The First Commandment (105)

[ngewakl]

I thought it was an ok episode but I have one comment. There is no reason for the UV levels on this planet to be that bad. Since the plant life is apparently very good and everyone is breathing, we can safely assume that there is oxygen on this planet. UV rays react with Oxygen to create O3, or ozone. There should be an abundance of ozone on this planet. With no CFC's and other pollutants on this planet, it should have a healthy and functioning ozone layer. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this so I thought I would. Anyway, it was an ok episode, with some great moments like Teal'c trying to smile and stuff but I just did not like the stupid science in this episode.

[Vagabond Serpent]

Maybe the just threw in ozone as an easier explanation. To me, radiation shield instead of oxygen generator makes perfect sense if the planet has weak magnetic field. Then indeed, solar radiation becomes deadly, while UV rays still react with oxygene and create ozone.

[Girlbot]

Interesting episode. This Jonas, Carter got engaged to , and then she goes and passes up Martouf, Narim, and Pete?

[Vagabond Serpent]

Maybe they just lacked that certain something she needed?

[pookey]

Brains Carters looney ex bored me. There were a few funny moments, Jack and the pebble quip and the rescuing the SG9 member, but to be honest it was not my favourite by far.

[GusF]

This has always been one of my least favourite episodes. It's fairly awful really, though that is at least an improvement over the horrendously awful "Emancipation". There are quite a few plot holes. For one thing, one would think that the SGC, already being aware even at this very early stage that the locals tend to worship people who come through the Stargate as gods, would conduct psych tests on potential SG-team members to ensure that they don't have megalomaniac tendencies or a Messianic complex. In Hanson's case, they either skipped it or Dr. MacKenzie got a bit bored and decided to rush through it.

Another thing that has always bothered me is why Lt. Baker, Hanson's crony, goes along with him. At least Hanson was nuts. What's his excuse? Is he just an amoral bastard who has always wanted to be a slave driver or is he a "brain dead sycophant" as Jack calls him? They never even attempt to explain it. Plus in the final scene, Daniel tells Jamala that the outside world is bigger than he can possibly imagine, yet the shield only extends over the valley which only looks like three to five square miles at the most to me. Perhaps Daniel was just being incredibly condescending towards the locals!

This episode is notable though for being the first of many episodes in which SG-1 convinces the locals that someone is not a god and I think the only time that the wannabe god is a human. It's also the first example of the "Black Widow Carter" curse. Speaking of Sam, I hate the scene where she can't shoot Hanson. Jack's right when he says that shooting a man is no badge of honour but surely it was the lesser of two evils in this instance when compared to the potential extinction of an entire people.

[gatechick]

Was it explained how long Jonas and his team were on this planet? I would think some time would have had to pass for him to go a little nutso to fully get into the god thing and have the people start the building. How would Jonas have been able to explain why he was on the planet for so long if Hammond radioed in? Wouldn't they have sent a team out by now? I really need to go back and watch this ep again but I swear I don't remember this being explained.

[GusF]

Was it explained how long Jonas and his team were on this planet?

Lt. Connor mentions that they were on the planet for about five weeks. There's no mention of them having any contact with the SGC in the meantime, which is another plot hole.

[gatechick]

Lt. Connor mentions that they were on the planet for about five weeks. There's no mention of them having any contact with the SGC in the meantime, which is another plot hole.

Okay I missed that, hence another reason to go back and watch that ep again. Yes, major plot hole there. I cannot imagine Hammond allowing a team to be out of contact that long. I could forgive that considering this is the first season.

[fems]

Okay I missed that, hence another reason to go back and watch that ep again. Yes, major plot hole there. I cannot imagine Hammond allowing a team to be out of contact that long. I could forgive that considering this is the first season.

It's still possible Hanson contacted the SGC (although I wouldn't be surprised if they were rather lax about scheduled check-ins considering the Program is young and the planet is boring) and simply pretended everything was fine and going as expected, while he was already playing God.

[Girlbot]

We should have known with this episode that Carter wasn't going to have any luck with boyfriends. What was she thinking with this one

[GusF]

We should have known with this episode that Carter wasn't going to have any luck with boyfriends. What was she thinking with this one

I don't know but it's probably for the best that he was never mentioned again!

[Falcon Horus]

Definitely not a favorite episode. Jonas is one freakin' headcase, and Carter not able to shoot him, not even in the leg (if she couldn't bring herself to kill him) was somewhat surprising. However, she does mention he liked to be in control and considering they were nearly engaged, I reckon she and him were a couple for a fairly long time. I don't think it was a very healthy relationship though... good thing she didn't go through with it. She can do better than Jonas (no, not Jack).

However, the episode does bring up the notion how the locals look upon the SG-teams and how teams respond to that. Connor did say that Frakes went with it when Hansen let the people believe they were gods. So, when did they cross the line? When Jonas saved that little girl? Or when they decided against telling the people they weren't gods? Interesting ideas to explore... which they sorta did in this episode.

I did wonder why the other teammember followed Jonas in his newfound godhood... what did Jonas promise him? Too bad it was never touched upon. Maybe they were black-ops buddies who stuck together, no matter what they had each other's backs. Or the radiation fried his brain.

And a new piece of Goa'uld technology, which will be re-used in Stargate Atlantis in season 1 as ... you never guess... a shield generator to protect a bunch of kids from being culled by the Wraith.

[Brother Freyr]

And a new piece of Goa'uld technology, which will be re-used in Stargate Atlantis in season 1 as ... you never guess... a shield generator to protect a bunch of kids from being culled by the Wraith.

The shield in SGA is definitely made by the ancients. The shield in this episode is similar in appearance and function. I'd argue that the shield in this episode is our first encounter with Ancient tech (aside from the gates, of course). Also, providing the shield is consistent with Ancient behavior and inconsistent with goa'uld behavior. Sure, Teal'c thinks it's goa'uld technology, but it's no surprise for goa'uld to claim other species' technology as their own.

In retrospect, the shield is more plausible as Ancient technology than goa'uld.

[Falcon Horus]

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, Brother Freyr, but I was actually talking about the prop. Not the actual technology... however, as far as the technology goes the Goa'uld probably "borrowed" it.