A strange energy generating fog allows travel back to Earth. But something's wrong.

McKay finds a way to send a message to Earth, leaving space for personal messages. Sheppard and Teyla are off to spy on the Wraith fleet approaching Atlantis.

The Trust, a Goa'uld terrorist organization, has planted a bomb in Atlantis.

Fallen into the Wraith trap, McKay initially resigns to fatal captivity in a cocoon, but Ronon keeps struggling to attempt escaping, or at least taking some Wraith down with them. Sheppard managed to hide his glider on the very hive ship, seeking a way out, surprised to get radio contact with Michael, who seeks revenge after the ingrate queen has him semi-restrained as 'too human' suspect. While they try to sabotage the hive and maybe escape, the Daedalus and Orion race just in time to fight the two hive ships before they may attack earth. Weir is summoned to SGC for a pointless grilling by the International Oversight Advisory, finding them bureaucrats unable to risk a decision beyond questioning what was already done. So she returns, never mind the career risk compared to a Wraith culling. Sheppard manages to reach the Daedalus and his party comes up with a daring plan to overpower the hive with the weaponized retrovirus, despite bombarded damage compromising even their life-support systems.

Sheppard and the others are now in control of the one remaining hive ship with most of the Wraith transformed into human form, courtesy of the retrovirus. They do learn something interesting about female Wraiths, however. After they return to Atlantis, the question becomes one of what to do with the Wraiths who are again human, especially Michael who has proved to be quite helpful. Elizabeth Weir meanwhile is surprised to hear that she is to return to Atlantis as the expedition leader. She will be accompanied however by Richard Woolsey who is to review her leadership and make recommendations to the International Oversight Advisory on whether she should be allowed to continue.

The Atlantis expedition must turn to an old friend for help as the Asurans prepare to invade the city.

The team returns to Atlantis in an attempt to regain control of the city.

When McKay's sister Jeanie is kidnapped, the team returns to Earth to find her.

The IOA is conducting interviews back on Earth to ensure that any personnel serving on Atlantis (in particular, aliens) are suitable for their roles. The episode opens up with a pregnant Teyla having been interviewed and reporting back to Atlantis. Ronon is next. Col. Carter is unsure about Ronon's ability to handle the IOA's interview and therefore asks Teal'c to come to Atlantis in a coaching capacity for Ronon. After a rocky start to their relationship, Ronon and Teal'c return to Earth, via the series of Stargates and a Midway Station, that McKay had previously designed. The Midway Station between the Milky Way and Pegasus galaxies serves primarily as a place for those traveling between the galaxies to serve a 24 hour quarantine. While Teal'c and Ronon are serving their quarantine in the extremely cramped Midway Station, it is boarded by the Wraith, via the Stargate, with the intention to travel to Stargate Command on Earth. They achieve this objective, but only with Teal'c and Ronon in tow. What ensues is a battle between the Wraith and the duo of Teal'c and Ronon, for control of Stargate Command.

Rodney finally invites Jennifer on a date; to attend a science conference with him. But petty jealousies arise at the conference that have to be suppressed when a proposed solution for global warming has potentially lethal side effects.

The killings of a Wraith in Las Vegas are investigated by Detective John Sheppard - who knows nothing about life-sucking aliens from another galaxy.

A hive ship turbo-charged with a ZPM has received the Wraith's message from a alternate universe containing the location of Earth. The ship is now heading for Earth.