Stargate SG-1, Season 1, Episode 21

"Within the Serpent's Grasp"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating: Excellent

Stargate Command is in the process of being shut down.  Daniel is still trying to convince his teammates that the events in “There But For the Grace of God” were real.  Daniel wants to go against orders barring further gate travel, and journey to the co-ordinates he brought back from the alternate universe Earth.  The possibility that a vast Goa’uld force could attack Earth outweighs any punitive repercussions for the team, and they all decide to go.  SG-1 commandeers the vacant stargate control room, and activates the gate, using Daniel’s coordinates.

SG-1 arrives in a Goa’uld storage area, empty except for crates.  The task of verifying Daniel’s experience, in order to keep the SGC going as Earth’s first line of defense against alien attack, changes when the team is stranded in Goa’uld territory, with no way to contact Earth.  Alone, SG-1 must try to stop the Goa’uld, and their Jaffa, before all civilization on Earth is destroyed.

A fast paced episode that provides lots of action, and surprises.  Events that began in “Children of the Gods” come to a head in this season finale.  A few of the characters introduced in the first episode return, and they are powerful, and not happy with Earth.  Tension builds from the start, ending in a cliffhanger.

Stargate SG-1’s ensemble cast is in the groove.  Carter is finally allowed to be an extremely intelligent Air Force officer, without side trips into “just in case you haven’t noticed, she’s a woman!” sketchy story lines.

In the first view of the stargate in this episode, the gate room is vacant, and the stargate is draped with a large cloth, ready for storage.  This scene is reminiscent of the first view of the stargate in the “Children of the Gods.”  A very nice touch.

21st episode broadcast.
21st episode in the DVD set.

Failures:
The Goa'uld stargate being in an empty storage area is a mild stretch, but not so far out there as to be unbelievable.  Also, considering that SG-1 is surrounded by a Goa’uld force, they don’t run into very many Jaffa.  The episode is so good that I don’t mind these lucky circumstances.

O’Neill’s statement that, “Hammond’s given up,” is literally true, but annoyingly worded.  General Hammond put forth a lot of effort, and tried to call in favors, to keep the SGC from being shut down.  The wording doesn't acknowledge Hammond’s efforts.  Irks me every time I hear it.