“I just couldn’t find Beck’s Ancient Phoenecian Symbology on CD at Archaeology.com, so…”
- Release Date: 29th September 2000
- Season 4
- Episode 14
- Director: Martin Wood
- Writers: Peter DeLuise
Teal’c is having a meeting on Chulak with two Jaffa leaders, arranging a meeting between them and more Jaffa about a rebellion. Teal’c points out that without the Jaffa, the Gou’ald have no army. One of them is very keen but the other, Rak’nor, reveals that he’s got the information he needed and will quash the rebellion. More guards show up and take Teal’c prisoner.
Back at Stargate Command, Jacob is enjoying some vacation time after having to blow his cover in Tangent and bringing Jack and Teal’c back to Earth. He gets a message from the Tok’ra. Tanith, the Gou’ald spy (that they are using for information while giving him fake information) has discovered that Apophis and Heru’ur are going to have a meeting to discuss an alliance. If this is successful, they’ll be able to overthrow the other System Lords and be the dominant force in the galaxy.
Jacob explains that the Gou’ald like to have their meetings in an ancient minefield created by an extinct group of human descendants. If the mines detect weapons fire, they’ll home in on the energy. The plan is to reprogram one of the mines to target a beacon that a spy on Apophis’ ship has. Which is easier said than done, as the mines move on a set course and touching anything will make them explode. Jack has a rant about the Tok’ra not explaining all details up front, but Jacob says he’s not like that.
We see Teal’c get tied up in a holding cell. Terok (a Gou’ald that is ok service of another) is here to torture Teal’c, and even brings a Gou’ald camera to film him. His plan is to torture Teal’c until he admits that the Gou’ald are true gods. They’ve realised how much influence Teal’c’s betrayal is happening and it shows they’re scared. He even says that he’s saving Teal’c’s soul for the afterlife. Teal’c remains defiant and Rak’nor seems genuinely concerned and unsure of what is right.
SG-1 join Jacob for his mission. Daniel is needed to translate the manual for the mine, Sam to reprogram it. And Jack joins them, too. He doesn’t want to risk his team on this mission, but he’s not going to let them go without him. They use Jacob’s Tel’tak cargo ship, which is cloaked on Earth and has been gutted out for more room (I wonder if all the bits were sent to Area 51) and head to the minefield.
In order to reprogram the mine, they need to use the rings to bring it on board and then perfectly match its flight path, some very tricky flying. They get it on board and open the control panel easily, but unlocking it proves to be an issue (even with Jacob expertly flying around another bomb while not allowing the one on board to hit a wall). The code Daniel translated is wrong and the bomb has started a countdown. Jacob has to help so Jack needs to pilot.
Apophis and Heru’ur turn up and Jacob taps into the communication. They discuss an alliance, with Heru’ur wants to keep his domain along with the territory of Cronos. To prove his loyalty, he offers Apophis a gift: Teal’c. Apophis closes the channel to think. With the mine, Sam asks Daniel to go through the numbers and she realises that there’s no zero, so bumping the numbers along own unlocks the device (lucky they just made 1 zero instead of creating a new symbol for zero), and they’re able to reprogram it.
Jack and Jacob argue about saving Teal’c and eventually agree on the plan – intercepting the matter stream between ships, which will need to decloak. On Heru’ur’s ship, Terok gets frustrated at Teal’c not giving in, smashing his camera. Teal’c keeps telling Rak’nor his beliefs. Before sending him to Apophis, Terok says he can end Teal’c’s suffering and kill him before sending him (although Teal’c isn’t an idiot and says Apophis will just revive him). Rak’nor picks up the torture stick and attacks Terok, freeing Teal’c.
SG-1 try to intercept the matter stream but miss, then a lot of stuff happens at once. Apophis is annoyed that Heru’ur has sent a dead body that isn’t Teal’c, Heru’ur notices the ship trying to interpret the stream, the mike activates and hits Apophis’ ship and he fires on Heru’ur, with a death glider leaving the ship. Then a load more ships decloak and get in the way of the mines to protect Apophis’.
Flying away from the chaos, SG-1 talk to the death glider and figure out that it’s Rak’nor and Teal’c. Jacob then points out that the events that happened are the worst case scenario. While Heru’ur is dead and the alliance has been stoped, Apophis will now easily take control of his forces and will be strong enough to take on the System Lords.
Another great episode, with Teal’c’s defiance in the face of his former gods shining through. It ups the stakes as now there’s a large enough unified Gou’ald force that can be a major threat.
