The Lost Boys

"The Lost Boys" is the tenth episode of the second season of Stargate: Atlantis.

Synopsis
Lt. Colonel John Sheppard's team is ambushed and captured by a coalition of people, led by Aiden Ford, who captures Wraith so they can have access to the enzyme. They also have a plan to steal C-4 from the Genii, so they can destroy a Hive Ship.

Plot
Lt. Colonel John Sheppard's team slog through woods on an unnamed planet, pursuing a tip from Teyla Emmagan's contacts. Dr. Rodney McKay whines as usual. The team is suddenly stunned by Wraith weapons wielded by humans, and awake sitting at a table on another planet. There they are greeted by the former Lt. Aiden Ford.

He invites them to eat, and tells them what happened to him after he was culled by a Wraith Dart (see "Runner"): he reveals how he was rematerialized on a Wraith cruiser, escaped, met some men in a tavern, told them of the Wraith enzyme and organized them into an enzyme-powered strike team. They even captured some Wraith warriors whom they keep stunned inside their base to get more enzymes.

Afterwards, Ford tells them that he wants to show Sheppard's team how good they have become as a result of the enzyme. Later, he reveals that he put some enzyme into the team's meal, which makes McKay especially angry. Sheppard then talks to Ford privately, who tells him that his food was clean so that he can convince Dr. Elizabeth Weir that his team became better because of the enzyme. He allows them to go around freely but when they check the Stargate they find that Ford removed the control crystals from the Dial Home Device so they can't escape. Sheppard then decides to play along with Ford's plan.

Back at Atlantis Weir tells Major Evan Lorne that Sheppard's team hasn't made contact, so they decide to search for them. Ford orders Teyla and Sheppard to accompanying his people on an off-world mission. On the planet they find a base of the Genii from whom they plan to steal the weapons which the Genii stole from Atlantis. Meanwhile Ford's lab man, Jace, reveals to McKay that the Wraith are intensely territorial and working on a system to prevent inter-ship communication. Elsewhere, Ford trains with his men then talks with Ronon Dex about the enzyme.

On the off-world mission, one man of the team is killed but the team still manages to retrieve the stolen Atlantis C-4. After the mission, Kanayo reveals to Sheppard and Teyla that they want to destroy a Wraith Hive Ship. Back in the base Ford shows them a Wraith data storage device from which they retrieved the course of a Hive ship which they want to destroy. McKay thinks this is crazy even when Ford shows them a damaged Wraith Dart which McKay has to repair and Sheppard to fly. Sheppard convinces McKay to do it, so they can escape back to Atlantis. Afterwards the Sheppard coerces Ford into accepting some conditions.

Lorne's team meanwhile finds out that Sheppard's team isn't on the planet anymore. Dr. Radek Zelenka then checks the Dial Home Device whence they get 50 gate addresses which makes it nearly impossible to find the team. Lorne then talks with Weir and tells her what they found out.

Back at Ford's base McKay repairs the dart while Teyla and Ronon train with Ford's team and get more of the enzyme. Sheppard talks with Ford, who tells him that he wants to return home, but not before completing the mission. Afterwards he talks with Ronon and Teyla who become more aggressive because of the enzyme. McKay comes, tells them the dart is ready, and then shows Sheppard how its new Earth-people controls work. But then Ford reveals that his homesickness was merely a trick and he knows about Sheppard's plan to escape back to Atlantis and thus leaves McKay on the planet as a hostage. He also tells him that the Dart's DHD can only be set to the intended planet where the Hive ship will be. Sheppard has no other option but to follow Ford's orders. He then activates the dart and collects Ford's team with the culling beam.

He then flies with the dart to the planet and from there to the Hive ship. But when they approach it the Autopilot activates and the ship becomes automated. Inside the ship he rematerializes the team but a few of them fall from a cliff because Sheppard rematerialized them while flying blind. Sheppard then lands and attacks some Wraith, triggering an alarm and a big fight against hordes of defending Wraith. They are overwhelmed and stunned.

They wake up in a cell where Ford accuses Sheppard of sabotaging his mission. Some Wraith then enter and want to know who flew the dart. When Sheppard reveals that it was him he is taken away. He is brought into a large room where he is confronted by the Queen of the ship.

Notable Quotes
McKay: Well, couldn't we have met these people on a tropical beach planet, populated by tall, blonde women? Hmm?

McKay: .... I ate my face off and I can tell you I feel it working. Sheppard: There's a good possibility that everything you're feeling right now is psychosomatic. McKay: Oh, is that right Professor Science? Is that your expert opinion? Sheppard: Yes, it is.

Ford: We have a spaceship. McKay: Oh, yeah? Really. What's that made out of, huh? Bark?

Sheppard: R2 I need you to turn the auto-pilot off. Now. (pause. nothing happens.) Worth a try.

Teyla: (to Sheppard as he awakes) You all right? Sheppard: We're in a holding cell.... Teyla: Yes. Sheppard: ...on a hive ship? Teyla: (nods) uh-huh. Sheppard: Then, no, I'm not doing so good. (sits up)

Goofs

 * In the scene where Lt. Colonel John Sheppard throws a grenade toward a Wraith warrior, the Wraith reacts to the explosion slightly before the explosion occurs. In the same scene, there are little bits of digital corruption around the edges of the explosion effects.

Character

 * Kanayo

Planet

 * Ford's planet