Reckoning (Stargate SG-1)

"Reckoning (Stargate SG-1)"

"Reckoning" (Parts 1 and 2) are episodes from Season 8 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. They detail the climaxes of plots including the Goa'uld, the Replicators, and the Jaffa Rebellion, and are regarded as two of the most popular episodes of the series[1].

Plot

Part 1

An unknown loyalist to Ba'al offers a "generous" term of surrender to the System Lords. The term is that the System Lords may continue to administer their domain, however they must pledge their allegiance to Ba'al. Suddenly, Sam is brought on board. She was captured by one of the sentries of the unknown Ba'al loyalist. Yu questions her. Suddenly, it is shown she is RepliCarter when her arm turns into a massive blade and she kills Yu.

In the next scene a Ha'tak is in orbit, and on board on the Pel'tak level Teal'c and Bra'tac are commanding the vessel. They are soon joined by Sam and Daniel. They are accompanying Teal'c and Bra'tac as observers on one of the first formal attacks by the Rebel Jaffa. Sam "observes" that it may not be wise to continue without reinforcements. As a side joke Daniel remarks that this may lead to the death of the "observers". Yet Bra'tac and Teal'c contends that the effort was underway. The conversation is interrupted when another Ha'tak ship exits out of hyperspace. Teal'c begins the mission by transmitting the security code to confirm they are allies, in an attempt to get the other ship to lower their shields for boarding. However, the ship fires at the ship Teal'c is on and easily overwhelms their defense. Without weapons, shield, or engines Bra'tac, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c head for the level with transporter rings to ring down to the planet. As they proceed to that level they are caught by a horde of replicators. As they flee, Daniel is beamed away.

In the next scene, Jacob/Selmak arrives to inform Jack that the replicators will soon defeat the Goa'uld and then proceed to conquer the galaxy. In a laboratory, Jacob explains that the Tok'ra over the past few years have begun an effort to track the movement of as many Goa'uld mothership. This information is accessible on a secret subspace network. Jack is dismayed to learn such a thing existed, which highlights the on-going lack of trust between the supposed allies. By tapping into the network, it is revealed that the Goa'uld are losing countless battles across the galaxy.

The gravity of the situation is interrupted when an incoming wormhole is announced. Jack and Jacob leaves the lab for the gate room. Bra'tac, Sam and Teal'c arrives. When Jack questions where Daniel was, Sam reveals that he was taken by the replicators. When asked why, she replies that Daniel was once ascended and may know of a mean in destroying the replicators. The weapon that was once effective against the replicators was of Ancient origins.

In a meeting Jacob reveals that the effort of the Rebel Jaffa movement was waning. Numerous Jaffa were repledging their loyalties back to Ba'al and other Goa'uld. Bra'tac reaffirms this statement stating that many Jaffa sees the replicators as a plague unleashed by their "gods" as punishment for their betrayal. Later in that meeting, Sam informs the others that Thor hasn't had much luck in modifying the weapon that once was effective against the replicators. Sam will later be transported aboard Thor's ship to help in the effort to modify the weapon.

Meanwhile, Teal'c and Bra'tac discuss the critical situation of the rebellion movement. To restore the faith and momentum of the movement, Teal'c suggest taking the temple at Dakara. The temple is considered a holy site amongst Jaffa. It was there that the "gods" gave strength and longevity to the Jaffa and it is there that the Jaffa were bonded to eternal servitude. By capturing the temple, it will strike a blow to the image that the Gou'ald are gods. In agreement, both head to Jack's office to inform him of their plan to take the temple. Jack questions the simplicity of the plan. As Jack says, "There has to be a catch. Otherwise you guys would have done this a long time ago". It is revealed that under normal circumstances, the temple at Dakara is heavily fortified. However with the element of surprise and the fact that Ba'al is using his forces to counter the replicators, the planet should be relatively undefended.

The next scene shows Daniel trapped in the same prison that once held Sam. RepliCarter emerges and tells Daniel that he will be interrogated to obtain certain information. When Daniel says he will honest in answering as to avoid the whole "hand-in-the-head" thing, RepliCarter replies its not a matter of honesty but rather the information is buried in his subconscious.

On Chulak, Teal'c and Bra'tac persuade others of the rebellion leadership to attack the temple of Dakara. The others at first voice their doubts. However Bra'tac and Teal'c lays out their argument that with Ba'al distracted and the element of surprise the planet will be easily taken. Realizing a golden opportunity to deal a death blow to the Gou'ald stranglehold, the leadership agrees.

Back on Earth, Jacob is becoming concerned at the rate of conquest by the replicators. He suggests to Jack to inform Ba'al to change tactics, mainly retreat and stop aggressively attacking the replicators. Jack is wary of Jacob's suggestion, because it would mean that Ba'al would notice the attack on Dakara. Therefore, he will use his fleet to crush the attack and possibly kill Teal'c. The conversation is interrupted when an incoming wormhole is announced. Although no IDC is received, eventually a hologram with Ba'al appears. Ba'al wishes to ally with the Tau'ri, namely to get the weapon used against the replicators. Jack at first gloats over Ba'al's request, then flatly rejects it by stating, "Why don't we sit back, and watch while you get your ass kicked".

While the rebel Jaffa attacks Dakara, Daniel is strangely baffled to find himself in the same clothing and setting where he was first found in the start of Season 7. Oma appears before him telling him of the situation, and states she is there to guide him for ascension again.

On what seems to be Ba'al's homeworld, Ba'al approaches the throne room. On the throne is a sickly man with numerous lesions on his face and body. Ba'al gives a report on the current state of the war with the replicators, essentially he is losing. The man, a Goa'uld, retorts that Ba'al should not be concerned, and ask Ba'al to trust in him.

Later back at the SGC, Sam reports that she and Thor may have come up with a modification to the weapon allowing it to work again. She states that they need to do some battlefield testing. While Sam and Thor locate the nearest replicator infested ship, it is shown that the rebel Jaffa attack on Dakara was successful. They were able to capture the temple without much resistance. Thor has located a ship and fires the newly modified weapon. It cleanses the ship of the infestation. Another replicator-controlled ship arrives, and Thor fires on that ship. However, the replicators have adapted and so they flee into hyperspace.

Ba'al returns to the throne room and interrupts the Goa'uld, who is taking control of yet another host. When he is done, Ba'al informs him that the rebel Jaffa has taken Dakara. The Goa'uld grins and stated that he foresaw this. He knows that all the rebels are on the planet and know they are presented with the chance to once and for all destroy the rebellion.

Thor's ship has now been affected and in a valiant effort, transports Sam back on Earth and to force the ship as far away from Earth as possible. On Dakara, the rebellion learns that Ba'al has broken off contact with the replicators and are heading towards Dakara.

Back in Daniel's world, the discussion between Daniel and Oma ends when Daniel sees through RepliCarter's disguise. Knowing it was fruitless to continue, RepliCarter appears and informs Daniel that she has found it. A weapon built by the Ancients that is capable of killing her and the replicators. The weapon is on a planet name Dakara.

Back at the SGC, Siler and Walter are nervously hosting an unamused Ba'al, awaiting Jack. He informs Jack that he has learned of a weapon hidden on Dakara, and wants Jack to destroy it before he can claim it, because it is capable of destroying all life in the galaxy. There is someone who would use it, and would be capable of surviving the weapon—Anubis.

Part 2

Sam and Jacob get inside the Temple, and find the Dakara Superweapon. They quickly realise that it can be reprogrammed to disrupt any specific type of matter, rather than just everything. Sam realises that if she changes it wave-output to match that of an enhanced Replicator Disruptor, the weapon can be used to destroy every Replicator in the galaxy simultaneously, giving them no time to adapt. However, to extend the blast-radius of the Weapon to smother the entire galaxy, they will have to reprogram the Dakara Stargate to dial out to every other Stargate in the galaxy. This is a feat that they know Ba'al is probably capable of (having demonstrated extensive knwledge of the workings of the stargate network in "Avenger 2.0").

Sam relays her plans to Teal'c, and Teal'c contacts Ba'al. Ba'al refuses to listen, but Teal'c explains the situation anyway. He merely asks that Ba'al slow down his approach towards Dakara to allow Sam time to realign the Superweapon to destroy all the Replicators, which will defeat a common enemy.

Ba'al uses the Goa'uld hologram communication device to appear inside the temple next to Sam, and she, Jacob (grudgingly) and Ba'al work together to try to make the device work. Ba'al will reprogramme the Stargate. They have to change the weapon's wave-pattern to resemble that of the Replicator Disruptor to within a degree of 0.76, and the difference is currently large. A random suggestion by Ba'al improves the situation, prompting him to state "I am a god. Gods are all-knowing."

Time is running out. RepliCarter is still probing Daniel Jackson's mind because she wants to assimilate all the Ascended knowledge it contains. However, there is too much there, and it strains the entire Replicator army to hold even a portion of it. It is infinite knowledge, "all the knowledge and power of the universe."

At the same time, however, RepliCarter goes against her word and attacks the SGC. Replicators begins to flood the place. The mountain goes into full alert, with Jack being backed into a corner as the Replicators take over the base. He and the few who haven't got out are now desperately fighting for their lives.

The Replicators land on Dakara and begin flooding into it. They know they are in danger. Sam desperately tries to finish aligning the weapon.

In the meantime, Daniel has used the link between his and RepliCarter's mind to secretly probe back into her mind all this time. Suddenly RepliCarter realises he has done this and breaks the link - but it is too late. They engage in an impossible mental battle. Daniel attempts to control the entire Replicator army, to stop them, but it is too much for his mind to handle, there are too many of them.

Daniel succeeds in freezing every Replicator in the galaxy for a few moments. This gives Jacob enough time to get the Dakara Superweapon to within an acceptable margin of the wave-pattern with the Disruptor, and he sets it off. It slowly rises out of the mountain and charges up. Now they can only pray it will work, as Daniel loses control of the Replicators, they spring back into attack, RepliCarter breaks free of Daniel's mental grip, and stabs him.

Ba'al dials every other gate in the galaxy, and every shot of every gate opening is replayed. In the last moments, Sam is with a last fight machine-gunning the Replicators that are only metres away, Teal'c is fighting beside her, O'Neill is defending himself in a corner as the Replicators swarm the remaining portions of the SGC, and Daniel drops to the floor, dead.

Then the Dakara Superweapon blasts, and a bubble of light explodes from the mountain-top, passes through the gate, and shoots through the galaxy. Every replicator everywhere is destroyed, including RepliCarter, at the last. All is saved.

Ba'al laughs. Now that the Replicators are gone, he is free to take back Dakara. However, not all has gone to his plan. Rebel Jaffa had board his ship and had him surrounded. None of his subjects any longer sees him as a god. They make to kill him, but he escapes, inexplicably, by the use of an Asgard transport beam.

The Jaffa Rebellion has succeeded, and they make the Temple of Dakara the centre of their new Free Jaffa Nation. Jaffa loyal to the System Lords had all came together to help. The SGC receives a message that Thor had survived by transferring his mind to his ship's computer and was ready to get in a clone body. Yet Carter and O'Neill can't help but wonder about what happened to Daniel.

Notes

• Both Amanda Tapping and Michael Shanks play dual roles in this episode
  • Tapping plays both Lt. Col. Samantha Carter and the RepliCarter.
  • Shanks plays Dr. Daniel Jackson and provides the voice of Thor.
• Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks do not share a scene in either episode.
• This episode is Michael Shanks' 150th episode.
• This episode likely marks the death of the oldest Goa'uld System Lord, Yu the Great, as he was stabbed in the chest and seen collapsing. Yu was the longest running Goa'uld recurring character. He was first introduced in the Season Three episode "Fair Game" and was the last surviving major Goa'uld from that time.
• With the death of Yu, Anubis and Ba'al are the longest surviving major Goa'uld. Ba'al was introduced in the Season Five episode "Summit" and Anubis was first referred to by name in the same episode, but did not appear until "Revelations".
• This is the only episode of the series to feature all three of Earth's main off-world allies: Bra'tac (Tony Amendola), Jacob Carter/Selmak (Carmen Argenziano) and Thor (Voice of Michael Shanks).
• The images of Ba'al and Anubis' homeworld are stock footage of Delmak, Sokar's homeworld. Ne'tu is clearly visible in the sky.
• The wall/door of Ancient text on Dakara contains phrases such as "...these rules shall be obeyed at all times under penalty of the highest degree..." and "...this device must only be used for betterment of life or for self-preservation..."
• It is not explained why Anubis still needs to possess a human host instead of creating another force field like his original guise.
• Jack said it was weird that he was in Siler's will, however, in Lost City he declared that, should he die as a result of the knowledge within his mind, Siler would get his collection of Simpsons video cassettes.

External links

• Official Stargate SG-1 site. MGM. Visited June 8, 2006. Most of site requires Flash.
• "Screenplay of Part 1" (PDF). Distributed by MGM. Prepared by Line 21 Media Services Ltd. 2004-12-01. Retrieved 2006-10-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• "Screenplay of Part 2" (PDF). Distributed by MGM. Prepared by Line 21 Media Services Ltd. 2004-12-14. Retrieved 2006-10-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Episode guide from Skyone. Visitd June 4, 2006.
• Episode guide of Part II from Skyone. Visited June 4, 2006.
• Summary of Part I from SciFi. Visited June 4, 2006. Requires Flash.
• Summary of Part II from SciFi. Visited June 4, 2006. Requires Flash.
• Review from GateWorld. Reviewed by Alli Snow. Visited May 7, 2006.