Previous: 1.08 The Nox

As usual for season one, this is another installment of SG-1 Makes Stupid Decisions and Another Regulation Is Written Into SGC Training Manuals. In this episode, their stupid decisions begin with Jack eating the Argosian marriage cake and no one saying anything when he's dragged off by Kynthia. Ah, "Brief Candle," the Ultimate May-December Romance.

Thankfully their decision making skills step up by the end of the episode with Jack refusing to take another disease through the gate, Hammond destroying the blood samples once it was clear the nanites could adapt and spread, and then Jack's whole discovery that the statue was a transmitter for the nanites. (Actually, Jack's deductions are A+ and a real come back after eating the cake, which was just… uuuugh.)

While Jack's skepticism is on the fritz in this episode, his emotional intelligence is off the scale. Jack's anger is always directed at Pelops, not Kynthia. He almost immediately understands that it's not her fault he contracted the nanite virus and identifies that she's as much a victim as he is. He educates her and the others on their situation and fans their sense of curiosity only after they express it. For being the first one to usually shout "they're not gods," Jack is Daniel-levels of sensitive in this episode, even identifying when he might have told the Argosians too much. As uncomfortable as this episode is, Jack's processing and reflection is what makes this episode worth watching.

And that's all I'm saying about the intense dub con of this episode. (I have to save my energy for "Hathor.")


A few last notes of significance:

• This episode marks the first appearance of Goa'uld tablets and page readers. I love these little devices, but have always wondered about their UI design. Is there a way to get to a main menu?


• This is also the first appearance of nanites. They're technically called "nanocytes" here, but I've called them nanites for consistency with later seasons.


• Daniel Jackson, midwife. Where are the fics about this, please?


• Janet has loaded hi-res video of the nanites on to a 3.5 inch disc. This is hilarious.


• Daniel yells at Hammond, but Hammond responds to him calmly but firmly. Someone's become a favorite, eh?

Quote of the Week:

Jack: Yeah, sure, have an apple. What could happen?

Episode Stats
Planetary Tally: Argos (which is apparently P3X-8596 as supplied by the internet)
Series Total: 10

In Fashion: when SG-1 first gates to Argos they're in green BDUs and Daniel is carrying (not wearing) a flak helmet; when Teal'c, Sam, and Daniel return to Argos they have on jungle camo; at the very end of the episode everyone is back in the usual green BDUs (also I am noting Jack's nudity only so there is consistency when I mention Daniel's nudity in later seasons)

Brain Washed: Jack is drugged by the marriage cake and then contracts the nanites from Kynthia, aging him roughly 45 years; while the nanites don't technically affect his mental capacities, the nanites are in his bloodstream and thus in his brain
Jack: Series Total: 1


Next up: 1.10 Thor's Hammer