Of Dwarves and Ascension

[annundriel]

Oh, Nip/Tuck. See you whenever you come back, you crazy crazy show. Favorite line of the night? "Don't forget to sage the nursery, his ex-wife screwed a dwarf in there." I will add, though, that I'm was a little shocked that Escobar is gone. But I loved the three of them getting rid of the body. And now I want to know if Liz will move to Hollywood, too.

Also, poor Matt.

Now that I've finally seen the new ep of SGA, I can comment on it. Exciting. Probably lots of repetition under the cut.

SGA - "Tao of Rodney"

So, the episode wasn't as squee-worthy as "Echoes," but I loved it just as much I think. In its own way. I mean, how could I not love an episode where Rodney is bouncy and happy and brilliant and serious and concerned and genuine. Basically he was everything I love about Rodney.

Which is, strangely enough, also one of the things that left me kind of meh for a moment. Specifically this happened when Rodney approached Zelenka and did his whole, "I supplement my own anxieties or feelings of inadequacy by creating a bubble of hostility around myself." While it's nice to see it voiced because it means the writers (or writer) really do understand Rodney in way that's at least in the same ball park as fans, that's unfortunately also the thing that makes that line kind of, well, obvious. I mean, all of the fans, at least the ones that really do get Rodney, already know this about him. So on the one hand, yea for the creators showing that they get it, too. On the other hand, d'uh, of course you do Rodney.

Anyway, other than that and the repeated comments about Rodney and food, I was very very pleased with the ep. I was especially surprised and happy with his personal "final" interactions with everyone. Zelenka's was nice to hear, and reminiscent of the "take care of my city" speech from "Siege Part 1." Teyla and the tea ceremony made me tear up. He's not completely socially and emotionally retarded. I mean, the guy loves cats. You've got to have some gentleness in you somewhere to love cats. It was nice to see that concern and gentleness with Teyla. At first I wasn't sure about Ronon because I wasn't sure why Rodney would be asking that question. (I loved Ronon's answer. "I try not to let things I can't change bother me." I tried telling this to people in high school. They never listened. You get a bad grade? Learn from it and do better in the future. Don't dwell on the past.) And then Rodney really hugged him and healed him and then I got teary there, too. I blame Rodney's face and the quiet way he walks away. And then Elizabeth's 500-page book.

Then John. And how Rodney doesn't have to give John anything because they are good now and he doesn't need to make up for anything or show that he cares. John knows all that stuff already. They are, though maybe they'd never use the exact words, best friends. You just have to see that scene and the final one with the group before Rodney dies to know that John really does care, even if he eyerolls around Rodney all day.

But again, we all knew that already. Though it is nice to see sometimes.

Let's just say I loved both scenes in John's quarters. Rodney's quiet honesty, his wish for John to read his eulogy and to have his ashes released into space, John's refusal to think about Rodney's demise. For, like, two seconds I thought there would actually be a hug between the two of them, and that John would be the instigator. Instead we get Rodney collapsing and John catching him. I guess that works, too.

I was going to comment, as everyone does, that those beds are really small. But seeing it here, I think they're just unfortunately dorm-sized. Or something. Maybe the Ancients were tiny.

Also really loved the scene in the infirmary, especially the small things like Teyla's hand on Rodney's leg. Rodney's quiet "thank you" to Carson. John's face during the whole thing. "You're a good person. Know that we love you." I think, since we know that Rodney's his own worst enemy, it really helps him to know that these people, his people, really do love him, even if it's just "in the way a friend feels about another friend."

And then Rodney finally figuring it all out in the very very end. Because of course he's not going to die.

Let's see, random things I liked/found interesting:

- Childhood stories.

- McKAY: Who knows what kind of long term effects I could be in for. I mean, there’s gross mutation, gigantism, invisibility--
SHEPPARD: That would be cool. I turned into a bug.

- "He’s feeding his unhappiness." I don't know why. Because John's paying attention? Or something?

- Lorne! With a haircut!

- John's face during the scene right before Rodney moves Carson with his mind.

- SHEPPARD: We all agree the Ancients were pretty screwed up.
WEIR: We do?
SHEPPARD: All of the ones I’ve met were arrogant and condescending. And not for good reason. They made giant mistakes and never fixed them.
WEIR: They were still human.
SHEPPARD: Then there are all of those crazy rules.
WEIR: Those only came after they ascended.
SHEPPARD: Whatever. Maybe this thing doesn’t work on everyone, who knows, but we do know that it works on McKay.

Because even if Sheppard is only trying to be first on the list to become the next super-human, they're both making good points.

- Rodney's hands in the floating donut scene.

- McKAY: You know, we could be a team. You could be my sidekick.
RONON: Sidekick?
McKAY: Yeah, be like Batman and Ronon. Has a nice ring to it.
RONON: Yeah, you keep eating like that it’s going to be more like Fatman.

Because it was funny. And I couldn't believe Ronon said "Fatman."

- Rodney was kind of scary with his calm power in the control chair.

- “He tries to hide it, but, deep down, I’m the wind beneath his wings.”

- Rodney's healing hands.

- McKAY: I’ve never been big on the whole idea of ascending in the first place. There’s too many rules. To me life is about working towards achievement, discovering things--
WEIR: Getting credit for it.
McKAY: Exactly. I mean once you know it all, what do you do then?

- “Nothing this great could ever happen to me without really, really bad consequences.”

- SHEPPARD: Maybe Dr. Heightmeyer could help?
WEIR: Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of you.
SHEPPARD: Me?
WEIR: You lived with the Ancients for six months on the brink of ascension. You helped them face their fears and finally ascend.
SHEPPARD: I fought a scary monster. That’s what I do best.
WEIR: And for Rodney, I’m sure this seems like a pretty scary monster.

John will fight Rodney's scary monsters for him.

- The computers were neat.

- Rodney being so pleased and teasing in the very last scene. Aw.

So, yeah. Basically I loved it.