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  • Chuck Versus The Baby and How It All Began!

    Chuck Versus The Baby and How It All Began!

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    It is hard, even difficult to believe, but it is true. I say this with a heavy heart, however in two short weeks from we will all experience the end of Chuck!

    Click to visit and follow MeaganSue on Twitter!Originally brought to our attention by MeaganSue in 2009, and after members of our team (including Meagan and I) attended Comic-Con to watch and or cover the Chuck festivities in San Diego in 2009, 2010 and 2011, it is with a heavy heart we must all face that the adventures of our beloved Nerd Herd will come to an end after five seasons on Friday, January 27, 2012.

    Meagan promises to conclude the series finale, but we know she is busy. We shall see.

    Before continuing our review we include a fun sneak peek from the episode courtesy of NBC. Enjoy!

     

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    Chuck Versus the Baby:

    This episode pays homage to the roots of the Chuck series, the episode opens with a flashback from five years earlier in Budapest, Hungary. Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) is listening to a voice mail from an unidentified woman we later learn is Cheryl Ladd. The woman is informing Sarah if she ever needs a home, one ready for her. Who is this woman? Read on and find out!

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah on phone

    Chuck S5x08 - At the Budapest mansion five years ago

    Chuck S5x08 - Tim DeKay as Kieran RykerSarah’s thoughts about this circumstance end. We are back not yet back in the present. We find ourselves at a plush mansion in Budapest. Sarah tells the man we come to find out is named Kieran Ryker (Tim DeKay), who is keeping an eye on the mission progress in a van. Ryker orders Sarah to eliminate men who are sitting around a table drinking and making merry over their success in commandeering the mansion and killing all the occupants but one.

    On queue Sarah somersaults into the room, packing automatic weapons blasting the evil Chuck S5x08 - Sarah somersaults in the mansiondoers and sends them to their maker.

    With this accomplished Sarah is told to go into the next room where the object of the mission, “the package” is.

    “The package” turns out to be a little baby in swaddling clothes in a crib. Sarah is reluctant, ordered to take the child. Sarah does not like this development but nonetheless follows orders and leave the premises. The sequence from the past sets the tone and story arc. We are now back in the present in Burbank California at Castle.

    Chuck S5x08 - The package

    Chuck S5x08 - The package is alive e-mailWe observe Sarah using a computer workstation reading an email about the baby from the past. The e-mail has apparently been sent by evil Shaw (Brandon Routh) to Kieran Ryker; “The baby is alive. Details to follow.” Sarah says to herself, “He knows.” Chuck (Zachary Levi) appears in the scene whereby Sarah quickly shutdown the computer to hide the e-mail from him.

    A note from this reviewer: Kudos to the Chuck writers and creators for eloquently blending a secret from Sarah’s past (pre series) to establish where the saga will go in the present story Chuck S5x08 - Chuck interrupts Saraharc. Moreover, the way in which the Chuck team has matured with such perfection in every episode is much appreciated by this reviewer.

    Thanks Team Chuck!

    We segue to Chuck who has a surprise for Sarah. When we see we he has taken her we are surprised ourselves, Chuck has led her into a romantic candle lit room. Our two Chuckster “love birds” are next seen in the living room of the house they had dreamed about. Sarah wonders what he did to make this all possible?

    Chuck S5x08 - Chuck and Sarah at the dream house

    Chuck informs Sarah he is certain the real estate agent lent them the keys for the weekend so they could check it out, despite what Decker had done to sequester their bank accounts. Chuck let’s Sarah know that their CIA signing bonus will be used for a down payment, so the house will be their’s!. Sarah is at a loss for words. He tells her she doesn’t have to say anything. Just visualize them living there and sharing their lives together raising little Chuck’s and Sarah’s in the near future! Awwwwww!

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah almost tells Chuck

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah flashes back to the past againIn this moment of tenderness Sarah is about to confess to Chuck that something has been bothering her, but falters before she does so recalling the events in Budapest five years ago. In her mind Sarah has the baby while Ryker urges her to get out of the mansion before backup terrorists arrive.

    Sarah whispers to the little waif, “It is going to be okay” as she is seen turning her automatic weapons fire on more bad guys. Bye bye bad guys!

    We return to the present at Castle. Chuck is concerned about whatever iChuck S5x08 - Sarah selects weapons as Chuck inquiress bothering and Sarah. Sarah is “saddling up” for a mission of some sort selecting various armaments. Sarah remains aloof about what she is up to telling Chuck to “trust her” instead of the truth.

    Chuck wants to know what is happening and has enlisted Colonel Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Morgan (Joshua Gomez) to ask Sarah what she is planning to do. Sarah remains evasive when Chuck puts his foot down by telling her he will put the resources of Carmichael Industries at her disposal with no further questions.

    Chuck S5x08 - Casey and Morgan arrive at Castle

     

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    Sarah finally gives in and reluctantly agrees to their help. She provides the team with a pre-mission “sit rep” about the Shaw to Ryker e-mail. Now an ex-CIA operative who is extremely dangerous, Casey nods in agreement. Everyone agrees to help Sarah with her mission.

    Chuck S5x08 - Casey gets sarcastic with Chuck

    Sarcastic Colonel Casey ribs Chuck wanting to know if he can keep his mouth shut this time. Chuck informs Casey: “Yes, you act as though I have not learned anything in the last four years.” We will soon find out that Chuck has learned much that will become invaluable to the mission to save the little “package” now five years old. The team prepares to head to Budapest, Hungary.

    Chuck S5x08 - The team gets ready for Budapest

    Chuck S5x08 - The Game of LifePouting Morgan is disappointed about the timing of the Budapest mission because he is going to have to put off his planned night out with Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) , Devon (Ryan McPartlin) and Alex (Mekenna Melvin).

    They are supposed to play “The Game of Life“. Chuck feels sorry for Morgan and says he can use Castle to both monitor the mission and enjoy game night with Alex at Castle because Devon and have been asking to spend more time there anyway. Morgan Is happy because every detail has been thought about by Chuck!Chuck S5x08 - Chuck says Morgan can hang at Castle

    Sarah’s plan involves sending a fake e-mail from Shaw to Ryker to set the stage for the meeting. Sarah once again recalls the past again in Budapest five years ago. We observe Sarah delivering what appears to the “package” to Ryker. Sarah wants to know what is going to happen to the waif?

    Ryker pulls rank but Sarah is suspicious that Ryker is operating as a lone wolf outside CIA policy. Ryker is reticent which confirms Sarah’s suspicions he has become a rogue agent.

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah brings baby carriage to RykerPressing Ryker, Sarah finds out that the baby is heir to a vast family fortune. Sarah is disgusted by what she has been manipulated to do but is powerless to take action to stop Ryker from using the little baby as a money machine.

    Sly suspicious Sarah has tricked Ryker. There is no baby in the stroller! Always prepared Sarah has a gun stashed and shoots the corrupt Ryker making a clean get away. We see Sarah in an apartment in Budapest where the baby has been hidden. Good job Sarah!

    Sarah’s memories fade to the present with the team now in Budapest. Always enjoying a Chuck S5x08 - Sarah preps weaponswoman with a gun, Sarah is getting a sniper rifle ready for the dangerous mission. Sarah admits that she will kill Ryker and wants them to monitor the situation and make sure no one else is watching her. \

    In the meantime, Casey has been doing some research about Ryker finding his whole CIA record has been erased, not a good sign.

    During this moment of distraction a waiter brings a glass of water to Sarah. She tells him she did not order any water. On the bottom of the glass is a spy note telling her to get on the next bus alone.

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah gets the glass of water

    Chuck S5x08 - Rykers note says come alone

    Sarah informs Chuck via COMS to track the waiter because he is likely working for Ryker. Chuck and Casey arrive at the cafe. They see boarding a bus, which drives away. Sarah informs Chuck she is sorry but has to do this on her own accord.

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah on the bus

    Chuck S5x08 - The Game of Life at CastleThe scene switches to Castle; Devon, Morgan, Alex, and Ellie are observed playing “The Game of “Life”. Sarcastic Morgan uses the situation to the tension about his floundering relationship with Alex. Devon and Ellie quite annoyed by the ongoing tension between Alex and Morgan. They quickly finish the game.

    Morgan and Alex are left undisturbed to explore their feelings. Alex feels the friction with Morgan asking him why he asked her to Castle? With a sad look on his face Alex tells Morgan there is no quick way to mend their relationship. Chuck S5x08 - Alex says it will take time

    Poor Morgan!

    A melee ensues as Casey and Chuck tackle the waiter who left the water note for Sarah. A funny bit of humor ensues as the waiter says he cannot speak English, only Hungarian. Always ready for anything Chuck takes out a Hungarian translation book. He and Casey try Hungarian with the waiter but to no luck.

    Chuck S5x08 - Casey wants answersCasey, in his usual gruff manner threatens the waiter after a shopkeeper translates the waiter who tells he only knows some man paid him. Casey does not believe the waiter and puts a gun in his face and demands the truth.

    We return to the mansion Sarah was in five years earlier were she confronts Ryker. The baby is in another room which causes to remember what she did five years earlier when she called her Mom (Cheryl Ladd) who had given her advice on how to calm the little waif.Chuck S5x08 - Charyl Ladd as Sarahs mom

    This time Sarah has the upper hand holding Ryker at gunpoint. Sarah orders Ryker to the room where the baby is at. Ryker has tricked Sarah. There is no baby, only a recording of a baby crying. Not paying attention because of her need to save another child, Sarah is jumped and is knocked out and bound by Ryker’s minions. Yikes!

    The trickery goes further, Ryker gloats that he sent the e-mail to lure Sarah into the trap. Sarah, defiant to the end head butts Ryker, a scene which this reviewer very much enjoyed. Ryker confesses his true agenda and why he selected her, she is a sap for certain causes and that she likes to operate alone rarely confiding in others. A bit over confident, Ryker does even consider that Sarah came with back-up.

    Chuck S5x08 - Ryker captures Sarah
    Personally this reviewer does not believe his propaganda that it is not about the money. Ryker is scum, wanting the baby for the money. However it seems clear that Ryker will kill Sarah unless she reveals where the child is. Sarah pride-fully tells Ryler she came to Budapest for only one reason, to make sure he does not know where the now five year old child is.

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah defies Ryker

    The next scene is expected, but not entirely explained. The lack of explanation does not detract from the fun as the viewer is left to assume Casey must have “persuaded” the waiter to reveal the location of the mansion. Chuck and Casey baits Ryker with the waiter, dumping him in the entrance of the mansion. A minor plot hole is apparent, how did Chuck and Casey get him there? In any event, Chuck and Casey free Sarah and escape using the waiter to distract Ryker.

    Chuck S5x08 - Saving Sarah
    Chuck S5x08 - Ellie tempts Devon The episode focus shifts back to Castle where Ellie and Devon are having fun. We see them playing spy games using the environment of Castle to do so. Moreover, Ellie is flirting with Devon, in fact she is planning on seducing him based on the fact that Devon is being “held against his will”, a development he is enjoying.

    Just as they are about to get “down and dirty”, their romantic moment fades when Alex and Morgan are overheard fighting. The two obviously love each other and will need a little help Chuck S5x08 - Ellie and Devon will help Alex and Morganfrom Devon and Ellie.

    Devon and Ellie each intercept the member of the opposite sex sharing their own past mistakes that nearly ended their own relationship. Alex is being stubborn while Morgan is suffering from a lack of self esteem which is deflating his efforts to regain Alex’s heart.

    We observe that both Alex and Morgan consider the inputs and will in all likelihood the two will reconcile.

    Chuck S5x08 - Alex listens to Devon

    Chuck S5x08 - Morgan listens to Ellie

    This reviewer enjoys the intChuck S5x08 - Sarah awakeserplay between new couple on Chuck and suspect that the series finale will feature a touching bit about the “couples of Chuck”. The only question is what about Jeffster and Lester?

    From this point as the episode seemingly begins to wind down, we find our main character couple Sarah and Chuck in the bedroom at home. Sarah feels guilty about being less than truthful, in fact circumspect with Chuck who chastises her for doing so.Chuck S5x08 - Chuck with Sarah at home

    Sarah’s memories are once again recalled to five years ago with CIA Director Graham (Tony Todd of Stargate) who is on a conference call with Sarah.

    Graham reveals that the CIA is too porous with leaks and cannot guarantee the safety of the baby like Sarah desires. Upon hearing this Sarah tells a falsehood to the Director that she Chuck S5x08 - Tony Todd as the CIA Directordoes not have the little waif.

    Still in the past, Sarah instead takes the threatened little waif to her mother who shares with her daughter “It does not have to be like this.” Nearly in tears Sarah tell her mother she will never see them again.

    Cheryl Ladd is a nice choice for Sarah’s mother, quite believable in the role. Several tender moments are revealed about Sarah’s past and the fun as a child she missed out on because of Chuck S5x08 - Cheryl Ladd as Mom takes the little waifher mother running away from Sarah’s father to protect the children. In a mother daughter “hug” moment Sarah asks her mom to provide a wonderful life for the child that she never had.

    “Total Recall” moment over, Chuck and Sarah are shocked to learn that diabolical Ryker has tapped in to the conversation because of an electronic listening device hidden in Sarah’s hair! Yikes! This means that Ryker knows about the baby AND her mother whom makes plans to kill the little tyke and Sarah’s mother!

    Chuck S5x08 - Chuck finds Sarahs hair is buggedA general panic ensues when Sarah cannot contact her mother per a plan set in action five years earlier. Our three heroes rush to save the soon to be victims of evil Ryker.

    We next observe the now five year old child playing with a baby toy Sarah had given her mother. Ominously the toy opens and a screen inside displays “coordinates sent” the little girl calls out for her mom. One can only hope that the signal is not being intercepted by Ryker!

    Not to worry. In the final action scene, Sarah had taken the place of her mother and is waiting for Ryker posing as her mother in a kitchen. Casey and Chuck are outside and are seen killing Ryker’s minions.

    Chuck S5x08 - Chuck and Casey will dispatch Tykers minions

    True to series form in a well choreographed fight scene Sarah kicks Ryker’s butt after a close call. I cannot speak for others, however the fight scenes in Chuck have always been one of the shows best parts. This reviewer is certainly going to miss these fun action scenes and of course Chuck too!

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah fights Ryker

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah whacks Ryker

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah stabs Ryker

    Chuck S5x08 - Morgan and Molly play video gamesIn the second of two final sequences the gang is with Sarah’s mom and the child. We learn the now five year old is named Molly. Much like every such gathering everyone wants to hold the little tyke, except Morgan!

    We observe him geeking out with Molly playing a video game while Alex looks on. It is clear she has softened her opinion of Morgan to the delight of this reviewer! Alex plants a big smooch on Alex who is pleased he has broken through to Alex once again.Chuck S5x08 - Morgan gets a smooch from Alex

    Devon and Ellie look pleased their mission to bring these two back together has succeeded! Did I mention that we suspect wedding bells in the season finale for these two lovebirds? We shall see.

    More tender moments occur when Chuck finally meets Sarah’s mom. He looks a little nervous but appears to be happy that he is meeting Sarah’s mom whom he never knew existed. “Mom” confides that she is also happy for him and Sarah and she has never seen her daughter so happy either.

    Chuck S5x08 - Mom and Sarah are happy

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah first assignment five years agoThis evokes another memory in Sarah that fills in the five year run and back story of Chuck . We observe her with the CIA Director who is pleased with her performance against Ryker. Sarah is surprised that she is being promoted to “CIA Handler”. Tony Todd the CIA Director hands Sarah a case file. We learn that her assignment will be none other than Chuck completing this arc within the adventures of Chuck that began so long ago!

    In the final sequence, we are at the house with Chuck and Sarah. After all that has happened, Sarah confesses she wants out of the CIA, now only seeking to enjoy a family life with Chuck. Chuck S5x08 - Sarah and Chuck back at the dream house

    No doubt the tender moments with Molly and her mother have had a lasting effect on Sarah. Chuck says that if they leave the CIA they will not be able to afford the new house. To our delight Sarah has definitely changed and is willing to forgo the new house but that they will someday be able to afford it without the CIA signing bonus.

    The episode ends with Sarah carving their names in the frame of a door. Even though they can no longer afford the house, Sarah says they will have the home they both want in the future.

    Chuck S5x08 - Sarah and Chuck carved in wood

    This reviewer enjoyed the plot switch that the Chuck creators employed. When I first saw the promos I believed that Sarah had a baby from a past life which would be a central part of the plot. The creators did a good job of “bait and switch” in more ways than one! Bravo!

    Chuck S5x08 - Cheryl Ladd as Mom

    Lastly, Ms. Ladd did fine job in her performance as Sarah’s mom. I enjoyed seeing the former “Charlie’s Angel” Cheryl Ladd who has been featured in a number of movies and television series in recent history. Like Carrie-Anne Moss who returns in the “Versus the Kept Man” episode, this reviewer suspects we will see Ms. Ladd one more time in the series finale on January 27, 2012!

    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!Thank you for reading my review and for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency.

    Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article.

    Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and Team WHR look forward to will Seeing You on The Other Side“!

    Thank you. Click to visit and follow WR_Systems (Kenn) on Twitter!

    Best Regards,

    Kenn

  • Chuck Versus The Full Zoom – Season Five Opening Episode!

    Chuck Versus The Full Zoom – Season Five Opening Episode!

    Chuck Nerd Herd Banner - Click to learn more at NBC!

    Welcome back Chuck fans!Chuck and Sarah Promo Banner - Click to visit NBC!

    Chuck is such a fun show and we have been looking forward to the return of the series for the fifth and final season. It makes me a bit sad to say this is final season since Chuck is such a fun program to watch each week!

    Rather than doing a recap review of this episode of the program this week, now that our coverage is resuming, for this week we are going to do look at favorite moments in this opening episode of season five.

    For me the sheer ecstatic nature of watching the Nerd Herd in action is what makes the program so enjoyable.

     

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    Chuck Versus The Full Zoom:

    My take on the return of Chuck in the season five opener, “The Full Zoom”, is that the Nerd Nerd team will survive despite Chuck (Zachary Levi) existing without the Intersect. I like the change up with Morgan (Joshua Gomez) as the ‘Intersected’ super spy. He is goofy, and the character is going to deep undercover in my opinion. Season five will also feature great guest stars including Carrie-Anne Moss and Cheryl Ladd!

    As always Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) is a delight to behold. The Colonel Casey (Adam S. Baldwin) character is now honed to a fine edge and Baldwin has perfected the portrayal long ago which he continues to do every week. All in all Chuck is great escapism television and I wish that it would be granted a sixth season.

    NBC describes “Chuck Versus the Full Zoom” in part as follows.

    “Chuck and Sarah stand on the cliff side balcony of an opulent home, surveying a magnificent ocean view. Chuck asks Sarah if it’s the sort of house she’d love; she responds that she’s more of “toes in the sand kind of girl.” Chuck takes note, but they both realize the conversation is premature. They’re about to executed by the armed henchmen of Jeanne Claude, a villain who has stolen their client’s precious vase”

    “Sarah and Chuck hold out hope that Casey will rescue them, but he’s soon brought in at gunpoint by more goons. Their only hope now is Morgan, who’s been instructed to remain in the van outside. Sarah secretly signals him for a rescue. Equipped with the Intersect, Morgan quickly but clumsily finds his way inside and confronts Jeanne Claude and his toughs. Morgan flashes on kung-fu fighting skills and begins dispatching the bad guys in a flurry of kicks, punches and jumps. Chuck announces to Jeanne Claude that his team has just been neutralized, thanks to Carmichael Industries, spies for hire. It’s a perfect ending, ruined only by the sound of Morgan dropping the priceless vase on the tile balcony.”

     

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    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!Please feel free to share this article with your friends, co-workers and or family and leave your comments! We look forward to you visiting our dedicated review and analysis web site here in the future! Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and TeamWHR look forward to Seeing You on The Other Side!“

    Thank you. Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders (Kenn) on Twitter!

    Best Regards,

    Kenn of #TeamWHR

  • The Event: “Arrival” Season Finale with Science and “Physics of the Impossible” Analysis!

    The Event: “Arrival” Season Finale with Science and “Physics of the Impossible” Analysis!

    The Event Banner - Click to learn more at NBC!

    Hello The Event fans,

    We have seen Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and Vicky Roberts (Taylor Q Cole) fight the billionaire James Dempsey (Hal Holbrook), who we thought was evil, but turned out to be from a line of people called ‘Sentinels’ who are here to protect Earth and its people from the Others.

    When Dempsey saw Sean was worthy of being one of them, he turned over the tools he had, told them what was going on with the Aliens and committed suicide. Sean and Vicky went on an international scale to fight the “Others” in releasing a biological weapon to kill humanity and make room for their people to come to Earth, escaping a Supernova.

    We saw them finally meeting Blake Sterling (Zeljko Ivanek) and Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) where they all joined forces to fight Sophia Maguire (Laura Innes), Raymond Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich) and the plan to kill everyone here.

    Click to visit NBC Universal!

    Using a Fake PI

    Sophia had three main points of initiating the virus among the world’s population. A food processing plant would get to six states and infect the eastern seaboard, the Government engraving plant where all currency is printed would spread it on a national level and the international terminal at Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. would make the disease go global. Soon, the disease would be worldwide and in five weeks the human population would be dead.

    Global Spread

    President Elias Martinez (Blair Underwood) was saved by a counter-agent which Simon Lee was able to smuggle within a bouquet of flowers which Christina Martinez (Lisa Vidal) picked up for the President in the hospitals’ florist’s shop. Christina got the medication to Elias and he was recovering from the strokes he had had in the last episode. Blake and Simon were know in Sean and Vicky, they got information from Dr. Liu’s laptop and were trying to find a way to stop the plans to release the virus. Sean found Leila Buchanan (Sarah Roemer) in the medical sector of the alien’s Evacuation Center, we left them there as Leila, behind a protective plastic wall was talking with Sean.

    Sean and Leila Reunited!

    Sophia was talking with Gerard on the final preparations at the site of the Portal array in Tibet. With everything ‘All Set and Ready”, she ordered the activation of the Portal. The effects of the activation reminded me of a ‘Wormhole’ being created.

    Birth of a Wormhole

    Over The Earth

    “ARRIVAL”

    “Leila?… Leila?” Sean’s distant voice is calling softly to Leila through the plastic. “Sterling’s called a specialist at the CDC…Under the radar… they said they’ll be here any minute. OK?” Sean tries to keep her awake. Leila tells him they have to stop Sophia. She tells him that it is too late for her. Sean points out that Simon told them his people are immune to it. She has their DNA so he remains more optimistic than she is right now. As Leila tells Sean to find Samantha (Her little sister as remembered in past episodes) and make sure she is okay, she starts to fade off as the CDC and some others come in to take her to a facility where she will be cared for.

    CDC Specialist

    Now, Sterling, Simon and Vicky are looking over the laptop and finds the graphics of the planned spread of the Bio-weapon. Using a reverse time line, they will know when the attack will take place. They find the locations and details about the specialized aerosol containers. Blake tells them “That means they’re either on their way, or already in place!” Cue Exit by the three to find Sean and get a move on.

    Canisters
    Sophia and Carlos, in an SUV are traveling through the city and Carlos is appraising Sophia of what is happening with their plans. Sophia tells him; “All right. …Pull over here.” Carlos asks “Is there a problem?” to which Sophia replies “It’ll be safer when we’re stopped” Carlos pulls over and they both get out. Just as Carlos asked “Sophia, what are we doing here?” a rather large earthquake happens.

    Earthquake scene

    Cars veer, collide, people screaming or yelling etc. After this dies off, Carlos asked “How did you know?” Sophia replies “Gerard. He says the portal would impact the Earth’s procession. We’d feel the effects along the thirty eighth parallel as the time grew near. The Portal is creating a door in the fabric of space and we just cracked it open.”

    Earthquake Aftermath

    Carlos seems to sense her unease “Sophia, I know you have mixed feeling about what we’re doing to the native population… Think of the alternative!” Sophia tells Carlos “Our people will be arriving soon.” Sighing, she finishes “I don’t have time for self-doubt. We have to get this done!”. Music plays as we see a shot overlooking the Earth and the blue cloud out past the stratosphere growing in size.

    Portal Enlarges

    We are now hearing a newscaster saying a “Small Earthquake measuring four point six on the Richter scale was felt along the East coast today. There have been no reports of any injuries or deaths…” OKAY! I live in Southern California and know Earthquakes quite well. They have awakened me a number of times like an arrogant lover in the early morning hours. The effect scene of the earthquake making cars move and veer and so on, made ME think more of a magnitude six point five up to an eight perhaps, at the actual epicenter. I have easily slept through a three or lower four, without difficulty.

    News about Quake

    Martinez is on the phone to Blake They discuss what Sophia’s plans are. Martinez tells him Jarvis is fighting his reinstatement as President and Martinez is demanding a vote by the cabinet, but until that happens, Martinez cannot issue any orders. When they both find time is not on their side, Martinez says that they can launch contained operations at the food center and the bureau of Engraving, but shutting down an airport is another matter. Blake comes back into where Vicky, Sean and Simon are readying for their part. They discuss how to stop the airport becoming the ‘Ground Zero’ of the bio-weapon.

    Analyzing data

    Martinez and Jarvis

    Martinez comes to see Jarvis in the office as everything is being made ready for the cabinet. Martinez tries to reason with Jarvis and tells him what Sophia is planning. Jarvis will not believe him and instead, accuses Martinez of trying to make him look inept in front of the cabinet. Martinez feels defeated as Jarvis dismisses him and goes in to his office, immediately calling Sophia. Jarvis tells her what just happened with Martinez, and of course Sophia tells him that the plans are not true.

    Sophia On Phone

    She strokes his ego by telling him “Tomorrow, there will be a New World Order, with your guiding hand. You only need to hang on, for one more day. Do you understand?” She asks and he says yes. She continues “We must not let anyone get in our way. Can you do that?” again, Jarvis says yes. Sophia nails it with “I chose you! Because of your strength, your power…use it!”. She uses that soft ‘little girl’ type voice and Jarvis totally buys it. As they hang up, Sophia tells Carlos as he drives; “We may have a problem. They know… Somehow, they know.”

    In a hangar at Dulles, Sophia enters and her operative takes the two bags she is carrying to get them through security. He gives them a card to get them through and she can pick up her bags once inside the terminal. Sophia tells the operative that they can not wait. That now their plan is known. She tells them they must release the virus immediately. We see the operative walking off with the bags.

    In Dulles Hangar

    A newscaster is out on location by Mount Shasta. reporting that volcanic experts are stumped by the finding of new lava flows from this once thought to be dormant volcano. We see smoke and steam rising from the summit off in a distance behind her. She is saying there is no official notice of any evacuations as yet. The TV screen retreats back to let us see we are in the White House, and Christina is preparing Elias’ medications as he enters with Peel.

    They discuss Blake and Simon being on the way, and two civilians, whom we know are Sean and Vicky even think the chances of success is small. Christina brings the medications to Elias trying once again to talk him out of going for reinstatement. “It looks worse than it is” he tells her. Christina admonishes him and reminds him of what the doctors said. “You could… You could die…” she says painfully.

    Christina Begs Elias

    Food Processing Plant

    In the Food Processing plant we see a canister of the bio-weapon being prepared and also coming up the corridor are Military personnel. A tactical unit to stop the virus being released. Shouts of “Freeze!” and a short burst of gunfire results in Sophia’s operative falling-presumably dead- onto cases of produce.

    Dead Operative

    Next, we see two operatives in the Bureau of Engraving talking about getting the set up done and accessing the control room to switch over to the infected canisters. Right at that time, the tactical squad comes in and lays those two to rest as well. Devon, one of Sophia’s people gets away for a time.

    Engraving Facility

    Dulles International Airport

    Then, we are at the International terminal at Dulles as Sean, Blake, Simon and Vicky come speeding into the parking lot. After a short debrief, they split up. Sean and Vicky into the Terminal to find Sophia, Blake and Simon to the secured off-limits are to search for the toxin. As the Operative at the terminal chats to another TSA agent the (human) agent says “Confiscate anything interesting? …Whoa…” he laughs as he pulls out some ‘sexy’ handcuffs. “Mind if I keep these? Me and the wife like to keeps things invigorating”.

    The other, posing as a TSA man said “OOOOH, To Much Information, you know what? Just keep ’em!” and continues with the cart – and the canisters- onto an elevator. Sophia got caught for a ‘random check at the search area. She gets wanded and released.The iPhone rings as she is finishing at TSA, and it is Devon. He is on the phone to Sophia telling her they have been caught it is up to her now. As we see the Tactical team yell “Freeze” and of course Devon moves, Sophia and we all hear short gunfire as Devon is taken out.

    Devon on Phone

    Now, at the Capital, the cabinet has convened for the possibility of reinstating Elias Martinez back into the Presidency. As Martinez enters the room, all stand and applaud for him. As he enters he look dazed and passes out.

    Elias Applauded

    Back at Dulles Blake and Simon try to ask a TSA agent about anyone also with TSA credentials passing him. They had to pull a gun to get him to say “Yeah, Delgado just came by with a cart full of stuff.” Off they went to find this ‘Delgado’ agent. Sophia and Carlos come into the security area and use the card to gain access to the off-limits area. Blake and Simon do get to ‘Delgado’ and gunfire erupts. Simon Lee gets hit and Delgado runs off. Blake gets over to Simon, who is okay as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

    Meanwhile Sean and Vicky slam their way into a secured zone behind someone else who was going in. Delgado and Sophia do meet up and she retrieves the canisters from him. As Sophia issues final orders Sean and Vicky see them all and again, more gunfire. Delgado is hit. Gun play between Carlos, Sean and Vicky ensues as Sophia gets away. Sean goes after her. Just as it looks like Carlos will release the virus from his canister, he is shot from behind… by Blake Sterling.

    Sophia and Carlos in Dulles

    The Cabinet is reconvening now, as it seems Martinez is not present, Madame Speaker is about to withdraw his petition. Just as she is saying this, Martinez comes in to the room, …Again, to applause… “Madame Speaker”, he says…”Let’s begin”. Sean is, at this same time in Dulles chasing down Sophia.

    We come back to the Cabinet meeting as Jarvis addresses them and shows dossiers about Elias Martinez’s medical condition. Jarvis reminds them how Martinez needs ‘Months’ of rehabilitation, how he was in a vegetative state and that even though Martinez wants to do “…the right thing for his country, but according to the medical evidence, to take office now would not be in the best interest of anyone…especially not himself.” Martinez looks at all in the room, and tells them he has to come back to save everyone from a tragedy of major proportion. He then makes the large accusation about Jarvis. Jarvis finally burst out “He’s LYING!!” on which Martinez brings out a small recorder and plays it for them all.

    Jarvis Recorded!

    We hear Jarvis and Martinez from earlier about the poison, about Sophia and so on. “Amid Jarvis’ claims of this being a set-up, Martinez says “Madame Speaker, we must take a vote… NOW!” We then see them all leaving and Martinez… Excuse me, PRESIDENT Martinez is ordering the Dulles Airport to be locked down, and Blake Sterling and General Ambruster are to be reinstated. Peel asked “What about Jarvis?” President Martinez looks at him and say “Who?” –I’m thinking “BURN!! Yeah! Get ’em Elias!”

    Martinez Reinstated!

    We are back in Dulles Airport and I can see Sophia’s fire-red hair glinting in the crowds as she is making her way to a place appropriate to release the virus. If I can see that hair, we know Sean does too. the chase is on.

    Sophia Spotted!

    Ironically, or perhaps deliberately, Sophia holes up in a lounge belonging to Avias Air. As we recall, this was the carrier of the original airplane that traveled the wormhole and crashed in episodes one and two. As she is in there, Sean comes to the door and is calling to her, trying to break the door down. Vicky sees the boards all over announcing the lock down of all flights and the airport itself being shut down.

    Flights are Cancelled!

    Sean is at the lounge door talking through it to Sophia. He tells her what has happened to her other locations and this is now of no use. He asks her “Do these people deserve to die?” Sophia replies with her voice breaking “Did my people deserve to die? On those buses, did my SON deserve to die?”

    Sophia with Canister in Lounge

    Sean replies “No.” Sophia repeats “No” and starts to connect the virus canister to what appears to be a timer. “You don’t want this!” cries Sean through the door… “You don’t know me” Sophia mutters. Vicky is with Sean outside in the terminal and is looking around at the chaos. Sean continues, reminding Sophia she was not always like this.

    Sean Talks to Sophia

    When they had met before, she had said her people came here in peace. It ends there with Sean saying he knew about the Nova, about Sophia being forced to do things to try to save her people. There has been too much pain. But there does not have to be any more pain…. “No one else needs to get hurt” he says. Sophia finally disarms the devise and comes up to handcuffs and arrest.

    Sophia Relents

    At the CDC, Leila is laying in her bed, in the bio-hazard sector and the specialist who came for her at the Evacuation center and Dr. Lius’ section earlier comes to talk to her. “You should know the spread of the virus has been stopped. At least in part because of someone you know… Sean Walker” Relief from Leila when told he is okay. “There’s something else, Leila.” The specialist continues “Something we found in your labs.”

    We Found Something Else

    Okay, Hold up. I can hear it without it being said… Leila is Pregnant. We should realize the show’s timeline in it’s reality has only been about two months. I know she is not even ‘Showing’ yet. But I cannot help thinking Dr. Liu dropped the ball on THIS! Blood work shows pregnancy at six weeks if not before.

    Back at Dulles, there are screening canopies up outside as the Hazard team is in containing the virus left in the Avias Air lounge. Simon and Sean are out there sitting down and talking. Simon tells Sean “Look, this isn’t over yet. I don’t know how, but Sophia’s still bringing our people here… Sean, what you need to know is; Our people were here before. We were here first.” Sean looking a bit confused replies “I don’t…I don’t understand..”… Simon continued “This place was our home before it was yours.”

    Simon Tells Sean

    Sean asked “Why did you…Leave?” Simon replied “Because my people believe that if we stay here, something will happen…to all of us. We call it The Event. It’s a rebirth. The next step for our people, will change… Evolve into something else. Something greater. But your people won’t survive it.” “Why not? What’s going to happen?” asks Sean. Simon looks at Sean and seems lost for words. Blake comes to tell Simon their transport is here. “Simon, Simon! Sean beseeches. Simon for an answer. Simon only tells him all the “…answers are in that scroll. About where we come from, and about how this all ends.”

    Hugs From Blake
    Handshake For Simon

     

    At the White House, Blake and Simon enter to see President Martinez. Simon is thanked for his role in saving Martinez’s life. They start to speak about Sophia’s plan of bringing her people here and how many of them. That rumors have the Portal array being somewhere in Asia, but a precise location is not known. Blake speculates along with the other when Agent Peel comes in with the hourly logs from every department and he sees the time that Jarvis ordered to redirect a satellite from its’ view of Tibet.

    Next we observe that they are in the ‘War Room’ And viewing the streaming data from that satellite. An area between the Indian Sub-Continent and the Tibetan plateau. A communication cites unusual electromagnetic activity and the image hones in on the location. Watching the videos, they see it. The Portal Array. Simon tells them the electromagnetic readings they are getting means it has been activated. “What does that mean?” asked Agent Peel. Martinez looks at them as he says “It means they’re coming”.

    Portal Array from Satellite

    In the serene scene of space, above the Earth and off to the distant side, the Moon, we see the bright, blue haze growing larger and larger. We are pulled into the ‘wormhole’ and are almost in a sea of vibrant blue plasma-like surroundings. We are back in the ‘War Room’ as communications are going on about this Portal. Someone gets up to hear the news from all over the world. Tremors are happening on devastating scale. Peel walks in on a phone. Hanging up, he tells them “Sophia’s a few minutes away.”

    World News Coverage

    Back in a lobby at the CDC, Vicky comes in with a coffee and offers Sean some. Sean declines the offer and tells her “I really appreciate you waiting with me but you don’t have..” Just as the specialist walks in “Mr. Walker, you’ve been clear to see Leila in the observation area. I’ll take you there.” As Sean starts to follow her, Vicky calls him back for a minute: “I didn’t join this fight willingly, I know that. But, you forcing me to is the reason my family’s safe. And, because of you, I’m no longer ashamed to face them”

    Sean, Vicky Hugs Goodbye

     

    She whispers “Thank you.” An embrace happens and Sean goes off with the specialist. We reach the observation area and Sean sees Leila and they talk a bit. He still thinks they may still help Leila. Leila tells Sean that she is pregnant. Of course he is actually overjoyed. “You’re BOTH going to be OK!”

    Sean and Leila Love

    Sophia Brought in

    Back at the White House, Sophia is brought in to Martinez’s office. Elias tells Sophia “We’ve identified the Portal array in Tibet. We know it’s bringing your people here.” Simon interjects “I’ve told them…everything I know about the Portal.” President Martinez asks “How do we stop it, Sophia? How do we shut it down?” “You can’t” Sophia replies. “Do you have a pre-determined landing site?” Martinez asked. “You know I won’t answer that.” replies Sophia.

    Sophia in Oval Office

    “Sophia, it’s over! You know you’ve lost. We stopped you.” Sophia, looks down for a minute saying “You might find this hard to believe, but the truth is I ordered the spread of the virus as an act of mercy. We will still need to make room for our people here on Earth or another way only now, the choice left open to us will be…far from humane” Elias stared at her demanding “what the Hell’s that supposed to mean?” Sophia softly says “I’m sorry, Mr. President” “Sorry about what?” Asked Martinez Sophia, smiling says “It’s too late.” as an earthquake begins.

    In the Wormhole!

    We are traveling up into the blue plasma-like wormhole and the noise seems to be indicating great speed. As the sound effects play, we then see scenes of streets filled with people panicking and looking up. Vicky stops her car and stands out in the street, also looking up.

    Vicky Stares

    Sean and Leila Watches

    Sean and Lila in the CDC Feel the quake and get up to look out the window at a bright light. Martinez and all in the office come out to the balcony and are looking up at the spectacle. Even Simon, who is one of “Them” seems incredulous at what he is seeing.

    Sophia Smiling

    Out on the White House lawn, Christina takes her son in her arms and holds him from the wind storm and noise.

    On the Lawn with Christina

     

    We then see it, an ENTIRE PLANET has appeared, scorched and floating in the plasma.

    Made it Through

    — OK, Stanton Friedman (Nuclear Physicist) I am not, but parking a planet between Earth and the moon would mean instant devastation of Earth. Even within the Roche limit which this appears to be, the larger body would take from the smaller body…The larger body’s gravity would totally skew Earth’s Gravity! We see some nice scenes of our cities showing the new arrival and earth in space, with this new planet here.

    Hi, Neighbour!

    What a View! NYC

    What a View! Rio

    What a View! Paris

    What a View! Washington DC

    Over in the White House lawn, Christina and her son holding each other as Christina looks up to see the planet. We see parts of it appear to be burning, most likely from the effects of their Supernova. Her little boy asks “What is it?” Christina still looking amazed and stunned answers;

    “Home!”

    "Home!"

    My Take…For what it is worth:

    I doubt many people saw THAT coming. Laws of Physics aside, this is a Science FICTION. If it says so in the script, it will be played. But then I wonder why Sophia seemed so anxious to control the virus after a sufficient amount of humanity had been killed off by this.

    Why was it always implied that they were going to ‘Move here’ from their world far off in the Sculptor Galaxy? It seemed that Sophia was always looking at ‘After” the native population was winnowed. Why the heck bother? At first, when I saw it was an actual PLANET being brought here, I thought they would plop it down outside our solar system and arrange transport on craft or with smaller portals to bring their people to this world’s surface. Of course, if another network picks up the series that could still happen, by defying the laws of conventional physics.

    Then again, we are dealing with Alien Technology. Seems that they can do anything they want to and bend any Physical law that they please.

    I wonder if the Others’ “Event” is like that of the theological “Rapture” that conventionalist theories speak of? In that, the chosen ones would be taken to heaven and others who did not live a certain way would be left behind to see the New World Order under one they call the “Beast”. It mainly sounds like a totalitarian, Fascist state and later, the Earth itself is destroyed in the end. Why would humans not survive the Others’ “Event”? There are many unanswered questions in this cliffhanger of a finale.

    There is an interesting book by a man called Michio Kaku; “Physics of the Impossible”. it is available here and a Google search will net you just about anything on this book.

    Lagrangian Point

    Aside of the Roche Limit, let us look at the Lagrangian Point

    — A contour plot of the effective potential of a two-body system due to gravity and momentum at one point in time. Objects revolving with the same orbital period as the larger bodies will tend to move according to the contour lines showing equipotential surfaces. The arrows in the graphic indicate the gradients of the potential around the five Lagrange points — downhill toward them (red) or away from them (blue), but at the points themselves these forces are balanced.

    Lagrangian Point Elimental

    The five Lagrange points (marked in green) at two objects orbiting each other (here a yellow sun and blue earth) Lagrange points are the stationary solutions of the circular restricted three-body problem. For example, given two massive bodies in circular orbits around their common center of mass, there are five positions in space where a third body, of comparatively negligible mass, could be placed which would then maintain its position relative to the two massive bodies. As seen in a rotating reference frame with the same period as the two co-orbiting bodies, the gravitational fields of two massive bodies combined with the satellite’s circular motion are in balance at the Lagrangian points, allowing the third body to be stationary with respect to the first two bodies

    I, for one, am heartbroken this show could not be given a second season. Lately I am seeing a trend here where invasion shows seem to end with us feeling like “We are really screwed”. It used to be that Eartheaons always defeated the invading forces. Seems like people are changing their tune now and are either accepting the superiority of “Alien” technology or perhaps there is a need to feel ‘Humbled’ among the species.

    I will be one of the first to admit a science fiction where the “Aliens” are actually friendly could be boring. After all, are we to just sit around saying the other is ‘So cool’? No. but I did like a series by Kenneth Johnson called “Alien Nation” because even though it was more like a police drama, it illustrated an ‘Alien’ race living and working side-by-side with Eartheaons. Gee, if only Eartheaons could do that with themselves, this would be a very nice place. In this writer’s opinion, that would be a TRUE “Event”!

    I am not sure what will happen in the future for The Event or if any other network will pick it up. I do hope so. In the interim below is the complete “Arrival” episode courtesy of NBC. Enjoy!

    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!Thank you for reading and visiting WormholeRiders News Agency.

    Please feel free to leave a comment here or If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Click to visit and follow Celtica (Jen) on Twitter!

    Regards,

  • The Event: “The Beginning of the End” with “Arrival” Sneak Peek

    The Event: “The Beginning of the End” with “Arrival” Sneak Peek

    The-Event banner - Click to learn more at the official NBC web site!

    Hello The Event fans,

    Last week we saw the attempt to infect a major shopping center with the disease obtained from a dead WW1 soldier who died from an extremely deadly strain of the Spanish flu.

    When that failed due to the daring-do of Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and Vicky Roberts (Taylor Q. Cole), The Russian air stewardess, Alexandra (Angela Gots) released the disease on a commuter bus, killing all within it. Dr. Liu (Alexandra Bokyun Chun) was able to use the the data retrieved from this to gauge the effect of the strain on ordinary people.

    Click to visit NBC Universal!

    Finding the disease killed the human population too quickly, yet did not effect the Aliens at all, it was decided to use Leila (Sarah Roemer) to Trans-mutate the strain to act more slowly, allowing it to be spread more effectively among the native population.

    The Event S01x21ictims on Bus from Alex

    Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) got to Blake Sterling‘s (Zeljko Ivanek) house and they both escaped in a stolen car. they surmised the best way to reach President Martinez (Blair Underwood) to get the antidote to heal him, is via the First Lady, Christina Martinez (Lisa Vidal).

    Acting President Raymond Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich) ordered an air strike to a warehouse in which Christina had told him Blake and Simon were hiding. Simon and Blake however, had escaped the warehouse and no bodies were found in the wreckage of the storage facility.. Jarvis fired General Ambruster (Blue Deckart) and Agent Peel (Roger Bart) knew Jarvis was not the Commander In Chief they wanted. Upon finding out the warehouse was a diversion and finding out Christina Martinez was in on Blake’s plan, Jarvis knew he was in deep trouble.

    Christina brings flowers

    We ended with the antidote being hidden by Simon in a bouquet of flowers which Christina had bought for her husband, then, as she prayed softly we saw her remove the filled syringe and give the antidote to Martinez in his hospital room. We saw Jarvis realized he was going to be in deep trouble for his role in the attempt on Martinez’s life, Sophia watching as Dr. Liu infected Leila with a nasal introduction of the infection. Sophia’s home world ever closer to incineration and Sean, with Vicky in pursuit of the Aliens.

    Infecting Leila

    The Beginning of the End

    We open in a desolate scene of dead humans laying out in a town. All are dead or close to it, as Sophia Maguire (Laura Innes) is walking along, calling out “Hello?” to anyone who might still be alive. She is stopped at a car in which a young girl is still alive, asking if she is a doctor. Her little brother will not wake up and with a small gasp, Sophia sees a toddler laying dead beside the little girl who then asked Sophia “Why is everybody sick?” Sophia has no answer for her and the little girl starts to yell at Sophia “It’s YOUR FAULT!! Why won’t you HELP ME!?” through the closed window of the car and hitting the window.

    Sophia Death in the streets

    Dead people on patio

    Little Girl in Car

    Sophia Waking up

    Sophia wakes up. This was a dream she had been having. It calls into question whether or not Aliens actually dream. I say Why the heck not? I would think any sentient being would be able to dream. Sophia seems horrified by what she dreamt. Sophia wakes on a cot in the Evacuation center they have set up Dr. Liu is saying the trans-mutation of the disease with Leila is successful and apprizing her of the timeline.”In two weeks twenty-five percent of the world’s population. … In five, ninety-eight percent”

    Dr. Liu's Timeline

    Sophia stops her “We…we only have to make room for our own people. There has to be a way to control the disease. To limit the number of deaths”. “There isn’t” Dr. Liu replies “The strength of the pathogen, is uncontrollable.” Sophia looks very remorseful as Dr. Liu finished “Sophia, We need to bring our people here.” Sophia asked then the question “Does need always justify the action?” Shaking her head ‘no’ she adds softly “This goes against everything we believe in” but Dr. Liu says in my almost exact words: “If the situation were reversed, they wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to us”. We see Leila laying there in the room with them bathed in sweat and very sick.

    Sophia, Dr. Liu and Leila

    Back in ICU/CCU, Christina Martinez is speaking to her secretary at the doorway as the monitors on President Martinez start to indicate changes in his vitals. The doctor comes in and looks him over stating the EEG levels are showing improvement. Higher level brain activity. Christina says “He’s getting better…” but the doctor is hedging. pointing out it is anomalous brain activity but seems to feel they are not out of the woods yet.

    In the Evacuation shelter with Carlos and Sophia among others, Carlos says they have everything in place on their home world and their people are ready to arrive. Gerard has the Portal activated and it must remain on for several more hours. but there is a reconnaissance satellite over Tibet -Where the Portal array is actually located- Gerard, the alien involved there at the Portal site is worried about detection.

    Satellite view of Portal

    Jarvis is on the phone in his office talking to Sophia. “I’m not comfortable blindly doing your bidding. If you want me to do something I need to know why.” Sophia tells him about the Satellite “I know the satellite is shared by NATO, but operated by your NSA. I need it… redirected. The NSA refers to it internally as E3175” she asks Jarvis to repeat that back to her, which he does. She thanks him, using his first name “Raymond”. Jarvis then tells her about Martinez’s improvement in hospital. “Meaning you didn’t stop them getting the counter agent to him” Sophia finishes. Sophia tells Jarvis that he must not let Martinez re-enter the equation as it would jeopardize everything.. for both of them. Jarvis asked for assurance that the American people would be spared. Sophia in a bold-faced lie replies “I give you my word.” They hang up and someone asked Sophia “You know by the time the pathogen is released and people start getting sick that he’ll know he’s been duped.” Sophia answers “By that time, it’ll be too late.”

    In a bar, Blake meets up with Simon Lee meet up in a local bar They talk over Martinez’s improvement and Simon tells Blake Sophia had sent a team to Siberia to find the weapon. Blake said that this makes sense. citing a few weeks ago the government found out about ice core samples being analyzed by a scientist. “What was it?” Simon asked. “I don’t know, but I think they found it” Blake surmises. He talked about the Air Moscow flight’s military escort being waved off by Jarvis. They both then see the news on the bar’s television about the Mall evacuation. I had thought the accomplice involved was named “Devon” but it was… as cited by Simon Lee, a guy named “Roman”. Simon tells Blake that Roman is one of their people. Blake murmurs “A Terrorist attack…. and a dead sleeper”

    Blake and Simon at Bar

    Sean and Vicky are -where else?- in a car driving through Washington. Vicky is looking through the sleeper’s wallet, hoping for clues of where he, or the others may be holed up.

    Roman's Wallet

    They found an address and go there to find it is what appears to be a sweatshop. They ask the workers there if they have seen this man and all say ‘no’. So off they go to the upper levels of the building. As they both sneak about, Simon grabs Vicky and we now see Sean with a gun to Blake Sterling’s head and Simon with a gun to Vicky’s head. Standoff. Shortly, they all are aware of who the other is, they know now they are on the same side, so to speak.

    Sean and Vicky in Stand-off

    Next, in Dr. Liu’s sector, Leila is on the bed, restrained and Dr. liu is instructing the others that she needs more data points of how he virus replicates in the culture medium. “Initial indications are good” she says, sounding pleased. Dr. Liu walks over to Leila asking ‘What’s her Status?” The other says “Body temperature is rising, heart rate and blood pressure dropping”.

    Dr. Liu over Leila

    Dr. Liu tells him “We need to keep her alive for producing the virus. Increase her IV Fluids and give her a corticosteroid.”. Leila -able to speak, says “please… Please don’t do this… kill all those people…” Dr. Liu tells her: “If we had a choice, we wouldn’t, but we don’t. We’re just taking back what is rightfully ours. Your father should have told you… We were here first.”

    We were here first

    Sophia is now addressing those in the evacuation center: “We’ve determined the most efficient way to spread the pathogen is by using three parallel distribution channels. The first team will release the pathogen in the immediate region; They will contaminate a food processing facility that ships products to supermarkets In six different states. within days it will spread across the eastern seaboard.”

    Spreading plans

    Grocery stores spread
    She continues: ” The second team will contaminate currency at the bureau of Engraving facility in Virginia in time for the monthly reserve bank distribution. This will effectively spread the disease on a nationwide basis.” We see the graphics of the predicted spread.

    Currency spread

    Sophia concludes: “The third team will release it in the international terminal at Dulles Airport, at a time that will maximize global crossings by infected passengers. In five days, the vast majority of the human population… will be dead.”Sophia looks genuinely saddened, but again, she is driven to save her own people.

    Airport Spread
    She pauses and says “This is the last time we’ll be meeting as a group, until it is all over. But I want each of you, in your own way to honor and mourn the loss of life, but also to remember why we are doing this. For our survival”.

    Jarvis is ordering the redirection of the satellite. He is told it will take about two hours to redirect. Jarvis understands and disconnects. Jarvis then goes in to see the doctor who is attending to Martinez. As Jarvis leaves the ICU, he sees Christina coming up the hallway to him, her face a picture of fury. He starts to offer a word of support, only to feel the sting of a resounding slap from Christina. “I know you poisoned him!” She said angrily.

    Christina tells Jarvis off
    Pointing her finger at him as if to say Shut-Up! She starts to rant at him about almost losing her husband, their son losing his father because of Jarvis. She is going completely “Gangstah” on him, as the kids these days say. She continues to spear at his face with her finger as she says “I will hang you out to dry! I’m going to tell your wife and children what type of a…” Her lava-like explosion is quelled by someone coming in to tell them Martinez is awake. They rush in, except for Jarvis and the preliminary indications show Martinez is indeed recovering, amazingly well. Martinez and Christina visit and kiss, happily. Martinez asks Christina what has been happening and she tells him about Jarvis, Blake and Simon, who got the antidote to her for him.

    Martinez Awake!

    Christina tells Elias
    Sean, Simon, Blake and Vicky are going through cabinets and drawers at the building where we last left them. “Notes, receipts, anything that might lead us to Sophia’s new location.” Simon tells them. Blake remembers Vicky being in the CIA and how she went rogue when he to work in Washington. Of course, Vicky denies all knowledge. They speak of Michael and the escape, when they hear the trash collectors come to get the scheduled collection. They stop the collectors and are delving through all the papers they can find. Blake then gets a phone call from Martinez.Blake hears Elias’ voice and we sense he is crying with relief at hearing President Martinez right now. Blake fills him in on things and Martinez is now determined to get back to the White House.

    Dumpster Diving

    We are back in the Alien’s Evacuation center and the tanks of the pathogen are being readied for distribution. Carlos calls Sophia, to tell her everyone is ready at the infection sites. We see people we can presume to be of their world putting on badges, uniforms and at lockers etc, as if they are employees. We see a worker among vegetables and fruit and then someone at the Engraving facility having a quibble over a new drying agent being delivered (The pathogen, of course). The ‘human’ demands further confirmation of this order from a district supervisor upon which time the ‘alien’ shoots and kills the human worker. Sophia, on her ever-present iPhone is seeking status reports. All her people in their respective positions reply “In place and Ready” Sophia commands: “Time to begin!”

    In Place and Ready! FPP

    Mint-In Place and Ready!

    Dulles- In Place and Ready!

    Proceed

    Sean is now trying to hack into the NSA along with him are Blake, Sterling and Vicky. Blake looks on, impressed; “Ever think about working for the government, Mr. Walker?” he asked. “Not while Vice-President Jarvis in in office” Sean replies. “Well, we have that in common” states Blake.

    Using a fake PI

    Sean accesses the site and only needs the key to get in. Sterling tells him they killed his, “…but Agent Peel was kind enough to lend me his”. They are in the site now. They use time stamps from images, Roman’s receipts and triangulate to another location. Simon tells Sean to go forward in time at this new building. They are over the Evacuation center, in my opinion.

    Alien's building

    Dr Liu is now in her section saying “At five thirty, all distribution channels will be spreading the pathogen. I have live feeds from the CDC that will allow us to follow this is real time.”

    Live Feed From CDC

    Sophia looks at Leila “What about her?” Dr. Liu replies “We’ve harvested enough viral cells from her.” Sophia interjects “No, what about her… her condition?” “It’s unclear how long her immune system will be able to fight off the virus. Could be hours, Days…” Sophia looks at Leila and says softly “She’s suffering.” Dr. Liu replies “It’ll only get worse” Sophia sighs saying “Then, just end it. But do it quickly and painlessly” Uhm, where have we heard THAT before?

    In the Alien’s center, they are preparing the pathogen canisters for transport. Sophia asks Carlos: “Well, are you ready?” Carlos replies in the affirmative and we see vehicles leaving the building. At the same time, Sean, Simon Lee, Vicky and Blake are in the car heading to the building. Sean is handing ammunition out and Simon sees the scroll. Asking what it is, Sean tells him it was given to him by “Someone who claimed to have protected us from your people.” Simon, now interested asked what else he had been told. Sean said “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me anything … I have to idea what it is or… what it says.”

    Sean with Scroll

    Sean looks at Simon asking “Do you?” Simon tells Sean “If you could read it, you’d know more than he was telling you” “About what?” Sean asked. Simon sighs as he drives and replied “About us. Why we’re here, and about what happened”. The discussion stops as the vehicle approaches the large building we presume to be where the Others had been working from. Inside the building, we see Dr. Liu coming in to Leila, with two vials and a syringe on a tray. We see Leila fighting the restraints on her wrists as we hear the appliances being brought out. Cue a window, through which we see Vicky running. It is a window at a Guarded entrance. Vicky uses the “I ran out of gas” ruse to get the two guards to stand down long enough to tell her to move on as Blake fires into the window from the side.

    I ran out of Gas...
    Dr. Liu is filling the syringe, and tapping air bubbles out of it (I ask: WHY do they do this? The shot is to KILL someone. Why care about the air bubble?) as she tells Leila. “There won’t be any pain. The first injection will put you to sleep, so you aren’t awake for the effects of the second one” In other words, a heavy Anesthetic, like Phenobarbital, followed by a Potassium Chloride chaser to stop the heart…abruptly. Leila moans and looks like she is crying.

    Tapping syringe

    Now we see a worker in the alien’s building pushing a stack of coolers which I presume are carrying infected specimens. Sean and Simon force this guy to detour and start questioning him about who else is in the building. ‘Five and the prisoner…. a girl.” Dr. Liu starts to give Leila the first injection, but Leila wrestles out of the restraints and goes Kung-Fu on Dr. Liu. Struggle ensues and Leila uses the tranquilizer syringe into Dr. Liu’s neck to knock her out. Finally freed, Leila runs off to one of the plastic-sheeted walls at the same time as Sean reaches the wall on the other side.

    Sean and Leila Reunited!

    She warns Sean, but Sean already knows what Sophia’s plan is. Leila tells him she is infected and she can’t let him come in, or he will die. She tells Sean all their plans are in the laptop over there on a table. “They plan to release it by five-thirty”.

    .Jarvis is in the Oval Office as the door opens and Jarvis says “I thought I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed” He see Eli Martinez coming into the office. Martinez walks up to the desk telling Jarvis to “Get out from behind that desk and get the hell out of my office!” Jarvis replies he has every right to be here. The cabinet enacted the twenty-fifth amendment and appointed him as acting President.” Martinez gets closer to Jarvis “I know, you tried to kill me… I know about you and Sophia…”

    Jarvis says “I don’t know what you’ve been told, but if you’re talking about the Peace Agreement I’m currently negotiating with Sophia…That wouldn’t have been possible while you were at the helm… Please, Richard, Help me out here” To which Agent Peel responds “You’re on your own here, Raymond” Jarvis continues “Everything that I have done has been to guarantee the safety of the American People…” Martinez interrupts “Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night, Ray? Your actions have only served yourself and ONLY you!” Jarvis levels off at Martinez saying “Whether you like it or not, I am the President of the United States!” Martinez, said “Not for long… Not for long!” “Well, we’ll see about that, Eli.” Jarvis countered There needs to be a vote that you’re capable.” Pointing out the strokes and that he will demand tests to the President’s ability to come back to office.

    Elias and Jarvis
    Blake and Simon are trying to get into Dr. Liu’s Laptop. So far not having any luck. “I’ll take it from here” says Simon getting up to leave. Sean is in the medical sector with Leila as they talk about what if and Sean says they should move. When all this is over, they should move. Maybe to Portland, Bend or anywhere but Boston. “That’d be really nice” Leila said. “But you have to find Sophia… And stop her. Do it for me”

    Making Plans for the future

    In another part of the building, Simon is reviving Dr. Liu. Simon looks at her and says “Now, you can rationalize all you want to, but deep down you know what you’re doing is wrong.” He sounds sincere in trying to talk to Dr. Liu. His voice was such I would follow him anywhere.

    Dr. Liu in Custody

    He continues: “According to Leila, all we need to know is on that laptop…over there. So all I need from you, is your password, Doctor. That’s all”. Dr. Liu tells him “Don’t you see? It’s too late. It’s pointless” Simon gets up, sighing “Suit Yourself…” and comes back with a power drill to her and threats, (…His voice no longer sweet and sensitive!) Simon ultimately gets her password for the laptop. They get the data they need…. Now, what to do with this information?

    Dr. Liu Interrogated
    The SUV speeds up the streets with our heroes in it as we see the pallets of money being prepared to be processed at the engraving facility while one of the Others pushes the tank of pathogen to replace a normal one.We then see another of the Aliens in the airport terminal looking at his watch and the schedule of flights.

    The Event S1x21 - Money Pallet

    Dulles Flight Schedule

    Sophia on her phone in a car saying “Jarvis has just confirmed the satellite has been diverted. Carlos replies “I’ll have Gerard power it up. Where are we on the pathogen?” “We’re right on schedule, but leave that to us. Your job is to power the array” replies Sophia We now are at the Portal center in Tibet and Gerard saying “We’re ready to activate, on your order” Sophia, smiling says “Proceed”. Gerard tells his colleague at the activation point: “Activate.”

    The Portal Activation
    The Portal comes alive with a blue column of light from the ground and we travel up, up, up through the skies where we see a view from space with a blue ball of energy building and coming to life above the Earth….

    Birth of a Wormhole!

    Over the Earth

    Come on, Folks, We're Home!!

    My Take…For what it’s worth…

    We have seen the Aliens begin in this series as a tattered, forlorn group of human-like people from a crash site in Alaska. Detained for over 65 years they don’t age as we do. We find they have been misled and lied to by the powers that be and now the they have escaped their prison in Mount Inostranka and established contact with their world in a galaxy of over eight million light years away (NCG-253) to find their own people are facing certain death from a supernova.

    They have gone from those who we might be friends with to a ‘people’ bent on their own survival at any cost, even if it means wiping out the native population on this world to meet that goal. Sophia is, as we are led to believe their actual leader. She is the matriarch of what most thought were a peaceful race. Refraining from harming benevolent civilizations. Sophia, in her desperation and apparent heartache over the killing of her people in Government-ordered attacks now sees this place as hostile. Releasing her people from an oath they took to harm no one, she has started the process of winnowing the native people here to make room for her own people to come here via a Portal array… Sort of what could be called a ‘wormhole’. She seemed shocked that the virus could not be stopped once it started to spread.

    We have, in earlier episodes, followed an elderly man by the name of Dr. James Dempsey. (Hal Holbrook) He was a billionaire from working in big Pharmaceuticals and seemed a bit looney, if not downright evil. When he was in the Jura Mountain range (France) at an archeological dig, netting him information about an ancient tribe called “The Sentinels”. The Sentinels, who have been here for over three millennium , as he was telling Vicky Roberts in his house in France, were a group who “Have been given the task to protect the native population of earth from ‘Them’.” (Said as he pointed upward).

    Sean Meets Dempsey

    Dempsey then ordered Vicky to be killed, apparently knowing full well that a young man called Sean Walker would rescue her. Sean did, in fact, come through and Dempsey told them what was going on between the Sentinels and Sophia’s people. Now in this last episode. Simon and Sean were talking about the scroll Sean had received from Dr. Dempsey just before Dempsey committed suicide.

    Their discussion, and what Dr. Liu told Leila in the medical sector leads us to believe the Aliens have been here for centuries. There had apparently been a major conflict between the Sentinels and the Aliens. While in a chamber in the Jura Mountains, we saw a cave paiting and tatoos on Dempsey’s arms as he said the ‘Guardian Angels’ are “Very, very real”.

    I’ve heard folks describe the Book of Enoch being relevant to Dempsey’s story. There are a number of historical references to ‘Those from the Heavens’ so regardless of one’s religious beliefs, I include The Book of Enoch in summary for your edification.

    A Summary of the Book Of Enoch is as follows:

    1. The Book of the Watchers (chs. 1—36). Enoch is a righteous man who has received heavenly visions. The book is a collection of revelations regarding divine judgment. It describes the rebellion of angels. The fallen angels, called “Watchers,” have sexual intercourse with human women, who give birth to a race of wicked giants. The giants lay waste to the earth and humanity, and so become the occasion for the flood, in which they are destroyed. But once their demonic spirits are released from their dead bodies, these demons wreak havoc in the world until the end time of judgment.

    2. The Book of the Similitudes (or Parables; chs. 37—71). Enoch again receives heavenly visions, which are interpreted by angels. The primary character of these revelations is the “son of man.” Other titles employed to name this messiah figure are “the Chosen One” (the most common title), God’s “Anointed One,” and “the Righteous One.” This heavenly being is God’s agent for the final judgment and vindication of the righteous.

    3. The Book of Astronomical Writings (or Heavenly Luminaries, chs. 72—82). Visions of heavenly and earthly occurrences advocate a 364-day solar calendar, as opposed to the controversial lunar calendar. Enoch describes to his son Methuselah his journey through the stars above the earth, guided by the angel Uriel.

    4. The Book of Dream Visions (or Animal Apocalypse, chs. 83—90). Enoch recounts two visions to Methuselah. The first vision is of the sky falling and the earth undergoing cataclysmic disasters as a result. The second vision takes the form of an apocalyptic allegory describing the history of humanity from the creation of Adam to the final judgment. In it, humans are represented as animals and angels are represented as human beings. The apocalypse details the relationship of Jews with Gentiles and the end-time judgment.

    5. The Book of the Epistle of Enoch (chs. 91—107). This epistle is written by Enoch for later generations. Righteousness and wickedness are contrasted throughout the letter in order to show that goodness and truth will be rewarded by God, but evil and sin will be punished by God. This sober eschatological prophecy admonishes readers about the final divine judgment.

    –Of course there are plentiful sources of reading or deeper study of this material if one so wishes to do, I only offered the short version for this review.–

    So I am curious. Are we to think perhaps that outside of theological hypotheses that the ones from the sky are in a nuts and bolts reality, Space visitors? Could this be what was meant by Dr. Liu and the Others as “We were here first”? Perhaps the Others started out as peaceful but they obtained too much of the human characteristic of desperation and in a sense Greed, thereby becoming “Fallen Angels”? This is why I so look forward to next weeks Finale. I want to see the people come, see what Sophia has done and punish her severely.

    I really do hold to a belief of a truly advanced people existing out there. Maybe not ‘PEOPLE’ as we would know this to mean, but beings of an inner vision arriving and doing the right thing. It is one of the reasons I cannot accept the almost constant Doomsday story lines of many Science Fiction stories. I would like to believe better of any species, really, Reptoid, Humanoid or otherwise. Included below is entire episode “The Beginning of the End” from NBC.

    I had hoped those in NBC’s decision making powers would grant a second season, but alas. If not, perhaps another station would pick this show up for a second season. Be sure to watch live, or with On Demand to help the ratings! Monday night, 9/8C tune in for The Event! In the meantime, included below courtesy of NBC is a sneak peek of what appears to be the NBC “The Event” series finale “Arrival”!

    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!Thank you for reading and visiting WormholeRiders News Agency.

    Please feel free to leave a comment here or If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Click to visit and follow Celtica (Jen) on Twitter!

    Regards,

    Celtica (Jen)

  • The Event: “Some Will Live, Some Will Die”!

    The Event: “Some Will Live, Some Will Die”!

    The-Event banner - Click to learn more at the official NBC web site!

    Hello The Event fans,

    A short recap Has us following Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and Vicky Roberts (Taylor Cole) on a flight coming back from Russia. They are following a courier who is carrying the infected lungs of a dead World War One soldier in order that the disease could be spread out through the world population.

    Click to visit NBC Universal!
    They want to do this to make room for about two billion of their people they wish to bring here to escape their star’s explosion. Time is getting short, so Sophia Maguire (Laura Innes) is becoming more and more brutal in her plan to get her people here, resulting in their survival. Sophia is not really “Callous” per Se, but she is duty-bound to save her people above anything else. Sophia actually is taking no pleasure whatsoever in doing what she feels she has to do.

    We left the last episode with President Elias Martinez (Blair Underwood) worsening in his condition in the Intensive Care Unit/Critical Care Unit suffering from a poison which Raymond Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich) gave him via his morning coffee on instruction of Sophia. Sophia told Jarvis if he did this, Jarvis would become the Acting President and could save his country from the plague with which Sophia would use to winnow the Eartheaon population.

    Jarvis became acting president, and he had an argument with Blake Sterling (Zeljko Ivanek) We saw now that Sophia is getting more aggressive with Jarvis, and Jarvis is, I feel, well aware that he is being used by Sophia. At this point, he is in too deep and now must try to save himself. Sean and Vicky had the courier -“Alex” who turned out to be “Alexandra” (Angela Gots) (An Air Moscow Stewardess) in their sights, but Vicky did not take a shot which might have killed Sean, so Alex escaped with an accomplice..

    Sean Hostage

    Despite Michael Buchanan’s (Scott Patterson) hardened character about the mission to bring his people here, Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) called him out on what he had become. Leila Buchanan (Sarah Roemer) also had words with him saying she did not recognize him…what he used to be… anymore..

    Through the episode last week, Michael began to see sense and helped Simon Lee escape from their Alien compound, getting shot and killed in the process. We left it with Leila crying and yelling at Sophia “YOU killed him!!” as she was being detained by two of the Others. Simon escaped with a vial of antidote for Martinez which Michael had forced Dr Liu to give to him. We saw him go over the fencing and into the woods.

    Simon and Leila in Woods

    “Some Will Live And Some Will Die”

    We open in the community, out by the fence and Sophia with the Others have Leila. Carlos goes and sees Michael. “He’s Gone” I feel he sounded genuinely upset at this fact Michael is dead. Carlos then came to Sophia apologizing for letting her down. Sophia does not seem angry at him though. “It’s not your fault” she tells him. At this point, Leila, crying says “You killed my father…” but Sophia interjects “I’ve known your father longer than you can comprehend. You have no idea what I felt for him.” Leila backs down a bit.

    Dr. Liu (Alexandria Bokyun Chun) came up to the group asking if Michael had the vial. She broke the news that Michael had forced her to give him the vial of the antidote. Sophia was shocked “What compound?” Dr. Liu replied “DNA repair enzymes. It can reverse the effect of the poison we gave Martinez” Sophia orders that Leila and Michael’s body be searched. She correctly surmises that Simon Lee could get this to Martinez and then “If Martinez recovers, everything we’ve been working toward will be compromised”. Sophia then orders the evacuation of the compound before Simon has a chance to alert the authorities.

    Sophia Orders Evacuation

    In the ICU/CCU, First Lady Christina Martinez (Lisa Vidal) is talking on the phone to her son. The doctor comes in saying they really have done all they can do.” “So, you’re just going to give up?” Christina asks through tears “No! just… No!” and goes back to Elias’ bedside.

    Saying I love you

    Agent Peel (Roger Bart) comes into the Oval Office, handing Jarvis a list of candidates for Blake’s replacement. Jarvis says “I want the best!” to which Peel replies “You fired the best… With all due respect” Jarvis shuffles the papers saying “Director Sterling was a dangerous man. Things he said about me? He’s not in his right mind! I can’t have a man like that as the head of Intelligence Operations and for you to constantly remind me of his importance only makes you suspect.” He pauses and then apologized to Peel as his phone rings.

    Jarvis And Peel

    Peel is dismissed and Jarvis answers his call. It is Sophia, in a car being driven somewhere as she says to Jarvis “We have a problem. Simon Lee has escaped with a counter-agent” She tells him this will reverse the effects of the poison they gave to Martinez. “you need to focus on finding Simon Lee” Jarvis is arguing with her.

    She pretty much tells him he has every resource on the ground to find one man, “USE them. She demands. Then in a softer tone she says “If Martinez recovers they will put you away for the rest of your life!” As Jarvis sits back down at his desk we can see he looks like he is going to be sick. He had better be scared, he blew his loyalties and he knows it.

    Jarvis Scared

    Sean and Vicky are in their car, trying to track where the Courier and her accomplice went to. Sean is trying to track them on his laptop. The Others have a rental car. From about the mid-nineties, rental cars have had tracking devices on them so the companies could keep track of their cars out in the roads.

    Sean is trying to find their car. Vicky, at one point snaps at Sean and then apologized. “You saw how those people died on the ship, if Sophia gets that out here, what could happen?” Sean replied “The Spanish flu killed about 50-100 million people, that was before international travel became so easy…” Vicky says “And this strain’s more virulent?” “Way more” replies Sean “If Sophia released it, I don’t what would be left.” The Tracking worked and they actually do find out the two Others are about fifty miles ahead of them. They speed up a little and go to find out where the disease may be.

    We are now in the Aliens’ Evacuation shelter. Sophia is told that Gerard has established contact with their home world and that it is worse than they thought. “Radiation levels have become catastrophic. Our people are dying. We need to make room here-it needs to get done!” Sophia replies “I understand that better than anyone.” She walks into a makeshift lab and computer room. Dr. Liu tells her (Rightfully so) that in order for this to be spread on a global pandemic scale, the host must live long enough to spread the disease.

    Sophia in Evac Center

    Sophia and Dr. Liu

    They watch a video Arron sent from the Irena Bogdanov. Dr Liu pointed out when the contaminant was released to the time everyone on the ship died. It happened too quickly. But, Dr. Liu also said this was in close quarters, the contaminant was in high concentration, she would need a better scenario to gauge the disease’s effects. Sophia tells Dr. Liu “If it’s more reliable data you need I am sure the next field test will provide it.”

    Blake Sterling is sitting at his home, reading the newspaper and smoking a cigarette. He hears a noise and quietly gets his gun, going to investigate. He lets the intruder walk into a room and makes his, and the gun’s presence known. The intruder turns around and we see Simon Lee. After the initial confrontation, Blake is still doubting Simon’s credibility. Simon hands him the vial explaining what it would do for Martinez. “I split from from Sophia, for good. Once I realized what she wanted to do…How many people she was willing to murder!”

    Blake and Simon Lee

    Blake still does not trust Simon but Simon points out “I was free and clear… ‘Even now I believe we can live in peace with each other… Starting with this…” He hands him the vial and says “If you don’t believe me, shoot me! But get this to Martinez.” Sterling tells Simon to step back from the window. Apparently someone followed Simon to Blake’s house and are out there in their car getting ready for the capture. We see two men in the car, one of whom was Simon’s partner for ten years, as they deploy to the house with others. Heavily armed the team assembles outside and get ready to go in.

    CIA around Blake's House

    Back in the car, Sean at his laptop; “They’re Stopped” he tells Vicky as they tail the Others ahead of them “Ten miles out”… He cross references a map and we then see a large mall parking lot. I know this mall! I am a female in Southern California. I know Malls in General. This, in real-life is the Del Amo Fashion Center, in Torrence, CA. It is near the Palos-Verdes Peninsula. We did Christmas shopping there one year staying ALL DAY LONG. It is a huge indoor mall, and if all this were real, would be a perfect place to release a bio-weapon.

    Mall shot

    Plans of Mall

    Sean and Vicky search for the courier’s car and find it. They find plans for the mall in the other cars’ trunk and this is for details of the air circulation systems. Alexandra and her accomplice are walking inside the mall and Alex said that Sophia want all records about this operation. They agree to meet on the roof, Alexandra takes the container and they part ways. We see the massive interior of the mall and then we are on the roof, watching “Alex” opening the air circulation machine. She then opens one of the black cases to reveal glass canisters containing the lungs of the dead soldier.

    Lungs from Soldier

    Back at Blake Sterling’s house, the tactical team are outside planning who goes where. They are deep into it when sirens and a multitude of police cars show up. They are blowing a CIA operation and finally one of the officers checked the credentials. After standing down the police tell the covert ops that they had received a call about an armed robbery at this address. Blake and Simon escaped during the melee.

    Easy, Easy...

    Jarvis is telling Sophia about Blake and Simon getting away. She is angered at this and tells Jarvis they must be stopped. Sophia is speaking to Jarvis like he is a child. Perhaps she is not wrong. That is why she chose to get to him, is it not? I also note the Aliens do not use cases on their iPhone 4’s. Not like they have to worry about warranty and so on, but that actually makes me nervous. Yes, I am a tech geek! In my opinion, it takes a good actor to make us ‘Hate’ or dislike his or her character. When we, the viewers are yelling at our televisions cussing at Jarvis or Sophia or whoever, that just shows that the particular actor is darn good at their job!

    Sophia Calls Jarvis

    “The last thing I thought I’d be doing is stealing a car” Blake tells Simon as he drives them to a warehouse. They decide the First Lady is the least problematic and they should use her to get the antidote to Martinez. Jarvis already suspects Agent Peel and so they will have to figure a way to meet with Christina. Jarvis already suspects Agent Peel. Blake and Simon in car

    At this same time, Christina is being blocked from her husband’s room by soldiers enforcing a higher security alert. She is denied her visit. and then she gets a call from Blake: “We need to talk… but not here…” .

    Christina's Denial of Service

    Blake calls Christina

    At this time, an agent comes into Jarvis’ office telling him there was a call to Christina from Blake Sterling which only lasted twenty four seconds. The call was encrypted so Jarvis orders that to be decrypted. On hearing this could take hours, Jarvis gets up, putting his jacket on and tells his secretary Eva to get a location on the First Lady.

    Order to find Christina

     

    Back at the Mall, we see Alex affixing a canister to a rectangular, bomb-like device and placing it

     

    onto the air circulation system. Sean and Vicky come into the packed mall and split up. Sean went to the roof and Vicky looks around to try to see their quarry. We see the accomplice meanwhile, in the main security center with the real Security guard down and out. The accomplice calls Sophia: “I’ve got you routed into the video surveillance system, you should have a visual on the site now.”

    Alex's Accomplice in Security room

     

     

     

    Sophia asks “How much longer until you proceed with the test?” He replies “Alex is arosolizing the virus as we speak”. We see Alex on the roof, having placed some of the contaminant into a pressurized canister onto the bottom of the device she made.

    Affixing Bio-weapon

     

    Vicky is now seen running through the mall and she tries a fire alarm switch, which doesn’t work so she gets a security guard to ‘help’. She knew the accomplice most likely disabled the alarm system. The Security man did not believe her, so she had him with her gun to his back, leading him off to do this.

    Back in the main security center, the accomplice sites camera four. “That’s the man from Alex’s flight. The one who tried to stop us” Sophia knows who he is. She says “…And I think I know who told him Alex was on the plane. He must’ve figured out we were going to release the virus. You can’t let him stop it!” The accomplice gets up and leaves to stop Sean.

    Sophia: "Stop Sean!"
    Sean is now on the roof of the mall, looking around and spots Alex with her device at one of the circulation boxes. He starts to venture out onto the area where Alex is and a shot rings out. Alex’s accomplice is trying to stop Sean from stopping them. Sean gets more assertive and comes out shooting at the accomplice who then runs past Alex. Alex shouts “What’s going on?” “Keep working!” he orders as he runs after Sean.

    "Keep Working!"

     

     

    She is soon on her phone reading the riot act to whoever banned her from seeing her husband in the ICU/CCU when Jarvis comes up to her. He said it was a mis-communication and he would straighten out the problem with her seeing Elias. He then gets down to business. He tells Christina that Elias was indeed poisoned and lays the blame on Blake Sterling and Simon. Christina remembered her time with Blake in Elias’ room and how he had told her there was nothing anyone could do. She told Jarvis about Blake’s phone call and she was to meet Blake at a warehouse on Kendal Street.

    Jarvis and Christina

    Sophia, back in the evacuation center, goes to a large panel truck and opens the back to find Leila is in there, restrained. Sophia remarked how hard it was for her to look at Leila and not see Michael “His courage, his resolve… I understand you better than you think. But you have to know how misguided you are I don’t want to hurt anyone. But if you had to choose between saving your family or saving someone Else’s, what would you do? who would you save?” Sophia then said “I need to know what you told Sean Walker.”

    Sophia and Leila in truck

    Leila denied telling him anything and Sophia wound up getting very angry snapping at Leila “Tell me!”. “Go to Hell!” Leila snapped back. Sophia’s voice became calm and level: “Don’t choose the wrong side on this Leila. Because I will do everything I can to protect my people… my family… OUR family!”

    Oh, and yeah, she played the torn loyalties card, but Leila replied “I’m not telling you anything” Sophia gets up and as she leaves tells Leila: “By involving Sean in this you’ve ensured his death. Same way you did with your father.” As Sophia closes the door of the truck’s cargo hold she says “Their blood’s on your hands”.

    Sophia And Leila

    Meanwhile the gunfight on the roof of the mall is in full swing. The Security guard with Vicky both come into the security center and Vicky gets the man to sound the alarm. It would still take about twenty to twenty five minutes to get all the people out. Vicky asks about shutting down the air circulation, but the guard says “I could shut down the breakers, but there’s a battery back up somewhere. I wouldn’t know how to do it”

    Vicky tells this numbskull to hit the alarm and it sounds out sirens with an automated voice instructing patrons to leave the mall by the nearest exit Sean and the accomplice are still shooting it out but Sean is now out of ammo, so he brings hand to hand combat into it with the accomplice. I believe the accomplice’s name is Devon, but am unsure at this point.

    Sean Fights!

    They both fight, rolling about and swinging punches. Alex had the bio-bomb attached and armed. Sean finally kills the accomplice and Vicky comes up at this point. After they find the bio-bomb the “how do we disarm this?” questions start as the seconds tick backwards…

    In the Briefing room, Jarvis, General Ambruster (Blue Deckert) and Agent Peel, among others see the SUV with Blake and Simon in it going into a warehouse via an IMED Satellite feed. Agent Peel is questioning Jarvis “source” and says that he doubts Blake would ever be involved with traitorous activities against his government. Jarvis is coordinating with the Air Force on this one. He instructs someone to ask Gen. McMillan if the Predator Drone is ready for its’ air strike.

    Jarvis 'Fires General

    Mr. Peel is appalled: “Air Strike?? You can’t possibly be serious?” Gen. Ambruster says “With all due respect sir, this is a mistake!” “This is an Order!” Growls Jarvis. “Well, I cannot condone it, Sir.” Says Ambruster Jarvis reminds him the He is acting President commander in Chief and if he cannot condone the actions of his commander in chief then he could “Get the Hell Out!!” We see Gen. Ambruster collect his things and walk out. “Anyone else?” asks Jarvis. “Fire when ready” Jarvis instructs and we see the missile, from leaving the drone to the explosion of the warehouse.

     

    Drone Fires Missile

    Missle approaches

    Warehouse hit

    We can plainly see that Agent Peel is not happy with Jarvis in office. He knew Blake Sterling and what Blake thought of Jarvis, I feel Peel is finding out Blake Sterling was right all along. I can read his face as Jarvis asks for confirmation of the kills. Bill Smitrovich is good in this role!

    Peel Hates Jarvis.

    Back in the Mall, the alarm is sounding and people are leaving.

    Mall Evac

    Mall Evac. Scene

    We see Alex getting onto a RTD local bus outside of the mall and releasing a pressurized valve on her ‘luggage’. I guess if she could not get the Mall infected, a bus would do. At least the Aliens would have some new data about the disease from the people on the bus. From the picture, I see a camera is also there. Alex will video the reactions of the passengers to the disease for the Others.

    Alex boards bus

    The Event S1x20 Alex releases bio on bus

    At this same point in time, Sean and Vicky are on the roof, trying to think of ways to disarm the bio weapon. Vicky says “I thought you were an expert!” “At… at COMPUTERS! Not this…virus producing…” Sean stammers at her “Ok, Ok…Fine! Just do SOMETHING! we’re running out of time..!”. “OK, the timer’s connected to an actuator that opens a solenoid valve that…” They argue about the timer, power source what have you Finally, Sean shoots the device, in effect killing the power supply to it.

    "I dunno what to do!"

    Disarming the BioBomb

     

    BioBomb Disarmed

    Uh, Are you SURE that is really disarmed? Want to burn it too? A bit of fun overkill…Literally! Good thing Sean did NOT puncture the container!

    We see a bus inside the Aliens’ evac center, which I am guessing is just a huge, hollow warehouse I’ve seen trailer-like offices and so on within the large building in this episode. Alongside the bus are the bodies of the people which were on it. Alex is drinking some water and Sophia comes up to her to thank her for the contribution she has made. Alex asked about the device at the mall, and Sophia tells her that it was disarmed. Alex, apologizing, said she should have stayed with it. Sophia said “No, if you had we might have lost everything!!” She walks around the area with the bodies and Others charting and taking notes about the victims.

    Victims from Bus and Alex

    Sophia now says; “Dr Liu has been studying the video you filmed on board the bus. Now that she’s able to see every minute of how the virus affects humans, as well as having these test subjects to autopsy. we’ll be able to move forward.” Turning back to Alex Sophia continues; “We owe you a debt of gratitude.” Carlos comes in to tell Sophia Dr. Liu needs her in the lab. Sophia goes to see her. As we see Dr Liu in her makeshift Lab, she tells Sophia they may have a way to slow down the virus. “Viruses mutate when they jump from species to species. Like Bird Flu becoming H1N1when it crossed into humans. If we jump the virus into the right species, it’ll mutate on its own and we can screen for the variation we need.”

    We need a Hybrid

    Sophia asked “What kind of species would that be?” Dr. Liu replies “The virus doesn’t effect us at all, and it kills the human beings too quickly. We need to infect a bridge species who’s DNA lies somewhere in between.” “Sophia gets a small smile on her face as she says “A Hybrid…” Dr. Liu responds: “Yes, and from what I understand, we’re in luck” Yes, of course she means Leila.

    Christina and some Secret Service men are entering the hospital. “Give me a minute” Christina tells the men as she enters into a gift/florist shop on the first floor. As they wait, she gets a nice bouquet to take into Elias’ room. We then see them all coming from the elevator to Elias’ room and Christina excuses the Secret Service and goes in, alone. She meets the Doctor who tells her it is hopeless. his last EEG showed no signs of high-functioning brain activity. Nothing to be done. Christina refused the doctor’s words and went into the room, closing the curtains behind her.

    Christina Brings Flowers

    Amid the rubble and burning wreck of the warehouse, people searched for bodies. They did not find any bodies, but they DID find a trap door into an underground tunnel. Apparently this led to an outbuilding. Jarvis was told of this news. Also, the earlier phone call from Blake to Christina was decrypted and Jarvis heard it as Blake told Christina “You have to trust me. Jarvis is behind everything that’s happened to your husband but I have a way to save him. I’ll call you on the pay phone in five minutes.”. Christina lied to him. She was in on it in regards to Blake and Simon. He told her about the warehouse…Which she then relayed to Jarvis. it was all a diversion! Jarvis, in his office, alone, whimpering ‘Oh, God…!’

    Jarvis is cooked!

    Back in the Hospital, Christina, alone with Elias, flashes back to the florist’s shop, Leaving the Secret Service men outside as she went into the florist’s and seeing Simon Lee there. She begins to pray quietly as she retrieves the syringe from the flowers she brought in and removes the cap. She goes to Elias, lifts his sleeve and injects the contents into his arm as she prays. This is almost ‘sacred’ she wants her husband to get well again. She kisses Elias and he see him sleeping.

    Friend in the Florist's shop!

    Hidden in those flowers

    Antidote Administered!

    Elias still out
    Back in the Alien’s Evac center, a portion set out for medical, we see Leila strapped to a gurney and Carlos goes to take her head in his hands. Dr. Liu comes up beside her with a petri dish of a yellow substance and a ‘Q-Tip’ type of applicator.

    Infecting Leila

    As Sophia comes in speaking to her, she seems to know what is about to happen. Sophia is talking to her; “In 1918 the Spanish Flu Pandemic killed twenty percent of the world’s population. There were localized strains and mutations. This is one of them. A strain so deadly, it turned entire cities into graveyards…. Overnight.” Leila is struggling against the restraints and Carlos’ hands on her head, also cupping her chin. She is crying “No…Please…!” as Sophia continues: “We worked very hard to find this particular strain. And now you, a Hybrid… a bridge between our people … You’re gonna help us spread it.” Carlos holds Leila’s head steady as Dr. Liu places the applicator, filled with the infectious matter into Leila’s nostrils. Leila looks at Sophia, Sophia’s face becomes blurry and the scene fades out to black.

    Leila's now a carrier

     

    My Take…For what it is worth…

    We leave this week with the Aliens’ home world inching closer to all out destruction by the Supernova. Blake and Simon Lee are working together. Elias Martinez having received the medicine he needs. Jarvis, who I doubt could run a lemonade stand, let alone a country, is a simpering fool, so easily played by those around him, has ordered an air strike on domestic territory and fired General Ambruster. The Aliens are displaced into another refuge where they have their shelter and labs, computers etc… again off the radar for the most part. A busload of people who succumbed to the virulent strain of the virus, and Sean and Vicky having saved a mall full of people. Leila, is now apparently going to be the Aliens’ version of “Typhoid Mary” and be freed to the world so she can spread this disease all around. It kills pure humans too quickly, the Aliens are immune to the disease entirely. Leila, as the Host, would live long enough-if she even gets sick at all, to effectively spread this disease.

    While much of this could make sense, and would seem somewhat indicative of what we as a species would do, I’m anxious to see what Sophia’s people are actually like. I personally believe they would be more like Simon Lee. Not only advanced in Technology, but also in Spirit and mentality. If one has ever watched the newer “Twilight Zone” series from the eighties, there was an episode based on an Arthur C. Clarke short story called “The Star”. It was aired in 1985 for Christmas, and dealt with the study of a nebula by astronauts of Earth’s future. On an outlying dead planet, they found a pillar and underneath that was an archive of music, art, writings images what used to be a peaceful, advanced People. Humans who have lived in Peace for over a thousand years.

    One of the crew was a Jesuit Priest who was able to analyze data about when the Star in question exploded. The Star exploded, the light of that Supernova reached Earth only visible for a short time at certain co-ordinates . The Priest figured out the time line. He was angry because this had destroyed a peaceful planet and people….yes, people…. so that we could have the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ here on Earth. As he was dwelling in his anger and sadness at his God, one of his colleagues came in with something they had decoded from the lost civilization. The last item placed into the archive and first one retrieved:

    “Mourn not for us, for we have known the light. and looked on Beauty, have lived in peace and loved. Grieve but for those who go alone, unwise, to die in darkness and never see the sun”.

    I would like to feel that a truly advanced race of people… or otherwise… would realize when their time had come. I hope also when this sun may go nova, that this species can be the same. Sometimes, the price of one’s ‘survival’ is just too high for the other.

    Next week is the second to last episode of this fine season. Included below courtesy of NBC Universal is the sneak peek of “The Beginning of the End”.

    I do hope those in NBC’s decision making power will grant a second season. Be sure to watch live, or in On Demand to help the ratings! Monday night, 9/8C tune in for The Event! In the meantime, included below courtesy of NBC is “Some Will Live, Some Will Die”!

    If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Click to visit and follow Celtica (Jen) on Twitter!

    Regards,

    Celtica (Jen)

  • Stargate Universe: “Blockade” with Special “Gauntlet” Sneak Peek

    Click to visit Stargate Universe on Syfy!

    Greetings Sci Fi Fans!

    Syfy Logo Chain Mail - Click to visit Stargate Universe on SyfyIt is hard to believe that the last new episode of any Stargate flavor will air so soon, at least for the foreseeable future, and I am personally very nervous about how Stargate Universe will end. Our beloved SG-1 and SGA each had the luxury of a years-long run that allowed characters and story lines to fully develop in a way that they could be brought to some kind of reasonable (if reluctant) close.

    Sadly, Stargate Universe was not afforded the same opportunity and I am afraid it may be difficult to bring the series to a conclusion that will not leave us tangled in a bunch of hanging threads. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that the writers will be able to give us some kind of closure, preferably through a door that might, some day, be opened again.

    Click to visit the fabled MGM Studios at their official web site!This latest episode, “Blockade,” continues to expand on two themes: the descendants of the crew’s other selves, and the Drone ships programmed to destroy any technology other than their own. What might happen if two thousand years of human evolution came up against such a mindless, destructive force?

    The advent of the aggressive Drone ships is strikingly reminiscent of the Replicators, nemesis of both SG-1 and Atlantis. Like the Replicators, the Drones are a machine intelligence, mindlessly fulfilling its prime directive and destroying all technology and technology-capable beings in its path. In “Blockade” we begin to see that there may be lot more Drones out there than we might have originally thought. This may be one story element that cannot be concluded with only one more episode to go. Maybe if all the brilliant scientific minds from all three series get together in one last big effort they could figure out a quick and miraculous solution!

    Eli watching video

    “Blockade” begins with Eli Wallace (David Blue), watching the video of the dedication of the little school that was named after his other self. He has obviously watched it many times, and his face betrays both sadness and perhaps some longing as he watches. The Kino footage of the other Eli has affected him very deeply. He saw himself alone while all the other survivors slowly paired off, had children, became families. That other Eli ultimately married Corporal Barnes (Leanne Adachi), who really didn’t seem like his type. I don’t think our Eli was all that excited about the pairing either, yet another reason to feel regret for the fate of his other self. On the other hand, that Eli accomplished great things, creating the basis for an entire people’s education.

    Destiny is low on fuel and drops out of FTL to fuel up at the nearest appropriate star but for some reason the ship has decided to detour around a big gas giant. This turns out to be a lucky decision because as soon as they get around the gas giant and in view of the star, they see a Drone command ship blocking the path to the star and the Drones swoop in on the attack. Time for a hasty retreat! Destiny takes a few hits before jumping back into FTL but they get away without any major damage. How did the Drones know about Destiny’s refueling methods? How did they know to position themselves on that particular side of the star? Even Destiny’s crew was surprised that the ship chose such a circuitous approach.

    Blocked

    Blockade attack

    After getting away from the Drone ship, Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) seems strangely interested in having everyone let go of the idea that the Drones can track them or know their destination. When Eli challenges him, Rush says “call it wishful thinking, if you like.” Rush? Wishful thinking? That seems a little out of character, doesn’t it?

    Rush plots a course for an appropriate red dwarf star that is not on Destiny’s normal route, in hopes of avoiding the possibility of another Drone attack. If the Drones are waiting for them at all of the eligible stars along their route, Destiny’s only hope for safely refueling—and they are almost out of gas—is to find a star that the Drones will not think to check.

    On approach to the next star, Camile Wray (Ming Na) gets to sit in the captain’s chair! She is reluctant at first to take Colonel Young’s (Louis Ferreira) seat, but he says, “What am I, Captain Kirk?” Of course, Rush has to tell her not to touch anything, as if she would.

    Young offers the chair

    Take a seatThat Star Trek joke was just the first of many fun references to other sci-fi shows peppered throughout this episode.

    Despite their careful planning, when they drop out of FTL they find the Drones are blocking their way to this star too. Destiny jumps back into FTL but they cannot keep this up forever. In fact, power reserves are so low that there will only be one more chance before Destiny is incapable of reaching any more fueling stops.

    The Drone blockade does provide some useful information, though. Since the Drones are forming a blockade to prevent Destiny accessing any potential source of fuel, it follows that the Drones are not able to track Destiny after all.

    Here's the plan

    Eli comes up with another brilliant but risky plan to get them the fuel they so desperately need. He proposes they try refueling at a star that the Drones will never suspect they would try, simply because it is incredibly dangerous. Sgt. Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) gets the joke in this scene—“Don’t tell me—Death Star.” But no, Eli is proposing they pass through a blue supergiant. If you want to know more about blue supergiants, click here. (WHR’s own SciFiFanGirl616 was named for a blue supergiant. How awesome is that?)

    Eli and Rush are convinced that Destiny’s shields will be able to withstand that extreme temperatures of passing through one of the hottest stars in the galaxy, but the people on board would not be able to survive. Temperatures inside the ship are expected to climb to nearly 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone will have to be evacuated through the Stargate to whatever habitable planet is in range while Rush and Eli stay on board to pilot Destiny through the star. They can wear two of the three available suits to protect them from the extreme temperatures.

    It is agreed that there is really no choice but to try Eli’s plan so everyone starts getting ready to carry it out. High on the priority list is to salvage whatever they can of the fresh food they have managed to cultivate in the hydroponics dome. Under the dome it is lush and green, plants heavy with lots tomato-looking fruits.

    Harvesting the dome

    As the ship comes nearer and nearer to the blue supergiant, more and more systems start to shut down and Destiny starts locking down hatchways. When the first set of doors unexpectedly shut and locked I was immediately put on alert. This seemed to be an ominous development and I started to get worred.

    Doors are closing

    When the time comes to evacuate, Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence) has a crazy idea. She volunteers to stay behind in the one remaining suit so she can use the additional time before Destiny enters the star to salvage more of the precious plants. Again, her decision to stay behind made me nervous. Things were starting to look dicey.

    Ready to evacuate

    Dropping out of FTL, there are no Drones in sight and there is one gate address in range. So far, so good. Eli sends the Kino through the gate, revealing what looks like a long-unused warehouse of some kind, very earth-like and cluttered with debris. Eli’s comment: “Holy crap, we’ve dialed Pittsburgh.” I am sure no offense was intended to Pittsburgh or its residents; merely a comment on how very earth-like the city appeared! Eli theorizes that this must be one of the planets that their human descendants settled but whoever once lived there, it looks abandoned now.

    Abandoned warehouse

    Once on the planet, Col. Young decides to send a few small teams out to search for useful goods like food and weapons. Sgt. Greer has already noted that their supply of ammunition is running low. Camile Wray remarks that she would kill for a new outfit. That made me laugh because the subject of outfits actually came up during Elyse Levesque’s (Chloe Armstrong) Q&A at the 2010 Stargate Convention in Los Angeles.

    Eli helping with the harvest

    On the ship, Eli helps Dr. Park harvest the precious plant material until Dr. Rush calls him back to the bridge. Eli and Park have already suited up, but when Eli gets to the bridge he finds Rush is still suitless. He says there is still plenty of time before they reach the star and in the meantime they can work better without the suits. Eli: “Yeah, but now I look ridiculous.” Rush: “Yeah.” Hilarious!

    Now I look ridiculous

    Rush surprises Eli by asking which of the two of them will be piloting the ship through the star. Naturally Eli had assumed Rush would be in charge, but it is Eli’s plan and Eli’s calculations, after all. They agree that Eli should be in charge of the operation so he can enter any necessary course corrections on the fly.

    An alarm sounds in the dome as Dr. Park is still pulling up plants. She grabs her bags and heads for the door, but too late—Destiny locks down the hatch and she is trapped inside. Okay, I definitely saw that coming. This is the kind of thing that can happen when a show is cancelled. Characters can be killed off because there is no tomorrow for them anyway. The end of a series can bring shocking outcomes. I knew in my heart that Park was doomed the minute she announced she would stay on board to gather plants in a space suit. Still, I clung to a tiny shred of hope and clutched the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next.

    Trapped in the dome

    Sgt. Greer finds some canned goods with the labels faded to nothing. Handing some to Dr. Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore), Greer insists that they take the cans along. Volker: “Mmm, botulism.”

    Botulism

    In the warehouse, one of the men, Morrison (Vincent Gale), finds a page from what looks like a newspaper, the headline reading “ATAK!” Young finds a rooftop vantage point and sees that this city was not just abandoned, it was destroyed.

    Atak

    City is destroyed

    The search teams are halfway across town, walking past abandoned stores with names like Kand-i-Mart and Harmuth Markit. (I wonder if Harmuth Markit is an homage to Harmut Essinger, the person responsible for much of Apple Computer’s early design strategy? I always wonder what inspires writers and set decorators to choose things like store names, don’t you?)

    Harmuth Markit

    Meanwhile, Morrison thinks he has deciphered the newspaper article. It says the attack on the city came from space, from machines that went after the inhbabitants’ technology. Of course, we knew all along that it was going to be Drones, right? There is no evidence yet, but I know it is just a matter of time.

    The salvage teams still have not found anything like a gun shop or a grocery store. Suddenly they hear something that sends them running for cover. A Drone has somehow detected them and comes down to hover over the street, just outside the teams’ positions.

    Company

    Eli tries desperately to find some way to override Destiny’s systems and get Park out of the hydroponics dome, but nothing is working. Eventually, Rush brings everyone back to the very real problem: trying to help Dr. Park has taken Eli away from the bigger job in front of him, which is piloting Destiny through that star without killing them all and stranding everyone else on some unknown, abandoned planet. He tells Park to get down in the collection basin and ride it out under water. No one really thinks that will work, but they all accept the situation and Eli gets back to work. Rush assures Eli that she will be fine, but his expression seems more doubtful.

    The salvage teams remain hidden in buildings on opposite sides of the street, but after a while they can hear more Drones arriving. The people near the Stargate can hear them too, and Morrison panics. He grabs the remote and dials the Gate. Lt. James (Julia Benson) knocks him out with an awesome elbow to the face and shuts down the Gate, but too late. The Gate activation has alerted the Drones. Worse, when James radios Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) to report the situation, the ratio chatter gives away Scott’s position and the Drone fires. Greer takes that as his cue to go on the attack. He fires on the Drone to distract it from Lt. Scott and give the rest of their party a chance to escape. Greer and Scott keep firing while everyone else makes a run for it. Then Young unexpectedly shows up and between the three of them they finally shoot the Drone out of the sky. Lucky for them, the other one had taken off for the Gate location. Too bad they used up so much ammunition. That could prove to be a problem down the road.

    Cover fire

    Killing the drone

    Destiny is entering the star and Rush and Eli are fully suited, helmets and all, manning the controls. Temperatures inside have already climbed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Eli theorizes that the ship closed off the hatchway to the dome and would not let them override because it knew the dome would never be able to survive the heat and stress of passage through this particular star.

    Destiny entering the star

    Lt. James radios that a Drone has just appeared outside the warehouse. Scott warns her to stay off the radio but says she is counting on the Drones being drawn to the signal. Varro (Mike Dopud) comes out with a grenade launcher and blasts the Drone out of the sky.

    Varro with grenade launcher

    Park is still clutching her bags of plants. It looks like the temperature in the dome is outrageously high. We can hear the fear in her breath, and we can see it in the way she moves, hesitantly, toward the edge of the collection basin. What a great performance by Jennifer Spence. With a last look around, she climbs into the pool with her sacks of greenery and grabs on.

    Climb into the collection basin

    Eli manages to make all the necessary course corrections and get them into the star long enough to charge all systems to maximum capacity. He starts moving them back out of the star but then the roof of the dome blows apart. The garden is on fire, massive flames leaping toward the sun, Park barely hanging on in the collection pool, her body being pulled toward the shattered roof. With flames all around her and the prospect of being sucked out to a burning death, she screams, but is still stubbornly hanging onto one of her bags. I am personally wondering why the bag is not burning right now.

    There goes the dome

    Magic bag is not burning

    They make it out of the star with interior temperatures all the way up to 310 degrees. As Rush prepares to start cooling the Gate room so they can bring everyone back on board, he sees on the ship indicators that they have lost the dome. Eli runs from the bridge.

    Camile Wray explains to Young and the rest of the salvage team what they have learned from the newspaper article. Apparently, the plan was to move the Stargate from a place they called Terminus to an older part of the city, the building where they are now. There is no technology at that location so the inhabitants were probably trying to avoid attracting the Drones. Volunteers were driving vehicles away from the city to draw off the Drones and save as many people as they could.

    There are a few little details bothering me at this point. Where are the remains of the dead? They couldn’t all have gone to dust already, not with the buildings still so intact and no vegetation taking over. And why do they have to try and decipher the newspaper article? Store names and headlines all appear to be a close relative to English. Could the rest of the article have been that much different? What about remnants of vehicles? The Drones don’t have disintegration rays; they just blast things to pieces. The streets just seem too clean. Okay, pickiness moment over!

    There is still at least a half hour to go before the crew can expect to rejoin Destiny. Camile asks Young about what he brought back from his salvage run, and it’s a new outfit! Although he was not able to find anything like weapons or food, he did find a dry cleaner.

    When Eli arrives at the hydroponics dome, to his immense relief Dr. Park is able to tell him that she is just on the other side of the door. Now that they are through the star, Destiny allows Rush to override the lockdown and he gets the door open. With Eli’s help, Park makes her way back inside the ship, still stubbornly clutching that bag of plants. Miraculously, she is alive and seems to be okay. But she is blind.

    Escaped but blind

    On the planet, the landing party does not like what they are hearing outside. Young decides it is time to dial the Gate. As everyone starts through to the ship, a Drone command ship descends low over the city.

    Drone command ship

    Everyone makes it safely on board. Rush sends Lt. Johansen (Alaina Huffman) to the infirmary, reporting that Dr. Park has flash blindness, and says that hopefully it is only temporary.

    Rush tells Young that Eli got them through. He said he kept checking Eli’s calculations looking for a mistake but there weren’t any. He said it was genius, and that he had never seen anything like it, but: “Please don’t tell him I told you that.”

    Report

    So at the end of this episode, Destiny’s systems are fully recharged, but they will not be able to use the same trick to refuel that way again. Rush says the Drones will not fall for it again, plus that type of star is very rare. Young thinks they are right back where they started but Rush says not exactly, they have a full tank of gas. Last funny moment of the episode: Brody (Peter Kelamis) and Volker: “Yay.” Okay, not so funny in print but very funny on video.

    Yay

    And Destiny jumps back to FTL.

    I am both anxious to see the next episode, so I can see what will happen next, but wishing it would not air just yet, so the end will never come. For now I am going to live in the present and relish the fantastic experience of getting to see these talented actors give us their all, interpreting rich storytelling from the gifted writers of the Stargate Universe series. Thank you everyone, cast and crew. We love you all!

    Stargate Universe will air its concluding episode May 09, 2011 on Syfy and on the Space Channel on May 10, 2011 with “Gauntlet”. We encourage all Stargate fans to watch the episode live to prove your support of this superb MGM Studios franchise. Thank you. Here is a sneak peek at “Gauntlet:”

    Click to visit OffworldTravelr (Ginger) on Twitter!

    Until next time,

     

    OffworldTravelr

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  • The Event: Us Or Them!

    The Event: Us Or Them!

    Hello The Event fans,

    When we left off last week, President Martinez (Blair Underwood) had been poisoned by Raymond Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich) under the ‘guidance’ of Sophia Maguire (Laura Innes). Blake Sterling (Zeljko Ivanek) along with Agent Peel (Roger Bart).

    Click to visit NBC Universal!
    We observed surveillance video of the meeting room before the call to order that morning and saw Jarvis hanging around the coffee cart, taking something out of his pocket and later, when the President had fallen, he saw Jarvis -in the surveillance video- reaching and taking a used packet of sweetener that the President had put into his coffee. Blake knew Jarvis was behind this and yet he had no real proof.

    Until after the convening of the executive branch to vote for Jarvis to become acting President. When Blake returned to his office, he noticed a coffee stain on his sleeve which had been there all day from the time President Martinez’s coffee had spilled that morning.

    The Event S01x18 Blake's Sleeve

    Michael Buchanan (Scott Patterson) and Leila Buchanan (Sarah Roemer) argued about Leila calling outside of the Aliens’ community with details of what agent Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) had told her The Bodyguard, who we now know as Louis, who was assigned to keep an eye on Leila came up on them as they were arguing. He told Michael that Sophia had to be told what happened. As we saw them walking… presumably to where Sophia was, Michael killed Louis. He and Leila then took the body to their home to dispose of it and clean up the evidence.

    The “weapon” recovered by the Aliens was in fact the body of a World War one soldier who had died of the Spanish flu. The Soldier’s corpse had been taken to a ship in Port in Murmansk, and he was being autopsied by a medical examiner. The M.E. wound up cutting his own hand, apparently got out and others on the ship became infected with the strain as well. Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and Vicky Roberts (Tayler Cole) discovered “Irina Bogdanov” was not a woman, but was a large ship ported in Murmansk, Western Siberia.

    Unwrapping the Corpse

    They got to the ship and boarded it to find everyone they could see there had died. When they found the corpse in the makeshift autopsy room, the soldier’s lungs had been cleanly removed. Sean and Vicky did find a man who had been there and he told them the people who were there before got someone to take the tissue to the United States. “I don’t know what, but they are bringing contaminated tissue to your country!” The man told them it was being taken by Air Moscow to America.

    President Martinez had all the symptoms of a brain bleed and his condition has been serious and then deteriorating through the episode. The compound that the Aliens gave Jarvis to spike the President’s coffee with was supposed to be “Quick and Painless”. It most likely would have been, had we not all the medical tech we do today for trying to save stroke victims. We ended with Christina Martinez (Lisa Vidal) being rushed out of the ICU as Elias was going into a convulsive seizure and what is termed as ‘Coding’ (pulse, breathing etc stopped or in arrhythmia) in the ICU, with staff trying to stabilize him.

    Hospital Upset

    “Us Or Them”

    We open this episode with Jarvis being sworn in as President of the United States by the Chief Justice. The solemn voice of the swearing in took place with alternative scene of the emergency treatment being given to the President. His pupils are ‘blown’, this is anomalous and very serious.. At the same time, Raymond Jarvis is placing his hand on the Bible taking the oath to become acting president.

    Jarvis Swearing in

    President Martinez is apparently getting a ventricular aspiration to analyze spinal fluid or in the attempt to relieve pressure but there is nothing there. No fluid. The pressure is increasing, then he goes into cardiac arrest. Several attempts with the defibrillator and his brain function has diminished. They do get him back, but with the Electroencephalogram (A test of brain activity) being ‘significantly flattened’, he is now in a deep, unresponsive coma.

    Resuscitating Elias

    Jarvis and the Chief Justice

    Simon is in his room in the medical house in their community and is watching the news about President Martinez. He knows Sophia had something to do with this. Michael Buchanan comes in to see him, saying “I hear you have to be fed and watered.” throwing a packed lunch on Simon’s bed. He begins to walk out.. Simon asks him if he has seen the news about the President. Michael says that she is only doing what she has to do for their people. “By committing genocide!” Simon replies. “We need to make room!”

    Michael replied. Simon points out that this is an indication of how Sophia has changed. Killing former friends, turning against her own. “How do you know you won’t be next?” Simon asked. Michael says “I’m not a traitor” Simon claims Michael is worse. Just blindly following her… “You’re a sheep… a Coward…”Simon tells him. With that, Michael explodes with temper and strikes Simon.

    Michael and Thomas Fight

    Fists fly from Michael on Simon, but Simon is in restraints. It comes down to Michael trying to strangle Simon, but Simon fights back, breaking the restraints on one hand and working on the other when Michael again attacks him. Simon is subdued and Michael pulls a gun on Simon saying “Accept!! The Native population is DONE! They don’t have a chance!” Simon looks at him dazed and says “Don’t underestimate them.” I can see why Simon is a Favourite character. He is acting the way I hope any ‘real’ extraterrestrials would, not just coming here to kill us all without any thought.

    Gun on Simon

    Next, we’re in the ‘war room’ as Jarvis addresses his new command. In brief, he says we must open diplomatic channels with Sophia and try to work with them. Jarvis orders the military to stand down from the aliens. “Letting them live in peace, so that we may do the same.” Blake is not happy at all seeing Jarvis in power. We then see Blake and Agent Peel conferring about the coffee stain, and the shirt has been sent to be analyzed. Peel pointed out to Sterling that Jarvis is now the President and that his proof must be completely irrefutable.

    Jarvis Orders Stand Down

    Sophia is with Michael in her house as he briefs her on what happened with Simon. After Michael leaves Sophia gets a call from Arron. Overlooking a beautiful scene of a Russian city, he is in a hotel telling Sophia that the body they had excavated is still ripe with a strain of the virus. Arron also told Sophia about the others on the ship being accidentally compromised. “Everyone on the ship died within hours. the strain works even more quickly than we’d anticipated”. We learn the couriers’ name is Alex and the tissue is en route from Moscow to New York. At this time, it is presumed “Alex” is a male.

    Arron In Moscow

    Sophia on Phone to Arron

    At the Moscow Airport, we see a man carrying a metallic suitcase boarding the flight. He declines check-in of the suitcase and boards the flight. Next scene is Sean Walker and Vicky Roberts running thru the airport to the boarding area. They ask about the passengers on the flight, but the attendant nicely tells them she cannot give out that information. Spur of the moment tickets are bought by Sean and they both board the flight as the boarding is now closed. –I feel I’m correct in surmising the Bag that Dempsey gave to Sean also contained money. He knew they would need to board trains, planes and so on. As Sean and Vicky board, they pass the man who boarded earlier and we see the suitcase under his seat.

    Run to Boarding Gate

    Scene of the Air Moscow flight over the a layer of clouds with the night sky. In the plane, Vicky is playing ‘tourist’ and watching the Stewardess prepare the cart for the passenger refreshments and when the woman leaves, Vicky sneaks a peek at the passenger manifest in the galley. She gets back to her seat beside Sean saying “I got the passenger manifest. There’s no ‘Alex’ on board. I even checked first and last names.” She shows Sean the manifest. Sean points out a man ahead of them is “Acting real weird, looking around him… He’s coming back from the bathroom” We see the man -carrying that suitcase- coming back. Sean asks quietly “Who brings their carry-on to the bathroom?”. Vicky notes the man’s seat location.

    Vicky gets the Manifest

    Sean and Vicky in seats

    Back in Washington DC, Blake Sterling enters the ICU of the hospital to see President Martinez. Christina Martinez is there, keeping vigil over her husband. After greeting Blake, she tells him it isn’t good for Elias. She starts to blame herself for the stress put on Elias and other things. Blake gently tells her “This is nothing you did! Nothing could’ve helped him”. Christina is taken aback by Blake’s words.

    “What do you mean?… What do you know?” Blake replies, “Nothing… I just meant Elias would be heartbroken if he thought you were blaming yourself for this.”. Christina is not buying this. “I know you Blake” she said firmly. “You know something! Tell me..” but Blake gently apologizes again to her and leaves. I liked Blake at this point. He always seemed so ‘unemotional’ but this scene showed him having a soft spot.

    Blake Comforts Christina

    Dr. Liu Tells Sophia

    Sophia is being briefed by Dr. Liu, She tells Sophia the compound has already slowed Elias’ brain activity and he could die either later today or tomorrow. Michael heard the discussion as he came in to see Sophia. After the Doctor leaves, Michael and Sophia talk a bit. “Do you know what scares me the most?” asks Sophia. “The letting go. of who I used to be.

    I knew that it would be painful to follow through on Thomas’ plan that in order to make room for our people here to ensure their survival, I would have to… sacrifice some of my principles.” Sophia (Laura Innes) played this part very well. that voice of hers, so soft and easy, makes me feel I want to be on her side. Even knowing full well what that means. Michael interjected “You’ve taken a huge burden on your shoulders, Sophia.”.

    Michael comes to see Sophia

    Sophia replies, “But that doesn’t make what has to happen next any easier”. She paused and then continued “This morning, Simon attacked Carlos in the infirmary and he nearly escaped” Michael said that Simon needs to be moved to a more secure location. Sophia says no. “I was hoping that Simon would soften his views and that we could welcome him back into the fold” She sighed “It’s clear to me that that will never happen. He needs to be taken care of.” — I know, she does NOT mean to ‘care for Simon’. THAT line NEVER means anything good as we know, but actually she thinks she has to kill him.

    I was hoping she would not take this route. If I were Sophia, I would secure him more thoroughly and then let him see the fruition of the plan. THAT would be a pain to Simon, unmatched by any physical torture. Michael asked why she was approaching him about this. Sophia said he had always been loyal, able to set aside his attachments to his family for what needs to be done. “You will do this for me” she says as a matter-of-fact. Michael agrees.

    The Letting Go

    On the Plane, Vicky walks past the suspected courier and spills a drink into his lap. The courier gets up and goes into the Galley for a cloth, of course carrying his suitcase with him. Sean and Vicky tackle him in the galley and Vicky opens the case…. To find Cocaine. “We have the wrong guy” she says to Sean “It’s Coke.”. One of the flight attendants enters, asking if everything is alright, and they all assure him it is. Back in their seats, Sean says “we have to let the authorities know there’s a WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) on this plane. You used to work for the CIA, you have to know someone that we can get word to…” Pointing out at least the virus could be contained just to this plane. Not everyone else. Then, again, he sort of questions why Vicky is still staying with him and why she is helping him. She tells him not to flatter himself, that she is doing this to protect her family too.

    Sean Fights in Galley

    "It's Coke!"

    Back in their house, Michael and Leila are in their kitchen. Leila tells Michael she has found a spot to bury Louis’ body. about a mile into the woods, the ground is soft. Michael tells her they will do this tonight and starts to walk out. Leila stops him with a question. “We can bury Louis, but what about everyone else? How many people will have to die?” Michael says the title line when he replies “Leila, I don’t like this any more than you do, but it’s Us, or Them! Now, I ‘ have to go.”

    Leila retorts “When I was a kid, I was playing with the boys across the street and they killed a bird. I told you what happened and you said we were the strongest and smartest things on the planet, so we had a responsibility to protect the smaller weaker things because if we didn’t do it, no one else would. That it was the right thing to do. I don’t know if you remember that but I do. But I’m looking at you and I don’t recognize that person anymore.” Michael looks almost ashamed as he wordlessly walks out from their house.

    Michael Leaves Leila

    Blake is in his office as Mr. Laduchi comes in with the preliminary lab results of the tox-screen run on Blake’s sleeve. “The analysis came back as containing coffee and sucralose which is a very common sugar substitute, but I also found traces of an unknown bio-catalyst. It’s not something naturally occurring it’s synthesized, which… is strange, because as far as I know, we don’t even have the science to create it.” It seems as if Blake is now fully aware of who does have the ‘science’ and seems to remember Jarvis pushing for diplomacy with the aliens. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a better explanation” concludes Mr. Laduchi Blake sighs and looks at Laduchi as he says: “I think I do.”

     

    Blake walks in to Jarvis’ office. Jarvis is going through paperwork and his head is resting on one hand.”Blake, What is it?” he asks tiredly. Blake says “We need to talk. I don’t think what happened to the President was an accident” Blake tells Jarvis that he had a sample of the coffee from that morning which spilled on his clothes analyzed. “So” Jarvis replies “You really do suspect foul play”. “There was foul play” Blake says as he gives Jarvis copies of the report from the lab.

    Blake shows Jarvis the report

    “I have reason to believe the compound came from Sophia’s people” he said. “And once I realized Sophia was involved, it all made sense to me.” “Meaning…What?” asked Jarvis. “Meaning you’re not capable of doing something like this alone… Raymond.” Jarvis became upset and spluttered “H-how DARE you! Accuse me!”… They start to argue vehemently, but Blake’s onto Jarvis.

    Blake said to Jarvis that Sophia only used Jarvis so she could get control of this office. “You’re a PAWN, Her puppet!” then, Blake softens and says “I know you care about this country, but trusting Sophia will only lead to more death and destruction… Whatever you’re doing, Put an end to it…Now… before it’s too late” Jarvis cites Blake’s accusations as baseless and says that this is where they part ways. At this point Jarvis effectively fires Blake and tells him “You’re Done!” He looked like he would spit fire at Blake if he could have.

    Back on the airplane from Moscow, everyone in the cabin is sleeping or appears to be. Sean looks out of his window and sees the Military escort sidling up to the passenger jet. Cabin lights come on and the Stewardess announces that they “…are currently under military escort. There is no reason to be alarmed, Our flight is being redirected to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland only as a safety precaution. At this time we ask that you remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened. Thank you”. Passengers are whispering and talking among themselves.

    Sean sees Military escort

    Military Jets

    Stewardess Makes announcement

    We see the suspicious man getting up and walking to another part of the plane. On being told to go back to his seat, he says he wants to go to his wife. they were given separate seats, but he wants to be with her. The Attendant saying “I’ll see what I can do” leads him off to the other area of the plane. Arron is now on the phone to Sophia, telling her that their courier just emailed him telling him their plane now has a US Military escort. Sophia say they must get the virus to a better location. as this strain works too quickly. In other words, the tissue they have would kill only those in the plane and not allow it to spread out the way they need it to.

    Jarvis is telling Agent Peel about having to fire Blake. As the agent leaves his office, Jarvis gets a call from Sophia. Sophia, no longer playing nice, tells Jarvis to issue a ‘stand down’ order on the Military escort of the Russian jet. “You don’t need to know anything, just do it.” She threatens Jarvis with more destruction of his people and a full-disclosure about Jarvis role in the attempts on Elias life. “You will call off the F-16’s Now!” –Her voice is no longer soft or friendly. She lays it on the line to Jarvis, Jarvis knows he has no hope of arguing her down.

    Sophia lays it down on Jarvis

    Sophia, in my opinion has just attained the “BAMF” (BAMF=Bad a** mother f***er) Status. She is harder in voice and action than we have seen her before.I believe this is due to having been lied to for all these decades and her knowledge that time is of the essence for her people now.

    At the same time, back on the jet, Sean, Vicky and the others see the fighter jets leave. The Captain announces the threat was unfounded and they are now back to the regular flight. Vicky says Sophia must have someone on the inside. They finally land at JFK airport, Sean and Vicky see the flight attendant go through as another steward offered to share a cab with her and called her “Alexandra”. “Oh, my boyfriend is picking me up” Alexandra replies as they walk through past the line Sean and Vicky stand in, waiting to get their bags checked. It was the Stewardess! That is why she was not on the flight manifesto.

    "Alex" Is Alexandra

    Jarvis is told by his secretary that Blake Sterling has been escorted off the grounds. Jarvis thanks her, and turns to face out the window, hi expression could be read as disappointed and even ‘horrified’. Mainly I see anger at the fact he realizes he has been ‘Played’ by Sophia. It is as if Blake’s words have come back to haunt him now. Jarvis has been indeed a pawn in the greater game between two very powerful people.

    Jarvis Regrets

    Carlos and Simon

    Back in the infirmary at the community, Simon is bound and in his room. Michael come in to the room and the guard, Carlos, his nose bandaged most likely from the earlier attack on him by Simon, says it isn’t a good idea for him to enter. Michael tells him “Sophia asked me to take care of things. You can go now”. Carlos leaves. Simon looks at Michael asking “So, Sophia asked you to do her dirty work for her huh?” He looks at Michael and continues “You’re going to have to face up to what you’re doing, Michael.

    To me, and the billions of people Sophia will ask you to kill.” It appears that Michael will indeed shoot Simon, but he doesn’t. After firing a round, he goes to Simon “We gotta get you out of here” Simon looks back at the wall where a bullet hole is and sighs. Next, we see Michael in the room as Carlos comes back in “Give me a hand with the body” he says. As Carlos comes in Michael knocks him out. Simon and he are going to meet on the northwest side of the compound in the woods.

    Alex Getting away

    Sean and Vicky are running through the airport and they see the stewardess with her bag, they chase and try to intercept her but another man drives up, blocking them off from Alexandra. The man jumps out and grabs Sean holding a gun to his head, preventing Vicky from shooting. Sean kept telling her to take the shot. Vicky refuses. Eventually, Vicky puts her gun down and she kicks it away on the man’s instructions. The Stewardess gets into her car, with the case and drives off, letting the other man get into the car with her. Sean and Vicky heist a car as per usual and they drive off in pursuit.

    Sean Hostage

    Back into the Community, Carlos is discovered, gagged and bound in Simon’s room. The call goes out “Michael and Simon are gone! Lock down the perimeter before they escape!” Scenes of the woods and Leila and Simon standing, Leila asks “where’s my dad?” Simon answers “He said he’d meet us here”. We then see many of the Aliens going out on search from their streets into the woods

    The Search is On

    . Michael shows up to where Simon and Leila are, closely followed by the search party. Michael tells the other two “The Perimeter fence is straight ahead… about fifty yards through those trees..” We see them running to the fence. It looks as if they’re about to make it, but gunfire erupts from the search party and fire is returned by Simon and Michael. Leila is seen running to the fence and the search party is hot on their trail.

    Simon and Leila in Woods

    Searching for the Escapees

    Michael directs to escape

    After Michael lets the other two get ahead, he stays behind and fights with the searchers from the community. It looks like he is completely outnumbered, and we see him get a bullet. As Simon and Leila reach the fence, we see Michael coming up to Leila and he has indeed been shot. Leila holds him, trying to get him to run. Michael falls and Leila is calling for her dad to stay. Michael, while calling her ‘baby’ and so on is hurt bad but tells Leila there is a vial in his pocket. She is to get this to the president as soon as she can. Leila will not leave her ‘Dad’ and does not go with Simon. I was hoping she would leave with Simon. This could have put another twist into the story later.

    Michael is Hit

    Michael keeps telling her to go, saying “Go…Leila…” She tells Simon to take the vial instead. Simon leaves, jumping the fence and Michael dies in Leila’s arms, while apologizing to her for the way he had acted before. As Leila is captured and taken back from her father, she see Sophia and looks at Sophia saying “You did this! You killed him!” Sophia’s face is unreadable.

    We are left with Sean and Vicky going after the courier of the infected tissue, Simon on the run and Leila, now apparently fatherless, in the hands of “The Others”. Elias Martinez is still in Critical care and Blake has been fired. Jarvis is now the President and realizes what has happened but will he change back to the side of the Humans? Will he have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to Sophia and her people? That remains to be seen…

    You killed him!

    My take…For what it is worth…

    I will miss Michael Buchanan if he did, in fact die. We are left to presume he passed away, but most Sci-Fi people know that “No one really dies in Sci-Fi”. He was in a way a good guy/bad guy, leaning more to the side of peace but stuck in the control of Sophia’s plan.His inner conflict made him an interesting character.

    If Sophia did not kill Michael directly, it was her orders and ways that did ultimately result in Michael’s demise. At least from what I saw, Michael saw what he had become and repented for this to his daughter, and to himself. He went back to what I feel the Aliens would really be about were they not facing such desperation in their people’s fate. There are very similar mannerisms among the Eartheaon people. I feel throughout history Man has been like this.

    We would all like to think we are so much better than that, but are we really? Best to ask some of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Australia, Africa etc and see what they would say about this. I doubt our history is much better than we would like to think it is. A lot of the actions in history was based on greed. Invading tribes did not face a supernova or the extinction of their people. Some actions were based on a survival instinct, sure: Food supply, water and shelter, but if they had not wanted it all, but wished to share.

    I believe the history of this world would have been very different indeed. I feel that had the aliens been helped instead of lied to and detained all these years, things may well have been very different. Now, the time of their Supernova is nearer than eer, and the desperation in Sophia and her people is making them harsher in their actions.

    I feel that sometimes, Sophia would be someone feeling like what Jessica Dovey was quoted as saying: “I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.”. This was when she told another of her people in the last episode that she took no joy in seeing this man (President Martinez) fall, and neither should he. Many people attribute the above quote to Dr. Martin Luther King, but he in fact did not say this.

    I do not and never have felt that Sophia actually ‘Hates’ Eartheaons. If anything, she is first and foremost about saving her own people. She is looking at this as more clinical, or unattached than we would in her situation….Or is she? Would we not take a weaker race or species asunder if it meant the survival of our own people? I unfortunately, believe we would do exactly the same thing.

    Be sure to watch the next episode of the Event, “One Will Live, One Will Die” which returns on Monday May 9, 2011 on NBC 9/8C. We include the promotional trailer for the next episode and the entire “Us or Them” episode for your enjoyment courtesy on The Event on NBC

     

     

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    Celtica (Jen)

  • Stargate Universe: “Common Descent” and “Epilogue” Clearly Worthy of the Stargate Lineage!

    Click to visit Stargate Universe on Syfy!

    Hello once again Stargate fans,

    Syfy Logo Chain Mail - Click to visit Stargate Universe on SyfyThe latest episodes of Stargate Universe were once again a delightful experience for the supporters of the current incarnations of Stargate by a large portion of the fandom in the United States and an overwhelming majority in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe as measured by percentage of the populations in those regions.

    As we have reported previously and unfortunately for Stargate fans, according to Brad Wright’s recent disclosure at the Creation Entertainment Vancouver Stargate convention, the franchise has been placed on the shelf for the time being. The good news is that Stargate may (repeat MAY) be back in the future in one form or the other.

    Click to visit the fabled MGM Studios at their official web site!However, it is not likely we will see Stargate in the form of the three series Stargate Universe, Stargate Atlantis or Stargate SG-1. Why? For that answer we suggest you stay tuned to WHR as our team will have more on that particular subject in the near future.

    In the meantime, this analysis review encompasses two outstanding episodes which are intrinsically tied together at the hip; “Common Descent” and “Epilogue”. Read on to find out just how much entertainment fun is in both!

    Common Descent:

    With outstanding writing by creators Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, “Common Descent” was directed in typical awesome fashion by Stargate legend Peter DeLuise. Not to be missed are more superb effects under the guidance of Mark Savela witnessed in a wilderness like location where the descendants of the “other” Destiny crew was sent as a result of a solar flare Stargate time warp far into the past.

    “Common Descent” featured superb acting by virtually the entire ensemble cast including the return of one of my favorite actresses, Ms. MingNa as Camile Wray. Normally confined to the environs of the Destiny itself or on visits to Earth via the Ancient Communications Stones, Wray is observed on a rare away team mission to a strange planet with even stranger inhabitants. I was very pleased to see MingNa return in “Common Descent” since she portrays the Camile Wray character so effectively.

    SGU S2x17 - Brody and Park at work

    The seventeenth episode of Stargate Universe opens with Adam Brody (Peter Kelamis) Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence) examining the air purification system which is in need on lime and other minerals to keep the air onboard the Destiny breathable. The recent encounters and battles with the heartless robotic drones have precluded the crew from locating the supplies they needed for survival. In addition to the air purification minerals, food stuffs are also in short supply.

    Colonel Young (Louis Ferreira) and Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) are observed sharing the concern discussing the bad air on Destiny which is causing headaches and nausea on board the ship. Both do a nice job in portraying officers able to focus on the business at hand, setting aside the fact that a relationship is developing between TJ and Varro (Mike Dopud).

    SGU S2x17 - Young and TJ discuss the air

    SGU S2x17 - Camile lipstick smirk
    Speaking of Camile Wray (MingNa) the scene then makes a segue to a fun and humorous scene with Chloe Armstrong (Elyse Levesque) and Eli Wallace (David Blue). As the ship decelerates from Faster Than Light (FTL) speed, the two ladies are also discussing the need for supplies, specifically a horrid purple fruit procured previously as Eli enters the observation deck. As with most men being oblivious to such matters, Eli cannot for the life of him figure out why Chloe and Camile want more of the nasty tasting fruit?

    SGU S2x17 - Chloes lipstick
    Well this is one gentleman who knows the answer and I got a good belly laugh in the process! The ladies on board have not been enjoying or liking the fruit for the taste, they have been using the purple fruit as lipstick for goodness sakes! I guess we better get Eli some glasses because despite the evidence looking him right in the face, he cannot figure it out saying “why am I always the last to know?” As indicated it is a very funny vignette. So I must ask; Are most men so dense?! I suggest you ask your girl friend, wife or female soul mate. They will undoubtedly let you know in two words: “You bet”! So go figure!

    SGU S2x17 - Clueless Eli
    Finding the three of them on the observation deck, Eli’s attention on the fruit and pretty lips quickly looses focus as the subject is the return of the hostile drones which have somehow located the poor and ailing Destiny and her crew.

    SGU S2x17 - Camile spots the drones
    The suspicion is that the drone captured previously and used for study to program a defense in the earlier attack may be the culprit. The orders are given to jettison the drone and Destiny make a jump back to the temporary safety of FTL. Each time the different angles of the Destiny entering FTL are witnessed one can only praise the special effects of Mark Savela and his team including Sonia Gilmore and Andrew Karr. Even more spectacular is a new angle of Destiny entering FTL where they will visit a planet in search of the minerals and food stuffs the crew desperately needs.


    We are then treated to new guest supporting actors, fresh faces to be featured in both “Common Descent” and “Epilogue”. Some of the new faces include Reilly Dolman (Supernatural) as Jason, Kate Findlay (Fringe and The Killing) as Ellie and the excellent and well known veteran movie and television character actor August Schellenberg (Eight Below, Free Willy, Free Willy 2, Free Willy 3) as the elder leader Yaozu, who is named after her father, an ancestor of Camile Wray!

    SGU S2x17 - Fresh new faces

    SGU S2x17 - Fresh new faces on way to village
    As we quickly learn, all are the descendants of the “other” alternate reality Destiny crew from the episode “Twin Destinies” whom escaped destruction using the time honored Stargate solar flare time warp factor to send the “other” Destiny crew thousands of years into the past.

    SGU S2x17 - Fresh new face elder Yauzo
    These people of “Common Descent” are found living on a planet they were to colonize for the “home” planet of the “Novus Civilization” where a faction called “Futura” worships many things, but others do not think very highly of Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle).

    SGU S2x17 - No so well liked Rush
    In another of several very funny sequences, Yaozu recalls the other faction “The Futurans” who think Rush is a demon or devil who steals peoples souls and send them to live an eternity in a lifeless “hell”. No doubt inspired by memories of Rush manipulating the memory core of Destiny these are most enjoyable sequences with Dr. Park and Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore) sharing differing opinions about Rush. This plot twist will play a key role later in the second part of this ninety minute “movie” imparted by Kino flashbacks.

    SGU S2x17 - Kino flashbacks tell the story
    No doubt the seeds of thought about Rush are what lead to the two diverse factions that think of him as a devil or futurist.  In any event the colonists were sent from Novus to this new planet through the Stargate after determining the home world was facing imminent destruction from volcanic eruption.

    Also most enjoyable is a scene an older woman from the settlement who says that Sgt. Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) is more handsome in person than is his Kino footage. Like most women who enjoy Smith as Greer and the character he portrays, she appears to have a hankering for Greer! I would swear he actually blushes in the scene!

    SGU S2x17 - More handsome in person

    Unfortunately the colonists lost contact with Novus and apparently the ability to get back home since they cannot dial the Stargate to make a connection to the Novus gate. During the historical perspective we are delighted to observe the “other” Destiny crew in “ancient” Kino footage on a device similar to a USB hard disk drive. TJ has had a baby and is seen screaming through the process. We are happy to see birth not for the pain of childbirth, but since our TJ lost her child previously.

    SGU S2x17 - Camile looks on as TJ delivers her baby

    SGU S2x17 - Chloe helps too
    Colonel Young among others are observed as older people in an aged state and is sharing knowledge on their journey and salvation on the new world that will become known as Novus. Young is seen talking about the challenges that face them in generations to come.

    SGU S2x17 - Col Young after many years on Novus

    While the crew we know from our reality are reminiscing over the Kino footage, the hated drones return attacking both the planet and Destiny destroying the Stargate ring and circuitry taking a huge chunk out of it on the planet colony. It was rather a nice scene to see a Stargate not fully destroyed. Very nice work by the field crews and VFX teams once again. The end result of this attack leaves many of our heroes stranded while they were evacuating the inhabitants of the planet to Destiny.

    SGU S2x17 - The gate is blasted
    In the meantime Lt. Matthew Scott (Brian J. Smith) has ordered to Eli to try to fix the gate, an impossible task given the circumstances. Eli states that he can barely turn the power source off crystals off and on. Eli is an undisputed genius, but it takes the experience of the military officer to put two and two together to figure out to use the low power emanations as a Morse Code signaling device to signal Destiny.

    A nice script writing mechanism (to say the least) to save the team left of the planet. This is not to mention the excellent overhead VFX sequence of the Destiny shuttle coming back to their rescue.

    SGU S2x17 - Shuttle to the rescue

    SGU S2x17 - The away team is saved
    Forced to leave the area to save themselves before returning, we get another laugh at the humor as Dr. Lisa Park makes a joke about “Futura” being a “font” while Volker and Brody are observed bickering in their good nature banter we have come to enjoy from week to week!

    SGU S2x17 - Volker and Brody banter

    As always the interplay between the Volker and Brody characters brings another moment of humorous distraction from the drone attacks and what is about to come next. As we have come to expect it is this great job at levity by both Patrick Gilmore and Peter Kelamis with a bit of ever present catalyst provided by Jennifer Spence!

    SGU S2x17 - No one is home on Novus

    We leave the first half of the wonderful two part adventure with the Destiny journeying to the home world of Novus. The shuttle is observed over an advanced city covered in what appears to be deep snow fall. No one is found on the planet and no electromagnetic radio emissions can be detected. What is the world has happened to all the millions of people of Novus and the civilization they have built?

    Epilogue:

    We begin with another very cool, in fact outstanding VFX sequence with the shuttle coming in for a landing on Novus attempting to return the settlers to their home world. A statue of Col. Young is in the foreground. The away team is comprised of Eli Wallace (David Blue), Camille Wray (MingNa). Sgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith), Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith), Jason and Yaozu. They quickly realize it is not snow covering the city but is instead volcanic ash. The fear on the faces of the away team are palpable.

    SGU S2x18 - Destiny shuttle lands on Novus

    SGU S2x18 - Faces are palpable

    We discover that the main weapon of Destiny will be used for another purpose. Yaozu knows where there is an underground bunker of the archives of the Teneran Archive. The Teneran’s were one of two countries created after the Rush faction setup their own society “Futura”. The archive is however protected by a very thick blast door and here is where the Destiny weapon will play a constructive role in gaining access to the archive facility where the secrets of the society are secreted.

    Using a superb digital angle on the Destiny main gun, we see an energy blast leave the weapon from orbit and zoom towards the city archive bunker doors. It is another great special effect which is a pleasure to behold.

    SGU S2x18 - Destiny main gun fires

    The team begins the investigation of the archives. Especially enjoyable is the elevator “Muzak” sequence. Along with all the crew, the look on Greer’s face sure to bring a grin to anyone who has been in such situations themselves.

    SGU S2x18 - Muzak time in elevator

    SGU S2x18 - Greer smirks at Muzak
    Another scene with Greer illustrates the actor doing his characters part perfectly! Greer finds a food storage locker with beef jerky perfectly preserved after 2,000 years and immediately has a snack festival throwing a bag of the jerky at Dr. Rush! At least we know that the problems with Earth-like food will be solved for the time being!

    During the initial reading of the archives, Chloe finds her own daily diary and her first entries from 200 centuries earlier. This effective use of brilliant science fiction writing technique allows us all to take a journey back in time to learn details about the alternate Destiny crew.

    Each member of the crew is observed, many with tears in their eyes as they see their alter selves living life under initially primitive circumstances. In these sequences we see Varro (Mike Dopud) and TJ are not getting along while he sees Young and her kissing. A moment of sadness on is the expedition’s first loss, the death and burial of the alternate Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore) character.

    SGU S2x18 - Burial of alternate Volker
    We also see other tender moments including Lt. Vanessa James (Julia Benson) and Lt. Scott discussing his pending marriage to Chloe. Despite the reputation she wrong deserves as a wild woman, James wishes him well and says that she is proud and happy for both of them.

    SGU S2x18 - Scott and James come to terms

    SGU S2x18 - Lt James is happy for Scott and Chloe

    TJ and Young get together again in the alternate story arc. To enhance the romance and hence need for couples, in fact survival, of course there is the making and delivering of babies!

    SGU S2x18 - Becoming Momma TJ
    Fans of the TJ Varro romance could be heard groaning in pain just like TJ above as James and he are making eyes at each other! Sure enough a little baby Varro/James is the result! We see then observe the many alternative babies being born with good ole’ Lt. Scott is standing by “on duty” with scissors to cut the umbilical cords! Everyone gets in the act including the proud poppa and momma Greer!

    SGU S2x18 - Lt Scott on duty during Chloes delivery

    SGU S2x18 - Daddy Varro and Mommy James

    SGU S2x18 - Proud papa and momma Greer

    Even Eli gets in the act himself and finally has the relationship we all wanted to see with Corporal Barnes (Leanne Adachi) after the two “bust their buns” helping support the birth process of all the other couples!

    SGU S2x18 - Barnes and Eli budding romanc

    And yes you guessed it, they are next on the list for making and having babies as the Kino visage documents the screaming Cpl. Barnes in the process of bringing new life into the universe while papa Eli look on in panic!

    SGU S2x18 - Barnes and Eli become parents
    We observe the leading ladies of the community some years later. Chloe, TJ and  Camile Wray are working in the vegetable gardens. TJ’s young child is growing up and playing in the crop fields of Novus.

    SGU S2x18 - Chloe TJ and Camile at work

    SGU S2x18 - Camile in the fields

    SGU S2x18 - Novus children in the fields
    Chloe sees him reading his diaries and teases Eli; “Something to pursue”? Throughout “Epilogue” Eli’s Kino footage coupled with the flashbacks from the computer journals is a great way to share the story and wrap the story arc of what happened to the alternate reality versions whom went through the Destiny Stargate and actually survived.

    I often found myself wishing I could spend a lifetime in the Teneran archives to learn all about the characters and their descendants of the alternative versions. So many stories left to explore, and so little time!

    SGU S2x18 - TJ reads the archives
    The lighter moments of humor in “Epilogue” more than effectively demonstrate the path of character development in Stargate Universe. This outstanding episode clearly proves that the writers had planned, all the way along, great things for fans of this series in general and all the dedicated supporters of the Stargate franchise in specific.

    The light moments are offset by the urgent situation that the planet Novus is being pulled apart by a Black Hole in the vicinity. The gravitational effects have led to the cracking of the planets crust and subsequent volcanic activity that led to the evacuation of the entire planet. We also learn that the two opposing factions developed into separate countries.

    The current reality versions of our characters begin transfer of the Teneran archive database. Brody works with Eli to effect the transfer of the many exabytes of research. However we all know that dire circumstances will not allow then to discover all the secrets and research. This item will become critical as we will discuss in the coming analysis.

    SGU S2x18 - At work during data transfer

    SGU S2x18 - Dale Volker at data transfer
    The transfer of the archive data is where everyone can learn a valuable lesson in life. What lesson? That people with differing opinions can learn to respect each other and work as a team to obtain progress rather than slinging mud at each other. Doing so in real life is never an easy process. We all have observed this senseless mudslinging on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as in the interactions of our real lives at work, in politics and even at home between family members. The fact of the matter is that people slinging mud at others is most often a cover-up by the slingers hiding their own shortcomings as they seek to blame others for their own mistakes. Such is a sad but true part of life.

    SGU S2x18 - Yauzo says there is an ALS cure

    As observe the alternate survivors raising their children in flashbacks, we find out that coming to the planet has consequences for TJ in both story arcs. She has contracted the un-curable disease ALS also known commonly as Lou Gerhigs Disease. The elder citizen Yauzo indicates there is a cure in the Novus database, but ther emay not be enough time to transfer all the data. “Our” Varro rushes to his love saying it does not mean she has the disease. TJ knows this is not the case and tears well up in her eyes (mine too).

    SGU S2x18 - Varro learns about TJs ALS
    We learn that she will likely die some eight year later much as the diary from the past 2,000 years ago documented. The current reality scenes between TJ and Young are accentuated by the primitive life sequences of her death some 2,000 years ago in the house as we saw Young at the table with the two children and an empty seat. I am convinced that there was not a dry eye for lovers of this series.

    SGU S2x18 - TJ is no more on Novus
    As the episode progresses we see the surviving alternate reality characters become grandparents. The make-up used to age the characters seen in the Kino footage is simply excellent. We see James and Varro, Scott and Chloe, Greer and Park and Camile Wray all becoming old. One of the best bits included a very grouchy and grumpy older Adam Brody!

    SGU S2x18 - Happy couple Matt and Chloe

    SGU S2x18 - Grandparents James and Varro

    SGU S2x18 - Grouchy grumpy Adam Brody

    MingNa is especially wonderful when she talks about writing the new Novus constitution and that Eli has become a teacher! I gigged when Camile said that Eli is good at it too. The look on her characters face says it all!

    SGU S2x18 - Happy elder Camile Wray
    Back in the story arc version of “our” characters, fans of Varro (Mike Dopud) get a heart attack moment as the violent earthquakes lead to a ladder rung giving way during the escape from the archive facility while he saves TJ’s life. Varro falls to the bottom of the shaft and after observing the SGU hash tag tweets on both Monday April 25 and Tuesday, more than several hundred tweeted “Nooooooo”!

    SGU S2x18 - Varro at the bottom

    SGU S2x18 - Saving Varro
    Varro is of course saved by none other than his main competition for the affections of TJ, Col. Young. Young takes critical time to rig a rescue line to haul the injured Varro to safety. A fitting bit of irony would you not say? As TJ diagnoses Varro whom has merely suffered a broken arm, we learn that the result of data transfer from the archive did not contain the cure for ALS. She knows her life is limited and will likely be cut short. At this point I wanted to pass the tissue box to TJ as her tears begin to form again.

    SGU S2x18 - TJ has ALS aka Lou Gerhigs disease
    Based on the fact that Stargate Universe is canceled, this episode could easily serve as a fine ending to the series. There were too many moments of excellence to effectively analyze in this review. However, two very poignant moments really did it all for me.

    The first is the scene at alternate Col. Young’s deathbed with Chloe, Scott and his children at his side. Col. Young feels that failed in his mission to bring the crew back “home”. The telling moment is the quote from Chloe when she shares with Young that “We are home”.  You see people it is fairly simple; home is where you make it under any given circumstance.

    SGU S2x18 - Home is where you make it

    SGU S2x18 - Elyse Levesque as the old Chloe
    The final sequence with a very old Camile Wray portrayed by MingNa was both touching and brilliant. Kudos to the writers in this regard and to the considerable acting talent that is what MingNa herself is all about. We find ourselves at the Eli Wallace School. Camile Wray is the last living member of the expedition. Camile she delivers the heart felt lines about “Wahn Shee Rul Yee”, “May all go according to the wishes of those who hear it” and life being about “Our mission is and always will be about the journey itself”. We all take such journeys’ in our lives, but not everyone gets the message. Bravo MingNa for superb delivery in the closing sequences!

    SGU S2x18 - Eli Wallace School

    SGU S2x18 - MingNa as Camile Wray the last crew person alive
    The visual effects team then takes us on a “journey” as we witness a move through Novus history to see the society evolve into a fine civilization over the two millennia to the present.  The episode ends with a look at a magnificent city and the first of the giant space ships beginning their journey to life on a new planet some 200 years distant.

    SGU S2x18 - The Novus city take shape

    SGU S2x18 - The Novus industrial age

    SGU S2x18 - The Novus civilization

    SGU S2x18 - The Novus ships depart

    No matter what you think of Stargate Universe, this two part story epitomizes the greatness of the Stargate franchise. I would suggest that you go to Hulu or tune in to Comcast or other cable system to view these two episodes to witness for yourself it’s greatness. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed.

    Stargate Universe begins its concluding episodes May 02, 2011 on Syfy and on the Space Channel on May 03, 2011 with “Blockade”.

    If you call yourself a Stargate fan do everyone a favor and watch the episode live to prove your support of this superb MGM Studios franchise. Thank you.

    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!As always we appreciate your visiting our news sites at WormholeRiders News Agency. Thank you.

    If you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Thank you. Click to visit and follow WR_Systems (Kenn) on Twitter!

    Best Regards,

    WR_Systems (Kenn)

  • The Event Cut Off the Head!

    The Event Cut Off the Head!

    Hello The Event fans,

    In the last few episodes, we saw the aliens becoming more aggressive after yet more let downs from the government. Sophia Maguire (Laura Innes) and the “Others” were holed up in a cathedral.

    Click to visit NBC Universal!

    They had had enough between Thomas’ rebellion and the broken promises by the Government. They tried to reason with President Martinez (Blair Underwood), but failing that they took down the Washington Monument.

    The Event S01x15 Washington Monument falls

    Unknown to the Government, that was all the aliens had, power-wise, but it bluffed the President into thinking they were ready for full out war. The Aliens made demands to leave the cathedral by buses to LAX and a cargo jet there. The government complied so they left by three buses from the cathedral. Two of these were destroyed by Government ordered Apache gunship fire.

    The Event S01x15 Bus strike

    Thomas (Clifton Collins) and Sophia Maguire had resolved their difference in the stand-off earlier. When it looked like no escape, Thomas put his own bus in front of Sophia’s and he was killed in the missile attacks. On the third bus, Sophia (Laura Innes) and Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) survived, along with about sixty others.

    Their bus escaped through the Portal array and they wound up back in the private housing development which Thomas had set up for their people to live in safely. But now, the Government is after ‘sleepers’ which have infiltrated the executive branch, among other high-level positions and President Martinez (Blair Underwood) has ordered DNA testing of everyone with the help of Senator Catherine Lewis (Virginia Madsen). Most everyone in the White House staff agreed to the tests, except for one hold-out; The First Lady, Christina Martinez (Lisa Vidal).

    Sophia, Simon, Leila Buchanan (Sarah Roemer) and Michael Buchanan (Scott Patterson) are back in their community, and Sophia now says they will bring all their people here, to make this planet their own. The plan involves the destruction of most -if not all – humans on the Earth in order to make room for their two billion individuals.

    While Sophia appears to be saddened by this option, she is duty bound to save her own people. The slaughter of the EBEs (Extraterrestrial Biological Entities) on the two buses in Los Angeles has embittered her and she no longer sees this world or its people as “Benevolent”. Because of this, she has released the EBEs from their vow of refraining to harm any benevolent civilizations. She is angry and desperate because their home world is about to be destroyed by their sun going into Supernova.

    We now know that Dr. James Dempsey (Hal Holbrook) was working with an Archeology dig in the Jura Mountains in France. Dempsey’s team discovered some very ancient Amphora and a scroll within one of them. Dempsey is most pleased and was studying the scroll.

    Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and Vicky Roberts (Tyler Cole) had gone to find him and try to get answers, or kill Dr. Dempsey. Dempsey’s security agents captured Vicky. Sean went to get information from ‘Henri’ about the whereabouts of Dempsey and why they got ambushed. He got Henri to talk after inflicting much pain. Vicky was brought to Dempsey, who was studying the glyphs he now possessed.

    The Event S01x16 Dempsey's Scroll

    Dempsey told her he was part of a line of people called “The Sentinels”. This line of Sentinels have been given the task of protecting us from “Them”. But, I was guessing because of Vicky’s knowledge of what he has done and had her do – for whatever reason – Dempsey ordered his henchman to kill her. We left with Vicky, bound and gagged in the Chateau, the henchman starting a fire with petrol and Sean on the run in the forest which surrounds the Chateau.

    “Cut Off The Head”

    This week, we come in to what appears to be an elaborate cryo-lab where a man we know as ‘Herbert’ is working with cylindrical packs of ice. He gently saws a piece of ice in a precise disc and lays this onto a large slide and places it into an analyzer. Outside, Government Tactical units are breaking into the building. Herbert is alerted to their presence, calls Sophia and tells her they are breaking in.

    Sophia instructs him to send her what he has so far and destroy the rest of the samples he has. Herbert says he has worked so hard… but Sophia tells him he knows what he has to do. Herbert complies and starts a meltdown of the ice packets. The Government units break in and in the ensuing chase, Herbert jumps out of a window to his death.

    The Event S01x17 Herbert destroys lab

    In the EBEs’ community, Sophia is addressing her people in one of the homes. “There isn’t enough room on this planet to accommodate our entire population of 2.5 Billion, and their safety is my only priority! So we will have to…” She sighs heavily as she continues; “… effect changes here. The native population will be winnowed…substantially.” The others look at her as she says: “We’re working on a weapon that will make that happen quickly and efficiently. Herbert Mills was close to finding that weapon, but the government found him last night and he killed himself to avoid capture. Before doing so he uploaded the research that he’d found.”

    The Event S01x17 Sophia's meeting

    Sophia pulled out a flash drive, giving this to a man she called Arron. “You’ll be in charge of analyzing the data that he sent and the sooner we find the weapon and use it, the sooner our people will be safe.”. Michael and the others speculate on the fact that if Herbert was found, the Government could find any one of them. Sophia agrees and that when we get to the next stage. By throwing this government into disarray, the focus will be off the EBE’s and they will have more time to find the weapon. One of the others asked “How?” Sophia said the title line: “Cut off the Head. we will take out President Martinez…Permanently.”

     

    Next, in the White House “War Room”, Vice-President Ray Jarvis (Bill Smitrovich), Blake Sterling (Ziljko Ivanek) and Gen Ambruster (Blue Deckert) are discussing Herbert’s lab, his suicide and how they could find out what Herbert was looking for in the lab. As far as they know Herbert was studying Ice core samples. President Martinez is really into his coffee here, a strange turn as this was never that apparent in past episodes, is unsure why ice core samples were being studied. The General said it could be the EBE’s trying to find a way to bring more of their people here (At this time, the Government does not know how the EBEs could do this.).

    The Event S01x17 Jarvis tries to reason

    Martinez tells them with the attack on the Washington Monument and their counterstrike at the EBEs, they are now at war with the non-Terrestrials which means Sophia could go on the defensive and if she does they must know what she is going to do and be ready for it. “This is a war we must win” he says. At this point, Vice-President Jarvis comments that this is a war maybe they should not fight alone. Maybe the should come clean about the aliens to other world leaders and get some help. President Martinez coldly tells Jarvis “When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it” Jarvis backs down, and it is “Yes, Mr President.

    An aide comes in telling Martinez that Sen Lewis is waiting to see him. All who agreed to the tests came back negative for non-terrestrial DNA. His wife is again called into question by Sen Lewis, who then produces a file on Christina. She put together this file on her own. She says that People and places do not match up. Martinez does not want to think of his wife as possibly being a non-terrestrial. As Senator Lewis was leaving his office, she pointed out a photo of the First Lady at a New Orleans rebuilding project six years ago, saying “She hasn’t aged a bit.” Martinez is irate at the Senator and tells her to “Get out”.

    The Event S01x17 Martinez and Lewis

    Jarvis receives a phone call from Sophia, who is standing outside in her community She is approaching Jarvis about the events that resulted in the loss of life. She tells Jarvis this will only get worse if Martinez has his way and she has a plan to get Jarvis in her ballpark and making him become the president. She expressed sadness at all who have been killed, leading Jarvis to believe this is the only way to save lives. Sophia knows how to stroke egos. Even her voice is very beguiling, so it seems fitting she would build Jarvis up to be the new Leader of the Free World and Jarvis would possibly grasp the opportunity.

    Sophia outside on phone

    Back in France, Sean is prowling in the woods around the Chateau de Perrault and sees Dempsey and others leaving. Sean then runs into the house and gets Vicky out of the fire. It appears she is in full arrest so Sean does rescue breathing and CPR on her. Eventually, he revives her. As Vicky comes around, We hear Dempsey saying “Impressive, Mr. Walker.” Sean looks up surprised as his gun is taken from him by a henchman and Dempsey continues; “I think it’s time we had a little talk”.

    The Event S01x17 Sean saves Vicky

    The Event S01x17 Sean meets Dempsey

    Back in the community, Leila sees the bodyguard thru the glass in the front door and causes a ruse to get out of the house by cutting her hand in the kitchen. I notice the kitchen is either never used, or these are a fastidiously clean people. The counter tops are totally cleared off, nothing seems to be plugged into the outlets on the walls, all that was there was an apple Leila claimed she was cutting with the knife.

    The Event S01x17 Leila's Kitchen cut

    She calls out and the guard comes in, wraps a cloth around her hand and takes her to the medic they have in the community. Their clinic is in one of the houses and seems to be well put together.As Leila is led into a treatment room, she looks around into the other rooms and spots Simon,who is restrained on one of the beds. His head is lightly bandaged. She is called into her treatment room so she doesn’t go to Simon.

    The Event S01x17 Simon tied up

    I also notice the medic is an overweight female of “Over forty”. This to me is refreshing. Too many programs are so ‘Pretty’ these days and even EBE’s are attractive if not downright beautiful. I do like that age or weight is not a taboo in The Event. Sophia has facial lines and Arron looks ‘Over forty”…Hal Holbrook we know is advanced in years too. Quite a nice change in television! We need more ‘Real sizes’ in the entertainment business.

    The Event S01x17 Leila and Medic

    When the Medic is finished with tending to Leila’s hand, Leila asks if she could stay there for a while as she still feels a bit nauseous. The Medic agrees that she can stay and leaves. Leila then quietly leaves the treatment room and goes to Simon. She says she knows her father turned him in. She apologizes. He tells her what Sophia has planned and about what he saw in Thomas’ house. He tells her about the maps of Siberia and a woman’s’ name: Irena Bogdenov.

    The Event S01x17 Leila visits Simon

    As he speaks, he is getting more anxious and it is good to see these EBEs do have emotions. That some of them care. Simon tells Leila that she must warn the humans. she points out there is no telephone and he says all of Sophia’s lieutenants have cell phones. We can see she understands what he is saying and she leaves after this meeting

    Jarvis and some Secret Service people are in what appears to be an upscale hotel and Jarvis goes to a room, declining the Secret Service’s need to ‘Sweep” the room. Jarvis says “The room is clear” as the agent looks in and sees a woman with her back to the door, sitting there quietly. The Agent backs down, promising discretion and leaves. Jarvis walks into the room and locks it. The woman is Sophia, who is in a nice dress and make up. She cleans up nicely in fact. Jarvis pulls a gun on her and asks why he should not shoot her right now. She of course points out she would then become a martyr for her people. She says he can be the one to lead his country into the New order of co-existing with their people, but not while Martinez is in control. She tells him it would be non-traceable, we all know what this means. Martinez would be dead, Jarvis would become the President.

    The Event S01x17 Dressy Sophia

    Martinez comes into his bedroom and sees his wife, asleep with her glasses still on. She has fallen asleep while reading and he wakes her. they talk a bit about an old vacation they were on and Martinez catches her in a ‘lie’ of sorts. She said she had seen a place before, but he remembers she had never been there. She ‘saves’ her comment by saying “In pictures” and he tries to egg her on for more information, mentioning he had never seen her family who was allegedly there, but she says it is late and they should sleep. We are still wondering if she could, in fact, be one of the EBEs.

    The Event S01x17 Sleeping Christina 2

    President Martinez goes to see Senator Lewis and retrieves the file she had offered him earlier. Being assured that only she knows about the files as does he, he leaves with the file. We can tell President Martinez is very nervous about what secrets his wife could be holding back from him.

    The Event S01x17 File in Lewis' office

    Jarvis goes to see Blake Sterling and tries to tell Blake about the impending war. Jarvis offered to help in discussions with Sophia, but Blake is vehemently against it. He tells Jarvis that “You should be in Prison!! Martinez is only keeping you around for appearances! So, for the year and a half you have left in office you should just Shut up and keep your head down!!”

    The Event S01x17 Blake tells Jarvis off

    Jarvis leaves, feeling dejected and upset that he apparently has no allies in the Government anymore. As Sophia and Arron are discussing what Herbert’s data indicated, they both seem very please at getting the actual location of their weapon. Jarvis calls her as Arron and Sophia wrap up their discussion to say he is on board with her idea to take out Martinez. Seems Jarvis is playing well into the plan Sophia has, and then… will he be of any use to the EBEs?

    The Event S01x17 Sophia and Aaron

     

    Back in the community, Leila opens the front door of her house to invite her bodyguard in for a drink. It is raining and the guard agrees to come in. Leila has him give her his jacket and gives him the corkscrew so he can open the wine as she pleads a need to use the bathroom. Of course Leila has taken the guard’s cell phone and locked herself in the loo where she then calls 911. She has no idea where the houses are, and the operator says her cell phone GPS is deactivated – cannot be located. During this time, the guard pours their wine, and notices she is taking a while. He goes to his jacket on a chair and finds his phone is gone. The Guard bursts into the bathroom and Leila fights him and escapes. It was interesting to see the non-Terrestrials do drink. I was really wondering as they do not seem to act like us, despite being ‘Humanoid’ in many respects.

    The Event S01x17 Leila calls for help

    Back in France, Dempsey is with Vicky and Sean at what appears to be a park far from his -now burning- chateau. Dempsey tells Sean what the Sentinels are, that the Non-Terrestrials have been coming here for thousands of years. Dempsey tell them the Sentinels have been here over three millennium, in a battle to preserve humanity and now the woman Sean knows as “Sophia” is dedicated to the extinction of our people. Sean tells Dempsey “Sophia is trying to save our people”. Dempsey says “Yes, she may have started out that way”

    The Event S01x17 Dempsey tells Sean about the EBEs

    Dempsey then tells Sean that he must now take up this fight. Dempsey sites how Sean started out as a man with no resources, who has taken on the Government, and even Dempsey, in order to save Miss Roberts. Sean tells Dempsey he thinks he is a monster and that he should pay for his crimes. Dempsey tells Sean “Well, I must move you away from that, now” continuing that Sean is part of the “Tapestry”. He says Sean will be given things to help them fight the EBEs. Dempsey then commits suicide with a shot to his head.

    The Event S01x17 Dempsey suicideDempsey’s henchman drops a black bag at Sean’s feet and runs off.

    I will miss seeing Mr. Holbrook. This is a fine Actor and his voice and mannerisms made for a great ‘Villain-Ally” character. One was questioning Dempsey’s motives through the whole series! To me, this is true entertainment. Many will be shocked to realize that Dr. Dempsey was on the side of humanity all along! After Dempsey falls dead, Vicky and Sean hear far off sirens and see the smoke billowing into the sky from the distant chateau, so they make a run for it. Once they both reach a desolate area, Sean stops for a rest and begins to open the bag which Dempsey’s henchman had given to him We see the Ancient Scroll, Passports and I am presuming some money will be in there for them to travel with. Then again, I am practical!

    The Event S01x17 Bag from Dempsey

    Leila has gotten away from the Guard and is outside in the community grounds calling Sean. In France, Sean is told by Leila what is planned. He must get help and stop this. She gets Irena Bogdanov’s name to him and was in the middle of telling him the plans when Michael, her father, tackles her and stops the conversation. Leila turns to her father and asked him ‘How could you be a part of all this??” He says “I don’t know what damage you may have caused, but if Sophia finds out, I won’t be able to protect you!”. Sean who has heard Leia get tackled and disconnected, now seems to understand Dempsey was telling the truth about Sophia and the non-Terrestrials.

    President Martinez enters his bedroom and discloses the file about Christina to her. Christina is upset, but Martinez asks her to tell him what is going on. Turns out her parents are actually Dominican and they faked being from Cuba so they could be free here in America. Only the Cubans were getting amnesty in the USA so they sneaked into Cuba and then into America as Cuban refugees. She tells him that is why all the lies and misplaced details. Her family was here illegally and she had hoped it would all become a non issue over the years.

    The Event S01x17 Christina Confession

    Jarvis is off to see an acupuncturist, one he specifically asked for. She tends to him. Jarvis said the needles look sharp to which she replies “Yes, very sharp.” she says softly to Jarvis. “But you won’t feel a thing. Quick and Painless.” she smiles. These were the words used before, with Sophia about dealing with Martinez. Her ‘assistant’ leaves a packet of sweetener in his jacket pocket. Jarvis apparently knows what to do with this. He asks for privacy while he gets dressed to leave. We see him pull out the little packet in a clear wrapping. The acupuncturist is then seen texting who we now know to be Sophia. Back in their house, Sophia says “Jarvis has it”. Arron asks if he will use it. Sophia replies “He’s naive enough to think he can save his country, but once we have the weapon, nothing can.”

    The Event S01x17 Jarvis has the poison

    In Murmansk, Russia, an excavation is taking place. It seems the EBEs have found the weapon they were counting on and as they bring what appears to be a large box or slab up from the frozen ground, we see a frozen body on top.

    The Event S01x17 Body in Russian Excavation

    Jarvis is now in the White House “War Room” as the housekeeper is laying out the breakfast tray with danish and coffee. Jarvis asked her if she has any more of the croissants they had the day before and she goes to get some. Alone now, Jarvis leaves the sweetener he obtained from the acupuncturist in place of the President’s sweetener. The packets looks the same so it goes undetected. the President and others enter the room as Jarvis completes the switch of the packets. The President starts the meeting with the day’s business.

    The Event S01x17 Closing scene

     

    My thoughts, for what they are worth…

    During the Russian excavation, the box did not look that large. I am wondering if the ‘Weapon’ is a biological agent, possibly within that body which was frozen to it. This would make sense to have a major pandemic/epidemic wipe out ‘humans’ instead of major surface or ecological damage from say, a Nuclear or Hydrogen bomb. Perhaps some disease that the EBEs can not get sick or die from. Keeping the planet liveable, sustaining and sound would be the way to go if you want to preserve it for your species, would it not? The fact that Sophia said in this episode; “(Jarvis) is naive enough to think he can save his country, but once we have our weapon, nothing can.”

    Disease knows no borders. It has no prejudice. It only cares about your biology. I can safely guess that if Aliens can cure disease, like man, they can also create them.

    But it seems that the EBEs are going from ‘co-existing’ with us to an all out obliteration of Earth’s populace. It is interesting to see Sophia is also reacting to the emotions of losing her son, Thomas and then having Simon betray her. She seems to in many ways regret what she has to do for her people, but at the same time doesn’t want to trust any human ever again. After what they have been through and thinking about what they may face – the extinction of their people- I can’t say I can completely blame her. I feel we could have, at one time, lived with the EBEs. They seem to be ‘Human’ enough to marry, have offspring with, work alongside… Heck, who’s that checkout girl at the market, really? Where is your Physician from? Do you REALLY know your ‘Fellow Man’?

    Until next week below is the full episode courtesy of NBC. Enjoy!

    Click to visit and follow WormholeRiders News Agency on Twitter!As always we appreciate your visiting our news sites at WormholeRiders News Agency. Please feel free to leave a spam free comment or a question here. I will respond to your comment or question as soon as is possible. The Event Returns Monday April 24, 2011 with “Strain”. In the meantime, please enjoy the episode “Cut Off The Head” courtesy of NBC!

    If you prefer, you may also click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Click to visit and follow Celtica (Jen) on Twitter!

    Regards,

    Celtica (Jen)

  • Stargate Universe: The Hunt Season 2 Episode 17 with Mike Dopud Interview

    Click to visit Stargate Universe on Syfy!

    Heya my fellow Stargate Universe fans.

    Welcome back to yet another awesome episode of this fantastic series, Stargate Universe.Syfy Logo Chain Mail - Click to visit Stargate Universe on Syfy

    Okay, when I was told that this was the best Varro (Mike Dopud) episode to date. I simply HAD to request that I write this review. Though I am not writing this review to score points (I do not feel I need to).

    Now do not get me wrong, I love the entire cast of Stargate Universe, however I am a big fan of Mr. Mike Dopud! And well to be perfectly honest with Varro in leather in The Hunt– OMG!! Why on earth would I or anyone pass that up? 😛

    Click to visit the fabled MGM Studios at their official web site! Again, if you have not seen this episode, one question – WHY THE HELL NOT?? Or for that matter, ALL of them. But anyway. this episode focuses on a several interesting story lines. The Hunt does have focus on the Varro character and his future with the crew of the Destiny. However there is also Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) who continues in being conniving – no big surprise there. The episode includes Sgt. Ronald Greer‘s (Jamil Walker Smith) new outlook on life. Then there are new and interesting creatures  to blow our minds!

    And I apologize if I seem to have more Varro pictures in this report then anyone else. It just cannot be helped. After all, this is more of a Varro-centric episode. Though I will have others in here too. And I might jump around a bit, so I hope you still enjoy the read.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - View from camp

    I must say the location where they filmed The Hunt episode is awesome. I have never had the pleasure of venturing over that far west in Canada, but when I eventually do, the locations where Stargate Universe is filmed is definitely one place I will want to go and visit.

    Besides the gorgeous scenery, you cannot help but be in awe when you see the new alien animals created by Mark Savela and his visual effects team . One of which Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) and Sgt. Greer decided to try and hunt down to take back to the Destiny for food. Hey, nine plus months on the ship with no fresh meat? The crew certainly needed some steaks!

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Alien meat

    Of course, The Hunt does not go without dislike from Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence), she is a vegetarian. Dr. Park voiced her opinion on the matter in no uncertain terms. A good doctor, she did so not for the fact that she does not eat meat, but that they were on an alien planet and she did not know if the dear-like creature was going to be safe to eat at all.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Lisa protests about hunting

    In the end, Lisa leaves with a “not cool” and heads back to the camp they have set up.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Eli checking out stasis pods

    And the fact good ole’ Dr. Rush lured Eli (David Blue) and Adam Brody (Peter Kelamis) to an unopened and unexplored section of the ship, Rush knew that their curiosity was going to get the best of Eli. Especially when they opened the door to a room full of stasis pods. Everyone knows that Eli wasn’t going to just open, look around and then leave. Which was what Rush told them to do.

    Leaving the stasis pods reluctantly, Eli started getting fed up that Rush seems to always call the shots as to what is important to check out and what to leave. So going against Rush’s “orders”, he turned around and went back, with Brody running to catch up with him.

    Of course with Rush back in the main bridge, he could see that Eli could not help but to go back to the room. I was thinking that there was no way in hell that someone was going to actually get in a pod voluntarily, so by being the sneaky little snake, Rush had Eli and Brody fall for his trap.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro asks Scott to let him help

    Then we have Varro stepping up and asking Lt. Scott to let him and his team go to the planet and help in the search. Scott I find is a character that cares for his teammates that much that he would do anything to keep them safe. Or for that matter, if he could, he would take their place.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro meets up with Young's team

    Of course the best moment is when Varro and his team met up with Young and his and start on the tracking of where this new and dangerous creature has taken TJ and the other officer.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro had a touching conversation with Young

    But what I found to be really touching was when Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) got injured and Varro went to his side and convinced him that he is a liability to the mission. Young knows that Varro will do whatever it takes to get TJ back. So stepping aside (sort to speak), Young issued Varro a gun so Young could go back to the Destiny.

    Varro and Greer have their moments as well. Varro heard what happened to Greer not able to take the shot at the deer-like animal. So to Varro he needed to find a way to kick Greer in the arse and get back to his usual loving self. LOL

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - James talks with GreerOf course with Greer having had a near death experience, he did not feel like his usual, shoot now – ask questions later. Instead he felt himself questioning everything he has ever done. Suddenly he was afraid, but he knew that could get him in trouble or the very least a liability to everyone on the ship.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Greer's changing moment

    The pivotal point to his enlightenment was when he was having a chat with Lt James (Julia Benson). She did not understand how someone like Greer could go from wanting to kill everything or anyone who got in his way, to a guy who started thinking of what his actions could cause.

    I think Greer has grown a lot this past few episodes. Learning to live with a group of terrorists who wanted to take the Destiny from them is one thing, but then turning around and putting in a good word for Varro. Which leads to Varro’s freedom aboard the ship.

    Although, like Varro tells TJ, he doubts very much that if he had to confront Greer about it, he would deny it. So it does show that Greer is lightening up and getting a bit more trustworthy. Least I hope so.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - TJ assures the young officer

    Then we have Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) in the cave trying to calm down the young officer with her. He was freaking out that he did not want to be some creature’s dinner. She had to step up and whip him back into fact – no one gets left behind. Same sentiment as SG-1 and Atlantis. That I found was awesome to see them carry some aspects from each of the previous series, into this one. Very nice way to tie them all together.

    I found this next sequence of pictures so awesome. Finally we get to see the connection that have obviously has gotten stronger between Varro and TJ. When she came to visit him in his room to inform him that he was a free man, he smiled and said “I know”.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - TJ and Varro in his room

    As I watched this I said, “Well it’s about bloody time!” Then with him looking at her.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro lets known his feelings for TJ

    And she looking at him.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - TJ looks at Varro

    Then he walks in closer and reaching out for her to draw her near.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro gets closer to TJ

    With their lips just about to touch, do we finally get contact?

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro attempts to kiss TJ

    OF COURSE NOT!!!! Young had to beep at the door and F*** it all up. I never wanted to go through the TV so badly then at that moment.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Young interrupts Varro & TJ

    But the look on Young’s face as Varro left to join the rest of them for their version of a BBQ, he then realized what was about to happen AND what he lost.

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - A disappointed Young

    I am sorry, but I do not feel bad for Young at all. If he had been there for TJ when she lost their baby, maybe that would have bonded them closer. But I think, as does TJ, that Varro would have been the better choice in the end anyway. And who would pass Varro up? A man in leather!! Can you say HOT!!

    SGU S2xE16 The Hunt - Varro carves the meat

    The best way to end this episode was to have Varro carve the meet in the end sequence. That I found was an awesome gesture to have him included into the rest of the crew.

    However, what I did not know was that Varro is left on his own now. Something that Mr. Dopud had pointed out in the interview you are about to listen too at the end of this report. The rest of Varro’s Lucien Alliance members are all gone from one thing or another. But I guess we can take comfort that he’s got TJ there for company. Something in fact I believe has brought them together, they both lost loved ones. TJ her unborn baby, and Varro his wife.

    Besides the fact that this episode was full of Varro — and in LEATHER!!! But it had a lot of interaction between Rush with Eli and Brody, Young and Varro, even Varro and Greer moments. And especially Varro and TJ. Whatever it is with this episode that makes you love it, it’s definitely well worth watching. This has been an awesome journey, one that I hope will come back in the future.

    Click to visit and follow MikeDopud on Twitter!Until we meet again below is a treat I have for you. An interview I had with Mike Dopud the aid of WR_Systems (Kenn) from WormholeRiders with an amazing actor from SGU. I hope you all enjoy this little — well, far from little, it’s an hour long — interview. This interview gave me butterflies ten minutes before it actually happened. And with this being my first time interviewing someone, I was worried that I was going to trip over my words. But this awesome actor made it easy to relax and to get the job done.

    I have been thinking up questions for this for a while, even googling him for hints or ideas as to what to ask. I must say, coming up with the questions was somewhat the easy part. But when it came time to actually ask them is when I got nervous.

    We chatted about his previous role in this episode that you just finish reading about. As well as his other projects he has had the opportunity to do, one of which was Exit Strategy. Though, in saying that, I may have given away who this actor was that I had the honor of having a chat with.

    However, once everything was said and done, and we had signed off, that is when I remembered one other question that I forgot to ask. I am sure that I will get to ask it on twitter.

    So without further adieu, I give you, Mr. Mike Dopud.

     

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    WormholeRiders - Click to visit and follow WHR on Twitter!Thanks for stopping by WormholeRiders News Agency this review of Stargate Universe and our interview with Mike Dopud.

    Please feel free to leave a comment here, click an icon below to share this review and interview or you can nab me on Twitter by clicking on my avatar to the right.

    Come again.

    Karen Ford XOClick to visit and follow Karen Ford on Twitter!

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