Jolinar's Memories

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Jolinar's Memories)

A bit of an epic, this one. I didn't guess it was going to be a two-parter, I suppose I should have from all the impressive visual effects and large sets on display. And what a cliffhanger! Nayonak reveals himself as Apophis, but how can that be? Apophis died, we saw it happen! And why would he save Carter from Bynar? In the great tradition of two-part episodes there's plenty to talk about when the credits role, but few answers.

The episode treats us to first glimpses of Sokar (an Emperor Palpatine type), and Jolinar. Sokar's appearance as a hooded humanoid can't help but lessen his image as before he was a legend, an image of his face seen, but nothing definite revealed. Jolinar on the other hand became flesh and blood where she was but memory before (although, yes, technically she's only memory in this). I would have liked to see more of Carter's memories as the one we do see of Jacob coming home to tell her about her Mother's death was quite affecting.

Martuf and Jacob both return, the human in pretty bad shape. CGI visuals of Natu and the surrounding space are rather good, helping to give the story a grandeur on which to base its canvas, the coffin-like eject pods especially realistic tearing through the crimson atmosphere. The lighting had a lot of effort put into creating the hellish fiery burn, although I felt the characters didn't look dirty and ripped into by the environment as much as they should. I have no idea what will happen next, though I did guess that Jolinar had to do something drastic and distasteful to escape. Can part II live up to the first? Will anyone die? If they do it's sure to be Martuf...

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