Review of Gauntlet

Stargate Universe: Gauntlet (2011)
Season 2, Episode 20
10/10
Another Day, Another Galaxy
8 August 2014
In the previous episode, Destiny had to use a different brand of "Gas" to refuel, because the Army of Drones had set up a blockade around Destiny's regular Arco stations. We never saw the scope of that blockade until this episode.

Dr. Rush figures out a way to get supplies, but the encounter drains almost half of Destiny's tank of Stellar Gas. So something new has to be done, and Eli has the only viable solution: "Another Day, Another Galaxy" Ironically it took until the last few episodes for this crew to really start acting like a unified crew - And the crew-member who gets the prize for most improvement is of course Eli.

Eli was the one person you absolutely did not want to tell any secrets to when this show started, he would blurt out anything he heard. For that reason, Colonel Young tapped him for Ship narc so he could spy on Dr. Rush - When in fact Eli should have been inseparable from Rush from the start. And of course, Rush was No Saint, but this show had successfully shown us why he does what he does - He's a man who simply won't get distracted by things he cannot change, and that makes him appear to be crass. Plus, we've seen he has a lot to be bitter about, including losing Amanda Perry twice- But he has this in common with Eli now, or rather, Eli finally understands Loss like Rush does, after losing Ginn twice himself. Even Colonels Young and Telford, who would have killed each other if left in a locked room became much more Human, realizing their mistakes. And in Telford's case it was not strictly his fault. And it took Destiny itself to kick Young in the Arse, showing him vision after vision of destiny being blown up by the CGI Aliens who infected Chloe, because he was spending too much time at "Brody's Bar and Still". In fact, all of the characters, or at least the ones who survived until the end of the series became more human as the show went along.

By this time, Eli and Rush are working together more like they should have been, and also the rest of the crew, they are doing their jobs and not bellyaching about every little thing, and they are finally attacking their problems with a unified front.

But this last conundrum has only one solution, and by a twist of fate, Eli is the only one who won't be able to take part in it.

As Destiny enters FTL drive and Eli is sitting alone in the Observation deck, he gets that smile like he does when he's figured it out. And then you realize there is really only one thing he can do. And you have to think back, where DID Dr. Franklin actually go? Personally, I go for "Ascension", but anything is possible with Destiny, and in the Chair we have seen already in "Twin Destinies" that time potentially has no meaning there.

Music has always been the best part of this show, including a song by Flogging Molly "The Worst Day since Yesterday" which was used in a 1st season episode.

In this episode, we have a classical piano piece playing as Destiny heads off in her shortcut across galaxies - And Eli is all alone, sitting in the Observation Deck - We know he has thought of a solution, so due to the cancellation of this show, we just have to have Faith that he was able to apply it. So where we start with an Eli who was a spoiled brat Gamer, we leave the show with an Eli who has grown up considerably- Even willing to lose his life to gain it back not just for himself, but for the rest of the crew, even his Mad Uncle Rush.
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