Stronghold (914)

[ToasterOnFire]

Yes, it was. And, he did mention that it was hypocritcal (although I think he was also talking about just telling his friend about the program) for him to want to use it.

Thanks for that.


The fight scene with Mitch was rather odd - he's a confessed hothead yet he charges right into the battle and leaves everyone behind?

Another thing - I noticed that some of the scenes had a more "wobbly" feel to the camera. Now I know they did some experimenting with this in Collateral Damage during the memory scenes, but I don't really remember them filming this way with normal scenes. Are they taking cues from BSG?

[IMForeman]

Sister Kal'el? Sister Superman? Oh, well.

Baal is so very cool.

[Uber]

Wow.

What a crushing disappointment. Seriously painfully crushing blow.

We won't go into the fact that Mitchell apparently was allowed to leave the alien technology in his friend's room as he ran off to rescue Teal'c (not "help" rescue Teal'c, mind you, or work as part of a team...but actually go in and do it all by himself)...because that deserves a scathing post all of its own.

I liked Mitchell a little with his friend but this "woe is me/i don't deserve anything" attitude is getting old (same 'tude from Collateral Damage as he was reliving killing friendlys). So he feels guilty about what happened to his friend because of his impetuousness and yet apparently has done nothing to change that in himself (reference Mr. "I thought it was a light switch" from Prototype, the poor coffee machine and his incredibly reprimandworthy actions in battle in Stronghold). He learned nothing from his supposed "aha" moment where he acknowledges he cost his friend his life.

So whatever little respect I gained for Mitchell during his time with his friend, I lost ten-fold when he showed what an impetuous idiot he is on the battlefield...ignoring the others, ignoring Sam, who was in charge of the operation. Even when she ordered him to wait for backup, he ignored her and charged head on, forcing Daniel and Sam to abruptly abandon their positions to follow him. In other words, he endangered the lives of his team and the success of the mission because he is too impetuous.

I don't buy that Sam would have allowed him to go up to the mothership alone. That's just stupid. And IF it's because, as she said, she knew she couldn't stop him, that further proves he has no business being on the team. They are a team and they would have gone together to rescue Teal'c. Sam and Daniel would have gone up with him and they would have sabotaged that ring platform to prevent anyone from following. Further they...AS A TEAM...would have worked together AS A TEAM to rescue Teal'c AS A TEAM.

But no. Super!Mitchell (trademark pending) rushes in and takes everyone out on the ground and in the mothership. Did they bother ringing Daniel and Sam to the ship to help out? Who knows? But with Super!Mitchell by their side, Teal'c and Bratac were sure to clear out an entire mothership of Jaffa. By themselves.

So it's not the team...it's all Mitchell. Super!Mitchell goes on his own and takes out all the jaffa? Are you serious? And what, Daniel and Sam are just waiting in the ring room on the ground taking out any incoming Jaffa? Please.

I don't find the impetuousness endearing at all. I do however see it as my last straw with this character, who has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt to me that he has no business being on a team, much less the flagship team, MUCH LESS supposedly "co-leading" said team.

Congratulations to the PTB for successfully sabotaging the Mitchell character to the point where I don't think I'll ever like him. Also, congratulations on taking a pretty cool premise and turning it into an incredible COP OUT.

[the fifth man]

Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. I'd have to give it a three out of four stars. The Jaffa politics don't bother me like they do some people, and of course I loved seeing our buddy Ba'al again. He just gets better and better. I mean come on, admitting that the Goa'uld may have gone a little far in their role-playing as Gods. That alone was priceless. I actually liked the Mitchell side-story as well, and the action at the end was great. Nice moment between Mitchell and Teal'c at the end, too.

[Bobthespirit]

Hmm...first off, let me say that I have been watching the Stargates at 11 and 12 because I don't want the commercials for Battlestar Galactica to spoil it for me. So, I've only seen the first 2/3 of this episode.

So far, the episode seems to be a return to being more Stargate-like. The start of the season...Mitchell and Vala didn't seem organic enough; too TV-character-ish. And every episode was about the Ori who were unstoppable at the time, and fairly one dimensional, not to mention the pryors' powers being a hack of the jedi.

But, in this episode, Mitchell is seeming very human and the characters are three dimensional. For the first time this season I find myself interested how the episode will end. Maybe the junk at the start of the season was just a hiccup.

If Stargate stays good like this I'm willing to look at the start of the season as just a 'breaking in period' for Mitchell and the Ori that didn't go very well.

[Seshat]

And what, Daniel and Sam are just waiting in the ring room on the ground taking out any incoming Jaffa? Please.

I just have one question...when are the evil Jaffa ever gonna learn how to use tear gas, huh?

[AGateFan]

I just have one question...when are the evil Jaffa ever gonna learn how to use tear gas, huh?

Tear gas? Maybe they could try using one of those magic eight-ball stun grenades they always have when it’s convenient for the plot, but never have when it’s actually needed to win a fight.

[the fifth man]

I just have one question...when are the evil Jaffa ever gonna learn how to use tear gas, huh?

Never. If they were smart enough to, this show would have been over way back in Season 1.

[Uber]

The thing is that the cool things of this episode...the battle itself, Sam in command (which felt OH so natural btw)...are completely overshadowed by the massive COP OUT of Super!Mitchell putting his team in danger on the ground, ignoring orders and saving the day all by his lonesome.

The man should be ordered to wear spandex tights and a cape now.

[Seshat]

Never. If they were smart enough to, this show would have been over way back in Season 1.

Silly me. I figured Ba'al's evil brainwashed Jaffa would have picked up a new trick or two from the master. And I guess the shock grenade factory was closed...

[the fifth man]

The man should be ordered to wear spandex tights and a cape now.

Funny , but a tad extreme if you ask me.

[AGateFan]

Funny , but a tad extreme if you ask me.

Well they are going to be wearing leather in a few weeks... maybe they are going for the X-men look.

[MasySyma]

After the disaster that was Ripple Effect, I was worried about this week's episode, but it turned out ok. It's not my favorite of the season, but it deserves an 8.5-9/10.

I usually find the Jaffa plot a bit dry, but tonight it was well done. The writers did an excellent job of incorporating former story lines, and the only thing I missed was Teal'c son. Is the boy still on his honey moon? The cost of leadership and the development of the Jaffa are coming along nicely.

The Mitchell storyline was a bit cliche, but it worked. I agree with the posters who argue that his subsequent behavior evolved from the discussion with his friend. The final scene with Teal'c was well done, and the battle scene was important.

(Please don't flame me for the following statements)
The battle scene illustrated the point that Mitchell's friend made: Good leaders sometimes break the rules and "do" instead of "think." Sam is an acceptable team leader, but as we've seen in episodes like Gemini, she is not the best leader. She thinks when she should act sometimes. Mitchell did override her command, but her battle tactics were getting nowhere fast. His actions allowed more soldiers to survive, saved Teal'c, and saved Bra'tac.

Yes, his actions were out of line, but many SG-1 episodes show similar successes for the characters who don't always listen to their superiors: i.e. Carter staying with Cassie; Jack on a regular basis; and Daniel in almost every episode for the first 3-4 years of the show.

Overall, I liked the episode. Not every episode can be 10/10, but the episode handled two plots, character development, and resolution well.

[the fifth man]

Well they are going to be wearing leather in a few weeks... maybe they are going for the X-men look.

As long as Mitchell doesn't pop some claws out of his hands, I'll be ok.

[chocdoc]

The thing is that the cool things of this episode...the battle itself, Sam in command (which felt OH so natural btw)...are completely overshadowed by the massive COP OUT of Super!Mitchell putting his team in danger on the ground, ignoring orders and saving the day all by his lonesome.

The man should be ordered to wear spandex tights and a cape now.

I know exactly what you mean. I'm thinking, what in the heck is Mitchell doing!! And Sam and Daniel are wondering the same thing! And really Sam and Daniel are the ones that saved his butt in the end. And Teal'c too, really, because Sam could work the rings in order to get to Teal'c. I thought--what are the writers thinking here to make Mitchell out to be the lone ranger, when this is a team show!! It just seemed irresponible as others have mentioned.