Overall Rating: 8.2
Iiiiiinteresting...very interesting...on several levels.
Cut for spoilers.
Plot Synopsis:
Lucian Alliance: FINALLY!! An explanation for the Lucian Alliance suddenly taking an interest in a ship about a gazillion light years away from the nearest ATM (LOL). As it turns out, Wray learns while interviewing the prisoners on Destiny that they'd been so hot for the ship because ancient legends suggested the ship was a source of godlike powers and the Alliance wanted a piece of that action. And they may not have been entirely wrong, though, to date, we haven't seen evidence of godlike power manifestation. Rush hints at the ship's name not being chosen lightly.
However, now that they've lost the battle, the decision about what to do with the Alliance prisoners rests with a man who saw his whole crew marooned on a lifeless planet to die by their hands. Naturally, Colonel Young is leaning toward expelling them on the nearest habitable planet. When they try to escape their confinement and get into a brawl with his people again after learning of his decision to evacuate them, his mind becomes firmly made up. They've gotta go. Unfortunately, Earth is facing a possible Alliance attack and his military superiors order him to keep the prisoners, thinking they might prove useful as a source of intelligence (how, I couldn't say...the Alliance is feudal in structure with rival factions battling for control...rather like the Goa'uld...what one Alliance group does seems unrelated to the others). At least Telford CLAIMS that they've given him authority to take command if Young tries to disobey. For now, they're not going anywhere.
Rush's Little Secret: Rush, unknown by the rest of the crew, has figured out how to gain access to Destiny's key systems and control certain ship functions. He's convinced that Young cannot be trusted with command of the ship and until he's gone, Rush isn't telling anyone else what he's up to. Unfortunately, he's also not sleeping...he's becoming obsessed with the ship's database and potential - possibly to the point of hallucinating visions of his late wife and Dr. Franklin (who was evaporated by the control chair last season), though there is some question as to whether those visions are actually being generated by the ship somehow.
In his treacherous condition, he is scrambling to find the crew some food and sends an away team lead by Lt. Scott and TJ on an unwise mission to a planet with an unstable (super-rotating) atmosphere and signs of recent severe volcanism. Their shuttle crash lands and Rush, feeling some apparently genuine regret for his bad decision, then spends the next several hours bluffing his way through excuses for why the ship drops out of hyperspace in the middle of nowhere, in range of only the previous planet.
The Away Team: After the shuttle crash, TJ and Scott immediately come to and realize that Sergeant Riley is pinned under a shattered bulkhead. While TJ and a couple of marines try to keep Riley alive, Eli, Scott and Greer go in search of the gate. They find it buried under a pile of volcanic rock. After some serious digging and a well placed C4 blast, they are able to clear the event horizon of the gate and dial Destiny. Unfortunately, TJ has learned that the bulkhead is the only thing keeping enough blood in Riley for him to stay alive. No matter what they do, he's a dead man. When Colonel Young arrives to speak with Riley and convince TJ to leave (she's promised to stay with him until the end after revealing her recent near-death experience on the miracle planet), Riley begs him to put him out of his misery. He regretfully obliges, suffocating Riley, and the team exits to toast their fallen comrade. Riley's keno recordings paint a picture of a family man who regretted nothing about his adventure except that it took him away from his loved ones.
The Skinny:
Firstly, HOORAY for explanations to plots that made no sense otherwise. It's about frackin' time we got some insight into the madness that was the Lucian Alliance raid. I suppose I should have been more patient, but you know what...if I'd understood their purpose for the raid, I might have at least sympathized with some of them and it might have made me less prone to focus on the flaws in the season opening script and more prone to enjoy the experience. Order matters...if they were trying to make the audience uncomfortable and frustrated, they succeeded with me...but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing. They could have let US know what the Alliance wanted with Destiny without telling the CREW...that would have been a hell of a lot more interesting.
Secondly, Rush's story line certainly has my attention now. Where are his visions of dead loved ones and colleagues coming from? What is the powerful secret about Destiny that he's discovered? What object did they encounter at the end of the episode and why was Rush so excited about it? All good reasons to stayed tuned and not drop this canon. But none of which are the reason Rush has my attention now. We all knew already that Rush didn't think much of Young...but his sin of pride (assuming he is the only one who can protect Destiny) is fascinating to watch. The writers are demonstrating well that they know how evil can take hold of a man. Rush is a more interesting character now that he's not being painted as crazy, manipulative and purely evil, but rather as tragically flawed with a God complex even though he might have some good intentions. Not sure where they're going with it...but I'll keep my eyes peeled with interest now.
Finally, the officer-assisted suicide was stunningly bold for Stargate. I am not sure how I personally feel about such things morally, but I am certain that they happen ROUTINELY in combat and survival situations...more than most of us would like to think. And I'm also certain that such experiences will haunt men like Young (as was shown in the final montage before the cliff-hanger ending) and could lead to some very interesting emotional consequences in the future if they follow up on this (the same way they need to follow up on Greer's past). Eyes sideways...
Writing: 8.0
Interesting plot developments and character dynamics...some parts of the script felt tacked on (TJ talking about her vision, the montage with musical backdrop was a bit jarring, etc) and I still think we need to get further into the minds of the Alliance prisoners for that plot to be fully remedied. But solid effort on the whole.
Acting: 8.5
Very strong work by most of the regulars, by Riley, and especially by Rush. Wray continues to do absolutely nothing for me professionally (or in the character department...but whatever).
Message: 8.0
If I were convinced that Young's actions with Riley were morally solid, the episode would have gotten a higher score. Rush's big character flaw (that he thinks will save everyone) may be the ship's greatest threat...the writers seem to understand this well. Our heroic captain did in fact make the right call regarding the Alliance though. They don't have the supplies, the manpower, or the social stability to afford potentially dangerous POWs, no matter what platitudes some in the civilian crew might utter. He was overruled...but he made the right decision and I was glad to see it.
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