- John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) is the ranking military officer on the Atlantis expedition; he starts out as an Air Force major and is later promoted to lieutenant colonel. An outstanding pilot able to fly just about anything, Sheppard is easygoing and genial. His piloting ability and natural leadership skills make him invaluable even when he's on the outs with his superiors.
- Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) is the (self-billed) resident genius of the expedition team, an astrophysicist with expertise on ancient civilization in general and the stargate system in particular. Despite his tendency to talk down to those who aren't as smart as he is (which is to say, everyone), McKay has the respect and even the love of his teammates. McKay first appeared in the Stargate SG-1 episode "48 Hours."
- Teyla Emmagan (Rachel Luttrell) is a native of Athos, where she developed several key talents: she can sense the Wraith, she is an expert at various forms of personal combat, and she has a knack for offensive strategy. She's slow to trust strangers, but after saving Sheppard's life, Emmagan was in turn rescued from the Wraith by him, which was the beginning of a personal bond between them. She has since dedicated herself to helping the humans find friends and allies among the other races of the Pegasus Galaxy.
- Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) is a trained diplomat and serves as the civilian commander of the Atlantis expedition, approving operations and conducting negotiations. Although committed to a nonviolent approach whenever possible, believing that the best way to stop the proliferation of weapons is to end the need for them, she is capable of doing what is necessary. She was introduced in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Lost City" (where she was played by Jessica Steen).
- Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) is the chief medical officer of the Atlantis mission, a proud Scot known for speaking his mind. Though naturally possessed of the gate-builders' gene (and in fact its discoverer), he's averse to using the stargate and does so only when necessary. His biological research has increased the understanding of alien races, in particular the Wraith. Beckett's no-nonsense manner has made him popular both with his colleagues and with fans of the show; Beckett's role was increased for season 2 and there was great outcry when his character was killed off toward the end of season 3.
- Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa) is a Satedan from the Pegasus Galaxy. He had been living as a kind of prey tracked by the Wraith for sport (a Runner); before that he had been a military officer, and is offered a place on the team by Sheppard for his natural abilities with combat and weaponry. Much about him remains unknown, including the nature of his miraculous self-healing abilities and his ultimate motivations for working with the Atlantis team.
- Dr. Radek Zelenka (David Nykl) is a Czech scientist recruited to work with McKay on the understanding of the technology of the Ancients. Zelenka was originally supposed to be a one-off in "Thirty-Eight Minutes," but once he was seen in action he quickly became a recurring character. His engineering skills have repeatedly saved the team from disaster.
Stargate Atlantis: Characters and Cast
By Mark Wilson, About.com
The main characters on Stargate Atlantis include:
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