SGA 1x03 - McKay/Weir shippy review
Another shippy review. For "Hide & Seek".
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I think hide and Seek is one of the most shippy episodes so far.
It starts with Rodney and Beckett talking in the infirmary.
MCKAY: You got your eye on anyone?
BECKETT: err. Not really.
MCKAY: Actually I was talking to the mouse. *turns to Beckett* but. uh. now you mention it some of those athosian women are pretty hot. And we did just save them for the wraith so we got to trade on that while we can you know? Before they discover that we're not actually that cool.
Of course I just choose to ignore that comment and notice how he never said he had an eye on anyone.
It's also quite cute to see Rodney being the human guinea pig for the ATA gene therapy, after all Elizabeth could see in Rising that it bothered him and now he has his chance to get to play, putting up with risk and pain of it so he can be like Sheppard.
We have the end of the scene play into the next, with the significant plot point that Rodney has had the gene therapy and also has an ancient device he's eager to test.
The next scene is *the* shippiest I'd say apart form the ending.
Weir and Grodin walk along discussing city matters when they come into the control centre only to see this....
MCKAY: Ok ready - he says to Sheppard who happily pushes Rodney over the balcony and we see him take a long fall to the gateroom floor.
WEIR: Oh my God!
We get horrified look on Elizabeth's face as she watches!
SHEPPARD: Woah did you see that?
WEIR: Yes what the.
MCKAY: I'm fine *shaking himself of, he has something on his chest glowing green.*
Sheppard grins and heads for stairs all three run down to meet McKay.
MCKAY: Look Beckett's gene therapy worked. I was able to activate this. It's a personal shield acts like a protective skin and it must have inertial dampening features too, because I didn't feel a thing. Watch this.*turns to Peter* Hit me.
PETER: *seems to happy to do it, steps back and punches, hits a greenish shield* AHHowww God *Sounds of laughing, Peter cradles his hand*
MCKAY: Didn't have to swing so hard *Sheppard smirks* and notice he didn't even hesitate.
The whole scene is quite funny and both Rodney and Sheppard are so cute in their boyish glee, with Elizabeth understandably not thrilled at what they did even if Rodney's fine.
WEIR: I'm still trying to understand, how you thought it was a good idea to test this device by having someone throw you off a balcony
MCKAY: Oh, believe me that's not the first thing we tried.
SHEPPARD: *Huge grin nodding to Weir* I shot him. *Weir shocked* ...In the leg.*shrugs*
MCKAY: *Grinning* I'm invulnerable.
WEIR: Aren't you the one who's always spouting off about how proper and careful scientific procedure must be adhered to?
MCKAY: In-vul-nerable.
Aw, the delivery of that line is amazingly cute, head bobs and the sweetest smile. Though Elizabeth is obviously still not pleased even if she is relieved and happy for him.
WEIR: Alright take it off. Let’s go have this meeting
MCKAY: You're just jealous.
WEIR: Oh yes, green with envy.
Then comes the bit where they all realise it's stuck on him, in which unfortunately we don't get to see her reaction at that once they confirm it's stuck because it goes from Rodney to Sheppard to Rodney and then cuts the credits.
WEIR: And we don't want anyone else getting hurt the way Halling did. Everyone needs to understand that they are not to touch anything unfamiliar unless it's been cleared first.
MCKAY: That's very important you never know, even a tiny little innocuous thing can…can kill you. *raises hand* dead man talking.
But of course even as Rodney is sure he's a dead man she seems to ignore his sentiments, sharing her theory with Carson.
SCENE: Infirmary.
WEIR: *enters* Carson.
BECKETT: Dr. Weir.
WEIR: So Grodin's got a team going through the ancient research material that accompanied the shield device but McKay's been through it and he didn't find anything helpful. And he is the smartest guy here.
BECKETT: So he likes to tell us. Listen I feel terrible. It's possible; this was a result of artificially imposing the gene.
WEIR: Well I have another theory; we know that there is a mental component to using ancient technology.
BECKETT: You don't have to remind me; I experienced it first hand with that drone weapon back on Earth.
WEIR: Exactly so don't you think, it stands to reason that McKay should be able to shut this thing off with his mind.
BECKETT: Are you suggesting he doesn't want to shut it off?
WEIR: We may be settling in here but this place is still pretty intimidating. I mean a giant abandoned city full of things way beyond our level of understanding, impending threat of attack from the wraith.
BECKETT: No question it gets bloody creepy here at night.
WEIR: So I'm not saying it's conscious but perhaps subconsciously...
BECKETT: I don't think he wants to die of dehydration.
WEIR: No neither do I, but he's not there yet.
BECKETT: You think when it comes down to it the shield will just shut itself down?
WEIR: The ancients were smart enough to build fail safes into their other technology. I mean this entire city it rose from the deep of the ocean when danger was imminent. Why would they design a personal shield that could kill you?
BECKETT: I certainly hope you're right. For Rodney's sake. *Carson walks away*
It's a really great scene that shows how she knows Rodney better than anyone else, though still for some reason calls him McKay (distancing herself perhaps?) it not having occured to Carson or anyone else.
There's also the thoughtful look on her face at Carson's last line as he walks away like she really hopes so too.
And the dead man comments just keep coming!
SCENE: Control room
Peter's at computer with others gathered around him.
PETER: The self destruct system requires two separate codes. Now each code is unique. And everyone here will be required to memorize their code.
MCKAY: Well don't bother giving me one. Sorry.
Then there's the scene where Ford, Teyla, Sheppard and McKay are watching football with popcorn, which of course poor Rodney can only eye longingly. When Elizabeth walks in Rodney looks up briefly to her in a way I can't describe and as they talk she is standing right behind Rodney. Also everyone else is wearing casual cothes including Elizabeth who has a snug short sleeved white tshirt on, perhaps that's what the look was about? Anyway Rodney still has his uniform on leading me to believe he can't remove any clothes with the shield on, hate to think what happens about using the toilet though he can't eat/drink either.
WEIR: Hey what are you guys doing?
SHEPPARD: I'm teaching Teyla how football's the corner stone of western civilization.
WEIR: And you didn't invite me
SHEPPARD: You like football?
WEIR: No not really.
SHEPPARD: Oh come on. It’s real, it's unpredictable, it's full of passion and. beer *Weir steals some popcorn off Ford* hotdogs
MCKAY: Cheerleaders.
Well no response to that comment of his from her. I'd have a hard time believing it but maybe she doesn't like football because she used to be a cheerleader once. Might make a very cute McWeir fanfic at least.
What I find interesting and significant in the following scene is that he just does as she says without any fuss and even though Grodin is also part of the conversation they only look at each other, with Rodney anxiously watching her as she addresses Jinto and she looks to him for the answers.
SCENE: Control room
WEIR: Can we use the sensors to locate him
MCKAY: We don't have nearly enough power to activate the whole city at one time.
PETER: Even if we could the sensors don't distinguish.*Lights flicker.* Individuals.
MCKAY: For all we know there could be shielded areas or non functioning sensors. We’re getting a pretty strange energy reading in one of the unexplored areas across the city.
WEIR: Activate the communications system.
MCKAY: Done.
WEIR: Jinto. This is Dr. Weir. If you can hear me please respond. Jinto. If you're lost. If you can't.*everything shuts down.*
PETER: We've lost power
MCKAY: We've still got lights.
PETER: *turns stuff back on* Don't know why that happened.
Gate's shield activates.
PETER: *raises hands* That wasn't me!
Gate's shield deactivates. McKay raises his hands too. Symbols on the Gate Dialing interface activate of their own. Gate dials up.
WEIR: Shut it down now.
McKay shuts it down
WEIR: What the hells going on?
MCKAY: I don't know
PETER: Nothing like this has ever happened before.
MCKAY: We've only been here for a couple of days. This stuff is pretty old. It's that. Or there really are Ghosts.
MCKAY: It could have something to do with the interfaces between our naquada generators and the city. Or that or the way we isolated some of the certain systems could be causing erroneous operations in the ancient programming.
PETER: I'll run a diagnostic on the power flow.
WEIR: Who would have thought you didn't believe in ghosts.
MCKAY: I never used to. But then I heard about things called Wraiths, that could suck the life out of you with their hands. What the hell is that?
Teyla walks up.
TEYLA: Dr Weir.
WEIR: Teyla. I'll be right there. *To Mckay* do what you can.
MCKAY: Right
And then further examples of the good communication between the two and a hint from Rodney that proves her theory. Yay, she does know him well! When they stand together, with both of them angling their bodies towards one another even when not talking to each other and when not next to each other McKay looks to her for reassurance.
SHEPPARD: Well, like Teyla said. It’s a scary place for them
MCKAY: Not just for them.
TEYLA: *Walks over* Halling wishes to speak with Jinto.
WEIR: Please. *To Halling*
McKay turns on communications
HALLING: Jinto. If you can hear me. I'm not angry. I just want to know that you are safe. So if you are lost or hurt. Stay where you are. Make some noise if you can. We will find you. *puts down crutches* Delay nu mae a tempo ah tei.
SHEPPARD: *To weir* Is that Latin?
WEIR: It's ancient. Fathers of light of the ever lasting temple.
TEYLA: It is a prayer to the Ancestors.
HALLING: If you are angry that we have unrightfully inhabited your great city. We humbly apologize. We mean no harm. We will leave if it is your wish. But I will not go without my son.
Lights go out and McKay collapses. Everyone stares
That bit was so unexpected for me. I'd almost forgotten he was starving to death and hadn't been taking it very seriously because no one else was. Plus she just looked down at him surprised like everyone else so I was a bit dissapointed we didn't see her worried but maybe that was because she thinks it won't be that long before he unconsciously turns it off.
And here, once again he makes a dead man dig which she ignores and also looks to him for the answer again.
MCKAY: If this thing feeds on energy we could be in big trouble and *waving energy bar* when I say we, I mean you, because I won't be around for much longer.
WEIR: So we need to figure out exactly what it is and what to do about it.
PETER: We know it's attracted to energy.
WEIR: How about shutting down the Generators *she looks to Rodney*
MCKAY: Well, people also give off heat energy. But no. Granted it's negligible compared to that of the Naquada Generator but…You take away this thing's only other obvious source of food and...
WEIR: You're saying it could come after us.
MCKAY: Well I only know one thing for sure and that is that flying darkness that needs energy can only be very very bad.
Love his line, succinct and funny - he also puts it with less doom and gloom than usual. Her calming influence on him?
Then McKay and Sheppard dissapear in the closest/transporter with Rodney giving a panicked look to her and the others after Sheppard presses the button and the doors start to shut.
One thing that bugs me is that she keeps caling him McKay where as she had been calling him Rodney, Doctor or Dr. McKay in the pilot. Is she just used to calling him that because of Sheppard etc or is it her distancing herself from him because she's worried?
SCENE: Newly discovered lab.
Weir and Sheppard step through the door which is being guarded by two military folks.
SHEPPARD: Apparently it's also an elevator
MCKAY: Really?
WEIR: We can stop taking the stairs everywhere.
MCKAY: Oh how nice for you all.
I think he's starting to realise she doesn't take him seriously because he gives her a slightly evil look after she says it and later in the scene (and subsequent ones) reverts to calling him Rodney for some reason.
One of the best scenes in my opinion (other than the squeeworthy invulnerable one) is when she suggests he's best choice to help capture the creature.
WEIR: It's not falling for the same tricks anymore.
SHEPPARD: How smart is this thing?
WEIR: Rodney?
MCKAY: I don't know, but this is much simpler than I thought. It's kind of like a mouse trap. *they walk over* This button here causes the device to emit an energy signature that attracts the creature. This one shuts it in. The only downside is someone's actually gonna have to be here to press the buttons.
Sheppard and weir look at each other.
SHEPPARD: I'll do it.
MCKAY: Ok.*goes to walk off*
WEIR: Wait a minute, Rodney. *McKay turns round* You're still wearing the shield. Is there a chance that if something went wrong that would protect you.
The thing of McKay’s chest stops glowing and falls off. All look. McKay takes out protein bar and eats eagerly, with cute look on his face.
WEIR: I had a feeling. *turns back to Sheppard*
His smile fades as it dawns on him and he gets in her face and defensive whilst she simply looks unsurprised at it all.
MCKAY: What do you mean? Had a feeling about what? *walks over* You think I wanted it to come off just now? You think I'm scared? I'm not scared I'll stay, I'll do this.
SHEPPARD: No that's okay you might faint again.
MCKAY: Well it's just not working any more. *pushes it at Sheppard.* See it doesn't work on you either.
WEIR: I just meant that it wasn’t going to let you die.
MCKAY: Well it is just a coincidence that it happened to stop working now.*looks desperate and defensive* I need a drink.
SHEPPARD: Go.
She shakes her head and watches him leave.
What I like about the this scene is she totally gives Rodney a *look* all the while and not talking to him as much as usual which he is completely oblivious to and now back to his smug self about the torch versus candle science versus superstition even though they both look scared during the subsequent power down.
SCENE: Control room
PETER: So the shield device just came off by itself?
WEIR: Yeah, just stopped working. He even tried it on Sheppard. *moves*
PETER: It wouldn't work on Sheppard. *Weir turns back*
WEIR: Why not?
PETER: McKay didn't tell you. the text we were studying says the shield imprints on the wearer, If we're right it wouldn't work on anyone else.
McKay comes in eating, Peter sits down.
MCKAY: We ready?
PETER: You do realize that when we shut everything down, we're going to lose the sensors. We're not going to be able to track it.
WEIR: We have security personnel posted round the living quarters. At least we have some warning. *lights a candle* Teyla told the athosian children that lighting a candle would help protect them.
MCKAY: And you're doing it because?
WEIR: It's going to get dark in here.
MCKAY: hmmm *turns on flash light, makes humming noise.*
The following quote isn't shippy for McWeir (unless you have a very overactive imagination) but I thought it was good.
SHEPPARD: Think we're going to need a bigger boat.
MCKAY: Size doesn't matter
SHEPPARD: That's a myth.
MCKAY: It will fit. The device traps the creature in Subspace. You just need to wait til its all around the containment vessel.
Here there's tension, stressful and she doesn't look much happier with Rodney than before lights out, though she kind of compromises on the power issue - not completely ignoring his suggestion.
WEIR: We need to know right now where it is.
PETER: We need to turn the power on to use the sensors.
MCKAY: You can't do that.
WEIR: Do it, just the operations tower
SHEPPARD: *Walks in as they put on power* What now?
WEIR: It's headed this way.
MCKAY: *turns to her angrily replying* Because you turned the power back on.
WEIR: *gives him a hard look in return*We can't go on like this.
TEYLA: Do you think it wants to be here?
SHEPPARD: What do you mean?
TEYLA: It's been trapped here for Thousands of years. Alone.
WEIR: It's not alone anymore *said rather bitterly*
MCKAY: It doesn't think on that level. It thinks about eating that's it.
SHEPPARD: Well you would know.
Another great McKay/Sheppard banter in there as well. Onto the proposed solution, which McKay doesn't like and says as much several times to her annoyance, her giving him a further glare or two as she watches him and Sheppard sorting out the MALP and the naquadah generator.
MCKAY: This is a bad idea
WEIR: You said that already.
MCKAY: Well it's worth saying again
After that Elizabeth seems worried about Sheppard and everyone is tense aobut the situation, with it looking dangeorus for Sheppard who narrowly escapes the cloud. They all watch as the cloud surrounds the MALP and fills the gateroom and McKay's fears come true.
MCKAY: It's not going anywhere.
WEIR: Can't see if the malp got through.
PETER: The entity could have drained the battery
MCKAY: It could be feeding off the generator, off the Stargate. This is disaster.
WEIR: Shut it down.
McKay hits a button nothing happens. Keeps pushing.
MCKAY: I can't
PETER: The consoles are dead
And then as she says "There must be something we can do." he has his moment of realisation. He gets out the shield as the others scramble to think up a solution in the background, unaware that he is about to do something heroic. For all his fear we saw ealier when the shield dropped off at the suggestion, now that everyone is in danger he does the right thing, giving them/her one last scared look and then sneaking behind her and the others and making it to the stairs before anyone even realises he's moved. By then he's got this determined tragic hero look on his face and ignores Sheppard calling out to him and enters the cloud, looking very scared and confused at what happens but still continuing.
McKay walks down into the shadows. His shield glowing, seeing the contact with the entity as he enters the cloud.
WEIR: Rodney!
The shadow has filled the gateroom, the gate only just visible and we have the dramatic music at this point too. Elizabeth looks shocked as she watches him disappear completely, unable to do anything.
The special effects for inside the cloud are wonderful. It's all bright with cool charged particle interactions, some of them hitting his shield.
Then Rodney gets to the MALP and grabs the generator, throwing it through the gate with a detemined look.
Then we see the shadow starts to follow it, slowly disappearing and the gate shuts down leaving McKay lying on the gateroom floor motionless! Then we get rewarded with a wonderful shot of her worried face, like she is trying to decide what's going on, settling for actually finding out rather than panicking.
WEIR: McKay? *she takes shield device off him, handing it to Grodin*
PETER: It must have been drained by the entity.
SHEPPARD: Medical team to the gateroom.
WEIR: He's not burnt. He’s breathing. McKay? Mckay?
MCKAY: *wakes* What happened?
WEIR: you did it.
MCKAY: I did?
WEIR: It went through the gate.
SHEPPARD: You must have passed out.
MCKAY: Oh thanks for not saying the other thing.
SHEPPARD: *Stands to Teyla* That was a hail mary.
They grin. Medical team arrives.
MCKAY: Thank you, take your time. Man down.
The ending is incredibly shippy there. She runs down worried, taking her place by his side and touching his chest, removing the shield -giving the shield to Grodin- but then returning her hand to his chest, almost touching his cheek gently before speaking up that he's not burnt. Then Teyla eyes Weir subtley, as if gaging her reaction. Then she calls him McKay again even though she's not in too public a place, making it seem likely she does that to distance herself from him.
He wakes up groggily, presumably she is the first person he sees as he only looks to either side of her before asking her what happened. Everyone smiles as she explains he succeeded, getting a pretty relieved smile from her too.
Also is great how she continues to smile and helps him up, staying by his side, hand on his chest and arm until she's sure the medics are there and moves to the side to let them aid him.
All in all one of the shippiest episodes even though they've only been there 3 days! Helps confirm shippiness etc of Before I Sleep too. A really great episode on all fronts, as the third one I thought it was a good continuation to the series.
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I think hide and Seek is one of the most shippy episodes so far.
It starts with Rodney and Beckett talking in the infirmary.
MCKAY: You got your eye on anyone?
BECKETT: err. Not really.
MCKAY: Actually I was talking to the mouse. *turns to Beckett* but. uh. now you mention it some of those athosian women are pretty hot. And we did just save them for the wraith so we got to trade on that while we can you know? Before they discover that we're not actually that cool.
Of course I just choose to ignore that comment and notice how he never said he had an eye on anyone.
It's also quite cute to see Rodney being the human guinea pig for the ATA gene therapy, after all Elizabeth could see in Rising that it bothered him and now he has his chance to get to play, putting up with risk and pain of it so he can be like Sheppard.
We have the end of the scene play into the next, with the significant plot point that Rodney has had the gene therapy and also has an ancient device he's eager to test.
The next scene is *the* shippiest I'd say apart form the ending.
Weir and Grodin walk along discussing city matters when they come into the control centre only to see this....
MCKAY: Ok ready - he says to Sheppard who happily pushes Rodney over the balcony and we see him take a long fall to the gateroom floor.
WEIR: Oh my God!
We get horrified look on Elizabeth's face as she watches!
SHEPPARD: Woah did you see that?
WEIR: Yes what the.
MCKAY: I'm fine *shaking himself of, he has something on his chest glowing green.*
Sheppard grins and heads for stairs all three run down to meet McKay.
MCKAY: Look Beckett's gene therapy worked. I was able to activate this. It's a personal shield acts like a protective skin and it must have inertial dampening features too, because I didn't feel a thing. Watch this.*turns to Peter* Hit me.
PETER: *seems to happy to do it, steps back and punches, hits a greenish shield* AHHowww God *Sounds of laughing, Peter cradles his hand*
MCKAY: Didn't have to swing so hard *Sheppard smirks* and notice he didn't even hesitate.
The whole scene is quite funny and both Rodney and Sheppard are so cute in their boyish glee, with Elizabeth understandably not thrilled at what they did even if Rodney's fine.
WEIR: I'm still trying to understand, how you thought it was a good idea to test this device by having someone throw you off a balcony
MCKAY: Oh, believe me that's not the first thing we tried.
SHEPPARD: *Huge grin nodding to Weir* I shot him. *Weir shocked* ...In the leg.*shrugs*
MCKAY: *Grinning* I'm invulnerable.
WEIR: Aren't you the one who's always spouting off about how proper and careful scientific procedure must be adhered to?
MCKAY: In-vul-nerable.
Aw, the delivery of that line is amazingly cute, head bobs and the sweetest smile. Though Elizabeth is obviously still not pleased even if she is relieved and happy for him.
WEIR: Alright take it off. Let’s go have this meeting
MCKAY: You're just jealous.
WEIR: Oh yes, green with envy.
Then comes the bit where they all realise it's stuck on him, in which unfortunately we don't get to see her reaction at that once they confirm it's stuck because it goes from Rodney to Sheppard to Rodney and then cuts the credits.
WEIR: And we don't want anyone else getting hurt the way Halling did. Everyone needs to understand that they are not to touch anything unfamiliar unless it's been cleared first.
MCKAY: That's very important you never know, even a tiny little innocuous thing can…can kill you. *raises hand* dead man talking.
But of course even as Rodney is sure he's a dead man she seems to ignore his sentiments, sharing her theory with Carson.
SCENE: Infirmary.
WEIR: *enters* Carson.
BECKETT: Dr. Weir.
WEIR: So Grodin's got a team going through the ancient research material that accompanied the shield device but McKay's been through it and he didn't find anything helpful. And he is the smartest guy here.
BECKETT: So he likes to tell us. Listen I feel terrible. It's possible; this was a result of artificially imposing the gene.
WEIR: Well I have another theory; we know that there is a mental component to using ancient technology.
BECKETT: You don't have to remind me; I experienced it first hand with that drone weapon back on Earth.
WEIR: Exactly so don't you think, it stands to reason that McKay should be able to shut this thing off with his mind.
BECKETT: Are you suggesting he doesn't want to shut it off?
WEIR: We may be settling in here but this place is still pretty intimidating. I mean a giant abandoned city full of things way beyond our level of understanding, impending threat of attack from the wraith.
BECKETT: No question it gets bloody creepy here at night.
WEIR: So I'm not saying it's conscious but perhaps subconsciously...
BECKETT: I don't think he wants to die of dehydration.
WEIR: No neither do I, but he's not there yet.
BECKETT: You think when it comes down to it the shield will just shut itself down?
WEIR: The ancients were smart enough to build fail safes into their other technology. I mean this entire city it rose from the deep of the ocean when danger was imminent. Why would they design a personal shield that could kill you?
BECKETT: I certainly hope you're right. For Rodney's sake. *Carson walks away*
It's a really great scene that shows how she knows Rodney better than anyone else, though still for some reason calls him McKay (distancing herself perhaps?) it not having occured to Carson or anyone else.
There's also the thoughtful look on her face at Carson's last line as he walks away like she really hopes so too.
And the dead man comments just keep coming!
SCENE: Control room
Peter's at computer with others gathered around him.
PETER: The self destruct system requires two separate codes. Now each code is unique. And everyone here will be required to memorize their code.
MCKAY: Well don't bother giving me one. Sorry.
Then there's the scene where Ford, Teyla, Sheppard and McKay are watching football with popcorn, which of course poor Rodney can only eye longingly. When Elizabeth walks in Rodney looks up briefly to her in a way I can't describe and as they talk she is standing right behind Rodney. Also everyone else is wearing casual cothes including Elizabeth who has a snug short sleeved white tshirt on, perhaps that's what the look was about? Anyway Rodney still has his uniform on leading me to believe he can't remove any clothes with the shield on, hate to think what happens about using the toilet though he can't eat/drink either.
WEIR: Hey what are you guys doing?
SHEPPARD: I'm teaching Teyla how football's the corner stone of western civilization.
WEIR: And you didn't invite me
SHEPPARD: You like football?
WEIR: No not really.
SHEPPARD: Oh come on. It’s real, it's unpredictable, it's full of passion and. beer *Weir steals some popcorn off Ford* hotdogs
MCKAY: Cheerleaders.
Well no response to that comment of his from her. I'd have a hard time believing it but maybe she doesn't like football because she used to be a cheerleader once. Might make a very cute McWeir fanfic at least.
What I find interesting and significant in the following scene is that he just does as she says without any fuss and even though Grodin is also part of the conversation they only look at each other, with Rodney anxiously watching her as she addresses Jinto and she looks to him for the answers.
SCENE: Control room
WEIR: Can we use the sensors to locate him
MCKAY: We don't have nearly enough power to activate the whole city at one time.
PETER: Even if we could the sensors don't distinguish.*Lights flicker.* Individuals.
MCKAY: For all we know there could be shielded areas or non functioning sensors. We’re getting a pretty strange energy reading in one of the unexplored areas across the city.
WEIR: Activate the communications system.
MCKAY: Done.
WEIR: Jinto. This is Dr. Weir. If you can hear me please respond. Jinto. If you're lost. If you can't.*everything shuts down.*
PETER: We've lost power
MCKAY: We've still got lights.
PETER: *turns stuff back on* Don't know why that happened.
Gate's shield activates.
PETER: *raises hands* That wasn't me!
Gate's shield deactivates. McKay raises his hands too. Symbols on the Gate Dialing interface activate of their own. Gate dials up.
WEIR: Shut it down now.
McKay shuts it down
WEIR: What the hells going on?
MCKAY: I don't know
PETER: Nothing like this has ever happened before.
MCKAY: We've only been here for a couple of days. This stuff is pretty old. It's that. Or there really are Ghosts.
MCKAY: It could have something to do with the interfaces between our naquada generators and the city. Or that or the way we isolated some of the certain systems could be causing erroneous operations in the ancient programming.
PETER: I'll run a diagnostic on the power flow.
WEIR: Who would have thought you didn't believe in ghosts.
MCKAY: I never used to. But then I heard about things called Wraiths, that could suck the life out of you with their hands. What the hell is that?
Teyla walks up.
TEYLA: Dr Weir.
WEIR: Teyla. I'll be right there. *To Mckay* do what you can.
MCKAY: Right
And then further examples of the good communication between the two and a hint from Rodney that proves her theory. Yay, she does know him well! When they stand together, with both of them angling their bodies towards one another even when not talking to each other and when not next to each other McKay looks to her for reassurance.
SHEPPARD: Well, like Teyla said. It’s a scary place for them
MCKAY: Not just for them.
TEYLA: *Walks over* Halling wishes to speak with Jinto.
WEIR: Please. *To Halling*
McKay turns on communications
HALLING: Jinto. If you can hear me. I'm not angry. I just want to know that you are safe. So if you are lost or hurt. Stay where you are. Make some noise if you can. We will find you. *puts down crutches* Delay nu mae a tempo ah tei.
SHEPPARD: *To weir* Is that Latin?
WEIR: It's ancient. Fathers of light of the ever lasting temple.
TEYLA: It is a prayer to the Ancestors.
HALLING: If you are angry that we have unrightfully inhabited your great city. We humbly apologize. We mean no harm. We will leave if it is your wish. But I will not go without my son.
Lights go out and McKay collapses. Everyone stares
That bit was so unexpected for me. I'd almost forgotten he was starving to death and hadn't been taking it very seriously because no one else was. Plus she just looked down at him surprised like everyone else so I was a bit dissapointed we didn't see her worried but maybe that was because she thinks it won't be that long before he unconsciously turns it off.
And here, once again he makes a dead man dig which she ignores and also looks to him for the answer again.
MCKAY: If this thing feeds on energy we could be in big trouble and *waving energy bar* when I say we, I mean you, because I won't be around for much longer.
WEIR: So we need to figure out exactly what it is and what to do about it.
PETER: We know it's attracted to energy.
WEIR: How about shutting down the Generators *she looks to Rodney*
MCKAY: Well, people also give off heat energy. But no. Granted it's negligible compared to that of the Naquada Generator but…You take away this thing's only other obvious source of food and...
WEIR: You're saying it could come after us.
MCKAY: Well I only know one thing for sure and that is that flying darkness that needs energy can only be very very bad.
Love his line, succinct and funny - he also puts it with less doom and gloom than usual. Her calming influence on him?
Then McKay and Sheppard dissapear in the closest/transporter with Rodney giving a panicked look to her and the others after Sheppard presses the button and the doors start to shut.
One thing that bugs me is that she keeps caling him McKay where as she had been calling him Rodney, Doctor or Dr. McKay in the pilot. Is she just used to calling him that because of Sheppard etc or is it her distancing herself from him because she's worried?
SCENE: Newly discovered lab.
Weir and Sheppard step through the door which is being guarded by two military folks.
SHEPPARD: Apparently it's also an elevator
MCKAY: Really?
WEIR: We can stop taking the stairs everywhere.
MCKAY: Oh how nice for you all.
I think he's starting to realise she doesn't take him seriously because he gives her a slightly evil look after she says it and later in the scene (and subsequent ones) reverts to calling him Rodney for some reason.
One of the best scenes in my opinion (other than the squeeworthy invulnerable one) is when she suggests he's best choice to help capture the creature.
WEIR: It's not falling for the same tricks anymore.
SHEPPARD: How smart is this thing?
WEIR: Rodney?
MCKAY: I don't know, but this is much simpler than I thought. It's kind of like a mouse trap. *they walk over* This button here causes the device to emit an energy signature that attracts the creature. This one shuts it in. The only downside is someone's actually gonna have to be here to press the buttons.
Sheppard and weir look at each other.
SHEPPARD: I'll do it.
MCKAY: Ok.*goes to walk off*
WEIR: Wait a minute, Rodney. *McKay turns round* You're still wearing the shield. Is there a chance that if something went wrong that would protect you.
The thing of McKay’s chest stops glowing and falls off. All look. McKay takes out protein bar and eats eagerly, with cute look on his face.
WEIR: I had a feeling. *turns back to Sheppard*
His smile fades as it dawns on him and he gets in her face and defensive whilst she simply looks unsurprised at it all.
MCKAY: What do you mean? Had a feeling about what? *walks over* You think I wanted it to come off just now? You think I'm scared? I'm not scared I'll stay, I'll do this.
SHEPPARD: No that's okay you might faint again.
MCKAY: Well it's just not working any more. *pushes it at Sheppard.* See it doesn't work on you either.
WEIR: I just meant that it wasn’t going to let you die.
MCKAY: Well it is just a coincidence that it happened to stop working now.*looks desperate and defensive* I need a drink.
SHEPPARD: Go.
She shakes her head and watches him leave.
What I like about the this scene is she totally gives Rodney a *look* all the while and not talking to him as much as usual which he is completely oblivious to and now back to his smug self about the torch versus candle science versus superstition even though they both look scared during the subsequent power down.
SCENE: Control room
PETER: So the shield device just came off by itself?
WEIR: Yeah, just stopped working. He even tried it on Sheppard. *moves*
PETER: It wouldn't work on Sheppard. *Weir turns back*
WEIR: Why not?
PETER: McKay didn't tell you. the text we were studying says the shield imprints on the wearer, If we're right it wouldn't work on anyone else.
McKay comes in eating, Peter sits down.
MCKAY: We ready?
PETER: You do realize that when we shut everything down, we're going to lose the sensors. We're not going to be able to track it.
WEIR: We have security personnel posted round the living quarters. At least we have some warning. *lights a candle* Teyla told the athosian children that lighting a candle would help protect them.
MCKAY: And you're doing it because?
WEIR: It's going to get dark in here.
MCKAY: hmmm *turns on flash light, makes humming noise.*
The following quote isn't shippy for McWeir (unless you have a very overactive imagination) but I thought it was good.
SHEPPARD: Think we're going to need a bigger boat.
MCKAY: Size doesn't matter
SHEPPARD: That's a myth.
MCKAY: It will fit. The device traps the creature in Subspace. You just need to wait til its all around the containment vessel.
Here there's tension, stressful and she doesn't look much happier with Rodney than before lights out, though she kind of compromises on the power issue - not completely ignoring his suggestion.
WEIR: We need to know right now where it is.
PETER: We need to turn the power on to use the sensors.
MCKAY: You can't do that.
WEIR: Do it, just the operations tower
SHEPPARD: *Walks in as they put on power* What now?
WEIR: It's headed this way.
MCKAY: *turns to her angrily replying* Because you turned the power back on.
WEIR: *gives him a hard look in return*We can't go on like this.
TEYLA: Do you think it wants to be here?
SHEPPARD: What do you mean?
TEYLA: It's been trapped here for Thousands of years. Alone.
WEIR: It's not alone anymore *said rather bitterly*
MCKAY: It doesn't think on that level. It thinks about eating that's it.
SHEPPARD: Well you would know.
Another great McKay/Sheppard banter in there as well. Onto the proposed solution, which McKay doesn't like and says as much several times to her annoyance, her giving him a further glare or two as she watches him and Sheppard sorting out the MALP and the naquadah generator.
MCKAY: This is a bad idea
WEIR: You said that already.
MCKAY: Well it's worth saying again
After that Elizabeth seems worried about Sheppard and everyone is tense aobut the situation, with it looking dangeorus for Sheppard who narrowly escapes the cloud. They all watch as the cloud surrounds the MALP and fills the gateroom and McKay's fears come true.
MCKAY: It's not going anywhere.
WEIR: Can't see if the malp got through.
PETER: The entity could have drained the battery
MCKAY: It could be feeding off the generator, off the Stargate. This is disaster.
WEIR: Shut it down.
McKay hits a button nothing happens. Keeps pushing.
MCKAY: I can't
PETER: The consoles are dead
And then as she says "There must be something we can do." he has his moment of realisation. He gets out the shield as the others scramble to think up a solution in the background, unaware that he is about to do something heroic. For all his fear we saw ealier when the shield dropped off at the suggestion, now that everyone is in danger he does the right thing, giving them/her one last scared look and then sneaking behind her and the others and making it to the stairs before anyone even realises he's moved. By then he's got this determined tragic hero look on his face and ignores Sheppard calling out to him and enters the cloud, looking very scared and confused at what happens but still continuing.
McKay walks down into the shadows. His shield glowing, seeing the contact with the entity as he enters the cloud.
WEIR: Rodney!
The shadow has filled the gateroom, the gate only just visible and we have the dramatic music at this point too. Elizabeth looks shocked as she watches him disappear completely, unable to do anything.
The special effects for inside the cloud are wonderful. It's all bright with cool charged particle interactions, some of them hitting his shield.
Then Rodney gets to the MALP and grabs the generator, throwing it through the gate with a detemined look.
Then we see the shadow starts to follow it, slowly disappearing and the gate shuts down leaving McKay lying on the gateroom floor motionless! Then we get rewarded with a wonderful shot of her worried face, like she is trying to decide what's going on, settling for actually finding out rather than panicking.
WEIR: McKay? *she takes shield device off him, handing it to Grodin*
PETER: It must have been drained by the entity.
SHEPPARD: Medical team to the gateroom.
WEIR: He's not burnt. He’s breathing. McKay? Mckay?
MCKAY: *wakes* What happened?
WEIR: you did it.
MCKAY: I did?
WEIR: It went through the gate.
SHEPPARD: You must have passed out.
MCKAY: Oh thanks for not saying the other thing.
SHEPPARD: *Stands to Teyla* That was a hail mary.
They grin. Medical team arrives.
MCKAY: Thank you, take your time. Man down.
The ending is incredibly shippy there. She runs down worried, taking her place by his side and touching his chest, removing the shield -giving the shield to Grodin- but then returning her hand to his chest, almost touching his cheek gently before speaking up that he's not burnt. Then Teyla eyes Weir subtley, as if gaging her reaction. Then she calls him McKay again even though she's not in too public a place, making it seem likely she does that to distance herself from him.
He wakes up groggily, presumably she is the first person he sees as he only looks to either side of her before asking her what happened. Everyone smiles as she explains he succeeded, getting a pretty relieved smile from her too.
Also is great how she continues to smile and helps him up, staying by his side, hand on his chest and arm until she's sure the medics are there and moves to the side to let them aid him.
All in all one of the shippiest episodes even though they've only been there 3 days! Helps confirm shippiness etc of Before I Sleep too. A really great episode on all fronts, as the third one I thought it was a good continuation to the series.