SGA 5.05 "Ghost In The Machine" Episode Guide

Précis

Surviving human form Replicators wish to achieve ascension by uploading their consciousnesses into subspace to live indefinitely as fields of energy, but Atlantis is put into danger when their experiment yields some surprising results.

Guide | Transcript

MGM/SciFi.com Official Summary

The official summary is not available as this episode has not yet aired in the United States.

Spoiler Summary

Told from Elizabeth Weir’s point of view, we learn that a group of Replicators have begun experimenting with ascension. The lead scientist, Koracen, claims he has found a way to preserve their individual consciousnesses indefinitely as fields of energy. The process involves uploading themselves into subspace where they’ll be free to roam the galaxy, no longer requiring their physical bodies, which are destroyed when the nanite bonds holding them together are severed in the final stage of the process.

This research is based on the description of ascension provided to them by Elizabeth Weir. She is present during the first demonstration of Koracen’s process, witnessing first-hand the blue energy that bolts down upon her fellow Replicator, dissolving the subject’s body. Quite possibly, the Replicators have achieved ascension!

But all experiments such as this have their drawbacks, and this experiment produces a most unexpected result: Those in Atlantis are surprised to find that the ghost of Elizabeth Weir lives on — in a new body that looks just like FRAN (Friendly Replicator ANdroid from “Be All My Sins Remember’d”)!

Cast

• Joe Flanigan as Lt. Col. John Sheppard
• Rachel Luttrell as Teyla Emmagan
• Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex
• Jewel Staite as Dr. Jennifer Keller
• Robert Picardo as Richard Woolsey
• and David Hewlett as Dr. Rodney McKay

Guest Stars

• David Nykl as Dr. Radek Zelenka
• Michelle Morgan as FRAN/Elizabeth Weir
• Koracen
• Lia
• Female Replicator

Production

• Written by Carl Binder
• Directed by Kenneth J. Girotti

Production Gallery

The following are links to images concerning the production of this episode and were published by Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog:

• Lots of weapons lined up in a row (April 11, 2008)
• FRAN? (April 11, 2008)
• Ronon points his blaster at FRAN (?) (April 11, 2008)
• Candid of Michelle Morgan (April 17, 2008)

The following are links to images concerning the production of this episode (perhaps) and were published by David Nykl in his personal blog:

• David Hewlett and David Nykl (April 16, 2008)

Related Articles

Keywords

• Ascended Beings
• Replicators

Other

• Season Five Episode Guides
• Episode Guides
• Season Five Transcripts
• Transcripts
• SGA 4.11 "Be All My Sins Remember'd Part 2" Episode Guide
• Previous: SGA 5.04 "The Daedalus Variations" Episode Guide
• Next: SGA 5.06 "The Shrine" Episode Guide

Production Notes

• "With the writers’ strike hopefully over, Carl will finally be delivering his masterpiece which we’ll be fast-tracking into the #5 slot." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, February 11, 2008.
• "And - hey, look who’s back! Yep, with the Carl Binder turned up for work today! And he brought us a present: his first draft of Ghost in the Machine." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, February 12, 2008.
• "Carl is doing another rewrite of his script (Ghost in the Machine)..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, February 20, 2008.
• "Paul does a pass on Ghost in the Machine..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, March 4, 2008.
• "Carl just put out the blue pages on Ghost in the Machine." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, March 13, 2008.
• Sheppard's Delight writes: "I know it is early days but I just wondered as a Shep fan (& whumper ) do you think that there are any eps in s5 that we should look forward to in particular?" Answer: "I am certain the true Shep fan will get their fix in season 5 ... "Ghost in the Machine" will make you very happy as well..." — James Bamford, stunt coordinator, in his GW Q&A thread, March 23, 2008.
• "Prep continues on Ghost in the Machine." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, March 24, 2008.
• "Two huge playback-heavy episodes in The Daedalus Variations and Ghost in the Machine will have that department on their toes for the next few weeks." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, March 25, 2008.
• "Carl is prepping Ghost in the Machine." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 1, 2008.
• "There are no finished episodes (we are still several months away from finals). At present, we are shooting episode 5 (Ghost in the Machine) and prepping episode 6 (The Shrine of Talus)." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 5, 2008.
• "Shooting now: Ghost in the Machine." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 11, 2008.
• "I've just finished a nice six-day run out at the Bridge Studio (did you know that the Golden Gate bridge was manufactured in the same building we have our puddle jumper set? - It's true. It was shipped down to San Francisco for assembly) Two episodes in those six days: Ghost in the Machine and The Shrine. Some nice McKay/Zelenka scenes in there. Two great eppies too." — David Nykl in his personal blog, April 16, 2008.

Further Reading

• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog
• Solutions: SGA S5 Spoilers: "Ghost in the Machine", March 18, 2008
• James Bamford's "Ask BamBam" thread at Gateword, March 23, 2008.
• David Nykl's Blog, April 16, 2008.

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--DeeKayP 18:12, 18 March 2008 (PDT)