Stargate SG-1: Full Circle

“Don’t lose that tablet; it talks about a lost city that’s more valuable than anything.”

• Release Date: 19th February 2003
• Season 6
• Episode 22
• Director: Martin Wood
• Writers: Robert C. Cooper

We start on Abydos, Skaara is rallying up his people to defend themselves as Anubis is on his way. The elder (I think the actor for Kasuf was unavailable) is saying that Anubis can not find what he is looking for. Daniel appears and reiterates that they can not fail, although he points out that they won’t be alone. 

After the opening credits, Jack is in a lift when it suddenly stops. Daniel appears there and tells Jack that Anubis is on his way to Abydos, searching for a powerful trinket called the Eye of Ra, something that Daniel had been carrying a replica of. There are six of these in total, and Anubis has found five – with the final one capable of increasing their power tenfold. Jack isn’t amused, chastising Daniel for just appearing and asking for help when he hasn’t been around at all. They have a little chat, with Jack poking fun of how Daniel has ascended to a higher plane of existence, yet needs his help. Daniel points out that “The others” would stop him if he did too much.

In a briefing, Jack talks about the intelligence he received, although Hammond is confused and asks how Jack came about the intel. Jack reluctantly admits that Daniel told him, and is surprised that people believe him with no doubts. Jack said Daniel has spoken to him before, and Teal’c says he’s also seen Daniel – although Carter is baffled and also looks a bit hurt. He says that the Eye of Ra is hidden in Ra’s pyramid and the need to find it – this coming from Daniel is good enough for Hammond to approve the mission.

They head to Abydos, with Jack greeting Skaara and Jonas introducing himself. Teal’c helps set up a perimeter while Skaara shows the rest of SG-1 the catacombs that mention the eye. Skarra mentions that he is betrothed and asks Jack to be his side at the wedding, which pleases Jack a lot. He asks if he and Carter will be going together, with Carter mentioning they’ll both attend the wedding as friends.

As the Death Gliders and Jaffa troops approach the pyramid, Jonas is trying to translate to find clues, but says he needs Daniel’s help, wishing he was here. Jack says he’s definitely here, and after Jack calls for him, he appears. Jack wants him to help, but Daniel once again says he can’t. Jack persists, telling him he needs to cross that fine line. Daniel points to where the secret chamber is, but they need to figure out how to open it. Jack and Skaara head up to the ground level to help Teal’c and the abydonians, who have had to retreat due to overwhelming opponents. 

The message hints that light is the key, so Jonas uses a magnifying glass (Daniel recognises it as his own) to focus a torch but it doesn’t work. The wording is in red, so Daniel suggests a red light – so Carter tries the laser sight on her P90 and it opens. Inside are loads of artifacts. Back in the pyramid, more jaffa arrive and Skaara is injured. In the chamber, Daniel spots an Ancient tablet and reveals that the other ascendant beings are the Ancients. He says he needs to go, and that this tablet is immensely important, as it mentions a lost city that’s more important than anything else.

With Daniel gone, Jonas mentions they can’t find the eye. Carter suggests a secret compartment inside the secret chamber and Jonas knocks on the walls and finds it. He can’t find any kind of opening mechanism, but they don’t have time to faff around, so Carter shoots it open, finding the Eye of Ra inside. However, they’re too late. Jack and Teal’c have needed to retreat from the gate room, and Anubis is blocking it with a wormhole. They meet up in the chamber, and Jack sticks a big chunk of C4 onto the Eye. 

Anubis’ first prime –  Her’ak (who SG-1 encountered in “The Other Guys”) – approaches them, with Jack congratulating him for failing upwards. Jack says they have an explosive on the eye and are willing to blow themselves up. Her’ak stops and says he will need to speak to his master. When he leaves, he does say to Carter that he is willing to do it.

On Anubis’ ship, Her’ak lets Anubis know that Jack will destroy the eye if they’re not granted safe passage. Anubis tells him to threaten with the destruction of Abydos. Daniel appears and tells Anubis that he won’t harm Abydos, and that if he does, he’ll wipe him from existence. Anubis tells Daniel that he knows what Daniel is, but that he doesn’t know what Anubis is. After Her’ak returns, Jack thinks he’s bluffing and Skaara takes a turn for the worse, and as he dies, he ascends.

Daniel carries on negotiating with Anubis, just as Lord Yu and the other system lords turn up to request the Eye of Ra for themselves – Daniel told them about it. He suggests telling them that he doesn’t have the Eye yet so they can defeat him now, but then has another suggestion: he’ll hand over the Eye of Ra as long as he doesn’t touch the people of Abydos.

Daniel returns to SG-1 and they thank him for Skaara, but he has no idea – he realises that Oma is hare, helping people ascend. He’s also decided he doesn’t care about the rules any more – Anubis is ascended, or at least partly ascended in some way. The other ascended beings tried to send it back, but it didn’t work too well, but then they just decided that their job was done and he was no longer their problem. Daniel tells him about the deal and that the lost city mentioned on the tablet is far more important and has weapons that can defeat Anubis.

Jack ends the Eye over and the Jaffa leave, and when they reach the pyramid gate room, there are no bodies of the abydonians left, they must all have ascended. They dial the gate. In space, Anubis attacks the Gou’ald ships, with most retreating, then sets his sights on Abydos. He goads Daniel into attacking him, but, when he tries, forces pull him back and he vanishes. Her’ak is amazed, but Anubis is oddly modest and says he had nothing to do with it – but then fires upon Abydos.

SG-1 head through the gate, and Jack sees the weapon hit Abydos just as he steps through, with the Iris closing preventing the explosion from coming through. They quickly have a briefing. Anubis has a terribly powerful weapon that will give him power over the System Lords, Anubis is destroyed and Daniel is missing. As they know he would have done anything to stop Anubis, they’re worried about what has happened to him. All they have to go on is the tablet talking about the lost city.

We cut to a bit later, Carter is dialing Abydos again, after many failed attempts, and will do so until they can get the Tok’ra to look at the planet. It actually connects. The MALP goes through and everything is intact. SG-1 head through and find everyone seemingly alive, with Skaara greeting them. They’re all ascended and Oma helped them do it – they’ve not heard from Daniel. Skaara says goodbye and tells Jack that he will find his way – and that the Stargate will remain until they leave. After that, Abydos is no more. 

It’s a great episode that raises the stakes and introduces a new search – one that would lead to a new show. Anubis finally seems like a credible threat, ready for a new season.