I swear to God, if Apophis shows his ugly mug (okay, actually, I think Peter Williams is quite handsome) in this episode, it better be GROUND BENEATH TEAL’C’S FIST INTO THE DIRT because anything other than that is just unacceptable.
We start off… On Chulak! Oh, this is different! Teal’c, dressed in robes, enters into a tent, where two other Jaffa – Ma’kar and Rak’nor. He as usual speaks of an uprising, but based on the looks on their faces, they seem a little apprehensive, if not skeptical as well.
And then all hell breaks loose.
Teal’c tells the two where the fledgling rebellion is to meet, and Rak’nor stands and says, “Then I will meet with them as well… and this blasphemous rebellion will finally be crushed.”
OH CRAP GET OUT OF THERE TEAL’C.
And just as he turns to the exit, a Serpent Guard shoots him with a zat and he goes down.
(Hey! SG-1! Where are you guys!)
Well, we get our answer: They’re back on base. Hey, Jacob Carter is there with them! Hi Jacob! Have you been here all the way since “Tangent”? Get to do any fishing? Oh, wait, since you’re all going to the Hangout I guess I’ll just follow.
The Tok’ra have intercepted a message (gotta love that galactic rumour mill) between Heru’ur and Jerkface-Needs-to-Learn-How-to-Die Apophis, and they’ve arranged a meet of sorts. The issue is that Heru’ur is supposed to be allied with the System Lords against Apophis.
Well, ya darned Goa’ulds just have to play dirty, now, don’tcha?
Basically, the Tok’ra want to use one of the mines in this minefield the two will meet in to make it look like one is attacking the other, therefore sabotaging the alliance. If they can get Heru’ur and Apophis fighting again, the System Lords will once more regain power. Now, that wouldn’t necessarily be good (they are still Goa’uld after all) but, as we’ve seen, they’re fairly reasonable. The trick here will be not only ring-transporting (ringing?) a mine aboard, but then reprogramming it to target Apophis’ ship, and also moving the ship as the mine moves.
So it seems we’ve got something a little different here – an “A” story for Teal’c, and a “B” story for the rest of SG-1 and Jacob Carter. It’s something I’m really used to seeing on Star Trek (DS9 did it quite often), but not really here. This should be interesting.
Meanwhile, and I assume we’re back on Chulak, maybe in Apophis’ palace, two Jaffa hook Teal’c up by his wrists to chains coming down from the ceiling. Rak’nor (TRAITOR!!) throws water on his face, but they are soon joined by Terok (as in, Terok Nor? The Cardassian designation for Deep Space Nine? Oh, wait, wrong franchise), a ruthless Goa’uld with a pain stick he’s more than happy to use on Teal’c. He intends to record the torturing and basically use it to discourage other Jaffa from rebellion.
Now, this is kind of weird. I can’t tell who this guy is working for. I assume he’s not a System Lord, and that he’s working under Apophis, but why wouldn’t Apophis want to put Teal’c through this himself?
Later, Rak’nor tries to get Teal’c to at least drink water, but he steadfastly refuses. It turns out that Rak’nor’s father (and the rest of his family) died at Apophis’ hand, since his father had followed the path laid out by Bra’tac and Teal’c. Therefore, he blames him for the death of his father.
All right, now this, I can see Teal’c actually understanding. We already know that he has a great sense of honour and personal responsibility. We saw this perhaps best in “Cor-Ai” (1x15).
However, the moment is ruined when our good friend Terok comes back in… and his methods are getting crueler. He tells Teal’c that Bra’tac was also subject to this torture and that, before he died, had finally broken, but I know this can’t possibly be true, because Bra’tac is freaking bra’tac and he’s so awesome that would never happen. Bra’tac is the last thing Chuck Norris sees before he dies, except that doesn’t make any sense because Bra’tac’s a good guy and so is Chuck Norris, so…
…You know, nevermind.
Terok tears off Teal’c’s shirt (Oooh… if only the circumstances were more favourable…) and jams the pain stick right into his symbiote pouch. Oh, geez, I’m literally cringing right now. Suddenly the kettle chips next to me don’t look so good.
Meanwhile, the three of SG-1 and Jacob Carter have made it in the cargo ship to the Tobin System minefield. Luckily, neither Apophis nor Heru’ur have yet to be seen. He transports the mine up with the rings, but it might be a while before SG-1 can figure this one out…
Teal’c continues to be tortured by Terok, who is just completely off his rocker, yet he remains steadfast. (You show him, T. You show him!) He even tries to go the religious sort of route, saying that Teal’c’s very soul is at stake.
Yeah, you should talk, snakehead. I’m pretty sure there’s something in the Bible about LEAVING PEOPLE’S BODIES ALONE and not sticking freaking ELECTRIC STICKS in their ABDOMENS.
Teal’c just insults him back to his face, and Terok storms off, frustrated.
You know, now would be a really good time for Bra’tac to show up and help Teal’c get out of this.
Back on the cargo ship, they discover a panel underneath the mine, and it opens up to reveal the colour-code they must use to reprogram the bomb.
While Terok is off sulking or something, Rak’nor speaks with Teal’c, because come on, you’ve got to admire resolve like that. And while it’s a little disturbing to see him in so much pain (I don’t imagine those chains are very comfortable for Chris Judge, but kudos on his very fine acting as always), he’s just so unshakeable.
And we also get a really good look at his upper body. I keep pausing. I need to stop doing that. But even the warm lighting is just…
Okeedokee, back to the script, eh? (Yes, go ahead, roll your eyes at me. I won’t hold it against you.)
Teal’c tries to appeal to Rak’nor, because that’s why he’s here. He’s here to sway and convince and get his people to realize what is already obvious to him. This scene in particular is really good in that Teal’c realizes he’s, in a sense, beating Terok at his own interrogation:
“He thought he was recording my humiliation. Instead, he was only recording his own.”
He also says this to Rak’nor:
Teal’c: (Of the Goa’uld) “They are merely flesh and blood, just like you or I.”
Rak’nor: “Lies!”
Teal’c: “Why would I lie?! If there was a chance that they were gods – if I thought my soul would be forever punished – why would I lie? They have manipulated our bodies. So too are they manipulating our minds with false beliefs.”
And hey, we’re back on the cargo ship, and we’re dialing into the pretty colours, all while trying not to hit the mine on anything. I must say, Jacob’s a hell of a pilot. And just then – our good friends Heru’ur and Apophis show up. Luckily, we have a cloaking device! Yay Romulans Tok’ra ingenuity! However, they get an error message on the mine (hate when that happens), and it just doesn’t look good for anyone.
Teal’c’s not doing so hot, either. He’s suddenly dragged off… to somewhere.
The scene changes to Apophis, surrounded of course by beautiful women, and he’s hailed by Apophis. Jacob’s nice enough to translate for SG-1 (and the rest of us) and Heru’ur wants, in return for collaboration, his own lands, Cronus’ lands, blah blah blah, and he’ll give Apophis…
OH CRAP IT’S TEAL’C.
TEAL’C IS ON HERU’UR’S SHIP
CRAP CRAP CRAP JACOB CARTER YOU BETTER DO SOMETHING NOW.
But, hey, there’s good news! Jackson figures out they made an error in the reprogramming of the bomb, and didn’t take into account “zero”! They get the right combination, and it’s all good.
Things still aren’t looking good for Teal’c. Terok drags him back to the interrogation room and this time just hangs him up by one arm (PUNCH HIS FACE, TEAL’C, PUNCH IT PUNCH IT) but it’s obvious by now he’s kind of losing it (you know, “three fries short of a Happy Meal” and all). Even when Terok offers him one “last chance at redemption”, Teal’c just can’t take him all that seriously.
Terok: “If you repent, I will save your soul and end your suffering.”
Teal’c: (Grinning) “So that Apophis can revive me and begin again?” (And he starts to laugh)
Jack wants to run in with guns blazing and get Teal’c out of there, but Jacob, thinking of course of the mission first, insists that “bigger things are at stake here”. (Aw, come on, Jacob, I don’t suppose you’ve already forgotten how he saved all your butts from HELL back on Netu?)
Jackson and Carter have successfully reprogrammed the mine, and so then send it out into space. She gets this brilliant (er, kind obvious if you ask me) idea on how to save Teal’c: They intercept the matter stream, just like he did. (Hey! Yeah! You know, if they had ever been able to do that on Star Trek, that would’ve made so many things so much easier.)
Teal’c is finally accepting water from Rak’nor, and he has more or less accepted what will happen to him. Terok comes in and ruins the moment, and when Teal’c tries to retaliate, he knocks him back with the ribbon device.
“I will not be denied the satisfaction of watching him die at least once!”
(Yeah, the guy’s got some issues. Probably on the not-so-good side of the Goa’uld, relatively speaking of course.)
But then Rak’nor goes AWESOME and STABS HIM WITH THE PAIN STICK!!!
…And then things go bad, bad, bad.
They miss the matter stream… but it wasn’t Teal’c! It was Terok!
And then the reprogrammed mine hits! (Yes!)
And then Heru’ur and Apophis get into an argument!
And then… a whole bunch of Apophis’ ships DECLOAK (oh god) and destroy Heru’ur. And I mean he is straight-up obliterated.
But then Jacob’s ship is hailed… and it’s Rak’nor…
…he helped Teal’c escape! Yaaay!! He’s okay! And they’re going to pick him up.
Unfortunately, we’ve still got the whole Apophis-is-now-more-powerful-than-ever issue. Again.
Well, crap.
Final thoughts… I must say, there’s nothing quite as amusing as seeing your favourite character start to laugh his head off whilst being tortured. Okay, so maybe he was just delirious, but it was pretty fantastic to see a Goa’uld get so upset and embarrassed.
Teal’c is fearless. That’s more or less what I get out of this episode. Well, no, I suppose he’s not completely fearless, for he does fear losing his friends and teammates, losing his family, dishonor, and that sort of thing, but he does not seem to fear for himself. He’s so dedicated to his cause that he’ll grapple with you if it means he can convince you to take his side. And in the end, it completely turned out in his favour: Rak’nor ended up saving him from Apophis’ grip. (Whew!) Still, he couldn’t have known that. He really is quite the gambler. On that, I felt that Rak’nor’s turnaround was a little too quick to be believable, but hey, maybe watching Teal’c take all that hurt and live was enough to convince him.
It just goes to show you that torture is as much mental as it is physical. Terok’s ruthless battering of both Teal’c’s body and mind are definitely a test of his resolve. He even tries to tell him that he’s not doing this to torture nor break him, but to “save him”. It’s an interesting tactic which ultimately fails, but if anything it solidifies Teal’c’s beliefs. He does not overtly deny the existence of the “soul” as it were, but rather just the idea that the Goa’uld are gods. While I’m not sure exactly what this is implying (does he perhaps believe there is still some sort of higher plane of existence or something, as Bra’tac does?) it’s kind of interesting nonetheless.
…Teal’c aside, there are a lot of other interesting things that happened here, primarily the whole destroying-of-Heru’ur that Apophis pulled. (What a jerkface. Also, he now has funny hair. “Sideshow Apophis”, maybe.) It seems like we’re pretty much all screwed now.
I’d still like to see Teal’c grind his fist into Apophis’ face, though.
But if Replicators eat it off that’d be almost as satisfying.
REFLECTION/PREDICTION THINGY
(The crew talks with Rak’nor after things have settled down a little bit.)
O’Neill: Hey, man, sorry I tried to punch your face off when I found out you… uhm…
Rak’nor: It is no matter. It was understandable.
Jackson: We are grateful you saved him, though.
Carter: Yeah, we were worried when we missed the matter stream.
Rak’nor: It is a good thing you did – you would have gotten Terok instead!
O’Neill: Oh, I wouldn’t have minded giving him a piece of my mind… or, rather, my fists…
Jacob: So, Rak’nor. What made you change your mind?
Rak’nor: When he laughed in Terok’s face.
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