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"The Seer" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of Stargate: Atlantis.

Synopsis[]

The Atlantis expedition find a man named Davos, who can somehow see into the future. Teyla hopes to use him to find the missing Athosians. Richard Woolsey performs a three-month evaluation on Colonel Samantha Carter, while an old Wraith acquaintance from Sheppard's past comes back, who gives him some disturbing news about the development of the war with the Asurans.

Previously on Stargate: Atlantis[]

Lt. Colonel John Sheppard was captured by the Genii, and discovered that a Wraith is also held prisoner. They both managed to have formed a partnership and escaped from Commander Acastus Kolya. They both agreed that after they help each other, the next time they would meet, all bets are off. A year later, Dr. Rodney McKay uploaded a directive for the Asurans to attack the Wraith, which worked. The Asurans are now destroying several Wraith factions. A few months later, Teyla Emmagan was going on a routine check up on the Athosians, only to find them missing, wondering what has happened to them. She then tells her team that whoever was responsible will pay, but Dr. Jennifer Keller gives her some concerning news.

Plot[]

With the Athosians now missing for several weeks, there is still no new information on their whereabouts, even the forensics team is coming up with nothing on New Athos. Teyla Emmagan however, proposes that they go to a world where it is rumored that a seer into the future named Davos resides. The rest of her team, particularly Dr. Rodney McKay, has doubts on the so-called seer. Despite this, Teyla is hopeful that he will provide answers, and Lt. Colonel John Sheppard's team has been given the go ahead on the mission to Vedeena. On the way to the Stargate, McKay makes his own prediction, that it will be a complete waste of time. Sheppard then warns them that, since they've never made contact with them before, they may be unnerved by a bunch of heavily armed people and tells them to be on their best behavior. Strangely though, when they arrive, they are surprised to see a group of Vedeenans greeting them, as if they have been expecting them.

The Seer 1

Richard Woolsey arrives in Atlantis.

Meanwhile, Richard Woolsey arrives for the scheduled three-month evaluation on Colonel Samantha Carter. He complains about the mandatory 24-hour quarantine on the Midway space station, a new order from the International Oversight Advisory since the Kirsan fever outbreak on Atlantis. Woolsey says that he will be an observer only and will not interfere in her work. Shortly after he arrives, another team from M2R-441, a planet recently culled by the Wraith, and to which the expedition is lending aid, dials Atlantis. Captain Robbins informs Carter that another Hive ship showed up, but did not cull anyone. The people were given a message, a particular Wraith wants to speak only with Sheppard.

Back on Vedeena, a woman named Linara tells Sheppard's team about Davos' prediction two years ago. He predicted that Hive ships would arrive over the planet, so he and the others hid in caves while the Wraith searched for them. The Wraith never found any of them and not a single Vedeenan was killed. They also need the expedition's help, since Davos has recently fallen ill. Linara tells them that Davos is important to them, especially herself, because Davos is her father. They meet Davos in a tent, where he seems to be the leader.

Davos is pleased to meet them, and notices McKay's skepticism. He claims he has the ability to show other people his vision, and offers his hand to McKay. As McKay holds his hand, he is surprised when he has a vision of himself and his team on a misty planet with ancient ruins, when they are surrounded and captured by the Wraith. Shortly after, Davos falls ill and is unable to provide further visions.

They return to Atlantis where McKay recounts his vision. There, Carter tells them the a Wraith wants to meet them on M2R-441, where strangely enough, has ancient ruins very similar to McKay's vision. Also, the Wraith described by Carter is also the same one that Sheppard had an acquaintance with last year when they both escaped the Genii. With no option, apart from Woolsey stating the obvious, they go to the planet expecting an ambush.

The Seer 2

Sheppard's team with the Wraith, surrounded by Jumpers.

When the team arrives in the ruins, McKay recounts that this is exactly the same ruins from his visions and starts to believe in them. Seconds later, a group of Wraith surround them. One of the Wraith (known previously as Todd) approaches them and wonders why they didn't come in unarmed like he requested. However, since Sheppard's team anticipate an ambush, two Puddle Jumpers de-cloak, and the Wraith surrenders.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jennifer Keller diagnoses Davos on Vedeena and informs Carter over the radio. Davos has a form of lymphatic cancer, which they cannot do much on treating. With no option, they decide to bring Davos in to Atlantis, where Keller wonders if they are here to help him, or study him.

The Seer 3

The team watch the extent of the Asurans' new tactic.

Sheppard goes to the Wraith in the brig, where he plans to interrogate him. Todd tells Sheppard that he knows McKay was the one who uploaded the Wraith attack code on the Asuran Base code. The Wraith managed to have shut down the code with a virus 10,000 years ago, but since McKay tampered with the base code, the Wraith computer virus is now ineffective and wants help on shutting them down. Sheppard however, tells him why he should care about the Wraith being wiped out. Todd tells Sheppard that the Asuran's latest strategy is to attack the Wraiths' food source, destroying human worlds to carry out this plan.

As proof, they dial M5S-768, a planet the expedition visited last year. They send a MALP, where they see the planet in ruins. Worse, the residual radiation from weapons fire matches the Asuran technology, not Wraith. All 75,000 people on the planet are all dead. Todd is telling the truth. Later on two more planets are discovered to have been annihilated by the Asurans, bringing the death count to 150,000.

As McKay feels responsible for their deaths and questions his original decision to change the base code, he works on trying to deactivate the code. Woolsey, however, suspicious of Todd, disagrees and decides to contact the IOA on what to do next. However, they take the decision "under advisement", something Sheppard points out as something the IOA are very good at, stonewalling them. Carter begins to feel why Sheppard never wanted the job of leader in the first place. Keller then calls Carter and discovers something. From a brain scan of Davos, she found abnormally high synaptic activity, similar to the one McKay once experienced with the Ascension machine. However, this is not advancing, meaning that he was born with the gift.

Asuran copy of Atlantis 1

Davos gives Carter his vision.

Davos then awakens, and meets Carter. He then takes his hand out, as he has been given another vision that he would like to share with Carter. In the vision, the city gets attacked by an Asuran-built Aurora-class battleship. The inhabitants try to escape, but the city gets entirely destroyed. Woolsey believes that the vision is more evidence that an alliance with the Wraith is the wrong decision. Their meeting is cut short when the city's Long range sensors detect an approaching Wraith Hive Ship. Todd admits that he has an implanted Wraith tracker and activated it when he arrived, and broadcast his location. He says the hive ship is loyal to him and is carrying the Wraith's original anti-Asuran virus, and claims the ship will not reveal Atlantis's location if the humans help him to develop an Asuran virus. However, he does warn Sheppard that if he blows it up, the Hive will launch a Subspace communication on the location of M35-117 to every Hive in the Pegasus Galaxy, before telling him that all he wants is an alliance.

Teyla approaches Davos with questions about the Athosians. He confirms that they are still alive, but says that he doesn't know where they are. He also tells Teyla that he knows she is pregnant, though she wishes to keep it a secret. Davos suddenly collapses, but grasps Teyla's hand to show her a vision. She sees Sheppard attacking and destroying a hive ship with Drone weapons.

The Seer 4

Carter tells her terms to the Wraith.

Again, the vision only serves to make Woolsey more wary about the alliance with the Wraith. The team agrees they only need obtain the virus from the Wraith, and then can destroy the Hive Ship. Carter approaches the Wraith and sets down strict terms for their cooperation. The Hive Ship must stay in orbit and transmit the virus to a non networked computer in Atlantis, all work will take place in the city, the Wraith will remain their prisoner, and when the programming is done, they keep the virus. Any breach of the terms will result in the destruction of the Hive Ship. Todd agrees to the terms and reveals that this plan will not only benefit the Wraith and humans by eliminating the Asurans, but also himself because such a plan would help ensure him a seat of power in the Wraith hierarchy. He then offers a handshake, only to be stopped, since the Wraith hands have the feeding organ, but he reveals this is only meant to be a Wraith joke while laughing (I think you know Woolesy's opinion on Wraith humor.).

The Hive Ship then arrives and transmits the virus. After working on it, McKay discovers that part of the code is missing. He reports the findings to Carter and Woolsey. He suspects the Wraith are hiding something, something they both know, since they detected another Hive Ship is approaching the city. They believe it doesn't yet know of Atlantis' location, but instead had tracked the first Hive Ship. They may have no choice but to cloak the city when the second ship arrives, leaving them vulnerable to attack from either ship.

Worried, Carter consults Davos for answers. He says that all his visions have proved true, as they were seen. He tells Carter the galaxy is at some kind of crossroads and that never before has the fate of so many depended on the actions of so few. Carter is left to ponder what to do. Sheppard encourages her that whatever her choice, it will be the right one, and that all of Atlantis supports her.

Battle of New Lantea

Both Hive Ships destroy each other.

Shortly before the second hive ship arrives, Carter orders the city cloaked, with Sheppard standing ready to launch a drone attack. Meanwhile, Davos succumbs to his illness and dies. The ship arrives and the two exchange communications while the Atlantis team monitors for a possible attack. Suddenly both ships begin to power weapons. Sheppard wants to launch the drones, but Carter tells him to wait. Woolsey, clearly believing the hive ships are going to attack Atlantis, orders Sheppard to fire, but Carter countermands him. Her instincts prove true as the hive ships begin firing on each other. Both ships are destroyed in the battle, and McKay verifies that neither had sent off a subspace message. With this turn of luck, Atlantis is safe, their location remaining a secret.

Afterwards, Linara plans to take her father to be buried to Vedeenan customs on her home, and admits that for the first time, she is afraid of the future, but Teyla assures her otherwise. When they leave, Teyla tells Keller that Davos knew of her pregnancy. Keller tells Teyla that she won't be able to keep her pregnancy a secret much longer. Meanwhile, Woolsey, embarrassed by his behavior, returns to Earth, telling Carter tha he will give her a favorable report to the IOA. McKay and Todd continue to work on the new virus. In the end, Sheppard misses Woolsey's departure, regretting to say goodbye to him. He then tells Sam that her vision of Atlantis being destroyed by Asurans might not come true for a thousand years. Or it could be tomorrow, she agrees.

Appearances[]

Appearances for The Seer

Locations

Events

Items

Vehicles

Sentient Species

Languages

Organizations

Mentioned

Notable quotes[]

McKay: I've been looking into that, and it's not very promising.
Sheppard: You're the one who activated it in the first place!
McKay: Well, that was easy ... well, actually it was spectacularly difficult, but then every thing's relative.
Carter: Rodney.

Carter: How's the patient, Doctor?
Keller: Well, from what I can tell, he seems to be suffering from a kind of lymphatic cancer. There's not a lot I can do for him here.
Woolsey: Have you detected any physical anomalies that might be related to his visions?
(Carter looks at him with irritation.)
Woolsey: Sorry. Force of habit.

(The team having a confrontation with Todd after learning of the second hive ship)
Todd: Wraith are divided into many camps. There is much suspicion and mistrust. The last thing I need is for another hive to appear before I can complete this work!
McKay: That's it! That's why they're coming. They're tracking his ship; think about it. A single hive, off by itself, in the middle of nowhere, orbiting a supposedly-uninhabited planet. It's bound to raise a few eyebrows. I mean, if you had eyebrows.

Todd: I believe among your people it is customary to shake hands. (Offers his hand to Carter, every guard now aims their guns. He begins to laugh.) Just a little Wraith humor.

(McKay and Ronon see the "superweapon" being uploaded into a computer)
Ronon: That's it! That's your superweapon?
McKay: Well, what were you expecting?
Ronon: Big gun? Something that goes boom?

Woolsey: Well, this is awkward.
Carter: Yes.
Woolsey: For the record, I thought I was making the right call.
Carter: It was a difficult situation, for everyone.
Woolsey: I just have one last question. How did you know the two Wraith ships would fire on each other?
Carter: I didn't... you going to put that in your report?
Woolsey: It might be better if I didn't. There may be such a thing as being too thorough.
Carter: Right.

Cast[]

Main Characters

Guest Stars

Notes[]

  • At 2:34 Sheppard tells his team, "let's be on our best behavior children". This is the second episode in a row where at the beginning of the episode, Sheppard refers to the outgoing travelers from Atlantis as departing youth. He uttered a similar line twice at the beginning of the previous episode, "Missing"
  • This episode may be inspired by the Stargate SG-1 episode "Prophecy". McKay's line "Look, in a mechanical, Newtonian universe, not a problem. I mean, you know enough variables, you can predict the outcome; but quantum physics blows that out of the water." is even extremely similar to Major Samantha Carter's line from that episode.
  • In this episode 2 Hive ships are destroyed by each other. This brings the total to twelve since the expedition arrived in the galaxy.
  • This episode's premise about the Asurans attack on the Wraith through their food source (humans) is similar to the Stargate SG-1 Season 2 episode "Show and Tell" in which the Reetou attempted to destroy the Goa'uld through attrition by wiping out their source of hosts (also humans).
  • Davos' line "Never before have I sensed that the future of so many worlds can turn on the actions of so few" is reminiscent of a quote by Winston Churchill at the height of the Battle of Britain: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
  • The CGI scenes from "Misbegotten" (where a Hive ship exits hyperspace over a planet) and "The Hive" (where two Hives destroy each other) were used again in this episode. The scene from "Misbegotten" is altered slightly to remove the hive ship firing on the planet as the second hive ship exits hyperspace.
  • Around 15 minutes into the episode you can see one of the Blinking Light Unit's label "SGA/BLU 03".
  • Lt. Colonel John Sheppard mentions "doubling down against a ten," a reference to Blackjack, specifically a situation when a player doubles his bet in exchange for taking only one more card and no more. If the house has a nine or ten, the odds are the worst for the player to beat the house (23%) except for when the house has an ace (17%). Sheppard is obviously comparing the situation to one in which the odds are heavily against them, but they have a chance, however slim, to come out on top in better shape than expected.
  • This episode takes place approximately three months after the events of "Reunion" as Carter is being evaluated of her command.
  • This episode takes place several weeks after "Missing" and there have been no leads on the Athosians from either the Forensics teams or Atlantis' intel sources. Davos later tells Teyla that the Athosians are alive, but he can't tell where they are, only that they are shrouded in darkness.
  • The Daedalus is confirmed to still be servicing Atlantis despite the introduction of the Apollo by Woolsey's comment that quarantine on the Midway space station is preferable to three weeks on the Daedalus.

Goofs[]

  • After the team arrives on Vedeena, Ronon Dex's hair is down, yet when before he and the team left Atlantis, his hair was up.
  • When Dr. Rodney McKay expressed his regret for reactivating the attack command, you can clearly hear him say "deactivated the attack command" which makes no sense because he reactivated it. Clearly the actor (David Hewlett) made a mistake.
  • When Davos shows Colonel Samantha Carter the vision of the apparent destruction of Atlantis, he takes her hand. Immediately after the vision is over, Carter's hand is still extended as if she is holding Davos' hand. However, his hand is on the bed again with no period of time when he could've dropped it.
  • At 21:13 Richard P. Woolsey states that Atlantis was not a target of the Asurans, however the International Oversight Advisory and the others present in that conversation know that this was categorically untrue. The only reason Atlantis was not destroyed by the Asurans was due to their escape to an unknown planet, the Asurans had always sought to destroy Atlantis and plainly explained why the moment hostilities began. Therefore, Wolsey uttering this line makes little sense.

Other languages[]

  • Hungarian: A jós (The Seer)
  • German: Der Seher (The Seer)
  • French: Le prophète (The Prophet)

External links[]

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