Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell walks up the stargate ramp in SGC to get his first look at the device, the memory of his F-302 squadron's fight to defend SG-1 over Antarctica (season 7's Lost City (Part 2)) still fresh in his memory. He is at SGC to join the team. He is soon guided to General Hank Landry's office, where Mitchell learns that the original members of SG-1 have gone their separate ways. Mitchell is now the commander of the unity, and Landry, newly appointed to command SGC with the departure of O'Neill, instructs him to build a whole new team. Mitchell is stunned and disappointed, and tries to sway Jackson, Teal'c, and Carter from their decisions to move on. Jackson is determined to travel to Atlantis (Stargate Atlantis season 1's Rising (Part 1)), Teal'c is entrenched in the founding stages of the new Jaffa government, and Carter has been reassigned to Area 51's R&D labs and is currently working to get the bugs out of the advanced Asgard hyperdrive installed on the Daedalus. Mitchell is unsuccessful with each of them, and then begins looking into base personnel to fill his new team. With each applicant, it becomes clear that he won't be truly happy unless the original team is reassembled. Vala Mal Doran (season 8's Prometheus Unbound) pays a visit to SGC bringing an encrypted Ancient tablet with her with the promise that it leads to buried treasure hidden somewhere on Earth. She also breaks the news that she's pregnant, and there is a one in 10 chance that Jackson is the father—both of which, however, could be another one of her lies. While Jackson works on deciphering the tablet, Vala reveals two identical items she had concealed from the guards: a pair of bracelets. She slaps one on the unsuspecting Jackson's wrist and, as he calls security, applies the other to herself to ensure that she gets a fair share of the profits from where the tablet leads. Dr. Lee (season 8's Avatar) is unable to remove Jackson's bracelet, or even figure out how it works. Before long, both Jackson and Vala fall unconscious. Hearing the news, Teal'c returns to Earth to help Jackson any way he can.

Avalon (Part 1) has the tough job of not only introducing two new main characters, but also effectively restart the Stargate SG-1 series after the primary series opponents were defeated and pretty much all of the outstanding plot threads were wrapped up in the latter half of season 8. The show wisely opts to bring back Vala, as her dialogue and interaction with the regular cast members adds immensely to the episode. Not only is she a thorn in their sides, she is infinitely unpredictable. Once she shows up, the plot gets moving in what appears to be a classic SG-1 adventure that appears to be laying the foundation for the introduction of the main antagonists of season's 9 and 10. However, until she appears, the plot is serviceable and comes across as a little stale—as we've seen many similar plots in Stargate SG-1—and in Carter's case, seems forced. Jackson's and Teal'c's reasons are significantly better, as they are natural progressions from what we've seen before, or have already been depicted in season 8. In Jackson's case, one wonders what Stargate Atlantis would have been like if Michael Shanks had joined that show.

As for the new actors, Beau Bridges' General Landry is the more enigmatic one, simply because he gets less air time. On first blush, however, Landry appears to be somewhere between Richard Dean Anderson's O'Neill and Don S. David's Hammond, leaning more toward the serious Hammond, but without the gravitas. Ben Browder's Mitchell, on the other hand, appears to be a clone of O'Neill. As Browder doesn't quite have the same panache as Anderson, some of the humour that appears to have been written for O'Neill falls flat. Hopefully the writing team grasps Browder's strengths soon, and we'll get an improvement over the next few episodes. The plot revolving around Myrddin ('Merlin') that Vala sets in motion is interesting and gives the episode its cliffhanger, however it doesn't give the episode the same sustained energy or pull as the other recent two-parters had. Nevertheless, this episode can't be missed for its introduction of some key characters, but it doesn't have much else going for it.

Solving the numerous lethal puzzles in Myrddin's hidden chamber, Jackson, Mitchell, Teal'c and Vala find themselves surrounded by mounds of treasure. Among the artifacts, Jackson discovers a book detailing the history of the Alterans (AKA the Ancients), a race that made a home called Avalon and built many stargates. He believes this book contains the first evidence that the Ancients did not originate in the Milky Way Galaxy, but instead came here from somewhere else entirely. Nearby, an odd-shaped Ancient device is discovered. Jackson determines the Ancient device that was discovered is a long-range communicator, and it is designed to work in conjunction with the Ancient telepathic stones recently discovered by SG-1 (season 8's Citizen Joe). He tries to convince General Landry that pursuit of the Ancients and their origins ought to be SGC's highest priority from this point forward. After Dr. Lee resets the stones, Jackson and Vala each take one and insert them into slots at the base of the device. They then collapse into unconsciousness. Jackson and Vala's consciousnesses, however, are now in control of two individuals in another galaxy: a married couple named Harrid and Sallis who live in a village populated by descendants of the Alterans. A large crowd gathers at the center of the town as a priest lights torches for Prostration, a ritual of worship to the Ori. Jackson and Vala attend the services. While kneeling in prayer, another member of the town tells them they must meet by the "portico of light at the hour of bly". After six hours of services, they return to Jarrid and Sallis's home. Vala finds a copy of the Book of Origins, the local's holy book, and inside it two communication stones like the ones they used on Earth. The villager who spoke with them earlier arrives at their home, worried and curious as to why they did not meet him. Jackson explains the situation, and the man reveals that Harrid had suspected that the devices were for communication. Their secret group is comprised of historians who uncovered the stones at a dig site. They have gathered evidence that proves humans predate the supposed creation of man by their Ori gods, and they are thus heretics. He also says that Sallis (Vala) has an appointment to "take leaves" with the Administrator's wife. However, not long after she leaves, Vala is brought in chains to the village's sacrificial alter, where she is to be "cleansed" by fire!

Unlike Avalon (Part 1), which was mostly concerned with introducing the new characters to the series, Part 2 focuses on the introduction of season 9 and 10's main antagonists: the Ori. It does so not with a firefight and kidnapping (à la season 1's The Children of the Gods), but by depicting the lives of the common folk, and how they negatively influence it. The episode implies that the people are Alterans who not only never learned how to ascend, but have been forced to worship false gods as well as stagnate as a society all the way back to what appears to be a medieval-era level of progress. And just like the Middle Ages on Earth, heretics are burned at the stake. The medieval-like setting is thought-provoking, as the Goa'uld appeared to base their false god persona's on older cultures on Earth. And just like how the medieval era is more advanced, the Ori also appear to be an evolution of the Goa'uld. In other words, instead of personally taking charge of punishing disloyalty, they get their followers to do it for them; and instead of possessing individuals, they appear to have taking control over the entire society. Also in parallel to the Goa'uld, the Ori have staff-wielding true believers. However, unlike the Jaffa, those true believers don't appear to resort to violence, have extensive healing powers, and use religion to control the population. Nefarious, indeed!

The majority of the episode has Jackson and Vala working together to attempt to resolve their situation: namely 'disconnect' the stones and return home. As Michael Shanks and Claudia Black have great chemistry, it is wonderful seeing them working together on another 'mission'. It's also nice seeing Black act in ways other than as a manipulative seductress, and by the end of the episode, we not only sympathize with her, but are also concerned for her very welfare! The episode ends not in a cliffhanger, but in an intellectually curious way in which the protagonists are being led by their silent saviour to his leaders, leaving us with plenty of questions and thirsty for answers! This episode can't be missed for the wonderful foundation it sets for the show's new antagonists, as well as its depiction of the heroes investigating and exploring a new alien culture—one of the main elements of the Stargate SG-1 series!

The silent Ori Prior(season 9's Avalon (Part 2)) takes Jackson and Vala from the village of Ver Eger by ring transporter to the city of the gods on the Plains of Celestis, and locks them away in a dining hall with a copy of the Book of Origin. Back in our galaxy, a Prior is sent to convert the first world in the Milky Way to the Origin religion. Gen. Landry's interest has peaked over the rise of the Jaffa Gerak. He requests that Teal'c extend an olive branch so that they can meet. Meanwhile, the anthropologist stationed on P3X-421 has reported that a man has stepped through the gate and started spouting words of an alien religion. Landry sends Mitchell with SG-12 to investigate. Jackson has continued to read the Book of Origin and is making headway into its core tenets, in particular the importance of fire. The Prior returns to ask that they give him the names of other individuals from Ver Eger who have wandered outside the Origin faith. Jackson, however, insists that he speak with the Doci, the chief Prior and mouth of the Ori. Jackson is granted the audience—with Vala left behind in the dining hall—but he encounters the same opposition that he did with the Prior. Jackson explains his position and his feelings about religion and ascension, but the comments fall on deaf ears. The Doci takes him to the Flames of Enlightenment to speak directly with the Ori. On Earth, Garak arrives to meet Landry. The general is eager to begin negotiations for an official treaty with the new Jaffa Nation, but Gerak is preoccupied with the presence of the Prior that Mitchell brought back with him to SGC. Gerak wishes to hear the Prior's claims and challenge him. Jackson returns to Vala, and reports that Ori Priors are being sent to the Milky Way galaxy to convert all the people, and those who don't will be "cleansed"!

Where Avalon (Part 2) set up the repressive culture the Ori have forced the common folk into, Origin takes us down the rabbit hole of the religion, the priest-like Priors, and the Ori themselves. That rabbit hole is very deep, as it turns out that the Ori are essentially the counterparts to the ascended Ancients (or Alterans) in the Milky Way galaxy! However, unlike the Ancients with their rule of not meddling in the lower planes of existence, the Ori have no such constraint. In fact, they are actively forcing the common people to worship them in order to feed off their energy. Jackson dryly observes that where he thought the Ancients never did anything for them, they were actually protecting the people of the Milky Way galaxy. When Vala questions why the Ancients let them stumble into the Ori, he retorts with a central edict in the Ancient's beliefs: free will.

This episode is a most satisfying conclusion to the three-parter that opens season 9. While it resolves the immediate threats that the protagonists face, it successfully sets up what appears to be a religious war for the Milky Way galaxy and a whopper of an antagonist. Where seasons 5–8 had the partially ascended Anubis, the Ori are fully ascended with not only the power to send their minions to a different galaxy, but the ability to raise an army of religious zealots. What is most alarming is not so much the Ori's technological abilities (potentially thousands if not millions of years ahead of our own!), but that they rely on the insidious means of religion to not only gain followers (and zealots) but to get those followers to police themselves and eliminate non-believers!

The truly tragic part of the episode, however, is the fate of Jarrid and Sallis—the couple that Jackson and Vala possessed while they were in the Ori's galaxy. The episode never lets them 'wake up', take control of Jackson's and Vala's bodies in the Milky Way galaxy and, at the very least, explain why they 'wandered' outside the Ori faith. While I agree that it would have been a needless distraction in the episode, it does beg some questions about how the Ancient's communication stones work, especially seeing as how they are used in the later Stargate Universe TV series. In season 8's Citizen Joe, the stones are depicted as linking the users' minds. In season 9's Avalon (Parts 1 & 2) and Origin they are depicted as a 'user' taking control over a 'receiver'. While this was a non-issue when season 9 initially aired, in retrospect it begs some questions about the stones' inconsistent usage. Perhaps the pre-Stargate Universe stones don't work properly because they may have been retrieved from an alternate reality by whomever developed the quantum mirror way back in season 1's There But For the Grace of God? Perhaps the later Stargate Atlantis season 5 episode Identity clarifies the inconsistent depiction of how the stones work.

Vala departs from the Earth. However, about an hour after she leaves, Jackson collapses again. He regains consciousness only to find that Vala has returned, and that there is a more permanent link from the kor mak bracelets (season 9's Avalon (Part 1)) than they initially believed. Dr. Lam (season 9's Avalon (Part 2)) believes that since they used the bracelets in conjunction with the Ancient communication stones, they may have warped the after-effects into forming a more permanent bond. As Dr. Lee runs tests, Jackson finally gets Vala to admit that she knows someone who might know of a way to sever the connection: the very person that she stole the bracelets from! Mitchell and Jackson travel offworld and meet Arlos, a former lover of Vala, from whom she stole the bracelets. They explain the situation, and he says he might be able to sever the connection—but only if Vala is brought to him. Vala is brought to Arlos where he demands the return of his mother's necklace (another item she stole), or he will not attempt to sever the connection. SG-1 agrees to track it down. This brings them to another world to meet a Jaffa named Inago, another of Vala's associates. He insists that he will return the necklace only if Vala returns the power coil that she traded it for. This leads them to another planet where the team travels to a shrine where monks still worship the god Grannus. Caius, another of Vala's associates, is hiding out as a monk, but he wants to leave. For the power coil, Vala must return his cargo ship. Unfortunately, the ship is now being used by Tenat and Jup (season 8's Prometheus Unbound), associates of the Lucian Alliance!

The Ties That Bind is one of those rare Stargate episodes where we see the heroes visiting multiple planets in rapid succession. While we only get a glimpse of each planet, we get a sense of the wildly diverse cultures, and the impression that not only are there at least a handful of relatively advanced planets among the Goa'uld's former empires, that some of the people acquired advanced technology and secretly traded right under the noses of the Goa'uld! The episode further embellishes the Lucian Alliance, and gives the first indications of the cutthroat nature of that organization that is on full display in the Stargate Universe series. While our first impressions of it were the bumbling Tenat and Jup, they are probably being used just as much by the alliance as they were by Vala.

Interestingly, aside from a brief appearance in Avalon (Part 1), this is the fourth episode in a row that Carter doesn't appear. The episode also doesn't explain why she's not present, especially in the apparently vital meeting between Gen. Landry, Jackson, Teal'c and Vala with the chairman of the appropriations committee to prevent them from slashing SGC's budget. While that remains a minor plot point in the episode—played somewhat for laughs when Vala unleashes her true thoughts on the situation—the episode also implies that SGC will soon be forced to accept a civilian "watchdog", in exchange for keeping their full budget. Ultimately, despite their adventures and the world building, Arlos doesn't know how to reverse the kor mak bracelets' effects. He suggest that the effects will wear off in time. In other words, Vala will be sticking around for a few more episodes. This one can't be missed, however, for it's world building, especially of the Lucian Alliance, but more so for the depiction of Vala's background, as well as indicating the potential direction the Earth-side stories will take in the coming episodes.

Ori Priors have been busy in our galaxy. They have appeared on 43 different planets, and those are only the worlds that SGC is aware of. Vala pesters Mitchell about it, and tells him that she has a good relationship with the people of P8X-412. Hearing that revelation, he promptly heads to Gen. Landry's office to authorize a mission to it. With Teal'c's temporary return, SG-1 and Vala head to the planet, and sneak into the pyramidal temple there. While Vala excuses herself to change into an outfit the locals would recognize, a young man wanders into the temple's main chamber, and runs away scared when he sees SG-1. Moments later, a throng of his friends charge into the chamber, wielding staff weapons to protect the temple of their god Qetesh. Before SG-1 can state their intentions, Qetesh—Vala—appears. Jackson is understandably upset, but Vala intends to continue to pretend to be Qetesh in order to renounce the Ori as gods. In public, a man continues to spread the word of the Ori after the Prior cured him of his physical disability. Asdek, the local who first spotted SG-1, continues to believe in Qetesh, saying she will slay the Prior when he is scheduled to return the following day. Vala's main intention for returning, however, was to pillage her boxes of treasures, arguably the only valuables on the planet. Teal'c insists that if she does not tell the truth about herself, they will. Jackson presses her, telling her of how good it will feel to be honest with the people. She consents. Upon hearing the truth, however, the locals lock her up and sentence her to death! Asdak is the most outraged, but Mitchell and Teal'c convince him to hold a fair trial to determine her punishment. Halfway through the trial, however, the Prior returns, and with him comes a mysterious, lethal illness that rapidly infects the entire settlement!

The Powers That Be focuses on two complimentary stories: Vala's past after she was freed from possession by the Goa'uld Qetesh (10 years prior to season 8's Prometheus Unbound), and the insidious means that the Ori and their Priors use to convert people to their religion. Vala's story is breezy fun and in line with what we love about Stargate SG-1. In addition to further rounding out her character—specifically what type of antics she got up to while pretending to be Qetesh for 4 years—it neatly ties back into her character as we know her: while pretending to want to go to PBX-412 for the greater good, she is really only after her treasure trove! The episode completely changes gear once the Prior shows up. Interestingly, it occurs mid-trial while the locals and SG-1 are debating false gods and the fate of those who manipulate others into believing they should be worshipped as a god. Where Jackson's verbal sparring with Asdek over Vala's fate is light, the episode turns quite serious when it focuses on Jackson's and the Prior's polemics. Unnervingly, rhe Prior's arguments appear to be both much easier for the locals to understand, in addition to having a veiled threat. Jackson's arguments, on the other hand, comes across as out of touch with the local people's existence and goes way over the head. In other words, his argument appears to be for an audience like us the viewers, and not the low-tech people he is saying it to. Vala rightly points out her concerns over whether he is actually helping their cause or the Prior's!

Regrettably, we've essentially heard both sides of this argument earlier in the—arguably better paced and more succinct—Origin not 2 episodes earlier. While the polemics are more in depth and longer this time, it is essentially a rehash of the same arguments and merely illustrates how wide the gap is between SG-1 and the Priors, and how ill prepared SG-1 is in countering the Priors. Nevertheless, the most chilling part of the episode is the Prior's literal use of the carrot and stick method to gain followers. In addition, while the episode doesn't directly say it, there's a strong implication that the people have to convert en masse, as it looks like they will all be wiped out even if there is only a small handful of unbelievers in their ranks. The Powers That Be indicates that there is some hope in the future, when SG-1 points out that the Priors have yet to instigate the more repressive and darker sides of their religion. Nevertheless, the episode provides good foreshadowing, and underlines how seductive the Ori's religion is, especially to the less educated. However, it leaves us viewers somewhat frustrated, as the episode not only doesn't resolve much at all, it also retreads arguments that we've already seen.

A Prior returns to Kallana, eager to hear the decision of the Jaffa settlement on the planet. Their representative Latal declares that they do not wish to serve the Ori or any other false gods. When the Prior does not leave when they demand he does, Latal and his Jaffa escorts fire staff weapons at the Prior, but they are ineffective, and the Prior flings them flying several kilometres through the air in response. A large blue forcefield begins to form around the vicinity of the Prior and the stargate. SGC receives a text message from Nerus, a minor Goa'uld who served Baal (season 8's Threads) for many centuries. He wishes to work for SGC to develop new technology to defend against the Ori threat. After a thorough search, Nerus is permitted to travel to Earth. He reveals a small holographic device that has detected the activity on Kallana. His readings are two days old, and the Prior's forcefield has greatly expanded. He urgently suggests that Gen. Landry dispatch a team to throw every conceivable weapon they have at the forcefield while Nerus attempts to find a way to bring it down. Landry agrees to send a naquadria-enriched Mark IX warhead with its inventor, Col. Carter (last seen 5 episodes ago in season 9's Avalon (Part 1)), with SG-1 and Vala—who is still bonded to Jackson—to the planet. With Kallana's stargate permanently active (likely powered by a black hole in the Ori galaxy), SG-1 travels to a nearby stargate to meet up with the Prometheus and travel to Kallana by ship. Upon arrival, SG-1 and the warhead beam down to the planet and attempt to sway the Prior. As expected, the Prior isn't willing to listen. Moments after they activate the Mark IX warhead, the Ori forcefield is pelted with weapons fire: three Ha'tak belong to Gerak (season 9's Origin) have arrived in orbit and they are determined to clear the Ori presence from the planet!

Beachhead marks an escalation in the Ori's tactics: in addition to dispatching lone Priors to attempt to convert planets in our galaxy, they are now laying the groundwork for a full-scale invasion by establishing a convenient means to transport not only masses of troops, but giant starships as well! The way that they do it—which I won't be detailing here for spoiler reasons—is not only striking, but leads to one of the most unique, memorable and thought-provoking sequences in the entire Stargate franchise. Other science fiction franchises, such as Star Trek, have dabbled with the concepts and forces detailed in this episode, but none have depicted it as vividly and with as much panache as Beachhead does.

Nevertheless, being Stargate, the focus is as much on the characters as it is the plot and action beats. Here, we have not only the return of Carter to the show after a 5 episode disappearing act, we also see Vala taking on an interesting, and unexpected role. What is most amusing is how dismissive the SG-1 team is to her, despite Vala being quick-witted enough to not only grasp what is going on, but find a solution to the immediate predicament. It is truly a shame that Vala is being written out of the show with this episode, as Claudia Black has truly great chemistry with Jackson's Michael Shanks and the rest of the cast. On the plus side, they leave the option open for her to return to the series at a later date. One of the most telling parts of the episode, however, is when the Goa'uld Nerus suddenly changes his voice to a normal human one and says that they don't have to speak that way. It ssays volumes about the Tok'ra, and gives a lot of credence to the Jaffa assertion that the Tok'ra are more than a bit conceited, and look down on non-Goa'uld. All in all, the episode is a must see.

A Jaffa formerly under the service of Lord Yu is discovered dead on Earth. As Yu's Jaffa are now under Gerak's banner (season 9's Avalon (Part 2)), Teal'c and Mitchell leave for Dakara to investigate. Meanwhile, Carter and Jackson investigate the region where the Jaffa was found on Earth. A plant belonging to Farrow-Marshall, which closed down six months before, was within two miles of where the Jaffa was found. During the same day, the company's chief financial officer, Alex Jameson, also went missing. After addressing the Jaffa High Council, Teal'c shows a picture of the dead Jaffa to Gerak, who claims he never knew him. Following leads, Jackson learns that Jameson was associated with The Trust, and that remnants of that secret organization may still be active after they were possessed by Goa'uld and returned to Earth (season 8's Full Alert). Unbeknownst to SG-1, Jameson was also possessed by a Goa'uld, and has been captured by Gerak's forces. On Dakara, he is being tortured for information in order to learn of the whereabouts of Baal, whom Gerak has learned has taken refuge on Earth after the destruction of Anubis's fleet (season 8's Threads). After a squad of Garak's Jaffa troops lands on and attacks the Farrow-Marshall headquarters, Baal himself sends a message to SGC: leave him alone and let him live peacefully on Earth, or he will detonate a Naquadah bomb somewhere in the United States!

Ex Deus Machina is full of troubling developments. Not only is the free Jaffa nation freely making incursions on the Earth with no regard for their allies—and attempts to negotiate a compromise and work cooperatively falling on deaf ears—Gerak is willing to rely on the "old ways", namely Goa'uld torture methods, to extract wanted information. Both hint at discord within the free Jaffa nation that may come to a head in the near future. Concurrently, it is revealed that Baal is alive, has hidden himself on Earth, AND has made multiple clones of himself! It doesn't bode well for our heroes, but it indicates that we are in for a lot more Goa'uld intrigue in the coming episodes than we anticipated.

This episode also sees the 'official' reformation of the SG-1 team. However, it is depicted as little more than the changing of the shoulder unit badges before the team separates to go on their different missions. Just like that, many events that ought to have been pivotal go off like damp firecrackers, and the episode overall is somewhat lacklustre. This is despite it seeing the heroes not only race around the planet and near space, but also across the galaxy to solve the current crisis. It's hard to put a finger on just why that is. One suspects that there's a bit too much of "been there, done that" going on. However, it's more likely that there is a bit too much trying to be squished into this episode—as some of the things we are shown are new and unique. The episode also tends to get bogged down too much in exposition and doesn't invest enough in building tension. Perhaps this episode's multiple storylines would have better served as a two-parter? Or elements of it farmed out into other episodes?

SG-1 is investigating a planet Teal'c had learned may be a home of the Sodan, a race of Jaffa who have managed to avoid falling under the allegiance of a Goa'uld for five millennia. SG-1 suddenly comes under fire from staff weapons being fired by unseen attackers. While Carter, Jackson and Teal'c escape, Mitchell confronts an uncloaking Sodan warrior. After suffering a staff hit to the stomach area, Mitchell gains control of the warrior's weapon and shoots the Jaffa twice in the abdomen before collapsing. Other Sodan carry Mitchell away but abandon their comrade as SG-22—SG-1's backup—attacks. The SG units take the fallen Sodan warrior back to SGC with them. At SGC, Dr. Carolyn Lam works with her staff to preserve the symbiote of the warrior. In the Sodan village, Mitchell's recovery has been ordered as well. The Sodan leader, Haikon, has also instructed Jolan to train Mitchell in preparation for kel shak lo, a ritual fight to the death against the fallen warrior's next of kin. At SGC, Lam reports the warrior, Volnek, will survive, but the symbiote was unrecoverable. He is now surviving on tretonin (season 6's Cure). After recovering from his injuries, Mitchell starts training with Jolan, but discovers he is a poor match for the Jaffa who engages him in many tests of strength and endurance. Volnek regains consciousness at SGC and refuses to believe that he is being sustained by the tretonin drug. Teal'c and Jackson try to get their true intentions across, but Volnek has closed his mind to their words. After a training session, Mitchell spots a Prior being escorted through the Sodan village. He soon learns from Jolan that the Ori have been sending an envoy to their village for some time. He attempts to explain the truth of the Ori to Haikon, but his explanations fall on deaf ears, as Haikon has already made up his mind that the Ori are not false gods and truly exist. Later, Mitchell learns that Jolan doesn't fully support Haikon's decision. However, before he can achieve a breakthrough, he must participate in a battle to the death!

While Babylon is ostensibly about setting up the Sodan and the brewing clash between them, the Ori, and the SGC/Free Jaffa Nation, the episode is more or less about Mitchell. While previous episodes have delved into him (season 9's Avalon (Part 1) comes first to mind), this one truly digs into what makes him tick. Perhaps the most telling line is when he responds to his Jaffa trainer's incredulous "Why do you train this hard?" with "The moment you accept your fate, that's when you're as good as dead. Until then, all bets are off." Due to that, his rapport with Jolan comes across as genuinely earned, and only the dialogue in the episode's coda between him and Volnek comes across as forced. While I'll give the episode the benefit of having to wrap things up quickly, I think a line or two that shows that Mitchell truly grasps the Sodan culture and Volnek showing a grudging respect for that that would have greatly improved things.

The drawback to this episode, however, is the Sodan themselves. Their part of the story feels more than a bit like 'been there done that', and was covered better in earlier episodes. We've had the Jaffa ways versus human ways in season 5's The Warrior, the Jaffa village living in secret in season 7's Birthright, and Jaffa being converted to Ori believers in season 9's The Powers That Be. Of those, Birthright also dealt with how Jaffa who were living off the grid, so to speak, acquired Goa'uld symbiotes for their warriors. Babylon doesn't even bother to address that, let alone how the Sodan will acquire symbiotes in the future now that the Goa'uld have been defeated. Nevertheless, William B. Davis's appearance as an Ori Prior speaks volumes, despite the actor not having any lines at all, and gives us something to look forward to when the series inevitably returns to the Sodan village. All that said, the highlight of the episode is Mitchell's Ben Browder performing the majority of his own stunts. When the blows land (or he is flipped to the ground) adds immeasurably to those sequences. It's too bad that Browder purportedly lost the permission to do most of his own stunts after the show's producers saw a particularly alarming set of dailies!

The Tok'ra give Earth evidence that the Ori may be constructing another Supergate (season 9's Beachhead) in the vicinity of P3X-584. SG-1 and SG-5 head there to investigate. While SG-5 deploys gravity sensors to detect any anomalies in the vicinity of the planet, Jackson, Mitchell and Teal'c find and investigate a hidden laboratory beneath the surface. In the lab, which appears to be Ancient in origin, they find a genetic manipulation device (season season 6's Metamorphosis) and a young man sustained in an Ancient stasis unit. Witnessing Jackson tinker with the gene manipulator, Mitchell presses a button on the stasis unit, which thaws and releases the man—much to Jackson's and Teal'c's chagrin. Almost immediately, the man begins to convulse. The team returns with him to Earth for medical examination. Dr. Lam compares the man's physiology to that of the Ancients', and determines that he's not an Ancient but a human, albeit farther along the evolutionary path. The man becomes conscious, and is informed that he is on Earth. Saying his name is Khalek, he claims that he was kidnapped by a "man" who manipulated his DNA. All he would like is to return home. Carter suspects that Nirrti (season 6's Metamorphosis) was not the only Goa'uld who was interested in exploring the possibility of an advanced host, but Mitchell cannot help but comment that the lab looked far more Ancient than Goa'uld. Meanwhile, Jackson and Teal'c make a startling discovery: the lab belonged to Anubis, who created a Goa'uld-human hybrid and then used the genetic manipulation device to evolve and enhance him. They soon learn that Khalek knows a lot more than he is letting on to, and desperately wants to return to Anubis's lab to complete his "evolution" into an ascension-capable being!

Prototype feels like something that should have been in season 8, set some time after Anubis's physical body had been destroyed at the end of season 7. The problem with this episode is that, in the long run, it is forgettable. Despite how great the special effects are—and they are a great improvement on the ones used the first time we saw someone who had been put through a mutation machine (season 6's Metamorphosis)—the episode just doesn't make much of an impact. This is despite the intensity of Neil Jackson's performance as Khalek, and how well Dir. Peter DeLuise directs the episode. Despite (or perhaps because of) how slickly this episode was produced, it never builds up a sustained amount of tension.

The most interesting aspect of the episode is the debate on whether or not SGC should allow Khalek to live. Intriguingly, the strongest proponent for Khalek's death is Jackson, which speaks volumes about both the threat Khalek presents, as well as how disruptive the situation is as it essentially overturns one of the most moral characters on the show. The added wrinkle this time is the reappearance of Richard Woolsey (season 7's Inauguration). The always compelling Robert Picardo wonderfully depicts the conflicting emotions and stress that his character is under this time around. In this episode, he represents the civilian-run International Committee (season 9's The Ties That Bind), who not only want to keep Khalek alive, but on Earth so they can study him—no matter the danger or risk to human life that he represents!

Overall, the only thing of note in this episode are a few lines of dialogue where they indicate that the Ori Priors are similarly genetically enhanced humans, and that Khalek and Anubis's research notes may provide them with a way to defeat Priors, or at least overcome their formidable defences. Overall, the episode is decent, but it doesn't have very much that can be considered "novel", and doesn't add very much to the overall Stargate SG-1 story.

SG-6 returns from a long-term undercover mission on P2X-885. The world is the third planet to convert to Origin in a month. On Dakara, Gerak is visited by a Prior. Gerak says that he agrees with everything in the Book of Origin, and that in time, all Jaffa will see Origin as their true faith. Carter briefs Gen. Landry on a project she and Dr. Lee have been working on with the information taken from the encounter with Anubis's engineered clone Khalek (season 9's Prototype). They believe the knowledge they have collected may be enough to create a weapon that will disable a Prior's enhanced abilities. Gerak goes before the council to share his opinion on Origin and his wishes to legislate the beliefs into law. Under his plan, all Jaffa children will be raised in worship of the Ori. Teal'c has heard the news and meets with Bra'tac, who admits that many Jaffa will see Origin as the only way of truly achieving enlightenment. Col. Barnes of SG-6 comes down with a high fever, chest pain, and respiratory distress. He has been infected by a Prior plague. His SG-6 teammate, Lt. Fischer, is off base attending a speech by Lt. Gen. Hammond. Just as Fischer attempts to meet Hammond, officers in hazmat suits rush in and spirit Fischer back to SGC. Soon, twelve officers are infected, and only half have come in contact with SG-6! Fischer, now in isolation, explains that he attended Prostration with a fellow soldier on P2X-885. A Prior was there and walked among them, blessing the attendees. Apparently the Prior made Fischer the carrier of the plague, which explains why Fischer himself is not sick. However, the people he has infected have infected other people in turn, and the US military is now racing to contain the outbreak before it spreads out of control. In SGC, a young boy suddenly appears before Carter. He claims that he is Orlin (season 5's Ascension), and is there to help!

The Fourth Horseman (Part 1) has many thought provoking developments and revelations as it ties the Ori threat directly to the fate of not only the free Jaffa nation, but also that of the entire population of the Earth! Orlin appearing in the form of a young child—claiming that it is better suited to retaining as much of the Ancient knowledge as possible—is particularly striking. The rapid deterioration of his cognitive abilities adds to the tragic circumstances, as not only is it a race to find a cure, but to do so before Orlin himself is mortally damaged! The complication is that due to the virus's constant mutation, they must acquire the DNA of the very Prior who unleashed it in order to create a cure. As that Prior is the one that regularly visits the Sodan (season 9's Babylon), it spells trouble as they are not on the best of terms with the protagonists. Concurrently, Carter and Dr Lee appear to have successfully developed an anti Prior weapon. While I indicated that season 9's Prototype appeared to be an 8th season episode out of place in the 9th season, it segues neatly into this part of the 9th season storyline.

The most alarming development of the episode isn't so much that a Prior transports Gerak mentally to Celestis (season 9's Origin) to meet the Ori, but that Gerak himself is transformed into one! The apparently melted remnants of the Goa'uld forehead symbol on Louis Gossett, Jr.'s face is particularly striking after the transformation, and is a nice nod to both how the Ori feel about competing 'gods', as well as how little regard they have for their dedicated servants. The big revelation in this episode is the explanation for why the Ori amass worshippers. It is a particularly troubling development. On the other hand, the revelation that the Ori do not help their worshippers in evolving and achieving actual enlightenment (a la ascension) is particularly telling, and suggests that the heroes now have the key to develop a strategy to block or otherwise overcome the appeal of the Origin religion.

It was also great seeing Don S. Davis return as Hammond. Even though the appearance is all too brief, it adds immeasurably to the depiction of the virus's threat as it immediately personalizes it for us. Hopefully the second part of this two-parter lives up to the promise of this first part, especially as it ties together so many diverse elements and storylines, and appears to be in the process of shaking up the status quo!

Gerak, now a Prior, tells the Jaffa high Council of the Ori's benevolence. Teal'c reveals that the Ancient Orlin (season 9's The Fourth Horseman (Part 1)) has descended and explained the true intentions of the Ori. But Gerak shuts him out by using his powers to levitate the copies of the Book of Origin that are in front of each member of the council. Fearing that the council has been swayed, Bra'tac suggest that the few who still resist run and hide. Teal'c, however, has something else in mind: amass their forces and make a stand at Chulak. The Prior Plague continues to spread across the Earth. Cases have now been reported in Mexico and Canada. It is only a matter of time before it becomes a global pandemic. Jolan of the Sodan (season 9's Babylon) takes Mitchell to see Lord Haikon, who reveals that he has rejected the Ori religion—they were given a mission by their local Prior to destroy a group of nonbelievers, but the honourable Sodan refused to slaughter them when they discovered that they were simple, innocent farmers. Mitchell tells Haikon that SGC may have a way to capture the Prior and prevent him from inflicting his wrath on the Sodan. In SGC, key information is continuing to seep from Orlin's mind. Carter presses him to teach her what she needs to know in order to complete the vaccine, but Orlin fears that the knowledge will be far too complicated for her. He eventually realizes that he will likely be incapacitated before he can complete the work himself, and starts writing notes for Carter to complete the formula on her own. The Prior that originally infected SG-6 returns to the Sodan homeworld to find out why they did not destroy the nonbelievers as the Ori had willed. As Jackson activates the inhibiting device developed by Carter and Dr Lee, the Prior realizes that the Sodan are not alone. As Jackson scrambles to find the right frequency to inhibit the Prior, he mentally flings Haikon and Jolan from his sight, flips Mitchell upside down, and suspends him in midair!

The Fourth Horseman (Part 2) neatly wraps up the major story threads in the first season of the Ori story arc. While it is relatively light on action, it is just as fascinating as it digs deep into the mindset of the key players, and gives us a full does of the Prior's enhanced powers. The highlight is William B. Davis as the Prior Damaris. He strikes the right balance of haughtiness and confusion when confronted by Orlin, who reveals surprising details about Damaris's past, as well as challenges his religious beliefs. If there is one thing that this episode gets right, it is the subsequent scenes that hammer home the point that the hardened opinions of religious zealots won't be easily dissuaded merely by hearing the truth. It is a disturbing revelation that reinforces the threat the Ori and their followers present. In contrast, Gerak's story depicts him grappling between personal salvation and the greater good. I really appreciated that his story was more at the individual level with he himself grappling between two competing sets of beliefs. While outside actors, the protagonists and antagonists, forced an immediate decision upon him, it felt like the decision was made entirely by himself. What I liked best about it is that Gerak's reasons—both for choosing the Ori religion as well as the Free Jaffa Nation—were largely left nebulous and unexplained. Nevertheless, whatever one's opinions are of Gerak, his choices did lead to the creation of a cure for the Prior Plague, which greatly diminishes the Prior's most lethal ability.

In addition to Gerak's tragic conclusion, the episode ends with Orlin's mind damaged to the point that he can't remember anything. It's unclear what will happen to him now—I.e. will a friendly ascended being heal his injured brain so that he can at least live out his life as a normal human—but it adds to the feeling that great sacrifices will have to be made to both counteract as well as defeat the Ori. On the other hand, it removes one more alien being infatuated with Carter. If one recalls what happened with Fifth (season 8's New Order (Part 1)) after she rejected him, it is arguably for the best. The Fourth Horseman (Part 2) is not a major revision to the status quo, but it does indicate some big changes: a means to (momentarily) overcome the Prior's enhanced abilities, ways to counteract the appeal of the Ori religion, a cure to the Prior Plague, and the impending invasion by the Ori's forces in our galaxy. The last one is a rather alarming development!

Mitchell awakens in a confused state. Images of him bludgeoning a woman flash through his mind. Security personnel seize him and haul him into an adjoining room where the woman lies in a pool of blood. Mitchell is arrested for murder. Twenty-four hours earlier, Mitchell was the test subject as the Galarans—led by chief scientist Dr Reya Varrick (the murdered woman)—demonstrate their memory technology that they developed from a Goa'uld memory device (season 7's Chimera). Capable of inserting one person's memories into the mind of another, the machine gives Mitchell the memories of the Emissary as he congratulated Varrick on being promoted to lead the memory device project. It is an effective demonstration of the technology, which the Galarans hope will help them to advance more quickly by easily passing on knowledge. At SGC, Gen. Landry and SG-1 discuss the trip to Galar. In exchange for the memory technology, the Galarans want help with hyperdrive technology. A trade relationship seems imminent as the Joint Chiefs are keenly interested in the Galaran technology. At a subsequent reception to honour the scientists, Mitchell chats up Varrick while the rest of SG-1 debates the merits and dangers of the memory device with the Emissary. Dr. Marell, Varrick's colleague, speaks privately with her. Varrick then loudly confronts the Emissary about the military taking over her project. Observing the discussion, Mitchell approaches her. He ends up, at her invitation, agreeing to walk her home. In Varrick's apartment, he ascertains that she was married, but lives alone. They have a drink, and are soon kissing. The next day, Carter, Jackson, and Teal'c visit Mitchell in his cell, and quickly realize that his mind has been tampered with: he has been framed for the murder using the Galaran's memory technology! The Emissary offers to release Mitchell and send him back to Earth, in order to preserve the negotiations. However, despite his lack of knowledge about the Galaran judicial system, Mitchell refuses to leave without clearing his name...

Coming on the heels of the four-episode arc culminating in The Fourth Horseman (Part 2), Collateral Damage is a bit of a letdown as it has nothing to do with the Ori or any of season 9's ongoing story arcs. It comes across as a filler episode that is ostensibly about Mitchell, but doesn't really add anything new. We learned much more about his strength of spirit and character in season 9's Babylon. While the episode depicts Mitchell's father and details a bit more of his previous military history, it's not particularly memorable.

Varrick's actress Anna Galvin is great and believable as the scientist smitten by Mitchell. The problem is that there's not much, if any, chemistry coming from Mitchell's Ben Browder. Yes, Mitchell is supposed to be the cool pilot-type of the show, but it begs the question: what does Varrick see in him? He's neither intellectually inclined nor charismatically outgoing and defusing—like Richard Dean Anderson as O'Neill—and his military background should have been more than enough to turn Varrick off of romance. In many regards, Jackson would have been a better fit. However, at this point in the series, we are aware that Jackson would know better than to a) put himself in an alien mind device, and b) get romantically involved with an alien woman. So, the episode at least got that part right. The other thing that the episode gets right is its whodunit plot. It kept me guessing right up to the final reveal, and fit snugly into the premise of the episode.

It's a shame that the series only introduced the Galarans for this somewhat ridiculous plot and then promptly forgets about them. One wonders if Earth later entered into an alliance-like relationship with them, as the similar technological and societal level suggest that they would make good allies, even without the dubious memory implantation technology. All in all, the episode feels like it's borrowing a plot from Star Trek, but without the requisite polemics that make these kinds of episodes great.

Gen. Landry and Dr. Lam are summoned to the control room for an unscheduled off-world activation. SG-1, dressed in black uniforms, comes through the gate, and Landry notes that they are early. In the subsequent debriefing, a number of discrepancies come to light, such as SG-1 believing that the Tok'ra Selmak is still alive. Before long, there is another off-world activation, and SG-1 (in green uniforms) arrives right on schedule. Landry orders Lam to investigate. She concludes that both teams are really SG-1, but the facts indicate that the green team is ours. Needing more information, a series of interviews takes place with green team's Mitchell interviewing black team's Jackson, Landry speaking with black team's Mitchell, and Jackson talking with the black team's Teal'c. Concurrently, the Carters from both teams try to sort out what caused the black team to travel through the stargate into an alternate reality. As Carter briefs Landry and the rest of SG-1—suggesting the black hole that the Ori created (season 9's Beachhead) is involved—there is another unscheduled off-world activation. They watch another SG-1 team, taking fire and dressed in blue camo, rush through the gate. Landry orders all gate travel be restricted. More teams continue to arrive while the two Carters work on a solution. Soon, Landry takes Jackson and Teal'c to a room where Dr. Janet Fraiser awaits them. They are stunned, as she died two years ago (season 7's Heroes (Part 2)). She reveals that her Earth is suffering from the Ori plague. Also on this team is Martouf (season 4's Divide and Conquer). Landry takes him to see Carter, who is now working on the problem with at least 16 other Carters! Black team Carter soon details a potential solution: use the Prometheus to close the breach in space that has diverted so many SG-1 teams!

At its core, Ripple Effect is a fun episode were we see multiple versions of the main cast, often on screen at the same time. The pièce de résistance is the scene with up to 18 versions of Carter working in the same science lab! One suspects that this episode was both a lot of fun and really challenging to produce—probably more on the challenging side than the fun one. Nevertheless, it was great seeing Teryl Rothery as Dr Fraiser and J. R. Bourne as Martouf again. This episode's tease that the various SG-1 teams wouldn't be able to return to their respective realities indicated the intriguing possibility that Rothery and Bourne would be returning to the show. Alas, it wasn't too be. Nevertheless, their appearances are extremely poignant, and in a way, I wish the episode would have spent more time with them than the main plot about a rogue SG-1 team.

Speaking of that, the fundamental problem in the episode is how it paints one of the SG-1 teams as villainous. Even though they are from an alternate reality where the timeline progressed differently, the episode makes the point that they are not so different from the team in our reality. Therefore, the twist that they instigated the whole thing in order to steal a ZPM falls flat, as it is quite out of character. The episode doesn't even bother with a pretense that they have been brainwashed or otherwise coerced, and merely concludes that they are merely really desperate. It implies all sorts of unsettling things about our SG-1 team. Nevertheless, this episode's gimmick lets us see the main characters trying to outsmart themselves, which is a treat in itself. All in all, its a fun episode, as long as one doesn't dwell on what it implies about the main characters.

Teal'c and Bra'tac are at the Jaffa High Council, attempting to push through a referendum calling for the free Jaffa to vote on democratic representation rather than maintain governance by a council with seats based on military might. Maz'rai, an elder friend of Bra'tac, supports their position. When Ka'lel (season 8's Sacrifices) surprisingly voices opposition to the motion, the council is thrown into turmoil. Maz'rai offers to speak with Ka'lel. At the follow-up session, Maz'rai mysteriously shelves the referendum, stunning Teal'c and Bra'tac. They are quickly and mysteriously losing all of their political allies apparently due to their haste in bringing about the vote based on the fear that Gerak's remaining supporters might gain control of the Council and continue his plan to force the Jaffa to submit to the Ori (season 9's The Fourth Horseman (Part 2)). Teal'c tells Bra'tac that he will go to Chulak to confer with their allies, and also speak with U'kin, another member of the council. Col. Mitchell, on personal leave, visits an old friend, Maj. Bryce Ferguson, in the USAF Academy hospital. Ferguson, diagnosed with a fatal brain aneurysm caused by shrapnel, was wounded four years prior, saving Mitchell's life. Because of Ferguson's actions, Mitchell made it into the top-secret F-302 program, and eventually into his current position with SG-1. Up-front about his impending death, Ferguson tells Mitchell he must let go of his guilt over the ways events unfolded. Teal'c fails to return to Dakara, prompting Bra'tac to seek help from Gen. Landry and SG-1. Jackson goes with Bra'tac to search for Teal'c. They soon discover that someone is brainwashing influential Jaffa, and that they kidnapped Teal'c. Held prisoner on board a Goa'uld Ha'tak as a young Jaffa warrior attempts to brainwash him, Teal'c's superior resistance forces Baal to reveal himself. Afraid of Ori power, Baal wants to unite the Jaffa under his leadership, to combat their new common enemy. Mitchell learns of an impending operation led by Carter and Jackson to free Teal'c. Cameron is torn between his loyalty to one friend and his desire to help rescue another. As Baal watches Teal'c's condition deteriorate, he holds out the promise of tretonin should Teal'c cooperate, leaving the drug just out of reach in order to tempt him!

The great thing about Stronghold is its depiction of the continuing political evolution of the Jaffa Free Nation, as it faces not only an internal evolution, but also the stresses induced by the ongoing Ori threat. The episode also fills in some more of Mitchell's past, and lets Ben Browder do what he does best. This is another must-see Mitchell episode, like Babylon, and very much the opposite of the disappointing Collateral Damage. This episode also depicts some of the nefarious high jinks that Baal and his clones are continuing to get up to. Ostensibly he is doing it for the greater good—to protect the entire galaxy from the Ori—but at the cost of the Jaffa's recent, hard-won freedom. The ramifications of his campaign to brainwash the Jaffa council members might be felt for the remainder of this season and further destabilize the Jaffa nation.

The problem with this episode—which is not so much a flaw in the episode as it is a blind spot for Westerners—is the concept that democracy can just be shoehorned onto a culture and assumed that it will work properly. In short, democracy only really works when supporting institutions and concepts have already been established in that society. Therefore, I was surprised and a little disappointed that this episode wasn't about factions in the Jaffa culture who were not willing to wholeheartedly accept and adopt the Western concept of democracy, and instead about Baal getting up to the usual Goa'uld shenanigans. That's not to say that the episode is bad, just that the showrunners opted for a safer plot. Due to that setup, however, I wasn't able to fully enjoy the episode for what it is: a nostalgic callback to the show's original lead antagonists. As chilling and thrilling as the Ori are, they aren't as much fun as the over-the-top villainy of the Goa'uld! Nevertheless, the episode is still a must see, as not only does it fill in a bit more of Mitchell's past, it also updates us on what a lot of the allies, rivals, and secondary antagonists are up to.

Jarrod Kane, an ally from the planet Tegalus (season 8's Icon) reveals that Earth has heard nothing from his government for the last five months because of the Ori. As the Rand Protectorate struggled to rebuild after last year's coup d'état by a religious zealot and the subsequent missile attack from rival nation Caledonia, a Prior came to them with the promise of a satellite weapon that would give them power over their enemy. This weapon is now operational, and vaporized a Caledonian outpost 24 hours ago. The Caledonians have been given five days to submit to Rand and embrace the Ori, or be exterminated. SG-1 discusses the situation with Kane, who brought early schematics of the satellite for them to examine. He hopes Earth will use its more advanced technology to destroy the Ori weapon before something horrible happens. Jackson suggests that they have a moral imperative to find a solution, since it was SG-1's travel through the stargate that originally escalated the Ran-Caledonian war. SG-1 decides to attempt to explain the dangers of the Ori to the Rand Protectorate, and use the Prometheus (season 7's Lost City (Part 2)) to destroy the satellite—not only to save Kane's people, but to prevent the spread of Ori technology in the galaxy. Kane tells Jackson of an Ori plague that swept their world five months ago. The Rand people were forced to choose between their faith and survival. Many, including Kane's wife Leda, died. The Rand Protectorate accepts Jackson's offer for parlay, but upon their arrival, Kane and Jackson are immediately jailed. Rand President Nadal calls Senator Kane a Caledonia spy and Jackson an abettor. Two days later, when the Prometheus exits hyperspace within striking distance of the Ori satellite, they have heard nothing from Jackson. Having detected the Prometheus, President Nadal orders the satellite powered up. The Prometheus fires in response, only to have its weapons blocked by the satellite's defensive shield. The satellite's energy beam strikes the Prometheus and causes considerable damage, cutting right through the ship's advanced Asgard-designed shields!

Ethon returns us to the tragic situation of Tegalus, which is a parable of rival superpowers who stubbornly refuse to compromise for the greater good, resulting in a fate worse than a world war. Just like season 8's Icon—where we were first introduced to Tegalus—it is the guest stars that truly make this episode. Kane's actor Matthew Bennett brings a fitting intensity for a man struggling to save the very soul of his people. John Aylward brings the right balance of pragmatism, authority, and just a touch of fear-induced craziness to his depiction of President Nadal. He is the true wildcard of the episode and brings a delicious amount of unpredictability. Ernie Hudson as Rand Commander Goran Pernaux also finds the right level of gravitas as a man torn between military discipline and moral duty.

The episode also underscores the continuing Ori threat to the galaxy. In Ethon we see how their influence inflames existing conflicts and the horrible consequences of that. It also depicts the Ori as willing to share their advanced technology with their followers; something that Earth has been extremely reluctant to do as it would similarly devastatingly affect the people they give it to and their neighbours. Even though the Ori provided technology at a lower level that the Rand Protectorate could reproduce, it is apparently an order of magnitude greater than what the Earth currently possesses—despite having acquired advanced technology from significantly more advanced races, such as the Asgard! It is a worrisome sign of the potential military encounters to come between the Ori's followers, and Earth and its allies. Unlike most Stargate SG-1 episodes, Ethon deals with its subject seriously and logically, and has a thought-provokingly realistically bitter conclusion.

Gen. Landry and SG-1 are briefed regarding the appearance of a highly addictive crop, kassa, that resembles corn. Col. Reynolds (season 8's Zero Hour) reports that Lt. Mooney had to be restrained and forcibly returned to Earth when he sampled this food. Teal'c reveals that there have been problems with erratic behaviour on several Jaffa worlds, though no one suspected tampering with the food supply. With orders to keep a low profile, SG-1 heads to P6G-452 to investigate. They meet a local peasant in a cornfield and Mitchell introduces himself as "Mr Shaft". He asks to be taken to the man's boss, kassa seller Worrel—a local thug connected to the Lucian Alliance (season 9's The Ties That Bind). Mitchell says that he is looking to buy a significant quantity and would like to meet Worrel's superior. Suspicious, Worrel takes Mitchell prisoner. With guns aimed at Mitchell and their own position about to be compromised, Carter, Jackson, and Teal'c move into action. Soon, they are all running toward the stargate under fire. As Jackson dials home, the stargate suddenly disappears in an Asgard-like transporter beam. Moments later, the DHD is similarly beamed away, and SG-1 is captured by Worrel's men. In SGC, Chief Harriman tells Landry that Mitchell has missed the check-in time, and now the gate cannot connect to P6G-452. Landry contacts the Odyssey, Earth's newest interstellar ship, and commands it to head to SG-1's last known location and extract them. SGC also receives a Tok'ra dispatch detailing the theft of stargates from at least four other planets. Landry decides to head to Area 51 to confer with Nerus, a captured Goa'uld scientist (season 9's Beachhead). Nerus confirms Landry's hunch that Baal is stealing stargates. When asked where Baal currently is, however, Nerus states that he will only exchange that information for his freedom!

Off the Grid does an excellent job of detailing what Baal and his allies have been up to recently. It also shows the Lucian Alliance being up to no good—even though they are just as lethal to the protagonists as the Ori and Goa'uld, on a cosmic scale, the danger they present to the galaxy is relatively minor. Their big expansion is getting a bunch of people addicted to drugs, and then profiting off of that addiction. The episode also brings back the wonderful Maury Chaykin as Nerus. He's always fun to watch as an alternative take on the Goa'uld as one that isn't pompous, and is more interested in food than in acquiring land, people, and resources.

That said, I didn't like two key parts of the episode. The first is how the heroes get saved in the nick of time. While Teal'c being saved from a predicament in a similar way a couple of episodes earlier (in Stronghold) was perfectly acceptable as it grew out of the characters' actions and directly tied into the point the episode was making, the rescue in this episode, however, smacks of deus ex machina as it comes completely out of the blue and appears arbitrary. As the writing in Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs is excellent the majority of the time, it makes this sequence all the more jarring. One wonders if it would have been better if the heroes could have outsmarted their captors, or if Worrel's superior contacted him for a last minute reprieve?

The second is how the episode leaves the fate of the stargates on Baal's ship unresolved. Were the gates also destroyed when the ship exploded? Were they salvaged and returned to their rightful planets? Or are thousands, if not millions of people now marooned on several planets?

Aside from those missteps, this is a fun episode that not only provides an update to the ongoing Lucian Alliance's shenanigans, it also concludes some of the dangling story threads about the surviving Goa'uld and hints at the state of Earth's relationship with the Tok'ra. It also begs the question: is this the last time we'll see Baal?

SG-1 is assigned by the Pentagon to accompanying representatives from the International Oversight Advisory (IOA)—Shen Xiaoyi, Mr. LaPierre (season 9's The Fourth Horseman (Part 2)), Mr. Chapman, and Richard Woolsey (season 9's Prototype)—on a tour of the Gamma Site. As they begin the tour, Carter explains that the planet was chosen for the base in part because of its radioactive ionosphere, which protects them from being detected from space. Col. Pearson, the base commander, introduces them to Dr. Myers, who is studying a fast reproducing, voracious insect called R75. The bugs have devastated crops on several worlds that were visited by Ori Priors. The bugs avoid predators and find prey via echolocation. Myers has discovered that the bugs live longer when they are deprived of food. Later, he is surprised to discover that they have turned carnivorous when they ignore a leaf he offers, but devour a piece of meatloaf! Later, Jackson talks with Xiaoyi in the base canteen, who notes that since China signed the Gate Alliance Treaty three years ago (season 6's Disclosure), they have received none of the technological benefits that the US military has. Jackson is quick to acknowledge that the complaint is legitimate, and that with the US military in charge, she shouldn't expect things to change. Shen suggests that the US may soon have no choice. When Myers and a fellow scientist return to the bug lab, they discover that the bugs have reproduced so much that the containment unit breaks under the strain! As the bugs swarm toward them, Myers quickly seals the door and activates the emergency biohazard disposal protocol. One bug escaped and bites Myers, who quickly kills it. As the delegates prepare to leave, Myers collapses. Pearson locks down the base until they understand the source of Myers's illness. He is readied for transport back to Earth, while the increasingly agitated delegates are forced to wait. Just as soldiers are carrying Myers toward the stargate, the bugs erupt from his mouth. As the creatures swarm across the floor, the gate room is evacuated. Pearson pronounces the gate room lost, and orders the IOA group taken to the surface. Woolsey insists SG-1 escorts them. Not long afterwards, as they head to an unmanned research station 10 miles away, Teal'c hears what Carter identifies as the bugs' echo-locating. The bugs are travelling underground, and SG-1 and the IOA group are their prey!

The great thing about this episode is how it ties directly into recent events. Not only are the R75 bugs apparently the Ori's next weapon to use against nonbelievers—as Earth has successfully beaten back the Ori plague by delivering the cure to other worlds—SGC is actively studying them for use against the Lucian Alliance's kassa crops that were just introduced in the preceding episode! Just like that episode, however, SG-1 are saved in the nick of time. Again. Given how there was a notable delay between when the IOA were beamed out and SG-1 was, it feels superfluous and acutely anti-climatic. The climactic tension deflated the moment the IOA group was beamed out, and everything afterwards is merely perfunctory. Perhaps it would have been suspenseful if the production team had included a line of dialogue on the rescue ship about being unable to get a lock on SG-1 due to the mass of insects swarming toward them?

Nevertheless, the episode is well worth a watch, as not only does it introduce the next Ori threat, it also informs on the politics going on behind the scenes on Earth. While regular viewers have arguably grown immune to the once or twice a season domestic Stargate Program cancellation threat, this one does a good job of not only rounding out the personalities of the IOA group members, in a telling sequence it also describes just how much clout the individual members of the group actually have, and implies where the real decision making lies. Nevertheless, the highlight of the episode is Woolsey. The always wonderful Robert Picardo does a sublime job of depicting Woolsey both looking out for his own skin, as well as protecting SG-1 from the panicking members of the IOA group when things really go sideways. In its own way it redeems Woolsey at the same time as it depicts a certain growth and maturity in the character. The episode also ends with a most satisfying coda: the team making plans to watch a cheesy SF movie that perfectly matches the focus of the episode!

Carter is talking with Mitchell while studying an Ancient device recovered from the Glastonbury cave (season 9's Avalon (Part 2)). She finds a fluctuating EM output, indicating that the device is interactive. As she attempts to stabilize it, there is a flash of light. Carter and Mitchell can now see Ancient text projected over the device. Dr Lee enters the lab and when he walks through Carter, they realize that they are out of phase, sent by the device into a parallel dimension. They set out to find Jackson, who experienced a similar problem several years ago (season 3's Crystal Skull). And as his grandfather could see him because the older man had visited the alternate dimension Jackson had been sent to, logic dictates that Jackson will also be able to see and hear them. Landry approaches Teal'c looking for Mitchell and the rest of SG-1. SG-12 has returned and reported that the natives on the planet they visited indicated that the doomsday plan that the Ori Priors have been preaching about may be only days from implementation. Carter and Mitchell find Jackson, who also walks through them: he can't see or hear them at all! An unauthorized off-world activation draws Landry and SG-1 to the gate control room. A garbled radio message, eventually cleaned up and understood to be a request from the Sodan for immediate assistance, is received. As Mitchell hasn't been located, Landry orders Teal'c to take SG-12 and investigate. Jackson informs Landry that both Carter and Mitchell are missing. They begin reviewing security tapes to learn what happened to them. Teal'c and SG-12 find the Sodan village burning and bodies lying everywhere. Only Haikon, their leader, is barely alive. He tells Teal'c that the murderer is Volnek (season 9's Babylon), one of his own people. Elsewhere, Volnek attacks members of SG-12. Teal'c soon discovers that one of the control crystals has been removed from the "Eye of the Gods"—the Ancient-designed transportation system that the Sodan use to 'beam' to and from the stargate. They are trapped on the planet, far away from the gate and any help!

Arthur's Mantle is a fairly straightforward action-adventure, with the twist that two of the team are out of phase and unable to interact with our dimension. Both aspects of the episode are well handled, and have their own momentum and a certain amount of thrill. However, one can't escape the feeling of having already been there, and done that. We've had characters bumped out of phase before and struggling to return to 'our dimension' (Jackson in season 3's Crystal Skull), as well as characters turned into undead monsters out to kill the living (season 7's Evolution (Part 2)). The twist this time is that the undead is a Prior induced vengeance on the Sodan, who recently left the Ori religion. Coming on the heels of Scourge, it is a troubling development that hints that the Ori have a large arsenal still at their disposal. However, it also wipes out the Sodan, who had promising as a strong Jaffa ally in the anti-Ori fight.

The episode also 'resolves' the conflict between Mitchell and Volnek that was promised in Babylon, but it does so in a most unsatisfying, forced way. Frustratingly, the episode doesn't allow the characters to share dialogue and come to a mutual understanding, or even achieve some measure of growth! The antagonist may as well have been a here-to-fore unnamed character, as Volnek is given absolutely no dialogue in the episode. Even his brother Jolan, who trained Mitchell, doesn't even make an appearance to enhance the tragic fate of the Sodan, or further vilify the Ori! While Arthur's Mantle does an effective job of setting up the next major phase in the Ori story arc, it does so in a disappointing way while concurrently removing one of SGC's most promising allies. Hopefully the subsequent episodes that build on the foundation laid here handle things better.

A very pregnant Vala Mal Doran (season 9's Beachhead) is walking around SGC. She approaches Col. Mitchell in the men's locker room and whistles at him. Clearing the mirror, he sees Jackson, not Vala, staring at him. Later, Carter is pleased when she sees Jackson exhibiting Vala's mannerisms. She had been studying the effects of the Alteran communication stones and terminal (season 9's Origin), and appear to have replicated its effects. Now, Vala is able to use Jackson's body to communicate from the Ori galaxy, where she has been living these past few months. Carter, Mitchell, Teal'c and Gen. Landry listen as Vala tells her story from the moment she arrived there. She reveals that she woke up in the village of Ver Isca. A man named Tomin found her unconscious and thought she was a gift from the gods. A lame, gentle, and lonely man, he was smitten with her. Searching for a way back or a method of communication, Vala encountered Seevis, the local barkeep and village administrator. He is the village's most vehement defender of the Ori religion. When Vala finds herself pregnant, she quickly marries Tomin and convinces him that he is the father of the child. In truth, she does not know who the father is. Some time later, a Prior cured Tomin as the Ori conscripted their followers in the tens of thousands and had them building ships in preparation for the coming crusade against our galaxy. Raised from birth to revere the Ori, Tomin states that enemies of the Ori are evil and must be destroyed. Vala concludes that it will be an all-out war and that the Ori warriors will not be swayed nor satisfied with anything less than total victory! At this point, Landry is summoned to the SGC conference room where Russian officer Chekov (season 9's The Fourth Horsemen (Part 2)) and Chinese representative Shen Xiaoyi (season 9's The Scourge) await. Chekov informs Landry of the Russian intention to take back their stargate—which has been on loan to SGC for the past 3 years—when the treaty comes up for renegotiation in two weeks! Vala, continuing her story, telling them that she searched for the anti-Ori underground in Ver Isca, and had determined that Denya, a barmaid and harlot at Seevis's bar, is a member of it. However, Denya may not be trustworthy, as Seevis soon accused Vala of being an unbeliever and chained her up in the centre of the town!

Crusade's main role is to reintroduce Vala to the series and give an update to the Ori preparations for all out war on our galaxy. The latter is both intriguing and quite alarming. It's not so much that the apparently medieval agrarian Ori society is able to build interstellar battleships, but that they are motivated by devotion to their faith. The most chilling part of the episode is when Vala describes the nature of the Ori's conscripts, and what the coming war will look like. Given the parallels with the religious crusades in Earth's real history, it is an alarming development. However, the episode takes it a step further, by suggesting that the child Vala carries was fathered by the Ori themselves! The implications of this are not even hinted at in this episode, but it doesn't bode well. Especially as we've seen the extraordinary capabilities of the Goa'uld version in the Harcesis child (season 4's Absolute Power).

Despite those developments, the episode is full of wonderful characterization. Not only do we get another taste of the fun escapades that Vala gets up to, we also get the deliciously gruff Seevis, who is a lot more than he appears to be. However, it is Tim Guinee's performance as Tomin that truly makes the episode. Tomin is presented as a likeable, relatable, and sympathetic peasant. It makes the tragedy of the situation all the more potent when we see the Ori twist the beliefs of their followers and turn them into heartless weapons of war. The episode even depicts Tomin's transformation into a killer, but at the same time, suggests that he hasn't completely forsaken his humanity.

While Crusade is mostly setup for the season finale and next season, it is a must see as it is full of memorable visuals and scenes. It marks not only the return of Claudia Black to the series as Vala, but Michael Ironside also appears in a plum role. A must see!

While looking for Merlin's anti-Ori weapon (first mentioned last episode), SG-1 comes upon an Arthurian-style village. Passing through the village's gate, Jackson spots a sword in a stone just like the one Mitchell removed from a stone under Glastonbury (season 9's Avalon (Part 2)). Meurik, the governor of the village, approaches and welcomes them to Camelot. They also meet Antonius, the village historian, who explains that Merlin is regarded as a wizard of darkness and rarely mentioned in the village. Merlin's library in Camelot has remained sealed since his departure, which was about the time that Arthur left in pursuit of the Holy Grail. The library is protected by a powerful curse: a Black Knight. Mitchell is unimpressed, even though the others suggest that this one may be different from the one he defeated under Glastonbury. While searching for the library, Mitchell and Jackson come across a teenage girl and a young boy engaged in sword-play. Mitchell offers the girl—Valencia—a few pointers, and then asks if they know where Merlin's library is. She takes them to it. The library's door is protected by 'magic' (a forcefield), but Valencia tells them that the key is in the village archives. When asked for it, Antonius initially refuses to help them, but his curiosity gets the better of him and he helps SG-1 secretly enter the library. Jackson immediately starts scanning the many texts and writings stashed everywhere. He suggest that any technology there could be hidden. Dubious, Mitchell pulls a book from a shelf, inadvertently opening a secret door. Clutching a book, Antonius takes his leave and returns home as SG-1 heads into the hidden chamber. They find and examine a large stone structure that's similar to the Ancient control pedestals they previously encountered (season 4's Window of Opportunity, and season 8's Reckoning (Part 2)). It activates the moment Jackson steps onto its raised platform. At that moment, a Black Knight appears in Antonius's home and attacks him! When Meurik learns of Antonius's death, he orders SG-1 out of town, despite their protests that they still haven't found Merlin's weapon that will save not only Camelot, but the entire galaxy!

Camelot is a fun episode that gets back to Stargate SG-1's roots: it is as much about exploring ancient (well, Medieval) civilizations and hidden crypts full of secrets, as it is ending the season with a bang. And oh what a bang: the Ori have not only completed a second Supergate (season 9's Beachhead) and a fleet of warships, the episode ends with a mere four Ori warships decimating a combined fleet of human, Jaffa, Asgard and Lucian Alliance warships! It is a shocking twist that raises the stakes several orders of magnitude: not only do the protagonists have to contend with the seductive and insidious Ori religion and what amounts to locusts on steroids (season 9's The Scourge), they now have to do battle with warships equipped with forcefields that their weapons cannot even penetrate!

While the episode has a lot of fun playing off of the strengths and idiosyncrasies of the main characters, John Noble's portrayal of Meurik takes the cake: he brings great gravitas and subtlety to his performance. In a way, Noble outclasses the other actors, without overwhelming them with star power. In other words, he's known but not renown. On the other hand, it was a bit distracting when I started thinking "where do I know him from...?" Nevertheless, the most intriguing part of the episode is Claudia Black as a heavily pregnant Vala Mal Doran appearing in the conclusion on board one of the Ori warships.

Overall, the episode continues laying the foundation for season 10's main story arc, supercharges the conflict with the Ori, and raises a lot of questions about the fate of SG-1: Carter is stuck in a spacesuit next to the Supergate, Mitchell is in an F-302, and it's unclear if Jackson or Teal'c are even alive as the two different ships they were on may not even have survived the Ori's fusillade. A must see!