Overall Rating: 8.5
This one is strongly carried by what many may see as a politically-incorrect message and by some very good acting by Michael Shanks and, oddly enough, Peter Williams.
Plot Synopsis:
The SGC receives a set of coordinates to a planet by radio transmission - coordinates they believe to be from a Tok'ra operative seeking to make contact with Earth. They send SG-1 to the planet to investigate, but they find nothing. That is, until a death glider races by them overhead and crash lands nearby. When they move to investigate, they find a badly broken Apophis waiting for them. He, incredibly, requests asylum! Obviously, they don't wish to aid their sworn enemy - especially Daniel and Teal'c - but they decide he could prove useful as a source of information and bring him back to Earth.
He is rushed to surgery to temporarily keep him alive, but his injuries are too severe for any permanent healing to occur without the power of the Sarcophagus. As his body rapidly ages in his dying moments, Apophis struggles to maintain control of his host and endures a battery of questions from first O'Neill and Martouf, then Daniel, then Teal'c. The SGC also summons Martouf to Earth with the intention of sharing any knowledge gleaned from Apophis with the Tok'ra. However, Apophis, after being turned down in his request for a new host, reveals that he was defeated by a much more dangerous Goa'uld named Sokar. Daniel does some research and realizes that Sokar's mythological role on Earth was, quite literally, Satan. Almost immediately after making this realization, Sokar calls Earth and demands that Apophis be returned, lest we face his wrath. We, obviously, refuse; and shortly thereafter, Sokar begins attacking the Earth iris with a particle accelerator which causes the metal to begin heating up. If they don't find a way to stop him, he'll turn the iris into putty and march right through it.
While the SGC staff (headed by Carter) scramble to dial out between 38-minute gate cycles (failing the first time because anyone with a DHD can dial out in a matter of seconds but our dialing computer takes a few minutes to lock into an address), the rest of the SG team members take their turns facing Apophis. Daniel demands to know the whereabouts of Sha're, Teal'c revels in watching Apophis suffer and prevents Dr. Fraiser from administering a pain killer, Jack makes fun of Apophis for getting his ass kicked and demands to know what happened to Chlorel/Skaara, etc. Everyone's got a personal score to settle and Apophis isn't playing along. However, as he loses control, his host emerges and Daniel speaks to him in ancient Egyptian. He gives him a proper Egyptian funeral as the host finally dies. To stop Sokar from attacking, the decision is made to send Apophis' corpse through to the planet where he was retrieved. THey managed to dial out more quickly to stop the attack using a rapid dialing program Carter authors just in the nick of time, and their offering to Sokar appeases him. For now. Martouf reveals that Sokar will surely revive Apophis in the Sarcophagus and torture him repeatedly - a fact which greatly disturbs all hands.
Writing: 7.5
Once again...a potentially great story with a number of attractive elements is somewhat hampered by a script that isn't ambitious enough. The Gate writers are technically very proficient and they come up with very good stories to tell...but they are very rarely the pure wordsmiths I might prefer in my television writers. There are several very good scenes which will be highlighted below, but a thematically powerful plot concept turns into merely a very nice episode, not the kind of thing that can truly blow you away, and the dialogue is the weak link.
Acting: 9.0
I am not a big fan of the acting from all but one or two of the long term Goa'uld guest stars on this show. Peter Williams (Apophis) has, in particular, routinely annoyed me with his overly stoic delivery of lines that should be filled with emotion even from an evil emperor and his tendency to chew scenery in moments that don't call for it. But in this episode, he actually does a very inspired job playing foil to each of the main characters as they confront the thing that has visited such grief upon their lives. And then transitions perfectly into the role of horrified onlooking host. Everyone has a moment to shine in this one, but the regular cast is particularly highlighted by Daniel's strongly controlled, yet highly visible emotions when he asks about his wife. Michael Shanks rarely gets such golden moments in later seasons, once the personal justifications for his presence within the Stargate program have been stripped away. This episode is a beautiful reminder of why we all appreciated his character more in the good old days.
Message: 9.0
I love how Stargate repeatedly sends the message that mass murderers and other adversaries who demonstrate true evil in their deeds do not get amnesty and forgiveness for their crimes just because we wish to be merciful. Only when some form of true penance is paid and repentance is genuine (as is the case with Colonel Maybourne in the episode "It's Good to be King") can an adversary earn our trust and gain our respect. Apophis - unrepentant to the end - earns no mercy, no dignity, no amnesty. He's a dying prisoner with information we need and that's how he's treated. I wish more folks around the world understood the difference between idiot compassion (as defined by Plato - showing love to another person in ways that don't do that other person any real good...that is what you're doing when you suggest we shouldn't use whatever methods we can to extract information from known Al Quaeda terrorists, for example...being nice to the enemy just to show how magnanimous you are does nothing to save their immortal soul and nothing to protect the lives of innocent people that might be harmed in a future attack that could be prevented with the right intelligence) and real compassion. An unrepentant evil must be destroyed or at the very least sequestered for all time. Bravo to Stargate for getting this right.
Highlights:
TEAL'C: I have seen once powerful Goa'uld enter the service of their conquerors in exchange for life. When he became a conqueror, it gave Apophis great pleasure to see his enemies so weakened.
O'NEILL: And now some rival Goa'uld just kicked his ass.
TEAL'C: And he now wishes for our protection.
O'NEILL: Well that's tough. I say we beat whatever information we can out of ole snake boy and then open up that Stargate and toss him back to the wolves.
HAMMOND: Not so fast, Colonel. Apophis is essentially a prisoner of war. That gives him certain rights.
O'NEILL: (absolutely incredulously) Rights...sir??
CARTER: And we have to consider the host. The symbiote may be an enemy but the host is innocent.
O'NEILL: Oh come on, Carter! How much of the host will still be around after all of this time?
TEAL'C: Apophis would know this.
HAMMOND: And we have to consider military intelligence. If Apophis can be defeated by some rival Goa'uld, we need to know about them. Figure out what we're up against.
TEAL'C: Apophis will tell you nothing of value, General Hammond.
HAMMOND: If he thinks it's in his own best interest he might. (very well done dialogue here)
APOPHIS: O'Neill. I am dying.
O'NEILL: My heart bleeds for ya.
APOPHIS: You lie poorly. It is you who have done this to me. You rejoice.
O'NEILL: Not really. What do you want?
APOPHIS: To live.
O'NEILL: Can't help you there. That's between you and your god. (beat) Oh wait a minute. You are your god. That's a bit of a problem. (ROTFL!! Go Jack!!)
APOPHIS: Your people are still primitive. They will be destroyed.
O'NEILL: You don't look up to it. (hee)
APOPHIS: Not by me. There is another.
O'NEILL: Yeah....who?
APOPHIS: There is much you could learn from me, Tauri. The secrets of star travel, our weapons...our power! But that knowledge comes with a price.
O'NEILL: Let's hear it.
APOPHIS: A new host. So that I may live.
O'NEILL: A host (not amused)?
APOPHIS: In exchange for all the knowledge of the Goa'uld.
O'NEILL: One life...for all that? Go to hell.
APOPHIS: A single life is worth so much to you that you would risk your world?
O'NEILL: That's right. That's why they call us...the good guys! (awesome!)
APOPHIS: Come, Daniel.
DANIEL: You know my name?
APOPHIS: Because of what we hold in common. Amaunet, my queen.
DANIEL: Her name is Sha're. She is my wife.
APOPHIS: They are one in the same.
DANEIL: Amaunet possesses her. She's a prisoner. But she is somewhere. I want you to tell me where.
APOPHIS: Amaunet...I loved her. (Daniel rolls his eyes) You don't believe me.
DANEIL: No, I don't think that's possible. (neither do I, Danny...)
APOPHIS: Amaunet...I knew the moment I saw her that she was the vessel for my queen.
DANIEL: If you don't tell me where she is...I'll kill you right now.
APOPHIS: You have neither the strength, nor the will. (Daniel looks at the ready to do just that when Sam interrupts him)
CARTER: Daniel! (very ominous and very cool)
TEAL'C: I have waited many years for this day.
APOPHIS: Do you think you have won, shol'va? You are about to die!
TEAL'C: Perhaps that is so. But my people have finally won their freedom.
APOPHIS: The Jaffa will never be free.
TEAL'C: They are free already. Hear me, Apophis! This day will become a holy day on Chulak. The death of our false God. The time of Apophis is finally over.
APOPHIS: The larval Goa'uld you carry within you...is your master even now!
TEAL'C: We are slaves to no one.
APOPHIS: When your symbiotes reach maturity, you will all die!
TEAL'C: Then we will find other symbiotes to sustain us. And discard them when they are no longer of use. We will use your kind as you have used us!
APOPHIS: NO!!
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