04x06 Window of Opportunity
Transcript is here.
Please excuse the verbosity -- this is not so much a summary as a "I kinda wrote down every single thing that happened" deal. :)
We open at a very bright, very Ancient-y looking planet. There are stone ruins all around the Stargate. It looks really hot, which hey, always a plus because it means SG-1 in desert gear -- definitely the prettiest garb.
Teal'c and Jack are doing their perimeter patrol thing while Sam sets up equipment to monitor the sun's corona mass emission -- that's like a giant solar flare. The sun's doing something to the planet's magnetic field, which might cause an increase in surface radiation. Jack's worried whether it's safe, but Sam assures him it won't be a problem if they don't stay too long. Jack wonders if someone bothered to explain that to Daniel.
Meanwhile, Daniel is a little far up the ruins where a big altar sits, with Malakai, an alien archaeologist who has been studying the world for many months. SG-15 [Pierce!] first encountered him when they first visited the planet a couple of weeks before. Daniel is studying the text written on a big stone wall. Malakai's clearly not happy with SG-1's presence and insists they must leave before the radiation levels become more dangerous, but Daniel is in total Archaeologist Mode and he's definitely drank way too much coffee before this mission because the speech speed is pretty fantastic too.
Oblivious to Malakai's death glare, Daniel encounters a passage of text that's repeated several times: dommo waitus, westol notibilium. Malakai translates it as "conquerer of time", but Daniel corrects him -- it's more like "master of the uncertain past". Daniel says he had the opportunity to hear the language aloud the year before [he's obviously referencing Jack's download of the Ancient Repository into his brain back in The Fifth Race. Nice continuity, guys!]. Daniel obviously has very fond memories of Jack slowly going nuts.
Suddenly, the stone buttons on the altar start moving. Before Daniel knows what hit him, Malakai pulls a weapon and shoots him. It's a zat-like shot, and Daniel falls down, unconscious. Malakai messes with the buttons on the altar some more and activates the device. Cue ominous music.
Back at the Stargate, Sam's all set up and Jack decides it's time to go. He radioes Daniel, who of course doesn't respond on account of unconsciousness. Jack, Teal'c and Sam walk towards the altar but stop when they hear electric static. Suddenly, lots of pretty blue lights shoot out of the two rows of stone ruins towards the gate, which opens and were not for quick ducking reflexes, 3/4 of SG-1 would have been kawhooshed into oblivion.
...
SGC control room. The technician reports an incoming wormhole to General Hammond. The same blue lights that reached to the gate at P4X-639 are all over their Stargate. Hammond wonders what the hell that is and the technician replies that he has no idea and wow, brilliant dialog of uselessness right there. And it's just the first time we're gonna hear it.
...
Back on the planet, Jack, Sam and Teal'c run towards the altar. They find unconscious!Daniel and Malakai still busy at the machine. While Sam is tending to Daniel, Jack and Teal'c jump Malakai and the three of them are hit by a huge blast of the electric blue light.
Blinding flash of white and we're looking at an extreme close-up of Jack's spoonful of Fruit Loops. We're at a table at the SGC commissary in the middle of a conversation in which Daniel's being all hands and earnestness and he's sorry, but that's happens to be how he feels about it, what does Jack think? Jack -- spoon of cereal still midway to his mouth -- is as clueless as we are. Sam asks him if something's wrong and he replies "maybe."
Ominous piano music plays as Jack stares at his Fruit Loops.
CREDITS ROLL.
Commissary. We're back as we were, SG-1 minus Teal'c are eating breakfast. Jack still holds his spoon up, and he looks really confused. Which then makes Sam look at him all confused as well. Jack asks, weren't they just somewhere else?
Daniel: Where?
Jack: Some planet.
Daniel: When?
Jack: Just now.
Daniel: No.
Jack: You sure?
Daniel: Yeah.
Jack finally puts his spoon down and looks around, still not understanding what the hell is going on. He says that everything changed, but Sam replies that they have been sitting in the commissary for the past half-hour. Daniel amps up the sarcasm and replies that it's understandable how Jack could've gotten the two places confused. Heh. Sam looks like she really wants to point and laugh at her boss, but she manages to hold it in and then looks at her watch and gets up, saying they're gonna be late to the briefing. Jack's still in confusion mode: "briefing?" Daniel and Sam look at each other, clearly having a silent conversation of the "is Jack crazy again?" variety.
Daniel asks Jack if he's OK, or if he's just trying to avoid answering the question. Jack replies that he's fine... and what question? They all get up and leave the commissary.
...
Briefing room. General Hammond's at the head of the table and Sam is standing up on the plasma screen where there's an schematic of the burning sun from the planet. She explains that two weeks prior, SG-15 shot those images of the increasing solar activity on P4X-639. If she's right, what they're witnessing is just the precursor for an exponentially greater violent ejection -- fortunately Teal'c interrupts the technobabble, saying they've been previously briefed on the matter.
Sam looks very confused. Jack tells her she wants to go to the planet to set up a remote observatory. Daniel and Hammond throw odd looks at Jack. Sam looks almost... fearful, but replies that yes, she does.
Jack: We just did that.
Daniel: No we didn't.
Teal'c: I believe we did, Daniel Jackson.
General Hammond: No, Teal'c, that's what this briefing is about.
Jack: I distinctly remember sitting here listening to Carter prattle on about solar activity and corona--something.
Sam: Corona mass emission. I was just about to bring it up.
Jack asks how would he know that, and Sam wonders if maybe he read her report? Daniel then makes about 35 different funny faces while saying "maybe he read your report?!" and it's the best thing ever.
Jack insists they've done all of this before. Sam, Daniel and General Hammond all look skeptical, while Teal'c agrees with Jack saying he's experiencing a great deal of familiarity with the events.
Suddenly we hear the gate opening. Sirens, "unscheduled offworld activation!" SG-1 and Hammond rush to the control room. The technician reports the unscheduled incoming traveler, Jack says it's SG-12. Hammond replies they're not due back for days, but the technician confirms SG-12's IDC. Daniel and Sam give Jack A LOOK, but he just smirks. Then Teal'c says one of the SG-12 dudes will be injured, and Jack nods. Hammond orders the iris open and there comes SG-12, one guy hobbling on one leg and being supported by another. General Hammond is stunned, but Jack just raises his eyebrows.
...
General Hammond and Sam are walking down the corridor to the infirmary. Hammond wants to know what Sam thinks, and she's not sure what's going on. This is the first of several conversations Sam and Gen Hammond have in this episode that will never ever be remembered by anyone. And still we get to see all of them!
In the infirmary, Janet is examining Jack's eye with a pen light. Teal'c is in a background bed being examined by a nurse and Daniel is trying to make sense of it all by asking a bunch of questions. Jack's not helping: "you were by the altar deal with the guy." Daniel asks for him to be more specific, and Teal'c just says "Malakai" before the nurse puts a thermometer in his mouth. Daniel was looking forward to meet Malakai and Jack snarks that he already did and got along swell right up to the point when a beam shot out of the ruins and into the Stargate.
Teal'c takes the thermometer out of his mouth and mentions there was a blinding flash of light, and Jack adds that after that he was back in the commissary eating his Fruit Loops. The nurse puts the thermometer back in Teal'c's mouth once again, and hee, this is pretty much the most hilarious thing in the entire episode.
Sam and General Hammond get to the infirmary and Janet reports that both Jack and Teal'c are in perfect health. Except for the fact that they're remembering events that haven't happened yet. General Hammond is not taking any chances and postpones the mission to P4X-639.
...
Jack's walking down a corridor. He checks his watch and right on time Daniel calls his name, asking him to wait up. Daniel shows Jack the pictures SG-15 took of the carvings on the ruins on P4X-639. He's hoping there's some clue in there, but unfortunately it's the equivalent of 400 pages of alien text. If Jack could give him some more details on the layout of the ruins -- BAM. Siler comes up and hits Daniel's face with his head. Daniel falls down, pictures flying everywhere. Siler and Airman DeLuise help Daniel up while Jack looks on. "Should've seen that coming." Hee.
...
Commissary. Jack is taking imaginary things off his coffee cup and doing quite a lot of moping. Sam comes in and sits across him.
Sam: So.
Jack: So?
Sam: Don't you know what I'm gonna say?
Jack looks at his watch and replies that by then they were already at the planet, so it's all different. Sam looks a bit disappointed, but recovers quickly. She's been thinking about the beam hitting the Stargate. Her theory is that maybe Jack's not remembering the future, but maybe he was sent back in time. It wouldn't be the first time, the gate did send them to 1969. Sam brings on the technobabble full scale: "could this beam you mentioned be a means to access the Gate's subspace field in order to create some kind of time inversion outside of subspace?" The music swells and Jack's response is that he knew she was gonna say that. Hee.
Sam smiles and goes away to run some simulations while Jack stays there drinking his coffee and talking to himself.
...
General Hammond's office. The general's sitting at his desk while Jack and Teal'c stand in front of it. The lab results ordered by Doctor Frasier confirm that Jack and Teal'c are in perfect health, and they haven't had any more "premonitions." Jack begs the general to please let them go back to work and Hammond is about to give his OK when sirens blast and "unscheduled offworld activation!"
Jack's reaction? "D'OH!"
The same electric blue lights are hitting the gate once more. General Hammond asks what's that, and the technician answer that he's never seen anything like it, oh, hi, useless dialog again. Jack and Teal'c look at each other and Jack says, "we have." Blinding white flash of light and we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being, well, Daniel.
Jack looks even more confused. Sam asks him if something's wrong and he replies that "oh yeah, something."
...
Briefing room. The burning sun on P4X-639 is showing on the plasma screen. Sam is starting her presentation when Jack interrupts her:
Jack: We've done this!
Daniel: We do this every day. [hee!]
Jack: I'm not talking about briefings in general, Daniel. I'm talking about this briefing. I'm talking about this day!
Teal'c: Colonel O'Neill is correct. Events do appear to be repeating themselves.
Daniel: Since when?
Jack: Since we went to P4X-639.
Sam: We haven't been to P4X 639.
Jack: Yes we have. [He points at Daniel] No we haven't. That's what you were going to say.
Daniel: Of course that's what I was going to say.
Jack: OK, bad example.
Jack doesn't know why only he and Teal'c remember, but his guess is that it has something to do with the planet. And that everyone will believe him when SG-12 comes through the gate in 4, 3, 2, 1... nothing happens. Hee. Jack pokes his watch really hard. General Hammond is just saying SG-12 isn't due to return in another three days when the gate activates. "So close," Jack complains.
...
Infirmary. Janet is examining Jack's eye again in the exact same way she did the first time. Jack and Teal'c argue that she's not gonna find anything and that he lab results will be negative.
Jack tells Hammond he knows the general's thinking of postponing the mission, but that didn't work the previous time. Once more the nurse puts the thermometer in Teal'c mouth and it's still the funniest thing ever. Big guy's not amused.
...
Corridor. Jack's counting down in his fingers and right on cue, Daniel comes up to him. Daniel starts saying the exact same things he did the first time when Jack interrupts, "400 pages of alien text." Daniel shows Jack the pictures of P4X-639 and Jack says it looks familiar. Daniel says it should, because it's something Jack spoke for a few days -- it's the writing used by the Ancients.
Jack: Well, if you're looking for help translating it you're barking up the wrong genius.
Daniel: No, I realize that the Asgards returned you to normal, which is… fortunate I suppose. [Ha!] But if you could give me more details about the layout of the ruins it might be useful --
BAM. There comes Siler again and once more Daniel is sprawled on the floor, pictures flying everywhere.
Jack: Oops.
...
General Hammond's office. Jack and Teal'c are trying to convince Hammond that they can't wait anymore
Jack: Hey, if it were just me I'd agree. But what about Teal'c? Come on, is this the face of a crazy man?
I don't know if it's the weird blond tuft of hair on his chin or what, but Teal'c has never looked crazier. Hee. "Bad example" indeed.
General Hammond asks them what they want -- Jack and Teal'c want to go back to the planet.
...
P4X-639. SG-1 comes through the gate. Sam says the geomagnetic storm is picking up, they shouldn't stay on the planet for long. Jack leads the way to the altar. Sam wonders how the machine works, Jack replies, "subspace fields and time inversions". Sam's surprised, but Jack shrugs, it's what she told him.
Malakai is there. Jack, Sam and Teal'c point their weapons at him, but he doesn't seem to know who they are and mentions SG-15 didn't point their weapons. Jack's not buying it though, and goes through Malakai's bag and finds his weapon.
Jack: What kind of archaeologist carries a weapon?
Daniel: [raising his hand and everything!] Uh... I do.
Jack: Bad example.
Jack then finds the picture frame with the moving photo of Malakai's wife that the F/X dudes so totally stole from Harry Potter. Suddenly, the altar buttons start moving. Jack asks Sam what did she do, she replies that it started up on its own. Jack orders Sam to turn it off, but she just asks him how. Heh. Malakai explains that it's drawing energy from the ionization in the atmosphere and there's nothing Major Carter could do. Bus-ted! Jack wants to know how did he know Sam's name. Malakai still tries to play it dumb a bit more, but no one's buying it anymore. He says it doesn't matter though, there's nothing SG-1 can do.
Jack tells him to shut it off. Sam warns them that the machine is building some sort of charge. Jack orders Daniel to read the stuff written on the altar to shut if off, but he replies he wouldn't even know where to start and while Daniel goes on and on the electric charge gets bigger and louder and it shoots at the gate. Again. And we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being all excited and hands moving and "anyway I'm sorry but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?"
Jack drops his spoon and holds his head. Daniel deflates. "It was just a question."
...
Briefing room. Once more the burning sun on P4X-639 is showing on the plasma screen. This time around, Jack doesn't even let Sam start her presentation.
Jack: All right, here's the deal. We're all stuck in a time loop of some kind. However Teal'c and I seem to be the only ones who realize it. Now there's this alien device on six thirty nine. It shoots a beam at the Stargate which… subspace something... what?
Teal'c: Accesses the subspace field the Stargate is capable of generating. It is powered by ionization.
Jack: In the atmosphere, right. Which is caused by... I know this one... Magnets!
Teal'c: The geomagnetic storm.
Jack: Of course. Anyway I don't know why none of you remember this. But I do know for a fact there's no point in having old Doc Fraiser examining us again!
Sam, Daniel and General Hammond just stare at them.
...
Infirmary. Janet is examining Jack's eye again.
Jack: I ask you. What could possibly be in my eye that could explain this?
The nurse puts the thermometer in Teal'c's mouth. This time, he just sighs.
...
General Hammond and Sam are walking down the corridor outside the infirmary. Hammond wants to know what Sam thinks.
Sam: Well sir, when was the last time you heard Colonel O'Neill use terms like subspace field and geomagnetic storm?
General Hammond: Good point.
Sam: And he actually used them correctly... for the most part.
And then they acknowledge the fact that they won't remember this conversation. Amazing!
...
Daniel's lab. Daniel's about to leave when Jack and Teal'c come in. Daniel was about to go looking for them because he's managed to translate a part of the text on the wall of the ruins.
Daniel: It appears to be some sort of planetary history.
Jack: Daniel, that's very nice, but focus on the altar.
Daniel: Why?
Teal'c: Malakai initiated the time loop by manipulating the symbols on the surface.
Jack: Figure out the symbols, figure out how to stop this!
Daniel: Just because someone can recognize symbols on a keyboard doesn't mean they can run a computer. If I can translate the rest of the text I can put the device in a proper context and figure out what it's supposed to do.
Jack: We know what it does! It's a time loop machine.
Daniel: Think about it. Who would build a device that loops time every ten hours?
Jack: Who knows? But that's what it does.
Daniel: Yes, but maybe that's not what it's supposed to do. I mean for all we know that's just an accidental by-product of its true function.
They're interrupted when the phone rings. It's Sam, she has something. The guys leave.
...
Briefing room. There's an schematic of a galaxy on the screen this time around. Sam is presenting while Jack looks incredibly frustrated and impatient.
Sam: According to Colonel O'Neill, in the first loop he and Teal'c witnessed a beam striking the Stargate on P4X 639. Then the Gate became energized somehow. But now in the second loop at the exact same moment they witnessed a similar effect in our own Gate room here on Earth.
Jack: Sounds about right.
Sam: OK, so if we really are under the influence of an alien technology then the effect is clearly being translated to Earth via the Stargate. In which case the solution is simple.
Daniel: We dial out.
Sam: Exactly, a few minutes before this is set to begin again we establish an outgoing wormhole to, I don't know... say the Tollan home world, and anyone or anything trying to dial in from P4X 639 will get a busy signal.
General Hammond: Let's do it.
They attempt to dial the gate but chevron seven won't lock. Sam's running a diagnostic when they get an incoming wormhole. "Oh, crap," says Jack. Sam says it doesn't make any sense, there's nothing wrong on their end and they should be able to dial out. The wormhole engage and the blue lights hit the Stargate again. Sam looks at Jack and he waves goodbye at her and we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being all excited and hands moving and "anyway, I'm sorry but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?"
Jack: Ask me tomorrow.
Poor Jack.
...
Daniel's office. We come back in the middle of the scene.
Daniel: ...just because someone can recognize the symbols on a keyboard doesn't mean they can run a computer --
Jack: We've been over this!
Jack's pissed. He says the only way to stop the loops is to figure out how to turn off the buttons on the altar. Daniel argues that there's no way he can translate all the text in less than a day, but Jack says he's way ahead of him and takes a recorder off his pocket. Which of course doesn't work -- as Daniel points out -- not even when Jack bashes the device into the table.
Teal'c: Did I not say that your plan would be unsuccessful?
Jack: [raising a finger at Teal'c] Careful! Be careful.
HEE.
Jack asks Daniel what about notes, but Daniel tells him the only way it'll work is for Jack and Teal'c to learn and remember all this stuff.
Jack picks up a picture of the altar buttons and wonders how hard can it be. Daniel turns the picture upside down, showing Jack the right way. And we about die laughing.
...
Sam and General Hammond are in front of the plasma screen having yet another conversation no one will ever remember.
Sam: According to Colonel O'Neill, in a previous loop we attempted to block the connection with P4X 639 but we were unable to dial out. I think what's happened is that the Earth has become in a sense out of sync with the rest of the Gate system, making it impossible for us to establish contact with these worlds.
General Hammond: What about SG-12, they managed to Gate in?
Sam: I realize that, so we ran a sequence of random dialings and this is what we found. [showing the planets on the plasma] These were the worlds we were able to contact, including Alars, the planet where SG-12 was doing its survey. At the center of this group is P4X 639. I believe that the alien device is establishing a simultaneous connection with all of these gates, creating a kind of subspace bubble, and that everything within the bubble is cut off from the normal flow of time.
General Hammond: What are the implications of this?
Sam: Well sir, we could be reliving the same day over and over maybe thousands of times and we'd never know it.
General Hammond: What can we do?
Sam: Unfortunately not much. By the next time this loop starts we won't even remember we had this conversation. It's up to Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill.
And they keep commenting on how they won't remember it! I just hope they remembered the relate all of these tiny little details to Jack and Teal'c.
...
Daniel's office. Jack and Teal'c are reading up on Latin while Daniel is translating the Ancient text on a chalkboard. As the sirens go off and "unscheduled offworld activation!", Jack and Teal'c talk.
Jack: You know the worst part about this? Every time we loop Daniel asks me a question and... I wasn't listening the first time.
Teal'c: You are not the only one who must endure some discomfort, O'Neill.
...
*time loops*
Teal'c gets hit by a door opening right as the loop starts. Said door is being opened by the geekiest most dorky airman they could've ever find.
Airman: Sorry sir, I didn't realize you were there!
Teal'c: You have said that on many occasions. Perhaps next time I will not be so forgiving.
Audience: *collapses a lung from laughing so hard*
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel's translating the Ancient text on the chalkboard while Jack and Teal'c look oh so incredibly bored. Jack's playing with a couple of scrunched paper balls.
Daniel: Section 23 ends with a reference to perennial inventus.
Jack: We've been over this.
Teal'c: I believe it means the approaching disaster.
Daniel: [very surprised] Good.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel's translating the Ancient text on the chalkboard while Jack and Teal'c are still very bored. Teal'c's staring at his hands.
Daniel: ...On the machine itself. With recurring use the machine surrenders to the rigors of time...
Teal'c: That is incorrect, Daniel Jackson.
Daniel looks incredibly surprised. Jack goes into Stuffy Professor mode.
Jack: The word "abiceerum" means "to give up," not "surrender."
Daniel just does his PowerPuff Girls impression and stares really hard and blinks really slowly.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining some part of the text that relates to the Ancients' arrival on P4X-639. Jack is spinning around on his chair and Teal'c is reading.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack starts juggling the paper balls as he sits in his chair. Teal'c looks at him.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack is now standing up, juggling the paper balls much more enthusiastically.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack's sitting back up and is now watching Teal'c juggle the paper balls. "Nice!"
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack and Teal'c are both standing up, both juggling expertly. Daniel looks at them, at bit worried the guys aren't getting any of the stuff.
If he only knew.
...
*time loops*
Commissary. Jack is sitting at a table, feet on top of it, scowling. Teal'c comes in and asks him whether it's not time to go help Daniel with the translation. Jack replies he's taking this loop off. He starts to draw on a place with ketchup and mustard.
Jack: I'm telling you, Teal'c. If we don't find a way out of this soon I'm going to lose it. Lose it -- it means go crazy, nuts, insane, bonzo, no longer in possession of one's faculties, three fries short of a happy meal... WACKO!
Jack lifts up the plate to show Teal'c that he has drawn a smiling face.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. This time around, Jack's the one who's translating on the chalkboard. He underlines the words "give up" in frustration, it's very adorable. He then passes the chalk on to Teal'c, who takes up his place while Jack sits down, lays back and hits his face with his palms really hard -- seriously, that hurt what with the noise it made. Daniel just looks this all in, he's a bit stunned.
Daniel: Exactly how many of these loops have you -- have we been through?
Jack: I've lost track.
Daniel: That must be frustrating.
Jack: [sarcasm mode on] Yeah!
Daniel: On the other hand it's kind of an opportunity.
Jack: How's that?
Daniel: Well think about it, I mean if you know in advance that everything is always going to go back to the way it was then... you could do anything for as long as you want without having to worry about the consequences.
Jack and Teal'c realize exactly what Daniel's saying, excuse themselves and leave.
Let the fun times begin.
...
*time loops*
For reasons unknown -- yet hilarious -- Jack's throwing pottery, with a wheel and everything, in a lab that looks a bit too much like Sam's. The vase he's making crumples.
...
*time loops*
[While wearing an atrociously horrible pair of bright orange pants] Jack's riding a bike through the SGC corridors, ringing a bell and asking random technicians how are their wives.
...
*time loops*
Jack and Teal'c, in full golf garb, argyle socks and everything, are playing golf through the open Stargate.
...
*time loops*
Jack's throwing pottery again; this time the pot he's making looks perfect.
...
*time loops*
Playing golf through the Stargate again. Jack's about to hit the ball when General Hammond interrupts.
General Hammond: Colonel O'Neill, what the hell are you doing?
Jack: [shouting and gesticulating wildly] In the middle of my back swing?!
...
*time loops*
Teal'c closes the door right in the face of the geeky airman, whom we hear falling down on the other side.
Teal'c smirks and it is awesome.
...
*time loops*
Control room. Jack comes up the stairs wearing the horrible orange pants, an even more atrocious yellow sweatshirt and his black beanie on his head. He goes up to to General Hammond and hands him his resignation. Sam gets up from her chair and asks him what is he resigning for.
Jack looks at his watch [just as the sirens start blaring the gate's about to open] and kisses Sam, dipping and everything, while everyone stares at them.
...
*time loops*
Briefing room. Sam's sitting at the table. She asks Jack what is he smiling at, but he just smiles some more and replies, "nothing."
Daniel is getting ready to brief. There are images of the ruins up on the screen. General Hammond comes in.
General Hammond: What have you got for us, Dr Jackson?
Daniel: With the help of Teal'c and... Jack, I've managed to complete the translation. As I originally suspected, P4X 639 was once a colony of the Ancients. They thrived there for thousands of years, until they were struck by some sort of unspecified cataclysm, perhaps a disease, but we'll never really know for sure. In any case, facing certain destruction, they built a time machine.
Jack: They were going to go back and change their history, to avoid their fate.
Daniel: Right, but it didn't work. Instead of sending a team of scientists back to the key moment in their history, the device caused a short term continuous loop. Just like the one we've been experiencing. They experienced the same day dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times, trying to get the machine to work, but in the end they gave up, they shut it down and... let the end come.
General Hammond: So the loop can be broken?
Daniel: There's a section of text on the altar that deals specifically with the geomagnetic storms that power the device. Apparently they recur every fifty or so years which is why, incidentally--
Jack: [interrupting] Yes sir! The loop can be broken.
Daniel: I was getting to that. When we activate the symbols on the altar in the right sequence I think we can shut it down.
General Hammond: Colonel, have your team geared up and ready to embark in thirty minutes.
Jack: Yes, sir!
...
P4X-639. SG-1 exits the Stargate. Sam is setting up her equipment but Jack tells her the geomagnetic storm is building up and they shouldn't stay long. Hee. Sam looks shocked, but Jack just shrugs, "lucky guess."
Jack shouts for Malakai, saying he knows he's there somewhere. Teal'c is walking up to the altar, but suddenly hits a powerful force field and is thrown back violently. He falls down, unconscious. Jack, Sam and Daniel rush up to Teal'c while Malakai shows up on the other side of the force field looking all smug in sunglasses. He says he can't let SG-1 break the time loop.
Jack yells at him some, then picks up a stone and throws it at the force field. The stone bounces back with extreme velocity and almost hits Daniel. Oops.
Sam: It's no good, sir. It looks like a variation of a Goa'uld force shield.
Malakai: In fact it is, Major. I had to trade several rare artifacts for the field generator but it was well worth it.
Daniel: Malakai, we have to reset those controls or the loop is going to restart itself again.
Malakai: I'm counting on it. I need more time. Once I've correctly deciphered the symbols on the altar I will be able to master the time device. Jack: Why, so you can be king of Groundhog Day?
Malakai: Do you think I would do this for personal power? She -- you wouldn't understand.
Jack: What happened?
Malakai: She died... twelve years ago. When I found this place and discovered its true purpose I dedicated myself to unlock its mysteries.
Sam: So you could go back and save her.
Teal'c has regained consciousness by then, though he still needs help getting up. That is one mean force field indeed.
We learn that Malakai's wife died of natural causes, and no matter what he does, going back in time cannot save her. But still he wants to go back just so he can be with his wife once more. Daniel repeats once more that the device doesn't work, and Sam tells Malakai that what he's doing is affecting the 14 planets stuck on the time loop along with him. Malakai is surprised by that information, but he quickly recovers saying it doesn't matter. Daniel then explains that even the Ancients couldn't make it work and that in the end they gave up and let the inevitable come.
But it's Jack who really gets it.
Jack: Listen to me, I know what it's like.
Malakai: You can't!
Jack: [shouting, very angry] I lost my son, I know! And as much as I -- I could never live that over again. Could you?
Malakai: No.
Jack: Let her go.
Everyone looks incredibly sad. Malakai deactivates the altar, the static energy stops and the force field is turned off. Jack goes up to the altar and takes the photograph of Malakai's wife from his bag, handing it to him. It's over.
...
Gate room. SG-1 comes back home, mission accomplished. As they're stepping down the gate ramp, General Hammond comes up to them.
General Hammond: Well, we're still here, Colonel. I assume you were successful?
Jack: Well, General, you know what they say. If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try... try, TRY again.
...
Commissary. Jack, Sam and Daniel are sitting at the table, Jack is eating the largest plate of oatmeal anyone's ever made with the biggest spoon he could find. He's being a bit disgusting about it too.
Daniel: I don't think I've ever seen anyone enjoy oatmeal so much.
Jack: When you've been eating fruit loops for who knows how long, a little variety helps.
Sam: We got a message from the Tok'ra. Apparently they've been trying to contact us for over three months.
Jack: Really?
Sam: Who knows when they first realized that we were cut off? I mean, there's really no telling how much time passed.
And now that the business part of the conversation has been taken care of, Daniel asks the question everyone wants to:
Daniel: Let me ask you something. In all the time that you were looping, were you ever tempted to do something crazy? I mean... you could do anything without worrying about the consequences.
Jack: You know, it's funny. You asked me that before.
Daniel: And?
But Jack doesn't say anything, just stares at Sam with a smile on his face, while he continues to eat his oatmeal breakfast.
...
Questions:
1. What else do you think Jack and Teal'c did for fun during the time loops?
2. Why didn't Jack and Teal'c figure out they could do anything, consequences be damned? At the same time, why was it so easy for Daniel to come to that conclusion? Do you think Jack and Teal'c would have realized it at all if Daniel hadn't said anything?
3. Did Janet exam Jack and Teal'c every single loop or did they ever manage to figure out a way to escape it? If so -- what was it?
4. Do you think Jack and Teal'c used the same explanations every loop to convince the others of what was happening [guessing the exact time of SG-12 coming home unexpectedly, one of them injured, etc], or did they come up with new stuff each time? Like what?
5. How long did it take Sam to figure out Jack kissed her [come on, she figured it out, it's not like she's stupid!]? What was her reaction then?
6. We know the Ancient Janus managed to make his time machine work, so why couldn't these Ancients manage to do it too?
7. On a scale of one to ten, how funny is it that Jack is stuck in a time LOOP and eating Fruit LOOPS?
8. And last but not least: how many times did you yell MAGNETS! while watching this episode/reading this recap?
:)
Please excuse the verbosity -- this is not so much a summary as a "I kinda wrote down every single thing that happened" deal. :)
We open at a very bright, very Ancient-y looking planet. There are stone ruins all around the Stargate. It looks really hot, which hey, always a plus because it means SG-1 in desert gear -- definitely the prettiest garb.
Teal'c and Jack are doing their perimeter patrol thing while Sam sets up equipment to monitor the sun's corona mass emission -- that's like a giant solar flare. The sun's doing something to the planet's magnetic field, which might cause an increase in surface radiation. Jack's worried whether it's safe, but Sam assures him it won't be a problem if they don't stay too long. Jack wonders if someone bothered to explain that to Daniel.
Meanwhile, Daniel is a little far up the ruins where a big altar sits, with Malakai, an alien archaeologist who has been studying the world for many months. SG-15 [Pierce!] first encountered him when they first visited the planet a couple of weeks before. Daniel is studying the text written on a big stone wall. Malakai's clearly not happy with SG-1's presence and insists they must leave before the radiation levels become more dangerous, but Daniel is in total Archaeologist Mode and he's definitely drank way too much coffee before this mission because the speech speed is pretty fantastic too.
Oblivious to Malakai's death glare, Daniel encounters a passage of text that's repeated several times: dommo waitus, westol notibilium. Malakai translates it as "conquerer of time", but Daniel corrects him -- it's more like "master of the uncertain past". Daniel says he had the opportunity to hear the language aloud the year before [he's obviously referencing Jack's download of the Ancient Repository into his brain back in The Fifth Race. Nice continuity, guys!]. Daniel obviously has very fond memories of Jack slowly going nuts.
Suddenly, the stone buttons on the altar start moving. Before Daniel knows what hit him, Malakai pulls a weapon and shoots him. It's a zat-like shot, and Daniel falls down, unconscious. Malakai messes with the buttons on the altar some more and activates the device. Cue ominous music.
Back at the Stargate, Sam's all set up and Jack decides it's time to go. He radioes Daniel, who of course doesn't respond on account of unconsciousness. Jack, Teal'c and Sam walk towards the altar but stop when they hear electric static. Suddenly, lots of pretty blue lights shoot out of the two rows of stone ruins towards the gate, which opens and were not for quick ducking reflexes, 3/4 of SG-1 would have been kawhooshed into oblivion.
...
SGC control room. The technician reports an incoming wormhole to General Hammond. The same blue lights that reached to the gate at P4X-639 are all over their Stargate. Hammond wonders what the hell that is and the technician replies that he has no idea and wow, brilliant dialog of uselessness right there. And it's just the first time we're gonna hear it.
...
Back on the planet, Jack, Sam and Teal'c run towards the altar. They find unconscious!Daniel and Malakai still busy at the machine. While Sam is tending to Daniel, Jack and Teal'c jump Malakai and the three of them are hit by a huge blast of the electric blue light.
Blinding flash of white and we're looking at an extreme close-up of Jack's spoonful of Fruit Loops. We're at a table at the SGC commissary in the middle of a conversation in which Daniel's being all hands and earnestness and he's sorry, but that's happens to be how he feels about it, what does Jack think? Jack -- spoon of cereal still midway to his mouth -- is as clueless as we are. Sam asks him if something's wrong and he replies "maybe."
Ominous piano music plays as Jack stares at his Fruit Loops.
CREDITS ROLL.
Commissary. We're back as we were, SG-1 minus Teal'c are eating breakfast. Jack still holds his spoon up, and he looks really confused. Which then makes Sam look at him all confused as well. Jack asks, weren't they just somewhere else?
Daniel: Where?
Jack: Some planet.
Daniel: When?
Jack: Just now.
Daniel: No.
Jack: You sure?
Daniel: Yeah.
Jack finally puts his spoon down and looks around, still not understanding what the hell is going on. He says that everything changed, but Sam replies that they have been sitting in the commissary for the past half-hour. Daniel amps up the sarcasm and replies that it's understandable how Jack could've gotten the two places confused. Heh. Sam looks like she really wants to point and laugh at her boss, but she manages to hold it in and then looks at her watch and gets up, saying they're gonna be late to the briefing. Jack's still in confusion mode: "briefing?" Daniel and Sam look at each other, clearly having a silent conversation of the "is Jack crazy again?" variety.
Daniel asks Jack if he's OK, or if he's just trying to avoid answering the question. Jack replies that he's fine... and what question? They all get up and leave the commissary.
...
Briefing room. General Hammond's at the head of the table and Sam is standing up on the plasma screen where there's an schematic of the burning sun from the planet. She explains that two weeks prior, SG-15 shot those images of the increasing solar activity on P4X-639. If she's right, what they're witnessing is just the precursor for an exponentially greater violent ejection -- fortunately Teal'c interrupts the technobabble, saying they've been previously briefed on the matter.
Sam looks very confused. Jack tells her she wants to go to the planet to set up a remote observatory. Daniel and Hammond throw odd looks at Jack. Sam looks almost... fearful, but replies that yes, she does.
Jack: We just did that.
Daniel: No we didn't.
Teal'c: I believe we did, Daniel Jackson.
General Hammond: No, Teal'c, that's what this briefing is about.
Jack: I distinctly remember sitting here listening to Carter prattle on about solar activity and corona--something.
Sam: Corona mass emission. I was just about to bring it up.
Jack asks how would he know that, and Sam wonders if maybe he read her report? Daniel then makes about 35 different funny faces while saying "maybe he read your report?!" and it's the best thing ever.
Jack insists they've done all of this before. Sam, Daniel and General Hammond all look skeptical, while Teal'c agrees with Jack saying he's experiencing a great deal of familiarity with the events.
Suddenly we hear the gate opening. Sirens, "unscheduled offworld activation!" SG-1 and Hammond rush to the control room. The technician reports the unscheduled incoming traveler, Jack says it's SG-12. Hammond replies they're not due back for days, but the technician confirms SG-12's IDC. Daniel and Sam give Jack A LOOK, but he just smirks. Then Teal'c says one of the SG-12 dudes will be injured, and Jack nods. Hammond orders the iris open and there comes SG-12, one guy hobbling on one leg and being supported by another. General Hammond is stunned, but Jack just raises his eyebrows.
...
General Hammond and Sam are walking down the corridor to the infirmary. Hammond wants to know what Sam thinks, and she's not sure what's going on. This is the first of several conversations Sam and Gen Hammond have in this episode that will never ever be remembered by anyone. And still we get to see all of them!
In the infirmary, Janet is examining Jack's eye with a pen light. Teal'c is in a background bed being examined by a nurse and Daniel is trying to make sense of it all by asking a bunch of questions. Jack's not helping: "you were by the altar deal with the guy." Daniel asks for him to be more specific, and Teal'c just says "Malakai" before the nurse puts a thermometer in his mouth. Daniel was looking forward to meet Malakai and Jack snarks that he already did and got along swell right up to the point when a beam shot out of the ruins and into the Stargate.
Teal'c takes the thermometer out of his mouth and mentions there was a blinding flash of light, and Jack adds that after that he was back in the commissary eating his Fruit Loops. The nurse puts the thermometer back in Teal'c's mouth once again, and hee, this is pretty much the most hilarious thing in the entire episode.
Sam and General Hammond get to the infirmary and Janet reports that both Jack and Teal'c are in perfect health. Except for the fact that they're remembering events that haven't happened yet. General Hammond is not taking any chances and postpones the mission to P4X-639.
...
Jack's walking down a corridor. He checks his watch and right on time Daniel calls his name, asking him to wait up. Daniel shows Jack the pictures SG-15 took of the carvings on the ruins on P4X-639. He's hoping there's some clue in there, but unfortunately it's the equivalent of 400 pages of alien text. If Jack could give him some more details on the layout of the ruins -- BAM. Siler comes up and hits Daniel's face with his head. Daniel falls down, pictures flying everywhere. Siler and Airman DeLuise help Daniel up while Jack looks on. "Should've seen that coming." Hee.
...
Commissary. Jack is taking imaginary things off his coffee cup and doing quite a lot of moping. Sam comes in and sits across him.
Sam: So.
Jack: So?
Sam: Don't you know what I'm gonna say?
Jack looks at his watch and replies that by then they were already at the planet, so it's all different. Sam looks a bit disappointed, but recovers quickly. She's been thinking about the beam hitting the Stargate. Her theory is that maybe Jack's not remembering the future, but maybe he was sent back in time. It wouldn't be the first time, the gate did send them to 1969. Sam brings on the technobabble full scale: "could this beam you mentioned be a means to access the Gate's subspace field in order to create some kind of time inversion outside of subspace?" The music swells and Jack's response is that he knew she was gonna say that. Hee.
Sam smiles and goes away to run some simulations while Jack stays there drinking his coffee and talking to himself.
...
General Hammond's office. The general's sitting at his desk while Jack and Teal'c stand in front of it. The lab results ordered by Doctor Frasier confirm that Jack and Teal'c are in perfect health, and they haven't had any more "premonitions." Jack begs the general to please let them go back to work and Hammond is about to give his OK when sirens blast and "unscheduled offworld activation!"
Jack's reaction? "D'OH!"
The same electric blue lights are hitting the gate once more. General Hammond asks what's that, and the technician answer that he's never seen anything like it, oh, hi, useless dialog again. Jack and Teal'c look at each other and Jack says, "we have." Blinding white flash of light and we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being, well, Daniel.
Jack looks even more confused. Sam asks him if something's wrong and he replies that "oh yeah, something."
...
Briefing room. The burning sun on P4X-639 is showing on the plasma screen. Sam is starting her presentation when Jack interrupts her:
Jack: We've done this!
Daniel: We do this every day. [hee!]
Jack: I'm not talking about briefings in general, Daniel. I'm talking about this briefing. I'm talking about this day!
Teal'c: Colonel O'Neill is correct. Events do appear to be repeating themselves.
Daniel: Since when?
Jack: Since we went to P4X-639.
Sam: We haven't been to P4X 639.
Jack: Yes we have. [He points at Daniel] No we haven't. That's what you were going to say.
Daniel: Of course that's what I was going to say.
Jack: OK, bad example.
Jack doesn't know why only he and Teal'c remember, but his guess is that it has something to do with the planet. And that everyone will believe him when SG-12 comes through the gate in 4, 3, 2, 1... nothing happens. Hee. Jack pokes his watch really hard. General Hammond is just saying SG-12 isn't due to return in another three days when the gate activates. "So close," Jack complains.
...
Infirmary. Janet is examining Jack's eye again in the exact same way she did the first time. Jack and Teal'c argue that she's not gonna find anything and that he lab results will be negative.
Jack tells Hammond he knows the general's thinking of postponing the mission, but that didn't work the previous time. Once more the nurse puts the thermometer in Teal'c mouth and it's still the funniest thing ever. Big guy's not amused.
...
Corridor. Jack's counting down in his fingers and right on cue, Daniel comes up to him. Daniel starts saying the exact same things he did the first time when Jack interrupts, "400 pages of alien text." Daniel shows Jack the pictures of P4X-639 and Jack says it looks familiar. Daniel says it should, because it's something Jack spoke for a few days -- it's the writing used by the Ancients.
Jack: Well, if you're looking for help translating it you're barking up the wrong genius.
Daniel: No, I realize that the Asgards returned you to normal, which is… fortunate I suppose. [Ha!] But if you could give me more details about the layout of the ruins it might be useful --
BAM. There comes Siler again and once more Daniel is sprawled on the floor, pictures flying everywhere.
Jack: Oops.
...
General Hammond's office. Jack and Teal'c are trying to convince Hammond that they can't wait anymore
Jack: Hey, if it were just me I'd agree. But what about Teal'c? Come on, is this the face of a crazy man?
I don't know if it's the weird blond tuft of hair on his chin or what, but Teal'c has never looked crazier. Hee. "Bad example" indeed.
General Hammond asks them what they want -- Jack and Teal'c want to go back to the planet.
...
P4X-639. SG-1 comes through the gate. Sam says the geomagnetic storm is picking up, they shouldn't stay on the planet for long. Jack leads the way to the altar. Sam wonders how the machine works, Jack replies, "subspace fields and time inversions". Sam's surprised, but Jack shrugs, it's what she told him.
Malakai is there. Jack, Sam and Teal'c point their weapons at him, but he doesn't seem to know who they are and mentions SG-15 didn't point their weapons. Jack's not buying it though, and goes through Malakai's bag and finds his weapon.
Jack: What kind of archaeologist carries a weapon?
Daniel: [raising his hand and everything!] Uh... I do.
Jack: Bad example.
Jack then finds the picture frame with the moving photo of Malakai's wife that the F/X dudes so totally stole from Harry Potter. Suddenly, the altar buttons start moving. Jack asks Sam what did she do, she replies that it started up on its own. Jack orders Sam to turn it off, but she just asks him how. Heh. Malakai explains that it's drawing energy from the ionization in the atmosphere and there's nothing Major Carter could do. Bus-ted! Jack wants to know how did he know Sam's name. Malakai still tries to play it dumb a bit more, but no one's buying it anymore. He says it doesn't matter though, there's nothing SG-1 can do.
Jack tells him to shut it off. Sam warns them that the machine is building some sort of charge. Jack orders Daniel to read the stuff written on the altar to shut if off, but he replies he wouldn't even know where to start and while Daniel goes on and on the electric charge gets bigger and louder and it shoots at the gate. Again. And we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being all excited and hands moving and "anyway I'm sorry but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?"
Jack drops his spoon and holds his head. Daniel deflates. "It was just a question."
...
Briefing room. Once more the burning sun on P4X-639 is showing on the plasma screen. This time around, Jack doesn't even let Sam start her presentation.
Jack: All right, here's the deal. We're all stuck in a time loop of some kind. However Teal'c and I seem to be the only ones who realize it. Now there's this alien device on six thirty nine. It shoots a beam at the Stargate which… subspace something... what?
Teal'c: Accesses the subspace field the Stargate is capable of generating. It is powered by ionization.
Jack: In the atmosphere, right. Which is caused by... I know this one... Magnets!
Teal'c: The geomagnetic storm.
Jack: Of course. Anyway I don't know why none of you remember this. But I do know for a fact there's no point in having old Doc Fraiser examining us again!
Sam, Daniel and General Hammond just stare at them.
...
Infirmary. Janet is examining Jack's eye again.
Jack: I ask you. What could possibly be in my eye that could explain this?
The nurse puts the thermometer in Teal'c's mouth. This time, he just sighs.
...
General Hammond and Sam are walking down the corridor outside the infirmary. Hammond wants to know what Sam thinks.
Sam: Well sir, when was the last time you heard Colonel O'Neill use terms like subspace field and geomagnetic storm?
General Hammond: Good point.
Sam: And he actually used them correctly... for the most part.
And then they acknowledge the fact that they won't remember this conversation. Amazing!
...
Daniel's lab. Daniel's about to leave when Jack and Teal'c come in. Daniel was about to go looking for them because he's managed to translate a part of the text on the wall of the ruins.
Daniel: It appears to be some sort of planetary history.
Jack: Daniel, that's very nice, but focus on the altar.
Daniel: Why?
Teal'c: Malakai initiated the time loop by manipulating the symbols on the surface.
Jack: Figure out the symbols, figure out how to stop this!
Daniel: Just because someone can recognize symbols on a keyboard doesn't mean they can run a computer. If I can translate the rest of the text I can put the device in a proper context and figure out what it's supposed to do.
Jack: We know what it does! It's a time loop machine.
Daniel: Think about it. Who would build a device that loops time every ten hours?
Jack: Who knows? But that's what it does.
Daniel: Yes, but maybe that's not what it's supposed to do. I mean for all we know that's just an accidental by-product of its true function.
They're interrupted when the phone rings. It's Sam, she has something. The guys leave.
...
Briefing room. There's an schematic of a galaxy on the screen this time around. Sam is presenting while Jack looks incredibly frustrated and impatient.
Sam: According to Colonel O'Neill, in the first loop he and Teal'c witnessed a beam striking the Stargate on P4X 639. Then the Gate became energized somehow. But now in the second loop at the exact same moment they witnessed a similar effect in our own Gate room here on Earth.
Jack: Sounds about right.
Sam: OK, so if we really are under the influence of an alien technology then the effect is clearly being translated to Earth via the Stargate. In which case the solution is simple.
Daniel: We dial out.
Sam: Exactly, a few minutes before this is set to begin again we establish an outgoing wormhole to, I don't know... say the Tollan home world, and anyone or anything trying to dial in from P4X 639 will get a busy signal.
General Hammond: Let's do it.
They attempt to dial the gate but chevron seven won't lock. Sam's running a diagnostic when they get an incoming wormhole. "Oh, crap," says Jack. Sam says it doesn't make any sense, there's nothing wrong on their end and they should be able to dial out. The wormhole engage and the blue lights hit the Stargate again. Sam looks at Jack and he waves goodbye at her and we're back at the commissary with Jack eating his Fruit Loops and Daniel being all excited and hands moving and "anyway, I'm sorry but that just happens to be how I feel about it. What do you think?"
Jack: Ask me tomorrow.
Poor Jack.
...
Daniel's office. We come back in the middle of the scene.
Daniel: ...just because someone can recognize the symbols on a keyboard doesn't mean they can run a computer --
Jack: We've been over this!
Jack's pissed. He says the only way to stop the loops is to figure out how to turn off the buttons on the altar. Daniel argues that there's no way he can translate all the text in less than a day, but Jack says he's way ahead of him and takes a recorder off his pocket. Which of course doesn't work -- as Daniel points out -- not even when Jack bashes the device into the table.
Teal'c: Did I not say that your plan would be unsuccessful?
Jack: [raising a finger at Teal'c] Careful! Be careful.
HEE.
Jack asks Daniel what about notes, but Daniel tells him the only way it'll work is for Jack and Teal'c to learn and remember all this stuff.
Jack picks up a picture of the altar buttons and wonders how hard can it be. Daniel turns the picture upside down, showing Jack the right way. And we about die laughing.
...
Sam and General Hammond are in front of the plasma screen having yet another conversation no one will ever remember.
Sam: According to Colonel O'Neill, in a previous loop we attempted to block the connection with P4X 639 but we were unable to dial out. I think what's happened is that the Earth has become in a sense out of sync with the rest of the Gate system, making it impossible for us to establish contact with these worlds.
General Hammond: What about SG-12, they managed to Gate in?
Sam: I realize that, so we ran a sequence of random dialings and this is what we found. [showing the planets on the plasma] These were the worlds we were able to contact, including Alars, the planet where SG-12 was doing its survey. At the center of this group is P4X 639. I believe that the alien device is establishing a simultaneous connection with all of these gates, creating a kind of subspace bubble, and that everything within the bubble is cut off from the normal flow of time.
General Hammond: What are the implications of this?
Sam: Well sir, we could be reliving the same day over and over maybe thousands of times and we'd never know it.
General Hammond: What can we do?
Sam: Unfortunately not much. By the next time this loop starts we won't even remember we had this conversation. It's up to Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill.
And they keep commenting on how they won't remember it! I just hope they remembered the relate all of these tiny little details to Jack and Teal'c.
...
Daniel's office. Jack and Teal'c are reading up on Latin while Daniel is translating the Ancient text on a chalkboard. As the sirens go off and "unscheduled offworld activation!", Jack and Teal'c talk.
Jack: You know the worst part about this? Every time we loop Daniel asks me a question and... I wasn't listening the first time.
Teal'c: You are not the only one who must endure some discomfort, O'Neill.
...
*time loops*
Teal'c gets hit by a door opening right as the loop starts. Said door is being opened by the geekiest most dorky airman they could've ever find.
Airman: Sorry sir, I didn't realize you were there!
Teal'c: You have said that on many occasions. Perhaps next time I will not be so forgiving.
Audience: *collapses a lung from laughing so hard*
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel's translating the Ancient text on the chalkboard while Jack and Teal'c look oh so incredibly bored. Jack's playing with a couple of scrunched paper balls.
Daniel: Section 23 ends with a reference to perennial inventus.
Jack: We've been over this.
Teal'c: I believe it means the approaching disaster.
Daniel: [very surprised] Good.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel's translating the Ancient text on the chalkboard while Jack and Teal'c are still very bored. Teal'c's staring at his hands.
Daniel: ...On the machine itself. With recurring use the machine surrenders to the rigors of time...
Teal'c: That is incorrect, Daniel Jackson.
Daniel looks incredibly surprised. Jack goes into Stuffy Professor mode.
Jack: The word "abiceerum" means "to give up," not "surrender."
Daniel just does his PowerPuff Girls impression and stares really hard and blinks really slowly.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining some part of the text that relates to the Ancients' arrival on P4X-639. Jack is spinning around on his chair and Teal'c is reading.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack starts juggling the paper balls as he sits in his chair. Teal'c looks at him.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack is now standing up, juggling the paper balls much more enthusiastically.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack's sitting back up and is now watching Teal'c juggle the paper balls. "Nice!"
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. Daniel is explaining the same part of the text. Jack and Teal'c are both standing up, both juggling expertly. Daniel looks at them, at bit worried the guys aren't getting any of the stuff.
If he only knew.
...
*time loops*
Commissary. Jack is sitting at a table, feet on top of it, scowling. Teal'c comes in and asks him whether it's not time to go help Daniel with the translation. Jack replies he's taking this loop off. He starts to draw on a place with ketchup and mustard.
Jack: I'm telling you, Teal'c. If we don't find a way out of this soon I'm going to lose it. Lose it -- it means go crazy, nuts, insane, bonzo, no longer in possession of one's faculties, three fries short of a happy meal... WACKO!
Jack lifts up the plate to show Teal'c that he has drawn a smiling face.
...
*time loops*
Daniel's office. This time around, Jack's the one who's translating on the chalkboard. He underlines the words "give up" in frustration, it's very adorable. He then passes the chalk on to Teal'c, who takes up his place while Jack sits down, lays back and hits his face with his palms really hard -- seriously, that hurt what with the noise it made. Daniel just looks this all in, he's a bit stunned.
Daniel: Exactly how many of these loops have you -- have we been through?
Jack: I've lost track.
Daniel: That must be frustrating.
Jack: [sarcasm mode on] Yeah!
Daniel: On the other hand it's kind of an opportunity.
Jack: How's that?
Daniel: Well think about it, I mean if you know in advance that everything is always going to go back to the way it was then... you could do anything for as long as you want without having to worry about the consequences.
Jack and Teal'c realize exactly what Daniel's saying, excuse themselves and leave.
Let the fun times begin.
...
*time loops*
For reasons unknown -- yet hilarious -- Jack's throwing pottery, with a wheel and everything, in a lab that looks a bit too much like Sam's. The vase he's making crumples.
...
*time loops*
[While wearing an atrociously horrible pair of bright orange pants] Jack's riding a bike through the SGC corridors, ringing a bell and asking random technicians how are their wives.
...
*time loops*
Jack and Teal'c, in full golf garb, argyle socks and everything, are playing golf through the open Stargate.
...
*time loops*
Jack's throwing pottery again; this time the pot he's making looks perfect.
...
*time loops*
Playing golf through the Stargate again. Jack's about to hit the ball when General Hammond interrupts.
General Hammond: Colonel O'Neill, what the hell are you doing?
Jack: [shouting and gesticulating wildly] In the middle of my back swing?!
...
*time loops*
Teal'c closes the door right in the face of the geeky airman, whom we hear falling down on the other side.
Teal'c smirks and it is awesome.
...
*time loops*
Control room. Jack comes up the stairs wearing the horrible orange pants, an even more atrocious yellow sweatshirt and his black beanie on his head. He goes up to to General Hammond and hands him his resignation. Sam gets up from her chair and asks him what is he resigning for.
Jack looks at his watch [just as the sirens start blaring the gate's about to open] and kisses Sam, dipping and everything, while everyone stares at them.
...
*time loops*
Briefing room. Sam's sitting at the table. She asks Jack what is he smiling at, but he just smiles some more and replies, "nothing."
Daniel is getting ready to brief. There are images of the ruins up on the screen. General Hammond comes in.
General Hammond: What have you got for us, Dr Jackson?
Daniel: With the help of Teal'c and... Jack, I've managed to complete the translation. As I originally suspected, P4X 639 was once a colony of the Ancients. They thrived there for thousands of years, until they were struck by some sort of unspecified cataclysm, perhaps a disease, but we'll never really know for sure. In any case, facing certain destruction, they built a time machine.
Jack: They were going to go back and change their history, to avoid their fate.
Daniel: Right, but it didn't work. Instead of sending a team of scientists back to the key moment in their history, the device caused a short term continuous loop. Just like the one we've been experiencing. They experienced the same day dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times, trying to get the machine to work, but in the end they gave up, they shut it down and... let the end come.
General Hammond: So the loop can be broken?
Daniel: There's a section of text on the altar that deals specifically with the geomagnetic storms that power the device. Apparently they recur every fifty or so years which is why, incidentally--
Jack: [interrupting] Yes sir! The loop can be broken.
Daniel: I was getting to that. When we activate the symbols on the altar in the right sequence I think we can shut it down.
General Hammond: Colonel, have your team geared up and ready to embark in thirty minutes.
Jack: Yes, sir!
...
P4X-639. SG-1 exits the Stargate. Sam is setting up her equipment but Jack tells her the geomagnetic storm is building up and they shouldn't stay long. Hee. Sam looks shocked, but Jack just shrugs, "lucky guess."
Jack shouts for Malakai, saying he knows he's there somewhere. Teal'c is walking up to the altar, but suddenly hits a powerful force field and is thrown back violently. He falls down, unconscious. Jack, Sam and Daniel rush up to Teal'c while Malakai shows up on the other side of the force field looking all smug in sunglasses. He says he can't let SG-1 break the time loop.
Jack yells at him some, then picks up a stone and throws it at the force field. The stone bounces back with extreme velocity and almost hits Daniel. Oops.
Sam: It's no good, sir. It looks like a variation of a Goa'uld force shield.
Malakai: In fact it is, Major. I had to trade several rare artifacts for the field generator but it was well worth it.
Daniel: Malakai, we have to reset those controls or the loop is going to restart itself again.
Malakai: I'm counting on it. I need more time. Once I've correctly deciphered the symbols on the altar I will be able to master the time device. Jack: Why, so you can be king of Groundhog Day?
Malakai: Do you think I would do this for personal power? She -- you wouldn't understand.
Jack: What happened?
Malakai: She died... twelve years ago. When I found this place and discovered its true purpose I dedicated myself to unlock its mysteries.
Sam: So you could go back and save her.
Teal'c has regained consciousness by then, though he still needs help getting up. That is one mean force field indeed.
We learn that Malakai's wife died of natural causes, and no matter what he does, going back in time cannot save her. But still he wants to go back just so he can be with his wife once more. Daniel repeats once more that the device doesn't work, and Sam tells Malakai that what he's doing is affecting the 14 planets stuck on the time loop along with him. Malakai is surprised by that information, but he quickly recovers saying it doesn't matter. Daniel then explains that even the Ancients couldn't make it work and that in the end they gave up and let the inevitable come.
But it's Jack who really gets it.
Jack: Listen to me, I know what it's like.
Malakai: You can't!
Jack: [shouting, very angry] I lost my son, I know! And as much as I -- I could never live that over again. Could you?
Malakai: No.
Jack: Let her go.
Everyone looks incredibly sad. Malakai deactivates the altar, the static energy stops and the force field is turned off. Jack goes up to the altar and takes the photograph of Malakai's wife from his bag, handing it to him. It's over.
...
Gate room. SG-1 comes back home, mission accomplished. As they're stepping down the gate ramp, General Hammond comes up to them.
General Hammond: Well, we're still here, Colonel. I assume you were successful?
Jack: Well, General, you know what they say. If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try... try, TRY again.
...
Commissary. Jack, Sam and Daniel are sitting at the table, Jack is eating the largest plate of oatmeal anyone's ever made with the biggest spoon he could find. He's being a bit disgusting about it too.
Daniel: I don't think I've ever seen anyone enjoy oatmeal so much.
Jack: When you've been eating fruit loops for who knows how long, a little variety helps.
Sam: We got a message from the Tok'ra. Apparently they've been trying to contact us for over three months.
Jack: Really?
Sam: Who knows when they first realized that we were cut off? I mean, there's really no telling how much time passed.
And now that the business part of the conversation has been taken care of, Daniel asks the question everyone wants to:
Daniel: Let me ask you something. In all the time that you were looping, were you ever tempted to do something crazy? I mean... you could do anything without worrying about the consequences.
Jack: You know, it's funny. You asked me that before.
Daniel: And?
But Jack doesn't say anything, just stares at Sam with a smile on his face, while he continues to eat his oatmeal breakfast.
...
Questions:
1. What else do you think Jack and Teal'c did for fun during the time loops?
2. Why didn't Jack and Teal'c figure out they could do anything, consequences be damned? At the same time, why was it so easy for Daniel to come to that conclusion? Do you think Jack and Teal'c would have realized it at all if Daniel hadn't said anything?
3. Did Janet exam Jack and Teal'c every single loop or did they ever manage to figure out a way to escape it? If so -- what was it?
4. Do you think Jack and Teal'c used the same explanations every loop to convince the others of what was happening [guessing the exact time of SG-12 coming home unexpectedly, one of them injured, etc], or did they come up with new stuff each time? Like what?
5. How long did it take Sam to figure out Jack kissed her [come on, she figured it out, it's not like she's stupid!]? What was her reaction then?
6. We know the Ancient Janus managed to make his time machine work, so why couldn't these Ancients manage to do it too?
7. On a scale of one to ten, how funny is it that Jack is stuck in a time LOOP and eating Fruit LOOPS?
8. And last but not least: how many times did you yell MAGNETS! while watching this episode/reading this recap?
:)