Redial the Gate: Allegiance
Last week, all my fannish time was occupied with Alphabet Soup and Gen Fic Day, so I didn't have a chance to rewatch Allegiance. And it is a rewatch, too; a year or so ago, when aurora_novarum was trying to coax me into watching S6, she recced it for its general lack of Jonasness (don't forget, I wasn't anti-Jonas but I wasn't a fan either) and the high quality of awesomeness with both Jacob and Bra'tac. And she was right! :) In fact, I was betting for Allegiance to be voted for a redial international chat. I want to watch it again now as part of the series flow and see how my much more rosy glasses allow me to see the ep now.
Still liveblogging my reactions, but with the understanding that is a redial, not a dial. Onwards!
Janet for the win! I love love love how she's able to triage, knowing what they need to do and what the symbiote can manage.
Jacob gets shot (and hey, guys, you should know better than to stand in front of an event horizon instead of ducking and rolling) and the Tok'ra with him gasps, "Jacob!" That is worth a long and fascinating analysis, right there. Other than Martouf/Lantash, how often do we see Tok'ra refer to other Tok'ra by the host's name and not the symbiote's? Especially Selmac, the "oldest and wisest among them"...
Ah, Bra'tac, you are so just so cool. :)
"Hundreds more are operating as a fifth column among the Goa'uld." "Just... like... you." Heh heh heh. Ah, Jack. Malek didn't like that comparison much, did he?
Any theories on why the Tok'ra choose to cremate their dead? Or how they make a kawhoosh without a dialup and then have the event horizon collapse so quickly?
(And in a complete non sequitur, why doesn't the SGC propose that they use the kawhoosh to, say, get rid of nuclear waste or non-recyclables?)
How insulted is the average Tok'ra when accused as being "no better than the Goa'uld"? As katie_m once said (paraphrased), "The Tok'ra don't force their hosts, except when they do."
"You can't forgive him for that?" "No." No hesitation. Interesting conversation, that, and also that Jacob feels that Jack did like the Tok'ra until Kanan. Most of us feel that Jack's anti-Tok'ra feelings were well under way by S4. Anyone disagree?
I'll kinda sorta buy Jacob's explanation for Tok'ra hostility to Jaffa, but why the other way round? Because they're the same race as the Goa'uld? Because they're annoyingly arrogant, as even Jacob admits? :)
I always want to squish Teal'c when I hear him say, "Indeed." ::squishes him::
I like that both Jacob and Bra'tac and Jack all supervised the testing together - very practical, and no possibility for accusations of tampering.
"Can you look me in the eye and tell me you trust the Tok'ra entirely?" "...No." And resigned nod from Jacob. Hee hee hee.
By the way, Jacob and Bra'tac onscreen together threatens to overload my computer with awesomeness.
"...They will finally look upon us as equals." Is that the Jaffa problem with Tok'ra? That they know the Tok'ra look upon them as inferiors, despite the sacrifices they've made?
Bra'tac takes one look in Artok's eyes and calms him. ::glees:: Although Malek isn't very appreciative, is he?
Seeing two rows of Tok'ra vs. Jaffa is ridiculously funny, innit? Although interesting that Teal'c is aiming, and Jacob is not.
Jack using military hand signals on Malek and Bra'tac is hilarious. I love that Sam uses it with Jacob though, who automatically repeats it - he's Air Force too, after all. Wait, and Malek understands them?! Has Jacob been teaching hand signals to the Tok'ra on those long boring evenings in the Tok'ra tunnels?
Bra'tac sensing the ashrak, and shoving Malek out the way, is another bit that deserves long and fascinating analysis. Why did Bra'tac care so much about Malek's life? And why didn't Malek at least fire zat blasts at random, making sure not to aim directly at Bra'tac?
Teal'c almost calm as he threatens to kill Malek, and I can't help but notice that for all the Tok'ra claims otherwise, Malek is finding it kinda difficult to defend himself from a frontal attack by a Jaffa, hmm?
"Jack, a little help?" Heh - Jack too busy waving off flies to even pay attention.
That little tic in Teal'c's jaw speaks more volumes than entire speeches from other people, doesn't it?
There is something utterly adorable about Sam geeking out with Malek. Although why they can't just dial Earth and ask for TERs...? If the iris stays closed for the conversation, the ashrak can't get through.
Teal'c speaking for the Jaffa is great. Love that he can put his fury behind him and do what needs doing. And also, for some reason, I really like the tall Jaffa with cornbraids.
Teal'c telling Janet, of all people, that the ashrak managed to kill Jolinar...? We could've used Jonas in this scene just to avoid the stupid "As you know, Bob" stuff. Actually - and I say this despite my very real liking for Jonas by now - I think it's a good choice to have him absent. The Jaffa and the Tok'ra have a reluctant respect and liking for SG-1, but Jonas is still too new. He would've added too much uncertainty to the mix. Also, how lucky is the SGC that the Tok'ra couldn't dial Earth and accidentally bring an invisible Ashrak to the planet? Or that the Ashrak has a typical Goa'uld's arrogance and went through to the Alpha Gate to kill more Tok'ra and Tau'ri and Jaffa instead of, say, reporting back to Anubis with the address to the Alpha Site...
The horror of trying to shoot an invisible foe and shooting a friendly instead... brrrr.
Use the Force, Teal'c! (That's what Bra'tac would've done...)
Jack's slo-mo 360 was impressive-looking but amazingly ineffectual. What, the ashrak couldn't duck too?
Why was Bra'tac the only one using his staff weapon? I mean, YAY BRA'TAC and all, but why?
I'm impressed with Malek for swallowing his pride, acknowledging his debt, asking forgiveness - and offering a Jaffa arm clasp. Yeah. That's class. And so is Bra'tac, natch. Does Bra'tac - and Jacob - see Malek as young, as his host is young? Malek can't be all that junior if he's running a base.
Ending with Bra'tac awesomeness is always a good thing, ha!
As I said above in the liveblogging, Jacob and Bra'tac onscreen together threatens to overload my computer with awesomeness. So here's an icon, free for the sharing, inspired by the ep:
Now I can finally go and read lizardbeth_j's recap properly and join the discussion. Good thing Redial weeks go from Tuesday to Tuesday, hmm? :)
Coming up soon, I hope: Cure. Back to new eps, wheee!
Still liveblogging my reactions, but with the understanding that is a redial, not a dial. Onwards!
Janet for the win! I love love love how she's able to triage, knowing what they need to do and what the symbiote can manage.
Jacob gets shot (and hey, guys, you should know better than to stand in front of an event horizon instead of ducking and rolling) and the Tok'ra with him gasps, "Jacob!" That is worth a long and fascinating analysis, right there. Other than Martouf/Lantash, how often do we see Tok'ra refer to other Tok'ra by the host's name and not the symbiote's? Especially Selmac, the "oldest and wisest among them"...
Ah, Bra'tac, you are so just so cool. :)
"Hundreds more are operating as a fifth column among the Goa'uld." "Just... like... you." Heh heh heh. Ah, Jack. Malek didn't like that comparison much, did he?
Any theories on why the Tok'ra choose to cremate their dead? Or how they make a kawhoosh without a dialup and then have the event horizon collapse so quickly?
(And in a complete non sequitur, why doesn't the SGC propose that they use the kawhoosh to, say, get rid of nuclear waste or non-recyclables?)
How insulted is the average Tok'ra when accused as being "no better than the Goa'uld"? As katie_m once said (paraphrased), "The Tok'ra don't force their hosts, except when they do."
"You can't forgive him for that?" "No." No hesitation. Interesting conversation, that, and also that Jacob feels that Jack did like the Tok'ra until Kanan. Most of us feel that Jack's anti-Tok'ra feelings were well under way by S4. Anyone disagree?
I'll kinda sorta buy Jacob's explanation for Tok'ra hostility to Jaffa, but why the other way round? Because they're the same race as the Goa'uld? Because they're annoyingly arrogant, as even Jacob admits? :)
I always want to squish Teal'c when I hear him say, "Indeed." ::squishes him::
I like that both Jacob and Bra'tac and Jack all supervised the testing together - very practical, and no possibility for accusations of tampering.
"Can you look me in the eye and tell me you trust the Tok'ra entirely?" "...No." And resigned nod from Jacob. Hee hee hee.
By the way, Jacob and Bra'tac onscreen together threatens to overload my computer with awesomeness.
"...They will finally look upon us as equals." Is that the Jaffa problem with Tok'ra? That they know the Tok'ra look upon them as inferiors, despite the sacrifices they've made?
Bra'tac takes one look in Artok's eyes and calms him. ::glees:: Although Malek isn't very appreciative, is he?
Seeing two rows of Tok'ra vs. Jaffa is ridiculously funny, innit? Although interesting that Teal'c is aiming, and Jacob is not.
Jack using military hand signals on Malek and Bra'tac is hilarious. I love that Sam uses it with Jacob though, who automatically repeats it - he's Air Force too, after all. Wait, and Malek understands them?! Has Jacob been teaching hand signals to the Tok'ra on those long boring evenings in the Tok'ra tunnels?
Bra'tac sensing the ashrak, and shoving Malek out the way, is another bit that deserves long and fascinating analysis. Why did Bra'tac care so much about Malek's life? And why didn't Malek at least fire zat blasts at random, making sure not to aim directly at Bra'tac?
Teal'c almost calm as he threatens to kill Malek, and I can't help but notice that for all the Tok'ra claims otherwise, Malek is finding it kinda difficult to defend himself from a frontal attack by a Jaffa, hmm?
"Jack, a little help?" Heh - Jack too busy waving off flies to even pay attention.
That little tic in Teal'c's jaw speaks more volumes than entire speeches from other people, doesn't it?
There is something utterly adorable about Sam geeking out with Malek. Although why they can't just dial Earth and ask for TERs...? If the iris stays closed for the conversation, the ashrak can't get through.
Teal'c speaking for the Jaffa is great. Love that he can put his fury behind him and do what needs doing. And also, for some reason, I really like the tall Jaffa with cornbraids.
Teal'c telling Janet, of all people, that the ashrak managed to kill Jolinar...? We could've used Jonas in this scene just to avoid the stupid "As you know, Bob" stuff. Actually - and I say this despite my very real liking for Jonas by now - I think it's a good choice to have him absent. The Jaffa and the Tok'ra have a reluctant respect and liking for SG-1, but Jonas is still too new. He would've added too much uncertainty to the mix. Also, how lucky is the SGC that the Tok'ra couldn't dial Earth and accidentally bring an invisible Ashrak to the planet? Or that the Ashrak has a typical Goa'uld's arrogance and went through to the Alpha Gate to kill more Tok'ra and Tau'ri and Jaffa instead of, say, reporting back to Anubis with the address to the Alpha Site...
The horror of trying to shoot an invisible foe and shooting a friendly instead... brrrr.
Use the Force, Teal'c! (That's what Bra'tac would've done...)
Jack's slo-mo 360 was impressive-looking but amazingly ineffectual. What, the ashrak couldn't duck too?
Why was Bra'tac the only one using his staff weapon? I mean, YAY BRA'TAC and all, but why?
I'm impressed with Malek for swallowing his pride, acknowledging his debt, asking forgiveness - and offering a Jaffa arm clasp. Yeah. That's class. And so is Bra'tac, natch. Does Bra'tac - and Jacob - see Malek as young, as his host is young? Malek can't be all that junior if he's running a base.
Ending with Bra'tac awesomeness is always a good thing, ha!
As I said above in the liveblogging, Jacob and Bra'tac onscreen together threatens to overload my computer with awesomeness. So here's an icon, free for the sharing, inspired by the ep:
Now I can finally go and read lizardbeth_j's recap properly and join the discussion. Good thing Redial weeks go from Tuesday to Tuesday, hmm? :)
Coming up soon, I hope: Cure. Back to new eps, wheee!