A stunning reversal from last week's pointless hour of misery. The show's writers finally took a bold step in a new direction and did something no Gate has ever done before!
Game Changing Spoilers Below the Cut
Plot Synopsis:
When the often problematic Sergeant Spencer turns up missing, Sergeant Greer goes to investigate. He finds him dead in his quarters - a single gunshot wound to the temple. The crew immediately begins an investigation, beginning with a search for the weapon that fired the bullet. With everyone on edge, Eli finds the apparent murder weapon in Colonel Young's quarters, hidden in a wall panel. Scott wants to circle the wagons and hide the truth. Eli wants to be honest, and Young agrees. He orders them to come forward to Wray with the gun and let her lead the investigation. Despite strong doubts by the military crew aboard, Young submits to an investigative hearing and Wray uses the opportunity to grab for power, eventually negotiating to take command of Destiny in exchange for dropping the case against Colonel Young. During the hearing, Dr. Rush does his personal best to be completely non-committal and unhelpful to Young's case. We find out why shortly after Young steps down when Rush approaches Wray and asks for complete control of his science team. Why is this crucial? He still wants access to the ancient chair.
Rush puts his team to work analyzing the chair, looking for a way to get access to the knowledge without sitting in it. Of course, he also strongly influences them to do what is necessary, and one of his underlings chooses to sit in the chair - a decision that lands him in the infirmary and unconscious. Young very angrily fires back at Rush - accusing him once more of cowardice for refusing to sit in the chair himself. Meanwhile, Eli has been scouring the Keno footage desperately looking for some clue as to what really happened to Spencer. He discovers a file has been deleted from the Keno itself, but fortunately, he backs up all of the Keno footage for use in his documentary of their experiences. That footage reveals that Spencer, in fact, committed suicide - owing to severe withdrawal from depressants he was taking before the escape from Icarus Base.
That's not all the footage revealed. Young, having seen the rest of the evidence, joins an expedition team surveying a largely-dead planet that Destiny has connected to. Rush has discovered an alien space craft - not ancient in origin - and with time running out to investigate, a number of additional troops are deployed, including Young. At the first opportunity, Young orders the rest of his people to evacuate to the gate while Rush and he stay behind to try to access to craft. Once they're alone, Young reveals what he knows. Rush found Spencer and placed his gun in Young's quarters. His ulterior motive laid bare, Rush confesses. He confirms his intention to get Young to step down, claiming Young is unwilling to make the life or death decisions needed to survive out here. For him, the ends justify the means. Enraged, Young beats the crap out of Rush and demands to know if he's done trying to manipulate the crew. Rush defiantly proclaims that it will never be over and Young knocks him unconscious while he evacuates back to the Destiny, leaving Rush stranded! Seems like a life or death decision to me! Only Eli knows what really happened...the rest of the crew is told a lie about how Rush was left behind and they continue on with Young's name cleared and Young once again in command.
Writing: 8.5
The dialogue was actually quite riveting in many places. The hearing included some rather kick-ass moments between Wray and Chloe. The confrontations between Rush and Young were epic. The plot was brilliant, complete with a twist that had the benefit of being completely surprising while at the same time completely natural to the characters. Suffice to say, after some of the aimless meandering we've been doing over the last several weeks, this episode was far more focused, far more interesting, and FAR more entertaining than anything produced thus far.
Acting: 9.0
Ferreira, Carlyle, Levesque and J.W. Smith in particular were outright OUTSTANDING in this episode. This is the best performance to date, bar none. It is with great relief that I can now say that this cast, beyond Blue and Levesque, finally has my attention. In fact, this is probably the first time I've been genuinely interested in Ferreira's character arc and that is owed quite heavily to his fine performance...his character truly came alive this week. Such strength has not been seen in him to date other than a few of his interactions with Brian Smith (Scott).
Message: 9.0
The moral equivalent of "Madam Airlock" (Battlestar Galactica fans know what I mean)...on a Gate franchise?? WOW! Young leaving Rush for dead has to be one of the greatest things Stargate has ever done. Military leaders have to make the tough calls, and this was absolutely necessary...Rush was a force for great evil aboard the ship...I love that the writers are drawing a clear distinction between logic and morality. The bottom line is this...Rush represents what happens to people when they try to replace spirituality and morals with pure logic. Rush is why our scientific community gets embroiled with politics the way it has in the current ClimateGate scandal. People who think they can logically solve their way to enlightenment are utterly lost when it comes to dealing with the important parts of life. You can manipulate and scheme your way to power, but you can't scheme your way to happiness or salvation. It's clear that Rush is going to gain access to the alien ship and escape this planet, but one wonders how his character will factor into the lives of stranded crew of the Destiny going forward. One thing is for sure...he can never go back. Young has the goods on him...his transparent malice has finally destroyed him...and that's the kind of drama I *like* in my TV. :)
Highlights:
GREER: Looks like a sweet potato.
BRODIE: That is so not going to be sweet.
GREER: How do you know?
FRANKLIN: Just based on the analysis we did when we dug the first ones up, just to make sure it was safe.
ELI: It's safe. (Greer tastes it and covers his first reaction with a smile.)
GREER: That is one...sweet...po-tay-to!
ELI: Really??
GREER: Everyone try it! Dig in! (they all hurriedly grab a piece and immediately react with disgust)
ELI: Oh my god...
BRODIE: I think I'm gonna be sick!
GREER: It's food, people. It will keep us ay-live! Becker! Boil 'em up. Mash 'em up. Serve 'em up! (LOL...you and Miles O'Brien would go well together, Greer!)
WRAY: Why was he [Spencer] even allowed access to a gun?
YOUNG: He was a highly trained N.C.O.
WRAY: No, he was unstable and you know it!
YOUNG: His duties required him to be armed!
WRAY: Oh it was required of him?!
YOUNG: Yes!
GREER: 'Scuse me, guys!
WRAY: You know, I've said, from day one, that if...
GREER:L: It wasn't suicide!! (Boy, Wray is a feisty little bee-och isn't she?)
ELI: It...it's unbelievable.
RUSH: Is it? You put ordinary people under enough stress and you'll be amazed what they're capable of. Add to that the fact that he was hoarding food and water...involved in several altercations...I doubt you'll find many tears shed over this man.
SCOTT: He was one of our own, Rush.
RUSH: (sarcastically) I'm sorry, Lieutenant, were you his friend? Did he, in fact, have any friends aboard the Destiny?
ELI: James hung out with him.
TJ: She tolerated him.
SCOTT: Alright, so no one could stand the guy. It does not make it OK.
RUSH: I didn't mean to suggest that it did, Lieutenant. What I am suggesting, Colonel Young, is that you should try to find out who this murderer is...as quickly as possible. (Even now, you can just feel the cold, calculating logic of a sociopath as he manipulates the crew into hysteria and tries to reduce a man to a numerical value)
RUSH: Colonel Young, come in.
YOUNG: What is it, Doctor?
RUSH: I've found some interesting new information regarding the Ancient chair interface.
YOUNG: Have they checked your quarters yet?
RUSH: I don't know, actually. I have work to do.
YOUNG: Where are you?
RUSH: The chair interface room! Look, I've come across some very interesting data...
YOUNG: You are supposed to be back here waiting along with everyone else.
RUSH: Colonel, obviously, neither one of us has anything to do with this business...
YOUNG: That's not the point!
RUSH: I thought, while all of this was going on, it would give us a chance to get back to work. Obviously, I was wrong. Rush out. (Seriously, Rush? You're still obsessing about the chair NOW? - of course we know why, but at the time, it seems very odd)
SCOTT: Right, so this is what I'm thinking. We tell Wray we found the gun in a storage locker. Only the person who hid it in here would know any better. Maybe we can smoke 'em out that way.
ELI: Uh...are you sure that's a good idea?
SCOTT: Colonel Young did not kill Spencer, Eli!
ELI: I'm not suggesting he did, Lieutenant...
SCOTT: Look, this is obviously someone trying to undermine the Colonel's authority. We cannot let that happen!
YOUNG: Eli's right. (both look on in shock) I want you to take this gun to Wray. And I want you to tell her where you found it. Leave nothing out. She'll know what to do.
SCOTT: Sir?
YOUNG: I can't investigate myself, and you can't be asked to investigate your commanding officer. That leaves Wray. We're going to have to do this by the book.
SCOTT: Sir, with all due respect, if the book covers this, I think I missed it.
YOUNG: Lieutenant, I need you to listen to me. Something is going on here, and if we get caught in a lie now, this is going to turn into a bigger mess than it already is, right? So I need everything above board - out in the open. That is an order. (awesome)
RUSH: I don't remember the exact details of the conversation.
WRAY: But you do remember speaking with Colonel Young about Sergeant Spencer?
RUSH: Well, the Colonel was doing most of the talking. I think he just wanted to blow off steam.
WRAY: Do you remember him saying that if things didn't improve, he was going to have to take drastic action?
RUSH: I'm not sure he used those exact words.
WRAY: Do you agree that Sergeant Spencer was a disruptive force? That his attitude was damaging to morale and that it was only getting worse?
RUSH: Yes.
WRAY: Then would you say his removal from the situation has been a net benefit or detriment? (This is a despicable line of questioning...guh...)
RUSH: I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to get me to say that we're better off without him; therefore implying that Colonel Young may have drawn the same conclusion. That as commander, he may have believed he had no choice. (wow...that is really...really...evil. in psychology, this we would call mirroring or projection)
WRAY: Well?
RUSH: Well that would be pure speculation, and I'm having none of it.
ELI: Didn't stop him form saying it out, though. (I like Eli more and more with each passing week)
WRAY: What was that?! We're trying to get to the truth here!
CHLOE: I don't even think that's possible!
WRAY: We can't afford to have an unsolved murder hanging over our heads. (and I lust for power like a dog in heat because I'm a headstrong bitch)
CHLOE: So forget about the possibility that the Colonel is being framed and just get it over with, is that it?!
WRAY: I don't think the Colonel is so far above reproach as you seem to believe.
CHLOE: Oh, well you're the human resources person. You would know all about that. In fact, I bet you know all of us better than anyone else on board. Who do you think killed Spencer! Why don't we just go with that?! (THANK YOU, Chloe)
RUSH: I hear congratulations are in order.
WRAY: Actually, I was just wondering what I'd gotten myself into.
RUSH: An opportunity to do things differently, perhaps? (he's sneaking a peak at some of her files and she puts a stop to it rather quickly)
WRAY: What do you want, Nicholas. (is this straight out of 'How to Make Friends and Influence People?' Nicholas? Really? God I hate people like her)
RUSH: Control over my science team, including Eli.
WRAY: But you report to me.
RUSH: Of course.
WRAY: That's all?
RUSH: You seem surprised! (I really hope Young also strands Wray somewhere...LOL)
YOUNG: You just couldn't wait, could you?
CROSSTALK (RUSH): Anyone who had access to the chair room was under strict orders not to sit in it!
CROSSTALK (YOUNG): You knew! You made sure they all knew how critical the information was. You told them it was our only chance!
CROSSTALK (RUSH): We were there to determine the feasibility of accessing that information...
CROSSTALK (YOUNG): You wanted somebody there because YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS TO DO IT YOURSELF!! (they are nose to nose at this point, ready to come to blows)
WRAY: Stop! Rush was under my command. That means, ultimately, it was my responsibility.
YOUNG: I know.
YOUNG: (encountering Rush in the hall outside the gate room after learning the truth) I was just coming to
YOUNG: I know it was you.
RUSH: (looking nervous) Excuse me?
YOUNG: The Keno footage was not corrupted. It kept recording until you came into the room. (busted) So let's hear it. Let's see how you lie your way out of this one.
RUSH: I heard a shot, I went to investigate...and I found him.
YOUNG: And then you took his gun and decided to frame me.
RUSH: That's a bit melodramatic. No, I knew there wouldn't be enough evidence to implicate you. The idea was to create just enough doubt to get you to step aside.
YOUNG: I see. (he smiles ironically) That was the idea.
RUSH: Well, you're the wrong man for the job, Colonel. I'm sorry to be the one to say it, but I think you know it's true.
YOUNG: Do I?
RUSH: You don't believe in the mission. You resigned your position as S.G. leader because you didn't want to make the hard decisions - the life and death decisions. That makes you a liability. I'm not proud of what I did, but I did it for the benefit of
YOUNG: The end justifies the means.
RUSH: Yeah, something like that. (Young flies into a rage and tackles Rush, beating him into submission despite Rush fighting dirty with rocks and the old dirt in the eye trick)
YOUNG: Are we done?!
RUSH: We'll never be done!! (and with that Young, delivers the final blow, knocking Rush unconscious)
ELI: Where's Rush?
YOUNG: (after stepping through the gate) He didn't make it. (yeah, baby!!)
Solid gold awesome.
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