Stargate SG-1, Season 6, Episode 12

"Unnatural Selection"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Very Good

Commentary by:

Andy Mikita – Director

Jim Menard – Director of Photography

The commentary is very informative, and interesting. Lots of behind the scene information. The commentary stays on point with what is on screen.

Review:

This episode picks up immediately after the end of “Prometheus.”  Colonel Simmons and the Goa'uld infested Adrian Conrad's (“Desperate Measures”) efforts to out maneuver each other ended in both their deaths, and the X-303 is stranded in space, light-years from home. Carter states that there is no way to get back to Earth. While SG-1 processes their current, untenable, situation an Asgard ship appears. It's Thor (“Descent”). The Asgard keep an eye out on hyperspace activity near Earth, and noted the X-303's trip. SG-1 is saved! Sort of. Thor's appearance is a mix of benevolence and self-interest. The Asgard homeworld has been overrun by Replicators (“Menace” ), and Thor needs SG-1's help. Oh, and the Earth's shiny, new, partially completed ship, too.

Turns out the Asgard used information gleaned from their study of Reese (“Menace”) as bait for a Replicator trap. The Asgard found one core command in Reese that all Replicators would follow, the command, “come forth.” Our favorite little gray aliens then broadcast this command throughout the galaxy, an irresistible “come hither” for all Replicators in the galaxy. Summoned to one location, where the Asgard set up a time dilation device trap. Within the time dilation device's bubble time is considerably slowed. One year passing for the Replicators in the bubble would be about 10,000 years passing in the rest of the galaxy. A trap that gives the Asgard a lot of breathing room for finding a permanent solution to defeating the Replicators. A great plan … that didn't work. The time dilation device did not activate.

Seemingly, the Replicators managed to disable the device. The Asgard need a physically fit team, one with projectile weapons and a space ship whose tech is so low brow that the Replicators would sneer at the thought of consuming it. So, the Asgard want SG-1 to enter Replicator dominated space, repair the time dilation device, and activate it.

O'Neill is reluctant on many levels about the Asgard's plan. There's little food on the X-303, and fewer weapons. O'Neill has zero authority to commit Earth's new spaceship to the mission. And, SG-1 is currently lost in space … oh, wait. No, they aren't. Thor instantly towed the X-303 back to Earth, beamed the non-SG-1 folks from “Prometheus” on the ship to SGC, and beamed up a huge stock of weapons and food stores from SGC.

Unsurprisingly, the mission is approved by SGC. Between the possibility of losing favor with one of their few space faring allies in the fight against the Goa'uld -- admittedly one that doesn't often help out -- and the threat of the Replicators, “no” wasn't really an option for Earth.

SG-1 heads to the location where the Asgard sent the “come hither” command, the Asgard's original home world of Hala. Upon arriving at Hala, Thor discloses new information. It turns out that the time dilation device was activated, however instead of slowing time within the device's bubble, time within the field is moving faster than for the rest of the galaxy. Replicators were smart enough to keep the time dilation device from activating; then reverse its effects; and essentially had hundreds of years of free time on their hands. Upon landing on the planet, SG-1 discovers just what the Replicators were up to within the time field. A new, bigger threat to not just the Asgard, but for the entire galaxy.

The acting and effects are great, and the story provides a chance for the members of SG-1 to reflect, and act, on their morality, rather than just running and gunning towards their mission goal.  Their moral quandary is tied to the Replicators, and the answer seems easy considering the Replicators' mandate to essentially destroy and consume everything in the galaxy. However, SG-1 is left to question a decision in regards to completing their mission -- do the ends justify the means?  I think the situation is well handled, with varying reactions from the different characters.  I like that they question their decision, with some team members being more overtly bothered by their actions.

I rate this episode as Very Good because while the story is engaging, there are enough minor plot holes to keep me from giving this episode a higher rating. And, because once again Carter is used as the target of alien insta-love, a ploy used all too often in Stargate: SG-1.

O'Neill and Carter are prominent in this episode's story, with Teal'c and Quinn having little input. Except for one moment where Quinn channeled Daniel so hard, it seemed like that bit of dialog was originally written for Daniel, not Quinn.

Failures:

O'Neill spends too much time considering helping the Asgard at the beginning of the episode, even after Thor tows the X-303 back to Earth. He knows he doesn't have authority to agree to the mission, yet doesn't come out and say so for far too long.

After all this time the Asgard have yet to develop something to for situations requiring the physical presence of robust individuals and some projectile weapons. Other than calling on Earth for some (literally) heavy hitters.