Atlantis Windows? Hazmat suits?

[Hypochondriac]

I realize without the shield Atlantis is supposed to be extremely fragile, but wasn't it too easy to break the windows?

In most sci-fi shows they use transparent aluminum or something like that. I would thought the Ancients would use something other then glass, or make it a bit stronger.

I think it would have been better if it took more then 1 hit to break the windows.


Shouldn't Dr. Keller have had access to a Hazmat suit or two? The last time quarantine was engaged people in Hazmat suits were able to move around. I was expecting her to put on a suit to determine what happened.

[Shan Bruce Lee]

Yeah Keller might have had access to hazmat suits but it wouldn't have done any good because the lockdown wasn't because of an outbreak. It was a malfunction so it wouldn't have done her any good and would've just wasted time as a story element so it's not there.

[Hypochondriac]

Yeah Keller might have had access to hazmat suits but it wouldn't have done any good because the lockdown wasn't because of an outbreak. It was a malfunction so it wouldn't have done her any good and would've just wasted time as a story element so it's not there.

Wasn't the malfunction that the lockdown got triggered? The other lockdown protocols were in effect, So the hazmat suit thing should have worked. Ah well it's just a TV show.

[Gaya]

Oh man, yes. What happened to the hazmat suits? I mean, I'd willingly accept reasons for it not working (say, the hazmats are locked in a room that is now inaccessible due to the lockdown, or the lockdown just made it all not work properly, and thus the city doesn't recognise the hazmats as enough protection to let them out), but there really should've been some explanation to why people aren't donning them instead of trying to blast their way out or climbing up buildings.

[s09119]

The entire system was on the fritz, so it's reasonable to assume that Hazmat'ed teams would no longer have that freedom.

[talyn2k1]

One thing that made me curious about the windows.

When Shep broke the window in the room where he and Teyla were, the city didn't seem to care.

When he broke the window in the control room, it initiated the last resort containment measure - the self destruct.

So why did the city not initiate the self-destruct when Shep broke the first window?

[Hypochondriac]

One thing that made me curious about the windows.

When Shep broke the window in the room where he and Teyla were, the city didn't seem to care.

When he broke the window in the control room, it initiated the last resort containment measure - the self destruct.

So why did the city not initiate the self-destruct when Shep broke the first window?

I'm guessing that in the second instance the system detected there was an unauthorized entrance or a life form. Basically an extra person got added to the command room. So it detected shep wasn't wearing protection and assumed everything got contaminated

[PG15]

Wait wait...didn't the self-destruct only start when he turned off of the beacon?

[Mitchell82]

Wait wait...didn't the self-destruct only start when he turned off of the beacon?

No after the city determined there was a breach of the quarantine which was after the window broke. As to the suits well they may not be stored there.

[magicfrizbees]

I realize without the shield Atlantis is supposed to be extremely fragile, but wasn't it too easy to break the windows?

In most sci-fi shows they use transparent aluminum or something like that. I would thought the Ancients would use something other then glass, or make it a bit stronger.

I think it would have been better if it took more then 1 hit to break the windows.

I remember a similar discussion during Star Trek TNG - Wesl...someone had commandeered Main Engineeering and they needed to get back in, but no one suggested smashing the "glass" - the assumption being that something a little sturdier was being used. Transparent aluminum might have mentioned at the time (not on the show) - and if any later episodes had "shattered" that premise, there would have been hell to pay.

I supposed in canon, although Scotty used Plexiglass to build his whale tank - he "paid for it" by leaving behind the formula for --- transparent alumium.

Back to Atlantis, people have already mentioned the previous damage and the probability that replacement materials from Earth must have been brought in - but we're talking about a high-profile structure constantly subjected to attack, the occasional hurricane, submersion, and hyperspace travel. Shields are all well and good, but tempered glass of a decent thickness would still have been used, and that would require a lot more effort than merely tossing a stool at it.

Or maybe - 10,000-year-old transparent aluminum is just brittle, like you say.

[Raven56]

Wait wait...didn't the self-destruct only start when he turned off of the beacon?

By the timing, yes, but the message said quarantine breached. So I figured it was the entry that did it, and it just took a few moments to kick off. Sheppard was fairly quick on the keyboard, there.

My first idea was that the security program knew the difference between exit (window broken outwards) and entry (broken inwards). Therefore, it didn't trip the problem protocol on the first window, since going outside isn't going to cause any interior infection, but when the entry occurred, then quarantine was breached.

But it's also very possible that the upped body count was what set it off.

[talyn2k1]

By the timing, yes, but the message said quarantine breached. So I figured it was the entry that did it, and it just took a few moments to kick off. Sheppard was fairly quick on the keyboard, there.

My first idea was that the security program knew the difference between exit (window broken outwards) and entry (broken inwards). Therefore, it didn't trip the problem protocol on the first window, since going outside isn't going to cause any interior infection, but when the entry occurred, then quarantine was breached.

But it's also very possible that the upped body count was what set it off.

Considering the quarantine is meant to keep the infection inside the city just as much as preventing further infection from getting in. The infection was already inside the city so I doubt it would be worried about someone entering the city with an infection.
If the infection is inside the city, the breaking of the first window should've made the city realise that the infection was able to get out and triggered the self-destruct to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the planet.

The body count wouldn't of been different as Shep had merely left and entered the city.

The only thing I can think of is that the city didn't consider the control room to be infected and considered it to be the last clean area. It wasn't triggered by Shep leaving the city because it just isn't programmed to be bothered about people leaving the city (which it should be imho). However, when the entry was made, it assumed that the entry was Shep who had left an infected area, thereby infecting the last clean area in the city and triggering the self-destruct as all hope was now lost!

[Raven56]

The only thing I can think of is that the city didn't consider the control room to be infected and considered it to be the last clean area. It wasn't triggered by Shep leaving the city because it just isn't programmed to be bothered about people leaving the city (which it should be imho). However, when the entry was made, it assumed that the entry was Shep who had left an infected area, thereby infecting the last clean area in the city and triggering the self-destruct as all hope was now lost!

Pretty much what I thought but phrased MUCH more clearly!! Thanks.

[Atlantis15]

Sorry to butt in but did McKay change some of the lockdown protocols so people in hazmat suits might not have been able to get out even if they wanted to also I think the hazmat suits are stored in the labs not the imfirmary.

[Raven56]

... also I think the hazmat suits are stored in the labs not the imfirmary.

I think you're right - I wondered why Keller and Ronon didn't even TRY to get out with Hazmat suits, so that now makes sense.