Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

So now we're back to random deaths of secondary/tertiary characters?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    So now we're back to random deaths of secondary/tertiary characters?

    Riley's death in this episode was without build-up or much drama. We haven't really gotten to know him yet. For example, he's barely had any backstory (in fact, most of his backstory was revealed through his KINO confession, which was only shown to us after his death).

    He's been at best a secondary character, but I believe he's only been tertiary as his appearances had been infrequent and his impact on the overall plot minimal. It's Kate Heightmeyer all over again. A random death in a random episode with almost no build-up. At least with Kate's death, there was an ongoing crisis: Something was hurting people in their sleep and very soon, someone might die. There was a somewhat dramatic build-up to the big reveal.

    This, this was just "Hey, this is a quasi-filler episode with some important plot elements and a lot of filler. They fly out in the shuttle, it crashes, Riley gets pinned and then dies."

    Was anyone satisfied with this quick and seemingly randomly death of a tertiary character? I mean, because of the lack of build-up, backstory and much of anything, Riley's death didn't really impact me that much. I've barely gotten to know him, there was barely any build-up to his death (no battle scene, no "We're gonna go into this really dangerous place", no foreshadowing besides "Hey, turbulence!").

    IMO, this death was unnecessary. What, the PTB just wanted to show us that sometimes death strikes in unexpected places?




    #2
    Originally posted by FallenAngelII View Post
    Riley's death in this episode was without build-up or much drama. We haven't really gotten to know him yet. For example, he's barely had any backstory (in fact, most of his backstory was revealed through his KINO confession, which was only shown to us after his death).

    He's been at best a secondary character, but I believe he's only been tertiary as his appearances had been infrequent and his impact on the overall plot minimal. It's Kate Heightmeyer all over again. A random death in a random episode with almost no build-up. At least with Kate's death, there was an ongoing crisis: Something was hurting people in their sleep and very soon, someone might die. There was a somewhat dramatic build-up to the big reveal.

    This, this was just "Hey, this is a quasi-filler episode with some important plot elements and a lot of filler. They fly out in the shuttle, it crashes, Riley gets pinned and then dies."

    Was anyone satisfied with this quick and seemingly randomly death of a tertiary character? I mean, because of the lack of build-up, backstory and much of anything, Riley's death didn't really impact me that much. I've barely gotten to know him, there was barely any build-up to his death (no battle scene, no "We're gonna go into this really dangerous place", no foreshadowing besides "Hey, turbulence!").

    IMO, this death was unnecessary. What, the PTB just wanted to show us that sometimes death strikes in unexpected places?
    I think thats it, to show how dangerous the situation they are in, and to show how far gone Rush is.
    I don't think Riley was a tertiary character, he would have had more screen time but he had other obligations (theatre work I believe) so they wrote him out of some episodes in Season 1 when he got blown up. He was well liked by the Destiny crew and by the fans, which is why his death was treated seriously. Noone else who died got a montage at the end of the episode, a toast, or have Young and Scott react like they did

    Comment


      #3
      Season One had Kinosodes that were posted online. We did get to know Riley a lot more through those, but I didn't think they were advertised all that much.
      My Minecraft Stargatesigpic

      Comment


        #4
        EDIT: I'd forgotten that it was a kinosode, not in the ep... but yeah...He told the story about not taking his nephew to school on his first day.

        I felt like I knew him well enough to care about his death.
        sigpic

        Comment


          #5
          Who else are they going to have to tell us that the chevrons have been encoded and locked? A travesty that they killed him off!
          Bless the Maker and all His Water. Bless the coming and going of Him, May His passing cleanse the world. May He keep the world for his people.

          Comment


            #6
            I watched the kinosodes, so I'm sure that played a part...but of the B characters on the show he was one of the ones I felt like I knew the best. I was sad to see him go, but they can't keep adding characters without taking a few away in the process.
            sigpic

            Comment


              #7
              I was satisfied with it. I was shocked and upset and really didn't want him to die. I liked him. A lot.

              I don't need a big "Oh no, dangerous situation, someone might die" build up for a death to get to me, in fact, much like Fraiser's totally unexpected death in SG1, I personally think death has more of a dramatic impact when it's least expected. Going into season finale's and battles and whatnot, you expect it, you're prepared for it, but sudden and unexpected deaths like Riley's generally produce a much more viceral reaction.

              That being said, I also think that death loses it's impact in a lot of TV shows because it's so overused. There is a show I stopped watching because it basically became one main character and her red shirts, so I hope SGU doesn't make a habit of killing of the likable supporting cast to create drama.
              Originally posted by Callista
              Ahhh! Ashizuri can see into the future!!
              Originally posted by HPMom
              She saw the candle light as many things.

              Comment


                #8
                Um, the death was more about Rush and Young than it was Riley, despite how heart-breaking the scene actually was. Rush being confronted with his mistake, brushes it aside, it was done for the greater good in his eyes. Young finally being confronted with a hard choice, and not copping out, even if he did cover his own tracks. The arcs of the episode were theirs, not Rileys. This is character drama FAII, it's why we're here.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Um, he talked about his farm life, and family that never left the state they were born in, and how he missed his sisters wedding cuz he didnt wanna take someone elses stone time. And he got hurt trying to stop the weapons from assploding the outer hull of the ship while in FTL.

                  So I think we know him pretty well, even without the supplemental Kino materials.

                  He was a self sacrifice-y person who was a good country boy and had a good sense of loyalty and duty.

                  Its not the shows fault you werent looking at details so this punch didnt hit you.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    {mod snip}

                    Riley’s death was to show the fact that there is danger and death at every turn and being a secondary character it’s rather easier to write him out than the main cast who have contracts, though I hold out hope that they will be “trimmed” as well.

                    Frankly it wasn’t even that gutsy of a move. Shows like The Wire, Deadwood and the Unit all have had more balls when it comes to killing off characters, all 3 have had major characters suddenly shot. No build up, no final words, bang, and they’re gone. And that’s the way it should be, if you want to play up the realism then people often do die suddenly, or without some last heroic act, or for some great cause.

                    I found Riley’ death deeply unpleasant, he was a nice guy, had been through a ton of scrapes and in the end died on a supply run, having to be suffocated to prevent his suffering. But that’s the point, SGU is meant to be more realistic, and treaty death as what it is, random and deeply unpleasant certainly highlights the realism for me.
                    Last edited by KatG; 06 October 2010, 04:40 PM. Reason: unnecessarily insulting

                    Comment


                      #11
                      If the writers hadn't killed someone, there would be complaints about that too. We've gotten to know Riley and gotten attached to him as a character, so having him die is a big deal. Some people are bound to be sore either way - either because they killed off a known character or because they haven't killed off other characters. There's no way to win these kinds of things.
                      sigpic


                      SGU-RELATED FANART | IN YOUNG WE TRUST | FANDUMB

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Riley dying felt very much like Grodin on SGA tbh. No real build up, just a sudden realisation that nothing could be done to save them, which made it quite tragic tbh.

                        I was also thinking of how similar it was to episode 2x02 "Valley of Darkness" from Battlestar with the whole mercy killing angle. Secondary/Tertiary character is injured in a shuttle crash, bleeding out, no way of saving them. Superior officer kills them to end their suffering.

                        I can't help but think of the T.S Eliot quote to sum up the death of Riley tbh "This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper." Which is absolutely true, not everyone will get an action packed heroes death, it just isn't realistic.
                        Last edited by Demoniser; 06 October 2010, 12:29 PM.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I'm hoping they do a main character like this at some point. Sure people will probably hate and complain about it even after the series is over, but in real life almost nobody gets a big climactic build up to their death by unnatural causes, and the universe feels no obligation to make it feel "appropriate to that point in the story".

                          Young snuffing him out like that was way more than I thought I'd ever see on a Stargate show though. Got to give them points for that.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by The Mighty 6 platoon View Post
                            {mod snip}

                            Riley’s death was to show the fact that there is danger and death at every turn and being a secondary character it’s rather easier to write him out than the main cast who have contracts, though I hold out hope that they will be “trimmed” as well.

                            Frankly it wasn’t even that gutsy of a move. Shows like The Wire, Deadwood and the Unit all have had more balls when it comes to killing off characters, all 3 have had major characters suddenly shot. No build up, no final words, bang, and they’re gone. And that’s the way it should be, if you want to play up the realism then people often do die suddenly, or without some last heroic act, or for some great cause.

                            I found Riley’ death deeply unpleasant, he was a nice guy, had been through a ton of scrapes and in the end died on a supply run, having to be suffocated to prevent his suffering. But that’s the point, SGU is meant to be more realistic, and treaty death as what it is, random and deeply unpleasant certainly highlights the realism for me.
                            This.

                            I normally hate doing posts like that, but this sums it up just fine. And what are TPTB supposed to do, anyway? Pretty much wink and nod in all dangerous situations because somebody might say "Oh, you've already met your minor character death quota!"? Frak that.

                            The people upset or just plain whining about Riley's death have sent a pretty strong message to TPTB: Mission Accomplished.
                            Last edited by KatG; 06 October 2010, 04:41 PM. Reason: op snipped, no longer relevant
                            Forum insight in 1 click!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I don't think it was random. Random is like in SG1 where Martouf dies and we move on barely acknowleding it. Thier was quite a bit emphasis and emotional impact on watching Riley die.
                              Originally posted by aretood2
                              Jelgate is right

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X