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Startgate Universe: 1x01 & 02 - Air: Parts 1 and 2

Technically, these are two separate episodes, but since they were aired as one, I'll be blogging about them as one.

Also, since I was only just accepted as a blogger, and had this written before hand, I'm posting this blog now, and will post one for the next two episodes (possibly together, possibly separate) in the next day or two.

A brief synopsis of the series, for those who haven't watched the other two:

Stargate Universe is the third series based on the 1994 movie Stargate. The original series, Stargate: SG-1, follows the two main characters from the movie, Col. Jack O'Neil and Dr. Daniel Jackson, as well as the other two new members of their team, Cap. Samantha Carter, and Teal'c. They are called SG-1, the flagship team for the top secret SGC (Stargate Command) run by the US Air Force in Cheyenne Mountain (although Daniel is a civilian, and Teal'c an alien). They use the stargate, a device created by the "Ancients", to travel to other worlds, where they sometimes meet completely alien races, but normally come across humans who's ancestors were taken from earth by the Goa'uld (which I always spell wrong, so apologies in advance), a parasitic race that takes humans as hosts and pose as gods in order to enslave humans (most in the series are ancient Egyptian gods, but there are gods from other ancient cultures as well). One of the main appeals of the show, in my personal opinion, is not only is it set in the present day, it has a great sense of humour. It's obvious that nobody on this show takes themselves too seriously and are more than willing to poke fun at themselves (as evidenced by the "Wormhole X-Treme" spoof show that pops up now and again). But, they still manage to have great action scenes, and very powerful emotional scenes that can take you literally from laughing one minute to crying the next. It currently holds the record for longest running single sci-fi series (10 years), so obviously they were doing something right.

Stargate Atlantis is a spin off of SG-1, beginning during the 7th season, I believe, and running parallel to SG-1, occassionally with storyline and character crossovers. This series follows an international expedition, containing both military and civilian personnel from all over the world, to the lost city of Atlantis, which is really an advanced city, again built by the Ancients, on a planet in the Pegasus galaxy. The series follows a similar structure to SG-1, except that the humans on the planets in this galaxy are essentially "cattle" for the Wraith, a species that feeds on humans. Again, the series has a lot of humour, and they aren't afraid to poke fun at themselves. It wasn't as long lasting as SG-1 (only 5 season) but still had a large following, and was fairly successful.

Also necessary knowledge is a little bit about how the Stargate works. Essentially, you "dial" the gate to reach another gate on another planet (like a telephone). When it's dialed, a wormhole is established between the two gates, and whoever/whatever goes through is transported almost instantaneously to the other gate. This is a one way process, if a connection is established between point A and point B, matter can only travel from point A to point B. To go the other way, you have to wait for it to shut down, then redial from point B (except for some reason, radio waves, and apparently gravity, can go both directions. I'm not sure if there was an explanation for this, but I think it has something to do with matter vs energy). To dial a gate, you have to enter the right symbols in a device nicknamed the DHD ("Dial Home Device"): 6 to indicate the point you're trying to get to, and a 7th to indicate where you're coming from (called the "point of origin"). Without knowing the point of origin, having an address is basically useless because it won't work without the 7th symbol. There are 9 "spots" (known as chevrons) where a symbol can go. For a long time, it was thought that only 7 could be used at a time.  It was later discovered that an 8th chevron can be added to an address to indicate extra distance, allowing you to travel to another galaxy, if the gate has enough extra power. However, the purpose of the 9th chevron has, until now, been unknown.

Now that you're all caught up...

What happened this episode:

A lot of flashbacks, so I'll try to get it all in order. I also may have missed some details, because my dad was being my dad and, as usual, deciding that during the show would be a good time to discuss things rather than during the commercials, so apologies if some things are wrong or missing, feel free to correct me.

In a video game called "Prometheus", there is an embedded mathematical problem, the answer to which will solve the problem of exactly how much power is needed in order for the 9th chevron to be activated. The person who solves this problem will, according to rumour, win some sort of prize. The problem is solved by Eli Wallace, and shortly afterwards his "prize" arrives, in the form of a visit from Gen. Jack O'Neil and Dr. Nicholas Rush, who ask him to sign a non-disclosure agreement, or else be "beamed aboard our space ship." Well, Eli decides to "think about it" and closes the door on them. What happens next?

He's beamed aboard their spaceship, obviously (Wouldn't want to make Jack a liar now, would we?).

Anyway, he ends up agreeing to everything and going to another planet, where they are using energy from the planet's core to power the stargate so they can use the 9th chevron. Eli's formula doesn't work on the first try, so they work at it, and Rush comes up with a solution right when, of course, they are attacked (I heard the name Lucien Alliance, but I'm unsure if that's who was attacking them, as at this point, the cat began using our couch as a scratching post and I was distracted trying to get him off. It's not important anyway.). Knowing that too many hits will cause the planet's core to overload, an evacuation is called. Rush gets in the way however, and instead of dialing Earth like he's supposed to, dials the 9 chevron address they had found in an Ancient database, claiming that he doesn't want a power surge to follow them through to Earth (though, as pointed out by someone else, there are many other addresses he could have dialed). The connection is established, and there's no choice but to go through, as there isn't time to shut down and redial. I'm not sure of the numbers, but it looks like 40 or 50 people get through before the planet explodes.

They end up coming through the gate at the other end way too fast, and many people are injured. They eventually figure out that they are on an Ancient unmanned ship on autopilot to an unknown destination, currently millions (or billions, can't remember) of light years away from Earth. After arriving, Rush claims he spoke with Gen. O'Neil, who apparently put him in charge, using a device introduced in SG-1 meant for communicating over long distances. Nobody trusts him though, and his authority seems to disappear pretty fast (if it was ever there in the first place). The life support is failing because it's so old, and the ship is leaking atmosphere. Most of the problem is from a shuttle with a door that won't seal from the outside and a window that is damaged. One of the characters, Senator Alan Armstrong, who is in bad condition, decides to sacrifice himself to seal the doors. His daughter tries to stop him, but is too late, and the door can't be opened from the outside.

They end up attempting to dial the gate to get home, but before they can, the ship stops and the gate dials on its own (either because it was supposed to stop as soon as it was near a planet with a stargate, or because it "knew" or was told by Rush that they were in trouble, and stopped for them when a stargate was nearby). They send through a "flying camera" that Eli found to see if the planet was safe, and then send a team through to get supplies to fix the life support system. And the episode ends here.

My Thoughts:

:bulletyellow: Yay cameos!

I was so happy to see Jack in it. He's always been my favourite character. And it was great to see Sam and Daniel, and Walter! Gotta love those guys. :love:

:bulletyellow: Too many flashbacks!

I don't know about you guys, but I really hate it when there are all these jumps back and forth. And the flashbacks within flashbacks. It's just confusing! Either have the "present" storyline of the ship, and flashbacks to the planet, and cut out the personal flashbacks, or keep the opening scene, then do everything chronologically and keep the pesonal flashbacks. Once you start having three "time lines" to keep track of, things get very confusing.

:bulletyellow: Eli = awesome!

I'm gonna like this character. Nuff said.

:bulletyellow: Rush - don't like him, don't trust him.

Damn, was it not creepy when he was watching everybody come flying through the gate, and he was just standing there smirking? *shudder* Something is seriously wrong with this guy if he can be watching that with anything other than horror. Not to mention he's a lying twat. Jack put him in charge my foot. And saying it wasn't his fault they were in that situation. You're the one who dialed the damn address when you were supposed to dial Earth! Or ANY OTHER PLANET! So in my books, 100% his fault.

:bulletyellow: Flying cameras

Love 'em. I love that Eli's recording everything too :laughing: and can somebody tell me what he called them, and why? Something like Neko? My dad was talking over that part.

:bulletyellow: Um... Sex scene?

Okay, what exactly happened here? The previous two series were quite definitely family oriented. So what the hell was that? Hopefully the writers will think things through a little more... you can't go from family to adult without telling us, especially when some of us have young children/siblings who were watching thinking it would be safe to watch.

Of course, on further reflection, I do remember now that the pilot episode of SG-1 featured full-frontal nudity of a couple of female characters... and then there was nothing like that ever again. But still... That was before they had established themselves as a relatively family-friendly series.

:bulletyellow: Having some continuity issues here...

Firstly, is it me, or was there not something about being unable to dial the stargate while it's moving FASTER THAN LIGHT. If so, then the whole premise of the series has a giant hole in it, because Rush shouldn't have been able to even make a connection. Of course, perhaps the Ancients tweaked this one so that the address would always go to that stargate no matter where it was. I could accept that, but it would be nice if they explained it at some point.

And also, how is that team supposed to get back? The gate is a one-way system, they're going to have to shut it down on the ship end of it and figure out the address and point of origin, potentially among a lot of new symbols, to get back. Though I guess presumably it's the same address they used in the first place... but again, explanation would be good. They were always very good with explanations in the other series and not assuming that we're geniuses and are going to figure it out right away.

:bulletyellow: Don't drain the power! Idiots...

I actually agreed with Rush on this one. Who in their right mind is going to try and dial the stargate. If any of them had been paying attention to how the Stargate works, they would know it's very likely it's not only going to fail because there isn't enough power to get all the way back to Earth, even if they do figure out the point of origin on the first try, but it's going to drain everything and kill the life support. Yes, I know they only had a day left, but that at least gives them a day to figure out how to FIX it. Stupid people.

Plus, as discussed before, they are moving faster than light, which means there is no steady point of origin until they stop, which means they can't make a connection. Unless, like I said before, this gate has been tweaked and has a point of origin that will work no matter where it is.

:bulletyellow: River, is that you?

Is it just me, or does Chloe sometimes look very similar to River Tam (Summer Glau) from Firefly? (she also played Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but Chloe looks more like River than Cameron)

:bulletyellow: What? You can't end it there!

Gah! I wanna see the planet, and I wanna see what happens! I guess we'll have to wait for next week though. I'm assuming they'll show it then, since it's called Air: Part 3.

:bulletyellow: Lighten up please.

One of the reasons I watch Stargate is for the light-heartedness of the show. Now, I'm by no means averse to a darker, more serious show, but when I see Stargate in the title, I expect humour, and some good banter between the characters, even if the situation they're in is serious. They had a little bit, but not as much as I would expect, and I really hope they this was just "one of those episodes" that doesn't quite fit, because I suppose the situation really doesn't lend itself to humour very well. Hopefully they'll get into the classic Stargate feel as it goes on, and it doesn't turn into a Star Trek: Voyager or Battlestar Galactica copycat.

Final Thoughts:

I know that sounded like a lot of complaining, but I really did like the episode. It doesn't have the Stargate feel I was hoping for, and isn't as good so far as either SG-1 or Atlantis, but I was doubtful about Atlantis being any good at the beginning (Actually, I was doubtful about the movie, and SG-1 too) and was proven greatly wrong, so hopefully the same thing will happen here.

Fanart!

Let me know if there's any fan art (yours or someone else's) that you think should be featured here. Since there isn't a whole lot of fanart from SGU that isn't just screen shots, they can be suggestions from the other 2 series, at least for now.

:thumb140028614:

Yeah, really not much from SGU yet that I could find, so here's some from SG-1 and SGA! :D

:thumb76675256: :thumb47346471: :thumb119431698: stargate by hpslashlover Stargate Races by Papacy

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Index

30 Rock
4.01, 4.02 | 4.03 | 4.04, 4.05

90210
2.07

Accidentally on Purpose
1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 1.10 | 1.11

Being Erica
2.05 | 2.06 | 2.07 | 2.08 | 2.09 | 2.10 | 2.11 | 2.12

The Big Bang Theory
3.01 | 3.02 | 3.03 | 3.04 | 3.05 | 3.06 | 3.07 | 3.08 | 3.09 | 3.10 | 3.11

Bones
5.03 | 5.04 | 5.05 | 5.06 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 5.09

Castle
2.01, 2.02 | 2.03 | 2.04 | 2.05 | 2.06 | 2.07 | 2.08 | 2.09 | 2.10 | 2.11

Community
1.01 | 1.02 | 1.03 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 1.08

Criminal Minds
5.05 | 5.06 | 5.07

CSI: NY
6.01 | 6.03

Desperate Housewives
6.05

Dexter
4.09 | 4.10 | 4.11 | 4.12

Dollhouse
2.01 | 2.02 | 2.03 | 2.04 | 2.05, 2.06 | 2.07 | 2.08 | 2.09, 2.10

Eastwick
1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07

Family Guy
8.02 | 8.03 | 8.04 | 8.05 | 8.06 | 8.07 | 8.08 | 8.09

FlashForward
1.02 | 1.03

Fringe
2.01 | 2.02 | 2.03 | 2.04 | 2.05

Gossip Girl
3.01 | 3.06 | 3.07

Glee
1.04 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 1.09 | 1.10

Heroes
4.01, 4.02 | 4.03 | 4.04 | 4.05, 4.06 | 4.07 | 4.08 | 4.09

House
6.05 | 6.06 | 6.07 | 6.08 | 6.09

How I Met Your Mother
5.01 | 5.02 | 5.03 | 5.04 | 5.05 | 5.06 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 5.09 | 5.10 | 5.11

Leverage
Introduction | 2.10 | 2.11 | 2.12 | 2.13

Merlin
2.03 | 2.04 | 2.05, 2.06 | 2.07 | 2.08 | 2.09 | 2.10 | 2.11 | 2.13

Monk
8.04 | 8.06 | 8.07, 8.08 | 8.10 | 8.15 | 8.16

MythBusters
7.12 | 7.13 | 7.15 | 7.16 | 7.17 | 7.18

NCIS
7.01 | 7.05

The Office
6.01

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3.01, 3.02 | 3.03, 3.04 | 3.05, 3.06 | 3.07, 3.08 | 3.09, 3.10 | 3.11, 3.12

The Simpsons
21.04 | 21.05 | 21.06 | 21.07 | 21.08

Sons of Anarchy
2.07 | 2.08 | 2.09 | 2.10 | 2.11, 2.12

South Park
13.10 | 13.11 | 13.12

Stargate Universe
1.01, 1.02 | 1.03 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 1.08 | 1.09

Supernatural
5.04 | 5.05 | 5.06 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 5.09 | 5.10

True Blood
Introduction

Two and a Half Men
7.05 | 7.06 | 7.07 | 7.08 | 7.09 | 7.10 | 7.11

Ugly Betty (series ended)
4.01, 4.02 | 4.04 | 4.05 | 4.06 | 4.07 | 4.08 | 4.09 | 4.10-4.12 | 4.13 | 4.14 | 4.15-4.18 | 4.19 | 4.20 (finale)

The Vampire Diaries
1.03 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 1.10