We had to destroy their entire civilization for making a bioweapon!

[Ouroboros]

The OP was speaking from the Wraith point of view. "We had to destroy their entire civilization for making a bioweapon! The actual bioweapon research though.... nah I guess we don't need to destroy that."

(S)He's saying that the Wraith were silly for not destroying the research.

However, I think the since the whole point of the Hoffan society was to build a number of separate hidden bunkers which contained the whole of their Knowledge the Wraith would have had a hard time of it.

This person has it right. Well aside from the bunkers thing anyway. When SGA gets there they just go looking for the super secret research in a completely normal above ground building.

It's completely idiotic that so much of this episode was centered around trying to find this stupid research when it was known by all that the Wraith had destroyed the planet because of the research. Obviously if they destroyed the whole civilization they did so to prevent any trace of the poison from spreading to any other world they fed from. That and to punish the Hoffans for doing this and make them an example to others. It's absolutely idiotic to think that they would go to all the trouble of wiping out an entire civilzation but also just happen to forget about the whole reason why they're even doing it in the first place.

Despite that fact though everybody in this episode seems to think it's really likely that they're going to find that research on the planet there. Like the Wraith are just going to leave it there for anyone to find once they're done exterminating an entire society just for creating it.

To make it even worse though it's strongly implied that Michael did get his headstart on the virus from the Hoffen research, which is why it was already missing when they got there. I mean it certainly wasn't missing because the entire laboratory responsible for creating it was blasted into a glassed out crater from orbit like it should have been once its location was tortured or mind probed out of the government officials. What are we supposed to think the Wraith did instead if they really did destroy it, sent a single guy down there to search through all the books in the city 1 by 1 until he finds the right one and burns only that, making sure he didn't miss anything? Because you know that's a lot easier and less likely to go wrong than the 1 to 3 seconds it takes to just remove the entire city from existence with orbital blue goo of doom.

Wow, like I said, are you kidding me?

[YutheGreat]

The Wraith destroyed them not us. As to how Michael got his hands on it.

The Hoffman's had numerous storage sites for their knowledge. To make sure the Wraith couldn't destroy them all.

Michael could have also harvested the knowledge from Carson Becket since he obviously has the knowledge of it.

[Gibsnag]

Sort of a shock and meh campaign.

Hahaha. Thats excellent.

[PG15]

I don't see a problem here. The Wraith had no inkling of the bunkers' existence, so why would they be suspicious enough to mindprobe people when, to them, the data was probably wiped out along with the rest of the civilization from their attack?

[Pudding]

I don't see a problem here. The Wraith had no inkling of the bunkers' existence, so why would they be suspicious enough to mindprobe people when, to them, the data was probably wiped out along with the rest of the civilization from their attack?

IMO, they should have been smart enough to realize that the Hoffans couldn't have possibly worked this whole thing out in the time between the last culling and now. Something had to give, some way of passing information onto the next generation after cullings. And anyway, it's not like the Hoffans would just leave their important information somewhere where it would be easy to destroy - any smart person would take all precations possible to protect it.

[PG15]

Well, there is such a thing as going overboard.

Perhaps they thought that, by destroying the civilization entirely, there won't be anyone left to carry on that "legacy"? Besides, they were also busy at the time with the civil war (although this could depend on just when the Hoffans were destroyed, obvously).

[Pudding]

Perhaps they thought that, by destroying the civilization entirely, there won't be anyone left to carry on that "legacy"? Besides, they were also busy at the time with the civil war (although this could depend on just when the Hoffans were destroyed, obvously).

True. And I suppose, since they never saw this 'bioweapon' on any other world besides Hoff, they thought nobody else knew about it and therefore nobody would go looking for it.

[Mister Oragahn]

People, Stargate is supposed to be fun. Stop thinking, or go watch wrestling.

[gopher65]

People, Stargate is supposed to be fun. Stop thinking, or go watch wrestling.

On something Tolkien said, from Wikipedia: "...he (Tolkien) emphasizes that through the use of fantasy, which he equates with fancy and imagination, the author can bring the reader to experience a world which is consistent and rational, yet utterly strange as well."

In the same essay Tolkien said that a world has to be internally consistent, or else the reader will get jolted out of the fantasy. The same holds true for all other stories, but especially for science fiction, which, like fantasy, has to create its own little self-contained world. If the reader (watcher) gets jolted out of the story, then they can't fully enjoy it. THAT is why people post about these things. It isn't just a tiny nitpick; these kinks in the flow of the story cost viewers.

In the world of words this has been understood for a long time. Yet for some reason people who write television and movies are too out of it to pick up on this simple truth.

[SpinningChevron]

I actually find it quite odd that the Hoffans thought that making the cure was going to be worth while in the first place, without any real weapons or ships to defend their planet, they must have known that the Wraith once they discover that they can't feed on the Hoffans anymore are going to bombard the planet from orbit.

[Ouroboros]

I actually find it quite odd that the Hoffans thought that making the cure was going to be worth while in the first place, without any real weapons or ships to defend their planet, they must have known that the Wraith once they discover that they can't feed on the Hoffans anymore are going to bombard the planet from orbit.

Yes you would think that wouldn't you, but I don't even recall the team bringing this up when trying to talk them out of it.

"We're willing to let 50% of our population die for this cause!"

"Well.... how do you feel about 100%?"

What they did got them deader than if they'd all just lined up and and thrown themselves at the first Wraith who wanted to feed on them.

What was the message of this story anyway? "See this is what happens when you're a tiny little nobody acting recklessly belligerent toward a gigantic alien empire known for violence without thinking through the consequences. Even the sternest devotion and the most unwavering effort and commitment to a "good" cause can't change the cold hard mathematics of reality. Unless you're from Earth... then by all means belligerate away... with 3 alien empires at once! We'll protect you, we don't care how stupid it looks! "

Well it was almost a good humbling and honest message about the dangers of blind fanaticism, even if for a good cause.

[AutumnDream]

Another fine job by the Stargate writing staff.

[Mitchell82]

I actually find it quite odd that the Hoffans thought that making the cure was going to be worth while in the first place, without any real weapons or ships to defend their planet, they must have known that the Wraith once they discover that they can't feed on the Hoffans anymore are going to bombard the planet from orbit.

Arrogance plain and simple. They thought they found the "Holy Grail" to defend their planet and no matter what we told them they werent going to back down.

[jds1982]

Yes you would think that wouldn't you, but I don't even recall the team bringing this up when trying to talk them out of it.

I actually thought they did, but there's a strong chance I might be misremembering that.

[PG15]

They most certainly did:

CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE. Druhin is talking with John and Teyla.
DRUHIN: I fail to see cause for alarm, Major. If anything, this development dramatically increases the value of the serum.
SHEPPARD: No – it just takes away any doubt about what the Wraith’ll do when they eventually come here.
DRUHIN: I fail to see the difference.
TEYLA: Once they learn you possess a weapon such as this, the Wraith will wipe your people from existence in retaliation for the Wraith deaths.
DRUHIN: Or they may simply leave us alone once they learn we are ... unpalatable.
SHEPPARD (sarcastically): Cos they’re such an easy-going live-and-let-live kind of race. (Seriously) Y’know, maybe there was half a chance of that when you were talking about this being defensive, but now ...
DRUHIN: You fail to see the larger picture, Major. For the first time we have a way to not just defend ourselves but to strike back.
SHEPPARD: Is this about revenge, or saving your people?
DRUHIN: You can’t hope to understand the generations of suffering ...
SHEPPARD (interrupting): I’ve been in one of their hives and I’ve fought against their ships and, trust me, when the first Wraith dies because of this drug, they’re not gonna simply move on. They’re gonna make their problem go away.
TEYLA: Once your world has been destroyed, they will seek out any who have had contact with you. They will spare no-one.
SHEPPARD: Listen, I know how passionate you are about this – this drug is sort of your Holy Grail, but you’re gonna have to shelve it til we get a better idea ...
DRUHIN (interrupting): No, no.
SHEPPARD: I’m serious – otherwise we can’t help you any more.
DRUHIN: You don’t understand, Major, it’s too late. I have made my recommendation to the Council and they’ve agreed. We have already begun inoculating our people.

Yikes Ouroboros; I thought you usually checked your facts.