This episode builds on the groundwork from "The Nox," fleshing out more of Teal'c's backstory and introducing what life is like for the Jaffa living under Goa'uld rule. The deep dive into Chulak finally humanizes the Jaffa, developing their lives beyond being canon fodder and introducing the idea that there are others like Teal'c who are none too accepting of Goa'uld rule (or who, like the kreshta, might be easily convinced to welcome something different).
It also lays out the consequences of Teal'c turning traitor, and illustrates how his decisions affected the people he loves (another recurring theme of the self-sacrificing SG-1). Drey'auc does not play around with her recriminations, and her words are underlined by Rya'c's illness, which ups the tension of the whole episode. I think Drey'auc is vilified by the viewer far too often, but, dude, is she ever a survivor, just doing what she can to keep herself and her son alive. She has it tough and does the best she can in that situation.
I would not be me if I didn't talk about Daniel killing the tankful of symbiotes. Because, wow, that is a thing that happened!
Daniel's reasoning aside, taking the MP5 to the Goa'uld larvae is cold as hell. This anger and darkness has been lurking inside him since Sha're was taken as a host. Losing her undercut his faith in a way he wasn't prepared to face. At this point, it's a wound that's still raw and in this moment his anger takes over and he loses control. (This is also the darkness that "Absolute Power" highlights and intensifies.) Despite the tragedy here, losing control is good for Daniel. It's rock bottom in terms of his morality, but also serves to educate him on what he still has to lose. I assume he remembers this at other times when he might prefer the ease of giving in to his anger and fear.
A few last notes of significance:
- Whoa. I didn't remember they were trying drug therapy for Jaffa this early in the series.
- Daniel casually munching a protein bar after gunning down the larvae is frustrating because I see this moment as fairly pivotal to Daniel's emotional arc. But I guess killing a bunch of defenseless babies works up an appetite. :P
- Every note I took about Bra'tac is variations of "Bra'tac is awesome," so let it be known: Bra'tac is awesome.
- It's a good thing Teal'c has a very young Goa'uld since he's planning to stay on Earth a long time.
Quote of the Week:
- Jack: Well, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
Bra'tac: No. The bridge is too well guarded.
Episode Stats
Planetary Tally: back to Chulak, a planet they've already visited
Series Total: 12
In Fashion: Sam and Daniel start the episode in green flight suits and then join Jack in green BDUs under their priest robes for the mission (priest robes? definitely non-regulation); Teal'c wears his serpent guard armor while on Chulak
With All Due Respect: Sam gives Hammond respect when the team argues in favor of returning to Chulak
Series Total: 9
Godspeed, SG-1: Hammond finally decides SG-1 needs all the help they can get, and offers the prayer as they embark for Chulak
Series Total: 1
Next up: 1.13 Fire and Water
Page Summary
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chasethestars
chasethestars
Comments
I always pondered later whether Jack was superstitious, comforted, or whether he just felt better when Hammon said it in later years.
I don't think we can think of the Goa'uld larvae as babies inside the worldview of the show. The Goa'uld are presented as hopeless villains except for the strange bloodline of the Tok'ra foremother. It would be like going back in time to kill Hitler as a baby.
Maybe I'm crazy or an outlier, but I don't think it's all that weird for Daniel to do it given his extreme frustration at what happened to Sha're.
Yes, genocide is bad. But that's in a world where all sentient beings are created equal. The Goa'uld are not presented that way in Stargate. They are pure evil. Thus other rules apply.
I actually don't think Daniel killing the symbiotes is out of character or wrong or anything like that. But eating the protein bar after—particularly how casual he is when Sam was clearly unnerved by his actions—is a little callous. Like, I don't think Daniel would be up for explaining himself, but I feel like he'd be a little less zippity-doo-dah knowing that Sam was uncomfortable.
Hi, Bra'tac!
This show really needed some translator microbes or a babel fish or two. Most of the time I can handwave it away, but it just jumped out at me how it made no sense that Teal'c and Bra'tac begin speaking to each other in English before Teal'c has even introduced his English-speaking human friends. (Just once I'd like an exchange in a sub-titled alien language where the humans are introduced and one of the aliens excitedly goes, "Oh, Humans! I've been practicing Human language!" and then starts trying to chat with them in Japanese or Norwegian or something.)
Daniel: "A minute ago we were warriors of great skill and cunning."
Bless snarky-Daniel.
Jack: "A very good, very bald man from Texas."
Also bless snarky-Jack.
Drey'auc was totally making sense. Like, what else was she supposed to do? I get that Teal'c's decision to abandon his family was based on a serious issue more important than individuals. I don't get how huffy he was about it. I would expect a lot more guilt about it and instead he was just so dismissive of their struggle.
"I'm no doctor, but I know scarlet fever when I see it." Say what now? This needs to go on the list of possibly stupidest lines written. How is Jack diagnosing scarlet fever at a glance?
Did I miss an explanation? Why doesn't Teal'c take his family with him?