Captain Samantha Carter

(Played by Amanda Tapping)

What we know about Carter: After the initial journey of O'Neill and Daniel to Abydos in the movie, she ran a lot of tests on the Stargate to determine its uses and the possibilities of it. At the start of the show she is a Captain in the Air Force and flew in the Persian Gulf war. She transfers to the project from the Pentagon in "Children of the Gods." She is promoted to Major early in Season 3. She also has a doctorate in Theoretical Astrophysics, and she solves many of the scientific problems SG-1 encounters.

As for her family life, she has a brother and a nephew and niece who live out in San Diego. Her father, Jacob Carter, is a General in the military. In "Secrets" we learned he had a terminal cancer; during the "Tok'ra" episodes Sam decided to allow him to become a host to a needy Tok'ra, thereby curing his cancer. There is no word on her mother, although it would appear she is either deceased or separated from Jacob since she is not mentioned.

She was once engaged to Hanson ("The First Commandment"), however she broke off the engagement. Apparently, she had a "thing" for the "lunatic fringe." Smart girl for breaking it off, since he goes psycho and dies in the end. Other semi-romantic relationships she's developed during the show have been to Nareem ("Enigma"), and Martuth ("Tok'ra Part 1" and "Tok'ra Part 2"). Lt. Simmons, we learn, also has a crush on her, as pointed out by Daniel during "Message in a Bottle." There is also a *very* subtle thing going on between her and O'Neill, as seen in her attack on him in "The Broca Divide" and in their relationship in the alternate reality ("There But For the Grace of God").

She has a special fondness for Cassandra, the girl discovered in "Singularity." During "In the Line of Duty" she was possessed by a Goa'uld; however, the Goa'uld turned out to be Jolinar of Molkshur, who was part of the Tok'ra, a group of rebel Goa'uld. Her relationship with Daniel tends to be very brother-sister like. Not much has been explored in her relationship with Teal'c.

Other odds and ends we've learned about her: She talks to her plants ("One False Step"), she played with Major Matt Mason astronaut dolls as a child ("Children of the Gods"), she has a mole in an awkward place that she doesn't enjoy talking about ("Tin Man").

Episodes focusing on Carter: Quite a few. "Emancipation," "Singularity," "In the Line of Duty," "Tok'ra Part 1" and "Tok'ra Part 2."

Pretty good Carter episodes: "Children of the Gods," "The Broca Divide," "The First Commandment," "Hathor," "Enigma," "Solitudes," "There But For the Grace of God," "Message in a Bottle," "Secrets," "A Matter of Time," "Show & Tell," "1969."

So-So Carter episodes: "The Nox," "Brief Candle," "Thor's Hammer," "The Torment of Tantalus," "Fire & Water," "Tin Man," "Within the Serpent's Grasp," "The Serpent's Lair," "Prisoners," "The Gamekeeper," "Need," "Thor's Chariot," "Bane," "The Fifth Race," "Serpent's Song," "Holiday," "One False Step," "Show & Tell," "Out of Mind," "Into the Fire."

Episodes to avoid if you're looking for lots and lots of Carter: "The Enemy Within," "Cold Lazarus," "Bloodlines," "Cor-Ai," "Politics," "Family," "Spirits," "Touchstone."

"Let's beat up Carter" episodes: "The Enemy Within" (kidnapped by a Goa'uld-possessed Kawalsky and slammed against the back of an elevator), "Emancipation" (kidnapped by a Mongol boy and sold to a really nasty tribe leader), "The Broca Divide" (infected by the disease, stabbed in the stomach with a knife), "The First Commandment" (ex-fiancee goes crazy and holds her hostage), "The Nox" (killed by Apophis), "Fire & Water" (lots of angst over Daniel's "death"), "Hathor" (men in base hate her because she opposes Hathor, Hathor zaps her with her hand device), "Singularity" (angst over Cassandra's condition), "Solitudes" (angst over O'Neill's condition, stuck in ice cave), "There But For the Grace of God" (alternate version of her dies), "In the Line of Duty" (possessed by a Goa'uld), "Prisoners" (thrown in prison), "Need" (thrown in prison again and forced to work really, really hard without much food or water), "Message in a Bottle" (angst over O'Neill's condition & Simmons' condition, pressure to come up with a solution...again), "Secrets" (finds out about her father's condition and major angst over it), "Tok'ra Part 2" (has to make a tough decision concerning her father's fate), "Spirits" (vaporized by the Spirits), "A Matter of Time" (Holy Hannah, is she under some pressure to save the day in this one!), "The Fifth Race" (trapped on a world where the temperature rises *very* quickly), "Holiday" (more pressure to save the day), "One False Step" (hand is cut by the mime-like alien), "Out of Mind" (captured by Hathor and believes her fellow teammates are dead), "Into the Fire" (Hathor uses her hand-weapon thingy on her).

Episodes in which Carter saves the day: "Emancipation," "Hathor," "Singularity," "Message in a Bottle," "Tok'ra Part 2," "A Matter of Time," "Holiday," "1969," "Into the Fire."