Childhood's End

"Childhood's End" is the sixth episode of the first season of Stargate Atlantis.

Plot
The Atlantis team suddenly loses control of their puddle jumper and crashes. Investigating the electromagnetic field that made them crash, the team discover that the planet they've landed on has no one over the age of 25. They soon learn that upon turning 25, the people of this society commit suicide because they believe it keeps the Wraith from coming back to the world on the grounds that the population are not old enough to interest them.

The team discover this isn't the case when they try to find out what brought their puddle jumper down. They find a device powered by a ZPM (Zero Point Module) which acts as a sort of an electromagnetic pulse device which disables all electrical devices within the radius, including those of the Wraith and the Atlantians; the Wraith have never returned because, even if they simply landed outside the field, they would subsequently lose their technological advantage.

Dr. McKay believes that the ZPM will allow the Atlantis team to power the Atlantis shields and takes it upon himself to bring it back to Atlantis, but Sheppard tells him to be quick, as one of the natives he has befriended &mdash; Keras, one of the village 'elders' &mdash; is going to kill himself the next day. However, upon returning, he is ordered by Dr. Elizabeth Weir to return it; the ZPM is effectively useless to Atlantis, as it only has enough power to keep their shield running for a few hours, while it is the planet's only defense and could maintain its shield for at least several more years. McKay also deduces that the suicide pact is actually connected to the device; the shield has only a limited range, so the suicide pact was created as a means of population control to stop them expanding too far and thus being deprived of the shield's protection. Prior to McKay's re-activation of the emitter, a Wraith scout's radio, long deactivated due to the emitter's activity, becomes active and begins broadcasting a distress beacon.

Wraith scouts are immediately dispatched, nearly resulting in a confrontation between Sheppard's team and some of the natives who believe they are responsible for this change, but McKay reattaches the ZPM, the emitter is re-activated, and the scouts are unable to broadcast any data back to their hive ship of origin. As they depart, McKay reveals that, although the ZPM's power is limited, he has managed to work out a means of expanding the shield, allowing for population growth and rendering the suicide pact unnecessary &mdash; at least for the next couple of generations. As he departs, Sheppard gives Keras a present of a bag of chocolate, commenting that such a thing is traditional on birthdays back on their planet.

Production

 * SciFi veteran David Winning directed only this one episode in the Stargate franchise. The first season episode of Atlantis won three international awards for directing; New York, Chicago and Houston.
 * Courtenay J. Stevens originally played the role of Lieutenant Elliot in Stargate SG-1, appearing in the Season 5 episodes "Proving Ground", "Summit" and "Last Stand".
 * On the DVD commentary for this episode, writer Martin Gero compares Ares to a villain in The Incredibles. In the scene of the final confrontation with Major Sheppard, he begins "monologuing," which is a key feature of villains in the film.
 * This is the first episode without Carson Beckett; one of only four during the first season despite the fact that he was not yet a regular.