Not bad for a dead woman.
Dec. 8th, 2007 06:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunabee34I love my show. I really love my show. Let me tell you why in list format.
1 The premise for this episode was awesome. I am such a sucker for “we’re us, except not really, shall we angst?” plotlines. I love how each team member deals with his predicament differently. Rodney is nonplussed but in many ways delighted. The prospect of working with himself is exciting to both Rodneys. While I think the novelty factor might wear off rather quickly there, Rodney seems to be more intrigued than bothered by the notion of a double. (Which is interesting considering the way he reacted to Rod. I think the difference is that the second Rodney in this episode *is* Rodney; there’s nothing he does that’s cooler or different or that can be perceived in any way as better than Rodney Prime. They are the same person minus a few life experiences of the past year). Ronon’s reaction is really well done. Both incarnations are very, very angry and disturbed that another version who feels equally as real and entitled to his Ronon-ness exists. I like that Nanite!Ronon doesn’t want to return to Atlantis if they’re allowed because he would be an outsider, resented and resentful. He’s already been on the outside, thank you very much, and the prospect of living there again is untenable to him. I really like that the writers keep touching on how important it is to Ronon to belong. John’s responses are rather predictable—he wants to use whatever intel they can gather to help Atlantis and he also realizes that they are too great a security risk to expect to go back to the lives they remember. Teyla responds by saying that their origins do not make them any less human (which of course immediately makes me think of Michael) and is determined to get back to Atlantis. Elizabeth’s response is really interesting and nuanced, I think. She mostly seems incredibly sad and terribly resigned. I love the idea that Elizabeth was exerting too much influence over the Replicators and was destroyed by Oberoth as a result, although I’m holding out hopes that she actually survived. I love her gentle use of humor in this situation; it makes losing her again so much more devastating. Of course, I’m again holding out that Nanite!Team Sheppard survives, either in whole or in part.
2 Lorne! And Keller! And Radek! Yay for giving me more of the secondary characters we all love and don’t see enough. Rodney and Radek’s final conversation about Carson and Elizabeth made my little fangirl heart swell up with love for both of them. Plus, canonical evidence of Rodney subsuming himself in his work to escape emotional pain.
3 I love the scene where John cuts Rodney. DH played that scene so well. Rodney is absolutely terrified there and, in my mind at least, flashing back to Kolya. And then later when Elizabeth cuts herself, Rodney won’t watch her do so. It’s those little character notes that make this episode such a good one.
4 I’m glad we get to know more about the Replicators. That the Ancients would ban the Replicators from assuming the shape of living humans makes very much sense as does the fact that now that their code is changed, they have done so. I find this faction’s fascination with Ascension as creepy as I do everyone else’s in the Gateverse. Ascension seems like the lamest thing ever to me. What’s the point of knowing everything if you can’t use that knowledge? What’s the point of watching the people you love hurt and die and not be able to help them? Also, much like TPTB of Angel, I don’t see any evidence that ascended beings are actually *good* in any conventionally understood meaning of that word.
5 John and Rodney finally laying Elizabeth to rest--*sniffle* *sob* *wail*. The look on Rodney’s face and the little boy sadness in his voice when he realizes he isn’t speaking to Elizabeth Prime slays me. And John’s determination to rescue her, the way he’s held onto her things all this time, not giving up hope. *wipes eyes*
6 “My McKay.” Heeeee.
And now for Lorraine’s nitpicks:
1 Sam’s absence has gone from inexplicable and merely annoying to full blown WTF??? The woman has a credit; why is she never onscreen? I do not get it. Her strange absence from almost every episode makes it seem like she’s not even physically present in Atlantis. This makes no sense. She could be an interesting and vital part of the show and they could do so many really amazing things with her character but THEY AREN’T EVEN DOING BORING AND LAME THINGS WITH HER BECAUSE SHE’S NOT THERE!!!! I am so frustrated on this score.
2 The whole soul business. Did we really have to go there? How does RepliKeller know that Team Nanite!Sheppard has souls? It’s like the gynobot in Star Wars Episode Crapsalot officially declaring that Natalie Portman has lost the will to live; honestly, I think he got his diagnostics mixed. That was the audience, dude. But I digress. Theologians have been arguing for hundreds of years over whether the soul exists and what it even is if it does and I kinda don’t think RepliKeller bought five at Wal-Mart for experimental purposes.
And finally the questions:
1. Whose form does RepliKeller assume to demonstrate her powers? Is it Melena?
2. What is Rodney saying at the beginning of the episode when the probe hits fake Atlantis? I don’t hear well and sometimes can’t tell what people are saying if I can’t lip read. It sounds like he says something about being glad it didn’t hit the reading library. Is that right? In the same vein, in the scene where Nanite!Teyla and Nanite!Ronon are talking and Ronon says he won't go back to Atlantis, he also says something about being able to heal faster. Is he saying he's going to go fight the Wraith? There's a wee little bit I just can't hear there.
3. We’ve got Oberoth destroying fake Atlantis. Does this fulfill Sam’s vision of Atlantis being attacked? I don’t have “Seer” taped to compare the footage.
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-09 01:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-09 01:18 am (UTC)My google fu fails!
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Date: 2007-12-09 01:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-09 02:13 am (UTC)HAAHAHAHAHHAHAAH
So that's where Sam is.
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Date: 2007-12-09 01:38 am (UTC)http://crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com/187332.html
ETA: There really should be an SPN/SGA/BtVS crossover called "Wraith, Hope and Trick."
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Date: 2007-12-09 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 10:58 pm (UTC)I thought RepliKeller just went back to her own form. It definitely wasn't Melena or anyone I recognised at all.
And yeah, I'm thinking that was the vision of Atlantis being destroyed.
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Date: 2007-12-11 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-12 09:17 am (UTC)1) I think Amanda Tapping was still in filming for the SG-1 movies (the first of which comes out in January!) when this season of SGA was shot, so I guess she couldn't be around all the time. Hopefully she'll be available more for the next round of eps.
2) I know! That annoyed me, too. I wish they just hadn't gone there. And your Star Wars commentary? Totally on target. I was definitely having trouble with my will to live by that installment. And also my will to let Lucas live.
And the questions...
3) Yes. It's identical at the beginning, it just goes on longer. Prophecy fulfilled! Unless, of course, it happens like this more than once.
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Date: 2007-12-12 08:13 pm (UTC)I was very pleased with this episode and very much ready for the next one!!!!
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Date: 2007-12-13 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 01:07 am (UTC)I so need a Mitchell icon like nobody's business. And Vala!!
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Date: 2007-12-15 01:19 pm (UTC)And hey, Ana probably knows where to get good Mitchell icons.