The Tok'ra, Part 2 (212)

[captain jake]

Knowing the Tok'ra as we do, I suspect they probably see it more as letting us join with them!

All a matter of perception, I suppose...

Yes I would have to agree with you on that one the tok'ra are no better than the gou'ald in many ways.

[Chaka's_Mum]

Yes I would have to agree with you on that one the tok'ra are no better than the gou'ald in many ways.

Say that in front of a Tok'ra. Go on. I dare you!

It's a good point, though. The insufferable self-importance in particular. Whether they like it or not, they've got it!

[captain jake]

Say that in front of a Tok'ra. Go on. I dare you!

It's a good point, though. The insufferable self-importance in particular. Whether they like it or not, they've got it!

They are kinda like a mix of the tolan and the gou'ald. hahahahaha (I crack myself up)

[Sheppard]

Say that in front of a Tok'ra. Go on. I dare you!

It's a good point, though. The insufferable self-importance in particular. Whether they like it or not, they've got it!

if you said that in front of the tok'ra they would probely kill you lol they are always protective about that stuff

[Pharaoh Atem]

glad to see Jacob doing ok after this season 8 spoiler

Spoiler:

sadly he died years later

[Chaka's_Mum]

I imagine it was a bit of an interesting experience for Selmak given that the previous host was a woman!

It was a nice way of bridging the gap between the Tok'ra and the Humans, though I can't help wondering how it felt for Sam.

1) Jacob is dying of cancer - she is about to lose him.
2) Jacob receives Tok'ra symbiote and is cured - she gets him back.
3) Jacob joins up with the rest of the Tokra - she loses him anyway (sort of).

Okay, so he's not gone permanently, but it's not as if he's going to be able to drop by on a regular basis and, now that the rift in their relationship has healed, she doesn't even get the chance to spend more time with him because he's gone off with the Tok'ra, and she won't know where he is, what he's doing or when (or, indeed, if) she'll see him again.

Not an easy one for Sam, I think.

[Harlan's Speechwriter]

It was great to have a more in-depth character study of the Tok'ra after In the Line of Duty, but I'm still not 100% certain about them; there's still something about them which makes me feel uneasy (I don't think it's just the symbiote/host issue) but I can't quite put my finger on it. I'm sure all will be revealed as I watch my way through the seasons.

As others have said, it would have been good to see more of Jacob learning to live as a Tok'ra, though I guess we'd already seen something of that when Jolinar was inside Sam.

The relationship between Sam and Jacob seems complex. They obviuosly love each other deeply, but seem to get on each other's nerves quite easily. Maybe they're happier being apart, but knowing that the other is happy and doing what they want. It's a shame they haven't got a secure means of keeping in touch though.

[MFA]

Hi!

It's fun to see the Tok'ra show up in later episodes. And they drive Jack up the wall just a bit. It's always fun watching their exchanges.


The Sam/Jacob relationship has always been one of my favorites, and they do explore this later on too. I just wish they had done more.

MFA

[marty2006]

yea i wish jacob had been around more he was a cool character

[Chaka's_Mum]

Indeed. Jacob is one of my favourite recurring characters - he brings a touch of 'modern earth bloke' to the stiff formality of the Tok'ra.

There is, after all, so much we don't actually know about how the Symbiote and Host blend. All we have is what we have been told.

Martouf says in Tok'ra part 1 that they live in true symbiosis - which is all very well, but how do they settle on the day to day stuff like communication? It seems to be very much an individual kind of thing - Garshaw/Yosuuf seems so speak largely through Garshaw when addressing the Tauri, whereas Martouf/Lantash (once the initial introductions are out of the way) speaks through Martouf. Why is this? Does Lantash feel that he and his host will be more 'acceptable' to the Tauri if Martouf speaks for them? What about Garshaw? Does she feel that her and Yosuuf's authority will be undermined if she doesn't? What happens if they disagree on this?

If each feels the other's emotions, then they must live almost completely in each other's minds. How does someone get used to that? Do they each have a place to withdraw to for some 'time out' or are they inescapably intertwined? How does someone who is used to their own space deal with suddenly having their every thought on display to someone else who can speak independently of them?

It would be interesting to find out, though I suspect that it will be something that can only really be explored in the fanfic realm.

[Harlan's Speechwriter]

I certainly wouldn't like to be the Tokra's psychologist...

[Trek_Girl42]

I certainly wouldn't like to be the Tokra's psychologist...

That would have to be one hec of a high-paying profession.....and a highly required one.

[Chaka's_Mum]

Best of all, given that each of them feels what the other is feeling, you could charge double for your time!

I'd get my coat - but I've only just got here...

[Harlan's Speechwriter]

Best of all, given that each of them feels what the other is feeling, you could charge double for your time!

I'd get my coat - but I've only just got here...

But they'd spend so long arguing over who had to pay....

[Chaka's_Mum]

But they'd spend so long arguing over who had to pay....

Heck - does this mean that the first stages of the blending are a bit like a first date, then?

Symbiote: Oh, please - allow me.
Host: There's no need - please allow me.
Symbiote: No. I'll pay.
Host: No. let me pay. My treat.

and so on - ad infinitum.

Okay - it's at this point that Graham Chapman appears as an Army Colonel and demand that we stop this sketch because it's getting too silly...

It's an interesting concept, though - how do two completely independently sentient minds learn to cohabit? Particularly if one of them is used to being independent. Jacob seems happy with his new companion - but is that just the novelty factor mixed with gratitude for all that Selmak has done to heal him? What happens once that novelty begins to wear off and the reality of having someone else living inside him starts to kick in?