Do you think Rush knew?

[Alder]

Having just watched it, I'm going for "he suspected, but didn't know". He was just too pleased in the control room.
And if he'd known, he'd've been more likely to be telling everyone, and insisting that he was right, and saying they didn't need to bother with the shuttle, the Destiny would take care of them etc.

I *am* a little ticked off with him for his subsequent behaviour - I rather liked the interaction earlier in the episode where Rush and Young seemed to be coming to an understanding - say a truce rather than outright hostility - and to have it back where it was before is a tad irritating...

[Nemises]

He didn't know.

The writers want him not to be liked too much.

[Otarush]

I think he had a hunch (he seems to have a pretty good intuitive read on that ship, remember the 'signs' that they were running out of power?) but I don't think he knew for certain. He did seem quite surprised and happy that they were still alive.

[ndeke]

I would say the writers succeeded in making the issue totally ambiguous at least from the clues we got. For example what some people believe to be Rush's sudden insight midway through the episode could just as well really be a reaction to seeing what he considered his destiny, pun intended. I do believe it can go both ways and a number of people have made interesting arguments for and against him knowing. While I would love to call it with a smart observation, I don't think that it is possible, again, from the clues we got.

From a meta perspective I would argue that if he truly knew, wouldn't that make Rush more cruel than he is intended to be as a character? I understand they want him to be flawed and manipulative but not sadistic. While he will go to any length to achieve his goals, he is not in principal ill-disposed towards other people. So if one wants to argue that he knew what was going to happen, one needs a convincing explanation of what he gained but not telling.

[aboleyn24]

I would say the writers succeeded in making the issue totally ambiguous at least from the clues we got. For example what some people believe to be Rush's sudden insight midway through the episode could just as well really be a reaction to seeing what he considered his destiny, pun intended. I do believe it can go both ways and a number of people have made interesting arguments for and against him knowing. While I would love to call it with a smart observation, I don't think that it is possible, again, from the clues we got.

From a meta perspective I would argue that if he truly knew, wouldn't that make Rush more cruel than he is intended to be as a character? I understand they want him to be flawed and manipulative but not sadistic. While he will go to any length to achieve his goals, he is not in principal ill-disposed towards other people. So if one wants to argue that he knew what was going to happen, one needs a convincing explanation of what he gained but not telling.

Exactly. Why go to the trouble and then more importantly why give yourself away? Unless I can see a clear reason for either I have to conclude that he didn't know.

[flameling]

I don't think he did. He seemed to surprised that they hadn't completely disentegrated. I agree that he may have had a hunch and the entire fiasco at the end was embarresment, but he was alone and then showed surprised. I don't believe that he knew.

[Commander Zelix]

I still don't get whats the big deal about him knowing or not. What advantage does he have to hide it from others?

[Sifr]

Look at it from the point of view of the Ancients.

You don't build a super-duper spaceship that you then send off on its own to seed the universe with Stargates for millions of years on end without having some idea of how on earth its going to keep working after all that time.

Its unmanned and has no access to shipyards, and its supposed to keep itself operational and also have the power requirements to maintain the FTL drive, manufacture stargates, power the stargate, and presumably manufacture kino's for analysis of already seeded worlds.

This is definitely a LONG term project. So you'd look at it pragmatically.

Whats the most abundant element in the Universe...?

Hydrogen. Presumably Destiny would have some form of Bussard Collector onboard that it could utilise for fuel for minor systems power generation.

Whats the most abundant energy source in the Universe?

Suns. Using a sun itself as fuel is the most logical form of power generation, its got untapped and nigh on limiteless energy, will be around for billions of years, its just like pitstopping at the petrol station.

Its not like they're rare either, most systems have more than one sun... What would you like Destiny? Diesel, or Unleaded?

Rush is smart enough to figure out that this is a distinct possibility on board a ship as old and specifically built such as this. He most likely had a hunch that such a thing would happen, but he didn't want to say anything before because if he was wrong about it then they'd all die...

His taking himself off the Lottery was simply because he'd rather stick around and see if his hunch paid off, and if it didn't, then what was the worst that could happen? Rush already seems semi-suicidal. Look at the evidence.

In Air Part 1, he dials a 9th Chevron that could lead anyone anywhere, with a rather pithy excuse that dialling Earth could have made the explosion go back and destroy the planet... it could easily have come back through on the other side of the 9th address too?

In Air Part 2 he doesn't seem particularly bothered the Senator dies, he was on his way out, and he pretty much thinks at this point, they're all dead anyway.

In Part 3, he doesn't seem too concerned that its looking incredibly futile they're find a lake, he just complains they aren't looking hard enough.

And in Darkness, he doesn't bother telling anyone the reason why not to keep pressing buttons, instead, yelling at them, and then going rather off the deep end when everything goes to pot and the power goes.

His mood at the end of Light where he seems to keep pushing everyone's buttons kinda makes me think he's got some kind of death wish in some form.

[MerryGentry]

I believe he had some notion that the Destiny might be working out its survival on its own, as it had been doing thus far, but I truly don't believe he was sure about anything specific. I, too, think his delight in the observation room was genuine. I don't think the presence of anyone proves the genuiness......when he first glanced at the restored control panel, he smiled and began a bit of delighted laughter. He seemed honestly surprised at how the ship was going to save itself.
Who would have believed any ship, even one engineered by Ancients, could have survived "surfing" a star, as someone said it above?

But, Rush is still enigmatic. He knows Young really has no use for him and even dislikes him, and I think he realizes there's no trust there. So why try to reassure Young? He walked away because he knew no one would believe him totally anyway, so why bother?

I watch the program for Rush. He is an amazingly complex character, and I hope he continues to be so.

[StarFighter]

I really don't think Rush knew they would live. The scenes were pretty clear that Rush expected to die and was very surprised that they didn't. The reaction scenes happened when he was alone so it was a genuine shock not Rush acting shocked.

I believe the comment by Young at the end of the episode about Rush possibly knowing was just there to show how much they question or distrust Rush.

[Trance]

I think he knew it was possible for the Destiny to recharge but thought her systems were too depleted from everyone's arrival and "running around" to be able to recharge. I think the bigger issue is his relationship with Destiny.
To me it seems to me that Rush is in love/obsessed with Destiny.
When her power was going out he kept saying that she was pulling away from him, and that everyone's running around and not listening to him was hurting the ship.
He is only interested in other people when they can help him with the ship or help him stay longer on the ship.
He would rather die with her than leave her.
He was the one who said her name was Destiny, but no one else has bothered to look.
He wasn't even aware that Eli was going to send the Kino out of the ship though everyone else was, because he rather spend time with the ship. But when he got to see the outside of the ship it was a loving look. He even thought he would never get to see the outside of her.
I think he stayed on the ship because he couldn't bear to leave his Destiny, and he was so happy because his trust in her and willingness not to leave her was rewarded.
I keep thinking that if he has to choose between the ship and the crew he'll choose Destiny. And if Eli figures out Destiny's deep secrets before he does and tells everyone else he'll get mad at Eli.
Destiny seems to be his lady.

[P-90_177]

You know Rush is starting to remind me of Locke in lost. Has his own agenda and has faith in the ship just in the same way locke has faith in the island.

[Trance]

I think that Rush knew that Destiny had the ability to recharge but thought that she was too depleted by their arrival to still do it. I think his relationship with the ship is the main reason he took himself out of the lottery.
He said her name was Destiny and that she was his destiny.
When her power was going down he said she was pulling away from him and didn't seem to care how others reacted to the power going out. He seemed more upset for failing Destiny than failing the crew.
He doesn't want just anyone messing with her systems without his permission because he think he is the only ONE who can help her and the rest are hurting her. He seems to want to keep her to himself and seems to be inhabiting the main area like a lion with his den, only people he wants can come in.
When Eli showed the outside of the ship he had a loving look on his face. Like someone falling in love with a miraculous piece of artwork.
I think he thinks of Destiny as his lady, like how a ship's captain refers to his ship. I believe that he rather die with her than live on without her and that is why he stayed on the ship. I think he was exhilarated by the fact she still had enough strength to replenish her reserves. I think his excitement was like a spouse realizing their sick partner was actually going to pull through. I also think that if he has to choose between the ship or the crew the crew will lose. He loves that ship and I feel sorry for anyone who tries to stand between him and her.

[Trance]

Sorry replied twice didn't think the first went through

[StarFighter]

The Rush character is interesting. At times he is mean and angry and at other times he is pleasant and thankful to others. The scene where Rush thanked Eli for giving him a chance to see the Destiny from the outside really stood out to me. It was as if Rush became greatful all of the sudden.