Momoa wants to go ‘dark side’

“I really want my character to go to the dark side,” Jason Momoa (“Ronon Dex”) revealed to GateWorld today in an interview. “We’ve been talking about it … What I’ve always wanted to happen is some epic story, and I hope they write something epic, that I’m captured and tortured by the Wraith, by Michael or someone.”

Season Five was recently given the green light by the SCI FI Channel, and Momoa is ecstatic that he is returning for episodes 80 to 100. But what would give him even greater pleasure is a story he could sink his teeth into — a story of betrayal.

“I’m waiting for Sheppard and those guys to come get me, and he’s not allowed to come get me. Some I.O.A. thing says they can’t, I’m an alien. [Sheppard] wants to and he’s restricted from it.

“I just want the character to have a full change,” he told us, “[have] him to feel betrayed by Atlantis, not to come and save him, and him to be confused and mind-warped to think he was done wrong again by someone he loves. Have him go AWOL. Have him become a bad guy and working for Wraith or Michael or someone like that.”

Dex has been at odds with Michael Kenmore from day one, believing that a Wraith — even one physically altered and conditioned to believe he is a human — can only be a heartless killer. Still, Momoa believes Ronon could be influenced by these dark forces into turning against his own.

“I’d rather have him turn to the dark side and have him realize he was wrong and have to find justice and redemption in figuring out where he went wrong. It’s just a lot funner that way.”

Currently on hiatus from shooting Atlantis Jason, who has worn his trademark dreadlocks for seven years, recently has had enough. “I just cut ’em off,” he told GateWorld. “I’ve got to put them back on. I’m sure people will see them … But I couldn’t take it anymore personally. It was just too heavy. Fight scenes are intense. My hair’s getting whipped around, and it weighs six and a half pounds. It’s just too much.”

Will the producers grant him a lighter head for Season Five? Momoa’s not taking any chances. “I saved the dreads. The lady who works on them has to braid ’em up and actually has to sew them on, which is going to be a two-day process. It’s going to be painful. It’s going to be horrible. I’ve got to do that. Ronon needs the dreads. I want him to have them. It’s just to a point where it hurts my neck. It physically hurts having them.”

As much as he appreciates having the extra pounds stored on a shelf during hiatus, he feels the hair is a signature for Ronon. “I think it keeps him separate from the Earthling thing, and everyone looks the same. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.”

GateWorld’s complete interview with Jason Momoa will be posted soon! The mid-season cliffhanger, “This Mortal Coil” airs tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on the SCI FI Channel in the United States. New episodes will resume in January after the holidays. Learn more in GateWorld’s Season Four episode guide.