Rewatch: Travelers

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

[Poll #1862292]

Comments

Comment 1A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

HUGE DISCLAIMER:
I hate this episode with a burning passion to do away with the sexist idiots aka TPTB. And, no, the years have not dimmed my anger.

Oh, hello, John. Just what were you doing on a resupply mission, a first for you? Ah, I see. It was because you were visiting some very friendly, scantily-clad folk. Plus dorky action of putting apple in his mouth as he works the 'jumper controls.

Uh-oh. Well, someone out there isn't so friendly. The music turns space cinematic for a bit as John's 'jumper is attacked. And then they're both talking to thin air as they lose contact with each other. Definitely uh-oh. [Quibble: Does it make sense, in hindsight, that these people would have such pinpoint accuracy?]

Eeeee. More looming music as we get a recreation of a famous Star Wars scene. With bonus of huge ship going into hyperspace. A very fast, suspense-filled intro leading into the opening credits.

We return just in time for the John Sheppard HGTV Fixer-Upper show. Sure, John. Let's get some paint and add some throw pillows. Too bad his captors don't get cable TV. And they get a vial of his blood very quickly and forcefully.

Now he's stuck with someone who's just not nice. He hits John who doesn't know how to answer the simple questions.

Okay, let's get back to Atlantis. Rodney's bringing Teyla and Ronon up to speed. Pretty amazing that he can tell a hyperspace window was opened from the burst of radiation. Only problem is that it's not any of the usual suspects, so just who would have that level of technology?

Back to uh-oh and John's getting beat up some more. For the record, I hate Sheppard-whump. I only like the bad guys to get beaten up. And, hey, you can beat HER up, too. ::rolls eyes:: We're on a rat-trap of a ship. The men are wearing utilitarian uniforms but this dame walks in wearing an off-the-shoulder low-cut (front and back) leather top with skin-tight pants. And let's not forget the lip gloss and artfully disarranged hair either. And she knows he's not Reed Richards. Snorfle.

She also has a habit of getting rid of uncooperative people. Like blowing them out into space. I guess John's not going to be able to use his charm on her then.

Hmm. Odd but interesting conference room cum dining hall. Though the food looks yucky. But John learns about who his hosts are. According to Larrin, they're called "travelers" who live full-time on multi-generational ships and don't get much fresh food apart from what they can trade for or scrounge. What started out as a way to escape the Wraith has become a way of life for them. John doesn't see the appeal of it (and neither do I).

Comment 1B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Commander Larrin continues to play the steel fist in a velvet glove where John's concerned. Another weird thing. They're technologically advanced enough to set spy satellites around DOZENS of worlds hoping to catch one of these new humans in the galaxy who can operate the tools of the "Ancestors". And right now they've caught John. Who's already figured out they didn't get far with the blood they drew, so they still need him. Larrin's saying there's lots of things he'd be useful for. ::rolls eyes::

Anyway, he gets led to where his 'jumper is with the door slamming closed behind him. A forceshield is activated around him before Larrin's voice comes over the speaker. I just noticed John's standing right over a seam on the floor. He's irked – and curious. Suddenly the hangar bay doors (um, that was the seam) open right underneath him. John is so not liking this development.

But then Larrin tells him to look down. There's a thousands of years old Lantean battleship below. Larrin says he's going to help get it operational again. The music puffs up in a splendid way.

Next we see John, Larrin and her two goons guys walking through the newly-found ship. Oh, cool. Three of them are wearing radiation emitters, but John doesn't have one. That's not fair. Anyway, he's led to the bridge. Of course the consoles light up like pretty sparkly toys when he touches them.

John has a bit of fun with his guards along the lines of Be careful of what you ask for. Yup, he starts moving the ship forward without initializing the inertial dampeners. Aww, look, the guys get flung backward. As does Larrin elsewhere. Then John puts the brakes on (or whatever the spacey equivalent is) so he can pick up the Ronon-style blaster from the floor. Without looking at his targets, he just aims to his right and stuns them both. Yay! Then Larrin picks herself up off the floor with some difficulty. When she calls her guys, John answers instead. And then flies through a hyperspace window. Now Larrin's pouting. Didn't they have a deal? Well, John's not too fond of anyone who kidnaps, tortures and threatens to blow him out into space. That's a good policy, John.

A quick jump to a 'jumper with Team plus Lorne searching for John. Alas, Rodney says there's no trace of him, so there's nothing they can do.

And then we're back on the Ancient ship. Larrin's threatening John – again – by saying she's shut off the radiation controls to his part of the ship. John thinks she's bluffing, that she wouldn't risk her guys' lives. But he – being the White Hat that he is – doesn't want to be responsible for anyone dying like that, so next we see him behind bars. Oh, John. Except that's rich, coming from Larrin, calling John "reckless". Like SHE isn't? I'm glad John throws her risking her own people by exposing them to radiation in her face. Is that a leader or a despot?

Comment 2A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Larrin's called away by one of the guys (and, no, I'm not going to figure out who's who) and learns that John shut down propulsion and navigation before surrendering the bridge. You go, John. While they're talking, John lies back on his bed, sideways, so his legs are on the ground. His arms are extended to either side and he's impatiently drumming his fingers along the mattress. I love-love-love his attitude here. Well, Larrin's not stupid. She knows he looks like he's planning to be rescued, so tells her guy to check the subspace communications array. He says it was damaged way back when and never repaired, but Larrin insists he check in anyway.

Back on Atlantis, Rodney's in front of two laptops that keep beeping (which I thought meant he's having no luck). Um, will you excuse me as I look at those yummy arms? But, wait. I was wrong. When Teyla and Ronon enter, he tells them he's found something. Well, he hasn't found John; it's more likely that John found them. Rodney goes to a couple more laptops behind him and plays the sound of subspace. But not just regular subspace. Yay for Ancient programs that can detect artificial patterns. And he gets an SOS from John (though has anyone actually explained what Morse Code is to Ronon and Teyla?). No matter, now Rodney's talking about something even more incomprehensible to them, aka the SETI program.

Back in John's cell, Larrin's just entered and decked him. Yikes, she does it two more times. And then threatens to shoot him. 'Cuz his signal attracted attention ... but it's the Wraith. Who conveniently exit a hyperspace window and begin firing on the ship. So John deflects the blaster away from his chest and offers his help.

Oh, there's some deliciously triumphant music as John runs into the weapons chair room and reclines in one of his fave places. Only problem is there appears to be a short in it. So he gets out of it and dives in behind to look at the crystals.

Larrin's guys are on the bridge, the shields are gone and the Wraith target them. Uh-oh. No more guys. Larrin's looks worried when she can't hail them. But John apparently has been studying at the Rodney McKay fix-your-own-control-chair school because he gets it operational again. He lets loose a bevy of drones and Hive ship go boom.

John brings the chair back to its upright position and hails Larrin. He's using the ship's intercom. She says she'll come to him but, when she runs in, the chair room is empty. He's in Auxiliary Control instead. And he's just slid the door shut in front of her face, trapping her in the chair room. They get to arguing and his voice is especially snippy.

Comment 2B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay. It's Rodney and his rescue fleet of 'jumpers coming through a hyperspace window. There's nothing on the scanners until Rodney expands the range. Whoa – way off on the right side – there's a signal. And it's going to take 5 hours at maximum sublight. I hope Evan's okay flying for that long.

Larrin doesn't like being cooped up so tried to break out by fiddling around behind a door panel. She keeps getting shocked. So John cuts the power to that panel. Such a nice guy. Larrin emphasizes how much they need the ship. Their fleet is old and once a ship gets too old it's useless. And, despite population controls, there still not enough room for all of them, meaning she's had to abandon some on the ground. Of course, John doesn't think that's such a huge disadvantage, as it puts them at the same risk as the rest of Pegasus.

Anyway, Larrin finally blasts a hole large enough in the wall next to the door so she can get through it. Well, she doesn't get that far, as John erects a forefield in the corridor. Larrin tries to hail her guys again. John brings up life signs on his screen but says there's no one alive in the forward section.

John keeps tracking Larrin until his eyes narrow and he tells her to stop because he's picked up another life sign ahead. Larrin hurries forward thinking it's one of her guys but – SURPRISE – it's a Wraith. Eeeeek. Well, I'll give her credit for guts alone. Though her blaster is flung away, she stabs the Wraith through the hand. They engage in hand-to-hand and Larrin's on the floor, scrabbling backward. Luckily, John blasts the Wraith. Unfortunately there are three more. Larrin returns to get the dead Wraith's weapon and finds out he's not so dead as he grabs her ankle. Not to worry. This time John shoots him really dead. Unfortunately, the clip for the blaster is dead.

Evading an approaching signal, John drags Larrin into a storage room. As the Wraith stops outside the door, sensing something, John manages to activate a hidden compartment (yay for another Star Wars classic) where he makes them squeeze into it. Larrin's complaining so he puts his palm over her mouth. She bites him, so he yelps in pain, which leads her to put per palm over his mouth. Oh ... these two. They're frozen in that pose, glaring at each other, until the Wraith enters the storage room, looks around and then leaves.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

This is not my favorite episode. Mainly because I don't like seeing someone get the best of John time and again. Larrin is a real ball-buster, which would be great if she wasn't using her talents to bust John's balls. I can understand her hard-ass attitude to some extent, she is trying to survive and keep her people alive, but she has so little give to her, even after John saves her life. He even saves it more than once, but she still locks him up. I'd have liked her much more as a character if she'd been working with John, rather than against him.

However, she does listen to him at the end. At leat a little, and she does let him go. I liked Ronon's comment near the end, about Larrin realizing John was more trouble than he was worth.

In fact, Ronon had several great points throughout the episode. He really kep the team focused on what was important, and kept people going. He seems to do that a lot, and I never noticed it before. Part of it is because things are very black and white for him, but it doesn't come out in a negative way. Instead, it comes out in ways that give him very clear views of what the choices are, and keeps him focused on what is the most important thing. I like this development in his character.

Comment 3A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Back to Rescue 'Jumper #1 ('cuz it's team). Ronon's just clarified that, though they don't know what they're looking for, they'd still try to rescue John even if they came upon a bunch of Hive ships. Yay for lots of loyalty.

John and Larrin are still in the closet, just sniping at each other. If you hadn't ... yadda-yadda ... on each side. Mind you, John's got his standard If-you'd-only-asked line perfected. Yeah, Larrin. What a creep. He might have said no. Great set of morals you and your people have. Uh ... why are we getting tender music here? ::rolls eyes some more::

Well, they're out of that closet – finally – but find their way to the control room is blocked off. And John just may have left everything initialized. So, we're back to watching them snap at each other some more. Until they start to work together. I'll get her that: Larrin's a good tactician with the idea she proposes, even if it is crazy. The only weapons they have are the drones, so ... how about blowing the Wraith up by firing on the ship itself.

John's in the chair and Larrin's about to become bait. Though, OMG, TPTB just HAD to put in a joke about premature ejaculation – and that it's probably not the first time John's gotten that complaint from a woman. Forget rolling my eyes, I'm shaking my head. John's far too cool to let that faze him.

There's three Wraith that Larrin gets to chase her. Two do, but the leader is wary and stays back. John fires the drones while she's hiding behind a bulkhead. We see Wraith bodies go flying. However, when Larrin turns around, we see the Wraith leader who's somehow sneaked around and caught her off guard. Oops.

John gets the chair upright and calls for Larrin. No answer. She's kinda busy right now, lying on the floor mostly drained. At that point, John's hiding around the corner. He checks his useless cartridge in the blaster. Gee, Mr. Wraith isn't very perceptive. While he's nagging Larrin for info on how many others are on board, we see his head jerk forward because John's stuck the blaster against the back of it. John is so cool. He says there only has to be one more, meaning him. And then he forces the Wraith to hand over his stunner and then to restore Larrin's years. And, finally, he's going to leave. John jabs the blaster a few more times for emphasis.

There's some serious music as John forces the Wraith to get up and walk away. I can just the thoughts whirling in that Wraith's brain. Just what kind of a person – other than a Wraith worshipper – is John Sheppard. I'm sure there are legends about him circulating through various Hives.

Comment 3B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, gee. Now Larrin and John both have coming back from near-death experiences. Something to bond over. They get all lovey-dovey after standing up. The music's not quite a love-theme, more like something intriguing. So they kiss and she takes advantage of him being distracted by grabbing his Wraith stunner. Now I think John wants to roll his eyes. Yes, she stuns him.

Larrin's in the control room when John starts to regain consciousness. And Larrin has to rub it in that he was wrong, thinking his ships would get to him first. In any case, there's a few Traveler ships that come out of hyperspace. Well, Larrin's pleased they found the ship. Now they just have to get the hyperdrive online. Oh, and Larrin needs a security detail, too. John's looking pretty sour as he encounters it when he tries to get a door open.

Finally, the rescue 'jumper's close enough that Rodney can see how many ships there are. But which one is John on? They're cloaked so shouldn't send a message, giving away their position. And Teyla knows nothing about these people either.

It's time for Larrin to visit an imprisoned John again. So, just one thing. She'd like to keep him on board, 'cuz there's so many other things that aren't working yet. John is incensed. But he gives her a look into their probably future and ultimate oblivion. As the Wraith are currently under attack and vulnerable, he suggests an alliance. But definitely NO dinner. Larrin's pretty surprised that he'd offer after what she put him through. John is SO understanding of people hanging by a thread ... or is it because she had boobs and showed them off. Hmm. Where'd her jacket come from?

In the meantime, the 'jumper has finally gotten close. Rodney wants to fire on the Lantean ship's engines. Oops. Waited too long to fire. Whiile they're talking, all of the ships disappear through a hyperspace window. Uh-oh. What now?

Everyone's disheartened, but then we get a signal. Guess who? Yup, it's John in his 'jumper, so Evan hails him. Ha – losing John. He's going to have a hell of a story to tell back home.

Back on Atlantis, John's really relishing his food. Well, who wouldn't, considering what the alternative was. Rodney's got his arms crossed. He's suspicious that John's left out some very important detail. He figures out that she was "hot". Well, she may have been, but John says she had him beaten and they weren't hanging out at the "spa" together. How does John come up with some of these expressions. So, did he ever go to a spa by himself??? Curious minds want to know.

Anyway, Rodney is really pissed off. He always gets captured by the Wraith. Just once he'd like it to be "the sexy alien". Well, John reassures him he might still get his wish ... because she's out there somewhere. As they all look slightly concerned, the music moves into that intriguing mode. Then Teyla rolls her eyes. John looks a bit more concerned ... and that's it for the episode.

Closing thoughts A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

I forgot to mention this at the time, but I love the idea of John trying to pretend he's stupid, that he doesn't know what reverse engineering is.

Okay, so shall I get the sexist stuff out of the way first? Even the GateWorld transcriber is using the same phrase when it comes to female guest stars: “Inevitably, she's gorgeous”. That's some semi-official rolling of the eyes.

So, PTB, please enlighten me. How did Larrin become Commander of the Travelers' fleet? Was it by flashing her boobs? For the record (so pay attention), human women (don't have the stats on alien women, lol) wear alluring attire when they want to seduce someone (or even a FEW someones) using their secondary sexual features. But the idea of a woman in charge of a fleet wearing low-cut, really tight leather is ridiculous! Is she flaunting what the men around her can't have? ::giggles:: Or were these two gay and she just wanted to get dressed up? Basically, it's just stupid and so unimaginative. But, then again, M&M (yes, them) had to write in all those almost-kissy scenes and the only way they could do that was to make her the way she was – because we all know that plain women aren't sexually attractive. /sarcasm. Okay, enough about the bimbo.

I suppose the main reason this episode was placed right after Doppelganger is because of the absence of hot chicks in our guys' dreams. Oh, noes. Can't have that, so bring on the B-word.

I've already touched on this, especially after Epiphany and the complete non-redemptive nature of people's lives who existed in the Sanctuary (well, apart from some of the more useful gifts such as healing). But they didn't have lives; they were trapped in a kind of virtual reality, generation after generation. So there's a similar pattern to the Travelers. They've been doing this for thousands of years. They're occupying overcrowded ships that are falling apart. How's that for feeling secure in space? I suppose sex and community are the only two things that give them a feeling of togetherness (though that birth control of theirs must be wicked-strong). OTOH, we've seen what happens in animal studies when overcrowding becomes an issue. How does Larrin deal with that problem when it arises? Or do those food substitutes contain aggression-curbing ingredients, too? If they did, then there wasn't enough, because Larrin was certainly aggressive, what with more than one kidnapping and killing to her name.

Closing thoughts B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. The food. Like blech. You call that food? In all those thousands of years, nobody ever thought of trying to start some hydroponic labs? Instead they went the synthetic route, it seems. Food is one of those things that is far more than mere nutrition. And, speaking of nutrition, I suppose the Travelers figured out how to avoid thinning bone density from living in space ... or did TPTB just forget about that little problem? [With the knowledge we now have from the Space Station, etc. - that wasn't available in the old Trek days – this is a big concern.]

I think somehow it would have made a lot of sense to have people hibernating in cycles, to avoid the drudgery of their existence – instead of having to abandon some of their own people on land. I wonder how that selection process was handled, too. Did Miss Bossypants do the choosing? Well, that's my two cents' worth.

When this episode came out, I got really angry when people were saying that Larrin is just the female version of John. ::glares:: Whom are they kidding? John surrendered so that the enemy wouldn't be harmed whereas Larrin was willing to put her own people in danger to get John.

Yes, John can be ruthless, but only after he or his people have been attacked. Say bye-bye at the shield, Genii. The Lanteans aren't innocent though, but at least when they're figuring out how to steal a ZedPM they target worlds that probably have no use for one. So ... not completely moral, but far better than what we've seen other world leaders doing. And John was always being caught unawares. He gave people the benefit of the doubt until they double-crossed him.

Getting back to the B-word, but only peripherally, I'm surprised her knuckles weren't all busted up when she decked John. That was very unrealistic as was the hand-to-hand with the Wraith, especially considering the disparity in their sizes. OTOH, she was skilled and versatile in ship's operations. I'll give her that much.

I can't remember if this will come up in future encounters with these charming people (ugh), and that's if Teyla really had no knowledge of them. I know Pegasus is a huge galaxy, but did the Travelers dress inconspicuously when they landed on worlds to trade. Ha! That would be a first, I'm sure, for Larrin.

Okay, I think I'm done with this episode. ::spits out the bad taste in my mouth::

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Keeping with the squee theme, I'll always enjoy the moment in the jumper when Ronon asks does it matter how long it takes them to find John, would it ever stop them? And Lorne says, "no" and there is this beautiful moment of teamyness about going after John together.

*wibbles*

I actually enjoyed seeing John's smart side during the cat and mouse game on the ship and using his science skills. Wish we had more of that in the later eppys.