01x10 - Thor's Hammer

01x10 Thor's Hammer - Transcript

I've written an introduction to this episode that turned out a little long, so I thought I would separate it for those who aren't interested in hearing my thoughts on how new characters were brought in to spice up the storyline for other episodes.


Intro

Stargate SG-1 has always been one of those series that dragged the viewer along with them as they rode through the years of character development, wars, relationships and death, using familiarity of plotlines and dynamic actors to create a show that pulled viewers in and hung onto them. Instead of giving us episodes of random stories, sort of like an anthology, they gave us episodes that were based on a storyline introduced early in the series and running throughout subsequent episodes, almost like a novel. It was one of the things that drew me into this show, well, aside from the fantastic talent that played the roles so convincingly. Still, the continuity of the storylines brought us all back for more, and it was fun to watch what happened next.

One of the things they did to create this illusion was to introduce new characters into a storyline, then bring them back in later episodes to either create more problems, which is always a great plot device, or to forge new friendships. This particular episode had several such introductions, although we didn't know it when it first aired.

First, we were introduced to Thor. We are not told anything about the man… er, alien, other than he is a god from Norse mythology. Although we didn't actually meet Thor, who knew that the voice and persona behind the fierce looking Viking hologram would eventually become an ally and a great friend of Jack's?

And to make things fair, Daniel had to have a future friend, as well. Okay, so the Unas in the cavern where Jack and Teal'c are trapped dies in this episode, but another of his race will eventually come to trust Daniel with his life. Plus, the Unas will also become allies, although it does take awhile. Still, I think that this episode, along with the The Nox marks a turning point in how future storylines were to be written,

And finally, we have Gairwyn and her people who live on Cimmeria. While they are not technologically advanced enough to be really effective allies, they do become friends, and show up in a later episode , giving us yet another chance to get to know just a little more about Thor and his people.


With all that said, I guess it would be nice if I would just get into the recap already. I know, I tend to get carried away a little. Sometimes. Well, okay, a lot. :) Sorry about that!


Recap

The episode starts out with a nervous Daniel who is standing in the briefing room with the rest of his team and General Hammond. Daniel gives them a brief run-down of Norse mythology and how he truly believes that there are other aliens out there that may help in fighting the Goa'uld – aliens that probably spawned the mythical Norse gods.

So Hammond gives the the go-ahead, and off they go, but not without a little gift from planet Earth, just in case they come in contact with the gods. It's a greeting from Earth that was designed by the Sagan Institute and filled with all kinds of goodies that are designed to help explain the cultures of Earth. I don't know about you guys, but I would dearly love to know what was put inside that box.

So anyway, SG-1 gates to the planet (just as an aside, it's funny how we've turned a noun into a verb without notifying the folks over at dictionary.com. And we're getting away with it!) and are literally spit out of the wormhole, tumbling all over each other. Some natives just happened to be in the vicinity of the Stargate when our people come through, and SG-1 is laughed at because of their ungainly entrance into the world. Daniel remarks how this behavior is a surprise, while Jack is wanting to get the meet and greet over with it.

But before they can get started, the natives start chanting, "Thor, Thor," which confuses the team, but the confusion turns to concern when the gigantic hammer statue starts to gear up, and Jack orders Daniel to dial up the gate. Daniel is too late though, because a blue beam shoots out of the statue and focuses on each team member until it reaches Teal'c, who reacts to the beam by groaning in pain. Jack yells for Teal'c to move out of the beam, but Teal'c is immobilized, so Jack rushes at him to push him out of the way. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in the beam and they both disappear.

We come back from the break to find Daniel examining the hammer and telling Sam that he thinks Jack and Teal'c are dead. Sam promptly tells him where to shove it and makes the decision to go back and get help. Already she is showing signs of being a great leader. *beams proudly* Daniel tells her to hold up because there is a woman heading their way. Gairwyn is the "mistress" of the land and assumes that Daniel and Sam came from Thor's home in the stars. Sam, still in her leader mode, makes the introductions and tries to find out what happened to Jack and Teal'c. Gairwyn believes that the two missing people were Etins, their word for Goa'uld, but Sam rushes to tell her she's wrong and that she and Gairwyn may even share the same ancestors. Gairwyn is amazed, but readily agrees to help Sam and Daniel find their missing comrades and takes them to her village to meet with a woman who had survived the hammer.

We then go to see how Jack and Teal'c are faring. They are in a cave and apparently unconscious, but soon wake up, with Teal'c automatically making sure Junior is still there and doing okay. They then are visited by a man dressed as a Viking, and telling them that they are prisoners, that the Goa'uld might as well give up and let the host leave the place. Both Jack and Teal'c find out that the Viking is just a hologram designed to warn off the Goa'uld. They listen to the message, then decide to find their way out.

We then switch back to Daniel and Sam, who are on a hilltop looking down on a woman who is apparently a healer. She pulls out a Goa'uld hand device, which prompts Daniel and Sam to grab their weapons in defense, or to protect the child the woman is tending to. The woman stops long enough to glance up when Daniel yells, but then goes back to healing the child. Daniel, Sam and Gairwyn go down to talk to the woman, whose name is Kendra, and who, it turns out, was a host at one time herself. This is great news to Daniel, who has just been given more hope to hang on to in terms of his wife, Sha're. If Kendra can survive, so can Sha're.

We go back to check on Jack and Teal'c, who are trying to find their way out of that cave. They find a pile of bones that look like Goa'uld skeletal remains, and Teal'c tells Jack that he believes the bones had been chewed, that the Goa'uld and their hosts were killed, then eaten. Jack decides that it was a wild animal, and if the animal could get in, then there was a way out.

We head back over to see whether Sam and Daniel are getting any closer to finding out what happened to their friends. They are sitting at a table with Gairwyn and Kendra, while Kendra tells them what she went through to get rid of the Goa'uld that resided within her. She said it was extremely painful, but not nearly as painful as what the victims of the Goa'uld who had taken her as host had gone through. She then went on to tell them how she had become a host, and that Jack would be able to walk out of there when he found the exit. Sam tells her that Teal'c may be a Jaffe, but he is a good Jaffa, which Kendra refuses to believe. Apparently, she's known her share of Jaffa.

Kendra finally gets up and walks toward the fire, while a strong wind rushes past and thunder is heard in the distance. Kendra looks up at the sky, and asks, "Did I ask your counsel?" which of course, has me thinking she has lost a little more than her symbiote in that cave. Anyway, she turns to Sam and Daniel and tells them that the Valkyrie wants her to help them, and she has finally agreed to do so, but only after she consults the runes.

Time to go back and see what Jack and Teal'c are doing. They have found a room that has carvings on the wall and Jack asks Teal'c to use his staff weapon to shoot at a lamp hanging from the ceiling. Teal'c tries to, but nothing happens. Jack explains he figured that would happen, based on what the hologram told them, but I guess he still wanted to find out for sure. He uses his own gun to shoot at the lamp, and success! But then again, maybe not, as a monster-like creature is awakened by the sound. Still, Jack hands Teal'c his handgun, and they move on, unaware that they've just put themselves in grave danger.

As they walk down a passageway, Teal'c reminds Jack that the message said that only the host would survive, which may help Skaara and Sha're. Jack's not to sure, but he hears something. He stops and listens, but when Teal'c asks him what's wrong, Jack answers with, "Nothing." They move on, unaware that the monster is on the move.

Meanwhile, Kendra is praying to Thor, and then tells Sam and Daniel that they must wait for a sign from Thor. Sam's not too happy about the delay, and Daniel offers that maybe they should give Kendra moral support to help her find the courage to go back. Kendra tells them how she became a Goa'uld, then after more thunder, tells them that was the sign she was waiting for.

Back in the cave, Jack notices water seeping down the wall, and shows that he isn't totally dumb by telling Teal'c that in time, water would bring down even the stone walls he was standing next to (…well, I didn't know that stuff). Jack turns to look around and notices a shadow on the wall, and after getting Teal'c's attention, he asks, "What the hell is that?"

The creature comes in, and in his best James Earl Jones voice… oh wait, that was James Earl Jones' voice. Anyway, the creature tells them that he is an Unas, or the First One. Teal'c immediately tells the Unas that he doesn't exist, which doesn't convince the Unas at all. Probably doesn't convince Jack either. But the Unas doesn't care. He tells Teal'c to kill the human so that they can feast together, which Jack doesn't want, but no matter. Teal'c is long since done serving the Goa'uld and tells the Unas that. Again, the Unas doesn't care. He pushes Teal'c aside and heads for Jack, who promptly starts shooting at the Unas. The Unas doesn't go down right away, but Jack is insistent, and finally kills the Unas, or so we think. It's not until after Jack and Teal'c leave the room when we find out that the Unas is still alive.

We are then taken to a scene where Daniel and Sam are following Kendra though some fantastically, beautiful scenery. Stormy skies, forests, mountain… sigh, absolutely gorgeous. We see them in different places, then we head back into the cave for some Jack and Teal'c time.

Teal'c hears a roar, and stops, but Jack tells him to relax. They discuss whether there might be two of the creatures in the cave, but Teal'c figures they would just kill each other. He then goes on to tell Jack that the Unas was a myth, that they were the fist hosts for Goa'ulds and were rumored to have regenerative powers, which he again dismisses as a myth. But he really isn’t sure, probably because his belief system had already been rustled with the presence of an Unas that he had believed didn't exist. Jack and Teal'c work on trying to convince each other that they are safe, and they move on to looking for an exit.

Back outside to find Kendra totally lost and confused. Sam is pissed and Daniel takes the opportunity to find out more about freeing his wife from her Goa'uld. Kendra tells him that it is very painful and some hosts give up, but Daniel is sure Sha're would survive it. Kendra tells him that he may be right, then points toward her new destination and tells them, "It's this way."

Back in the cave, the Unas is dripping green blood and digging out bullets from his body, all the while roaring in pain. Jack and Teal'c hear it, which of course proves without a doubt that the Unas is definitely not a myth.

Outside on a mountain side, Daniel and Sam stop following Kendra long enough to have an argument. Sam believes Kendra is too scared to take them back and is deliberately going the wrong way, while Daniel is defending her. The argument is cut short when Kendra shouts at them to follow her, which they both do.

To the cave again to find Jack and Teal'c facing the Unas once more, who tries to convince Jack to help him. But Jack isn't willing to trust the beast, so he and Teal'c shoot at the monster again, then take off down a hallway to escape.

In the meantime, Kendra has finally found the cave's exit. There's a replica of Thor's Hammer above the doorway, and Sam moves back into leader mode again. She wants to know what they are facing, and Kendra tells them of Thor's image at the entrance and that there was something else living inside the cave, something that terrifies her. Daniel understands and tells her she doesn't have to go, but after another peal of thunder, she tells him that Thor asks her to try.

By coincidence, Jack and Teal'c have found the exit at the same time, and Jack is glad to finally get out of there. Jack can go through the final entrance, but when Teal'c does, a red beam traps him inside the doorway and causes him extreme agony. Jack runs and pushes Teal'c back into the cave. The Unas comes in at that time, and our heroes realize that they are well and truly trapped. Teal'c pulls out the hand gun and decides to face his enemy and die like a warrior, and Jack realizing that he doesn't really have a choice either, decides to stay and fight, as well.

Outside the cave, Kendra decides to face her own fear, then follows Sam and Daniel into the cave's entrance.

Jack and Teal'c are still facing the Unas, and they both come to the same conclusion on how to kill the Unas. The Unas attacks and knocks Jack to the wall, then goes for Teal'c, who manages to twist and turn until the Unas is standing in front of the exit. Jack and Teal'c both open fire, knocking the Unas back up against the doorway, but still doesn't fall into it, The Unas spreads his arms out to hang onto the door frame, which keeps him from falling in, but Jack and Teal'c are undeterred. They continue shooting while Daniel and Sam frantically try to open the walled entrance from their end. The Unas falls to its knees, but still doesn't go through the entrance. Kendra remembers something and tries a technique she learned from the natives, and the door opens.

Teal'c, in the meantime, gets tired of shooting and rushes the Unas, pushing him into the doorway. The Unas roars and Teal'c screams in pain, but he refuses to let go, even though Jack is shouting at him to stop. Sam, Daniel and Kendra watch from one side of the doorway as Jack reaches out and grabs Teal'c, pulling him out of the beam. The Unas is still trapped, roaring and writhing until the Goa'uld finally dies and the red beam cuts off.

Teal'c tells them that without the Goa'uld, the Unas will not be able to regenerate himself, which is good news to all involved. But now they are faced with another dilemma. Teal'c can't leave. He is still trapped inside the cave. Jack hands Daniel the staff weapon, even though Daniel can only think about what the hammer could do for his wife and brother-in-law. Daniel is now faced with a decision. Destroy the hammer and free Teal'c, or leave Teal'c to spend his years inside the cave waiting for Sha're and Skaara to be found and brought back. There really was no choice, no matter how you look at it. Daniel took the staff weapon and destroyed the hammer.

Teal'c walked out of there without incident to himself. The scene then moves on to the Stargate where our team is getting ready to leave. They say their good-byes to Kendra, who finally realizes that not all Jaffa are jerks, and gives Daniel a token to remember her world by. This reminds Daniel of the box, and he gives it to her. Thunder is heard in the distance and Kendra tells them that Thor is pleased with his gift. Jack tells Daniel to dial home before it starts raining, and they finally leave through the Stargate.



And for those who just want to cut to the chase:


What do you think was in that box? What would you put in there if you were given the opportunity to create something that reflects all the cultures, history, religious and the people of Earth in general? On the flip side of this, what would you make sure did not make it in there?

Sam tells Gairwyn at the beginning of the show that they may share ancestors. Does this mean that Sam is at least part Norwegian? What are your thoughts on this?

Something that has always bothered me about this episode – at the end, Jack pushes Teal'c out of the red beam that has him trapped in the doorway, and back into the cave. Why couldn't he just have pushed Teal'c through the other way? I thought it was the red beam that killed the Goa'uld. Was Jack worried that the Goa'uld would die no matter what if it passed through the beam?

The scene with Jack handing Daniel the staff weapon, forcing him to "cut the ties" so to speak has prompted many a heated debate. I personally think that Daniel had to be the one to do it, but some others disagree. What are your thoughts on this?

And finally, if there is something you've been dying to discuss regarding this episode, please do! Tell me what you think.