Stargate SG-1: Memento

“We will do this little barbecue of yours, but that’s as far as I go.”

• Release Date: 12th February 2003
• Season 6
• Episode 20
• Director: Peter DeLuise
• Writers: Damian Kindler

We start on the bridge of the Prometheus, Colonel is captaining the ship. The officers say that a Gou’ald ship is approaching and gets everyone to prepare for battlestations. It feels oddly, relaxed, like everyone is just bored of what they’re doing. We cut to elsewhere on the ship and Jack is complaining to Teal’c about the noise of the alarm and wants to talk to the captain. Jack reaches the bridge and the Ronson isn’t happy, telling Jack to speak to him when there isn’t a drill – Jack comments that there’s always a drill, which shows why everyone is tired of them.

Jack speaks to Hammond, saying he feels like he’s just in the way. His mission is just to sit around for the ship’s first proper mission in case something goes wrong – it’s just a short trip a few hours away. The ship is given permission to leave Earth and engage the hyperdrive. Once in hyperspace, Ronson asks for a full diagnostic and for another drill to be scheduled. He speaks to Jack, explaining that he wants his crew to be prepared as Jack won’t be here forever – but if there is something, SG-1 will be helping out. As they’re talking, the ship drops out of hyperspace too early.

Ronsan and SG-1 head to the bridge. The computer’s safety features ended the jump and won’t start back up. Something seems to be up with a buffer system that modulates the fluctuations caused by naquadria. She takes a look and the system is completely fried, caused by passing through some intense gravity waves. They can still use the hyperdrive, but could end up anywhere. Even worse, there’s no backup buffer and nothing on the ship that could be used to make one, which seems like a colossal oversight. It would take years to get back to Earth, but their supplies won’t last that long.

Jonas has a possible solution: there’s a planet that had a stargate at some point that’s quite close. Attempts at dialling it failed, but it could be buried (nobody brings up the possibility of it being taken away by the Gou’ald, which has happened before). While it would still take 4 months to get there, a short hyperdrive jump should be safe. They go ahead with it and make the jump.

They arrive at the planet, but the reactor starts to overload. They can’t shut it down, so the only option is to eject the warp core, I mean reactor. The resulting explosion doesn’t cause any major damage, but does shut down all of the ship’s main systems (life support and artificial gravity are fine). As they plan to begin repairs, the sensors detect two missiles approaching. With no shields or missions, they broadcast an open message explaining that the explosion above the planet was an accident and that they’re defenceless. The missiles are self destructed and the head of the planet’s security, Kalfas, gives them coordinates to land.

SG-1 head out to greet the locals to find a large force waiting for them, and big weapons aimed at the Prometheus. Kalfas takes them to the city (a very futuristic looking city) to meet their leader, Ashwan. Jack thanks him for sparing them and, while Kalfas is very hostile, he seems really happy to encounter life from another world. They request access to their stargate, but they don’t know what it is. After an explanation, they call it the “Ring of the Gods”, but is is nothing more than a myth. Carter asks for their historical records but, while Kalfas denies them to do anything other than return to their ship, Ashwan says he’ll send some documents over. After SG-1 leave, Kalfas says he thinks they’re preparing for an invasion, but Ashwan doesn’t think so.

SG-1 look into the documents and are baffled. There’s nothing to indicate Gou’ald technology or how these people arrived on the planet, and there isn’t anything going back over 300 years, so either they’re hiding something or their entire history has been erased. We cut forward a bit to Jack informing Ronsan that they’re hosting the leaders for a meal and a tour of the ship, in exchange for access to their main archive. Ronsan isn’t happy about not being involved.

In the library, Jonas and Teal’c are looking through the texts. A member of staff seems to be spying on them, extremely poorly, but in a very nervous way rather than a spy. They approach him and he introduces himself as Professor Solamon, and can say he can help them find the Ring of the Gods. On the ship, Jack gives them a tour and admits that the ship is military – but for defensive purposes against a species known as the Gou’ald. They have a meal, apologising about the food not being great, and ask about the lack of history. Ashwan says all evidence of their past was destroyed. After the meal, Ashwan stays behind, apologising for Kalfas, and mentioning that he’s been gaining political support as he thinks Ashwan is weak, and the arrival of the Prometheus hasn’t helped. 

In the professors office, Solamon shows some Gou’ald artifacts and explains that they refer to their creator, Horus (also known as Heru’ur). Teal’c clarifies that he’s not a god and didn’t create them, merely brought them here from Earth. He doesn’t seem off-put by it (his hunt for knowledge seems to be bigger than his beliefs) and shows them a scroll with a lot of egyptian writing – and it says the Stargate was buried in a desert to the north. The professor says his relics come from there.

Kalfas and Ashwan argue about their request to visit the coordinates in the desert, with Kalfas still claiming that it’s gathering intelligence for a reason, but Ashwan suspects it’s because he doesn’t want the Stargate to be found. Ashwan puts his foot down and orders him to take them there. He’s excited in helping them and exchanging and trading with Earth. Jonas, Teal’c and the professor are sent out and it doesn’t take long to locate the Stargate, buried under some coverstones.

The stargate is uncovered but as Jonas starts to use the DHD, Kalfas’s troops open fire, ordering to stop and holding everyone (including the workers that helped) hostage. Back in the city, Ashwan is appalled, but fears that arresting him could lead to civil war Kalfas. Carter suggests using the Prometheus and Ashwan says he chose the person in command of the guns aiming at the ship – he won’t fire if told not to. Jonas attempts to talk Kalfas down, but he’s not budging and wants to know how the Stargate works.

Jack tells Ronson the plan, but he’s not happy with it, saying he can’t take the risk, but Ashwan himself has come on board and says he’d die right alongside them. Ronsan reluctantly agrees and they head off to the desert. They head over, and Ashwan, Jack and Sam ring down to the surface. Ashwan asks Kalfas to stand down, giving a great speech about the value of history and how they and the people of Earth originated from the same place. The troops lower their weapons and Kalfas is taken into custody.

We cut back to later on, with Carter saying they’ll be back with supplies and Ashwan saying that the Prometheus and its crew will be welcomed guests until repairs are complete. They’re eager to learn more about their own history in their process, too. It’s definitely nice that first contact actually turned out quite well for once, despite a few setbacks. I wasn’t too fond of captain Ronson, who seems a bit too stiff to be commanding Earth’s first ship.