The Warrior (518)

[GateWorld]

DISCUSS ... THE WARRIOR EPISODE NUMBER - 518 A charismatic Jaffa leader seeks to forge an alliance between Earth and his rebel followers, winning the allegiance of Teal'c and Bra'tac. Visit the Episode Guide >>

[Rhydderch Hael]

Fine episode throughout, until the very end. I don't know— do you think the surprise revelation that K'Tano was actually the Goa'uld Imohtep was originally in the script, or added on at the end while the episode was in production? Seemed tacked-on to me, as a warm fuzzy thought that says, "Only a Goa'uld could be like this..."

Which feels like the wrong message. Power and self-worship seem more universal than that, and are not the exclusive characteristics of the Goa'uld. Heck, the episode in fact shows us that not all Goa'uld act in the same cookie-cutter meglomaniac fashion. Case in point: Lord Yu.

The episode was strong, but I felt may have been stronger if K'Tano was in fact just K'Tano: a Jaffa gone too far in his own belief that he was better that a Goa'uld— better than the gods. A good correlation to Season One's "First Commandment" where a lowly human, of all creatures, takes on a god complex.

After all, what was Imohtep going to do with a army raised in the belief that the Goa'uld were evil and false gods? "Brothers and sisters! You have served out rebellion well, but now that you have fought and attained victory over the Goa'uld, you will now all serve me as my slaves, for I am one of the very Goa'uld you have been fighting all this time! Kneel before me or—" and then he gets hit by a dozen staff weapon shots fired from the crowd... Just doesn't seem to be a well-thought plan on Imohtep's part.

[Champos]

He wouldn't need to admit to being Go'auld. They were already serving him fanatically, and whether or not he demanded they call him a god, they'd have been willing to treat him like one. I think as a plot device goes it's perhaps a bit cliched, but as far as Imhotep's plans goes, it's not bad I'd say.

[KorbenDirewolf]

He seemed well on his way to achieving his goals, without revealing his true nature. Sometimes, giving a group of people everything they think they want will create similar situations. And when the person involved is directly manipulating this tendency, it is definately easier. K'tano/Imhotep being one and the same didn't seem to me to be tacked on. There were a few small things about his mannerisms and the way he was willing to throw his warriors away, such as he did with Tara'c. I don't think they intended it to be "Only a Goa'uld can act this way" so much as many Goa'uld act this way.

[Jeff O'Connor]

I've yet to catch this episode. It sounds nice and a bit controversial though... I'm gonna have to check it out soon.

[Rhydderch Hael]

I really feel the ending truly tore out the heart of the story's moral: attaining leadership for the crass glorification of one's self is the route of evil. I felt K'Tano did little to further the rebel cause in the overall picture because his motivations were primarily directed to the furtherment of his own name. Conversely, Teal'c brings his focus squarely to the cause. K'Tano may say he does these things for his people, but it really is on the condition that he does this so his people will love and revere him. So, his actions superficially bring about victories, but he over-steps his bounds in the quest for glory and brought destruction down upon the rebellion.

Now, if he was a Jaffa all along, the lesson is made: you lead for your personal glory, and you will lead your people to their needless deaths. Seek not the glorification of yourself and dedicate to the greater cause, and you'll be more like Teal'c instead.

But what do we get? K'Tano is a Goa'uld! So, the fallacy of K'Tano's character isn't a well-developed faltering of his own making, but instead is the innate characteristic of his species. The cardboard-cutout aspect of the Goa'uld here removes that moral lesson. The selfish glory that was at the heart of K'Tano's character is no longer a tragic lesson— it's just a facet of what he is. That sucks the meaning straight out of what was otherwise a great and cohesive episode.

[Madeleine]

That's a good point. It was an unsatisfying ending for me; I felt the twist was not twisty enough. I'd always thought that if the twist had been a more surprising one I'd have been more impressed, but perhaps the point was that it didn't nead a twist at all, just a more analytical approach.

[Selmak]

Saw it coming from a mile away.

[AgentX]

Originally Posted by Selmak

Saw it coming from a mile away.

Yeah the "twist" ending wasn't really a twist at all. It was so easy to discern from watching the episode. I also agree that the twist also diminished the quality and overall impact of the episode. A mediocre episode - that could have been a lot better.

[They call me Tim]

I liked the ending...even though I did see it coming I thought it was a cool idea that a goa'uld actually used a plan that would lead to victory...he should another side of the Goa'uld that we hadnt seen....one that is willing to play a different role, a sort of warrior god...and it was working to a certain extent...I also liked it because I knew that CJ had come up with the idea...I liked it for the whole "wolf in sheep clothing" aspect...and the camera thing in the fight scenes was wicked

[aAnubiSs]

One that was willing to work to get power =)

[Selmak]

I remember cool stick fighting.

[SeaBee]

Good old fashioned "Whodunnit?", with a bit of a twist, but I felt the charismatic leader thing was a little obvious.

[Selmak]

That jaffa's face just freaks me out.

[Liv]

Really liked the stunning fight scenes between Teal'c and K'Tano/Imhotep and how eager Teal'c was to believe what K'Tano was telling them.

But every time the Jaffa warriors started shouting out of pride, I just wanted to scream: Would you stop doing that?!

Other than that, it was a great episode.

[Elwe Singollo]

Originally Posted by Liv

But every time the Jaffa warriors started shouting out of pride, I just wanted to scream: Would you stop doing that?!

Other than that, it was a great episode.

I know, the overprideful Jaffa are becomming annoying when they do that, haha I wonder if they still have that great pride when fighting the kullies

[Ramne]

This was one of the episodes I missed when it aired, and before I watched it on DVD, I read the description of the episode on the back of the DVD, which starts...

The Goa'uld Kytano, former first prime to the late Imhotep, is now the leader of a powerful Jaffa rebellion.

They need spoiler space on the DVD covers!!

[Elwe Singollo]

Originally Posted by Ramne

This was one of the episodes I missed when it aired, and before I watched it on DVD, I read the description of the episode on the back of the DVD, which starts...



They need spoiler space on the DVD covers!!

Hehe, imo, all episode description is pretty much spoilers, like an episode preview.

[KorbenDirewolf]

It is rather hard to be told what an episode is about without being told what an episode is about.

[Lord Zedd]

Originally Posted by Selmak

Saw it coming from a mile away.

me too with the moves he teached the Jaffa to fight.I knew it all along