Rewatch: The Daedalus Variations
Jan. 4th, 2013 10:05 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
twinsarein.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sga_squeetwinsarein.livejournal.com posting in sga_squeetwinsarein.livejournal.com posting in sga_squee
Profile
SGA squee
Page Summary
Style Credit
- Style: Neutral Good for Practicality by
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Expand Cut Tags
No cut tags
Comment 1
Date: 2013-01-08 07:23 pm (UTC)Whoa! This was a very dialogue-heavy episode, even more noticeable considering the small number of characters (apart from Team) namely Chuck, Evan and Radek.
First off, it's pick-on-Rodney time. ::rolls eyes:: Since we need to waste precious dialogue on why Teyla is not giving Rodney a chance to hold the baby. Because he dropped it. Seriously, people, this is such important need-to-know stuff. I think the writers just went gaga (or goo-goo) over anything to do with teh baybeez.
Thank goodness an unexpected and unexplained ship shows up on the sensors to change the subject. Naturally the Team goes to explore it and then gets stuck when there's a flash. Uh-oh, where'd Atlantis go? And Atlantis wants to know where'd the ship disappear to? A spiking energy level is not a good thing apparently.
Good thing Rodney figured out the flash is consistent with what happened when Rod came to Atlantis. Because, as he's saying that, the rest of the Team comes across their alt-selves, lying on the deck, dead.
When Rodney joins them, Teyla says something definitely uncharacteristic – unless we're to believe that idioms are IDENTICAL in another galaxy. So what's weird? "I feel like someone just walked over my grave." Oops, somebody wasn't thinking.
Gee, wasn't it convenient that the other Rodney's tablet had so much info on it? And enough power to display it?
I love the exchange of dialogue between a worried Rodney and a confident John whose mission it is to reassure Rodney that "they're not us". And despite Rodney's protest that the others would have already tried all avenues to control the alternate reality drive ... and failed, I love how John is showing faith in his McKay! Also, because John is too stubborn to accept the inevitable. The rest of the Team splits up to look for supplies.
Comment 2
Date: 2013-01-08 07:32 pm (UTC)Teyla certainly doesn't feel comforted to think that there could be a million versions of herself with a million different Torrens, but she's definitely sad about the fact that there's at least one version of herself who's dead and who may have had surviving family. Ronon's far more pragmatic about the whole thing but certainly not unsympathetic to his friend and teammate.
John rejoins Rodney only to learn that this IS all Rodney's fault. Well, not his Rodney, but the original Rodney who invented the drive. Which his Rodney can identify because "there's a certain, um, elegance to the design". John snarks back that obviously the crew would have been remarking on that aspect as they abandoned ship.
Remember this is where John wonders whether they can just throw the drive in reverse.
The ship jumps to a different reality; John joins Teyla and Ronon on the bridge. Teyla surprises John by knowing how to use one of the consoles; she announces that Atlantis is back. So, how come she's technically proficient? Well, the last time the Daedalus was in orbit, Major Marks offered to teach Ronon and her. She accepted while Ronon was busy.
But this is no time to chat. While there's no response from Atlantis, there's an unknown vessel powering up its weapons. Though Rodney protests it's not their Atlantis, John goes with his gut to help the people on the planet than whoever is attacking it.
The Daedalus manages to damage the other ship but then there are a lot of fighter ships being launched. John figures Ronon should have taken the learning opportunity when he had the chance because now he has to learn how to operate the rail guns.
There are explosions to the consoles and a hull breach from one of the fighter ships crashing into the Daedalus. The only thing Rodney can do is try to make the alternate reality drive engage more quickly. But, if he does that, then all future jumps will be accelerated. Still, our Team doesn't have any other options, so John orders Rodney to do it.
And they jump – apparently from the frying pan to the fire. Or a sun that is inexplicably where it shouldn't be. Rodney guesses that it's the red giant from 48,000 years in their own future that happened more quickly in the reality they're in now. That's nothing that will help them, but Rodney found it ... interesting. No matter how life-threatening the situation, it seems Rodney always has time for his inner geek!
Rodney sends the rest of the Team to Engineering. While Teyla and John are busy at the consoles, Ronon hears a clanging and goes to investigate. And comes across a Borg. [Yes, this is what the GateWorld transcriber called it!]
Ronon's fighting the sorta-Borg and is in trouble. Luckily – finally – Teyla and John hear the gunfire. John runs out toward the danger, 'cuz he's John, you know. John gets to Ronon in time to save him and shoot the sorta-Borg. Ronon gets a new blaster that shoots green. And then two more sorta-Borg show up to keep them busy. When Teyla's done with her Engineering stuff, she wants to run out to go help John and Ronon. But Rodney says there's not enough power yet to make a jump. Unless ... unless they drop the shields. It seems to work, with the indicator racing up from 70 until it reaches 97. It pauses, then goes to 98 and doesn't move. Of course, Rodney's freaking out. Teyla's no help as she mentions the hull is beginning to deteriorate. Against all odds (no, seriously), the indicator goes to 99 and finally hits 100. They jump. Yay! And Ronon and John overcome the sorta-Borg. Yay again!
Comment 3A
Date: 2013-01-08 07:40 pm (UTC)But not to worry. Because Rodney knows how to get them home. Here, let him explain in his own modest way: "So, in a spectacular feat of multi-dimensional mathematics, I have discovered a way to send the ship back along the path it's previously travelled, bypassing the navigation system altogether."
John thinks that sounds suspiciously a lot like what he suggested hours ago, namely putting it in reverse. Rodney admits he's using John's suggestion, but not before he's insulted John: "And naturally I dismissed it out of hand, but then I realised that – including the original designer – not one but two versions of myself have failed to make this thing work. I had to think not like me – in fact, I had to think like the opposite of me, and it doesn't get much more opposite than you."
Luckily, John's going to take the above as a compliment. Just one problem: they just barely escaped the last one and, without shields, they're not going to succeed. Ah, but Rodney's got an idea ... to use the manoeuvering thrusters to get them further away from the sun in a higher orbit.
Teyla joins Rodney in Engineering and - when some crystals explode - ends up helping an embarrassed Rodney with a "separate diagnostic of the auxiliary system".
It's quite sweet to hear Teyla thanking Rodney "for not giving up", so that her first mission back is also not her last. And then they're back into crisis mode because the ship's about to jump and the sub-light engines haven't been repaired.
Unfortunately, the big alien ship is still there. The Daedalus manages to get away but then the fighters catch up when the sub-light engines burn out. Ronon's trying to shoot them down but ends up so frustrated he slams his fists down onto the console. ::sighs:: However, help comes from an unexpected (no, really!) source when a bunch of F-302s engage the alien fighter ships.
Comment 3B
Date: 2013-01-08 07:52 pm (UTC)John: "You're obviously a man of great integrity here, and a dedicated commander, and a very skilled pilot."
Alt-John: "Well, that's funny. I was gonna say the same to you."
Another flash ends the self-love fest and the Team heads out to the Hangar Bay. They're not out of trouble yet because a hidden sorta-Borg appears and shoots Rodney in the arm. The others manage to take it down, but there's a beeping coming from it. Eek! It's a self-destruct mechanism. The Team manages to retreat far enough and close blast doors cutting off most of the effect of the explosion.
Just one problem. The explosion depressurized the Hangar Bay and the jumpers are gone. There's no way out. Or off the ship. And, because they've changed the relative position of the ship, they're too far out to stay on the ship and be rescued by Atlantis before the ship jumps. Naturally, everyone looks to Rodney for the answer.
Back on Atlantis, Chuck notices that something has appeared on the screens, but it's too far out to get any ID. Evan figures it has to be our Team, so decides to lead the rescue, including Radek. At least this time the writing has a mention of Richard Woolsey being alerted. Let's presume it's the middle of the night and he's asleep.
Just as the 'jumper reaches the Daedalus, it jumps. But, then, Radek picks up four life signs "dead ahead". Gee, I wonder who they could belong to. ::snickers:: Yep, it's our Team, decked out in conveniently life-saving spacesuits. It was awfully nice of Evan to provide them with a cab, 'cuz they're not exactly in the neighbourhood!
Back on Atlantis, Rodney's in in the infirmary, in bed but working on a computer. John's in the visitor's chair, playing a hand-held computer game. John doesn't look up as he and Rodney have an argument about the drive that Rodney could re-invent and is eager to do so, because John's telling Rodney to "forget it". Luckily, they're interrupted by Teyla who's carrying Torren.
Teyla offers to let Rodney hold the baby, even though he's still in obvious pain. John – naturally – has to remind Rodney not to drop the baby. Rodney's ever so thankful for the reminder – NOT.
Aww. Rodney likes holding the baby. Teyla's remark that Rodney "will make an excellent father some day" obviously pleases Rodney, but John screws his face up in reaction before commenting. "I've seen a lot of scary things in my time, but that thought scares me the most." Seriously, John. More than ... say ... the Wraith???
Rodney gets nervous still holding the baby so hands him back to Teyla. I guess the Papa experience was good just for a few moments. And that's the end of the episode.
Closing thoughts
Date: 2013-01-08 08:00 pm (UTC)OTOH, the writers once again have slotted Ronon into the convenient barbarian category. Because he was “busy” - read: not interested – he didn't learn anything while on the Daedalus. Now, when he has to operate the rail guns, he ends up frustrated and pounds on the console. Because he's all brawn and not enough brain ... the way the writers usually write him, out of laziness.
I mentioned in the last episode that there should be repercussions considering that Ronon betrayed his team, saw his former friend redeem himself and underwent humiliating and excruciating withdrawal from the enzyme himself. But were there? Nah, don't be silly. This is no-continuity-TV.
Was there any point to introducing a new, powerful and extremely aggressive enemy so late in the series, especially as the decision had already been made to cancel it? And, yet, the reality was close enough to their own, with a corresponding John Sheppard. That was also way too redundant IMO. Would it not have been more intriguing to give John a different rank, to change some other aspects in this dangerous reality?
Back home, there's some weirdness to John's behaviour (OOC) regarding Rodney holding Torren and Teyla's approving consideration of Rodney as future father material. When Rodney crowed that he'd caught the baby when it was born, he was praised (IIRC) by John. And apparently it was very okay for John to get to hold Torren; and let's not forget John's tender gaze at the baby when in the cockpit of the Dart. So WHY would John feel so disturbed by the thought of Rodney becoming a parent? Hmmm. I may have to put my slash goggles on again. I recall John's stunned reaction upon seeing the ring that Rodney was planning to give to Katie. I think this is Part 2 of a similar reaction. John doesn't like being confronted with a reality where Rodney gets married and becomes a daddy. I can see cock-blocking for personal reasons (even if they're not slash-related and merely concern the loss of one's best friend/hang-out buddy to a conventional marriage) but, in this case, John is going further than one would expect a jealous man to go. It's not the first time he's been unreasonably petty. He did the same thing when he grabbed Rodney's fruit basket (after dismissing it) and presented it to Sam as his own gift. Just odd. Petty ... and childish.
Finally (just not to end on the OOC stuff), I just realized that Rodney tends to get injured in the arm, while with John it's the torso/abdomen. Did anybody else notice that?