Overall Rating: 8.0
This episode is (as is customary in Stargate's better episodes) driven by some phenomenal acting and a script that, while understated in its' use of language and possessing a few major plot-holes that take away from the total joy I'd have gotten from the episode under better circumstances, nails the characterizations so well that the flaws almost don't matter.
Plot Synopsis:
Word reaches the SGC that dozens of Abydonians have been taken prisoner by an unknown Goa'uld. When SG-1 reaches the planet in question, they fight a pitched battle with a few dozen Jaffa guards to reach the camp ground and free Kazuf (Daniel's father in law). When Daniel peers into a tent on the grounds and discovers Sha're/Amaunet in hiding, he tries to reach out to his trapped wife and is rewarded with a heavy dose of brain-crunching ribbon device use. Teal'c arrives on the scene mere seconds before Daniel reaches death's door and takes aim with his staff weapon. What happens next is, we later discover, an elaborate dream gifted Daniel by Sha're through the ribbon device.
He "awakes" in the SGC with Doctor Fraiser checking up on him. There, he is informed that Sha're is dead by Teal'c's hand. On hearing the news, Daniel has two reactions: first - he is enraged with Teal'c for not waiting longer to intercede on his behalf, second - he tenders his resignation from the Stargate program, reasoning that he joined the program only to find his wife, and now that she's gone, he can't continue. Jack and General Hammond both try to talk him out of it, but nothing breaks his resolve. He is too angry with Teal'c to work by his side (although, in actuality, the anger is just misdirected grief, not that you need me to clarify this point), and too filled with a sense of hopelessness to get excited about off-world archaeology. He fully intends for Sha're's funeral to be the last time he ever lays eyes on SG-1.
That is until Sha're begins appearing to him and insisting that he forgive Teal'c and continue his journeys through the stargate so that he might find and rescue the son of Apophis and Amaunet. He discusses the possibility that Sha're was trying to communicate with him through the ribbon device with Sam and although she's dubious, he pursues it further by following Sha're's instructions and meets her back on the world where she died. She reveals that her son has all of the knowledge of the Goa'uld and must be saved before the System Lords find and destroy him. After a struggle between her and Amaunet, she manages to reveal the child's location - a supposedly mythical place of worship known as Keb. When the real events finally unfold and Daniel's dream ends (Teal'c does indeed blast Sha're with his staff weapon and she dies - her last words being a profession of love for Daniel), he is not only prepared to remain in the Stargate program to find Sha're's son, but ready to forgive Teal'c for what he now understands Teal'c had to do.
Writing: 7.0
I am going to list a whole bunch of major plot holes and logical problems that now leap out at me after having seen this episode for the third or fourth time. It's going to sound like a negative review, and you're going to wonder how the heck this could wind up being such a highly-rated episode. Rest assured, the script is not poorly written despite its many flaws and the show is deeply satisfying despite a relatively weak plot and I will explain why. But first...the problems I now have with this story.
A) It appears that the writers found themselves with two HUGE problems to overcome if they wanted to kill off Sha're and no tenable ways to solve those problems. As Daniel says in the episode, he joined the SGC to find his wife - why would he stay with her out of the picture? Also...how can Daniel (in a quick enough time period to facilitate the next several episodes featuring a team entirely on friendly terms) come to terms with Teal'c's role in Sha're's death? They tried to invent for Daniel a new purpose, but...given Daniel's skill set, it's a purpose with a DEEPLY limited shelf life. Find the boy...that's not the way to give Daniel a long term reason to stay with the SGC. In fact, they find the boy in less than a season, and then find him again about half a season later (in an episode that puts paid to any notion that the Harcesis is of any real consequence to the fate of humanity as this episode attempted to claim). And...in order to get Daniel to forgive Teal'c quickly, we needed some hand-waving and a plea from his wife. The writers didn't EARN the final forgiving line "You did the right thing, Teal'c."
Once again, because Stargate writers are too squeamish to write realistic hard-hitting drama very often, they chose force Daniel to be OK with the events surrounding his wife's death rather than show him at odds with Teal'c in later episodes until they reached some later understanding that was earned. In fact, I would be so bold as to say the proper way to dispose of Sha're almost HAD to include Daniel leaving the SGC for a time (in the real world...not in a dream) or staying on, but being profoundly unhappy and slowly coming to realize that there was meaning in it for him that far exceeded the love he had for his wife. There's a reason that this episode is viewed by some ardent fans (despite its individual strength) as a "jump the shark" moment for Daniel's character. Why couldn't Daniel have been wrestling with whether to continue with the Stargate program and had his decision made by a conscious choice to continue his work in Sha're's memory? Why couldn't he and Teal'c reached some kind of truce by facing adversity together? Wouldn't that have been WAY more satisfying to you folks?
B) Even if we accept the idea that SG-1 annihilated all of Amaunet's personal guard, we know for a fact (based on other episodes) that a Goa'uld host may be revived in a Sarcophagus a fairly long time after his/her death. Is there any reason SG-1 didn't try taking Amaunet to the Tok'ra in the hopes that maybe they had a stolen Sarcophagus or could use their operatives to obtain one in time to save her life? It seems the writers are experts at keeping Apophis alive (and later...Ba'al) by any number of creative means...but Sha're can apparently be killed with a simple staff blast and nary a second thought is paid to attempting to save Daniel's wife. It makes no sense.
C) A minor nitpick here...but if this entire episode was a communication in dream form sent by Sha're into Daniel's mind, then why are there whole scenes in which Daniel is NOT PRESENT?! Stuff like that annoys me. It's like the writers wanted to say certain things and kind of...forgot...that this is all supposed to be from Daniel's perspective. It comes across as sloppy work.
Despite some glaring issues, as I see it, it's a good script filled with high impact moments that occur between the words (which is why the highlights are a bit sparse for such a highly-rated episode). The writers were obviously aware of how Daniel would respond to a tragic event like this...they had his character PERFECTLY portrayed in the pages of this script. Their problem was that Daniel's character wouldn't naturally react in a way that would allow them to return to stasis at the end of one episode and they, for some reason, felt the need to reach that stasis anyway. The plot was forced...the characters were perfect anyway.
Acting: 10.0+
Chris Judge and Michael Shanks carried this episode so beautifully that words rather fail me in attempting to describe why I had such a positive reaction. Watch Daniel's face when he encounters Teal'c on his way out of the SGC (and into retirement)...watch Teal'c reaction to his flat footed rejection. Later, watch RDA's stunned reaction take following Daniel's bitter dismissal of his friendship with Teal'c...feel the despair and rage pouring from the screen when Daniel spits "I'll miss Carter" (leaving Teal'c out with a deadly purpose). This is one show that is entirely "made" by the acting. The plot may be a bit muddled, but the acting keeps you riveted from beginning to end.
Message: 7.0
The writers had the opportunity to build an episode with a deeply impactful message about forgiveness, but they undercut their efforts by resolving Daniel's survival grief and rage too easily and without significant explanation. He has a talk with his dead wife and is suddenly cool with Teal'c? That's not how forgiveness works. This franchise is very strong on loyalty, the familial bond that forms between the SG team members, and love in its many forms. This episode was rich with the potential to speak to us about the life-affirming power of forgiveness in times of personal crisis and came short of delivering fully. It is nonetheless a very sweet, very lovingly told story that is worthy of our respect.
Highlights:
DANIEL: What happened?
O'NEILL: You don't remember?
DANIEL: I'm not sure.
CARTER: We were on P8X-327.
O'NEILL: Freeing the abydonians the goa'uld had taken prisoner?
DANIEL: Sha're was there...
O'NEILL: Yeah. She's dead, Daniel. I'm sorry.
DANIEL: How?
TEAL'C: It is I who am responsible, Daniel Jackson. I was forced to fire upon Amaunet to stop her. However, I assure you, it was done only to save your life.
DANIEL: No.
CARTER: No?
DANIEL: They have a Sarcophagus. Her guard put her in a Sarcophagus. Sha're is still out there somewhere...alive. (all exchange pained glances, knowing this to be impossible)
DANIEL: (a frightening, quiet rage directed at Teal'c) You should have waited longer. I would have gotten through to her.
O'NEILL: She was trying to kill you, Daniel.
DANIEL: No she wasn't trying to kill me. Amaunet was trying to kill me.
TEAL'C: I have seen many humans killed by ribbon devices, Daniel Jackson. You would have been dead in mere seconds had I not acted.
O'NEILL: He did the right thing, Daniel.
TEAL'C: I am sorry Sha're is dead; however you are my friend. If I had it to do again - I would do the same. (Daniel refuses to look Teal'c in the eye)
DANIEL: Have you ever really studied one of these?
CARTER: A pen?
DANIEL: I've spent half my life studying the history of the written word. From hammers and chisels to quills and ink. But I never stopped to consider the incredible ingenuity of this little device. After the first gate mission to Abydos, Sha're saw me writing in my journal and thought the ball-point I was using was magic. She saw wonder in this little piece of technology that we use. She saw wonder in everything.
CARTER: Daniel, it's healthy to hang onto these memories.
DANIEL: I couldn't save her! (sobbing) All those wonders we have at our disposal and I couldn't save her. I'm just going to get some sleep.
CARTER: (welling up) Um...let me know if you need anything, OK?
O'NEILL: You should see this 'Gomer' they stuck us with while you're out of commission.
DANIEL: Robert Rothman - he was my research assistant when I was doing my dissertation. Smart guy.
O'BEILL: Geek?
DANIEL: Yes, you used to call me that.
O'NEILL: I was talking about you. (LOL) So how long are we gonna be stuck with this guy?
DANIEL: What? Didn't General Hammond tell you?
O'NEILL: Tell me what? That you quit? Yeah...he told me that. But...c'mon! We both know you can't stay away!
DANIEL: Then we both must be wrong, because...I'm gone.
O'NEILL: Give it a week. You'll miss me.
DANIEL: Yes, all the salty, bad-tempered insults, the illogical arguments...
O'NEILL: OK...you'll miss Carter and Teal'c.
DANIEL: I'll miss Carter. (OOOOWWWCH!)
O'NEILL: What about all those fascinating cultures you get to explore, the people you meet, the living history? That's stuff you can't walk away from.
DANIEL: Jack - every time I went through that gate, I used to think, 'Maybe this will be the time I find her - maybe this is the one.' Now every time I go through, it'll just be some...place...where that hope used to be. That's why I can't do it anymore. I hope you can understand.
O'NEILL: The SGC may be the single most important endeavor in human history. You said that!
DANIEL: The SGC will go on without me. (He walks toward the elevator and is intercepted by Teal'c. He speaks next with the same latent rage) Please, get out of my way.
TEAL'C: I will...but you must hear me first.
DANIEL: I have a pretty good idea what you want to say, and I don't think you'll like my answer.
TEAL'C: Is there not some form of human ritual or expression...by which I may ask your forgiveness?
DANIEL: (flatly) No. (wow...)
DANIEL: Hi...how'd you get in here?
O'NEILL: You left the base before we could say hello...so we thought we'd come here and pay you a visit.
DANIEL: How'd you get in here?
O'NEILL: Got tired of waiting in the hallway, so...I let us in. You...need a new lock, by the way. (LOL!)
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