thoughts on S5 directions

[tielan]

Prompted by a comment I saw on Gateworld.

Disclaimer: I don't keep up with Gateworld or JMallozzi's blog or any of the spoilers. Every now and then I spot a post that one of my f-list makes about the show and I follow it, spoilers or not. So I don't know what's being said. My information comes from other people, rarely from an 'official' source.

Mostly, this is on the question of Kanaan.

My take is that they're not going to keep him. I don't know if he's going to die or survive, but I sincerely doubt that, as a character, he's going to be kept much longer than a couple of episodes - really, as long as it takes to get rid of him.

Ironically, I'm ambivalent about this. On one hand, I think it would be lovely to see the ins and outs of Teyla relating to one of her own people - someone who isn't "in the fight" and who comes with an "outsider perspective" as Ronon doesn't. Besides, Teyla & Ronon is way overdone - yes, they're hot. No, they're not hot for each other. Too bad, so sad, can we move on, kthxbai?

On the other hand, there's the slight problem of me being a John/Teyla shipper. Which should suggest I'd be baying for Kanaan's blood. Eh, screw that. I'm not particularly fond of the character or his introduction, but he's doing better than Pete Shanahan (who, in his first episode, turned out to be a stalker cop - I've never gotten over that and I doubt I ever will). At least Kanaan has the excuse that he's been hybridised, and that Michael's got significant hooks in him. Which could provide another angle of interest - assuming they're going to follow that course very far, which I rather doubt.

We'll see what the next episodes have to say about that.

As far as the show's use of "native Pegases" goes, anyone from Pegasus who isn't from a technologically advanced culture (and some of those who are *cough*Taranians*cough*) is really just cannon-fodder for the bad guys. Halling and Jinto got the hell outta dodge back in Season One, which was a wise decision to make (if they'd actually had the decision in it which, of course, they didn't), since Halling has survived to Season Five. At least in name, if not always in face. (Is Christopher Heyerdahl going to be in Sanctuary? Or was his character disposed of back during the initial webisodes?)

I had a post about Kanaan, where I hoped he wasn't going to turn into a villain. I still don't think he will, but I'm not 100% sure after S&R. Thoughts? Spoilers? Should I be asking this since I'm still working on my SGA Big Bang and am terrified of being thrown off-course, just as I've gotten to the final section?

Does anyone on my f-list even still watch Atlantis?

Anyway, this is just what I think about it...what do you think? Thank you, Daniel!

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this? I'm tempted to make a betting post, wherein people mark off what they think is most likely to happen in Season Five. And I'd differentiate between what people want to see, vs. what's most likely that we'll actually see.

Comments

[roguish-angel.livejournal.com]

hehehe at random 'Windows of Opportunity' reference.

I also don't keep up with Gatewank but I try to read Joe's blog as often as I can (frankly I don't have that much time for anything other than watching the episodes anymore - except for Dr Who and this week, that's an exception. Is is Sunday yet?! I digress...)

I've always been kinda 'meh' about Kanaan, he never really got onto my radar. Yes he's the father of Teyla's baby but other than that he's of little consequence! (Is he anyway included in the name of said baby? No!)

I never even put any thought into whether or not he got off the hive! John didn't mention him so I didn't think about the possibilty that he was in the dart

[tielan]

I've always been kinda 'meh' about Kanaan, he never really got onto my radar.

The problem was that they never had a chance to introduce him until RL announced her pregnancy, and then there weren't any opportunities for actually showing the relationship. Which was frustrating.

I never even put any thought into whether or not he got off the hive! John didn't mention him so I didn't think about the possibilty that he was in the dart

I assumed that he got off the hiveship, mostly because I can't imagine Teyla letting him stay behind when they knew Caldwell was gonna blow up the hiveship from the Daedelus.

Assuming that he did get off the hiveship, it says a lot that the first and final scenes of the episode are about the relationship, respect and friendship between John and Teyla, not any relationship between Teyla and Kanaan.

[mahoni.livejournal.com]

I agree that Kanaan won't stick around. Although, I wouldn't mind at all if he did -- might be kind of interesting to have him sort of in the background as the stay-at-home dad. :P

And since Michael is coming back in an episode to try to steal the baby from Atlantis, hey, Kanaan could still end up canon fodder. :\

[tielan]

And since Michael is coming back in an episode to try to steal the baby from Atlantis, hey, Kanaan could still end up canon fodder.

Good point. I figured he'd end up dead at some point - honourably sacrificed in the way of passing male love-interests for female cast characters in the Stargate Universe (resulting in Sam Carter's alleged "Black Widow curse".)

[azure-horizon.livejournal.com]

I'm non-plussed by Kanaan. When they introduced him I was like WTF? But he was a necessary plot development because of Rachel's real life situation, which is fine as far as plot goes. But there are HUGE inconsistencies between the back half of season 4 and S&R.

S4 Teyla's hell bent on finding him, then S&R she doesn't give a damn if they leave him behind. It's only when they bump into him that she considers helping him. Maybe there was a scene that ended up on the cutting room floor about it, but it just seemed very... contradictory to what we had already seen, you know?

And is Kanaan a goodie or a baddie? (in layman's terms). Because, if he's a baddie he's not a very good one. Same goes for if he's a goodie. If Michael has control over him, why was he able to help Teyla without Michael stopping him? Unless, of course, Michael has to make a conscious effort to connect to him.

And is Kanaan willing to help Teyla, or the baby? Is Michael letting Teyla get away and that's why Kanaan was able to help her? It's all very confusing.

I would like to see Kanaan stick around as a sorted out human because it would be nice to see that kind of consistency with the Teyla character. But if the end of S&R, where Kanaan doesn't even get a mention never mind screen time, is anything to go by, I doubt he'll be in it past The Seed.

[saeva.livejournal.com]

There is so much WTF there in terms of canon consistency, I agree. It's like... that ship was full of Athosians. Or ex-Athosians, but they were sure as hell Athosian enough to count for Teyla. It would have been better if she'd lost consciousness after the birth (stress, pain, blood loss? pick a minor complication and go with it!) and then woken up to find what the Earthlings had done. At least that would have made SENSE. But to abandon her people like that? To have no mention of the Daedalus beaming up Athosians? It makes no sense for her character!

[chyti.livejournal.com]

i really don't care enough about kanaan the character to want to see him in other episodes. to me he has completed his purpose and now lets move on.

now i am wondering also if michael didn't send him after teyla knowing that a team from atlantis boarding his ship. teyla is close to child birth and i am sure michael wants no harm to come to the baby so sending kanaan to make sure she is safe would be like michael plus it gives him a way into atlantis when the time comes.

[julii-wolfe.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much with you. I couldn't resist, so I watched Search and Rescue on Youtube. Kanaan isn't portrayed as a bad guy, just as kind of timid. It reinforces what Teyla said about him in season 4 when she was talking to Keller, that Kanaan was someone who didn't realize his own inner strength, and therefore seemed weaker than he is. This theme of his unwillingness to act continues.

And, in my opinion, with no spoilers to base this on, you're totally right about the Teyla/Ronon, Teyla/John thing. The relationship between Teyla and John has always been more sexual than that of Teyla and Ronon, especially from John's pov. I mean, he grabs Weir in conversion, he kisses Teyla (and he beats the crap out of Ronon).

ahh fun and games.

How far is it from here to Altaris?
Many million miles, O'Neil.
That's got to be a record.

[tielan]

Conversion has always been my angle on John's feelings too - John-without-the-civilisation. So, at a below-consciousness level, he's attracted to Teyla, he's a competitive bastard, and Elizabeth annoys him.

At the same time, I don't think the sub-conscious level is a really good indicator of how a person is. It's just a level of instinctive reaction: John is attracted to Teyla, he wants to be the alpha male, and he resents and rebels against authority - even in the form of a friend.

IN THE MIDDLE OF MY BACKSWING??

*g*

[roguish-angel.livejournal.com]

hehehe at random 'Windows of Opportunity' reference.

I also don't keep up with Gatewank but I try to read Joe's blog as often as I can (frankly I don't have that much time for anything other than watching the episodes anymore - except for Dr Who and this week, that's an exception. Is is Sunday yet?! I digress...)

I've always been kinda 'meh' about Kanaan, he never really got onto my radar. Yes he's the father of Teyla's baby but other than that he's of little consequence! (Is he anyway included in the name of said baby? No!)

I never even put any thought into whether or not he got off the hive! John didn't mention him so I didn't think about the possibilty that he was in the dart

[tielan]

I've always been kinda 'meh' about Kanaan, he never really got onto my radar.

The problem was that they never had a chance to introduce him until RL announced her pregnancy, and then there weren't any opportunities for actually showing the relationship. Which was frustrating.

I never even put any thought into whether or not he got off the hive! John didn't mention him so I didn't think about the possibilty that he was in the dart

I assumed that he got off the hiveship, mostly because I can't imagine Teyla letting him stay behind when they knew Caldwell was gonna blow up the hiveship from the Daedelus.

Assuming that he did get off the hiveship, it says a lot that the first and final scenes of the episode are about the relationship, respect and friendship between John and Teyla, not any relationship between Teyla and Kanaan.

[mahoni.livejournal.com]

I agree that Kanaan won't stick around. Although, I wouldn't mind at all if he did -- might be kind of interesting to have him sort of in the background as the stay-at-home dad. :P

And since Michael is coming back in an episode to try to steal the baby from Atlantis, hey, Kanaan could still end up canon fodder. :\

[tielan]

And since Michael is coming back in an episode to try to steal the baby from Atlantis, hey, Kanaan could still end up canon fodder.

Good point. I figured he'd end up dead at some point - honourably sacrificed in the way of passing male love-interests for female cast characters in the Stargate Universe (resulting in Sam Carter's alleged "Black Widow curse".)

[azure-horizon.livejournal.com]

I'm non-plussed by Kanaan. When they introduced him I was like WTF? But he was a necessary plot development because of Rachel's real life situation, which is fine as far as plot goes. But there are HUGE inconsistencies between the back half of season 4 and S&R.

S4 Teyla's hell bent on finding him, then S&R she doesn't give a damn if they leave him behind. It's only when they bump into him that she considers helping him. Maybe there was a scene that ended up on the cutting room floor about it, but it just seemed very... contradictory to what we had already seen, you know?

And is Kanaan a goodie or a baddie? (in layman's terms). Because, if he's a baddie he's not a very good one. Same goes for if he's a goodie. If Michael has control over him, why was he able to help Teyla without Michael stopping him? Unless, of course, Michael has to make a conscious effort to connect to him.

And is Kanaan willing to help Teyla, or the baby? Is Michael letting Teyla get away and that's why Kanaan was able to help her? It's all very confusing.

I would like to see Kanaan stick around as a sorted out human because it would be nice to see that kind of consistency with the Teyla character. But if the end of S&R, where Kanaan doesn't even get a mention never mind screen time, is anything to go by, I doubt he'll be in it past The Seed.

[saeva.livejournal.com]

There is so much WTF there in terms of canon consistency, I agree. It's like... that ship was full of Athosians. Or ex-Athosians, but they were sure as hell Athosian enough to count for Teyla. It would have been better if she'd lost consciousness after the birth (stress, pain, blood loss? pick a minor complication and go with it!) and then woken up to find what the Earthlings had done. At least that would have made SENSE. But to abandon her people like that? To have no mention of the Daedalus beaming up Athosians? It makes no sense for her character!

[chyti.livejournal.com]

i really don't care enough about kanaan the character to want to see him in other episodes. to me he has completed his purpose and now lets move on.

now i am wondering also if michael didn't send him after teyla knowing that a team from atlantis boarding his ship. teyla is close to child birth and i am sure michael wants no harm to come to the baby so sending kanaan to make sure she is safe would be like michael plus it gives him a way into atlantis when the time comes.

[julii-wolfe.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much with you. I couldn't resist, so I watched Search and Rescue on Youtube. Kanaan isn't portrayed as a bad guy, just as kind of timid. It reinforces what Teyla said about him in season 4 when she was talking to Keller, that Kanaan was someone who didn't realize his own inner strength, and therefore seemed weaker than he is. This theme of his unwillingness to act continues.

And, in my opinion, with no spoilers to base this on, you're totally right about the Teyla/Ronon, Teyla/John thing. The relationship between Teyla and John has always been more sexual than that of Teyla and Ronon, especially from John's pov. I mean, he grabs Weir in conversion, he kisses Teyla (and he beats the crap out of Ronon).

ahh fun and games.

How far is it from here to Altaris?
Many million miles, O'Neil.
That's got to be a record.

[tielan]

Conversion has always been my angle on John's feelings too - John-without-the-civilisation. So, at a below-consciousness level, he's attracted to Teyla, he's a competitive bastard, and Elizabeth annoys him.

At the same time, I don't think the sub-conscious level is a really good indicator of how a person is. It's just a level of instinctive reaction: John is attracted to Teyla, he wants to be the alpha male, and he resents and rebels against authority - even in the form of a friend.

IN THE MIDDLE OF MY BACKSWING??

*g*