“STAAARGAAAAAATE
IT’S A GREAT BIG WOOORLD
WITH A GREAT BIG SWIRL
THAT YOU STEP INSIDE
TO ANOTHER WOOORLD…”
Yeah. I listened to the commentary. I think I’m now going to sing that every time a new episode comes on. Why? Because I can, and because it’s hysterical.
The episode starts off with O’Neill meeting General Ryan… Who is actually played by General Ryan. Like legitimately. I just checked the credits.
…Huh! Well, that’s kind of cool. Chief of Staff. On Stargate SG-1.
O’Neill has an embarrassed sort of moment when he realizes that the “ridiculous mission” he’d complained about was actually Ryan’s idea. Whoops.
Gen. Ryan: “Thus far, we like your work.”
O’Neill: “Thank you, sir. I like yours. Your Air Force. The Air Force. I love the Air Force.”
Basically, they want N4C-862 to become a permanent research station, and O’Neill’s assigned to go check it out. (I assume Teal’c’s going with him, ‘cause they’re bros and stuff.) Carter and Jackson are elsewhere – the former giving a lecture at the Air Force Academy and the latter off-world with SG-11.
Carter is indeed in a lecture hall, going on some technobabble ramble about things I could never hope to understand, but that’s okay, since this is fiction. After the lecture, a Cadet Jennifer Hailey looks at Carter’s work and sees an error in her calculations… and she was right.
Whoa, Carter was wrong?
But hey, she’s intrigued now.
The scene changes to Teal’c and O’Neill on 862 (ADVENTURE TIME!! or something) and meet some of the scientists researching there. And it looks like we’ll have the good old science versus military thing going on here… (Could use Carter! No sign of Daniel though. I guess maybe he won’t be showing up.)
At the Academy, Carter goes to see General Kerrigan, and talks to him about Hailey. The problem isn’t the cadet’s capabilities, but her behavior, and it’s holding her back. She doesn’t have any discipline. (Ah, the tried and true “too cool for school” storyline.)
Meanwhile, things aren’t going well for O’Neill and Dr. Hamilton, one of the scientists on the planet (or moon, rather). Jack wants to check out the caves before letting anyone else go through. (Hey, you never know where something might be hiding!)
Carter approaches Hailey, and they start to argue about a paper she wrote, which wasn’t the assignment, and wasn’t exactly what her professor had been looking for. She’s very defensive, though, and more or less brushes the major off.
On 862, Jack and Teal’c wander back from the caves and encounters a small, lighted creature that can phase through matter. It seems benevolent, though. Perhaps it’s energy-based?
When they arrive back, O’Neill gets into another argument with Hamilton, this time whether or not there’s a threat. There’s a bit of a funny bit when Teal’c sticks up for Jack, giving credence to his argument that, yup, the galaxy’s a bit of a dangerous place out there, and you should probably listen to him.
O’Neill: “Thank you, Rocco.” (What is that, a Key Largo reference or something?)
Later, Carter finds out that Hailey got into a fight with another student and is about to be expelled for breaking his nose. There’s an interesting bit between her and Kerrigan:
Carter: “I’m not asking for her to go unpunished, sir. But if she’s even half as brilliant as I think she is, we don’t wanna lose her.”
Kerrigan: “We're not here to make advancements in theoretical physics; we're here to defend this country.”
Carter: “I understand that, sir, but they're not mutually exclusive goals.”
Kerrigan: “Can I assume you're referring to your research project up at Cheyenne Mountain? Deep space radar analysis, is it?”
Carter: “Something like that, sir, yes.”
I say it’s so interesting because it’s just the problem that Hamilton’s having with O’Neill back on 862. Well, similar, anyways. In my mind, Carter has always first and foremost been a scientist. She’s often been the one to get them all out of a calamity because of her ability to stretch the very laws of physics and think outside the box. As I’ve said, she’s absolutely indispensable. She recognizes those same skills in Hailey and no doubt wants her to eventually be involved with the SGC.
He eventually gives in and will allow her to stay, but Carter’s still concerned. Hailey eventually reveals to her that she feels like she’s being constantly compared to “the great Samantha Carter”… Well, big surprise there. Carter basically tells her to suck it up, because there are huge things out there. Bigger things are at stake.
(Like a Stargate!)
On 862, a few of the scientists race after one of the creatures, and they find a small swarm of them.
“You see, Colonel? They’re harmless.”
(Uh, yeah, sorry, but how long have things remained “harmless”?)
Carter has brought Hailey to the SGC (oh! Squee! Fun times ahead!) and she’s all checked in, signed her “I won’t spill secrets to the Russians/the Goa’uld” papers, and Carter convinces Hammond to let her go through the ‘Gate.
Hailey: “You’re making me nervous.”
Carter: “Good. Because from this point on, everything you thought you knew about the universe is about to be turned upside-down.”
She takes the cadet into the ‘Gate room as the Stargate is dialing out. Hailey’s look as the Stargate finally goes “kawoosh!” is priceless. They step through and FUN TIMES AHEAD!
They step out onto the 862, and O’Neill meets them there. He takes them back to the building they’ve set up, and the two scientists look at the energy creature they’ve captured. They eventually let it go, though.
But back in the forest, a couple of the scientists are suddenly attacked by the swarm of energy bugs and… yeah, this is why Jack hates bugs. One of them, Bill, actually dies, and so the other runs back to the base.
Hailey goes and talks to the coolest guy on the moon right now (y’know, Teal’c) and they talk about things like life… names… the Stargate… the latest Buffs game… (Okay I was kidding on that last one.) Unfortunately the moment is ruined by the second scientist running to them and screaming for O’Neill.
The colonel and Teal’c find Bill Thompson’s body, and high-tail it back to the base. However, now the creatures are coming after them all. They’re able to use the zats to repel them, but perhaps not for long. Carter gets the idea of sending an electrical charge through the handily-metal building, and it works. However, even that won’t work forever.
Carter thinks that the creatures were somehow provoked, but Hailey believes that it has something to do with the moon itself. The generator might run out before the moon recycles, though…
“Then we’ll just hold them off with those phaser things.”
(The slight frown that Teal’c gives in response is priceless.)
The two women start to argue, but O’Neill interrupts and insists that it doesn’t matter who’s “right”. He’s going to go try and dial out, since he’s unwilling to risk anyone else’s life.
O’Neill gets ready to head out, but he’ll have to take a shot from a zat first.
Teal’c: “Are you ready, O’Neill?”
O’Neill: “…No. Give me a warning.”
Teal’c: (Arms the zat.) “I am going to shoot you.”
O’Neill: “I was thinking more along the lines of ‘on three’. One…”
(Teal’c fires after just ‘one’.)
O’Neill: “…TWO!! God, I said on THREE!”
With that, he dashes out, and the energy bugs race after him. He manages to dial out, but the bugs start to go after him… but not before Teal’c shows up and fires the zat at them. They quickly get everyone back through the Stargate, and we’re all a little bit more enlightened now.
Final thoughts… For some reason I just can’t quite put my finger on, I really enjoyed this episode. I can’t say I’ve ever really been in a position like the character of Cadet Hailey, but I certainly can relate to the idea of always being compared. As a fairly recent high school graduate and a current university student, I know just how much pressure there is to do well. There’s so much emphasis on being right that the imagination often seems stifled.
I really did enjoy the interactions between Carter and Hailey. It was a great little pairing for this episode – the one who’s been through it all, and the one who’s about to go through it all. I think it would be awesome to see the cadet sometime in the future, even if it’s just in passing. She’s just a really neat character.
And of course Jack and Teal’c are always fun to see. I love their conversations and ordeals. So much happy!
PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY
(We all return from 862… Has anyone seen Daniel?)
O’Neill: Hey, folks, where’s Daniel?
Teal’c: Perhaps he is still on his mission, O’Neill.
Hailey: Who’s Daniel?
Carter: An archaeologist with a knack for learning languages and getting himself nearly killed every other mission.
Hailey: …You have an archaeologist on your team?
Teal’c: He is a force to be reckoned with.
Hailey: (Looking at O’Neill) Colonel?
O’Neill: Oh, yeah. Don’t get between him and a wall with writing on it. You’ll regret it.
No comments:
Post a Comment