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stargatefan.com : episodes > season 2 > next episode : need

General Hammond and the SG-1 team are viewing the video from the M.A.L.P. probe of the planet P7J989. The atmosphere is ideal, and an advanced structure can be seen in the distance. It appears not to be Goa’uld, in Teal’c’s opinion, and Sam Carter wonders if the beings who built it could become allies and teach us their technology. An exploratory mission is underway.

The SG-1 team emerges from the gate to find an Eden-like world full of birds and flowers - "too many flowers" says Daniel as he sneezes! Jack suspiciously comments, "Where there’s a garden, there are snakes!" With guns drawn, they cautiously enter a "secret garden" of sorts through a tree trunk tunnel into the domed structure. Doors close behind them. Carter comments, "I like what they’ve done with the place!" Before them lies a large domed enclosure, filled with more greenery and large, upright units of machinery, each unit containing a black shrouded humanoid form. The team carefully examines the tentacle-like hoses, which hold each being in their place. Daniel lifts the veil from one of the figures; "They’re human." Teal’c calls out "They’re breathing." O’Neil asks the team what the chambers might be and Sam responds "Medical devices? Suspended animation?"

As the team continues to explore, they draw near to four unoccupied chambers, touching them gingerly. Carter is awestruck; "This is way past our technology!" Without warning, tentacles reach out and ensnare the SG-1 team. They try to fight them off, without success. Team members are dragged into a chamber, and as the tentacles envelop them, two probe-like hoses attach to their temples as they drop into unconsciousness.

In a white flash, the scene abruptly shifts to outside of a country farmhouse. A rooster crows. Teal’c and Jack are dressed in army fatigues carrying rifles. They glance about obviously confused. They agree it appears to be Earth, but can’t figure out what has just happened to them. A truck approaches, so O’Neil and Teal’c draw their guns. Two men in army fatigues emerge. Incredulously O’Neil asks, "Kawalsky? John?" To which John responds "That’s Colonel - lower your weapon Jack." They ask why Jack seems so spooked - he responds "Because you’re both supposed to be dead!" They laugh; thinking it is a strange joke, as they prepare for some sort of mission.

Jack tells Teal’c "I went on this mission in 1982. We were supposed to grab a Russian agent from that house down there - it all went bad." Jack announces that he is not ready to move out because "This isn’t real - it can’t be! I’m either dreaming or hallucinating!" Colonel John punches Jack in the jaw and he reacts in pain. "Is that real enough for you Jack?" John asks. In frustration Jack yells, "Does he look like a member of this team?" as he rips off Teal’c’s hat. Surprisingly, there is no seal of Apophis in his forehead and he has thick, curly hair! Col. John reminds Jack that "Thomas" has been on the team longer than he has! "What the hell’s going on?" Jack asks. Then he wonders if he has time-traveled. Teal’c suggests that someone might be giving O’Neil the opportunity to undo his history - correct something that did not go well.

They move out on the mission. Jack points out a sniper on the roof - apparently missed in 1982 - he is taken out by a member of the team. Jack proceeds a bit more confidently. They crawl behind a wall and fire gas canisters into the house. Donning gas masks, they charge the house and are abruptly stopped by gunfire from behind a hedge. The Colonel dies in Jack’s arms as he asks Jack to take care of his wife for him. Jack screams to "Fall back!" Teal’c and Jack find themselves back at the place they were first transported to. Once again, a truck drives up and two men emerge. The Colonel again tells Jack to lower his weapon! Jack glances back in total confusion to the farmhouse where everyone has just "died"!

Next, Daniel and Sam are seen dressed in somewhat ornate street clothes, apparently in some sort of museum. Daniel asks, "What just happened? This place looks familiar. . .This is the New York Museum of Art!" As they look about, a far off voice is heard saying "OK, careful with that cover-stone!" "Yes, Dr. Jackson," another voice responds. Daniel hears this, and can only utter "No!" Now can be seen, a man and woman directing the placement of a large stone block on top of round stone pillars. They are standing under the block, which sways precariously from a large chain. Daniel stops and stares - open-mouthed, unbelieving. Sam asks him what’s going on and he states "This can’t be real!" Sam realizes Daniel must know what is going on and asks "Who are these people?" Painfully, Daniel chokes out "They’re my parents!" The block continues to swing as Daniel’s parents verbally direct its placement. Daniel shouts this time "NO!! Mom! Get out of there Dad!" The chain slips, sending the huge stone crashing down onto the unsteady pillars. Daniel’s parents scream and are crushed in the avalanche of stone.

Action shifts back to O’Neil, once again running his failed mission. "This is too real" he whispers to Teal’c, "Why should I go through this again?" Teal’c suggests that he must try to repair his history. O’Neil snaps "That’s it! It’s history, it can’t be changed!" Teal’c feels that remaining there, doing nothing, will surely change nothing, so they continue. As before, the sniper is shot and the gas bombs exploded, but this time O’Neil suggests checking the hedges. O’Neil and Teal’c now become aware of shadowy, veiled figures of onlookers standing about them. This time, the enemy shooters come from behind a different wall and the Colonel dies once again in Jack’s arms. O’Neil must again yell "Fall back!" They run back to the starting wall just in time for the truck’ s arrival! Jack yells "What the hell is happening here?" Jack grabs the Colonel and asks him who he is and motions to the observers asking "Who are these people?" The Colonel doesn’t see anyone else and thinks Jack has cracked up.

A mysterious robed figure wearing an unusual headdress appears and tells Jack to stop arguing and continue the mission. Jack demands to know who he is and he responds "I am the Keeper of all that is, was and all that might be." The Keeper wants Jack to proceed because it is what he has always wanted. The Keeper knows that Jack yearned to be able to do the mission over again in order to do it right. The Colonel says they are going and Jack responds "See ya!" Jack quips in frustration to the Keeper "How can I change the outcome if you keep changing the rules?" He tells Teal’c to sit down and announces that they aren’t going to play this game. Jack and Teal’c begin to wonder if not playing is the correct action, as gunfire is heard from the house in the distance!

Daniel is next seen, still quite upset. Sam is trying to comfort him and trying to figure out their situation as well. She reasons that what they are a part of is probably not real. Sam doesn’t think it logically fits the rules of time travel, and she guesses it is an advanced recreation being pumped into their minds. Once again they hear, "Be careful with that cover-stone!" Again Daniel approaches his parents as Sam sees the observers for the first time. Daniel tries to convince his parents to come out. They see and recognize him, calling him "Danny." He tries to tell them he has hurt himself, but they are not convinced, telling him they’ll be out in a minute. As before, the stone and pillars collapse crushing Daniel’s parents. Daniel stumbles away, appearing to be ill. Sam tries to tell him it is a virtual recreation to which Daniel responds "Wonderful! It takes one of the most painful experiences of my life, and plays it over and over!" Sam offers that might be the point! Daniel is getting the chance to see whether or not he could have changed things!

The Keeper happily appears to them exhorting "Isn’t it wonderful!? You have the chance to relive your momentous event!" "Who are you?" Daniel queries. "The Keeper of all that is, was and will be in this place," the Keeper responds, "Go and make things right!" "How?" asks Daniel. "There would be no fun if I told you how," the Keeper teases. "FUN?" Daniel asks greatly agitated, "Is that what you call this?" The Keeper mysteriously invites "There would be no fun from the game if no risk from the journey!"

For a third time, Daniel’s parents are seen directing the placement of the stone. Daniel eyes the observers and moves to his parents to try a more direct approach. This time he tries to grab his parents and remove them. "Daniel Jackson!" his father yells, "You stop this right now!" A construction worker grabs Daniel and pulls him back, as the chain snaps. Daniel cringes and painfully cries out "Oh! God! NO!" Filled with pain, anger and frustration, Daniel runs to the Keeper, grabs him by his collar and demands he stop the game - NOW. The Keeper says he will not, insisting Daniel must find the solution. Daniel, barely able to control himself yells "My options are infinite and my solutions are zero. Stop it! I won’t play anymore!" "But you will!" the Keeper commands, "You will!"

Daniel turns away, but can hear his parents once again. "You must try!" the Keeper pleas. "No." is Daniel’s only response. "You would allow your parents to suffer this awful death?" the Keeper chides. Daniel resolutely responds "I won’t play your game." The block falls, and Daniel reacts without turning around. The Keeper refers to them as an obstinate race, and using a control panel on his wrist, he brings O’Neil and Teal’c to the room via transport rings. The Keeper can’t understand why SG-1 won’t take part in the challenges. Jack wants to know why he won’t let them go. He tells them he can take them anywhere they wish to go - except free. He explains that they are being held in devices that nourish them and pump experiences into and out of their brains. Their minds, it is revealed, are very valuable to the "residents" of the planet. The team realizes that they are trapped, with their brains hooked up to some network. Daniel compares their minds to new software for the planet’s residents. After being hooked up for over 1,000 years, these people hunger for new ideas and experiences. The Keeper indicates that he was only able to use the mind and memories of Jackson and O’Neil as Teal’c and Carter’s minds were protected from removal - but their minds could receive input.

Taking another tact, Daniel asks why the residents don’t just go outside and live. Experience things for themselves. The Keeper tells them the planet was destroyed by a chemical disaster 1,022 years ago and is no longer suitable for life. Jack tries to tell the observers that the planet has regenerated itself, while the Keeper maintains it is not true. Jack asks why the Keeper doesn’t want the residents to know, and begins to tell the residents that the Keeper is lying. Abruptly, the Keeper removes the residents using his transport rings. Jackson reminds the Keeper that he can ’t keep them apart for long, especially if they are the new software, and they will tell all they know to the people of the planet. The Keeper waves them off in disgust and says they were never wanted anyway.

Next, they are set free! As they emerge from their chambers, SG-1 is struck by the feeling that it all seemed too easy. They return home, are examined by the doctor, and are found to have no permanent damage. In debriefing, Daniel wants to return to free the people being held under false pretenses in the chambers. General Hammond and Jack disagree, but curiously, Hammond wants them to obtain more information! Teal’c says that means they would need to go back. "Exactly!" the General responds. "Go back?! -- Are you cracked?" Jack respectfully asks. The General clearly wants the technology of this planet, while SG-1 is afraid to return due to the danger of being trapped. After some discussion, Jack and Daniel glance at each other as if they understand what is truly going on.

Jack jumps up "That’s it! You’re obviously not the real General Hammond! A new game!" He begins to poke around the General’s ear and slap him on the head, calling him the Keeper. The General has them arrested and put into isolation for insubordination. Kawalsky appears as one of their guards while they are discussing how they must still be on P7J989 in the virtual world. Kawalsky asks what’s so bad about a virtual world, after all hadn’t he been missed! He also entices them with talk of never growing old. Jack tells him he is not real and because of that, he won’t mind this - as he punches Kawalsky and a fight ensues.

SG-1 escapes and meets the residents, who are curious about the world outside. They are told that everything is blooming and the poison is gone, but if they don’t believe that the Keeper is lying they should go out and see for themselves. The SG-1 team begins chasing the General, who morphs back into the Keeper, and as they turn down a hallway they find themselves in the domed garden. They actually see themselves in the devices, and at once they are free!

They follow the Keeper outside and ask him to free the residents. He tells them that portals are everywhere, and anyone may leave at any time. "You have shown them how to leave and that the outside is good," the Keeper moans "You’ve ruined everything, the damage is done. They will ruin the world again!" Grateful residents begin emerging and thanking the SG-1 team for their freedom. Jack offers to send them help to get started again. The Keeper becomes very angry that they are picking the flowers. Daniel and Jack begin to wonder if it is truly real this time, as they watch the Keeper become more and more frantic "First they’ll ruin the garden, then the entire world!" Jackson and O’Neil say in unison "It’s real!" and they turn and head for home.

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