Rewatch: Enemy at the Gate - The Finale!

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Unbelievable.  After almost two years, we are at the last episode of the series.  It's been quite journey.  I just want to thank everyone who's watched and participated, especially helenkacan.  I've enjoyed every moment, and I hope you have too.  Now, without further ado, the episode:

In the series finally, the Atlantis team is contacted by none other than their old friend Todd the Wraith who tells them an underling has marooned him on a planet and taken over the Wraith hive ship. As if that weren't bad enough, the hive ship is now powered by a ZPM and the super-energy source is transforming the craft into an invincible weapon. While those on Atlantis try to destroy the ship, it jumps to hyperspace and has a very clear destination in mind: Earth. Sheppard is recalled home to man their best defense while Teyla, Ronon and McKay find themselves battling the Wraith from within their ship. In the end, Atlantis must travel to Earth for the final battle. Written by garykmcd


[Poll #1910720]

Comments

Comment 1

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

No, say it ain't so, that we've finally reached the final episode. But, alas, it's true. I watched it yesterday and again today. I don't think I could handle a third viewing.

So, this is another extended version. I'll try to identify and note the additional scene(s).

Note Joe F's hands on hips and facial expressions when talking to Todd. And does Todd look weird (well, weirder than usual)? I wonder if his makeup was done by the same person, or was his face and rimmed, sunken eyes meant to convey how “excruciating” being restored to full Wraithiness really was?

Hmmm. Is that one of Rodney's customary labs? I don't recall ever seeing those patterned window shades before. Oh, sure, just add that detail to the last episode!

Awww, just before the opening credits, see Joe F's baby-faced helpless look while Richard steps up to the plate as The Man.

Woo-hoo. Richard playing top-dog mentally strategic chess against Todd. Oh, definitely, Richard likes “details”. He's still a lawyer.

Hmmm. Interesting to see how the director isolated John in the conference room after everyone else (Richard and team) had left, the decision being made to investigate.

Oh, hello, Daedalus, travelling through hyperspace. With a passenger you don't really care for. So, while I understand why Todd's communications device was removed, was the only clothing available a flight jumpsuit? Definitely “ridiculous” IMO.

Anyway, John's playing hardball in his encounter with Todd. I love seeing John's face with the shadows when he says he'll just go ahead and kill Todd should there be another double-cross.

So ... just what was the plan that Stephen wanted to stick to. I like the team's idea better.

There's cool Star Warsy type music while the Jumper is flying closer to the Super Hive.

Uh-oh. Seems the cloak on the Jumper doesn't stand a chance against the ZedPM souped-up SH scanners. They are so in trouble. Better call for Uncle Stephen the Daedalus!

I love those drop-down panels on the Jumper. They're so cool, even more so when all sorts of wires aren't hanging out like guts, lol.

Wooo. That single beam from the Daedalus looked so invincible. Too bad it had almost no effect on the SH.

And then came the retaliation from the SH. Yikes! All those multiple missiles.

Okay, now everybody's confused, after the team's back on the Daedalus. The Daedalus was easy pickings, so why did the SH simply disappear into hyperspace?

So, after everyone heads to the Engine Room, Rodney runs into an old nemesis, namely (Peter? Calvin? GateWorld's list of characters has him without a first name!) Kavanagh. What's he doing there? Reassignment. But it's interesting to see that he's standing up for his self-worth (a change from the disaster on the Midway station) by saying that it was his presence that caused the signal to be observed.

It seems the SH picked up a signal before disappearing through the window. What's in the signal? Well, Wraith and a weird subspace radiation. That Rodney recognizes as being from another reality (hello, Rod, also Daedalus Variations). I guess he should know, even if Stephen doesn't understand what Rodney's talking about.

And the bonus horror revelation: coordinates to Earth. But Rodney has a plan. Yay for on the spot genius! His plan to use Earth ships to attack the SH at predetermined points where he believes the SH will need to stop to recharge sounds a whole lot like the plan to use mines however many seasons ago to stop the Wraith fleet on its way to Atlantis.

Comment 2A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

The team is beamed back to Atlantis. Where they see the bad news. Sun-Tsu out of commission and even the Apollo limping home with the other ship's survivors. And nothing else between the SH and Earth. So it's good to see the wee bit of interaction in a corridor between John and Rodney. They're on the same page. Need another ship? Well, guess what? You're standing on it!

Let's have a bit more camaraderie between John and Todd, considering they're such good buds. John really does know how to get to Todd, using revenge at Todd's underling as an inducement for Todd to tell Atlantis where to find the ZedPMs. Yay when Evan brings them back. And yay for John to mention they should be checked for booby traps!

Oh, poor John. He's not going to get to fly the city. He has to return to Earth to be in the weapons chair. Uh ... 'cuz Jack O'Neill's ATA gene isn't good enough? Yes, I understand why they had to get John to Earth for the story line to proceed, but it seems implausible to me.

Another groan from me. It's the last frakkin' episode of SGA and Amanda T couldn't look more professional. I get how she could get away with the braid and or ponytail on the Daedalus and Atlantis, but this is SGC headquarters. And it's TPTB that just didn't give a damn about military continuity which makes her appearance even more awkward, when all the other women have their hair in buns at the SGC in this episode.

And, then, we find out that Carson's got the second-best chair effectiveness after John? Huh?? I guess Evan is just chopped liver. ::sighs:: Also, just WHO decided to name the ranking system the C.I.A.? ::groans:: Um ... why is Radek pronouncing Zed the American way? ::rolls eyes::

There's that tingly music that reminds me of Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind when Carson takes the city up, though the rattling sounds do not reassure me. But we see the snowglobe snowflake. Add in some 1980s Superman style heroic mythic music as well.

Comment 2B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Now we're in the SGC Operations room. Hi, Major Paul Davis. How come in all those years you never got promoted? But you look spiffy in your uniform, not like you-know-who. [Yes, I'm being obnoxiously catty.] And, once again, John's thinking-outside-the-box comes into play as he suggests fitting the F302s with nukes. Note how Paul has no trouble accepting an order from John. Well, after a discreet nod from Sam.

Back on the sparkly snowflake in space, Richard's asked to see Teyla and Ronon. So wonderful to see how human Richard's become, so unlike the unsympathetic “suits” of the IOA.

Okay, major stupidity alert. Fine, I can see how the non-proliferation treaty may have affected the location of the drone Chair in Antarctica, but – seriously – sending it to an unshielded area such as Area 51 is beyond belief. And, can anybody tell me how the Wraith from Vegas just happened to know of Earth's defence capabilities and discern the location of the moved chair? Did his trailer also just happen to have Ancient identifying equipment? Arrgghh.

So, let's get to the sudden emergency, with Darts headed to Area 51. I think John's so pissed off right now at bureaucrats in general. But no time for any of that as he has to lead a bunch of pilots to try to intercept the Darts. Well, no luck there as two Darts head down on a suicide run at the target and explode against it. John's run out of luck – supposedly – when his wing's hit and his ship is plunging toward Earth. Ha! As if. Because John's luck holds out and his ship manages to emerge from the dive Just. In. Time. Then he learns the Chair wasn't so lucky.

So, of course, it's time for John to go on one of his suicide runs. Sam tries to stop him. There's this lovely and tender music to accompany John's voluntary sacrifice. But, once again, I have to wonder just how effective (I'm thinking NOT) the Chair would have been simply with drones against the SH.

Back to the special snowflake, when it suddenly drops out of hyperspace. But they're nowhere near Earth. Uh-oh. Yes, yes, Rodney's trying to find out what's wrong. It must be so frustrating to be a mechanic for 10,000 year old equipment!

Ugh. The SH looks really reptilian as it approaches Earth - with menacing music too.

Back at the SGC command centre, Paul is telling us stuff we didn't really need to know. But it's fun to see how cynical he is about the IOA dignitaries wanting to save their own skins. Just too bad (mock concern) that the Gate's not working. Just to emphasize that, we see the Atlantis Gate burst into life. But when Atlantis tries to hail the SGC, there's no response. Even worse, Rodney's reading a Wraith energy signature. No, Richard, the Wraith aren't at the SGC. But, according to Rodney, there's a gate on the SH. Yikes!

Comment 3A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

But, hey, let's put that open wormhole to good use. Oh, look. Shiny grenades. The stupid Wraith guards think so anyway.

Ah, a surprisingly less wild-haired Radek credits Rodney for his work on the wormhole drive as he presents it to Richard. And Radek's the one who's going to have to make sure all the calculations are correct. Richard, once again very authoritative, gives his go-ahead.

Back on the yucky SH (it's that thick mist on the floor), our team (with Evan taking John's place, I know, I know, as if he could) is wondering what the best place to sabotage the SH would be. So Rodney tells them, with a little wrinkle. Hey, Ronon's willing to overlook the whole surviving thing.

Too bad he actually gets to show it as he's skewered by a Wraith and dies in front of the others, especially a horrified Rodney and defiantly disbelieving Teyla.

Then John, having blasted his way into the Dart Bay, contacts the SGC.

Ha! It's a good thing Rodney has his radio on and hears John about to arm the nuclear device. Now would be a good time to cut in, so Rodney does. Good thing that John stops. The music – for me – is imbued with a feeling of destiny with overtones of doom in the sounding beat.

Let's cut to Richard advising Jennifer that they might suddenly be in the middle of a battle zone. Or, OTOH, they'll be vaporised. Jennifer looks characteristically stunned and unprepared.

Back on the SH, the team and John stumble across each other. Luckily nobody fired. [The transcriber noted it seemed unusual that John would just happen to have a rifle with him in the cockpit of the F302! I agree.] John's face screws up in shock when he hears that Ronon's gone. Except that he's not, because he's being brought back to frakking life by a Wraith. Apparently, this is a new trick the Wraith can do. Demonstrated in the last episode of the series. ::rolls eyes:: Why? Well, so that Ronon can answer some questions. [Also, not be dead.]

Let's break away to see Sam and Paul talking about what parts of Earth the SH may be getting ready to target, after they've finished their surface scan.

Ronon's not too keen to answer any questions, so it's a good thing our team shows up to blast the bad Wraith away. Rodney is incredulous that Ronon's alive. 'Cuz, really, he was dead. Rodney saw it with his own eyes!

When John checks in with the SGC, he finds out that Earth doesn't have ten minutes (that Rodney figures he'll need to work on the DHD, etc. The music turns serious, because we all know that John's going to try to do it alone and sacrifice himself again. Rodney's voice gets all rushed when he admits he won't need ten minutes. He can shave off a couple of minutes. Oh, Rodney. But he resignedly hands over the detonator to John.

Then Sam interrupts, 'cuz another ship has shown up. Ha! That's no ordinary ship. It's glorious Atlantis! Accompanied by determined victorious music (sounds like Orff's Carmina Burana to me). Once again, Richard is in full command mode and gives the order to Carson to fire. Yay!

So our team aboard the SH gets to retreat to the SH's DHD amid killing a whole bunch of Wraith.

Comment 3B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

But Atlantis starts getting pounded by the SH and it's not looking good. In the meantime, Carson is having a problem firing and maintaining an orbit. When he gives Richard the option, he's told to keep firing.

Finally, Rodney manages to dial the Alpha Site. It's wonderful to see that Gate whoosh to life. Everyone else rushes through, leaving John to arm the nuke and get out himself. And then the SH goes all 'splodey.

The Operations room at the SGC is celebrating, but Atlantis isn't ready to pop any champagne corks, with a wee orbital problem. Will they survive reentry? Who knows.

Once again we see the snowflake rushing toward the Earth's surface. The music builds in intensity as the SGC waits to hear if they've made it. Oh, that's a gorgeous fireball the city's creating as it descends.

So, let's raise the tension by bringing in Walter with news of worried reports over the Pacific Ocean. See Paul raise his hands to his face. You know the political damage control over this incident will be a huge headache for him.

Luckily, finally, Atlantis responds. They've made it. Or nearly so. Richard just hopes they'll land over the ocean. More gorgeous views of that really humongous snowflake.

And it's time for Sam to make a wee call to the President. Very convenient that she was in charge today.

So, back on Atlantis, I didn't know they had an Infirmary bed long enough for Ronon (though I guess they did when they had to restrain him when he was detoxing – but it just seems more noticeable this time). And here comes Amelia Banks, totally different looking with her hair down and in civvies ('cuz that's how it should be when a military woman is NOT on duty). Time for John to get a bit flustered and leave these two. Who are smiling dorkily at each other. And, hey, Ronon came back to life 'cuz he still had stuff to do. Gee, I wonder what that might be. NOT! Anyway, Amelia wants to show him something, so suggests they take a little walk.

In the meantime, John has some unfinished business, so visits Todd. What's going to happen to him? Well, we'll never know now, will we.

Amelia leads Ronon out onto the balcony where there's already a bunch of people we know. Richard welcomes Ronon to Earth. Not that it's his first time or anything.

And, hey, are we in Star Trek IV or SGA? ::waves at the Golden Gate Bridge:: Finally, John comes out, wondering where everybody was. Well, if we're being specific, there should have been a few more somebodies out on the balcony, including Chuck and Evan. I guess TPTB didn't feel like paying extra that day. But we have, in order from left to right (facing the water): Carson, Richard, Amelia, Ronon, Teyla, Rodney and Jennifer. John inserts himself between Ronon and Teyla.

Rodney's being a bit grumpy as he expresses his relief that he's still alive. But then is perkier when he says he has Jennifer and what else would he need. Whoa, Rodney. What happened to your Nobel dreams? He's definitely more mellow.

As they stand there, enjoying the view and glad to be alive, the episode ends. And that's a wrap.

I can't remember whether the first time the episode aired it ran over the one-hour mark; but, going by the transcript, there was nothing missing from it, so the only way the extra three minutes could have been made up was in shots of the city as it travelled in space. Well, that's my guess.

Preamble to Closing Thoughts

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

BEFORE I GET TO MY FINAL COMMENTS aka Closing Thoughts (which will be tomorrow), it's time to cry. Plus there's no champagne either. I'm going to miss this rewatch so much. It was so much fun to have an activity that didn't stop for a summer break (especially when summer is a graveyard for TV shows). I'm thrilled that twinsarein started the whole thing because – really – the show deserved it ... and so much more that it didn't get. And who knew I could go on and on (and on) like that? Well, I'll just blame credit the show for inspiring me!

Closing thoughts

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Remembered thoughts from many sources:
* Too much crammed in 1 hour. Would have been much better as a 90 minute or 2 hour finale.
* I felt cheated by not having John fly the city and not convinced that Carson had the next highest rating. Seriously? I missed the real magic with John in the Chair (where he's really one with it instead of fighting against it) and adding mystical or heroic music was mostly cosmetic enhancement.
* I adored how Pegasus had changed Richard. He'd found the backbone he'd never had in his personal life ('cuz, really, when losing a Yorkie is the worst aspect of an unpleasant divorce, even though he was a legal beagle ... that was bad, and I'm sure TPTB gave him that backstory just to be mean, as they did in putting him in an ill-fitting, sloped-shoulder uniform at first) to project a quiet authority in governing the city. And then, an unlikely bunch of people had befriended him in a variety of situations, from having him be an instant baby-minder for Torren to drinking with John on the balcony. He managed better than an isolated Elizabeth or Sam who was both military and scientist but really neither.
* Richard also showed honour in how he dealt with Ronon and Teyla, compared to the condescending behaviour by the IOA idiots.
* What more can be said about that tantalizing SM-vibed relationship between Todd and John. They certainly had chemistry together. Not the right kind, but it still sizzled.
* Forgetting for the moment that this John Sheppard (probably like countless AU versions) will determine the need to sacrifice his life for the greater good doesn't prevent us from admiring his lightning-quick mental reflexes in assessing a problem and finding a solution faster than any of his peers. He really didn't need to join Mensa!
* While we're on the topic of John always sacrificing himself, I believe he embodied “the good of the many” and knew that his death had the potential to save 7 billion people. I said much the same thing last week about Vegas Sheppard. It's neither an empty gesture nor hubris. And so meaningful to do it willingly, rather than being ordered. Sam wouldn't order it, but there have been many despots in power throughout history who showed no such delicacy or hesitation.
* Killing Ronon off just to bring him back to life in minutes was a cheap trick. But the time constraints made leaving his resurrection till later impossible, as would cellular degradation. I remember some wishing Ronon had stayed dead: not because they didn't love the character, but because this dead/not dead state did nothing to advance the action (unless it was to really startle Rodney).
* Ronon and Amelia managed to convey a whole lot of impish chemistry in just a few looks and smiles. ::sighs:: Far better than the canon forced relationship of you-know-who. You know, the couple at the far end of the balcony.
* Speaking of the balcony scene, many thought that John was the isolated figure because he didn't have a romantic partner. But, when you examine the scene, the one who stood apart was poor Carson's clone. You'd think TPTB might have put him at the other end, right next to his alleged “best friend” Rodney.
* Did anyone think it strange that there were way more people crammed into SGC Operations than were on all of Atlantis? I figured everyone had been evacuated to the Alpha Site, but it still looked odd.
* I missed the conventional banter between John and Rodney - a trademark of the show. I guess its absence was to show us that minor squabbling was for those times when they weren't totally, utterly doomed.
* I have to give the highest praise to the set designers. From the oddly shaped towers to the snowflake shape to the exquisite (Frank Lloyd Wrightian) patterns on the windows, the city was a stunning miracle. The Ancients may have been pompous asses, but they sure did appreciate aesthetics.

Am I done? I don't want to be. I miss these amazing characters and even more amazing actors every single week. No wonder I read (and occasionally write) stories about them. When I think that Rodney's character wasn't originally written in the show, my heart stops. Yes, we would have still had John but one without the other, making each grow, is unthinkable. I'm glad we never had to settle for less.