"The Fifth Man" ( 5 x 04 )

Uh, is SG-1 getting a new crewmember? Hm… Maybe. That’s what it kind of sounds like. I guess I’ll just watch and see what happens!

The scene opens up with STAFF WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIONS, YEAAAH!! Carter, Jackson, and Teal’c race to the ‘Gate, and O’Neill is back a ways with… some guy named Tyler? O’Neill orders the three to go through and get reinforcements.

They go through… and apparently no one remembers this “Lieutenant Tyler”.

…Well, no one except for SG-1.

“Is this the face of a crazy man?” 

(Oh wait, wrong episode.)

On base, Hammond orders SG-1 to relinquish their weapons and go to the infirmary… but something feels very wrong here. I can’t quite put my finger on it, though.

Don’t forget about Jack and that Tyler dude!

Back on the planet, O’Neill carries an injured Tyler to a safer location, away from the attacking Jaffa. Nope, I definitely don’t recognize him.  Tyler expresses gratitude that O’Neill stayed behind, but Jack more or less brushes it off. That’s just how he is: He doesn’t leave anyone behind.

(“For this, you can stay at my place!”)

Hammond and Fraiser try to figure out what’s wrong with the three SG-1 officers, and why no one else seems to know who Tyler (who Hammond says doesn’t exist) is. However, thinking that they’ve been compromised, the general’s refusing to send anyone over to rescue O’Neill… and Tyler.

Well, darn.

In the infirmary, SG-1 talks about it and

OMIGOSH WHAT IF THEY’RE FROM A DIFFERENT UNIVERSE?!

Oh dude that would make so much sense! Maybe in another universe there’s a Lieutenant Tyler and something weird just happened with the Stargate so now they’re in our reality but then where’s our SG-1? Or is this our SG-1 in another universe?! 

…Oh. Jackson pretty much says what I said, and then Teal’c says that too, and then Carter looks him up on the database… but she’s been locked out.

Well.

She does manage to get in, and there’s nothing on him. But someone else has been looking up stuff on SG-1. (Maybourne?! Are you smirking in the backgr—oh wait you’re in the Caribbean.)

And O’Neill goes off to try and find water for him and Tyler, complete faith that the SGC will come for them…

Hammond’s not doing nothing though. They send a UAV through.

O’Neill catches sight of it and they’re able to radio him, but when he mentions Lt. Tyler, Hammond again hesitates in sending backup.

And then Q APPEARS!!!!

All right, it’s not Q, it’s Colonel Simmons, but hey, he’s back!! Sa-weet! Or maybe not…

Simmons wants to do his own little investigation, and Hammond reluctantly agrees. If it’s the only way to get to the bottom of what’s going on, he’s willing. Simmons talks with Daniel first, and I don’t think this will go well.

In the infirmary, Fraiser touches some residue on Teal’c’s jacket, and starts getting flashes of memories of… Lieutenant Tyler. Hm… a hallucination indeed? Memory altering substance? But which way?

With Simmons, he shows Jackson a video of a recent briefing, and sure enough, there’s no Tyler. But that’s not all there is. Simmons then pulls the Sarah card. You know, Sarah-Daniel’s-ex-who-got-Goa’uld’ed. That card.

Ooo, that’s really harsh, Q.

“You think that makes me sympathetic to the Goa’uld?”

“I think that makes you someone whose judgment can be easily clouded.”

Oohh, man, Simmons, you have no idea who you’re talking to! This is Daniel Jackson, whose thirst for vengeance against those snakes is only one-upped by Teal’c! (Except, uh, in a different kind of way.)

Hammond, meanwhile, conducts his own investigation with that wonderful red phone… but it’s not really going anywhere. (Hm… this seems suspicious…)

On the other planet, night has fallen, and Tyler says he’s from Texas.

Hold on a second.

In a previous scene they showed packages with the words, “Tyler, Texas” (obviously a place), and he just happens to be Tyler, from Texas? What’s his first name? This doesn’t feel right. I smell an impostor.

…Then why would they all have memories….?

We do get a funny scene:

O’Neill: “Do you know what the Goa’uld really want from us? Minnesota. That’s what. For the fishing, mostly. I’ll take you sometime.”

Tyler: “Fishing?”

O’Neill: “Oh, yeah. Ask Teal’c. He can’t get enough.”

Hehehe!

And on base, Teal’c is brought in to see the latest slime in the long list of slimes that like to pick on the SGC. One of them happens to be Q… I mean Frank Simmons.

For Teal’c, he’s pulling the brainwash card. You know, the captured-against-your-will-and-subjected-to-Apophis-to-kill-your-bros card. Teal’c of course takes it in stride, and says this when Simmons questions his true loyalties:

“If I were still loyal to the Goa’uld,you would know it.”

“Really?”

“It would be immediately apparent, as I would not hesitate to kill you where you sit.”

Oh, snap!

Simmons’ expression is priceless. About the same as Maybourne’s at Teal’c’s “I would be well within my rights to dismember you” comment in “Touchstone”.

The situation worsens with O’Neill and Tyler when a Glider shows up… They take it down, but I’m pretty sure there’s more where that came from.

And it’s Carter’s turn to see Simmons. He of course pulls the Jolinar card… and the “Entity” card… and the “Orlin” card… And that’s when she plays hardball and realizes he’s the one who was looking them up! And he’s done with her. (Kill’t!)

And Fraiser’s figured it out: That chemical on Teal’c’s uniform is to blame. False memories. With that, Hammond authorizes backup to go through. (Right on!)

On the planet, a Jaffa horn sounds, and Tyler reveals the truth: He’s not human (he’s Reol) and he exposed them to a chemical (yup). O’Neill doesn’t believe him, until Tyler touches him and allows Jack to see his truly alien form. (And it’s all wiggly and… alien.) Turns out it’s just a defense mechanism, and he just wanted to get away from the Jaffa and see if SG-1 could be trusted.

Jack of course doesn’t much care either way, and agrees to help… well, Tyler, since that’s what he goes by. They manage to take down several Jaffa (these guys aren’t quite as beast as Apophis’ cronies), but they are nearly captured until

SG-1 IS HERE!! YAAAY!!!

O’Neill expresses his displeasure in that Tyler felt the need to trick them, but Tyler says that his people have merely been hunted for so long, and they don’t know who to trust. (Remind anyone of DS9’s Founders?)

But we’ve still got a little Jaffa problem.

Er, no, a big Jaffa problem – they’re guarding the ‘Gate.

Tyler offers to use himself as bait, but O’Neill disagrees that’s a good idea. So he just gives him a zat, tells Daniel to stick around, and… then Tyler zats him.

DON’T BE A HERO TYLER.

And we get one look back on base: Hammond and Simmons.

The general basically tells him to bug off, because we know what we’re doing here at the SGC.

“I know how to leave gracefully. I only hope you do.”

Now you shut it and GO AWAY, Q!!

Tyler has indeed tried to be a hero and uses himself as bait. He’s captured and brought to the ‘Gate, and then TEAL’C HAS A FREAKIN’ GLIDER CANNON, YEAAAH!!! That’s what I call heavy artillery!!

SO. AWESOME.

And the combined forces of AWESOME and some P90’s manage to take down all the Jaffa and save Tyler.

And we get a great convo between him and Jack:

“You could’ve escaped.”

“We don’t leave our people behind.”

“But – I am not one of your people!”

“…Could’ve fooled me.”

So, Tyler goes back to his people, with the thought of a possible alliance hanging in the air, “and maybe then you can take me fishing.”

Final thoughts… “Au contraire, mon capitan; heee’s baaaack!” (“Déjà Q”, TNG)

Yes, I do indeed love seeing John de Lancie as Col. Simmons in this series, and I’m even more excited that he seems to be a recurring character. Hopefully more than just these two episodes. And yes, I will continue to make Q jokes and quotes about him. Sorry. Typecasting and all.

He’s a different kind of antagonistic force in the series. He’s not like anyone else, not even the other sort of politicians, NID people, et cetera… He’s much colder and attacks on a much more personal level. He’s downright insulting, to be honest. And I don’t think he’s just testing them – I think he really wants SG-1 broken up! Ooh, he better be glad that Jack wasn’t there, because Jack probably would’ve told him to… well, you can imagine what Colonel Jack O’Neill would’ve told him to do.

Simmons needs a nickname. Q-ball? Since Maybourne’s Slimeball? …Nah. I dunno.

There’s also the interesting little thing about where his loyalties lie versus where those of SG-1 lie. They are each loyal to each other and to Stargate Command as a whole, and it is the personal connection which Simmons so despises that holds this crazy place together. My impression is that Simmons doesn’t quite get it. All these teams go through hell at least a few times (or literally once if you’re SG-1) and they’ve got… well, a hell of a job to do. You’ve got to care about each other, or you might end up forgetting what you’re doing out there and what you stand for. The SGC, and on a broader scale idea, America, is all about the ideals of honor, loyalty, and freedom. Heck, that’s why Teal’c joined us in the first place (as we kind of saw in “Threshold”, among other episodes). Sure, you’ve got to use your head and follow protocol, but there’s so much more to it.

A prime example was when Tyler finally revealed his true nature to O’Neill, but at that point, Jack just really didn’t care. Now, instead of helping another SG-1 member, he was just helping someone else in need. Even when Tyler was ready to sacrifice himself, they still hung around and managed to save him before they went through.

And once again, Q has failed to recognize humanity at its finest…

PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY

(Antagonists… ASSEMMMBLLLLE!)

Cigarette Smoking Man: So? Were you successful?

Simmons: …NO. This is pointless. And I keep getting the weird feeling I’m some almighty god.

CSM: You have the power of the state…

Simmons: Feh. As if that’s enough. (Pause.) Where’s Maybourne?

CSM: The Caribbean, I believe.

Simmons: What a slimeball. When’s that alien going to follow through on his promise?

CSM: In time, Colonel, you may find that Teal’c is far more dangerous in his words than his actions…

“Ascension” ( 5 x 03 )

The last three; four episodes in the series have been crazy jam-packed with emotion and action and just awesomeness in general, but if I’m right, it’s time to take a little step back from all the craziness and just back to Stargate as we’re used to it. And you know what? That’s okay with me.

We start off on a planet, lying mostly in ruins, and Jackson’s discovered some kind of structure with a language on it he can’t figure out. (Oh my goodness! No, Daniel, I’m just kidding. Calm down.)

Carter, meanwhile, has found some kind of advanced… something, and she’s going to keep fiddling with it while Teal’c and Jack go check out the town ruins. Suddenly, there’s a flash, and Jackson goes back to find her lying collapsed on the floor.

Noes!

Back in the infirmary, Fraiser says that Carter seems fine, but she also fairly points out that she’s due for a break.

Meanwhile at the Hangout, O’Neill, Jackson, Hammond, and some… guy I don’t recognize talk about the device Carter found. They’re not sure what it is, but the suspicion is that it’s a weapon. (I’m thinking a weapon that destroyed the planet, and that’s why it’s in ruins… but that’s just me.) Carter joins them and says that the power core is gone from whatever it is. (By the way, the guy I didn’t know is Col. Reynolds, who’s now part of SG-16.) While SG-16 and Daniel take the mission to find out what’s going on there, the rest of SG-1 is on leave.

Carter’s annoyed, but we do get a funny between her and Jack:

Carter: “Tense? Me? I’m not tense. …Am I?” (Lowering her voice) “…When did you first notice?”

O’Neill: “As we met.”

So she goes home (nice house, Carter) and wow it is weird to see her in civilian clothing. As she’s brushing her teeth, she suddenly gets the feeling… she’s not alone…

(Ooo, creepy!)

And we the viewer get the idea that she’s being watched..!

The next morning, she retrieves her paper and

GREG STILLSON WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!

(…Ahem. Sean Patrick Flanery is apparently a guest star this episode. For the record, he played Greg Stillson on USA Network’s The Dead Zone, which I must say he was most excellent in. He was also the lead in Powder and had a role in The Boondock Saints. In other words, I really like him and I find it amazing he’s on Stargate right now.)

The strange not-Greg-Stillson greets Carter from across the street and he’s acting kind of creepy stalker-ish.

Okay, so he’s not a political slimeball crazy man arch-nemesis-of-Johnny-Smith, but he’s kinda creepy.

Once back inside, Carter calls Jackson, and expresses to him her dissatisfaction with leave.

And then CREEPY MAN is back. Inside her house.

…Something tells me creepy man is not from this planet.

Gets worse: He’s been here since last night. His name’s Orlin, and, yup, he’s from that planet we were just at. Gets better: He can phase through objects. (Whoa!)

And… he has feelings for her. He’s in love with her.

Later that day, a bunch of SGC personnel are at her house, and she talks to Jack about what happened. They set up cameras, and somehow I don’t think that’ll make a difference.

Back on base, Teal’c keeps an eye on the security cams in Carter’s house while Jackson works on translations. Daniel has concluded that the device they found is indeed a weapon. But where it’s originally from? They’re not here.

At her house, Carter comes home, and of course Orlin shows himself when all the cameras are gone. (Typical.) He says the planet they deemed 636 is actually “Velona” to the natives. (Was, rather.) Apparently, the reason she passed out is because he tried to do some kind of spirit-meld (I’m thinking mind-meld here… VULCANS YAY) with her. And then he flatters her further.

And wants to try that spirit-meld thing again. He’ll leave if she agrees, so of course she does, and his body shifts into some crazy glowing thing (reminds me of Oma Desala actually… hey, he said he was “Ascended”… is there a connection?) and she has some kind of epiphany.

The next day, she approaches O’Neill and he reluctantly admits to her that since no one’s seen what she has, they all pretty much think she’s crazy. However, maybe if she can gather enough information on it, things will be better.

In her office, she’s back to work trying to figure out the weapon. While the Pentagon’s pressuring the SGC to figure it out, she’s not so keen on that: She thinks it could be just as dangerous for us.

She goes home and stalker-Orlin’s back. (God, he’s so innocent-looking but he’s so creepy!) The doorbell rings, and when he reveals to her that he’s renounced his ascendancy, she… shoves him in a closet. (Ahaha, oh Carter, you have such class.) She answers the door, and it’s Jack and Teal’c! Teal’c has a super-spiffy cowboy hat on.

O’Neill: “We brought pizza and a movie.”

Teal’c: “Star Wars.”

O’Neill: “He’s seen it, what, eight times?”

Teal’c: “Nine.”

O’Neill: “Nine times! If Teal’c likes it, it’s got to be okay.”

Carter: “You’ve never seen Star Wars?”

O’Neill: “You know me and sci-fi.”

Aahh, this is why I love this show, haha. I love how ironic it is that Jack’s not really into sci-fi at all but he’s living it nonetheless. The pop culture references are just priceless. (And of course Teal’c has become well-versed in it all..!)

More lulz ensue when Jack guesses that she has a date (oh come on Carter just tell him!) and the two leave her with a pizza and go back to Jack’s car.

O’Neill: “So, now what?”

Teal’c: “I have read of a place where humans do battle in a ring of Jell-o.”

O’Neill: “…Call Daniel.”

And excuse me while I DIE LAUGHING.

Carter and Orlin talk over lunch, and she finds out that he’s the one who taught the Velonans how to build the weapon. The problem was that, after they defeat the Goa’uld with it, they started to conquer other planets. The other Ascendants retaliated against him and destroyed the planet and banished him there.

…And there’s someone listening in on her…

Back at base…

OMIGOD Q?!?!?

NO WAY!

No way is there JOHN DE LANCIE and SEAN PATRICK FLANERY in the SAME EPISODE!!

Okay, you guys, this is just nuts, because JDL plays my favourite Star Trek recurring guest character pretty much ever, “Q”. I love Q. Love love love him. De Lancie is just a phenomenal actor. Oh my gosh, YAY!

Ahem, anyways, they’re talking about powering up the weapon, but Carter and Jackson vehemently disagree. Carter has two weeks to prove her case that it’s dangerous, but our wonderful friend Q Colonel Simmons still thinks they need to test it ASAP.

Carter gets home and Orlin (go away dangit!) and she go take a walk. He convinces her that they need to find a way to stop the test fire, and she agrees.

Nine days later,  they’ve decided to test the weapon… now. Simmons is onto her (oh, you and your stupid little Q abilities! You’re probably working with Slimeball Maybourne!) and, yup, they’ve got pictures of her and Orlin. And they’re ready to take him in.

With Special Forces waiting outside, Carter goes into her house and finds Orlin… has constructed a makeshift Stargate in her basement. (Okay, now that’s just… well, the best word I can think of is “ghetto”! But it’s still crazy impressive that he was able to do that with stuff he bought off the internet.) They go through the mini-Stargate… and then Special Forces shows up.

They go to the site of the weapons, and sure enough, our Ascendant friends have shown up. Orlin ultimately jumps in, takes a gunshot, and unplugs the weapon. And then he ascends once again, effectively saving the rest of us, too…  And the weapon? It’s destroyed.

Final thoughts… JOHN DE LANCIE. SEAN PATRICK FLANERY. LOOOOOVE!

Okay, I admit… I found the presence of these two gentlemen and Teal’c’s awesome cowboy hat a bit more interesting than the story itself. I wasn’t terribly impressed, but we did learn some interesting things that really had more to do with the bigger plot than this specific episode:

Teal’c is clearly back to being himself. He and O’Neill (and the rest of the team for that matter) seem to be on good terms, so the whole Rite of Mal’sharran must have been entirely successful. This, of course, pleases me greatly. So do his shirts. And hats. (You guys should see me; I’m still giggling.)

Despite the fact that there aren’t any Replicators here right now and Apophis, Heru’ur, Cronus, and Sokar (among others) are all dead, the Pentagon still feels there are some really big threats out there we need to defend ourselves again. I personally don’t see the Goa’uld attacking any time soon (sounds like they’re dealing with each other lately) and the Replicators are really far away… But I suppose things can only be hunky-dory on Earth for so long.

And finally, we find out about… the Ascendants. (That’s what they’re called, right? Well, that’s what I’m calling them.) Really powerful nature-controlling alien people that usually look like wisps of light. I’m assuming that’s what Oma Desala is/was, and as they explained, she was banished for helping others Ascend… did she allow the harcesis to Ascend? It would seem that she would have in order to save him from his “genes” as it were, but it’s an interesting idea. I have no doubt we’ll see the Ascendants again.

Overall, a pretty interesting episode. Like I said, I loved seeing our two special guest stars (John de Laaanciiieee!!) . Not quite sure how keen I am on the whole pseudo-love-interest for Carter, but I suppose it is what it is, and now it’s… over.

Oh, and I hope the boys had fun at that ring of Jell-o. Watching. Participating. Whatever.

PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY

(So, what did the guys end up doing?)

Carter: (Joining her team at a table) Hey guys, sorry I’m late. Rough day.

Jackson: It’s okay, Sam. We all know.

Carter: I never did get to ask you… what did you guys end up doing after I turned you away because of… um…

Teal’c: We observed a most fascinating spectacle.

O’Neill: Well, I’d say more than merely observed…

Carter: (Lifting her eyebrows) Care to divulge?

Teal’c: I believe we are sworn to silence on the details of the event as a code of our brotherhood.

(Carter stares at O’Neill.)

Carter: ‘Bro code’?

O’Neill: Well… ah…

Jackson: Oh, damn, I think I just found a stray piece of Jell-o in my hair.

“Threshold” ( 5 x 02 )

Okay. So the last episode, there were Replicators and Apophis, both/all of which are now dead, but we’ve still got one casualty of the battle: our lovely friend Teal’c. Who thinks he’s still Apophis’ First Prime.

I hope this episode helps him out a little!

“You got his body back. Getting his mind back may not be as easy.”

This is what Jacob Carter (yay!) said at the end of “Enemies”. Let’s see how right he was.

Jack enters the room Teal’c is sitting in and they greet each other amicably, but there’s something about the way Teal’c replies that just seems so… fake. Also the lighting is kind of tell-tale that all is not well. I think he’s deceiving him again, which makes me sad, because they’re supposed to be bros.

DAMN YOU, APOPHIS.

Doctor MacKenzie (the resident shrink) is convinced, but when they approach Bra’tac…

(Hi Bra’tac! Hi!!! Hi! Hi! I really missed you last season! I hope you’re here more this time! I hope you can help Teal’c!)

…the truth comes out. How does Bra’tac know it’s all a ruse? Duh, because he’s Bra’tac.

Teal’c tries to make a run for it, but to no avail. Bra’tac zats him and

WHOA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

….Ahem. Removes Junior from his little resting place in Teal’c’s abdomen. (Okay, ew.)

Oh god, Bra’tac, what in the world are you thinking.

At the Hangout, Bra’tac explains what in the world he’s thinking. He plans to put Teal’c through the Rite of Mal’Sharran… Pretty much, by depriving him of his symbiote, he’ll be brought to the threshold of death and it is said his life will flash before his eyes, and then he’ll remember the life as he’s supposed to remember it. Unfortunately, the twice he’s seen this Rite performed, neither Jaffa lived.

Okay, PAUSE.

As much as I love Bra’tac and trust him and know he’s doing what’s best for Teal’c because he would never do otherwise, those aren’t really good odds. But since it seems they’ve no other option, I guess we’ll just wait and see.

In the infirmary, Teal’c has been strapped down and… well, our lovely doctor isn’t too happy about having to wait around a dying patient and do nothing. There’s a lovely moment when Bra’tac places a hand on her shoulder and convinces her that this is the best, but you know it’s killing her.

Think about it: This is the woman who would save anyone. Heck, she tried to save Apophis’ life once, and then even Cronus when he had been attacked by Nirrti. And Teal’c? A friend? Someone whom she has saved multiple times? Man.

Bra’tac speaks briefly with Teal’c (or, more like, takes Teal’c’s insults in stride) and even O’Neill tries out one more time, but Teal’c’s not budging. He really is immovable… just not in a good way this time.

Oh, Teal’c. How can your best characteristics also be your worst?

Bra’tac tells him of the time when he had been Apophis’ First Prime, and Teal’c his apprentice…

…and we go back into a memory…

The scene is of Bra’tac as Apophis’ First Prime (GO AWAY JERKFACE) and he introduces Teal’c to him for the first time, for he wishes Teal’c to one day be his successor. Teal’c tells him who his father was – the First Prime of Cronus – and even goes so far as to defend his father’s honor to Apophis. However, Jerkface Apophis doesn’t dig that, so he raises the ribbon device to Teal’c’s forehead and…

…We’re back in the infirmary, and Teal’c passes out. Bra’tac explains that it was a conjured memory Teal’c just experienced. He also says this:

“Pain is what we seek. Teal’c’s path was laid down with suffering. It is the path he must take to return to us.”

With that, he encourages them to speak to Teal’c, though he may be unconscious, in an attempt to help him remember other events in his life. For now, though, he must leave.

Carter accompanies Bra’tac to the VIP room (I hope it’s bra’tac enough for him) and expresses her concern for Teal’c. And then we get horrible news from Bra’tac.

This will probably be his last symbiote, and it will mature in about two years.
What?! No!!

But he’s got a good point: “Life for the sake of life is nothing.”

Aww, Bra’tac! Why do you make me so sad yet so happy?

Once more in the infirmary, O’Neill speaks to Teal’c first. (What a friend.) Daniel pulls up a chair. As Jack questions his friend, we’re taken back to another memory…

…And we’re on the Goa’uld mothership again. Shortly after the last memory, he’s speaking to his friend Va’lar, and expresses his distress over Apophis punishing him merely for sticking up for his father.

“What god would punish a son for loving his father?”

Va’lar reprimands Teal’c for this question, and gives him this piece of advice: “Today you served Apophis well in battle. Serve him well again tomorrow and you may live to see another day.”…

This memory really tells a lot about warrior Jaffa and their relationship to the Goa’uld. You either fight and subjugate yourself, or you die. There is no other option.

…And the infirmary again!

Daniel and Jack argue over what he had said (“Velour? The fabric?”) but Teal’c finally speaks up and says that Va’lar had been his friend. He finally realizes that he’s strapped down, and claims that the Rite has succeeded, and the same old “oh I’m better now!”… But when they ask him what happened to Va’lar, he says that he “failed his god”.

Nope, not Teal’c.

(Chuck Testa. Kidding.)

But I love what O’Neill says in reply.

“His god? You mean that scum-sucking, overdressed, boom box-voice, snake in the head? Latest on our long list of dead bad guys?”

You forgot “jerkface”, O’Neill.

…And another memory is conjured…

Bra’tac is training with Teal’c in the snow (I should mention here that we have full view of Teal’c’s very nice upper body) and when Teal’c starts to get a little bit cocky, Bra’tac more or less calls him out on it… and kicks his butt straight into the snow.

“Who can stop me? Apophis? So you believe our lord Apophis is all seeing? All-powerful?”

 (No, Bra’tac, Apophis could never stop you! He’s an arrogant jerkface!)

He more or less questions Teal’c’s belief that Apophis is a god, saying that in battle, only wits and strength, not blind faith, will save him.

Back in the infirmary, Teal’c tries to get at Jackson this time, insisting that he’s never questioned his faith. (Uh, friend, your memories say otherwise.) And then, we get another memory…

“Do not test my temper, woman!”

…On Chulak, Teal’c is with Drey’auc. (Oh hey Drey’auc!) He’s struggling between his loyalty to Bra’tac (yay!) and his loyalty to Apophis (boo…) and whether or not to tell his (false) god of Bra’tac’s betrayal. Drey’auc insists that he must first honour Apophis, but he’s still unclear…

“Woman? Did he just call me a woman?”

We’re once more in the infirmary, and Carter joins them. They’re sure that something’s happened, but they’re still not sure quite what. O’Neill and Jackson get some shut-eye, but Carter now joins him. He once again pulls a manipulator move, but thankfully she doesn’t fall for it. (Way to go, Sam.)

…And there’s yet another memory…

On the mothership, Va’lar has returned from a battle… one which it seems had been largely unwinnable… (Hm, remind you of anything? Teal’c? Remember your dad?) … and Teal’c has been summoned with Bra’tac to Apophis. Teal’c tries to tell the resident jerkface that perhaps Va’lar had merely been employing a strategy to defeat Ra in returning with greater forces.

Unfortunately, Teal’c is still ordered to execute him. However, though he returns to the battlefield armed for execution, he ends up cutting the ropes and letting Va’lar go free, though his friend protests. Teal’c then takes the symbiote of a dying Ra warrior and returns to the ship, announcing that he has killed Va’lar… and Apophis buys it.

I think above all the memories we’ve seen so far, this one is the most defining. It is at this point that Teal’c realizes that even the “gods” can be fooled. However, more importantly, it shows that he recognizes honour and what is right or wrong in life. He had no doubt thought of his father, wrongfully executed, and did not wish the same fate for his friend.

We flash back to the infirmary, and Carter is still at his side. Hammond and O’Neill talk up in the observation, and Hammond expresses his thoughts that he, too, would rather see Teal’c pass on from this than have to live in high security the rest of his life.

And we go back one more time…

Teal’c is startled awake, and when Drey’auc asks him what is wrong, he tells her that he was ordered to burn down a village… the village he had suggested Va’lar to go to. Basically, it’s now haunting him.

A while later…

Teal’c approaches Bra’tac, and he has now been made First Prime. Bra’tac’s not happy, and I think it’s more because Teal’c has once again deemed Apophis a “god”. Teal’c doesn’t understand, and Bra’tac explains that he had seen the “spark of doubt” in Teal’c, and wishes his apprentice to do as he has done: more or less manipulate Apophis so that his rule will not be as detrimental. (Think “Cor-Ai”, when he was able to kill only one man, rather than the entire village.)

“His will can be made to bend.”

Nonetheless, he will still do things that will haunt him, but Bra’tac is convinced that Teal’c can still make a difference.

Later yet…

Teal’c converses with Bra’tac about… HEY, IT’S SG-1! Well, not yet. This looks like COTG to me. Teal’c tells his mentor that he has seen a strength and a spark of freedom in them, and…

…Back to the infirmary.

“What have I done?”

And then he flatlines.

SG-1 has gathered, and Bra’tac soon returns. He grabs Teal’c by the face, saying that now is his time. Now he must choose his path. We flashback between Teal’c’s defining moment – his final betrayal of Apophis at the palace during COTG – and the infirmary. They return his symbiote as he remembers – “I can save these people! Help me!” – and then they try the shock paddles – “Many have said that… but you are the first I believe could do it!” – and then he flashes back between many moments over the past four years…

…and he awakens. “I choose freedom.”

YAY!!! TEAL’C IS BACK ! HE’S BAAACK AND HE’S OKAAAY!!!

“Apophis is a false god. A dead false god.”

Right on, Teal’c. I knew you had it in you.

And that’s why I love him.

Final thoughts… AAAHHH

AAAHHH WHAT AN AMAZING EPISODE!

SO MUCH LOVE! Please excuse me while I just curl up into a little ball of “that was sooo BRA’TAC!!!” because it really was because we had Bra’tac and Teal’c and SG-1 and just in general really great things and we got to learn so much about Teal’c and just… squee!!

I loved, loved, loved how this episode played out. It was just really incredible… and it wasn’t all doom and gloom the whole time. Every once in a while, Jack or Daniel would throw in a little humour, but overall it was just beautiful. I loved seeing all the different parts of Teal’c’s life. He’s such a mystery but I felt like this episode really humanized him.

You see, the truth is, I’ve always felt that Teal’c has always gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to his characterization. There are times he doesn’t say more than a few lines, and frankly, I find it kind of annoying. He is such an interesting character with so much potential for backstory, not to mention the fact that the fight against the Goa’uld is a very personal battle for him. What’s more, we never really got to know why he betrayed Apophis and followed SG-1. “Threshold” really filled a lot of holes in his character and in his past, and just watching his transformation from a young apprentice to his realization of what was right – the values of honor, loyalty, and freedom – and wrong – the façade that the Goa’uld are gods.

Besides, we got to see Bra’tac in action. How cool is that? I loved that training scene in the snow. And, no, not just because Teal’c was shirtless. (But that certainly didn’t hurt.)

Just super-fantastic. Love, love, loved it!

PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY

(GROUP HUG TIME.)

(A group hug occurs. YAY!)

"Enemies" ( 5 x 01 )

So! Last time on Stargate, we captured a Ha’tak vessel, blew up a star, lost a member to Jerkface Apophis, and got flung four million light years away from Vorash, right next to the snake himself.

And I’ve got a bad, bad, bad feeling about this.

Sure enough, everything on the Ha’tak vessel is non-operational. Things like, say, hyperdrive, are all shot. Figuring they might have a chance to get out of this alive, Jacob lets Selmak take over and they hail Apophis. Unfortunately, the jerkface doesn’t feel like negotiating (they never do) and plans to kind of destroy them.

Well, this is unfortunate.

Suddenly, just as Apophis’ ship is firing on them (and, uh, not hitting), another ship comes up from behind them and fires on the enemy. (ASGARD!? Oh please, please, please let it be the Asgard! Or some other cool person! If it’s Thor he’ll know to save Teal’c, right?)

Anyways, Jacob moves the ship out of sensor range, and he and Sam work to fix the shields, and they succeed. Hyperdrive isn’t as well off, and they already used the backups.

Jack’s feeling guilty for not seeing the ambush on Vorash coming, and Daniel tries to console him with the idea that, “I’m sure you did your best.” I would never blame O’Neill for this, but I have no doubt he’s taking it pretty hard right now, even though he doesn’t show it. He and Teal’c have a dynamic that no one else in their little team really has, and he probably feels like he’s let his friend down.

Meanwhile, back at the SGC, the Tok’ra stop by and give Hammond the bad news. Re’nal doesn’t think any of them have survived, but there is one good thing: The System Lords have been thrown into chaos. But despite her words, Hammond’s not giving up:

“You’ll forgive me for holding on hope a little longer. SG-1 has a surprisingly good habit of beating the odds.”

That’s the spirit!

The hyperdrive is still off-line, but they’re going to try to get away. They move back into sensor range, and the only ship out there is… Apophis. Well, darn it anyways.

But here’s where it gets interesting:

There are no life signs on board.

(Teal’c?!)

Carter, O’Neill, and Jacob transport over to the other ship… and there are dead bodies everywhere. Carter hears a clicking and OOOHHH MY GOD REPLICATORS

EVERYWHERE!

Well, there go my hopes of the Asgard coming to save the day. And now we know what that third ship was. …However, there is also the notion that Apophis got his face eaten off by a Replicator. Teehee…

The three quickly go back over to the Ha’tak and high-tail it out of there after rigging the self-destruct.

Whew!

And hey, we’ve got hyperdrive again!

…But there’s a ship on sensors. Another one. A cargo ship. Jacob hails them and

IT’S TEAL’C!!

…But something doesn’t seem quite right.

When Jack goes to embrace his friend in the cargo bay…

…Teal’c pulls a gun on him.

And then JERKFACE APOPHIS shows up.

“Well done, Teal’c. Finally, you have resumed your rightful position as my First Prime.”

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!

Teal’c (nooo, this can’t be him! It can’t!) forces the three of SG-1 into a holding cell and when Jack tries to figure out exactly what’s going on, thinking this is all some elaborate plan, Teal’c violently backhands him. Jackson tries to talk some sense into him, too, but to no avail.

I hate that dead look in his eyes. Just absolutely hate it.

But I hate what he says next even more:

“It makes me ill to think I was forced to pretend to be your friend. So many times I saved your life when I wished I could watch you die.”

Okay, now that is NOT Teal’c. It’s NOT. That’s not even his personality at his worst.

Daniel even brings up the brainwashing of Rya’c, but even that’s not getting through to him.

YOU KNOW WHAT SICKENS ME, TEAL’C?

SEEING YOU LIKE THIS.

Meanwhile, Jacob, armed with a zat, sneaks around. (Leave it to him to escape okay. Let’s just hope he can rescue SG-1… and Teal’c for that matter!)

Teal’c approaches Apophis (as much as I hate to see him in that Serpent Guard armour, it is really awesome-looking; not to mention the epic cape) and goes after our Tok’ra friend.

Jacob finds the holding cell, and with every intention of getting the three of SG-1 out of there, is suddenly apprehended by Teal’c and Apophis’ cronies.

Well, there goes that plan.

And then… the ship starts to shut down.

OH MY GOD MORE REPLICATORS.

AAAUUGH.

They must’ve stowed away on the cargo ship!

(Yeah, Teal’c, I bet you wish you had your silly little Tau’ri friends now, don’t you?!)

A big, fat, larger-than-usual Replicator crawls into their cell, and they all escape through the small opening it’s created. The good thing is, Apophis can’t escape any more than we can, and of course those nice little zats don’t work.  Apophis leaves his men behind at the mercy of the Replicators… why? Because he’s an honourless jerkface.

While Jacob and Daniel go to secure the cargo ship, Carter and O’Neill try to find Teal’c so they can bring him back with them. (Hey, one shot with a zat should clear him right up, right?)

Jack rolls a shock grenade down the hallway, but Teal’c’s still not down.

…And then Jack shoots him.

Junior better be workin’ overtime because IF TEAL’C DIES…

They rush over and… he’s alive, WHEW, thank god! Carter and O’Neill quickly take him up and to the cargo bay.

And our good friend Apophis? He’s frantically trying to get control back, but the bugs are coming!

(YOU had it coming!)

And I love the freaked-out look on his face.

Just as they get Teal’c on board and tied up, the ship resumes hyperspeed and is back on its way. Carter, O’Neill, Jackson, and Jacob head out, and they figure out that we’re headed towards Sokar’s old stomping grounds. And us? We’re going many, many times faster than we should be.

Hey, that means that we’ll be back home soon!

But that also means… the Replicators will be there, too.

We plan to do the same as last time and crash the ship into the planet, thus destroying the bugs, while they escape with the cargo ship.

When the three make it to the engine room, there’s  FREAKING HUUUUGE REPLICATOR (like, literally, twenty or so feet tall, at best) but it’s… sleeping. (“Sleep mode”?) Carter and O’Neill shoot down the deceleration drive, and then all hell breaks loose.

The biggest Replicators I think I’ve ever seen chace after them, and holding them off is proving easier said than done. They don’t just break apart like the ones that had been on the Beliskner. They fight their way back through a hail of metal pieces and Jacob rings them aboard.

YAY!!

AND WE’RE OUT!

And the last we see of Apophis… is bugs crawling around his shield… and his enraged scream… as the ship crashes into the planet…

Haaahaha. What a great way for him to finally go out.

YOU BETTER BE DEAD THIS TIME, MAN.

But Teal’c? He’s not himself yet. He doesn’t even believe Jack when he tells him Apophis is dead.

“Gods cannot be killed.”

Final thoughts… Sometimes, you just want to punch a snakehead in the face.

…That said, this was an epic season premiere.

We had Replicators and the Goa’uld and epic space explosions and great acting and writing and directing and… just perfection! Sure, not everything about it story-wise made me all that happy, but that’s just because I love Teal’c so much and hate to see him acting so out-of-character.

The first thing I’m trying to figure it is what the heck Apophis actually did to our poor friend here. Yes, I know he was put in the sarcophagus, but we’re talking what looks to me like a complete personality change. This isn’t just awakening some feelings and burying the others. It’s my understanding that Teal’c had always been a man of principle and that he’d simply been waiting for the right allies to come along… or something like that.

I mean, the guy went from “We are brothers” to “it makes me ill”. This isn’t even the quiet (or not so quiet) venom we saw against people like Tanith… or Terok, for that matter. It’s something much, much colder. And much scarier.

I believe this also speaks very strongly of Goa’uld nature at its worst. Apophis did far worse than merely end Teal’c’s life… though one could argue that the Teal’c we all know and love (and if you don’t love him excuse me while I check the back of your neck for any incriminating evidence) is dead. He turned him against his comrades; his friends. He made him his ever-loyal First Prime. And we all know how mentally tough Teal’c is. I just find it crazy how far he was swayed. It seems that the Goa’uld are the ultimate manipulators.

I shudder to think what any of them could do to anyone else in the future.

Speaking of Tanith… If I just missed something the Tok’ra said to Hammond, or simply wasn’t paying attention, can someone tell me if that slimeface (See? He gets a nickname too) lived or not? Did he die in the original explosion of Apophis’ vessel? Or did get take a shuttle or something away when they were still back near Vorash? Because if he just died in the original explosion, or in the supernova or something, I’m sorry, but that’s just not going to fly with me. Teal’c was already more-or-less denied revenge against Cronus (it was his android copy that made the final shots) and certainly Apophis. Does he ever get to exact revenge on anyone?

I’m curious as to how he’ll react when he finally comes back to his senses and realizes that Apophis died. Well, I presume he died. He had Replicators swarming around him as the ship crashed. (SO EPIC.)

AH! REPLICATORS! Our next order of business. Y’know, I’m kind of having a love-hate thing for the bugs now. I love ‘em because they inadvertently helped us get rid of Apophis. I also loved the look on the jerkface’s… face when they first entered behind him. They also got us back home really, really quickly. Of course, we lost our precious Ha’tak vessel in the process… but that’s okay. And the Replicators have, once again, been thwarted in their attempt to invade our galaxy. Well, kind of. I suppose they could take whatever ship they like and just zoom on over here…

Also: MASSIVE BUGS. They’re kind of gross but really awesome and very, very scary. I loved the combination of small and huge Replicators, all chasing after Carter, Daniel, and O’Neill in that final chase scene. So, so, so amazing. And, oh, do I wonder when we’ll see them next..!

I suppose the bottom line is that things are actually pretty good the big scheme of things. The Replicators aren’t here… yet. Apophis is probably (and it’s a BIG probably) dead. A couple other Goa’uld are dead, too. According to Re’nal, the System Lords are fighting again. (That’s a good thing.)

But since this is Stargate SG-1…

…What’s going to happen to Teal’c?

His little brainwashing by way of Jerkface Apophis seems to have been pretty complete. Of course this is also just a kudos to Chris Judge, but even that little bit of glimmer in his eyes was gone. He’s just nothing like we knew him to be. Of course, they might get him back to normal off-camera, but I’m hoping we get to see the process… whatever that may be. In any case, I hope that there are at least a couple lasting repercussions from this whole experience. As a character builder, I think it’s important.

Nothin’ like having your best friend shoot at you.

It just kind of sucks.

All in all, though? The best season finale/premiere combo since "Within the Serpent's Grasp".

REFLECTION/PREDICTION THINGY

(TEAL’C I WANT YOU TO GET BETTER.)

(Our annoying little Mary Sue friend Marie shows back up. Oh boy.)

Marie: TEEEEEAL’C I WANT YOU TO GET BETTER.

(Teal’c glares at her.)

Marie: What about all those fun adventure times you had with Jack?

(Teal’c glares at her.)

Marie: Um, okay, what about when you went fishing with him after you guys got stuck in that Interceptor together, even though there weren’t any fish in the pond?

(Teal’c glares at her.)

Marie: WOULD YOU STOP GLARING AT ME?

(Teal’c glowers at her.)

Marie: Okay. That’s it. That is the final straw. (Ahem) ‘A Serpent Guard, a Horus Guard, and a Setesh Guard meet on a neutral planet…’

Teal’c: SHEL KREE, TAU’RI!!

(Hey, Teal’c. If it makes you feel any better, I really loved that red-tinted armour. And the cape.)

Season Four Reflection

While there wasn’t a whole lot of new stuff in this past season, it was a really good one for character development. There was also a lot of hardship this time around, and while it may have ended up in victory for our protagonists, it wasn’t without sacrifice…

It seems that so many people died this season. Martouf, who had been a regular, Shan’auc, Cronus, and essentially Sarah (Daniel’s fling) as well, since she was Goa’uld’ed. I mean, these guys go through hardships every season, but this time it was especially dramatic. I suppose part of me still can’t believe that Martouf is dead, so I have to keep reminding myself.

We started the season with Replicators, but the rest of the season we’ve been dealing with various Goa’uld – particularly those whom we have faced before and others whom could be potentially dangerous in the future. Among these new faces are Osiris and Tanith, the latter of course seen again in this season’s finale. He’s not a System Lord, but he’s still significant in that Teal’c has a personal vendetta against him… as we saw.

Other than that, we’ve got the Asgard indebted to us, some major tensions in a growing relationship with the Tok’ra, and some Goa’uld who would just rather see us gone. I’m thinking specifically of Yu and Nirrti, since they had signed the treaty alongside Cronus at the beginning of the third season. With one of their own gone, I fear retaliation may be in store. The Replicators aren’t being a problem right now, but I don’t think they’re gone for good. They’ve got to show again.

There were also some good character developments. The first that comes to mind for me is of course O’Neill and Teal’c, what with their little ordeal on the Interceptor in “Tangent”. They just really seem to have grown into having this bond between them. I hate to put it this way but it is totally a bromance. But it’s so fantastic. Love those two.

There’s also the whole Sam and Jack thing which we’ve kind of been teased with since “Solitudes” (1x19). It was hinted at in “Upgrades” and the truth solidified in “Divide and Conquer”. They then had their moments in “Window of Opportunity”, “Beneath the Surface”, and “Entity”. Of course, nothing’s actually going to happen, but it’ll be something to watch for as the series progresses.

And Daniel has another woman he loves roaming around the galaxy as a Goa’uld. That guy just doesn’t have a hint of luck. However, I will say that we saw some good friendship moments between him and Jack in “Absolute Power”, “The Light”, and maybe in “The Other Side”, too.

My biggest issue with Season Four? No Bra’tac. AT ALL. But I suppose all that Jacob kind of makes up for it. And a friend of mine tells me he’ll show up quite soon… let’s hope so!

So what were the best episodes for each of the SG-1 team? Here’s what I say:

Best episode for… JACK O’NEILL

“The Other Side” (4x02)

Okay, I know you all probably think I only liked this episode for Rene Auberjonois, but that’s not true! I thought it was also one of the best episodes for SG-1’s commanding officer.

O’Neill has to make a lot of tough decisions. Heck, he has to make tough decisions nearly every episode because he’s the colonel and everyone’s depending on him to make the right choice. However, he’s far from perfect. He is at times so goal-oriented and grounded in his military training that he fails to see the “bigger picture” as it were. Of course, that’s why he has people like Daniel around to keep him from making stupid decisions, but let’s face it: He doesn’t always listen. And this time, his not listening almost benefitted some very unpleasant people.

In the end, Jack realized what was going on and was able to stop things before they progressed further. However, he then made another morally questionable decision in his order to “close the iris” before Alar could get through. He’s a confident leader, but sometimes I think he gets a little too confident… But then O’Neill shows his true colours when push comes to shove and he’s got to make a choice. In the end, he usually makes the right decision.

Best episode for… DANIEL JACKSON

“Scorched Earth” (4x09)

As I think I said in the summary, this was Jackson at his finest. The other contender was “The First Ones”, but I felt that this spoke more to his overall abilities.

It’s always been my overall impression that Daniel is the most human character on SG-1. He really knows how to communicate well and is quick to empathize with others, even if they are so different from us. If humanity were to make first contact with an alien species tomorrow, I’d want Doctor Daniel Jackson to be the first one they meet. Where Jack can sometimes be a little narrow-minded, Daniel tends to be the worldly “big picture” thinker. He’s also in many ways a scientist in that he carefully considers each and every option, no matter how outlandish or improbable it may be.

In “Scorched Earth”, where Jack was ready to blow the Gadmere ship up, Daniel found a way to make it a win-win for everyone. The Gadmere got the planet they absolutely needed, and the Enkarans got to go home. O’Neill gets emotionally invested too, but he’s more the loyalty side than the everyone’s side like Jackson. They play off each other quite nicely and it’s always fun to see them interact, even if it seems like Daniel has more influence on his friend than Jack would care to admit.

Best episode for… SAMANTHA CARTER

“Small Victories” (4x01)

As the series has progressed, I’ve come to like Carter more and more. This episode was both Amanda Tapping at her finest and some very good writing for AT’s character.

The thing that sets Carter apart from other scientists in her field is that she’s very creative and has an uncanny ability to think out of the box. She usually ends up being right (which is of course great for her team), but it’s always a risk, and she took a huge risk with her plan to blow the O’Neill in order to take out the Replicator ships. What’s more, simply the fact that she was able to convince Thor to try her “stupid idea” was huge. We all know how smart the Asgard are, and despite the fact that they came to us doesn’t make it any less significant. Thor obviously had some major confidence in the major’s abilities in order to follow through on her plan.

All hail Samantha Carter, the queen of crazy ideas that always save us in the end!

Best episode for… TEAL’C

“The Serpent’s Venom” (4x14)

I love Teal’c in just about everything. I loved him in “Crossroads”, “Tangent”, “Point of No Return” (Murray… haha)… so many things. I love it when he just tilts his head and raises his eyebrow and totally steals the entire scene. But more than anything, I love to see laughing in the face of his torturous interrogator.

I’m really not a whump-obsessed kind of person. I found myself cringing through nearly all of Teal’c’s scenes in this one, but good god were they brilliant! The way he held himself up against everything Terok threw at him was just incredible. He was so steadfast in his beliefs and sense of rightness, that not even the threat of death and further torture could shake him. He’s got a heart of gold and an iron resolve.

However, even more than that, I loved his scenes with Rak’nor. Though Rak’nor had betrayed Teal’c and was essentially the one who got him into this huge mess with Heru’ur and Apophis in the first place, Teal’c was more concerned with convincing Rak’nor of the truth than saving himself. He saw his sacrifice as a worthy price even if it meant getting just one more Jaffa to renounce the false gods of the Goa’uld. He really cares about his people just as strongly as he cares about his family and about SG-1, and that’s evident over and over again. He wants everyone to know what he knows and to taste freedom as he has tasted it. He’s selfless. That’s pretty much all there is to it.

…God I love him.

Best episode for… THE TEAM/PLOT

“Window of Opportunity” (4x06)

All right, I confess, this one didn’t exactly further the plot a whole lot, nor was it really all that important in the long run, but it was such a good episode I had to feature it somewhere, so I figured, why not here.

WoO is amazing in that it showcases everything that’s ever been great about Stargate SG-1. Everything from Carter’s way with technobabble and science to Jackson’s linguistic expertise to Jack’s “yeah, he actually IS a smart guy even if he doesn’t always act like it” to Teal’c’s unwavering (well, mostly) resolve were big in this one.

And let’s face it, the episode was absolutely hysterical. Teal’c will never approach a door too closely again, and Jack will never have Froot Loops once more for the rest of his life.

It was a great episode to see everyone working together to solve the mystery, and ultimately swaying the man behind it all to let go of that which he had lost.

SHINING GUEST STAR

Peter Wingfield (Tanith)

Does anyone else find it funny that last season I featured Peter Williams, and now it’s Peter Wingfield? Just a random thought…

Anyways. Ah, Peter Wingfield, how you manage to play such a creepy character and play him so well is almost beyond me. Even just his few scenes in “Crossroads” (especially the final staredown at the end between him and Teal’c… ooo) and “Exodus” were nothing short of amazing. He’s creepy all the time, but his scenes with Chris Judge are among the best for both of them. It’s a very, very subtle sense of loathing that just makes you shudder a bit.

In fact, you know who he reminds me of? Greg Stillson, from The Dead Zone, specifically the USA Network TV series, in which he was played by Sean Patrick Flanery. It’s kind of funny. Stillson was a politician – and the primary antagonist of the series (and the book for that matter), and he was creepy in that he seemed so… slimy.

Not that Tanith’s a slimeball.

I reserve that for Maybourne.

All in all, a great season, with an incredibly evil cliffhanger. Better get on with SEASON FIVE!