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The members of SG-1 have moved on to new assignments - Carter is now working at Stargate R&D full time. Teal’c has his hands full with the internal politics of the new Jaffa nation. Daniel Jackson is preparing to join the Daedalus on its trip to Atlantis. The SGC itself has a new leader, General Hank Landry. Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell arrives to join SG-1, eager to work with “the best of the best.” Critically injured leading the fighter squadron that protected SG-1 during Anubis’s assault in Antarctica, Mitchell was promised his choice of assignments by General O’Neill. But it falls to Landry to provide the details that O’Neill left out: Mitchell isn’t at SGC to join the existing team. He’s there to form and lead the new SG-1.

A disappointed Mitchell tries to convince the original team to reunite. Despite their gratitude and respect for Mitchell, he is unsuccessful - at least until Daniel’s old acquaintance Vala returns, claiming to have stolen a tablet that leads to an Ancient treasure. In order to ensure that she profits from the venture, Vala uses Goa’uld bracelets to link Daniel and her - neither can go very far from the other without falling ill. Having missed his trip on the Daedalus, Daniel turns his attention to the tablet. It suggests that the legend of Merlin and King Arthur has some link to the Ancients. The Prometheus‘ scanners find a large underground network of tunnels in England, hidden from Earth surveys by Ancient technology. Mitchell, Daniel, Vala and a visiting Teal’c ring into the complex and soon face a sword in a stone and a holographic message that their knowledge and character will be tested. And the consequence for failure is grave indeed.

Season 9 Regular Cast: Ben Browder (Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell), Amanda Tapping (Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter), Christopher Judge (Teal’c), Beau Bridges (General Hank Landry), Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson)

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith
excerpts written by Robert C. Cooper & Brad Wright
main theme adapted from music by David Arnold

Guest Cast: Claudia Black (Vala), Richard Dean Anderson (General Jack O’Neill), Obi Ndefo (Rak’nor), Gary Jones (Sgt. Walter Harriman), Bill Dow (Dr. Lee), Matthew Walker (Merlin), Tyler McClendon (Lt. Banks), Mar Andersons (Air Force Official), Claude Knowlton (Doctor), Wendy Russell (Nurse), Donna White (Crying Mother), Penelope Corrin, Alistair Abell, Robert Clarke (Science Candidates), Jason Benson, Sean Arnfinson (Military Candidates), Scott Owen (Technician), Michael Jonsson (F-302 Pilot)

Appearing in footage from “Lost City, Part 2″: Tony Amendola (Bra’tac), Don S. Davis (General Hammond)

Notes: Mitchell was injured in the seventh-season finale Lost City, Part 2; his flashbacks are a combination of excerpts from that episode and new footage. Jackson first encountered Vala in the eighth season episode Prometheus Unbound. Sam Carter’s reduced role in this episode is due to Amanda Tapping taking some time off after the birth of her daughter. Beginning with this episode, the opening title sequence was cut to a brief 10-second clip with the actor credits over the episode itself during Sci Fi’s broadcasts. The series’ producers prepared a full one-minute title sequence for syndication and other uses.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

As Sheppard is about to carry out a suicide mission against the nearest Wraith hive ship aboard a puddle jumper, another ship signals him and orders him to decloak - the Daedalus has arrived from Earth. And while that helps matters in orbit over Atlantis, there are still Wraith on the loose in Atlantis itself. Daedalus also bears a gift for Dr. McKay - a ZPM that will power Atlantis’ shields. Getting the module into place is enough of a challenge with Wraith warriors stalking the city, but when the last hive ship is destroyed in space, the remaining dart fighters mount a suicide strike on Atlantis. In the course of defending the city from the ground, Lt. Ford is captured by a Wraith, but before it can feed, a grenade blasts Ford and his attacker into the ocean below. When Ford is recovered, he has been subjected to an overdose of an enzyme injected into Wraith victims to prolong their lives for feeding, and when he awakens, he has Wraith-like strength, a temper to match, and - according to Dr. Beckett - a lifelong dependency on the enzyme. After the Wraith advance is beaten back, twelve more hive ships are detected. Sheppard’s strategy to intercept the hive ships ahead of their arrival works only briefly before the Daedalus is forced to fall back to Atlantis for repairs. McKay devises a plan to fool the Wraith into thinking that Atlantis has been destroyed, which could save everyone - unless Ford, unable to control himself, gives the game away.

Season 2 Regular Cast: Joe Flanigan (Major John Sheppard), Torri Higginson (Dr. Elizabeth Weir), David Hewlett (Dr. Rodney McKay), Rachel Luttrell (Teyla), Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex)

written by Martin Gero
directed by Martin Wood
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Rainbow Sun Francks (Lt. Aiden Ford), Ellie Harvie (Dr. Novak), Clayton Landey (Colonel Everett), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Mitch Pileggi (Colonel Steven Caldwell), Morris Chapdelaine (Hermiod puppeteer), Chuck Campbell (Technician), Trevor Devall (voice of Hermiod), James Lafaznos (Male Wraith)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Moments after Boomer shoots Commander Adama twice at point-blank range, a Cylon base star appears near Galactica. Left in command, Colonel Tigh orders the Colonial fleet to make an immediate jump to predetermined escape coordinates, even though the crew members on Kobol - including Baltar - will be trapped there, and the fleet’s senior doctor won’t be on board Galactica to treat Adama’s wounds. Worse yet, when Galactica arrives at those coordinates, it’s the only Colonial ship there. On Caprica, Starbuck is stunned by Helo’s devotion to the Cylon Boomer he says is pregnant with his child. Even when Boomer steals the Cylon ship Starbuck used to come to Caprica, Helo argues that she’s different from the other Cylons. On Kobol, injuries and lack of supplies take their toll, but the survivors of the crash discover that someone else is on the planet - deadly enemies who don’t fight like Cylons. And on Galactica, with President Roslin and Apollo both behind bars, Colonel Tigh insists that the ship is still under Adama’s command, and that “the Old Man”’s way of doing things is still very much in effect. But Tigh may have to think outside that box if Galactica is to rejoin and protect the rest of the fleet.

Season 2 Regular Cast: Edward James Olmos (Commander Adama), Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin), Katie Sackhoff (Lt. Starbuck), Jamie Bamber (Captain Apollo), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lt. Boomer)

written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
directed by Michael Rymer
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Kerry Norton (Paramedic Ibhay), Kurt Evans (Paramedic Kim), Chris Shields (Cpl. Venner), Luciana Carro (Kat), Bodie Olmos (Hot Dog), Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Warren Christie (Tarn), Ty Olsson (Capt. Kelly), Nicholas Treeshin (Sgt. Watkins), Michael Tayles (Flyboy), Leah Cairns (Racetrack), Aleks Paunovio (Marine Sgt. Fischer)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Daniel solves the riddle contained in his chamber, allowing him to escape with Vala and provide Mitchell the hint that lets him solve his own puzzle. Having passed this test, Mitchell removes the sword from the stone - at which point an energy construct of a knight forms and begins dueling the colonel. Teal’c attempts to come to Mitchell’s aid, but the sword passes through his hands - no one else can wield it. The knight gets the best of Mitchell, but when Teal’c attempts to lift him up in order to evacuate him, Mitchell recalls his rehabilitation and refuses to surrender until his enemy is vanquished. The chamber itself then begins to crumble, until Mitchell returns everything to its rightful place and the treasure of Avalon appears.

In addition to the usual gold and buried loot, the vault includes an old text which suggests that the race that evolved into the Ancients was once called the Alterans, and traveled to Earth from a distant world. The team also finds an Ancient device which appears to work with the communication stones such as those that once linked Jack O’Neill’s consciousness with another man. Daniel theorizes that when used with the new device, the stones might allow someone to contact the original home world of the Ancients’ forebearers. He and Vala place the two stones into the device and quickly fall unconscious. Dr. Lam, the SGC’s new chief doctor, reports to General Landry that the two appear to be in something resembling a dream state. When Landry asks the doctor how she’s adjusting to her new position, she admits that it takes some getting used to - even moreso because it involves serving under Landry.

Teal’c returns to Dakara to find that a Jaffa named Gerak is close to cementing his hold on the High Council. Teal’c’s friend Rak’nor wonders why he continues to risk losing his influence by spending so much time with the humans. Teal’c responds that beyond his understanding that the humans played a major role in helping the Jaffa win their freedom, there is the strategic fact that knowledge of the Ancients proved vital in defeating the Goa’uld and the Replicators and will likely continue to be useful going forward. Whatever the merits of the argument might be, they aren’t enough to stop Gerak’s ascension to leadership.

In another galaxy, Daniel and Vala find that their consciousnesses now inhabit the bodies of a married couple, Harrid and Sallis, on a world whose technology and culture resemble medieval Earth - a far cry from their expectations. Their first instinct is to try to fit in to their surroundings, so they join their fellow villagers during a lengthy worship service to the native’s deities, the Ori. A fellow worshipper named Fannis invites them to a secret meeting in hushed tones - their first sign that their “hosts” are not ordinary villagers. Another comes when Vala finds two communications stones hidden in the bedroom. And yet another comes when Fannis shows up at their door, obviously worried about all their safety. Daniel and Vala explain the truth behind their strange behavior, and in turn Fannis explains that all three of them are members of a secret groups of researchers, looking for clues as to their people’s past and evidence that the sacred texts passed down by the Ori are not completely accurate. Daniel and Vala’s odd behavior has already begun to draw suspicion to them - and when Vala fails to observe the proper rituals, the situation quickly spirals out of control. Daniel must watch as Sallis is sentenced to trial by flames; as her body is consumed, the doctors at SGC are unable to save Vala’s physical body or retrieve her consciousness. But more powerful forces may yet intervene.

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Claudia Black (Vala), Bill Dow (Dr. Lee), Lexa Doig (Dr. Lam), Obi Ndefo (Rak’nor), Stephen Park (Harrid), April Amber Telek (Sallis), Paul Moniz de Sa (Fannis), Greg Anderson (Administrator), Mark Houghton (Prior Or Ori), Gary Jones (Sgt. Walter Harriman), Silya Wiggens (Therapist), Brahm Taylor (Villager), Nick Harrison (Knight)

Notes: O’Neill and the SGC discovered the nature of the communications stones in the eighth-season episode Citizen Joe.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

After ferrying Atlantis’ senior staff to Earth for a briefing, the Daedalus is en route back to Atlantis when a suspicious accident leaves one of the crew dead. Concerned about possible Wraith retaliation, Colonel Caldwell - the Daedalus’ commander, still chafing over being passed over for Atlantis’ military commander position in favor of the newly-promoted Lt. Colonel Sheppard - orders the ship to stay in hyperspace. But other deadly accidents continue to happen, and it seems that even hyperspace isn’t safe for the Daedalus. And in any event, the Wraith don’t need to attack the Daedalus directly - they’ve already managed to infect its vital systems from a distance.

written by Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
directed by Peter DeLuise
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Beau Bridges (General Landry), Garwin Sanford (Simon), Lucia Walters (Lara), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Mitch Pileggi (Colonel Caldwell), Kimani Ray Smith (Dr. Lindstrom), Trevor Devall (voice of Hermiod), Michael Boisvert (Bridge Lieutenant), Heather Doerksen (Bridge Pilot), Gerry Durand (Airman), Umar Gordon (Monroe)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

With the crew still reeling from a firefight - one in which a larger-than-usual Cylon vehicle actually managed to slam into one of Galactica’s flight pods - the Battlestar is ripe for boarding. Cylon Centurions emerge from their crashed vehicle and quickly start to take over strategic parts of the ship, shutting off power and vital systems as they go and killing anyone who gets in the way. Galactica’s Marine contingent fights back, rescuing Apollo and some of his fellow pilots, the still-jailed President Roslin, and several others, but they’re still unable to escape to safer parts of the ship. And if the Cylons manage to reach controls that would allow them to vent Galactica’s entire atmosphere into space, no part of the ship will be safe. On Caprica, with Boomer having fled in her stolen Cylon ship, Starbuck finds her father’s abandoned home and takes time to reflect on what has been lost. And on Kobol, even with mounting casualties, Baltar is more horrified when he experiences a vision of Commander Adama killing the baby that Number Six says is the shape of things to come.

written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
directed by Michael Rymer
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Kerry Norton (Paramedic Ibhay), Chris Shields (Cpl. Venner), Luciana Carro (Kat), Bodie Olmos (Hot Dog), Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Ty Olsson (Capt. Kelly), Michael Tayles (Flyboy), Dominic Zamprogna (Jammer), Garvin Cross (Collishaw), Brad Loree (Bonnington), Lori Stewart (Twinam)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Vala’s rescuer reveals himself as a Prior of the Ori, and uses alabaster rings to bring her and Daniel to Celestis, a city in the sky. There Daniel has time to study the Book of Origin and attempt to convine the Prior that they’re explorers and not really in the market for a new belief system. The Prior appears to be more interested in the idea that there are more unbelievers where they came from. Daniel manages to arrange an audience with the Doci, the enahnced human who ranks above the Priors. There he realizes that like the Anicents, the Ori have ascended to a higher level of existance. Unlike the Ancients, they want to guide other races there. Rather forcefully, if necessary. The Ancients had apparently hidden the existence of life in our galaxy from the Ori. But thanks to Daniel and Vala’s visit, the veil has been lifted. And the Ori are determined that all will be rescued from evil and led to enlightenment - or destroyed, lest they corrupt others.

At Stargate Command, General Landry interrupts Mitchell’s vigil over Daniel and Vala to ask him to investigate a report from an Earth anthropologist of an unknown missionary appearing through the Stargate on another planet. Mitchell and Landry discuss their concerns that in the power vacuum left behind by the Goa’uld, unscrupulous individuals might try to take advantage of the situation. Similar concerns motivate Landry to invite Gerak to a conference on Earth. Teal’c agrees to relay the invitation and shares his misgivings about Gerak. The Jaffa asceneded to leadership of his troops after an ally of Bra’tac and Teal’c, who shared their vision of a democratic Jaffa nation, mysteriously disappeared. There is no evidence linking Gerak to the disappearance . . . but Teal’c can not help but wonder.

Mitchell assumes his best down-home manner and introduces himself to the missionary - another Prior. When he mentions Earth, the Prior responds with Daniel’s name, prompting Mitchell to bring the Prior back to SGC at the same time that Landry’s meeting with Gerak is going not altogether smoothly. The Jaffa requests the opportunity to meet and possibly challege this would-be prophet, as they are understandably leery of anyone claiming godhood.

Daniel and Vala are returned to their village, presumably to lead the Ori to other nonbelievers. Reluctant to do so, they must nonetheless try to find another Ancient communication device in order to warn Earth. They resolve to set off alone, but Fannis insits on helping them, despite the risks. They are able to make contact with Stargate Command, but only briefly - then the Prior and the townspeople arrive to recapture them. This time both Harrid and Sallis are sentenced to perish in the flames - and unless Mitchell and Teal’c can find a way to disrupt the connection, Daniel and Vala will share their fate.

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Brad Turner
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Claudia Black (Vala), Richard Dean Anderson (Maj. Gen. Jack O’Neill), Bill Dow (Dr. Lee), Lexa Doig (Dr. Lam), Louis Gossett, Jr. (Gerak); Gardiner Milla (Yat’yir), Mark Houghton (Prior Or Ori), Julian Sands (Doci), Larry Cedar (Prior #2), Paul Moniz De Sa (Fannis), Greg Anderson (Administrator), Gary Jones (Sgt. Walter Harriman), Stephen Park (Harrid), April Amber Telek (Sallis), Penelope Corrin (Dr. Lindsay)

Notes: This episode is considered the third part of a three-part episode, along with Avalon Parts 1 and 2.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

A routine survey mission through the stargate turns up a dead Wraith, and an autopsy reveals that the glands that produce the enzyme needed to prolong a victim’s life for feeding have been removed - Lt. Ford, still missing, has struck. Sheppard leads a search team back to the planet to look for Ford, but he and Teyla are captured by a man who identifies himself as Ronan Dex. Sheppard and Teyla can’t say anything that will win Dex’s trust, but he has seen Ford. Dex is a runner, captured by the Wraith, implanted with a tracking device, and then set free to be hunted for sport. During his latest encounter with a Wraith, Dex found himself between his pursuer and Ford. He offers to find Ford for Sheppard in exchange for the removal of his tracking implant, but even when Ford is found, there are still ways he can betray his teammates.

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Martin Wood
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Rainbow Sun Francks (Lt. Aiden Ford), Kavan Smith (Major Lorne), Mitch Pileggi (Colonel Caldwell), Jonathon Young (Parrish), Dan Payne (Reed), James Lafaznos (Wraith)

Note: This episode introduces new regular Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Left without her medication in Galactica’s brig, President Roslin’s condition is worsening rapidly, to the point that she sometimes doesn’t remember where she is. Commander Adama goes under the knife for a surgery that will last for hours - and still may not keep him alive. Colonel Tigh is deteriorating as well, largely by his own doing as he leans ever more heavily on old habits to cope with the pressures of command. Those pressures intensify when the Quorum of Twelve arrives, demanding access to the imprisoned President, and the press begins to demand answers from Tigh as well. Apollo takes off on a search and rescue mission to find Galactica’s crashed crew members on Kobol, and a party of Cylons is preparing a deadly surprise for his arrival. The few survivors left from the crash must prevent the Cylons from ambushing the search and rescue mission - but discipline, and the chain of command, are rapidly breaking down among them. One will lose their nerve, another will lose perspective, another will lose their innocence, and then one will lose their life.

written by Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin
directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek), Kerry Norton (Paramedic Layne Ibhay), Kurt Evans (Paramedic Howard Kim), Chris Sheilds (Cpl. Venner), Jannifer Halley (Seelix), Leah Cairns (Racetrack), Patricia Iolette (Sarah Porter), Malcolm Stewart (Marshall Bagot), T-Roy Kozuki (Marine)

LogBook entry by Earl Green