Then what? Then we won’t die horribly!

SGA 2x19: Inferno

What a rip-roaring fun and fast moving, action-packed episode! Aniko told me I would like it and she was right on the money! (See Aniko, I do listen to you…sometimes.) ;-)

It looks like the writers (Carl Binder in this instance) had a grand time getting this one down on paper--and it shows.

This was a great team episode with fun snarking, Kirk happens (again!), and Mckay panicking (and for a good reason too). And everyone had something to do, that actually kinda of made sense. The pace throughout the entire episode was done very well, jumping from each Atlantis member and how they were working on the situation at hand. After "Michael", it was nice to see everyone the way we remember them, willing to help others, up-front, and working together to save an entire race of people. But it's also good to see both the good and bad sides of our characters. That's what makes them more than cardboard cutouts—and some good-looking ones at that.

It was also interesting to see how Sheppard gets McKay to work, on how he commands. We don't see him with a heavy hand when he's in charge and even now, he doesn't use one. Instead, he uses what he knows will work: McKay's ego. As soon as that's "engaged" he knows McKay will work until he gets the problem solved. The snarkage is amusing though.

And then, of course, we have the B-plot of the hive ship that becomes the A-plot in Allies…and stay tuned for that review.

So, great dialogue, good acting, and Star Trek references...how can you go wrong?


Favorite lines:

McKay: I’ll take a repair team back to the Orion: get the engines fixed.
Sheppard: I thought you told Norina you couldn’t fix it.
McKay: It was never a question of whether or not I could fix it; it...

Beckett (about Rodney’s plan): It worked!
Norena (to Rodney): You really are a genius. (He doesn’t reply) Rodney?
McKay (in total shock): I’m good.

McKay: Whoa!
Norena: What?
McKay: Got up too fast.

Norena (after McKay cries out in pain): What?
McKay: Oh! I bent my fingernail back! I hate that!
Norena: Yes, that can be painful.

McKay: What?
Beckett: Very clever, Rodney.
McKay: Hmm. Well ... don’t thank me ‘til it works ... which it probably won’t. ‘Scuse me.

Sheppard: So your plan is to not blow a hole in the hangar but to sit here and wait for this cataclysmic eruption to take place.
McKay: With the shields and inertial dampeners at full strength, yes.
Beckett: I think I may be missing something. Correct me if I’m wrong, but when the volcano erupts, don’t we as well?
McKay: That’s the plan.
Sheppard: That’s the plan?
McKay: That’s the plan!
Sheppard: That plan sucks!
Beckett: Aye!

McKay: Fixing the sublight engines was impossible in the amount of time we had left. They were just too badly damaged, but I devised a sort of a patch that in effect diverts auxiliary power to the hyperdrive. Only enough for a fraction of a second, mind you.
Sheppard: That won’t get us very far.
McKay: We don’t need to go far. Any old orbit will do.
Sheppard: And then what?
McKay: Well, then, Norina and I were planning a small dinner for us all, nothing fancy ...
Norena: Rodney.
McKay: Well, what does he mean, “Then what”?! Then we won’t die horribly!

Beckett: That’s not very much time for anything, Rodney.
McKay: It’s plenty of time to open a hyperspace window. … That’s my plan. Didn’t I tell you about that?
Beckett: No.
Sheppard: No, you didn’t.
McKay: Well, you were too busy running around looking for people.
Sheppard: Well, tell us the damn plan!

McKay: Once they’re operational, we’ll be able to provide enough protection to, uh...
Sheppard: To what?
McKay: Talk amongst yourselves.
Sheppard: What are you doing?
McKay: I have an idea.
Sheppard: What kind of idea?
McKay: Can’t talk, busy.
Sheppard: Just give me a basic ...
McKay: Not now, please.
Sheppard: I hate it when he does this.

Sheppard: Time for a military solution.
McKay: For which problem?

Sheppard: How are those engines coming?
McKay: I’m not even close.
Sheppard: Well, then, I guess we’re all gonna die.
McKay: Oh, you’re doin’ that on purpose!
Sheppard: What?
McKay: You’re creating an impossible task that my ego will force me to overcome.
Sheppard: Oh, yes, yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing. It has nothing at all to do with saving the lives of these people. It’s all about you. Now get your ass back to work and fix those damn engines! (Turns to Norina) He’ll fix ‘em! Trust me.

Sheppard: McKay’s trying to get the sublight drive online.
Caldwell: Really? Well, a ship that large, you should be able to get everyone else out in one trip.
Sheppard: Yeah, well, whether or not we live or die is all up to Rodney.
McKay: This is so unfair!

Norena: I have already learned so much from you just in the last few hours. Perhaps one day I could study under you.
McKay: Uh, yes, well, I reall... um, really look forward to that. But first, we need to, uh, get off. Uh, first we need to get off the planet... first we need to get off the planet, and then you can be under me...

McKay: And I have, uh, discovered the ship’s name. It’s the, um, Hipapheralkus.
Sheppard: The what?
McKay: Yeah, well, it appears to have been named after an Ancient general... Hipapheralkus.
Sheppard: Well, we’re not calling it that!
McKay: Oh good, then what about, um ...
Sheppard: And we’re not calling it the Enterprise either!
McKay: I wasn’t gonna say that!

Sheppard: The ship in the hangar. Maybe McKay can fix it.
McKay: Oh, maybe I can fix it! Place the pressure squarely on my shoulders for a change!
Sheppard: Well, I’ve discovered you’re pretty good under the threat of impending death!
McKay (to Norena): I am, actually.

Sheppard: What the hell happened?
Beckett: The Stargate: it was swallowed up by the magma.
McKay: We are so screwed!
Dex: You mean we’re stuck here?
Teyla: If we have no way of contacting Atlantis...
McKay: We are totally screwed.

McKay: Oh, I’m sorry, was my volume turned right down? Did he not hear me?

Sheppard: Is there anything we can do to relieve the pressure somewhere else? Uh, maybe we can fire a drone down into the crust on the other side of the calderas.
McKay: Every problem has a military solution in your world, doesn’t it?

McKay: The long range scanners: that’s just what we call them.
Sheppard: It’s from an old TV show ...
McKay: Yes, yes.

Norena: Yes, there’s an enormous amount of heat beneath the surface.
McKay: Hmm, you’re telling me.

Weir: I should head back with you and begin negotiations with the Taranan leader. What’s he like?
Sheppard: Oh, you know. He’s a guy. Didn’t pay much attention. Sorry!

Weir: Hopefully we can establish an alliance with them. A ship like that...
Sheppard: ...would come very much in handy now that the Wraith are probably on their way: I know. Uh, I’m gonna get back there now: make sure he’s not distracted.
Weir: Distracted?
Sheppard: Ah, well, the lead scientist, uh, she’s very, um...
Weir: ...hot?
Sheppard: I was gonna say attractive. But McKay is acting very, uh...
Weir: ...smitten?
Sheppard: I was gonna say pathetic.

Sheppard: The good news is you found our address. I’m sure we can fix whatever needs fixing.
McKay: And by “we”, he means me, so... (reaching behind him for his computer) ... shall we get started?

McKay: The austerity of the facility suggests that it was built during the height of war.
Norena: It is well beyond our science. My skills are rudimentary at best.
Sheppard: Ah, don’t be so hard on yourself. It took Doctor McKay years to figure out all things Ancient and he still doesn’t completely understand.
McKay: I have a very firm grasp of Ancient technology.
Sheppard: You’ve blown up entire planets, Rodney.
McKay: That wasn’t my fault!
Sheppard: Well, it didn’t do it by itself!