Wraith escape pod

A Wraith escape pod is an escape pod created by the Wraith.

Overview

Wraith escape pods are attached to Wraith hive ships and cruisers in case of emergency. The pods are meant to contain a single Wraith in an emergency situation and contain a tracking system for nearby Wraith ships to locate them with. A Wraith escape pod also contains sensors that allow them to scan nearby planets for viability and Stargates and landing thrusters that enable the pod to land on planets. While the landing systems are automatic, they can be temporarily overridden to manual control. It is unknown if a Wraith is required to operate the controls as Doctor Rodney McKay piloted an escape pod while he was a Wraith, but was also the only one on board the pod at the time that understood Wraith computer systems. (SGA: "Secrets")

History

When her cruiser was destroyed, the pregnant Alabaster managed to escape in one of the cruiser's escape pods, but the planet she landed on had a Spacegate and she was stranded on it with her son after he was born. (SGA: "Secrets")

While rescuing the now-Wraith Doctor Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex realized that the hive ship he, McKay and Doctor Jennifer Keller were on was going to soon be destroyed and with no rescue forthcoming, took the three of them to an escape pod and launched just before the hive ship was destroyed by a ZPM overload rigged by Guide. Ronon awoke McKay who had regained his human personality and determined that there were no forces left in the area either friendly or hostile. The escape pod fell into the gravity well of a nearby planet, but McKay was able to use the escape pod's sensors to determine that the planet was habitable and possessed a Stargate. Despite a rough entry into the planet's atmosphere, the pod landed safely fifty kilometers from the Stargate. The three were then able to make their way to the Stargate and use it to return to Atlantis. (SGA: "The Furies", "Secrets")