Recruit of the Week: Dr. Radek Zelenka

Each week GateWorld celebrates some of Stargate’s unsung heroes and lesser-known support personnel. Nominate your favorite below!

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A brilliant scientist and original member of the Atlantis expedition, Dr. Radek Zelenka has made an incalculable contribution to Earth’s efforts in the Pegasus Galaxy — though he has often had to play second fiddle to Rodney McKay. Radek hails from the Czech Republic, and joined the international expedition through the Stargate in 2004.

Zelenka serves as a key member of the science team in Atlantis. In the expedition’s early years he helped to explore the lost city of the Ancients, bringing the city’s systems back on line after its 10,000-year slumber beneath the ocean surface. He also helped to discover and make use of numerous pieces of Ancient technology.

In one early crisis Radek was tasked with quickly learning the control systems of the Puddle Jumper, after Dr. McKay and the rest of John Sheppard’s team became trapped in a Jumper that was lodged within an active Stargate. On another occasion the city ship of Atlantis sound itself adrift in deep space, and Dr. Zelenka did not hesitate to risk his life to save his new home and the people in it.

In addition to his scientific prowess Zelenka has proved himself to be a thoughtful man and loyal to his friends. Though he is left exasperated by Rodney on a near daily basis, Radek deeply respects him for his genius and counts him as his friend.

DOSSIER:

Name: Radek Zelenka
Nationality: Czech Republic
Rank: Civilian
Assignment: Atlantis Expedition (Science Division)

Played By: David Nykl (@DNykl)
First Appearance: “Thirty Eight Minutes”
Last Appearance: “Enemy At the Gate”

ON GATEWORLD:

Radek Zelenka (The Stargate Omnipedia)
Chronicles of Radek (Video Interview with David Nykl) (2005)
Czeching In (Audio Interview with David Nykl) (2006)
Nykl a Minute (Audio Interview with David Nykl) (2007)

News: David Nykl in The Beast of Bottomless Lake
Gallery: David Nykl at TGS Springbreak (2018)
Radek Zelenka/David Nykl Appreciation Thread (GW Forum)

What is your favorite Zelenka moment? Post it below!

Who do you want to see featured in a future Recruit of the Week? Nominate a supporting character in the comments!