Universe (Episode)

From Nightmares to Reality
Full episode can be found here

John has trouble differentiating between his feelings and Rodney’s, and Samantha begins to regret having gotten such a close friendship as it’s compromising their decision making.

One by one, the expedition says goodbye to those not staying. John gives Major Lorne one last chance and seeing that the IOA would love it and give him more clout to defend the people going back, John goads Lorne into striking him and Major Lorne finally hits John and gets his blood on his uniform. They shake hands and part amicably with the ZPM John’s giving Earth.

Caldwell finally acknowledges that Sheppard’s a hero, but still doesn’t think he’s a good soldier. When asked whether he regrets not getting John’s job years back, Caldwell simply looks around the city nostalgically and says goodbye and good luck.

Woolsey is questioned first and told to work on the IOA’s problems to prevent another catastrophe like this. John then drags him to the gate, gives him a letter to give to O’Neill, then literally kicks him through the gate.

Samantha gets called down to the infirmary and finds Carson still in stasis and unable to go back to Earth. It’s just another nail in her coffin and she begs God for forgiveness. It’s hinted that Ronon and Jennifer slept together as a final goodbye, but there's no confirmation.

Final Call and the Fake Out
Their final transmission to Earth contains all the information they can send on the Ancient Database. Only an hour remains before the expected arrival of the Asurans. The city is prepared and John takes the helm at the control chair.The Traveler ships are all skeleton crewed along with Daedalus to extend their shields over the city to give it a better chance of survival.

Chuck detects the Asurans and the plan commences, John lifts the city up the ocean and while the Wraith scramble to attack the Asurans, it seems that all is going to be well.

The city launches without a problem and achieves orbit. The ships on the piers turn their shielding on, and four Wraith Cruisers attack along with their darts. An exploding console critically injures Mila. Larrin along with some travelers have to carry her to the infirmary.

With three minutes left, the SuperHive jumps in a minute and a half out. It ignores the Asurans despite taking fire and heads straight for Atlantis. Radek reports that if the Superhive hits them, it’ll drain too much power and the shields will cover less area exposing the refugees to space. Marks offers to sacrifice the Daedalus in a nuclear ramming attack to save the city, but just as the craft is preparing to take off, the Superhive fires its forward banks at maximum range.

A final gift
All hope seems lost until just moments before the shots hit the city, they slow down and eventually freeze. No one knows why this is happening, but every shot the hive fires simply slows and stops a hundred feet from the shield. Daedalus is frozen on the pier as well, the thrusters firing but the ship's not going anywhere.

Both Samantha and John realize that it’s Rodney as an ascended being doing it, and realize that no matter what Rodney will always be with them and be a part of Atlantis. The Drive spools up and in a magnificent splash of blue, the wormhole drive tears the universe a new one and Atlantis escapes.

Todd on the Superhive can’t understand it, but seeing that he’s lost now, turns his attention to the surviving Asurans and orders that once they are dealt with, to scavenge the broken hives for supplies. When Kenny asks what they’d need from them, Todd simply replies. “supplies.” And it’s understood that he’s going to cull any survivors for food.

Left Behind, but not forgotten
Back on Earth, Mr Woolsey meets with Jack at a tea shop. He delivers the unopened letter to him and Jack reads it. It’s a set of stellar coordinates and the words “I’m sorry.” Jack understands clearly and even knows the coordinates from his hobby..He burns the letter and when Woolsey asks him what it was he just replies that he wants to know what it’ll take to fix the IOA.

Hoag's Object
In Hoag’s Object, the city has landed and damage is immense, the hyperdrive is fried along with the wormhole drive so there’s no hope of going home easily.

The series ends with Samantha on the balcony shivering a little. This planet is much colder than they’d expected. The Mainland to the south is temperate though and supposedly has an Ancient outpost. John joins her and they have a little talk where Samantha pushes her feelings down and says she needs time to recover, and she needs to do it alone for now. John agrees since he himself isn’t so sure about his thoughts and feelings.

Larrin joins them after a minute along with the rest of the new cast, Mila on Radek’s shoulders as she’s still pretty hurt from the console explosion. When they talk about what they’re going to call the planet some wacky names are put forth, but Dr Esposito offers “Saudade” which is an untranslatable Portuguese word that means “a sorrowful longing for something that you know you probably won’t ever get”

Everyone gets it and the moon is named Saudade. The final scene is the new crew watching the ringed planet they’re orbiting rise in the horizon.

Notable Quotes
“John… what’s wrong?”

“Everything.”- John answering Samantha's question with the ultimate answer

“Would you mind explaining why Major Teldy is under the impression that you and Colonel Sheppard have orchestrated a coup and taken over the city?”

”No sir… I don’t feel the need to explain myself.” - General Landry asking a blunt question, and Samantha replying just as bluntly. "Rod..."

''"ney..." ''- Samantha and John coming to the same conclusion.

''“This is a letter addressed to you General… from Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard. He gave it to me right before I was sent back.”''

“You mean before he booted your ass off the city… literally.”

“Oh… you’ve seen the video.” - Jack O'Neill venting his frustration by teasing Richard Woolsey

“What do you think we’ll find out there?”

“Guess we’ll just have to find out the old fashioned way.” - John Sheppard and Samantha Carter wondering what lies ahead.