The Powers That Be (905)

[Kalliope]

About healing devices... watching TPTB I was wondering what happened to that ring Vala used to have back in PU she healed Daniel's arm with.

[morjana]

It's not that I can't believe that the SGC allowed Vala through the Stargate again...it's that they allowed Vala though the Stargate again!

And...one would think that after eight years with the SGC, Daniel Jackson, would realize that you can NOT expect those bent on world -- uh, no galactic-- no wait, universal domination! -- to behave with any reasoning based on logic or have any thought for the common good other than their own viewpoint?

Didn't Daniel learn ANYTHING from his false belief that he could protect Abydos from Anubis?

Oh, wait, apparently not, because we just the same behavior in "The Powers That Be."

Morjana

[Shipperahoy]

I know what you mean. It really didn't make any kind of logical sense that they would be willing to just go to a planet because Vala says that the people there trust her without asking for any kind of back story. It's pretty much established that Vala cannot tell any kind of full truth so it stands to reason that there must be something else going on there but, oh no, they just go blithely strolling through the gate to where she says to go because her word has been so trustworthy so far.

[morjana]

Maybe, but then why let Mitchell get sick? What's the reasoning behind it?

I could see it as Daniel having been ascended, Vala having been a Goa'uld and Teal'c having had a symbiote, but some actual info would be nice.

But ShadowMaat, then we wouldn't have anything to discuss, if all the plot elements were explained in a paint-by-numbers fashion on the screen!

Somewhat OT, Director Nicholas Meyer remarked in his audio commentary for Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, that it was a good director who left bread crumbs for the plot trail, and didn't pave a highway for the viewer. Not a direct quote, as I'm too darn lazy to go put the DVD in the DVD machine, and listen until I hear that quote again, but that was general gist of what he said.

Morjana

[KatG]

Posting before I read everyone else's comments.

I quite liked this one. Finally we see some depth to Vala's character. Yes, she started out to take advantage of the inhabitants of the planet, but in the end she showed that she truly did care about them.

So, finally we get the info on Landry/Lam being father/daughter. Still not sure how they're going to justify that one.

And Mitchell's "Tingly" comment, along with the look between him and Lam, along with his "let's forget I said that" or something like that, along with the elevator scene last week, definitely leads me to believe that Mitchell/Lam either have had a relationship in the past or have one now. Should be interesting.

Loved the Ori storyline. I really do think these guys are going to be a difficult villain to beat. After all, how do you compete with miracles?

[greytop]

and Daniel was cured by Ayiana so he probably developed immunity to the disease either that or it had something to do with the fact that he has ascended before.

Daniel had already ascended when Ayiana was found, so it probably had to with that.


What card game was Teal's and Mitchell playing?

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

Good episode. The best part of the whole episode was when Vala was attempting to escape form the bars. In my opinion, I could probably escape because I'm skinny.

[the fifth man]

Watched the episode again today, and I liked it even more. Sg-1 is really in for a tough fight with these Ori. They are shaping up to be one difficult adversary. Can't wait to see how things continue this coming Friday.

[ShadowMaat]

But ShadowMaat, then we wouldn't have anything to discuss, if all the plot elements were explained in a paint-by-numbers fashion on the screen!

I'm not necessarily asking for a whole-hog answer, but in order to leave a trail of breadcrumbs there has to be some actual bread involved.

Plus, I'm not gonna be watching the rest of the season (except maybe if Baal's on) so I demand more complete information.

[Antiquitas]

Don't worry about Daniel. He's amazingly hard to kill. How many times has he died, asceneded, brought back to life? Like 30?

True, true. But that doesn't mean he can't suffer beforehand. *Winces remembering the Replicarter scene* His life insurance must cost through the roof by now.

... is simple. If you listen to Daniel in the episode, he gives the reason. If you kill the opposition in a religious war before you've converted eveyone, you have a martyr. A martyr is much stronger than an enemy.

The Ori may know Daniel has already ascended.... he knows how to do it. How would it look if the Prior killed Daniel and he just ascended after turning his back to Origin.... it would kind of prove the Priors wrong, now, wouldn't it? ;-)

I don't know. It would look convincing if suddenly Daniel was deep fried where he was standing. While a Martyr is stronger, you have to keep in mind that the Prior had the ability to kill everyone in the village. The people would end up bowing to him anyway, I think. They didn't have a lot of choice. Convert or die.

If Daniel ascended again, he wouldn't be able to do anything to the Prior or use his powers to demonstrate that the Ori are just ascended beings. It would probably cross the line and tick off the Others.

Also, maybe they are hoping that his report will start to convince a few people back on Earth.

That was the scene that was creepy. "Tell everyone what you have witnessed here today". I'm not sure what it means for Daniel yet. I know it's going to lead to some good storylines with him later in the Season, though. ^_^

It's turned into my favorite episode of the season thus far, just because of all the little twists put into it.

[binkpmmc]

Sounds to me like you missed the point, bigtime. The Ori are not out to kill people - but to turn them into worshippers. This is just the way they do it - have the people contract a mysterious disease, then cure them of it - voila! Instant followers. That was the whole point! Killing them afterwards would serve no purpose, and make no sense whatsoever.

Nope - I did not miss the point - just don't care. To me the Ori seem an amalgamation of bad things that previous enemies had going for them, to me, IMO, they are a cliche. and they look so much like someone I've seen before that every time I see an Ori I see something totally not Stargate - I wish their new big bad enemy coud have been more original in so many ways.

[warmbeachbrat]

And Mitchell's "Tingly" comment, along with the look between him and Lam, along with his "let's forget I said that" or something like that, along with the elevator scene last week, definitely leads me to believe that Mitchell/Lam either have had a relationship in the past or have one now. Should be interesting.

Loved the Ori storyline. I really do think these guys are going to be a difficult villain to beat. After all, how do you compete with miracles?

Hmmm--thanks for pointing out the "tingly" comment. I'm remembering that that's what Vala said when she was brought back in Avalon 2. I wonder if there is some significance to it. How likely is it that Vala and Mitchell would use the same word to describe their experience?

Just thinking out loud....

[joasia]

Don't worry about Daniel. He's amazingly hard to kill. How many times has he died, asceneded, brought back to life? Like 30?

People from the StargateWiki are counting and they have come with 5 deaths and 2 near-deaths (see this page for the details)

[morjana]

In the Discworld books, the gods need people to believe in them or they cease to exist. Maybe the Ori are in a similar bind.

Sort of like Tinkerbelle in Peter Pan.

Morjana

[lily]

I haven't read other people's comments yet. I just typed mine and I'm posting them in the groups and forums where I don't just lurk Maybe I have something to add after reading others' opinions.

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Soooooo, Cameron likes red gello? Whaaahahahahahaha! Loved that first scene between him and Vala

I liked all the main and regular characters in this epi.

- the scenes with Dr. Lam and Gen. Landry were great. I was wondering when we were to find out about them being father and daughter (I mean, I already knew because of the on-line spoilers, but I was wondering when we were going to hear it in an episode). I think both actors are great in their roles, and I'm looking forward to see more of these characters in the future

- Daniel and Vala banter was great as usual

- Daniel was great, especially in the scene with the Prior (the first one)

- Vala as a Goa'uld was a lot of fun. I could almost picture the glowing eyes

- great development of Vala's character through out the whole episode. Excellent. We saw her in a wonderful range of attitudes. I loved especially when she admits that she was responsible for all the stuff those people were going through. And when she had her eyes in tears when the first guy died. That scene with her and Daniel was great.

- great to see more Mitchell. We haven't found anything really new (except he likes red gello ), but the scenes with him were very nice. From what we know from spoilers for later episodes, we'll get to know more of him. I don't remember in which episode, I read general spoilers -not the ones that give away the end, mind you -, I read some general spoilers like the ones at Gateworld, and usually only once when they're published, because I can't help it But by the time the actual episode airs, I already forgot what I read several weeks before, so it's all fresh for me

- great to see the team interaction. Now with Sam coming back next Friday, we'll have SG-1 back together. Woohoo!

- the virus connection with Frozen was really interesting. Hope we find more about this connection in the future

So, in short, an excellent episode!