Crossroads

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S4 (Crossroads)

Like most of the mythology episodes involving the Jafar this is very absorbing, partly because you have to concentrate to take in all the names and events they're talking about, and partly because of the Shakespearean grandeur of the language and gravity put into the performances, particularly of Teal'c and his good friend Shan'auc, lit by candles and shot in a careful, serious manner. This does accentuate the way SG-1 are pushed into the background as it is mainly about or between the Tok'ra and Jafar representatives, the people of the Tar'e (humans), therefore looking a bit powerless and unimportant except as friends of Teal'c. I wouldn't say it hurts the episode, there's plenty to keep the mind busy without giving the regulars involving plots too, although it would have been nice to have either Master Bre'tak or Sam's Dad, a member of the Tok'ra, taking part. Instead we get the same female Tok'ra representative as the previous episode, which is good for continuity, but will it have a bearing on future episodes, since O'Neill has the dichotomy of liking the host, but despising the symbiont inside her?!

The whole idea is that this old friend of Teal'c's, formerly a Goa'uld priestess, has apparently found a way to communicate with her symbiont through visions when in deep meditation of Kel Nor Reem, and, inspired by Teal'c's stand against Apophis believes her symbiont is willing to communicate secrets. Of course things are never that simple and even initially things look suspicious since Bre'tak has sent her alone - he just couldn't come, apparently. Teal'c tries this new level of Kel Nor Reem and sees a vision of his Father being murdered at the hand of Cronus, so confirms it is possible to do what Shan'auc claims, but if this were always possible how can it be so simple as just trying a bit harder to meditate? Surely if it were that easy he'd have received messages from his symbiont long ago!

I distrusted Shan'auc from the start, but it turns out that she was telling the truth, though the Goa'uld symbiont inside her, calling itself Tanith when it takes a willing Tok'ra host, was the liar, the purpose to become a spy in the Tok'ra ranks. This all seems rather obvious, especially as he kills his former host, much to Teal'c's dismay, since he'd decided to leave to take up the rebellion with her on his home planet. The fact that Hebron, the host who agrees to take the Goa'uld symbiont has an English accent was like hanging a big sign over his head with the flashing the word 'BADDIE' on it. And the way he sneeringly commiserates with Teal'c over Shan'auc's apparently accidental death (they were meant to think her new symbiont came too late to save her), is a bit too obvious to be taken seriously. Does Tanith really think he's fooling the Tok'ra? Do the Tok'ra really think he doesn't guess that they suspect him? Is anyone on the winning side in this spy versus spy situation?

It sounds more complex than it was, and a bit boring, but it's actually a good episode, the moving theme music for Teal'c whenever sad things happen to him coming on as usual and adding to the visuals a wistful mood that couldn't be conveyed merely with the images. The twist was better than if it had been Shan'auc as a villain, but I feel I've either seen this episode before or Tanith is sure to reappear since I recognised his sneering face. It became obvious Shan'auc had to die because no way was Teal'c leaving the SGC. His story does rather mirror Worf's in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', with a traitor killing his intended mate, and the two characters have always been quite similar, but I won't hold that against this series because you should always plunder from the best!

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