(You're always forgiving for jumping in, don't worry! As long as it's polite, I'm never offended by disagreement. I will argue, but that's because I love a good debate - I'm not in the least upset, I'm glad to hear your opinion!)
I've seen this discussion before. And this is what it comes down to:
And I'm not in the least surprised that Rodney reacted like he did - I personally would have reacted in exactly the same way.
Everyone has a personal take on this. I personally would have wanted to go to the shrine for my last day. I would have found it a gift, I would have wanted my family to give me that chance. Other people feel differently, and there's just no way to argue it one way or another; this is a deeply personal choice. Those who wouldn't want it take Rodney's original reaction of anger at face value; those who would want it take his later apology to Jeannie as his true feelings. I don't think there is a correct interpretation. (I do wonder why the heck Ronon didn't mention the shrine sooner, so they could just ask Rodney what his wishes were while he was capable of deciding. It's to provide dramatic tension, but it doesn't make much sense. They wouldn't have had to go immediately - Rodney could have asked that they take him once he'd passed a certain point. Or else demanded that they don't take him. But Ronon doesn't bring it up until Rodney's too far gone to make a choice. Odd.)
if Keller hadn't protested and the Shrine had worked like they thought it did, Rodney would have been dead when Jeannie arrived (because for some reason they all seemed to forget that she was on her way in their rush to give him the "gift of...a quick death" - Teyla's words).
Huh - when they were arguing with Woolsey, I didn't think they were planning on taking Rodney to the shrine that very minute - I assumed they were still going to wait as long as possible. By the time Jeannie comes, she says Rodney has two days left at most, so I was assuming they wanted to go the shrine while they knew Rodney was still going to be alive, as opposed to waiting a day, when he might die and they'd lose their last chance. It was getting down to the wire and they needed to make a decision.
I also think that Ronon & Teyla were resigned to Rodney dying - they're from Pegasus, they know Second Childhood, and a quick, dignified death is just what they want for themselves, so they were trying to honor Rodney the best they could.
I don't think John ever accepted the "quick death" part. John didn't accept that Rodney was dying when he was lying on his deathbed in "Tao" - John's not good with acceptance! I am convinced that John was thinking one day with Rodney as himself was one day that Rodney could help them figure out how to save himself, and was not thinking beyond that...which is how it worked out, in the end.
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I've seen this discussion before. And this is what it comes down to:
And I'm not in the least surprised that Rodney reacted like he did - I personally would have reacted in exactly the same way.
Everyone has a personal take on this. I personally would have wanted to go to the shrine for my last day. I would have found it a gift, I would have wanted my family to give me that chance. Other people feel differently, and there's just no way to argue it one way or another; this is a deeply personal choice. Those who wouldn't want it take Rodney's original reaction of anger at face value; those who would want it take his later apology to Jeannie as his true feelings. I don't think there is a correct interpretation. (I do wonder why the heck Ronon didn't mention the shrine sooner, so they could just ask Rodney what his wishes were while he was capable of deciding. It's to provide dramatic tension, but it doesn't make much sense. They wouldn't have had to go immediately - Rodney could have asked that they take him once he'd passed a certain point. Or else demanded that they don't take him. But Ronon doesn't bring it up until Rodney's too far gone to make a choice. Odd.)
if Keller hadn't protested and the Shrine had worked like they thought it did, Rodney would have been dead when Jeannie arrived (because for some reason they all seemed to forget that she was on her way in their rush to give him the "gift of...a quick death" - Teyla's words).
Huh - when they were arguing with Woolsey, I didn't think they were planning on taking Rodney to the shrine that very minute - I assumed they were still going to wait as long as possible. By the time Jeannie comes, she says Rodney has two days left at most, so I was assuming they wanted to go the shrine while they knew Rodney was still going to be alive, as opposed to waiting a day, when he might die and they'd lose their last chance. It was getting down to the wire and they needed to make a decision.
I also think that Ronon & Teyla were resigned to Rodney dying - they're from Pegasus, they know Second Childhood, and a quick, dignified death is just what they want for themselves, so they were trying to honor Rodney the best they could.
I don't think John ever accepted the "quick death" part. John didn't accept that Rodney was dying when he was lying on his deathbed in "Tao" - John's not good with acceptance! I am convinced that John was thinking one day with Rodney as himself was one day that Rodney could help them figure out how to save himself, and was not thinking beyond that...which is how it worked out, in the end.