Stargate Atlantis:

Stargate Atlantis: Childhood's End

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The team crash lands on a planet where the locals, in fear of the Wraith, practice ritual suicide when they reach the age of twenty-five. Read full recap »

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Writers:: Martin Gero

Director:: David Winning

Stars:: Joe Flanigan (Major / Lt. Colonel John Sheppard); Torri Higginson (Dr. Elizabeth Weir); Rachel Luttrell (Teyla Emmagan); Rainbow Sun Francks (Lt. Aiden Ford); David Hewlett (Dr. Rodney McKay)

Recurring Role:: Craig Veroni (Dr. Peter Grodin)

Guest Star:: Courtenay J. Stevens (Keras); Dominic Zamprogna (Aries); Sam Charles (Casta); Jessica Amlee (Cleo); Shane Meier (Neleus); Julie Patzwald (Pelias); Calum Worthy (Hunter Kid)

The planet with the shield is designated M7G-677. edit »
McKay: Because anything powerful enough to knock out a Wraith Dart is a big deal.

This is the first time the small Wraith culling ships are referred to as 'darts'. edit »
Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter and the events of the Stargate SG-1 episode "Redemption" are referred to in this episode. edit »
When Sheppard and the others meet the elders Sheppard asks how old Keras is. It doesn't make any sense to ask because they are on a different planet in an other galaxy and very possible that it has a shorter or longer year than Earth. edit »
In this episode you see the children with slingshot-type weapons. In the Stargate SG-1 episode "It's Good to be King" you see the same slingshot -type weapons. edit »

When McKay deactivates the shield and Sheppard is forced to destroy the Wraith homing beacon, and he is held by the boys. A scene just after this was cut - it involved Sheppard being hit by stones. Rachel Luttrel in the DVD commentary says that she remembers Joe Flanigan getting hit in the head. edit »
Sci-Fi veteran David Winning directed only this one episode in the Stargate franchise. The first season episode of Atlantis won three international awards for directing; New York, Chicago, and Houston. edit »
International Airdates:

-This episode aired in Canada on August 16, 2004 on The Movie Network and Movie Central.
-This episode aired in the UK on November 16, 2004 on Sky One.
-This episode aired in Australia on April 21, 2005 on Channel 7.
-Syndication Premiere: October 29-30, 2005 edit »
According to Gero, the inspiration for the "guards", Casta and Cleo, came from a rather long airplane ride in which he was sitting behind two hyper twins. edit »
The planet's designation here is M7G 677. According to Martin Gero, the designation was derived from Martin 7(July) Gero 6'77. Gero's day, month, and year of birth (July 6, 1977). edit »

Sheppard: (To Keras) In fact, Ford would be happy to come back and explain how to be a 25-year-old. edit »
McKay: (While two older boys are aiming with bows on him and does not let him finish his work) Look, both of you, go to your rooms! (Nothing happens) You're not buying this, are you? edit »
McKay: You scared me!
Cleo: You scared-ed us! edit »
Aries: The guides were sent back to the village.
Sheppard: Were they?
Aries: Yeah, they were.
Sheppard: Must've been naptime.
Aries: You think this is a joke, Sheppard?
Sheppard: I don't find much of what's going on around here to be that funny. edit »
Sheppard: (Referring to the Sacrifice ceremony) We sort of have a... a deadline. edit »

Sheppard: Which direction is the gate?
McKay: You're the one flying, shouldn't you know?

This is one of several times we hear of Sheppard's poor sense of direction. Other references include Season 1's "Underground", and Season 3's "Pantoms" and "Submersion". edit »
McKay: I don't know what I did, these things are usually plug and play. This device must be using an older version of Windows

The term Windows collectively describes any or all of several generations of Microsoft operating system products. They were introduced in 1985 and have been dominating the personal computer market ever since the introduction of Windows '95 in 1995. edit »
McKay: I don't know what I did, these things are usually plug and play. This device must be using an older version of Windows

Plug and Play is a term used in the computer field to describe a computer's ability to have new devices added to it without having to reconfigure or (ideally) restart the computer, or in this case a Z.P.M. The term Plug and Play is most associated with Microsoft's Windows Operating Systems. edit »
Logan's Run:

The fact that no one in this planet is not allowed to live past 25 years of age is very reminiscent of Logan's Run, a novel, film and TV series, in which the members of a futuristic society are not allowed to live beyond 30 years. The members of the society in this planet and the ones in Logan's Run see their deaths as necessary for the survival of their people. edit »
Title:

The title of this episode is a reference to the book Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. edit »

7.3
00
bahaa3
member since: Jun 14, 2008
Childhood's End
The Bottom Line: "Cleverly plotted"
Sheppard and the team visit a world where no one is over 24 years old because of a ritual suicide practice they believe keeps the Wraith at bay. ...Continue »
06/15/08 10:56am | report abuse
7.3
01
Parricida
member since: May 9, 2007
Childhood's End
The Bottom Line: "Average"
Great vision of another way of thinking.. but this episode really made some vice versa feelings ...Continue »
01/22/08 08:38am | report abuse
8.6
10
Fwirrel
member since: Mar 15, 2007
Childhood's End
The Bottom Line: "Above average"
good episode... ...Continue »
09/04/07 01:58pm | report abuse
8.4
00
GameraTrekkie
member since: Apr 25, 2006
Childhood's End
The Bottom Line: "Well written"
Members of Atlantis crash land on a planet full of children. When they reach the age of 25 years, they must commit suicide. ...Continue »
11/14/06 12:15pm | report abuse
10
01
solome
member since: Jun 12, 2006
Childhood's End
The Bottom Line: "Series classic"
The Atlantis team crashed on a planet with the entire population under 25. The kids were sacrificing their lives at this age because they believed it would keep the wraith off their planet. It was accutally a ZPM powered shield that kept the wraith away. ...Continue »
06/21/06 07:20pm | report abuse