This is a discussion of Stargate Atlantis, Season 2, The Intruder. This post is devoid of mouseover spoilers.
I always have an aversion to AI viruses because I think the computers don’t have enough memory and processing power to support one, not to mention the differences in computer architecture. Since the virus started with the full resoures of the Daedalus’s systems and then ended in the fighter’s system’s I can grant that it’s AI may have started high and been lobotomized as it was pushed into smaller and smaller hardware. That’s why it started with subtly killing and progressed to simple (but smart) send-a-message and fly-the-ship-past-a-star.
I liked having to just blow up their own antenna and the consequence of losing their primary means of getting a beaming lock.
I thought it hokey that the fighter exited the Daedalus, rose up and over, and then rolled “right-side-up”. [Spock] He is thinking 2-dimensionally [/Spock].
I would have preferred more dialogue among people about returning to Earth vs. going back to Atlantis. I also would have liked a more complete reason when Weir’s love didn’t want to go to Atlantis. [sub]I was getting the kids ready for bed so maybe I missed something?[/sub]
I’m thinking about Hermiod. Why did he volunteer to live among the Humans? Why does he object to using some technology to kill the Wraith and then help quite easily the next moment? Why does he mumble to himself? I’m wondering if he’s a little insane by Asgard standards, and so more than fit, by Asgard standards, to live among Humans. I would like to see his character developed more.
The reason Weir’s guy didn’t want to go was because not everyone wants to take off on a dangerous adventure in another galaxy. Some folks like living on Earth. But I think the real reason is that the writers needed a way for Dr. Weir to be free to pursue romantic interests on Atlantis without an icky “cheating on the boyfriend” vibe.
They want to make the aliens interesting, so they throw in little personality quirks like the muttering. It’s rare to see this done well, but the Stargate folks succeeded. Hermiod and the Asgards don’t fully trust the lesser humans, so they want to limit the power that is given (like you would limit how much food your pet gets).
I didn’t care for the episode much. Apparently I wasn’t paying attention, but when did they decide they needed to travel all the way back to Earth?
I was thinking the same thing as you, about Hermiod. He reminds me a bit of the Puppeteer in Niven’s Ringworld. That is, the reason he’s able to live and travel with these insane humans is because he himself is considered insane by his own people. I like how he mumbles what are probably Asgardian profanities to himself. You’d think Asgardians wouldn’t even have profanities, and if they don’t, Hermiod is busy making some up.
Plus, he finally admitted he met somebody else. So she got to look the good person while he was the cheating pig, writing her off as having been dead.
That was precisely my thought too.
If Hermiod gets to be a popular character, I’m sure they’ll even have an episode (or an arc) where his mind will get transferred into a human’s for a while so they can write him in without CGI or puppetry effects.
I noticed in the SciFi synopsis the point that since Atlantis has a ZPM they can use the Stargate to travel to Earth instantly, but that the Daedalus then has to ferry them back to Atlantis in 18 days. They went back to Earth to report, get new supplies, and personnel. Imagine galaxy to galaxy in 18 days and what incredible wonders they must be whizzing past! They’ll have to get Atlantis up and running fully so they can fly her around Pegasus.
He’s not a cheating pig. He’s the sole remaining survivor of the Tollan race, and his true love is Samantha Carter. That’s my position, and I’m not moving from it. 