In 1983, the California Institute of the Arts, being a liberal arts college in, what was then, a remote part of the Santa Clarita Valley had garnered a few reputations. It was not unusual to see helicopters hovering around the dormitory on weekends because of the “clothes optional” pool (if you enjoyed seeing naked hippy-types). There were also the drugs. It was well known that on the west side of the dorm building was the “fourth floor walk up” which was the only floor not accessible by an elevator. I visited that corridor once and it was like walking into an opium den. The air was thick with marijuana smoke and half of the dorm room doors were open all of the time. However, I believe what CalArts had become most infamous for was their Halloween party. Every year, attending students and alumni who were fortunate to call in early and request tickets would gather in the Main Gallery room for a party that resembled something out of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. You name it; it was there. I can best illustrate with this short story:

Once again, Todd the Wraith contacts the Atlantis team. We thought he was dead, but his dangerous iratus bug healed him from his previous encounter. Todd confesses to Sheppard that he had modified a hive ship to use a ZPM as a power source, resulting in a super-hive that could become invulnerable.

Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, Detective John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) is on the trail of a serial killer. The victims appear dried up and prematurely aged with a wound in their chest that has been contaminated with radiation.

A mysterious woman named Neeva suddenly finds herself in the body of Dr. Jennifer Keller on Atlantis.

Dr. Keller’s gene therapy has caused an infection to the Wraith. When Rodney and the team try to fix things, they discover that the ship is literally falling apart, and hungry Wraith are waking up with a new desire to feed.

On a two-week leave, Rodney (David Hewlett) invites Dr. Keller (Jewel Staite) back to Earth to attend a scientific presentation by one of his rivals, Malcolm Tunney (Dave Foley)

While trying to hit on a pretty astrobiologist, Sheppard is taken hostage by the Genii leader Koyla, whom he had killed two years ago. Meanwhile, back on Atlantis, Woolsey faces a member of the IOA who wants him removed, and Rodney and Zelenka discover a mysterious device on the ocean floor.

In this episode, we see Michael at his most desperate, and his most vulnerable. He’s still bent on revenge against the Atlantis team for making him what he is, and he is still reaching out to Teyla, secretly hoping that she would join him.

Any fan of the Stargate shows will recognize this episode as a flashback episode. These showed up periodically in the Stargate SG-1 series, and we’ve had a few throughout the Stargate: Atlantis run.

While the rest of the Comic-Con attendees were stuck in the dreaded lines outside Hall H, fans of the Stargate series had a chance to get a sneak peek at the latest film in the Stargate universe… on a frickin’ aircraft carrier.