Letters from Pegasus Week
Oct. 31st, 2012 09:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
em_kellesvig posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sga_squeeZelenka: I've been tracking their progress. The Wraith ships apparently go in and out of hyperspace periodically -- either because their hyperspace technology is limited...
Sheppard: ...or they're stopping to feed along the way.
Zelenka's theory about the Wraith's hyperspace technology becomes an important theme throughout the series. This is the first mention of it but it comes back in quite a few episodes: The Siege III, Intruder, Aurora, Allies, No Man's Land, Misbegotten, Spoils of War, Infection, and finally, Enemy at the Gate. While some of these episodes only hint at the problem, others address it outright: The Wraith hyperdrive is significantly different from the Asgard and Ancient hyperdrives in that it can operate only intergalactic not extragalactic.
They can get around in Pegasus but they can't leave it, not without the Atlantis gate. Otherwise, they would have taken the information they got from Sumner and headed for Earth forthwith, bypassing Atlantis entirely. (I'm one of those who believes Sumner was intelligent enough and informed enough to have a very good idea of where Earth was in relation to Pegasus. Either he was able to withhold that information or the Wraith weren't able to put it to good use for obvious reasons.)
The second problem they have is power, as in not enough. That factor doesn't emerge until later in the series but it may be the reason their hyperdrive doesn't work as well as it could. As Todd points out, the organic nature of the hiveships doesn't allow for the kind of power generation they need to go extragalactic. That's why they need Atlantis or a ZPM. Failing those technologies, they need a better hyperdrive (see: Aurora).
What's most interesting about this information is that Zelenka figured it out so soon and just from their pattern of behavior. Smart, smart man. As much as I love McKay, I honestly believe Zelenka is just as vital to the survival of expedition.
"Letters from Pegasus" 1x17
Sheppard: ...or they're stopping to feed along the way.
Zelenka's theory about the Wraith's hyperspace technology becomes an important theme throughout the series. This is the first mention of it but it comes back in quite a few episodes: The Siege III, Intruder, Aurora, Allies, No Man's Land, Misbegotten, Spoils of War, Infection, and finally, Enemy at the Gate. While some of these episodes only hint at the problem, others address it outright: The Wraith hyperdrive is significantly different from the Asgard and Ancient hyperdrives in that it can operate only intergalactic not extragalactic.
They can get around in Pegasus but they can't leave it, not without the Atlantis gate. Otherwise, they would have taken the information they got from Sumner and headed for Earth forthwith, bypassing Atlantis entirely. (I'm one of those who believes Sumner was intelligent enough and informed enough to have a very good idea of where Earth was in relation to Pegasus. Either he was able to withhold that information or the Wraith weren't able to put it to good use for obvious reasons.)
The second problem they have is power, as in not enough. That factor doesn't emerge until later in the series but it may be the reason their hyperdrive doesn't work as well as it could. As Todd points out, the organic nature of the hiveships doesn't allow for the kind of power generation they need to go extragalactic. That's why they need Atlantis or a ZPM. Failing those technologies, they need a better hyperdrive (see: Aurora).
What's most interesting about this information is that Zelenka figured it out so soon and just from their pattern of behavior. Smart, smart man. As much as I love McKay, I honestly believe Zelenka is just as vital to the survival of expedition.
"Letters from Pegasus" 1x17
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Date: 2012-10-31 02:31 pm (UTC)Remember, it's not until Atlantis and the Wraith form that alliance that the Wraith get the address for Earth - they steal it right out of Atlantis' databanks, and *then* a hive starts making its way there.
Zelenka is awesome ♥ I agree that he's vital to Atlantis. He works well with McKay, can hold his own against Rodney, and is definitely intelligent enough to run the place while Rodney is gone/injured.
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Date: 2012-10-31 02:52 pm (UTC)And that's why the Wraith had to steal the address for Earth rather than take it by force. (Very good point!) They're very crafty, sneaky bugs, aren't they? (Ick!) Just look at Todd.
I'm glad they had Zelenka there as Rodney's second. He was the perfect counterpoint/partner in crime for Rodney and the science department
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Date: 2012-10-31 03:01 pm (UTC)*nod* They're very crafty, indeed! Never trust a wraith, basically.
Zelenka worked out perfectly! I'm so glad he wasn't just a one-off character like he was supposed to be originally.
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Date: 2012-11-01 12:14 am (UTC)A very smart man indeed. I love his interactions with...well, everyone!
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Date: 2012-11-02 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-02 12:15 am (UTC)