‘Outcast’ focuses on Sheppard’s past

Beware of minor SPOILERS for “Outcast” and other Season Four episodes in the story below.

An upcoming episode of Stargate Atlantis will finally give viewers a glimpse into John Sheppard’s past, executive producer Joseph Mallozzi told fans on his blog. The episode is being written by Alan McCullough based on a story idea from actor Joe Flanigan himself, and now has a working title: “Outcast.”

“Expect some insight into Shep’s past relationships late in Season Four,” Mallozzi said. “… Delving into Sheppard’s backstory was one of the things on our To-Do list at the beginning of the season, and Joe’s idea gives us the perfect scenario in which to do it.”

Sheppard will return home to Earth in the episode, and will also be reunited with his ex-wife (whose existence was first mentioned in “Sunday”).

The episode may also see a “special guest star … a character we haven’t seen since his debilitating injury in [a previous season].” Let the speculation begin — but one candidate who jumps to mind is Sergeant Bates (Dean Marshall), who hasn’t been seen after being roughed up by a Wraith infiltrator in the Season One finale, “The Siege, Part 2.”

Though previously slotted as a late-season episode, “Outcast” is actually now intended to air early in the second half of the season, as episode #414. The highly anticipated two-parter “The Kindred” now fills the final two slots before the season finale (as yet untitled), which Mallozzi promises will be a cliffhanger and an episode unlike anything the show has done before.

The back half of the season is intended to air in this order:

“Be All My Sins Remember’d”
“Spoils of War”
“Quarantine”
“Outcast”
“Trio”
“Midway”
“Harmony”
“The Kindred, Part 1”
“The Kindred, Part 2”
Season Finale [Untitled]

In today’s installment, Mallozzi also offered some short teases of several of these episodes:

“I’m really looking forward to ‘Harmony.’ I know Jodelle will be brilliant. She’s always brilliant.” The producer may be referring to young actress Jodelle Ferland as a guest star. The 12-year-old played the child Adria in SG-1‘s tenth season premiere, “Flesh and Blood.”

“‘Midway’ is looking big, Big, BIG! Oh, and BamBam [fight coordinator James Bamford] has been working on that sparring scene for weeks.

“Marty G. [writer/producer Martin Gero] promises to have ‘Trio’ (formerly ‘Full Tilt’) done for next week after which he’ll no doubt sleep for three straight days.

“Watched ‘Kindred II’ dailies from Terminal City. Dark, dank, disturbing.“

Learn more about the upcoming fourth season of Stargate Atlantis in GateWorld’s episode guide! The new season premieres September 28 at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on SCI FI Channel.

(Thanks to Major_Griff for the tip)