sga_squee | Poisoning the Well Week (Reply)

In this episode, Teyla calls back to an important point she brought up in "Rising": the Wraith don't allow human populations to advance past a certain point so they don't become a threat to them.

The Wraith's greatest threat were also their creators, the Ancients, who were as technologically advanced -- if not more so -- than the Wraith. The peoples of the Pegasus galaxy are not unlike those of the Milky Way: Human 2.0 and sorely lacking the Ancient gene. They can't fight the Wraith on the same terms as the Ancients, with their level of technology.

However, as the Hoffans made clear, they're very aware of their potential and chaff under the limitations placed on them by the Wraith. Whether a given society is willing to do anything about it is another matter. Lay low like the Athosians and hope to escape notice? Hide in plain sight like the Genii and build weapons in secret? Strike horrible bargains like the Olesians and hope the deal will be honored? Build and rebuild like the Hoffans and hope for revenge? Or build and fight to the death like the Satedans?

As Teyla points out, the only options are culling -- or culling and total destruction. Is it any wonder then that the people of Pegasus will try anything to be rid of the Wraith? Or that the Tau'ri, knowing the Wraith want the location of Earth, would be willing to go down that path as well?