The other night, Akemi and I finally wrapped up our viewing of Stargate: Universe. So, what did she think? What was her take on the final ten episodes? The finale?
Well, what follows are her unique thoughts on episodes #211-220 (Stargate: Universe 2.5)…
DELIVERANCE
While she appreciated the action in this one, she did bump on the seemingly impeccable timing with which our crew was able to extricate themselves from danger…managing an FTL jump with seconds to spare. She also found the aliens had equally impressive timing. Either that or they were just being polite by waiting until Scott and Chloe complete their kiss before interrupting them: “Everything so perfect timing. And by the way, bad alien very polite too. Wait until kiss before interrupting.”
She wasn’t sure why the alien ursuni sacrificed themselves to buy Destiny time (“I don’t get seed ship. Why they sacrifice themselves? Why so nice?”), but did find the moment touching nevertheless (“So sad. Sad story. Sad alien. Just like seppuku.”).
As always, the visual effects were the star of the show (“Very interesting to see computer graphics in fighting scenes. Very cool. I like it.”)
TWIN DESTINIES
More sadness – and some confusion – abounds in this episode. Interestingly enough, she felt sadder for a miscalculating Eli than the rest of the crew who presumably perish in the unstable wormhole: “The geek boy’s mathematics wasn’t correct, right? Too bad, geek boy. Very sad for him.”
She found the “stay or go” decisions by the various characters very interesting, particular Dale Volker’s desire to stay: “I was surprised the fact Patrick wanted to stay on the ship. He was the third person! Do you believe it?” I asked her, given the choice, if she would choose to remain on Destiny. Her response: “My character not very important so maybe writer send me back to Earth.” The cold realist.
Overall, though, she really enjoyed this episode: “I liked this episode. I like expensive episodes I guess. Very cool.”
ALLIANCES
Another stone episode complete with confusing body-swapping. Still: “I kind of liked it. Exciting bomb situation going on.”
Again, she appreciated the visual effects and the “weird looking bomb”. She also patted herself on the back for being instantly suspicious of Andrew the second he boarded the ship: “Andrew creepy. Very suspicious from the beginning.”
One question she asked that I didn’t have the answer to was with regard to the old timey paintings that adorn the halls of Homeworld Command – and one in particular: “Why people pick Carl Binder’s picture over other writers? Maybe because is more sophisticated.” No, I’m sure that wasn’t it.
HOPE
While she didn’t enjoy this episode as much as the previous visual effects extravaganzas, it did have its moments. And some of those moments engendered some interesting responses…
When Ginn first shows up in Chloe’s body: “TWO girls in one body! So great for him [Eli]!”
But then, when Ginn kisses Eli: “What the fuck?!” And later: “I didn’t like the fact geek boy kiss because he was not nice to scientist guy when he wanted to kiss. Don’t forget – your body’s not really your body!”
When Rush is in strapped into the chair, experiencing the VR love-making with Amanda Perry, Akemi wondered if he had an erection and how embarrassing that would be considering the number of people in the room.
As for the B story: “I’m happy the fact surgery went well. Team Curly!”
SEIZURE
Her reaction to this episode was similar to mine: “Why such a stupid plan?”
Yes, she found this episode incredibly confusing: “What kind of mission were they trying to do? I still don’t get it. But it was nice to see Bob [Picardo]!”
After explaining the mission to her numerous times, she seemed to get it: “Stupid Chef! Always pushing ideas and fail it.”
She wasn’t quite sure what to make of McKay (“Suddenly McKay show up. He talk a lot. Very arrogant. From Atlantis. So he is famous.”), but I assured her he’d grow on her. She agreed to defer judgement until she’d had a chance to watch SGA.
But she wasn’t buying the body switching, especially the notion that a couple of people from Earth could so effectively impersonate a bunch of human aliens they’d never met: “Very hard to copy somebody’s actions. I think some people may tell. Chotto henna [kind of strange] episode.”
The biggest eye roll came with the revelation that the parameters Amanda Perry set for their VR romantic encounters was their love for one another: “How to measure love? What if more than like but a little less than love? Not very scientific.” So true.
THE HUNT
I was actually surprised by how much she enjoyed this episode, her new favorite alongside season one’s Time. She loved this episode for a number of reasons, the chiefest being the fact that her favorite character, Ronald Greer, is front and center. She also enjoyed seeing another side of Rush, the playful prankster very much in control.
“I liked this episode so much,”she said. “Because so funny and I liked scientist’s sneaky face. Reminds me of my boyfriend. I liked the scientist so much in this episode.”
On Lisa Park’s potential romantic relationship with Volker: “She’s everyone’s girlfriend!”
Following the night time attack that kills off most of Varro’s people: “How many people you killed? My boyfriend likes to kill people.” And then: “A lot of Lucian Alliance people living together and you kill them all except your favorite Mike Dopud.” But on a more serious note: “Feels like you’re killing so many people every episode and math doesn’t go.” Oh, it goes. Trust me. It goes.
As the end credits rolled: “I liked the computer graphics, the animal creature. I liked to see Mike Dopud in the episode very much. I liked scientist doing sneaky thing. I’m chotto sad the fact Patrick’s love situation. So he’s still single?” And: “I liked as much as Time. Easier to understand.”
COMMON DESCENT
Akemi found this episode a bit of a head-spinner. “Very confusing. Robert Cooper’s episodes always so complicated.” I prefer “complex”.
She had another question I didn’t have the answer to – as it turns out, a question I had at the time that I never got an answer to either: “What is the answer to question at beginning of episode about fruit? Good for women and don’t want to tell male? What is that? Maybe if you eat it you don’t get pimple? Something like that?” Yes, something like that I imagine.
EPILOGUE
Akemi found this episode quite touching: “So sad episode. Everybody so old looking.” In particular: “I find very sad. Very super old Young. Old Young’s life seems very sad for me.”
And Varro’s heroics weren’t lost on her. After he saves T.J. from plummeting by catching her, then swinging her to safety: “I liked that Mike Dopud helped her. So cool. Coolcoolcool.”
BLOCKADE
She was very impressed with the visual effects in this episode, one sequence even prompting a bewildered: “How to do that?”
Highlights included: “And I find set is so cool too. And Mike Dopud. Bazooka! I liked it!”
She did have some questions about Park’s ability to get out of the pool and reach the exit despite her lack of sight: “If she can’t see, how she’s able to reach the door?”
But her closing remarks were reserved, not for this episode, but the upcoming finale: “Wow. Very interesting. How to end? I don’t think they make it back to Earth. So I feel like not happy ending. Depending on the ending, I may not like the season.” How’s that for pressure? “I’m investing for a happy ending. If not happy ending, my boyfriend have to tell me the story every night to give me a happy ending.” I referred her to THIS blog entry: May 12, 2011: Stargate: Universe, Beyond Season 2! What Might Have Been!
GAUNTLET
Finally! The finale! I feared she would hate it since there is no happy ending. Instead, we leave Destiny with the crew in stasis and Eli alone on the bridge, with two weeks to fix the damaged pod and save his life. Her response?
“I LIKED IT! Kind of happy ending. Nobody die. Three years.” And, doing the math: “So supposed to be this year!”
She loved the spectacular visual effects, the destruction of the command ships in particular, but still found the episode bittersweet: “I really feel sorry for her, the blind girl. Daisy? Lisa? So sad about her and Jamil.”
“I liked it. Happy ending. At least they figured out the possibility to survive.”
Yes, presumably the Destiny crew is out there, somewhere, drifting, perhaps only years away from waking up once again and continuing their adventures.
NEXT UP: Stargate Atlantis! Who wants to take part in the official re-watch?!
We’ll kick things off, viewing an episode a day starting Friday, January 31st with the series premiere: Rising I. And we’ll continue through the show’s full five season run – provided Akemi remains onboard! Who’s in?!
Leave a Reply