

[jenks]

Season 4 spoiler below...

Spoiler:

Now that Carter is in charge of Atlantis in season 4 and since there won't be a season 11, will we see some SG-1 crossovers? Possibly O'Neill, or maybe Daniel since he is the Ancient geek guy?

What makes you think Carter will be in chanrge of Atlantis?

[Franklyn Blaze]

I always thought Daniel should spend a little more time on Atlantis. I picture him giving Ancient language lessons to the expedition, so they can better understand Ancient devices, labs and the stuff in the database they come across.

Also, learning Ancient should be mandatory in Atlantis. Like knowing French if you are the ambassador to France from the UK.

The leader should be Weir, hands down. She’s earned it, and she has the experience in Pegasus that someone new from earth just wouldn't have.

[Mitchell82]

I have no objection to Carter being on Atlantis I just don't see her leading the expedition. She could be lead military commander but Weeir should still lead the expedition.

[ReganX]

Weir if she's there, Sam if she's not.