“Malice” ...
A violent, visceral, and breathtaking tale of tragedy and revenge.
A life-changing ordeal for characters like Dr. Rush and Eli Wallace, and the boiling
point for the Season Two Lucian Alliance story arc.
Difficult to watch -- yet paradoxically magnetic -- “Malice” delivers one of the most resonant
and thrilling chapters of Stargate Universe, and perhaps Stargate in general.
Instead of shying away from its dour premise, the episode embraced the inherent pain and
gut-wrenching drama, and swung for the fences.
Needless to say, it did not miss.
So let’s take a deep dive into “Malice,” and find out how it became one of the most
compelling episode in Stargate’s vast legacy.
Shot in the Bisti Badlands of New Mexico, “Malice” is a visually arresting thriller
that channels a variety of recognizable cinematic influences yet somehow manages to strike a
distinctly unique tone.
Written and Directed by Robert C. Cooper, Malice instantly became fan-favorite when
it first aired back in November of 2010.
At the time, Stargate was testing its ability to deliver blockbuster-level drama to the
small screen -- and Cooper was arguably the directorial vanguard of that effort during
the Stargate Universe era.
While Cooper had been a writer on Stargate since the very first season of SG-1, it was
only in 2006 that he stowed away his laptop and stepped behind the monitors on set -- and
honestly, Stargate is all the better for that.
He quickly earned his stripes as a maverick filmmaker with episodes like SG-1’s “Unending,”
Atlantis’ “Sateda,” “Doppelganger,” and “Vegas,” and Stargate Universe “Time.”
But despite all these impressive credits, his work on Malice showcased an unprecedented
level of narrative and technical finesse.
Emotionally, “Malice” reached the depth of fan favorites like SG-1’s “Heroes,”
but visually, it set a new standard -- giving other Stargate highlights like “Stargate:
Continuum” and “Air, Part 3” a run for their money.
So, ever since the Lucian Alliance failed to take Destiny at the end of Stargate Universe’s
first season, life on board the ship was forever altered.
The inexperienced, ill-equipped skeleton crew not only had to recover from a violent incursion,
but also police the remnants of a hostile military insurgence ... stretching themselves
dangerously thin.
Over time, however, the issue of survival took precedence over partisan divides, and
the Alliance personnel were allowed to integrate with the greater Destiny population -- provided
they pull their own weight and adhered to strict regulations.
24 hour escorts were assigned to keep the military personnel in line -- and most Alliance
individuals adapted well -- but one soldier made a name for himself as a trouble-maker:
the character of Simeon, played by actor Robert Knepper.
A staunch devotee to his people, Simeon would do anything to protect the Alliance and their
covert operations in the Milky Way Galaxy -- literally on the other side of the universe.
When he learns that Alliance scientist Ginn has swapped minds with Dr. Amanda Perry via
the ancient communication stones, he becomes suspicious of her motives for going to Earth
and allowing herself to be debriefed.
Simeon eventually figures out (or at least infers) that Ginn is disclosing classified
information about Alliance operations to Homeworld Command, so he takes radical action to silence
the leak.
In the closing minutes of the prior episode, “The Greater Good,” Simeon murders his
Marine escort, tracks Ginn down, and strangles her to death --
killing both Ginn and Amanda Perry.
In the opening minutes of “Malice,” Simeon is on the run.
He escapes through the Stargate with Dr. Lisa Park as a hostage, and a dangerous game of
cat and mouse begins to unravel on a desert hellscape.
Lt. Scott, MSgt. Greer, and Dr. Rush are the first to follow Simeon to the desert planet --
intent on recovering him alive.
But as the episode evolves, it becomes clear that Dr. Rush has other plans.
For him, this is personal.
Amanda Perry was his dear friend.
Perhaps one of his only friends.
Few can understand the tortured genius of Nicholas Rush -- much less empathize with
him -- and Amanda Perry not only “likes” him, but harbors romantic feelings toward him.
Feelings she recently revealed in the season one episode, “Sabotage.”
Amanda Perry is also probably the only person Rush feels a sense of responsibility or guardianship
toward, so when she is inadvertently murdered by Simeon --
a primal rage is ignited deep within Rush.
After hiding his cards wisely for most of the manhunt, Rush ditches his military colleagues
and pursues Simeon with an intent to shoot on site.
Uninterested in the greater ramifications of Simeon’s death, Rush becomes as dangerous
and unhinged as the Alliance renegade himself, and Malice boils down to an emotional duel
between these two men: one driven by survival, the other by revenge.
“Malice” is a stylish, snazzy, and sharp take on the space-western sub-genre, but it’s
also a turning point in the greater Stargate universe.
Ever since the Lucian Alliance attacked Icarus Base in “Air, Part 1,” Earth has been
engaged in a cold war with the increasingly powerful military entity.
The Alliance has wasted no time filling the void left by the Goa’uld System Lords, and
all signs point to an imminent, galaxy-wide conflict -- with the biggest danger being
a planned attack on the planet Earth.
Now that Ginn is dead, Simeon may be the only Alliance prisoner who possesses intelligence
that can stop the attack.
If Rush succeeds in killing Simeon, he could be inadvertently sentencing millions
to death back home.
...As usual, Stargate does not hesitate to ask the greater moral questions, and rest
the state of the galaxy on our heroes’ weary backs.
While Rush suffers possibly the most acute loss, he’s not the only one devastated by
Simeon’s actions.
Eli Wallace -- long having played the part of outsider, kid genius, or “best friend”
-- has found an organic, romantic connection with the character of Ginn.
As MSgt. Greer cynically put it: “If you were ever to have a chance with anyone,
this is probably it.”
So it’s equal parts fascinating and heartbreaking to watch Eli and Rush become
confronted with the same impulses after they both experience a similar personal loss.
But while Rush is completely destabilized, Eli isn’t beyond saving, and it’s Colonel
Young who takes it upon himself to coach Eli and walk him back from the ledge.
Eli has an obligation to compartmentalize his feelings and continue to serve as part
of the crew.
He can help prevent further loss of life, but not if he succumbs to his emotions.
Thankfully, Eli listens to Young and chooses the light... while Rush, blinded by anger,
chooses the darkness.
But that dichotomy is part of the reason why Stargate Universe’s ensemble is so compelling.
Characters face reflections of themselves in their fellow crew -- similar trials and
tribulations -- yet every individual chooses a different path.
These characters are truly fluid in their role in Stargate Universe’s story.
Today’s hero may very well be tomorrow’s villain, and visa versa.
The trauma felt by other individuals on the Destiny further catalyzes developments with
Stargate Universe’s greater set of characters.
“Malice” would mark the start of a failed romance between Drs. Park and Volker -- two
scientists who are close at heart, but lamentably (as Volker later finds out) strictly in a
platonic sense.
Colonel Young’s leadership is also tested like never before.
His trustworthiness metric has been admittedly shaky since Season One’s “Justice,”
where he left Dr. Rush to die on an alien planet.
But in “Malice” (and subsequent episodes) Young reaches deep and finds redemption and
stability as the commander ... even after the death of his unborn child at the beginning
of the season.
He finally becomes a figure we can respect -- not just feel sorry for.
In terms of broader dynamics, “Malice” directly follows another game-changing episode,
“The Greater Good,” in which Rush and Young (once and for all) accept their circumstances
and vow to work together for the sake of the crew.
But the Simeon development threatens to undo this new alliance before it even begins.
Will Rush’s reckless actions once again pit Young against him?
Will personal agendas trump teamwork?
Will Destiny dissolve into another civil war, like we saw in the episode “Divided?”
Thankfully, we learn that the crew of the Destiny are better than their lousy circumstances.
While Rush still gives into his worse tendencies, everyone else embraces their best.
Perhaps Simeon thought that he could widen cracks in the crew’s resolve through violence
and discord.
Yet the adversity of “Malice” brings out their strength and bravery.
Admittedly, most of Stargate Universe’s first season was spent dealing with toxic
partisanship and destructive personal agendas from rogue members of crew, but Season Two
marks the start of an acceptance of Destiny’s journey -- and the realization that the only
way out, is through.
Almost a year after the Icarus personnel unknowingly gated aboard Destiny, these misfits have finally
synergized and found their space-faring legs.
And that teamwork continued to develop as Season Two progressed
to even greater narrative heights.
Watching “Malice” reminded me a lot of Breaking Bad’s iconic episode, “Ozymandias.”
Both hours of television are extremely violent climaxes that play out in a soulless desert
wasteland -- killing off key characters, and leaving the rest of the cast broken and struggling
to pick up the pieces.
“Malice,” like “Ozymandias,” gives you that pit in your stomach -- those white-knuckled
fists and beads of perspiration on your forehead, even inside the air-conditioned comfort of
your home.
At this point in both Stargate Universe and Breaking Bad, we know these characters.
We’ve spent dozens of episodes learning about their personalities, flaws, and relationships,
and watching the writers cultivate complex dynamics and motivations.
Then, we’re given a front row seat to the fireworks as these characters live out their
darkest hours.
While such a tornado of emotions might impact its rewatch value for a lot of viewers, it
doesn’t diminish the quality of storytelling or the titanic achievement of Robert C. Cooper
and the Stargate production crew.
You feel like you’re being taken for a ride by masters of their craft.
And everything from the directing, to the cinematography, to the acting, to the music...
it all feels like artists at the peak of their game.
“Malice” also makes a unique stamp on the age old tragedy-revenge story, and it
infuses the long-lasting Stargate franchise with a truly fresh aesthetic and tone.
Even in the tail end of the Wright/Cooper era of Stargate -- with nearly 350 episodes
of television under their belt -- the franchise was proving it had plenty of gas left in the
tank, and plenty more stories to tell.
If ever there is any doubt about Stargate’s incredibly compelling catalogue, one merely
needs to point an individual to an episode like “Malice.”