Michael Kenmore

Context

Stargate: Atlantis (SGA) was the second spinoff of MGM/Sony’s broadcast television version of the Stargate franchise, airing from 2004 to 2009. You can read our Stargate Command profile to catch up on all that background.

In the United States, SGA was shown on the Sci-Fi Channel. The setting originated in Stargate: SG1’s final episode of season 7 and first episode of season 8, the lost city of Atlantis. Atlantis was an outpost of the Ancients, the aliens who invented the Stargate transport system.

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Its discovery brought Stargate Command to a new planet, Lantea, and put them in contact with new allies (the Althosians) and new enemies (the Wraith). With only limited communications with Earth, the outpost in the Pegasus galaxy was forced to be self-reliant.

Using the major stargate in Atlantis, an international Earth task force to run intensive exploration efforts across the cosmos and investigate the fate of the Ancients.

One of the characters, Michael Kenmore is a renegade scientist and one of the most interesting villains in all of sci-fidom.

Background

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Powers and Abilities

Michael Kenmore is a genius wraith scientist. He seems far ahead of his colleagues, and has meshed wraith, human and ancient technologies to new levels. His particular expertise is within cloning and biological weapons, but he is capable of far more than that. He is also a dab hand with computers and in particular cracking various security systems.

Although a scientist, he has all the strengths of a wraith physiology and is also a capable gunman. Getting around the galaxy, he knows piloting, some astronavigation and several codes to various Stargate addresses, including the code to Atlantis.

History

Michael Kenmore is the name of the Hybrid who was transformed from a Wraith into a Human by the crew of the Atlantis expedition. The name was given to him by John Sheppard. Everyone, including other Wraith and Hybrids, would refer to him by that name. The transformation was made possible by using an Iratus bug retrovirus developed by Dr. Carson Beckett and his team.

The drug suppresses the Iratus bug DNA. It allows the Human DNA that is naturally absorbed to come through. When a Wraith is transformed in this way, they lose all their previous Wraith memories. The Atlantis team thought it wiser not to reveal this information to Michael. They instead created a cover story in which he was captured by the Wraith and rescued by AR-1.

They also fabricated a back story for Michael, according to which he was originally from Texas. However, Michael eventually learned about his Wraith origin. He then kidnapped Teyla Emmagan and escaped Atlantis. Teyla was rescued while being taken to his Hive. But Michael, now transforming back into a Wraith, got away and returned to the hive (“Michael”).

Hive

Upon telling his queen of the retrovirus, their hive allied with the Expedition. The pretence was using it to feed on other Wraiths turned Human. The alliance, however, was a trap to learn the location of Earth (a new, abundant feeding ground), and to acquire a means of getting there (“Allies”). Which they did.

Mistrusted and betrayed by his hive and queen, who now saw him as an aberration, Michael chose to ally with Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. Sheppard was attempting to stop the hive ships from reaching Earth, and to rescue Ronon Dex and Rodney McKay.

They were successful. Furthermore, Michael suggested that they use the new gaseous delivery method of the retrovirus on his hive (“No Man’s Land”).

Exile

Still mistrusted by the Expedition, Michael was forced to revert to human using the retrovirus. Then he was sent with the other transformed Wraith yo an uninhabited planet without a Stargate.

He and about 30 of the other transformed Wraith suspected something was wrong. As a result, they killed the squad assigned to guard Doctor Carson Beckett, who had remained to continue the experiment.

Having already begun to revert a second time, Michael and the Wraith summoned another hive. Sheppard ordered Rodney McKay to orbitally bombard the surface of the planet to prevent any Wraith from leaving. Michael was presumed dead (“Misbegotten”).

It was later discovered that Michael had indeed survived the attack. He had transported onto the other Wraith Hive Ship that arrived on the scene.

Twice reverted

However, after being rescued, Michael was regarded with suspicion by the other Wraith. These realized that he was not “clean” or “pure” due to the Human taint in his DNA. He barely managed to escape from the Hive Ship after being rejected by the Wraiths.

Michael began setting up labs on four planets and experimenting with the Iratus bug. His first experiment was a failure. It resulted in ravenous, blind mutants that even he could not control. Because the mutants could not see, they relied on sound and sonar to move around and emitted a kind of fog from gills on their necks as a defense mechanism to hide them from view.

He abandoned the project, which was later discovered by the Atlantis Expedition. Later, he more successfully created a genetically engineered species to take over the galaxy.

One of the planets employed by Michael was one settled by the Taranians after they had fled Taranis. When Atlantis 1 went to investigate the resulting disappearances, they encountered Michael. Atlantis 1 barely escaped with their lives. Meanwhile, Michael and his army were forced to abandon the planet through the Stargate (“Whispers”, “Vengeance”).

After the incident, Michael was able to acquire a Wraith Cruiser for transportation.

Better mutants

He believed that the initial experiments were crude. Thus, he altered the retrovirus to create a newer life form that was the perfect balance between Human and Wraith. This was a being that was far stronger than a normal Human but lacked the one weakness of the Wraith: the need to feed.

Michael successfully tested the procedure on himself. As a result, he lost the feeding organ in his palm. Unbeknownst to the Expedition, Michael abducted the Athosians and subjected them to the altered retrovirus, creating his own personal army of Hybrids. At this point he learned — possibly from Kanaan — of Teyla’s pregnancy.

With his Wraith cloning knowledge, he could create a clone identical to Carson Beckett. He did so using DNA he collected during his second capture by the Atlantis Expedition. With the cloned Carson Beckett’s help, he re-engineered the Hoffan drug.

Kenmore then began a covert campaign of distributing it around numerous Human worlds in the Pegasus galaxy. The people effected suffered a 30 % fatality rate from this new interstellar plague.

His plan was to bring about the extermination of the Wraith by replacing them with his hybrids, who would become the new dominant race in the galaxy. Many Wraith Hives would continue their culling, dying in the feeding process after being poisoned by the drug.

Teyla

Michael then engineered an elaborate scheme to capture Teyla. He entered her dreams through telepathy that spanned 10,000 light years. He used an illusion of Kanaan, the father of her child, to leave her clues about his whereabouts.

Once Teyla was on the move Michael dispatched a Dart to capture her and bring her aboard his cruiser. As his cruiser was returning to his HQ, Kenmore revealed his plans. He stated that Teyla and her child had an important part for the future.

However the Earth vessel, the Daedalus, was already in orbit over his destination. After a brief firefight, Michael escaped into hyperspace.

Michael took his ship to a dead world. The natives had been destroyed by the Wraith. There, he set up another of his laboratories to create more Hybrids in his quest for galactic domination.

He showed great concern over Teyla’s child. It was the offspring of two individuals with the ’Gift‘. This made it important for his plans to further enhance his Hybrids.

Atlantis attacks

He eventually discovered that the Atlantis Expedition had uncovered his base of operations. Michael decided to terminate the individuals undergoing the process rather then leave any loose ends to be found. He took Teyla back to his ship in order to escape during an assault by Atlantis’s flagship team.

After Teyla’s guards were killed by the clone of Carson Beckett, Michael came to take Teyla away. He revealed that in all his creations, like Beckett’s clone, he implanted a biological imperative. It made them susceptible to his telepathic influence which meant the clone could not kill him.

Kenmore stunned the clone and took Teyla to his ship allowing them to escape. (“The Kindred”).

After this, Sheppard had a visit 48,000 years in the future of an alternate reality. After returning from that future, Sheppard knew where Michael planned to take Teyla so she could give birth. Sheppard and his team arrived before Michael and Teyla did. But they triggered a booby trap set by Michael, causing the complex to implode.

When the trap was triggered, Michael was sent an automated message informing him of these events. He traveled to the planet to retrieve any survivors and torture them for information.

If not for these meddling kids

Teyla confronted him about his plans for her and he seemed to almost regret that he was going to have to kill her. He told her that he’d hoped she would understand, indicating that perhaps on some level he still does care about her after their brief friendship when he was human.

Just as his drones were about to retrieve the last two survivors (Sheppard & Ronon) they were beamed away by the recently arrived Daedalus. Michael attempted to escape but the Daedalus disabled his hyperdrive engine.

However, the Daedalus had to drop its shields to beam in the survivors. Thus, Michael’s ship was able to cause it considerable damage, disabling both sublight and hyperdrive engines as well as all Asgard weapons.

Since the shields were going to hold only for a short while, the Daedalus launched an F-302 strike against Michael’s cruiser. Michael launched Darts in response. Nevertheless, Kenmore’s cruiser lost its main weapons. The attack further allowed a cloaked jumper with Sheppard, Ronan and McKay aboard to enter.

This strike team was able to rescue Teyla (with the help of Kanaan) and permanently disable the cruiser’s hyperdrive. They then escaped in a Wraith Dart. As soon as the team was confirmed safe, a partially repaired Daedalus destroyed Michael’s cruiser. However, Kenmore’s fate remained unknown at that time (“Search and Rescue”).

Into Atlantis

Michael did in fact survive by stealing the puddle jumper that Atlantis-1 had used to sneak onto his ship. He then used that ship, in conjunction with a stolen IDC to infiltrate Atlantis.

There he combined Wraith and Ancient technology. He could thus create a force field much like a Wraith stunner, disabling anyone who attempted to access the control tower. He then used the power from the jumper to empower the devices in the tower while cutting all power to the rest of Atlantis. This trapped everyone at their location.

His goal, once again, was to capture Teyla’s son. Ronon eventually found a way to escape, since he was present in the gate room when the stun field was established. However, Michael was able to overpower and render Ronon unconscious, almost killing him in the process. But this distraction allowed Teyla to escape.

In frustration, Michael activated Atlantis’ self destruct in an attempt to draw Teyla out. This was unsuccessful. He then attempted to retreat with the DNA of Teyla’s son that he had already taken vowing to clone him.

A cunning plan

During that time, McKay and Sheppard had devised a plan. They used a jumper from the underwater jumper bay, dialed the DHD and used the Unstable vortex (for which Zelenka had minimal control enough to drop the gates shield) to destroy Michael’s jumper.

This rendered the stun field inactive and restored power in Atlantis. Michael was forced to flee with Sheppard in hot pursuit.

As they battled on the outside of one of Atlantis’ towers, Michael was about to throw Sheppard over the side. But Teyla intervened and pushed Michael over the edge. His grip failing, Teyla kicked his hand from the ledge, finally killing him in the fall (“The Prodigal”).

Michael of the alternate reality

In an alternate timeline where Sheppard was stuck 48,000 years in the future, Michael killed Teyla after she gave birth to her child. The baby was all he needed to perfect the hybrids. He swiftly tainted the Wraith food supply and brought them to their knees. With his combined army of hybrids and coerced Wraith, he took over the Pegasus galaxy.

Earth was reluctant to mount a strong defense against Michael. They finally committed the new ship Phoenix, which was destroyed. Deciding the situation was unsalvageable they eventually abandoned the Pegasus galaxy (“The Last Man”).

Due to Colonel Sheppard returning to his own time before he could kill Teyla, these events never came to pass.

Description

Kenmore is a male hybrid between a human and a wraith (see the section ’Hybrid DNA‘ in the game stats for more details). As such his skin is whitish, his hair thick and his skin oily.

His clothing often has elements of both the scientist and the soldier. He is likely to be armed at all times.

Personality

Michael started out as a Wraith elite scientist, and accepted his place in the chain of command. However, he later was forced to devote himself only to his own survival. The two times when he was converted into a Human has made him deeply resentful of the Atlantis Expedition for what they had done to him.

This was, in fact, the beginning that led to his deeply fractured psyche. This was enhanced after his near death at the hands of his fellow Wraith. They rejected him for the Human they could smell on him.

His status an an outcast forced Michael into extreme measures in order to survive. Feeling betrayed and suffering from great injustice, both the humans and the wraith became his enemies. Revenge became so strong an idea that he eventually had no trouble in dying as long as he saw his enemies destroyed in the process.

Lone wolf

Michael has stated that he did not wish any of his actions. He said that he only wished to have rejoined his fellow Wraith. It should be stressed that this was in an alternate future timeline. Thus, the feeling might only have developed when Michael alone dominated the galaxy. Yet it is still indicates that he would go to any length for survival.

Thus all his energy went on ruthlessly pursuing his enemies and inventing ever deadlier threats and weapons.

He cloned Dr. Carson Beckett of the Atlantis Expedition to get his help with a biological weapon. The cloning job was rushed giving the clone a limited lifespan and Becket wasn’t even told that he was a clone. Lives really mean nothing to Kenmore. Any one of his creations is completely expendable.

Of course, any of his creations will be vulnerable against his mind control, to stop them from getting any stupid ideas. Every person involved in his experiments, failed clones and monsters and others are usually killed of when that part of the project is complete.

His plans have backup plans, and he seems to have laboratories everywhere in the galaxy.

Other traits

The one person that Michael feels any connection with is Teyla Emmagan. He once considered himself foolish for trusting her, but he believed that she was the closest person who could understand what he had been through.

When he planned to destroy Atlantis he offered to take her with him and to take care of her and her son Torren. Kenmore claimed that she did not have to neither die nor suffer needlessly.

If Teyla was to refuse, however, he would take Torren anyway and use his unique DNA for some experiments. To Kenmore’s credit, he waited longer for her reply than what was wise in his situation.

Like the alternate reality story shows, Kenmore really is knowledgeable and capable enough to dominate the galaxy. He plans long and he plans well. He pursues his plans with a cool head and rare determination. He is devious and tricky enough to be an extreme threat to all life.

And all the while he feels that he is forced to do it all for justice and survival.

Quotes

“So now I find myself hunted by both humans and Wraith. So you can understand my need to protect myself — to survive.”

“What I am is not a disease you can cure.”

“Just another dead world destroyed by the Wraith, abandoned by the survivors, forgotten by both. A perfect place to conduct my work.”

“Why can’t you understand ?! I have become what I am out of necessity. I need to survive !”

“You kill to protect yourself and your own. So do I. Of course, circumstances require me to do it on a slightly larger scale, but the principle is still the same.”

DC Universe History

Considering that cloning was one of his areas of expertise, he could always return to life. His demise was only that of a clone and he still lives, or a clone awakens in one of his laboratories and continues his work.

Also, considering the genetic manipulation he did on himself, he might have gained additional abilities to allow him to survive his apparent demise.

After arriving on Earth, because there can be no doubt that he eventually does, Kenmore would probably have stolen any and all information about cloning present on Earth. That would include data present at LexCorp and the Cadmus Project.

By Dr. Peter S Piispanen.

Source of Character: Stargate Atlantis, character played by Connor Trinneer.

Helper(s): Stargate wiki .