Broken Ties

"Broken Ties" is the third episode of the fifth season of Stargate Atlantis.

Synopsis
Ronon Dex is captured by Tyre, who wants to hand him to the Wraith in order to maintain his role in their circle. However, when the deal turns sour, and Tyre is left for dead, the Atlantis expedition pursuade him to take back their friend. Meanwhile, The Wraith turn Ronon into a Wraith worshipper.

Previously on Stargate Atlantis
Ronon Dex and Teyla Emmagan found three of Ronon's Satedan friends, Ara, Rakai and Tyre. They convinced him that the Atlantis expedition are not his true friends, but they are. They needed the First Atlantis Reconnaissance Team's help in storming a Wraith weapons research facility. However, Ronon soon realised that his friends were Wraith worshippers. Ronon denounced his friends and fought them both, resulting in the deaths of Ara and Rakai. Tyre, however escaped, only because Ronon let him go.

Plot
On a forested planet, Ronon Dex and Teyla Emmagan are talking about how Kanaan has been released from his prison camp on the mainland of M35-117 and has integrated in Atlantis. They discuss that Kanaan had a scare with the city's showers, and that Ronon offered to spar with him. Teyla then talks about Ronon, who recently stunned Doctor Garrett on his own surprise birthday. Their conversation ends, when they notice a black cloaked figure lying on the floor. The two tries to help, but Ronon inadvertently steps on a trip wire, which detonates an explosive. The hood figure stands up and fires a Wraith handblaster at Ronon, and shoots him three times before he succumbs to the stunner. Teyla looks at the assailant, who unveils himself. It is Tyre, who doesn't look well. He later stuns her.

She later returns to Atlantis in the conference room with Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, Doctor Rodney McKay and Richard Woolsey. He tells them that the Daedalus could not detect Ronon's subcutaeneous transmitter anywhere on the planet. They believe that Tyre has moved him, but think that he is not acting straight, since nothing would stop him from killing Teyla. They believe he may have kept some of the Satedan sense of honour. They discuss what their next move would be, Teyla suggests looking for another Satedan, and she knows just the one, Solen Sincha, on the planet Belkan. Woolsey commissions the mission to Belkan, and wonders whether Teyla decides to rejoin Sheppard's team, since she hasn't said anything official yet. Teyla says she hasn't decided, but wishes to join the team for the mission. As they leave, the doors close. Woolsey prepares to leave, but the doors wouldn't budge, much to his surprise.

On another world, Ronon wakes up tied to a chair. Tyre is next to him and tells him that they are in Sarif Sur, a planet where Tyre almost died in a mission. He then tells Ronon that if he joined them in the first place, Ara and Rakai may still be alive today. Ronon wouldn't listen to him, but notices that his hands are shaking. Meanwhile, on Belkan, Sheppard's team finds Solen in a tavern, who is evidently drunk. They confront him and tells him that Ronon is in trouble, which Solen points out "he's always in trouble". When he hears of Tyre, he tells them that he was a Wraith worshipper, since he disappointed the Wraith, they let him go. This was not an act of kindness, since they serve as a example to those who betray the Wraith, and he would be an easy target for all the Humans in the galaxy. He does however agree to send a message to Atlantis when he finds a lead.

On Sarif Sur, Ronon tells Tyre that he doesn't look well. He tells Ronon that after their last encounter, the Wraith was disappointed by him and decided to let him loose. However, due to the Wraith enzyme he was used to receiving for the Gift of Life, he has gotten addicted to it, and after not getting more in a while, starts to get into withdrawal. Ronon, agrees to take him to Atlantis so that medical personnel could help him. However, he had his own intentions, he called for his own help. By capturing him, he alerted the Wraith to the planet, and with Ronon captured, Tyre would be saved again. A Wraith Commander enters the building, where he says he will be looking forward to Ronon serving him, before he quickly feeds on him.

Back in Atlantis, Woolsey and Teyla both talk about her future with the team. Woolsey respects her decision to take more time to think, even by offering a substitute for her for now. Teyla wonders if he has children. Woolsey hasn't but once had a pet Yorkie, until his wife took him after their divorce. On Sarif Sur, the Commander, who has fed on Ronon, gives his lifeforce back. Ronon says he'll die before he will submit to the Wraith. The Commander keeps trying. In Atlantis, McKay and Sheppard talk in the mess hall about how ro find Ronon. McKay tells him that he thought of everything, and even took the Archimedes approach by bathing for his "eureka moment", but there is still nothing. As McKay talks further, Major Evan Lorne interrupts them and says that Solen has contacted them on the lead, a planet called Sarif Sur. They plan to launch a mission as they speak.

On Sarif Sur, Tyre begs Ronon not to delay the inevitable, and join him. Ronon refuses and still brands Tyre as a traitor to him and his people. The Commander enters and tells them that things are progressing slowly. They plan to move. Tyre wants the Wraith to take him back, as they originally agreed. However, the Commander goes back on the deal, and throws Tyre onto a wall, and leaves him to die before leaving with Ronon and the warriors. Sometime after, Sheppard and Lorne's team arrive in the abandoned village and searches it. They find nothing, until Lorne finds Tyre unconscious. With his pulse weakening. They send him back to Atlantis, where Jennifer Keller tells them that he is going through Wraith enzyme withdrawal, and even broke his restraints to injure the guards. Keller could give him sedatives to ease the withdrawal, but will prolong it. They have to make his detox as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Ronon and the Commander arrive in a Wraith lab. Ronon tells him he'd rather die, like Marika and Hemi. However, the Commander tells him that they didn't die because they refused to join. They died because they were too weak to survive the process, but Ronon is strong enough, and will submit eventually.

For several days, Tyre continues his brutal withdrawal, while the Wraith Commander continuously feeds on Ronon, and gives his life back. Teyla and Kanaan, who is now back as a Human look after Torren John Emmagan. Kanaan tells Teyla that he'll respect whatever decision she makes, since she has both the duty to look after Torren, and the people in Pegasus. Tyre finally recovers his withdrawal, and talks with Sheppard. He tells him that not only will he give him the location of where Ronon is being held, but will join them in finding him. Woolsey agrees to this. Teyla gives Woosley Torren to take to Kanaan in the cafeteria, before she joins in on the mission, in the hopes of saving Ronon. However, it is too late. Ronon cracks, and is turned into a Wraith worshipper, who is told that Atlantis is his enemy.

Sheppard and Lorne's team, and Tyre enters the facility, and kills several Wraith warriors. The teams enters a power relay chamber, where Tyre tells the teams to plant C-4 into the key sections and hide them, so that when it detonates, the secondary explosions will destroy the base. After they do that, they carry on searching the labs, when they find Ronon, who is expecting them, but the teams looks suspicious. Their suspicions are correct, when they find he is now working for the Wraith, as they were soon surrounded by several warriors. The Commander arrives to take the teams. Tyre then holds Teyla hostage, revealing he has double crossed the teams to take them prisoner, so he could rejoin the Wraith cause, which the Commander grants.

After being taken prisoner, Tyre and Ronon convince the Commander that the teams are more valuable alive as worshippers. As the team are in the cells, McKay plans to talk to Ronon to appeal to him, since he is still a new worshipper. Next, Tyre comes up to Sheppard, and informs him that he has been summoned to the Commander. On the way, Tyre excuses the warrior, while they both take a decoy. Afterwards, they both meet the Commander, with Ronon next to him. The Commander decides that Sheppard would be perfect for the cause and attempts to convert him. He takes out his hand, and is about to feed on Sheppard, when Tyre quickly takes out his sword, and cuts the Commander's hand off.

Tyre actually freed the teams and gave them their weapons back. Sheppard takes out two sidearms and kills the Wraith trying to get into the room. Tyre and Ronon engage in a sword fight. Ronon, who is stronger gains the upper hand and is starting to beat him to death, when Teyla and the team arrives and stuns Ronon three times, which takes him down. Tyre threatens the Commander to come with them, by threatening to blow the facility. Just as they made a break for it, the teams were once again surrounded. The Commander tells them to stand down and let them free. He wants to know what will stop them from blowing the facility anyway. Tyre takes the detonation device, and tells him that when the teams are free, he will hand him the device, before he can walk free. As the teams head back to the Puddle Jumper, Tyre gives his sword to Sheppard, signifying he intends not to follow them. The teams escape, and radios Tyre.

The Commander tells Tyre he is not beyond forgiveness, and it is not too late for him. However, Tyre says it is, for both of them, and detonates the C-4. The facility is destroyed, and the Jumper narrowly misses the explosion, which kills everyone within, including Tyre and the Commander.

Ronon is sent to the infirmary, where he is to go through withdrawal, but Ronon doesn't give in easily, urging Sheppard to let him free or kill him. However, Sheppard leaves and allows Ronon's brutal withdrawal, which takes several days. The teams could barely watch him, as he begs them to kill him. But eventually, he fully recovers, and tells McKay, who is with talking about his piano to get him some food. Ronon still has to stay off duty for a few more days to make sure.

Later, Teyla visits Woolsey's quarters, who is drinking wine, listening to classical music and wears his suit for the first time since his transfer to Atlantis, since he feels the suit is the most comfortable set of clothing for him. She informs Woolsey that she has decided to rejoin Sheppard's team. After the news, Woolsey wishes her goodnight, before she joins Kanaan and Torren. McKay is taking a bath in his quarters, where he gets a sudden idea, like Archimedes. Sheppard visits Ronon in the Infirmary and gives him Tyre's sword and departs. Ronon stares at the sword for a few moments, and begins to mourn Tyre, who in the end considered him a friend.

Notable Quotes
Ronon: (referring to Kanaan) How's he liking life in the big city? Teyla: He's happy to be reunited with Torren and I, but he's having difficulty adjusting to life in Atlantis. Ronon: (laughs) Yeah, I hear the shower scared him. Teyla: And you once stunned Dr. Garret at your own surprise birthday party. Ronon: He spooked me. Teyla: Uh huh. Sheppard: You got anything? McKay: Ah, nothing. I tried everything. Pacing, snacking, bathing. Sheppard: Bathing? McKay: Yeah, like Archimedes. Sheppard: You mean the Greek scientist who had a crush on Teyla? McKay: No, like the Greek mathematician who came up with the Archimedes principle.

Woolsey: Uh, Teyla, this is exactly the kind of decision we were discussing... Teyla: I was just about to meet Kanaan in the cafeteria. Would you please explain to him the situation? (hands Torren to Woolsey) Please. Woolsey: All right. (smiles down at Torren) Well, well, well. Who have we here? (Torren starts to cry) The cafeteria.

Wraith: Kneel. Sheppard: You know what would it be really creepy and unexpected, is if you knelt instead. (Tyre kicks him down) I guess not.