Kindred II - The Greywolf is Not Amused

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I feel cheated.

Yeah, yeah, I know after Gateworld publicaly retracted the statement about the Kindred Carson not being a clone I should have been prepared for this... but still. I was willing to accept the world's most intricate kidnapping plot, I mean sure, I would have ridiculed it a little, but if we got Carson back I would've done my best to overlook it.

But this isn't Carson.

I mean it is, but it isn't.

First off, he was wearing blue, which should not have made my eye twitch, but oh, it did. I'm petty like that.

But I think what annoys me the most, other than the fact that we were promised 100% Carson (a statement I'm going to find for my own peace of mind), is that this means Carson really died. He's dead. He really died because of a stupid exploding tumor, and damn it, that stings. And this clone, he's Carson, he really is in that he walks, talks, and quacks like a duck, has all of the same reactions... but I still feel cheated. I would've felt bad that Season 3 Carson wasn't real, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe it's just indigestion, but still.

Okay, to the positive points: Rodney!

Not only Rodney(!), but Protective!Rodney, constantly shoving Carson out of danger (after he does his Rodney Dance of Panic, which is so incredibly adorable I had to hold in my squee), practically snarling at Sam for suggesting that this Carson is less (yeah, he'd be snarling at me... but I know I'll get over it eventually), and trying to get him to stay behind. Oh, the only thing that could've made it better for me was Rodney whump (I mean, there were plenty of stunners flying around), but that's just my insatiable whumper appetite talking.

And John, oh, emotive John, especially at the end where he reaches out and I'm like "What? You can hug Clone Carson?" but no, it was the John Sheppard version of a hug, a supportive manly bicep squeeze. Oh, John!

Carson and Keller! It's my own personal fanon that he brought her to Atlantis, sort of taking her under his wing and that's one of the reasons she was chosen to succeed him. Completely fanon, but hey, it's not contradicted by anything in the episode, unlike others (*coughDAVEcough*).

Sam, playing the Devil's Advocate, ah, Sam... well, I won't say anything else in case spoilerphobes are reading. But yes, saying everything that had to be said, bringing up all the negatives.

(Clone)Carson: As I said, for all intents and purposes it is Carson, and I loved his reaction to the news (although I would've loved to see some incredulity on a "I was killed... by an exploding tumor?") about his death, and, oh, I hurt for him on learning about Elizabeth's "death". Poor guy, that's a lot to take in. And Rodney really had his woobie face going on there. (I'd give him a hug, but he takes them about as well as John.)

And of course, I loved seeing the Athosians again. And Halling was there! Hooray for Halling! Oh man, they didn't look so good. Doesn't Michael know he has to feed his test subjects? Or was he absent the day they covered that in Human Test Subjects 101? I mean, they really looked like they had been trapped there for months. I'm going to pretend Jinto was just hidden somewhere within that crowd. I'm really glad the Athosians survived (well, most of them), because y'know, genocide really isn't that fun of a storyline. That and that would have altered Teyla, permanently. And I don't want her to get too dark. I've got the feeling this whole Kanan thing ain't going to end well.

Timeline note: Okay, so now "Sunday" is supposed to have taken place six months after "Misbegotten", did I hear that right? (And this takes place two YEARS after the episode?) And so like 4/5th's of Season Three was supposed to take place over six months? I mean, they spent  six weeks of that on Earth during "Return, Part 1". So everything else (Sateda, Irresponsible, Common Ground, 3/4 of the team getting shot in "Phantoms"... should I go on?) happened within such a short time span? Like what? A week? I'm calling shenanigans on that one.

On a final note, "Last Man" looks very interesting.

Comments

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Whats so interesting is that a good friend of mine said she would have felt cheated if the real Carson had not died because of the grief and emotion in "Sunday" and all the episodes we saw and felt were not the real Carson.

So while I was surprised we did get a clone, even I thought we were told there wasn't going to be one--I have to agree. I felt emotion when Carson our Carson died ..if he had been a cloned then yes that would have angered me more.

I liked how having clone!Carson won't be an easy fix, there will be issued and its going to be work. I don't like the idea that we didn't find out how he had the memories but I guess begrudge the fact that we the ans wanted him back and we got him..in some way or another. My emotions were still high and the ending hurt, so that worked for me.

I still have a whole review to write but yes to Halling! Very cool to see him back.

And Ronon! He didn't want to go through the wringer again but he did.

Rodney's scenes were pure gold, that roller coaster ride was just..GUH He doesn't care...his friend is back.

The last scene...that was just...*shivers* that was good and sad and damn it please make it all better!

[leesa_perrie]

I'm afraid my reaction is just like Rodney's - who cares if he's a clone, he's Carson in every way and therefore is Carson! I loved the episode, loved Rodney's reaction's, and Carson's, and John's, and Ronon's (and Teyla's) and... yeah, you get the point!

Though I do wish they'd explained HOW a bit - I mean, how did he clone Carson and when exactly (on that planet or later?) and how/when did Michael transer Carson's memories etc over? And yeah, timeline is a bit messed up - will have to watch it again to see if the six months is definite or could be interpreted as a 'sort of/about' and therefore could be stretched a month or two (people's memories being what they are - I mean, ask me how long between a and b and even if both events were significant my guess might not be accurate; it's hard to remember how long I've been married, after all!).

Overall though I'm happy that we have a Carson back who acts like him etc. I'm also happy that there is a problem that needs fixing and it's not all rainbow and sunshine and puppies! The ending was very emotional (poor Rodney).

I can understand how some fans will feel cheated by clone Carson - but I'm not one of them. Agree to differ if probably best though. Looking forward to the next one but with a bit of trepidation...not too good at these cliffhangers that don't get resolved for MONTHS!!!!