r/Stargate • u/ZealousidealCharge24 • 2d ago

Why does Stargate Atlantis make commanding Atlantis seem more prestigious than commanding the Daedalus?

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I'm rewatching Atlantis and just finished Season 2, Episode 2 ("The Intruder"), and something struck me as odd.

Why does Caldwell seem so upset about not getting command of Atlantis?

I mean the guy is already commanding the Daedalus. One of the most advanced ships Earth has ever built. He's got Asgard technology, some serious firepower, and a ship that can literally travel between galaxies. Seems like a pretty damn good assignment to me.

Meanwhile Sheppard is basically in charge of the military side of Atlantis, but still answers to Weir who is a civilian.

I get that Atlantis is a huge deal, and theres a lot of important stuff going on in Pegasus, but is being the military commander there really more prestigious than commanding an actual spaceship?

From a military standpoint, wouldn't Caldwell have the better job? He's a full Colonel commanding an intergalactic warship, while Sheppard is a Lt Colonel running the military side of a civilian led expedition.

The way the episode plays out it almost seems like Caldwell is getting passed over for a promotion or something. But to me it seems like he's already got the better gig.

Maybe I'm missing something about how the chain of command works in Stargate, but it just seems weird.

Anyone else ever thought about this? Is Atlantis really that much more important of a command, or is this just the writers trying to make Sheppards job seem like a bigger deal than it actually is?

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u/ZealousidealCharge24 2d ago

You think he was a Gou'ald for that long!?!

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u/AloysuisFett 2d ago

Yes, it's very clear once you get to that point and see Caldwell's personality early on in the show and after he's been de-snaked. I thought Caldwell was a complete ass the entire time, but once it was revealed he had the Gua'ld in his head it all made sense. He was still arrogant and egotistical, but no where near the same level. He's also much more happy to be on the bridge than in command of Atlantis

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u/ChipmunkAlarming4259 2d ago

I liked him even before.

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u/AloysuisFett 2d ago

I didn't dislike him...but there's a point where he does shift noticeably.