“It’s my industrial strength hair dryer, and I can’t live without it!” - Princess Vespa

By Wolfen Moondaughter

Wow.

After the bit of a let-down last week, this week’s ep hit it out of the ballpark! It’s certainly one of the best Mallozzi-written Atlantis eps to date! (His “The Last Man” still has the lead, though.) It’s very appropriate that this was the third ep of the season and again starred Ronon, just like last season’s “Reunion”, for which this was a sequel of sorts. So if there is a sixth season, I’d say that Mallozzi would be wise to snag the third-ep slot again, which is traditionally a “Ronon” ep for some reason (not that I’m complaining!). Momoa outdid his own performance from last year, too — and that’s saying a lot, since his performance last year had pretty well bowled me over!

Now, I called this a Ronon ep, but, like last time, it was a great team ep, a perfect example of how the best episodes can be both a team and a character-focused story, because the character that is the focus not only gets developed, but he/she gets used as a plot device to further the development of their teammates.

I also enjoyed the many parallels and callbacks in this episode, both to previous episodes (especially “Reunion”, of course, and to “The Seed”), and within the episode itself. The most obvious parallel, of course, is Ronon and Tyre’s role-reversal, but there are other fun, more subtle ones as well. There’s also a delicious double-plot twist, which in hindsight I feel I should have seen coming, but was all the sweeter for my not having done so. (Hey, it’s nice to be surprised once in a while!) Let’s get into the recap, and you can see what I mean.

5.3: “Broken Ties”

Ronon and Teyla stroll and chat through some woods, carrying supplies; we learn that Kanaan is now living in Atlantis, but that the city makes him a bit uneasy. When Ronon laughs and says that he’d heard that Kanaan was afraid of the shower, Teyla points out that Ronon shot and stunned someone at his own surprise birthday party. (Oooh, I would love to see a birthday party in Atlantis! I wonder, though, how one keeps track of one’s birthdays when one has been out of touch with one’s homeworld for many years, and has lived on a number of worlds with differing “days”.) She goes on to explain that Kanaan still feels isolated, despite having her and Torren for company. Ronon suggests that Kannaan needs to make new friends, and offers to spar with him; Teyla quips that she’d like to keep him in one piece for the foreseeable future. “Ahh, you’re no fun,” he teases back. (I’m loving this scene — I really think there can never be too many of the quiet, heartfelt moments like this, where we see the characters with their guard down. Of course, having their guard down doesn’t serve them too well ….) Ronon spots something (a man?) lying on the ground; when they go to investigate, Ronon steps on a trip-wire and triggers a flash-bang. A hooded man pops up and starts firing at Ronon; it takes several tries (love how Ronon’s so like a bull elephant), but the man manages to stun him. After he pulls back his hood, Teyla sees that it’s Tyre, Ronon’s Satedan-friend-gone-Wraith-worshipper. (I wonder for a moment why Teyla’s not doing anything, but I suppose being gunless and at a distance, there’s not really anything she can do, and probably doesn’t want to leave Ronon in order to make for the ‘Gate.) Tyre stuns her as well. (This whole sequence is a nice parallel to the beginning of “Reunion”, where they were similarly chatting and walking offworld together, and met Tyre and the other Satedans. Know what makes the parallel even more interesting? Last time, Ronon and Teyla were in a village full of people when they met a group of Ronons’ friends. This time they are alone. in the woods, and Tyre is alone. Of course, it serves the story for there to be no one else around, but it’s still nicely poetic — whether Mallozzi intended it or not.)

Later, in the conference room, Woolsey informs Teyla, McKay, and Sheppard that the Daedalus was unable to find any sign of Ronon’s subcutaneous transmitter on that world. (Pardon the interruption, but do the lines one the conference table make anyone else think of a ping-pong table? I can just see O’Neill and Teal’c now ….) Sheppard figures that means Ronon’s alive, or they would have found a body; Woolsey argues that Tyre could have taken Ronon elsewhere to enjoy a slow revenge, remarking that the man’s messed up in the head. Teyla points out that he’d left her alive when it would have been safer for him to kill her. (Unless he wants to lead you all into a trap and is using Ronon as the bait, I reckon. But I’m wrong, so never mind.) She figures this means that there’s still a part of his old sense of honour left. Rodney has to be the voice of sarcastic reason, of course, remarking on how that didn’t stop Tyre from ambushing them in the first place. Teyla’s line of thought gives John an idea, though: they’ll appeal to a Satedan sense of honour to help them find Ronon. “Oh, you happen to have one handy, do you?” Rodney asks dryly. (I really like the “tiredly” sarcastic, more mellow but still a bit cranky McKay — he’s amusing without being overbearing, and he does have good points. And despite being so subdued, he actually livens up exposition like this considerably.) John says he doesn’t know of one, but Teyla does; Teyla quickly remembers Solen Sincha, the Satedan Teyla and Ronon had met up with when Ronon first learned that there were other survivors from his world. (I love when they revisit characters in this series — especially ones that aren’t major and, after so much time passing, you never expect to see again!) Rodney’s skeptical, saying that Solen doesn’t sound like the “settle down” kind of guy, asking what makes her think he’ll still be where they met him. (Lantern! They do, in fact, find the guy, but this nicely draws attention to the audience’s question of why the guy would still be there by saying he might not be. And of course he is. Funny how literary lanterns work.) Sheppard says there’s only one way to find out, and they immediately get to their feet, to go looking. (Glad Rodney didn’t argue with that — it’s not going to hurt to look, right? And maybe they can follow a trail of people who do at least know where Solen went next, if he’s not actually there ….)

As they start to leave, though, Woolsey clears his throat. Chastened (but also a little annoyed, I think, seeing as it never would have been an issue with Weir or Sam), John makes the official (verbal) request to go looking for Solen. After a long pause (which might have been for thought, or might have been Woolsey asserting his command, the latter of which is understandable but still a bit asinine, considering Ronon’s life could be in peril and time’s of the essence), Woolsey gives them a go, but stalls them again to ask Teyla if she’ll be joining Sheppard and McKay, as she hasn’t submitted a formal request to return to active duty. John speaks for her, saying of course she is. (Irritating of him, but I know he doesn’t mean anything sexist by doing it, and it increases the drama.) Teyla reluctantly confesses that she actually hasn’t decided yet. John tries to be supportive (bravo to him for that), but is obviously a little surprised and worried that she might decide no, as is Rodney (awww). Teyla quickly adds that she still wants to help in the search; “Of course,” Woolsey agrees. They all leave while Woolsey gathers his ever-present file. When Woolsey goes to leave, the doors are already closing — and won’t open again! (Mallozzi has basically confirmed that they should have a sensory or something and open for anyone, but Woolsey’s just got bad timing or something. So it has nothing to do with the ancient gene, then. Aww, I still think it would have been interesting/highly amusing if it had turned out that either: Woolsey has the gene but don’t seem to use I; John’s purposefully shutting the doors on him with his superior ATA; or Atlantis doesn’t like him. Well, we’ll see if he keeps having that problem anyway — it’d make a great running gag for the season!)

Ronon wakes up strapped to a chair in a dark place; his first thought is for Teyla. (Not surprising, but it still makes me happy — so sweet!) Tyre assures him that he left Teyla back on the planet, saying that Ronon knows he’d never hurt her. (I suppose he assumes that, back when he led her and the others into the clutched of the Wraith the first time, that she would have been given the same opportunity he and his fellow Wraith-worshippers were, and not simply drained of life. Although, considering that some of them died from the brainwashing/torture, he should still consider that to be potential harm ….) Through the course of their conversation, it’s clear that, while Tyre accepts that Ronon doesn’t trust him, Tyre also doesn’t see what he’d done to Ronon a year ago — or even what he’s doing now — as betrayal, that he sees it as a favour and that he still holds onto the notion that he and Ronon are as brothers and fellow Satedans. Ronon, meanwhile, considers Tyre to no longer be either. Tyre, in true zealot fashion (complete with the sunken eyes of the drugged-and-brainwashed), insists that Ronon’s judgment is clouded by the past and the lies that the Atlantians told him; Ronon, smiling evilly, tells Tyre that he’d be wiling to listen if Tyre would just untie him. Tyre’s not buying it, of course (not that I think Ronon expected him to). Tyre tries to take a drink, but his hand shakes too much; Ronon asks what’s wrong, seeming concerned despite his anger. (Nice characterisation!) Tyre says he[s not well, but he’s been worse, then asks Ronon if he knows where they are. It’s a planet called Sarif Sur, where Ronon once saved a mortally-wounded Tyre at great risk to his own life. Taking off a necklace with a large silver pendant, Tyre says that he’s now returning the favour. (At this point I’m thinking that the necklace is some sort of mark of a Wraith-worshipper or something — and maybe it is — but from what Mallozzi says on his blog, it seems that it had some other significance in terms of storytelling, as a symbolic representation of Tyre’s frienship. Mallozzi did another fun breakdown of the episode, sharing what his thoughts were during specific parts and revealing stuff that didn’t make it in to the final product ….)

The rest of the team find a sleepy and cranky Solen Sincha in a bar. He’s unimpressed by the news that Ronon’s in trouble — Ronon’s always in trouble — but does ask what’s wrong. (I like that all three of them sort of gang up on Solen, even Rodney, rather than it just being Sheppard doing the talking. Especially since it shows how much Rodney cares about Ronon, too — we don’t see a lot of their bond most of the time, both Rodney and Ronon relating better to John and Teyla than each other.) Teyla fills Solen in; at the mention of Tyre, Solen grows disgusted. He reveals that Tyre has fallen out of favour with the Wraith. Rodney wonders why the Wraith would let Tyre live; Solen explains that they want the man to be an example. (I’m convinced by this, but at the same time, I also suspect that they assumed Tyre would try hard to get back into their good graces and might succeed in bringing Ronon back to them.) Solen also says that Tyre’s a marked man, with a great many people who would kill him on sight. Teyla protests that Tyre was once “a proud Satedan”, and was tortured, suggesting Tyre didn’t have a choice in becoming a Wraith-worshipper. Solen snaps back that Tyre “could have chosen death, like a true Satedan.” (Well, I don’t see how that is an option when you have a being that can force life into you at your side, Solen — not even if you have a cyanide table handy! Unless Satedans can die at will, and overcome reverse-feeding to do it? *Snicker* Mallozzi says his intent here was to show how much Satedans hate Wraith-worshippers, as a set-up for Ronon’s own attitude — I’d say he succeeded!) John figures that, when Tyre slips up, as he probably will, Solen’s contacts will inform Solen; he asks that Solen contact them in turn, saying that they can take care of Tyre for him and save him a trip. Solen agrees, and raises a lone toast to Ronon. (His agreement is necessary storywise, but I’m surprised that Solen would agree, seeing as Teyla’s statement should make it clear that the Atlantians have a very different definition of “taking care” of Tyre from Solen’s …. Well, maybe he realises that they stand the best chance of saving Ronon, and that’s more important than revenge ….)

Still both angry and concerned, Ronon learns that Tyre is suffering because the Wraith have abandoned him, so he’s no longer getting the “reverse feeding, or whatever the hell it’s called,” as Ronon put it. (Again, nice exposition! Also, Mark Dacascos, as Tyre, does an excellent job portraying a drug addict/religious fanatic here!) Tyre sees it as a beautiful gift, but Ronon recognises it as an addiction (even if he doesn’t recognise how difficult it would be to overcome). Ronon, softening, tells Tyre that he can get him help, if the man would just untie him. (I’m sure he means it this time — Ronon doesn’t really do double-crosses, unless the one being crossed is an actual Wraith. Interesting how his much-prized Satedan honour doesn’t apply to dealing with them — although maybe working with Todd may have changed that some?) Tyre assures him that help is already on the way (of course we know what he means, even if Ronon doesn’t get it); cue the arrival of a Wraith commander and a couple of drones.

The Wraith knows Ronon by name, saying that he’s been looking forward to capturing him (is Ronon like a collector’s item??) and is confident that he can get the former Runner to serve him. (This Wraith sounds oddly “normal’, without quite so much of the voice modulation — kinda sexy, actually. Alas, IMDB doesn’t say who played this Wraith.) The Wraith begins to feed ….

Teyla goes to see Woolsey; before she gets to why she came, we learn that there’s still no news of Ronon’s possible whereabouts. Woolsey is genuinely sorry, and offers comfort in the reminder that Ronon survived as a Runner for years. (Besides painting Woolsey in a softer light, nicely illustrates just how informed Woolsey has made himself, via the records. There’s a problem with his reasoning, though: Ronon was on the run back then, not a captive, which is a vastly different circumstance.) Teyla then apologises for not getting back to Woolsey yet regarding her decision; he tells her to take all the time she needs, and that he’ll just assign someone to fill in for her if he needs to. (Funny, it sounds like she’s actually already decided — isn’t that why she’s there? Anyway, note how he’s much nicer here, now that he’s not in a command setting like the head of the conference table; even I have to soften towards him here.)

Teyla still seems uncertain, and asks him if he has children; he doesn’t, he just had a little Yorkie dog that he loved and lost in a divorce settlement. (Interesting insight to his character. I’m guessing this revelation of having had a dog in lieu of a child is inspired by Mallozzi’s own pack of dogs. Also, the way Woolsey says “I loved that little dog” breaks my heart; props to Picardo for the delivery!) Teyla points out respectfully that he might not understand what difficulty she faces in her decision, (Thing is, a number of the people I’ve encountered who have children but no pets have gotten offended when I, a person who has had pets but no human children, have suggest that my animal “children” mean as much to me as their human children mean to them — and I find their being offended a bit offensive in turn, even as I can understand their reasoning. But then, since Woolsey said answered no to having kids after mentioning the Yorkie, I suppose Teyla has no reason to understand that the Yorkie was his child, after a fashion, and that losing the dog probably hurt him as much as losing Torren would hurt her — especially since he probably had the dog for far longer. I guess she didn’t pick up on the wistfullness in his voice ….) She goes on to explain that she had never imagined she would ever leave her people, until she met the Atlantis expedition and realised she could best serve her people by helping the expedition. Then she couldn’t imagine ever having to let her life with the team go — “yet here that day is”. (It still sounds like she’s decided.) Woolsey remarks that five years ago, he wouldn’t have thought he’d end up taking a job outside of Milky Way, explaining that even if he can’t empathise, he does sympathise, and saying that he knows priorities change. She grows thoughtful and replies, “And sometimes they don’t.” (I think she had made up her mind to quit, until that point.) Woolsey says that he’s sure Kanaan will support her either way (reminding us that he can be insightful and wise, and that his fresh perspective can be useful). She thanks him and leaves.

We see Ronon revert from being an old (and not bad-looking!) man to his youthful self; done with the feeding/reverse-feeding routine for the moment, the Wraith draws away. The Wraith asks Ronon what it’s like to have life taken until he’s so close the brink of death, and then have it given back, remarking that it’s supposedly exquisite. Shaking but giving the Wraith his evil sort of grin, Ronon defiantly says that he’s had better. (Momoa does a beautiful job here!) The Wraith promises that he will submit like his fellow Satedans did. Smile slipping into a glare, Ronon insists that he’ll die before that. The Wraith assures him that he won’t (a very key point that Ronon still doesn’t seem to grasp), and begins the process again, with a trembling-in-withdrawal Tyre looking on.

After giving the breakfast items in the mess an unenthusiastic glance (probably unenamoured of all the fruit), Rodney spots John in the mess and greets him, remarking that the man’s up early. (Well, technically John’s up at the crack of dawn every day, running with Ronon, right? Although, I guess Rodney either doesn’t know, because obviously John’s not in the mess in the early morning if he’s running, or Rodney assumes that John wouldn’t bother with the run without being Ronon there. Anyway, yay, finally, a scene with just McKay and Shep!) John informs McKay that it is, in fact, after 10 am. McKay sits across from Sheppard, explaining that he was up all night trying to figure out what to do about the Ronon thing. (Awww, how sweet that he couldn’t sleep for worry of his friend! And that he’s tackling the problem himself, rather than leaving it John, since this isn’t a science question.) John asks pensively if Rodney’s come up with anything; Rodney regretfully replies in the negative, saying that he’s tried everything, “pacing, snacking, bathing ….” That last puzzles John; “Like Archimedes,” Rodney explains. “You mean that Greek scientist who had a crush on Teyla?” John asks. (It takes my brain a moment to realise John means someone on the expedition, and not the Greek scientist; apparently John was supposed to say “microbiologist” there.)

Rodney explains that he’s referring to “the Greek mathematician who came up with the “Archimedes Principal”, the “physical laws of buoyancy”; legend has it, the man came up with it when he was relaxing in the bath and not thinking about a problem, and suddenly realised that the solution was right in front of him. (Mallozzi says he included this bit because that’s how story-writing often works for him — he gets ideas for advancing the plot when he’s not actively trying to work it out. Story-writing works very much like that for myself, as well, so I know what he means. *Smile* And I love when Rodney explains stuff like this to John conversationally. *Grin*) John replies, “You think we’ve overlooked something ….” Rodney agrees maybe, saying he’s thought all night without results and could use a fresh perspective, gesturing to John. “I’m not taking a bath with you,” John tells him. (Of course I let out a supersonic McSheppy *squee* of rapture at the fact that the notion had even crossed John’s mind, even in jest. And according to Mallozzi, he originally intended there to be another wonderfully McSheppy line, a reply from McKay, right here: “I’m both relieved and slightly disappointed.” I think if McKay’s reply had made it in, I wouldn’t be writing the column right now — I’d have died and gone to the Summer Country! I’m practically about to asphyxiate from joyous laugher as it is …. Anyway, for a minute, I thought Mallozzi had tricked us: he’d promised a scene with McKay in a bathtub, and here McKay is just talking about it. But Mallozzi doesn’t disappoint …..)

Giving John a tired look and being flustered for a moment (awww, we can interpret that as disappointment at least *grin*), McKay finally tells him to just go over what they know. John says that they know from Solen that Tyre’s on the run, and that they can assume he’s working alone, or else he would have had help during the ambush. Rodney figures Tyre would choose an uninhabited world to run to under those circumstances, but he knows of at least 200 worlds that would be perfect — where to start? “How about Sarif Sur?” Lorne asks, coming up behind Sheppard, telling them that they got some intel from Solen, saying that that’s where Tyre has taken Ronon. (Hey, Lorne’s wearing the old uniform! I wonder if the actors get to choose which they prefer … Come to think of it, I haven’t yet noticed any tech wearing the uniform — do they not get to?) Rising to his feet with Rodney, Sheppard tells Lorne to get his team and gear up.

Tyre tells Ronon that “it’s better to just accept it.” “You mean better for you,” Ronon replies bitterly, figuring that Tyre is getting back into the Wraith’s good graces by sacrificing him. Tyre denies it; Ronon brokenly says that Tyre is not the man he once risked his life for, calling him a traitor to the memory of their people and claiming that the man has no honour. (Wow. Mallozzi applauded Momoa’s choice to play up Ronon’s vulnerability here, saying that that moment amazes him, and I have to say that I heartily agree! It definitely makes Ronon a more interesting and believable character, seeing him break down like this, hearing the anguish in his voice and the tears in his eyes. Momoa’s performance was exceptionally poignant and heartbreaking — moreso even than the incredible scene last season, when Ronon realised that his Satedan friends had done the unimaginable a joined the enemy!) The Wraith commander comes in, complaining that this are going too slow and he’s a busy guy; they “can pick this back up back at the lab.” As drones stun and gather Ronon, Tyre asks the Wraith commander when he will receive his reward. The Wraith gives him a puzzled look; Tyre reminds the Wraith that he’d said they could go back to their “previous arrangement” if he succeeded in his task. “Did I?” the Wraith asks, turning away. “You promised!” Tyre shouts. (Hmm, interesting — this isn’t how I would expect a zealot to act towards his leader/god. Granted, the withdrawal’s probably making him so desperate he doesn’t care, but I wonder if he’s also gaining an understanding of the reality of his situation, if he’s consciously doing this more for the fix now than the idea of wanting to serving and worship the Wraith, and was, until this moment, just trying to use the Wraith-worshiping as a way to condone his actions in his own eyes?) The Wraith spins around and grabs Tyre by the throat, informing him that he’s going to have to disappoint the man, as his “usefulness has come to an end”, and throws Tyre against a wall. The Wraith and his drones leave.

We see the “kawoosh” of the Atlantis ‘Gate being activated; Sheppard heads towards it, Lorne and the other men behind him. As they go, John promises to Woolsey that they’ll find Ronon; “See that you do,” Woolsey tells him. (Mallozzi notes that he sees this as the first time Woolsey is a part of the team, rather than an outsider. It’s certainly nice to see him be so gung-ho about a rescue rather than worrying about the potential waste of resources! Of course, they do have a specific location to check out, unlike with the hunt for Michael, so it’s also believable that he would support it.)

It’s night on Sarif Sur, and we can barely see our guys (with good reason, I suspect, storytelling-wise, but I’ll get to that in a bit). John announces that there’s nothing there, to which Rodney replies,” So we were wrong? It has been known to happen ….” (*Gasp* Rodney McKay admitting he — well, they, but still — can be wrong? After refusing medical attention two eps ago? Is this the second sign of the apocalypse? *Snicker* …. Anyway, I’m strongly reminded here of their arrival at Michael’s empty compound, where they had expected to find Teyla). He goes on to say that he always knew it was a longshot; Lorne radios just then to say that they’ve found something, to which Rodney says, “I knew it!” (Eh, that seemed a little forced/too obvious, like the gag at the end of The Seed about Ronon not being able to talk where Sheppard wondered if anyone would notice …..) It’s Tyre that they’re found, and he barely has a pulse!

Later, in Atlantis, after Keller has run some tests, Keller reveals to John and Rodney that that Tyre’s not so severely injured after all — the problem is that he’s essentially going through withdrawal. (And we all remember what that was like for Rodney, Teyla, Ronon, Ford, and Ford’s friends in “The Hive”, right? One of Ford’s people even died from the process, and Carson had said at one point that Rodney had been in danger of having a stroke …. Also, I suspect that the Wraith left Tyre alive on purpose, in the hopes that he would lead the Altantians to them.) A cut later, we see John telling Keller that she needs to save Tyre so they can find Ronon; she points out that it may be a while before he’s coherent anyway.

Teyla interrupts, flustered, wondering why no one had told her they were going after Ronon. (This is that storytelling thing I was talking about a couple of paragraphs ago — I hadn’t even realised that she hadn’t been with them! I suspect that the reason, from a writing standpoint, for John’s having Lorne’s team come with them had as much to do with filling the darkness with a lot of people, so that it would be harder to notice that Teyla wasn’t there, as it had to do with an actual need for back-up.) John’s speechless for a moment, then answers that they were acting on a hunch and had to move quickly. For once not oblivious to the social situation, Rodney excuses himself, saying he’s going to see if they’re serving lunch, as it’s “Taquito Tuesday”. (*Giggle*) “I think I’ll join you …” Keller says, following him. (A funny moment that has the double benefit of not only getting McKay and Keller out of the way for this conversation, but also helps to encourage the idea of Rodney and Jennifer’s growing friendship.) Once alone with John, Teyla says that she can’t believe he went without her. He waggles his finger at her, telling her not to put this on him. (I know it’s a serious moment, and I love Flanigan’s delivery, but at the same time, the finger thing makes me giggle, too.) John goes on to say that she’s the one having a hard time deciding whether or not to be on the team, and he can’t give her the choice every time he goes through the ‘Gate. (He has a good point, but at the same time, for this particular instance, he could have made an exception — I mean, it is Ronon, family they’re talking about, not any old mission. She did say before to Woolsey that, although she was undecided about the team, she did indeed want permission to help find Ronon, so that was already a given. And if she had said yes, absolutely, to being on the team, he would have stopped to call her to the ‘Gate, so the needing to move quickly excuse doesn’t really fly. Not to mention that, even if she did decide to resign from the team, there have been instances where expedition members who don’t normally go off-world have done so for special concerns, and she should be no different; just because she wouldn’t be a member of the team then doesn’t mean she would never ho through the ‘Gate on a mission again.) She says, with slightly angry/hurt undertones, that it’s not an easy decision; he replies that Woolsey’s pushing him to choose a replacement for her, a revelation that stuns her. (Is she feeling betrayed by Woolsey? Personally, I don’t think Woolsey asked John to consider her replacement because he’s trying to make sure Teyla doesn’t rejoin the team, but rather because he anticipates that she won’t, and wants them to be able to get back to full capacity as soon as possible.) She asks what John told him; John replies that he said he wouldn’t do anything until he’d talked to her.

He goes on to say that if she wants back on the team, great, he’ll make that happen, and if she wants to stay home with her son, he’ll understand that, but she has to make a decision. (Which is like any other job, I suppose — you can’t leave people hanging, or give the job up only to expect to get your job back after they’ve given it to someone else. Although, she should get maternity leave, shouldn’t she? And last time I checked, there wasn’t a specific number of people required for a ‘Gate team, so even if they replace her, they wouldn’t have to fire the person if she decided to come back …. Mallozzi offers up another insight in his blog: there was a line in the first draft that had John telling her that he needed to know that his teammates were committed to being on the team for the long haul. Which I don’t quite get — commitment to a specific mission, I can see, but as Teyla said before, sometimes unexpected things happen. So why that level of commitment? What difference does it make if a teammember completes one mission and opts not to do the next, so long as they still have coverage? Now, I can see wanting teammates who didn’t have commitments back home, which means Teyla would actually be a bit of a bad choice — how can she not be thinking of Torren when she’s out in the field, wondering if he’s doing anything new while she’s away? But people do manage it in real life, so even the most legitimate concerns can be overcome, I guess. If John wants her on the team, and they need whatever help they can get, I kinda think he should be more flexible. It’s not like they’re rehearsing for a stage show, where if she decides to stay home for a mission, they’re suddenly screwed, ya know? ….)

Back in the Wraith lab, the Wraith commander notes that Ronon is awake and informs the Satedan that due to the taxing nature of the “procedure”, the man’s been out cold for the batter part of a day. (So we have an idea of how much time has passed — I can’t see how it would matter to Ronon or why the Wraith would care if he knows that. Maybe he’s just being conversational. Interesting that this ebb and flow of energy doesn’t tire the Wraith even in the slightest, compared to the humans. I guess it’s like a healthy person giving a pint of blood to someone who’s lost a lot — doesn’t make much difference to them, but can make a big difference to the receiver? ) Ronon reiterates that he’ll die before giving in, like his Satedan friends Marika and Hemi. The Wraith laughs, revealing that they didn’t die because they were strong, but rather because they were too week and the process killed them. (Which only makes sense, but seeing as Ronon has grown up with this Satedan mythos of strength, of course he assumed it was because his friends were great heroes; poor guy, having his illusion shattered.) The Wraith is confident that Ronon is indeed stronger, though, which the Wraith promises will be his undoing. (Ironic, that what Ronon thought would be his salvation is the very thing that dooms him. AT least now he will be forced to accept that Tyre did indeed have no choice, but what a way to learn that lesson!) The Wraith begins feeding again, and Ronon screams.

Cut to Tyre, screaming in his hospital bed. (Nice way to illustrate the parallel between Ronon going into the addiction while Tyre is coming out! Wait, would that make it a perpendicular instead? ….) Up on the observation deck, Keller explains to Sheppard and Woolsey that she had to put Tyre in isolation after he broke his restraints and attacked his guards. John asks how long it will take for him to get through it; she says she’s not even sure that he will. We hear Tyre scream for someone to please kill him. Woolsey asks if Keller can’t give Tyre something for the pain; she says that a sedative would make him more comfortable, but adds that it would also prolong his recovery. After a moment of silent deliberation, John says that they “need this to go as quick as possible. No sedatives.” (I think John is thinking not just of the need to get out there to help Ronon, but that it’s what he would want himself, were he in Tyre’s shoes.) He leaves, without even waiting to see if Woolsey objects or agrees.

Tyre writhes in agony. Ronon screams in pain. We go back and forth like this a couple times, until both men seem to have calmed, Ronon because he’s finally given in to the euphoria of the reverse-feeding and Tyre because he’s coming out of the withdrawal pangs and finally able to rest some. (Nicely done!)

Teyla is rocking Torren’s (lovely) cradle when Kanaan comes in and marvels that their son is already asleep, when it takes him much longer to put him down. (Teyla looks so happy and beautiful in the candlelight! Are those new quarters? That would make sense, but I’m not sure. They do seem really nice — if they aren’t entire new, she does seem to have decorated more.) Telya gently suggests that Kanaan is too anxious and that the child senses that. Kanaan suggests that perhaps Torren prefers his mother’s presence. Teyla pensively suggests that there might come a time when Torren must learn to do without her. Kanaan asks if this means she’s decided; she says she thought she had, but how can she go through the ‘gate knowing each time that she might not come back, and leave Torren motherless? Wise Kanaan concedes that she has a responsibility to Torren, but also to the people of the galaxy, and advises her to follow her heart without remorse. If she goes back out with the team, she will be protecting many, including their son. (Nice parallel to what John said about the lady cop he knows who is also a mother, back in “Quarantine”.) Kanaan just wants her to promise him that she’ll be careful. (I really like this conversation, and I really like Kanaan. I could live with Teyla staying with him, but I could still be happy with her getting with John for some reason too — I’m good either way. Eh, too bad the writers — and the bulk of the viewers — would probably never go for polygamy. Anyway, Mallozzi said that they opted to give Teyla a happy ending, rather than killing off Kanaan and having her lose her son. I really appreciate that — it’s so refreshing! I’ve gone on already, back in my review of “Quarantine”, about my feelings regarding risking one’s life when one has a child, so I’m not going to go back into it here. For one, it wouldn’t exactly serve the story to have her qui the team. For another, I think, were they living in more peaceful times, Teyla wouldn’t join the team anyway; it’s just that Kanaan and John do have a point — with her skills, she’s more capable of defeating the Wraith than most, and she’s protecting Torren and all children through her work. It’s not an easy question, and there’s no simple answer — it’s one of the things I love about this show. Anyway, I do really like that Kanaan is being a stay-at-home dad!)

Keller brings John to Tyre, saying that the man is lucid now and wants to talk to him. When they arrive, Tyre tells John that he knows where Ronon’s been taken. John asks for the ‘Gate address, but Tyre wants to lead them there, saying that the doctor has confirmed that the enzyme is out of his system. John is hesitant, but Tyre begs to be allowed to help them find Ronon. (Of course, I can’t help but worry that he’s still working for his master, that overcoming his conditioning might not be so simple as a matter of his body no longer needing the enzyme — he might still crave it.

The Wraith commander goes through a brainwashing litany with Ronon, who repeats back what he’s told. (I always have a hard time with brainwashing stories. I know that it’s true, that it does indeed happen, I just can’t reconcile it in my head — I’m one of those ones on which all hypnosis techniques seem to fail and drugs have little effect, so I can’t imagine my sense of self being reprogrammed in such away, can’t imagine my previous experience being so overridden. Although, it probably would have been more effective for me if the network hadn’t disallowed the idea of Ronon cut8ng his dreadlocks off — if you go to that aforementioned blog entry, you’ll see that Mallozzi wrote a very evocative scene for it!) When Ronon repeats back the last line of the litany, he says, “No mercy for you’re enemies.” Handing him his sword, the Wraith corrects him, “Our enemies — Atlantis.” (Is Ronon’s faux pas a sign that Ronon is faking it? Or just that he hasn’t been completely turned? Could he fake it? Or would the wraith sense such a deception during a feeding? Seeing his evil grin and the playful, happy way he twirls his sword without driving it into the Wraith, I get a sinking feeling ….)

John discusses the Tyre situation with Woolsey; Woolsey wants to trust Tyre’s intel only as far as they have to, and keep the man himself there, in Atlantis. John argues that they need all the help they can get, and Tyre knows the facility inside and out; Woolsey points out that it puts Tyre in the prefect position to lead them into a trap. (Woolsey has a good point, but so does John — if they’re going to trust Tyre at all, in for a penny, in for a pound. And it seems prudent that they have a guide. It does seem a bit unfair, though, that John would welcome Tyre so easily, using the excuse that they need all the help they can get, but won’t take that attitude with Teyla and let her help whenever she feels that she can. Well, other than using it as an excuse, storywise, to make it so Teyla would back on the team full-time as opposed to just now and then.) John says that he doesn’t think Tyre’s wanting to come with really has anything to do with revenge or honour, like he’d have tem believe, but rather that he’s just desperate to help his friend; Woolsey asks what makes John so sure, and he replies that he’s been there. (I worry that one of these days John is going to expect someone to behave a certain way because it’s how he would think and end up in serious trouble. Heck, that’s kind of how it worked out with Larrin already — he expected her to have the same scruples and kept underestimating her ….) We see Teyla approach, with Torren in her arms, listening as Sheppard tells Woolsey that he’s going to go get Ronon, and need Woolsey to trust him. Woolsey concedes, and, as John hurries off, orders that Lorne’s team go with. (As if there were any doubt of that! Still, while it could be interpreted as Woolsey attempting to assert his leadership, I really think that he’s giving an honest order, not realising that John would already have been planning on doing so. And Woolsey’s calling out like that gave Teyla a heads-up that something big was going down.)

Teyla, sounding panicked, asks what’s happening. When John replies that they’re going after Ronon, she says she’s going with them; he tells her to gear up. (Yay, he didn’t demand she choose to be on his team first or argue or something!) Woolsey starts to protest that this was exactly the sort of thing they were talking about before (I suspect that, for the sake of Torren, he doesn’t feel she should be on the team either), when Teyla hands Torren over to Woolsey, asking him to take the baby to Kanaan, in the cafeteria. He starts to protest, but she gives him a forceful “Please!” and he acquiesces. There’s a cute moment where Woolsey is smiling and rocking Torren as he talks to the baby, when Torren suddenly starts to cry; Woolsey hurries off to find the cafeteria, seeming a bit lost and panicked.

Tyre leads Sheppard and company into the Wraith lab, slicing and dicing drones with his sword (which serves the dual purpose of disposing of the enemy and drawing attention to the weapon for a later couple of plot points). When they come to a stop, Teyla asks what the room they’re in is; reminding her that they’d asked him for the best place to lay some charges, Tyre explains that this is the power relay chamber. They get to work, with Tyre warning them to hid their charges to avoid discovery. (This seems an unnecessary warning, but it reinforces the notion that Tyre wants them to succeed.) Tyre asks John if they can remote-detonate from a safe distance; John shows him the detonator and how it works. (A bit of innocuous set-up for later.) They get moving again, and use a Wraith version of a transporter. (Cool! I wonder if they got the idea from a city-ship like Atlantis, since they store most of their other tech from the Ancients ….) They come across Ronon, who smiles at them eerily and says “It’s about time!” (Nice call-back to Carson’s similar line in “The Kindred, Part One”, when they’d discovered him in a hybrid-run facility!) Confused and wary, John asks Ronon, “What’s goin’ on, buddy?” (Heh, I love it when he calls Ronon or Rodney “buddy”! Come to think of it, does he use that for anyone else? It seems to me he says “pal” when addressing enemies, and “guy” for non-enemies that aren’t a part of his team ….)

The Wraith commander comes out, complaining that they’d been wondering if the Atlantians were ever going to show up. (Yes, he’s a busy Wraith, you know! …. Well, that answers that — he definitely left Tyre on purpose.) The Wrath Warns them that they’re surrounded, and that if they try to escape, Ronon’s life will be forfeit. Sheppard tells Ronon to move out of the way, but Ronon refuses. John tries again; no luck. Suddenly, Tyre grabs Teyla and holds her at knife-point. (Hmm. Rodney seemed like the more logical choice for damsel in distress at first, but then again Teyla probably would have kicked Tyre’s ass and freed Rodney, so maybe not.. At any rate, for the moment, I’m disappointed that Tyre pulled a double-cross and proved Woolsey right, though it makes prefect sense for him to have done so. In hindsight, I should have had more faith, but I guess I was still expecting Ronon to be the one to turn out to be fooling the Wraith. I’m glad I turn out to be wrong in both cases!) Tyre tells them all to lower their weapons; they do, and the Wraith gives the order for them to be taken away. Ronon approaches Sheppard, who again asks what’s going on; to Teyla’s horror, Ronon rabbit-punches him in the face in reply (but astonishingly doesn’t seem to have broken the man’s nose or done any bruising damage, despite having knocked him out). As the Atlantians are led to cells, Tyre asks the Wraith commander if they are a prize worthy of reward. Considering for a moment, the commander simply says “Welcome back,” and walks away; Ronon pats Tyre on the shoulder companionably, then follows the Wraith. (The scene break here makes me think there should have been a commercial in this spot ….)

In their cell, Rodney remarks that at least if they don’t make it back to Atlantis, then they don’t have to hear Woolsey say “I told you so.” (Which suggests to me right away that perhaps Tyre didn’t betray them after all, that he was only pretending to be helping the Wraith to get them to trust him, and get the Atlantians into a position where escape was more likely than when surrounded by drones …. Perhaps this scenario also says something about Ronon’s not being totally converted, seeing as he didn’t warn his master not to put Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla in a cell together, but since they don’t break out on their own anyway, maybe not.) John states firmly tat they will get out of there. Rodney (being Mr Defeatist, middle name Sarcasm) starts to ramble about all they need to do to escape, starting to get slightly panicky as he works himself up. (Geez, Rodney, you’d think you’ve never been in a Wraith cell before! Well, okay, granted, last time you almost ended up on a Queen’s dinner menu, but still ….) Rodney finishes his rant with an observation of how “Ronon isn’t exactly himself.” John reaffirms that they’re going to get Ronon and get out. (Sweet that John’s trying to calm and reassure with firm resolve, rather than snapping at him to stop whining or something.) Rodney points out that even if they do escape with Ronon, Tyre’s recovery wasn’t exactly a success. John tells him patiently but with hard tones, in no uncertain terms, that they will. Get. Ronon. Back. Rodney finally backs down. (Now that’s some Rodney-wrangling I can appreciate and approve of!) Rodney approaches Teyla, who has been silent the whole time (thinking she shouldn’t have left Torren, perhaps?), and tells her, with a confidence he obviously doesn’t feel, “We’re gonna get him back,” flashing her a thumbs-up. (A nice team moment, despite the circumstances. Well, okay, mostly a McShep moment, but only because Teyla was so — understandably — quiet.)

We see Ronon insisting to the Wraith commander that the Atlantians are too useful to kill; the Wraith counters that his only use for them is the info they can provide. Ronon tells the Wraith that he’s underestimating their value; the Wraith asks if it’s really their value he’s underestimating, or if he’s actually overestimating Ronon’s loyalty. (Good question! And one that’s never actually answered. The better question for him to be asking is regarding Tyre’s loyalty.) Tyre chimes in that Ronon is right, they’d be more useful alive — and cooperative. “They just need some convincing,” Ronon adds. (I suppose he could be brainwashed and still look out for the welfare of his friends, much like Tyre did in he beginning of the ep. Or rather, he could think that he’s doing them a favour by putting them through the same process he went through.) The Wraith seems to consider it …..

Back in the cell, Rodney has come up with a plan involving telling the Wraith that they have info that they will only provide to Ronon, thereby getting alone with him, so that they can appeal to the part of him not affected by the brainwashing. “I can already think of three things wrong with that plan, but go on,” John tells him, sounding amused. (*Snicker* So it seems Rodney and John switched roles a little between scenes ….) Rodney points out that Ronon hasn’t been brainwashed for so long, so he might be easier to convince than Tyre. (Not only does he have a point, but I think that’s an important thing to consider for later in the story, kind of an assurance that it won’t be impossible to get Ronon back.) McKay goes on to figure that they might convince Ronon to help them to escape — not, which would be the worst-case scenario. “That’s your worst-case scenario?” John asks, incredulously. Rodney insists that he’s “just spinning”, and starts to suggest that maybe they could jump Ronon when he’s “in a moment of uncertainty” (the irony being that Rodney seems rather uncertain of his own thoughts); Tyre interrupts, saying that the Wraith wants to see Sheppard. “You, ah, want to go over the plan one more time?” Rodney asks helofully. (Yeah, sure, right in front of the enemy! Hewlett’s delivery is adorable, though.) “Nah, I think I’m good,” John humours him. (It’s kind of sweet of him to do that, rather than actually tell Rodney he’s a nutter or yell at him for actually being one.) “I guess it’s my turn for the sales pitch, huh?” John asks Tyre, who nods and leaves. (Do Satedans have a concept of salesmen? *Snicker*) John’s gives Rodney a comforting pat on the arm as he follows after Tyre. (Awwwwww! And poor Rodney looks a little lost and scared.)

Along the way, Tyre stops and tells the drone accompanying John that he needs to gets something; he heads off another way, with the Drone shoving John in the new direction. A cut later, Sheppard walks into the room where the Wraith waits with Ronon, Tyre shoving him this time. Tyre also now has a scabbard in his hand. Ronon looks on with that evil, smug smile. The Wraith tells Sheppard to kneel; John quips that it would be creepy and unexpected if the Wraith knelt instead. (Heh, yeah, I guess it would at that, but what an odd remark — John reminds me there of Colin Mochrie, when Colin’s playing “director” on Whose Line and gives bizarre stage direction….) Tyre kicks John in the back of the leg, causing his leg to double-up, sending him agonisingly to the floor. (Ow! Could have knocked his knee out of the socket doing that!) John quips that he guesses he “can make it work.” The Wraith starts to say that he enjoys John’s defiance, while John appeals to Ronon to “snap out of it.” The Wraith finishes by saying that the defiance will make turning John (yes, milk the vampire metaphor) “all the more enjoyable”; after shooting Ronon a hopeless glance, John looks up at the Wraith, seeming genuinely scared. (The look on Flanigan’s face is priceless!)

The Wraith reaches out for Sheppard with his feeding hand — and Tyre cuts it off! (The first time I watched that, I was confused — I thought Ronon had done it, but then Ronon’s fighting against them a moment later. Watching it again, though, I can see how it was Tyre. Still, Mallozzi conceded that that moment didn’t turn out as clearly as he would have liked, and that others have likewise been confused, but they ran out of time to reshoot that part.) Cue a wicked swordfight between Ronon and Tyre, with John pumping lead into the Wraith. (The guns, Mallozzi explains, were retrieved when Tyre took him on the detour, just as the sword was — I assume they killed the drone then.) John shoots incoming drones while the swordfight is waged; Ronon gets a belly-slice in, but Tyre fights on. Elsewhere, McKay and Teyla shoots some more drones and free Lorne and the others, explaining that Tyre freed them. (I guess Tyre and John went back to let them out and give them their weapons after retrieving John’s guns and Tyre’s sword and dispatching the drone ….) And the swordfight and shootout go on. (Not complaining!) Ronon gets Tyre down and starts whaling on him, when Teyla arrives, firing a stunner at Ronon; after three or four shots, he finally falls. There’s a tad more shooting, more running around, and Lorne warning that his guys won’t be able to hold off the drones for long. Sheppard borrows a gun from Teyla and aims it at the fallen commander, telling him to call the drones off. (As to the question of why the commander is still injured, he’s probably lost a lot of strength dealing with Ronon’s “procedure”, besides, John used a fair number of bullets, and the commander’s not a Super-Wraith.) The Wraith doesn’t cooperate, saying that he figures his life is a small enough price to pay for taking theirs.

Tyre grabs the detonator from John and asks the commander if the facility is a small enough price as well. (Nice parallel to when Tyre was begging for his reward earlier — now he’s the one with the negotiating power!) The commander doesn’t believe him; Tyre explains how he told the Atlantians exactly where to place the charges so that the facility and all its research would be destroyed, along with any advantage the commander’s hive may have had. The commander relents(Why should the commander care about his hive’s welfare after he’s dead, I wonder? I mean, the Wraith don’t seem to have loyalties to or care about each other as individuals, so why would they put the hive’s future above their own worth? Is it the hive mentality? Do they live on as a racial memory?)

They bring the commander along and, when upon reaching a clot of Drones, tell him to order the drones to stop. He asks what’s to keep them from just blowing the facility up anyway when they get far enough away. Despite a protest from Teyla, Tyre makes a deal: he’ll stay with the Wraith, and when the others are fee he’ll give the commander the detonator in exchange for his own freedom. (Okay, I’m guessing he’s really going to detonate the place with himself inside it — it’s essentially what Ronon did in the alternate universe, after all. Another nice parallel …. I like the look on John’s face when Tyre says they can all die together if the commander doesn’t agree. *Snicker*) Tyre hands John his sword, saying that he’ll be right behind them. John takes the sword with understanding in his eyes, and the two exchange barely perceptible nods. (I should mention that I didn’t even take note of John’s taking the sword the first time I watched, which made for some confusion for me later.)

The Atlantians hurry out with the unconscious Ronon. The commander remarks to Tyre that he’s turned his back on “an incredible gift.” “Actually, you turned your back on me first— and I thank you for it,” Tyre replies. John gives the call over the radio, saying that they’re clear. The commander insists that Tyre is not beyond forgiveness, that it’s not too late for him; “yes it is — for both of us, Tyre replies, clicking the detonator. (Beautiful. I’m sad for Tyre, who quickly became a very likable character, and for Ronon, for losing his friend, yet feel like the best end for him — being Satedan, I’m sure he was pleased to give his life this way and atone for his earlier actions. And it was a nice double-twist.) A ‘jumper flies off as the lab explodes.

Back in Atlantis, Woolsey asks Keller what kind of a timeframe they can expect for Ronon’s recovery. Keller says it’s impossible to tell, as there’s so much enzyme in him that his body can hardly process it. “When it eventually does? That’s when he’ll come down — and he’ll come down hard,” she warns. Teyla and Rodney look worried as Ronon, visible on the monitors and through the window down into his chamber, thrashes around; we can hear Ronon calling for Sheppard (awww). John looks especially upset, and Rodney gazes at him with worry, too. (*Squee* Of course, Rodney and Teyla are probably both remembering their own experiences with Wraith enzyme withdrawal ….) John says he wants to talk to him, and heads down.

Ronon immediately quiets, getting all serene even as he’s wild-eyed. “Hey, buddy!” he says sweetly to John. (”Buddy?” I say, noting his use of John’s phrase.) “Buddy?” John says warily. Ronon asks how long John’s going to keep him a prisoner; John explains that it’s just until Ronon gets over the enzyme and clears his head. Ronon says it is clear (reminding me of when Rodney told Elizabeth, back in “The Hive” that, while he was on the enzyme, he’d felt like he was perfectly understandable, eloquent even, and it was everyone else who didn’t make sense.) Ronon says Sheppard needs to either kill him or let him go, promising not to come after Atlantis if they do — or Tyre. John informs him that Tyre’s dead, and how (and he’s a little cold in imparting that info, it seems to me, as if he’s disappointed with Ronon, like he’s a teen caught doing drugs!) Ronon calls Tyre a traitor (and how Ironic that he says it now because Tyre betrayed the Wraith, when before he called Tyre a traitor for supporting them.) John says Tyre was a good friend — they all are, and Ronon will release it soon. He leaves, with Ronon creaming for him to kill him or set him free. (Interesting that he lists killing first!)

Cue an excellent montage of Ronon coming slowly down off of the enzyme, his friends watching helplessly. When Ronon finally looks like he’s resting, we hear Rodney’s voice fade in; he’s talking about how he had long, slender “piano fingers”, so of course his parents signed him up for lessons, and his first teacher said he was a natural. (Yaaaay! I’d always hoped they’d revisit the subject, which Rodney first mentioned waaaay back on SG-1! I hope that one of these days we get to see him surprises his friends by playing — of course, without him knowing that they’re listening …. And yay for Rodney partaking in the bedside vigils!) Rodney rambles on, saying that the teacher was a big Russian woman whose last name ended in “ski”. Ronon says, “Sheppard.” (Love how closely bonded the Satedan is to John, like a dog to a boy!) It takes a moment for Rodney to realise that Ronon is awake and asking for Sheppard, not saying that the teacher’s name was Sheppard. (*Snicker*) Rodney asks how Ronon feels; “Like hitting someone,” Ronon weakly replies. Rodney pauses, then asks with false nonchalance, “Anyone in particular?” (*Snicker* Poor guy.) Ronon answers, half-jokingly, “You, if you don’t loosen these straps and get me something to eat.” Rodney grins, saying that’s a good sign, then hurries out of the room, yelling happily that Ronon’s back. (Did this make anyone else think of the bit in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, where Raph wakes up after being unconscious for days and asks for food? I loved that bit, and I love this one even more!)

In the conference room, Keller is telling Woolsey and the usual suspects that, while his body is still weak, there’s no trace of the enzyme in Ronon’s system, and he’ll be “back to his old self in no time.” Woolsey’s relieved, and comments that, late as it is, he’s going to go change into something more relaxing. (Sheppard, in the foreground, takes a sip of his coffee and makes funny faces into the cup. Many thanks to the fans who pointed that out — it’s hysterical!) Woolsey bids them goodnight and, hesitating a moment, makes his wary way out the (evil) doors. Teyla asks John to wait up a moment. (We don’t see the ensuing conversation. I wonder if, given how quiet she was in the cell, we are meant to think she decided not to stay with the team after all, after getting captured yet again ….)

Teyla pays Woolsey a visit to his quarters. (Woolsey’s pad looks like a swanky Manhattan penthouse ….) Lovely classical music is playing (written by Joel Goldsmith, specifically for the ep), he’s drinking something (sherry?) and he’s dressed in a suit, She remarks that she thought he was going to change into something more relaxed; “For me, this is more relaxed,” he explains. (Another neat little insight to the character!) He offers her a drink, which she politely declines, having just come to make the formal request to return to active duty on Sheppard’s team. He asks if she’s certain; she is. He raises the glass to her, telling her a heartfelt “Welcome back.” She thanks him and bids him good night.

The music plays on, as we watch a touching montage. Teyla has a sweet moment with her family. Rodney is relaxing in his tub (ah, there’s the promised scene) when he suddenly gets an idea and hurriedly reaches for his tablet, pausing to frantically brush the bubbles off of his hands, getting some on his chin. There’s a big smile on his face as he puts his idea into the tablet. (And of course he worries many fans, myself included, that he’s going to drop the darn thing into the water. But who am I to talk? I listen to headphones in the tub myself ….) And lastly, John stops by Ronon’s infirmary bed, silently presenting Tyre’s sword and laying it on the bed. (I totally did not catch that that was Tyre’s’s sword, so the beautiful gesture was a little lost on me the first time. *Shakes head at self* I figured it was a gesture of trust on Sheppard’s part to let Ronon have his weapon back.) After Sheppard leaves, Ronon hesitatingly takes the sword out of the sheath and lays it across his chest. (Even without knowing the real import of the sword, it was a touching scene that brought me near tears — now that I know whose sword it is, the scene definitely makes me cry!)

I love it when a story doesn’t end abruptly after the day is saved, when we get a chance to see the fallout with our own eyes rather than just hear about it second-hand later. Even many of my favourite stories have had endings where it seemed like the writer said, “Okay, uh, I guess that’s enough,” and just quit, without really finishing the story. So it means a lot to me when I come across one that winds down more slowly, one that satisfies me. Thank you, Joe Mallozzi!

See you all next week, for “The Daedalus Variations”!

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Wolfen Moondaughter is on the editorial board for the comics industry webzine Sequential Tart, for which she has written since late 2001. She’s an artist, too, having done spot illustrations for Dragonlance, among other things. In her spare time, she’s a rabid fanficcer/fanartist. See more of her work at her site, Wolfen’s Webworld.