Rising

"Rising" is the first and second episodes of the first season and the series premiere of Stargate Atlantis.

Synopsis
An expedition team leaves Earth, for the Lost City of the Ancients, Atlantis, deep within the Pegasus Galaxy, hoping to discover valuable new technology. But, what they find is a city submerged beneath an ocean, with its shields about to collapse&mdash;and a deadly new enemy awakens.

Part 1
Several million years ago, the Ancients are about to leave Earth in their great city-ship of Atlantis. Ayiana must remain behind for unknown reasons, and watches the great city slowly rise and disappear in the sky.

In Antarctica, millions of years later in 2004, a group of researchers and scientists are working in an underground laboratory. They are examining Ancient Technology, which includes an ancient drone, and a control chair. Dr. Carson Beckett is attempting to activate the chair, as he has the ATA gene, a special gene sequence that allows him to interface with Ancient Technology. However, Beckett is unwilling to sit in the chair, despite being the one to discover the secrets of ATA.

Dr. Weir, the leader of the proposed expedition to Atlantis, says that they need as many people they have with ATA to sit in the chair, so that they can learn more about its operation, however most people are afraid of it because it controls powerful weapons. As they are discussing the chair, Dr. Daniel Jackson interrupts and asks them to come with him. He has new news on the address where the Ancients went after they left Earth. They recently discovered a seventh symbol, the point of origin earth, but found that their address was incomplete. There was an eight symbol. Atlantis may be far, but it's not out of reach. It is possible to go there.

At the same time, General Jack O'Neill and Major John Sheppard are flying in a chopper towards the base, discussing their opinions on the Antarctic Continent. At the Base, Dr. McKay wants Dr. Beckett to sit in the chair one more time. Despite objections, Dr. McKay gets Beckett to sit down, and asks him to try and imagine an image of their location in the Solar System. The chair activates, but it also activates one of the drones that the research team is studying. The drone heads up and out of the base, and targets O'Neill's helicopter. Before they get the warning from the Atlantis base, though, the drone enters their visual range. Major Sheppard and O'Neill start to dodge the drone, while Weir tells Beckett to concentrate turning off the drone before it hurts someone. He manages to do so, moments before the drone impacts the chopper. Sheppard and O'Neill arrive at the base about seven minutes later. O'Neill leaves Sheppard with orders not to touch anything, while he goes to talk with Jackson, Weir, and McKay. Jackson tells everyone about how the Ancients left in their flying city a few million years ago, to settle in the Pegasus Galaxy. McKay wonders if it may be possible that they are still there, and Jackson cites that that itself is reason enough to go. O'Neill doesn't mind, but there is one problem. They need the nearly depleted Zero Point Module to power the gate, but O'Neill doesn't allow them to use it. However, the rest insist on using the ZPM, and they are fully aware of the mission's one-way nature.

At the same time, Sheppard runs into Dr. Beckett, who was recounting the events of the drone. Sheppard blames him for "firing that thing," but quickly forgives Beckett. Beckett then goes on to explain the ATA gene to Sheppard. In the process, Sheppard sits on the chair, regarding that the odds are against him having the gene. However, the chair lights up immediately, and Dr. Beckett rushes to get Dr. Weir. McKay asks Sheppard to do the same excercise of thinking about their location in the Solar System, and a map immediately appears above the chair. Because of his ability to use Ancient technology so easily, Weir asks Sheppard to join the team, and after a discussion with O'Neill, he accepts.

A bit later, all the members of the team are saying farewell to their loved ones. Some are able to disclose certain details about the mission, like Weir, but others have to fabricate stories. At Stargate Command, the members of the expedition are preparing their supplies for departure. At the same time, Dr. McKay is tying in the ZPM to the Stargate power systems. While they wrap up, Dr. Weir makes a speech to everyone. If they achieve a wormhole, they go, and she offers them one last chance to withdraw their participation. No one withdraws, and they dial the gate. As the eighth chevron locks, a stable wormhole does indeed form, to the applause of the expedition team. The probe is sent through, and a viable atmosphere is detected. A military team is sent through first, and then the rest of the expedition. As soon as everyone is through, a bottle of champagne comes through the  Atlantis gate and then it deactivates.

As they explore the compound, lights and systems start to come online. Security teams are exploring the city, but have found no signs of aliens, Ancients or otherwise. However, the teams discover a conference room, and a hanger of space ships. At the same time, McKay discovers the control room, and the Atlantean DHD. As they are powering up main systems, Colonel Sumner calls Dr. Weir down three levels, where they see through a window a huge, submerged city. It is Atlantis.

Lucky for them, a force field is holding back the water to prevent the collapse of the city. Dr. Beckett also found a holographic recording by an Ancient, telling the history of Atlantis. About 10,000 years previously, a powerful enemy besieged Atlantis, which is why they sunk their city, and went through the Stargate back to Earth. The entire story of Atlantis is true, only that one of the Ancient Greeks would have probably have heard it by an Ancient. However, a problem has arisen.

The power levels in the city are dropping, and as soon as the last of three ZPM's fail, the entire city will become flooded. They compress the teams to smaller locations, and attempt to cut back on power. However, they will need to find more ZPMs if they want to survive, as their Naquadah generators cannot provide enough power on their own.

Colonel Sumner puts together an expedition team, which includes Sheppard, and they open the gate to the planet Athos. The first people they encounter are two Athosian children, Jinto and Wex, who are playing a game. At first perceiving them as a threat, the team later encounters Halling, who clears up the confusion, and takes them to Teyla, leader of the tribe. On their way, one of the children briefly tells Sheppard about a creature called a Wraith, and his ignorance of their species surprises both children.

Teyla Emmagan introduces herself, and Sumner introduces his team. She states that the Athosians do not trade with strangers, so Sheppard proposes that they get to know each other. He is quick to "break the ice," and Teyla invites them to share a cup of stout tea.

The next day, Colonel Sumner explains their proposition, but the Athosians fear that they may provoke the Wraith by entering the great city (a settlement across the lake). When Sumner shows ignorance of the Wraith, the first thing Teyla suggests is that they return to their world, as it best the Wraith never learn of their existence. Despite the warning, Sumner wants to explore the city, as there may be a ZPM there that the Athosians don't know or care about. However, Sheppard is afraid that these Wraith may be the great enemy spoken about in the Ancient history. Teyla feels that it important Sheppard sees something, especially since they cannot return to their homeworld.

Back on Atlantis, the shield is in degragating condition, as another section of the city becomes flooded.

Teyla has taken Sheppard to some ancient ruins. There, Sheppard finds a necklace, which Teyla claims to have lost years ago. After putting it around her neck, Teyla begins to explain the Wraith history. They apparently sleep for periods of several hundred years, allowing the number of the humans to increase. They then return to cull them. Apparently, there are no species untouched by the Wraith. Also, there are some Athosians, like Teyla, who can sense the coming of the Wraith, which gives warning to the people.

Part 2
At the Stargate, Lt. Aiden Ford is updating Sumner on their status, having finished transmitting to Atlantis. However, the stargate suddenly becomes active, and three ships exit, heading for the city. Teyla senses the approach of these ships, remarking that the Wraith have come. They transport people to their ships, using some sort of beaming technology. Sumner immediately orders them to open fire, but becomes distracted when he sees movement on the ground. Teyla soon informs them that these are mere illusions, and that they should focus on the ships. Sergent Bates manages to take one ship down. However, both Colonel Sumner and Teyla are taken. The two remaining ships then head for the gate, and Ford memorizes the symbols on the dialing device. Sheppard goes to examine the downed wreckage, where he finds a Wraith hand. At the same time, Jinto arrives, scared, as he has lost his father.

Back on Atlantis, Dr. Peter Grodin is showing Dr. Weir the collapse of another part of the shield. Dr. McKay reports that shield failure is imminent, and that they have to evacuate immediately. However, as they dial the gate, Sheppard returns, with the Athosian refugees. Weir tells Sheppard that they have to abandon the city, and Sheppard asks Jinto to gate an address for them. However, as they are dialing, the entire city begins to rise. Before they can react, Atlantis re-surfaces, solving their shield problem.

Their last ZPM has been depleted, but they can now use their naquadah generators to provide power, as they no longer have an ocean to hold back. However, they cannot raise their shield, which means that they may as well be target practice. But what Sheppard wants to know is to know where Sumner and the others were taken. McKay complains that there are 720 permutations of the six symbols provided, but Sheppard tells him that all he has to do is find the permutation that they can lock onto.

Despite the technical problem to be solved, Dr. Weir asks for a word with Sheppard. She does not want him to carry out his rescue opperation. She states that it's risky, especially since they know that the Wraith were powerful enough to destroy the Ancients. Also, their defensive condition puts them in more jeopardy, but Sheppard insists. Weir finally agrees, but says that she wants at least a remote chance of success before mounting a rescue.

On the Wraith ship, Teyla regains consciousness, presumably losing it before being beamed aboard. Sumner asks her if she can provide any intel on what to expect, but she has no idea what happens. They are discussing their predicament when a Wraith comes. Sumner attempts negotiation, but the Wraith does not hear a word past his first name. He then selects an Athosian, Toran to take with him, disregarding both Teyla's and Sumner's offer to take them in his place.

On Atlantis, they have managed to lock onto a gate address, but soon discover that the gate is in high orbit around a planet. They cannot walk through it, but McKay has an idea. He takes Sheppard to the hanger of ships, asking if he might be able to fly it. Meanwhile, Dr. Beckett is examining the Wraith arm that Sheppard brought back. He tells Weir that the cells of the creature have an amazing ability to regenerate. Also, the former owner of the arm was "very, very old." The Wraith can't die from natural aging as long as the cells of the body are nourished, and they are near impossible to kill, a fact Weir does not like the sound of.

Sheppard has learned how to fly the Ancient ships, and also discovered that they have cloaking shields. Along with Ford and a few other soldiers, they prepare to leave. Ford reports that "Gateship One" is ready, but Sheppard overrules the name, favoring the name Puddle Jumper. Not wanting to argue, McKay agrees with the name, and they dial the gate using the Jumper's DHD. They arrive in orbit of the planet, where Sheppard immediately engages the ship's cloaking shield. Also, Sheppard discovers that the ship is controlled mainly by thought, and can access devices and a HUD by pure thought. He lands the Jumper, and lays down defenses. He also tells everyone not to engage the enemy.

On the surface, in the Wraith ship, the Wraith comes back for another person. This time, he takes Colonel Sumner. They go to a large room, where an aged corpse lays in a chair, which later turns out to be Toran. Soon after he arrives, a female Wraith comes, remarking that Sumner must feel hungry. She starts asking him questions, remarking that he has little fear. He asks why his people have been taken prisoner, and she responds that they trespassed on the Wraith's feeding ground, a term which shocks Sumner. The Wraith remarks that humans are their food, and starts asking about Sumner's home planet, coercing the answer out of him. She is amazed to learn about the population, remarking that their feeding ground has not been so rich for 10,000 years. After getting the information she needs, she begins to feed on Sumner, making him age rapidly.

At the same time, Ford and Sheppard have managed to get inside the ship. Using a life signs detector, they find their people, but soon figure out Sumner has been taken. Ford starts to lay down C-4 explosives, while Sheppard goes to look for the colonel. After having wandered for a bit, he hears Sumner scream, as the feeding process begins. Sheppard soon finds them, but sees Sumner as an aged man, the Wraith having fed on his life. Sheppard decides to shoot Sumner, to spare him from more pain. Sheppard unfortunately gets stunned, and is brought to the mercy of this Wraith. However, before she can make any headway, Ford opens fire, and Sheppard orders the explosives to be set off. After killing the Wraith, they soon discover that they have awakened several other Wraith, from hibernation. They manage to get out of the ship, and head back to the jumper. However, several of the smaller Wraith darts are deployed. The Jumper takes off under cloak, but they find the stargate under the guard of several darts. It doesn't matter that they cannot see the Jumper, they can fire blind as soon as the gate is active. Sheppard decloaks, and manages to draw the darts away from the gate. He also manages to use drones on the Jumper to destroy some of the ships, and dials the gate. After a few more tactics, they make it through the gate, with three darts in hot pursuit. As soon as they are through, Weir activates the shield, which destroys the pursuing darts and they find themselves in safety.

That night, they are having a celebration, breaking into their new home at the same time. Weir opens the bottle of champagne for tribute, and Teyla remarks that they have also made a new ally, and with the help of the Athosians, they will make many more. Also, Weir asks Sheppard to put together his team, so they can get back to doing what they came to do, explore a new galaxy.

Notable Quotes
After Maj. Sheppard has expressed his hesitance to join the Atlantis expedition Jack O'Neill: Why'd you become a pilot? John Sheppard: I think people who don't want to fly are crazy. O'Neill: And I think people who don't want to go through the Stargate are equally as whacked. Now if you can't give me a yes before we've reached McMurdo, I don't even want you.

Marshall Sumner: Let me make myself clear, Major: You are not here by my choice. John Sheppard: I'm sure you'll warm up to me once you get to know me, sir. Sumner: As long as you remember who's giving the orders. Sheppard: That would be Doctor Weir, right?

Watching the expedition depart Daniel Jackson: Jack, it's not too late for me to... Jack O'Neill: No. Jackson: I could just grab my... O'Neill: No.

Aiden Ford: Gateship One, ready to go. John Sheppard: "Gateship One?" A little puddle-jumper like this? Ford: It's a ship. It goes through the gate. Gateship One. Sheppard: Oh, no no no. That's all wrong. Ford: Doctor McKay thought it was cool. Sheppard: Oh, okay. Well, it's official: You don't get to name anything. Ever.

Flying the Jumper Sheppard: Tell you what, Lieutenant, a lot of fighter pilots would kill to fly this thing. It's like it reads your mind. (Readouts suddenly appears over the HUD) Ford: Did you do that? Sheppard: I was just wondering where we go from here. Ford: I'll take that as a yes. So how do we find them once we land? Sheppard: Well I've been thinking about that too. (On the wall beside him, a panel opens to reveal a Lifsigns detector) Now I'm thinking about a nice turkey sandwich. (Sheppard looks around, but nothing happens) Ford: Worth a try.

Arriving back from a rescue mission John Sheppard: Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Atlantis. Please remain seated 'til the puddle jumper's come to a full and complete stop. (A phrase reminiscent of the standard phrases used at the end of airplane trips and amusement park rides.)

Teyla Emmagan: (to Sheppard) You have earned both my friendship and that of my people. With our help, you will make many more friends. Carson Beckett: (watching) How come I never make friends like that? Rodney McKay: You need to get out more. Beckett: We're in another galaxy. How much more out can we get?

After Weir reminds Sheppard of his status as Atlantis' military leader John Sheppard: You do realize I could get us into all sorts of...trouble, right?

Background notes

 * Some of the portable light sources in the Antarctic Outpost are reuses of the ultraviolet units from "Message in a Bottle".
 * One of the gate symbols a computer display shows when Daniel Jackson leads Dr. Weir and McKay into the tent for the location of Atlantis includes the point of origin of Abydos.
 * This episode indicates a number of countries involved in the Atlantis Expedition through flag patches; Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Japan, Philippines, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwé. However, the participant with the Spanish flag has a distinctively Mexican accent.
 * Ayiana makes another appearance since "Frozen".

Production

 * The production budget for the two episodes add up to approximately $5 million (US)
 * The scenes for Antarctica were filmed on Pemberton Glacier in British Columbia, Canada
 * The episode recieved a nielson ratings of 3.2, the highest ratings achieved on any Stargate Atlantis episode.
 * Paul McGillion previously portrayed a young Ernest Littlefield from the Stargate SG-1 episode "The Torment of Tantalus".
 * Teyla Emmagan's working name was "Mikala".
 * Dr. McKay was originally Dr. Benjamin Ingram, an African-Canadian scientist, until the production crew decided to bring back McKay.