WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Dear Johnny Fanboy,

In the final episode of the Stargate: Atlantis three-parter The Siege, which kicks off Season 2, Rodney McKay contacts Elizabeth Weir and Major Sheppard from the control room and informs them: "You're going to want to get up here." Without asking him why, Weir and Sheppard head straight for the control room. Why doesn't McKay simply tell them the reason for his call (that twelve Wraith hive ships are on their way) over the intercom, and why don't Weir and Sheppard ask? Precious time is wasted while they dash up to the control room to be told what is happening.

Also in this episode, Ford grabs a pistol from a guard in the infirmary and demands that Dr Beckett hand over a bag of the Wraith enzyme he needs to survive. To show that he means business, he points the gun at one of the patients. Beckett gets the enzyme and throws it to Ford. However, the gun starts off in Ford's left hand, but then he uses that hand to catch the enzyme and suddenly the gun has become a semi-automatic.

And finally, in the same episode, I noticed a really silly weapons design. When Sheppard is skulking around dark corners looking for Ford, the fact that his gun has huge yellow glowing rings down both sides of it sort of gives his position away! What is the point of this design?

Steve Hannah

Johnny Fanboy replies:

In answer to your three questions...

1. Ah yes, they also do that sort of thing a lot in the Star Trek series, because it's dramatically exciting.

However, the explanation within the context of the episode is that the staff of Atlantis all wear headset earpieces and microphones. Therefore Rodney could continue to relay information to Weir and Sheppard while they are en route to the control room, thus potentially saving - rather than wasting - precious time. The fact that Weir and Sheppard seem to squander that time on idle chitchat about McKay's recent lack of sleep is beside the point!

2. Careful examination of the scene, by pausing the action, reveals that the pistol is still in Ford's left hand when he catches the enzyme. He is, in fact, holding two guns. The semi-automatic is in his right hand.

3. Again, it's because it's exciting: it looks cool. This weapon was probably designed by the same division that makes those very conspicuous beeping LCD-display bombs for the James Bond movies!

Seriously, though, perhaps this is Ancient technology that emits a wavelength of light that humans can see (so as to prevent friendly fire) but the Wraith cannot.

Return to: