Stargate Atlantis Rewatch: No Man’s Land
The hives are coming! (Photo from GateWorld.net)
No Man’s Land
WRITTEN BY: Martin Gero
DIRECTED BY: Martin Wood
GUEST STARRING: Connor Trinneer (Michael), Robert Picardo (Richard Woolsey), Kavan Smith (Lorne), Tamlyn Tomita (Shen Xiaoyi), David Nykl (Radek Zelenka), Gary Jones (Walter Harriman), Brahm Taylor (Lathan), Scott Heindl (Merrick), Christopher Heyerdahl (Male Wraith), Andy Maton (Chapman), Mitch Pileggi (Steven Caldwell), Beau Bridges (Hank Landry), Andee Frizzell (Wraith Queen)
WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND!
Summary
Two hive ships are en route to Earth, John Sheppard is M.I.A., and Ronon and Rodney are set to be Wraith fodder. Will the Wraith reach Earth? Is this the end for our heroes?
General Impressions
Rodney and Ronon are prisoners aboard a hive ship on its (long, laborious) journey (that will probably take weeks, what with the stops the hives need) to Earth, giving our heroes ample time to figure out how to stop them. Or the IOA to think Dr. Weir needs to come to Earth for a grilling in the middle of a crisis. Or the Deadalus to catch up to them. Or Michael to resent being treated like a second class Wraith and tell Sheppard where to shoot (you didn’t really think Sheppard was dead, did you?).
The Good
Ronon’s hot when he’s all imprisoned and stuff. Oh, who am I fooling? He’s hot all the time. Someone tell the Wraith they need to rip his shirt off before feeding on him. Make him snarl some more and fling his dreds around. Ronon flexing his muscles = Good. Ronon have hidden knives and cutting his way out of the human-holder just to shut Rodney up. OK, he was escaping, but he really did seem to want to shut Rodney up.
Lots of Zalenka. Lots of Caldwell. Lots of Connor Trinneer.
Rodney downloads porn. I thought Rodney was dating someone? Does that make any difference?
The Bad
This entire enterprise was ill conceived on the Wraith’s part. Even with upgraded hyperdrives how long can it take those hives to get to Earth, and how many stops do they need to make. Did they pack enough food? What happens when they run out of humans? Do they turn cannibal? If so, what do they think they’re going to do with two overtaxed hive ships with depleted, hungry crews? Can they get past the Ori ships that are in our galaxy trying to convert the masses? How about the Goa’uld? The Jaffa? The Lucian Alliance? Earth warships? And what do a couple of boatloads of Wraith think they’re going to accomplish against more than six billion well-armed, far-from-docile humans?
And why are we so afraid of two hive ships that we can summon allies to help us destroy? Or of two hives ships of Wraith vs. the armed forces of dozens of nations? I had trouble taking this peril seriously. Perhaps if there was evidence that those hives shared their knowledge with the others, and the others were also on their way to Earth. That would be totally scary.
After all the time we’ve invested in this series, painting the Wraith as extremely intelligent and clever, we have them head for Earth in two hive ships. Two hive ships that have to stop a lot along the way because they’re organic technology and have to recover from each jump, leaving them vulnerable to interception at several points along the way by Earth warships, which are faster than they are. Not to mention the issue of provisions. Where do the Wraith think they’re going to get more humans in the long, dark stretch of (probably) uninhabited space between galaxies?
Me? I want to see the Wraith get to the Milky Way galaxy only to have the Ori fleet shoot them out of the heavens when they refuse to accept the path of Origin and prostrate themselves for seven hours a day chanting, “Hallowed are the Ori!” That would fun. Or maybe a Wraith will try to suck the life out of a host, only to have Goa’uld symbiote jump into its hissing mouth and take control over it. Or maybe… Sorry. I just don’t understand why everybody gets all worked up over one or two hive ships heading for Earth. Don’t even get me started on the series finale.
Boy am I tired of people in charge being half-wit, confrontational jerks in the Stargateverse.
What? Sheppard is the only person on Deadalus capable of flying an F-302? Really?
Michael saves their bacon, and they’ll still screw him over in the next episode. Sometimes I really hate us.
The Awesome
Oh what a gorgeous space battle! I love what drones do to an enemy ship. It’s so pretty. Not to mention that amazing view of the galaxy (Milky Way? Pegasus?) from the dead-in-the-water Deadalus.
Space battle! (Photo from GateWorld.net)
Dr. Weir eating the IOA for breakfast, and General Landry knowing it. Go, Elizabeth! Elizabeth trusting Tayla once again to mind the shop while she’s on Earth. I’m glad at least someone in the expedition remembers Tayla’s leadership skills.
Major Lorne getting a command and being a hero. Yay Lorne!
Rating
7 out of 10. I can’t let go of my inability to take two hives ships seriously as a threat. But points for an awesome space battle and all hands on deck! Good to see Stargate Command again.
