Inquisition - Recap

Atlantis receives an invitation to send Sheppard and his team to a newly formed Coalition of civilizations throughout the Pegasus Galaxy and represent the expedition. They go through the Stargate to a village and are led to a barren room to await the meeting. However, their hosts pump gas into the room, knocking them out. They wake up in a cell, disarmed, and a security detail escorts Sheppard before the three representatives of the coalition's Council: Dimas, Shiana, and Kelore. They inform Sheppard that he has been brought here to defend the Atlantis expedition against the charge of committing crimes against the peoples of the Pegasus Galaxy.

After Sheppard's team fails to check in, Woolsey sends Major Lorne to investigate. Lorne returns to Atlantis to inform his superior that they haven't found Sheppard's team or anyone who can say where they went. Woolsey assigns more men to the search.

The Council informs Sheppard that the Atlantis expedition is responsible for the deaths of two million people, thanks to their activation of the Wraith. Sheppard explains that the expedition was attacked by the Wraith shortly after their arrival, and the Queen subsequently activated the hibernation cells when Sheppard killed her. The Council notes that the Atlanteans should have abandoned their captured people, and since then several civilizations have been brought to the edge of extinction. Sheppard disputes the charge and prepares to leave, but the Council warns that if he leaves, they will find the Atlantis expedition guilty in absentia. When he asks what they can do, the Council explains that as their influence spreads, they can cut off Atlantis from its trade partners. Regardless, they plan to exile Sheppard and his team to an otherwise uninhabited planet with just another food and water to survive on. Sheppard returns to his cell and explains to the others what's going on. Rodney insists that they're innocent but Teyla notes that their actions have led to the deaths of many others. Sheppard says they'll play along for now until they can find a way to escape.

Myrus, a Coalition representative, arrives on Atlantis and asks for a meeting with Woolsey.

The Council next asks Sheppard to defend himself on charge of "creating" Michael, and the subsequent plague he created that is killing many inhabitants. Sheppard explains that Carson Beckett tried to come up with a way to "cure" the Wraith and restore them to human form. Michael was their first test subject: a Wraith who they transformed into human and tried to convince had been a soldier with the expedition. When Michael discovered he was a Wraith, he escaped. Since then the expedition has fought him repeatedly and finally destroyed his ship with no apparent possibility of his escape. The Council notes that there's no evidence that Michael truly died, and Sheppard's words are no defense.

Myrus explains to Woolsey what happened to Sheppard and the others. Woolsey disputes the legality of the "arrest" but Myrus warns that it is the expedition that has been making unilateral decision without consulting the people of the Pegasus Galaxy. Woolsey orders Myrus confined, despite the possibility it will simply reinforce the Coalition's image of the Atlantis expedition.

The Council interrogates Sheppard about the expedition's involvement with the Genii. He explains that they tried to ambush his team and steal their technology, and he had a counter-ambush prepared for just such a contingency. One of the Council members, Kelore, notes that Atlantis planned to betray the Genii all along but Sheppard notes that the Genii betrayed them and he simply took precautions. He also notes that the Genii needed Earth technology and weapons to carry out their plan.

When Lorne is unable to find the missing team, Woolsey goes to Myrus with a proposal.

Sheppard tries to impress the Council by describing Atlantis' military triumphs against the Wraith. However, they note he has nothing to back up his claims. They're interrupted when Myrus returns with information, which he passes on to them in secret. Sheppard is returned to his cell for a recess... and finds Woolsey waiting with the others. Woolsey informs them that he has decided to take on the case given his prior legal experience. He goes before the Council, who want to know about a new threat, the Replicators. Woolsey explains how the Replicators were created as a weapon against the Wraiths. The Council wonders why the Replicators haven't acted against the Wraith in centuries and Woolsey is forced to explain that they reactivated the Replicator attack code. He defends their decision and notes that it cost them the lives of Elizabeth Weir. Dimas, the rational one, notes that while the Atlantis expedition might be able to disavow responsibility for the Wraith's actions, the Replicators are simply tools following the programming the expedition gave them. Shiana in particular is upset, noting that the Replicators have wiped out several planets to nullify the Wraith's "feeding grounds." Woolsey claims that more Wraiths have died than humans, but Shiana asserts that his attitude simply demonstrates his contempt for the lives lost in the Atlantis operations. Worse, her family was among those lost and she's clearly biased.

Woolsey is returned to the cell and notes that Kelore seems interested in the Genii operations and concludes that he's allied with them. They figure that the Genii want to become the military branch of the Coalition and Kelore stands to profit by supporting them within the Coalition. With no way to escape, and now knowing what they're up against, Woolsey has a new plan. He asks for a meeting with Kelore, suggesting he's allied with the wrong people. Woolsey offers the Council member a political alliance with Atlantis in his return for his backing.

The Council calls Woolsey to answer the final charge: conspiring with the Wraith. Woolsey explains how they've made an alliance of sort with Todd, which led to the destruction of the Replicators. He then makes a statement noting that the Wraith are divided for the moment but will soon unite against the Coalition, and that the Coalition has only had time to come together due to Atlantis' efforts. He argues that the Coalition needs Atlantis. Shiana asks for an immediate vote: she votes guilty. Dimas, the intellectual one, votes not guilty. Kelore, the tiebreaker, considers his vote.

A few minutes later, Woolsey returns to Sheppard and the others and informs them that they've been found non-guilty and they're free to go. Back on Atlantis, Woolsey dons his favorite suit from his lawyer dates and shares brandy and cigars with Sheppard. He admits that he's going to have some explaining to do to the IOA to convince them that a long-term political alliance is best, but Sheppard says that's what they're there for.


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