Why do people hate the stones?

[Agent Richard07]

I think the stones make for some good scifi and they're a fantastic plot device. I don't mind that they allow the characters to maintain contact with home. For me, they don't detract from their harrowing journey at all. They open up a lot of interesting story ideas and add more variety to the show. Also, the idea of swapping bodies with another person is a fascinating concept that brings with it a with a wide assortment of issues, not to mention fun times, worth exploring. The stones are a great addition to the series and I wouldn't want to see them go.

Also, just dropping a major aspect of any series rarely works. I'm sure most of you know this and it's another reason I'm puzzled about why people want them gone.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I don't think people hate the concept of the stones, just that they were used for such ridiculous plots as an alleged love triangle between Young, Telford, and Young's wife.

That, and the show hasn't really explored the implications of borrowing someone else's body and then doing things with it--like getting drunk, having sex, and so forth.

They just kind of use them as this "hey cool, we can do stories on Earth and manufacture drama!" device.

They have, at least, put them to better use in the back half of this season. I really don't have any complaints about them from episode 10 onward.

 

[Hermiod]

I don't hate the stones, I just wish their use and the consequences of their use could be explored in a more grown up fashion.

 

[Brent]

It really hasn't bothered me much because it is already established technology before SGU even started. I think it could have better been explained why Rush had them with him in the first place though. I also think they haven't been used right, or at least we haven't been shown it.

The very first thing they should have done, after talking to Jack about their situation of course, is to have Ancient experts swap bodies with people and come and help explore and study the ship they are on and report back everything to the SGC. They should have teams there on shifts trying to repair systems. They did good in the episode a couple eps back where the Hyperdrive specialist came on board and helped them to fix it. They should have been doing more stuff like that, trying to make their ship much more habitable and functional with professionals from the SGC. Daniel should have been one of the first people to swap bodies and get on board the ship to look around.

They could also do a better job exploring the consequences of swapping bodies with people. I find it appalling that the military would allow someone to use someone else's body to do whatever they want with it, like sex and stuff. Absolutely appalling they allow this. What they should have done is sure, have the people visit their family, but do so in a controlled environment at the Pentagon or SGC. In the real-world, everything would be very controlled.

 

[DonnyBaker]

I dont hate the Stones. I just dont think they are as good as the Beatles.

 

[TiberiusMaximus]

^

I don't like that the stones seem to change the appearance of the user. I understand that it's for the benefit of the audience, but it's starting to seem like it actually changes their face and the people they talk to can tell. It drives me crazy sometimes.
Although I noticed in Sabotage that Eli saw the visiting scientist as Wray for a moment, I liked that.
Other than that nitpick, I don't mind the stones at all.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

It really hasn't bothered me much because it is already established technology before SGU even started. I think it could have better been explained why Rush had them with him in the first place though. I also think they haven't been used right, or at least we haven't been shown it.

The very first thing they should have done, after talking to Jack about their situation of course, is to have Ancient experts swap bodies with people and come and help explore and study the ship they are on and report back everything to the SGC. They should have teams there on shifts trying to repair systems. They did good in the episode a couple eps back where the Hyperdrive specialist came on board and helped them to fix it. They should have been doing more stuff like that, trying to make their ship much more habitable and functional with professionals from the SGC. Daniel should have been one of the first people to swap bodies and get on board the ship to look around.

They could also do a better job exploring the consequences of swapping bodies with people. I find it appalling that the military would allow someone to use someone else's body to do whatever they want with it, like sex and stuff. Absolutely appalling they allow this. What they should have done is sure, have the people visit their family, but do so in a controlled environment at the Pentagon or SGC. In the real-world, everything would be very controlled.

Yeah, that's true. The Stargate Program is still classified, probably top secret. The notion that they would be clearing civilians uninvolved with the SGC--Chloe's mom, Young's wife, Wray's wife--seems really off.

That is, unless they've revealed the program publicly since the end of SGA and that's why everyone is so cavalier about it now. But that appears unlikely since Chloe's mother threatened to "go public with what I know."

 

[Kpnuts]

They make a show that can be so mind-numingly boring and slow-paced a tad more interesting.

The disabled character who came on board in Sabotage was more interesting and likeable than the entire main cast combined.

 

[Harvey]

The Earth-based stories they've lead to (mainly, in "Earth" and "Life") have ranged been melodramatic to ridiculous.

The writers have failed to explore any of the ethical or moral implications of the use of the stones, instead letting people drink and fuck without any repercussions.

Finally, the stones haven't been used much more extensively to bring over ancient experts, doctors, and the like, as well as the reverse (bringing the Destiny crew to Earth in order to train them in medicine, weaponry, etc.).

That's why I don't care for them.

 

[Brent]

^ that is a good point, Destiny crew could train at the SGC, I mean why not, what else have they got to do? They could actually, say, I dunno, use the stones for a constructive purpose maybe? heh

And people at the SGC could go on board the Destiny to study it as well, and you hit a very major point about having a real Doctor come on board every day for a little while and check up on the crew, treat serious problems etc

 

[Harvey]

They did have an actual doctor use the stones to come aboard using TJ's body for an operation in an episode in this half of the season. I forget which one, however.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

I like the stones, and I like how they have been used so far. And I think they have a lot of potential for stories in them that hasn't been tapped yet.

 

[Star Wolf]

You only get one chance to make a first impression. On SG-1 the stones where used with characters everybody knew so the comedy could be played up. By the time Universe came around two separate special interest groups were griping long before the episodes aired and the hehehe we can show sex was interpreted by those loud protesters as you fools are showing rapes. And why don't you understand that?

 

[The Grim Ghost]

They aren't rapes if the military people on earth are briefed on what their bodies might be used for and sign off on it. I think this is highly implied.

As I said on another thread, it has gone on enough now that everybody knows their body might be used for sex during a switch. The only time someone has addressed it being a bad thing was with Rush refusing to hook up with little Miss Brilliant. And in that case we were dealing with 2 civilians switching bodies, and one of them was a lesbian so it was a much more complex situation. Rush did the right thing.

But if you are talking about military folks switching, when they are fully aware of all of this...it ain't rape, it's consensual.

 

[Star Wolf]

They aren't rapes if the military people on earth are briefed on what their bodies might be used for and sign off on it. I think this is highly implied.

As I said on another thread, it has gone on enough now that everybody knows their body might be used for sex during a switch. The only time someone has addressed it being a bad thing was with Rush refusing to hook up with little Miss Brilliant. And in that case we were dealing with 2 civilians switching bodies, and one of them was a lesbian so it was a much more complex situation. Rush did the right thing.

But if you are talking about military folks switching, when they are fully aware of all of this...it ain't rape, it's consensual.

All not well even in your example Dr Perry attempted to rape Camile Wray. People can't consent hours in advance, try that with a girl friend who changes her mind and find you will find yourself sent upstate to the appropriate correctional facility

 

[The Grim Ghost]

They aren't rapes if the military people on earth are briefed on what their bodies might be used for and sign off on it. I think this is highly implied.

As I said on another thread, it has gone on enough now that everybody knows their body might be used for sex during a switch. The only time someone has addressed it being a bad thing was with Rush refusing to hook up with little Miss Brilliant. And in that case we were dealing with 2 civilians switching bodies, and one of them was a lesbian so it was a much more complex situation. Rush did the right thing.

But if you are talking about military folks switching, when they are fully aware of all of this...it ain't rape, it's consensual.

All not well even in your example Dr Perry attempted to rape Camile Wray. People can't consent hours in advance, try that with a girl friend who changes her mind and find you will find yourself sent upstate to the appropriate correctional facility

I get what you're saying.

But imagine this situation, which is what I see the show as implying:

You are asked to volunteer to be a body swapper on earth. You are told that the person taking your body may use it to visit their wife/boyfriend or whatever and have sex with it. Or they may get drunk..after all this is a shore leave situation. Or they may visit their grandma and eat an entire pot roast and make the body gain a pound or two..

You either agree to this, or you don't and they find somebody else.

That isn't rape.

Now if there is no discussion of this, and somebody just cruises off in your body without consent and does things you have not agreed to, then yeah that is definitely a huge violation and I would agree with you.

I think you are just assuming this is the case, but I don't agree that this is what is going on here.

I guess my point is, this has been going on during the show, and nobody (other than the Rush/Wray situation which was a special case) has objected to it in any way, even though it is clear what has been happening. Sorry, I don't believe that many of these characters are so evil as to do what you are suggesting.

 

[The Wormhole]

The concept of the stones is actually a good one, and I wasn't opposed to the idea of the people being in contact with Earth from the get-go. But instead of doing anything logical with them like bringing people over to Destiny to help, it's just the Destiny crew coming over to get drunk with friends, have sex with spouses, and so on.

And yes, I know they brought Telford and the scientists in Earth and Rush's friend in Sabotage. They should be doing more of this. And also, why hasn't Rodney McKay been brought it yet? They're supposedly getting help from all of Earth's greatest minds, so why hasn't he been brought in?

 

[David cgc]

Maybe he dies in the Atlantis movie, and his clone hasn't been found yet.

 

[pookha]

They aren't rapes if the military people on earth are briefed on what their bodies might be used for and sign off on it. I think this is highly implied.

As I said on another thread, it has gone on enough now that everybody knows their body might be used for sex during a switch. The only time someone has addressed it being a bad thing was with Rush refusing to hook up with little Miss Brilliant. And in that case we were dealing with 2 civilians switching bodies, and one of them was a lesbian so it was a much more complex situation. Rush did the right thing.

But if you are talking about military folks switching, when they are fully aware of all of this...it ain't rape, it's consensual.

All not well even in your example Dr Perry attempted to rape Camile Wray. People can't consent hours in advance, try that with a girl friend who changes her mind and find you will find yourself sent upstate to the appropriate correctional facility

I get what you're saying.

But imagine this situation, which is what I see the show as implying:

You are asked to volunteer to be a body swapper on earth. You are told that the person taking your body may use it to visit their wife/boyfriend or whatever and have sex with it. Or they may get drunk..after all this is a shore leave situation. Or they may visit their grandma and eat an entire pot roast and make the body gain a pound or two..

You either agree to this, or you don't and they find somebody else.

That isn't rape.

Now if there is no discussion of this, and somebody just cruises off in your body without consent and does things you have not agreed to, then yeah that is definitely a huge violation and I would agree with you.

I think you are just assuming this is the case, but I don't agree that this is what is going on here.

I guess my point is, this has been going on during the show, and nobody (other than the Rush/Wray situation which was a special case) has objected to it in any way, even though it is clear what has been happening. Sorry, I don't believe that many of these characters are so evil as to do what you are suggesting.

i dont know.. really asking people in the military by a commanding officer to go along with this might smack as coercion .
the people might not really want to do it but are also concerned some bad consequences career wise will come about if they dont.

and i agree with the secrecy factor that these meetings being held in controlled military facility makes more sense.
there are other ways to stay bonded with loved ones then having sex with them while taking over another persons body.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

All not well even in your example Dr Perry attempted to rape Camile Wray. People can't consent hours in advance, try that with a girl friend who changes her mind and find you will find yourself sent upstate to the appropriate correctional facility

I get what you're saying.

But imagine this situation, which is what I see the show as implying:

You are asked to volunteer to be a body swapper on earth. You are told that the person taking your body may use it to visit their wife/boyfriend or whatever and have sex with it. Or they may get drunk..after all this is a shore leave situation. Or they may visit their grandma and eat an entire pot roast and make the body gain a pound or two..

You either agree to this, or you don't and they find somebody else.

That isn't rape.

Now if there is no discussion of this, and somebody just cruises off in your body without consent and does things you have not agreed to, then yeah that is definitely a huge violation and I would agree with you.

I think you are just assuming this is the case, but I don't agree that this is what is going on here.

I guess my point is, this has been going on during the show, and nobody (other than the Rush/Wray situation which was a special case) has objected to it in any way, even though it is clear what has been happening. Sorry, I don't believe that many of these characters are so evil as to do what you are suggesting.

i dont know.. really asking people in the military by a commanding officer to go along with this might smack as coercion .
the people might not really want to do it but are also concerned some bad consequences career wise will come about if they dont.

and i agree with the secrecy factor that these meetings being held in controlled military facility makes more sense.
there are other ways to stay bonded with loved ones then having sex with them while taking over another persons body.

True. It is a bizarre situation. I'd really like to see an episode that focuses on this issue so we can find out one way or the other.

There are a lot of weird issues going on here. For example, if you masturbate without permission while body swapped..is that considered some kind of violation?

See this is part of why I like the stones. It raises a lot of interesting questions and there are so many debates and situations that can come up from using them. I just hope the show will actually address some of these things.