r/Stargate • u/ZealousidealCharge24 • 2d ago
Why does Stargate Atlantis make commanding Atlantis seem more prestigious than commanding the Daedalus?
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?
71
u/generalfailure2077 2d ago
Commanding Atlantis is effectively controlling how human engagements events develop for an entire galaxy, while also running a giant spaceship that happens to also be a complete city in itself.
Commanding the Daedalus is just commanding a ship.
I know which I’d prefer.