#stargate atlantis meta

[dreamlandcreations]

A list of SGA meta • S01 part 1

posts made by @dr-futbol-blog (I just collected them here)

Intro / John Sheppard  • Intro / Rodney McKay

Part 1

Part 1

Part 1 • bonus part

Part 1

Part 1

Part 1

Part 1 • Part 2

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • bonus

see episode 10 links

CONTINUE (to S01 part 2)

[lightthewaybackhome]

I enjoyed watching the Game and the Ark together because they stand in contrast to each other as the best and worst of Sheppard and McKay.

In the Game we see McKay's arrogance and Sheppard's aggression unmitigated by any of their other virtues spread through a whole culture. Both of them are plagued with stubbornness and unwillingness to see the other side of the picture. Sheppard and McKay have to work overtime to try and keep their worst sides from hurting each other. I think this is a major part of their friendship.

McKay has almost no friends because he's so hard to work with. It's shown in such a hysterical way when Nola refuses to believe that Baden's citrus fruit is anything but an insult.

Sheppard too struggles in the friend department because he's aggressive and doesn't follow the rules. Baden actually cheats at the game and orders the attack on Nola and her people. This shows Sheppard as a man who, mostly before the responsibilities of Atlantis settle on his shoulders, might have just been a bit too quick to pick a fight.

Oddly, McKay finds a friend in Sheppard, and Sheppard a friend in McKay. They are proof that Nola and Baden aren't one dimensional, and can not only get along but thrive together.

(Also, I will always love Sheppard beating McKay at chess at the end and I will always love LORNE! and Radak playing the game.)

The Ark stands in total contrast to the Game. It is Sheppard and McKay's qualities dialed up. It is Sheppard talking McKay down from panic, calming Ronon with a promised fight to the death, knowing Atlantis (LORNE!) will come for them, fighting to save his team, and then willingly sacrificing himself for Teyla. The look on his face when he's breaking through the door is gold. He is a determined man ready to kill if you touch his people, which you did, so prepare to die.

The episode ends with Sheppard reiterating yet again that he would willingly give his life for any of them, even McKay.

Rodney is also at his best. Excited to explore, quick on his feet, comes up with solutions, listens to Sheppard, tries to save everyone, and tries to talk Sheppard out of risking his life. I love the moment he tells Lorne he's not going back to the Jumper because they don't leave their people behind, and Lorne gently agrees and explains that he's not leaving anyone behind.

Rodney may be quick to panic and quick to tell you how you're going to die, but he too will do anything for his team.

Watching these two episodes back to back is great because of the contrast they provide. Sheppard and McKay at their worst and then Sheppard and McKay as they are, which are two men who have worked against their worst traits for the sake of others.

...and next is Sunday. Big, sad sigh.

[dr-futbol-blog]

Our hero, Major John Sheppard is stationed at McMurdo base in Antarctica at the start of the series. We learn that he likes it there. Sheppard himself tells Teyla in Sateda (S03E04): "Well, that [having no social skills] is why I enjoyed flying choppers in the most remote part of my world before all this craziness."

This is what John Sheppard tells us but we learn that what he tells us is not always the truth and certainly not the whole truth.

The alien AI that created a hallucination from Sheppard's own subconscious in Remnants (S05E15) poses him the question: "You're either someone with a death wish or someone running away from something. So tell me: what are you running away from?" Running away to the most remote part of his world, running away to another galaxy.

In fact, he has both been banished to and self-isolated in the most remote part of his world ("You torture yourself every day, John.") due to his "black mark" acquired in Afghanistan. We are never explicitly told what this black mark was, only that it bothered Gen. O'Neill and was something that Dr. Weir could live with. We are left wondering.

While we are shown something of what happened in Afghanistan during the episode Phantoms (S03E09), through the hallucinations from Sheppard's past of him failing to save Capt. Charlie Holland, it isn't until toward the end of the series that we find out what happened through the mirror of a parallel reality in Vegas (S05E19), where alt!Rodney tells us "You were a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan but were dishonourably discharged for disobeying orders and trying to rescue a field medic trapped behind enemy lines. You were shot down – obviously survived, but unfortunately the crash killed four American soldiers along with eight civilians. You avoided jail time; the record was sealed for various political reasons."

The field medic in the Vegas-verse, one where "infinite variations of our own known reality where alternate versions of you and I play out events", is female; this revealed in a mumbled 'ur' (I didn't even catch it on first viewing even though I knew about the gender swap in advance; it might just as well have been "knew 'em") in alt!Rodney's line: "That field medic – the one you defied orders to go back and try and rescue. You knew her personally. You were... involved."

This was one of the differences between the two realities, perhaps even the most defining one of them, the point of divergence.

Vegas Sheppard dies to the tune of Johnny Cash's Solitary Man because that's what he was, a recluse (and note that the importance of Johnny Cash was underlined in the episode by Sheppard taking nothing but his poster, the same Johnny Cash poster that our Sheppard had in his quarters for all of the five years, with him once he walked away from his job; it carries weight):

I know it's been done havin' one girl who loved me Right or wrong, weak or strong Don't know that I will, but until I can find me The girl who'll stay and won't play games behind me I'll be what I am

But our Sheppard is not a Solitary Man (he has self-confessedly found something of a family in Pegasus). He's the Man in Black (in fact, he is dressed in black throughout the series even in situations where other fatigues would have made more sense; it is only in the very last episode that we see him in lighter colours):

I'd love to wear a rainbow every day And tell the world that everything's okay But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back 'Til things are brighter, I'm the man in black

We know the background. When the series begun, DADT was still in full effect, the franchise had a long-standing co-operation with the USAF, Prop 8 was still several years into the future. The non-normative sexual orientation of an All-American Action Hero was never going to be main-text. Even heterosexual romance between characters was mostly eschewed by the franchise. But damn if the subtext doesn't lay it out thick for us.

There are so many obvious parallels and comparisons in the show that I need to write them down somewhere, and while this is a day late and a dollar short, this fandom could do with some meta. So this marks the beginning of my journey through Stargate Atlantis with an eye on its bisexual protagonist.

[stinalotte]

(let's pretend those are fireworks for the sake of all our blood pressures, yeah?)

For those of you who weren't there when SGA was on TV for the first time, let me tell you what the best thing about the fandom was: we were truly an international bunch. This was before social media, so most of us were active on forums. But we found each other, and much like the Atlantis expedition is an international one, the fandom was, too. It still is, but back in its heyday, it was even more pronounced.

As non-Americans, it's sometimes tiring that all media is so US-centric. So seeing people from your own country on screen (bonus points if they're not just walking clichés) feels special.

With Stargate Atlantis, fans from every country knew the faces of "their" expedition members. We made up names and biographies for them, even if they were only in the background (shoutout to Thorsten, Carsten and Sabine representing Germany! 🇩🇪) Every flag we spotted was celebrated. At conventions, we pinned our flags on our hotel room doors and left little notes in our native languages, often with tongue in cheek or friendly teasing messages. The Austrians and the Australians made a sport of stealing and switching each other's flags. The UN could have learned a thing or two from us.

A couple weeks ago, someone asked on the Stargate subreddit if the Czech fans were annoying or "too much" with their support for Zelenka. The overwhelming response was a resounding hell no, what are you talking about? Why would anyone be annoyed? We love their enthusiasm, not to mention they translate his rants for us.

So, dear fellow non-USians, be loud and enthusiastic and cringe about your faves. It's so much more fun than yet another show that's US only. 🌐

[sun-ni-day]

You can't tell me that John wasn't drawn to Atlantis. No way he wound up on that exact posting by accident. She chose him, and called upon him. Love guided him to her.

[cherish--these--times]

VERY LONG POST ALERT

I've been doing a SGA rewatch. Seeing John and Teyla in a new light and wanted to spread the love and share some thoughts! Bear with me on that one. They might be more to come.

-

I think The Legacy Series very cleverly exploited what had been established by the end of season 5. If we consider the Fandemonium books canon (Stargate Wiki certainly does) then John and Teyla are openly in love and in a committed relationship. The first couple of books reveal that Teyla had harboured feelings for him for a long time but believed he didn't see her in that way. Concept best illustrated by this scene, I believe. When Teyla offers a comfy thigh for his sleepy head and he doesn't say so much as a thank you and she looks discomfited to say the least.

And whether this was scripted or simply an acting choice on Rachel Luttrell's part, this look signifies a lot in an episode mentioning a man she has feelings for who has yet to make a move.

As stated in the books, following the deaths of Carson, Elizabeth and Kate, she sought comfort where she could find it, which was in the arms of a fellow Athosian whom she knew since childhood and who had the Gift as well. She tried to move on with her life with someone she trusted and loved. And it makes sense. Rachel Luttrell loved that about this storyline and I agree with her.

Truth be told, not much is happening regarding John and Teyla in the first three seasons, especially after season 1. John puts on the charm on her when they first meet the same way he does with every pretty girl they encounter on a mission, which clearly indicates that he finds her attractive. And she is INTO IT. Instantly. Her little smile and Colonel Sumner's raised eyebrow and barely concealed amusement LOL... The only moment of levity on his part regarding Sheppard...

You can glimpse that she might be falling for him right there and then. And the necklace scene.. Uuggghh the sexual tension there hehe.

John trusts her implicitly and immediately, it's beautiful to see. I love when he defends her against Bates when she's suspected to be a double agent for the Wraith. And he has little to show for it apart from the fact that he just really likes her and knows that she's a kind hearted person. It's not based on anything factual. Bates was absolutely right about that. And John losing his shit with him because he is well aware of that is delightful. He doesn't know why, yet, but he already adores her and will defend her honour to Earth and back (and that's a long way alright!). Same when she learns she has Wraith DNA and Bates once again suspects the worst. Teyla struggles to fit in and John is her anchor, for sure. Equally, I love when she volunteers to go through the gate with him when he has the iratus bug on his neck. She wants to do it straight away. Knowing she might not come back on the other side. She is already willing to do anything for him at the expense of her life and they've only known each other a few weeks by that point.

But after that first season... Nothing. Teyla finds an ally in Ronon as they both share the burden of not being from Earth and therefore being outsiders, to some extent. He takes John's place by her side and I am digging their friendship so hard it's unreal. Far more than I used to, actually. Ronon loves her so much it's so endearing. She is too reserved to show it in the same way but it's honestly so cute.

Regarding John, sure there is the Conversion episode. And to me it confirms what we already knew which is that John is attracted to Teyla and the virus lowered his inhibitions to the point that he just went and did what he probably thought about doing a handful of times. And the "He cares for you more than you know" body possession thing in The Long Goodbye is a clever way of insinuating that John has deeper feelings for her than he is letting on. Without truly committing to anything. And deeper feelings I believe he had from day one. That's how I had interpreted it. I just didn't think the writers were gonna do anything substantial about it.

And sure enough, John's relationship with her changes from season 2 onwards. It's subtle but you can feel that they have drifted apart, somewhat. Or perhaps things have now settled and John doesn't need to be so protective of her and her place on his team anymore. One thing I did notice is that Teyla is always annoyed when John flirts with other women. The camera is never focused on her specifically but you can see her doing a massive eye roll or else just staring at the back of his head everytime. Or sharing a look with Ronon. Sometimes all three LOL

I guess we can give season 3's episode The Ark an honourable mention for shippy content (and Sunday, more on that soon). When John is ready to die for her by landing the shuttle on the planet, even if Rodney deems it impossible. But that's just John for ya. He did the same for Elizabeth in The Real World. And Jennifer in The Seed. And for other people and Atlantis at large on too many occasions to count.

What the Remnants episode and subsequently the books did beautifully was to establish one paramount fact about John Sheppard. He considers himself a marked man whose impending death will be fate's retribution for his failure in Afghanistan. It was the defining moment of his character, I think. Every time he survives, it's just delaying the inevitable. And so risking his life trying to protect his team and Atlantis feels like fair dues. What else does he have to live for?

But then... Season 4 happened. And it is rather magnificent, in my humble opinion. I'm quite certain John is the one Teyla speaks of to her friend in Sunday. A man who is oblivious to her feelings for him. Very interestingly, that conversation about this mystery man happens at the exact same time Ronon is telling John that he always thought he and Teyla would hook up (Hurrah for Ronon, our biggest Sheyla supporter out there LOL). We know this because the explosion happens in both places shortly after. That, from a storytelling point of view, could not be more on the nose.

And so... in my view, Teyla got tired of pining. John wanted to spend time with her, risked his life saving her, freaked out when she was harmed but still, he did nothing. She was grieving. Kanaan was there. She knew and loved him. It made sense.

One thing I'm mad about is that, because the writers had to justify Rachel's pregnancy, they committed the ultimate sin: exposing Teyla's relationship with Kanaan to us rather than showing it. We had to make do with multiple characters saying something like "Oh the father is Kanaan, right? I noticed the way you spoke about him." KILL ME NOW.

Nothing is more off putting than forcing the audience to accept that something exists by telling them rather than giving them ON SCREEN evidence so they can buy it (looking at you, Ted Lasso). I mean... I would have probably hated the guy anyway (I am a shipper after all), but I don't know enough about him to have an opinion LOL. I only now understand Kanaan and his history with Teyla thanks to the books but it's certainly no thanks to the show.

Yet, it demonstrated one thing. The writers didn't care much about Kanaan. It was all about John and his feelings instead. They presented Kanaan as a fait accompli without doing any of the legwork to solidify their bond aside from some lukewarm scenes that defines them as nothing more than affectionate past lovers.

Instead, perhaps for the first time ever in the show, John gets emotional. Several times. And it's all to do with Teyla, let it be before or after the birth of Torren. More on that later.

I love this quote from the Outcast episode, when he goes back to Earth for his dad's funeral. I can't think of a better scene to encapsulate John's character:

SHEPPARD Well, maybe you meant something to him, too. You never know what people are thinking.

AVA Even those you're closest to?

SHEPPARD Especially those.

This is referring to his father who, to John's surprise, regretted the way things had ended between them. But in truth, I think it applies to John himself as well. That's Sheppard in a nutshell. Keeping his cards close to his chest and never letting the people he loves know how much they matter to him. They might be snatched away, or he might let them down, or he might die and cause them pain. This is post pregnancy-revelation by the way. Considering the context of the episode, this again clearly refers to his family (namely dad, brother and ex-wife), but it also applies to himself, the way he treats his friends and perhaps, dare I say, the fact that he's too late and Teyla is no longer free.

I believe we witnessed something rather fascinating on the writers' part once the decision had been made to make an unknown man be the father of Teyla's child (and rumour has it John has once been the main candidate). They could have dropped the John/Teyla ball right there and then. They in fact had, as far as I was concerned, except for the small hints in The Ark and Sunday mentioned above. But then they picked it up again in a way that leads me to believe they actually wanted to keep the ball.

(Sidenote: This has been proven true because it was planned that John and Teyla would get together in the movie following the end of season 5. As stated here by executive producer Joe Mallozzi. I discovered this after writing this post).

They had the perfect opportunity to have Teyla and Kanaan drive off into the sunset (I know they don't have a car... you get my point LOL) and leave it there but... No. They wanted to keep the romantic tension alive. Which is fantastic to me.

First little clue that feels different is that when they encounter Larrin again and John swiftly enters prince charming mode, the camera purposely shows Teyla's reaction. Which never happened before. This feels very deliberate. And for the first time she doesn't look mildly annoyed but simply... resigned.

It fits nicely with the narrative that she thinks John simply does not reciprocate her feelings. Consider that this is an odd directing choice to make when the writers have already told us she is pregnant with another man's child (though John does not know it yet by that point, which is important to note). To me, they clearly wanted to show that she still has feelings for him but probably thinks she made the right call by deciding to try and move on.

Now. To the main subject... Following Teyla's pregnancy revelation, it appears that John, probably against his will, caught (shudders) emotions.

In a predictable and intrinsically human move (if slightly infuriating), he kinda loses it the moment he learns Teyla is not only seeing someone, but has also conceived child with another man. Now, I know what you're thinking. I am reading too much into it with my shipper goggles on. Well, first of all, no because he loves her that's canon.

Secondly, he shows a level of anger and disquiet that we rarely get to see. He is still John Sheppard and is SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE with anything to do with feelings. But it's undeniable that he is shaken and rattled by the announcement of Teyla's pregnancy. In a way that immediately feels personal. Like not much else ever has on the show. Bear in mind, her people are missing. She is expecting a baby. This is good news and he should be over the moon for her. A glimmer of hope in an otherwise very bleak and gloomy time. But no.

The man is aaaaangry. One could argue that he is just upset because she's under his command and she hid something that could very well jeopardise their missions... That's very true, too (though she makes a point of saying Athosian women remain very active up until the birth of their child). But nobody else cares about that. Not even Sam, who would be well within her right to give Teyla an earful about this. She hid it from everyone but only he reacts so badly. Ronon could have been upset too! He is perhaps a closer friend to her by that point, yet he doesn't feel betrayed by her dissimulation. In fact, he could not be more supportive. Everyone but John is super happy for her. Kudos to Lorne for giving her a hell of a pep talk. I love Lorne. What a guy.

They all trust Teyla and know she can look after herself. John of all people knows that more than anybody else! But this is different. He always respected her decisions but this, he cannot cope with... That's not a direction the writers would have taken had they truly wanted to sail that ship once and for all (see what I did there?).

What he is saying is:

"You put yourself, your child and the rest of the team in danger by hiding crucial information from me. NOT COOL!"

Based on what follows in the show and the books (and the never to be seen movie script), what he is actually saying is:

"You slept with someone and I didn't even know about it and had I known I would have taken my head out of my ass sooner and now it's too late YOU'RE PREGNANT how could you do this to me?? Sure I flirt with every skirt in my vicinity, I give no evidence whatsoever that I love you except when I'm possessed by alien entities taking away my free will and therefore disclosing things I would rather keep buried as deep as Atlantis when we first found it. And I know you have a lot on your plate with your people missing and your child potentially being the last of them and whatnot but WHAT ABOUT MY FEELINGS TEYLA???"

I firmly believe that this is more than Teyla hiding the pregnancy and putting herself in harm's way. I have evidence of this because he loves her it's canon because in a couple of episodes later, in Quarantine, he is the one telling her that she will do more good as a mother by being on the field than by staying home.

And in season 5, in The Queen, she makes the decision to pose as a Wraith Queen and risk her life and John, though very concerned, supports her decision.

That and his faith in her ability to fend for herself since day one are proof, in my book, that his initial reaction was not entirely to do with worrying about her safety. Don't get me wrong, it partly is! And he is mad as hell because she put herself in danger and she's under his responsibility so if she and her child die, that's on him. He has every right to be pissed off. What strikes me though is not so much the reason for his anger but the fuel behind it. The immediacy of it. The "losing his cool in front of Ronon and in the middle of a corridor" type of shit. The inability to bottle things up the way he usually does. It's personal. He is affected in a way that's impossible to repress, which happens to be his coping mechanism of choice. Therefore all the more jarring when he fails to do it. And it's not the only time when it comes to Teyla and the daunting possibility that she might no longer be a part of his life the way she used to:

This scene is very interesting to me. Again with the "in a corridor and in public" thing. This time because he learnt that Teyla is considering leaving the team... And once again, he cannot contain his fury.

True, she has not been upfront about her intentions, probably because she feared his reaction... BOTH TIMES. Uhm...

Both times, she is going through the wringer and he lashes out because he doesn't know how to properly articulate that he is deeply, deeply affected. Teyla must have known this unconsciously because she chose to hide something from him twice. She knew that he would react badly. I think she knows that he is holding back on her and burying feelings. Women know these things. Teyla was a part of his world in a way that he thought was never going to change. But he was wrong. And facing that is unbearable for him, turns out. Considering that they get together in the books (or would have gotten together in the movie), his behaviour makes SO MUCH SENSE.

He's not always a dickhead though. In Quarantine he assures her that her boy will have a family no matter what. Even if she dies, they will look after him. And that is FREAKING AWESOME. He HATES talking about deep stuff. But he also knows she needs to hear from him, specifically, that she's an amazing warrior super mama who's not meant to stay home and change nappies and that they all will be there to look after mini-Teyla if anything happens.

It's unbelievably wholesome and further proof that John loves and understands her so so so so much. And the fact that when the baby kicks for the first time she takes his hand and he feels it...

And then climbs a fucking tower like a fucking prince when he senses that she's really starting to worry. He is already that kid's stepdad I tell ya. I know that Atlantis was emitting a signal that could attract baddies and that the city was vulnerable and he had to do it but the defining factor for his reckless Batman move was seeing Teyla distressed and you cannot convince me otherwise.

One thing that really struck me as well was that in the following episode, Harmony, two pretty women flirt openly with John and Rodney. The latter is hot and bothered whereas John is utterly unmoved. Which is a first. He is even the one who wants to cut this short and leave. Fascinating, right? The timing of this, to me, shows that John is not emotionally available in that moment. Not so soon after realising he lost his chance with Teyla. Sure, one of the women puts the charm on him times a hundred when she sees he's not keen on staying and she theatens to undo their alliance should he decline. And it works because John is still John and I'm under no illusion that he is immune to seduction. But it really dawned on me that yes... John is now aware of his feelings for Teyla. It becomes tangible, if subtle, because it's the MGM and they don't do shippy stuff.... Except for Rodney. Because Rodney is their favourite golden child LOL

That being said... it's still John Sheppard we're talking about. In season 5 he clearly wants to hook up with Larrin and then hangs out with sexy scientists because well..... Teyla is not impressed btw LOL

We can't really blame him. He thinks he missed his chance after all.

Now... Speaking of season 5...

I think it's fair to say that John Sheppard thought he would not die of old age. He was traumatised by Afghanistan (btw I think it's no coincidence Teyla was the only one who wasn't a threat to him in Phantoms, and appeared to him as someone he trusted and loved) and his failed marriage. By adding the otherwise utterly useless Dream Sequence between he and Teyla in Search and Rescue, it's clear to me the writers wanted to tell the audience John always had feelings for Teyla but had never allowed himself to go there because of the above. Also he perhaps had not realised the extent of those feelings. Until it was too late. Which is tragic. So I love, LOOOOOVE that they get together in the books. I love that he succumbs to his feelings for her and now has a partner and even a son to live for. Finally! Finally his existence is no longer about mere survival. It's what his character deserved all along. I love that she reminds him that he is a good man and adresses his fears head on. I love that he helps her embrace her Wraith heritage and her role as both a leader and a mother. I love that they lay kisses on each other's ugly parts. With nothing but mutual understanding, acceptance and love.

I love them your honour.

[spurious]

Compulsory Heterosexuality & McShep: Parallels

Thinking about the parallels between John & Nancy and Rodney & his relationships, because one of the really just absolutely nuts-making things that I've realized about McShep is how much they're mirrors of each other in so many ways (insert "everybody straight until the narrative foil walk in" textpost here)

So like, with Rodney and Katie/Jennifer there’s this sense of “ok this is what is supposed to happen/what I’m supposed to do” (not even just in the narrative but even in the show itself where it's like...do the writers not feel they need to build out a relationship for them? That they can just tell us that it's happening and we'll be like "OK yeah sure seems right" even though what they actually show us is Rodney spending all of his time with John and his team?) but anyway you can see both women are these very smart, successful, self-possessed women who would look at Rodney as someone "safe," like yes he's volatile and an asshole in certain ways but those ways are almost "harmless" compared to a lot of men, and in addition--and this is what I feel is pretty important--is the fact that he doesn't really require a ton of...care and feeding? Attention? He's pretty clearly not going to pull them away from their own (accomplished and serious) trajectories. Rodney being self-centered and distracted is a feature not a bug.

So they work as essentially these little "placeholder" relationships on both sides. For the women it's "ok, boyfriend, got that sorted, rarely see him but that's fine he doesn't need much from me" and for Rodney it's like this badge of Masculine Success (tm) that he has this beautiful woman who likes him or tolerates him or whatever (see: Brain Storm and how he pretty clearly sees Jennifer as a trophy to display to his former peers).

And so, ok, I titled this note (while I was working on it) "John and Nancy" and then spent two paragraphs on Rodney but HEAR ME OUT, we're getting there.

I think we can draw a pretty direct parallel in the sense of "this is what's supposed to happen" with Rodney's relationships and John's (only big relationship we know about since the man does not have a single viable love interest in five seasons.../seal shouting "gay".png).

There's a sense (from the info we have) that John was just...never really present with Nancy. That this was something that seemed like a correct step, and it'd make his family happy or whatever, and hey, it's not like he was gonna really go off and Live His Truth if he wanted to fly fighter jets, so why not settle down with a nice woman? And I think Nancy in the beginning saw it the same way Katie and Jennifer would see Rodney, like OK this guy doesn't want much from me and I have my own aspirations, this can work as something that checks off that box.

And then eventually, for one reason or another, it ends, I imagine because Nancy looked at what they had and realized she deserved a lot more than that, and John wasn't going to argue because he knew it was true, and he cared for her and didn't want her to be shackled to him if it wasn't doing something for her.

NOW. The thing that has made me want to set things on fire and throw myself into the sea. Is realizing that John is watching Rodney go through exactly what he has already lived and he can't fucking stop it.

And maybe he thinks "well it's different for Rodney," thinks that because he's fucked up in a way that makes him patently unloveable and unworthy while Rodney isn't, thinks that because he's gay and Rodney isn't, that maybe it'll work for him in a way it never did for John.

So now I just go absolutely fucking feral about John Sheppard and how he doesn't think he's worthy of love and happiness and tenderness, and how he thinks that his purpose, the best thing he can possibly do, is die for people he loves; so of course he lets Nancy walk away because he knows it's better for her, and of course he lets Rodney bumble his way through these relationships because the alternative is, what, being with John? and as much as he loves Rodney and wants him, he believes deep down that Rodney deserves "better."

I don’t know exactly where to go with this other than screaming and wanting others to scream along with me but like. The two of them fit together so perfectly but it’s just out of reach because it’s not what’s expected of them, and John’s self-sacrificing streak means he’ll never try it, while Rodney just…I think doesn’t really put that much thought into relationships to understand that he could have something different than the boxes he’s attempting to shove himself into? Ofc our job here in fandom is to give them catalysts that bridge that gap but without some outward impetus I can see them running along these sad little parallel tracks forever and oh my god, why has a military science fiction tv show from the early 2000s given the world this amazingly complex relationship WITHOUT EVEN MEANING TO?

[halestrom]

The most fascinating thing to me about the John Sheppard v Patrick Sheppard situation is looking at it while also taking into account what we know about John?

Like, so. Take a look at Trinity.

John and Rodney had a disagreement. Rodney has to earn John’s trust back etc. etc. But, to me, canonically, John and Rodney never really stopped talking. There may have been a little less trust than there had been before, but they still hung out, and they still did everything else they normally did. Fast forward to Adrift where Rodney heals Elizabeth against John’s wishes using nanites, and he gets mad but then they apologize and they move on.

John doesn’t really seem to hold a grudge imo. Sure he might get mad, and he might remember for awhile, but he doesn't really actually hold a grudge. He doesn’t lose his temper; he doesn’t stay angry or lash out (conversion aside but he was turning into a bug so we can let that go) or any of this. Even when he thought Elizabeth was dead in Season 1, he was angry, but he doesn’t lose his temper.

So all of this is to say, thinking about the implications of what might have happen between Patrick and John to cause the rift between them. Because John mourns his father in Outcast, and maybe it is partially because he mourns the loss of moving past whatever had happened, but that still means it’s something he wants to have happen. He wants to have a relationship with his Dad, and that says a lot to me.

Something happened to cause the rift and we’ll never know what happened and so it’s up to everyone’s different opinions and thoughts, but John Sheppard doesn’t leave people behind, but he had no issues leaving behind his Dad (and brother).  

So what happened?

[dreamlandcreations]

A list of SGA meta • S01 part 2

posts made by @dr-futbol-blog (I just collected them here)

BACK (to S01 part 1)

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • bonus (general meta)

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • bonus (general meta)

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8

[lightthewaybackhome]

Adrift is such a hard, yet good, episode. I love the opening sequence where the story shifts back and forth between Keller trying to save Elizabeth and Rodney trying to save Atlantis. I love the sense of Atlantis and Elizabeth being connected, entwined, and woven together. Without one you can't have the other. I think this is one of the reasons Atlantis resonates as Home for everyone. Elizabeth has made it a Home. She's made it a place of acceptance, beauty, health, and hope for all of these different "strays" that needed a place to belong. Without her, Atlantis just isn't right.

The fight to save Atlantis, Sheppard and Rodney doing all that they can to save their home, is a wonderful part of this episode, but the hardest part, the gut-clenching part, is Rodney and Sheppard fighting. Rodney wants to turn on the replicators to save Elizabeth. Sheppard says no way. Remember, when they invaded her last time, they convinced her Atlantis wasn't real. None of it was real. Sheppard, McKay, Ronon, Teyla. Everyone and everything was a lie. It was Sheppard who told her to fight. It was Sheppard who helped her overcome the Replicators. And now, it is Sheppard (who knows!) saying they're not turning on the Replicators, not even to save her life. The fight Elizabeth faced last time was so hard, and the danger to Atlantis herself is not worth it. Sheppard proves he knows Elizabeth better than anyone else by saying know.

But, Rodney does it anyway and I can't be mad, because he did it out of a sincere love for Elizabeth. The whole scene where he tells Sheppard what he's done is horrible. Elizabeth waking up and Teyla trying to comfort her, but Elizabeth reacting exactly how Shepperd said she would is horrible.

Then we get to the "Sorry" said in the sweetest Canadian accent from Rodney. Rodney reaches out. Rodney demands they stop fighting. Rodney apologizes! Friendship isn't about doing everything perfectly. Friendship is about forgiving one another when we fail, which we will. Rodney says he's sorry. Sheppard accepts his apology. (There's this tiny micro-expression on the side of the screen where Sheppard frowns and runs his hand through his hair and you can tell he's working to shut down his anger and readjust after accepting the apology so they can move forward. It's perfect, and so human.)

I really love this episode. It carries so much weight and there is such an underlying sense of sadness as we near Elizabeth's end. As you watch it, knowing what you're watching, you are begging Rodney to not do this, just let her go, but you aren't mad at Rodney. How can you be? Even as you want to save her from what's coming, you also want to save her even if it is for only a moment because saving her is saving Home.

[dr-futbol-blog]

General meta

Since there's so much stuff relating to sleeping on the show, let me just.

This is exactly how they would sleep if they were sleeping together. McKay as the little spoon and Sheppard as the big spoon. Not because Sheppard is the taller but because it makes sense with regards to their interpersonal dynamic, their respective issues.

Sheppard needs to hold on to him, to feel that he is within his grasp at all times, that he's not going anywhere. McKay is comforted by having Sheppard cling to him, pressing against his back because that makes him feel wanted (not even in the sense of being desired but that someone wants to have him around) and protected. The way Sheppard has twisted his arm under him shows us that he is used to sleeping spooning someone. The way McKay has folded his arms in front of him shows us that he is used to sleeping with someone pressed against his back. This is also why they don't really need that much space for sleeping.

Anyway.

[stinalotte]

Season 4, Episode 16: Trio

He said, while eating a lollipop, sitting with his back to a motherfucking Stargate. In a sentient alien city. That he FLEW. From one planet to another. Through HYPERSPACE. In another GALAXY. But sure, the negotiations are the thing that are not in the job description.

Anyway—

I just love those three together. As I already said, Jennifer is actually a very relatable character. And in this episode, you already see how she's starting to change—she's getting braver, and her snarky side is coming out a bit more. Also her and Sam's interactions are great. Female friendships are criminally underdeveloped in SGA and I need more! And Sam's face right before Rodney falls through the ceiling is totally Amanda trying not to burst out laughing.

This was a bit of an escape-room type situation and the set was a great design, especially as it was tilting at the end. That's insanely difficult and exhausting to act and move in. I know that the fandom has its issues with the "ohohoh, the girls might take off their shirts" jokes, but I'm willing to cut Show some slack because I remember TV from that time and let's just say, things were different. Stuff that would be unacceptable now didn't even register als problematic then. (It's still shitty and unnecessary, but I won't hold them to 2023 standards. Moving on.)

The two women setting Rodney straight about his disaster of a non-proposal to Katie was great. I live for these little personal moments.

While I am diehard McShep trash, I also am a multishipper for the simple reason that I don't like conflict, not even with myself. I will probably get things thrown at me for saying this, but watching Jennifer and Rodney sloooooowly develop mutual crushes—one, as is tradition, a bit more oblivious than the other—was kinda cute. While Katie was sweet and kind, she was too sweet. McKay needs someone to call him out on his bullshit, and when Sheppard isn't around, someone has to pick up the slack, right?

Anyway, that "I won the bet with the bar trick and now you owe me a beer which means you totally have to go out with me" was smooth as hell and good for you, Jen.

[Side note - how does money work on Atlantis? Do they have a commissary-like thing apart from the mess hall where you can buy extra stuff? Is there a thriving underground economy which deals in chocolate and the good coffee? Whenever someone goes to Earth, do they get handed a 27 page shopping list from places like Sephora and Target? Which currency are they using? I remember Chuck collecting betting money in like 8 different denominations in one episode...]

[sun-ni-day]

Some recent tags on my SGA gifs got me thinking... Does marriage or coupling ever even mentioned among athosians? Kanaan helps raise his biological son and him and Teyla are in love, but i don't remember them being called a couple or even that they are exclusive? A couple other prominent athosian characters are single.

Or am I missing something?

[sga-owns-my-soul]

more hug headcanons:

- Chuck: LOVES hugs and would love to give them to more people, but is shy about it 🥺 (dude, next time you see a team stumbling back through the Gate all bruised and beaten up, wait till Carson gives the all clear and then get in there. They need it)

- Radek: feeling overwhelmed/sad/angry? Go find him. A short, effective hug and all the vodka you need.

- Laura Cadman will just glomp you. And you will like it.

chuck 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭😭😭😭 GIVE THAT BOY A HUG!!!!!!!!! ronon should take him on a hugging crusade around the city

"tbh i think a short hug and a few shots of radeks vodka would cure 98% of my problems" -everyone on atlantis at some point or another probably

yes laura will just come up to people and Latch On for an indefinite amount of time and the easiest way through it is to just accept it (which is very easy to do most of the time)

[comicaurora]

Hey red, what's your opinion on some modern writing that's very lamp shady? And do you have any advice on how to avoid "Well that just happened" dialogue?

It's an interesting question!

The thing is, lampshading exists for a reason, but it's not the reason it gets used a lot of the time. Writers might lampshade a narrative choice they're insecure about, while characters lampshade because the things they go through in a typical story are kind of bonkers, and we might expect them to notice. If a character signs on for a simple mercenary expedition and ends up discovering they're the long-lost prince of a kingdom they've never heard of, that's weird and they probably feel weird about it. If an ally is determined to 1v1 their super overpowered nemesis with no help from their friends, those friends might have opinions about how dumb that is.

This is a form of lampshading that doesn't break immersion because it's entirely in-character and doesn't lean on the fourth wall. There's a difference between a character noticing how weird their life is and a character pointing out how cliched a recent experience was. In the latter case, the character is treating their life like a story, and while it IS a story, they shouldn't know that.

There's a spectrum here, with "complete sincerity and taking every turn of the plot at face value" defining the 0-point and "complete self-aware uninvestment" at the far end, but healthy levels of lampshading live somewhere in the middle. Characters at the 0-point accepting everything that happens without question can feel just as weird as characters that won't stop pointing out the TVTropes entry they're currently living. It's about what it makes sense for the character to find disruptive or noteworthy. A hardened badass probably won't see the need to point out how bonkers a recent fight scene was, but a newcomer to the Cool Bombastic Adventure scene might be really excited when they pull off a cool special move and want to point it out.

I think this is why the recent D&D movie worked for a lot of people, because while the main characters all lampshade their lives to varying degrees, the way they do so makes sense for all of them. Edgin is a bard and storyteller so he has a slightly meta perspective on a lot of things, purposefully avoids playing along with certain narrative conventions and sometimes responds to other people's dialogue by critiquing their dialogue instead of just responding normally; Holga doesn't really care to understand how the world works and so keeps pointing out that they should just use magic to solve their problems, which is probably the most popular lampshade in the whole genre; Doric and Simon don't get a ton of time to shine character-wise, but they'll both occasionally poke holes in the pretense of the story they're in. The thing that makes this all work is Xenk, who plays absolutely every moment completely 100% straight and is entirely immersed in the objectively ridiculous setting of D&D. Same goes for most of the villains, except for Forge, who's probably the wackiest and most self-aware character in the entire movie, but in a way that makes him feel callous and disregarding of the people around him, like he's uninvested in the world not because he knows he's a fictional character but because he has too much money and power to care about anything. The ways each character does or does not lampshade their surroundings make sense for who they are as people and reinforce their characterization and place in the world instead of undermining it.

I recently watched a couple episodes of Stargate Atlantis and noticed something similar - the main character and, to a lesser extent, the rest of his associates from Earth have a tendency to make wry observations about his objectively bizarre life and the eccentricities of the people around him, which helps contrast against the extremely serious and businesslike Cool Space Warriors they keep accumulating, which helps make them feel (a) distinct from each other and (b) relatable considering all the weird stuff that happens. And the protagonist switches off the quips as soon as things start looking perilous for his team, so you never get the impression that they aren't invested in the story they're living, and as a result the various quips and lampshades come across more as a habit or a coping mechanism than a disruption to the narrative itself.

So basically I think you can get away with a lot of lampshades as long as the character doesn't feel like they know they're in a story.

[sgladiesnight]

Ladies Night: Stargate Edition

Ladies Night: Stargate Edition

Welcome to the place where the Ladies of Stargate take center stage. Stories where women come together to be badass and competent, and the men take a backseat. Damsels who rescue their men, ladies sweeping each other off their feet, female friendships and relationships as they were always meant to be seen! Come celebrate the incredible women in Stargate and add a little something of your own. 

Got a few fics you think deserve more love? Create a rec list! 

What about a comic series you’ve been dying to draw? Break out the doodles! 

Is there a story you want to tell? Get to typing! 

There are so many ways you can participate. Put together a gif set! Record a podfic for a story starring one (or more!) of Stargate’s Ladies! Make a fanvid! Add to the body of transformative works for these ladies by sharing your favourites or adding to the feast!

If you are looking for a little inspiration (take a look at our daily prompt list / come and spin The Wheel of Prompts). There is no obligation to fill any of the prompts, they are there to inspire and for those who enjoy filling prompts.

Now, on to the particulars! 

When / Schedule: Sunday, July 14 to Saturday, July 20

Where: On Archive of Our Own (AO3) - Ladies Night: Stargate Edition (Collection)

And on Tumblr of course! Please use the tag (#SG: Ladies Night 2024) so that your entries can be collected. 

Q&A List:

Q: Who is a Stargate Lady? A: Any female character (major or minor) that appears within the Stargate canon. 

Q: What is considered part of Stargate Canon? A: Stargate canon includes:  -Stargate (1994) -Stargate: SG1 (1997-2007) -Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2009) -Stargate: The Ark of Truth (2008) -Stargate: Continuum(2008) -Stargate: Universe (2009-2011)

Q: What can be submitted to Ladies Night: Stargate Edition? A: Acceptable submissions to the AO3 collection include:  -Fanfiction -Fanart (drawings, paintings, edits, etc) -Fanvids -Podfics -Gif sets -Meta Entries

On Tumblr we can also accept:  -Fic Rec Lists

Q: Can we include romantic relationships? If yes, what kinds? A: Ships are absolutely included! Any fem-slash or het-ship is welcome so long as the female character(s) are central. This means that any m/m ships that might be included are background and secondary to the fem-slash or het-ship. 

If you have any questions about this event, please send in an ASK! We would be happy to answer :)