"Stargate Atlantis" is a science fiction television series that is part of the Stargate franchise, following the success of its predecessor, "Stargate SG-1." The series aired from 2004 to 2009 and explores the adventures of a multinational expedition team discovering the lost city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy.
The story begins when an international team, led by Dr. Elizabeth Weir, discovers the location of Atlantis, the legendary city created by the Ancients. Using the Stargate, the team travels to another galaxy, arriving in Atlantis, only to find it submerged beneath the ocean on a distant planet. The first episode revolves around their efforts to prevent the city from being flooded, eventually raising it to the surface.
Colonel John Sheppard, played by Joe Flanigan, emerges as a central character with a natural talent for understanding Ancient technology, including the city's defense system. He leads the military contingent of the expedition. Dr. Rodney McKay, portrayed by David Hewlett, is a brilliant, albeit arrogant, scientist specializing in Ancient technology and becomes a key figure in solving the myriad of challenges the team faces.
The series introduces a new, formidable enemy, the Wraith. The Wraith are a vampiric, hive-based species that feed on human life force. They are the dominant power in the Pegasus Galaxy, posing a constant threat to the Atlantis expedition and the human populations of the galaxy. Much of the series revolves around the conflict with the Wraith and the team's efforts to find a way to defeat them.
"Stargate Atlantis" also explores the rich mythology of the Ancients, their technology, and their legacy in the Pegasus Galaxy. The series delves into various political and ethical issues, including the responsibility of more advanced civilizations to less advanced ones, the morality of wartime decisions, and the complexities of intercultural interactions.
Throughout its run, "Stargate Atlantis" maintains a balance of dramatic narratives, character development, and humor. The show introduces several memorable characters, including Teyla Emmagan, a leader of the Athosians, and Ronon Dex, a Satedan warrior, both of whom join Sheppard's team.
The series received acclaim for its imaginative storytelling, special effects, and the chemistry among its ensemble cast. It expanded the Stargate universe by exploring new worlds and civilizations, contributing significantly to the broader Stargate mythology.
"Stargate Atlantis" concluded after five seasons, wrapping up with a finale that saw the city of Atlantis making a dramatic return to Earth. While it left some storylines open, the series finale provided a fitting end to the expedition's journey, with the city and its inhabitants safe from imminent threats. The show's popularity led to plans for a follow-up movie, "Stargate: Extinction," which was ultimately not produced. Despite this, "Stargate Atlantis" remains a beloved chapter in the Stargate franchise, known for its adventurous spirit and its exploration of both human and alien cultures.
Rising, Part 1 - Dr. Elizabeth Weir leads an international team to Antarctica, where they discover the Stargate to Atlantis and decide to venture through it.
Rising, Part 2 - After arriving in Atlantis, the team faces immediate danger when they encounter the Wraith, the dominant species in the Pegasus Galaxy.
Hide and Seek - The team explores Atlantis and deals with energy-based life forms, while Dr. McKay faces a life-threatening situation with an Ancient device.
Thirty-Eight Minutes - The team's Puddle Jumper is trapped in the Stargate, leaving them only 38 minutes to find a solution before they are permanently sealed in.
Suspicion - After several missions result in ambushes by the Wraith, the Atlantis team suspects there is a spy in their midst.
Childhood's End - The team discovers a planet where the inhabitants commit ritual suicide at the age of 25 to prevent the awakening of the Wraith.
Poisoning the Well - On Hoff, the team finds a civilization working on a drug to render themselves useless to the Wraith, but with significant risks.
Underground - The team negotiates with the Genii, a seemingly simple farming people, who turn out to have a dark secret.
Home - A mysterious fog leads the team to what appears to be an alternate Earth, but they soon suspect it's an illusion.
The Storm - A massive storm threatens Atlantis, forcing the evacuation of the city, but the situation worsens when the Genii launch an invasion.
The Eye - The Genii invasion of Atlantis continues, with Kolya demanding control of the city in exchange for Weir's life.
The Defiant One - The team discovers an Ancient satellite and encounters a lone Wraith survivor, leading to a deadly confrontation.
Hot Zone - A nanite virus outbreak in Atlantis causes hallucinations and death, forcing a quarantine of parts of the city.
Sanctuary - The team discovers a planet that has been protected from the Wraith for centuries and meets a powerful being.
Before I Sleep - The team finds an elderly Elizabeth Weir in stasis, who has traveled back in time and has important information about Atlantis.
The Brotherhood - In search of a Zero Point Module (ZPM), the team forms an uneasy alliance with the Genii to locate an Ancient device.
Letters from Pegasus - As Dr. McKay develops a method to send a data burst to Earth, the team records messages for their loved ones back home.
The Gift - Teyla's ability to sense the Wraith is explored, revealing a disturbing connection to the enemy.
The Siege, Part 1 - Atlantis prepares for a direct assault by the Wraith, leading to desperate measures to defend the city.
The Siege, Part 2 - The battle to protect Atlantis continues, with the team making a last stand against the overwhelming Wraith forces.
The Siege, Part 3 - Atlantis faces the continuing siege by the Wraith and receives unexpected assistance, leading to a daring counterattack.
The Intruder - While returning to Atlantis via the Daedalus, the crew encounters a Wraith computer virus wreaking havoc with the ship's systems.
Runner - The team encounters Ronon Dex, a human from the planet Sateda, who has been turned into a Runner by the Wraith.
Duet - A transporter accident causes Dr. McKay and Lt. Laura Cadman to become trapped in the same body, leading to unusual and comedic situations.
Condemned - The Atlantis team discovers a civilization that sacrifices its criminals to the Wraith, questioning the ethics of their society's survival tactics.
Trinity - Dr. McKay discovers an abandoned Ancient project that could potentially provide a powerful weapon against the Wraith.
Instinct - The team meets a young Wraith girl who has been genetically altered to suppress her need to feed on humans.
Conversion - After being exposed to a Wraith retrovirus, Sheppard begins to transform into a Wraith, causing fear and tension among the crew.
Aurora - The team discovers the Ancient warship Aurora and uncovers a secret about the Wraith.
The Lost Boys - Sheppard's team is captured by a group of humans who have been using Wraith technology to fight the Wraith but at a great cost.
The Hive - The Atlantis team continues to deal with the human group using Wraith technology and faces a Wraith Hive ship.
Epiphany - Sheppard becomes trapped in a time dilation field and experiences a unique and enlightening journey.
Critical Mass - A bomb is discovered in Atlantis, and the team races to find the saboteur before it's too late.
Grace Under Pressure - McKay finds himself trapped underwater in a sinking Puddle Jumper and hallucinates a companion to help him survive.
The Tower - The team discovers a society living in a tower that closely resembles Atlantis and uncovers dark secrets about their way of life.
The Long Goodbye - Two consciousnesses from an ancient war take over the bodies of Weir and Sheppard, replaying their conflict on Atlantis.
Coup D'etat - The team becomes involved in a Genii coup d'état and faces difficult political decisions.
Michael - A captured Wraith is turned human and experiences the conflict between his Wraith instincts and human emotions.
Inferno - On a mission to an advanced civilization, the team faces a volcanic catastrophe that threatens the planet's population.
Allies - In the season finale, the Atlantis team forms an uneasy alliance with a Wraith Hive Queen, leading to unexpected developments.
No Man's Land - Atlantis faces a dire situation as two Wraith Hive ships head toward Earth, and the team races to stop them.
Misbegotten - The Atlantis team continues their plan to convert Wraith to humans, but moral and ethical dilemmas arise.
Irresistible - The team encounters a charismatic man named Lucius, who has a mysterious influence over everyone he meets.
Sateda - Ronon Dex is captured and returned to his home planet, Sateda, which has been devastated by the Wraith.
Progeny - The Atlantis team discovers the Asurans, an advanced race of Ancients' replicators, leading to a confrontation.
The Real World - Dr. Weir finds herself back on Earth in a psychiatric hospital, questioning her reality and the existence of Atlantis.
Common Ground - Sheppard is captured by the Wraith and forms an uneasy alliance with a Wraith commander to escape.
McKay and Mrs. Miller - McKay's sister helps the team with a risky experiment, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Phantoms - The team encounters a Wraith device that causes hallucinations, leading them into dangerous situations.
The Return, Part 1 - The Atlantis expedition is ordered to return to Earth when the Ancients reclaim Atlantis, but the transition doesn't go as planned.
The Return, Part 2 - With Atlantis under the control of the Replicators, the team mounts a risky operation to retake the city.
Echoes - The Atlantis team encounters a highly intelligent and benevolent species of whale-like creatures facing a catastrophic phenomenon.
Irresponsible - The team encounters Lucius again, but this time he's posing as a hero using Ancient technology.
Tao of Rodney - Rodney McKay gains superhuman abilities after being exposed to an Ancient device, but his life is at risk.
The Game - Sheppard and McKay discover they have been unknowingly controlling the lives of real people in a computer simulation.
The Ark - The team discovers a space station with a society in stasis, facing a critical power failure.
Sunday - A day off for the Atlantis crew turns tragic when an explosive device is accidentally triggered.
Submersion - The team explores an underwater lab and encounters a Wraith Queen imprisoned there.
Vengeance - The team investigates a missing team on a Wraith-affected planet and discovers a new threat.
First Strike - In the season finale, Atlantis faces a threat from a powerful new weapon developed by the Asurans, leading to a desperate plan.
Adrift - Following the events of the season three finale, Atlantis is adrift in space and running out of power, leading to desperate measures for survival.
Lifeline - The team embarks on a risky mission to steal a power source from the Asurans to save Atlantis.
Reunion - Ronon reunites with his former Satedan comrades, but their return is not what it seems.
Doppelganger - A mysterious crystal causes members of the Atlantis team to fall into deadly comas, living out their worst nightmares.
Travelers - Sheppard is captured by a group of humans with advanced technology who have been living in space for generations.
Tabula Rasa - Atlantis is hit by a mysterious virus that causes amnesia, leading to chaos and confusion among the crew.
Missing - Teyla and Dr. Keller find themselves stranded on a planet and are pursued by a dangerous new enemy.
The Seer - A man with the ability to see the future warns of a dire threat to Atlantis from the Wraith.
Miller's Crossing - McKay's sister is kidnapped, leading to a complex situation involving nanite technology and moral dilemmas.
This Mortal Coil - The team discovers a group of replicators who have become self-aware and seek to understand their own existence.
Be All My Sins Remember'd - Atlantis forms an alliance with the Wraith and the Travelers to launch an all-out assault on the Asuran homeworld.
Spoils of War - The team discovers a Wraith queen who holds the key to understanding Wraith technology and tactics.
Quarantine - A lockdown traps various members of the Atlantis team in different parts of the city, leading to personal revelations and developments.
Harmony - Sheppard and McKay protect a young princess on a rite of passage, dealing with her difficult personality and a hidden threat.
Outcast - Sheppard returns to Earth for his father's funeral and becomes involved in a mission to stop a rogue experiment involving human-form Replicators.
Trio - McKay, Keller, and Carter find themselves trapped in an underground mine with collapsing floors and rising tensions.
Midway - Teal'c visits Atlantis and helps Ronon prepare for an interview with the IOA, leading to a battle against the Wraith at the Midway space station.
The Kindred, Part 1 - Teyla's search for her people leads to shocking discoveries, and the team encounters a long-lost friend.
The Kindred, Part 2 - The team grapples with the return of an old ally and faces a betrayal that could have devastating consequences.
The Last Man - Sheppard is propelled 48,000 years into the future, where he learns the fate of Atlantis and his friends.
Search and Rescue - Picking up from the cliffhanger, the team launches a rescue mission for Teyla and confronts Michael and his hybrids.
The Seed - Dr. Keller is infected with a mysterious illness that turns her into a Wraith-like creature, prompting a risky cure attempt.
Broken Ties - Ronon faces his past when an old friend is turned into a Wraith worshipper, challenging his loyalties.
The Daedalus Variations - The team discovers an alternate version of the Daedalus trapped in a series of parallel universes, facing various threats.
Ghost in the Machine - The team encounters a group of Replicators who claim to have ascended and seek the team's help.
The Shrine - Rodney McKay is infected with a parasite that causes a fatal disease, leading to emotional moments and a race against time for a cure.
Whispers - Dr. Beckett and the team investigate a secret experiment that has created a nightmarish creature on a remote planet.
The Queen - Teyla goes undercover as a Wraith queen to infiltrate a hive ship and gather intelligence on the Wraith.
Tracker - Dr. Keller is kidnapped by a Runner, and Ronon and McKay must track her down before it's too late.
First Contact - Daniel Jackson visits Atlantis and helps discover a secret lab that leads to an encounter with a new, powerful enemy.
The Lost Tribe - The identity of the powerful new enemy is revealed, and the team must stop their plan that could destroy entire planets.
Outsiders - The team helps a group of human refugees who are being hunted by the Wraith for refusing to give up a drug that makes them useless as food.
Inquisition - The Atlantis team is put on trial by a coalition of human worlds for their actions in the Pegasus Galaxy.
The Prodigal - Michael returns to Atlantis with a plan to take control of the city, leading to a dramatic showdown.
Remnants - Sheppard, McKay, and Woolsey experience strange visions, leading to discoveries about themselves and the city.
Brain Storm - Rodney McKay attends a scientific presentation on Earth that goes disastrously wrong, threatening a global catastrophe.
Infection - The team encounters a Wraith Hive ship with a crew infected by a virus, leading to a moral dilemma and a dangerous situation.
Identity - Dr. Keller's consciousness is swapped with a thief, leaving her stranded on a distant planet.
Vegas - In an alternate reality, Detective John Sheppard investigates a series of unusual murders in Las Vegas, linked to the Wraith.
Enemy at the Gate - In the series finale, a Wraith Hive Ship heads toward Earth, leading to a final battle to save the planet.
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