The Other Side

[Colonel Carter]

I was watching this episode tonight and I didn't really like it that much for one reason - Jack seemed too much out of character. Jack is the one who is always so good at reading people and detecting a person's true nature. Like in 2010 and 2001 not trusting the Ashen whose offer seemed too good to be true. And it seemed so unbelievable that he would so strongly advocate a trade in which he would give a people a substance in which they could create nuclear weapons with. He just met those people and he's already assuming they'll use the heavy water only for defense purposes? And how quickly he shut Daniel up for stating the obvious thing that Jack normally should have been thinking. Normally Jack is good at picking up on things. I picked up that this guy was uncomfortable around Teal'c early on and Jack didn't figure it out until the guy asked Jack not to bring Teal'c back with him. Jack seemed to be so off his game in this episode. I liked the idea and concept and the episode over all. I just didn't like how Jack seemed to be acting so unlike himself.

[Livia Sabina]

They'd just had a very close call against the Replicators when they visited Alar's planet. I wonder if this had anything to do with Jack's determination to get a hold of technology that could protect Earth against another threat at any cost and that he was deliberately ignoring his instincts and misgivings, maybe thinking that helping Alar's people win a war was a neccessary evil at first, but being unwilling to do so when the truth emerged.

Another possiblity is that the writers were setting it up as a forerunner to the Jack-Daniel moral conflict that would be replayed in 'Scorched Earth'.

[Colonel Carter]

I miss Daniel-Jack conflicts. They made the show more interesting. They need more conflict within the team just to keep things alive and make these characters feel more real. In real life work-settings, we conflict with others even those we like. It would make the season a little more realistic if there was more conflict within SG-1.

[Anissa T]

Oh, I totally agree with you there. I really would like to see how COL Mitchell handles something like that. Show what kind of leadership qualities you have (or don't have).

I'd really like to see him and Sam have a work related conflict. I think that would be a great storyline.

But, I'm pretty sure the writers aren't listening to little ole me. :eek

[Livia Sabina]

I'd love to see a difference of opinion between Sam and Mitchell, preferably about something serious, Gadmeer-v-Enkaran level serious, and I think that Daniel and Teal'c's reaction would make it especially interesting, since after eight years as a team it would be natural for them to trust Sam ahead of Mitchell - Daniel referred to him as 'new guy' in the episode Sky One showed tonight.

Sam, Daniel and Teal'c have a great history together and a bond that formed over a long period of time and more than their fair share of adversity. Mitchell is the outsider and I doubt that he is unaware of this.

There is great potential for conflict there.

[Colonel Carter]

Who are Gadmeer and Enkaran?

[Livia Sabina]

They were the two civilizations in 'Scorched Earth'. The Enkarans were the people Jack wanted to help and the Gadmeer were the freeze dried aliens on the ship.