'Reunion' (403) General Discussion

[FallenAngelII]

They also now have a viable way to mount a rescue mission:
Capture 25 or so Wraith, arm them with anti-Replicator weapons (that will self-destruct after a few hours), throw them into Asuras and have them play Cat & Mouse againt the Asurans while the Tau'ri look for Elizabeth.

[Erised]

They also now have a viable way to mount a rescue mission:
Capture 25 or so Wraith, sedate them, throw them into Asuras and have them play Cat & Mouse againt the Asurans while the Tau'ri look for Elizabeth.

LOL WORD but you know they won't.

They made a whole plan of trying to mess with the wraith...
Attack the ship/whatever is wraith, thinking you have a plan but then realizing you don't, and the guys who came up with the plan didn't turn up to be who they're supposed to be.

We have hmm that episode with the Genii, the episode with Ford, and now this... Anything else we're missing? LOL

[Lord batchi ball]

They also now have a viable way to mount a rescue mission:
Capture 25 or so Wraith, arm them with anti-Replicator weapons (that will self-destruct after a few hours), throw them into Asuras and have them play Cat & Mouse againt the Asurans while the Tau'ri look for Elizabeth.

The wraith would last about 2 minutes.

[AGateFan]

Not to mention hypocritical.

She has no problem mounting a rescue mission (with herself on the front line!) later and she had no problems going to great lengths to mount rescue missions for Jack when he was in similar situations with similar odds!

Well apparently she felt they had "a plan that has even an outside chance of succeeding". In fact, I think her and Ronan were quite confident that the mission could be easily accomplished. Thus I dont see the hypocracy. I do see the stupidity of TV in Carter and Zelinka actually going on the mission. But this sort of thing happens in scifi all the time so it fits in the context of the genra.

As for the balcony scene. One of the things I always thought hurt Weir was her giving into Shep and McKay when her better sense told her it was a bad plan. In this case Carter stayed firm and I think it served the character better. Too bad Weir was not similarly served.

On the other hand, Ruffles makes a great point with the circumstances and knowledge in the situation being different. It also stikes me as odd to risk the lives of a bunch of people to rescue someone who you gave the "kill switch" order on. I mean the people they rescued in Rising they KNEW were on their side. With Weir Shep already had doubts about the new nanite modified Weir. Weir did master the nanites in Lifeline and save the team so you got to try to help her out, but you know the Reps are messing with her and McKay made that oh so easy. So even if you rescue her, you really can't trust her, not for a long while (but again this is scifi so maybe it wouldnt take that long).

[Klenotka]

Sorry for OT but...it´s ZELENKA...I know, I know, but you know...Czech name...

[Briangate78]

A great character ep for Ronon. We learn a little more about Ronon's homeworld and people. We also learn more about the Wraith. The Wraith have become a very complex enemy, and it should be very interesting how that plays out later in the season.

Teyla had some nice scenes in this episode. As per Carter they are doing an amazing job by adding her character to Atlantis. It's not too loud or too soft, it's very well balanced.

This season is shaping up to be one of the best seasons. I am still a little sad about Weir's fate, but was overly happy that Weir was not forgotten, and in fact we know that Sheppard is taking Weir's loss hard and will do anything to get her back, which I think will cause some tension between Sheppard and Carter down the road.

[FallenAngelII]

The wraith would last about 2 minutes.

With anti-replicator guns? Hey, footsoldiers were able to hit John and Teyla!

Well apparently she felt they had "a plan that has even an outside chance of succeeding". In fact, I think her and Ronan were quite confident that the mission could be easily accomplished. Thus I dont see the hypocracy. I do see the stupidity of TV in Carter and Zelinka actually going on the mission. But this sort of thing happens in scifi all the time so it fits in the context of the genra.

What plan? What was their plan?! "Lure the Wraith away with an uncloaked Puddle Jumper"?! If that science station had, like, 10 darts, do you really think they'd send all 10 after a single PJ? Or that the PJ would survive?

Also, hello, they had no intel on the station! It could be swamped with Wraith for all they knew (they took out Team Sheppard, the Blind Luck-team that almost never gets hit, for crying out loud! + The Three Satedans). So they had absolutely no intel on anything! All they knew was that the thing was supposed to be undermanned.

Undermanned could mean anything. If the station usually has 2000 Wraith, it could have 200 now. And she thought five people, herself, Ronon, two unknown Red-Shirts and Zelenka (unarmed) would be enough?

And did anyone just realize that Zelenka just got some token screen time? Maybe to cover up the fact that he'll get reduced screen time now that Sam's on board? He got a few seconds extra by being there doing what a normal grunt could do (check a device for energy readings)!

No, at least with Asuras, they'd know what they were up against.

As for the balcony scene. One of the things I always thought hurt Weir was her giving into Shep and McKay when her better sense told her it was a bad plan. In this case Carter stayed firm and I think it served the character better. Too bad Weir was not similarly served.

Elizabeth didn't often give into Rodney and John when she sensed the plan was bad. She, however, listened to them and their arguments before turning them down. And sometimes she could be lead to believe that they were right.

On the other hand, Ruffles makes a great point with the circumstances and knowledge in the situation being different. It also stikes me as odd to risk the lives of a bunch of people to rescue someone who you gave the "kill switch" order on. I mean the people they rescued in Rising they KNEW were on their side. With Weir Shep already had doubts about the new nanite modified Weir. Weir did master the nanites in Lifeline and save the team so you got to try to help her out, but you know the Reps are messing with her and McKay made that oh so easy. So even if you rescue her, you really can't trust her, not for a long while (but again this is scifi so maybe it wouldnt take that long).

They have the kill switch. If they rescue her and she turns on them, all they have to do is hit it. However, if she's not a full Asuran, they could scan her "programming" to see if she's been messed with, or they could do it even if she were a full Asuran in order to remove whatever the Asurans have done to her.

And it's not worth risking it? Sam would (and has) risked countless men to bring Jack back. Risking a few lives (of people who want to risk their lives) for Elizabeth is nothing.

[Southern Red]

I have mixed feelings about this episode. On the one hand, it was nice seeing Ronon have something to do, but it just didn't have that snap that made Sateda so interesting.

Pro:

JM did a great job. He's proven to be more than just a fighter but can deliver dialogue with the best of them, and when he gets emotional he is truly wonderful.

John is still looking for Elizabeth, and evidently being a thorn in the IOA's side about it. Loved the fruit bowl trick. Maybe he's hoping to butter Carter up so she'll let him go off on a hopeless rescue mission that succeeds out of sheer luck mount a rescue of Elizabeth.

Teyla has some spirit. Loved her scenes with Ronon. They are just so perfect together.





Con:

Trinity meets The Rising on the way back from Sateda.

Evidently the soft reset they've been talking about means that most of the characters have had a complete personality makeover. Rodney and Zelenka have forgotten Weir ever existed. Teyla's hormones must be kicking in because she goes from caring friend to super cranky. Though it was fun watching her get all feisty. John is on the way to becoming Carter's sidekick. Please tell me he is up to something. I hate to see him reduced to following orders. Ronon was okay here, but how long before he starts to morph into a well-behaved puppy also?

Carter calling Sheppard “John”. Nails on a chalkboard.

The Rodney/Sam scene was cringeworthy. Surely he doesn't really think she was ever interested in him. It just makes him look silly to continue with this idea that he and Sam have a history. I thought he had grown past that, but evidently not. This scene just didn't work on any level.


Why didn't Sheppard tell Carter that he knew the Satedans weren't on the level? That could have made a huge difference if the rescue team ran into them in a dark corridor.

And last but not least, I must address the parallelism in this one. Did John see the irony between his scene with Carter on the balcony and his scene with Ronon in the mess hall? Or will this new non-Mensa Sheppard have to look the word up? Then we have the connection between this last scene and the John/Teyla scene in Sateda. Yes, we get it. They are family. The whole act with Ronon/Teyla and his Satedan friends was a flashback to the same scene in Trinity except this time Ronon didn't kill anyone until almost the end. Are they just throwing the script pages down the gateroom stairs and picking some at random?

TPTB asked us not to judge before we saw the episodes. Okay, I've seen 4 of them now. When will I start changing my mind about the cast changes? The gaping hole left by Elizabeth is turning into the Grand Canyon. IMHO, of course.

[expendable_crewman]

The name thing ... it's weird. The closer I was with my colleagues, the more appropriate it was for them to call me by last name, minus rank.

Your superiors can use rank and last name (very formal), or first name (so-so ... don't ask me why, but it's blah ... it's what civilians do), and last name only, which is informal and denotes comraderie. Subordinates may not use last name only, and they may not use first names. Individuals of equal rank sort it out amongst themselves, depending on who is around and what they are doing.

With us, the only thing more personal than last name only among equals was a callsign or nickname. This will not be true for everyone, nor does it cross all branches of the military, all divisions and units therein, civilian agencies that use rank, the boyscouts, girlscouts, TV producers, and teleplay writers.

I noticed Carter called McKay "Rodney" in this ep. Whatever. And she called Sheppard, "John." Ellis called Sheppard, "John," too. Whatever her leadership style is going to be in Atlantis, she gets to pick it and sink/swim with it. Atlantis has a lot of civilians. Sticking with Lt. Col. Sheppard might put off the scientists, who knows?

IMO, I think her face off with Ronon and their dialogue said volumes more about what her leadership style will be than how she chooses to address a scientist she's worked with before and her 2IC. I was surprised she didn't tell him to step back. But after, I was glad she didn't, because she didn't show intimidated at all. That was good.

Jason Momoa, wow. Well done.

I agree with others who said they never doubted Ronon would stay in Atlantis. I wish I wasn't spoiled, so I could register the twist from a fresh perspective. I was mainly watching to see how Ronon was going to handle the deception. Very entertaining. I was actually p.o.-ed when Teyla, McKay, and Sheppard ran one way, and Ronon ran off with the others. I thought, "Now, who's watching the rear?" You could feel the breeze, like something was missing. It was a nice touch.

We got some words from Teyla about her people, which makes me wonder how she felt about what Ronon went through.

What's up with using the gift of life to torture humans into submitting to the worship cult thing? I thought it was reserved for the most *devout* worshipers and brothers. This Wraith was doing his own thing, and long before the Asurans got their battle orders. I enjoy seeing splinter groups doing their own thing. I prefer Wraith groups as (somewhat) unique, sort of like two human communities, each from a different planet.

Now the Wraith (as in more than one) know McKay (and by extension, Atlantis) can re-write Asuran base code ...

I hope this figures into future eps. Wouldn't his ability to re-write the base code make McKay the most important life form (from the Wraith's perspective) in the PG, lol?

I kept wondering what the Asuran was going to do when he got free, and then I saw. Bodes well for interesting times in the Pegasus, going forward.

[Briangate78]

I have to say Mckay sorta ticked me off in this episode. He is all happy because he thinks he will be in charge of SGA, where as Sheppard did not care at all or even thought about it. He was only concerned about finding Elizabeth and made it known to Carter that they all have not given up on her. Ronon even had words with Carter and in a way was expecting Carter to say yes, so Carter threw in the "I'm not Dr. Weir"

Mckay had some good moments last season, and I hope he can go back to that caring person he was when Carson died or when he was about to die in "Tao of Rodney".

[Erised]

Southern Red, very well said!

FallenAngelII, I agree! But don't worry. I'm sure people hated that balcony scene in Rising but now they somehow love that scene in Reunion. Can't be sure what the reactions were though... The Rising thread is a little long to dig in.
But you just wait until she has to make some major decisions about the Wraith. Like

Spoiler:

I heard there will be an alliance with the wraith? What again? I don't think it worked out well for the team last time and it certainly pissed some of the fans off. Now those fans will love it.

[kymeric]

Well there's another way to look at this. Existing SGA fans might find the similarities or the blatant duplication; but the new fans will not. The line worked well 3 years ago, and they're hoping it would work again.

I am playing devils advocate.

I think its a deliberate parallel. Why else would it be there? They FORGOT the lines they wrote rewrote thru writers meetings a dozen times and then directed and edited? The original commenter is just being sullen about Weir. The scene worked, and was nice.

[Erised]

Well I never said it was forgotten. And I don't think it worked because as Fallen Angel pointed out, she is being hypocritical.

[justhere1971]

Southern Red, very well said!

FallenAngelII, I agree! But don't worry. I'm sure people hated that balcony scene in Rising but now they somehow love that scene in Reunion. Can't be sure what the reactions were though... The Rising thread is a little long to dig in.
But you just wait until she has to make some major decisions about the Wraith. Like

Spoiler:

I heard there will be an alliance with the wraith? What again? I don't think it worked out well for the team last time and it certainly pissed some of the fans off. Now those fans will love it.

Oh goodness I forgot about that bit. Didn't Weir get called on that the last time? I bet we won't see that happening again. And SR - beautiful post.

[justhere1971]

Well I never said it was forgotten. And I don't think it worked because as Fallen Angel pointed out, she is being hypocritical.

Does SGA havea show bible? Where they actually keep track of these sorts of things? Sometimes I get the feeling they get tired of writing an episode and start pulling things off different shows, including their own.