“Okay, it’s not the first one.”
- Release Date: 22nd August 1997
- Season 1
- Episode 6
- Director: Dennis Berry
- Writers: Robert C. Cooper
We see two members of an SG team, SG-9, running to the Stargate while being chased by people with primitive weapons, including dart guns. One of them gets caught and falls to the ground. The one that falls yells to be left behind and the other hangs around for a bit (long enough that he probably could have helped) and manages to dial the Stargate.
It turns out that the local people are following orders from the leader of SG-9, Jonas, who then shoots his teammate and orders for his body to be burned. Shortly after, SG-1 turns up to investigate and talk about how dangerous the planet’s sun is, with protection needed throughout the day (although it never seems like they actually have enough).
They meet up with the SG-9 squad mate that dialled the gate, Conner, who explains that when they arrived, the people bowed down to them like they were gods. This is something that Jack hates and always dismisses, but Jonnas pretended to be said god, apparently to protect his team at first, but he truly seems to believe it now. It was also revealed that Jonnas and Carter were once engaged.
Upon reaching the encampment (had after an attack where Conner gets kidnapped), SG-1 discovers that the people have been enslaved by Jonnas and are being worked to death building a temple and Conner is tied to a pole out in the sun. Jack comes up with a plan and they manage to convince the worker (who snuck off to get some water) that Jonnas is not a god and borrow his clothes.
While Jack tries to save Conner, Carter spots another member of SG-9 harassing a collapsed worker. She can’t stand it and heads off to stop him, with Daniel saying “we probably should have stopped her” and Teal’c acknowledging that “we would have failed”. She punches the slave torturer and gets kidnapped and brought to Jonnas.
Carter tries her best to talk Jonnas down, and even has the opportunity to kill him but can’t bring herself to do it. He then revealed that letting the other members of SG-9 escape was a trap for her, as he needs her expertise to perform the miracle he promised: activating a radiation shield to protect everyone from the sun. He uses the now captured O’Niell and Connor to convince Carter to figure out how to activate the device.
Meanwhile, Teal’c and Daniel discover that Jonnas promised to turn the sky orange, which Teal’c recognises as a Gou’ald shield. You need two devices to turn it on, but Jonnas does not know this. So they figure out where the second device is and get it ready.
Despite his promises, Jonnas sets up the Stargate on the floor and fails Earth, he makes a speech about casting the demons back to the underworld. Without sending a signal to open the Iris, it means this is an execution. Daniel intervenes and he and Jack argue that Jonnas is not a god, getting Jonnas to turn on his device only for it not to work.
Once the point is made, Daniel sends a signal to Teal’c to activate the shield. The people then cast their false God into the Stargate, killing him. Now they’re free and protected from the sun.
This is an enjoyable episode, which makes it a massive step up from the previous two episodes. It does seem a little bit early for there to be enough time for someone to solidify themselves as a god to a tribe, but there’s enough good moments that it’s not a big concern. I also like how Jonnas believing he was a god wasn’t him turning mad, but rather believing that if he can provide these people with what they need and get them to fend for themselves, he’s essentially a god for those reasons. He just did it in horrible ways.
