Month: July 2020

Stargate Atlantis Legacy: Homecoming Part 3

SGA #16

ISBN: 9781905586509

More character development, but a little more subtle cause two of these peeps are dancing around each other like you wouldn’t believe.

Okay, so last week we got to see what Rodney and Jennifer were up to right? Because I wanted to set the next book up and give ya’ll an idea of where these two’s relationship was going and if it would last.

This week however, we’re looking at the rest of the team.

Rodney and Jennifer aren’t the only ones dealing with relationship issues. Even though they aren’t officially a couple, we all know that Shepard and Teyla have had chemistry for quite some time.

I know, I know.

Teyla had a child with another guy and was interested in this dude a few seasons back.

However! Turns out that she and Kanaan were lovers, but not in love.

Teyla talks to Rodney about it and explains how and why she and Kanaan got together and that it was about comfort. When she found out she was pregnant it changed things because of course Torren should know his father, but they weren’t like that so…

Awkwardness ensues.

As in cringeworthy.

But that’s later, for now-

We get to see scenes where Shepard is taking care of Torren while Teyla is working with Mr. Woolsey, and just generally being around when she needs anything.

There is awkwardness here too because, just like with Rodney and Jennifer, they believe they’re stuck on Earth for good. And if that’s true than there’s no reason they shouldn’t be together right?

Except that neither of them is sure what the other wants and, even though Teyla isn’t afraid to share her feelings, she is hesitant now because of how she thinks people view her because she isn’t actually married to Kanaan but has his son.

I think that she has reason to be concerned that people would judge her, but I don’t think it would be anyone who actually matters. As in the IOA may try to use it against her, but her team and the majority of SGC peeps wouldn’t have a problem. I know there’s a stigma to being a single parent and it’s worse in some ways for women but her fears on this matter seem more like an excuse.

Just a me thing!

She’s so confident and sure of herself the majority of the time, but now that she and Shepard could actually be a couple the sudden awkwardness and weirdness gives it a more realistic feel.

Shepard, of course, is dealing with issues that are making it easy to not talk about what could be. His situation is different from the rest of the team because Ronon and Teyla can go back to Pegasus via the George Hammond, Rodney and Jennifer were very much welcomed to Area 51’s team and the other Marines and personnel are seamlessly integrating with SGC.

Shepard, unfortunately, has had a few run ins with General Landry (remember when he stole a Jumper and disobeyed direct orders?), General O’Neill isn’t talking to him at all and he can’t join the Hammond’s crew because he outranks Colonel Carter’s second but is just shy of being her equal.

So dealing with his feelings isn’t the most important thing (and Teyla understands but she isn’t one to put up with stupid for long without calling you out on it) but he definitely used it as an excuse too because there were times that they could have talked and dealt with things but didn’t.

Those two. I swear!

Anyways, we have one more peep to mention quickly cause he didn’t get too much face time in the first part of the book when they were on Earth.

Having said that, Colonel Carter asks him if he’d like to join her crew as an independent contractor. It would get him back to Pegasus, and fighting the Wraith, and no one else has offered him another option yet.

The scene is fantastic because Carter asks him what he was before he was a soldier. Apparently, Ronon was in school to be some kind of scholar? Maybe a teacher is the better translation, but the Wraith attacked and we know the rest. Ronon respects Carter and appreciates that she sees there’s more to him than just muscle and agrees to join her crew.

Relationship wise, the end scene of season 5 has our peeps standing on a balcony looking out at the water of San Francisco Bay and we see Ronon standing with a woman.

We have met her before, don’t worry. The writers didn’t just randomly throw some woman into the mix so the team was all paired up.

Amelia Banks has been around for a bit and in a particular episode she does a round-house kick (I think that’s what it is) and takes out a bad guy. Ronon sees this and is impressed (pretty sure it’s because he hasn’t seen that fighting style before) and thus the ‘possibility’ of a relationship is set forth especially after the whole Jennifer thing doesn’t work out.

I’ve seen where people weren’t too happy about this supposed ‘sudden’ relationship but you have to remember that there was still a chance for a movie at the time and possibly even more than one if not another season. The writers could have easily meant for those to be the pairings.

Since they couldn’t, we have this absolutely lovely Legacy series!

Amelia shows up a bit more in the series and there’s stuff I want to mention, but it’s later and I don’t want to ruin anything so we’ll just call it good right here.

Just shy of a thousand words again, thank you all for reading another review and I shall see everyone next week!

(I may be interrupting the regular posts to add crafty ones as I’ve been quite busy on that front and have almost completely emptied my ‘in-progress’ craft box. Much success!)

Stargate Atlantis Legacy: Homecoming Part 3

SGA #16

ISBN: 9781905586509

Can you say ‘character development’?

A wonderful thing, character development, it gives us a chance to see people at their worst, best and everything in between. All so we can decide whether we like them or not. All so we can change our minds about people we didn’t like in season 1, but end up adoring because of that one episode in season 3.

The character development the authors get to do is nothing short of amazing. Staying true to the established characters and who they were, while also thinking of who they would choose to become is hard to do but its been done here.

First.

Rodney McKay.

We all know he was a pain in the butt, know-it-all at first, but we got to see him grow throughout the series and the authors keep it going here and in the rest of the books (I REALLY want to tell you guys about the next book and what happens but I can’t because book one is so full of amazingness that you can’t miss it either. Just know that it’s amazing and epic and you will love it when I get to it…or before if you’ve already read it).

Rodney doesn’t like a lot of what’s been happening since they landed in San Francisco Bay. It seems that the IOA doesn’t want Atlantis to return to the Pegasus Galaxy at all and that won’t do for our resident genius.

Unfortunately, its not McKay’s decision to make and when the IOA decrees that Atlantis is to be dismantled, it’s the last straw and he walks.

His girlfriend Dr. Keller leaves as well.

Since Atlantis won’t be going anywhere, there isn’t a need for medical personnel anymore and Area 51 has a position open. Being in a relationship is hard enough with the usual problems, but Rodney and Jennifer have had to deal with galactic issues and life or death problems as well.

(I know that some people don’t like this pairing because they claim it ‘just happened’ but ya’ll need to remember that it was established that they started seeing each other in the episode where they, and Carter, fall into the mine. The one where Rodney proves to them he’s more than just an egotistical and self-absorbed person.)

Since the two of them have been dating for months now, they decide to get an apartment together and end up getting a kitten as well.

Cute right?

Well…

Nothing is perfect. Getting an apartment together and even the kitten was all really a bad idea. In my opinion, and it’s alluded to in the book, even they aren’t sure why they did any of it except that it was what was expected of them to do (or what they thought was expected of them in any case).

When the call comes that Atlantis is leaving Earth immediately (months later) Rodney is ready and completely willing. Keller on the other hand isn’t so sure. They left for a reason. A very good one too and now Rodney is ready to just let things go?

Keller isn’t so sure she wants to go back to working for people who would be okay with experimenting on a person. Even if that person is an alien that has to kill humans to survive. There’s also the fact that she’s never felt like she’s been enough for the people who call Atlantis home.

Rodney just assumes she’s as happy about Atlantis returning to Pegasus as he is and it causes a little bit of tension when he realizes she’s not as gung-ho as he is.

Keller does decide to go back, but you can kind of see that things between them is tense and not as stable as they’d like to make themselves believe.

I think that they both jumped into the moving in together thing too quickly as a way to cope with their lives changing so drastically in such a short amount of time.

In Pegasus there was danger, but a lot of it was on a bigger scale so why decide to move in together when they were already happy with their own rooms and could meet up whenever they wanted?

On Earth, there’s a sense of finality and I think it contributed greatly to their jumping into things. The further away from any decision they’d make in Pegasus the better.

It was time to move on with their lives and they’d do it if they had to fight every inch of the way.

We can all see that things are not going to go as planned with these two.

And it’s great!

That’s the end for this week’s review. I like that I got to talk about both Rodney and Keller and their relationship here because it’s super important to their character development. They’re cute together, but are they a forever kind of thing?

We shall see.

Before I say goodbye for now, a note to give you hope on Atlantis returning to Pegasus (even though we know already it’s a fun bit tossed in to make things exciting and let us know O’Neill has our back!)

An interesting moment, before Keller leaves Atlantis, is when Dr. Beckett asks for some of the supplies and machines from the infirmary. Since he’s planning on returning to Pegasus with the George Hammond and Colonel Carter, he’d like some items to help him with medical needs in the galaxy.

The list has almost every piece of Alteran machinery and the majority of other supplies too.

This is a sneaky thing and you can thank General O’Neill for it.

Till next week peeps.

Be a Light!

Alrighty, so last weeks review was bad. Even I know it was a rushed and nonsensical mess, so I am here to correct that mistake.

The problem (and I’ve been thinking about it all week) is that I thought I should review in the book order. That won’t work however because I like Guide (Todd for those who missed last week) and will rant about him for WAY too long.

Thus, until Atlantis actually gets to Pegasus again in the book it will make more sense to stick to one side or the other.

This week will be Guide and next week (possibly more depending on how long they end up) will be Shepard and crew and what they have to deal with all up until Guide makes his next appearance.

Sound good?

Excellent!

Stargate Atlantis Legacy: Homecoming

SGA #16

ISBN: 9781905586509

I have several more thoughts about Guide (you’re not surprised so don’t lie) that I didn’t get to cover last week, but a recap with additional thoughts should work to keep things from getting out of hand (probably I should just write a book about that Wraith and get it over with).

Todd is actually known as Guide and if you think about it, it makes a massive amount of sense.

From what we know, the Wraith don’t have names like us, but more of a feeling or sense of who or what each individual is (no one forgot they’re telepathic right?). Translated, we would get a name to call them, but in the eyes of the Wraith being called something at birth is ridiculous because you don’t know who that person will be so how could you know what to call them?

Guide isn’t really his name either, I don’t think (I’m almost positive later books talk about it), or it’s not his first name. Wraith live so long that their names would no doubt change as they did to reflect who they become.

Guide is an appropriate name for him now from what we can see of who he is, because he’s leading the way for others to follow in an alliance that’s beneficial to both Wraith and humans.

Since he’s so put out about being called Todd, I’m guessing he’s been going by Guide for some time now. Possibly since his Queen died and he had to lead the Hive without her but also possibly before that.

I brought up his kids last week too and considered why he only mentioned having two. To be fair, he only mentioned having two with Queen Snow, so it’s possible he had other kids with other female Wraith (I still don’t know if all female Wraith are Queens or not).

I feel like having an entire re-read of the series now…

Anyways, there are probably multiple reasons why we don’t see more Wraith children and one of the bigger ones would be to protect them. From other Wraith and definitely from the humans.

I covered my thoughts and feelings about his choosing to be without a Queen quite well last week so don’t feel that I need to go over it again…because there’s this thing that happens later in the book that will let me cover it again and more.

Yeah.

Its an ENTIRE thing that’s a little disturbing and vastly hilarious at the same time.

More on that later.

For now, we continue with what happens in the rest of chapter two.

While Guide is trying to keep his mind off starving, Shepard is talking to Dr. Beckett. Beckett isn’t happy with a ‘request’ from the IOA about handing Guide over to another group. The request is full of language and insinuations that if Guide cooperates with experiments they want to do, he may have better opportunities that Atlantis isn’t willing to give. If he doesn’t cooperate, well we all know he won’t really have a choice.

Beckett refuses to be part of it and needs Shepard’s help. Because Guide likes Shepard and respects him enough to listen to Beckett’s idea.

Stasis.

They have a chamber available and Beckett is pretty sure he can get it to work for Guide. It gets Guide out of a cell that he could conceivably escape from and keeps him from starving. A win-win.

Except they need to convince him that’s the best option.

Enter Shepard.

We get to see Shepard’s thoughts concerning Guide here and it’s really fantastic that the authors didn’t mind head-jumping to give us a broader view of our favorite characters. Not only how they think but their emotional state too.

Shepard catalogues the changes in Guide and can’t argue that he’s close to the edge already. A few barbs before getting to business, the assurance that he won’t be handing anyone else over to be fed on, and we come to a crucial point.

Guide is ready to ask Shepard for mercy before the end. To ask that Shepard kill him before he actually starves to death.

Shepard recognizes the moment (a look on Guide’s face) and refuses to let Guide say anything. Instead, he immediately mentions the stasis and Guide, amused, agrees and asks what the chances are of getting his clothes back.

He doesn’t promise of course, but Shepard comes through in the end and Guide is once more in his own clothes before heading to the stasis chamber.

Dr. Keller is there with Beckett (some time has passed of course and the book itself gives us other snippets of what’s going on) and she’s not keen on the idea. She isn’t sure if it’ll actually work for a Wraith and thinks that he’s being coerced.

Shepard isn’t about to let anyone stop them at this point though because he won’t let Guide be experimented on, can’t send him home and refuses to feed him.

Stasis is the only option.

Guide steps into the chamber, asks about the restraints being removed because why not, and settles in.

And that is that for this week peeps!

Guide will stay in stasis for a time before they need him and that interesting thing happens that I talked about earlier. The whole Queen thing?

Yeah. It’s gonna be good ya’ll.

Hope you enjoyed a more concise and none rushed review this week. Next week will be all about our favorite humans and the stuff they have to go through before heading back to Pegasus.

See you there!

I know everyone is as excited as I am to get to the first in the Legacy series (especially considering last week), but first a note from the writer (that’s me! Feeling much better, thank you).

(two notes because I feel that this review is somewhat disjointed but I’m not sure how to fix it so I’ll most likely go over things again in Part 2)

Since I am now the proud owner of the entire Stargate Atlantis Blu-Ray/DVD set a shout out to my sister for that fabulous Christmas present!), I feel that I should share the goodies inside it cause, ya’ll, it has special features!!

Thus, after this review, I think I’ll do a book review then a review of a special feature/s depending on how long they are and what not. I totally plan to watch the entire thing again because from comments other fans have made it seems that the TV episodes didn’t show everything?

If that’s true than I’ll do posts of what was left out in case any of you don’t have the set yet (but you should totally get one cause it’s that amazing and don’t tell me you won’t watch it over and over again like me).

Also, before I forget once more, this review and others may be sliced into multiple posts because the new information and absolute amazingness that is the Legacy series will have me ranting way more than even Common Ground… and you all know how much I love Todd! (who, by the way, is even more awesome in the books!!)

Now that we are caught up with what’s gonna happen and all that good stuff, onto the review! (and there will be a TON of personal ranting and fangirling in these ones because of the WOW things that happen…you’ve now been warned.)

Stargate Atlantis Legacy: Homecoming

SGA #16

ISBN: 9781905586509

Many kudos to the authors, Jo Graham and Melissa Scott, for how they wrote this book. Its not chronological in reference to the events in the book, but the decision to start the book where Atlantis is en route to the Pegasus Galaxy instead of picking up where the last episode ended was a brilliant move.

So.

Dr. Becket and Lt. Colonel Shepard are switching off on piloting Atlantis back home. They’re taking twelve hour shifts each since there isn’t a third pilot (apparently that’s how the Alterans did things when piloting the city).

Between the Milky Way and Pegasus Dr. Beckett detects a ‘wobble’. Shepard verifies and they continue on, keeping an eye on it, but as is par for the course for our beloved peeps, things go wrong.

The ‘wobble’ is a massive problem that forces them out of hyperspace at the very edge of the galaxy with only twenty percent power in the ZPM’s and only two systems close by that they aren’t even sure have habitable planets.

And this is where we jump back in time!

Five months earlier is when we see Teyla in a meeting with the IOA trying to convince them that it’s in everyone’s best interest to get Atlantis fixed and back to Pegasus (WE know this, but they’re still idiots).

A hilarious scene where Torren is being carried around in one of those baby slings by Shepard and we jump to a gathering/party thing where the IOA, high up people from around the world and military brass are rubbing elbows and such.  

Chapter two starts with our absolute favorite person in existence.

Todd!

Well, actually, that’s not his name.

(side note! I’ve read a ton of fanfic because I have to get my fix somewhere right? And in several I found references where Todd is called Guide instead. I thought it was something that was started by one author and it slowly became a fanfic canon because it fits him so perfectly and the reasoning behind it is so Wraith. Turns out it is canon and I about died when I began chapter two so ya’ll need to be careful! Side note end)

Our dear, lovely, imprisoned-despite-being-the-one-sole-reason-they’re-all-alive, Guide is pacing.

Glamorous right?

This chapter, the scene, is the reason I will forever love the Legacy series. For the entire show we only ever got to see the Wraith as the villains. The books touched on the Wraith being more. As humans and Wraith being more alike than not, but we never truly got to see the Wraith as people and now we do.

Hitting us several times in two pages, the authors put us in Guide’s head as he tries to take himself away from the cell and his starvation.

His pacing is familiar, something he did while in the ‘care’ of the Genii, and it takes him into his memories.

(this is what I wanted from the Wraith in the show and I adore the authors for how they wrote this and for bringing it up so quickly)

We all know he’s something of an enigma. Considered to be ‘weird’ by Wraith and human standards because he controls a Hive without a Queen and has for some time.

However, that’s a recent thing (relatively speaking for a Wraith) because he had a Queen. In fact, he thinks of her as his true Queen.

Something that is based on love as is suggested throughout the Legacy series where he, his past and family is brought up (there are short stories that are ALL WRAITH and one where he proves himself to his true Queen and it is so fantastic I can’t wait for when I do that review!!).

I know that’s not shocking to ya’ll, but keep in mind that until this book we haven’t been given any firm idea of how their family structures work or how they interact with their children, consorts (I don’t remember them using the word ‘mates’ but I’ll correct myself later if they do) and Hive in more than general ‘how do we kill them’ terms.

He had a son and a daughter.

Kids.

Guide had kids.

You’d expect him to have had several considering how old he is, so this brings up a question about how they procreate. Do they have trouble with fertility? Is it something of a failsafe in their genetic code because they’re immortal? Are the children casualties of war amongst their kind? Or do they negotiate the equivalent of contracts between adults to keep the lines from inbreeding and it takes time and a vast amount of trust?

Before I end this rant (yes I have to, I’m over a thousand words again), I leave you with this to consider in the week to come.

Guide has been Queenless by choice. He had a true Queen (whose name was Snow by the way) and loved her so much that he willingly kept himself from that kind of relationship again.

And I’m not talking about the Queen and Consort relationship here either (that is a whole nother thing entirely). I’m talking about how their species is matriarchal and how he’s kept himself from that by choice.

And don’t try and say that he didn’t have a choice. He tricked Teyla into being a fake Queen because he knew she would never allow herself to stay like that and that he would have the protection of a Queen without having to actually be around one in the way their kind are essentially programed to be.

Does anyone really think he couldn’t have joined another Hive or another fleet with a Queen if he wanted to? We’ve been led to believe that it’s all about power with him and it is, to a certain extent (he cares for his crew and his species which is why he’s allied with Atlantis so often even after being burned), but it’s just a tad more complicated than that apparently.

I guess there’s more to the Wraith than we know.

Till next week!

(oh, don’t worry. I’ll finish book one review before I get into special features from the DVD’s)