Stargate: Atlantis 3.19: "Vengeance"

Written by Carl Binder
Directed by Andy Mikita

The second half of this season of “SGA” has been riddled with apparent homages to well-known science fiction staples. This is at least the fourth such episode, and the second in which Sheppard actually points out the film that the show is emulating. This does have a lot of similarities to “Alien”, but the nice touch here is that the episode actually has long-term implications. That has been rare, especially in terms of McKay’s character development.

This time, it’s the return of Michael, who has somehow survived after being blown to all hell in “Misbegotten”, a turn of events that is never explained. In the end, it doesn’t really matter: this is a story about consequences. Everything Michael does in this episode, and will do in the future, is the consequence of the decision to experiment on him at the end of the second season. When it comes to the list of questionable decisions under Weir’s tenure, that has to be near the top of the list.

Michael is now creating Super-Wraith, which is a major problem. Just about the only good thing about them, at this point, is their somewhat mindless state. They attack and follow Michael’s orders, but they don’t seem to coordinate very well. Ronon and the others discovered at least two basic methods of killing the Super-Wraiths, and that was under less-than-ideal conditions. The real problem was a question of numerical superiority; there were too many to kill.

If the Super-Wraith were to act like the more familiar version of Wraith, complete with intelligence and the desire to feed rather than kill, the situation would be a lot more terrifying for Team Atlantis. As it is, they’re dealing with their own version of “Alien”, which is bad enough. The tension made this a good episode to watch, but for me, it all came down to the confrontations with Michael and Weir’s recognition that this is largely her responsibility.

It highlights what had been a major undercurrent of the series and what may finally be coming into the forefront: the question of whether or not Team Atlantis has been a good thing for the Pegasus Galaxy and, for that matter, the Milky Way. The awakening of the Wraith, the issues with the Genii, the unleashing of the Asurans, Michael and his new legion of Super-Wraith, the list goes on. Sooner or later, authorities on Earth are going to hold someone accountable.

This episode introduces an element that could bring a sense of cohesion to the fourth season, if it’s utilized well. Michael and his legion can now be added to the list of Pegasus Galaxy enemies: Wraith, Asurans, and the Genii. With so many enemies, the writers have more than enough opportunity to choose a couple of them and develop an arc that will be satisfying. After all, “SGA” will soon be the only series on the air, and the stakes will be raised.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10