4. REUNION
(Season Four, Episode 3)
Some nine years after the destruction of his home planet, Sateda, Ronon found that three of his old friends and comrades were still alive: Tyre (Mark Dacascos), Ara (Kyra Zagorsky), and Rakai (Aleks Paunovic). It was a life-altering encounter for Ronon, who felt more at home with them than he ever had on Atlantis — so much so that he decided to leave the city and join Tyre and the others. His new team joined Sheppard’s for a joint operation to infiltrate a Wraith facility … only to have the Satedans turn on them, handing them over to the Wraith. Ronon learned that they were Wraith worshipers, converted through a torturous process that compromised their minds. After the fight that ensued Ara and Rakai were dead, and Tyre fled to fight another day.
After two years on the show, we hadn’t seen Ronon really drop his guard much before “Reunion.” These were not just Satedans, not just people who served with him in the military — they were his friends, friends he thought were dead. After a sometimes tense relationship with Weir, Sheppard, Carter, and those back on Earth who called the shots for the Atlantis expedition, he finally found somewhere he felt he belonged. It was a great insight into what goes on inside his head, and heart-breaking to watch him have to fight and kill the people he loved.
3. BROKEN TIES
(Season Five, Episode 3)
Tyre returned one year later, now on the outs with his Wraith masters. To get back into their good graces, he tracked down Ronon and captured him, handing him over to the Wraith as a prize. Ronon was the Runner who got away, and the betrayal of his former friend wounded Ronon deeply. But that was only the beginning: The Wraith subjected Ronon to the same torture that Tyre and the others had experienced, repeatedly draining his life and then restoring it. This painful brainwashing process broke even Ronon, who pledged his allegiance and took on the Atlantis team. When they got him back, Ronon had to endure an equally torturous withdrawal process to restore his mind.
It’s hard to imagine Ronon being put through the wringer worse than he is in this Joseph Mallozzi episode. Ronon is captured and handed over to the enemy by his old friend, still loyal to the Wraith. The Wraith tortures him in an unimaginable way, making him love what he has hated most in life, the creatures who took his life, his family, and his people from him. He takes on Tyre and his own team on behalf of the enemy, and finally must go through painful withdrawal to recover his identity. And after his friend Tyre is saved from Wraith control … he sacrifices himself and dies. Jason’s performance here is the best of his four years on the show, strapped to a gurney shouting at John Sheppard, “You kill me or set me free!”
Ronon Dex top 5 (ah make that top 8!) No Man’s Land (for the whole scene with Rodney in the cocoons); Sateda (for the sadness of his back story revealed plus his loyalty in sacrificing himself for Sheppard and Teyla); Reunion (for realising (too late perhaps) who his true friends are and being man enough to admit it); Quarantine (for using his knowledge of Earth movies to attempt a breakout of the infirmary); Midway (Indeed – I think that says it all really); Search and Rescue (For making his deal with Sheppard despite Sheppard’s protests plus the “Whatever” response when… Read more »
I honestly believe that Ronan and Teyla were both underused when Dr. Keller’s character became more prominent on the show. And it is a shame, because there should have been more Ronan character driven stories like Sateda and Runner. Now we can only hope that he gets equal screen time in the movies to come.
The show where Ronan an Teyla are forced to take Wraith enzyme and go at each other while eating is brilliant… they make a great show of the glee they have getting into a fight under the influence of the enzyme..
It was brilliant
Ronon’s and Todd’s last stand in “The Last Man” also deserves a mention.
Ford’s character arc (and lack there-of in season one) also deserve a mention. Him popping back up to Sheppard during “Search and Rescue” really drove the point home about Sheppard’s personality.
The person who said, “Alls well that ends well.” is NOT sitting in my livingroom consoling the crying lady on the couch hugging her Sheppard pillow.
I really going to miss this show. More so then SG1. :(
I agree, I started watching as a sci fi and Momoa fan, but, Shepard is great. A marvelous personality as well and good looking… I’m catching up, how many years later?
I didn’t have a tv for 20 years, no time and little worth watching but finding some great shows I missed…
I agree with Kara Sheppard….I’m really going to miss this show….. This has been a short but great series.. Thanks to all
Jacer
I raised my glass to the fine actors and stories of Stargate Atlantis. You will be missed and will always be very loved. God speed.
I’m glad you included MIDWAY as one of the best Ronon episodes as I not only agreed, but thought it perhaps my favorite of all SGA. And, all your ‘Best Of’ have indeed reminded me how good much of it has been. (and how I missed Elizabeth Weir -even though the episodes that led to her end were among her best).
I thought Runner would have been placed higher on the list, but I haven’t seen all of these so … *shrug*
On a separate note, why isn’t Carson getting a top 5? Because, uhm, he really deserves it too. >.>
I loved all Ronon-centric episodes – he is my fave character and Jason Momoa is my fave actor. Midway – Sateda – Runner – Broken-Ties – and Outcast, I know it was Shep’s back story but I liked seeing Ronon on earth. Hope we see momoa again on telly soon!
Midway is one hell of an episode of Ronon!
oh, and definitely Search & Rescue! his goodbye line with John beneath the rubble still makes me cry