Critical Mass (213)

[Yeade]

Has the watch really been there since the first season? Whoa! Looks like I don't spend nearly enough time analyzing the decor of Weir's office--I've only ever noticed the clay jar-thing Sheppard gave her in "Before I Sleep" and the dish with the four(?) female figures sitting in a circle, hands linked(?).

[Athenaktt]

Has the watch really been there since the first season? Whoa! Looks like I don't spend nearly enough time analyzing the decor of Weir's office---I've only ever noticed the clay jar-thing Sheppard gave her in "Before I Sleep" and the dish with the four(?) female figures sitting in a circle, hands linked(?).

Yup, it's been in there since the very beginning.

So far the only things I remember that are still on her desk from the beginning are the pocket watch and the picture of Sedge. And every since she got the Jar for Sheppard, that's been there too.

As for the other things e.g., statues, they are constantly getting moved around the her office.

The fact that I know that scares me. :s

[ToasterOnFire]

does anyone have any ideas about who kavenagh is sending messages to?

Good question. Perhaps it's something that will come up later? While I don't think Kav was working for the Trust (oh, but what a shocker if we find out later that he really was another plant!) I do think he has ulterior motives and looks out for himself.

Both struggle leading their people---Weir probably isn't sure what she's doing half the time, and the arrival of the Atlanteans and her casting her lot in with them has left Teyla in limbo with the Athosians---and both cross a line in "Critical Mass"---Weir in ordering Kavanagh's torture, and Teyla in losing her last, close tie to her people. And both these events are the culmination of everything that's happened thus far, leaving Weir and Teyla adrift and in doubt.

Excellent possibility! The link is quite subtle though. I wonder if Joe would have a better idea about the plot/subplot link or if he would wave that off to Binder...

Personally, I think there was little else she could've done---it was either torture Kavanagh (the only likely suspect at that point) and hopefully get the access code or do nothing else and let the city explode with whoever was unlucky enough to still be around. That said, she did cross a line. I know some are disappointed (yeah, I'm talking to you, Ouroboros ) that issues were somewhat dodged because Kavanagh fainted before any actual torture could be done, but the process has to be gradual and, in this case, it was the mental act of agreeing to such a course in the first place that was key.

I still wish the issue wasn't dodged. Granted, Elizabeth must still deal with the internal conflict over choosing to have a man tortured but there's an unfortunate trend on Atlantis where internal conflicts are often forgotten in later episodes (Elizabeth's sadness over Simon in Intruder, others losing trust in Rodney in Trinity, Shep's withdrawl and attempted sacrifice in Conversion). If Kav had been tortured then there would have been something more tangible to grab onto (dealing with his death, wounds, and/or outrage, questioning from the SGC, UN, etc) and a bigger likelihood that the ramifications of Elizabeth's decision would be brought up again.
Still, I will reserve judgement until I've seen the rest of the episodes this season. It's perfectly possible that her decision

Spoiler:

directly starts the spiral toward her "darker" character or that the decision will be used against her when she apparently is forced to return to the SGC in season three. (Caldwell can't argue against her here though, as he did push for the torture, but someone else could certainly use it against her). There's lots of things the writers can do with this - let's see where they go.

[Merlin7]

So so ep for me. Could have been a GREAT EP but the B/Teyla story line took up WAY too much time and I had zero interest in it. It took away time from the main SL which should have had more going on and more intensity and more of a build up and more follow through. I loved what there was of it. Loved pretty much all the bits. Wanted Shep to have more to do as head of military he was pretty much just lounging around it seemed. Mind you, I admired the view, but he should have been doing more in this situation. The interrogations went on too long too. I'm just tired of every ep rushing the A story line. It loses my interest that way.

Rachel has a lovely voice but the music playing for her ruined the effect. They didn't have musicians there. Acapella would have been way more effective and SHORTER! Again..the B SL took away from what could have been a GREAT *A* Story line.

[Yeade]

[Re: The B-plot] Excellent possibility! The link is quite subtle though.

If by "subtle," you mean it barely exists.

Thank you.

Granted, Elizabeth must still deal with the internal conflict over choosing to have a man tortured but there's an unfortunate trend on Atlantis where internal conflicts are often forgotten in later episodes (Elizabeth's sadness over Simon in Intruder, others losing trust in Rodney in Trinity, Shep's withdrawl and attempted sacrifice in Conversion).

Well, I don't know if the internal conflicts are forgotten so much as... submerged?

SGA has (occasionally ) impressed me by bringing back old issues to bite our heroes in the ass, so to speak. I mean, who watching "Thirty-Eight Minutes" the first time seriously thought the Iratus bug would become such a huge plot point? And the Genii are like cockroaches! The expedition's one screw-up in "Underground" led to "The Storm"/"The Eye," "The Brotherhood," and a sort of lukewarm war. I'm still waiting for the creators of the nanovirus from "Hot Zone" to come into play.

On the emotional side of things, the SGA characters strike me as the type to, well, go through about a dozen unhelpful and unproductive avoidance tactics before confronting any kind of personal issues.

Sheppard? His method of dealing with trauma is to shove everything into some dark corner, forget about it, and not unkindly but firmly discourage everyone else from ever mentioning it again. Didn't hear much from him about clinically dying in "Thirty-Eight Minutes" (or, for that matter, his suicide attempt in "The Siege") so didn't expect to hear much from him about his experiences in "Conversion."

Weir? Drowns herself in her work. Trying and trying not to make the same mistakes again. That's how I read her tag scene in "The Intruder." She's had at least however-many-days-it-takes-the-Deddy-to-make-the-trip-from-Earth-(I forgot, lol) to deal with Simon's rejection, and when she arrives back in Atlantis, she dismisses Teyla's concern and immediately starts working, all the more devoted to the expedition and her professional life because she doesn't have much left personally.

McKay? Well, he generally reacts to pressure badly--by reverting to being a bit of a jerk--unless it's pressure and the lives of the people he cares about are on the line. In which case, he generally steps up to the plate admirably, if with a lot of complaining and predictions of doom. After "Trinity" though, I got the impression he was subdued, quicker to admit his faults, and more desperate to do anything he can to keep his team safe. (Especially Sheppard, and that makes me hurt for McKay because, Christ, that's next to impossible.) He goes on the egg hunt in "Conversion" though he has no real place there, his first thought is to go in the "Aurora" pods himself (that's also the episode where we have the only verbal exchange between Sheppard and McKay about the hot topic of trust), and there were the recent close calls in "The Hive" and "Epiphany."

Spoiler:

Namely McKay taking the big, BIG dose of the enzyme to overpower his guards, fix the DHD, return to Atlantis, and rescue his overdue team. Then there's his controlled panic to fix it when Sheppard gets sucked in the time dilation portal, admitting it was his fault, saying he can't fly the jumper in a straight line, and crediting an idea to Zelenka.

...and I could go on and on about everybody, but I think I've written enough.

SO, look, there's CHARACTER CONTINUITY!

Well, if you're the type to connect the A and B plots of this episode by relating Weir and Teyla's experiences and shortcomings as female leaders of their respective peoples.

If Kav had been tortured then there would have been something more tangible to grab onto [snip] and a bigger likelihood that the ramifications of Elizabeth's decision would be brought up again.

Agreed. As it is, I don't think Kavanagh's going to forgive Weir for taking this final step--even if he goaded her to it and, BTW, how stupid is that?--and since he's probably heading back to Earth, it'll be interesting to see if he'll drum up trouble for her. I have no doubt many on Earth wouldn't be able to grasp the life-and-death urgency of the situation. I, too, will reserve judgment until I see the rest of the season.

Shep to have more to do as head of military he was pretty much just lounging around it seemed.

If it's any consolation, there's more than enough wiggle room to write Sheppard a very active role off-screen. Sheppard presumably organized the military in searching the city immediately after receiving the message from SGC (there are two short scenes of the actual search) and later helped with the interrogations, as I understand a number of people from both the Deddy and Atlantis were questioned (though only Weir's interviews with Kavanagh and Novak were shown). He was probably in charge of the evacuation as well. I chalk it up to limited time, too many plotlines and characters, and TPTB just not being all that great at getting the details in sometimes.

Mind you, I admired the view...

Aaaahhh, yeeesss. I've read reviews in which people compared his casual lounge on the corner of Weir's desk to a slinky singer sprawling atop a piano, lol. It'd be disturbing if there weren't a nugget of truth there.

Right. Moving over to the thunk thread.


edit: tags

[AutumnDream]

I looooved the B story. Teyla isn't exposed enough and I'm always really happy to see her get to play an important role, whether in the main story or her own story. I thought the stuff with Charin was touching, too.

[Yeade]

You're just trying to rile people up, aren't you?

[Callie]

Help with the lyrics, please? In the final verse after they've saved the city, what are the words following "River flows"? They sound like "Let (something) win" but I really can't make them out.

The rest of the lyrics are:

Beyond the night, a rising sun
Beyond the night, the battle won
The battle’s won.

Fear and shame now in the past
Pain and sorrow gone at last
Gone at last.

Circle renewed, peace will be found
Beyond the night on sacred ground.

River flows [I can’t make out this next bit]
First new breath, our journey begins
Our journey begins.

[Jonzey]

Some people mentioned that there weren't any instruments visible during Teyla's song. There were. In the first few seconds of the music when the camera is kinda looking in the direction from the head of dead women (i forget her name) to her feet. And I counted one guy with two big tribal drum thingys and a couple of other people with big stringed instruments which I coudn't identify.

[atlantis2184]

Hey guys !

Do you know where I can find the transcript of Critical Mass?
I have just seen the screencaps and now I am wondering how the dialogue looks like.
Thanks.

[Callie]

The first draft of the transcript is here:

http://www.brundle.free-online.co.uk...ical_Mass.html

[atlantis2184]

Thanks a lot for the transcript !!!

[CYBEREAGLE19]

all ina ll great episode, could have done out with the athosian story line and taylas singing, I love how hermiod and novak back, and see everyone ahtes kavanaugh, glad theay had shep useing a taser, I would have hated had he somehow come up with and used a zat on cauldwell, anyone notice that when theay showed the city it was still all lit up even thought theay ahd removed the zpm, also how coe theay where able to explore the city looking for the bomb without power, wasent that why we couldent go exploreing in the first season?, oh well despite a few negative it was a much better epsisode then recently, also woinder how far ahead does this episode take place after the plage in the fourthhorsemen?

[Stevo]

This has to be one of my favourite episodes, it was really well done and the beaming of caldwell to be interrigated was cool, just a shame that caldwell didnt put up much of a fight

[the fifth man]

This does sound like a pretty good ep. I can't wait until we actually get to see it here in the US.