Stargate SG-1 Season 6, Episode 16

"Metamorphosis"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Good

Commentary by:

Peter DeLuise – Director
James Tichenor – Visual Effects Producer

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

 

Review: 

The Russians have their own teams out on offworld missions.  That team returns to SGC from P3X-367 with an unannounced visitor.  SGC is firmly against bringing unknown beings back to Earth without permission.  The alien – who is human in appearance and named Aldebran – says that the Goa'uld Nirrti (“Rite of Passage”) is experimenting with his people on P3X-367.  The Russian team's leader, Colonel Evanov, wrongly brought Aldebran back to SGC for the right reason.  Well, the right reason with a side of petty.  Evanov pointedly points out that SGC allowed Nirrti to go free after helping Cassandra.  Unsurprisingly, Nirrti didn't give up on engineering the perfect host for herself after departing SGC.  Leading to the current situation with Aldebran and his people.  Turning back to old habits, Nirrti is using the population of a little traveled planet for experimentation.  Again (“Singularity”).  This time it is Aldebran and his people.

Aldebran spectacularly demonstrates that SGC needs to address the situation on his planet.  General Hammond gives a go for SG-1 and Colonel Evanov's team to deal with Nirrti.  SG-1 and Evanov take down the Jaffa guarding the stargate on P3X-367, and then SG-1 heads to the location of Nirrti's lair with the Russians guarding the stargate.  At the lair, SG-1 meets those of Aldebran's people who still live.  Instead of a warm welcome, SG-1 is met with resistance by Alderan's people.  Nirrti stuck with the Goa'uld playbook by presenting herself as a god, and made some striking physiological changes to Aldebran's people.  Changes that include extraordinary powers, powers they use against SG-1 and Evanov.

Captured, SG-1 and Evanov are new test subjects for Nirrti's experiments.  In her search for crafting the ultimate host, Nirrti intends to get what she wants, even if the cost is the deaths of SG-1 and Evanov.

Jacqueline Samuda returns as Nirrti, and does a good job in her performance.  Everyone's acting is fine.  There are some nice special effects.  Kudos to the effects and make-up teams.

Failures:

Nirrti is up to no good, manipulating the physiology of humans.  All with Nirrti having the moral compass of, well, a Goa'uld.  Why wouldn't SGC immediately check Aldebran to see if he had a bomb inside of him like Cassandra did in “Singularity?”

 

This is an episode well worth viewing.  However, there is no clear message to the story, other than "Nirrti is up to her old tricks."  There are touching moments, due to the expertise of the actors.