Redial the Gate: Window of Opportunity

[fignewton]

redial_the_gate does Window of Opportunity this week, complete with redial international chat, recap, fanworks, and meta to come!

In the meantime, here are some meandering thoughts and meta-ish questions of my own.


I have always been oddly charmed at Daniel's canon unease regarding radiation, both before and after Meridian. Oddly enough, Daniel doesn't seem to care here, to the point where even when Malakai (desperately hinting, heh) specifically mentions it, Daniel completely ignores it and keeps talking.

I love the recurring "bad example" line from Jack, with a special squee for "What kind of archeologist carries a gun?" and Daniel's little wave of the hand, like in school, with "Uh, I do!" LOVE. :)

The original script had Jack move Daniel out of Siler's way after the first time - only to have Daniel knocked down again, by PDL in one of his regular cameos. On the one hand, I think that would have been hilarious, and a lot more considerate on Jack's part. On the other hand - well, I kind of like seeing this beginning of Jack's downward spiral here into bleakness. Thoughts?

And speaking of which... y'know, under the antics and the goofiness and the delightful banter, this episode really isn't all that funny. Tallulah Rasa has a superb AU, called A Million Days, in which the time machine is broken and they never break out. But even if you just go by the canon - Malakai put 14 different planets on hold for more than three months, because of his desperation to see and speak to his wife again, just one more time.

Charlie. Sha're. I've heard some people suggest that Daniel should have been the one to argue that he knows what it feels like - and Daniel, of course, could actually change things and keep his wife alive, unlike Malakai, whose wife was dying of illness. But I don't agree; I think it would have only led to a screaming session regarding who loved whose wife more. But the loss of a child? No one is going to argue with that.

Teal'c's version of "I told you so" makes me grin every single time. :)

I love that Daniel is the one that suggests goofing off - twice. (Take THAT, you Saint Daniel people!) I love his little eye-roll at the need to say that Teal'c and... Jack helped him translate the entire text. I adore his eyebrow acrobatics and entire manner in "Maybe he read your report?" I just plain love him, what can I say? :)

And here's an invitation to my whole flist: What was Daniel talking about so passionately? Comment with your theories here - as long as they're gen. ;)

Comments

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

On the one hand, I think that would have been hilarious, and a lot more considerate on Jack's part. On the other hand - well, I kind of like seeing this beginning of Jack's downward spiral here into bleakness. Thoughts?

I like both, but would have been even more amused by the original script idea. Because then it would be like Daniel's DOOMED to get knocked over, no matter what, and that would be hilarious and awesome.

Teal'c's version of "I told you so" makes me grin every single time. :)

TEAL'C IS SO AWESOME IN THIS EPISODE, WHICH IS NOT NEWS BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS AWESOME BUT OMG SO MUCH AWESOME IN THIS EPISODE!!! HIS AWESOMENESS MAKES ME CAPSLOCK!!!! I CAN'T STOP!!!

*goes to lie down for a bit*

And here's an invitation to my whole flist: What was Daniel talking about so passionately?

Jell-o: red or blue?

(Edited because Teal'c's awesomeness also makes me stick in random html tages where they do not belong.)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

it would be like Daniel's DOOMED to get knocked over, no matter what, and that would be hilarious and awesome.

Heh, yes - I had the same reaction to it. As I said, I'm ambivalent.

Teal'c's picture is next to "awesome" in the dictionary. ::nods:: And you've heard about the proposal for a Teal'c ficathon this year, right...? ::waves scepter of Enableness::

Jell-o: red or blue?

Okay, but which side was Daniel on?

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

Hm. Given how calm Sam seemed to be, I'm guessing he was in favor of blue.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Wonder Twins power of Jell-O, activate!

[merrykk.livejournal.com]

LOL! But so true... ;-)

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with you. I think having it between Daniel and Malakai would be much more likely to lead to a "whose loss was worse" debate.

The loss of a child trumps pretty much everything. There's no denying that Daniel's pain at losing his wife was intense and profound. I don't in any way want to minimize that. But we know that Jack was suicidal over the loss of his son. To the point that for awhile not only did he not care what happened to him, he didn't much care what happened to anyone else. I think the depth of that comes through in his statement wherein as much as he may long to see Charlie again, he could never live through the experience again.


Plus, Jack and Teal'c are the ones who have been most affected by events. For Daniel, Sam, and everyone else each loop is the first and only experience they remember. I think the final confrontation had to be with one of the two who has felt the full weight, and sheer frustration of reliving the same day over and over again to bring to bear the full impact of what Malakai has inflicted.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yes, I like your suggestion that only Jack can feel the pain of the looping on top of the pain of loss. Yes.

That "I lost my son!" makes me shiver, every time.

[with-apostrophe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, RDA really reaches deep with that line. It's heart-breaking

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

That line gets me every time. In a "suddenly you've got my full attention" kind of way.

I've been thinking about it this afternoon, and that whole exchange between them is really, really good. It gets at the desolation and isolation that grief can bring. There's a certain selfishness to it. I don't mean that in a pejorative way--it's just human. But when you're in the depths of grief and pain, there's a tendency to believe that no one has felt as badly as you do, no one can possibly understand, and sometimes there's a little feeling of entitlement that goes along with it. Grief passes. But it does so in its own time and leaves behind a language of its own. I think that was the language that Jack was speaking to Malakai.

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

Rather bogging down your own journal, I sort of went on at painful length on this topic in my own journal here (http://suzannemarie.livejournal.com/196624.html) if anyone is interested.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Have already squeed at your LJ. :)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Plus, Jack and Teal'c are the ones who have been most affected by events.

Oooh. Good point. That one I never thought of before.

I've always had the same idea as fig (and you) about if Daniel spoke up, it would be this who loved who's wife/suffered more--that Malakai may try to argue. Losing a child trumps that in both its real impact and the stark grief Jack shows as he says it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/rosalind_/]

Yes, I believe also that Jack's speaking of his loss of a child to Malakai is what was needed here. But don't you know that Daniel could feel a lot empathy for Malakai and his need to go back and see his wife. Daniel was probably having a multitude of feelings...a lot of quiet sorrow for his own loss of family and also for Jack's loss. After all, he knew better than most the depth of Jack's suicidal state of mind after his son's death.

[with-apostrophe.livejournal.com]

I have always been oddly charmed at Daniel's canon unease regarding radiation, both before and after Meridian
Not that you've seen it, but in one of his SGA episodes he also gets very worried about radiation when there's some much more obvious electrical charges to be worried about. Thought that might amuse you.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Heh, yes, seen that one. And was muchly amused indeed.

(Hey, if Daniel doesn't almost die, what's the point?)

[sg-wonderland.livejournal.com]

Daniel's 'maybe he read your report?!?!?!?' is hands-down my favorite line of the entire ep. And his expression is absotively adorable.

I kind of saw the Jack letting Daniel get knocked down so many times as something a big brother would do to a little brother who had been annoying him over and over and over...

I think by the time Jack had looped so many times, he was more than a bit...fragile, I suppose is the correct word and quite close to the breaking point. Yes, Daniel loved Sha're passionately but Jack knew, in his heart of hearts, that it was his carelessness and his gun that caused Charlie's death. RDA's delivery of that line was spot on and beautiful in its pain and angst.

Tallulah's 'A Million Days' was gorgeous and bleak and heartbreaking.

Daniel likes non-conformity as well as the next guy so I think him leaping on the no consequences thing is very him. I would love to see someone do a fic about what T did while they were looping. I'd love to see the big Jaffa loosen up with some wacky Earth customs...roller-blading, fencing (you know, with swords and stuff) or perhaps Jack and Teal'c absconding with some friends to take a road trip to Vegas, the possibilities are truly endless.

Daniel was asking Jack's opinion of why his National Geographic always arrives late, well-thumbed with slobber marks on certain pages...

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I did wonder if Daniel's "a good thing... I suppose" made Jack wait just that little bit too long to get him out of the way. ;)

LOL! But Jack has his own collection of National Geographic, doesn't he? I'm pretty sure that's canon from S6.

[sg-wonderland.livejournal.com]

I believe it was Season Five's 'Desperate Measures' when Jack talks to the guy who might have seen Sam abducted. Daniel was complaining because Jack doesn't actually have a subscription, he just nicks Daniel's copy.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Okay, that would be hugely entertaining, but...

From the transcript (and thanks for pointing out the exact ep, as I HATE Maybourne and only watched DM once):

O'NEILL: I'm just a cynical Air Force guy with a closet full of National Geographics.

HOMELESS GUY: Can I have `em?

To be honest, your version would've been a lot funnier. :) But I like the dichotomy of Jack the rabid Simpsons fan is also Jack the opera buff and Jack the Natoinal Geographic subscriber!

[sg-wonderland.livejournal.com]

The only thing I like in DM is when Daniel walks into the hospital, saying he's been electrocuted and proceeds to zat the security guard!
I LOVE the fact that Jack can appreciate opera, cartoons and National Geograpic and that Daniel can gently nudge other folks to goof off at the office...

[samantilles.livejournal.com]

I have always been oddly charmed at Daniel's canon unease regarding radiation, both before and after Meridian. Oddly enough, Daniel doesn't seem to care here, to the point where even when Malakai (desperately hinting, heh) specifically mentions it, Daniel completely ignores it and keeps talking.

Call me crazy, but didn't we also talk about this during Crystal Skull, when he also ignored the radiation warnings to go to the planet and check out the super huge ziggurat?

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Yes, we did! And I was equally amused then. So that's two in the too-excited-to-worry-about-radiation column. I may be sensing a trend, here. :)

[samantilles.livejournal.com]

I never really noticed the whole radiation thing before meridian (until you've pointed it out of course!) but when does he react to radiation warnings? *ponders rewatching five seasons of SG-1 and then looks at time on watch... darnit, no time before work!*

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

We do see Daniel apprehensive about radiation many times.

Pre-Meridian: Singularity, Cold Lazarus, Enemies. Those are the ones that come to mind; I might be missing some!

Post-Meridian: Bounty, a certain SGA episode featured in your icon. :)

There are probably other examples, but these are the ones that spring to mind.

[samantilles.livejournal.com]

*must go and check them out* would you consider that reaction normal for humans, or did he act out of the ordinary scared/apprehensive during those?

(and when I saw that scene in SGA, I knew then it would have to become an icon... just knew it)

[night-spear1287.livejournal.com]

To me, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary as a human reaction to radiation warnings, but he's often standing next to Sam (who often has a meter telling her exactly what the radiation levels are), Jack (who's less obvious about being freaked in many cases), and Teal'c (who is...well. He's Teal'c). But in the context of Meridian, his reaction does tend to stand out, in retrospect.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I do agree that many people would be equally apprehensive under some of these circumstances, yes.

OTOH, it's almost always Daniel who voices his concerns in these scenes. (I think Jack makes a comment re radiation twice in the whole series, and that includes "nintendos," heh.) And as Nightspear points out, it's in the context of Meridian that it makes such an impact.

[sg-betty.livejournal.com]

Maybe if Daniel is interested enough in something, his brain just slides right over the radiation bit.

Susannemarie totally nailed the 'why Jack was the one to talk to the guy', so I won't repeat what she said. ; )

Much as Daniel clearly has a slightly evil streak regarding the 'no consequences', I can't help but think that, knowing he would remember events from the previous loop, he would spend most of his time reading.

I can see why they backed away from having Daniel getting knocked down even if Jack intervenes. I mean, did they really want to give definitive proof that the universe hates Daniel *stretches arms way out* this much?
Also, it's really telling that Jack lets Daniel get knocked down.

I'm guessing that Daniel was going into great detail about why they needed to do more pure exploration, regardless of military goals.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that seems to be the trend - if there's sufficient focus, he blocks out everything else. Even radiation!

I mean, did they really want to give definitive proof that the universe hates Daniel *stretches arms way out* this much?

Hee! I am fairly confident that such proof already exists in spades. :)

And I like your suggestion about Daniel's question! It fits very nicely.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

this episode really isn't all that funny
I have always said that! I cannot rewatch this episode! It hurts too much! I imagine being Jack or Teal'c and...you see my icon. (I just made this icon today, and I've already used it a surprising number of times!) I think I started Tallulah Rasa's story and couldn't finish it.

It has always bothered me slightly that I don't know and will never know what Daniel was talking about! HIs "Anyway, I'm sorry, but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?" seems a little odd--Daniel's not usually one to apologize for having an opinion! The line bothers me as much as not knowing what he's referring to! I for one never say "that just happens to be how I feel about it" because I don't think I "happen" to feel things! (Maybe I'm projecting too much onto Daniel?)

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

I kinda think Daniel's tone is one that's not all that serious. It comes across to me as the way that you might when you're taking something of frivolous importance and putting on a false air earnest importance to it. Like, I don't know, talking about the relative merits of cheddar cheese and colby.

I tend to sort of live in appreciation of the sarcastic side of life, so I may be projecting a bit on to Daniel myself, here. ;)

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I've pretty much concluded the same, that that's the only way Daniel would say he "just happen[ed]" to have an opinion, but I'm still curious!

[sg-betty.livejournal.com]

Unless he'd just said something that goes against what Jack and Sam believe-strongly. While he doesn't care about that when he's angry, he might be trying to be a bit more politic given that they're having lunch.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Your icon is delightful, and hugely apropos. Because... yes. This ep was ow. Part of me thinks the reason they leapt on Daniel's suggestion with such alacrity is that it was the only thing that could have possibly kept them even partially sane.

Good point that Daniel doesn't usually apologize for having an opinion. I do wish we had the chance to find out, somehow!

[neiths-arrow.livejournal.com]

I actually wrote a fic where Daniel explains what he was saying. But I can't find it! Either I deleted the scene, or it is hidden somewhere. But, in any case.

I think Daniel was saying that he was tired of acting like a soldier when he was really an archeologist. He was tired of all the killing and he just wanted to get off the ride. He had had enough. It fit in with the timing since they had just had a bloody battle with the Jaffa after Lieutenant Tyler and Daniel was going to be 'leaving' soon. Wait! I remember now! Here is an excerpt From "Oscar" - Season Five:

0o0o0o0o0
Daniel was in a snit because he didn’t feel his archeological and linguistic skills were being utilized to their fullest on missions. Earlier, over a hurried burrito, he had ranted on the subject with the rapidness of a P-90 on automatic setting. Jack replayed Daniel’s outburst in his head. ‘We go out on missions to explore possibly the greatest archeological finds of a lifetime – actually more than one lifetime – not that I can ever tell anyone in the academic community about any of it – but that isn’t the point – I mean there are whole thriving civilizations that mirror extinct civilizations on this planet, and we barely scratch the surface. Just when I get involved – or as involved as you let me be – because you’re always rushing me to hurry up – and you think I’m just looking at rocks – just when I really start exploring, we have to leave. I tried to explain all this to you before the whole time looping thing but you never answered me about your opinion on the subject. I assume it’s because it’s not as important to you as, say, hockey scores or cleaning your guns and practicing knife throws.’ Daniel had stopped at this point to frown – a partially eaten burrito raised in oratory punctuation. He continued with somewhat less enthusiasm as if he realized the ridiculousness of brandishing a burrito at the seasoned airman. Daniel lowered his hand and his voice. ‘Jack, what I’m trying to say is that I’m tired of all the soldiering – tired of being rushed through my job – and . . .’ he continued more softly ‘- tired of all the killing.’ Jack had been distracted from replying when Teal’c arrived with a tray laden with carbohydrates.
0o0o0o0o0

Anyway, that was my take on the subject.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting take. Daniel is certainly passionate about what he's saying, but his subsequent reactions - "It's just a question" - does suggest that it's not something quite as serious as that. Still, there's no way to tell, so your idea might very well be right. :)

[acarlgeek.livejournal.com]

Since they were eating breakfast, I interpreted Daniel's statement as being the summary of a tirade in response to something that had been in the morning paper or the previous day's evening news. Anything from a proposed new ballpark, to regulations prohibiting bringing bicycles on the bus, to an ordinance about pet licensing.

"Anyway, I'm sorry, but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?"

That's exactly the sort of statement that I'd use to summarize my response/feelings to reading some half-baked notion in the newspaper (or hearing it on the local evening "news"). Either a local politician proposing some over-reactionary (and definitely not thought through) response to some situation that's come to the public eye, or some journalist's equally ill-conceived or just biased suggestion. When I was in graduate school, there was a regular columnist in the Washington Post who was forever taking up the banner of some idiot who had written in to him and given their take on some situation, and he'd champion their cause without any regard to the context or what impact THEIR desired action would have on everyone else. Sometimes he made good suggestions, but a lot of the time, in my opinion, he should have told them they were being selfish idiots and they needed to grow up.

I'm sorry it's not profound, but that just happens to be my opinion. What do you think? :-)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really like this! There's the charm of team breakfast (which is more of a rarity than you might think, heh), and I love the idea that it's something utterly unconsequential - something that might get a "What?" "What?" from Jack and Daniel!