| There But for the Grace of God | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 20 | |
| Air date | February 20, 1998 |
| Written by | David Kemper (story) Robert C. Cooper (teleplay) |
| Directed by | David Warry-Smith |
| Episode guide | |
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"There But for the Grace of God" is the twentieth episode of the first season of Stargate SG-1.
Synopsis[]
Dr. Daniel Jackson touches a device known as a Quantum Mirror. At first he thinks nothing has happened. He soon discovers that he is in an Alternate reality where Alternate Samantha Carter is a civilian scientist and Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill is a Brigadier General. He must find a way back to his reality, but this proves difficult, as in that Universe the Goa'uld are invading Alternate Earth and Alternate Teal'c is still Alternate Apophis's First Prime.
Plot[]
SG-1 is exploring an alien complex on the planet P3R-233.
Dr. Daniel Jackson stumbles onto an alien artifact resembling a mirror. He touches the artifact and unknowingly enters an alternate reality. Finding the complex suddenly abandoned, Daniel concludes that the rest of SG-1 returned through the Stargate without him, so he dials home.
Upon his return to Earth, Daniel discovers that Stargate Command has suddenly become quite different. It is now called the Alternate SGA, instead of the SGC with which Daniel is familiar, and nobody knows who he is. He is arrested by Alternate Colonel George S. Hammond and is held captive. Alternate Dr. Catherine Langford, in charge of the gate program, confronts him and demands to know how he acquired SG-1's code to open the iris. Daniel, still believing that he is in his own reality, insists that he is a member of SG-1.
Alternate Samantha Carter as a Civilian.
Through his encounter with Alternate Catherine, Daniel quickly discovers several differences in this reality, including the fact that he turned down the offer to work on the Stargate program and that Alternate Samantha Carter is a civilian astrophysicist assisting the Stargate Association, having never joined the United States Air Force or risen to the current rank of Captain.
When Daniel tells Alternate Catherine that she was retired and living with Alternate Ernest Littlefield she is shocked and confronts Brigadier General Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill, who is now commanding officer of the Alternate SGA. Daniel uses his probing knowledge of Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill, such as his knowledge that Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill was contemplating suicide after the death of his Alternate son, to get his attention. When Alternate Dr. Carter enters, she explains that they "lost" Alternate Washington D.C. and Alternate Philadelphia.
Asking what they mean by "lost", Daniel learns that Alternate Earth is under attack by the Goa'uld, One and a half billion people are dead, and most of the world's major population centers have been destroyed; including the Egyptian city that was the last known residence of Alternate Daniel's counterpart.
Alternate Dr. Carter soon concludes that Daniel is from an alternate reality, triggered by the "Quantum Mirror". Analyzing a transmission received from the planet from which he returned, Daniel, Alternate Carter and Alternate Catherine realize that the transmission is actually a Stargate address, apparently for the source of the current attack on Earth. Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill wants to send a bomb through the 'gate, but Daniel points out that, while this won't stop the problem here, his Earth still has a chance. Despite the fact that he will be the only person they can save, as they lack the time to dial the gate more than once, the Alternate SG-1 agree to help Daniel.
Alternate Teal'c as the First Prime of Alternate Apophis.
However, Alternate Apophis's Jaffa, led by Alternate Teal'c, who in this reality never met SG-1, invade the SGA in retaliation for the destruction of Alternate Chulak, making it even more difficult; they have around twenty minutes before the Stargate can be dialed again, and it may be impossible to hold the Jaffa back for that long. Fortunately, Daniel offers Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill a video recording of his mission back in his reality, suggesting he show it to Alternate Teal'c to buy them time.
Before Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill confronts Alternate Teal'c, Alternate Carter fondly embraces him. Alternate Catherine remarks to a confused Daniel, "I take it they're not engaged in your reality."
One by one, the alternate members of SG-1 die as they try to buy Daniel time to escape; Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill dies first, shot by Alternate Teal'c in revenge for Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill sending the bomb through the Stargate to Alternate Chulak in an attack that ultimately killed Alternate Teal'c's Alternate wife and Alternate son.
Alternate Hammond and Alternate MSgt. Walter Harriman are the next to be killed, dying by the Jaffa Serpent Guards entering the lower levels of the Base.
In the Briefing Room, Alternate Carter announces that she's surrendered before triggering a grenade that kills her and several Jaffa while Alternate Catherine is presumably struck down and killed by Jaffa after programming the Stargate for Daniel.
As Daniel rushes for the Stargate, the Alternate Teal'c heads in and shoots Daniel with a staff weapon.
Despite that, Daniel heads through the Stargate and rushes back to his own reality.
Seconds later, the Alternate SGA is destroyed in a blast that also wipes out the invading Jaffa force.
Daniel emerges from the Stargate and uses the Quantum Mirror to return to his own reality.
In the complex, Jonathan J., Sam and Teal'c regroup, reporting that they haven't found Daniel when they heard Daniel yelling. They rush in and find Daniel lying on the ground, his right arm injured.
Carter takes the address and wonders what it is.
As they prepare to take Daniel back to the SGC, Daniel suddenly awakens and frantically tells his team that they're all in very big trouble before remarking that "They are coming."
Notable quotes[]
Jackson: Well, it sounds like I theoretically, possibly, actually found one!
Alternate Catherine: One what?
Jackson: One of those things Sam was talking about, an alternate reality!
Alternate Carter: What makes you think the Goa'uld are even going to attack your Earth?
Jackson: Oh, I'd say we've pissed them off at least as much as you have.
Alternate Carter: I surrender! I have information that can help Apophis! There is technology he will want to know about! This is a remote control to an interdimensional portal. I can tell Apophis how to find it!
Jaffa: Hashak Kreyak! (THIS TV Airing) I'll take it, Lady.
Alternate Carter: (pulling out a grenade) Thank you. Oh yeah. I also wish to blow us all to hell.
(SG-1 finds Jackson on the ground with a staff weapon wound)
Jonathan J. O'Neill: Daniel! What the hell is this?
Teal'c: It appears to be caused by a staff weapon.
(Jonathan J. O'Neill pulls out the yellow piece of paper with the Goa'uld coordinates out of Jackson's hand.)
Carter: This looks like a Stargate address.
Jonathan J. O'Neill: Alright, let's get him back to Earth.
(Jackson suddenly awakens.)
Jackson: No! Jack! We're all in very big trouble! They're coming!
Cast[]
Main Characters
- Richard Dean Anderson as Colonel Jonathan J. O'Neill/Alternate Brigadier General Jonathan J. O'Neill
- Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson/Alternate Dr. Daniel Jackson (Photo)
- Amanda Tapping as Captain Samantha Carter/Alternate Dr. Samantha Carter
- Christopher Judge as Teal'c/Alternate Teal'c
- Don S. Davis as Alternate Colonel George S. Hammond
Guest Stars
- Elizabeth Hoffman as Alternate Dr. Catherine Langford
- Gary Jones as Alternate MSgt. Walter Harriman
- Stuart O'Connell as Sergeant Soldier Sean
- Michael Kopsa as News Anchor
- Laara Sadiq as Alternate SSgt. Laura Davis
- Shawn Stewart as Jaffa
- Bill Nikolai as Alternate TSgt. Vern Alberts (Credited)
- T.M. Sandulak as Alternate TSgt. Ziplinski (Credited)
- Joe Blair as Apophis's Jaffa 1 (Credited)
Notes[]
- The title refers to the quotation "There but for the grace of God go I," by English preacher John Bradford referring to the distinct possibility that, if only a bare few occurrences had been different, one's own reality could have walked the same path as any other one.
- The dividing point seems to be that, when approached by Catherine Langford to join the original Stargate Program, Dr. Daniel Jackson declined, to the extent that he was apparently "quite rude" to Catherine. However, other details such as Dr. Samantha Carter having never joined the United States Air Force and Jonathan J. O'Neill and George S. Hammond having the opposite ranks suggest that there were earlier divergences from the reality we know. Since Jackson was the one who dissuaded Jonathan J. O'Neill from detonating the nuclear warhead on Abydos, that planet was never fully explored and many of their continued adventures did not occur. This also explains the difference in Jonathan J. O'Neill's personality; the original trip through the Stargate to Abydos had a recuperative effect on O'Neill and greatly softened him from being a cold military man to the Jonathan J. O'Neill we see in the SG-1 series. Also, as Jackson never met Sha're, then there would be no reason to go to Chulak to attempt to rescue her if she was ever taken in this reality. As a result, the team never met Teal'c, hence him lacking from SG-1.
- The customary 38-minute window that a Stargate can remain open without extraordinary measures is first established here, as is the fact that Earth's dialing computer dials notably slower than a Dial Home Device.
- The events of this episode resonate contiguously through "The Serpent's Lair", and information gained within this episode is the first indication of an imminent Goa'uld attack.
- It has been approximately two years since the events of Stargate and one year since the events of "Children of the Gods".
- This episode takes place one day before "Politics".
- Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill in the alternate reality has a scar on his left eyebrow which is similar to the injury his main timeline self would receive in the Season 3 episode "Demons", with the injury later leaving Jonathan J. O'Neill with a permanent scar above his left eyebrow.
- Alternate Jonathan J. O'Neill in the alternate reality is a Brigadier General and head of the Alternate SGA. His main timeline counterpart would receive the same promotion and posting seven years later in the Season 8 episode "New Order, Part 2".
- The Quantum Mirror later appears in "Point of View", when visitors from an alternate reality similar to the one shown here contact the SGC for help in escaping the Goa'uld invasion, and mentioned and dismissed as a possibility for the unusual circumstances in "The Fifth Man". It is also dismissed as a way to send the alternate SG-1s home in "Ripple Effect", as Hammond has had it destroyed.
- The scenes on P3R-233 were shot at the Powertech Labs.
- This is the only episode of Stargate SG-1 written story by David Kemper. He would go on to be a major contributor to Farscape.
- This is the first of twelve episodes of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis directed by David Warry-Smith.
Goofs[]
- Dr. Daniel Jackson puts his Camcorder on the table in the "lab" so he can take off his back pack. He then starts stuffing artifacts into his backpack. Before he picks up the second artifact, the recorder is on the table, along with another artifact. The camera pans up to Jackson stuffing his backpack, then back to the table where the artifact and the recorder are gone.
- Alternate Catherine Langford shows Jackson a world map on which cities destroyed by the Goa'uld are marked by red dots. In a close-up of the map, there are red dots in northern and central Europe. In other shots, these dots are not present.
- While dialing the gate on the alternate Earth to send a nuke to Alternate Chulak, Alternate MSgt. Walter Harriman announces "Chevron Three encoded!", but his lips are clearly not moving. While dialing the gate in an attempt to reach the Beta Site, Alternate Harriman announces "Chevron Five encoded!", but 13 seconds later, a close-up of the dialing computer shows Chevron Five being encoded.
- When Alternate Teal'c reveals his face during the invasion of the Alternate SGA, he has his staff weapon in his right hand in wide view, and in the close-up shot following it, the staff weapon is in his left hand (mark 27:40).
- Within the Alternate Earth, the second chevron locked when they dial the planet on which the Quantum Mirror is located is the Earth symbol.
- The Earth symbol is on the Stargate on P3R-233.