Stargate Universe 1.19 “Incursion Pt. 1” Recap

First off, I would like to dedicate this recap to my recently deceased uncle, Russell Estes, who passed away last Sunday in the comfort of his own bed due to complications with cancer. He will be greatly missed…

Now onto the recap.

Man, what an episode…

The first installment in the most anticipated two parter arrived to us last Friday (yes, it’s Tuesday. Read above.) and didn’t hold back the punches. Lives are at stake, battle lines are drawn, and an unanticipated variable has screwed up each factions’ plans, but that’s not the scary part. That dubious honor goes to Col. Young not knowing what the hell to do. Alas, I am getting ahead of myself…

No Air…

We pick up where we left off last week, with Col. Young threatening to kill Col. Telford by shutting off the air in Telford’s holding cell. Co. Young gives the order despite Camile and Lt. Scott’s cries of protest. Telford gives a few death throes and finally falls dead. OMG!!!!! But before Camile and Scott damn Young for his actions, the Col. looks at his watch for a couple of seconds and radios Brody to cut the air back on. Col. Young then rushes in and resuscitates Telford, who after refusing to reveal intel, freely gives Young the information they were seeking: The Lucian Alliance is coming via the Startgate. Okay, what just happened here?

Cue the LOST trombones…

Ante UP!!!

While Col. Young gives the ship instructions on the incoming incursion by the Lucian Alliance via intercom, the crew prepares for battle. The civilians are shuttled off into one area and the grunts suit up, lock up, and post up at their designated spots. Meanwhile, in our galaxy, SGC sends Amanda Carter and the George Hammond Camile questions Young’s sudden trust in Telford’s intel, but Young reveals that he doesn’t trust Telford fully. Lt. Scott makes his feelings known to Col. Young about being left out of the plan to kill and then revive Telford to bypass the Goa’uld brainwashing technology. Oh… so THAT’S what happened! Anyway, Young pretty much tells Scott to shove it cause he doesn’t have time to tend to hurt feelings.

Young then visits Telford in the infirmary where they make up and Telford thanks Col. Young for saving him from the brainwashing tech. I still don’t like the S.O.B., but if Telford feels sorry and is ready to sacrifice himself to make amends then I will give him a get out of jail free card. After this exchange, Young asks for TJ to stay in the infirmary where it will be safe, but TJ knows its more than that protests the request. When Young reveals his plans for the Lucian Alliance once they cross the gate, TJ is shocked and says that she can’t give him the forgiveness she is asking for.

On the other side of the universe, the Lucian Alliance prepares for the incursion. Kiva has Dr. Rush return to work after hurting him for some reason I believe. Can someone tell me what that was about? Thanks. While the LA prepares to attack, the George Hammond arrives and begin their own attack after learning that they can’t beam Rush from the surface. Shiva orders for the gate to be dialed, but Rush warns her of the implications since they aren’t ready, which means the planet will blow up.

Back on the Destiny, Chloe finds Eli in his quarters watching Dr. Jackson’s video on the Lucian Alliance. The ship jumps out of FTL, which signals the crew that the incursion is about to go down. Everyone takes their places as the Lucian Alliance starts being hurled out the gate into the locked and sealed gate room. The Colonel is ready to initiate his plan of attack: which is draining the air out of the room, but the LA arrive with Telford/Dr. Rush and screws that plan all to high hell. Damn.

Plan B: “The Hard Way”

As soon as Col. Young is met with the new variable placed in front of him, he calls for all military personnel to prepare to take hostages. Meanwhile in the infirmary, TJ discovers that Dr. Rush is back in his own body due to the link being cut when Telford’s body entered through the gate.

Back on the planet, Kiva realizes that the planet is about to go nuclear and she and some more goons enter the gate. On the George Hammond, Colonel Samantha Carter has to make the painful decision to leave behind some of her men to escape the impending explosion of the planet.

In the gate room, Kiva watches as few of her soldiers die and immediately aims to kill Dr. Rush, but Telford reveals that it is him instead. Col. Young comes on the intercom to tell them that they are surrounded and will have the air sucked out of the room. Kiva remarks that Col. Young should’ve had done that already and has her men blast their way out the room. In the chaos, Riley’s head get grazed by a bullet; Chloe and Eli decide that this is the perfect time to leave Eli’s quarters and run for cover, which later results to Chloe getting shot in the leg; and Dr. Rush runs off from the infirmary to protect the ship, making TJ run after him and getting captured in the process. While Eli tries to tend to Chloe, who has fainted, Kiva makes a call to Col. Young telling him to shove his demands up his ass cause she got hostages, one of them being TJ.

So much for the hard way, eh?

Now What?

Colonel Carter reports to General O’Neill about the damage, casualties and the status of their mission, but General O’Neill is still awaiting word from the Destiny.

Back on the Destiny, Col. Young, Dr. Rush, and Drs, Perry, Volker and Brody all take time to make their next tactical move, but Dr. Rush wonders why didn’t the Colonel go with the original plan in the first place, especially since the link was severed. Of course, Col. Young brushes this one under the rug. Scott comes to report that the head count of missing/POW crew members includes TJ, Riley, Eli, and Chloe.

Eli tries to comfort Chloe who is steadily growing weak due to the loss of blood. Eli then proposes to help Chloe walk back to the everyone else, clearly having too much faith in the military stopping the Lucian Alliance and not enough common sense.

Kiva contacts Col. Young to make a deal, but end up making threats. Enter Camile Wray, who feels that she is the right person for the job. Kill me now. Camile comes up with a fair prisoner exchange idea, which Young backs, but Dr. Rush is visibly not cool with. Back in the gate room, Kiva selects an unknown soldier, TJ, and Riley for an execution demonstration. When Kiva is about to take out TJ, Col. Telford stops her by saying that the act would do nothing but kill them all instantly. He gives her a plan of attack and she lets him have six men to go with him, but promises bloodshed (starting with TJ) if anything goes wrong. When Telford reveals that TJ is the only medic that either faction has, Camile’s voice comes onto the walkie talkie. What does this girl want?

Camile proposes to Kiva a 4 prisoner exchange to give the Lucian Alliance an “advantage”, which Kiva claims that she will think about. Back in the control room, Rush and Young get into it over the situation, forcing Camile to shout for them to stop. Dr. Rush thinks it’s frivolous for Col. Young to put all his faith into a traitor, who is the reason they are in the predicament now, but Col. Young vows to rescue each and every hostage and that Telford has a plan.

Another Variable, Another Problem

Eli walks Chloe to the observation deck to show her the view (why? I don’t know) when the two realize that they are breathing recycled air. Eli lifts Chloe up to take her to their destination. Meanwhile, Kiva hauls TJ to tend to one of her fallen men, but TJ declares the guy badly wounded.

Col. Young takes a trip back to report to General O’Neill, who is pissed at Col. Young’s inept ability to commandeer the situation. Young counters that he didn’t want to lose any men, but O’Neill informs him of Carter losing two of her good men, which was the right thing to do. Of course, I balk at this, but I regain myself long enough to watch the rest of the scene. O’Neill tells Young to either man up or ship out. How that is possible for someone to change guard in the middle of an incursion is beyond me… To an extent.

Col. Telford takes some soldiers with him to get to the control room. Some of the areas they are walking through is exposed to space, but are guarded by ship’s shields. Col. Young feels as if this is Telford’s signal due to a console being activated in the area by Telford that details the whereabouts of Kiva’s men. Col. Young takes Greer, Scott, and more grunts to ambush the LA group. Meanwhile, Dr. Rush realizes that they still haven’t jumped back into FTL since the countdown clock isn’t running. Foreshadowing, anyone?

When Telford and the goons reach the door, it won’t open. One of the goons offers to open the door, despite Young and gang waiting to blow them all to kingdom come. But the grunts got to save their bullets for later due to the exposed part of the ship incinerating the goon as soon as he tries to pry open the door. The other goons run, but the door opens with a shocked Telford and an equally shocked Young staring at the smoldering remains. Each of them asks if the other did the deed, but they are just as perplexed as we are. Young tells his group to stand down and hands Telford a radio. The entire ship then goes wacky in terms of lights and system malfunctions. Just another day on the Destiny folks…

Cliffhanger Part Deux

Eli and Chloe still make their way to the other part of the ship, still thinking that the incursion is over. Well, Eli does at least. Chloe continues to whine, but Eli promises that he will take care of her. This is your time to shine, Eli. Don’t f*ck it up…

Kiva is pissed and thinks that her incinerated soldier and the system malfunctions are all Young and Rush’s fault, but Telford declares that the other faction is innocent. While Dr. Rush tries to figure out the problem, Kiva contacts Young for him to speak with TJ, who is forced to ask for medical supplies to save one of Kiva’s men. Dr. Rush has had it and doesn’t think that they should be giving Kiva any leeway and needs to be taken out immediately, which Young surprisingly agrees with. Young declares that they will take back the Destiny and we are hit with the producer credits afterwards.

Ready for Friday?

From the Airlock of the Destiny…

– Yep, I’m back in the airlock due to the incursion. But I will hold out all my thoughts until tomorrow’s finale so check back then for my insight on the craziness at hand.

See you tomorrow night. I promise.

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