| Synopsis | Review | Quotes |
First Aired On: February 5, 1999
Written By: Tor Alexander Valenza
Directed By: David Warry-Smith
Guest Stars: Teryl Rothery (Dr. Janet Fraiser), Alvin Sanders (Fred), Melanie Skrhar (Waitress). I'd consider Michael Shanks' portrayal of Machello as a guest star role, except he's one of the main actors of the series. :)
Synopsis: SG-1 step through the Stargate into a seemingly deserted room with some scientific gadgets and curtains. They have a look around, then are startled when an old man comes out from behind the curtains. Daniel introduces himself, but the old man replies with a "Yes, that's right, I am Daniel Jackson" which we know, of course, that he's not. Teal'c says he recognizes the man as Machello, a brave man who had once fought and beat many Goa'ulds. However, he was eventually captured and tortured by the Goa'uld. Machello denies all knowledge of this and instead offers to show Daniel his technology. Machello and Daniel place their hands on the handles of a massive device, they're both momentarily shocked, and Machello falls to the floor, unconscious. SG-1 takes him back to Earth.
Once there, Dr. Fraiser checks out Daniel to make sure he's okay after the shock from the device. Turns out he's fine, but Machello is fighting a losing battle--he's dying. Fraiser tells Daniel not to drive and take it easy for a few days and Daniel leaves. In the debriefing room, the rest of SG-1 is discussing the device. Carter found a handheld device with some strange symbols on it and hopes Daniel can read it since it might be a database for all of Machello's inventions. Daniel enters, says he doesn't recognize the symbols and tells Hammond that he's going to take the day off. He leaves and, while he's acting a little unusual, the others don't make much of it.
Daniel is dropped off at his apartment, 1152 Mainland Street, and follows a woman who's leaving. He never entered his apartment. Meanwhile, back at the base, Fraiser and Hammond tell SG-1 to come into the infirmary. Turns out Machello is awake and wants to talk to them. He says he's actually Daniel Jackson and that device he touched must have switched his consciousness with Machello's. SG-1 asks him questions that only Daniel would know the answer to, and he answers them all correctly. As Teal'c would say, "He is, in fact, Daniel Jackson."
Machello (in Daniel's body) is actually walking around the street, asking people questions about their society and customs. No one answers him and he wonders why. A man standing on the street corner asking for money finally talks to him, tells him no one's answering him because he's strange. People don't just go out on the street and ask others for things. Machello counters that that's exactly what the man is doing, he's asking for handouts. The man introduces himself as Fred and Machello offers to take him out to eat. Fred agrees.
Back at the base, turns out Machello's body is suffering from acute pulmonary damage, but he has the personality, memory, and consciousness of Daniel. Fraiser admits she doesn't know how to switch them back. SG-1 discusses the situation and O'Neill finally suggests that they go back to Machello's planet and brought the device back. He will come to regret this. Anyway, they go back to the planet. O'Neill and Teal'c place insulators on the handles of the device, prepared to lift it and bring it back. When they touch the device, though, like Daniel and Machello before, O'Neill and Teal'c switch bodies. They return with the device anyway.
O'Neill and Teal'c grumble over their situation at bit, then Carter enters the science lab and begins testing the device by having them try to reverse the process. In spite of trying several different positions to touch/hold the handles, nothing works and O'Neill and Teal'c stay in the other's body. In the next scene we see that O'Neill (in Teal'c's body and with his Goa'uld symbiote) is suffering from some kind of illness. Teal'c tells him that he'll have to perform a process of Kel-no-reem, a deep mediation that allows the symbiote to heal his body. If he doesn't perform this, he'll die. O'Neill agrees and they begin the process in what appears to be Teal'c's room on the base.
Meanwhile, Machello and Fred have entered a little diner and tell the waitress that they'd like to eat. Machello flirts with her a bit and she tells him that to eat, they need to be able to pay. Machello asks where he'd find a "credit card" to pay and the Waitress pulls a gold card out of his wallet.
O'Neill and Teal'c are finally making process back at the base on the Kel-no-reem ceremony. O'Neill goes into a meditation-like trance. In the infirmary, Daniel and Carter are trying to decipher the symbols in Machello's handheld computer database. Daniel can't get anywhere with it, though, and gets very frustrated. His blood pressure rises and he slips into a coma.
Machello and Fred are enjoying a huge ice cream sundae. Fred asks Machello about himself, and in the process we learn that Machello was a fighter and was tortured. Fred says that explains why Machello is so strange and asks if he fought in the Gulf against Saddam. Machello says no, he didn't recognize Saddam as a Goa'uld name, but he did fight to save people like Fred. Their conversation ends with Machello saying that not all good things have to come to an end, only evil things.
O'Neill wakes up from his trance feeling much better. Teal'c's symbiote healed him. However, he's a little ticked to discover that Teal'c is in the process of cutting O'Neill's hair. Teal'c says he must shave his head if he's to stay in O'Neill's body. It must be a Jaffa rule or something. O'Neill stops him and tells him to leave the hair alone, then goes to talk to General Hammond. They were able to track Machello because Daniel's credit card was just used at a local diner. O'Neill wants to go along to find Machello, but Hammond says no, he can't. He's just...not himself.
Machello, meanwhile, is walking down the street with Fred and asking him how to court a wife. However, their conversation is cut short as two policemen confront Machello and force him to get in the police car. Machello says Fred was right, all good things do have to come to an end. He's taken back to the base.
Back at the base, Carter and Fraiser are still doting over an unconscious and dying Daniel. Eventually, he does wake up. Hammond comes in and says Machello is back at the base. Carter and Hammond go to talk to him. Daniel was Machello's solution to hiding from the Goa'uld and living healthily for many, many more years. Carter and Hammond are appalled at his uncaring attitude. Carter tells Machello that she wants him to get to know his "casualty."
So Carter drags Machello into the infirmary to confront Daniel. They learn that Machello was once a Goa'uld hunter sense. All the people on his planet died because they refused to tell the Goa'uld where Machello was hiding. In the end, the Goa'uld were able to capture him by secretly turning his wife into a Goa'uld host. She turned him in. Daniel says he can empathize, his wife also became a Goa'uld. He wants to live and find her again. Daniel calls Machello a Goa'uld for using his body as a host; Machello refuses to accept that analogy. Daniel gets upset and slips unconscious again. Machello says if he could switch back with Daniel he would, but he can't. The device won't allow him to--he's the only one who can't switch with Daniel. The device contains a memory detector that won't allow the same two people to switch more than once. Carter gets an idea to play "musical bodies" and calls O'Neill and Teal'c into the infirmary.
First she has O'Neill (in Teal'c's body) switch with Machello (in Daniel's body). In other words, Machello is in Teal'c's body and O'Neill is in Daniel's body. Next she switches Teal'c (in O'Neill's body) with Daniel (in Machello's body). In other words, Teal'c is in Machello's unconscious body and Daniel is in O'Neill's body. There's some cute interplay between O'Neill and Daniel. Machello tells Carter he wished he had the time to teach her the symbols for his database; Carter counters that it's okay, she'll figure it out. Then she has Machello (in Teal'c's body) switch with Teal'c (in Machello's body). Teal'c and Machello are back where they belong. Finally, she switches O'Neill (in Daniel's body) with Daniel (in O'Neill's body). Yippee! Everyone is back in their own body! Machello briefly wakes up and thanks Daniel for his holiday. He then dies, and Fraiser makes no more attempt to revive him. The holiday has ended in sorrow.
Realism:
Action:
Angst Level:
Special Effects:
Set and Costumes:
O'Neill factor:
Daniel factor:
Carter factor:
Teal'c factor:
Overall Team factor:
My Thoughts:
Related Episodes: Reference to where the Stargate was found in the original movie. A reference to Sha're's Goa'uld implantation in "Children of the Gods," reference to Cassandra in "Singularity." The third season episode "Legacy" is a kind of sequel to this one.
Daniel Jackson's History/Linguistic/Mythology Lesson:
Sam Carter's Physics Lesson:
Important Stargate Information:
Alien Species/Background:
Important everyday life stuff we learn from Stargate:
Quotes:
A quick word about the quotes for this episode. Most of the amusement/charm of these quotes comes from who it is that's saying them. For most of the episode, Daniel is not Daniel--he is Machello inside Daniel's body. Daniel is actually in Machello's body. Likewise, Teal'c is in O'Neill's body and O'Neill is in Teal'c's body. So just imagine these people saying the following lines. I have tried to label who's where as clearly as possible.Before the body-switching begins:
O'Neill: "Looks like somebody's closed up for the winter."Daniel, looking at a shrouded area: "I wonder what's in there?"
Machello: "I am in there."Teal'c, about Machello: "Before the ceremony of implantation, he killed several Jaffa and escaped."
O'Neill: "He did that?"Daniel: "Um, you don't have to be afraid. We're not Goa'ulds."
Machello: "We're not?...Of course we are not! But if we are not Goa'uld, who are we?"
Daniel: "Well, I'm Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth."
Machello: "Yes. Yes! That's right! I am Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth. Pleased to meet you."
Daniel, getting uncomfortable: "No, um, um, I'm Daniel Jackson."
Machello: "No, I'm Daniel Jackson."After Daniel and Machello have switched bodies:
Daniel (real Daniel inside Machello's body): "Ask me anything. Something only Daniel would know."
Carter: "Okay, who's Cassandra?"
Daniel: "She's a twelve-year-old girl we found abandoned on P8X 987."
O'Neill: "P8X..."
Carter: "987."
O'Neill: "Alright, lucky guess."
Hammond: "Where was the Stargate found?"
Daniel: "At a dig at Giza."
O'Neill: "Alright. Describe for me the dress your sister wore last week when I took her out."
Daniel: "I don't have a sister, Jack, and if I did I wouldn't let you near her."Machello (real Machello inside Daniel's body): "Hello, friend. I am new to this area. I would like to learn about your culture and customs. Will you teach me?" The man ignores him and walks away. "Do you not understand me?"
Fred: "Spare any change, please?"
Machello: "Why does no one answer me?"
Fred: "Because you're strange."
Machello: "Am I? Tell me how I am strange."
Fred: "Man, you can't be just walkin' up to people you don't know on the street and talkin' all weird like that, askin' for stuff."
Machello: "Isn't that what you are doing?"
Fred: "Well, yeah, but..."
Machello: "Then you must be strange as well!"
Fred: "I've been called worse. Sure, I'm strange too."
Machello: "I am called Machello."
Fred: "I'm...Fred." They shake hands.
Machello: "Let us feast together, Fred, and celebrate our strangeness and newfound friendship!"
Fred: "On you?"
Machello: "If that is the custom. We will feast...on me!"O'Neill, in a line he will seriously regret later: "General, wouldn't it be a little easier if we just went back, got this machine, tried to slam it into reverse?"
O'Neill: "Ah, Captain, maybe you shouldn't touch anything in there."
After O'Neill and Teal'c have switched bodies (Daniel and Machello are still switched):
Hammond: "How did it go, Colonel."
Teal'c (real Teal'c in O'Neill's body): "It did not go well, General Hammond."
O'Neill (real O'Neill in Teal'c's body): "Ya think?"Teal'c: "This is indeed uncomfortable."
O'Neill: "How do you think I feel, Teal'c? I've got a snake in my guy. You've got a comfortable, normal body."
Teal'c: "It is normal to you, O'Neill. Having a symbiote within is normal to me."
O'Neill: "Yeah, well, whatever. It's bad, okay?"
Carter: "Hey."
Teal'c: "Have they located Dr. Jackson?"
Carter: "No, they're still looking. the good thing is I found the switching device on Machello's computer. Problem is, all of the notations are in that strange dialect. You know, when you think about it, it's actually kind of a good thing that this happened. I mean, I can experiment with the two of you and then when we find Daniel...Machello...we can reverse the process...assuming, of course, that it's reversible..."
O'Neill: "Captain, can we just get on with this?"
Carter: "Right! Well, ah, I couldn't find any buttons or switches, so unless I've missed something it must be triggered by the handles themselves. I...I think we should try different ways of grasping the handles. First, let's just try grasping it normally, the same way you did before." They do, there's a sound and O'Neill and Teal'c jump from some sort of jolt.
O'Neill (still in Teal'c): "Nope. I still got Jr."
Carter: "Alright. Ah, alright. maybe there's an 'in' and an 'out' handle. Switch sides." They do, there's another noise, and O'Neill and Teal'c appear to be shocked again.
Teal'c (still in O'Neill): "We did not make progress."
Carter: "Okay, um, maybe it has something to do with the order in which you grab the handles..."O'Neill (still in Teal'c...Carter's experiments all failed) and looking into a mirror: "You don't look so good. I mean, I don't look so good."
Waitress: "Can I help you?"
Machello (still in Daniel): "Hello. This is Fred. I am Machello. We wish to feast on me. In fact, let everyone here feast on me."
Waitress: "You celebrating something?"
Machello: "Indeed we are. Life."
Waitress: "Okay, but I'm going to need a credit card."
Machello: "A credit card. Where would I find such a card?"
Waitress: "Usually in your wallet."
Machello, pulling out his wallet and handing it to the waitress: "Will one of these cards do?"
Waitress, taking the credit card: "Absolutely."
Machello: "You are one of the most enchanting women I have seen in my lifetime. I would be honored by a kiss."
Waitress: "Yeah, I bet you would."Daniel: "It's useless."
Carter: "No, it's not. You've already figured out that it's a mixture of ancient Latin and Greek. We're getting closer."
Daniel: "That's obvious because of the forms. The alphabet may be the same but it's an entirely original language. There's no sentence structure, there's no..." He falls into a coma.Fred: "So, uh, I got the feeling you fought in the Gulf. Am I right?"
Machello, with ice cream all over his mouth: "No, but I was a soldier. I fought many battles. I was captured and tortured."
Fred: "Ah, that explains a lot."
Machello: "I continued to fight and lost all that I loved and cared for. But I knew I could not surrender. For you. If it were not for me, you would all be conquered by now."
Fred, laughing: "By who? Saddam?"
Machello: "He is not a system lord I am familiar with. But several others would have wiped you out."
Fred: "Whatever you say, man."
Machello: "But I do not wish to fight any longer. From now on I only want to eat hamburgers and French fries and ice cream sundaes and I want to be with good people like you, Fred."
Fred: "All good things come to an end, Machello."
Machello: "Oh, no, my friend. Only evil things must come to an end. For good things, such as ourselves, it is possible to go on forever."
Fred: "Cool."O'Neill, after he's performed Kel-no-reem successfully: "Whoa. Sweet." He sees Teal'c standing in front of a sink. "Teal'c? What are you doing?"
Teal'c: "If I am to remain in this body, I must shave my head."
O'Neill: "You're making a joke, right?"
Teal'c: "I am not joking."
O'Neill: "Teal'c, you will not shave my head!!!"
Teal'c: "It is presently my head, O'Neill."
O'Neill: "Teal'c, this is temporary!"
Teal'c: "And if it is not?"
O'Neill: "Just give them a chance to find Daniel, okay? Teal'c, I'm going to see General Hammond. Promise me you won't touch the head until I get back."Hammond: "Be patient, Colonel."
O'Neill: "I can't be patient, Sir. Daniel is dying. And I'd rather we get to Machello than risk some yahoo civvy officer shooting him, blowing any chance we have of saving him."
Hammond: "Much as I'd like to, you're not exactly yourself. Request denied."Machello: "It has been a lifetime since I have enjoyed such companionship, Fred. I have truly enjoyed it."
Fred: "Likewise."
Machello, seeing a woman walk by: "How does one court a wife, Fred?"
Fred: "Usually with lots of time, energy, and those credit cards."
Machello: "Good. Let us begin now."Machello, as the police arrest him: "You were right, Fred. All good things do come to an end."
Carter, to a motionless Daniel: "Come on, Daniel, they found the guy, they're bringing him in. You have to wake up. Daniel...you can't die on me now."
Daniel, weakly: "It's...nice to know you don't just like me for my looks."
Carter, smiling: "Hey... Janet?"
Fraiser: "Well, it's good to have you back, Dr. Jackson. You have impeccable timing."Machello, about Daniel and his impending death: "He is not an issue."
Carter: "Not an issue? We're talking about a friend's life."
Machello: "Your friend was my solution to hiding my face permanently. Consider him a casualty of war. I am offering you the salvation of your planet. Is this not worth more than the life of one... archaeologist?"
Hammond: "I don't know about the customs of your planet, but here on Earth the value of a life is priceless."
Carter: "I want you to get to know your casualty."Carter: "I believe you two have met."
Daniel: "Well, for what I can see, you're looking good."
Machello: "What would you like me to say? I am sorry? That I wish I could undo it? I do not."
Daniel: "Why?"
Machello: "Why? Because I earned it, that is why. I earned it because I sacrificed my life for you and your people. The least you could do was compensate me with another."
Daniel: "What right do you have to judge the value of my life?"
Machello: "I have suffered more than anyone should suffer in a lifetime. For fifty years I fought against the Goa'uld. Then I was betrayed by my wife whom they secretly turned into a host."
Daniel: "So was mind. She's still with them."
Machello: "At least you still have a planet. And friends. Two billion of my people died rather than surrender me to the Goa'uld."
Daniel: "You have made great sacrifices. We owe you gratitude. But still it doesn't give you the right to take another's life."
Machello: "If you had the technology, you would do the same."
Daniel: "No, I wouldn't because then I would become no better than the Goa'uld."
Machello, insistently: "I am not a Goa'uld. I hate the Goa'uld."
Daniel: "The Goa'uld use hosts because they think they're better than humans. Because they think they deserve it. You're a Goa'uld, Machello. I am nothing but a host to you."
Machello: "I am not a Goa'uld."
Daniel: "My wife is still alive. There's a chance I can still save her. You are stealing that chance."
Machello: "Even if you still had this body, you will never find her."
Daniel, very insistently: "I will find her. I will find..." His heartbeat stops.Machello: "If I could trade places with him again, I would."
Carter: "We're going to have to play a little musical chairs with your bodies."
Now, the really fun part where everybody is switching bodies:
Carter: "Colonel?"
O'Neill, inside Daniel's body: "I'm here."
Carter: "How do you feel, physically?"
O'Neill: "Peachy."Daniel, inside O'Neill's body: "Whoa! What a dream. What happened?"
Carter: "I don't have time to explain right now, Daniel, just bear with me."
Daniel: "Okay."
O'Neill, still inside Daniel's body: "Danny boy." He motions with his finger that Daniel should come join him.
Daniel: "Jack?"Marcello, inside Teal'c's body: "I wish I had time to teach you the symbols. In your hands my invention would go on fighting the Goa'uld."
Carter: "It's alright. I'll figure it out. Please."Teal'c, back inside his own body: "I am myself again. Thank you, Captain Carter."
Carter: "Any time."O'Neill, back in his body: "Yes! Yes!" He walks over to Teal'c. "Shave my head?! De...."
Daniel, back in his body: "I'm back."Machello, to Daniel: "Thank you for my holiday."
Hammond: "Welcome back, SG-1."
Serpent's Song One False Step
