"Outcast" Pre-Airing and Speculation (Spoilers)

[Mitchell82]

ITA. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't mind if it was an "angsty" break up. I don't want it to just be, "yeah, were married for a couple years but, ya know, we just spilt up." I'd like it to be more meaningful and have more impact than that.

And I think it was a big event in Shep's life, or we wouldn't be seeing his ex at all. Because if nothing interesting happened, then there'd be no reason to bring it up at all.

Agreed. Alot of time relationships with someone in the service doesn't last and I would like it to be more of a angsty break up other than just spliting up.

[Redhooks]

From JM's blog answer to episode order, the title for this episode is "Outcast." It is to air right after Quarantine.

PG15 also writes: “…mind telling us the episode order for the second half of Season 4?”

Answer: Be All My Sins Remember’d, Spoils of War, Quarantine, Outcast, Trio, Midway, Harmony, Kindred I, Kindred II, Finale.

[vaberella]

^^ Wow, what a gutting title. I can't wait to see it. Poor Shep. He's no longer an outcast in the human race. Now he's a significant player in the PG. Maybe that's why he's so reckless and seems to have a need to prove himself and his self worth, by taking extremely risky heroic leeps.

VB--spec'ing out!!

[scifi_lemon]

From JM's blog answer to episode order, the title for this episode is "Outcast." It is to air right after Quarantine.

'Outcast'. That word has so many connotations. Is it just figurative for Shep being a loner? Was he cast out by his family (which would explain a lot)? Is Shep really an outcast Ancient (I don't think so but I'm just throwing it out there)? Or is it totally OT that we can't even think of it right now?

[PG15]

Well hey, I didn't know you were updating the first post all this time Xicer! Geez, so many "you're welcome's" I forgot to say.

[vaberella]

'Outcast'. That word has so many connotations. Is it just figurative for Shep being a loner? Was he cast out by his family (which would explain a lot)? Is Shep really an outcast Ancient (I don't think so but I'm just throwing it out there)? Or is it totally OT that we can't even think of it right now?

This makes it more clear to me that he might have been in foster care in his life. What do you mean by outcast Ancient, was there talk of that before? Or are you referring to things like in Epiphany.

[scifi_lemon]

This makes it more clear to me that he might have been in foster care in his life. What do you mean by outcast Ancient, was there talk of that before? Or are you referring to things like in Epiphany.

No. A popular theory in fanfiction is that the reason Shep's gene is so strong, that he apparently has no family, and the fact that Ancient women are so attracted to him is that he is a descended Ancient that was sent back to Earth.

It's HIGHLY unlikely, but sorta fun to play around with.

[vaberella]

^^ Got you, the hornball theory.

[Pegasus_SGA]

'Outcast'. That word has so many connotations. Is it just figurative for Shep being a loner? Was he cast out by his family (which would explain a lot)? Is Shep really an outcast Ancient (I don't think so but I'm just throwing it out there)? Or is it totally OT that we can't even think of it right now?

I agree with you and Josie, he's just emotionally dysfunctional. Bless him. I love the title as it opens up quite a few possibilites. It could be him feeling like an outcast? His self imposed isolation in the Antarctic and the flipping of the coin in Rising, certainly suggests that he has felt like that for a while, or he grew up feeling that way? Or it could be that he's become an outcast from Atlantis?

Given it's a backstory, i'm going with him feeling like an outcast. Maybe time has moved on while he's been away and now feels (if there is any family left) like an outcast?

[pilgrim soul]

I agree with you and Josie, he's just emotionally dysfunctional. Bless him. I love the title as it opens up quite a few possibilites. It could be him feeling like an outcast? His self imposed isolation in the Antarctic and the flipping of the coin in Rising, certainly suggests that he has felt like that for a while, or he grew up feeling that way? Or it could be that he's become an outcast from Atlantis?

Given it's a backstory, i'm going with him feeling like an outcast. Maybe time has moved on while he's been away and now feels (if there is any family left) like an outcast?

Outcast is a pretty evocative word isn't it? I just got even more excited about this episode. Please, please, please PTB let me have my Sheppy angst - I promise to be a good girl.

[Linzi]

I love the title. The word 'outcast' is so emotive. I look forward to this episode EVEN more now! In fact, I feel like having a good sniff!

[pilgrim soul]

Also for all those people worried that this episode was going to be about the ex and too cliched I don't think we are going to see that now - the title just doesn't fit.

What if it's a case of him being an Outcast from his old life, by which I mean his old unit/squadron (whatever it would be called) and his old friends etc, the ex could figure into that. Perhaps something happened that made him an outcast within the AF and that is why he was happy to go to Antarctica.

[Linzi]

Also for all those people worried that this episode was going to be about the ex and too cliched I don't think we are going to see that now - the title just doesn't fit.

What if it's a case of him being an Outcast from his old life, by which I mean his old unit/squadron (whatever it would be called) and his old friends etc, the ex could figure into that. Perhaps something happened that made him an outcast within the AF and that is why he was happy to go to Antarctica.

His black mark in Afghanistan?

[pilgrim soul]

His black mark in Afghanistan?

But why would that make him an Outcast? Sure his commanding officers would be angry but why would everyone else turn against him. Unless he was in someway blamed for the deaths of Holland and his crew.

You see I'm arguing against my own ideas now. I'd really like it if everything didn't come down to Afghanistan - I'd like it to be deeper than that.

Maybe he is just the black sheep of the family. Perhaps there is a Mummy and Daddy Sheppard out there but he has no contact with them. But then why would he go back and why would he take anyone else with him? Where is the sci-fi element?

With SG1 being based on Earth it was easy for them to write Earth based episodes but with Atlantis it isn't the same, if something stargate related happens on Earth why would they call in someone from another galaxy to deal with it? Something stargate related happening to his family/ex doesn't seem likely which is why I keep coming back to the idea of it being related to his former career.

Perhaps I'm coming at this from the wrong angle, what if the catalyst for him going back is something that happens to him in Pegasus rather than something that happens to anyone else back on Earth.

[Linzi]

But why would that make him an Outcast? Sure his commanding officers would be angry but why would everyone else turn against him. Unless he was in someway blamed for the deaths of Holland and his crew.

You see I'm arguing against my own ideas now. I'd really like it if everything didn't come down to Afghanistan - I'd like it to be deeper than that.

Maybe he is just the black sheep of the family. Perhaps there is a Mummy and Daddy Sheppard out there but he has no contact with them. But then why would he go back and why would he take anyone else with him? Where is the sci-fi element?

With SG1 being based on Earth it was easy for them to write Earth based episodes but with Atlantis it isn't the same, if something stargate related happens on Earth why would they call in someone from another galaxy to deal with it? Something stargate related happening to his family/ex doesn't seem likely which is why I keep coming back to the idea of it being related to his former career.

Perhaps I'm coming at this from the wrong angle, what if the catalyst for him going back is something that happens to him in Pegasus rather than something that happens to anyone else back on Earth.

Well, the black mark nearly ruined his career, and maybe it affected him and his family too? The military bosses certainly don't seem to like Sheppard's record and are wary of him.

Maybe his family were upset by his black mark, or maybe it has nothing to do with it? Possibly Sheppard isolated himself from everyone because he blamed himself for not saving Holland et al?

The possibilities are endless. I just have a feeling the situation in Afghanistan must have a role here somewhere, just because it's been mentioned so much already.