Cor-Ai (115)

[hlndncr]

I have to admit that I didn't really care for this episode. I thought is was rather average. But rewatching it I am very moved by CJ's performance. I think it really shows the depth of Teal'c's struggle.

We also get to see Daniel's compassion in truly making Teal'c his friend. Some of Jack's demons come out too.

I really like the Bursa and their society. I agree with Daniel that they have a very lovely existence. Their commitment to not leave anyone behind would really resonate with the team.

I also find their justice system interesting. It is not unreasonable or unprecedented in history, as Daniel points.

[jlovette]

Two things I liked:

1) Jack and Hammond's debate over the definition of war criminals and whether or not to save Teal'c, and

2) "We would appreciate that." Halas's (sp?) response to Jack's offer of future help against the Goa'uld. It seems to me that many times we see others stubbornly refuse help or have their own, better way. it was nice to see Earth could actually help someone. I'm sure it happens in other episodes, but it stood out to me here.

Other than that, an okay episode.

[chaddergate]

didn't really enjoy the villagers behaviour.
But as always, timely appearance of jaffa saved the day

[Jae'a]

My LiveJournal post

[jckfan55]

Two things I liked:

1) Jack and Hammond's debate over the definition of war criminals and whether or not to save Teal'c,

I think it was important for the show to deal with Teal'c's past and whether he could be redeemed by his current and future actions against the goa'uld.

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

Once again, another yawn episode. Forgot to mention this, but in "Hathor," Hammond lost a layer of clothing.

At least it gets better. Next week, we enter the home stretch of Season 1. Many strong episodes.

[Noxbait]

I think it was important for the show to deal with Teal'c's past and whether he could be redeemed by his current and future actions against the goa'uld.

Agreed. Excellent point.


Wow. Honestly, I love this episode. It is powerful. Especially the part where Jack is talking to Teal'c alone after the first part of the trial. Some excellent and powerful dialogue and emotions displayed in that scene, and the whole episode. Just wow. I really liked seeing the emotional tormented side of Teal'c. I mean, he's this big strong warrior all the time and acts like nothing bothers him, but yet here he "loses" it and shows how very torn up he is inside over what he's done

Wow. Love the part where Jack is questioning Daniel in order to help Teal'c. Again, some powerful stuff.

I also liked the other parts between Daniel and Jack where Daniel is going in one direction, and Jack's not quite on the same page. Some good banter and conflict. Jack is so focused and firm in that he is NOT going to let anything happen to Teal'c, reminds me of Thor's Hammer where he won't leave Teal'c. Also, Daniel's passionate speech and defense of Teal'c was great. I love the strong loyalty among the team even now, still rather early in the series. I love Jack's firm disagreement with Hammond as well. He was tough as nails and really pushing hard. Wow, I love tough Jack. He is the best friend you could hope to have!

I also thought it was interesting and cool how Daniel said he agreed with Jack and wasn't going to let Teal'c die. He was initially all about doing it the way of the culture and respecting their wishes and culture, but he changed sides eventually. I'm not sure how many other times he did that, but I like that he was very reasonable about it.

Nice ending all around. Aw, love the end with Jack putting his hand on Teal'c's shoulder. Maybe it took till this moment for Teal'c to really feel a part of the team and the Tau'ri, building on the foundations of CotG and Thor's Hammer. This would have been a nice culture to visit again, since they were accepting of future relations and assistance and we left on a good note.

[Krisz]

Another episode that passing time has mellowed my view of. The discussions of the distasteful things that Jack and Teal'c have done under orders were good scenes between the two. Lovely reasoning argument from Daniel. I didn't find this episode so boring this time round because I actually enjoyed the moral arguments about taking responsibility for one's actions. Teal'c wanted so much to find some peace from the agony of living with what he'd done. It haunts him always, and that makes him the great friend and advocate for justice.

Summed up nicely with this.....

HANNO: You would save those who wish to kill you?
TEAL'C: I would save those who deserve to live.

[LeftHandedGuitarist]

Great episode, I thought. Some good and meaty scenes between characters that allows the actors to be pushed. Really enjoyed the scenes with Jack and Gen Hammond, and pretty much all the stuff with Teal'c. It's let down by a convenient ending with the Jaffa attacking, and therefore allowing Hanno to have his change of heart in the closing minute. Far too simple.

The courtroom scenes are good fun although they feel very "set up" for lack of a better term. The way the crowd would react with their shocked murmurs after every sentence SG-1 would say got annoying very quickly!

RATING: 7.5 out of 10

[Matt G]

Another Sunday afternoon, another ep of SG1

1. I'm with the argument that the Byrsa were staying near the Stargate as an attempt to "keep your friends close and your enemies closer".

2. As Saquist said, rewatching this I came to my own opinion regarding Nuremburg. Then again, Jack's priority was to get Teal'c out alive and was going to use any argument going.

3. Plus the fact that he himself did "damn distasteful things"...therefore he couldn't condemn Teal'c without looking at himself in the mirror.

4. Still, the Byrsa were petty idiots, they would have flat tyred the wider fight vs the Goa'uld to avenge one man?

Certainly an interesting one.

[Nindif]

I think it was important for the show to deal with Teal'c's past and whether he could be redeemed by his current and future actions against the goa'uld.

i agree, although it does come rather early on in the whole series and (from memory) does not get addressed again this directly.

2) "We would appreciate that." Halas's (sp?) response to Jack's offer of future help against the Goa'uld. It seems to me that many times we see others stubbornly refuse help or have their own, better way. it was nice to see Earth could actually help someone. I'm sure it happens in other episodes, but it stood out to me here. Other than that, an okay episode.

I also found this line of dialogue interesting, because, as you say, there are very few opportunities for Earth to provide assistance to other planets so readily as the series progresses. The line is brushed aside as if the writers expected Earth to be fully capable of supporting all the planets in need in the future!

[Traveler Enroute1]

SG Rewatch episodes: 101 - 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111,112, 113, 114

Cor-Ai

A meaty episode and a little tedious, too. This story gave us a look beneath Teal'c's warrior demeanor, and we find a bit of a softie. He's always known he'd done terrible things in the name of his god but had to do them anyway until the Tau'ri. That he felt for the subjected wasn't too surprising after knowing him a few episodes in. But for him to be willing to die for the one child whose loss stared him in the eye, as penance? Ye gods, Teal'c, or as Jack would say, 'oh for crying out loud!'

What a time for Teal'c to get burdened over his past deeds. I thought his stubbornness went beyond even the TV bounds of reason. What saves this ep is the neat writing where the whole team tries to defend him. Jack used Daniel's experience with Teal'c to good effect, and Sam and Daniel's input made for nice team unity. For all of it to be in vain because the complainant has all the control was another good tension point. It was indeed a kangaroo court in Jack's words.

Also Jack's passionate plea for Teal'c to allow himself to be rescued was an interesting referral to Jack's own ghosts from his military past. Jack wasn't half bad with his turn as a barrister.

As nice as Chris Judge's performance as the guild ridden Jaffa was, I was still not convinced of his motivation. Unless he was in a state of depression; after all he'd given up, left behind, and now considered a friend of the very people he'd have killed, maybe it all became too heavy. Having lived over a century, a mental review of all his deeds, in the face of his conscience, would be a terrifying recollection to live with. Whatever, it got old fast; his lines were just too repetitive, I guess.

Hammond was used to good effect. While the team assumed that Teal'c had earned his status as an ally, Hammond dropped the 'not-one-of-our-own' bomb. Teal'c was, in the eyes of earth's military, a war criminal who was bound to meet justice sooner or later. The stunned expressions on Jack and Sam's faces showed how hard this hit them. Of course we see that this isn't an easy decision for Hammond.

Other thoughts:

• Daniel's skill with words was put to good use here. Shanks earned another nod for portraying his unshakable faith in Teal'c and his fervent defense to the court. Had this been a juried trial, the reaction of the people to his words would have turned the verdict to Teal'c's favor.
  
  
• Oh, to be the hands doodling on Teal'c...Oh, wait. OK, that strange ritual looked ticklish. Wonder if Chris laughed during the shoot.
  
  
• When Sam and Jack return and find the town burned down, they seemed oddly casual. "Things look a little different to you?" Jack asked as they stroll through the smoking ruins. Odd moment.
  
  
• Wonderful chilling reveal of Shak'yl, complete with the Goa'uld Chorus.
  

Nice lines:

Daniel to the 'court':
Many of you might not be alive today to want him dead! What a line; no wonder the galleries were buzzing. I imagined they said, 'What did he mean?'

Jack when Sam offers a reason for the missing people:
Keep those positive thoughts coming, captain. Maybe it's just me but I get a wave of nostalgia when Jack says Captain to Sam. It just sounds so full of respect (or more, but that's a conversation for that OTHER thread). I miss hearing him say it when she's promoted.

The episode exorcised Teal'c's deep anguish over his past misdeeds and freed him to face other battles where he'd likely come face to face with old faces. I think he realized, as Jack said, that his past was not totally under his control. He was a good man who still had more good to do. Thank goodness.

Rated 2/5.

[jelgate]

This is one of my favorite episodes from season 1. We know Teal'c has done some horrible things as First Prime but it was kind of glossed over due to his service to SG1. I love how this episode stops glossing over and addresses those terrible things Teal'c has done and how it affects him. The episode helps define Tealc and who he is seeing how he felt as he commited forced murder. My one compliant is killing Shak'al so early on. I would have kept him sooner to make a foil for Teal'c

[Naomi]

So this episode annoyed me a lot... I know people have said some great things about it, but it annoyed me greatly. First of all: I already knew his character before this. He saved SG-1 and so you kind of knew he was a good guy. And I thought it was horrible you had to put him through that....yeah, not a big fan of this episode.

I agree that Teal'c is a good guy. I think his actions in "Children of the Gods" proved that point. For me, the episode isn't about what the Byrsans put Teal'c through so much as seeing what Teal'c puts himself through. Teal'c's expressions, and actions, in CotG showed that he did not like what the Goa'uld did to people. I think "Cor-Ai" is a chance to see just how badly Teal'c felt about his time as First Prime, something that isn't previously addressed much. Teal'c is very stoic.

In the episode, Teal'c mourns for all of his victims, and for people he could not help. Teal'c even apologizes to Shak'l. Probably because Teal'c could not change Shak'l's mind about serving the Goa'uld, and had to be the instrument of his death. I think "Cor-Ai" also provides a measure of peace for Teal'c because Hanno forgives him. The son of one of his victims forgiving Teal'c won't erase his past as First Prime, but it can be a re-affirmation for Teal'c that his new path is making a difference for the good.

I enjoyed this episode.

[CMWriter]

Holy cow, you guys, I just saw this episode and it made me want to weep from its utter brilliance. I knew it would be coming eventually but just the way it played out was phenomenal. The scene with Teal'c and O'Neill in the empty courtroom is fantastic for both of them.

Actually one of my favourite aspects of this is that, despite all the reasons and explanations behind Teal'c's crime, he is still (technically) guilty. I like that he's put on trial and that it is, in the end, the victim's son who gives him his staff back. Yes, I know they're not going to kill off a major character in the middle of the first season, but it could have played out quite differently.

Slightly cliche? Maybe, but I don't care. It was incredible. This is one to remember for me.