Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Stargate SG-1, Season 3, Episode 15


"Pretense"
images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Good

The episode opens with a battle happening in space.  Goa’uld vessels are attacking a Goa’uld glider.  The glider escapes the barrage, and crash-lands on a nearby planet.  Human people on the planet approach the vessel, and discover Skaa’ra/Klorel (“The Serpent's Lair”), injured but alive.

Next, we are at SGC.  There is an incoming wormhole, and no IDC.  It is Narim, and some other Tollans (“Enigma”), who use one of their devices to waltz right through the stargate’s closed iris.  Narim has a message from the Tollan High Chancellor, Travell.  Skaa’ra/Klorel crashed on the Tollan’s new home world, Tollana.  Skaa’ra wants Klorel removed, but since Klorel is a sentient being, the Tollans will not just remove him.  Because the Tollans are aloof, and often act like the south end of a north bound herd of horses, they decide to have a trial to determine who gets to use Skaa’ra’s body -- Skaa’ra or Klorel.  The trial is called a Triad, with representative(s) for each side, and a third, neutral representative.  Lord Zipacna, a Goa’uld, is Klorel’s rep, and Lya, a Nox (“The Nox”) is the neutral rep.  O’Neill is invited to be Skaa’ra’s rep.  He accepts, and SG-1 gates to Tollana.

SG-1 works to save Skaa’ra from remaining Klorel’s unwilling slave.  At the same time, the Tollan’s hubris prevents them from considering the Goa’uld a threat, a decision that may lead to the destruction of Tollana, and SG-1.

Alexis Cruz returns and is excellent portraying the very different Ska’ra, and Klorel.  Kevin Durand is Lord Zipacna.  He does not get to do much other than sneer, and preen, however he does both well enough.  The regular cast is at their best.  Frida Betrani returns as Lya who is all about the calm, not the emoting.

Failures:
The episode re-enforces the Tollan’s arrogance, and has some nice special effects.  The story is okay, but not great.  It is nice to see Skaa’ra again.

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