The Powers That Be (905)

[jckfan55]

Much better episode than last week. Vala was even good. See, I knew it could be done. Perhaps they should have let Gero write more of the episodes.
Still haven't warmed up to Dr. Lam. She has zero bedside manner. I'm sure they don't want to make her a Fraiser clone, but *some* feeling wouldn't be out of place. She mentioned she used to work for the CDC--maybe this is the first time she's worked much with actual patients?
Sam's back next time. yay!

[Kalliope]

Much better episode than last week. Vala was even good. See, I knew it could be done. Perhaps they should have let Gero write more of the episodes.

I hope they'll ask him for more eps in the future. I love what he said (here at GateWorld) about this episode that it's the best SG-1 he's ever written and (it's in Alex Levine's blog at SciFi's Stargate website http://blog.scifi.com/stargate/ ) that he particularly liked writing the Vala character

[pittsburghgirl]

I hope they'll ask him for more eps in the future. I love what he said (here at GateWorld) about this episode that it's the best SG-1 he's ever written and (it's in Alex Levine's blog at SciFi's Stargate website http://blog.scifi.com/stargate/ ) that he particularly liked writing the Vala character

you are quite right-i had no idea it was mitchell until he came to. how about that for shoddy editing and follow thru.

[entil2001]

When this episode began, I was expecting it to be as relatively light-hearted as the teaser. Considering how Vala’s more ridiculous side was explored in such detail in the previous episode, it wasn’t such a stretch to make that assumption. What struck me was how quickly the episode went from hijinks to heavy drama, and how impressed I was in the process.

I mentioned in my comments for “Origin” that the most intriguing side of the Ori mythology was their depth of true power; unlike the Goa’uld, the Ori are actually god-like in nearly every respect. They make Anubis look like a chump, and he was ready to wipe the floor with the rest of the System Lords. Convincing people (especially the downtrodden) that they should throw off the shackles of the false gods worked rather well when SG-1 could point to snakeheads and be done with it.

In the case of the Ori, they don’t have that. The Priors walk in, do things that they really shouldn’t be able to do (on a massive scale), and then let the not-so-implied threats speak for themselves. No wonder so many bow down to the Ori! From an objective perspective, the Ori are more directly evident in their “godhood” than any of the deities of Earth-based religions, and there’s plenty of belief in those faiths. The Priors are very much like the “prophets” of the Bible, walking in and performing miracles as though they were casual shrugs.

What was most interesting about this episode was the slow but steady erosion of Daniel’s confidence. About halfway through the episode, he was confident that explaining Vala’s true nature and offering freedom would be enough. He certainly wasn’t expecting the Prior to release a plague. Even then, he figured that Vala and the Goa’uld technology would be able to counter the effects. When that didn’t work, he was left with nothing.

Even better, I strongly suspect that the Prior was toying with Daniel and Vala. The Prior had prior knowledge (no pun intended) of Daniel and Vala, and he certainly recognized Daniel and knew about his lack of belief in the Ori. It’s very easy to believe that the Prior had little worry over converting the mining colony; he was more intent on providing an example for Daniel to ponder. Forcing Daniel to admit the power of the Ori and his inability to match it would be a far more powerful effect.

The second half of the episode was all about that process of undermining Daniel’s confidence, and it worked for me, a lot more than I thought it would. I guess I’m feeling what the writers intended me to feel when it comes to the Ori. The concepts of absolutism behind the Priors and the Ori get under my skin. I find myself asking the same question that Daniel keeps asking: what motivates the Ori to demand such utter devotion and fealty?

The slowly re-forming SG-1 team gets a nasty lesson in how bad it’s going to get, and what kind of enemy they are fighting. Unlike the previous episode, I can see how the team is going to be forced back together. As the scope of the threat posed by the Priors is revealed, slowly but surely, the need for an elite and experienced team to deal with their activities will be needed. Episodes like this prove that taking such a measured approach can work wonders.

[Liam Kincaid]

When the Prior told Daniel to "tell others what you have seen", did he mean 'tell other people" or did he mean "tell The Others" as in Oma's "the Others"? The Doci and the Priors do seem to be a bit fixated on Jackson. It might only be because he was the first human they met, but it just might be that they are using him to get to the Ascended beings on Oma's plane.

[PugGate]

How did the prior recognize Daniel? He said something like, "well spoken Daniel Jackson of Earth." But when Dainiel told the prior who he was, he was in a different body in a different galaxy.

[Daniel's_twin]

All I can say is, this was a lot more then I expected! Ok, so I can say a little more....

When I saw the teaser for it (I hadn't read any spoilers for this one) I was thinking "Oh, great. Another Cor-ai episode. Oh, well. Maybe it'll be more interesting then the first one" Then I watched it, and it was like "Whoa! Boy, was I wrong!" I was expecting this to center almost entirely around Vala's trial (or Maldaran ), so I was really surprised when the stuff came in about the Prior, the fact that the new doc is Gen. Landry's daughter, I was surprised all around!

Could go on, but I'd just be repeating what's already been said (on the positive side). I liked it better then Atlantis. SG-1 continues to go strong!!!

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

I'll confess that I didn't even recognize that as Cam the first time I saw it...and at the end when he sits up I was like...THAT WAS CAM???

The second time I paid more attention...but still the camera angle didn't do much to give me a clue it was him...I noticed the dogtags and that was about it...

I beginning to wonder if this was intentional.

Maybe Cam just represented the off-world sampling of the population struck down by the Prior. Everyone knows Cam won't die because he has top billing in the show credits, so why overtly pretend that he is in danger? Rather, he is just presented as one of many who were struck with the sickness.

Bit of a stretch?

[Daniel's_twin]

I beginning to wonder if this was intentional.

Maybe Cam just represented the off-world sampling of the population struck down by the Prior. Everyone knows Cam won't die because he has top billing in the show credits, so why overtly pretend that he is in danger? Rather, he is just presented as one of many who were struck with the sickness.

Bit of a stretch?

I think they just had to show that SG-1 can be affected just as much as anyone else on the planet. You knew one of them had to get the Plague. The chances of them not getting it are so small even TPTB could not ignore it.

[fan457]

Actually I thought Daniel, Teal'c and Vala didn't get sick because Daniel was Ascended, Teal'c is Jaffa, and Vala used to be a Goauld. Anyone with Ascended/Goauld connections is immune. My theory will be tested if Carter also doesn't get sick.

[esoap524]

just goes to show you how deeply i embraced this ep, because after i'd posted the post you're replying to, and read everyone's thoughts on vala's 'true' reasons for returning to that planet... you're right! i think some of this ep just flowed over my brain or something.

but vala did show some care and concern for them, even though she enslaved them for years...


sally

Maybe she finally met a group of people who've been pretty nice to her, haven't tried to take advantage of her and who finally made her see that perhaps, a little compassion and a little less greed are in order.

I doubt she's completely changed but I think that she saw/has seen a new point of view that perhaps she hasn't seen much of in the past.

But a little foreshadowing over the prior episodes (I hate typing "prior") might have been nice anyway.

Time-wise, hasn't this been about 3 months since she first got to SGC? I've lost track of the time frame.

[greytop]

Actually I thought Daniel, Teal'c and Vala didn't get sick because Daniel was Ascended, Teal'c is Jaffa, and Vala used to be a Goauld. Anyone with Ascended/Goauld connections is immune. My theory will be tested if Carter also doesn't get sick.

I believe that Carter did get sick in 'Frozen', if it is same kind of thing as this. Lam said that they were similiar. I don't remember if Teal'c got sick even with Junior. I have to rewatch it again to see after work tonight.

[the fifth man]

Yeah, but Teal'c doesn't have a symbiote anymore. No more super-immunity to diseases or fast healing. So really, can't he get sick now? No big deal, just wondering. Only four more days - thank god (apologies to those who won't see the next episode friday).

[Uber]

I believe that Carter did get sick in 'Frozen', if it is same kind of thing as this. Lam said that they were similiar. I don't remember if Teal'c got sick even with Junior. I have to rewatch it again to see after work tonight.

Exactly...Everyone at the Antarctic outpost got sick and had to be healed by the dethawed ancient...except for Teal'c because junior was still there protecting him...

The scary thing is that the only two solutions (other than "believing in the Ori") was to be healed by an Ancient or to be Tok'ra'd.

This bodes poorly for our intrepid team...at least in the near future...

[SierraGulf1]

I believe with the military expertise of Mitchell, the historical and social knowledge of Daniel, the brain smarts of Carter, and the warrior's mind of Teal'c, our good ole' SG-1 can win.

Plus, (spoilers from 9.08 and 9.10)

Spoiler:

we'll have those uber Jaffa from Babylon to help us if the screenshots for The Fourth Horseman are anything to show

.

Bring on the team!