Sheppard needs to be demoted....

[Hatcheter]

You're not wrong!
Strange thing is it's the same old people slagging off Shep and the same old people defending him! Small world...

In a way, it would be interesting to see what happened if TPTB did kill off Sheppard. Other than me crying into my pillow for probably two years solidly, I think the show would fold pretty quickly without it's leading man. Just my opinion though...

I think Atlantis would survive the loss of Sheppard. SG-1 killed off Daniel for a season, and more recently lost Jack, and the show is still going strong. The lesson from those events is to cast a charismatic new lead to replace the lost character, while making sure that the remaining cast carries a heavy load while the audience adjusts to the new guy.

Now, if Sheppard and McKay were to both be lose at around the same time, we might not have a show anymore.

Oh, and no, Sheppard shouldn't be demoted. I've just got used to Lt.Colonel, and don't want to have to revert to Major again!

1. That would be very confusing.
2. If I'm not mistaken, a demotion would mean that he would be forced into retirement as well. Is not immediately, at the very least he would liekly not earn a promotion again, and would be forced out upon reaching the time-in-grade limit.

But he hasn't done anything since his promotion that would deserve a repremand, let alone a punishment anywhere close to the severity of a demotion.

[The Prophet]

I can see the reason now:
Sleeping with too many alien sluts and contracting God knows what.

STATA! Sexually Transmitted Ancient Tech Activation!... Well, if it can be transmitted through blood why not through...You know...?

It's not through blood though, it's through "Gene Therapy" which, in real life, has a high mortallity rate!

[knocknashee]

I like Caldwell's role at the moment. He should take more of a role stepping in to make sure Speppard's following protocol etc. I think he would be good to deal with Sheppard's self centred decissions that go against Weir's.

Sheppard was rushed into being a colonel and is not experienced enough like Jack was.

Oh and he shouldn't command the Orion!!!!!!!

Not to change the focus of the discussion here, but that to me sounds like an inference that Weir is always right. She isn't. Both Ronon and Sheppard voiced their opinions against keeping Michael alive in Michael, and they were right.

The chain of command assumes too many things, namely...

1. That the person in command is fit to be there.
2. That the person in command is educated enough to make the correct choices.
3. That they should be blindly followed because they are always correct.

Your statement makes gross assumptions about Weir's ability to make decisions - she, like any other human being is falliable. And far from his 'self-centered decisions' that go against hers, he's been overly compliant in S2 and gone along with most of what she has said. And when he has disagreed, his input has been largely ignored. She paid more attention to his opinion when he was a Major. I feel a lot this season there has been an aurora of "I got you this promotion, toe my line".

Ladon's comment about the 'Errand Boy' couldn't have been any closer to the truth if it tried...

[ShadowMaat]

People accuse TPTB of lacking imagination (and I would count myself in that number), but how unimaginative is it to kill someone of just because YOU (generally speaking) don't like him/her?

As I recall, there was one person seriously advocating Shep's death on the Kill Shep thread. Everyone else was saying stuff along the lines of, "I don't think it needs to go that far, but..." or coming up with fun ways to "get rid of" the character- most of them NOT involving death.

I'm also sick of all the people who think that A needs to die for daring to "replace" B. A little maturity, please. There are easier and more interesting ways to try incorporating BOTH characters (whichever the two and whatever the situation) than by killing one of them. How very Highlander. There are also more imaginative ways of sidelining a character you don't like or even suggesting ways that a disliked character could- *gasp!*- be improved into something that you DO like! If there's something you hate about a character, there must be specific things about him/her that you hate and thus ways for those things to be changed.

Unless you just blindly hate a character for existing. Not much ANYONE can do about that.

I miss Ford. I miss Bates. I'd like to see both of them back as I think they're good, interesting characters (and Bates in particular offered a much-needed perspective that has ben sorely missing this season, IMO). HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I think ANYONE should be killed off to make room for them again and it doesn't mean that I don't like some of the "new" characters that have been introduced- Lorne and Ronon among them. I don't want them to de any more than I want Ford or Bates to die.

[Linzi]

People accuse TPTB of lacking imagination (and I would count myself in that number), but how unimaginative is it to kill someone of just because YOU (generally speaking) don't like him/her?

As I recall, there was one person seriously advocating Shep's death on the Kill Shep thread. Everyone else was saying stuff along the lines of, "I don't think it needs to go that far, but..." or coming up with fun ways to "get rid of" the character- most of them NOT involving death.

I'm also sick of all the people who think that A needs to die for daring to "replace" B. Grow up. Get over it. There are easier and more interesting ways to try incorporating BOTH characters (whichever the two and whatever tie situation) than by killing one of them. How very Highlander. There are also more imaginative ways of sidelining a character you don't like... or better yet, try a REALLY novel approach and try suggesting ways that a disliked character could- *gasp!*- be improved into something that you (generally speaking) DO like! If there's something you hate about a character, there must be specific things about him/her that you hate and thus ways for those things to be changed.

Unless you just blindly hate a character for existing.

I miss Ford. I miss Bates. I'd like to see both of them back as I think they're good, interesting characters (and Bates in particular offered a much-needed perspective that has ben sorely missing this season, IMO). HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I think ANYONE should be killed off to make room for them again and it doesn't mean that I don't like some of the "new" characters that have been introduced- Lorne and Ronon among them. I don't want them to de any more than I want Ford or Bates to die.

I miss Bates too. I liked his perspective on things. He was a great antagonist, and I liked the conflict he sometimes brought to the series. I don't know why he didn't return for season 2.
I don't want anyone to die either. I actually like all of the characters, though I have my favourites, obviously.

[ShadowMaat]

There are plenty of characters I don't like or who do nothing for me or who frustrate the hell out of me, but wishing for their deaths, however fictional, seems way too extreme.

About the only time I wish for a character's death is when they pussyfoot around the idea- he's alive, he's dead, he's mostly dead... either kill him or let him live and be done with it, is MY feeling.

[Skydiver]

Let's debate the issue without calling each other names please

[Elinor]

You're not wrong!
In a way, it would be interesting to see what happened if TPTB did kill off Sheppard. Other than me crying into my pillow for probably two years solidly

Me too!!

This is the only 'death of Shep scenario' I'd enjoy! Gets killed after very much whumpage! He ascends...doesn't fit into the Continuum (um...wait...that's Star Trek). OK...don't know what it's called...the Ascendedinuum maybe!! Reason being...won't obey the rules, like cutting his hair, wearing white clothing etc. etc!! Gets 'descended'...like Daniel was...naked...and into Weir's office!!!

Now that would be a fun episode!!

[lissafoss]

I cant see him ascending, and i like whumpage but even that is getting boring with Sheppard. I dont think demotion would work but some kind of punishment for his actions would be nice and probably make me like him a little more.
And please dont say kill or death when talking about Lorne. Its upsets me and i spent long enough worrying about that in S2. I'm in a nice place now with Lorne where i think he will live forever and we will get to see him more and more.

[IcyNeko]

I'm not sure Sheppard needs to be demoted. If nothing else, he's shown tremendous courage under fire, creativity under command, and good use of tactics. His... kirking... MAY earn him a reprimand, but for all that he's done, I'm not sure he's worthy of demotion.

Now Weir... needs her decisions double checked.
And it looks like

Spoiler:

it might be now that our favorite NID advisor to the IAC is packing for Atlantis. Gotta Love Woosey.

Remember, the contingent is only as good as the head of the contingent. Blame Weir for the fact that there are

Spoiler:

2 Wraith Cruisers heading towards Earth with Two SGA personnel onboard and a security breach (Atlantis Data was stolen off the mainframe).

[ShadowMaat]

If there are valid reasons to kill off a character- beyond "I hate him" and "we need some drama", then I can admit- reluctantly- that death does have a part to play in things. But yeah, it usually happens to my favorite characters and it IS upsetting, whatever the reasons for it to happen. But that's probably a little off topic.

Shep ascending is not something I EVER want to see. EVER. Not him and not anyone. Not even Lorne. I am sick and freakin' tired of ascension being used as some pathetic cop-out for a storyline. It's a "get out of jail free" card and has been so massively abused by TPTB that I now despise it. Every time it shows up it's such an utterly crappy excuse to get out of whatever hole TPTB have dug for themselves. And then, magically, the person can de-ascend, too! Woohoo! Who needs to kill off a character when you can just send them to Glowy Land until you have another use for him?

Never ascend anyone on Atlantis. Never ever ever ever. [/rant]

Ascension is, in act, one of the instances whre I would PREFER the death of a character. Grow a pair and kill someone off, don't just send them away for a while.

[Pharaoh Atem]

As well, Lorne needs to be killed and Sgt Bates brought back.

don't let shadow maat hear you say that lol

keep shaperd where he is but if he kirking then by all means kick his butt back to major and let someone else take over who won't be distrated

[generaloneill]

there is definitely something in the worldwide water supply if people think sheppard needs to be demoted or killed off or that lorne has to be killed off and sgt bates brought back in his place bates wasn't even that popular with many of the fans because of his racist tendencies that and the fact that he was unevenly written by tptb and the day that colonel caldwell takes over the atlantis military contingent will be the day that i stop watching atlantis.

[FoolishPleasure]

Bates was a voice of reason many times. He would have made a good internal security officer, if Atlantis had one.

[genius21]

i hate bates to paranoid would blame his own fart if something would go wrong.

can't kill shepperd he's the key to everything if people can't see that then there not that smart i'm almost blind and i see what key role shepperd plays in atlantis and all it's wonders.