Wraith retrovirus

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The Wraith retrovirus is a fictional medication from the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis. It can also be referred to as the "Anti-Wraith retrovirus".

In the second season episode "Instinct" Dr. Beckett mentions a retrovirus that he has been working on. This retrovirus is designed to turn Wraiths into humans by altering their DNA, because Wraiths started out as humans. Ellia, a female Wraith, overheard Dr. Beckett and was overjoyed that she would have a chance to become human. Ellia has been feeding on humans without Zaddik, her adopted human father, knowing, and she hates herself for it. She decides that she can’t do it any longer and despite the retrovirus not being ready, she takes it without Dr. Beckett’s knowledge, and it has a horrible effect on her. The exact opposite of what she was dreaming for. Wraiths are a mixture of human and an insect called the Iratus bug. The retrovirus turns her more into the bug than human.

Later in the episode Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard’s team is looking for Ellia, because she is too much of a danger to be left alone. She barely resembles a human at this point and is extremely strong and fast. Sheppard finds her and says he will try to help her, to reverse the effects of the retrovirus. But it is too late. She is too far gone and attacks Sheppard. She begins to feed on him while Ronon runs up to the scuffle. He realizes that there is nothing he can do but shoot her. She is fatally wounded.

Then, in the episode "Conversion", John Sheppard, who had been bitten by Ellia before she died, transforms into an Iratus bug hybrid. Before Sheppard is lost forever, he is saved by Dr. Beckett, who uses DNA from the Iratus bug to reverse the transformation.

Later in the season, in the episode "Michael", Dr. Beckett has nearly perfected the retrovirus and has successfully eliminated the Wraith DNA in the first Wraith test subject, who they call Michael Kenmore, provided he administers daily doses of drugs. Because of this development, Lt. Col. Sheppard seeks to develop a biological weapon to launch on the Wraith, though Beckett states that he clearly has no means of causing a permanent effect.

After Michael discovers that he is really a Wraith, he argues against what the Atlantis team has done to him, stating that they did it for their benefit, rather than his. Michael has also begun to realise that he still has basic Wraith instincts, and while being escorted to the infirmary to receive his daily dose of the drug, he attacks his guard and shoots and kills another, finding that he has a taste for the blood. Ronon manages to disable Michael and the team places him in the Atlantis holding cell.

Because of this outbreak, Dr. Weir asks Dr. Beckett to increase the dosage after having Michael moved to the new Pegasus Galaxy Alpha Site. Beckett, however, begins blaming himself for what has happened since it was he who developed and administered the retrovirus in the first place, though Dr. Weir assures him any fault lies with her since she gave the order to carry out the experiment.

After Michael is moved to the Alpha Site, he escapes with Teyla as his hostage. They travel through the stargate to a planet occupied by the Wraith, where Michael intends to rejoin his people. After hours on the planet, Michael, without any new injections, begins to revert back into a Wraith.

Then, later, in the episode "Allies", Michael returns to Atlantis with a group of Wraith that want to use the retrovirus to turn their rival Wraith into humans to feed upon.

Once Dr. Beckett and Dr. Zelenka reveal that they have found a way to transform the retrovirus into an aerosol gas, the Wraith insist that Beckett help devise a plan to disperse it inside their enemy's ships. Later, the gas is tested on a captured Wraith and it works. However, when the Wraith try to use the gas on an enemy ship, they aren't successful. So to find a better way to dispatch the virus, the Wraith give Dr. McKay a treasure trove of information about Wraith technology that he needs to complete the job.

In the season 3 episode "No Man's Land", it is learned that the retrovirus does not affect female Wraith.

Technology in Stargate		Edit
Tau'ri	GDO | Horizon | IDC | Stargate Iris | Kull Disruptor | P90 | MALP | The Seeker Project | Naqahdah Generator Wraith retrovirus | F-302 | Prometheus (BC-303) | Daedalus-class Battlecruiser
Goa'uld/Tok'ra	Al'kesh | Death Glider | Ha'tak Mothership | Hand Device | Healing Device | Intar | Memory Recall Technology | Sarcophagus | Staff Weapon Tel'tak | TER | Tunnel Crystals | Zat | Zatarc detector
Ancient	Ancient City Ship | Ancient Control Chair | ATA Gene | Atlantis | Aurora-class Battleship | Dakara Weapon | DHD DNA Resequencer | Drone Weapon | Healing Device | Project Arcturus | Puddle Jumper | Repository of Knowledge Ring Transporter | Sangraal | Stargate | Time Dilation Device | Zero Point Module
Asgard	Beliskner-class ship | Daniel Jackson-class ship | O'Neill-class ship | Thor's Hammer
Other	Wraith Dart | Wraith Hive-Ship | Supergate | Ori Mothership
Lists by race	All | Tau'ri | Ancient, Aschen, Asgard, Goa'uld, Ori, Tok'ra, Tollan, Wraith | Other