Stargate Atlantis Rewatch: Runner
Say hello to the new guy (Photo from GateWorld.net)
Runner
Written by Robert C. Cooper
Directed by Martin Wood
Guest starring Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex), Kavan Smith (Major Lorne), Mitch Pileggi (Colonel Steven Caldwell), Jonathon Young (Parrish), Dan Payne (Reed), James Lafazanos (Wraith)
WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND!
Summary
A man on the run from the Wraith may be the team’s only hope of capturing Lt. Ford and bringing him back to Atlantis.
General Impressions
I will not mention that Jason Momoa is tall, dark and handsome, has a deep voice, lots of muscles, a cute butt (in tight leather pants), nice dreds, a really big…gun…and a really nice chest (which the writers kindly have him expose). No, I will not mention that Jason Momoa is fanservice. Oops, I just did.
Was there more to this episode? I was distracted by Jason Momoa in tight leather pants.
The Good
Ronon is—phonetically, at least—an appropriate name for a guy who’s been on the run with neither home nor family for seven years. Ronon sounds like the Japanese “ronin”, which is the name for a masterless Samurai. Can’t have been an accident.
We only see him briefly in the opening tease, but I like Dr. Parrish. He’s such a geeky scientist, so completely absorbed in his work. They bring him back in season five, but I would have loved to get more of him in the interim seasons. He’s funny. I also love Major Lorne. He was in at least one SG1 episode, and I’m glad they brought him to Atlantis and gave him more to do.
When Tayla is telling Ronon why he should trust them, is it just me, or does the look she gives him resemble the one Obi Wan Kenobi gave the Stormtroopers on Tatooine when he was telling them “these are not the droids you’re looking for”? It’s like she’s trying to use Jedi powers on him. I wonder what her mitaclorian count is?
Rodney gets the funniest lines, followed by Lorne. That said, even though the worst curse words they say on this show are crap, hell and damn, I’m positive Rodney says “oh shit!” when Ford stuns Lorne. I’m surprised they let that one get through.
LOL. Sheppard wears cologne. I wonder if Rodney’s comment about the smell of “Aqua Velva” on Sheppard was paid product placement, since that’s a real brand of men’s after shave? Or is product placement only visual? Do mentions count?
Caldwell’s response to Sheppard’s assurance that Ford won’t give them away was really close to my own MST3K comment here in the comfort of my living room: “Oh, thank you so much for your assurance, Colonel. I’ll be sure to include your feelings in my report.” Nice.
The Bad
Looks like Colonel Caldwell still can’t get over being passed over for promotion in favor of Sheppard.
Welcome to planet British Columbia. My but it gets dark fast on this planet. How long did it take Dr. Beckett to prep for doing surgery on Ronon, anyway? Hours?
The Awesome
Ronon could have just been a one note badass (in tight pants), but they give him a sympathetic back story through flashbacks and his conversation with Tayla, not mention that painful scene at the end when he sees for himself that his civilization has been destroyed. Through him we learn that Wraith like to play with their food. We already knew how ruthless they were and that they destroy civilizations that advance far enough to rival theirs, but until this episode we didn’t see physical evidence of such destruction. In the season three episode Sateda we get a firsthand tour of the devastation to Ronon’s homeworld, and it’s horrible.
Yay! Super Ford’s back! Too bad they put him on a bus after this season, just when he started to get really interesting. His circular trek through the forest with Rodney is really funny, what with Rodney’s frequent mini freak outs, and Ford’s manic personality swings. I just love Super Ford, and wish they would have done more with him. Rainbow Sun Franks really looks like he’s having a great time being crazy.
The knife fight between Ford and Ronon is cool.
Again, the music. The musical cue when Ford is telling Sheppard he’s going to prove himself then jumps into a Wraith culling beam is so wistful and sad.
Rating
9 out of 10. Points for Super Ford and a great introduction of a new character. Also, Rodney’s interactions with anybody are hilarious, but especially with Super Ford.
