“Thank you sir. I like yours. Your Air Force. The Air Force. I love the Air Force.”
- Release Date: 24th January 2001
- Season 4
- Episode 19
- Director: Peter DeLuise
- Writers: Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
Jack enters General Hammond’s office to complain about his next mission – essentially a risk assessment of a planet that already has a temporary base in it. Hammond introduces Jack to General Ryan, the Chief of Staff and head of the entire Air Force (both here and the actual Chief of Staff in real life). General Ryan wants to establish a permanent off world research base. It’s just him and Teal’c as Daniel is out with another team (he doesn’t appear in this episode) and Carter is giving a lecture.
She’s at an Air Force training facility, explaining theoretical wormhole physics and advanced mechanics, something that must be difficult when she has actual experience with it but can’t mention it – not even the professor (who taught her) knows. One of the cadets, Jennifer, points out that one of Sam’s equations is wrong. Her professor dismissed her but Sam realises that she was correct.
On the planet, the team Jack and Teal’c are relieving are very relieved about it – the scientists at the research station are a pain and very impatient. The lead scientist, Hamilton, is very quick to make demands of Jack, wanting to explore a nearby cave system, but Jack says he has to check it out first. The caves are clear (Jack wanted Hamilton to be wrong), but they spot a tiny emergency creature on the way back, zooming around and darting through solid trees as though they’re not there.
Carter speaks to Jennifer about a paper she did, she’s very stubborn about being right about her assumptions with wormholes. Sam points out that she has no way of knowing that her assumption about matter flowing both ways is correct, to which Jennifer says to show her a one way wormhole and she’ll reconsider. Which must be frustrating for Carter, who has been through hundreds of one- way wormholes. She speaks to the head of the academy and discovers that Jennifer has also broken the nose of a higher ranking student (who made a derogatory insult towards someone else), with expulsion being the usual punishment.
Hamilton and two other scientists try to sneak away to investigate the creature, with one of them – Dr Lee – being the voice of reason and that they need to listen to Jack (there’s a reason he’s the only recurring character from this trio, and he becomes a fan favourite, too). Hamilton insults Jack just as they’re passing him. Jack and Teal’c mentions that these things could be dangerous – they can pass though solid matter. They end up looking for the creatures, with Hamilton astounded when he finds a swarm and they surround him.
Carter offers Jennifer the chance to quit the air force, but she refuses. Even if she believes she’s too good, she’s still sticking around. She isn’t expelled, but still will still be punished. Carter asks to take her with her – she believes that showing her what the future has in store. She takes her to Stargate Command, where a very reluctant General Hammond agrees to let her go though the Stargate. They head through and meet up with Jack and Teal’c.
At the research station, Hamilton has trapped one of the creatures in the electrical field. Jennifer asks if they know if it’s in pain, and Jack decides to let it free. Jennifer is amazed to be on a new planet, even though it looks very similar to Earth, although it gets pointed out that it’s a moon (but everyone still calls it a planet). The scientists look around for the creatures and the redshirt scientist finds them – only to get attacked. Dr Lee sees and knows he can’t help, so rushes off to warn the others.
The creatures attack the station, but they use the electrical discharge of the Zats to keep them at bay, with Teal’c seeming very happy at having the opportunity to stun Hamilton when he gets attacked. Carter rigs up the power generator to the metal walls of the building, which keeps them at bay. They just don’t know how long the generator will last, and the place to refuel is on the other side of the compound.
Sam and Jennifer have two very different ideas about what is going on. Sam thinks that the creatures are attacking because we hurt and imprisoned one of them, while Jennifer thinks that the movement of the moon around the planet is causing it, as they’re now above the pole and out of the normal magnetic field. They say they can’t both be right (although the magnetic field could make them more agitated with them reacting in a harsh manner). For Sam’s plan, they need someone to run to the gate (after being hit by a zat once) to activate it, for Jennifer’s plan, they just need to wait.
Jack goes with Carter’s idea, but when Jennifer goes “of course”, Carter points out that who is right does not matter. Jack running to the gate only endangers himself, while waiting endangers everyone. Jack counts down from three while Teal’c shoots him instantly. Dr Lee uses smelling salts to wake him instantly and he rushes to the gate. As he dials (very slowly, for some reason), the effects from the zat wears off and he starts getting attacked, but Teal’c turns up to shoot them and everyone makes it through the gate, with the episode ending.
I don’t think this episode worked very well. Jennifer wasn’t likeable enough and just seemed smug. She never got a moment of realising that she isn’t right all the time, and we don’t even get to see her actually understand why Jack went with Carter’s plan. As a result, she just seems arrogant the entire episode.
