“Because I care about her. A lot more than I’m supposed to.”
- Release Date: 28th July 2000
- Season 4
- Episode 5
- Director: Martin Wood
- Writers: Tor Alexander Valenza
Jack O’Niell is having a meeting at the Tok’ra base. Despite a few recent disagreements, the United States of America and the Tok’ra are going to be signing an official treaty. As Earth are still keeping the existence of the Stargate a secret, the President can’t just drop important meetings, so a date has to be picked based on his schedule. The Tok’ra leader, Supreme High Councilor Per’sus, walks into the room and agrees with the date when one of the men with Jack pulls out a tiny Gou’ald weapon and shoots up the place, killing some Tok’ra before making himself explore. Per’sus managed to survive the encounter, but it’s still disturbing.
Speaking to Freya (the host for Anise, who doesn’t say anything in this episode), she says she suspects that it was something called a Za’tarc – a special kind of mind control from the Gou’ald. The victim is unaware that anything has happened due to false memories and acts normally until a trigger point. Martouf points out that this is all a theory, but Freya is confident and even has a device to try and detect them.
Back at SGC, they begin screening people, starting with the members of the team the first Za’tarc was on. This works by having them recite what happened to them on missions (including their feelings) and any discrepancies with their subconscious will mark that there is a false memory there. Lt Astor is revealed to be a Za’tarc and she agrees to try a theoretical treatment to remove the hidden instructions. It goes wrong, with Lt Astor managing to grab a gun and shoot like crazy before killing herself.
When SG-1 are tested, they’re questioned specifically about their mission to blow up Apophis’ new ship in Upgrades. Teal’c and Daniel pass (we even get to see Daniel beating up some Jaffa that wasn’t in that episode), yet the device detects an inconsistency for both Jack and Carter, around the time where they’re trapped on opposite sides of the forcefield. Both are identified as Za’tarcs, which they can’t believe at all. They both get quarantined. Hammond, Martouf, Freya and Dr Fraiser discuss options, and it seems likely that Jack and Sam will kill themselves if they can’t complete their mission.
Freya visits Jack to apologise – they were only on that mission due to her. She ends up kissing Jack, who is rather confused. He clearly finds her attractive, but something is stopping him, and it doesn’t seem to be just because she’s a host for a Tok’ra (something Freya doesn’t help with by saying Anise likes Daniel). She ends up leaving. Once everyone agrees on what options are available, Martouf visits Carter, saying that either she gets sedated until they find a new option or they try the procedure that failed before. He also admits that he has feelings for her, and Carter seems a bit uncomfortable.
Daniel visits Jack and they have a wonderfully awkward conversation. He tells Daniel that Freya kissed him and that Anise fancies Daniel. Carter agrees to be sedated, but Jack does not want to do that again. He agrees to go through the procedure, saying that if he dies, then his brain can be studied and hopefully used to save Carter.
As Carter gets sedated, she starts reliving the memory at the forcefield again, remembering the looks they gave each other. She tells Dr Fraiser that the tests were wrong, and Fraiser rushes off to stop Jack’s treatment. Carter speaks to him privately and lets him know that they’re not Za’tarcs, but that the device is triggering because they’re not admitting what they can’t admit due to their jobs and ranks. Jack gets tested again and goes through it in more detail, saying he refused to leave because he cares for Carter more than he’s supposed to.
After both are tested, they discuss the betting between the president and Tok’ra leader which is imminent. Freya mentions that the Tok’ra were all tested at their base, and all SGC personnel are now clear. Jack points out that Freya has not been tested, but she points out that she’s not been in a situation where it could have happened (which seems like a very weak excuse), but then Carter brings up Martouf – he’s been missed, and the president is about to walk into the room with him.
When the president walks in, Matrouf pulls out the tiny Gou’ald gun and starts shooting, missing most things. He gets shot a lot but still stands. He starts to aim at himself when Carter shoots and kills him. Hammond apologises to the Tok’ra leader, saying that the president was actually a decoy, and the real one will be here shortly. Per’sus says he hopes this is the last time they have to deceive each other.
This episode is great for Jack and Sam finally admitting their feelings for each other, while also acknowledging that neither can do anything about it while they’re still out saving the world. Anise/Freya is quite annoying again, and this would be her last appearance.
