Gentle readers, I hope you know that I have been trying to reign in my feelings about Daniel for these reviews, but there is no way for me to restrain them with this episode. For me this episode is all about Daniel's journey—the intense hope that springs from meeting Kendra and finding out about Thor's Hammer and then the utter loss when he is asked to destroy the Hammer to save Teal'c. Teal'c who, let me remind you, is responsible for choosing Sha're to be a host. Stick a knife in my heart, it's going to be an emotional review.
The end of this episode is really about Jack and Daniel's priorities. Daniel the Optimist is looking to the future, to the possibility that they will rescue Sha're and Skaara, and then use Thor's Hammer to free them from the Goa'uld. He's not wrong, and Teal'c is so guilt-ridden that he offers to stay in the labyrinth until Sha're and Skaara are rescued. But Jack the Realist—Jack the Cynic—can't be sure they'll ever rescue Sha're and Skaara (it's a damn big universe, after all) and Teal'c is someone Jack knows he can save today. Jack refuses to sacrifice the present for the future, and honestly my therapist will be so happy that I identified that.
I used to think it was mean of Jack to make Daniel destroy the Hammer, but it's not about cruelty at all. Daniel has to be on board with this, too. SG-1 can't work if Daniel resents that Jack freed Teal'c over Sha're. Asking Daniel to do it—and yeah, he never commands Daniel to do it—allows Daniel the final choice in what they do with the Hammer. When Daniel fires the staff weapon, he's agreeing with Jack that while they both want the same future, they can't get there by sacrificing today.
Urk, feelings. Daniel. Zrrrrk.
Okay. Deep breaths taken, let me talk about another thing that I really love about this episode: the setting. Cimmeria is the first world they've encountered that has actually evolved since being stranded by the Goa'uld. No no, still no advanced tech, but when Daniel explains that "a-viking" means trading and fighting, Gairwyn responds, "That was in the old days. Nowadays they go to the towns to look for work. It's been a hard season for farmers." Whoa, the culture has developed and adapted in the thousand years since the Goa'uld grabbed them? Amazing. Seriously, it's a relief that Cimmeria was allowed to evolve and wasn't just another culture-in-a-bottle for Daniel to drool over. I love that it's treated as though it were a real place inhabited by real people. It's one of the details that makes Cimmeria one of the most memorable worlds SG-1 visits.
A few last notes of significance:
- This is a reminder that in Season 1, the gate ejected people and it was hilarious.
- Daniel makes some amazing assumptions in this episode, including that the Goa'uld didn't build the Stargates and that the Norse gods are aliens. This would seem ridiculous coming from any other character, but he already correctly predicted that the pyramids were landing platforms for alien ships and that the 'gate glyphs were constellations, so sure, Daniel, keep making insane leaps of logic. It's a good look on you.
- This is the first appearance of the Goa'uld healing device and of the Unas.
- Kendra is amazing. First she was strong enough to influence her Goa'uld symbiote, then she survived the painful extraction process, and then she sucks it up and takes Sam and Daniel back to the place that was a reminder of great emotional trauma. I really wish she could have appeared again.
- Daniel and Sam throw some intense Mulder and Scully vibes while they're following Kendra. Sam starts questioning if Kendra's subconscious is preventing her from facing her trauma and Daniel provides logical explanations for her meandering path. What 90s show am I watching?
Quote of the Week:
- Teal'c: Are you considering the same tactic as I?
Jack: Teal'c, the cliché is "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" And the answer's yes.
Episode Stats
Planetary Tally: Cimmeria, which is apparently P3X-974, an Asgard-protected planet, a fact we will learn much later; Kendra also mentions that her homeworld is called Jebanna
Series Total: 11
In Fashion: its green BDUs both on base and on mission; before Sam and Daniel enter the labyrinth they both strap on flak helmets
Next up: 1.11 The Torment of Tantalus
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chasethestars
chasethestars
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Team Leader: Kendra
Science: Warrick ("Forsaken"/"Space Race")
Language/Culture: Jonas Quinn
Muscle: Chaka
"You're a little short for gods." ::snerk::
"Is Junior okay?" I'd forgotten Jack had a nickname for Teal'c's symbiote.
"Let's just find this Hall of Mohair, whatever it's called." I don't know what I would do without Jack and his nonsense.
I honestly finding myself forgetting that Daniel's wife exists in the scenes where she's not mentioned. I suppose I can rationalize it as Daniel shutting down emotionally, but he always seems fine until the subject comes up.
Was there some kind of deadline that I didn't notice? Why couldn't Teal'c have stayed for a bit while they studied the technology? It felt rushed to destroy a device that could save hosts right then and there. Perhaps it would still have to be destroyed eventually, but why right that moment?
No deadline to destroy the Hammer, except that Teal'c could be stuck there and the SGC could, theoretically, de-prioritize his rescue. I mean, once Jack reported back, no one would allow him to destroy it to rescue Teal'c of all people, but in the field, Jack can make his own decisions. (I think this comes up in "Politics," actually. I'll listen up for it.)