![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Dude. An episode where the A-plot is entirely about Teyla, and the B-plot is entirely about Keller and the core of both plots are about women?
Rock on!
They haven't had an episode that was significantly about Teyla since The Gift back in Season One. And even that focused more on everyone else's reactions in Atlantis regarding the upcoming Wraith siege. Critical Mass was more about the bomb going off in the city than about Teyla and her people and her grieving. Michael was more about Michael than Teyla. And Season Three was all about Everyone Else In Atlantis But Teyla.
Sure, she's had a key role in a variety of episodes - not least of which is the episode that no-one seems to remember: Phantoms, where she takes one look at Rodney's work and knows just how close he was to fixing it and then turns the machine off, incidentally, saving the day.
So this episode is long overdue. Like, two seasons. Minimum.
I think it's neat that they showed Keller's nervousness and anxiety at going off-world. The lollipops - and the later scene with the Bolo Kai sucking on them? Classic! As![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ileliberte has said: there aren't too many humour moments in SGA that don't feature neon-lights and "look! look how funny we're being!" But this was one of them.
Another moment of subtle humour was the scene at the gate on New Athos where Teyla offers to carry the bags and Keller says "I overpacked, I should carry it." However, in the next scene...Teyla has the bags. *gurgles* I love it!
One of the things I loved about this episode was how Teyla was practical and ruthless when she had to be, but didn't abate one iota of the understanding and compassion that we're used to seeing in her. It's another side to Teyla that just doesn't get any airplay - either in canon or in fanon. And the two sides aren't in conflict with each other: there's tension, sure - but show me someone who has no tension in considering the right and wrong of their choices and I'll show you someone with the moral and ethical intellect of a lima bean.
I adored how this episode really showed Teyla as very emotionally strong and not just physically strong. I've heard the term "whiny" used to describe Teyla: both in Letters From Pegasus when she wanted to go back for her people ("we don't leave our people" behind only matters for Earth people, clearly) and in Phantoms when she has a bullet through her leg and is trying to get through to CrazyVisions!John.
Uhuh.
Whiny, Teyla very much is not - and certainly wasn't in this episode. She wanted to grieve - the increasing desperation in her expression as, one by one, her options closed down around her - but she couldn't, not with Keller to look after. This is a woman who's used to shouldering burdens, who is tired and angry and knows that survival brings out unexpected strength, and so finds it in her to be strong, and yet still years for her space and time to ache and mourn her loss. At the end of the episode, she's withdrawn from John (and, symbolically, her team) and tries to withdraw from Keller until the doc sits her down for 'a chat'.
Rachel Luttrell's acting was beautiful in this - showing Teyla's need to survive, her grief at the loss of her people, her determination to look after Keller, and her anger and frustration with the Bolo Kai and the Wraith-worshipper. It was brilliant. And Jewel Stait did an awesome role in support as Keller. I like that Keller had concerns and fears and wasn't stoic or strong - she's not used to this. It worked for me, and I liked her stammering fears and concerns - and how she overcame them, too. That scene towards the end, "I have to have something to heal"? Love it.
One of my favourite 'team' scenes (in an episode that didn't really feature the team)? The boys standing in the control room, fretting about Teyla. Even Rodney. All focus on their missing team-mate. Wonderful. What the team should be.
Teyla and the Athosian man?
I like it. And I'm a John/Teyla shipper all the way.
I like it because it shows that she's human and needs comfort. I like it because whatever 'crush' she may have on someone in Atlantis, she's capable of caring about more than one man at once and possibly acknowledging that the relationship with her 'crush' is not going anywhere, while this relationship with one of her people could. I like what it suggests - to me, if not to all the people out there who fiercely believe that you can Only Ever Be Destined To Love One Person Your Entire Life Or It's Not Really Love - that there are different degrees of love and that they are not lesser or greater, just...different.
And I think it's both sweet and sad that John came to see her and that she wouldn't look at him. My shippy little heart says that maybe there's a degree of guilt and anguish there: she had the crush on John, but chose to ignore it and went to one of her own people. And now her lover among the Athosians is gone, probably dead, but she's still got John who she passed over a relationship with for her own reasons.
*sniffles*
All in all, an abso-fucking-lutely awesome Teyla episode. A pity they didn't do it two years ago.
Now, I think I must write a story with Teyla, Keller, Sam, and...hm...we'll make it Cadman, although she hasn't been seen about the traps since S2. I wonder if that old "Damsels Undistressed" story can be adjusted...
Rock on!
They haven't had an episode that was significantly about Teyla since The Gift back in Season One. And even that focused more on everyone else's reactions in Atlantis regarding the upcoming Wraith siege. Critical Mass was more about the bomb going off in the city than about Teyla and her people and her grieving. Michael was more about Michael than Teyla. And Season Three was all about Everyone Else In Atlantis But Teyla.
Sure, she's had a key role in a variety of episodes - not least of which is the episode that no-one seems to remember: Phantoms, where she takes one look at Rodney's work and knows just how close he was to fixing it and then turns the machine off, incidentally, saving the day.
So this episode is long overdue. Like, two seasons. Minimum.
I think it's neat that they showed Keller's nervousness and anxiety at going off-world. The lollipops - and the later scene with the Bolo Kai sucking on them? Classic! As
ileliberte has said: there aren't too many humour moments in SGA that don't feature neon-lights and "look! look how funny we're being!" But this was one of them.Another moment of subtle humour was the scene at the gate on New Athos where Teyla offers to carry the bags and Keller says "I overpacked, I should carry it." However, in the next scene...Teyla has the bags. *gurgles* I love it!
One of the things I loved about this episode was how Teyla was practical and ruthless when she had to be, but didn't abate one iota of the understanding and compassion that we're used to seeing in her. It's another side to Teyla that just doesn't get any airplay - either in canon or in fanon. And the two sides aren't in conflict with each other: there's tension, sure - but show me someone who has no tension in considering the right and wrong of their choices and I'll show you someone with the moral and ethical intellect of a lima bean.
I adored how this episode really showed Teyla as very emotionally strong and not just physically strong. I've heard the term "whiny" used to describe Teyla: both in Letters From Pegasus when she wanted to go back for her people ("we don't leave our people" behind only matters for Earth people, clearly) and in Phantoms when she has a bullet through her leg and is trying to get through to CrazyVisions!John.
Uhuh.
Whiny, Teyla very much is not - and certainly wasn't in this episode. She wanted to grieve - the increasing desperation in her expression as, one by one, her options closed down around her - but she couldn't, not with Keller to look after. This is a woman who's used to shouldering burdens, who is tired and angry and knows that survival brings out unexpected strength, and so finds it in her to be strong, and yet still years for her space and time to ache and mourn her loss. At the end of the episode, she's withdrawn from John (and, symbolically, her team) and tries to withdraw from Keller until the doc sits her down for 'a chat'.
Rachel Luttrell's acting was beautiful in this - showing Teyla's need to survive, her grief at the loss of her people, her determination to look after Keller, and her anger and frustration with the Bolo Kai and the Wraith-worshipper. It was brilliant. And Jewel Stait did an awesome role in support as Keller. I like that Keller had concerns and fears and wasn't stoic or strong - she's not used to this. It worked for me, and I liked her stammering fears and concerns - and how she overcame them, too. That scene towards the end, "I have to have something to heal"? Love it.
One of my favourite 'team' scenes (in an episode that didn't really feature the team)? The boys standing in the control room, fretting about Teyla. Even Rodney. All focus on their missing team-mate. Wonderful. What the team should be.
Teyla and the Athosian man?
I like it. And I'm a John/Teyla shipper all the way.
I like it because it shows that she's human and needs comfort. I like it because whatever 'crush' she may have on someone in Atlantis, she's capable of caring about more than one man at once and possibly acknowledging that the relationship with her 'crush' is not going anywhere, while this relationship with one of her people could. I like what it suggests - to me, if not to all the people out there who fiercely believe that you can Only Ever Be Destined To Love One Person Your Entire Life Or It's Not Really Love - that there are different degrees of love and that they are not lesser or greater, just...different.
And I think it's both sweet and sad that John came to see her and that she wouldn't look at him. My shippy little heart says that maybe there's a degree of guilt and anguish there: she had the crush on John, but chose to ignore it and went to one of her own people. And now her lover among the Athosians is gone, probably dead, but she's still got John who she passed over a relationship with for her own reasons.
*sniffles*
All in all, an abso-fucking-lutely awesome Teyla episode. A pity they didn't do it two years ago.
Now, I think I must write a story with Teyla, Keller, Sam, and...hm...we'll make it Cadman, although she hasn't been seen about the traps since S2. I wonder if that old "Damsels Undistressed" story can be adjusted...
Tags:
no subject
I recommend using Katie Brown. There is not enough "good" (and by "good" I mean...."good") fic about her.
no subject
Hm. Katie's a good idea. The original quartet (when the story was conceived) was Teyla, Liz, Cadman, and Kate Heightmeyer. So Katie would work.
no subject
no subject
That's one of the reasons I'm liking what they're doing with Keller. She's not Carson, no - I miss his more easy-going way, he'd done a lot more and was less anxious than Keller. But they're developing Keller and her relationships within Atlantis in a way that they didn't really do with Carson.
no subject
The first time I watched this episode, Keller was getting on my nerves a little. But I think my stressed out mood at the time influenced my reaction. I watched it again and liked her character a lot better. Jewel did an awesome job in this ep. I glad to see her back on TV (since the cancellation of Firefly).
Loved GonnaKillYou!Teyla in this episode!
no subject
OMG, yes please! (I'm one of those crazies who thinks the series ought to bring back Cadman)
I was a bit ambivalent about Keller (specifically her whininess) at first, but then I realised that it was a good way to contrast her with Teyla who really showed that she's made of stern stuff in this episode. If there wasn't so much emotional pain in it for Teyla, it would be my favourite episode of the season. Will be by the time the season's over and they've found the Athosians probably *crosses fingers*.
no subject
So much word to everything you said.
no subject
I recommend using Katie Brown. There is not enough "good" (and by "good" I mean...."good") fic about her.
no subject
Hm. Katie's a good idea. The original quartet (when the story was conceived) was Teyla, Liz, Cadman, and Kate Heightmeyer. So Katie would work.
no subject
no subject
That's one of the reasons I'm liking what they're doing with Keller. She's not Carson, no - I miss his more easy-going way, he'd done a lot more and was less anxious than Keller. But they're developing Keller and her relationships within Atlantis in a way that they didn't really do with Carson.
no subject
The first time I watched this episode, Keller was getting on my nerves a little. But I think my stressed out mood at the time influenced my reaction. I watched it again and liked her character a lot better. Jewel did an awesome job in this ep. I glad to see her back on TV (since the cancellation of Firefly).
Loved GonnaKillYou!Teyla in this episode!
no subject
OMG, yes please! (I'm one of those crazies who thinks the series ought to bring back Cadman)
I was a bit ambivalent about Keller (specifically her whininess) at first, but then I realised that it was a good way to contrast her with Teyla who really showed that she's made of stern stuff in this episode. If there wasn't so much emotional pain in it for Teyla, it would be my favourite episode of the season. Will be by the time the season's over and they've found the Athosians probably *crosses fingers*.
no subject
So much word to everything you said.