“Then they shaved my head and painted my rear end blue.”
- Release Date: 30th November 2002
- Season 1
- Episode 12
- Director: Will Meugniot
- Writers: Steven Melching
Arriving on a tropical planet, Gus explains that this is a planet he read in a report and, with them being a few stops ahead of the Tlak’kahn (it doesn’t really work like that, though), they all deserve a little vacation. Suddenly, there’s an earthquake and Harrison is swept around a river (what happened to his superhuman swimming ability?) and Draga’s wind is injured by falling rocks.
As Harrison struggles to swim, he falls off a waterfall, but gets saved by a winged humanoid (they can’t fly). His name is A’abay, a member of the Makua tribe (who all speak in broken English used for racist stereotypes of native Americans). He is currently undergoing Kamanu – an initiation for his tribe that consists of completing dangerous tasks.
Ec’co uses the scanner on the buggy and determines that the volcano isn’t just going to erupt, it’s going to explode. He calculates it will explode in 24 hours, with an error margin of 24 hours (so, anytime in the next two days). It will take out the entire village. Bonner and Draga go and search for Harrison while Seattle and Stacey look for any villagers.
A’abay climbs up a mountain with Harrison following, and nearly dies when he refuses any help as it will void his Kamanu. After they make it, the next task is stealing an egg from a large and powerful flying creature. Harrison tries to tell A’abay that this is just stupid, and that standing up to his people and refusing to do it requires more bravery then just doing what they’re told.
At the creature’s lair, A’abay manages to snatch the egg, but the creature chases him. Harrison tries to lure it away, but his equipment is malfunctioning. A’abay puts down the egg and lets the creature take it, sacrificing his Kamanu to save Harrison’s life. The volcano rumbles again and Harrison says that his people may want to leave – but none have explored any other island before, they’re scared of the unknown.
Stacey and Seattle get to the village and tell them what is happening. They repeat what A’abay said, they don’t want to leave their island due to fear of the unknown, even if it means certain death. Harrison and A’abay return, with the villagers mocking him for not completing the Kamanu. Harrison tells them that he sacrificed it to save him, and the elder instantly changes his mind. Not only will they go to a new island, but they will abandon the Kamanu. A very fast turn.
The team all race back to the stargate and make it back in time, and we see the Makua arrive at a new island, ready to embrace their new challenge. An alright episode.
