The penultimate episode of season three is setting things up for the season three finale. Written by Carl Binder, this episode debuted on 15 June, 2007.

Remember the people who lived on the planet with the super-volcano? The Taranin. Well, the expedition has lost contact with their new settlement. So Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), McKay (David Hewlett), Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) and Ronon (Jason Momoa) head out to investigate.

There are underground chambers, and there also seems to be the suggestion that something(s) underground has hatched. And before you can say Aliens, the scanners are going off, suggesting movement.

What they find could have a huge impact going forward. Remember those dangerous little Wraith bugs? They’re here too. Oh, and a Wraith Dart shows up. Things are definitely reaching a boiling point. The monster running around seems to have connections with the bug and humans, via Alien. It’s very much in line with both of the classic films.

So what’s going on? It seems Michael (Connor Trinneer) is back. Using the retrovirus, he worked to reverse and enhance it’s effects with the bugs, and the citizens, and created these creatures.

Sheppard and his team are able to escape, but they learn there are hundreds of creatures out there, and there are more bases from which Michael operates. And this can all be laid at the feet of the expedition. It was their idea to create the retrovirus and interact with Michael, and now it’s all coming back around.

The episode opens with a great bit of Ronon ‘teaching’ McKay some self-defense.

First Strike is the season three finale. Written by Martin Gero, it closed out the season on 22 June, 2007.

We’re introduced to the new head of medicine, Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite!).

The Asurans (the advanced Replicators) are apparently developing a fleet of ships, and the expedition fears that it may lead to an attack on Atlantis, or on Earth itself.

Earth’s latest ship, the Apollo under the command of Colonel Ellis (Michael Beach) is en route. Ellis and the Apollo are sent as a first strike option against the Asurans. They with the Atlantis team have been ordered to attack before the Replicators can progress further.

Buckle up!

Everyone has issues with Ellis’ command style, but he’s not necessarily wrong. But everyone is anxious and worried about the mission, and the use of nukes. It’s interesting to see Sheppard and Weir (Torri Higginson) on opposite sides of the argument.

The mission appears to be successful, but it may only be the opening gambit in a new fight. The Replicators have never been put down that easily. The Asurans retaliate with a weaponized stargate.

Weir reaches out to negotiate with the Asurans, and contacts Oberoth (David Ogden Stiers) and they seem to be at a stalemate.

To get away from the beam, McKay suggests submerging the city (a cool sequence). But it will only give them a few extra hours. Then they fall on the idea of launching the city to space an away from the beam, and perhaps find another planet. And to do that they’ll need to pull an asteroid into orbit to serve as a blocker.

And through it all, Weir is worrying about her role going forward, and the way she has chafed with command. And that may be moot, as she is critically injured during the ship’s city’s launch.

They drop out of hyperspace, their reserves are failing, they are nowhere near a stargate and they are racing right into a To Be Continued.