Ok, this is about the latest episode of Stargate Atlantis. It contains spoilers, so be warned.
As anybody who’s followed Stargate to any decent extent knows, the Ancients and other ascended beings (well, the Milky Way and Pegasus sect of the Ancients and ascended beings) follow something called the “Prime Directive”: that is, they will not intefer in the affairs of mortals in any way, even if it means the mortals are slaughtered and/or enslaved. Any attempt by an ascended being to use their powers to interfer will result in the collective stepping in to stop that person. Daniel Jackson was stopped from using his powers to destroy Anubis in the 5th season finale. (spoiler) Also, Morgan Le Fey was stopped a couple SG-1 episodes ago from providing information to Daniel about the location of Merlin’s weapon.
Well, I’ve always thought while a bit arrogant of them, it made some sense. Letting ascended beings use their powers to intervene could ultimately lead to some of them becoming greedy, and using their powers for their own gain (case in point: The Ori). So, I can understand their reluctance to intervene with the Goa’uld. While they were clearly a threat, it’s not like they used some grand, cosmic super powers in order to gain their dominance (well, Anubis is a shade of grey), but assimilated what already existed into their knowledge. The Wraith are a result of an insect taking on human DNA. And now the Ori, while even more powerful than either, not interfering with them makes a little sense as well. They may also be ascended, but at least they got their powers by themselves.
Then there’s the Replicators. I only really started watching Stargate at Season 9, so I am behind, I’ll admit that. However, from my readings online, the Replicators (Reese in particular) were made by someone many years ago, the “father.” Well, that’s what we told up until now.
(SPOILER) In tonight’s episode of Stargate Atlantis, the team stumbles upon a civilization that seems very advanced, so much in fact, that their city is a replica of Atlantis, well, its midsection is, anyway. Then, halfway through the epsiode, we find something out…they ARE Replicators. Later, we also find out they were originally an experiment the Ancients created in an attempt to find a weapon in which to destroy the Wraith. The weapon didn’t suit the Ancients, so they destroyed them, or they fought they were gone. Apparently, some Replicator blocks remained, and evolved into their current form (human form). The team escaped, yet I somehow doubt that we’ve seen the last of these guys.
Sorry for the essay, but, now I’m kind of angry. I understood the ascended “Prime Directive” before. Every other threat faced by SG-1 and Atlantis is something that either found its own way, or learned from something existing previously, and not a direct result of someone that Ancients created. Now we learn that the major threat from Season 8 can be directly connected to the Ancients. The ascended, with their nearly omniscent knowledge, cannot say they did not know the Replicators were still around. I think it’s highly arrogant and unethical for the Ancients not to have stepped in. They speak of not interfering with mortal affairs, yet, they’re the ones who created THIS problem! Unfortunately, and I could be wrong on this, but knowing the attitude the ascended have shown previously, they’re unlikely to step in this time, too.
So, my question is, should the Ancients step up to stop this scourge, knowing they created it, and should they have helped in Season 8?