Stargate Atlantis/Characters

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The Atlantis Expedition - Main characters

Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson)

The original leader of the Atlantis expedition. An experienced diplomat prior to getting involved with extraterrestrial stuff, she prefers negotiation and talks to confrontation. Was left behind on Asuras in Season Four, and was replaced by Colonel Carter.

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John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan)

Originally picked because of his natural skill with Ancient technology. Known for having a bit of a problem with authority, but is a highly capable commander. Became Atlantis' ranking military officer and the leader of their main off-world team.

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  • Ace Pilot: If it has wings, rotors, thrusters, anti-grav emitters, or any combination of the above, he can fly it.
  • Boldly Coming
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer: Sheppard, when given the right motivation, is actually a very accomplished pilot and soldier. He just prefers to goof off instead.
  • Brilliant but Lazy: Sheppard is smart enough to join MENSA, but preferred not to join, and admits that he's "naturally lazy". He's also proved on multiple occasions that he does take his rank and position as Atlantis's military leader seriously.
  • Colonel Badass: After his promotion at the start of Season Two.
  • Dangerously Genre Savvy: Knows exactly what sort of genre he's in and what roles everyone plays.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Field Promotion: Never stated in show, but Sheppard is far too young to have his given rank without multiple field promotions in his backstory.
  • The Hero
  • Instant Expert: Has an degree of control over Ancient Technology thats second only to Colonel O'Neill.
  • Majorly Awesome: In the first season.
  • Mr. Fanservice
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: His detractors tend to underestimate his easy-going personality, believing him to be completely undeserving of his rank and position. It usually comes back to bite them in the ass when Sheppard's sharp unconventional thinking give way to show how good he really is.
  • Rebel Prince: Was groomed to take over his father's business enterprise but chose to join the Air Force instead, passing the buck to his brother.
  • Red Herring Shirt: Was introduced this way in the SG-1 episode debuting Atlantis.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Elizabeth and Teyla, depending on the episode.

Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay (David Hewlett)

Atlantis' lead scientist. A brilliant astrophysicist, but also a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, an Insufferable Genius, and a Canadian.

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Teyla Emmagan (Rachel Luttrell)

Leader of the Athosians. Joins Sheppard's team after Athos is destroyed in the pilot.

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Lt. Aiden Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks)

A member of Sheppard's team. Didn't get much Character Development in Season One; they didn't seem to know what to do with him. At the start of Season Two, became addicted to a Wraith enzyme and went rogue and was replaced by Ronon, a more colorful character with an interesting backstory. Was last seen in the Season Two mid-season two-parter; now everyone on the show talks like it's taken for granted they will never run into him again.

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Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion)

Atlantis' senior medical officer. Scottish. Has the ATA gene, but is afraid of using Ancient technology.

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Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa)

Satedan warrior. After the fall of his homeworld, the Wraith implanted him with a tracking device and hunted him for sport from planet to planet for years. Replaced Ford and became The Big Guy.

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Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite)

Replaced Beckett as chief medical officer for the last two seasons.

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Colonel Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping)

Transplant from Stargate SG-1. Replaced Weir as head of the Atlantis Expedition for Season Four.

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Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo)

A high-ranking IOA operative, who primarily performed reviews of both Stargate Command and Atlantis and made reports back to the IOA committee. Due to his being a bureaucrat and his job necessitating judging the actions of the main characters, he is not the most popular person in the Stargate program. Despite this, he is known as a fairly reasonable bureaucrat, and is willing to forgive some rule-bending if the results are satisfactory. Succeeds Carter as leader of the Altantis Expedition in Season Five.

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The Atlantis Expedition - Recurring characters

Dr. Radek Zelenka (David Nykl)

Atlantis' number two scientist. Exists primarily to discover impending Wraith attacks and take abuse from McKay.

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Major Evan Lorne (Kavan Smith)

Atlantis' military second in command. Joined the expedition in Season Two.

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Colonel Steven Caldwell (Mitch Pileggi)

Commander of the ship the Daedalus. Not officially a member of the expedition, but definitely someone they can always depend on.

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Chuck (Chuck Campbell)

Canadian technician who works in the Atlantis Gate room.

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Sergeant Bates (Dean Marshall)

Atlantis' head of security in Season One. Later discharged and became an IOA agent.

Associated tropes:

  • Anti-Hero: He's not evil, just an ass.
  • The Bus Came Back
  • Fantastic Racism: Makes it very clear he doesn't like the Athosians.
  • Jerkass: He must have written the book on being a jerkass.
  • Properly Paranoid: Immediately comes to the conclusion that Teyla was giving away their position to the Wraith. He actually was right, sort of. Turned out her father's pendant had been implanted with a tracking device.
  • The Stoic: To the point of being more grim than Ronan Dex!

Dr. Peter Grodin (Craig Veroni)

British scientist who runs the control tower. Killed Off for Real at the end of Season One.

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Dr. Kate Heightmeyer (Claire Rankin)

Expedition psychologist. Killed Off for Real in Season Four.

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Wraith

"Michael Kenmore" (Connor Trinneer)

First Wraith on whom the expedition tested their new gene therapy to turn him into a human. It worked. Partly.

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"Todd" (Christopher Heyerdal)

A Wraith scientist who was imprisoned alongside Sheppard and was made to feed on him. Different than other Wraith in that he actually keeps his end of the bargains and isn't particularly malicious towards the expedition, finding them to make useful temporary allies.

Associated tropes:

Ronon: We're just gonna blow it up.
Todd: Naturally. ("The Last Man")

  • Defector From Decadence: When the expedition came up with a way to remove the Wraith need to feed on humans, he was willing to try it. Didn't quite work out, though, mostly because he wasn't willing to do it on their schedule.
  • Emperor Scientist: Aspects of this.
  • Enemy Mine: Isn't afraid to turn to the Atlantis crew if they have a mutual enemy, but often does it to suit his own interests...
    • Reliable Traitor: ...and won't fail screw them over the moment that the tide might turn in his favour.
  • Friendly Enemy: Comes across as one to Sheppard and McKay when they're forced to team up.
  • Heel Face Turn: In the series finale, he gave the expedition a full compliment of ZPMs to let them stop a superhive heading for Earth. However, one could argue it was mostly to spite his treacherous lieutenant.
  • Noble Demon: Probably Stargate's best example.
  • Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Its revealed in "The Lost Tribe" that Todd is over 10,000 years old. Given the nature of Wraith society, this is a rather impressive feat.
  • White-Haired Pretty Boy: You wouldn't believe how many fangirls he has.
  • Worthy Opponent: Sees the Atlantis crew and Sheppard in particular as one.

The Genii

Cowen (Colm Meaney)

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Acastus Kolya (Robert Davi)

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