Stargate SG-1 1011 The Quest, part 2

[fignewton]

Hurray for Teamy Goodness! I wrote down my reactions as I watched, and for the most part, those reactions were good. It does mean, though, that this “review” will be long and rambling and not particularly coherent. Consider yourself warned. :)

The Quest, part 2.

I remember a lot of discussion when The Quest, part 1 aired about how bizarre it was for the team to be so skeptical about the existence of the dragon. When I considered it over the hiatus, though, I decided that the skepticism actually made a lot of sense. After all, they’ve seen so many mythological concepts translated into technology. Thor’s Hammer is pretty obvious, of course. Super-strength is derived from the symbiote. The ability to disappear? Ring platforms. Immortality? The sarcophagus. Casting lightning bolts could be the hand device or staff weapons, Valkyries could be Jaffa in death gliders, and so on. With that in mind, the team’s insistence that the dragon just had to be something else wasn’t all that odd at all. And, of course, in the end, they turned out to be right: it was a construct of Morgan le Fay’s, not a real dragon at all.

The confrontation with the dragon made no sense. There was an exit? A way in equals a way out, to paraphrase Terry Pratchett. So, they could’ve taken the side entrance in the last episode and avoided the whole compassion/wisdom/faith thing?

Why in the world would they be safer in the trees, which are made of wood and highly flammable? Why not stay in the caverns, since stone is a lot more fireproof?

“Perhaps Puff.” I really, really love you, Teal’c. :) But even as part of me ladored Teal’c’s wordless refusal to allow Mitchell to take the risk, another part of me was saddened at yet another proof that no one on SG-1 really thinks of Mitchell as their leader. Teal’c doesn’t listen, Vala doesn’t listen, Daniel doesn’t listen… I admit that swallowing the C4 was funny (although the dragon didn’t flame why?), but other than that? “Good, get rid of the dragon. On with the episode.”

Ba’al was lying. Of course he was. I despise the way Ba’al is portrayed in this episode, but I’m going to try and do a separate meta post for that tonight, because it’s symptomatic of a larger problem. But they kept posing the team with Ba’al and Adria behind them. It made me grit my teeth, because, uh, guys? Hello? Villains are not allowed to stay unguarded on your six.

Ah, forget all that, and let’s get to the good stuff!

The transportation from one planet to the next was seriously fun. Wonderful to get something actually new for a change! And how interesting that while Adria is left behind, Ba’al is not. Does that suggest that when Morgan le Fay set this all up, the Goa’uld were not yet a danger in the galaxy?

Sam looked particularly beautiful in the shot when she’s staring at Merlin’s stasis chamber and says, “I think I know.” I just had to say that. :) Although I do wish Daniel would pronounce “Myrddin” as “Meer-thyn.”

“How do we get him out?” “I have no idea.”  Loved that. It’s always been one of my favorite Daniel quotes. Such a delight to hear it again!

Whee! An Ancient repository thingy! This keeps getting better and better. Jack stopped Daniel twice before, but he’s not there to do it now, and who else can possibly stop him? And Vala set it off. Yet Vala has the protein marker, and Teal’c couldn’t trigger it back in The Fifth Race, and they assumed it was bcause of Junior – which would contradict my speculation as to why Ba’al made it through and Adria didn’t. Er. Getting a bit tied up in knots, here. Maybe the Ancient gene triggers it? They doesn’t explain Vala, though. 

Note that again it’s Sam giving orders, not Mitchell. On the other hand, despite my unhappiness with Ba’al himself, Teal’c with Ba’al is absolute solid gold.

Okay, so Merlin confuses the team with the people he knew in Arthur’s time. Daniel as Galahad actually fits, sort of. I can even see some parallels with Mitchell as Percival. Ba’al as Mordred is more of a generic comparison, but I can deal with it. But Sam as Guinevere was “huh?” They’re both female. It sort of ends there. But still, more echoes of old episodes! At least, unlike Ernest in Torment of Tantalus, Merlin is clothed when he starts hugging people. :)

Another old-episode-feel, as Daniel is up-front with a potential ally about who they are and aren’t and what they need – Thor’s Chariot, this time. I do love you, Daniel.

Adria as petulant brat actually works, I think. After all, she’s… what? Six months old or so? With her followers worshipping her and obeying her every whim, and no one actually saying “no” except for Vala and Daniel? But noooo! Don’t kill the feisty innkeeper! She blamed everything on SG-1, remember?

YES! Mention of Daniel’s ascension, and someone who knew Oma! Love it, love it.

Hm. Merlin states that the Ori’s need to draw power from the “lowers” is in order to gain enough power for themselves that they can wipe out the Ancients. Is this information we knew before – what the Ori’s motive truly was? Because I don’t remember it. If this is new, I would expect a little more reaction from Daniel and Vala. And if the Ori always intended to come back to our galaxy to take on the Ascended as soon as they’d gained enough energy points, does this mean that Daniel and Vala are not responsible for the genocide in the Milky Way galaxy?

“She must have seen something in you to believe you to be worthy.” Okay, I melted.

Merlin’s interfering! Yay! And huh, neat handgrips for the repository.

Competent, intelligent, realistic Sam! Yes! I’ve missed her.

“Good luck, Doctor Jackson.” Ooooh. Eerie. And yet… Erm. When exactly did Daniel tell him about his Ph.Ds?

Whoa! That’s it? “He’s dead”? No resuscitation attempts, CPR, nothing?

“Yet another reason to mourn his passing.” Did I mention that Teal’c’s dealings with Ba’al are solid gold? Teal’c gets an appallingly few number of lines in most episodes, but he sure knows how to deliver the ones he does have.

Sam’s Earth-bound laptop is compatible with a DHD? Words fail me.

Oooooh, Daniel. Vala still hasn’t quite figured out how far you’ll go in the pursuit of knowledge, has she?

It works for Daniel. Why? He doesn’t have the Ancient gene, does he? Or does he have it by default, since he once Ascended? Or did Merlin program it to work for him?

On Adria: “Leave the men in prostration.” Does this mean that Adria herself, as Orici, is gaining power from their worship, and their devout prayers will actually aid her in her efforts?

Okay, Merlin’s body disappeared. So anything not alive doesn’t get transported, unless they’re holding it? Does that mean they lost their packs on the desert planet?

“How ya doin’, Sunshine?” Awwww. :) Better than “Jackson,” anyway.

Okay. So Merlin zapped whatever Daniel would need into the repository, and Daniel got that. And then Daniel has to use the repository to build a new Sangraal. And Daniel is secretly jumping and down and shouting “Wheee!” for all the new knowledge that he’s gained. Because the stuff about other societies Merlin “seeded in the galaxy” must have been a present. It’s not as if he actually needed that part.

Mitchell and Vala’s anxiety were so good. We haven’t seen much of these two together, have we? Vala usually pairs off with Daniel, but they’re quite good together. If TPTB were keeping them apart because they’d been together on a previous show, what a colossal waste of some very good chemistry.

And Adria the petulant brat, again. It does suit her, but it doesn’t make her any more fun to watch.

“Comparing a laptop to a supercomputer.” Yeah. That’s a Goa’uld System Lord talking, can’t you tell? I won’t get that meta done tonight, but I will be posting it tomorrow, I hope. But I did like that he at least bothered to insult Sam. And that she’s getting seriously irritated. Good for her.

“It’s interesting. Jack got healing powers, I guess I got telekinesis.” Hee! Bit smug there, Daniel?

“Trust me, I can handle this.” Ah, Daniel. Sweet sacrificing utterly arrogant Daniel. That’s my boy. :)

“I need your help.” SAM!!! Oh, Sam, I could hug you infinitely for that. That’s the Sam I love: brilliant and determined and actually aware of her limitations.

AND THEN SHE SLUGS HIM. I actually yelled, “Yes!” Hoo boy was he asking for it. Go Sam, go! And Teal’c just stands there looking smug. The teamy goodness in this one just keeps getting better all the time! And then Sam slaps a Palm Pilot (?) into Ba’al’s hands instead of helping him up… Heh.

Okay, that moment when Daniel starts seriously losing it, and cups Vala’s cheek? That tremor I felt the other night, when the show actually aired, must have been all the Daniel/Vala fans squeeing. But with my gen glasses firmly in place, I have no trouble seeing that as friendship.

Eeee! Mitchell called him “Daniel” and snapped him out of it! Does this mean no more Jackson? I will be ever so happy if that’s the case. Maybe I’ll even start calling him “Cam” instead of “Mitchell.” :)

And then… Oh. First time ever I could seriously believe that Cameron Mitchell is truly the leader of SG-1. That furious scuffle, and that speech to Vala about what it means to be a team member was amazingly powerful. “The hard part about being part of this team is not risking your own life. It’s watching your friends take chances with theirs. Congratulations. Now you really are one of us.” Wow. And I say, yet again, that they should have Vala and Mitchell interact a lot more often; these two actors play off each other superbly.

So Sam and Ba’al break the programming (with a superb snark from Teal’c. Teal’c!), but it’s too late: here comes Adria. And Daniel… senses this? Huh.

(I miss Teal’c’s staff weapon like crazy. The P-90 just isn’t the same.)

It’s amazing how vulnerable a person is when they first come through the Gate, isn’t it?

Ba’al tries to run – “I’ll go get help,” shyeah, right – and gets hit. Are those the Ori zats, or the Ori equivalents of staff weapons? Is he unconscious or dead? I’m assuming the former, since Adria surely wouldn’t want her soldiers indiscriminately killing – she needs Daniel, at least, alive. She’s said so repeatedly.

Whoa: Daniel and Adria confrontation! “You’re too late?” It seems to me that Adria’s right, and he isn’t finished quite yet. But it looks like Daniel meant he was capable of fighting back, which he couldn’t before, because – whoa. Maternal Instinct right there. Looks like Daniel was right to be smug about the telekinesis. That was just fantastic to see Daniel doing that, and for the sake of his friends. It’s extremely creepy to have Adria almost vamping at Daniel afterward, though. Eurgh.

And ouch. First real Daniel whumping since early S9. (I kept expecting Son-of-Anubis whose name I can’t remember to personally whump Daniel in Prototype, and was seriously surprised when it didn’t happen at all.) Vala desperately trying to stop Adria. “We’re not leaving you here!” from Sam. And Mitchell dragging Vala with him. Pure Daniel, this: saving SG-1, getting them to safety before he collapses. And then he’s trapped.

When Adria made off with Daniel, did she take Ba’al, too? Or is he actually dead?

Such beautiful teamy goodness in the tag of the episode. And Mitchell refers to him as Daniel again, which means I can seriously hope it will stay that way for the rest of the season, right? Loved the team’s anxiety and refusal to give up… Although poor Daniel doesn’t look like he’s having a very good time.

He really lost all of Merlin’s knowledge? I seriously hope he’s lying, there, because if it’s true, TPTB just gave us another spectacular failure. Please, let there be something good to pull out of this!

This should have been the mid-season cliffhanger, not part 1. The cliffhanger at the end of this episode – Daniel captured, no way to track him, the team frantic to find him – that’s a whole lot more suspenseful than a bat on steroids blowing flame. This was full of fantastic teamy goodness, and even though it was a Daniel-centric ep, everyone had a serious chance to shine.

“Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.” I know I'll be rewatching this one, and I haven't enjoyed an ep enough to do that since Pegasus Project. Bring on the next episode!

Comments

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I think the other tests shut off when the dragon came up, so they went out the way they came in...or else Puff revealed another side chamber that looped around

I love you for calling it Puff. :) Could be, I suppose. It annoyed me, although the shot of them running into the sunlight from the cave was quite good.

But was it Sam or Daniel that set it off in Lost City? I'm not sure you needed the Ancient gene to actually activate it. The one in The Fifth Race episode, post the great alliance (since they knew the Asgard) may have Goa'uld protection that Morgan and Merlin's Repository (with cool handholds) doesn't. They never actually explained that that was why Jack activated it, or why Teal'c didn't. Jack's gene may have just allowed him to process the info.

In The Fifth Race, Jack "found" the repository by stepping into the circle inscribed on the floor. Teal'c peered inside and got pretty flashing lights. Jack peered inside and got headclamped, complete with download.

We could hypothesize, I suppose, that it had nothing to do with Goa'uld or otherwise, but that it had been "tuned" to the person who "found" it by stepping into the circle - and that had been Jack. No one else had walked through it before him.

In the Lost City, Daniel "found" it by pressing the right glyphs (or whatever) and "activated" it by getting close enough. Jack, of course, wouldn't let him actually get the download and took it himself.

it's a combination of what Daniel learned from the Doci in "Origin" about wiping out the "evil" Ancients and what Orlin explained in Fourth Horseman

You know S9 ten times better than I do, but... The Doci told him that the Ancients were eeeeevil and that the Ori would rescue the poor denizens of the Milky Way by wiping out the Ancients and, incidentally, making sure everyone worships the Ori. Then Orlin explains that the worship is actually a source of power for them, and that the more people bowing to the Ori, the more energy they gain. Right? But that's not quite the same as what Merlin said: that the reason the Ori seek power in the first place is not for their own satisfaction, but to be strong enough to wipe out the Ancients. We knew the Ori wanted to get rid of the Ancients; we knew that they gained power from humans' worship. But that was two separate things. I don't think we knew that all along, even before Daniel tripped into Celestus, the Ori planned to gain enough power through worship to take on the Ancients. I'm pretty sure the motivation part is new. You'll correct me if I'm wrong, I hope!

that "Daniel" moment was so awesome.

Yes! And we got two of them! I so hope it will "Daniel" from now on.

Stupid multi-pack clone plotline. Sorry. Can you tell I'm not the biggest fan of that arc? Heh.

Oh, I despise it. Seriously, I can't stand it. I just posted a rather long rant on the subject. :)

This episode was seriously wonderful. I hope the rest of the season will be this good!

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

I remembered Daniel hit the right buttons on the panel in Lost City, but couldn't remember who was near the repository when it came out of the wall.

But that's not quite the same as what Merlin said: that the reason the Ori seek power in the first place is not for their own satisfaction, but to be strong enough to wipe out the Ancients. We knew the Ori wanted to get rid of the Ancients; we knew that they gained power from humans' worship. But that was two separate things

Well, the Ori and Ancients are enemies. While the Others like to go lalalala and ignore their cousins (Merlin excepted), the Ori are greedy and want to dominate the lowers and the galaxies all by themselves. I didn't see it as a big stretch from using lowers' worship to make them more powerful to using their added power juice and knock out those silly evil pests, the Alterans/Ancients/Others (and can I say the inability for TPTB to make up their minds on a name for them is kinda annoying?)

Plus Merlin's on a bit of Don Quixote crusade about the Ori, so he would see them as more of a direct threat than some of the Others (which is why Ganos Lal went after him, and then eventually came around).

The Ori didn't know the Milky Way existed until Daniel and Vala showed up, so the fact that there are other lowers under the protection of the Ancients would be seen as a real threat to the Ori. I guess the logic leap Merlin made that the Ori were gathering power to knock out the Ancients wasn't as jolting to me as it ended up being to you. It was like Daniel warned Morgan in "Pegasus Project" [very paraphrased]: When they're done with us, they're going to come after you. Of course I won't care because by that point I'll be dead [again!], but you and the Others should.

I'll have to go read your six pack of Ba'al rant now.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Well, as I said, I trust your reading of S9-10 a lot more than I do mine. You like the silly things, for some odd reason. ;)

I do disagree with you about this, though: The Ori didn't know the Milky Way existed until Daniel and Vala showed up

Surely they knew it existed! What they didn't seem to know was that it was populated by "lowers" who could be used as insta-batteries. Am I getting this right? Have I mentioned that one of the things I hate about S9-10 is that Daniel is essentially an accessory to genocide on a horrific scale? And that it's basically Vala's fault, yet we're supposed to like her anyway?

I'll have to go read your six pack of Ba'al rant now.

Oh, I LOVE that. "Six pack of Ba'al"!! Is that your own invention? And does he come in cheap cans or more expensive bottles? :)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

You're right. They knew it existed...especially since there's indication that they're the ones who sent the original plague that wiped out the Ancients (hinted about in TPTB and Fourth Horseman). LOL. I feel like I'm writing wiki articles answering you, having to provide footnote sources!

Have I mentioned that one of the things I hate about S9-10 is that Daniel is essentially an accessory to genocide on a horrific scale? And that it's basically Vala's fault, yet we're supposed to like her anyway?

Hmm...I don't think I have the stamina to touch that topic with you today. I know a few people who agree with you though.

You like the silly things, for some odd reason. ;)

Wait a minute. What are you saying, hmm? ;-)

Oh, I LOVE that. "Six pack of Ba'al"!! Is that your own invention? And does he come in cheap cans or more expensive bottles? :)

I've been saying it since I watched EDM (I just tracked back on TWoP and the first usage is me Sept 2005, so probably I came up with myself. Cliff Simon's cut figure and the mental image of them all sitting together in those plastic rings just brought it to mind.

The original of course, would remain analogized to an expensive bottle. Heh.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I feel like I'm writing wiki articles answering you, having to provide footnote sources!

Hee! Look at it as research, for when you write the actual articles. You are part of that project, aren't you?

I don't think I have the stamina to touch that topic with you today.

No, you're right. The statement badly needs qualifying and was too sweeping, anyway. And it deserves a serious meta discussion of its own. I do wish, though, that we'd been introduced to Vala without the baggage of grand larceny of Prometheus and attempted murder of General Hammond and SG-3. If we'd met Vala first in S9, and the bracelets had been accidental instead of deliberate (or even out of ignorance), and then we had this slow evolution from who she was to what we're supposed to accept she's become...

Still. For another time.

And I have got to edit the post to include your wonderful "six pack of Ba'al," because it is hilarious and deserves the widest possible distribution. :)

And anyway, the original would be the equivalent of Absolute Power!Daniel's $2,000 bottle of champagne. Or at least Ba'al would think so!

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Yes. I do transcripts and some articles for the wiki (and they're always looking for volunteers if you're interested, heh). In fact, I did the one on the Repository of Knowledge a few months ago, but I don't want to link to it because it's got some info that would yet be spoilery for you. I danced around (i.e. avoided) the Ancient Gene activation stuff in it though because that's all pretty fuzzy and never been explained. I just said, once activated it does x, y, z...like makes jack only speak ancient. Heh.

Totally ot, but when's your next canon v fanon thing anyway? Before or after the ficathon thing? Speaking of which, I need to get back to trying to write mine.

Ba'al would definitely put himself in the Dom Perignon camp as opposed to say...a box of wine with a duck on the front. ;-)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

My next canon vs fanon topic is incredibly complicated - it's a big one, and the one I most wanted to do from the beginning, really. But I'm afraid it's a rather delicate subject, and I'm trying to approach it very carefully. So it's taking quite a while. I'll probably hold off working on it until I finish the story for the ficathon, which is alarmingly 9,000 words already and possibly at the half-way point.

Unless, of course, I put up a smaller canon vs fanon post in the interim. Something a little less controversial. Like exactly how clumsy Daniel isn't, and Jack's non-existent status as 2IC at the SGC (dontcha love all the acronyms on this show? Or should it be acro'nyms?).

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

9,000 words! Holy crap! And I'm trying *not* to do my usual multipart meandering style. At least I think I've got an idea now, and since I actually have a bit written (though it needs to be tweaked to fit the new plotline) because I cut part of "Netscapade".

You could do Daniel and his glasses. Heh, or is that part of the clumsy thing?

Oh, I have my own opinion on Jack's role at the SGC, as in he is NOT the 2IC. I'd always scratched my head at that A couple of my military minded friends explained and convinced me that it wouldn't work that way. But that's even vaguey for canon v fanon since it's implied though never stated that Jack is 2IC. They never had an explicit 2IC after whatshisface. Simmons? Er...I should be saving this for your post, right? LOL. Perhaps that isn't such a small topic after all.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I'm trying *not* to do my usual multipart meandering style.

Since this is only my third SG-1 fic, I don't even have a style. It's taken me this long just to get up to the prompt. I'm not quite sure what's going to happen, but Sam and Daniel have done a pretty good job of letting me know what they want so far. :)

I do hope to do a canon vs fanon next week, or week after next at the worst. Glasses, yes, maybe. Definitely the clumsy and the 2IC (I agree with you about that, BTW), and a bit of fanon that I used on an older post that a commenter corrected (bad fignewton! no biscuit!) And maybe the glasses and one other little subject. They're all small fanon bits that don't need a whole post of their own, so they'll be relatively easy to do.

I hope. :)

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

The statement badly needs qualifying and was too sweeping, anyway.

Yes, it does. And while I can see where you (and others) are uncomfortable with Vala and the way her character has been developed...I severely disagree with you on the Daniel issue. Or rather, I see absolutely nothing in canon to support such an assumption. Not in any rational way, at least.

If/when you meta, I'll come back to discuss.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I severely disagree with you on the Daniel issue.

Intelligent discourse and disagreement is a wonderful thing. :)

Maybe it's my dislike for the NID running subplots, but it's all too easy to imagine someone like Kinsey arresting Daniel on such a charge. Eurgh. As you say, we'll save it for if and when I decide to meta that topic.