| Synopsis | Review | Quotes |
First Aired On: February 19, 1999 (United States)
Written By: Michael Kaplan and John Sanborn
Directed By: William Corcoran
Guest Stars: Colin Heath (Mime-like guy who follows Daniel and O'Neill around), Teryl Rothery (Dr. Janet Fraiser)
Synopsis: Episode opens in the SGC, where Carter is about to send the UAV (the really cool airplane they were working with in "Enigma") to a planet, PJ2 445. She sends the device through the Stargate and they watch the picture being transmitted to their monitors in the control room. It works nicely for a few minutes, then takes a sharp nosedive as Carter loses control of it. It crashes into a big, white plant which then "bleeds" green blood. Carter says she needs to get the device back so she can figure out what went wrong; O'Neill's not real happy with that because the device is 10 miles inland (6 hours in and back). Suddenly on the screen, a white, naked (kinda) alien appears, examines the plant and the UAV, then drags the UAV along with it. Hammond agrees that SG-1 will have to get it back.
SG-1 arrives on the planet and has a nice, long walk to the place where the UAV crashed. There they discover the white alien watching them. Daniel (who suffers from a bad case of allergies on the planet) says hi and the alien runs away, toward some huts in the distance. SG-1 follows and, when they arrive at the "village," they are surrounded by more of the aliens. Daniel gets to play anthropologist and try to make peaceful contact with the race; however, the aliens still don't say anything and instead mimic everything that SG-1 does. One of the aliens takes Daniel's knife and, when Carter goes to retrieve it, Daniel sneezes and scares the alien holding the knife, in the process cutting Carter's hand. The other aliens scatter into the village, startled. Daniel decides to follow them, alone, to see if he can find out what happened to the missing UAV.
Daniel tries everything he knows to communicate with the aliens, drawing, speaking, hand movements, but they still don't speak to him. However, one alien, who seems to be adroit in body painting, decides Daniel's face is a nice drawing board and places some white paint all over it. Daniel just smiles. Next he tries another method to communicate with the aliens: pretending he's an airplane and "flying" around the hut. Talk about a classic Daniel scene. :)
He emerges from the hut and explains to the rest of SG-1 that one, They're not naked--they're covered with a white body paint and two, they're communal and have no apparent form of communication. Chances are they're "a little less evolved than we are." However, Daniel's earlier efforts are rewarded when several of the aliens return from someplace carrying the UAV. Daniel sneezes again, and one of the aliens with oil from the UAV on his hands collapses onto the ground. The aliens start singing, but soon another one collapses. SG-1 is quickly becoming alarmed at this sudden illness.
Next we see a well-protected Dr. Fraiser stepping out of the Stargate onto PJ2 445 to make a house call. SG-1 greets her and leads her back to the sick aliens. By the time they return, there are more sick. Fraiser announces that there's no immediate danger to SG-1 since all their tests came back clean, but she's never seen an alien quite like this before so she's not sure how to help them. She recommends that they take one back to Earth and run more tests on it. Carter returns with Dr. Fraiser while Daniel, O'Neill, and Teal'c decide to stay on the planet and set up a quarantine.
While returning from the Stargate, O'Neill stumbles and falls to his knees. Teal'c asks him if he's okay, O'Neill replies that he's got a nasty headache and would rather walk in silence back to the village.
Back at the village, Daniel has made an interesting discovery. A small, white, mushroom-like plant has suddenly grown over six feet tall. When Daniel approaches it, however, it retracts back into the ground. One of the aliens who followed him and O'Neill around a lot also witnessed the growth. When O'Neill returns, he asks what's up and Daniel replies "The plant." This leads to some arguing between O'Neill and Daniel about amazing revelations and inappropriate sarcasm. The alien approaches them and smiles; when O'Neill asks why he's doing that, Teal'c answers that he is probably upset because of their tone of voice, as was he. O'Neill tells Teal'c to head back to the Stargate and send another message through to the SGC; he and Daniel will stay behind in the village and work on the quarantine. Somewhere in here we also discover that there are over a hundred aliens sick in other villages with a similar illness, meaning that the epidemic is not limited to the village SG-1 had contact with.
At the SGC, Dr. Fraiser and Captain Carter are examining the alien they brought back with them. They try attaching him to an ultrasound, but he starts a high-pitched singing. Fraiser decides to try a different method of figuring out what's inside the alien, so they run a CAT scan on him instead. They discover that the alien possesses no internal organs except for one, a beating, heart-like thing where his stomach was supposed to be. Fraiser doesn't know what to make of this.
Carter says that they should've expected this whole scenario earlier: aliens don't have the resistance to the same things people on Earth do and may actually be vulnerable to such simple things as aftershave. It's actually rather surprising that it hasn't happened sooner.
Back in the village, O'Neill is working hard to keep the unaffected aliens away from the sick ones while Daniel is...setting up a video recorder in front of the white plant. O'Neill tells him to help out with the quarantine instead of standing around doing nothing; Daniel responds that he's not doing nothing. They get into another long argument (complete with screaming and impatient, frustrated dancing) over mythology and the purpose of videotaping a plant. After their final outburst, it is revealed that Daniel is also doesn't feel very good. Maybe they're getting what the aliens have. As they're saying this, the alien who had been following them around collapses to the ground. They take him into the hut and sit down, looking very unhappy and very sick.
Teal'c returns from his journey to the Stargate, and O'Neill tells him he and Daniel are heading back home to be checked out. Daniel asks Teal'c to keep an eye on the plant for him and he and O'Neill start the long, six-hour walk back to the Stargate...in silence. The second they arrive back at the SGC, they start feeling better. Dr. Fraiser checks them out. While waiting for the results of her tests, Daniel and O'Neill apologize for their earlier argument, blaming their actions on the fact that "there was something wrong with us." When Fraiser returns, however, she announces that there's absolutely nothing wrong with them.
Meanwhile, Teal'c has made his own discoveries. Several white plants grow for him and, when he approaches one, it disappears into the ground and all the others quickly follow. Wondering if the plants are connected, he starts digging in the ground and discovers a massive root. It "bleed" green junk on his hands and he grabs his head in pain. I'm assuming he passes out for awhile.
In the SGC, Daniel is watching his video tape of the plant, trying to find something they've missed. O'Neill tells him that they can't always expect things to work the way they want them to, Daniel blows up again, screaming that they're responsible for killing an innocent race of people, how can they not possibly care about it? When he stops, O'Neill asks him what's wrong, and Daniel replies he has a headache again.
Dr. Fraiser checks him out again and still finds nothing wrong with him. Surprisingly, Daniel is already feeling better. Daniel gets an idea and he and Carter head out of the room to take another look at that video tape again. O'Neill follows. It must have something to do with that planet, maybe something they couldn't see on the tape. Carter suggests that maybe it's something they can't hear. She takes the tape and hooks it up to an amplifier, where they discover an isolated sound. Fraiser explains that the sound is responsible for the headaches and nausea O'Neill and Daniel felt because of the extended period of time they were exposed to it. They then speculate that this sound is what's making the aliens sick.
When Teal'c returns from PJ2 445 and reports his discovery, Daniel gets another idea. They realize that it isn't the sound that's making the aliens sick, but rather the lack of that sound that's making the alien sick. The aliens need the sound to survive, and SG-1 altered the sound when the UAV hit the plant, which had been making the sound. They play the sound from the images take before to the UAV's crash into the plant for the sick alien, and he immediately gets better. They then return to the planet and set up a really big amplifier to replace the sound lost from the plant. All of the aliens revive.
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: Vague reference to "Spirits," kinda. Reference to "The Nox." The UAV was first seen in "Enigma."
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:
O'Neill, watching the UAV (flying mini plane) whoosh through the Stargate: "That never gets old. I love that."Carter: "Automatic terrain radar system is functioning. You know, if this new technology works out, Sirs, we'll be able to do a lot more long range reconnaissance."
O'Neill: "Cool."O'Neill, seeing the UAV crash into a plant: "We didn't need that UAV, did we, Sir?"
Carter, as a funny little guy pokes around the camera on the UAV: "That would confirm the presence of life forms on PJ2 445."
Daniel: "Déjà vu."
Teal'c: "I am unfamiliar with that term."
Daniel: "Um, it means I feel like I've been here before."
Teal'c: "That is correct, Daniel Jackson. Yesterday. When we first arrived on this planet."
Daniel: "Right. What was I thinking?"Daniel, seeing O'Neill rearrange his gun: "You know, I thought the alien on the video looked fairly docile. More curious than harmful."
O'Neill: "I thought he looked bald, white, and naked."Teal'c: "Since it is their planet, is it not we who are the aliens?"
Daniel: "Actually, the word 'alien' refers to anything characteristic of a very different place or culture. Anything really strange relative from our own perspective."
O'Neill: "Think we call you alien because you're from Chu'lac? Ha!"Teal'c: "The UAV was dragged in that direction."
O'Neill: "In that direction it is."Daniel: "Dwellings."
O'Neill: "Lots of them."Daniel, to the alien: "Hi!" The alien runs away making a high-pitched sound. "Well, I guess that was the wrong thing to say."
O'Neill: "What do you think, Daniel? Are they friendly spirits?"
Daniel: "I guess we should go find out."Daniel, surrounded by the aliens: "Try smiling." (Note that Teal'c does a much better job here than he did in "The First Commandment" or in "Singularity"--give him some credit, he's learning!)
O'Neill: "This is bizarre."
Carter, the aliens closing in around them: "Ah, Daniel?"
Daniel: "Keep smiling. Don't move."
Teal'c: "I am not fond of this."
O'Neill: "Me neither."
Daniel: "They just want to see what we feel like." One of the aliens takes his knife. "Oh, hey, wait!"
O'Neill: "What?"
Daniel, smiling pleasantly as if actually saying "Oh, isn't that nice!": "One of them got my knife."
Carter: "I got it."Daniel, upon getting his face painted by the alien: "Thank you."
O'Neill, about Daniel and the aliens: "You gotta wonder what they're talking about in there." The scene immediately jumps to Daniel playing airplane. :)
Daniel: "Well, I have to admit this is one of the stranger cultures I've ever seen. As far as I can tell they're communal, but there's very little sign of actual social communication. I haven't seen any tools or signs of a functional civilization."
O'Neill: "So they're a little less evolved than we are."
Daniel: "Well, we don't want to jump to any conclusions. Remember the Nox."
Carter: "And they did build these homes."
O'Neill: "That's a kind appraisal. What about the UAV?"
Daniel: "Well, I've tried everything I know about rudimentary communication, and, to be honest, I've had more successful conversations with dogs."
O'Neill: "So...."
Daniel: "So they're probably a little less evolved than we are."Daniel, sneezing: "I'm sorry, this is, ah, this is nothing to worry about." One of the aliens collapses. "Of course, I could be wrong...."
Daniel: "I really hope this isn't because I sneezed on him."
Teal'c: "This one had lubricant from the UAV on his hands. Perhaps that is what has made him ill."
O'Neill: "Could be their national pastime for all we know. Maybe they've got low blood sug..." He shuts up as all the aliens lift their heads and begin emitting a strange tone.
Carter: "They're singing."
O'Neill: "Is that what that is?"
Daniel: "Well, some Native Americans as well as African and aboriginal tribes believe that music and chants have medicinal powers."
Carter: "The sound is incredible." Another alien collapses.
Daniel: "Well, I guess it didn't work quite as they'd hoped."Fraiser, coming through the Stargate: "Now this is a house call."
Teal'c: "Do you not believe we are responsible, O'Neill?"
O'Neill: "Yes, I believe we're...not."Daniel, seeing the grown plant shrink: "Whoa, what, ah, what...what just happened?" The alien squats down on the ground. "Right, good impression."
O'Neill: "What's up?"
Daniel: "Ah, the plant. Or at least it was."
O'Neill: "What?"
Daniel: "Well, it had grown to over six feet tall and when I came up to it it just shrank back into the ground. I'm going to back up again, see if it does it again."
O'Neill, waiting for a few seconds: "Witness if you will. Squat."
Daniel, to the alien: "Well, you saw it too." The alien squats down again (no pun intended <g> ). "See, just like that."
Teal'c: "Many aliens in nearby villages are ill."
Daniel, his hands to his head: "Okay, what are we going to do?"
O'Neill: "How should I know?"
Daniel: "Well, we need to do something."
O'Neill: "I agree with you. But I haven't had the brilliant revelations you seem to have had."
Daniel: "Well maybe you can try coming up with something better than inappropriate sarcasm."
O'Neill: "You want sarcasm? Nice to meet you." The alien smiles at both of them. "What's he smiling at?"
Teal'c: "He appears to be bothered by the tone you have taken towards each other. As have I."
O'Neill: "Ah, Teal'c, try to head back to the gate, get a message to General Hammond letting him know what's happened here."
Teal'c: "And the two of you will be fine?"
O'Neill: "Yeah, yeah. We'll be okay. I'm going to stick around and work on this quarantine thing with plant boy here."Carter: "We just can't keep trampling through the galaxy with no regard for the damage we can do."
O'Neill, to the aliens in the room with the sick aliens: "Ah, ah, ah, ah! Get back! Get back! Fine." They leave the hut. "Knock yourself out. Go ahead. Go play in the street. Don't forget your sunblock." He turns to Daniel. "Why aren't you helping me?"
Daniel: "Oh, it's no use, they don't understand. They want to be with each other."
O'Neill: "Well, we're not going to stand around doing nothing."
Daniel: "We're not doing nothing."
O'Neill: "You're videotaping a plant."
Daniel: "Well I think this might be important."
O'Neill: "Well I think you might be losing what's left of your mind."
Daniel: "What's that supposed to mean?"
O'Neill: "It means that on a good day you can be a little flaky."
Daniel: "And on a good day you can be a little ignorant and condescending."
O'Neill: "Not condescending. You're obviously misreading a basic philosophical difference of opinion on how to handle a crisis."
Daniel: "Oh, please, we have a difference of opinion on just about everything."
O'Neill: "Give me an example."
Daniel, stuttering at first: "I don't know, pick something! How about mythology?"
O'Neill: "Rumors, lies, fairy tales."
Daniel, jumping up and down and turning all around: "See see see see see see! Mythology is one of the primary motivations for cultural development!"
O'Neill: "Maybe it is! What does it have to do with filming a plant?!"
Daniel: "Exactly!"
O'Neill: "What does that mean?!"
Daniel: "I don't know!!!"
O'Neill, falling quiet. "Okay...what was that?"
Daniel: "I don't know. I don't feel so good."
O'Neill: "I've got a headache."
Daniel: "Maybe we're getting whatever they have."Daniel: "Can you do me a favor? Could you keep an eye on this plant thing for me?"
Teal'c: "I will keep both of my eyes on it, Daniel Jackson."O'Neill: "Listen, I, ah..."
Daniel: "No no, um, sorry, you were going to say."
O'Neill: "No, it's just that, ah, well...you know."
Daniel: "I know. I know. I know. You know that I...."
O'Neill: "I know. It's obvious there's...something...."
Daniel: "Something, something's wrong with us. Physically."
Fraiser: "Well, there's nothing wrong with you."
Daniel: "What?"
Fraiser: "Well, I've run every test I could short of exploratory brain surgery and you are both in perfect health."
O'Neill: "Huh."O'Neill: "What're you looking for?"
Daniel: "I don't know. Something, anything."
O'Neill: "Daniel, we can't always expect things to go the way we want them to."
Daniel: "To go the way we want them to? I mean, one wrong move, one false step and the whole fragile world gets wiped out?" He violently scatters the stuff on the table. "We are killing a whole race of people here, how can I not care?!"
O'Neill, after another moment of silence. "What?"
Daniel: "My head hurts again."O'Neill: "Carter, what are you doing?"
Carter: "I'm looking for something that we can't hear."
O'Neill, mouthing to Fraiser: "What?"Daniel: "That's it."
O'Neill, to Daniel who's walking away in a daze: "What? Where are you going?"
Daniel, turning around but still looking dazed: "Come on."Hammond: "So this inaudible sound was making you sick, but not in the same way that is was affecting the aliens? They need the sound to live but we altered it by harming the organism that makes the sound?"
O'Neill: "Sounds right."Daniel: "How much longer do you think?"
Carter: "I don't know."
O'Neill: "Care to let us in on this hunch?"
Carter: "Not yet, Sir."
Teal'c: "There. The plants are growing."
Daniel, as the aliens start singing: "That was your hunch?"
Carter: "Well, I had the feeling that there was some symbiotic relationship between the aliens and the organism. They probably don't even realize it."
Daniel: "Well, how did you realize it?"
O'Neill, as Carter doesn't respond: "Captain?"
Carter: "I...I talk to my plants, alright?"
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