The introduction of Major John Sheppard—a maverick pilot with a rare natural affinity for Ancient technology—provides the series with its central hero, while Dr. Rodney McKay, originally a minor antagonist in Stargate SG-1 , is reinvented as the expedition's brilliant but abrasive lead scientist. Upon arrival, the team finds Atlantis submerged on the ocean floor of the planet Lantea. However, they quickly discover the city's power is failing, and the protective shields holding back the ocean are on the verge of collapse. The Awakening of the Wraith
The narrative begins at the Antarctic Outpost , where Dr. Daniel Jackson discovers an eight-symbol gate address leading to the legendary city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy. Dr. Elizabeth Weir leads a multinational expedition of scientists and military personnel on what is framed as a one-way trip, as the mission requires Earth's only Zero Point Module (ZPM) to power the gate. [S1E1] (1-2)Rising
The conflict escalates when the Wraith attack, kidnapping several Athosians and members of the expedition, including Colonel Sumner. During a daring rescue mission to the Wraith hive-ship, Sheppard is forced to mercy-kill Sumner to spare him from a slow death by life-drain. This act effectively transfers military command to Sheppard, a pivotal moment for his character development. In the process of escaping, the team inadvertently awakens the entire Wraith species from a long hibernation, setting the stakes for the rest of the series. The introduction of Major John Sheppard—a maverick pilot