I appreciate where you're coming from with this argument, but, while altering the chemical composition of the K'tau sun isn't technically advancing the K'tau people artificially - it is interfering with the planet's development, albeit tangentially. The Asgard would be using their advanced technology to reverse a catastrophic chemical reaction in the sun - and that is interference in the natural course of events (in the sense that it's the natural course that a planet will die if its sun snuffs out). Yes the disaster has been caused by non-natural means - but the cause is irrelevant for our little grey allies.
The treaty only permits the Asgard to intervene if the threat is from a Goa'uld System Lord. They are not allowed to get involved with a treaty planet in any other way. This not only forbids 'artificial advancement' of a planet, but also getting involved where the problem is a natural disaster, an attacker who isn't a Goa'uld and (unfortunately) interplanetary visitors from Earth who have mucked up the protected planet's sun en route.
The Goa'uld would have gone to enormous lengths to ensure that the protected planets aren't suddenly bumped up with lots of tasty Asgard technology - and being galactic leaders in the Art of Sneakery, they'd quite naturally assume that the Asgard would be sneaky as they are. The only way they could absolutely guarantee to their (highly suspicious) satisfaction that the Asgard aren't exploiting any loopholes is to ensure that there aren't any loopholes to exploit. Thus, no protecting of the planets concerned unless the problem is a Goa'uld.
I don't believe that the Asgard are being deliberately callous - or that they're creatively interpreting the treaty in some horribly badly timed effort to persuade Jack that he's got to clean up this mess himself. They simply have no choice but to allow the K'tau people to be wiped out - or risk horrible consequences for all protected planets - including Earth.
Of course, we'll never know for sure who it was that saved the day - was Sam's last ditch effort the previously unavailable loophole that the Asgard needed before they could get involved? Or did she pull it off herself?
The treaty only permits the Asgard to intervene if the threat is from a Goa'uld System Lord. They are not allowed to get involved with a treaty planet in any other way. This not only forbids 'artificial advancement' of a planet, but also getting involved where the problem is a natural disaster, an attacker who isn't a Goa'uld and (unfortunately) interplanetary visitors from Earth who have mucked up the protected planet's sun en route.
The Goa'uld would have gone to enormous lengths to ensure that the protected planets aren't suddenly bumped up with lots of tasty Asgard technology - and being galactic leaders in the Art of Sneakery, they'd quite naturally assume that the Asgard would be sneaky as they are. The only way they could absolutely guarantee to their (highly suspicious) satisfaction that the Asgard aren't exploiting any loopholes is to ensure that there aren't any loopholes to exploit. Thus, no protecting of the planets concerned unless the problem is a Goa'uld.
Spoiler:
I don't believe that the Asgard are being deliberately callous - or that they're creatively interpreting the treaty in some horribly badly timed effort to persuade Jack that he's got to clean up this mess himself. They simply have no choice but to allow the K'tau people to be wiped out - or risk horrible consequences for all protected planets - including Earth.
Of course, we'll never know for sure who it was that saved the day - was Sam's last ditch effort the previously unavailable loophole that the Asgard needed before they could get involved? Or did she pull it off herself?
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