Episode 2 (102)

[GateWorld]

STARGATE ORIGINS: CATHERINE

EPISODE 2

Dr. Brücke stuns the Langfords when he puts his theories about the Stargate to the test.

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[jerem]

I'm a bit bummed by the lack of continuity with canon.
6 years later (1945, Torment of Tantalus), they will know even less about what this ring-like "doorway to heaven" device does.

Might be resolvable somehow by some clever writing. Please not make it a cheat like erasing characters memories!

Otherwise really entertaining, I enjoyed the episode.

[gatechick]

So continuity is out the door I guess. Unless they are going to claim AU.

[Vyse]

So, the Stargate is being powered by a car battery. Seriously?!?!?!

[Maelum]

and a generator for the lamps if I read correctly

[sci-fi fanatic]

The power from the car battery does bother me more than the destruction of continuity. In the Stargate movie, running the gate basically shook the building! I'm sure there's an explanation for it, but it's an odd choice.

I'm more nervous that they'll come up with some weird way to explain Catherine's behavior in the future like amnesia. I'd probably rather lose the continuity than have a goofy explanation for it. After reading the Gateworld article on this being part of the canon, I'm curious and sort of dreading what's to come.

[Everlovin]

To be fair, SG-1used a car battery when trying to get home in 1969.

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

To be fair, SG-1used a car battery when trying to get home in 1969.

I'm surprised how many have forgotten this...

[NickEast]

But it did take the increased strength of a Jaffa to rotate the ring. And now two lightweights can do the same without issue.

[Otukka]

So, the Stargate is being powered by a car battery. Seriously?!?!?!

Technically, it's powered by the alternator, because the car was running on high revs. The amperage is much higher than just the battery.

[mooseman]

I'm surprised how many have forgotten this...

Well, those 2 military grade trucks provided much more power than that little VW.
Although, there does appear to be another generator hooked up as well.

[Platschu]

Dr. Brücke (means Dr. Bridge) can't wait to touch the young Catherine as soon as his father is sent away. It looks like he is in relationship with the cameraman, who is just around. That scene was so bad on so many levels. Then even the crazy German soldiers makes an offer in the car. Why have they added such things?!

[GateWorld]

Well, those 2 military grade trucks provided much more power than that little VW.
Although, there does appear to be another generator hooked up as well.

We know that the truck(s) in "1969" worked; we don't know based on that scene that a small vehicle would not work. It's entirely plausible that SG-1, using the resources they had available, actually juiced the gate more than they needed.

"Colonel, if we hook up these trucks it should be enough to power the gate!"

"What if we just use that motorcycle in the corner, instead? Would that be enough?"

"Um ... maybe? But the trucks ..."

"Use the motorcycle, Carter! I want to know how little we can do this with."

"But sir, the solar flare -- our timing has to be ..."

"Motorcycle!"

Aaand scene.

[jerem]

"Colonel, if we hook up these trucks it should be enough to power the gate!"

"What if we just use that motorcycle in the corner, instead? Would that be enough?"

"Um ... maybe? But the trucks ..."

"Use the motorcycle, Carter! I want to know how little we can do this with."

"But sir, the solar flare -- our timing has to be ..."

"Motorcycle!"

Aaand scene.

I know this is intended as a joke... And it's funny as hell ;-)
But not even far-fetched for a character like O'Neill. I can totally picture him saying that!

[NickEast]

While you may not need a lot of power to dial the gate, it would require a tremendous amount of power to actually create the wormhole. Once the gate is active, then it can also be powered by the DHD on the other side. In the movie, we see that after the sixth symbol is dialed, the gate is beginning to draw a lot of power. The next time they dial, they add backup power. In Torment of Tantalus, when they power the gate using the lightning, the wormhole quickly becomes unstable, suggesting it doesn't have enough power to remain open. Since Earth doesn't have a DHD, there is no power coming from the other side, so it relied entirely on the lightning. The "plants" in "Prisoners" provided cold fusion, like the DHD's power source, which as far as I know, produces quite a lot of power, even if they are small plants.

So what I'm saying is that while a simple car is probably enough to dial the gate (using the battery to send "instructions" to the gate to lock the chevrons), the generator would be required to provide the remaining power to activate the gate, after which the DHD on Abydos would power it.