Who can forget the amazing stories that Stargate Atlantis told? It was a military sci-fi series, which ironically was in itself a spinoff series from the original Stargate series. It brought characters and viewers to an entirely new galaxy, complete with different threats and allies. However, the cast was undeniably the heart of this series. John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson), Teyla Emmagan (Rachel Luttrell), Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), and Aiden Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks) were part of the original expedition team, and while some of their stories lasted through to the end, that isn’t the case for all of them. Elizabeth Weir was killed during the final season, with a few complications along the way. Meanwhile, Aiden’s story is much more complicated, not to mention open-ended.
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Aiden Ford had a shocking twist at the end of season 2, and for a moment, it looked like his character wouldn’t survive. While he didn’t die on us, he was infected by Wraith enzymes, forever changing the character fans knew and loved. This started a series of events that couldn’t be undone, including Aiden’s eventual exit from the series. That said, his exit never felt complete, like something was missing from his story. As it turns out, people who have read the novels know exactly what happened to this character.
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The Downfall of Aiden Ford
Let’s do a quick refresher course about what happened to Aiden in Stargate Atlantis. Aiden was introduced in episode one of the series, playing the role of a first lieutenant from the US Marine Corps. So it’s safe to say that he was always capable of handling himself. He’s undoubtedly the reason why many characters lived to tell their stories, which is part of why what follows hurts so much.
At the end of Season 2, the city of Atlantis was under attack by the Wraith, which is as bad as it sounds. Some Wraith were even able to set foot in the city, putting many of the military personnel into combat scenarios, including Aiden Ford. During the fight, Aiden and a Wraith are thrown out of Atlantis and into the water. It could have spelled the end, given Aiden’s unconscious state. However, the Wraith was still attached to him, resulting in an overdose of Wraith enzymes.
This kicks off the infamous series of events, as Aiden portrays stereotypical symptoms of drug addiction, though the drug in question gives him a massive physical boost. He’s able to handle combat with Ronon, to give this one a little context. Aiden appears a few more times after fleeing Atlantis, but was last seen on a Wraith hive ship that later exploded, leaving some fans to believe he died there.
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Aiden’s Journey Continued in the Novels
If there’s anything we’ve learned about Aiden Ford, it’s that he is a survivor. Of course, he got off the Wraith ship before it exploded. Here’s where the Stargate Atlantis novels come into play, as his story continues in Stargate Atlantis Legacy: The Third Path. Fun fact, it’s the eighth in this set, but there are over 20 others set in the Atlantis universe.
So, how does Ford survive the impending Wraith ship’s destruction? It’s pretty simple, really. He got his hands on a Wraith Dart, stole it, and flew away. The only problem is that, unlike some other characters, Ford doesn’t know how to fly Darts, so he ultimately crash-lands. What’s worse is that this left him stranded without access to the Wraith enzyme. So by the time he was rescued by a group of Travelers (more on them in a moment), he was willing to accept their help.
As a reminder, the Travelers are a group of humans who survive in the Pegasus galaxy by living on generational spaceships. They’re a hodgepodge collection of ships, but it’s kept them safe. Once one of their doctors helped Aiden survive his withdrawal process, he joined up with their crew, at least for a time. It’s actually a bit more complicated than that, as Ford’s recovery process took about a year, and by the time he was healthy enough to move on his own, the Travelers had no idea where the Atlantis crew went.
Don’t worry, Ford made a very happy life for himself among the Travelers. He was a useful resource for the group, and they allowed him to continue fighting Wraiths, so it was a win-win. During this time, Ford met his wife, Atelia. He even earned a reputation for himself, among the Travelers and the Wraith, for which he was dubbed “The Wolf.” This reputation eventually made its way to the Atlantis crew, which began the process of getting Ford back on Earth.
While Ford’s happily ever after never happened in the show, it’s good to know that the writers didn’t forget this character. The novels wrapped his story up in a neat little bow, though some may feel that it was a little too neat. How do you feel about Ford’s ending?
Stargate Atlantis Legacy: The Third Path was written by Melissa Scott and Jo Graham, and published by Fandemonium Books.
