The Shroud (Stargate SG-1)

Template:TVep SG-1 is stunned to discover that their own teammate, Daniel Jackson, has been turned into a Prior of the Ori.

Plot

Template:Spoiler

SG-1 discovers a village recently visited by an Ori Prior. They learn from the head of the village this Prior, oddly, made no threats and spoke only of Origin's merits. A villager alerts them to the return of the Prior and SG-1 asks for their presence to remain hidden. A hooded Prior asks the village leader for their answer. The leader wants to know more about the Ori and their ways before giving an answer. The Prior removes his hood and is revealed to be Daniel Jackson. The team immediately returns to Earth to inform General Landry.

While reciting Ori teachings to the villagers, Daniel is transported onto the Odyssey. He appears before Teal'c and Mitchell who render him unconscious by a Zat blast. Daniel is physically restrained and a device is used to inhibit his powers as a Prior. The team is shocked to hear Jackson speaking normally and making no threats on their lives, unlike past incapacitated Priors.

Daniel explains that he let himself be captured as he knew Merlin's consciousness would protect his mind from Adria. During Adria's attempted conversion of Daniel Merlin's consciousness protected him, allowing him to remain himself while acquiring the abilities of a Prior.

Daniel reveals Merlin's plan to SG-1. By letting Adria believe he had been converted to Origin, he was able to work with Adria to complete the Ancient weapon. Adria hoped the weapon would lead to a swift end to the war with the Ancients. Daniel secretly planned to complete the weapon, pilot an Ori ship through the super-gate, and use the device to eliminate the Ori. Carter reminds him the supergate is currently being blocked by the black hole in the Pegasus Galaxy. Daniel explains the gate connection can be broken, but to do so requires the assistance of SG-1.

General O’Neill, at the SGC, is briefed by the team before boarding the Odyssey. Jack, seeing Daniel in his Prior attire remarks, "This is new” and they delve into a heated discussion about their personal lives. Daniel explains he has very little time in which to execute his plan. Adria will be growing suspicious as to why he has not returned; and Merlin has altered Daniel's DNA so that after a specific passage of time he will revert to his normal state, losing both Merlin’s knowledge and his abilities as a Prior.

O’Neill asks how the supergate can be deactivated. Daniel says a Mark IX Gate Buster placed behind the gate in the Pegasus galaxy will destroy the stargate and permanently disconnect the wormhole to the supergate. Carter confirms a Mark IX placed behind the gate should destroy the Stargate and sever the connection. Teal'c asks why Adria is not suspicious about Daniel leaving Merlin’s weapon unfinished. Daniel tells him that Adria told him to wait as she feared the ancients would take action if it was completed. Daniel adds that the Ori need the entire galaxy converted in order to distract the Ancients so they can use the weapon from a safe distance.

Teal'c believes Jackson is telling the truth, but the IOA has vetoed the plan. Worse, Richard Woolsey hesitantly informs them that Jackson’s life is to be terminated immediately. Vala tells Daniel about Woolsey's intentions, which Jackson had feared after the Khalek incident. Woolsey visits Daniel to tell him that with Merlin's Knowledge in his mind he is to be frozen in stasis, beamed straight into the Ancient pod in Antarctica. Daniel overcomes the Anti-Prior device and frees himself. Daniel beams Woolsey back and beams up O’Neill. They plot a course for the supergate.

SG-1, minus Daniel and O'Neill, is ringed aboard the Ori ship. After encountering some resistance, they find the unfinished device and the remaining pieces. The Ori ship enters hyperspace and Carter seals off the level preventing more guards from appearing. Vala starts assembling the weapon piece by piece until only one remains. She says the final piece will initiate the device, leaving five minutes until its activation. Upon its completion Vala is surprised to see no ancient being appear to take the device from them.

While traveling on Odyssey O’Neill comments on how Daniel looks like “Marcel Marceau” (A famous French mime). Daniel feels he is needed and that only he can perform this task to defeat the Ori. He also comments that he didn’t want to be frozen by Woolsey and O’Neill agrees, saying, “[He] wouldn’t either.”

After exiting the hyperspace window SG-1 finds an Ori ship blocking their path to the supergate. Ori guards appear behind Vala and Mitchell with weapons drawn. Mitchell carefully questions Carter on his walkie-talkie. He thought she locked off the level. Carter replies that she "Thought she did” as Adria stands before her.

The Odyssey exits hyperspace and immediately cloaks. O’Neill comments that the Ori ships can see them, but Jackson tells him he activated the cloak. O’Neill points out “The ship doesn’t have a cloak”. Daniel says it does now, thanks to the ZPM, and they make preparations to interrupt the Pegasus gate.

Daniel beams to the Ori ship and asks Carter and Teal’c how the plan is progressing, but they refuse to answer. Adria cannot sense Daniel's intentions and confronts him. Daniel fires an energy blast from his hand using his abilities as a Prior which knocks her unconscious. Daniel reveals he held the Anti-Prior device behind his back to prevent Adria from activating her personal shield. He tells Carter that O’Neill is on the Odyssey. Daniel, now weak, moves to the command chair and tells Carter and Teal’c to arm the Ancient device. They take out the guards, and with Vala and Mitchell, arm the device. Daniel moves the other Ori ship away from the supergate and tells O’Neill to contact the Daedalus to destroy the Pegasus gate. The supergate shuts down. Daniel re-opens the supergate and directs the Ori ship towards the wormhole. SG-1 returns to the bridge and find Daniel unconscious and no longer a Prior. Carter tells O’Neill to beam them onto the Odyssey. Vala worries about Adria as they leave her behind. The Ori ship enters the wormhole and the supergate shuts down.

Daniel wakes in the infirmary of the Odyssey and convinces O'Neill he no longer has Merlin's consciousness within him. The team wonders whether the device worked. Carter informs everyone the supergate started dialing and it soon activates. From the bridge the team watch as six Ori ships come through. The Ori ships enter hyperspace.

Notes

This episode marks the 175th and final appearance of Jack O'Neill on the show.
The ZPM Daniel mentioned is one of the three ZPM's which were left behind in Atlantis after the Asuran's attacked in The Return Part 2. It is mentioned in the episode Echoes that one of the ZPM's was given to the Odyssey to aid SG-1 in their fight against the Ori.
This is the first episode in which an active supergate wormhole disconnects.
This is the first episode depicting the actual Sangraal.
When Jack and Daniel have their first meeting in this episode, Jack's uniform has only the single star of a brigadier general on his collar, rather than the usual two stars of a major general. Later, when SG-1 have their two meetings in the briefing room with Jack, he is wearing two stars. He also refers to General Landry as "sir" at one point, but this was likely in jest given the conversation.
There are now eight Ori ships in the Milky Way. Four appeared on Camelot, and six in this episode. One ship was lost when the Supergate was activated in The Pegasus Project and one left through the supergate in this episode (although it is possible that it came back as one of the incoming six).
It is confirmed that a Mark IX Gatebuster can destroy an active Stargate (if placed 'behind' the gate). The previous time the device was used the Gate remained intact-due to a local Prior extending a shield around it (and losing his life in the process).
This episode marks the 200th appearence of Samanatha Carter on the show.

External links

Official Stargate SG-1 site. MGM. Visited June 8, 2006. Most of site requires Flash.