'Gauntlet' (220) General Discussion

[Trig]

It was never meant to be a series ender though, and at least this way theres a faint hope that in 3 years time we might get something back....

[Krisz]

I liked the way it was left open too. an ending with hope.

It is still the best ending of any of the Stargate series' for me. Going into stasis to get across a massive void with minimal power and serious damage to Destiny was a reasonable decision that had to be made, given how they had to make decisions on the fly with all that had happened in the previous two years. Even though the crew are saying goodbye to each other, they aren't really, I liked that.

[Dale Volker]

It was a heart wrenching yet beautiful way to go. That way Eli smiles at the end shows he's found his destiny with the Destiny.

[newton_carter1392]

Okay I'm brand new to all of this (I know I'm pretty damn late ) and I'm sure someone has already mentioned this, but I gotta keep some hope alive for myself, I'm really hoping that somehow someway they renew the series and continue it in 2 years just to keep with the storyline i think that woulod be great and although i know it's a long shot i can still hope.

[Dale Volker]

Okay I'm brand new to all of this (I know I'm pretty damn late ) and I'm sure someone has already mentioned this, but I gotta keep some hope alive for myself, I'm really hoping that somehow someway they renew the series and continue it in 2 years just to keep with the storyline i think that woulod be great and although i know it's a long shot i can still hope.

Its great to see that some people still hold the hope. Many have lost hope for the continuation of SGU...

[LtColCarter]

For me, I this episode was sad not because it was the end of SGU...but it was the end of Stargate on TV.

[newton_carter1392]

Its great to see that some people still hold the hope. Many have lost hope for the continuation of SGU...

Yeah I know what you mean and when I first started SGU I didnt like it very much just because it was so different then SG1 and SGA but after the first season I really started to get into it and I became close to all of the characters and I'm very sad to see the end if it but hopefully by some miracle sometime in the next year or so they'll announce they're bringing it back

[LittleMissBrilliant]

akhjkajkjslk. I just finished SGU. Mixed emotions about the ending. I think I need more details to survive, but it was a nice way to end it...

[Wolf O'Donnell]

Worst ending I have ever seen! I was expecting them to somehow get back to earth, not go into hibernation.

We were supposed to have 3 more seasons. This was not intended to end the show.

Okay I'm brand new to all of this (I know I'm pretty damn late ) and I'm sure someone has already mentioned this, but I gotta keep some hope alive for myself, I'm really hoping that somehow someway they renew the series and continue it in 2 years just to keep with the storyline i think that woulod be great and although i know it's a long shot i can still hope.

akhjkajkjslk. I just finished SGU. Mixed emotions about the ending. I think I need more details to survive, but it was a nice way to end it...

It is great to see people still finding SGU. Tell your friends, buy the DVDs, have your friends tell their friends. Maybe one day something will happen.

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

The perfect way to end a great Stargate series.

SGU was a really great show, anyone who showed hatred of it at the beginning because of Atlantis' Cancellation is a complete moron. I would say a worse word, but I don't want to make Darren mad.

God, Joel's score at the end was just beautiful and perfect.

Now looking because this amazing campaign, what a great idea. This campaign allow me to watch my newly re-purchased SG-1 DVD (I bought the 2nd generation cases, to match with the season 9 & 10 DVD that I bought when they were originally released back in the day).

The one thing I regret is the fact that I should've did a rating system (out of 10) for each episode, so I didn't always to type the same word for most episodes.

This was a fun time, the last year and 5? months. Made me think back to the good old days when we had 2 thriving Stargate Shows.

[ZRFTS]

Unfortunately, the end of Stargate. While I haven't watched the show at the time, I was watching the geekosphere and I picked up on the rumors of the movie coming to fruition; I was almost hoping it would happen since hey, we got the SG-1 movies and they're possibly working on that SGA movie; maybe they could bite the bullet and do the SGU movie right? Unfortunately, MGM passed, shut the whole thing down and sold off the sets. Who knows what would happen had the movies been done but it's too late to think about that now, the decision has been made, there is no turning back unless we find some new mineral or an economic boom.

My opinion of this episode is split; on one hand the first half of the episode is engaging with drama and characterization galore. We get brief hints about the potential of TJ's character now that she has a disease, we get hints about the pure desperation of the crew and we also get a Stargate tradition in that they're finally doing something about it. The show turns to "The Seige" again for what could be considered one of it's traditions, in that they're going to face the enemy and show them they can't mess with good old Earth. It happened to the Gou'ald and Wraith right?

However, it's different in that the drones effectiveness is remarkably durable and there's no help whatsoever to save them; it gives a new light into the hope that they have, they have a plan that might work and they need it to work, otherwise how will they survive, how will they recharge, how will they do anything if those pesky drones are everywhere and the characters show this well; checking the calculations, explaining to Young the technical stuff, praying that they make it out alive. The hope is of course tested during battle where everything goes against plan and considerable damage is taken, it's a real sign of the grittiness of the show, the one where it goes against everything you believe in. You can't imagine a winnable situation for the crew on the ship, you can't imagine being in that situation yourself, you can't imagine that it's even happening which is what makes the shows potential show much good, this really is a different SG series than you've imagined.

But on the other, it's wasted potential. I admire the premise in that they wanted to show how far the characters have come while pushing some sort of cliffhanger in the background; these characters have grown a long way from the first time we've saw them, it was only yesterday that Rush and Young were clashing and now they're working for the greater good, Greer has grown from a gruff military person to a person with heart and compassion while Eli has discovered his true potential as an essential part of the team and it would of been nice to have what these characters now stood for in the face of what came next but alas, it wouldn't happen. Much of the episode consisted of them walking around, talking casually and contemplating their plans, which lead to absolutely nothing in the context of the episode; granted this would be the last moments we'd have with these characters but I want something more, I want the people to expand on the scene where Young is hanging his head, not just drop it when Scott enters the room. I also wanted them to have more Earth scenes rather than Eli's which didn't offer up anything new and only served to reinforce what we already knew, which was "Eli" is close to his mom and is uncertain about being away from her while her mom tells her not to worry because of the "things he's seen".

Awkward character moments also rear their head here, Dr. Park's newfound confidence seemed almost out of place; I thought it was an act she was doing wearing those sunglasses and speaking with confidence but as it turns out I was wrong, it was nice to see her in command but that pose, that voice, it's so unnatural. It didn't make me think of Dr. Park more like some guy in a poor disguise trying to convince other people of their plans. Eli's boasting was way out of character; to me it seemed really pretentious and immature, like his ego was the size of a football field, we have seen the accomplishments that he's done but to actually act as if he's better than everybody else is offputting to say the least; at least Rush manages to save the moment by acting compassionate, rounding up what he's experienced in a logical point of view, giving sage words of advice to Eli and basically passing on the torch, it made both of them into human beings and really reflected the weight of the situation.

As you watch the episode, there is a certain sense of serenity that they include; this of course being the one where they provide you with small moments which show the best of SGU and where they came from, they just had to make it reflective and they do with last moments for everything. Last dangerous mission to get a certain supply that they need, last conversation with Telford, even the Last sight of Scott's son who I'm just glad managed to get mentioned, everything shown is designed to connect with you emotionally and make you show just what this series meant to you even if some of the stuff was weak. You couldn't help to cry a tear at their last reunion, you couldn't help but to cry a tear for their moments, you couldn't help to cry at the long drawn out scenes mostly involving the statis chambers and the shots at the Destiny. Yes they may have wasted time but for those of you who were invested in the series, they made you feel like you and it were one, the lights shutting off at Destiny and it flying off possibly represents the sort of despair that SG fans must of gone through watching this, you couldn't believe that it was over.

At the same time however, a message was planted in that Stargate was going into stasis; we don't know when we're going to be back but rest assured, everything will turn up okay, everything will be the way it was; we'll find a way to be back, even if we have to construct the sets out of cardboard we'll still be back. It may seem more uncertain now than it did back then (since the movie was in the cards) but it still rings true today. It's sleeping, waiting for a time when it can rise back up and provide sci-fi entertainment again and when that time comes, I'm sure the world will be ready for Stargate again.

On a personal note: I'm just saddened that the perception of the show from SG fans and the poor handling of the launch of said show ruined the discovery factor of it; this show was meant to be a dark character drama from the start, it wasn't meant to be releated to SGA or SG1 or even Zombie Stargate; it was meant to be it's own standalone series with it's own characters, own dark issues, own intentions based on exploration and own overall mission. I walked into this show with zero connection to Stargate's past and throughout the time I watched this show I never compared it to the previous shows; I judged it based on it's own merits.

If you're a SG fan, shouldn't you judge this show by it's own merits, not be looking for something relating to SG1's "adventure" style or SGA's "action" style?

[Krisz]

Those wretched drones sure have mean programming! The nasty things have already worked out Destiny’s weakness. It was a shocking revelation to see them on the long range sensors waiting at every star and planet they would need to stop at.

The fact that they were being beaten at every turn by these drones, and almost at the point of destruction made the moment when they fought back with some measure of success all the more satisfying. I’d become frustrated with how easy things were for the people in SGA with instant fixes, this was more like it! Capturing the feel of the Stargate of old, where things didn’t always work out and they had to work harder to succeed! However, they do it with the grit and determination of SGU, there is still uncertainty, Destiny is severely damaged, hope is a fragile thing in SGU. This is what I liked about this show and made it the 'different type of Stargate show' that was intended.

For me the series was nicely wrapped up considering the short notice of cancellation at the time. This ending had been written with this possibility in mind so it thankfully didn’t feel rushed, but a nice measured farewell. Young’s speech summed up the brave endeavour that was SGU beautifully for me……..

YOUNG: Well, uh, we've been through a hell of a lot together, that's for sure. I guess it'd be easy to dwell on everything that we have lost ...

…. but I think today I would rather think about what we still have, and maybe what we've gained. We're a family now, whether we like it or not.

Eli’s whistful, somewhat knowing smile at the end hinted wonderfully of what could have been; so many possibilities. A good ending to the current chapter of the franchise in a way, left the ‘gate’ open.

[Matt G]

November 2011: I was actually mid-Rewatch before I got round to seeing this ep. By this point the family company had been mothballed and I was scrabbling to find something resembling work. The plan had been to record this ep and watch it with a mate who then dropped off the radar (again). Then the Rewatch started not long after and eventually I finished a season with a few days to spare and...(watched yesterday so Rewatch completed on time! )

1. Again. Scissors-paper-stone. Good plan. Wouldn't have banked on kamikazee drones.

2. Eli's last scene with Mum was sweet.

3. I might have done what Eli had done. Still nuts though.

And that is it...again!

[garhkal]

I wonder.. did the "Last supper' comments' come out adlibed, or were they prescriped?

[I-Like-Pie]

When i first saw the episodes and every time I see it, I think;

Why not fix the shields so that they cover the drone weapon range AND suicide runs