Seth (302)

[First]

I don't really understand the bad rep that this episode got. I enjoyed this episode. Yeah, Seth seemed very complacent in his environment and ill prepared for an assault from an enemy who understands him. But I liked the bit where he could tell that SG1 were lying to him face to face. That was a powerful moment that made him a bit more intimidating.

I previously thought the hand device was a bit lame, they only seem to knock people over with no serious damage, and especially considering it's a gou'alds weapon of choice. But not any more after seeing Seth pummeled one foot deep into the ground (and presumably breaking every bone in his body!) They pack serious power! And the fact that only a gou'ald or ex host can make it work would only make him seem more god-like to his followers.

[Chaka's_Mum]

Oh, I most certainly agree. The ep has its flaws - such as the failure to remember that Sam had, at one time, been joined with a symbiote, which Seth would have picked up on - and (as I've mentioned) the 'moral' of the story is laid on a bit thickly. But I still find it an enjoyable romp - largely because Jacob's back.

I've mentioned in more detail what my view is on Seth's complacency, so I won't repeat it again. Suffice to say that he got too used to having it easy with the Tauri and paid the price for it because they'd finally rumbled him as a Goa'uld.

Oh, and did I mention that Jacob came back?

[Team SG-1*save the show*]

Yeah, i thought that too when i watched this one. Seth would have picked up that Carter had been a host to a symbiote

i did like this episode though!!!!

And yes Chakas_mum you did mention jacob was back!

[Chaka's_Mum]

That's a relief!

[garhkal]

I wonder how all those zats and such the 'faithful' had used was going to get explained away?? You gotta feel one of them at least would try to sell their story to the press.

[Harlan's Speechwriter]

I think this episode is also good because it brings things 'closer to home'. Most of the time, the Goa'uld are lgiht years away, now, here is one on Earth, who's been undetected for many years. How many more could there be?

[AGateFan]

Um I thought Seth did catch on that Carter had once bore host to a symbiote and that is why he knew they were lying. I will have to watch it again but I am almost sure that is what clued him in. He may not have stated it verbally but I think it was only after Carter came up to him that he started asking if they worked for the Goa'uld or the Tokra. Notice he didnt think they were just human government types. I will try to watch it this weekend to see if I just added stuff subconciously.

OK I looked up the script because I am impatient. He did think they were military at first as he said
SETH
Say goodbye to your impure military
past. We're always happy to welcome
new disciples to the bliss that only
Seth can bestow.

And Carter was actually in front of him before he brought in O'Neill and Daniel.
But he did eventually notice she was blended (see the script exerpt below) it just took him a little while. Possibly for the same reason she has trouble using goa'uld devices, she just wasnt blended that long and it was with a Tokra so maybe the essences is a bit on the lighter side.


Seth's compound


Jack and Daniel are brought before Seth where Sam already is.

Seth approves them and they go to clean some weapons.

SETH
With these weapons I have provided we
will defend against any incursion by
the impure forces outside our gate.
Let no other gods draw you away from
Seth.

ALL
Seth is life. Seth is happiness. Seth
is almighty.

SETH: Again!
ALL
Seth is life. Seth is happiness. Seth
is almighty,

SETH :Again!
ALL
Seth is life. Seth is happiness. Seth
is almighty.

Seth grabs Sam.

SETH
You were once blended. Were you not?!

CARTER
Blended?

SETH
No entry marks. But still..I sense a
trace. Bring me those who came with
her!

http://www.imsdb.com/transcripts/Stargate-SG1-Seth.html

[Chaka's_Mum]

Yes - he did; but the bone of contention surrounding that point is the fact that no one considered such a possibility in the event of the team being captured. They were prepared to be captured, certainly, with the little earpieces ready to break the hold of the nishta - but if Seth could sense that Sam had once been joined with Jolinar, surely Selmak could have? It's just that, Jacob and Teal'c had to stay behind because of Selmak and Junior, so why didn't anyone consider the possibility that the remains of Jolinar might spark attention if Sam went along?

It's just a little niggle that needs a bit of explaining away. You could suggest, for example, that Selmak, being surrounded by joined beings all the time, missed the signal sent out by the protein marker, while Seth, who isn't surrounded by joined beings any more, picked up on it at once. A bit like being in a room with an air freshener - you get used to the smell and eventually cease to smell it, but someone comes into the room and immediately notices it.

Alternatively, it's just a convenient oversight to move the plot along.

[AGateFan]

Ok, gottcha. Yeah seems like there were a couple of eps where teal'c missed the ball on this one too. It may be tied with the power of the zat as the most "variable as necessary" plot items.

[First]

It may be tied with the power of the zat as the most "variable as necessary" plot items.

Yes, is one shot meant to stun/knock unconscious/inflict pain?

When Jack, Sam & Daniel, each with a zat in each hand fired on the group of Seth's cult followers I'm surprised none of them got hit twice. Could've been "oops, sorry".......

[Chaka's_Mum]

Ok, gottcha. Yeah seems like there were a couple of eps where teal'c missed the ball on this one too. It may be tied with the power of the zat as the most "variable as necessary" plot items.

I think it took a bit of time before they finally settled on the 'Teal'c can sense other symbiotes' thing. TBH, I can't remember if it had been established that Teal'c could sense another symbiote at the time this ep aired. However, it wasn't something he arrived with - it sort of 'appeared' as time went on.

If you were looking for an 'explanation' for the variability of zats, I suppose you could claim that the effectiveness of zat-fire is dependent on how many times in the past the target has been on the receiving end of a zat-blast - though it does seem a bit odd that zats only incapacitate the people they need to incapacitate, doesn't it?

[Harlan's Speechwriter]

If you were looking for an 'explanation' for the variability of zats, I suppose you could claim that the effectiveness of zat-fire is dependent on how many times in the past the target has been on the receiving end of a zat-blast - though it does seem a bit odd that zats only incapacitate the people they need to incapacitate, doesn't it?

I've been wondering about that. How long do the effects of a zat blast last? (I'm a poet and I didn't know it...) If someone is hit by a zat, if they are hit again, say, a few months later, will the second blast still kill them?

If that's the case, I'm amazed that there aren't more fatalities when SG1 and the Goau'ld go in all zats blazing.

[Chaka's_Mum]

TBH, I'm not that sure how zats work - I think it has something to do with disturbing the body's electrical field. It stuns at the first go - but a second shot before the field returns to normal disrupts it so completely that the person can't survive it. I assume that the third disrupts right down to the cellular level - hence the disintegration of whatever gets hit.

Given a couple of hours (maybe more, maybe less), the electrical field returns to normal and the next zat blast will just stun them again - though perhaps less effectively than before.

Given that very few of the youngsters in the compound would have been hit by a zat, I suppose it would drop 'em like a stone!

[First]

In the episode where SG1 encountered the glowing energy "flies", Jack was zatted so it altered his body's electrical field so the flies wouldn't attack him. After a few minutes the flies started to attack him, the effect had worn off, Teal'c zatted him again and he didn't die. Strangely he was not knocked unconscious on both occasions!

[Chaka's_Mum]

Pardon my putting this in spoiler tags, but I can think of at least one person contributing to this discussion who hasn't seen 'Prodigy'.

Spoiler:

That's true - I should revise my estimate!

The only thing we don't know is how long it actually took Jack to get to the gate - it could have been quite some distance away, as there is no guarantee that a suitable site for an encampment will be on its doorstep. Obviously, I'm not suggesting they were an hour's hike away - but it could be anything from five to twenty minutes. Give or take.

Didn't Teal'c zat the swarm, rather than Jack? I'm fairly sure he did. Mind you, the number of times Jack's been zatted, I suspect he'll be completely immune before long!