Stargate SG-1: Cor-ai

• Release Date: 23rd January 1998
• Season 1
• Episode 16
• Director: Mario Azzopardi
• Writers: Tom J. Astle

SG-1 arrives on a planet that Teal’c recognises – it was one of the planets that Apophis liked to harvest from, with Teal’c having to choose. Everyone is in hiding and they enter what looks like a courtroom, so you know exactly what kind of episode this will be. The villagers come out, realising that SG-1 aren’t the Gou’ald but one recognises Teal’c – when he was younger, he saw Teal’c kill his father.

Jack creates an escape plan but Teal’c refuses to go. While he doesn’t remember this specific incident, he killed lots of people and perhaps if he can make one person feel better for himself, he can do some good. Jack doesn’t agree with this, and when a villager comes to get Teal’c’s confession, Jack says that he will represent Teal’c, not someone that is presuming he’s guilty.

At the trial, things don’t go too well. In this society, the victim is the one that decides if the person is guilty, and also decides his punishment. The court does allow for SG-1 to talk on his behalf. When the victim describes what happens more – his father only had one leg – Teal’c remembers and admits guilt.

SG-1 decide to try a different tactic and to try and make it clear that Teal’c is a very different person now. Carter talks about how Teal’c turned on the serpent guard and Jackson talks about how Teal’c chose his wife to be a host, but that he now considers Teal’c to be a friend. Not that much is said about Apophis or how Teal’c was raised from birth to see him as a god, which I found a bit strange. Despite this, he’s still sentenced to death.

Jack decides to head back with Carter. Against Teal’c’s wishes, he wants to get a large group of soldiers to intimidate the villagers, hopefully without bloodshed. Daniel talks to villagers and Teal’c and comes up with a new argument, as his choice of killing wasn’t just random.

These villagers run into caves and tunnels when the Stargate activates, they can be hard to find. They never leave anyone behind, so they were caught because of the father. When Teal’c was ordered to kill one as an example (with Apophis saying he’d kill everyone if he doesn’t pick quickly), Teal’c decided to pick the slowest member of the group so they could flee easier next time. The victim acknowledges this, but still wants Teal’c to die.

Hammond refuses a task force and Jack and Carter head back on their own. It seems like the Gou’ald have turned up, or at least a Jaffa strike force. They deal with the ones outside the courtrooms while Teal’c stabs Shackle, throws himself in front of a blast to save some villagers and takes the last one out. He hands the staff over and the victim decides to let Teal’c live. Jack says that they can help teach them to fend off future Gou’ald attacks and they head off.

I do like that you get more information on the kind of stuff Teal’c did under Apophis, and how he subtly undermined him whenever he could. Jack does go a bit overboard with wanting to launch an assault on these villagers, but Teal’c is a friend as well as a valuable asset. A good episode overall.