SGA 4.14 "Harmony" Episode Guide

Précis

Always keen on helping their allies, Sheppard and McKay accept a proposal made by Harmony’s sisters to accompany her on a trek into the forest to seek guidance to become queen in her late mother’s stead. Will Harmony become the planet’s new queen, or will an enemy assassinate her — and her escorts?

Guide | Transcript

MGM/SciFi.com Official Summary

On a visit to one of Atlantis's important trading partners — a planet with a medieval-era culture — Sheppard and McKay meet a 13-year-old princess, Harmony, who must make a traditional pilgrimage alone to the ruins of the Temple of Laros before she can be crowned as her people's new queen.

Because Harmony is so young, one of her sisters begs the visitors from Atlantis to serve as secret bodyguards for the girl on her dangerous journey. For the sake of preserving diplomatic ties, Sheppard and McKay reluctantly accept the job.

Their route through the forested wilderness is stalked by a mysterious Beast that menaces all enemies of the crown, and Harmony herself is demanding, self-centered, and too smart for her own good. Unsurprisingly, she and McKay are soon ready to kill each other.

Then three Genii soldiers ambush them. They're after Harmony. Sheppard shoots them, but dozens more Genii are combing the woods. Because the pilgrimage was supposed to be a state secret, someone in the royal family must have betrayed Harmony's location to the Genii — for unknown reasons.

Sheppard and McKay decide to return to town, but Harmony gives them the slip and plunges deeper into the woods, determined to complete her quest. Sheppard and McKay must follow her. They catch up with her and spend the night in a cave she has found. There, Harmony confidently proposes marriage to Sheppard, who is saved from answering when the Beast kills several Genii soldiers nearby, causing a distraction.

The next morning, the trio reaches the Temple, which turns out to be a mass of Ancient ruins. After Sheppard stuns two Genii guarding the site, McKay discovers that this is where the Ancients designed their drone weapons. The Beast is actually a cluster of drones that patrols the forest and kills those who do not carry the Ancient gene. Like McKay and Sheppard, Harmony has the gene. She also carries a pendant that she believes will glow if her gods favor her. McKay theorizes that the pendant is an Ancient access key that will give its holder control over the drones. That's why the Genii are so interested in Harmony.

Unfortunately, the Genii have tampered with the Ancient machinery among the ruins. It's broken, and Harmony's pendant won't work. She is devastated, believing that her gods don't want her to be queen. McKay and Sheppard are dismayed, too, because the Genii forces are closing in. If the teenaged princess and her two protectors can't gain control over the drones, they will soon be captured or killed.

Cast

• Joe Flanigan as Lt. Col. John Sheppard
• Amanda Tapping as Col. Samantha Carter
• Rachel Luttrell as Teyla Emmagan
• Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex
• and David Hewlett as Dr. Rodney McKay

Guest Stars

• Jodelle Ferland as Harmony
• Alexis Kellum Creer as Flora
• Crystal Lowe as Mardola
• David Richmond-Peck as Genii Field Captain
• Patrick Gilmore, Richard Stroh as Genii Soldiers
• Adam Lolacher as Genii Man
• Jerry Penacoli as Genii Warrior

Production

• Written by Martin Gero
• Directed by William Waring

Related Articles

Keywords

• Ancient Drones
• Ancient Gene
• Atlantis Expedition
• Genii

Other

• Season Four Episode Guides
• Episode Guides
• Season Four Transcripts
• Transcripts
• Previous: SGA 4.13 "Quarantine" Episode Guide
• Next: SGA 4.15 "Outcast" Episode Guide

Related Links

Official

• Official MGM Stargate Atlantis Website
• SciFi Channel 4.14 "Harmony" Episode Guide

Fan

• Solutions On-Site Forum: Season Four Discussion Board
• Solutions News and Spoiler Blog
• Stargate Screencaps: Season Four

Production Notes

• "Today, we gave Alan notes on his outline, discussed Midway, and had a very brief discussion of Martin’s next episode which we should start breaking tomorrow. That will leave three scripts to be written when we get back: the Joe F. story, Paul’s season finale idea, and the empty slot." (Joseph Mallozzi' June 18 blog)
• "The last story slot has finally been filled. We spent most of yesterday spinning, then breaking Harmony which I am really, really, REALLY looking forward to. Alas, I won’t be writing it as Marty G. will be assuming said duties, but I have no doubt he’ll do a brilliant job AND have a lot of fun with it." (Joseph Mallozzi's August 2 blog)
• "Martin was writing the Sheppard on Earth story but, having finished Trio (formerly Three’s Company), he will start on Harmony while Alan McCullough assumes writing duties on the JF-inspired eppy." (Joseph Mallozzi's August 3 blog)
• "Harmony is not the season finale. The season finale has yet to be broken. Also, the production order of the episodes does not reflect their air order." (Joseph Mallozzi's August 5 blog)
• "I’m really looking forward to Harmony. I know Jodelle will be brilliant. She’s always brilliant." (Joseph Mallozzi's August 15 blog)
• "Jodelle F. - What can I say? She’s an incredibly talented young lady eho is doing a fantastic job as little Harmony. Her character, McKay, and Sheppard play wonderfully off one another, and the fun between these three continues long after the scene has been shot." (Joseph Mallozzi's August 29 blog)
• Joe [Mallozzi] also revealed hints about what Sheppard, McKay, and Harmony face as they fight Genii while trying to fulfill Harmony’s mission at a sacred temple. The adventure includes: a walk and talk at sunrise, a bridge scene, a power bar scene, a search scene, and a visual effects (green screen) scene. He also said there will be true night shooting on the forest location. (Solutions Blog, August 29)

Further Reading

• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog
• Solutions Blog: SGA S4 Spoilers: Harmony (plot details), August 18, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SGA Casting Spoilers for "Harmony" (Jodelle Ferlend as Harmony), August 29, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: "Extra!" to Feature SGA on Friday (broadcast was preempted), January 22, 2008.
• Solutions Blog: SGA "Harmony": But No Peace and Love, January 25, 2008.
• MGM: Behind the Scenes: Harmony, January 28, 2008.
• MGM: Close Up: Jodelle Ferland, January 29, 2008.
• Solutions Blog: Stargate Talent Shines (update on "Extra!" broadcast), January 31, 2008.

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--DeeKayP 20:08, 13 August 2007 (PDT)