'Sabotage' (116) General Discussion

[jelgate]

I remember the press release for Amanda Perry that just drove people mad because of the less than positive description it gave about her disability. Then the episode came and it was barely acknowledged. Moral of the story: Fandoms overreact. Doesn't matter which fandom, overreaction seems to be a constant.

Moving on.... It is a meh episode. I am not thinking wow like Justice or Lost but its not dull either. The most interesting part to me is seeing Wray adjust to being a disabled person. A person who is use to having complete control of her legs I think it was interesting to see her lose that kind of control. Its not that I disliked the Perry stuff. It was just kind of predictible of her having joy to uses senses she had lost. It was also kind of predictible to see the team return but like I said in Lost the story was written into a predictible corner. What was interesting was the Blues using the stones to sabotage the engines. Wouldn't have been my choice. I would have used the Gate to dial in people for an invasion.

[garhkal]

Without a kino remote, they couldn't. As they would need one to dial in.

[jelgate]

Rush hid a stone when he was captured. I would not have put it past him to hide an KINO remote either.

[garhkal]

A stone is one thing (it easily fits in one's pockets). BUT i can't see him hiding a remote. Also how many did they have?

[jelgate]

A remote isn't that big. It can easily be hidden

[garhkal]

If he did, that then might give more weight to his visions later in the season in the pain episode where he halucinated about the blues coming aboard.

[Cluas]

Not really my fave ep.

At about this point the plot took a whole different direction. I liked the first episodes, because it was all about surviving and exploring. But I guess the writers had to try something new.

I still like how the ancient stones play a major role in the plot...

[Baron Of Hell]

I liked the episode but it had one of the worst moments in the series. Eli and company just shows up out of the blue after being lost. Their return is done extremely poorly.

Everything else was good to me. It was cool seeing a different side of Rush. Loved the ladies switching bodies and how each handled the situation. The aliens that refuse to give up were nice.

[CarrieAnn]

That was a real cop out with Eli, Chloe and Matt coming back. They were definitely stranded then they suddenly turn up again? What? I'm glad they came back but how?

Rush getting romantic with Amanda, who seems a bit too young for him, but so life goes. It was quite sweet really. Funny when Eli couldn't understand why she fancied him, and when TJ burst into Rush's room to find them hugging.

It was so sad to think that poor Amanda was disabled as a child and this was the first time she had been in a 'normal' body. I thought Rush was being mean when he wouldn't sleep with her but there is the thin line between what people can do if they are in another body. Would it be rape if it was Camille's body, especially as she is gay and wouldn't want a man anywhere near her?

And Camille learned what total disability was like, maybe she'll be more sympathetic to people now.

Interesting scenes with Camille and Sharon, I was moved when Camille was so upset when Sharon didn't come home for hours, and Sharon pointed out that she knows what its like waiting for someone to come home

The actress who plays Sharon looks so familiar. Wasn't she in 24 with Kiefer Sutherland?

And where the hell did Franklin go? Has he turned into another state of being? Did he get transported somewhere? Is he in the ship's consciousness now?

[Artemis-Neith]

They made stargate jumping, and kept that doing so long until they found the address of Destiny again on the remote. It was close.
Though I think the actress did a great job with her portrait of Amanda, she is too young for Robert Carlyle. I'd wish the casting would at least try to involve more middle aged women as they do this easily with men.
Isn't it interesting that Camile's and Sharon's relationship is the only one of those we see, that works?
The Franklin mystery is a nice twist, I think. Interesting what the ship is able to do, isn't it?

[CarrieAnn]

I'm sure I wrote somewhere that I think Stargates should have a 'call waiting' function so if two people are dialling it, it waits for them both to get through

Yes, Amanda and Rush look more like student and teacher to me, hmm....

I do reckon Franklin is in the ship now, I've seen loads of sci fi where people merge with ships and other technology.

[garhkal]

I'm sure I wrote somewhere that I think Stargates should have a 'call waiting' function so if two people are dialling it, it waits for them both to get through

It would have been nice had gates had something like that, but since those in SGU were supposed to be the prototypes for all the others, i doubt THEY would have been the first to have them.

[CarrieAnn]

It would have been nice had gates had something like that, but since those in SGU were supposed to be the prototypes for all the others, i doubt THEY would have been the first to have them.

Oh were they. I see... *pay attention at the back Carrie Ann*

[sci-fi fanatic]

I've finally gotten to "Sabotage" in my re-watch of Stargate Universe. Here's my take on it:

Reconsidering Stargate Universe: Sabotage

Good episode overall; the group is starting to come together as a team (for now). I'd love to hear what you think!

[garhkal]

I've finally gotten to "Sabotage" in my re-watch of Stargate Universe. Here's my take on it:

As always, looking forward to reading it..

We’ve reached the point of the season where so many intersecting story lines are coming together. There’s a risk of piling exposition on top of exposition without keeping the audience engaged. Thankfully, the SGU writers find interesting ways to build on past work. “Sabotage” resolves the “Lost” main plot, introduces a new character, and circles back to a nearly forgotten supporting character.

IMO its what made the series so damn good.. That unlike prior series, especially SG1, they didn't forget prior plot points and such.

Wray’s choice to switch bodies with the quadriplegic Amanda Perry (Kathleen Munroe) is quite brave. Rush lets his outer defenses break down while spending time with Perry.

IMO this ep gave Wray the same much needed character development they gave rush in Human.

When Rush calls him with news about falling short of the next galaxy, they discuss the problem together. Neither fully trusts the other, but they’ve developed a solid working relationship because of the conflicts.

And unlike in other situations, it seems Young truly trusts Rush's discovery..

We rarely saw these moments in earlier Stargate shows, and they’re commonplace in this lived-in environment.

I loved the whole montages of the crew working out under scott.

The episode title implies nefarious intent with the sabotage, but it’s actually just bad luck. James’ inability to handle being paralyzed gives the aliens a chance to control her. It shows just how precarious the situation is aboard the Destiny. Even a minor slip-up could lead to the end.

I would have liked it had there been a bit MORE explanation on what james 'might' have done.. Whether she was responsible or not, or whether there was anything else she did while under their control...

Their return does give us a touching moment where Eli gives Rush back his glasses. The silent exchange says a lot about the respect between them. They’re becoming friends and are no longer a random collection of strangers with no emotional bond.

Prior to the stuff coming up later, its one of the best Rush-Eli moments...

A key scene highlights both Perry’s interest and the added complications of the communications stones. If they have sex, she’s doing so in Wray’s body. This happened previously with Young and Telford in “Earth”, but it’s still murky territory. Rush’s hesitation is partially for that fact but also due to reliving his wife’s illness in “Human”. Robert Carlyle again adds so much with limited dialogue. We can totally sympathize with a guy who needs love but still can’t move forward after his wife’s death. Nick and Mandy could work as a couple, but the stones add some major complications.

And many of the concerns many of us brought up FROM earth and other eps, on that angle did get addressed here... Great acting on all parts to!

Most importantly, Franklin accepts his fate and returns to the device that destroyed him. His choice to sit in the chair in “Justice” was presented like an act of cowardice from a weak man. This story reframes that moment is a precursor to this brave sacrifice. What makes the scene click is the mystery behind Franklin’s disappearance. There’s little idea of what happened in the ice-cold room. It’s another reminder that a lot more exists on the Destiny that what we’ve seen thus far.

And it also sets up the big reveal

Spoiler:

that his mind got uploaded into the destiny's mainframe later in the start of S2

.

As always a very nice piece of work!