Questions about Stargate SG-1

[CZroe]

I've been regularly watching Stargate SG-1 for the first time and I'm almost to the end of Season 5 (not enjoying it much so far; it seems very "sloppy").

In the last few episodes I have seen and a few before that, they have repeatedly mentioned that they have no "dial home device" for their own gate and that the Russians have the one to their original gate. To recap, their gate was destroyed and the one from Antarctica was uncrated and used with the same jury-rigged dialing computer and facility. When they discovered that gate, there was a DHD right beside it encased in ice. IIRC, the only problem was that Carter and O'Neill had trouble chipping through the ice and then couldn't dial home because they were on the same planet ("busy signal").

Also, why do they keep calling it "their" (meaning, "the Russians'") gate if it was simply recovered by them first when it fell in the ocean from space? It was salvaged USAF property/equipment, and yet the Russian keep making demands in episode after episode with both sides calling it the Russians' gate.

In the episode where a Goa'uld is pretending to be the leader of the free Jaffa, Tealc and Master Bra'tac express offense that the SGC wants to seemingly change "their ways" when the pivitol example, the willingness to die versus care for ones survival, was shown to be this leader's teaching differently in contradiction to another Jaffa (Master Bra'tac). Clearly, this is not some base distinction between Jaffa and Earth cultures. Did the writers not realize that the characters should not call the others close-minded if they themselves won't even listen/consider the way things are done by the other characters? O'Niell didn't even get to mention, say, elections as a fair alternative to fighting to the death for control of the free Jaffa.

If Teal'c so strongly believed that the Unas didn't exist in "Thor's Hammer," then how do the writers explain the rest of the encounters with them? Especially the planet of humans that overthrew the Goa'uld and took them as slaves where they were previously slaves to the Goa'uld (seems that they'd have to be AWARE of them to USE them). The writers should have just left it alone, but I guess it's easier to make more of a costume you already have one of than to write in a new alien race.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: CZroe
I've been regularly watching Stargate SG-1 for the first time and I'm almost to the end of Season 5 (not enjoying it much so far; it seems very "sloppy").

In the last few episodes I have seen and a few before that, they have repeatedly mentioned that they have no "dial home device" for their own gate and that the Russians have the one to their original gate. To recap, their gate was destroyed and the one from Antarctica was uncrated and used with the same jury-rigged dialing computer and facility. When they discovered that gate, there was a DHD right beside it encased in ice. IIRC, the only problem was that Carter and O'Neill had trouble chipping through the ice and then couldn't dial home because they were on the same planet ("busy signal").

Also, why do they keep calling it "their" (meaning, "the Russians'") gate if it was simply recovered by them first when it fell in the ocean from space? It was salvaged USAF property/equipment, and yet the Russian keep making demands in episode after episode with both sides calling it the Russians' gate.

Americans and Russians have a history. See Cold War.

In the episode where a Goa'uld is pretending to be the leader of the free Jaffa, Tealc and Master Bra'tac express offense that the SGC wants to seemingly change "their ways" when the pivitol example, the willingness to die versus care for ones survival, was shown to be this leader's teaching differently in contradiction to another Jaffa (Master Bra'tac). Clearly, this is not some base distinction between Jaffa and Earth cultures. Did the writers not realize that the characters should not call the others close-minded if they themselves won't even listen/consider the way things are done by the other characters? O'Niell didn't even get to mention, say, elections as a fair alternative to fighting to the death for control of the free Jaffa.

The Jaffa society and culture was only really finalized in the later seasons. The writers used it as a plot device for whatever they felt like before then.

If Teal'c so strongly believed that the Unas didn't exist in "Thor's Hammer," then how do the writers explain the rest of the encounters with them? Especially the planet of humans that overthrew the Goa'uld and took them as slaves where they were previously slaves to the Goa'uld (seems that they'd have to be AWARE of them to USE them). The writers should have just left it alone, but I guess it's easier to make more of a costume you already have one of than to write in a new alien race.

I don't recall Teal'c having more encounters with them prior to that episode, implied or otherwise. He simply knew they were a species, the rumored first host of the Goa'uld that had fallen into myth.

 

[CZroe]

Thanks. Anyway, the Cold War was supposedly over in this peroid. They are acting friendly in the sense that they just allow/accept that it belongs to the Russians without dispute.

Originally posted by: Bateluer
...
I don't recall Teal'c having more encounters with them prior to that episode, implied or otherwise. He simply knew they were a species, the rumored first host of the Goa'uld that had fallen into myth.

...and yet he refused to believe it and denied that they existed WITH CONVICTION even when he was staring at one and had obviously heard the "myths." I wouldn't refuse to believe that Nessie existed if they captured such a creature and paraded it around.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: CZroe
I've been regularly watching Stargate SG-1 for the first time and I'm almost to the end of Season 5 (not enjoying it much so far; it seems very "sloppy").

In the last few episodes I have seen and a few before that, they have repeatedly mentioned that they have no "dial home device" for their own gate and that the Russians have the one to their original gate. To recap, their gate was destroyed and the one from Antarctica was uncrated and used with the same jury-rigged dialing computer and facility. When they discovered that gate, there was a DHD right beside it encased in ice. IIRC, the only problem was that Carter and O'Neill had trouble chipping through the ice and then couldn't dial home because they were on the same planet ("busy signal").

Also, why do they keep calling it "their" (meaning, "the Russians'") gate if it was simply recovered by them first when it fell in the ocean from space? It was salvaged USAF property/equipment, and yet the Russian keep making demands in episode after episode with both sides calling it the Russians' gate.

Americans and Russians have a history. See Cold War.

Actually, no. The Russians started their own Stargate program, which was causing issues for the SGC. They used geological surveys to determine it was coming from Russia, and found out the Russians had a Stargate of their own. The Russians agreed to shut it down, provided they were able to be a part of the SGC's program (shared information, Russian teams sent through the gate, etc).

Text <-- there are spoilers in there so here is the relevant part

The United States, by virtue of its control of the Stargate, is largely responsible for Earth's interstellar policy in the Stargate franchise. More nations gradually come to take part in its use. Following the events of season 3's "Nemesis", Russia briefly establish their own Stargate program based in Siberia, which is terminated and merged with the United States program running out of Cheyenne Mountain shortly after season 4's "Watergate".

I don't recall exactly how the second gate winds up in Russian hands though.

In the episode where a Goa'uld is pretending to be the leader of the free Jaffa, Tealc and Master Bra'tac express offense that the SGC wants to seemingly change "their ways" when the pivitol example, the willingness to die versus care for ones survival, was shown to be this leader's teaching differently in contradiction to another Jaffa (Master Bra'tac). Clearly, this is not some base distinction between Jaffa and Earth cultures. Did the writers not realize that the characters should not call the others close-minded if they themselves won't even listen/consider the way things are done by the other characters? O'Niell didn't even get to mention, say, elections as a fair alternative to fighting to the death for control of the free Jaffa.

The Jaffa society and culture was only really finalized in the later seasons. The writers used it as a plot device for whatever they felt like before then.

Well, Jaffa society and culture was dictated by them serving the Goa'uld as slaves. They didn't have their own "free" society until later seasons, and it was heavily influenced by being slaves to the Goa'uld. It might have been a "lame" plot device, but still it works.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: CZroe
In the episode where a Goa'uld is pretending to be the leader of the free Jaffa, Tealc and Master Bra'tac express offense that the SGC wants to seemingly change "their ways" when the pivitol example, the willingness to die versus care for ones survival, was shown to be this leader's teaching differently in contradiction to another Jaffa (Master Bra'tac). Clearly, this is not some base distinction between Jaffa and Earth cultures.

The Jaffa society and culture was only really finalized in the later seasons. The writers used it as a plot device for whatever they felt like before then.

What I meant was that in the very same episode, Bra'tac teaches a warrior a survival technique and he is informed that this was in contradiction to their leader's teachings (fight with no concern for your life). It turns out that their leader was not a Jaffa but, rather, a Goa'uld'ed human posing as a free Jaffa, but the point is that ALL the Jaffa, including Teal'c (Bra'tac's understudy, mind you) and Bra'tac himself acted like Earth's opposition to suicide attacks was counter to their Jaffa heritage/culture/beliefs despite demonstrating in the very same episode that it was new to them, thus, NOT their shared Jaffa belief.

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Text <-- there are spoilers in there so here is the relevant part

The United States, by virtue of its control of the Stargate, is largely responsible for Earth's interstellar policy in the Stargate franchise. More nations gradually come to take part in its use. Following the events of season 3's "Nemesis", Russia briefly establish their own Stargate program based in Siberia, which is terminated and merged with the United States program running out of Cheyenne Mountain shortly after season 4's "Watergate".

I don't recall exactly how the second gate winds up in Russian hands though.

They purposely crashed Thor's Replicator-infested ship into the ocean after beaming the SGC's gate up and using it to escape to another world (outbound transporters were not functional). They returned through the one that was discovered in Antarctica (crated up "for good" after they busted the NID for using it; unpacked in a hurry when they figured out why the gate was beamed away from them). They switched to it as their every-day gate after losing the first in the ocean. The next episode had a replicator-infested Russian sub and a few episodes later they found that Russia had recovered the SGC's original Stargate. Obviously, US recovery efforts must be nearly as good as Russian (at the very least), and, because the missing gate represented a security risk should it become active and hostile travelers arrive through it unchecked, they were looking for it too no-doubt. The Russians simply beat them to it and then everyone acts like that makes it rightfully theirs (finders-keepers?) without question.

 

[CZroe]

Wow... Season 6's premier is boring the crap out of me. Good thing I have lots of time.

Anyone think the Stargate movie is worth $10 on Blu-Ray?

Redemption Part 2: "Where is the boy?" His answer was silence and he got beaten for it. Why not just say that he was killed by a staff weapon so you shot him with a zat to dispose of the body?

 

[marvdmartian]

Originally posted by: CZroe
They purposely crashed Thor's Replicator-infested ship into the ocean after beaming the SGC's gate up and using it to escape to another world (outbound transporters were not functional). They returned through the one that was discovered in Antarctica (crated up "for good" after they busted the NID for using it; unpacked in a hurry when they figured out why the gate was beamed away from them). They switched to it as their every-day gate after losing the first in the ocean. The next episode had a replicator-infested Russian sub and a few episodes later they found that Russia had recovered the SGC's original Stargate. Obviously, US recovery efforts must be nearly as good as Russian (at the very least), and, because the missing gate represented a security risk should it become active and hostile travelers arrive through it unchecked, they were looking for it too no-doubt. The Russians simply beat them to it and then everyone acts like that makes it rightfully theirs (finders-keepers?) without question.

Pretty sure that, since it was an alien space vessel, coming down into international waters, that the laws of salvage would apply. That's how the Russians were able to make claim for the "lost" stargate. Since they had an actual DHD, their stargate was able to take preference over the USAF's, with the cobbled together device.

At least, that's the way I'd look at it. Remember, it's fiction......don't read into it too deeply!

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: CZroe
Wow... Season 6's premier is boring the crap out of me. Good thing I have lots of time.

Anyone think the Stargate movie is worth $10 on Blu-Ray?

Redemption Part 2: "Where is the boy?" His answer was silence and he got beaten for it. Why not just say that he was killed by a staff weapon so you shot him with a zat to dispose of the body?

Which one?

 

[sandorski]

Damn dude, it's just a show, not the new Improved Bible. :laugh:

Anyway, Tealc thought the Unas didn't exist. No big whoop, he was wrong.. :shrug; Obviously that's what he was told and he never once came across them. Until he joined the SGC. Remember that his primary life before then was Fighting against othe Ga'uld Jaffa over long established Territories/planets/etc, not simply going through the Gate randomly. It would be very easy to live a life and never come across an Unas. Obviously their numbers declined after they were no longer of any use to the Ga'uld.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: CZroe
Wow... Season 6's premier is boring the crap out of me. Good thing I have lots of time.

Anyone think the Stargate movie is worth $10 on Blu-Ray?

Redemption Part 2: "Where is the boy?" His answer was silence and he got beaten for it. Why not just say that he was killed by a staff weapon so you shot him with a zat to dispose of the body?

Which one?

Only one is a theatrical movie. The others are just made for video... videos.