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lunabee34OMG I loved this episode. Mightily.
First their dreams, which are composed of two parts—each individual’s worst nightmare and her worst fear. On the surface, those may sound synonymous but they aren’t. For instance, the worst dream I ever had was about me being sacrificed on top of an Aztec temple and spiders were involved (and this was a recurring childhood dream, yay!) and my worst fear is probably of dying.
Teyla’s dream: The dream briefly references what we already know to be Teyla’s worst nightmare—dreams of the Wraith and her father being taken by them. But it also introduces a new nightmare, sexually aggressive!Bug John. Nice bit of weaving previous canon into this episode. I can imagine Teyla would have dreams about John hurting her after that incident, dreams which would be doubly nightmarish because we’re told over and over again that she and John have this special bond of trust. We also have Teyla’s worst fear reiterated for us—that her Wraith DNA, her connection to them, her ability to communicate with them—has either changed her into something evil or compromised her from the get go. I can’t quite parse what Rodney and Ronon are doing in this dream. On the one hand, the dream is ostensibly about romance, about Teyla and John going on a date. So maybe Ronon and Rodney appear to signify Teyla’s fear that the team would fracture if she and John dated. I wanted on first view to read Ronon’s, “I always knew you two would hook up” (Awwww cute. He and Rodney have been watching The OC together) as a jealous statement, but it’s really not. It’s not delivered that way, either with body language or voice. And Teyla seems honestly surprised that she and John are on a date, so I just don’t know what to do with Ronon and Rodney’s presence there. Thoughts?
Keller’s dream: Like any good physician her worst fear is losing a patient to her incompetence and who didn’t have nightmares about Alien? I love that after they talk about the movie, Ronon’s just dying to watch it. LOL Rodney’s story about puking all over Joceyln Rutger was straight out of fanfic. Heeeee.
Lorne’s dream: Oh the bedhead! Oh the sleepwalking! *dies of the preciousness* I wish we got to see what Lorne’s fear is in addition to his worst nightmare, but *shrugs,* I’ll deal.
Heightmeyer’s dream: On first viewing, Kate’s dream seemed really lame to me. Everyone else’s dream is placed squarely in canon. Either their nightmares or their fears and sometimes both are drawn directly from what we’ve seen in episodes and I thought Heightmeyer’s dream seemed really random. Okay, she’s afraid of heights. Big whoop. But then I started wondering what a psychiatrist’s worst fear would be. Losing mental control, becoming as unstable as the patients she treats. Then her dream became much more interesting to me. I think it’s also significant that Teyla is the person she dreams will save her. There’s femslashy subtext out the wazoo in this ep, y’all. (Which further complicates the hug Teyla gets from John after Kate’s death. It’s such a tentative hug, just like the one John gives Elizabeth after he survives the siege. Hmmmm)
Ronon’s dream: Poor baby Ronon. *sobs* Of course he dreams of a deserted Atlantis. Of course he dreams of becoming a Runner again. I think tied up in Ronon’s dream are also issues of betrayal. He was just screwed over by his former comrades and in his dream he’s attacked by the man he probably trusts most. I think it’s intriguing that the dream ends with Ronon being buried alive. I don’t know if we’re to assume that live burial is something he’s had nightmares about before or what. I think there’s a definite parallel between being buried alive and being put in one of those Wraith cocoons. I also think live burial is an interesting metaphor for Running. A Runner is technically alive but he cannot enjoy any of the fruits of life; he must shun other people for fear of bringing the Wraith on them. His own people are likely dead if what happened to Sateda is SOP for marking a Runner. A Runner’s existence is a kind of death in life.
Rodney’s dream: First off, I absolutely loved Rodney’s normal dreams. Sam offering him lemon chicken and giving his job to Zelenka? Of course these are the things Rodney dreams of. The idea of his father reading Moby Dick to him at age seven amuses the hell out of me; it also amuses me that he understood the book well enough at that age to be afraid of it. For one glorious moment, I thought Rodney was going to say after reading MD he dreams of sperm LOL but alas that did not happen. I love that Rodney’s induced dream is the most straightforward of them all. There’s nothing complicated going on here—just a whale and John telling him that he’s weak and pathetic. Those are my version of Rodney’s greatest fears and I’m pleased to see them canonically confirmed.
John’s dream: I love that the only thing John truly fears is himself. I love that he is most afraid of failing his friends, of letting them die, of leaving them behind, of not being good enough to save everyone. I mean, we already knew this. But it’s nice to have it so explicitly stated. It’s also nice to see just how close John and Rodney are, how much they care for each other. I love that John’s first thought is how to get into Rodney’s dreams to help him. I love that he helps Rodney row the boat. Rodney’s little, “Thanks for trying” before they go under? *hearts* I also adore that Rodney went back into this place where he just almost died to save Sheppard. Sheppard’s facial expressions during that sequence with Rodney just kill me ded. (As an aside, when Sheppard is fighting Sheppard, did anyone else repeatedly yell, “Kiss him!!!” at the TV?)
Random fun things:
1. Ronon threatening Zelenka.
2. Rodney and Zelenka betting on the contents of the planet.
3. Ronon dragging Rodney away from the crystals.
4. Ronon trying to match make Keller and Sheppard.
5. All the team moments. I love that Teyla and Rodney immediately show up when Rodney’s infected wanting to know what they can do to help save him. Teyla confiding her dream in Rodney and Ronon. All the scenes of them eating together. I adored that final scene around the table. Firefly anybody? *loves*
6. Carter/Keller yo!
First their dreams, which are composed of two parts—each individual’s worst nightmare and her worst fear. On the surface, those may sound synonymous but they aren’t. For instance, the worst dream I ever had was about me being sacrificed on top of an Aztec temple and spiders were involved (and this was a recurring childhood dream, yay!) and my worst fear is probably of dying.
Teyla’s dream: The dream briefly references what we already know to be Teyla’s worst nightmare—dreams of the Wraith and her father being taken by them. But it also introduces a new nightmare, sexually aggressive!Bug John. Nice bit of weaving previous canon into this episode. I can imagine Teyla would have dreams about John hurting her after that incident, dreams which would be doubly nightmarish because we’re told over and over again that she and John have this special bond of trust. We also have Teyla’s worst fear reiterated for us—that her Wraith DNA, her connection to them, her ability to communicate with them—has either changed her into something evil or compromised her from the get go. I can’t quite parse what Rodney and Ronon are doing in this dream. On the one hand, the dream is ostensibly about romance, about Teyla and John going on a date. So maybe Ronon and Rodney appear to signify Teyla’s fear that the team would fracture if she and John dated. I wanted on first view to read Ronon’s, “I always knew you two would hook up” (Awwww cute. He and Rodney have been watching The OC together) as a jealous statement, but it’s really not. It’s not delivered that way, either with body language or voice. And Teyla seems honestly surprised that she and John are on a date, so I just don’t know what to do with Ronon and Rodney’s presence there. Thoughts?
Keller’s dream: Like any good physician her worst fear is losing a patient to her incompetence and who didn’t have nightmares about Alien? I love that after they talk about the movie, Ronon’s just dying to watch it. LOL Rodney’s story about puking all over Joceyln Rutger was straight out of fanfic. Heeeee.
Lorne’s dream: Oh the bedhead! Oh the sleepwalking! *dies of the preciousness* I wish we got to see what Lorne’s fear is in addition to his worst nightmare, but *shrugs,* I’ll deal.
Heightmeyer’s dream: On first viewing, Kate’s dream seemed really lame to me. Everyone else’s dream is placed squarely in canon. Either their nightmares or their fears and sometimes both are drawn directly from what we’ve seen in episodes and I thought Heightmeyer’s dream seemed really random. Okay, she’s afraid of heights. Big whoop. But then I started wondering what a psychiatrist’s worst fear would be. Losing mental control, becoming as unstable as the patients she treats. Then her dream became much more interesting to me. I think it’s also significant that Teyla is the person she dreams will save her. There’s femslashy subtext out the wazoo in this ep, y’all. (Which further complicates the hug Teyla gets from John after Kate’s death. It’s such a tentative hug, just like the one John gives Elizabeth after he survives the siege. Hmmmm)
Ronon’s dream: Poor baby Ronon. *sobs* Of course he dreams of a deserted Atlantis. Of course he dreams of becoming a Runner again. I think tied up in Ronon’s dream are also issues of betrayal. He was just screwed over by his former comrades and in his dream he’s attacked by the man he probably trusts most. I think it’s intriguing that the dream ends with Ronon being buried alive. I don’t know if we’re to assume that live burial is something he’s had nightmares about before or what. I think there’s a definite parallel between being buried alive and being put in one of those Wraith cocoons. I also think live burial is an interesting metaphor for Running. A Runner is technically alive but he cannot enjoy any of the fruits of life; he must shun other people for fear of bringing the Wraith on them. His own people are likely dead if what happened to Sateda is SOP for marking a Runner. A Runner’s existence is a kind of death in life.
Rodney’s dream: First off, I absolutely loved Rodney’s normal dreams. Sam offering him lemon chicken and giving his job to Zelenka? Of course these are the things Rodney dreams of. The idea of his father reading Moby Dick to him at age seven amuses the hell out of me; it also amuses me that he understood the book well enough at that age to be afraid of it. For one glorious moment, I thought Rodney was going to say after reading MD he dreams of sperm LOL but alas that did not happen. I love that Rodney’s induced dream is the most straightforward of them all. There’s nothing complicated going on here—just a whale and John telling him that he’s weak and pathetic. Those are my version of Rodney’s greatest fears and I’m pleased to see them canonically confirmed.
John’s dream: I love that the only thing John truly fears is himself. I love that he is most afraid of failing his friends, of letting them die, of leaving them behind, of not being good enough to save everyone. I mean, we already knew this. But it’s nice to have it so explicitly stated. It’s also nice to see just how close John and Rodney are, how much they care for each other. I love that John’s first thought is how to get into Rodney’s dreams to help him. I love that he helps Rodney row the boat. Rodney’s little, “Thanks for trying” before they go under? *hearts* I also adore that Rodney went back into this place where he just almost died to save Sheppard. Sheppard’s facial expressions during that sequence with Rodney just kill me ded. (As an aside, when Sheppard is fighting Sheppard, did anyone else repeatedly yell, “Kiss him!!!” at the TV?)
Random fun things:
1. Ronon threatening Zelenka.
2. Rodney and Zelenka betting on the contents of the planet.
3. Ronon dragging Rodney away from the crystals.
4. Ronon trying to match make Keller and Sheppard.
5. All the team moments. I love that Teyla and Rodney immediately show up when Rodney’s infected wanting to know what they can do to help save him. Teyla confiding her dream in Rodney and Ronon. All the scenes of them eating together. I adored that final scene around the table. Firefly anybody? *loves*
6. Carter/Keller yo!
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 07:36 pm (UTC)Maybe it was the same thing! He really likes his CO! He can't stand to have him be an evil Replicator!
Nice try, Ronon, but Keller has the hots for Carter! It's too bad you can't see that.
I was disappointed by the Rodney/whale thing. He loves whales! We know that from before! *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 10:02 pm (UTC)I was disappointed by the Rodney/whale thing. He loves whales! We know that from before! *sigh*
Yeah, that threw me too.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 10:16 pm (UTC)*shrugs*
I thought the whale was kind weird too.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 06:02 pm (UTC)The dreams!!
Date: 2007-10-20 09:56 pm (UTC)Re: The dreams!!
Date: 2007-10-20 10:17 pm (UTC)*bites nails*
LOL
Re: The dreams!!
Date: 2007-10-20 11:12 pm (UTC)Re: The dreams!!
Date: 2007-10-21 12:17 am (UTC)Ah, so Rachel is pregnant, then? Hmmmmmmmmm Maybe they'll write it into the story line that Elizabeth impregnated her with nanite love children before she got captured by the Asurans. Oh, man. I would totally read that. LOL
no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 10:01 pm (UTC)4. Ronon trying to match make Keller and Sheppard.
I loved Ronon in this episode! He was so funny. All his reactions to Rodney were priceless.
Ronon: "Those dreams haven't stopped, have they."
Rodney: [miserable] "No."
5. All the team moments.
Yes! Loved these so so much, especially all the mess hall scenes.
6. Carter/Keller yo!
Oh yeah! Especially she was so "no way!" about Sheppard.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 10:19 pm (UTC)This was definitely the femslash episode--Teyla/Heightmeyer, Teyla/Carter, Keller/Carter. I can't wait for the fic to start. :)
rodney's also afraid...
Date: 2007-10-21 04:28 am (UTC)and he still has nightmares about The Storm.
Re: rodney's also afraid...
Date: 2007-10-21 04:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 01:36 pm (UTC)I've read Kate/Teyla before, and I think their interaction has always been fairly slashy. If you assume that they had a thing before this ep, then all the scenes dealing with Heightmeyer's dream and death take on a really strong, tragic power. It makes that scene in which Teyla comes to hug John, who is certain that she won't want to see him now, more meaningful. I'm sticking with that interpretation in my own fanon.
And the Sheppard/McKay slashy moments? Pure gold. This probably ties with "Trinity" for the ep in which I see the most slash for them.
I loved that Firefly ending around the table, too. Mmm, warm family moment. Yum!
I can’t quite parse what Rodney and Ronon are doing in this dream.
I imagine that Atlantis, being a closed environment like a small town, is full of gossip. And I figure that Teyla is used to hearing rumors about herself and John. I know that would annoy me if I were her; it sort of undercuts her place on the team by implying that she's there because John's interested in her. So I read Ronon's voicing that rumor to her as reminding her of the worry that people might actually think that. As for Rodney, well, he's pretty much ignoring her to babble in his own science-speak. I think perhaps Teyla, probably much like the Atlantean military contingent, is used to all the scientists being just a bit intellectually condescending. While Teyla is shown valuing and relying on Rodney's expertise many times, surely it must also occasionally be difficult to deal with the way he sometimes treats his team as if they're morons. Now, I love Rodney, but if I were Teyla, sometimes I'd want to smack him and remind him that he really did value me, damn it, and he could bloody well act like it.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 04:29 pm (UTC)I like your explanation for Ronon and Rodney's presence in Teyla's dream. This episode makes it clear to me (and I get that this is open to interpretation) that Teyla is not interested in having a relationship with John and I can see where rumors of such a relationship would get on her nerves.
Because those nasty rumors hurt Kate's feelings!Especially if they're tinged with casting couch implications.no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 09:01 pm (UTC)I'm so glad you said that about Keller's dream, though. A lot of reviews I've seen have castigated her for being an incompetent doctor, completely failing to take into account that, duh, this was a nightmare and that's her fear, not a reflection of her actual skills!
And maybe Kate was in lingerie because she doesn't get much opportunity to dress up on Atlantis and she likes to get pretty for Teyla. (Who of course was sleeping next to her when she died and did not just come into her room and find her afterwards as implied.) (At least that's how it's going to be in the fic I'm writing...)
no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 09:29 pm (UTC)*friends back*
Thanks for your comment about my ep reviews. I get weary of reading review after review that's so completely negative that I wonder why the poster is watching the show in the first place. I'm not above criticizing the shows I watch, but I hope my love always comes through. :)
I can totally see your point about Kate's attire. I also did not buy that Teyla is sent on "roust those who didn't report for duty" work. LOL Can't wait to see what you're writing.
I've decided to definitely go forward with the discussion comm. I'm going to type up the user info page and intro post and send it to
no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 10:03 pm (UTC)I'm really excited about the comm. I enjoyed
no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 11:27 pm (UTC)I'm really taken by your icon. Did you make it? I really like the splash red of red across the neck.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-24 08:00 am (UTC)