Commodore Winbigles

Streaming on twitch, collecting games and having a good time. Check here for stream times and other video game things!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Need to start using my Twitter more often. Below is a link to my twitch! Streaming Final Fantasy Tuesdays and random stuff Thursdays around 7:00pm!

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchGaming #TwitchStreaming #FinalFantasy #FinalFantasyIX

https://t.co/5AwKuKeLpu

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

Stargate: Universe - Beyond Season 2!
#SaveStargate

The ending to the SGU series finale that aired was different from the one series co-creator Brad Wright originally conceived. Before the script was written, hell, even before the writers sat down to spin the actual story, Brad's original pitch had Young and Rush as the last two men standing. With one, lone serviceable pod remaining, they argue, then make the decision to let fate decide. They flip a coin. Winner makes the sacrifice and stays out; loser goes into stasis. The coin flip is made and, as it descends, we FADE OUT, not knowing the results.

One of the possibilities this particular ending set up was a season 3 opener which finds Rush, three years later, a little loopy from his time alone. As he goes through his daily maintenance of the ship’s systems, he converses with members of the crew who, it turns out, are hallucinations. Suddenly, the gate activates. A bewildered Rush hurries to the gate room in time to see Telford lead a rescue op through. Turns out, after several years, Earth finally acquired a means to dialing Destiny. Of course, the rescue turns out to be shortlived as it ends up being a hallucination when, in the episode’s final turn, we discover Rush in stasis (he was the one who lost the coin toss), evidently dreaming, while Young maintains the solitary existence as Destiny’s caretaker. Classic Brad Wright twist.

After some discussion, however, the decision was made to have Eli be the one who stays awake at episode's end. After all, who better than Eli, the embodiment of our fans and viewers, to make the sacrifice and leave us with that final sense of wonder?

So, that’s the way we wrote it. And now, I’m sure, you’re wondering how we planned to write our way out of it. Does Eli fix the pod or does he somehow manage to access enough power to ensure his survival for the length of the jump? How long does the journey to the next galaxy end up taking? And what was in store for our crew after the jump?

Alas, unlike that imagined season 6 of Atlantis that never came to fruition (all the glorious details here: https://t.co/nPMKsKob29), there were no inklings spun, no stories established, no ideas from the previous season that could be moved into the next. What we had, instead, were a few potential scenarios, vague notions of where we could go...

Eli fixes a pod

This was one scenario. Somehow, someway, Eli manages to fix one of the damaged pods and joins the others in stasis. He awakens with the rest of the crew anywhere from three to one thousand years later.

Eli taps some hitherto unexploited power reserve which allows him to extend life support for three years

Another potential scenario with no firm solution. Again, it would need to be something a little more clever than Eli awakening Rush three years later and informing him: “Yeah, I managed to reroute enough power to life support. How? Oh, I’ll tell you later.”. In my mind, the solution rested with the lone remaining shuttle. Given its independent system, Eli could reroute all of Destiny’s power reserves to maintaining life support within the closed confines of the shuttle and, perhaps, the sealed-off antechamber to the ship where he could store enough food to last him three years.

Eli fails to fix the pods or extend life support, so he survives by sitting in the chair and uploading his consciousness to Destiny

Since this way-out solution would have Eli relinquishing his physical form, it was an option reserved for a potential movie as we couldn’t imagine having our hero exist in this form for an entire season. It would allow him to reunite with Ginn and allow the crew full control of the ship with Eli – who better? – as their eyes to all of Destiny’s systems.

Rescue comes in the form of some outside force

Another way to go but, potentially, not as satisfying as it takes the solution out of our hero’s hands. Maybe –

Over the course of three (+?) years, Earth finally finds a way to dial Destiny and launches a rescue op. The power source used could be something the combined brilliance of both Samantha Carter and Rodney McKay engineer (if the SGU movie had happened, they would have surely guested, boarding Destiny as part of the retrieval team) or, perhaps former leader Jonas Quinn comes out of early retirement and – again with Carter and McKay’s help – finds a safe way to dial Destiny from his planet. As for what other familiar faces from SG-1 and Atlantis would make an appearance – well, aside from the obvious (Daniel Jackson who certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity), it was up in the air.

When Destiny comes up short and drops out of FTL hundreds of years from the next galaxy, rescue comes in the form of a branch of our descendants, an advanced military society that has mastered space flight and is now in possession of a massive armada. They save us but their motives turn out to be less than honorable as, it turns out, they have designs on Destiny. This was probably my favorite scenario as I loved the idea of a plausible human military force becoming our third season Big Bad.

Rescue comes in the form of some alien race, maybe remnants of the Ursini or, perhaps, the blueberry aliens who – now armed with the information they mined from Chloe in Deliverance – finally seize the opportunity to take Destiny, something they’ve been trying to do for some time. There was also talk of salvation coming in the form of a completely new alien species (Brad’s uber-cool idea), possibly an energy-based race we unwittingly picked up during a refueling stop at a star. Eli starts glimpsing these entities and assumes, after three years by his lonesome, he is going nuts and hallucinating. Eventually, the aliens reach out to him and, being energy based, are able to provide the power needed to ensure Destiny complete its journey.

And how long does the journey take?

Oh, anywhere from three to roughly one thousand years. Smart money was on the minimal three year journey which would have allowed our crew to touch base with a fairly unchanged Earth. A ten year journey would have been more interesting in that it would offer up some great story possibilities as our crew inevitably try to reconnect with loved ones following a decades-long absence. Are they still alive? How have they moved on? What has changed in their lives? There was even talk of returning to an Earth in the midst of a multi-year war with the Lucian Alliance. For my part, I preferred the idea that our characters don’t know how long they’ve been in stasis and, when they contact Earth, are horrified to discover it’s been 100+ years. Their loved ones are long-gone, the lives they led distant memories, and they must adjust to a world very different from the one they left behind.

And what was in store for our crew once the jump had been completed?

Again, a number of potential developments were floated. Initially, when we were thinking in terms of a third season, I very much liked the idea of Colonel Telford leading a resupply mission through the gate. Earth had finally secured a power source that would allow them to dial Destiny. Maybe it was a one-way trip because Destiny would still be hamstrung by the inability to dial Earth without explosive consequences or, on the other hand, Telford and co. bring the portable power source with them and allow some of the civilians to leave, establishing a stronger military presence on board.

Later, when it became clear that a third season wasn’t in the cards, Brad floated the idea of two movies: The first would focus on a rescue op that would see several familiar faces (Carter, McKay, Daniel Jackson among the first few mentioned) coming aboard Destiny and, ultimately, helping our crew fend off the advances of the previously mentioned human military race. The second would have been a solo adventure that would have seen our crew finally completing Destiny’s mission (And Brad had a plan for that as well).

We probably would have found a cure for T.J.’s condition – but only eventually. I liked the idea of one of our main characters having to face her mortality, perhaps even exhibiting early signs of physical deterioration that forces their friends and loved ones to face the sad prospect as well. If we were going to cure her (and, again, that was the most likely scenario) I would have lobbied to play out T.J.’s battle with the disease over the course of a season at least.

In similar fashion, I would have preferred to keep Park blind for an extended stretch as well. It’s something you rarely see on television and something I really wanted to emphasize in Gauntlet (when she comes up with the idea of using the shuttle as a decoy), that despite the loss of her sight, she can continue to be a strong and productive member of the crew.

So who would T.J. have ended up with? Young or Varro? I don’t know. I honestly don’t think this would have ever been resolved. If it was up to me, she would have ended up with Varro. If it was up to Carl and most everyone else, she and Young would have lived happily ever after. In retrospect, it might have been better for the character if, in the end, she elected to say no to both and embrace her independence.

What about Ginn and Perry? Was Hope the last we’d ever see of them? Certainly not. At episode’s end, they were quarantined, not deleted from the database. At some point, Eli would have no doubt found a way to address any potential threat and re-upload them to Destiny. That was one possibility.

Another deliciously diabolical idea Brad came up with would have been a huge game-changer. In this scenario, Eli goes to awaken the crew from stasis and discovers Chloe’s pod has been damaged. She is almost brain dead and fading fast. In a desperate, last ditch effort to save her, Eli downloads Ginn’s consciousness into her body. Would he tell the others what he has done or would Eli attempt to maintain the subterfuge? What effect would this have on the rest of the crew, especially Scott? How would he react to the sight of the body of his former love, now permanently occupied by Ginn, re-establishing a relationship with Eli? This would have been huge and, I think, an awesome opportunity for the immensely talented Elyse Levesque to switch gears and play a completely different character. It would have also allowed us to bring back the amazing Julie McNiven.

The great thing about SGU's ending is that it permits us to pick up the story at any point in time (Who knows how long the journey took?) and explain away any aging on the part of our characters or the failure of some to emerge from stasis with a convenient in-story explanation (Those unpredictable pods!).

In the end, it’s more than likely these ideas won’t see life beyond this post and our collective imaginations. Still, it's always fun to consider the possibilities...

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Karting at Eiger Nordwand
https://t.co/9aFZqtPL9L

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

These stupid karts are way too much fun. Just had to take it around my favorite track. Going to do a hot lap on the Nurburgring next! Check out the video on YouTube! Link in the top comment.

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchStreaming #SmallStreamer #GranTurismo7 #GT7

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

https://t.co/bQaMBdxoCH

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Back at it! This is a test race I did in Gran Turismo 7. This Jimmy race in the snow is just way too much fun. Happy to be making some small form content every now and again. #GranTurismo7 #GT7 #PlayStation5 #PS5 #SmallStreamer

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

I’m live on Twitch playing Final Fantasy IX - Watch me at https://t.co/v4SbLEIW69

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TTV #TwitchStreaming #TwitchGaming #SmallStreamer #SmallTwitchStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #SupportSmallStreamers #FinalFantasyIX

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TTV #TwitchStreaming #TwitchGaming #SmallStreamer #SmallTwitchStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #SupportSmallStreamers #FinalFantasy #FinalFantasyIX #FinalFantasy9 #FFIX #FF9 #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Can’t wait to get back into Final Fantasy IX tonight! Stream is at 6:00! Tell your friends!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TTV #TwitchStreaming #TwitchGaming #SmallStreamer #SmallTwitchStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #SupportSmallStreamers #FinalFantasy #FinalFantasyIX #FinalFantasy9 #FFIX #FF9 #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Looks like I’m doing it again. A yearly Final Fantasy IX stream just feels right. Can’t wait to be playing it again. Hopefully we can beat it with less sessions! Might even do a challenge or 2! Join me tomorrow, Tuesday night 6:00 EST! Spread the word!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TTV #TwitchStreamer #SmallStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #SupportSmallStreamers #NoMansSky #NMS #HelloGames #HelloGamesNoMansSky #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Unlike what my expression is in this picture I had a absolute blast on stream tonight! That face was just too good to not post. Looking forward to Thursday and some more Destiny 2!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchStreaming #TwitchGaming #SmallStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #SupportSmallStreamers #NoMansSky #NMS #HelloGames #HelloGamesNoMansSky #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Last week was so much fun I’m doing it again! No Man’s Sky stream tomorrow night 6:00 EST. Tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell strangers? The goal is to get to 100 followers by the end of the year. Can’t wait to see y’all there!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchGaming #SmallStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #Destiny #Destiny2 #D2 #Bungie #BungieDestiny #BungieDestiny2 #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Had so much fun playing with RevDrBigles tonight! Thank you so much to everyone who came out. From yelling about feet pics to #CatCam, every second was a joy! Hope to see y’all next time! Maybe a Saturday stream? Thanks again!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchGaming #TwitchStreaming #SmallStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #Destiny #Destiny2 #D2 #Bungie #BungieDestiny #BungieDestiny2 #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

Looking forward to playing tonight! Can’t wait to see everyone. Tell your friends!

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

#Twitch #TwitchTV #TwitchAffiliate #TwitchGaming #TwitchStreaming #SmallStreamer #SmallStreamers #SmallStreamersConnect #Destiny #Destiny2 #D2 #Bungie #BungieDestiny #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PS5

[Commodore Winbigles @COMWinbigles]

First Destiny 2 stream tomorrow! Got back into D2 a month ago with the wife, so happy to be playing again. She even might join up off mic! Tomorrow night 6:00! Hope to see y’all there!