Beware of SPOILERS for “Air” in the report below.

New details have emerged on the background and supporting characters in the premiere episode of Stargate Universe, via a batch of new casting documents. They offer a lot of names, but also a little bit of new info on the story for “Air” and the set-up for the new series.

First, an update on the show’s main cast of characters: Lt. Jared Nash has been renamed “Scott,” according to writer and consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi (we assume his first name and rank remain the same). And Chloe Carpenter has been renamed Chloe Walker. Other main characters include Dr. David Rush (Robert Carlyle), Colonel Everett Young, Tamara Jon, Eli Hitchcock, and Ron “Psycho” Stasiak (story).

Several of these roles have been cast and announcements are pending, Mallozzi said recently on his blog.

Guest characters in the 3-hour premiere episode include:

Senator Walker. As reported last week, he is Chloe’s father and a distinguished U.S. Senator with some oversight of the Stargate program (story). The producers are looking for a star name for this role.
Camille Wray. Also in last week’s report, she is an accountant with the I.O.A. — the international organization with oversight of the Stargate program. After the base is attacked and everyone is evacuated through the Stargate to the Destiny, Wray is furious that they were not told that they were evacuating there instead of to Earth. Their supplies are extremely low — especially food. She is a potentially recurring character.
Curtis.
Darren Becker. An Airman, he works in the mess hall.
Philips. A scientist and part of Dr. Rush’s top secret project.
McDonald.
Henry. He reports to McDonald that the Destiny’s life support systems activated automatically when they dialed the ship, but it’s not working right and they have only a few hours of breathable air left.
Brody. A team of scientists investigate a thick, black substance found on the ship, and Brody suggests that it may be residue from whatever the Ancients used to scrub CO2 from the air on board the Destiny.
Smith.
Franklin. A civilian scientist, he grows impatient with Rush’s orders and the lack of food on the ship.
Marion. A waitress, late 40s. She’s frustrated with her son Jack, who seems to be going nowhere in life. (Earth-based)
Jack. Marion’s son, who sleeps all day.
Palmer. A geologist.
Grearson. Also a scientist. He and Franklin are on a barren and inhospitable planet with Eli, looking for something. They have a handful of Stargate addresses, which they couldn’t dial from the Destiny but think they can dial using the planet’s Stargate. Eli isn’t eager to go against Dr. Rush’s orders, but the two men don’t care much about that.
White.
Pool.
Riley. A scientist / gate technician who attempts to dial a nine-symbol address on the Stargate (perhaps as part of the research program, before a connection with the Destiny is first established?).
Kim. Another scientist / gate technician.
Volker.

Some of these supporting characters may certainly become recurring, as with such Atlantis faces as Peter Grodin, Sergeant Bates, and Radek Zelenka.  Others will no doubt be one-offs.

Just what is Rush’s secret project? From the scarce info we have seen so far, he is apparently trying to figure out how to make use of the Stargate’s ninth chevron (story). This project is probably taking place at a secret off-world base run by Earth, and our guess is that Colonel Young is the base’s commander. That would explain why the two men clash over who is in charge when they find themselves evacuated to the Destiny. Is it a military operation, or an extension of Rush’s project?

Chloe and Eli, meanwhile, have found an Ancient long-range communications device, the technology first introduced in the SG-1 ninth season episode “Avalon, Part 2″ — used by Daniel and Vala to reach the Ori home galaxy with their minds. Their consciences assumed the bodies of two people who had recently been exposed to the technology. For Chloe and Eli, it connects them to people on Earth.

While the device could potentially be used for keeping in touch with Stargate Command, for now Eli and Chloe are using it seruptitiously to escape the confines of the ancient ship in deep space. But they find it to be a hollow experience. They reconnect with Chloe’s friends (in the guise of other people’s bodies) and learn what her friends really think of her. Chloe is stunned and saddened to discover that her friends only hung out with her because her father is a powerful U.S. Senator, revealing a vulnerable side to her character.

Stick with GateWorld for the latest info on the new series between now and its summer premiere! Just bookmark our growing Stargate Universe Launch Center.