Childhood's End

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

Synopsis
Major John Sheppard's team's Puddle Jumper goes down during a routine mission due to electromagnetic interference. The team also make first contact with the inhabitants of M7G-677, who mostly comprise of children, since they believe that in order for the Wraith to leave them alone, they must kill themselves the night before their 25th birthday.

Plot
Major John Sheppard's 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 Jumper down. They find a device powered by a Zero Point Module which acts as a sort of an Electromagnetic field generator which disables all electrical devices within the radius, including those of the Wraith and the Lanteans; the Wraith have never returned because, even if they simply landed outside the field, they would subsequently lose their technological advantage.

Dr. Rodney 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; Keras, one of the village 'elders'; 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 relay device, long deactivated due to the emitter's activity, becomes active and begins broadcasting a distress beacon.

Wraith probes 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 probe 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; 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.

Notable Quotes
(the sensors have discovered a powerful energy field)

Sheppard: You think it's worth checking out?

McKay: Any significant energy emission generally indicates technological civilization.

Sheppard: So... you think it's worth checking out?

McKay: (sarcastically) I'm sorry. Yes. Energy field good.

(the ship begins to shake violently)

McKay: (seriously) Okay, maybe not.

Weir: Rodney! We can't just visit planets, take away their defenses, uproot their cultures and bring ‘em all back here to Atlantis!

McKay: If they have a ZPM, yes we can.

Weir: Oh my God! How morally superior you must feel!

McKay: What are we going to tell them, Teyla? "Listen, kiddies, everything you believe is wrong, and trust us because we've been here for almost an hour!"

McKay: Let's play a quiet game. Let's see who can be quiet the longest.

Casta: I'm not a quiet person.

McKay: That's not quiet. That's talking.

Casta: Well, I'm not a quiet person. I talk a lot.

Casta: You're mean!

McKay: Thank you for finally noticing. (gets mad and starts to shake Casta) Oh, you wanna go? You wanna go do you?!

Ford: Okay (picks up Casta) You have a real gift with the kids. You do birthday parties?

Goofs

 * Keras is 24. He states that the next day will be the first of his 25th year. This is incorrect: his 24th birthday is the first day of his 25th year. The next day, his 25th birthday, would be the first day of his 26th year. When we are born, we immediately begin living our 1st year until we turn 1 year old at which point we begin living our 2nd year which lasts until we turn 2 years old and so on, so even if Keras is 24 that means he is living his 25th year.
 * Unless the years on M7G-677 are exactly as long as Earth years, which is highly unlikely, the team should be unable to directly compare their ages to the planet's inhabitants' using absolute numbers without converting the units. For instance, Lt. Aiden Ford, being 25, is implied to be slightly older than Keras, but if M7G-677 years are longer, Keras would actually be older than Ford. It could be argued that, like the language, the units of time are "translated" for the benefit of the viewer.

Wins

 * Won Chicago International Film Festival Silver Plaque for "Special Achievement: Direction" (David Winning)
 * Won New York Festivals Bronze Medal for "TV Programming & Promotion - Television Entertainment Programs - Action/Adventure"
 * Won WorldFest Houston Platinum Award for "Television and Cable Production - Directing - Television" (David Winning)