Let's just get this all out of the way first...

[Detox]

I doubt a ten year old could shoot two people in the back as cold-heartedly and effectively as Clone!Carson. But, that's not the point of this thread.

When was the last time we saw Carson shoot a gun? Instinct? McKay didn't seem too confident in Carson's ability to shoot. But, maybe, you are right. Maybe between Instinct and Misbegotten, Carson received more training. It's a shame we didn't see it though.

Well, in Epiphany, we saw him pull a gun on that that ancient holo monster when it was about to attack Elizabeth.

He's a grown man, again, it's not hard to shoot people in the back at point blank range. And like I said, he has to have at least some small arms training because he carries a sidearm. And the military wouldn't issue it to him if he didn't know how to use it. Training probably happened sometime in early season 2, if not before they left earth.

Also, Clone Carson's been hardened by the 2 years in captivity. He's not afraid of killing in revenge because of all the anger he has.

[KindlyKeller]

Probably because I read some fan misinterpretations, I was under the impression he wouldn't be a clone and was fascinated to see how they'd manage it. When he DID turn out to be a clone, I thought, "Huh?" But the episode was so good and the development handled so well that it didn't matter to me. This was easily the best acting I've EVER seen out of Paul. I used to sometimes think he was a little over the top, but he was so subtle and nuanced here. It was a truly tremendous effort.

Sooo... point being, even as someone who made the mistake of thinking they'd said Carson wouldn't be a clone, I wasn't at all disappointed by the episode. This was fantastic all around.