Meridian (521)

[Anja]

I don't think Jonas was meant to be a hero - he was brave to steal the Naquadriah but he was brave because he felt guilty.

[Marcinilux]

Oh thank God, people still reply to this thread...

I have to say that this episode shed a whole new kind of light on Daniel's psyche, that had been somewhat misled, ignored and neglected by the writers on Daniel Jackson's character.

Sad as it was, that we rarely saw his struggle with his journey, the weight of his loses, his particularly depressive view on his own accomplishments; and all together a sort of never ending atonement that gets Daniel to reach about the same level of attrition as Jack, This episode speaks about the true feelings of the writers (as I see them) about never knowing how to handle this character.

I felt, through the voice of this grieving Daniel, that somewhere, someone in that writer's room was apologizing to us, as the ones who rooted for this character and watched him sometimes subdue to Jack's overwhelming military philosophy, or stay quiet in situations where he should've been screaming.

Daniel, at this point of the series, is absolutely isolated from the rest of the group. Where Teal'c and Jack have become buddies; where Sam has developed her mutual interest for Jack, and where they have all at some point or another shared bits of their lives, low points, confessions and other emotions with Daniel, he appears to be the only one uncapable, or unwilling to share his own state of mind, or bits about his past unless it's absolutely necessary (Crystal Skull, The Curse, sorta. )

And about Jonas... It was sad to see the best Daniel scripts about Archaeology and Philology, visiting temples, talking to Sam, and unburying Stargates!! Be given to a character who only met Daniel once, and keeps quoting his research in an attempt to approach his level of knowledge and experience in the field.

Don't get me wrong, I think Jonas did a pretty good job considering the circumstances, and he had a solid backstory. But they needed time together, Daniel and Jonas, to be able to pass on the torch properly.

I've reached the 7th season now, and things changed once again.
#longpost.

[garhkal]

I always felt that Nian from the episode New Ground (319) would have been a better person for his replacement.. He should by now have had more experience after earth brought him through iirc.

[Marcinilux]

I always felt that Nian from the episode New Ground (319) would have been a better person for his replacement.. He should by now have had more experience after earth brought him through iirc.

Or, for the love of God, how about Dr. Frasier?
She would've been a wonderful member of the team, a very needed one at that too.

[hedwig]

Or, for the love of God, how about Dr. Frasier?
She would've been a wonderful member of the team, a very needed one at that too.

She would have. But she's the head of the medical department at the SGC, and they wouldn't send her out on a team unless her expertise was needed. Even though she survived other missions with various teams, look what happened to her in "Heroes".

[hedwig]

And about Jonas... It was sad to see the best Daniel scripts about Archaeology and Philology, visiting temples, talking to Sam, and unburying Stargates!! Be given to a character who only met Daniel once, and keeps quoting his research in an attempt to approach his level of knowledge and experience in the field.

Don't get me wrong, I think Jonas did a pretty good job considering the circumstances, and he had a solid backstory. But they needed time together, Daniel and Jonas, to be able to pass on the torch properly.

You may have forgotten one of the things about Jonas is that he has a photographic memory and could recall everything he read (and saw) at a moment's notice. So it isn't like he had to learn stuff over a period of time, except actually being on the team. That took time and experience to get good at.

[Marcinilux]

She would have. But she's the head of the medical department at the SGC, and they wouldn't send her out on a team unless her expertise was needed. Even though she survived other missions with various teams, look what happened to her in "Heroes".

True, but nonetheless... She deserved so much more screentime. Wonderful character.

[Marcinilux]

You may have forgotten one of the things about Jonas is that he has a photographic memory and could recall everything he read (and saw) at a moment's notice. So it isn't like he had to learn stuff over a period of time, except actually being on the team. That took time and experience to get good at.

Exactly! that's what made it so sad. This excuse, the superpowers, to make him approach the experience and wisdom that Daniel had already collected and learned in his travels, just to make him match and fill his shoes... It was a little painful to see.

[hedwig]

Exactly! that's what made it so sad. This excuse, the superpowers, to make him approach the experience and wisdom that Daniel had already collected and learned in his travels, just to make him match and fill his shoes... It was a little painful to see.

I guess we have different opinions on the subject, because I don't see it as sad. Oh well, we're all entitled to our own opinions. I liked Jonas and thought he was a good addition to the show. I loved the parts when he and Daniel worked together to get off that ship in Season 7; they played off each other very well.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

One of the things I liked about the way they handled Jonas was that Jack was always testing him to see if he would do as he was told. After six years of Daniel, who couldn't be trusted to obey orders even in an emergency (although his resurrection appeared to have cured that last bit), it must have been nice to have a civilian subordinate he didn't have to watch constantly.

Seaboe

[garhkal]

True but i found it rather strange how quick both Sam and Tea'lc took to him.

[Anja]

I knew that Daniel wasn't gone forever so I really felt sad about Jonas staying only for a short time. I liked him, he was cute, wasn't he?

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

i found it rather strange how quick both Sam and Tea'lc took to him.

Both were quite used to changes in team make up, and having colleagues come and go. In addition, Teal'c had the bond of being the only other full-time alien on base. Sam was probably trying to level out Jack's harshness.

Seaboe

[Marcinilux]

One of the things I liked about the way they handled Jonas was that Jack was always testing him to see if he would do as he was told. After six years of Daniel, who couldn't be trusted to obey orders even in an emergency (although his resurrection appeared to have cured that last bit), it must have been nice to have a civilian subordinate he didn't have to watch constantly.

Seaboe

In Daniel's defense, often when he didn't follow orders, it was based on a philosophical disjunctive. It tested Jack's orders, made him rethink what he was doing in his command, God I loved when they yelled at each other. Sure, relieving as it had to be not to be questioned, remember that episode.... Unnatural Selection, where they betrayed Fifth?

I always felt someone should've been really mad at Jack for what he did, someone should've questioned what that said about him as a man. But neither Jonas or Carter were going to do it because both of them were too... subservient.

[garhkal]

THose were some of the best eps.. When jack and danny knocked heads.