Topic: Character Archs

In 5 seasons we saw our sliders evolve and grow up. Each one has his or her arch where they are not the person who first started the adventure.

Diana Davis and Mallory did not have enough time to establish or begin their arcs, thus I will not discuss them. And Colin was a "one trick, one season horse's ass." Nuff said.

Quinn Mallory:
As the one who invented Sliding, it kinda fell on him to be the de facto leader of the group, however he seemed to lean on the professor a great deal in the first two and a half seasons.  I always thought he was something of a "boy scout" and a genius geek to boot.  By the time they lost Auturo then Quinn had to step to the forefront himself, a position that he did not relish as is evident in his body language and actions during the second half of season 3.
We always thought that Wade was the most shaken up by the death of the professor but it is Quinn whose world was most rocked by the traumatic event of losing a beloved figure. By Season 4 he accepts his new role as the leader and he takes charge in more ways than one.

Wade Wells : She began as this adventurous and naïve computer geek and was just looking to have a good time and spend time with Quinn whom she had a schoolgirl crush on during much of Season 1. By Season 2 this had begun to subside and they were just one big family. As Quinn withdrew into himself after Auturo's death and with him pining after Jensen's wife, Wade reached out to and latched on to Rembrandt. Like her he was not a scientist and she felt connected to him more so than she had for Quinn and the arrogant professor.

Rembrandt Brown: He started out as the "accidental tourist" and the comic relief in the first season especially. By season2 he was evolving from his "funny black man" and becoming more of a team player. the same way the writers began to faze out Wade's crush on Quinn, Rembrandt's role as comic relief was shelved and completely gone by season 3.  By Season four he took on a harder and darker persona having been traumatized by what happened to Wade and his time in Kromagg prison.  In Season 5 as the older member of the group, he takes on the role of the leader and the glue that holds the group together.  He does not take his new role lightly and as the sole survivor of the original cast, he is now the gravitas, the heart and soul of the team.

Maximilian Auturo: He was always the heart and soul of the team. He was a surrogate father to Quinn, trusted confidant to Rembrandt. His conservatism was constantly bumping heads with Wade but he as a fun and beloved character despite his arrogant blow hard ways.  In the end he takes a bullet for Quinn and his dying words to his protégée is "get them home." Thus passing the torch to young Mr. Mallory.

Maggie Beckett Jensen:  It is no surprise that she was the most disliked member of the team during the second half of Season 3. In addition to acting like some bad ass marine bitch, she was blowing off her husband in favor of doing the "cougar thing" with Quinn.  Beginning with Season 4 "Genesis" there was a conscious effort to soften her edge and I believe that the woman in Genesis, Marla was "Season 3 Maggie". Her sacrifice and her death was a symbolic way to kill the old Maggie so that new and improved Maggie could rise from the flames and grow. 
We even see Maggie shed a tear several times in the last two seasons: In Virtual Slide she shares a tender moment with Rembrandt and we see her wipe a tear when they say goodbye to Rembrandt in "Revelations'. and of course there are the scenes in "Comrades and Loss" when she fears that Diana may have been lost; and the touching scene near the end of "Requim" when they think Rembrandt is gone for good. And of course her tears in "The Seer".  Here's to you Maggie:
You've come a long way Baby!

2 (edited by Surf Dance Chris 2016-10-19 12:57:54)

Re: Character Archs

Maggie certainly did come a long way and was a very enjoyable character by season 5, even season 4. Sometimes by season 5, it's hard to believe that she wasn't an original character.

Re: Character Archs

Surf Dance Chris wrote:

Maggie certainly did come a long way and was a very enjoyable character by season 5, even season 4. Sometimes by season 5, it's hard to believe that she wasn't an original character.

Maggie actually appeared in more episodes than Wade or the Professor.  Well, Wade is tied with her if you count Requiem.