"The Broca Divide" ( 1 x 05 )

“The Broca Divide” ( 1 x 05 )

The episode begins in its usual manner with Hammond and the crew sitting around a conference table. O’Neill makes some snarky remarks, but they’re all on the same page nonetheless. It is estimated that the Goa’uld escaped to a planet known as P3X-797. It’s a dark planet (FORESHADOWING) and the crew gets a little freaked out… and furthermore when they find out the Marines (M.A.L.P, SG-3) are coming with them through the gate.

They exit into a very dark forested area, which is never good. Forests on alien planets are dangerous. ALWAYS. They encounter wild humanoid savages, rather like homo erectus, but use their massive weaponry to scare them off.

They find the savages at a small, primitive campsite. There’s, of course, a female taken hostage (and being taken advantage of by the primitives). However, a new group arrives, clad it long white robes with their faces covered. They are called the “Untouched” and revere the crew as their gods, since they came through the ‘Gate. I have a feeling this will become commonplace.

They all travel back to the “light side” of the planet (coincidence? I think not) with the hostage girl in tow. They enter into a lavish hall and are invited to sit. The hall, like so much of the rest of this show, is very Egyptian, as are the attire of the Untouched. The hostage was called “Melosha”, and she is the chief, Tuplo’s, daughter. The savages were actually the “Touched”, and they were said to be cursed by the “Heelksha”, or “gods of the underworld”. It seems that the Untouched who came in contact with the Touched become Touched.

They ask when the last time the “good gods” were around and we find out it had been ages… so obviously, the Goa’uld haven’t been there. O’Neill then orders them all back to base, since he’s not interested in anthropology and only cares about completing the direct mission of finding the Goa’uld.

Back at the base, Jackson and Carter argue that they should’ve stayed on the planet. The President apparently has said that they need to study culture, too, but the happy moment dies when…

…one of the Marines, Lieutenant Johnson, flips out and randomly accuses Teal’c of being a Goa’uld. (Blasphemy!!) As always, Teal’c responds very calmly and tries to restrain the FREAKING OUT Johnson and they eventually get him restrained and taken to the infirmary.

More fights break out throughout the base, and just general unusual behavior. Carter advances very strongly on O’Neill and has turned savage as well. Gradually, everyone except for Jackson, Teal’c, and a couple of the doctors has turned savage. They have to seal off the base in order to contain it.

Teal’c and Jackson travel into the world they’d just come from, and Jackson is taken hostage by the savages. (At last, a man!) Let me just say I was really excited to see Teal’c go on an adventuuurre!! And then he goes to the light side to complete the mission at hand despite the loss of his comrade

Teal’c informs the Untouched that his friends (aww! He called the rest of his crew and Jackson his friends!) are sick not from a curse, but a very contagious disease. They refuse to assist him, though, and kick him out. (That’s just harsh. How can anyone refuse Teal’c? Seriously, how?) A line I really like is when he says, “How can you be so without heart?” You tell ‘em, Teal’c, Mister Heart of Gold.

He needs a blood sample still, though, to see why the untouched are as they are. Of course, this cues Teal’c going completely BEAST on the two guards and ends up having to knock them out and take a blood sample from one of them. I like how he says, “I am sorry,” so matter-of-factly to the guard he took it from.

They discover that the problem has to do with elevated levels of histamines in the body, cause by a sort of parasitical virus which reawakens usually-dormant areas of the brain.

The cure is…

…anti-histamines.

That’s right, the cure for the savage disease is, essentially, Claritin. The reason Jackson and the other doctors are all right is because they take strong allergy medications every day. (So that’s why Jackson’s always sneezing and needing Kleenex! He has allergies! Who knew they’d come in handy?) But of course it’s probably worn off by now, so basically… Jackson’s screwed. Better go get him.

They test the anti-histamine on O’Neill, since he was coherent enough through sedatives to consent. It works in a matter of minutes. A funny scene occurs when O’Neill strikes up an I Love Lucy reference (“Lucy, I’m ho-ome!”) to Teal’c and the Jaffa in still concerned that he’s not well. (“You referred to me as Lucy.”) But, of course, we all know that’s just O’Neill back to his old antics.  

Now well again, the crew returns to P3X-797 with anti-histamine tranquilizers. They manage to tranq’ enough savages to save Jackson and Melosha, as well as many others.

They travel back to the light side and enter the temple and announce their miracle (Claritin) cure. They should call it, “Miratin”. Anyways, Jackson wakes up and is a-okay. The crew teaches the Untouched how to cure the rest of the Touched, and everything’s hunky-dory!  Complete with harmless flirting between O’Neill and Carter, haha.

Final thoughts… This episode was so like Star Trek: TOS’ “The Naked Time” it wasn’t even funny. Except, it was, ah… more violent. Pretty insane stuff. However, I did love seeing more of Teal’c than in the past couple episodes. Good character establishment and nice solidification of his place among the crew. He’s really fit in well and seems to be more than just respecting the crew. He’s caring about them. For an individual from a slave race, he has an awfully caring spirit. Perhaps this is why he deviated so quickly in the pilot. He’s got a good heart and a good head on his shoulders.  He thinks for himself. He’s amazing.

PREDICTION FOR NEXT EPISODE

The crew tries to get over the awkwardness of the last mission.

Jackson: So… Carter, I heard you like O’Neill?

Carter: Shut up, Jackson.

Jackson: I bet you find it very convenient that the colonel remembers nothing…

Carter: I’m gonna shove this fork up your—

O’Neill: (Walks in) Hey guys! I just had this crazy dream about Carter trying to seduce me. Isn’t that weird?

Carter: (Blushes madly)

Jackson: (Giggle-snorts)

Teal’c: Is this another reference to an obscure entertainment program from your mid-twentieth Gregorian calendar century?