This series expands upon the original “Stargate” movie and its spin-off series, “Stargate: SG-1.”  (See the Stargate: SG-1 link for more information.)  In this science fiction series, the Ancient’s secret base on Earth has been revealed in Antarctica.  The base points to Atlantis, the famed “lost city” of the Ancients, and a new galaxy of more worlds beyond that of the original system of Stargates.  It promises a wealth of knowledge that Earth can use to fight against the Goa’uld, and is an opportunity that cannot be missed.

 

Unfortunately, since the origin point is in another galaxy, the Pegasus galaxy, there is only enough power to boot the Stargate up once to send a team through.  People are called from over a dozen nations to go to Atlantis, knowing that there is the possibility they may not come back, and that this may only be a one way mission.

 

The designated leader of the Atlantis team is Dr. Elizabeth Weir, a woman of vast knowledge and master of five languages.  Originally the leader of Stargate Command, she gave her position to Colonel O’Neill at the opportunity to travel to Atlantis.

 

When the team from Earth arrived in Atlantis, they discovered a wealth of technology far beyond their dreams in a vast, abandoned city.  The great city was a fortress underwater, protected from the crushing force of the water by a powerful shield.  Unfortunately, the power that kept the shield activated was depleted when Atlantis became inhabited once again, and the city automatically rose to the surface of the watery planet it resided on.  As of this point in time, Atlantis is still resting upon the surface of the water and is exposed to any enemy that might choose to prey upon it.

 

Upon their arrival to Atlantis, Weir decided that in the event that they were forced to evacuate the city, they must find an inhabitable planet.  Major John Sheppard and Colonel Sumners were sent on a mission to another world, and a new enemy was discovered, the wraith, a powerful enemy of the Ancients who were able to overthrow the Ancients thousands of years ago.  The wraith captured Colonel Sumners and a few people of the world the Atlantis team had visited, and Major Sheppard turned the scouting mission into a rescue mission, unwittingly releasing the entire wraith race from a hibernation-like sleep by killing their overseer.  Unfortunately, Colonel Sumners was killed by the wraith before Major Sheppard could take action.

 

The wraith, apparently, used to rule many worlds where humans resided, and fed off of their life energies, sustaining their own bodies for countless years.  Although they are hard to kill, it is possible to destroy them by dealing them an instantly mortal blow.  The wraith are able to regenerate themselves quickly from wounds, for their gene structure is so radically different from that of normal living things that they are on an entirely different level, almost to that of the Ancients themselves.

 

With the knowledge that an enemy even more dangerous than the Goa’uld is now loose and looking for more humans to sustain themselves, the Atlantis team’s goal is now to contact Earth and tell them of this new enemy while also searching for a way to effectively fight this enemy.  While their power has been depleted and they cannot dial the Stargate across the galaxy back home, Atlantis’ job is to seek out new technology to fight the wraith, make contact with new civilizations, and explore the new galaxy.

 

The main Atlantis team sent out to explore is comprised of the standard four members: Major John Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, Lieutenant Aiden Ford, and Teyla Emmagan.  Sheppard, who is new to Stargate Command, is a gifted pilot with an amazing mathematical ability and a gene structure that enables him to use the Ancient technology.  McKay is a brilliant scientist with a dry, yet witty sense of humor.  Ford is a promising soldier of the Air Force, with a steadfast loyalty for his fellow team members.  Teyla is an alien to the Earth team, a descendant of humans taken from Earth.  She possesses an uncanny knowledge of the worlds that the Atlantis team explores.  Together, this new team explores the new worlds the Pegasus galaxy has to offer, using the new Stargate of this galaxy, which spins on a dial of constellations rather than hieroglyphics.  Only time will tell if this team has what it takes to fight the wraith and master the technology of the Ancients.

 

As of the time of this writing, Atlantis has been renewed for another full season, starring its original cast, minus Lieutenant Ford.  Lieutenant Ford, it appears, will return only as a guest.  A new member of Atlantis has joined the team, Ronan Dex, who was rescued by Major Sheppard from the Wraith.  More information will follow once I have seen the new season.