Poisoning the Well Week

[em_kellesvig]

Ah, Carson Beckett on his first trip offworld. The callback to McCoy from "Star Trek" was a nice touch.

The writers balanced the slippery slope ethics of this episode in several interesting ways. While Beckett was willing to help the Hoffans speed up their research, he intended it to move along the usual trial and study paths of modern Earth science. That wasn't quite what the Hoffans had in mind.

There's a subtle echo of Star Trek's "Prime Directive" at work here; this episode illustrates why it's so important not to interfere with the development of another culture, particularly when their goals go beyond what you find ethically acceptable. Best intentions aside -- for both Beckett and the Hoffans -- the real question here is just because you can do a thing, should you?


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"Poisoning the Well" 1x07

Comments

[em_kellesvig]

Very true. Beckett got caught up in the possibilities of what he was doing without really understanding how far the Hoffans would go once they had what they wanted. It's Pandora's Box but without the hope.

On the other hand, the Wraith make people desperate beyond Earth concepts. Is this really a slippery slope or a massive learning experience for the expedition? Or both?

[aadarshinah.livejournal.com]

Well, it's like in "The Siege, Part 1" when they're talking about possibly taking the ZPM from the planet with all the kids to power their sheilds. Sure, it's a lot more useful with the Expedition, but would they be really worth saving if they're willing to expose a bunch of kids to something like that?

I can't honestly say if it's a slippery slope or a learning experience for the Expedition. Both, probably. The Hoffans' desperation, and that of all the people in the Pegasus galaxy, is truely beyond Earth comprehension. But death on such a scale, in way that, when impliment, can only - and does - lead to their complete anihilation? It's worse than the Wraith. After all, the Wraith only kill to live. The Hoffans' implimentation of their drug is just senseless killing all around.