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Catherine Langford gets short shrift in SG-1, only appearing in three episodes in the first two seasons before she unceremoniously dies off screen in "Moebius." But if they're going to ignore her, at least we have "The Torment of Tantalus" to fill in some of her history with the Stargate and provide a reminder that the SGC exists because of this amazing woman who wouldn't give up.*

Jack and Daniel remember Catherine's contributions to the Stargate Program and shower her with the respect she deserves. The image that best captures this feeling is when they escort her through the 'gate, each one taking an arm. In Season 1 there's a very real threat that the 'gate might toss her across the room and she'd break all her old lady bones, but I don't think their escort duties are entirely about her physical safety. She is royalty to Jack and Daniel. They both owe their lives to her for involving them in the original Abydos mission. Without her, they wouldn't be who they are. The dialogue supports that time and again in this episode, but that one moment says so much.

This episode also lays the groundwork for two major SG-1 themes: the meaning of life stuff and the inability to both learn and share this knowledge. I love that this episode begins with Jack noting that Daniel seems "a tad obsessed" with the 1945 'gate tests and then ends with Daniel leaving behind his new obsession, the Heliopolis book devised by the four alien races. Daniel is doomed to relive this moment again and again, having the ability to learn all the secrets of the universe, but never being able to share it. We see it when he Ascends and again in "Unending." Poor Daniel. I'm sorry we all love to watch you be frustrated.

*This is where I'm going to remind everyone that Stargate: Origins exists. If you're unfamiliar with it or haven't seen it, it is a canon-compliant adventure of Catherine going through the Stargate to Abydos in 1938. (Memory loss via ribboning allows it to fit in universe, just go with it.) If you like Catherine, I would recommend it, though you may want to take a few deep breaths if you are heavily invested in SG-1 canon. Maybe I'll write a review of it at some point. With a drinking game.


A few last notes of significance:

• Anyone keeping tabs on the Season 1 timeline, "The Torment of Tantalus" takes place about six months after "Children of the Gods."


• How did Daniel ever keep his security clearance? It was a good call when they started leveraging that he was a civilian.


• When Catherine compares Daniel to Ernest, there's a little stab in my heart, because yeah, Daniel is also more in love with the Stargate than he is with his wife.


• Has anyone noticed that the Ancient seems to be written sideways?


• Never do the math on Catherine's age, it makes no damn sense. I'm going to assume she misspeaks in this episode when she says she was 21 in 1945. Age 25 in 1945 makes much more sense. That would make her 18 during Stargate: Origins and 8 when the Stargate is discovered in 1928.


• How is Jack and Daniel's race to the 'gate so tense? I know they're going to make it and yet the pacing of the scene, the intercut of Sam's worried looks, and the destruction of the fortress make it tense enough to hold my attention on repeat viewings.


• I know we mostly focus on Jack and Daniel in this episode (er, at least I do), but Sam has some shining moments here. The conversation she shares with Catherine about Ernest is one of the most humanizing conversations she's had up to this moment.

Quote of the Week:

Ernest: No prize is worth attaining if you can never share it! There would be no point! Believe me. I know.

Episode Stats
Planetary Tally: the planet many of us call Heliopolis is cited on the internet with two planetary designations, P3X-972 and later PB2-908
Series Total: 12

In Fashion: it's a very green episode, both on base and on mission—even Catherine gets green BDUs, and so does Ernest when he gets back to the SGC


Next up: 1.12 Bloodlines