The Powers That Be (905)

[buuzero]

Wow. Just wow.

I gotta give props to all the writers and actors on SG1, season 9 is really, really good. This episode was really, really good. The Ori are a character that are actually scary, at this point I don't know how they will be beaten. Yeah, it sorta made me jump when the Prior showed up and interrupted Daniel. I can't wait till this week's ep, cuz well... heh I think we all know!

Best part of this ep... SG1 freakin LOST! I mean, they really, really lost against the prior! Wow... when's the last time that happened? Good stuff.

My ONLY gripe so far this season is... where the heck is the offworld gate? It was nowhere to be found in this episode... and it really bothered me for some reason. All we get now is the gate-travel sequence to show us when they go offworld. I heard somewhere that Atlantis is using the gate...

I haven't been this excited about a season of SG1 since I was watching old seasons 1-6 for the first time on dvd.

[Jace021903]

This one started a bit lightheartedly and I thought at first that we were going to have another comedy episode, but it soon got serious--in a good way

Have I mentioned that I adore Claudia Black as an actress? I don't know what else to say about her. She is first-rate and I hope she shows up again from time to time. Character development-yay. She does care deep down.


Michael Shanks was so good in this. I loved Daniel's speeches. And how much do the Ori dislike him? Scary.

Mitchell, Lam and Landry continue to grow on me. I think I like the fact that we are getting to know them slowly, but I'm definately ready for some more character development.

Hello, Writers? Teal'c needs some more lines. The poor guy hasn't had much to do.

I liked the ending--the good guys didn't win. And that last shot of Vala, Daniel and Teal'c was really effective; they know how much trouble they are in.

Jace

[rosewood]

My ONLY gripe so far this season is... where the heck is the offworld gate? It was nowhere to be found in this episode... and it really bothered me for some reason. All we get now is the gate-travel sequence to show us when they go offworld. I heard somewhere that Atlantis is using the gate...

I've been looking for this as well. When are we going to see Mitchell step into or out of the gate? I've seen him walking away from the Gate when he met the Prior in Origin I think? And I saw him on the ramp back at SGC with the Prior. I think that may be deliberate until we see the united SG-1 Team go through the gate together. Just my theory.

Or maybe they cut the funding to SG1's Gate CGI and gave it to SGA too?

[the fifth man]

Can't wait to see the team walk through the stargate together for the first time. To actually be an official unit again.

[GatetheWay]

Ori- 1, SGC- 0

[Daniel's_twin]

I liked the ending--the good guys didn't win. And that last shot of Vala, Daniel and Teal'c was really effective; they know how much trouble they are in.

I agree, the ending was very good. The second the Prior started healing the people, I couldn't help thinking, "this is worst-case scenario!" I realized that it sounds kind of heartless, and they had to do it to keep Mitchell from dying, but still, very bad, as evidenced by the "Hallowed are the Orii" chant.

[QuiGonJohn]

The amazing thing is, in this one, the "bad guys" win, not by slaughtering a bunch of people, as we have seen when the Goa'uld win a battle, but by saving the people. A real different spin on things. How are they going to convince people on worlds that the Ori are false gods, against such powers.

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

The amazing thing is, in this one, the "bad guys" win, not by slaughtering a bunch of people, as we have seen when the Goa'uld win a battle, but by saving the people. A real different spin on things. How are they going to convince people on worlds that the Ori are false gods, against such powers.

It does kind of knock the winds out of their sails, doesn't it?

Considering that the native's were at such a low standard of living, I imagine that their quality of life can only improve for at least a generation or two - more than long enough for the Ori philosophy to entrench itself.

In their case, the Ori "truth" will set them free.

[TheCorpulent1]

Of course, the counterpoint to that argument is that the Ori are giving them everything very easily, which robs them of what little self-sufficiency they might've been able to build and thrive on. "Give a man a fish..." and all that stuff.

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

Of course, the counterpoint to that argument is that the Ori are giving them everything very easily, which robs them of what little self-sufficiency they might've been able to build and thrive on. "Give a man a fish..." and all that stuff.

Agreed. I just wonder how long it will take an impoverished society to latch on to the fact, and what SG-1 will be able to offer to entice them away from their free fish dinner.

Not that I think either of us are implying that the Ori will deliver manna from Celesta; the Ori will probably bless their physical labor with sucess, though: good crop yeilds, health, long life, etc. Most folks don't see the point of being liberated from such manipulation.

[KatG]

Of course, the counterpoint to that argument is that the Ori are giving them everything very easily, which robs them of what little self-sufficiency they might've been able to build and thrive on. "Give a man a fish..." and all that stuff.

I agree but when you're really hungry, you're not concerned with the future. You just want to be fed right now. At that point if one person offered you a fish, and another offered to teach you to fish, but offered you nothing at the moment, what would you choose?

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, that's the problem: SG-1 really can't offer them anything practical other than more hardship and responsibilities that they'll have to shoulder alone. All Daniel's promising is the confidence that if they can weather those hardships, they'll develop much further than they could through over-reliance on the Ori. Which is indubitably true, but it's a little too abstract for people to care about in the face of mass starvation.

As for what the Ori will give, I figured the same as you: using their ascended powers to guarantee plentiful crops, good health, etc. Much like Chaya did for her people in SGA's "Sanctuary," only the Ori'd have an added dimension of fear.

[ShadowMaat]

Give a man a fire and he's warm the rest of the day. Set fire to him and he's warm the rest of his life.

Sometimes the immediate is better than the long-term, especially when fire in involved.

Besides, what if the side-effect of being taught how to fish meant that you could never do anything else as long as you live?

[TheCorpulent1]

Then I'd say that must've been a pretty interesting fishing lesson.

[the fifth man]

Sg-1 is definitely going to have very rough times ahead. I think what we saw in that episode will happen over and over again. The Ori are going to be able to fool many more innocent, naive worlds into submission long before our beloved team can find a way to stop them. Should make for exciting tv though.