The Queen - Recap

Sheppard and his team, along with Dr. Keller take a Puddle Jumper through a drifting Stargate and meet with… a Hive ship. They receive docking instructions from the ship, which is expecting them. Once aboard, armed Wraith soldiers confront them… and then withdraw on the orders of Todd the Wraith. He offers his apologies and escorts them to a meeting room, then introduces them to his second-in-command. Sheppard has Keller explain the reason for their visit: she's used Michaels's recovered Hybrid research to develop a gene treatment that will remove the Wraith's need to feed on life forms. Todd and his second-in-command have no desire to lose their other abilities and Keller admits she isn't sure if the treatment will do so or not.

Todd leaves to consider the matter, and then informs him that he is interested in the offer but he's… exaggerated the authority he has within the Hive. The only one with the authority to accept their offer is the Primary, the ruling Wraith Queen. However, she'll only speak to another Queen. Todd has been keeping up the misconception that his Queen is still alive, despite the fact she died when they assaulted Atlantis (in "The Seer"). They need a new Wraith Queen, and Todd suggest that Teyla fits the bill.

The team returns to Atlantis where Sheppard tries to come up with reasons for Teyla not to get involved. She insists on going ahead, noting she has the necessary Wraith genes to undergo surgical transformation. Todd comes through the Stargate to provide medical and technical assistance to Keller, who begins the operation on Teyla. After a few hours, she is transformed into a Wraith Queen.

They return to Todd's ship where he begins to coach Teyla in how she has to act arrogant and without fear to win the Primary's respect. They make contact with the Primary, and Todd notes that due to recent losses she'll have to put survival above pride. The two ships meet and Teyla holds her own when they make contact by radio. The Primary agrees to meet with Teyla, who brings Todd with her. However, when they arrive aboard the Primary's ship, the Commander takes it into hyperspace to avoid the possibility of an ambush. Sheppard, Ronon, and Rodney are less than thrilled but Todd's second-in-command denies any plan to betray them. They have no way to track a ship through hyperspace so there's nothing they can do but wait.

The Primary meets with Teyla and Todd and challenges his presence. Teyla defends "her" lieutenant and matches the Primary's arrogance. The latter accepts Teyla as an equal... and Todd cuts her throat. He gives the knife to Teyla and asks for her forgiveness as a security alarm goes off. Todd tells her that she needs to claim she killed the Primary, proving that she's suitable to take the position because the old Primary was weak. The Commander and his soldiers enter and prepare to kill them, but Teyla asserts that she is now in command. When Todd tries to talk to her, she threatens to kill him. The Commander accepts her authority, and Teyla orders them out of hyperspace so she can inspect her new prize. Once they're alone again, Todd explains that the Primary would never have agreed to the gene treatment so he planned to replace her. He didn't tell Teyla because she wouldn't have gone along with his plan, but she has no choice now. Now she has no choice but to stay in command for the moment and solidify her position.

Sheppard and the others decide that the second-in-command, who they nickname "Kenny," is being honest with them. They're interrupted when Kenny informs them he's received a transmission from Teyla pinpointing her location. They depart for the coordinates.

Teyla and Todd are in conference when the Commander informs them they've monitored the intrusion of another Hive ship upon their feeding grounds. Todd draws Teyla off to the side and informs her they have to respond to the assault or she'll reveal herself as an imposter. Teyla has no choice but to order them to proceed through normal space to the nearby planet. They arrive and Todd suggests that they negotiate per Wraith protocol. Teyla ignores him and orders an immediate assault on the enemy ship. When Teyla orders a seemingly futile fighter assault, Todd realizes her plan is to kill as many Wraiths on both sides as possible. However, there's nothing he can do.

Todd's ship tracks Teyla's vessel to the feeding grounds but is still behind. Sheppard comes up with a plan to distract the Wraith and get aboard to rescue Teyla. He, Ronon, and Rodney take a Puddle Jumper through the Stargate to the feeding grounds and then cloak and move into orbit.

Teyla's ship starts to lose the battle but she refuses to surrender. When Sheppard arrives, he takes out the enemy ship while remaining cloaked. The Commander is astonished and Teyla warns him not to question her competence ever again. Sheppard brings the cloaked Puddle Jumper aboard along with the returning Darts and Rodney tries to track Teyla. However, they are quickly captured and taken to a cell. Teyla sends the guards away and explains what's happened, and asks Sheppard not to rescue her. She's unaware that the Command is listening in. He goes to her quarters and tries to kill her, and almost succeeds until Todd arrives and kills him.

Todd's ship finally arrives and Teyla transfers her teammates aboard. She informs the Primary's crew that she is going on to consolidate the alliance but she's leaving Todd in command of the vessel. As she leaves, she warns Todd that although he may have planned the entire thing, she'll be watching him. If he tries to break their agreement, she'll remove him too.

Back on Atlantis, Keller restores Teyla to normal. Sheppard believes they're better off with a friendly Wraith working to control the alliance, but Teyla isn't so sure.

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