somedaybitch

that? was a MONUMENTALLY stupid plan.

the episode was technically excellent. it was suspenseful, solid acting, etc. but the idea that they would think conducting that kind of experiment on Atlantis was a good idea? holy fuck, that's stupid. conduct it on the alpha site, for pete's sake.

and then the whole making up an identity. wtf for? why not just tell the guy you retrieved him on some planet that you were on when the Wraith were attacking? you don't know who he is, his name, anything about him, blah, blah, blah. that way you don't have to lie. because really? what was the point? i suppose they, and by they i mean Heightmeyer - the dumbest shrink EVER - would have argued that if he's one of them he could bond to them more easily, make the difficult transition less so if he thought he belonged with them instead of random stranger guy. but hello? Wraith?

characterization that was true:

Beckett getting mad at Weir. spot on. it IS Beckett's fault that the sergeant is dead, and yet, Weir is also correct in that the buck starts and stops with her, and it rings true that she would try to mitigate Beckett's guilt by taking the ultimate blame.

Weir making this decision at all. a year ago she would have been horrified by the notion. (but then, of course, Weir making this decision at all, because, hello? MONUMENTALLY stupid.)

Sheppard letting her bring the guy to Atlantis. a year ago he would have tried to scuttle it somehow, but it speaks to the way they have settled the command structure, and to his maturity, that he defers to her because she is ultimately in charge. he'll speak his peace and then follow orders and try to keep it from going sideways. that's his job. and Sheppard never forgetting that the guy is first and foremost a Wraith.

Ronon. 'nuff said.

Teyla the entire episode. her fear of the Wraith and the knowledge of the threat that they are is what moves her to agree, and yet, she is very right for the "why are we lying to him"?

Connor Trinneer is awesome in this episode. utterly awesome. everybody is really, which is why the MONUMENTALLY stupid idea is so MONUMENTALLY stupid.

and yet, at the same time, i like that they aren't perfect heroes, but rather protagonists.

but have i mentioned MONUMENTALLY stupid? this is the first time that i would agree with those wondering why Weir is in charge if she's capable of making this kind of decision. which brings me to how Weir's characterization was also totally off.

why would she even remotely think that bringing a Wraith to Atlantis was a good thing. i have no problems with her decisions in Trinity and whatever the ep was with Go'auld!Colonel. i really don't. the risk was worth it in Trinity, and the decision was called for with Kavanaugh. but i can't see any sound logic that would mitigate bringing a Wraith to Atlantis and letting the guy walk around, because no matter how long he takes the treatments, he will NEVER not be a potential threat. ever.

i don't even really care that i think the decision was MONUMENTALLY stupid, as long as there was some internal logic that made the choice worth the risk. i prefer my characters broken and totally self-destructive, but there has to be a plausible reason that i can follow, even if i don't agree.

it's a good thing that i'm not ZOMGTHISISTHEBESTESTSHOWEVER with SGA, because stuff like this would drive me batshit. instead, it's just irritating that they choked what would have been an otherwise superb ep.