The Devil You Know

[superbadgirl]

Firstly, I love the title. I know it's an old turn of phrase, I just like it lots.

Secondly, I failed to mention last week how effective the lighting in this episode duo is. SG1 are hot. They're grimy. They're bathed in spooky red light. They're wearing standard issue clothing instead of tight sleeveless T-shirts and tank tops! ;)

I like JM better than this one, though TDYK is not without merits. Sokar never fails to creep me out.

I'm always torn by the memory sequences, because aside from Daniel's, it's absolutely ridiculous for Apophis to think he'd get anywhere. Maybe Sam's, too, but I just hate that one because it gives Sam that insta-tragedy background (and because of the hideous dress they made her wear. Yeesh. ;)). I mean, Jack knows Charlie's dead, and Martouf knows Jolinar is dead. Even whacked out, those are deep, impactful things in their lives they are not likely to forget. I realize Apophis can't exactly choose the memories, but...you'd think with a psychotropic drug to use he might have been able to steer them into what would be more effective for him.

But then we come to poor Daniel. Sam gets her dad. Jack gets his son. Martouf gets Jolinar. Daniel gets...Jack. Ah, it makes the slashy goggles nearly impossible not to don. Seriously, though there are probably about 14.1 billion fanfic stemming from that scene-that-may-or-may-not-have-happened-in-real-fake TV-time, I am almost always tempted to write one myself. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones Daniel realizes why Jack showed up in his Apophis assisted mindfuck. ;)

Poor Teal'c, fighting the matter-of-fact Aldwin. Nice job of CJ in relaying Teal'c's concern, though I can't help but feel bad how literally removed he is. Nice job at the end, too, when Jack's asking him for water. Impressive subtlety from that guy is impressive, as always, especially considering how ADD CJ is.

Nice Sam/Jacob moments outside the hallucinations. Even just a few minutes is enough to show the bond.

\O/ Daniel saves the day! It probably isn't supposed to, but his expression after he punches the Jaffa makes me laugh. He knows what's coming, and he knows what he inflicted was just a tickle.

I hate that TPTB killed off Sokar. He had such potential, but I suppose the logic was that Apophis was supposed to be the Big Bad. Pity, considering what became of ol' Pops.

Fav quotes:

"Sorry to ruin your day. (pause) No, actually, I'm wrong about that. I'm not sorry." (Oh, Daniel, Goa'uld baiting is ill-advised. <3 the way Jack looks so disturbed/annoyed by Daniel's bluff and bluster.)

"Well, this experience doesn't seem to have humbled him much." (Jack, on Apophis' enormous ego.)

"And then they gave me something that reminded me of the 70s." (Poor thwacked Jack.)

"Daniel?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to pass out again." (Don't know why on this one. Poor Daniel looks so lost through most of this episode, and this scene is no different.)

"I've been wrong about a lot of things. And I know I don't always seem like I believe you, but I do believe in you." (Oh, please, please, please let that hallucination be based on reality. My fanon says it's so.)

"Sokar is attacking!" (Peter DeLuise's appearance in the episode, with this badly delivered line.)

That's just how I feel about it. What do you think?

Comments

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

But if Sam saw her father and Jack saw his son, doesn't that mean that Daniel saw his father-figure? :P

Or... son-figure... but that would just be too weird.

[superbadgirl]

Jack is not nearly old enough to be a father figure to Daniel. ;)~

Hey, it works as pure friendship. I'm just sayin', if a person is slash-inclined this scene is like a flashing neon sign.

[(Anonymous)]

which raises the question of how much older does a person have to be to be a father (or mother) figure? maybe it's an older brother or uncle thing?

[superbadgirl]

I dunno. I think if the circumstances were such that the older of the pair played a significant role in childhood and development, it's a natural father figure fit.

Older brother I could buy.