Ba'al /Cliff Simon Thunk,Discussion and Appreciation

[ShadowMaat]

Mmm... he does have a lovely voice... and a lovely body to match.

Really, though, it's the strength of personality I like best. He just oozes evil. I wanna be just like him when I'm a system lord.

[Critter]

Sure...strength of personality. Yeah, I believe that. Just like you believe I like to watch Jack "act".

Ba'al does do the evil thing oh so well. One of those bad guys you love to love.

[Baal_babe1]

Ummm... Not Aussie. Ba'al's is South African, I think, and I'm pretty sure Osiris's is English...

ok I actually didn't know that, eh either way its coolness, random bumping is loverly

[ShadowMaat]

Resurrecting this thread just because my av suits it. And because it's the season to be thankful and I'm VERY thankful that TPTB hired Cliff Simon to play one of the baddest, raddest Goa'uld in the history of the show.

[Ancient 1]

Resurrecting this thread just because my av suits it. And because it's the season to be thankful and I'm VERY thankful that TPTB hired Cliff Simon to play one of the baddest, raddest Goa'uld in the history of the show.

Even as a hetero male, I have no problem with the resserrection of this thread. He was the only obvious enemy after Anubis. I belive that he and Jack have some issues to resolve...unless I've missed something.

[Iskandra]

Resurrecting this thread just because my av suits it. And because it's the season to be thankful and I'm VERY thankful that TPTB hired Cliff Simon to play one of the baddest, raddest Goa'uld in the history of the show.

I totally agree! I got my picture taken with Cliff at the German City Con - I thought long and hard because initially I wanted Michael Shanks' pic- but then I went for the evil guy (and got a round of applause from the other guests because it seems liff didn't get that many solo pictures with people )

I sure hope we see some more Ba'al soon!

[Whistler]

I think Ba'al is one of those Goa'ld's who has really got intelligence and class. I think he will be the SGC's biggest challenge yet, and it'll be great to watch.

I can't wait to see more torture!

[ShadowMaat]

Can't let Baal fall too far down the ranks. AFAIC he's still the scrummiest of all the goa'uld. I wonder what his host's story is, though. Think he was just an ordinary guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was he some kind of evil dictator type and Baal-the-snake used that to his advantage? Or maybe the host even volunteered, knowing he would be wielding ultimate power.

[Major Clanger]

I like the idea that at least one of the System Lords has a not unwilling host. I'm still writing my Heru'ur fic to that effect, but it could just as easily be Baal... who is even more scrummy than Heru'ur.

[Liv]

Ba'al is by FAR my favorite Goa'uld, and a lot of that has to do with the way Cliff Simon plays him. It's in no way "cheesy" or "over the top"; which, unfortunately, is a fate a lot of the other Goa'uld's have fallen victim to.

He's threatening, without resorting to the "Mwahahaha, soon you will die by my hand and I shall rule over your kingdom... err... world... or Stargate Command" stance. Or something similar to that.

I can't even picture Yu or Anubis ever crossing over to Atlantis; 'cause I'd seriously expect them to be laughed right out of the galaxy. (I'm visualizing something like McKay's line in Redemption, part II "Hey, Anubis, this is your agent, you're playing it way over the top. Can you get serious, please?!")

But with Ba'al it's another story, altogether. We've seen, up close, just what he's capable of; with the torture of Jack in Abyss. That episode worked, not only because of the interaction with Jack and Daniel, but because of the interaction with Jack and Ba'al. It felt REAL. It showed Jack, for once, actually being afraid and letting the audience know it. I couldn't possibly picture this episode featuring Anubis, for instance. It would have ruined the impact of what Jack had to go through.

I wish we would have gotten some more Goa'uld's similar to Ba'al, because it provides a much more realistic and emotional storytelling than simply having cartonish characters like Anubis chasing after SG-1 and threatening them with impending doom. Black cloak and scary voice does not an intriguing character make.

So, yeah, I'm appreciative of Ba'al. Very much so.

[ShadowMaat]

I think Martin Wood said there was a brief and regrettable scene in Abyss where Jack broke down and cried, admitting to Daniel that he "can't do this anymore." So yes, I'd say Baal is VERY effective at what he does. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Baal makes it personal. He finds your weaknesses and he exploits them. And while he's content to do something distantly evil, he's also good at the up-close stuff, like the talvak acid and knives used against Jack. Zero Hour

Spoiler:

Plus, as an example of more "remote" torture, there was the bluff about capturing SG-1. Sure, he'd have done it with any team, but I think he knew that the capture of SG-1 would hit Jack particularly hard.

Hmm... Baal didn't seem to express surprise that Jack was in Stargate Command. Did he? Did he therefore know that Jack wasn't with his team? Or did Jack send out nice little cards through the galactic postal service, letting everyone know that HE was now in charge of Stargate Command and was no longer in charge of SG-1? Have there been any "Where is Colonel O'Neill?" moments in S8 like there was at the end of S5 when Osiris asked about Daniel?

[Liv]

Zero Hour

Spoiler:

Hmm... Baal didn't seem to express surprise that Jack was in Stargate Command. Did he? Did he therefore know that Jack wasn't with his team? Or did Jack send out nice little cards through the galactic postal service, letting everyone know that HE was now in charge of Stargate Command and was no longer in charge of SG-1? Have there been any "Where is Colonel O'Neill?" moments in S8 like there was at the end of S5 when Osiris asked about Daniel?

Spoilers for Zero Hour:

Spoiler:

Not that I can recall. It does seem as though TPTB are counting on the rest of the Universe to automatically catch on to the fact that it is Jack who is now in charge of things. Simply because he's, well, Jack.

Wouldn't the cards have been a nice touch, though?

Speaking of Zero Hour; as much as I liked that episode, it seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity in not having Jack react in a less "snarky" way when Ba'al showed up. At least the first time around. Granted, that's just the way O'Neill is, and yes I did laugh, but it still feels as though we could have had a bit more of a tie-in to the events that took place in Abyss. I am grateful that it was at least brought up, but it would have been great to see more of a reaction from Jack himself. Although, I have to admit I'm not TOO disappointed about it, because it's still one of my favorite episodes of s8, thanks to the humor of it. So, it's a fine line, I guess. I almost always want more than what we get on-screen.

Another good thing with Ba'al is that when he says those typical Goa'uld "You dare mock me?" lines, I actually buy them. They don't sound silly coming from him. Thankfully.

[Iskandra]

I also like the idea that Ba'al's host was more than willing....and I would love to read some fanfic about it! *hint* (I don't think I could convincingly pull off that one....)

[ShadowMaat]

I have a bit much on my plate right now to think about writing a fic, but I might toss the idea around anyway and see if I come up with anything good.

[Iskandra]

I have a bit much on my plate right now to think about writing a fic, but I might toss the idea around anyway and see if I come up with anything good.

Oh, I trust your abilities and... inclinations very much!