Ronon being called Chewie by Sheppard

[Davey]

I didn't really like that "friendly" swipe at Ronon by Sheppard when he would call Ronon Chewie (=Chewbaka from Star Wars). One could say that it was Sheppard's expression of affection for Ronon, but it could also be said to be dehumanizing. After all, no other character was labeled with a name that the audience would immediately know regarding a non-human. Poor Ronon, in all his naivite he probably had no idea what Sheppard meant by "Chewie."

[Gatefan1976]

Han never saw Chewbacca as inhuman, He thought if him as his co-pilot and friend. In fact, if you look at the EU of Star wars, one of the main reasons Han left the imperial Navy was because of the inhuman treatment of non human slaves. Even in the Solo movie, Han never treated Chewie as anything less than a fellow smuggler/partner.
You are looking for something that does not exist.

[P-90_177]

I think you're kind of both right. Keep in mind Gatefan that Sheppard is making a general pop culture reference so things like the EU certainly wouldn't come into it for a casual reference. We haven't really seen any indication that Sheppard is a huge Star Wars fan so considering it with that much depth is somewhat unnecessary.

At the same time Davey it is safe to say that Sheppard isn't referring to Ronan as inhuman. All he simply means is that he considers himself the dashing rogue, Han Solo and Ronon as his huge, hairy, kick ass sidekick.

[Xaeden]

All he simply means is that he considers himself the dashing rogue, Han Solo and Ronon as his huge, hairy, kick ass sidekick.

This is spot on. You can see how shallowly he thinks of these references in the Fantastic Four conversation:

TEYLA: Well, how come you get to be Mr Fantastic?

SHEPPARD: Because he was the leader and I'm the ...

(He looks as them as Teyla looks back at him impassively. Ronon is smirking slightly.)

SHEPPARD: I'm just saying that they were a cool team and we're a cool team and they use their strengths to, you know ...

[Davey]

Actually I was concerned that he DID refer to Ronon as a non-human pet-like individual, the exact Chewbaca character. Of course no one had more innocent child-like charm than Ronon.

[Xaeden]

We know. Gatefan1976 responded by saying that Chewie is actually an intelligent, capable sidekick and it's you who are devaluing that character by thinking of him as a sub-human and pet-like. Just because he's hairy, loses his temper sometimes, doesn't speak English, and isn't human doesn't mean that he's what you think he is. He's a sapient alien and a more than competent pilot, tactician, and engineer. Although Han feels that he has to manage Chewie's anger sometimes Han clearly respects him and treats him, not as a pet but as a trusted companion.

If your point was that Sheppard did not know any of that and instead thought of Chewie as a pet, that would be one thing. Instead you said that he was pet-like and that that's "the exact Chewbaca character," demonstrating that you think Chewie is a pet, so to you it's an insult to call people that in all circumstances.

Meanwhile, P-90_177 and I simply said that it's doubtful that Sheppard thinks of Chewie as smart or dumb and instead shallowly sees himself as a roguish Han Solo type and thinks of Ronon as his big, kick-ass sidekick who sometimes loses his temper. Similarly, he thinks of Ronon as the Thing because the Thing is big and strong and kicks-ass, he thinks of himself as Mr. Fantastic simply because he's the leader, he thinks of Teyla as the Invisible Woman because she's his female team member, and he thinks Mckay is the Human Torch because that's the only character left (Sheppard would actually be a better fit for the Human Torch and Mckay for Mr. Fantastic). It's entirely superficial on his part and probably has more to do with his own view of himself than his view of others (comparing Ronon to Chewie allows Sheppard to see himself as Han Solo).

[Gatefan1976]

Actually I was concerned that he DID refer to Ronon as a non-human pet-like individual, the exact Chewbaca character. Of course no one had more innocent child-like charm than Ronon.

That description is worse than any SW description of Chewie, and Chewie was no where near a "child", he's almost 200 years old.

[Davey]

I wasn't referring to Chewbacca. I was referring to Ronon. I was referring to the child-like innocent charm on SGA.

[Chaka-Z0]

To be fair, I think Ronon deserved much more storytelling. Just look at the Sateda episode, it is pure gold, obviously action oriented but still. Momoa is one of the most guttural emotionally expressive actor out there in my opinion. The episode about his former Satedans (the asian guy and the other two), and his performance during the scene where he realizes they are wraith worshipers, is gold.

Just like Teal'c, I wish they had given him more solo episodes.

On a personal note, I named my parrot Chewie, and I do not accept anybody who misspells his name as ''Chewy''.

I think I get Davey's point though, but you can't blame the script, you can only blame TPTB for dumbing down Teal'c and Ronon characters.

*leaves the thread roaring like a Wookiee*

[Xaeden]

the asian guy

That would be Mark Dacascos aka Eric Draven aka The Crow. He starred in "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven." It was short-lived, lasting only one season, but I was first introduced to Stargate in the late 90s when it, The Crow, and a Mortal Kombat TV show were airing in syndication.

[Chaka-Z0]

That would be Mark Dacascos aka Eric Draven aka The Crow. He starred in "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven." It was short-lived, lasting only one season, but I was first introduced to Stargate in the late 90s when it, The Crow, and a Mortal Kombat TV show were airing in syndication.

I love that actor. I've also seen him in a movie... can't remember the title, he's playing an undercover alien that's trying to get back to his planet or something.

The movie was very, very bad, but I watched it all the same since I like that guy a lot.

Edit: Thanks for the link, the movie is called ''Alien Agent''. Seriously, don't watch it, I actually laughed most of the way through.

[Gatefan1976]

I think you're kind of both right. Keep in mind Gatefan that Sheppard is making a general pop culture reference so things like the EU certainly wouldn't come into it for a casual reference.

Except, we know Sheppard is a pop culture geek, he refers to pop culture often, especially star wars.
The EU, not so much, granted.

We haven't really seen any indication that Sheppard is a huge Star Wars fan so considering it with that much depth is somewhat unnecessary.

Actually, we have.

At the same time Davey it is safe to say that Sheppard isn't referring to Ronan as inhuman. All he simply means is that he considers himself the dashing rogue, Han Solo and Ronon as his huge, hairy, kick ass sidekick.

How can you claim a lack of information as a problem, then forgive a lack of information as not a problem?

[Gatefan1976]

I wasn't referring to Chewbacca. I was referring to Ronon. I was referring to the child-like innocent charm on SGA.

When did Sheppard ever tread Ronon as a Child?

[P-90_177]

Except, we know Sheppard is a pop culture geek, he refers to pop culture often, especially star wars.
The EU, not so much, granted.

Actually, we have.


How can you claim a lack of information as a problem, then forgive a lack of information as not a problem?

Because life is nuanced and so am I.

Xaeden got what I was trying to say.

[Gatefan1976]

Because life is nuanced and so am I.

Xaeden got what I was trying to say.

Nuance I can understand, but this is not nuance.
Shepp is a pop culture geek, it's actually been shown in the show, several times. I'm not disagreeing with your "final analysis", just that a geek like Shepp, with limited access to Earth entertainment would probably brought SW on DVD or flash drive to Atlantis and tried to show it to Ronon, much as he tries to show him Ice hockey with bowls of popcorn.
All I am saying is The initial premise of the thread, that calling Ronon Chewie is some kind of insult is wrong, and WHY I feel that way.

[Elite Anubis Guard]

I completely agree. It was nothing more than a friendly term of endearment.