A routine survey in a jumper alerts Sheppard to the existence of a massive, hurricane-like storm over the planet’s ocean – and it’s tracking straight toward Atlantis and the Athosian mainland. Worse yet, Atlantis’ depleted shields won’t protect the city from a direct strike by a hurricane that covers 20% of the planet’s surface and is stronger than anything ever seen on Earth. As Sheppard begins visiting nearby worlds via the stargate to bargain for a place to evacuate temporarily, McKay tries to find a way to use the storm’s inevitable abundance of lightning to charge the city’s shields to full power. But the people Sheppard has arranged to take in evacuees sell Atlantis out to the Genii. Cowen assigns one of his most ruthless deputies, Commander Kolya, to devise a plan to take over the city and raid its supplies of weapons, medicines and other valuables, though once Kolya arrives, overpowers the skeleton crew left to defend Atlantis, and takes Weir and McKay hostage, he alters the plan. Now the Genii want to pick up where Atlantis’ crew left off in preparing to save the city from the storm…but Sheppard has different plans.
story by Jill Blotevogel
teleplay by Martin Gero
directed by Martin Wood
music by Joel GoldsmithGuest Cast: Robert Davi (Kolya), Erin Chambers (Sora), Ryan Robbins (Ladon), Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), Michael Puttonen (Smeadon), Colm Meaney (Cowen), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Don Ackerman (Doran), Steve Archer (Generator Room Guard), Colin Corrigan (Guard #2), Jason Diablo (Guard), Conan Graham (Genii Soldier), Jodie Graham (Genii Soldier), Cory Monteith (Genii Private)
Notes: McKay mentions Hurricane Hazel as Canada’s last significant hurricane strike, 50 years before this episode; Hazel did indeed devastate parts of Ontario in 1954, having already carved a path of destruction through Haiti and the eastern seaboard of the United States. You can get a good idea of the storm’s impact on Canada at this site.
LogBook entry by Earl Green