SGA 4x15 Outcast
Feb. 4th, 2008 12:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zelempaHere's my usual transcription-heavy non-analysis which will probably only be of interest to you if you did not see the episode yourself.
Plot: At his father's funeral, John is cornered by Ava, a woman who worked for the nanite research lab which kidnapped the McKay sibs in "Miller's Crossing." Ava informs him that the lab built their very own Replicator, but when the SGC got wind of what they were doing, the scientist in charge of the project, Dr. Pool, decided to shut him down. Threatened, the Replicator escaped.
At the SGC, John interrogates Dr. Pool, but he's unhelpful. With the help of Ava and that nerdy video game guy from SG-1, they track the nanites and find the Replicator; there's a chase, but he gets away, and Dr. Pool is killed. Ava is upset, as Dr. Pool was a father figure to her (parallels!!!) John comforts her in his own way, saying maybe he cared about her too. Back at the SGC, they've cracked the encryption on the lab's records and found Ava's personnel file: she died in an accident a year ago! Dr. Pool must have cared about Ava: he rebuilt her as a Replicator.
The episode culminates in a climactic Replicator-on-Replicator fight in a warehouse. They destroy the first Replicator by beaming him into low Earth orbit so he burns up on re-entry. Ava, having chosen to help, is dealt with more charitably. She believes she has been released into freedom but under heavy IOA surveillance and barred, for some reason, for working in any scientific field. It turns out her consciousness has actually been downloaded into a virtual reality type situation while her Replicator body has been scrapped for parts.
Of Note:
Plot: At his father's funeral, John is cornered by Ava, a woman who worked for the nanite research lab which kidnapped the McKay sibs in "Miller's Crossing." Ava informs him that the lab built their very own Replicator, but when the SGC got wind of what they were doing, the scientist in charge of the project, Dr. Pool, decided to shut him down. Threatened, the Replicator escaped.
At the SGC, John interrogates Dr. Pool, but he's unhelpful. With the help of Ava and that nerdy video game guy from SG-1, they track the nanites and find the Replicator; there's a chase, but he gets away, and Dr. Pool is killed. Ava is upset, as Dr. Pool was a father figure to her (parallels!!!) John comforts her in his own way, saying maybe he cared about her too. Back at the SGC, they've cracked the encryption on the lab's records and found Ava's personnel file: she died in an accident a year ago! Dr. Pool must have cared about Ava: he rebuilt her as a Replicator.
The episode culminates in a climactic Replicator-on-Replicator fight in a warehouse. They destroy the first Replicator by beaming him into low Earth orbit so he burns up on re-entry. Ava, having chosen to help, is dealt with more charitably. She believes she has been released into freedom but under heavy IOA surveillance and barred, for some reason, for working in any scientific field. It turns out her consciousness has actually been downloaded into a virtual reality type situation while her Replicator body has been scrapped for parts.
Of Note:
- "Utilities mogul Patrick Sheppard dies at 69." I don't think any of us expected John's father not to be military.
- Here's the only Rodney scene we get all episode, complete:
RODNEY (coming into John's room while he's packing): I heard what happened. I'm sorry.
JOHN: Thanks.
RODNEY: Are you okay?
JOHN: Fine.
RODNEY: I requested to go back with you, but the ancient device at M7G-677 is malfunctioning.
JOHN: That the planet with all the kids?
RODNEY: Yeah.
JOHN: That should be fun for you.
RODNEY: I'd get out of it if I could, but without the EM field they're an easy target for the Wraith. I guess it's just bad timing.
JOHN: Don't worry about it.
RODNEY: (long look of compassion)
JOHN: (swallows, looks away)
RODNEY: If you want to... like... [given his level of discomfort here, I totally expect him to say 'cry'] talk, or...
JOHN: Rodney. (emotions play on face) I'm fine.
RODNEY: Right. (emotions play on face, he turns and leaves)
They could have played this like Rodney didn't really want to go, but instead they played it like Rodney is genuinely conflicted and concerned because of his being married to John. - John is waiting by the gate for the chevrons to lock when Ronon steps up next to him in the rattiest of ratty black T-shirts.
JOHN: Where you going?
RONON: With you.
Awwwwwww. - John has a less cute brother named Dave. Dave clearly thinks Ronon is John's boyfriend.
DAVE (raising eyebrow): You two, uh... work together? In the Air Force?
JOHN: He's a civilian contracter.
DAVE: ... Right. - RONON: This the house you were raised in? (indicating giant house behind them)
JOHN: It's one of 'em.
RONON: It's nice.
JOHN: I couldn't wait to get out of here.
RONON: Yeah? Why?
JOHN: My dad's idea of teenage rebellion was going to Stanford instead of Harvard.
OMG JOHN HAS JIM ELLISON'S BACKSTORY. Down to the big house, the brother, punished for getting a B, joining the military as a form of protest, learning he is magically chosen for greatness by ancient spirits etc etc. - AND we get to meet John's ex-wife. (Ex-wife! That too!) Her name is Nancy and she's very pretty, sort of Teyla-ish except white and vaguely mean-looking. She has a high-placed job in Homeland Security. John is visibly, profoundly uncomfortable in her presence.
NANCY: Your dad was always very good to me.
JOHN: Well, in his mind, marrying you was probably the best thing I ever did. - JOHN: Look, if you got something to say, just say it.
DAVE: There's just one thing I want to know. Are you going to challenge the will? I have no idea what it says, of course, but I think I can guess.
JOHN (unable to even wrap his head around this for a moment): That's what you want to talk about? You want to talk about money?
DAVE: That's why you're here, isn't it? You've been gone a long time, John. It's not such a stretch.
JOHN: You got nothing to worry about. (turns away)
DAVE: Hey. If I've got the wrong impression of you, it's not my fault. You're the one who left, remember? I stayed. I looked after Dad, I ran the business, while you were off doing God knows what.
JOHN: I'm assuming that's what Dad wanted.
DAVE: No. No it's not, John. Dad regretted what happened between you two. Right up to the end.
I love emotions. - Later, for some reason I forget, they need to look at government files, and John meets with Nancy to ask for her help.
NANCY: I haven't seen you in over four years, now you want me to put my job on the line, and you won't even tell me why?
JOHN: All right, when you put it that way, it sounds a little crappy.
Nancy's problem with John was that he was noncommunicative. Jim Ellison connections aside, we've seen John be quite open with all of the members of his team at different points; I don't think noncommunicativeness is a pathological John-trait, but he does require time and fellowship and getting through shit together in order to get there. - JOHN: You never know what people are thinking.
AVA: Even those you're closest to?
JOHN: Especially those. - NANCY: Whatever you're into, it's obviously big, and I'm guessing dangerous. I just want you to be careful.
JOHN: Well, you know me.
NANCY: Yeah. That's the problem. - Episode ends with John going to visit his brother.
no subject
on 2008-02-04 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-02-04 10:23 pm (UTC)Isn't there any reason to join secret ops BESIDES having a rich dad??
no subject
on 2008-02-04 11:29 pm (UTC)RONON: With you.
From now on, Ronon shall be known as Ruth (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ruth%201:16;&version=31;)!
no subject
on 2008-02-05 04:18 am (UTC)i love that shot of John standing alone (so alone!) in front of the gate just before it changes to close up in time for Ronon to appear next to him. he just looks so lost and... and alone, dammit ::sniffs::
some fine acting by Joe (and David) in an ep that otherwise didn't really hold my interest.
no subject
on 2008-02-05 06:34 pm (UTC)Is that what normal fans think of John and Rodney?
SGA 4x15 Outcast
on 2008-02-05 03:18 pm (UTC)I really loved the episode (replicator chasing, aside)! I'm not sure exactly why, but it got my writing muse going after 7 years without a written word from me! I actually wrote a tiny (113 words) missing scene ficlet for "Outcast!" This is a miracle so I wanted you to know about it! Miracles *can* happen!
Love, max
Re: SGA 4x15 Outcast
on 2008-02-05 06:29 pm (UTC)Re: SGA 4x15 Outcast
on 2008-02-06 01:10 am (UTC)Love, max
P.S. See, a matching Zelenka icon! Grins like a loon!