Vala-Misstep?

[Smiley]

Was it a mistake to make Vala a recurring character in Season 9 and a regular character in Season 10 and beyond? I would say yes.

She was an irritant to me in "Prometheus Unbound," but that episode was balanced out by the Hammond story. During the first five episodes of Season 9, her behavior was so annoying that I wanted to kill the character with my bare hands. I'm guessing that's not the reaction the producers wanted when they were doing the relaunch of the show.

She was toned down a lot in "Crusade" and the rest of the series, but she still felt like useless baggage most of the time. Her relationship with Adria and the episode "Memento Mori" were the high points of her character's existence, and they could have easily been given to a new character with a few rewrites and different casting.

I fully admit that Daniel is my favorite character of those around in Season 9, and it bothered me whenever she would needle him, tease him, or otherwise annoy him. I was very happy when he gave his speech in "Unending" and extremely upset that they became lovers moments later.

What do you all think of the Vala character? Do you love her or hate her? Would you change her role in the later seasons if you could?

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I agree in that I wasn't very fond of her character, and her acting as Quetesh in Continuum wasn't up to much neither.

 

[RoJoHen]

Vala was the main reason I actually like Seasons 9 and 10. Without her, I probably would have stopped watching.

 

[auntiehill]

I didn't care for Vala that much. She was too over the top and not terribly believable as a character. She would have been better as a recurring character and not a full-time team member.

 

[RoJoHen]

She was very over-the-top in the beginning, but she quickly toned down once she became a regular member of the team and didn't crave attention all the time.

 

[The Wormhole]

Honestly, she didn't make much of an impression on me in Prometheus Ubound. However, when they made her a recurring character in S9, I grew to like Vala mainly because she actually was a new kind of character for Stargate. As opposed to another character in the same mold as the original SG-1 characters.

 

[Hoser]

Vala was the main reason I actually like Seasons 9 and 10. Without her, I probably would have stopped watching.

Same.

Well, prolly woulda watched to the end, but still, I enjoyed the last two seasons.

 

[cultcross]

I didn't care for Vala that much. She was too over the top and not terribly believable as a character. She would have been better as a recurring character and not a full-time team member.

Agreed, I didn't like Vala much. SG-1 could do silliness on occasion and pull it off well. But Vala was adding an element of silliness to everyday proceedings, and it seemed more than a little OTT. I thought it was ridiculously unrealistic for a start that she ended up on SG-1. Teal'c made sense, just. Vala never did.

 

[RoJoHen]

Well, Vala was important to the entire Ori storyline, and it just made more sense to have her join the team. Otherwise they probably would have had to keep her held captive for most of the last two years.

 

[SmoothieX]

I wish Vala was recurring. She injected some energy and humor into the show. But I didn't like her as a full time team member.

I think she should have come along occasionally on Ori related missions since she's the expert on them, but not all the time.

 

[biotech]

I liked Vala, but then I like Claudia Black, and she may have been instrumental in getting Ben Browder to join, which was also a step I approved of.

Its just a shame they were so reluctant to pair them up for so long.

 

[Gotham Central]

You folks are kidding right? I LOVE Vala. I thought she made seasons 9 and 10 some of the best Stargate that we'd seen in a long time. She was fun and allowed the other characters to regain some of the dignity they'd lost in the later years.

She was an important shot in the arm to an otherwise stagnant series. In fact, she was the ONLY fundamentally new thing added to the series.

 

[Gertch]

I wasn't too happy with her in 9 although she did help with the comedic value a little.

But season 10 is when she really fit in. For me she filled the role Jack vacated. She was sarcastic and really funny in the same way he was in the first 7 seasons.

 

[Kirby]

I agree with the others that say she would be better as a recurring character. Vala was fun and more than made up for Mitchell's blandness, but she just crowded everyone else out. SG-1 worked better as a 4 person team.

 

[Hermiod]

Nah, she was fine. I liked her once she settled down.

 

[MNM]

Was it a mistake to make Vala a recurring character in Season 9 and a regular character in Season 10 and beyond? I would say yes.

She was an irritant to me in "Prometheus Unbound," but that episode was balanced out by the Hammond story. During the first five episodes of Season 9, her behavior was so annoying that I wanted to kill the character with my bare hands. I'm guessing that's not the reaction the producers wanted when they were doing the relaunch of the show.

She was toned down a lot in "Crusade" and the rest of the series, but she still felt like useless baggage most of the time. Her relationship with Adria and the episode "Memento Mori" were the high points of her character's existence, and they could have easily been given to a new character with a few rewrites and different casting.

I fully admit that Daniel is my favorite character of those around in Season 9, and it bothered me whenever she would needle him, tease him, or otherwise annoy him. I was very happy when he gave his speech in "Unending" and extremely upset that they became lovers moments later.

What do you all think of the Vala character? Do you love her or hate her? Would you change her role in the later seasons if you could?

The only mistake was not making her a regular character from season 9. Loved her character, loved her interaction with Daniel, the best things from the last two season by far.

 

[Technobuilder]

Honestly, I can see both sides of the argument when it comes to the character of Vala Mal Doran.

I was initially annoyed by the character, as some of her... shall we say eccentricities caused more problems than they solved. She was good, but she wasn't the best and used the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants RULE as more of a life philosophy than anything else.

Her best character attribute was that she didn't 100% trust anyone at first, siting previous life experiences as ample reason not to. She was a thief, smuggler, con-artist, and treasure seeker so I'm sure all her past relationships were of the most emotionally nurturing kind. So of course not immediately being open and honest once she started up with SG-1 and Stargate Command made sense. It was annoying but at least it made sense.

Thankfully however, I did a turn around in my perceptions once the show started delving more into her past, her family, and her trust issues.

Afterward, I saw everything that had bothered me before as the result of someone use to acting out... either to get attention, or rather more accurately to deflect attention away from the realities of a life she'd rather not have anyone focusing on, especially herself.

Vala always seemed like a person in motion, afraid of what might happen if she ever stopped. Time to actually think, reflect, and ultimately deal with much of her past, is what eventually allowed her to come out of her shell which in turn contributes to her arc significantly.

So I guess to answer the question... I'm glad she's there, Now.

 

[AJBryant]

I couldn't stand Vala. I thought she was a totally unbelievable character for that position. Good God, someone who could NEVER pass a check for a security clearance, with that much focus on GIMME GIMME GIMME and stealing and subterfuge, being a member of a team like that? No way.

God, I hated her. Still do.

 

[Jono]

I liked Vala and was glad of her inclusion to the show. I would have liked to see more of her past and more stuff with her but I find it hard to figure out how you could do that without at least one more season. In terms of the Ori story I'd have liked more with her and Adria. Having Vala spend several episodes with her daughter but given the jammed packed season 10 I don't see how you could do that.

 

[arch101]

She was VERY annoying but looked great, so, I gave her a pass. Eventually, she grew on me (or I learned to tolerate her?)