Ex Deus Machina (907)

[Taonas]

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How do you pronounce 'ex deus machina?'
What does it mean?
How is it related to the topic of the story?

Thanks.

It would be pronounced "x day-ous ma-ki-na" (course this is how I pronounce it.

As for what it would mean, that I'm not to sure.

[Uber]

It would be pronounced "x day-ous ma-ki-na" (course this is how I pronounce it.

As for what it would mean, that I'm not to sure.

It's a play on the phrase EX DEUS MACHINA...which literally translates from Latin to "god from the machine."

It comes from Greek and Roman theater where a device would lower a god or gods to the stage to fix a hopeless scenario in the play. These days, the definition's been expanded to essentially refer to any resolution where an author challenges suspension of belief so he or she can reach an achieved objective with a story whether it makes sense based on the logic of that story or not. In other words, a Deus ex Machina is a quick fix in a story.

As for pronunciation...I believe in the commentaries Martin Wood has always pronounced it as "DEH-us ex MAH-kin-ah" so I'll go with that.

[AGateFan]

Well deus ex machine appears to mean
1. In Greek and Roman drama, a god lowered by stage machinery to resolve a plot or extricate the protagonist from a difficult situation.
2. An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot.
3. A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty.
OR
n : any active agent who appears unexpectedly to solve and insoluble difficulty
I am not sure what the significance of having the first and second words transposed. It could make it mean something completely different.
It appears that in Latin
Dues = god
Ex = from
m china = machine
So “from god machine”? Maybe they are referring to whatever device Baal used to create the clones. Or maybe they are referring to the sudden and unexpected solution. Or maybe the use of the asgard beam to beam the building into space.

[entil2001]

After the recent Ori-centric episodes, a return to concerns like The Trust and the Goa’uld is actually a little bit of a slowdown. At least, that’s how I felt about it. The writers had already tossed about a dozen plot elements into the season arc, and now that we’re a third of the way in, it seems overkill to slip in this new aspect of Ba’al and his growing control over the human economy.

I’m also not sure that I like the idea of Ba’al clones, even if it means that things get to be more complex. Even if it has some tenuous connection to previous NID-related episodes, it strikes me as a little too convenient. Not only that, but I was left wondering if the writers were trying to suggest that the real Ba’al wasn’t in the same body anymore, but rather, in the fit young woman that was pretending to be his “First Prime”. What better hiding place than in plain sight?

Anyway, for me, the real interest was the chess game between Teal’c and Garek. Previous episodes warned that Garek was an isolationist with a great deal of popular support, and this episode confirms it without a doubt. Garek knows politics and how to use information (or the lack thereof) against his rivals. Time and again, Teal’c was put on the defensive, and no matter how powerful his words might be, the message was lost in the process.

As annoying as the “Goa’uld on Earth” plot thread promises to be, there are some interesting aspects to it. All this action on Earth continues to erode the secrecy of the SGC, which was already on the skids over the past few years. The previous episode also raised an interesting issue: what happens if Ba’al decides that an alliance of convenience with the Ori can solidify his power on Earth?

One thing is for certain: the alliance between the Tau’ri, the Tok’ra, and the Jaffa has all but fallen apart, and Garek is more than happy to let it happen. His use of the old methods employed by the Goa’uld suggests that he could turn those weapons against his own people in the near future. What would Garek do to preserve his own power? At what point does this isolationist stance become the basis for a dictatorship?

This is more properly the return of Lt. Col. Carter, since the previous episode had few meaningful moments for the character. This introduces a few questions that have probably been on the table for a while, but couldn’t be addressed until she was back on-screen. For instance, she notes that she’s not exactly “single”; is this some kind of reference to the end of the eighth season? I’ve always taken it that Jack and Sam accepted that they can’t be together, yet can’t be with anyone else because of their feelings for each other. Is that how the comment was meant to be read?

And then there’s the question of command. If the writers play this honestly, Carter should have issues with Mitchell running the show, sooner or later. Unless, of course, they continue to make the team feel more like a temporary convenience than the institution that once was. Carter may simply see this as a temporary situation, so it doesn’t matter who runs the team. But what happens if Mitchell makes a call that Carter doesn’t agree with?

Even if this wasn’t my favorite plot thread (I’m actually rather tired of the NID/Trust/Goa’uld episodes), I continue to give credit where credit is due. The entire cast seems revitalized, the writing is the strongest it’s been since the series went to SFC, and the series is back to being a “must watch”. It’s like the writers and producers felt like they had something to prove, and so far, they’ve hit a very nice stride.

[greytop]

I enjoyed this one also. Not to repeat everyone that said why, I notice a couple of somethings.

1. Cam just happen to have three SG-1 patches in his pockets at that time. I believe that he has had them in there all this time.

2. Gerak is starting to act like a Goa'uld, IMO, in hiding as Immotep did in I forgot the name of the episode it was. Decieving everyone as he did. Even Teal'c old friends and acquenices in the Free Jaffa Nation, are starting to believe Gerak. This is going to split the FJN apart, IMO.

[Dave Thomer]

I believe that the title is a play on Ba'al's status.

"Deus ex machina" is the dramatic device mentioned in the thread, where something gets pulled in out of nowhere to solve the problem. It means god in or from the machine.

On the other hand, Ba'al is now a former god. An "ex-deus," as in "ex-wife" or "ex-parrot." So his plans and machinations might even be considered an "ex deus machina." (Heck, the cloning device is an actual ex-god machine, when you think about it.)

[Jace021903]

. For instance, she notes that she’s not exactly “single”; is this some kind of reference to the end of the eighth season? I’ve always taken it that Jack and Sam accepted that they can’t be together, yet can’t be with anyone else because of their feelings for each other. Is that how the comment was meant to be read?

That's the way I took it.

[KatG]

This is more properly the return of Lt. Col. Carter, since the previous episode had few meaningful moments for the character. This introduces a few questions that have probably been on the table for a while, but couldn’t be addressed until she was back on-screen. For instance, she notes that she’s not exactly “single”; is this some kind of reference to the end of the eighth season? I’ve always taken it that Jack and Sam accepted that they can’t be together, yet can’t be with anyone else because of their feelings for each other. Is that how the comment was meant to be read?

I took it, as many shippers took it, as meaning that she and Jack are together. The "not exactly" was because while they are together, and while there's nothing wrong with it now that Jack is not her immediate superior, they're keeping it quiet for now, because to some it could look like they had been together all along, and while nothing official could be done about it, it would definitely not look good to some people.

[the dancer of spaz]

This was actually a good episode. I liked it a lot! Here are some things that stuck out to me:

Ba'al:
He's officially the hottest villain that SG-1 has ever and - I dare say - will ever encounter. And when he uses his human voice? Aaahhhh.... Good stuff. Also, on a less shallow note, Ba'al is kind of that last vestige of Old School SG-1 that we have left, besides the Jaffa - you know, with the Goa'uld problems and the taking over our planet stuff? I like the Ori plots, because it's time for a change, but I think we can all leave the light on in our hearts for the likes of Ba'al. And CLONES of Ba'al? Fantastic. It was a bit crafty of them to pull this cloning technology out of their... heads, but it's still cool. Ba'al and Vala are now on my list of characters I hope to see again before season's end. Stick them BOTH in the same episode with the others, and just let it fly.

Gerak:
Besides being obnoxious and ignorant, Gerak is definitely gonna get what's coming to him. And he'll deserve every little bit. While Louis Gossett Jr.'s delivery of certain lines can be rather grating on my nerves, I kinda like how he (and the writers) have interpreted Gerak: As an extremist with isolationist tendencies, who will inevitably push the envelope too far with his men. I think the Jaffa will only follow him so far. His obsolete leadership and bouts of brutality will ultimately be his downfall, leaving a nice empty spot for someone who's worthy of the position.

Teal'c:
Now we all know that he's worthy of said position, but I think that Teal'c's place is with the Tau'ri - and, more importantly, with SG-1. His loyalty in the past was always kinda great for that typical Jaffa fodder. I think a lot of people interpreted it as solely being devoted to Jack. But now we're seeing Teal'c make GREAT on his word here. He will NOT back down in supporting Earth and SG-1. Though we always knew that he wouldn't, it's great to see him do it so fervently. He's clearly a great leader, but again, I can't see SG-1 being complete without him. And Teal'c apparently doesn't want to leave. I'm glad he's gonna let the Jaffa make their bed and lie in it for now.

Jaffa Council:
Clearly, they're idiots. But we'll give them a break because they've been doing this sort of thing (i.e. following anyone) all of their lives. While Teal'c and the SGC have given them every opportunity to make a civilization built on democracy, they continue to spit on it and throw it back. Whatever. As frustrating as it is, I think it's rather realistic, and it will do well to be adjusted later on in the season. Just as Gerak seems to hold on to some crazy version of "The Old Ways," the other Jaffa seem to be perfectly content to take over their past jobs: The Grunt Work. Oh well. It'll make SG-1's aid later on that much more undeniable later on.

Barrett:
It's always great to see this guy. Though, I have to say, I miss the red. It always added a bit of the boyish charm he seemed to effortlessly exude. Bummer. Still, I've got my Barrett fix for the season and that's enough.

"Well, not exactly."
Heh heh. Enough said on that. Except, it's hilarious to think that ONE line could mean SO much in the grand scheme of things for certain fans. Consider me a member of that camp. That one line from Sam is all the confirmation I needed.

The (Brand-New) Band:
It was cute. I'll admit it. It was cute. It was unexpected, and at first, I was like, "WTF?" But then I watched it again, and I had to smile. Cameron's personal objective was finally achieved, and Daniel, Sam and Teal'c could finally admit what they'd always wanted to do: Join SG-1 again. The shared look between Sam and Daniel and the head-bow of yore from Teal'c was all I needed to see, to know that the new "band" is truly back together for good. There is life *sniff* after Jack.

The Music/Score:
I really liked it in this episode. I tend to like it in all of the episodes, actually. Two parts that stick out the most are: (1) When Sam, Teal'c and Daniel agree to join SG-1 again and (2) the last scenes where Teal'c kinda resigns to the fact that the Jaffa Council are headed down the wrong path, and Ba'al's clones are revealed for the first time.

The Command Structure Addressed... Or Not
Hmmmph... It was kinda off. I guess it'll be fully addressed in "Babylon," but I was expecting a bit more, I suppose. I don't want any tension or anymore Sam vs. Cam debates/wars, I just want the canon truth, whatever that may be. I just hope that TPTB haven't decided to simply SPLIT UP Sam and Cameron when it comes to missions, so as to avoid the issue altogether. That would not be cool.

Overall, I'd give the ep an 8.5 out of 10.
(I'm holding my 10s for The Fourth Horseman Parts I and II. )

[SimilarCadence]

This was the first episode of Season 9 that I've actually enjoyed.

-Great (practicing restraint here...) to hear Sam utter those two little words, "Not exactly"!!! (I know how I interpreted it....)

-Good to hear something about Cassandra, even in passing....

-So very glad to see Ba'al back again (and again and again....). Personally I find the Goa'uld much more interesting as villains than the Orii.....and as Goa'uld go, Ba'al's the best. I love the road they've decided to take this character down.... (Guess I'm part of the small minority who like the Goa'uld-infested NID/Trust storylines.....)

-Really great to see the personalities/characters of the original SG-1 coming back online. Daniel is more like Daniel than he has been in weeks, Sam is back doing what she does best (it's so good to have her back again---I really missed her)....and Teal'c is alive! He speaks, he moves, he's an integral part of the story! Teal'c not only had an abundance of lines to speak, but sprang back fully-loaded as the wise, passionate warrior that he is (and I think there's an articulate master-statesman deep inside longing to come out).

[Droops]

I wasn't bored . . . .

Teal'c was active, did well. I liked his part in this. The battle for the hearts of the Jaffa nation will be more interesting than I thought it would be.

Daniel wasn't very visible, but given how much he's carried the early part of the season it's okay.

Sam . . . . . Sam's not quite right yet. Still seems a bit disjointed.

Browder's character was funny and good, I liked him.

Didn't like the SG-1 patches at the beginning, would have preferred them at the end. Then again, it would have interfered with the Ba'al ending.

The clones are fair, not sure how I feel about them yet.

So, overall, not too bad.

[Traveler Enroute1]

S9- Better and better.

Gotta love that Ba'al. Proof you can't keep a good (bad? Eh!) Goa'uld down, for long. And still the fashion plate for all other Goa'uld - wonder if his new enterprises include a clothing line? That said, Ba'al's story arc is shaping up nicely. I wonder (as others have) if it's the symbiote that is replicated or just the host? Too many of himselves and he would probably have one heck of a time surviving self-assassinations from...his other selves. God-complexes don't go easy into domesticity...Might have missed that explanation. But truly nice effect to end the episode.

The NID story worked for me, putting the horrific scenerio of Goau'ld infesting high places (and prominent people) back for resolution. As for beaming up a high rise in daylight...Even if Americans swallow the proferred explanations, our allies-in-the-know must be screaming about this near miss, and be demanding full disclosures. Pity our President. Then again, this may be a catalyst to restore funding and staffing to SG1, much of which was diverted to SG Atlantis. I liked Sam's casual remark about Pete, and the "not quite single" line. Just so.

Mitchell is showing himself to be techno-savvy inspite of his one liners. In a mild comparison with O'Neill who saw simple solutions to complex situations, Mitchell's knowledge is not hidden or played down. Although I would have thought the soldier who "rode a meteor through earth" using hyperdrive would be first to suggest beaming the building out, Mitchell's suggesting it was ok, too since I get that he's very up on Stargate technologies. I look forward to him actually understanding much of what Sam explains!

Also liked the Daniel - Sam duo; a nice complementary pairing most times. Landry used them to good effect for investigations, logical for the two scientists. Tea'lc and Mitchell were also well together. The Jaffa council speech by Mitchell was cool and a character-defining moment for him.

As for the Jaffa story line, well done. That surprised me since I likened the arc to the Klingon homeworld intrigues in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which bored me no end. Tea'lc, my brave true warrior, got played. While he was thinking of how to put a stop-punch to Gerak, Gerak was just as proficient at reading Tea'lc. Gerak is not a Goa'uld, and though he seems to be showing signs of megalomania, he's still a former First Prime and apparently a seasoned one. I ached for Tea'lc as he admitted to defeat (for now), but feel sure he won't underestimate his opponent again. Nice.

Great ep before the mini-break for the marathon next week. I'm there!

Just sayin'.

[acdj31]

I liked this ep. More of a team feeling compared to "Beachhead".
Love the Patch scene in the briefing room. No more "SG-Mitchell".

Only bad thing was Gerak's mothership. I knew it was going to be behind the moon, so predictable.

Mitchell saving the earth. Yea! Thank you Asgard beam techonolgy. Suprised to see the reporter from the "Promethus" at the end (I think it was her, right?).

[lily]

As usual, I'm posting this before reading other people's comments.

Just wanted to add my opinion.

I soooooooooo loved this episode.

Some of my fav moments:

- When Cameron puts the SG-1 patch in Sam and Daniel shirts and then hands a patch to Teal'c, who accepted it. Sooooooo, he finally got the band back together. I knew he would eventually do it, but it was nice to see that moment on screen

- Sam telling Agent Barrett that she wasn't exactly single. Hehehehe. I know, I know, non shippers think this was just something Sam made up to get rid of the guy... But shippers can always think that now Jack and Sam are actually dating. The comment's vague enough to please everybody, I guess Personally, I'm not a die hard shipper, but I want them to eventually end up together. As I always say, I never mind Pete, I would've loved to have a Jack/Sara episode after Cold Lazarus, and "A hundred days" is one of my fav episodes, but in the end it would be nice to know that Jack and Sam end up together.

- Now the story that Sam actually took some time off in part to take care of Cassie is cannon. Woohoo! I can see fics coming

- Baal, Baal and more Baal. My fav Goa'uld. And now we have lots of Baals. Hehehehe. I want them all

- When Daniel tells Cameron about a guy describing big guys, tattoed and with chainmail pants, and Cameron replies "So it's either our Jaffa or Kiss is back on tour" LOL. And I'm sure I'm forgetting now other great lines too.

- the building with Naquadah in it, and beaming it out to space. Cool

- Teal'c got more than just one line in this epi. Woohoo!

A great great episode.

[Schrodinger82]

First, I could have sworn they said the area had been evacuated. Second, it was so not a Deus ex machina. For it to be a Deus ex Machina, it would have required for absolutely no setup to have been made on the beaming technology at all. If they had never mentioned Asgard beams, or that Prometheus had them, and they went "Oh, yeah! We've got this beaming technology we've never before mentioned or used! We'll beam it up!" That would have been a Deus Ex Machina. If Superman showed up it would have been a Deus Ex Machina. Using something that was established not only in the series, but actually used in that very same episode prior to the end makes it not a Deus Ex Machina. It might be a convienient way to resolve the plot, and therefore a plot contrivance, but not every plot contrivance is a Deus Ex Machina.

Uh... no. A "Deus Ex Machina" is when a problem is resolved by someone other than the protagonist.

For instance, in "Lord of the Flies," the story is resolved because a ship comes in to rescue them. This is a "Deus Ex Machina," even though the presense of ships was already foreshadowed in the stories, because the characters themselves do no overcome the problems on the Island.

In the case of this episode, it's not a "Deus Ex Machina," because the characters activate the transporters on their own. One case that WOULD be a "Deus Ex Machina" would be the asteroid episode. After they fix the asteroid problem, the team is stranded in an inoperative space ship. Fortunately, the Tok'ra conveniently show up, and grant them assistance. In this example, the characters do not go back to earth on their own, but simply wait for help to come to them.