Ep 10. The Return: Part 1

The episode "The Return: Part 1" is the 10th episode of the third season of Stargate Atlantis. It follows the return of Earth's first starship, the Apollo, to Atlantis after a year of upgrades and renovations. The Atlantean team is excited to see their human counterparts again, but they soon learn that their home has been taken over by a new group of Ancients who claim to be the true owners of the city.

The episode begins with the arrival of the Apollo, commanded by Colonel Abe Ellis. Atlantis' leader, Dr. Elizabeth Weir, welcomes Ellis and his crew back to the city. She is particularly pleased to see Major Samantha Carter, who has been assigned to the Apollo as its new engine expert. The two women share a brief moment of camaraderie before Ellis interrupts, anxious to show off the ship's new weapons and shields.

As the team explores the upgrades, they receive a distress call from a research team on a nearby planet. They discover that the research team has been studying an Ancient lab and that they have uncovered a new power source that is 10 times more efficient than anything Earth has ever seen. The dawning of a new era of energy independence for Earth is within reach, but they will need the help of the Atlanteans to safely harness the power.

Weir and her team agree to assist, and the Apollo sets out to retrieve the power source. While on the planet, however, the team is ambushed by a group of Lucian Alliance soldiers. They manage to fend off the attackers and retrieve the power source, but they are confused as to how the Lucian Alliance knew they were on the planet and why they were trying to stop them.

Back on Atlantis, Weir and her team are greeted by a surprise. A group of Ancients have appeared in the city claiming that they are the true owners of the city and that the Atlanteans should leave immediately. The new leader, Oberoth, explains that they have returned to Atlantis to complete the experiments and research that the Ancients left unfinished before they ascended. They claim that the Atlanteans' presence is interfering with their work, and that they were never meant to be there in the first place.

Weir is taken aback by the sudden appearance of these new Ancients, but she refuses to let them take control of the city. She argues that the accomplishments of her team – including the defeat of the Wraith – prove that the Atlanteans are meant to be in Atlantis. The episode ends with a tense standoff between the two groups, setting the stage for the next episode's conclusion to the story.

In "The Return: Part 1," viewers are treated to a high-stakes adventure involving new allies, old enemies, and the ever-present danger of the Wraith. As the mysteries of the Ancients deepen and the power struggle for control of Atlantis intensifies, the episode provides a thrilling and satisfying setup for the rest of the season. Fans of the series will appreciate the return of old characters like Samantha Carter, as well as the introduction of new antagonists in the form of the rogue Ancients. With plenty of action, drama, and suspense, "The Return: Part 1" is a standout episode in the Stargate Atlantis canon.