What made this time traveling phenomenon so interesting to watch was the fact that it was Rush — and only Rush — who made the travel back to warn Destiny. As we all know — and as all of Destiny knows — Rush can hardly be trusted. So when it’s his sole word they have to rely on, nobody’s really sure what to think … including “young” Rush! The entire episode had me trying to guess what really happened abord the ill-fated Destiny — was Telford at fault? Was it Rush? Something or someone else?
Here’s a very telling thing about Rush’s character: Even in the episode’s final moments, young Rush questions his older self’s story. He’s not sure if he can believe himself! For him to not be entirely sure of a story he himself would have told others pretty much spells out that he knows he lies, and is most likely lying now. This is highlighted by the fact that he believes that Telford’s death was an accident. What’s confusing, though, is why old Rush wouldn’t entrust his own story of what happened aboard Destiny to his younger self, unless he really is telling the truth. It’s actually a little fascinating when you think about it.
What’s going to be especially interesting is when “old” — and living — Telford gets to talk to Colonel Young about what really went down aboard the first Destiny. Will it really matter if Telford tells everyone that the now-dead young Rush was responsible for everyone’s deaths? I mean, he’s dead, right? So can they — or will they — hold young Rush accountable? What a crazy turn of events this could turn out to be.
Something that tells me Rush was responsible somehow for the deaths of the earlier crew is the fact that, right now, Eli is to blame for the catastrophe. That just doesn’t seem right. He was very careful with everything he ran through, and now to see him torn down by the knowledge that his error killed everyone just seems wrong. I somehow anticipate for Eli to find out that he was actually 100% correct in everything he came up with, meaning it was either Telford or Rush who caused the problems.
What motive would Telford have to cause everyone on Destiny to perish, though? If you think about it, Rush did have motive, if he somehow knew the time travel trick would work afterwards. He could talk out the crew of Destiny, fly out to meet the older Destiny, help them come back to get supplies, and then the Destiny mission is back on course. Makes sense to me, if I’m thinking like Rush.
I didn’t (and won’t) watch the previews for next week, so don’t tell me if I’m on or off the mark above. With what I know now, I’m looking forward to see what’s in store for the few episodes left of the series.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Mar 14, 2011 @ 23:40 EST5EDT
I thought it was an accident when Rush pushed Telford into the crispy grill? No?
Am I sick that I laughed when Rush pushed Telford into the crispy grill? I simply could not help myself! – Woopsies!
Great episode, I’ll definitely rewatch to try to get a handle on the nuances of the loops.
Quoting…
“Will it really matter if Telford tells everyone that the now-dead young Rush was responsible for everyone’s deaths?”
These temporal paradox things severely mess with my head, but still… how can old Telford possibly have anything to say about what happened on Destiny after he went through the gate? All he knew was that he came through the SGC gate and nobody else followed him.
So, what are we left with? Telford is off the ship as I wanted him to be. Even after they broke him out of the Lucian Alliance brainwashing, I never trusted him. He’s safely back on Earth where I suppose he can still cause mischief AND we got the pleasure of seeing him killed off (again) to boot. The crew now has a stock of spare parts and generally twice as much “stuff” (food, ammo, medical supplies) as before. Destiny now has two flyable shuttles, Eli has two red t-shirts.
Finally, old Rush sat in the chair, old Destiny fell into the star and he died when the ship was destroyed. But… did he? What happened to Doctor Franklin?
*POST AUTHOR*
bsgfan: Yes, it was an accident. I was just saying that young Rush didn’t doubt old Rush’s story that it was an accident.
alex: Well we don’t really know for sure if Telford went through as old Rush said he did. Remember, this is all Rush’s story, about what happened with Telford going through.
Something that occurred to me later: Did anyone notice that old Eli took a keno with him when he went through the gate? At first I thought maybe that’s what caused the issue, since Telford said they had to go through “with the clothes on their backs” because anything else would be like a projectile on the other side. But then I’m wondering if that keno will come into play later, showing perhaps what really happened.
I think what Telford was referring to with the “clothes on our backs” comment was how everyone came out of the Destiny gate when they arrived, flying like a bullet. He didn’t want to add any unnecessary loose projectiles, and they really didn’t need their stuff anyway.
The way I saw the sequence, the wormhole connected, Telford went through, then the wormhole went unstable and even though everyone else went through, they ended up going God knows where, probably just “nowhere”. He couldn’t have known what was happening back on Destiny because someone mentioned that there was no radio communications through a ninth-chevron connection. I’m certain Telford went through and arrived safely, because I believe later they used the stones for him to “call back” to Destiny.
I neeed to re-watch it as well. There was indeed quite a lot going on.
*POST AUTHOR*
Like I said, even the story of how Telford went through the gate safely is just from Rush’s story so far. For all we know Telford ran through the gate because Rush went mad. Yes, old Telford is safe on Earth, but the circumstances for how he got there are in question.
This episode made me want to slap both Telfords. His ego is too big to be a competent leader. Please let Greer shoot him.
Guys you know when Dr Rush from the future sits in that chair in the end and has like electrodes punches in his brain, whats that all about? what is the purpose of that chair? dint that chair kill someone else earlier in the first series???