Thanks for the well-wishes guys! This review is rather rushed, but if I didn't get it up tonight I wouldn't have time until Friday, so without further ado...
Made by Padme
Synopsis
The Replicators begin a systematic attack of the Goa'uld, forcing Baal to come to Earth for help. The Jaffa Resistance risk their entire movement in an attempt to retake a holy city in Baal's domain.
(Taken from GW episode guide)
Favorite scenes
It's a four-way tie between Replicarter vs. Daniel stuff after he realizes she is posing as Oma, the confrontations between Jack and Ba'al, the planning scenes between Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Tolok, and the scenes between Jack and Jacob. (Maybe it'd be easier to just say the whole episode...)
Favorite quotes
BRA'TAC: Listen to me, O'Neill. This war must be fought on two fronts. We will reignite the uprising and conquer our oppressors while you find the means to stop these Replicators. Let us each fight the enemy we know best.
O'NEILL: I've got a better idea. Instead of helping you, why don't we sit back and watch you get your ass kicked? That way, you'll be dead, and we'll be glad!
BAAL: You cannot be serious.
O'NEILL: Yes I can. I just choose not to some of the time.
Analysis
Season 8 as a whole is rather hit or miss for me, but I simply adore Reckoning. While Heroes remains the best two hours of SG-1 IMHO, Reckoning does an amazing job of meshing some of Stargate's longest running story arcs into storylines that weave together and culminate in an amazing showdown by the end of part 2.
I love the way the writers were able to dovetail Stargate's two main enemies, the Goa'uld and the replicators, together in such a logical way. The replicators naturally seek out the most advance technology in the galaxy, in this case the Goa'uld. And the return of Replicarter not only adds in the elements of the Ancient weapon and Daniel's subconscious Ancient knowledge, but adds a character angle to the conflict for Sam. Similarly, the return of Ba'al adds both a subversive element to the Goa'uld, given his willingness to work with the SGC against Anubis, as well as a character angle for Jack who is clearly gleeful at seeing Ba'al having to ask for his help.
While part of me wishes for a follow-up to the Sam/Replicarter showdown from Gemini, Replicarter targeting Daniel for his Ancient knowledge makes sense and the revelation of the Dakara weapon nicely dovetails with its significance to the Jaffa. Sam doesn’t get quite as much to do in this part, she’s mostly stuck on the ship with Thor, but part 2 more than makes up for that and AT herself was likely already stretched playing Replicarter as well. And I’d just like to briefly fangirl AT’s performance as Replicarter, it was so cold and chilling, in the opening scene you can tell just by the look on her face that this was not the real Sam Carter. I so wished the writers had kept Replicarter around for seasons 9 and 10 (I would have enjoyed her and Ba'al as the main enemies much more than the Ori and LA ).
In addition to the great plot development, I also really enjoyed the character moments in the episode. I always love to see Bra'tac, and his scenes with Teal'c are a great culmination of both their relationship as mentor/mentee, and their leading roles in the Jaffa rebellion. The scenes between Jack and Jacob are always nice as well, you can see how much Jack has come to like and respect Jacob as himself despite him also being a Tok'ra. And I also liked the brief scene between Sam and Jack where they talk about her feeling guilty about Daniel getting taken by Replicarter. (more on that later)
Overall, Reckoning part 1 does a really nice job of getting all the pieces into place for the climactic showdowns of part 2, and together they truly feel like an amazing culmination and pay-off of the past 8 seasons. My only real regret about the episode is that the main characters are mostly separated throughout the episode, Jack on Earth, Sam with Thor, Teal'c on Dakara, and Daniel with Replicarter. But the storylines are interwoven so well it still feels very teamy for me.
Sam and Jack
While Sam and Jack are separated for most of the episode, the moment they share before Sam gets beamed up by Thor speaks a lot about their relationship to me. Jack knows why Sam has come to see him before she says anything, and despite Jack no longer being on the team Sam shows little hesitancy in seeking him out to talk about her feelings about what happened to Daniel. It reminds of the moments in the past where we've seen Sam and Jack share their concerns or reassure each other in this way, like Evolution, Redemption, Fair Game, and even a bit in the Tok'ra. Sadly they get cut off by Walter and Thor, but I like that the intentions are still there on both their parts. As a non-shipper I don’t see this as ship but more as an example of their great friendship and that despite the change in their positions they still share the closeness they had as teammates.
I also personally believe that ease and familiarity Sam and Jack have with each other here, and earlier like in Citizen Joe, has little to nothing to do with Sam's relationship with Pete. I do think Sam sincerely loved Pete, but she's also got 8 years of history with Jack as teammates and friends and that depth and breath of interaction doesn't simply vanish because she's in a relationship with another man. So I see Sam bantering with Jack in Citizen Joe, or touching on emotional issues like her guilt about Replicarter in this episode as indications of the strength of that friendship first and foremost. That’s why don’t really get the idea that scenes like this show that Sam doesn’t love Pete, because that seems to imply an either/or between Jack and Pete that I just can’t agree with, that Sam can’t be both in love with Pete and still share this deep connection with Jack at the same time.
That's all my fried brain can manage for right now, sorry again for the lateness guys!
Made by Padme
Synopsis
The Replicators begin a systematic attack of the Goa'uld, forcing Baal to come to Earth for help. The Jaffa Resistance risk their entire movement in an attempt to retake a holy city in Baal's domain.
(Taken from GW episode guide)
Favorite scenes
It's a four-way tie between Replicarter vs. Daniel stuff after he realizes she is posing as Oma, the confrontations between Jack and Ba'al, the planning scenes between Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Tolok, and the scenes between Jack and Jacob. (Maybe it'd be easier to just say the whole episode...)
Favorite quotes
BRA'TAC: Listen to me, O'Neill. This war must be fought on two fronts. We will reignite the uprising and conquer our oppressors while you find the means to stop these Replicators. Let us each fight the enemy we know best.
O'NEILL: I've got a better idea. Instead of helping you, why don't we sit back and watch you get your ass kicked? That way, you'll be dead, and we'll be glad!
BAAL: You cannot be serious.
O'NEILL: Yes I can. I just choose not to some of the time.
Analysis
Season 8 as a whole is rather hit or miss for me, but I simply adore Reckoning. While Heroes remains the best two hours of SG-1 IMHO, Reckoning does an amazing job of meshing some of Stargate's longest running story arcs into storylines that weave together and culminate in an amazing showdown by the end of part 2.
I love the way the writers were able to dovetail Stargate's two main enemies, the Goa'uld and the replicators, together in such a logical way. The replicators naturally seek out the most advance technology in the galaxy, in this case the Goa'uld. And the return of Replicarter not only adds in the elements of the Ancient weapon and Daniel's subconscious Ancient knowledge, but adds a character angle to the conflict for Sam. Similarly, the return of Ba'al adds both a subversive element to the Goa'uld, given his willingness to work with the SGC against Anubis, as well as a character angle for Jack who is clearly gleeful at seeing Ba'al having to ask for his help.
While part of me wishes for a follow-up to the Sam/Replicarter showdown from Gemini, Replicarter targeting Daniel for his Ancient knowledge makes sense and the revelation of the Dakara weapon nicely dovetails with its significance to the Jaffa. Sam doesn’t get quite as much to do in this part, she’s mostly stuck on the ship with Thor, but part 2 more than makes up for that and AT herself was likely already stretched playing Replicarter as well. And I’d just like to briefly fangirl AT’s performance as Replicarter, it was so cold and chilling, in the opening scene you can tell just by the look on her face that this was not the real Sam Carter. I so wished the writers had kept Replicarter around for seasons 9 and 10 (I would have enjoyed her and Ba'al as the main enemies much more than the Ori and LA ).
In addition to the great plot development, I also really enjoyed the character moments in the episode. I always love to see Bra'tac, and his scenes with Teal'c are a great culmination of both their relationship as mentor/mentee, and their leading roles in the Jaffa rebellion. The scenes between Jack and Jacob are always nice as well, you can see how much Jack has come to like and respect Jacob as himself despite him also being a Tok'ra. And I also liked the brief scene between Sam and Jack where they talk about her feeling guilty about Daniel getting taken by Replicarter. (more on that later)
Overall, Reckoning part 1 does a really nice job of getting all the pieces into place for the climactic showdowns of part 2, and together they truly feel like an amazing culmination and pay-off of the past 8 seasons. My only real regret about the episode is that the main characters are mostly separated throughout the episode, Jack on Earth, Sam with Thor, Teal'c on Dakara, and Daniel with Replicarter. But the storylines are interwoven so well it still feels very teamy for me.
Sam and Jack
While Sam and Jack are separated for most of the episode, the moment they share before Sam gets beamed up by Thor speaks a lot about their relationship to me. Jack knows why Sam has come to see him before she says anything, and despite Jack no longer being on the team Sam shows little hesitancy in seeking him out to talk about her feelings about what happened to Daniel. It reminds of the moments in the past where we've seen Sam and Jack share their concerns or reassure each other in this way, like Evolution, Redemption, Fair Game, and even a bit in the Tok'ra. Sadly they get cut off by Walter and Thor, but I like that the intentions are still there on both their parts. As a non-shipper I don’t see this as ship but more as an example of their great friendship and that despite the change in their positions they still share the closeness they had as teammates.
I also personally believe that ease and familiarity Sam and Jack have with each other here, and earlier like in Citizen Joe, has little to nothing to do with Sam's relationship with Pete. I do think Sam sincerely loved Pete, but she's also got 8 years of history with Jack as teammates and friends and that depth and breath of interaction doesn't simply vanish because she's in a relationship with another man. So I see Sam bantering with Jack in Citizen Joe, or touching on emotional issues like her guilt about Replicarter in this episode as indications of the strength of that friendship first and foremost. That’s why don’t really get the idea that scenes like this show that Sam doesn’t love Pete, because that seems to imply an either/or between Jack and Pete that I just can’t agree with, that Sam can’t be both in love with Pete and still share this deep connection with Jack at the same time.
That's all my fried brain can manage for right now, sorry again for the lateness guys!
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