Hm… Sounds like something to do with those lovely Unas guys. Think about it – “beast” (they’re pretty beastly) of “burden” (they were the first hosts to the Goa’uld).
Don’t say ‘ka’ until you’ve watched it!
Oh, and there’s also an Unas on the title screen. That’s usually a pretty good indication.
We start out on… some planet, and there’s a camera watching an Unas. Suddenly, a group of men, one with a staff weapon, approach and one zats the Unas.
Back on Base, Jackson is watching the video…
The camera is indeed on P3X-888 (I believe that was the world from “The First Ones”), and Jackson shares his findings with the rest of SG-1 and Hammond. That Unas he witnessed the abduction of? Our good friend Chaka. (Aww! He was such a… um… relative… sweetheart!) Jackson wants to try and rescue Chaka, but O’Neill’s got an interest, too: These abductors have Goa’uld weapons but none of them seem to be Jaffa. Gotta wonder what that’s all about.
(Is there a jerksnake lurking in the background?!)
SG-1 goes to the planet Jackson had video of the abductors dialing out too, and it seems to be an agricultural society… and they’ve got Unas doing hard labour! (That’s slavery, man!)
While Carter and Teal’c hold down the fort, Jackson and O’Neill go see what’s going on. There’s definitely a slave trade business going down here. It also seems they know the language of the Goa’uld, since they refer to the Stargate as the Chappa’ai, but they also claim that no one has gone through it in years.
…Yeah, that’s a lie.
They meet Burrock, the head trader of Unas around here, and Daniel slyly plays that they’re just traders looking for an Unas. They join Burrock for a drink, but of course we know why they’re really here!
They go into a bar (or tavern, whatever) of sorts, and it seems they’ve got Unas doing all sorts of jobs. (This reminds me so strongly of the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “North Star” it’s not even funny. Except we don’t have Trip and T’pol on a horse.) Burrock gives Daniel a strange look when he thanks the Unas for his drink, but Jackson quickly covers it up as “training”.
I think it’s possible that the people here simply don’t recognize the Unas as a sentient race, merely because they operate differently than most human societies. Of course that’s why we have Daniel here, Mister Revolutionary and all.
Turns out that years ago, there was a war between the people here and the Unas who served a Goa’uld – probably a System Lord. They don’t know what happened to that Goa’uld, but the humans triumphed over the Unas and turned the tables.
Yeah, this is so like “North Star”.
Burrock takes them to see Chaka, who recognizes Daniel immediately. (Aww!) But Burrock won’t let Jackson “have him back”… and I don’t think he and O’Neill are going anywhere. These guys have got zats.
(Hey, Carter? Teal’c? Now might be a good time to show up. Frankly, though, I’m not sure how thrilled these people will be to see a Jaffa… if they’re familiar with them.)
Hey, convenient! They’re sitting right there watching through binoculars. They’re waiting for a signal.
O’Neill gets the idea that maybe they just need to offer something in return, but Chaka seems pretty agitated – maybe even feeling betrayed? – that Daniel’s leaving him.
Outside, Burrock insists that they give him two Unas of the same line for Chaka.
Away from the others, we have a nice little Jack and Daniel practicality versus idealism debate. Jackson’s convinced there’s a way to save Chaka, but it might be easier said than done.
They go back up to where Carter and Teal’c are and O’Neill tells them the plan – tonight, they’re going to break Chaka out, and she and Teal’c are to provide cover as they do so. They hope to not hurt anyone in the process.
I just gotta say, it kills me and sends shivers up my spine every time I see one of the people hit an Unas with a pain stick. They seem like pretty tough fellows but I just remember what the pain stick did to Teal’c and… eurgh! They’re nasty weapons! I cringe every time. Frankly, I don’t think these guys are being much better than the Goa’uld – thinking of the Unas as so much lower than them that they can simply be enslaved.
That evening, Jack and Daniel move in, and break the lock on Chaka’s cell, but Chaka won’t leave without the others, who have been “marked for death”. (Thank goodness you’ve been studying that language, Danny boy.)
Carter stays behind, but Teal’c moves in closer as the villagers approach. They apprehend our SG guys and zat them.
The next day, Jackson and O’Neill are in prison cells, and Daniel gets Chaka (who’s a cell over) to toss him the radio. He tells Teal’c and Carter they’re both fine, and Carter says that she and Teal’c are being pursued by a search party. They’ll try to bring back help, though.
And all the Unas are learning from Chaka..! (Hey man, knowledge is power.) The other Unas seem to have recognized him as their passage to freedom, and have unanimously chosen him as their leader… and right here is where I’d love to have some insight from Teal’c. Right here.
Jack’s not too optimistic, though: “Trust me, Daniel, a whole lot of people are gonna have to die around here before one Unas goes free.”
Meanwhile, Teal’c and Carter continue to try and evade the search parties, whom have gathered by the ‘Gate. Nowhere to go now!
Burrock enters the jail barn thing and he’s got a pain stick. He’ll spare them if they tell him where else the ‘Gate can go – no doubt to get more slaves. (Slimeball. MAJOR Slimeball.) When he asks Jackson why he cares so much about Chaka, Daniel finally reveals his findings: They’re not beasts. They’re sentient beings. (Ah, are you channeling your inner Captain Archer? …Nah, this is much more personal.) When he suggests that they free them, Burrock just laughs… and takes the pain stick out on O’Neill.
Teal’c sees this happen (oh yeah, things just got personal!) and he races off. No doubt thinking of his own pain at the hands of Terok… and who knows what Jerkface Apophis did to him to brainwash him.
When Jackson tries to tell Burrock to stop, he touches the stick to the metal of Daniel’s cell, and the shock is transferred to him. (Oh, oh god, I really really hate that pain stick.) And our boys? They’re pissed. But if they don’t tell Burrock what he wants to know, each morning and each night, he will kill an Unas.
And we’re back with Carter and Teal’c! Woo-hoo!
They’re now in the town, and Carter calls O’Neill on the radio, and she doesn’t think they’ll be able to get out of here, zero casualties.
Carter and Teal’c sneak around, plant some of that awesome C-4, and yup, we’ve got a diversion! While Teal’c leads off some pursuers, Carter blows the locks and the two SG and the three remaining Unas are set free. Dash to the ‘Gate!
They make it a ways, and Chaka initially seems to have an issue with Teal’c (…sigh…) but then they’re cool. They go to a seemingly unguarded gate, but sure enough, there’s an ambush waiting, and an Unas is taken down in the fight… And Chaka takes down Burrock.
Just as they’re ready to take Chaka home, Chaka expresses to Daniel that he doesn’t want to – he wishes to stay, fight, and free the others.
Final thoughts… AUGH. I really, really, really wanted some insight from Teal’c on this whole thing. Total missed opportunity if you ask me. I mean, the comparison was kind of sort of implied, even with humans being enslaved by the Goa’uld, but primarily I just feel frustrated. I felt like I was watching “North Star” again… except that that of course turned out happier than this, because Star Trek tends to end on a positive note in most things.
But I digress. This was a pretty darn good episode for Jackson and O’Neill, and of course it’s always interesting to learn more about the Unas. They’re one of the more “alien” species we’ve encountered in this series, and I confess I’m a sucker for the elaborate makeup jobs. I got totally spoiled with Deep Space Nine and even those last couple seasons of Enterprise (those Xindi were awesome) so I like… alien aliens. I get it, most of the people we meet are slaves or past slaves of the Goa’uld kidnapped from Earth and brought around, blah blah blah, but I can appreciate a good alien. I love to see that.
Other than that, I feel like I pretty much made all the points I wanted to make throughout the review. Not an incredible episode, but solid. Unas rebellion movement… I like the sound of that. Chaka’s the Teal’c of the Unas!
PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY
(Our next adventure takes us to “The Tomb”. That sounds… ominous.)
O’Neill: Well, I’m glad that we got ol’ Chaka together with his buddy to go free their people… or something…
Teal’c: It is hopefully they will be able to coexist in peace. We would not wish a war between humans and the Unas.
Jackson: I certainly agree with you there.
Carter: Hopefully they’ll use the zats.
Jackson: Yeah… So, I hear we’re off to “The Tomb”?
O’Neill: Sounds Goa’uld-ish.
(Cue cymbal crash.)
Teal’c: …Why was there suddenly that harsh sound?
Jackson: It means Jack was trying to make an amusing pun.
(Carter facepalms, but Teal’c just lifts an eyebrow.)
O’Neill: What? I’m dying to find out!
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