I've really enjoyed reading other people's commentaries on this episode. paian has some very detailed and insightful comments about the believability of the Daniel/Vala relationship as portrayed in this episode and janedavitt has a slightly happier outlook at this episode as the series finale. starting_gate, along with many others, have decried the canon-smashing of Jack/Daniel. And it's all been so interesting to read.

So, thank you for posting your thoughts. I've enjoyed dipping into the comments others have left and thoroughly discussing this episode. It's been enlightening. Especially since I enjoyed this episode and many people did not.

I tend to come out rah-rah fandom, so I'm not surprised that my initial viewing of the episode was so different from many of my friends. I usually don’t have the popular opinion anyway (for example: I didn’t love “200,” but I do like “Wormhole X-Treme”). I’m not planning on giving a thorough review, but I thought I’d hit two of the hot buttons because they deal with my major pairings and I still love both Jack/Daniel and Daniel/Vala.

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Daniel/Vala: 50 Years of Bliss?
The biggest hot button I’ve seen isn’t about how Daniel and Vala hooking up is the swan song of Jack/Daniel. The major complaint has been how quickly they got together and Daniel’s little rant of foreplay.

1. Daniel “coming around” after only 3 months is crazy talk.
I agree wholeheartedly. At the moment I thought, “Oh, SG-1’s probably going to be there a few years and the PTB just want to squeeze this in, so they’re rushing it a bit.” But when SG-1 was stuck for 50 years I was definitely thinking, “Uh, hello. Build up much?” *sigh* Not like we didn’t know that the PTB fail at building believable relationships.

2. Daniel’s rant that would have made most women slap him across the face because it was mean.
Vala folded like a house of cards and she should have argued back in the middle of that rant. When Daniel called her an “emotional, unstable wreck,” she should have at least shouted over him a feeble “shut up” or “like you’re any better.” And, when he got to the “We’re so completely opposite and wrong for each other,” she should have left.

Actually, I should just rewrite it here. (The actual bits of dialogue are clipped from paian's transcription.)


Vala: Unless ... you really don't find me attractive.

Daniel: You want an honest answer to that question?

Vala: No.

Daniel: No, seriously. You started this. Do you want an honest answer to the question?

Vala: No, don't worry about it.

Daniel: Do you believe I could have any kind of serious feelings for you?

Vala: I wasn't suggesting you have . . . serious feelings, Daniel.

Daniel: Oh, oh what, so what, we sleep together once, then what? We work together. And you know, even saying that part out loud sounds unbelievable. I mean, come on, I mean I can't even imagine what a, what a, what a relationship with you would be like.

Vala attempts to leave at this point, but Daniel pulls her back with his words.

Daniel: I mean, yes, yes, you've proven yourself to be trustworthy on a professional level, and for that I am very proud of you, but on a, on a personal level? Vala, come on, give me a break.

Vala looks surprised by Daniel’s harshness, but keeps a stiff upper lip at this point, crossing her arms.

Daniel: I mean at best you're an emotional, unstable wreck.

Vala: Like you’re any better.

Daniel: And I'm not sayin' I'm much better. I'm not sayin' I'm much better. There was a time when I thought I would, I would never get over my wife. I mean, the idea of ... [harsh sigh] ... being hurt that way again ...

Vala laughs (that desperate sort of laugh) because “yeah, Daniel’s been hurt.”

Daniel glares.

Daniel: But I've finally gotten to the place, I finally, for the first time in a long time, have gotten to the place where I actually feel I could get close to somebody again. But not in a million years, a million million years, would I ever possibly consider that person being you.

Vala looks slapped in the face for a second and then is all steel.

Daniel: I mean, we are so completely opposite and wrong for each other it's not even funny. And the worst part, the worst part about that is? You know that. And this whole flirty sexual thing that you do, that's just a, your way of having a laugh at my expense.

Vala: You’re right. Ha, ha, ha, isn’t it funny that I might want to have sex with you.

Daniel: I'm so sorry if I'm not more appreciative of that.

Vala: Yes, well, you never did understand my sense of humor. (Vala turns to the door.) Or me.

And there’s this moment where all the emotion reads on Vala’s face and yes, there’s some real emotion there, real hurt and real possibility.

Daniel: . . . Vala.

Vala: (very tightly) Good night, Daniel.

And she walks out.

And then there are several scenes throughout the episode:
Daniel walking into a room and Vala walking out.
Cameron and Vala having a heart-to-heart about relationships and how difficult it is being on this ship (with a suggestion that perhaps they may have done something together).
Daniel and Vala sitting in silence at the table, and after a few moments Daniel stands up and sits next to her.
Another scene of the two of them in Vala’s room and they’re laughing, clearly some bond has formed between them.
THEN the scene of Daniel holding Vala as she’s crying.

AND THEN, after like a year, Daniel shows up at her door.

Daniel: Are you still bored?

Vala: (not getting his meaning) I’m always bored.

Daniel: (doing the Lashes of Doom thing) That’s not what I meant.

And Vala gets it. But isn’t happy about it.

Vala: I wasn’t aware that a million million years have passed.

Daniel: Hey, I’m just . . . I thought maybe something had . . . Look, if you don’t want. . . .

Daniel turns to leave.

Vala: (grabbing his hand, laying it all on her face) So, what, we sleep together this once and . . . ?

Daniel steps toward her, searching her eyes.

Daniel: (softly) Don't you pretend that it's anything else.

And then they done smooch.

Vala: You better not be messing with me.


Eh, the PTB have always failed at writing strong women with emotions. They seem to think that once a woman falls in love she gets big doe eyes and can only think in pink hearts around her feller. They so needed a woman on staff. . .

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Jack/Daniel: Can It Go On?
Hi. I’m a slasher and my OTP has never be supported by canon. Of course it can go on! Besides the fact that slash has never been supported by the PTB, we have the Magic Rewind in this episode that undid the Daniel/Vala 50 years of sexing.

Plus, there’s my interpretation of Daniel’s rant:

"There was a time when I thought I would, I would never get over my wife. I mean, the idea of ... [harsh sigh] ... being hurt that way again ...But I've finally gotten to the place, I finally, for the first time in a long time, have gotten to the place where I actually feel I could get close to somebody again."

Even when ranting, Daniel is quite precise with his words. And stuttering and repeating yourself is a tactic to buy time to think about how to word things for the best effect and how to hide things.

So, I offer 3 interpretations:

1. Daniel isn’t saying that he was most recently hurt by a certain general.

2. Daniel isn’t saying that he’s in pain because he was starting to develop something really deep and lasting, but being stuck in this bubble for three months has made him think that he might not make it back this time.

3. Daniel isn’t saying that he’s been in this one relationship for a long time and thought he felt a certain way, but now he knows he really does.

Regardless, there’s plenty of ways for slashers to work around this. My personal view has always been that other pairings including, Daniel/Vala, Daniel/Cameron, Jack/Kerry, and even Jack/Sam are just pit stops on the way to Jack/Daniel. Because no matter how committed they may be to each other, being in a same sex relationship with their jobs just isn’t going to be easy. So sometimes, they probably want something that is easy, and they screw up or they break up. *shrug* I don’t see this episode as shattering any ship or slash.

Also, take a second look at the scene of Vala crying on Daniel. Why is Vala crying? Because Daniel’s just told her about his very deep and long-term relationship with Jack. ;)

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So, Why’d You Like It?
I mean, yes, there’re problems with the episode (there’re problems with pretty much every episode), but on the whole, I like this one. It’s not the summation to SG-1 I’d really like to have, but it’s all right and enjoyable. The PTB went out of their comfort zone and gave us something different; something like “Grace” but not and something like “The Light” but not. Plus they gave us so much fodder for fic. I’m really looking forward to the fic that rewrites “Unending” with Jack there.

I wasn’t expecting something that would really make me happy, though. Because to make me happy, they would have had to have done this:

~Jack leads SG-1 in an off-world mission (through the Stargate) to Chulak.
~Teamy-ness involving liberating Chulak from the Ori.
~A plan involving the strengths of everyone including: Sam’s science, Daniel’s translation or speaking skills, Vala’s thievery, Teal’c muscles and Jaffa-ness, Jack’s strategy, and Cam’s recklessness.
~Solid Jack/Teal’c and Daniel/Sam interaction.
~Team camp out, including Jack and Daniel sharing a tent where they have the following conversation:

“We’ve come a long way,” Jack says, folding his arms behind his head.

Daniel grunts, his nose stuffed in a book.

“I mean, here we are, back on Chulak. Through the ‘gate. To Chulak.”

Daniel lowers his book, finally getting that Jack wants his attention. “It’s like old times.”

“Is it?”

Daniel turns on his side, facing Jack. “We, uh . . . it’s good to have you out here again.”

“It’s good to be out here again. Sometimes I forget why I quit doing this.” Jack picks up Daniel’s book and starts playing with the bookmark.

Daniel chuckles. “Probably because we may die in the morning.”

“Oh. That.” Jack waves it off. They’re both silent for a few moments. Daniel turns to his back, settling. “You ever think about . . . if things had been different.”

“Like if Sha’re wasn’t taken, or if, if Kawalsky hadn’t died, or if Teal’c hadn’t left Apophis?”

Jack shifts, his discomfort evident on his face. “Yeah, that.”

“Nope.”

“Oh.”

They’re quiet again. Daniel closes his eyes.

“Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

Jack closes his eyes, turning towards Daniel. “We need to do this more often.”

Daniel smiles and turns towards Jack. “Yeah, we do.”


~And at some point in the episode Jack must touch Daniel in a way that makes me faint. Head pats, hugs, brushing—all completely platonic forms of touching that can be viewed with subtext are accepted.

Chances of the PTB ever doing this? NONE.

So clearly either I can bemoan the loss of what would actually summarize SG-1 by taking us back to a familiar place while addressing the current storyline, OR I can be happy with what we got and let this version live in my head.

I like my head.